Sweet Home Quilt Co.

Have you heard of SEWN?  Not sure how I’ve missed it (except that I’m about a billion blog posts behind in keeping up with everyone!) but I ran across it today while clicking through Blogland.  The new website is set to launch June 8th, and it sounds like a place I’ll be visiting often! From the looks of it, they will have quilting covered from soup to nuts! I do love to lose myself in a good website, especially in the dead of night when I can’t sleep!

Now, here’s the really, really cool part! SEWN is having a terrific giveaway as part of their Launch Party (great prizes, too!) AND they are having a Blog Party where other bloggers are having giveaways, too, to help spread the word! And there are some really terrific prizes being offered (click the link and scroll down to see the list of participating blogs. )

I want to party, too, so I’m going to join the fray and have a giveaway from Sweet Home Quilt Co. in honor of the SEWN website launch. Leave a comment on this post by midnight June 7th to be entered to win. I’ll draw the winner on June 8th, and post the name here on the blog.  Oh yes, I should probably tell you what I’m giving away, right? The winner will receive

A 40-piece fat quarter bundle from Moda – it is the Louisa collection by Terry Clothier Thompson – AND a pincushion from Blackbird Designs for Moda Home.  How’s that for a great prize?!?!?

Now remember, use the links I provided above and go enter all the other giveaways; then be sure to leave a comment here to be entered in Sweet Home’s givewaway;  AND by all means, help spread the word about the launch of the SEWN website! It promises to be a great resource for all quilters.

…and now in stock at Sweet Home Quilt Co! We’re starting to receive some of the books and patterns I ordered at Spring Market, and I am so inspired I can hardly stand it! I just want to lock myself away and sew, sew, sew!  Take a look at some of these terrific projects – - -

If you were a fan of the Jelly Roll Quilts book by Pam and Nicky Lintott, you’re going to love their latest release, which features 17 projects ingeniously designed to use pre-cut fabric collections with little or no waste. If you’ve been stockpiling layer cakes, jelly rolls or 5″ charms, GET THIS BOOK and start using them up!

New from Kansas City Star, Geese in the Rose Garden is perfect for those of you who love applique. Beautifully illustrated, projects combine applique and piecing.

Kim Diehl does it again with Simple Comforts, which includes 12 lap quilt projects. I think this is her 4th or 5th book and I love each and every one of them – - this one is no exception! I wish I had time to make every project in the book!

Remember how ga-ga I was over these girls’ booth at Market? Well, their book is just as fun and cute, filled with perfect projects to appeal to the tweens and teens, and the adults, too! Another winner that has inspired me to get busy!

I showed you the Wintergraphix fabric collection in my last post, but I forgot to show the project book, which has six projects featuring the Wintergraphix fabric. I’m dying to make the tree skirt, and then I think Holiday Harlequin or maybe Globes should be next – - – I want to do them all!

I’m not sure if it was the name of this pattern or the actual quilt sample that sold me, but I think this is such a versatile design. The cover quilt, done up in all brown tones of Civil War reproductions, just reached out and grabbed me!  BUT I also can picture this in batiks or brights or pastels or our new Stonehenge blenders. I can’t wait to start experimenting with this pattern and it is so simple! The small squares? Raw edge applique – how simple is that!!! Hey, what about flannels – a new twist on the rag quilt craze without that dreaded clipping!

Here’s another fun one from the girls at Abbey Lane Quilts. You know I’m a sucker for anything black and white, and these days add green to it and I’m definately done for! Again, the green floral and leaf motif – raw edge applique.  We’ve got a terrific selection of black and white fabrics that will be perfect for this quilt!

Last one for today – A Chance of Flurries from Kansas Troubles Quilters. Takes one jelly roll and 3 fabrics; don’t want to do the applique – no sweat. Just omit it and do some fancy quilting in the center strips.  Did I mention the new Kansas Winter fabric line arrived, too?  That means we’ll have a limited number of kits available for this one very soon! Get started making this now and you’ll be finished in plenty of time for winter snuggling under this one!

All I can say is, it’s good to be me these days! Love, love, love opening those boxes and being reminded of the yumminess I bought at Market!  Come see for yourself!

