Also New This Week

Dear Pieceful Quilters,

I didn't want to forget to show you a couple of other new items we have right now. Deb did a very cute little quilt for Jo Club in great Fall colors. Perfect for a tabletopper or wall hanging:

If you missed our Seasonal Demo last week, you will want to see the kits for my woven placemats:

Each $9.99 kit makes two placemats. Just add batting and backing. Quick, Easy and Fun. Great Gift idea!

I did get my Sunflower wallhanging finished in time, but I haven't quite done the kits yet. I am struggling with the background fabric. The one I used is just a little too dark. Here it is, though. Watch for it soon:

Jean has another quick project for you - her Electronic Gadget Carrier. It is made with 3 snippets and has one of those long straps that go over your shoulder. It can carry your cell phone, IPod, etc., and still have room to tuck in your Driver's License and a little cash if you want to go shopping without your big heavy purse:

Cute, huh?

That's all I can think of right now - come in and see it all!

Carrie

Sawtooth Star - AT LAST!

Hello Fellow Procrastinators,

Lest you think that you are the queens of procrastination, here is the proof that I can out-procrastinate anyone! Below you will see two quilts. One is a Sawtooth Star quilt that Katie made awhile back, and the other is a baby one that I made over the weekend. I LOVE this quilt. I designed it before we opened the shop, and I had patterns for it in the smaller size. After we opened and Katie started quilting, we decided to kit the quilt, and Kate made the larger sample. I was supposed to re-write the pattern and include instructions for both the large and small sizes. Of course, I couldn't just keep it the way it was - I had learned some new tricks, and I wanted to change the pattern a little bit. Now comes the great procrastinator. I started to revise it a half a dozen times. Katie finally got ticked at me last week, and wrote the pattern herself. I quickly put together the little sample to try and redeem myself - and it's really cute. Both kits will be available in the shop, but we will be taking them to Madison, so don't wait too long, I don't think these will last.

Until Tomorrow (which, as you know, never comes),
Carrie a.k.a. The Queen

Fantastic Hexagon Quilt

Hello Pieceful Quilters,
I want to share a Hexagon quilt that Violet Klien brought in. I took a bunch of pictures so that you could see some of the fussy cuts she did. It is huge - and truly amazing! She even put a fence around her "garden." I know you will love this:

I hope this has inspired you as much as it inspired me!

Happy Quilting,

Carrie

More Hexagon Blocks

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

Just in case you were wondering, I am still working my way (slowly) through my hexagon obsession. Here is some more of my blocks. I have started putting a few together. I have one more that I finished yesterday on my way to and from the Sox game. God forbid I should sit in the car and do nothing! I am still loving these blocks and spending an inordinate amount of time just choosing the perfect combinations of repro fabrics. Once I get a few more sewn together, I will put them up in the shop somewhere so that you can monitor my progress.

Hope you all have a great week! Come by and see me.

Carrie

Civil War Reenactors

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

I was so impressed by this dress that Vicki Charabowski made for her daughter, Stacey, that I had to share the picture with you. Stacey is involved with some of the Civil War Reenactment events around here, and they are very particular about how authentic their clothing is. The style and fabric have to be specific to the period, so I was so happy that they were able to find what they wanted at Pieceful Gathering. The bodice is a green tiny check from the Williamsburg collection, and the skirt is a green shirting from the Heartland II collection. Isn't she cute?

Vicki did a great job of putting the dress together. She had to gather about 7 yards of fabric to make the skirt! Sounds daunting to me!

Carrie

About Snippet Stew

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

Without going into too much detail - I want to give you a little background on my Snippet Stew patterns. It all started when I wanted to do something with our specialty cuts called snippets. From the beginning, we started cutting 10" squares called snippets. Subsequently, Moda came out with their Layer Cakes, which were also 10" squares. This is a great size to work with, since you can get four nickels (5" squares) or four 2 1/2" x 10" strips - perfect for the scrappy quilts we love at Pieceful Gathering.

Anyway, I started playing with the snippets, using my favorite ruler - the Shape Cut Ruler by June Tailor. I used a variation of the Stack n whatever method to make traditional looking quilts, and I have been doing a new pattern each session ever since.

Here are pictures of the Stews to Date:

The first Stew - Plain Stew - Simple, Easy and Pretty in Classic Blue & White

Plain Stew again, in plaid - also called, "Man Stew" hee-hee
Stew #2 - Regency Stew (the fabric line we used) - A few more cuts and sashing, voila'

Stew #3 - Hot Crossed Stew - love the reds!

Stew #4 - Stew Squared - Still working on this one - needs a little polishing Stew #5 - Jellycake Stew - Takes a Jelly Roll and a Layer Cake
Pattern still in the works - coming sooner (or later) Stew #6A - Stewed at the Cabin - the big one. Traditional Log Cabin blocks cut from snippets.
Scrap Lovers Rejoice! Stew #6B - Snippets in the Wind - so the numbering got a little mixed up. This pattern comes with Mini Stewed at the Cabin Placemats and a Valences made from the extra pieces.

A small version of the first Leftover Stew - A little bit Stewed at the Cabin

The newest Stew #7 - Shoo Fly Stew (American Shoo Fly Pie Variation)
First introduced in this year's Quilt Pink Quilt.
Still working on this one, too. I think it is going to be fab!

Also new - Leftover Stew#2 - Next Day Chili. 1 1/2" finished squares and nine-patches.
How cute is this little guy?

