Do you like block of the month quilts? Do you have just a little time to sew each month? Do you have the winter blues? If you have answered “Yes” to any of these questions, we have just the pattern for you!

My Quilt Village presents our “Village Garden” pattern, free for you to download. Each month from January through October, you can read our posts around the first of each month to find the link to the next block patterns. Village Garden, designed by Karen Montgomery, is a happy mix of simple pieced and applique blocks. All you need is 2 1/2 yards of background fabric, a handful of scraps, and you can play along. If you would like to purchase a kit , contact any village shop. ($54.99 + shipping)  For instructions and patterns, click here then click on the month you want.  The links to the pattern and instructions are there.

Sweet memories!  It seems everyone has memories of a grandmother or favorite aunt who had wonderful quilts on all her beds.  Now you can bring back the warmth of that era with quilts made from reproduction fabrics.  We’ve made it easy!  Choose from the kits shown here and you’re on your way to creating memories for future generations.

Suzanne’s Quilt Shop “Going Quilting at Suzanne’s” Quilt designed for the 20th Anniversary of Suzanne’s Quilt Shop in 2008. Center medallion embroidery features Suzanne’s version of Sunbonet Sue. Our lady is wearing a hat, flowing skirt and petticoats. She is off to a quilting bee with a quilt in her hand. Pattern and fabric available for this project. Quilt measures 66″ x 84″ and was designed by Shirley Thomas. www.suzannesquilts.com	Quilt Country “Pineapples” The pineapple has served as a symbol of hospitality for many years.  Simple piecing and appliqué form a quilt that says, “Welcome!” These pineapples are beautiful in cheery 30’s, rich batiks or your favorite new line of fabric. Pattern contains instructions for three sizes.  Queen-82″ X 100″, Throw-52″ x 64″ and Table Runner-20″ X 47″. Pattern only  - $8.00 Kit available - $64.95 www.quiltcountry.com
Cozy Cottage Fabrics “Saltwater Taffy” 64″ Square. This quilt is so sweet in 1930’s reproductions or any bright “candy” colors!  www.cozycottagefabrics.com	Anna Lena’s  “Butterfly Nine-Patch” Sometimes simple designs are the most charming.  And while this is a simple nine-patch, it’s showing off just a bit with it’s scalloped border, striped bias binding and blocks set on point!  I have a delightful vintage quilt made like this and it’s one of my favorites.  I hope this quilt becomes one of your favorites, too.  Kit includes magazine with pattern, all the fabrics to make the top and the binding.  80″ x 93.” CUSTOMIZE YOUR KIT! If you would like a different color border, just ask. I can usually accommodate you! http://annalena.com/shop/index.php? main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=278

I love to see what people do with my patterns and designs.  The Through My Window fabric line has a panel that has a block for each month.  We did it in red & white and black & white.  I used color crayons on the black and white ones and haven’t done any stitching–yet!  My friend Linda embroidered the red ones–but just had to add a touch of color to each block–just a touch!  Here’s April, May,June, July and August.  I hope you’re finding time to stitch this summer!

When I design a quilt, write the pattern and create a kit for aproject, I have always assumed that when the kit is purchased, I know what it is going to be when it is finished.  Apparently I am wrong! 

This French Braid project was designed using thirty different Tonga Batiks from Timeless Treasures.  This photo features the small size which is 49 by 58 inches.  The kit includes a 9 inch by 21 inch cut (or 1/8 yard)  of all 30 batiks for just $36.  The colors of the hand printed fabrics are a beautiful, vibrant rainbow.  I love the way they can be organized into columns of color.  In the original design process I also created the larger version that can be made with 2 kits ($72) + border with the random color setting.  You can purchase the kits on our website under the kit heading at www.thequiltcompany.com   The kits for this project have been selling quite well for several months.  In the last several weeks we have seen a surge in sales.  I happened to take a phone order over the weekend and had a chat with the customer.

The woman placing the order was thrilled that we had the kit available.  She needed 2, one for her and one for her sister.  She went on to explain that she wasn’t making the French Braid project, she would be cutting the fabrics into custom cut 2 1/2 inch strips to make her own rainbow jelly roll.  She got the idea from a fellow guild member that had used the kit to make 5 different purses, one in each color.  That person had taken the idea from someone she had visited in another state that had used the kit to make a colorwash quilt of 3 inch squares!  When I asked her what her sisters plans were she explained that she would be using the bright French Braid fabrics to create a bold version of our Baby Bargello project.  She had made the Baby Bargello in the strong pastel shades featured in our kit for that project but her daughter wanted a bright primary quilt for her new nursery.

I guess that proves that when you send your projects out into the world, you never really know what they are going to grow up to be!  That has me thinking that the stack of fabric on my sewing center that I was planning to use for a purse project might just turn out to be a new throw size quilt for my family room.

