Retreats and Lots of Show 'n Tell

We’ve been busy!  First we had a great mini-retreat at Quilting Bits & Pieces. Danetta came bringing two of her quilts that she has finished.  She took the pineapple Littlefoot class some time ago and this is her finished quilt top!  She also brought her finished Sashing Stars top that she started in a class using the Marti Michelle templates.  Way to Go Danetta!

That same week, Ellen stopped in to show us her completed North Country quilt.  Her husband spied this little quilt while we were still assembling it and it went home with them that day.  I think he was pretty happy with Ellen’s quick quilting!  (we still have kits - $35.00)

Last Thursday 16 of us traveled to Cedar Crest Lodge in Pleasanton, Ks for a retreat.  With Laura’s great cooking and Evelyn, Shannon & Karla taking care of all of our needs, we interrupted our sewing only for snacks and meals!

Laura Cunningham of Cedar Crest B&B

Evelyn getting ready to serve lunch

Yummmmmm

 We experienced many “Ta-Da’s” throughout the weekend.  Here are a few :

Myrna, from Colorado Springs finished all three of these quilt tops – she had the prettiest scraps!  

Breezy shows off her quilt top, but guess what, it wasn't in the final state – she finished it up after retreat using the Lil' Twister template and the look at the final result!

Step 1

Step 2 Ta-Da!

Jennifer came all the way from Georgia to sew and she finished two quilt tops!

Jennifer's version of Fire Escape

Jean spent many hours on this little miniature.

Christina shows off her Happy Daze quilt top.

 Kaye finally got the borders on her Over the River quilt

Jeni worked on several Christmas projects

 Daunita’s Park Lane quilt using the Lilly & Will fabric and she machine quilted a train quilt too

Barb probably finished more projects than anyone else.  Here is a mystery quilt she finished putting together. She also learned how to knit so made a bag to hold her knitting projects

Kirsten also came from Colorado Springs for the retreat. This is her finished Colorado Quilt. 

JoAnn made some progress her paper piecing  -- Looks like  she is auditioning for Lion King!

These soft pastel Bali Pops are just Deanna’s preference!

We hardly had any laughter at all with these two sitting together! 



Hear no evil






Speak no evil



SMELL no evil???

National Quilting Day!

Remember to come celebrate National Quilting Day with us at Quilting Bits & Pieces this Saturday, March 19th and choose one in stock item to receive 30% off!  This is the perfect time to splurge on that FQ bundle, kit, ruler, batting or some other special item you've been eyeing.  One cut of fabric counts, so backing fabric is always a popular item, too!  We will be open from 9:30am - 4:00pm. 

 

Looking forward to seeing you then,

All the shop gals

Another Convert!

If you've ever tried to buy normal run-of-the-mill straight pins while I was working, you might have experienced a conversation something like this:

Nan: Do you mind if I ask what you're going to use those pins for?

Customer: Piecing, why?

Nan: You've got to try my favorite pins!!!  Everything else will feel like nails after you've tried these!  They're not for strength jobs, but for precision jobs they're the best!  When you match seams to nestle, they don't distort the seam you've just matched like other pins will.

Well, one day Amy Bradley (with all the cute patterns from Amy Bradley Designs) went through my meddling about pins, decided to try my favorite pins, and now she's converted.  Check out her blogpost from Thursday here

The next time you're in the shop, you might want to try my favorite pins, too!
Nan
P.S. A special thanks to my friend Linda J in OKC for first turning me onto these wonderful pins.  We started carrying them after she gave me a few to try.

Bus Trip - last day for Early Bird Sign up!

LAST DAY TO GET THE BUS TRIP EARLY BIRD RATE

Our bus trip is a one day event, Saturday, April 16.  We will meet at Quilting Bits & Pieces at 8 in the morning and we will be visiting --

Charlotte's Sew Natural, Newton
Needle in a Haystack, Severy
Overbrook Quilt Connection, Overbrook
Prairie Pieces Quilt Shop, Emporia
and returning to Quilting Bits & Pieces, Eudora approx 8:30 pm

The Fee includes a continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, beverages, and chartered bus with bathroom. Tipping your bus driver is separate from this fee. You just bring yourself and money for shopping. Early Bird Rate gives you a discount if you register and pay by or on Monday, March 7 - $83.95. Registration and payment after March 7 is $93.95. Fees are non-refundable.

To register, call QB&P at 785/542-2080, come in to sign up, or email us at bitsnpieces@sunflower.com. Come cruising' with us to Kansas Quilt Shops – we are going to have a lot of fun!

March is upon us!  It is beginning to feel and look like spring is really going to come.  The crocuses are blooming! We have some big events planned for this month  –

First of all, we have the Quilters Mini-Retreat on Wednesday, March 16.  For just $20, we offer you a full day of sewing. It begins at 9:30 or whenever you arrive and will end at 4:30. We will provide you with a fun day with  lots of SEWING!  Bring your own projects or pick out a new one while you are here.  We will have coffee and donuts in the morning, bring your sack lunch or order carry out from one of our local restaurants.  As you work on your projects we are ready to assist you in any way we can AND there will be door prizes throughout the day. Sign up now for a day of POWER SEWING and fellowship. Don't delay as space is limited.

National Quilters Day will be on Saturday, March 19. Come in then to get 30% off any one (in stock) item!



Fire Escape



Over President’s weekend several of us managed to sneak away to a guild retreat at Tall Oaks.  Deanna worked on a “Fire Escape” quilt (Atkinson’s Designs Pattern) and has it hanging on display already. 



Deanna



Christina



Christina has been working on a Pineapple quilt for sometime and she finished it at the retreat.  It is a darling little quilt and so easy to do with Little Foot Foundation paper.  With this method of paper piecing you actually have the fabric on top of the paper.  It is a beautiful little quilt for Christina's granddaughter, Olivia.



4" Pineapple blocks

 

1930's Churning Pennies







Amber

Here are the first blocks for the “Churning Pennies” Block of the Month using the 1930’s reproduction fabrics and varigated floss.  Amber made a second set of twilled blocks using the same #5 pearl cotton floss, but just using the stem stitch instead of the twilling stitch. If you are not interested in twilling the blocks would look great done in regular embroidery stitches.

I, Kaye, managed to get all 30 churn dash blocks in the "Antique Fair" colorway sewn at retreat and am having lots of fun with the twilled blocks.  I have added just a tiny bit of fused applique to my twilling – as many of the early Penny Squares included some applique.  This block of the month will be starting on March 15 and continue to be ready by the 15^th of each month.  It is $12 a month for eleven months and $29 for the floss kit. 

 

   

March Monthly Twilling



The March Twilling Mini Block is kitted and ready.  Christina twilled our spring flowers in yellow and a varigated spring green.  Kits are $19 or just the pattern for $4.50.

Last but not least, mark your calendars for our Spring Sale, Thursday through Saturday, March 31, April 1 and 2.  We will have 20% off all fabrics, kits, notions, patterns and books and also some 40% discounted items.

Don’t forget to send us a photo of any quilt you have finished that was started in one of our classes, or that you chose the fabric at our shop.  Write a few lines about it...quilt name, approx. what year, your name and any other interesting details.  We will post them  here on our blog for a big "Show and Tell".

Until next time, happy stitching,

Kaye