My Precious Customer.... THANK YOU!!!

I am sooo blessed to have such a wonderful, generous, creative group of people  to call my customers.  Quilters are really the most wonderful people on earth.  Last week we celebrated my customers with customer appreciation sale and on Saturday we had a big BBQ lunch.  It was really fun!  Mostly,I think it made me think allot about how lucky I am to be serving such a diverse group of people.  What other job could I possibly have that I could have so much fun, laughing and being with such happy people?  

As I was going through my pictures of customers I love, It was really hard to pick out just a few. There are just sooo many happy times to remember.  So I just pointed and clicked!  


Thanks again, for stopping by and being one of my most appreciated, wonderful costumers! 

The Ghastlies are Back!!!

 As promised!  The Ghastlies are back at aunt Mary's!  Such a fun collection of fabrics from Alexander Henry.  They have been VERY popular.  This is the quilt that we made last year with the collection.  It's called "Side Lines" it's a Maple Island Pattern that we have used and used.  It works for any fabric that you want to "highlight." It always a successful quilt.  We have made it with big bears in the middle and landscapy trees in the panels and men just loved it. We have done this pattern  with big beautiful Asian prints and everyone loved it.  It's a quick easy quilt to make.  A quiet week end will get it done.  We carry this pattern in the shop (unless its sold out) It's a popular one.    

This is a new addition to the collection this year.  LOVE IT!! I am cutting out a different Maple Island pattern using the Gastlies.  Another quick easy one. "BQ2".  I think it's going to be VERY cute.  Stand by for pictures.  

Fun Summer Classes

Summer time at the old quilt shop is at a much slower pace.  All of you are doing your summer thing.  Camping, family reunions, vacations, etc.  It's just so hard to get you guys in when the sun is shining.  Oh! poor me!!!! But, just in case your interested. We do have a few fun classes coming up this summer that you might like to take.  Let's see..... We have a Needle Turn Applique class on a Saturday this summer.  If your a beginner or just need some help this ones for you.  We are having a Day Camp on a Saturday in August that should be lots of fun too.  Bring in a project and let's sew and play all day. It's air conditioned and you wont even have to cook dinner!  I'll make it for you.  It's from 10 AM - 10PM  So you have lots of time away from the world.  Cathy is teaching an "I Spy" quilt.  Kids and gramma's  love this quilt.  Oh, and what would summer be without a "Buggy Barn" Class. There's a brand new book from Buggy Barn full of great quilts.  Pick out a pattern from this book or from any of their books and we will get you going.  Oh!  And we are taking sign ups for the "Bali Wedding Star" With Linda Tellesbo.  This is a once a month for three months class that will begin in September.  Don't miss out on this one.  It's a doosy!!! Roxanne is here all summer with her regular six sessions each month. So Come on! Summer is a great time to quilt!

American Heros at Aunt Mary's

Aunt Mary's will be hosting The "American Heros'  group in our classroom this Saturday.  I love to have these fantastic people come play at the shop for a day.  They are doing such a great service for our troops.  Their mission is to make a beautiful quilt for each wounded soldier coming back from the war zone.  It's such a great feeling having them come work on the quilts here.  The quilts that they have made over the years have really made a difference in these solders lives.  Some of the letters that they have received make your heart just swell with pride and emotion. It make me so happy to be able to help. They would also absolutely love any help that you can provide.  Come spend a few hours making blocks, cutting blocks out, or maybe put a binding on.  You don't have to commit to a whole quilt.  They also will take donations of patriotic fabric.  Maybe you are a machine quilter and would like to help.  Come get a quilt and quilt it.  This group usually meets at the senior center in Stanwood most months.  They are scheduled to be here at Aunt Mary's this Saturday July 21st 10:30 - 3:00 and in September on Saturday the 15th.  Oh, and the picture here is one of my wonderful customers that came to my Saturday Sampler sessions all last year and made this quilt, and is donating it to the  American Heros..  I LOVE this quilt and what a great lady! 

I'm Back!!! Did You Miss Me?

OK..... So Here are my excuses for not doing my blog in over a month.......  I just hate excuses don't you?  So here is what I will tell you.  June is a CRAZY month for me.  Then I went on vacation for over two weeks.  I decompressed,  didn't touch quilting,  or even leave my house much.  I am feeling sooo much better.  I tell you sitting under my apple trees, listening to the birds sing is very rejuvenating.  I needed it!  My friends Ethel and Cathy kept the shop running like a top.  I love them!  What would I do without them?
While I was gone we got lots of wonderful fabrics in.  Here are some of the Halloween fabrics.  Aren't they fun?  The gastlies should be showing up real soon too.

 Fall fabrics will be coming in too.  Here is a really beautiful line.  Fall colors are so gorgeous!  I always look so forward to the fall.  We got a really fun pattern for a casserole carrier in.  It think this fabric will have to turn into one soon.

