Susan Brubaker Knapp

Susan Brubaker Knapp

Blue Moon River

Susan Brubaker Knapp in addition to being a busy wife and mom is an award winning fiber artist, author and teacher who has really made her mark in the quilting world.

Susan's Latest Book

Susan’s unique quilt designs are often inspired by the images of nature her camera captures. She tells me the feature she loves the “micro” button on her three cameras which allows her to shoot very close and yet maintain focus.“I always carry a very small camera in my purse just in case something presents itself. The cost of the camera is not what’s important”.Susan’s latest book entitled Point, Click, Quilt, teaches mastery of the techniques of fusible appliqué and thread sketching based on photographs.

She doesn’t have an art background but an English major going who went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism. After college Susan worked as a graphic designer on a newspaper and holds the firm belief everyone can learn to be creative and artistic.

“Most people just don’t take the time!”, she exclaims.

Her beautiful thread painting is achieved by the use of lightweight 100% cotton with Aurifil Corro Mako 50 being her favorite. “When you do thread sketching, it is important to work with a very light thread so you can control how heavy it is, and build it up so that it is the right density.”

Hope is the Thing

A highlight in 2011 was having her “Hope is the Thing” quilt being selected as part of the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach and Houston. It now has been purchased and is part of the International Quilt Festival Collection. Susan’s “Maximum Cat Nap” also was a prize winner at 2011 Quilt Festival.

Maximum Cat Nap

This spring she’ll be teaching in the Netherlands for eight days and then go on to Johannesburg, South Africa for the first International Quilt Convention-Africa. All of this added to her already full teaching schedule and Susan will be bringing the creative possibilities to us through new books, patterns, DVD’s and TV segments.

Learn more about Susan and her company Blue Moon River on her web site. www.BlueMoonRiver.com

Quilt On with Susan Cleveland

Quilt On - Susan Cleveland

Susan Cleveland of Pieces Be With You (don’t you love the name?) has a wonderful signature line on her correspondence, “Quilt on”
Her way with words and bubbly personality carries over into her life as a designer.

Susan is known for her handy tools, patterns, books, national teaching credentials, and award winning quilts. Her start in the judged arena occurred at an American Quilter’s Society show in Paducah, Ky.  “I didn’t realize you don’t start with one of the biggest shows,” smiles Susan but she caught the attention of the judges and attendees and her teaching career was launched.

For an added bonus was the fact she had developed new techniques and several notions. Her first was the Groovin’ Piping Trimming Tool but there are also the Prairie Pointer Tool and a line of thread.

She told me, “My greatest strength is that I’m able to tackle a difficult task, break it down, and develop easier, more accurate ways of accomplishing it. I used to be an engineer and I think my brain just goes in that direction.”

“I love teaching and presenting programs plus on a typical day, I love packing Internet orders. I feel like Santa Claus (we have the same initials, ‘ya know)”. 

Her dreams for the future include more YouTube videos and DVD’s of her techniques to meet the needs of the visual learners and a tool to aid in more accurate piecing.

Her line of notions and thread came from need. “I strive to do things easier with greater accuracy. The tools do this for me and others. Heavy decorative thread is an important part of my work and I do a line of 12 wt cotton solids for WinderFil.”

Susan gives credit to the great quilter, Libby Lehman who encouraged her from the beginning. “I admire her art, her ethics, and her sense of humor greatly. I’m grateful she saw something in me early on.”

Learn more about Susan and her company at www.PiecesBeWithYou.com. Here’s hoping that Susan Cleveland will “Quilt On” for a long, long time!

Late Breaking News
As our newsletter is being prepared for email (in today’s world we don’t “go to press” much any more) Susan has her latest episode on the TheQuiltShow.com entitled “Precision Made Easy - Marvelous Miters and Perfect Prairie Points.” Take a minute if you are a member of the site to watch it…it’s mahvelous!

Eazy Peazy's newest - a Fabulous Fabric Fashion Cuff
“Wear your favorite fabric on your arm.” This newest pattern from Eazy Peazy is totally unique, totally fabulous and totally personalized.
Included are patterns for 3 sizes included– adult, teen and child with over a dozen ideas for embellishments that will individualize each cuff. It's an “Eazy” beginners project and ideal for classes in your quilt shop.
The Fabric Fashion Cuff uses inn-spire™plus (stiff, moldable and non-woven stabilizer) and has an opton for Sulky® Tear-Easy™ Stabilizer.

It is great for gifts, party favors, kids projects, personalize with pictures of grandchildren, new baby, special friend, company or team logo. Think up lotsof differnent types but a hint would be that Christmas or Seasonal Cuffs are a cinch. And how about Teen “Friendship” Cuffs?

