Those of you who have made my Twisted Sisters pattern recognize this quilt! Alice Bristle finished this top after taking an @Home workshop with me las

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Alice's Hearty TS Quilt

"So That Was The 60's" by Alice Bristle

Those of you who have made my Twisted Sisters pattern recognize this quilt! Alice Bristle finished this top after taking an @Home workshop with me last month. Her fussy-cut heart block centers made me think this quilt was the perfect way to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

Click the picture of the quilt to see the entire top.

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APB-low rez

Very Soon!

I am positively ecstatic to tell you that my Amazing Puzzle Ball pattern will be available very soon. Right now a dedicated team of quilters are testing the pattern. As soon as all the corrections are made I can put final touches on the layout and get the pattern printed!

There may be a Special Edition Newsletter in your future. I want to let you know the moment the pattern is available to pre-order.

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Schmetz Color Chart

This is SUCH a good idea!

Schmetz needles are now color-coded. I can't tell you how many times I've had to hunt down my magnifying glass to see what size needle I stuck in my pin cushion. I started pinning them to Post-It notes with the size and history: "#90 used once, maybe twice, either on clothesline bowl or to poke holes in garden hose."

I might have known the size, but I could never tell what kind of needle I had! Now? Problem Solved! From Universal (no top band) to Topstitch (pale turquoise) to Microtex (purple) all I have to do is look on the needle.

Head over to the "All About Needles" page on the SchmetzNeedles.com web site for some awesome (and entertaining) information about needles. This is an important topic too many of us know too little about---me included.

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Electrician Tape Handle

Ruler Lifter

Apologies to the vendor at a quilt show (somewhere...) who shared this great tip with me last year. I took a picture of her ruler AND her name tag. But, after looking through more than 2,789 photos on my phone my eyes are spinning and I couldn't find either picture.

If you need a quick ruler picker-upper, try electricians tape. Take a 4"-6" length and fold it in half part way: 1/3 folded, 1/3 stuck left and 1/3 stuck right. Fast and easy. And if it falls off, do it again.

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Cindy Thury Smith crumb quilt

Crazy Trip Around the World

Cindy Thury Smith

The Crumb Quilt Challenge certainly got people excited about little bitty scraps! Cindy Thury Smith shared this image of an awesome Crumb Quilt she made with 5.5" blocks. (Click the image to learn more about Cindy.) She also shares the good advice that crumb quilt blocks larger than 6" or so (raw edge to raw edge) will distort. It's no wonder with grainline going in all directions. So, keep blocks small!

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Dog Waits

Hi! Scooter here. The Dog. I'm not allowed to play with sewing needles or rotary rulers (or electrical tape). Mom says her Amazing Puzzle Balls aren't for dogs. The only crumbs I get are the ones Mom can't pick up fast enough. It's cold outside, too. But I wanted to say hello to everybody anyway. Mom says spring is coming soon. When the snow melts we will find all my balls in the back yard. Except for the ones I dropped down the furnace grate in the living room behind the couch after I pried off the cover with my front paws.

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As much of the US braces for more snow and cold temperatures, here's hoping that this Valentine's Day finds you all warm at heart.

Thanks for reading my newsletter,

Ami Simms
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