Show 612 - Nature's Journey

Posts On: June 7, 2010

G'day! Join us on a "journey of design," as quilt artist, teacher, and author, Gloria Loughman, shares the process and methods she uses to capture the natural beauty of her native Australia in her amazing, dreamlike quilts. Discover how she "builds" each quilt with fabric, paint, and thread, and the secrets of her machine-appliqué technique. Then Alex and Ricky stop by to visit California quilter Jenny Mostek, whose passion for quilting outgrew her space, so...she bought the house next door! You don't want to miss this episode!

Show 611 - Appliqué the Piece O' Cake Way

Posts On: May 24, 2010

Appliqué lovers rejoice! It's time to meet, visit with, and enjoy the work of that hand-appliqué dynamo, Becky Goldsmith, designer and co-founder (with Linda Jenkins) of Piece O' Cake Designs. Becky demonstrates how to appliqué "the Piece O' Cake way" with unique methods that include making laminated appliqué templates, using upholstery vinyl for placement, pieced appliqué backgrounds, and her signature needle-turn stitching. Ricky gets in the act by showing how to use freezer paper to design original appliqué designs and, as a bonus, Alex demonstrates Texture Magic: how it works and the wonderful things - such as quilts, clothing, and purses - you can use it for.

Show 610 - Piece a Perfect Landscape

Posts On: May 10, 2010

On the road again! This time, Alex and Ricky head to Texas to visit with quiltmaker, author, and pattern designer Cynthia England. In addition to treating us to a show of her work (and tales of the havoc wreaked on her studio by Hurricane Ike!), Cynthia explains how to break a complex design into manageable sections and demonstrates her award-winning paper-piecing method. She also discusses how a design wall plays an important part in her design process. In another segment, Ricky shows how to use bobbin work to add "pop" to an appliqué design and gives us a peek at his Dad's Lone Star quilt.

Show 609 - Freeform feathers and Happy endings

Posts On: April 26, 2010

This super show brings you two outstanding teachers for "the price of one!" First, professional machine- and award-winning quilter Judy Woodworth uses a Gammill Longarm Quilting Machine to create freeform, out-of-the-box feathers, and encourages Alex to try her hand as well. Then: Who doesn't love a happy ending? Bonnie Browning, author of nine books, including Borders and Finishing Touches 2, involves our enthusiastic studio audience as she demonstrates a variety of innovative techniques, tips, and notions for giving our quilts the best endings ever! You'll be learning something every moment of this jam-packed episode.

Show 608 - Mastering Machine Appliqué

Posts On: April 12, 2010

Ever wonder how an award-winning quiltmaker creates those perfect, teeny-tiny berries in their appliqué designs? Wonder no more, as master machine-appliquér Pat Holly shares her prize-capturing techniques for successful circles. Pat also shows us how she uses decorative machine stitching to create background fabric for her appliqué work and reveals her personal sampler book of decorative stitches. Then, stitchers and Jane Austen fans alike will delight as author Jennifer Forest joins us via WebTV to chat about her book, Jane Austen's Sewing Box: Craft Projects and Stories from Jane Austen's Novels. Last - but certainly not least! - Alex, inspired by the stitching on an antique sleigh quilt, demonstrates the beautiful hand feather stitch.

Show 607 - Folded Fabric Elegance

Posts On: March 29, 2010

Get your fabric-folding fix as fabric artist Rami Kim, author of Folded Fabric Elegance, shares a collection of her quilted works in an inspiring show and tell. Next, Rami demonstrates how to make her trademark, three-dimensional folded "chopkey" in both a square and hexagonal shape. We wrap up our visit with a fashion show of her wonderful wearable art, featuring Ruth and Lilo as models! (You don't want to miss that.) In keeping with the "dimensional" theme, Ricky demonstrates how to make three versions of prairie points for edging or embellishing quilts and garments.

Show 606 - Showstopping Trapunto

Posts On: March 15, 2010

Award-winning quiltmaker Philippa Naylor brings it "all to the table" in this inspiring show. Philippa, who has returned to her native Yorkshire, England, after living for fifteen years in Saudi Arabia, describes how she became interested in quilting and how living in the Middle East influenced her life and her work. She also shares a show and tell of her heart-stopping quilts and demonstrates the techniques she has developed for creating the amazing trapunto that is a hallmark of her style. For the piecers among us, Alex demonstrates a simple method that yields a perfect set-in seam for a Split LeMoyne Star or other similar blocks.

Show 605 - Improvisational landscapes

Posts On: March 1, 2010

British-born textile artist Kate Cox shares her work and shows how to employ raw-edge appliqué and free-motion quilting to create an impressionistic quilt based on a favorite photograph. Kate, who now lives in Colorado and is greatly inspired by the American landscape, also demonstrates her freehand approach to cutting with a rotary cutter. Ricky introduces a terrific method for resist-dyeing a design on fabric using school glue, Procion dyes, and soda ash. Finally: Would you like to watch TQS on "the big screen?" No problem! Digital Dan (Purcell) shows how easy it is to link your computer to your TV so that you can watch TQS from your favorite easy chair... and he does it in language even a technophobe could love!

Show 604 - Become a machine "doodler"

Posts On: February 15, 2010

Linda Taylor and Cheri Meineke-Johnson are well-known for their award-winning quilted and embellished creations. (Cheri makes and embellishes the quilts and Linda does the machine quilting.) In this episode, Linda joins us and uses a longarm machine to show how easy it is to build a quilted feather by "doodling." She also demonstrates how variegated thread can add extra depth to a quilted design. Alex demystifies the process of drafting an Eight-pointed Star with an easy-to-follow demo, and our in-the-know Photo Man (Gregory Case) shares valuable info for upgrading your camera to expand your photography options, including what to look for if you're in the market for new equipment. Don't miss this one!

Show 603 - Do the "block shuffle"

Posts On: February 1, 2010

If you're looking for a simple way to give a block a unique twist, be sure to join us as quiltmaker Karla Alexander, best-selling author of the Stack the Deck book series, demonstrates how she creates and then alters a block for a fresh new look. Along the way, she takes the mystery out of sewing a partial seam, chats about her quilts, and "uncovers" a fabulous show and tell. In addition, Bernina pro Gayle Hillert is on hand to show us how to utilize decorative stitching to embellish children's clothing with techniques that adapt for quilts as well.

Show 602 - Paper Piece like a Pro

Posts On: January 18, 2010

World-renowned (and world-traveled) quilter, author, and teacher Carol Doak brings us photos and stories from her recent trip to Iceland, followed by a show and tell of wonderful quilts and an up-close demo of her "can't-miss" foundation-piecing methods. There's more: Ricky shows how to use thread to embellish a block featuring a photo-transferred image, with an assist from Bob Purcell, our resident Thread Guy, who explains a variety of thread finishes. If that weren't enough, Bunny Rose opens the TQS Treasure Chest to reveal some nifty notions, and Ricky treats us to his piano rendition of "The TQS Theme."

Show 601 - Perfect your Hand Piecing

Posts On: January 4, 2010

Join Alex, Ricky, and the TQS crew as legendary quilter, author, and fabric designer Jinny Beyer invites us into her home in Northern Virginia, where she shares her finely honed techniques - and lots of tips - for successful hand piecing. Jinny believes that it can be faster and more accurate to piece by hand, and in this episode she'll show you how. While we're "in the neighborhood," we open the TQS Treasure Chest at Jinny's shop, Jinny Beyer Studio, and share some great gift ideas. You won't want to miss this fun and info-loaded on-site show!