Country Sampler Quilts

Are you ready???

Well, are you??  2010 starts in less than 24 hours.  It's time to kiss the old year good bye and welcome in the new year!!  And it's the last day of my give away for two Fat Quarter Quilting books by Lori Smith. 

  

All you have to do is sent me a short email letting me know what your favorite quilting tool is and why.  Then, at the stroke of midnight, I'll randomly pick two comments, to win one of these fabulous books.  Honestly though, it will probably be on January 1st -- I seldom make it to midnight!!  I figure if I can watch the ball drop in Times Square, that's close enough!  

I want to show you a few more pictures from our staff challenge with this book, but first I need to back up and clarify a "boo-boo" from one of my previous posts.  I mistakenly listed this little quilt as Sharon Ernst's.....

and it's not.  This beauty was made by Jo Schmidt AND she hand quilted it!!  We have it hanging in the West Center store and it's beautiful!!!  Sorry, Jo!!!  The devil made me do it!

Now for some more pictures...

 
 This one WAS made by Sharon Ernst and is called, Medallion Star.  There's a lot of different fabrics in this beauty... a good way to use up a lot of little scraps, Edith!

 And this is the same quilt, Medallion Star, made by Carla, but she omitted one of the pieced borders at the top and the bottom, and used a striped fabric instead.  Pretty much the same quilt, but they look very different.  I think this quilt show's Carla's "funky" side (who knew??)!!  Usually I see her stitching more traditional quilts.  In fact, she's one of the gals making the Civil War BOM for us 'cause she loves Civil War fabric.  Guess we all have a hidden "wild side", huh?

I'll try and post a few more pics later today, but for now, I need to get ready for work!!  Have a great LAST day of 2009!!

We're Closed!

Well, I know tomorrow is the start of Fat Quarter Frenzy and the After Christmas Sale but the drifts are up to our waist and we're going to be closed on Saturday.  Too many of us can't even get out of our driveways!  Sooo.... we'll plan on starting at 12:00 on Sunday!  Hope to see you then and stay warm!
 

Deb and the Gang

Finally..

I had to take a little break from blogging just to get all the Christmas buying, wrapping, baking, and more buying done!  I'm almost done, but there's still a couple of last minute presents that need to be bought.  I'm one of those people that you'll see at the mall on Christmas Eve - wide eyed and frantic, with the old Visa card in hand - trying to get it all done!

But speaking of presents... it's time for a little Christmas give-a-way, as promised.  The rules are easy. Since I've been blogging about great tools of the trade, all you have to do is send me a short message about your favorite quilting tool and why.  Just one or two sentences is all ya need.  Then, I'll randomly pick two winners to receive Lori Smith's latest book, Fat Quarter Quilting!!

 
 Why Fat Quarter Quilting for our first give-a-way??  Well, just take a look at these great little quilts that some of the gals made here at the shop as a challenge!

 The first one above, was made by Suzanne Riley, and is called "Nine Patch Nostalgia.  Isn't it sweet?  Setting the blocks on point provides a wonderful opportunity to highlight a collection of homespuns or prints that are reminiscent of yesteryear or have that wonderful reproduction feel to them.

 And here's "Star Sampler" made by Sharon Ernst.  It's a classic row quilt made with a variety of reds, blues, and creams and it's really stunning in person!  Sharon always seems to have perfect points too - no matter how many half square triangles she has in her quilts!  I'm so jealous!!!

 
And this one is mine, called "Whig Rose".  I made mine from wool, since I've got a HUGE stash of wool that I'm NEVER going to live long enough to use and because I love applique but I don't have the patience to needle turn all those little pieces!  It was really fun to make from wool though, by just whip stitching all the applique pieces.

That's a little sampling of some of our quilts - I'll post more later.  All of 'em are just 16" x 20", and not only can you use them as regular little quilts, but they can be easily be inserted into a store bought frame (Micheals has some wonderful frames - often at 40% off!); and you can hang your small masterpiece on the wall!

Sooo... if you want to win your own book and start making your own fat quarter quilts, just drop me a line and I'll chose two big winners on New Year's Eve! 

P.S.  This is an easy give-a-way, Edith, since I figure about ten people actually read this blog!! HA!

A Little Christmas Shopping ....

I went Christmas shopping Saturday and Sunday ... and really came away with some great buys.  It truly was a "One present for you, One present for me" type of day.  The best kind of days, don't 'cha think?  I bought a new IPod for my husband, a new Kitchen Aid mixer for me; and new pea coat for my daughter, a new winter coat for me; a new coffee pot for my son and his finance, a new coffee pot me!  Yup, it was some GREAT SHOPPING!!  

