9 Label Ideas for Every Kind of Quilter

Zoë MacDonald is E-Commerce and Social Media Manager at Canada’s largest manufacturer and wholesale distributor of quality sewing, quilting, and knitting supplies. Crafty lady and recent quilting convert, she is keen to share her love for the latest in notions.

1. For quilters on the move

If by the time you’ve reached the label stage you’re eager to move on to a new project, a premade label will do the trick, quick. Write with a laundry pen to avoid bleeding. 

2. For quilters who love multi-medium crafts

Stamps are really fun and can give you instant-ish gratification when writing your label message. Whether you use a ruler and air erasable marker to ensure straightness and proper spacing, or you prefer to stamp away freely, your letters will be perfect.  Stamping directly onto the quilt is also an option if you’re brave.

3. For shy quilters

If you’re tempted to tuck away your label or display it much more subtly, you can draw with an ink fabric pen on fusible bias  and work it into the lines of your quilt. 

4. For quilters who always make extra

Don’t let your spare block go to waste! Use it as a pretty call-out to the front by edge stitching it to the back. I would suggest using Quilter’s Edge to fold back the seam allowances before stitching in place. If you’re incorporating your own writing, you’ll also need: a fine tip permanent fabric marker, a ruler (for this purpose, a light and flexible one works best), and an air erasable marker. 

5. For quilters with the cutest stash of novelty fabric

Finally! The perfect place for a little snippet of gloved hands or a piece of a shipping label. Since it won’t run on cotton, you’ll want to use a permanent ink fabric pen to write, then simply secure it with a piece of HeatnBond Ultra Hold (that’s the no-sew kind). Strong enough to keep it securely in place and prevent frayed edges, this adhesive will add a little bit of heft making your label feel like more like a permanent patch.

6. For quilters whose family members have gifted them a bag of old jeans so that they can do something with them but they’re not totally sure what they should do with them.

Are you that somebody? If so, me too! This could be especially cute for a memory or a tee shirt quilt, and gives you a handy hiding place for a label with lots of info (stitch it to the top of the pocket so it can easily be taken out or tucked inside). To keep the pocket in place before it hits the machine, use a temporary fabric glue stick – and don’t forget Gutermann Jeans Thread so that the stitches look authentic. 

7. For quilters who like to think outside the box (or rectangle)

I mostly wanted an excuse to use Sew Easy’s new templates – which I think is a perfectly good reason to do something. I made it a little puffy with some leftover cotton batting which I thought made it look and feel like a badge.

8. For quilters who jump at the chance to use trims, rick rack, and buttons.

With a folded corner piece in a complimentary fabric, you have the perfect canvas to embellish – right on the edge of this label-turned-pocket. Try rick rack and ball fringe that complement the quilt colours. Buttons would be a nice touch too. For me, doing this the easy way involves basting with a special Quilter’s Basting Glue and holding it all in place with Large Clever Clips. 

9. For quilters who are also garment sewists

If you just love the look of a tag why not cut your quilt label to this shape? Add interfacing for a little extra stiffness, and secure the whole thing with a few stitches through a novelty scissor or thread button. 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Find the products featured here at your local Canadian quilt retailer.

For more inspiration and product education, follow H.A. Kidd and Company Limited on Facebook.

One week until Quilt Canada 2017

Are you ready for Quilt Canada 2017?  Whether you are going or not, there are some things you can do to prepare.

Have you downloaded the Quilt Canada app on your phone or ipad?  You won't miss anything if you do that.

Following us on facebook or Instagram?  You will get play by play of the events happening at Quilt Canada.

Most importantly, do come! Celebrating Canada's 150th birthday and having our annual national conference are just too good to be true for any quilter!

We look forward to seeing you in Toronto June 14-17, 2017!

Quilt Canada 2017 Update

In less than two weeks, Toronto ON won't know what hit the city, as thousands of quilters flock to Quilt Canada 2017 to enjoy so many quilting activities and to see old friends and make new ones.