“Sewing up” the Next Generation

Fabric Warehouse in Lakeland, Florida and second generation owner Betty Gronow, are “sewing up” the shop’s future with the next generation of sewers, quilters and customers through some innovative programs.

The shop, managed by sisters Melody and Holly Robson, runs the aptly named“Little Sisters” taught by Holly after school and on Saturdays while Melody teaches a similar group for the home schooled called “Little Sisters at Home” that meets once a month. Summers especially are busy with week long Kid’s Sewing Camps.

Great things happen when young people are taught to sew. An example is the “Birds of Hope” started by two “Little Sisters” Emily and Allison. The girls learned to make decorative hanging birds from quilt scraps and had the idea to sell them for $5 a piece. But it’s not money to go to the mall. In just 16 months the more than $30,000 raised has been donated to villages in Zambia for new water filtration plants.

“Buy a bird, change a life,” is Emily and Allison’s slogan and there’s no doubt abundant clean water has changed the villagers’ lives. To learn more about Emily and Allison’s heart-warming story click on this link. Birds of Hope

Fabric Warehouse-Awash in color

The Robson sisters have an eye for the modern, popular fabric designers that appeal to the young and young at heart. The store’s displays are awash in color providing an exciting, upbeat atmosphere.

When not busy with young sewers, Melody and Holly spend their time researching hot new products on the market, maintaining a strong presence for the store on the Internet, teaching classes and selling Viking machines. Fabric Warehouse is among the top 10 Viking Dealers in the country.

Visit their web site at Fabric Warehouse

Eazy Peazy Gal’s Million Dollar Fudge

With Christmas just around the corner here is a drop dead delicious fudge recipe that’s perfect for holiday parties. Click here to download a printable copy.

Eazy Peazy Gal’s Million Dollar Fudge.

Eazy Peazy Freebeez

NEW! Eazy Peazy Gals

Announcing the Eazy Peazy Gal™ Club The Eazy Peazy Gal™ “club” for our quilt shop friends has no dues, no rules and no meetings. The purpose is to share ideas on topics like sewing, household hints, favorite recipes and lots more. The “club” meets whenever you want on the “Eazy Peazy Freebeez” page on our web site. You will find items and ideas are for sharing with your customers. Take a look at the sewing hints for binding non-square corners or installing a magnetic snap. The clear, well-written instructions are accompanied by great illustrations and are perfect for a “mini-event” demonstration to bring customers in to your shop. They take the “fear” out of these sewing techniques and customers will really be appreciative. New items are being added all the time for you to download and print. One of our favorites is “No Lumpy Bumpy Binding,” please let us know what you think. And lastly feel free to send us your special ideas or techniques to share with all the Eazy Peazy Gals running quilt shops…our friends and business partners. Expanded shop listings During the exciting (but exhausting) Quilt Market this year it was thrilling to meet shop owners who often said, “We have your patterns!” So, we’ve added lots of new names to our web page listing shops carrying Eazy Peazy patterns. Since we do not and will not sell retail, the listing of shops by state is important. If you stock our patterns and are not on shown please let us know and we will add your shop. Use the contact form on our web site to send us an email. Please include your name, your shop’s name, city, state and country. Eazy Peazy patterns are sold in several foreign countries, but we lack listings for some states right here in the good old USA. Since we are frequently contacted by consumers wishing to purchase patterns directly, it’s great to be able to refer them to a nearby shop. “Increasing business through add on sales…GUARANTEED” Speaking of Houston, in case you couldn’t make it there here is a link to my presentation at Schoolhouse with some thoughts and ideas about increasing quilt shop sales. Feel free to download it and share it with your staff. Cool News-Checker iPhone App In case you missed it, Checker Distributors has their own iPhone App which puts the shop owner in instant touch with their best selling products and makes ordering easy. To me the most amazing thing is that each Creative Grids ruler will have a chip imbedded leading to a smartphone video demonstrating use of the ruler.

Quilt Trade Association

Helping Quilt Shops – the QTA Quilt shop owners – feeling overwhelmed by it all? Want some help with your website, the Internet, marketing, computers, operating ideas?

All of these are topics part of the educational program for members of the Quilt Trade Association.

QTA Executive Director Joyce Keane says their guiding principle is, “When one quilt shop wins…all quilt shops win.” Joyce heads the Association with assistance from a board of directors comprised of quilt shop owners and prominent industry leaders who share the common goal of working together for the benefit of quilt shops.

She tells me a large part of her work is talking with owners but an increasing amount of time is spent on QTA’s free-to-members educational webinars that cover a wide range of subjects designed to help owners be more successful. Joyce, a quilter for 11 years, has merged her passion for quilting with her professional experience and background in sales, marketing and trade association management.

