My name is Melissa Jackson.....

Good Morning Everyone:

My name is Melissa Jackson and I will be teaching the Double Irish Chain class on September 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  I thought I might introduce myself to you so we can get acquainted.

I began quilting in January of 2007.  I am a certified public accountant by profession and a major quilting enthusiast.  I went to the Williamson County Fair in the fall of 2006 and began talking to the ladies where the quilts were being displayed.  They told me about a beginners quilting class at a quilt store in Franklin, TN.  The next day, I found the store and went in and talked to the proprietors about the specifics of the class.  I explained to them that I had never so much as turned on a sewing machine in my life, never sewed a stitch, etc.  They said no problem, just be sure you know how to operate the sewing machine you bring to class, and we will handle the rest.  After talking to my sister in Florida, I became marginally familiar with how to operate the sewing machine, and off to class I went.  Now many people thought it was a little bit odd for a tax accountant to be taking a quilting class during tax season, but I have always been one who thrives on deadlines.

Six weeks later, I had finished my first quilt, and had already begun a second quilt for my mother-in-law. That September, I decided to participate in the Middle Tennessee Shop Hop mostly because I wondered about the other shops I had never visited.  It was during this Shop Hop I found The Quilting Frame.  It was fascination at first site between me and Ms. Sandra's computerized long arm quilting machine.  After I kept turning up like a bad penny, ostensibly to get quilting done but more often than not to talk to her about how to operate her machine, we struck up a bargain.  I would give her some help with her accounting needs and she would give me lessons in using her long arm quilter.  It was from this a great friendship was born.  That has been two years ago, and in the past two years I have been blessed to meet so many of Ms. Sandra's clients bringing in many, many beautiful quilting projects for us to admire.  For those of you who don't know me by name, you may have seen me down at her shop on most Saturdays behind the quilting machine having fun (I refuse to call it work, because trust me, it ain't........).

The pattern I have chosen for the class is actually the first pattern and the first pattern book I purchased, believe it or not before I ever took my first class.  I thought it was just beautiful, all the small squares making up the big picture, but hadn't a clue how to go about making it.  Fortunately, earlier this year, I pulled it out and the production began.  It turned out to be a very simple, strip piecing project that came together quickly.  Everyone who sees the quilt thinks it had to be so hard to put together, when in reality using strip piecing, it was a piece of cake.  I am going to include a few pictures of the projects I have talked about, and hope you enjoy them.  I look forward to seeing anyone interested in my class on September 17th.  If I don't see you then, please make sure and stop by the shop so we can meet you at your convenience.

Double Irish Chain Quilt

Close up view of the Double Irish Chain

This is a quilt I designed from the scraps I had left over from making the Double Irish Chain  Quilt.

Close up view of the scrap quilt above.

Have a great rest of your day!

Melissa

Upcoming Classes......

Melissa Jackson will be teaching a class on the Double Irish Chain pattern on Sept. 17. We only have room for 4 or 5 people, so call and sign up soon.  When you call I'll let you know what supplies are required for the class. The shop number is 931-682-3746.

Have a great day!


Sandra

Middle Tennessee Shop Hop right around the corner....

Hello everyone:

Well, a week has gone by since last we posted so thought an update would be great!  We want everyone to know that we are a participating store in the Middle Tennessee Shop Hop occurring between September 24th and October 1st.  This year will be a very special Shop Hop experience, as we have had a fabric designed specifically for this Shop Hop.  No shops other than the seven participating shops will have this fabric available for purchase.  It is a Tennessee specific fabric, made to display all the places, people and sites that make Tennessee great.

To participate in the Shop Hop, you will need to purchase a passport from one of the participating shops.  The cost is $5.00 and all the money collected from the purchase of the passports will be donated to each store's chosen local charity.  We at the Quilting Frame have chosen to support the Santa Fe Schools Needy Fund, to help those students who are having a difficult time financially with school expenses.   Between Saturday, September 24th and Saturday October 1st, you need to visit each of the seven shops participating.  Present your passport at each shop, and they will stamp the passport, recognizing that you have visited their shop.  Leave your passport with the people at the last shop you visit, and they will turn your passport in to be included in the Grand Prize drawing.  This year, one lucky person will win a Brother sewing machine.  Also to be won will be a five yard cut of the Shop Hop's exclusive Tennessee fabric.  In addition, each store will be drawing for door prizes to be won during the shop hop.

This is a fantastic way to visit all the area's quilt shops.  Many of our Shop Hop participants make it a group affair, and join with their quilting buddies for an all day shopping extravaganza.  We really enjoy seeing all the people who come in during the Shop Hop, visiting and exchanging great ideas for using the chosen fabric.

Now, so that you can become better acquainted  with me and my shop, I am posting some pictures taken this last weekend while we were finishing our big Shop Hop quilt.  We chose to make a snowball and nine patch quilt with the Tennessee Shop Hop fabric and our chosen color of green (each shop chose a color to use to make items for people to see with our Shop Hop fabric).  In addition, we wanted to highlight the area encompassing our little piece of Tennessee.  We are on one of the historic Tennessee Trails featured in the Tennessee tourism information.  The specific trail that goes by our shop is called the Settlers to Soldiers Trail.  We used this as a centerpiece for our quilt.  We have also made a table runner using the Tennessee fabric (being beautifully displayed by my right hand lady, my sister-in-law). 

Ms. Margaret with the table runner made for the Shop Hop.

The centerpiece of our Shop Hop quilt showing our historic portion of the Tennessee Trails.

The completed Shop Hop quilt.

One of our specialty city blocks in the quilt (the train was drawn free hand by Ms. Sandra.

Another of our city blocks - we tried to personalize each City block, recognizing for what the city is best known.

Well, this is probably way too long a post, but wanted to give ya'll as many details as necessary so you can come join us for the fun and festivities during the Shop Hop!  Talk to you all soon!


Thanks!

Sandra (and her Elves)

A Brave New Adventure.....

Hello Everyone and Anyone in the Quilting Community:

It is a new beginning for us here at The Quilting Frame.  We have, at long last, entered the new millenium.  This is our first attempt at blogging, in the hope it will enable all to keep up with what's going on in our little corner of Middle Tennessee.

The Quilting Frame is a small quilt shop in the Bethel community of Santa Fe, Tennessee.  We have been in business for approximately 15 years and in our current shop for approximately six of those.  We specialize in long arm quilting services.  We have both a manual Gammill long arm quilting machine and a computerized Gammill long arm quilting machine.  We are lucky enough to have customers we service all over the United States.

Please come back to visit often, as we will post a blog every week or so to further introduce the staff, the business, classes and other delightful tidbits from your fellow quilting fanatics.  We hope to have a website up within the next little while, so you can all come visit.   

Until next time.....

Sandra (and her elves)