Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Thimble SIX Medallion Quilt Step TWO

Are you ready for step 2?  This step is a quick frame, and we used a directional vine print from Laundry Basket Quilts for Moda and fussy cut it for a more distinct border.


Our pattern and fabric kits are now available online or at the shop!


Thimble SIX step 2

We have great new fabrics and notions arriving...can you believe it is time for holiday fabric to start happening...and yes, that means Halloween!  We expanded our selection of aurifil 50 weight thread to include a broader range of neutrals, and we have some fun patterns and projects underway.  

One new reproduction fabric collection - all 36 pieces of Judie Rothermel's party of 12.  We created some 1/8th yard rolls of the complete collection which is more than enough to do a scrappy project.  Like this great quilt that features 30 of the prints - created from a template pattern by Red Crinoline quilts called Lizzie's Scrap Bag.  A fun project and a great treat to work with a complete collection of fabrics.  Stop by and check it out!

Lizzie's Scrap Bag - party of 12 fabrics
  Happy Stitching and enjoy the summer rainy season!



Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Thimble SIX Medallion Quilt Step ONE

Join us for our anniversary doll quit sew along...this project finishes at approx. 20 inches x 26 inches!

We have finally completed our pattern and it is available for sale if you would like to create a thimble 6 medallion doll quilt.  Please check our website or stop by the store to purchase a copy.  
center medallion options

toile fabric 


Thimble strips
Thimbles


Step 2 will be simple, so take your time with this step and find your perfect "Center".

Center Medallion


Have fun and happy Stitching!!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Still June right?

Well with school graduations, finals and end of year projects and performances....the month has disappeared quickly!  We will be glad to get on with a 'summer' routine soon.  And of course, summer for us means we can sew all day and night right?  If you missed our announcement about the Sew-in scheduled for July 26th....we've still got a few spaces left in case you have any projects you want to get underway?  A 'retreat' day may be just the ticket!  Give us a call or stop in and we'll get you registered.

We finally have a show and tell pin cushion for the month of June...it was a bit of trial and error, as I followed a tutorial online, and thought perhaps it was sew simple, I really didn't need to follow any directions, pictures or hints...let's just say it took a bit longer to execute!  This project is english paper pieced and it can also be done by machine if you can master pivoting corners, etc.  Here is the tutorial link and our photo, featuring gorgeous william morris fabrics.  Pretty cool?!
http://abyquilt.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/pincushion-tutorial.html


We really love some of our anniversary edition doll quilts from the past...and wanted to do something a bit different this year.  I've attached some of the pictures below from our prior projects.  We still have a couple of kits available for one or two of these.  This year if you hadn't noticed, we're stretching our anniversary activities out to fit our ability to get things done.  Sounds reasonable right?


Vintage T - year 2
Sense of Direction - year 4


Four-Square - year 4 too!


Chocolate T - year 5
In honor of our 6th anniversary......over the next several weeks we'll provide a set of instructions to complete a medallion doll quilt.  Each 'frame' represents a year of blood, sweat and tears....mixed up with great customers, new friends and a few fabric scraps!  We hope you'll join in and make a little doll quilt along with us...and don't forget to send us comments and pictures of your progress...or drag it in for show and tell in person - we love to see your projects!

No worries if you can't join us now, we're working on a pattern and will have it available at a later date.    
That being said - if you want to join in the sew along - gather your favorite fabrics and finish up your works in progress so you'll be ready to start when we publish the first step on Tuesday the 18th... OR we have fabric kits available if you want to sew a quilt featuring our favorite color palette of chocolate and aqua.

And just a little hint...if you want to do it exactly like ours...you'll want to gather up some one inch thimble paper piece templates OR the Miss Rosie's Lil' Crumbler template.  We'll suggest some other options too if you're just not in a thimble mood.  We have both of these options in stock at the moment.


And to get you in the spirit for medallion quilts - here are a couple of great sources of inspiration!
http://pinterest.com/ctpublishing/liberty-love/

We love Gwen's book that came out last spring published by AQS.



Happy Stitching!  

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Guest Post #1

Here is a great easy inspirational project...customer ideas help keep us motivated and we love it when something comes together as if there was a master plan!  Here is our first guest post by customer Linda... 

Musings from the quilt room...........Ever had to make a quilt that was out of your comfort zone and out of your age zone?  I recently had to make a very modern, hip, quilt for a young woman who lives next door to me and is graduating from high school this week.  I have been teaching her younger sister to sew for the past year and thankfully, she had some ideas about what our young grad might like.  I gave her free run of the over the top stash and she chose an old pile of “impossible” fat quarters well past their "use by" date.  Working together, we just made up this black and multicolored quilt as we went along.  We had a wonderful time and were rather excited about the results. 

