20-23rd September 2018
The Australian Machine Quilting Festival is dedicated to providing inspiration, education and encouragement to all machine quilters that own a longarm, midarm and/or a domestic sewing machine. Come & join us in our new venture to grow & learn about machine quilting!







Friday, February 26, 2016

Our GOLD Sponsor!

AMQ Festival welcomes a partnership with 
Kennard & Kennard Fabrics as a Gold Sponsor!


Events on this scale simply can’t exist without valued sponsors, vendors, teachers, volunteers and especially our attendees. 2016 is shaping up to be bigger & better than ever, with 3 festivals experience now, we are determined to continue to provide the best quality teachers, classes & vendors for all attendees. We now have 97 classes, presented by 22 teachers from across Australia, Germany, USA & Canada! 

All our sponsors are a very important part of the quilting industry and as such I’m sure you will recognise their products. Some are wholesalers, some are machine suppliers, quilt shops, small businesses and also individuals that choose to support us to benefit the industry and those that are involved. We will endeavour to feature each of our sponsors over the next few newsletters, so please let them know how much we appreciate their involvement next time you are shopping with them.

A note from our Gold Sponsor:

Kennard & Kennard are thrilled to have the privilege of being the Gold Sponsor for the Australian Machine Quilting Festival 2016! As an Australian Wholesale fabric supplier with a dedication to quality, Kennard and Kennard are committed to providing you with the highest quality materials and designs across Australia.
Our 100% Cotton Extra Wide Quilt Backings under our brand Burrangong Backings Australia are our specialty. We have the largest range of 108 inch/280cm Wide Backings, known for their superior quality, quilting convenience and ability to make the backs of your quilts just as special as the front. Kennard & Kennard are a family owned and operated business, always striving for customer satisfaction and offering new and exciting ranges to suit your needs. If we can assist you in any way, we would love to hear from you.

Best Regards

Russell Kennard – Director

All attendees will receive in their Registration Backpacks, fat quarters of fabric from Kennard & Kennard Fabrics to see & feel the great quality of their fabrics. Perfect to use for both quilt tops & backings!

******************************************************
Now for some updates on Registrations:

Right now you can view the Online Registration page & see all our classes in date/time order. You will find more detailed information, supply lists & kit inclusions when you click on the ‘info’ link or on the title of the class. Please read the information on this page. For further assistance on navigating the ticketing system this document can be downloaded with screenshots to assist you. Many thanks to my proof readers who have tested the ticketing system and have assisted in creating and improving the Class Catalogue over the past three weeks as well. It is now at the printers and will be ready to be distributed when they are received. A copy will also be online for you to download to your own device after I get the proofs back.

Class registrations will open at 12.01am CST (Adelaide time zone) on 14th March 2016.

There is a Class Registration Fee** which will be payable by all students nominating for classes and the cost is $80.00 (inc GST). This fee not only helps towards teachers fees and expenses, staff time, supplies and equipment but also offers benefits to students.
These benefits include 4 days admission into the show and vendor mall, and also a gorgeous backpack complete with goodies including a neck wallet, pen, pad, fat quarters of quality fabric from our Gold Sponsor - Kennard & Kennard Fabrics, commemorative AMQF Pin, pattern, thread, vouchers, samples, and a copy of the new Creative Patchwork & Quilting magazine and more. This is a value in excess of $200-
All shops and businesses are invited to offer discount vouchers/coupons/samples to be included in these packages to further enhance our students shopping experience and to promote your products. Please contact us to arrange this.
**Until you have registered and paid the Registration Fee you will not be able to purchase any class.

You can get ready for class registrations early by purchasing your Registration fee now. Then on 14th March all you need to do is login and start choosing your classes in your shopping cart. 

You are Invited to our
AMQ Festival Cocktail Party
Date: Thursday 25th August 2016
Time: 4.30pm
Venue: Hall G, Adelaide Convention Centre
Tickets: $70 pp available online & at the registration desk until noon 25th August 2016
Dress: Smart Casual
Join us in an exciting evening to launch the 2016 Festival with musical entertainment, amazing prize draw, cocktail food and a complimentary beer, wine, sparkling or soft drink is provided. 
Cash bar will be available.
Presentation of the Minda Benefit Quilt Challenge winners  
followed by a special presentation by Guest Quilter -
Mark Lipinski (USA)
“The Unexpected Journey of an Out of Control Quilter Travelling the World and What He Encountered Along the Way”: A Trunk Show & Lecture
You will be hard pressed to find a more entertaining lecture and trunk show than one with international quilt teacher, quilt and fabric designer and creator of The Slow Stitching Movement (www.slowstitching.com), Mark Lipinski. Mark’s sometimes PG-13, no holds barred, brutally honest, riotous talks are half quilting, half show and tell and all stand-up comedy!

NEW FOR 2016!!

We value ALL our students that keep coming back and who also spread the word to their mates about Festival. This helps us to work harder to bring what you are asking for to Australia each time. 

We would like to show our appreciation by introducing a 

Bring-a-Mate Reward Program

If you have taken classes at a previous AMQ Festival and you have a mate that has never been who would like to join you, then we would like to reward you. When you (the previous AMQ Festival student) and a mate sign up for classes at the same time we will refund the previous student $25 of the registration fee.

Yes, it’s that easy! Here are a few things to remember:

YOUR MATE MUST SIGN UP WITH YOU IN ORDER TO QUALIFY!

Both registrations must be submitted with a unique e-mail address for each student and within 2 hours of each other.

$25 of the REGISTRATION FEE WILL BE REFUNDED TO THE RETURNING STUDENT!
  • Put your mate’s name in the questionnaire of the online registration form. 
  • Tick relevant boxes that you have been a student at AMQ Festival.
  • Only students who have not previously taken classes at a AMQ Festival are eligible as a “Mate.” 
  • One reward/referral per previous student.
  • The Bring-a-Mate Reward Program runs from March 14th through June 15th 2016
This program applies to full registration students/mates.

***************************************************
To encourage immediate family members to also come along and take classes, we are providing a discounted Family Registration Fee of only $30 if a full Registration Fee is already purchased. This allows you to purchase classes without receiving a second bag full of goodies. Please contact us direct to arrange this.

Lots of information to take in today. But we only have just over 2 weeks until registrations open…
Keep sharing the news with all your friends so they don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime with the experience of AMQ Festival in Adelaide.

Until next time… happy quilting.
Tracey

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Classes for Statler owners!

We are thrilled to welcome the amazing Karen Farnsworth to Festival this year…
Karen Farnsworth
As a long-time Statler Stitcher owner, Karen’s passion is helping other quilters love the process of longarm quilting. Karen is a CreativeStudio Beta tester, a Gammill Certified Instructor, and has worked for Gammill Quilting Inc. creating education materials, teaching Statler and CreativeStudio classes, and providing phone and on-site support to Statler owners. Karen has been sewing most of her life and bought her first quilting machine in 2006. She has been designing and selling digital quilting patterns through her website, WildflowerQuilting.com, since 2007. She now lives in rural Northeast Missouri where she and her husband ranch and raise their three kids. Karen also finds time to own a quilt shop, quilt for customers, and pursue many of her other interests.
Karen is presenting 9 classes this year. 6 of these classes will specifically further your knowledge of your Statler Stitcher Computerised system, but 3 classes are suitable for all quilters who want to learn more about designing & executing a wholecloth quilt and creating applique using your machine plus another on creating useful articles on your longarm just for FUN…
Karen is keen to meet our Aussie & New Zealand Statler owners & share her knowledge with you all.

Have you ordered your

Minda Benefit Challenge quilt kit

yet?
 Mindahornlogo web1Lloyd Curzon


AMQ Festival is proud to join with Lloyd Curzon Textiles & Horn Australia to present to you a challenge to assist us in raising much needed funds to support people living with intellectual disability live lives of their choosing.

celebration

 Theme:

“Celebration...”

