Happy New Year!
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with the love and joy of spending time with family and friends!
A fresh, new year lies ahead. Are you into setting goals or resolutions?
One of my friends prefers to choose one word to use as a theme for the year. This year, her word is “stretch.” She is planning to stretch herself physically (increased fitness), mentally (increased awareness), and in her business (staying current with technological changes.)
I like the concept of a one-word theme for the year. In fact, I hate to be a copycat, but I like her word choice as well … stretch. Stretching yourself can be beneficial in so many ways.
One way I’d like to stretch myself this year is by exploring a new area of longarm quilting. I’d like to find something I haven’t done on the longarm yet, learn more about it and give it a try.
How about you? Could your longarm quilting skills use a little stretching? If your answer is yes, The Quilting Connection is here to help! (After all, longarm education is our #1 priority!!!) Check out some of our upcoming classes!
Zoom Classes
We know that not everyone can travel to Elkhorn or Appleton for in-person classes. The Zoom online platform smashes that barrier by offering you personalized training from the comfort and convenience of your own home!
Do you own Pro-Stitcher? If so, want to stretch your computerized quilting skills? Consider taking the Pro-Stitcher Designer Basics and Pro-Stitcher Designer Advanced workshops with Audrey Vrooman.
Pro-Stitcher Designer Basics (2-day Zoom Workshop)
February 14 & 15, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST
This 2-day basics class teaches you the many functions and tools in Designer that allow you to create your own digital designs. It also teaches you how to modify existing designs.
Designer’s user-friendly tool bar allows you to customize your designs to fit quilt blocks, borders and sashings.
Pro-Stitcher Designer Advanced (1-day Zoom Workshop)
February 16, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM CST
This 1-day advanced class provides more time for you to really master Designer! You’ll dive deeper into the program’s functions.
Audrey will also show you actual examples as well as how to use the layout functions that allow you to visualize how a design will look on your quilt.
Both classes will be recorded … download the recordings for future reference and inspiration!
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Click on the links to each class for more details. You’ll also hear a warm welcome from Audrey!
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Not sure that Designer is right for you? You can download the demo version to your laptop computer for free prior to class … and we can help you with the process!
And what if you have questions after taking the Basics or Advanced Designer workshops?
No problem! Checkout …
Pro-Stitcher Magnified (Quarterly Zoom Meetings)
Audrey Vrooman returns as your instructor.
In each session, you will learn a new technique and can ask questions
about any aspect of Designer.
These meetings are also recorded for your future reference.
In-person Classes
For those of you able to join us in Elkhorn or Appleton, we have a few additional opportunities to offer!
Free-Motion Longarm Quilting with Wendy Fuller
Wendy returns to teach another round of her mega-popular free-motion longarm quilting classes!
Free-Motion Longarm Quilting (Appleton)
Friday, February 28, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
or
Free-Motion Longarm Quilting (Elkhorn)
Saturday, March 1, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
This is a small group, hands-on class.
Wendy will show you how to create/draw your designs. Then you’ll practice stitching them on the longarm. (And take home your finished project!)
Wendy will follow-up with showing you how to use your designs in a variety of ways to fill your quilt blocks and borders. You’ll also learn about marking your quilt top, using stencils as guides and incorporating other techniques like echo quilting.
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Have a quilt top that’s challenging you to find the perfect design? Bring it along and we’ll brainstorm some possibilities!
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And WENDY’S CLASSES ARE ADAPTED TO THE EXPERIENCE LEVELS OF THE PARTICIPANTS!
If you’ve attended before, no problem! We’ll stretch your skills to the next level!
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Click the link for your location above to get more information and to register for class!
Ruler and Gridwork Class with Wendy Fuller
Ready to stretch yourself by including ruler work in your longarm quilting? Here’s the class you need!
Ruler and Gridwork Class (Appleton)
Friday, April 11, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
or
Ruler and Gridwork Class (Elkhorn)
Saturday, April 12, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Lunch included)
This is a small group, hands-on class.
In the ruler portion of the class, Wendy will show you tips and tricks for using rulers safely and effectively. You’ll explore creating straight lines, curves, circles and arcs/swags.
Wendy will also teach you how to combine patterns to create complex looking designs for blocks, borders and sashings as well as edge-to-edge options.
You’ll get plenty of hands-on time to experiment with different rulers and try various designs. (And you’ll take home your finished project!)
In the gridwork portion of the class, Wendy will show you how to create a grid-based design using stencils, markings or piecing lines to guide your quilting.
You’ll practice designs on the longarms that can be done with free motion or with rulers.
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Have a quilt top that’s challenging you to find the perfect design? Bring it along and we’ll brainstorm some possibilities!
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And WENDY’S CLASSES ARE ADAPTED TO THE EXPERIENCE LEVELS OF THE PARTICIPANTS!
