Quilting Possibilities Times

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-09T04:11:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday - EARLY

2012-01-16T06:43:00.000-05:00

Resolutions?

2012-01-13T20:17:00.000-05:00

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? I didn't bother this year, seeing as where I didn't keep even one from last year! I am hoping that I will do a couple of things this year, but I'm not calling them resolutions, that seems to doom me from the start.

One thing I'd like to do is NOT wait until the absolute last minute to make class samples . . . (ok, so far that one isn't going so well . . .). This weekend I had FOUR, yes FOUR projects that needed to be finished - three for classes and the fourth is the shop hop quilt due on Monday. I actually finished one class sample Wed morning, and whipped off the remaining two today. I'm ready for tomorrow - phew!

The shop hop quilt, well ok, it's not going to be finished by Monday but in my defense the fabric for the center of the blocks only arrived yesterday. I'll get a couple of blocks done Sunday morning but there is no way the whole quilt will be finished and photographed by Monday.

So why do I do this to myself? I knew about those class samples for at least a month. Is it true that I really work best under pressure? Maybe. Am I just a procrastinator at heart? Probably. Do I just like to torture myself? Maybe!

I'm heading to Massachusetts to see Mom next weekend so I don't have any class samples due for then. The week after I'm heading to FL with Karen Montgomery to attend Kaye's College so I won't have any class samples due for then either. Wanna put a bet I'm sewing frantically the week I get back on a class sample instead of doing it between now and the time I leave for FL? Although there is that shop hop quilt that needs to be done . . . . .maybe a FIRM resolution would work?????

2012

2012-01-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

Another year gone and a new year begins. 2011 saw our James marry his Stefanie, our Jeremy ask his Stephanie to marry him (she said yes!) and our Sara give our grandson Nathan a little brother, Colin. We were busy this year . . .

2012 we are looking forward to a nephew's wedding in May and Jeremy and Stephanie's wedding in September. The outlaws of Jim's family (that's all us in-laws) have decided that we're all going to all the nephew and nieces weddings where ever they are since it's the only way we get to see each other all in one place! I hope Stephanie warns her family about our crazy one.

From my family to yours - a safe, healthy & happy New Year!

Handmade For The Holiday 2 - French Bread Christmas

2011-12-04T22:29:00.000-05:00

Looking for a quickie hostess gift and you did the wine bag last year? How about a simple table runner? Wrap up homemade cookies or a bread in this table runner, wrap with a pretty bow and you have a wonderful gift that any hostess would love! Written by Susan Fuquay, she writes that this project will take you about an hour. I did a little bit one morning and then finished up then next morning so I'm not sure how long it took me but it was a QUICK project. We have a kit with pre-cut strips, so it's entirely possible to finish in an hour. I used the Christmas Stonehenge fabrics from Northcott and this will give any room a bit of glitz and pizazz for Christmas! Click here for the kit.

I free motioned holly and berries down the center but this would be a good project to practice your straight machine quilting too.

Want to add a bit more to the gift? Riley Blake has a great video on how to make quick hot pads. Make a coordinating hot pad to go with the table runner! Click here for the video. and here for a kit.

I'll be back in a few days with some other projects you still have time to make for this holiday season!

And don't forget to email me to be put on our "Stuff Your Stocking" email list! Starting December 6th, I'll be sending an email at midnight for with a link to that day's special. You can shop online, send me an email, call the shop to order or stop in and tell us to "STUFF YOUR STOCKING!" with that day's deal. We'll keep a bag for you of the days you decide to purchase and at the end, we'll have it ready for you to pick up or we'll mail it to you on our way home on the 18th. Specials are only good from midnight to midnight, so don't miss out! These will make great gifts for sewing/quilting friends or for you! Email me by clicking here.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-30T18:04:00.000-05:00

It's Almost Time!

2011-11-27T08:08:00.000-05:00

Are you sewing like crazy for Christmas? Or are you done already? (HA! That will NEVER be me!) Or are you like most of us, still trying to dream up things that you can make up quickly that look like you took forever to make? (That would be me!) I'm sewing some secret things for Christmas this year which I can't post about because certain people read this blog and my secrets won't be secrets anymore.

Next Saturday I'll be hosting two HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS events at the shop (click here for details) that will give the locals some good ideas of things there is still time to make and impress your gift recipients but for all of you out in blogland who can't make it, I thought I'd give you some ideas too. So check back over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting different ideas that maybe you could use. I'll include links to our website under the pictures so you can quickly get started because after all, it's getting down to the wire even if we don't want to think so!

Cash & Carry

Teenagers are probably one of the hardest groups to buy a gift for. Who knows what they really want and if you do know, how the heck do you afford it? So we end up going with gift cards which just don't seem personal. The card itself isn't but what you're giving them is time, time to wander the shop or the mall or an opportunity to go out to eat and not have to beg for money to do it. So, wrap that gift card in something they can use. Girls are easy, can they ever have enough little purses? Here's a really cute little purse that's quick and easy, and hey, you'll have enough time to make one for yourself too!

Boys - ummm harder but everyone can use a pillowcase. We have great kits for pillowcases and the pattern is free when you buy the kit. Younger teenage boys you can use a sports or car motif, we have quite a few of those, just pick something out from the novelty or boys section of our website, tell us to make it into a pillowcase kit in the nots section of our web site. Pillowcase kits are $14.99. Older teenage boys - black, anything black, or fiind out the color of their room or their favorite color.

I'll post every couple of days with more ideas.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-23T20:08:00.002-05:00

Shop Small

2011-11-21T10:07:00.000-05:00

Have you heard of Shop Small Saturday? You've probably seen the ads on TV where they say if everyone buys just one gift at their local down town, it would make a huge difference in the community's economy. And that saying - Think globally, act locally? It's appropriate for your holiday shopping too.

Shop Small is coming up this Saturday and is a movement gaining popularity to shop locally first. There are stores around where you live run by people who live in your community and most of the dollars you spend there, stay in your community and help the local economy.

There is plenty in town to find gifts for everyone on your list! Everyone gets their hair cut - gift certificates to a local salon will make both the giftee and the salon happy. How about a manicure for a new Mom? Or a pedicure? Accompany it with a coupon to babysit while she goes. It might not be something she usually does but just the hour by herself, will be like a mini vacation!

Restaurants - everyone has to eat! Even teenagers eat and love pizza - give them gift cards to the local pizzaria - House of Pizza in Bayville makes really good pizza, try their Baked Ziti Pizza. I am sure, yes positive, your grandmother does NOT want another powder gift set. She would probably be thrilled with a gift card from a restaurant that she loves and who delivers.

I still laugh when I think about the customer who told me that she would absolutely scream if she opened up another nightgown and bathrobe from her son and daughter-in-law. She told me she's told them straight out, here is QP's numbers, call them and get a gift card - DON'T GET ANYTHING ELSE! I would have loved to have seen the look of relief on her daughter-in-law's face when she found out she didn't have to spend hours wandering the mall trying to figure out SOMETHING besides a robe and nightgown to give her mother-in-law.

The German Butcher Store in Forked River is a local favorite. Family run, they have wonderful meats, cheeses and dinners. I'd like a gift card from their if any of my children are listening . . .

Have someone in a nursing home of assisted living? Buy them a book of stamps (the PO can use the money!) and a box of notecards, give them a gift card to their favorite hair salon and take them to have their hair done by whoever used to do it.

Blue Moon Books also in Forked River is a great used book store. Give someone the gift of time and a present, let them browse for their own book.

Craft stores, hobby shops, toy stores, auto repair shops, barber shops, movie houses, restaurants, nail salons, pizza places, spas, beauty parlors, hardware stores - if you have them, count your blessings and support them. They support your community and you.

Shop small and make a big difference this holiday season!

Word Wednesday

2011-11-16T06:53:00.000-05:00

These pictures won't make any sense without explanations so my Wednesday post won't be wordless this week.

The loot in the shop.

About 10 days ago I put out an email call asking for donations to ship to soldiers from the tri-state area (NJ, NY & PA) who are serving in Afghanistan. Boxes must be shipped before November 17th to reach the soldiers by Christmas. This is the second year we've participated in this effort and we had a great response. A big thank you to everyone!

The back of the truck

Jim and I took the donations dropped off at QP up to the A.R.M.S. group yesterday morning. It's a little building behind the Armory in Toms River where quite a bit happens.

They had the doors wide open in the gorgeous weather and were busy sorting donations.

Behind this drop off point were rows of assembly lines to get the boxes packed and on their way.

While there, I asked about QP being a permanent drop off point for the group. They don't have one by us, so it seemed like a great fit. Within minutes, I was talking to the woman in charge, Ronnie Micciulla, who asked - for Operation Open Arms or Project Little Soldier? Hmmm, was my response, umm both?

I asked her to explain Project Little Soldier. Between November 1st and December 17th, they will try to collect TWO presents for every child in South Jersey who has a parent serving overseas this Christmas. Brace yourself, all 2200 of them! That's 5,000 gifts they will attempt to collect in about a month and half. I was stunned. 2200 kids, with parents based out of south Jersey armories. 2200. I still can't believe it.

So, I'm asking you to count your blessings this holiday season and donate a gift to a child from newborn to age 16. It can be a doll, truck, DVD, movie gift certificate - anything that someone in that age group would love to receive as a gift. We'll be advertising in the community and through our emails. We'll have a drop off box in the shop until Dec 17th. I'm hoping that as you do your holiday shopping this year, you'll pick up something for a child whose parent can't be home for Christmas for they our serving our country.

No matter what you think of the war, support the soldiers. And help support their families this year. You can find out more about this wonderful group by clicking www.supportams.org

Thank you.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-11-09T08:24:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday - LOL

2011-11-02T07:35:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-26T14:35:00.001-04:00

Ok, this isn't wordless this week but I need to explain what Wordless Wednesdays will be on the blog and then from now on it will be wordless . . . My friends Kelly Ann from Kelly Ann's Quilting in VI and Melisa from Sweet Home Quilt Compay in GA do a Wordless Wednesday on their blogs and I always enjoy them. So . . . I'm copying them.

Sewing Time & The Design Wall

2011-10-10T21:03:00.000-04:00

Last time I blogged I said I was going to take some mini sewing vacations and I've actually done it! I've made quite a few samples for the shop, fooled around in Electric Quilt and designed more quilts than I'll actually make and actually started to pick up the mess I call a sewing studio. Here is what has been on my design wall - what's on yours?

I made the top about two weeks ago but finally quilted it and took it into the shop this week. I love these easy stripe table runners and am seriously addicted, I think I've made about 30 of them!

Some really neat faux leather came in so I made this bag. LOVE it! It's actually finished and hanging in the shop.

This one is still a work in progress.

I'm still working on this one. I'm not happy with the borders and have changed them two or three times since I took this picture. Seeing as where it's being shown at Quilt Market during one of Ro Gregg's Schoolhouses in a little over two weeks, I think I need to get my act together and soon!

Holli cut this wine tote out and I finished it. It's made out of laminate and has a divider so you can take TWO bottles of wine with you when you picnic!

I'm also starting to become addicted to these Strip Pieced Table Runners - here's one from Nancy Halverson's Bittersweet line - perfect for fall!

I'm working on demos for a show we're doing at the end of this week in Tuckahoe. I'm demoing the Quick Trim Ruler and showing how to make placemats and napkins with it. Here are two of my samples that I whipped out today. Both are quick and easy projects with Karen Montgomery's ruler.

Because I have the attention span of a gnat, I've started sewing the blocks for another quilt that will be shown at market, my QP Twist pattern with another line of Ro's new fabrics. This one I mis-cut the green and thankfully Ro had three inches more than I needed in her studio! I love the black, pinks and green.

And actually ON my design wall right now is a new pattern that I'm calling Whirling Flannels. I've loved this block for a long time but never got around to doing anything with it. We have so many absolutely luscious flannels come in, I knew I wanted to make something with them and this is the result. I'm not doing any borders, just the blocks. I'm loving how it's turning out. This one I'm going to have QUILTED before the show starts on Friday . . . Notice I'm not saying anything about binding???

I may have gone overboard with my mini sewing vacations . . . . hmmmmm. Why is it I can't seem to finish one project before starting another?

Till next time - quilt something!

STOP! I want to get off!

2011-09-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, not get off permanently but I would like life to give me a breather for a couple of days. It seems like I've been on a going WAY too fast merry-go-round for the past few years and a couple of days to sit back and relax would be really nice. Hmmm, that sounds like a vacation . . . YES a vacation would be really nice but who has time?

This whirling dance I call life has been especially hectic this last month. I last wrote from St. Louis - no Baby Lock Tech is NOT a vacation! - where Jim and I spent 5 days getting up at 6:30am, attending classes till 5pm and then relaxing at dinners with friends (those lunches and dinners were mini vacations!). Sewing machine conventions are wonderful things to attend but they are work, so they don't count as vacations.

This is a picture I took of the Quilts of Valor Block display in the vendor area. I haven't heard how many blocks they ended up with but notice the bags of blocks at the base of the display that weren't even done yet. I was standing in line to turn our 23 in and the woman in front of me handed Pam Mashe 250!

We came home from Baby Lock Tech and Jim left four days later for Janome Institute in Orlando where he was among the first to see the new Janome 12000! I'm busy planning our coming out party. Join us Sat, Oct 1st at 10:30am to see the new machine! RSVP so we have enough chairs, thanks!

Four days after Jim arrived home, our second grandchild arrived - Colin Robert, 8lbs 8ozs arrived to join big brother Nathan. Of course much time has been devoted to baby rocking. Nathan stayed with us while Mom and Dad stayed at the hospital with Colin. Let me tell you I know now why women in their 50's don't have children . . .when they picked Nathan up so they could all go home, I kissed him good-bye, and then went and took the first of two naps of the day!

