Stitch Pink for October

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I am super excited to get going on the Stitch Pink sampler quilt from Moda. I was told I wouldn’t receive my fabric until mid-October but it came in ‘early’. I will be busy making up a sample but let’s be honest – life gets in the way and I will be playing catch up throughout the month. Anyone else have that issue?  I will be keeping the patterns on my hard drive and can print them as needed and whenever needed (I’m kind of a hoarder of patterns and never delete any of them).

Kits are available for this great tribute for Breast Cancer Awareness month. I like that it is all pink but not ribbons. My granddaughter Hannah is going to love this quilt as pink is her favorite color (along with purple). My plan is to find a worthy recipient to bless with it. I’m thinking a little minky back and it will be perfect for someone going through the battle.

Limited kits are available – so don’t delay. Let me know to set one back for you today!!

Happy sewing and stay well ~~Denice

Counting my Blessings

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What a state our world is in. I find myself trying to find a new ‘normal’ and failing with the ever changing requirements. I joke with my family often that I could easily be a hermit, but people come in to visit the store and my social needs are met. These days…not so much. With the Governor ordering us to close business doors I am working to meet my customers needs. In regards to that I have had my ever helpful husband build a closet in the back of my store. It has a lock and the combination changes with each client, as does disinfecting. This will allow customers to arrange pick up of their quilts and fabric orders as well as drop of quilt tops without coming face-to-face contact. (Wow, I never thought I would ever have to ‘say’ those words – but safety first.)

Now, back to my blessings. I am so grateful and blessed that I have such amazing customers. I miss each and every one of you. You truly have become friends and family and I miss our conversations and am looking forward the day they return. I am already planning the opening party.

I am also thankful for a mother that taught me to sew. Every quilt I put on my longarm machines give me joy as they become a treasure. I hope that feeling never goes away.

I enjoyed the weekend sewing with my daughter, something we don’t normally have time to do. It was a very relaxing, fun weekend and I feel so blessed to have a hobby that we can share. A quilt she created is now available online in a pre-cut kit featuring Dreamweaver fabric from Riley Blake Designs.

   

I hope everyone is staying safe and can enjoy the slower pace. Don’t forget to check in with friends and family to make sure everyone is holding up physically and mentally. I for one am finding the mental a bit of challenge. Gratefully I have some great friends that make the quarantine easier. I am ready for open doors and windows and welcoming spring. I can’t wait for the last spring to adorn the front of our building with color and flowers.

God’s blessings and protection to all of you. Stay safe and sew 🙂

Rose Gold for Valentine’s Day

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I’m not one for sparkly fabric but Yes Please by Jen Alyson for Riley Blake Designs has just a hint of rose gold like my iPhone and how can you go wrong with that. It also has an adorable black, white and rose gold plaid that sparked my design side so I had to come up with a project.

Here’s a look at the fabric…

…see what I mean? Adorable.

I decided it was time to trade out a Christmas table runner with something more timely so I went searching for a pattern. I found one in a quilt magazine and got busy on Friday.

It has a four patch base, which makes it go together pretty quickly.

I chain pieced, even though my Janome has scissors built in, to speed the block construction up.

I got all my blocks put together…finally. I think I spent more time un-sewing (better known as ripping) than I did sewing. Some days just seem to go that way no matter how much experience you have quilting/sewing. Maybe I should read the pattern just a touch closer and not got by the pictures.

Thanks to my better half I have a huge design wall in my sewing room that allows me to make sure I have projects right before I trim and finish.

This is what the table runner looked like prior to trimming. The pattern also gave a bonus placemat pattern utilizing the trimmed pieces so it was a win, win.

My finished Friday project is ready for quilting and I’m on to a jelly roll pattern by Moda’s Corey Yoder using Sugarcreek.

New Year…New Goals

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I can’t believe how fast 2019 came and went. I’ve started out 2020 with some specific goal setting, including more blogging on my website. So here goes…

Anyone else have trouble with prioritizing? It feels I can keep my house clean, or the store clean but when I put both together it just ends in chaos. Guess the house may not be as clean in 2020. Hahaha. Priorities. 2020 is going to be the year of completing projects and creating new items from our gorgeous fabric lines. I love the scrappy look but have yet to make a scrappy quilt. That’s one of the first things we will be changing. Get ready for some adorable scrappy quilt kits.

Over Christmas I made myself a flannel king size quilt for my bed from layer cakes. No cutting and just randomly selecting squares. My kind of quick and easy quilt. Have I got it on the longarm yet? Heaven’s no. My quilts are always the last on the schedule. 🙁

On my list of projects is a couple of adorable quilts from Poppie Cotton’s Wanderings and Farmhouse Gingham and a quilt for the bed in the apartment in the back of the store from our new Riley Blake Designs line Gingham Farm.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress. First I need to finish a quilt for a friend out of some grey and dark red flannel…

There’s always a project on my sewing table…and sometimes 2 or 6. When I first started quilting I was very determined to not have more than one quilt purchased or going at a time. Hahaha. That lasted one quilt. I always have more ideas than I do time these days. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Guess it’s time to get quilting…Until next time

2019 – New Year…New Styles

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What a busy start to the new year. As I was looking around the store to see what needed to be addressed it hit me that  2 quilts I had displayed need to come down and there were tons of holes from quilts I’ve sold and not replaced. In total 8-9 quilt ‘vacancies’. That got my adrenaline going to say the least and I have been working my sewing machine over time. I have made 6 (some original designs) in the past 2 weeks. Here’s a look at a few of them.

