DO YOU LIKE TABLE TOPPERS?

I'm not sure if redecorating the Shop or getting ready for the upcoming show, but when I visited the Attic Window Quilt Shop yesterday I saw a pile of table toppers that Vickie S. had made and I wanted to show them to you.  I love the scalloped edge on this one.

 Vickie has a wonderful way with color.  What a nice gift this runner and place mat would make.

 Can't you just see this brightening up your holiday table!

 These place mats look easy to make as well as stunning.

Vickie made these place mats.  I've made them myself and can vouch that they are easy.  The pattern comes with the special tool that is needed to make them.

 I hope Vickie doesn't mind this one-woman show.  I love her work.  She is also an excellent teacher.  I'm hoping she'll have some classes on these.  You can get the patterns and tools required to make these table toppers and runners and place mats at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.

Don't forget the BIG SALE Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27 through Sept. 29.

SOMETHING FOR CAT LOVERS

Calling all you cat lovers.  I know you will love making this adorable cat coaster.  I bet you know other cat lovers too. Wouldn't this make a wonderful gift for them? You can see it at the Attic Window Quilt Shop and pick up the instruction book while you are there.

The instruction book also includes directions to make this adorable cat place mat to go with the coaster.  What cat lover wouldn't want that.  The directions for Cat Chow Place Mat & Coaster Set can be found in the book Quilted Cats & Dogs by Chris Malone.  Pick it up at the Attic Window Quilt Shop now.

NOTICE!

• The Attic Window Quilt Shop will be CLOSED Monday for the Labor Day Holiday.

• On the second Thursday in September, Julie plans to have a Doll Tea.  If you have made a doll with Julie, bring it that day for display during tea time so everyone can enjoy these special dolls.  This event is open to all who want to view the dolls.  Also, if anyone wants to request that a class be held to make a certain Gail Wilson doll in the future, you should let Julie know at the Tea.  She can do a class for any Gail Wilson doll upon request.

REGISTER NOW! If you are interested in participating in a Bee Hive, call the shop and register now.  The class starts in September.  We meet the fourth Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW

• The West Michigan Quilter's Guild show is October 5 and 6 at the Delta Plex, 9-5 each day.
• The Second Annual Country Fair Road Tour 2018 is October 11, 12, and 13.

AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

• Sampler and Bee, Saturday, Sept. 1
• Closed, Monday, Sept. 3
• Bee, Tuesday, Sept. 4
• Charity Quilts has moved this month to Monday, Sept. 10

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• As August ends it seems appropriate to look into this Sunflower tutorial by Sandy Star Designs.

Caroll,  

Caring, Sharing, Creating Smiles

HAVE YOU TRIED THESE PLACEMATS?

What have you been working on this weekend?  I didn't get much accomplished as I wanted to be outside in this beautiful weather.  However, I did put the binding on four place mats and the table runner that I'm making for my son and DIL.

 This is the table runner.  I'm not used to working with batiks and find that I really like it.  Check out all the fabulous batiks at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  I did minimal quilting because that is what my son wanted.  Hope it looks better after I get the binding sewn on and it is ironed.

These are four of the six place mats.  All finished.  I have two more tops made and the backing ready but an waiting for the Bosal inserts.  I placed the order at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  I love how these place mats are so quick and easy to make and look so smooth and finished.

AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

• Stitch-In, Monday, July 30
• Bee, Tuesday, July 31
• Embroidery Bee, Tuesday, July 31

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• Freemotion by the River has a Rainbow Squares Baby Quilt tutorial.

Caroll, 
Caring, Sharing, Creating Smiles

NOW I KNOW WHY

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing seems to go right and you get frustrated?  Today was one of those days for me.  The carpenter didn't call me back.  The Pest Control place (I think I have carpenter ants) did not answer phone.  And the package from a local department store where I had ordered a knit shirt, arrived.  They sent me a can opener!  Good grief! Talk about frustration. I did the best thing I could do.  I marched to my sewing room and got to work.  Now I can see why they call quilting/sewing therapy.  I felt so much better after sewing all these blocks together,

Next I will sew these together.

Then after adding another piece to make a square, I will put them together to make a place mat.

I'm using the pattern from Cut Loose Patterns.  Saw it at the Attic Window Quilt Shop and had to have it.

