I"ve got to be crazy

Report cards need to be done, I may be moving classrooms, there is so much to do, and what do I do, I sign up for the One Block Wonder class that starts this week. I must be crazy, but there is just something about that quilt that is so fascinating to me.

I haven't picked my fabrics yet, but I am thinking about one of the new Jennifer Paganelli fabrics that we just got in.


It's a large stripe, I think this is what I will use.
Any other suggestions out there? I have until Thursday to make up my mind.
There is still room in both the daytime and evening class, so if you would like to try this yourself, call tomorrow and sign up over the phone.
Have a great Monday everyone!

Have you seen this blog?

Bernina has their own blog now... check it out.
Bernina Blog

Look what is new at the Quilt Shop....

Wow! New Fabrics are here!

Look what arrived yesterday at the quilt shop.... These are new fabrics from Free Spirit, designed by Jennifer Paganelli. Ginny already started a quilt with them, Lois has a plan, I just want a yard of each!
But wait, there is more.
Look at these beautiful batik fabrics that arrived this week too.
and yes, there is still more!
These are from a new fabric company called
Art Gallery.
Look how nicely they coordinate with the "Proud" collection

Remember, if you click on the picture, you will get a close up view of the fabrics.
If only we could touch them!
Stop in soon to see them in person and get yours before they are gone.

I finished it!

When I got my 830 I was bound and determined to learn as much as I could about it. Bernina has started offering webinars online. The last webinar I attended showed me how to use different functions on the 830 to make this pillow. I went to the Bernina webiste and downloaded the directions. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the directions had 25 pages. I dove in and started. First I learned how to use the embroidery function to import a decorative stitch and use the endless embroidery feature to make a grid.

Next I learned to use the balance function to create a design.

Then I used the directional sewing feature to make this patch. Did you know the 830 can sew in any direction? Next I used the build in quilting designs to quilt these beautful feathers.
After assembling my pillow I used the dual feed function to attach my binding with this decorative stitch.
My pillow is finished. It did take a little time, but by doing it I learned so much about my machine. Have you checked the Bernina website? Look for some of their wonderful projects.
This one is called Swiss 8 celebration pillow.

Quilt in a day.... well almost

So last week Ginny gave me one of the tumbler kits to make up for the store.
I pulled it out early this morning,
First I set up all of my precut tumbler pieces.... from 1-12.


Then I started sewing them together. Here's the best part, look how the corners are nubbed. They matched up like a dream. Once my rows were done I could easily sew them together. 9 rows later, my quilt top was done. ( well almost) If I just had the border fabrics....

And here is the top, outside on my deck. It was fast, easy and lots of fun.
Best part was, no cutting involed, I could just start sewing. Plus I have a nice tumbler for a glass of lemonade when my quilt top was done!
Stop in soon to see the other tumbler kits we have in stock.

Christmas is coming......

Ok, so the calendar says it is Memorial Day, but these beautiful Christmas fabrics arrived this week at the Quilt Shop. Aren't the colors just wonderful. Ginny is working on a tumbler quilt, ( her new favorite quilt) out of these. No one says you have to start sewing for Christmas yet, but wouldn't it be fun just to get some of these fabrics for your stash...
Hope you are having a great holiday weekend. I cleaned my sewing room. I wont admit how many projects I have lined up. They aren't UFO's, they aren't even started yet.

Tumbler kits are ready.

The tumbler kits are ready and oh so adorable.
They are packaged in tumbler glasses, we have several to choose from. Our newest one is the Christmas one, complete with candy canes!
The kits cost $40.
We also have precut border pieces for sale for each kit.
Aren't they great? Best part is, they are easy to sew together. All of your pieces are precut, you can start sewing immediately.
Stop in soon to get yours.

He's home

I just had to share this.... look what my 19 year old son brought home for his mom.
Aren't I lucky!
Laundromat here I come....

Stock up for the 3 day weekend

Just to remind our blog readers that the Quilt Shop will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the Memorial Day weekend. We just got in some beautiful new Christmas fabrics.... Lois and Ginny were working hard yesterday cutting new kits out of them. Just because summer is coming, doesn't mean you stop sewing. Think of all the little projects you can make now... placemats, table runners, etc, for outdoor meals. Teacher gifts.... ( yes the school year is almost over), tote bags, journal covers, pillows, etc. Wedding gifts, shower gifts, the list goes on and on.
Stop in this week to stock up!

