Meg Hawkey’s Garden

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Penny Haren

Honeybee’s Garden combines exquisite embroidery with stunning pieced borders and English paper-pieced flower garden blocks. Meg, of Crabapple Hill says: Buzzing bees are the heartbeat of every garden. These happy little bees have the perfect home, lots of beautiful flowers, and messages that show them the love every day.

Quilt finishes 38 1/2″ x 38 1/2″

A summery little dish towel is just what the doctor ordered right now! The perfect little project to fill a summer afternoon, it’s great for beginners and just plain juicy!! There’s also a great little recipe for the yummiest Strawberry Shortcake imaginable!

Embroidered block measures 7″ x 7″

Sweet, fragrant flowers adorn this 8″ x 5″ needlebook, with a little reminder of what it’s used for stitched right on the front too. The embroidered charm closure adds just a little bit more floral charm!

Don’t you just love handwork in summer? The patterns are due to arrive in the warehouse the first week in July so place your orders now.

But, here is a sneak peak at what is coming this Fall! Meg has written a book with Martingale!

You can order it now – because you know you are going to love it! I can’t wait to see all of the projects hidden inside…..

Oh Baby!

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Penny Haren

I LOVE this! Melissa Corry of Happy Quilting has teamed up with Its Sew Emma to create a compendium of ten darling baby quilts – all created with one, two or three charm packs.

All of the designs are simple enough for beginners but stylish enough to appeal to everyone. These are the types of quilts that you can make in a day so your favorite little one is free to actually use and love their blankie!

My plan? Give the book to an expecting mother and let her pick out her own quilt. Go out to lunch and stop by your favorite quilt shop so she can pick out the fabrics as well. And, if she wants to learn to sew? These quilts would be the perfect beginning project! Why not make a party – or series of parties – out of it? It doesn’t get any easier than this!

A Girl with Many Talents

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Penny Haren

Did you know that Krista Moser, the designer of the Creative Grids 60 Degree Diamond (CGR60DIA) and Mini Diamond Tools is also an expert in machine quilting. She has been machine quilting for over 20 years! So when Landauer was looking for someone to write the batting book for their popular pocket guide series, they knew who to call!

Know Your Battings: Carry-along Reference Guide for Quilters and Sewers

This pocket guide is available in July and includes everything you need to know about cotton, silk, fusibles – you name it! Since so many customers are finishing projects, now is the perfect time to offer a lecture on how to prep a quilt for machine quilting, how to choose a back and batting, and how to bind the finished project!

In her free time, Krista also designed some new patterns using her diamond rulers:

Two scoops has yardage requirements for two sizes – baby and throw an is a great class since it showcases several different techniques. This quilt features the Min Diamond but can be made with the original Diamond as well. It is just easier to manipulate the mini!

Biggie the Bee uses the original diaond ruler and goes together sooooo fast! Need a baby quilt? We’ve got you covered! Both of these patterns are due to arrive next month.

Vintage Pinwheels is in stock now – and is the PERFECT beginner quilt! I did a test block and could not believe how easy it goes together. The pressing instructions are excellent! All of the seams nest and there are no Y-seams.

I am teaching this next month! It is fast, easy and fun!

HoHoHo with Nancy Halvorsen

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Penny Haren

Nobody knows how to add that awe factor to any holiday like Nancy Halvorsen! And she is back with her latest fabric line with Benartex – Better Not Pout. Of course, there is a book with 20 projects to support the line as well!

Houses are everywhere this season – including in the companion fabric line, available in a white or navy background:

She also included some stocking panels which are so cute, you will want to make some just to fill with gifts instead of wrapping paper. There are two different panels to choose from and she even remembered the cat and dog!

Each panel is approximately 2/3 of a yard.

Her tea towels are so popular that she is now offering them in packages or on bolts!

Everything is due to arrive the end of May so place your orders now!

A Country’s Call

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Penny Haren

The folks at Country Threads have put together my favorite kind of book. They have combined wonderful reproduction style quilts with stories of unsung heroines of the Civil War.

A little eye candy….

