Stashbuster Classes

Well, it's official, it's the year to use my stash! Although, I love to purchase new fabrics, I, like alot of my fellow quilters are trying to use their stash! I have challenged myself to make quick easy quilts using my stash! Not only that, I decided to teach a Stashbuster class at "A Great Notion" starting in January! Please join me and let's see how many quilts we can make from our stash! If you would like to join us, please call "A Great Notion" at 604-853-8930 or check out their website a www.agreatnotion.com

Christmas!

Yikes, it's 3 days before Christmas when all through our house, not a creature was stirring because we are in the quilt studio sewing like crazy! With 5 new designs off to Northcott done, and gifts for our children, just about completed and parties galore! But I must say this is my favorite time of the year and we would like to sincerely wish all of you a happy, safe and wonderful Christmas and a Healthy, happy, prosperous new year!

As you all know, I'm not a cook, but Christmas is not Christmas without baking, so I ventured into the kitchen, of course with my husband to supervise (no visit from the fire department this time!) I baked some gingerbread cookies! Morgan and I also tried to use the cookie press, which was quite a challenge! As we didn't know what we were doing and a glass of wine under our belts, you can just imagine! Fortunately, although they didn't look good, the tasted okay! A little melted chocolate on them and who would know!

Well, Scooter (shown), Tia, Herbie, Morgan and I would like to wish you all the very best of the season!

What's happening these days at Quilted Escapes!

It's been a busy time here in the studio and out of the studio. This is one our newest designs called "Garden Harvest". This was designed with Northcott's fabric line called "Natures Glow". This is fun and easy pattern to do. I will be teaching this in a class at A Great Notion in the winter session, so come out and join me.

What else has been happening, well, we had great weather for our Quilts at Tanglebank show and the people! Wow, we had visitors from all over British Columbia who joined us for the day. We would like to thank our Volunteers who made this show such a success!

I also just came back from the Quilters Connection Magazine retreat. I had the pleasure in meeting quilters from the island, as well as the mainland and the interior. We had Annemarie Ewart join on Friday night with "What's Quilting go to do with it"! What a hoot, and boy did I learn a lot!. We also had a wine and cheese party at our local quilt shop on Saturday evening. Thank you to Pam, Sonya and Judi at A Great Notion - Abbotsford for making all our guest feel welcome! If you missed your chance to join us this year, join us at our next retreat that will be in Sept. 2011! Watch for more details later this year!

Hmm...! Oh yes, I also had an opportunity to spend the day with Sue Hausmann from American Sews Creatively! She had us in stitches with her stories and I'm sure glad I didn't have to cross the border with what she had! I was surprise there was room for Herb! Thank you for a wonderful day!

I would like to hear feed back on my newest design, so if you have a comment please let me know at suequilts1@shaw.ca.

What's happening these days at Quilted Escapes!

What's new!

Fan-Tastic! This is our newest desgin which was released at our Quilts at Tanglebank Show on Sept. 11, 2010. This pattern uses a variety of tone on tone fabrics from Northcott - the Elements line from Mark Lipinski. This is wonderful quilt for a little girls room! Patterns available at A Great Notion, Surrey, British Columbia.

Love to hear your comments!

Good News!

Well, as you know I haven't blogged for a while and now I can share with you what's been happening in our life! Back in April my husband wasn't feeling well and went to the Dr. They decided that they would send him for x-rays. They found that he had blockages in his heart, not much to worry about but worth watching. After a month went by, he still didn't feel well and went back to our Doctor. He had a pain in his rib, so the doctor send him for a bone scan. It was there they found a tumour in the rib. From that point on we have been in and out of hospital, with tests, and procedures. They were talking bone cancer. We were in shock as you can imagine and with the love and prayers from all our friends and family, he went into surgery on July 29. They removed the rib and sent it off for further investigation. Waiting is one of the hardest things to do, but yesterday, we received a call from the Dr to say there is no cancer and the tumour was benign! We cannot thank Dr. Sharon Ong and Dr. Larry Lim form being two of the best Dr's in the world. We would also like to thank all those at Surrey Mememorial Hosptial, who made us feel special and cared for each step of the way. I know we always here of things that always bad about our healthcare, but here is one real story to say they are great! Thank you everyone for your support, prayers and expertise in the health field. We are sincerely grateful.

