State Fair Time!

Another year....another State Fair.  Where all of humanity gathers in one place - to eat, to ride the rides, to see the art, to pet the farm animals, to buy a salsa maker, to register to vote, to watch the sheep shearing and cow milking and dancing dogs.....ah, the joy.

Here was our family day at the fair - minus one daughter.  Lots and lots of quilts with ribbons, made by our ABQMQG members, and young Hip Stitchers!  Congratulations McKenna, Laurel, Sara, Renee, Debbie, Vicky, Afton, Sally!

Square dancing, with music provided by a 45 record - that's right, a RECORD!

Get on out to the State Fair, y'all!

Lisa Pries-Linn, who works at Hip Stitch on the weekends, just returned from the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in Oregon.  It was her fifth consecutive trip to one of the world’s largest quilt events.  Lisa’s sharing her favorite moments with us.

Lisa and husband John

Hi, fellow Hip Stitchers, Lisa here with a few of my favorite things about the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

I took an all-day class with the wonderful Jacquie Gering.  In my humble opinion, Jacquie is the queen of modern quilting.  In this class, Jacquie focused on “scrappy improvisation.”  According to Jacquie, if you add background fabric to the edges of a scrappy block, it will be very hard to see where one block begins and another one ends. This is one of the hallmarks of modern quilting.  This is a picture of my class project, which I plan to finish within the next few weeks.

After seeing the "Best of QuiltCon" exhibit at Albuquerque Fiber Arts Fiesta in May, I saw it again in Sisters.  This time, the award-winning quilts were hanging from trees, porches of homes, and the exterior walls of businesses that line the main drag through town (population 2,000).  It was a thrill to tell the visitors at Sisters that the exhibit made its debut in Albuquerque and that I helped install the Albuquerque show.

Tula Pink, fabric designer extraordinaire, gave a terrific lecture.  She’s so young!!!  When she designs a fabric line, Tula said she creates fabrics that feature recognizable images, like a 16th century Queen Elizabeth, along with fabrics that are strictly geometric in pattern.  Tula said combining the fabrics adds so much interest whether you’re making a quilt, bags or garments.  Tula gave us a sneak peek of her Eden line.

After Tula’s lecture, I joined the team to hang Tula’s quilts around Sisters.

I’ve been going to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show for five years and the presence of modern quilting has been growing steadily.  At the July 2015 show, I believe the mix of modern to traditional was 50/50.  I wonder if modern will eclipse traditional in 2016?

When you’re in Sisters, it pays to strike up a conversation with someone admiring the same quilt you’re ogling.  That’s how I met Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts.  Julie said she puts two layers of batting in her quilts because it gives the actual quilting a stronger visual presence.  Talk about a hot idea -- I think I’m going to try that.

Thanks, Lisa!  

At an upcoming meeting of the Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild, Lisa will be going into more details, along with a picture slide show. If you're a member of the ABQMQG, we'll see you then! If you're interested in attending your first meeting for free to check it out, email or call Hip Stitch for more details!

Young Hip Stitchers Summer Sewing

June summer sewing and quilting camps were so much fun, thanks to motivated, bright, funny and oh-so-talented young ones!  Here are some pictures of the fun in the lounge we've had to far.  A HUGE thank you to our teachers, Catherine and Bralia, for leading these fun groups!

(Not shown but made:  shorts!  pincushions!  pillowcases!  bookmarks!  more tote bags!)

FREE How-To This Saturday, May 16!

Hip Stitch customer Linda Hamlin recently whipped up a quilted wallhanging that we could display in the store.  

The wallhanging is titled “The Dishes Can Wait” and it’s from a pattern that won 

an award at QuiltCon!

On Saturday, May 16, Linda will be at Hip Stitch to demonstrate how she used fusible web and machine applique to blast through this project in just a few evenings.  Drop in any time between 11 a.m. and 2 pm. for her free 15-minute demo.  

And be sure to check out the most recent blog from Generation Q, the magazine that published “The Dishes Can Wait” pattern back in 2014.  There’s a link to the “The Dishes Can Wait” pattern.  Plus, it mentions Hip Stitch.  We love when that happens!

Click on the blog link HERE

Hip Stitchers, Tessalations done!

Lots to share:

 Sewing at the library!  Hip Stitch went to Cherry Hills library for a spring break class: a library book block.  Even the librarians joined in!

Made with our new Riley Blake knits:  a swingy summer dress:

A quilt brought in to show by customer Kim.  Made in the 1930s by residents of Pie Town, NM, from where her husband's family is from.   A piece of history!

Finally, finished Tessalation Quilts!  Nine completed quilts by these amazing 4th and 5th graders:

Tessellations continue....

The elementary school class continues - the kids have been busy cutting, pinning, sewing, sandwiching, and for some, finishing!  Here are some pics:

And the 1st one completed! (she's jumping up and down)

Our own Hip Stitch young quilters are finishing projects as well:

Remember, our Summer Sewing Academy 2015 is OPEN for registration!  

The classes and descriptions are right HERE