Quilt History Books

Hi Folks -


As most of you know, part of my obsession includes quilt history, and I collect quilt history books. I am always looking for the State Documentation books, which come out from time to time. These tend to stay in print for a very limited time and become quite collectible once they are out of print. We recently received the 2nd edition of Wisconsin Quilts. It is an excellent book - chock full of beautiful pictures of quilts:



I was also able to get my hands on a few copies of Heritage in Quilts by the Tennessee Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is a compendium of hundreds of quilts owned or made by the TSDAR, along with short history of each quilt. This book has already become collectible, and it will probably be harder and harder to get your hands on one. I only have five, so call or stop in soon to get yours. Katie has it on our website, as well, for those of you that are not nearby.

A must for any Quilt History buff is the new Vintage Quilts book by Maggie McCormick Gordon. They came in and went out of here in about a week, but I will be re-ordering them right away. Let me know if you want me to hold one for you.

If 30's quilts are your thing, this new book, Sugar Sack Quilts, by Glenna Hailey, has some great ideas for creating reproduction 30's quilts - some with a pretty contemporary look to them. Do you have a teenage girl on your gift list? One of these might be just the thing.

I am planning to start to thin out my book collection in the near future, particularly since I seem to have duplicates of several books (I know, it's hard to believe). I figured out how to do a label for my posts, so when you check back, look for the Quilt History and Collectible Books label. Most of these will not be on the website, since there will only be one of them. If you want one you can call me and I will hold it or mail it to you.

Thanks for understanding my obsession!

Carrie

Spring Class List Online

January starts the beginning of our "Spring Session" at Pieceful Gathering. We don't really like winter around here so we just skip right over it and call our session that runs from January - April the "Spring Session". Many of you have gotten our class list in the mail but it's now available online too with pictures of all of our samples. We've got a number of new classes and clubs this session so be sure to click the link below to get to our site where you can see the pictures.

Spring 2009 Classes and Clubs

Stacie's teaching four new bags this session.

Don't these look like they would be fun to make. Each class is just an hour and a half and you will most likely leave with a finished bag. Plus, if you sign up for all four classes you get 15% off of class registration. Check the website for dates and times.

Winter Wonderland?

Hello from Snowland!

I know there are probably a few of you that are reading this from somewhere warm - and yes, I am pea green with envy, so go ahead and gloat! We had somewhere around 10 inches of snow last night, so I thought I would share a little of the joy!

Our Parking Lot is fairly clear - thanks to my PDH (that's Poor Dear Husband). The plow came through sometime during the night, but there was another 4 inches to clear when we came in this morning. Isn't it lovely?

I took care of the entrance - snow is pretty, but it sure makes life difficult!

Poor little birdies must be cold in there!

And then, there is the ramp - 39 feet long - One foot of length for every inch of rise. There is a construction fact that I bet you never knew!

Yes, it is a long sucker. This thing is going to be the death of me!

How about a nice cup of tea? Perhaps we could mix up a batch of snow ice cream. Do kids still do that? It's probably too unsanitary for today's kids.

Come on inside and see the amazing blooming Jade Plant. I guess nobody has ever seen one before. Mine blooms every year. It apparently thrives on neglect. I had better go water it - I think it has been a couple of weeks!

So - come in and see us. We are working hard to keep the snow cleared so that you can be safe. I think we might have a break in the weather for a day - so now is the time to head out. Don't forget to tell your DH's that we are closed on Christmas Eve. We know how they like to wait until the last minute to come in and pick up your gift!

Stay warm out there!

Carrie

P.S. Katie showed me how to set this thing so that you can reply to me, so feel free to do so!

Jo Club News

Hi Everyone!

We had Jo Club last night and it was a lot of fun! I just want to share the quilt we did for the new Jo Club 8. It was supposed to be a Patriotic Strippy that looked something like this:

But I had been wanting to do something with the brown stars, so we used the fabric from the new Providence line and did ours like this:

I was really happy with the way it turned out. If you are a memeber of Jo Club, you can do this quilt, too!

I also wanted to share the beautiful signature quilt the club members gave me:

I am not really sure what I did to deserve this, but it sure made me feel good. Thanks to everyone that participated!

