End of Year

I hope your holiday celebrations have been cozy and relaxing...or at least festive and fun-filled?! Here we are in the final days of 2010...what to do? Finish up your old projects, start something new or just find time for play time in the sewing room?

Some of our customers have found time to do just that and here are a couple of photos of creations that customers have recently shared with us.

And if Santa was good to you and you have a gift certificate waiting to be spent....or just in case Santa wasn't so thoughtful and you need to round out your gifts with some fabric shopping - we've got something perfect for you!!! See you soon!

Tick Tock

The clock is ticking, the days are racing by and it'll be a whole new year in no time at all! Here is a holiday themed display of items from the store that we put together...maybe something will catch your eye...it's not too late to add another project to the pile!

We have a few samples on sale too, if you need a homemade gift - we've got selected samples ready for retirement.

Here is a sneak peek at Jo's upcoming club 10. We'll start the new series January 18th and be ordering pattern sets in early January - so if you're interested in participating give us a shout and get your name on the list!

Find a quiet moment for some stitching, relax and enjoy the season!

December PinCushion

December is in full swing...and somehow there is more, rather than less to tackle in terms of holiday preparations and year-end projects! What is with that? A time-out for some stitching seems like the perfect answer. Here is our wintery snowman pincushion (or ornament or etc.) you can stitch up in just a bit of time. We'll hope that this represents the extent of the 'snow' we have to contend with til maybe Christmas day (for a few hours, right?). Happy Holidays!

Gwen Marston is coming!

I really can't say much other than how excited I am that Gwen is going to be here in May. Yippee! I've had a couple of opportunities to witness Gwen in action in the past and I've got to say she's a great individual with a fun attitude. I'm not sure if it gets better than that! I hope you can juggle your calendar and commitments to make one of these dates work.

Holiday Tables

Are you getting ready for a holiday feast? We have great options for table settings and these can double as gifts to give or receive...so consider using some fun fabric for decorating not just creating a quilt. We may even have the beginnings of a little something to take my focus off all the pumpkin making we did over the last few weeks! No, it has nothing to do with chocolate, although we've certainly made a dent in the Halloween treats...hmmm. Holiday baking anyone?

We've got new fabrics, batiks, Maison de Garance, Lily and Will....gift items for quilters (calendars, books, jelly rolls, pin cushion kits)....and some quick projects to make for gifts for others or a treat for yourself. Stop by and get inspired to create something for the season!

Hope your holiday is warm and safe...happy stitching!

It's been so long...

since my last post...

So much for having goals, deadlines, reminders and to-do lists...eventually, some of it does get accomplished but it seems more by chance than well orchestrated plan most of the time!

Here is a variety of photos to ponder...evidence of recent quilt classes held at the store and other goings on. We had a group of friends in for the Storm at Sea class taught by Peggy Gelbrich and they were working with lots of different color combinations ranging from tropical storms to traditional nor'westers! As a couple of these photos hint some people tend to be more organized than others, but a little sugar usually helps get another seam or two accomplished!

And here is another take on a quilt collage - built from amazing fall foliage from the garden...happy stitching!

November arrives!

After a mild or do I mean wild night of Trick-or-Treating...November has arrived with wind, and rain and more rain and yes, I think fall is here to stay. No excuses about needing to garden now, it is full on sew time!

I've called it quits a few times, but cannot seem to make it stick. I keep seeing fabrics with a whole new purpose in mind as I envision the next perfect pumpkin. So I give in...just a few more pumpkins for the harvest season? Thanksgiving table decoration or hostess gift? I'm thinking Fab-u-lous!

So we're on a roll and created these little acorn pin cushions for our November pincushion to treasure. They are perfect for your needles - or just a small travel pincushion. We used real acorn caps and these are just pretty darn cute no matter how many you make!

Take a moment and catch your breath...and stitch up something fun!

Jo Morton Birthday Celebration

Greetings...we are finally having that blustery fall weather, and since Halloween is just around the corner, that seems about right! We celebrated Jo's birthday (ok, just another excuse for cupcakes from Icing on the Cake - yummy!), with fabric, friends, quilts and good eats! Hope to make this an annual event, so if you couldn't find the time this year, perhaps it will fit your schedule next fall. Here are a few photos from our day!

