Today I did something I think is truly amazing. I found a calendar on line, filled it in with classes for this summer, and “synced” it to my phone. Quick as a wink, the calendar is now on my phone. Amazing. I am still in awe as to what computers can do. Even more amazing is what our sewing machines can do. Wouldn’t you just hate to piece all your quilts on a treadle machine. Wait a minute on that…it would be great exercise!
The new Jo Morton collection from Andover came in this week. A really nice collection, I must add.
If you missed the last Pillow Case Party, we are having another one on May 7th. Help us make our goal! 25″ for the bottom and 10″ for the end will make a case. Just think, you can reduce your stash ( husbands like that) and do a really good thing for our community. We are really happy with all the cases that have been donated. Several customers have made their own cases from their stashes. A special thank you to Alice Love and Nadine Ridder for fabric donations from their stashes that we have cut up and made into cases. Also a big thank you to all of you on our 20+ chart that has Karen Hubler and Nancy Ball topping the chart.
Today 4 of us are in Oklahoma City at a BERNINA training. Lillian, Elizabeth,Vickie, and I are sitting in front of our 830’s learning some new techniques to share. It is freezing in the room! Lillian says the temperature is “just right”. She must be having a hot flash.
If you haven’t heard, Elizabeth is going to become our new full-time technician. John has done a great job for us. He originally became our tech to help us get started with our new dealership. That was almost 2 years ago! I want to thank John for all his help and expertise. He will help us transition to Elizabeth during the month of April. Elizabeth is very computer knowledgeable and will be a great asset for the shop.
The Round Bobbin is coming to Springfield. You won’t want to miss this great learning opportunity. The event is being held at the Expo Center in Springfield April 8-10. You can sign up for classes on line by going to their web site. We will be there teaching a class for the those who don’t know how to use a serger, put in a zipper, or haven’t tried the BERNINA Stitch Regulator in quilting. It is a cute little clutch that could be a make-up bag, or something to keep little items inside. The Round Bobbin is a fun time with vendors, quilt show, and classes.
Mary Lou Nall will be in our shop teaching classes about BERNINA feet, heirloom quilting, and twin needles in April. Call the shop 890-9000 to sign up today.
What a beautiful day it was today! Bernina Club was fun this week. Lillian showed us how to use the new Cutwork tool. She jazzed up one of my overshirts using the tool.
The Breakfast Club meets for the first time this Saturday. I am really looking forward to this since I am a big fan of breakfast. This club will give you ideas on using up your stash. Should be great fun.
My puppy went to his first class. I am not partial, but he sure was cute in class. He has mastered the SIT command, but has a little trouble with the STAY command. I will keep you posted on his progress.
Fabric is arriving by the box loads. We have so many new lines, the shelves are busting. It looks like 2010 will be a great year for sewing and quilting.
On a sad note, Lillian lost her step-mom whom she has given such great care to in the last few months. Keep her and her family in your prayers.
There’s snow outside! I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas. By now, most of you should have your newsletter. We are excited about the new Blocks of the Month and Clubs that are starting in January. Two of the clubs deal with using up your stash. Kt Stash Society and the Breakfast Club also have food from the Tea Room as part of the club. It should be a fun year.
My two granddaughters, Lia and Nadia, both got a Bernette 46 from me for Christmas. It is a cute little black sewing machine that only does 8 stitches but runs like a dream. They are practicing their seams and I love that they have to come to Grandma’s house to practice!
My two grandson’s, Ty and Anthony, both got trucks and Wii games and are better at doing the Wii than their Grandma is!
The puppy is now 5 1/2 months old and weighs about 48 pounds. We start Home Manners on Tuesday at puppy school. He seems to be very bright. He can sit, shake hands, and lay down on command. He also likes to run and eat snow at the same time. He’s so cute, even if I say so myself.
I didn’t realize how difficult a blog could be. I have written several times but apparently I do not save it correctly. So, here I am trying it again. When it turned so cold yesterday, one of our furnaces in the shop decided to “bite the dust”. We are in the process of getting a more efficient one and should be warm again by Saturday.
Have you been in the shop lately? We removed the yellow arch wall. We really like how it opens up the shop. Now, if we could only get heat….
I am off to West Plains tomorrow to teach a longarm class. Moda U and Thimbleberries are having their party on Saturday. Should be lots of fun.
Sunny (the new pup) is now almost 40 pounds and still growing. He thinks he is a lap dog. He has a wonderful personality (even if I say so myself!)
I was a real “drag” at Market. My leg hurt so much Linda Eccher had to push me in a wheel chair at Houston’s Hobby Airport. I did start a new medication for the leg and the longer I was in Houston the better I felt. It still gives me some problems, but I am doing much better.
Market was very enjoyable. So much new fabric, new gizmos, new patterns, it truly is “Eye Candy” for a quilter. I spent way too much money, of course, but we should have some new exciting things in the shop in the months to come. The fabric I bought for our $4.95 section has already come in! Now that is what I call fast.
I also stayed for Quilt Festival for the first time since 1999. It has grown so much. I worked in the Gammill booth and sold a machine to a great group of ladies from Brazil. No, I don’t speak Spanish. Luckily, quilting speaks for itself so we communicated just fine. I am trying to persuade my husband that I need to be sent to Brazil to give the girls some lessons! No luck on that end so far.
I don’t know how many nationalities were present, but you could hear many different languages being spoken as you walked down the aisles.
The quilts were spectacular. I saw a local lady’s quilt (Suzy Louth) hanging. It was so beautiful. A friend of mine won the “Future of Quilting” award. Gammill had a longarm painted by an artist for the Quilts of Valour Booth. It is in honor of all the men and women who serve for us and return home injured in battle. The machine is going to travel…to the pentagon and maybe even to the White House. WOW.
I go to Kansas City tomorrow to a Quilt Show so you won’t be seeing me for a while.
We are closing the shop on Wednesday, October 21, at 2 pm to attend the funeral of one our staff member’s husband. Steve Glover died Saturday, October 17. Judy has worked for the shop for 5 years. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.
I know, it’s been a month. I tried several times to log on to my new site but the code is not one that I can memorize so I kept putting it off. Now I have the code where I can get to it easily, so I will try and be better.
We got the new puppy. He is gaining about 4 pounds every two weeks. I don’t know how to add pictures yet to the site, but I have to say he is mighty cute. He is really good on potty training. I have to do a “puppy run” from the shop every 3 1/2 hours to let him out of the crate. When he gains about 5 more pounds, he will be big enough to stay in our fenced in area. Until then, I getto do the “Puppy run”.
I am just sitting in my office waiting for the Friday group to arrive for our Sampler Quilt. I have finished my quilt for next year’s sampler. I really like it. Hope all of you do too.
Time to go. I will try to write while I am in Houston next week.
Is anyone out there? We are still trying to manuever through the new web site. How do you like it so far? I go pick up my new puppy this weekend. We are getting a springer spaniel little boy. I will have pictures next week. It’s good to be back.
