Classes & Events • Summer 2009
Inside: More Paper Piecing Classes! Big Show Off Tea Party Kid’s Sewing & Quilting
The promise of summer
As this issue goes to press we’re basking in some of this years’ very first rays of sunshine, enjoying the sharp tang of freshly cut grass and savoring the promise of warm, carefree days ahead...it sounds absolutely wonderful! But summertime can feel even busier than the rest of the year, jammed with house guests, travel plans, and upside down schedules...and then it’s over before you know it! Here at A Common Thread, we suggest promising yourself the best parts of summer by planning ahead now for the things you most want to do, especially if that includes some time spent stitching! So grab your calendar and make plans to leap into a new skill like paper piecing, fabric dying, or using a serger. Unearth the buried treasures in your stash to use in our wonderful classes. Enjoy our comfy, air-conditioned classroom when summer’s heat turns up. And let us treat you to Customer Appreciation discounts and fun events we’ve planned throughout June. So as we put the tables and umbrellas out on the patio, pull out your calendar and make summer’s promise a reality with us here at A Common Thread!
NEW! Best Value Service Clinics For vacuum cleaners: Most vacuum manufacturers suggest three belt changes per year for maximum cleaning power. We’ll do it while you wait to boost your cleaning efficiency! Saturday, May 30 or Saturday, July 25 •10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $15 • All makes & models • First come, first served! For sewing machines: Let our technician give your machine a mini-service of clean, oil, and tension adjust to keep you in stitches through the summer. Saturday, June 13 or Saturday, August 1 10:00 am-5:00 pm • Cost $30 All makes & models • First come, first served!
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Summer Open House Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17
Join our talented staff and instructors as you browse the newest class samples, inspirations, and demonstrations of new products and techniques!
June is Customer Appreciation Month! Our customers deserve the very best, so this June we’ve expanded our Customer Appreciation event into a month-long celebration. Please join us for fun & inspiration! Checker Trunk Show Thursday, June 4 • 11:00 am-4:00 pm See page 5 for full details! Customer Appreciation Sale & Fabric Swap June 24, 25 & 26 • regular store hours This popular annual event is all about you! Add your email address to our list for full details. Premier Notions Party Saturday, June 20 • 6:00-9:00 pm Our representative from Brewer will showcase new products just for you!
June
Victoria’s Big Show Off Tea Party Sunday, June 28 • 1:00-3:00 pm See page 13 for full details on all the fun!
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Learn to Quilt 401 Beginning Quiltmaking with Victoria Jones This class is perfect for anyone wanting to learn how to enjoy the quiltmaking process. You’ll learn many basic techniques in just one project: safe and accurate cutting, perfect piecing, best methods for layering, quilting and more. Come learn everything you need to know about quilt making from start to finish from our in-house expert Victoria, plus the tips and tricks to make your new hobby satisfying and fun! Tuesdays, May 26, June 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 or Sundays, July 19, 26, August 2, 16, 23 & 30 10:00 am-1:00 pm or 6:30-9:30 pm Cost $60 or FREE to Passport Members
QuiltmakingII 402 Quiltmaking II with Victoria Jones This skill building class is for students who have taken Quilting I and want to go farther. Many variations in the design allow you to stretch your creative wings. This class is also suitable for quilters just looking for a refresher or a fun project! Tuesdays, July 28, August 4, 11 & 25 10:00 am-1:00 pm or 6:30-9:30 pm Cost $50
HandiQuilter Rental Information Turn your quilt tops into beautiful quilts to enjoy now! 1010 HandiQuilter Training This class includes instruction on layering your quilt, attaching leaders, and threading and operating the HandiQuilter. Classes are limited to four students so you’ll receive the training to enjoy the HandiQuilter independently. This class is required before time on the HandiQuilter can be reserved. Third Wednesday of each month: May 20, June 17, July 15, or August 19 6:15-9:15 pm • Cost: $100
