Cute, Cute, and Super Cute

As promised, all the new goodies are starting to roll in ... here is a really cute grouping of fabrics ... some for the girls (of all ages) and some for the boys...they are all only 9.99 and are available in store and online (the links are below the pictures!

Dinosaur Skeletons

Powder Small Cupcakes

Pink Kitty Toss

Pink Puppy Toss

Cool New Gadget...The Hedgehog

We have a great new gadget in the store! If you have trouble pulling needles through when doing handquilting (and who doesn't from time to time?) ... if you use pliers or your teeth to yank them through... if you are plagued by sore fingers or arthritis ... then this gizmo is for you!





Also known as the Hedgehog, this import from Holland has an ergonomic design that prevents pain and soreness in fingers since the puller does the needle grabbing for you. This little tool works like a plunger. Also helps to allow for more multiple stitches at one time to be carried on the needle! Here is the link to purchase it online: Needlepuller (Hedgehog)

Creative Dollmaking With Cheryl Smith

Next weekend we are hosting a Creative Doll Making Retreat with Cheryl Smith. Cheryl is a Nationally renowned Doll Artisan who has taught across the country and participates in the Prestigious Moose Show.

The retreat will begin Friday night from from 6:30 – 9:30 and then will continue Saturday October 4th from 10:00 – 4:00 and finish up Sunday October 5th from 10:00 – 2:00.

Many students will be able to complete their doll during the retreat (depending on the handwork selected) and expect to have results that exceed their expectations!

The fee is $129 and people with all Levels of experience are Welcome. We still have a couple of spots available ... if you are interested please call the store 416 633-8800 to register or hear more about the workshop!

Cheryl Smith would like to invite you and your creative muse to come and explore the fantasy world of doll making. Learn simple yet effective ways to needle sculpt and paint the face, make the body and bring her to life. Stitch her and adorn her with baubles, beads and trinkets. Lots of handwork!

Here is a gaggle of Jesters that Cheryl has made!

Here are two more examples of Cheryl's dolls...to see more of Cheryl's work please visit her website: http://www.magpieartworks.com/gallery.html

Under the Heading of Just Plain Weird...

A nice big box of books was delivered to the store today. Like many of you I am addicted to quilting and knitting books so spent a nice leisurely afternoon persusing the new titles! There are lots of great new things but one struck me as ...well...there's only one way to say it ... weird! Maybe now that I am older (thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and for making the birthday sale such a success) I'm getting stodgy ... but you be the judge.



I saw a new title called "Love to Knit Socks" and since I do in fact love to knit socks I ordered it for the store. I wasn't familiar with the author, Bronwyn Lowenthal, and the cover looked innocent enough so I was in for a surprise.

These definately aren't your basic socks.

The book contains:

• Flip Flop Socks (keeps the toe thong from rubbing)


• Doggie leg warmers (that's right leg warmers for dogs!)


• Lacy Stockings and garters (ooh la la)


• Striped football socks (like Manchester United and Beano)


• Ski socks with skull and crossbone motif


• Gardening long socks (with leather kneepads)

Oh the list goes on and on ... Bronwyn is definately an original! I can't wait to hear what Hilma thinks!

There are dozens of other new books in stock to browse through from the radical to traditional! All of our books are priced at the US suggested retail price or less! Here are just a few:

Pat Sloan's I Can't Believe I'm Sewing

Home Stuff by Linda Lum De Bono

1 2 3 Pillows from Better Homes and Gardens

Applique Quilt Revival

Gifts for Baby and Easy Baby Knits

Quilts from the Selvage Edge (really cool concept) ... for more details check out the website: Selvage Quilts

Also we have Creativ Festival tickets and tickets for the York Heritage show available in the store for purchase now!

Quilt Show and Birthday Sale

This weekend (Sept. 20 & 21) I will be at the Fall to Pieces II Quilt Show
Presented by: The Yorkshire Rose Quilter's Guild! For those of you who can't make the show, Ann and Sandy will be at the shop to help you.
The show will be held at: The Scarborough Centennial Recreation Complex 1967 Ellesmere Road Scarborough


Hours: 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday, September 20th


10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, September 21st.




