Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  The weather was pretty interesting, warm, rainy!?!?

The newslwtter is on it's way by snail mail and will be up on our website in the next couple of days.  We are really excited about this one - lots of new ideas and new classes!

Nancy and I had fun on Thursday and Friday, we were pretty busy with the sale on, not to mention having some wonderful visitors from Norfolk, England, Kingston, Ontario and Boston, Massachusetts!  Quilters travel and when they travel they look for quilt stores!  I know when I'm on the road I'm always looking for quilt stores.  What fun it is to meet all these wonderful people!

Nancy brought in one of her recent projects...check it out!  I love it and now of course I want to make my own!

We also picked out the fabrics for our new Block of the Month - Aunt Millie's Garden, there are 2 colourways - Brights and Classic!

Month 1 - Brights

Month 1 - Classic

Month 2 - Brights

Month 2 - Classic

How can you resist this quilt!?!?  If you love applique, this quilt will definitely be on your TO DO list.....

On another note, and in the spirit of "catching up", last Wednesday was the final meeting of the Patchwork Sampler Block of the Month.  It's truly amazing what these girls did with their scraps.....okay, there were a few fabrics purchased for this one but mostly they went to their stashes to do this quilt....

Here's Linda's.....in batiks!

Here's Barbara's on the right.....she's a new quilter!  Awesome!

Here's Kristin's......

Here's Rosemary's....with post it notes for numbering the blocks!

Here's Pat's - wait a minute, that's not Patchwork Sampler!  Oh, okay, she had guests this week and couldn't find her blocks (likely story) she's working on a book panel quilt.....

...and Jean's doesn't seem to be here either!  Well they've decided to make a date in the New Year to meet and show off their quilts....I can't wait!

I'm off to do some quilting myself!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann 

Just thought......

I'd take a moment to share some fabulous photos I received recently from customers.....

It so gratifying to see projects completed and being put to use and it's also really an inspiration for us all to get those projects we've been neglecting done.....you know, the ones we were so excited about when we started them, knew exactly where they were going to go, but they just took a little (lot) longer then we expected them to (ugh, I have so many!)

Marie Claire from France sent me this fabulous photo of her completed quilt from fabrics purchased in the store......and a free pattern we had on hand....it's awesome!

....and Julia sent us this photo of the two Batik quilts which she has been working on for quite a while.  We, at Friday night Sit & Sews watched these come together over the last year and here they are - exactly where she wanted them......

They are both stunning quilts and we won't even ask how they got up there!

See what I mean, inspiring isn't it!  You choose a project, knowing exactly where you want to hang it or use it and voila!  You complete it and put it in place - what an amazing feeling of accomplishment!  Or as John Hannibal Smith (A-Team) once said(over and over again), "I love it when a plan comes together!"

If I don't get back on here tomorrow I will wish you all a Fabulous, Festive New Year!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Happy Holidays!

I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season!  For the first time in 4 years we are closing for 3 days for the Holiday but we'll be back on Tuesday morning at 10:00 A.M............

 On another note, I did manage to finish Gabriella's quilt in time for Christmas!  She came by and picked it up Christmas Eve and I'm sure her mother will love it!  It came out pretty good - her it is still under the needle....Sonia did a phenomenal job!  However, I probably won't be doing any large size flannel quilts anytime soon! 

Enjoy your holidays everyone!

P.S. Yes the rumour is true!  The sale begins on Tuesday - our first Boxing Week Sale......

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Saturday's here!

I know it's Tuesday but I'm still back at Saturday.......

It was the last meeting of this year's Christmas Club!  T'was the week before Christmas and they brought all the treats,  their quilts were all made, they conquered many feats!  Okay - enough of that - cut to the chase!

First - there was Kristen - her top is all done!  Now just the quilting, oh so much fun! (enough already!!!)

Next came Judith - she plans to complete it before Christmas (this Christmas!)....... 

This is one of Flo's blocks - how perfect, gotta love the star! 

