Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Hems and Ruffles
Had such fun today perfecting my rolled hems and ruffles. Suddenly using the rolled hem foot isn't so difficult and Pfaff's ruffler foot makes ruffles a breeze!! See..............
Now I need to design a new pattern to use with my new ruffles and rolled hems!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Happy Anniversary
If its March, it means its anniversary time at our store. Yes, we have been open for FIVE YEARS now! And, we've been a Pfaff dealer for ONE YEAR! So ... we are celebrating with loads of specials.
The first special is $7.00 per yard (1/2 yard minimum) on all Free Spirit and Westminster Fibers fabric through Saturday March 5, 2011!
Also, we will be giving away TWO $100.00 gift certificates. To get a chance to win one just sit down for a short demo on any Expression or Creative Machine from now until the end of March! There is no purchase necessary to enter the drawing. We will draw the winners on April 1st. Hhmmm that's April Fool's Day but we are not fooling so remember to come in so you don't miss out on a chance to win!
The first special is $7.00 per yard (1/2 yard minimum) on all Free Spirit and Westminster Fibers fabric through Saturday March 5, 2011!
Also, we will be giving away TWO $100.00 gift certificates. To get a chance to win one just sit down for a short demo on any Expression or Creative Machine from now until the end of March! There is no purchase necessary to enter the drawing. We will draw the winners on April 1st. Hhmmm that's April Fool's Day but we are not fooling so remember to come in so you don't miss out on a chance to win!
Shopping
Just back from a shopping trip (for the store) in Las Vegas! (Got stuff for ME too, of course) Spruced up my feet and hands at a fabulous spa, aaahhh so relaxing ... avoided the sea of slot machines ... decided I didn't want to lose any money, maybe next time ... got to see an old friend, what fun.
The trip began on an interesting note with an eventful walk through security. Got a body scan PLUS a pat down PLUS they swabbed my hands! Like I look like a terrorist. It must have been the salt on the bottom of my pants. I had shoveled and salted the sidewalks at the store on my way to the airport and forgot to wipe the salt away. Oh well, makes life interesting. Thankfully, that was as dramatic as the trip got.
I hadn't been to Vegas since ...... I'm not telling how long its been except to say that I was in college and me and a few friends drove there for a long weekend once. It is completely different from what I remember. For one, I can't remember so many tall buildings and they are all so close together now.
Flying into Nevada was so beautiful! The colors were AMAZING and the flight was PERFECT! No turbulence. Unbelievable how close the airport is to the strip. Nice to have such a short drive to the hotel and the hotel was great. Stayed at the Venetian. LOVED it!
The floor tiles were enough to make my head spin.
Found some fun new things for the store, including some great embroidery patterns. One that I am very excited about is the Old Glory flag embroidery by Hoopsisters. It is brand new and we will have it soon!
But then it was time to leave and come home. Much too short of a trip but nice to get away for a bit.
The trip began on an interesting note with an eventful walk through security. Got a body scan PLUS a pat down PLUS they swabbed my hands! Like I look like a terrorist. It must have been the salt on the bottom of my pants. I had shoveled and salted the sidewalks at the store on my way to the airport and forgot to wipe the salt away. Oh well, makes life interesting. Thankfully, that was as dramatic as the trip got.
I hadn't been to Vegas since ...... I'm not telling how long its been except to say that I was in college and me and a few friends drove there for a long weekend once. It is completely different from what I remember. For one, I can't remember so many tall buildings and they are all so close together now.
Flying into Nevada was so beautiful! The colors were AMAZING and the flight was PERFECT! No turbulence. Unbelievable how close the airport is to the strip. Nice to have such a short drive to the hotel and the hotel was great. Stayed at the Venetian. LOVED it!
The floor tiles were enough to make my head spin.
Found some fun new things for the store, including some great embroidery patterns. One that I am very excited about is the Old Glory flag embroidery by Hoopsisters. It is brand new and we will have it soon!
But then it was time to leave and come home. Much too short of a trip but nice to get away for a bit.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Blizzard
BLIZZARD.
The word brings up connotations of bitterly cold windy white out conditions. A great time to be stuck inside at home - sewing, quilting, and embroidering, of course. Not a good time to be in a car unless that car is inside a heated garage. Through all my years, I don't remember the weather service ever calling a snow storm a blizzard before. I've heard them talk about blizzard like winds and blizzard like snow but never an actual blizzard.
So, I went home early last Tuesday after the wind picked up and closed the store so the employees could make it home safely. We stayed closed on Wednesday because - well - anyone would have been nuts to try to navigate the streets before the snow removal crews had a chance to clear them. It was after all our 4th biggest snow storm ever.
The snow was beautiful to watch and made some awesome looking snow drifts. I loved the way it left an empty space at the base of trees and poles.
Yes, the store's sidewalk is in there somewhere between the blue reflector and the top of the mostly buried urn.
It left a huge snow drift on my front sidewalk and buried my neighbors car. I don't think my neighbor thought it was beautiful.
But, then came the hard part...... finding and shoveling the sidewalks at the store! It took about 2-1/2 hours to make a small path to the front and back doors and more time the next day to widen the path. It would have gone faster but I forgot to put on long johns under my jeans! So, about every five minutes I had to go inside to warm up my legs. At five degrees below zero, actual temp not including wind chill, it was c-c-c-c-c-cold. I remembered several pair of socks, hats, shirts, even brought extra pairs of boots and gloves but forgot about my legs. :-( I won't do that again. My top half was burning hot while my bottom half was burning cold from the bitterly cold temps.
So next week its back to the regular grind, barring any future snow storms - like the so called dusting that left a few inches on my driveway early today.......
The word brings up connotations of bitterly cold windy white out conditions. A great time to be stuck inside at home - sewing, quilting, and embroidering, of course. Not a good time to be in a car unless that car is inside a heated garage. Through all my years, I don't remember the weather service ever calling a snow storm a blizzard before. I've heard them talk about blizzard like winds and blizzard like snow but never an actual blizzard.
So, I went home early last Tuesday after the wind picked up and closed the store so the employees could make it home safely. We stayed closed on Wednesday because - well - anyone would have been nuts to try to navigate the streets before the snow removal crews had a chance to clear them. It was after all our 4th biggest snow storm ever.
The snow was beautiful to watch and made some awesome looking snow drifts. I loved the way it left an empty space at the base of trees and poles.
It left a huge snow drift on my front sidewalk and buried my neighbors car. I don't think my neighbor thought it was beautiful.
But, then came the hard part...... finding and shoveling the sidewalks at the store! It took about 2-1/2 hours to make a small path to the front and back doors and more time the next day to widen the path. It would have gone faster but I forgot to put on long johns under my jeans! So, about every five minutes I had to go inside to warm up my legs. At five degrees below zero, actual temp not including wind chill, it was c-c-c-c-c-cold. I remembered several pair of socks, hats, shirts, even brought extra pairs of boots and gloves but forgot about my legs. :-( I won't do that again. My top half was burning hot while my bottom half was burning cold from the bitterly cold temps.
So next week its back to the regular grind, barring any future snow storms - like the so called dusting that left a few inches on my driveway early today.......
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Honk Honk honk
Honk, Honk, Honk!
Watch out for those geese when you walk into our store. They are everywhere. Well, I haven't seen an actual goose. But their tracks are everywhere! That's Goosetracks - as in the embroid-a-block-of-the-month quilt pattern! It is spectacular! See the pic below.
This pattern is so much fun to make. If you have an embroidery machine you must take this class! If you don't have an embroidery machine - maybe you should start thinking about getting one. You'll get perfect piecing, applique, embroidery, and quilting - all in the hoop.
Classes starts in February and we will have lots of fun honking around.
Everyone at the store has had a blast making up the sample quilts. It really is such fun to make! This is the first quilt I've had Bev make that she said she would LOVE making again! That speaks volumes about the pattern. And - the designers have done a great job with the instructions.
We've had so many people ask about this class that I've added another class on Saturday afternoon with open embroidery time in between the classes for anyone who wishes to bring a machine to make some blocks. You will be able to go to whichever class you like even switching between the afternoon and morning sessions as you see fit, although machine space will be first come first served. If you miss a class we will not punish you by charging you more. You'll just miss out on the live instruction but you will still receive the written instructions just like everyone else. Also, if you miss a class you will need to pick up your pattern at the store as we are not allowed to email or mail them to you. See our web site for exact days and times.
Watch out for those geese when you walk into our store. They are everywhere. Well, I haven't seen an actual goose. But their tracks are everywhere! That's Goosetracks - as in the embroid-a-block-of-the-month quilt pattern! It is spectacular! See the pic below.
