There comes a time in every quilter’s life when some stitches land in unintended places. That’s when the seam ripper has to come out. Erasing quilting stitches is never fun. It’s boring, time consuming, and frustrating. All we can think about is how those stitches got there, where they don’t belong. <Sigh>

I’ve had a fair amount of experience with this situation, so I thought I would share the quickest and easiest method I have found for erasing quilting stitches. The trick is to tease out a top thread long enough to get hold of. Pull back on that top thread toward the stitches you are removing. The top thread will pull the bobbin thread to the top where you can cut it with your seam ripper.

When you pull back on the top thread again you will remove 3-6 more stitches. Cut bobbin, pull top, cut bobbin, pull top, etc.

Once all your errant stitches are erased, you’ll have to remove small bits of thread from the quilt, both top and back. The best tool for this is a sticky lint roller. I found this pretty one at the Dollar Store.

Roll the back. Just reach under with the lint roller. Feel the back with your hand to make sure you got it all.

Then roll the top.

Hopefully during the process you figured out the error of your ways and devised a way to NEVER LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN.

by Mary Beth Krapil, Handi Quilter National Educator

We have a new member of our fabulous machine family: the new HQ Capri! And we are so excited to share some of her wonderful features.

The HQ Capri is a BIG machine for SMALL spaces. Free-motion quilting was never easier, and your stitches will be PERFECT with the HQ InSight Table with built-in HQ InSight stitch regulation. She’s a stationary longarm quilting machine with a roomy 18-inch throat space. Tons of room to accommodate those large quilts. And she’s FAST at 2,200 stitches per minute.

With InSight stitch regulation you can choose from 4-22 stitches per inch to get just the right look for any quilting style or design. It takes away the fear of finishing when you know your stitches will all be perfect. You can concentrate on your design work when you don’t have to worry about keeping your stitches even. As Forrest Gump would say, “One less thing to worry about!”

The HQ Capri has a fabulous lighting system with an LED light ring at the needle and throat space lighting that lets you see all your beautiful stitches as you quilt. Plus, you can adjust the lighting for the specific needs of your work. We all like to have control, right? There also is bobbin area lighting that’s perfect when cleaning and oiling the bobbin race.

Speaking of cleaning, the bobbin area of Capri features a dam that allows for use of canned air to quickly and easily clean away the lint and get back to quilting fast. Just like all our machines, the Capri only requires a drop of oil on the bobbin race every time you change the bobbin. No other lubrication maintenance is required by the quilter.

Even though the HQ Capri has four times the quilting space of the average home sewing machine (18 inches of throat space and 8 inches of vertical space), it will fit into even the smallest of quilting studios. The InSight table measures 32″ x 36″. If you have more space and would like additional table surface to support large quilts, optional 18″ x 32″ table extensions are available.

The HQ Capri package includes:

• HQ Capri 18-inch stationary longarm
• 36-inch by 32-inch HQ InSight Table with HQ InSight Stitch Regulation
• Color touch screen with consumer-friendly icon display
• HQ Capri Lighting Package: LED light ring, throat lighting, and bobbin light
• Easy-Set Tension
• Five bobbins, 20 needles, sample thread pack
• Standalone Bobbin Winder
• Handi Feet compatible; comes with the quarter-inch ruler foot installed and the open-toe foot

And a few things come with the package that you won’t find in the box.

• Handi Quilter’s world-famous customer support and dedication to educating you on the use of your machine, so that you will have fun with it and finish more quilts.
• Handi Quilter’s world-wide retailer network
• HQ Warranty: 10 years casting, 5 years mechanical, and 5 years electrical
• Educational videos, tutorials, and tips available at HandiQuilter.com and YouTube.com/HandiQuilterHQ – TONS of help right at your fingertips.
• A world-wide community of Handi Quilter owners connected on social media. Facebook.com/HandiQuilter, Instagram @HandiQuilter to help you, cheer you on and celebrate each quilt you finish. When you purchase a Handi Quilter, you become a part of the family.
• A team of 40+ national educators bringing you education events at local HQ retailer shops throughout the year and throughout North America and beyond.
• Handi Quilter University – a retreat held several times each year right at the Handi Quilter facilities where our machines are designed, engineered and assembled. One of the best vacations you will ever take!
• Handi Quilter Academy – a yearly event featuring the best quilting educators, multiple class offerings, fun, friendship and learning all rolled into one. THE best vacation you will ever take.

