A gorgeous day!!!!

It really was an exceptional day today and what a day for the St. Patrick's Day Parade!!!  We set a record it seems......absolutely glorious!
I was very busy teaching today - Beginner Machine Piecing and Quilting and I have to tell you, I am really excited about this class.  When I first started teaching this class I had designed a quilt to highlight certain techniques and blocks and it was an "okay" quilt and pattern but I just wasn't happy with it.  Since the last class in September I have completely "revamped" the class and am much, much happier.  Last night I spent 5 hours on EQ6 designing my "ultimate" beginner quilt and I am soooooo pleased.  You can get some excerpts from my personal blog - www.creationsbyjoann.blogspot.com.

Right now - I am bringing you up to date about what's happening at the store.  Thursday was Graduation Day for our Sock Knitters - and we have two completed socks to show off -

Linda V. finished her first sock -

Cathie finished her first sock -

- and there are 4 more "firsts' on their way to being finished.  We are very quickly running out of sock yarn at the store, I'll definitely have to get some more in - more colours too!  I just love the way these variegate......So we've made a pact with the sock knitters - they are allowed to come to Applique Club and work on their knitting!!!!  We may have to rename this monthly Friday nite group to - Just Don't Bring A Machine Night!!!!  Any kind of hand work goes!

Many of you ask me what Barb is up to these days, well aside from working in the store Sunday afternoons and helping me out in every way she can (especially with computer related stuff!) she's busy "beading"!!!  How does this affect us - well, take a look at these gorgeous Scissor FOBs we are now selling in the store -

 Personally I just want to grab them all and adorn all of my scissors but I am restraining myself so that you can all have your pick - I can't wait to see her new ones - she's working on MORE!!!!

Okay - I really have to get back to that Mystery Quilt so I can bring that gorgeous bolt of fabric back to the store......

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Words fail me!!!!

Before I share with you the reason why words fail me, I will do a little catching up....All the "Special Orders" arrived on Thursday so I spent the day pricing, etc. Last night was our monthly Friday night Sit & Sew, where many of us catch up on each others lives.  Condolences go out to Linda who's sister passed away this week, losing her long and brave struggle with cancer.  Our thoughts are with you Linda. 

On a happy note Barb celebrated her 29th Birthday again so I baked a cake, nothing too extravagant - I haven't gotten back into the cake decorating as of yet....

 Like I said - nothing fancy!

 For fire safety reasons we didn't put ALL the candles on the cake.....

Barb had no trouble blowing out these...

Now I will share the reason I am speechless!!!!  First a little history......This is our second year of Christmas Club and this year's pattern was Welcome to the North Pole!!!!  The participants had their reveal party today along with a wonderful brunch courtesy of Linda who attended every month but, not being an avid appliquer, was a bit hesitant to participate!  It was a lovely gesture on her part and even I enjoyed preparing it - she picked up the bagels.......

 Bagels, cream cheese, Lox (smoked salmon) and eggs, fruit and vegetable platters.....

They all had a lovely meal....

Then it was time to reveal the quilts - we entertained a few guests for this!!!!

This explains why words fail me -

 Kristen's masterpiece!

Check out the details....

 Marlene's masterpiece...

Check the details.....

 The ladies shop - in the centre....shoes on the first floor!

The quilt shop - complete with quilts....

 Here's Judith's.......almost done!

This is Flo's - another masterpiece in the works......

Here's Mary's - sensational and completed, the binding's even on!

A friend knit her the hat for the top of the building.......

Mary's a bit of an over achiever - she did two quilts, the binding isn't on the second one yet.....

I'm sure she'll have it done shortly - two sets of grandchildren, so two quilts!

This one belongs to Nancy, she had some design help from her niece.......the bakeshop (pink cupcake)!

 Check out the Fire House.......

 ...and here's Kathy's, bright colours just popping.....

Check out the lime green house - fabulous!

 Raili's came out fabulous too - and she was up until 3:45 A.M. to put in the last stitch!

 Check out the North Pole Casino....

 The Las Vegas Pin......

 The North Pole sign has a poker chip on top!!!!!

 This is Karen's, the top is done, complete with polar bears surrounding the North Pole.....and pregnant reindeer (you had to be there!!!)....

 even her backgrounds are fabulous........

 This is Linda's Christmas quilt - which explains why she "catered" the brunch!!!!  You actually have to complete the blocks Elaine chooses each month to do the quilt for only a $10.00 charge......This is actually a mystery quilt which Linda did and completely redesigned!!!  I love it!

Last but not at all least is Beth's, really colourful and loads of embellishments!!!!

How do I know that they had a great time doing this year's quilt - simple, they've all booked in for next years Christmas Quilt Club......it's going to be another fabulous offering!!!!! Actually there are two to choose from....

Hope you all enjoyed the quilts!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Playing catch up again.......

