Category Archives: Events

12th Annual Northwest Quilting Expo

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On September 20, 21, 22, the Portland Oregon Expo Center is hosting the 2012 Northwest Quilting Expo. The show starts at 9 a.m. and closes at 5:30 p.m. The event, which started as a 1,500 square foot exhibition at the Washington County Fair 12 years ago, has grown to over a 72,000 square foot extravaganza with 80 vendors, 600 quilts, and an abundance of quilting enthusiasts.

Here are a few of the special exhibits, The Columbia Fiber Arts Guild, The Cover to Cover Book Club, Margaret Miller special guest instructor, Twelve by Twelve International Art Quilt Challenge, and From Heartbreak to Hope sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. Also on exhibit are spectacular judged and juried quilts from all over the world.

The Best in Show winning quilt is sponsored by Moda Fabrics, and made by Birgit Schueller of Riegelsberg Germany. The quilt, named Masquerade, was inspired by Mardi Gras and hot fixed with Swarovski crystals and colorful feathered and star quilting designs.

Here is the First Place, Large Quilts Winner, made by Mary Ellen Householder. She made the entire quilt without a pattern using only a 2 1/2 inch photo. Gorgeous!

The winner of The Viewer’s Choice Award is Ann Horton’s original pattern of a young Guatemalan boy with his cart of market produce. She used Guatemalan fabrics and free-motion embroidery.


The Judge’s Choice Award goes to Judith Phelps from Battleground Washington. The Time’s Past quilt is made from an original pattern.

The First Place winner of the Pictorial Quilt is outstanding! Grandma’s Soddie, made by Gloria Zirges, from Newport Oregon, was based on her grandmother in front of her sod house wearing her dress fashioned of hankerchiefs.

The Bell Star quilt by Joanne Blade took first place in the Computerized Quilting competition.
Simply beautiful!

Below you’ll find more quilting eye candy from the show.



The Three Sisters One River Exhibition

Of course Fabric Depot is here!


Whether you are taking a class, watching a demonstration, finding a gift for a sewing buddy, or simply walking the aisles feasting your eyes on the beautiful expertly crafted quilts, the Northwest Quilting Expo is well worth the admission.

The Northwest Quilting Expo continues thru Saturday, Sept. 22. Hope to see you here!
For more information go to:

http://www.expocenter.org/events/northwest-quilting-expo

New Quilts at Fabric Depot

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Enjoy our newest collection of fabulous quilts hanging throughout our store.
These quilts come from the various fabric companies, and traveling trunk shows from the pattern designers themselves.

It is inspiring to see so many different styles and designs. The designers bring us many different possibilities used in quilting, from embellishments, to raw edge applique, machine applique, paper piecing, and strip piecing. The fabrics used are cotton prints, solids, and Balis.

Granny's Favorite by Majorie of Quilt Design Northwest


Granny’s Favorite simulates the look of your grandmother’s afghan. It is an easy to make quilt, using the strip piece method. Quilt designer Marjorie Rhine is a local NW artist from Damascus , Oregon.

Tequila Buzz by Marjorie Rhine of Quilt Design Northwest

The Tequila Buzz quilt uses quick construction methods in making a traditional Buzzsaw block.

Typhoon Swirl by Marjorie Rhine of Quilt Design Northwest

Typhoon Swirl is an ideal quilt for a beginner who is ready to learn new techniques including “sew and fold” corners, and on point setting. The quilt is made with all straight line cutting and piecing. This quilt looks fantastic whether made with a light or dark background.

Fruit Salad by Marjorie Rhine of Quilt Design Northwest

Marjorie Rhine designed this bright and colorful Fruit Salad quilt for intermediate quilters. All the lines in this quilt are straight. Use your paper piecing skills, and mix up your own fruit salad. The finished block size is 7 1/2 X 7 1/2

The Minuit Quilt from Metropolitan Quilt , West Linn , Oregon


The Minuit Quilt uses the dynamics of three solids. A white tonal background, an ivory tonal, and a black tonal fabric. This quilt is delightfully metropolitan and geometric.

Metropolitan Quilt "Rome"


This “Rome” Quilt glows. It is constructed from 13 different gorgeous Balis, and is reminiscent of Rome’s cathedral windows.

Island Journey by Bella Nonna


This Island Journey comes to us from Bella Nonna Design Studio. The island inspired design uses colorful Balis paired with adventurous geometric patterns, and is totally open to the use of embellishments such as ribbon, buttons and beads.

Moon Glow by Jinny Beyer


The Moon Glow quilt is a block of the month course designed for quilters to gain confidence in piecing and color. It features the Jinny Beyer Palette in a breathtaking spectrum of color. The Moonglow Quilt is available as a free PDF pattern from Jinny Beyer of RJR.

Lumineux by Metropolitan Quilts of West Linn, Oregon

Metropolitan Quilts had a great time creating The Lumineux Quilt. Eleven different solids are used in the construction of this beautiful garden flower motif, with a complimentary white background. The flowers and greenery are appliqued with Light Fusible Web and then stitched with matching thread.