We are very proud of the newest member of our machine family. We hope you will love Miss Capri as much as we do! She’s sure to help you finish more quilts.

by Mary Beth Krapil

There were some fantastic quilts (as always) at AQS Quiltweek in Charleston, SC. Charleston was a new location and venue for the show and it was wonderful. Convenient hotels and lots of great eateries in the area made it a fun destination. Charleston features history, shopping and beaches as well. The quilt show was the number one attraction and it did not disappoint. I noticed some unusual quilts with unusually edgy edges. These quilts had some unique edge treatments that really caught my eye, and of course I have to share them with you.

Traditional Edges

Here’s a beautiful example of a traditional edge treatment. This gorgeous quilt has nice straight sides and perfect square corners.

Whimsey Court
by Jane Ramee
of New Orleans
quilted by Carol Hilton

This masterpiece was the first one to catch my eye with its unusual outer shape.

Magnificent Mile
by Mary Olson
of Aumsville, OR

Karen’s handsome quilt has perfectly symmetrical scallops.  Traditional, but a step away from straight edges.

Natalia’s Flower Basket
by Karen Kendo
of Harleyville, SC

The lovely large scallops on Simone’s wholecloth compliment and enhance her enchanting quilting.

Green is Gold
by Simone Steuxner
of Sveg, Haerjedalen, Sweden

Gentle undulations are a variation of scallops on this beauty.

Journey to Friendship
by Journey Girls
of Kevil, KY
quilted by Karen Kineman and Norma Tilford

Edgy Edges

The edges of this quilt follow the interesting openings that give this delicate quilt its name.

Lace
by Antonia Hering
of Hoorn, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Aline and Natasha took scallops to a whole new level!

Golden Galaxy
by Aline Bugarin and Natasha Bugarin
of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Amoeba in Pink is perfect with its asymmetrical scallops that define the undefinable shape of an amoeba.

Amoeba in Pink
by Claire Marks
of Bremerton, WA

Kathleen took this edgy edges concept to the extreme.

A Blanket of Smow
by Kathleen V. Stuart
of Ocean Isle Beach, NC

So if you’re looking to add some edginess to your next quilt, hopefully you can take a little inspiration from these examples. Quilt shows are the best place to get new ideas!

by Mary Beth Krapil

Handi Quilter places a very high value on educating quilters. We want the folks who purchase our machines and products to be happy and that means knowing how to use them! There are so many avenues HQ provides to learn about your machine. Handi Quilter University, Handi Quilter Academy, live events at local Handi Quilter retailers with one of our 40 (YES 40!) National Educators, HQ Live, written Pro-Stitcher tutorials on our website, Handi Tips, Minute Motifs, and our fabulous YouTube channel with tons of videos about a myriad of quilting topics. We are starting a new series of videos available on our YouTube channel called Short and Sweet. They will be longer and more in-depth than our Handi Tips.

These Short and Sweet videos are featuring Helen Godden, Handi Quilter’s International Ambassador from Australia. She has lots to share about her favorite quilting machine, the HQ Sweet Sixteen. Helen will help you learn to use your machine to it’s fullest extent!

I have a little tip for you: even if you are not a Sweetie (what we like to call our HQ Sweet Sixteen owners) you will benefit from watching these videos. You’ll pick up lots of tips and tricks for machine quilting, both longarm and domestic. The first episode is all about getting balanced tension.

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss a thing!

by Mary Beth Krapil

I have found that the first thing that draws me to a quilt is color. Vivid color really pulls me in. I want to get closer to see the piecing or applique. Then I want to get even closer to see the quilting.

Recently at the Grand Rapids AQS show I found some wonderful examples of really fantastic use of vivid color. I’d like to share them with you here.

Vivid color quilts on display

First up is a quilt by some ladies from my neck of the woods. The bright colors grabbed me and I really needed to come in close to see the fabulous quilting.

Manicured Garden
by Michelle Wilkie and Suzan deSerres of Cary, NC

detail of Manicured Garden

This quilt’s fresh pink grabbed my attention, and when I came closer I found the quilting to be interesting too!

