Pieces of Work

Happy Thanksgiving!

Time has flown by since I last posted. During that time at QT, we hosted the Wild West Shop Hop, completed another fun QT retreat hosted by Doris, completed the shop hop line-up for an excellent May bus hop to Chicago, launched another Quilt Basics class taught by Julie, planned classes for January and February, completed at least 10 new samples, and received over 200 new bolts of fabric. We just never sit still here, even though it's been pretty quiet on my blog. On a busy personal note, I have hosted several "family night" meals for my gang, attended "The Foreigner" at UWEC 3 times (son Evan played Charlie), attended a Choral Concert also at UWEC, went on a quilt retreat with 10 crazy girlfriends where I completed 5 shop samples, I received great news that 2 more of my sisters in law and families will be moving close to the rest of us, and I've tended to a couple of details for my son Tom's January 2nd wedding.

Recently, we had a few homeowner issues to deal with. Have you ever noticed that these issues come in bunches? The tile on our main bathroom (circa 1970) was no longer attached to the floor, we replaced that. Of course, the toilet, sink, vanity and faucets could not be left. As long as we were at it, the old 1970's hollow core door had to go. In the mean time, my new oven no longer worked, and it took 2 visits from the repair man and 30 days to get it fixed. Did you know how much can be cooked or baked in a weber grill when you don't have an oven? Then one of my car windows decided it just couldn't stay up. I could manually push it up to wear it belonged, but as I drove, it would slither down about half way and stay there. My husband's suggestion to fix it would have worked, but I'm not all that crazy for the look of duct tape on a window. I took my car in to fix the window, and...you guessed it...there was a head gasket problem. Now, I know I could drive the car with the window duct taped, but I was pretty sure that the head gasket thingy would be serious (and expensive) if I ignored it. On the bright side, I received impeccable service at Wally McCarthy's place in Coon Rapids. I was prepared to complain about any little thing, but alas, they gave me no chance. My guy Eric Underwood saw to every detail to my complete satisfaction.  Next issue, the electric circuits in our porch and deck went out. Now, actually they have been mysteriously going on and off for 18 months since we remodeled our kitchen.  So, a great friend came over last night to help shim one of our new doors and look at the electrical problem. Still no answers, that is, until we discovered that an old outlet that was hidden by a new cabinet feature had not been completely rewired. It was just kind of hanging there in the cupboard, and every time we used the shelf and bumped the wires, the mysterious outages occured. At least the mystery was solved, which was helpful when we discovered a pin hole leak in a water line below our updated bathroom. Bedtime happened around 1am, and my husband wants to move into an apartment.

How about some fun news?? The very generous Wild West Shop Hoppers donated 274 pounds of food! We crushed last year's donations of 197 pounds. A HUGE thank you to all who hopped and to all who donated food. The folks at Cross Food Shelf in Rogers were getting ready for Thanksgiving, so our donations were well timed.

Congratulations to Wild West Shop Hop Winners: Mary May, Traci Chilton, Susan Foer, Denise Flanagan, and Lorette Schmaltz who each won $300 in gift certificates from all shops, and to Julie Brown who won the Quilted Treasures Trail Tote with goodies. Have fun with your prizes, ladies!

How about a couple of pics: Stitcks and Stones, my favorite new sample using a Honeybun; Beach Balls, a very traditional look using a modern method; Lazy Day Throw, designed by Kristina and me to be a fast project showing off the Rouenneries fabric line; and finally Quilter's Academy an excellent new text/reference book by Harriet Hargrave that is perfect for beginners.

        

      

A very sincere and warm wish for a Happy Thanksgiving to all QT supporters. I hope you are blessed with a day filled with loved ones, cheer and delicious food!

Sew on,

Mary
 
 
 
 

Checking in

Time has flown by! I have been away for a few days on an ultimate Quilt Quest with my friend Joni, for the purposes of researching a future event. It was a fantastic combo of work and pleasure. I will share more with you as the plan unfolds.

