Happy Spring!

I've been a BAD blogger lately, even after pledging to do better!  I spend an enormous amount of time with all things quilting (lucky me) but, occasionally, other things have to come first.  Bad for the blog, but good for me---I re-did my kitchen!  Lots and lots of work, most of which I did myself, but I'm so happy with the results.  That job led to cleaning out cabinets and drawers, which led to cleaning out closets, a storage room, and (yikes) my sewing room..........I was a maniac!  I ran out of steam after four weekends spent cleaning, but it feels so good to have all those jobs done. Then, I finally got a pretty weekend, so I spent two days working in the backyard (my sanctuary during pretty weather) and cleaning up the water garden/fish pond.  Needless to say, I have a very severe case of spring fever now.  I want to plant flowers!

Spring has sprung at the shop, too.  Lots of new fabric is arriving. Such pretty spring-y colors, too.  Here are some pictures of a few:

Sisely

Nested Owls

 

Aren't the owls and garden frogs adorable?  I've already put together a zig zag quilt using the Sisely collection and have my pieces cut out and one block completed for a cute woven-look quilt using both the Nested Owls and the Sisely collections.  Check out the Moda Bakeshop for the free pattern.  It's called Simply Woven.

I also finished the Tennessee Waltz quilt made with one of the new French General collections from Moda.  I think it turned out great.  What looks sort of grey in the picture is actually a soft bluish-green from Moda's Fellowship collection.

 

 

I've also completed a quilt with some of the new batiks that have arrived.  I'll try to remember to take a picture and post it soon, but it's gorgeous!  It makes me think of a tropical island.  I used the Disappearing 4-patch for that one.  If you haven't tried this block yet, it's an easy, fun one.  Here is how I did mine:

 

 

I sewed up some 4-patches using 5" squares.  I measured 1 1/2" from the center seam and made a cut.  I rotated the block and did the same on each side to make 9 pieces. The nifty rotating mat is really handy for this, because you don't want to move the pieces.  You can cut at whatever measurement you want, but I went with 1 1/2".

 

Turn the center 4-patch block and switch out the corner blocks so that the colors alternate. Sew them together again!  I made blocks from a variety of colors and put them together with a pretty white tone-on-tone sashing with cornerstones.  Simple, but very pretty.

 

Now that the Women of Courage Block of the Month is coming to a close and all the finishing kits are cut, the remaining fabric in the line is now available.  All fabrics in the collection are available except for the border fabric.  I tried hard to get more, but it's all sold out.  Not surprising, of course, if you've seen it!  I saw a great looking Labyrinth quilt made with these fabrics and I'm sure any pattern would look good!  For those of you who participated in the Block of the Month, you might want to consider some pillow shams from the matching fabric.

 

 

 

I had lots of catching up to do, but that's it for now.  Hope to see you soon in the shop.

 



 

Fun new sweatshirts and tote bags are in. Tell the world you're a quilter! If your size isn't available in stock, I can re-order whatever you want and have it in a jiffy. Andi Campbell of Creative ARC Designs here in Grayville designed them, and she did a great job. Stop by soon to see them.

 

New Quilts!

Thought I'd show off the two newest quilts with two of the newest fabric lines. 

Woven Windmills with La Belle Fleur by Moda. This is a great new pattern from designer Gail Frye.

Belle Kaleidoscope with Marbella from Robert Kaufman

Kaleidoscope Blocks - Easy and fun to make!

Not sure whether to quilt or work on the quilt-in-progress using Audra's Iris Garden from Moda.  I'll probably be doing a little of both.  Stop by soon to see them all in person!  They're gorgeous.

The Women of Courage Block of the Month Shop Sample is now quilted and ready to hang (as soon as I get the sleeve on).  For those of you who are participating, February's block is ready to pick up.

New Fabrics!

Audra's Iris Garden from Moda

La Belle Fleur by French General for Moda

Story Strips - 20 Strips per box (2 1/2")

Marbella from Robert Kaufman

Superheroes - Free Pattern!