Nathan is busy, busy, busy ALL DAY. He'll sit and read for 5 or 10 minutes but then he's off exploring anything and everything - toilets, electrical plugs (yes, we have those cover things, he can get them off), anything and everything in any drawer or cabinet in the kitchen, laundry room or office. All the rest of the rooms have the doors shut. Toys? HA - the kid has who knows how many toys - if it doesn't have buttons or lights on it, forget it. No remote, phone, key fob, etc is safe. I keep telling him it's a good thing he's cute . . . .

Meanwhile, my boys and the Stef(ph)anies are in and out, I'm over Sara and Brian's cooking (maybe that's the problem, I rarely cook, Jim does all the cooking!) or driving somewhere. Sara had a C-Section and can't drive, pick up Nathan or do much yet. I do have to go to the store at least sometimes or those rumors that I'm retiring in two years will gain legs again! No, I'm not retiring in two years, that's just a rumor - if I was going to retire, I'd do it NOW!

It's the fall season, the store is busy, new samples need to be made and I'm not getting to sew very much. And I think that's the biggest part of what's making me crazy - no sewing time. It's hard to sew when you're never home to do it, and if you are home, your little assistant is not allowed anywhere near the sewing room. (I shudder to think about what he could do in there!)

I think I need to shove some paperwork off on Jim and then take that time and sew. Good plan - as Tim says on Project Runway - "Make It WORK". I'm going to make more sewing time work and THAT will be my little vacation from this merry-go-round I call life.

What's YOUR mini vacation? (And don't tell me short trips to some exotic location, I'll be really jealous!)

Till next time.

St Louis & Baby Lock Tech & Quilts of Valor

2011-08-27T17:34:00.000-04:00

Jim and I are in St. Louis - he's actually at the arch now, I rolled my ankle at the botanical gardens this morning and decided I should rest it before the convention starts. We left NJ last night and felt like refugees as they closed the Parkway behind us because Irene is coming to call. We're keeping in touch with Sara as she, Brian and Nathan wait out the storm at home.

Tomorrow we start with classes but tonight is for the opening session - always a good time! - and a welcoming reception - good food and seeing friends. I'll post some pictures on Facebook - just type Quilting Possibilities into the FB search engine - keep checking this week as I post pictures of new machines, classes and whatever else catches my eye.

Baby Lock asked all it's dealers attending Tech to make quilt blocks that they will sew into quilts for Quilts Of Valor. Ten days ago I challenged the staff to make blocks to donate and they donated 21 blocks! I did one for Jim and one for myself, so we'll be donating 23 blocks to this great cause! The fabric is from Timeless Treasures' Quilts of Valor line. Thanks to all the staff who sewed blocks - you ROCK!

Until next time.

A Bit Of Advice If I May

2011-08-16T07:20:00.000-04:00

I'm heading off to Gloucester this afternoon to finish - hopefully! - cleaning out Mom's house. She's settled into the nursing home now and it's time to do something with the house. Last time I came home with a truckload of stuff - nothing that I needed but how can you leave ALL the pieces of your childhood behind?

Other than Mom's sewing machine - the one I learned to sew on - there isn't too much that I will be bringing home. Although my older brother seems to think there is and the message came to bring the truck. (He's in for a rude awakening!) Most of what I brought home last time is still in the garage in the boxes they came home in.

Which leads me to the advice - start to sort through your "stuff" now. Label pictures, put notes in with jewelry of who it belonged to and why you kept it. I found a baggie with an old Beverly High School pin from the 1920's, a pocket watch and a ring. If Mom hadn't put a note in that baggie, I wouldn't have known it was my grandfather's things. I have a Rubbermaid tub, one of the big ones, with photographs that I need to sort through and hopefully I can figure out who is who. I remember a large box of photographs that my Mom and Aunt took our of my grandmother's house and couldn't figure out who any of the people were. (I'm hoping that box went home with Aunt Margie and it's Ralph and Stevie's problem now and not coming home with me!)

I knew the stories of so many things but there were so many other items that I looked at and thought, where the heck did this come from? Grandchildren wanted certain things and it's really nice to know that Jennifer has Mom's nativity set, Sara's family is eating off the kitchen set and Arthur has the bowl Mom made cookies in. I can look at ceramic dishes now in my china closet and know that Grammy Lint made it or this was Nana's silver ladle. I just need to let my children know the stories behind them so they can pass them on.

Cleaning out Mom's lead to a cleaning out of my house with a HUGE amount of stuff - an almost embarrassing amount of stuff - being donated for a Big Brothers/Big Sisters pick up. Next time they come around, I'll be doing it again.

Sort and label now, especially things that are heirlooms. How will anyone know if you don't tell them? Sorting through your childhood home is a gut wrenching experience. Make it easier on your kids/family and start to sort, label and clear out your "memories" now. Just a bit of advice from someone in the know now.

Texas!

2011-07-22T12:57:00.000-04:00

Jim and I climbed on a plane Monday night and headed for San Antonio and Bernina University (the annual dealer convention). Now I knew it would be hot in TX, it's in the south right? And everyone kept saying it's a dry heat - HA! Who cares if it's dry or wet when the heat index is ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN???? We arrived Tues morning about 1:30am, it was NINETY. Ugh. (Of course it was just as bad back home where it was hot AND humid!

So we overslept and then walked the Riverwalk - very pretty, very nice - to find breakfast and then headed to the Alamo. What a sad and solemn place. I kindof knew the story about the Alamo - unlike some people who shall remain nameless, and it's not Jim who knew more of the story than I did - I knew it was a horrible battle and many lives were lost. I didn't realize that everyone in the Alamo except women and children were killed. Reading the story boards was a sad lesson in what man can do to other men.

When I was young, we traveled from Massachusetts to Tennessee to visit a cousin who was living there. My Dad was a history buff so we went to visit Davy Crockett's birthplace. I remember it was a small log cabin and I kept thinking, how did people live here? It was so small.

So now I've visited both Davy's Crockett's birthplace and where he died.

After the Alamo we had to behave ourselves and go to BU, which started that morning while we were sleeping . . . . I'm sure my rep will read this blog and know we played hooky . . . It was a nice little, and very needed!, mini vacation, even if it was only for a few hours.

BU is always made fun by all the people you see - friends, big names, famous people - classes you take, lectures you attend. It's always interesting to hear about the ways others do thing differently than you do and you always come away with some ideas to try once you get home.

I took a hands on class and made a lace ornament like these for a class we'll have this fall.

I saw a big name and a friendly face in Kaye England, who gave me a huge hug that was MOST appreciated. Thanks Kaye. We've had to postpone Kaye's visit this September (it's the weekend Sara is due to have our new grandson) so we'll be rescheduling for next year in the next couple of weeks.

We had dinners and lunches with good friends who we enjoy very much. Let me just say the Hayes family had us laughing for almost three hours one evening! Those lunches and dinners were full of family talk, business talk and just a good time. Sometimes I think I learn just as much at meal times as I do in classes.

I came home with class ideas, marketing ideas, event ideas, display ideas - my brain is hopping!

So what am I doing today? Working at the shop putting all these ideas into practice? No, I'm playing hooky and having a Nathan day. It's very much needed after the brain drain of BU. It lets all those ideas simmer around and percolate a bit more. The mind is much more relaxed and open to all kinds of ideas when rocking a baby, ok he's almost a toddler, how did that happen????, to sleep.

Stay tuned for what happens when all those ideas finish percolating!

Till next time.

Life And The Unexpected

2011-06-24T06:38:00.000-04:00

On the Today show yesterday Ann said something that made my head snap up - she was talking about the reality check of realizing your mental age does NOT go with the image you see in the mirror. Hmpf - yup, that's me. My age and body image in the mirror do not jive with my mental picture of me. I look at recent pictures and think - who is that? And then I realize - it's me. Holy Old Age Batman - when did that happen????

I turned 54 this month. Age doesn't really mean much to me, I never can remember how old I am, I have to think of how old Jim is or how old my oldest son is and then figure it out from there. I can never figure out how old anyone else is either, I'm terrible at guessing. I have some pretty spry 80 something customers and that's what I want to be, an older woman who no one can figure out how old she is.

If that's going to happen, I need to change some things and get with the program. More exercise, eat better - all that stuff that most of us put off - till we get older. It's a heck of a thing to look at a picture and realize that you are older - NOW!

Fracturing my ankle last month was a rude awakening of the helplessness and frustration of not being physically capable of doing what I wanted when I wanted. It was a look into what life could be like in my later years and I have to tell you, I didn't like it. I discovered I'm not really a good patient - no patience. I really can't believe how long it's taking for this ankle to get back to "normal".

Just when you are cruising along in life, things happen that change everything - grandchildren are born, elderly parents need care, something affects your health. It's all a wake up call. Eat better, get some exercise and take care of YOU so you don't have to depend on others to take care of you.

Nothing in life is guaranteed, I know that. I could start running to strengthen my heart and get hit by a car (I'd be really ticked that I'd run for nothing since I HATE running). I'm just going to hedge my bets and prepare my body for a healthy as possible older age. Ok, running is definitely not in my future but getting back to yoga is. Dieting - nope, as soon as someone tells me I can't have something, I CRAVE it, but I will make better choices of what I do eat.

My goal is that next year when I look at recent pictures, I'll see an image that looks a little closer to the one I have in my head.

Till next time.

Pictures From The Birthday Party!

2011-06-12T09:12:00.000-04:00

Delicious Cake!

Cutting the cake.

Lori and Jim

Thanks to everyone for a great party and 15 wonderful years!

Busy, Busy, Busy . . . Party, Party, Party!

2011-06-07T08:52:00.000-04:00

It's been a whirlwind since before we left for market and it doesn't seem to be slowing down any in the near distant future. Is crazy REALLY the new norm???

My Mother's Day gardening spree was cut short when I mis-stepped on the deck stairs and rolled my ankle. Isn't it pretty? This is what a broken ankle looks like three days after you fracture it in two places. I was going to keep taking pictures as it grew more and more colorful & my toes resembled sausages, but pretty soon, even looking at it seemed to make it hurt more. I've graduated to just wearing the boot outside of the house but the ankle is STILL swollen! You'd think by now it would be back to normal. Nope, 4-6 weeks the dr tells me. HA, it's been 4 weeks, enough already. More X-Rays Thurs, I'm hoping for a miracle cure.

Having a fractured ankle makes everything in life SO much more interesting and slower. I didn't realize how much more time everything takes when you're gimping around.

We did our annual Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale at the shop over Memorial Day weekend. That's always fun - good buys and we clean out!

While planning that, I've been working on the shop's 15th birthday party and listening with something close to horror as Sara and Brian planned Nathan's first birthday party at my house. I stopped listening closely when the talk turned to tents and chairs for 60 some odd people. Yikes!

Let me tell you, more military precision went into planning a one year old's birthday party than I thought possibile!

And speaking of the shop's birthday -

Stop by the shop on June 11th from 10-4. We're having cake, punch, drawings, games and FUN! We're 15 and we're celebrating!

If you can't make it in person, we'll be doing an online party too.

In-store party guests will be eligible for hourly drawings and three BIG end of the day drawings. We'll have cake and punch at the shop and games to test your skills and let you win MORE hourly drawing tickets. Every $20 you spend will get you a ticket for the end of the day drawings! You must be present to win the hourly drawings but you won't have to be present for the end of the day drawings!

End of the day drawing prizes - must be picked up in the shop

Taylor Compact Cabinet in Teak!

Elna Sew Fun Mechanical machine - great for classes!

Reliable Iron - great steam!

Can't Join Us in person? Online Party Guests - every order placed June 11th will receive a free gift and for every $20 you spend on your online order, you'll get a ticket to win a $100 QP shopping spree!

Join us - let's PARTY!

Quilt Market

2011-05-22T09:19:00.000-04:00

One part of the quilt market show floor.

Quilt Market is the wholesale show for the quilting industry. It's held twice a year, fall is always in Houston, TX and spring market moves around the country. This spring we were in Salt Lake City.

Market is a brain drain - so many choices, colors, patterns, people - all jammed into a convention center the size of four football fields! Big names - Eleanor Burns, Ricky Tims, Alex Anderson, Amy Butler - big and small quilt shops from all over the world. Friend you haven't seen since fall market. It's overwhelming. Then you're expected to think coherently and order product for your shop that make sense and don't blow your budget. I come home brain tired. It's a tough job but someone has to do it and I'm glad it's me!

The fabric companies all have great displays to entice you:

This is Nancy Halverson's display for her fabric and new book.

Terry Atkinson had this great chair in her booth that matched her new pattern the Texas Two Step - look for a class on this quilt this summer.

Benartex had a great front porch display showcasing samples that used their new fabrics. Loved the bike leaning against the post!

Crab Apple Hill had a gorgeous display of their new Christmas patterns.

This is a display touting Kaufman's Kona solids. The fabrics looked SO enticing in the candy jars!

And this was my favorite display - LOVED the dingy filled with Benartex's new nautical line. I have this red dingy that just may find it's way into the shop as a display . . .

I'll be back next time with some pictures of our HandiQuilter training, where they treated us like kings and queens - including a walk on the red carpet!

Salt Lake City

2011-05-19T22:43:00.000-04:00

Jim and I played hooky from Schoolhouse at Quilt Market Thursday afternoon and went to the gardens that surround the Temple. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Words can't describe so here are some pictures I'd like to share. Enjoy.

Pictures from quilt market next time.

Mom' s Day Is Garden Day

2011-05-08T07:55:00.000-04:00

What do you do on Mother's Day? We generally pick a yard project and get our children (free labor!) to help. It's a tradition we started when they were in school and couldn't afford presents. We've dug stumps, put in gardens, painted, moved 14 tons of stones, put in a pond - all kinds of fun things. It's worked out really well but they're getting older now and have caught on that it would be much easier to just buy me something! I love that we're all together. This year we're tackling the front gardens.

