Hopefully you have marked your calendar and plan to join us this Saturday, Nov 14, 9:00-3:00 for our Holiday Open House.  We are so excited to share new projects and gift ideas with you.  It's been very difficult to tuck things away.  It's a good thing the party is soon because we're about to burst with anticipation! Debby recently finished the "Rolling Star" pincushion from Traditional Primitives.  Missie thoroughly explains her paper piecing method in the pattern.  Your $14.95 kit includes the pattern, paper pieces, and fabrics for the front and back of the pincushion.  We used Kansas Troubles fabric for the star and a nice Buggy Barn neutral for the setting diamonds.  Each kit is different but contains Kansas Troubles and Buggy Barn fabric.  Update on our Acres of Acorns block of the month -- we have 2 openings left so if you've been thinking about joining but are on the fence, it's time to commit.  This is an 11 month program and includes the pattern with full size templates, all cotton and wool to make the quilt top, and binding.  The quilt finishes 64" x 72".  $29.95 per month Some of you have inquired about purchasing only the pattern.  We are taking a list of names for just the pattern; however, the quilt is still in Houston with an expected return date of Dec 14.  Once we get it back, we will have it professionally photographed for the pattern......yes......we were wondering the same thing......why does it take 6 weeks to come home...... We can now sell our Row by Row kits.  Kit is $14.95 and includes the pattern, fabrics for the top, and buttons.  This photo was taken before we added our buttons but you'll get a cute yellow duck and kitty in your kit.  Let us know if we can reserve a kit or you can go to our website and order right now. http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com/index.html   Quiltmania 110 is on the way and might arrive by party time.  It looks like another great issue.  If you're on automatic to receive it, Debby will be processing your order as soon as it arrives.  If you're not and would like to be on automatic, send us an e-mail or give a call and we'll get you set up.  $13.99

One other thing before we close.  We know several of you are program directors for your quilt guild.  If you're looking for a program or workshop, please feel free to contact us.  We'd also like to recommend Missie Carpenter of Traditional Primitives as a speaker for your guild.  She is a wonderful speaker and has several fun workshops available.  You can get more info by visiting her website.  http://traditionalprimitives.com/index.html   Hope to see you Saturday! Darlene and Debby

Fall quilt market is over

What a week Darlene and Kay experienced in Houston!  They didn't let the wind, rain, and construction at the convention center dampen their spirits.  Despite the fact the modern look is strong, they were able to find fabrics and patterns to appeal to us lovers of all things primitive. Last week we shared fabrics from Jeanne Horton -- this week we'd like to share fabrics we loved from Moda's Betsy Chutchian.  Her upcoming line, Lizzie's Legacy, had some great prints.  We ordered precuts for a project that's in the works.

We picked up the 2016 Quiltmania agenda at market.  We realize many (probably most) people use their electronic gadgets to keep track of plans but we love the old fashioned method.  The agenda is small enough to fit inside a stitching bag or purse.  Every day of the year has its own space so it's a great way to not only keep track of appointments but also a way to note daily happenings.....when Little Jimmy says something so unexpected you can't help but chuckle or when you put the last stitch in a project that stretched over several years or when Aunt Myrtle decided to dye her hair herself.....you get the idea. If you'd like to reserve an agenda, let us know.  You can also order on line by going to our website http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com.  At only $10 it would make a great Secret Pal gift.

While we were at Quiltmania, we picked up the last 10 copies of Di Ford's book, Primarily Quilts.  It is now out of print.  If you haven't got your copy, you won't want to wait since it's doubtful a second printing will happen.   http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com The book is beautifully photographed, 239 pages.  $54.95

One of our favorite primitive designers is Robin of Briar Roots Primitives.  We ordered several new patterns from her, including an adorable stump doll pattern (what a name!).  We'll let you know when we have patterns and kits available.

While we're waiting for the fabric to arrive so we can make her, we will share our version of Merry Christmas Wool Wall Quilt.  It finishes 25" x 25".  Your $38.95 kit includes the pattern with full size templates, background fabrics, borders, binding, wool, buttons, and roving for Santa's beard. http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com It's a quick project and can easily be finished in time for the holidays.