This pattern is so much fun to make. If you have an embroidery machine you must take this class! If you don't have an embroidery machine - maybe you should start thinking about getting one. You'll get perfect piecing, applique, embroidery, and quilting - all in the hoop.
Classes starts in February and we will have lots of fun honking around.
Everyone at the store has had a blast making up the sample quilts. It really is such fun to make! This is the first quilt I've had Bev make that she said she would LOVE making again! That speaks volumes about the pattern. And - the designers have done a great job with the instructions.
We've had so many people ask about this class that I've added another class on Saturday afternoon with open embroidery time in between the classes for anyone who wishes to bring a machine to make some blocks. You will be able to go to whichever class you like even switching between the afternoon and morning sessions as you see fit, although machine space will be first come first served. If you miss a class we will not punish you by charging you more. You'll just miss out on the live instruction but you will still receive the written instructions just like everyone else. Also, if you miss a class you will need to pick up your pattern at the store as we are not allowed to email or mail them to you. See our web site for exact days and times.
Friday, December 3, 2010
The Holiday Season
Do you know what I love most about the holiday season? Listening to holiday music, shopping and making bows. Someone else can do the wrapping part - me and Bev have a pact - she wraps and I decorate with a bow. How much better can it get?
Lately, I have been making lots of bows to decorate the store and all of the machines. And - if you buy a machine, you get your own bow and a nice wrapping job too. After all, you really don't want to wrap that bulky box yourself do you?
Lately, I have been making lots of bows to decorate the store and all of the machines. And - if you buy a machine, you get your own bow and a nice wrapping job too. After all, you really don't want to wrap that bulky box yourself do you?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Fall Quilt Market 2010
Just back from Fall Quilt Market in Houston! Always good to go and good to get back home.
Stayed at my favorite Houston hotel, The Magnolia.
Its a bit off the beaten path which makes it nice cause I can get away from the hustle and bustle of Quilt Market and relax, yet it still has some nice spacious rooms and a nice lounge area!
Ate at my favorite Houston restaurant, Little Nappoli, just a block from the hotel. They had a yummy Mango Martini:
Found some cool new things at Market as usual. I skipped schoolhouse this year but did decide to endure Sample Spree - didn't stay very long - the crowd drives me nutty!
And what is this????? An empty spot at the Moda booth???? Something is wrong here!!!!!! But then again, an empty spot doesn't mean your order will be rung up in a timely manner - so I chose to skip this one.
One of the vendors mistook me for someone more than half my age when she told me she has been in business longer than I've been alive! Since she looked to be about my age, I responded- I doubt it! She went on to tell me she's been in business for 25 years! Do I really look that young? If I only I felt that young! Most people would be flattered by this but I hear it so much that I'm not flattered anymore!
Took a class on dry brush fabric painting - really fun! And a class on machine embroidery techniques - very informative! Couldn't wait to get home so I could embroider some more with my machine and pet my kitties!
Stayed at my favorite Houston hotel, The Magnolia.
Ate at my favorite Houston restaurant, Little Nappoli, just a block from the hotel. They had a yummy Mango Martini:
And real yummy baked Ziti:
Found some cool new things at Market as usual. I skipped schoolhouse this year but did decide to endure Sample Spree - didn't stay very long - the crowd drives me nutty!
And what is this????? An empty spot at the Moda booth???? Something is wrong here!!!!!! But then again, an empty spot doesn't mean your order will be rung up in a timely manner - so I chose to skip this one.
Loved the design on the Quilt Market bag and pin. Reminds me of Mackenzie Childs.
And Amy's booth was like walking into a dream world as usual. Can't wait til her new line comes out. I ordered it before Spring Quilt Market. It was supposed to be out in September but I heard from my rep that they had to do lots of strike-offs till the fabric printer got it good enough to meet Amy's approval. So, they are now planning a December release.
One of the vendors mistook me for someone more than half my age when she told me she has been in business longer than I've been alive! Since she looked to be about my age, I responded- I doubt it! She went on to tell me she's been in business for 25 years! Do I really look that young? If I only I felt that young! Most people would be flattered by this but I hear it so much that I'm not flattered anymore!
Took a class on dry brush fabric painting - really fun! And a class on machine embroidery techniques - very informative! Couldn't wait to get home so I could embroider some more with my machine and pet my kitties!
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