So Jim, Nathan and I headed out to the Hallock's farm on Thursday to stock up. They have 30,000 square feet of greenhouses to wander through. The riot of colors is amazing. Nathan wasn't sure about the whole thing but he was out for the day, so he was happy. Jim gets his tomato plants so he's happy. I was in heaven. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that first step into the nursery - summer IS coming!

We came home with the back of the truck loaded. The grand plan for today is to get everything in pots and in the ground since we leave for Quilt Market on Wed. We'll see how much gets done!

The beds look great but underneath that mulch almost 30 years of composting, mulching and feeding the soil is gone - replaced with whatever they backfilled with after construction of the new porch and ramp. UGH. I tried planting the daffodils from the pots and three inches down hit hard pack. Double UGH.

I have my fingers crossed that all my garden soil is underneath this mulch on the side. We'll have to dig carefully around my oldest's lilac tree - planted for him the year he was born. I dug it up and moved it from Massachusetts when he was three. It took a big excavating machine to move it 27 years later! I was worried it wouldn't make it, but it's blooming! (Jim thinks I'm going to let him trim it this afternoon - ha! Left to his own devices it would be in the shape of a lollipop when he's done.)

I'm not sure how much we'll actually get done. I'll be happy if we just get the soil ready and I can plant tomorrow. We'll see. The kids will be home for the day - what more could a Mom want?

Happy Mother's Day everyone. Enjoy your day!

The Dress

2011-05-01T06:54:00.001-04:00

Here's something else I'm sure we all do - watch what people are wearing. Isn't it interesting what people choose to wear at various times? Sometimes I watch women - men are mostly boring wearing the same tux, suit, jacket etc - and am amused, stunned, horrified and entranced all at the same event! Sometimes I wonder just what kind of mirrors people are looking into before they step out the door.

I love to watch the red carpet at the Oscars. The dresses and the fabrics are amazing. The elegance of the women that night just amazes me. Then there are dresses that make you shake your head and think WHAT WAS SHE THINKING???? The swan dress comes immediately to mind! I mean really - there was no mirror to look in before she left?

There are some women who always look great. Halle Berry always looks amazing, elegant and chic at the same time. Elizabeth Taylor, Kate Winslet, Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana - these women have that sense of style that is ageless. I'll bet they had quite a bit of input into their outfits.

I got up to watch the Royal wedding Friday. Yes, I know I'm on the wrong side of the pond and I shouldn't care, but I wanted to see the dress. I thought Diana's gown was, not ugly, but overpowering. It overwhelmed her. It was a dress with a person to hold it up, not a dress that showcased the bride.

Kate's dress on the other hand, showcased the bride beautifully. She has that sense of self which gives her the confidence to know what she'll look best in and boy did she pick a gorgeous gown!

The lace - gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Here's a link to a short blog that has some details about the Carrickmacross lace detailing her gown. The lace motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, represented England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Made from ivory and white satin gazar (a silk organza, a lightweight fabric with a plain weave), the dress had an underskirt made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace. Down the back of the dress were 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops.

The lace applique for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. Workers washed their hands every 30 minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine. Needles were changed every three hours to keep them sharp and clean.

Gorgeous bride and gorgeous dress!

Until next time.

Company's Coming to QP!

2011-04-27T11:18:00.000-04:00

Are you like me? Company is coming so you clean like crazy? All the "good" stuff goes out and everyday stuff gets put away? We're not going THAT far getting ready for this week's hop but the combination of the hop and spring is really bringing out the cleaning, sorting and shifting stuff around at the shop! New displays are everywhere.

Bon Voyage! greets everyone as they enter to entice them to join us on our Pink Sand Beaches Cruise to Bermuda in April of 2012.

Our April Showers display shows off our Butterfly lines of fabric and makes us think of SPRING!

Ok, I admit it - I've gone more than a little crazy with the Easy Stripe Table Runners! I thought I'd be able to hang all our samples across the top of the cutting table. I mean really, how many samples could we have? More than I thought! This is but a selection of them! They're just so danged easy - they're addicting!

And here's our display of kits - ready to go!

Speaking of addicting - can anyone have too many purses? For someone who doesn't really like to carry one, I have LOTS! We have all kinds of purses and totes along with cute little buttons, hardware to go with some great samples made by the staff and borrowed from designers (thank you Sandy Brawner and Karen Montgomery!)

It's definitely ALWAYS time to make a new purse or tote!

Two new samples - Migration on the left and Sea Glass on the right. Both use the almost new Creative Grid ruler for time saving half square triangles. We have patterns for both and kits for Sea Glass.

These are but a few of the temptations we have for you - stop in or visit the web page for more!

Until next time.

Weddings & Engagements

2011-04-17T22:56:00.000-04:00

Sunset in Key West

We are just back from Key West where our oldest son married his Stefanie and our middle one announced he'd asked his Stephanie to marry him. (It gets very confusing at the table with the two Stef(ph)anies and the two James!)

The wedding was gorgeous, held at the Reach Resort out on their pavillion that overlooked the water. Picture perfect weather - 86 and sunny every day. By the time the wedding started at 5:30, it had cooled to a perfect temp.

Besotted with each other.

Jeremy focusing on getting the rings off his finger.

Mr & Mrs James Welch Jr.

Nathan was less than impressed with the whole thing and fell asleep after watching Stefanie come down the aisle. He did manage to wake up after the formal pictures were taken. The photographer said she'd photoshop eyes on his eyelids :0)

Sara, Nathan & Brian

Reception was held at a restaurant above Duval Street.

Dancing with the groom.

Jeremy & His Stephanie

No trip to Key West would be complete without a visit to the southern most point of the US or to watch the sunset.

Sara, Nathan & Brian

Sunset in Key West

A wonderful time was had by all. Gorgeous weather, gorgeous wedding, family & good friends - what more can you ask for?

Till next time.

Cruisin!

2011-04-04T05:44:00.001-04:00

About 10 years ago, I started doing weekend retreats down on Long Beach Island. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and did it once a year. Then the owners of the house we rented decided to retire and live in the house permanently. No more retreats there. I never found a place I liked as much that was close so we haven't done any retreats in awhile.

I thought about doing a quilting retreat on a cruise but never looked very far into it - until about a month ago. Now I'm thrilled to announce our sailing date of April 21, 2012 to BERMUDA!

We're calling it the Pink Sands Tour and we'll travel on the "Explorer of the Seas" from the Royal Caribbean line. Five nights, two days of sewing, two days in Bermuda - what more could we ask for???? I don't know about all of you, but I'm ready for a cruise to Bermuda THIS April but unfortunately that isn't in the cards, so I'll be waiting & dreaming of next April!

Prices for the cruise have been worked out, I'm working on the details of what we'll sew and machines. I'm planning on a first day project of some kind of a tote so we can use it while shopping in Bermuda! And or the second day learning machine applique, bobbin work, couching and some other machine techniques while making a Pink Sands Memory Wall Hanging. I'm chatting with machine companies about the possibilities of machines. Stay tuned! Whatever we sew, it will be FUN!

Why don't you join us? We'll sail from Port Liberty in NJ on April 21st and return April 26th. You can find all the details by clicking on this link "QP Pink Sands Quilt Cruise". We hope you can come!

Till next time,
Debbie

Quilts for Japan

2011-03-21T12:59:00.000-04:00

A friend posted this on her Facebook page and I'd like to pass it along.

Quilters Newsletter has long enjoyed a friendship withPatchwork Tsushin, a leading Japanese quilt magazine. So when Editor in Chief Naomi Ichikawa emailed to say her magazine is collecting comfort quilts for those impacted by the recent earthquake in Japan, we wanted to join the effort. QN will gather quilts from U.S. quiltmakers then forward them to Naomi and her staff, who will deliver them to those in need.

Here’s how you can be part of this important worldwide response:

• Send quilts of any size from baby to adult to:

Dana Jones
Quilters Newsletter
741 Corporate Circle, Suite A
Golden, CO 80401

• Mark your box: “Quilts for Japan.”
• Send quilts as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2011.
• Enclose your name, address, phone number, and email address with the quilts.

A SEW Day!

2011-03-16T07:34:00.001-04:00

Every once in awhile I take a sew day at work - actually this week I've done TWO! One of the great myths of the world is that quilt shop owners are able to sit in the shop and sew all the time. In my shop, it rarely happens but when it does, I have the whole shop at my disposal! I can use whatever machine I want, the thread color I need is ALWAYS available, there's a big surface for cutting, I never run out of fabric, I have the right size batting & I can baste on the classroom tables. Ahhhh, nirvana!

My niece Carla's baby shower is this Sunday in Massachusetts. Mom is here and we can't go so I'm mailing the gifts to my sister-in-law. I made her four very nice receiving blankets - why are store bought ones so cheesy after the first wash? I've been making these receiving blankets since James Michael was a baby, one 1/4 yard of each of a flannel and another fabric. Sometimes I use two flannels, sometimes flannel and a Minkee, sometimes Minkee and a fabric - depends on when the baby is born. Carla is getting a variety.

Riley O'Connor is going to have a great selection of receiving blankets if his Great Aunt Debbie is going to have anything to say about it! Carla is doing the nursery in creams, blues and browns, hence the colors. Loved the teal Monkey Cuddle Cloth too much not to use it though! The back of that has a new waffle fabric from Moda. It gives it an interesting texture - very soft. I think Nathan needs one of those!

So yesterday morning I'm finishing the serged edges of the blankets (they can be done on the sewing machine too) so I can put them in the mail and I decide I should be sending a quilt. Am I nuts? Obviously, yes since today I'm mailing the receiving blankets and a quilt!

I had no classes yesterday so it was a SEW DAY! Started out with an EQ pattern at 8am, choose the fabrics at 10:30 and finished the binding at 3:40. Yes, you can do a quilt in a day - Eleanor would be proud of me!

This is a pattern I call QP Twist. This is the block and the block placement creates the pinwheel effect. It's an easy pattern, one I wrote directions for in 2005 and hadn't done in awhile.

I hope Carla, Danny and Riley like it. I enjoyed my SEW Day VERY much! Carla's sister Jennifer is due next month, there's going to be another SEW Day in my future very soon.

Quilting Is Murder Books, Blogs & Fabric!

2011-03-12T06:56:00.000-05:00

The first round of Quilting Is Murder is over so while we wait for the next installment, six of the Killer Shops are offering a great deal on fabric packs to go with Becky Lomasney's Five Yards of Fun Quilt patterns and Terri Thayer's quilt mystery series! This series is one I've enjoyed so much I kept the books to reread. There's three in the series and our blogs will center around one book at a time.

Right now it's the first in Terri's Quilting Mystery series Wild Goose Chase. A snarky national quilting teacher is murdered at a quilt show, a bloody rotary cutter lying beside her. The suspects are many and few! Our heroine is a local shop owner dealing with the unexpected death of her mom, who owned the quilt shop and an underhanded sister-in-law who feels SHE should have been left in charge of the shop. Interesting subplots to go with the murder.

Our fabric packs & patterns are up online - click here - it's pretty neat. We have three patterns and seven fabric packs - you choose a fabric bundle AND you choose the pattern you want to make. The pattern is included in the cost of the kit. The mystery is what you will make with the bundles! Very cool!

So with this book, we're highlighting the Glorious Geese pattern - of course! I'm think the fall batik bundle would be perfect for a "manly" lap quilt. Of course it would also coordinate beautifully with my living room . . .

Enjoy the fun! Pick the fabric, pick the pattern - you solve the mystery and make a quilt!

Spring!

2011-03-07T07:15:00.000-05:00

March 20th is coming! I see signs of spring more and more. The birds are chattering, the robins have stopped huddling up in groups puffed up like round balls of feathers and the daffodils are up on the south side of the shop, one group has buds. Yes, spring is alllllmmmmmmoooooosssssttttt sprung. I'm really hesitant to say it, afraid I'll jinx us and good old Puxatony Phil will have been wrong.

I'm sure my friend Janet who lives in Syracuse NY, where they've had ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY TWO INCHES of snow this winter (their record is 192"), is hoping/wishing/praying for spring even more than I am! I grew up in New England, snow shouldn't bother me. I think it does because almost everything comes to a dead stop here when it snows, in Massachusetts you put your boots on your feet, shoes in a bag and you went about your life snow or no snow.

All the snow this year seems to be never ending. We - fingers crossed - have crossed over into that late winter rain period. We still can't garden but little signs that we can sometime in the near distant future are popping up. So I've decided to garden indoors at the shop!

I've set up a Hoping For Spring SOON display. I must have been on a butterfly kick last spring when I bought not one, not two, not even three but FOUR lines of fabric with butterflies! All are gorgeous, but really four lines? Spring must have been a distant memory when I was buying fabric this fall.

I also decided last fall to do a butterfly theme with QP's shop hop quilt - which I finally finished and hung in the shop this weekend. Ok, ok, I want to put beads in the grass so it looks like dew and I might still add leaves . . .
Anyway, I digress.

We're working on some butterfly samples but we have some luscious, spring colored fabrics to entice you to think spring. Purples, greens, yellows, blues, all bright & cheery - springlike!

Stop in and enjoy a breath of spring!

NJ's 10th Annual Shop Hop

2011-02-22T07:58:00.000-05:00

About 11 years ago I had an idea to start a shop hop in NJ. So I approached two fellow shop owners at a show and asked if they'd be interested. They were and a new, to NJ, quilting activity was born. Shops have come and gone - there are four of the original 11 shops left - but the fun of exploring quilting in NJ during a spring weekend remains. We have a great time!