   

My Longarm (Bessie) has also been going strong with customer quilts but hopefully I will get some of mine in the mix soon. I have 1,000’s of patterns for both edge-to-edge (all over) designs as well as custom. I am not a paisley girl, but this cute little baby quilt looks so sweet with the pale pink paisley design.

This is another customer custom quilt done with 2-colors of thread. The black and white design are so striking.

Next I will be working on an appliqué project using wool curlers (9″x16″ pieces). I have never worked with hand dyed wool before so wish me luck!

Happy Sewing and stop by and see what’s new!

Pumpkin Spice and Orange Leaves….

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I am so excited for fall. My diffuser has Thieves and Cloves going and it smells so yummy. I am sure enjoying the brisk mornings and sleeping with the window open, now if it would just stay cool all day long!  I am working on some cloth napkins for my fall table.

I think they are going to look so cute at family dinners and will work right through Thanksgiving (when it will be time for CHRISTMAS).

The longarm (Bessie) has been stitching away. I can’t decide what I like more. Designing and making quilts or turning other people’s creations into treasures  (with batting and thread). I hope I never loose that feeling I get when I put a quilt on the quilting machine and it turns into a real quilt!

This Saturday is ‘National Sew a Jelly Roll Day’. We will be in the classroom celebrating and making a beginner friendly quilt. I can’t wait! The sound of machines, chatter and laughter — there’s nothing like it. Check out our class schedule on our events page and come join us.

We’re ONE!!!

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To say I love what I do would be an understatement…in fact it took me some looking to discover when we opened our doors. I’m happy to say it’s been a year of making my dream come true. When I started quilting (thanks to my wonderful mom) it was love at first stitch. I dreamed of making it my “job” and a year ago it became a reality. I still dabble in the newspapers we own, and watch my two wonderful grand babies, but I also get to sew all day every day. What a JOY!

This is my latest project that features some of my favorite Bible verses. I love the floral fabric and the reminder that we all need to trust in the Lord.

I also made a couple of Jayhawk quilts. Matching Jayhawk and Baby Jay quilts for some great people. I am not a huge college sport fan but I love appliqué.

Another favorite is the old truck Christmas quilt. I love antiques, red and EVERYTHING Christmas and I get it all in one quilt with this fabric line. I got to do a little paper piecing as well, which is not something I do everyday. Learning and expanding my skills is always challenging but something I truly enjoy.

Thank you to all my customers (online and in-store) for a great first year. I can’t wait to see what comes in the second year and look forward to many more classes, fun times and new projects.

Happy sewing!!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year….

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Anyone that knows me knows I go a little bit overboard for Christmas…especially snowmen, villages, trees – okay pretty much everything that has to do with Christmas and the birth of Christ. This week has been just like Christmas at the quilt store, as most of our Christmas fabrics have arrived!! I am head over heals excited and immediately designed and made this ‘Welcome Winter’ quilt. It still needs the final border as I have been debating what fabric to use…decisions, decisions.

My next project is going to be the Old Pickup Line by Jan Shade Beach. Got some starting points but have to tweak the pattern just a touch to fit the fabrics. Hope to have it complete this weekend…you know, if life doesn’t get in the way of my sewing time.

All the new fabric will be on the shelves this weekend – had to build (well, have my husband and son build) some new racks for it all. There’s LOTS of knew fabric in stock – so if you haven’t come in and browsed in awhile, stop in and see me!!

Happy sewing!!

Sunflowers are my favorite!!

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I LOVE the new collection from Wilmington Prints called Sunset Blooms. It is filled with colorful sunflowers and vibrant peonies. The collection includes a free project sheet with two quilts that are gorgeous.

It also includes a placemat panel with four designs that I am working on right now. I am making them reversible with one of the coordinating fabrics. It is a quick project that is going to look fantastic on my table this summer and fall.

Come check out all the new fabrics and get inspired for summer and fall.

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B etween customers, quilting, newspaper business and grandkids it sometimes appears to be utter chaos at Honeycomb Quilts. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love having little helpers underfoot, at least most of the time. I keep dreaming of how much better my granddaughter, Hannah Jo, will be at quilting than I am and it truly excites me. She sits on my lap while I sew and her feet go nighty to nothing with excitement. And Harrison has his own little ‘iron’ that doesn’t get heated up to press his fabric.

We still manage to accomplish business amongst the chaos so come in and browse around and enjoy a ‘hi’ or two or three from Harrison.

This week’s project is creating a t-shirt quilt for a very special college girl. I always enjoy being a part of special projects that tell a little history of life. Can’t wait to share the finished product once it gets complete.

Here’s wishing you a Happy Easter and a weekend full of family, fun, and sewing!