Get a Jump on the Holidays with Cool Panels

 Every year, when Halloween rolls around, do you find yourself wishing you had made a cute little wallhanging or small quilt as a gift or to hang in a special spot in your house?  We have the answer for you:  cute panels by Red Rooster, Moda and Benartex!  This one Becky made in under an hour simply cutting out coordinating border fabric and sewing it on! This panel by Moda, Trick or Treat, has two panels in one, candy apples and the witches' hats and legs below

 Then, don't forget that by Halloween, Christmas is only a few short weeks away!  We've just gotten in this cute panel by Benartex, Jingle All the Way.  What a wonderful wallhanging or table topper it makes.

 And we've only got a few of these delectable Halloween fat quarter bundles by Moda including the Trick or Treat panel and lots of coordinating black, orange, green and white fabrics including all the Halloween classic's, bats, spiders and webs, witches' hats and candy corn!  The bolt pictured underneath is Spooktacular Too by Henry Glass.  Becky used it to border the other Moda panel here:

 And last but not least is this cool Halloween scene by Red Rooster, Haunted Hallow II. So come on by and get started on those Halloween panels you mean to do every year!

Summer Classes

 Since summer will soon be here and with it vacations and evening activities, we're offering several Tuesday morning classes to make quick, fun and easy projects to keep or give as gifts. Some will be two weeks in length but many will be one day events.  Classes will be $10 per day ($20 for two-day classes) plus the pattern (if needed), fabric and supplies. If we have enough participants, we will turn it into an Across the Street Retreat at the Inman Presbyterian Church Social Hall just across the street from the church. Bring your machine and basic sewing supplies and, if you'd like, a snack to share. We'll supply the beverages.  See the upper right sidebar for times and dates or drop by for a complete schedule printout.  Among the offerings will be the cute Prairie Point Bag shown above using the free pattern from All People Quilt (www.allpeoplequilt.com) Tuesday, June 21st and 28th.  Learn prairie points, patchwork piecing tips and covered buttons.

 We'll also have a class to make the Juliet Bag with changeable sash tie Tuesday, June 7th and 14th.  This has been quite a popular purse pattern by Me and My Sister Designs.

 At our UFO (unfinished objects) class Tuesday, July 19th (also a $10 session), bring that project you haven't finished, your machine and supplies, a snack and plan to get it completed. We'll also demonstrate how to make the Hotdog Pillowcase, http://www.conkerrcancer.org/pdf/hotdogmethod.pdf with no raw seams. Make these as gifts for nieces, nephews or to give to various childrens charities and bust your fabric stash at the same time.

 We'll make the Four Corners Apron by Vanilla House Tuesday, July 26th. Several customers made quite a few of these last year as Christmas gifts for good friends and a few for themselves as well.

And for another fun class, we'll supply the 'orphan blocks' and quit them for you to make the Pollo Loco chicken pincushions Tuesday, August 2nd.  So, stop by, sign up and come have some fun learning a few new techniques and making some fun summer projects!

San Francisco Window Boxes Quilt and Gift Ideas

 We had a Zippy Strippy class this past week and made this cute little black and white zipper tote perfect for makeup or sewing notions.  They make wonderful graduation, shower or 'thinking of you' gifts. The pattern is by Atkinson Design and includes three sizes.  These quilt-as-you-go little totes make up quickly and you can use scraps.

 We also discovered this wonderful casserole carrier on the blog, Northern Girl Boutique.  We used the thermal batting that holds in warmth to make these two versions which hold a 9" pie or a 1 1/2 quart casserole. Northern Girl included a brown paper bag with her's with a pie recipe attached to the outside and the dry ingredients inside.  Another fast, clever gift item!

 Gen Cox finished this stunning, large Quilter's Tote by Garden Trellis Designs, perfect to travel to quilt shows and carry your quilt entry or class supplies including a cutting mat, material, notions and maybe even a small sewing machine!

 Jody made this San Francisco Window Boxes quilt top using the pattern by Sweet Jane's Quilting and Design.  Just 5" squares in the middle and 2 1/2" strips around--16 fat quarters for the twin sized version plus about three yards white material for sashing and borders.  Easy-peasy, fast and beautiful.  But shhhhhh!!! It's a Christmas gift for someone in her family once it's quilted and bound!!!!

Historic Shiloh Church Field Trip

 We took a little field trip to Shiloh Church to photograph a patriotic red, white and blue quilt for a special Shop Hop project (remember to mark your calendars for the Carolina Shop Hop, July 8-16) this afternoon.

 Here is our quilt on the railing out front of this beautiful little historic church in our community. It's the mother church to many of our local Methodist and Baptist churches around the area.  Originally, a circuit rider minister came periodically to preach and parishoners drove up by horse and buggy to worship.

 Becky, Scout and I posing on the steps in front of our quilt which was sort of a round-robin project.  I pieced the blocks; Gen added the borders and Becky quilted and bound it!

 We had a few shots taken to make sure Scout was looking in the right direction in at least one. Had I known I would be in the shoot, I would have worn something different! LOL!

 One of the gadgets we just back in is That Purple Thang by Little Foot.  It pokes, pushes, stuffs, prods and threads ribbon.  If you ever use That Purple Thang, you won't want to be without it!  Made of durable plastic, it's like another hand in your sewing and craft endeavors! But hurry, there are only a few in!

 Becky recently made this A Little Somethin' Jacket by CNT Pattern Co.  It's quick, easy, lightweight but provides that 'little somethin'' you need on these still cool spring nights.  Wear it over a sleeveless knit top or shell and make it in several colors and prints to go with every outfit.  The pattern makers say it's self-facing; just fold, press and stitch and you can make it in three hours flat.  The pattern includes sizes 8 through 24 and include a short and long version. When I used to do garment sewing, if I really liked a classic pattern, I cut out my size, fused it to fusible interfacing and kept it in a large plastic storage bag for protection. This is the perfect pattern to make again and again.

 We got in just one copy of Eleanor Burns' new book, Quilt Blocks on American Barns with directions for making those wonderful, historic quilt blocks you can see painted on barns along the hiways and biways throughout Ohio, the North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and New York.  Eleanor Burns collaborated with the originator of the quilt blocks on barns concept, Donna Sue Groves of Ohio to create clear and detailed instructions for many of the barn blocks and a quilt commemorating this American project.

 Also back in stock is the pattern, Gentle Art, a Schnibbles pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co..  We've had this sample on display for a few years and it has a timeless Early American sort of appeal using the spool design. It makes a wallhanging measuring 28" square and makes a perfect little piece to display in your sewing room or den or give to a quilting friend.

Another small-sized pattern that 'packs' a punch (pardon the pun) is Sticks & Stuff by Little Scraps from This & That. Included are directions for a small and large pouch and a needle case, the cutest little carry-around's you've ever seen and another great, quick gift idea for a graduate, child's sleepover or 'treasure pouch' or makeup bag . . . the possibilities are endless!