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WELCOME to

12th Anniversary

WEST TENNESSEE'S OLDEST, PREMIER, DEDICATED QUILT SHOP

901-624-9985

8553 Macon Road, Cordova, TN 38018

Open Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

And Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

OUR FRIENDLY, HELPFUL, AND EXPERIENCED STAFF WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR NEXT QUILTING PROJECT

Greetings and welcome to QuiltSmiths™ Ties That Bind™©, the sporadic by nature newsletter.We have a very special announcement. Rita, with help from Katie and our friends Dawn Young and Mary McKim have published Rita's Five of Hearts™ quilt pattern, her first original, published pattern. It is now available in the shop and by mail order as a pattern by itself for $9.00, and as a pattern and pre-printed interfacing kit for $29.50. Here is the finished prototype quilt. Rita's Five of Hearts™ quilt pattern is a machine or hand applique pattern that uses Quiltsmart™ pre-printed interfacing. As you can see, it makes a very fun quilt and is very versatile as regards different styles of fabric. And of course, Rita is teaching classes here at the shop in case you want to learn from the designer herself. We have some new fabrics and invite you in to see them. One of our best sellers is Minkee, the softest, most cuddly fabric ever. We have soft pink, soft blue, soft yellow, lime green and aqua. If you use Minkee as a backing for your quilt you do not need batting.Send your thoughts, inquiries, and suggestions to, shop_QuiltSmiths.com so that we can handle them.If you have a complaint, a comment, or a kind word, drop me an e-mail at admin_QuiltSmiths.com . Happy Stitching!Michael SmithSole Proprietor of QuiltSmiths™, and solely responsible for the contents above."QuiltSmiths" and the Double Wedding Ring based device and logo, as well as "quiltsmiths.com" are both ™ and © 1999 - 2012.DiscountsWe offer a 15% student discount on class supplies for our traditional adult quilting classes. You can be sure that our fabric is first quality, 100% cotton quilting fabric. Even if you are a beginner, start with our quality quilt shop fabric. Quality fabric is so much easier to work with, and produces a superior finished project. We invite you to read the Quality Essay by a recognized fabric expert by following the "Supplies" link at the top of the page. I encourage you to use the good stuff for your quilt projects. From the time we began QuiltSmiths, way back in December 1999, our goal as a business was to promote and teach the art and craft of quilt making so as to continue the legacy of those who came before us. Since then I've observed that working with fabric, whether sewing, quilting or other needle work is truly therapeutic. How wonderful that we can make something beautiful and full of love that also comforts us in the process of creating, as well as in daily use. - Rita Smith

Special Announcements

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join us for our annual Super Bowl sale. We will have sale fabrics, books and notions as well as door prizes. Enjoy hot tea or a soft drink with your cookies.

You'll be home in plenty of time to watch the game.

1:00 to 5:00 pm. Super Bowl Sunday.

Special Announcements

Rita's Designs 1

Flying Geese Strippy Quilt
Silk Surse
Five of Hearts
Tropical Folded Cutwork Appliq

Rita Smith's Quilt Designs

Hoffman fabrics

We will be happy to coordinate packets of 6, 12, or 18.

Moda Essentials

We will be happy to coordinate packets of 6, 12, or 18.

Rita's Designs 2

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Moda Triangles and Stars Fabrics

We will be happy to coordinate packets of 6, 12, or 18

Moda Marbles Fabrics

We will be happy to coordinate packets of 6, 12, or 18.

Basic Quilting Supplies

Quality Essay

The Difference Between Chain Store Fabrics and Quilters Grade FabricsBy Jim SalinasIm often asked, Is there really any difference between the printed cottons found in chain stores for $2.99 to $5.99 per yard and those found in quilt shops and the best mail order catalogs for $7.99 to $9.99? You bet there is!Premium brands start with high quality greige (gray) goods. Premium greige goods have a thread count of at least 60 by 60 threads, and most have thread counts higher than 60 square. Higher thread counts produce a silkier hand, less bearding when quilted, longer fabric life and better printing definition.Most chain store cotton prints are made from less expensive greige goods that have 60 square construction or less. In chain stores, 60 square construction is considered to be the benchmark of high quality.In addition to thread count, fabric quality is also determined by the diameter of the yarns used, the size of the cotton filaments and the length of the cotton staple. Although premium raw materials are more expensive and add to the final price you pay, you get a far superior finished product.Premium brands typically make use of a higher number of screens (the number of colors used in the print) and more complex and sophisticated engravings. High screen counts and complex engravings require using slower and more exacting flat bed presses than the high speed rotary presses used by domestic printers for most chain store fabrics.Once the greige goods are printed, they have to be finished. The printed fabric is placed in a chemical bath that sets the dye into the cotton fibers. Unfinished or poorly finished goods bleed badly and have a very coarse, boardy hand. Premium brands are finished using more time-consuming and expensive processes that create the silken hand of quilters grade fabric in addition to superior colorfastness.It is, of course, an over-simplification to divide the cotton print industry into chain store brands and quilt shop/mail order catalog brands. Indeed, chain stores often carry a limited range of premium brands. But, generally speaking, chain store offerings are price driven. They cannot easily sell the higher priced fabrics to their clientele. As a result, chain stores tend to carry the lower priced (and therefore lower quality) cotton fabrics.Consider also the element of design. Premier designers tend to design for premium fabric companies. The technical aspectsthe use of premium greige goods, printing many screens with fine definition, creating a silken hand through more sophisticated finishing processesall these elements enhance a designers efforts. World-class design brings a unique dimension to premium quality fabric. It comes with a price, but it adds immeasurably to the special nature of quilters grade fabric. There is one more point that should be addressed. That is the issue of service and expertise. Most quilt shops and mail order quilting catalogsthe prime sources of premium fabricsare well staffed with knowledgeable, friendly quilting experts. Most shops provide classes and expertise unmatched by the chains. Quilt shops and mail order catalogs generally do not sell jobber goods. They offer only first quality, premium brands at fair prices. These firms deserve your support.In conclusion, there is most definitely a difference in fabrics. You get what you pay for. Premium brands offer a vast quality advantage over cheaper alternatives for just a modest increase in cost, especially when you consider the effort, skill and love that will go into your use of the fabric.Textile fabrication is a large subject. If you would like to learn more about this fascinating subject, I highly recommend Harriet Hargraves From Fiber to Fabric. Its a wonderful book, and you can find it in most quilt shops and catalogs.Jim Salinas, who has had 25 years of fabric chain store retailing experience, is now a sales representative for Moda Fabrics.

Basic Quilting Supplies

This is a list of basic supplies youll need to get started. We hope this will help you get acquainted with a few of the quilting terms and tools. Your instructor may ask you to bring some of these items to class.Sewing Machine: A basic straight stitch machine is all you need for most projects. A zigzag, blind hemstitch and buttonhole stitch are great for machine appliqué. Make sure it is in good working order and that the tension is adjusted correctly. Get it serviced if necessary.Walking Foot: An attachment for the sewing machine for sewing through several layers without puckering. This is a must for machine quilting and applying bindings.Darning Foot: This attachment is used for free motion quilting.Iron and Ironing Board: A standard iron and ironing board is sufficient. A steam iron is helpful for some techniques. A small craft iron is a nice size for class use.Marking Pencils:Various colors of chalk marking pencils are easily removed after sewing and quilting.There are also markers that fade after a few hours. (Air erasable)Others are removed with water. (Water erasable)Do not confuse these with permanent markers, which are used for marking templates and making quilt labels. (Pigma pens, Sharpie pens, and other permanent markers).Pins:Silk pins with glass heads are great for piecing.Small appliqué pins are great for appliqué.Flat flower pins are also useful for some techniques.Needles: You will need a variety of hand sewing needles for different applications. The most popular sizes are 9, 10 or 11.Sharps are for hand sewingBetweens are for quiltingMilliners are long needles for appliqué.For machine sewing you will need an assortment for light to medium weight fabrics (70 to 80) so that they can be changed often.Many sewing machine problems can be solved by simply cleaning the machine and changing the needle.Hoop: Quilting hoops are portable and less costly than a quilting frame. A popular size is the 14-inch round.Scissors: Youll need a pair for cutting fabric, a pair for cutting paper, and a pair for snipping threads. If you find that you like to do hand work youll want to get a pair of embroidery scissors with sharp points that cut all the way to the tip.Seam Ripper: Keep one in your sewing case for unsewing.Template Plastic: This comes in sheets about 1/8-inch thick, usually marked with a ¼-inch grid. You can also buy sheets blank with no markings.Thread: For machine piecing use 100% cotton, neutral-colored thread. A light tan, beige or gray is usually a good choice. Use a dark colored neutral thread if you have a lot of dark colors. For borders and bindings try to closely match the color of the thread to the fabric.For hand appliqué, match the thread to the color of the flower, leaf, etc. (not the background), as closely as possible. Try Thread Heaven thread conditioner to keep your threads from tangling. We think youll love it.For quilting thread we love the YLI 100% cotton quilting thread. It has a glaze that keeps it from tangling, and it comes in several beautiful colors. You can use one color throughout the quilt or you can change colors as you wish.Rotary Cutter: Find one that fits your hand comfortably. Be sure to keep a replacement blade handy. We like the two-inch blade (45mm). These are very sharp, so be sure to close the blade every time you lay it down. Some of the newer models now have a safety feature that close automatically.Cutting Mat: A self-healing cutting mat, usually dark green in color with gridded markings in inches. A popular size is 24 x 36, which is large enough to cover a large area of our cutting table. Smaller ones are great to take to classes. Even smaller ones are great for trimming at the sewing machine and for paper piecing.Rotary Cutting Rulers: We prefer Creative Grids or Omnigrid rulers because they are thick enough for accurate rotary cutting, the markings are easy to read, and they come in a variety of popular sizes. Our favorites are:1.6 1/2 x 24 1/2 for cutting long strips. It has 1, ¼, 1/8, 45, and 602.15 1/2 square for cutting large squares3.6 1/2 x 12 1/2 ruler for shorter cuts4.9 ½ or 8 1/2 square ruler.5.6 ½ square for cutting squares and squaring up blocks.6.20 ½ square is a must for cutting large blocks (a real luxury youll love).QuiltSmiths offers a 15% discount on all class supplies. If you have any questions or need help selecting supplies please let us know.

