October 1, 2008

It is almost time for our Birthday party and the big reveal of the 3rd quilt in our 25 series.    "Chain of Friendships" is my favorite of them all.  I think you will feel the same way about it when you see it.  Vickie is the designer, she has sewn it, quilted it and wrote our pattern.  She has done us all proud!!!  It seemed like this day was so far away when the year began and here we are only 2 days away.  There are limited numbers on this kit, we have made 48 and many have been reserved so if you like it call us right away.  Remember you can win some great prizes, we have some great deals on fabric, quilt kits, and frames  and we will have another model sale in the garage on Saturday too.

I promised to add a few new pictures of Halloween and Fall gear last week but just have not gotten to it yet but think you might enjoy seeing a few of the neat new stuff I mentioned.  There are many great candles this year, Trick or Treat Blocks to tuck on shelves, wreaths, Jack-o-lanterns, pumpkins, quilts to make, wool projects,, punch needle that you will really enjoy and several new cross stitch patterns to add some spice to you fall decor.  We think this little cross stitch called Tricks & Treats is pretty fun it is a With Thy Needle pattern and sells for $9.00.  We also just got a new La D Da  in called "Something wicked"  It is a great old witches shoe, she also has another new one we will want to get done up called "All Our Troubles".  These patterns are $8.00 and will be in the shopping cart this week.  Still waiting on a few other new offerings so check back for more new goodies.  We love this next quilt kit, it is fast and so easy a beginner would be able to put it together, it turned out to be a crowd favorite at the Quilt Expo.  It is not too big but big enough 52" x 66" the kit includes the binding for only $48.00.  If you need a holiday gift idea that you can  finish this could be just a perfect solution.  The colors are classic olive, red, brown, black, tan and gray. It is a good thing.  The pattern is $8.00.

 Boughs of Pomegranates is one of our favorite new quilts it uses several Japanese prints and  has a great deal of wool appliqué' handwork.  It's pretty stunning, I hope you love it.  Suzanne finished "Abigail's Gowns" and "Hookers Hat-patch".  What  sweet Carol Hopkins patterns these are.  We used the Marcus Vicksburg fabrics for Abigail and a great shop mix was used on Hookers.  The kit for Abigail's Gowns retails for $35.00 and The kit for Hookers Hat-patch sells for $48.50. The patterns are $8.00.  These two are going to be hotties.   The last one I will put up is our Heritage quilt for a cause.  It is queen size quilt and comes to you kitted in a beautiful little tin for $150.00.  Our supply is limited and Moda  has sold them out so if you are interested you will want to call us immediately because we have taken them all into the Quilt Expo.   The colors and prints are so soft and yummy we just absolutely love how this reproduction has turned out.  We have the fabric line in and will be doing two more beautiful quilts you will love too.  Watch this page and if you have not signed up for our weekly email you may want to.  

I just finished putting information on our events page for an extraordinary Bus Tour opportunity we will be offering in November 2008.  More Boxwood and Berries Gathering information is up we will need to hear from you by September 15th if you are interested in this event.  Please take a moment to check out the details.

We finally have the Lori Smith #9 you frame it kits finished. Binding is included for $32.95.  The pattern is $9.00.  This is going to be a wonderful set of small quilts to tuck about and use for the holidays.  Greenery and berries are just what it's calling for and you can have them framed and finished in time to impress your guests.

"Dutch Treat" is a new quilt we have just gotten back from the quilter.  The pattern is an Open Gate pattern designed by Monique Dillard and it uses a great Fit to be Square ruler that has also been designed by Monique.  We love this quilt!  We used Windham's Williamsburg fabric line, the kit is $132.00, pattern $8.00, and the ruler is under $20.00.  This quilt measures 62" x 79", it's definitely a good thing if you love the reproduction prints!

Girls Night out is done!!!  We love the Halloween prints especially the gold witches and traditional colors in this years quilt.    The pattern we used is a pattern  from Evelyn Sloppy's 40 fabulous quilts book.  The book is a bible, we use it often, and these days to get 40 great quilts in one book for $29.95 is a value you can't ignore.  Our kit is $90.00 and includes the binding.  It is 63"x 84".  Grab your booms girls and let's get sewing so it is ready for the season.

