Birch Fabrics as a means to provide an environmentally friendly cotton alternative to the quilting and crafting community. Birch Fabrics believes that the sustainability of our planet begins with consciousness and it can be successful with real action. That’s why their fabric is produced from 100% organic cotton, and printed with low impact dyes.
Cynthia and her family lives on the Central Coast of California in the town of Templeton. She says it’s a great area place to raise her two sons, ages 7 and 10. Their family spends the majority of their time outside at the beach or the skate parks. When they have off time from work, they also spend lots of time with friends and family.
How did Cynthia get started in her business? She first started selling fabric online on Etsy.com and then started her own website. After about a year, she decided to manufacture organic cotton fabric because it was very difficult to find and she really wanted to sew for her kids using as natural of a material that she could find. Cynthia decided that it made sense that other young, eco-conscious mothers would also be looking for the same quality fabric.
What is the big difference between organic cotton and regular cotton? Organic cotton is grown without the use of harmful pesticides. Traditional cotton is accountable for almost 25% of all chemical pesticides used in agriculture. “And with nearly 50% of the textile market using cotton, that is a lot of chimerical going into the earth,” remarks Cynthia on her web site. For Birch Fabrics, that is a BIG deal.
Birch Fabrics is a business made up of “dedicated, motivated, and wonderful people,” says Cynthia. She loves that her business “is creative and that her company inspires people.”
Road 2016 will be Birch Fabric’s first time at the show. They will be featuring in their booth their line of organic cotton fabrics, “Birch Fabrics.” They will have all substrates, including poplins, knits, double gauze, and canvas.
What is Cynthia looking forward to at Road 2016? Seeing familiar faces along with some new faces as they “light up with a glow” when they see Birch Fabrics. Cynthia remarks, “It’s so wonderful to be in the company of consumers and retailers that appreciate our art and what we do.”
To learn more about Birch Fabrics, please visit their website and their blog.
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Welcome to the Road to California Blog
Road 2016 Vendor Spotlight: Meet Birch Fabrics
November 3rd, 2015Road 2016 Faculty: Meet Sew Kind Of Wonderful's Jenny Pedigo
October 28th, 2015Jenny Pedigo will be teaching on Friday, 5008C Chic Kisses and on Saturday 6007C Metro Rings. Her company, Sew Kind of Wonderful, will have a vendor booth during the show.
***This is our second in a series of video interviews of some of our Road 2016 faculty.
Jenny starts off our interview by telling us a little about herself: [youtube]https://youtu.be/ElMvaXcJOno[/youtube]
What was Jenny’s path to quilting? [youtube]https://youtu.be/euXwCBXPjZA[/youtube]
Jenny is not the only quilter in her family: [youtube]https://youtu.be/fzj409iGZUc[/youtube]
What inspires Jenny’s quilt designs? [youtube]https://youtu.be/ogPCuuyT_ek[/youtube]
How does Jenny keep her skills sharp? [youtube]https://youtu.be/RoAK_f18t2g[/youtube]
What is the one quilting tool Jenny can’t live without? [youtube]https://youtu.be/O5HQBi7NZrE[/youtube]
Why is Tuesday Jenny’s favorite day of the week? [youtube]https://youtu.be/cY8Vqa3z7P4[/youtube]
Jenny loves to teach quilting: [youtube]https://youtu.be/vbrMwWgjjk4[/youtube]
What was one of Jenny’s embarrassing teaching moments? [youtube]https://youtu.be/tLlP44adJsg[/youtube]
Jenny describes the classes she will be teaching at Road 2016: [youtube]https://youtu.be/B_mA-Z2G30k[/youtube]
Jenny has high hopes for her students: [youtube]https://youtu.be/Ur__IbQ1cUg[/youtube]
What is Jenny’s best quilting tip? [youtube]https://youtu.be/saBTh10jVsI[/youtube]
Road 2016 is Jenny’s first time at the show. What is she looking most forward to? [youtube]https://youtu.be/u-PTlFnQi_s[/youtube]
To learn more about this modern quilter and her company that creates contemporary quilt designs, please visit Jenny’s website.
]]>So You Want To Make A Winning Quilt: Road 2015 Excellence in Longarm Quilting
October 26th, 2015 Jocelyn Atkinson , from Waiuku, New Zealand, received $1,500 from sponsor American Professional Quilting Systems for her entry, Matilda.
Double The Fun: Couples On A Road Bus Trip
October 21st, 2015 Road Bus Trips, led by the Traveling Quilters, are a great way to expand your Road to California experience. Guests get to travel to key Southern California historical and quilt destinations. And, apparently, they are also a fun way to spend extra time with your spouse.
At Road 2015, four couples enjoyed sharing a bus trip that included stops to Hoffman Fabrics, Knotts Berry Farm for lunch and shopping stops to M & L Fabrics and an Orange County quilt store.
