Congratulations, Emily!

Emily McDonald first came to Cortez Quilt Company to take Beginning Quilting last year. Not long after her class we decided to hire a part-time employee to work a couple of afternoons each week and we immediately thought of her. Many of you have met Emily here in the shop. Well, time flies and Emily is now a HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE! She has a bright future ahead of her with plans to become a physical therapy assistant. The happy news for us is that she doesn't begin her education for that career until January, so you'll be seeing a lot more of Emily here at the shop between now and then. Emily, we are so proud of you! 

If you've never put Cuddle fabric on the back of quilt consider it the next time you want something to be extra-cozy. It's as soft as a baby bunny! We received a few new colors last week. 

Placemat Club: Table Attire
Wednesday, May 20
10:15 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$29, pattern required

This placemat is so fun to make! Encase batting inside 2 1/2 inch strips and sew them together to make the sides. Then choose a coordinating fabric for the centers. You can quilt the center using a simple straight-stitch design or use this as an opportunity to practice your free motion quilting. We did pebble quilting in the center of the one shown here. The pattern is nice because it includes three different layout choices as well as a tablerunner. Karen Childress will teach this class. NOTE: Placemat Club will be on vacation for the summer and will return in September.

Youth Classes

Do you know a girl or boy between 8 and 15 who would like to learn to sew and quilt? If so, you'll be happy to know that
we're offering a series of youth classes this summer.

The dates are . . . 

12 - 15 year old students - June 2, 9, 16, and 23 from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. each day. These are Tuesdays.
8 - 11 year old students - June 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 1:30 until 4:30 p.m. each day. These are Thursdays.

The projects are . . .

Session #1: Pincushion and a drawstring bag to carry sewing notions.
Session #2: Pillowcase.
Session #3: Wall hanging with pockets using chalkboard fabric.
Session #4: Quilt block wall hanging or table topper.

The details . . .

The cost of the four-session series is $129 per student. This fee includes ALL supplies and the use of a sewing machine. Each class is limited to eight students. Please call 970-565-7541 to register. Aimee King will teach our youth classes.

NOTE: Parents/grandparents/guardians will not be allowed in the youth classes and must drop off students at least ten minutes prior to the start of each session and may not arrive for pickup until the end of each session. Parent or guardian will be required to sign a release of liability form and provide emergency contact information.

Flash Sale on Class Club Memberships

Sign up for Class Club or extend your current membership and enjoy unlimited classes for a full year for only $195 (regular price $225). This offer expires at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Class Club memberships make great Mother's Day gifts so drop hints as needed.

This anonymous applique student had fun in with us recently. One benefit of attending classes at Cortez Quilt Company is that you can be as messy as you'd like and we do the clean up. What could be better?

We ordered two each of these special edition machines and one of each has already sold. The other two are still available so come in today!

Tip of the Week: Rotary Cutters

When someone comes into the shop looking for a new rotary cutter the first thing we do is gather up all the ones we have and let the customer try them out. It's important to have a rotary cutter that feels good in your hand and has the features that are most important to you (e.g., quick-change blade or auto-close). As far as size, most quilters use a cutter with a 45 mm blade, a few prefer the larger 60 mm, and the 28 mm size comes in handy for certain types of projects. Price is also a consideration and we stock rotary cutters from under $20 all the way up to $79.

Once you've invested in a new rotary cutter you'll naturally want to take care of it so that it lasts as long as possible. 

Always keep the blade closed when the cutter is not in use. This is for safety first and foremost, but also to keep the blade from bumping up against something and getting nicked. 

Be careful not to accidentally roll your cutter over straight pins. This will nick the blade in an instant. 

Keep an eye on your cutter and notice when lint begins to build up in it. When this happens, take the blade out and gently wipe the lint off both it and the cutter with a Kleenex of piece of scrap fabric. Be extremely careful doing this, and also when changing blades.

How often you change your blade depends - of course - on how much you use your cutter. If you're working with flannel or denim you might notice that those fabrics dull your blade a bit faster than when you're using thinner quilting cotton or batik. 

Don't struggle or become frustrated using a dull or nicked blade. If you have to apply a great deal of pressure to cut your fabric or if you're consistently having a "miss" in your cutting, it's time for a new blade. Remember - just like a kitchen knife - you're more likely to have an accident with a dull blade than you are with a sharp one. 

Dispose of used blades carefully. We don't recommend tossing them into the trash can without wrapping them inside something or putting the old blade inside the case that the new one came in and taping it closed. These blades are uber-sharp when they're new but can still do damage to a finger when they're dull.