For the timid machine quilter...

I'm very excited about a new book that we just received that will be perfect for those of us (yes, that includes me!) who haven't perfected the art of free-motion quilting. I just can't get my hands, feet and brain to all work together. I need more practice I'm sure, but in the meantime ...

"Fool Proof Machine Quilting" by Mary Mashuta offers lots of great information on how to use your walking foot to create some really effective straighline and gently curved quilting effects. I'm eager to try some of these ideas and I'm sure you will be too.

The book explores the world beyond stitch-in-the-ditch, showing various ways to "create beautiful machine quilting with your home sewing maching -- no free-motion required."

This would be a great adjunct to Carolyn Flood's "Machine Quilting Techniques" class on Tuesday, October 21.

Happy Quilting!
Barb

OPEN HOUSE SEPTEMBER 12, 13, 14

Hi all,

Just a quick reminder that our Fall Open House begins at 6:00 pm on Friday, September 12 and runs until 5:00 pm on Sunday. We are open until 8:00 pm Friday night, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm on Saturday, and 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday.

Friday evening is "Show and Share" or "Bring and Brag". Come and show us what you've made or are working on, share your ideas and be inspired by other people's work. It will be a fun evening. Dessert and refreshments will be served. Hope to see you.

The samples for the Fall classes will be on display too. We have a great teaching roster coming up with something suitable for virtually everyone. Classes are already starting to fill up so this is a great opportunity to see what's coming up and to sign up.

And last but not least, the totally awesome new Lakehouse fabrics have arrived. We're madly trying to get it all priced and into the store.

Hope to see you over the weekend at the Open House.

Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann, Barb and the "Chicks"

Buckhorn Bound ...

We're off to the Buckhorn Area Quilt Show on Thursday morning. The show starts on Friday morning and runs until Sunday afternoon. You can find more information at http://www.buckhornquilters.ca/show08/show2008.htm. If you are at the show, drop by and say hello.

To entice you, I can tell you that we have cut FQs of several of new fabric lines that rolled off the truck into out receiving area on Tuesday morning. After a "fun" two days over the long weekend doing the year end inventory count, it was a real treat to finally see the arrival of fabrics ordered in the spring that we have been eagerly waiting to show to you.

This sneak preview is at the Buckhorn show only. With all the prep work required to get ready for this show, we just didn't have time to get it all processed and out onto the sales floor. But rest assured that it will ALL be on display at our Open House next weekend, September 12-14. Mark your calendars!

We'll try to post some photos of the new fabric collections early next week to whet you appetite. Until then ...

Happy Quilting!
Barb and Jo-Ann

Stay Tuned!

Hi everyone -

Sorry for the long delay - sometimes it's hard for me to get to the computer! Still running to the hospital every day - mom is doing pretty good, she got a full hip replacement and is on her feet but there are, as usual, other complications! She now says she has a "bionic leg" as her right knee as well as her hip have now been replaced.

Exciting stuff going on in the store (actually at the back of the store!). New fabrics are in and some great new notions as well as some new patterns which we are going to kit up.

Barb is taking the day off tomorrow and even though I will be in the store I'm not sure I'm allowed to touch the new stuff! So check back Wednesday because you may get to see some pics of the new fabrics......it's that time of year and all the stuff I ordered in the Spring is now beginning to arrive. I'm so excited because it's ALL gorgeous!

Hope to see you on the store soon!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann, Barb and the Chicks!

Doing well!

This is on a personal note. For those customers who were in the store last night when I got the call that my mom fell and was being taken to the hospital. She is doing fine. She fell and broke her hip and was operated on this afternoon. She is resting comfortably and asking for food! It's a family thing - ha, ha!

Thank you for all your prayers, concern and best wishes!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

We've been busy!

Hi everyone!



It's Friday August 15th and we are at the store this evening for our monthly Sit and Sew Friday nite. We just finished a lovely dinner, Chicken Ceasar with Garlic Bread and Chocolate Mousse Cake (I couldn't resist it when I saw it at Sobeye's today) and Lynn brought in fresh chocolate brownies right out of the oven........



Karen complained that nothing new is happening on the blog.....good to know someone's checking up on us so I decided to sit down and do it now! Barb and I are always saying we should blog more often but honestly we have been so busy working on the newsletter and getting organized for all the new stuff coming in that we have just forgotten. So the real news is the Fall newsletter is on the website http://www.cockadoodlequilts.com/newsletter.html and will be in the mail Monday or Tuesday of next week for those who prefer the "snail mail" delivery.



I'm busy putting beads on my Garden Friends Quilt which I hope to have finished soon and up on display at the store, Barb is busy on a hand pieced block for her class.



We'd like to share an absolutely gorgeous quilt that one of our customers completed after taking the Rain Drops Class with Laurissa. Katrina used a black and white background with bright fabrics to really make it pop!

We'll try to be more consistent with our blogging but just know that if you don't hear anything from us it's usually because there's so much going on in the store.......

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann, Barb and the Chicks!!!