Two Thimbles really hit the mark with the quilting and the multicolored binding really framed the whole thing nicely.  Making the border from fat quarters was a bit annoying but a good teaching moment for a young quilter.  All in all I think my aspiring young quilt-maker friend and I are really pleased with the result and what fun we had.  Maybe some more of those “impossible” fabrics will find a home soon.  Happy quilting and teach someone young to sew if you have a chance, it will give you a whole new outlook.  Oh yes, Happy Graduation Anya,  hope you love this Jazzy quilt.
  


Graduation


Before Binding


Thanks for sharing your story!  We appreciate your patronage and enjoy your inspiring projects!


Happy Stitching!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Quilt Market Inspiration

Some of what we go to quilt market for ...is to be inspired and energized with all that is happening around us...  It gets me out of the shop and some fresh thoughts start to percolate.  Of course, the hard part is translating those into reality given there is never enough time right?!  Here are some photos we took in Portland in May.










 All the great displays, new products and patterns, fabrics and COLOR everywhere are a real source of ideas for us...and sometimes our customers are the source of our inspiration.  We are going to feature 'guest' customer blogs on occasion so if you think you have something you'd like to share, and a great project and photo that ties in with 2T experiences send us an email and we'll set you up!

Happy Stitching!


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

What's been going on...Anniversary SALE

Oilcloth picnic tote
Some or our customers have been creating fun projects - a picnic / roll-up tote for summer concerts in the park?  This one has oilcloth on one side just in case the grass is damp - not that could happen in our neck of the woods!  And a fun inside storage pocket to stash your favorite beverage...What a fun gift to give and receive!
Inside Picnic tote

My dear friend Octavia passed away several years ago, she is pictured below with one of her early quilts.  She produced some beautiful projects, and her amazing stash was distributed far and wide....well between life and jobs and kids and dogs etc., happening for the rest of us, the memorial quilt we had intended to do for her family never got done.  Until now.  So although the occasion was not a happy one - the resulting quilt feels like a huge accomplishment and is truly appreciated at the receiving end.   It is a big relief to have it done - thanks to O's quilting friends from the past, now Two Thimbles customers.  I delivered the quilt last month to Octavia's mom and she was so happy and appreciative to receive it.  Thank-you so much to everyone who helped move this project along for me!   We miss you Octavia!!


Octavia's memorial quilt
And here is a bright and cheerful something fun I completed recently...not a store sample for a change...actually a gift for my mom who loves red and orange.  This table runner features a gorgeous poppy ribbon down the middle, hand-dyed sateen and jacquard fabrics from my collection of hand-dyed Judy Robertson www.justimagination.com fabrics....and a piece of printed lawn I received from Octavia's stash...This was a fun, quick project and not in a traditional color palette!

Table Runner
So that is a little bit of what's been going on...as we get ready for our Anniversary Sale!  Hope you'll be stopping in to stock up!!

 Two Thimbles Turns Six!
 Anniversary Celebration Sale 
June 6th, 7th, and 8th 
Thursday – Friday – Saturday 
10am – 6pm 

25% Off Fabric From the Bolt 
Old Favorites Newly priced at $6.00/yard 
Special Anniversary Prices on Selected Items! 


Happy Stitching!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

June

Well....what can I say?  It's been a bit of chaos in my world....projects started, projects finished, gone to market, add in a summer cold, school and sporting events, and then there is the usual day to day....so maybe we'll get back on track this month if we start now?  
Cherry Blossoms
The color in this photo isn't quite right, but you get the idea - this is a great pattern for a bold print, and we are ready for some spring and summer picnic weather to go with it!


Beginning Quilting table runner
The above two pictures feature a beginning quilt project - if you've been waiting to get started - we've got an evening beginning quilting class ready to go this summer while it stays light longer....how many more sewing hours can you squeeze in?  The class will focus on beginning techniques and you'll create a simple table runner and pillow top...come in and take a look at our samples!

Laura's 1870 Cradle Quilt 

The challenge quilt is moving along - we have our sample to look at, and we've seen some great progress!  The first deadline is still weeks away so it's not too late to jump in and start this one if you like what you see!

Fern Valley Quilt 
Here's another summery quilt and bright group of fabrics - we think this color group is cheerful even when we have had too much rain!

We are closed on Sundays for the summer - so here's to summer weather and summer sewing!  Happy Stitching!