Having fun with friends... a weekend retreat.

Having a wonderful time with a few of the Fabric Town ladies and some of our good friends. This is our Winter get-away retreat. We started Friday morning and wind down Sunday around 5:00. Just long enough to relax and get some quilting done.

I'm working on my "Comfort & Joy" block-of-the-month. Here are a few photo's of block #1 and #2. I still have to blanket stitch around the house. And then to sew all the parts together.


It's like doing a puzzle, and as I had hoped "stress free". I'm working on getting all the piecing done so I can concentrate on all the applique blocks. Doing the blanket stitch by hand so it takes a little longer then using my machine.

We will be putting the kits together so they will be available soon. I know you'll have as much fun as I am, working on this. I especially like the idea that I'm already getting ahead of the Holiday Season.

Hope everyone is keeping warm. Yesterday it was unbelievable just trying to get here. The highway was a mess - cars and trucks in the ditch. It was snowing pretty heavily but the wind was so strong it made it a white-out situation. All our retreaters made it safely, the last one rolled in around 6:30.

Today the sun is out and it's a cold crisp one. Glad I'm inside sewing.

Be Good....
Patti

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

May 2011 bring you Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Looking forward to seeing you all in the year to come.
Let's create some fun together.

Patti

As we move into the new year...

Christmas has come and gone, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and got to your destinations without too much trouble from the weather.

Jeff, Quahog and I spent a nice quiet Christmas eve. We visited my Mother, she is now in a nursing home after having a stroke, so we opened gifts with her and visited for awhile. Then headed back home to kick back and watch TV. To some that may sound boring but for me, not to have anyplace I had to be or anything I had to do, was wonderful.

2011 is only a few days away. I know I say it every year but, where does the time go??? I suppose if I really look back on all that we've accomplished in 2010, I would see that we used the time wisely.

The events like Twin Cities Shop Hop in May, Minnesota Quilters in June and then Quilt Minnesota in August. Always fun - they bring us all together to share in our craft.

A personal favorite of mine is our "Quilt Sewcial". Each time they've grown in attendance and in September, we actually had to add a 2nd one to accomodate everybody. Nothing better than a room full of ladies/gentlemen - laughing, sewing and making new friends. Oh, lets not forget the eating part... good food to go along with good friends. Our next "Sewcial" is in February and we are already making plans and our special gifts. If you've never attended one, we'd love to have you come. If you have a special quilting buddy - sign up together and come spend the day with a great bunch of quilters.

2011 is going to be a fun year. We've been working on different things to offer all of you that we feel would be fun and educational. Several Designers are coming, Celine Perkins from Perkins Dry Goods will kick off the new year on January 16th with a class. In April Shelly from Pieced Tree Patterns and Marilyn from Quilt Moments will be in the shop during the Twin Cities Shop Hop. Terry Atkinson from Atkinson Designs will be coming to test her latest pattern. Watch for sign-up information and dates on our website. That's just a few of the things we have in the works. As always, the ladies at the shop have found a few fun classes to offer as well.

As for the shop - new displays are constantly going up. Fresh new samples are being hung. As I write this, 5 more quilts are at the quilter being finished. My plans for changing up the back of the shop and re-doing our classroom area have been temporarily put on hold. What I would like to do is going to take more work than I thought and right now it will not fit into our schedule. Hopefully before Summer we can get a jump on it.

I think that about wraps up what my "shop" thoughts are for 2011. As for my personal ones, I hope you all have a happy - healthy new year. May this economy finally turn around so everyone can once again find employment and return to their normal lives.

As always, thank you all for your continued support of the shop and especially for your friendship.

Happy New Year,
Patti

Comfort & Joy BOM 2011

Are you ready to get a jump on the 2011 Holiday Season???

Here's your chance. We are thrilled to introduce "Comfort & Joy" as our first ever, Christmas
Block-of-the-Month. February 15th we will have our first blocks ready to pick up. It's only 8 months in length so you'll have plenty of time to get it finished for next years Holiday Season.

I'm really excited about this. Most of you know that I'm not the fantastic quilter like my staff. I seldom really sew. This BOM caught my attention immediately - it's perfect for all skill levels and would be fun to make without alot of stress. A stress free project is probably high on alot of our lists.

If you're a person that hates the "A" word (applique) this is easy and fun. Fusible applique is quick and depending on how much work you want to do, it can be done several different ways. I am hoping to blanket stitch my appliques by hand. It's relaxing and can be done watching TV or just sitting at Caribou having a latte. Becky has a class on Machine Applique that is very informative. She will show you several techniques that will totally change your opinion of the "A" word.

