Come Retreat With Us In St. Augustine, FL!!!

Hilton Historic Bay Front Hotel, St. Augustine, FL ~ view from the bay

Announcing the next...

Great Girlfriend Get~Away!

Lynne Hagmeier (Kansas Troubles) and I are off to historic and wonderful St. Augustine, Florida!  Just when winter is in full force, we're escaping to the warm, sunny and charming city of St. Augustine, Florida for a 5 day~4 night quilting get~away!  

We'd love for you to join us!!

We're staying at the Hilton Historic Bay Front Hotel!  The hotel is situated right on Matanzas Bay and near the historic district of St. Augustine.  (I love gazing at the water!  You, too?)  The hotel is comprised of 19 buildings surrounding an inner courtyard and connected by interior corridors for a quaint setting.  How cool is that?  They did that so the hotel would be in keeping with the other buildings in the historic district.

Your stay takes place in cozy rooms with either a view of the bay or historic St. Augustine!  As you may know, Hilton has really comfy beds!!  All rooms have an in-room coffee maker, mini-fridge, and desk with complimentary high speed internet.  (You know...you have to read your favorite blogs, right?)

Now...on to the really important part....what are the projects??

You'll have a full day class with both Lynne and me, and then we'll each have a half day class!  Here's what's in store for you!

This quilt is Lynne's full day project, called Windmill on the Plains!  The quilt combines Jelly Roll strips and Lynne's own "layered patchwork" technique (which is sooo cool!) for a simple, dimensional quilt for your home.  And....guess what?  Your kit fabrics are all her new KT Favorites II (Moda Fabrics)!!  L.O.V.E. her classic colors of reds, blues, greens, golds, purples, blacks, pumpkins and tans!!!!  The quilt size is 48" square.

This quilt, called Settler's Puzzle, is my full day class project.  This brand new pattern is a two color, two fabric quilt that features unique blocks that "fit together like a puzzle"!  A Sawtooth border sets off the quilt center, making this striking lap quilt (quilt size 54" x 66").  The project fabrics come from my Pin Money collection (for Marcus Fabrics).  And....you'll get to choose your dark fabric!  You can choose to make a blue, red or black quilt!!  Yay for choices!!  And......your kit fabrics will be sent to your home (no additional charge) so you can cut and prepare them ahead of time, and be all ready for class.

The fun doesn't end there!

We still have two half-day classes to enjoy together.  Wanna know what you're making for those projects? 

 Lynne's Table Treat is your first project of the day!

You'll have several Table Treat patterns to chose from.  

Lynne may even have a few new ones to offer you!

Just layer, quilt and embellish with your favorite appliques for a fast and easy table topper!  (Quilt size 17")  I want them all!!






My half day class is this brand new pincushion pattern.

So far, I'm at a loss for what to name it, so for now it's called Tin & Patchwork Pincushion.  Oh boy...that's boring!  The name aside, it's rather cute, if I do say so myself.  A pieced fabric ball sits inside a vintage Jell-O tin.  Yes!  The vintage Jello-O tin is included in your kit!  If you have any ideas of a name for this pattern...PLEASE...I'd love to hear them!

We have a very spacious ball room for our retreat.  You will bring your own sewing machine, which we think is the best!  (Personally, I have a difficult time sewing on any other machine than my own.)  And....you're guaranteed not to have more than two people to a table!   You'll have lots of free time for open sewing.  

Your room, four breakfasts, three lunches, and a pizza party for dinner are included in the cost of the retreat, as well as all teaching fees, and all kits!  You'll also have access to the trolley for 3 days, and there are lots of restaurants and shops close to the hotel, which will make for a nice evening break from our sewing.  Lynne and I always have surprise goodies in store for you, too.

Now.....all we need is YOU!!

Click here for all the details and costs.  A deposit of $225 is needed by September 20th, but...

SPACE IS LIMITED!!

We sure hope you'll grab a girlfriend and join us in January in St. Augustine!   It just won't be the same without you!

Just Humming Along

I'm just humming along at the moment.  Not the singing kind of humming, but the toodle-ing around kind.  You know...you're just doing what needs doing with not much fan fare.  

I've started another Journey 5 quilt....we're cutting lots of Nabby's Dowry sew-along kits, writing patterns, making quilt labels, sketching a few designs, reading about nineteenth century life, looking for good stuff on Pinterest....you know...the usual.  Humming along....

When I have a moment or two, I try to read my favorite blogs.  One of my fav's in my dear friend, Tara Lynn Darr of Sew Unique Creations.  She has big news and was finally able to share it on her blog a few days ago.  

This is the cover of Tara's new book..but this time the projects all feature quilts that combine cottons and wools.  Let me tell you....Tara was born to design with cottons and wools.  I was fortunate to see about half of the quilts for this book in person.  May I say...over-the-moon wonderful!!  

The back cover gives you a sneak peek at several of the projects, but it's just a tease.  Take my word for it...if you love combining wools and cottons, you MUST HAVE this book!!  Click here to go to Tara's website and pre-order your copy!  While you're browsing, check our her last book, Simply Charming.

