Monday, September 24, 2012

Times they are a changin'

Back to school has come and gone for most of us, and some of our staff is now gone....so we are adjusting to new routines at home and at work.  Fall is in the air, so that means time for pumpkins and new accessories?!   Or, you could use this time to get a jump on Christmas gift giving plans - but there's still about 90 days left to think about that....



We have some great new floral ruffle fabrics in - antique rose and celadon mixed with soft shades of purple, perfect for scarves!  We've also got a new pin dot - so here is just a peek at the antique rose.
Also new, some fun twills and london motif prints - great for a grocery tote or everyday bag.








One of our recent creations - a table runner, features a fall leaf panel print and it would be great with coordinating napkins or potholders!  If you're a fan of cooking accessories - maybe a new apron would complete your fall attire.  This new apron smock pattern slips over your head, no ties, buttons or tricky closures.



 Some new fabric, in amazing shades of brown and grey "woodland" stonehenge show off some great geometric shades.  We haven't figured out the perfect quilt to combine them in just yet, so stop by and share your ideas with us!



Stop by this weekend for the 91 mile yard sale - we'll be open at 9:00am both days!  And we have an amazing Baltimore Halloween quilt on display for the next week - showcasing batiks galore and one of our customer's pretty spooktacular applique and quilting talents!


Happy Stitching!



Saturday, September 15, 2012

Back to School

Can't believe it's already September, can you? Here's our newest kid's quilt...made from a panel called ABC Primer from Wilmington Prints. We added simple frames, sashing, and border. Doesn't get much easier than that!


Speaking of school...The next Journey of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle will start in October (or maybe November), and there are still a few spaces left! This six month series will meet once a month. Meetings will focus on sharing ideas and techniques for that month's project, as well as a discussion of some historical aspects of quilting in America.

You can check out our class page here.

Happy Stitching!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Cactus Blossom Pincushion

Time for another pincushion! This month the featured project is called 'Cactus Blossom Pincushion'...we're holding onto that long dry summer concept!  Pretty cute, right? This is one of those where the fabric definitely makes all the difference...and since you need four different prints it's kind of fun coming up with some creative combinations. Plus, this one's a great size for big projects. We've got fat quarters cut of our choices...plus one other color option, if you like pre-selected choices.  Remember the Cream Puff Christmas Trees from last December? The same artist designed this pattern...the company name is La Todera and they've got some seriously creative ideas up their sleeves! We packaged up the pattern with a precut cardboard base along with some washers for weights, so you just have to add fabric and a few supplies and you're ready to go - no sewing machine required!


Happy Stitching!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Summer Excursions

Summer field trips can be all about quilting can't they?  I had a fun day viewing lots of quilts and spending time with quilt fans.  We were able to get up close and really check out the quilt collection of Karen Alexander, quilt historian, Lopez Island.   It was an amazing opportunity to view a variety of quilt styles and learn a bit about the historical research effort that Karen is involved in.  One of my very favorite quilt tops (pictured below) was this amazing hexagon quilt top - papers intact!  Karen is still in the process of studying this acquisition so the verdict is out on it's origin and age - regardless of the specifics, it is a spectacular example of this style of work.  

You can learn more about Karen's activities on her blog:  

Photos taken at Karen's Quilt Research Studio, August 6th.





Amazing fabric choices - and design decisions that left us asking...now why do you think they did that?




Don't miss the Whatcom Museum exhibit that runs through October!  http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/387251/3f5f649900/1629500385/bd7c2c72d9/

Julie Silber Quilt Adventure,
http://www.quiltadventure.com/

Happy Stitching!