Happy Memorial Day Weekend

I hope all of you are enjoying the long holiday weekend. It is a bit chilly here in the 'burgh for full blown summer activities like swimming, but the sun is shining and we should hit the mid 60's later today. Darn good quilting weather if you ask me.

Once again my husband and I have chosen to celebrate the official start to summer by attending PyroFest. An amazing tribute to all things that light up the night sky that is held in the park just around the corner from our store. Trust me, this daylong event isn't your grandmother's fireworks display. This is an amazing spectacle of color and design that is timed to music on an enormous scale. The gorgeous displays are interspersed with live music performances and fun activities for kids. In the daylight hours the fireworks include a powdery substance that creates what look like chalk painting in the sky. If hunger strikes, the park grounds are surrounded by the festival favorites, funnel cakes, fresh lemonade, ice cream and Gyro vendors. As darkness falls the unbelievable spectacle begins. It is something that has to be experienced in person. We here in western PA love our colorful explosions and if you are a fireworks fan, this is an event not to be missed.

Why am I sharing this experience with you? Because I have decided to commemorate PyroFest in quilting. Our shop is one of over 50 stores in the state of Pennsylvania that is participating in the Pennsylvania Row-by-Row Shop Hop this summer. Beginning July 1st and running through September 2nd you can stop in any of the participating shops and pick up a FREE pattern for a 36" row to make a row-by-row quilt. No registration, no participation fee, no hoops to jump through, just ask for the FREE pattern and it is yours. How fun is that?

Naturally there will be prizes! As a participant your job is to collect at least 8 rows for your quilt. Make the rows, assemble and finish the quilt. To "win" all you need to do is be the first person to bring your finished quilt to one of the participating stores and you will be awarded a FREE bundle of 25 FAT QUARTERS! Only one prize will be awarded per participating store but that also means that with 50+ participating shops there are 50+ bundles to be won!

Each shop has been asked to design a 36 inch row that has commemorates a festival that is held in their area for this event. I've chosen PyroFest! Our 36 by 6 inch strip features bright batiks in the night sky. Stop in the shop to pick up the FREE pattern after July 2nd (when the hop officially begins). You can also purchase a kit that includes the pattern, fabric and foundation papers for the star points for only $8.

To find a list of participating shops and see the rows as they are designed you can follow the Pennsylvania Row-by-Row Shop Hop on Facebook. As the summer progresses we will also be posting photos of the people that finish their quilts and claim the 25 FAT QUARTER PRIZE in each store. Start planning your summer travel now!

If that isn't enough fun. The state of New York is hosting a Row-by-Row hop too! If you have travel plans to the north you are welcome to collect rows from New York shops too. We are quilters without borders! Check out the New York Facebook page by clicking here.

Grab your friends and your GPS!

This summer is going to be packed with quilting fun!

Time For A Change

Lately, looking in the mirror I have had the feeling that it is time for a change. Someone needs to do something with my "look". I have had the same hairstyle, same make-up routine, same everything for a few years. Ok, maybe more than a few years. Someone requested a head shot of me the other day and I found my "publicity photo" in a file on my computer - the file was dated 2006. Is anyone thinking "stuck in the mud"?

I've checked around and it looks like I am in charge of the situation. I'm not sure why. I've proven over and over again that I am woefully unqualified in the hair and make-up department. Lindsay our youngest daughter performed with several professional choral groups as she was growing up. One required that the girls wear their hair in a French braid for all performances. Ouch. That meant that before every occasion Lindsay and I would both go into the bathroom armed with brushes, combs, spray, pins, clips and ponytail holders. We stayed there until one of us began to cry. There was a 50/50 chance on who would come to tears first. I can triple braid bias strips, macrame with my eyes closed, knit, crochet and weave but I can't braid hair and keep it from sliding all over the place.

 

My attitude toward having my hair done is exactly the same as going to the dentist, I just do it more frequently. My job in the dentist chair is to open my mouth and spit on demand. Reasonable expectations for someone with my qualifications. In the hair salon I willingly tilt my head up or down move from the styling chair to the sink and back as required. If I wanted to be more involved than that I wouldn't bother to seek out a professional.

 

My dentist doesn't look in my mouth and ask me how he should handle installing a new crown or replacing a filling. Why does Sara my stylist want my input if something should be a little shorter here or there. I haven't a clue! She is the one with the comb and scissors. Those of you that see me in person on a regular basis are now thinking "That explains a lot" aren't you?

In my half hearted attempt at finding a new "style" I mentioned to Sara the stylist that I was up for a change. Her response was "What did you have in mind?". Change Sara, change is what I had in mind. I have no idea what options are open to me. Just because I point to a look that appeals to me, doesn't mean I have the hair that will make it work on my head. Apparently it is my job to provide Sara with some visual aids.

