SPARROW STUDIOZblog

APQS CANADA STORE Quilting, Sewing & Embroidery 3160 Parons Rd. Edmonton, AB toll free [phone] sparrowstudioz.com

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The Middle of Your Quilt Sandwich - The Batting

Here we are at the stuffing of the sandwich, the quilt batting. It also seems to be the layer we know the least about. What are the different types of batting used for? Why so many options! In this brief overview, I will cover a few of the battings manufactured by Hobbs.

80/20 This cotton/ polyester blend is a sturdy, slightly lofty all purpose lightweight batting. We use it in most of our own personal projects.  Shrinkage is typical at 3-5% and stitching may be up to 4 inches apart.  Variations include black, bleached and fusible.

Wool A popular batting, because of its soft and luxurious feel. Wool is a natural fibre which makes it light weight, breathable and great to cover up with. The Hobbs Wool batting that we carry is made with the finest washable wool in the world. It is spray bond¬ed to provide added durability and resist bearding and migration. Shrinkage is minimal 0-3% and may be quilted up to 4” apart.

Poly Down Polyester This is a batting we are considering adding to our offerings at Sparrow Studioz. It is very nice batting to work with and is a very affordable option. Poly-Down is made with very fine denier polyester that makes it soft and easier to quilt than any other polyester batting. Poly-Down is spray bond¬ed to provide added durability and resist bearding and migration. May be quilted up to 6” apart and will not shrink.

100% Cotton This is another option Sparrow Studioz is considering offering. Cotton batting is for quilters that want a soft drapeable batting with a traditional look. Heirloom Natural is made with 100% Natural cotton and is needle punched for additional strength. Shrinkage of 3-5% and may be quilted up to 4” apart. Also available in bleached.

Thermore Another polyester option recommended for miniature quilts and clothing. Will not beard nor shrink, may be quilted up to 8 inches apart.

We carry Hobbs batting products in our longarm quilting studio. All their products are easy to work with and hold up very well. Comment below with your thoughts on the additions we are making to our batting offerings.

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Flash Sale Friday - Cotton Wide Backs 40% OFF

You may have noticed that our theme lately has been about the 5 Layers of the Quilt. This week we have been talking about backing options. The last blog post was all about backing fabric and if you visit our Sparrow StudiozFacebook page you will find this week's contest where we are giving away a Queen Size backing. :)

Getting along to the point of this post however... Two Days Only! Flash Sale Friday... 40% off cotton backing fabric! Use Promo Code FLASH40 (all caps) to enjoy 40% off when you purchase online at: Wide Back Cottons from Sparrow Studioz

This sale will be available until Sat Nov 7 at 5pm. Tell your friends!

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Quilt Layer # 1 - Bobbin

bob·bin ˈbäbin noun plural noun: bobbins a cylinder or cone holding thread, yarn, or wire, used especially in weaving, machine sewing, and lacemaking. a spool or reel.

I’ll bet you‘ve never thought of a bobbin as one of the quilt layers before. In my personal opinion it is a VERY important ingredient in the entire quilting recipe.

The list of bobbin options these days is impressive. Almost every thread company doing business has a prewound option. Any thread on the market can be wound onto the bobbins which come with our domestic and quilting machines. These machines can be a size ‘L’, ‘M’ or even ‘15A’ bobbin. 

The key to a good bobbin is to wind it correctly, with good tight tension on the winder. A bobbin should never be mushy or soft. If you were to press on the threads it should feel hard to the touch. I also recommend that quilters use a lighter weight in the bobbin than top thread. My personal preference is to match the bobbin color to my backing instead of matching to the top thread. Luckily, we get beautiful tension on our APQS machines so I never need to worry about top thread showing on the back of quilts. 

My absolute favorite prewound bobbins are Magna Glide by FilTec. What sets them apart from the others? They are unique due to the core of the bobbin having a magnet which attracts to the inside of the bobbin case. This eliminates backlash of the bobbin when stopping/starting or changing directions. The trick with these bobbins is this: inside the bobbin case is a flat checkspring which must be removed for the bobbin to attach. Many quilters like to have a second bobbin case just for magna glide bobbins.

We are giving away a bobbin prize pack on the Sparrow Studioz FB page. Be sure to check it out!

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What’s Happening at Sparrow Studioz on the #firstdayofspring?

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Decisions, decisions!