I do have a couple of pics to share with you about an upcoming applique class. If I told you that applique can be exciting, would you believe me? Well, in February, Connie Chapman will be teaching an applique class for us from the book Simple Blessings by Kim Diehl. Connie uses a method called "double freezer paper" and I love the outcome. Her applique shapes are raised and dimensional, rather than flat and overpressed, I can't believe I am saying this, but I think I want to learn!

       

One more quick pic for you. Last week a few new quilters proudly finished their first quilt, "Snap Shots". Congratulations to Stacy, Courtney, Alyssa and Jeanie-nice job girls!

 

This week brings lots of planning for Quilted Treasures classes and events for 2010. It is our goal to offer plenty of inspiration for your quilting creativity  next year.

See you soon, until then-Sew on!

Mary

Wild West Shop Hop-YeeHaw!

The Wild West Shop Hop is just around the corner. (November 12-14) With just 5 shops, it is entirely possible to play hookey from work and accomplish our hop in one day! Hoppers will collect patterns from each shop to make a fun "Trail Tote" designed by Terry Atkinson. You can also purchase strip packets at each shop, and be ready to make your tote right away. I had fun making our sample-take a look at my progress.

   

Above you find the first strip set you can make from the collected strip packs. You will use this strip set to make raw edged circles add texture. Hint: you will need a can of tuna for this method...

Next, you use up your collected stips making the fancy bag lining.

    

 For the handles, I used a favorite new notion called "Create a Strap" eliminating a little work...I'm all for that. Since we sell Pfaff floor models at QT, I got to play with the new Quilt Expression which has a fun wavy line quilting stitch. Just sat there and let the machine do the work. Cool.Take a look at my finished project, grand prize goodies included.

   

 Other things you should really know about the hop: visit the Wild West Shop Hop website for a review of all details, and to print your Posse Pass which included directions; we are hosting a FOOD DRIVE, so be sure to bring a food shelf item to each shop to double your chance to win a door prize; don't want to drive? hop on the Bus Friday at QT ($30-includes lunch!); Gift Certificate grand prizes-five lucky winners will win a $50 gift certificate from each shop. At QT we will have new quilts from Terry Atkinson, GE Designs, Anka's Treasures and Brandywine Designs to show off to you, and a great new BINDING TOOL DEMO that you won't want to miss

Big Bonus: All shops are giving away our completed and goodie packed Trail Totes as one of our grand prizes.  My filled tote includes 2 Terry Atkinson books, her two newest patterns: Happy Holiday Topper and Fire Escape, a fat quarter bundle, fusible batting and a Hoffman BALI POP! Woo hoo!

One more pic to share: Ginny Ott in our Saturday Sampler group brought a fabulous show and tell to share. She did a fantastic job on her Sequoia Stars quilt from her class with Doris Hareland. Way to go Ginny, we love that you shared your beautiful work with us.

 

Don't forget to mark your calendars November 12-14 for the Wild West Shop Hop. Slap on your spurs, call your friends and hit the Wild West Trail.

Until then, Sew On!

Mary

new arrivals for the traditional quilter, and the WINNER is...

If you have been following Kristina's blog posts, you may think that when we were at market, we only looked at modern fabrics. Not so, my traditional quilting friends. In fact, this week we received two stunning lines with plenty of traditonal appeal. First, a great closeup of "Blessings" by Moda. This line offers an excellent focal print and plenty of beautiful blenders.

While at market, we saw many neutral/taupe fabric groupings. It amazes me that fabrics with so little color can have such great impact and elegant style when used in a monochromatic fashion.  A couple of years ago, I made a "Sunshine and Shadow" little quilt using the taupes, and it is one of my favorite small quilts.

Enjoy a closeup of some of these beautiful designs.

 

(Remember our website specializes in kits, but we do not sell yardage online.) If you want cut yardage of the Evening Mist taupes, please call Quilted Treasures-763-428-1952, and we would love to take your order.  

Giveaway time. The winner is ...Gloria! I like the idea of keeping a list of books and patterns you have an interest in. When I go to the bookstore, I can never remember which great book I heard about the week before. (Same thing happens when I am looking for just the right bottle of wine.) So Gloria, please send me your address, and I would love to send some Kiwi your way. Thanks to all for your fun comments.

Have a great weekend, and Sew on!

