Thanks and hope to see you there!

Chicago Quilt Festival--April '09

I had a fantastic time in Chicago.  As a vendor, I was just amazed this year at how easy it was to get into the hall for set-up and tear-down.  Last year I waited in a line to get to the dock for hours.  This was so slick this year!  I love it when it goes like that!  And I had fantastic help in the booth:  Cyndie Manypenny from Hampshire, IL and Pam Schwarz from Roberts, IL.  Thanks so much, both of you!

Probably one of my best sellers was my new Appli-curves book.  The large “hearts and gizzards” quilt on the back wall to the right was the main attraction.  As usual, the fabric glitter and my “Glitz It With Glitter” book was a hit.  I also had my newest fabric line “At the Barre” with a great quilt made up–and fabric kits to go along with it. 

My bestselling jacket was my newest jacket “Out and About” Jacket.  I also brought some of my old samples to sell.  I had to be hog-tied by my employees to get me to do that, but it was a good idea, I have to admit.  These were jacket samples from the very beginning of my business and each one brings so much emotional attachment for me.  I remember buying the fabric, what was happening when I was sewing it, who the models were for the pattern cover, etc,etc.  It was like selling a “part” of me.  It all seemed right, however, when one lady bought my little kitties jacket.  She stated:  “this is for my 3 year old grand-daughter. She just lost her kitty, so she is going to love this.”  That made it all seem right.  And as the show went on, I kept hearing stories from others about how special the jacket was going to be to the recipent, and I knew it was better to have them being used, than to be collecting dust in my studio! 

The crowds were great at the show, and the sales were great, too.  I was so pleased.  I was also thrilled that I had a corner booth right on the main aisle!  That surely didn’t hurt…..

My next show is Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh.  Should be equally as good and inspiring.

Elaine and Cyndie Manypenny in her boooth at the Chicago Festival

But, now it’s back to business:  Orders, phone calls, designing for Spring Quilt Market, and ….just around the corner on April 16-18, is the International Quilt Festival in Chicago.  People from all over the midwest come to this event to shop, learn, become inspired, hang with friends, and more!  I was a charter exhibitor when the show started some 6-7 years ago.  I took a couple years off and then, last year came back as anexhibitor. 

I took the big plunge, and I am having a double booth!  This will give lots of space to shop.  I plan to hold demo’s throughout the day and give out prizes!  I also am bringing alot of my old samples and I am going to have them marked down 75-80% so they’ll move!  It should be lots of fun and I’m hoping the weather holds out for us. 

Be sure to stop by the booth.

It uses fabric from Elaine’s new line At the Barre and can have a pink or purple theme.
The pattern is available for a free download from Andover Fabrics.

We have one customer who is making this quilt for twins: one pink quilt and one purple! I can just imagine how excited those girls will be when they see their new quilts!

We are having a sale on the fabric kit for this quilt: regular price is $64 but until March 10, it’s only $54.99! Be sure to check it out and the rest of our designs at www.thequiltedcloset.com.

I will be excited to see more designs from this fabric  – keep an eye out because Elaine is always coming up with new ideas!

This post is by Emily, Elaine’s assistant. Look for more from both Elaine and me, coming soon!

Elaine and Nancy Zieman on the set of Sewing With Nancy

Elaine and Nancy heading to taping

Deanna Springer, Donna Fenske and I are loading the van for our trip to Madison to tape Appli-curves on Sewing With Nancy.

Nancy Zieman, of Nancy Zieman Productions is the show’s host, and she chose my new book, Appli-curves to showcase on the show.  The programs will be made available to PBS stations in September 2009, and then will run for 2 years on channels across the land!  There’ll also be a DVD of the show so you can watch the show after airing if you want to view again and again!

It was a great trip, and we had a ton of fun in make-up, taping, and even getting ready.  Be sure to watch for the show and DVD to come out in the fall.  

The technique of Appli-curves uses fusible web and edge-stitching to do perfect curves with very little effort.  I love this method (of course, since I wrote the book!) and it is never-fail.  Even a beginner will be successful.  For a sneak peak of the some of the quilts featured in the book, or to pre-order your copy of the book, click here.   
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My sister, Laurel with the quilt we pieced for her son, Joe.

We all need it–time to be with those we truly love, but don’t get to spend alot of time with.  Recently, my baby sister and I met in Albert Lea, MN (about 1/2 way between Des Moines and Eau Claire, WI) for a sewing retreat.  Laurel’s son, Joseph had left home for college and Laurel wanted him to have a warm, cozy quilt for him to sleep under, reminding him of the love and family he left behind.  Laurel’s friend, Roxy, had offered this pattern called Boxed Blessings by Ingrid Barlow as an easy, quick one.  I pulled from my fabric stash to provide all the fabrics, since Laurel is new to quilting and doesn’t have a “stash” yet.  (Give her time….;-/  )  Anyway, here is the entire quilt top which we pieced in less than 24 hours.  Thanks, Ingrid, for a wonderful pattern!

New Again Bag

New Again Bag from Erica's

Some of you might be taking our Kibitz Club at your local sewing machine dealer.  We designed this club so shop owners could teach classes, have fun, and introduce you to new features and feet on your sewing machine you may not be used to using.  We have a Kibitz Club #1 and #2.  In Kibitz Club#1, our second pattern is the New Again Bag.  It is made from recycling an old pair of jeans.  Trims are added to “spice up” the denim, and you actually can add a pocket using the zippered fly front.  Well, Erica’s Craft and Sewing Center in South Bend, Indiana is doing our Kibitz Club.  Erica decided thay in her club, she’d demonstrate the fringe foot, the chain stitch and other fun things, and thus, no need for the purchased trims that are suggested with this pattern.  Wow!  You can see below the awesome bag she made up for her sample.  The creative genius out there never stops to amaze me!

Reverse side of Erica's bag. (Fun!)

Sew Sunsational "lady in charge" Peg Gowan, who is also the owner of the Ultimate Sewing Place in Titusville, Fl

I finally got my pictures downloaded so want to share them with you!  Yesterday I posted about how the vest class was such fun, and here’s a pic of the group that took the class.  Seeing that pic reminds me of how beautiful it was in Florida just a couple weeks ago!  It was -2 degrees this morning when I went to my exercise class!  Brrrr!  I even had a dream last night that I was in Florida on a walk, and NO ICE! 

Here's the awesome class I spent the day with at Sew Sunsational in Florida. What a super fun group!

New Vest-- named by my friends from Ultimate Sewing Place in Titusville, Fl

 Here is the adorable vest I taught at Sew Sunsational in Florida on January 19.  I had an awesome group of students and we had a wonderful day.  If you check back to a previous post, you might remember that the fabric came in, and  had no idea what I was going to create.  We couched Razzle Dazzle thread onto the vest panels and used some of the leftovers for the pocket.  This will be a new pattern I’ll be introducing at Spring Market.  I had the students test out my directions, and I had named the vest “Val’s Vest”.  The mascot for the Sew Sunsational event is “Flossie the flamingo” so the students suggested I change the name to “Flossie’s Vest”.  I think it’s a great idea, and the vest will be called “Flossie’s Favorite Vest”.  I thought you might enjoy seeing “Flossie”, she comes around to the classrooms and has to check out what everyone is doing.  This is such a fun event, and in the sunny city of Cocoa, Florida.

This vest pattern isn’t up on our site for purchase yet, but will be in the future.  To see our other patterns, visit www.thequiltedcloset.com