Elsie Campbell won $2,500 for Best Hand Quilting, from Sponsor, World of Quilts Travel, for Summertime

Elsie Campbell’s Quilting Journey

Elsie Campbell has been sewing all her life. Growing up as a member of a Mennonite community, sewing and quilting was part of the culture. Elsie’s mother recalled giving Elsie a needle and thread and a scrap of cloth in her hands when Elsie was about 1 1/2 years old. Her mother did that to stop Elsie from sitting at her feet and screaming while she did her sewing. Elsie made her first doll quilt at age 7 and started quilting for and by herself in 1989.

A Winning Quilter

The first quilt shows Elsie entered were at County and State Fairs beginning in 1990. She spent 35 years progressing to that so-called ‘next level’ of quilt competition. Elsie feels that she made “a gradual progression” in her quilting skills; skills that took a lot of “dedication, practice, and time spent learning and doing.”

Elsie won quilt awards from the beginning of her career. She attended the AQS Show in Paducah, Kentucky in 1992. For Elsie, “That was an amazing experience as I’d never seen quilts made or used as wall art before. I’d only experienced quilts used as bed coverings and as objects to keep the body warm. I then entered that show in 1993 and the quilt I’d entered was chosen for publication in a pattern book. I was thrilled.”

At Road to California, Elsie has been recognized numerous times for her quilting. In 2014, she won Outstanding Traditional Quilt for Aunt Mimi’s Flower Garden

And in 2016, she won Excellence in Hand Quilting for Elegance.

Regarding her awards from Road, Elsie commented, “It is a blessing to receive multiple top awards at Road to California quilt show. This is a very prestigious show with very competitive entries so I feel I am privileged to be counted among the winners more than once.”

Making Summertime

Inspiration for Elsie’s Best Hand Quilting entry, Summertime, came from the flowers in her flower gardens. Elsie started with one idea of how the blocks would be set, but when it wasn’t working the way she anticipated, the blocks were put away until she came up with a better idea for the setting six years later.

The blocks originally took about 6 weeks to hand appliqué before she put them away. After the six years, she decided that the blocks needed more detail, so she added the hand embroidery.  It then took several more months to develop her setting idea and accomplish the hand appliqué process to complete the entire quilt top. The trapunto, hand quilting and bead work took a little over a year. Because her original plan for her hand quilting entry took a different turn, Elsie said she learned the importance of “flexibility” and “listening to the quilt” in this design process.

Future Quilting Plans

There are two projects Elsie is in the process of working on. One will be machine quilted and is partially finished. The other is a whole cloth project that is currently being hand embroidered. When that is done, the next steps will be trapunto and hand quilting.

Congratulations Elsie Campbell for being Road to California 2020’s Best Hand Quilting Winner!!

Road to California s a great place for quilting friends to spend time together.

These six quilting friends from the San Diego area, love sharing quilt related activities together. That’s why they come to Road to California. Their quilting experience ranges from 1 to 42 years. The newest quilter, Judy, says, “I feel more confident with my quilting when I am with my friends.” They left San Diego at 6:00 AM to arrive at Road 2020 when the show opened for the day.  Kris commented, “Road is a big show and the variety is great. Looking at all the quilts is really fun.”

Pam and Vicki are neighbors in Oceanside, California that like to sew together. These quilting friends have been quilting for 40 years.

Pam and Vicki came to Road 2020 on a bus chartered by their guild, El Camino Quilters. (El Camino Quilters was one of the winners for the Road Guild Challenge at the show) Both women feel that their participation in quilt guilds has made a difference in their quilting. For a time, Vicki lived in the New York/New Jersey area and belonged to the Garden State Quilters Guild. Pam’s husband was in the Navy. Wherever he was deployed, Pam would find and join the local quilt guild. She has also worked in several quilt shops and has even taught quilting. Regarding Road 2020, Vicki said that the quilts were “some of the best I’ve seen in a long time.”

Debbie and Juan are quilting friends who live in Mission Viejo. They quilt, they sew, they do embroidery. Juan said,” If it involves a sewing machine, we are doing it.”  

