Waiting for snow..........

Living in West Michigan I would have expected to have at least 10" of snow on the ground and we don't have any. 
So, here is a picture just to remind us that winter is still right around the corner!

Exclusive Quilt Kit: Wild Goose Chase

tWe used a pattern from Painted Pony'n Quilts and gave it a fresh look!

Sue, our quilt pattern tester, really like this pattern and thought it was a lot of fun! She choose the these fabrics because of the rich corals and polka dots. The instructions were very good and she didn't have any problems with them.  This pattern is for a confident beginner because the blocks are large and easy to piece.

Included in kit:
 Pattern
14 fat quarters
2 1/2 yards ecru for backgrounds
2 1/2 yards outer border
Purchase your kits here for $75.95 + shipping: Wild Goose Chase

In line for breakfast

The Cardinal always gets in first place at the feeder and the smaller birds have to wait for their turn.

click on the picture to enlarge it

5 YARD BUNDLES ARE BACK IN STOCK

5 YARD BUNDLES ARE BACK IN STOCK!

 Now and until the end of the year Bundles are $25 each or 2 for $40  (**use coupon codes: 2for40 or 4for80)



Each Bundle includes a FREE PATTERN which was especially designed for use with these coordinated bundles!

The patterns were written to create a quilt of optimum size and fabric usage.  Sizes range from lap to twin (52 - 70" x  72 - 86")

Be creative! You can make more/less blocks and change the size and shape of your quilt.


**SHIPPING COSTS

	USA	CANADA	WORLD
One	$5.10	$12.45	$14.95
2 or more	$11.10	$27.95 (max 4 )	$29.95 (max 3)  4 or more $46.95

Idle Thoughts Of A Retiree's Wandering Mind

I planted some bird seed. A bird came up.  Now I don't know what to feed it
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I had amnesia once---or twice
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I went to San Francisco. I found someone's heart. Now what?
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Protons have mass? I didn't even know they were Catholic.
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All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy
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If the world  were a logical place, men would be the ones who ride  horses sidesaddle.
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What is a "free" gift? Aren't all gifts free?
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They told me I was gullible and I believed them.
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Teach a child to be polite and courteous in the home and, when he grows up, he'll never be able to merge his car onto the freeway.
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Experience is the thing you have left when everything else is gone.
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One nice thing about egotists: they don't talk about other people.
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My weight is perfect for my height--which varies.
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I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
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How can there be self-help "groups"?
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If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?
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Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants off
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Is it me --or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?
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TODAY  IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER BE, SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

Stocking Stuffer Idea # 1: PILLOWCASE

How about a pillowcase! You can stitch one up in 15 minutes!
These pillowcases come in Cotton, Flannel, adults and Kids fabrics!

2012 BOM NORTHERN STAR: Month 1 Review

Our quilt kit tester Sue's thoughts about the Northern Star BOM fabric, quilt and pattern:

About the fabric: The colors are so much richer then the photograph.  

About the pattern: Sue loves the patterns from Wing & a Prayer Designs!  The directions are soooo easy with lots of visual diagrams.   The blocks are very accurate because you trim them down to the correct size, and having exact size of blocks makes the quilt go together better!

About the first blocks: Even though 4 segments of these blocks are paper pieced (and Sue's not a paper-piecer) once she got into the rhythm of doing it that this way - it was easy.

See our first beautiful blocks:

Toys for Tots at PALS 2011

Here's another good reason to join a quilt guild in your area:
Tonight our quilt guild PALS (Patchers at the Lakeshore) had our annual Christmas Potluck.

The primary focus of our December meeting is always a toy drive for the US Marines  "Toys for Tots".  It was a huge success and lots of toys were donated!

Three Marines came to accept these toys and we were treated to a special time of hugs and thank yous!

Semper Fi Marines!

Free Stocking pattern

from Maywood Studios

Click here for pattern; Stocking Snowflakes

Quilt & Pattern Review: CARDINAL in the PINES

We finished our quilt  Cardinal in the Pines  from Wing and a Prayer Designs and we love it!

 Finished size: 67" x 78"

Fabric: is from Timeless Treasures Cardinal Season. We loved working the these rich colors and the fabric has a very nice hand to it. 

Pattern: This was the 4th quilt we've made using their patterns and it was easy to read with lots of pictures. It includes easy instructions on how to fussy cut the center cardinal.