HandiQuilter Rental Store staff will be available to assist during your first four-hour rental period. We recommend using the first session to practice techniques learned in your Training class before starting in on your first project. You’ll receive information on recommended materials and policies when you sign up for your HandiQuilter time. Weekdays • 9:30 am-1:30 pm or 2:00-6:00 pm Saturdays • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Sundays • noon-4:00pm Stand-up Frame: first time $25/hour; subsequently $20/hour
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Embroidery 202 Embroidery Adventures with Jan Raith Enjoy your amazing embroidery machine! Each month brings a fun new project. All makes & models welcome. Kit fee payable to instructor for each class. Third Thursdays, May 21 & June 18 This ACT Club takes July & August off! 10:30 am-12:30 pm or 6:30-8:30 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members 208 Software Club with Jan Raith Do you own Bernina Embroidery Software, Editor Plus, or Designer Plus? Learn the many different features of your embroidery software as you build and reinforce your skills. Bring your laptop, security dongle, and creative enthusiasm! Second Thursdays, May14 & June 11 This ACT Club takes July & August off! 10:30 am-12:30 pm or 6:30-8:30 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members Private Bernina Software Consultation with Jan Raith Do you have a special embroidery project or technique that you’d like some individual tutoring for? Jan can teach you to get the most out of your Bernina embroidery software in a one-on-one session. By appointment only • $25 per hour Bernina Software Installation Service with Jan Raith Jan will help you install your software successfully and overcome fears about working with your laptop to get full value from your Bernina embroidery software. By appointment only • Fees vary; reduced rates apply if you purchased your software at A Common Thread!
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SewOregon 2009 The Road to Inspiration
June 25 through July 9 Visit great quilt shops all over Oregon to win prizes and collect inspiration. Plan your travels at
www.seworegon.com
We are open on the Fourth of July! 10:00 am-5:oo pm
Checkerow Trunk Sh y from
et Jud Come me enjoy utors and ib tr is D r e w and Check ity to previe e n u rt o p p o the for th ial orders c e p s e c s, la p oks, pattern o b t s e w e very n ! s available n o ti o n d n a June 4 Thursday, E! pm • FRE 0 :0 -4 m a 11:00
Wave Bag
Fashion & Accessories 631 Wave Bag with Pat Andrews The unique wave shape offers options to add superb details like piping, piecing, quilting, buttons and more. Four large pockets keep you neatly organized, too! Saturday, July 11 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $35 NEW! 327 Getting To Know My Label See how easy it is to create a wardrobe as unique as you are with Bernina’s revolutionary pattern design software. Get hands-on practice using the software, print patterns and sew a simple t-shirt designed just for your body. You’ll also receive a $50 coupon towards your purchase of either the My Label software or a serger. Class limited to six students. Tuesday, July 21 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $75 includes all supplies NEW! 328 My Label Fitting Workshop Bernina’s revolutionary garment design software helps you create the styles you want with perfect fit! In this weekend workshop you’ll learn the most effective ways to take your measurements and program them into your My Label software, then fit and make a classic tunic-style top to fit you beautifully. Thursday & Friday, August 6 & 7 10:00-5:00 pm Cost $75 if you purchased your My Label software at A Common Thread, or $100 if software purchased elsewhere
