Which Witch?

It's almost time for spooks, and buying some candy in the "fun size"--which means fun for me to eat!  But seriously, it's now time to buy the candy to hand out, not eat!

To go along with that candy, here are a couple of Halloween machine embroidery designs that we have ordered and will have soon.  These are from Claudia's Creations, and they had 2 samples made of the same quilted wall hanging, to show the different appearance when done on black vs. white background.  Either looks great!

 They also have this very pretty smaller design, if you want something that is not so "Halloweenie"--

I'm picturing this done in less purple and more autumn colors.

A new Christmas tablerunner design is coming our way, with options for separating the elements to make towels, aprons, napkins, etc.  I consider 

Now, switching gears back to a new tablerunner pattern for all those stripes and border prints!

This is Mitered Magic from The Designer's Workshop.

Unless you have been living under a rock, or are reading this because it just makes such fabulous reading, you probably have heard of Tula Pink.  Her colors and designs have gained quite a following, and now she is beginning her signature line of notions.

This looks like they are fighting over those beautiful scissors!

She also has a seam ripper and a little snips scissors, all done in that iridescent metal.  She told us she has more notions in the development stages.  We have ordered these for the store, and can't wait to see them arrive!

Something else that we have been wanting to bring into the store for quite awhile are the Rennaisance ribbons.  So we finally placed an order for an assortment, and we will be showing you some fun ways to use them in your projects.  These are gorgeous top-quality designer ribbons.

We visited awhile with Sue Daley, and in my last posting, I mentioned her designs.  What I didn't include there was this picture--

It shows some quilt and block designs, all using English Paper Piecing.  We have these instructions and the paper packs for these now, so I hope to see some fun stitching soon!  If you are interested in learning more about this technique, Sue has some great instructional videos on YouTube.

The Final Few

 Well, this is it!  We are up to 100 quilt blocks!  We started this journey back on April 16 and I personally have really enjoyed going through all of the blocks.  I feel a little invested in them, and almost like I made them myself in another life!  Kristina has featured another cute embroidery, a robot!

I hope you have enjoyed the journey, and maybe had a few "aha" moments when you saw a color combo or fabric mix that you had not thought of doing before.  Remember, these are all from scraps and grew out of the stack of bolts pictured below.  We can do amazing things with leftovers!

All that's left now is the finished quilt, and I know the blocks are in the process of going into rows.  We will all hold our breath to see it!  Thanks for following along, and if you have made up any of these blocks (or all of them!) please share in the comments.  We hope you have been inspired!

City Sampler Again!

 More wonderful blocks (71-90) from the City Sampler by Tula Pink!  We have gone through so many of these already, and the possibilities of what can go into a single block really are limitless.  Depending on color placement, shading, design scale, etc., each block can look so different.

The blocks above end the chapter on "squares".  The blocks below and through #100 (coming soon!) are in the chapter titled Haiku.  This is the explanation from Tula Pink:

"The following blocks are more about composition than about the shapes that compose them.  I call them haiku blocks because they represent a poetry of shape that feels more organic than in the previous sections.  Here you will not find a lo of repetitive shapes or balanced constructions.  Instead you will find a composition of pieces that eludes the static nature of more traditional block structures."

Don't you love the little chick and bear embroideries?!  Those are Kristina's personal touch, just to add some fun.  You could do something similar, or maybe your initials?  Date?

We only have 10 more blocks to go, then we will get a "big reveal" from Kristina's assembly of the quilt.  The book includes several setting diagrams, with varying layouts and sizes.  I wonder what Kristina's will look like?  I have made a link to some City Sampler quilts here and here for just 2 examples.

The last posting of blocks will be ready in a few days.  In the meantime, don't miss our very important book sale going on right now!

Sweet Little Blocks

We aren't done yet!  Still just a few more of Kristina's wonderful scrappy modern quilt blocks from Tula Pink's City Sampler.  I heard she is working on sashing to put all of the blocks together, so I had better get to #100 soon and then we can have the big reveal!

79-82

83-86

71-78

I am pleased to present blocks 71-78!  And very fine blocks they are!

71-74

75-78

Complete directions can be found in Tula Pink's City Sampler book.  But these blocks are one-of-a-kind because Kristina pulled from her scrap bag(s) to make them.  Thanks, Kristina!  Can't wait to see them all together!

The Man Cave Quilt

Just in case you have been living in a remote cave, we are here to remind you that we are in the midst of mega-important-sports-time.  Baseball is reaching the height of the season as playoffs and championships are popping up all over.  And now the almighty football season is in full swing, in a contest between action on the field and drama off the field to see which gets more interest!  All of this demands a great deal of screen time and even if you don't have an official man cave at your house, this would be a great quilt to toss around the TV room.  Guys don't always appreciate the subtle nuances of the detail we often like to put into our quilts, so we have used a straightforward and favorite pattern, the Texas Two Step by Atkinson Designs.  

