Sweet Home Quilt Co.

Time is getting short for Santa to be shopping … and the Elves have been working very hard so Santa doesn’t have to. We’ve created a whole section of WRAPPED & READY GIFTS to help Santa out. Choose from a variety of stocking stuffers, books, kits, notions and gift items all beautifully WRAPPED & READY for Santa to take home and put under the tree. Of course, if you have something else on your wish list for Santa, we’ll be happy to wrap that, too! You could even buy something for yourself and put it under the tree … one surefire way to get what you want for Christmas! And if Santa still isn’t comfortable choosing a gift for you, a reminder that GIFT CERTIFICATES in any amount are always available will solve that dilemma!

We want to make sure you get exactly the quilt-y gifts you’ve been dreaming of under your tree and in your stocking! Tell Santa there’s no excuse … we’ve covered all the bases!

Need a last minute gift for Mom? Or maybe a little treat for yourself? We have the perfect answer! Our Sewing Machine Mat can be made in under ten minutes, no sewing required, and will help solve that age-old problem of the “bouncing” sewing machine. Don’t you hate it when you’re sewing along, pedal to the metal, and your sewing machine starts bouncing up and down on the table? This mat will help eliminate the problem…

The mats can also be used as a portable ironing surface – just roll it up and stick it in your case when you go to a class or retreat! These are perfect gifts for your quilty Mom, or a treat for a quilting buddy. Heck, make one for yourself and call it your Mother’s Day present to yourself! Kits are just $12 and include your choice of fat quarter from our selection.

You’ll have plenty of fabric leftover from your fat quarter to make a matching mini-size mat, which can be used as a coaster or a mini ironing surface – for paper piecing maybe? Mini-size mats are just $2 each.

Drop by Saturday, May 11, between 10 and 2 and we’ll have everything you need to make one…while supplies last.

See you then!

Melisa

The clock is ticking…only seven more shopping days ‘til Christmas! If you still need a gift for a quilting friend (or maybe just for YOU!), we have some great ideas for you.

We have several quick kits for small projects that any quilter would love to have…

The Square Deal Centerpiece comes in two versions – a pieced charm square version and a single fabric version…each is 16” x 16”. Complete kit includes pattern, fabric, binding and backing for $11.99.

The Tilt ‘N Whirl is also 16” x 16”, and includes pattern, fabric, binding and backing for $14.99.

Kits are available here.

ScrapMaBob

One of my favorite tools, the ScrapMaBob™ is a drink holder and trash bag in one. Keep your drink close by without worrying about spills or condensation. It holds up to a 32 ounce cup and attaches to most counter tops and tables (maximum table width 3.25”). The fabric trash bag is removable for emptying, and often gets used (so we are told) to hold snacks rather than trash. Frame is made of durable steel. A perfect gift for your quilting buddy (or yourself!) at just $21.99. Click here to order.

Did you know that we have never had a gift certificate returned because it was the wrong size or wrong color? It’s the PERFECT holiday gift, and we can issue one in any denomination.  Tell Santa today!

We’re always happy to help you choose a gift, and gift wrapping is FREE! Call us or stop by soon and we’ll get you fixed up!

Melisa

Mr. UPS just dropped these off, and I’ve already gone through and picked out several must make projects! If you’re looking for quick and easy projects to make for Christmas gift-giving, this new issue from Better Home & Gardens will fit the bill. These are some of my favorites:

Plenty of Pockets bag by Monica Solorio-Snow (aka The Happy Zombie) has lots of room inside and lots of pockets outside for all those everyday necessities like cell phone, keys, and sunglasses. This one will be perfect for my Mom who needs lots of pockets!

I think I’ll be making the Fit to be Tied bag from designer Sherri Falls of This & That for myself. It’s the perfect size for lugging my laptop and files back and forth – and cute to boot!

This little pillow would make a great friendship gift, or maybe for a Secret Santa exchange. Very easily made with fusible applique, embroidery and my favorite – jumbo rick rack!

There’s still plenty of time to whip up the Christmas-y lap quilt, Spruce It Up, from designer Karen Montgomery. Quick pieced backgrounds and fusible applique trees leave lots of room to get creative with embellishments. Use decorative ribbons or threads for the tree garlands, or use buttons from your collection.

This magazine is just loaded with great projects – there are several table runners, pincushions, and baby and kid’s projects, too – 35 projects in all.  Order your copy today and finish off your gift-giving projects in no time!

What could be better than new flannel pj’s? How about a flannel rag quilt to go with?

Made with the Jingles Christmas flannel collection by Minick and Simpson for Moda, we have pre-cut rag quilt kits for $74.99, and pre-cut batting squares, too, for $18.99 – all you have to do is SEW!  Easily made in an afternoon since we’ve done all the cutting for you. Quilt measures approximately 47×68, a perfect snuggle size for the sofa! Quick to make for Christmas gifts, too!

Notice the little boy’s flannel pj’s in the picture? I do not sew garments, so I asked my mom to sew up a sample of the little boy’s and little girl’s pajamas from Indygo Junction’s Jack and Jill Jammies pattern.  Also made with the Jingles Christmas flannel, they are sized just right for my grandies, Hayden and Haylee, so they’ll get them for Christmas! While not as quick to make as the rag quilt kit, these pj’s would be fun gifts for any kid at Christmas! (click the photo at right to see an enlarged image of the pattern.) Pattern is $14.99 and includes boys and girls sizes 4 thru 12.

It’s not too early to be making those Christmas gifts. Visit the shop soon to see more gift ideas and Christmas fabrics for inspiration!