The Board and staff are excited to say that most of our classes have sold out, our lectures have a few openings and our Merchant Mall is full to the brim of vendors waiting to show you their new and exciting quilt products!

Be sure to stop by and see how the Big Quilt Bee is progressing, drop in the CQA/ACC booth and say hi and check out the daily demos on the show floor to learn what our vendors are raving about.

Who could forget the quilts? All the incredible concurrent shows and the National Juried Show are waiting for you to see them and be inspired to make your own awesome quilts!

See you soon!  Be sure to download our app 'Quilt Canada' and follow us on facebook too!

There is always a bigger picture!

CQA/ACC is a non profit organization with the mandate to promote quilting across Canada.
With a board of directors, a slew of volunteers and a few staff, they do a pretty bang up job sharing quilting throughout the nation.

In 2016, a few decided to hatch a plan of making 1,000 quilts for kids in care at Ronald McDonald Houses. A committee was formed and plans began, to start the huge undertaking of the Big Quilt Bee.

Quilters across Canada were asked to make blocks, tops or finished quilts. The goal was to have a final Big Quilt Bee in conjunction with Quilt Canada 2017 in Toronto ON, and finish up the remaining quilts to reach the 1,000 quilts.

Quilters didn't just come on board, they jumped on board with enthusiasm and excitement! Not only did quilts come in, but stories that touched your heart and brought tears to your eyes. Kids, adults, grandmas, all got involved in making quilts.

But there is another side that you may not know about. In order to finish the quilts at the Big Quilt Bee at the national conference, supplies were needed.   Lots of supplies, from sewing machines, to batting, to backing, to thread, irons, cutters and so on.

Here is where the story got interesting. In the business world, competition among brands is a healthy thing. We also knew that we needed these brands to all be in one room in order to make this work.

We needed alot of machines to put in the Big Bee room, from domestic, to sit down long arm to stand up long arm.   We started by asking one brand, Janome. They instantly came on board. Then we moved to Brother Canada and it was a resounding yes. To Handi Quilter, Bernina, Grace Co., Gammill, Husqvarna and Pfaff and the same answer every time. No one refused. All these brands in one room for one cause - to help kids in a time that is stressful, scary and unknown.

It didn't stop there, we needed backing. J.N. Harper came forward with bolts of backing, Riley Blake Designs and International Textiles did the same. WonderFil and Coats & Clark jumped in with thread as did Kawartha Quilting Systems. 
Batting came from Hobbs Batting and Contemporary Sewing Materials. And all the notions like irons, cutting mats, cutters, H.A. Kidd came through on this.

Truly CQA/ACC has the most incredible sponsors ever!

We are currently sitting at 800 completed quilts made and our organizer is banking on 200 to be finished at the Big Quilt Bee at Quilt Canada June 14-17 in Toronto.   Here you will see quilters and brands working alongside each other with one goal. 1,000 quilts for Ronald McDonald Houses in Canada.

Please join us at the conference or on social media to watch as our sponsors and our quilters reach this incredible milestone!

Daily Demos at Quilt Canada 2017

It's hard to believe in a few weeks we will be at Quilt Canada enjoying the lectures, workshops, Big Quilt Bee, giant Merchant Mall and of course the wonderful demos put on by our vendors.

Here is the schedule so you don't miss anything.

Everyone is looking forward to seeing you there!   See you soon!

Quilt Canada is 4 weeks away!

The excitement is mounting as we prepare for Canada's national quilt conference, Quilt Canada 2017, in Toronto June 14-17th!

We have the giant Merchant Mall filled with vendors selling machines, fabric, thread, notions and so much more! Lectures, workshops, quilt shows and snacks!  We are so ready to cut the ribbon and get this quilt party started!
You simply must join us. Many of our workshops are full, so if you want one, hurry up!  Our lectures still have a few openings so be sure to check out the amazing offerings of incredible teachers!

Did you download our app?  How cool is this, go to your phone or ipad, and download in your app store 'Quilt Canada' and you will be right on top of things!

