New Books

Two new books from Kansas City Star have arrived:

A Bountiful Life presents the author's version of the over 150-year old folk art quilt masterpiece, Bird of Paradise, on display at the American Folk Art Museum in New York. Click Here for a link to a picture of this incredible quilt on the American Folk Art Museum's web site.

A Year of Cozy Comforts celebrates the four seasons with eight handmade projects for your home. Quilts, cross-stitch, wool applique - even some of the author's family recipes.

I'm expecting Polly Minick's new book, American Summer any day now. I keep checking Kansas City Star's web site, but it's still listed as a Pre-Order from them. Once they change their status I'll know I'll be seeing my shipment soon! This book can still be pre-ordered from me, and you'll get free shipping when I begin sending them out.

Snowed all day here in midcoast Maine while my hometown in Massachusetts was enjoying mid-40s and sunshine. Oh well - it is Maine, after all!

Stay warm!

Have Hook Will Travel

Yesterday was the annual Eliot (Maine) rug hook-in. It's been going on for I believe 28 years now and no doubt grown from a smaller event to what it is today, over 100 participants, vendors, a lovely, well-lit venue with great food and of course, loads of great hooked rugs. I was one of the five vendors. Here are a couple of pictures taken by Lauri Troutman, (Miz T), who worked hard to make the event a fun day for everyone:

Just a sliver of the rug display. There were many more.

One section of the ballroom showing how many folks came out to hook, visit with friends and shop!

One of my favorite rugs in the display, I believe it was hooked by Susie Beers.

This was my friend, Kim Dubay's (Primitive Pastimes) booth at the hook-in. She's an amazing altered artist and rug hooker.

One of my tables in my booth. Do you like my wool sign? I finally made myself one a few months back! I think it looks pretty good, and the sheep thought it drew attention to them. They are models for two Buttermilk Basin hooked and wool applique patterns.

Future vending engagements so far this year will include quilt shows in March and August as well as two rug hook-ins in April. These events are great fun, a lot of work, but it's always nice to meet new friends, reacquaint with old friends and come away with loads of inspiration.

Hope you had a great weekend too!

A Tale of Two Seasons

Snow is starting to appear more regularly, but there are already some signs of spring - this is Crow's in the Garden, a wool applique design for two "ditty bags" from Crane Design. Lively, colorful, happy!

Also by Crane Design, Krispy Winter Days is back in stock and I'm already pulling some wools together to offer kits for this - stay tuned. So, we're celebrating two seasons today, both warm and wooly!

Crane Design also has a collection of needlepunch patterns called the Backyard Series. The birds are wonderful and so life-like. Shown is the newest release called Black Capped Chickadees. The design is pre-printed on weavers cloth, all ready to put in your frame and punch.

In Stitches,

Primitive Quilts and (lots of) Projects

It's finally here! The eagerly awaited Spring 2012 issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine - full of sixteen new projects for quilts, wool applique, needlepunch and even a couple of "silly wabbits". Contributors include (in the order their project appears in the Table of Contents) Paula Barnes (Bonnie Blue Quilts), Maggie Bonanomi, Lisa Bonegean (Primitive Gatherings), Lori Brechlin (Notforgotten Farm), Jan Goos (Goos Nest), Lynda Hall (Primitive Pieces by Lynda), Dawn Heese (Linen Closet Designs), Heather Lynn (Mohair Bears & Friends), Janice Minear, Jo Ann Mulally (Wool Crazy), Gloria Parsons (Olde Green Cupboard Designs), Marcie Patch, Cheri Payne, Renee Plains and Tonya Robey (Mad Hen Primitives). Whew!

Also available are a few of the Fall and Winter issues - first come, first served!

In Stitches,

Super Bowl Bound!

We're doing the happy dance in New England! Our Patriots won the AFC Championship against the Ravens on Sunday and are Super Bowl bound in two weeks! The only fly in the ointment - a rematch between the Pats and the Giants. The last time these two met in the 2008 Super Bowl the results didn't go our way. It should be a great game! I'll have to sort through my game day recipes for the best chicken wing concoction I can find.

