New Applique Mat

We’ve recently brought in a highly-requested notion: the Design and Appliqué Mat from an Australian company called Matilda's Own. This product was recommended to us by professionals in the quilting field and we quickly fell in love with the design mat’s ability to grip a table top and project firmly, providing a smooth work surface for design transfer and tracing. 

The extreme lightweight material makes a great addition to any travel sewing kit. Even our friends in Australia sing the praises of this appliqué mat. It is two-sided, which allows for extra non-slip support when preparing for appliqué, fabric for tracing, beading, and more. This is a fairly exclusive product, offered in only a few shops around the U.S. and we're excited to share it with you! Stop by to take a look, or you can order from our website. Click on the image below to see what others are saying about the mat! 

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A post shared by Two Thimbles Quilt Shop (@twothimblesquiltshop) on Aug 6, 2019 at 3:10pm PDT

2019 What's New?

We're starting the new year out right - project ideas galore, some goals for getting organized and for finishing up a few WIP's...and maybe trying something new?  Does that sound familiar?

YLI Hand Quilting Thread

Kantha cloth from Windham Fabrics

Hoffman Fabrics - College Favorites

Getting organized wool felt containers

We are done wrapping gifts, and have moved on to year-end paperwork and inventory tasks.  Can't wait to check that off the to-do list and start making!  We look forward to the new year and want to know what you'll be making in 2019.

After Market ~ What's New

Another trip to Houston has come and gone and this one seems to have put me further behind at this already overscheduled time of year!  Finally I have an excuse?!  As always, Quilt Market was full of inspiration, a respite from home and business obligations and an opportunity to take a fresh look at the world of quilting.  There is so much on display it is quite an overload and combined with the added bonus of some amazing quilt exhibits it is always a trip to revisit for weeks afterwards!    

Of course, I'm partial to the display of 1876 Centennial quilts, (a big shout out to Anne Dawson as the exhibit was selected to move on to Quilt Festival in Chicago!!) and the exhibit of Antique Quilts of the British Isles sponsored by Moda and Antique Textile Company was outstanding.  

Here are a few pictures from Quilt Market - from favorite quilts on display to fabric and pattern designer showcases!  

Janet Clare Machine Drawings

Military Coverlet by Isabelle Muzeau

Antique English Regency by Mary Gibbs 1812

Betsy Chutchian for Moda

Denise Burkitt for Freespirit

Kathy Doughty for Freespirit

Sew to Grow patterns

And now that my bags are unpacked and I'm getting to the bottom of the paperwork stack - the fun ideas and new products I spied at Quilt Market are starting to surface and the goodies I stowed away in my extra bag are finding their way onto the shop shelves with the new product orders coming in daily too! 

The rain is here to stay and it's a perfect time to get some stitching going!  We hope you'll stop by the shop soon and discover some of our latest finds! 

Holiday fabrics and new treats!

As always new fabric is best, and starting a new project for yourself or planning ahead for gift-giving is a great option to weather out these daily rainstorms we're having.  We have a few new treats arriving from Quilt Market - some would be perfect for your stocking or under the tree, and others would be great gifts to make or give.  We've got new additions to the sale rack, new fabric overflowing the shelves and a few new samples in process.  

Christmas Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings

Juniper Berry by Basic Grey

Great box of fat quarters from Santa?

We have some fun books and new patterns and notions to enhance your sewing room and the latest publication Magnolia - perfect for some easy reading on a grey afternoon!    Hope you have time to visit soon....we may put you to work moving shelves around.  

Spring sewing fever?

Have you been doing some spring cleaning, finishing up projects and getting organized?  I think it must be in the air along with all the pollen and dust!  Happy Saint Patrick's day...Easter will be here before we know it so if you need a little something to spruce up your holiday decorating scheme - we have a couple of kits left for the colorful egg table runner.  It is a fusible applique project, so you still have time to get this done!

We have some new products in stock as well overflowing fabric shelves.  Our latest and greatest addition ....some of the aboriginal australian prints from M&S Textiles.  These are so colorful and varied in the prints that you can't go wrong.  They are fun to work with and combine well with solids and some of our other contemporary lines of fabric.  Stop by soon and check them out!  