If you’ve attended before, no problem! We’ll stretch your skills to the next level!
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Click the link for your location above to get more information and to register for class!
Demo and Workshop with Sue Heinz
Sue Heinz owns Kismet Quilting and is a Handi Quilter ambassador. She’s authored five books on free-motion quilting and has invented several innovative marking tools and rulers. Passionate about teaching, Sue is committed to stretching each of her students to reach a new level of quilting excellence.
You’ve Got a Friend Named Elmer
(Appleton location only!)
Friday, May 16, 2025
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
Imagine a world where every seam you stitch is perfect, and every block is true to size! How about easily and accurately piecing circles and eliminating bias stretch? Better yet … how about never having to rip again!
Sue guarantees you will achieve your wildest piecing dreams when you use this simple technique that requires no pins, clips or gadgets!
Click the link above for more information and to register for this demo!
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(Appleton location only!)
May 17 & 18, 2025
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Day 1 – Saturday, May 17th
Create a symphony of background designs that harmonize well on any quilt … or just one design for a dramatic textural effect. Learn how to draw an array of Sue’s unique free-motion and grid pattern backgrounds while she demonstrates step-by-step illustrations and how-to hints!
Day 2 – Sunday, May 18th
Learn a new approach to custom quilt designing!
Sue will unlock her secret of using just one shape to fill an entire quilt with a variety of unique and harmonious block, border, grid, triangle, linear and circular designs plus more.
Simple shape … stunning results … and easy to master!
Click the link above for more information and to register for this workshop!
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Beginning Longarm Rental Class
Interested in renting time on one of our longarm machines to finish your quilt? If so, join us for one of these half-day classes!
Bring a quilt top and back that’s ready to be quilted with you to class. (Tip: Start with a smaller quilt … wall-hanging, baby, or lap size quilt.) You will not be quilting your quilt during this class, but we’ll help you get it ready for your first rental appointment!
We’ll start by showing you how to prepare your quilt top and square your quilt back for longarm quilting.
Because we use the Quick Zip System™ to load quilts, you’ll receive a 132” Rental Quick Zip set of zippers as part of the class. So as the next step, we’ll show you how to pin the zippers to your quilt back and top.
There are three ways you can quilt your projects on our longarm machines. You’ll get a chance to try free-motion and pantograph quilting. Then we’ll show you some ways to use computerized quilting with Handi Quilter’s Pro-Stitcher.
Finally, you’ll get a chance to choose the method of quilting you’d like to use on your first project, select the perfect thread and book your first rental appointment!
These classes are scheduled by request at both our Elkhorn and Appleton locations. For more information, check our Classes page or call us at (262) 723-6775 to schedule a date.
Pro-Stitcher Edge-to-Edge Class
Pro-Stitcher Custom Quilting Class
These classes are offered exclusively to customers who have purchased Pro-Stitcher from The Quilting Connection.
In the Edge-to-Edge class, you’ll learn the steps to set up the Pro-Stitcher to quilt from one edge of your quilt to the other. You’ll also learn how to resize your design, crop it to fit your quilt, restart after a thread break, shutdown and restart in the middle of a quilt, update your Pro-Stitcher, and download purchased designs.
A step-by-step handout is included with the class. It will walk you through the process when you return home to quilt on your own machine!
In the Custom class, you’ll learn how to use Pro-Stitcher to quilt blocks, borders or other areas of your quilt. Bring your laptop to class as we’ll be doing a lot of work in Simulation mode.
These classes are scheduled by request at both our Elkhorn and Appleton locations. For more information, check our Classes page or call us at (262) 723-6775 to schedule a date.
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That covers our prescheduled classes through May, but we’ll be adding several more sessions throughout the year. (Heads up … if you look through our Events calendar, you’ll see a Handi Quilter Van Event scheduled in August. Stay tuned for more on this fun, popular event!)
Did you see something interesting … something to stretch your longarm quilting skills this year? If there’s a particular area of longarm quilting that you’d like to know more about, please contact me. I’ll see what I can do!
Upcoming Events
And speaking of upcoming events, ready for a winter road trip? Here’s the first quilt show we’ll be vending at this year!
Saturday, February 8, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center
3000 Highway PV
West Bend, Wisconsin 53095
Admission: $10
Please stop by and say hi!
That’s everything for now.
Please remember, if you ever have ANY questions or want additional information about ANY of the products and services we offer, please call us at (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
You can also visit us online at QuiltingConnection.com or in person at 21 Adams Street in Elkhorn, WI (usually M-F 9-4, please call to confirm we’re open) or 1017 W. Northland in Appleton, WI (W, Th & F 10-4, S 10-3).
Finally, check out our blog at QuiltingConnection.com/blog and our Facebook posts.
And please share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
Angie