The weather has been fabuoulous this week so why not have a nice day out to see some outstanding quilts and visit the merchant mall while you are at it!


Don't forget that next Tuesday, September 23rd is our Birthday Sale! EVERYTHING in the store will be 29% off!



That's right...
All Books...29% off
All Fabric ... including clearance fabric ...29% off
All Notions...25% off
All Yarn...including clearnace yarn ... 29% off
All Batting...29% off

There will be unbelievable bargains... search our sale wall for fabric priced 1.99 - 5.99 and then take an extra 29% off for prices as low as 1.39/metre - 4.25/metre. One day only but the store will be open from 9 am until 7 pm for your convenience!

Funny Quilt Name Generator

Well I'm back from a fabuolous, exhilhirating and very busy day at the Kitchener Knitter's Fair. Someone reminded me about this hilarious site:

http://www.thequiltingpost.com/QuiltyNames.htm

You just enter your name and it will give you an official quilting nickname... mine is :

Imperial Highness of Of Countless UFO’s

How true it is! I might have business cards made up with my new "title". What's your quilty name... please post in the comments!

Knitter's Fair...This Saturday in Kitchener

This weekend we will be going on the road for the first of many shows we will be visiting this fall. This Saturday is The Waterloo County Knitters' Fair which is the largest event of its kind in Canada. For many years, the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitters' Guild has offered a one-day fair organized "by knitters for knitters."

This Fair, held at Bingemans in Kitchener, now presents more than 70 vendors offering the latest and greatest of knitting products. Imagine 20,000 square feet - an entire ballroom - dedicated to the craft of knitting, offering an incredible display of a diverse variety of yarns in an explosion of colour, knitting books, patterns, and accessories.

Sew Sisters will have a few very special offers for the show ... including dozens of the newest titles in knitting books and they will all be priced below the US suggested retail price - be sure to drop by the booth to see the selection of books as well as a great selection of well priced yarn.

We also have the Jojoland Swirl Shawl as showcased earlier in the blog!

The fair has:

• Low admission price
• Supervised childrens' craft area
• Free information sessions

Fair Details:
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2008
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Bingemans 425 Bingemans Centre DriveKitchener, Ontario

Click here for the directions!

Interesting Customer...With a Great Find

Near the end of a very busy day today we had a very interesting customer. Adele at Quilter's Palette had sent her our way to find some 1930s reproduction fabrics to repair two quilts. The quilts had been purchased at a garage sale for the princely sum of $1 a piece. What a terrific find she had. The first quilt was most unusual ... I had never seen the pattern before and I would describe it as a hybrid of the Dresden Plate and Wheel of Fortune Blocks. After the kids are asleep I'll get out my copy of the Dictionary of Quilt Names * and see if I can hunt down the name of it. The second quilt was a lovely Sunbonnet Sue with a charming bubblegum pink sashing. Both quilts were clearly from the 1930s and were made from Feedsack fabrics. I was really grateful to get to see such lovely quilts and I'm happy to say we had some suitable fabric for her to use for her repairs! It didn't occur to me at the time to ask to take a picture of them to post here so here's a picture of one of the feedsacks (complete with its original label) from my collection! Maybe we'll get lucky and she will read the blog and comment!

* The Collector's Dictionary of Quilt Names and Patterns is a terrific resource by Yvonne M. Khin. It is definitve resource to 2,400 quilt patterns by category and name with a complete index. Unfortunately it is out of print. A quick google search led me to eBay where they are asking $80.00 for a copy!

Incentive Cards

This fall we have introduced incentive cards... just ask for a card when you checkout.

For Quilter's we have a frequent Quilter's Card. For every $200 you spend on regularly priced fabric you get $25 worth of fabric for FREE!

For Knitters's we have another card...purchase $200 worth of regularly priced yarn and redeem your card for $25 worth of yarn for FREE!