Procrastination = UFOs and Unfinished Blogs!

Ever notice how the longer you put something off, the easier it becomes?  I've been procrastinating BIG TIME with this blog lately....  Between the holidays, the weather, colds, and trying to finish up UFOs, it was easy to put this on the backburner while I told myself I was doing something more important---finishing quilts!  I've managed to finish several, but every time new fabric comes in, I can't stop myself from starting another one.  Consequently, the UFOs continue, but at least they're newer ones.....  And, it's a new year!

One of my resolutions was to make quilts that I WANT to make, not just the ones I think I should make to show certain fabrics or to use a particular pattern.  The love of piecing and quilting hasn't dimished in the time since I opened the shop, but I certainly don't want to ever get to the point of making a quilt because I feel like I have to.  Fortunately, with all the gorgeous new fabric that's in stock, I don't think that's going to happen any time soon (just more UFOs, I'm afraid).  I'm in love with both of the new Moda collections now in stock----Audra's Iris Garden and La Belle Fleur.  I've already finished one with La Belle Fleur and am in the middle of a large quilt using Audra's Iris Garden.  And, of course, another one is in mind already for La Belle Fleur. 

I used a pattern called Woven Windmills by Gail Frye of Red Tail Road Quilt Company for the quilt I just finished and I love it!  It's a one block pattern that appears to create windmills from a woven background.  (You know what they say about it being a small world----Gail is my daughter's boss!)  This pattern is very well written and is simple and fast to make, which makes it a new favorite.

Well, now that I've broken the ice, so to speak, and am back, I'll try to do better in the future.  I'll be posting pictures soon of some of the new fabrics and the new quilts that I've finished and also the ones I'm working on.  Superheroes, a new Kaufmann collection, is adorable! 

Get your creative juices going and stop by the shop soon.  You're sure to find something to inspire you.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  I'm still trying to prepare for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with my family, but had to get the tree and decorations up in the shop early for Grayville's annual Christmas Parade and downtown merchants' Open House on Saturday, November 24.  Open House is 4:00 - 6:00, and then the parade starts.  If you're in town, I hope you'll stop by!

New fabric has arrived and I'm trying to find space for all of it.  Many Christmas fabrics have been moved to the clearance section and are now 25% off---there is still plenty of time to make things to decorate at home.  Think tablerunners, stockings, and......new Quilt-As-You-Go Placemats!

These are so quick and easy to make, and they're a great way to use novelty fabrics.  Besides making placemats that are a perfect match in my kitchen, I can imagine lots of different sets for holidays, spring, fall, etc.  Here is a picture of a couple that I made this morning (yes, they really are that quick to make)!  The binding is made by folding up the backing, pressing, and top-stitching in place.  I discovered that the easiest way to do this neatly is to use 1/4" Steam-a-Seam (what a great product!!) and press the binding in place. Topstitching it was a breeze!  Wouldn't a set of these make a great gift?

 

 

It's hard for me to believe, but I am approaching my second anniversary in business.  Thank you to all my valued customers!!  I appreciate your business SO much and hope to be able to celebrate many more anniversaries.  To celebrate this anniversary, I will be offering a 20% discount on any cut of 2 yards or more from November 30th through December 8th.  Beginning on "Black Friday", register to win discount coupons and a $25 gift certificate.  Drawings will take place on December 15th.   Tell all your friends and stop by the shop soon!

Here's a great block idea and it's perfect for 5" and 10" squares.  Check it out!

This pinwheel block is so simple you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself.  Here's how it's made:

Make some half-square triangles.  Cut them in half vertically. Rotate one side 180 degrees and sew them together.  Trim to square, then sew four of them together!  How simple is that?

This is from a new book, Sew Simple Pinwheels by Karin Hellaby.  Karin has created four different techniques in one book and it's a bargain at $14.95.  She also shares several different setting and variations of the basic block. 

These books are on order and should be available within the next couple of weeks.  Try a few blocks and see what you think!