Debbie started quilting about 2 years ago, after her husband passed away. She and Juan met in a local quilt store and both are members of the Beach Cities Quilters Guild. They both had heard about Road and decided to see what it was all about. “I was in awe,” remarked Juan.    

Rachelle and Deborah live in the South Bay area of Southern California. Rachelle started quilting about 1-1/2 years ago. She began doing machine quilting and machine embroidery. Now she is doing a lot of piecing. Coming to Road 2020 was like being “a kid in a candy shop,” exclaimed Rachelle.  Deborah got interested in quilting watching her mother do hand quilting. “My mom quilted for 35 years. She entered in quilt shows but they weren’t anything like Road to California.”

Have you and your quilting friends started making plans to attend Road 2021?

Are you looking for a new quilt project? Have you wanted to enter a quilt contest but didn’t know where to start? Is entering quilt contests your passion?  

Road has just introduced three quilt contests that will be offered at Road to California 2021:

Conspiracy Theory Quilt Challenge

Do you have a favorite Conspiracy Theory? Maybe it involves the loch ness monster or aliens in Area 51. What Conspiracy Theory could you turn in to a winning quilt for Road’s 2021 quilt contest?

The goal of this quilt contest is to poke fun at conspiracy theories surrounding civilization. Political conspiracy theories should be treated lightly. Quilts must be appropriate for viewing by all ages and sensitives.

Entry Sizing and Construction:  30” x 30” with a 4” finished sleeve on the top back of the quilt, securely stitched on top and bottom edges.

Twins Quilt Challenge

In honor of Road to California’s owner, Matt Reese, and his wife, Jennifer, who just had twin sons born to them on April 14, 2020, Road is celebrating this momentous occasion with a Twins Quilt Challenge.  The interpretation of this challenge is purposely being left wide open so makers and quilters can come up with their own creative ideas.

Entry Sizing and Construction: Quilts cannot be larger than 60” x 60”. Quilts may be two pieces, so long as they are joined to create a single piece by black fabric.

Road to California Souvenir Fabric Challenge

To celebrate Road’s 25^th Anniversary at Road to California 2020, a special commemorative fabric was created. This challenge incorporates use of at least 50% of Road’s anniversary fabric in a quilt, bag or garment design.

Road to California’s General Quilt Contest Rules

In addition to the specific rules for a particular quilt contest, all of Road to California’s quilt contests have the same general rules:   

Design Rules: Quilts cannot be made from a kit, however, commercial patterns can be used so long as they follow Road to California Inc.’s Statement of Copyright.

Entrant Requirements: Quilt for hire arrangements are acceptable for this challenge, given both parties are listed on the entry form. The person entering the quilt must have been a direct participant in creating the quilt. Entrants can submit an unlimited number of entries.

Photo/Image Permission: Entry into the exhibition automatically grants permission for the image of the quilt and/or all or part of the Artist’s Statement about the quilt to be used in articles, ads, promotions, catalogs, books, magazines, websites (including any webcast coverage), blogs, CDs, news coverage, television, online and/or multimedia productions for and about this exhibit, Road to California, Inc. and its subsequent shows, or for and about quilting and developing creativity. The quilt artist retains copyright to the quilt and will be credited in any usage. No compensation will be granted to the entrant and/or copyright holder for use of the quilts image on any promotional products.

Deadlines for Road’s 2021 Quilt Contests

Completed quilt contest submissions with photos must be received online to Road to California by midnight, October 1, 2020. Accepted entries for each contest will be notified no later than November 30, 2020 with jury results and shipping instructions. If selected, the quilts will need to arrive at Road’s Upland . California Office no later than December 23, 2020. For additional information, please visit our website.

Good luck and have fun!!!

Pat Yamin is a talented business owner (Come Quilt With Me) and quilt teacher for almost 40 years. At Road to California 2020-25^th Anniversary Show, Pat taught two, Mt. View Mystery Classes, assisting her students in solving their own quilt mystery.    

What is a Mt. View Quilt Mystery Class?

