Here we come again-- Fall, Holidays, School classes!

 When that calendar page gets turned to September, my memories turn back to all the years I taught school and new students coming into my classroom, ready for a new year of learning.  After 30+ years of doing that, you don't forget.  But, now, September just means cooler weather is coming and more fun sewing days are ahead.

The August FW Club Retreat/Workshops were a hit again this year.  Two groups on two weekends add up to lots of fun and many things getting made.  We changed things up a bit this time and had a white elephant exchange, a raffle but we still had our 'bring it and take it' activity as well.  I was able to teach tension cleaning and adjusting, bobbin assembly problems and how to adjust your belt for excellent motor speed.  Let me share a few pictures of some quilt tops that got finished during our time together.

At the earlier gathering, we were treated again with a High Tea dinner.  What fun that always is.

If you'd like to attend one of the FW Club Retreat/Workshops, send me an email. jdquilts123@yahoo.com.  I would be happy to give you information and get you on the waiting list.  Yes, the retreats are full for the coming year but I have yet to have a retreat that doesn't have some adjustments made.

Just to remind you, the FW Sew-In days are happening the 4th Saturday each month and I hope you have been able to attend.  The next one is Sept 23 at the Quilt Patch in Tecumseh, Mi.  Go to their website to sign up.

Okay, I'll try to catch up soon and get back here to give a hint or two about your FW and issues you might have.  Email me if you have questions.  Let's enjoy the pretty fall colors as they begin and hope to see you at the quilt shop on the FW Club Sew-in day.

Exciting New Changes

That's right!  You read that correctly.  There are some exciting new changes for the Featherweight Club members and I know that many of you reading this will want to know.

The traditional style of Featherweight Club monthly class is being phased out.  But the new monthly gathering for the Featherweight Club is beginning soon.  The owner of the Quilt Patch and I sat down with all the ideas from the April FW Club attendees and we've come up with Sew-in days for all of you.  Here are the details.

WHY:  This is a great opportunity for the FW Club members to meet up and sew together with their pretty featherweights on a Saturday each month.

WHERE:  The Quilt Patch in Tecumseh, Mi

WHEN:  Starting in June, 2023, the QP FW Club Sew-in days will be the 4th Saturday from 10am-3pm.  So, they will be June, 24, July 22, August 26, Sept 23, and Oct 28.  There won't be a Sew-in Saturday in November because the final traditional FW Club class will meet on either Nov 3 or Nov 5.

WHO CAN COME?:  All the members of the jdquilts123 FW Club are invited.  Of course you need to call the Quilt Patch (517-423-0057) and get on the participation list.  There's room for 30 members each Sew-in day.  FW Club members are those that have taken the basic FW maintenance class with Jean or have come to one of the FW Retreat/Workshops.   If you haven't done either of those things yet, you can come as a guest one time.  I highly suggest you sign up for a maintenance class so you can attend regularly.

WHAT TO BRING:  This is like a one day retreat so bring your machine in good working condition.  There won't be repairs made or anything like that on this Sew-in day.  Bring whatever project you want to work on.  Bring yourself a lunch for mid-day.  You've got the room for the day so bring what you need.

COST:  $10 for one day's attendance.  There isn't any obligation to attend all summer, or all fall, etc.

BONUS:  Those FW Club Sew-in Day attendees will be given a 10% discount on that day only.  It will be a great day to shop as well.

Isn't that exciting?  I know I can't attend every month but I will plan on being at as many of the Sew-in days as possible.  When I can't attend, Lorraine, the QP owner will be the leader.  I know I'm going to be wishing I could be at every Sew-in day.

Okay, there's more news, too.  I've encouraged so many of you to get things for your FW at the FW      Shop located in Kooskie, Idaho.  It's a great place.  You can find just about anything you need for your FW and they will talk you through solutions to FW issues or give you a utube to fix things.  The            Featherweight Shop has started an affiliate program for people like me that plug their products and        services.                                                                                                                                                      

There is a link that you can go to and purchase items and I will receive a small stipend for recommending the shop.  The link is,  https://singer-featherweight.com?aff=70.

Using the link does not cost you anything other than having to go there to purchase.  I'm learning about it, too.  So, if you have questions, send me an email:  www.jdquilts123@yahoo.com and I'll find out answers for you.  If you don't want to use the link, that's fine, too.  I still recommend the Featherweight Shop for all your FW needs.

One more exciting bit of news.  The Little Brown Bird quilt pictured at the top of my blog won a lovely ribbon at the Sauder Village Quilt Show in May.  The Traditional award goes to the quilt showing outstanding workmanship.  I'm a proud quilter.  Thanks for all the encouragement from my quilting friends along the way.  I'm really glad this one is done.

I encourage you to go over to the pages on the right side here.  Check out the FW Club News or the Class Schedule.  Information changes on those pages from time to time.  And, go out there and have a great sewing day, too.  We all need those!

Happy Holidays and Time for a Spa Day?

 I've been so bad about not posting again.  It seems that I have a pattern of that.  Will 2023 be better?  I just don't know.  But I did want to wish you all a very happy holiday and remind you what week this is.