If you have been thinking about signing up for Jo Club for the Spring session, you should know that we have lots of neat stuff planned. We will continue with the remaining 2 quilts in Club 8:

Holiday Inn and Meg's Baskets

We will be doing ours in different colors, again, and we won't be doing kits anymore, since we are not able to sell the extra ones outside of the club anymore. Instead, we will have fat quarters cut in the colors that we used, along with some alternatives that you may wish to use to create something different. Of course, you can make yours from any fabric you wish to use, and you will continue to get a 15% discount on any Jo Morton fabric you purchase on Jo Club night.

We have had one other change since the newsletter went out. Kathy has told us that due to some health issues with her family, she is not able to give Jo Club the attention that she would like, so she is going to take some time off from being the leader. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

In the meantime, Deb Walker has agreed to lead the club for this session and beyond if needed. She is an excellent quilter and a wonderful crafter, too. She has lots of ideas for nifty little extras we can do in Jo Club using the wonderful Jo fabric that we all love.

If you are thinking about joining, and you haven't already paid in advance for the Club 8 patterns, please sign up and order the patterns as soon as possible so that I can be sure to have them available for you at the January meeting.

Thanks - Carrie

Baltimore Halloween - The Real Story

Most of you know that I am not a big fan of Halloween. Not that I don't like it, it just seems a little weird to me that it has become such a big deal. Anyway - one of my favorite customers approached me (actually, I think she was on her knees), wanting us to have a class for this goofy Baltimore Halloween quilt. My first reaction was, "are you nuts? You know how I feel about Halloween." But then she made me look it up on line. I have to say, it is one of the most "interesting" quilts I have ever seen. If you look at it up close, you will see that each block has some kind of "double-take" aspect to it. Like I said, it is interesting. So - in a moment of weakness, I said we would do it if she could recruit several more nutcases to sign up. Go figure, it looks like it will probably go! In any case, if you do like Halloween, it will be a good chance for you to learn to do some beautiful work with Joanne, our applique expert. You will have a hard time finding anyone more accomplished in applique than Joanne, and this quilt isn't all that huge and overwhelming - it might be a good place to hone your skills before actually trying a real Baltimore Album quilt. Think about it - but don't wait too long! The first class meeting is January 4th from 3:30-4:30!

New Classes Next Session

Hi Everybody,

I am really excited about our new class session. I have been working on some of the class samples, and I think you will like them as much as I do. One is the Pineapple quilt:

We saw a Pineapple quilt at the quilt exhibition while we were at Market and it was just beautiful, so I talked Deb Walker into teaching it. I have made a few blocks and I am loving it!

I am also working on the tumbling blocks for the class I am teaching:

I am really happy with the way this one is turning out. I love the 3-D qualities! I can't wait to get back to it - but I have to finish my Centennial Sampler first. No rest.....

Long Arm For Sale

Long Arm Set-Up
No - not ours. Not long ago I was contacted by the husband of a recently deceased quilter. I didn't know her personally, but when I went to see what she had left behind, I was pretty awed. Let's just say, "She Won." (If you don't get it - ask another quilter). Anyway, I agreed to help him out by selling some of her larger aquisitions on consignment. The first item is a Hinterberg set-up. This is perfect for someone that wants the convenience of a long arm for home use. He is asking $3900 for the entire set-up which includes the machine and stretch-frame and a whole bunch of extras. According to her DH, she set it up and used it maybe once before she died. It is a new model SSMACH Voyager sewing machine, and it is located in Elgin.

Call me if you want to know more.
(847) 516-7911

*Please note that this sale is not guaranteed by Pieceful Gathering. I believe everything is on the up and up, but you will need to do your homework and check it out for yourself.

More Wool!

More new wool arrived last week. We found this new distributor at market and I just fell in love with the cool textures and plaids that they offer. Here are just a few in the color "Old Denim".

Aren't they cool looking? So we've restocked the wool cabinet with wool eighths and wool sixteenths and Stacie is already working on a wall hanging project that uses some of the new plaids. I can't wait to see it.

Kay Capps Cross Missing Quilts

Hi Everyone -

Awhile back I mentioned the unbelievable misfortune of Kay Cross' quilts being stolen in Houston. I promised pictures of the quilts, so here they are.

