Today is National Coffee Day!

Tuesday, September 29 is National Coffee Day, and a handful of the most well-known coffee chains are offering free cups to customers in celebration.

Dunkin’ Donuts – Free medium hot or iced Dark Roast

Krispy Kreme – Free Small Coffee and original glazed donut

Biggby – Buy One Get One Free coupon

Quilt Book Happy Catz

by SamSarah Design Studio / Patti Connor

Companion Book for the Happy Catz quilt fabric from Red Rooster.Soft sided 24 pages with 8 projects.Fabrics featured in this book: Happy Catz

Available here for $16.20 + Shipping: Happy Catz

Menagerie sweet quilt and easy to make!

Welcome newborns to the marvelous world of whimsical giraffes, lions, elephants and zebras!

I love this quilt! It's soooo sweet and made in a day and that included the cutting and sewing!
The kit includes a free pattern and all the fabrics to make this quilt top.

Available here for $58.50 + shipping: Menagerie

Yum...yum... Carmel Apple Bites

Caramel Apple Bite

2 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used store bought in a can.  I find these to work the best)
12 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples (we used golden delicious)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Caramel topping (store bought!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease pan with non-stick butter spray
Melt butter
In a medium size bowl mix graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter with a spoon (slowly add the butter and evenly distribute – PLEASE SEE UPDATE/NOTE BELOW)
Evenly distribute mixture to the 24 mini muffin cups. Press along the bottom and sides to make a “cup”
Bake for 5 minutes and let cool completely
Chop the apples into little pieces – I used a mini food processor.  Don’t puree, just finely chop
Mix apples, sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl
Bake in a baking dish for 15 minutes on 375 degrees, until apples are slightly softened
Scoop a teaspoon or so of the apple mix and place on top of the graham cracker crust cups (while still in the muffin pan)
Sprinkle any extra graham cracker on top of the apples (I had some left over!)
Bake for 5 minutes on 350
Let cool completely
Use a knife to loosen from pan and they should pop right out
Drizzle with caramel topping

Hello Fall!

9/11: A Day That Changed America Exhibit, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum

A new exhibit “9/11: A Day That Changed America” will be at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, starting on the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 10, through Friday, Sept. 11. The exhibit is on a loan from the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City and includes artifacts from the attack, including a rescue vehicle used by first responders.

One little shady spot in the yard

See the little shady spot 

 

it was a perfect fit for Girlie Girl!

Just Arrived: A Mum for a Mum

designed by Jackie Robinson for Benartex.

Beautiful lush florals, rich textures - Jackie’s newest collection is like a fine oil painting, just waiting to be displayed! 
 

The beauty is in the details - each petal and leaf intricately painted; textures are rich and varied, making them the perfect backdrop for the focal prints. The color stories are also carefully thought out for maximum impact! Rich plum/burgundy with leaf green, or smoky teal with gold and ivory.

Available here for $9.90 yard: A Mum for A Mum

Meet the designer: JACKIE ROBINSON!

Jackie Robinson lives in Eureka, in scenic northwestern Montana with her husband, Jery Wyatt.  She designs fabrics and patterns (Animas Quilts).

  An international teacher and lecturer since 1989 , Jackie has authored twelve quilting books is is a National Artisan for Bernina. She is best known for her geometric patterns, creating new and expanded designs from traditional shapes. Jackie has made in excess of 400 quilts.

We think you'll like her patterns and fabrics!

Bye bye August --

hello September!

Click here for our newest fabrics for your fall projects: What's New

Brrr.... the temps are going to be in the 60's this week....

It's time for comfort food:

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

Ingredients:
2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
14 ½ oz can chicken broth
\2 packets of chicken gravy mix
Directions:
1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth, cover and cook on high for about 3 – 4 hours or until chicken easily pulls apart.
2. Pour 2 cups of the chicken broth/juices out of the crockpot and into a saucepan. Discard any remaining liquids. Add the two gravy packets into the saucepan and whisk well. Simmer on low until gravy thickens.
3. While the gravy simmers, remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred into larger pieces. That’s it! Serve with the gravy over the chicken. Yum!

Bertie's Spring Wall Hanging!

Finished size: 28" x 34"

Bertie's Spring was intended to be a Block of the Month, but are we offering as a kit instead!
Wouldn't you rather have all the fabrics now then have to wait 4 months!?

Say Springtime in Flannels with this adorable wall size quilt. 

Bertie's Spring is designed by Bonnie Sullivan and feature Woolies flannels from Maywood. Woolie flannels are 100% cotton printed flannels that look like wool. Choose our favorite method of hand or machine applique. 

Kit includes:

Patterns: Bertie's Spring Wall Hanging Four main blocks: 

Bertie's Spring Part 1 "For Me?"  8in x 20in
Bertie's Spring Part 2 "Hitchin' A Ride" 8in x 14in 

Bertie's Spring Part 3 "Breakfast Time" 10in x 14in

Bertie's Spring Part 4 "Bloom": 8in x 24in

Fabric:  Approx 4 1/8 yards including:
             20 @ fat eighths + 2 1/8 yards
For top, borders and binding. We have not made any substitutions and are as pictured.
(I'm pretty sure you'll have enough left over fabrics for a scrappy backing)

Not included:

1 yard for backing

Isn't She Lovely!

She's just blooming in my Peony garden!

Fabric Review: Farmhouse Blooms from Marcus Brothers

designed by Designed by Gloria Parson of Olde Green Cupboard Designs.  