Hope this fall weather gets you inspired to head into the sewing room and stitch up a few projects!

Creating and Crafting

We are having a fabulous time creating great bags with Agnes. Her latest pattern 'the Paris Crossover Bag' is perfect for a laptop and versatile, as you can see from this class photo!

Can you believe, we still can't get enough of halloween? Of course, the beginnings of halloween candy have arrived, but even more profuse at the moment - Pumpkins! I will admit there has been some competition amongst a few of us, and they just keep multiplying and evolving. These pumpkins won't get yucky sitting on your porch in the rain though - they'll carry through to a harvest table decoration in November. One customer suggested perhaps we'd gone a bit 'crazy' with them...but hey we're working up to a Christmas version so ya never know!

Happy Stitching!

Karin Franzen Workshop

I'm so excited that we've been able to put this workshop together...if you remember her Birdscapes exhibit at La Conner, you won't want to miss this opportunity.

October Birthdays

Happy Birthday to all the October birthdays out there! What a great month to celebrate...birthday cake, halloween...more chocolate, who hoo!

We're serving up petite gateau's as our pin cushion this month, from a pattern by Fig Tree Quilts. These can be whipped up in a quick moment from charm squares and, like any good dessert, you'll want more than one!

We hope you had a chance to take in the La Conner Quilt Fest and participate in the 91-mile yard sale event this past weekend. If not, you'll have to find another opportunity to get out and about and see what's new! We have started taking sign-ups for the Karin Franzen workshop scheduled for next January and it is sure to be an amazing opportunity to absorb some of Karin's techniques.

91-mile Yard Sale

No pictures, no timely post....just yards and yards of fabric ready to roll out the door!

The 91-Mile Yard sale happens October 1st & 2nd from 9:30 - 6:00pm

Lots of great deals, lots of shops to check out and 91 miles of ground to cover!

And don't forget, the La Conner Quilt Fest begins tomorrow too!

Projects in the works!

Well as usual, time is flying by and I am not where I planned to be in terms of items checked off my 'to do' list...you'd think I'd be used to that by now? How can it be nearing October so soon?

Anyway, here is a quick preview of a couple of the items we'll be featuring in our upcoming gifts classes. One is a gift bag/lunch bag/treat bag use your imagination as to all the great things you could fill this bag up with. And the other is a journal cover - very versatile and tons of ways to embellish and personalize it. We thought the travel theme might be good for those keeping a record of their RV trips...but you could also create a cover directed to pretty much any hobby or create one in the style of the recipient for those true journal writers on your gift list.

We've got some additional ideas coming - so think fun, versatile and quick gifts to make for friends or family and have some fun while you're doing it. Check our website for a current class list or stop by the store to see more!

Don't forget - the 91 mile Yard Sale is coming up October 1st & 2nd so reserve some time to get out and scout out some great deals!

Monday the 13th

Well, it must be a good day when we get a new shipment of Jo's fabrics (Spice Chest) out on the shelves, and a customer from another state arrives claiming "Jo sent me"! How good is that timing? The new collection is just in time for fall color and really looks great with the shirtings and ravenwood series we already have on the shelves.

We had visitors from Tennessee, Oklahoma, Colorado and Oregon today, along with several familiar faces from around our local area...it is great to have our regular customers visit and see what's new, and it is fun to share what we're doing here with other like-minded stitchers from outside the area. Thanks for visiting!

Happy stitching!

September Pincushion

Well, here she is, our new mannequin pin cushion for September. This is the smaller version of the 2 sizes in the pattern, so you can even go bigger if you want!

Looks like the rain has arrived just in time for back to school...nothing beats puddles and mud for a good walk to school, don't you think?

We have lots of new fabric we're getting out on the shelves and a few new class samples to show off. Christmas bolts are still arriving so you're not behind on your holiday projects yet! Stop by and see what's new.

The Civil War Tribute quilt is almost assembled, and it is coming together nicely - we still have kits left for this reproduction quilt, so you may want to get that item on your holiday wish list!

