President’s Message- May 2014
It’s getting cold here in Canberra, but I must say the city
is resplendent in its Autumn colours.
The view from Telstra Tower lets you see all the trees in their changing
colours. The days are getting shorter
and it’s harder to get out of my warm bed. I am very thankful for the quilt on
it and that it’s one I made.
Australian quilters have again done very well in overseas
quilt shows and I would like to congratulate you all. I have seen some pictures on various internet
sites and I am so proud of all the Aussies who have won places or honourable
mentions. This is encouraging and
inspiring.
Our
Annual General Meeting will be happening before the Quilt Show!!
It’s
time to start considering how we can all continue to improve and grow our
Association. Without you the Association
will cease to be. All positions will be
declared vacant at the AGM and there are committee members who need to step
down for health reasons and also like myself cannot stand for the same position
again. The current committee is a
wonderful group of ladies and I have learnt so much from them and being on the
committee. I would like to continue to
help the Association but I cannot stand as President again according to our
constitution. You do not have to be a
seasoned quilter to join the committee; I was a very new member and a new long
arm quilter when I first joined the committee as a general member.
In particular we need a new Secretary and as per our constitution the position requires the person to be residing in Qld or within 65km of the border. There are many new members and we can split the role if there are a couple of people who would like to work together. If you would like to see something happen within AMQA Inc. and help us improve our member benefits, please join the committee and/or attend the meetings.
Meetings are held via Skype linkup which is a free program to download and use. We successfully hold meetings with attendees from almost all states and even NZ. You will need to create a Skype name and then send a contact request to me at the moment (Thomas and Raylee) before the meeting and I can add you to the conversation.
In particular we need a new Secretary and as per our constitution the position requires the person to be residing in Qld or within 65km of the border. There are many new members and we can split the role if there are a couple of people who would like to work together. If you would like to see something happen within AMQA Inc. and help us improve our member benefits, please join the committee and/or attend the meetings.
Meetings are held via Skype linkup which is a free program to download and use. We successfully hold meetings with attendees from almost all states and even NZ. You will need to create a Skype name and then send a contact request to me at the moment (Thomas and Raylee) before the meeting and I can add you to the conversation.
AMQA Inc. Quilt Show
Have you been thinking about your entry for the Show? I am trying to decide which quilt or quilts I
will enter. Just a reminder the entries
close on the 31st July 2014.
Your quilt does not need to be received until the 20th
September 2014 so you will have time to complete it. The entries and photos allow us to plan the
quilt display to the best advantage for the quilts. The only last minute changes will be when the
Best of Show and Runner Up BOS are decided.
The previous newsletters have contained the category descriptions for
you to think about and they will be repeated in the next few newsletters.
DON’T FORGET –we have a new category!!
Modern Category
Maximum 480” perimeter. This
category is for those quilts which encompass the Modern Quilting style. Modern
quilts are functional and can display features such as solid &/or bold
colours, simplicity, minimalism or improvisational piecing. Features can
include asymmetry and the use of reinterpreted traditional blocks, the use of
modern prints and grey or white as a neutral.
Sponsorship requirements for our show are almost filled
though we are always happy to speak with interested businesses. If you have any
suggestions for businesses who might consider sponsoring our show, please let
someone on the committee know. You can find an email address on our website for
the committee members. We hope to make the show extremely successful with great
prizes for all categories. I would like to thank the sponsors who are already supporting
our show and providing some wonderful prizes.
Our wonderful Show
sponsors
Jan Foster - Red Shed Quilting
Bill and Leonie West - Westalee Designs
Hollyburton Park.
SA Quilters Guild.
Australian Quilters Association
Studio Mio & The Quilting Heart
Canberra Quilters
Victorian Quilters
Dayview Textiles
Blue Gum Quilting
BBT Distributors
Busy Needles
Blueberries
Mt Vincent Quilts
Central Coat Modern Quilt Guild Inc.
Leutenegger
Blessington
Patchwork on Parade
Threads and Tangles
and we are proud to have
M&S Textiles as
our sponsor for Runner Up- Best Of Show and
Quality Always as
co-sponsor of Best Of Show.
Australian Machine
Quilting Festival as co-sponsor of Best Of Show. Thank you Tracey and Sharon.
2015 Member’s
Challenge – Competition Now Open! We still need a design.
