National Quilting Day!!

This month is flying by. With St Patrick's Day Tuesday, and this Saturday being National Quilting Day, (more on that later) and even the official first day of Spring, It will be time for summer hours before you know it. Time to get the windows open, the winter bedding aired out, and get some spring colors in your life. The Basket Medallion quilt (see last weeks Blog for Photo ) didn't get started last week as expected due to illness, The new dates are March 26, and April 9, 1:00-4:00. So if you haven't signed up and want to you have the chance. Choose spring colors and you have a stunning basket for your spring decor.

If you have accumulated lots of scraps on your sewing room floor over the winter, then Runaway Threads may be the project for you. This is a Scrap Therapy project and to be honest, I made my sample using scraps for the background pieces too, and didn't add a single piece of fabric that was new. It is a large lap, very close to twin size, and I guess it gives you an idea of just how much trouble I have throwing away even a small piece of fabric, that I did the whole thing in Reds and creams. The quilt goes together easily and is beginner friendly, however there is some pre cutting for the workshop so if you are interested please let us know. (I also have cutting information for a smaller crib size and larger, King size)

Ok, National Quilting Day. This day has been set aside by the National Quilting Association to help promote the public awareness of Quilting in this country. If you love Quilts and quilting, this Saturday is the day to tell the world. Here at the Village Fabric Shoppe I have asked you to advertise your enthusiasm by wearing a quilted piece to the shoppe on Friday or Saturday. Show us and everyone you come in contact with that day that you love quilts. If you come in with a self made garment we will give you 25% off fabric purchases that day. If making garments isn't your thing, come anyway for the fashion show, and if you bring a quilted tote, or a guild membership card you can get the discount too. The classroom is also open for sewing Friday and Saturday, it's a good way to get things done, come with a friend - for fun!! You might even want to work on the Mystery Quilt Challenge!

What?? Mystery Quilt?? How fun is this, and a contest? that means a prize too!! A mystery quilt works like any other series quilt except that you don't know what the finished pattern is until you finish it - hence Mystery Quilt. Usually an organization will issue instructions only a bit at a time to keep the mystery unsolved for as long as possible. I have acquired four copies of a personal mystery project. The patterns are bound like a pad on three sides so as you do each step (there are seven) you peel off the top sheet and reveal the next set of instructions. This is done on your schedule, not mine as the case would be with any other mystery quilt. Often the hardest part of these quilts is choosing fabrics. We have done that for you. The kits have all the fabrics for the top, and the pattern. For those that are interested, the finished size is 58" x 72", and the name given is "Down on the Farm". You may pick up your kit beginning on March 21, National Quilting Day, then you get busy here or at home, and the first person to bring in the top completed will win the goodie bag. As I have only four kits, it is first come first serve from the moment we open on the 21st. The sooner you get yours the sooner you can finish. Good luck and have fun.


While you are here you might also want to check out the new book, William Morris in Applique. It is stunning, and there is a really good chance that we will be doing a workshop on it. The patterns are full size and the book is full of great photos. The applique is fused and lightly embellished with hand and machine stitching. It gives you great instructions so you can do the projects as is, or if you want to personalize and stretch your imagination, there is lots of scope for that too. The projects range from a single block pillow through to a large Queen sized bedcover. The motifs are easily interchanged so your project can be uniquely yours, and with little modification these designs can be worked in hand applique, fancy quilting and trapunto, and even inks on wholecloth!!


Happy St Patrick's Day, Happy Spring, and Happy Quilting!!!!!