What a weekend......

Saturday April 23, 2011

The girls arrive bright and early (10:00 A.M. - that's "my" early) to get going on all their projects.  They came up with this great idea, when they finished a project, they got to ring the Cock A Doodle dinner bell!  It's the bell I use to call them to meals.....

After Elaine started ringing the bell on a regular basis they decided to hide the bell from her - we also changed the rules - bringing finished tops that just need borders and binding made do not constitute "finishing| projects!  It's a new rule for the next retreat!

Marion is working on this fabulous applique - can't wait to see this one done!

Gillian has taken over the design wall with her One Block Wonder - it looks awesome.......

 Lunch has been served, Frittata, Salad and Cheese bread......

 Dinner consisted of one of our favourites, Hot Dogs, Beans and Potato Chips - they got brownies for dessert......

Karen showed off one of her recent Mystery Quilts - done!

Cathie and Andie are holding up Cathie's 4 Patch Posie.....absolutely awesome!

 Elaine thinks so too - this is her head taking a picture.......check her blog - her pics are less blurry......

Aha - I did get one decent picture......it really is awesome!

They worked hard - late into the night.......

 On and on into the night.......

I actually went home early but I heard they were there until midnight.......

Sunday April 24, 2011

Another day, more projects but first, bright and early and breakfast is served!
Pancakes......with cherry sauce and maple syrup!

 Here's Andie hard at work cutting 1" squares for her amazing quilt!

 Lunch is served, Fresh veggies with dip, cheeses and crackers....because I pu dinner in the oven and went home to rest up for the evening!

 Before I left I caught Elaine working on this Buggy Barn pattern......

When I got back Sharon had finished her Mystery Quilt from April and so we were able to put it next to Karen's - they really are all "one of a kind" and each of them is gorgeous!  Hmmm...should have put mine in the mix too!  Oh well, will remember that next time......

 This is the beginning of Andie's 1/2" square quilt - each square is a different fabric so far.....she intends to use 90,000 squares.........it's going to be amazing.......

 This is really what everyone was waiting for - dinner - Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Brussel Sprouts and gravy......dessert was Apple Strudel and Ice Cream......

 Hmmm.....this is what I was doing this afternoon while I was supposed to be resting.....slowly but surely and I will try to get at least one "unblurry" picture by the time I finish it.......

 To the right of my gorgeous batik is another one of Andie's creations which is going to be totally awesome and it is destined for our Healing Heroes program.  It will be stunning!

 In the meantime Elaine's stars are growing and growing........

 Again, they worked until almost midnight, some left a little earlier but most made it to the end......

Monday April 25, 2011

Brunch only - Egg and Cheese Casserole, Bacon, Suasage and fresh baked croissants - lovely warmed bluberry muffins and apple muffins for dessert!  Admittedly I spent most of my weekend in the kitchen but you have to remember I love cooking almost as much as I love quilting......

What a fabulous weekend, it really was alot of fun!  I think we'll definitely be doing this again.......hopefully soon!

I took a poll before they all left and they would all come back for this one!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Finally, it's here!

Friday April 22, 2011

Our first "In Store Retreat" has finally arrived and I know there were at least 8 women looking forward to this weekend......

They arrived one by one with bags and bags of projects and machines beginning around 3:30 P.M. on Friday with Marion bringing up the rear at around 6:00 P.M. (She needed a nap after brunch - at least that's what Elaine told us)!

I had already been busy, sewing a sleeve, label and binding on my Kaffe Fassett - Holy Snowballs quilt and putting the last border on my Counting Sheep Panel quilt...but that's where I stopped....

Cathie walked in at 4:00 P.M. and by 10 after had this beauty out to show us, just needs binding.....

Although we were "officially" closed, I had gotten a call from a quilter who had never been to the store and was coming by TTC from Scarborough, so I invited her to come anytime during the weekend.  She came by around 2:00 P.M. and ended up staying for dinner - Baked Salmon, Broccoli and Smashed Potatoes with Cheesecake for dessert.  Having kept her more than occupied until almost 9:00 P.M. and sending her off to brave the "holiday" hours of the TTC with a huge bag of fabrics was not going to be the case, so in the spirit of being a "Full Service Quilt Store", I drove her home. 

While I was gone - Karen managed to get this little number done......

Marion pulled out this gorgeous cross stitch that her mother made of Dutch Houses which she intends to re-invent.....

I, always the optimist, set up my 2 machines, one for piecing and one for quilting.....note, there is nothing at either!  I got a little off track with my "special" customer and the Cock A Doodle Taxi Service, but I still have another 3 days......

Elaine was quietly industrious and managed to get her "homework" done for a class she is teaching Saturday morning (today actually)......and left at 10:30 P.M. so she could get her "beauty" sleep.....

The last straglers left around 12:15 A.M. and I wasn't far behind, making it to bed by 1:30 A.M.

Saturday April 23, 2011

I was up bright and early and breakfast was ready when the girls showed up at 10:00 A.M. - Coffee (of course) Bagels with cream cheese, butter or jam, Warm muffins - blueberry or apple, Orange Juice, Granola cereal!  Needless to say no one chose the granola......

....and the girls came ready to work - I brought my Island Chain to show them my progress....it's next to another Mystery Quilt from July 2007 that Karen is trying to finish.....

Cathie's got a 4 patch posie she's trying to get finished - it's gorgeous!