 

The other day I popped in a DVD to keep me company while I was sewing. The movie was "Somethings Got To Give" with Diane Keaton. I like that movie. I love the beach house in that movie too, but that is beside the point. As is my opinion that she chooses the wrong guy at the end of the movie. My point is that I like her look in that film. I don't have the sparkling eyes or the award winning smile that she has and I could never wear white from head-to-toe without spilling something on myself, but I think I could pull off that hair. And heaven knows I'm a "turtleneck kind of gal".

The plan was to let Sara the stylist know I had found my new look. I would probably have to explain to Sara who Diane Keaton is. I'm not sure she knows any famous people over 50, but she does read People magazine. That was my plan.  The next time I found myself in Sara's chair I would be asking for the "Diane Keaton" do.

 

I was up late a few days later - still sewing - and Diane Keaton was a guest on The Tonight Show. Ackkkk! What happened to the soft, beautifully styled, sophisticated yet understated somethings-got-to-give Diane? Who replaced her with Goth, leather clad, black nails, fishnet stocking, poker straight hair Diane?

What if I ask for one and get the other? What if my ineptitude with a round brush means that no matter what I do I end up looking like Tonight Show Diane?

I think I will stay stuck in the mud a little longer.

Quilt Sampler - again!

The spring issue of Quilt Sampler Magazine arrived today!  

You probably know Sampler as the magazine that features 10 fabulous quilt shops that are located all across the United States and Canada.  This issue actually features 11 - and the eleventh one is US!  We are the Encore Shop, the "where are they now" shop that they chose to check-in on for this issue.  It is very exciting!

Way - way - way back in 1997 when we were a very young shop, with just 3 years in the business our phone rang.  At that time it was Heidi Kaisand that called to tell me that we had been chosen to be featured.  I didn't believe her and it took several minutes for her to convince me that she was who she said she was.  From that moment on our business became a pretty wild ride.

I've had the pleasure of working with the Editors of American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilts and More and Quilt Sampler over the years so it wasn't a huge surprise when Jennifer Keltner, Editor of APQ called last fall.  However I wasn't expecting her to tell me we had been chosen to be the Encore Shop for this spring issue.  Immediately my brain began to whirl.  The photo shoot was scheduled for October, when the shop displays feature fall colors, leaf prints, holiday fabrics are on the front fixtures and there are ghosts and snowmen all around the shop.  To make the photos look seasonally appropriate we had some shifting to do!

In my world it goes without saying that in order for something to become clean and organized something else is going to become dirty and disheveled.  Getting the shop ready for the photo shoot was no different.  First we shifted all of the holiday fabrics to the shelves facing the back of the store.  Those are the red holiday tags you see dangling in the photo.

Next we collected all of the spring/summer quilts we could find and I called in a few extra from my designer friends.  It was like hanging my own private quilt show.  With tons of husband help to do the high ladder work it only took a few hours to arrange things and get everything hung.  The shop had to be looking good from every angle, because you never know where the photographer will choose to take the shots.  What I think looks great might not appeal to them.  For example, I loved this shot (without the step stool) but the Editor thought it looked "too workroom".

On the day of the photo shoot Tatiana the photographer, her assistant and the editor set-up the shots while we pretended that nothing special was going on.  It is fun to watch them work and see what appeals to the magazine eye and what works better in reality.  One of the things we love about our shop is the SIZE.  Compared to most we have massive floor space, lots of room for customers to move around and not feel claustrophobic.  In the magazine world photos of floor space is a big no-no.  Lots of time was spent deciding how to make us look spacious without showing too much floor.

Once they were finished there was nothing else to do but wait, keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.  Well, nothing but submit our project and instructions.  All of the Sampler Shops are asked to design something original for the magazine.  As the Encore shop I was asked to provide something small to feature.  I chose to update our Three Pocket Tote.  I added a new elastic closure and chain handle and made not one but three versions for them to showcase.  I also chose to quilt the fabric myself - on the Handi Quilter instead of using pre-quilted fabrics.

Now the issues have arrived, the shop and our project looks great and we get to celebrate and share the issue with you!

Home & Trying To Catch Up

Home.

 

Sleeping in my own bed.  Working from my usual spot.  Staring at the never ending To-Do list.  My world is back to it's normal level of chaos, just the way I like it.

Don't get me wrong, the cruise was absolutely wonderful.  The students were great, friendly and very enthusiastic.  Cat Nix and I had a delightful time both on and off duty.  Deb from Stitchin Heaven Travel did everything possible to make the trip enjoyable for all involved.  I would highly recommend traveling with them if you are ever in the mood for a sewing vacation.

We spent 8 nights on the ship, 3 days teaching, 4 days in various ports and one day on each end helping to set-up or tear-down sewing machines.  Not a bad work week.

I have some fabulous photos from the trip, but I wanted to share my snapshot of this artwork that was on the ship.  It is a huge mosaic style piece that was at least 8 by 10 feet mounted on the wall between decks 10 and 11.  I absolutely love it and I want one of my own.  Can you tell what it is?

 Maybe this will help.

It was really hard to zoom in and get a good photo, but those are spools of THREAD!  They are small spools of Dual Duty thread suspended on vertical wires.  Technically speaking it is a counted cross stitch pattern done with whole spools instead of tiny

X's.  I love that!  If any of you decide to make one yourself - I'll be happy to special order the thread for you!



After the cruise I returned home - an uneventful trip I might add - on Sunday evening.  Spent Monday through Thursday in the shop and Friday headed out to spend the weekend with a group of customers on a Sewing Retreat for another 3 days and 2 nights of sewing and eating. 

Spring had better arrive soon so that I can get back to running because by the end of the cruise trip I had taught everyone in our group to order their own dessert another one to share and a scoop of ice cream on the side.  There was no shortage of sugar energy in our group!   

Meanwhile  back at home the photos of the Winter Mystery are still rolling in.  Isn't this version beautiful!  I love the piano key border.  I'm also really impressed that the quilts are finished, quilted and have the binding - a scrappy binding in this case - completed.  I'm going to have to spend more time at home to catch up with all of you!

Red Letter Day

Today is an excellent day in my world.

I've got no reason to complain.  I'm sitting in Ft. Lauderdale Florida where I will board a cruise ship tomorrow morning with 40+ other quilters and spend the next 8 days floating in the Caribbean waters teaching and sharing what makes Creative Grids products special.  It's my job.  Is there any wonder why I love it?

If that isn't enough to make one love life, Creative Grids chose today to release my new SCRAP CRAZY template set.  I am nuts about these templates - and I hope you will be too!

The idea for the templates really came from my customers.  I hear them comment all the time that they have too much fabric (there is no such thing) and they need to use some of it up.  Bingo!  Scrap quilts are the answer.  I know you don't really want to use those big pieces.  You know, the ones you are saving for something "special".  I also know that you hate to throw away any usable piece of fabric.  Scrap Crazy templates are the answer.

The basic idea of a Crazy Quilt is that all of the pieces are just scrapped together to form a larger piece.  The problem with that is sooner or later you get "up the creek" with set-in pieces or the fabric pieces become too large.  The Scrap Crazy templates were designed to give you the look of traditional Crazy Patch without the frustration.  All of the pieces fit back together perfectly and form an 8 inch finished block. 

The table runner above is the most traditional sample I've made.  The fabrics are silk, batik, cotton and rayon with a velvet border.  The embroidery was done by machine and I am still in the process of adding beads and buttons by hand.

Next I used the templates to make a larger quilt.  All batiks and all from my scrap bin.  I started by sorting my stash.  This time I planned the color placement.  Using the exact same templates and the exact same blocks the Scrap Crazy templates allowed me to turn the batik scraps above into this 84" by 102" quilt below.  The templates are even used for the pieced border.

But wait..... there's more!  What about pre-cuts?  I know that many of you have a stash of 10 inch squares that you have no idea what to do with.  You just loved the fabric collection.  The Scrap Crazy template set works with those too!  I made this baby quilt out of one pack of 10" batik squares.

Now for the part that I LOVE the most!  I designed the templates to work with your scraps, but that doesn't mean you can't use them to create beautiful designs.  This chevron quilt - same templates, but it was created using partial blocks.

Partial blocks, mirror image blocks, pinwheels, diamonds..... the possibilities are endless and in the coming weeks you are going to see a whole variety of patterns that can be created using the template set.

The template sets have just been released.  They sell for $22.95.  We have plenty of them on order and they should arrive in the shop any day.  The patterns for the projects are printed and ready to go.  If you would love to own a set, call the shop to order at 412-487-9532 or ask for them at a quilt shop near you!

More Winter Mystery

Janet finished her Winter Mystery and added another narrow border to the outside edge to finish off the sashing.  It looks GREAT!

Keep those photos coming!

Winter Mystery DONE!

Jolene finished assembling her Winter Mystery and sent this note:

"I made my top one row longer so it will fit a twin bed. Each of the scrap fabrics is used only once in the large patches. I used a really eclectic mix of fabrics. I decided anything goes! The 11/2" squares were leftovers from a postage stamp quilt I recently made. I may add a border but I have to set it aside for now while I make a baby quilt.


I enjoyed taking a break with some simple piecing as I have been doing more complicated projects lately. I love how it turned out, so bright and cheerful!"

I love it!  It looks great with "anything goes".  Adding another row, and possibly a border to fit a bed is a great idea.  This looks like something that is going to be used and loved for many years to come.