I think the long holiday weekend must have energized a lot of our quilters – we were unusually busy at the shop yesterday (yippee!) and it seems lots of people were looking to start new projects. I know I’ve been doing a lot of planning since I returned from Quilt Market; planning for shows where we’ll be vending, and new classes I want to add to the schedule, and Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.

There was a recent discussion on a shopowner’s list that I belong to about “when” to display new Christmas fabric. It is my belief that you can’t sell it if it’s sitting in the back room, so our new Christmas selections go on the floor as soon as they arrive.  So far, we’ve only received two groups:

Holly Jolly Snowmen by Kathy Schmitz for Moda

Wintergraphix by Jason Yenter for In The Beginning Fabrics. I bought the red/green colorway (click here to see all the prints):

We’re expecting lots more Christmas fabric collections in the next few weeks, one of which is the new Minick & Simpson flannel collection Jingles. I was catching up on my blog reading this morning, and Laurie (of Minick & Simpson fame!) has just received her fabric samples from Moda so she’s having a kit giveaway. Head on over and leave a comment – you could be the lucky winner of the Jingles kit!  And if you’re not the lucky winner, don’t despair! We’ll have the fabric and kits in stock in a few weeks, too!

Another busy day ahead, so I’d better get to it! I’m moving and cleaning and making room for a “special” purchase due to arrive from Quilt Market any day now – stay tuned!

P.S.  Pat’s having a 100th post anniversary giveaway over at Silver Thimble Talk, too. Go leave a comment on her May 21st post and get entered to win yummy goodies!

While enjoying your picnics and barbeques with family and friends today, pause to reflect on those brave ones who have served, are serving and will serve in defense of our freedom. Thank you, Lord, for those willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom.

Like most other grandmas I know, I’d do just about anything my grandchildren ask of me. They are my cheerleaders, and they love, love, love it when I make things for them. So it came as no surprise when my DDIL called a couple of weeks ago, asking begging me to make not one, but two, replacement blankets for my middle grandson. Apparently, the original quilt I had made for him had become quite tattered and worn and disgusting to look at, yet he wasn’t ready to give it up. She’d tried all sorts of things, from offering to buy a new quilt to bribing him to hiding the old one and faking its disappearance. He didn’t want a new one and he couldn’t be bribed, and she said the wailing and carrying on when it was “lost” just wasn’t worth it!

Then, inexplicably, Zachary latched onto a little Hankie Blankie Pet made of Minkee that I’d also made for him as a baby. DDIL said it had been on display in his bedroom, never used or played with, but for some reason he chose it one night to take to bed with him. She was so relieved that he’d let go of the tattered and worn quilt that she didn’t realize she was creating another “monster” to have to deal with!  The little Hankie Blankie Pet is only about 15″ x 15″ – very small – and definately not large enough to snuggle with!

So after a few days, Zachary informs his mother that he needs Grammie ‘Lissa to make him a new, bigger, blankie so he could wrap up in it. And not only that, but he also wanted a second blankie to use in the car when they went on trips! Thus, the pleading call from DDIL asking if I’d make the blankets — just when you get a chance — but we’re leaving for the beach (for the summer!) Memorial Day.   I-YI-YI!!!  No pressure!

Does anyone actually ENJOY working with Minkee??? That stuff creates the biggest mess when cut, and it crawls around like a snake! Not to mention, because Zachary wanted it “bigger”  I had to modify the pattern, too.

I put it off and put it off and put it off, hoping, I guess, that he’d forget about it!  NOT! After about the 5th phone call (bad Grammie!) I decided I’d best just buckle down and get to it. I spent a Friday evening a couple of weeks ago doing the pattern re-draft and cutting the pieces, and I managed to get the faces embroidered (by hand!) Then, Quilt Market loomed and I had to put it all aside until I got back from Pittsburgh, and of course things have been crazy since I got back, too, with all the catching up I had to do. And still, those blankets loomed in the back of my mind, like a dreaded root canal!

Yesterday I finally buckled down and got them both finished and just in time, too! It is so nice to have this behind me, but it seems like a pitiful little bit of a project when I look at it, considering the amount of time I wasted procrastinating about it - – - why do I do that? Oh well, I’m expecting big hugs and smiles come Sunday when my little guy comes over to get his blankies – - – worth every minute of aggravation involved in the making!