Do you have an idea for a pieced design you think would be
perfect for the next Member’s Challenge?
To enable as many people to enter as possible we are thinking way ahead
and wanting to release the pieced design at our Quilt Show in 2014. This will
give almost a year for quilts to be thought about and made. If you have a design in mind, I encourage you
to spend a bit of your downtime writing it up and submit it to the committee
for use as the 2015 Member’s Challenge pieced design. All acknowledgements will
be given to the designer as appropriate. The challenge is great to stretch our
skills, try new techniques and help us be confident.
We need
- a design that is approximately 40-45 inches square,
ideally closer to 40inches but this will depend on the design.
- instructions to make the pieced design and measurements
for cutting etc. Any templates etc. in printable format, ie; PDF is good.
- a picture or photo of the finished design, not necessarily
quilted.
The prize for the successful design is a free year of
membership to AMQA Inc. Other design will be held to consider for future
Member’s Challenges.
We are hoping to make the challenge a travelling showcase which
will be great for our industry and for our businesses. To be able to offer the quilts for travelling
we do need to make sure it is worthwhile. 4 quilts don’t really make a
showcase. I encourage you all to consider designing and then entering the Member’s
Challenge in 2015.
This is your
Newsletter!
Please let us know about anything interesting in your area,
or even an issue you’d like to be discussed.
The newsletter is a great way to share information with our members as
well as the Facebook page. Your
questions can be asked there or answered by those in the know. Please share your quilty highs or lows and
this will benefit all of us.
Happy Quilting
Raylee Bielenberg
Next Committee Meeting -
28th May 2014
Being
Business Savvy - Part 2
Terms &
Conditions
Further to my previous article
in Continuous Lines # 34, if you were to use two copies of the Customer Work Order with a sheet of
carbon paper between them, when they sign the top sheet they also sign the
bottom copy. You can determine which copy is yours to keep, but on the back of
the customers' copy you could have the following information not only as a
further Disclaimer for yourself & your business, but most importantly, this
will cover you as the quilter should anyone every query your liability to them
or their quilt . You need to tell them
that there is important information on the back of their form which they need
to read & understand.
Dear Piecer/Owner of this Quilt
As the owner of (name of business) I value my
professional reputation very highly & will treat your quilt/project as
though it were my own. Your quilt will be handled with care in a smoke &
animal free environment. If you would
like to make any changes to the pattern, thread(s), backing fabric or wadding
noted on the front of this Work Order, please let me know as soon as possible.
Once work has begun on your quilt, any changes made by you will be at your
additional expense. You will be charged
for time spent to prepare the quilt for the changes you are requesting at the
rate of ($ your hourly rate), including removal of any or all stitching that
has already been put into your quilt/project. The estimated cost of work listed
on the front of this form will be re-calculated to reflect the time taken to
prepare your quilt for these changes & to carry them out.
I am more than happy to help you decide the
quilting pattern/design & thread choices for your quilt. If you leave the
pattern/design & thread choices up to me, please understand that you have made this choice. As a professional quilter, I will execute
this choice to the best of my ability. The responsibility for the pattern/design
& thread choice begins & ends with the quality of workmanship done by
(name of business). Should you loan/enter your quilt/project for exhibition or
public display, please show the courtesy of crediting (name of business) as the
machine quilter.
Terms of this Guarantee:
If there is a problem with this
quilt for which I am responsible, please let me know within two days (48 hours)
after it is returned to you. I will use every reasonable means at my disposal
to rectify the problem. If this is not possible, (name of business) will issue
a credit for the cost of quilting labour only.
Backing fabric, wadding, binding & thread charges will NOT be
included in this credit.
This credit is the maximum
liability of (name of business) & is redeemable within ninety (90) days
from date of issue only. THIS GUARANTEE
SUPERSEDES ANY AND ALL GUARANTEES IMPLIED BY LAW, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED
WARRANTEES OF MERCHANTIBILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
(Name of Business) as a signature line
(Town of Suburb)
I
wish to acknowledge Cindy Roth of Longarm University for her permission to use
this information.
Cindy has this article available for purchase, if you want more information
follow this link
http://www.longarmuniversity.com/Bookstore%20pages/longarm_pricing.htm#worksheet
http://www.longarmuniversity.com/Bookstore%20pages/longarm_pricing.htm#worksheet
to purchase your own copy or follow the Machine Quilting Blog (US based)
http://mqbusiness.wordpress.com/
http://mqbusiness.wordpress.com/
I
think you will agree there is some valuable information here which you could
use. I hope it is of some use to you & your business.