Texas Two Step by Atkinson Designs

The fabrics are simple tonals that create a look of texture while being regular quilting cotton.  The construction is easy, the only hard part is deciding how to arrange the blocks!  Our gal, Eileen, sewed this at retreat and already has it quilted and bound and on display.  Thanks, Eileen!  Call us to claim your kit now!  (651-429-1039)

And no, we are not done with Tula Pink blocks yet!  Kristina continues in her scrappy ways and we have 8 more blocks to share.

63, 64, 65, 66

67, 68, 69, 70

Remember, these are all in the City Sampler book of 100 Modern Quilt blocks.  Do you need your own book?  We can help you with that!

More City Sampler Blocks and Retreat

59, 60, 61, 62

A bit of a gap here with the block pictures, I'm really just giving you time to work on your own collection!  

This weekend is our fall retreat at Bridge Creek Cottage, and yesterday a great group of gals descended upon the sewing room.  Now it is overflowing with good vibes, the hum of machines, creativity and threads all over everything!  

Debbie and I came a day in advance to get everything just right for the quilters.  One of the things on our to-do list was recovering the ironing boards.  The sewing room is equipped with standard ironing boards and "big boards".  The big boards are rectangular wooden enhancements to the usual ironing board.  Those narrow ended ironing boards are great for pressing a shirt, but not so functional for our purposes.  The big boards are a little wider and longer without the narrowed end.  They get some pretty heavy use here, and sometimes need a little spiffing up.  Easy to do with some durable fabric and a staple gun.  However, the staple gun that I brought stopped working on the second board, so we visited the local hardware store.  The fellow helping us did get it to operate again, but not consistently, so I invested in a new one.  In the meantime, Debbie was wandering the labyrinth of narrow aisles, discovering that this was much more than a hardware store!  For example, they have Gumby and Pokey and Percy!  Perfect for some little guys I know--

I used some of the leftover fabric from the big boards so cover my own personal little board--

 The black binding strips are ready to sew onto more pages for this little soft book made from a panel print by Jenn Ski for Moda--

Half of the pages are made of chalkboard fabric, so it comes with a zipper pocket for chalk.  Can't wait to see how it actually works in the hands of a 2 year old!

The night before everyone arrived, I pulled out a project from a few years ago.  I had actually designed this for Quilt MN in maybe 2011?  I had all of the blocks together and necessary fabric, but hadn't finished the borders.  So I managed to get 4 borders sewn together and now it's ready for the quilter! (That would be me!)  And I like the look of the design, and discovered that I had done all the math for the quilt in multiple sizes, so maybe it will be a good pattern to publish for 2015!

And, oh yes, there snacks!  This is one I made, long story short, I have discovered the tasty goodness of the elusive caramel bugles, so I made my own from a caramel popcorn recipe.  It's energy food!

Stay tuned for more retreat pictures!

Blocks and A Bonus!

The City Sampler returns!  These are blocks 51-54, and a fine group they are!  

Several ways to work some triangles into the blocks, shifting colors for different effects.

Thanks, Kristina, for your inspiring stitching!

And thanks, Tula Pink, for an inspiring book.

Remember to pick up your copy at Bear Patch Quilting Co.!

blocks 51-54

 And now for the bonus today!  This comes direct from the boss lady, Debbie.  She has unleashed her inner crafty self with a bottle of Mod Podge!  This is the second time she has made a great floorcloth for Quilt MN.  The Itasca mat was made last year with a large printed panel.  The patchwork sample below  was made this summer with the new (2014) MN fabrics.  Same basic technique, just a different look.

Here is a brief version of the directions that Debbie compiled.  A handout is available at the store.  Multi Purpose Cloth is a heavyweight coated fabric for sale by the yard.

Decoupage Floor Cloth

Supplies:  Mod Podge, Multi-purpose cloth (MPC) in the size desired for your mat, fabric for the front and back, foam brush, steel wool or fine grit sandpaper, plastic drop cloth to protect work surface.

1.  Cut the Multi Purpose Cloth to the desired finished size.

2.  Cut the backing fabric and front fabric 1" larger than the MPC.

3.  Apply Mod Podge to one side of the MPC.  Immediately lay the backing fabic to the wet surface, smoothing out wrinkle and bubbles.

4.  Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the backing fabric.  Let dry 1-2 hours.

5.  When completely dry, trim the backing fabric even with the MPC.  

6.  Turn the floor cloth over and apply Mod Podge to the other side of the mat.  Center the main fabric, or lay out fabric squares, to cover the entire surface and extend beyond the edges.  Smooth out wrinkles and bubbles, let dry.

7.  Sand lightly with steel wool or fine grit sandpaper.

8.  Repeat to make 4-5 coats of Mod Podge on front and back, sanding between.

9.  Finish the edge by wrapping the extra fabric around the edge, then cover the unfinished edge with 1" strips of fabric cut with pinking shears or blade.  Adhere the edges with Mod Podge, then apply one more coat over the surface.

You can take this method to a whole new level if you wish.  Use scraps, triangles, trims, etc., to make it your own.

47, 48, 49, 50

Modern Quilt Sampler is back!  

A quartet of triangle blocks is our pleasure today.  And the halfway mark to the goal.

Again, Kristina has pulled some gems from her scrap collection.

