Country Sampler Quilts

More Farmer's Wife...

I know a lot of you are doing the Farmer's Wife Block of the Month with us at Country Sampler, so I thought I'd give ya a little update.  Ann's got her quilt finished and it's on display at the Papillion shop!!  

Isn't it wonderful??!  That's 111 - 4" blocks!  They are so addicting, though -(kinda like pototo chips)!  As you might remember, we're doing this as a paper pieced, twelve month Block of the Month.  Paper piecing makes the construction sooo much easier and much more accurate when you're working with such small blocks.  

Anyway, Ginny K. stopped in the store a couple of weeks ago and asked if we had the quilt finished and up at the West Center store too.  The answer is... No, we don't.  I think I laughed too.  Why??  Well, I would probably be the one who would have to have it done and I'm a looong way from that. Whatna see a picture of my Farmer's Wife quilt????

Well, here's my notebook... (Organization is always key, Edith.  It's kinda like having the cute outfit for tennis.  Even if you play terrible, it's good to look professional).

And here's a couple of the pages from inside....

Pretty stinking impressive, huh??  Big sigh... 

What quilting is all about....

I got this wonderful email this week and wanted to share it with you...

In the fall, I walked into your shop, for the very first time, with a piece of material covered in jellybeans. You see, our niece was going to be a grandma for the first time, and ever since she saw the ultra sound, she lovingly called her precious grandbaby her little jellybean. I found some jellybean material and looked high and low for something to go with it. My husband brought me to your shop, with my material and a pattern in hand, I began my search at your shop. I don't know who the employees were that helped me, but I thank them. They helped me audition several options and got excited with me when we found what just might work. Attached are the pictures of the quilt, but the pictures don't really show how bright the colors were. Our niece and her husband cried when they saw it, they loved it. "jellybean's" mom and dad loved it, it will be a keeper.
 
I just want to thank you for employing very talented and caring employees. I had a vision, they helped me find it. 
 
Peggy Smith
Council Bluffs, IA

Here's the pictures she sent along...

Isn't this what quilting is all about??  Making something special for someone you love?  It just warms my heart. And what a precious little girl!

I miss not having any babies around.  There's nothing like a new little person to remind you what life is really all about.... 

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I'm not sure where on the web I found this... but I wanted to share it with you on Valentine's Day ---

Calling all Groovy Girls...

Well, I'd like to think we're all still a little "groovy" (although "groovy" looks a little different these days on the hippies from the 60's)...

But that's not what this is about anyway --- thankfully. Nope, this is for Country Sampler's Groovy Girl Club members, although it's pretty cool for just about  everybody.

Anyway, Dawn - dedicated quilt teacher and Groovy GIrl Club leader - asked me if I would include a link (below) for her G.G. Girls on the Country Sampler blog, that would link them to the instructions for the Sweet Zip. Want to know what that is??

Hey, no wonder they call it sweet!!  

So Groovy Girls - ALL of you - just link to Terry's blog to download a Sweet Zip project handout from month 4 Groovy Girls Class.

PS... Terri Atkinson has a great blog .... you might want to add it to your google reader!

 

Simple Seasons...

I love all the books that Kim Diehl has written.  Kim has written five books thus far... I think I have them all.  I bet you have one or two of these favorites...

Maybe this one??

 

Or this one...

Or perhaps you've got a copy of my favorite Kim Diehl book...

Dang, I wanted to make this quilt. I STILL want to make this quilt.  I just need to find the time and the energy -- and a little room in my sewing room to start another project.

But this is the book I wanted to show you...

I've had the picture below for ages, just 'cause I love it!  It's a project from Simple Seasons, called "Autumn Pennies" - and it was on our long arm being quilted, so I snapped a pic.

I can't remember whose quilt this is... sorry... but isn't it great??!  And a really wonderful scrap quilt too.  Think about all that stash you could use up with this beauty!  Love it!

Finish it up Friday....

Some of the gals at the shop have started a "Finish It Up Friday" group on the last Friday of the month.  The idea is to finish up something that's been hanging around the old sewing room for awhile and bring it in for "show and share".  It's a pretty good idea, don't cha think?

Well, Meg had made this shop sample for us several months ago, called "Vicksburg", from a Bonnie Blue Quilts pattern.

It's really pretty and a great seller.  Anyway, she had all these little triangles that she had trimmed off left over, so she decided to make this miniature little beauty...

Isn't it wonderful??!  You probably can't tell by the picture, but it's only about 12' x 12".  Look at all those little triangles!

I guess I'm going to have to call her Amazing Meg now.  It's good to work with really talented and creative women.

How cool!!!

What a surprise I received yesterday when I was reading through my Google Reader and took a look at Lisa Bongean's blog post (Lisa, from Primitive Gatherings fame), and saw our store in one of her blog slideshows!!!  Lisa gave a lecture and taught a couple of working with wool classes at one of our local quilt guilds, but had a little time for some quilt store shopping.

Want to see it??  Just go to...

        http://lisabongean.wordpress.com/

and scroll down a bit to her visit to Nebraska - January 11th - and there we are!!  Really... how cool is that???!!

Thanks, Lisa!!  (Below is me - doing the happy girl dance)