Missouri Star Quilt Co. « The Backroads to Road to California

Posts Tagged ‘Missouri Star Quilt Co.’

Quilting Tips From Road 2018 Teachers

Tuesday, August 7th, 2018

Great takeaways and quilting tips from some of Road 2018’s popular Classes and $5.00 Lecture Series

Jenny Doan– Missouri Star

Quilting Tips: Take classes to learn new techniques. Use the ugliest fabric in your stash to practice what you are learning because you will make mistakes. Mistakes are essential to learning.

Michelle Flores-Hoffman Fabrics

Quilting Tips: Online retailers that carry a wide variety of Hoffman Fabrics: eQuilter, Batik Plus, Hancock of Paducah, and Nancy’s Notions.

Hobbs Batting-

Quilting Tips: How to avoid Bearding (batting that pulls up through holes in the fabric): Use a high thread count fabric; Check thread tension to make sure thread isn’t too tight; Use a new needle; and Make sure the batting is good quality.

Pat Simon-Quilting with Templates

Quilting Tips: Rulers are for measuring; Templates are for quilting. Do not use free motion, darning or other thin feet as they will slip under the template. Instead use high shank feet. Practice, Practice, Practice with a fabric sandwich and moving the fabric around while seated. Start out with smaller templates to get control.

Joyce Teng-Painting on Fabric

Quilting Tips: Kona Cotton and Tsukineko Ink are the perfect combination for the best results. Play around with the ink. Mix it with different mediums to create different effects. Use different tools to get the ink on the fabric. Experiment with different patterns.

Annie Unrein-Zippers

Quilting Tips: Always use zippers 2-3 inches longer than called for. Shorter than that is so much harder to work with. Use “Wonder Clips” to hold all the layers together. Flat on the bottom so they don’t catch on machine; They won’t poke you; They won’t make holes in vinyl; and They hold everything tight.

Jamie Wallen– Long Arm Quilting

Quilting Tips: Don’t wait until you’re ready to quilt to start learning quilting techniques. Print “contour line quilt blocks” from the Internet and come up with 3 different ways to quilt it yourself. Practice every day 30-45 minutes with a pencil to build muscle memory. Anything a pencil can do, a longarm can do. What is your favorite quilting tip you learned in a quilting class?]]>

Tags: Annie Unrein, Hobbs, Hoffman Fabrics, Jamie Wallen, Jenny Doan, Joyce Teng, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Quilt Show, Quilting Templates, Quilting Tips
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Jenny Doan And Her Love For Precuts

Thursday, April 19th, 2018

“Share the knowledge you have with someone else or it will die with you” –Jenny Doan

Jenny Doan has a lot of quilting knowledge and she never hesitates to share it. During her Trunk Show at Road to California 2018, she touched on a lot of quilt topics including why she values using precut fabrics in her quilts.

Jenny admits she is a utilitarian quilter. Whenever she makes a quilt, she intends the recipient to use and love that quilt and wear it out. If you make a quilt from precut fabrics, Jenny insists that that quilt will be used by its owner. A precut fabric is cut to a specific size shape and is often sold as part of a collection so that the designs work well. They include fat quarters, jelly roll strips, and squares in either 5” charm packs or 10” layer cakes.

Jenny shared that 99% of the quilts she makes is from a precut and that she has learned so much from using them. One reason they appeal to her is that she considers herself a matcher; she doesn’t do colors. “Being good with fabric is a gift and a talent,” declared Jenny. And she also noted that not many people – like herself – have that talent. She would much rather trust the designers who put the precuts together then her own fabric matching ability. Precuts also cut down on the overwhelm factor noted Jenny. “Your mind gets easily overwhelmed. It’s a lot easier to choose between 10 fabric precuts that have been coordinated in to one collection than try to match yourself from 40 different bolts of similar yardage.

Best of all, precuts save time. Time in cutting out fabric and time in sewing. “It only takes 1-1/2 hours to make a quilt from a layer cake pack,” said Jenny. Missouri Star Quilt Company offers a handy, spiral bound pamphlet, Quilter’s Precut Companion, that has everything you’d want to know about making quilts using precuts including a chart that explains how many precuts you will need to make a particular quilt.

Jenny cautioned (from her own experience) that if you like a particular precut design, buy all you need for your project at one time. Since precuts are only cut and packaged once, they probably won’t be there if you go back for more. Jenny will be the first to admit that “precut fabric is truly the best thing since sliced bread. They let you skip the hours of cutting and get right to the good part. Precuts help quilts come together like magic!” What do you like about using precut fabrics?]]>

Tags: Charm Packs, Fat Quarters, Jelly Rolls, Jenny Doan, Layer Cakes, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Precuts
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Jenny Doan’s Favorite Quilt Block

Wednesday, March 21st, 2018

the half square triangle. The classes were actually titled: Mystery Half Square Triangle because as Jenny explained, you can create literally 252 different versions of a half square triangle, providing limitless (and mysterious) possibilities for quilt top designs. Jenny says everything she does has to be “quick and easy.” If any of her classes or YouTube weekly tutorials look hard, “it’s a lie.” They are meant to show different methods to get you started so that you don’t have to “remember everything” when you are on your own. To create a half square triangle block, Jenny says to: 1) Take two square pieces of fabric (you decide the size) and lay on top of each other, right sides together. 2) Stitch along the outside 3) Cut on the diagonal 4) Press open and create!! Each student received a handout that shows the 252 different versions of the half square triangle that they could put together. In addition, all around the room were examples of half square triangle quilts to inspire the students. Jenny McKinsey from Porterville, California has been quilting for 7 years and was attending Road for the fifth time. She always comes to Road with four friends. They share the ride down from Northern California and a hotel room during the show. While Jenny regularly watches the Missouri Star Quilt Co’s weekly YouTube videos, she took the class because she thought “it would be fun” to experience Jenny Doan in person. A quilter for over 50 years, Linda McGregor has traveled from her home in Wyoming 15 times to attend Road to California. She started her quilting journey making tied quilts and today loves to make wedding ring and other traditional patterns. Like Jenny McKinsey, Linda has been watching Jenny Doan’s weekly tutorials for many years. When Linda found out that Jenny Doan was going to be a teacher at Road 2018, she “signed up as soon as I could.” Linda said that Jenny was “just as wonderful in person as she is on her videos. I haven’t seen a quilt in the classroom that I don’t want to make.” Linda likes coming to Road because “there is always something new. Everyone is warm and welcoming.” Also seen in Jenny Doan’s classroom was her husband, Ron. He says he helps Jenny at home and in the classroom, answering questions from quilters. Ron says, “I help wherever I can with the little things” whether it be working on quilt machines or in the warehouse. What did Ron think about his first experience with Road to California? He admitted that he didn’t know what he was coming and that he was surprised to see how big Road is.“ Road to California is pretty awesome.” And we would have to agree!! ]]>

Tags: Half Square Triangle Quilt Block, Jenny Doan, Jenny Doan YouTube, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Ron Doan
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So You Think You Know Jenny Doan of Missouri Star?

Wednesday, January 10th, 2018

Missouri Star Quilt Company, teach a couple of quilt classes during the week and offer her popular Trunk Show on Friday Night. Are you familiar with Jenny Doan? Superfans of Jenny’s might think they know everything about her. But we asked Jenny some unique and unusual questions that you might be surprised to learn her answers. What do you like best about living in a small town (Hamilton, Missouri – Population 1,724) I love that there is no traffic! Also it is so nice to live in a town where everyone knows your name and watches out for each other. You also can’t beat the friendliness of our town! Missouri Star is made up of several themed buildings. Which one is Jenny’s favorite? I would have to say Penneys. It is our most colorful shop with all the solid fabric you could ever want! I love color! It’s all about family at Missouri Star, a family owned and run business. Jenny’s children and their spouses play major roles with Missouri Star. What about the next generation? The Doans currently have 21 grandchildren, ages 7-20 years old with one on the way, a baby boy coming this May. Jenny is a You Tube star!! t What is the hardest part of filming her show? To be honest, the hardest thing about filming is to only share 1 idea. I can see countless ideas in each tutorial I film. I see it doing so many things. Has she had an embarrassing moment when filming? I feel like my calling in life is to do something to embarrass my children. lol But that aside, I would say one of those moments was when the puff foam part of my microphone popped off and I couldn’t find it anywhere! Luckily, I learned long ago to laugh and just go with it! Missouri Star Quilt Company sells lots of quilting and sewing supplies. What is Jenny’s favorite sewing tool? The Splash rotary cutter. I love that you can use it with either hand and it has a quick blade release. I don’t like cutter with scissors. As a classroom teacher, what does Jenny want for her students? I will be teaching them to ask themselves… WHAT HAPPENS IF… I want them to try to think out of the box and start having fun creating. Road 2018 will be Jenny’s first time at the show. What is she most looking forward to? Sunshine What can Missouri Star fans be looking forward to in 2018? We will be opening 2 NEW SHOPS in Hamilton!! At the end of the day, what is Jenny’s favorite treat? I have 2 favorite treats. The first is frozen grapes. I love to pluck them off, pop them in the freezer and have them ready to pull out and eat. The second would be almost a daily favorite that my husband makes for me. Sugar Free Cook and Serve chocolate pudding! Tickets are going fast for Jenny’s Trunk Show. Remaining tickets are available at the Registration Desk at the Ontario Convention Center or at the door of the event.

Tags: Hamilton Missouri, Jenny Doan, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Road to Caifornia
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Man Sewing With Rob Appell

Thursday, February 26th, 2015

Rob Appell brought his high energy, quilting expertise to Road 2015. He taught the class, Seascape/Landscape Extravaganza, and visited with guests at the World of Quilts Travel booth, talking about their quilt cruises, including the New England Fall Foliage Quilt Cruise being hosted by Road to California.

Rob was also anxious to talk about his latest project: Man Sewing with Rob Appell, a new You Tube Channel that debuted February 2nd.

Rob is collaborating with the Missouri Star Quilt Company to produce weekly quilt tutorials on line. This project was an answer to Rob’s prayers. It allows him to continue in an industry he loves from a new perspective: the business side of things. Rob helps decide what to film and puts together the weekly projects. “I’m not an actor — I am a quilt maker. My talents are in design, communication, and entertainment. Man Sewing gives me the ability to use all of these features.”

New tutorials will be posted every Monday, 52 weeks a year. The tutorials average around 10 minutes in length and feature Rob”s high energy and creativity. Rob spends one out of every six weeks in Missouri filming. When he is not filming, he is back at home “making stuff” (using current fabric and products) and working with the staff, planning the next episodes. In addition to the tutorials, Rob is also making “quick tip” videos for the Man Sewing channel.

Rob is “looking forward to deadlines; accomplishing things I wouldn’t have done before; and expanding my skills.”

How can you be a part of Man Sewing? Subscribe to the You Tube Channel and follow on Facebook so that you don’t miss out on any of the Man Sewing fun.

Road to California wishes Rob the best of luck as he embarks on this new adventure!!

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Tags: Man Sewing, Missouri Star Quilt Co., Rob Appell, You Tube Channel
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