Manhattan Bag 687 Manhattan Bag with Ellen Cortright Choose just one or up to six fabrics, and then pick from Ellen’s techniques to personalize this popular style! Thursday, May 28 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $35 629 French Flea Market Apron with Victoria Jones This feminine apron makes the perfect hostess or shower gift. Choose just a few pretty prints and see how easy it is! Sunday, May 24 • 1:00-5:00 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members 301 Serger Party: Classic Shirt with Barb Thomas Use a serger to make a classic shortsleeve blouse just in time for warmer weather! Rayon batiks or cool cotton prints are perfect fabric choices as you learn or tune up your serger skills. Saturday, July 11 • 5:30-8:30 pm Cost $30 526 The Kangaroo Bag with Ellen Cortright Kayla Kennington’s stylish bag is perfect for unique fabrics and embellishments. Tuesdays, July 7 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm and July 14 • 10:00 am-1:00 pm Cost $40
Trace-N-Create Bag 518 Fabulous Fabric Creations for Your Trace-N-Create Bag with Julie Glenn Create a unique fabric for your next Trace-N-Create Bag – or any other project – with this fun and easy bargello-based technique. Sunday, July 12 • 1:00-5:00 pm Cost $30
Open Classroom 205 Friday and Saturday Night Madness This session started out with friends just stopping in to sew, and has grown into a real social event! Join us for sewing, laughter and fun, and get individualized help with your projects from our staff. Second Fridays of each month: May 8, June 12, July 10, & August 14 Fourth Saturdays of each month: May 23, June 27, July 25, & August 22 6:00 pm-midnight Cost $5 or FREE to Passport Members 305 Hump Day Hide-A-Way with Victoria Jones Do you dream of a great workspace to spread out your quilt blocks? Maybe some focused time to finish those projects? Or maybe you just want to sew and enjoy good company. No matter your reasons, join us in our spacious new classroom to Hide-A-Way! Every Wednesday • 1:00-5:00 pm Cost $5 or FREE to Passport Members
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The Artfull Bra Project As we prepare to join Portland’s Race for the Cure, we were inspired by The Quilters of South Carolina’s Artfull Bra Project, a traveling exhibition of incredibly embellished bras. Visit our web site to find a link to their amazing inspirations…then create your own Artfull Bra to display here at A Common Thread between August 20 and September 20; drop yours off by August 15. We’ll welcome some local luminaries to judge the entries on artistic integrity, ingenuity, and craftsmanship, and invite everyone who comes in the store to cast a ballot for the Viewers Choice Award! The Portland Komen Race for the Cure is Sunday, September 20, 2009. Last year over 45,000 participants raised $2.6 million dollars for local life-saving mammograms, breast health education and research for the cure. You’ll find registration materials in the store to sign up, and our invitation to join the staff of A Common Thread as we join this meaningful and memorable effort!
W
hen you purchase a sewing machine or serger from A Common Thread, you are entitled to one series of New Owner Classes. These classes are available to you for free if you take them within six months of purchasing your machine. Owners who take classes within six months of the date of purchase have a much greater level of satisfaction and truly enjoy their investment -- and the $25 Gift Certificate we award you upon completion of the series within the 6 month time period! Classes may be repeated or taken as a refresher for a nominal charge of $25. And of course, we are always available to help you with questions about your machine or projects! If you have purchased a machine from another dealer within a 200-mile radius or would like to take our classes we are happy to provide an adoption program to provide you with classes and warranty work.
New Owner Classes 101 Guide Class #1: Care and Maintenance of Your Machine Monday, July 6 • 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, May 17 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, August 3 • 2:00-4:00 pm Monday, June 1 • 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, August 16 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, June 22 • 6:15-8:15 pm Sunday, June 28 • 10:00 am-noon 102 Guide Class #2: Needles and Thread Sunday, May 24 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, July 13 • 2:00-4:00 pm Monday, June 8 • 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, August 23 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, June 29 • 6:15-8:15 pm Monday, August 24 • 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, July 12 • 10:00 am-noon 103 Guide Class #3: Feet and Accessories Sunday, June 7 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, July 20 • 2:00-4:00 pm Monday, June 15 • 2:00-4:00 pm Sunday, August 30 • 10:00 am-noon Sunday, July 19 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, August 31 • 2:00-4:00 pm 104 Guide Class #4: Artista Functions Monday, May 11 • 6:15-8:15 pm Monday, August 17 • 6:15-8:15 pm 105 Guide Class #5: Artista Memory Monday, August 24 • 6:15-8:15 pm Monday, May 18 • 6:15-8:15 pm
