Here They are the Famous "Christmas Tree Napkins!" I was not going to make them this year. I kind of thought maybe everyone has done them and they wouldn't go this year. Boy, was I wrong. I had so many customers ask for them that I had to get them going again. They really are fun and so very easy. Here are the kits that I have so far. I know I will be doing more. They have been selling very well. The kit makes four napkins and you can always use the pattern to use up all you scraps of Christmas fabric. I had a lady tell me she made them for her table and the guests got to take the napkin home with them. (That way, I guess you get out of washing them. Hee hee) They only take a few minutes to make each one, so you can make them for everyone you know! Very Martha Stewart! It's a good thing!
Here we are! Almost all decorated for Christmas! Well, Almost I still have lights to go around all the windows. My Husband said he would help me on Friday. Then it will be a magical Christmas Wonderland! Ok! Maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit. I like it though. It's a fun time of year to merchandise the store. You would hardly know that I'm such a Scruge! That's a story for another time.
I have lots of fun gifts for all you quilters coming in. Pretty little scissors, new books, and all sorts of fun little things for your stockings. You will have to make sure and tell "Santa what you want. OH! And, don't forget to tell him you want a gift certificate. So many times when they come in to find "just the right thing to make you happy." They think I will know just the thing, and they think a gift certificate is to impersonal. Well, in the quilt shop. You are all so different. One fabric or notion or goodie will make one person happy, but the next quilter doesn't like it at all. So, with a gift certificate, you can come in and get exactly what YOU want. Let him know it's OK. We also Have a "Santa Sale" Friday Saturday and Sunday, December 22nd, 23rd and 24th. Santa can come in and get your goodies for 15% off and I will wrap them for free. You better give him a list! Or! Give me a call and I will have your order all ready for him to pick up!
We have been very busy making all kinds of kits for quick easy projects that you can make for gifts. We have Pot holders, Pillow case Kits and of course the Christmas Tree Napkin kits. All of these projects can be made in a half hour or less. On Saturday December 10th. We will be doing demos on all kind of last minute gifts to make. Mark your calendar! It will be fun!! Happy Holidays!!!! Ho, Ho Ho!
Boy oh Boy! Last week just flew by! Holidays do that. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I did. It's one of my favorite Holidays. A whole day of people I love, great food, games and movies and even a little nap! The day got over way too fast though. Then it was back to the shop for our After Thanksgiving Sale. I think "Black Friday" took over this year. We didn't have the customers we usually do. You all were out shopping! Oh well, I had allot to get ready for anyway. Saturday was "Aunt Mary's Christmas Mystery." Twelve full hours of quilting, laughing and enjoying each others company.
Here is MaryJane with her "Mystery about half way done. She is a really nice lady. She is relatively new to quilting and was really concerned that she wasn't keeping up with all that everyone else was doing. I always try to let people know they should just go at their speed and enjoy what your doing. It's not all about who finishes first. Readers all read at different paces as well. It doesn't mean your a bad reader. I snuck her finished blocks away from her and put them on the wall while she was ironing and not paying attention. I LOVE the smile on her face!
My Mystery quilts are usually very scrappy and I love to have people share and trade fabrics. That way we all get to have more variety. Here is Cathy and her quilt all layed out on the table. Isn't it pretty! Truly scrappy quilts are so fun to look at. Every time you look at them there is something new to see. It was a fun block to make and I think everyone had a great time. Now I have to find a new mystery for my winter mystery class. Hmmmm...........
Yesterday was my day off. It's all I get until thanksgiving. I will be having my family over for the big dinner, so there was sooo much to do. Clean the house, get groceries, had a few things to cook and of course dinner.Well, I got up early and went for groceries. Did the once over in the house. About three o'clock I decided to sit down and finish the binding on a quilt that I have to have done for the fun mystery quilt class on Saturday. I only had one more side to go. It really didn't take very long. I finished it in about twenty minutes. So what should I do now? I could hear the rain on the roof and my dogs were all cuddled up. I didn't want to make them move so I could get up and do more chores, so I sat and admired my newly finished quilt. It has "Minkie" on the back so it's really smugly! It's very scrappy and has such fun fabric in it. But, as I ran my hands over the beautiful quilting my friend Lyn did, my brain just drifted off. mmmmmm...........