Well - that's all I have right now. I will add more pictures as I get stuff done. I am already working on the next stew, so stay tuned!

Carrie

And the Winners are:

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

We managed to snap a shot of everyone that won a prize in the show - except one, so I had to re-use a picture from the previous blog post. We are so proud of all of you!
Thank you to everyone that entered the show. I know it is a little scary putting your "baby" out there for the world to see, not knowing if everyone will love it as much as you do.
I loved them all. Each quilt in the show had a little story to tell, and I was so excited to see some of you who started quilting with us just a few years ago, have come so far!

Congratulations to all of you!

And here are the winners:

First Prize - Judges Overall Favorite

Mary Zenger for "Jo's Little Women Club Challenge 2008"

An original quilt made during a block pattern exchange challenge in our Jo's Little Women Club.

Nice Job, Mary. Who knew Jo had so many Pinks?!?

2nd Prize - Viewer's Choice

Carole Naughton for "Tribute to the Civil War Ladies"

Her own interpretation of Rosemary Youngs' Civil War Diary Quilt,

a long-running club at Pieceful Gathering. Carole was in such too much

of a hurry to complete hers (call it obsession, if you want), so she did

it on her own in just a few months. Yikes!

3rd Prize - Best Bed Size Quilt

Mary Lutz for "Stars Around the Garden"
This was done as a Block-of-the-Month at Pieceful Gathering.

The wonderful pattern from Bits n' Pieces was displayed at the show in a couple of different colorways. Mary's was our Civil War fabrics, and the other was in Kansas Troubles fabrics.

Wow - what a difference the fabric choices can make in the look of a quilt!

3rd Prize - Best Lap Size Quilt
Mary Kerkman for "Starburst"
Another Bits n' Pieces pattern - this was also done as a Block-of-the-Month, although more of them were done through the shop online, or all at once. They were all just lovely. I am such a sucker for those Kansas Troubles fabrics!

3rd Prize - Best Wallhanging

Jean Mueller for "Holiday Inn"

This was a 3-part project that was done in Jo's Little Women Club this year.

You just can't go wrong with Jo Morton's wonderful fabrics! Jean did an especially good job on hers - her piecing and quilting are amazing. Good work!

Special Award - Best Quilt from a Quilt Academy Class

Barbara Dale for "Rail Fence" from the Q101 - Extreme Beginner Class

I have a special place in my heart for our beginners. They all work so hard, and accomplish so much in such a short time. I especially commend those of you that had the courage to enter your first or second quilts in the show. We have all been there, and we know it isn't easy!

Thank you!

Special Award - Pieceful Staff Favorite

Marilyn Randall for "Jamie's Quilt"

Made in Snickel Club from "Loose Change," by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver

Boy, did we have a hard time deciding on this award. There were so many great quilts to choose from! But, when it came down to it, the skill in piecing, choice of colors and placement in the design, and overall beauty of Marilyn's quilt garnered the most staff votes. I don't think any of us would have argued against it, anyway. It was a real winner!

Special Award - Most Unique Quilt

Dawn Swim for "What to do with Orphan Blocks"

This was the multi-level collection of quilted, pieced and embroidered blocks

connected with a creative conglomeration of adjustable straps with buttons.

It was hanging from the side of the stairway, in case you don't remember it.

Unique, unusual, different... I don't think the judges had a hard time with this category!

Sorry about the picture - I'll catch you next time you come in.

Many thanks and Congratulations to everyone that entered.

You are all Winners in my book!

Carrie

Pre-Show Jitters

Hello Pieceful Quilters!

The show has come and gone, and judging by the positive comments I have been getting, I would have to say it was a success. Not too bad for a little quilt shop that has only been in business 3 years! I did sort of fail to get the pictures I had planned to take. The day just went by too fast! If you have pictures taken during the show, in digital format, I would love to have them to post on the blog!
Here are a few pictures I took of our volunteers while they were hanging the show. It was quite an undertaking, since we didn't really have any idea how our plans were going to work out. It will go much faster next year, I am sure!

Dawn & Vonnie prepare an almost finished quilt for display.

The quilts on the wall to the left are the small version of this year's Mystery Quilt.

Almost everyone finished their quilt this year, and many made it in time for the show!

Good work Mysterious Girls!

Look at Vonnie smile - you can't even tell she is about ready to fall over from exhaustion!

These girls worked HARD!

How about that fabulous Yellow Brick Road made from Lancaster County fabrics.

Who said Reproduction quilts had to be dark and dirty?!?

Stacie's Evil Twin - Scary, isn't she?

Demi - not her butt - I was being nice!
Don't the quilts look fabulous hanging behind her?
That first one is a Snippet Stew quilt - I think that was Nancy Dlugosz's
I could be wrong - it's my pattern, though!

Stacie and Roy (aka Kevin) hanging Jan Griffith's beautiful "Fit to be Geese" quilt
that she made in our class, from Monique Dillard's pattern.
Monique donated a lot of cool stuff for our prizes from her company,
Open Gate Quilts.

Katie puts the final price tags on the samples for sale. We will plan to have a more publicized Sample Sale at another time. Maybe at the Open House next April - don't quote me....

Dawn again - who worked tirelessly to help us hang the show, and all along the way.

That is her Purple People Heater Quilt behind her. Can you believe that most of the fabric came from Pieceful Gathering? Dawn always seems to find the light in the darkness....

Thanks to all who helped with the show in so many ways!

Quilters are the BEST!

Carrie