before Road 2018, we sponsored a 10-day Daily Giveaway. Each day, from January 3 through January 12, entries were collected from comments on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. One comment was randomly selected per day as the winner. The Grand Prize winner was chosen on the last day: Erica from Chino, California. She said she entered the giveaway every day on Instagram. When she found out she had won, she was both “shocked” and “excited” as she jumped for joy. Erica won 4 tickets to the show; 4 passes to Jenny Doan’s Trunk Show on Friday night; and for Saturday, lunch for 4 plus registration in 2 classes: Blooming Dresdens taught by Lee Chappell Monroe and Goodbye UFO’s—Hello New Projects taught by Pat Yamin.
A young mom with two children ages 11 and 2, Erica has been to Road 4 times. She says it’s her “escape.” “I love coming here and seeing everything. I get so inspired.” Erica has been quilting since 2009 and says she often hears, “You’re too young to be quilting!!” Her best friend’s grandmother taught her how to quilt. Recently, Erica has gotten her daughter started in quilting because she wants to pass on her legacy of quilting.
During the show, we gave away several sewing machines for our Daily Drawings. Guests entered their names into a big gold drum located at the North Registration Desk. In order to receive their prize, winners had to be present at the show. If they weren’t in the immediate vicinity of the drawing, they had 15 minutes to claim their prize.
Thursday’s winner was Debbie Johnson from Montclair, California. She won a Brother Disney Innovis Sewing and Embroidery Machine donated by Moore’s Sewing. Debbie has attended Road over 10 times and was in a class (her third of the week!) when she received the phone call that she had won. Debbie said winning the machine was “the perfect ending to my day.”
Something new for 2018 was that there were two drawings held on Friday and Saturday. At 11:30 AM on Friday, a Bernina “Simply Red” 215 donated by Mel’s Sewing and Fabric Center, was won by Sylvia Corbin of San Diego, California. She and three friends had attended Party Time the night before and was on a lunch break from Jenny Doan’s class when she heard her name called.
You could hear Sylvia screaming down the main hallway as she ran to collect her prize. Sylvia loves Bernina sewing machines (this prize made it her 4th Bernina) and loves the quilting community.
On Friday afternoon, Myles Eakes of Phelan, California was getting his lunch at nearby Victoria Gardens when he received the phone call that he had won. “Shocked” that he had won, Myles raced back to the Ontario Convention Center, without breaking any traffic laws, but did have to double-park in order to make the 15-minute deadline!!!
Myles is a hand-sewer and is currently designing a quilt featuring golf flags. He came to the show with his wife and mother- both quilters. At first, they did not believe he had won; after all, he was supposed to be getting his lunch so they took their time meeting up with him. Boy were they surprised when they saw him standing with his Janome M7200 donated by Moore’s Sewing!!
On Saturday morning, it took three tries before Denine Moriarity of Valley Center, California, was able to claim her prize, a Baby Lock Katherine, donated by Moore’s Sewing. When she heard that the second person drawn wasn’t present to win, Denine said to herself, “The next one will be me!!” She was “amazed” to win and thought the machine was just “awesome.”
A quilter for 15 years, Denine came to Road 2018 with her sisters. She took two classes and loved the inspiration.
Irene Towler of Hollister, California, won the Saturday afternoon drawing, a Viking Tribute 145 donated by OC Sewing and Vacuum. Road 2018 was Irene’s first time at the show. She commented on the quilts on display saying that they were “the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen. Irene has been quilting “forever” and is a founding member of The Pinnacle Quilters in San Benito County.
The final drawing was held Sunday afternoon where Georgann Bradenburg was the “happy” winner of a Martelli Premier Work Station. 
It’s always fun to see the surprise, joy, and gratitude of Road drawing winners.
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Posts Tagged ‘Martelli Enterprises’
Everyone Loves A Winner
Tuesday, January 30th, 2018Meet Road 2018 Ruby Sponsors
Saturday, January 6th, 2018Road 2018 has 13 Ruby Sponsors. To be at this third level of sponsorship, (our platinum sponsor, Gammill, is the highest level), an organization donates $2,250. Their generous contribution goes toward prize money for the quilt show contest as well as help fund other aspects of the event. Some Ruby Sponsors will also have a vendor booth on the main floor while many will have their products available with retailers at the show.
