Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Wooly Row by Row Project

A busy weekend is on the horizon.....first home football game for the Razorbacks so traffic in Fayetteville will be crazy......Frisco Festival in downtown Rogers so the downtown area will be crazy.  If you'll be in town for the game, why not plan a trip up to see us -- just keep in mind the congested downtown area.

Even better, why not avoid the hustle and bustle in NW Arkansas and make a short trip over to Pittsburg KS to see Kay at the Little Balkans Days quilt show?  The show will be held Fri, Aug 31 (9:00-5:00) & Sat, Sep 1 (9:00-4:00) at Memorial Auditorium, 503 N Pine.  For more info, visit http://littlebalkansfestival.com/

The first project we want to share is one of our favorites created by our friend Lynette Anderson.  "A Day Spent Sewing" pretty much sums up how we feel about our days spent sewing.  We have 2 options as far as kits go.  The $26.95 kit includes the pattern with full size tempates, fabrics as pictured, backing fabric and hand painted buttons.

The $17.95 kit includes the pattern with full size templates, fabrics as pictured and backing fabric.  No buttons are included. 

Project finishes 6 1/2" x 11 1/4". 
We know it's early but we just couldn't wait to share our Row by Row Wooly Block.  We are biased but we think it's adorable.  Unlike the "regular" row by row, you don't have to visit the shop to collect patterns.  We can mail them beginning October 1.   We are taking preorders for shipment beginning October 1.

Your $17.95 "Catch me if you Can" kit includes the pattern and wool to make the project.  It finishes 8" x 8".  For more info visit https://rowbyrowexperience.com/wooly-block-2/
Kay mounted our finished block on a burlap bag which we can include in your October shipment.  The bag measures 13.5" x 12" x 4.5".   Bag cost is $7.95.
Another new project is "Itty Bitty Pocket".  This adorable little bag and scissor/needle case would surely make your stitching buddy smile when it's tucked under her Christmas tree.  The pattern is by Cardiff Farms so is very well written.  $10 for the pattern

We haven't put together kits for this project but if you would like a kit, please let us know the colorway and we'll see what we can do. 
Next week we want to share some new kits we received from Front Porch Quilts.  Kay will have them at Pittsburg so if you stop by the booth be sure to ask to see them......they're very cute!
See you soon!

Darlene and Debby

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Words of advice

Now that the kids and grandkids are back in school, you may feel a sense of emptiness after a fun filled and busy summer.  You may also be wondering what handwork you can take as you participate in the many after school activities.  Debby recently finished a project that will be a great take along project.

"P. S. Don't Forget" contains advice we can all heed.  Debby changed the pattern to create a 16" x 20" wall hanging.  Your $24.95 kit includes the pattern (with our changes), fabrics for the top, binding and backing fabric.  Please excuse the photo quality -- we snapped it while we were on the run. 
Our shipment of Wool Works magazine arrived and we think it's the best issue yet.  Of course, we are partial to fall projects but this one is over the top.  We've included a collage of 4 of our favorite projects from this issue.  If you would like to reserve a copy, please let us know soon as fall issues tend to sell out quickly.  $10.99
Several people were disappointed when we sold out of our Pitter Patter kit at the Edmond quilt show.  We contacted the designer and she did a special printing to make more kits for us.  Your $19.95 kit includes the pattern prestamped on Sandcastle fabric, perle cotton for stitching, a needle, fabrics for the borders and binding.

If you'd prefer to use your own fabrics for the borders and binding, we have the prestamped background, perle cotton thread and needle available for $14.
One final thing before we close.....please let us know by Aug 28 if there's something you'd like Kay to bring with her to the quilt show in Pittsburg KS.  As a reminder, we will not be at the Springfield MO show in September so we encourage everyone who planned to shop with us in Springfield to take the short drive over to Pittsburg to see us.  The Little Balkans Festival and Quilt show will be held Fri, Aug 31 (9:00-5:00) & Sat, Sep 1 (9:00-4:00) at Memorial Auditorium, 503 N Pine.  For more info, visit http://littlebalkansfestival.com/
See you soon!

Darlene and Debby

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

One of our favorite pieced quilts

We are moving to the time of the year when the grass should be crunchy underfoot.  Instead, we are mowing every 5-7 days.  We're aren't complaining though -- these cooler temps have felt so nice.  With cooler temps, comes the thought of fall.  This week we want to share a couple of projects to get you in the mood for fall.

As many of you know, we specialize in applique quilts but occasionally enjoy making a pieced quilt.  "Humble Hands" was such a fun quilt to make.  The Bears Paw blocks are super quick and easy and playing with beautiful fabric in rich shades of red, gold, orange, brown and green is even more fun.  Your $99.94 kit includes the Quiltmania magazine with the pattern, fabric for the top, borders and binding.  The quilt finishes 58 1/2" x 70".
Since we associate crows with fall, we thought it was appropriate to include the "Crow" pincushion kit in the newsletter this week.  The kit is marked as a pincushion but everyone is using pin cushions as bowl fillers these days.  Your "Crow" kit includes the pattern, fabric for the top, wool for applique, cotton backing fabric and the key.  Finishes 3 1/2" x 5 1/2".  $8.95

Please note - we buy these kits made by the designer so fabrics and keys will vary with each kit.  
The last kit we'd like to share has been around for a while but it's definitely worth mentioning.  We're sure many of you can relate to the sentiment expressed on the "Wicked Chickens" small quilt.  Your $16.95 kit includes the pattern, background cotton, wool for applique, backing fabric, binding and buttons.  Please note that some wool and fabric will vary from the photograph.