A mystery quilting class is one where participants sign up for the class but they have no idea what type of quilt they will be making. Sometimes they are given a class supply list where they pick out suggested fabrics. Sometimes the fabric is supplied as part of their class fee.  Either way, students spend hours stitching the clues for their own quilt mystery.

Road to California’s version of a mystery quilting class is Mt. View Mystery.  This popular class was offered for several years then taken off Road’s class schedule until its return in 2019. Mt. View Mystery is always taught by an exceptional quilter, like Pat Yamin, who bring pre-cut kits to purchase, eliminating the need for students to find, buy and cut out their fabric before coming to class.   

What makes Road’s Mt. View Mystery quilting class unique is that it is only offered at night. Solving the quilt mystery begins at 6:00 PM and goes until midnight. After all, what could be more mysterious than the midnight hour?     

Solving a Quilt Mystery at Road 2020

Pat specifically chose quilt patterns that could be completed within the six-hour time frame. “My mystery quilt classes are for all skill levels and are very relaxed. I bring pre-cut kits that consist of 15 rows, the perfect lap-size quilt design,” explained Pat. The pre-cut kits allowed for more time to sew because students didn’t have to worry about spending hours of measuring, marking and cutting.

Besides being very knowledgeable in quilting, Pat is a very entertaining and fast talking instructor!! Students not only learned great techniques as they solved their quilt mystery, they also laughed their way through the night.

What Students Had To Say

Andrea is new to quilting. She has been quilting for just 2 years. It was her second time attending the show and her first mystery class.”I loved how everything was already cut out for you. Nothing was complicated. All I had to do was sew.”

Sandi came from San Diego, California. She has been quilting for 21 years. Road 2020 was her 12^th visit to the show. Mt. View Mystery was her 5^th mystery quilt class. The hours of the class didn’t bother her a bit. “It gives me something to than just sit in my room. One time I attended a nighttime mystery class and there was a wedding going on next door to the classroom. I sewed and danced that night!” Sandi said she likes how each teacher presents the clues in solving the quilt mystery in a different way. “Having a laser cut kit was great.”    

Karen, from Wisconsin, got in the class because some of her other class choices had waiting lists. She loved how “you are told what to do. I went on a Road bus trip earlier in the day and I didn’t have to worry about anything with the class. I just walked in.” A quilter for 12 years, this was her first mystery quilt class. “The teacher was wonderful.”

Rene has been coming to Road since the 1990’s. She took three classes at Road 2020. “I love mystery classes. I’ve taken 20 in the past. I like the suspense of how the quilt is going to turn out and every time, it is something different.” “I took this class with Pat because I like her.”

Solving a quilt mystery makes staying up late a lot of fun!!!

Margaret Solomon Gunn won $5,000 from Sponsor, Janome, for The Value of Violet, Road to California’s 2020 Outstanding Wall Quilt.

Meet Margaret Solomon Gunn

Margaret Solomon Gunn, winner of Road’s Outstanding Wall Quilt for 2020, has quilted much of her life. She learned how to sew over 40 years ago but her journey to quilting was not your typical path. Margaret has college degrees in mechanical and aeronautical engineering and spent nearly 20 years as a professional engineer.  When that profession proved too challenging to juggle the needs of 3 kids, Margaret bought a long arm quilting machine and started her own longarm business. For nearly a decade, she has quilted for clients all over the US and Canada. Before the Coronavirus, Margaret was traveling several times a year to national quilt shows, like Road to California, to teach her passion and talents to other eager quilters. Margaret continues to create her own works of art, which have won numerous awards. She has also published dozens of articles in quilting magazines and has five published books to her credit.

Margaret is not a stranger to having winning entries at Road to California. Before winning Outstanding Wall Quilt this past year, in 2014, she won the Masterpiece Award

And in 2017, she won Outstanding Traditional Quilt.

The Value of Violet

The Value of Violet gave Margaret a chance to explore creating depth, texture and design with just one color.

Margaret began working on this Outstanding Wall Quilt in 2018 while on a trip to Road to California. It took her about a year to complete and was “without a doubt the fastest of any show quilt I have done of this size, and with the fewest ‘issues’ too.”

