Round 2 - AWQB

Just a quick note today. I wanted to show you my starter block for Round 2 of Around The World Quilting Bee. This one is to have a Christmas theme. I’m not much into red and green together so I decided on a whimsical look with a predominately blue color. This group is so talented I'm excited to see what blocks they put with it. I was concerned about the dark background and thought about a do-over, but decided against it. #1. I decided that I like the dark background against the white snowman. #2. I have to get it in the mail tomorrow. BTW sewing on that batik (background fabric) is difficult!

Do you know how to identify the fibers in an unknown piece of fabric? Check it out at Ditzy Prints. Very interesting.

This is something cute that I saw on Bee She Bags. You have to take a look at “Let’s Talk About SEX.” It’s not what you might think and is really cute. I think we all can relate.
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Until next time,
Caroll

BIG BAGS ARE BEST

This Quilt Camp Tote Bag is big enough to carry all your quilting needs! You will love the special pieced patchwork pockets on the front and back and there are plenty of pockets inside too. The handles are heavy duty and fit over the shoulder for extra comfort. Join Lee Ann on Friday, May 7th at the Attic Window Quilt Shop and make this bag.

The Chubby Charmer is another great BIG bag! This is a wonderful tote for those large difficult to carry items. Going to the beach? Camping? Quilt retreat? This is just the bag you need. Join Lee Ann on Wed., May 12 at the Attic Window Quilt Shop. You’ll be glad you did.

Focus Squares - The possibilities for the focus squares you can use in this wall hanging or quilt are endless. You can choose to fussy cut an all over fabric, or you can appliqué any design of your choice. In addition, you could do machine embroidery or hand embroidery. You could even use pictures for the large and small blocks. Whatever you decide, you will have a fabulous looking wall hanging or quilt that you have made your own. Carolyn E. will be teaching this class on Fri., May 7 & 21.

Quick Trio Table Runner - Carolyn will also be presenting a FREE class on Tuesday, May 11th. If you purchase the pattern and fabrics at the Attic Window Quilt Shop, the class is free. This quick table runner can be done in a short amount of time. You will have a great time picking out your trio of fabrics. Use colors that compliment your home, accent a party, or celebrate a holiday. This table runner also makes a fun, quick gift. ALSO, don’t forget Carolyn’s Stack N Whack workshop begins Wednesday, May 5th.

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Chris will be teaching a Mystery Block on Friday, May 7th. Sorry, I can’t show you a picture because it is a mystery. I can tell you that you will make a fun easy strip pieced block using five fabrics from light to dark, plus background fabric. Call the Attic Window to sign up for all these fun classes.

Rhonda of Quilter’s Paradise has posted instructions for making a Pinwheels In Motion block. There is also a link to how to make her Boston Blocks, which you will use in making the Pinwheels block. Check it out.
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Until next time,
Caroll

DID YOU EVER PLAY DRESS-UP?

Remember when you were a little girl and liked to play house? You would stick your feet into your mother’s high heels, put a rope of pearls around your neck and sling her old purse over your arm and feel really special. Well you can still feel special when you carry this Kwik Sassy Gag. The sample is at the Attic Window Quilt Shop. Don’t you just love that fabric!

This is another purse sample. The fabric is Garden Kitty Friends by Spectrix. Great bag for those knitting or quilting supplies.

These samples are at the shop and would be great gifts for that graduate. The pattern for this little bag is from This & That pattern and is called a Panache Pouch. The pattern for the Daily Doodler is also available.

Here is a different picture of the bag and doodler.

This fabric is called Crazy Cats and is by Benartex. Love those cats!

For all you quilters out there, this site has some quilting designs you might like. Check it out here.
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Until next time,
Caroll

LOVE BIRDS, ENGLISH GARDENS AND FROGS

What a combination I have for you today. People who read the newsletter have been asking about the Lovebird Lane Quilt or the English Garden Quilt. When I stopped in at the Attic Window Quilt Shop today to take advantage of their BIG SALE, I found that the quilts were on display so I took pictures for you. This is the first block of the Lovebird Lane BOM. This BOM features five birdhouse themed blocks, using the Marywood line of beautiful “Wild Rose” fabrics. If you have done some of the other Quilt Co. BOM’s you will love this one. These Lovebirds are doing all the things you Love to do, from “Quilters Re-tweet” to eating “Sweet Tweets.” Stop in and check out the sample! This BOM begins May 14th.