Admittedly, they are not the kind of quilts you will find at Pieceful Gathering, but a lot of you dabble in brights, and somewhere in your travels you may run across one of these items. If, by chance, you see one of these items - maybe at a show or for sale somewhere - maybe even online, please contact me, and I will put you in touch with Kay.

Without further ado:

Thanks! Carrie

Black Monday - Red Tuesday SALE!

Happy Cyber Monday!


We kind of missed Black Friday - anyone that made it into the shop on Friday knows that we were in the middle of re-organizing (read that - making a huge mess). I have been hearing all kinds of things about Cyber Monday, too - that is today, for those of you that are surfing from work. I thought maybe we should try to cash in on this new phenomenon, so I have devised a little sale scheme.


Like many of you, we are being affected adversely (watch me bring out the big words) by the current state of the economy. It is not horrible, yet, but keeping up with bills is a never-ending issue. I figured out that if each person reading my weekly newsletter would spend $33.00 in the shop, or online, that would put us back in the black. I even came up with a little logo:


I am calling it, "Help us stay on the Dark Side." That seemed appropriate, if you know my philosophy of quilting!

So, here is the deal:

For Today and Tomorrow Only (that's December 1st & 2nd)

Order at least $33.00 worth of items on our website,

and we will remove the shipping charges from your bill!

OR

Come into the shop Tomorrow (we aren't open today), and purchase $50.00 or more worth of regular priced merchandise and we will give you a 33% Discount on your purchase (That will make your total $33.50!)

To get your discount, you must tell your check-out person (probably me) that you want to "Come to the Dark Side," or something close.

NO TELLING OTHERS IN THE SHOP

I want to see who is reading my newsletter and blog!

Last Free First Friday (a.k.a. Freaky Friday)

Hi Kids,

Katie is soaking up sun in Florida, so I am in charge. You know I let her think she is in charge when she is around. Anyway, I wanted to remind you that we have First Friday Sew-In this week - I know, great planning - the night before the Registration/Open House. Thankfully, Katie will be back to make sure everything flows smoothly.

By now you should have received your Spring Class Schedule in the mail. You may have noticed that we have implemented a new policy for certain gatherings - including First Friday. We will sell you a punch card for $20.00, which will allow you to attend four gatherings. Besides First Friday, you may use the card for Featherweight Drop-In Club, and a new UFO Drop-In Club that we are trying this session. You can read more about it in the newsletter.

The new policy should technically take effect this at this week's Friday Sew-In, but I would like, instead, to ask each person attending (or even if you aren't attending), to bring Non-perishable food items or personal care items worth about $5.oo for us to donate to the Cary-Grove Food Pantry. If you would prefer to donate cash, we will see that it gets to the Food Pantry, as well.

I know that times are tough for all of us, but there are always people that are worse-off than we are. A small donation can go a long way. We will set up some kind of donation center in the shop, and continue to collect donations through December 12th.

Jo Club

This is Carrie - So far, you have only heard from Katie, in case you didn't know. Yes, I am finally learning how to blog. Katie put the picture in, and handed me the laptop. I may never figure out how to do this again, but you never know!

I wanted to tell you about this week's Jo Club. Kathy wasn't feeling well, so I took over. We knew we weren't going to have the new Jo Club patterns on time, so I put together another little quilt for the club. I really wanted to use some of the new Providence fabrics, and luckily, we got them on time. We put together kits (at the last minute - as usual), which you can purchase on our website. Hey - how cool is that? I put a link in!

Anyway, I really want to make this into a big quilt:

Hey - Check that out - I learned how to put in a picture. This is amazingly easy! Katie did say that even a moron could do this, but I don't always rank that high on her list.

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving. We are watching football - actually, Kate and I are giggling over this blog thing, Tony is sleeping, and the boys are making fun of us. A perfect family Thanksgiving.

Back to the subject - Jo assures us that we will have the new patterns shortly, so I am sure that Kathy will have a completed sample next month (she loves me). We do have some ideas for making Jo Club more interesting that I think you will like - that is, if you enjoy a little challenge.

Be sure to sign up for Jo Club next session when you attend our Open House on December 6th. (Nice segway, huh?)

