Newsletter time! New fabrics are here!

Christmas in August???

It feels like Christmas around here with all the fabric that has arrived this week - with lots more to come next week!

You might want to grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit back and relax while reading our newsletter this week - it's a long one full of goodies!

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~Just Arrived~



The Cotton Club






The Cotton Club - 108" Wide Backing Fabric!




The Cocheco Mills III




Nineteenth Century Shirtings - 1875 - 1885




Centennial Solids - new shades!
(yummy cheddar, turkey red and olive green too!)



Collections For The Cause: Comfort




Lately Arrived From London

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Arriving Very Soon!!!



Jo's Variety 
(should be here within the next week!)
***Please note - we have order additional yardage because we have originally sold out of our first initial order!  This fabric is listed on our website again for Pre-Order for those of you that missed it the first time around!  I will keep you updated via email and through this newsletter when this 2nd order should arrive - feel free to pre-order now!  Andover was pretty confident on the phone today that plenty of yardage was available.  If we run out again - we can always try and order more!!!




Little Gatherings
(bundles will be arriving this coming Monday - and more on Wednesday.  We expect the yardage by the end of next week!!!!)




Dear Jane II
(this fabric should arrive next week - and just a little FYI for you - Windham has already started discontinuing some of the fabrics - I was given this information today directly from Windham - so order yours now or grab some when you are at your local quilt shop, because it's going fast and certain pieces will not be re-printed!!!)




Wool 'n Needle Flannels!
(this is something new for us - flannel fabric!  These are designed to "mimic" the look of hand dyed woolens - the colors are gorgeous!)




Ecology Cloth
(we have had a lot of requests lately to restock this fabric - so we have 3 bolts on order!  It is on backorder with the manufacturer right now, but they are estimating to have it in stock by mid-September!)




Primitive Muslins
(again - we've had many requests to re-stock this fabric - so we are!  More is on order and should arrive within the next week.  Keep in mind this is a "basics" fabric from Moda and we can re-order it at any time.  If we are ever out of it - do not be afraid to email us and we'll order more!!!)



Elizabethtown by Jo Morton
(this fabric is up for Pre-Order right now.  I spoke with Andover today and they are still estimating this fabric line to ship out in September!)


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The Cotton Club

7 More Monthly Membership are now available!

The Cotton Club kits will start shipping very soon!  September 15th to be exact!

We are completely sold out of "full kits" (kits that we ship all necessary fabrics and patterns at one time)

But ---- we have added 7 more memberships on our website for the "Monthly" Memberships!!! (Thank you to all you sweet folks that requested  we add more spots to our club!)  The deadline to reserve those spots will be September 8th - which should still allow us enough time to have the patterns and kits ready to go for new members!

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Just curious.....  We want your opinion!

We are seriously (really, really seriously) considering ordering the following fabric lines:

The General's Wives

The Winterthur John Hewson Collection

Heirloom Shirtings

Carrie's Madders 

You may click on each of the links above and it will direct you right to the fabrics on each of the manufacturer's websites.

If you have a spare moment - drop me an email, post a comment on our blog, leave us a message on facebook or make a comment on your order if you are on our website - if any of the above fabric lines interest you!

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And on a personal note.......

We survived our wonderful family vacation and arrived back safely this past Tuesday.  I'm still playing "catch up" with my emails (and phone messages for that matter)- so be patient if you are waiting for me to answer.  We had 3 boxes delivered on Tuesday and 29 boxes of fabric delivered on Wednesday alone!!!

Our family enjoyed a visit to King's Island in Cincinnati and we also visited the Grand Wolf Lodge Waterpark there - I highly recommend both if you have children.  We really enjoyed ourselves and my husband and I felt like kids again!  I rode every ride my kids did at King's Island - they were shocked I could keep up with them to say the least!!!

From there we visited our family in West Virginia again.  We were able to ride our quad every day through the mountains and even explored new areas we've never been in before!  What a blessing to have family living in such a beautiful state!

We cooked a lot of good comfort foods and ate plenty also!  The 10 pounds I gained while we were gone is proof that we cooked a lot and ate every bit of it!

My son started High School this past Wednesday and my daughter will start school - the 7th grade - this coming Monday!  They sure do grow up fast!  I'm sad to see the school year beginning, I love having my kids home with me and wish summer could be extended just a bit more................