This is the table runner to go with the six place mats.  You have probably guessed that these are not my colors.  My son picked them out and asked me to make the table runner and place mats for the table in his new house.  Naturally, I jumped at the idea.  And how wonderful to have a project like this to help me forget all about my frustration.  (A can opener!)

AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

• Doll Bee, Thursday, July 26
• Stitch-In, Friday and Saturday, July 27 & 28

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• Moda Bake Shop has a tutorial for Path B: Arrowhead Lake block.

Caroll,

Caring, Sharing, Creating Smiles

ANOTHER MAKE IT TAKE IT CLASS AT ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

There is a new Make It and Take It class being offered at the Attic Window Quilt Shop. Come and make this new ornament placemat/wall hanging with Diana. 

 

This Make It Take It class is on Monday, Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.  Kits will be cut and ready to go.  Additional kits will be available for purchase during class.  Call the shop to register.

AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

• Bee, Tuesday, Nov. 28
• Beg. Embroidery (evening), Tuesday, Nov. 28
• Bees In The Attic Bee Hive, Wednesday, Nov. 29
• Doll Bee, Thursday, Nov. 30
• Christmas Craft Day, Friday, Dec. 1
• Make It Take It tree Ornament, Wednesday, Dec. 6
• Make It Take It Ornament Placemat, Monday, Dec. 11

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• I Am Luna Sol has a free Shieldmaiden pattern and templates.

Caroll,

Caring, Sharing, Creating Smiles

APRIL PLACE MAT

 

Are you a gatherer or an assessor.  Assessors only gather what they will use...and not just someday.  They have a purpose in mind and don't bother stockpiling.  I must be a gatherer because I see a pattern or a book I like and I buy it and stockpile!  I'm not ashamed of that.  Just look at this place mat that I made from Kim Schaefer's Calendar Runners, a pattern I purchased years ago.  This pattern packet includes table runners and place mats appropriate for each month of the year.  When thinking ahead about how I would change things in my house for the month of April, I remembered this pattern and had to make it.

  Above is a close up of the flowers and some of the quilting.

And above shows you the different quilting in the side borders.  It was a fun project.  You can get the pattern at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  In fact, Chris has asked about a Place mat of the Month class.  Anyone interested?

HAPPENINGS AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP

• Doll Bee, Thursday, Feb. 16
• Beginning Machine Quilting, Thursday, Feb. 16
• Tatting (P.M.), Thursday, Feb. 16
• Beginning Shuttle Tatting, Friday, Feb. 17
• UFO Night, Friday, Feb 17
• Happy Scrappers, Saturday, Feb. 18

ON ANOTHER NOTE:  

• Ivory Spring has a free pattern for a Smarty Cat quilt.

Caroll,

Caring, Sharing, Creating Smiles

QUILTERS ARE A JOY

This is what I've been working on this weekend.  I finished another one of my Morse Code placemats.  I thought the word joy was appropriate for today because of what you will see in the next picture.

I was jumping for joy when I saw these fabrics that Grace T. donated to the Charity group at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  They are lovely and I bet members of the group are going to enjoy making quilts for charity out of them.  Since the fabrics are red, white, and blue Grace thought we could use them for a quilt for the Veteran's Home.  Great idea!  Thanks again Grace.

I need you help with this.  I started making blocks for a quilt-as-you-go quilt, but decided the blocks were too large and not something I wanted to make a big quilt out of.  So I made them into a table topper.  The pattern is Cascade Range and from the book Quilt As-You-Go Made Modern.  I love the QAYG method and like how the table topper turned out, however, I keep thinking it needs something.  Maybe a flower applique in the white of each block.  What do you think?

DON'T FORGET:

• Charity Quilts, Monday, June 6
• Happy Scrappers, Wednesday, June 8
• UFO Night, Friday, June 10
• Happy Scrappers, Saturday, June 11

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:  

• Sewn Up has a tutorial and pattern for a leaf block foundation paper piecing pattern

 ♥ Caroll, 

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

ANOTHER PLACEMAT

Isn't this stunning!!!  Gail C. send me a picture of her placemat that she made using the same design that I used on my placemats that I had on the blog yesterday.  I love the colors she used!  I wish I could have shown you the plates that she is using with them.  Her plates had a beautiful contrasting trim.  However, I couldn't get the picture to download.  Thank you so much Gail for sharing your lovely mats with us!