This year will be our 10th hop and we've chosen a garden theme - we are after all, the Garden State! Pink is our color this year and pink charms have floated around my sewing room for months. Sometime around Christmas, I finally conquered the charm mental block and decided to do something totally different for QP. I knew I wanted to do a garden theme and butterflies. Chatting with some other shop owners from around the country who were talking about 3D flowers made from ric rac, I thought I have ric rac and a need for 3D flowers, this could work.

I used EQ and designed the background, sewed the quilt top and thought BLECH, boring. I knew the embellishments would spice it up but I put it aside for the holidays. Sometime around the beginning of Feb, I came across it in my to do pile . . . YIKES, it's due this month!

I quilted it like a madwoman and started adding 3D flowers.

Then I added 3D butterflies - some were limp, some were too stiff, pitched those and tried something else.

Of course I needed beads and that necessitated a bead buying trip! Some years ago, Sandy Brawner gave me a button that said "Easily Distracted By Bright Shiny Objects", I think of her every time I play with beads.

I'm to the fun part now - playing with the embellishments. If you look on the shop hop page and notice that it's cropped awfully close to the edges, you'll know that's because I STILL hadn't put the binding on when I sent the picture! :0)

Till next time.

Hurry, hurry, hurry - WHY?

2011-02-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

Reading the paper yesterday, I saw an article from a columnist who bemoaned the fact that driving is no longer enjoyable - everyone is like a mad person. She wondered what happened to the leisurely days of getting into your car and going for a ride to enjoy the scenery and the experience. When, she asked, did it become "Hurry, hurry, hurry, me, me, ME!"?

Don't you feel that way sometimes? About yourself and about other people? Do we REALLY accomplish more and do a better job when we're doing three things at the same time? I know the driver yakking on a hand held phone is NOT doing a good job driving, of course neither is the woman yelling at the kids in the backseat or anyone texting (are they crazy or do they just have a death wish?).

Have we all bought into the thought process if we go faster, do more, we'll have more and therefore, we'll be happier? Hmmm, how's that really working for us? Reading the paper lately, it doesn't seem like it's going too well.

Gone are the good old days of sitting on the front porch listening to the radio for entertainment, but I'll bet I could find a lot less to do that really doesn't have to be done and I'd be able to sit on the front porch with a book more often.

So I'm going to slow down. Leave a few minutes earlier for appointments, stop multitasking and look at what I'm doing to see if I REALLY need to do it right then. I think my blood pressure just might go down.

How about you? Got a front porch?

Valentine's Day

2011-01-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

Our Valentine display.

Yes, it's almost that time - Valentine's Day. I've been "fluffing" the Valentine's display at the shop and made up some quickie towels using ric rac. I saw this on a blog somewhere and of course now can't find it. It was one of those you start at one place and then click on a link, click on another link, then another, and another - and pretty soon two hours are gone, it's WAY past bedtime and you have no idea of how you got to where you are!

I do remember the blogger said that she'd bought towels like this in red and green for Christmas at Pier One maybe? Anyway, she showed simple towels decorated with ric rac and I thought - I have towels, I have ric rak!

So it was dark and snowing last night so I knew it would be a quiet night at the shop and I could sew. I dug out all the supplies and mentioned to Holli & Fern what I was planning and Fern suggested I use up the rest of the pre-fused hearts from the small heart wall hanging - two heads are better than one!

These are an EASY project and something you can whip up in a flash to decorate your kitchen. Gather up a kitchen towel, some appliques if you want and some ric rac - we have ALL kinds at the shop! Stitch the ric rac, and the appliques if you want them, onto your towels with matching thread. That's it. Oh yes, arrange them so you like them, then stitch!

Of course you can go crazy and add machine embroidery, or hand stitch some redwork hearts, cupids or something too. If you want simple, quick and adorable - go with just the ric rac.

They were so easy, I made some for St. Patrick's Day in green!

Till next time - stitch something!

Book Launch

2011-01-26T10:30:00.000-05:00

On Sunday we had a great time launching Linda Hahn's new book New York Beauties Simplified and Sara Hahn's book Dynamic Designs which has great quilting designs for the New York Beauty block. We love a party at QP! I have some pictures and a video. Take a look.

Linda autographs a book

Here's Allan Hahn, Deb Stanley, Kim Mueller, Linda Eaves, me, Rebecca Szabo, Sarah and Linda Hahn.

Some of the gang who had quilts in the book.

Every good party needs food!

Two light bulbs go out. In the whole store where to they go out? Right over where Linda & Sarah are signing books!

Here's a video of Linda and Sarah showing off their work. Enjoy!

Till next time

Right now

2011-01-17T07:07:00.000-05:00

At the moment - right this very moment - I'm all caught up. Now I'm not saying that state of happy happenstance will last, probably not past this morning anyway!, but for right now I'm not supposed to be sewing anything, cooking anything, baking anything, calling anyone or going anywhere.

Of course there are things I COULD do, but nothing that I HAVE to do. It's a very unusual state of mind and I'm not sure how to handle it!

So how about you - are you caught up or woefully behind?

Till next time.

New Year's Resolutions And Snow

2011-01-08T08:14:00.000-05:00

A new year! Have you made resolutions? Kept any of them yet? Why is it we make all these promises to ourselves and then somehow by mid January they've fallen by the wayside? It's kind of like starting another quilting project before finishing the two you already have going. You know you have to finish that baby quilt for your niece but that new batik lap quilt kit was SOOOO tempting, too tempting and you bought it. (You should count your blessings it was only a kit, when I get tempted it's for a whole line of fabric!)

I don't know about where you live but here at the Jersey shore, we've had a blizzard, a dusting of snow and more snow predicted for today. At this rate, I'll be snowed in long enough to finish up everything I started. Ok, maybe not everything.

At the moment I only have a doable number of projects started and every single one of them is either a class sample or a sample for the shop - how boring is that? You'd think with all the fabric, tools, gadgets and patterns at my disposal, I'd at least have something off the charts going on. Nope - such is the life of a quilt shop owner.

Ok, stashed away in a far corner of my mind are some redwork projects I'm designing. I'm horrified to tell you one has been in the "working on it" stage for about 6 years. I've done two samples, you'd think I'd write the pattern and finish the danged thing would you?

So that will be my New Year's resolution - besides the usual one to lose weight - I WILL finish this redwork pattern before the shop's birthday bash in June.

What's your new year's sewing resolution going to be? Join me and let's get some UFO's FINISHED!

Till next time.

Little Landscapes

2011-01-04T07:40:00.000-05:00

Middle son Jeremy asked for a little landscape something like one we have here at home for his new house. Since you can't give something like this to one without the other two complaining of favoritism, all three children received an Accidental Landscape for Christmas this year.

Landscape quilts are something I've always wanted to do and Jeremy's request pushed me into doing something a little further out of my comfort zone. They're not perfect by any means and I was futzing with them right up until they went in the gift bags. Even now looking at the pictures, I can see things I'd change or places I would have added something. Thank goodness for deadlines so I had to stop playing!

They were really fun to do and had some unforeseen benefits. In order to find the fabrics I KNEW I had in my stash, the stash had to be sorted and organized. While doing that, I managed to clean out a bunch of "What did I buy that for?" fabrics. Cleaning and organizing the stash took longer than designing and sewing the landscapes!

They aren't very big - 18" x 20". Perfect for a small wall or alcove. I wanted them to think of home when they look at theirs so I thread painted Barnegat Lighthouse into all three. They can pretty well imagine they're looking across the bay to the lighthouse.

I didn't work off a picture, although I looked at a bunch of them to get an idea of what I wanted to do. I think it made it easier that it was just in my head and sort of like the one we have. It definitely came in handy when I discovered I'd missed part of the seam on the horizon of one AFTER it was quilted and had to thread paint Island Beach State Park in to seal the hole!

For once I was thrilled I had 17 different fabrics for water. Everything but the border came from my stash. Rule of thumb - if you see a landscape fabric, buy it. You'll probably never find it again and when you do a landscape quilt, it will haunt you that it would have been perfect, if you'd only bought some. I don't even want to think about how old some of the fabrics are in these!

I like to free motion quilt and the thread stash provided some good threads to add dimension. I really wanted to jazz them up with beads, some lace or something for the whitecaps but I knew my very traditional children would have balked at the "bling". And at some point, you have to step back from these and say "Enough" - especially when they're Christmas gifts.

You too can play with landscapes. The thoughts for these came from a great book called Accidental Landscapes. You can purchase a copy here if you'd like to try. They're fun!

I have hundreds of pictures from the gardens of years past. All patiently waiting for a landscape quilt to hang on my kitchen wall during the winter to add some color to the bleary landscape outside. Time to get cracking on that!

Till next time.

Let's Start The New Year Off Right!

2011-01-01T10:31:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Let's announce some winners to get 2011 going!

Winner of the book is Tammie! Email me your address and I'll mail your book out next week.

$50 QP Credit for the Empty Bolt Drawings from the Snowflake Sale -
Tues - L Nauman
Wed - no empties!
Thurs - no empties!
Fri - Barb Z
Sat - closed
Sun - hasn't happened yet!

$20 QP Credit for No Bag Drawing at the shop - L. Pheney

Congratulations everyone!

What are your resolutions for 2011? I've always been very good about setting goals for the business but horrible about setting personal goals. I'd give it a wild thought around New Year's and then completely ignore it after that. This year will be health - my health. It's time to go for those standard medical tests I've put off, time to YES, LOSE SOME WEIGHT, time to actually make and stick with a plan about and for ME. I'm keeping it simple - one big ME thing a month.

We'll see how it goes! How about you?

Till next time.

A Mystery . . .

2010-12-29T07:09:00.000-05:00

It was a dark and stormy night, lightning split the air as the thunder rolled, rain slashed, wind howled and the body lay face down . . . . .

Don't you love a good mystery? Reading is another of my favorite pastimes. I love to curl up somewhere with a good book & I have a hard time falling asleep at night if I don't have anything to read. Mysteries are a favorite but I like a good smut book too. My friend Betsey refers to them as beach reads, since we used to read them at the beach, I think the publishing industry calls them something like more dignified like contemporary romance. I'll pretty much read anything except Science Fiction and stories where the woman lead is a wuss will make me put a book down without ever finishing it. (don't you just want to smack women in books who can't make up their mind? Get on with it already!).

Right before Christmas I loaded up on mysteries. One is a series about a knitting shop on Cape Ann where I grew up. I like the references to places I know and the whodunits are pretty good too.

Another was the first in a new (for me) series about a quilt shop in northern NY. I liked the first one and will be buying others in the series. (Although I had a moment where I wanted to smack the main character.)

And the third one was about a stitchery shop in Washington state. I like to stitch, like mysteries, why not? (Although if the owner of that shop doesn't get more customers, she'll be going out of business soon - I know I don't have as much time in my shop to sew as she does to stitch!) I'll be waiting for the second one in this series to come out.

So I am eagerly awaiting the new online quilting mystery "Quilting Is Murder". I was really excited when asked to be one of the Killer Shops! And even more excited when I discovered two of these authors will be posting on the QIM blog! Three more days and the mystery will start and YOU can be a detective!

Who Dunnit?

You can join in the fun by reading along and becoming a Quilt Detective. As each mini-series unfolds in weekly chapters, you can collect clues and register to win quilting prizes. We have 15 "Killer Shops" all wondering who the killer is. They'll be furiously blogging and posting on facebook to keep everyone in the loop. Watch their posts and read the clues: they are also offering special deals to our quilting detectives!

At the end of the series, we'll be awarding some of our lucky Quilt Detectives Drop Dead prizes. Take a peek at our "Deadly" Sponsors here.

Finally, we've recruited some of the quilting industry's most popular personalities to help find the killer – follow along on our Facebook page and our Blog to see what they have to say.

Will you be one of our Detectives?

Click here to sign up!

Till next time.

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

I think this is one of my favorite times of this holiday season - Christmas Eve morning. The craziness, noise, hurrying here and there will start soon but right now - dare I even write it? - it's quiet. Cookies are baked, kitchen is clean, presents are wrapped and there's five minutes to sit down and enjoy the peace.

Soon the kids will start to arrive with all their presents, noise and cheer. Sir Nathan will arrive with all his various paraphernalia, noise and absolute glee. Then there will be no time to sit and count blessings, I'll be too busy enjoying them.

My wish for all of you is that you are surrounded by the noise, the confusion, the cheer, the glee and the joy of family & friends. And also that sometime during the next hectic week or so, you'll find time to sit, enjoy the peace and count your blessings too.

Merry Christmas.

Book Give Away!

2010-12-15T05:18:00.000-05:00

Time for another book give away! Leave a comment here on the blog before December 31st & we'll randomly pick three people to send this book to!

Book includes three quilt patterns, pillows, duvet cover, table runner and more! Projects can be made from cotton or flannel.

Goodies for NJ Soldiers

2010-12-07T22:15:00.001-05:00

Jim & I traveled up to the Armory in Toms River this morning to drop off a carload of goodies to the Support Arms group. In the car were 50 grocery bags of goodies!

We drove behind the Armory to a pretty blah building that totally disguised the beehive of activity within.

A large group of volunteers were sorting donations into boxes on assembly lines.

The bags we brought were quickly emptied and sorted.

Jim schlepped while I took pictures.

It's a pretty organized production!

And here are donations boxed, shrink wrapped and ready to go. I'll put a bet QP's donations were boxed & ready to go by the time the group left about 1pm!

I'd like to thank everyone who donated to our NJ Soldiers Collection this year. There was a woman who sold her handmade items, took the money (about $300) and went to the grocery store where she purchased 25 bags of items to donate. Someone else sent a box full of travel toiletries. And still more of you dropped of an item or two. You all did a great job and I thank each and every one of you! The generosity of quilters is amazing!