One of the coolest evening events ever is a terrific lecture by the one and only Kathy Wylie and then a showing of your quilts!  How fun is that?  There are some, but not many tickets left, so please don't wait too long, we want to see your quilt! 

Oh, in case you were wondering, the Big Quilt Bee is at 700 finished quilts! 300 more to go to reach our goal of 1,000 quilts for kids in care at Ronald McDonald Houses!  Yep, quilters are truly the best!

Ok, stop reading and go see what you want to do at Quilt Canada!  A lecture, a workshop, an NJS tour, volunteering? We have it all! 

Bold Hand Quilting

So lucky to have one of our great sponsors Coats and Clark visit us today!

About our author:
Annette Millard is passionate about sewing and has worked in the sewing industry for many years. She is always happiest with needle, fabric and thread in her hands! She writing blog posts about products and projects for the Coats & Clark Sewing Secrets Blog. Follow Annette and more of her sewing adventures on her own blog, www.sewfullife.com. 

Beyond the tiny stitches of traditional hand quilting, comes the trend towards a bolder approach! Big Stitch Quilting is delightful and distinct in appearance, a bit speedier, but still closely related to it’s small stitch cousin. Today I have a few tips and tricks plus four wonderful projects from Coats and Clark that will make your Big Stitch Quilting life fun, bold and beautiful!

Needles and Thread Make All the Difference

Needles and thread are the most important considerations in the success of Big Stitch Quilting. This is a technique that creates a bold expression and your stitches will be the stars. Many quilters try to achieve this distinctive look by using six strands of embroidery floss or heavier-weight perle cotton. Unfortunately, these often create a fuzzy or frayed look from the friction of the floss or perle cotton passing through your fabrics and batting over and over again. This can be frustratingly disappointing - when your stitches are starring, you want a solid, uniform look to the thread that creates them!

I’m thrilled to tell you about Coats Bold Hand Quilting Thread – it’s perfect for Big Stitch Quilting and comes in 17 colors on 160 meter spools! Coats has created a 25% Cotton/75% Polyester blend that can be machine washed, dried and ironed, so your finished project will be easy care. The Cotton content and glace finish gives Bold Hand Quilting Thread the lovely luster that makes floss or perle cotton appealing.  But, the strength of the Polyester is just what you need for durable and smooth big stitches. Once you’ve put in all that work, a handmade masterpiece should last for a very long time! Click here for more info and to view the luscious colors.

A heavier thread calls for a larger needle. For Bold Hand Quilting Thread, Coats recommends a size 6 or 7 hand sewing needle or an embroidery needle. Just be sure to choose a needle with an eye that is big enough for the thread to pass through easily. If you decide on an embroidery needle, check to see that it is a sharp point needle, not the kind that is dull on the end and designed for cross stitch. Try out your choice before you actually begin your project to make sure it is a good fit for you, your Bold Hand Quilting thread and your fabric and batting.  

Big Stitching Basics

As usual, you will create a quilt sandwich with your quilt top, batting and backing. Baste this together as you normally would, before you begin your project. I suggest starting with a practice piece if you’re new to hand quilting. If you’re an experienced hand quilter, you may want to practice, too, though. You’ll want to retrain your hands to make longer stitches! In traditional hand quilting, most quilters load their needle with stitches so that they have 8 to 10 stitches per 45mm. For Big Stitch Quilting, plan to make your stitches twice as long – from 4 to 5 stitches per 45mm. Since you are working with a larger needle and thicker thread, loading two to three stitches at a time will work best. 

 I find it best to cut a medium length of thread – around 60cm or so. A longer length is cumbersome to work with and really does not make the stitching go faster. If you’re a lover of thimbles, definitely use one.

Stitch length perfection should not make you crazy, but if you want your stitch length to be as consistent as possible, these are a few of my favorite tricks.

·        Use a ruler to mark your quilting lines, but instead of a solid line, use evenly spaced dots. These will become your stitch “markers” that can be easily followed as you’re quilting.

