Ready, Set, Sew... A New Studio AND Name

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday, I spent the day setting up my new studio/classroom.  All the chairs, tables, and waste baskets are in place. Very exciting!

But while I was there all day, I noticed that my friend Susan (who also has a studio in Whiting Mills called The Creative Stitch) calls her studio The Quilter's Classroom.   Oooops! that is what I wanted to call mine, pretty dumb moment for me... so re-think the name I did.... 

Now you can come to...

A Quilter's Gathering Place @ Canton Village Quilt Works!

By the way, you will love Susan's studio too!  She teaches totally different techniques than mine.  So be sure to stop by there during the open house this weekend.

Let's take a peek at what I did yesterday..

View from the class entrance

Great table space for each quilter, one table per quilter!!

View from the rear of the classroom.

Lots of space to move around.

How about these super cool wastebaskets for each quilter!!

Now we need to install the wall to wall design walls.  That's a lot of walls... hehehe!

Outside the classroom, my bulletin board with the schedule so far.  The schedule can be found online by clicking here.  You can begin to register and at some super pricing too!!  Yay!!

I hope to see you on Saturday!

Until Next Time...

Ready, Set, Sew... A New Studio AND Name

My New Digs

Hello Everyone,

I am so excited to begin a NEW aspect of my business and you are ALL invited!!  As many of you know I am a Certified Judy Niemeyer Instructor and teach her paper piecing methods in addition to teaching other quilting classes.

But because I run my business out of my house and ship fabric all over the world from there, my home can't accommodate classes and I travel... I will continue to travel and the fabric part of my business will remain in the house.  For those who are more local, you will now have a place where you can come and sew and learn.

Let me introduce you to

  The Quilter's Classroom @ Canton Village Quilt Works

This will be my new home away from home.  Over the next few weeks, I will be transforming this wonderful place into a quilting classroom.  I love it... it is rustic, charming and full of character.

It is located in an historic building in Winsted, CT called Whiting Mills. I will be amongst many other artists that include photographers, painters, potters, woodworkers, fiber artists, and quilters!  Here is an artist rendering from years ago.  It is the brick building.

Here is the inside of my classroom...

The walls will have continuous design walls from the front of the room to the back on both sides!!! 

Tables are being delivered on Wednesday and I have 4 of the chairs assembled, the remainder will be done on Wednesday....

Comfy height adjustable chairs for some good quilting time!  Love the wood floors in here!

If you would like to come and see me and this space, you can come this weekend!!

I will be there!!  I will also be posting a class schedule soon and you can register online.  There will be open sew times on the calendar as well.  So if you just want to come and sit and sew or work on a charity project you can!  Cool!!

Here is a link to Whiting Mills.  

Look someone is in my classroom already... she is as excited as I am!!

Hope to see you this weekend!  Keep checking back for my schedule!

Until Next Time...

My New Digs

Giving Thanks!

Hello Everyone,

Thanksgiving in the U.S. means lots of different things to many.  To me it means...

Being with family and friends and sharing...

Good food, conversation, laughs...

seeing friends we haven't seen in a while...

being with your children...

sister in law, niece...

and nephew...

my Mom and Dad...

my goofy son and hubby...

watching the kids have fun...

sharing love all day long...

even with our best friends...

enjoying the dirty work too!

and sharing the little things... like finding out what is inside that piece of chocolate!

But most of all I am thankful that I have this time with all of my family and friends and am grateful to share it in good health.  

Remember, even though Thanksgiving is dedicated to one day, it is really something to celebrate every day of your life!

Until Next Time...

Giving Thanks!

Selecting Fabrics For a New Project

Hello Everyone,

That is right, I have about 1000 projects going all at one time and I just had to add one more.  But, doesn't this ever happen to you?  You see something that sparks an idea and then you can't get your mind off of it, you just keep thinking about it, and thinking, and thinking... until you just give in and start pulling fabrics.

That is what happened to me a few days ago until yesterday when I couldn't take it any more and just started going through fabrics having way too much fun!

I pulled some Kaffe's and some batiks and this is the palette that became the fruits of my labor.  If you have been following me for any time now, you know I adore pinks and greens.  Plus, I threw a few purples in there too for good measure.

Do you like?? I do and can't wait to get started.  Unfortunately, it may not be for a while as I have a few deadlines in front of this project.  So stay tuned!

Also, yesterday I did some work.  I was adding some brand new fabrics to the online shop and look what I had to contend with...

He just couldn't help himself, he wanted some tender loving care and he knows I will give it to him!  I did get a bunch of work done though so all was not lost.

PS.  Don't forget the SALE that is going on in the shop - Everything is 15% off if you use the code  

blackfriday15

but only through midnight on the 26th!

Until Next Time...