Create a quilt that shouts out the theme of celebration. It could be a special achievement in your life or someone else’s. A goal that has been reached that needs to be recognised. It could be a new beginning, a reason to say thank you, or giving thanks for just being here. Rejoice in life and show us what it means to you.
Each entry is to be accompanied by a story of why or what you are celebrating, no longer than 250 words.
All quilts will be donated to Minda Inc to be auctioned with full proceeds being used to support people living with intellectual disability live lives of their choosing. The top thirty finalists will be selected for display at AMQ Festival 2016. All entries will receive a certificate of appreciation.
Terms & conditions can be found on our website:
Please email any questions to AMQF at challenge@amqfestival.com.au or Ph:08 88256214
DOWNLOAD the application form to complete to get started on creating your work of art to benefit Minda Inc. You can now also complete an online application form for your kit.


The Class Catalogue is ready for the printers, so will be available soon!

A summary of the schedule of classes with times & pricing is on the website now for you to start planning your program for Festival in August.
 

Online Registrations will open 12.01am on 14th March 2016

 

Until next time…happy quilting!
Tracey

Monday, February 1, 2016

Intelliquilter classes for all...

We are so pleased to have Helen & her husband Tony, visiting us again this year at Festival. They both attended Festival in 2010 and inspired many IQ owners & potential owners with Helen’s knowledge & practical approach to teaching. Helen is the consummate teacher with an extensive knowledge base on all things IQ!
Helen Baczynski
Helen Baczynski
Helen bought her Gammill Premier in 1997 and started quilting for customers after being asked to do so by other members of the quilting group she belonged to at that time. They had seen her work at group meetings and must have liked it enough to ask Helen to quilt for them. "In 2002 I added the IntelliStitch stitch regulator and my husband and I began our association with KasaWorks. We travelled widely in the U.S.A. installing I/S on machines. When KasaWorks introduced IntelliQuilter in 2006, I added it to my machine and we became installers and support for iQ."
In 2007 she started teaching iQ classes at the major machine quilting shows in the U.S.A. She has also taught smaller, private classes in the U.S and England. Her short, instructional videos demonstrating iQ’s features can be found on Youtube and at iqdemos.com. "I was honoured to be invited to teach at the first AMQF and am happy to be returning in 2016." Intelliquilter
Adding to Helen’s 5 new classes in August is our own accomplished Intelliquilter owner & teacher -
Tonia Brooks
Tonia Brooks
Malanda Quilting – Professional Long Arm Quilter
I have been sewing from a young age, taught by my mother and a wonderful range of home economics teachers.
Patchwork and quilting came to find me in 2003.
The inaugural Australian Machine Quilting Festival of 2010, saw me purchase my beautiful A1 Longarm Quilting Machine, promptly named “Sally”. I began longarm quilting and found I had a natural affinity with Free Hand custom work, which has always given me immense pleasure. My business grew to a point that I needed to find a more efficient way of meeting my E2E deadlines and also run my fabric store.
So after much research along came my Intelliquilter “Ivan”.
“Ivan” made my life more streamlined. I could load a quilt and set up an E2E design and away he and “Sally” would go.
There was an unintended consequence of “Ivan” and “Sally” however. Not only did I use them for E2E but started to incorporate designs I purchased into my custom work. Especially borders. Scallops and swags - all manner of things. The door was inching open, and it didn’t stop there. Because Intelliquilter is such a powerful program and so user friendly I found I was designing more and more of my own designs, using them to repeat spines and outlines. All the time the Intelliquilter was allowing me to stretch it even more. I have yet to come to a point where Intelliquilter curtails my creative expression, and I don’t think it ever will. And now I want to share and help others grow in their custom work.