We just got another *NEW book this one is from Need'l Love Company, it is not a thread book but a really good quilt book with handwork and necessaries from thread designers.  Maggie even has a neat design in it.  The book is called "Meadow Sweet Home", it sells for $25.00 and I know you will find it well worth it.  We have also fat quartered up the new Vicksburg prints. Yummy! Our  fat quarter bundle has 1-1/2 yards of fabric and sells for $26.00.  You will be seeing these fabrics in a new Carol Hopkins quilt kit called Abigail's Gowns.  New Jo Morton book expected yet this week.  It is really GOOD!!!  Watch for a picture and information.

Look what just can in the door today!!  Maggie's Book is here and it is so wonderful I can't imagine anyone that would not want to own it.  We are so pleased on the cover you will see the wall mural Maggie painted in our 2nd Story and the beautiful runner on the fireplace the shop girls had Maggie make up for me for my Christmas present.  Wow!!! Then I look inside and see a wonderful tribute from Maggie.  I have encouraged Maggie to share  her talent it is rare, unique and from her heart!!  I don't think it can get any better than that.  We love Maggie's style, it fits us and her club is a testament to her popularity in our shop.  The book has 19 primitive projects for your home and just so you know the photography was done in her home.  What a treat!  I present for your approval

"With these hands"!

Don't you just love this bird pillow?  I'm sure we will have to kit these for the shop once I get a chance to study them a little more.  The cost of the book is$25.95. and we will ship it out to you right away.    We also got in the newest Blackbird Designs book called "In Full Bloom" today.  It is another must have book and the cost is also $25.00.   With all of this good stuff going on we have been screaming with glee all day long and it's only Monday.  I can finally sit down and just start to go through them so it will be a late night but oh so satisfying to take in two of my favorite designers best efforts.  I can't wait to hear from you.  We will put up more pictures this week from both books.

We also have a Stone and Thread Punch Needle Trunk Show in until August 4th.  I think you will enjoy seeing the creative ways you can finish your projects.

This is a little better week than last.  The weather has been great , the water is still here and the village and residences are pumping round the clock but it is going down.  I wonder if our water table has been this high before?  Anyway we have some new product and photos I would like to share with you this week.  The Jo Morton toast fabric line is in and fat quartered.  My how we love these great background fabrics because the prints and color is classic.  There are 16 fat quarters and they sell for $41.50.  I think you will agree this little fat quarter pack is very useful and a great value.  We are thinking some of you would love a 1/2 yard collection just let us know and we will get one ready.  the cost will be $72.00. 

I am quite excited over our NEW Red Cross quilt.  This is a wonderful companion quilt to the 25 Vintage Summer Stars.  We have used many of the same fabrics from the Prairie Paisley line with the exception of the army green shadow play border and of course the old olive green gold prints we used in all the blocks are the zingers that make this quilt sing.  It looks like it could be an antique.  We did make it lap size ( 63 x 74 ) so you would be able to use it more.  The cost of this kit is $92.00 and the pattern sells for $6.00.   The shop is looking quite fun this summer with all the neat tulips, stars, fabric covered boxes, new lamps. quilts and handwork.

Selma has the Summit Square quilt all bound.  I couldn't wait to share a photo of this beauty.  It is a queen size quilt and truthfully we do not do too many this size but customers are always asking us to so here it is.  The thing about this quilt again is the warm fabric choices in turkey reds, tans, browns and blacks.  We used a new Jo Morton Yorktown print for the outside border that just completes this quilt.  It has a black background with all over stylized tan stars.  What a beauty!  The kit sells for $171.50 and the pattern is $8.50.

 Let me see where to start I need to give you some great new eye candy.   I will try and picture just a few new patterns that might be of interest that have come in over the past week and also tell you we just got in the new Andover Jo Morton Toast fabrics and Windham's Coverlet 2 .  Primitivebettys is a new cross stitch company.  I have pictured the Blue Tulip, 1836 Spring Tyme Sampler and Friends Sampler.  The Friends Sampler is our newest Primitive Club offering.  Patterns sell for $10.00.

  Stacy Nash also has new designs, Emma & her Pony Sewing Roll, Tulip Sewing Book, Early Style Alphabet Pillow Pinkeep, and Letters Scissor Pouch.  You will also notice some adorable heart scissors in the heart pouch that will be coming in this next week along with a cute little scissor called the Putford.  We will try to get them both pictured so you can see them.   Stacy's patterns are also $10.00.