Yep!  We are also getting lots and lots of Christmas fabrics in too.  This is a little peek of a really cute line from "Henry Glass" It's got a panel to make an Advent Calendar with lots of little penguins doing Christmas things.  Soooo cute!
So now that I'm back. I have so many projects in mind for the shop and for new quilting projects, I don't know were to start.  I promise to keep you more informed with my blog.  I'M BACK!!!

Treasure Chests are all FULL of Goodies!

Here is a picture of all three of the "Treasure Chests"  chock full of all kinds of goodies.  You can be the winner of one of these by participating in the Tri County Treasure Hunt.  During the big Shop Hop that starts on the 20th of the month.  Pretty exciting!!!! I had a few comments from the last post.  All you have to do is pick up a "Treasure Map" at any of the participating shops. Let me see..... Calico Country, Tangled Threads, Folktails, Fabric Etc. Fourth Corner, The Quilt Shop (Anacortes) Fabrics Plus, The Quiltmakers Shopp, Aunt Mary's (Of Course) The Needle and I, and Keepsake Cottage. Wheww!  Hey what could be better?  You get to visit THE BEST quilt shops in the northwest and win  prizes!  Anyway....... There will be something you have to find in each shop.  When you find it, you get your map stamped.  When you get all your stamps. Turn in your map at any of the shops and your in the drawing! Fun! Well, I have more to prepare soooo of I go!

Tri County Treasure Hunt Should Be Lots Of Fun!

I am getting more excited every day!  The big Northwest Shop Hop is just two weeks away!  I think I am getting pretty close to being almost ready.  Well, there is still lots to get ready, but I'm feeling less anxious about it.  This is the map for the "Treasure Hunt" that the Tri  County Quilt Shops are preparing for you as an added fun thing to do during the hop.  You will want to pick up one of these maps at any of the participating shops and during the hop you will need to find the "Treasure Clue" in each shop, then get your map stamped and move on.  When you have found all the clues, turn your map into the last shop and you will be entered into a drawing to win one of three huge treasure baskets.  I think it will be lots of fun!  I have been in charge of collecting the prizes and let me tell you what!!!  there is some really neat "treasures."  The treasure chests are filled to over flowing with all kinds of wonderful things.  Books,  Art, Fabric, Jelly Rolls, Charm packs, and all kinds of great things.  WOW!!! I will try and post some pictures of the "treasure chests" soon. Vendors are still bringing more things to add to them.  

Aunt Mary's Saturday Sampler. TA DAH!!!

Well, yesterday was the last session for our "Saturday Sampler." At least until September.  I think this class was very successful.  We taught lots of technique in this quilt.  We had quick piecing, paper piecing, curved piecing, and even the dreaded applique.   I would say that 99% of the students that started this class finished all of their blocks and were ready to put it all together. Not everyone used my fabric choices, so they all will look totally different.  Here is kind of what my version will look like when they get it all done.  OK, part of it fell off the wall and I had a class coming in this morning so it's not all complete, but you get the picture.  I still think it's pretty!  We will be starting a new ""Saturday Sampler"  probably in September.  Nobody will want to commit during the summer.  I have a great project though.  So, stand by.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!!

A Friend of mine was in the shop yesterday, and reminded me that I need to get going on my blog.  OOPS!  So sorry!  How can I expect you to check in with me if I don't get something posted!  My excuse, (A weak one, but it's all I got!) is.... Getting ready for the BIG SHOP HOP.  It's just around the corner.  20 days left!  I'm still working every day to get my blocks put together. There is a million (OK a million is a bit much, Maybe a hundred) things on my to do list.   New fabrics are arriving every day, and lots of my fabric vendors have been in to show me what was new at spring market.  LOTS!!!!!! How exciting!  But that's why I haven't posted.  This is fabric from In The Beginning. "Chickadee" by Julie Paschkis" She's the one that designed our shop hop fabric two years ago and the beautiful, wildly popular mermaid fabric that was out around that time.  It's really fun.

Can you believe Halloween fabric has come in?  yep! and Kathy has already made a quilt for the shop.  Cute huh?  Christmas fabric will start arriving any day now.  It's just too much to think about!  I gotta go get something done! 

Oh! What a Beautiful Morning!

I went to bed last night with rain on the roof. This morning the birdies are singing, the sun is out and EVERYTHING is green!  This is a picture of the trees outside the classroom window.  It seams like it was just two weeks ago. Their were tiny little buds on the trees.  Now!  They are lush green.  With every green in the pallet! I know so many of you don't like the rain. But we would not have the beautiful greens without it.  And when we get blue sky. It is REALLY BLUE!  I love living in the Northwest,  

And, here in the shop, we have been getting lots of new fabric.  This is a line from "In The Beginning"  Called "Chickadee"   So pretty!  It's got a beautiful big panel, a border stripe, and several coordinates.  If I didn't have too many projects to get done before Shop Hop.  I would make something from this line.  There are just lots of fun things coming in.  Spring Market was just last week so the new books, patterns and fabrics will be flying in soon.  SO MUCH TO DO!  Off I go!