Margaret says she often takes a traditional pattern (be it log cabin blocks, or hexagons, or with The Value of Violet, orange peels) and modernizes it with either her fabric choice or color. Recently, Margaret has “been bitten by the silk bug” since she learned about Kaufman’s silk, Radiance. Her quilts have been made in this fabric for the past 7 years. In the summer of 2018, when she learned it was being discontinued, Margaret bought and hoarded 50-60 yards of it for future projects. (Margaret lamented: “Who knew griping to the right people would have it back 18 months later?!) 

One of the trademarks that has been incorporated in many of Margaret’s quilts is combining commercial cottons with the silk. The Value of Violet is no exception. She used the silk as the canvas to best show the machine quilting.  Because Margaret “loves handwork,” all the applique on the quilt is turned edge and stitched by hand. Margaret feels the wide applique floral border gives the quilt interest. Rather than making all 4 sides of the applique identical, she made them all different, showcasing whimsical flora designs rather than making them “purely realistic.”

The top had a distinctive Asian feel to Margaret, due to the orange peels and the applique, so that was the direction she took for quilting the background behind the floral applique. The clamshell shape she placed in the pieced diamond corners was intended to visually draw the shape of the 3 similarly shaped applique flowers into the quilting. Further, Margaret explained, “the clamshell motif (as well as the pumpkin seed) is derived from the Japanese Sashiko patterns, so it all seemed appropriate.” The quilting was done using both a silk thread and a 40-weight polyester thread and, for the first time,  Margaret tried cutaway trapunto.

The edge of the quilt was made up of ninety scallops which were quilted on the longarm. She added the deep plum piping and finished each on the domestic machine. Prairie points were placed behind them in white silk and batik. A pop of white was needed to better tie in the white appliqued ribbon so the final detail Margaret did was to add white pearlescent paint as a way to pull the viewer’s eye to the visual center of the quilt

Winning Outstanding Wall Quilt

Margaret found out she won Outstanding Wall Quilt when somebody who was at the show, saw the award, and shared the news with her. Margaret said she was “quite surprised” that The Value of Violet won because it had previously attended several shows and this was “the best that it has done at any show.”

The next project for Margaret is to bring forward the next idea for a silk quilt that is “lurking in the back of my brain.”

To learn more about Margaret Solomon Gunn, please visit her website.

Ever since 2013, Road to California has used The Traveling Quilters to take guests on quilting bus tours around Southern California.

Who Are The Traveling Quilters?

For the past 30 years, The Traveling Quilters have offered a unique tour service for quilters based in Southern California. Started by Pam Overton and Lynn Crawford, the company’s philosophy is: “As long as we’re going to a quilt show, let’s take 40 friends along with us!”

The Traveling Quilters offer day trips to local quilt shows, quilting retreats in Temecula, California, and at least one “quilting adventure” a year. These extended trips are all over the United States. In 2019, their Midwest Quilt Adventure took them to Kansas City and Lincoln, Nebraska, home of the International Quilt Museum.

The Traveling Quilter’s relationship with Road to California first began in 1998 when they sponsored bus trips from the San Diego area, bringing quilters to the show. Then, in 2013, Road asked them to oversee one-day quilting bus tours during the show. These quilting bus tours traditionally took place the Wednesday before the show opened and on Monday following the close of the show. The intent was to give attendees something to do if they arrived early or needed something to do before returning home.

Road’s 2020 Quilting Bus Tours

For Road’s 25^th Anniversary Show, quilting bus tours took off on Tuesday and Wednesday before the show opened. On both days, attendees had the opportunity to head south to the San Diego area to see Eleanor Burns and visit her Quilt in a Day.

The quilting bus tour included watching Eleanor tape one of her quilt shows, a behind-the-scenes tour at Quilters Paradise where most of Quilt in a Day’s pre-fused, laser cut kits are made, and of course, shopping. Before returning to the Ontario Convention Center, the quilting bus tour stopped at one of Road’s vendors, Primitive Gatherings.

On Wednesday, an additional quilting bus tour was offered. This tour took bus riders to the Palm Springs area where they went to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and then shopping at Monica’s Quilt and Bead Creations (another popular Road vendor) in Palm Desert.  