Laymond and Linda Pon are from Hollister, California. This was their third time attending Road to California and their second bus trip. Laymond liked visiting Hoffman Fabrics. He was interested in seeing how the fabrics change from year to year and how Hoffman stamps the prints.
Armando and Carol Orona came to Road 2015 from Morro Bay, California. They have been married 56 years and have attended Road together on and off for the past 20 years. Carol started out as a traditional quilter 25 years ago and now enjoys doing “anything that challenges” her, like art quilts. One of the reasons why they chose this bus trip was they wanted to eat at Knotts Berry Farm. When Carol was a little girl, she and her dad would visit her fraternal grandmother in Long Beach and after, get a chicken dinner. So, returning to Knotts, brought back good memories for Carol. Armando thought the bus trip was “fantastic” and said he “learned so much” at Hoffman.
Residents of Waterville, Ohio, Bill and Denise Kniss have attended Road to California two years in a row. They wanted to do something different this year, so they signed up for the bus trip. They had never been to a fabric manufacturer before and were looking forward to experiencing Hoffman Fabrics. Both Bill and Denise are quilters. Bill got started in quilting by cutting out the blocks for Denise’s block of the month quilts. Six years ago, when Denise went back to work, Bill was retired and looking for something to do next. He figured out how to work a sewing machine and made his first quilt block. After that, he was hooked!! They thought the bus trip was a lot of fun.
This was the first bus trip for Bob and Mary Flocker of Alta Loma, California. They have been attending Road together for the past four years. Mary is the quilter in their family. She started quilting six years ago. A visit from cousins from Minnesota inspired her to start. Bob says he comes along to Road to hunt for fabrics for Mary and to carry her purchases out to the car. It was Mary who told Bob that she thought he would enjoy a bus tour. He liked learning about the surfing background of Hoffman Fabrics because a good friend of his is a surfer. Both Mary and Bob had a great time on the bus tour. 
Information for you and your spouse to sign up for one of the two bus tours being offered at Road 2016 is on our website.
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Road 2016 Feature: Take A Quilter’s Bus Tour
October 16th, 2015Road to California 2016 has arranged to conduct two all day bus tours: 9300C On the Road Again FCB (Fabrics, Curators & Bargains) on Wednesday, January 20th and 9800C On The Road Again SCIE (Exploring Southern California’s Inland Empire) on Monday, January 25th.
For the past three years, the Traveling Quilters have been leading bus tours during Road to California. These tours are designed to give both visitors and native Southern Californians the chance to see more of the area from a quilter’s point of view. The Traveling Quilters’ experienced guides, Pam Overton and Lynn Crawford, have been in business for 25 years and have conducted over 200 quilt related tours. Experienced quilters since the 1980’s, Pam and Lynn have been familiar with Road to California every year since it started. Pam is also the current President of the Southern California Quilt Guild Association, which Carolyn Reese is a member. Pam and Lynn handpick the locations they visit which include historical sites, delicious restaurants, and of course, quilt related shopping.
Ann Keelan, from Pear Blossom, California, has gone on Road bus trips the past two years. She likes the tours because she “doesn’t have to drive and because it gives her access to well-known manufacturers and she can see behind the scenes.”
Even though Marie McCaulley has spent 18 years as a volunteer at Road, last year was the first time she took a road bus tour. Her favorite stop was at Hoffman Fabrics.
This year’s bus trips both start at the Ontario Convention Center. On Wednesday, the first stop is to Hoffman Fabrics where guests will learn about the latest designing and distribution of their famous batiks and other lines of fabric as well as get a complete tour of their facility. This opportunity is especially significant as Hoffman does not allow individuals to come on their own to their site.
Wednesday’s trip also includes stops to the historic Bembridge Heritage House in Long Beach, M & L Fabrics discount store in Anaheim, and the Ontario Museum of History and Art.
A great way to prolong your Road to California 2016 experience is to take the bus tour on the Monday following the show. This tour stays local to the show’s location, exploring such gems as the Maloof House in Rancho Cucamonga, Old Town Temecula, and shopping at two quilt stores, Primitive Gatherings and The Quilt Loft.
Taking a bus tour during Road to California 2016 is a great way to expand your participation with the show. To sign up for both of these unique quilt themed bus tours, visit Road’s online registration page.]]>
Road 2016 Faculty Video Interview: Meet Cara Gulati
October 12th, 2015Cara Gulati will be teaching a Monday-Tuesday Class, 1202R 3-D Explosion. She is also teaching a Wednesday class, 3007R Scroll-A-Luscious and a Thursday class, 4007C Radiant Suns. Cara will also be a presenter at Friday night’s Roundabout.
