Wednesday 29 January 2014

Machine Quilter Retreat

Jackie holding Sally and Peter's giant log cabin quilt top
 The Petwood Hotel is beautifully situated and full of old world charm. The food is fabulous too. But what makes our Retreats so special is the people. We think that great things happen when a few people gather together around a machine quilting frame. 

Ann, Emma, Brenda, Carol, Maggie and Martha around the NEQ 6 foot frame
 Small is beautiful!  So we limit the numbers to 7 or 8 participants and we have at least 2 teachers.

Sally, Jackie, Maggie, Carol and Brenda with Jackie's quilt
It makes for a friendly atmosphere so it's easy to get to know each other and share ideas.

Peter and Martha chuckling over the 8 foot NEQ frame
There's lots of time one to one interaction as we doodle designs. We go from pen and paper to thread and fabric, gaining confidence on familiar designs and learning lots of new ones.

Sally, Maggie, Carol, Brenda and Martha with Sally's quilt
One of my favourite sessions is when we audition various threads on the unfinished quilt tops that people bring. I make sure that there's a good selection of Machine Quilting threads for people to choose. It's so inspiring to see all the gorgeous quilts as we explore machine quilting options.

Ann and Emma looking at the ripple stipple design on Jackie's quilt
This such a good mix of people.We had so much fun! We're already planning a reunion!

Tuesday 21 January 2014

New Fantastico Threads!

Disco #5032 a NEW thread from the Fantastico range of Superior Threads
 Last night I discovered lots of new Fantastico threads listed on the State-side Superior Threads website. Fantastico has been my favourite machine quilting thread ever since it came out last year. Fantastico is designed to cope with the high speeds of long arm quilting machines. It's a premium high tenacity trilobal polyseter so it won't fray or break at high speeds. It's a gorgeous variegated thread too that creates a bold and beautiful line of stitching!

But the range of threads was so new that they only offered 20 different threads. Now there's lots more! And fresh new colour combinations!! It was so fun to choose my favourite cones to bring along to our Machine Quilting Retreat next weekend!

Opalescence  #5024 New from the Fantastico range of Superior Threads
These new threads in the Fantastico range are not yet posted on our UK website. But you can follow the link and use the American Superior Threads site as a shop window.  Then email or phone me with your list and we'll order it in for you.We offer Fantastico 2,000 yd cones at the amazing price of £11.99. Strong, Gorgeous and Affordable.

Wednesday 15 January 2014

Superior Threads

.
I'm putting the January order 
through to Superior Threads 
in the next few days. 
So let me know if you need any machine quilting threads 
for your New Year's projects.

email: martha@machinequilter.co.uk
ring 01526 378057

Friday 10 January 2014

January Machine Quilting Retreat


We've hit the ground running in 2014. 




Everyone at Machine Quilter 
would like to wish you 
a very Happy New Year!


We've got a Machine Quilting Retreat just around the corner. The January Retreat is fully booked now and our March Retreat is filling up too. We have a great bunch of quilters signed up. I'm thrilled that Jackie Dickinson is coming to be our guest quilter

Jackie was one of the first people to purchase a Super Quilter frame from me back in 2003. Ten years later she upgraded to a New English Quilter/Juki TL98P combination and hasn't looked back. Over the past year Jackie has started her own machine quilting business, grown leaps and bounds and nearly recouped the cost of the frame too. Win win really. Jackie is the perfect person to help our Retreat participants move up to the next level.