There was one big change we made and that was making two half squares at a time instead of using the grid included in the pattern.

Purchase your kits here for $99.95 + shipping Cardinal in the Pines (kit includes pattern and all fabrics for top, borders and binding)

It's off to the quilter now.  We are going to have it quilted edge to edge.

5 Yard QUICKIES FREE PATTERNS

5 YARD QUICKIES
Free patterns to use with our 5 Yard Bundles
Bundles are $25 for one or $40 for two + shipping!

Be creative! You can make more/less blocks and change the size!

These patterns were written to create a quilt of optimum size ranging from a lap size to twin size quilt (52 - 70" X 72 - 86") using only 5 yards of fabric.

Skill level: Beginner

Copyright 2009 Abbi May’s Fabric Shop

No part of this pattern may be copied or
reproduced in any manner!

Yum Yum: Savory Parmesan Bites

From Kraft Foods:

Savory Parmesan Bites 

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1   red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Make It
HEAT oven to 350°F.

BEAT cream cheese and 3/4 cup Parmesan with mixer until well blended.
SEPARATE dough into 8 rectangles; seal seams. Spread with cream cheese mixture; top with peppers and parsley. Fold each rectangle lengthwise into thirds to enclose filling; cut into 4 squares. Place, seam-sides down, on baking sheet; top with remaining Parmesan.
BAKE 13 to 15 min. or until golden brown.

 

 

Cyber Monday at Abbi Mays - Take an additional 20% off Sale fabrics!

Enjoy some relaxed Holiday Shopping here at

Abbi May's Fabric Shop where there's no traffic or parking problems!  

In appreciation for your business throughout the year, 

take an additional 20% off 

these already marked-down fabrics! 
Use coupon code: santa

Year End Clearance
20%      33%     45%    50%

Use coupon code: Santa
 Thank you!

Fabric & Pattern Review Neutral Elegance

Clothworks introduces Neutral Elegance by Tammy Johnson and Avis Shirer of Joined at the Hip. This detailed quilting cotton collection is centered around a taupe, black, and cream color story.

 

Neutral Elagance Quilt Kit + Free Pattern!

 

When buying a kit, all the decisions have been made for you: size and fabric. Our quilt sample photo allows you to see what the quilt top will look like. No more guess work as to what fabrics will work together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Graphics hosted at MySpaceAnimations.com

2012 BOM NORTHERN STAR

This is a 6 month BOM starting in January 2012!

  The Northern Stars Batik Block of the Month features a collection of 12 Batik & Hand-dyed Tonga’s inspired by the colors in the northern lights from Timeless Treasures and pattern by Wing & Prayer Designs.

 

Two sizes of star blocks in jewel tones, sparkle amidst the pastel background and pieced border.

This king size quilt uses basic tools and piecing methods. 

Included in the pattern are instructions for a pieced backing that uses 12 different 44” batik fabrics.  

Block of the months (BOM's) are a great way to make a beautiful large or intricate quilt while spreading the payments over four months, and receive a fun surprise in the mail each month!

Skill Level: Intermediate
Finished size is 96" x 108"

**Each month (around the 20th of the month) you'll receive kits that include fabric and patterns to make your blocks.  Instructions for this quilt are written using basic quilting tools and skills.

**Price for each month is $37.50 + shipping. 

Click here to reserve yours now: Northern Stars

Quilt kits will be available in December for $199.95 + shipping. Click here to order and reserve yours now: NORTHERN STARS KIT (fabric for top, borders, and binding)

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate call us at 231.828.5002  or email us at linda@abbimays.com

Baseball up date - Justin Verlander - MVP!

Justin Verlander wins AL Most Valuable Player

With a no-hitter, an AL pitching Triple Crown and a Tigers division title on his resume, Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander became the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century -- and the first Tigers player since 1984 -- to win AL MVP, beating out Boston's Jacoby Ellsbury and Toronto's Jose Bautista for the league's highest individual honor. Verlander received 13 of 28 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Just as important, Verlander received three votes for second place and three votes for third, bolstering his point total to 280. Last week, Verlander was a unanimous selection as the AL Cy Young award

Where's Granny?

The first one to figure out where  I was today will get 4 free fat quarters!

