Cotton Theory Workshop

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

As many of you know, we c0-sponsored a Cotton Theory Workshop last weekend with Vicki Madigan of Catalyst Career Group. As I mentioned in my newsletter last week, this method is pretty labor intensive, but you do get a really neat result. Here is my finished runner:


Yes, I know, it's hard to believe I actually finished something. It took me quite a while to get it done, but I knew if it went into the UFO pile (read that MOUNTAIN), it would never emerge again. I used Kansas Troubles fabrics from my stash, and they look so nice in my house, that I really wanted to finish this. I am pretty pleased with the result (from a galloping horse, anyway).

Here are some pictures from the retreat with all the happy quilters and their partially finished blocks:

The Whole Group - Teacher, Margy Weber is in the front row on the right. As you can see, some people got farther than others. There were sure some beautiful colors!

A few close-ups - Sorry if some are a little hard to see.

Vicki Madigan - having fun!

Blue & Whites - very pretty

Gotta Love the Patriotics!

Check out the purple boa - we all got one! Now that made the workshop worth attending!

More of the ever-popular Blue & Whites

You can hide, Alberta, but I still know it's you!

Alberta's sister, Susie, getting ahead!

More pretty color combos

And more....

Keeping Busy!

Katie & Jan

Thanks for sending us your pictures, Jan!

All in all, a great time. Stay tuned for details on more adventures with Vicki. She is planning another Cotton Theory workshop/retreat where they will do a tote bag. Sounds like fun!

Piecefully Yours,

Carrie

Shipshewana Trip with Vicki Madigan

Hello Pieceful Quilters,

I just wanted to let you know about a trip that is coming up in March. Unfortunately, I am already committed to something else that weekend, otherwise I would be going for sure! That is why I thought I would share it with you, so some of you can come back and tell me all about it.

A few of you may know Vicki Madigan from the Madison Bus Trip or the Cotton Theory Workshop that we were involved it. She does a great job of organizing these things, and I am sure you will have a great time. The brochure is below - but it didn't copy over very well. We will have copies available in the shop, though.

The dates are March12-13, and you can save $ if you register by Feb 6th. She can only take a limited number, since they are having an Amish dinner with Rebecca Haarer, who also happens to be the same Rebecca that my upcoming fabric line is named after. I haven't even had a chance to meet her! Call or email Vicki for a better copy of the brochure (224) 848-1990 or sewnow1@hotmail.com

I wish I could go!

Happy Quilting - Carrie

Pieceful Auction 2010

Pieceful Auction
Sunday, March 21st

Fox Valley Engineering

Next Door to Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop

(same parking lot)

106 Northwest Hwy (Rt. 14)
Fox River Grove, IL 60021
(847) 516-7911
Doors Open at 1:30 – Auction Starts at 2 or so

1:30–View Auction Goodies
Cocktails & Hors D’oeuvres will be available during the viewing time

How it works:

Starting in January, you will try to collect as many “Pieceful Bucks” as you can. There are various ways to earn your Bucks. Some of them are:

• Purchases – This year we will match the amount you spend at the shop on everything, rounded up to the nearest $1.00, during the Pieceful Auction Buck Hunting Season.
• Bring Pieceful Show-n-Tell to any Pieceful Class, Club or Demo, and earn 10 Pieceful Bucks. (Show-n-Tell must be made with fabric primarily purchased at PG)

Bonus Buck Hunt
On a regular basis we will put Buckhead Stickers on various merchandise and bolts. The first person to purchase the item or fabric from the marked bolt will receive 20 Bonus Bucks!

Weekly Bonus Buck Specials
Watch the Weekly E-mail or Check here for Specials!

Bonus Buck Special - Week ending January 30th:
Kit Mania - Receive 50 Bonus Bucks for every kit you buy!

Happy New Year!

Hello Pieceful Quilters!

I can hardly believe that 2009 is over - it seems like just last year we were all worried about the Y2K computer disaster (that didn't happen - phew!). What happened to all those years in between? It is also hard to believe that we have been here for over three years. I guess time really does fly when you are having fun. I know that my years in the law firm didn't fly like that.

I hope you are all ready to get back into quilting. The winter months are a great time to stay home and quilt. I have been busy doing bindings now that it is colder in the house. It is nice to wrap up in a big quilt and stitch away. I have finished four bindings in the last few weeks. Of course, some of them were partially done. We seem to have a habit of hanging our samples with the bindings pinned in parts. We changed the shop around last week, and I ended up with a couple of quilts to take home and finish. The Williamsburg quilt must have had 50 pins in it! It was all good, though, since I apparently threw away the thread catcher/pin cushion in my sewing room. It has been M.I.A. since the last time I cleaned in there. I have been using some "antique" pins from a box of my grandmothers sewing junk. I am sure I will end up with some rust spots if I leave them in too long. Of course, that will make my quilts look more authentic. There is always a silver lining, isn't there?

Newly Reorgnized Shop Pix

We decided to open things up a little in the back by moving out one of the big ugly fabric shelf thingers. The quilt over the fireplace (yes, there is a fireplace behind that pile of snippet bundles) is Beyond Borders - A Monique Dillard/Open Gate pattern using the Lincoln Bicentennial Line from Windham Fabrics. The blue and white one in the back corner is Janes Journey - a Bethany Fuller/Grace's Dowry Quilts pattern. Both are bound - with labels! Aren't you impressed? We do have kits for both of them, which which we would be happy to mail out to those of you that are reading my babbling from far away. Just give us a call - 847-516-7911 or 866-433-7911 (Toll Free). Katie has Beyond Borders on our website, too. Feel free to email me if you have any questions - carrie@piecefulgathering.com.

We moved the big cabinet out of the corner, and I really like it where it is, now. Funny to think it was in my parent's basement the whole time I was growing up. I think my Dad would have been just as happy to leave it there when he broke up the house a few years ago, but I made my (sainted) husband drag it out of there for me. It is all one piece and it weighs a ton! I am sure glad I did - it looks great in the shop! The quilt you see hanging from the shelf thing is Calico Comfort from Kathleen Tracy's book, Remembering Adelia. We still have some kits for that great scrappy quilt. It is on the website, too.

If any of you have time, you should bop over to Kathy Tracy's blog, http://sentimentalquilter.blogspot.com/2009/12/quilt-shop-tours.html

She has a review of some of the quilt shops around here, including your favorite and mine :)

Take a few minutes to read through some of her other entries, too. She is really a wonderful writer. That reminds me, we finally did up a sample of Kathy's Broken Dishes quilt in Pink and Brown from Prairie Children and Their Quilts. We have had the kits for awhile, but our sample was in the originial Red, White and Blue that Kathy used in her book. Don't you love the Pink and Brown:

I had a call this morning from a new customer that wanted to know about our quilt service. It seems that she had taken an applique quilt somewhere else to be quilted, and the quilter went right over her applique work! I would have been sick (assuming I would ever do applique). Anyway, it made me think of this great quilt that Vonnie did recently on a quilt that Jan Griffith made in our Quiltsmart Club. The group did a Lonestar last session, and Vonnie did these amazing feathers free hand! Both Vonnie and Cathy are turning out such beautiful work. They have really mastered the Gammil!

Well - that's it for now. I need to get home and get to work on my Mystery Quilt instructions for next week - ACK!

I wish you all a very Happy 2010!

Carrie