Ruler of the Month and a Quilt Along

SXLLM​​Can you believe that February is already almost over! The first day of March is on Thursday which means it is time for a new Ruler Of The Month. For the month of March the Round Up Tool by Creative Grids will be on special, 20% off. This tool has variety of uses and is a lot of fun. It’s great to round the corners of any of your project, quilts, wall hangings and runners. This adds just a little bit of extra flair to the quilt and the Round Up Tool makes it easy to ensure that each corner is the same. It is also great for cutting 8” and 10” circles. I love how simple it makes cutting appliqué shapes like orange peels, petals and those for the Drunkards Path. We have quite a few different patterns at the store that feature this ruler, and Esther made up a fun Drunkards Path Runner using a Cut Loose Press Pattern and a fabric line called Bloomsbury by Franny and Jane for Moda. 

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I mentioned last week that I was wanting to start a quilt along here on the blog, and today Esther and I decided on a pattern together. The story behind this decision is a little funny so I thought I would share it with you. I have been wanting to do the Moda Be My Neighbor Quilt for quite some time but have been waiting for the right fabric, on Monday I decided that the new Color Master sets from Art Gallery would be perfect and sent Esther a picture of it. Turns out that she had been searching for a pattern for the Art Gallery Color Master bundles and had just finished downloading the Be My Neighbour Pattern. Seeing as how we both want to make this quilt we thought others would maybe like to sew along with us. 

This pattern is a block of the month and finishes at 68”x84.5” so it is a really good size for a twin bed or a large throw. There are 16 blocks and rather than doing one a month we will be doing 2 a month. I will post pictures of mine and Esther’s blocks as well as some tips that we have for you on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month starting March 13. Though we are both using Art Gallery Fabrics I am sure that our quilts will be very different as we will not show each other our fabric selections before we sew each individual block. The photo is of some of the prints I will be using. 

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As mentioned this Quilt Along (QAL) will start on March 13, and we would love for you to join us. The pattern is a free download and I will post a link for the pattern on the blog each time we do a block but we will also have copies of it for you to pick up in the store, and if you click here you can download the pattern now. The pattern is printed in greyscale so you can color it in yourself. The quilt is meant to be scrappy so this is a great way to destash or use up some of those precuts you have collected. Or if you want to use the same fabrics as Esther and I come check out our large selection of Art Gallery Fabrics or grab some of the Color Master sets for yourself. 

To see more pictures of the quilt go on Pinterest or google and search for Be My Neighbor Quilt. There are lots of images available to check out. 

We will also have some fun prizes and incentives along the way to keep you motivated and encouraged to continue sewing along and finish this quilt up.

So grab your fabric and get ready to Quilt Along with Esther and I, it is going to be a lot of fun. 

March 1st is game night and there is still room in the 7:00 session to join us for this fun evening. The registration fee is $10 but you will get this back in gifts and prizes. 

Kayla

 

 

 

 

 

Solids

MXLLS​​On Friday I mentioned that I was itching to get to our solids and blenders shelf and organize it. Well today I managed to do just that, and I am thrilled about it, that section of the store now looks so much neater! 

Our solids now take up almost one full side of the unit, and I think there is pretty much every color of the rainbow represented. The vast majority of them are Kona Solids by Robert Kaufman, and Bella Solids by Moda. 

If I had to choose one over the other I personally prefer to work with the Bella Solids, I find them to be a better quality and easier to sew with. That being said I use both quite frequently. 

After barcoding, pinning and organizing these bolts today I have the urge to make a solids quilt. I have never actually done a quilt using only solids but that will change in the near future. Have you done any quilts using just solids?

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Robert Kaufman has a whole section of patterns on their website devoted to Solids, some of these really caught my attention and I may end up making some kits using them next week if time permits. 

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Accuquilt has also done up several projects using solids and their various dies. If you have an accuquilt check the projects out on their website. If you need a certain die, remember that we carry a wide variety of the dies and we can order any of them and have them in store for you ion about two weeks. We also carry the machines if you are interested in purchasing one.

I am also curious to see if anyone is interested in joining a quilt along run through the blog? Whether it follows a more difficult pattern, a book full of blocks, or a seasonal wall hanging or table runner. Let me know and I will put something together. 

Kayla

Designer Bolts Explained

MXLLS​​MLXLS​​SXLLM​​A few weeks ago we got what are called Designer Bolts in the store. Sitting on the shelf they look unusual but not a lot of people understand what they are and why we like them so much. Because we currently have two collections of these Designer Bolts and a couple more lines on the way, I thought I would explain them a little. The fabric is printed in Fat Quarters and the two collections we currently have in store both have 8 Fat Quarters per bolts printed in 2 meter repeats. So the line has 33 prints in 5 bolts, 1 full bolt of the main print and 4 bolts of 8 fat quarters each containing the coordinates. 

The designers of these collections have also been designing patterns that not only work well for all Fat Quarters but especially for these bolts. The patterns have special cutting instructions which take advantage of how the fabric is printed that results in less cuts, fewer seams, and quicker quilts. 