One block wonder.... One quilt from one fabric...

Start with one fabric, goodness knows we have lots of those around the Quilt Shop. Then sign up for Mary Gay's one block wonder class and you can wind up with a beautiful quilt like this.
Are you getting tired of always making quilts with squares, half square triangles and rectangles? If you keep making the same kind of quilt, you wont grow as a quilter. Quilting has many skills involved in it. Some are pretty easy, but some get a little harder. Think about trying something new, try to learn one new quilting skill this summer. This would be a great one to learn. Mary Gay will guide you along, helping you learn as you go. Think how good you will feel when you show your friends , "Look what I made".
One Block Wonder- starts June 4th, 10-12 a.m. or 6:30-8:30 pm.
Want to know more, come visit us at the quilt shop, you can see the quilt in person, we have the book that Mary Gay will use for the class. We'd love to help you grow as a quilter.

yo yo fun!

Our Clothesline Club met today. We had 10 people come to our yo yo party. We started out learning about dishwashing history, playing a "sniff the soap" game to see if they could identify dishwashing liquids. Then we got down to business. One of our members brought a beautiful yo yo quilt that her mom made during her cancer treatments.
Then out came to yo yos and everyone started making their own yo yo toy. We have patterns for yo yo clowns, yo yo animals, yo yo babies, etc.
Donna brought her large collection of yo yos, she is making a yo yo bunny,
Lucretia finished her yo yo bunny body! Now to make the head. All in all it was a great day. Thanks to everyone who came to Clothesline Club today.
Our next meeting is: July 25th---- we will celebrate Christmas in July! Want to come have some fun, sign up soon!

Look what is in my driveway....

Ah yes, isn't home improvement a wonderful thing. Today when I got home from the quilt shop, there was this large digger machine in my driveway. We are having work done on a retaining wall.
As I type this it is getting darker and darker, storm clouds are looming. I have a vision in my head of all of this dirt turning into mud, rolling down the hill towards my house. Maybe I should move my 830 upstairs?

We have a great new kit available soon at the Quilt Shop. Last week, Ginny used our wonderful new Go cutter to cut out a "tumbler" quilt. She pieced it in a day, quilted it and has it all bound and finished. She decided to kit this quilt and look how cute this kit will be. Only Ginny would think about putting a tumbler quilt in a real tumbler complete with a straw.
You will get 90 precut tumbler shapes. If you would like one of these kits, please call the store and we will save one for you when they are ready. We are also going to do this quilt in different fabrics, .... watch the blog for updates!
Cross your fingers that my digger machine doesn't go tumbling down the hill!

Look what came today.

Look what arrived today.....OESD, Best of quilting machine embroidery collection! It is filled with beautiful designs for quilting, as well as a tutorial that will show you how to do trapunto.
I am picking mine up tomorrow! My 830 and I will have a great time! Stop in soon to see it in person.

Quilting with the stars....

QUILT WITH
THE STARS !

Enter the Quilting With
The Stars Sweepstakes!

You can WIN an all new Bernina 820 and a Quilting Party with Alex Anderson for 10 of your friends, if you're the Grand Prize winner in BERNINA's Quilting with the Stars Sweepstakes.

Second Prize: 3 Winners from each store will win a copy of Machine Quilting personally autographed by author Alex Anderson.

Be sure to visit your participating BERNINA Dealer between June 1 and June 15 for your chance to win.

Yo yo day on Saturday

This Saturday May 16th is our Clothesline Club meeting. The members have asked if we could have a yo yo class. Everytime we get a new Clothesline Club fabric collection, the clothesline club members get a pack of 6 inch squares. They have all been busy making yo yos out of their squares. On Saturday we will have lots of fun making yo yo animals, clowns, etc. If you have a collection of yo yos and don't have a clue what to do with them, come join us on Saturday. Bring a hand sewing needle, your yo yos and some thread. Call first to sign up, 203-743-0543.
Clothesline Club- Sat. May 16... 10-12. $10

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to everyone! I'm going to my sewing room, I will look through old books, touch old fabrics, straighten up a little bit. Then I will sit down at my machine and machine quilt the borders on my quilt. Someone will make dinner, someone will clean up, ....
ok, so maybe it is a dream, but hey I can try.
Try to find a few minutes to sew today. Better yet, come on over to the quilt shop. Ginny is there and would love to sign you up for one of our new classes, show you a machine, or just let you wander around and look at the fabrics.
Have a wonderful Mother's day!

