ABCs of Quilting Blog

A 12 1/2" square ruler is one of the essential quilter's tools.

Gingher Rotary Cutters are available in both left and right hand versions!

24″ x 36″ cutting mat by Olfa

When your fabric starts sticking to the top of your cutting mat, it is a clue!!

It dawned on me that while I love to buy new fabrics, search for interesting patterns/books, am obsessed with having every color of thread, and love new gadgets, it is rare that I think to replace my most used tools:  rulers, rotary cutters and cutting mats.

Don’t get me wrong — I buy plenty of tools for my quilting addiction, just not the ones I use the most.   When the fabric was ’sticking’ to my cutting mat, I attempted to remember when I had last purchased one.  Hmmmm…….I would have to say about five years ago and it certainly has gotten a workout since then!  So, buying a new mat falls into the NEED category!

My mainstay rulers are the 1 2 1/2″ square and a 6 1/2″ by 24 1/2″  rectangle.  For almost every project these two rulers are on the top of my work surface and used constantly.  Of course, when I notice the poor condition of the cutting mat, I thought I should take a moment look at the rulers.  Yup, my rulers now have ’rounded’ edges.  And if you look at yours, you will probably find them in the same condition.  All of those cutting projects take a toll on the edges.  Of course, dropping the ruler on the floor probably has an impact, too, but I really don’t want to discuss that!  Rulers can sometimes fall into the ‘WANT’ category. 

Last on my list is the rotary cutter.  I do try to remember to replace the blade and I  admit that I probably don’t do it as often as the manufacturer would like but I try .  Usually, I don’t realize just how dull the blade had gotten until I replace it.  Then I notice how much nicer the fabric cuts!  DUH!!!  Replacing the blades???  That’s a need, fellow quilters!  Buying the new Gingher rotary cutter????  Is something you DESERVE for all of the wonderful quilts you have made for all of the people who are important to you!

This has to be the mantra of every woman in the world! 

As you know the Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop is in full swing and I mentioned last night to Doug that somehow we needed to get some laundry done so I would have something to wear!  Of course, I did nothing about it except complain and then went to bed!  I know, I know that wasn’t really fair….

Then this morning I got up and decided to at least ’sort’ the laundry and get one load done before I left for the shop.  And, while I was doing it, I thought, “hmmmmm…..what happend to all of my clothes!”  However, I just kept at it and went to the laundry room.  When I  opened the washer  there was entire load in there waiting to be dried.   Next I  opened the dryer — yup, another load all ready to be hung up and worn.  Boy, did I feel small!!

My wonderful husband had done the laundry last night while I slept so that I could have something to wear this morning.  What a guy, huh?   Now I will have to be certain that I don’t complain all week — you know, give the poor guy a break??

Have a great day!

I was minding my own business this morning and Shannon annouced to one of our customers that Quilt Minnesota begins next Friday.  After I picked my jaw up off of the floor, it dawned on me that like any BIG event, I am not quite ready!

I have the packages with the pattern, the tip, and the fabric in them.  But, I do not have the gift basket back from the ‘arranger’ person, the table for check-in is still just a thought in my mind and I won’t even get into staffing issues!   YIKES is all I can say at this point.

However, like most BIG events in my life, everything seems to come together at some point so by next week when you arrive at the shop, we will have the BIG Basket (our shop prize) ready and on display, our table runner will be kitted and actually have a pattern, there will be a check in spot, Doug will be back at the register methodically helping you, there will be someone here during our extended hours each day and we will have great fun seeing all of you again!

I love Quilt Minnesota and I look forward to seeing you beginning next Friday, July 30th!!

Pedal Pushers - what a great summertime quilt!

As many of you know, I grew up in the Black Hills area (Rapid City to be exact) and, believe me, there are No cornfields there!!  Rocks, trees, big horn sheep, buffalo, lovely sunsets, beautiful views but no cornfields. 

So whenever I see a cornfield, I think of the song that has the line, “….knee high by the 4th of July…..” and of course, I equate summer with it.    However, I have never stood in a cornfield and actually measured it and found out if it is true.

Now you would think that since I married a man from Iowa, that I could have had that experience, wouldn’t you????  NO!!!!!  In fact, last Sunday as we were driving to visit one of his relatives, I spied some corn growing in Minnesota.  I mentioned that I would like to jump out and measure the the corn to see if it is up to my knees.  Hmmph!  Doug just kept on driving.

So, last night I went down to see my neighbor.   She wasn’t home and I looked over at her garden.  CORN!!!  YIPPEE!!!!  I hurriedly walked over to the garden.  A big giant fence surrounds it to keep the deer out and I was starting to feel a lot like Rapunzel envying someone’s garden so I just went back home.  No measurement once again.

I have three days left to find a cornfield, race out there and get this done once and for all.  If you happen to see a woman standing in a cornfield, honk — it could be me!

Have a great 4th of July, enjoy all of the fun, the sun, the family and friends and, of course, some time quilting!

Linda

PS.  You can find the Pedal Pusher Quilt on our website at http://www.abcsofquilting.com/kits.html

Wishes Granted kit --yes, it is on-line, too!

ARE YOU KIDDING?????????

Here’s the deal:

As you know, I love to read (my favorite next to quilting) and have now an acquired habit of listening to books onCD in my sewing room.  It is my version of TV and there are NO commercials!  And, just to date myself, I was feeling pretty good that I am using a CD player!

Suddenly, I am OLD  in the ways of technology and since I had a career in the communications industry prior to owning the quilt shop, I have always thought I am pretty on top of things.  I mean, I had a PC when all it could do was sit on my desk and the biggest selling point was UNIX vs. DOS as an operating system.

WhenNathan suggested I get an ipod for downloading the books from the library, I thought:  hmmm…..piece of cake!  What a great idea!  I bought one – top of the line, state of the art, latest version of software, and even a CAR attachment so I won’t get into any trouble with the law listening while driving around!  And, when I got it home, I even read the teeny, weeny manual — all four pages of it.  I brought it into the shop to begin my downloading career — and, believe me, I  feel like it became one!

Shannon is the youngest of our staff and I figured she could surely help me out — I mean how difficult can it be?????  PRETTY DARN DIFFICULT!!!!!!!!  We have just spent every slow moment of the past THREE weeks trying to get this to work.  I even made a trip to the library to get help, made the helper give me her name and phone number so I could call her when I got back to the office if it didn’t work.  YES, I had to call her!

Nate’s buddy, Gabe, came in and tried to make it work (he has an iphone, don’t you know….), Shannon had her SON come in and try to help us, Cindy said she was not going to get involved with anything technical, and even Lois who is back from her winter in Texas(she had a former career in troubleshooting software) couldn’t make it work.  I tried to email the software company and that bounced back as NO such email address.  Nice, huh?

Thank goodness Shannon made it her obsession!  She would go home at night and ask her son again and again and again and again to show her how to make it work.  And, yesterday was finally our TA-DAH day!  It works!!!!  I now have seven books for my listening pleasure while I drive down to Market in Minneapolis.  Doug is going with me this year because we have a family gathering on Saturday.  Gee, I certainly hope he has been pining to hear Anne of Green Gables……..

Noel by Benartex

My Mother is probably the first person in line to complain that advertising for Christmas is done too early — and she is probably correct, too!  I mean all of us want to relax and enjoy the beauty of fall, the fun of Halloween, and the wonder of Thanksgiving before we have to start listening to Holiday tunes on the radio/ipod (I just got one and thought I would toss that in there…) and blasting from the speakers throughout the malls.

However, I also know that we only have so many paychecks in a year and have found the Holidays much easier to handle finanacially if I get started a little sooner than December 1st.  I know:  brilliant, huh?

As a quilt shop owner, the fabrics begin to arrive in May (guess which month this is?????) and by the 1st of December we will probably not have much in stock for any little projects — like table runners, napkins, placemats, candle mats, etc. 

So, the photo shows you the newest addition to our kit line which is Noel by Benartex fabrics.  It is a panel with triangle trees and a border.  Pretty easy and the colors are wonderful.  This means that if you buy the kit now and find that you don’t get started making it until later you can still get it done!  Personally, I sometimes think I should just be able to give the kit and then take it back and make it the following year….but that is the subject for another blog update!

Stained Glass Loon

In Northern Minnesota, one of the final signs that spring is here is the return of the loons to our lakes.  My family loves the loons. Their gracefulness and beauty continue to fascinate us and each year we look forward to having them back. 

Of course, we do have some stories about them.  My mother-in-law used to tell us that when she died she was going to come back as a loon and enjoy the lake.  So a few years ago when the loons built a nest by our dock we named the parents, Robinette and Van.  They had two babies and we named them Doug and Nancy.  I mean that follows, right? 

The next year they were back and built another nest.  As I was sewing one night, I could hear one of the loons really carrying on and sounding quite distressed.  I told Doug that he needed to go down and see if there was a problem since I worried that some predator would get into their nest.

He walked down and came back to tell me that the light on the dock was on and as soon as he turned it off, she stopped making distress calls.  “Well, ” I said, “your mother always did have to remind you to turn off the lights!”    We both got a good laugh out of that one!!!

This year, since my doctor told me to get more exercise (I guess she doesn’t count standing while I cut out a project, bend over to pick up my fallen pins, or squatting to search through my stash as exercise), we have been diligently walking down to the dock and around the property each evening.

Not only is this a good way to walk a few extra steps but it has become time for me to talk to Doug about issues that concern us.  The other night I was deep into pouring out my heart and Doug said, “……ssshhhh….is that a loon call?”  It is always good to know your status in the food chain, isn’t it????

And, men wonder why we say they don’t really listen to us!   If you don’t live near a lake and want to make a loon wall hanging, you will find the kits  (which include everything but the batting )at http://www.abcsofquilting.com/StainedGlass.html

Enjoy your day!