Breast Cancer Awareness Competition with Justhands-on.tv and Janome

Janome UK have been supporting the Breast Cancer Charity for many years, but this year, we went one step further and bought out a Limited Addition Sewing Machine with the pink ribbon logo, and we donated 10K to the charity earlier in the year. This is a charity close to our hearts at Janome, as many of our colleagues have been effected over the years, and this was our way of trying to help a good cause.
The Breast Cancer Charity machine is available for purchase through our Stockists, and is a entry level computer machine with 30 stitches. Ideal as a starter machine, but also a great machine for taking to classes. Janome have teamed up with Justhands-on.tv to promote a Breast Cancer Awareness Competition, where the first prize is the Breast Cancer Charity sewing machine. To enter the competition, please follow this link, http://www.justhands-on.tv/videos/win-a-janome-bcc-30-sewing-machine-or-fabulous-threads-from-madeira/

Justhands-on.tv is the UK's first on-line TV website devoted to patchwork, quilting and mixed media textile arts. Why not click the link below and let Valerie Nesbitt and Jennie Raymond tell you all about it,

http://www.justhands-on.tv/

Lesley Brankin exhibits with Iris threads @ Festival of Quilts

Lesley Brankin is a freelance textile designer and can be seen below at The Festival of Quilts with her Janome Horizon. I've just snapped a photo while she was talking a customer through the features and benefits of the Horizon... and honestly, this photo wasn't set up!
Lesley was working on the Iris thread stand, a new cotton quilting thread, which can be purchased through the website below,
http://www.embroideryandquiltingsupplies.co.uk/
Lesley worked with Janome on the Horizon machine and created this wonderful Lollipop Tree Quilt for us to use on the Horizon leaflet and Horizon advertising. Details of the pattern and instructions of how to make a cushion in the same style, can be found on the Janome website, please see the link below,
http://www.janome.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116:lollipop&catid=5:whats-new&Itemid=10 or the link on the left hand side of this blog.


For more information on Lesley Brankin and her quilts, please go to her website below,
http://www.lesleybrankinquilts.co.uk/

Yvonne Brown @ Festival of Quilts

Yvonne Brown works from her studio in Thetford in Norfolk and loves anything to do with creative textiles.
She runs a full programme of workshops, from beginners to more advanced, either at her own workshop or can travel to your location. She is also happy to visit your group and talk about her life as a textile artist.
She was exhibiting at the Festival of Quilts and I stopped to chat as I spotted our Janome 6600p! Yvonne said she loves this machine, and the large work space and auto thread cutters are very useful! For more information about Yvonne's work, workshops and if you would like her to visit your embroidery or quilt group, see her website link below,
http://www.yvonnebrown.co.uk/

Freestyle Quilting Frame using the Janome 1600p...

I always find it interesting at exhibitions to see who is using our machines, and this years Festival of Quilts was no exception....
Marysia uses the Janome 1600p in her Freestyle Quilting Frame, and loves the extra long sewing space (8.85") and the super fast stitching... 1600 stitches per minute! The Freestyles quilting frames start from £355 and more information can be found on Marysia's website,
http://marysiasquilts.co.uk/

MB4 @ Festival of Quilts 2010

This was the first Festival of Quilts the Janome MB4 had been exhibited at... and what a lot of interest it received!
The MB4 is a four needle automatic embroidery machine and is wonderful addition to any sewing workroom. Many quilters now, are experimenting with automatic embroidery, not with ready made designs, but by designing their own unique designs on Janome Digitizer MB software, and then adding free machine quilting and decorative stitches.
The Mb4 is also, an ideal embroidery machine for hobby embroiderer's, who like to work a little quicker than standard domestic embroidery machines, as the MB4 has four colours, it will trim and change colour automatically!

It's also a fabulous embroidery machine for people who are starting an embroidery business, and working from home.

Stocks Sewing Machines from Leeds were exhibiting the MB4, along with Iris embroidery and cotton quilting thread. They have a wonderful website were you can purchase all your embroidery and quilting supplies.... and of course the Janome MB4!

http://www.embroideryandquiltingsupplies.co.uk/

Festival of Quilts 2010.... best in show....

This fantastic piece won The Miniature Quilt Competition and Best in Show, and to really appreciate the work involved, it has to be seen close up.....

Apparently, it took three months to make working on it everyday!

It's hard to believe, all that detail and it's only about 8" across!

The judges statement was

"Stunning. Precision personified. Wonderful Detail."

Janome Sponsor The Contemporary Quilts Competition at The Festival Of Quilts 2010.... and the winner is C June Barnes

This year the winner of the Contemporary Quilts Competition was C June Barnes, and above you can see the Managing Director of Janome UK presenting the prize at the Gala Prize dinner on Thursday evening, at the Hilton Metropole.


The judges comments for her quilt were,

"A stunning and original twist on a traditional block design, with masterly handling of fabric to achieve great depth. The judges also admired the method of presentation of this piece."


A close look at this quilt allowed you to see the true detail of the work, and the 3d effect is simply amazing.
For more information on C June Barnes, please see her website link below,

http://www.cjunebarnes.co.uk/

A busy start to Festival of Quilts 2010!

