Learn Paper Piecing with Bright Hopes Quilting

We're going to set this video on a stand-alone post here on the blog so if anyone needs to find it for future reference, they can more easily do so.

Moda Sampler Block Shuffle Week Two Blocks

Here are new sets from Week Two!

Mona's Blocks

Linda Kay's Blocks

Pearl's Batiks

Georgia's Batiks

Chris' Kaffe Fassett



Now I have to mention that none us are seeing what the others are doing until the blocks are completed... so it's interesting to see some vague similarities this week!

If you are starting to work on your flying geese, check out the last post's tutorial on the Flying Geese No Math Ruler. Get those geese knocked out fast and easy.

Flying Geese and the No Math Ruler

TOOL U(niversity)

Have you tried the No Math Flying Geese Ruler, a wonderful acrylic ruler to have in your arsenal of quilting gadgets?

 Why do I ask, you ask? Because it takes the waste of time and more importantly, FABRIC, out of making Flying Geese.

In the past, to make a FG, you had two methods:

 1. cut a large triangle out of one fabric and two smaller ones out a contrasting fabric and sew along the diagonal. This was problematic in that you were sewing on the bias, which always allows a stretch to occur. I don't care how great a sewer you are, or how awesome your machine is, you're gonna get misshapen rectangles. And that brings us to

Method 2. Take a large RECTANGLE and two smaller SQUARES, and sew along the bias. Then cut away the other half of the square. This is a very much safer method to avoid that bias stretch but what a waste of fabric. I don't like wasting fabric. And a waste of time.

All that grrr is gone with the Flying Geese Ruler.

So, to start, you will need the No Math Flying Geese Ruler and 1 large square and 4 smaller squares. 

Keep in mind that larger square ends up being the goose and the smaller squares are the backgrounds.

To determine what size to cut, look at the ruler (above)  and you will see a list of finished sizes and corresponding squares. (Remember, this is the FINISHED size so your geese will all be 1/2" larger when you make them) For this demonstration, I used "G" (2 1/4" x 4 1/2" finished) and cut one large "G".

If you flip the ruler over, you will see the corresponding smaller dimension. You need to cut 4 of these.

Now, position two smaller squares thusly....

:

The yellow thing you see is my 1/2" Seams Easy ruler and the blue marking tool leaves a thin line of chalk. I lay the ruler down the diagonal and mark a line on either side of the centerline. I don't bother marking the center at all. The two blue lines are now my sewing lines and I sew just a scant in (towards the center) so that once I have ironed the seam allowance to one side, I won't lose any 'acreage' in the seam. I want a true measurement when I am finished.

I DO pin the smaller squares....

because I don't want them to shift around as I sew
and here's what it looks like when I have sewn down both lines.

Now you can cut the square in half but before you do, I recommend "setting the seam" which means iron the block as it is right now, before you cut it apart, then iron to the dark side.

You will have two heart-shaped blocks.

Place the remaining 2 smaller squares as shown and make the sew-lines, as you did before and sew the scant seams.
Set the seams again and cut down the two center-lines and you will be left with four separate flying geese. Iron to the dark side and you will have something that looks like this:

These geese should (and do) now measure 2.75" x 5" I trim the little ears off the blocks before I use them in a quilt block.

HINT!!!! 

Lately, I have taken to making my Flying Geese one size larger and trimming them down to the absolutely correct size because i am striving for complete accuracy. It takes a little longer and a little more fabric but the precision can't be beat!

This is a super fast way to make flying geese. And if you are making the Moda Sampler Block Shuffle quilt, you already know the outer border is packed with geese.

You can find the No Math Flying Geese ruler at Bright Hopes Quilting.

How To Take A Successful Class

We offer classes every week at Bright Hopes Quilting and hope our customers think the selection and teachers give them a variety of choices each month, from beginners to rather advanced techniques. There is something there for everyone and we love seeing the finished product, however long it takes. With quilt-making, there is no time constraint imposed. We think of it as a long-distant stroll as opposed to a sprint to the finish line.

So, okay, you have the list of classes and are fairly new to quilting. A natural question that comes to mind is "What can I expect from this class?" 