I promised to share the photos of the Quilt Show that I took while at Spring Quilt Market, and I’ve been fiddling around for the last few days trying to add captions and other “fun” stuff…I’m crying U.N.C.L.E. at this point! I’ve wasted too much valuable time already, so I’m just going to post them here until WordPress says “No More!”  I apologize in advance for the ugly poles and improvised roping (aka tape!) in some of the photos. I tried Photoshopping it out, but it just took too much time.

ENJOY!

Two Color Pineapple Quilt 2007 by Anita Grossman Solomon & Miriam Janove, New York, NY

30 Stars for 30 Years by Mary Etherington & Connie Tesene, Garner, IA

Album Patch (Courthouse Square) by Unknown Maker, Pieced mid-1800s, quilted 2003 by Kathy Colvin

Birds in Air, Catherine Boyce, Pittsburgh, PA

Broken Dishes, Annette Plog, Arlington, TX

Civil War Stars, Julia Hale, Wayne, MI

Coxcomb by Susan Ott, Bradenton, FL

Eagles and Roses by Unknown Maker, c. 1840-1860

Indigo Box of Chocolates by Betsy Chutchian, Grand Prairie, TX

Prairie Star Baskets by Karen Roxburgh, Arvada, CO

Wild Goose Chase by Annette Plog, Arlington, TX

Red Owls by Karin Peirce, Belmont, ME

Red Owls (close-up detail) Karin Peirce, Belmont, ME

OK, so I think I’m mostly recovered from the Quilt Market experience – amazing what a good night’s sleep in your own bed can do! Although this market was probably the smallest I’ve attended in terms of the number of vendors and attendees, it was still filled with loads of new patterns, fabrics and other quilty must-haves! I’ll be sharing many new fall collections over the next few months, as well as new books and patterns that I purchased. Some of our favorite designers had new things to share, including local favorite Silver Thimble Quilt Co., Miss Rosie’s, Abbey Lane Quilts, Minick & Simpson, and Fig Tree Quilts. There were loads more, far too many to mention here! You’ll be seeing some of them show up soon at Sweet Home Quilt Co., though, I promise! 

Trends? I noticed lots of texture and embellishments – hand embroidery, specialty threads, wool, pin-tucks, rick rack and ruffles, and fabric textures like satin and linen blends were hot, too.  Fabric collections seemed to be really bright and funky or reproduction-type lines, not much in between. Purses/bags/totes were in abundance and children’s clothing was every where! I even noticed a number of booths featuring floor cloths and quilts as rugs – definately home dec is a trend that is here to stay.

I didn’t get as many pictures as I usually do because my camera battery died out pretty early, but I did manage a few booth shots as well as some from the actual quilts on display which I’ll share in another post.  Trust me when I say that the techno-gods were not kind to me during this Quilt Market, but I persevered!

This is a view of the Convention Center from the parking lot of my hotel. I was really lucky to get a room at the Hampton Inn, which was only a block from the show. I walked to and from every day, except Friday night after Sample Spree when Karen and her hubby, Ken, insisted that I let them drive me back to the hotel.  It was only a block, but it was nearly 10PM so common sense overruled! It is great to have good friends watching your back, especially when I have a tendency to be stubborn about stuff like that!

This is the view from my hotel room. If you know me well, you know that I am afraid of water(!) so this is as close as I wanted to get. If I remember my geography correctly, there are three rivers that come together in Pittsburgh – the Allegheny, the Monongahela, and the Ohio – someone correct me if I’m wrong! There were several cruises during Market, including one sponsored by Moda, but I didn’t go anywhere near them!

The actual Market was on the second floor of the convention center, with classrooms on the third floor. The two wings of the center are connected by a glass-enclosed walkway allowing a birdseye view of the many vendor booths.  These next photos will give you an idea of the enormity of the market floor and the many, many vendor booths! It is no wonder we were all exhausted!

