I stopped quilting long enough to read a book

Blog 64

Welcome back to "SEAMS LIKE HOME"!

I actually stopped quilting long enough to read a book!  You know I'm obsessed with quilting so putting my quilting down long enough to read is BIG!  Of course I was a little afraid of separation anxiety so when I picked a book to read I went to the Sunbonnet Sue Club library and got a book about quilters; "The Quilters - women and domestic Art; An Oral History".  The book has only 157 pages with lots of photos so I figured I could get through it pretty fast and back to my quilting.

This is not a "How To" book, this is a book about pioneering women who settled in Texas and New Mexico.  It documents oral stories of their lives, and what role quilting played. There are many stories of the women as children quilting with their Mothers and Grandmothers, carrying on the tradition.
The book is divided into times of the quilters lives; Childhood, Youth, Middle Years, and Old Age.
The biggest change between now and then is the NEED for quilts to keep warm in the brutal winters while living in dug-outs and step-down cabins. The thing that remains the same is the friendships that quilting facilitates, bringing women together in social settings, and how women found the time, no matter how busy, to quilt.  I recommend this book, it was a fascinating read.  Now back to quilting!

On the road again to Poulsbo

Blog 63

Welcome back to "SEAMS LIKE HOME"!

On the road again, delivering posters for the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt show in Sequim, Washington.  I continued South along Puget Sound to the two Poulsbo Quilt stores. Poulsbo, also known as "Little Norway",  has a population of under 10,000.  Two quilt stores may seem like too many for a small town but that's not true. These two stores are very supportive of each other and coincidentally their owners have a the same first name, Beatrice.

The Quilt Shoppe is located in a big blue, century-old house in the old downtown area. The owner is French as you can tell the minute she talks to you in her lovely voice.   There, I saw beautiful books on handwork that I haven't seen anywhere else. Also, wonderful wool, threads and ribbons. She currently has a  block of the month group meeting in her shop.  I just couldn't resist one of the block of the month patterns she had on the wall.  It is a great pattern for the North-West.

The Quilt Shoppe in Poulsbo WA..

B's Fabric Fun & Sewing is located in the upper part of town on Viking Avenue.

You will see the bright pink banner from the road with colorful pink and blue buttons painted on the building.  The Owner,  Beatrice will greet you with a lively Hello, and help  you find what you are looking for.  She is a TinLizzie Dealer and she carries lots of the "Enchanted Valley Arts" patterns that are of local interest.  She also has long arm services and a nice big class room space.  I got a real kick out of the sign in the window; B's Fabric Fun & Sewing was shortened to BFF'S, I believe it means, Best Friends Forever 'S (Plural).  I Like it!

SEW ON AND SEW FORTH!

Judy

Two Ports and a Ferry

Blog 62

Welcome Back To "SEAMS LIKE HOME"!

I'm back on the road going West to East delivering Posters and bookmarks to advertise the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Show.  This time I'm going to two ports and a Ferry!

The first "Port" is Port Townsend, WA.  Just on the outskirts of town is Creative Union, a pretty quilt shop in a pretty location. The Owner, Susan, is the Creative force behind Creative Union.  She has lots of great ideas and truly loves what she does.  The shop has a nice selection of fabric with lots of samples on the walls.  It's light and airy and a pleasant place to shop.  It has a big roomy classroom too.
 

Next stop, or "Port", is Port Gamble and Quilted Strait.  This is a beautiful large open shop with Lots of fabric and a great selection of Handwork items including wool, specialized threads, needles, patterns and kits.  They have a great classroom and often have well known Instructors.

Quilted Strait's home is a historical building in the Historical Town of Port Gamble.  The Atmosphere here is quaint with lots of historical buildings along the shore at the entrance to the Hood Canal.  A great store in a lovely town.  

Next Stop the "Ferry" in Kingston.

The Kingston Quilt Shop is literally right by the Kingston Ferry terminal.  It's in a cute row of buildings right on the main street.  There's plenty of parking in the back.  It has a good selection of fabrics, especially batiks and a wall full of patterns.  They have longarm quilting services and an area of the shop for classes.

As I said before, Kingston Quilt Shop is right by the Ferry.  Stay to the left or you will be getting ON the Ferry.  As for me, I'll stay to the left because I'd rather enjoy shopping in this quilt shop than get on the boat!

Plus there is an ice cream shop next door!

A quick jog off course, but I have a reason...