Chairs in process

Here are a few fun photos of some of the chairs under construction during our class last Friday. If you click on the photos you can get a closer look at some of the great fabrics and details! It was a great class, and a lot of fun to meet Alethea in person. We hope she'll be back before she is too famous once her book hits the stores this fall!

It is September today, time is flying and we have a sale to get ready for that starts tomorrow, and a variety of class samples to get underway...and a few more fun things to stitch up!!

Hope to see you soon.

End of Summer Sale

We're celebrating the end of summer, back to school...and best of all back to quilting season! What better way to get things off to a great start than with a SALE? Yup!

Thursday September 2nd

Friday September 3rd

Saturday September 4th

10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Stock up for quilting season, get a jump on holiday projects and absorb some inspiration to stitch up something fun! Stop by early for best selection - we won't be cutting more fat quarters during the sale!

20% Off fabric* cut from the bolt (1/2 yd. minimum)

20% Off TEN or more fat quarters

20% Off patterns and books

*discount does not apply to fabric already marked down

No pre-orders or holds.

Happy stitching!

Monday already?

I hope I'm not the only one that thought it should still be last week...where are these fabulous HOT sunny days going? We just got our class list together, so that should be hitting your email soon. There is a copy on the website too, and we're gathering project samples so they'll be finding their way to the store displays soon.

Here is a snapshot of a darling stitchery combined with english paper piecing and applique techniques all in one...it will be off to it's new home soon. I'm pretty sure the bride & groom don't read our blog so no giving away the surprise there. What a great personalized wedding gift to receive! This project is designed by the same artist (Lynette Anderson) that did the neat Magical Christmas piece we have on display. We love her designs!

Have fun stitching!

Haunted Mansion

We love our latest Halloween quilt, quick and fun, green and halloween...pretty much covers all the bases! We have a few kits for this one, and tons of great Halloween fabric to choose from.

Class is scheduled with Alethea Ballard, for The Chair of your Dreams. It will be on Friday August 27th, from 10:00-4:00pm. We still have a few spots left, and her sample quilts are here, and they are fabulous! Stop by to sign up and visit the chair quilts!

If you have any stray 12 inch (finished size) blocks to donate to the collection for Middle Tennessee, we'll be sending in a box at the end of this month. Anna Maria Horner is heading up this drive and we have more details available here at the shop.

Rain makes for great sewing time!

Summer Harvest

The harvest is on, and we've got velvet figs this month! Hand-dyed velvet, a bead or two and you've got a centerpiece for your sewing table...The pattern is called Orchard's Bounty, by Fig Tree Quilts.

We are having fun with new quilt samples...Castle Peeps, Haunted Mansion and Peppermint Swirl kits are all ready to go, and we have some of the new 3 Sisters group Park Avenue, including charm squares and a new sample from the Madeline pattern. Of course we slipped in a few new fabrics too, batiks, novelty prints, and a great new 'pear' solid-colored texture from Robert Kaufman...more colors to follow.

I'm in the process of setting up a class for August 27th - it is in the works, so all the details are not available yet. This will be a class featuring Alethea Ballard and tie into her upcoming book by C&T Dream Chair Quilts that will be published later this year. How cool is that?!

Give us a shout or stop by later this week if you want to know more about the chair class....until then, happy stitching!

Summer Sewing

Greetings...we have been busy sewing up fun projects in the summer heat. (You can click on the photo to get a better view...or stop by the store to see the goodies in person!) We have some new fabric lines in shades of peach and pink with touches of grey and butter yellow...so we whipped up a little girl's dress, a couple of bags and threw in a pink and green quilt! We used two patterns, Frenchy Bag by Amy Butler and the Multi-Tasker Tote by Anna Maria Horner for the bags and the quilt is from a pattern by Abbey Lane, Octopus Garden. There are lots of fun sewing ideas in the new Sew Serendipity book - we've offered patterns by Kay Whitt previously, and really like her new book. Definitely a few options for a bit of sewing inspiration!

Hope you are enjoying summer sewing!

Where does the time go?

