New Saturday Blocks

These are photos of the fabrics for this years samplers: 

This first group is called Etchings, and is quite pretty.  The one below shows some 1930's reproductions.  There will be more fabrics added over the year, but these are some that we'll be starting with.

I've started sewing some sample blocks with them, and I'm pretty happy with how they are looking!
Also, this year we are trying some optional applique blocks!!!
Because that is new for us, I think I'll do some applique demos on Saturday September 10th, which is the day the first block comes out and also the day of the Show and Tell from Last Years Blocks!!!
Are you coming that morning????  It will be fun!

Post party

Well the party went pretty well on thursday night, despite the tooth-ache.  It was so great to see so many people.
Verna, I;m glad you got a door prize, and congrats to the other winners as well.
The flannel quilt kit was won by Michelle, a local quilter who had a friend along with her that night too. 
Brenda and Molly and all, thanks for coming.
Flo, Have a great trip to Scotland!! 
Lauren's muffins got rave reviews, and thanks to Karen for the brownies!  I liked Nancy's mini pumpkin-cranberry muffins!
Jackie was kept hopping at the register, and Lauren met a lot of customers that she'll see on Saturdays. 
I hope that people will find the Tic-Tac pattern to be useful!!  I'll try to take some photos of the quilt soon to post.
Now, my next focus will be on the upcoming Saturday Surprise Sampler Blocks.  This year we will try 10 companion blocks.  So, as well as the 20 pieced blocks, we'll have 10 applique blocks.  This is very uncharted territory, so I need to do some experimenting in the next week! 

Thursday is Party Day!

After lots of planning, tomorrow evening will be our party at the shop to which you are definitely invited!
I hope that lots of you will be able to stop by at some point between 6:30 and 9:30!

As of this moment, 10:30 on Wednesday night, I'm still not too sure what the specials will be...  I always leave that until last minute, otherwise I can't seem to keep selling anything that I know will soon be on sale.
However, I can tell you that I have a new pattern called Tic-Tacs, and that if you attend, I will give you a free copy of it.  After the party it will be $8.00, so you'd better come.  I have it sewn up in two samples, one with lots of bright Art Gallery Fabrics, the other is in the new Buggy Barn flannels.  It is a fat quarter friendly pattern, and easy to pick out the fabrics. 
I'll bring what I have from the new Saturday Surprise Sampler fabrics, the rep kindly gave me the headers so that i can show you the real fabric, although it's not out yet...
Also, this evening I made some Ginger Sparkler cookies, and some Banana Loaf with Chocolate chips in it!
I think there might be some other baking and goodies as well as coffee and tea. 
So, I am getting quite excited and hope to have a lot of fun...
Did I mention that we'll have door prize draws every half hour starting at 7 o'clock for small gifts, and also a Fat quarter label lottery.  That is, from every fat quarter you buy, you can use the label from it as an entry for a larger prize, yet to be determined... that's my job for tomorrow afternoon!!!

(Monika, Flo, Bernie, Mollie, my faithful friends, hope you can be there!!)

Mid-August

The summer is passing at an alarming pace.  I don't seem to take many photos lately, and so I'm just going to make an entry with no pictures.  I've been working at the shop about 4 days per week this summer (since July 1st) so I've been able to see a lot of people in person.  It has been nice to see what you've been working on, and to meet new people as well-  travelers that are visiting Saskatoon, as well as some newer quilters. 
We moved out of our cabin, as I might have mentioned, and that was good.   Now, we have been painting our house in Asquith.  Lots of paint scraping, washing the siding, and painting windowsills and siding.  It hasn't been too bad, since the weather has been really great. 
As well, store planning has been busy, --I've been trying to make up a new pattern, and sew up a bunch of samples for new kits.  As well, I ordered fabric for the Saturday Sampler blocks, which was a bit stressful.  It always is, since I want to find a good color scheme that appeals to a lot of people but is one that we haven't used before. 
I ordered a huge whack of fabric in one color way, but then changed my mind. So, we'll have a lot of "Restoration" by Studio E to do other projects with.  The one that I finally settled on Is Red, Grey, Light Turquoise and Off White.  It is based on a moda grouping called "Etchings", by Three Sisters. 
The second color-way is 1930's reproductions.

We are having a party on the evening of August 25, thursday, from 6:30 to 9:30.  There will be refreshments and door prizes as well as some smokin hot specials!!! Why not drop by and have some fun?