Loon Country Shop Hop

Quilter's "Start your engines!"

Today is the opening day of the "Loon Country Shop Hop". The hours are today(Thursday) 9-5. Tomorrow, Friday 9-7 and Saturday 9-5. The beauty hanging here is our version of this years Shop Hop Quilt. The name is "Stars at Bear Cabin" and the pattern was designed by Kim Tyson of "Country Caboose Quilts" in Wahkon. We have created our sample with Batiks which as become our signature over the years we have been part of the "hop". We hope you like it. This beauty is going home with me. It is King-size and the stunning machine quilting was done by Linda Beal of "Linda's Quilting by Design" of Hinckley. Linda worked tirelessly to have the quilt quilted in time for us to hang it this am. The over-all quilting pattern is called "In the Moment" , I like that. Contact information for Linda is available here at the shop. Please call and we will be happy to help you out.

The post today will be short as the quilter's are arriving and Melissa is getting swamped.

A quick update on the "make-over" at my parent's home. They arrived home safe and sound and we were waiting at the end of the driveway. The changes we made over the winter they absolutely loved. They may have felt for a brief moment that it was someone else's house but everything about it still said "home".

And then there's this:

I have a friend who is in the local nursing home recovering from knee replacement surgery. Last week I wanted to go and visit and I had 2 year old Nolan for the day so he came along with me. Nolan is social as only a 2 year old can be. He strikes up conversations in the post office, with people on the street, virtually anywhere he goes. He is curious, animated and kind and he is convinced all people are the same. When we got to the nursing home we walked down two long hallways with residents sitting outside their rooms. Nolan greeted everyone alike, he said "hi" and lifted his pants leg to show off his cowboy boots. He told them about the new railing(log) that Poppa is making and announced we were going to see "Mary". When we were done visiting Mary we went to say a quick Hi to Nolan's Great-grandmother. When we left she put out her hand to shake Nolan's but he put out his arms and hugged her and then kissed her cheek.

This is what I know: Nolan sees people as people only. Not with frailty, dependence on adaptive devices, not with age or mental or physical ability. He was truly happy to be where he was and showed no fear or discomfort at an environment some find uncomfortable. He told everyone what he had on his mind, he spread joy without even trying and when he was faced with a social situation at one point that he had no experience with, he danced. We should all be so brave.

Till next time!

Mark your calenders!

The new fabrics of spring seem to have helped usher in awesome spring weather. We have been enjoying highs in the upper 50's and after a long, long winter this seems like a heat-wave. Today tho is a reminder that we aren't quite out of it yet but we will be soon.

The photos show some of the new lines just in here at Seams Like Home. We are featuring "Cherish Nature" by Deb Strain for Moda,

"Modern Meadow" by Joel Dewberry for Free Spirit and "Flutter" by Allison Jane Smith for Windham Fabrics. Beautiful contemporary prints that just make you want to throw open the doors to the porch or crack the window in your sewing room and whip up a new tote for the upcoming "Shop-hop".

The 6th annual "Loon Country Shop-Hop" kicks off Thursday April 8 at 9am. The hours are th. 9-5, fri. 9-7 and sat. 9-5. This years hop promises to be something special. We have started the "shop hop quilt" and it is going to be beautiful. All 4 shops will show the quilt in fabrics of their choice. When the shops get together for our wrap-up meeting it is always fun to see the difference the fabrics choices make. New this year we welcome "Pine Needle Quilting Company" as a stop on the hop. Pine Needle is a retreat house located in Pine City on the beautiful shores of Cross Lake. Visit all 5 stops, get your card stamped, collect your pattern pieces and be entered in the drawing for the Grand Prize Pfaff Sewing Machine($1,499.00) or a Weekend Retreat Package for 5 at Pine Needle Quilt Company($700.00). In adition each individual shop will be giving one Quilter's Goodie Basket(valued at $100.00). So, grab your road trip partner and hit the road. A good way to spend an early spring weekend and a chance for the shops to visit with old friends and new.

Looking ahead: The 1st of April we return to our summer hours. The shop will be open Mon.12-6, Tuesday 10-5, Wednesday 10-6, Thursday 10-6, Friday 10-5 and Saturday 9-4.