Val
Towill
AMQA
Committee
...................................................................................................................................................................
AMQF
All the Tutors and classes are listed on the website......grab a cuppa and take a look.
MORE TUTORS FOR AMQF
Helen Stubbings
Helen lives in Hobart, Tasmania which is the island at the
bottom of Australia - she jokingly says she lives at the bottom of the
inhabited world. Helen has been quilting since 1995 after completing a 2
year Certificate IV in Needlecraft and before then she was an embroiderer;
Helen is the owner of the ever popular Hug's and Kisses. She loves
anything at all to do with handwork, embroidery, stitchery, applique and paper
piecing which she incorporates into all her designs along with her
Colourque®. At the moment Helen's schedule is such that
she simply doesn't have the time to do hand quilting although it is something
she loves. Helen says she is never short of inspiration, carrying her
camera when travelling and uses architecture, history and culture as a starting
point. As a mum of three girly girls and a love of gardens there is
always something to get those creative juices flowing. Helen loves
teaching, which she has been doing since 1996 and her classes are full of
entertaining moments as she generously shares her knowledge and
techniques. She is very grateful for all the wonderful, interesting
people she has met during her teaching career which has taken her all over the
world. Although Helen has travelled
extensively she loves Australia and would love the time to lay by a pool or on
one of our beautiful beaches - not too hot, not too windy. She thinks
this could only be enhanced by having a personal butler serving her cocktails,
Michael Buble crooning in the corner with nothing to do but lay and listen with
needle and thread in hand. She is
currently working on some super cute projects and here's a sneak peek.
extensively she loves Australia and would love the time to lay by a pool or on
one of our beautiful beaches - not too hot, not too windy. She thinks
this could only be enhanced by having a personal butler serving her cocktails,
Michael Buble crooning in the corner with nothing to do but lay and listen with
needle and thread in hand. She is
currently working on some super cute projects and here's a sneak peek.
Kindergarten colouring = grownup masterpiece
4hrs
Hands on colouring
4hrs
Hands on colouring
Colour and create your very own ‘Lace’ wholecloth quilt in a day. Using a pre – quilted mini quilt you will learn the colouring technique as used in the award winning quilt Lace#2. Using a variation of Helens’ Colourqué® method you will learn about colouring, blending, sealing and finishing a personal version of a mini wholecloth quilt. You can then use the method to create your very own masterpiece using coloured pencils, your design and quilting skills.
Perfect Gluestick Applique' by machine
2hrs
Hands on DSM
Using Hugs ‘n Kisses Applique paper and a gluepen you cannot get a simpler method to perfecting needleturn applique – by machine.. Class will cover perfect circles, (the bain of all appliquers) points, bias technique and sewing methods. Convert to hand applique if you prefer. We will make the centre of a simple tablerunner in a hands on class.When finished, just wash, semi dissolve and wallah! A work of art with no stress at all…
Iron, Glue, Stitch & Wash - Hexies done Easy
2hrs
Hands on DSM
Iron it on, glue it over, stitch it down, wash it out!!! Hexies done easy….
The look of English Paper piecing by machine. Using Hugs ‘n Kisses iron on precut hexies learn the easiest possible hexie technique adjusted for machine piecing. Make a small table centrepiece in this short informative hands on class. Also see the nifty quick flying geese ruler in action.
Michelle Bouchier
Michelle is located in Greenwith, South Australia and was
introduced to needle and thread at the age of three and has been stitching ever
since. She started with blanket stitch and has had a continued love of
embroidery and hand-work ever since. Serious quilting began in 1998, when she
spent a year in Auckland New Zealand as a result of her husband's employment;
she was hooked! Michelle's interests in quilting are many and
varied. As the mood takes her, she enjoys piecing and appliqué (both hand and
machine, blanket-stitch, needle-turn and free-motion). She is currently
trying to find enough time to indulge in landscape and pictorial quilts; she
has a background in Art and finds this invaluable for her quilt designs and use
of colour. Michelle began as a hand quilter but laments how long it takes
to complete quilting a quilt in this hot state of ours, and so she ventured
into machine quilting. In 2001, a long arm quilting machine was purchased
Bloomin' Quilts was born. Michelle loves the diversity of machine
quilting and is passionate about educating other quilters and the public about
its merits, both edge-to-edge and custom quilting. Her teaching career
began informally with the quilting groups she was involved with, and with the
encouragement of friends she has ventured into professional teaching.
