The Stash

What's Up for January!

2012-01-11T05:34:00.000-06:00

Good Morning:
What an incredible Winter we are having! Yesterday, January 10th, people were playing tennis outside and today it's raining. Hmmm!

Tomorrow is our monthly club called 'Thursday Sew-Cial' and as always I have a wonderful recipe that I want to share with you. It's a perfect dessert to make when you need something quick. It came from a wonderful cookbook called North Country Cabin Cooking by Mary Brubacher and Margie Knoblauch.

BIG LAKE CAKE
2 cans blueberry pie filling
1 box white cake mix
1 stick Butter, melted
1-3 oz. package slivered almonds
Put blueberry pie filling on bottom of a 9x13 inch, buttered pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix on top. Drizzle melted butter over cake mix. Sprinkle almonds on top. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

The shop is buzzing with new fabrics, patterns and of course samples. We just received a line from Moda called Urban Cowboy. It's great! We have it in yardage, charms, layer cakes and jelly rolls. Come check it out! Steffani will be posting it on-line in the next few days. Remember, you can shop 24 hours a day with our on-line shop.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. We look forward to a great 2012.

Happy Sewing
Deb

Resolutions you can keep!

2012-01-03T11:27:00.002-06:00

Start the New Year fresh - Have your machine cleaned and serviced
"Remember to change your sewing machine needle(s) after every project. Needles can become dull and can snag fabric. New needles stitch crisp stitches. I recommend changing your needle(s) after 8 to 10 hours of sewing." --Eleanor Burns. - Use Schmetz Micro-tex sharp needles for best results and most accurate piecing.
To take advantage of limited sewing time, keep together all the supplies that you are using for each project so that if you have to abandon the project for a few weeks or even months, you can quickly get back to where you left off. - Sterlite Clipboxes work great for this, and they stack nicely together.

PLUS they are made in the USA!

Be sure to test sew even if you are doing something you have done before. If you forget to change certain settings on your machine, you will find the problem before you start on your actual project. Save yourself from ruining good pieces of fabric!
When you finish a project cut your leftover scraps into 3", 4" or 5" squares, maybe even 10" squares, or 2 1/2" strips or squares (tokyo subway quilt anyone!?). Store them together with like size scraps, and on a rainy day pull them out and make a scrappy quilt. Sterlite Clipboxes work great for this too!
Use the hoop that is the closest size to your design. Many times, you will have a better quality stitch-out if you do several hoopings with a smaller hoop than trying to get all of the designs in a larger hoop. Plus if you only use the size hoop you need, it saves you stabilizer.
Resolve this year to learn the ins and outs of your software or machine by reading over your machine manuel and also create a stitch book. If you have all your decorative stitches stitched out, you're more likely to use them.
Slim down the stash - Go through those stacks of fabric, any pieces you no longer want, and try donating them to our local Quilts of Valor Chapter. You can drop fabric off at the shop anytime.
Before tossing your old machine to the curb, call your local dealer and ask if they know of anyone that would have a use for it. If it can't be fixed, allow us to use the machine for parts. Either way it's out of your way and in the hands of someone who could get some mileage out of it.
"When sewing for yourself and those you love, remember to sew at least one gift per year for someone you've never met." --Nancy Zieman
Get inspired this year by subscribing to a sewing publication. STITCH magazine anyone?!
AND the biggie...Take time to sew for yourself. (We never do it!)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

2012-01-03T08:05:00.000-06:00

     Happy New Year! We, at Country Fabrics & Quilting, are gearing up for a new year filled with lots of new samples, clubs and classes. Be sure to visit our website for the new information.
     My family and I spent the Christmas week skiing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Well in truth - I skied three days and they skied five. We stay in a family owned private home so I had plenty of room to set up a 'sewing room'. I brought along projects cut out and ready to sew. I made 3 baby quilts, a really cute 'birthday' table runner, helped Steffani with 12 pairs of Ice Scraper Mitts, bound 3 quilts and knit two pairs of felted clogs. Now that is my idea of a fun vacation.
   For those of you who were given an embroidery machine from Santa don't forget to join us for Embroidery Club. Our Embroidery Club meets the 1st Wednesday of each month (September through May.) The daytime club meets from 1:00-3:00 with the evening club meeting from 6:00-7:00. This club is FREE to those who have purchased an embroidery machine from Country Fabrics & Quilting. This month we are having a 'challenge'! I have chosen a bag pattern, To Market, To Market by Annie. Each one participating will embroider as they wish. Next month the bags will be displayed and 'Best of Show' in each session will win a $25.00 gift certificate. The requirements for this challenge are - they must use an incredible new filler, Soft & Stable, and have continuous embroidery on the bag in some form.
     I will be offering challenges throughout our Embroidery Club year. I find this is one way that I can grow each of you in knowing your machine and their many features. Come join us! You will meet great people and learn something in the meantime (not to forget mentioning the desserts that I serve - yum!)
   Here is the dessert that I will be serving tomorrow (thank you Linda for this recipe):

CAN'T LEAVE ALONE BARS
1 pkg. White cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. canola oil
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. butter, cubed
In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs and oil. Press 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Set the remaining cake mixture aside.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the milk, chocolate chips and butter. Microwave uncovered until ships and butter are melted; stir until smooth. Pour over crust.
Drop teaspoonfuls of remaining cake mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting. Enjoy!

     Looking forward to spending a great 2012 with each and every one of you.

Happy Sewing & Quilting
Deb

Sweet Pickin's Dessert

2011-11-19T17:01:00.000-06:00

Today was the first real sign of winter - gray, blustery and snow. I don't know if I am ready for Winter but I guess we don't have a choice. Today we had our Sweet Pickin's Club. This is a club that meets the third Saturday of each month. Brenda does an incredible job with the presentations and I come with dessert. Well...she told me this dessert was the BEST I have made so far (and I have been doing these for years). I know you will want to make this yourself.

Chocolate Raspberry Bars
1 c. flour 2 Tbsp milk
1/4 c. powdered sugar 1 c. vanilla-flavored chocolate chips, melted
1/2 c. butter 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. seedless, raspberry jam 2 Tbsp shortening
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
Combine flour and powdered sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into an ungreased 9" square baking pan. Bake at 370 for 15-18 minutes or until browned. Spread jam over warm crust (I beat the jam in a small bowl so it would spread easier plus I used more jam). In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add vanilla chips; mix well. Spread carefully over jam layer (I actually used a spoon and dropped small 'glumps' until it was nearly covered - I was not successful in spreading). Cool completely. Chill 1 hour. For glaze, melt chocolate chips and shortening; spread over filling. Chill 10 minutes. Cut into bars; chill 1 hour. Store in refrigerator.

This will be a hit at your Thanksgiving Dinner. I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Deb

Slipper Cuties - November 2011 Embroidery Club Project

2011-11-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

For our November Embroidery Club I chose the pattern - SLIPPER CUTIES by Fig Tree & Company. These cuddly slippers can be made for anyone in the family. The pattern is for a child's slipper but Fig Tree gives directions on creating any size.

We found a few things that you can do to make these easier to construct. You can follow the directions for 'creating your size' slipper but we suggest you add 1" extra length on back seam of the 'toe shape' piece. After pinning to sole to check fit, stitch seam and trim any excess.

Also, adding center marks at the toe & heel of bottom and at center front of top will make it easier to get your sole in straight.

If you choose to embroider something on our slipper (we did because it's our Embroidery Club Project) you can place a Monogram or Initial 2" from toe end.

Being this was our embroidery club project we chose to stipple quilt (using our embroidery machine of course!) the whole 1/3 yard. We only stipple quilted through the Outer and Batting. We traced the pattern pieces onto our quilted piece and did the embroidery BEFORE cutting out the slippers. Note:

We also used Bonded Cuddle for our lining. This is an incredible fabric that looks like suede on one side and Minkee on the other. We put the Minkee side as the right side. Oh! So Soft!

Now, what you always want - the recipe for the dessert I served at club. Here is the one for November's Embroidery Club

MOUNDS CANDY BARS
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 c. sweetened coconut flakes
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter. Press into a 9x13 pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Mix sweetened condensed milk with flaked coconut and vanilla. Pour over crust. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. While warm, frost with chocolate chips. Sprinkle chips on hot bars and return to oven a minute or two until the chips are melted. Spread melted chips on bars and cut while warm.

Enjoy!

Keep The Change

2011-10-21T06:44:00.001-05:00

When I made the Snap Happy Wallet called Keep The Change I found parts that really needed clarification. I wrote a note to the designers with the discrepancies that I found. I am not sure if they made the changes so in this post I will tell you what I did.

It's a fun wallet to make and once you have my tips you will find it a 'snap' to sew. The first thing is the pattern is not even. Take each pattern piece, fold in half to make sure the pieces are drawn the same.

5/8" metal carpenters measuring tape - you won't find this size. A 3/4" tape works fine.

Interfacing:
I used Bosal 300 interfacing and interfaced ALL the pieces. With this incredible interfacing you will not have too must stiffness and the finished wallet will be much more firm.

Making the Outside Casing:
This is where I could not really understand where to put the casing. The drawing shows the casing centered on the outside wallet. I would suggest you make the Back Pocket piece first. This piece has the 'other side' of the tape measure. Once you make this piece, lay it on the outside wallet piece to find the correct placement of the casing. It will actually be off center.

Making the Wristlet:
Positioning this handle is not right. You don't want this in your flap but on the bag instead. Position the handle on the body of the wallet. I put it directly under my casing, on the body.

Enjoy!

New Arrival! LouLouThi Flannel

2011-09-26T12:52:00.001-05:00

Just arrived! Anna Maria Horner's new flannels to coordinate with her LouLouThi cottons. The prints are so fresh and modern, while the colors are saturated and beautiful!

We'll have the rest of the line (the second colorway) coming in soon too!

LouLouThi flannel is currently available online. Shop Now.

Perfect for flannel backs, pajamas, pillowcases and more! I'm not sure what I'll make for the shop yet, but I'll have a quilt done soon with kits available. Stop in to feel these fabulous flannels, they are to die for!

Retreat wrap-up...Girlfriend Getaway 2011

2011-09-20T15:05:00.000-05:00

It always goes so fast! It seems like just yesterday I was blogging about set up and taking pictures of an empty room. Now, just a few days later I have some great pictures to show from the weekend. We had the best retreat we've had in a long time...no stress - all fun and great company! The ladies started to arrive at Agate Lake Resort in Lakeshore, MN on Thursday afternoon. Each one of them filing in with sewing tables, chairs, projects, snacks, everything needed for a weekend of sewing with the girls.

A far cry from the day before the room filled up fast as everyone arrived, set up and was eager to sew!

There were so many projects pinned up along the walls, we all accomplished so much! Some of our ladies chose to participate in the classes Deb was teaching -selvedge slippers, mug rugs, Stand N' Stow totes, and the mystery quilt - while others chose to sew on their own projects during the weekend.

We also had some fabulous games over the weekend. One game consisted of teams of 3 - they pieced 4 jelly roll strips together, one ironed and one sub-cut them into 6-1/2" squares. They had 20 min to get as many done as they could with the resulting blocks donated to Quilts of Valor.

Everyone worked so hard...you could cut the tension in the room with a knife!

The final step was cutting the strip sets...

Each of our teams did a great job assembling and cutting the strips - enough blocks for 2 lap quilts will be donated to Quilts of Valor. The winning team was able to sew, iron and cut 47 blocks for the win. A job well done ladies!

Another fun game we played we called "If you". We had all the ladies sit in a circle, and remember which chair they are sitting in. We asked them questions, if they answered yes they moved forward one seat. Questions such as "Do you own more that one sewing machine?" and " Do you have more than three project unfinished?" Some of the ladies moved every question...some didn't. As you can imagine laps started piling up!

At some point even 4 deep!

It was a blast to see who was answering yes to which questions and we all had a great time. Besides, where else can you get 4 ladies in a row to give back massages to each other besides choir practice?

One lesson our rookie retreater learned is that next year you take off Saturday from work...

or else after a whole 18 hrs or non-use the spiders might just move in! We all had a laugh when she returned to see her machine like this, thanks to those practical jokers Penni and Natalie!

After 3 days of sewing, laughing, talking, and eating we all had to pack up and go home on a rainy, gloomy sunday. Every year it goes so fast! There are many people we need to thank, without them this would not be possible!

Deb Burton (Tim Gunn) - owner, teacher, chief, coordinator and friend to all. Without her this would not be possible. She spends countless hours planning the classes, schedule, sleeping arrangements, cabins, kits, the shop, supply lists, mystery quilt steps and the list goes on. She guides us through patterns that scare or confuse us, pushes us to step outside the box and is always there when we need her... "Make it work!"

Lou & Karen Rademacher (dedicated chefs) - Each year Grandma Lou and Karen (Lou's sister in law) spend hours planning meals, shopping for supplies and actually cooking for all of us in the kitchen. They start weeks before retreat making sure each lady will be satisfied with balanced meals and healthy cooking. They do their best to cater to everyones needs and offer a wide variety of choices. We are served 2 meals a day plus a little snack (sandwiches) mid-day and dessert around 10pm.

Dee & Sandra Smith (grunts) - These two wonderful ladies help with set-up and dishes, run back and forth from the kitchen to let us know when food is ready, serve dinner and come with loads of baked goods for snacks and meals.

Tom Burton (slave labor) - It's a family affair, as is everything we do at the shop. Debs hubby was there to cook us amazing pork loin as well as help with dishes and behind the scene work, which often goes un-noticed. Next year we'll have his famous brunch sunday am!

