Hopscotch Quilt ShopTo sign up to receive our newsletter
Email:info@hopscotchquiltshop.com
Below is our most recent (Sept. 2)newsletter:
Twinkle Doll Class
Trudy Walker will be teaching this awesome snowgirl doll Thursdays, October 16 and 23. The class will cover doll making, tea staining, working with wool and fimo. Trudy will be sure to share with you her tips and tricks for creating great dolls.
Hopscotch Bags
Hopscotch Bags are now available at the shop. They can be purchased at cost for $13.00 and used for 10% off purchases of fabric, patterns, thread and books. This is to replace the guild discount. Bags are available with Burgundy or Kelly green trim! Remember, you must have your bag with you to receive the discount!
Quiltsmart Demo
Looking for a quick project for yourself or for gifts. Quiltsmart cell phone/ipod bags and tote bags are the prefect answer. We promise you can whip up a simple bag in 20 minutes! Using fusible interfacing, you can create bags, quilts and perfect circles every time.
Join us for a free demo Saturday, September 27 at 10:30 am or 2:00 pm.
Book Signing in Calgary
We will be guests for Freckles’ Christmas Open House in Calgary on Saturday, September 13th. We look forward to spending the day with the Freckles staff and meeting many of their regular customers!
Paint Pail Pumpkin Quilt
This year’s paint pail projects will all be seasonal table toppers! The first topper celebrates Fall with 8 pumpkins and great fall colors!
Dorothy’s Back!
If you are planning a wedding in the future, Dorothy is the staff member at Hopscotch to talk to. Two of Dorothy’s children got married this summer and so she has been away from the shop for the past two months! She seems to have survived the events beautifully and we are very happy to have her back at the shop on Tuesdays!
Fat Quarter Frenzy
Many of you have asked when the next Fat Quarter Frenzy is as you are getting ready to do another fat quarter project. September 23-27 is the week to stop by and stock up on Fat Quarters. All fat quarters will be $3.00 that week. The sale applies to cut fat quarters only (unless the shop is quiet and a staff member has time to cut for you).
Fons and Porter Runners
Kits and magazines for our star runners will be available October 3 and 4 at the shop. You can create a runner exactly like the one in the magazine and perhaps have a gift ready for Christmas! The runners are offered as a class Saturday, Oct 4.
Classes at Hopscotch
Check our class list on our website for a wide range of classes offered this fall!
Marj Moore Weekend
We hope to have Marj Moore at the shop for classes in March. Many of you have admired her wonderful paper pieced Mariner’s Compass wall hanging at the shop and have purchased the pattern. This quilt is now available in batik kits. Marj has agreed to teach this class, as well as an awesome brown and turquoise log cabin/star quilt. Watch our emails and website for further details!
Did you know that Mark Lipinski from Quilter’s Home Magazine liked one of Marj’s quilts so much that he asked if he could use it in an upcoming issue of Quilter’s Home? Way to go Marj!
Batting Tips
While there is much that can be said about batting, we have included a few things to consider when choosing batting for your next quilt!
- Cotton batting breathes and permits heat to escape. It tends to be heavier than polyester batting and it will not melt (like polyester does) when exposed to high heat.
- Wool batting, like cotton, breathes but it traps the air in to keep your body warm. It will also remain dry to the feel in humid air.
- Polyester batting does not breathe, so it tends to be a bit “sweatier” for the occupant! It has a tendency to beard through the cotton fabric of the quilt and is often fluffier than cotton.
- A puffy batt, or one that shrinks when washed, will cause your quilt to pucker, giving a wrinkly look to your quilt. This look may be desirable, or it may not.
- Check the packaging of your batting to see how much shrinkage you can expect from your batting. If your batting is going to shrink and you do not want it to, prewash it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- To remove wrinkles from new batting that has been packaged or from batting that has been folded for an extended period of time, throw it in the drier on low for 3-4 minutes.
- Check the packaging of your batting to see what the manufacturer recommends for hand quilting and machine quilting intervals. Some batting requires quilting to be within 3”-4” apart, while other batting (like Warm and Natural) allows for up to 10” between stitching lines.
- For dark quilts, consider using a black batting to keep the appearance dark.
Some batting drapes more than others. While you want a soft draping batting for a baby quilt, you will want a firm batting for placemats and wall hangings.