We've been having a great time the last few days welcoming visitors on their way to and from the AQS show. We have a sale in the retreat center which will still be going on tomorrow (Saturday) and is open to everyone whether you attend AQS or not.

It's finally here! Rouenneries by French General from Moda. There is a famous shop in LA whose owner imports antique textiles from France. Moda asked her to design a line of fabric. There are some truly great pieces - including tickings and 54" linens. We love it and have one of the most complete sselections around. You really need to coome see it.

Another of our Corning friends brought her Dear Jane quilt to show us. I have never seen one done all in blue - it was beautiful.

If you are heading to Des Moines for the AQS Show consider stopping to see us if we're on your way. We're having a special sale in the retreat center today, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. If you need us to open early or stay late call us during business hours to make arrangements.

Even if you are not going to Des Moines, you are welcome to take part in the sale.

Here's our Lincoln Commemorative top after I got it pieced - not the best photo, but I really like the quilt. These ten weeks really flew by - can't believe it is done already.

Yesterday Carol visitied us and brought these two recently completed quilts. The pink and brown was made from one of our kits and then she made a blue version, too. It's so much fun to see the same quilt done in two different color ways. I think she said she had completed seven bed sized quilts this year to be Christmas gifts for her children. What an accomplishment.

I finished the last two blocks in our LIncoln Commemorative quilt. I also pieced it together. I think it looks great. I'll do a photo tomorrow at the shop when I can get someone to help me hold it up.

We are really getting tired of all this rainy weather. We usually have a nice Fall in Iowa, but not this year. The farmers just can't seem to catch a break.

Nadine just finished this cute little quilt from Moda's Hushabye charm pack. Add a border and it would make a nice baby quilt.

I was home today. Charlie just got back from a fishing trip so we cleaned gutters and did a few other outdoor jobs. I also started work on our Christmas Open House project. We've set the date - Monday December 7. We usually do an evening and an afternoon session.

Here's our newest baby quilt. What looks like solid blue is actually chenille. It's a super simple quilt with lots of class and texture.

Pam, Shar and I spent the day moving Christmas samples and fabric from one room to the other. We're always happy with the results shen we get done, but it's a real job.

We're also making room for the French General's Rouenaries line for Moda which should be arriving any day now. We have really been looking forward to it.

Linda brought these to show us yesterday. she made her quilts in sections and then put those sections (with batting) on stretcher bars which will then be hung on the wall. It's a really interesting concept. Her daughter requested the magenta one after she saw Linda's blue and brown.

We had another busy Saturday at the shop. People are really starting to work on Christmas projects. I put our Halloween and Fall kits and fabric on sale at 25% off. If you see something in the photo that you'd lilke, give us a call. 712-764-7012

Here's a photo from Blackbird Design's booth at Quilt Market. The wall is filled with antique bird prints. Many of the booths make you want to just move in.

Here are several of the pieces in my fabric line, Prairie Homefront. I'm working on some color changes. It's a very interesting process.

I spent a lot of time today trying to catch up from four days away from the shop - lots of notes on my desk. We're working on Julefest, Christmas Open House, January Retreat and Super Bowl Sunday - trying to find perfect projects for each. I also decided on a new block of the month project while we were at Quilt Market.

Last night we got home from Houston where we have been attending Quilt Market since last Friday. We packed a lot into those few days. I had a dozen appointments with fabric companies. Much of the fabric is very contemporary. When it's good design, I can like it. We purchased several of those lines. Luckily, I could still find the 19th century reproductions I love. We got to see my fabric Prairie Homefront on cloth for the first time. It was just the rough fabric called strikeoffs. We are still going to "tweak" some of the colors, but on the whole, I was very pleased with the way it looked.

Shar and Pam walked the show looking for new patterns, books, notions and ideas. We were especially happy with some great bag patterns and garments we might actually want to make.

I also made arrangements for a new web site design. I have wanted to improve our site for a long time. We should be able to make it happen in a few weeks.

All in all a trip to Market gets us excited to get back to work with a new attitude. I'll show you more of what we found in the days ahead.

Carol completed this sample in Jason Yenter's Floragraphix IV. Blues are really becoming popular again. It seemed like they were out for a while.

Spent the day making lists of things we are looking for at Quilt Market. We'll work really hard for four days and love every minute of it.

Carol just completed this sample we call Frosty Woods. Right now we have a lot of
Christmas and Winter projects. With the change in the weather (maybe snow this weekend!) it's time to get started.

Audrey brought her Gathering Baskets to share the other day. It is really striking.

Tomorrow we film the second in our series of local access shows. The first is now airing for METC cable subscribers three times a day - 9am, 4pm and 7pm.

Quilting Girls Gone Wild spent the weekend sewing in our Retreat Center - what a fun group.
We were super busy in the shop today. Everyone must be getting ready for Winter projects.

I know this might look like part of your sewing room but they are really two bolts of fabric! We haven't decided what tto do with them yet, but couldn't resist buying them.

Wew have a nice group from the Ames area in our retreat center this weekend. When I went home tonight they were already set up and ordering pizza. Once again I wished I could just spend the weekend sewing with them.

Judy brought in this really lovely quilt. Luckily we still have the two main fabrics.

Today I worked on next month's local access TV show. The first program started airing today.

I'm also working on a new Christmas applique design - more than likely it will have to be for next Christmas since I don't applique that fast.