Michelle teaches beginner’s classes as well as original appliqué designs using
the vliesofix method or needle-turn. She
has also taught dimensional flowers, machine trapunto and machine
quilting. Michelle and her family have travelled around Australia and are
now enjoying revisiting places, particularly photographing landscapes with the
variation in light that different regions possess. Hopefully, this translates
into future quilt projects and we have the pleasure of seeing them!
A vase of Australian wildflowers incorporating the techniques from my quilt Bush Magic 2. Appliqué may be done by hand or machine. We will shade fabric to give dimension to our flowers and create beautiful three dimensional Waratah and Bottlebrush blooms. Includes both hand and machine embroidery.
This class will complete a sampler of the award winning original Bush Magic 2 quilt, that has won a 1st place at the Festival of Quilts, 2013 in Adelaide & has been selected to be hung at AQC in Melbourne, 2014.
Cristyn Merry
Cristyn is originally from Alaska, and currently lives in Colorado. She spent 10 years in Houston, Texas, working in the Space Shuttle Program and learning how to quilt and has been making quilts since 1998 and bought her longarm machine in 2003. In 2007 Cristyn had an IntelliQuilter installed on her longarm and in 2008 became an IQ dealer/installer/instructor. She has been teaching IQ classes at large machine quilting shows in the United States for five years and her favourite style of quilting is currently what is labeled as "modern quilting". Cristyn finds that her style evolves as she learns and because of this she never knows what the future in her quilting may look like. Her inspiration comes from many places, but mostly from blank spaces on quilts. It's those negative spaces that prompt her to think up something new and that's when the magic happens. Cristyn does quilt for customers, but sparingly as her main focus is on installing IQs and teaching new owners how to get the maximum out of their investment. Cristyn gets great pleasure out of the light bulb moments... "OMG I didn't know it could do that"! In addition to teaching at AMQF Cristyn is very much looking forward to learning about the Australian quilting culture and how things are done differently here to the US. She hopes to see as much of Australia as she can - any and all of it including seeing our amazing wildlife.
IQ Masters Class
4 days of 2hr classes
Lecture/demo
Join award-winning IQ quilter and dealer for 4 days of in-depth exploration of the IntelliQuilter system. Learn how to use the powerful features of the IQ to maximum potential. Each session is a pre-requisite for the next. The focus of this class is on custom work with the IQ. Learn how to translate hand-guided work into IQ work, including using the recording feature. Each student is required to have had day-of-installation IQ training and be familiar with the menu system of the IQ. Optional homework will be given for students who bring their tablets or StiQ to AMQF. The homework allows for practice and any questions that arise with homework will be answered in the next session. Bring note-taking materials and camera.
An IQ Master certificate will be awarded at the end of Day 4.
What's New with IQ
2hrs
Lecture
2hrs
Lecture
Students will get in-depth information on all the latest tools and how they can work for quilts. This class will cover all new features and releases for the past 12 months. Bring IQ tablets (or equivalent) to class if desired, to help learn the new tools.
Intelligent Pattern Creation
2hrs
Lecture/demo
2hrs
Lecture/demo
This class will teach students how to use the IQ to generate beautiful quilting designs using only IQ's pattern generation capabilities, without purchasing a single pattern. Students will learn how to use Path Pattern, Echo Pattern, Fan Pattern, Split Pattern, Smooth Pattern and more to create formal feathers, curved cross-hatching, custom background fills – anything imaginable!