Bill & Theresa Garry - Each year the resort is kept so neat and tidy and we love coming to a place all our own. Bill even wired his pole shed to accommodate all of our machines, irons and lights. A family run operation, with character and class, Agate Lake Resort is a place to make your own family memories. If you're ever looking for a place to vacation, it doesn't get much better than this!

Many of you asked for the recipes from some of the great treats we had over the weekend. Here are the recipes I received:

Quilt Camp Dip by Nealna Gylling

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chillies

16 oz. sour cream (not light)

8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese (2 cups)

1 small can sliced black olives

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch seasoning

Serve with 'Scoops' tortilla chips

Salami Bread by Lennea Heymer

Frozen bread dough

hard salami

mozzarella/provolone cheese

Thaw dough overnight in fridge

Press out dough into a rectangle approx 11" x 13"

Cover the dough with slices of salami cut into desired thickness

Cover salami with shredded cheese

Roll up jelly roll style and pinch together at end

Put pinched side down and fold under each end

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning

Bake at 350 for 30 min.

*She's also used pepperoni and dipped it in pizza sauce*

BeerGherita - Original Recipe

1 can frozen limeade

1 can water

1 can Cuervo Silver

2 bottles Corona beer

Ice

Rub lime on edge of glass, our over ice and serve

BeerGherita ala Ginger (this is what we had at camp)

1 can frozen limeade

1 can seven-up

1 can good tequila

2 bottles favorite beer (we used dark beer at camp)

optional 1/4 cup orange liquor

Lots of ice

Rub glass rim with Lime, then drop wedge in glass

Bloody Mary ala Ruth Norman

2 bottles Clamato

2 small bottles of bloody caesar (or spicy bloody mary mix)

3 cups vodka

8 T Worcestershire sauce (1/2 cup)

2 T lemon juice

2 dashes celery seed

18-20 dashes of tabasco

2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 T pickle juice

2 tsp lemon pepper

Mix all ingredients together

Pour mixture back into empty Clamato & bloody caesar bottles.

Serve over ice, garnish as desired. Enjoy.

**If you have other recipes that didn't make it to my hands and would like to share them, email me at the shop and I will post them.

Our sad sign at the rainy end of a fabulous weekend. As I pulled out of the resort I couldn't help myself, I had to snap a picture of our sign. Thank you to everyone who came, participated and enjoyed another Girlfriend Getaway. We look forward to next year and can't wait to spend another long weekend with some of our most valued friends.

Girlfriend Getaway 2011

2011-09-15T12:36:00.001-05:00

Each year the shop hosts a sewing retreat, this year at Agate lake in Lakeshore, MN. We have about 25 ladies that attend to sew, talk, eat and have way too much fun! We have an entire pole building set up with sewing pods, ironing stations and cutting areas.

We bring a small sampling of our shop for the ladies to use, not a ton of stuff because the store is only about 25 min away. We bring kits for our projects, FQ's pre-cuts, notions and more.

Deb has fun new classes our retreaters can choose to join. This year:

Mug Rugs

Selvedge Projects

Tokyo Subway map (color lesson)

and a Mystery quilt.

Check them out!

We even went so far on our Tokyo Subway Map class to make a large queen size...96" x 96"

We are so excited to have a fun filled weekend. Complete with prizes for everyone!

We have so much fun each year while sewing with a bunch or really fun ladies! I'll have more pictures to post as the weekend goes on. Now...off to retreat for mom and I!

Note from Brenda: Thank you!

2011-09-13T20:44:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all of the generous customers who made purchases from "Brenda's Stuff." These pieces were purchased the day of the Quilt Sampler celebration, as well as in the days since then. I am very pleased to report that a check was sent to the American Diabetes Asssociation yesterday for $111, and an identical donation will be made to the Salvation Army Food Shelf in person tomorrow.
Country Fabrics truly does have some of the finest customers on the planet, and I'm grateful for your kind support of two causes that are near to my heart.
There are a few remaining pieces still up for sale, and I may add a few more in the near future. Anything sold will go entirely for charity, so you might want to check them out.
Again, many thanks for your help with this.
love, Brenda

Our BIG day! 2011 Quilt Sampler Party

2011-09-13T12:11:00.001-05:00

3 generations of 'women who sew' ~ Lou, Steffani and Deb

Tuesday, September 6th was a party of all parties and what a party we had! Labor Day Monday, my family headed to the shop to set up for the 'big party'. We blocked off the lower parking lot, set up a tent (thank you Teddy Schaefer for borrowing me your tent), tables and chairs. Quilts of Valor set up a table to sell raffle tickets and donations. Brenda Peterson set up a table to sell some of her 'goods' with the proceeds going to the Salvation Army Food Shelf and American Diabetes Association.

Sampling of Brendas items she sold for a great cause!

Marcia Stevens & Sue Carrol taking donations for our local QOV chapter.

Tuesday started with a bang - customers arrived as early as 7:00 to be 'first in line' for the 170 goodie bags that we gave out. Some of them actually beat us there (Donna below)!

We opened the parking lot at 8:00, serving coffee, hot apple cider and homemade Ginger-Sugar cookies. It was a beautiful sunny morning and we feel so grateful to have shared it with our loyal customers. My mom, Lou Rademacher, started the business 41 years ago. She came home from their place in Canada just for the day. It was fun to listen to her and our long time customers as they reminisced about the 41 years as they followed us from location to location.

At 8:50 I stood on a ladder, in the parking lot and gave away over 80 prizes that our vendors had so generously donated. Everything from yard cuts of Shannon (minkee) cuddle to FQ packs, books, pattern packs, AMH scrap bags, notion kits and so much more!

Anxiously waiting....to be chosen as one of the many winners!

We had our 'goody bag' station down in the classroom space with personal signed copies of the magazines ready for pick up.

Some of our Grand Prizes were set up by the registration station/trivia drop off area upstairs.

Right behind the grand prizes, we set up our 'Parisville' bedroom...Oo La La!

We have our version of the Parisville quilt on the bed and a second version in batiks hanging on the wall (above right) Kits Available for both! Just as the time was nearing to open the flood gates we were all set up and ready with Arlene waiting inside to help.

is it time yet...?

The shop 'buzzed' all day and well into the evening! Many wonderful friends stopped by to drop off flowers, cards and even a special batch of cookies...

They were so beautiful it was difficult to eat one...until we all did. Then they were so good it was difficult to stop! Thanks Kelly S!

In the evening, we had a local quilt guild come for a special evening session. We had some prizes for them, a little history about the shop and what our big day was about then they were free to shop. A wonderful bunch of ladies!

Finally about 8:00 we took down the tent...packed up our bags and took our tired, sore (happy) feet home with our hearts full of fond memories and many thanks for everything and everyone.

Wednesday morning Steffani and I took a few minutes in the morning and drew the winners of our grand prizes.

THE WINNERS:
Baby Lock Tempo Sewing Machine - Tammy Kepner - Breezy Point
Arrow Gidget II Sewing Table - Mia Aho - Long Prairie
Brewer Sewing Basket w/goodies - Jan Corrick - Little Falls
Checker Sewing Basket w/goodies - Betty Cram - Pequot Lakes
Machine Quilting by Arlene Fitzpatrick - Pam Braland - Baxter
Machine Quilting by Got Quilted - Throw Size - Jan Hirschey - Staples
Machine Quilting by Got Quilted - Baby Size - Shellie Cibuzar - Brainerd
Ironing Board Top by Earl & Lou Rademacher - Rosie Prince - Baxter
Moda Goodie Bag - Joyce Olson - Baxter
Kaufman Fabric Basket - Penni Hergert - Cambridge
Anna Maria Horner Thread Pack + patterns- Diane Olson - Baxter
Anna Maria Horner Thread Pack + patterns - Tate Watts - McGregor
Binding by Brenda Peterson - Karen Boche - Nisswa

Brenda Miller was the winner of our trivia game ~ she chose a Parisville kit!
Here are the answers to the trivia game:

How long have we been in business? 41 years
Name the original owner of the shop: Lou Rademacher
How many shop locations have we had over the years? 4 locations
What are the shop names we’ve had over the years? Lou's Country Fabrics & Sewing School; Country Fabrics and Interiors; Country Fabrics Quilts & Collectibles; Country Fabrics and Quilting.
Name the machine brands we’ve sold over the years: Riccar, Brother, Viking, Elna, Baby Lock, BERNINA, Handi Quilter
How many years has Arlene worked here? 32 years
How many years has Deb owned the business? 10 years
Guess the number of bolts in the shop: 2500
Guess the number of samples in the shop: 854 (more added since then!)
Name a few original classes taught: bras, snowmobile suits, chopper mittens, garments
How many years have we hosted a sewing retreat? 16 years
What year did the shop add-on the sewing machine area? 1998
What year did Steffani join the business? 2009
What does Brenda design monthly? Charm Project
How many years have we had embroidery club?
How much is a full punch card worth? $20.00
How much is a fat quarter? $2.75
What day of the month does Sew’cial hour meet? 2nd Thursday
How big does Country Fabrics cut a fat quarter? 18-1/2" x 22
How wide is a jelly roll strip? 2-1/2"
What is the name of the large circular flowers out back? Cleome
What is Eileen Washburns’ roll? She makes samples for the shop

I was asked all day for the Ginger Sugar cookie recipe. The trick to these cookies is to under bake them so they remain soft. I bake them at 350 for 7 1/2 minutes. I let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 3 minutes and then I remove them to a wire rack.

Ginger Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 c. shortening 4 tsp. soda
2 c. sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. dark molasses 2 tsp. cloves
2 eggs 2 tsp. ginger
4 c. flour 1/2 tsp. sale

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and molasses; mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Roll into balls and roll in sugar. Bake 7 1/2 minutes at 350. Cookies crack and flatten while baking.

I want to thank all of you that came to the party and my staff for their friendship and loyalty. Without them I would not be where we are today. On to the next 41 years.....

A stitch in time - Threading connections through the generations

2011-06-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

In a modern movement in quilting and sewing, Steffani Burton said a wide variety of projects are available and all a person needs is to be able to thread a needle.

The Weekender: A stitch in time

Threading connections through the generations

By Renee Richardson

Senior Reporter

When Steffani Burton left Brainerd for big city life, she didn’t expect to return home in her 20s.

“I grew up wanting to get as far from this town as possible,” Steffani said.

The energetic even chaotic life around Phoenix provided a 24-hour clock of events and activities. The city fit Steffani’s high energy personality. She was a member of the wake board team and an avid equestrian. She enjoyed high fashion and the night life. Commuter traffic on six lanes of highway was the norm.

After three years of college studying to be a civil engineer, things changed. The 25-year-old said she decided not to do what was expected and took a chance on a career shift to something she really wanted to do. Something that would tap into her creativity. She added a year of college and studied design at Arizona State.

After graduation in 2009, missing family and in the midst of a tough job market, she returned home.

“It’s been a lifestyle change,” Steffani said.

But the slower pace also meant time to sew. As a child she never thought she’d be the third generation involved in the family business. It’s not that she didn’t appreciate the garment store her grandmother Lou Rademacher started in 1970 and the quilt and fabric business her mother Deb Burton grew on South Sixth Street.

Like others in her family, she learned how to use a sewing machine at a young age. But the earth-toned quilt fabrics didn’t inspire her. She loved bold prints and bright colors. Not one to sit still or let her hands be idle, she was home for about a month when she showed her mother a bag she created.

“She was blown away,” Steffani said. “She said ‘you can sew?’”

Steffani said she had actually been listening all those years at home.

She told her mom if she wanted to get young women in their 20s and 30s into sewing they needed to make a change. The antiques that once filled the second floor of the Country Fabrics and Quilting store were replaced by bolts of colorful fabrics, patterns and samples from sun dresses to aprons, bags to children’s clothes, shirts to lap quilts.

“This is what we want to sew,” Steffani said. “This is what we want to create. The happy colors. The bags. The stuff for our kids.”

Steffani was able to make the second floor her own space. Bright bolts of fabric line nearly every nook and Amy Butler designs are prominently displayed. Steffani said the upstairs renovation at the store has done just what they hoped it would, show people sewing could be cool.

“It’s been a whole movement in the industry,” Steffani said of the modern fabrics. “If we are going to do another 41 years in business we better get those girls hooked now. It’s been fun. It’s brought Mom and I closer together, sewing together. It’s just been a great two years.”

Mother and daughter sew together nearly every day. They begin the day and often end it sewing. They enjoy the creative aspect. Deb Burton said they eat, breathe and sleep it.

“It’s what we do,” Steffani said. “It’s what we love. It consumes our lives — but in a good way, a happy part of it.”

Then came the icing on the cake. Steffani designed a shoulder bag purse and submitted a sketch along with color palette to a magazine. Her design was chosen for the cover of Stitch magazine’s design issue coming out this late summer/early fall. The magazine touts the issue as “38 innovative projects for fall.”

And Country Fabrics and Quilting was chosen as one of 11 featured shops across the United States for the fall of 2011 issue of Quilt Sampler magazine, published by Better Homes and Gardens.

The magazine is published twice a year. Top quilt shops across North America are selected with a panel of experts narrowing applications. Nearly 3,000 quilt shops are eligible to apply.

Better Homes and Gardens came to the Brainerd store for the photo shoot and interviews, but the staff was sworn to secrecy. Store employees design an original quilt for the magazine. The magazine reports quilters are known to travel to visit all shops in each issue. American Patchwork & Quilting magazine reported the American quilting market is made of 11 million households and the industry has an annual expenditure of $2.7 billion.