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We love Designer Bolts because we can get a full collection and not worry about how much space it will take up, 5 bolts take up a lot less room than 33 bolts do. Also rather than cutting and folding 33 fat quarters we can make 4 or 5 cuts, and give you a complete Fat Quarter bundle. This also means there is fewer creases for you to iron out before you begin your project.

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Both collections that we currently have are called All A Twitter by Kari Carr, one is in the cooler color tones and the other in the warmer tones, and already some of the bolts are getting quite low.

New in store today are Color Master Fat Quarter Bundles that came in from Art Gallery Fabrics. Each box contains 10 Fat Quarters in one color story, and there are 12 different ones to choose from. There are only 4 of each left so if these interest you don't wait too long. 

We were asked to do some Creative Grids Rulers at a retreat this weekend and as usual I left my planning until the last minute so I better go and do some prep work for that. 

Have a great weekend,

Kayla

Background Fabrics

When making a quilt or table runner do you tend to have the background all one fabric, or a variety, and what about color, do you lean towards white and cream or do you like to switch it up and use a color?

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In the past I always chose one fabric for the background, and it was generally white or light grey. During the past year have been forcing myself out of that box and have worked on changing up both the color and the number of fabrics I use in the background. I have learned that a scrappy background can add interest and uniqueness to a quilt in a way that a single fabric background cannot. Also sometimes the blocks resting on a color are just what the quilt needs to pop! If you are scared to try out different backgrounds a great place to work on it is a sampler quilt or Block of The Month. Art gallery also has a great variety of low volume prints perfect for those scrappy backgrounds. Esther is using them in her Inspiring Stitches Block Of The Month.

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We just got a new line by Zen Chic in store that is perfect for scrappy backgrounds. It is called Modern Backgrounds Colorbox, and we have the porcelain colorway available. This line also includes a panel that makes a great cheater quilter. Just cut the desired length, quilt and bind it and ta-da one of the quickest baby quilts you have ever made!

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SXLLM​​This past Saturday was another of our Collage Classes. We had a great time and I always love seeing everyone's fabric choices, and the wide variety of florals that come out. One lady was doing the pattern called Garden Girl and the method is a little different than the floral collages so I decided to do it as well to learn the method. I am using Me and You Batiks for mine, she decided to make her flowers resemble sunflowers and so was sticking to mainly yellows, oranges and reds. Once again a simple change in fabric can change the look of the pattern so much. 

Bingo in February starts on Thursday, if you cannot make it in store before then, send us an email or a private message on Facebook and we will reply with a photo of a bingo card for you. This game is only taking place on Facebook and you must follow our page, Chicken Feed Quilts, to get the Bingo number every day. 

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Today Esther met with our reps from Trend-tex, this was the fifth meeting since last Monday, but she had to get them all in before her vacation. All I can say about these meetings is that there will be no shortage of fabric in our store this summer! We have also received multiple shipping notifications again, so watch our Instagram for pictures of new fabrics.

Also on Thursday it is a new month, already, and so on Friday I will do a blog post about the new ruler special. I wanted to finish the project for today's post, but for some reason the boys in my house thought that having clean clothes and supper was more important than my sewing!This also means that there is only 1 day left to get the Stripology at 20% off.

Kayla

Sewing Spaces

SLXLM​​I thought I would share some pictures of my sewing space today, as well as some tips on how I stay organized. 

I spent some of my Christmas break cleaning up my sewing corner. I did a lot of organizing of patterns, projects, books, and fabric. My space is not a large area, its actually just a small corner of the basement that I took over, so staying organized is important. It also happens to be in a section of the basement that everyone needs to walk through to get to our rec area and so it needs to be kept somewhat neat, I can't just close the door on it. I generally tidy up every time I complete a project. I also try to work on only a couple projects at a time and make sure the rest are put away so they don't get mixed up.

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 My thread is stored in most part in Aurifl Cases, with my most commonly used ones on a spool stand and the bobbins stuck on top with bobbinis. 

For my paper patterns I use binders. I currently have 3 on the go, one contains quilts, table runners and minis, the second all my bag patterns, and the third contains the instruction sheets that come with rulers as well as specific ruler patterns. My books are arranged on the shelf beside the binders along with a stack of magazines I have purchased for vacation reading over the years. 

My rulers are all on hung on nails on the wall, though I need to hang some more nails to accommodate them all. I also have an old ruler that I used vinyl letters to write Get A Grip on, but have yet to hang. 

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For my ongoing or upcoming projects I like to use shoebox totes. They are inexpensive, and they are clear, so its easy to see which in is each bin at a quick glance. The desk I work on is quite deep, so I can stack them all at the back and still have plenty of room for my sewing machine in front. The drawers in the desk work great for rarely used tools, sewing machine parts and manuals.