I'm in love again

Ok, I know, I have too many machines. I could start my own support group, My name is Roni and I am a Berninaholic.
Today I sewed on the brand new 820. It is wonderful.
If embroidery isn't your thing, but you want a machine with more space for machine quilting, built in dual feed and lots of other wonderful features, come and try this 820.
I was quilting on it today. The quilt I was working on was quite large, I was able to get the whole quilt in the machine without having to stop and turn the quilt around like I would have to do on my standard machine. I started off using the walking foot, then I switched to the dual feed. It quilted like a dream. Then I tried the BSR for some free motion work. Again, it was great.
Here is what I love....You can program the machine to start with a securing stitch, stitch your seam,and then push the thread cutter button. It will take 4 securing stitches to end your seam and then cut your threads, then it lifts the presser foot up automatically so you can quickly move your quilt to the next spot. I was able to do all of my stitching in the ditch on my quilt quickly and easily. I didn't have to keep starting and stopping to move the quilt, fluff the quilt etc.
Stop in soon to check it out!
Have a wonderful Mother's Day to all of our special friends.

Go Cutter tote

Have you tried the Accuquilt Go Cutter yet? It is wonderful. It makes your cutting so much faster and easier. Best part is, we just got the Go Tote for the cutter. You can store it in this bag, or use it to take to class or to share with a friend.
Stop in soon and try it!
We have all of the accessories too!

are these two cute or what?

Here are some new pictures of Ginny's grandchildren...
Mikey and Grace.

The 820 is here!

The new Bernina 820 has arrived. Give us a day to get it out of the box and set up, but then come over to see it. The 830 is set up for embroidery, but the 820 will be in a cabinet for sewing/quilting. We are all anxious to try quilting with it, sewing on it and enjoying all of that wonderful space.
Don't worry, we will share it with you!

The showstopper

This is the disappearing Nine Patch quilt. Isn't it just beautiful? This is a class at the Quilt Shop.
Saturday May 16 2-4 or Tuesday June 16 10-12.
Ginny says it is EASY! That's great for a quick gift for a wedding, a graduate, a special teacher, etc.
Call us today to sign up!

Mothers Day is coming

Next Sunday is Mother's Day. How many of you would love a new Bernina for Mother's Day?
Well, this might be your chance. Bernina has a special promotion going on....
5 days only, May 7-11.... click on the picture to learn more.

Nice work Amy

Congratulations Amy

Our own Amy Trompetter has won not one but 2 ribbons at the Somers Quilt Show. As soon as I have the pictures I will post them here on the blog! Congratulations Amy, we are all so proud of you!
Remember, the show is going on again tomorrow from 10-4. The Quilt Shop is open from 12-4 tomorrow too.
I started a new quilt today! Eleanor Burns has a new book, Day and Night. I'm doing it in blue and yellow!
We have the book on order.... if you would like one just call us and we will hold one for you.
Have a great rest of the weekend.

Cinderella

Lois and Ginny are off to the ball, ( well ok, it's a quilt show). I'm home cleaning the chimney. Well no, I'm home at the store piecing a new quilt.
If you have never been to the Somers Quilt Show, jump in the car and go. It is the best show!
Then stop at the Quilt Shop on the way home...
Upcoming classes for May...
Magic Stack and Whack starts Thursday May 14th- there is still room in both classes
Clothesline Club- Saturday May 16th- we will be making yo yo projects
Disappearing Nine Patch- Saturday May 16th- 2-4 ( the sample for that class is at the quilt show)
Placemat Purse- Sunday May 17th 12-2
Alphabet Quilt- Wed May 20 and 27th- 10-2
Machine Quilting- walking foot class- Wed May 13 6:30-8:30
and
Rail Fence Beginners Quilt- Tuesday May 19th

Come visit me this weekend and sign up for a class.