I'd also like to thank the volunteers at the American Military Recreation Services organization for donating their time and skills to send a little bit of home to soldiers overseas. You can still donate to this fine organization, they're at the Toms River Armory Tuesdays from about 8:30 till 1. Or you can donate monetarily by going to their website for instructions www.supportarms.org

Till next time

December 1st!

2010-12-01T17:14:00.001-05:00

Let the count down begin! The passing of time quickens everyday it gets closer to Christmas. I feel like I should get that Hallmark ornament that counts down the days, hours, minutes and seconds till Christmas Day. I haven't shopped hardly at all, my kids haven't given me their wish lists and Sir Nathan doesn't need a thing. Hmmm, that sounds grinchy doesn't it?

I have been working on the schedule for the shop and the calendar is pretty much set through the end of March. Fern and Lori are going to put some classes in there but my part is done. Phew! Here's a few things we have going on in December.

December 10, 11 & 12th is PIN IT TO A GUY weekend! Pin your wish list to your guy/child/friend and send them to QP to shop! Free gift wrapping for them this weekend!

Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration!

Each day we are open from the 7th to the 19th, we''ll be running a special deal on SOMETHING! You''ll need to check our Facebook page or click the Santa on the front page of our website - the same one you see to the left. We can ship your purchases or hold them in the shop until the 19th for one pickup or shipment! Just let us know when you order. Everyday will be a surprise deal - we don''t even know what we''re going to do yet but we know it will be great!

We'll also have a display of pre-wrapped gifts going up soon too!

Don't forget to fill out your wish list when you're in the shop. We keep it in the computer and then when your gift wanting relatives or friends come in, we look and see what exactly is your heart's desire!

So it seems like I have the shop covered, I guess I'd better get going on the home stuff!

Till next time.

A Weekend of Blessings

2010-11-27T21:17:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is our last day to take donations for the NJ soldiers and for the woman's shelter. Our baskets for the soldiers are overflowing and the panties, well let's just say the donations are getting there! We're hoping for more tomorrow.

Twenty five bags of goodies in the trunk of my car!

We've been collecting non perishables and other things off the ARMS wish list for a couple of weeks and today had our biggest donation yet. A woman called and wanted to know if she could drop off 25 bags of donations today? Could she? Was she kidding? OF COURSE she could. She came while I was doing a class so I didn't get to see who it was, hopefully Debbie or Holli got her name!, but she told Jim that she'd had a fundraiser and had taken the money, gone to ShopRite and purchased 25 bags of goodies with it. That is truly amazing.

Two baskets overflow by the cutting table.

Here are the baskets full of more stuff waiting to be donated on Tues.

Pantie Raid donations as of Friday night

This is the Pantie Raid basket on Friday night when we closed. It was a bit more full when we closed today (Saturday). The fat quarters behind the basket are waiting to go home with donors. Stop in tomorrow!

We thank each and everyone of you who have donated to the ARMS effort for NJ soldiers and also to the Pantie Raid for Dottie's House. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and caring for those in need.

Till next time.

It's A RAID! Drop Em!

2010-11-23T21:30:00.001-05:00

A pantie raid that is! And you can drop the panties off at the shop! 12 quilt shops across the US counted their blessings and decided to give thanks for their bounty by sharing with others. Starting today, Nov 23rd through Sunday, November 28th, everyone who brings in a package of women's or children's underwear will be able to a fat quarter from a special group brought in just for this! Each shop chose a organization dedicated to helping women and we chose Dottie's House www.dottieshouse.org. I'll post pictures of the pile as it grows over the weekend on our Facebook page. Click here to see.

If you live somewhere else, here's the list of stores where you can drop your panties!

Batiks Etc and Sew What Fabrics ... Wytheville VA

Sweet Home Quilt Shop ... Conyers GA

The Quilted Kitty ... Lincoln NE

Rosebud Cottage . . . . White Bear Lake, MN

Wish Upon a Quilt ... Raleigh NC

Keepsake Cottage Fabrics ... Bothell WA

Kelly Ann's Quilting ... Warrenton VA

Cotton Patch Quilt Shop ... University Park Fl

Log Cabin Quilt Shop ... La Vista NE

Shiisa Quilts ... Bloomington IN

Clever Quilter ... Newfield NY

We all have so much to be thankful for, let's spread some of that bounty around.

Happy Thanksgiving! We at Quilting Possibilities wish this holiday finds you surrounded by your blessings.

Till next time.

It's A RAID! Drop Em!

2010-11-23T08:10:00.003-05:00

A pantie raid that is - and you can drop packages of new panties off at the shop!

12 quilt shops across the US counted their blessings and want to give thanks by sharing with others. Starting today, Nov 23rd through Sunday, November 28th, everyone who brings in a package of women's or children's underwear will be able to choose a fat quarter from a special group brought in just for this!

Each shop chose a organization dedicated to helping women and we chose Dottie's House www.dottieshouse.org. I'll post pictures of our pile as it grows over the weekend on our Facebook page. Click here to see.

Can't make it into the shop this weekend? You can donate online by clicking here.

If you live somewhere else, here's the list of stores where you can drop your panties!

Batiks Etc and Sew What Fabrics ... Wytheville VA

Sweet Home Quilt Shop ... Conyers GA

The Quilted Kitty ... Lincoln NE

Rosebud Cottage . . .White Bear Lake, MN

Wish Upon a Quilt ... Raleigh NC

Keepsake Cottage Fabrics ... Bothell WA

Kelly Ann's Quilting ... Warrenton VA

Cotton Patch Quilt Shop ... University Park Fl

Log Cabin Quilt Shop ... La Vista NE

Shiisa Quilts ... Bloomington IN

Clever Quilter ... Newfield NY

We all have so much to be thankful for, let's spread some of that bounty around.

Happy Thanksgiving! We at Quilting Possibilities wish this holiday finds you surrounded by your blessings.

Till next time.

Time To Count Blessings

2010-11-17T09:10:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time when people can be cynical and say it's all about food and football, and that could be true if you just look at the surface of things. I love this time of year, I love the colors, the holiday with it's food, (ok, I tolerate the football) but my favorite part is the meal, not just the food but also the people sitting around the table. I'm a lucky parent in that my kids have turned into people I like and am blessed that they feel the same. So they'll all haul home for Thanksgiving again this year, the boys and the Steph(f)anies from PA and Sara, Brian and Nathan from here in town.

Thanksgiving at my house is rarely a dignified affair, shirts and shoes at the table is a rule for any meal, but a little more dressy is appreciated, no ties or dresses required, no linen tablecloth and just the usual cloth napkins. I tried using the good china one year but the middle one told his girlfriend I'd kill anyone who broke a piece & everyone was so nervous about breaking something, a huge sigh of relief went up when it was all washed and safely put away. Now we look at it sparkling in the china closet instead and are more relaxed during the meal.

Dignified isn't a word anyone would use to describe any meal at my house. My children do have table manners but teasing your siblings, parents, in-laws, grandparents, anyone who happens to be at said table is a given. We have the poke someone before the poke you mentality and "loving" insults fly. And no one, absolutely no one, can give you a loving poke more than a sibling. Now that they don't live together, my children must store them up. Nope, not dignified at all. It was a bit of a culture shock for the three my children brought home but they've all managed to slide right in and get their own pokes in. You know they've slipped right in to the family when they are comfortable enough to poke Jim and I! (There is one unbreakable rule to this "loving exchange". No meanness allowed - ever. And if you think your poke is hilarious but the pokee does not, an apology is in order.)

Being so far away from our families, I tried to instill our own traditions in our children so they would have wonderful memories of holidays like Jim and I had. I now realize how seriously they took these traditions every time I try to suggest doing something different. My ears are still ringing from the protests that greeted my suggesting we have ham for Thanksgiving dinner instead of the usual turkey (my children really don't even like turkey!). I was informed that not having turkey on Thanksgiving would be "unAmerican". So, be careful of what you instill in your children, it stays instilled!

We'll be doing a few things at the shop during this time to share our blessings and we hope you'll take part.

From now until the 28th of the month we are collecting supplies to send to NJ soldiers serving overseas. We'll bring all donations to the drop off point for www.supportarms.org in Toms River on Monday the 29th. This group will make up care packages and ship them overseas. Please see their website or the posters in the shop for their wish list of supplies. Any help you can give, will be appreciated!

And starting next Tues the 23rd and going through the 28th, we'll be having a panty raid! For every package of women's or children's undies that you bring in, you'll get a free fat quarter! We'll be bringing all the donations to Dottie's House, www.dottieshouse.org also on Monday. Dottie's House mission is "empowering women to become self-sufficient and free from violence."

Count your blessings and share them if you can. Our Thanksgiving wish is for you to be surrounded by your blessings this holiday season.

Till next time.

Samples, Ideas, Fabric - OH MY!

2010-11-08T06:50:00.000-05:00

Since I'm just home from Quilt Market - the mecca for quilt shops world wide - I'm filled to the absolute brim with ideas, new patterns, new fabrics, new everything. While I know I can't possibly throw out everything in the shop and start over . . . . , nah, can't, I'm already thinking about samples for winter and spring.

Thangles & two fabrics - honestly how long could it take?

Thanksgiving you say? Christmas you say? Like most retail, I'm at least one season ahead. It's too late to make a sample for Thanksgiving for the shop unless it's a quick quickie one, you all wouldn't have time to take it home and make it in time for this Thanksgiving. Now if you're one of those organized type people, you'll be looking for projects for NEXT Thanksgiving, or if you're like me, you're going to remember next week that your sister-in-law, friend, mom, someone! dropped broad hints about wanting a new table runner for the Thanksgiving table . . . well don't panic, we have some pretty nice projects for Thanksgiving for you! Christmas on the other hand, I still have time to do that! Hence the fabric sitting on the kitchen table that will be made into a Thangles Tree skirt today, hopefully!

So while I'm sewing the tree skirt and finishing up my Cookie Time Pillow, I'll be dreaming of stitching a flannel quilt from a pattern I designed and machine appliqueing flowers for a class I'm planning for after the holidays. Fern, Holli and Mary Ann BEGGED for some wool projects and I found some really neat ones at market. Bug them to get going on the samples! My friend Sandy also showed me a company that I'm going to look into that has bright, colorful wool patterns and kits.

January Mini Wall Hanging

We'll have a new Mini Wall Hanging block of the month starting in December - so you can work on January's wall hanging and get it done in time. The picture is of the designer's sample, ours will have our own colors and as soon as the patterns get here and we get ours made, I'll post it. You can click here for details.

We'll have a new class starting in January that will teach you how to use a new foot each month while you're sewing a block for a floral quilt. Very neat! Any brand of machine is welcome. We're still working on the details and I'll post when they're ready. I'm thinking I want to do mine in batiks!

I brought home redwork patterns and have this great pattern for an applique vehicle quilt for little boys coming, an HQ weekend seminar in the works, some long armers who want to teach, and on and on and on. The mind is spinning!

My trusty office assistant is due in shortly. He wasn't a big help last week, needing lots of cuddling time. I like to to think he was making up for all the cuddling we missed while I was in Houston. I thought I was on over the top Grammy showing my Nathan pictures to everyone. I had 3 little wallet ones of Sir Cuteness. I THOUGHT I was over the top, until I chatted with Eleanor Burns who showed me an EIGHT BY TEN INCH picture of her newest granddaughter. I felt much better standing in the aisle talking to Nathan on the phone after that! :0)

Till next time.

Book Winner!

2010-11-03T09:34:00.000-04:00

Belle's Mommy is our book winner! Email me and I'll mail your book out. Congratulations and thanks everyone for reading the blog and becoming our Facebook Friend!

It's That Time Of Year

2010-10-22T06:16:00.000-04:00

I love fall, I really do. I love the colors - crisp reds, oranges, golds - I love the cooler temps, and the trees! How do those of you who can't watch the trees change colors mark the passing of the summer season? This is the time of the year I really miss New England. I don't miss the leaf peeper buses but I do miss that gorgeous spread of color across the hills. We have the trees changing here at the shore, but not the glorious abundance of it like home.

I love to decorate my house with gourds and pumpkins - what makes those minature pumpkins so addicting? All the different shapes & sizes. Same with the gourds - the freakier the shape and colors, the better I like them!

Fall also brings a busy season to quilt shop owners and sewing machine dealers. Life picks up the pace a notch and we hustle to keep ahead of it. Sewers and quilters are now thinking it's time to get ready for the holidays and make gifts, the hall table needs a new runner, my sister-in-law is hinting she'd like a new quilt - you know the drill. You're all thinking fall and I'm thinking Christmas!

So I'm decorating with pumpkins, gourds and fall table toppers. Jim is churning our homemade pies with the apples we've picked. The fall quilts have come out. The sewing room however, looks like Santa's workshop three days before Christmas! I think I need some elves! I have three table runners in various stages of progress strewn about the room. I'd show you pictures of my room but then I'd have to admit how messy it is . . . .

It's fall, the air is crisp and it's quilting time! Put the soup in the crockpot, fire up the bread maker and sew. It's that time of year and I'm glad. It's one of my favorites.

Till next time.

Book Give Away!

2010-10-14T10:27:00.000-04:00

Anyone who comments on our blog AND is a Facebook friend between now and November 1st will go into our drawing for a FREE book! We'll draw on November 2nd.

This is a great book and would make really nice gifts for the holidays or make yourself one! Flannel or Minkee for the winter - or how about terrycloth for the summer? Flannel and a pretty cotton?

Pattern includes an Envelope Travel Bag for your robe and a Ruffled Laundry Bag! Sizes include XS-XXL

Here's the link to join us on Facebook. Good luck!

Quilt Market is coming!