We have been amazed and pleased with the hundreds of shop hoppers that have been crossing our threshold.  Not only the participants in Quilt MN 2014, but also the nationwide Row By Row Experience.  It is so rewarding to meet new people and greet the familiar faces again.  We have been keeping the copiers humming trying to keep up with block patterns, row patterns, quilt labels, etc.  Cutting kits and more kits is nearly a full-time job!

Many of the quilt shop customers also discover some of the other nearby shops and cafes on their way to and from Bear Patch.  We are located on a busy corner of the downtown area of White Bear Lake, and just a few short blocks away from the lakeshore.  And one block in the other direction is a little park with fountains and a gazebo.  Friday mornings will find that park overflowing with fresh produce for the Farmers' Market.  And, yes, there is some annoying construction on Hwy. 61, but it is open and the improvements will make it better for you on your next trip!  These beautiful hanging flower baskets almost make up for the inconvenience!

Back to the Modern Quilt Blocks

Seems like it has been awhile for our 100 Modern Quilt Blocks pictures, so we have a little catch-up to do:

43, 44, 45, 46

And will you take a look at this--

a stack o' 100 blocks!

Kristina has been a busy bee!  Now comes the challenge of deciding how to put them all together.  What setting pattern to use?  Lattice? Border?

So many questions, so little time!

Stepping back a bit in time, 3 months ago, in fact---we saw pictures of Debbie's sewing room.

Now she has been busily working through getting her sewing room organized, and had a couple new pictures to show:

She has a great cabinet to keep quilts folded and out of the sun and dust.  The shelves are glass and the lower part is glass-fronted drawers, good for smaller pieces like tablerunners.  Something about this says IKEA to me.

 And this shelving area is tidied up and probably catalogued, right, Debbie?

And just to keep things fair and square, here's my own little bit of heaven!

The panorama takes in all of my weak spots!  Since this was taken, I have cleared off the disorganized clutter on the cutting table, front and center in the photo.  Now what's really bugging me is the mess on and below that white table on the right.  That has got to go!  More pictures will follow.  What you can't see from this picture is that I have washed the windows and screens for the first time in at least a year!  I really should have taken down those blinds and washed them too, they are beyond dusting.  Put that on the list!

39, 40, 41, 42

Four more pretty little blocks, just waiting to become a grown-up quilt someday!  And that wait might not be so terribly long, since Kristina told me that she has finished block #100!  A major accomplishment, which means several more pictures to share.  Now she is deciding how to put them all together, maybe one of the layouts in the book....

36, 37. 38

We are a little overdue here for new blocks!  Sorry, I have been away from work and home quite a bit recently, and without internet service some of that time.  Well, not totally without, but the type of service which would have me still standing up on the shores of Lake Winnibigoshish 1 week later while waiting for the pictures to load!  We have all been there, right?!  Thankfully, the fishing was much better than the internet connection, so that's what really matters.

Just 3 blocks in this posting, because, well, that's the way it ended up!  This is the end of the first big batch of Kristina's blocks for the City Sampler from Tula Pink's book.  Have no fear, she has finished quite a few more and the pictures are already filed and ready for sharing.  Just an FYI, all my pictures are taken via my iPhone camera, which does a fine job.  I usually do some editing after I get them into my laptop, so I can brighten and saturate the colors for you.  Generally, I crop out all of the unnecessary background, but this camera has a neat little square photo setting that works perfectly for the block groups.

And today we visit Kelle's sewing kingdom!  Kelle moved into a new home last year, and she has the place to herself to arrange as she pleases.  I sorta envy that.  Even though I try to keep culling out excess fabric, knitting and craft stuff, I still think I would feel a lot better if I had much less clutter.  Less clutter in my environment = less clutter in my brain = clarity of thought.

Some really good space here for cutting, pressing, stitching and storage.  I should check out where she came up with those nifty white tables.

What a great storage spot, and so well contained!

Thanks, Kelle, for inviting us into your home!

Begging For Your Help

First of all, I am going to do something that is entirely self-serving--

I really, really, really would like a bit more of this fabric!

I used up all that I had when I was cutting these diamond shapes.  Unfortunately, I forgot that when I cut them on 2 thicknesses with wrong sides together, half of the diamonds have lines running a different direction.  So instead of having just enough, I am now short.  I don't know for sure where I bought it, nor who made it, but if it looks familiar to someone out there, please leave a comment.  

I don't need much!

Now, on to the real business here--- another sewing room visit!

My co-worker, Eileen, has shared these pictures.  Eileen has a good sense of humor!

The entrance to her "studio" explains what many of us feel!

Now, as you look at next 3 pictures, aren't you amazed by how Eileen was able to hang from the ceiling and get these shots?  Well, the truth is, Eileen's daughter made this little doll-house size sewing room!  Notice the papers all over the little tiny bulletin board in the 3rd picture. 

Now look at the real life bulletin board!  I would say that the teeny tiny room is a pretty good depiction!

Thanks for sharing, Eileen!  And that lovely new Bernina looks great in there!

And now for 4 more blocks of our City Sampler selection by Kristina--

Blocks 32-35

Wondering how she decides what colors to use?

She started out with this pile of bolts--

And from there, the rest is history!