Riley Blake will be here in 2010

2010 is not so far off to announce that we have a collection of Riley Blake fabrics being added to our offerings at The Quilter’s Alley.  It will be available in the online shop, as well as at home base in Ridgefield, Connecticut.  We visited the New England Fabric Reps in Boxboro, Mass. where we made this purchase among others.  Kokka has been selling extremely well in our shop, so there is more coming.  We also purchased some cute novelty fabrics- donuts, cupcakes and ice cream are on the menu.  They will be available in our six 1/2-yard packs of coordinates for quick and easy quilt designing.

Just a peek and then…

and a taste.

 

Witches

Our first class of the season, yielded some creative sighs and giggles from  the participants.  We fused and free-motioned an array of colorful vamps into Halloween wall hangings.  I love when the students bring great ideas to the class.

Making Witch Hair

Zig Zag Zig Zag

I

 

The Shop Hop begins

It’s rather exciting that two years have actually passed to give way to our second Connecticut statewide shop hop. We’ve been preparing for several weeks, but now the deluge of fabric-hungry quilters is upon us – in a good way.  We have been selling shop hop passports for several months. Our shop hop quilt is  made.  We have cut our 2 1/2″ strips, everybody gets to choose 2.  The raffle prizes are prettied. The refreshments are served.  The stamp-pad is inked.

These are some of the highlights of the week.

an unusual hat

The littlest hopper and her sisters and mom

great idea!

littlest feet

It has been a great week, meeting lots of new and old friends. I hope everyone is back home, sewing calmly  or planning projects with all their new fabric.

 

I finished a few more…

August is quiet at the shop; everybody’s savoring the last few summer days on a beach blanket and  aren’t the least bit interested in being at the sewing machine with a blanket in their lap.  However, they’ve  brought a few projects my way to be finished at the last minute, so I’ve been quilting alot under pressure.  I’m thankful for this in August.

And while I’ve been stitching….

 

Winner of drawing will be announced this week.

 

Start your engines

The battery on my digital camera is charging for the next big upload of amazing quilt tops that have arrived at our shop for the quilting.  Poor thing, really takes a beating from me.  The quilts on the other hand are lovingly brought to life and the results speak for themselves.  

 

This quilt: I WISH I quilted.  There is something about Suzie Anderson’ s quilts that draw me in.  It’s called color.  And once again, just browsing around Pittsburgh at the quilt exhibit, I spotted this gem and bet myself that it must be hers.  Yes, yes and that much better in person!   

My sketchbook is  also getting a  real workout these last couple  of days, with ideas flying from head to pencil lead.  If only I could just hibernate and draw, but  work is always  calling.  I think I’d be bored, if things were any different.  

Topically speaking, I’m planning a giveaway. I haven’t decided if it  should be one of the many quilt projects  we’re retiring from the shop or a copy of an unpublished Quilter’s Alley pattern and some beautiful fat quarters.  What do you think?

 

Slow movin’

Post-show and a Monday: recipe to  recover.  But we’ll be in the shop and putting away and planning a sale.  The Northern Star Guild Show was a success in so many ways.  My favorite part is always the surprise encounters that enrich our life beyond selling and sewing.  There were great comments on my work, an unpresidented number of  ”cute”-s  for those darn ducks.  But the kits continue to sell.  Thanks, Mary.  New show friends and some amazing quilts and quilting.  We met the Artgirlz and watched a Sharon Schamber demo on the Gammill.  

 But now back to the grind of  unloading the bins, recreating another Molly Story Quilt for the shop (the auction is this Friday), continuing the latest pattern which still doesn’t have a name(or an in-focus picture to share), uploading some shots of our beautiful booth, which went up easily with the help of some bulletin boards behind our tables and the borrow of Nancy’s beautiful ladders.

Needless to say, we carry  a lot of stuff to shows.  And then we have to put it all back: what does not sell. It’s an opportunity to reorganize, move back into the shop life for the weeks ahead.  

