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I am really pleased with our newest sample - Dawn B. just brought it in yesterday evening. This is a really fun Advent Calendar for you to make your loved ones to celebrate the countdown to Christmas Day. Here is a photo of the entire calendar and a close-up shot of the top - notice that each date is a small pocket for treats!
My staff and I think this is a truly charming (but secular) holiday decoration! We have the fabrics and directions to make this cute, quick wall quilt in the shop - do drop in soon to see the goodies we have for you!
:) Linda
Many of you have probably seen the sign on Bloomsbury Avenue near our store for the Children's Home here in Catonsville:
I am off to teach 'quilting' there to a set of teen aged girls this afternoon (wish me luck!:) - there is a big fall fund-raiser coming up soon and we want to make some small quilts to sell in the Silent Auction. I am really looking forward to this - photos to follow.
:) Linda
I think it is awfully useful to read reviews of books before deciding to buy them ... so, with the help of at least one hardy volunteer, I've started a new reviewing page on our website. I thought I'd share our first review with you here - from time-to-time I'll post new reviews. Please do let me know if you find these useful!?!
8/24/2011
More Loose Change: 14 Quilts from
Nickels, Dimes, and Fat Quarters
by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver
reviewed by MARY BOLAND fotdfa@hotmail.com
Most quilters know ‘fat’ quarters, but nickels and dimes? If you are unfamiliar with the terms, nickels are five-inch squares (aka, charm packs), and dimes are ten-inch squares (aka, layer cakes). Ahhhh, those nickels and dimes.
If readers can get past the book’s cloying sweetness (coin requirements, currency conversion, piggy bank tips, dollar signs to denote skill level), they’ll find some good stuff. All but one of the projects in the book are for beginning or intermediate-level quilters. Some of the instructions seem confusing, but what seems confusing when read, I believe will be easily worked when tried.
The quilt patterns are not wildly original, but where the authors shine is in their use of color. Like their patterns, their color combinations are not wildly unique; they are just very, very good. There’s a certain glow which I love to see in quilts (and which I have yet to reach in my own) for which Plett and Weaver seem to have the knack. It shows up in not one or two of their quilts, but in almost all of them. Even those quilts which use colors that I am not innately drawn to are appealing.
In the book’s introduction, the authors give us a clue to how they make their colors work so well. They provide a variation on a wonderful bit of advice which I first heard from one of the master quilters in my guild: if you find a pattern, but you’re having problems clearly seeing its color values (that is, light, medium or dark), or alternatively, if you have fabrics and you’re having difficulty judging their values, photocopy the pattern or small swatches of the fabrics in black and white. [I also find this helps if I see a pattern which I can’t visualize in any other fabric or color combination than the original.] This trick helps clear away the distraction of color and helps to focus your eyes on the essence of what is before you. Try it and see if you achieve what Plett and Weaver do so well.
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Plett, Claudia and Le Ann Weaver. More Loose Change: 14 Quilts from Nickels, Dimes, and Fat Quarters. Woodinville, WA: That Patchwork Place, an imprint of Martingale & Company, 2010, www.martingale-pub.com.
These are quilts from a 70 piece art exhibit we just finished hanging here in the store (in the large class room) made by members of MetroThreads - a fiber artist's group from the Baltimore/DC area. The show will be hanging until Oct. 31st and is well worth seeing!
We have re-scheduled the Artist's Opening Reception from this Thursday, 9/15 until next Thursday evening, 9/22 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. Do come in and meet these extraordinary quilt makers!
:) Linda
Our afternoon delivery brought more goodies for me to share with you! We finally received the first roll of laminate fabric that we ordered recently - we had this print in regular cotton and it sold out quickly.
What can you do with a laminate? Make tote bags, lunch sacks, table runners or place mats - I intend to make myself a new hooded rain jacket! :) Great for kid or adult aprons - use your imagination! :)
We also received a new color way in the regular cotton weight of the same print:
Finally, we got two bolts of 'Japanese' print of a different sort. 'Kawaii' is the Japanese word for 'super cute' and definitely covers this adorable print and its go-with:
Watch out, world, cute is here!!!
:) Linda
I am back today from my trip to the south and happy to see some lovely new fabrics - hope you like them as much as I do! :)
Sadly, we had not received the new Quilt Sampler magazine before I left - I see that one of the shop's reviewed in the newest issue is near where I traveled. (phoey!) There's also at least one shop not too far outside our 'day trip' area. :)
Here is the contents page with a quick-reference map of the shops in this issue:
Now for the fabrics:
Please do take the time to come in and see us this week - we have beautiful ideas for you to enjoy and be inspired!
:) Linda
Almost forgot! One of our customers came in to share a wallhanging she just completed using last year's Quilter's Quest batik fabric. Wanted to share a pic of her project to inspire those of you who own this fabric and need some inspiration!
Our leader is vacationing down in Florida and so I (Alice I.) have the pleasure of posting new arrivals and shop news while Linda is away.
Hope we are all getting in lots of sewing time with all the rain we've had recently. Of course, if you don't have power (like my home) you do the next best thing.....VISIT Seminole Sampler.
Just a few batiks to entice you:
We also received a few novelties, the stripes being my favorite! I think I'm going to use the green/black stripe as an accent for my grandkids' halloween bags.
Don't forget to check out our Fall class schedule. There are some fun classes lined up! Also, I'd like to remind everyone that we are now back to our "regular" opening/closing schedule---Mon & Thurs 10 - 8p; Tues, Fri, Sat 10 - 5p; Sun 1 - 5p; and we are CLOSED on Wednesdays.
See you soon!
We got a small but fun shipment of four bolts from Alexander Henry today. Fun, fun! :)
Patty is unpacking more boxes in the back but I have to run - have to go get my hair trimmed and go home to pack. My husband and I are taking a few days away to celebrate his 65th birthday and visit with my daughter and her husband. Fingers crossed that the Gulf Coast of Florida has nice beach-y weather for the next week! :)
See you when I get back - please come in to visit over the holiday. Remember, we'll be closed on SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
:) Linda