Wanna help me choose the border fabric?? :)

https://www.facebook.com/SparrowStudioz/posts/95300839137627

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For The Garment Sewist - The Serger and A CoverStitch

Believe it or not we are more than just quilting! We also carry Sergers and Coverstitch machines and these two demo machines are perfect for the budding garment creator! Contact us at 780-463-4242 or on the web at  https://st181.infusionsoft.com/app/form/request-brother-demo-pricing for more info.

Give a professional look to your next project with serged seam finishes. Seams lie flatter and look better with an overlock stitch. Home decor projects often suggest the use of a serger for rolled hems and secure seams and differential feed. Choose from a 3 or 4 thread look and enjoy the new and easy threading method. The 3034D features two needles and 3 or 4 thread with differential feed. Create stitches from 2.0 to 4.0 mm in length. Differential feed ratio of 0.7 - 2.0 gives improved stitch quality. Free arm makes it easier to sew sleeves, trouser legs and other hard to reach places. 3 or 4 thread cut and sew serger stitches Differential feed ratio 0.7 to 2.0mm Convenient stitch width control from 4.5 to 7.0mm F.A.S.T. lower looper threading system Easy to follow lay-in threading Instructional DVD included Accessory kit included

The 2340CV Cover Stitch is an advanced serger, which allows you to create a wide range of cover stitches on all types and weights of fabric for both decorative and constructive applications. Expand your creativity with the 2340CV's advanced technology. It features a tri-cover stitch, wide and narrow coverstitches, colour coded threading, easy looper threading, adjustment dials for stitch length, a presser foot dial, snap on feet and differential feed which allows you to alter the speed at which your fabric is feeding through the machine. With 3 needles and one looper thread, the coverstitch machine creates professional hems, chain stitch and decorative stitching- great for making the perfect T-shirt in no time! Easy to follow lay-in threading Colour-coded threading guide Fast and easy looper threading system Dial adjustment for stitch length Stitch length 2mm to 4mm Presser foot pressure adjustment Slide lever adjustment for differential feed Differential feed for perfect seaming on virtually any fabric type Eliminates the wavy or stretched appearance of stitches on fabrics Snap-on presser foot

Demo Models now clearing out at 20% off. Contact us at 780-463-4242 or on the web at  https://st181.infusionsoft.com/app/form/request-brother-demo-pricing for more info. 

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Dreams do come true... A Demo Dreamweaver, The Brother VQ3000 is on sale.

We are having a Brother Demo Sale! Many top of the line sewing and embroidery machines are priced to go at 20 % off. 

Contact Sparrow Studioz at 780-463-4242 for more details! Stay in the loop, LIKE us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/SparrowStudioz

If you've ever dreamed of making incredible quilts and fashion-forward creations, DreamWeaver™ is for you. This versatile quilting and sewing machine is vital for those who love quilting. It was built with you in mind and is the most advanced home-based quilting and sewing machine ever introduced by Brother™. You'll love working on our largest workspace ever, and the included wide table will grow your worksapce even longer! Enjoy quick pivoting with the Pivot function. No more task lights needed—— this machine is 50% brighter than in previous Brother machines! The lockstitch key allows you to tie-off stitches with thepress of a button saving you time. Prepare to be mesmorized by the MuVit™ Digital Dual Feed——a motor driven foot that is a great benefit when working with thin or layered fabrics, the MuVit™ function can be controlled using the LCD screen display, and settings for special projects or fabrics can be saved for future use. Immerse yourself inthe advanced DreamWeaver™, the machine that makes your hobby easier and more enjoyable than ever! 561 sewing stitches (531 built-in, 30 on CD), 14 1-step buttonhole styles, 3 sewing fonts, 1 Cyrillic font and 1 Japanese font Sew Straight™ Laser Vision Guide V-Sonic™ Pen Pal for sewing MuVit™ Digital Dual Feed Our largest workspace ever - 5'' x 11.25'' Large 3.6'' x 6.0'' LCD touch screen display Automatic Height Adjuster™ AHA® feature Pivot function Lockstitch key Included wide table for larger projects

Contact Sparrow Studioz at 780-463-4242 for more details! Stay in the loop, LIKE us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/SparrowStudioz

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The 4750D Duetta 2

The exciting new Innov-ís 4750D offers the ultimate in creativity and is jam packed with features. Sewers elevate their garment construction with the 7-point feed dogs that smoothly and easily feed almost every material, and with the My Custom Stitch™ feature, which allows you to create personalized stitches. Quilters will delight in the large workspace and range of accessories that make quilting fun and easy. Embroiderers will love the large 7" x 12" embroidery area and the bobbin case for bobbin work. It's a dream come true for the person that loves to do it all, and do it well. 416 Built-in embroidery designs, including 134 designs featuring Disney characters Automatic Height Adjuster™ AHA® feature Enhanced large 8.9" diagonal bright LCD touch screen display Large 7" x 12" embroidery area My Custom Stitch™ Feature Super bright LED work lights Pivoting function and back-to-beginning key Dual USB ports and built-in embroidery card slot Included specialty bobbin case for bobbin work

Contact Sparrow Studioz at 780-463-4242 for more details!

Stay in the loop, LIKE us on Facebook! 

https://www.facebook.com/SparrowStudioz

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Our very first Brother Sewing Machine Demo Sale

The time has come when we can offer amazing savings on our beautiful Brother sewing and embroidery machines. We are have the following machines marked down by at least 20%!

NX 2000 - Laura Ashley Edition Sewing/Quilting Machine Duetta 2 - 4750D Sewing/Embroidery Combo DreamCreator 2400 Sewing/Quilting Machine DreamWeaver 3000 Sewing/Quilting Machine DreamCreator XE 5100 Sewing/Embroidery Combo DreamWeaver XE 6200 Sewing/Embroidery Combo Brother Serger 3034D Brother Cover Stitch Brother 40E Sewing Machine 50 Built In Stitches Brother 85E Sewing Machine 80 Built In Stitches These machines are priced to move! Give us a call or pop in for a test drive TODAY! 780-974-4242

To further sweeten the deal, we are offering FREE shipping Canada wide if you purchase this weekend! 

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Thread weight and results on piecing

I originally wrote this post in 2010 on my old blog. Someone recently brought my attention to it so we thought we would repost it here. :) It is still very relevant for any quilter looking to improve their skills and precision. I hope you will share your thoughts with us below!

Original Title: Tutorial Tuesday – What is YOUR thread weight?

After spending some time stitching on another machine, I quickly realized that something was different. I took a close look at the thread, which seemed really large. I inspected the thread cone and found the thread was a 35 weight. I normally use a 50 wt thread for piecing, so I was interested to see how the different thread weights would affect my piecing.

I chose one brand, Aurifil, in four different thread weights. I stitched out an identical sample in all four. I used the same fabrics for every sample, and used 50 wt thread in the bobbin. The following pictures document the results of my experiment in thread.( Click on the images to see a larger picture.)

Photo #1 -Here are four samples of Aurifil thread. Starting on the left is 50 wt, 40 wt, 28 wt, finishing with 12 wt on the right.

Photo #2 - These are four cones of Aurifil thread, same color, different weight.

Photo #3 - The seam allowance of the 50 wt thread measures exactly a quarter inch.

Photo #4 - Perfect! the 50wt thread has delivered exactly the result I want, a size of 3.5 inches.

Photo #5 - The seam allowance of the 40 wt thread measures exactly a quarter inch.

Photo #6 - Hmmmmm. Looks like the 40 wt sample has come up a hair short of 3.5 inches.

Photo #7 - The seam allowance of the 28 wt thread measures exactly a quarter inch.

Photo #8 - The thicker 28 wt thread has finished quite a bit short.

Photo #9 - The seam allowance of the 12 wt thread measures exactly a quarter inch.

Photo #10 - The thickest thread, 12 wt, has come up the shortest. Almost 1/8 of an inch! It would only take 8 patches for the quilt to finish a FULL inch short.

Isn’t it interesting to see how the thread affects the piecing? When I first began sewing and quilting, I would buy my thread from the bargain bin. The cheaper, the better! Looking back now, I laugh at myself, who was willing to spend $16 for a meter of fabric, but only 99 cents for a spool of cheapo thread. I did not learn anything about the weight of thread until I worked in a quilt shop. As I replenished the shelves with tiny little spools, I had plenty of opportunity to examine each and every weight of thread.

Here are some tips for using threads according to their weights: 50 wt – ideal for piecing. Also good to use in the bobbin when quilting with a heavier top thread. 40 wt – beautiful for appilque, quilting or top stitching. 28 wt – for quilting and applique when you really want the stitching to show. Also ideal for hand quilting. 12 wt – Excellent for hand quilting, applique and top stitching on garments.

Anytime you use a thread heavier than 40 wt on your domestic machine, it is wise to switch to a size 16 or larger top stitching needle. The larger eye on the needle will allow the bulk of the thread to travel without fraying.

Do you have any experiences to share about thread weight? Comment below to share your experience!

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Such Beautiful Quilts Today!

Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have such a great job??

