Jacquie Gering Digital Seminars Next Month!

 Jacquie Does Digital!!!

Hip Stitch is NOT letting the Coronavirus call the shots on inspiring quilting education. Join us September 18 and 19 when internationally known modern textile designer, educator and author Jacquie Gering presents two online programs featuring her signature style and walking-foot quilting artistry. Jacquie is also known in part for her work establishing the modern quilt movement.

Jacquie Gering

Registration for these on-line programs will be extremely limited, so sign up now. Register for both digital seminars and you will receive a coupon code for $15 off an on-line order. Here’s more about Jacquie’s presentations:

1.     Jacquie Gering Trunk Show, Friday, September 18, 7-8:30 p.m. MDT—See Jacquie’s latest work, including provocative new designs and quilting patterns, and hear how her exploration of quilting has deepened and changed over the years. You may have seen her trunk show in the past, but you haven’t seen this all-new edition! $19 per person, virtual attendance, 50 spots

2.     How Do I Quilt This?, Saturday, September 19, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. MDT—During the first half of this VIP class, Jacquie will present her philosophy and process of quilting, and show examples that demonstrate those principles. In the second half, you will watch and listen as Jacquie applies those principles to quilt top images that you and your fellow attendees have provided in advance. It’s almost like a private consultation with an undisputed master of straight-line quilting!  (Note: Each paid registrant in How Do I Quilt This? Will be asked to provide up to one (1) digital image of a finished quilt top for use in the class. Images due to Melissa Maher, Melissa.hipstitchabq@gmail.com by September 11. $49 per person, virtual attendance, 25 spots

Quiet Geometry II

Bang you're dead

Both of Jacquie’s September seminars at Hip Stitch will be presented on the Zoom platform. With paid registration, students will receive links to the presentation(s) via email. To attend the seminars, attendees will need a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone with access to email. (We recommend a device with a large viewing screen and high-speed internet for greatest enjoyment. If you have questions, please contact Melissa Maher at Melissa.hipstitchabq@gmail.com.)

Sale on Jacquie Gering Books!

Until September 30, Hip Stitch will also offer a 10% discount Jacquie Gering’s books WALK: Mastering Machine Quilting with Your Walking Foot and WALK 2.0:  More Machine Quilting with Your Walking Foot. Visit our website for more details. This sale is open to anyone and does not require signing up for Jacquie's digital classes.

Signs of February- National Embroidery Month

February is iconic for hearts, flowers, chocolates and….embroidery! It’s National Embroidery Month (or 
International, depending on how far-flung your interests are), a time when stitchy types celebrate the art of embroidery by hand or machine.

But back to National Embroidery Month..would you believe there’s a (loose) Hip Stitch connection to how 
this stitchy celebration got started? Here’s the backstory: In the mid-1990s, Hip Stitch staffer Melissa Maher was leading the merry band of writers at Stitches Magazine, a trade magazine for the commercial 
embroidery industry. Melissa says her staff was talking about the various promotional days to gain public 
notice, like National Pickle Day. (Which just happens to be Nov. 14, btw.)  However, there wasn’t anything 
for embroidery.

“Fact. So we started one,” she says. “We just proclaimed it, publicized it, and it was a done deal.” The 
magazine kept it alive with special features each year, but others, like hand embroidery queen Jenny Hart 
of Sublime Stitching, soon picked up on it.  Last year, Sublime Stitching  gave away more than 300 teaching kits to people who promised to teach someone else to embroider. This year, she continues the teach-it 
theme with free patterns.

January Classes at Hip Stitch

Lorna Loeffler Beginning Quilting Class- Paper Piecing

Lorna Loeffler Beginning Quilting Class- Table Runner

Diana Webb Embroidery Sweet Dreams Class 

Beginning Basics Sewing Class

Mom's Night Out- Garland

Thursday, 1/18

or

Tuesday, 1/30

Meredith Adolf Curvy Log Cabin

T-Shirt Quilt Class

Jelly Roll Race

Quilt in a Day- Triple Twist

Sunday Sew-In

Knitting Class- Beginning 1

 and 

Knitting Class- Intermediate 1

Debbie Jones Silk Fusion Wall Hanging

Meet Debbie Jones, Fabric Decollage Artist on January 5th

Meet fiber artist/designer Debbie Jones!

Debbie Jones is the featured artist for January 2018’s ARTSCrawl reception and exhibit at Hip Stitch from 5pm-8 pm on Friday, Jan. 5. Her Fabric Decollage is an original technique that’s a cross between collage and decoupage. Each decollage is one-of-a-kind. Once the fabrics are glued in layers, the finished artwork is then placed in a large press that applies high pressure and heat to flatten and bond it to a sturdy, acid-free surface. She’ll also be showing other works, including silk printing, ice dyeing, quilting and her latest experiments in silk fusion.

Because each artist is as interesting as their art, we asked Debbie to pull the creative curtain back a bit and tell us about how she works, what inspires her and even if she’s a messy or tidy artist. We think you’ll find you have a lot in common with her.

Some of her techniques developed as part of her healing from a life-changing auto accident many years ago, but it seems to have been a detour that opened up a rich path for her development as an artist and designer. And can we just say she’s right on track with Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2018? Read on!

