Friday, March 6, 2015

Handi Quilter University


This has been a fantastic week!  My husband stayed home to take care of the boys and I went with my mother to the Handi Quilter University Pro-Stitcher classes.  While I have a sit down quilting machine, my mother has a Handi Quilter Fusion (24 inch) with the Pro-Stitcher (computerized quilting program).  She wanted to learn how to use it and have me go with her.  Handi Quilter is located just outside Salt Lake City, Utah so we didn't have far to go.

On the first day we got to tour the facility.  The machines are manufactured right there.


They moved last July.  So while my Tiara was not built there, it was fun to see where other Tiaras are built.


I learned that Handi Quilter sells more quilting machines than any other brand.  During busy times they can make up to 60 machines a day.

Then we learned about quilting edge to edge designs.


You select an area, program everything, and it does the quilting.  Pretty cool.  (But I did miss the free-motion.)  The second day we learned about blocks, and the third day borders.


I loved taking the class with my mother.  Our machines were side by side.


It was lots of fun, and I look forward to playing with her machine in the future.  My mom is not interested in learning free motion quilting, so this class was perfect for her to use what she has.

Another great part was seeing all of the inspiring quilts.  Here are a couple of my favorites.



While some of the quilts were labeled with names and quilter, not all of them were.  But I can tell you that these were made by Handi Quilter employees.

The classes were great (I highly recommend them), but one of the best parts was getting to know other quilters from across the United States.  I believe we were their biggest group ever.  (One person had to leave before we took this photo.)


The Handi Quilter University included all of our meals, and we all stayed at the same hotel.  So we spent a lot of time together.  By the time we returned to our room, I was exhausted!

Besides my new understanding of my mom's machine, this is what I came home with.


I took the four edge to edge designs and turned them into a simple tote bag.


It is completely reversible.


I wasn't able to finish everything on the sampler quilt in the class.


So I traced the tulips onto gold paper, and quilted them on my machine.


I added a little more quilting and then a binding.  Now it is finished.


Here is my favorite block.


Quilt Stats #135
Name:  Pro-Stitcher Sampler
Pattern:  Class Kit from Handi Quilter
Fabric:  Pink solid and stripe
Amount Used 2.25 yards
Batting:  Hobbs 80/20
Size:  32 x 32 inches
Date:  March 2015
What I learned:

  • How to use the Pro-Stitcher.
  • The Pro-Stitcher is pretty neat.  
Handi Quilter University has three different courses.  Two are for free-motion quilting, and then this computerized class.  The educators were fantastic, and I highly recommend their courses to anyone who owns a Handi Quilter.  

XX,
Jasmine

18 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a fun filled week. What a great memory for you and your mom.

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  2. What a fantastic way to spend a week with your Mom! your quilting samples look terrific and the reversible bag is really sweet Jasmine! what is this gold paper you have used to do the tulips? it looks intriguing.

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    1. The paper is made by Golden Threads. You can trace designs onto it, stitch through it, and tear it off. This was the first time I had used it in years.

      http://www.goldenthreads.com/shop/product/golden-threads-quilting-paper-12/

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  3. Wow, that sounds really fantastic, Jasmine! And what a wonderful experience to be able to share with your mom. Do you think you will be able to go back and take a free motion class in the future? I used an Avante in the class I took with Angela Walters, and I think that is the machine she uses personally, too. :)

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  4. What a great time that looks like! Your quilting looks beautiful and what a good idea to make those samples into something. So much fun!

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  5. Love your bag and the sample quilt! There are so many cute things you quilted on there that would only look good with a computer! (at least if I was quilting them) Now I really want a computerized system!

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  6. Oh what a fun expereince for both of you...and so much learning! I still want to go to a tinlizzi class to learn more about my long arm as well. I loved seeing the warehouse picture...thanks for sharing Jasmine!

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  7. So many comments to leave! First, you and your mom are adorable! What a fun time to spend together. LOVE the tulips. Were those part of the computerized stuff, or a panto, or what? I want to do some!

    I hope you get to spend some time with your mom's machine. Looks like fun!

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  8. That sounds like a great week, Jasmine! I bet your mom is stoked about getting home and firing up her machine :) I was watching a video of machine doing computerized quilting. I've said this before, I could watch that for hours! LOL

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  9. Isn't it wonderful to have husbands who support our passions? Yours by taking care of the boys so your time away was spent totally focused on the course, invaluable time with your mama, and bonding time with other quilters. Great idea to turn the sample into a reversible tote!! And oh yes, I agree, I love that mauve, pink, yellow, and orange quilt.

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  10. Oh my goodness! I just saw this today; I still haven't figured out how to get notified when you make a post. Anyway, this is fantastic! What a magnificent time! You got the best of three worlds:a a little break for mom, time with your own mom and a Handiquilter retreat! I am sure you are thrilled and learned a lot you can probably apply to the sit down. How fun! Congratulations! I'm sure you are glad to be home, though. Now you can make me dizzy again getting so much done in what seems so little time.

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  11. I took a long arm class and I wanted to give baptist fans a try... only no one could explain how to do them! I need to get back on there and try again. I love your sampler. The turtle and the little dinosaur are so cute!

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  12. Wow! Congratulations! That must have been amazing!!

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  13. This must have been so much fun! I have never done any long arm quilting, but I would love to try it out. It sounds like this workshop must have been fantastic!

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  14. It's always fun to do things with Mom. We're going on a retreat in April for her 89th birthday. Beautiful quiltiing!

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  15. Fascinating. Looks like you had an amazing trip. Kudos to your DH for taking care of the boys, while you spent quality time with your Mom.
    By the way, you must be a bit more careful with your reversible tote . It might get pinched, you know ;-)

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  16. Congratulations, Graduate! ;). Your quilting just gets better and better!!!

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