Our goal for each student is get them familiar enough for the pattern and how to construct the various elements so that when she goes back home with her supplies and blocks, she is prepared to continue until the quilt top is complete. We offer plenty of classes that can be 'done-in-a-day' and even some that require a 2-day attendance. Some of our classes, however, are made up of multiple blocks and lots of them so there is no way you can expect to drive home with a finished product.

When we map out a class, we take into account the complexity of the pattern as well as the skill-set of the student and try to allot enough time to get the student ready to leave the shop armed with knowledge and experience to comfortably continue at home, knowing that if they run into trouble we are more than happy to help at a time when there is no class going on or during our Friday Sit & Sew morning.

That being said, it is most helpful for both the teacher and the other attendees for you to have purchased all the supplies you need for the class and the pattern ahead of time so YOU can come ready to learn. If a student arrives to class with an assortment of fabrics but needs more to make the pattern, that means she is not ready to begin on time! If the first time you lay eyes on the actual pattern is five minutes after you walk in with your machine, you will not be prepared for class.

Bring every tool listed in the supply list. If you don't have that specific tool, but a close proximate, bring that and ask if it will work. Chances are, it will. If it can't, you can buy the tool or work around the problem. But, if you leave your tools at home, you will have an awfully hard time sewing!

Speaking of which, if you DO need to buy thread, tools or  an additional piece of fabric for a particular class, please get here when the doors open and shop. We usually begin classes at 10:00 (unless the schedule says 9:30), for this very reason!  We understand that there comes a time when you do need just this one or other thing for the class and you realize the night before you don't have it. However, that doesn't mean you have time to shop for all the fabric as well! It take time to choose fabric and we want you to really like the selection, not just settle because of time-restraints.

Get to class early enough to be set up and ready to go BEFORE the class begins. It takes 5 minutes to haul your stuff in, pick a spot and unload.

 

If you arrive as class is beginning, it is very distracting for the the teacher and other classmates.

Always, if humanly possible, buy your pattern so you can read through it the night before class. You will have a better idea of what you are going to learn if you know what is ahead. You don't have to understand it, even though, you probably will.

"Why should I take a class if I already read the pattern? I thought you were going to TEACH ME?" 

Good question! 1. Every class we teach has had a sample made so the teacher is familiar with construction and aware of issues or complications and knows short-cuts or better construction methods. With reading comprehension, anyone can take a pattern and work their way through it but why not take advantage of someone else's 'learning curve"?  2. What better way to meet new people and form friendships than doing something with others?  

And just like when we were in school, our teachers would say (repeatedly) "Read the chapter the night before!"  and we would wonder why. Well, the teacher, if she/he was a good one, would have much more to teach than just the words out of that book. The same is true in crafting classes. There is much more to learn in each class than just that pattern in front of us.

Deus ex machina........ 

We at the shop have A working knowledge of sewing machines, true, but there are some very specialized machines out there, expensive and delicate, so it is always best if the student is completely familiar with that machine before they take a class with it in order for the class itself to run smoothly. It's always a good idea to bring your manual, just in case.  Know how to adjust for a quarter inch seam allowance or have a quarter-inch foot.  Most, MOST, of our classes require a 1/4" seam.   And fresh needles and filled bobbins. If you know what thread you are going to use, take a few minutes the night before and fill your bobbins, ladies! It takes time out of the precious hours to sit there and spin that bobbin!

Stay together, now.  "If I understand what I am doing, why can't I just continue on ahead of the teacher?" We understand it can be frustrating waiting for others to finish a step while we are sitting there, cooling our heels. But resist, if you can, moving on ahead of the teacher without letting her know. It happens often that a student moves a head of the pack and then make a mistake which now takes the teacher time to instruct  to undo and now, look who's wasting the time of the class. If you think you are ready to move on, ask the teacher. Chances are good that you can move on but at least give the teacher a head's up! 

Ask questions! If something doesn't seem right, or doesn't seem to make sense, speak up! Keep in mind, you might not be the only one who doesn't understand but the only who says something! 

Bring appropriate snacks and drink. If you need a mid morning break, do not be afraid to speak up. Low blood-sugar is not your friend. 