Speaking of holidays......they're just around the corner.  We decided to change things up a bit this year and rather than have an after market party, we've decided to throw a Holiday Open House to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 2016.  Mark your calendar for Saturday, Nov 14 (wouldn't marking the calendar be easy with a Quiltmania Agenda?!).  We'll have refreshments and lots of new projects to share.

If you haven't seen the winning quilts from Quilt Festival, it's worth your time to check them out.  We're betting you can guess which was our favorite.......it's applique (of course) with lots of tone on tone homespun fabrics (of course).  http://www.quilts.org/winners.html See you soon! Darlene and Debby

We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather last week for the annual fall craft festivals -- just a hint of coolness with beautiful foliage.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth at the JQ Hammons Center and those who made a trip out to the shop.  Also, welcome to all the new subscribers.  Thanks for inviting us to your home each Thursday. Our new website is up and running.  After you read the newsletter, please stop by and let us know what you think.  The developer updated the opening page slideshow, added an Events calendar that's easy for us to keep updated, added a Needful Things tab where you can find many of our favorite tools, and broke Lynette Anderson products into Patterns and Buttons to make navigation easier.  She also added Facebook, Blog, and Instagram buttons to the upper right side so you can jump from one place to the other effortlessly.  You can also sort all pages in a multitude of ways.  Best of all, you now have a choice of payment methods -- not just Paypal.  Visit it at http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com/index.html Unfortunately with our new host, we are unable to archive newsletters on the site, but all is not lost.  You can keep up with us via our blog.  We'll keep the blog updated with the newsletter each week.  http://sewgraceful.blogspot.com/

This week we'd like to share a piece Debby recently finished.  It was supposed to be framed but she added black rick rack and a border to make a table topper or wall hanging.  Ours finishes 14 1/2" x 17 1/2".  Your $21.95 kit includes the pattern, fabrics for the top, wool for the applique, jumbo rick rack, and binding.   It's probably no big secret that we love snowmen.  We just can't help but smile when we see a pattern featuring a snowman.....and it's even better when the pattern features more than one.  "Frosty Fellas" fits all our criteria and just makes us smile.  It finishes 29" x 34".  Your $42.95 kit includes the pattern with full size templates, background fabrics, wool for applique, borders, binding and our changes (you know we can't help ourselves when it comes to changing things). Notice the sweet little snow fella in the lower right block?  He's got such a sweet, angelic face........ ....we like primitive but the original snowman was just a little too primitive (translation - creepy) for us.  Look at him in the lower right block in the quilt below and let us know what you think.  We've included wool in your kit in case you want to create him as the designer envisioned him but we've also included wool in case you want a less primitive look.  If you enjoy making and looking at little quilts, you'll want to be sure to get a copy of Little Gatherings by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.  The book contains 13 quilts and at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" is the perfect size to fit in your stitching bag or sewing machine case.  Lisa obviously must get tired of fighting with book spines trying to get the book to lay flat because this book is spiral bound.  At $23.95 for the book that's only $1.84 a project -- hard to beat that price. If you'd like to place on on line order for any of the items shown in this newsletter, simply click this link.  http://www.sewgracefulquilting.com/index.html Fall quilt market starts this evening.  Darlene and Kay are leaving for market Sunday and staying for festival.  They'll be helping Lynette Anderson at her booth so if you're at festival, be sure to stop in and say hello.  Debby will have the store open regular days/hours. See you soon. Darlene and Debby

My first blog

Ok, I'm going to try to get with this age of technology. My dear, friend , Kay, is helping me. She is earning a jewel in her crown. So....for 2012, I am going to begin blogging. It will probably take me some time to get it all figured out. The picture is a new block of the month we are starting in January. It is a Primitive Gathering pattern. Debby made our sample. It is very cute.

October 30, 2008

Hi
My name is Debby. I am a long arm quilter as well as a quilt pattern designer. My sister, Darlene and I are new to this blogging thing. We have a business~Sew Graceful Quilting and Pattern Design. We are hoping to post some of our patterns, which we think are really great for the average quilter, and generate some interest in our work. We have several of our patterns in our local quilt shop, and they ahve been selling quite successfully.
We just returned from the Houston fall 2008 quilt market. It was truly an experience.