What Travelers Were Saying

First in line for Tuesday’s quilt bus tour, was Sandy from British Columbia, Canada. A quilter for 21 years, Road 2020 was Sandy’s first trip to Road. She came to the show by herself. She had recently retired and had friends who had come in the past who talked highly of the show, so she wanted to come. As she was going through Road’s schedule, she knew a quilting bus tour was what she really wanted to do. “I’m a big Eleanor fan,” said Sandy. “I wanted to have fun and see the countryside.”   

The last people to board the bus on Tuesday were Mary and Kathy from Lincoln, Nebraska. Both have been quilting for 25 years and both were attending Road for the first time. “We heard it was a great show and The Traveling Quilters sounded fun,” remarked Kathy.

Leslie and Linda have been friends for over 50 years. Both nurses, they met in New York through mutual friends at the hospital they both worked at. Leslie is the one who got Linda in to quilting. They have gone to Road for the past 5 years and each year they have gone on one of The Traveling Quilters quilting bus tours. Linda said they chose the desert quilting bus tour because it fit in their schedule and “it sounded like a great trip.” Leslie said she was looking forward to “seeing something new.”

A quilting bus tour with The Traveling Quilters is one of Road’s popular added activities. If you like discovering new places plus learning about the Southern California area with its many quilt stores and fabric manufacturers, then planning to go on a quilting bus tour at Road 2021 is the right activity for you!! Registration for Road to California 2021 begins in July 2020.  

Quilters and volunteer service are a natural fit.

What is Roadies Give Back?

For the third year, Road to California has hosted special evenings for guests to share their time and talents in giving back to the local community. Their philanthropy activity, Roadies Give Back, allowed quilters – whether or not they attended the show — to volunteer in creating comfort quilts for cancer patients receiving treatment at the Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center at Pomona Valley Hospital in Pomona, California. To date, almost 300 quilts from these Roadies Give Back activities have been donated to the center.

Held the Saturday night of Road, this activity was entirely volunteer driven. It gave attendees at the show a chance to meet other conference goers, participate in a worthwhile activity, and fill up an otherwise open Saturday night. Everything that was needed for the quilters to work on the quilts – sewing machines, thread, batting, irons, and backing — were donated for the activity by some of Road’s vendors.

Of all the special events that were planned for Road’s 25th Anniversary Show, Roadies Give Back was one of the most important. Said Karen Jones, a past volunteer coordinator, how the event impacts patients: “It lets people with cancer know that a lot of people care about them, are rooting for them, are praying for them and are hoping that they get better.”

Volunteers at Work

Over 30 volunteers showed up to put the comfort quilts together.

Sisters, Shannon and Barbara, have participated with Roadies Give Back all three years. They keep coming back to volunteer because they like being a part of a community that takes care of the greater good. “If I can do a little bit to help, that is a good thing,” said Shannon, “And I get to practice my scant ¼” seam!” Barbara is a 6-1/2 year breast cancer survivor. “As a survivor, I know how important a quilt can be when going through chemo. Chemo is cold. If I can put sunshine in someone’s life, I’m going to do it.”

Suzanne and Sandie are friends who live in Burbank, California. Sandie was a band mom for John Burroughs High School and Suzanne helped her make a t-shirt quilt for her student. That got Sandie interested in quilting 5 years ago. “It’s a fun, creative outlet.” Jenny Doan has had a huge influence on Sandie. “She’s amazing.” Both Suzanne and Sandie attended “Jenny on the Road” during the anniversary show. Suzanne likes to take classes at Road. Road 2020 was her 5^th time attending the show. She especially liked taking a class with Krista Moser. “She is so awesome.” Suzanne thought Roadies Give Back was a great event. It was her second year to volunteer. “My mom died of cancer and I have a friend going through it now.” Suzanne brought 12 squares she had put together before the show.

Joan came from Maine to volunteer. She has been quilting for 20 years. Road 2020 was her first time at the show. She heard about Road from a friend and wanted to come for the 25^th Anniversary. She was impressed by the size of the show and all the beautiful quilts on display. She took a class from Jen Kingwell, another reason why she came to the show. “I believe if you have the ability to help someone else, you should. I do charity work at home. This was a great way to end my trip.”