The Ruby Sponsors for 2018 are:
This Swiss, family owned company, has been celebrating creativity for 125 years. To celebrate their anniversary year, Bernina has created a gold-plated special edition presser foot, available after March 1.
Brother International has more than 100 years of history in the global sewing industry. They’ve been a leader in the US for more than 60 years, offering a diverse lineup of machines with industry-first, exclusive features. Their motto is “Explore, learn and remember — being creative isn’t a hobby; it’s a way of life!”
Since around 1940, the Elna trademark has always symbolized quality, innovation and service. Today, Elna continues to build the company with these three elements as the foundation. Elna is a growing company committed to bringing excellence to our customers and our international distribution network. Elna is active in more than 60 countries, throughout the world.
The need for change inspired their beginning. They began as a royal arms factory in Huskvarna, Sweden in 1689. Almost two centuries later in 1872, facing declining demand for firearms, the artisans of the factory were inspired to make a more peaceful product—sewing machines. Today, Husqvarna Viking® is a worldwide organization that still designs high-quality sewing machines in Sweden and markets our products to passionate sewers all across the globe.
Innova longarm machines are manufactured by ABM International, a three generation family owned and operated business near Houston Texas and are engineered to meet the most discerning quilter’s needs. Based on a long term commitment to excellence, ABM International offers a full array of high quality quilting machinery.
Martelli Enterprises is an international company based in Pensacola, Florida. They make tools, equipment, work stations and machines for sewing, quilting, and embroidery. For over 20 years, they have provided quilters and other sewing and crafting enthusiasts with the tools and accessories to pursue their art and express themselves.
Modern Quilts Unlimited magazine is published quarterly – February, May, August and November — and offers quilt, accessory and home decoration patterns by exciting new designers. The publication also includes interviews with quilting innovators, machine quilting tips and quilts and projects.
In business since 1991, they have four locations in Southern California: Buena Park, Fullerton, Irvine and Garden Grove. They carry high quality sewing, embroidery and quilting machines and sergers and offer a variety of sewing and quilting classes for all levels.
Known for their Original IDT™ System – Integrated Dual Feed, their quilting, sewing, and embroidery machines provide tools for creativity and precision.
Best known for their Pineapple Packs: precut fabric collections that include 5 coordinated, quilt quality fabrics that make sewing projects a breeze. Pineapple Fabrics is an e-commerce business.
A well known Southern California quilt shop with an old fashioned look, they feature the nation’s largest selection of reproduction fabrics, homespuns, Japanese fabrics, and their own beautiful hand dyed wools. They also carry a wide variety of cotton or wool kits, notions,and all the supplies for punch needle embroidery.
Creator of Kona cotton solids, Robert Kaufman is a dual focused company, with an equally held commitment to both the Manufacturing and Quilting Retail customer. They operate two separate design studios, each one generating fabrics specific to the quilting and manufacturing customer.
A direct merchant with a passion for designing, sourcing and distributing exquisite batik and hand dyed fabrics. Their fabrics are only sold on their website, at local, regional and national quilt shows, and through their ever-growing relationships with professional longarm/machine quilters around the world.
Please support our Ruby Sponsors by stopping by their booths and/or investigating their products.
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Art Critter First Place Winning Quilt
Saturday, September 30th, 2017Have you ever tried to express your love of animals in a quilt design?
That’s exactly what Wendy Knight of San Diego, California did with her Road 2017 winning design, Here’s Lookin’ at You.
It took Wendy about a year and a half, working on it off and on, to complete Here’s Lookin’ at You. The quilt was designed to be appliquéd and Wendy quickly realized that that would never happen. She went back to the drafting to redesign the pattern in order to machine piece it together. Auditioning the eventual fabrics that were used in the quilt took the most time in the process because she had to get the shadows and highlights to work well with such a high key piece.
