I was in Petoskey Michigan within the past few weeks taking some time off and enjoying my family. We took our grandson to the park which is across from my daughter's former home. There on the school building I saw the brickwork which inspired my pattern Partial to 4's. I had forgotten where it had come from! I have started taking pictures with my camera or phone of brickwork or stepping stones at the zoo, downtown and the places I visit. It is amazing how many quilt ideas can come out of this kind of observation. Patterns for machine or hand quilting, pieceing, applique and more can be used singly or in combination. I was surprised when we went to Israel 2 years ago, that the tiles in a floor built around Christ's birth, were many quilt patterns we see today!
So, this summer as you travel, even in your own home town, observe design. Take a notebook or use your camera/phone to record things of interest. You just might discover something you need in the future.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Summer sewing
Does the heat get to you or do you love it? Some of us sit inside and sew, enjoying the air conditioning and sipping our favorite summer drink. Others of us spend a lot of time in the garden or by the pool soaking up the summer weather. Do you miss your sewing? Try putting small pieces of your project in a ziploc bag and doing a little each day. Pin strips together one day; sew them together another day. Then pin the pieces together yet another day. Slowly your project will get done but you'll still enjoy the summer weather. You don't need hours and hours to sew. In 10-15 minutes every few days, the project will get finished eventually. AND you won't feel deprived or guilty at all!
Enjoy your 4th of July weekend. Come take a class or join us for Monday Minimizer on July 20 from 10-3. Also, remember Kaleidoscope of Quilts Show on July 15-16.
Enjoy your 4th of July weekend. Come take a class or join us for Monday Minimizer on July 20 from 10-3. Also, remember Kaleidoscope of Quilts Show on July 15-16.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
OH-MI Shop Hop
It's the night before the shop hop starts and all is ready! Now if the weather will just cooperate! There's lots of fabrics on sale, lots to look at and adventures just waiting to be experienced.
What a great way for all of us to fight cabin fever. With all the snow and ice and lack of electricity, we all need some laughter and excitement to perk our spirits. We hope to see you soon!!
What a great way for all of us to fight cabin fever. With all the snow and ice and lack of electricity, we all need some laughter and excitement to perk our spirits. We hope to see you soon!!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Winter Newsletter
The newsletter is printed and should be on the way to your house just in time for you to sit down and enjoy it. Hopefully all your holiday preparations are winding down and it's time for you to enjoy all of your hard work and planning. I am still wrapping and have just a couple of gifts to buy. One of our Christmas celebrations with family isn't until January 22 so I have some time to kill yet!
Kathy and I have tried to once again think up some new and different classes to teach. Also, we have added more sessions of "Keep Cutting" which was the Fall's most popular class. If you got closed out, notice that we have started over in January with Class #1 during both the day and the evening.
We have heard a lot of you moaning about all the unfinished projects you have (so do we!). So Pam and Lois have decided to host a "Monday Minimizer" two times per month. They'll be there to help. The shop will be closed to all but the participants, so attention will be easier to give! We do require a fee of $5 and preregistration so we can cover the additional heat and electric cost. Also, so we know someone wants to be there!! I am summarizing Pat Sloan's fabulous ideas of how to overcome and deal with all of our UFO's. That summary will be available at our Open House on January 8th. Maybe we can ALL get our UFO's under control and give ourselves a wonderful feeling of completion during 2011.
Happy New Year! See you soon.
Kathy and I have tried to once again think up some new and different classes to teach. Also, we have added more sessions of "Keep Cutting" which was the Fall's most popular class. If you got closed out, notice that we have started over in January with Class #1 during both the day and the evening.
We have heard a lot of you moaning about all the unfinished projects you have (so do we!). So Pam and Lois have decided to host a "Monday Minimizer" two times per month. They'll be there to help. The shop will be closed to all but the participants, so attention will be easier to give! We do require a fee of $5 and preregistration so we can cover the additional heat and electric cost. Also, so we know someone wants to be there!! I am summarizing Pat Sloan's fabulous ideas of how to overcome and deal with all of our UFO's. That summary will be available at our Open House on January 8th. Maybe we can ALL get our UFO's under control and give ourselves a wonderful feeling of completion during 2011.
Happy New Year! See you soon.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
If you come in the shop, you will see a patterns with yellow covers from a company called "Vine Designs". That's us!! Kathy and I have been designing quilts, tablerunners and so on for about 2 years and finally have used our newsletter printing company to create a pattern line. In 2009, I wrote "Bits n Pieces" patterns to use up our scraps and leftovers fabrics. Now, they are an official pattern with professional graphics and directions. Lots better than my hand-drawn and photocopied originals.
Watch for more of these patterns to come out in the future. Every day we are working on getting some more out in the shelf and into distribution.
Watch for more of these patterns to come out in the future. Every day we are working on getting some more out in the shelf and into distribution.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Traveling in alaska
Dan and I are having a wonderful time seeing the vast wilderness of
Alaska. Haven't visited in any quilt shops yet--think that will happen when we get on the boat. I certainly have found much to inspire me here. The wildflowers and scenery just make me want to create a quilt. Lake Forest block of the month looked just like the Byers Lake area and I can't wait to finish mine. Embroidery and applique beckon to let me design a quilt. Alaska is quite beautiful and certainly a mostly untouched wilderness. Now if I can just see a moose somewhat close up...but not too close!!
Alaska. Haven't visited in any quilt shops yet--think that will happen when we get on the boat. I certainly have found much to inspire me here. The wildflowers and scenery just make me want to create a quilt. Lake Forest block of the month looked just like the Byers Lake area and I can't wait to finish mine. Embroidery and applique beckon to let me design a quilt. Alaska is quite beautiful and certainly a mostly untouched wilderness. Now if I can just see a moose somewhat close up...but not too close!!
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