We hope you had eaten a good breakfast and have plenty of energy when the class begins. Also, if the class is more than 3 hours long, bring a lunch. If you have to leave and pick something up, do your very best to be back within 30 minutes.

Lastly, shopping.

Who doesn't like to take a moment and look around a shop to see new things. There is usually time left over at the end of the day for shopping. But if your schedule does not allow for this and you really need to grab a few things before you head out the door, let us know and we can have a 'held receipt' on the register for you so as you start packing up, we can check you out quickly. 

So to recap:

1. Have the pattern and supplies before the class.
2. BE ON TIME and READY.  If you need to grab something extra, get there early.
3. READ the pattern and familiarize yourself with the contents.
4. Have a working sewing machine you know and bring the manual, just in case!
5. Pre-wind your bobbins, ladies! (you too, guys!)
6. Stay with the class as it moves through the lesson.
7. Ask questions! 
8. Bring snacks and drinks or a lunch as well. Stay energized all the way through.
9. Let us be your personal shopper and have your check-out waiting at the register if you have to dash out.

We want everyone to have an enjoyable day sewing and learning. Our time is limited and precious so let's make the very most of what we have!

Schedule of Classes Nov - Dec. 2014

Okay, Linda Kay just finished our new Newsletter/Schedule of classes... 

here it is, hot off the presses!

 As before, we are using two formats; PDF for those on standard computers and screenshots for you on iPads or iPhones.....

We have some great new classes being offered for the first time as well as some old favorites in case you missed it before. Please come in to sign up and get the class supply list. Some classes require patterns and prep-work before class so it's always a good idea to be familiar with what you can expect during the class in order to get the most out of your hours here.

Remember, Bright Hopes Quilting has the incredible $60.00 Class Coupon which happens to be the Best Deal In Town. For $60.00 flat you can take as many classes as you wish in a continual 6 month period. You can't beat this!

The ONLY THING we ask of you is for you to notify us in a timely fashion if you are unable to attend any class for any reason so someone on the waiting list can take your reserved seat.  What do we mean by 'Timely Fashion"?  Please don't call us the morning of the class and say you have a flat a tire or are not feeling well.  If there is a chance you can't make it, let us know at least by the afternoon before so we can call another customer. We don't run this like the airlines and overbook. It's only fair to let someone use their coupon if you can't make a class.

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Solid Blocks

You may have noticed the blocks hanging from the ceiling at Bright Hopes Quilting lately. All the staff have been making them and as they come in, they go up and we hope to have the ceiling covered in a few weeks.

Each block is made entirely of solids. Only solids. The pure color allows the block to stand out and keeps things simplified. It has a rather Amish look to it. It is exciting for me to walk in and see new ones hanging.

Each block is at least 16" square. This is a great size because once the project comes down, people can turn the individual squares into sofa pillows or bags. With enough of them, a good sampler quilt is a definite possibility!

So, what are we doing this for?

Fun, mainly. Why not just have fun? Why have to make a whole huge quilt just to play around a little? I have my own personal favorite blocks: Dutchman's Puzzle, Variable Star, Card Trick, Rising Star (in fact I am almost finished with a huge scrappy batik in this block, I like it so much!) and I really like how they look all by their lonesome.

Challenge. Well.... let's face it, some people are skeptical of solids. "The heck!", you say.  

No, really! They are so bold and simple that they can intimate! 

Okay, here's a question for you: When was the last time you incorporated a solid into your quilt unless it was the background? hmmmmm?

These solids of ours started arriving last summer and I watched them float in, maybe 15-20 at a time. Gorgeous pure color. And I waited. After a few months, we had over 100 bolts of crayon-colors lining the shelves like soldiers and I just mentally malfunctioned.

They are so clean and strong and frightening! I mean.... part of what we do every day is attempt to match and pair colors with each other in a fabric line or for a pattern. With solids, it really is hit or miss and so very evident when you miss!

Here is an example: We got in the latest Kaffe Fassett's just before Christmas and I really like this bright, tropical floral. I knew the quilt I wanted to make, as well.

Gorgeous bold color and the antithesis of Winter. So, I picked up the bolt and waltzed over to the solids. With 100+ colors to choose from, matching these oranges and purples should be a breeze!