The Bigfork Bay Cotton Company with Red Apple Lane block of the month by Past Sloan

This adorable quilt designed by Pat Sloan, for Bigfork Bay Cotton Company, is a combination of 9 different blocks of the month. Each block is a complete piece of quilting art. The quilt incorporates colorful Balis and solids using the raw edge applique technique. All Red Apple Lane block patterns are available online.

"Arbre de Noel" by Metropolitan Quilt

Metropolitan Quilts brings us “Arbre de Noel”. This adorable Christmas quilt measures 43″ X 58″ and makes a perfect holiday wall hanging. The tree and ornaments are made with fusible web, on a white background.

The 37th Annual Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Trip

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The sun rising over Fabric Depot on the early morning of the 37th Annual Sisters Quilt Show.

Before dawn they came, their anticipation and enthusiasm all packed up and ready to go. The travelers brought straw hats, umbrellas, sunglasses, water bottles and snacks. The 112 eager passengers boarded the two Fabric Depot tour buses, and traveled 3 hours to Sisters, Oregon and the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

On July 14th, over 1400 quilts from around the world were hung for view in Sisters Oregon. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is a unique exhibition. Being a free non-juried quilt show, anyone who is interested in showing a quilt can enter.


The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is more than a quilt show. It is a phenomenon! Although the primary focus is on quilts, so much more is going on. It is a grand appreciation of beauty, crafts, and nature. The show is a great coming together of people from around the world with a common interest in fabrics, quilting, and sewing.

One of the most dramatic aspects of the quilt show is how the quilts are displayed. Instead of traditional quilt racks, the quilts are hung throughout the town, inside and outside. This type of display combines charming architectural features with the natural settings, and beauty of the quilts.

Variation on a Drunkards Path

Garden Twist Quilt

Snowball Quilt


A little up close inspection.

Here a little quilter ponders the Westminster Quilt Block Challenge.
Some examples of quilt blocks made for the Westminster Block Challenge.

There was so much more to see than quilts. Little shops line the streets filled with goodies, antiques, fabrics, yarn, hats, purses, toys, caramel corn, and smoothies.


Not a fence nor a wall were left bare of quilt adornment.

Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt

Radiant New York Beauty Quilt

Sixty Degree Stack and Whack Quilt

Of course, The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show would not be complete without the traditional quilts that paved the way, including the Zig Zag Log Cabin, The Baltimore Album, and the Dear Jane Quilt.

Zig Zag Log Cabin


The Baltimore Album Quilt


Dear Jane Quilt

The day started out as a scorcher, with bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Before long there were signs of things to come. It began with a few droplets that went unnoticed. In a short time, a thunder cloud was unleashing a huge down pour. This hasn’t happened during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in 37 years. In 30 minutes, over 1400 quilts were rounded up and rushed to the quilt head quarters building, with the aid of volunteers and the Sisters Fire Department. Not a single quilt was misplaced. This Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show will be one to remember.

A day at the Sisters Quilt Show!


There’s more than one way to make a rainbow!

Quilts in from the rain.

June Tailor Product Demonstrations

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June Tailor Products offer a wide variety of notions created for quilting, home decorating, craft, and sewing customers. Their goal is to help the customer create professional quality fabric creations simply and easily while saving time and money.

One of June Tailor’s fantastic notions is the Pintastic Automated Pin Dispenser.

This tool is a wonderful addition to any sewing room or quilt circle.


The June Tailor 100 Fine Glass Head Pins are quality pins that work well with the Pintastic Automated Pin Dispenser. These sturdy, sharp and colorful pins come in a handy plastic case.

The June Tailor Shape Cut Sprint Ruler

Many quilts today are constructed using 2 1/2″ strips. The Shape Cut Sprint is an amazing ruler that is the perfect tool for cutting 2 1/2″ jelly rolls, 5″ charm squares and 10″ layer cake squares. Multiple layers of fabric are cut quickly and accurately with this ruler.
This means less time at the cutting table and more time at the sewing machine.

The June Tailor Quilt Binding Express simplifies making quilt binding. Using The Quilt Binding Express, the fabric strips are fed through the slots in the binding board and fold into the desired size. Now the strips are ready to be pressed on the padded side of the board. Choose between 2″, 2 1/4″, and 2 1/2″ strips of fabric.

The PlumEasy Folded Star Hot Pad and Pin Cushion Demonstration

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Deborah from PlumEasy patterns demonstrated her easy-to-sew Folded Star Hot Pad, and Folded Star Pin Cushion patterns recently at Fabric Depot. At first glance these projects appear labor intensive and technical. However, the PlumEasy patterns are incredibly easy to make. Whether you are a beginner or have sewn for years, these adorable hot pads and pin cushions can be whipped up in little time. Scroll down to see these PlumEasy demonstrations.

Deborah from PlumEasy Patterns

They make the perfect spring time project when April showers are giving way to May flowers.

The fabric requirements are only 4 fat quarters (with high contrast). The backing and the batting take only a 9” square. The binding takes a 30” length and can be pieced from fat quarter leftovers.
What a perfect handmade gift for any occasion!

You’ll find PlumEasy Patterns and related notions online at www.fabricdepot.com