Parading Parallelograms
by Claire Victor of Scottsdale, AZ

detail of Parading Parallelograms

I loved the color transitions Marla used in this next quilt. Well deserved Blue Ribbon!

At the Junction
by Marla Varner of Sequim, WA

Vibrant colors and stunning HAND quilting make this quilt a winner in my book.

A Child’s Game
by Maria Reuter of Furstenfeldbruck, Germany

detail of A Child’s Game

I am a sucker for color wheel quilts and this one’s spirited colors and lovely quilting did not disappoint.

Sammy’s Delight
by Anne Marcellis
of Hugo, MN

detail of Sammy’s Delight

I must admit, the vivid colors of this quilt were stunning, but it was the motion of the quilting that really drew me in!

Curvealicious
by Roxanna Herder and Darla Parks of Grand Haven, MI

detail of Curvealicious

Though not bright, these colors were intensely saturated and created a striking quilt and check out her signature around one of the circles with quilted pebbles!

Electric Ellipses #5
by Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry of Port Townsend, WA

detail of Electric Ellipses #5

Hope you enjoyed this vivid color parade. Which is your favorite?

by Mary Beth Krapil

Syndicated from the HQ Stitch Blog – Written by Diane Harris, HQ Stitch Brand Ambassador

I hope you’ve watched the story of Kelsey Cooley, the first of many in our And I Quilt campaign.

Now we’re having a related giveaway on Instagram. Here’s the scoop:

The giveaway is for a foldable storage box for your quilting supplies. It’s perfect for toting, organizing or stashing and it comes in our signature Handi Quilter purple!

The winner will choose from a variety of quilty-quote designs printed on the front. How great is that?

To enter, follow both @hqstitch and @handiquilter on Instagram, tag a friend and leave a comment on Instagram telling us what your favorite HQ product is.

The giveaway ends Monday 9/9; winner announced Thursday, 9/12.

Go straight to Instagram!

Syndicated from the HQ Stitch Blog, with some edits – Written by Diane Harris, HQ Stitch Brand Ambassador

Quilters hail from all walks of life and Handi Quilter is celebrating that fact with a new campaign, “And I Quilt.”

We’ve selected a group of 15 quilters across North America to show us who they are, what they do, and how they enjoy using their Handi Quilter longarm machines. They are beginners, experts, and artists. From every walk of life, they are unique, talented, and inspiring!

We’re traveling across the country to film these stories, and in the process we’ll invite you to tell your own And I Quilt story.

On Wednesday, August 28, we premiered the first full-length feature will premiere featuring Kelsey Cooley and her mom Janie in Flint, Texas. Watch the video here, and sign up here to get a FREE Handi Quilter cutting mat AND get notified when new videos are released!

There are also previews up for Dorien Keusseyan from Arlington, Massachusetts—a hockey player!— and Jeresther Thorpe-Page from Nashville, a school principal.

It’s such a cool idea to think about what “other lives” quilters have, don’t you think? I can’t wait to watch these stories unfold.

As each quilt artist is featured, Handi Quilter will run a special on a product the artist uses. There will be some great deals!

And whether you’re a longarm quilter or a domestic machine user, inspiration will abound.

On Instagram, you’ll find images under #andiquilt. This is going to be so much fun!

Have you seen this fabulous Ice Dyed Baby poster? Handi Quilter created this fun poster with the Debra Linker ice dyed pieces that were quilted by some of the Handi Quilter educators.

I want to share with you some of these quilts and their quilters. The quilting on them is fabulous! They will be seen at shows around the country. So keep an eye out to enjoy them up close and personal. Watch the Handi Quilter Facebook page for announcements of where they will be. Be sure to click the “LIKE” button so you will stay up to date on all things Handi Quilter, also watch your Instagram feed and be sure to follow us with the hashtag #handiquilter.