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106 Guide Class #6: Artista Embroidery Module Monday, August 31 • 6:15-9:15 pm Monday, June 1 • 6:15-9:15 pm 107 Guide Class #7: Aurora 430E and 440E Embroidery Module Sunday, August 2 • 10:00 am-1:00 pm Monday, June 8 • 6:15-9:15 pm 108 Guide Class #8: Using Your BSR Sunday, June 14 • 10:00 am-noon Monday, July 27 • 2:00-4:00 pm Monday, June 15 • 6:15-8:15 pm Monday, August 3 • 6:15-8:15 pm Sunday, July 26 • 10:00 am-noon Bernina 830 Classes 8300 Saturday & Sunday, May 30 & 31 • 10:00 am-3:00 pm 8301 Monday, July 6 • 6:15-8:15 pm 8302 Monday, July 13 • 6:15-8:15 pm 8303 Monday, July 20 • 6:15-8:15 pm Artista Software Classes 8304 Monday, July 27 • 6:15-8:15 pm Cost $50, or free if you bought your software at A Common Thread. These classes must be taken in order. 128 Thursday, July 9 • 6:15-9:15 pm 129 Thursday, July 16 • 6:15-9:15 pm 130 Thursday, July 23 • 6:15-9:15 pm Serger Guide Classes Cost $50, or free if you bought your serger at A Common Thread. These classes must be taken in order. 131 Saturday, June 6 • 5:30-8:30 pm 132 Saturday, June 13 • 5:30-8:30 pm 133 Saturday, June 20 • 5:30-8:30 pm
Fancy Footwork
Great shoes enhance your look just the way great feet enhance your sewing projects. Learn the techniques and register to win a Bernina 210 when you pick up your free ACT Dance Card. You’ll receive a demonstration of a Bernina machine foot every month from now to October.
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Sewing for Little Ones
Learn to Sew
321 Mama’s Choice Nursing Apron with Barbara Thomas Choose a fun fabric and use a sewing machine or serger to make this unique lined nursing apron designed so that mom can peek in and see baby. Thursday, July 30 • 6:30-8:30 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members
A Common Thread’s Learn To Sew classes are offered through Portland Community College. This summer we’re offering Learn To Sew Level I. Find complete descriptions, fees, and registration for these classes, held at A Common Thread, at the college web site at www.pcc.edu.
Kid’s Camps & Classes A Common Thread’s Kid’s Camps & Classes are offered through the Lake Oswego School District Community School. This summer we’re offering Kid’s Learn To Quilt and three skill-building levels of Kid’s Learn To Sew. Find complete information and registration for these classes, held at A Common Thread, at their web site: www.losdcommunityschool.org
Stella the Dog Quilt 499 Stella the Dog Quilt with Ellen Cortright Who wouldn’t love these playful polkadot pups! Ellen teaches you how to make this delightful quilt with fusible appliqué and easy piecing, perfect for snuggling or hanging on a nursery wall. Thursday, July 30 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $45
Early Bird Club! Special Guests • Sew-N-Tell Cool Tools • Demonstrations Discounts • Refreshments 206 Early Bird Club with Julie Glenn First Saturdays of each month: May 2, June 6, July 4, and August 1 10:00-11:30 am FREE • FREE • FREE
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Quilting Projects 401 Landscape 101 with Helene Knott Make a landscape quilt with Helene’s beautiful designs, and learn landscape design principles, fabric selection techniques, and a variety of versatile construction techniques. Pattern fee payable to instructor. Fridays, July 10 & 17 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $60 322 Pick A Project: Happy Hour with Victoria Jones Choose one of the three fun, fat-quarter friendly designs each in six sizes from Terry Atkinson’s Happy Hour book. These are perfect quilts to snuggle up with for fall, and just right for a college dormitory! Friday, June 19 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $40
