On my recent teaching trip to Texas, I visited Quilt Your Own, in Stafford (outskirts of Houston). Owner, Chris Ginkens runs a community quilting studio where clients who have completed a three hour private rental orientation class, may rent long-arm quilting machines for $34.95 per hour. All the machines are professional quality APQS.

There are three large long-arm machines and a sit-down mid-arm. They have batting and wide goods fabric available for purchase and members of staff ready to assist the quilters. The nine-patch quilt is a quilting sampler with a variety of all-over quilting patterns.

For quilters wanting to take a break, there were two wonderful armchairs. Chris made sections of patchwork from her choice of fabrics and then turned the project over to Sophie’s Upholstery, a business operating a few doors away, to complete the upholstery. I loved these bright and cheerful chairs.