WRONG

With two possible exceptions, none of the solids match the color exactly but they came together and played nicely with each other.

This is New York Beauty, a block I have wanted to make for quite a while. I knew I wanted to make the spikes in solids to really show them off!

 Everything else was negotiable.

I am showing below the blue I had chosen (originally) to use in this sample but as I was 'auditioning' the spikes in the New York Beauty to the prints and with the help of an honest friend (Thanks Kathy! You made it better!), I realized that this blue was never going to play nicely with the other colors. So I kicked him out. It was the closest blue to the Fassett print we had, so I took it. Didn't use it. That's okay too; it gave me a background color for a Solids Block.

What I find really interesting is those colors below, in this Little Sister block, are the same orange, purple and pink as you see above, but look how washed out the pink appears in the block! (I also want you to look at the tight points!)(another reason to make simple blocks... practice the points!)

Okay, all this being said, if you would like to join this project, make any square block you like (or multiples... we like participation!) using ONLY SOLIDS and make them at least 16" but no larger than 24". Pin your name to the back so we know who to return them to and drop them off at the shop.

There is no competition and no swap because the sizes would be confusing. Also, this is for fun!

We'll have them hanging on display for all to see.

Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

We here on the Gulf of Mexico know first-hand how devastating and lasting the effects of a hurricane can be to a "community". We also witnessed the generosity of our fellow citizens as we began the 'recovery process'. The difference between  and Sandy is weather.

It is really terribly cold and after 2 weeks there is still no relief in sight for thousands. So many have lost so much.

If you would like to help in large ways or small, please visit eQuilter.com and see what these good people in Colorado are preparing to do.

They are planning to ship up 5000+ quilts to the most needy and are asking all quilters to donate what they can with quilts and cash. They are joining forces with Timeless Treasures and Missionoflove.org to get this done.

If you want to help, please go to eQuilter.com for a comprehensive FAQ list  or send email questions to:

service@eQuilter.com 

Yes, even ONE quilt will make difference to someone.

Peppermint Place Quilt and Kaffe Fassett

 Here we are, Saturday at the Houston Quilt Market, all fresh and bright, raring to go.

Here we are 10 hours later, pack mules every one. It was a terrific day filled with great ideas and new things to bring back to the shop!

If you know me, (and I think you do!) you know what a fan I am of the fabrics from Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably. We have been stocking our shelves from Day One with a great selection of their colorful designs and add to them with every new release. Nothing changes this year either!

We have carried most of his quilt books as well and this year, Pearl brought back a limited number of signed books from the new publication, "Dreaming in Color". This is an autobiography of the man himself. It's a trip through the decades and eyes of the master of saturated color. If you have ever been curious to know from where Fassett drew his inspiration, you should check out this book. It is a steal at $40.00

 You may recall our cute Halloween "Sew Spooky" quilt and the "Little Red Barn" quilt patterns we have had for a few months from The Quilt Company. This is their new "Peppermint Place" Christmas quilt and we brought back these patterns from Market. This 6-part pattern makes a 64" square quilt, embellished with a printed panel and adorable buttons.  Everything included in our pattern bundle for $55.00.

Here you can see Pearl with the quilt itself to give you a good idea of the actual size.

In the Presence of Rock Stars!

Just back from the 2012 Houston Quilt Market and I want to post some quick photos.

This time was a total blast because, having been there once before in 2009, I had a better idea of what to expect. And having had the pleasure of working with Georgia Farnet every Thursday for the past many years, I have learned even more about the quilting world.

Basically, I was a groupie at a concert this year. 

GIFSoup

It started with Day One and strolling past Ty Pennington and attempting to be nonchalant about it. You try to keep a cool demeanor and not throw a fit (but let's face it, y'all. A celebrity in your midst is startling.)  This lasted approximately one second, when I turned nonchalantly around and saw Mona elbow Georgia and heard her say, "Georgia! Look!" They sidled up to me and said, "Did you see who that is!?" as if.

First of all, there are not as many men at the Geo. R. Brown Convention Hall as women, so they sort of stand out in the crowd. Then you add the fact that he stands tall and lean and rugged like a Ralph Lauren male model. Oh, yeah, then there's the throng of women surrounding him, looking upward, as, did I mention he is rather tall?