Every year between Christmas and New Years, I give my featherweights a spa day.  Yup, it's that time.  People ask me all the time if I do all my machines that week and the answer is, no!  How do I decide which to do?  Well, if I haven't used a machine in 6 months, I don't do a spa for that machine until I'm ready to use it again.  If I just did a Spa day recently for some reason, you don't need to do another Spa day this soon.  So, I'm taking a machine with me while we're on a winter vacation.  I'll do that machine  when we arrive at our destination and before I sew with it.  So, there you go.  You should Spa any machine that gets regular use and hasn't been Spa-ed for 6 months.

And, after you get your machines all done, sew something with them.  I know I plan on doing that.  I'm going to start a new quilt now that Little Brown Bird is over and done with.  It took me 8 years to finish my LBB so something less stressful is really sounding good.  I'm going to start a fall quilt kit that I bought before Thanksgiving.  I usually don't buy kits but this one spoke to me.

I'm going to start a Hawaiian Sunbonnet Sue as well.  I've had the pattern since 2015 but I haven't started it yet.  I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'm going to make it a bit different than what the pattern calls for.  Don't we all do that?

So, I'm hoping all of you had a fabulous Christmas.  I hope the New Year brings all of us some great quilts to make and other projects as well.  I'm so looking forward to my small vacation before our FW Retreat/Workshops in March and our FW Club meetings in April.  As soon as I get a couple of maintenance classes set up for spring, I'll post it on the Schedule page.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR, all.  May your sewing days be many and your non sewing days sparce.  Love you all!

FW Club classes coming up this week

Are you ready?  The first FW club classes are scheduled for November 4th or 6th noon till 3pm and that's just days away.  If you haven't called the Quilt Patch to sign up, their phone number is 517-423-0053.  There are openings at the moment so give them a call.

I've posted what you need to bring over on the class schedule pages.  Check those out.  I'm so excited to see everyone and get things started up once again.

I made it back down to SE Michigan last weekend and I've been crazy busy getting the trailer unloaded and things put away.  I am so ready to sew something..... anything!  It's been a long drought since sewing for me.  First, it was company.  Then, it was time to pack things and load the trailer.  Then we got SNOW and had to cut up trees that had come down. Whew!  It feels good to be back home.

I'm ready to bind the little brown bird quilt to have it done and then, just maybe, I can start something new.  Imagine that!

Well, just wanted to remind everyone of our FW Club classes.  I look forward to seeing you all.  Have a good week and I hope to see you all soon.

Summer is flying past..... thinking of all

 I look at my calendar and see September coming up very quickly.  Is that possible?  Summer flies by so fast anymore.

We had a couple of awesome FW Retreat/Workshops this month.  Again, so many gorgeous quilt tops got finished and others worked on.  FWs got fixed when they needed it and as far as I can tell, everyone had a great time.  Here's a few pictures of the fun you missed if you didn't get to come.

Sign-ups have begun and 2023 FW Retreat/Workshops are already filled.  Send me an email if you'd like to be put on the waiting lists.  Check the FW Retreat/Workshops tab for more information.

Guess what?  We're going to have a couple of FW Club classes this winter, yeah!  I know everyone has been asking me when we'll start those up again.  Go over to the Class Schedule tab for dates, times, etc.

Perhaps you've heard that the Quilt Patch has been sold but I understand our FW activities will continue pretty much like before.  One thing to be aware of is that there will be a class limit to all classes. With a class limit some ladies might not be able to get into a class.  For that reason, if you don't come to class, your payment will be forfeited.   It's a store policy.  I know what we'll be doing the first class.  You're not going to want to miss it.

Okay,  I've worked on my Little Brown Bird quilt all summer and I do hope I'll have it finished so I can bring it to the 1st FW Club class in November.  If you'd like to see how it's coming, here you go!

So, if you have questions, send me an email.  I do have notes about machines waiting for me when I return this fall.  Do contact me if you don't hear from me once I return.  Happy end of summer.  Enjoy every minute of it! 

Last week of June - time for a FW SPA DAY

 It's the last week of June so you know what that means.  It's time for a featherweight spa day.  You know the routine.  So, get the oil and gear grease/motor lube out and let's just do it.  For those with a lot of machines, I guess take a day and do them.  I am only doing one at this point because I'm up in the woods using only one FW, the one that loves it up here at the lake.

Have you had a good summer so far?  It's been quiet here but we are expecting company in a couple of weeks.  You know what that means.  We're busy trying to spruce things up. I brought up a new to me display case for showing off a few quilts and some of my special FWs.  I'm loving the look.  And, we've hung new screen doors because the old ones were pretty worn out and sagging.  We re-built the dock down at the water and that is very nice.  I will do my usual wash all the windows this next week.  It's time for that.

 My flowers have been pretty this year.  I especially like this iris.  It's had a huge bloom of regal colors.  I do wish the blooms would stay longer.

As far as sewing goes, I'm hand quilting Little Brown Bird this summer.  It might take me longer than this summer because there is just a ton of stitching and I'm slow.  But, I'll get as much done as I can.  This picture is just the very beginning of the border.  I'm into the 2nd row of appliued blocks at this point.

The FW Retreat/Workshop for August 2022 is in the final planning stages at this point.  We're going to have a grand time, I'm sure.  I'm going to fly down for those so won't be bringing much to work on other than helping everyone finish up their case covers and maybe I'll try to put together a scrappy quilt during that time.

So, if you have questions, be sure to send them along.  If you just want to know what's going on class schedule wise, head on over to the schedule tab and check things out.  There won't be much happening other than retreats until we return in the fall.  Have a lovely day.  Now, go get that FWs spa day over and done with.