Wednesday, August 19, 2009

LOTS coming in September!!




Hey Everyone, Happy back to school. What the heck happened to summer? Since we had two weeks of hot weather, I am now ready for cooler weather.
The Garage Sale last week was a huge success - some great prices and some nice "stuff" finding new homes. The vendors/our customers have requested that we do this again! How about during Arts in the Alley? Watch for more information!!!



Books, books, and more books! Who can have enough? See what's coming in September . . . .

Quilter's Academy Vol. 1—Freshman Year
A Skill-Building Course in Quiltmaking
by
Harriet Hargrave, Carrie Hargrave




Learn to Quilt with Confidence


• Everything you need to get started making beautiful quilts• Includes 9 skill-building classes

• Complete instructions for making 13 classic quilts

• Learn how to design your own quilts



This must-have course guides you step by step through the basics of quiltmaking, from setting up your sewing space to binding and finishing your first quilt. Classroom-tested lessons draw on best-selling author Harriet Hargrave's many years of teaching experience.




Super Simple Quilts #4 with Alex Anderson & Liz Aneloski
9 Appliqué Projects to Sew With or Without a Machine




Irresistibly Easy Appliqué - No Piecing Required

• 3 bold appliqué quilt designs in fresh new fabrics

• 3 sizes: crib/wallhanging, twin, and queen

• 3 easy appliqué techniques-appliqué and quilt in one quick step, even without a machine

• Great for quick gifts or donation quilts

• Just one supply list makes all 9 quilt options in the book!


Whether you're a new quilter about to make your first quilt, or an expert looking for a quick charity quilt design, you'll love these super-easy appliqué quilts.













Next Steps in Altered Photo Artistry
New Ways to Transform Images for Fabric & Quilt Art
by
Beth Wheeler


More Quilt-Art Adventures with Photos and Fabric

• Explore the amazing visual effects you can create with your own photos and Photoshop Elements software

• Build on the techniques for printing on fabric covered in Altered Photo Artistry

• Bonus CD with 17 free photographs, 12 custom graphics add-ons, and free trial version of Adobe Photoshop Elements 6

You've learned to print photos on fabric - now you're ready to explore the full artistic potential of altering images to create quilt art. Learn to transform ordinary photos in a dozen exciting ways with photo editing software. Bonus CD with Beth's original photos and graphics add-ons helps you alter photographs as never before!



Paradise Stitched—Sashiko & Appliqué Quilts
by Sylvia Pippen

Tropical Splendor in Sashiko and Appliqué

• Hand-stitch 6 vivid quilts inspired by tropical flora and fauna

• Learn the secrets of successful Sashiko and appliqué

• Options for both turn-under and fusible appliqué

• Create designs from your own photos

• Embellish your quilts with hand embroidery

These glowing quilts bring together two of quilting's best-loved traditions: Japanese Sashiko and colorful appliqué. A large quilt gallery will inspire you to design your own Sashiko/appliqué creations.



Flower Pots by Cindy Lammon



Perfect for block-of-the-month clubs—or for making as an individual project—this cheery quilt will brighten any room. With sunshiny colors and stylized flower motifs, the project includes both patchwork and applique blocks. The design places seven blocks in a puzzle-type setting for a fresh appeal. Step-by-step instructions and beautiful photos—including close-ups of each block—make the creative process as breeze.








More Twice-Quilted Designs For Continuous-Line Quilting by Glorianne Cubbage



From the creator of the wildly popular Twice Quilted, here's a new collection of continuous-line designs. Simply stitch the first design in one color to quilt the layers together, and then add the secondary design in a different color for a spectacular finish.

Choose from 20 interlacing designs, including beautifully layered flowers with tendrils and leaves. The enclosed 16-page booklet includes complete instructions for tracing, transferring, and sewing. Soon you’ll be mixing and matching various components to create your own designs!




Crazy for Scraps 19 Favorite Quilts from Sally Schneider




  • Bursting with beauty, this book is packed with the best designs from three of Sally Schneider’s top-selling books—plus two brand-new projects! These inspiring quilts make it easy to see why this teacher and quilt designer is so popular.
    * Offers a vast array of gorgeous projects—19 in all—providing exceptional value
    * Includes several quilts updated with current fabrics for a whole new look
    * Allows quilters to learn from a master and indulge their passion for scrap quilts



Have a great week!

Monday, August 10, 2009

Back from a little break!



Hey,


I am back! I feel somewhat rested. Why do vacations/breaks go so fast? Anyway, while I was away I worked on three small prejects. First, I made the This and That Little Cutie Bag out of scarlet and grey charm squares. I also made the Nifty Notes out of the same scarlet and grey charm pack.


We are going to kit these for the Circleville show coming up the first of September. I also appliqued a pillow with pretty flowers on it from the French Farmhouse book from Need'l Love. Stop in the store and see it!
We are planning on having our first ever Tent sale this upcoming weekend! Come and sell your old stash or buy some stuff from our sellers! Call right away to get a table - spots are going fast!
Stop in and say Hi!

Monday, August 3, 2009

How to figure binding . . . Shhh! Mary's not looking!!!. . . .

. . . so KyleAnn is going to play! I've been going nuts trying to find out how to figure the amount needed for binding. Of course, I can always call my favorite quilt shop (AIS, in case you didn't know), but I always have these questions when they are closed. (Remember, I'm a beginning quilter.) SO, I got out my trusty "learn to quilt" books, but no one gave a formula. Next, I got on the internet and "googled." I don't know what I did wrong, but I didn't get a lot of help. One sight started out great - figure the total of all 4 sides. Ok, I can do that! Add 10 inches (some sights said as much as 20") for joining. Ok, I can do that, too. Then it told me to find the square root of the total. WHAT???? First of all, I don't DO square roots. So I got out my calculator and found the square root of my total. All it told me was what size SQUARE I'd need for the binding and that a fat quarter was not big enough. Well, that's all well and good if I were cutting my binding on the bias - but I don't (yet).

Finally, I found a site that made sense, and turned out that Janet (at AIS) uses a similar formula, so I know it must be right!

Measure the sides of the finished quilt to determine how many inches of binding required (you can measure from top to bottom and multiply that by 2, then measure from side to side and multiply that by 2. Add the two totals together. Assuming your binding fabric width is approximately 40”, divide the total inches by 40 to determine the number of fabric strips required. You can then take the number of strips and multiply it by the width of the binding (i.e. 2 1/2”) to determine how much fabric you’ll need to complete your binding.

Sample: 40" x 50" quilt . . . 40X2 = 80; 50X2 - 100 for a total of 180” perimeter; divided by 40” equals 4.5 strips (round up to 5 strips).

Multiply 5 strips by the width of the strip (2 1/2”) equals 12.5” of required fabric, which is just over 1/3 yard. so you will need 3/8 yard for your binding!
And since she's still not looking, here's another coupon!!