It's COLD out there!

Hey everyone!

Seems like everyone is sewing and quilting in this cold, cold weather. But what better way to keep warm? The "After-the-Super-Bowl-Sale" is going well. Thank You to everyone who bravedthe cold to come and shop and visit with us. If you haven't taken advantage of our "competitors' coupon" sale, you want to make it in by Saturday!

The new books from Kansas City Star are here and they are awesome! They are my favorite publishers. I feel like their books are meaty, full of information and beautiful pictures. I just love them! Here is a preview of what we got in!

Feedsack Secrets: Fashion from Hard Times
by Gloria Nixon

The poverty of the Depression and fabric shortages during World War II made feedsacks highly important to the quilter during the 1930s and 1940s.

In Feedsack Secrets, quilt historian Gloria Nixon shares her research through tens of thousands of pages of old farm periodicals, magazines and newspapers as she explains the story of the patterned feedsack.

There are fascinating tidbits along the way: Women met for sack-and-snack-club fabric swaps. There were restrictions on jacket lengths, hem depths and the sweep of a skirt. Feedsack prints and bags played a part in political contests, even accurately predicting that Truman would win the 1948 presidential election. One feed-company promotion was a contest for the best-dressed chicken.

Nixon's Feedsack Secrets is a colorful, fun and fascinating ride through a great period of American fabric history.

A Bird in Hand: Folk Art Projects Inspired by Our Feathered Friends
by Renee Plains

Feathered friends take fanciful flight in this diverse collection of 21 projects inspired by the timeless charm of folk art. Whether you love hand appliqué, rug hooking, piecework, or cross stitch, Liberty Star designer Renée Plains offers something for every quilter in this book. Included are 6 avian-embellished appliqué quilts and 3 pieced quilts with bird-themed blocks.

For those who enjoy making smaller scale projects such as pincushions, the book also features 8 vintage-style sewing accessories ranging from pinkeeps to sewing pockets—perfect for your sewing room or gifts for fellow sewers. And Renée has also designed four additional whimsical accents—a pillow and hooked rug for the home as well as a casual tote and notebook cover to take along when you’re on the go.

She also shares her favorite appliqué techniques and clever tips for making some of the projects go smoothly.

Greetings from Tucsadelphia: Travel-Inspired Projects from Lizzie B Cre8ive
by Liz & Beth Hawkins

Greetings from TUCSADELPHIA! A place where inspiration flows freely and music floats on the breeze. The air is filled with the scent of freshly baked goodies and laughter rings throughout the land. That’s how Lizzie B sees it! In essence, Tucsadelphia IS wherever Liz and Beth ARE.

Let Lizzie B Cre8ive take you on a tour through some of their favorite places. “Greetings from TUCSADELPHIA” is a collection of some of Liz and Beth’s favorite travel-inspired projects. Like all quilters who travel, Liz and Beth collect FABRIC! They gather fabric from the places they visit and take those bits and weave them into a quilt; like Beth’s “Happy Hawaii” quilt. They make us smile and feel warm and fuzzy inside as memories of our travels flood back to us. Join them on a sun-drenched beach in “Happy Hawaii” or the bustling streets of “New York’s Got Soul”. Stitch up the quick and “Easy-Breezy Backsack”, then take a jaunt through Pennsylvania Amish country. Or pick your own favorite places for the “Wish You Were Here” quilt and adorn it with postcards and memories.

Don’t forget to bake some “Be Cre8ive Cookies” for your travels, and escape with the Lizzie B playlist. Whether you find time to stitch a little, “Kick Back and Relax” or do some “Peaceful Dreamin’” on your own travel pillow, remember that “All Roads Lead to Home”. And when it comes to the Lizzie B Girls…all roads lead to Tucsadelphia! We hope you enjoy the journey. Dream big, go far, and always Be Cre8ive!

Oh, and if you're wondering where the heck Tucsadelphia is, it's the official city of Lizzie B Cre8ive! Beth lives in Tucson and Liz lives in Philadelphia, hence Tucsadelphia!

Adventures with Leaders and Enders: Make More Quilts in Less Time!
by Bonnie Hunter

What if you could piece quilts even faster, work on more than one quilt simultaneously and save money, fabric and thread all at the same time? Bonnie K. Hunter will show you how to put the concept of Leaders & Enders to work quickly and easily, expanding your creativity, and upping your productivity all at the same time.

If you have ever found yourself paralyzed by your stash, overwhelmed by scraps you just can't bear to toss out, arm yourself with a new rotary blade for your cutter, make yourself a cup of tea and start reading. This book is not only full of beautiful scrap quilts that can be made in between the lines of other sewing, but also contains many ideas for getting your ever burgeoning scrap stash under control, into useable sized pieces that work well with one another, and ready to be sewn into quilts you've always wanted to make.

Change in class date!

Due to inclement weather, KyleAnn's Learn-How-to-Knit class was changed to Tuesday, February 16, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The date of the second session is to-be-determined. In this two-session class, you will make a scarf and learn how to cast-on (get the stitches on the needle), knit, purl, and bind off (get the scarf off the needles). You need two (2) balls of a bulky yarn, like Lion Brand's Jiffy Thick and Quick (available from places like JoAnn's and sometimes Michaels). Needles are available from the instructor for $8. Registration required. Class fee is $15.

New in March will be a four-week Sock Class, beginning Tuesday, March 9, 6:00 - 8:00. Class members must know how to knit and purl. Socks will be made on two circular needles rather than using double-pointed needles (unless you like working with a porcupine!!!!) Materials needed are 2 (50g) balls of a sport-weight yarn (do NOT buy sock yarn unless you like working with TINY needles and yarn!) and 2 circular needles, size 3 US. The needles can be the same length (24" or so) or each can be a different length (but no shorter than 20") or you can purchase needles from the instructor for a total of $12. You will learn how to cast on with circular needles and basic sock instruction, including heel turning, gussets, and finishing the toe. Class fee is $20.

Stop in and say hi!

Happy Winter Olympics!