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!!!