...here's the balance of what's done......maybe not this Christmas but a great start! 

Raili did a fabulous job too - and hers is done!  Quilted, bound and ready to go up on the wall or on the bed....

 Here's a close up - it's really wonderful!

This one is Karen's - all ready to be completed!  Another gorgeous quilt done! 

 Here's a close up - great details!

Linda's is just about completed too!  She wants to do a little more quilting but I love the yo-yo's on the border..... 

It looks beautiful and very close to the original book - Candy Cane Lane by Melinda Bula! 

 Check out the 3 dimensional poinsettas!

Another close-up!

 This is Beth's - check out the kitty cats...... they are all over this quilt!

 You can see the books on the fireplace mantle where the stocking is hung......

 There are kitty cats in front of the house too!  Awesome!

Here's Elaine, giving them a preview of next year's $10.00 Christmas Club quilt and they've all signed up again!!!!  I think I may get on this wagon too!  Should be alot of fun!

Well, I'm almost caught up!  Still plugging away at the newsletter and it should be out in a few days!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Moving right along......

So, it being Sunday I will move on to Friday!?!?!  Another Sit & Sew, our monthly Friday evening and it was awesome!

Great food (I did not make Macaroni & Cheese), great quilting friends and great fun!

We all had no problem admiring Claudette's Piecemaker quilt.....she is doing an absolutely amazing job.......

This quilt demands a closer look, the detail is truly amazing......this is the left side of the trees and the moose, check out the ribbon embroidery...... 

The geese relaxing on the pond, and again the beautiful embroidery!  Notice the bear cubs climbing the tree on the right side....... and the frog sitting at the edge of the pond........

Again - the grogeous embroidery........around the pond - she really got the daisies (anemones) right and it just looks awesome......

We were all in awe of the work Claudette has put in so far and it is just stunning....... 

The flying geese are also very detailed.....and the beading around the sun is wonderful!  Click on the photos to enlarge them and see even more detail..........

After Claudette took down her quilt, up went one of Linda's current projects!  It's a "quilt as you go" done from scraps of 30's fabrics and it is going to be gorgeous!  We all want to do one!  Underneath are the placemats Barb is currently working on........

We all stepped back to admire Rosemary's Underground Railroad Quilt which is now complete except for an outside border she's going to add.....the broders are up on the right side of the quilt.....

I actually started one of these last year (correction I started two, one in each size) and have about 3 blocks done......it's so frustrating, I wonder if I'll ever get back to this project - at the moment it doesn't look like it will be anytime soon.....but I am determined to try!

We were able to leave around midnite when Gillian finished one of her many projects.......wait until you see Saturday's fun!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Always trying to....

...catch up!  This blog is being written on Saturday night and all the pics are from Monday December 13th!  What can I say - only 5 days behind.....

The good news is the Newsletter will be going to press early next week!  So I'm only sorta behind.....

Monday's Sit & Sew was a blast!  Once a year (or more) the girls who pretty much hang out every Monday together have a holiday Pot Luck and exchange gifts.....

They all brought amazing dishes - as usual!  I honestly believe that quilters are the best cooks!  Of course I'm a little biased....They were busy setting up for a while!

Then the line up to fill our plates........

A little bit of Show & Share.........this one's Linda's and it was quilted beautifully by Sandy Lindal with dancing Maple Leafs....

Then we all got down to the important task of eating.........although Gail was too busy taking photos........

 

 

Then the gifts came out - the fun part is - you may open one but you won't necessarily be taking it home, these girls can be ruthless - stealing each other's gifts but, it's all in fun and we all have a wonderful time with it!

The girls were also treated to fabulous sewing bags made by Gillian!  I didn't get one - my gift was a little different.......and of course "rooster" themed......not sure where she found these great gifts!

Then it was time for the "group" photo.......

...and a good time was had by all!

Happy Quilting!


Jo-Ann and "the Chicks!"