Tag Archives: Studio 180 Design Instructors

Hunter Star Blocks Have a Hidden Treasure

I am teaching a Zoom class for Beginner Hunter Star on May 28, 2022. As an introduction to I wanted to talk about Deb Tucker’s book Hidden Treasures. This book offers quilters over 30 projects to choose from. Finished quilts are a generous lap size. All the projects in this book are made using the Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite tool.

Hidden Treasures is intended to be a design play book. All the quilts are made using the 7” block size option, and the simplest two color variation where half the pieces are dark value and half are light value pieces. Students can use the one of the following options: 8 dark fat quarters + 8 light fat quarters Or 8 dark fat quarters + 2 yards of a single light fabric Or 8 light fat quarters + 2 yards of a single dark fabric.

There are just 3 block configurations used in these patterns from Hidden Treasures.

The Hunter Star layouts above were all made from the same 48 blocks! This is why you want to learn the Deb Tucker way of making Hunter Stars!

In the Hunter Star Peite Zoom Class you will make the quilt project on page 2 of the Hunter Star Petite Tool Instructions.

hunter-star-petite-instructions Download

In class you will make 16 blocks, but we won’t stitch the block halves together. This will give you an opportunity to try many different design options. Download the supply list here:

hunter-star-petite-supply-list-1 Download

Sign up for the Hunter Star Petite class on this site, under the tab “S180 Design Rapid Fire & Fundamental Tools Zoom Classes”.

More Than Hidden Treasures

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I just finished teaching a Hidden Treasures Workshop at A Different Touch in Chesapeake, Virginia.

The quilter’s who took the class were treasures to me! Just look at our faces. Just as Kathleen was about to take the picture, Connie shouted out something that took us all by surprise (I can’t repeat it here) but is cracked us up! It was a fun 3 days!

Hidden Treasures offers quilters over 30 projects to choose from. Finished quilts are a generous lap size. All the projects in this book are made using the Rapid Fire Hunter Star Petite tool. This book is intended to be a design play book. All the quilts are made using the 7” block size option, and the simplest two color variation where half the pieces are dark value and half are light value pieces. Students can use the one of the following options:

8 dark fat quarters + 8 light fat quarters Or 8 dark fat quarters + 2 yards of a single light fabric Or 8 light fat quarters + 2 yards of a single dark fabric

There are just 3 block configurations used in these patterns.

Jean started to design. Jean & Kathryn chose to make the same design.

But then Kathryn got the idea to switch out Jean’s black & white center blocks with her red blocks. Jean liked it so much she decided to make some red blocks for her quilt center.

Sandy did a fabulous job. All the students got their blocks completed and took them home to design. They learned how to use their Studio 180 Design Hunter Star Petite tool and are now completely armed to go forth and conquer any hunter star pattern!

Thank you Connie, Mary, Kathryn, Pam, Jean, Sandy & Nancy! I had so much fun teaching you this process and can’t wait to see your finished projects.

Also, a huge thank you to the owner of A Different Touch: Doris and her staff Kathleen, Cindy & Patty.

It’s “Sew Nice” in Norwich, NY

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Located in Norwich, NY, sits a fabulous quilt shop owned by Diane Marvin which she opened in June 2005. I stopped by Sew Nice to visit and ask Diane a few questions. Diane’s career was in education. Her mother was a career woman that made her own stylish suits to wear to work. Diane had no interest in sewing until she made her first quilt around 2000 – it was love at first stitch!

Diane holding up her almost finished quilt top “Northern Neighbors”.

Diane is a Studio 180 Design certified Instructor as is Donna Hanley who also teaches there. Sew Nice is a “Certified Bernina Classroom Shop”. They carry fabric lines from Moda, P&B, Marcus, Benartex, Timeless treasures, Kona, the list goes on. I love that they have a whole isles devoted to polka dot fabric.

The quilters that gather at Sew Nice refer to it as their “Quilting Playhouse” and as a “Cheers” for quilters. Quilters lovingly refer to Diane as “The Pusher”, (quilt pusher that is). You go to see Diane at Sew Nice to get your quilt fix! Diane gently pushes you to always keep learning and try new quilting techniques.

Sew Nice offers a 24 seat classroom. And if that is not enough, they also offer general sewing machine repair and maintenance.

Sew Nice only sells Quilters Dream Batting (QDB). When I asked why Diane said:

It’s made in the USA
NO other batting can compare with QDB quality.
There is no minimum order.
And last but not least “QDB Customer Service”! Diane could not praise the QDB Customer Service enough. She feels QDB is one of the best companies she has dealt with.
Diane’s favorite is Dream Wool!