Upcoming classes include the "Sweet Harmony Bag" on the 25th of March, the "Curve Appeal Tote on the 29th of March, "Day-n-night Quilt" on April 1st(no fooling) and the "Binder/Notebook cover on the 5th of April.

As always, we continue with open sewing on tuesdays. Book Club the 2nd thursday of the month, BOM on the 1st Saturday of the month and special events every Friday.

Saturday,March 20 is National Quilting Day. Stop in and take a short quilting quiz and be entered in the drawing for a draw prize.

And then there's this: Over the winter my brothers and sisters and our children have been doing some cosmetic work on my parents home. They have been in Texas enjoying the wind and unbeknownest to them we have been going "hog-wild" on their house. We thought we had a couple of weeks left to finish up but they called and are breaking camp early. Yikes! The truth is the house is ready but we are all feeling alittle uneasy that they might not be prepared for the liberties we have taken.
My sister said we should put a sign at the end of the driveway that says "Move that Bus!", my parents don't watch that show though so I am afraid the message might be lost on them.

This is what I know: My parents are conservative hard working people. They are generous and kind to a fault. They have modeled a life of "if you don't have something good to say about someone, say nothing." They have reached an age where as life long "do-it-yourselfers" they aren't able to go it alone. In a world of fast change, they manage very well but decisions about some things come hard. What we did this winter, they could have done but we hope in our doing it we saved them some money, some energy and some work. My brothers and sisters and our children came together and made the decisions as a group. We laughed, we shopped, we worked hard, we made the neighbors talk. At the end of the day, we stood in the kitchen and felt humbled and united. As I always do when family gathers and memories are made, I think of Mike. He would have been the first to say "Way to roll". My Mom and Dad are the Captains of a very large ship. They are so loved.

Till next time!

2 weeks and counting!!

O.K. I'll admit it. I have had daylight savings time circled on the calender since I put the new calender up in January. In two weeks we will "spring forward" and although I know winter won't be over, in my head..... it will.

The posted photos are a visual display of some of the newest fabrics at Seams Like Home. The inside of the shop looks and feels like Spring. The fabrics are fresh, fun and ready to turn into the perfect quilt to welcome Summer.

The vintage farm table holds "Olivia's Holiday" and "Pineapple Post" by Tina Givens for Free Spirit. The center photo is "Montana Modern" by Benartex and "Lakeside Resort" by Holly Taylor for Moda. The photo on the far right is "Oz" by Sanae for Moda. The sideways photo(sorry!) shows "Love" by Amy Butler for Rowan Fabrics, also new in this area, "Nicey Jane" by Heather Bailey for Free Spirit. With more fabrics arriving daily, sometimes you just have to pick a project and get started. I am currently working with "Nicey Jane" it's going to be a hard quilt to give away.

February was our annual winter retreat and I think we made the most of it. The women now come together as old friends, we know each others stories, the routine is familier, so many beautiful projects get started and some even get done. We rest, we get pampered(thanks Cindy) and we look forward to the next time we all get together. We have a waiting list so if you would like your name added, call the shop. We absorb new people in and by the end of the weekend they are part of the gang.

March will be a busy month here at Seams Like Home, we kick off the month with the label class. Join us to learn about using your computer and printer to design the "Story ending" to your quilt. Classes include the "Sweet Harmony Bag" and the "Curve Appeal Tote". We have a "pin cushion workshop" and with Block of the Month, Thimbleberries and our Book Club, April will be here before we know it.
April brings our "Loon Country Shop Hop". This years dates are April 8,9 and 10. Hours are on the 8th 9-5, the 9th 9-7 and the 10th 9-5. I'll also be in the shop more in April as will Deb and Wendy. Melissa has several commitments that will take some of her time. We are always happy to see you all and try very hard to help you as Melissa would.

The poster displays for this years "Minnesota Shop Hop" are up and we are taking advance orders. Stop in and see the "Mock-ups". The fabric is in shades of Blue and White and is "true Minnesota" and darling!

