When piecing together any project, you’re going to want a wide open space to ease the process of designing, piecing, and cutting. Allow yourself an area designated for a large enough cutting board for the type of projects you normally do. Buy a fabric wall or create your own for even more savvy space in your area.
2. Adequate Lighting
Create an area full of efficient lighting to see your project clearly from beginning to end. For extra help, pick up some lighting that has a magnifier attached to keep your color coordination sharp and reduce any other hard-to-see errors.
3. Nifty Notions
Fill your sewing area with handy tools that are only an arm’s reach away and ready to roll! Here are just a few things you won’t want to find yourself without once you start sewing!
Rulers & Templates of all sorts are great to have, but these three are exceptionally useful!
And of course, a good seam ripper is always handy to have close by!
4. Storage Solutions
You’re going to need a practical place to store all of the notions you have gathered. Explore our selection of storage essentials to help get you organized! Find a place to store anything from fabric and rulers to pins and needles!
5. A Creative Environment
To start any good project, one needs motivation. Create a space in which you find yourself surrounded in inspiration. Design it to your tastes. Make an area that you feel comfortable in, but also allows for your creativity to grow! Scroll through these patterns to discover a wall hanging you can add your own flare to and finish off a sewing room personalized to your own tastes!
BLOCK Magazine is an “idea book” designed, produced, and published by Missouri Star Quilt Co. When you flip through these fresh, glossy pages you’ll find gorgeous photography, fun patterns, brilliant ideas, and one-of-a-kind stories! You’ll be left to wonder, “Who are these people surrounded by beautiful quilts and pretty props?” or “Who wrote that inspiring story?” and “Who in the world pieces together all these quilts!?”
We want to introduce you to the team of around 40 people who bring BLOCK Magazine to life! Take a peek into all the hard work, creativity and just pure love that is poured into each issue!
Executive & Managing Editors
The design of a quilt is decided by Jenny Doan and her daughter, Natalie Earnheart. They choose patterns and themes and then request the fabric they want to use. Once the fabric arrives, they team up with sewists, Carol and Janice, to complete the quilt tops.
Executive Editors include Mike Mifsud, Alan Doan, Sarah Galbraith, David Mifsud, and Jenny Doan. Natalie Earnheart is Managing Editor.
Sewists, Quilters, and Binders
“I’m a sewist so I help piece the quilt tops… I love that I get to be a small part of inspiring people who read BLOCK magazine. I have visions of people sharing their love of others through the gift of quilting… I have been a model a few times for the magazine and that has been really fun. Something I never thought I would get to do.”– Carol Henderson
Jenny Doan, Natalie Earnheart, Carol Henderson, and Janice Richardson make up the sewist team for BLOCK.
After the sewists piece together the quilt tops, they are sent over to our Machine Quilting department of over 20 skilled longarmers. Here, the quilt tops receive batting and backing and are then carefully quilted. After, the sewists stitch on the binding and then voilà, a finished quilt ready to become the star of the latest BLOCK issue!
Pattern Team
Before the quilt tops are quilted, they are sent to our pattern team to examine. The pattern writers will then write step-by-step instructions on how to create the quilt. They figure out yardage requirements, tools needed, and outline every little action needed to be taken in order to complete a quilt and send them off to the editors. Once approved by the editors, the pattern is sent back to Carol and Janice for testing. When the sewists give the okay, it is ready the talented designer, Tyler, to whip up some illustrations for our readers to have a visual representation for each step in the pattern. After one last review by all, the pattern is ready to featured in the next BLOCK Magazine!
Here the Pattern Team: Jessica Toye, Denise Lane, Tyler MacBeth, Edie McGinnis go over final drafts with Creative Director: Christine Ricks, Managing Editor: Natalie Earnheart, and Executive Editor: Jenny Doan.
“My favorite part of my job is working with such a talented group of people. And how we all work together to put together something that we can all be proud of.” – Denise Lane
“I love seeing BLOCK come together. It is so much fun to see a quilt in its earliest form and work on the transition to what our readers see in the magazine.” – Jessica Toye
Copywriters
Nichole, our lead copywriter, collects the memoirs of Missouri Star family members as well as inspiring stories from quilters from all around the world to plan story prompts for BLOCK. Then, Nichole, Camille, Julie, and David will craft beautifully written stories that go along with each quilt. Our copywriters truly have a way with words. You’ll fall in love with the stories they create!
Nichole Spravzoff (top left) and Camille Maddox (top right) both work remotely and are still able to wonderfully capture the voice of Missouri Star! Julie Barber and David Litherland (bottom) work together in the creative studio on copy ideas for the next issue!
“When I write stories, I often get to reach out to people, Jenny included, and ask them about their own stories. It’s so much fun to hear their stories and bring them to life in BLOCK. I love writing, so it’s all fun to me.” – Nichole Spravzoff
“My favorite part about writing for BLOCK is when I get to use personal memories and experiences as inspiration for the story prompts. It’s a lot of fun for me to figure out how to build a story off of a special moment!” – Julie Barber
Photography Team
Mike Brunner is our talented lead photographer. In charge of completing a successful photoshoot for the team, Mike enjoys working with and appreciates the ideas and collaboration of everyone involved. From unwelcoming weather to making the models feel comfortable to making sure the colors and settings are accurate, Mike has an intuitive eye for creating beautiful photography for BLOCK Magazine.