2010-10-10T09:31:00.000-04:00

Quilt Market is the wholesale show for the quilting industry and every fall it's held in Houston. This year I'm leaving on Thursday the 28th and coming home - brain fried and exhausted a day earlier than usual, on Monday. My traveling companions, Barry and Nerma Springarn, will be on the same flights. The first year I went to fall market, I got on the plane wearing my Jacket Jazz jacket and a man asked me if I was going to Quilt Market? When I said yes, he introduced himself as my new Hoffman rep and offered me a ride to the hotel to save me the taxi fare. Since I was with my friend Ann and we had NO idea of where we were going, we accepted. I've been on the same flight with Barry, and his wife, Nerma after she retired, ever since, missing one when I decided on an earlier flight I think. Now we email each other the cheapest flights when we see them and always seem to end up on the same plane. Barry's generosity saves me a $40 cab ride. Thank you Barry! This year we're on the same flight home too.

At this market I'm taking part in a dealer's panel where the audience will ask questions that we are supposed to have brilliant answers for. I'm a little nervous about the whole thing imagining myself drawing complete blank after blank. I'll be on stage with friends who also have shops so I'm hoping one of them will ride to my rescue if I need it. Then again, here's hoping they're not hoping for the same thing!

I have a list of things I'll be looking for at market - new patterns, a new block of the month (I can hear Lori shouting NO all the way from her house as she reads this! LOL), new fabrics and any new trends so I can figure out what the heck I'm doing for the next 6 months.

One of the best things about market is seeing friends who I chat with every day by email and only actually see twice a year. This year a few won't be attending market though and we'll miss them at our dinners, breakfasts and lunches. The biggest plus of owning a quilt shop (besides getting to buy all that fabric!) is being friends with a group of amazing women, who firmly believe they can do whatever they set their minds to. It inspires me to believe the same.

Till next time.

NJ Batik Challenge!

2010-10-06T09:48:00.001-04:00

Last year I worked with a designer from Hoffman to make a QP exclusive batik fabric. This is the result - three NJ lighthouses, Barnegat Light, Absecon and Sandy Hook. It came out better than I had ever dreamed and we are absolutely thrilled with it! We still have some left and you can purchase it at the shop or on the web by clicking here.

When the fabric arrived in June, I challenged you all to design something with the fabric and while we only had seven entries turned in, they were really something! Check out this video of the challenge hanging in our lobby. Voting is over and the quilts are now gone BUT

The challenge winners are - drum roll please!

$100 QP Gift Card - Janet Perry's NY Beauty
$50 QP Gift Card - Taffy Spaloss' Lighthouse Trip Around the World
$25 QP Gift Card - Mary Simpson's Mariner's Compass

And Barry, my Hoffman rep, chose Janet Perry's NY Beauty to receive a Hoffman batik FQ bundle!

The other entries will receive a $15 QP Gift Card! Thanks for participating and showing off your gorgeous quilts!

Till next time.

Fall is coming!

2010-10-03T11:30:00.000-04:00

One of the first signs of fall for me are the local guilds holding their quilt shows. I love to drive out to the shows to the west, I pass the sod farms, the Mum farm, the pick your own veggie farms, apple orchards, horse farms, the blueberry farm and the wineries. All within 45 minutes to an hour of the shore - I'm sure that's not the picture you get when you think of NJ! But that's my NJ, I live 5 minutes from the ocean and 40 minutes from farmland and in between the two runs the Pinelands, the largest stretch of public owned land on the east coast. How about that! Certainly not the picture most non residents get of NJ. I certainly didn't think so before I moved here.

No color in the trees here yet. It's coming, I can see hints of yellow in some of the maples but because of the heat and the little bit of rain we had, I don't think it will be a banner year for fall color this year. Bummer. We had rain this weekend - lots of rain on Wed night, Thurs and Friday thanks to a tropical storm that blew up the east coast and drenched us.

The show I went to yesterday - Jim is there today - is on the Delaware River in an old mill from the late 1800s. The ambiance is great - big old beams, wooden floors with cracks you can see the water through! The Courthouse Quilters Guild does a great job of decorating with mums, cornstalks and pumpkins. It's just a really nice weekend, if the weather cooperates!

Back view of the mill.

We've always been downstairs in the mill where the wheel used to turn. This year we moved to a new section and good thing, they had to move the vendors in the basement up and out because the Delaware River was overflowing and so was the Raritan Canal that runs right outside the mill.

Look at the size of that swan!

I stood on what I think was an old train trestle but is now a gorgeous walking/biking path and took these pictures about 5pm last night.

I also took a video. Remember, I'm not a professional videotographer. It will give you an idea of just how much it rained.

Till next time.

Crazy, Crazy Weekend!

2010-09-28T06:04:00.001-04:00

Why does it seem like you have nothing planned for weeks on end and then EVERYTHING happens the same weekend? With really no family local except Sara, Brian and the baby, we don't really have family things we run to all the time so we enjoy them immensely when they do pop up but usually we have to travel somewhere. Not this past weekend, everything happened here.

The start of the walk

Sara arranged for a family team to walk in the Memory Walk for Alzheimer's research in memory of my Dad on Sat. She rounded up her brothers, the Steph(f)anies, Brian, my Mom, Nathan and Jim and I. Nine of us hit the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk on Sat for a three mile hike on a beautiful fall day. It ended up Stefanie, James' Stefanie, had to work but she was there in spirit.

Waiting to begin

Jeremy pushed Grammy, Brian pushed Nathan, and the rest of pushed ourselves!

Starting out

My Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease when he was 65 years old. The hardest moment of that whole time besides the original diagnosis was the first time he looked at me and didn't know who I was.

We finished!

It was a gorgeous, fall day. A little hot but the breeze was coming in off the water. We were all happy to make it to the end! Dad, we were thinking of you.

Sunday was Nathan's christening - a perfect cap to the weekend. A smiling baby, who seemed a bit disappointed he wasn't going to get the usual head massage when his hair got wet, the kids all home, good food, good company - yup, it was a good day.

The kids.

Looking at these pictures, I'm now wondering why we didn't take a picture with all the kids and Jim and I? Hmmm.

Brian, Sara, Nathan, Debbie & Jim

Nathan and his great grandparents.

Another wonderful family day. And a great weekend. Nathan and Mom took multiple naps on Monday to recover and I admit, when I rocked Nathan to sleep in the late afternoon, I woke up about an hour later!

Dragging Myself Into This Millenium = QPTV

2010-09-14T07:20:00.000-04:00

I decided it was time to join this century and put videos of the shop up online. About a year ago, I put the cable ad we run up on YouTube, had great intentions of doing videos of the shop and then promptly forgot about it. I took a couple of classes on social media last year at Baby Lock Tech in which all the 20somethings told us how we needed to get more interesting/interactive things on our websites. I had the ad up there already so I thought, I'm ahead of the game. I also watched Mark Lapinski doing little spots with this tiny little camera as he walked around chatting with people last year at Baby Lock Tech and he didn't look like he was doing anything complicated, I mean, I can point, shoot and talk right? That seemed to be all that Mark was doing . . . . HA!

I've discovered, through the taking of a couple videos, that it's not easy to walk, film and talk intelligently at the same time. Pointing and shooting is easy - ok, there was that one video that I thought I was filming a new trunk show but the camera was off until I was "done" and then there was this gorgeous video of the side of my pant leg and the carpet as I walked back into the shop . . . but that's another story! The hard part? Talking intelligently about something while remembering to not move the camera fast, or talk too fast, or say "Ummmm" too many times while remembering the name of the book or pattern you're filming a sample of - all the while trying not to walk into or trip over anything. Phew! Mark made it look WAY too easy.

I'll admit it - the first couple of videos - including the one of my pant leg and shoes - were deleted. I decided I needed to get my act together so I posted one a couple of weeks ago of a trunk show we have in the shop and received less than stellar reviews from my staff - too short, to jerky, too something else I've blocked from my mind. I can count on my staff to tell me the truth whether I want to hear it or not! It couldn't have been too bad because some of you out there in cyberspace went to the website and ordered the book. Thank you one and all for the encouragement! :0)

I've posted a few more since then. Visit QPTV to see them click here . Be gentle with your reviews, I'm thinking anyone who does really nice videos has been at it awhile, was born with a video gene I'm lacking or took a class somewhere!

Till next time. Enjoy!

Life is interesting isn't it?

2010-09-06T12:06:00.000-04:00

Just when you think, ok, I can take a breath and sit back just a little -WHAM - life just smacks you upside the head. We had pretty much gotten in a kind of routine with the shop, Sara back to work and us having Nathan three days a week - who by the way is still THE cutest office assistant in the world, even with his frequent sleeping on the job, one on one mentoring requirements, bottle breaks and wardrobe malfunctions - and all the other requirements of life, when the call from FL came, you have to come get Mom.

I woke up Sat morning and had all these plans of things to get done in the shop, breakfast with the middle son & his Stephanie, maybe a quick trip to PA to see the oldest son & his Stefanie - was that God laughing I heard? Probably because the day found me scrambling to find a flight and then watching the sunset somewhere over northern FL.

I've found out just how many changes of clothing you can get into a bag that will fit under the seat and still get the laptop in - that number would be three with the knowledge that you are going to a house with a washing machine! To be totally on a different subject - really SpiritAir? $25 per carryon? $15 per bag checked? I only paid $135 for the flight! Obviously, this is not as cheap as it used to be, Continental isn't much more and my bag is free . . . but Atlantic City was closer so I booked on Spirit.

So Mom is coming home with me tomorrow. I'm moving classes and clubs around as much as possible for the next two weeks. This is why the calendar is ALWAYS done in pencil. Who knows what life is going to serve up at any given moment?

And in the end, I thank the heavens above I have a career/job/lifestyle whatever you want to call it, that allows me to drop just about everything at a moments notice and go.

Baby Lock Tech 2010

2010-09-02T08:24:00.000-04:00

Baby Lock Tech - the dealer's convention - is held in St Louis (closest big city to the home of Tacony, owners of Baby Lock) every August. It used to be held in Union Station in St Louis, but outgrew that hotel space two years ago and moved across the street from the arch. This picture was taken out the window of one of the classrooms. You can't see it but the Missouri River flows just past the arch. Jim and I actually rode in tiny little cars up to the top of the arch a few years ago. The view was gorgeous but it's one of those things if you don't like heights - Jim - or are slightly claustrophobic - me - done it once, probably not going to do it again! The car that takes you up holds 5 people with no personal space. Interesting, glad I did it, but the other four people were sucking all my oxygen!

Play music really loud, get people clapping and pass out the balloons! It's opening session!

We get a peek at what's coming. . . . .

Updates us on what the spokeswomen are doing . . .

El showed us what her sewing studio REALLY looks like and had us roaring as she shared the start of her sewing room makeover. Look for the final pictures in Koala ads coming soon. She promised me a copy of the video so I could share with you.

Nancy shared a new program that QP will participate in. Look for details coming soon! It's going to be exciting! Did you know Nancy can crack a blonde joke at the drop of a hat?

And opening session also entertains us so we laugh till we cry. That's my rep Tano on the drums, the president of Baby Lock on the left and the VP of Sales on the right. Tano told us three years ago there was no way he was getting up on stage - HA! How they get Ray Queen to do half the stuff he does is beyond me, Steve Jeffrey has a really good voice!

And that's just opening night!

I'll share more photos next time.

Hello from St. Louis!

2010-08-31T07:30:00.000-04:00

Jim and I are at the base of the arch, literally across the street, for Baby Lock Tech, the dealer's convention. We're taking classes to learn new products and new techniques, seeing old friends and making some new ones.

Going to a convention is not all fun, days are long - classes from 8:30 to 5:30 - and they're trying to jam quite a bit of information into your head in a short amount of time. What I enjoy most is networking with other dealers - finding out how they do something, or getting an idea for a new twist on something you're already doing. Sometimes you think they're crazy, and sometimes they probably think I am!

I've found ideas for new classes, a good idea for a new event, set up a two tentative dates for a national teacher & magazine editor to come, and had a host of ideas that I hope I remember by the time I get home!

I'd post pictures but the camera and the computer are not currently speaking to each other (computers were supposed to simplify our lives????- so the pictures will have to wait till Thursday. I'm on Nathan duty and for all that I have planned while he naps - he's going to be sleeping all day!

I'll post pictures Thurs or Friday.

Till next time.

Machine Update Update

2010-08-14T22:17:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, a new Elna is coming and it has every one of my 11 points of desire!!!! Extended bed, built in walking foot, low bobbin indicator, good stitch selection, built in cutter, knee lever and everything else I want and desire! I'm just going to have to get me one!

It's not due until October - sigh. Can I wait that long????

Emergency!

2010-08-10T22:07:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we were heading home from the middle son's new house in PA. I made sure Jim was heading east and then I promptly fell asleep - we've taken some interesting detours when I fall asleep too soon! Sara and Nathan were sleeping in the backseat.

I woke up about the time we hit the exit for Rt 1 that heads towards Philly. It was about 8:30 and dark. Jim and I were remarking on how gorgeous the full moon was as we tooled along the PA Turnpike heading for the bridge to take us back into NJ. We passed a trailer truck and I thought the noise we were hearing was him using his engine brakes for some reason but after we'd passed him and the noise got louder, we decided we needed to pull over.

Of course we'd passed into the middle of nowhere and are now trying to see the tires in the pitch black. Sure enough, we discovered pretty quickly that the rear driver's side tire had blown out and we were dang lucky it wasn't a front tire that had done it.

I made Jim move the car up about 50 yards "I don't care if we ruin the rim, I don't want you changing the tire this close to the highway!