I have been studying the pattern and thinking of different ways that I can embellish my blocks...... Lots of ideas going through my head. Can you tell I'm really pumped about this.

Get a jump on 2011... join us as we make "Comfort & Joy".
Stop in or call the shop and reserve you kit today.

Celine Perkins is coming to Fabric Town.

Many of you already know Celine Perkins through her fantastic pattern line "Perkins Dry Goods".

Over the years,Fabric Town has made up numerous samples and kits using her patterns and we know how much you have enjoyed them. Celine writes for all levels of quilter. Her patterns are easy to follow, the instructions are clear and the yardages are accurate.

We have asked Celine to come teach one of her newest patterns "Pieces in Time" on Sunday, January 16th, 2011 from Noon to 5:00. The fee is $30.00 and that includes beverages and a snack break. If you sign up and bring a friend, you'll each receive $5.00 coupon good at Fabric Town.

The quilt is due in the shop soon, it is just coming back from Quilt Market where she introduced it to the public.

Space is limited so please stop in or call to sign up as soon as possible. What better way to spend a cold winter afternoon.

Patti

Fabric Town's newest member

Meet "Quahog 3". He is the newest member to the Fabric Town staff.

Over the years I have had 2 other Quahog's. Both were a delight and a very important part of my life. When Jeff and I lost our last Qua, we thought it was time to take a break.... at least Jeff did.

We tried a few other avenues to replace the emptiness , Lily Jane our cat was beautiful but it turned out that she was jealous of Jeff and I - in other words, she was his cat and pee'd on me every chance she got. When I finally had enough of that...it was time to start looking for a Boston Terrier Puppy.

Jeff was not excited when he saw me looking on line at breeders in MN. He was still saying that we did not need a puppy. That lasted about 15 minutes. Once he saw this face on the breeders website, it was pretty much a done deal. I called the breeder to discuss the puppies she had. I wanted to make sure she was reputable. A puppy mill dog is not what we wanted. She was wonderful. She asked us as many questions as we asked her. When I asked her where she lived she told me but it meant nothing to me - up north by Fergus Falls. At this point I handed Jeff the phone to talk to her. Before I knew it, he had arranged the meeting for Oct. 9th at 9:30 AM in Sauk Center. She was meeting another lady there to deliver one of her other puppies and we could just go there instead of way up north. OK, Mr. "No Puppy" had just caved in.

Saturday morning I pulled into the parking lot of the McDonalds in Sauk Center and there he and his brother were. I had the choice between the two. His brother had perfect markings ( for one thing,the nose was totally black) but not the personality. He was more laid back. When I held Qua, he was a kisser and all excited - that was the one for us.

This little guy has some pretty big shoes to fill, he's replacing two of the most wonderful companions you could imagine. He is loving and has a wonderful personality, I have no doubt he will fill those shoes in no time at all.

Once he gets kennel trained, I hope to be bringing him to the shop. Please stop in and say hi, he loves to meet people.

Sew on...
Patti

Not your Grandmothers Christmas Decorations

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to go to Lakeland Floral and see all the decorations for the holidays. I am always amazed at how they can take a collection that is so different and incorporate it into the most appealing trees and arrangements.

Who would think of using mesh ribbon, ornaments larger than your head, berries in all shades and colors that you would never associate with Christmas. They do it and they do it well.

This Gold tree was flocked with thick white flocking and done with Gold poinsettias, sprigs of gold and silver berries and gold and crystal mesh ribbon. They wove the ribbons gently through the branches, it gave the tree the most elegant feel.

Peacock feathers, purple and teal berries and lots of metallic ribbons made up this whimsical tree. This was definitely not your Grandmothers Christmas tree. I could see it for a change but the next one is my favorite.

Take a flocked tree, add crystals, snowflakes, silver beads and soft blue balls.... you have a tree that gives you the Crisp-Winter day feel. Like when you wake up in the morning after a snowfall and the trees are all totally white. If you saw the movie "Chronicles of Narnia" you know what I mean.

For more traditional decorations, this tree was done in Red glitter. The poinsettias, berries and sprigs were all glittered. It was very appealing.

Now that we are into fall, it's time to start thinking about Christmas and decorating.
What will your tree be like this year? Peacock Feathers???

What ever it is, as long as it gives you that warm holiday feeling....

Patti