Pre-Cuts For You

We have been bringing out a good assortment of pre-cuts to the store shelves, and you might want to get some of these while they last.  We do have bolts of some of the groups already, with more expected to arrive.  It's always a dilemma for all of us when we get the Moda pre-cuts because they are sent to us well ahead of the coordinating bolts.  That leaves you wondering if you will have any good-sized yardage to pull together a total project with that jelly roll or charm pack.  The best plan is to buy the squares and rolls when they are available and pick up some yardage later.  By then you will have maybe decided which pattern you want to use and will actually know how many yards to purchase!

The Boo Crew by Sweetwater--excellent small scale Halloween designs!

Happy-Go-Lucky by Bonnie and Camille, flowers with great coordinates.

Aspen Frost by Basic Grey--love their color tones!

Holiday in the Pines by Holly Taylor, building upon the classic woodsy designs we love.

In From the Cold by Kate Spain is Christmas without being Santa and reindeer.

Snowman Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings, classic small prints and blenders.

Those little bitsy 2 1/2" square packs that you see right above are perfect for making these English paper pieced tumblers--

If you haven't tried it or are not even sure what English paper piecing is all about, we would be happy to help you.  Watch for a fall class that will give you hands-on learning for this fun technique.

If you want to see more of the contents of the pre-cut fabric packs, look at the Moda website for details.

All About Bags

We have previously enjoyed some of the great little bags and totes that are designed by Annie Unrein.  Now we have expanded our selection and added her zippers.  

Her patterns include lots of little details that make your bag have the look and feel of something that's not "homemade".  One key component is this:

 

 Soft and Stable is available in small packages or by the yard.  We love it for the firm yet soft stabilization that it gives to bags.  Most bag patterns call for fusible fleece or other battings/interfacings, and you might want to try substituting some Soft and Stable instead.

These are 4 of Annie's new bags.  Well, new to us, anyway!

 

 Ditty Bags includes 3 sizes from 6 1/2" x 4" on up to 10" x 6".  They call for only 3 fabrics, and fat quarters are big enough for even the large size.  A zipper is needed, and we have even the long ones.  Optional directions for a clear vinyl lining are included to make this water-resistant.

Project Bags includes 4 sizes ranging from 6 x 10 up to 16 x 16.  Perfect for storing and organizing blocks that need to lay flat, not folded.  Clear vinyl is sewn into the front of the bag so you can actually see what is inside at a glance.  Webbing is used for the handle but is covered with fabric to match your project, so you can use any color of webbing!

Cosmetic Clutches again offer 3 sizes , and instead of a zipper closure, magnetic snaps are used.

Cell Phone/Camera Case & Wallet is a multifunctional bag that will organize all your basic personal needs.  It closes securely with a zipper, and uses hardware to make the handle detachable.

An optional kit is available that contains the little hardware gadgets that you might have trouble finding.  We have similar "finishing kits" available for 2 more of her bags, On The Go bag and To Market, To Market.

Below are some of the zippers that we have purchased to supplement the large selection of 14" zippers that we know and love.  These are 24" and 30" long.  The 30" zipper is also a double pull, so is just what you need for those zipper placements that can open from either side.  The teeth are a little chunkier and the cloth tape is wider, making them ideal for sewing into bags with layers of interfacing and batting.

 Two more new bags from This & That--

The larger bag with the clear vinyl front is Whatcha Got, and the smaller one is Sew Uptown.

Sew Uptown is a cute little 4" x 6" bag with an internal zipper, a snap flap over a pleated pocket, and a convenient handle strap attached with a d-ring and claw clamp, which we carry as well.
Whatcha Got includes a small pouch (8x10) and a large pouch (10x14).  A zipper closes the top.

Abbey Lane Newness

I promised you more updates on new items in the store, so here you go!

4 new patterns from Abbey Lane Quilts--

Know My Name, Pepperland, Maybe Baby and Dizzy Lizzy

Know My Name is 40 x 52, and includes the full alphabet so any child's name can be worked into the pennant design. 2 sizes of  ricrac is used for the embellishment.

Pepperland is 56 x 70 and uses 7 fat quarters in addition to the focus fabric and white fabric.  I am picturing this for a Halloween quilt using black instead of white.

Maybe Baby is 48" square, uses 8 fat quarters plus the white and another fabric for the circles.  The circles are fused into place then stitched down with your preferred method.

Dizzy Lizzy is 60 x 75 and would make good use of any small cuts of fabric that you have collected.

Party Like A Block Star!

I try to keep up on current events, but I totally missed out on this trend in quilting culture-- new dance steps just for quilters!  I learned about this through Gudrun Erla's blog, a great "local" designer of patterns and fabric.  She is inspiring in so many ways, but I didn't know about her inner dancer which shows up in this video--

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

 Tammy and I worked on moving around a bunch of bolts today to make room for new Christmas fabric!  Yay!  Are you happy to see a little touch of the holidays already?  Whether it is your cup of tea or not, now is the time to get the best pickins', so don't delay.  We also have charm packs, jelly rolls and even the little 2 1/2" square packs of these.