For my cutting table, I repurposed our old kitchen table. One day I hope to paint it a fun color, but that would mean no cutting table for awhile, so that likely won't happen anytime soon. A small end table with basket drawers works perfect for small trimming and keeping my current projects close at hand. 

I love my little tins for containing my small scissors and marking pens, my binding kit, extra needles, and other small things that can easily be lost. We have more of these tins on order, so if you want some they should be in store in about 2 weeks. 

My fabric scraps are stored in a large tote under the cutting table, while my treasured pieces are kept up high on small shelves.

As for decor, I don't have much, some cards with quilty sayings and all my row by row licence plates adorn one wall. I am hoping to make some minis to hang, but as always time is the issue. 

I love my little corner, and as one of my coffee mugs says, "My sewing room is my happy place."

Are you lucky enough to have your own sewing space, or do you have to set up and take down every time you want to spend some time on your hobby? How do you stay organized?

Kayla

Favorite Finishes of 2017

SXLLM​​It is the last weekend of 2017 already! On Tuesday I mentioned that I would share some of our favorite finishes of the year, so scroll through the pictures of Carrie’s, Esther’s and my favorite quilts and bags. 

First up Carrie. She made a quilt for a friend that moved here from Scotland this past year. She used the fabric collection called With Glowing Hearts. Carrie also did a Panda Quilt but believe it or not, neither of us happen to have a picture of it! She also really loves the two lunch kits she made and had a very hard time choosing which to use for school and which to display in the store. I can see why they both turned out so well!

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SXLLM​​Esther has several favourites. Two quilts that she made for gifts made the top of the list. The black and pink quilt was a super fun one that she made as a wedding gift for our ski coach in Florida. The other quilt us d the digital prints by Hoffman and was a gift for her cousin’s son who stayed with her last year. These digital panels are so fun and there is so many different ones to choose from now.

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She made a Penny Inn Wallet this spring and it definitely has been put to good use. In fact it is pretty much worn through! 

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One of my favourite quilts that I made this year is probably the one made using the Strippy Stars Ruler, in fact it is one of two that I couldn’t even put up for sale. The Keys To My Heart quilt and the collage quilts I did also top the list

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My favourite bag has to be the Range backpack that I finished this weekend.

We all have more quilts and bags that we love but I can only add so many pictures. Check out the gallery for pictures of more of our quilts, or come in store to see the latest ones!

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SXLLM​​As the year draws to a close it is also the time that everyone sets goals for themselves, making lists of things that they want to accomplish and tasks that need to be tackled. Do you make any quilting resolutions? Maybe you want to learn a new technique, finish a project thats been sitting around for awhile, clean up those scraps, or make a quilt just for yourself.This past year I pushed myself to try new techniques, rulers, patterns and color schemes. I worked out of my box many times, and though it was hard at first, it became easier and looking back I have grown as a quilter so much. Quilts I never thought I would be able to do, I have done or am currently working on. I only hope that I can learn and grow more in 2018. 

 Remember we are now closed until Wednesday, January 3. All of us at Chicken Feed Quilts wish you a Happy New Year, and thank you for your business in 2017. Your support is incredible and you make our jobs so much fun!

Until next year,

Kayla

Highlights of 2017

MLXLS​​As the end of the year approaches it seems to be the norm to look back over the year and reflect on what has all happened. 

A lot has happened at Chicken Feed Quilts since last December. Our computer system was set up last year during the Christmas break and though it has taken us all some time to adjust to it and it still beats us some days we do love it most days. 

I started writing this blog last January and so far it has been going well. It has been a great way for us to communicate with you without spamming your email and Facebook pages.  

In the spring we held our annual clear out sale and it was very well attended. 

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Rob from Trendtex Fabrics Cake for a visit in April and did a couple information sessions on Hoffman Batiks. These sessions were very interesting and I for one gained a vast amount of knowledge. Which reminds me that we should plan another of these information sessions maybe on a different topic. 

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In May we welcomed Martha Penner to Chicken Feed Quilts for two days of demos on paper piecing the Judy Niemeyer way. This resulted in both a one day class on the Cactus Flower table runner and a 6 month technique of the month class to make the Vintage  Rose. 

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We attended Quilt Festival in Lethbridge in June as a vendor and had so much fun.

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In July our store was in the Candy Parade in Coaldale. While making a float for the parade was tricky we succeeded in putting one together and even won first place in our category! 

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July also brought us Lynn Hagmeier from Kansas Troubles who came for a few workshops and a trunk show. It was so great to meet her and learn about her techniques and the stories behind each of her quilts. 

The annual Shop Hop in September was another highlight. It was once again well attended and we love seeing so many quilters in one weekend!

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October and November brought around some huge changes in our store in the way of a massive remodel. We removed walls, changed lighting and floors, repainted and reorganized. We are loving our new space and from your feedback we gather that you love it too! 

With the new year only a week away I can’t even begin to imagine what will happen at Chicken Feed Quilts in the next 365 days. 

Check back on Friday to see a post full of our favourite projects from this past year, as well as some of the ones we hope to accomplish. 

Kayla