M&S Textile Aboriginal Prints

If you are ready for some stitching - huck toweling is the 'new' alternative to counted cross-stitch.  You can keep it simple and just do some geometric designs, or use a vintage towel for inspiration.  These two samples were stitched up and combined with a bit of fabric trim.

Huck Towel Samples

And we have a few new notions as well - the beeswax is great for smoothing threads for handquilting or other hand stitching.  And the little colorful clips will keep your bobbin and threads matched or ensure you have the right combination when sewing at retreats.  The colorful strips shown in the photo are actually a stack of the "Quilter's Magic Wand" - the perfect tool for marking the diagonal sewing lines on squares.

Don't forget the Tri-County Quilt Tour coming up at the end of the month March 26th - March 28th...we are busy pulling together our Farm to Market plan, and I'm sure it's going to be great!!!

What have you been working on?

We have had a wonderful busy few days with Gwen Marston, and we'll share some photos from class on the blog soon.  While we regroup, unpack, and recharge - here are some pictures of some of our other recent projects.  Hope you have been busy doing some spring cleaning and finishing up sewing projects!

Daybreak batiks in Grey and Yellow 

Hip to Be Square Blue and Green Batiks

 Here is our 2nd little modern Mini from Jaybird quilts.  This one is called Tiny Dancer, and includes a variety of solids including the yarn-dyed In the Beginning that have such a lovely hand and added depth with the slight color variation in the weave.

Tiny Dancer

felt crown

 And if you're looking for an update to your spring wardrobe, this fancy felt crown, could be the perfect way to complete your ensemble!  There is a simple tutorial we found, and then added some ribbon and buttons and voila, it goes with everything!

Beeswax Thimbles

We have started carrying a new local product...beeswax for your hand-stitching, perfect for smoothing threads and won't leave an icky residue.  Of course you can't beat something that comes in the shape of a thimble either.

L Bingham Pumpkin Peel

Here is the amazing completed quilt from one of the dedicated students - the workshop we hosted with Mary Elizabeth Kinch last year.  You almost think it is a vintage quilt - WOW - just the look the quilter was going for.  Great job Laurie and thanks so much for sharing!!  Stop by soon if you want to see this one hanging in our classroom.

What's New

Aqua or Teal or somewhere in between

We have such a fun variety of new fabrics rolling in...we are certainly doing our part in trying to keep the UPS delivery trucks arriving daily!

Threads of Time

Old Jo's revisited

Jo Morton fans - run, don't walk...these are some of the old favorites that they reprinted...and you won't want to hesitate this time around.  

Follie by Lotta Jansdotter

Stuff your stocking with a few more goodies?  Here is the fabulous spray starch in a handy travel size of 6oz., perfect for your retreat or to gift to your favorite sewing buddies!

We found a few minutes to play - and created all these little 'charlie brown' trees to put in our pincushion kits.  The pattern also has a pumpkin pincushion ...and as much as we do love Halloween, we decided we'd go ahead and stitch up a snowman.  The kits contains all the flannel and wool and floss that you need, along with a pre-assembled tree, so you can't go wrong with this project!

Snowy Harvest Pincushion

New stuff!

Well - you can't just live on fabric alone right?  So we have some fun supplements for the stash...

That is, wool thread bobbins, we've been filling with Aurifil or Genziana wool thread - we have about 50 colors available!  There are about 18 yards of thread per bobbin perfect for travel and wool applique projects...some of our local Sue Spargo fans are loving these.  We have a variety of other threads for embellishing and crafting or even big stitch quilting - a variety of pearl cottons and specialty threads.

In addition, we now offer DMC floss, almost every color imaginable...so you can get those wool felt ornaments under construction without any worries about running out of thread!

Our wool area for bits and pieces has expanded again! We are well equipped to help you find the perfect products for your latest stitchery projects. We have some new patterns and notions - this pattern shown below is going to be versatile - our store sample is almost ready for viewing...something  spooky for sure so you'll want to stop and take a peek.  

Between the Lines from Mountain Peek Creations

Little Magic Bobbin Genies

This tried and true pattern - great for modern solids and showcasing your favorite color combinations...

Checkerboard Stars

Quilt in A day

Have you seen the demo's on this one?  Have you tried trimming up your half-squares before you press them open?  Who knew how simple that could be.

Newest Quilt Sampler Magazine

And of course - in between projects, take a moment and plan your next road trip to one of these featured shops!