So being the shameless groupie that I am, I shoved Mona and Georgia over to him and said, "I want to get your photo with Ty. P!" He charmingly obliged.

Sadly, the lighting in the Hall obliterated the beautiful quilt and photos behind him but......nevermind! Look! He's got his arms around 'em! Ty (we're on first-name basis now) was very kind and I truly regret you can't see that quilt of his fabrics because it's a happy thing!

During Schoolhouse on Friday, I sat in on a session with Bill Kerr, Modern Quilt Workshop author (along with his wife, Weeks Ringle) as he discussed my current obsession, combining the modern quilt movement with the traditional and he showcased his new fabric line from Andover Fabrics, "Victorian Modern". You may have seen any of his Modern Quilts Illustrated magazines at Bright Hopes and samples from them hanging on our walls. Here he is with Pearl, as sweet as he looks in the photo. A gentleman in the truest sense of the word.

Jason Yenter. Full Stop.

Just before we left for Market, Georgia brought in her new sample of Jason Yenter's Deco quilt. It's hanging in the shop, glowing off the wall and we have the line and kit ready to go. So, when I spotted the man himself, I marched right up and blurted out, "That woman over there made your Deco quilt and it's gorgeous! Her name is Georgia!" 

"Really!? Wow! that was fast! I haven't seen it made up yet. When we designed it, we did it digitally so I am impressed." 

me- "She fussy-cut so many pieces and really did a marvelous job. It glows." 

Now all this while, Georgia is speaking with Mike Daecher with Craftsy just on the other side of the aisle and has no idea how close Jason Yenter is so after she has finished, we spin her around and point over to Jason. The photo speaks for itself. I don't know which of them is more impressed with the other.

Jinny Beyer, absolutely beautiful woman...... this photo was taken at Schoolhouse as she was discussing a specific pattern. I simply could not muster the courage to approach her directly.

Four years ago, Eleanor Burns published her Victory Quilts book, hardback, which spoke to me (yes, I pieced that one, no, it's not quilted) (yet) and I carted that heavy tome around for three days, in hopes of seeing the lady herself. That didn't happen. And I learned a valuable lession: Don't Carry the Unnecessary.

This year, I signed up for her Tales of the First Ladies Quilt for Monday. Our schedules for market changed and happily, I was able to change that class for one on Sunday. However, I assumed it was a lecture. Never assume. I didn't come to class with supplies!

Now, let me back up one day. The class I had for Saturday DID require supplies and I dutifully carried them to class, and it was a lecture instead. A good one! don't misunderstand, but now afterwards, I am carting around a bunch of tools and cutting mat, weighing me down and basically throwing off my groove.

So in I breeze, expecting a room full of chairs and instead I see tables littered with Babylocks and Eleanor Burns standing at the front, ready and fired up to do some sewing. Thank God, I was not the only one to show up empty-handed! I slunk into my seat like a naughty schoolgirl who left her (unfinished) homework assignment on the bus.

However, being the Pro she is, Ms. Burns brushed aside the bumps in the road, made everyone of us who arrived unprepared welcome and went to work introducing her new book, Tales of the First Ladies. The block you see featured behind us, Double T, was the block we constructed using the Quilt in a Day method. It works perfectly.

After the class, she signed our books and graciously posed for my ZOMG! photo. When she realized what I was doing, she responded in kind and said through her smile, "What are we doing?"    She has a great smile and as I hugged her, I whispered :You changed my world" but I don't think she heard me.     Acolytes can be tiring.

 Pearl, thank you for taking me to Market. I had, obviously, a BLAST!

Check back for more cool photos of quilts

November - December Class Newsletter

Here is the new list of classes coming up in November and December . 

If it is slow to load, give it a minute... it's a big file and no, you still cannot view it on an iPad or iPhone (go figure! technology....)

As always, you can zoom in with the bar at the upper left half of that window or print it out, all the pages or just the ones you want, by clicking the upper- left most icon/button that sort of looks like a printer.

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Call early to book your classes! They fill fast.

We are heading to Market next week in Houston and I hope to keep you informed here on the blog of the cool goings-on. Otherwise, you can 'friend' us on Facebook and see the up-dates there.

