Today is Jo-Ann's birthday. She'll probably kill me for telling you but what the heck! I'll take my chances! :-)
Feel free to send her your best wishes by leaving a comment here. I know that she will appreciate it .... while she is killing me!!
Happy Quilting,
Barb
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
I promised you.....
I promised you a picture of what Barb is working on.....so here it is! She says she loves doing this because you don't have to match anything! It really looks awesome but hard to see here because the fabric is very dark. She is going to make a lap quilt for our Healing Heroes!
One of her favourite tools for sewing curves - That Purple Thang! Here she's easing the fabric through with the help of the Thang!
A few months ago we received a book called Dream Landscapes and I challenged Mary to do one of the projects.....this is the result! It is absolutely stunning and I believe we will be having a techniques class in the Spring/Summer for this....She only has to finish the binding - I'm not sure if she's completed the embellishments yet but you really have to come in and see this one up close!
Barb and I have commited to do the Split Nine Patch class today at the store with Elaine. We have decided to work with the same fabrics in order to make one whole quilt (it's called pooling your resources). That way we will not end up with yet another project we have both started with no hope of finishing! This quilt is also destined for the Healing Heroes! I'll post some pictures later....Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann
Saturday, February 7, 2009
More new stuff.....
I dropped into the store yesterday to say "hi" and pick up some stuff and found a small package of fabric that came in......These three Japanese fabrics - somewhat like Sashiko patterned navys which are really nice. (Of course their nice I ordered them!) Anyway they are priced and on the shelves....
I have a funny feeling Monday is going to get us a whole lot of new stuff! We sent a couple of orders in last week and we are waiting with bated breath to see when they get here......usually Monday!
I have a funny feeling Monday is going to get us a whole lot of new stuff! We sent a couple of orders in last week and we are waiting with bated breath to see when they get here......usually Monday!I thought I would share an idea I came up with when asked by a customer how to practice machine quilting. The first idea is to make a flannel rag quilt. If you've never done one, now's the time. Each block is quilted separately and then all the blocks are sewn together. Because you are quilting each block separately you have the opportunity to vary your designs and really get a feel for your machine and it's capabilities. It gives you the practice you need for tension and control while you are machine quilting. We carry a number of Patsy Thompson's DVD's and they are not only helpful but inspiring. If you are just starting out then Free and Easy is one of the best DVD's I've seen and I will admit that it got me back into Machine Quilting.
Another idea is to use the Batting Buddy - a tool which we also carry and working on the same premise as the rag quilts, make a two colour quilt which again will give you the opportunity to quilt one block at a time in any design you choose.
Of course the best way to learn techniques is to take a Machine Quilting class and Carolyn Flood teaches a great class. A direct quote from one of her students in the last class was just before we served lunch that day and she said, " I've already gotten my money's worth!".......The class will be offered again in the Spring/Summer newsletter.
Barb and I got down to business last night! We (I) decided that we should quilt at my house (no pics - it's a mess!) so that I could get some cutting done on Country Haven and maybe even do some blocks.....which I did, I got 6 more blocks cut and ready to go and pieced 2 more blocks. Barb is working on circle blocks - she's doing a quilt for Healing Heroes which meets at the store the first Saturday of the month (that's today and they are there right now!). It is really going to be awesome - I am going over to take a picture now...so I will definitely give you a look! In the meantime,
Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I'm back.....
Didn't mean to miss two days of blogging but "time" (my four letter word) ran away....literally. I have been feverishly working on something I have a deadline for (Friday actually) and I have been focused (unlike me) on that and only that.
First I would like to remind everyone that Split Nine Patch is this Sunday. There are a few spots left in this class with Elaine and it's an amazing way to use up scraps of fabric. Barb and I have just decided we are going to take the class (I need another project!?!) if not to do a whole quilt then to at least learn a new technique......we can always do Preemie Quilts with the blocks when we're done but I think this one is worth a "whole" quilt, and eventually it may become one! I certainly have enough scraps to do something......