Tips - Tricks

Tips & Tricks

Quilting TipsWe all could use a tip now and then.v To prevent thread tangles clip a small triangle of selvage from all four corners. The strings will be easy to remove.v To prevent those pesky flakes from spray starch spray on the wrong side of the fabric.v If you do not have a quarter-inch foot, try moving your needle position to the right. Measure ¼ from your needle. Mark with a piece of painters tape. Move your needle to the right until it aligns with the ¼ mark.v When your project has different size cuts of fabric, store in a Zip-Lock bag. Jot down the size of the cut and put a small note inside the bag. Keep the bags in a larger project bag containing your notes, pattern, fabrics, thread and other items relating to that project.v When organizing your fabric, measure and write the yardage on a small piece of masking tape. It will be easy to find just the right size.v When cutting your fabrics, write the size and number needed on a piece of masking tape. Stick the tapes in rows on your cutting mat. The pieces will be easy to cut and stack.v When sewing blocks and rows together use a piece of masking tape to identify block and row numbers, i.e. Row 1 Block 1.v A three-ring binder with page protectors store patterns youd like to make some day.v Keep a journal with photos of your quilts or unfinished quilt blocks. Always put a quilt label on the back of your finished quilt. Write the name of the quilt, date completed, who made the quilt and for what person, along with who it was given to and the special occasion. The next generation will thank you.v Keep essential sewing supplies in a box or zip lock bag for your take-along projects. Include notions such as sewing thread, needles, pins, seam ripper, a small pair of scissors, marking pencils, etc.v Always cut off the selvage of your fabric. It is not the same weight and weave as the fabric and should not be used.v Press seams open when your seams are too bulky. The rule is to press the seam toward the dark fabric whenever possible, but for some projects pressing seams open may solve the problem.v Do not cut unpieced (solid square) blocks when cutting patches. Make a few pieced blocks to find your personal measurement. Then square up to a common size. Then cut your solid blocks and they should fit perfectly.v Always cut and make one block to test the instructions and to see if you like it. Although designers do their best to write correct directions sometimes there are errors. It is much better to discover an error on the first block.v Clean the bobbin area every time you change the bobbin. Follow manufacturer directions for cleaning and oiling your machine. Change your needle regularly to avoid bent or dull needles. These simple steps will make your sewing machine purr.v Use Magic Sizing when pressing your fabric. It will make the fabric easier to handle. If you have flaky residue from spray starch, spray on the wrong side.v Buy a little extra fabric for the occasional change in the size of the quilt and those times of oops!Next time we'll have tips on stain removal.Please call us at 901-624-9985 if you have any questions.

Quilting Classes

Current Quilting Class Descriptions

January, February & March 2012

Bright Hopes Baby Quilt or Lap QuiltBeginner. Learn the basics of rotary cutting, machine piecing, quilt preparation, and applying binding in this easy class. You can make a crib size up to a king. We will complete the quilt in class. Four sessions. Class fee is $50.00 plus supplies.•Tuesday evenings January 10, 17, 24, & 31, 6:00 8:30 pm.Thursday evenings January 12, 19, 26, & February 2, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.Tuesday evenings, February 7, 14, 21, & 28, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
Five of Hearts QuiltConfident beginner. This is an original design by our own Rita Smith. It can be a baby size up to a large lap. Youre going to love making it for yourself or a very important person. Three sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies.Wednesday evenings, January 18, 25, & February 1. 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

My Jungle QuiltConfident beginner. Basic sewing skills including machine appliqué. This very special quilt will become a cherished family heirloom. The companion storybook brings the characters to life for little girls or boys. There are 12 blocks in the quilt. You may pre-order kits for individual blocks or the full set. Class fee is $90.00 for all 12 sessions.•Day classes. Every Monday beginning February 6, 1:00 to 2:30 pm.Thursday evenings beginning January 19, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

