Snow Pool

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

As you all know, I am insane. Just to prove it, here is a picture Katie took of me shoveling Route 14. It is taken through the window screen, so it's a little fuzzy, but that's me! Crazy as a loon.

Actually, I was doing it for your safety and mine. The wet slush and snow had formed a puddle at the end of our driveway, which would have turned into a nice skating pond if I hadn't gone out and cleared the drain. It worked great, and I am alive to tell about it!

Anyway, I decided it would be more fun to clear snow all winter if I made a game out of it (I have a little Mary Poppins thing going, don't I?). Hence, I have created the Pieceful Fat Quarter - Snow Removal Pool. Here's how it will work:

The pool will be based on the number of times I (or another Pieceful employee) have to go out and sweep or shovel snow. This can be more than once a day, so the number could get pretty high! So far, I have been out 5 times! We are going to start the pool at 20 and go up to 200. You can get into the pool by purchasing a fat quarter which will go into the Pieceful Snow Pool Pot. Each fat quarter will "buy" you half a square (20 - 200). The pool will end on Pieceful Auction Day, March 21st. (And hopefully that will also be the end of Snow Removal!) The winner or winners will receive all, or half, of the fat quarters in the pot (depending on whether there are one or two people on the winning square) PLUS - 100 Pieceful Bucks (if there are two winners they will each receive 100 Pieceful Bucks)! How's that for FUN! You can begin purchasing squares now - so come in soon to get your first choice of squares!

Good Luck!

Carrie (the head nut)

Man Day - Wish List Suggestions

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

As most of you should know by now, Man Day is coming up on Sunday, December 2oth. This is the day you can send your man (husband, son, significant other, etc.) to shop for the things you actually want (what a concept). We will have "Manly" refreshments - yes, that means beer, and our husbands will be working the register. We will have the Bears game on the radio and Katie & I will be in the back doing giftwrapping (just in case any questions come up that the boys can't answer).

Man Day will also be the Kick-Off of Buck Hunting Season. Anything your Man purchases on Man Day will earn him DOUBLE BUCKS to bring home to you! These can be used at our Pieceful Auction on 21st. Regular Buck Hunting Season will begin after the 1st of year.

I know that you all have things you have been wanting, but if you are like me, when you sit down to fill out the list they will all go right out of your head. I thought it might be helpful if I came up with a little list of nifty things you might want:

Items between $10 and $20

• 4.5" Frosted Square Ruler
• Mini Crafting Iron
• 12" Add-a-Quarter Ruler
• Best Press 16 oz Spray Bottle or 33.8 oz Refill Bottle
• Pounce Pad - White, Blue or Iron Off
• Texture Magic
• Mesh Bags (Various sizes)
• Easy Angle, Companion Angle or Tri-Recs Rulers
• Foundation Paper Pack
• Fit to be Geese or Fit to be Square Rulers
• Applique Pressing Sheet
• Desktop Needle Threader
• Super Satchel Slim or Large
• Get Squared Ruler pack (for fussy cutting)
• Susan's Simple Applique Rulers (various designs)
• Printed Treasures Photo Transfer Paper
• A NEW Rotary Cutter - oh yeah!

Items between $20 and $30

• A NEW Mat 18" x 24", or a NEW Ruler 6" x 24"
• Amazing Nickels - Pat Speth's newest book
• 12 1/2" Square Ruler or 15" Square Ruler
• Dating Fabrics by Eileen Trestain (1800-1960 or 1950-2000)
• Little Box of Baby Quilts (patterns)
• Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy
• Sew Slip (Teflon Sheet to aid in machine quilting)
• Fat Quarter Quilting by Lori Smith (Her new book)
• 60mm Rotary Cutter (the big one - doubles as a pizza cutter - haha)
• Judy Martin's Log Cabin Book (just awesome)
• Ergonomic Rotary Cutter (good if you want to cut sitting down)
• Pack of 5 Rotary Blades (45mm)
• Simple Comforts by Kim Deihl (great book)
• Autum Gatherings by Lisa Bongean (classic)
• 501 Rotary Cut Quilt Blocks (a must have!)
• Little School Girl Kit (Lori Smith)
• Lincoln's Platform Quilt Kit (from Remembering Adelia)
• Sawtooth Star Wallhanging Quilt Kit by Carrie