·        Your finger can be an excellent tool for consistent stitching. If you’re right handed, mark the side top of the index finger of your left hand with three or four evenly spaced pen marks. Lay your finger along the stitching line and take a stitch at each mark. If you’re a left handed stitcher, mark your right index finger. Just don’t prick your finger!

·        On a small project, machine-baste your quilting lines with a 4 to 5mm stitch length. You can follow these lines and use the stitches for consistent hand quilting length stitching over two machine stitches for each hand stitch.

Four Big Stitch Quilting Projects from Coats and Clark

Now that you’re ready for Big Stitch Quilting, here are four marvelous projects for you to try! I’ve ordered them from smallest to largest, so you can start out slowly if you like. And, if you’re in gift-making mode, the first two are absolutely perfect. Enjoy!

Strips ‘n Stitches and Log Cabin Pincushion

·       Two tidy places to keep your pins in traditional pieced style. Your addition of bold hand quilting will make them unique and out of the ordinary! Click here to download the pattern.

Dot2Dot Tablet Sleeve

·       A stylish way to keep your favorite tablet safe becomes the perfect base for whimsical Big Stitch Quilting. Using a dotted fabric makes even stitching easy!  Click here to download the pattern.

 Chevron Pillow

·       An on-trend design, a comfy pillow and your new skills in bold hand quilting make this a winning combo for your décor! Click here to download the pattern. 

Demo Booth at Quilt Canada 2017

The Demo Booth for Quilt Canada 2017 is up!  What an exciting line up of fun and interesting demonstrations for you to attend, and the best part is, it is all free! Grab a cup of java and sit down and prepare to be entertained and educated! 

Time	Wed 14th		Thurs 15th
10am			Distinctive Sewing Supplies: Sew Yourself a capsule Wardrobe
11am	Distinctive Sewing Supplies: Sew Yourself a capsule Wardrobe		Meerkat Trading: The Bolt and the Beautiful - the Shweshwe Saga
12 noon	Schmetz Needles by Rhonda Pierce Director of Marketing and Education Schmetz		Sew Fancy: Needles, Needles & more Needles
1pm	Meerkat Trading: The Bolt and the Beautiful - the Shweshwe Saga		Cathy McClean: A New Innovation in Rotary Cutting (TrueCut)
2pm	Country Concessions: The Battle of the Stars
3pm	Cobwebs & Caviar: Joni Newman presents Zippy Zippers + other techniques for finishing bags		Country Concessions: The Battle of the Stars
4pm	Sew Fancy: Panel Play		Cobwebs & Caviar: Joni Newman: Using Zentangles in Quilts

_______________________________________________________________________________

Time	Fri 16th		Sat 17th
10am	Cobwebs & Caviar: Joni Newman: Stained Glass Quilting		Meerkat Trading: The Bolt and the Beautiful - the Shweshwe Saga
11am			Country Concessions: The Battle of the Stars
12 noon	Cathy McClean: Applique 101 with Heat n Bond		Sew Fancy : Let's start stitching sashiko
1pm	Country Concessions: The Battle of the Stars		Cathy McClean: Its more than just Batting
2pm	Meerkat Trading: The Bolt and the Beautiful - the Shweshwe Saga		Distinctive Sewing Supplies: Sew Yourself a capsule Wardrobe
3pm	Sew Fancy: Alma's Tool School
4pm	Distinctive Sewing Supplies: Sew Yourself a capsule Wardrobe

Quilt Canada 2017 Mobile App

CQA/ACC is proud to present a mobile app for Quilt Canada 2017! We have created a tutorial to help you through the steps of downloading it.

It has everything a show guide would have in it, but better!  (Don't worry we are printing show guides, but they simply aren't able to contain all the information we crammed into our mobile app in an easy, user friendly way) Here are some of the perks to having a mobile app:

• Everything is at your fingertips.
• There is a daily schedule and times of every show and event happening.
• You can get instant notifications, for door prize winners, demo schedules, last minute changes, etc.
• The activity stream is for you to see what everyone else is doing at Quilt Canada and for you to add in your comments and pics!
• There is a map of the Merchant Mall with all of the vendors hilited at the touch of your finger.
• List of all vendors, workshops, speakers, and sponsors!
• You can connect and make new friends on the app.