Farmhouse Blooms takes it's inspiration from "living on the farm" when Gloria was a kid in the 50's and 60's. Her mom grew the flowers she remembered that were growing in the yard. She added some fun colors to give it a fresh summer feel.

The computer generated pictures are not as pretty as the the actual prints.

Yardage is $9.67 yard available here: Farmhouse Blooms

Need some inspiration?

This quilt features these fabrics Farmhouse Blooms, designed by Heidi Pridemore and includes a  Free Pattern

The quilt has a fun picnic feel to it that would be neat to use as a table cloth at a "pot-luck"!

Finished size: 76 1/2" x 76 1/2"
You can see by the actual fabric picture that this quilt is a lot prettier then the computer generated one!

Kit includes Free Pattern and 10 1/2 yards fabric for top, borders and binding

Avialable here for $103 + shipping: Farmhouse Blooms

"Sneak Peek" at an old favorite quilt: Lovely In Lavender

COMING IN JUNE!
If you loved Lovely in Lavender then you'll really love this one redone in Fresh Lilacs designed be Deb Beaves for Maywood:
Fresh Lilacs Color Play!

Hoppy Easter!

Update #2 Moonlight Sonata

Our sewer Sue has all the blocks done.
 Notice how she keeps them together with the pattern until they are ready to assemble.

Next - assemble the quilt!

Happy First Day of Spring!

Chickadee Window Quilt designed by Jackie Robinson!

This quilt will add a touch of winter charm to any room. We saw this quilt at the fall quilt market and immediately fell in love with it! The fabrics are teals, rich reds, gold tonals and greens all with gold metallics.

Look at the flying geese how the fly around the quilt in formation:

The outside border isn't that complicated but looks like it is:

The center looks  is and the quilting make it come alive:

Coming in March: Mirabelle by Santoro!

SANTORO’S Mirabelle collection is a portfolio of beautiful, enchanting art; elegant and sophisticated.

 The delicate, wistful illustrations of graceful female figures are exquisitely detailed, embellished with stylised floral motifs, vibrant butterflies, brilliant birds and other intriguing imagery, and layered with ornate patterns and decorative borders to create these romantic and fascinating artworks.

Available here: Mirabelle

A Dog's Life Quilt Kit

designed by Lynette Anderson.

She combined fusible appliqué, simple embroidery, piecing and of course some of her favorite yo-yo's. All blocks are either Jet (the black dog) who belongs to one of her sons, Beau the brown Labrador belongs to her mum and dad and Rosie, a very much loved poodle from her past.

She is so excited about how this quilt looks, designed with animal lovers in mind and she has used subtle dirty colors which would also make it ideal for a boy. 

Four blocks make up this quilt:

Flower Power block 1 of 4 Block of the Month.

Friends At Play block 2 of 4 Block of the Month.

Dog's Favorite Tree block 3 of 4 Block of the Month.

Park Meeting block 4 of 4 Block of the Month.

Included in kit:
All 4 blocks patterns (Retail $14 each)

Fabrics for background, applique, borders and binding
Fabrics used in the quilt are Time for Friends by Lynette Anderson for RJR
We have not made any substitutions.

7 different DMC flosses for embroidery

Available here for $135 + shipping

A Dog's Life

March is going to be fun!

Here now:
Chickadees and Berries designed by Jackie Robinson for Benartex

Catalina designed by Marti Michell for Maywood Studios

March came in like a lion!

Our March came in like a lion with its cold temps, wind and snow.

Where did that saying come from? I found this on the www....

"IN LIKE A LION, OUT LIKE A LAMB"

by Lorie Hill

March roars in like a lion
So fierce,
The wind so cold,
It seems to pierce.

The month rolls on
And Spring draws near,
And March goes out
Like a lamb so dear.

Update #1: Moonlight Sonata Quilt

designed by Jenny Foltz & Toni Kay Steere of Wing and a Prayer Design.

It's time to test the pattern and make the quilt!

Moonlight Sonata is the 5th pattern from Wing & Prayer Designs our quilt sewer Sue has tested!
The quilt featurers a popular gray to navy color palette with highlights of pink and green. The finished quilt measures 103" square.
The pattern includes:
Eight 12 1/2" blocks
A 24" center block
Sashing sections
Setting triangles
Pieced corner-quadrants and borders


Sue loves to make quits from these designers because the patterns are are easy to follow with lots of instructions and pictures.  Fabrics are numbered, and each illustrated block shows the numbered fabrics in their positions.



The first thing Sue does is cut up all 10 fabrics for all the blocks, settings etc....
and layers them in a sequential pile with the first block on top.

Beagle wins!

A 15-inch beagle named Miss P won the top honor at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Tuesday, besting more than 2,700 competitors.

Miss P, a bouncy 4-year-old, was awarded the Best In Show prize at the 139th Westminster show, the second-longest continuously running sporting event in the United States after the Kentucky Derby.

Color Love project update!

Sue has finished all the pieced blocks:

I've finished all 8 appliqued blocks!
Hint: When sewing the fuseable applique down, I start with a new Sharp Needle, nylon thread on the top and polyester on the bottom.  My stitch length and width is the same, very small. It helps to have a sewing machine with a knee left.

Phil saw his shadow!

The Groundhog Day verdict is in! Punxsutawney Phil says 6 more weeks of winter! 7:23 AM - 2 Feb 2015