Machine Embroidery Retreat

Here's a sampling of what's going on with our 

Machine Embroidery Retreat at Bridge Creek Cottage.  Wednesday through Sunday there is a pleasant hum of machines and conversation in our spacious sewing area.  

We are so lucky to be here!

Are You In A Moda Mood?

If you are ready for some fun new project designs, you should hop on over to the Moda blog to hop on the bus for their latest blog hop.  The thing that I like best about the Moda blog hops is that their designers all share information about themselves.  Makes them seem like real people!

Spell It With Moda Designer Blog Hop

The Radiant Orchid

Do you feel like a little Radiant Orchid?

That's what the color gurus have chosen the

2014 Pantone Color of the Year.

I think my stash is not very up-to-date 

because there is hardly a trace of radiant orchid in there!

I guess we know what that means!  

Fondling some fabrics on our shelves, 

selecting one or two or a few that need to come home with me!

Because a girl just needs something radiant in her life, right?!

Bear Patch Circle of Quilters--Kicking off 2014!

 Yesterday was the gathering of Circle of Quilters, our first of 2014.  This fun group meets every other month for sharing and socializing.  Last year, we offered a challenge to them to join in the internet party making the Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks from Quiltville.
We saw some fun results from that challenge, so we followed it up with a new one--
The Economy Block from Red Pepper Quilts--

I made a small sample of some special little fabric pictures--

and I handed out instructions and material to make the first block, plus ideas on changing the block size and a sample layout.  Can't wait to see if we have some show-and-tell of these blocks at our April meeting!

Another project that this group was offered last year was a series of 12 star blocks.  Each 6" star block was set in the center of a bigger (12") star.  Just to inspire some more creativity, I pulled together 4 samples of setting the 12 blocks together into a quilt.  I used the Electric Quilt program to make the diagrams and figured out the yardage that might be needed--

Working with the EQ programs is easy to learn and with a little practice, yields great results!

Maybe you would like to join our next Circle of Quilters meeting on April 12!  Just give us a call and tell us you want to be added to the gang!   651-429-1039

She Caught The Bug (not the flu bug)

Sue N. gave a go at machine embroidery today in the Color Block Pouches class. 

She used one of the store machines and made good use of coaching by Linda and Jeanne. Success! This might be the start of something wonderful!  Interested in trying some machine embroidery?  Give the Bernina ladies a buzz at 651-429-6500. 

How Much Thread?

I kinda' like a little trivia now and then.

Here's a fun fact:

On December 9th, our Stocking Stuffer of the day was a great deal on Aurifil thread.

You might remember it.

It was an offer to buy 2, get 1 free.

Well, that sort of thing always brings the thread lovers out of the woodwork!

Now that the dust has settled, and numbers have been tallied,

 I am pleased to announce that

on December 9, 2013,

 537 spools of Aurifil were purchased at Bear Patch!

Woohoo!

That's a whole lot of thread!

There are 1422 yards of thread on each spool.

That totals 763, 614 yards.

2,290,842 feet.

433.9 miles.

Approximately the distance from Bear Patch to Kansas City.

If Dorothy had wanted to find Bear Patch instead of the Land of Oz,

 she could have simply followed the Aurifil thread instead of the Yellow Brick Road!

It even works in the song...

"Follow the Aurifil thread.  Follow the Aurifil thread."

Now let's see what we can sew with all of that thread!

Best Wishes From Your Bear Patch Friends!