This week we should all be thinking of things we are thankful for. Sometimes it's just the little things like a good cup of coffee, or a call from one of my kids to say hi. Yesterday......... A Nap!!!!
I would post a picture of my new quilt, But! It's a mystery!!! There is still room in the class........
Sunday morning...... I sure had a hard time getting up! The rain was falling and my little dogs were all cuddly! I was out of milk for my coffee. UGH!!!! Well, I made it to work and students were already here a half hour early! They were all excited to make floor quilts. Ok! So I made myself a latte (Extra shot) and got going.
Wow! all the creativity just got me going. It's kind of contagious. Here's Kathy with her creation. VERY pretty with lots of beautiful batiks.
Here's Barbara. I love her mat. It's this really fun chicken fabric. I think she was pleased with her project as well. So all in all, I'm sure glad I got up and got going today. I love to teach a fun project like this. I'm a VERY LUCKY girl. Just kind of a sleep head!
Well, here it is in all it's glory! Donna put the binding on it yesterday and it's now hanging in the shop. I love looking at it! It looks like years of work. It really only took Donna about a month from start to finish. The precut fusible backed pieces save HOURS of time. Just peal off the paper, put them in place and iron. Then Donna did a small little zig zag stitch around the pieces. As you all know I love hand applique. I know it's not for everyone though. So, now for all of you that have no desire to hand applique, but still would love to say you did it. Here you go!
We are now taking pre orders on this quilt. You can do it as a Block Of the Month and get one block in the mail every month for twelve months. (Much nicer to find this in your mail box than some other things!) You can also get the whole quilt kit all at once. Wouldn't you just love to have Santa get this for you? Send him in!
Here's Stephanie with one of her happy students. She taught her first class here called "Stacked Coins." Everyone was very excited about their project. Here is Cathy. (We had three Cathys in this class wow!) I love the grey fabric she's using for her background. I can remember not too long ago grey was not even in my top 100 favorite colors. Now I think it's very cool. Goes to show how we change with colors.
Anyway, It was a very successful class and all the girls are looking forward to new classes that Steph will be teaching. She has several lined up for the winter schedule. One is a string pieced "Spider Web" quilt and she's also teaching "quilted valentines." You can even mail them! So, be looking for her new classes in the next schedule. You may also want to check out her blog. It's in my favorites on this page. Just scroll down and click on her blog. You wont be sorry!
Look what my friend Cleo did! I am so lucky to have such great friends. I just showed her this pattern the other day and Voila!! She made it and I get to hang it n the shop. Isn't he handsome? It's a great pattern. You can make it with any applique method. (Fused, Hand) or you can purchase the pattern that has a disk in it that does some really cool magic stuff. At least that's the way I feel. She showed me how it stitched out the line and you cover it with fabric, and it stitches over the fabric and WOW!!! I am very impressed! My machine doesn't do all that. I'm a hand applique girl. So this pattern will work for all of us. I like to have guy quilts hanging in the shop too. It can be a challenge to find pattens that will please a guy. However, I think the industry is trying really hard to cover that area. We have a really neat pattern from Crabapple Hill that is a guy quilt. Its called "Vintage Tin." I'm working on it now and it's fun. It's got as workbench with oil cans and it has motorcycles and cars. I think it's going to be really nice. We also just got in a book that is called "Man Cave." So now there are some great choices for the guys too. If we make them a quilt once in a while. They will appreciate quilting even more!
Just look at our collection for the food bank! I am so proud of all of you. For being so generous. We will be taking this load over to the food bank next week. They are always so very happy for any help. It makes me want to do more and more for them.
This year we have also been taking in dog and cat food as well. I am looking for an outlet to get this to people that have animals and have a hard time feeding them. I know what it's like to have a dog look at you like your the biggest hero in it's world. They are at your side even when no one else is there, listening to all your troubles, and snuggling up to try and make it better. So, it's important that they get fed well too.
