We love our calendar girls!

Remember the calendar quilt from the last schedule? Well, those ladies are still going strong.
Our friends Alice and Terri have been gold star quilters and have finished each block. These are the blocks for December and January!
Each of these blocks are paper pieced.
Way to go Alice and Terri, we are proud of you.
These are Terri's blocks on the bottom, Alice's blocks are on the top
Alice added some neat embellishments to her blocks by using the "glitzer" tool to add sequins .
She also added beads.
We still have a few of these books left at the store. It is a fun project to do.
Remember, you can order one over the phone and we will send it to you.

Did you figure it out? 5 inch charm squares are here

Yes, 5 inch charm squares are at the Quilt Shop. We have transformed this part of the store into charm square heaven. Each quilt shown here is made with charm squares. We will have patterns available after the first of the year for these quilts.
Stop in soon to see them.
More quilts will be added soon.

last clue, did you figure it out?

it's an inchworm, for those of you who don't know your insects.
So the clues are: Prince "charm"ing
the number 5
and inches.....
Did you figure it out?

another clue....

Another clue.... what is coming to the quilt shop?
Remember we open tomorrow morning at 9.... I'll be there quilting on the 830. Stop over to visit.
Have a wonderful Christmas Day with your family.

Hmmmmmmmm, what is coming to the quilt shop

Something new is coming to the quilt shop..... Here is a hint.
More hints later...Have a great Christmas Eve with your family.

almost done

Thanks to one snow day, one snowy weekend, and a 90 minute delay at school today, I finished all 8 tote bags, one little zippered pouch, 3 pillowcases, and just pieced a table runner. The table runner will be quilted and bound tonight and tomorrow afternoon, the other gifts have been wrapped and delivered. I made a pile of fabrics for my next project- a heart quilt. ;) Yes Valentines Day is coming!
What did you make for gifts this year? Who is getting a quilt? Make sure you take pictures and bring them to the store so we can see them. We love seeing things that you make. It makes us so proud to think that we helped in some way, whether it is from a class you took, or fabric you bought from us, or even just bounced some ideas off of us. You are all very special friends to us at the Quilt Shop.
We will be closed Wed Dec 24 and Thursday Dec 25. We open again on Friday Dec 26th.

I'm in love

Today we put the 830 in the cabinet and I got to machine quilt on it. First I had to wind a bobbin, then I threaded it and attached the BSR. Here's what I loved:
The space- Wow. You can fit a whole quilt under it now. I was able to quilt so much faster, as I didn't have to stop every few inches or so to re adjust the quilt. I also felt a lot more relaxed.
The speed- It is much faster- It took me a few minutes to get used to it, but once we "bonded" I was fine with it.
The stitch- The straight stitch on this machine is awesome!
The bobbin- The bobbin holds a lot of thread. I was able to do about 1/4 of the whole quilt, and this was a big quilt with one bobbin. I wasn't doing any fancy quilting, just loops and stars, but it was fun to do on this machine.
Stop in to try it .

Still sewing away!

The snow just started here, I finished 2 bags already this morning, and then I found a new gift. This book, "The New Handmade" arrived at the store about 3 weeks ago. I found an easy project in it, a little zippered pouch. When I say easy, it really was. The book shows you how to create this lined pouch with no hand sewing at all. I made this for my friend Karen. These fruit ladies will make anyone smile. This book contains projects for bags and totes, as well as some home decorative items like pillows, placemats, oven mitts, etc. Look for it next time you are in the store.

Yippee it's a snow day

I love teaching, but there is nothing better than a snow day, especially 6 days before Christmas.
At school I told the kids to wear their pajamas inside out, put a spoon under their pillow and it will snow! As I kid I remember my mom running to the grocery store to stock up for snow storms, do we have enough bread, milk, eggs. Not me, I went to the Quilt shop to make sure I had enough batting, thread, etc. I am trying to make quilted tote bags for some of my friends at school. So far, I have 3 done. about 4 more to go. I have until Tuesday so I think I will make it.
My sewing room looks like a tornado went through it, but I just keep working along. I'll clean it when I am finished with these bags. Then I can start a new project!
I did manage to go into one of my "stash" cupboards to pull out some old fabric friends for these bags. My friend Sherry at school loves angels, so this angel fabric is perfect for her.
Now who will like the sunflowers? I found 5 yards of that one!
Enjoy the day, stay safe in the snow.