Items $30 to $40

• Best of QNM - Quilt Design Software (see what EQ is all about before buying it)
• Triangulations Software (A must have!)
• Shape Cut Plus or Quarter Cut Rulers (you know how I feel about these!)
• Autumn Medallion Wallhanging Kit by Katie
• Pieceful Gathering Denim Shirt
• Sawtooth Star Lap Quilt Kit by Carrie
• Fun at the Beach Tote Bag kit by Jean
• Pieceful Flowers Wool Tablerunner Kit by Katie
• Gifts from My Heart Wallhanging Kit (Patriotic looking with Wool Bird Applique Center)
• Kansas Winter Jelly Roll
• Fabricalculator

Items $40 and up

• 20.5" Square Ruler
• 24" x 36" Cutting Mat
• Morgan 12"/14" Lap Stand
• The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns by Jinny Beyer (A must have)
• Heritage in Quilts - Quilt History book from the Tennessee DAR
• Best Press 1 Gallon Refill Bottle
• Shape Cut Pro Ruler (20" x 24" - 2.5" intervals) the mega one
• Dear Jane Design Software
• Aurifil Cone in our favorite color - 2310 Light Beige
• Calico Comfort Quilt Kit from Remembering Adelia
• Beyond Borders Quilt Kit (blue & white - Grant & Lee Panel Center) by Monique Dillard
• Holiday Shop Hop (Autumn Medallion) Full Size Quilt Kit
• Jane's Journey Kit (Blue & White from Grace's Dowry Quilts)
• Vonnie Marie's Wedding Ring Quilt Kit (1870 Reproduction by Carrie)
• Civil War Sampler Complete Kit by Karen Witt (on SALE)

I hope this helps. We will try to have enough of these things in stock, but be sure to have second choices in case we run out of the most popular items. Don't forget, Gift Certificates are always an easy choice for your man (less confusing).

Below you will find a copy of our wish list form that we have been handing out at the shop - just in case you didn't get one.

....................................................................................................

Pieceful Man Shopping Day
Get a jump start on Buck Hunting Season!

December 20th from 12:00-5:00

· The shop will be open for Men Only
· Mark & Tony will be “manning the shop”
· The Bears game will be on and there will be “manly” refreshments
· Free gift wrapping will be available
· All purchases made will receive double bucks which can be used in the 2010 Pieceful Auction

Just fill out the “wish list” on the back and give it to your man. Then be sure to send him to Pieceful Gathering on December 20th.

.......................................................................................

Dearest Husband,

I’ve been really, really good this year and all I want for Christmas is quilting supplies from Pieceful Gathering Quilt shop. Please, pretty please, buy me the following must have quilting items!

· A Gift Certificate
· A Kit for the Quilt _______________________
· Fabric in the color _______________________
· Fabric from the new line __________________
· These Notions __________________________
· The book ______________________________
· The pattern ____________________________
· Other _________________________________


Yours truly,

_____________________­­­­­­___

.............................................................................................

Thanks for Shopping with us!

Carrie

A Few Pictures

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

We have a winner! Nancy Luehrs won the 2009 Pieceful Gathering Quilt Pink Raffle Quilt. Thanks to our great customers who came through at the last minute after I confessed that I had done a truly pathetic job of promoting the quilt this year, and bought enough tickets to double the amount we will be sending to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. We will be sending a check for $320.00 thanks to all of you!

Nancy Luehrs with her new quilt!

Yesterday, I worked during the Baltimore Album Club meeting. I was so exhausted from standing all day on Saturday that I decided to sit and stitch with them for a little while. Talk about a fun group! I just sat and giggled the whole time. I had to take a couple of pictures to share with you. They are working on a method called Papercuts, where they actually cut a pattern out of paper and use it to create beautiful applique blocks. Watching a bunch of women that are a long way from kindergarten trying to cut paper was amusing, to say the least. Here are my pix with captions:

"Are you serious? Where are my magnifying glasses? Does anyone have some sharper scissors?"

"Ta-Da, it's a snowflake - ok, so maybe it's a melted snowflake."

Of course, I am just making fun. The actual blocks are truly amazing. Stop by the shop to see Joanne's sample blocks.

That's all for now. Be sure to stop by and sign up for our Spring (Jan-April) classes and clubs!

Piecefully Yours, Carrie