Aspen Frost by Basic Gray for Moda--

Our customers have really liked these colors in the last 2 years, and this should be well received, too.  A little pale blue turquoise, sorta lime green, dark red and crisp white, even though you might not be able to see it very well in this picture.

This is one of the Aspen Frost prints that would make a wonderful background.

And Primitive Snowman by Primitive Gatherings for Moda---

Not really "Christmasy", but just right for a winter project.  Little snow guys, snow flakes, dots and coordinates.

So put on your jingle bells and get down here to see what else is available!

Pam

New Books---

Colorific by Pam Goecke Dinndorf, also known as Aardvark Quilts

Not just a quilt book, but a lesson in color as well.  Pam has a special knack for pulling together great colors, and she is sure that any of us can do the same!  She includes 26 pages of instruction in fabric selection, considering many variables in the overall combination.

Following the lesson in color and fabric choice, there are 6 new projects with instructions.  The color photography of the quilts is really exceptional, and when I saw that the photographer was Craig Blacklock I knew why.  He has published several photography books and won many awards.  Many of his photos are shot along the north shore of Lake Superior, and you might recognize some landmarks in this book.

Crazy 'Til the Cows Come Home by The Buggy Barn--

Pam Soliday and Janet Nesbitt

Not wanting to disappoint their fans and followers, Pam and Janet have once again designed new quilts with their distinctive style using the stacking, shuffling and freezer paper techniques.  They have 6 new quilts that are sure to please you, including, of course, some very cute cows with a little surprise embellishment that is udderly wonderful!

Chevron Love and The Centerpiece Tablemat

Sweet Treasures by Terri Staats has released 2 new patterns that we really liked.  First, a very do-able centerpiece tablemat that would look great in so many fabrics that I don't know where to begin!


Chevron Love is what it's all about now--we saw chevrons all over the place in fabric and patterns.  The neat thing about this booklet is the 3 sizes of chevrons and multiple sized projects for each.  So you can easily make a tablerunner, baby quilt, lap quilt or bed quilt with this booklet.

If any of these are calling your name, just pick up the phone and give us a call at 651-429-1039 and we will be happy to help you!

Pam

New For You!

I am going to try to highlight some of the new things we are getting into the store from our trip to Portland for International Quilt Market.  Some of these are patterns from designers that we already know and love.  Others are new to us, and that is one big advantage of making the Quilt Market trip.  We get to see and learn about patterns, etc., that we might overlook otherwise.  

Many of you probably already know the names of Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle, a design team that has published books and patterns with a more contemporary look.  Their company is the Modern Quilt Studio.  They have had several quilts featured in magazines, too, so you might have seen them there.  Here are 3 patterns that we selected to add to our supply.  Party of Four, Full Tilt and Fabric Fusion.

I wanted you to see the quality of the directions, too--

 We are working on a couple of samples from these patterns, so we will soon have the "test drive" report.


 Here is a new product for us--

Tag-It-On, little woven ribbon-like tags that are intended to be sewn into an edge or seam.  Especially nice for something that is a special gift for someone.  They are $5 for a little bag of 12 tags.  We have these 2, and if they are popular we will see about getting others, too.

Happy Sunday and Happy Sewing from Pam!

It's A Binding Bee!

This group of friends sat down together to make short work of a quilt binding that needed to be done pronto!  What a great way to help out a friend, and enjoy some quality time solving the problems of the world.  Here is proof of the proverb "Many hands make light work".  

Susan, Elaine and Carol

Carol, Shannon and Junelle

These ladies are regulars at classes and events at Bear Patch.  Plus they make good use of our "Open Sew" days.  Because we have 3 classroom spaces, there are lots of times that we have open table space.  We put the dates and times right on our class calendar.  We offer the opportunity for anyone to use that space, our cutting tables and ironing boards with no fee and no reservations needed.  Coffee, tea and water are on tap, and there are several lunch spots and a terrific bakery within a short walk.  We hear plenty of chatter and laughter around the tables, plus these ladies get first looks at all the new stuff we unpack during the day!  And you wouldn't believe the work they get done, seriously!

Now, if this doesn't sound good enough to tempt you, consider the fact that now we offer Open Machine Embroidery days, also!  These are times when we can offer you the chance to work on your embroidery with the backup  of our Bernina staff.  This sounds like a perfect combo deal!  Starting a new project?  Stuck on an old project?  Not sure what you are doing?  Need coaching on a new design, gadget or gizmo?  This is the place for you!

How do you get involved?  Just check our online calendar for  dates marked "Open Sew" and "Open Machine Embroidery".  Pack up your gear and find a seat.  Get ready, get set, GO!