August! Can you believe how fast this summer has flown by? Is it really August all ready? The kids will be back in school and we will all sigh with relief. (won’t we?) Kids are great, so full of energy and enthusiasm and creativity. It’s wonderful to have around. But, I’m getting older and it’s harder to sustain the same level of activity they require. We have had the privilege of having our 2 oldest grandkids, now 16, here for their first summer jobs. Christer really appreciated the muscle, memory and help from our grandson working with the concrete on the foundation of the new house. (yes, we are still pouring concrete!) Grandson also helped me out with electronics here at the shop. YAY for tech savvy brains. His twin sister worked here with me at the shop learning the quilting business. She has already made a few quilts, so understands quilting. She is also an incredible artist and creative organizer. She let me know the second week she was here, that the shop looked “tired” and needed a makeover. OK. I see it every day, a new perspective is a good thing. Reluctantly I agreed she could work her magic. Never in my wildest dreams would it be a TOTAL makeover!! It took a whole week to complete, including almost every night here at the shop until 9 pm plus. I think we moved every bolt in here twice. I was exhausted! But, it was worth it. The shop looks great and fresh. I didn’t realize how many batiks I had. Even after measuring and calculating the space, we couldn’t fit all the batiks on one whole wall of shelves. We have a rainbow of colors in the “Batik Gallery” now. LOL it’s beautiful. We also have a “Holiday Corner” with all the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas fabrics in a wonderful display. Most of all the notions are now collected in one area. She ever reorganized the button wall for easier searching. (She hounded Grandpa to build the new panel cabinet so she could organize all the panels together. But, sigh, that will have to wait, grandpa is busy with concrete work.) With the new makeover, we discovered fabrics we forgot we had, and so will you. Come in and see her work. You might need to consult the “map” she drew for me so I can find my way around. LOL. (Plus, she’s only a text away if I get lost) 😂 Then she started on my website. Hang on for the ride. Old age is not for sissies!!

I have heard from a large number of y’all about your summer adventures. It seems like everyone is doing a lot of traveling this summer. Probably a good thing to get out of this heat. I hope y’all have had great adventures and I look forward to hearing about them so I can live vicariously thru you. 🤪 I don’t get out much.

Besides the new discoveries, we have some great new fabrics too. One of my favorites is a vintage sewing machine collection. As most of you, who have been to the shop, know, I collect antique sewing machines. This fabric was a given as soon as I saw it. Such soft and pleasing colors. “Tailor Made” designed by Dan Morris for QT, I love it!

Also arriving from QT was this sweet “Bless this House” panel. It’s so darling, I can’t wait to make it up into something.

Some of the new Christmas fabrics is a collection from Andover, a British company. It has a slight European whimsy look to it. Very cute.

Speaking of European, we went a bet off the rails with this tongue-in-cheek “Ooh La La” apron panel. The perfect gift for that women who has everything. I embellished the sample a bit over what’s on the panel, I added the black lace at the hem, cut the bodice to follow the bustier’ top and embroidered the “Ooh La La”. I had fun with it and you can too. 😜

Creative Stitchers Club meeting in August is Friday the 9th. You will be learning new fun stitches. You will need to bring your sampler or favorite fabric, floss, needles, scissors, needle threader, thimble, hoop, a pencil, and if needed a desk type light and magnifying glasses. Remember, anything you purchase during the meeting that pertains to your project is 20% off, including books.

I received another 5 quilts yesterday for Warriors Heart Quilt project. Beautiful quilts from loving, giving hearts. I’ve also been receiving nice pillowcases from those who can’t make a quilt, but still want to contribute. (If you choose to make pillow cases, please remember these are for adults). We thank y’all so much for participating in this worthy project. It is an ongoing, continuous project. If you are looking for a project with meaning, feel free to contribute. We have kits available for your convenience at wholesale prices or you can use up your stash if you choose. If you need the instruction sheet, let me know and I will email you a copy. You can check out Warriors Heart on their website.  www.WarriorsHeart.com

We are also a drop off point if you are participating in the Million Pillowcase Challenge.

Keep on Sewing, see you soon,

Donette

Valuable Info

For those of you who have ask me how to do this, I am using these instructions as the article this month. It’s really quite easy to do and looks great, especially if you are using a border print to border your top. Practice makes perfect.   Just go for it!

Mitering Border Corners

Measure the center section that you are bordering.  According to your measurements, cut the border fabric into 4 individual lengths needed for each side.  Each length will need to be the full measurement plus 2 X the width of the border.
Example;
Center piece is 44” X 60”
Border width is 6”
Cut 2 strips of border 44” + 12”
Cut 2 strips of border 60” + 12”

After you have cut the border pieces, find the center of each border piece, and mark with a pin.  Do the same on all 4 sides of the center section.  Pick one side to start on.  With the corresponding border piece, match the centers and pin from the center to the outside corners.  Do one side at a time.  Sew the border to the center section starting and stopping the seam allowance width from the end. i.e.: ¼” seam, stop or start ¼” from each end of the center section.
Continue with the other 3 sides and corresponding border pieces.  You should have the full width of the border piece "extra" at the end of each side.
 
Next is the “mitering” part.  Pick a corner to start.  Line up 2 adjacent border pieces, folding the center section in half at the corner to a 45-degree angle.  Line up a straight ruler from the end of the seams, at a 45-degree angle to the end of the border edge.  Draw a line following the 45-degree angle of the fold, across the border strips to the outside edge.  Pin along the line.  If your border has stripes on it, make sure the stripes line up as you pin.   Sew along that line from the outside toward the center.  Stopping at the seams of the adjoining boarder pieces.
Press the miter seam open.  Repeat on the other 3 sides.