Have you tried to use the Internet to connect with your customers and not been as successful as you wish? Your online newsletter – or e-zine – is the key to connecting with your customers and increasing sales at the same time.

I’ve seen this happen day after day in my own business and want to share the secrets I’ve discovered with you. Join me on July 9, 13, 16 and 20 at 3 pm Eastern as we explore what you need to do to: plan, write and publish your e-zine; set up and begin posting to your blog; create and populate your Facebook page; join Twitter and begin Tweeting.

Registration includes the teleclasses, MP3 downloadable recording, written materials and a private yahoo group for class attendees to share their experiences, questions and discoveries. Here are details.

Join us to learn how to take your business to the next level with Internet marketing.

Quilted One Block Marvels
Carolyn Sullivan
American Quilters’ Society; $22.95

The book’s title does not do justice to the actual marvels inside. Australian Carolyn Sullivan teaches you how to design your own block from elements in architecture or nature and then turn repeats of that block into quilts. She focuses on three types of symmetry – repetitions, rotations and reflections – to create the seemingly endless quilt design variations. Once you understand the concepts, you are free to make your own quilt or make one of the 12 that the book includes.

Here’s a link if you’d like to add it to your library.

In the Spring and Summer issues of The Professional Quilter Gloria Hansen took a look at the phenomenon of social networking, specifically Facebook and Twitter. While we think of social networking as relatively new, it had its start in 1997 with SixDegrees.com, though the site is no longer active.

Today social networking lets you make connections that you would not otherwise make. I’ve connected with high school friends and flames, new friends who share similar interests besides quilting, and quilting associates. And, social networking is a good thing for business. It lets your customers and clients get to know you on a more personal level. I’ve heard it said that before someone buys from you, they need to know, like and trust you. Social networking lets them do that.

Here are six tips to help you take advantage of social networking:

1. Quality of your connections, not quantity, is your goal according to Gloria. You don’t have to “friend” everyone. You want to enhance your opportunities rather than get bogged down in lots of non-relevant chit-chat.

2. Learn how to fine tune the information you receive. Spend time learning how to use Facebook so that, for example, you don’t get spend unnecessary time reading news feeds that aren’t news. You can do this in the Settings, News Feed section of Facebook. Facebook also has a help section.

3. Facebook lets you post photos. Take advantage of this by posting photos of yourself teaching, lecturing, working at the longarm, attending a gallery opening with your work. Pictures speak louder than words.

4. Give more than you get with your posts. Share your expertise so that you can to help other people. This comes back to you in so many more ways than you can count. Zig Ziglar says, “You can have everything in life you want, if you’ll just help enough other people get what they want.”

5. Look for ways to integrate the technologies. For example, if you tweet (the action of posting to Twitter) about being at a gallery opening, post a link to your blog where you have uploaded pictures of you and your quilts at the gallery.

6. Use timesaving applications, such as TweetDeck and Twhirl. I like Ping.fm that lets me post to both Facebook and Twitter at the same time.

7. Remember that Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites don’t eliminate the need for a Web site and/or blog. Be sure to keep your Web site active and post to your blog. Each tool has a purpose, so develop a strategy for using them all.

Remember it’s all about making connections, and you never know when that connection might turn into a wonderful opportunity.

The Professional Quilter always includes an article that is technology focused to help you grow your quilt business. You can learn more from Gloria Hansen’s articles on using Facebook in Issue 107 and Twitter in Issue 108. If your subscription is not current and you need to renew, or you want to start a new subscription, here’s a link to our order page

Pat Sloan
Leisure Arts; $14.95

Are you looking for a project to celebrate the change of seasons in a couple of weeks? Look no further. Pat Sloan has 14 joyful table runners, wall hangings, lap quilts and bed quilts to inspire you. She shares her inspiration for each design and includes both appliqué and pieced quilts. For June she offers her “Scrappy Heart Quilt” and for July her “Ocean Waves Quilt.” And I love that the July project is done in Independence Day colors. Since I’m off to the ocean in a few weeks, I might have to take along one of the these to do.

Here’s a link if you’d like to add it to your library.

Business can sometimes be a bit slower in the summer. I like to take advantage of the slower pace and the warmer weather to relax more outside while I’m planning marketing activities.

One idea for marketing that Sue Moats covered in her Longarm Forum in the Spring issue of The Professional Quilter is perfect for the slower-paced summer. She looked at holding an open house as a way to market your longarm business. While many people like to hold the open house at a holiday time, I think summer is perfect. It’s less hectic, your customers might be more relaxed and eager to start a top and conflicts are probably fewer. Sue interviewed several quilters who found open houses to be a successful way to market their businesses. If you’d like to give it a try, here’s a checklist to get you started:

• Select dates, hours
• Solicit help if needed
• Check on insurance
• Decide on any incentives/coupons
• Advertise and/or send invitations
• Arrange for refreshments
• Prepare machine and studio for visitors
• Put out guest book to collect names and contact info
• Have adequate supply of business cards/flyers
• Take care of any needed follow-up.

