Tuesday 31 January 2012

Quilt Patch adventures!


Ya so....have you been wondering where I've been and why the blog has been so quiet?
Laying on a beach in Mexico!
That's right...I took an actual honest to goodness holiday!! Although I have to be completely honest...I only lasted 3 days without internet before I was sneaking off feeding my dirty little addiction, purchasing wi fi!
So as soon as I deplaned from Mexico, I had a little nap, one full day at work, unpacked, repacked and Jeanne and I were off to Chilliwack, BC to teach at Hamels fabrics!

Hamels Fabrics, Chilliwack, BC
What an adventure! We started setting up the display of our quilts in her warehouse area on Thursday, but first we had to pick up some pipe and drape from the Trade Centre hosting a Home show just up the street from Hamels. Now, I gotta tell you, I couldn't help myself, I knew this was way too funny to just chuckle about and walk away - I had to share this.......

Sign on the bathroom door at the Chilliwack Trade Centre!!
We had a leisurely set up day on Thursday, enjoyed the gorgeous scenery outside of Paulines shop, which by the way is right next door to her home! Her commute is a killer!

Paulines commute - house on the right - shop on the left!
Gorgeous scenery all the way to work!

Jeanne doing what she does best!

Our display in Hamels warehouse area!

We stayed in Pauline's super amazing 5th wheel in her driveway! It's absolutely gorgeous! It had all the perks and amenities one could ask for...except....HEAT AT 6AM! Well we actually figure the propane ran out much sooner than that, but that's about what time we were so cold we could no longer sleep! We waited until 7 to text Pauline and tell her the heat was gone! She ran over in her pjs and set us up with space heaters and turned on the fireplace (now why didn't we think of that?)

Jeanne shivering in fron of the space heater and fireplace!

So once we were feeling warm enough to go ahead and take showers, I volunteered to go first while Jeanne made another pot of coffee. At that point our heat was short lived - we blew the breaker! So not only did we have no more coffee, we showered and dressed in the cold, then ran into Pauline's house with wet hair for a blow dry! Ahhhh adventures! It could only get better as the day went on right? Not so much! So after the dreadfully cold and inconvenient start to our morning, we made our commute to Hamels (across the driveway, over the porch and through the gate!) only to discover that the Hydro Sub Station was on fire! Now for the first little while I have to admit....that meant nothing to me....until I realized the Hydro Sub Station is right next door to Hamels Fabrics and Pauline's home!!!

The back of Paulines' house with the view of the Substation on fire!

A close up view!

We scrambled like crazy women lighting candles and finding flashlights so the customers could still see the display we had set up the say before.....only to find out....there would be no customers! The fire department had shut down both roads leading in and out of the area! Sheesh! To make a long story short, no power until 4:30ish pm, no customers, and again....NO HEAT!

Not to worry, the next day was much better! We decided to continue with the display and hold the class in another area of the store. I taught the Market Fresh class and Jeanne manned our display! It was a great day! I had a wonderful group of ladies who all enjoyed the class very much!


Spending the weekend with us was Pauline's very very good friend Cindy Pierce! She's such a pleasure to be around, and it was very fun to see her again! Both her and Pauline helped us take down our display and pack it up!
Pauline and Cindy

I think we wore Pauline out!!
Then we retired to the trailer for a little wine and a lot of yakking! It was a fabulous weekend!


Thanks so much to Pauline for having us out to her shop, Hamels Fabrics!

Friday 13 January 2012

Guess what we got today?

Look at what came in the door today!!

Shasta by The Quilt Patch for Clothworks
It's amazing! It looks way better then the strike offs we received before Quilt Market!! 
It's all so vibrant and rich! 
This is our Air Ship Yardage. When the fabric, which is printed in Korea, is ready to ship to Clothworks in Seattle, they take some of it and send it by air so that we (the designers) can whip up something amazing with it before the actual bolts come in the door, which should be in the next three weeks or so!

Shasta air ship yardage

Friday 6 January 2012

Back at 'er!

Well it's 2012 and we are back in the saddle! After admittedly slacking off the month of December, we are back designing, creating, sewing, scheming and generally getting done what we've been procrastinating over!
Jeanne and I have started working on a new fabric collection! Even though our first fabric collection, 'Shasta' doesn't ship until February, it's a long process from beginning to end so we are back to the drawing board....literally! We design in a bit of an archaic method, but it works for us!
We've also got the go ahead from Martingale and Co for another book! Yep, working on book #3! This book will release in 2013. Again, a long process from beginning to end! While I can't show you the actual projects from the book, I can give you a few hints as to what you might see!
A book #3 project waiting to be sewn!
You will see the dark rich colours we favour! The photo above will be a completed project soon! I think it's might be my favourite project yet and it's not even made! So excited for this one!
You will see applique!
Oh yes, always applique! You will see flowers in book 3! This is just a small peek at an unfinished project for the book!
Simple piecing
We like to make sure the projects in our books have a really good mixture that appeals to a wide variety of quilters, so you will see some simple pieced projects. The scrunched up quilt in the photo above is another actual unfinished project from the book, however, it would give it away of you could see the block, and it has to be a surprise!!! I'm excited about this quilt! It's a simple 2 colour quilt with a unique block design. The type of pattern that lends itself to a huge variety of colours and fabrics! I think the choice are going to be endless with this one! And it makes me want to whip up many colour versions!
Rick Rack and Buttons
It doesn't come as a surprise that you might see rick rack and buttons does it? If you know us well, this shouldn't surprise you!

Jeanne's Inbox!
So right now, this is what book #3 actually looks like! Yep, random papers, scribbles and notes. Fabric for projects waiting to be completed, calculations and ideas!
So if everything goes according to plan....and sometimes our plans change mid stride....you should see everything I've just showed you, plus a fabulous scrappy fully pieced quilt with an amazing border, some flying geese will make an appearance, a sunflower or two, big chunky applique, wool, and much more!