Dear Quilters,

What a Hot Summer we are having!!  I think too many people complained about the cold Winter we had.  With the heat, we have more reason to stay in and sew.  We are all working on new samples and ordering fabrics for the Winter Season.   I went to Spring Market in Minneapolis last May and brought back some new items and ideas.

Hoffman has come out with a beautiful set of fabrics from McKenna Ryan that is wonderful for Florida-soft pastels in a beachy look.  This line will be here in August or September. Kathy Schmitz has stitching projects.  I found a book for making rag rugs out of  that fabric that you just “had to have” and now wonder, “what was I thinking”  We also ordered some punch needle projects.  Lots of fun.

I roomed with Lynda Hall, of Primitive Pieces by Lynda.  What a good time we had!  She has new patterns and a very special new book, A Little Porch Time.  If you like primitives and/or appliqué, it is a wonderful book!!!  We are going to use Lynda’s book as our project this year for a group called, Backdoor Friends, you know, those friends who can walk in anytime and don’t look for “dust bunnies.”  We are going to meet on the 1^st Tuesday, from 5-8 pm.  So, if you want to stitch and work on a special project that you will be proud of, come on down. 

This summer, we had Brenda Grampsas in to appraise quilts.  If you signed up for our Civil War Tribute BOM, you will be happy to know that it was appraised for $2500!!  Thank you Sara Ross for piecing our beautiful sample!!!  Certainly a worthy quilt. Edith Wooley of Plant City was also at the shop and demonstrated tatting.  She will teach classes this Fall.

Donna

CLOSINGS

Hi All!

   Did you notice I just got a little more Southern?  After 40 years—why not?

   I was so hoping to have a long list of finished projects to tell you about—but guess what?  I want to find whoever is stealing hours from my days & days from my weeks & stop it!!  It’s not fair!  I did manage to do a wool pillow, candle mat & put together a really cute wall hanging called “Summertime.”  (I’ll be teaching it this fall.)  I’m sure you’re all tired of hearing about how much I love the wool but bear with me—at least I get IT done!

   Lots of you have been stitching for a very long time & occasionally hit a dry spell.  That’s okay, we all do but try putting a new twist on your thought process.  I have a friend who’s been separated from her husband for years but is “celebrating” her 25^th anniversary by making a blue & silver double wedding ring.  She’s also turning 52 & plans on making 52 different quilt blocks representing her life.  How cool is that?  Another friend made a fish quilt & used a fun fabric for each one—“dog” fish, “angel” fish, “sun” fish, etc.  It’s so cute!

   Maybe it’s time to try something a little more challenging, learn a new technique, work with a different color palette—or just relax with a “no-brainer.”  Life is hard & not always fun.  We all need a creative outlet of some sort.  Stop by the shop, look around, chat a bit.  You never know when that “light bulb” moment will hit, but it will—then it’s “Katie Bar the Door!”  I’m getting excited just writing this, so many projects calling to me . . . .

         Still happily stitching someday ….

Carol