I will be taking in donations till the first of the year. So if your coming by, bring a can or two with you.
Need a project that doesn't take you forever to make? Gift giving season is coming at us at light speed! In no time at all we will be out shopping at the mall for some magical gifts for everyone we know. Well...... Maybe you should get started now with a few great gifts that can be made in an afternoon. Here is a really cute little guy that any little person and a few big people would love. Pick out a few fat quarters and get this guy made. He has his own little story book that goes with him. In about two weeks we will have a whole new line of fabric from "In the Beginning" that you can also make a cute little quilt!
Ok! How about a table runner! Great for hostess gifts, or pretty much anyone! This is THE quickest table runner I know. Find a pretty border print and you can have this done in around a half an hour. All wrapped up and ready to go! We got this fabric in yesterday. I made the table runner sample and even made kits! There are really lots of other projects that are quick and fun. Pot Holder Kits, Pillow Case Kits. Place mats Whew! The list goes on! So this rainy week end, put on a pot of soup to make the house smell good and get busy!
Don't you just love to learn something new? We have had some really great classes this quarter that lets you do just that. This picture is one of the projects that was done in the "Fractured Quilts' class that was a few weeks ago. This one is Cathy's. It a great example of taking a really different fabric that you don't know what to do with, and seeing what will happen. She's going to keep working on it. It's going to be a stream. Looking through the water at the rocks. I can't wait to see it finished.
This quilt is our good friend Denise's project. She loves outer space. Great affect! Donna taught this class and the girls had a great time. I think it's allot of fun to not really know exactly what will happen in a project. So much of art is playing and just seeing what will come of it. I know this is hard for many students. But if you can just accept that you don't always have to be in control, and get into just PLAYING. You can be amazed at what will happen.
Here is a class that will be this Saturday with the great Stephanie Davis. She is all about playing! This is the "Stacked Coins" class. You will be quilting without a pattern! Wow!!! But so cool!!! There is still room. Maybe YOU could use some playtime?
Wooo Hooo! Aunt Mary's long awaited Saturday will be starting this Saturday November 3rd at 10:30. We finally got in all the fabric and have the kits all cut and I think I'm ready to go! We still have room for more people, if you think your interested. It's allot of fun. We will meet on the first Saturday of each month for a demonstration on how to put the block together. This 12 month block of the month focuses on improving your piecing skills. I really enjoyed putting together our class sample. We have several options. You may purchase the whole kit with all the fabric to make this quilt. You may pay as you go and get a kit for one block each month. Or you can use your own fabric. Which ever way you do it, you only have to bring the block in the next month to get the next pattern and demonstration for free. We even give you a "Get out of Town Free" coupon for the one time you have to miss for one reason or another. Just give us the card and no questions asked! We also have a drawing for some fun giveaways each month. So if you are interested, stop by this Saturday and lets get you going!
Look what my friend Cleo did! I am so lucky to have such great friends. I just showed her this pattern the other day and Voila!! She made it and I get to hang it n the shop. Isn't he handsome? It's a great pattern. You can make it with any applique method. (Fused, Hand) or you can purchase the pattern that has a disk in it that does some really cool magic stuff. At least that's the way I feel. She showed me how it stitched out the line and you cover it with fabric, and it stitches over the fabric and WOW!!! I am very impressed! My machine doesn't do all that. I'm a hand applique girl. So this pattern will work for all of us. I like to have guy quilts hanging in the shop too. It can be a challenge to find pattens that will please a guy. However, I think the industry is trying really hard to cover that area. We have a really neat pattern from Crabapple Hill that is a guy quilt. Its called "Vintage Tin." I'm working on it now and it's fun. It's got as workbench with oil cans and it has motorcycles and cars. I think it's going to be really nice. We also just got in a book that is called "Man Cave." So now there are some great choices for the guys too. If we make them a quilt once in a while. They will appreciate quilting even more!