We do love all of the new fabrics that have come in and I will get them pictured for you to look at by next week. The Toast fabric line has 16 sku's  and we will be putting them into fat quarter packs and if you would like we will do a 1/2 yard pack just call us and it will be done.  We are also excited over the Coverlet fabric line.  If you loved the quilt we did with the first line last year for our open house I know you will be just as excited over this one so watch our site for details.   If you were not one of the lucky ones to get this neat quilt you will have another chance.

  Linda from Chessie and Me has a great new summer sampler.  It is called "Where Stitching Leads" and is in her designer series packaged with the linen for $18.00.

  We are liking a new Punch Needle pattern from With they Needle and Thread called "Flag Day".  It uses the Valdani 3 strand ovdyed threads and the printed pattern sells for $12.00.  We are also going to have the primitive paddles made up so you can finish  yours like the model.  If you are in the market for a new Market Tote bag we think we have found the perfect pattern for you it is 16 1/2 h x 14 1/2 w and the pattern is $8.00.  We may just decide to offer this tote as a class.  If you are interested please give us a call.  Virginia Cole's galloping pony studio patterns are pretty exciting.  We have her new 4 books and 2  of her individual patterns.  Quilt Study is a collage of miniature pieced quilt art.  This piece is framed uses the quilt study blocks, and vintage papers and photos.  The pattern is $10.00 and the books are all $15.00.   Oh Christmastime, My Quilting Friends, Hey Nonny Nonny, and Family Days are the four book titles and each book has about of the neatest projects you could ever imagine.

More new quilts are  getting done this week.   A new favorite is Dandelion Days made out of Moda's  Fig Tree fabric line.  It is fresh as the summer day with grass green stripes and urban prints, soft dandelion yellows in twills and searscker stripes, and a wonderful earthy soft brown.  The quilt is 72" x 86" and the kit sells for $99.50.  The pattern is a rail fence with an hourglass at the intersections it is one of the shop girls designs and it sells for $8.50.  We also have great back packs and small zippered bags out of the same fabrics.  This quilt would make a great picnic quilt, you could fill your back pack with treats and enjoy a great lazy summer afternoon or put it on a little iron bed your summer porch.  This quilt was in the a  parade home and I just got a new picture for you and I will also give you a little close up.

You might be interested in our new Japanese fat quarter packs.  The colors and small fabric prints make these fabrics very appealing for your quilting projects.   the pack on the left is considered pack 1.  The fat quarter packs pictured each have 4 3/4 yards in them and they sell for $52.75.  We also have a 1 3/4 yard pack of just sweet little I need to have background prints that sells for $19.99.  The pack pictured on the right is pack number 2.     

We have just put together some wonderful patriotic projects.  "25 Vintage Summer Stars" is completed.  The quilt is 74" x 78", the kit is $124.00, and the pattern is one of ours and $8.50.  We really love this quilt and we feel it is a perfect summer project for a confident quilter.  This quilt would look just perfect on a summer porch or white iron bed.  By the way if you get Country Home magazine be sure to look at Polly Minnick's home featured in the July issue.  It's very patriotic and full of great photos and ideas for quilters, collectors and rug hookers.  Polly and her sister designed the Prairie Paisley fabric line for Moda  We have also come up with an absolutely great summer table topper idea using a navy Moda Prairie Paisley woven. Then we sewed our flag bunting on to the woven to create the drop on our topper.  We made ours to fit the neatest vintage Bistro table and chair set we are selling in the shop.  It is made out of recycled wood and has a great sturdy metal frame.  The table and 2 chairs are sold separately.  What a great table for your outdoor patio or sunroom.  We topped ours with some of our cream colored stoneware dishes, added the bird on the ball and we are ready for summer entertaining.

More new quilts have been added to the shop this past week.  Selma just finished "Burning the Midnight Oil" a pattern byPrimitives By Lynda.  It is a very dramatic quilt, only 59 x 59 and made mostly from Jo Morton's Jamestown fabrics.  The kit sells for $98.50 and the pattern is $10.00.