I had to share this photo of Gillian's One Block Wonder.  She took the class with Elaine in April, worked on it diligently during our 4 day quilt retreat at the end of April and put the borders on last Monday - it's awesome!

I honestly don't know how she does it!  I know I try to "focus" on one project at a time and lately have been able to perservere but I usually get distracted.  She really keeps her eye on the prize and just gets it done! 

My friend Lisa stopped by last Thursday to say hi and see me before the surgery and brought a wallhanging she's been working on for a while.....it's an adaptation of a quilt she saw at a show and it's really gorgeous!

We talked her into staying for awhile and she got it all squared off and then up on the design wall for a photo op, but the best is yet to come, she's finished the quilting and now she gets to add all the embellishments.......I definitely want to see this when it's completed.....

Each of the segments has a ribbon attached where there will be decorative beads hanging which she has been collecting for a while....it's really going to be stunning!

That's all for today but I do have more in store so stay tuned!  Tonight was our monthly "Sampler Club" meeting (Dear Jane, Dear Hannah, Farmer's Wife and Nearly Insane....)  I got one more block cut and am heading up to bed to get another one cut before I tuck myself in for the night.....in preparation for my recuperation days!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

A little inspiration!

I am sometimes, no, correction, always - blown away by my customers!  They motivate and inspire me and I am usually awed and speechless by their gorgeous creations!  Sunday was no exception......

Andie came by to show me her latest!  She picked out the fabrics earlier in the week and came back with the completed "masterpiece" on Sunday.  Just a little background here, she's been quilting for a little over a year and has produced at least 10 quilts, some for Healing Heroes....a real inspiration, and proof that there is even hope for me!  

Check out this awesome and inspiring baby quilt for her grandson....the front has Ethan's favourite sleeper on it (which he has grown out of) and if you click on the photo you'll see the background is bears and sleepers...... 

 The back is just as inspiring, an alphabet panel which makes this a learning quilt too!  It was so inspiring that a customer in the store at the time purchased the fabrics to make two alphabet quilts for her grandchildren, a boy and a girl!

It's amazing what you can do with one of these panels they come out with!  The real joy is - that even though it's a "mass produced" panel, each quilt turns out unique with a quilters' loving touch!

Yesterday I happened into the classroom while Linda was laying out yet another quilt pattern from that fantastic book - Scrapbook Surprises!  It's a ribbon pattern and it is going to be absolutely awesome! 

My personal inspiration arrived yesterday in the form of two big boxes full of goodies that I had ordered for the store.....one of my customers special ordered this book and since I have coveted this book for over a year I decided to order 2 and "possibly" keep one for myself......

FibreArt Montage by Judith Baker Montano is a quilter's "coffee table" book!  It's pricey but worth every single penny!  I don't stock it in the store but will happily special order it! (I usually order a few extra when I do that)!  It is a book where she combines quilting, embroidery and photography with embellishment and it really is absolutely amazing......

Of course, that was not enough for me!  I also had a special order for another one of Judith's books and of course, ordered one extra for me!  It's her Embroidery & Crazy Quilt STITCH TOOL!  Another really amazing and inspiring book!  I'm not exactly sure what I have planned for this one but I know that I do intend to use it soon......It even has a stand so that it stands on it's own!

 I can see hours of decorative stitching in my future.......FYI - if there's a book you want and we can get it, we will be more than happy to special order it!  I've even been known to add a few extra to the order if it's something that interests us and I think others will be inspired, so don't be shy - if you don't see something in the store, just ask!

I am off to lose myself in two very inspiring books....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

As usual....

I am running around like a chicken without a head!  I should apologize for taking so long to get back on the blog but I won't!  What can I say - I have been busy to say the least, and as much as I would like to fit all the things I want to do into one day, I have finally realized that I JUST CAN'T!

Pictures do, however get taken and I do remember what they are (a minor miracle these days).  Last Sunday Karen stopped by to give me a "Private" showing of what I missed at YHQG meeting in September - mostly her mystery quilts which are really quite fabulous!  Her fabric choices are always striking and never what we expect......check these out!

 These next two pieces are some of her fabulous challenge entries.  I love these two - there is always a message although for the life of me I can't remember the names of these two pieces.  (Sorry Karen - I was only half there on Sunday.:-) 

Also, on Sunday the girls were in for their monthly quilting Sunday and Gail showed me this adorable wallhanging  - I love these patterns and am definitely going to order a few in (if I could only remember who does them)

Just thought I would add here that Carolyn is doing The Evening Bag tomorrow nite and I think Barb and I are gonna sit in on this class cause I have lots of strips to use up......and I haven't had a chance to quilt in a couple of weeks - I really miss my quilting time!  However - I do have a few things to take care of before I can get back to my daily quilting.....  There are a few spaces left in the class if you have a yearning to quilt tomorrow night.....

Gotta get back to my list of things to do (will try real hard not to leave it too long next time!)!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann