Hey everyone!

DID you notice..... my newsletter is no longer "Sew in the know", but instead called "Never Miss a Stitch"

It's been a few months since I have sent out a newsletter - so this is long overdue. And I missed connecting with you. During that time we had weather, weather and more weather. Trees came down, cars were buried in snow and I fell into a snowbank so deep it took me 5 minutes to roll out! But spring has finally sprung and it is time for renewal!

I have taken time over these last months to think about what it is the Quilting Community is really looking for and been working on developing some very cool products and programs.

You may also notice that the newsletter format has changed. Along with a rebrand and reorganizing of my web site, I decided that it was time to ditch the cartoon look and have the look of the newsletter better reflect who we are - SERIOUS quillters! And we NEVER miss a stitch! (hear me chuckle)

I will be begin again to send out tips and information that I hope helps all of us remain connected. In addition I will look to highlight some of your successes - so please be sure to send me information and accomplishments that I can pass along .

There's been a lot happening here. I turned 65 - and still feel 30. (Well... most days) I am still running a weekly Sewcial Workshop and our quilters have finished over 20 quilts in the past year!

I continue to do pick ups and deliveries across the GTA and GTHA as well as the Barrie ands Orillia Area. Yes, I am still a road warrior - but I love to see each one of you and I know it's a relief that you know WHO has your quilt and WHEN it is coming back! AND I am using a new APP - Longarm Assistant - that keeps me organized and allows you to choose your quilting patterns! And when you click on my image to the right or on a link for pick ups and deliveries - it gets added to my queue with due dates and all that jazz!

In the past several months I have let my creativity run wild and there's a lot of new products to tell you about. Pre-cut Kits have become a specialty for me - and people LOVE them. Open the kit and start sewing. Yes!

Three and five meter curated fabric bundles are now selling as fast as I can cut them - and I have not even told YOU about them yet!

Over a year ago I sent out my first pattern to anyone on the newsletter list who wanted one and have since written over 10 more. The feedback is that they are very easy to follow - mostly because I could never follow a pattern - so I wrote them so that I could follow them!

In May I was a vendor at both the Orillia Quilt Show and the Arnprior Quilt show and was surprised to see a few of my customers show up! They were both fantastic shows and I sold out of my book and sold over 30 patterns!

There's lots more to tell you - but some of it can wait! Read on for tips and ideas!

Mandie, the Quilter

PS - Click on pictures or highlighted words in this newsletter as they are all links!

How to get what needs to be done - done!

Every Tuesday at 10 am - the "Block Party" in my studio begins - and in stumble and bumble our Studio Tuesday group carrying bags of fabric, projects and their sewing machines. Marsha says she doesn't know how I stay so organized. Ha!

I wish you could see what Tuesday at 8 am looks like for me! I bet you can guess what I am doing.....

It's a mad dash to get all my scraps and projects and quilts and scissors and threads and rulers and cutting boards and measuring tapes and fabrics and irons all back where they belong. And it seems overwhelming - even with a coffee in hand. Is there a trick.... what is it?

Touch one thing. Just one. And put it away (or stuff it somewhere it cannot be seen!) Then repeat the process.

Seriously, when you cannot do anything - just do one thing. And then repeat. It surprising how quickly that big job gets completed. How do you eat an elephant?

One. Bite. At. A. Time!

June 8, 2026

Announcements

Here in this sidebar you will see resources, new and old, links and announcments!

Events for Quilters - quilt shows etc

Common Thread Quilt Guild 2026 Quilt Show - June 12th & 13th

Sold out Twice!

I have just created a new 50 page book - full of measurements, calculations and quick finish processes and took it to 2 quilt shows. I sold out at each show! I have a few left before sending off for reprint - so get your order in now!

Show your Canadian Pride with this

Pre- cut Pillow Kit and Pattern!

This 18 inch Pre-cut Pillow Pattern Kit includes precut pieces for the front and includes backing and lining for the quilted front. Pattern is included $25.00 + $5.00 shipping. Order here

Quilting Outside Your Comfort Zone

Every once in a while I encourage myself (yes you can do it Mandie) to step outside my comfort zone and to do something that I would not normally do when it comes to quilting.