Have a great day!

Shipping Cost Increase

As of Jan. 22nd, the USPS postal rates have increased - again! I mostly use Priority Flat Rate and First Class to ship orders, and both these services have gone up in cost. I'll need to do the same. In the past I've tried to be fair with my shipping charges, not even accounting for "handling", but will need to change this practice. For many years I've accepted what my shopping cart has estimated for PayPal orders and usually absorbed any extra shipping charges, but I can no longer do this. "Handling" includes my printer paper and ink when printing Priority Flat Rate labels, the brown mailers I use for First Class packages, as well as the paperwork necessary to process orders. It's time I allowed myself to be paid for all that! I believe my shipping charges over the years have been among the lowest of most online retailers. Some of them are outrageous! And, I think my long-standing policy of free shipping on orders over $50 has been very generous. This will remain in effect, at least for the time being.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about shipping an order. Thank you in advance for your understanding!

Hip Hop

Meet Mr. Cotton Tail, a punchneedle embroidery design by With Thy Needle & Thread/Country Stitches. I've got one Pattern + partial floss kit for this. The pattern uses 15 Weeks Dye Works over-dyed flosses and two Valdani flosses. The Pattern + includes the Weeks flosses but not the Valdani, which would have to be purchased separately from your local Valdani retailer. This guy could be finished long before anyone even thinks about Easter!

More snow today, just lazy flakes drifting down. I'm in my "studio", continuing my reorganization project, as I got to the point where I couldn't find anything, and the clutter was killing any traces of creativity! I'm notorious for not putting things back where they belong, and after a while the disjointed piles of "stuff" are just too much! Lots of things have been tossed, which feels really good, and my big industrial shelf and little bookcase are starting to look much neater. So, off to sort my favorite books and magazines, deciding what to recycle or store. My tastes and interests have changed over the years, and it's time for a good reassessment of all things paper. A lot of my older quilt books may be headed to eBay soon.

Have a cozy weekend!

Whole Lotta Love

Led Zeppelin - I had to look up the spelling! I came across a couple of other love-inspired patterns that missed the inventory count last time: Love and Be Loved, the popular Cupid Fraktur (3 available) and heart-shaped Sewing Bird Pinkeep (only one) cross-stitch designs, both by With Thy Needle & Thread/Country Stitches.

A Whole Lotta Love for all on a snowy Friday morning!

In Stitches,

Quilt 'Til You Wilt

This beautiful quilt, called Folk Art Pleasures: A Celebration in Applique was designed by Lori Smith of From My Heart to Your Hands. I've just updated my web site with this and three other patterns that I've had in inventory but for whatever reason, never made it to the site before now. They're 25% off too - this pattern, previously $16.00, is now $12.00. The quilt is 54" x 54". Practice your applique skills on this or one of Lori's other quilted masterpieces. And, since the weather has finally turned winter-like, working under a quilt sounds like a very cozy way to spend a chilly night!

In Stitches,

All You Need is Love

The Beatles sang that song, remember? I just realized that Valentine's Day is less than a month away. Seems like it was just Christmas! Time has been flying by, maybe it's because of the flurry of excitement around a new baby in the family. My head is spinning! Anyway, back to Valentine's Day - I thought I'd look around for love-inspired projects and found a few:

From top to bottom:
Saint Valentine Fraktur needlepunch by With Thy Needle & Thread/Country Stitches
Key to My Heart Sampler by Pineberry Lane
True Love Sampler Bag & Pinkeep - Stacy Nash Primitives

A little love for a Tuesday night! If you're on my email list I added a few other "love"ly suggestions, some on sale.

Sweet dreams!

Warm & Wooly

Back in stock - Buttermilk Basin's neat Penny Mats Thru the Year.
Shown, appropriately enough, is January's snowman mat. All twelve months' worth of patterns are available. October's sold out very quickly when I first got them - everyone loves pumpkins, right? It's such fun to work with wool during the colder months. I'd rather make a snowman out of wool than out of snow right now. We're only in the mid-twenties today with a wind chill. Brrr! Hoping to make up some kits for these patterns soon.