Kaleidoscope Flower
by Vicki Kerkvliet

Mojito
by Megan Best

The Beat Goes On
by Mary Beth Krapil

Stars and Garters
by Marie Eldredge

Sunny Beaches
by Linda Matteotti

Sky at Dusk
by Linda Gosselin

Iced Dahlia
by Kelly Ashton

Pretty in Pink
by Jane Hauprich

Starburst
by Harriet Carpaninni

My Mid-Century Blossom
by Gina Siembieda

Blinged Bubbles
by Denise Best

by Susan Manry

by Allison Spence

Will you try your hand at quilting Ice Dyed, Baby?

by Mary Beth Krapil

,

This is my ice dyed mini created by the talented, Debra Linker, and gifted by Handi Quilter. It’s uniquely beautiful. I am itching to quilt it.

Each person who attended HQ Academy got to take one of these treasures home with them. Handi Quilter issued a challenge: to quilt them and bring them back, to be displayed at next year’s Academy. Which by the way will be June 16-19, 2020. I cannot wait to see!

The ice dyed minis created a centerpiece at each table at our banquet.

When they are together it is amazing! The colors play together and compliment each other. And what quilter can’t appreciate the beauty of 250 hand dyed fat quarters all in one place?

See the ice dye quilts hung on the wall in the background? The HQ Educators quilted those a few years ago. I wrote a blog post them a while back. Sadly, many of our older posts were lost in a major website crash. I will share those quilts with you next week. This year HQ created a fun poster of those quilts.

The Spirit of Academy

It’s just that way with us. Each quilter is creative, talented, and uniquely beautiful. But when we come together it is amazing. We play together, compliment each other and best of all learn from each other. The spirit that is created by the joining of us all in one place is the most fantastic thing ever. That’s what HQ Academy is all about. Every one of us returns home enriched.

I hope that when you get home, you have a guild or bee or simply some quilty friends with which you can pass along the spirit of Academy and a thing or two of what you learned.

Don’t forget to quilt your ice dyed mini. Seeing all of them together again, this time quilted, will be amazing!

By Mary Beth Krapil

Basic Things

Sometimes we take for granted the really basic things and forget how important they are in our lives.

There have been many times in my career as both a pharmacist and a HQ Educator that I have learned to remember the basics and to explain, completely, the process I am trying to relate. Just that one tiny piece of information can make all the difference. Here’s an example: As a very new pharmacist, a Mom came to me with her sunburned child and asked what she should do for him. I suggested she put the child in the bathtub with some baking soda. She called the pharmacy a bit later and asked if she should sprinkle the baking soda on her kid, or just put it in the tub and have the child lay on it. Water. That one basic thing I took for granted and did not say to add baking soda to the WATER in the bath tub. (You can’t make this stuff up).

I have heard questions in the quilting world that would not have come up IF the Basic Things were explained.

So here are a few of the basic things when it come to longarm quilting.

Turn your machine on properly.

It is important to turn your machine on and let it completely boot up before you start to quilt. These machines have software components that need to complete their start up procedures in order for the machine to work the way it should.

I unplug my machine any time it is not being used. So first, I plug it in. I plug it in to a battery back-up surge protector. I like for my electronic equipment to be as protected as possible from fluctuations in power. Please consult your local geek (computer expert) for what kind and where to purchase.

Then I turn on the switch at the back of the machine.

Next, I go to the front of the machine and turn on the power switch there. While my machine is booting up, I use the time to change to the thread I will be using that day.

Once I am sure my machine is ready, I turn on my Pro-Stitcher tablet and allow it to completely boot up. While that is happening, I wind my bobbins and clean and oil my bobbin race.

Place the drop of oil where it belongs

Speaking of oiling, it is important to oil the bobbin race in the right place for the oil to be able to do its job. One drop of oil goes on the little ledge at the front of the bobbin race. (See photo)

One tiny drop of oil every time you change the bobbin is all it takes to keep things running smoothly.

Shut your machine down properly

If you quilt with Pro-Stitcher, shut it down first.

Go to the File Tab > Shut Down button and choose Shut Down from the menu

Wait til the screen goes black. While you are waiting you can dust off your table and remove any stray threads from your tracks and your wheels. You will be glad you did the next time you quilt.

Once the PSP screen is black, press the front power button on the machine. Move to the back of the machine and turn off the power at the back, then unplug.

There you go. Basic things, but oh, so important. Stay tuned, more basics to come.

Oh! And please use sunscreen.

by Mary Beth Krapil