Every year in June the town of Cannon Beach has a Sandcastle Building Contest. There are hundreds, if not thousands allowed to park on the beach for 6 hours to enjoy the competition. It was a perfect reason to go camping with friends and visit one of the best quilt shops on the Oregon Coast, The Center Diamond! If you ever get a chance to do a shop hop along the Oregon Coast, it is a beautiful drive and there are shops all along the way. Cannon Beach is nicknamed, Carmel by the Sea of Oregon, and it does live up to it's reputation with many wonderful shops and restaurants located right off the beach. I do love how each shop has their own flavor and the Center Diamond is like the cherry on the sundae.
The Sandcastle Building Contest is divided up into categories from Children to the Masters Division, with cash prizes. One of the challenges is how to get the water up to your designated area for construction. How this problem is solved is almost as interesting as the Sandcastles themselves. It is all wonderful but as you will see in the slide show...the really wondrous thing about Cannon Beach is the quilt shop! And, I know when you watch the slide show you will agree. We continue to meet up with quilters and hunt down new places to explore...I hope you will join us on the Quilt Roadies You Tube channel.
Here's a health update on Gregory Case from the man himself (looking good on his first day of rehab).
As many of you may know by now, Monday, May 9, 2015, while working out on a treadmill at our home, I began experiencing serious chest pains. Those symptoms were later diagnosed as (Type 1 or “A”) aortic dissection (the most severe type). According to Mayo Clinic’s Web site: an aortic dissection is a serious condition in which the inner layer of the aorta, the large blood vessel branching off the heart, tears. Blood surges through the tear, causing the inner and middle layers of the aorta to separate (dissect). If the blood-filled channel ruptures through the outside aortic wall, aortic dissection is often fatal. And according to Wikipedia, an aortic dissection is a medical emergency that can quickly lead to death even with optimal treatment (40% of patients are dead before they reach the hospital).
After spending about 2 hours in a Pueblo West Emergency Unit, I was then taken by ambulance to a Pueblo hospital and spent 20 hours waiting for medical staff to attempt to diagnose what I had. Once it was diagnosed, it was determined there was no surgeon in this area to operate on my now known condition (they feared my heart vessels would rupture) and was taken by helicopter to a Colorado Springs Hospital (an hour north).
I had emergency surgery within hours. The surgery lasted over 8 hours. They shut down the blood to my brain for 31 minutes, 7 minutes longer than they wanted and they still did not repair all the vessel damage.
I stayed in the hospital for 8 days and was released a little over 4 weeks ago. I recently had my first follow-up meeting with the surgeon. The chest X-rays looked good. The good news is that I did not have a heart attack, in fact, my heart is in great condition.
None of the medical staff is quite sure why this happened. This condition can be related to family history and chronic high blood pressure history, neither a factor in my life. The staff however believed that my regular working out saved me.
I recently finished a 3 week home health care program, which included visiting nurses, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. Right after completing this program I woke up at 5:00 AM with chest pains. Paramedics were called in and while they did not find any heart event, they strongly recommended I get further tests at the Pueblo ER (the same hospital I was in just 4 weeks prior). While in the ER they ran all sorts of tests, including a CAT scan (this test can let the doctors see the condition of my aorta). Fortunately, all tests showed no signs of any heart or aortic dysfunction.
The good news is that I am seeing slow progress each day (much slower than I would desire but progress nevertheless) what has been frustrating has been putting up with the side effects of medications. It is really taking a toll on my recovery.
Last week I started a 12-session cardio-rehab program. I am hoping that will increase my cardio endurance. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be feeling better and able to work longer hours and to start enjoying life again.
I believe your many prayers and good thoughts were also key. Elena and I have been so moved by those who have contacted us with your well-wishes, thoughts, prayers, calls, texts, hand written notes, get-well cards, and social media updates. We have been overwhelmed by the love and care you have shown us. Thank you.