Recently, we videotaped our interview with Cara for this blog post. We invite you to watch along as Cara shares her love of quilting and her excitement of being a Road 2016 teacher:
First off, we asked Cara to tell us a little about herself:[youtube]https://youtu.be/3SjCtdlMtwk[/youtube]
How did Cara get started in quilting? [youtube]https://youtu.be/oSrxl-2QE_Q[/youtube]
Where does Cara find her inspiration? [youtube]https://youtu.be/Zf5SzVUElB8[/youtube]
Cara recently had a gallery show in Spain [youtube]https://youtu.be/lvbf4LVs05Q[/youtube]
What is your favorite quilting tool? Cara has three!! [youtube]https://youtu.be/anh04CrH8Ts[/youtube]
What does Cara like most about teaching? [youtube]https://youtu.be/-Do8PHjYo4A[/youtube]
When asked if she ever had an embarrassing teaching moment, Cara had a funny story to share: [youtube]https://youtu.be/6CEK9VGW7Pc[/youtube]
Cara describes the classes she will be teaching in January: [youtube]https://youtu.be/sNDrpkYS0Tg[/youtube]
We couldn’t end our interview without asking for Cara’s best quilting advice: [youtube]https://youtu.be/GuAF4-LN6Eg[/youtube]
Thanks for watching our interview with Cara Gulati. If you want to know more about Cara, please visit her website.
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Meet Road 2016 Platinum Sponsor: Gammill
October 7th, 2015 Gammill Quilting Machine Company has been an innovative leader in machine quilting. They were the first to develop a large-throat sewing machine on tracks which could be operated from both sides and move in any direction on a specially-designed stand. This revolutionary idea enabled pantograph patterns to be traced directly onto fabric, therefore making it possible to complete a quilt or bedspread in a matter of hours rather than days.
Gammill has continually worked on improving the machine quilting process, creating new models and sizes for different quilting needs. Gammill recently celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Statler by Gammill.
[caption id="attachment_3511" align="aligncenter" width="565"]
The original Statler design by Paul Statler[/caption]
After an extensive career in the Air Force and in biomedical technology, inventor Paul Statler began a new career when he built the first Statler Stitcher for his wife, Mildred, in 1990. They began production quilting as Paul continued improving the system, eventually selling his first Statler Stitcher technology to Gammill in 1994.
Paul and Mildred continue today to build and advance the Statler by Gammill.
Gammill has long been associated with Road to California, becoming their platinum sponsor in 2015. As a platinum sponsor, they have the opportunity to support the show and the prizes that are awarded. Says Gammill representative, Shandi Brinkman, “Road to California attracts such outstanding talent. We are excited to be able to recognize the creativity, hard work and dedication of quilters.”
Gammill is always “thrilled” to be at Road. The company appreciates the show’s great mix of education, vendors, special events, quilt showcases and fun. One of their favorite parts is meeting so many of the nearly 40,000 attendees that come each year. And, they don’t mind the beautiful California weather either!!
For 2016, Gammill is excited to sponsor both classrooms and a vendor booth as well as support the Best of Show award, a $10,000 prize to the winner!! Next year’s lineup includes classes taught by Georgia Stull that will focus on the Statler by Gammill machine. This will be a fantastic learning opportunity for Statler owners or those who are interested in learning more about computerized quilting. They also hope attendees stop by their booth to test a Gammill Vision 2.0 or Statler by Gammill.
Road to California is grateful to Gammill for their generous contributions to the show. To learn more about their products and quilting community, please visit their website.]]>
So You Want To Make a Winning Quilt? 2015 Outstanding Traditional Quilt
October 2nd, 2015 My Brunette Whig was made by Gail Stepanek and quilted by Jan Hutchison. They received $5,000.00 from sponsor, ABM International, Inc. / Innova
Road 2016 Faculty: Meet Laura Heine
September 29th, 2015 Laura Heine is going to be super busy at Road to California 2016. She will be teaching a class on Tuesday, 2010R Paisley Bear Quilt. Her company, Fiberworks, will have a vendor booth, and Laura will be curating her Collage Quilt Exhibit on the front wall in the main exhibit hall.
Road 2016 marks the third year in a row Laura Heine will be coming from Billings, Montana to participate in the show. Previously, she traveled to Road in her pink trailer, “Flaura.” But Laura recently retired her 1956 Shasta that she had totally fixed from the inside out. Laura now uses the trailer to go camping a few times in the summer. It is mainly become a popular feature in her quilt shop, Fiberworks. She put in an overhead door in the shop so she could get Flaura in and out and still protect her from the elements. If you visit Laura’s shop in Billings, you will certainly recognize the trailer, complete with Laura’s floral collage logo!!
Laura loves coming to Road. She says, “The timing of the show is great as the holidays are over and everyone is ready to get back into the quilting mode! Customers have loved our products and looked forward to seeing what we have new each year. It is a long trek for us; it takes three days to get there. But it is well worth the trip when we see our new friends each year.”