Why don’t you drop us a comment and let us know what your summer sewing plans are.  Do you have a favorite project you plan to work on?  Are you including quilt shop visits in your summer travel plans?  Post a comment and tell us what inspires you to sew in the summer and I will ask the rest of the Village members to do the same.

Karen Montgomery

You can take the gal out of Florida but you can’t take the Florida out of the gal. Since moving my shop to Georgia 3 years ago I get a little misty eyed when I see a flamingo. I grew up in Miami and lived in South Florida till we moved in 2006. I saw lots of flamingos over the years and appreciated its beauty. 

While I had my shop in Royal Palm Beach I started a shop hop for South Florida and named it Flamingo Run. Flamingos were the theme and customers would dress up in appropriate attire and run from quilt shop to quilt shop where we had the shops decorated with flamingoes and a special flamingo quilt each year. It was always such a fun and crazy event.

When the salesman showed me the Beach Birdies collection of course I had to have it. Aren’t they adorable? We have the birds having summer fun and decorating for Christmas. They just put a smile to my face.

Click Here for Beach Birdies http://www.suzannesquilts.com/nl.asp?p=0&c=1463

Click Here for mor Flamingo fabrics http://www.suzannesquilts.com/nl.asp?p=0&c=1198

Click Here for Tropical Department http://www.suzannesquilts.com/nl.asp?p=0&c=62

I may be located in Georgia but I stock lots of Tropical fabrics.

Happy Quilting,

Suzanne

www.suzannesquilts.com

Having grown up as a teenager in the mid-late 60s and early 70s I have a fondness for the peace symbol.  I have heard so many stories of how the peace symbol came to be.  Some say the hippies invented it during Vietnam and others think it is satanic.  Last fall we decided to make a quilt pattern using the peace symbol, photos are below.  There is a paper pieced version and an applique version.  It is amazing how many places the peace symbol is showing up these days.  I thought I should look it up the history of the peace symbol and it was very interesting to me.

The peace symbol was designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958 for the for a march planed by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War.  Then later it was adopted by the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament).  There is more personal info on Holtom at the site below.  I find it fascinating.

The symbol uses the N and the D from the semaphore flags for the center design.  The N and D stand for nuclear disarmament.

If you want to read more about it go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_symbol

Delicious Homemade Granola

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients.  Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Dry Ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats 

2-3 cups of raw almonds or pecan halves, or your favorite nut
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

¾ cup sesame seeds
½ cup wheat germ or ground flax seed.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
Options:  ½ - 1 cup of the following: (add after cooking and cooling) unsweetened coconut, ½ cup dried fruit–date pieces, cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango

Wet Ingredients: 

2 of the small individual containers of unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup honey

2 Tbsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes (cookie sheets). Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown.  Stir every 10 minutes to ensure even browning.  Stir again when removed from oven.  The granola will get crunchy as it cools. 

Store in the refrigerator in a large zip lock bag or other airtight container.  Makes about 10 cups.

I have to agree with Debbie, this has definately been a CRAZY month!  I’ve been both Mom and Shop Owner for the entire 15 years that I have had my store, but for the last month those jobs have overlapped more than usual.  Starting with the Friday evening of International Quilt Market I have had to be in two places at one time.  That evening was also our daughters senior prom.  Luckily Market was held in our town so I could slip out and run home for photos.  That schedule has continued right up until last night when graduation was held at the same time as the Western Pennsylvania Shop Hop.  This years theme for the Hop is Movie Mania - is it any wonder that our store chose “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”?  We have crazy patch projects, our block for the progressive quilt is Birds in the Air and the entire staff is running around in hospital gowns or scrubs.  We know crazy!

In addition to the in-store hop we are also participating in an online hop.  My Fresh Vanilla quilt is featured in the summer issue of Quilts and More magazine and we are thrilled with the reception that it is getting!  The kits are selling very well, I’m not sure if it is the neutral tans or the very reasonable $69 price point that everyone finds appealing.  I’m featured on page 46, but you can find the magazine at your local store (it is a newstand only publication) by looking for the red and white quilt on the cover that features fabric designed by our very own Karen Snyder! 

Here in the shop we have 2 new kits that are selling very well and there is no secret as to why our customers find them so appealing.  Both the Woven Logs project and the Off The Grid kit not only include everything you need for the quilt top and binding, the strips are pre-cut!  We have used our AccuQuilt machine to pre-cut the strips for both quilts so that all you do is sit down and sew!  Now that is what I call a perfect summer project.  You can find both of these kits, as well as several more on our website under the kit tab at  http://www.thequiltcompany.com.  Now I am going to don my hospital gown and go join the rest of the loonies for the last day of the hop!