If you are going to the Houston Quilt Festival at the end of October, have a fabulous time and enjoy all the gorgeous quilts!

See you on the other side!

October Surprise

In a few weeks, four of us from Bright Hopes Quilting will be heading to the Houston Quilt Market to see all the new and exciting fabric lines coming out in the Spring. Market is both exhilarating and exhausting a week but attendees always return with a carload of new patterns, notions and techniques to share with our customers.

We can't wait to show n tell it all but until then, here is something from us to you.

This is a downloadable pattern using charm squares and yardage to make this fast modern quilt, Charmed Blocks. It measures 56" x 62" and if using juvenile prints, this would make a quick baby quilt or toddler's nap blanket.

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As with our class schedules, you can print the 2 page instructions by clicking on the print icon at the upper left of that window.

Kathy Brown and More Take 5 Quilts

Kathy Brown at The Teacher's Pet has been designing some really beautiful fabrics lately and we have quite a collection on the shelves here at Bright Hopes Quilting. She is a very busy woman, creating new quilt patterns and books & touring the country. Her most recent book is "More Take 5 Quilts".

Linda Kay just brought in her striking version of the Buzz Cut quilt from this book and she used Brown's newest fabric collection, Maddie, in the sample.

This is a very large bed quilt and Linda Kay will teaching it on Friday, Sept 21. Give us a call to sign up for the class.
985-845-9554

Drop by to see more of Kathy Brown's fabrics and pattern as well.

One Week Away From Our Anniversary

9 years ago, Pearl opened Bright Hopes Quilting with a dream of creating a place where quilters gather, share ideas and projects, show finished results and get to know others who love this thing we do: Make Quilts!

9 years. I can't believe it's gone so quickly but next week marks the date and Pearl has lots of fun in store to celebrate with the staff and customers.

If you get our weekly newsletter, you will have learned this afternoon that we will have lots of good sales to kick it off with and hourly drawings for lucky winners. Everyone is a winner with door prizes and a free 9-patch block pattern: Spools. This is our theme for the 3 day Sale-abration.

Each of the staff has created a "spools' quilt that showcases our individual personalities and we are inviting our customers to try to figure out who made each quilt. You will find all ten of them hanging from the ceiling. Take a sheet and list your answers. At the end of the month, we'll reveal the identities and let you know who got the most correct guesses.

Now, we didn't pull any slick maneuvers here; if you know us, you'll know which quilt is ours. I'll give you a hint though.

Last year, around this time we featured interviews with each of the co-workers here at Bright Hopes Quilting. I think you'll get a fresh insight from the answers to the questions.

Good luck guessing and mark your calendars for next Thursday through Saturday to join us and Celebrate 9 Years!

September-October Schedule of Classes!!

It's out and it is FABULOUS!!!!!

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Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

Shop Hop 2012 is just a little over a week away. Have you been making your plans as to strategy? You know what I mean......

1. Depending on your personal location, you map out a route to take you to the various participating shops...... allowing enough time to get your passport stamped, to fill out a entry for the shop's $250.00 value basket and browse around for new ideas and see what that shop has to offer and head off to the next/nearest/most convenient shop. If this is your first time at any given store, you might want to spend extra minutes, especially if it happens to be one that is at a great distance from your home town.

 The Red Stars show locations of each of the store.

2. All the 9 shops are extending their open hours from 9am to 6pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 16, 17 & 18,  to accommodate the hoppers. Here's a good tip: try to get to the shop that is the farthest away and be there when the store opens for business. That gives you more leisurely time to travel to the others and get something to eat in between.

3. Food, mustn't forget food on your travels. Is there a restaurant you've heard of in one of the towns and needed an opportunity to check out? This might be the perfect time to drop in! Or ask one of the shop employees.... you know they have recommendations.

4. To make the trip more interesting, take along a friend, even one who doesn't quilt. This could be your wife, if you happen to be a guy who quilts and she doesn't! Or vice-versa.... a gentleman who had accompanied his wife on several hops decided to purchase his own passport one year and he was the winner of our basket! You never know!

5. Above all else, Have Fun; this is not the time for stress. This is the time you give yourself to play. Think of it as recess. Remember those fleeting minutes at school when all the worries of lessons and grades were totally gone from your mind and you were completely in the moment. Just playing. Let your imagine run free and your eyes see something new. Meet old friends and make a few new ones.

Laissez Les Bon Temp Rouler indeed. Let the good times roll once again at our annual South Louisiana Shop Hop!

Dry-Erase Board, Your New Friend in the Sewing Room

LuAnn Kessi wrote a blog-post some time back that I had the great good fortune to stumble upon and she opened me up to a new idea I want to pass along!

I do my own machine quilting on a Tin Lizzie 18 (love my machine!) and am constantly on the lookout for exciting new quilting lines to try.  I love to free-hand with the thread and don't care to use pantograms although I do think they are useful on the right quilt-top.

Coming up with new repetitive motifs is always something of a challenge and when I can't come up with something new, I tend to revert back to my same-ol' same-ol'.  So doodling is a natural way to explore, letting the mind go free and see where the pen takes me. I also end up with a lot of wasted paper....... and that is where LuAnn Kessi comes in.

She showed photos of her dry-erase board and images of how she creates her lovely flowing lines of a fiddlehead fern as a quilting motif and my mind went "boing!!!!! Why didn't I think of that!?"

Not only is this a tool to practice your hand movements before you start stitching, it is great to have hanging close by as a reminder of various lines you plan to use as you travel from top to bottom.  Thank you, LuAnn!

What About That!

I just posted a message about the Louisiana Shop Hop 2012 taking place next month and ran through a list of the participating quilt shops.

Each store has it's very own and unique personality, one which reflects it's owner and staff. We are Bright Hopes Quilting; I've worked there since the doors opened and have watched the shelves fill and empty,  furniture move around the floor, the samples come and go and I have to say the name truly reflects the store on multiple levels.

The first thing a shopper will notice about us is the light that floods in through all the windows which allows one to see the fabric clearly. All along the perimeter, you will find more examples of quilt patterns, from stand-alone designs to those which come from recently published books. Lots of customers tell us that this feature of our shop helps them get a better idea of what to expect when they are shopping for a new quilt to make and they like it that someone took the time to construct one. We have so many samples hanging all around and even more in the back and since Pearl likes to keep things fresh, we often remake the samples in new fabrics and sell the previous sample in the back of the shop. Check out the back room when you are looking to give a quilt as a gift but don't have time to make one yourself!

 Oh and the fabric! We have some of the brightest and happiest bolts out there. And lots of them. Pearl has what I think of as our "wall of colors"; these are blenders  and tone-on-tones that run the gamut of every color and shade under the sun. In the center of the room is the cutting table and surrounding it in various directions you will find our asian and batiks, all the regional motifs like music, food and local sports teams (LSU and Saints), a terrific selection of baby fabrics, Black & Whites, and back to Brights and finally Christmas. We carry bolts with Dr. Seuss and Peanuts and halloween designs and have shelves of Kaffe Fassetts. When new groups come in, we showcase them as a set and always try to think of good patterns to use with them. Do you need a length of wide fabric for backing? We got you covered.

Now that you have all this fabric and are itching to get stitching, check out our great classes we offer every month. Some are old favorites and some are hot off the presses and we never go more than a few days without a class being held. Why do you need a class? Many of you don't but the teacher has made the class quilt and very possibly discovered something that makes the cutting or sewing easier the first time out. It's also a fun way to meet new people and try new things... you know, move a little out of your comfort zone and see where it takes you!

We have been receiving a steady stream of solids lately with more on the way, and are grouping them altogether for the Modernists, those new designers who are branching out in new directions in quilt-making.

This is a very exciting time in the world of quilt-making and encourage our friends to seek out new ideas and avenues in making their quilts and we enjoy helping to work out the plans to change a design to reflect the quilter and make the final piece a unique creation instead of a copy of the original. We think that is a very bright idea indeed.

Up-Dated!!!! Louisiana Shop Hop 2012 Passports!

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler! 

It's time for our annual Louisiana Shop Hop and here is a quick run-down for you.

We have nine (count'em' 9!) shops participating this year which adds more potential $250.00 Prize Baskets to win. As before, passports include $5.00 off coupons to each of the stores when you purchase $25.00 of regularly priced items and the passports go on sale next week for the low price of only $5.00.