If you plan an open house for the summer, be sure to let me know how it goes.

You can read Sue’s complete article in Issue 107 of The Professional Quilter. If your subscription is not current and you need to renew, or you want to start a new subscription, here’s a link to our Order Page.

Flora Botanica
Barbara Brackman
Kansas City Star Books; $24.95

The Spencer Museum of Art at The University of Kansas maintains an extensive collection of art, including about 180 quilts. In 2008 Barbara Brackman curated the exhibit Quilts: Flora Botanica. This book showcases the 27 quilts in that exhibit and examines the source and symbolism of each. The exhibit also included reproductions of quilts made by the Kaw Valley Quilters’ Guild. The book includes directions for making five of those quilts.

Here’s a link if you’d like to add it to your library:  http://tinyurl.com/FloraBotanicaBook

Join us in the PQ Café on Thursday, June 11, for our class “Use Video to Promote Your Business” with award-winning quilter Bonnie McCaffery. Bonnie’s latest venture is creating videos for the quilt world. In addition to her free VidCasts on her Web site, Bonnie produces DVDs for quilters to use to promote their classes and product lines.

The teleclass is scheduled for Thursday, June 11 at 8 pm, Eastern Standard Time. Registration includes both the teleclass and the MP3 downloadable recording, so if you can’t come to the class, you’ll get the recording to listen to at a time that works for you. Here are details.

Hope to see you then. And, if you have concerns you want me to be sure to cover, just drop me an e-mail, and I’ll try to fit them in.

Today is Memorial Day, a day of remembrance of those who fought for our freedom in this country. I’m grateful for those men and women who fought and lost their lives so that I might enjoy the life that I have in the United States.

Memorial Day is often considered the unofficial start of summer with pools opening and family picnics. If you are thinking about what to do this summer, consider some of the quilt ideas that Meg Cox included in her article Saturday in the Wall Street Journal. She mentions the quilt show in Sisters, Quilt National, an exhibit of Paula Nadelstern‘s work at the American Folk Art Museum and the Quilt Trails of Western North Carolina. Here’s a link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203771904574175704270154992.html.

I’m back from Market. It was exhilarating and exhausting. It was great to catch up with other professionals, and I met lots of new people in the industry. I enjoy seeing the new fabrics. I love the beachy colors – blues, greens, yellows, oranges – clear, crisp, almost sherbetty colors. After all, the oranges did make me think of mango! OK, most colors make me think of food!

Just a bit of what I liked: The Authentic line by Sweetwater Design from Moda. It’s filled with typography and newsprint fabric; must reflect my journalism background!

Also showcasing Moda‘s line is Joanna Figueroa with Fig Tree & Co.

Avlyn fabrics also has several nice new lines, including Belle Fleur, a white, green and black graphic collection from Karen Combs. Karen also introduced here Batik Cascade line.

And always a favorite for me is the Michael Miller booth, with bright happy colors.

And, while I didn’t get a photo, Kona Bay always has a wonderful fabric selection.

And I liked what Valori Wells did to decorate her booth. She took swatches of her lines and sewed them onto a canvas cloth and hung that. It was simple and effective.

One of my favorite designers is Robyn Pandolph, who designs fabric for RJR. Here she is with Barbara Bradley. They’ll work together from a new design studio soon.

I caught up with a couple of my favorite bag makers. Joan Hawley from Lazy Girl Designs was delivering her newest girl Claire for display in several booths. And Terry Atkinson has two new books, including Big Bags, little bags, which includes ideas for using yo-yos for a little zing and for using oilcloth for your bag. Both Joan and Terry have great tutorials on their blogs.

Here are a few shots from my row at the show. Susan Cleveland with Pieces Be With You was on one side of me and Karen Montgomery from The Quilt Company was on the other. Karen’s got some great shots of the floor on her blog.

Across the aisle were Janine Burke and Amy Walsh from Blue Underground Studios.

And here’s one last shot with quilt artist and author ReNae Merrill and Leslie O’Brien, PQ advertising rep.

I did pick up some new notions, so look for some reviews in the future. The big item I think was the bias binding maker from Simplicity/Wrights/Ez.

And, what coverage of Quilt Market would be complete without a mention of Sample Spree? This is the most hectic event, everyone’s first peek at what’s new. People line up early to get first chance to buy fabric in particular. Here’s a shot of the line waiting to get in. The doors open at 8 pm; the first person was in line at 2:30!

And, as for our location, we were at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. It’s a fabulous facility with lots of natural light; everything looks good in that lighting. Pittsburgh is a great city, too, with friendly people and terrific food – any city that puts French fries on a sandwich or salad ranks high with me! I hope we’ll be back next time we go to the East Coast.