In addition to that - The Underground Railroad Club will be starting shortly. An e-mail will be going out this weekend to announce the February date and all the fun stuff we are going to do.....I'm really excited about this one and getting antsy to start the TWO quilts I want to do (more projects......unbeleiveable!)
First I would like to remind everyone that Split Nine Patch is this Sunday. There are a few spots left in this class with Elaine and it's an amazing way to use up scraps of fabric. Barb and I have just decided we are going to take the class (I need another project!?!) if not to do a whole quilt then to at least learn a new technique......we can always do Preemie Quilts with the blocks when we're done but I think this one is worth a "whole" quilt, and eventually it may become one! I certainly have enough scraps to do something......
In addition to that - The Underground Railroad Club will be starting shortly. An e-mail will be going out this weekend to announce the February date and all the fun stuff we are going to do.....I'm really excited about this one and getting antsy to start the TWO quilts I want to do (more projects......unbeleiveable!)I have to get back to that "deadline" thing so I will leave you with yet another reminder...Healing Heroes meets this Saturday and although Virginia and the usual "culprits" are off somewhere doing a workshop - there are still quilts to be made and anyone wishing to participate is welcome. Bring a lunch, snacks and drinks are on tap.
Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann
Monday, February 2, 2009
One of those Mondays.......
I got a call from Barb this morning around 10:30 A.M. to say she had just woken up and was getting ready to leave. I called the store and Judith was at the back door receiving a shipment! Panic sets in because it's Monday Sit & Sew and I say I'll be right over. Throw clothes on and figure there's coffee at the store so I can live until I get there.......this is what I walk into!
Okay - not so bad! Only 6 large boxes and a few bolts of fabric....I need a coffee! So, I go to do a head count to make sure I have enough food for lunch and I grab a coffee and yeuch!!!!
Poor Judith now has to listen to me complain about her coffee! Why is it so vile? Turns out she decided to use what she thought was a new brand of coffee we had open.....decaf!!!! Okay there's a remedy here - I will go make a fresh pot of REAL coffee! Go to the coffee machine and the basket's missing - hmmmm, not in the sink? Okay check the garbage and lo and behold the basket is there! I'm not the only one having a bad day (Judith's watch battery stopped at 8:25 A.M. and her day was going as good as mine....)
While I'm waiting for coffee I start peeking into boxes.....batting, whopee! and pins and rotary blades and all kinds of good stuff! Well that makes the day look a little brighter.....so I go and do another head count to make sure I have enough food for lunch! (Hmmm, did that already!)
So Barb shows up and we have coffee - both of us moving a little on the slow side (yesterday was a very busy day and by the time we left the store it was 1:00 A.M.) People are asking me questions and I'm answering but not sure what I'm saying....Barking orders at Judith (so unlike me-really!) but smiling sort of!
Go and do another head count to see if I have enough food for lunch!
Okay - not so bad! Only 6 large boxes and a few bolts of fabric....I need a coffee! So, I go to do a head count to make sure I have enough food for lunch and I grab a coffee and yeuch!!!! Poor Judith now has to listen to me complain about her coffee! Why is it so vile? Turns out she decided to use what she thought was a new brand of coffee we had open.....decaf!!!! Okay there's a remedy here - I will go make a fresh pot of REAL coffee! Go to the coffee machine and the basket's missing - hmmmm, not in the sink? Okay check the garbage and lo and behold the basket is there! I'm not the only one having a bad day (Judith's watch battery stopped at 8:25 A.M. and her day was going as good as mine....)
While I'm waiting for coffee I start peeking into boxes.....batting, whopee! and pins and rotary blades and all kinds of good stuff! Well that makes the day look a little brighter.....so I go and do another head count to make sure I have enough food for lunch! (Hmmm, did that already!)
So Barb shows up and we have coffee - both of us moving a little on the slow side (yesterday was a very busy day and by the time we left the store it was 1:00 A.M.) People are asking me questions and I'm answering but not sure what I'm saying....Barking orders at Judith (so unlike me-really!) but smiling sort of!Go and do another head count to see if I have enough food for lunch!