Remember I mentioned Sample Spree on Friday night? I don’t usually participate because in addition to being afraid of water, I also don’t handle extreme crowds very well – I’m prone to panic attacks. I always purchase a Sample Spree ticket just in case I might work up the nerve to go, though, and this time I decided to check it out. I’ve renamed this event “Sample Free-For-All” because it was a ZOO! At this event, many of the vendors offer “samples” of their new offerings, meaning that you can buy just one of a book, pattern, fabric bundle, kit, etc. and sometimes even an actual pre-made sample to use as a store display without having to place a minimum order. Moda is always the largest draw in the room, and this time was no exception! I know there were people 10 and 15 deep at the Moda tables – I didn’t even bother! There is no jelly roll or fat quarter bundle worth the pushing and shoving and grabbing that was going on! I did manage to snag a couple of fat quarter bundles from Lecien, a Japanese fabric manufacturer, along with some wool and several new books and patterns that I had on my list.  I was only in the room for about 30 minutes, and that was pretty much my limit.

Sample Spree Waiting Line

Crushing Crowds

Here’s Pat doing some last minute “fluffing” in her Silver Thimble Quilt Co. booth. You can see her three newest patterns behind her (l to r) Scrappy Nines, Tic Tac, and My Sunny Garden. Look for these at Sweet Home very soon!

One of my favorite booths, which I kept returning to over and over, was Buttermilk Basin - total yummy eye candy every where you looked!  And really terrific display ideas, too.

Maywood Studios had a really bright and cheerful booth display, too.  You can’t help but fall in love with these fun designs – you know I love black with anything!

The LizzieBCre8ive booth won the Creativity Award for the second time in a row. These girls are so much fun, and their booth certainly reflects that, too. They baked dozens and dozens of chocolate chip cookies (in their hotel room!!)  for us to sample at their booth. They were promoting their new book, Whimsyland, which has the recipe included. See what I mean about creative!

There’s lots more to share with you, but I’m out of time and out of space on this post!  Watch for my next post where I’ll share photos from the quilt show that was on display during Market. As always, Quilt Market is inspiring and exhausting and fun – one of the best things I get to do as a quilt shop owner!  I’m glad to be home, though – it’s always good to come home.

I know I promised to post pics from Market, but like a dummy, I went off without my camera cord so can’t download any of the photos I’ve taken! I will post as soon as I get home on Monday, though.

It is the end of day two of Spring Quilt Market and I am exhausted! I spent all of Day One “tire kickin” as Pat says. (Pat has posted some great photos on her blog – obviously she didn’t forget her camera cord!!!) There is just so much to see and take in, and I have learned that I really must see it all at least once, and generally two times, before I start making buying decisions. Lots of homework to peruse all the literature I picked up!

Day Two was more “tire kickin” and “some” buying! I found some great new things that I’m anxious to show you. I stayed pretty true to form, if that tells you anything!

I’ve also attended several seminars each day, geared to quilt shop owners. Some were good, and some not so good.  This is a big reason I attend Quilt Market – the educational seminars are generally well worth the price of admission!

Tomorrow will be a short day on the Market floor for me as my shuttle to the airport will arrive at the hotel about 1PM. I have a 2-hour seminar with Pepper Cory first thing, then a little more time to see a few last minute vendors. I hope to get more photos to share, but it depends on the crowds – no point taking photos if you can’t see for the people, right?

More to come on Monday…

Melisa

I’m off to Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh in less than 24 hours! I’ve still got so much to do, but it will either get done or it won’t!

In the weeks preceding market, quilt shop owners are inundated with previews of new releases from designers, fabric manufacturers and publishers. It is fun to see the new releases, and helpful to preview some of what will be available at Market. I always go to market with a “plan” (although sticking to the plan rarely happens!) and so I pay close attention to new releases to see what I might find for Sweet Home Quilt Co. I thought it would be fun to give you a sneek peak at some of the new products I have on my list to see at Market.

First up, of course, is Moda! Not a lot to show you yet because they save the majority of the releases until we get to Market so they’re ‘fresh!’  As best I can tell, Moda has had nine early releases (in the last few weeks) and there will be at least 16 new fabric collections shown at Market! How’s a girl to choose?!?!?

