Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Hopes & Dreams Featured in Australian Quilt Magazine

The postage on the package reads $28.90.  But Melissa Tahu of Adelaide, Australia would have paid three times the postage to send the contents of this package to the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS.


Her special delivery contained the quilt photographed below titled "Dino Boy Quilt."  Melissa was going to sell this quilt on her own online shop called "Dainty Jane Quilts," but decided she wanted to help raise money for ALS Research and asked if we would place this quilt on the Hopes & Dreams Storenvy shop instead.  She wrote, "I know it is only a cot quilt, do you think you would be able to auction if off to help raise money for ALS Research?"


Melissa, like Quilters Dream Batting owner Kathy Thompson and many other family members of loved ones living with ALS, is on a mission to raise awareness and help fund research for a cure after watching her Mother suffer with this 100-year old devastating disease.


Melissa shared with us that she is an avid quilter and was lucky to have inherited some of her quilting skills from her 'mum.'  Unfortunately, Melissa's Mum passed away in July of this year.  Not only did she share her little dynamo quilt with Hopes & Dreams, she shared the mission of Hopes & Dreams with one of Australia's Quilt Magazines.


Down Under Quilts Editor Linda Robertus explained that Melissa had sent a photo of one of her other quilts for their "Show and Tell" pages, which they published in an earlier issue.  After seeing her quilt in publication, Linda said Melissa asked if they would like to write something about the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS. "We were happy to do it!" exclaimed Linda.


Here are two more pages Linda sent of the magazine that we can share with you.



The photo and write up on Hopes & Dreams immediately caught the attention of Australian Hazel Overfield who lost her husband to ALS just over a month ago.  Hazel wrote, "Just read about this wonderful idea in Down Under Quilts magazine, which I love.  Having lost my husband to this horrible disease just a month ago this seems to be yet another way of using my interest in quilting to promote awarness of MND/ALS...Sewing was my Sanity Saver this year and if I had known of this could have been making quilts for this cause!  Congratulations on this venture and hope to see it reach Aussie shores!"

Melissa, Linda, Hazel - and YOU - are proof that quilters will reach from all parts of the world to touch the life and heart of others and give Hope to Our Dreams of a Cure!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Your Grateful Hopes & Dreams Coordinator








Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Warmth of Fall


The trees outside of Quilters Dream Batting are just now starting to show signs that a new season is approaching.


The beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves signal a time of cooler temperatures and the approaching Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays.  And as the holidays approach the mailbox is beginning to fill with greeting cards and well wishes for peaceful, merry and safe days ahead.  And tucked in between the greetings are very special notes addressed to Hopes & Dreams filled with heartfelt words of thanks and gratitude.


Like this note we received from Roger and Renee Siervogel of Yellow Springs, Ohio.  Roger wanted to let us know that his fall will be especially warm thanks to the Hopes & Dreams quilt he received.  Roger writes, "Thank you for your special dedication to the Hopes and Dreams of a cure for ALS!  I have been living with ALS for 10+ years (diagnosed 6/08/03) and I am no longer able to walk, so my lap blanket will be keeping we warm as the cooler season is upon us...
 

  ...I have included some pictures of my walk Team from September...
 
 
... and of course the beautiful quilt that I received at our ALS Dayton, Ohio Support Group!  Thank you so much for your generosity, support and care for PALS! (people living with ALS)  May God Bless Each of You, Roger."
 
In the United States there are approximately 50,000 PALS - people living with ALS - and hundreds, if not thousands more living with ALS in other countries.  The quilts we receive give Hope to the Dream of a Cure for ALS and help warm the laps and hearts of PALS, like Roger.  So far more than 2,600 quilts have been gifted to PALS and with your help thousands more will receive the gift of a guilt.  To learn more about donating a quilt to Hopes & Dreams visit our website here.
 
And while you are making that list and checking it twice, consider purchasing a Hopes & Dreams Quilt that will warm the heart of your loved one while helping fund much needed ALS research.
 
 
100% of the purchase of each Hopes & Dreams Quilt on Storenvy goes to fund ALS Research.  Enjoy the changing seasons and know your gift of a quilt is bringing warmth to many people this fall.
 
Your Grateful Hopes & Dreams Coordinator
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, November 15, 2013

Our Houston Quilt Market Experience

 

Jennifer, Neva & I are back from Houston Quilt Market and our Special Hopes &. Dreams exhibit at Quilt Festival- and we had a wonderful time!

Yes ...we worked really hard (its not all glamour!). We arrive in Houston the day before the show, rushing from our 6am east-coast flight straight to the 'non-air-conditioned' convention center, going right to work to build our exhibit booth. We lift heavy boxes, unpack....

......move pallets, climb ladders (and chairs), lay carpet, reach and stretch to hang batting and decorations on 10' steel poles ...using body parts we rarely use anymore:). All while constantly dodging what seems to be an army of horn- blowing forklift drivers speeding through the aisles delivering giant crates and supplies to hundreds of vendors. Did I mention NO air conditioning?

By midnight....With a power bar and glass(es) of wine for a late night dinner - we finally get to bed.

Next morning, first day of the show....from the chaos of setup..... a beautiful Quilt Market opens.

 

We three 'gals', who are used to our comfy desk jobs (see our 'backsides' for proof:), are now in our busy little booth, on our feet for ten hours straight for three days. Our evenings are booked with socials and events. And on the final day of the show....as soon as they make the closing announcement (simultaneously with turning off the air-conditioning) we are back to lifting, climbing, dodging, packing, stretching, and hauling to tear down the booth and ship our show decor back home!

