Class updates

Just a quick reminder that it's not too late to sign up for the X-block class this Saturday, July 28. The quilt below is called Venetian Tiles, and is yet another one of the possibilities you can make with the x-block technique.

If there is room, and if I can convince my DH to help me with the shop, I'm going to participate in Saturday's class also! I don't plan to be in there the whole time, but I am very excited about the quilt and these fabrics that I picked out this afternoon! These fabrics might just be enought to keep my rear firmly planted in front of the sewing machine all day.

For those that have asked or silently wondered about the Random Access class on Saturday, Sept. 8, these pictures are just a portion of the Tony's finished quilt top. (It's absolutely humongous, but don't worry - you don't have to make yours that big.)

The general idea of the Random Access quilt is that you start with one fat quarter for each block you want to make (if you want 20 blocks, you need 20 fat quarters). You cut them all up and put the pieces in bags. As you sew, you blindly (this is the random part) pull pieces from different bags. The rule is that if you haven't already used the fabric you pull out in your current block, you have to use it. I know some of you may be feeling faint at the idea of not painstakingly matching the fabric for each block as you sew. But that's exactly why you should take the class. Fabrics don't have to match perfectly, and this quilt will be a good exercise in letting go of your control just a bit and letting the quilt take over.

And just in case you might wondering if I even make quilts anymore, here's my proof.

Well, it's not a whole quilt, but it's the third block for the Rosebud Lane block of the month. I think this is my favorite one so far! My goal is to have the whole quilt top finished by the third Saturday in August. Now that I've put that goal in writing, maybe I'll be more inclined to stick to it.

X-blocks are coming to Around the Block!

If you don't know about this technique, it's a very cool, very simple way to get a ton of quilts out of just one block. That's right, I said one block. Patricia Pepe is the genious behind this technique, and you can read more about it and see more quilts on her website.

Around the Block is holding a class on X-block quilts on Saturday, July 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The class will be taught by Dottie Lankard. Dottie is one of a group that won the Hoffman Challenge in 2005. Needless to say, she's an excellent quilter. You don't want to miss the opportunity to learn from her.

Here are just a couple of Dottie's X-block quilts (sorry for the terrible photography):


Call or e-mail us at the shop to sign up!

Treatment program for stash-aholics

Do you ever go on a fabric-buying binge?

Are you in denial? Do you swear you’re actually saving money by building up your stash before cotton prices rise?

Have you ever experienced a“blackout”—finding fabric in your stash you don’t remember buying?


If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you need Stash Pot Pie!

Stash Pot Pie is a new program we are starting at the shop to help all of you fabri-holics pare down that monstrous stash. Stash Pot Pie quilts are designed to use your stash... fat quarters, scraps, whatever you have. The pattern for each quilt gives yardage amounts for lights, mediums, and darks, allowing you to choose whatever color palette you would like. We can also help you out at the shop with your color choices. Each Stash Pot Pie workshop will be 7-8 hours and will be offered several times during a two month period. After two months, we will introduce a new Stash Pot Pie quilt. The April/May Stash Pot Pie quilt is pictured below. It's titled "Queen of Tarts."

We (okay, it was Cindy again, but I helped pick out the colors) chose to do ours in 1800's reproductions, but any combination of lights and darks will work. The pattern gives instructions and yardage amounts for a large lap-sized quilt, but we can help you figure amounts for any size quilt you would like to make.

And did I mention each quilt comes with a recipe? We'll even provide you with a cute little Stash Pot Pie recipe card to put it on. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to sample the recipe during the workshop!

The April/May Stash Pot Pie workshops are on Saturday, April 14, Wednesday, April 25, and Saturday, May 12. Contact the shop to sign up today!