Friday, April 30, 2010

Keep Me in Stitches Quilt Shop

My quilting friend Jacqi Levy just opened a quilt store in Appleton WI called "Keep Me in Stitches". She wanted to fill a void and have a local shop that had contemporary fabrics. I was in Appleton yesterday and checked it out. I love brights and batiks and this shop has both-I saw beautiful fabrics I had only seen online!! It is very clean and pure with the white walls, tables and shelves. The brights look wonderful in this shop and there is nice lighting coming in through the windows. It is easy to find on Richmond St. (highway 47) riht off of Highway 41. She plans to be on Facebook and have e-mail updates as soon as she is more settled.I encourage everyone who quilts and is in Appleton to check it out!!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

I Love IKEA!!


While in Chicago for the quilt show our bus driver, Dan, was kind enough to give us a side trip to either Woodfield Mall or IKEA in Schauberg IL for 2 hours. I LOVE IKEA and since it's 4.5 hrs. away from where I live I couldn't wait. They are hooks that were in the pet section and came in a variety of colors. I intend to use them in my garden some how. They are so cute and remind me of a cartoon dog!!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Going Traditional; International Quilt Festival-Chicago


I signed up at Pine Street Quilts in Marinette WI for a 12 month long block-of-the-month called Fair and Square. 12 people sign up and each month each person chooses 4 coordinating fat eighths and the 11 other people make the block for that person.This is my third and last Fair and Square because some people have a different idea of what a 12' block should be sized and the pressing isn't always very good. 6 of the 12 blocks couldn't be used so I decided to make 6 of my own using star blocks from http://www.nancyrinkdesigns.com/. Nancy has a FREE BOM which can be downloaded and I made 6 star blocks using red backgrounds. I added this fun grass green print with yellows and red/orange dragonflys to connect the blocks and add a border. I will quilt the quilt with green thread.
I attended the International Quilt Festival in Chicago last Friday and Saturday. It was so fun to see what quilters are creating nationally, be able to purchase more goodies and visit with new and not so new friends. I was visually overloaded!! And I,like many other quilters from MI, MN, and WI, are sad to see the show move to Cincinnati OH-too far to travel.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Good News!!

My wall hanging "The Blue Wig" has been juried into the Denver National Quilt Festival V" which runs April 29-May 2, 2010. I originally made it for the Michigan Quilt Network's quilt shows color challenge. I won 1st place on it last Sept. so I entered it in another show to see how it will do. My quilt will be there but I will be stay in Menominee. April is a crazy month for regional quilt shows, hairshows/classes and I'm trying to get tickets to a Pat Benatar concert later in the month!!