Our Multi-Talented Employees

Full disclosure:  I love the people I work with, so my opinions might be a little bit biased about the things they make!

I asked my co-workers to bring me something to display at the store for our own little gallery.  It took a bit of wheedling, but I got some great results!  It took even more wheedling (and some threats!) to get them to write a little something about the stories "behind scenes".

But they have some humorous, moving and compelling stories to share.  I'm not going to put them all here, but if you are stepping into the store, just take a minute to admire and appreciate and read what compelled them to make what they did.

Kristina made this cross quilt with some improvisational piecing from scraps.  She even worked a few inspirational words into the blocks, and she dedicates the quilt to the nurses she knows.  The nurse of my previous life appreciates that!

Diane made something wonderful out of the Deco State Flowers fabric by In The Beginning Fabrics, using the Night Light pattern by Villa Rosa.  Honestly, when I saw this fabric I wasn't sure what I would ever do with it.  It didn't grab my attention.  But now that I've seen Diane's quilt, I am re-thinking that!

Tammy's quilt (below) is a memento of a European trip with her daughters.  What a wonderful opportunity!  She worked a lot of little quilted designs into the blocks and it's like a scrapbook from that trip.  

Do you see Mona Lisa?

And arched windows, maybe Notre Dame?

"Alternative Tweets" is the name for Diane's whimsical quilt made from her collection of bird fabrics.  No tweets of questionable thoughts in this store!  The only tweets we have are the ones in this quilt!

She used the Creative Grids Wonky Trim Square to make her blocks.

Sharon is our hand embroidery master, and here's a close-up of the detail that goes into her stitching-- beautiful and what an heirloom for generations to come!

Debbie is in love with Art Gallery Fabrics (sorry, Bob!), and she makes sure our shelves are stacked high with their gorgeous prints and solids.  The quilt she made is from their large assortment of free online patterns.  It's called Falling and the fabric is from the Sketchbook collection.  This fabric has to be touched to fully appreciate it.  They have some of the best designers in the field working for the company, creating new temptations constantly.

Linda put together this little sewing apron, and even gave us a checklist for our To Do list!  I hope that she has completed the first task, so now she can make the KnitWit Clutch.  That will be a great home for her fancy pants knitting needles!

 The apron pattern and much more are from this Make It, Take It book:

There are several more items on display that aren't included here, so you will have to make a trip to White Bear Lake to view the full gallery!

It's great to be surrounded by such talent.  Did you know that we regularly meet after work for our own little Employee Sew Night?  And there's a lot more than sewing that's going on there!

Our Employee Gallery will be on display until July 27, so don't miss out!

A Few of Our Favorite Things! Stripology Ruler

We have started a new feature for Bear Patch.  This is not a brand new idea to the world, but I have seen it used at Barnes & Noble and Total Wine, so why not at Bear Patch!?  It helps me pick a good book and a bottle of wine, so it could help you pick a new favorite thing, too!

We are highlighting some of our favorite products and an explanation of why this is such a game changer for us.  We get the ball rolling with Debbie:

Debbie is always on the lookout for a great new product for our customers, but she wants them to be as useful as possible.  This was a ruler that at first seemed like it wouldn't be essential.  But after using it for more than one project, she was sold!  Some of her reasons are:

Accuracy of cutting improves because you don't have to pick up and move the ruler for each cut.

There are handy little stars and squares on the ruler to bring your eye right to the inch or half-inch markings.

It's a heavier acrylic material so it's more stable than another brand of grid cutting ruler.  And like all Creative Grids rulers, it has little grippy spots on the back.

It's really perfect for cutting into your fat quarters, and then 

sub-cutting strips or strip sets.

It's the brainchild of a local designing talent, Gudrun Erla 

(GE Designs).  We like to support local entrepreneurs!

Directions are included in the ruler packaging, with additional video support on Creative Grids and Checker websites.

2 books ( Stripology and Stripology2) plus additional single patterns by GE Designs are perfect for learning to use this

 new ruler!

Top Your Table, Too

 We do love to have some fresh new table decor, and this one is a two-fer!  It is completely reversible, so just imagine using 2 different "themes" or "seasons" to make this project work double time. 

It is the Super Simple Table Topper from Cut Loose Press.  Just like yesterday's featured project, it is quilt-as-you-go.  It uses a Creative Grids 15 degree ruler to get the right size of wedges.  Debbie made this from our Shop Hop fabric and she said it was done before she knew it!

Call us at 651-429-1039 to order your pattern and ruler!

Step Right Up!

This is a new sample quilt sewn by Laurel from the Quilt MN 2013 fabrics.  She used a pattern from The Sewing Revolution called the Brown and Aqua Step Quilt.  We changed it to just The Step Quilt.  Laurel made an earlier version of this for our Sew Creative event last winter, using 2 specialty rulers from Creative Grids.  She put on her creative thinking cap, and made the 5" printed squares just a little bigger with a narrow brown border, then they fit right into this design.  

Patterns, rulers and kits are available starting August 2.

 Call us now at 651-429-1039 to reserve yours!