Quilting and Sushi

New customers constantly come by saying they had no idea we were “here.”  Yesterday just such a person walked in (called first) recommended by one of our mutual friends.  She had been desperate for fabric and brought in her internet finds – all sushi yards.  It was such fun to get to know her a bit over this pile of fabric and a few more bolts from our shop.  And I’m anxious to see my “On the Grid” pattern covered in novelty prints, very unlike the original, but yet another fabulous use for this pattern.

It won’t actually look like this, but I thought it would be fun to imagine.

Happy birthday Sue, the winner of our fat quarter and pattern drawing. She will receive eight fat quarters: the new Studio e Flourish collection with a couple of Art Gallery prints that really go perfectly with it, and a Quilter’s Alley pattern.

 

Winner of drawing will be announced this week.

 

I promised

new fabric, but first a few new fabric projects,  Sometimes, I get on a roll and it seems that the binding bug has taken a big bite this week.  It feels good, with so many projects coming and going, to finally finish some of my own.  This is the shower gift I made mostly from stash material.  And I had one good idea when I checked the registry to inspire the color scheme.

with new quilting design: Almost Paisley

Did you know it takes two years to plan a statewide shop hop?  Well besides deciding to participate, all I have to do is sell passports and make the shop quilt.  I actually made a lot of progress at quilt camp and got some quilting done this week.  The best part  is getting the binding on (binding 1)

I’ve had a sample of a simple Daiwabo Taupe throw folded cleverly  so you wouldn’t notice the edges.  It was being hand quilted and that slows things down a bit, but I finally chose a binding and it  feels good. (binding 2)

Finally a won-auction vintage quilt top, from two summers ago, quilted one summer ago by the amazing Wilma, and the vintage binding was hiding among my vintage fabrics for sale at the shop.  It’s good to re-merchandise now and then.  And the pretty blue and orange flowers match the scrappy color scheme perfectly. (binding 3)

Okay, I also took a poll and the majority of folks voted for fabric and a pattern giveaway.  So comment by July 3rd and be entered into the drawing for exactly that.  Here are some of the possibilities.  New fabrics in the shop:

Jennifer Paganelli's Dance With Me Collection

Flourish Collection

Heavier weight for stuff like tote bags...

Bird Print and Coordinating Texture Print

Alexander Henry Halloween 2009

How cute are these witches?

 

Give Away

Okay, so I talk about all the projects and events that happen around here all the time, but I decided to stir things up with a give-away of a Jennifer Paganelli four-fat quarter pack and a Times Square Pattern.  She had her own drawing which gave me the idea since her mention of my pattern, Times Square , made with her fabrics.  So leave a comment about how much you love her fabric or my pattern (which is one of a growing collection) and you will be entered into the drawing this week.  Comments will be tallied on the 30th of Oct. and names thrown into the hat for drawing.  Five names will win sets of fat quarters from her collections.  I spoke to Jennifer today and we will be offering precut fat quarters and kits with her fabrics and my patterns at her home show which is coming up in Wilton, CT.  Check back for dates. And don’t forget to leave a comment here to enter the drawing.

Thanks Nancy for making the sample that Jennifer saw. Here is an image of the quilt I made with Art Gallery Fabrics.

 

 

Next:  We’re headed to Houston for Quilt Market

 

Progress

Behind the scenes, I’m almost obsessively working on completing the illustrations for Molly’s book.  This project is more than a year old, and it will be good to finish.  I had no idea that projects like this took so long, or were so much work for that matter.  But I guess anything worthwhile takes time.  So I have spent more time in my tiny craft closet with my old watercolors and the drawings than I have doing anything else lately.  Two more paintings are left to do and then I can continue on my lollypop trees among other pressing ideas.