Am I the only one with this burning question?! How did it get to be the middle of July already? I distinctly remember getting ready for shop hop just yesterday, and I can't figure out how it got to be time to be thinking fall, holidays, back to quilting (I mean school)! It's not that I want to rush summer, but I am having a great time playing with the latest and greatest Halloween fabrics!

Who doesn't need a pillowcase with glow in the dark fabric accents, or an apron with a black & white polka dot ruffle...but wait, there's going to be more!! And I'm not even talking about the chocolate.

Now that I mention chocolate, I'm sooo excited that Icing on the Cake has chosen to open a storefront in the downtown area. Pretty much love that. Just ask next time you're in, and I can tell you all about it.

For the rest of the world, that doesn't want to talk about chocolate, there are the new Jo Morton fabrics, Attic Shirtings. Thirteen great new neutral backgrounds with fun prints and color combinations. They'll be great with most of your projects!

Happy Stitching!

Sweat Shop

Greetings!

Hot weather has come and gone, but the sweat shop is still in full swing. We had a group in stitching on Friday amidst the fans, and today the temperature is back to normal and we have another group hard at it. I have new boxes of fabric to unpack, a couple of quilt samples to quilt, and a new quilt rack for display! I guess it was a productive weekend.

Happy Stitching!

July Pincushion

I hope your July 4th celebration included more sunshine than ours did! Fireworks and strawberry shortcake almost made up for the chilly temperatures, but we could use a little summertime any day now.

Here is a peek at our festive July pincushion, we have kits with the flag fabric and prepared piping all ready to go.

We are getting busy again with lots of projects to re-start, and new ones to create as we get caught up after shop hop. I hope to have a short class list together soon, with some special workshops in the planning phase for 2011. Until then,

Happy Stitching!

The Day After

Ahh, I can't say I'm not enjoying a quiet day-after-shop-hop today! We had over 2000 hoppers stop in this year, and combined with the longer store hours, it takes a few days to acclimate and get back to reality.

Although our weather is not cooperating for a summer-time feel, 4th of July is almost here, and perhaps an americana quilt is just what is needed to compensate for the cooler temperatures we're having! This quilt was a hit during the shop hop, and the striped ticking and patriotic fabric from Jo Morton's Banner Day works in well with our reproduction fabrics. Since this project kit flew out the door during the hop, we'll have to get busy on some fresh store samples. Halloween anyone?!

Happy stitching!

Shop Hop 2010

The Western Washington Shop Hop is around the corner, and we are almost ready! I hope you have your passport and map ready to go. You can get more details and download a passport here Western Washington Shop Hop.

We have some fun items added to our inventory - a selection of Weeks hand-dyed floss, some hand-crafted doll beds (like ours in the photo with our Vintage T anniversary quilt)...and it is time for fabulous, fun Halloween fabrics! We've got glow in the dark, a great selection of bats and webs and dancing witches & cats...etc. With this 'summer' weather you might as well get ready for fall? Oh yes, and a few Christmas fabrics are starting to trickle in for anyone that likes to get a head start on their holiday planning.

With all the focus on preparing for shop hop and summer adventures, we still plan to take time out and participate in the call for quilts to help out those hit hardest in the recent flooding in the Nashville area. Anna Maria Horner, one of our favorite contemporary fabric designers is coordinating a quilt relief effort. If you're interested in contributing, please plan to drop off your donation blocks here at the store and we'll take care of the rest!

Vintage Memories

Is summer here? Are we ready for shop hop? Maybe yes, Maybe no...okay, probably not....but a little bit of sun, and a little headway on cutting up fabric for block packets.

Here are a couple of photos of our latest block of the month project. It is based on a pattern by This & That, Vintage Memories. We selected a combination of fabrics from 3 different Moda lines - 2 groups designed by French General and the third line is called Martinique. The quilt features a combination of aqua and mocha, with some accents ranging from shell pink to rouge red! It is fun to see the blocks coming together for this one and we'll see if we can get it wrapped up in short order.

We're putting out the latest line of Jo Morton, 25 soft colors called "Complements", and we've added some new batiks and reproduction shirtings and basics. So we're trying to keep some fun stuff happening until the shop hop starts June 23rd.

Happy Stitching!