Landscape 101 481 Reverse Hand Appliqué with Helene Knott Learn reverse hand appliqué techniques while making a striking sampler with stylized leaf shapes. You’ll learn to create and arrange them in a number of different ways from traditional to artistic for a truly unique wall hanging. Thursday, July 2 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $45
490 Journal Quilts Club with Helene Knott Journal Quilts are personal, page-sized quilts. Helene focuses on mentoring as you design and construct your own expressions: joy, sorrow, reflection, protest. Very confident beginners may join at any time & attend any sessions as you wish. Tuesdays, May 5 & June 2 • 6:00-9:00 pm All our ACT Clubs take July & August off! Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members
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Reverse Hand Appliqué
Winding Wayside Quilt 455 Winding Wayside with Julie Glenn This traditional design is made easy with a new twist: let us do the cutting for you! Choose your fabrics at least one week before class and we’ll cut accurate curved pieces with registration markings. Class begins with curved piecing and finishes with appliqué techniques. Sunday, June 14 • noon-5:00 pm Cost $45 532 Pick A Project: StrataVarious Quilts with Victoria Jones Slice and sew fat quarters to make one of three fun projects with simple techniques: the NeoStella quilt or the Gum Blossom or Oopsy Daisy Wall Hanging from StrataVarious Quilts. Even beginners will have no trouble creating perfect blocks and striking designs. Fridays, June 12 & 26 9:30 am-12:30 pm Cost $40
Tequila Sunrise Quilt 323 Tequila Sunrise with Victoria Jones Your bold color choices make these super-simple paper pieced blocks do the cha-cha-cha! They alternate with traditional piecing and whole blocks for a fast quilt with a kick. Saturday, June 13 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $40 457 Pick A Project: Piping Hot Curves with Victoria Jones Piping adds easy excitement to projects, and Piping Hot Curves makes it lots of fun, too! Inside you’ll find inspiration...and a warning that this technique is addictive! For Victoria’s class, choose one of three designs in the book. Wednesdays, July 22 & 29 10:00 am-1:00 pm • Cost $40
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Victoria’s Big Show Off Tea Party If you’ve taken one of Victoria’s classes you know how much humor, creativity, and enthusiasm she has to share... now it’s your turn! Bring your completed class project to share with her at this patio tea party and enjoy tea, cookies, inspiration, and camaraderie. Sunday, June 28 • 1:00-3:00 pm No reservation required but your class project is required for entry!
Craft & Decor Sewing
Sunflowers in the Rough
478 It’s A Wrap: Baskets, Bags & Bowls with Victoria Jones In this popular class you’ll learn how much fun it is to make unique baskets, bowls, purses, and mats from your stash and cotton clothesline. The technique is so easy and quick you’ll be amazed! Friday, May 22 • 10:00-5:00 pm Cost $40
486 Sunflowers in the Rough with Victoria Jones Fun folk art sunflowers bloom brightly on this wall hanging. You’ll enjoy playing with color selection, decorative stitches, easy raw-edge appliqué, and basic piecing in this fast cheerful project. Wednesdays, May 27 & June 3 10:00 am-1:00 pm • Cost $40
Fresh Picked Fruit 492 Fresh Picked Fruit with Ellen Cortright Cute fabric fruits make playful pincushions, or place them in a basket for a charming summer centerpiece! Saturday, June 20 • noon-5:00 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members
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Special Techniques 601 Continuous Binding Workshop with Victoria Jones Learn the secrets of perfect binding in this hands-on workshop: easily pieced, smooth and flat with crisply creased corners, a fitting finish to your quilt. Required kit fee of $5 payable to instructor. Sunday, May 24 • 6:00-9:00 pm or Wednesday, June 24 10:00 am-1:00 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members 1030 Fabric Dying 101 with Linda Johansen Learn several methods to dye and marble fabric to create textures, color graduations, and overdyes. Class supply fee of $40 includes seven colors of procion fiber reactive dyes, 5 yards of ready-to-dye white cotton, and Synthrapol. Bring your own washed fabric for dyeing or over-dyeing in class. Saturday, June 27 • 10:00 am-3:00 pm Cost $50 421 Paper Piecing Adventures: Tutti Frutti with Victoria Jones This design looks complex, but Victoria will teach you the secrets to its easy construction as you learn paper piecing techniques to create a magnificent, octagon-shaped wall hanging or table topper. A fee for paper templates is payable to the instructor. Saturday, August 29 10:00 am5:00 pm Cost $40