The Festival of Quilts 2010 opened yesterday... and I took a quick photo of our new exhibition stand before the crowds arrived!

Exhibitions are a fantastic way to see our range of machines, and we always have a huge selection of samples to inspire you to sew and be creative at home. (I'll upload some more photo's tomorrow some of our samples).

Our team is on hand during the whole of the four day show, and between us, we have experience in all areas of sewing, and are happy to offer advice for anyone thinking of buying a new machine.... and you never know... you might end up taking one home!

To see a list of shows Janome exhibit at please see the link below,
http://www.janome.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66:exhibitions&catid=6:exhibitions&Itemid=11

The Festival of Quilts is a fabulous event for, not only quilters, but general sewers alike. There is a fantastic display of competition entry Quilts, but also, retailers travel from all over the UK and Europe to display and sell their products. Workshops are also ran over the four days, a chance to learn new techniques and play with new quilting and sewing supplies. To find out more information about the Festival, please see the link below,

http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=25

I will write a few blog entries about the Festival... there is just too much to talk about in one post!

Janome Binding Attachments

I'm often asked about how to do bias binding.....
Well, Janome have just launched a fantastic new Quilt Binder Set for the Horizon 7700QCP (also fits, MC1100, 6500p & 6600p). Click on the Janome Bulletin below and it will open in a new window... this will make it larger and easier to read.
This is based on the industrial bias binder used in factories for years, but Janome is the first to design an attachment to use on Janome domestic machines. The binder takes 5cm bias, so you can cut your own from any fabric, you don't need to use a bias binder pressing tool, as the attachment creates the two hemmed edges as it feeds through the fabric. It really is a clever attachment!
In the photo below, I am binding a bag opening, and the powerful Horizon machines copes with the thickness easily! The finished bag will be on display this weekend at the Festival of Quilts at the NEC.
http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=17The other, often overlooked foot, is the Rotary Even Feed Foot, that comes with several attachments. This foot has caterpillar type tyres, which help to feed the fabric through the machine, and the bias binding attachment can be altered to accommodate different widths of binding. This foot doesn't fold the hem edges of the binding, and you do need to use a binding pressing tool. You can also use this attachment to add ribbons as an edging.
I was making my friends little girl some personalised bunting at the weekend, and this attachment was fantastic for adding the tape, in fact, I used satin ribbon to give an even prettier effect! For more information on Janome accessories, check out,
http://www.janome.co.uk/ or contact your local Janome Agent.

I have also found a great article on how to use the new Quilt Binding Set....
http://janomelife.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/7700-quilt-binder/

Grimbsy Sewing Centre moves into new premises!

Paul and Linda bought Grimbsy Sewing and Knitting about four years ago, and have worked hard to make it the best craft, sewing & quilting shop in the area. Last week they expanded into the building next door, and have more than doubled the floor space! Lots of room for even more sewing supplies!
Hard working, as ever, they didn't even close the shop during the move.... closed at the normal time on Saturday in the original shop.... and opened at 9am Monday morning in the new one.... not much sleep that weekend! They plan to run workshops in the autumn, so please contact them to put your name on the list.

Janome supported Paul and Linda with the move, and have no doubt they will have the largest selection of Janome sewing, quilting, embroidery and overlock machine in North Lincolnshire.

Grimbsy Sewing and Knitting, have a huge selection of quilting, craft and dress fabrics in stock.

And a great selection of trimmings and accessories... just look at the buttons!

For more information, please take a look at their website,

http://www.grimsbysewingandknitting.com/

or if you are on Facebook.... become a fan and keep up to date with news and special offers,

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Grimsby-Sewing-and-Knitting/106067446113971?ref=ts

Quilting Retreat @ Quorn Hall

Well, it's been a few weeks since I've blogged, but it's been very busy here! A few weeks ago, I had a lovely few days with some of the UK's most dedicated quilters, at a five day quilting retreat at Quorn Hall, near Loughborough. As you can see from the photo below, Quorn Hall is a fantastic venue, set in it's own beautiful grounds. About 40 ladies attended the retreat, where for five days they do nothing but, eat and sleep quilting!

I had a few days with the ladies and ran workshops on the new Janome Horizon machine... and what a fabulous time we had, although, I was shattered by home time! This was a wonderful opportunity for quilters to have a hands on play with the new long arm machine, and even some loyal "other brand" machines ladies, ended up taking one of the Horizons home with them! What a fantastic recommendation of the Horizon 7700QCP!

I ran my workshops in conjunction with Graham Cresswell, who is the local Janome agent in Nottingham. He stocks the full range of Janome sewing, embroidery and overlock machines, and has many years of experience in the trade. He is a specialist on antique machines, and only the other day when I popped in his shop, had just got an over one hundred year old machine to stitch perfectly!

He can be found at, Cresswell Sewing Machines, 83, Mansfield Road, Daybrook, Nottingham. NG5 6BH 0115 9267572

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?hl=en-GB&rlz=1T4ADBR_enGB321GB321&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=cresswell+sewing+machines&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=cresswell+sewing+machines&hnear=Nottingham&cid=11971881287671294584

For more information on the Quilting Retreats @ Quorn Hall, check out the link below,

http://www.fabricguild.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=11