It all began when I was at a quilt retreat with the Moraine Quilt Guild at Killbear. I had taken a bolt of moose fabric and a bolt of both tan and black that went well with it. That was the first uncomfortable choice.

Then I chose a block called a "Disappearing Hourglass". I had never done a block like that - and it was definitely an adventure. Despite the fact that the pattern for the block I chose was INCORRECT in its measurements, I completed 15 blocks in short order. And they began to grow on me..... I kind of liked the look. Once I added the moose blocks I was stunned. It looked AMAZING.

So.... I wrote up the pattern - correcting the block measurements and put the quilt pattern together. I then put several pre-cut kits together and took them to a quilt show along with the sample quilt.

I was more than surprised at the feedback. The pattern that I called "Gentleman's Cabin" sold out. Several of the pre-cut kits sold, AND one woman even bought the sample quilt! And she was a quilter - lol. Back to the sewing machine I went to make it a second time - finishing it the night before the Arnprior Quilt show. It is now my new favourite quilt for guys.

Father's Day is right around the corner - if you want to whip it up in a hurry - you can buy the pattern here. ($10.00) If you would like a kit - email me and I will deliver or ship it out right away! The kit contains everything you need for the top of the quilt. $85.00

Pressing Questions....

Our Tuesday Quilters would tell you my most pressing question is "What did you do that for?" (Insert eye roll) Not that I mean it unkindly - I truly do want to know why someone did something they way that they did - so I can explain it better next time. But this isn't about those kinds of questions..... it really is about "pressing". (not ironing)

Most of us know to “go to the dark side” when pressing our seams. Someone this week asked me, “why?” I thought the answer was obvious - but that’s not really the case. Most often it is to prevent “shadows” of the dark fabric showing through a lighter colours. But that’s not the only pressing technique that’s helpful in quilting. Here are a few other tips when it comes to using your iron:

When more than 2 seams meet each other - it’s often helpful to press seams open to reduce bulk where several seams meet.

To ensure that your blocks do not skew when pressing - heat press the block while it is still closed to set the seam and then press it open. This will also make a crisper seam.

Do not press in any direction when pressing a block open - but simply press with an up and down motion so you do not stretch either piece of fabric and distort it.

Let your block rest 10 seconds in order for it to “set”

Be sure to nest your seams so that all the seams meet.

Finally - use a good steam iron - and yes use the steam. It truly does make a big difference in your finished block and quilt top.

And finally - take a look at this video to see how you can move through the pressing stage a little quicker. Less time at the pressing station - more time quilt making!

AI Can Be Replaced With "U" - Something To Think About!

With all the talk of AI and how it will replace jobs - it will never be able to make a quilt or replace personal creativity.

And because it cannot test a pattern by sewing it - it likely will never be able to truly create a pattern that works as well as someone who can truly test it.

Yes, AI can create music. It can write songs for you. It can create pictures - amazingly - so I have used it for logos and other creative photos. (Yes that is an AI created cartoon of a picture of me that I uploaded )

But AI cannot sew a quilt. But "U" can!

AI can tell you what colours look good together - but it cannot go on a shop hop or to a quilt store and pick just the right fabric for the project in mind. Soon AI may contribute to driving you to the quilt store (that might be nice) but it cannot meet up with your friend who just happened to be searching for just the right fabric too!

Even using AI and 3D printers cannot create the next quilt that you woke up in the middle of the night to think about.

Despite the growing usefullnes of AI - and the scary part of that as well - NEVER forget your individual creativity.

So stay calm - and carry on Quilting. It's one way we can continue to have a wonderful impact on our world!

Measure Twice - and then the math begins....

Have you ever wondered why we buy fabric in meters and the measure in inches?

Most of us remember in the 1970’s that we as Canadians adopted the metric system as our means of measuring things. However our patterns, cookbooks and scales still show imperial measurements!

It’s really not so confusing if you remember that a meter is larger than a yard. But what happens when you read a pattern and it calls for 1 ⅜ yards of fabric? That's where the math begins.

SHORT ON FUNDS?

Please do not let a temporary 'shortage of funds' delay you from getting your quilt longarmed! Contact me - and we can work out a payment plan. (yes - we can!) And I can also offer Visa and Mastercard options. Contact me here to learn more.