Sunday, December 12, 2010

Let's back up......

...to Thursday's Sit & Sew.  A little background info - Thursday's Sit & Sew used to be the Underground Railroad Club which met one Thursday of every month.  This was in addition to the Tuesday evening once a month when Underground Railroad Club met.  Then Moday's Sit & Sew filled up to the point of bursting and we designated another day to Sit & Sew which is slowly but surely filling up too!  So, why am I telling you this - because Myrna came in on Thursday with this fabulous quilt which she has been working on and which she started when she joined the Underground Railroad Club which met once a month on a Thursday.......she has completed it and it IS gorgeous!
...and she hand quilted it too!  Look at the fabulous stitching.......... 
Annadel is working on something gorgeous too!  I can't wait to see it finished, it's grown even since this photo so I'll have to get another one next week - trust me, it will motivate her to work on it!  It's not that she needs the motivation but we all need a little push sometimes......
 With everything going on at home (showings and Open Houses) my son Jonathan seems to be a constant visitor to the store, we're going to have to put him to work! 
You know how I love seeing your quilts in progress!  Well - this is Louise's Bargello Quilt which is from the class that Elaine taught earlier this year.  She came in looking for borders today and I asked if I could get a photo.  She's got about 5 rows to go but it just looks awesome........We didn't manage to find a border in our selection and I'm glad she didn't just SETTLE for something to have it done!  I would rather she walked out empty handed than unhappy with the final product......we don't always have the EXACT fabric people are looking for, even with the large selection we do have......
I was blown away today!  A brand new customer came in, first time in the store, looking for a backing for a quilt she's making...... She pulls this little book out of her bag and I see it has a bunch of fabric swatches in it....of the quilts she's making or has already made......
So, it's one of those Dollar Store/Walmart 4" x 6" photo albums ..... she cuts her swatches and keeps it in her purse in case she sees something she needs.....like the backing for a particular quilt!  I do carry swatches around when I'm planning a trip to a quilt store but how handy is having with you all of the time - what a great idea!

Okay so now, what's new!  Check out these gorgeous fabrics!  There is supposed to be a panel with them but it hasn't come and I'm not sure if it will, however, I don't care because I already have a plan for these fabrics!(This is definitely my problem - I have a plan, but no time to execute it!)  I will try to make time (before it all disappears!)  No Libby - you cannot have the whole bolt!

 The other day I spilled the beans on Nancy's big secret!  Well while she was working on Aunt Millie's Garden she also found time to, albeit slowly, get this little gem of a wall hanging done!  This was one of those projects she picked up and put down for quite awhile but at the end of the day - it really is a little gem!  (Can I have it!  Can I have it!  I have the perfect spot for it in the new house!)  It's a FREE PATTERN and we've even kitted a couple of them in the same fabrics Nancy used in case you fall in love with it too! 
That's about all the news for today!  I'm off to make dinner and watch Heartland (I love Sunday's), The Amazing Race, Desperate Houswives/Debbie Travis, and CSI Miami!  All the while knitting or quilting away the hours!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

P.S. Has anyone tried the Frittata Recipe yet?  I had a customer in today who said she gave it to her daughter who was planning a brunch - perfect!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Nancy's secret.....




I am finally allowed to spill the beans......this is what Nancy has been working on for the past few months!  Her version of Aunt Millie's Garden which we will be offering as a BOM come January......

For the moment the quilt is hanging in the store and will be here until next Friday when it goes off to Karen Power to be quilted.......It won't be back until after the holidays so to see it up close, and it really needs to be admired in person.....you'll have to get over to the store......
Our intention is to offer the Monthly Class with two kit options but this quilt can easily be done with your own fabric scraps.....it is just gorgeous done on Nancy's choice of a white background but will look equally gorgeous on any colour!  Those Piece O'Cake girls really know how to design a quilt!

This one may be a little hard to resist if you're an applique fan.  Come by and see it!

I am going back to my traditional piecing now.......(I am sooooo jealous!)

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Monday, Monday....

We have been watching this quilt come together for many months and although it's still not quite finished, I had to take a picture of it!  Elaine has been patiently putting together a deliberate scrappy quilt and it just looks awesome......