So, you say you've never done a Shop Hop? You don't know the wherefor and the why? Well, the point of it all is to become familiar with shops you might not otherwise ever visit, those which are farther-flung than your favorite. Some stores are fairly recently opened and you might not have had an opportunity to check it out. We still get customers at Bright Hopes Quilting who say they didn't know there was a quilt shop in Mandeville and we've been here for nearly 9 years!

So, starting from here, you have to our Northeast Sew This! in Abita Springs then head South across the Lake to Mes Amis on Spanish Fort in New Orleans.

Now, head to the bayous of Houma to the Quilting Niche then West to Quilt Cupboard in Morgan City to and over to The Borne Quilter in Lafayette.

Wheuw! Back on I-10 to the East in Baton Rouge to Fabric Crazy and pop down to St. Gabriel to Cottage Creations and Quilts. Last stop,  Mama's Quilt Shop in Independence.


Now that is a little too far to make in one day, we know, so we have spread the Hop to cover Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 16, 17 and 18 and extended our hours to allow for more time to get to each shop and actually have time to relax and breath. And if you know me; food is a big draw so I like to have a calm meal somewhere along the road. That is never a hard thing to find in this great State of Louisiana.

Okay, so once you're in the shop, then what? Well, each store has goodies to share and fun things happening to keep you energized, not to mention our own quilts we make each year to celebrate the theme of the Shop Hop. This year, we went for Unique and each shop has made a totally different quilt reflecting what is happening at that particular shop. Each shop will also be handing out a free block pattern they used to make their individual quilt.

This is the one Pearl made and we think it's a real winner! Such happy bright fabrics an what a great block!  We will have kits available at Shop Hop for those of you interested in making this cheerful quilt.

Oh, and at each store, you get your passport stamped and enter your name into that shop's Prize Basket. If you have those pre-printed return address labels with you, this goes much faster. (And the Prize Baskets are not filled with stale stuff, either! Oh no, we get serious when Pearl fills hers and winners are happy when they trot home with their stash!)

Then, prowl around and see what's new at your favorite shop or if this one happens to be a store you've never visited before, see what they have on the shelves. You never know where inspiration will find and take you.

If you do get to all 9 stores, do not forget to leave that fully-stamped passport at the last shop. This enters you to win one of four major prizes and the Grand Prize this year is a Viking Sewing Machine!


I have participated in 2 Shop Hops as a customer and as staff through all of them and am witness to tell you it really is a lot of fun when you go with a group of friends. Someone always spies an interesting notion or lovely piece of fabric. It is rare to find the same fabric in three stores.

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But you tell me, driving all that distance is just not your thing. Well, Pearl has that covered for those of you on this side of the State. If you want to Hop in style, leave the driving to the professionals and hop on our Shop Hop Bus to Lafayette, Morgan City and Houma. We leave from the Bright Hopes parking lot on Saturday early enough to get to Lafayette when the doors open, then swing down to Morgan City and then on to Houma with a lunch provided and a snack for the return to Bright Hopes. You will get back in time to shop with us and get your passport stamped and be home in time for dinner.


 All this for only $65.00. But you have to act fast because Pearl has to confirm the reservation by mid-week, July 18. If this sounds like a good idea, give us a call at 985-845-9554. We must receive your check in order to confirm your set reservation. And if have any questions, give us a call!

Pearl's Big Adventure

When Pearl announced the other week that she was going to take a road trip to Paducah, KY, I just wanted to smuggle myself into the back of her Toyota. I knew she was going to have a whale of a time going to the quilters' Mecca and she certainly did.

I still haven't heard the details of what she saw and did (or ate. That's another big deal for me on road trips) but I think when she returns next week I'll get a better run-down to share.

Along the way, Pearl visited locations from her childhood and was on the look-out for Barn Quilts.

Here are a few examples of fine signs she risked life, limb and bent bumpers to capture. (no shoulders to pull off on).    I don't know the exact location for these but the Amish buggies in the last shot might be a hint! Again, the photos may be a little fuzzy but you get a good idea of some great blocks.

Kinda makes you want to build a barn.....