Now, what's been happening here in the studio! Well, I have 3 new patterns 2 which will be release at our Quilts At Tanglebank on Sept. 11, the third pattern will be released at A Great Notion, Abbotsford Store in mid September! I'm teaching EQ6 (7) at A Great Notion in Surrey, B. C on Sept. 28 in the evening. Check on line for more classes that I will be teaching at agreatnotion.com.

I'm also desiging a new pattern for Northcott Fabrics for the spring to keep checking your local quilt shop or Northcott website!

Machine Applique - my favorite! Modern Quilt Guild

I too like bright colours and this simple machine applique table topper was fun to design and make! Great for using up your scraps too!

Wow, I was just blown away when I attended the inaugrual meeting of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild! I wasn't sure what they were all about, but with Holly at the helm everyone had a great time and the show and tell was incredible. What a wonderful inspiring group of women. I'm now looking forward to our second meeting which is July 15th. If you don't have a modern quilt guild in your area, start one up on line.

We are also gearing up the 'Quilts at Tanglebank" on Sept. 11, 2010 and "Quilters Connection Magazine retreat on Oct 1, 2 and 3, 2010. I hope I see you there!

Susan J.

Quilts at Tanglebank Quilt Show

We would like to invidte you to our 2nd Annual Quilts at Tanglebank Designers Show that will be held at Tanglebank Country Gardens on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2020 from 10 - 4.

Jon Cheryl Wall from Country Quilts, Dougal Ann Walker from the Freckles Collection, Pippa Moore from Kitambaa Designs who will be showcasing their designs in a beautiful garden setting! Meet Tricia Sherman from the "Great Canadian Shop Hop" and QNN and Heather McArthur from Quilters Connections Magazine!

However, you don't need to be a quilter to enjoy a show like this. Anyone with a home or garden will be inspired by the creative possibilities for adding beauty to their surroundings. Patterns, fabric, finished items as well as plants will be for sale. Refreshments will be available or people are welcome to bring their own to enjoy in the garden.

The show takes place from 10am to 4 pm and it is free to the public. Tanglebank Country Gardens is located at 29985 Downes Road in Abbotsford, B. C. To get there from Highway #1, take the Mt. Lehman exit (#83) just west of Abbotsford. Drive north to Downes Road and turn left. Tanglebank is a short drive west and on the your right.

See you there!

Quilters Connections - Retreat - Join Us!

We at Quilter's Connection Magazine are holding our very first retreat on October 1, 2 3, 2010 at Edenvale Retreat and Convention Centre in Abbotsford! Only a few spots left, so if you want to sign up visit our website at www.quiltersconnections.com

Tsukeniko Inks and the Traditional Quilter

My experiment with inks, decorative thread and machine applique was almost done, but I missed something, just a little more black on the flower centre.....then all of a sudden the ink went everywhere! Yikes, I have black ink everywere on the quilt! It's on my cutting table, the floor and our little dog "Scooter"! Boy, did I run! I grabbed the quilt and the dog, ran downstairs to the deck, and thank goodness the hose was handy and I washed the quilt with cold water, not to mention the dog as well! The ink came out of the dog, but I still have a shadow effect on the border!

Hmmm.....thank goodness Scooter is black, but my border wasn't! Well, I guess this will be a teaching tool.....!

Remember, to always make sure you put the lid on........!

See you next time....

Sue

Dresden Butterfly

I'm very pleased to see one of my customers, though it's hard to see her hiding behind her version of my pattern "Dresden Butterfly"! Mabel it's wonderful! If you have made a quilt from one of my patterns I would love to see it, send me pictures and we can start up a photo gallery! Thank you Mabel for letting me post this on my blog!

EQ7?

As a Designer and an EQ user for many years now, I'm happy to annouce that it's true! EQ7 is being released in June 2010! Here are some details

Quilts, Blocks and Now Photos!
Digital Cameras will become a quilter's best friend. EQ7 has dozens of ways to turn everyday photos into quilt art images. Or crop and edit scanned fabrics right in EQ7 in minutes. And that's just the start!

New Activation Policy
You'll never run out of EQ7 activiations! Activations and deactivation is as easy as two clicks of the mouse. Install on as many computers as you like and quickly trasfer activations from computer to computer. This new policy gives you complete freedom to manage your own activations - and no dongle to worry about!

EQ7 is the most user-friendly full-featured quilting software yet.

• Complete user manual
  22 printable full-colour PDF lessons (115 pages)
  
• Point-and-read info on each tool - now linked directly to Hel topics


• 10 videos targeted for beginners


• 67 "How do I"? topics; printable stepped-out instructions for doing everying from priting English paper-piecing templates to drawing a New York Beauty.