There were so many new ideas and techniques that I learned last week during the Rags to Riches Shopowner Retreat with Terry Atkinson, I have to get my notes out to even remember them all. But there were a couple of stand-out moments, first:

Everyone, including me, gave a collective groan when Terry announced that we were going to learn to do zippers.  I’ve done zippers, eons ago in Home Ec, and I have gone to great lengths to avoid anything with zippers since! But Terry insisted we could do it, and once the challenge was issued we were off. Her demo looked simple enough, and the projects she had prepared for us to practice on were just too cute to resist. And you know what? She was right! Here are my completed projects to prove it!

The two bags on the right are from Terry’s book, Big Bags Little Bags, and were a snap to make – even with the zipper! We even made our own beaded zipper pulls. I could see another addiction there; as a matter of fact, one of the first things I did when I got home was go to the Bead Shop and grab some tools and a few packages of beads to use on more bags! The drawstring bag on the left was a tutorial that Terry offered on her blog a couple of weeks back. It has a little zippered pocket on the outside. I think she called it a “Sock Sack” and it will be perfect to keep my sock knitting in; I can see more of these in my future, too. Pop on over here for the tutorial to make your own Sock Sack! I still have a couple of small bags from the book that I haven’t finished yet – they are addictive!

The other significant thing I learned from Terry is more of a “what not to do” moment. Terry’s sewing machine was making a “clunky” noise one afternoon and we all know what that means – clean it!

Here’s Terry about to start the task of cleaning her machine. Looks pretty innocent, huh?

Take a look at that mess! Can you see all the lint and threads in that poor machine? No wonder it was clunking!!!

Terry had all the right tools for the job. This is just a very small bit of what came out of her machine. Terry’s comment, after all was said and done, was “Here’s my hint for the day – never clean your sewing machine with an audience!”

Thanks, Terry, I’ll keep that in mind!

“Sleepless in Conyers” describes me perfectly these days!  Having been married to me for more than 25 years, Mike is pretty much accustomed to my weird sleep habits; yet even he has begun commenting on my “restlessness,” which is his nice way of saying I’m keeping him awake! For the last week or so I’ve stopped fighting the inevitable and just not going to bed at all, or getting up as soon as my eyes open instead of lying in bed trying to go back to sleep.

Last night I didn’t even bother going to bed because I knew I’d never go to sleep. I thought about doing some cleaning, but was afraid I’d wake Mike (yeah right! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) and I wasn’t in the mood to do any computer work or even to read blogs. So I got out the couple of shop models I’d brought home to work on over the weekend and proceeded to sew the night away!

These are a couple of table runners that I made using a pattern from The Quilt Company called Easy Striped Table Runner. The pattern is designed specifically to use striped fabrics and a 60 degree triangle ruler (I used a Creative Grids 8-inch finished 60 degree ruler).  The cherries fabric is a 60″ wide border print, and the neat thing is that once you use the border print for the runner, you’re left with the center portion which is perfect for the backing – no waste at all! The blue snowflake runner was the first one I did and I learned a couple of tricks for matching the design, but it still came out pretty well. Only five seams and the top is done!  Looking at the detail pictures you can see how the 60 degree triangles are used to match up the design so it almost appears seamless. Very quick once you get the hang of it. Neither of these have been quilted yet (I’ll do that tonight if I still can’t sleep!!). The pattern suggests a simple pillowcase finish – no binding – using the design in the fabric to quilt after layering and turning. I think I’d prefer to bind it, but I’ll try it the other way first.  This pattern is very well written with good photos to go along with the instructions, and options for matching placemats. There are also instructions for making your own “stripe” fabric to create a specific design. Lots of possibilities with this one -  I’ll be on the hunt for more striped fabrics to use. (Sorry for the yucky pictures – the light isn’t very good at 4AM so you get what you get!)

I also made a Wine Bag Tote from the Let’s Do Lunch book by Terry Atkinson, using my new favorite fabric line Figgy Pudding by Moda. Two fat quarters and a half hour and this one was done, start to finish! (The wine bottle is empty, by the way, but I didn’t empty it recently!) I’ll be making more of these for gifts – quick, easy and so cute! I “heart” Terry Atkinson’s designs. Her instructions are well written with helpful diagrams that even a beginner can easily follow.

So what did you do with your night?

These new patterns arrived this week and I’ve added them to the website this afternoon.  Click on the image to get a better view.

I’ve already been playing around with the Jelly Roses pattern and several of the others have been added to the “Sample To Do List!” We are definately making The Abbey Bag - what a sweet gift idea for a quilty friend! Or imagine what a hit you’d be if you took this cutie on your next quilt retreat! Everyone will want one, I promise. 

And people who hand wash their delicates can’t get enough of feeling soft and smelling great.

Here’s the scoop:  SOAK is gentle on fabrics and is easy to use with no rinsing. SOAK makes whites white again and keeps unfinished projects from distorting and fraying. It’s gentle formulation is fiber-friendly…perfect for hand-knits, raw fibers, spinning – even felting!  SOAK is gentle enough for everything from cashmere and wool to cotton and silk. Available in three fresh, contemporary fragrances that smell great – Flora, Aquae, and Citrus – plus Unscented.  Can’t decide? Also available in 3-piece Starter Kit.

Grab a few bottles of SOAK for your quilting & knitting friends, Secret Sister, Mom & Grandmom and don’t forget a bottle for YOU!

Now for the finishing touch.  Here’s another great gifty idea – SOAK care labels! Butter soft and easy to sew in, these labels work in all your SOAK worthy creations. Each package contains 12 labels with 4 phrases:

• I made this
• Hand knit with love
• Look what I made for you
• Don’t lose me.

While supplies last, get one single label free with the purchase of a 14 oz. bottle of SOAK.