I wanted to share this quilt photo with you.  Quilter, Marsha Burwash, made her version of my quilt, Scattered Leaves, for her son and daugher-in-law.  She made this quilt as a wedding gift to them.  Marsha said "the wedding was held in Colorado with the Aspen groves in full fall colors".  Marsha had the wedding guests sign the blocks, then made the quilt for the newlyweds.  I thought it was a wonderful choice as a remembrance of the wedding, the guests, and the setting, and I was honored she chose my pattern.  

Scattered Leaves was first published in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine several years ago and made the cover of that issue.  I'm honored to say it was once again chosen as the cover for the new Quilt-Lovers Favorites Vol 13!!  This cover is actually a water color painting of the quilt that is absolutely amazing.  

Thanks, Marsha, for allowing me to share your special occasion and your Scattered Leaves quilt!

Hope Chest Relics

I showed you several blocks in my last post and promised to have photos of the finished quilt....so here it is.....

Hope Chest Relics

Hope Chest Relics is the name I've given this quilt and it's my latest design for Journey Five of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club.  

I adore the old, traditional Carolina Lily block, and the quilts all done in red and green, and I knew I wanted to make a small quilt version for the club.

I used fabrics from Pin Money.  I'm so happy with the way it turned out.  Next, it's off to Ronda's to be quilted.  Hhmmm.....how should we quilt this?  That's usually a hard question.  Do you struggle with this, too?  I'm thinking cross hatching in the center around the blocks and applique? Any suggestions?

GUESS WHAT?

The Pin Money and Prairie Wovens finally arrived!!!!

The kit cutting has begun!  We have several hundred kits to cut and mail.  We will be working to cut and assemble all of the Nabby's Dowry Sew~Along kits as quickly as we can.  Don't worry!  I won't begin the sew-along until everyone has their fabric!  Stay tuned right here for all the latest info about the sew-along.  It will begin later this month!!  Well....better get back to the cutting table....

Any Day Spent Sewing.....

After a day spent merrily sewing away, this is what I have to show you for my efforts.  Admittedly, like anyone else, I also spent some time un-sewing!  Striving for the perfect seams, sometimes they are elusive.  Happy to report, I eventually conquered them!  More on the progress of this little quilt for Journey 5 in my next post.

This is your official LAST CALL  for Nabby's Dowry Sew-Along kits!!!

Kits have all of my brand new Pin Money cotton prints, 

and most of the Prairie Wovens.  

Click here to see all the fabrics.

The absolute last day to order your kit is Saturday, June 8th!!

I'm hearing the Pin Money and Prairie Wovens, Dobbies & Chambray are being delivered to quilt shops, and I should be getting mine any day now.  I'm so anxious!!  I have several more Journey 5 quilts to make and need the yardage to be able to make them.  Not to mention cutting Fat Eighth and Fat Quarter bundles, which will be available on the website soon.  Do shop your local quilt shop!  Without our regular patronage, they can't continue to be there selling all those lovely fabrics and offering wonderful inspiration!  

Remember....the best way to get all of the instructions for the sew-along quilt is to receive my blog posts via email.  It's easy to do!  Enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" icon found on the right-hand side bar of my blog.  You'll be sent a verification email, and once you verify, that's it!  All future posts will come to your inbox!  That way, you can print the instructions, and take them to your cutting table and sewing machine.

New Project ~ New Fabrics

Equal to the sense of accomplishment of completing a quilt is the thrill of beginning a new one.  These are the three fabrics for my next Journey 5 project.  I can hardly wait to cut into them.  The fabrics are all from Pin Money, and it will be a sweet little quilt with a whisper of applique.
I'll show you blocks in my next post.

This little cutie is a quilt made by Cathy Cameron.  Cathy sent me the photo of the quilt she made from my Forget Me Not sew-along.  She just completed her project and I'm so glad she shared it with all of us.  Don't you love her setting?  Very creative, I think.  Life gets in the way of our sewing time all too often.  We must remember to enjoy the journey and our time spent with our needle as it comes.  Thanks Cathy!  If you're still working on a sew~along project, please share your work whenever it's completed!!

It's nearly "Last Call" to order a kit for my next sew~along.  You have until Saturday, June 8th.  
The fabric still hasn't arrived yet....any day now!  

Click here to get all the FREE sew~along details.

Click here to order a Nabby's Dowry kit.

My sewing machine is a true partner in my quilt making.  We are old friends.  In many ways, it's an extension of my arms.  So familiar, so dependable.  I sew on a Bernina.....always have, always will.  From teaching many workshops and classes over these last 15 years, I know that quilters feel the same about whatever brand machine they use.  There are so many wonderful machines out there.

I added another poll to the sidebar of my blog....just for fun.  I'm curious about what brand of sewing machine you use on a regular basis.  I know many of you have more than one machine, but when it comes to piecing, what machine is the "bee's knees" for you?  So...vote for your machine today!  

Would You Like To Square Dance?

Remember a month or so ago, I had quite the quandary over which fabrics to use for a new quilt.  Well....the quilt top is finished and I can finally show you how it turned out.