New Kaffe Fasset fabrics are here!

Guess what the big brown truck brought us today. Lots of bolts filled with brand new Kaffe Fasset fabrics. The colors are just gorgeous. They will be going fast. Stop in soon to get yours.
Do you still need a gift for a quilting friend? Don't forget, you can get gift cards from The Quilt Shop. Then they can get whatever they want.
Stay safe in the snow tomorrow.

Look what Santa has for you!

10 days to go! Santa will be here before you know it. We have lots of machines in stock just ready for Santa to put under your tree. You wont have to wait, you can open the machine and start sewing!

Stop in soon and get yours!

Do you know what this is?

No, I'm not expecting. :) This is a pattern for something called a Sewing buddy. It is from this great new book called Sugar Sack Quilts. This book contains lots of information and great quilts using feedsacks and feedsack reproduction fabrics. A sewing buddy looks like a little romper outfit, it has a place for pins, scissors, a thimble, etc. It hangs on a wall, or off of a peg near a sewing machine. I used some of our "clothesline club" fabrics. I trimmed it in red bias and sewed it on with my #10 edge stitch foot. Know someone who likes to do handwork? This would be a great gift.

Merry Christmas from The Quilt Shop

My week

This is what I do all day! This week we made gingerbread houses in kindergarten. Yes, there are 40 of them. I never want to see another graham cracker or frosting for a long time. The last ones will be decorated tomorrow and sent home. Now I can reward myself. I am going to quilt this weekend on the 830. Ginny has put the machine in the new cabinet. She quilted a whole quilt this afternoon. The quilt I will quilt this weekend is big, 65 by 78. The bigger throat of the 830 will make it a breeze! Stop in to try it!

cupcake camp

Even the machines got ready for cupcake camp. Here are some pictures from our fun day! We always have fun events at the Quilt Shop. Try to come to the next one!

clothesline club is this weekend

You are probably wondering, what do these ducks have to do with Clothesline Club? Well, come and find out! No, there will be no live ducks. ( Wouldn't Ginny love that one).
Clothesline club is our class based on the Robert Kaufman/Darlene Zimmerman 1930's reproduction fabrics and patterns. Each meeting you are given a newsletter and a pattern fromt his club. This month we have a new fabric collection to show, plus a special price on our fat quarter pack of these fabrics if you come to clothesline club on Saturday.
This month we will be talking about "tinted linens".
If you would like to join us, please call to save your spot. 203-743-0543-
Class is Saturday Dec 13th from 10-12.
$10.
Hope you can join us

multicultural snowmen?

We have just started carrying "Artgirlz" kits and supplies. If you haven't seen these items yet, come and check it out soon. We have kits for these adorable multicultural snowmen made out of wool roving. My favorite are these purses. You can needle punch wool roving into these purses in any design you choose. We have everything you need to created these items.
Try it soon!

We are ready for cupcake camp!

Our cupcake camp is tomorrow, we are ready. Each "camper" will get this large goody bag filled with lots of surprises. We will have fun decorating cupcakes, doing yoga stretches, making pillowcases, pincushions and placemats. Events are always fun here at the Quilt Shop. Don't worry, if you miss it this time, we will have another event soon!

Have a seat

What do you sit on when you sew? A kitchen chair? A dining room chair? I bet your back hurts after you sew for a short time. We have a limited number of these "Sew Comfort" chairs .
They are $149, ( reg. price, $225). All sales final, limited supply available. Stop in soon if you want one, they wont be around long!
They would make a great gift.... if someone who loves you is looking for a gift to give you for the holidays. ( Santa, are you listening?)

so what have you done for you?

I read a book in kindergarten today, and one of the pages said.... It's okay to do something for yourself! I almost ripped the page out of the book. I wanted to take it home and put it up on my sewing room wall! Sometimes we get so busy doing things for other people, we forget about things that we want to do. Once my holiday sewing is done... ( and I can see the end of the pile now), I'm going to do a project that I want to do. Best part is, it might even be on my new 830. How can you reward yourself? Start thinking about it.
Remember, this Saturday is the St. Nicholas financing special from Bernina. If you are thinking about rewarding yourself with a new machine... come one over! This is a one day special.
We have some great new fabrics that came this week too.
And to top it off... all of the remaining Christmas fabrics are buy one yard, get one yard free.
Ho Ho Ho!