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Prizes and Surprises are coming during International Quilting Month. TQS will celebrate March 15-16 with a give-away of a BERNINA 550QE and fabric from Ricky, Alex, and RJR. Superior Threads has a shopping spree set for 5 lucky winners and Gammill has a quilting/drafting chair to make your quilting more comfortable.

There are also special deals all month and we will try to feature some of our sponsors' best deals. Today we feature Gammill. They have special discounts and you can even Trade In your competing longarm for discounts on true Gammill quality.

Click below and see what discounts you can get.

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Meet author and quilt historian Janet Finley in Episode 1405, who has amassed the world's largest collection of 19th- and early-20th-century photos of people with quilts, and the book she created to showcase them.

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Superior Threads has gathered the top questions they have received from customers about needles for Home machines and Longarm machines. Read on to find out what Dr. Bob and Mother Superior have to share.

Q. My friend tells me that I can't use a #90/14 needle in my quilt because it will leave big holes. Is this true? I'm quilting with King Tut and want to try your needles.

A. Sounds like your friend needs some Thread Therapy.  In most cases, a #90/14 needle is recommended for medium-weight quilting thread. King Tut, Rainbows, Magnifico, and Fantastico (to name a few) are all in the 40 wt. thread category and are considered medium wt. quilting threads. This means that the thread is heavy enough to be visible in a quilt. It is important to match the correct size needle with the corresponding thickness in thread. Fine thread, small needle. Medium thread, medium needle.  Heavy thread, big needle. Using a too small needle with a medium thread is like trying to lace a medium shoelace through a very small eyelet.  There will be too much stress and friction on the thread, which will result in excessive friction. Using a #90/14 needle with King Tut will not leave large holes in your quilt because each needle hole will be filled with King Tut.

Q. Do Batiks require special needles?

A. We asked Heather (Mother Superior) this question as she has made dozens of quilts with batiks. "I think that the actual batik fabric has softened quite a bit from when they first became available to quilters. Today's high quality batik fabric is much softer and easier to piece and quilt. I have used Topstitch needles for years. The long-life titanium-coated Superior Topstitch needles are perfect for batiks." 

Q. What do all the numbers mean on a pack of longarm needles? 

A. Short answer: The numbers represent needle style, point, and size designations. Long answer: We have created an easy-to-understand educational article which explains what all the numbers on a pack of Groz-Beckert longarm needles mean. Please click here to view.  

Q. I noticed that all of Superior's needles are Topstitch style. Why don't you carry other styles?

A. When we were developing our needles, we asked many of the top professionals in the industry what needles styles they use for quilting, piecing, embroidery, and sewing. The majority responded with "The Topstitch Needle."  Benefits of the Topstitch needle include an elongated eye, deeper and wider groove, and a light sharp (not razor sharp) point. We took the existing chrome-plated Topstitch needle and coated it with an ultra-thin layer of titanium nitride (extra hard ceramic) to make our needles Superior. They last 5-8 times longer than regular needles.  We created a fun graphic which explains in detail the why our needles are sew Superior. 

Q. I know that Superior sells Groz-Beckert brand needles for my longarm machine. Thank you for arranging the needles by longarm machine brand (this has been VERY helpful!). I'm wondering why the needles I buy are printed with 'SAN 11' even though I use different sizes such as 14/16/18? What does the SAN 11 mean?

A. The Groz-Beckert needles we carry (and personally use on our longarm machines) are an incredible feat of technology. SAN is an acronym for Special Application Needle. This style of needle has been developed specifically for multi-directional use. Because longarm machines move in all directions, it is important to have a needle which can handle the stress of multi-directional stitching. The SAN 11 series is exactly that. Please click here to view an article on SAN.  Many brands of longarm machines use the SAN 11 style.  We recommend you use the needle style indicated by your machine manufacturer. 

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For European lovers of needlework, the upcoming Pour l'Amour du Fil show in Nantes, France, promises to be a real treat. From April 23 - 26, the Parc de Expositione de la Beaujoire will abound with classes, exhibits, vendors, and more, all geared to inspire quilters, sewers, embroiderers, knitters, and other aficionados of the needle arts. The theme this year is Vintage..., with a special nod to the 1950s. We even found a class that covers how to make a 3-D flower brooch using old needlepoint scraps! 

Not able to make the event? You can count on TQS to give you a taste of the action. Carolyn Konig, an Australian teacher and quilt-shop owner, is known for recreating 18th-century quilts and LOVES to do it all by HAND! You won't want to miss her show (Episode 1414) which will be airing  on TQS in May. Here's a sneak peek at her work.   