Blog 61

Welcome Back to "SEAMS LIKE HOME"!

I know I said I would hit the quilt shops on a trip from West to East, BUT...  Time is of the Essence... there is a Deadline...  YEP! We have a Challenge!  There is a SALMON Challenge in Gig Harbor!!!

I love a challenge - in quilting that is.  So I jogged off course, skipping around so you would hear about the challenge in time.

Quilt Revolution in Gig Harbor has issued a challenge for the Western Washington Shop Hop in June.  The deadline to submit your challenge quilt is June 21st.  This looks like so much fun I'd really like to do it!  There are no rules, what's not to like?  We'll see if I can get it done in time .

Some of the entries she has are titled:

Salmon Like it Hot - Salmon Say's - Green Eggs & Salmon - Uncle Salmon - Play it Again Salmon - Final Exsalmon - Salmon Enchanted Evening - Run Salmon Run - Salmon and Garfunkle - Salmonopoly - Salmon-ella

Back to the store, Quilt Revolution.  It is a really cute store with great lighting and nice large windows in front and back. I love being able to really see the fabric in good lighting.

They haves plenty of fabrics to choose from and have long arm services too.

The store owner was helpful and pleasant.  She has a really good sense of humor; Hey, she's having a SALMON CHALLENGE!!!



I now know I have a good reason for turning off the highway into Gig Harbor... Quilt Revolution!


p.s.  Tides restaurant is a good place to eat too.

Publicity - Get the word out

Blog 60

Welcome back to "SEAMS LIKE HOME"!

Now, to get the word out about the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Show.  We need to distribute the posters and bookmarks to all the Western Washington Quilt shops. That way when quilters shop, as they often do, (and do they ever!) they'll find out about the show.  We could just mail the posters and bookmarks but I'd like to deliver as many as I can myself.  I want the delivery to be more personal than just something in the mail.  Traveling from West to East I began my trek to as many quilt stores as I can hit in a few days. Hey! somebody has to do it right?

First up: The Sleepy Valley Quilt company in Port Angeles.  I love the quilt on the line out front and the arbor welcoming you as you enter the store from the side door.  There is a homey feel to the store like entering someone's home and living room.  There are lots of fabrics and patterns to look at, and they offer classes too.

This store could very well be the most North Westerly Quilt store in the contiguous United States.  I'm not sure of this but I will go into details of it's physical location in another blog.

Next: The Sequim Quilt Co. in Sequim.  This is a fairly new store. They are continuing to build their inventory of fabric but their real claim to fame is their Long Arm Quilting.  They have two long arm quilters.


 The store has an industrial feel and that's because it is in an industrial area of town.  But I'm sure you know what I do about quilt stores. We quilters will find them no matter where they are! Their inventory is still growing but they may have that special something you are looking for.

Then on to Karen's Quilt Shop also in Sequim. It's located in a mall on the main street of town.  Karen's has a nice selection of fabric, with the emphasis on Batiks.

They are also a Bernina sewing machine dealer!
        

They have really nice classroom too.

OK, that's three great shops so far.  I'll keep traveling the Olympic Peninsula then I'll be back with more photos and info.

HAPPY QUILTING!

Maybe I'll figure out this Publicity thing after all?

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I know Nothing about Publicity!  Well, maybe I should say I knew Nothing about Publicity.  We are getting ready for the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Show in July, so now we need the word to get out.  Thanks so much to my new buddies Gail M. and Marilyn R. I'm learning a lot.

First... Posters!  Before I volunteered (or was volunteered) to co-chair the Publicity Committee, a lot of work had already been done.  The poster artist who is also a Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club member, had been contacted to create the art work.  All I had to do was follow up with her and the printer.
We love how it turned out!

Next... the bookmarks.  Lynda from the Printers and I sat together for 3 hours while she worked with photos of our Raffle Quilt and the information about the Quilt Show to create awesome bookmarks.  Again we love how they turned out.

Maybe I'll figure out this Publicity thing after all?

Dreamy Hexagons, Border Number 4 is finished, 1 Border to go!

Blog 58

Welcome back to "SEAMS LIKE HOME!"

Back to "Dreamy Hexagons".  This Quilt kit I bought in January is nearly done!  Border number 4 is finished, there's 1 border to go.  Border 4 took me forever with twenty 16 patch blocks and setting triangles, but it was worth it, I love it.  The finish line for this quilt top is just around the corner!