Karen

QP turned 13 on Friday! We’re officially a teenager! So we had a celebration this weekend & it fit right in with the craziness that swirls around in QP on a regular basis. This week we were getting ready for the birthday celebration and trying to also get ready to vend & sponsor the NJ state quilt show coming up this week. Even our normal level of craziness was crazier than usual!

Getting ready for a show takes lots of planning & figuring. Do I have enough samples or too many? Do we have enough patterns to go with the samples or too many? How many of the new widget gadget should I order? Questions like this drive you insane the week before the show. You’re absolutely sure you are forgetting something and YOU ARE - you just have no idea what it is even though you’ve made numerous lists

So I’ve been sewing samples like crazy and then either forgetting the camera at home so I can’t take pictures or forgetting it at the shop so I can’t upload pictures . . . It’s enough to drive you crazy! Here’s a couple I’ve been working on:

Abby's Treasure Box

Brentwood Bag

Tomorrow I’m going to make a summer version of the Birdie Sling purse. The sample in the shop now is black and this one will be one of those big prints in vivid colors. Stop by the website and check out all our tote/purse kits - I’m going crazy making them!

Debbie

Quilting Possibilities   www.quiltingpossibilities.net

We have gotten a lot of new merchandise in the last few weeks.  Several new fabric groups are here and the Christmas fabrics are starting to arrive.  We ordered some beautiful Christmas and also some “fun” Christmas.  Beach Birdies, designed by our good friend Sara Tuttle, is really cute.  There are flamingos dressed in Santa hats and they are doing lots of crazy things.  Sorry the image is so small but I can’t get one larger.  Trust me, they are CUTE!

This week we received a new shipment from Artgirlz.  There are so many fun things I don’t know where to begin.  We have new doll kits that are pins and come in color families, lime, yellow, red, etc. They are cute and simple to make.  There is a giant flower pin cushion.  The flowers are made from the large felted balls with a few beads here and there.  Below are photos of the pin cushion pattern and the tree and Santa pins.  We love their stuff!  Of course we have these and many more of their items on our website along with our beads and beading supplies. www.quiltcountry.com

I’m had a wonderful week at Quilt Market and a second wonderful extra week of vacationing in Ohio. If you’re interested in reading about what I did there, you can check it out on my blog, Anna Lena Land.

Market was inspiring, as always. It was fun to see the display that Timeless Treasures did with the Sweet Pea projects. They always have a beautiful booth. The displays are crisp and clean and the whole booth has a really welcoming feel.

I have to thank all of you who have supported this new line! I usually pride myself on shipping orders promptly, but now with no staff, some had to wait almost two weeks. When we got home, I had to press Bob into service cutting and folding fat quarters. It’s nice to know that he’s still trainable! With his help, I got all the orders filled and shipped out on Tuesday.

The Baby Doll quilt kit has been very popular. And why not? It couldn’t be much easier, and it really is sweet when it’s finished.

Those who are ambitious have been ordering the Lollipop quilt kit. Really, it wasn’t hard at all, and I’m in love with the bias binding for the sticks.

While in Pittsburgh I discovered a new source for packaging for kits and bundles, and have been using the neatest hard-plastic containers for the Big Bertha Bundle. They’re clear, and they will make great project holders after you get your fabric. They’re just the right size to hold a book or magazine along with the fabric. And it’s great for me because it slips into a priority mailing box!

Everyone at Market was crazy for the Sweet Pea jumper. And with the spring weather finally here, it’s the perfect time for it!

I just had to buy a new book called Link to the Thirties.  In fact, I had to buy 12!  I figured if I loved it, others would to.  I’m really enjoying it. Here are some photos that I took of the quilts from the book that were on display at Market.  They aren’t the best photos, but the quilts were folded in a display.  You can get an idea about them.  And, they’re all hand quilted!

Is it June already, and when did that happen? If this thought scares you, you won’t want to know that Christmas fabric is already arriving in the Village shops! One of our favorite new books this year is “A Critter Christmas” by Brandywine Designs. This is Linda’s 3rd critter book and it is delightful. The critter cover quilt is a combo of applique and pieced blocks, neatly separated into winter scenes. Any one of these scenes would make a darling little wall quilt, or choose from several small projects in the book. Two new critters, penguin and owl, join the familiar bunch (hedgehog, kitten chick, bear, turtle, sheep…) and they appear on cute-as-can-be Christmas stockings. To order yours, visit  quiltedtreasures.net

Enjoy Village Garden Block 6 !

Village Garden Applique [pdf 16kb]

Happy sewing,

Mary

I came back from Quilt Market (the wholesale show for quilt shops) with so many ideas of how to use all the patterns I’ve found. Of course I always have too many ideas and not enough time . . . . but this market I was specifically looking for small things, quick things and I found a BUNCH! Here are a few - notice the nautical theme, we’re at the Jersey Shore and have lots of nautical decorating going on and tourists looking for momentos of their trip.