Yet....with all this, we still had a great time! It is crazy that the show could be so much work but could be SO much fun! We get to greet, meet and talk to our incredible customers face to face, we get to see our fellow exhibitors that have become such good friends, we get to work with our friends at Quilts Inc (who put together the entire show) and we make lots of new friends!

Pokey Bolton is a Dream! She is working with Quilts, Inc. and even generously made the IQA auction quilt using Quilters Dream Cotton!
Mike and Gary Harper of JN Harper, C

 

We get to see and hear about the latest and greatest quilting trends. We talk to designers, teachers, authors, shop owners and manufacturers and learn what they are working on, what they have created and how they use our batting. We witness the vision, hard work and the creative process coming to life; with color, fabric, art, tools, techniques, solutions, technology, networking, sharing and imagination flowing freel

Angela Walters and her new fabric line, Drift, are both fabulous!
New amazing Brother scanner that laser cuts fabric to your images!!

 

And then ...all around us ....some of the most stunningly beautiful quilts in the world! Eye-Candy everywhere

Melinda Bula's beautiful quilt, 'Monet in Pasadena.

When we fall into bed late each night we are exhausted - yet we are exhilarated, inspired, energized and happy....because, we just LOVE being part of the incredible quilting community!

I wish everyone who loves to quilt could experience Houston Quilt Market/Festival at least once!

Here our just a few of our pictures from Quilt Market that we thought you would enjoy (for more pictures visit our Facebook page):

 

Our very own, Jennifer, who Loves, Loves, Loves the new Dream Fusion!

 

 

 

Amazing painted threads and the whimsical creations of Thread Nuts.

Angela Walters beautiful new fabric line, "Drift", and her beautiful quilting. Visit her at quiltingismytherapy.
Susan Nelson from Prairie Sky Quilting - check out her great patterns and her unique Batting Buddy for cutting batting and fabric!

 

Susan Rass and her 'ghouls' from Tomorrow's Treasured Quilts of Crystal Ciy, Fl. in the best Halloween spirit!

One of the amazing miniature dolls on display:

Jinny Byers beautiful quilt:

Amy Butler's booth - beautiful in color and soul:

Little Angel Tommy and his mommy, love Quilters Dream Angel. #quiltybox

Timna Tarr, of S. Hadley Mass used Quilters Dream Wool for this award award winning, Traditional Pieced Catagory. This is her interpretation of the New England autumn leaf display!

Sorry that I do not have the name info on this beautiful quilt by a Quilter from Japan.....the details are amazing. The children are her grandchildren. Notice the teenage girl in the right corner? She used a photo of herself as a young girl and quilted in 'her young self' watching over her grandchildren. Beautiful!

Voted one of the top 100 quilts of our time - this gorgeous quilt by Libby Lehman was one of her many beautiful quilts. Her quilts were on display to honor Libby and her courageous battle in overcoming a very serious recent stroke. Our thoughts and prayers are with her:

 

All the best and Happy Quilting, Kathy Thompson!

 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

How to make a quilted tissue pouch

So Jennifer here is a non stop machine! She just came back from market and made this tutorial on a fun project using Quilters Dream Fusion. The holidays are literally right around the corner and this would be sooooo cute for a stocking stuffer or last minute gift idea!
Supplies you will need:
  • Two (2) pieces of 6” x 8” Coordinating Fabric
  • One (1) piece of 6” x 8” Dream Fusion batting (available in Cotton or Poly)
  • Scissors
  • Thread
  • Pins
  • Sewing Machine
  • Iron


Directions:

Place the 6” x 8” piece of Dream Fusion on your ironing board with the fusible side up (we mark the fusible side with a sticker, but you can also tell as the fusible side has a little more texture to it and a shine you can see under a light).



Place one piece of your 6” X 8” piece of fabric wrong side down – so that the backside of your fabric is touching the fusible side of the batting.



This fabric is cotton, so we used the cotton steam setting and then ironed, holding the iron down for a few seconds in all directions while ironing.  If you are using the Poly Select Dream Fusion, you can create this same steam effect by placing a piece of moist muslin on top and using the iron on a lower setting. 
**Helpful Tip**- Using the steam and having the fabric on top of the fusible side of the batting produces the best contact when bonding.  If you want to ensure your iron does not come in contact with the fusible batting, place an applique sheet or piece of parchment paper over the fabric before ironing.

Once the batting and fabric are fused, place your second 6” x 8” piece of fabric right side down on top of the piece of fabric you just fused to the batting.




Pin to your liking.  You will sew a quarter-inch (¼) seam on both short sides of the fabric (on the 6” sides). 

Press the sewn sides to seal the stitches and then turn the fabric inside out so that the right sides of the fabric are facing out. 



  Once you have turned the piece inside out, press the short sides again.


It will look like this when finished.
Now you have a choice. You can keep this the way it is or you can use this as a way to practice your free motion quilting or simply stitch straight lines until the whole piece is quilted.



Once quilted, determine which piece of fabric will be the outside of the tissue holder/handy pouch and have it facing right side up. 


Take both short sides (6” sides) and turn them upwards and meet in the middle of the fabric.  Pin the raw ends to your liking.  Sew the raw ends together using a quarter-inch (¼) seam.  Press to secure stitches.
Clip the corner tips and turn the pouch inside out.  Press seams and you’re done!!!



Use this to hold the little individual packages of tissues or post-it notes or whatever you like.  You can also turn this into a thread catcher to keep beside your sewing machine.