Check out Michelle's beautiful quilt... started two years ago. It was a Buck a Block Sampler using Marti Mitchell templates. Aren't the colors fabulous??

Next up is Denise's quilt made of Jason Yenter fabrics. It was a kit called Illumination and it truly does light up the studio... Gorgeous!

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Easy Christmas Gift Part Two!

Hey all!

SO the other day I posted a little tutorial on making an Embroidered Recipe Dish Towel. Super cute! Today I am back to show you the layered mason jar I put together to go with my recipe dish towels. Are you ready? Let's get busy... Christmas is a comin'! :))

This is what we are creating today...

This recipe is Chocolate Chocolate chip cookies. Why two chocolates you ask? Two kinds of chips, that's why!

First we embroidered the towel.

Now gather all your ingredients.

Begin layering with the flour, soda, salt, powder.

Don't forget the cocoa powder. :)

We wanted to keep the next layer separate, so I traced the bottom of the jar onto parchment paper and cut out the shape. We laid this on top of the cocoa powder.

Now for two kinds of chocolate chips...

And another layer of parchment.

Last layers are the sugars. Make sure to stick your grubby fingers inside to flatten everything out. ;)

And there you have it! A simple and easy Christmas gift! We are giving these to teachers this year and the kids are so excited that they made their own gifts.

Now here is a pic of the finished jar...

Are you curious about my labels?? ;) I made those with the Brother Scan N Cut and that tutorial is coming soon! I hope you will try out this fun little project and please be sure to share pics with us. I'll be back in a couple of days with the final tutorial in this series.

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Tis the season for Certified Used Machines!

Certified Used Machines

Don't miss this opportunity to purchase a Certified Used APQS Quilting Machine! 

Millennium

2014  Retail Price $15,400  (3yr. Warranty) Sale Price $14,650

2014  Retail Price $15,400  (CE, 3yr. Warranty) Sale Price $14,650

2013  Retail Price $14,700 - Sale Price $13,950 (3yr. Warranty) 

2013  Retail Price $14,700 - Sale Price $13,950 (CE, 3yr. Warranty) 

2009  Retail Price $12,600 - Sale Price $11,600 

2008  Retail Price $12,100 - Sale Price $11,100 

2004  Retail Price $10,500 - Sale Price $9,300 

 2003  Retail Price $10,300 - Sale Price $9,050 

2000  Retail Price $9,000 - Sale Price $7,750  SOLD

Freedom 

2007  Retail Price $11,300 - Sale Price $10,300

2006  Retail Price $10,900 - Sale Price $9,650

2013 Retail Price $14,200 (3 Yr Warranty) - Sale Price $13,450

Lucey 

2013 Retail Price $10,100 - Sale Price $9,350

Certified Used Quilting Machines 

Certified used longarm quilting machines provide outstanding value and provide a one-year factory warranty. APQS certified used longarm machines must pass a rigorous checklist before they become available for sale.

Quilting Machines sell quickly, so please call us to reserve yours today 780-463-4242

Certified used quilting machines come with choice of 10’ or 12’ table frame. Millennium and Freedom machines also have a 14’ table frame option. The George comes with a standard table 24" x 60" portable table. 

All machines listed come with the Smart Bobbin (L)

All APQS certified used machines come with a 1-year warranty. 

All APQS demo machines come with an Lifetime warranty. 

The APQS Bliss Track System can be added to any used machine for $1,000. 

A $500 fully-refundable deposit is required to secure the machine.

Add $600 to wire these machines to CSA standards in Canada 

All customers must take possession of the machine within 30 days or the order will be cancelled and deposit refunded.

Quilting Machines sell quickly, so please call us to reserve yours today 780-463-4242

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How to make a quilt?

Step one: weed through dozens if not hundreds of patterns a certain someone has been collecting knowing full well she may never get a chance to make them.

Step two: pick three or four favourites (pray that they are precut or fat quarter friendly)

Step three: stand in front of your limited fabric stash for several minutes (resist the urge to pet or stroke it) we have to get quilting before this urge passes… dang, there are too many choices!

Step four: choose a bundle of fat quarters

Step five: Pick one pattern out of your stack of pattenrs that you think might work with the bundle you are now petting in your lap.

Step six: open the pattern and read through the fabric requirements and cutting instructions.

Step seven: although it makes very little sense at first read, repeatedly tell yourself ‘you can do this’

Step seven: after several long glances, give up, go back to your stash, put the fat quarters back, grab a jelly roll, load the machine with your favourite thread, throw a prewound bobbin in the bobbin case and bust the jelly roll open!