Above is the full English Garden quilt. This quilt is a mixture of appliqué and pieced blocks, which will produce a quilt full of delicate blossoms and dainty birds. This yearlong BOM meets the second Saturday of the month and begins May 8th.

Wouldn’t you love to have this panel? I can just see the center frog hanging on my front door welcoming my visitors. I will make the smaller squares into pillows for my deck. It’s called Ribbet-Ing by Wilmington Prints. Stop in and pick up your panel now before they are all gone!

Birdbrain Designs has a cute pattern for you to make for Mother's Day.

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Until next time,
Caroll

BIG SALE (AND SOME OTHER STUFF)

But first, before I tell you about the big sale, let me tell you about this quilt. I was going to wait until I had this quilt put together but decided it would be some time before that happened, and you’d want to see these blocks now (especially those of you who participated in the swap). Remember when I blogged about Aunt Pitty Pat’s Christmas swap here? These are the blocks that were returned to me. Each block has a nine patch beneath it so it will be a large quilt when finished. Aren’t these women talented! Thank you everyone for making these lovely blocks for me. I’m sure one of my grandchildren will enjoy it once I get it finished.

Above is a close up of the block that Aunt Pitty Pat sent me. I wanted you to see what a great job she did! And she said she couldn’t appliqué! Aunt Pitty Pat you do excellent work. And a special thanks to you for all your work getting this group together and getting the blocks back to us. I’m sure it was a daunting task!
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Don’t forget the First Annual Spring Cleaning Sale this weekend at the Attic Window Quilt Shop. Hours are Friday, April 23, from 10-6 and Saturday, April 24 from 10-5. All Fat Quarters will be $2 each and Fat Eights, $1. Special groups of fabrics are $3/yard and there will be 20-50% off all other fabrics. One of a kind books and patterns will be 30% off. Be sure and stop by.

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The other day I was visiting Bayou Quilts and came across this link. You will get a chuckle out of this quilting glossary.
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I saw this cute patchwork Scottie in the Quilters Quarters Newsletter from BellaOnline.com. Check it out here.

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Until next time,
Caroll

NEW CLASSES, NEW FABRICS

Journals-Fabric Samplers. Join Sue at the Attic Window Quilt Shop on Thursday, April 22, from 6-8 pm. and make a one of a kind journal using fabric, wool and wool felt. She will show you easy techniques, using Wonder Under or Steam-a-Seam to speed up your project. Your journal can include small embroidery or areas written with a fabric marker. Buttons, charms and embellishments may be added as desired.

Tessellating Churn Dash. Like a jigsaw puzzle the shapes fit together to create a design and overall pattern. Join Chris at the Attic Window on Wednesday, April 21 from 6-9 p.m. and make this lovely wall hanging or table topper.

New Fabric. I love cats and couldn’t resist this new line that is in the Attic Window Quilt Shop. This is called Cats Meow by South Sea Imports.

This is the Cats Meow panel. Can you get any cuter than that?

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Don't forget that Clothesline Club (30's Clubees) starts this Tuesday. All are welcome, from beginners to seasoned quilters. We’re a little bit Club and a little bit Bee, but we’re a 100% 30’s. Come join us once a month as we work with the 30’s fabrics. Choose from the extensive reproduction selection at the Attic Window, or pull from your 30’s stash collection. There will be new patterns and projects to choose from or bring a 30’s UFO with which you need a little help to finish. Our goal is to share, help, and enjoy! Come—Be a 30’s Clubee. Sure to be a lot of fun.

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NOTE: You can read the latest newsletter chock full of information about classes, clubs and bees, by clicking on the notice (the hat) on the sidebar.

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I saw these Colorful Carpenter Stars in the Quilted Paradise Newsletter. Check it out here.

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Until next time,
Caroll

FIBER ARTIST DEMONSTRATES DISCHARGING

Fiber Artist Julia Voake spoke recently to the Lakeshore Fiber Arts group and gave a hands-on demonstration of Discharging with Bleach Products. Above Voake demonstrates the Shibori method of tying fabric around a piece of PVC pipe and then painting it with bleach. According to Wikipedia Shibori is a Japanese term for several methods of dyeing cloth with a pattern by binding, stitching, folding, twisting, or compressing it (sometimes called tie-dying).