 

This week

Planning and packing for the Northern Star Quilt Show at JFK HS in Somers, NY

Here are some of the things you can see there:

 

gabbag: make a statement

Now on sale,  my one-of-a-kind Painted and Pieced totes with a message. Limited quantity, so get yours now.

 

We’re bringing bolts!  The half yards of Kokka were so popular at the NYC show that we’ve decided to cut yards or more at the NSQG show this weekend. We’ll also have some Daiwabo Taupe bolts.  They make beautiful garment, so yardage is a must.

 

We will have kits available which include all the fabrics and the pattern to make Tipping Point.   Jennifer blogged us this week, so visit the SusBoom site and read the comments that the quilt is receiving.

We have made up more Molly Story Quilt Kits.  These were also popular in NYC and we’re bringing the newly published book, as well. Personalize the backpack with your favorite child’s name. I have other project ideas for the illustrations, so stay  tuned.

 

It’s so cute…

If I say so myself.  Returning from Quilt Market with tons of ideas and a 150-bolt order has made me focus on my two month time frame for their delivery.   Kaffe, Brandon, Phillip,  Jennifer, Anna Maria, Amy, Minny Miu, Art Gallery all in view through my “magic mirror.”  (remember  Romper Room? I’ve been inspired by childhood lately.)  I’ve also begun to reorganize the shop a bit with an area (as Stu says:) that looks like a puppet show will be starting.  My other amazing collection of props: a child-size wooden ironing board, bright red toy iron and a battery-operated pink sewing machine.   

A corner of kid inspiration

 

 

Minny Miu Fabrics

 

 

 

I have loads of sample garments and quilts to make, with a priority being the new pattern for Jennifer Paganelli’s unreleased line of fabric.  I have half-yards of the whole collection, thanks to my favorite courier, Nancy, who is also working on a pattern for JP.

But I just had to interrupt that project to make a tiny (size 3) dress. It shouldn’t take too long.

Art Gallery Fabrics are a great choice for kids!

 

 

 

Back from Houston Quilt Market

It seems like we’ve spent a lot of travel time in Texas this year with Husqvarna Viking Convention and all.  But, going to Market transports me to the Land of Ideas.  I’ve returned with order slips for over 150 new bolts of fabric from Westminster, Alexander Henry, Lecien, Kokka, Art Gallery Fabrics.  These will make their debut after the New Year.  Sample spree yielded little gems of Lecien, Kokka and Art Gallery Fabrics that will be tied into precious bundles of color and available for sale immediately.
I’ll take some tempting photos this week.

Still Construction but a Beautiful new park this year

 

 

The Brains & Brawn of Art Gallery Fabrics

We were focused this year on bright color, not that I don’t love it all the time.  Our goal was to cheer the economic recession into submission.  We went to the Quilt Exhibit, but I only partially covered the vast hall because of an issue with sore feet.  I took names, so I could check them out online, but only one or two had websites.  Boo Hoo

We spotted Eleanor Burns, Kaffe and Liza, Jay McCarroll, (Project Runway winner), (missed a Marie Osmond sighting),  Amy Butler, Trish & Davis from Attic Heirlooms.

Spoke to Liesl, from Oliver + S. We’ve been buying more and more of her classically adorable children’s patterns as our business turns toward the young crafty mom.  Liesl is so beautiful and real- a Brooklyn girl. Also on the real track is Anna Maria Horner, who we had met in San Antonio in June.  She and I spent quite a while chatting about being creative and business in general.  We plan to stay in touch.  We caught her doing her own photos of her gorgeous booth. So down to earth.  And we may have her coming to the Quilter’s Alley for a book signing in the Spring.  That would be so amazing!

Meanwhile at the Shop:

I promised to bring you the heirloom being quilted by hand.  Go Cindy and Erin!

 

The T-Shirt quilts are done.  Here are photos:

Molly’s Book is in its final revision, I think.  It looks great!  Thanks, Terrie.

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation.

 

Give Away winner announced:  Sherrym2 will receive the Jennifer Paganelli Fat Quarters and the Times Square Pattern by the Quilter’s Alley

Good News!  There are several more art quilt pattern designs in the works from The Quilter’s Alley, now being prepared for publication.