Sunday, May 30, 2010




Our Tivoli Fest Quilt Show yesterday was well attended. We had seventy really nice quilts. Because it was Elk Horn's Centennial year we accepted antique quilts as well as those recently made.
Winners were chosen by voter's choice. I think the "judges" take their jobs seriously. Third Place went to Betty Clemmensen of Audubon, for her Birds of a Feather. Marilyn Mathies from Omaha, Nebraska placed second with her Batik Sampler. Oh, My Gosh! made by Susan Wagner from Oakland, Iowa came in first. Those tiny squares shown in the detail are one half inch. The quilt has close to ten thousand pieces so you can see how it got it's name.
Thanks so much to all of you who shared quilts. Everyone commented on the overall quality of the show. See our website for more photos.
















Saturday, May 29, 2010

Maybe it's just because I have three nieces who are expecting babies but there sure seemed to be lots of baby and kid related items at Quilt Market. One of the booths I liked the best was Favorite Things. I even came right home and made these little slippers (the pattern includes sizes from infants to adults). I ordered most of the patterns shown here.

The quilt show is all set up and ready to open at 9 am. Looks like it is going to be a beautiful day for Tivoli Fest.

Friday, May 28, 2010


Yesterday I finished putting together number 7 in our current (4th) Doll Quilt Series. This one is named Jordan. It is not too late to join this block of the month program. $24.95 get you all the fabric for the top (plus binding), the pattern and even backing fabric.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Aardvark Quilts has some really interesting quilts as usual. I ordered a few of their patterns.
There were definitely lots of contemporary fabrics and quilts at this Market. I felet that colors were not quite as bright as they had been - maybe more sophisticated for a decorator look.

Even though I'm just back from Quilt Market I had an appointment with a sales rep yesterday and will have another tomorrow. We also have to set up the Tivoli Fest Quilt Show on Friday. We have close to seventy quilts which is a perfect number for the space. Our show will be in the Retreat Center from 9 am to 4 pm.

Monday, May 24, 2010


We got home from Quilt Market last night. My sister took this photo of me with my samples in the Fabri-Quilt booth. The fabric was selling well and I heard lots of positive comments. It was so much fun seeing people buy fabric with my name on the selvedge.
In the next few days I'll tell you lots more about what we saw.
Jan and I had a good time together. In all the years since we've both been grown we've never gotten to spend four whole days together. We both like so many of the same things so it's fun.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Shar just finished this Upstairs Downstairs throw. It's made mostly of Rouenneries by French General. Reds and taupes go so well together.

I leave tomorrow for Quilt Market in Minneapolis. Hopefully, I'll be able to blog while I'm there and can send you all some photos.

Sunday, May 16, 2010


As I was working Saturday I was reminded about just how many baby quilt kits we sell. When my Mom and sister came to came to the shop on Friday I found out three of my nieces are expecting this Fall. On the new last night they talked about the baby boom predicted because of this Winter's blizzards and I believe it's true.
Do you have new baby's coming? Check out our baby quilt section on the website. Or better still come to the shop and let us help you come up with an idea for a special gift.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Jerilyn and Donna were in one day last week with these recently completed quilts. Jerilyn had been working on the basket quilt for several years and had just gotten it back from the hand quilters. Donna had just put the top together for her grandson Luke.

It's a beautiful morning here today. I just went out to feed my cats and take a walk around the yard. Charlie had mowed yesterday and when I came home from work I did some trimming - so things were looking good. We also planted a new peony bush we bought last weekend. It had been sitting in the garage waiting for the rain to stop.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Here's another new sample made by Sharlot. We call it all that Jazz, made from Dab of Jazz fabric. Many new contemporary fabric lines have such unusual color comobinations. This would make a lovely porch quilt.

We recorded the ninth program in our Quilting with Julie TV Series yesterday. I can't believe we are already so for along. Click here if you'd like to read more about our series.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Sharlot just finished this Building Blocks quilt. She used a fat quarter pack of Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey. Do you know someone who should take one along to college in the Fall?

It almost felt like Winter around here yesterday - strong winds, cool temperatures and lots of rain. I just checked out my Hostas and they really took a beating.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Karen's been diligently working on our new block of the month. She already has five blocks finished. I'll be posting each month's blocks on our website. I've created a new page,
"Photos of Interest" to show you these and other photos. You might want to check it often.
As of today, we still have about 4 or 5 membership left. You should call right away if you want to particpate.
Our friend Linda made this quilt as an anniversary gift. The figures are cut from a photo and all the rest is her own landscape design. Several years ago she used this method to make a fabulous quilt depicting vacations she and her husband had taken with friends, I think she is going to enter it in our Tivoli Fest quilt show.
Entries for the show ar starting to come in, but we can still use more.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010


It's May so it must be time for Halloween and Christmas - at least in the fabric business. Alexander Henry has this line called Haunted House. There's Sebastian Ghastly, Ghastly Harvest, Ghastly Forest and Ghastly Bats - the most sophistcated Halloween line I've seen. I jusdt added them all to our online store. We also got another Halloween line and three Christmas Lines. We'll be making samples soon.
We have just six more spaces in our Block of the Month.
Yesterday I finished block nine, Sunrise, for our TV series. I also managed to get the DVD's for each of the programs on our online shop. It should make it easier for those of you who don't get the show.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010


This is what has been keeping me busy for the last few days. I just finished this quilt top forFons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine. I believe it will be in their September issue. All the fabrics are from my fabric line, Prairie Homefront.
I used my pattern from about five years ago, Star Baskets. At the time of publication kits will be available from the magazine and also from us.

I'm home today and hope to work on the next block in the block of the month for our TV series, Quilting with Julie. At this point if you don't receive cable from Marne Elk Horn Telephone Conpany you can download each month's pattern on our website. We also sell videos of each program. Soon I hope to have the videos on our website.

Carol tells me we have space for about ten more particpants in the shop block of the month that starts in this month. We're using Lori Smith's Aunt Maggie's Patchwork Quilt and my fabric line. I blogged about this a few days ago. To be sure to get signed up, call the shop 712-764-7012. If you call today (Tuesday) you can speak directly to Carol.