This is one of Voake’s pieces showing the various methods of discharging with bleach. In each square she used a different technique: sponge, tree bark, PVC pipe, etc. This piece is stunning! Voake distributed kits and bleach products and we all got to try our hand at discharging. It was great fun and such an inspiration. I can’t wait to get some more pieces done.

Voake made this piece by placing the flower leaves on a piece of black fabric and then spraying on the bleach. It is lovely and will be a nice summer time project when I can work outside.

During show-and-tell at the Lakeshore Fiber Arts group meeting Heather Reid showed us her latest project, this silk sari ribbon pillow. This pillow has a black cotton broadcloth base with a squared center panel of rows and rows of layered silk sari ribbons machine-stitched and then quilted. The edges of the square are trimmed in more silk sari ribbon combined with fancy fibers, twisted and couched down with zig-zag stitching. Check out her blog here for instructions on how to make wearable art little cuff fiber art bracelets.
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Until next time,

Caroll

AROUND THE WORLD QUILTING BEE BLOCKS

I finally finished three blocks this weekend for the Around The World Quilting Bee. This first one is for Sudi-Laura (Isaccs Mama). She asked us to make our blocks using fabrics from our scrap bag. She loves seeing what fabrics people have in their scrap bags, and hopes that making our block will cost us nothing more than postage to send it along its way around the world. I love using my red scraps.

This is for Lady Belle’s quilt. Her only instructions were that the block size is 12” square. Hope she likes this flower.

This block is for Katy Jones (I’m a Ginger Monkey). Her idea was for each of us to make a house and she would end up with a village of houses from all around the world. I thought that every village should have a university medical center (Thus the big M) and I included the cherry roof because it is a reminder of the Michigan Cherry crop and the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City. Did you know that Tart cherries are loaded with antioxidant or that it takes about 250 cherries to make a cherry pie? Michigan grows 75 percent of the nation's tart cherries. You will find these facts where I found them at Absolute Michigan.

Kathy has a nice tutorial for a spiderweb block. Check it out here.

The Quilting Book Lady has a recipe for home made hand cream. My hands have been so dry this past winter. I'm going to try this recipe and see if it works!
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Until next time,
Caroll

IT'S SHOW AND TELL TIME

The Knotty Girls met last week and I took some pictures during show-and-tell. Marcy made a real fashion statement when she made two large and four small bags out of one Bali Pop (Lining and straps not included). What a deal and what a unique gift for that person who has everything!

Marcy also made this quilt. Some of you might recognize the pattern as it was from last year’s Bus Trip. I bet when the first settlers came to this country they didn’t think about bringing quilts this beautiful.

Darla made this bag for her daughter who is in Veterinarian’s school in Cadillac. What a fun and practical gift for someone who will be working with animals!

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Don’t forget the First Annual Spring Cleaning Sale at the Attic Window Quilt Shop on Friday, April 23, from 10-6 and Saturday, April 24, from 10-5. All Fat Quarters—$2 and Fat Eights—$1. Special groups of fabrics—$3/yard. Discounts of 20-50% off all other fabrics. One of a kind books and patterns—30% off . Mark your calendar now!
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Primrose Design has the cutest hen party stitchery pattern. Sure brought back memories when I saw this one. Check it out.
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The Cranky Quilter has some creative ideas for what to do with one inch squares. You really have to check out her blog to see what I’m talking about. Looks like fun.
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Until next time,
Caroll

MAKE IT AND TAKE IT CLASS

Don’t you just love this little Bee wallhanging? It is the next Make It and Take It class at the Attic Window Quilt Shop. The class is Tuesday afternoon, so hurry and sign up.

Gerry Cavanaugh is at it again. She took left over pieces from the Over the River and Through The Woods quilt she made and created this darling wallhanging. Each little square is ¾ inch finished. The finished wallhanging is 13 ½” square. It is now hanging on her back splash in her kitchen. What an inspiration you are Gerry!

Above Gerry points out where she got the little pieces for her wallhanging.

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Have you checked out the Painted Quilt for her first Friday Freebie? Her Stitching Annie is adorable.

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Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

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Until next time,
Caroll

NEW REDWORK BOM POSTED

I’ve had the flu and haven’t been able to get to the computer for a few days. Just wanted to let everyone know that I just posed the April BOM on my sidebar.
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Also, the Contented Quilter has a cute BOM. Check it out.
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Until Next Time,
♥
Until next time,
Caroll