She's got about 9 blocks to go ------ can't wait to see it done!

We also had two birthdays - so I made a really tacky orange coloured cake with bright pink candles for the girls....actually the cake is a Florida Orange Cake, hence the colour...... 
Here are the Birthday girls blowing out the candles - left Cathy and right - Effie....... 
Now I get to the important stuff (for Rochelle)!  I made a Frittata for lunch yesterday - the same one I made last Sunday for the Hilary Rice Workshop and it came out awesome....so awesome, some people asked for the recipe.
So here goes.....

Jo-Ann's Frittata (serves 12)

1 each - Red Pepper, Yellow Pepper, Orange Pepper
1 cup - Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup - Green Onions, sliced
Butter

Dice the peppers and saute all of the vegetables until soft.

In the meantime......

4 cups shredded Monteray Jack cheese
1 tbsp flour
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (I use Old Cheddar)
12 eggs
1 cup milk

Spray with Pam (or grease) a 13" x 9" Pyrex dish.  Toss shredded Monteray Jack cheese with flour and arrange on the bottom.  Sprinkle the shredded Cheddar cheese on top.  In a separate bowl, beat eggs and milk.  Once vegetables are done, place on top of cheese.  Pour egg mixture over everything.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge over-night or at least 8 hours.

Heat oven to 325 and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.  Check center for doneness.

Serve hot and enjoy! 

Okay, I have two quilts in my head right now for kits that need to be done and two more in my studio in the basement of the house that are waiting for me so I'm off to quilt.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Monday, December 6, 2010

It's THAT Sunday........

Once a month, on a Sunday, things are really happening at the Doodle!  The "girls" get together for the family "Stitch and Bitch" (their name not mine!) and they have a great time.  This month they filled the room....

5 on one side.......
.......and 4 on the other side........ 
Lunch was served, not so promptly at 1:20 P.M. (I had to wake Jonathan this morning because of the Open House - see my blog) but they loved it - Spaghetti and Meat Sauce and a light salad.......they were so hungry they wouldn't move so I could take the pic....... 
There were two birthdays today, Christina's and Cathie made her a mountain of chocolate cupcakes.......pink icing and sprinkles included....... 
....and Gail's, Christina made her a Skor Cheesecake! 

Having had a little taste of both of these wonderful desserts I have to say.......I couldn't have done better myself! 
 Then they had to show off their Christmas socks.........
 ...and finally we get to see some work!  There are some patterns that are just classics.  Cathie has been working on this Atkinsen Design pattern for a while, it's Stars and Strips and it's a classic!  It really came out phenomenal, all in batiks!  It's now on it's way to Cathy Petrie to be quilted.......
This is Christina's 9 patch - a Linus quilt, which she quilted herself and today added the binding.....Kudos Christina - it really looks awesome...... 
Even though I didn't get pictures of what everyone was working on, suffice it to say they were as they always are, extremely industrious.......and I have to admit they make me very jealous!  I always feel so inadequate watching them - I never seem to get anything done!  Need to turn over a new leaf - oh wait a minute, that's next month, the resolutions and everything......

Okay, I can wait, in the meantime I'm going to go do some knitting!?!?!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Saturday, December 4, 2010

For those of you.......

....who follow this blog, you will know that I tend to go off on tangents about what's happening not only in the store but in my life.....

Nancy says I do it too much so, seeing as I have been so successful (not) and consistent (not) with the Cock A Doodle blog, I decided for those of you who are actually interested in reading "my personal" sagas in life I would create my own blog.....it is aptly named Jo-Ann's Creations, Trials & Tribulations! and can be accessed on the right side of the page under our favourite blogs.....

By the way - someone should tell Nancy to update her blog.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Friday, December 3, 2010

NEW News......

I personally have been waiting for this fabric to arrive for a while!  I have plans!  None that will be coming to fruition any time soon but I absolutely love this fabric......



Yes - it's Kaffe Fassett and it's stunning!  I'm holding out for a few others that are on back order then I'm taking a "vacation" from everything and getting a quilt done that I have had in my head forever.......

I have to warn you all - 5 metres of this has already left the store! .....and I didn't touch it yet!

Have a great day everyone!

Happy Quilting,

Jo-Ann