And Sew It Goes by Barb Sackel

April 22nd, 2010

Barb Sackel’s second fabric line is already out!  It seems like just yesterday we were telling you of her Ibiza collection.  And Sew It Goes is a 4 motif collection with a bright bold pallet.  The collection is produced by Blank Quilting.  Blank Quilting also produces the coordinates, Fusion Illusion.

Of course, the fabric is not quite at the shop yet, but we wanted you to have the preview.  We will certainly let you know when its available.  In fact, if you’d like to swing by the shop to join our email newsletter list- you may be one of the first to know when its available to purchase at Betty’s Quilting Etc.

And because Barb is a wonderful pattern designer, we have to show you these patterns that she’s developed to feature And Sew It Goes.  The patterns are published and distributed by our sister company, QuiltWoman.com.

Stay tuned!

Barb Sackel’s How-To Videos

April 14th, 2010

Our own local, Barb Sackel of Rose Cottage Quilting, has recently posted a series of videos for quilters.

The first video describes a technique for squaring up her Batik Diamonds pattern. It’s an excellent resource to make you successful.

The second is a set of videos where Barb describes her own method for applying binding to a quilt. Many quilt patterns end with “Quilt as desired and bind.” But there’s not much after that… Well, Barb has developed this two-part instruction on her technique. The video also has tips and tricks to make the binding more full, durable, and applied easily. The fabric in the binding sample is Barb’s own design, Ibiza, printed by Blank Quilting.

Thanks to our sister company, QuiltWoman.com’s own computer/tech guru, Corinne for producing these videos.

World Quilt Show – New England and Keepsake Quilting

April 12th, 2010


Betty's Logo medium

World Quilt Show – New England and Keepsake Quilting

August 19-22, 2010

4 days and 3 nights, Thursday through Sunday

Single – $415          Double – $280          Triple – $235          Quad – $210

Price Includes:

-           Bus Transportation

-           Lodging at the Fairfield Inn, Manchester, NH

-           Deluxe Continental Breakfast

Bus will leave Spencerport, NY Thursday morning at 7:00am and return on Sunday at approximately 6pm.

$25.00 non-refundable deposit will hold your spot.

The balance is due by 7/15/2010.

You must register for the show and may sign up for workshops at:   www.quiltfest.com

Sign up at Betty’s Quilting Etc., in person or by phone.

Space is limited to 55 – sign up soon!

www.bettysquiltingetc.com

bettysquilting@gmail.com

585-352-9362

Giveaways at the “I Have A Notion” Blog!

April 10th, 2010

It’s amazing how an encounter in a parking garage (a good kind of encounter!) can lead to a friendship and a business relationship.  Read all about our meeting Kelly Jackson, proprietor of the I Have a Notion website and blog  at the Spring 2010 Quilt Market in Pittsburgh.

Kellys Rescuers!  Nancy, Carol & Lacey

Kelly's Rescuers! Nancy, Carol & Lacey

Kelly Jackson

Kelly Jackson

We know Kelly so well, we have no hesitation in pointing you all to her 30 Days of Giveaways Anniversary Celebration at her I Have a Notion Blog.  The Giveaways end April 15th, but there is still time to participate.  To enter, all you have to do is comment on a blog posting!

Kelly, congratulations on the 1 year anniversary of I Have a Notion!!!

Charity Quilt

April 9th, 2010

Melissa, one of Betty’s employees, has made a charity quilt.  It’s being raffled off to benefit newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients.  All proceeds from the raffle will be given to Erna’s Hope.  They make comfort bags for the newly diagnosed.

So, if you are in Betty’s and are so inclined, tickets are one for $1 or 6 for $5.  The quilt tends to travel with Melissa as she drums up support, so it may or may not be here.  But here’s a picture of it.  It’s looks even better in person!

Charity Quilt

Charity Quilt

The drawing will be held on Sunday, May 9, which is approprately enough Mother’s Day.

Hat’s off to Melissa for giving her time and talents to such a worthy cause.

Melissa

Melissa showing off the quilt!

Seamingly Accurate Give AWay

April 8th, 2010

Just a quick head’s up.  Jen Eskridge of ReannaLily Designs has created some of the quilt patterns we carry in the store.  We just found out she  is sponsoring a give way of her Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide (which we also have) AND three of her patterns. You can get all the details on her blog.

Below is a short video Jen shot when Betty’s first started carrying the Seamingly Accurate. It shows how to apply it to your sewing machine bed.

Betty’s Bag Club Party

April 6th, 2010

Betty’s Quilting Etc. put on a party for our Betty’s Bag Club members to show them our appreciation for being among our best customers.  We had games, dessert, a fashion show, and prizes for all.  Party attendees enjoyed a one-night store-wide discount just for them.

The party is a *wonderful* excuse for everyone to get together and have fun. We had over 25 guests show up at our most recent party. They participated in a contest where they picked out 4 fat quarters and were given safety pins with which to make a hat. “Make it work people.” The best hat won a prize, and all got to keep their fat quarters. They had a fashion show were they modeled their hats and bags, with the best being voted on. There were also secret sale specials just for Betty’s Bag Club members.

We had hats from the reasonably practical to the wild and fun.  Anything this innovative bunch could think to create.  I couldn’t help but wonder what the Heidi Klum and the Project Runway team would have thought.  You can tell by our runway show, that we were in fact FIERCE.

The winners of the show, by popular vote, were:

Most Creative Bag Winner: Kathy Echter

Most Creative Bag Winner: Kathy Echter

Best Hat: Barb Butcher

Best Hat: Barb Butcher

Ironically, I suppose, we do not have a photo of the winner for Best Model, Sandy Bubel.