Mary
 
 

 
 

Quilt Market Tidbits and GIVEAWAY

Well, fall market is over, my suitcase is put away for a while, and now I get to settle into planning new project, events and classes for the new year. I am not so good about taking pictures at market, and limited wifi availability made it tough to blog. So, I would like to share items that made it on my "yes" list. You will soon be able to find these excellent items at QT.

Best tool: The Binding Tool by Quilter's Mercantile. This tool takes the guesswork out of joining your binding ends. If you are a pro already at this, the tool will save time. If you are a beginner, this tool will shorten the learning curve and guarantee success. We will have them available at QT very soon. Way to go clever Susan Brown!

Also cool tool: A little thread picker-outer by Clover. This tool is like a very fine crochet hook that allows you to remove threads that were captured between your quilt top and the batting. Smart!

Worthy books: The Apron Book, Color Scheme Bible, Friendship Triangles, and Learn to Quilt With Confidence. Can't wait!

Pattern finds: Great new patterns by Teacher's Pet, fun bag patterns with a lot of Purse-an-ality (see below), Pink Fig kids clothing patterns, prairie point cuties by Prairie Patch Designs, and more excellent reproduction patterns by Lori Smith.

Trends: Motif: mushroom; Colors: citron, gray; Overall trend: modern, but I also saw a lot of beautiful neutral/cream/taupe palette quilts.

Stellar Fabric lines: "Lakeside Resort" and "Martinique"-classic, beautiful and so richly Moda; "Urban Angel" by Studio e for the tweens; "Meadowsweet" by Sandi Henderson is fantastic, and exceeds her first line, Farmer's Market; Island Batik (I may have ordered too many, but how can one have too many batiks?) and finally, "All Stars" by Riley Blake-the best boy grouping in a long time!

GIVEAWAY: Take a look at the fun purse patterns we will be auditioning. Please vote on your favorite bag (bag one or bag two). Also tell me what you think quilters should always carry in their purse. I will select a winner on Friday, and the winner will receive 4 "Kiwi"  fat quarters, perfect for making a new purse!

  
 
 Finally, a look at this beautiful new fabric line called "Blessings" that came in while I was at market. 

 

After attending market with Kristina, I am indeed counting my blessings. We spent many hours together planning, learning, discussing  and brainstorming for the shop. Even better though, was the laughter and love we shared while doing something that brings us both joy. Such a blessing!

Until Friday-Sew on!

Mary

Quilt Market Here We Come!

October is a fun month. I just returned from a fabulous trip to Naples, Florida. My hubby and I celebrated our 33rd anniversary on a warm, sunny, and relaxing beach. Great morning walks and fabulous dinners out and beautiful sunsets completed our great get-away. Now it is off to Quilt Market in Houston. Market is exhilerating and inspiring, and it is a working trip that I take seriously. Since I haven't blogged for a while, and I only had 2 days between outings, I thought I would share a couple of Florida pics with you. I promise to give you glimpses of what is going on at market, later in the week.

Have you ever seen a real flamingo? I have been to Florida several times, and these are the first I have seen. We also spotted several aligators (small and not hungry), turtles, and pelicans.

   

Next, you will see how each day at the beach ended. I finally understand why my current favorite color is orange!

      

Fianlly, Ed and I thought we would really get TOTALLY CRAZY and sit in a different booth, and wear different clothes than we did the last 3 years we took this same picture at Yabba Island Grill on 5th Avenue. Life is good.(even if it is a little predictable)

   

Have a great week, and stay tuned to MARY AND KRISTINA'S EXCELLENT MARKET ADVENTURE!

Sew on,

Mary
 
 
 
 
 

Quilt Kits Galore!

WOW, we have put together lots of great samples and kits this month. The list goes like this:

"Chexx Mixx" and "Take 5"  are two excellent quilts for a deserving guy.

         

Now for equal time for the gals...we have Wild Thing featuring "Eva" by Moda, and Country Lanes, a soft and romantic chain style lap quilt. 

         

For those who need a  little fun in their lives we have Funky Flowers Bouncing Borders and Fire Escape. Fire Escape is a clever new Atkinson Designs quilt that uses just 5 fabrics and an accent.