Social media is also changing the scene. Steffani blogs, uses Flickr to share photos and updates the website. The Internet provides access to designers and the breadth of fabric and ideas out there with shoppers buying fabric online.

Deb Burton said the new generation of modern quilting is bending the rules. The simple style incorporates clean lines and big pieces of fabric. If a mistake is made, it becomes part of the piece. It’s opening the age-old tradition of sewing to a new generation.

“I’m just very proud to say we are in our third generation,” Burton said.

“Women need a creative outlet,” Steffani said. “If you can thread a needle there is something you can do. I want to get those young girls sewing. That homemaking craft should never be lost. You should always know how to fix something. It’s that connection to the past and the pride in making things.”

Thank you Brainerd Dispatch for the wonderful coverage and the highlight of the shop. We love what we do and are thrilled continue to bring color, creativity and inspiration into all of your lives.

Sochi 2014-Embracing the principle of the patchwork quilt

2011-06-15T11:35:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this just a few days ago and loved it so much I had to share it. Sochi 2014 organizing committee recently released their branding for the 2014 winter olympic games...

The donated work was designed by BOSCO Sports, a sponsor of the Olympics, as well as the official uniform provider for the Russian Olympic team since 2002. They designed the look to revolve around the principle of the ‘patchwork quilt’ — a combination of 16 designs representing the most famous traditional Russian arts and crafts, ranging from Gzhel to Khokhloma.

I'd like to fly in a sweet plane like this someday...

Or maybe I need to have a wrap made like this, so I can shop hop in style... (I'll take the Audi too!)

(all photos from here)

It's so great to see a traditional theme with a modern twist, which is so prevalent with todays modern quilters. I don't know about you but it's 967 days until the 2014 games, and I am so excited to see how everything turns out.

Sochi 2014 has their website all decked out with the patchwork theme as well, you can see the mascots, events calendar, learn how they are being environmentally conscious (zero waste games!) check out the venues, the teams and more. Learn more.

Quick (easy!) 10 min. pillowcase apron

2011-05-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

TEN minutes to make this...no kidding. All you need is a pillowcase, about 2 yards of ribbon and your sewing machine. Brenda found this great site with a ton of free tutorials, including this 10 min pillowcase apron. You can use a store-bought pillowcase or use a homemade one. You can find the step by step picture tutorial here.

Want more? Betz has a whole list of free tutorials on her blog. Check them out!

(photo credit betzwhite.com)

About the Author: Betz White
   Betz White has the uncanny ability of envisioning beauty in the mundane, something new from something old, cupcakes from sweater cuffs. It’s this skill that has propelled her to the forefront of the crafting field.
   She is the bestselling author of two books that encourage readers to “stitch beautifully, tread lightly”, Warm Fuzzies (North Light, 2007) and Sewing Green (STC Craft, 2009).
Her line of Betz White Organic Textiles offers organic fabrics manufactured in environmentally sensitive ways, all showcasing her mastery of pattern and color – and the perfect accompaniment to her Make New or Make Do™ series of original sewing patterns. You’ll find her teaching online and event workshops and blogging at blog.BetzWhite.com.
   Betz has built a career on thoughtful design, skilled craftsmanship and a focus on materials that are kind to people and planet alike.

Country Fabrics and Quilting...fall Quilt Sampler 2011 top 10 shop!

2011-05-25T10:33:00.001-05:00

We've had this secret for quite some time, its been hard to keep our lips sealed but now we can finally spill the beans. After 41 years in business, we'll be featured as one of the top 10 quilt shops in the fall issue of Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler!

Competition to be included in Quilt Sampler is keen. Nearly 3,000 quilt shops were eligible to apply for this years honor. We and the other 10 shops that were chosen have been photographed and interviewed by a team from the Quilt Sampler and a multi-page profile of our shop will appear in the fall issue, on newsstands September 6th, 2011. We've chosen one of our original shop designs for our featured quilt, made with Tula Pink Parisville fabrics. (shown above and kits will be available!) The full sized pattern will appear in the magazine. We're accepting pre-orders on the magazine, so be sure to reserve your signed copy today!

We have our official certificate on display in the shop along with our staff photo. We'll have our quilt in the shop soon as well. Stop in!

Be sure to mark your calender for our celebration party the week of September 6th. We'll have a magazine 'coming out' party, where the first 100 people in the door will receive a goody bag full of, well goodies. You can pick up your signed copy of the mag, we'll serve refreshments and I'm sure some of Debs 'world famous' homemade cookies. More to follow as the time nears.

Thank you to all who have supported us for the past 4 decades and to all of those who are in our 'quilting/sewing family'. We could not have done it without you. You are a big part of why we are here and why we love this business.

Market was a blast, it was fun to get our award and to see all the shops who will appear in the fall issue. We took lots of pictures, which I'll be posting later in the week. Tons of fun, new and exciting fabrics and patterns coming into the shop in the next few weeks, we can't hardly wait!

Thank you all! -Steffani, Deb and Staff xx

Kits are available for our Sampler quilt. Click here.

Love to sew? Let your computer show it!

2011-05-19T16:13:00.002-05:00

Found! Great wallpapers for your computer on the new Moda site...they do such a great job with all their designing from fabric to desktop wallpapers!

Click on the picture above and it will take you to the page where you can choose which wallpaper you'd like, available in a range of different screen sizes. Enjoy!

Around the Corner-Amy Butler style

2011-05-15T12:00:00.001-05:00

Check out our latest "featured" pattern of the month for our Sewcial Hour. It is Around the Corner by Heather Mulder Peterson. We chose to use the periwinkle and lime coordinates from one of Amy Butler's latest groupings, Soul Blossoms by Westminster Fabrics.

The lap size measures 47" x 66", a size perfect for cuddling up, using as a decorative throw, or planning a picnic. We love how the fabrics form interlocking squares so very effortlessly. It's hard to believe, but the entire quilt is composed of a single block pattern that twists and turns. The pattern is absolutely wonderful, making use of a single background and assorted 2 1/2" strips. Although we stayed in a very distinct palette, this lends itself to scrappy versions as well. The pressing directions included are clear and make for perfectly nesting and matching seams, which in turn leads to a nice flat top to quilt. We did choose to cut our borders length of grain which meant no piecing of a large scale print, as well as offering more stability to the finished piece. Matching bias binding was cut and applied to complete a very cohesive look.

We chose to put soft, fine wale corduroy on the back...nummy.....and Kenna quilted big loops and swirls and flowers to mimic the designs found in the fabrics. We LOVE this quilt and highly recommend it for anyone who would be considered a beginner with some experience. The pattern is a great buy, offering alternate quilt sizes, a table runner version, and an octagonal piece that could be used for a table covering or a tree skirt. Stop in to see and feel the actual quilt...even Steff's masterful photography doesn't do this one justice.

Coming Soon...new fabric lines!

2011-05-11T12:21:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to have some new lines come into the shop and of course we are excited to be on our way to market this weekend. We'll get to see all that is new in fabrics, patterns, gadgets and so much more. I'll be taking a ton of pictures and I'll post them here on the blog as soon as I can. Until then here is a little eye candy for you..new lines for spring!

(images from tulapink.com)

We'll have the whole line coming in...that means charm packs and jelly rolls will be cut as soon as it arrives as well. Tula's new line is very reminiscent of her older line with Moda, Neptune, which we love because you can't find Neptune fabric out there anywhere. Hopefully this line does just as well for her! My mind is already thinking of great projects that will look fabulous with these prints. Price Charming should be in any day now! I'll make sure to take pictures of her booth at market too...I know it will be great!

Coming this July...Joel Dewberry's new line Heirloom. We've ordered all the prints you see above! So fresh and fun, this summer line is sure to brighten any room. The dresses above inspire me to whip up a new summer tank...or a summer throw out of crisp tangerine and aqua...sounds like the perfect porch quilt! While at market this weekend, I'll be sure to snap some pictures of Joel's booth/quilt project..which I'll post in my market re-cap. Now, we're off to Salt Lake City!

Beyond quilters cotton: Laminates!

2011-05-10T16:14:00.000-05:00

Here around the shop we (still) are loving working with laminates in just about anything from bag linings to raincoats and ponchos. Its the new summer trend. (think a fun summer beach bag lined with laminate for your wet towel and suit!) Embrace this new trend, get lost in what's happening now, go ahead theres nothing wrong with that. Trends reflect what we as a (sewing) culture enjoy in the moment, and more than one trend has gone on to become a classic. Laminated cottons just might make that transition.

Laminated cottons are similar to oil cloth, but not nearly as stiff. The cotton prints are coated with a thin layer of polyurethane (which, according to Westminster Fibers, does not contain phthalates and is not make with vinyl or polyvinyl chloride). These laminates are water resistant, yet have a nice drape to them. They're not nearly as heavy as oil cloth, which is made from canvas. Makes me want to make the best looking raincoat around, a new summer beach bag or a hip picnic table cloth for summer grilling. In the shop we've been making samples with laminate for over a year and still cant get enough of them, especially with new fun prints coming out.

Why not try this fun summer ruffle apron with any one of our laminate prints in the store.

click on the picture for the FREE pdf pattern

There's no magic required to make great laminate projects, once you get a few tricks in your sewing bag:

• Choose a pattern with simple lines and not a lot of piecing or detailed sewing. And just say no to gathers or eased seams, because laminates really don't give.

• Don't try to straighten the grain; laminates will not shift.

• If you're making a garment, check the fit and make alterations to the pattern before you cut it out.
• Cut a single layer with the right side up. For pieces cut on the fold, fold wrong sides together.
• If you wish to cut two layers you will want to use your rotary cutter, not a scissors. Use pattern weights to hold the laminates firmly to your cutting mat.
• If you must use pins, pin only in seam allowances because with a laminate, a pinhole is forever, baby!
• Mark with chalk or a smooth-edged tracing wheel.
• Use an 80/12 Mictrotex needle. ( A smaller needle makes a smaller hole.)
• Use a longer stitch length (3mm or more) for seaming and topstitching. Shorter stitch lengths might end up perforating the fabric.
• I had great results with a walking foot, but a Teflon Presser foot or a Roller Presser foot may also help prevent the presser foot from sticking when you're sewing on the laminated side (a plus when topstitching).
• A warm iron is okay on the WRONG side, but keep that heat away from the right side or it'll be Melt City! I also used a press cloth as extra security.
• Machine wash your laminate projects on delicate, and tumble dry on low, or just hang it to dry.

Now that you have a ton of tricks in your bag, go ahead and create a project. You'll be surprised how fun and easy sewing with laminates really is. Here are our favorite shop projects, all with laminates:

Raindrops Cape by Fig Tree Threads made with Little House pink letter laminate designed by Annette Tatum. We made this spring poncho with our soft laminate, lined it with a pink solid flannel and finished with a fun pink houndstooth binding. The perfect spring accessory for any little girl.

If a cape isn't your style, why not a fun raincoat complete with a hood, and pockets to hold all your rainy day finds. We made this one using Amy Butler's Little Splashes pattern and her Love laminate.

This fun new lunch bag is one of Terry Atkinsons new patterns out for spring called Wine and Dine. The pattern features a lunch bag with both silverware pockets and slip to hold your drink. Line the bag with any cotton print or choose a coordinating laminate for durability. To provide additional insulating properties to our bag, we used insul-bright as an optional interlining.

What young girl wouldn't love a laminate lined make-up bag? This is Terry Atkinsons Zippy Strippy pattern made with Weekends fabric by Erin McMorris. Another great laminate project made here in the shop with Weekends fabric is our On-the-Go trash Bag!

Hang this from the head rest in your car for the perfect trash bin, plus with the laminate as the lining you are able to wipe out any messes!

All of these great laminate projects can be found in the shop, along with fun laminates to make any of these your own. So, now that you have new tricks in your bag go ahead and try something new...working with laminates.

QOV featured in the Northland Press

2011-04-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

Kudos goes out to all of our generous volunteers who spend their free time helping the Quilts of Valor foundation with quilts for our wounded soldiers.

This article was featured in the Northland Press Tuesday, April 26th:

Quilts of Valor: A Quiet Thank You from Grateful Citizens

Sharon Jacobson, Kas Kunkel, Olga McGuire, Diane McGuire

and Chris Jeske - photo by Connie Jenson

Web posted April 26, 2011
By Connie Jenson

It’s subtle, but it’s there in the stitching. The words “thank you” and “patriot.” A quiet thank you from some of its grateful citizens.

Quilts of Valor Foundation is a national non-profit organization that makes high quality lap quilts for wounded warriors. The organization was started in Delaware by a Blue Star mom who wanted to express her thanks to her son for his service to our country and it has since spread across the United States.

It didn’t take long for a group to get started in Brainerd. About this same time, women who meet at the Log Church (Crosslake Evangelical Free Church) in Crosslake to quilt for Camp Confidence began looking for other quilting opportunities. Quilts of Valor became another avenue for them.

For over seven years, The Log Church offered up space on its lower level for the quilters, a core group of approximately ten women who fuel up on coffee and freshmade muffins before getting on task. Stations are set up; there are several tables with sewing machines, one for laying out designs, a cutting area, and ironing boards. A closet in another room is stacked with plastic bins of donated quilting fabrics and batting awaiting transformation.

The quilts can be a start-to-finish project but often, the quilts are a collaboration between the Crosslake quilters and the Brainerd quilters, who meet twice a month at Country Fabrics. The pieced quilt tops, along with a presentation pillowcase, are sent to Brainerd where they are matched with backing and batting. The quilts are then sent out to machine quilters. The approximately 55x65 inch quilts from Brained/Crosslake have been sent as far as Idaho for quilting but recently, some of the quilts are returning to Crosslake to be quilted.