Early releases include the latest Funky Monkey collection, Goodnight Monkey, and the new Shirtings collection from Terry Clothier Thompson, both of which will ship in July. 

Also an early release from Moda is Tula Pink’s Hushabye collection in four colorways – Blush, Sky, Grass and Chocolate – I’m only showing Blush here but you can see the other colorways at Tula’s website.  I passed on this collection when I first saw it, but I’ll be re-visiting it at Market. The colors are just yummy and it grows on me every time I see it. This is a follow-up to Tula Pink’s wildly popular first collection, Full Moon Forest (which is no longer available, of course!) including a new version of the much-sought after hidden owl paisley print. I know I won’t be able to get it all, but maybe at least some of it!

There are many new collections from our favorite Moda designers including a new Collection for a Cause named Alliance, new groups from 3 Sisters, Sandy Gervais, Fig Tree, Minick & Simpson and brand new to the Moda design team, Kaari Meng of French General fame! Can’t wait to see her new fabric collection! I usually see Moda first when I get to Market, but I’ve found that I tend to spend ALL my budget with them when I do that, so this time my plan is to scout out other collections first, and see Moda on my last day! Should be fun to mix it up some!

Patty Young’s second collection for Michael Miller is called Mezzanine. Isn’t it scrumptious?!?!? Can’t wait to see this up close and personal, too!

Also, from Michael Miller is the new collection from Paula Prass called Summer Soiree, which comes in three colorways. Of course, I’m drawn to the black, Manhattan, but the teal and pink are equally enticing!

Are you noticing a trend here? I think the winter has been too long for me – I’m craving bright and cheerful! But don’t despair, I may be leaning towards a few of the brighter offerings, but I’m still a traditionalist at heart! I hope I can be successful at getting a good mix of the two! You know me, I buy what I like and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t!!!

There will be many, many new books, patterns and notions released at Market, too. I’ve scouted a few that intrigue me so I’ll be checking these out for you.

Heather Mulder Peterson of Anka’s Treasures has two new books premiering at Market. Stop, Drop and Roll is both jelly roll and fat quarter friendly.

Her second offering is called Sizzlin Sixties and it features 60° angles – the easy way! I’m really interested to take a look at this book because I’m not a fan of working with 60° angles in the traditional sense, but I love the finished look; can’t wait to see her method. Take a look at Heather’s blog to see some of the projects included in these books.

Fast & Furious Quilt As You Go is new from GE Designs, and includes 17 projects – table runners, place mats, tote bags and more. I have so many customers who come in for help with the actual quilting of their projects, so I’m thinking these projects may be of interest when you need something done, done! There are several posts on Gudrun’s blog that show the projects in this book, so be sure to pay her a visit.

And lastly, I want to review this new block of the month from Sherri Falls of This & That called Cobblestone Lane. The info says it is a two-block-a-month design that can be completed in six months. I love the look of it, so we’ll see!

This is only the tip of the iceberg of what I’ll be checking for at Quilt Market, but I hope you’ve enjoyed this little sneek peak. I’ve got to get busy and finish up my to do list – Payroll (!), hang some new samples, packing, errands, oh man! I’ve gotta get busy.

I will try my best to post from Market, but rest assured there will be lots of pictures and stories to share when I get back next week. Be sure to pay Mike and the girls a visit while I’m gone so they don’t miss me too badly! Wish you were all going with me!

A couple of recent Show & Tell projects that I wanted to share with you all.

This is LeAnne’s “Night and Day” from Eleanor Burns’ newest book of the same name. This quilt was stunning! LeAnne made it for her boss, who retired last week.  I saw this technique demonstrated when Pat and I visited Etowah Valley Quilt Guild to hear Eleanor’s sister, Patricia Knoechel (read about that adventure here.) This project is all strip-pieced! We just got the book in stock at the shop, and I’m working up a sample and a class – stay tuned!

Robin brought her completed stars quilt in to show us. We had agonized over fabric choices for this one, and it turned out beautifully. The centers of the stars and the borders are all fussy cut and very precise! This quilt has a real “Marrakesh” feel to it!

Thanks for the Show & Tell, ladies! You know I love to see your finished projects so be sure and bring your stuff in to share !