Quilt Zone Newsletter - March 2011

So here it is March and I have just one question. Where did February go? The Quilt Zone has been tremendously busy. We received a ton of fabric (well, for the freight bill it should have been a ton). For some reason I am really attracted to graphic prints right now. So we have great prints from Africa and Australia, plus the outstanding black and white lines from Kaufman and the other American fabric companies. The Japanese fabrics arrived including some stunning textiles that are works of art in themselves - pricey, but I hope you will like them. We have some cute kids prints from Moda (Robots is my favorite) and Clothworks (Beetle Boy is much cuter than its name implies).

We had our first Mystery class in February and it was great fun to watch - some of the quilts are going to be stunning. It was the first test of the electrical wiring in our store and I was relieved that we passed - we didn't blow any fuses even with 12 quilters plugging in machines and lights and irons. Everyone seemed to have a good time and I got some great suggestions from Mystery Veterans that will streamline the process for the next mystery. I'm looking forward to doing it again, but with a little more lead time to write the directions so I can give Mary Kay breathing room as she proofs them out. I hope you will stop by the store and see Mary Kay's Mystery quilt. It's wonderful and she loves it. Mine isn't quite done yet, but finishing it is on the top of my 6 page to-do list.

What's on your to-do list? Are you looking for something new or different? Customers tell us that our fabrics are so different from what they normally see in stores (I think they mean that in a good way - they must, because they buy this "different" stuff). We have books that that you won't see anywhere else: especially books that present new techniques or a new way to look at fabric. I love books that talk about the art of putting fabrics together. I like block books too, they are a constant source of inspiration.

And speaking of inspiration, do come into the store and check out all the fabulous class models we have hanging up. I feel so lucky to have such talented quilters teaching at the Quilt Zone. Their quilts make the store feel like an art gallery. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do - they make the store a truly inspiring place to be.

The classes are scheduled for March and April. I hope you find something that interests you. There are two classes I want to highlight. First, I had several customers ask for an open sewing or finishing class. Check out the Get'er Done class hosted by Maria Shell. We have two session, one on Friday evening that is 4 hours long and one on Saturday that is a full 6 hours of sewing time. The second class I want to mention is like a mini retreat. For those few Alaskans that aren't going outside to somewhere warm over spring break, we have an all day class on Friday, March 11. Stack the Deck is an easy pattern that lets you kick back, relax, and sew for fun. If you're going to be in town, check out the sample, grab some friends and spend the day sewing away.

Happy sewing, and I hope to see you in the store soon.