Earl Rasmussen bought a longarm quilting machine for his wife, Patricia, back in December. Retired and having a background in machining and metal fabricating, it didn’t take Earl long to realize that running a longarm was similar to what he had done on the job. He watched the training videos, set up the computer and began tag-teaming with Patricia in longarm quilting. Earl and Patricia’s goal is to quilt one hundred QOVs.

“After that, I want to work up to 500,” Earl said, “we appreciate the opportunity to help.”

There are many reasons these devoted quilters gather several times a month. Some started out looking for something to do with their spare time or the fellowship of the group. More often, the reasons are much more personal.

Many of the quilters have family in the military, including Marie Fischer, whose son is active duty Air Force and has been combat-deployed multiple times. Perhaps Olga McGuire puts it best, “What we give is so small compared to what our [service men and women] go through.”

It is estimated that by May of this year, over 41,000 quilts will have been given to wounded warriors, mostly veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom who have suffered both physical injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Lakeland Public Television’s “Common Ground” is featuring the Brainerd Quilts of Valor group on Thursday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. and again on May 1 at 6:00 p.m.. More information can also be found at www.qovf.org. For more information locally, contact Connie Jenson at 218-963-1366.

Quilting by Earl Rasmussen - photo by Connie Jenson

Jelly Jive & Blended Stripes

2011-02-21T11:32:00.001-06:00

This week brings another pile of new quilts hanging in the store as Deb and I have been busy sewing, quilting and binding most every evening to bring you new samples. I've posted before about this great quilt, but now we have some good final pictures where the quilt is actually bound and finished.

This was a great pattern from Pieced Tree and it uses pre-cut strips, you can't get any more simple than that! We used a Hoffman Bali Pop in Green Tea for our quilt top.

The pattern says the finished quilt top, using one jelly roll-bali pop-etc, will be 56" x 66". Ours however came out to be a bit smaller, 50" x 55".

We put a nice seafoam/blue batik on the back and used straight line quilting for a more modern look. The quilting really accents the quilt top.

This next quilt is so completely different than the pattern, it was interesting to see how it was going to turn out as we were making it. We've looked at this pattern for quite some time but never found the right fabrics to make it up.

Blended Strips by Aardvark Quilts

When Sunkissed by Sweetwater came into the store, the line had the perfect complementing pinstripes we could use for the solids. It was going to make such a soft blend, not quite as harsh as the pattern cover.

I love the pinstripe in place of the solids!

For the backing we went with more of a pieced look, using some of our scraps to add some interest. You can really see the quilting in this sunlight as well. I decided to quilt this one with large looping swirls, some inside of others and added a multi-petal flower in some of the larger loops.

The quilt is finished with the mango pinstripe from the line as a binding. It turned out so different than the pattern, we love it! Currently both these quilts hang in the store for samples. Stop in to see them for yourselves.

Meet Miss Tula Pink & her Parisville collection

2011-02-16T12:14:00.002-06:00

Tula Pink's Parisville just arrived in the store and it's more lovely than we remembered! She has such a talent for color and design. She may be a new name to you, but you might be familiar with some of her past fabric lines with Moda:

As she releases her new line, Parisville, she's switched over and joined all the funky designers at Freespirit Fabrics. We are so excited she's found a great place to fit in and Freespirit will be a great company to let her design & create at her own free will.

So who is Tula Pink? Well here a little bit about her from the Freespirit Fabrics site:

Tula Pink graduated from Otis College of Art and Design, with degrees in both Graphic Design and Illustration. College was fun but left her broke so, naturally, she decided to get a job. After working briefly as a senior exhibit designer for two major Los Angeles Museums Tula realized her life had become a bit too quite and set out in search of something louder. She found the noise she was looking for in the booming L.A. music industry. After 6 years of Metal, Hip Hop, skulls and chains her ears began to bleed so she left California in search of a new home. The plan was to move as far east as she could get without renting a boat and work her way back west until she found a place she liked.
Tula now resides in a small mid-western town where her closest neighbor is roughly four miles away. She has a cat that she never sees and a lawn that requires more attention than the cat.
Tula's main function in life is fabric design. She lives for it. Through all of the moving and mind changing one thing was constant; fabric and sewing. She designed her first fabric collection in her living room, after work and on weekends. A few years and several collections have passed since then.
Today she works with FreeSpirit Fabrics designing not just for quilting but for a whole lifestyle of DIY-ers with a passion for saying things like “Hey! look what I made” or “don’t sit on that, it’s still wet”. Seeing her name on that selvage was the only thing that had been missing from her professional life. So here she sits, an exiled rock princess on a throne of bolts and bobbins just waiting for someone to come along so she can show them what she's made.

We love what she's done with her new line. Its so fresh and modern, something we've never seen before and she does a great job letting us know what it takes to design a fabric line. She blogs about the whole process from start to finish. It's super interesting and you can read all about it here.

Heres the gist of it:

(all images from TulaPink.com)

You can read so much more about her and her fabrics on her blog. Her sense of humor and witty remarks make for great reading...you might get sucked in...you wouldn't be the first.

Parisville just arrived in the shop! We have some great projects planned I can't wait to finish, and we're also cutting charm packs that will be available to purchase. Perfect for Brendas monthly charm project! Now, feel the love all the way from Paris and go out and get yourself some Parisville...it's sure to put a smile on your face.

So many new samples, it's hard to keep up!

2011-02-11T17:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since we've posted any new samples, but in that time we're finished a ton. We had a sewing retreat weekend the last weekend in January where between the two of us we finished 8 quilt tops! They are being quilted and bound as we speak, but here are some of the 'almost' completed tops.

Uptown Girl

Uptown Girl by Carolina Patchworks. This was on the list as the first thing to finish over the retreat weekend. I have been working on this for quite some time, as the pieced blocks are finished at 4". It uses only 3 charm packs and some sashing to assemble the top. I used Whimsy by Fig Tree Quilts and we simply love the soft look of the quilt. I quilted it with a simple cross hatch pattern because of the intricacy of the quilt blocks I didn't think it needed much more. It turned out simply stunning!

Boxed Blessings

This was our mystery quilt for our fall retreat, Boxed Blessings by Ingrid Barlow. We really enjoy this pattern as it's quick and easy to construct and comes in multiple sizes. I've seen this quilt in a wide array of fabrics from batiks to flannels to large contemporary prints. Each time it makes a stunning quilt with quite a statement! For the backing on this I decided to make it a little more fun adding a framed strip of the main print and a 'wonky' star in the upper corner. I like to make by backs a little more fun, it's almost like you have a reversible quilt, 2 quilts in 1! Why not?!

Boxed In

Pieced Tree Tiny Boxed In Pattern- Grab this little 3 1/2"x 5 1/2" laminated pattern card, a jelly roll and a charm pack, and hit the door running! This quilt measures approx 52" x 52" and is a great pattern for those pre-cuts we are loving. We made ours with Fandango fabrics by Kate Spain, it turned out great.

Jelly Jive

Another new pattern from Pieced Tree Designs - Jelly Jive! Jelly Jive measures approximately 50"x 60" and works great for Jelly Rolls, Bali Pops or any other 2 1/2" strips. We used a Hoffman Bali Pop to create this fun strip quilt or you can try making this beauty in all your strip scraps! Possibilities are endless!

Take 5 - Crosses the Line

Take 5 Crosses the line made with Moonlight Lodge Flannels. The soft blend of browns pops against the red background and the feel of these fabrics is almost suede-like. From the ladies of The Teachers Pet patterns comes their Take 5 book. Choose from 15 designs that look intricate but are very simple to construct - excellent for beginners! Plus it takes the stress out of selecting fabrics with their straight forward approach, 5 minuets - 5 fabrics, it's that easy!

Punctuation Quilt

We really fell in love with this line when we first saw it, who doesn't love the nostalgic American Jane fabrics? Plus the kits come in the cutest collectors tin, only available with the purchase of a kit. This Punctuation quilt is approx 40"x 48" and uses the great alphabet panel. The last square was left open intentionally so one could customize it by adding a label or embroidering in the block.

Modern Squares

AMH Little Folks voile quilt with wool batting

This quilt is a great project for any sewer but great to build confidence in beginners. I used simple 8" squares to construct the top and fun strips for the back. I used a 8x10 layout resulting in a quilt that measures about 60" x 75" the perfect long couch quilt! The prints used are Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks Voiles and they are oh so soft! I decided to put wool batting in it, which turns out a wonderfully soft, yet warm quilt. The quilt was straight line quilted on my home machine, using 1/2" seam allowance in a grid format. The quilt was finished with a soft blue Kona solid which really sets off the colors. You have to stop in to feel this quilt for yourself!

Almost Argyle

Every month Brenda designs a great charm project for our Sew'cial Hour Club which meets the 2nd Thursday of each month. This month she designed Almost Argyle using Sunkissed by Sweetwater and adding fun ric-rac and buttons for a little twist.

Silver Star

While at market this year we came across a great little booth called Villa Rosa Designs. They have these rose cards; quilt patterns on a postcard, similar to Pieced Tree's patterns. This is one of their patterns called Silver Star. Its uses Fat 8th's to make the quilt top, super quick and easy! We love these little patterns and they are a great deal. Brenda used Art Gallery fabrics for this quilt with a great Kona grey as a backing.

Spicy Spiral Table Runner

This is a very quick and easy runner to make. Spicy spiral table runner uses a 10 degree wedge ruler to make this stunning effect. We used more contemporary prints, but this would look great in just about any fabrics from batiks to more traditional prints.

18 inch Doll Clothes

It seems 18 inch dolls clothes are a new trend and we have a bunch of new samples to show. These fun clothes are from Kwik Sew pattern #3771 and the book Love to Dress up 18 inch doll clothes. We also have other great patterns available for these fun garments such as Kwik Sew #3091, and two other books.

Whew! For now, these are fun new samples in the store.

Stop in to see them and to feel them, especially the voile/wool quilt!

11 sewing tips for 2011

2011-01-11T10:00:00.001-06:00

We've collected some of our favorite sewing tips to share with you this year-even Nancy and Eleanor joined in the fun!

11 Sewing Tips For 2011

Make 2011 a year without pin pricks - Wonder Tape keeps your fabric in place for stitching without using any pins.
Wouldn't you love to vacuum less? Sweep a magnet over your carpet to instantly find and grab dropped pins.
"I keep track of when I last replaced my serger knife blades by writing the date on the blades with a permanent marker." - Nancy Zieman
Hate to waste scraps of your favorite fabric? Use small plastic containers to collect and organize scraps, and save them for crazy patch quilts or for Piecing in the Hoop!
Can't fit your pattern back in its original packaging? Buy extra pattern storage bags or use a plastic freezer bag to organize patterns and prevent ripping.
With so many new large hoops available, you can spend the new year embroidering your biggest ideas.
You already have an amazing machine, why not explore its full potential this year? Check out the exciting new Baby Lock accessories like the Circle Sewing Attachment.
While you're organizing your sewing room, why not add some style and function? Arrow cabinets have the cutest Olivia cabinet you're sure to love.
"If you mark quilts with the blue marking pen, after rinsing, allow your project to completely dry in a natural setting (do not use a blow dryer or any type of heat). This will ensure that the lines will not show up again. - Eleanor Burns
You can also use the new Sewline pencil with ceramic lead...it actually erases!
Pick up a new technique or skill this year. Join one of our machine owner classes and learn to get the most from your machine.

Free sewing tutorials...great projects to inspire you.

2011-01-10T12:08:00.000-06:00

Many times Deb and myself come across fun sewing projects, easy tutorials and inspirational ideas when we're online, so I've decided to post a few fun ones geared towards little ones, some for adults, for home and just for fun...go ahead explore...create...be inspired!

This is a great ruffled scarf made using old shirts, its so adorable! You can click on the picture above to go to the scarf tutorial. Ruffles and Stuff is a great blog for other fun tutorials as well! She has a whole section devoted to children tutorials...with great ideas...go check it out!

We also love the ladies' tutorials she's posted..so many great ideas for making garments your own..and those ruffled skirts?! Makes me want to go home and sew...right now. :)

Make it Love it is another great site for many projects and sewing ideas. They have sections of tutorials...FREE projects available for you for home, baby, adult and more. Click on the picture above and it will take you right to the tutorial page with many projects to choose from.

Living with Punks is another great blog with fun ideas you'll love. She has tutorials "tutes" that are fun and unique and best yet...they're FREE! This is just a sampling of what she has to offer on her site.

Remember there are tons of free projects available on the web, use the resource and take advantage of these great FREE projects available to you. Now go on...explore, be crafty and create. We hope you enjoy!

New Year...New Club & New Samples to inspire. Welcome 2011!

2011-01-04T14:02:00.000-06:00

Welcome to 2011. As we ring in the new year here at the store, we have many new samples sure to inspire you and a revised club we know you'll enjoy. After much contemplation we've decided to make a slight change to our Thursday Sew'cial Hour..formally known as Thimbleberries Club.

We are excited to continue to bring you the best of the past with the promising improvements for the future. We love the opportunity to share the newest and the best fabrics, patterns, notions and ideas with our favorite customers. Bring a guest, your best gal or your sewing/quilting friends and join us for our re-invented Thursday Sew'cial Hour. We hope you'll join us! Club meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 6:00 pm.

For more information about our clubs including Sweet Pickins', Thursday Sew'cial Hour & Embroidery Club visit our website.

Now for some inspiration & eye candy! We've been busy ladies (as always) pumping out more samples than I can keep up with on the blog! It seems every time I turn around we've made another inspiring sample. It's this commitment to keep things new and fresh in the store we're known for.

