Novelty Fabrics - New Arrivals

Looking for some fun novelty fabrics to make graduation pillowcases? The shoes and volley balls arrived today - we've had the Corvettes for a while. These are just a few of our fun novelty prints.

I almost finished putting together the quilt I'm doing for Love of Quilting. It should be done on Friday.

New Block of the Month

I told you you'd be the first to get details on our new block of the month. Here they are.

"For our next block of the month (May 2010) we've chosen Lori Smith's Aunt Maggie's Patchwork Quilt. It is 68"X86"

Most of the fabric in this quilt will be from Julie Larsen's first fabric line, Prairie Homefront.

The photo is just a computer mock up. The center backgrounds will be a little darker. The 'side triangles' will all be one fabric. Border corners will be mitred.

This is a ten month program. Along with the first two patterns, you will receive for month one (extra postage will be charged). For the next eight months you will receive only patterns (two per month-minimal postage). Month ten will be completion instructions and border and binding fabric (extra postage again).

We will only be making fifty kits so it is essential that you sign up as soon as possible if you want to be included. The besst way to sign up is to call the shop 712-764-7012. You may sign up by email if you do not mind sending you credit card number."

I've been asked to make a quilt for Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting Magazine using my line of fabric. Five or six years ago, I designed Star Baskets. I will use this pattern for the quilt. tight now, I plan to use mostly the red fabrics from my line. I only have until May 15th to finish so I've really got to get piecing. They really liked the pattern, but want it to be rectangular - that means more piecing and redoing the pattern.

We're almost done cutting kits for our new block of the month. I'm just working out details such as price, etc. You'll see them here first.

We've been selling lots of kits for this fun kids quilt - Jungle Friends. It's flannel and big enough for a youth bed. Bet you know someone who'd love it.

Yesterday we cut kits for those doll quilts (made from my fabric) that I showed you the other day.

I hurried through my quarterly bookwork this morning so that I could get outside on this perfect Spring day. I don't remember a nicer Spring. Maybe thait just seems that way because the Winter was so bad. I divided and moved hostas. Last Summer I took photos of all my hosta beds. I was able to see from them which plants were going to be too big for their space, etc. It was also good that I took notes w/ names because many of my labels didn't make it.

Every Spring we order a new bunch of Touch Quilter's Gloves-but we all love them for gardening instead. They keep your hads clean and your nails safe but are really flexible to reach in a pluck the tiniestweeds!

It's been a long time since we got a new set of labels. These are from Thimbleberries and you get 32 labels for only $6 - what a deal!

Yesterday we shipped our samples (using my fabric line) that will be displayed at quilt market.

The top photo is my Prairie Homefront Medallion. This is the quilt that will be offered as a download on Fabri-Quilt's website. Some of you may recagnize the pattern as one I designed for our Winter retreat several years ago. We called it Runaway Stars. We will be making kits for this sample.

Several of our staff members made the small quilts for me using patterns from some of our Doll Quilt series. We've decided that we will also kit these.

Our friend Donelle brought her Harley to the shop yesterday. I didn't turn down the offer of a ride around the block. She has a lot of fun with it and I can see why.

Finally! Today the UPS brought in seven big boxes of my Prairie Homefront fabric. It seems like we've waited forever. I've had pieces of each design for a couple of weeks and we have really been busy stitching up samples for Quilt Market - but now we actually have fabric for sale.

If you'd like to see the complete line, just go to our new website www.prairiestarquilts.com - better yet, come see it in person.

We Need Quilts!

Once again we are in charge of the Tivoli Fest Quilt Show. It will be held on Saturday May 29. It's a casual show with winners chosen by viewer's choice. Prairie Star Quilts awards three gift certificates.

Because this year is Elk Horn's Centennial Celebration we are also accepting antique quilts. Otherwise, we ask only that your quilt not have been exhibited at our show before.

Bring your quilt/quilts to the shop by Monday May 25.

This afternoon our new website finally went live. I hope you will visit it soon. I've spent a lot of time getting it ready and I plan to spend a lot of time in the future making it interesting and up to date. Not all features are fully operating yet (for example, there are no newsletters in the archives) but we have a lot more product on this site. I put all of my new fabric line on even though we may not be able to start shipping any of it for about two weeks.
Our web address is the same as always www.prairiestarquilts.com

Today I pieced the sixth doll quilt in series #4. I've worked my way through my nieces and am now starting on grandnieces. This one is named Alexis.

I'm sorry if you've tried to access my website today. We are now in the middle of the changeover and the new site should be up tomorrow. I'm excited about having you see it.

http://jansfolkartblog.blogspot.com/ This is a link to my sister's new blog. Many of you are familiar with her embroidery and wool felt patterns which we carry and kit in our shop. The name of her pattern company is A Piece of Work.

Our retreat center was busy this weekend hosting members of the Heart to Heart Guild. They have been holding their annual retreat here for several years. We always enjoy having them.

Some fun show and tell yesterday. Mary brought her turtle quilt so we could see it before she mailed it off. The turtle in the lower right corner is actually a stuffed toy separate from the quilt. It will be attached in a way so that it can be taken off and played with.

Carol's light house quilt is a gift for her sister. She brought in the lighthouse blocks and I helped her choose the fabric's.

We love seeing the results of fabric we help to pick out.

Karma purchased a kit on our half price sale for Prickly Star. She decided she didn't want to make that quilt but used the fabric to come up with another great quilt. Good idea, huh? Almost anytime you see a half price kit, the fabric alone is going to be worth it.

Mary Lou has been working for awile on this quilt for her son's upcoming wedding. She brought it in to choose a back. It's a fabulous quilt that we have watched develop along the way. Her son and his wife will have an heirloom.

More projects from the retreat two weekends ago - just wanted to share the photos

Just had to share this photo of Katie and her first quilt. It was hanging in their dining room for Easter - perfect colors.
Katie's Mom, Shelley attends a retreat here twice a year and Katie has been to one or two. I think she will get to join us this Fall.

All of us at Prairie Star Quilts hope you have a Happy and Blessed Easter.

Ilene was also at one of last weekend's retreats. She's been doing a lot lately with silks and says she really likes working with them.