        

Speaking of Bouncing Borders, how about this larger version with Santa making snow angels? Check out another seasonal treat,  this Tutti Frutti table topper made with Gobble Gobble by Sandy Gervais.

          

Like I said, we have been busy! Stay tuned for a couple new classic traditional quilts featuring the Moda Alliance line; (Have a sneak peak at the block below)  stay tuned for new samples using Moda Honey Buns; stay tuned for a great scrappy quilt called UFO Completed...well, just stay tuned, because we always have our machines running!

                        

Finally, let me share some beautiful pictures my great friend Bev took at her Booya party...It all started with a girlfriend trip to the farmer's market...and ended with beautiful weather, yummy food and wonderful friends. All I can say is...

    

YUM!

Sew on,

Mary 

 

Booyah!

 "...a simple meat stew that is cooked overnight, typically in huge batches for public festivals..."

My husband and I are invited to a tramp stew boil/booyah/frogmore stew event this weekend. What a great idea. Beautiful fall gardens, great friends, great food-I can hardly wait! With that on my mind, I want to share a little quilt stew/booyah with you, in a manner of speaking. I have a hodge-podge boil of new stuff to show you. September is a great time to be on the lookout for new fabrics. In fact, Quilted Treasures has FIVE Moda lines coming in this month! And, some of our favorite designers are sharing their new patterns as the prepare for Quilt Market in October. Take a look!

      

This is our Strip and Stitch Bus Hop sample. Our hoppers get this "Strippers on Wheels" pattern by GE Designs free when they hop with us. Call 763-428-1952 if you would like to hop-Sept. 25-27-we're going to have a blast!

The next stew ingredient is a sample Kristina made with a new Moda line called "Eva". This darling quilt uses a charm pack, a little background/border and a touch of rickrack for accent. So sweet!

                                 

If you love neutrals, our Lesson's from Mama block of the month class will be your cup of stew (sorry). Julie is teaching this "tip and technique" style class. $20.00 class fee include fabric for the quilt blocks-great bargain! See a few examples of the blocks Julie will teach.

              

Another ingredient in our stew is yummy new fabric by Tula Pink called Hushabye. Soft and sophisticated, sable brown is paired with pink and turquoise. I like that this can be used for baby...or not! Check out the second picture, can you see the owl?

         

A very hot new pattern (my prediction) is from Terry Atkinson-"Fire Escape". This clever vertical quilt uses just 5 - (one yard) fabrics and and accent. I am showing you a close-up of the quilt we made in hot tropical colors. This will add a little spice to our soup!

                        

Finally, there is dessert. This yummy sample of Tutti Frutti was made by a great friend that will be at the Boil gala with us. Terri decided to make this quilt square so she can use it as a festive Thanksgiving table topper. (Our kits include enough Gobble fabric for a lap size quilt.) Nice work Terri! Order your Tutti Frutti kit today and be ready to gobble a little pumpkin pie.  

                                  

Sew on!

Mary

Why do we make quilts?

There are so many great reasons to make quilts. These days of course, I make quilts because I need a new sample for the shop. But previously I made quilts for a variety of reasons: to enjoy creativity, make a challenging block, create my own designs, experiment with color, try a new technique, make a quick gift, escape from reality, and sometimes just touch fabric.

Right now, I am making a sample table runner using charm squares from a new fabric line called Simple Abundance. I can't tell you exactly why I like this line of fabric, except that it has a comfy look and feel to it. It reminds me of the peasant tops that we used to wear back in the 70's. I can picture it with enbroidered bell bottom jeans and a wide belt...oh wait, that's in style now! The table runner is from Anka's Treasures Little Charmers II pattern.

                          

Another great reason to make quilts: The Patriot Dames quilting group meets regularly at Quilted Treasures to make Quilts of Valor. Led by Kathy Yano, these gals make beautiful quilts that will be treasured by wounded soldiers and veterans. Kathy combs through the fabric their group donates, organizes the projects, and keeps the quilters busy piecing and pressing. Other members in the group include Becky, Jan, Linda, Sandy, Rose, Caryn and Teddy (Teddy does beautiful long-arm quilting for the group! 763-229-0973) I know that I have missed some names, but I would like to show you a quilt they finished yesterday. These women are all accomplished quilters who share their talents and time to give back to the brave soldiers who serve us all. Pretty darn good reason to make quilts!