Selecting Fabrics For a New Project

Black Friday Sale

Hello Everyone,

The photo below is a copy of my e-news announcing our sale.  To begin shopping you can click here.

If you would like to sign up for our e-news click here.

Have a great day!

Until Next Time...

Black Friday Sale

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello Everyone,

Stop back tomorrow for info on our Black Friday sale in the shop!!

Wishing you all wonderful and happy day!

Until Next Time...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Weekend Musings....

Hello Everyone,

This weekend was a good one.  I was able to get a bunch accomplished at home and had a date night and movie with the hubs.  We haven't been to a movie in a long time.  We really wanted to see Lincoln, but couldn't get in so we saw Flight.  This was a good movie too.  

If anyone saw Lincoln, please let me know your review, I think I feel another date night coming up!!

I also did some quilty stuff too.

I cut some bright 2.5 inch squares and these were the remnants.  Pretty aren't they.  I think they would look great fused to a base and then just quilted like crazy, don't you?

Then I cut up and played with Australian Aboriginals, can't wait to show you this design!

Also spent some time peeling off papers off of some of my Judy Niemeyer projects.  

This one is done!

Then on Sunday, my boys were snugly all day...

...here on the bed...

...on the shopping bags after a trip to the grocery store...

...and on the kitty condo!  They really love each other and are best buddies!!

I hope you all had a great weekend, I did!

Until Next Time...

Weekend Musings....

Do You Like?

Hello Everyone,

Since all month I am celebrating my 3 year Anniversary as an online shop, I wanted to shared with you some new items just added to the shop and our special weekend #3 sale.

This is the Amazon Star.  This design is a Judy Niemeyer design and is available in our shop as an individual pattern, but it is now available as a kit too!! And it is in the same colors as pictured above.

Here is that same quilt hanging in the Timeless Treasures booth at quilt market.  My friend and fellow Certified Instructor, Ginny pieced and quilted this one to hang in the booth.  

I actually am going to make this one for myself.  The colors will go well in our bedroom.

If you want your own though, you can pick up the pattern or kit by clicking here and here.

New patterns into the shop from Pam Dindorff of Aardvark Quilts.  These patterns are wonderful and work well with your Kaffe Fassett and Australian Aboriginal fabrics.

You can find these patterns here.

And, as promised, NEW Kaffe Fassett ribbons.  I can truly say, I am in LOVE!!  I am actually going to edge the cuffs of my lightweight wool coat with this ribbon.  How fun to put on a quilt, pillow, or bag.  And they are even more gorgeous in person.

These can be found by clicking here.

Now for the sale items this week... 

All Australian Aboriginal fabric from M&S Textiles are marked down to $8.35 per yard through midnight November 18 EST.  Click here to see them all.

All Black and White fabrics are marked down to $7.75 per yard through midnight November 18 EST.  Click here to see them all.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Until Next Time...

Do You Like?

New Workshops Added

Hello Everyone,

If you were following my quilting retreat posts then you may have already seen the quilts that I am about to show.  But these quilts are special, because they are now part of my teaching portfolio!!

First up...

Stepping Stones.  This pattern is a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced pattern where you use 2.5 inch strips of your own or pre-cut jelly rolls.  I used a combo... I used 2 of Kaffe Fassett 2.5 inch Design Rolls and then chose some of his Aboriginal Dots and his Spots from the yardage in the shop.  The black sashing was an Artisan Batik that I chose from the shop as well.

This pattern is a great beginner pattern for paper piecing.

All of these were combined to created this gorgeous, stained glass look.  You can find all the fabrics here and here.  The pattern can be found here.

Next up...

Cactus Flower Table Runner.  This quilt really only took me about a day and a little to cut and create.  It was quick and easy with a terrific result.  I used all batiks and specifically kitted this color-way and it is available in the shop here and the stand alone pattern here.

If you want to learn curved piecing and making New York Beauties, this is a great one to start with as it is a smaller project.

Next up... 

Which Way is North?  This is also a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced pattern.  This one began as part of the Two's Company Bee.  I sent out to each of my bee members 4 foundation units and the background Kaffe Aboriginal Dot.  They just had to add their own red to the units.  You can see many of them in the photo.  I had to make many more for the border and the interior.  I used mainly Kaffe Fassett fabrics and Australian Aboriginals.  

The fabrics and the pattern can be found here, here, and here.

And I have a bit of an announcement...

I am on the faculty of the New England Quilt Festival (formerly known as MQX, Machine Quilter's Exposition East)!!

I will be teaching two Paper Piecing classes and also giving a lecture.  If you are going to attend and would like to take a class with me, registration opens on December 3.  Just click here to see who else is on the faculty!

Also, you can click here to see the other workshops that I offer and here to see my schedule (see if I am in your area).  If you would like me to come to your guild or shop, drop me a line, I would love to come!!

Until Next Time...

New Workshops Added