I've got to get back to cutting fabric now....

The Cotton Club fabrics are next on our list - those will begin shipping to everyone that pre-ordered starting next week!  This is a huge group of fabrics, so be patient!

New McCall's Quilting Magazine

This little gem arrived in my mailbox yesterday. It's the September/October 2011 issue of McCall's Quilting magazine.  All I have to say is this - the Quilting Designer/Goddess's of the world just need to stop coming up with all these great new quilts!  My "to do" list is already over the top already folks!

Here's some eye candy for you:

This is "Scrap Sensation" by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith - you know the gals that own Homestead Hearth in Mexico, Missouri!  Awesome quilt ladies - I'm going to have to pull out my leftover half square triangles from other projects and get cracking on this one!

This is "Dresden Doilies"  love it !!! This is by Gerri Robinson and she even has kits available for it!

And this - oh - I'm loving that cheddar!  This is Album Patch and is a free download on McCalls website you can go and get that freebie here:

Album Patch

If you do not get this magazine - go grab a copy.  It's worth every dime!  There is a gorgeous Jinny Beyer quilt pattern also - see:

Fat Quarter Sale!!!

All Fat Quarters in stock are now on sale - priced at

$1.50 each

now until this Sunday, July 31, 2011 at midnight!

Here's a link to the fat quarters section of our website!


Fat Quarters


Also ---

Last Call for......





Prairie Women's Sewing Circle Journey #1and Journey #2.  Our inventory is running low so if you've been thinking about grabbing these great sets of patterns - go get them while you can.

Also - we have uploaded the last 6 kits we have available for this great quilt:



Gentleman Caller from Prairie Women's Sewing Circle Journey #1  The kits are $50.00 each and include all the fabric for the top and binding! (pattern not included!)

We also have a few copies left of Jo Morton's new book:



Banner Day

Last weekend we also uploaded several more Fat Eighth and Fat Quarter bundles that remain from our quilt shows this year!

Go and check out the new bundles we added at the following links:

Fat Eighth Bundles

Fat Quarter Bundles

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My motto today:

"When life gives you scraps - go make a quilt!"

Playing with new thread.....

I found some "new to me" thread this week and thought I'd share with you my little test I did with it.

Here's the fun little pack of threads I found at a local quilt shop - the last package they had - my greedy little hands snagged it up right away.  Here's a little description I found online about this thread:

 Invisafil Thread is very fine 100 Weight 2 ply soft poly thread. Invisafil Thread is excellent for hand or machine quilting and appliqué, bobbin thread and precise piecing. If you do NOT like the feel of monofilament, Invisafil Thread is an excellent alternative because of its matte finish and very fine weight disappears into fabric.

Above is one of my blocks for my Dear Jane quilt that I tested this thread on.  Reverse applique no less - It's been fun stitching this one!

Above is a close up shot of the applique - Notice how the thread has just disappeared into the fabric?  I love this look - really you cannot see the thread unless you start really digging into those seams! (Quilt Police - don't be digging into my seams now - I'm not perfect!  LOL)

Here's a quick photo of some of my applique thread stash.  I love using the YLI silk threads too - to me they seem the same as this new Invasifil that I bought and easier to find on the market today.  While doing a quick search online for more Invisafil - you can find a few places that sell this thread - but not as many compared to those that sell the YLI.  I also just ordered in a couple spools of Superiors "Kimono" silk threads to try out also.  I read some good reviews on the Superior silk thread, so I though I'd give it a try also.

I'm also an "Aurifil" girl.  Love my 50 wt cotton threads from them for applique too.  Actually I like this thread for piecing also and I've hand quilted with it!

I did test out the Invisafil thread while hand piecing some blocks and really liked how it worked.  The thread is so thin that it doesn't "use" much space in those seams and makes for a perfect finished size block.

Have a great weekend everyone.  We'll be busy trying to stay cool in this heat and starting to get ready for our upcoming family vacation.  Vehicle maintenance, four wheeler and dirt bike repairs - well those 2 things are on the "boys" list for this weekend - I have nothing to do with those things except drive them!  LOL

Me - I need to get started gathering up all the important or more necessary "vacation" things - in other words - I'm getting my sewing supplies together so I can maintain my sanity while we make a 9 1/2 hour trip back to beautiful West Virginia to be with my family!