Diamond Diva by Heather Mulder Peterson

This is a great pattern from Anka's Treasures called Diamond Diva. This fat quarter friendly pattern has a quilt, runner and table topper with many size and color options available. The quilt is strip pieced argyles with raw edge appliqued center diamonds, so neat! We decided to do two fat quarter friendly table toppers made with batiks. There is also color options for the toppers with the 4 color option making 2 table toppers. Another great pattern from Anka's Treasures!

Homage to the state flower of California! With just a little time & scraps from your stash you can whip up this delightful pillow in no time. Shoot you can even turn it into a table topper, taking the poppy and placing it on a different size wool backing or add the applique onto a quilt top! The pattern gives clear instructions & a materials list for a finished pillow thats about 15" square. The pattern is also full sized so you won't have to make a trip to your local copy shop. No worries, you can use your machine to do the applique for a quick project, or if you enjoy handwork go ahead and hand stitch this fun poppy. A great pillow sure to brighten any room!

This is the perfect quilt for that modern baby boy or girl! The simple squares, with minkee centers are set off on a great grey background with touches of white to break it up. The quilt measures 40" x 40" and has a flannel backing. Bonus! There is also instructions for a matching receiving blanket, which is so simple to construct . The one rounded corner adds a unique touch with the minkee applique.

Kits are available!

This is another great pattern by our very own, oh so talented Brenda Peterson. Brenda runs our Thursday Sew'cial Hour monthly club where each month she designs a club exclusive, one of a kind charm project. This one she used Robert Kaufman On a Whim 2 fabrics designed by Amy Schimler. Another great charm project!

This is another of Brenda's great designs called Diamonds in the Rough. She used fabrics from Moda by French General called Maison de Garance. Beautiful Jacobean florals, rich reds and browns make this table topper an eye catcher.

We hope you find some inspiration with these new samples and they move you to create your own! Don't forget..our revised club, Thursday Sew'cial Hour, meets the 2nd Thursday of each month and you don't want to miss it!

Year End Sale!

2010-12-21T16:49:00.001-06:00

There's a Wocket in my pocket!....Seuss Posh Tot Quilt

2010-12-17T12:31:00.000-06:00

Ever since Seuss fabric arrived we've been loving working with it, planning quilts, pillowcases and bags and itching to get our first quilt done. We chose the Posh Tot pattern by Blue Underground....

We used red minkee for the backing, which is a perfect fit for the quilt. We also decided to use one of the panel pieces in the quilt instead of making a quilt block.

No matter what we do with these fabrics they always bring back a flood of nostalgic memories..making sewing and quilting with them so fun. We also whipped up a simple pillowcase but decided to put ric-rac instead of an accent piece.

Coming soon: another Seuss quilt (Log Cabin style) I'll post as soon as its done. Stop into the store to see these samples and all the other great new samples we've finished in the past few weeks.

New store samples

2010-12-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here at the shop we've been busy girls sewing all sorts of new samples. Here are some of the latest:

Toulouse Baby Quilt by Make Your Day Designs

The Toulouse Baby Quilt gives parents a modern option for their newest member of the family. A quilt encompassing the color wheel making it the perfect gift to hand down from child to child. We made this quilt using Heather Bailey Pop Garden and Bijioux fabrics with a Kona solid used for the sashing.

Kellie Hartwig of KellieBanellee Custom Creations did a great job of quilting this lovely quilt. She often quilt freehand, creating stunning floral and geometric patterns. She wanted to have some fun with this one, so she tried out a groovy board to create the quilting in the sashing. We put a aqua minkee on the back for a soft finish. So cute! Finished Dimensions 35” Long x 51” Wide

Pop Art Posies by Wooly Lady

This 17" by 17" pillow will suit any room! Use flannel for the backside if desired and bright and colorful felted wool for the front. Simple directions and clear illustrations make it easy to put together!

Pumpkin Table Mat by Primitive Gatherings

18" table topper hand stitched using textured hand dyed wools.

Each month during our Thursday Sew-cial the ladies who choose to participate in our Thimbleberries block of the month pick up their blocks and patterns. There is also a bonus pattern for the month. Brenda does a wonderful job making up these 'extra projects'. This is one of the extra projects: Pumpkins & Stars Runner measuring 20in x 48in

Pieced Tree Tiny Panel Magic Pattern- Grab this little 3 1/2"x 5 1/2" laminated pattern card and hit the door running! Need a small quilt in a hurry? Find a great panel and get to it. Just cut the panel to size, piece 4 cornerstones, add the border, and the top is done, ready to layer, quilt, and bind. Finished size 34 1/2"x 54". Kellie Hartwig did an amazing job quilting this quick quilt. The cowboy boots, sheriff stars and brand symbols adds so much!

Keep your feet warm and stay stylish at the same time with the Charisma boot. Create these great ethnic-inspired boots in your favorite colors and patterns of fabrics. Lined with fleece and flannel with foam insoles these make for great inside and Summer wear. Exterior raw seams accent their construction shapes. Pattern contains youth sizes 13-5 and women's sizes 6-10. Fat Quarter friendly. Includes instructions, diagrams and full-size paper patterns.

Circle of Hope Bracelets - great gift idea!

2010-12-13T11:23:00.000-06:00

If you are looking for a last-minute gift for someone special, please consider one of our Circle of Hope bracelets. These lovely bracelets are reasonably priced with every penny going toward the fight against all types of cancer, supporting education, research, and treatment programs. It's an easy and beautiful way to help fight this deadly disease that affects so many of our loved ones. Thank you so much for continuing to support this cause.

Retreat weekend sewing...new samples!

2010-12-09T16:56:00.001-06:00

This past weekend Deb and Steffani went on their annual girls retreating weekend with Lou and the rest of their family. Each year they head to small Upsala, MN to Camp Lebanon to enjoy the comfort of family, friends, and a weekend full of sewing. Camp Lebanon hosts wonderful Quilt & Craft Retreats with great guest shops, knowledgeable instructors and some of the best food around. Lisa Abler and the rest of the staff do a wonderful job putting on these events, the experience is enjoyable every year! This session of camp is their time to relax and enjoy family time sewing after being a guest shop and guest teachers during another fall session earlier this year in November.

This session is all about sewing for the girls, although teaching never stops. Having Deb as a resource for questions is always a plus for the campers and Deb doesn't mind dropping whatever she's doing to help a quilter in need! They sew for almost 4 full days...power sewing as many of the campers say because of the amount of projects accomplished. Show and Tell on the last day of camp is always a fun way to show other campers what the store is up to since most of what the girls sew are store samples.
Check out these store samples:

Whimsy Bag by Lazy Girl Designs

This roomy tote is the perfect carry-all. We love the open inside and the simplicity of having a lining without any pockets. It's the perfect bag to carry to and from work, filled with file folders, notebooks and maybe a laptop. It would also be a great travel bag to carry your sewing, knitting or crafting projects to and from class.

The Whimsy Bag tote pattern is a great all-purpose tote, made with Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow fabrics. With six large exterior pockets, this bag is ideal for everything from a sewing tote to a diaper bag. Fill this easy to make bag with whatever meets your whimsy. Features: Six large exterior pockets, lined interior and padded handles. Finished size approx: 17" wide x 11" height.

Mama Mia Diaper Bag by Favorite Things Patterns

Although this bag is labeled a 'diaper bag' there is no reason one couldn't carry it on a daily basis with or without a child on you hip. This open, roomy bag has a large oval bottom, gathered handles and a fun buckle in the front.

Roomy enough to keep your personal items organized yet stylish enough to keep you one hip mama! The pattern comes with directions for a changing pad as well with pockets to keep extra diapers and wipes all wrapped up neatly with a velcro tab. Finished Dimensions: Bag-H-14" L-20" D-9" Change Pad- L-23" W-20"

Sleepover Bag by Melly & Me

There is nothing more fun from the time you are a little girl to when you are a grown-up than having a sleepover! Whether it be a sleepover at your girlfriend's house or your favorite weekend getaway, there is always something so exciting about packing that overnight bag in preparation. This large 'Sleepover Bag' is the ultimate weekend travel bag, roomy enough to keep all your belongings in one place and stylish enough to turn heads!

Zippered closure and two front pockets with magnetic clasps allow enough space for everything you'll need for a weekend away or to send with the kiddies to grandmas house. For a little extra detail we used chunky rectangle clover rings on the sides and we added 6 purse feet on the bottom. We don't know about you but generally our overnight bags are awfully uninspiring, ranging from plain black leather to something mom had laying around from the 70's. This bag blows all of them away, especially when you use a cute print like the one we used here from MoMo's new line It's a Hoot. Finished Bag size: Approx 21" x 21" including handles.

Puzzle Ball by Red Thread

This puzzle ball was a weekend favorite! We've had this pattern in the store for some time now and we've been dying to make it up after seeing the puzzle unfold in front of us at spring market. This is the largest version on the pattern measuring about 12" x 12". There are two smaller sizes on the pattern used for baby toys, gifts, and even as a pincushion. Not all pincushions are flat! Amish and Mennonite quilters made 3 dimensional puzzle balls as gifts or tokens of friendship. You can use fabric scraps as Mennonite women did, or wool and velvet as the Amish - either way it's hard to make just one. Prepare to be smitten!

This puzzle ball splits into three pieces and can be put back together again, perfect for fostering young minds. Every so often a puzzle ball was given with a little bell stitched deep inside, perfect for babies play, in such cases the puzzle ball was stitched tight. Most often puzzle balls were made for gift giving and decorative purposes. They can be taken apart and put back together again if one knows the secret...it's puzzling! Stop into the store to see if you can solve the puzzle!

Ruthie Clutch by Anna Maria Horner

Stylish shape & sensible size! The Ruthie Clutch is just the right size to hold all you need for a night out on the town for for running Saturday errands. This cute, clever and flirty clutch is a nostalgic little bag with charming details.

Have a vintage button you've been dying to use? This little bag really packs a punch with the right trim and button accessory. We've been looking to use our new trims from market such as our pleated ribbon and velvet trim. Paired with the fuchsia and orange the teal ruffle and grey velvet really pop!

Grommet Wallet by Indygo Junction

Create a sleek and fashionable billfold style wallet with a grommet & elastic closure.

Keep organized with eight separate card pocket dividers. A larger area located behind the card storage provides a place for paper money and a divider for receipts; while the Velcro closed smaller pocket is perfect for coins. Create with two coordinating cottons and finish edges with purchased bias binding. Approximate finished size: closed is 4 1/2” x 8” wide and open is 12 3/4" x 8” wide.

Snap Happy II and Snap Happier Tote by Stitchin' Sisters

We've been re-purposing old and broken metal carpenters tape measures in these quick and easy patterns by Stitchin' Sisters. These multi purpose bags hold just about anything you put in them and snap close for a secure hold. The tote is another version using the tape measure (at least 1" wide) and is the perfect size for everyday life. These are so quick you'll want to make more to go with each outfit or for Christmas gifts. Have young nieces or granddaughters? Make the Snap Happy II for a make-up bag and line it with one of our funky laminates for easy clean up. It would also make a great gift for mothers who have little ones. (Laminate the lining!)

Quilts to come!

Thats not all! A few quilt tops were finished as well during the retreat weekend as well. Here's a little preview:

Quilting with pre-cuts really makes construction a breeze. One jelly roll quilt, one Bali Pop quilt, one layer cake and a funky modern quilt top were all finished. As soon as they are back from our quilter we'll post more exciting pictures.

The girls had a blast, as they do every year and came home with a whole pile of new store samples.

What a creative bunch of ladies!

Stop into the store to check out all our new samples!

New! Affordable Arrow sewing cabinets...and a cute chair!

2010-12-09T12:08:00.001-06:00

Just in! New Arrow sewing cabinets made right next door in Wisconsin! Arrow Companies, LLC, has been manufacturing quality, specialty furniture since 1943. Arrow's classic sewing machine cabinets and craft tables are functional, affordable and offer superior engineering and quality.

Bertha shown here in white model 701, was made to fit today's large and heavy sewing and embroidery machines. Her airlift holds a 45 pound machine and will move your sewing machine up and down effortlessly into 3 positions: freearm, flatbed and storage. We have also included the quilt leaf for the back of the cabinet. The leaf will increase your workspace behind the unit, so fragile quilts won't fall on the floor as you pass them through the machine. The leaf slides along a metal rod behind the cabinet for custom positioning to the left of your machine. The two doors on Bertha have a total of 8 storage trays for all your sewing accessories. A cut out in the front allows for machine knee lifters to be used comfortably. Sew with correct posture avoiding stress on your hands, back and neck in any position by sitting in front of your needle for center needle sewing.

Curious if your large machine will fit Bertha? The opening will accommodate sewing machines no larger then 22-9/16" wide x 11-3/4" front to back (deep) x 14-1/2" tall.

Bertha will fit the new Bernina 830 Viking Sapphire and Babylock Ellisimo.

For 360 degree views of this cabinet click here.

We love the look of Olivia..one of their top sellers.

What little girl wouldn't want to sew on the adorable pistachio cabinet?!

Olivia features a 2-position mechanism that will move your sewing machine into the flatbed and freearm positions. Pull the quick release lever forward to make your sewing well become flush with the top and use Olivia as a desk or another hobby table. You'll find plenty of storage for your small notions with 2 drawers and 2 deep cubbies for storage of your sewing machine, serger or baskets of fabric. Olivia's wide table top surface allows you to sit center needle comfortably and have plenty of space both on the left and right side of your sewing machine. Olivia has a durable design with composite construction and a vinyl laminate that should last for a lifetime of sewing projects.