• Built-in Help buttons are everywhere, targeted to the task you are doing
  
• New Block tools for creating original blocks instantly without drawing


• Blocks size themselves - just drag and drop on the quilt

User upgrading from EQ6 will feel right at home

Exactly the same friendly interface, plus loads of new user-requested features.

• 5000 copyright -free blicks
• 5000 new scanned fabrics, plus grayscale textures
• 120 new pre-designed quilt layouts
• Snap blocks to a Quilt Grid
• Instant border blocks with greatly expanded Auto Borders
• Print multipble photos on fabric
• Create orginal fabric designs from photos, then pring on fabric
• Mirror and use myriads symmetries on photos
• Use dozens of artistic effects, making everyday photos look like watercolours or impressionist paintings
• 79 new features in all

Netbook compatible

Works on netbooks as welll as laptops and desktop computers.

Shipping will begin June 7, 2010!
System requirements
Mimimum system requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit, Internent access 750 MB of available hard-disk space, CD-ROM drive. Netbook compatible, Interent require dor activiatiion, deactivition and periodic validations.

Recommended: Monitor with screen resolution of 1024x768 or greater, Adobe Reader, sound card for demo videos.

Remember that if you are a mac user, you will need a PC reader!
Check out http://www.electricquilt.com/

Button, Button Who has The Buttons?

Looking for great quilt patterns....have fun and join us in the "Button, Button Who Has the Button?" game! "Find A Quilt Pattern" is offering this new game. Look for the the button shown on the right at http://www.findaquiltpattern.com/ to register. The game will start on April 17! You will be amazed what you

great patterns you will find!

Tsukineko, Angelina and The Traditional Quilter

Well, I love a challenge and as a Traditional Quilter with a twist I love embellishing quilts and this wallhanging is no exception. A Great Notion challenged me to use Tsukineko Inks and Angelina in a project! Well I took on the challenge and with inks in hand and a good sense of humor, off I went! This is the outcome! They have asked me to do a class at the store on this project so check out their site for dates and times and join me! www.agreatnotion.com

I will be working on Angelina and the Traditional Quilter - so keep posted, you will look at Angelina in a whole new light! Untill next time......

Susan

Tsukineko Inks and the Traditional Quilter continued

Well as you can see, I know have had the opportunity to machine applique using rayon threads. The Tuskineko really enhances the flower. Using a dark pink fabrc, white Tuskineko on the edges, red to highlight the centre of the petals, gives the flower depth. Using the rayon threads to applique the fabric down gave it yet another dimension! Using a dry brush approach on the flower, it's not to heavy and easier to blend. Next will be quilting then maybe some beading...!

The 2010 Olympic Games have arrived!

The Games are here and I'm proud to be Canadian! In 1988 I was an employee of CTV and had the opportunity to work at the Olympics and it was one of the highlights of my life!

I, along with other Canadian Quilt designers were asked by Northcott Fabrics to design a quilt pattern using their "Winter Sports" fabric line! We are very proud to be part of this endevour and here is my design! When I heard the CTV's song sung for the first time it sent chills down my spine. This quilt was created in July of 2009, so you can imagine my feelings when I heard the "I Believe" song sung by Nikkie Yanofsky! Thank you Northcott and CTV for what you have given me!

Sincerely,

Susan J. Jensen

Designer, Teacher and Quiltmaker

Tsukineko Inks and a Traditional Quilter

As you know I'm a traditionalist as a quilter designer but with a twist. I'm always looking for techniques that will enhance my designs and make it fun and a learning expierence for those who purchase my patterns. I have always wanted to use Tsukineko Inks, but not being an artist I was wondering how I could you these wonderful inks to enhance my quilt designs. Well, my very dear friend and Fibre Artist Judy Greenwood (www.fibreartbyjudy.com) and I spent the afternoon playing around with the inks and she helped me use them in one of my designs. Well as you can see, a plain looking flower is has come alive with a little ink. Heat setting this with an iron will make it permanent. Along with a little beading and hand embroidery these flowers will be good enough to pick! This technique gives the traditonal quilter who loves applique to try something new, but you don't need to be an artist to do it. With a little bit of shading and highlighting on your flowers you can make you flowers come alive on your quilt. Wow what fun I had and I'm looking forward to doing more! I will also be trying this on wool as well! I will keep you posted on this wonderful journey of Tsukineko Inks and a Traditional Quilter!