It's Finished.

We finished the new classroom just in time for our Open House last weekend.  The room has already been put to good use with several classes.

During the open house we collected can goods for the local food pantry.  THANK YOU! to everyone who donated.  We collected 149 cans and $62.34!!!

Please note that the shop will be closed November 24-26.  Please enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday with your family.  I plan on eating lots of turkey and pie and getting lots of sewing done over the long weekend.

Not much sewing going on....

Lots and lots of construction though!  Our new classrooms should be up and running by the Holiday open house on November 18 & 19.

Sneak peek...

The classroom will feature two huge design walls, lots of counter height cutting and pressing areas, bright lighting as well as a mini kitchen area.

If your group needs a place to sew the room is available anytime we don't have a class going on.  Just give me a call.

We have gotten lots of new fabric in as well.  The following are a brief snap shot of some.

In the Beginning

Quilter's Home and Make do and Mend

Counting Sheep

Richard Scarry's Busy Town

Wool and Needle Flannels

Wool and Needle Flannels

Towne Square Quilts

Full Circle

Little Gathering by Primitive Gathering

Etchings by Moda

At Home featuring Etchings

Cat Club

Big Bloom

Flora by Moda

Flora by Moda

cut, fold, cut, fold

I haven't been busy blogging....but we have been busy cutting fat quarters!

It's time for our annual Fat Quarter Frenzy!

Two days only, September 30th and October 1st.

All Fat Quarters $2.00 each.

Sale Fat Quarters $1.00 each.

No limit to fat quarters and we will cut them off the bolted fabric!  Hope to see you there!

The Scarecrow Daze Quilt Show is right around the corner.  I will post more information soon.  If you are interested in volunteering with set-up for take-down please let me know.  The more help we can get the better the show will be.  All quilts can be dropped off at the shop next Monday - Thursday.

Fabric Clearance Sale!

August 29 - September 2

All sale fabric $4.00 yard

or

Finish the bolt for $3.00 yard

All other sale items will be 50% off original prices

There are over 180 bolts on sale and I keep adding new.  Shop early for best selection.

We have a surprise coming in December and need to make room for some remodeling.  I can't tell you what it is yet but I am sure you all will LOVE it!

Let's get this party started.....

The Aunt Grace Garden Party that is!

Sarah delivered the newest BOM quilt yesterday and it is so pretty!  This one will meet for six months starting on September 13th at 6 p.m.  (We will take December off.)

There is lots to learn with this new project.  A personal favorite of mine, English Paper Piecing,

 a variety of applique techniques

 as well as good old piecing. 

The class fee includes all the fabric for the top and binding as well as the pattern.

 In addition you will receive two exclusive bonus patterns

and a tote bag to carry it all to class in.

 If you would like more information give me a call at (217) 774-3484.

Red Barns

We are getting ready to start a new BOM in September.  The quilt is Little Red Barns by the Quilt Company.  Our version is made with Civil War Reproductions.  I LOVE this quilt!  Here is a sneak peek!

Do you LOVE it too?

Have you Twisted yet?

I love pinwheel patterns and the Twister tool that has taken the quilting world by storm makes it super easy.

I went from this........

to this........

Only cutting and sewing squares!  It couldn't be easier!

Maybe I have....

fallen off the face of the planet that is!  At least that's how it seems some days.  We have been so busy both at the shop and home.  The East Central Illinois Shop Hop is over and was a huge success.   Over 250 quilters came through the shop as they "hopped" their way around central Illinois.  It was great to see return "hoppers" as well as new.

Right after the Shop Hop was over we were on to the Shelby County 4H fair.  It was a sweltering week but both my kids had a super fair!  Congratulations to Kelly who won a best of show and reserve champion trohpy with her quilt.  It also earned her a trip to the State Fair later this month.

She did a wonderful job.  It was a buggy barn pattern, although it looks nothing like the one in the book.  She chose all her own fabric and did the quilting on the long arm herself.  I couldn't be more proud of her-she is well on her way to being an outstanding quilter!

Congratulations to Ryan also!  He earned a best of show and a trip to the State Fair with his small engine project.  I can't wait to take them next week.  They are NOT getting me on the sky tram ride this year though!!!

{Note: I started this post, several times, before the fair.  The fair is now over and both kids did wonderful.  We had a full day yesterday with beautiful weather and lots of walking....and NO they did not get me on that sky tram ride!}

I have managed to get some sewing in as well.  I finished up a new Chrismas wall hanging......