What will guests find new this year in the Fiberworks booth? “I have new collage quilts of course and I have new pieced and hand applique quilts. My booth may also have a new look too…”
Laura will also be one of Road’s 2016 faculty. She is teaching her Paisley Bear Collage Quilt. When asked what inspired Laura to make this quilt, she replied, “I am from Montana so it was only natural for me to make a collage quilt with a bear! My bear quilt is the easiest of all my collage quilts to make, and it turns out it is great for the California area too. In the beginning, I designed patterns that I thought would sell and be generally popular to everyone. This is very hard to do because I have to at least like what I am doing. Now, I design collage patterns of the things that I love, for example, Pinkerton, the flamingo and Flaura, the vintage trailer. I am just following my heart and I find that my customers love them as much as I do.”
Being able to share her creative talents with her students is something Laura loves to do. Teaching collage is actually quite easy for her. She finds it much easier to show her students how to group colors and focus on value rather than writing instructions on how to do this.
What will students in Laura’s class learn? “They will leave knowing more about color and value. They may not even realize they are learning this while they are doing it! And they will not be afraid of using large scale prints. This class will open them up to a whole new world on how to look at fabrics.” Laura says her students always leave happy and that in itself is very rewarding for her.
New this year will be Laura curating her own exhibit, Collage Quilts. How did she put together this exhibit? “Last year when I was asked to do a special exhibit, I asked all of my students who were in my classes this year if they would like to have their finished quilt in the exhibit. They were all honored and I went on to accept the first 30 quilts entered. The show will consist of collage quilts that use my patterns. Quilters may have purchased one of my kits or they may have come up with their own fabrics. Guests will see how different a collage quilt can look even if they were all purchased from the same kit! Finished quilts will be shipped to me in December and I will bring them with me to Road in January.”
Laura has a special quilt that she made just for the exhibit and it will be unveiled at the show. It is a quilt made of all of the leftover motifs that did not get into any of her previous quilts. “Many times,” remarked Laura, “you cut more flowers than you actually use and this quilt, Wildflower Mix, has all of those flowers. There are over 300 flowers in this quilt! Nothing ever goes to waste!” Be sure to visit Laura in her booth or at her exhibit.]]>Meet Road 2016 Vendor: The Cloth Pocket
September 25th, 2015 The Cloth Pocket is a ‘bitty lil shop” that carries an ever-refreshed, carefully curated stock of textiles for use in quilting, crafting, & apparel inclined toward the more modern styles.
Located in Austin, Texas, The Cloth Pocket is owned by Nicole LaBry. Nicole comes from a background in apparel design by way of graphic design, so the bold graphics found in a lot of the modern quilting fabrics have always appealed to her. She used to have a local line of kidswear as well. Nicole’s mother, Cindy, is the other half of The Cloth Pocket. Cindy comes from the corporate business world & helps with numbers, profit solutions, show booking & logistics. Knowing something about marketing, a bit about IT, a lot about design, & enough about the sewn product industry was enough of a baseline for Nicole to start this business.
When Austin suddenly lost a number of local fabric stores in succession, Nicole knew it would be prudent to fill the gap. Aware of the pitfalls befallen by her compatriots in the fabric business, Nicole and Cindy realized that there was also no way to make a mom & pop shop profitable anymore. Nicole explained their business model in this way: “It’s just not enough to sustain a brick & mortar- there has to be an online presence as well. We are hoping to get to enough places in the next year to put ourselves on the map. Hopefully, if we can reach our audience in person, they’ll come find us on the web so we can keep getting them all the great fabrics!”
What does Nicole like best about The Cloth Pocket? “I love getting to meet my customers & hear their enthusiasm. I’m not doing anything any other fabric retailer isn’t doing; I’m just putting together things I like. When people come into the shop or our booth & tell me how happy they are to find these sorts of fabrics, it’s just gold. I’ve done my job right! And most of all, the relationships I get to forge are worth so much. We meet people from all over the place going from show to show & it never stops feeling great to be able to offer them something they get excited about. I can see the inspiration in their faces. It’s really something! Of course, it also feels like Christmas every time the UPS man rolls up. We call him Santa at the shop! Getting all the new things out, onto the shelf & posted about… generating the buzz & excitement over a new collection… back to showing it to our customers- it’s fantastic fun!”
What will be in The Cloth Pocket Booth at Road 2016? They will be bringing all of their latest collections from their shop like Art Gallery, Think Cotton + Steel, Alison Glass, Lizzy House, Japanese prints plus an abbreviated array of choices from their vast collection of solids & chambrays. They hope Road guests will be as excited about their wide array of fabrics as they are!
To learn more about The Cloth Pocket, visit them on their website.
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