These stunning quilts are the icing on the cake of some great stories! Reach back in time and visit 14 heroines of the Civil War. Then, create an array of beautiful quilts inspired by the stories of these courageous women. From a simple string quilt to spectacular scrap quilts bursting with hundreds of fabrics, each project captures the look of antique quilts from the era. Authentic photos and true accounts of Civil War history will draw you right in!

Cork with Sallie Tomato

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Penny Haren

I just love her stuff – and she is such a great marketer that she makes my life so easy! Her book Create with Cork is a must-have. It includes all of the tips and tricks that make sewing cork a breeze!

And now she has packaged the hardware for all of the projects in the book – in five finishes: gold, antique, silver, nickel, and rose gold.

That’s right – any of the hardware required to make all projects in the book. What a great series of classes!

The cork is pre-packaged in 15 x 18-inch pieces as well:

Prepacked Cork Blend Fabric, 18in x 15in roll, Natural Pattern

Prepacked Cork Blend Fabric, 18in x 15in roll, Blue/Silver Metallic

Prepacked Cork Blend Fabric, 18in x 15in roll, Green/Silver Metallic

Prepacked Cork Blend Fabric, 18in x 15in roll, Natural/Gold Metallic

Prepacked Cork Blend Fabric, 18in x 15in roll, Taupe/Silver Metallic

They can mix and match in class and have several gifts on hand! The book and cork are in stock now. The hardware is expected next week.

Crazier Eights Playbook

Posted on March 8, 2020 by Penny Haren

This companion book for the Creative Grids® Crazier Eights Template Set #CGRMT7 features eight projects. This 16-page booklet includes instructions for cutting from scraps, 10” squares and fabric strips for effective use of your fabrics. Learn to use the five templates as a set, individually or in different combinations to create the projects in the book.

Or use the free pattern that comes with the template set!

Everything is in stock so order now!

Wool Applique Heirlooms

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Penny Haren

The title says it all! This book by Mary A. Blythe includes fifteen different projects – and they all are stunning!

I think my personal favorite is this Advent Tree. How cute is that? Who can resist pennies?

I had to look twice at this one! It reminds me of my grandma’s canning lids. Such muted colors are stunning!

But wool can be bright as well – and adding curves to the centerpiece adds another design element.

Fall is my favorite season and these two are beauties!

Add warmth and texture to your home with wool appliqué. Sewing in the popular folk-art style, you’ll stitch fifteen projects, including thirteen heirloom-worthy table mats and two versions of an Advent calendar, on a cotton or wool base. Learn how reverse appliqué brings depth and color to your handwork without the bulk of additional layers. This guide offers advice on choosing and using wool (even scraps!), plus valuable techniques and tips for wool hand stitchers.

The layering on these two makes them come to life. The petals look three dimensional!

The book is in stock so order it now. We are almost to the handwork season. Don’t you love to have a project that travels well???

Dear Diary

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Penny Haren

This new Block of the Month by Sherri Noel is written in chapters.

Each of the twelve chapter begins with a life affirming quote and is set off with blocks that all come together to create a charming 84 inch square quilt.

The pattern comes in two booklets – one for the pattern, the other for the techniques. What an opportunity to grow as a quilter while creating a work of art! Wouldn’t this be the perfect graduation gift? Or birthday gift to welcome someone into their teen years?

Or, make it for yourself – we all need a reminder sometimes to focus on the positive! This pattern is due to arrive next month so order it now and add it to your class schedule!

Treasure Hunt

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Penny Haren

I love the whole concept for this book by Linda Collins and Leah Zieber.

The book description had me hooked: Follow this team of antique-quilt mavens as they share their search for quilts from the past. With decades of vintage-textiles knowledge between them, quilters will discover secrets about where to look for antique quilts, which quilts to snap up quickly (and which to walk away from), how to care for vintage quilts, and more. Next, pore over thirteen favorite antique quilts from the authors’ personal collections and find patterns for remaking true reproductions of them all. Delight in the fun photos of this duo’s treasure hunting in action–quilters everywhere will be inspired to join the hunt.

I can’t wait to make the double nine patch quilt on the cover!

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