Gillian is working on her One Block Wonder, Sharon is busy with a Mystery Quilt and Marion is working on a really cool applique.....I need to get back on track and get some quilting done! 

This is really working out great and I'm glad I decided to do this - even the odd customer pops in not realizing were closed (quilting emergencies are allowed anytime!)  so I guess we're sort of open!

Need to go check on lunch and get some work done!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Busy, busy, busy!

The Sale was a hit!  ....we were very busy and last night was our monthly Sit & Sew - actually we may rename it to Sit & Eat - Quilting for Dessert!

I made one of my favourite meals - Chicken Shnitzel, Green Beans with Mushrooms and Smashed Potatoes, then I baked up Apple Strudels for dessert.  It was delicious and the girls enjoyed it too!

Then we got down to some serious quilting - here's Linda putting her Christmas Quilt up on the board.....can't wait to see this one done!  She's using black and whites as her background, it's looking awesome.....

 This morning in between customers Kathy was taking Elaine's Christmas Club Class and here are the blocks every body made......they are gorgeous!

 ....and the girls brought Show and Share - here's Beth's 2,900 and something 1" block quilt - it's amazing - she made it for her granddaughter......

Beth brought in this fabulous quilt top - it's from a class Luarissa taught a couple of years ago - a Lorraine Stagness technique......

 This is from last Wednesday's Autumn Braid class which Elaine taught - you can see the sample quilt hanging to the left - really cool Beth!

 Linda wowed us with her Patchwork Sampler quilt which is completed - it was one of our Blocks of The Month last year, taught by Laurissa.  Linda quilted it on Elaine's long arm machine last weekend.......it is awesome!

I have to say I just love it when you all bring in your quilts to share with us!  It's really motivating!  Makes me want to get busy......so I'm off to quilt!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

Whoda thunk it?!?!

I have to say when we decided to run a class for One Block Wonder I was a little unsure of what the response would be.  Not only did we fill this class but these ladies spent a marvelous Saturday creating fabulous blocks......

Elaine is the ultimate teacher and even I brought my attempt at One Block Wonder from 2007 (another UFO).  I unfortunately was also busy in the store so I didn't get alot done but here are my blocks, starting to look like something.....of course I have no idea where the original fabric I used is.  I do know that it was a breeze to find this UFO because after the move everything is sorted and easy to find.......

Elaine started a second One Block Wonder - this is the fabric she started with......

Check out what came from this......

Once they settled in to work - the class took over the whole store including our cutting table in the store........

Cathie had some awesome fabric - really colourful........

 A little hard to see on the ironing board but the blocks are coming out awesome.....

 Cathie's are the ones in the top right.......

Gail's fabric is the same as Cathie's but a different colourway - awesome!

 Her blocks are centre top....really cool!

Aafje's fabric is a Kaffe Fassett in beautiful autumn colours.......

 Here are the start of her blocks......hopefully she'll be bringing this to Monday Sit & Sews so we can watch it evolve......

Chrystle, like me, had already taken the class and just wanted a refresher course!  Her UFO is much closer to being completed than mine and is going to be stunning.......

This is Angie's fabric......geishas! 

 Here are some of her blocks......

More blocks in the top left corner......

Gillian chose this fabric, gorgeous!

 Check out what happens once they're cut.....

 Here are 10 of her blocks - it's just so cool to see this come together......

This is Shirley's fabric, a smaller repeat but........

still really effective....... 

 A huge variety of movement here....it's going to be gorgeous......

 They are all going to be amazing, I think we'll have to run this class again, you can't beat this technique - it's really a winner!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

News and Tips......

Nancy prompted this blog completely!  She was doing up the front window where we are showcasing our "Sample" quilts that are for sale.....

She also wanted me to mention our great book prices and she's right!  Now that the dollar is above par it's an even better deal!  We sell all of our books at U.S. prices - that's a minimum savings of about $7.00 per book - add to that the strength of the Canadian Dollar and you are really saving.  Also, if there's a title you want and don't see on our shelves we are more than happy to order it in.  We love books, they inspire us and we all collect them so to have a few more on the shelves is never a problem.

Last but not at all least is our Quilt Tip of the Day/Week/Month!?!?

I've had these rulers in the store for a while and Nancy swears by them (which is why I ordered them in!!!).  I have never used them but she "schooled" me today and now I'm hooked....

The Quilt In A Day 6-1/2" Triangle Square Up Ruler

If you don't own one - here's why you should!  If you do own one but don't use it - check this out!

First, Nancy had a pattern that said to cut her squares at 3-7/8", she cut 4" squares instead and marked them for sewing her 1/2 square triangles.  She's sewn on either side of her centre line.

She now needs to have 3-1/2" half square triangles for her pattern.  So I am cutting along the centre line first.

 Here comes the COOL part!  I now take my Quilt In A Day ruler and line up the sewing line with the 3-1/2" mark on the ruler.........

 I trim around the ruler.......

 On both sides of the block (triangle).......

 Cooler still!  I turn the ruler around and again put the 3-1/2" line on the sewing line and centering the point and trim off the corners......

 I now have the finished triangle......no corners to trim......

 Voila - done!

 ...and it measures exactly 3-1/2"!!!!!

The beauty of this method is the fact that since you are measuring from your sewing line it doesn't matter whether it was exactly a 1/4" seam or not!  It will always give you the exact size block you need up to 6-1/2".....

Of course, it stands to reason that my next project has no 1/2 square triangles but no matter - I'm sure I'll be using it again very soon!

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann