Stitchin' Post in Sisters

Jane Sassaman's "Early Birds" fabric is here!

This new spring floral fabric "Early Birds" from Jane Sassaman is bright and contemporary!  The fabric has bluebirds, strawberries, and lots of flowers from the garden!  This fabric would make very nice table settings of placemats & napkins, tablerunners, and pretty aprons. We also have mugs to match!

Did you see Valori on AM Northwest?

On January 23rd, AM Northwest (KATU Channel 2 in Portland, OR) kicked-off a five week Design Challenge contest. They invited four design students from the Art Institute of Portland into the studio and presented them with several fabrics to work with (including Val's new line "Karavan".) 

Click here to see the first segment.

 

Challenge #1~ The students must design a "new look" using at least three of the Westminster/Free Spirirt/Rowan fabrics provided.  This morning, our very own Valori Wells was invited to the AM Northwest Studio to be the "guest judge" on the panel of judges selecting the best new look.  

Click here to see Val on the judging panel!

 

You can also help pick the best design by casting a Viewer Vote on AM Northwest's Design Challenge website.  The voting period for Challenge #1 runs from Jan 27 through Noon on Feb 2nd. 

Click here to cast your vote!

 

The contest ends on Feb 27th and the Design Challenge winner will be announced on AM Northwest that morning (show airs between 9 and 10 am Pacific Time.)

I haven't gotten my "Quilter's Affair" confirmation...

Well, that's because they haven't been mailed out yet.  Lawry and Jackie have processed nearly 800 registration forms, they are gathering supply lists and stuffing envelopes.  Confirmation packets will be delivered to Sisters Post Office and mailed out Friday, Jan 20th. And look...

they're still smiling! 

 

2012 Employee Sew Day!

Monday was the best day ever at work!  We had Employee Sew Day...a day set aside to work on new samples to hang in the store.  It was SEW much fun!

 

Jackie had everything pre-cut and organized, and all we had to do was sit down and start sewing.  (I wish someone would pre-cut all my projects!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jean had lunch brought in by Tate & Tate Catering...
rosemary chicken wraps, fruit & cookies, mmm!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here to see what we accomplished in one day!

Meet Marrell...

Marrell brought in a finished quilt top from $5 Club a few years back (possibly 2009-2010?)  This was a Block of the Month Club project.  Very bright and "springy."

Here is close-up of the detail work on one of the baskets:

Marrell plans to donate the quilt to the Women's Ministry Tea & Auction at her church in Redmond.  So generous~ beautiful work Marrell!

"The Affair of the Necklace"

 "Journeys" Art Quilters' Annual Exhibit
January 3 to February 28, 2012

Artists' Reception
January 6, 2012
4 to 6 pm

at Sisters Art Works
204 W Adams Ave in Sisters
(Mon-Fri 9 am to 4 pm, Sat 10 am to 2 pm)

 

    Don't miss this special exhibit featuring work from the "Journeys" Art Quilters.  Members were challenged to make a quilt (18" x 45") inspired by the necklace shown above.  There are twelve quilts in the exhibit flourshing with color, texture, embellishments and fantastic creativity!  

 

 

A New Year...

    It's that time of year when we reflect on where we have been, what we have learned, and where we want to go from here!  I don't believe in New Year's "resolutions"...they are just too formal and rigid for me.  Instead, I prefer to set goals for myself.  I like "goals" because they are more flexible!   

    What are your goals for the new year?  Around the cutting table I hear two main themes:

1) "I can't wait to start a new project!"  After the rush to finish projects for holiday gift-giving, there are many quilters who come in the store looking for a new project.  I'm one of these quilters~  I can't wait to start something new!

    Fortunately, the new Spring/Summer 2012 Class Catalog will be in mailboxes very soon.  We have a fun assortment of new classes for beginners to the very accomplished~ something for everyone!  One of my goals for 2012 is to improve my machine quilting skills.  We have several upcoming classes that will help me reach that goal.  (In fact, Ann is teaching Free-Motion Fun & Fillers on January 7th~still space available!)  And for those of you who would like to learn to knit or crochet, Paula has beginning classes starting in early January.

  

     

    2) Or, there are the quilters that say this:  "No new projects!"   At this time of year we also hear lots of quilters saying that they have too many unfinished projects and they HAVE TO finish some things before they start anything new. Ughhh!  I know what they mean and I too, feel their pain.

    Our friend Anna (from www.wooliemammoth.blogspot.com) has set forth the 2012 UFO Challenge ~ to complete one UFO (Un-Finished Object) per month in 2012.  I would really like to attempt this goal...however, I am more likely to start one UFO per month than to complete one UFO per month!  So here is another one of my goals for 2012:  I want to  post a picture each month of a UFO I finish! (let's see how far I get!)  I'd love you to join in...when you finish a UFO, post it on our Facebook page, we'd love to see it!

    The Stitchin' Post would really like to help you finish some of those UFO's!  Did you know that we have free "Sit & Sew" almost every Wednesday afternoon?  Starting in February, from Noon to 3 pm you can come to our classroom and work on projects!  Our staff is right here, available to give advice through the trouble spots. (Sorry there is no Sit & Sew on April 4th, May 9th or during the summer months when we convert the classroom into additional merchandising space.)  We love to see progress!

    Whatever your goals might be, we want to help you reach them.  Have a safe and happy New Year...we look forward to seeing you (and your finished projects) in 2012!  ~Tamra

 

  

Fabrications~The Art of Quilting

February 1-29, 2012
Arts Central in Bend will be having
a special exhibit of art quilts,
sponsored by the
Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. 
Throughout the month of February,
this exhibit will showcase
quilters from Central Oregon! 

February 3 (5-8pm)
Join us in Bend for
First Friday Art Walk.
There will be an artists' reception
  where you can meet the artists,
explore their creative processes
and preview the
2012 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show
Poster and Raffle Quilt.

 

Arts Central
(formerly Mirror Pond Gallery) is located at:
875 NW Brooks Street in Bend
Open Wed-Sat, 11am to 4pm

 

We have a Winner!

Congratulations to Madeleine of Camp Sherman!
Madeleine is the winner of our $100 Gift Certificate drawing
for bringing in non-perishable food for the local food bank. 

Here is Madeleine at our Holiday Open House,
stamping her own gift wrap at one of the Make & Take stations.

We wish to thank everyone who participated in our
"Gift of Sharing"
Holiday Food Drive helping local families in need. 

Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With Strings...

...these are a few of my favorite things! 

In case you couldn't make it to our Holiday Open House (click here to see Facebook photo album), I thought I would share some of our creative gift packaging ideas!  We wanted to give you ideas for gift wrapping that incorporate the use of fabric...afterall, that's what we do here!

Of course the obvious thing to do with fabric is make reuseable gift bags.  Easy to make AND eco-friendly, we offer two great patterns from Valori Wells Designs:

  
          The Project Bag $3.00          and             Petal Pouches $10.95

Here are some clever ways to incorporate fabric in your gift wrapping by using fusible web:

Adhere fusible web to the wrong side of fabric and peel off the paper backing.  Fabric is ready to iron on boxes and cardstock. 

Cut out alphabet letters to "monogram" a package, spell out the recipient's name, or cut out seasonal words like Joy, Merry, Bright, Ho Ho Ho...lots of fun possibilities!

Fuse fabric to the lid (or both lid and bottom) of a plain gift box.  This makes a pretty box that can be used again and again.

Fuse fabric to cardstock and cut out templates for cute decorative boxes or renaissance-style gift cones.  You can also cut out pretty fabric gift tags.

 

Futher enhance your "handmade" gift wrap by embellishing with buttons:

 

Find fun items to tie your package together...pom poms, yarn flowers, sparkly fibers and specialty ribbons.  We sell the pretty "holly leaf" ribbon (shown below) here at the Stitchin' Post.

Make "peek-proof" gift wrap, by sewing your gift shut.  Place your gift between two layers of brown paper and sew around all four edges~ there will be no peeking until Dec 25th!  

One final idea to share...building on the idea above, you can help someone count down the days 'til Christmas by sewing  a special treat inside numbered packages.  Hang them from a tree, the mantel, around the room, you decide!

Hope these creative gift packaging ideas bring some smiles.  Enjoy the magic of the season!

~Tamra