One of the best parts about it, is if you are unable to go, you can download the app and look at all the quilts on the activity stream so you can see the talent and creativity of Canadian quilters!

Tutorial:

Go to your App Store on your device, or may be called Google Play as well.

Click on it and hit the search button at the bottom, looks like a magnifying glass. Some devices the search button may be at the top.

Once you click on that, you will get your keyboard and a bar at the top, type in 'Quilt Canada'.

You will see a search engine bring up Quilt Canada 2017. Click on that. 

Click on the little cloud with the arrow to download the app. Other devices may just 'install'.

Our app works on iPad. While searching for the app on your iPad, make sure to switch to "iPhone only" mode in the App Store as shown on the screenshots below

Once it finishes downloading, it will say 'Open'. Click on that and it will take you right into the app. Or on some devices it may just be in your app list, so just select Quilt Canada.

When you are done playing in the app, you will always be able to go back by finding the icon on your desktop or front of your device, as shown below. Or on some devices it may just be in your app list, so just select Quilt Canada.

When you get into the app, you can see the menu with all the different options. You can create a profile so you can add pics and comments, but you don't have to in order to use the app.

There is a daily schedule so you can see what events are on that day, what time shows open and close at and much more. 

All our speakers and their topics are covered too!

Don't wait!  Download the app today!  Let us show YOU what is happening at Quilt Canada 2017 this June 14-17th!

Charitable Sewing- Be a Sewing Superhero

Love it when a sponsor drops by to share with us! Coats and Clark is one of CQA/ACC's amazing sponsors!

About our author:

Annette Millard is passionate about sewing and has worked in the sewing industry for many years. She is always happiest with needle, fabric and thread in her hands! She currently enjoys supporting the Coats & Clark community writing blog posts about products and projects for the Coats Sewing Secrets Blog.

Those who sew and quilt are the most generous people I’ve known. There’s something about hands-on making  that expands our hearts and inspires us to reach out to others. Our Sewing Superpowers can enrich lives around the world through charitable sewing!

Image from Little Dresses for Africa

Little Dresses for Africa

My fabulously generous friend Barbara, has been making Little Dresses for Africa for many, many years. Every week she meets with a group of women who share the joy of sewing as they make simple, bright dresses for this wonderful project. The dresses are simple designs, often made from pillowcases and when delivered convey a valuable sense of worth to these precious girls. A quote from the Little Dresses for Africa web site explains the incredible value of these hand-sewn frocks. “The road is especially tough for little girls and young women.  Often small children are left as primary care-givers of even younger children, because of disease and poverty.  These little dresses, given freely to those in need, plant the seed that they are worthy.” Little Dresses for Africa also partners with those who provide the girls with lessons in sanitation, clean water, good health and family skills. It's not just a dress!

To learn more about Little Dresses for Africa and how you can be involved, click here to visit their web site.

Image from Days For Girls

Days for Girls

As some of these same girls grow and leave their Little Dresses behind, monthly sanitary needs become a high priority. Once puberty begins, many African girls stay home and miss essential school time one week each month. Sanitary pads and other supplies we take for granted here in the US are simply unavailable. Days for Girls is a network of sewists who stitch together washable, reusable kits so that menstruating girls can attend school every day of their cycle. With the kits, girls are given life-saving health and hygiene education.  Days for Girls states their impact well.: “Women, and girls discover their potential and self-value, are equal participants and agents of social change and are given opportunities to thrive, grow and contribute to their community's betterment while ensuring quality sustainable feminine hygiene.” My friends, Jeanette and Claire, are among thousands of women throughout the world who meet weekly to sew. They enjoy the company of fellow sewists and the opportunity to give dignity to their little sisters in Africa!

To find out more about Days for Girls, it’s mission and how you can help, visit their web site by clicking here.