And then there's this:

I have spent the winter removing photos from old albums, re-organizing them and placing them in new albums. It has been a huge job that at times I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. We all have thousands of photos and if you are like me you spent years getting doubles of every photo you took. Needless to say, now I have to try and remember if I've seen a certain picture before and if yes, I need to throw one. (Yikes!) I was telling my Mom and she said she did the same thing when she was around my age. Then she said"I don't know what we'll ever do with all those albums, who is going to want them?"

This is what I know. Yesterday, while my grand-daughters were here I was working on one of the albums. My youngest grand-daughter was sleeping. The 4 year old was sitting across from me and she was looking through an album I finished a couple of weeks ago. It was quiet, so quiet I could hear the kitchen clock ticking. I looked over at Laura and she was turning pages slowly, I watched her eyes as they traveled from one photo to the next. She spent time with each photo, studying the faces, engraving the image in her head. Some of the photos she was in, many she was not. It didn't matter. She gave each her complete and undivided attention. It was concentration in it's purest form. She was stamping footprints on her heart.

That is why we take photos, that is why we save photos.

So to answer my Mom: I'll want them, my brothers, sisters, and all our children will want them.

They are "our" footprints.

Till next time!

Beat the Winter Blues....

Ohh, the winter blues... here at Seams Like Home Quilt Shop, we celebrate Christmas in July, so this year why not celebrate

Summer (or July) in January/ February?

After all, coundn't we use a little summer warmth this time of year?

So stop in and stock up for some great projects to keep your spirits up as the temperature continues to dip.

Saturday, January 30th : 9am-2pm

Monday, February 2nd: noon-5pm

Tuesday, February 3rd: 10am-5pm

Savings on:

20% off all juvenile and baby panels and prints

($4.80 for panels and $6..79-$7.59 per yard on prints) Why not make a few extra baby quilts this winter to have on hand for upcoming baby showers?

Over 50 new bolts added to the $5/yard clearance area

Quality fabrics, marked down. What a great way to save on backings!

With a $50 minimum purchase receive a 20% off coupon for long arm quiliting at Backwoods Quilting. A great way to get a few quilt tops completed this winter.

Baby it's COLD outside!

It's back to business today and Melissa and I would like to take this time to send you wishes for a peaceful and productive New Year. It was so good to unlock the shop doors this morning and see the "new look". Although Melissa was here most everyday over the holidays, I wasn't. So...I spent about a half an hour walking around, seeing what's new, eyeing up the samples and feeling a renewed sense of "let's get sewing".

Most of us have retreats planned for late winter and early spring and with the Christmas projects sent out to their new owners, the field is wide open for inspiration.

By now I hope all of you have received the new newsletter. I read through it myself this morning and frankly I plan to take every class. I think Melissa has gone above and beyond and found projects to make the winter fun. Love the t-shirt scarf, the re-cycled sweater mittens, all the handbags, the "It's a wrap! Bowls and Baskets(I'm making the sample for this one) and well you get the picture. We are offering again the class for Photo Quilt Labels, Thursday March 4. I simply cannot urge you strongly enough to take this class. Don't tell your story on the front of the quilt and leave off the ending. If for some reason the newsletter did not make it to your inbox, please call the shop. We don't want you to miss a thing.

New lines here at the shop include "American Vintage" by Windham Fabrics, also from Windham "Botanical", "Marrakesh"from Blank Quilting also from Blank "Winter Wonderland" and "Evening Mist" by Sentimental Studios for Moda. The sweet valentine's table runner featured in the photos is from "L'Amour" by Sandy Gervais for Moda and sells for $20.99 and includes everything for the project. The featured quilt is "Dot to Dot" it measures 48x72 and would make a sweet quilt for some little gal in your life.

Open sewing every Tuesday. Block of the months are 4 months strong and starting to visualize the finished project. "Quilters Book Club" starts next Thursday. There is still time to read the book and join us for sewing, discussion and of course, food. We'll meet on the 14Th, the first book is "The Quilter's Apprentice" by Jennifer Chiaverini and we are sewing blocks from "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler".

And then there's this:

Today before work I was running errands, feeling distracted and running late. I stopped at a stop sign and crossing the road in front of me was an elderly gentleman, maybe 80 wearing bright red tennis shoes. It's going to keep me smiling for the rest of the day.

till next time!