     Photo by Gregory Case Photography

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It's a new year and TQS is here to help you Star Members get into shape...with your quilting skills!!  Little Scraps of Magic is a series of fun, doable, confidence-building techniques that we'll share throughout the year. As with any new endeavor, there's some preparation (and homework) involved.  

• We recommend that you get a three-ring binder and a package of clear sheet protectors. 
  
• We'll provide a sample of each exercise as inspiration.
  
• All technique exercises should measure 8 1/2" (unfinished) as we will share an idea of what to do with these blocks once you finish. 
• Every two weeks, we'll provide a pdf (on the Projects Page) or reference to a specific demo in a TQS show episode. 
  
• You can complete most exercises with things in your stash (unless you want your "Little Scraps of Magic" to have a consistent look). 
  
• You can start the 'exercise program' at any time, but we recommend following along with each lesson throughout the year. 
  
• As the year goes along, you'll have opportunities to win some cool prizes if you share your WIP on the Show and Tell page. Join the fun, "get some exercise," and learn some new techniques. You'll be glad you did! 

This week's lessons:

Machine Applique the Letter F -  Watch 2014 BOM designer Janet Stone demo her method for machine applique using the letter F (Episode 1401). Download the homework pdf.

Make a border with squiggle stick inserts - Watch Alex Anderson show you how to insert the tiniest of squiggle sticks into a quilt border (Episode 1402) . . . and then make your own version from our Projects page.

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In last week's newsletter, we shared some ideas for getting your creative space in order. Several members wanted a closer look at the peg board and the hooks that Lilo uses to hang various items in her studio. 

"My main objective was to have my most-used sewing tools up and off the floor, as well as easily accessible while I'm working. My handyman cut peg board to fit the wall space next to my machine. He attached  strips of wood 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" on the back to allow for the hanging hooks to be inserted without scratching the wall. I opted to paint the pegboard to match my wall color to keep things visually clean."

"A combinantion of both angled L-shaped and straight hooks hold up a large assortment of items within easy reach. To make things simple, I've organized my rulers by type (long, square, rectangular, etc.).  I hang unusual tools, or those that I use less frequently (circle templates, french curve, embroidery hoops, etc.) higher up the board. For items I need to grab quickly, I use an angled hook without a rubber tip." 

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If you've enjoyed watching Alex's and Ricky's tips for adding interest to a quilt (Episode 1402), you'll definitely want to check out these other great ideas. Remember: as a Star Member, you have access to ALL shows that have aired. Don't miss out on this bounty of fantastic fun and learning!

Make a Chicklet Stix block with Alex
Episode 910

Add a sliver of interest with Rosalie Dace
Episode 711

Make a point with Ricky
Episode 607

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Peg Weschke created this wonderful quilt from a photograph that appeared in the newspaper. Hear Peg as she describes how the sky was created, the "bumps" in the sand, the blurr of the crowd, the horse, and the face of the rider. Also, what happened to the condominiums?

Click the picture to go to our new magazine approach. You will be able to listen to the video and zoom in on the quilt.

Do you have trouble with the new magazine? Then click here to go to the YouTube video.

When you are in the magazine, remember to click on the page to zoom in and then click to zoom back out. You can do this while the video is playing.

Once you are zoomed in, move the slider to get even closer to see what Peg did in the different areas of the quilt.

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Our winners are Qaddict from Oregon, Caro22 from Canada, and Jessierae from California. Congratulations!

Didn't win but still need some Batt Scooters to get the quilt done right? Click here and scroll down to get Paula to send them directly to you.  

Star members, be sure to click the "Fluff & Stuff" banner above or in the right border to learn machine quilting from Paula Reid. Watch as many times as you want until March 31.

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It's the new year, so why not--along with tackling all those UFOs--make yourself a promise to organize your work space too. A nice, organized work space might be just the boost you need to tackle those wayward projects. If you aren't sure where to start, try some of these great tips:

1. Use your vertical space to keep items within reach, but off floor and table surfaces.
2. Keep a unified color scheme for all major elements (walls, carpet, window coverings, basket systems, etc.). Introduce color with specific items in limited areas only. This unified look keeps the space from becoming too distracting.
3. Keep most of your organizational items (wire baskets, shelving, tables, etc.) in the same color scheme so that everything mixes well, regardless of manufacturer.
4. Look at this great tip from Bernina's We All Sew for stashing your stabilizer. It's a hanging shoe storage rack.
5. Check out more cleverly organized studios by Libby Lehman (Episodes 112 + 513) and Jacquie Gering (Episode 1202).  Both artists work in a relatively small space, but have clever ideas for using every square inch.