We also had our Country Sampler Christmas party last night.  Hopefully, I'll get ya a few pictures in the next few days.  We had the big reveal of our small Lori Smith challenge quilts too, so I'll take some pics of those beauties as well!! It was great fun (as always), but the roads were a little slick when we left the restaurant.  Ahh.. 'tis the season for that too, I guess.

Hey, but I'm not without pictures!!  Santa may still need some good ideas for Christmas (or you may want to play "One for you, One for me" too!), so how about....

  

Yup, it's a Country Sampler sweatshirt (not Sharon, of course!).  We've got "got quilts?", and our newest sweatshirt, "I'd Rather Be Quilting".  Aren't they cool?

 

 We've got them at both stores, in all kind of colors... black, blue, navy, mango, lime, red... and more!!  And all sizes from small to xx-large!!  They're not on the website, though, so you have to come into Country Sampler to buy 'em.  They range in price from about $21.95 to $28.95 - depending on the brand and size, but they're perfect for these cold winter days!!

Oh, and just a little sumpin' to make you smile....

Deb and the Gang

A Little Break...

I had to take a break from the blog yesterday just to do a little housecleaning and rearranging at the shop. I'm not sure who has ordered all this new fabric right before Christmas and inventory, but she ought to have her head examined!!!  This is just one of the several carts that were sitting about the shop waiting for a home. We didn't find a home for every bolt, but the classroom looks a little better now.

A lot of the new fabrics are fun and funky... but that means something had to give, so this calls for a sale, don't 'cha think?  (Hey, ya gotta make room some how and short of taking out a wall, this was the best I could come up with!)  

 
 ALL AMY BUTLER FABRIC

ON SALE ... 40% OFF!!

Both Stores!!

We need the room and

you get the savings!!

(Just a little early Christmas present

from us to you!)

But I haven't forgot I still need to give Santa a few more gift ideas for the quilter on his list this year.  This next one is my VERY FAVORITE tool and "must-have" for everyone with a sewing machine!

 It's the "Bendable Bright Light" and it's wonderful... beyond wonderful ... it's dang near perfect!  This light attaches to the side of your sewing machine and is held in place by an adhesive backed mounting bracket.  You can buy an additional mounting kit if you want to use the light at different machines (I know a lot, err....a few of us have more than one machine!!)

It has an energy efficient LED with 100,000 hours of light and this is the best light you've ever seen!  Even if you think you're sewing machine or sewing area has "good" light, you'll be amazed at how much better you can see with this little wonder.  It's $54.95, so I know they're (we're) not giving it away, but you're gonna love it.. trust me, Edith.  Hey, none of us are getting any younger and good light is essential for accurate piecing.  (It's gonna be on the website soon, too.)  If you don't have this "must-have" be sure and ask Santa!

A Little Break...

A Little Break...

Snow Day!

Well, it's been another snow day for your old buddies at Country Sampler.  My husband's company comes and plows the lot for the 120th and Center Store and he called to tell me the drift on the front porch was up to the top of the door!!   Here's a picture of the front of the store.  Now just imagine all that snow up the the top of the door!  Yikes!

  He's had three guys trying to shovel it out for most of the day...  Boy, I wish I had of picture of all that snow!  The wind was awful last night, but it's slowly subsiding today; so I suppose every thing will be back to normal tomorrow.  I was just glad I didn't have to get out today and brave the elements.  (The dog didn't even want to brave the elements to do her business today -- you know it's cold then!)

Plus, I've got a lot of things done today - yeah!  This Sunday is the Country Sampler Christmas party and several of us have been working on a challenge from the book, Fat Quarter Quilting, by Lori Smith.

 

It's a terrific book, with 21 small projects for both piecing and applique.  Sooooo... about twelve of us took the challenge and picked a quilt to make; and the "big reveal" is on Sunday night at dinner!!  I had a little hand stitchin' to complete and I've just kept putting it off, but I finally got it done today. Yeah, me - yeah, snow day!!  I'm hoping I'll have pictures after Sunday of all the different quilts, so I can post 'em on the blog.  I think it's so fun to see what everyone has done, how they have interpreted the quilts in the book, and maybe get somebody else inspired to give it a try. 

But... Now it's time for a few more ideas of great projects that can still be stitched up in time for Christmas! 

 This first idea has become a favorite at Country Sampler and works so well for the holidays!  It's the Holiday Gift Sack Pattern... a great little in-store pattern that makes small fabric gift sacks -perfect for gift cards, small gifts, and wonderful treasures.  The pattern includes the necessary iron on craft interfacing too, so you just need a fat quarter of fabric and you're ready to make a darling holiday gift bag!

 

And they sew up really fast too.. In no time at all, you can have the cutest little quilter's gift sacks and be the envy of all your friends ...( 'cause don't we all live to be envied by our friends??!!  LOL).  Here's a couple of those cuties already to go for Christmas!  We've made these little honeys for Valentine's Day too and they're so sweet full of candies and love notes!  

Another idea that can easily be done by Christmas is a set of placemats... but not just any placemats, Edith.  Nope, these are four sided placemats and are made with the really cool Four-Sided Placemat Template.  You pick four fat quarters for one placemat (or a yard of each fabric for a set of four) and with the great instructions that come with the the template - you'll have cool four sided placemats for everybody in the family!

 For kids, it fun to have a different theme for each side.... Christmas, Halloween, birthday, etc. Or, you can mix and match the colors to coordinate with the colors in your best friend's kitchen! Here's some we did at the Papillion shop --

 Did ya see the Husker fabric in the placemat in the background??  I can think of a few guys who would love to have their Wheaties in the morning with the Huskers!!

Now... you may be wondering how much this fabulous Four Sided Placemat Template costs ... so am I.  Duh!  I forgot to write down that information before I left the store on Monday, but I'll be sure and get it tomorrow and put it on the website.  (It's sooo much easier when I can just call the store and ask them to look up prices!)  Sorry. But those of you in the Omaha area can stop by and see our samples and be really impressed with how easy is it to make these beauties!  But wait 'til tomorrow....

More stuff my stocking goodies...

                                                                                               
 

We closed the shops today because of snow.  It sounds like it's gonna be a doosie in most of Nebraska and Iowa, so rather than trying to brave the elements, it sounded like a better idea to have everybody stay home and sew!  I still need to decorate the Christmas tree though.... hmmmm..... maybe tomorrow.  It doesn't sound like the weather will be much better then, either!

Alrighty then, ready for a couple more "must haves" for the quilters on Santa list??  In the past, I've used The Angler to sew triangles.  It's a good product, but it was always kind of a pain to tape it on the sewing bed using masking tape or scotch tape.  Well, there's a new product on the quilting market and its called.. Clearly Perfect Angles from New Leaf Stitches.

 

This is a template sewing tool that "clings" to your acrylic sewing tables. It is always in position and ready to sew accurate 45 degree angles. This tool can be used to make effortless triangle squares, flying geese, snow balls, miters, and bindings - all without paper, pencils, or pins! It's sooo much easier to take on and off the sewing machine bed, that I no long dread those 45 angles.  And it's just $10.50!!  We've got this on the website too, under "Tools of the Trade", so be sure and take a look!

Next is a slightly more expensive "stuffer" and I have no idea how you're gonna get it in a stocking... but I guess that's Santa problem!

 

This is the Olfa Rotation Mat a it's perfect for cutting any shape where you would ordinarily turn your project, your fabric, or your whole body around.  Instead of standing on your head to get that perfect angle (and we've all done that!), simply rotate your work on the Rotating Mat to keep your cutting angle directly in front of you at all times.  Really great for paper piecing blocks too.  Set it up next to your sewing machine and you'll be surprised at how much you use it!  The 12" rotating mat runs $42.50.  There's also a larger 17" mat for $74.50.  

Tomorrow, a couple more ideas of great Christmas gifts you can REALLY get done by Christmas, so stay tuned.  Hey, maybe we'll get another "Snow Sewing Day" again!

It's Not Too Late...

Okay, now for a couple of ideas for hand made gift for Christmas, that can REALLY get done before Christmas!   

How 'bout stitchin' up an apron or two?  They're fun to make, useful too... and they take very little time to make.  This first picture is of the Country Sampler "Charming Apron" pattern.

All you need is the pattern, a charm pack, and about a yard of fabric for backing, casing, and ties.  The thing I really like about this apron is that we've designed it so that the ties go through a casing, so you can make sure it fits even the talls, shorts, wides, and teenies on your list!  Since I'm kinda of "teenie", I really like this feature!  Hey, and we've got LOTS of charm packs too!

My second idea is an old stand by.... pillowcases!  Kids (and adults!) love to get fun and seasonal pillowcases.  We've got a free pillowcase pattern OR you can buy one of our many pillowcase kits with the directions already in them.  Whether you choose cottons or flannels, they're always a great gift idea!

 

And if your a Husker fan (and who isn't) we've got Husker pillowcases and fabric for ya!

  
 

Heck, in an afternoon you could stitch up a pillowcase or two for every member of your family!  Plus, they make a great alternative to wrapping a large gift -- just place it in the custom made pillowcase and tie it up with a fabric bow.  Think of how clever they'll think you are!  And don't forget, when you give a gift of a quilt to include two totally awesome pillowcases with it!  Hey, Martha Stewart has nothing on you, does she?