The patterns suggests finishing it as a pincushion but we chose to finish ours to display on a 6" Ackfeld stand.  Let us know if we can reserve a stand for you $19.95.  
Our shipment of Simply Vintage magazines is on the way.  We can't wait to see what the fall issue holds.  Of course, we will share contents next week.

See you soon!

Darlene and Debby

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

New fall projects

Another very fun and inspiring quilt vending event has come and gone.  Kay had a wonderful time being pampered by the Edmond quilt guild members.  For your planning purposes, our next vending event is Aug 31-Sep 1 in Pittsburg KS at the Little Balkans Festival.  For more info visit http://littlebalkansfestival.com/.

Kay unpacked and reorganized and freshened up the shop.  Since many of you can't stop by, we thought it would be nice to share photos of some of the highlights of the shop. 
"October Garden" is our newest sample.  It was a big hit in Edmond and has gathered attention from as far away as Australia.  Your $66.95 kit includes the pattern, background fabrics (all are Diamond Textiles fabrics), wool for applique (the half circle shapes on the top & bottom borders are fabric) and binding.  The quilt finishes 36" x 40".

Please note that a couple of the wools are not longer available and are being substituted. 
We've been fans of Kim Diehl for years and were super excited to receive her newest book, Simple Whatnots.  It contains 18 projects from Kim's Simple Whatnots Club, previously available only as individual patterns.  Kim covers easy techniques for petite patchwork, invisible machine applique and wool applique.  These are great projects if you're looking for quilts that use lots of scraps and are quick to finish.

Let us know if we can reserve a copy for you or you can order via our website https://sewgracefulquilting.com/.  $29.99
If you start working on "Harvest Blessings" now, you'll have it quilted and ready for display far in advance of the fall season.  Your $18.95 kit includes the pattern (with our changes), fabrics for the top, wool for applique, stitchery stabilizer and binding.  It finishes 16" x 16". 
For those of you following Mom's snake saga -- apparently it has left the premises.  The house has been fogged and and sprayed -- we haven't seen any trace of the little critter.  Hopefully he's out in the woods enjoying life and allowing Mom to enjoy her life.

We'll be back next week to share more to inspire you.  See you soon!

Darlene and Debby

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

New holiday projects

What a week!  As many of you know, our mother lives down the street from us.  This arrangement makes it very handy when she needs us quickly.  The other night she telephoned to tell us she needed us quickly.  She had just seen a snake slither down her vent.  Oh my gosh!  That is a problem we haven't dealt with.  After several phone calls, we learned exterminators who specialize in snake removal exist......so we have the experts on the way......we'll keep you posted.  We hope you have had a less "eventful" week!

This week we want to share a couple of fun holiday themed projects.  Since "Blessings" is all embroidery, it is a great take along project.  It'll soon be time for the kids (or grandkids) to go back to school -- what a great use of your time as you're siting in the pick up lane at school. Your $22.95 kit includes the pattern, fabrics for the top, borders, binding and backing fabric.  The background is a beautiful Grunge fabric by Moda -- we think it's perfect for this piece.  It finishes 20 1/2" x 24.

We'll be happy to put together a thread kit for you.
Lynette Anderson is well known for her Christmas projects.  "Primitive Christmas" includes applique, piecing and embroidery.  It finishes 10" x 13".....if you do the math you'll quickly conclude those are small half square triangles.  They finish 1/2" but we have included Primitive Gatherings' triangle papers in your kit so you'll be assured of perfect piecing.  Your $39.95 kit includes the pattern, fabrics for the top (fabrics will vary slightly from photo), wool for the star shape, binding and hand painted buttons.

If you'd prefer to use your own materials, the pattern is available for $16 and the button pack which includes the star and Santa is $13.
Quiltmania #126 recently arrived.  It contains 7 projects and articles about 3 exhibits:  the Salon pour l'Amour du Fil, the Dallas quilt show and Botanical Wonders.  All for only $13.99
By the time you read this, Kay will be on her way to Edmond OK for the Edmond Quilt Guild show.  The show is Aug 3 & 4 at the Oklahoma Christian University in the Gaylord Center, 2501 E Memorial Road, Edmond OK.  Hours are 9:00-5:00 both days.  For more info visit http://www.edmondquiltguild.us/quilt_show_2018.htm

She's packed lots of goodies to share including the newly quilted Friends for Christmas block of the month.  
If you have reptile stories to share, we'd love to hear them.....not that we are crazy about reptiles.....but misery loves company.

We'll be back next week to share more to inspire you.  See you soon!

Darlene and Debby