Blog update

I have yet to de-activate this blog.  If you have arrived at this page, please note that we have a new blog that is updated regularly – Quilter’s Connection.

Please visit our new page to learn more about us!

A Sneak Peak at the Winter issue…

The Winter issue of Quilter’s Connection Magazine is at the printers, and Laurraine and I had the opportunity to view the proofs earlier this week.  It looks fabulous!  We are so excited to bring readers the latest issue.  It’s bigger than the last, with 16 more pages – more projects and more articles for quilters to enjoy!

Here’s a peak at the cover.  Check out that project!

If you don’t already receive Quilter’s Connection Magazine, make sure to visit our website to order your subscription today!  You won’t want to miss out on the great projects and patterns, tips and techniques and wonderful articles about quilters – all in each and every issue of Quilter’s Connection Magazine, the magazine for Canadian quilters!

Been so long…

I’ve been so busy with the business that I haven’t touched this personal blog in such a long time.  To find out what I’ve been up to, visit my other blog here

Oops,

I’ve been ignoring this blog for a long time.  Not because I’ve been busy quilting, though I have been doing a little of that.  No, it’s because of the other projects I have going on… Quilter’s Connection Magazine has kept me totally occupied for the past few months.  See what I’ve been up to at the Quilter’s Connection Blog!

Give-away!

I’m having a contest for Canadian quilters over on my other blog Quilter’s Connection Magazine

Check it out!

My New Toy!

My iron has had one too many falls to the floor – either from me bumping the ironing board, or from my sweet cat jumping onto the board and knocking the iron off in the rocking and rolling that occurs.

So I mentioned to my dear husband one day that I needed a new iron and ironing board.  A few days later he came home with a lovely surprise for me!

The Oliso Pro Series iron comes with something called Auto Lift Technology. There is a sensor in the handle that when it detects your hand is no longer touching the iron, the lifter plates come out.  That means you can leave your iron face-plate down on your board, without risk of it burning anything!

This is meant to reduce strain on your arm from the constant turning of the iron into an upright position as you stop to re-position the item you are ironing.

For those of us with cats who love to climb, however, this technology is an iron saver.  And a bank account saver too!  Since you are constantly going out to purchase a new iron after one too many drops to the floor.

The Oliso Iron comes with a number of other great features as well:  an 8-minute automatic shut-off , which is great for quilters who have to leave the room for a minute, and before you know it, your minute turns into 18 hours!

It has a great steam capabilities, though quilters don’t use steam on our cottons, do we?!  And it feels great in my hand – very sturdy and ergonomically designed.  I’m sold.  My husband did a great job!

The Oliso Auto-Lift iron was purchased at Costco in British Columbia, for under $100.  I believe Sears and Home Depot also carry this product.

Happy quilting (and ironing!) ~ Northern Quilter

Quilts galore!

I met with Susan Jensen of Quilted Escapes this past week.  I’d never met her before, but I instantly felt as though we’d known each other forever.  She is an amazing and wonderful, and tremendously funny, woman, and quite a talented designer.

Susan and three other fabulous BC designers – Cheryl Wall of Country Quilts, Dougal Anne Walker of Freckles Collection, and Pippa Moore of Kitaamba Designs, will be hosting a fun – and free – quilt show at Tanglebank Nursery this September.  See below for more information.

Tricia Sherman of Great Canadian Shop Hop will be there as well, and then there’s me!  I am proud to be joining the rest of these talented women, and will have the first issue of Quilter’s Connection Magazine (formerly Connections for Quilters Newsletter) available to all visitors.

It will be a great day, with beautiful displays of quilts made by these designers throughout the gardens.  Quilt patterns will be available to purchase, and there will be refreshments available for visitors.  And I’m really excited to have the opportunity to ‘launch’ the new magazine, in connection with this fun show.

Come and visit us at this free event!

September 12, 2009

10:00 – 5:00 pm

“Quilts in Tanglebank Country Gardens”

Tanglebank Nursery and Country Gardens

29985 Downes Road

(west of) Abbotsford, B.C.

(see link above for directions)

I feel as though my leg has been cut off!

I’m still without my sewing machine.   The repair shop informed me on Wednesday that my dear Pfaff wouldn’t be ready until Saturday.

And Tank and I have split up.  He just wasn’t right for me.

I’m going through quilting withdrawal.

I want to quilt.  I DON’T want to clean the sewing room.  I DON’T want to clean the bathroom.  I DON’T want to vacuum the house.

I WANT TO QUILT.

It’s like being on a blind date…

… with a tank.

My sewing machine is in the hospital.  I broke it this morning, trying to remove a jammed thread.  Panicking, I packed it into my car and drove to my trusty sewing repair place, and Fatima kindly gave me a loaner.

You see, I have to meet with the graphics designer on Wednesday, to work on the design for my business cards for the magazine.  I’m working on a mini quilt to decorate the back of the card.  I’m waaaay behind.  And this little accident isn’t helping.

So about Tank.  Tank is the loaner.  He is a 20 something year old Pfaff.  Built like, well, a tank.  And drives like one too. Unfortunately, he’s missing some things (aren’t all 20 year olds?).  He didn’t come with a walking foot, and he seems to have misplaced his table attachment.  No matter.  It’s taken me a bit of getting used to Tank, but we seem to be getting along pretty well, after a few misunderstandings.  Must be something to do with the generation gap.

Nice thing about Tank – he doesn’t talk back.  And he’s okay with me swearing.  I think I’ll keep him… for a little while.

Back to quilting I go!  ~ Northern Quilter

Christmas in….. June?!?

The part about being a magazine publisher that I find a little strange is working on an advanced schedule.  As I sit at the computer in my office at 8am with the window open, the birds chirping outside, and the lovely scents of blooming flowers wafting in on the breeze, my mind is deep in thought – on winter.

My sewing table has been piled high for weeks now with Christmas quilting projects.  In June??  Ah, my life has forever changed.

Here are just a few examples of what you’ll see in the Winter issue of Quilter’s Connection Magazine….