Kat "Bytes"  
the StudioKat Designs
monthly Newsletter
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Issue #141--------April 2017
Welcome! ... this has been a whirlwind month (in good & bad ways) and its hard to believe its time for another newsletter, but here we are! To top it off, it's also time to pack up for the last show of the season In Paducah, KY (until Houston in the Fall), so go ahead & get started while I go back to packing. I'll catch up with you at the end!  :)
 
 
 
 
 
 
PS- There are convenient links in the box (above at right) to help you change your email address or to unsubscribe, but do us a favor & don't mark us as spam - Please?
Can't see the pictures?-- Click HERE
 
 
 "Handbag of the Month" Gallery-
Congratulations to Jackie Abel of Watertown, SD!
Her "Walkabout Wallet" was the winner of our March "Handbag of the Month" contest that was close and exciting at the end! She wins a $25.00 SKD virtual gift certificate PLUS a permanent place of honor in our Handbag Gallery & just click HERE to see her beautiful entry!
BUT...it's a new month and time to reset for a new contest,so just scroll down to see this month's entries!
We've got EIGHT fantastic entries to share with you, so check 'em out then click HERE to cast a vote for your favorite.

(For LARGER images: Click on each individual pic)

 
Susie Tate of Millican, TX created this exquisite Triple Play as a Christmas gift for her daughter who loves bees!    Suzie says she's been sewing & quilting for years but this was her very 1st attempt at bag-making. Check out the interior HERE and here's a picture of the back!
 
 
 
 
And just in case you didn't notice, Patricia Strobl is a big-time fan of all things "West Virginia" (even though she currently hails from Fairmont, TX), and I bet she's having lots of fun carrying this fun-loving Everyday Attache!
 
 
 
 
Gay Anderson stopped by our booth at the Road 2 California Quilter's Conference to show me her ultra-modern Odyssey!
She said it was her "all-time favorite purse"!

 
 
Jan Strickler of Cypress, TX is back with yet another gorgeous  bag entry! This time she fashioned a springlike exterior for our Everyday Attache!
 
 
 
 
 
 
And speaking of Odyssey's, here's an especially fun edition of our Odyssey pattern! It was created by Diane Jones Straus of Midway City, CA. Diane also dropped by our Road 2 CA booth to show it off and who can blame her, right?
 
 
 
 
 
This elegant Gadabout was created by Mary-Lou Wightman of Surry, BC, Canada, who said that this may have been her first Gadabout, but it won't be her last! She said the bag went together easy and she'll definitely be making MORE!
 
 
 
 
 
Karen McMillan of Salem, VA said that this Everyday Attache was her very 1st StudioKat Designs bag. She made it as a Christmas gift for her daughter and is now making plans to make one for herself!
 
 
 
 
 
And finally, this classic Triple Play was lovingly made by Nancy Davis. I love her fabric choices and the thin cording she chose to use on the bag top!
 
OK, ready to vote now?
 Only one vote per MONTH, per email address.
    
Here's a Challenge for ALL StudioKat Designs Sewists!
GREAT NEWS!
The Road 2 California Bag Challenge was such a success in 2016 that it'll be BACK and better than ever for the 2018 show! The prizes are BIGGER and this time you can use whatever fabric you choose! Click HERE to get details and to check out the prize list to see who this year's sponsors are! (You just might see someone you know!)  
And here's the deal, after being the recipient of so many gorgeous bag pictures thru the years, I'm thinking that the winner of this contest just might be one of our loyal readers! It might even be YOU

 
 
 
 
 
 
SmileGram-
 
 
 
Would you consider signing this will? (I know there's a few typos here, but it's still good!)
Click image or HERE  for a larger view.
 
From the Website- 
Just in case you missed it, we've just completed our fourteenth cycle of our most popular blog series, Purse Pattern Chronicles, culminating in the release of our new pattern for Spring 2017, the Festival Pocket Belt! All posts in this series were all preceded with a PPC14 notation. And if you're new here, and want to catch up or if you missed any of the posts from last month, don't worry, they're all listed below.
And now... Check out thie "Oldie but Goodie" from our Archives
 
 
Bobbin Around the Web-  Bill Locke Designs
 
Bill Locke is a Canadian quilter from Quebec and get this... he has his own pattern line. Featuring a male pattern designer is actually a first for us, but it just goes to show you that us girls aren't the only ones who who find sewing and quilting fun and relaxing!Bill designs mostly placemat and table runner patterns with a few quilt thrown in for good measure.
I especially liked the "My Charming Sunflower Garden" table runner and the "Vintage Summer's Delight" table mat pattern and dont' forget to check out his full line of patterns here.
 
Support this month's Newsletter Sponsors- 
Immedia Print- We print patterns and MUCH MORE! Click here to see our various services. 
All DunnDesigns- Click HERE for a FREE download pattern!
The Material Girl- Australian fabric is great for purse exteriors and I like THIS print!
 
TWO For Your Viewing Pleasure-
 
 
Who knew cats could yodel?
             Click image or HERE to watch this adorable video.
 
 
 
 
Here's a Cockatoo who LOVES to listen to Queen! (he's a pretty good dancer too!)
Click image or HERE to watch it.
 
Quote of the Month- 
 
 
As true today as on the day Henry Ford first said it!
Click image or HERE  for a larger view.
 
 
 
 
What a GREAT idea, right? As tough as denim is, it just might be the perfect fabric with which to make toys for your little fur buddies! And here's a fun (and free) tutorial to help you do just that!
Click HERE to get started!
 
 
As 'Funnie' as Real Life-
 
 
 
Click image or HERE  for a larger view.
 
Techie Tutorial of the Month- Tension Troubles?
 
 
Here is what might just be the best explanation I've ever found about sewing machine tension and how to handle the problems sometimes associated with it. I liked it so much that I printed it for my future reference!
 
Click the image or HERE to see it!
 
 
New Word of the Month- Fabric Stash
 
 
 
Click image or HERE  for a larger view.
 
A black & white cat strayed her way into the hearts of people at a nursing home. She came one day and decided to work there and make it her forever home.
Meet Oreo the cat!
The little former-stray showed up outside St. Augustine Health Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio and just kept coming back.
The friendly feline quickly crept her way into everyone's heart, and before they knew it they had a kitty sitting behind the reception desk helping her human friends with day to day work.  {Click HERE to read more}
 
 
Cat Picture of the Month-
 
 
 Click image or HERE  for a larger view.
 
So... thanks for reading our newsletter!
If you liked it and want to support it, why not...
 
Well, so long for now and until next month, remember...
 It's a GREAT day to be sewing!
 
Here's Our Upcoming Show Schedule- Let's Meet Up!

 
The rest of our Show Schedule is as follows:

AQS Quiltweek Paducah - Apr 26-29, 2017 - Paducah, KY
International Fall Quilt Market- Oct 28-30, 2017 - Houston, TX
International Quilt Festival- Nov 2-5, 2017-  Houston TX
Road to California 2018 - Jan 18-21, 2018  - Ontario, CA
 

 
Why Not Pass along the FUN?

 
 
Note to other webmasters: If you want to use an excerpt
from this newsletter in your publication, please ask me first.
StudioKat Designs, www.studiokatdesigns.com
137 S Hemingway Ct
Advance, NC 27006
1/866-409-8634