Olivia comes in a fun vibrant pistachio green or a clean crisp white laminate. She will arrive in 2 separate boxes needing a hammer, a screwdriver and about 1 hours worth of time to assemble.

For 360 degree views click here.

When customers see our Sewnatra white cabinet one word always pops out of their mouth "CUTE". Besides being a cute cabinet this cabinet offers most of the features our larger cabinets have, but in a compact size. The cabinet's air-lift mechanism raises and lowers your sewing machine into place with a simple push. The mechanism is adjustable for all types of sewing machine base heights. The cabinet also comes with a unique universal insert to create a flush sewing surface when the mechanism is in the flatbed position. The cabinet can be used for your sewing machine or serger. The cute shuttered door has 2 thread spindles and 2 trays for your sewing accessories. When closed the shuttered door gives the cabinet a cottage look and could be used as a night stand or other fine piece of furniture in a room. The clean white finish and furniture edges allows your cabinet to brighten any room.

For more information on this cabinet click here!

Gidget II is a sturdy table that offers freearm and flatbed sewing for those larger sewing machines( the big girls) on the market. Her opening is 23 1/2” wide x 12 1/2” deep and she will support a 40-pound sewing machine! The steel locking legs offer a sturdy base, but fold up neatly for easy storage. With a Velcro strip to secure the legs in place and 2 wheels on the side of the table, our Gidget is perfect table for taking to classes, retreats or in your RV. Her tough melamine surface is mar-resistant allowing for years of use creating sewing and craft projects. Check out this video of an 830 sewing full speed on the gidget 2 with little vibration....they also show Phil standing on top of the table while sewing!

Gidget Table video

Amazing! We love the strap to hold the legs in as well as the wheels for easy traveling.

Last but certainly not least, we love what they have done with the classic sewing chair...reinvented it and added a modern touch with Alexander Henry's Sew now, Sew wow print.

The Model 2000 Chair is a perfect accessory for any craft room. The chair’s bright heavy-duty Alexander Henry fabric features a sewing motif that is sure to match any décor in your craft room. The chair’s height provides perfect lumbar support and its soft cushion is comfortable for those long sewing hours. This adorable chair features 4 casters for greater movement at your sewing cabinet or crafting surface. Lift the seat cushion up to reveal a hidden storage compartment for your small notions or patterns. Solid oak legs and base make this a sturdy and beautiful addition to your room.

Stop into the store to see our Olivia set up in front of the store, or check out one of the other great cabinet or sewing chair...just in time for Christmas!

New Goodies - free Amy Butler patterns!

2010-11-17T17:00:00.001-06:00

We are anxiously awaiting for the arrival of Amy's new collection of fabric called Soul Blossoms. As Amy has stated, "It's a super charged bundle of joy!" with 33 Quilting pieces, 12 Home Dec and a slew of Laminates in 3 stunning color stories called "Passion", "Joy", and "Bliss". She also has some new patterns available FREE on her website. Check them out:

Sunshine Quilt

Bloom Quilt

Patchy Jeans

Amy has also created some "Cool Tools for You" that will help guide you with your sewing creations. From flannel and laminate tips to metric conversion charts, Amy has it all on her website for you.

A little Wednesday humor...

2010-11-17T10:21:00.001-06:00

Deb received this in an email and we couldn't help but laugh...a little joke to help you get through midweek. We can always use a laugh...

It all began with an iPhone...

March was when my son celebrated his 15th birthday, so I bought him an iPhone.

He just loved it. Who wouldn't?

I celebrated my birthday in July and my wife made me very happy

when she bought me an iPad.

My daughter's birthday was in August so I got her an iPod Touch.

She was a very happy little girl...

My wife's birthday is in September, so i bought her an iRon.

It was just about then that the fight started...

What my wife failed to recognize is that the iRon can be integrated into our home network with the iWash, iCook and iClean. This inevitably also activates her reminder service, iNag.

Heres to Wednesday :)

Purses and Bags, Bags and Purses

2010-11-16T16:45:00.001-06:00

We've been busy around the store with two retreats back to back right after market, so we've whipped up some new samples to bring along. We've gotten in a few new purse patterns in the last few weeks that we thought would be a perfect fit. Check them out!

Satchel for Two by Fig Tree & Co. is a perfect, functional messenger bag. It is completely reversible with a large pocket on both the outside and inside of the bag. We love this bag because not only is it reversible but it's also fat quarter friendly!

Margo Handbag by Lazy Girl Designs is the perfect everyday bag with two pockets on the exterior of the bag to help keep you organized. Perfect for those items you need at a moments notice. No more frantic digging in your purse while your cell phone rings!

Another great pattern from Lazy Girl Designs. The Lily Pocket Purse is a Shop Hoppers best friend! Lily is your handy, dependable and stylish companion. Wear Lily from one shoulder or cross-body to rest comfortably and securely at your hip.

Cross Town Carry Cindy's Bag AKA "Monster Tote" is a bag for many needs. It's a great bag to take all your stuff to a quilting class, girls weekend or to quilt retreat! It can fit a 18" x 24" cutting mat, many rulers and just about anything else you may need for your next sewing getaway. Deb taught this at our own sewing retreat, Girlfriend Getaway as well as at Camp Lebanon last week. What made her want to teach this bag? Besides having a welted pocket to teach our ladies a new technique, most of them needed something like this to take on their travels.

You can see other great samples from Tina Givens'

Opal Owl fabrics here!

Sidewalk Satchel by Anna Maria Horner is the perfect Saturday bag. Some days life is a little simpler and routine decisions about what to wear and which bag to carry can be a little more deliberate- a little more enjoyable too. These days call for the specialness of the Sidewalk Satchel. The easy going style with a modern sweeping curve might make life feel simple even when its not.

And our samples don't stop there! We have a new quilt to post and Brenda's Pumpkin Table Runner as well as a fun Opal Owl Snap Happy bag and market pictures for some eye candy. I'll be posting more in the next few days. Stop into the store to see these wonderful bags!

A Christmas Urban Cabin

2010-11-02T14:16:00.000-05:00

It is no secret here in the store, we absolutely love Terry Atkinson and her designs. Her Urban Cabin quilt pattern did not disappoint.

We chose to do ours in Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas for Moda. The bright reds and limey greens were a perfect modern color combination for this modern quilt pattern. The white sashing really sets of the colored blocks, which also gave Kellie a blank pallete to quilt her magic on. This line is also available in flannels and since this is a Christmas quilt we wanted to back in a warm, cozy flannel. The print has a collection of stockings, Christmas trees, candy canes and everything and anything else holiday, making it that much more fun. If you are looking to break away from traditional Christmas motifs, or know someone who likes a more modern Christmas, come check out this quilt in the store!

Tina Givens Opal Owl Fabrics

2010-10-26T14:08:00.000-05:00

Tina Givens Opal Owl

Since owls are the big hit right now we couldn't resist Tina Givens new line, Opal Owl. The fabrics and vibrant, creative and have Opal's forest friends throughout the line. We decided BoxTrot would be the perfect pattern to show off the large prints and to showcase Opal himself.

Around here we love putting Shannon Minkee on the back of quilts, for the soft cuddly feel. We've used a Kona Solid for the binding and a Maywood Studios Woolie as the sashing.

We love her book as well, it offers a glimpse into Opal Owl's magical world full of forest friends with good virtues. This forest is a magical place, it's ground covered in soft mossy playgrounds and is spattered with frilly ferns and lush wild flowers.

Not the end and so you see, this is a story of friendship and family, of home and love! May your life be filled with friends like Opal has, and may you grow to be nurtured by that truth and beauty. This book is so cute and easy to make, the instructions are printed on the bottom of the panel. We used Fusible fleece as in interfacing to give the book a nice plush feel.

We haven't stopped there with this line, Brenda also made a table runner for our monthly Thursday Sew'cial which features neat almost cathedral windows made from coordinating solids.

Kenna was kind enough to whip up one of our favorite bag patterns at the moment, Heather Bailey's new Saturday Market Bag. It's a fun and easy sew -- and perfect for toting all things, like a picnic blanket, fall flowers or your Saturday groceries. The pattern includes three options, including two simpler looks, one of which is reversible. And the sides of the bag unsnap for additional carrying space, so you can really go to town. Or to church. Or to market.

Finally we've whipped up one of Amy Butler Field Totes, a bag to hold just about everything! Perfect as an everyday tote or craft carryall. It's big enough to pack for a weekend getaway and it's great on the beach! Lots of pockets inside to hold and organize it all. You can finish this bag with a zipper, or without!

We really like the feel of a corduroy handle, plus it helps the bag stay on your shoulder as well. We also put the corduroy on the bottom of the bag to add a little interest. It's fun to mix different textures and fabrics in bags (and quilts too!)

Creative (Easy) Receiving Blankets

2010-10-25T15:22:00.000-05:00

Many times we get customers in the store who aren't looking to make an entire quilt for new baby, they just want to make something simple. Whether another grandma (mom, etc) has already made a quilt, they are a beginner and want to start easy, or they are running out of time, we generally show them an easy receiving blanket. We've made many variations of this over the years, each one being unique and different.
Our traditional receiving blanket is just two layers of flannel sewn together, flipped, and top stitched for a nice finish. These can be made in any size and in any fabric combination. We've mixed flannels with cottons, knits, minkee and even slinky prints for fun receiving blankets.

You can also get a little fancy and add batting into the mix, add some quilting and finish with a nice bound edge. This makes for a nice edge around your blanket, plus you can use a fun print like a stripe to add some flair.

Now, if a bound edge is a little bit scary for you, no fear! Brenda teaches a great Borders & Bindings class here at the store, which is a lecture/demo. You'll leave with confidence, knowing such topics as the "Kiss, Twist and Wiggle", how to end up with square corners, correct widths for binding, and much more. If binding is really not your gig, you can always use a pre-packaged satin binding for finishing touches.

We've layered flannel and minkee together and added a satin binding to make this easy receiving blanket, which is perfect for on the go. No batting in this blanket, the thick minkee and flannel are just enough. We like to use a 3 step zig-zag to apply our satin bindings, pinning often as the satin likes to move a bit. Even beginners can handle these fun, simple blankets. Angela (pictured below) came into the store looking to make a quilt for a family members baby on the way. She had done some sewing before, but was a beginner when it came to quilting. After picking out the cutest prints, she went home and tackled 2 receiving blankets, complete with satin binding.

She decided to quilt it before she added on the satin binding with a large cross hatch pattern. Just enough quilting to hold the layers together. Each of her quilts measured about 36" square with one side being flannel and the other cotton. She did such a great job with her first quilting project! From there you can also go a bit further and do hand stitching instead. We've done a couple of these, complete with the satin binding hand stitched on.

We've hand quilted each of these with a simple cross hatch pattern and also hand stitched on the satin binding. If you like doing hand work or just need something to sit and do in the evening a receiving blanket is small, quick and a gift everybody loves. The hand quilting gives a little extra special touch to these simple quilts. You can also go a bit further by adding a personalized touch. Krissy brought in an easy receiving blanket she's done for a new baby in her family. Since they don't know the babies sex yet they've resorted to calling it "baby Reggie" until he/she is born. She wanted to get something done for "baby Reggie" so she whipped up a receiving blanket, but added borders, a little applique and rounded the corners on this flannel/minkee blanket.

She used our Jungle Friends flannel panel and added both inner and outer borders to make it a bit larger. She also did the cutest lettering with the leftover panel fabric. We love the eyes peeking out from the bushes and the arrow, so cute!

A little applique always adds a special extra to any of these receiving blankets. Its a creative, easy way to personalize even the most simple prints. Krissy used the simple flip and turn method for her blanket, complete with rounded corners and a nice finished top stitched edge. We're sure "baby Reggie" will love it!

It's doesn't take much to make a personalized quilt/blanket for that special (or soon to be) person in your life, even if you're not the most experienced quilter/sewer. Little touches like applique or a satin binding can add so much. If you are in a hurry and need to whip something up quick, a receiving blanket might just be the ticket. You can always go above and beyond by piecing one or both sides of your receiving blanket as well. Get creative!

Heather Bailey's Mini Pattern Collection

2010-10-21T15:00:00.002-05:00

Make a new friend in Henrietta Turtle (or skip the flower corsage and make a Henry turtle). Henrietta will gladly house your pins & needles or entertain your baby or pet -- but not at the same time. She's funny that way.

We love these mini patterns and have others to choose from in the store, like the Smarty Girl Book Bag. Its perfect for toting sketchpads, coloring books, or your next good read.

Great gift ideas for Birthdays, Christmas or just because. Stop into the store to see our samples.

Lou's 2nd Antique and Estate Sale

2010-10-16T12:40:00.004-05:00

Lou's first sale was such a success that she has decided to have another! After 60 years of collecting, she has a plenty of pieces left to sell. We have cleaned out all of the storage spaces and restocked with so many new things, just stop by and check it out:

Click HERE for directions to the sale and to see pictures of just a small sampling of what Lou has collected over the years! Please stop by, you never know what you might find!

Embroidery Club Project-October

2010-10-11T14:49:00.000-05:00

Our Embroidery club has been meeting for over 15 years now, each month getting together for monthly mini projects, lecture, demos, tips & tricks, show and tell and much more. Its a social gathering for our ladies, who come to meet new people, make new friends, share in laughter, tears, joys and sorrow in our lives. Many of our ladies have met lifelong friends and made lasting friendships over the years. It's neat to see some of our customers grow and really enjoy the relationships they've made.