I will stop babbling and go back to watching the football game (that means doze....)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Carrie

November Seasonal Demo

Everyone seemed to have a good time at our November seasonal demo. We had a fun Christmas Movie Trivia game with some cute holiday prizes. Then Deb showed a number of projects that you can still whip up before Christmas. Some of them are on our website on the Christmas Specials page. Here are some pictures of just a couple of things.

This is a wall hanging that Pieceful Teacher Deb Walker actually designed herself. If you can't make out the writing, it says "In the meadow...". Isn't it clever?

This Christmas Tree Placemat is from one of our favorite teachers Jean Mueller. She's so creative!

Wool Crazy!

I might have gone a little bit overboard last week ordering wool. I just couldn't help myself! Half of what I ordered arrived yesterday and it is gorgeous. I expect another shipment from a new supplier to come in sometime next week and I can't wait to see the new plaids and textures.

This is my latest wool projects. It's from the book Primitive Christmas and we have kits for it here at the shop. I like it because it's not too Christmasie. It could really be used year round if you have a real country home or a cabin up north. Let me know what you think.

Jo Morton Providence

This is the new Jo Morton line that just came in. It's actually three different colorways. Can you tell which ones go together? As usual, Jo has come up with some beautiful dark and rich colors. We'll be making star towers up in each of the three colorways. Maybe Santa will bring you one for Christmas (be sure to tell him which one you want!).

Spring Class/Club Schedule

The Spring Schedule has been mailed out and you should have gotten yours by now. If you haven't received yours, you can print a copy from the link below. I'm really excited about some of the new classes we have to offer this session. One of the things we did differently this session was to add some more of what we call "technique classes", such as the Pineapple Quilt Class and the Tumbling Blocks Quilt Class. These classes meet just once for a couple of hours so that you can learn the technique, then you can go home and finish the quilt on your own. This way you don't have to commit to two or three weeks in a row. This also allows us to keep the prices down, which I know everyone appreciates right now.

Registration for spring classes will begin on December 6th at our tri-annual Open House and Discount Registration. You will get 10% off any classes/clubs that you sign up for on this day. This is also your first chance to see all of our samples. Pictures won't be up on the website until after the 6th and we won't be taking phone registration until after the 6th either. You've got to come to the shop if you want to be the first to see the new stuff and the first to sign up. Hope to see you there!

Spring '09 Class and Club Offerings - Print this if you didn't get a copy in the mail. Pictures of the samples will be available on our website after December 6th.

Don't Miss This Month's Free Seasonal Demo!

This month we will be demoing quick and easy Christmas projects. We've got some great hostess gift ideas and other small projects that you can still get done before Christmas. Stop by and see what we've come up with this month.

Tuesday 11/25 at 6:30 or
Wednesday 11/26 at 10:30

We promise we'll take the tables out of this classroom this month so there will be more room (sorry if you had to squeeze in and stand last month!).

New Book - Time Out Quilts From Atikinson Designs

The last book we had from Atkinson Designs (Let's Do Lunch) was so popular, we thought we would give this new one a try. Plus we really like there patterns because they are so nice and easy to follow. This new book is all about making traditional quilts in less time. It has seven different quilts in multiple sizes. We hope to get some samples made from this book soon so be sure to stop by the shop and see what we've come up with.

Wool Christmas Ornies are Here!

Just in time for our Holiday Make & Take Party, the Wool Christmas Ornies Kits have arrived. Kits are limited so be sure to stop by and get yours soon or order one on our website.

Joanne will be here demoing these and other cute wool ornaments on for our Holiday Make & Take Party on Saturday November 15 from 1:00-5:00. In addition to the wool ornaments, we will have three other demo stations where you can learn how to make some great holiday gifts like this Victorian Christmas Stocking.

New Jo Kit - Circle of Friends

This is a mini quilt that our Jo club did as an extra project in October. We really liked the way these Jo Morton fabrics looked against the black background. You can read more about this kit on our website.

New in the Shop This Week

We got a great new 30's reproduction line in this week called Granny's Treasures. The colors are nice and vibrant and there are some really cute little prints (I really like the bows!).







We also have put together some new Civil War Fat Quarter and Snippet Bundles (great for those scrappy Civil War Reproduction quilts).