Finally, go and get lunch ready and guess what - literally had just enough for lunch! The girls had the left overs from last night or as Barb said her friends mother used to say "We're having mustgos for dinner!" (Everything in the fridge that "must go"!) Sloppy Joes, cole slaw and potato salad (for those who want to know - the recipe was posted yesterday...) We scraped the pot for lunch so Barb ran out to get Judith, her and I something from Tim Horton's......which we added to the cole slaw....There was plenty of marble cake though!
So I started unpacking the order and wow did I make a mess! We got some more Wide Back fabrics in pale pink, green and blue.....it's hard to see the pattern but very soft and pretty.....
We also got a load of notions in. Bead/Embroidery needles, Safety Pins, Pins, Quilting Gloves, Beeswax, Rotary Blades, Hand Quilting Thread, and one of my favourite hand sewing/piecing/appliqueing/quilting tools - The Desktop Needle Threader....if you do any handwork this is absolutely the best tool ever made....
We also got in the Grippers! The large Gypsy Gripper and the small Gypsy Gripper - just ask Barb to show you the "phone" (I almost got a pic of her answering the Gypsy Gripper but she was too quick - once you see it you will definitely understand)
I also got an e-mail from my supplier that there are 30 new batiks on their way along with some more tone on tones in black! Turned out to be a pretty good day and we only had to stay until 8:00 P.M. to get it all marked!
Oh yeah! and I saved the best for last - the batting finally arrived! We also have black batting! Can't seem to get ahead of the batting - so we will be ordering more today.....gonna try to go get something done at home now!
Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann
SUPER BOLT SUNDAY!!!!
First of all I have to admit that I missed a day of blogging! I had every intention of doing it last night but....after we closed at the store I had to do some food shopping for today's dinner and the house. I got the food shopping done and made it home around 7:30 P.M., I made dinner and suddenly felt horrible! Dizzy, nauseous, headachey! Decided to go lie down around 8:15 P.M. and never got up again until this morning but I sure felt better!
The girls, Nancy, Mary and Barb started cutting fabric at 11:01 A.M. this morning and didn't get a break until 5:00 P.M.. In the meantime I was in the back most of the day getting dinner ready for our Super Bolt Sunday Sit & Sew. The entrance fee was 3 non-perishable food items and below is what we collected. It may not look like much but those bags are pretty full and they go back about 3 feet.
As usual, the girls got busy after dinner. Elaine is measuring a border, Marlene is getting ready to cut some fabric and Janet and Libby are in the background hanging her current project on the design wall with Gillian egging them on.
Everyone on this side of the room is very industrious. Elizabeth is pressing while Chris and Myrna are sewing away on 1/2 square triangles for an absolutely gorgeous quilt (hopefully once it's done they will bring it by so we can get a picture of it).
Judy (back to us) is busy working on her challenge quilt for the Mississauga Guild. We can't show it to you - it's a challenge, but we know it will be utterly amazing!
In the meantime all throughout the night Barb is still cutting fabric for everyone (and a little for a store project too!). She didn't sit down all day! (Except to eat dinner).
Gillian got busy squaring up a quilt to put binding on as soon as the table was free while Marian and Elaine had a fabric swap or fabric return - I got a little confused on that one.
After Elaine finished putting borders on a quilt (I didn't get a picture but it was a gorgeous red and green quilt), she started on this "little" project. Okay - who cut all those black & whites???? into all those little pieces......Marian is next to her working on a red & white which is going to be spectacular (I love red and white). She says it's a 12 Step program and she was on Step 8......sorry no pic! Maybe Elaine got one - check her blog www.livejournal/elaine9703.com .
This is what Elizabeth was so busy working on, a Japanese themed quilt for her son which she got gorgeous backing for tonight....