What did Wendy learn from making and quilting Here’s Lookin’ at you? “There are always so many things that I learn while creating every quilt. Most don’t smack me I the face, but gently nudge me into a new direction or force me to experiment with some new technique. I did learn that working in high key, or a very light range of values, came much more natural to me than I thought it would. Thank goodness for all the batiks I still had from 20 years ago. They were really the pieces that helped me pull it off.”
Wendy received $1,000 for 1st Place in the Art Critter category from sponsor Martelli Enterprises, Inc. She said she was “shocked and elated” to find out she had won and added, “It is a wonderful feeling when something you create touches someone else the way I intended it to. I actually had to read the email twice to my husband before it really soaked in.”
Wendy hasn’t decided what to do with her prize money yet. “I have tons of ideas and will be building a new studio addition which will offer many ways to use the prize money. The reality is, it will probably go to something special for the grandkids. Maybe a trip to Disneyland!”
What is in store for Wendy’s future quilting life? “Currently I’m working on a designing a series of historical, pictorial quilts of the Civil War, Revolutionary War etc., as well as continuing to design and piece my watercolor pictorial horses and other animals. My belief is that we can never learn enough, so I’ll continue to take classes and explore new techniques. I’ll retreat to my sewing room where, as I say, daydreaming and playing are always allowed.”
To learn more about Wendy, please visit her website.
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Everyone Loves A Winner
Saturday, February 11th, 2017Konnect, rolled the drum and pulled out the ticket of a lucky winner:
Thursday
Marilyn McKitrick from Penticton, BC, Canada won a Babylock Rachel from Moore’s Sewing Center. 
This was Marilyn’s fifth time at Road to California. She came with a friend from Nevada and they spent four days at the show. Marilyn said that Road is the “highlight of my year.”
A quilter for the past 15 years, Marilyn was in Lea McComas’ Thread Painted Portraits class when the drawing was held. Earlier in the day, her phone had died. She knew she had to put a phone number down on the entry form, so she put her friend’s number down instead — and forgot to tell her. When Road called her friend’s phone and told her the news, she ran from her hotel room to Marilyn’s class to tell her so Marilyn could make it to the registration desk before the 15 minute time limit was up. Marilyn said she was in “shock–absolute shock” when she found out she was a winner.
Friday
Mel’s Sewing donated a Bernina Red sewing machine which was won by Nancy Zimmerman from Placentia, California. Nancy and her “Bunco-Quilting-Jazzercise-Friends” braved the rain to attend Road that day. This was Nancy’s fifth time at Road and she has been quilting for over 20 years.
“Thrilled” was Nancy’s reaction to winning. She said she had been “looking for a smaller machine to take to classes” and this machine would meet her needs. Nancy loves to see all the vendors at Road. “There are new things every time you come.”
Saturday
Cathy Hesler came from Covington, Indiana to attend her second year at Road. She won the Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 930 that was donated by OC Sewing and Vacuum.
She also was in a class when she found out she had won, attending Jacqueline Kunkel’s Vintage Compass. Winning was “a dream come true” for Cathy. “Road is great–I love it!!”
Sunday
Elle Sproal from Orange County, California was the final Daily Giveaway Winner for Road 2017. She won a workstation from Martelli Enterprises.
Thank you to the vendors who contributed the giveaway items and thanks to all who entered.
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Meet Road 2016 Contest Winners
Wednesday, February 10th, 2016Part of the fun of Road to California is entering the contests.
Two Tickets to Road 2016: Teresa Borkin
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Carolyn Reese congratulates Teresa Borkin[/caption]
Teresa Borkin, from the Seattle area, had always wanted to attend Road. When she won two tickets for the 2016 show in a giveaway on the blog back in September, that sealed the deal. Teresa and six of her quilting friends came for three days. Teresa expected to see high quality quilts and her expectations were met. She attended Preview Night where she enjoyed viewing the quilts without the crowds. Teresa also enjoyed the shopping and seeing vendors from Washington: Carriage Country Quilts, Quilter’s Roost and Quilter’s Coop. “I’m going home with a whole bag of stuff.”
Thursday Daily Winner: Alice Finkelstein
Alice Finkelstein traveled to Road from Paramount, California. This was her 11th year attending the show. Each year, Alice along with her cousin and a friend, stay 3 – 4 days, taking classes, shopping, and enjoying the variety of things offered during the show. Alice put her winning ticket in the raffle barrel at around 1:00 PM on Thursday. It didn’t take her long to collect her prize; she was standing close by when her name was called as the winner of a Baby Lock Rachel sewing machine donated by Moore’s Sewing Center. “I was speechless when I won. It was wonderful.”
Friday Daily Winner: JoAnn Taylor Rice
Road 2016 was JoAnn Taylor Rice’s first time at the show. A resident of Scottsdale, Arizona, JoAnn came for three days and “had the best time. I loved every minute.” She heard about Road to California through her quilt guild, Delightful Quilters. JoAnn was in “shock” when she heard her name called. “My friends and I hurried to get there when the raffle was being held. I hated to think what would happen if I wasn’t there when my name was called.” JoAnn won a Bernina Simple Red 215, donated by Mel’s Sewing Center and Upland Vacuum and Sewing.
Saturday Daily Winner: Maj Uggelberg
Maj Uggelberg was quilting away in a class being taught by Jerry Granata when her friend came running in and shouted that Maj had won the Saturday Daily Raffle. Maj dropped her project and ran to claim her prize, a Husqvarna-Viking 650 sewing machine, donated by OC Sewing and Vacuum. Maj is from Stockholm, Sweden and Road 2016 was the first quilt show she has ever attended. She arrived in the United States on January 12th and was staying until February 26th. Her first reaction to winning was “Wow!!” then, “Will it work back in Sweden?” and “How am I going to get this home?” Maj met OC Sewing and Vacuum owner, Joe Fuller, who told her because it was a Swedish sewing machine, all she would need is a particular cord and there would be no problem using it with the electricity back home. Shipping her new sewing machine home was a breeze because UPS was on site at the Ontario Convention Center and they were able to help Maj get her machine ready to send to Sweden.
Sunday Daily Winner: Liza DeBord
Lucky for Liza DeBord, her daughter entered Liza’s name into the drawing for Sunday. Liza won a Martelli LaCresta Premier Workstation, valued at $3,250!! Liza was “amazed” that she won such an awesome prize.
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Everyone Loves A Winner
Wednesday, February 11th, 2015For the second year in a row, Road to California hosted a Daily Drawing.
Prospective winners filled out an entry form at the North Information Desk prior to the drawing at 3:00 p.m. each day of the conference.
All guests had the opportunity to win one of these great prizes donated by these great companies:
Babylock Rachel donated by Moore’s Sewing Center
Bernina Sew Pink Sewing Machine donated by Mel’s Sewing Center
Viking Sapphire 930 donated by OC Sewing
LaCresta Premiere Work Station donated by Martelli
Everyone was excited and nervous waiting for the anticipated announcement. 
After giving the steel drum several spins, winners were selected and announced by Randy Graves.
And the lucky winners were:
Thursday: Agnes Wilkerson, Idylwild, California
Agnes came to Road by bus with her local guild, The Mountain Quilters. She was on the bus waiting to leave when her friend ran out to tell her she had won. A quilter for 11 years, Agnes thought it was “amazing” that she had won. “I’ve come to Road for several years and I love everything here.”
Friday: Lynn Grassel, Gillette, Wyoming
Lynn’s favorite color is pink. “I love pink blingy things.” So it was fitting that she won a pink Bernina sewing machine. It was Lynn’s first visit to Road. She came with six quilt buddies and they were having “a blast” taking classes, staying at the host hotel, and visiting the show. Lynn started quilting in 2001 when her youngest child graduated from high school. Going to Road inspired Lynn to want to become an art quilter.
Saturday: Susan Nowak, Thousand Oaks, California
Susan was inside the Exhibit Hall when she heard her name called. This was Susan’s 5th time at Road. She came with friends who met at college at Cal Lutheran and are now all retired. What is she going to do now that she won her beautiful machine? “I plan to do lots and lots of sewing!!”
Sunday: Kristin McClary, Alta Loma, California
Kristin had attended the show earlier in the week and was just going to stop back by on Sunday “for one more item.” Little did she know that a last minute drop of her entry would win her a new electric work station valued at $3,250!!!
All of our winners remarked that they “never win anything.” Just goes to show that it pays to take a chance and enter the daily drawing. Because one day, the winner’s name being called out just might be yours!!
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Road 2014: Changing It Up
Thursday, January 16th, 2014What keeps Road to California the premiere quilt show in the West is that Carolyn Reese always has something new up her sleeve to add to the show. For 2014 there will be a new Pavilion area featuring more vendors, more seating, and more food service area.
Also new to 2014 is the Daily Raffle Drawing — opportunities for guests to win some outstanding prizes each day. Raffle tickets will be offered every morning of the show to guests. The tickets must be deposited at the North Information Desk to be eligible for the drawing. The Daily Raffle Drawing will be held each afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Winners will be announced over the loudspeaker in the Exhibit Hall and must be present to win, either in the Exhibit Hall or in a class.
Prizes each day include:
Thursday: Bernina 215 donated by Mel’s Sewing and Fabric Center 
Mel’s Sewing and Fabric Center have been with Road since it began. They, along with Upland Sew and Vac, are the official Bernina representatives for Bernina America. Says owner Perry Lytton, “The Bernina 215 is a great machine for beginners. Experienced sewers will love it for a second machine because it is lightweight and portable to take to classes.” Mr. Lytton added: “We are glad to be a part of this first raffle. Road is a great show.”
In addition to the raffle, Mel’s Sewing and Fabric Center is providing sewing machines for two classrooms. There will be a class set of 26 of the Bernina 550 quilter machines in one classroom and 26 Bernina 760E embroidery quilting machines in another room. Mel’s will also have the entire Bernina line available in their booth.
Friday: Babylock Sofia 2 donated by Moore’s Sewing Moore’s Sewing is a Diamond Sponsor of Road to California and a great supporter of the show. The trend-setting Sofia 2 is a compact machine that features 70 built-in embroidery designs and 168 stitches. With a 4″ X 4″ embroidery field, convenient LCD Touch Screen and a USB slot for transferring designs through a thumbdrive, the Sofia 2 is perfect for creating and inspiring.
Saturday: Martelli La Cresta Premiere Work Station donated by Martelli Enterprises Martelli Enterprises is excited to be back at Road and is looking forward to sharing the new changes within their company with Road’s guests. Valuing innovation and continual improvement through the support of a dedicated research and development team, Martelli Enterprises has a new website, offering more tools and accessories for quilters and other sewing and crafting enthusiasts. Be sure to visit them in Booths 1918 and 2017.
The La Cresta Premiere Work Station features a 29” x 47” work surface, adjustable height, electric motor with hand control, 24” strip ruler, two sided cutting map, and a 45mm Martelli Rotary Cutter.
Sunday: Husqvarna Viking Opal 670 donated by OC Sewing and Vacuum This is OC Sewing and Vacuum’s third time at Road and they “love the show.” They are the number one Husqvarna Viking dealer in the world and have never donated such a high end machine before to any show. 
The Opal 670 is a computerized sewing machine that is extra-efficient with loads of built-in assistance including a Touch Screen that is easy to navigate and shows all your settings; an Automatic Thread Cutter that cuts the top and bobbin thread automatically; a Bobbin Thread Sensor that alerts you when the bobbin thread is about to run out; and an Electronic Self-Adjusting Thread Tension that sets the best tension automatically for all techniques and fabrics.
Thanks to these great vendors for donating these great prizes. Be sure to get your raffle tickets early each day and turn them in to the North Information Desk so that you can be included in the Daily Raffle Drawing.
Which prize would you like to win?
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