Tonia will be presenting 4 ‘Hands on’ classes with a maximum of 12 students with everybody working on their own IQ tablet to ensure the skills are practiced & learned all together. With extensive notes to back these classes up I’m sure students will be customizing their work for themselves & customers in no time!
*************************************
Have you ordered your

Minda Benefit Challenge quilt kit

yet?
 Mindahornlogo web1Lloyd Curzon


AMQ Festival is proud to join with Lloyd Curzon Textiles & Horn Australia to present to you a challenge to assist us in raising much needed funds to support people living with intellectual disability live lives of their choosing.
At Minda, we create an environment where people with intellectual disability can embrace and enjoy the experiences of life.
Minda is at the forefront of the disability sector, offering support and opportunity to approximately 1,700 people in the areas of accommodation, supported employment, lifestyle services and respite.
We are committed to creating a dynamic environment where people can live lives of their choosing.
Due to the onset of the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Minda must diversify its revenue streams to ensure that its future is sustainable and the highest quality of service and care can continue to be offered to people living with intellectual disability. Any funds raised through fundraising activities will help us to provide more services to people living with intellectual disability.

celebration

 Theme:

“Celebration...”

Create a quilt that shouts out the theme of celebration. It could be a special achievement in your life or someone else’s. A goal that has been reached that needs to be recognised. It could be a new beginning, a reason to say thank you, or giving thanks for just being here. Rejoice in life and show us what it means to you.
Each entry is to be accompanied by a story of why or what you are celebrating, no longer than 250 words.
All quilts will be donated to Minda Inc to be auctioned with full proceeds being used to support people living with intellectual disability live lives of their choosing. The top thirty finalists will be selected for display at AMQ Festival 2016. All entries will receive a certificate of appreciation.
Rules:
  1. All quilters are invited to submit an entry into the Minda Benefit Quilt Challenge run by Lloyd Curzon Textiles, Horn Australia and AMQ Festival for 2016.
  2. Application forms are available on our website to enable you to purchase your fabric kit to start your challenge. Entry forms will be included with your kit to submit with your completed quilt.
  3. There is one category only. Entries can be based either on a traditional or a contemporary design that reflects and interprets the theme ‘Celebration!’ and must use at least a recognisable portion of each of the challenge fabrics provided by Lloyd Curzon Textiles (Colour Movement fabric range by Kona Bay exclusive to Lloyd Curzon Textiles)
  4. All entries must be original. An entrant may apply any techniques including piecing, appliqué, embroidery, painting, inking, colouring, embellishing and/or manipulated fabric, etc.
  5. Each work must measure a maximum of 100cm on each side with no minimum size.
  6. The quilt must be machine quilted. This includes long-arm, short-arm or domestic machines. The quilt may be quilted with thread(s) of choice.
  7. A label with ‘AMQF 2016 Minda Benefit Quilt’ and the entrant’s name & address must be attached to the back of the quilt.celebrate2
  8. Announcement of the winners will be announced on the AMQ Festival Blog & Facebook on Jul 31st 2016. It will also be announced in Link Magazine by Minda and on the Minda Facebook page.
  9. Anyone can enter! An entrant’s quilt may be the work of more than one person as long as all parties who contribute to the quilt are nominated on the entry form as being the entrant. There is no limit of entries per person or group.
  10. Other fabrics may be added to the quilt.
  11. The fabric challenge kit consists of 6 fat 16’ths of fabric and costs $10 including postage.
  12. A ribbon will be awarded to each winning quilt and a certificate to each participant.
  13. The prizes awarded are based on the interpretation of theme, excellence in design and craftsmanship. The deadline to send in completed quilts with entry forms is June 30th 2016.
Please email any questions to AMQF at challenge@amqfestival.com.au or Ph:08 88256214
DOWNLOAD the application form to complete to get started on creating your work of art to benefit Minda Inc. You can now also complete an online application form for your kit.

The entries will be judged by a panel of judges from sponsors involved. The top 30 quilt entries will go on display at AMQ Festival if space permits.
First Prize: Value $1000+   : Your choice of Horn furniture valued up to $1000- plus a ticket to AMQF Cocktail Party
Second Prize: Value $750+   : Your choice of Horn Furniture valued up to $750- plus a ticket to AMQF Cocktail Party
Third Prize: Value $500+   : Your choice of Horn furniture valued up to $500- plus a ticket to AMQF Cocktail Party
 
Until next time…happy quilting!
Tracey