Blog | National Quilters Circle

Quilting Color Principles Part 2: Tint, Tone, and Shade

January 28, 2015 By Carole Fure & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

How do you choose colors for your quilts? In this five-part article series, quilter and writer Carole Fure analyzes the many factors that play in quilt color selection and offers practical tips for ensuring your quilts are well-balanced and appealing to the eye. A color, such as red, is not just a single color but…

Quilting Color Principles Part 1: Contrast and Blending

January 26, 2015 By Carole Fure & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

How do you choose colors for your quilts? In this five-part article series, quilter and writer Carole Fure analyzes the many factors that play in quilt color selection and offers practical tips for ensuring your quilts are well-balanced and appealing to the eye. Color is the calling card of the quilt. It is the spark…

A Quilter’s Story: Scribner’s Bend

January 19, 2015 By Wendy Scribner & filed under Blog, Just for Fun.

It’s known as Scribner’s Bend. Just 5 miles south of the City of Sacramento, it is an elbow-shaped turn in the Sacramento River. The soil in this farming community is some of the richest soil in the world. Wine grapes, sugar beets, and pears are just a few of the wonderful products grown in this…

Sewing Machine Troubleshooting

January 9, 2015 By Kelly Hanson & filed under Blog, Quilt Supplies.

So you’ve cleaned and maintained your sewing machine but you’re still having trouble? There are times when cleaning simply does not fix the problem and you will need to take your machine into your dealer or a certified service shop. Before you do that though, make sure to ask yourself these 5 questions to help…

Mastering the Art of McTavishing Book Review

January 2, 2015 By Kelly Hanson & filed under Blog.

One of the very first books I bought when I began my free motion quilting journey several years ago was Mastering the Art of McTavishing. Needless to say, I was excited to learn that author Karen McTavish, the creator and namesake of this style of free motion quilting, had written a second edition in 2014!…

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Sewing Machine

October 31, 2014 By Kelly Hanson & filed under Blog, Quilt Supplies.

When I began sewing, I had little to no idea what it took to maintain my sewing machine. I thought that a needle stayed in your machine until it broke, then you replaced it with whatever you had on hand. Within two months of purchasing my Bernina 440 QE, I ran to my local dealer…

Everyone Needs a Buddy

October 13, 2014 By Kelly Hanson & filed under Blog, Quilt Supplies.

If you are anything like me, you have so much fabric in your stash that it’s hard to keep it all straight! But, as we all know, new fabrics are a necessity in the wonderful world of quilting, and – let’s be honest – half the fun is heading to the store and picking them…

Beginner Tips: Working with Quilt Patterns

September 30, 2014 By Kelly Hanson & filed under Blog, Quilt Supplies.

I remember when I first began quilting, I had such great expectations of what I could do. The true fact of the matter was however, I needed to learn the ins and outs of quilting first. I needed to learn how to choose my fabric, what tools and supplies I would need, what my seam…

What Kind of Quilter Are You? Part 3: Sticking to Our Roots

August 20, 2014 By Heather Thomas & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

Though many of today’s traditional quilters are pushing the boundaries and using new, unusual techniques to make their work with, most hold tight to the basic tenants of quilt making. On the other hand, a lot of art quilters, or those of us who make quilts as art, are constantly pushing the boundaries as to…

What Kind of Quilter Are You? Part 2: Defining Art vs. Craft

August 20, 2014 By Heather Thomas & filed under Blog, Tips & Ideas.

“Craft” is not a dirty word and using patterns and instructions from books is a great way to learn quilting techniques and hone our skills. But as long as there are quilt shows, quilting magazines, and online quilting communities, we will be discussing how to categorize the work that we make and show, and we…