Rachelle Denneny
Rachelle was absent from our teaching panel during AMQF2012 and
we are delighted to have her back with us this year. Since her AMQF debut
in 2010 Rachelle has won some of the most coveted awards in the quilting
world. Rachelle lives in the lovely suburb of Glenelg which is located
south west of the city of Adelaide near one of South Australia's most beautiful
beaches. She has been quilting for 13 years and has been entering her
glorious work into shows since 2006. Rachelle loves all the processes
involved in making a quilt but her love of designing and the actual machine
quilting of her quilts is her most favourite part. She loves the way the
texture of quilting can completely transform a flat piece of fabric and the results
never cease to amaze her. Rachelle gets inspiration from many different
places and once again architecture features strongly along with textile designs
from various countries including India, Japan and the Middle East. Look
out for the ideas she is currently exploring influenced by Russian
designs. Rachelle has been teaching since 2004 and this has continued up
until this day, early on she had to juggle this commitment with the raising of her young family. Her
extraordinary talent has been passed on to her 3 children who also regularly
enter shows. Rachelle doesn't quilt for others but has not discounted the
option of doing a commissioned piece in the future.
Machine Quilting..Getting started
6hrs
Hands on DSM
This class is suitable for beginners or for those who are stuck in stipple mode and would like to move beyond. This class will cover the basics you need to know to get started. We will touch on straight line and ditch stitching and discuss needles,threads, tension, basting and marking your quilt. You will free draw, stitch a simple marked design and learn a variety of designs, some easy, some more challenging, depending on your skill level.
Fancy a Feather
6hrs
Hands on Sweet 16 sit down longarm machine
Do you love quilted feathers? This class will show you how to draw them, sew them and fit them into spaces. Fancy, free, fillers and formal, feathers are fun and beautiful once you know how.
Free motion experience is necessary.
Trapunto- The added dimension
6hrs
Hands on DSM
Learn how easy it is to enhance and add dimension to your quilting and or appliqué designs by "stuffing" them.You will have the choice of two gorgeous designs to stitch. You will receive the patterns for both in the class.
Background patterns and fillers will be discussed and tried in this class.
You will also be shown how you can add a third dimension by adding free motion embroidery.
Your completed design will be suitable for a wall hanging or cushion.
NSW PROFESSIONAL LONGARMERS GET TOGETHER
Sunday May 4 the lovely Sharon French of "Morning Star Quilting" fame hosted our latest get together.
Much lively discussion on the value of the work we do and how to get the best out of social media.... creating a facebook page.
Sharon also gave a wonderful demonstration on attaching a quilt's binding while still on the longarm frame.
The next get together will be hosted by the AMQA's President Raylee Bielenberg.
When? Friday 22 Aug. 2014
11am
59 Ashkanasy Cres Evatt
A few of us from NSW are planning a road trip as the Canberra Quilt Show is on at the same time.
AMQA Quilt Show Sponsors
(Logo's received to date)
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Machine Quilting..Getting started
6hrs
Hands on DSM
6hrs
Hands on DSM
This class is suitable for beginners or for those who are stuck in stipple mode and would like to move beyond. This class will cover the basics you need to know to get started. We will touch on straight line and ditch stitching and discuss needles,threads, tension, basting and marking your quilt. You will free draw, stitch a simple marked design and learn a variety of designs, some easy, some more challenging, depending on your skill level.
Fancy a Feather
6hrs
Hands on Sweet 16 sit down longarm machine
6hrs
Hands on Sweet 16 sit down longarm machine
Do you love quilted feathers? This class will show you how to draw them, sew them and fit them into spaces. Fancy, free, fillers and formal, feathers are fun and beautiful once you know how.
Free motion experience is necessary.
Trapunto- The added dimension
6hrs
Hands on DSM
6hrs
Hands on DSM
Learn how easy it is to enhance and add dimension to your quilting and or appliqué designs by "stuffing" them.You will have the choice of two gorgeous designs to stitch. You will receive the patterns for both in the class.
Background patterns and fillers will be discussed and tried in this class.
You will also be shown how you can add a third dimension by adding free motion embroidery.
Your completed design will be suitable for a wall hanging or cushion.
NSW PROFESSIONAL LONGARMERS GET TOGETHER
Sunday May 4 the lovely Sharon French of "Morning Star Quilting" fame hosted our latest get together.
Much lively discussion on the value of the work we do and how to get the best out of social media.... creating a facebook page.
Sharon also gave a wonderful demonstration on attaching a quilt's binding while still on the longarm frame.
The next get together will be hosted by the AMQA's President Raylee Bielenberg.
When? Friday 22 Aug. 2014
11am
59 Ashkanasy Cres Evatt
A few of us from NSW are planning a road trip as the Canberra Quilt Show is on at the same time.
AMQA Quilt Show Sponsors
(Logo's received to date)
.jpg)
J
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