What's Hot from The Cloth Shop March 15 2010

Monday morning (the 15th!!) when I started this What's Hot newsletter I told myself that I would not go home until I had sent it away! Well! Tuesday lunchtime arrived and there were still some more things to add! Now it is Wednesday lunchtime......... and it is going now! Today is "Wednesdays are for Quilting" and our classroom is full of ladies working on their projects - machines are whirring all around me. Some of the projects being worked on today are Fairy quilts, Saturday Sam[pler Blocks , There is no such thing as an Innocent Cat Blocks, Chocolate Drops quilt (made in bright colours) My favourite things quilt, a pretty floral pinwheel quilt, an animal "I Spy" and a retro quilt started 17 years ago and now almost finished - and looking fabulous!

We have had a great busy week - lots of visitors from throughout New Zealand and overseas -Take a look at our blog to see what we have been doing!

http://clothshopblog.blogspot.com/

Beautiful Fabric!!

There is a selection from Kaffe Fassett's Plink, Rustic Floral and Serape ranges, Philip Jacob's Coleus, Pompom dahlias and persian Vase ranges and Amy Butler's Love. We have also received Brandon Mably Fish Lips Laminated fabric - this would be marvellous for a "swingy" style coat or jacket.. It is 60" wide and $60.00 per metre - another gorgeous one is Kaffe Fasset's Home Dec Millefiore Red. All these fabrics will be on our website on Friday, http://www.clothshop.co.nz/index.php?page=new but in the meantime this photo will give you a little taste ............................ There are some other new fabrics on there thought - take a looki!

Pillow Talk!!

Last Saturday we released the first two cushions in our new Pillow Talk series. Both of these cushions #1 Chenille and #2 Smocking are included in this pattern - it contains instructions on how to make the chenilling and the smocking and also instructions on how to make and sew on piping, how to make a buttoned back and how to sew the cuhsion together. Pattern $20.00

New Books and Magazines

Pieced Applique by Penny Haren - Innovative Techniques for creating Perfect Blocks for Successful Projects. Excellent instructions for making blocks that have tricky angles - easy using this method. Book $68.30

Cotton Theory - Courthouse Combo - This really is a clever book - shows you how to make blocks that are completely reversible. We did one of the tablemats for Saturday Strippers last weekend - one side was made in pukekos, spots and stripes and the other side was wineglasses and fabrics with the names of wine printed on it.. One of the projects in this book is a Three block runner which would be great as a table runner. Book $30.00

American Quilter $18.00 and Asian Fabric - quilting and design ideas for inspired minds - $20.00

Blokkenspel and Foam Blocks

This is not a new pattern but as we have received another order of perfectly cut foam squares we thought it was a good time to mention it again. The foam blocks are perfectly cut into 2" squares - this is important because if the squares slope to one side or are not square at the top or bottom the Blokkenspel will not sit nice and flat. The Blokkenspel in this photo is made by Pam Smith and she has chosen a theme of "ladies" - golf ladies, 50"s ladies,fruit and vegetable ladies 30's ladies, quirky ladies and ladies with big fruit bottoms!. We know of other Blokkenspel that are made with Kiwiana fabric, Christmas fabric and Children's bright "I Spy" fabrics. The photo on our pattern cover is made from stripes and spots in bright colours. http://www.clothshop.co.nz/index.php?page=80 Patterns are $20.00 and the foam block packs (contain eight foam blocks) - enought for one Blokkenspel -are $15.00.

New Sequins and velvets from Colourstreams

Recently we had Robyn Alexander here teaching a class - before she left we bought her entire range of sequins. She sources these in India and they are quilte different - and lovely! Adrienne Walker also used some of the Colourstream flower sequins for her Christmas Decorations. $3.50 per bag.

We also bought a selection of Colourstreams hand dyed silk/rayon velvet packs- they have sold like hotcakes but we still have some left. $16.00.

This weekend we have a Quilt in a Day Class

This is an excellent class for someone who want to make a quilt and hasn't made one before. After you choose your fabric and pattern we will cut your fabric so that when you arrive at the class all you have to do is ....SEW! By the end of the day you will have your quilt top finished!

It is also a great class for someone who has made lots of quilts - you can choose your pattern and fabric - we will cut it out and you can have a lovely pocket of time just to SEW!

Class is $150 - that includes fabrics, class fee, lunch and morning and afternoon tea.

Every Block is an Experience or as Griet calls it Piece as u go!

Griet Lombard will be teaching this class once a month on the second Sunday of the Month. She will show you how to make Stars, Houses, Boats, Cats in her unique template free method. - Griet says " the aim of this class is to teach students to design and piece their own blocks without templates: to work within the confines of piecing but using their own creativity".

Griet is inspirational! This class may sound a little scary, but we think it will be a great place to learn a new technique and create a quilt that it truly unique! http://www.clothshop.co.nz/index.php?page=workshops

The class runs for six months - Fee is $150.00 or you can pay $30.00 per lesson if you want to. This is also a great class to use your "scraps" as only small amounts of fabric are needed for each of the blocks. We also have a huge selection of scrap bags - only $7.00 each that are suitable for this class.

Class with Anna Williams - Shaded faces 2

Anna will help you take a photo and reproduce it in fabric and stitch. She has used of photo of her grandson for her sample, but you can choose any photo you like for your masterpiece. Anna is an excellent teacher and everyone who comes to her classes goes away with lots of little tips and ideas, plus the knowledge learned from the class. http://www.clothshop.co.nz/index.php?page=workshop

Wednesdays are for Quilting

This class is on every Wednesday. Day - all day or any part of the day you would like to come.

You can work on your own project, so this a good chance to start a special project. The Cloth Shop Girls are here to help you through all the steps of your quilt from start to finish.

The photo shows two regular Wednesday girls, Judith and Jenny working on their quilts

Tote and Gloat

The Cloth Shop will be at Tote and Gloat in Palmerston North on Saturday the 1st May. We have tickets for this event available at the shop, which we are selling on behalf of the Rose City Quilters.

WE ARE SPONSORING THE EVENT WITH A HUSQVARNA SEWING MACHINE. EVEYONE WHO BUYS A TICKET FOR TOTE AND GLOAT WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN A BRAND NEW HUSQVARNA SEWING MACHINE TO TAKE HOME!

The Binding Tool

This is a little binding tool that I bought when we were at the Houston Quilt Market. It looked so great when I saw the demo's - so I purchased some. However when I came to use it here I just couldn't get the angles to work so put them to one side. You know that saying " if things don't work then read the instructions" - well I did - and guess what it is so easy to use and you have a perfectly joined binding every time.

Arrived this morning!!

Two New magazines

Have a great week!!

Just one more thing!

A Kitten's Tale - Block of the Month. Ready to go - we are just waiting for the patterns to arrive!