Come join me on September 10th for the day to make your own designer purse. This is a unique class that offers you eight purse options. Your purse will be different from the one beside you.

How is this possible? First you chose from two purse designs: a medium size square/rectangle purse or a clutch purse. Next you chose from four fabric techniques: simple strips fabric, planned wrinkles fabric, sheer layers fabric or Textiva fabric.

That’s right – you will actually create your own fabric for this purse before you assemble the purse. And the options don’t end there. Do you want pockets? How about a handle? You make all the choices during the class to create the designer purse you want to take home.

I have spent the last several months working on a book proposal that features not only this unique concept but also these purse designs and fabrics…along with others of course. The proposal is in the hands of several publishing houses. Who knows, maybe your finished designer purse will be photographed to be included in my upcoming book.

Here are some samples of the projects:

Call or stop by to sign up today!

~Joyce

Trust me, it’s even prettier in person.  You just can’t photograph all the details of those gorgeous batiks!

Many of you have been asking about doing the Buck-a-Block by mail – please stay tuned as we’ll be announcing shortly how you can participate as a long-distance customer. 

And in case you  missed the details the first time around, here they are again:

24 blocks for 12 bucks!?!?!
Yes, you read it right – in fact, you can even get 12 blocks for free!  Just read on….

Our latest block-of-the-month program, Buck-a-Block 7 will start in September.  This program uses Thangles to create perfect half-square triangles every time.  Each month’s block kit will include the pattern and fabric to make two center squares for the star blocks.  If you want to keep up with doing the star setting around the blocks each month, you may want to purchase one of our pre-finishing kits at the start of the program (or you can pick out your own fabrics!)

The Basics

• Monthly kit includes fabric and pattern for two center blocks     (star setting not included)
• 12 months = 24 blocks
• Requires 2″ Thangles for block
• Star setting requires additional fabric and 3” Thangles

The Colorways
There are four colorways for the center blocks, but you can personalize your quilt further by purchasing your own star setting and finishing fabrics!

• Christmas – green and black
• Fire – red, yellow and orange batiks
• Blues – shades of blue batiks
• Solids – assorted solids in blues, greens and purples

The Rules (no exceptions, not ever)

• Monthly kits are $1/month IF picked up within the current month by the person who is signed up for the BAB
• Monthly kits are FREE if picked up within the current month by the person who is signed up for the BAB with a purchase of $30 or more
• Monthly kits are $3 if picked up late or by someone who is NOT the person signed up for the BAB
• Kits will be ready the first of each month, no earlier

To learn more about this and our other clubs starting up this fall, please come to our Fall Clubs Info Session – tomorrow, Sunday August 8 at 1, or Wednesday August 18 at 6:30.

If you like embroidery of any kind this book is for you!  I used to cross stitch when I was a kid and just hadn’t gotten back into it… until I bought this book!  I have done the “Peace/Love” cross stitch pattern in a bunch of different greens (come in to the store and look above the first cash register).  And as an early anniversary present I made the “Wedding Monogram” pattern.  The exciting thing I found out is just because they do things in all one color in the book doesn’t mean you have to!  I did at least 20 different colors in the monogram to capture the colors from our summer wedding.

There are so many patterns in this book that it’s a great buy at just $24.99.  It’s going to take me a long time to do all the projects… but I sure will try because they’re all so cute.  Also, I used our Presencia flosses for my projects and splitting them into two strands is perfect for the Aida cloth we have; just enough texture without being too bulky.

Now I’m on to embroidering some blocks for a friend’s wedding.  Her theme is “Woodsy” so the deer, birds, trees, and other patterns in this book are going to fit the bill just right!

Come check out the book and see for yourself all the exciting ideas it has to offer!

Our latest block-of-the-month program, Buck-a-Block 7 will start in September.  This program uses Thangles to create perfect half-square triangles every time.  Each month’s block kit will include the pattern and fabric to make two center squares for the star blocks.  If you want to keep up with doing the star setting around the blocks each month, you may want to purchase one of our pre-finishing kits at the start of the program (or you can pick out your own fabrics!)

The Basics

• Monthly kit includes fabric and pattern for two center blocks     (star setting not included)
• 12 months = 24 blocks
• Requires 2″ Thangles for block
• Star setting requires additional fabric and 3” Thangles

The Colorways
There are four colorways for the center blocks, but you can personalize your quilt further by purchasing your own star setting and finishing fabrics!

• Christmas – green and black
• Fire – red, yellow and orange batiks
• Blues – shades of blue batiks
• Solids – assorted solids in blues, greens and purples

The Rules (no exceptions, not ever)

• Monthly kits are $1/month IF picked up within the current month by the person who is signed up for the BAB
• Monthly kits are FREE if picked up within the current month by the person who is signed up for the BAB with a purchase of $30 or more
• Monthly kits are $3 if picked up late or by someone who is NOT the person signed up for the BAB
• Kits will be ready the first of each month, no earlier

To learn more about this and our other clubs starting up this fall, please come to our Fall Clubs Info Session – tomorrow, Sunday August 8 at 1, or Wednesday August 18 at 6:30.

Yesterday we worked on testing a new pattern of Terry’s to be released this fall.  Here’s a few of my blocks:

Here’s one by my friend Cathy McKillip of Wish Upon a Quilt in Raliegh, NC – she’s using Kaffe Fassett fabrics with batiks:

Here’s my friend Carol Britt of Batiks Etc and Sew What Fabrics in Wytheville, VA

She is making her quilt in batiks, of course, but I’m expecting all you Tech fans will appreciate her color choices:

Last night we made these cute travel bags, one of the projects from the new Groovy Girls club, coming soon to QA!