Fabric &Pattern Review; Bella Verona from Wing & Prayer Designs

Bella Verona



The fabrics used in this quilt are from Timeless Treasures Bella Verona Collection by Wing and a Prayer Design. The pattern was designed by Toni Kay Steere & Jenny Foltz of Wing and a Prayer.

This queen size quilt top uses basic tools and piecing methods, and approximately 17 yards of fabric.  Varying block sizes ranging from 4" to 10" combine to create a beautiful quilt resembling Italian tile work.







Skill Level: Intermediate
Finished size is 95" x 105"


Quilt kits will be available in December for $199.95 + shipping. Click here to order and reserve yours now: Bella Verona

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate call us at 231.828.5002  or email us at linda@abbimays.com

Sew Fun Quilt Club makes pillowcases!

This evening at our monthly quilt club get together made a total of 84 pillowcases! We plan on donating them to one of our local charities Everywomans Place to use this Christmas as gifts.

We organized our selfs into groups of assemblers, piners, sewers and pressers!

It was lots fun and in the end we had made 38 kids flannel and 46 cotton in ones.

We challenge your quilt club or bee to do the same for your local charities this Christmas Season!
Abbi Mays has cotton pillowcase kits for you to use that are allready precut with 27" case, 2" strip and 9" cuff for $4.50 for adults and kids!
 Purchase here for:
Adult Pillowcase
Kids Pillowcase
Kids Flannel Pillowcase

Here's something interesting about the magazine American Patchwork Oct 2011

There are two different covers for the same issue.
So be careful when you see the new one in the store you might have the other one home!

As Seen In American Patchwork & Quilting: STAR FORMATION

seen in October 2011, pg 44-51

Enhance an orderly design of eight-pointed stars in diagonal rows by surrounding the stars with blue sashing.

We loved Star Formation! Look what our quilter Sue made for us using the Star Formation pattern and the Bittersweet fabric collection from Benartex.

Sue loved this pattern, especially this pattern because the quilt is set on point. She said the directions were easy to follow, and there were pictures for us visual quilters.  She was a little nervous at first about how these colors would look together and thought she would be doing a lot re-arranging, moving blocks to get the scrappy look, but never moved a block after it was sewn!

Fabrics in the kit:

Finished Size:  74" x 88"
Skill level: Advanced Beginner

Purchase your kit here (does not included magazine, if you need a copy let us know)
for $109 + shipping: Star Formation

New BOM Love Letters

Love Letters is a 4 month Block of the Month starting in December 2011!

This beautiful BOM uses thirteen cotton print fabrics and three woven fabrics from Moda's 3 Sisters Etchings collection.  

The pattern used is from This and That by Sherri Falls.

Skill Level: Intermediate

The quilt will finish at 65" x 83"

There are six blocks 12" blocks - set on point.

Block of the months (BOM's) are a great way to make a beautiful large or intricate quilt while spreading the payments over four months, and receive a fun surprise in the mail each month!

You will receive generous cuts of fabric to make the blocks each month.**Each month (around the 20th of the month) you'll receive kits that include fabric and patterns to make your blocks. Instructions for this quilt are written using basic quilting tools and skills.

**Price for each month is $45.00 and includes shipping!

Mailing schedule:

December: Blocks 1 & 2

January: Blocks 3 &4

February: Block 5 & 6

March: Finishing Kit - includes, sashing, borders and binding

We also have a Quilt Insurance Package: 16 fat 1/8's for $16.95 plus shipping. This gives you a little added security in case you make a wrong cut.

**You will be put on automatic shipment with the blocks being mailed the third week of each month. Your credit card will be invoiced monthly at the time of shipment. This is a six month commitment with no cancellations.

Or.. You can purchase you kit for a one time cost: $170.00 plus shipping (includes pattern; fabric for top, border & binding).

**International customers will be charge an extra $10 for shipping.

Backing will be available for this kit.

Cool Fall Scene

This really cool fall arrangement can be seen in Shipshewana, IN

One Million Pillowcase Challenge Update

One Million Pillowcase Challenge - October 2011 Update

Nearly 310,000 pillowcases have been donated to charities all across the country, but we're not done yet! We're committed to reaching our goal of creating and donating one million pillowcases.

Here at Abbi Mays we have donated 55 pillowcases to kids!

The earlier bird gets the best picture!

Good morning!