Playing with fabric... for The Cotton Club

Well my good friend Dear Jane had to take a nap today - the heat got to her and she's all wore out.  So, today I'm firing up the good old iron and getting ready to starch and press my fabrics from our Cotton Club shop kit.  I'm really excited about getting to work on these cute little blocks!

The Cotton Club fabric line itself has not arrived yet - we are eagerly awaiting it's arrival!  I hear it's arriving in shops now!

Dear Jane and I are friends again...

Well, after my "whining" about the G-6 Papa's Star block from the Dear Jane quilt, I went and bought a spool of 60 weight thread (Soft Touch by YLI), came back home and conquered that quilt block.

All is well in my world again.  Now to just trim this little block up a little more, rip off the papers on the back and tuck it into my Dear Jane folder!

Dear Jane You Were Insane...

So, last night I took a little well deserved "me time" and decided to sit down and work on another Dear Jane block.

After 2 1/2 hours, many ripped out stitches and finally the clock turning to 11 pm - I have officially decided that Ms. Dear Jane Stickle had to be insane.

This is my pathetic looking little piece that I have to show for 2 1/2 hours of work.  Granted - my hands were bothering me- but I remained a trooper and I cannot stand paper piecing - but I will admit - this block wore me out last night and this is only a tiny center of a block that will measure less than 2" when finished in the center!  It looks awful.  I'm not one to waste fabric - so yes, I ripped out the seams on this paper pieced horror many times (which didn't help matters at all!) to try and get those little points perfect.  They are not.  Today - I'll give this block another attempt and however it turns out on the 2nd try will be how it ends up in my Dear Jane is Insane quilt. Today's 2nd attempt will have some good stories for me to tell future generations I'm sure.  

I do not like paper piecing - but last night I figured I'd give paper piecing another try because I really did not want to hand piece this block.  I'm about 75% sure right now - I would rather hand piece this little booger!

I learned I really need to find some thinner thread also.  I believe my thread is eating up to much space in those little seams.  I also think I need to shave down my seam allowances a bit more - the center on this block is so bulky!

So Dear Jane, be kind to me today and let me see this block through to the end with little frustration! The next  block - I think I'll applique one and take a break from paper piecing!  LOL

Simply The Truth!!!

History Repeated

A new book arrived and I'm in love with it!

The quilts in this book are so wonderful, I've sat drooling over each of them for days now.  Oh - I need more hours in the day to get everything done I would like to accomplish!  

Here's a description of the book and a link to our website if you would like to order a copy of the book for yourself!

History Repeated

History Repeated: Block Exchange Quilts by the 19th Century Patchwork Divas

by Betsy Chutchian & Carol Staehle

Making a quilt is easier than you might think when you gather some friends and exchange blocks. Let the 19th-Century Patchwork Divas show you how.

Inspired by their love of antique 19th-century quilts, this Texas-based block exchange group recreates these quilted treasures of the past with 1800s reproduction fabrics. The group’s co-founders, Betsy Chutchian and Carol Staehle, have assembled a captivating collection of quilts from past block exchanges.

Ranging from the simplicity of the Double Nine-Patch block to the more challenging Carolina Lily block, there is a project for every skill level among this book’s 16 classic quilts. Each of the chapters features detailed block instructions that you can easily adapt for your own block exchange as well as one to three setting options for completing your quilts.

And for those who prefer to make the quilts individually, each setting option also includes all the necessary block instructions to help you successfully complete the projects from start to finish.

To give you even more setting and color palette ideas, most of the chapters include an inspiring photo gallery of additional quilts by the Patchwork Divas.

8 1/2 x 11 inches, 112 pages, softcover, full-color.

And more pictures of a few of the projects!!!

Wow - now this is neat to see too!

Well, I'm sitting here trying to catch up on emails in the hotel this evening and received a rather nice and exciting email!  A customer has made one of our pattern designs and her long arm quilter posted some lovely pictures on her blog!

This is "Blue Moon Of Kentucky"  pattern number #371 or you can also find the pattern in the American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine - the August 2007 issue!

Here's a link to the longarm quilter's blog where you can see a couple of other detail shots of this quilt that our customer enlarged to a whopping 110" x 110" --- now that's a big one!

Finely Finished Quilts Blog

Beautiful job Lori!