Faux Chenille Quilt-As-You-Go Baby QuiltConfident beginner. Rotary cutting and machine piecing. Combine the cozy feel of chenille with some bold bright fabrics and you have a winner. You can do the entire quilt by machine. Class fee is $50.00 plus supplies. Four sessions. •Friday evenings, February 10, 17, 24, & March 2. 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
Double Wedding RingAdvanced. Rotary cutting and machine appliqué. This is the new and improved version of the traditional pattern. We use Quiltsmart™ printed interfacing to make the quilt easy. Three sessions. Class fee is $50.00 plus supplies.•Thursday evenings February 9, 16, & 23. 6:00 to 8:30 pm
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Quilting Classes Apple CoreConfident beginner. Its not like your grandmothers, Its a lot easier. Traditionally this quilt pattern was made from scraps, but you can make it in your favorite colors. Quilt kits are available on a limited first come first served basis. Three sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies. •Tuesday evenings, March 6, 13, & 20, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
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Pumpkin Seed QuiltConfident beginner. Rotary cutting, machine piecing, and machine appliqué. Use coordinated fat quarters to make this stunning quilt or table runner. Quiltsmart makes it easy with pre-printed interfacing and no curved seams. Its a lot of fun and so much easier than it looks. Truly a gift from the heart. Three sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies.•Friday evenings, January 20, 27, & February 3, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.
Flying Geese Strippy QuiltConfident beginner. Rotary cutting and machine piecing. Create this stunning quilt from fabrics in your stash or coordinated prints. The key is having the right tools. The Square-in-a-Square ruler makes it easy without working with triangles. Three sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies. •Wednesday evenings, February 8, 15, & 22, 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

Road Block QuiltBeginner. Learn basic sewing skills. Just two strip-pieced blocks make up the design of this quilt using 2 ½ strips. Two sessions. Class fee is $40.00 plus supplies.•This is not offered at this time but may be on the next quarter.

We offer private lessons to fit your schedule. Call Rita for more information. All class supplies are 15% off.

Turn page for more class descriptions

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Current Quilting Class Descriptions

Garden Path Baby QuiltConfident beginner. This is a new way to make hexagons which traditionally were made with templates, and joining them with hand stitching. If you have been avoiding the traditional method using English paper piecing, come take this class with us. I think youre going to love this quilt. Three sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies. •Thursday evenings, March 8, 15, & 22. 6:00 to 8:30 pm.

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Season of GivingConfident beginner. Celebrate the season with this quick and beautiful wall hanging of gift boxes. Embellish blocks with fabric bows, ribbon or buttons. Two sessions. Class fee is $45.00 plus supplies. This is not offered on this class list. It may be on the next quarter.
Two Color BindingAll levels. This is a very nice finish on quilts and clothing. Bring your project that needs binding or make a quilt sandwich to use in class. Bring 1/2 yard each of two different fabrics to use in class. Class fee is $5.00Saturday, February 25, 1:00 to 2:30 pm.

Dresden PlateAll levels. Hand piecing, hand appliqué using Ardco™ templates. Those of you who want to stitch by hand have requested this class. Learn to piece the way your grandmother did. Slow down, relax and enjoy the therapeutic effect of hand piecing. Part of this project can be sewn by machine.

We offer private lessons to fit your schedule.

Call Rita for more information at 901-624-9985 from 10am - 6pm.

All class supplies are 15% off.

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Private Quilting Class Descriptions

Call or e-mail Rita for more information -

901-624-9985 or shop_quiltsmiths.com

Circular PatchworkBeginner. Rotary cutting and machine piecing. Youll have a great time with this pattern. It's perfect for a baby. Make a quilt, placemats or a table runner and you have a wonderful gift. No quilting or binding. Assemble the blocks and you're done.

Love That PrintConfident beginner. Rotary cutting, machine piecing and applying borders. If you've been holding on to some special fabric this may be the quilt for you. Select two large scale prints and two accent colors. The pattern lets your favorite fabrics shine.

Bright Hopes PinwheelsConfident beginner. Rotary cutting, machine piecing and machine applique. Make this sweet crib quilt for your special sweetie. This looks cute in boy or girl colors. It can easily be machine quilted on your own sewing machine.

Sassy SixteenBeginner. Learn basic skills including rotary cutting, machine piecing, and applying borders. The pattern Sassy Sixteen is required. This is a great project for your first quilt. You cant make just one.

Contact

Contact & Location

Quiltsmiths

8553 Macon Road, Suite 102

Cordova, TN 38018-6101

(901) 624-9985

Thank you for visiting Quiltsmiths.com