Thank you to all the Betty’s Bag Club Party participants and congratulations to our winners.  We really do appreciate your support.

The Scrapbook Calender Quilter – Ann Dudek

March 27th, 2010

By day, she is a mild mannered accountant. But by night, she is The Scrapbook Calendar Quilter!!! Of whom do we speak? We speak of the amazing, multi-talented Ann Dudek!

Ann Dudek

Ann Dudek

We feel qualified here at Betty’s Quilting etc. to call Ann “amazing and multi-talented” and to call her new book, The Scrapbook Calendar Quilt© a must-have. You see, Ann is one of us, an employee! You know that door in the classroom that leads over to the office area?  That is where Ann is (of course when she is NOT shopping at Betty’s during her lunch hour).

The Scrapbook Calendar Quilt

The Scrapbook Calendar Quilt

The majority of the Betty’s Quilting etc. / QuiltWoman.com employees are quilters (yours truly included) and those that aren’t, are soon converted. So when Ann came into our office one day with her Scrapbook Quilt© to show off, a new publication was born.

The book teaches its lucky owner how to create a quilt that reflects a year’s worth of memories. Consisting of 12 months in the form of blocks with each day getting it’s own square, it’s as much fun to make as it is to look at. A square can be embellished to represent the significance of that particular day. No two quilts created from this unique concept will ever the same.

Mach - In like a lion, out like a lamb

March - In like a lion, out like a lamb

This book would be great for teaching a Block of the Month. Start a class in January with the January block and move on from there. Collecting fabrics for this quilt would be a great excuse to go on a shop hop (like the one Betty’s is part of April 29 – May 1)!

The book is 72 pages and is fully illustrated in color with high quality photos of each block. It is spiral bound so it will lay flat as you use it. As a bonus, there are also instructions for making a Baby’s Charm Quilt!

Spiral bound and full of color photos!

Spiral bound and full of color photos!

One of my favorite aspects of the book (besides the how-to-do-it portion) is Ann’s sense of humor. We’ll just call it quirky. I’ll use the discussion about the July block as an example. To quote Ann, “July is my birthday month. I am one of these people who think their birthday should be a national holiday. So of course I had to put in a special fabric!” I had the pleasure of proofreading the book before publication and was laughing the whole time! This is not your ordinary, dry, how-to book. When I make one of these quilts, I think I WILL put in Ann’s birthday as a special date!

The book is available in the store now. You can even ask to have Ann autograph it for you!

Ann will also be attending the Spring International Quilt Market in Minneapolis, May 21 – 23. She will be at the QuiltWoman.com booth (where else would she be???). She’ll be having a book signing and will be sure to regale the attendees with tales of all of her blocks and special days.

So Ann, from the rest of us at the Betty’s Quilting etc. & QuiltWoman.com family, congratulations on your new book. You gave birth to it, and we’d like to think we were the labor coaches cheering you on!

Betty’s Quilting and Nancy Dill highlighted by AccuQuilt!

March 24th, 2010

In AccuQuilt’s latest mailing to quilt shop owners, they highlighted a success story.  Who do you suppose that success story was?  ALL OF US (yes, that includes you, reader)!!!  Betty’s Quilting etc. along with owner Nancy Dill were featured in their “Success Story” feature.  Congratulations to Nancy, our wonderful store staff, and to you, our WONDERFUL customers.  We wouldn’t be the success we are without you.

“We first considered bringing the GO!®
Fabric Cutter
into our store because
customers kept asking if they could
purchase our AccuQuilt Studio. That
told me there was a market for GO! so I
was very excited for its debut in Dec.
2008. We added it to our store offering
at that time and have had great success
with it.

We’ve found AccuQuilt’s marketing
efforts have really helped in getting our
customers interested in GO! especially
the magazine coupon they offered
during the holidays. In addition, we offer
GO! compatible QuiltWoman.com
patterns, we display samples made with
the GO! and demonstrate the product
every chance we get.”

—Nancy Dill, Betty’s Quilting Etc.
Spencerport, NY

Once Upon a Time Fairy Tale Puzzle Quilts by Beth Helfter

March 22nd, 2010
Once Upon a Time- Fairy Tale Puzzle Quilts

Once Upon a Time- Fairy Tale Puzzle Quilts

Introducing another amazing title: Once Upon a Time- Fairy Tale Puzzle Quilts. This unique book is the creation of Beth Helfter of EvaPaige Quilt Designs and is published by QuiltWoman.com.  The concept is quite brilliant. This is not a book of patterns, patterns, patterns, but rather a book that teaches you the concept behind designing your own quilt based on puzzle-like blocks. The theme, of course, is fairy tales- a broad theme for any girl. Not only does the book give you the concept, but it also does give you all the pattern elements for you to incorporate into the princess themed design. You will have to flip through this title yourself to see how practical and innovative it truly is.

About the author: EvaPaige Quilt Designs, begun in 2005 by quilt designer Beth Helfter, is dedicated to creating uniquely casual new patterns for the contemporary quilter. Featuring lots of innovative fabric slicing, exciting piecing techniques, and vibrant colors, the patterns strive to place fun before fuss when it comes to quilt-making. Although certainly there is a time and place for such things, Beth has always preferred not to stress over perfect points and matching seams, believing that if she isn’t totally perfect, why should her quilts be? Therefore, the overwhelming emphasis of her patterns is on enjoying the process of quilting and simply creating something fun and beautiful. Quilters of all levels are invited to grab a pile of fabric and just start playing and creating!