Hawaiian Quilts the Easy Way Hawaiian Quilts the Easy Way 458 Hawaiian Quilts the Easy Way with Julie Glenn The time-consuming methods of traditional Hawaiian quilting are as legendary as the complex designs, but now all that is a thing of the past! Enter a new era of Hawaiian quilting with fusible die-cut designs that are beautifully machine stitched into place with Julie’s tips for perfect placement and stitching. All pieces must be cut prior to class; you can purchase our kit available in a variety of colors, or choose your own fabrics and we’ll do the cutting for you! Saturday, August 1 • 1:00-4:00 pm Cost $30 201 Sew Creative Club with Barbara Thomas & Guests This learn-as-you-sew club is for all machine types and skill levels. You’ll find new techniques and lots of tips to use on all your projects in a hands-on session that celebrates your creativity! First Thursdays: May 7: Circular Embroidery Attachment June 4: Gathering & Ruching 10:30-12:30 or 6:30 -8:30 Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members
Tutti Frutti page 14
Quilter’s Studio with Helene Knott Helene’s quilts are breathtaking up close and from across a room, due to her famously thoughtful approach and practiced techniques. Learn from this master technician with an artists’ heart! Paper Piecing Adventures: Lady Liberty 500 Paper Piecing Adventures: Lady Liberty with Victoria Jones The perfect primer for anyone who wants to join our new Paper Piecing Block of the Month Club, or anyone who wants to learn this easy and precise technique. Friday, July 24 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $40 420 Beginning Sashiko with Helene Knott Learn the traditional, elegant Japanese decorative hand-stitching known as Sashiko. Though Sashiko is particularly stunning on quilts made with Asian fabrics, this class offers you many options for exciting ways to add this lovely technique to your own project. Thursday, July 9 • 10:00 am-5:00 pm Cost $45
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403 Beginning Machine Quilting with Helene Knott This beginner-level class covers various methods of machine quilting plus helpful troubleshooting tips. Prepare a simple pieced top for class as your canvas for learning new techniques & styles including marking and quilting traditional feather designs, classical and innovative stippling, crosshatching, working with freezer paper templates and tracing paper designs, and freemotion quilting. Workbook fee payable to the instructor. Fridays, June 5 & 12 • 1:00-5:00 pm or Saturdays, July 18 & 25 1:00-5:00 pm Cost $50 543 Custom Quilting Consultation with Helene Knott Many of Helene’s students have asked for individual attention in planning quilting for their work, and we’re pleased to offer this new class where all the students will learn from Helene as she consults on each students' personal project. Friday, July 31 • 1:00-3:00 pm Cost $30 or FREE to Passport Members
Open House Friday, May 15 through Sunday, May 17 See page 3 for details!
Table of Contents
Craft & Decor Sewing: page 13
New Owner Classes: page 8
Embroidery: page 5
Open Classroom: page 10
Fashion & Accessories: page 6
Quilt Projects: page 11
Kid’s Classes & Camps: page 34
Sewing for Little Ones: page 10
Learn to Sew: page 10
Special Techniques: page 14
Learn to Quilt: page 4 You’ll easily find us just west of Interstate 5 off the Carman Drive exit #291 at the corner of SW Sequoia Parkway & Redwood Lane. w e Monday through Friday 10:00-6:00 pm N ! s r Saturday 10:00-5:00 pm • Sunday noon-5:00 pm u Ho
PAID
PRSRT STD U. S. POSTAGE
PORTLAND, OR PERMIT #1558
Fabrics • Quilting • Fashion • Home Decor Craft Sewing • Notions • Classes Bernina • Janome • Miele • HandiQuilter Full Service & Repairs
15230 SW Sequoia Parkway, Suite 100 Portland, Oregon 97224 503 624-7440 or 877 915-6789 www.acommonthreadsewing.com