Have you been visiting the shops participating in the Search For The Stars Shop Hop that is going on this week?  I'm sure the Attic Window Quilt Shop has been busy. Cathy, Diana and I finished visiting all the shops today and boy are we tired!  But it was so much fun and we saw so many new projects.  It's always great to see what others are doing and get new ideas.  Actually, I shouldn't say we finished visiting all the shops, because we were so tired we plan to individually visit the Attic Window Quilt Shop tomorrow.  

I don't want to miss getting this free pattern that the shop is distributing.  I love this table topper. DON'T FORGET that the shops participating in the Search For The Stars Shop Hop are open until 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday of this week.  Your passport is only $5 and each shop will give you a free star pattern plus there is a 16% discount on all full priced merchandise. 

 NEW AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP!

• A new Bee Hive (Bee In The Attic) will be starting.  Organizational meeting Wednesday, April 27th at 10 a.m. Come one come all!  Go here for more information. This meeting should last about an hour.
• A new Batik BOM is starting on Monday, May 16 at 2-4 or 6-8.  This BOM will last nine months.  The charge of $30/month includes fabric and patterns.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• Scrappers Helping Hands, Saturday, April 23

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:  

•  Sassafras Lane has a tutorial for getting perfect centers

 ♥ Caroll, 

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

MATS AND A SHOP HOP

 The Search For The Stars Shop Hop is going on this week.  I'm sure the Attic Window Quilt Shop has been busy.  However, I never made it there today as Cathy, Diana and I participated in the Hop, which meant we were busy shoppping. What fun!  We visited about five of the eleven shops on the list.  I'm exhausted.  We plan to get rested tomorrow so we can finish visiting all the shops later this week.

I did want to show you some placemats that I made for my DIL.  She picked out the fabrics because her tastes are so different from mine.

This is the four of them together.  The pattern is Twist 'N Twirl Placemat by Cut Loose Press. Be sure and stop by the Attic Window Quilt Shop and pick up a pattern and the Scrap Crazy Creative Grids ruler and the Bosal Craft Pack.

By the way, DON'T FORGET that the shops participating in the Search For The Stars Shop Hop are open until 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday of this week.  Your passport is only $5 and each shop will give you a free star pattern plus there is a 16% discount on all full priced merchandise.

 NEW AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP!

• A new Batik BOM is starting on Monday, May 16 at 2-4 or 6-8.  This BOM will last nine months.  The charge of $30/month includes fabric and patterns.
• A new Bee Hive (Bee In The Attic) will be starting.  Organizational meeting Wednesday, April 27th at 10 a.m. Come one come all!  Go here for more information. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• Vintage Farm Girl BOM, Wednesday, April 20
• Scrappers Helping Hands, Saturday, April 23

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

•  Patchwork Posse has a tutorial for a clear bag.  These are great for keeping quilt kits together.

 ♥ Caroll, 

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

YOUR KIDS WILL LOVE THIS

Imagine this.  It's afternoon.  Your child is bored.  You place on the table this adorable chalkboard placemat that you just made.  Beside it you set several pieces of chalk.  You then tell your child to sit down and you will get him some milk and cookies.  Your child smiles with delight.  His eyes light up.  His chubby little fingers wrap around the white stick of chalk as he sits down and goes to work.

Silence fills the room.  No more whining.  No more getting into mischief.  No more talking at the top of his lungs.  There is only the light scratch of chalk against fabric as your child becomes creative.

You stand in the kitchen and watch as your child draws on his chalkboard placemat.  "That's a cow." he says.

Secretly  you are thrilled he told you and didn't ask.  You take a deep soothing breath and your stress level lowers.  Now you can get some things done while your child eats a cookie and makes chalk drawings on his new chalkboard placemat.

You can get this chalkboard fabric at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  Make one for each of your children or grand children. What a great idea.  What a joy it will be for them to receive an unexpected gift.

There are a multitude of things you can do with this new chalkboard fabric.  Treat yourself  TODAY and get your mind off these rainy days.  Go shopping at the Attic Window Quilt Shop!

NEW AT THE ATTIC WINDOW QUILT SHOP!