Sara timed it, 18 minutes to get all the junk out of the trunk to get to the spare, discover that yes, the emergency kit was not in the trunk, get the tire changed and back on the road. 18 minutes of Jim changing, Sara holding the big flashlight so he could see, me standing 20 yards up the highway swinging a smaller flashlight like a train signalman and Nathan sleeping through the whole thing.

In my very unscientific 18 minute survey, truckers are the most courteous drivers on the road. If they could move over they did, if they couldn't, they at least slowed down some. Cars whizzed by us in the passenger lane even though the passing lane was empty - how inconsiderate can you be???? MOVE OVER!

18 VERY LONG minutes later, we were back in the car with the doughnut tire on. Yes, all three of us have Triple A but Jim was right, he could change it before they could get to us. If it had been just Sara and I, Triple A would have been the way to go and I'd have stressed that we had an infant in the car when I called.

Halfway home from there, we pulled into a WAWA and discovered the doughnut spare was almost flat . . . .

Moral of this story? PUT AN EMERGENCY KIT IN YOUR TRUNK AND LEAVE IT THERE! And look at your spare tire every once in awhile. We've decided we never looked at ours in the 10 years we've had the car and we we're dang lucky it hadn't dry rotted.

For Christmas all my kids are getting the orange glow in the dark triangles and they'd better keep them in their trunks, right next to their emergency kits.

Till next time.

Dog Days of Summer Are Here EARLY!

2010-07-26T05:53:00.001-04:00

It's hot here at the Jersey Shore! I haven't been to the beach yet but I would imagine it's hot there too. What's a girl/guy to do? Stay inside and SEW! It's just too danged hot to do anything else.

I've been working on my Nine Patches. How many do you have done? Ok, ok, I'm behind again but for one brief, shining moment - I actually had more done than I was supposed to have. Let's see, I've done 42 and it's July 26, so we're all supposed to have 56 done as of today. So I'm not that far behind. I can still catch up!

I've also been sewing some things for Nathan - sheets mostly. Have you seen how expensive sheets for Port A Plays and cribs are???? That's crazy! A rectangle of fabric, some elastic and about 20 minutes and you have a designer sheet. Simple. We're going to be producing our own baby patterns and one of them is going to be for sheets.

I've also been sewing for Halloween. Such is the life of a shop owner, we're always thinking a season ahead! This is a simple table runner made from a striped fabric. You can find a kit on our website.

And speaking of being a season ahead, it's so danged hot, I'm sewing snowflakes! This is still on my design wall. I had a border on it and then decided it was too big and didn't add anything, so it went in a pile to be used for binding. It's from some GORGEOUS batiks by Laundry Basket. I'm hoping that sewing a winter project will cool me off. It's a mental thing . . .

Hey, those are nine patches! Wait! I now have 50 done!!! :0)

We're still pulling wallpaper off at the house Jeremy, the middle child, bought. Jim's graduated from wallpaper pulling to wiring for internet and cable & electrical problems. I've graduated from being ballast for the ladder on the stairs to running the steamer. Today we're going out there for, hopefully, the last day of wallpaper duty. Sara goes back to work next Monday, Jeremy's vacation is over and Grammy and Grampy start babysitting two days a week. Wallpaper duty will be over so hopefully we'll get it all done today.

The reward for all this work is supper with all the family. Worth pulling wallpaper for any day!

I hope this finds you quilting in a COOL place!

Till next time!

Machine Update

2010-07-03T17:05:00.000-04:00

My trusty machine came home from the QP Spa purring like a kitten. The foot pedal works, the beeping has stopped and the machine goes the speed it's supposed to. No comment from the tech except he said "I cleaned it" The look that came with that statement however spoke volumes . . . .

So my machine decision is put off again. Off to Bernina University and Baby Lock Tech, the dealer conventions, this summer - we'll see what they have coming!

Debbie

A New Sewing Machine?

2010-06-29T10:13:00.000-04:00

My trusty Elna 7200 is on it's way to the QP Machine Spa, the hospital ward to be exact. It's definitely having problems and the way I sew on it, it's no wonder. As you can imagine, I sew A LOT and, shall we say, I'm not gentle with my machines? I'm not abusive but I could probably - ok, definitely - clean it more and take it in for service more often.

Right now the foot pedal isn't working. I sew FAST - hence why I have a machine that sews 1,000 stitches per minute - and having the machine go fast, then slow down, then go a little faster, then speed up to fast again is, how shall I put it? ANNOYING AS HECK! To top it off, if it isn't doing that, it's beeping at me, stopping and showing me the knee lever is up. THE KNEE LEVER IS NOT UP! Can you tell it was a frustrating sewing morning?

Eleanor Burns signed my machine so it's dear to my heart. El did a two day workshop for us in 2005 and I took home the machine she used for those two days after she wrote me a note on it. It's been a workhorse since with not a problem until a few days ago. I think it's tired. Maybe a trip to the spa is just what she needs and she'll be fine.

On the other hand . . . . .

Have you looked at the new machines lately????? So many neat features! I have to admit I have a laundry list of what a new machine has to have - just in case.

Built in scissors - a DEFINITE. Love that feature on my current machine and won't buy a new one without it.
Needle Up/Down - goes without saying. I wish when you turned the machine on, it automatically started with the needle down engaged.
Knee lever - love being able to lift the presser foot without taking my hands off the fabric. Great control when free motion quilting and chain piecing
A stop/start button. Sometimes I don't want to use the foot pedal, like when sewing long strips or stippling.
Built in walking foot - ok, I admit I'm lusting after this feature. The 7200 doesn't have it and I'm just tired of having to put one on and off and having it come loose if I go too fast.
An extended bed. Have it now and wouldn't buy another machine without it. Quilting and sewing bulky items is a breeze.
Stitches and more stitches - the more stitches a machine has, the better I like it. How do you know when you'll want/need 80 million decorative stitches for a project?
Speed - it's got to sew at least 1,000 spm or it's too slow for me.
A motor that can handle qulting for long periods of time
A good feed dog system for great stitch formation.
A low bobbin warning.

A Wish List For Things I'd Love To Have but don't exist - sewing machine companies are you listening????

I don't want it to weigh 400 pounds.
I want it to run off two spools of thread - NO MORE BOBBINS!

I think if I found a machine that ran off two spools of thread instead of a bobbin and a spool of thread, I might just give up one of the first 11 want/needs and buy a wagon to cart it around if it weighed 400 pounds!

Till next time.
Debbie

A Woman's Perogative . . .

2010-06-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

is to change her mind! Ok, it's day 20 of the Nine Patch Project and I still don't have any Nine Patches done. I fear I'm failing in this project - ok, not a fear but a reality! It hit me later in the day that I wrote the last blog that I can't take until August to finish the sample from the NJ lighthouses, it needs to be done ASAP. So much for combining projects!

I've designed the NJ lighthouse project and have started making the blocks. They're kind of like a nine patch in that they have a 9 patch in the middle. I'm doing it in a couple of sizes and my goal is to have the wall hanging done and hanging in the shop next weekend. Today's goal is to make the table runner sample from the challenge fabric.

Here's the wall hanging. We'll be cutting kits this week and posting them on the web page as soon as they're ready. Well, as soon as I finish the sample and we can take a picture to put in the kits!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there.

Ok, I admit it, I'm 13 Nine Patches Behind . . . .

2010-06-13T09:15:00.000-04:00

Since today is June 13th that means I haven't even done one yet . . . . AGGGHHHHH! I was going to be so good and do one a day. What happened????

Life happened. I have been a little busy. New grandson, who is absolutely adorable even with the current shade of orange/yellow skin he's currently sporting making him resemble a little pumpkin, the shop turned 14 and had a birthday celebration, I had a birthday. Hmmm, what else has been going on? ISN'T THAT ENOUGH???? That all happened in one weekend so I think I can use the excuse that I took this past week off to recover and didn't get any Nine Patches sewn.

But even I have to admit - no more excuses. I've decided to combine two projects into one. I NEED to make something with our NJ batik. I want to make nine patches. Why not combine the two?

So today, I'm going into the store and dipping into the 30 new batik bolts that went onto the sales floor yesterday and finding something for a background for my 9 patches. Then I'm going to claim owner's privilege, designer's privilege, SOME PRIVILEGE, snatch a whole bolt of the lighthouse batik and bring it home. That's what I'm going to make my Nine Patch Blocks out of.

Ok, I have a plan, a course of action, and a deadline. This could work!

Till next time.

Announcing our 2010 Summer Challenge and Our EXCLUSIVE Batik!

2010-06-03T08:47:00.000-04:00

Isn't it gorgeous??? This is our exclusive batik done with Hoffman Fabrics for our 14th birthday celebration! I'm so excited about the whole thing, I can hardly stand it!

Last fall market I was at the Hoffman booth chatting with my Hoffman rep Barry. (Yes Barry, I stole your picture off Facebook!) He reminded me that Hoffman does exclusive prints for shops and I mumbled something to the effect of "Yes, I've been thinking about it". And I really had, I just hadn't done anything more than give it a passing thought of something I'd like to do "someday".

Turns out, that was the day. Jane, the head designer at Hoffman, happened to be at the booth right then and Barry called her over. A short time later, she walked away with my ideas of what I wanted. Turns out I'd been giving it more thought that I'd thought!

I knew I wanted a batik. I knew I wanted a lighthouse batik and I wanted it to be only NJ lighthouses. I also had colors in mind but beyond that, I was clueless. Jane rode to the rescue and sent a black and white copy of a "cap" (pronounced chop) about a month later. A chop is a picture of what will be printed on the fabric. I loved it but wanted the shells a bit further apart, Once that was ok'd, they sent 5 strikeoffs - large rectangles of the printed fabrics - for me to choose colors. Of course I wanted them all! Well, until I sat down and figured out how much it would all cost - reality check! I really wanted two colors but storing 1,000 yards of fabric was not practical so I chose one and sent my choice off to Hoffman in April.

Click here to read how batiks are made.

Barry, being the great rep that he is, kept on top of the whole process. First emails kept going off into cyberspace somewhere and that caused delays. Then the rainy season came to Bali - no printing of fabrics then. We didn't think we'd get it in time for the birthday celebration, did I still want it? YES! YES! YES!
After being out of phone range in South Dakota for awhile, we picked up our messages one day last week and one was from Barry, the batik had arrived and SHIPPPED last week! YAY! It's here and I'm sure Barry is thrilled he doesn't have to think about it anymore.

I'm ABSOLUTELY thrilled to see something that was in my head printed on fabric!

We're doing a challenge this summer using the NJ Lighthouse Batik! Here's the details:

Challenges are due into the shop by August 29th.
One yard minimum purchase of the NJ Batik fabric is required to participate
Quilt entries must be a minimum of 24" x 24". Wearables and purses/totes are also welcomed.
Entries must be finished.
The NJ Batik fabric must be recognizable on the front of the challenge entry.
Entries will hang in QP for viewer voting from September 4th - 26th.
Three viewer choice prizes will be awarded - first prize will be a $100 QP gift card, second prize will be a $50 QP gift card and third will be a $25 QP gift card. We'll also have a special prize given out by a special judge - Barry Spingarn!

The fine print: - we will do our utmost to ensure your entry is taken care of but QP cannot be responsible for any theft or damage. All prize decisions are final. Prizes have no cash value. Entries must be picked up by Oct 1st.

I'm hoping that you will all take part in our 2010 Challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with! Click here to purchase that batik online.

Till next time.

Nine Patch Project

2010-06-01T17:09:00.001-04:00

Join us in our Nine Patch Project! A group of friends who own shops are getting together and doing a Nine Patch Project - basically Karen Montgomery is doing all the work and so far the rest of us are just coasting along on her coattails! LOL

This is what's going on. Starting today, everyday you make a Nine Patch Block from your stash. Just one block. WE CAN DO THIS! At the end of the summer, we'll post patterns for you to put your blocks together. You can do your blocks totally scrappy, with a color theme, kind of controlled scrappy - your quilt, your stash, your blocks. The goal is to use up some of your stash, no rules, no one will be checking up on you to see if you made your block today and you can do it the way you want. What could be easier???

Here's directions from Karen:
If you want to make the 6 inch finished size you will be making your blocks using nine squares that are cut 2 1/2 inches. Stitch those squares together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, in three rows of three. Press the seams in the top and bottom rows toward the center block. Press the seams in the center row away from the center block. Stitch the rows together, your seams should nest. Your finished block should measure 6 1/2 inches including the seam allowance. That's it. Sleep and repeat, every day until mid August.

Want to join the fun? We'll be providing simple setting directions for your blocks at the end of the summer. You can do this. I can do this.

Ok, it's the first day and my first block is not going to get made - what a start! However, tomorrow I'll make two blocks and the quilt police will NOT be coming to call. You can make 7 blocks every Saturday! The goal is one block a day till mid August - how you get there is up to you BUT DIG INTO YOUR STASH AND JOIN US!

Join us on Facebook and post your progress and pictures! ://www.facebook.com/pages/9-Patch-Project/116885848345468?v=wall&ref=ts

Till next time.

Quilt Market Teasers

2010-05-28T08:28:00.000-04:00

Here are some teasers from Quilt Market. Look for more details as soon as I finish unpacking!

Winsome Wreaths is a new block of the month we will be starting in July. As soon as I get two minutes to myself, I'll figure out the details and post them online and in the shop but for now here is a picture and the general gist of how it will work.

There are 12 wreath patterns to make a 35" x 45" quilt. In addition, each month you will be given a fun companion project! July is a hanging banner for Independence Day. Each pattern has a 4" x 6" watercolor print on the back side, ready to frame.

