Samantha Jensen Treusch (R). Sam started working here, back in the early days, as our cleaning lady and stayed on in loftier capacities throughout high school and college. But then love called her away to Toronto, then Vancouver, where she has been working with one of our fabric suppliers on the wholesale side of the business. Now that she and John have moved back East, we're thrilled to welcome her back.

Amy Jensen Lafrance (L). Amy needs no introduction, since she's been working here at QP for many years, most recently as store manager. She knows the ropes, and she knows you, so you know what to expect: more Quilty Pleasures for many years to come!

Since we probably won't be able to have in-person classes for the foreseeable future, we're taking the plunge and moving online!

That might be a bit of an overstatement. We're dipping our toes in, with a series of FREE short videos about all sorts of topics -- product demos, tips and techniques, sewing machine maintenance, needles and threads, and anything else we think you might like. The first ones have been posted, so take a look here to see how we did!

If you have any suggestions about areas you'd like us to cover, please email us at info@quiltypleasures.ca

We've all been sewing non-stop for almost a year now, and maybe it's time for a little break. But we still love to sew and can't stand the thought of completely walking away, even for just a little while. It's what we do, especially in troubled times. But sometimes we need something different.

So here's a thought: How about reading about sewing? Not a how-to instruction manual, but a really good novel. The lovely folks at Schmetz have compiled an annotated list of stitch-themed books to get you through the winter, and what a list it is! There are histories and mysteries, novels, and travels, slaves and royals -- definitely something for everyone, no matter your taste.

Take a look at the latest issue of Inspired to Sew for the complete list, and get inspired to read. Who knows what inspiration you'll find between the covers? Then you'll be ready when it's time to get back to the sewing machine.

We also have all the back issues available on our Tips & Apps page of our web site. It's always the source of some really good reading!

It's been difficult to buy a sewing machine lately, what with the surge in demand and suppliers struggling to keep up.

Here's a welcome update: We have received stock of the smarter by pfaff 140s, which is a great machine for beginners, and we still have a very limited number of expression 710's and 720's. So if you've been thwarted in your efforts to purchase a new machine, you're in luck!

Or at least while quantities last.

Implementing an on-line shopping platform has necessitated a number of changes around here. One of the biggest is our new POS system, which won't affect you too much in your day-to-day shopping with us, but it does change how our loyalty programme works.

In a nutshell, the new system gives you a $10 coupon good for 90 days for every $250 you spend in the store*. Still pretty rewarding!

*Rewards are earned on regular-priced items only. Does not include classes or sewing machines.

Here's a timely message, written by one of our very own customers for all of the young children in our lives.

Laurelle Callaghan is well-known within the local quilting community. She's also a retired chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces, so she has ample experience in helping families with difficult situations.

It's no surprise, then, that she turned her own experience with COVID-19 into a picture book that helps kids and their parents deal with the realities of life during this pandemic. Told from the viewpoint of a six-year-old, the story's serious content is blended with a healthy dose of humour, making it perfect for encouraging family discussions about a troubling topic.

The book is only $20 (shipping and handling included) and may be ordered directly from Laurelle at grumpabooks@gmail.com.

Maybe you remember meeting Barry Jenkins, our TrendTex sales rep, at our Christmas open house last year. He's pretty memorable, but we know you were really blown away by all the fabrics he showed you.

Well, we aren't in a position to order every fabric TrendTex sells, but now you have an exciting opportunity to shop directly from their warehouse! This will give you access to a huge inventory of Moda, Benartex, RJR, Hoffman California, Stof, Michael Miller, and Lewis & Irene collections!

Here's how it works: Starting on June 22,

1/ Visit shop.trendtexfabrics.com to, well, shop;
2/ At checkout, enter the code QUI102 This gives us a portion of the sale, keeping your dollars local;
3/Shipping is $15 for all orders under $149, and free for orders of $149 and over.

This is a unique programme and we're excited to be a part of it, so please give it a go. It's always disappointing for us when a customer requests a fabric we don't have, but this gives you another way to buy exactly what you want.

