Jennifer Johnson from A Quilter’s Oasis
Mary La Tourelle
As quilters, we know all about color, value, design, and pattern, but selecting the right notions is also important. Our November speaker, Jennifer Johnson, owner of A Quilter’s Oasis in Mesa, provided insights for selecting the right needles and thread. She used visuals of giant 3D printer-generated needles to show the differences. The topstitch needle has the largest eye, with a long groove above the eye which holds and protects the thread from friction with the fabric, which dulls the needle, and it is also sharper than the universal. The quilting needle has a blunt tip and can result in more thread breakage. Microtex needles are thinner and sharper than topstitch needles. She also talked about different thread weights, which are based on the number of strands of a particular length equivalent to one gram of weight. Her favorite combination is the 80/12 topstitch needle used with 50-weight Aurifil thread. Besides lots of new fabrics, her shop offers a plethora of classes for those who wish to learn new techniques. Check out their website at Aquiltersoasis.com.
On Dec. 4 we will hold our annual Holiday Luncheon at Palo Verde, starting at 11:30 a.m., for those who have signed up and paid. Faith Bragg and Georgia Hartman are planning a fun time for all.
Mark your calendars for QuiltCon on Feb. 20-23, 2025, at the Phoenix Convention Center. Sponsored by the Modern Quilt Guild, this is the largest modern quilting event in the world, with attendees coming from around the globe.
Visitors are welcome to attend any of our meetings, which are held on the first Wednesday of the month, September through May, at 1 p.m. in the Navajo Room at Sun Lakes Country Club (25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd.). For more information, please visit our website at agavequiltersguild.com.