This is a rough picture of McKenna Ryan's newest block of the month and I don't even think she's named it yet but I'm calling it Sand In My Shoes after the line of fabric she designed for it. Patterns aren't ready, the top literally had the pieces pinned to the background (a woman after my own heart!) and the fabric won't be available until August. McKenna was gracious enough to come over and show me what fabrics to order extras of. She was funny, saying over and over "I think I'm going to use this one a lot, you'll need more of this one because I'm thinking about doing more braided borders". It's really still evolving!

About five years ago I spoke with McKenna at a market somewhere and asked when she would do a more east coast one and now she has! Look for details at the end of June when she plans to have the patterns available. For now, here's a couple close ups.

The top

The middle

the bottom

I brought back a BUNCH of new patterns, a new Hunter's Star ruler & other things I can't even remember! Coming soon will be a new Snap Tool that will make adding snaps to your purses, totes, baby bibs, jackets etc well, A SNAP!, soft minkee-like fabrics in new textures, a new club to join from Terry Atkinson called Gadget Girls and more!

And here's the biggest hint of all! QP will unveil it's own batik at the Birthday Celebration the first week in June! I'm SO excited! Look for a challenge announcement during our birthday weekend! WOOOOEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Till next time!

The Shower Is Over

2010-05-17T21:21:00.000-04:00

It was a surprise but I think Sara snooped - even though she swears she didn't. Sara's baby shower was Sunday. We had them pick up the food for a "class" and in reality, they brought the food for their shower.

I went with a rubber duck theme. Sara didn't give me an ideas of what she was thinking, so the rubber ducks seemed safe! And I like rubber ducks - who doesn't?

So I was sewing like crazy last week, we work best under pressure! I did have both quilts done early but kept putting off doing the small stuff thinking I had plenty of time. So on Thurs I decided I needed to get the receiving blankets actually started . . . . and I did the bibs on Friday and the hats & burp cloths on Sat. Plenty of time!

I did two layettes, one for Sara and I went with rubber ducks there too .

And cars for Brian of course. I told him this was gear for the baby to wear to car shows.

Check out these hats - are they too cute or what??? And EASY, EASY, EASY!

A good time was had by all. We missed Sara's grandmother & all the Minnesota, Massachusetts and Florida aunts.

Till next time!

Debbie

Typing is a challenge!

2010-05-06T21:06:00.000-04:00

EEEEOOOWWW! I had surgery on my middle finger knuckle of my right hand last week and as you can see, my middle finger is mostly useless. You don't realize how much you use your middle finger - ok, except for the obvious reason! - until it's wrapped up in a huge bandage & immobilized.

Try tying your shoes . . .
Typing - yes, your typing teacher was right, you really need that finger on the keys to type correctly!
Sewing can be done if it's simple, but quilting with a regular machine? Nope.
Washing your hair - one hand is in a baggie . .
Putting on foundation
Writing somewhat coherently
Buttoning your pants - what a pain in the neck!

The list goes on. Believe me, you use your middle finger for far more than we ever think about!

Let's Bring Back Recess!

2010-04-26T08:33:00.000-04:00

Seems like just yesterday I was in CT at the HandiQuilter training but since then I've done the 5 day NJ Shop Hop and been to FL for an Elna training and a day at Epcot Center and here it is the end of April already. Jeez! And you know what? May is going to disappear just as fast.

Have you thought about how quickly time seems to pass by? Like a warp speed? I look at the shop calendar and May is chock full of classes, clubs, meetings, - YIKES! Before I know it, it will be June and the birthday celebration, I'll turn FIFTY THREE! and the shop will turn 14, we'll have a new grandbaby and life will just churn along at breakneck speed.

STOP THE WORLD! I WANT A RECESS! Yes, recess. Remember recess in school? It was a time to run around, yell like crazy and let off some steam. The biggest concern during recess was to go on the monkey bars without letting anyone look up your dress - hey this was the 60's, no pants in school for girls!

I want a sewing recess - time to sew again that isn't stolen from something else I should be doing or needs to have been finished yesterday. I remember when sewing was relaxing, hmmm when did it become a marathon to "git er done"?

Medical studies have been done proving that sewing reduces blood pressure and I'm sure it does but not the type of sewing I've been doing lately. So I'm making a goal - to find time to quilt, relaxing quilting.

I'm taking a quilting recess. How about you?

HQ in CT!

2010-04-08T11:13:00.002-04:00

Huh? HQ in CT? HandiQuilter in Conneticut. I attended the first ever, experimental "Train The Trainer" training in CT this week. The lovely gals at Sew Inspired Quilt shop in Simsbury CT hosted 20 of us from all over the northeast and as far as Ohio! Thanks ladies!

Here's the truck that all the Avantes arrived in. The driver, Chuck, had a great story about being on the NJ Turnpike and two different women going by in cars while beeping & giving him the thumbs up! He said he thought the truck was on fire or something the first time it happened! (He also mentioned that we need better signs on the GSP saying that trucks aren't allowed . . . .LOL).

This is Gina my HQ territory manager who is also a really good longarmer. Here are a couple of her show & tells done on the HQ. She's holding a notebook cover that she embellished the heck out of. Here's a closeup.

This feather pattern with microstitching is also by Gina. GORGEOUS. (In the interest of full disclosure, there's probably more quilting in this one piece than about 4 or 5 of my good sized quilts - I am a stippling QUEEN!)

Harriet is an HQ educator (and for those of you interested in that position, one of them swears you'll have to kill one of them for a position to open up!) Harriet is originally from Lakewood NJ! She had some really great projects & this one caught my eye. You really can't see the detail in this picture but look at the next one to see the quilting. VERY neat! She did this on the ProStitcher.

Those of you who have been to HQ events at QP recognize HQ Educator, Debby Brown (who figured out that 16% of us in the classroom were named Debbie). Debby and my friend Sandy Brawner are lime green aficionados, Debby did this one to show off the feather groovy board and because she loved the lime green fabrics. Sandy, how about this one????

Debby is also a very talented longarmer and excels in ruler work and MicroHandles. Those of you who know me, know that I have the attention span of a gnat and while I find ruler work and microstitching gorgeous, I don't have the patience to do it myself. Here's Debby demoing her microstitching technique - doesn't it look like she's just checking to make sure I'm paying attention??? LOL Just kidding!

Debby will be at QP this coming September - stay tuned for class details!

Doing ruler work & microstitching in class just proved to me how much I LOVE my ProStitcher!

We learned some great things, got some great ideas and generally enjoyed ourselves immensely working with the Avante 18" machine. I came home not only with a sample I won't show anyone but with knowledge I'll share in our soon to be started HQ Club.

We have the HQ Fusion AND the Avante in the shop for you to try. Stop in and try one out!

Till next time - keep quilting!

Rain, rain, go away . . .

2010-03-30T19:25:00.000-04:00

My crocus are up at home, the daffodils are up at the shop, but not at home yet and we're getting ready to build the ark here as it rains and rains and rains. My poor crocus looked good last week but are rather drenched & yucky looking today.

Since it's raining like crazy, I've been sewing up a storm of my own. Samples, samples, samples! Sometimes you just have the urge to sew and when that happens, just go with the flow.

I saw a machine technique and really liked it. You take ribbon and do a decorative stitch on either side of the ribbon. This is the purse sample for Top Of The Line Club in April. It was fun and I wish I'd had more ribbons at home when the urge struck me to do the sample. The topic for our Crazy Quilt Block of the Month this month is couching so it tied in really nicely.

The best part of the Crazy Quilt block of the month? I get to buy all kinds of neat embellishments & fabrics under the guise of buying for the BOM!

This is a butterfly tote I did last week. Love the pockets inside! We sold out of the bolt of panels but never fear, more are due in next week. We'll have a class on this tote May 5th.

Why is it I look at fabric and think of food?? And usually some type of dessert or candy? This fabric came in and just reminded me of Italian Ices . . . This is a lap sized Thangles project and kits are ready! (sorry no Rita's Italian Ice is included in the kit!)

And then I saw this on a friend's blog and loved it. Thanks Joan & Janet for sharing! This is Chunky Elizabeth and I'm actually going to put this on the HandiQuilter tomorrow and quilt it - you'll know it's my sample because as usual, it won't have any binding . . . . This is a picture of Joan's Chunky Elizabeth (obviously not my sample since it has binding on it!)

My friend Karen sent me a trunk show of her pillow patterns. We love these patterns and have done quite a few over the years but she has some new ones (check out the surfboard one) so we have a nice display in the shop and we are frantically cutting kits for those we don't already have. We've mixed our samples in with Karen's - you can tell ours by the fact that Karen's all have zippered backs - you know mine don't!

Until next time, why not sew up a storm of your own!

Debbie
I

What's On Your Design Wall?

2010-03-16T08:53:00.000-04:00

I'm not one of those sewers who can work on one project at a time. I am sure it has something to do with having the attention span of a gnat . . . . but I'm happier working on several things at once. And I LOVE STARTING PROJECTS - it's the finishing I have trouble with! Why does everything need a binding anyway????

This is my design wall. You'll see I have three projects on it. One you can barely see - it's a top secret project for a friend so I can't show you the whole thing or talk about it for that matter! So consider the top right of the picture a teaser. LOL

The one on the right is a redwork baby quilt that I'm working on the pattern. I want the top done for the show this coming weekend and have two blocks to go . . . . hurry, hurry, hurry. I hope no one looks too closely at the stitching!

The bottom one is a project that I'd also like to have done for Friday - we work best under pressure. I need 12 more blocks. Ok, that's not going to happen by Friday but I can dream. I'll be sewing blocks at the show.

This is a Thangles project from a new line from Hoffman and last week with all the rain, I just needed something that held out some hope for spring and summer!

And yes, I have another project picked out already . . . all those Civil War reproductions have been calling me along with a sort of new technique book that came in. I've made myself promise myself that I wouldn't bring that home till at least two came off the wall and I quilted the table runner top that's been hanging around for a month.

We'll see . . . . .

Spring is coming, I just know it!

2010-03-03T06:54:00.002-05:00

We're getting ready to load up the van for the NJ Quilt Fest this weekend and of course the weatherman is saying we'll have snow showers all day. Won't that just be lovely? We're hosting the HandiQuilter booth so I'm hoping that most of our stuff will be large, take up huge amounts of room in the rented van and require few trips in and out of the show building later on today . . . . hey, a girl can dream can't she???

While slogging through the slush I know is headed our way, I'm going to be dreaming of gardens and my day lilies and planning a wall hanging that's been bouncing around in my head for years (where does the time go???) It's just the kind of thing to hang in my kitchen about this time of year to remind me that yes Debbie, this snow will disapear, it will get warmer and the gardens will bloom again!

So for the past couple of years I've been planning on good sized wall hanging of my garden. I don't have a picture of it in my head yet but I HAVE been collecting fabrics for it. (The most important part!)

I know I want daylilies in my wall hanging as I have no less than a couple of hundred in my gardens. They're easy to take care of, require little water and make a grand statement when massed together. My Dad called the orange ones "Tiger Lilies" and my collection started with a few plants from his little garden down by his truck that he basically ignored but the Tiger Lilies bloomed profusely every year.

Jim says we have a little TOO much orange in the garden but I love the way it sets off the other colors.

And peonies, have to have the grand dames of my front garden with that gorgeous deep pink.

Some purply/pink hydrangeas to fill in.

And some pretty white Shasta Daises for contrast.

Now I just need a snow day to be sew . . . .

Ricky Tims' Quilt Is Found!

2010-02-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

Ricky's quilt is safe and sound today. Click here to read about it.

Can you help Ricky Tims?

2010-02-22T17:15:00.001-05:00

Ricky Tims just returned from Dubai and United Airlines lost one of his bags. It didn't make it onto the flight from Chicago to Colorado. In the bag was this quilt. He needs help contacting someone at United Airlines in the US (he keeps getting switched to someone in India) to find the bag and the quilt. Click here to read his blog and keep your eye out for his quilt if you can!

Stitchin Time

2010-02-15T17:20:00.000-05:00

With this "lovely" weather we're having, I've been sitting in my new recliner stitching away. I found these really nice vintage ornments and ordered all 18 for the shop . . . I was going to do a trunk show and then had the wild and crazy thought that I'd just make them and then I'd have my own samples done. Yes, sometimes I am absolutely, positively out of my ever lovin mind. I have one completely finished, the second one stitched but it needs to be sewn into the ornament and today I totally switched gears and stitched a towel with a baby chick and some flowers on it for spring.

I'm beading my ornaments along with stitching them. I like the glitz that beads add. My friend Sandy gave me a button at quilt market one year that says "Easily Distracted By Bright Shiny Objects" - describes me to a "T"! I love the flash & shine of glitz. But as another friend Lauren, says, there's a fine line between flashy and trashy!

I like to stitch. I've done embroidery since I was small. Both my grandmothers did embroidery, my mom's mom switched over to liquid embroidery when her arthritis got too bad - remember liquid embroidery? They stitched table cloths, bureau scarves, doilies and all kinds of linens. I was probably the only freshmen who went to Unity College in the fall of 75' with an embroidered bureau scarf - there's no probably about it, I definitely was. I still have it some thirty years later. It's a little worse for wear but I remember how proud my Nana was of me when I went off to college that year and I think of her every time I use it. This is a picture of Grammy, me (look at that hair!) and Nana at my college graduation. Both were pleased as punch that day and this picture always makes me smile.

I'm hoping that whoever I give these ornaments to, they'll think of me & smile every time they put them on their Christmas tree. They'll make nice memories I hope and isn't that one of the reasons we stitch?

Yes, we have a little snow . . .

2010-02-07T21:08:00.000-05:00

20" of snow as a matter of fact. On Monday we had robins in the front yard - about 40 of them digging in the mailbox garden and generally having a good time.

Yesterday it snowed like crazy. This was the view of my mailbox garden & out the back door yesterday.

I hope the robins found someplace to hide out during the storm!