• A new Batik BOM is starting on Monday, May 16 at 2-4 or 6-8.  This BOM will last nine months.  The charge of $30/month includes fabric and patterns.
• A new Bee Hive (Bee In The Attic) will be starting.  Organizational meeting Wednesday, April 27th at 10 a.m. Come one come all!  Go here for more information. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• Embroidery Bee - Friday, Apr. 8
• UFO Night - Friday, Apr. 8
• Happy Scrappers, Saturday, Apr. 9
• Search For The Stars Shop Hop - April 14-23 
• Eleven Shops are participating.  Prizes will be awarded.  Passports are now available at only $5

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: 

• Do you have trouble making circles?  HGTV has a how to create easy circle quilt blocks.  This video shows you how to machine piece circles!

 ♥ Caroll, 

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

DON'T GIVE UP ON HOPE

My Great Grandson’s interest in code has brought back memories. Years ago, during the late 40's, my father decided he wanted to become an armature radio operator.  Back then you had to pass a test in order to obtain a license.  You had to know the Morse code and be able to send and receive it on some kind of key thingy at a certain speed. I was elected to help my father do this.  

Excitement skidded through me.  I was going to do something BIG with my father.  I was going to help him.  My father had just returned from the war and I was eager to show him how happy I was that he was back.  I think I was about ten years old at the time.  I beamed as I sat beside him and we went over the sheet of paper with the code alphabet.  In no time I set about memorizing the dots and dashes.  This was going to be so much fun.

I had to learn how to send the code quickly over telegraph wires like Dad had told me they did during the war.

Dad gave me a little key that I could tap the code on, sending signals to where ever I wanted. It reminded me of what the teletype man used in the movies. Maybe I'd be a movie star some day!  This was going to be so much better than that old secret decoder ring on the radio.    

Soon I received a set of my very own headphones.  I was giddy with excitement.  

Then it began. The BIG day had arrived.  My father said that we had done enough memorizing and practicing on our own.  He took his headphones and key thingy and went into another room in the house and we got ready to send each other a message.  

“I’ll send a message to you and then you translate and send me a message,” my father said. 

Dutifully I waited and before long I could hear …dah di dah di…coming through my headphones.  Sweat rolled down my forehead as tried to listen and make out the letters. 

The beeps were coming...coming...coming way too fast. They tumbled over each other and I couldn't concentrate.  

I struggled for days.  I saw dots and dashes in my sleep.  I couldn’t eat without spelling out each food on my plate in dots and dashes .

This went on for a few weeks…me sending, my father yelling from the other room, “FASTER”.

My little fingers scribbled the letters as fast as they could.  Still, some of those beeps slipped by.

“It’s a basic word,” my father would yell from the other room.  

Dah, di dah di di dah dah

“It’s Cat.  Can’t you spell CAT?”

After a week of his yelling and my choking up, it happened.  He gave up on me.  

To this day I can still see my father bolt out of that other room, take the key thing and head phones away from me and shake his head in dismay.  I never could get my brain and hand to work in coordination or get my brain to work fast enough to know what letter was being sent. 

My father never did get his license.  

My father may have given up on me, but those memories and my desire to learn Morse code remains.

Today there are opportunities for kids to learn the code.  In Spokane Washington the kids learned code to do a scavenger hunt.  I read on the internet that 93 of those students earned their license.  Somehow I can’t imagine my serious father making it into a game.

A couple of years ago I decided I would make a quilt filled with Morse code.  I am still thinking about that. (I’m a slow thinker.)  When Chris had a machine appliqué class I took the class and machine appliquéd around these letters on the placemat above.  Each letter in Morse code is beneath the word “Hope”.  

I finally finished this placemat and will put it out for my Great Grandson when he comes to visit.  Maybe he’ll want to learn more about the Morse code too.  I hope so.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• New Age Sampler - Saturday, Apr. 2
• Search For The Stars Shop Hop - April 14-23 
• Eleven Shops are participating.  Prizes will be awarded.  Passports are now available at only $5

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• A Maidenhair Fern has a tutorial for a pincushion.  

 ♥ Caroll, 

Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

IS THIS A GUY THING?

As promised, here is a picture of my placemat that I made at the Attic Window Quilt Shop when I took the Make It Take It class with teacher Vickie S.