Elaine and I had to get the picture of Marlene's travelling gear - it was all packed up and ready to roll.......the girls slowly started to dwindle out the door at around 10:00 P.M. with Barb and I calling it a night around midnight!
As tired as I am at the end of one of these evenings it is truly gratifying to know that a good time was had by all and thank you Gillian for doing KP duty tonight (when I asked what she was doing in MY kitchen - she told me to mind my own business and go away....so I went and had another piece of cake!).....
TODAY WAS SUPER BOLT SUNDAY
The girls, Nancy, Mary and Barb started cutting fabric at 11:01 A.M. this morning and didn't get a break until 5:00 P.M.. In the meantime I was in the back most of the day getting dinner ready for our Super Bolt Sunday Sit & Sew. The entrance fee was 3 non-perishable food items and below is what we collected. It may not look like much but those bags are pretty full and they go back about 3 feet.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Not only did the Sit & Sew participants contribute to this "haul" but some of our customers brought in stuff too! Barb and I will be delivering it to our local Fire Hall tomorrow - thanks again!
Jo-Ann's Potato Salad
1 - 5 Lb. bag small potatoes 1 green pepper
1 red pepper 1/2 red onion
fresh dill 2 tbsp. French's Mustard
1/2 - 3/4 cup Hellman's Mayonaise Salt & Pepper to taste
Wash potatoes, do not remove skins. Boil potatoes until firm. Let cool, cut into 1/4's. Cut up green pepper and red pepper into small chunks, add to potatoes. Dice 1/2 onion and add to potato mixture. Chop fress dill (about 4 - 6 sprigs), add to potato mixture. In bowl mix mustard and mayonaise, poor into potato mixture. Mix everything together until well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for 3 hours and serve.
Dessert was marble cake with chocolate icing and Janet donated a Zuchinni/Pumpkin loaf which disappeared very quickly......
As usual, the girls got busy after dinner. Elaine is measuring a border, Marlene is getting ready to cut some fabric and Janet and Libby are in the background hanging her current project on the design wall with Gillian egging them on.
Everyone on this side of the room is very industrious. Elizabeth is pressing while Chris and Myrna are sewing away on 1/2 square triangles for an absolutely gorgeous quilt (hopefully once it's done they will bring it by so we can get a picture of it).
Judy (back to us) is busy working on her challenge quilt for the Mississauga Guild. We can't show it to you - it's a challenge, but we know it will be utterly amazing!
In the meantime all throughout the night Barb is still cutting fabric for everyone (and a little for a store project too!). She didn't sit down all day! (Except to eat dinner).
Gillian got busy squaring up a quilt to put binding on as soon as the table was free while Marian and Elaine had a fabric swap or fabric return - I got a little confused on that one.
After Elaine finished putting borders on a quilt (I didn't get a picture but it was a gorgeous red and green quilt), she started on this "little" project. Okay - who cut all those black & whites???? into all those little pieces......Marian is next to her working on a red & white which is going to be spectacular (I love red and white). She says it's a 12 Step program and she was on Step 8......sorry no pic! Maybe Elaine got one - check her blog www.livejournal/elaine9703.com .
This is what Elizabeth was so busy working on, a Japanese themed quilt for her son which she got gorgeous backing for tonight....
Elaine and I had to get the picture of Marlene's travelling gear - it was all packed up and ready to roll.......the girls slowly started to dwindle out the door at around 10:00 P.M. with Barb and I calling it a night around midnight!As tired as I am at the end of one of these evenings it is truly gratifying to know that a good time was had by all and thank you Gillian for doing KP duty tonight (when I asked what she was doing in MY kitchen - she told me to mind my own business and go away....so I went and had another piece of cake!).....Thank you all for a wonderful day and a great evening! I got a Quilt Patis flower done for a project I am not even going to show you....because I have so many on the go you will just get confused???!!! (What happened to finishing one quilt at a time -----nevermind! or as Gillian says "mind your own business"!) I'm off to bed now!
Happy Quilting!
Jo-Ann
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