Her MBA in Marketing and Information Technology from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management really comes in handy especially since so many of QTA's programs are delivered via the Internet. Joyce commented, “I also know that some quilt shop owners struggle with websites, email marketing, Facebook and other Internet marketing, so I help by personally conducting free workshops for our members on these topics.”

Joyce heads an organization run by members, supported by members, with the goal of collectively solving the industry's challenges. Learn more about QTA at QuiltTradeAssoocation.org or email Joyce at Joyce@QuiltTradeAssociation.org

International Quilt Market - Houston
Again this year Eazy Peazy will exhibit at Quilt Market. Visit us in booth 1215 and attend the two Schoolhouse sessions I will be teaching:

“Inventive ways to increase add-on sales GUARANTEED!”
Friday Oct. 28^thin Room 372A,11:00-11:30 am

In conjunction with Checker Distributors - “Add the Awe Factor to Tote Bags the Sweet ‘N Sassy Way” Templates aren’t just for quilts any more!
Friday Oct. 28th in Room 371B&C, 2:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Awe! I’m blushing!
Brandi Frey of Clothworks recently had some very nice things to say about Eazy Peazy in the company blog. Here is the link to read the entire story.

A Visit with Julie Creus of LaTodera

LaToderaThis month we visit with a special friend, the talented Julie Creus of La Todera Sewing and Craft Patterns.

Julie has designed a wide range of beautiful folded flowers from orchids to dahlias, several pin cushions and a great handbag all while the being a mom to her active 10 and 12 year old children in suburban Orlando.

For nine years she lived in Buenos Aires, mastering both a new language and enjoying the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful architecture and art. She even tested her first pattern (the Kafflower) in 2009 during an Argentinean vacation.

Her life’s journey started outside of Chicago with loads of craft items and books provided by her mother. Her education continued with several helpful art teachers and a degree in graphic design. This background has served her well and she really appreciates the newer computer publishing programs. 

Julie tells me her favorite pattern is her very first, the Kafflower named for Kaffe Fassett, whose fabrics she loves (see picture). Julie tells the story, "When I nervously showed the pattern and Kafflowers to Kaffe himself at my booth at the Houston Quilt market last year, he was flattered and wore one of my flowers pinned to his shirt for the rest of the day (swoon!).  

Julie has a host of new patterns for 2011 International Quilt Market this fall in Houston including the Kanzashi Flower Badge using the Clover Kanzashi Flower Maker and the Cactus Blossom Pincushion. See all the beautiful things that can be done with fabric by visiting LaTodera’s booth #1217. 

Also visit her website and blog: latodera.com, facebook.com/laTodera, todera.blogspot.com/ 

See you in Eazy Peazy's booth #1215 in Houston at International Quilt Market. 
 

Visit Kat of StudioKat Designs

StudioKat DesignsKathy “Kat” Southern started StudioKat Designs seven years ago but kept her day job with the city for another 18 months until eventually “retiring” with 29 years of government service and 4 patterns on the market. She now has 22 handbag patterns and 2 purse insert patterns.

Originally from Connecticut, Kat spends most days at home in Winston-Salem, N.C. designing, writing her newsletter, blogging, packing patterns, handling correspondence, etc. Because her studio is in her home, she finds it difficult to NOT work.  She relaxes by traveling with her husband. and specially loves collegiate sports and visiting her grandson in Charlotte. And as if she wasn’t doing enough, she plays the clarinet in her church orchestra.

StudioKat Designs’ detailed patterns produce functional handbags which address the basic daily needs of women like herself. Kat’s bags are designed around what she likes and what makes the components work together.  She says, “A well-designed pattern is just a fancy jigsaw puzzle and I find the process of getting the pieces to fall into place incredibly stimulating and fun.  The more difficult the design problem, the more satisfying it is when the problem is solved.”

Kat continued, “I really love it when folks send me pictures of the bags they make from our patterns. I get a real kick out of seeing how our customers express their individuality & creativity through our patterns. The only thing that would be even more fun, would be being able to hear the compliments they get from friends and family when  they carry these bags. That would be the icing on the cake!”

Presently, she’s in the process of finishing a  new pattern for fall and chronicling the process on her blog. StudioKat is venturing into the notions business with the addition of two items to their product line; a brand new invisible sew-in magnetic snap perfect for handbags and black & white striped zippers in six different sizes.  They will be ready for release in September. Kat doesn’t play favorites with her family of bags, “ My favorite bag is pretty much always the one I am working on right now.” Why not visit Kat and her bags at studiokatdesigns.com or her blog studiokatdesigns.blogspot.com. and on Facebook - StudioKatDesigns and Twitter- StudioKat.

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