I made this applique quilts using a new panel of from Lakehouse.....

I used the classic "Sidelights" Pattern for some new Oriental Fabric that we got in....

These four placemat are made from a new fall panel.....

Now it's time to starting thinking about quilt shows, Effingham in September and our 2nd Annual Scarecrow Days Show!  Hopefully the next blog post won't take quite as long!

I haven't fallen off the face of the planet......

Although it may seem that way!  Summer seems to be flying by here.  The kids have kept me busy, trips to DC, summer camp.  Next week is the Shop Hop and the following week is the 4H fair!  I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July.  We let off a few fireworks and did a couple of sparklers.  It was a very nice weekend.

Before you know it Christmas will be upon us again!  We have started getting in a large selection of new Christmas fabrics.  There are some really cute offerings this year.  We have a whimsical flannel line with penguins that could be used all winter.  There are jolly Santa's and some snowmen too!  Yesterday the UPS man delivered a very traditional line with cardinals, holly and pointsettia's.  I haven't even got that one unwrapped yet!

This line has a cute apron panel with two potholders (that I finished this afternoon!), a panel with stockings and Christmas tags and patterns for a cute lap quilt and a wall hanging.  I hope to have a sample quilt done soon!

I will post more pictures soon (as soon as I get it unwrapped)!

East Central Illinois Shop Hop

I have finished our version of the quilt for the East Central Illinois Shop Hop scheduled for July 14, 15 & 16.   This year our version makes a large throw but if you wanted to make a queen size I will include the directions for that as well. (you will need to make more blocks)  You can find a list of all the participating shops on our website at http://www.mainstreetquiltcompany.com/shophop.html

The fabric is from Northcott and has a very light airy feel.  I am very pleased with how it turned out and can't wait to see all the other versions.  The deadline for purchasing passports and pre-paid kits has been extended until the end of June.

On another note the next set of classes is almost ironed out.  We will have several repeats of favorites just in case you missed them plus lots of new classes.  There are a couple of new clubs starting in the fall that I think you will really enjoy.  Watch for all the details next week.  If there is a class that you would like to see taught--just let me know!

LOTS of new Fabric!!!

Spring is always a busy time of year.  The kids have lots of end of school activities, sports are getting started and vacations planned.  It's no different here.  We had the pleasure of listening to a very nice outdoor band concert last night.  The kids had a chance to show off all their hard work and practice from the year.  Luckily this year it was warm also, I remember sitting and freezing last year!

I have been busy working on many projects.  I decided that the only way I was ever going to get a pair of socks finished was to take Karin's class.  We started last Thursday evening.  I enjoyed it so much that I got the first sock to where I need to be for next week and decided to get the second one started as well.  I really isn't as hard as I thought it was going to be (especially once Karin got me squared away with which way I should be knitting!!)

There is lots more sock yarn on its way if you want to try your hand at socks.  I know I will be making more.

We have gotten in lots of new fabric.  The Christmas fabrics are starting to come in as well as general fall and Halloween.  It's so hard to not pick out fabric for a new project every time something comes in.  I just have to keep telling myself to get some things finished! (over and over again!)

 These are all flannels and they feel wonderful!

I am loving the witches feet and the green and purple of the Halloween fabric.  There is a cool kit with this one that uses the panel and some prairie points.  It would make a great door hanger.....did take this one home to do.

This is a small fall grouping and it has a free pattern for placemats and a table runner that use the large stripe.  I thought it might also look good in the ever popular 60 degree table runner........

Botanica also arrived this last week.  It has beautiful flowers (hydrangeas-my favorites) in bold colors, lots of paisleys and coordinating prints.  I kind of have a weakness for bags and I liked these new fabrics so much that I made a new purse out of them.  I kid you not this purse had 57 steps...and some had multiple parts.  It took me longer than some quilts do!  But I think the results are well worth it and I am loving this new bag.

My last little bit of show and tell is our shop hop block.  The East Central Illinois Shop Hop is scheduled for July 14, 15 and 16.  (a little more than two months away)  Our fabric finally arrived last week and I got right on our shops block sample.  There are three other fabrics in the quilt besides the four used in each block.  This year the blocks will finish at 12".  I have been tossing around ideas for our shops quilt.  I think I know what I am going to do and hope to have it hanging in the shop for our 3rd Anniversary Celebration next week.  I have been trying to decide if I should make a queen size quilt or just a throw.  What's your preference?

That's a lot of pictures!  Hope you have a wonderful day!