It's easy, it's fun, and it's fabric. All good!

We know that all of you are sewing full-tilt, making masks and other PPE for family and friends. And we also know that a lot of your machines are having trouble keeping up.

We're now accepting machines for servicing!

You may drop off your machine during our regular curbside pickup hours. Please include the power cord and foot control, the zigzag foot, and the bobbin case with bobbin. Keep all extra feet and accessories, thread, manuals, etc (ie, anything we can lose!) safe at home with you. And please wipe off the machine with a Lysol wipe, or similar, and we'll return the favour when your servicing is completed. 

Carting your machine back and forth to classes can be a pain -- literally. Lighten the load with Pfaff's fabulous little passport 3.0!

Weighing just over 6 kg, it's lightweight and compact, making it a perfect travel machine. But that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice features -- the passport has Pfaff's famous IDT dual-feed system, 100 stitches, full electronic functions, built-in thread snips, and it takes all of your standard Pfaff feet.

Add the extension table (which travels in its own bag, securely attached to the machine's hard carrying case), and your passport 3.0 can take you anywhere you want to go!

Often*, when you attend a class at Quilty Pleasures, you have the option of borrowing a classroom machine instead of bringing your own. This not only makes travelling to class easier for you, it also allows you to see what's new in the world of machines.

The Pfaff quilt expression 720 offers lots of light, lots of throat area, and the incomparable IDT dual-feed system. From the top of the hugely popular expression series, it has all the features you'll learn to love while being user-friendly and amazingly easy to operate. We have it set up in a Crafty Table, too, so you can be really comfy.

Just advise us at the time you register for a class, and we'll make sure to have a machine ready for you.

*Because of the amount of homework involved, we don't recommend using a classroom machine for Quilting I. For that class, it's better to bring your own machine with you. That way, the teacher can help you with any issues that arise. However, if you'd like to buy a new machine, that's still an option!

Please visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for all the latest QP happenings.

Amy keeps those sites up-to-date, so take a look and be one of our Quilty Pleasures friends! (A new window will open when you click the above links.)

If you want our Facebook postings to pop up on your news feed, visit our FB page, click "Follow". (it's next to the "Like" button.

Hovering over the "Follow" button will show you a menu with the "Get Notifications" option. Selecting this means you will be alerted in your notifications window whenever we post something.

So easy to be so connected!

We continue to collect cuddle quilts for the Montfort. 

If you've never made one before, a word of explanation: These are small baby quilts that are placed in the neonatal incubators and bassinets, so the size is restricted to between 22" x 22" and 24" x 24". Their small size also makes them perfect for testing block patterns, busting your stash, and practicing free-motion quilting.

Keeping in mind the intended recipients are newborns, please aim for cute and cheerful, using only 100% cotton or flannel in the top and backing, and 100% cotton thread for the construction and quilting. Cuddle quilts are typically sent home with the babies who use them, so there is a constant demand for them.

Thanks very much. Your donations will be gratefully appreciated!

 
We can special-order products for you!

It happens all the time: You're reading someone's blog and they recommend a pattern, book, notion, or other item that you'd really like to have. Only trouble is, either they don't sell it or you don't want to order it from them because of the exchange rate, shipping costs, Customs issues, whatever.

Let us deal with it! We can usually order these products from our suppliers, and all of the hassles are taken care of. No fuss, no muss, and your order comes right to the store and into your hands.

We know that price is a big factor when shopping for quilting supplies, and it's easy to assume that big box or chain stores will always offer a better price than an independent quilt shop.

However, we recently have had several customers tell us of specific instances where our prices were equal to or better than our competitors', even after their 50% discount was applied. We appreciate knowing that people are paying attention and realizing that our prices are competitive, even though we're a small, local business.

To our watchdog customers: Thanks very much for doing the math!

We try our best to offer classes that we think will appeal, but we are always open to suggestions.

If there is a class that you would like to take but we aren't offering, just let us know. And if you have a group of friends who would like to take a class together, we can arrange that, too.

Happy to help.