Celebrating Olde Green Cupboard Designs Debut!!!

Vicky Ianucci & Gloria Parsons of Olde Green Cupboard Designs

 At last!!  After a what seems like a long time, my pals Gloria Parsons, and her twin sister, Vicky Ianucci have debuted their very first fabric collection with Marcus Fabrics!!!  Now, this team really knows fabric...after all, The Olde Green Cupboard quilt shop was their baby for many, many years.  They bring their creative talents to join the design teams working with  the most awesome fabric company ever!!  MARCUS FABRICS!

What style of fabric will they be designing?  Think English and French Farmhouse for beautiful, warm, and cozy fabrics.  Click here to take a look at Gloria and Vicky's first collection called County Londonderry.  

Gloria and Vicky have created a bunch of new patterns using County Londonderry.   Click here to visit their website and see all the fun stuff they have to offer.  And, their blog is a must, where you really get to know them and feel how fun and energetic they really are!!  

If you follow me on Facebook, you know I did "a little shopping" on my way to Wisconsin for a sewing get-away with my pal, Tara Lynn Darr (Sew Unique Creations).  I thought you would enjoy seeing some of the goodies at the shops I visited.  By the way, all of them are Quilt Sampler Top Shops!

The Quilt Merchant was my first stop.  This shop is "my home shop".  I visit it more than any other, and when I have a bit of extra time, I teach there, too.  My dear friend, Docia Fuller, recently sold the shop so she could retire (and have more time to sew and knit!) , and Valerie Langue bought the shop.  Thank you, Val, because I don't know what we would have done if The Quilt Merchant closed.  (Gasp...perish the thought!)

Charleston by Sew Unique Creations

American Gothic quilt pattern by Heartspun Quilts

While I was there talking with Val, I scheduled my classes for Journey Four and Five of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club!!  We would love for you to join us!!  Click on the shop link above for info about club meetings, and if you're just visiting the area, you simply must shop at The Quilt Merchant.

Next stop.....

Pieceful Gatherings quilt shop.  This is an awesome shop, and sadly, I don't get to visit too often 'cause it's about an hour away from home.  

When I walked in the door, the first thing I saw were some very familiar fabrics!  

There are oodles of goodies in every nook and cranny.  One of my favorite displays were two quilts from Country Threads new book The Blue and the Gray.  Love that book!  These lovely quilts are kits you can order!  Go ahead...you know you want to!

Here's another temptation.  It's a brand new exclusive BOM called Women of the Wild West.  

The quilt is an original design by Diane Nieman, and lucky me....she used lots of fabrics from Pin Money in her quilt.  The BOM starts Sept 17th, so call today to sign up!!  Pieceful Gatherings is about 30 minutes from The Quilt Merchant, so if you visit one, you HAVE to visit the other.  Would I steer you wrong?


Well...that's all I have time for today.  I'll post photos from the other shops I visited next week.  Don't forget to visit here again on Friday for your next Nabby's Sew-Along block!!

Nabby's Dowry Sew~Along Part Five

Fancy meeting you here on a Friday!  We're already on Block Four!  

 Arrange (16) HST as shown....

Sew together into rows, press in opposite directions or open.  Sew rows together; press.  Yup...your block should measure 6 1/2" unfinished.

Forgive me sounding like a broken record each week.  Imagine I'm saying all this with an Australian accent!  I love their accent!  

Just a little reminder that if you're even thinking about joining Lynne Hagmeier and me in 

St. Augustine, FL

January 20-24th for our next Great Girlfriend Get~Away Retreat, please...don't hesitate to call now to hold your spot.  We've had a wonderful response to this event, and reservations are filling quickly.  

All you have to do is phone Bunny (815-715-8483), our travel coordinator, and add your name to the list!  You pay nothing until Sept 20th!!  This way, you'll have your spot and won't miss a thing.

While you're at it, grab a friend or two...the more the merrier!!

Click here to see all the retreat info and the projects that are included in this great price!!

Out and About

Last week, I traveled to visit with the Kokomo (IN) Piecemakers Quilt Guild.  I gave my lecture, Making Do: Honoring Our Quilting Heritage....

... and the following day, taught a workshop, Sugar Mountain, where we put making-do to practice.   

I L.O.V.E spending the day with quilters.  It's a guaranteed fun day talking about all kinds of interesting topics.  All things piecing and sewing, of course, and cooking, great books, travel, blogs, websites and Apps.  The list goes on and on!  

There were about eight Prairie Women in our class that day, and Teresa Gish blew me away with her Prairie Women's Sewing Circle show-n-tell.  In the photo above, she is holding Mrs. Olson's Hatbox tablerunner.  She brought "just a few" more quilts to show me and I'd like to share them with you.  

Prairie Huswyfe ~ Journey Two

Seneca Falls ~ Journey One

Next Door Neighbor ~ Journey Two

The Quilting Gathering ~ Journey Two

A Light in the Window ~ Journey Three

Leap of Faith ~ Journey One

Old Settler's Way ~ Journey Two

At Mama's Knee ~ Journey One

Heartland Crossing ~ Journey One

Thank you, Teresa, for sharing all of your wonderful quilts with everyone!  Keep up the great work!

One of the ladies shared a wonderful "something" with me at the workshop, and I didn't get all the info about it while I was talking and teaching.  Figuring I could find it later, I didn't stop what I was doing (didn't want to be rude, ya know!) to get all the info, but what she showed me was on Facebook, and it was a shop finder by AllPeopleQuilt (American Patchwork & Quilting) of all of the shops that have been featured in The Quilt Sampler magazine!  It had a map of the US, and you could look anywhere on the map and it would tell you what Top Shops were in the area.  The map of my dreams!  Does anyone know what I'm describing?  I did a Facebook and web search, went to allpeoplequilt.com, and still didn't find exactly what she showed me.  If you find it, please share with me and I'll share with everyone else!!

One of the many pleasures of writing a blog are the friends you make with your readers.  There are wonderful, talented and kind people all over the US, and around the world who drop me a note every now and then.  Raewyn is one of those people.  She lives in New Zealand and has a blog of her own.  She sent me an email this morning with a link to her blog, and I think you'll really enjoy her post.  She invited several quilting friends to a challenge using one of the blocks from my Orphans & Scraps Pocket Patchwork Sew~Along.  Take a look at Raewyn's blog...I know you'll enjoy it!

Today, I'm packing up the car for a trip to what I call (tongue in cheek, of course) the "holy land" of quilting.  I'll be shop hopping my way to WI where my pal, Tara Lynn Darr of Sew Unique Creations and I will nest ourselves for three days of sewing!!  Follow us on Facebook for pics and news from all the places we'll be stopping, and perhaps get a sneak peek at what we're working on.

Come back on Friday for another block in my Nabby's Dowry Sew-Along!!

Nabby's Dowry Sew~Along Part Four

Hi Everyone!

It's Friday again and time for another block.

Arrange (16) HST as shown.....

Sew together into rows; press in opposite directions for opposing seams, or press seams open.  Sew rows together and press.  Your block should measure 6 1/2" unfinished.

All done for another week....see you next Friday!

Announcing My New American Gothic Fabric Collection!

I'm absolutely delighted to be able to announce my newest fabric collection for Marcus Fabrics! These collections are a long time coming in the design process, and so when it's finally time to show them off,  it's darn exciting!  The new collection is named......(drum roll please!) 

American Gothic

Goth Talk on Saturday Night Live

Now...let's be clear here....very clear....American Gothic was NOT inspired by what we commonly refer to as Goth today.  (teehee)  

American Gothic by Grant Wood  1930

I was inspired by this lovely couple in Grant Wood's iconic painting, American Gothic.  Last year, I named a pattern after this painting after  researching about it, and learning that Mr. Wood was inspired by early American life in the nineteenth century.   The couple, their home, clothes and details in the painting depict life in the 1800's.  

Creativity often takes crazy routes to a final destination, and that's what happened with this lovely collection of black fabrics.  But that's another story!  

My new American Gothic fabrics are a collection of blacks and yummy creams.  There are eighteen new prints in the collection, and I'm lovin' every one of them.  Would you like a sneak peek??  I'll let the pictures do the talking for me.

As always, Marcus did a beautiful job with these goods.  The fabrics they produce are exceptional quality, and the colors are divine!  Please excuse my poor photography on some of the prints as the photos never do the actual fabrics justice.  And...the prints look much larger than they really are...again...blame the photographer!

Your favorite quilt shop owners will begin to see American Gothic in August, and I'm not certain just yet when it will be shipped to your LQS, but I'll keep you posted on that.  My sample yardage should arrive any day now, and I can hardly wait to begin to piece with it.  I have a new pattern all designed so I'll be ready to get sewing when it arrives.  

I adore black fabric and put it into just about all of my quilts.  It sets off the other colors so well.  Oh, heck...I just love it all by itself!  

I hope you like my American Gothic prints!!  

Nabby's Dowry Sew~along Part Three

Wasn't your first block easy, breezy?  I thought so, so let's continue with easy, shall we?  Here's block two....

This time, you'll need (12) HST's and (4) squares.  Arrange them as shown in the photo......

Sew them into rows; press in opposite directions for opposing seams.  Sew the rows together; press.  You block should measure 6 1/2" unfinished.

Another simple block....more to come, so I'll see you next Friday.  I love Fridays!

Cozy Quilts Is Here!!

Several weeks ago, I mentioned that my friend, Tara Darr's new book, Cozy Quilts, and now it has made its debut!  Well....last week, I finally got my copy (I've been just a little anxious!), and thought I'd share some of the goodies I'm jazzed about.  

 Here's a look at my favorites from the book....  

 Tara's specialty is combining lovely cottons.....

 With those luscious wools.

Tara most certainly has a gift for this!

 While I love all the quilts in the book, I guess I'm partial to those with the black background.  It really makes those colors pop!

 If you've never worked with wool...no worries!  Her book includes loads of good, basic information.....

Along with her tried and true hints and tips!  Love the book as much as I do?  Click here to order!
Enjoy....I know you will.

I'll be visiting the Kokomo Piecemakers Quilt Guild in Kokomo, IN next week!  If you'd like to attend, on Tuesday, July 23rd, I'll be giving my lecture, Making-Do: Honoring Our American Quilting Heritage.  The meeting, held at UAW 685 Chrysler Union Hall, located at 929 E. Hoffer St., in Kokomo begins at 7pm.  There are just two more spots open for my workshop, Sugar Mountain, and you don't have to be a guild member to attend!  If you're interested, please email Cheryl at cgarner2845@comcast.net for information.  Did you know I vend at guild shows?  If you're in the area, we'd love to see you!

Don't forget....next month I'll be teaching at The Buggy Barn's big event in Reardon, WA!!  The dates I'll be there are August 20 & 21st.  Click here for all the details about Buggy Barn's Outdoor Quilt Show and Folk Art Sale.

The news is wonderful about our upcoming Great Girlfriend Get-Away to St. Augustine!!  Lynne and I are sooo jazzed to have so many of you joining us!!  We can hardly wait.  However...if you're thinking about coming, you shouldn't wait to sign up!!!  

Did you know you DO NOT have to pay any money until September 20th??

If you're considering joining the fun with us in St. Augustine...please don't wait to get your name on the list!!  Space is filling, and I know many people who are thinking about coming.  Call our lovely retreat coordinator, Bunny, today, and add your name...and while you're at it...add a few girlfriends, too!!  

Click here to see all the details about our trip to historic St. Augustine, FL this January.

Contact Bunny at (815) 715-8483

See you Friday morning for our next Nabby's Dowry Sew~Along block!!