 This quilt is one I've had on my want-to-do list for a long time.  I designed it a while ago and just had to find the right time and the right fabrics for it.  It feels great to finally have it completed.  It's called Square Dance, and is included in Journey Five of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club.  

 Initially, I fell in love with the block, called Crazy Ann.  What an interesting block, don't you think?

It has great movement on the quilt.  It looks like a Dutchman's Puzzle doesn't it?  The block is on point in this quilt, and has a Dutchman's Puzzle center, but the entire block is the Crazy Ann block.  I think it's so fun.  Square Dance is off to Ronda's to be quilted. Those large setting tri's are just begging for a wonderful quilting design.  I think the fabrics work well together.
Hope you like it too!

 Time for an update about my Nabby's Dowry Sew~Along......

I, like the shop owners out there, are just waiting for the Pin Money and Prairie Woven's fabrics to ship from the warehouse.  All we know is "June delivery".  I'll keep you posted right here as to when the fabrics come in, when the kits ship, and the when the official start of the sew~along will be.  Don't worry....I won't begin until everyone receives their fabric.  

My thanks to everyone from around the world who ordered the fabric kit!  If you've been thinking about ordering a kit, you still have a bit of time.  

The last day to order a kit is Saturday, June 8th.  

Click here to find out all of the details about this FREE Sew~Along!  

Click here to pre-order a Nabby's Dowry fabric kit.

Road Trip Review ~ Seville, OH

 The last stop on our excellent adventure was to the Seville Antique Mall in Seville, OH.  Several years ago, an acquaintance, who has an antique collection to die for, recommended this shop.  It was on my wish list.   While we were in Brimfield, Lynne and I ran into another acquaintance, Jill,  who coordinates one of our most loved antique shows.  She also sang the praises of this store.  One look at each other and we knew we were headed to Seville!

 Seville is a very small town in Ohio.  This shop is much, much larger than it looks from the outside, and has many rooms.

 Each room is occupied by different vendors, but it all flows so nicely.  A pleasure to shop there.  You can really see everything!

 As you can see, it's full of wonderful, good stuff.   Old stuff...the real deal.

If you're like us, you want to find nineteenth century antiques....not of the twentieth  century.  Um....it's not an antique if I remember seeing it in my house or my grandma's house!  

The Seville Antique Mall will always have a place in my heart because it's where I found this spice box.   I can't tell you how many years I looked for one.  I see vertical spice boxes all the time, and they are lovely, for sure, but I've only seen a horizontal spice box once before in a friends home, and have longed for one ever since.  I had one of those "am I really seeing what I think I'm seeing" moments in the shop.  This particular spice box is really unique because of the tin spice name tabs for each drawer.  Needless to say, I took it home and it makes me so happy to look at every day.  

The thing about places like Lancaster, Brimfield and Seville is the wonder and thrill of the hunt.  It's no fun to search and search and find nothing but 8 track tapes, and Shirley Temple glassware.  
But...when you go to a really great show....you may find a treasure you've wanted for years, or something you never knew you wanted until that moment!  It really helps to know of great places to look....and so I hope after reading these blog posts, that if you're looking for our kind of good stuff, you have a few places to visit.  We did leave some great stuff behind for you!

Click here to pick up information about the Brimfield Antique Show, and click here for the Seville Antique Mall.  Happy Shopping!

Road Trip Review ~ Brimfield & Sturbridge

After leaving Lancaster, PA, Lynne and I headed for the neighboring towns of Brimfield & Sturbridge, MA.  The main reason for this entire trip was to attend the Vintage Textile show on Monday.  
We weren't the only ones!  The show (which didn't allow us to take photos) was full of vintage apparel from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, as well as vintage fabrics of all kinds.  
We spent the better part of the day hunting for old fabrics and were quite successful.  That afternoon, we wanted to visit the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, but....it's closed on Monday.  Bummer!  

 The next two days were spent in antiquing heaven!  The Brimfield shows are renown as the biggest and best antique shows in the US.  There are 12 shows, 3000+ vendors over a 5 day period.  There is just no way you could see it all!  Lots, and lots, and lots of people shopping....some we heard are out there before dawn with flash lights!  (Um...that would not be us!)

Brimfield really is all about true antiques.  You won't find anyone selling knock-off designer clothes or 8-track tapes.  But....there are way more "eeehhhh" booths than wonderful ones like this.  You have to work to find the good ones.....but oh....are they worth it!

 Good stuff everywhere!  It's so fun to explore and find interesting items and discover what they were used for.

Like this.....used to stencil crates, boxes, and anything else you'd want to mark.  

 Of course...some treasures just grab your heart and have to come home.....

Like this sweet little sampler.....

The small red bowl with original red paint (swoon).....

.....and this awesome biscuit box which now resides in my kitchen.  Lynne and I had a wonderful time in MA.  Our only disappointments were missing the New England Quilt Museum and the Sturbridge Village living history museum (it was pouring rain the afternoon we planned to go there.)  All the more reason to go back!  

On our way home, we made a bit of a detour to shop at the Seville Antique Mall in Seville, OH.  
OMG....what a place.  I'll take you there in my next post.