Stay warm!

Tebow WHO?

My son posted this picture on his Facebook page and I couldn't resist sharing! Our Pats delivered a crushing 45-10 defeat to Tebow's Broncos last night, and we New Englanders are pretty psyched about it! The artwork on Sophie's onesie is courtesy of her Dad. Back in December at her Mom's baby shower anyone who wanted to was asked to decorate a plain white onesie with colored markers. There were a lot of white onesies leftover. I'm sure her Dad will have more of these in the future!

I get to see my little Pats fan next weekend! The long-range weather forecast doesn't look like it will keep me from her. My younger brother, author Jeffrey Thomas (Punktown and many other short story collections) and 2-year old niece will be arriving back home from a long trip to Vietnam mid-week and we'll see them too. It'll be Christmas for them as they've been gone since before Thanksgiving. Looking forward to a very fun reunion with family!

Stay warm!

Grand Finale Redux

Back in stock - Kris Miller's (Spruce Ridge Studios) The Grand Finale: Finish What You Start. This is a super reference manual on turning those rug hooking UFOs into the actual completed pieces you worked so hard on. Kris packed this booklet with photographs to illustrate exactly what she's doing for a variety of finishing techniques. I've said this before, but this is definitely one of my "must haves" for your rug hooking library!

A handful of the January Wool Street Journal are back as well, if you missed out on the first shipment.

Have a warm and wooly weekend!

She's Home!

Baby Sophie was all bundled up, snug as a bug in a rug in her car seat, yesterday right before her Mom & Dad took her home! She'd passed the five pound mark and continues to thrive in leaps and bounds, so was able to go home after only a two week stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. We'll be making the trip to see her next weekend, and this Nana can't wait!

Snowing here this morning, finally a measurable snow for this crazy winter. We're expecting between 6"-10". I won't be going anywhere today!

Have a great day,

Primitive Rugs, Magdalena Briner Eby Style

Just arrived this afternoon! The wonderful Rug Hooking Traditions with Magdalena Briner Eby, full of beautiful examples of the folk art of this Pennsylvania woman with the unique primitive style. If you missed out on this one when I had it before, here's your chance! Definitely a "must have" for your rug hooking library.

Happy Hooking!

Coming Attractions & New Stuff

This is Polly Minick's new book, American Summer: Seaside-Inspired Rugs & Quilts. It will have twelve of Polly's hooked rug designs, inspired by her childhood memories of summers at the shore. Well-known quilter sister, Laurie Simpson, also contributes several quilts with the same salt air theme. I'm now taking pre-orders for this and two other new books that will be available at the end of the month. Pre-Ordering = Free Shipping when the books arrive. See my What's New page for more info on this and the other new books.

Something new from Pineberry Lane: Wool Pinkeeps. I love these two sweet and simple designs. The pattern contains charts for both and finishing instructions. To be honest, I'll be winding down cross-stitch on my web site this year, but every now and then can't resist getting something that speaks to me, and this does! This is available now.

Have a great day!

Waiting for This Guy

I'm waiting for this guy. Impatiently. There's a new Primitive Quilts and Projects on the way (see cover, below).

The wall quilt on the cover is Cheri Payne's contribution. I'm dying to know what else is in this issue, aren't you? Hoping this guy shows up soon!

New Year, New Beginnings

I met my precious new granddaughter, Sophie this weekend. I've never seen such a tiny, fragile creature! She is beautiful and getting stronger by the minute. A little nerve-wracking seeing her hooked up to IVs and under a blue light due to a bit of jaundice, but by the time we left the hospital today they'd taken her off that blue light. I got to feed her and hold her for a bit. She's being fed here by her Dad. I love the way she's studying him! What a great moment! She's been making little smiles from time to time, people say it's gas, but I like to think she's happy to be born and with her new family! My mother, her great grandma, was pleased as punch to meet her too. Is there any better way to start a new year than to welcome a new baby into the world?

Hope you all had safe and happy New Year celebrations. Bring it on, 2012!

Cheers,