Daily Blog

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Great news for Star members. Starting January 1 there will be a special selection of DVDs on the site for watching all of 2015. We have brought back Libby's "Threadplay" for your learning all year long. Here are 7 tips from Libby as part of the lessons. These DVDs are shown online FREE to our Star members. The price of membership is $42.95 (with a $10 coupon at Superior Threads through Dec 31) and the DVDs are worth the price. A letter will be coming soon with more details.

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Ricky has just launched a new online website where he will be offering online classes. Don’t worry, Ricky is not leaving TQS - he’s just following his passion to teach - teach - teach and hopefully, inspire! This new venture is an easy fit with his career journey. Ricky says, “Because people are gravitating to the internet for their content, DVDs are less and less desirable. So instead of producing new DVDs, I decided that online classes would be the way to go.”

The format is set up so that when you register for a class can start immediately. Purchased classes reside in you’re My Classes library and are yours to keep forever. Your classes can be accessed any time day or night so you can progress at your own pace. There’s a place in each class to share photos of your projects with other students and there is an Ask The Teacher button if you need a bit of help along the way.

While the site is brand new and has limited offerings at the moment, over time Ricky will populate the site with classes that feature fun projects and a various techniques. Ricky will be presenting a variety of projects that will range from easy to challenging, from traditional to contemporary, and from modern to art. Classes are reasonably priced. Joining the site is FREE, and by doing so you’ll be the first to know when new classes are posted.

The site launched in early December in order to open registrations for one unique class. It’s an in-depth, 52-week Photography Challenge Class starting in January. It will run 52 weeks and have 52 lessons! Other classes can be taken at anytime, but registrations for this class must happen before January 4th. Students who sign up will progress together week by week throughout 2015. The class is crafted to teach design and composition, camera techniques, and Photoshop. To learn about this and the other classes, visit the site, read the descriptions and watch the video trailers.

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This time Melody Crust answered the questions in the TQS booth at IQA Houston 2014.  Star Members can watch Melody in Episode 312: Stimulating Your Senses where she teaches you fun and fast ways to add that bit of "bling" to your next project. Watch as she shows how beads, paint, and ribbons can change the entire look of your quilt.

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This is a quick and easy project from Brit+Co that will help you organize your cords, ear buds, and charging cables.  It's also a great "man" gift just in time for the holidays.

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Ever wondered what the Quilt Alliance really does and why we should support it?  This annual report will answer those questions as it shares the accomplishments of the nonprofit Quilt Alliance over the course of 2014. The Quilt Alliance documents, preserves and shares the history of quilts and their makers. You'll also notice a few faces familiar to TQS in the video.

If you are looking for a place to start your holiday giving, now is a great time to support the Quilt Alliance as any contributions through the end of the year will be matched up to $15,000.  Click here to donate.

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Name: Cross and Circles Block
Designer: Debby Schnabel
Begins: Dec. 15, 2014
Show 1512: Enhance Your Quilting "Menu" with Hand Embroidery
Price: Free to Star Members
Description: Try your hand at making a small Cross and Circles block following Debby’s detailed instructions.  For more information, watch her demonstration in Episode 1512.

You must be logged in as a Star member to download the patterns.  If you are not logged in, you will have to login and then return to the TQS Show Techniques page.

Star Members click here to get the pattern.

Become a Star member.

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Master quilter, Suzanne Marshall, has just released her newest book Quilts:  From Concept to Contest .  Follow along as Suzanne shares tips for quilting without a hoop, ideas for quilting designs, and background information on each of the quilts featured. This is a must have book any quilter wanting to improve their quilting skills. 

Order Autographed copies by emailing Suzanne

See the book on her site here

Watch Suzanne's Show (Episode 203) here.

Watch this show and 200 more

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Photo by Gregory Case Photography

Series 1600 is just around the corner.  With another stellar line-up of artists you will be learning techniques and tips from the quilt world's most renowned teachers and artists.  Check out who you don't want to miss and some of what they are showing:

Lynette Anderson: Applique Tips- Embroidery stitches w/o a machine
Sally Collins: Many tips & techniques including Chain Piecing, accurate 1/4", and pressing
Sharon Schamber: Amazing ideas--BRAND NEW Bonded Binding Technique and raw edge applique w/o fusible
Tom Russell: Handling hardship
Lynn Wilder: Breaking down the complex

Barbara Shapel: Quilting & needle tips, the "herky jerky" stitch, hoop or not to hoop, the caffeine stitch
Cindy Needham: Her favorite quilting design template, thread choices
Jane Hardy Miller: French braid quilts-fabric selection and creating the center

Bari Ackerman: fabric collage
Peg Pennell: embellishing techniques
Sue Bleiweiss: Dying w/ a color magnet, How she quilts
Thomas Knauer: Creating meaningful quilts

Lea McComas: Stitching and value, photo editing (Grisaille Technique), Facing with a built in sleeve
Joanne Sharpe: Your own (or your loved one's) handwriting on a quilt, art in free motion
Jennifer Murche: What are fabric bowls?

Ricky Tims: Various ways to baste a quilt 
Louisa Smith: The curved diamond, double vision quilts

Julie Silber: Antique quilts

Karen Stone: Innovative English Paper Piecing by Machine, a cornucopia of tips and techniques

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Are you looking for a last minute gift for that frequent traveler in your family?  We found this quick and easy a luggage handle cover that will make the bag stand out in the sea of black bags on the carousel.  On second thought, you might want to make several.