Jane Sassaman was recently a guest blogger on the Okan Arts site. She wrote about her work in designing fabric and shared a tour of her studio. The studio is in a separate building on her property and she calls it "my heavenly haven where I spend all day, everyday, when I am home."
Star Members can watch Jane in Show 301 where she teaches how to create a stunning quilt using large, bold prints with a simple silhouette pattern. Jane also shares how she conceives, designs and develops a new fabric line.
Borrowing from local cultural organizations collectors, designers and History of San Jose, this show will illuminate the evolution of the wedding dress, ethnic similarities and differences, and explore new questions raised by the legalization of same-sex marriage. Included in the collection will be a colorful 17' Moroccan wedding belt, a dress worn by Josie Eldridge Crump in 1895 and a DIY dress designed around a bride's tattoos. Traditions are clearly no longer limited to something borrowed and something blue. The exhibition is guest curated by Kate Eilertsen who says, " Whether it is a traditional kimono, red sari or satin Flapper era dress, the wedding dress reveals much about the traditions and history of communities around the world."
Take a look behind the scenes to see some of the preparation required for this fabulous exhibit.
And that dress designed around tattoos...you'll have to visit the exhibit and see for yourself.
Machine needles are one of those necessary but not so glamorous tools in a creative sewing space. Let's face it, when walking through your local quilt store, it's not those tiny aluring packets of needles that grab your attention, right? But, it's good to remember that these small but powerful tools allow us to stitch happily along for hours and sometime days on end. By the way, when was the last time you changed your needle? And, do you even know if the needle currently in your machine is the correct type/size for the fabric you are working with?
This week's homework is to educate yourself about machine needles and to take inventory of your current stock. As with hand sewing needles, it's always a good idea to keep extras around. We are also sharing some creative ideas for keeping these slippery little boxes organized and easily accessible.
Change Your Needle Often:
A quilter was recently talking about the trouble with her machine skipping stiches and creating snarls on the underside of her work. When asked if she had changed the needle she said "you mean I need to change the needle"? Another woman replied, "how long have you been sewing"? The quilter replied "I have been sewing for ten years!" If you can't remember the last time you changed a needle, it's definitely time for a replacement.
The common rule of thumb is to start with a new needle at the beginning of each project, or after about eight hours of sewing. But if you answer yes to any one of these questions in the video, it's time to change your needle.
Machine Needle Anatomy/Type 101:
Let's talk sewing machine needles. Do you know what butt, shank, shoulder and scarf means when it comes to your needles? Check out the anatomy of machine needles here.
Stand in front of a machine needle display at any local quilt store and one can become overwhelmed by plethora of choices: Sharps,Topstitch, Mixrotex, Quilting, Universal, Embroidery, Metallic, Stretch, Twin...the list goes on and on. Does a quilter actually need all of these various needles? And what are all of these types actually for?
Sewing and Craft Alliance Needle Chart offers a detailed explanation of needles that you can print out and keep handy. Click here.
Decoding Needle Sizes:
What's with those odd numbers on the packets? And, if that were not confusing enough, there are two needle sizing systems: American and European. Generally there will be two number listed on the needle package such as 80/12 and 70/10.
Sew4Home has a good explanation of the coding system:
The first thing you see on a needle package is the needle size. This will usually be shown as one number over another, such as: 70/10, 80/12 or 90/14. These numbers refer to the size of the needle and you really only need to pay attention to one of them.
The larger of the two numbers is the needle size according to the European numbering system. European sizes range from 60 to 120; 60 is a very fine, thin needle and 120 is a very thick, heavy needle. Some companies list American first, some list European first.
The smaller number is the needle size according to the American numbering system. The American system uses 8 to 19. So 8 is a very fine, thin needle and 19 is a very thick, heavy needle. In the US, this may be the only number you see on the needle pack.
The different size needles have been designed for optimal sewing on different weights of fabric.