                                

                                

Looks great, Patriot Dames!

Well, as you can see in my first picture, my table runner is not quite done, so I better get sewing. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Bus Hop reminder: The Strip and Stitch fabulous bus hop takes place September 25-27. You can have a whole lot of fun for just $229. Details are available at QT 763-428-1952. Sign up bonuses include a $10.00 Quilted Treasures gift certificate, and a chance to win this great  Gobble Gobble bundle! Watch this blog soon for a picture of our fantastic free pattern for hoppers, "Strippers on Wheels" made with Hoffman Bali Pops...so much fun ahead-call today!

                                         

Sew on!

Mary

Join the Strip and Stitch Bus Hop!

Many years ago a very good friend and I went on yearly self-planned shop hops that we called "Quilt Quest". Little did I know that the ideas from our quilt quests would later become Quilted Treasures events! We each had our roles. Joni drove the car (usually a hot Impala), she prepared our road food, packed the cooler, rented audio tapes, selected music, researched shop destinations, and brought her camera. I planned the itinerary and navigated. (Hmmm it seems like I had a pretty good deal!) Our trips usually involved 3 days and 2 nights of travel, and we alternated between Wisconsin and Iowa. My itinerary was blocked into 5 minute intervals, and we sometimes visited as many as 25 shops! We would spend a least 1/2 hour in each shop, unless we were in the middle of planning a quilt, then we would stay as long as we wanted. Joni's road lunches were not mere peanut butter sandwiches. No, we had Chicken with Pesto something something sandwiches, we had Waldorf Roast Beef sandwiches, we had the best potato chips ever, and of course pickles. We always felt it took way too much time to find a place to eat, and we didn't want to miss the next beautiful bolt of fabric we might encounter.

We had a few rules/traditions too: Our first song was always, "Get Over It" by the Eagles; we had to talk and share ideas on what we hoped to find; if we petted a fabric more than 3 times we had to buy it (because we would whine about it later as the fabric that got away); evening show and tell must be kicked off with a glass of white wine.  It was always a highlight in the evenings to spread out all of our purchases, pet them some more, sort them into colors or projects, and take turns showing each other our dreamed of projects. Every year, Joni took pictures of us on our travels. She made fantastic memory books filled with photos, maps, quotations and trivia. Every page brings a memory and a smile.

      

This is a picture of Joni and I visiting Stitcher's Crossing in Madison, Wisconsin.

 

This is a picture of Joni's stash after QQVII. 24 fun shops through Milwaukee and back. As you can see, she did a little stash building, a little seasonal shopping, and just plain had fun.

Inevitably, some time during our hop, we would be reduced to hysterical giggles over some silly thing. Such a theraputic joy! There were many, "you had to be there" moments, such as when we got lost between Amana and Kalona, when we went to a shop we thought was totally new to us and discovered days later that we had been there two years prior...(Wapuca WI), or the time it took us all the way home to remember the word that starts with A that means you can't fall asleep? ( we were on the wrong track-insomnia starts with an 'I')

Why the long story about Quilt Quest?? Because I want you to know how much fun you can have on our Strip and Stitch Bus Hop! We do all of the planning-no cooking, maps or getting the cooler packed for you! September 25-27, we will go on a 3 day, 2 night, 5 state, 12 shop hop for $229.00. You will get a goodie bag, fabric strips, an exclusive GE Designs pattern, food, lodging and bus ride. All you need to do is find your own "Joni" to enjoy the trip with! Give us a call at 763-428-1952 and we can sign you up for a memorable weekend of quilting fun. Check out the link above for more details.

Now I will leave you with a few quotes from our Quilt Quest VII Travel Log:

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. FDR

Now and then it is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.-anonymous

A friend is a person who knows what you are saying even if you're not talking. - Sarah Bennett

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. - Mae West

and my favorite

See it, like it, buy it! - Joni and Mary

Give us a call, and take your own Quilt Quest with QT!

Mary