Join us the first Wednesday of every month during either session: club meets at 1pm & 6pm.

Learn to get the most out of your embroidery machine!

Month 2: Grocery List

Supplies Needed:
8” x 15” - Background for embroidery
8” x 15” - Pocket
8” x 15” - Backing
Fatt Quarter - Stripe for binding
6” x 6” - Ultra Clean & Tear Stabilizer
8” x 15” - Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece
8” x 8” - Pellon 987F Fusible Fleece
2 1/2” x 5” - Leaf #1
2 1/2” x 5” - Leaf #2
Thread for embroidery & construction
4 x 4 Embroidery Hoop
Edge Stitching Foot
Walking Foot w/guide

Embroidery:
Fuse batting to WRONG side of cream (background) fabric. Hoop with Ultra Clean & Tear Stabilizer.

Applique (2 color leaf):
Color #1 - Placement outline - for first half of leaf place color fabric over outline. Repeat color #1. Trim
Color #2 - Placement outline for second half of leaf. Place second color-repeat color #2. Trim
Color #3 - Satin stitches edge of leaf
Color #4 - Vine
Color #5 - Placement for first half of second leaf. Repeat steps like you did for color #1.
Color #6 - Placement outline for second half of leave. Repeat steps per color #2.
Color #7 - Satin stitches on 2nd half of leaf
Color #8 - Placement outline for 3rd leaf - first half
Color #9 - Placement outline for 2nd half
   Place fabric over outline - repeat colors #8 & #9 to tack fabric down.
Color #10 - Satin stitches on leaf and small leaf
Color #11 - Two small leaves
Color #12 - Leaf veins
Color #13 - Tiny leaf veins
Color #14 - Tiny leaf veins
Color #15 - Large leaf veins
Color #16 - Outline, if you wish

Prepare the Grocery List Holder:
•    Trim the (3) 8” x 15” pieces of cotton to measure 7” x 14”.
•    Trim the (1) 8” x 15” Pellon 987F to measure 7” x 14”.
•    Trim the (1) 8” x 8” Pellon 987F to measure 7” x 7”
•    Sandwich the 7” x 14” piece of Pellon 987F between (2) pieces of the 7” x 14” fabric with right sides of fabric out. Adhere.
•    Use your sewing machine’s walking foot to machine-quilt the layers together. Use the stitch of your choice and stitch three vertical rows.
•    With WRONG sides together, fold the remaining 7” x 14” piece of fabric in half lengthwise to measure 7” x 7” and press.
•    Sandwich the 7” x 7” piece of Pellon 987F between the folded pocket piece. Adhere.
•    Cut approximately 70” of 1 ¾” bias from your striped fatt quarter.
•    Bias binding the folded top edge of the pocket piece, stitching the bias to the wrong side and bringing it to the right side. Topstitch using your Edge Stitching Foot, close to the edge.
•    Place the pocket (with bias binding) on top of the quilted 7” x 14” piece. Align bottom edges, and then baste bottom and sides through all layers.
•    Measure 1 ¼” in from one side and mark a vertical line with chalk or a water-soluble marking pen down the length of the pocket. Straight-stitch through all layers with walking foot to form the holder for the pen.
•    Place a coffee mug on each corner and use as a template to trace a gentle curve. Cut out along traced lines.
•    Apply bias binding around all four outer edges, starting at the top (center). Create a hanger with the bias. Bar-tack.

I hope you enjoy this project!
Deb

Quilts From Ingrid Barlow

2010-10-06T16:21:00.000-05:00

We've been loving Ingrid Barlow's patterns lately! These two quilts are the second and third we've made of hers this month.

This version of "Boxed Blessings", a fat quarter friendly quilt, was made from the Whimsy and Fresh Cotton lines by Fig Tree Quilts. The fabrics are vibrant, yet soft and warm! We recently featured this as the mystery quilt for the stores annual fall retreat and the ladies loved it! We instructed them to choose a variety of fabrics for the blocks and a "zinger" accent for the square box outlines. A super easy- but doesn't look easy- quilt that can be done in a weekend.

Brenda made this "Sweet Escape" quilt, which, for those of you who know Brenda, is quite of out her box, but it turned out to look FANTASTIC! The fabric is a combination of Erin McMorris's Weekends line and a variety of matching Kona Cotton solids. The circles are sewn with right sides facing the back of the white fabric, and then the white fabric is cut out around the stitch line to expose the wonky blocks! Each one is set slightly off center and/or twisted to add to the funky appeal. The solids are cut and sewn in such a way that there are no corners to match and placement is completely random. This is a really great quilt for something fast and different from the traditional quilt. Kellie's one of a kind quilting is the perfect finishing touch.

Hurry in and check out these and other great patterns from Ingrid Barlow!

New BERNINA 8-series webinar

2010-10-06T14:21:00.000-05:00

Join the BERNINA webinar to explore the specialty features of the BERNINA 830.

BERNINA 830 Book Wrap webinar. Use the specialty features of the BERNINA 830 to embellish a book cover. Endless Embroidery, Imported (Scattered) Stitches, Stitch Combinations are just a few of the BERNINA 830 tricks that are fun to use and create a WOW project. To join the webinar you'll need to register on the BERNINA website.

2 Webinars to choose from:
Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, CDT
Monday, Oct. 11, 2010 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, CDT

Ingrid's Hippo and Baby I Do

2010-09-28T15:09:00.002-05:00

As always, we are busy sewing samples for new quilt patterns that arrive, and these two couldn't be cuter! Check out these modern, clean-lined baby quilts!

Wild 'Bout You, also known in the store as Ingrid's Hippo, by Ingrid Barlow is perfect for baby! Easy piecing and an adorable appliqué make sewing it up a breeze. Ours is made of super soft woolie flannel in strong pastels. The strong lines are good for a developing baby and a hippo (giraffe or elephant applique options are also included in pattern) soon become a good friend. A simple pattern for today’s modern baby.

Baby I Do! by Cherry House Quilts is a great pattern for beginners or for those who need an awesome baby gift FAST! We used our favorite Kona Cottons in cyan and cactus and a pair of Alexander Henry alphabet fabrics for the letter and numbers. Kellie worked her magic quilting this one up, using paper trace to quilt the stores name, address and phone number keeping the simple alphabet look. She's so clever! We backed in a super fun and unique minke with different colored dots and diddies.

If you have babies in your life, or babies on the way, hurry into the store to check these two great quilts out!

Seuss fabric is coming!

2010-09-14T16:25:00.000-05:00

Brenda's Cause

2010-09-08T15:18:00.004-05:00

Most of you readers are aware of the devastating tornado that ripped through Wadena, MN on June 17th. Block upon block of homes were destroyed, the high school was badly damaged as well as the community center.

Knowing that the aftermath of disasters like the Wadena tornado continue even after the cameras and news reporters are gone, Krissy Rossina, President of the American Sewing Guild (ASG) and our own Brenda Peterson, member of ASG, along with other ASG guild members, planned to make and sell tote bags for $5 as a fund-raiser for the City of Wadena. What started as an ASG community Project, quickly involved many non-members as well.

Whether it was the donation of fabric and/or webbing for the totes, donation of time for sewing, or actual cash donations, many people contributed to the cause so that after a full day of sales on Friday, September 3rd in front of Schaefer's Foods in Nisswa, ASG had raised...

$1966.28!

Krissy and Brenda delivered the check to the sponsoring bank last Tuesday to a VERY happy and grateful group of people.

A HUGE thank you goes out to all who contributed and helped make this project a success, especially to Scheafer's Foods who contributed not only the location for the sale but also a $5 grocery coupon for each tote sold, great job everyone!

Amy Butler Log Cabin

2010-09-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Here in the store we rarely get to see a completed customer project, so we are encouraging all of you to bring in what you have made! Everyday we see our great fabrics go out in a stack, but its a real treat to see those fabrics in all their glory, in which ever project they were intended for. Each individual has a different eye as to layouts, color combinations and choosing what pattern is for them so it's a real treat to see a completed project. We love it when contemporary fabrics are put into a traditional quilt pattern like Vicky Hunnincutt has done with her log cabin quilt.

I love to combination of Amy Butler Love fabrics, Anna Maria Horner Good Folks fabric and a few Momo Oz fabrics as well. This quilt really stands out from the crowd and is going to be the perfect wedding quilt! What a wonderful color combination. Thank you Vicky for this wonderful show and tell!

We've had other projects come into the store for show and tell and each time I take a picture and put it in our online customer gallery. You can access our customer gallery from the right hand side of our blog, just look for our "inspiration gallery" button and click on it. It will bring you to a whole batch of wonderful customer projects. Who knows you might even see your face!

Go on...click on the button and check it out!

We love to see what you have been doing, so please send us a picture, bring in your project, let us know what you've been sewing with our great fabrics!

{Classes} Summer Kids Camp

2010-09-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

Each summer a week is set aside for young ladies to come and sew a quilt top under the instruction of Jan, its our summer kids camp. Some of these girls are more experienced than others, for some its their first time constructing a quilt top on their own. We are always amazed at what these young girls learn while in a classroom setting and of course the end result. Each girl was able to choose the fabrics of their choice and they came to class with all their pieces cut out and ready to go. This year we chose a quilt that taught them skills, but didn't frustrate them if their blocks didn't exactly line up.

Its a modified version of Valori Wells' Urban Comfort quilt, only smaller. Each young girl was able to complete their quilt top on time. They did all the layout and sewing on their own, with the guidance of Jan and their 'adult figure' who came to class with them. What a wonderful job ladies!

2010 Summer Kids Camp graduates:

Nora Shepard

Maya Markson

Maria Bull

Tallie Chrisinger

The Annika Market Bag and the Tiny Clutch

2010-08-28T15:18:00.009-05:00

Both of these bags are so cute and, better yet, easily and quickly made!

The Annika Market Bag by Hemma Designs is made to be a reusable shopping bag for quick trips to the store. This bag is both "green" and stylish, with the personal touch of hand-picked fabric that you love!

We thought that Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane fabric would be the perfect fit for this bag; charming and bright. We made the fat-quarter friendly pieced version, with a solid lining. The edges are bound for a nice finish and both the outside and inside have a convenient pocket for your little extras.

The best thing about this bag? Its REVERSIBLE! Two bags in one!

The Tiny Clutch by Tiny Seamstress Designs is a great addition to any outfit! Ours is made from a new line we just got in last week called Tufted Tweets by Lori Wisbrun and Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks, both quilting cottons, but this clutch could be made of sturdier home dec fabric as well.

This clutch folds in-half with a tab closure, so that with a quick pull you have easy access to your belongings inside.

We love the high contrast of the rich eggplant with the golden yellow! This bag would be so easy to add embellishments to if you want a more personalized look!

If your looking for some fun, simple and quick projects for this weekend, stop into the store and pick up these patterns!

The Bella Bag and Little Folks Voiles. We love them!

2010-08-18T14:01:00.001-05:00

We've been loving all the grommet patterns we are seeing and have a ton of them made up in the store. When the new Bella Bag pattern arrived by Ankas Treasures we could not wait to make it up. The pattern is nice because it comes in 3 sizes and has multiple handle options.

We also LOVE putting button stacks on anything we have a chance to, so we put them on our Bella Bag as well. It adds just the perfect touch of color.

We also have Anna Maria Horner Voiles in stock as well! We've been using them for wonderful summer tank tops, shirts, summer porch quilts and little children's Quick Change Trousers.

Following the wildly popular and evocative Good Folks, Anna Maria introduces Little Folks. In this charming collection, she plays with a smaller than typical scale and the palette, while slightly softer, is still saturated with trademark Anna Maria color. The detail making our hearts skip a beat is that Little Folks is printed on the finest 54" cotton voile with a buttery soft feel and a gorgeous drape. This fabric is beautifully fluid so taking tucks, pressing pleats, and fashioning flowers from fabric has never been so enjoyable. -From Anna Maria Horners website.

We've been loving making garments and quilts out of this line. They are so soft, yet you are still able to work with them. They are still 100% cotton, making them very breathable. Perfect for those hot August Days.

Quick Change Trousers from Anna Maria Horners new book: Handmade Beginnings: 24 projects to welcome Baby. Perfect made with voiles! The pattern comes in sizes 0-3 mo. all the way up to 24 mo.

We have a whole slew of these cute little pants in the store. Steffani has been making tons of them. You can read more about what shes been up to on her blog, Sew with Sass.

We put together this wonderful, breathable Summer Time tank which was quick and easy to construct.

On hot August days, this is just the type of material to be wearing. Light, breathable and it dries in no time at all. We've also done a little sample of a string pieced quilt to show these make wonderful quilting fabrics as well. Just think, curling up next to someone special under a light summer porch quilt on a summer night...heavenly!

We have another great top in the store from one of Anna Maria's Patterns called Roundbout Dress & Slip. We decided on option C for the pattern, making only a top. We also have a camisole done with the voiles to wear under garments, or there is a slip for sleeping on those hot summer nights!

One of our favorite dresses made from the voiles is Anna Maria Horners Evening Empire Dress. We chose the short version on the pattern and kept it in the cool blue palette. Steffani wore this dress this past weekend to a wedding and had so many complements! It was perfect for a hot Saturday in August. We've been making Kwik Sew patterns as well, since we know the directions are going to be correct. It's fun to see the shirts and dresses made from different fabrics than the pattern cover.

Evening Empire Dress by Anna Maria Horner

Kwik Sew Pattern #3795

We simply cannot get enough of Anna Maria Horners Little Folks Voiles and love working with them. Stop in to feel these amazing cottons and to see all the fun samples we've made up!