Image from Patchwork Posse

Alzheimer Fidget Quilts

There are, of course, many needs for generous sewists in your local community. Near to my heart is the Alzheimer Fidget Quilt. If you have a loved one who suffers from dementia, you know that an object to “fidget” with is often very soothing. My mother, who suffered from Dementia would have loved one of these!  A Dementia Fidget Quilt is full of pockets, buttons, zippers and other things that soothingly keep aged hands busy. These blankets of handmade love become a treasure for the one who receives them and a great comfort for their family. Similar to the blankies we loved in childhood, a Fidget Quilt can be an amazing friend!

To find out more about Fidget Quilts and their value for those with Dementia, click here to visit the Alzheimers Association web site.

For a Fidget Quilt tutorial, click here for a great post on the Patchwork Posse blog.

Image from Sew With Aloha

Be a Sewing Superhero!

There are many ways to use your sewing powers for charitable sewing locally and around the world! I’ve listed just a few more below with links to patterns.

·        Adult Bibs - click here

·        Chemo Turbans - click here

·        Lap Robes -  click here

·        Wheelchair & Walker Caddies - click here

·        Adaptive Clothing for Military Vets - click here

You will also find lists of opportunities on Sewing.org or Nancy Zieman.com. Or you may have your own list or be aware of needs that your stitching would help. The power of charitable sewing is not just in what you offer, it is also in what it offers you. Set aside sewing time, participate in a project and your life will be enriched immeasurably!

Thank you to Canadian Quilt Guilds for their sponsorship!

It is always incredible to see the generousity of Canadian Quilt Guilds when CQA/ACC asks for their support.  We are seeing it in the Big Quilt Bee, when quilters across Canada are making blocks, tops and quilts for kids in care at Ronald McDonald Houses.

But we also see it from a financial point of view when guilds are asked to help sponsor Quilt Canada. It is this generousity that continues to humble the Board of Directors, staff and volunteers that help put on the conference. We know how hard guilds work to fundraise and please know your donation is very much appreciated to help promote quilting in Canada through our annual conference.

The guilds below have sponsored activities at Quilt Canada 2017, please give them a heartfelt thank you!

Black Gold Quilt Patch Guild

Brant Heritage Quilters Guild

Mahone Bay Quilt Guild

Busy Hands Quilt Guild

Fraser Valley Quilter's Guild

London Friendship Quilters Guild

Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild

Island Quilters' Guild

Northern Lights Quilt Guild

Moraine Quilt Guild

Dufferin Piecemakers Quilting Guild

Bue Mountain

Timberlane Quilting Guild

Chateauguay  no info

Nanaimo Quilters Guild

Tofield Country Quilters

Fraser Quilter's Guild

Near North Quilters' Guild

Vermilion Quilters

Lethbridge Centennial Quilters Guild

Manitoba Prairie Quilters

Prince George Quilters Guild

Kanata Quilt Guild

Piecemakers Guild of Calgary

Cornwall Quilt Guild

Crocus Quilters

Central Alberta Quilters Guild

Orillia quilters guild

Northern Lights Quilters Guil

Orchard Valley Quilters Guild

Happy Quilters

Foggy Bay Quilt Guild

Kootenay Quilters Day Guild

Northshore Pins and Needles Quilt and Stitchery Guild

Region of York Quilters Guild

Lillooet Quilters Guild

Mississauga Quilters Guild

Quilters Guild of Renfrew and Area

Castlegar Quilters

Kempenfelt Quilters Guild

Lions Gate Quilters Guild

Ottawa Valley Quilters Guild

Abbotsford QG

The Quilted Mouse

Victoria Quilters' Guild

Georgian Quilters

Huron Perth QG

Niagara Heritage Quilters Guild

The Highland Quilt Guild

Penticton Quilters Guild

Oxford Quilters Guild

Pembroke Log Cabin Quilt Guild

Langley Quilters' Guild

Chilliwack Quilters Guild

Guilde Acadienne de Clare

New Millenium Quilters

Northern Piecemakers Quilt Guild

Arkeley Area Quilt Guild

Saskatoon Quilters' Guild Inc

Gwillimbury Quilt Guild