Step eight: sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew, sew

Step nine: sew, cut, sew, cut, sew, cut, sew, cut.

Step ten: sandwich, quilt, bind!

Here goes nothing!

I’m actually doing this!

You have no idea how great this feels!

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The Perfect (and easiest) Christmas Gift! Tutorial One of Three

Welcome to a little embroidery tutorial I put together! This is part one of three tutorials I will do on a fun Christmas gift we are making for the children's teachers.

So our fabulous embroidery teacher, Veronica, told me about these embroidered dish towels that she was planning for Christmas gifts. I of course, immediately jumped on board and began embroidering like a maniac! Here is one of the finished towels:

SInce these were so simple, I thought I would share a bit about my process with you! The pattern, More Chocolate Recipe Towels is designed by Lunch Box Quilts. The blank towels are Dunroven House Brand(and they are lovely! They wash up very nicely.)

I used the following supplies:

Patten and towels listed above

Wash away stabilizer

505 Spray

Assorted Glide Thread

I cut a piece of stabilizer big enough for my embroidery hoop. I am doing my work on a Brother V Series 6200. 

Next I lightly spray the towel in the area where I will apply the stabilizer. Remember we are now saturating fabric, this is just a light spray.

Now call this cheating if you like.... ;) but I used the fold creases on the towel for my orientation. I folded my stabilizer in half, creased that, and lined up the creases on the stabilizer with the towel. This centers the stabilizer on the towel.

I used those same creases to load this towel in to the embroidery frame.

From here, the machine does the rest of the work! Load your frame on the embroidery unit and get stitching. :) I must admit, I chose my own thread colors. Here is my finished towel still in the frame:

We have stitched every single pattern, and we should plenty to give for gifts this year. This is the perfect gift for teachers, hostess gifts etc. because you cant mess up the cooking part! :)

What I am really excited about, is the next step.... stop by again tomorrow to see what else we did with these embroidered towels!

See Part Two - Mason Jar Gift HERE!

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Grand Prairie Road Show and Longarm Quilting Class

This is great news for Alberta residents! Saturday November 22, we will host a Long Arm Sampler Quilting Class and Road Show. You may visit: http://sparrowstudioz.com/Classes/index.html to register or give us a call at 780-463-4242 or toll free at 1-855-963-4242.

Longarm Sampler Class  When: Saturday, November 22, 2014 Time: 10:00-2:00 p.m.  Location: Holiday Inn Express 10226 117ave Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7S5 Fee: $90  Instructor: Joanne Flamand (Sparrow Studioz)

You’ve seen endless lists of classes at big shows but are not sure where to start. Joanne will walk you through several of the most popular quilting techniques and help you decide what direction to take your quilting that best suits you and your quilting style. In this class, Joanne will cover:

The 5 basic quilting shapes

Shortcuts that still leave your quilt flat and square

Easy all over designs for beginners.

Adding simple borders.

Rules for Rulers and Straight Line Quilting

Design Boards

Custom blocks and borders

How do I quilt this?

Marking a quilt-what’s involved?

Uses of different weights of threads to enhance your quilting

Find out about oodles of resources available at your fingertips

Some hands on work

You may visit: http://sparrowstudioz.com/Classes/index.html to register or give us a call at 780-463-4242 or toll free at 1-855-963-4242.

APQS Roadshow  When: Saturday, November 22, 2014 Time: 3:00-6:00 p.m.  Location: Holiday Inn Express 10226 117ave Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7S5

This is your chance to get your hands on one of our longarm quilting machines to discover the model that is right for you. Designed for quilters who do not currently own a longarm machine or current owners who are looking to upgrade, the seminar includes valuable information about owning your first longarm.

You may visit: http://sparrowstudioz.com/Classes/index.html to register or give us a call at 780-463-4242 or toll free at 1-855-963-4242.

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Longarm Quilting Seminar in Grande Prairie November 22, 2104

Grande Prairie Quilters! Share this with your friends. Have you ever wondered what longarm quilting is all about? We're packing up our machines and bringing them to you for a fun filled day of learning. Grande Prairie, AB - November 22 Location: Holiday Inn Express 10226 117ave Grande Prairie, AB T8V 7S5

Longarm Sampler Class  When: Saturday, November 22, 2014 Time: 10:00-2:00 p.m.  Fee: $90  Instructor: Joanne Flamand (Sparrow Studioz) APQS Roadshow  When: Saturday, November 22, 2014 Time: 3:00-6:00 p.m. Register here:  http://sparrowstudioz.com/Classes/APQS-Events.html