Lauren Dorton is not only a talented photographer and photo-stylist, but she is an brilliant maker. Above, we see her strolling old country roads to gather pretty plant life in which she pieces together to create a winter bouquet for a scene in BLOCK Magazine. The entire team is very resourceful when it comes to finding props and Lauren is amazing at crafting everyday items into amazing props.
Jennifer Dowling is responsible for locating places that are indicative to our hometown, casting the right models, and gathering props. When food is involved, Jennifer turns into a caterer and prepares food such as a Thanksgiving turkey for a fall scene or baking cookies for celebratory backgrounds. Jennifer styles the scene in a way that brings the story to life for each quilt.
Once the photos are all shot, they are sent off to Dustin Weant, our amazing photo retoucher. Dustin really helps to bring the quilts into focus and allows for the models and scenery to really shine in the background!
Creative Director/Printing Coordinator
Creative Director, Christine Ricks is behind the scenes the entire 4-6 months it takes to create and finish an issue. Christine designs mood boards and creates style guides with the help of Tyler from the pattern team in which the rest of the team can refer to during the making. They use the changing seasons and coming holidays for inspiration. Flying in from her home in Utah every few months, Christine works closely with all of the teams involved to ensure the entire creation of BLOCK is done smoothly and timely.
Lastly, all the last minute details and printing services are organized and set into motion by BLOCK’s printing coordinator, Rob Stoebener. Then they are ready to be sent out by our speedy shipping department from the warehouse and into your mailbox!
Each issue is only $7.99 for a total of $47.94 a year for six issues when you subscribe. [Canada rates are $9.99 per issue, for a total of $59.94 a year for six issues.]
The best part about this magazine is there are absolutely NO ads! It is a 100% pure, original, authentic Missouri Star creation!
“Your subscriptions matter. You help us keep it ad-free! It’s Missouri Star’s choice to keep it a high quality magazine and get value out of it. From the quality of paper to the photography, and the writing, it’s all from the heart.”
One of the best parts about becoming a new parent, is getting to put together a nursery for the little one to come. Choosing the colors, theme, decor… etc, it’s a fun part of getting ready for a new baby.
All of our kids & baby prints are perfect for baby fever quilting, but our newest brand of fabrics will give you all the cutesy feels!
World of Susybee is a cute collection of woodland and jungle creatures like Lewe the Ewe, Knightly the Elephant, Flutter the Butterfly, and Zoe the Giraffe. With panels, kits, and perfect prints this collection makes putting a nursery together wildly fun.
Create a cuddly, snuggly pal with these fuzzy kits:
In 1958, a fun-going, strong-willed group of individuals within the community came together to establish the Lakeview Golf Course here in Hamilton, MO. Ever since, the course has been run entirely by course members and volunteers who work hard to keep it going!
As the name implies, Lakeview borders the town’s reservoir so there’s a gorgeous view all around. The course is 9 holes and measures over 3,118 yards, creating a layout that is quite challenging, making this the perfect place to learn control and build accuracy.
Lakeview holds a special place in the hearts of many that reside here in Hamilton and surrounding areas. The course has been a place of social gathering, bonding experiences for families and friends, and a place for our youth to learn and grow in the sport. Tournaments are held here in order to fund scholarships for those on the Penney High School golf team and Memorial tournaments are held to remember those who were an important part of the course in years’ past.
“The most important thing for me is to see people play, have a great experience, and find a sense of community.” says Kim Evans Carson, president. Kim has been a part of Lakeview since she was a child, playing on the course while her grandfather worked as a groundskeeper. She later played golf at Missouri Western where she finished her Music Education degree. Now, she lives and teaches in Independence, MO, but comes home on the weekends to fulfill her duties to the golf course in her hometown.
During her presidency, Kim hopes to keep the course in all its former glory while adding modern touches, gain more memberships that will create stronger bonds among family and friends, and reach out to the youth to encourage involvement in the sport as a place to learn and grow!
Plan your visit to Hamilton and stop in for a game of golf this summer! Follow their Facebook page for the latest updates and send them a message to get in touch!
We are a community of quilter’s, brought together by our love of pretty prints and fun designs, but mostly by the need to create and give back.
As we encourage you to explore your creative talents within different mediums of art, we also encourage you to make your best project yet on the most perfect canvas… Earth.
There are so many brilliant ways to make our planet beautiful. Planting flowers, recycling cans and cardboard, or simply reducing waste.
Here at Missouri Star, we recycle all of our cardboard to the Hope Haven Recycling Center in Chillicothe, MO.
Whenever we call, Hope Haven comes to the rescue!
They fill their trucks with our cardboard boxes and deliver it to the facility for us!
We want to give a huge thanks to Hope Haven Industries and their amazing employees for making our local communities a beautiful place to live!
If you are interested in recycling the boxes and other items you receive from us or other companies, we’ve found this guide to help you find your nearest recycling center!
For our in-store shoppers, make use of our reusable shopping totes! Fill them to the brim with fabric and supplies. When you aren’t in town, use them at your local grocery store or shopping mall to reduce waste and display pride in quilting all at the same time!
You can even reduce waste by quilting! Recycle old clothing or make use of all the fabric scraps laying around in your sewing room! These scrap busting tutorials will turn recycling from chore to quilting galore!