For example, if you are going to sew a sheer window curtain, you would want a fine needle such as 60/8. Using a 120/19 would leave giant holes in your fabric. On the other hand, if you were to try to sew through upholstery fabric with a 60/8 needle, it could bend or break. Using a 120/19 would give you extra strength to penetrate heavy home décor fabric and would have an eye large enough to carry the thicker thread you're likely to use.
Select the correct size Needle:
Just like the tension setting on your machine, selecting the best size needle for your project is also important. The one size fits all approach can lead to problems and frustrations.
Buy in bulk:
Consider purchasing your needles in bulk. The cost per needle when purchased in boxes of 100 vs. 5 is quite considerable. Most major brands including BERNINA, Organ, and Schmetz offer bulk needle purchase options.
Now let's get to the creative ways to store and organize your machine needle collection. Here's an idea we found in Libby's studio. Magnetic (Container Store) strips mounted to the wall hold small labeled wire baskets (Container Store).
Clean and Clutter Free Options:
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1. Use clear business card pages from an office supply store to hold needle cases. It’s easy to find the needle you’re looking for with these clear pages. You can also see at a glance which sizes you have and which ones you need to buy. Sewwhatsnew
6. Up-cycle old CD cases for your needles. The boxes stack nicely in a drawer. Piecefulliving
Visually Stimulating Options:
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1. Use a traditional Tomato or Dresden Plate Pin cushion. Label the sections by needle type. Fons and Porter
2. Up-cycle the plastic business card insert pages. Cut apart into individual units, punch a hole in one corner and hang on ring near your work area. Bloglovin'
The winners have been announced for this year's Quilt Alliance annual contest. "Playing Favorites" allowed the participants to play in their favorite quilting environment. The quilts had to be 16" square, other than that, it was "anything goes."
As in previous years, the contest quilts will tour the country to various quilt shows like the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo, corporate exhibition spaces, and events like Quilters Take Manhattan, before being auctioned off to benefit the Quilt Alliance. All quilts will be labeled using StoryPatches, which include a QR code to link the quilt to its Quilt Index record.
Click the button to see all the other winners and entries into the contest.
The Grand Prize winner was, "My Garden," by Margaret Cibulsky.
Cotton fabric and thread, improvisational piecing and machine detail
Artist's statement: The whole style of this quilt was an experiment. While my favorite way to make a quilt is improvisational piecing, I had never used this technique with the intention of using my work as the background for a natural scene. Another first was the free-cut blooms which I attached with raw-edge appliqué and then using some fancy stitches on my machine to create greenery. All in all, this little quilt is one of my favorites!
Judges' comments: We were all in agreement about the appropriateness of My Garden for this prize. The maker is clearly not stuck in any particular genre. Cone flowers and daisies bloom atop a somewhat "improvisational" background of random-size squares and rectangles, mostly—but not entirely—solids. The freeform flowers, though not ultra-realistic, are easily recognizable and nicely balanced. We love the lacy, embroidered stems and purple flowers that make up the lower third of the piece. Congratulations on a job well done!
This block looks super complicated, yet is surprisingly easy to put together and creates a number of different quilt variations. Take a look at the tutorial from Sewn Up Teresa Down Under. One caveat, this block can be made into a scrappy quilt by using your fabric scraps or jelly rolls. However, this block works a lot better, and Teresa means A LOT BETTER, if you plan your fabrics and colors.
Watch the video and learn how to make this block in just over one minute or click on the button to see more that you can do with this block.
You can also learn from Mark in Show 1813 where he talks about how he discovered the "Slow Stitching" movement and learned to enjoy the process as well as the outcome.
Is this a new type of binding? Or is it really "old-school?" The gals at Vintage Door discovered similar binding made by Wrights in a box of old sewing goods. When they discovered it was no longer manufactured, they set about having it created by a factory in Europe. Click here to read more of the story.
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Here's a health update on Gregory Case from the man himself (looking good on his first day of rehab).
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