The food has been amazingly incredibly awesome, all catered by a local chef.  Here’s a leftover from breakfast today, an oh-so-delicious calorie-free (I wish!) treat:

It’s taken me most of the day to upload the photos and write this – the internet connection is sporadic and there have been lots of interruptions and other activities.  I sewed a great tote this afternoon, but no photo yet – if I have to go take a picture, upload it, etc., I’ll NEVER finish this.  So, more later. 

~Joyce

Todd D. discovered a way to make portrait quilts. He  imported a photo into an online mosaic maker which broke the photo down into tiles. Then he scanned in his fabrics, and printed out his design! Of course, it wasn’t quite as simple as that, but I hope you get the idea. He had 3,700+ pieces in each of these quilts, and he had to lay them out, numbered, just to keep them in order. The first is a portrait of Thomas Jefferson. When you view this up close it just looks like a black and white scrap quilt. When you step back, voila, there he is!

And, Todd didn’t stop at just one – his second is the Rotunda at the University of Virginia.

Within days of purchasing our new Oceania line from In the Beginning fabrics, Todd D. finished this big one.

Janet S. made  “Bling Thing” from the book “Let the Good Times Roll,” a book full of patterns using strip rolls. Here is her version.

Elizabeth G.’s mother won 30 fat quarters at our last year’s anniversary celebration. Here is a picture of her mom wearing the shawl she made with them. The second photo is a close-up view of the details.

Haxall W. has been busy since her beginning quilting class. She made this purple, pink and blue squares quilt.

and take a look at her creative use of leftover fabrics on the back:

Haxall also made a Four-Patch Lightning quilt. The yellows and greens are set off strikingly by the lemons on black.

MaryN. made this gift for her sister. Mary found fabrics to represent her sister and her children: fairies, the beach, etc.

Mary also finished a black/white and yellow/turquoise sampler quilt. Both have been sent off the longarm quilter.

Nina H. finished her daughter-in-law’s super queen size “Bento Box” with all the gorgeous blues and greens with black and whites. She got creative on the back when we didn’t have enough yardage of her favorite fabric. Look at what she did!

Ann N. made this “Sticks and Bricks” quilt for her 9-year old granddaughter who loves swimming. Her fabrics even look like pool colors!

Beverly S. took Cheryl’s class on Quilting with Less Stress on a Rinky Dink Machine. Then, she tackled quilting this big one and embellished away with buttons! She came in to purchase even more buttons!

Another view of the front so you can see the buttons, with a bit of the pretty back showing.

Pam S. used up a lot of her scraps on this fantastic quilt!

Deborah K. bought the last panel on the bolt of Aldo to Zippy fabric by P&B Textiles, and she didn’t even get the complete alphabet! But what a creative use of just a few letters in this bright children’s quilt.

Soundra B. got two big ones back from being quilted. One is the “Shoe Boxes” pattern from Atkinson Designs (by the way, everyone is pleased with this company’s easy-to-follow directions on all their patterns).

And here is Soundra’s other quilt – a crazy quilt based on a print of Asian ladies. She planned her craziness, by taking care that the ladies all faced in the same direction, although it is hard to see in the photo.

Susan B. made the “Gettin’ Ziggy With It” pattern found in the strip set book, “Stop, Drop, & Roll.” Her 15-year old daughter will be the lucky recipient!

Yet another group completed Chery’s 4-Patch Lightning beginning quilting class. Lots of variety in the color choices here! Olivia L, Cathy M., Amy T., Cynthia D., Patrick D., Stephanie V., and Barbi F.

June B. used Kwik Sew skirt pattern #3745 to make this terrific skirt in pretty soft palette batiks. It has a cute flounce at the bottom that is “calling my name!”

Thank you all for the inspiration!

Mary Terry

What is the Minnesota Roadshow? It’s your opportunity to see four different styles from four very different Minnesota desigers. Linda Hohag of Brandywine Design, Terry Atkinson from Atkinson Designs, Debbie Bowles, Maple Island Quilts, and Heather Muldar Peterson from Anka’s Treasures have joined together to send a trunk show along with all the information we need to show you how to do the techniques that make their projects so special!

We have three different time slots to choose from, but each of them offer the same material – demos, examples, and handouts from each of the four designers, presented by two of QA’s teachers, Phoebe Guider and Cheryl Schenck.  You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn in less that two hours – while having fun, too!

The sessions are filling up fast, as this is a bargain at only $10!  Follow this link or stop by the shop to sign up today.  Hope to see you Saturday! 

~Joyce

So I just walked in on my girls’ pretend play.  They had an elaborate set up going…. When I walked into the room they said “Welcome to Quilting Adventures!”  They introduced themselves – Sam said that she was Miss Chesley and Syd was Ms. Betty.  They asked me if I would like to buy some fabric today…. They had fabric all set out on the sideboard, a “cutting table” set up with kitchen tongs as scissors, and an old keyboard for a register.   They “scanned” my fabric and notions and gave me a bag.  When I went to pay they told me that this was a “free” fabric store!  So funny!

Oh and if you ever need help, Sydney can really fold fabric well!  She would “cut” it, then fold it very carefully for me….

First place, Cathy E -

Second place, Cathy T -

Third place, Penny S -

Staff entry, Karen N -

We didn’t get any entries as fabric postcards, so instead I gave two special prizes to beginners, Kim R and Chantea G.  Kim’s house and Chantea’s piece with flaps and hidden surprises are below:

Congratulations and thank you to all!

~Joyce

They’re hanging in the classroom, on the design wall, and will be there for a few more weeks.  Come have a closer look!

Just a reminder – it’s cool at QA. 
~Joyce