Traditionally, the Roadies Give Back quilts are donated to patients at the Cancer Center in the Spring. With the Coronavirus outbreak, plans to present the quilts are now on hold. Road looks forward to making the volunteer donation when the situation improves.

Thank you to everyone who helped make Road 2020’s Roadies Give Back a huge success.    

Road to California has a tradition of having fabric specially designed for their anniversary shows.

20^th Anniversary Fabric

Alexander Henry Fabrics was commissioned to create the fabric used to help celebrate Road to California’s 20^th Anniversary in 2015.

Philip de Leon, designer with Alexander Henry Fabrics, said of the experience of creating the fabric, “We were flattered to be asked for this project. We were shooting high and wanted to make {Road to California} happy. The end result is very ‘Road’ and very ‘Alexander Henry.’”

The design process took two months. It began centered around the state flower of California, the poppy. It was also important that the fabric represented Road’s “community of quilters” in a graphic way.” Phillip and his sister, co-designer Nicole, got inspiration from graphic artist Alexander Girard who is known for his clean lines and iconic illustrated style. The result included symbols for the industry and for Road: a sewing machine, the Ontario Convention Center, quilt designs and tools.

25^th Anniversary Fabric

Road to California’s 25^th Anniversary Fabric featured snapshots of actual Road activities through the years. Featured on the fabric was Road’s logo and colors along with pictures of past teachers and vendors.

Anniversary Fabric Seen Around Road 2020

Donna, from Reseda, California, has come to Road for 15 years. She likes finding items for quilting and clothes. Road’s 20^th Anniversary Fabric suited “my fancy.”

At Party Time, Jean, from Fresno, California, was sporting a vest that her friend, Diane, made for her out of Road’s 20^th Anniversary Fabric. They go to Party Time every year. “It’s fun and exciting.”

Debbie also wore her Road 20^th Anniversary Fabric Shirt to Party Time.

Road Fabric Challenge

Road will soon be announcing the details for the 2021 Road to California Fabric Design Challenge. Create a quilt, garment or bag using over 50% of Road’s 25^th Anniversary Fabric and enter to win great cash prizes!!

Didn’t get any 25^th Anniversary Fabric at Road 2020? Not to worry. We will soon have it available for purchase on our website. Or you can win some Anniversary fabric in the Giveaway we will be sponsoring beginning Monday, March 30 and running through Friday, April 3^rd. See our Facebook Page for details and the place to enter starting March 31^st.      

LeAnn Hileman received $5,000 from Sponsor, Handi Quilter, for her winning entry, Missouri Barn.

For LeAnn Hileman, fabrics had always felt like love to her.

LeAnn’s mother and grandmother both sewed. When LeAnn was little, a doll quilt was made for her by her grandmother who was going blind due to untreated cataracts.  LeAnn treasured that tiny quilt for a time and then “it went the way of solo socks and mittens.”  When LeAnn was in high school, she made her first quilt and then set quilting aside for many years until she was pregnant with her son – nearly two decades later.

First Quilt Show Attempts

The first show LeAnn entered and showed in was the annual show of the Arizona Quilt Guild in 2013.  She was “greatly disappointed” when she didn’t win anything.  Despite that, LeAnn became even more determined to find her creative way and not copy what others were doing.  She kept making show quilts and entering shows because knowing that the quilts would be seen and judged motivated her to dig deeper, stretch further and aim higher. Says LeAnn, “If it doesn’t look to be impossible at the outset, what’s the point?”

The Making of Missouri Barn

LeAnn and her three “quilting besties” attended an AQS Paducah Spring show and then traveled by car to Hamilton, Missouri, to experience the Missouri Star Quilt Company.  As they were exploring the nearby towns, they passed an intriguing and obviously once prosperous farmstead.   LeAnn and her friends made a quick U-turn, hopped out and took photographs.  She wanted to “KNOW what happened there, who lived there, and everything about it.”  All that curiosity went into making her quilt, Missouri Barn.

