Chatterbox Quilts News for April 2025

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Welcome to the April Chatterbox Quilts’ newsletter!

Happy end of April! The weather in Calgary is (finally) starting to warm up – I think I can even see green grass! It’s been a busy month…

What happened this month

I finished another project as an Island Batik Ambassador. Our challenge this month was to create a project using the Drunkard’s Path block and I created Modern Curves using Island Batik fabrics. While curved piecing isn’t my favourite, I accepted the challenge and had lots of fun quilting

Our semi-annual online retreat, Energize! 11.0, was held this month in The Quilter’s Way. As always, we have a theme and for the eleventh version of Energize!, it was Cruising with TQW. During this retreat, we cruised around the world, visiting places like the Panama Canal, Alaska, the Caribbean, and more. It was the perfect time to launch 😉 the next project for TQW members, the TQW Cruise Sampler.

I also went to a fabric and notions sale to benefit the Victoria’s Quilts organization and got some fantastic deals on previously loved fabrics and books. If you’re not familiar with this organization, they do amazing work to provide quilts and love to those battling cancer. There may even be a branch in your country or area.

And, finally, to celebrate Earth Day, I took up a Janome Canada challenge to use a certain number of surplus Janome masks (remember 2019?) to make a project. The challenge was to try to use up as much of the masks – fabric, toggles, elastics, etc. – in the project as possible. I made two projects - a wall hanging and a kitty stuffy - and managed to use up 89% of the 10 masks that I used. Not bad, right?!

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Tip

If you need to glue 3D items, like pom poms or plastic pieces, to a fabric project, use E6000 glue. It really works and dries clear but be sure to use it in a well-ventilated area due to the fumes. You can find it at most hardware or home improvement stores.

Recommended Tools

If you have problems with your thread unwinding from your thread cones and getting tangled in storage or if it is slippery and slips when stitching, I’ve found a product that will help and is economical to purchase. Check out this thread netting: there are 100 pieces in it and it will work for all sizes of thread cones. You may also be able to find netting that is in yardage and you can cut to size.

YouTube Videos

Here are the new videos released in April for your viewing and learning pleasure (just click on the picture).

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Coming Soon

More YouTube videos are coming your way (be sure to subscribe!) and, if you’re a Patchwork Pals member, you’ll get early access to all of my videos 3 days before they’re released to the public and many other benefits.

In The Quilter’s Way, members will be making new blocks to complete their TQW Cruise Sampler. Four more blocks to come! Want to join in the fun? Click here for details on The Quilter’s Way and become a member today.

It’s quilt show season and I already have a few on my list for May. Do you have favourite shows that you attend every year? Hit reply and let me know – maybe I’ll see you at one of them! 😀

Take care,

Kim

P.S. Looking for an online guild/group presentation, check out my virtual offerings here.

*Note: I use affiliate links in my emails and, if you click on a link, I will receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase an item. It doesn’t cost you anything extra but does help me to continue to create helpful content for you.