Who taught you to sew/how old were you? Do you remember your first project?
My mother taught me to hand-sew clothes for my Barbie when I was 6. It was a pair of pants with an elastic waist, and I still remember how hard it was to put in the elastic into that tiny waistband. Then I took  sewing classes in school and became hooked.

What's your favorite color to work with? And least favorite color?
My favorite color has always been purple, and I have to exercise restraint or all my quilts and collages would be purple! Quilting has 
taught me to love all colors, even the ones I used to hate: green and orange. Now, copper is one of my favorite colors, so go figure! Purple, turquoise and copper are my favorites now.
Do you listen to music or books/movies while working? If so, share a few titles.
Books and movies are a distraction while working, but I love listening to music. My free motion quilting is a lot better when music is playing, especially songs like Chain of Fools by Aretha Franklin or Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. Other favorites are One Republic, Pink Floyd and Imagine Dragons. For peaceful and focused creativity, I put on the Inner Voices album by R. Carlos Nakai or Morning Phase by Beck.
Do you keep a messy or tidy studio? Or some of both, as the projects ebb and flow?
I'm very organized by nature but juggling different projects in one space leads to a very messy studio. Twice a year (or more), I tidy up my studio and then, of course, can't find anything I'm looking for!

What's your best time to work, when is the creativity really flowing?
Late at night, when most of the world is asleep, is my favorite time to work in the studio. Everything seems so still and quiet, and it's just me and the cats ... no phones ringing, no emails, just fabric and fun.

Where do you find inspiration?
Fabric! Sure, nature is awesomely inspiring and I also love to turn beautiful photos into quilts and collages, but fabric and fiber inspire me more than just about anything. I've heard quilters say that fabric speaks to them, and I agree. It speaks and sometimes even sings to us when we're on the right track creatively.

How do you break through a creativity block?
 If I'm having trouble getting started with a project, I go through my best fabric and play with it. I pull them out, open up the coolest ones, pet them and then put them back until one fabric jumps out at me and sparks an idea. But if I'm in the middle of a project and get stuck, just don't know what to do next, I put it away, completely out of sight for at least a few hours preferably overnight. Then I can see it with "fresh eyes" and come up with new ideas. If I'm still stuck that means I haven't put it away long enough. :)  Unblocking creativity is just like looking for something I lost -- I'll only find it when looking for something else.

How has creativity been a part of your healing from the car accident…did the physical constraints from that time push you into new paths?  Is there a new technique you plan to pursue in the New Year?
Injuries from the car accident in 1992 ended my corporate career and also kept me from machine quilting for seven years. So I started experimenting with fusible web and fabric scraps to make landscape scenes, needing to find something to do with the fabric I kept compulsively buying. Those quick creative projects eased my mind during the long physical recovery, gave me something to do with my hands when I couldn't do much else, and kept depression at bay. Now I am so glad to be quilting again and also have this fun fusing technique that can be applied to many kinds of projects.

In 2018, I want to experiment with making quilts that light up, and will play with more ways to use silk fusion in quilts, collages and vessels.

Stop by on Jan.5, from 5 pm to 8 pm and get acquainted with Debbie and her artistry!

December Classes at Hip Stitch

We're so excited for all of the great classes we're offering this month at Hip Stitch. Scroll down and choose a class or two to take. Learn a new skill and make a gift for a loved one while supporting your local fabric shop! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram, too!

Beginning Knitting Class 2

Holiday Open Sewing/Crafting Time

Beginning Basics Sewing Class

Shawl Collar Pullover Hoodie Class

Hunter's Star Made Easy Class

Mom's Night Out Infinity Scarf Class

November Classes at Hip Stitch

We've got a lot of great classes to offer this month! Look through and choose one or two to get those creative juices flowing...

Hunter's Star Made Easy

Mini Quick Curve Ruler: Winter Tree Table Runner

Beginning Basics Sewing Class

Jelly Roll Race

Beginning Knitting Class 1

Embellishing Using Decolorant

Sashiko

Rope Bowl Class

October Classes at Hip Stitch

We're offering several fun classes this month to help challenge and motivate you to dust off your machine and make something beautiful for yourself.

Shawl Collar Cardigan

Mini Quick Curve Ruler: Pumpkins Table Runner

Beginning Quilting Class- Table Runner

Christmas Tree Skirt

Mom's Night Out

Fabric Rope Bowl

Beginning Quilting Class- Paper Piecing

Sashiko 1-2-3

Sariella and Saki Butterfly Come to Albuquerque

Earlier this month we welcomed Nicole Young and Sarah Thomas of Sariella to Hip Stitch for a weekend of sewing, donuts, and gorgeous fluttery quilts.

The weekend started out with a trunk show where Nicole and Sarah shared many of their lovely quilts and other sewing/design projects. Their fun energy and entertaining personalities just added to the already fun night.

Nicole and Sarah taught a two day workshop on their Saki Butterfly quilt.

The group had a great time and made some beautiful quilts. I hope to share photos of some once they're finished!

They also picked out a few fat quarters to make custom fat quarter bundles, exclusive to Hip Stitch!

The Heirloom fat quarter pack

available for purchase

The Sariella Limited Edition fat quarter pack

available for purchase

Thank you sew much for coming and sharing with us ladies.