You will notice a great quilt hanging in the background that quilt is "Kay's Quilt" made entirely out of homespuns.  It is one of the neatest quilts and could be contemporary or I think it really goes well with antiques.  I hated to bring it back after I had it all washed and dried because it looked great in my house.  This quilt is 64 x 64, it is one of our patterns and the kit sells for $126.25.  This quilt was also in my daughters parade house this summer.  We are busy building more new quilts for summer so don't miss anything. 

We are settled back into the shop after the Quilt Festival and thank God it will be 5 months before we have to do theis again.   I am going to put up some new quilt photos for you to ponder and you will be noticing changes over the next few days so sit back and enjoy what we have new.  This photo shows off our newest cheater panel Ocean Waves, we have added great borders and quilted it up and you can not tell its a cheater.  You will notice in the back our new Brown Bird strip quilt and you also are seeing a small corner of Winifred's Flight which make this vignette all mesh quite nicely.  These quilts are all in our shopping cart. 

Just a reminder I do weekly updates by email and if you have not been included and would like to be please email us with your address or call.

"Effie's Tribute" is a wonderful pattern, designed by our shop girl Suzanne.   It is a tribute to her husbands grandmother Effie who loved quiltingg.  The quilt measures 74" by 85" and comes packaged in the most wonderful old brown  fabric covered seed box that includes the pattern and binding for $160.25.  The quilt is done up in great old brown and pink reproduction prints. We all love everything about it and wee have it on our bed  There are limited numbers of kits so get yours reserved. 

I have another adorable  quick just because gift idea.  This pattern is by Renee Plains and it is called "Utility Apron".  I can not think of anything that makes more sense.  I am always needing places to put my stuff when I cook, work in the shop, and sew.  This is it , not too big, fun to make and looks quite good.  You can make one up in a couple of hours.  We are doing several kits, some with reproduction fabrics, vintage twills, Red Prints or tell us your favorite colors and we will personally shop for you.  This is a winner, the pattern is $6.00 and kits including the pattern will $17.95 depending on fabrics used.

 Another new kit is close to being done it's called "PinnyN' Pa" and it is 82 inches square.  Wait till you see how beautiful this is going to be and the old pinks, browns, tans etc. will make this one of your new favorites.  We are using the majority of fabric from the new Marcus Merrimack Collection.  You can see this pattern pictured on our shopping cart.  The kit is ready it includes binding and sells for $143.50.

 In January we initiated our first direct email  to over 600 valued customers that have shared their email addresses with us.   If you would like to be included in our direct mail program you can sign up on our website front page.

This is a quilt I have been wanting to do for over a year its from the 40 Fabulous Quilts book by Evelyn Sloppy and it is called "Black and Beyond"  what a beauty this is in blacks, tans and reds , the quilt is 59" x 75" and the kit cost is $89.00.

 "True Blue"  it is  80 x 80 quilt pattern from Miss Rosie's quilt company.  This quilt  is a perfect choice for us to use with our yelloware dishes and really looks like spring and summer.  We chose blue prints from light to dark, blacks, and tans for the quilt kit, the cost is $122.00.  If you love blue you will love this new quilt kit.  The model is completed and ready to go off to the quilter.  We may be able to get a photo of the kit up before that.  New fabrics are rolling in the door everyday. 

*** Windham's new "Williamsburg Centennial" fabrics are in and this is "Winifred's Flight" a unique scrappy flying geese quilt that is 86" x 90".  The cost of the quilt is $132.00.   We made up a duvet cover which you can see in the Oak Reels photo.  We also have fat quarter packs cut of the fabrics.  The rolls are 4 yards and the cost is $39.90.   Layering your bed covers not only looks great but it gives a quilter another option for using our beautiful fabrics.

The "Civil War Dressing Gown" fabrics from Marcus (designed by Judie Rothermel) just arrived today.  We have made fat quarters from the ten different designs, the cost is $24.95. I also am loving several of the Blackbird "Madera" prints, we have found that we have been able to use them repeatedly in holiday quilts.  

 Below are a few of the quilt kits we currently have in the Country Sampler.

  The shop is always brimming with inspiration and all new products for the upcoming seasons. We will look forward to your visit!  An extra incentive please remember we have retreat rooms above the shop that sleep 7.  There are photos on our web-site of our Second Story call for availability.

Please look at our website and plan a destination visit.  Weekend with us at our 2nd Story and get as excited about quilting as we are.

Piece Out!!!

  Jeanne and The Sampler Staff