It took LeAnn about took about 5 to 6 months to make Missouri Barn, but the pondering of her photographs went on long before that.  She said that she learned a lot about sky and clouds from doing this quilt.  For example, Candy is the shade of the Kona cotton blue that became the “lovely deep sky color.” The clouds had to be faced with at least one additional layer of white (or other color) to give them “the depth” LeAnn was after.  

Winning Outstanding Artistry at Road 2020

LeAnn first realized she had won Outstanding Artistry when her friend had posed in front of Missouri Barn with the ribbon at the show and posted the photo on Facebook.  LeAnn said she “was amazed and thrilled to know I had won this particular prize especially as I strive for creativity.”

With her prize money, LeAnn purchased fabric, “first of all.” She is also planning on treating herself to a retreat in some wonderful location – after the Coronavirus precautions are over. 

Congratulations, LeAnn Hileman for winning Outstanding Artistry at Road to California 2020-25^th Anniversary Show. To Learn more about LeAnn and her work, visit her website.

Quilters and crafters have a lot of free time on their hands due to the recent precautions being taken to ward off the Coronavirus. And that’s not a bad thing. Staying in homes and observing social distancing provides the perfect excuse to Carry on and Create without worrying about pressing schedules and responsibilities.

Uniquely Crafts LLC is a Great Solution to Coronavirus Boredom

For the second year in a row, Uniquely Crafts LLC was a vendor at Road to California, offering a fun and soothing way to create with a medium other than fabric. The company is a family owned and operated business out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For the past five years, they have been designing and selling 5D Diamond Painting tools and canvas.

Owner Amy Regal has found that not people who attend Road are quilters. Sometimes, quilters bring along a non-quilting friend. “Crafters like to also create something with their hands. Our product is something anybody can do,” observed Amy.  

Each kit sold by Uniquely Crafts LLC comes with everything needed to complete a 5D Diamond Painting: a tool set, design canvas sheet, color coded instructions, and of course, the beads. The kits are portable; a canvas can be rolled up and taken along to appointments or on trips. And with the Coronavirus, when everyone is homebound, the kits are perfect to use along with watching television. Should an artist lose beads, Uniquely Crafts LLC takes pride in responding to customers the same day, mailing replacement beads at no extra charge.

New for 2020

Amy is constantly looking at what designs are popular and trending to update her products. She also listens to her customers and works to produce designs that they are looking for such as a sloth or fox—both new designs.

Because customers had a hard time reading her original designs, Uniquely Crafts LLC switched manufacturers who can now accommodate easier instructions that use numbers to code the beads instead of symbols.

What else has been added since Road 2019?

1. Beginner Kits. The kits are half bead work and half painted canvas to engage starters in not getting discouraged by attaching so many beads. The beads are also larger for younger crafters.

New products. Two new products included journals and cards. The 60 – 100 page journals come in 66 different designs.

The cards can also be put in 5X7” frames for display.

Additional designs with quilters in mind. The popular sewing machine design now comes in four new colors: purple, pink, blue and teal. New designs include a fabric stack, patchwork fabric, and a button jar.

Round and Square Beads. Round beads are larger and perfect for beginners. For more complicated pictures, square beads fit together like a cross-stitch pattern and the finished result looks more like an actual picture.

Ziploc bags for storage. The bags are numbered by bead color and are easier to use when needing to put beads away when working on a project.

What to Expect in the Future

Starting this month, new products will include bookmarks and later this year, Christmas ornaments. Amy is working on having tote bags with a window to slip in any 12×12 design by Road 2021.

Amy was looking forward to attending 30 to 35 shows in 2020, but the Coronavirus is having her reevaluate her plans. Customers interested in purchasing Uniquely Crafts LLC products during the Coronavirus pause in quilting and crafting shows, can go to their website.

Did you know that Uniquely Crafts LLC purposely does not sell on Amazon because she would prefer to support the small business mindset? “Thank you to everyone who buys from me direct because you are supporting small business in the United States,” said Amy.    

Don’t let Coronavirus get you down. Use this temporary situation of staying inside your homes to be creative. Quilt and craft away!!!