Favorite Things Patterns: Hushabye Baby sleepy sack

2010-08-09T17:12:00.000-05:00

While at market this spring we could not get enough of the Favorite Things Patterns booth and everything they had for baby. Diaper bags, Little Nappies diapers, and an adorable sleepy sack (Hushabye Baby) were some of our favorites. As soon as the the Hushabye pattern came in we knew just what we wanted to use for fabrics. Alexander Henry has a great 'modern zoo' line we've been oogling for for some time, it's the perfect soft pink/mint combination for a little girl. We just love how it turned out!

This fully lined sleepy sack has a side entry zipper for easy access to baby.

It also features velcro tabs at shoulders, making it easy to remove baby or for changing.

Stop in to see our sample and pick out your Hushabye Baby sleepy sack for that special little one in your life!

Prudence the cuddly owl

2010-08-09T16:57:00.000-05:00

Prudence a cuddly owl doubles as a take-along pillow with a blankie tucked under her wings for car trips or a visit to grandma's house. She's made with Valori Wells flannels and is the perfect friend for those long road trips or those times when you just need the comfort of a stuffed animal.

Her blanket is the perfect size for nap time, playtime or even a Sunday afternoon picnic.

The pattern has options for both little girls and boys. Your little one is sure to love either Henry or Prudence for those long car rides or for nap time. Stop into the store to see our adorable sample!

A Weekend with Weekends

2010-07-27T17:12:00.002-05:00

We've had a crazy few weeks at the store with our 40th anniversary, club days and of course getting ready for the soon to start Quilt MN Shop Hop. Because we've been so busy, some of our newer lines were still lacking samples to show them off. One of those was Erin McMorris's newest, Weekends. This is such a fun line... crisp youthful florals and bright accent pieces, perfect for the new bag patterns that we found at this years spring quilt market. So we spent a weekend sewing with Weekends!

The Classy Sophisticated Bag by Tiny Seamstress Designs is a fun and feminine bag with a pleated top, wide straps and a huge bow tie closure. The main print is Lollies in orange-red and the bow accent is Go by Bike in peach with lavender accents. The bicycles are a favorite of ours... how cute?! The lining is in Dots and Loops in the same peach and lavender color as the bow. There is a large interior pocket and two smaller exterior pockets. Overall, a completely adorable bag that was fast and easily made in an afternoon!

The Zippy Strippy bag by Atkinson Designs (one of our faves!) comes in three different sizes, this is the largest measuring 11.5" x 6". This bag is so easy to sew, and the pattern is loaded with tips from Terry that make it that much easier. It is done in a variety of the tomato orange-red and lavender pieces from the Weekend line. Two things to point out: 1. This pattern has a fantastic easy zipper technique unique to Atkinson Patterns that will take care of any anxious feelings you may harbor about sewing zippers, and 2. The lining is laminate! Washable and durable, laminate is great for make-up bags, diaper bags, beach bags, bibs, etc. People always ask how laminate sews and we always assure them that it is no problem with the right tools. A walking foot or teflon foot is ideal if your machine has one and the proper size needle make it hardly different than cotton.

Keep checking back for new samples in the coming weeks as we get a chance to catch up on our sewing!

Congratulations to Rose!

2010-07-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

Last week, as we were celebrating 40 years in business, we had a drawing for a brand new BabyLock Crafters Choice. All week we collected entries from excited customers as they came in to grab a treat, see Lou (the founder) back in the store and chat about all the good times over the years. At days end on Saturday, Deb pulled the lucky winner of the Crafters Choice....drum roll please...Rose Jelinek!

Rose excitedly came in this morning to pick up her new machine and take a class on it the same day! We are so happy for Rose and hope she enjoys her new machine. Congratulations Rose!

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

2010-07-20T14:02:00.000-05:00

This year Moda put on a display contest for Quilt Minnesota. Each shop was to put together a display, which had to include a charm pack project and submit the photos. Of all the shops in MN, Country Fabrics and Quilting won first place! Here is what we put together:

As the winner of the contest, we are featured on Moda Bake Shop website! We are so thrilled about the announcement. Thank you to everyone who had a part in putting this amazing display together. Stop in to see it for yourself!

More Exciting news!

2010-07-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

Last week was a whirlwind in the store. We celebrated 40 years in the industry, had the chance to meet world renowned quilter/artist Pam Holland and gave away a brand new BabyLock Crafters Choice! Lou was in the store all week to greet old friends, sewers and everyone who has been with us for the last 40 years. We are so thankful for all of our loyal customers and the 'family' that has come from this business. We also got word last week that we were the winners of the Quilt Minnesota Display Contest put on by Moda! We love our corner in the store dedicated to Quilt Minnesota. It's warm and inviting with the fireplace, cozy rug and all of our samples. We decided to put Shannon Minkee on the back of our quilts, pillows and our cozy snowflake applique quilt. A big THANK YOU to Moda for putting on the contest and for featuring our shop on their Moda Bake Shop website. How exciting!? If you get a chance to swing into the store to see it for yourself, it's worth it! We'll have the display up through the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop and maybe a bit longer, depending on how much we love it (and we do!) If you are planning on doing the hop this year, our section finishers gift is a beautiful pack of 20 Kona Solid Fat Quarters in a custom vinyl printed project bag! We've taken the 2010 pin design, added all 10 shop names and packaged 20 amazing colors in each 12" x 12" bag.

We are so excited to offer this to all of our section finishers during the 2010 Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop! What beautiful fabrics and a vinyl bag is a great way to store those 'UFO' projects. When you pick up your finishers gift and drop off your passport you can also register for our section grand prize, which is a 3 day, 2 night stay at The Red Hen House retreat center for you and your 7 best quilt friends.

This year, our section also has a Junior Grand Prize for those hopping who are 8-18 years old. We are giving away a BabyLock Natalie, a sewing kit and a bundle of 20 fat quarters! We've had several young ones in the store, checking out the machine, hoping they will be the lucky winner!

More information can be found on the Quilt Minnesota website.

Stop in during the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop to see our display! See you all soon. xx

How cool is this?! Pam Holland visits our store.

2010-07-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

This week we had world renowned fiber artist Pam Holland visit our store, what a treat! She is so talented in what she does and she is truly an artist. SPam happens to be in town this week teaching at our local guild, Pinetree Patchworkers. She had a moment to swing into our store and others as she is traveling. She loved the store as a whole, but the upstairs really caught her eye. You can read about her experience on her blog. She had nothing but good things to say about our store! There is something special happening in quilting and I can't tell you enough how much we love the fact that the 'younger' generation of sewers are interested in fabric again! Our upstairs was our vision catered towards the sewers of the future, towards youthful fabrics, fun funky and fresh purses, quilts, duvets, pillows, and just about everything else we can sew. If you haven't had a chance to see our newly re-done upstairs, stop in to see what everyone is talking about. We are so excited that Pam Holland loved it and we're sure you will too.

{NEWS!} Country Fabrics is celebrating 40 years!

2010-07-09T19:24:00.001-05:00

News! Central West Section Bus Tours!

2010-06-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

We are excited to offer you the chance to tour our own section with the ease and comfort of a motor coach! Tour just the Southern shops, just the Northern shops, OR both in two days!

Our Central West Section has great grand prizes this year!

Click here to view the prizes!

Details:

You can choose to tour just the Southern or Northern shops, or do both in two days!

One day only $45.00, OR both days for $60.00 (bus only)

Pick up and drop off in Little Falls, MN.

*If you are planning on doing both tours, when you register, inquire about lodging availability for Wednesday night in Little Falls.

Quilters Parlour, 34008 State Hwy 371, Jenkins, MN 56472

Cash or Check preferred.

Announcing: Quilt Minnesota Metro Bus Tour!

2010-06-25T11:49:00.000-05:00

Exciting news! This year we are offering you a chance to tour the Metro section with ease. Leave the traffic and the road construction to us as you hop from shop to shop in the comfort of a motor coach!

Grand Prize:

This year the metro section is giving away great prizes! If you complete the Metro section you are eligible for the grand prize of 2 Tutto sewing machine bags filled with quilting goodies, valued at $500.00 each! Plus, collect a pewter charm at each shop with a $10.00 purchase. New charms this year!

Details:

Depart from Brainerd on Sunday August 8th

Spend Sunday night at the fabulous Mystic Lake Casino

Tour the metro shops with ease, driven by our bus service. Leave the traffic and road construction worries to us!

Return to Brainerd on Monday August 9th

Cost: $125.00 per person

To Register: Contact the Quilters Parlour at 218-568-5777 or quiltersparlour@tds.net

Quilters Parlour, 34008 State Hwy 371, Jenkins, MN 56472

Cash or Check Preferred

Quilt Show Recap

2010-06-14T16:45:00.000-05:00

We just got done with our local quilt show, here in town at the Senior High School. It was a wonderful show, with a great turn out. There were upwards of about 17 vendors and the whole cafeteria was filled with quilts on display. One of the local quilt guilds, Pinetree Patchworkers hosted the event where they held a charity auction, hosted all day demos, raffled off a beautiful quilt and had a 'bed turning' two of the evenings! Country Fabrics had a wonderful booth there, as did many others. It was a fun show!

Our booth!

It was just a blast and we had a very positive response to our booth, even though we chose to go mostly modern fabrics. There were a lot of people who have not been in for some time and others who had never been into the shop, who just loved the new change and the fabrics upstairs! We had a blast!

There were also quilts on display in the school cafeteria made by members of the quilt guild and some from members of our staff! There were many great quilt hanging and I was bummed when my camera battery ran out just towards the end. I managed to capture a lot of them, some art quilts, some baby and many great others.

Land & Sea by Carolyn Abbott

Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

Dolly by Mickey Smith

Pattern by Pauline Salzman, variation

Quilted by Mickey Smith

Fire Escape by Nancy Gervais
Pattern by Terri Atkinson
Quilted by Nancy Gervais

Waves by Karla Overland
Designed & Quilted by Karla Overland

"Loose Goose" Pinwheels by Brenda Peterson (one of our staff!)
Quilted by Kellie Hartwig (another of our staff!)

Hickory Star by Kathy Carney
Designed by Garden Club Quilts, Country Threads
Quilted by Laurie Carlson

Batik Stars by Diane Dahl
Pattern by Colorz for Quilts
Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

Banana Split by Cheryl Bailey
Pattern by Calico Hutch Quilts
Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

This was stunning, all hand quilted by Willie Crawford!

Between Friends, Jr. by Cheryl Bailey
Pattern by Atkinson Designs
Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

Strip Poker by Eileen Fjeldstad
Pattern by Brenda Peterson (one of our staff!)
Quilted by Cindy Williams

Stars on the Bed by Rebecca Anakkala
Pattern "Stars Around the Garden.: Adaptation
Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

Lady of the Lake by Valerie Kvamme
Pattern by Valerie Kvamme
Quilted by Anne Oanes

Gypsy by Nancy Gervais
Pattern by Jackie Robinson, Animas Quits
Quilted by Nancy Gervais

Gyrating Flowers by Marie Fischer
Pattern -Adaptation of 4-patch kaleidoscope by Brenda Peterson
Quilted by Laurie Shogren

Sleeping with Ralph by Arlene Fitzpatrick (one of our staff!)
Pattern by Arlene Fitzpatrick and Nini Sieck
Quilted by Arlene Fitzpatrick

Shades of Autumn by Nancy Goffman
Pattern by Kathleen Starr
Quilted by Cathy Bourassa

Window Boxes by Therese Molby
Pattern by Ute-Barbara Skjonberg, Norway
Quilted by Rebecca Anakkala

Eye Spy by Jean Collins
Pattern by Sandi Irish
Quilted by Laurie Shogren

Baby Gangl Quilt by Cathy Gray
Pattern by Brenda Peterson (one of our staff!)
Quilted by Cathy Gray

Tate's Baby Quilt
(I wasn't able to get the name of the quilter before my camera died!)

This was a stunning costume, made by Bernina Fashion Designer 2007, Gilbert Muniz

It was made with hand-dyed corduroy

What a stunning costume! I can't imagine the time and the effort that went into this.

The quilt show was a hit, and many people made their way into the high school and into where the actual quilts were on display. I wasn't the lucky winner of the raffle quilt (always a bridesmaid!) but I am sure whoever was will love it! Hope to see you all again at the next Pinetree Patchworkers Quilt show!

Rain Rain Go Away

2010-06-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

We just got in Amy Butler's new sewing pattern Little Splashes, which makes the cutest little girls (or boys!) rain coat. It's been rainy and damp here in MN for about a week now, so it seemed like the perfect time to whip one up!

Front

Back

Side

Little girls (and boys) love to play in the rain...so why not look absolutely fabulous while doing it!

Pattern available in the store and it's in adult sizes too!

For Tips in working with laminated fabrics click here.

Teagan Giggles & Cader Bubble

2010-06-14T13:03:00.000-05:00

Little girls in dresses... just about the cutest thing around! Deb has been loving the new garments patterns that are coming out and she can't get enough of them! I had a chance to grab her granddaughters while they were in the store the other day to try on some of the outfits. They love it when they get to be 'super models'! All of the patterns are available in the store and they are to die for! Take a look:

Kayla Bubble dress pattern by Izzy & Ivy Designs

Kayla Bubble

The Mia Top by Pink Fig Patterns

Back View

Sassy Sisters in: The Mia top (right) and Macy Giggles Dress (left)

Macy Giggles Dress by Izzy & Ivy Designs

Molly Miss Muffet by Izzy & Ivy Designs

Back of Molly Miss Muffet by Izzy & Ivy Designs

All patterns are available in the store, stop in to see the samples in person!