Actually this is what I accomplished during class.  I just needed to bind the four of them when I got home.

The four placemats together.  I made them for my grandson who is moving into a new apartment.  His first time on his own.  I think they look mannish, don't you?

Several of you have asked me about the pattern.  The pattern is by Cut Loose Press and is Twist 'N Twirl Placemat.  You will need the Creative Grids Non-Slip Scrap Crazy 8" ruler, and a Placemat Craft Pack in oval or round.  You can call the shop for supplies.

I'm eager to see what Make It Take It classes are held in April.  These are always fun classes to take and I love when I leave a class with a sense of accomplishment!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• New Age Sampler - Saturday, Apr. 2
• Search For The Stars Shop Hop - April 14-23 
• Eleven Shops are participating.  Prizes will be awarded.  Passports are now available at only $5

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• The Fort Worth Fabric Studio Blog has a tutorial for a Peppermint Twist Table Runner.

♥ Caroll, Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

HOW TO HAVE FUN WHILE MAKING PLACE MATS

If you read this blog frequently, you know what a fun group of quilters meet at the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  It rained last Thursday when we met for Vickie's Place Mat class.  I caught Yvonne with this headgear protecting her lovely do!  What a hoot!  But really, where else can  you get such good ideas!  Now you know what to do when you forget your umbrella!

 After we all stopped laughing, Vickie S. started the class.  If you are a visual learner like me, you will love attending her classes.  She has each step on a poster board so it is easy to follow along as she tells us what to do.

Vickie also showed us this lovely table runner that we could make using the special tool that we bought to make our place mats.  I always appreciate learning of various ways I can use a tool.  It is so much better to be able to use a tool more than once.

Above, Eleanor S. shows us the first step in making our place mats.  Love her fabrics.

Gail C. made this stunning place mat.  Can't you just imagine four of those on a table!  Lovely!

Rosa shows her four blocks sewn together.

Here is Rosa after she has stitched the place mat together.  Next step is quilting and then binding.

Jill has her blocks together.  I think she is going to add a center button before she makes it into a place mat.

Vickie helps Lee Anne and Yvonne with cutting their fabrics.  That cutting can be a little tricky.

 These are Lee Anne's blocks ready to be sewn together.

Above are Yvonne's blocks waiting to be sewn.  You are not seeing double.  Yvonne and Rosa are using the same fabrics for their place mats.

I'll show you my place mats on another day, after I get the binding on, which I have to do today because my grandson is moving into his own apartment this week and I want them for his table.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• UFO - Monday, Mar. 28
• Open Bee - Tuesday, Mar. 29
• New Age Sampler - Saturday, Apr. 2
• Search For The Stars Shop Hop - April 14-23 
• Eleven Shops are participating.  Prizes will be awarded.  Passports are now available at only $5

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

• Why Not Sew has a tutorial for a Honey Bee quilt.

♥ Caroll, 
Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles

IT'S YOUR DAY

I just have a few things to show you today.  Above is this adorable place mat that Kathy made for the Attic Window Quilt Shop.  The pattern is from the book Table Please book #1.

I forgot to show you this.  Above is a spool holder that Lee Anne's husband made for her.  Now she can use those large spools of thread when sewing on her desk top machine.  Gene is a gem!!!

I also forgot to show you these two items.  Chris gave them to us when she gave the Happy Scrappers their challenge.  On the left is an item that will hold your bobbin and spool of thread together.  This little gadget is great for traveling or just keeping things together in your sewing room. I think you know what is on the right. LOL

DON'T FORGET:  Open Sew at the Attic Window Quilt Shop from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 18 and Saturday, Mar. 19

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW:

• National Quilt Month Celebration at AW - Friday and Saturday, Mar. 18 and 19  Come in and get a FREE FQ with your purchase.
• Make It Take It - Thursday, March 24
• Search For The Stars Shop Hop - April 14-23 
• Eleven Shops are participating.  Prizes will be awarded.  Passports are now available at only $5

Be sure and check the calendar on the Sidebar for more happenings at the Attic Window Quilt Shop this week.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: 

• Lindsey Roads has a free pattern for a Pine Burr Beauty quilt block.

♥ Caroll, 
Caring , Sharing and Creating Smiles