March Wrap-up

Make This Year Count - Tri-County Quilt Tour 2013

We are done playing hopscotch, the quilt tour is over for this year, and we hope that everyone enjoyed the event.  Our weather is certainly improving so if you didn't venture out last week due to snow, sleet, hail, torrential rain...you name it, now is the time - looks like dry weather for a few more days!  

We have made progress on the Hallowe'en  1904 quilt - and we still have a few kits left if you are interested.  Leslie Hnosko quilted it  beautifully and we love it!!  Here are a couple of pictures of individual blocks and a full quilt below.  

The project is from a Blackbird Designs pattern and the quilt finishes up at 90 inches square - so not a small project, but fairly large blocks to assemble - we offer it allocated into 5 monthly kits so that helps distribute the work over a bit of time....it's never too late to be thinking of fall!

Hallowe'en 1904 finished quilt!

 

We've added another date for the scrap lecture - Thursday April 25th - same time, 11:00-1:00.  Please let us know if that fits your schedule and you'd like to sign up!  

The picture on the left features a strip quilt, the pattern is from one of the books we've been promoting for using up scraps - More Layer Cake, Jelly Roll & Charm Quilts by Pam & Nicky Lintott. We have found several versatile patterns in this book so recommend it for your collection!  This quilt was made from leftover strips - just odds n' ends from various projects - sure makes a nice bonus project!

We are taking sign-ups for the June 1st and 2nd workshops with Mary Elizabeth Kinch - both projects are included in the book below - Sunday will focus on foundation piecing the pumpkin peel shown on the cover of this book!  Fun with scraps, any style of fabric you like and a great time!  Our website should have details posted soon and you can always stop in or give us a call!  

Upcoming June Workshops

Happy Spring!

March Is Happening

The Tri-County quilt tour is ON!  Don't miss out on all the great variety of quilts - now through Saturday!  Our quilt is up, with a day to spare, and the glue is mostly dry....we won't share all of our last minute secrets, but let's just say sometimes it really does take a village!  Thank-you Nikki for the amazing quilting that adds so much to our quilt.  We'll be sharing more photos in the next few posts.  Here is our block, a paper-pieced robin with a lucky clover and our version of April - perfect for today I think.  This umbrella pattern was created by a local quilter from the Seattle area and we have a quilt on display and her pattern available for purchase.  Watch for more pictures of our quilt - "Make this year Count".

March Robin Tri-County Quilt block

Our version of April - Umbrella Girl 

 And we also have 33 small customer quilts on display - the results of the Civil War Sampler challenge - wow is this an amazing show - come in and vote for your favorite!!!  Or you can come several times and stuff the ballot box, we'll have them up until mid-April.  And last, but certainly not least, we have some gorgeous quilts on display from Quilts Remembered - these quilts will be here through the 24th, so don't delay or you'll miss a chance to see some great workmanship and fabulous color choices.

Quilts Remembered Four Score quilt

 And a little bit of new fun - this collection called "Divers" by Margo Krager - we have fat quarters, bundles and fabric by the yard - amazing purple and rusty orange.  The word "Divers" means various in French, and the patterns are antique reproductions - a bit of a different influence from the fabrics we typically see from the civil war period.

Divers by Margo Krager 

Close-up of Divers

Happy Stitching!

A bit o' green and our latest!

This book Lizzie's Legacy is published by Kansas City Star, and Betsy Chutchian's second book.  History Repeated is certainly one of our all time favorites - and we know this will be equally enjoyable.  Lots of great pictures and a bit of history - our favorite kind of treasure!

And we took just a few minutes, truly, to strip-piece this table topper.  It is from a tutorial we found online, so no pattern required.  Of course, we can hardly wait to make it again in our favorite Halloween fabrics!  This great stonehenge shamrock fabric line, could make some festive napkins or bibs if you have a wee one to celebrate.  Go here for step-by-step how to's  http://fabricmill.blogspot.com/2012/08/spiderweb-table-topper-tutorial.html

A bit' o green table topper!

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle project

And since we were in the mood for spring green (aka poison green) and daffodils, this little one patch quilt was just right.  A smaller version (1 inch finished squares) was made from leftovers and is perfect to set a vase of fresh daffodils upon.   We are wrapping up our Prairie Womens' group and haven't committed to our new path just yet, but if these are the types of projects you'd like to work on and would like to join our monthly sewing group, please put your name down and we'll get in touch when our plan is ready.  Here are some other photos from our current session.

class projects

scrappy inspiration

Caramel Chocolate broken dishes 

 As you might be able to guess, this last little quilt was created just as an excuse to try the new Ghiradelli turtle brownie mix - we followed the recipe for the cookie option on the back of the box.... thumbs up from the entire sewing group!

P.S. We have received over 20 civil war sampler challenge quilts - they'll be on display starting on the 20th!   The Tri-County quilt tour also starts on the 20th and I'm pretty sure our quilt will be ready....

Happy Stitching!

Thinking Spring?

Just arrived with the sunshine today - and hopes that spring flowers are on their way - a lovely lavender floral group "Rebecca" designed by Mary Koval for Windham Fabrics.

And for those of us lucky enough to be irish, there is no time like the present to whip up a little something green to ensure your good luck.  We have a fun group of stonehenge and a couple of other festive shamrock pieces to consider.

We are busy getting ready for the upcoming Quilt Tour  (March 20-23rd) - and since spring appears to be on the way today at least - the theme "A Year in Quilts" - and our assigned month of March is all coming together.  And... we are feeling lucky that our quilt is going to be back from the quilter soon...

Our pin cushion this month features this pattern from Indygo Junction, and these little wool felt projects are pretty quick to stitch up once you narrow down your color choices.  We have the pattern available for purchase and will add some additional wool felt to our collection this month.