This Jolly Jungle quilt is perfect for baby and later makes a great play mat.

My Mom had knee replacement surgery last week, so I've been back and forth to Des Moines. She's really doing quite well.

We're getting ready for the AQS show next week. We usually have lots of quilters visit us on the way to or from the show. We have lots of new samples and we'll be having a big sale in the Retreat Center. We hope you'll stop by, too - you can come for the sale (Wenesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) even if you're not attending the show.

Many of the quilts I picture on this blog are available as kits. I don't always get them on the website right away, but you can always call the shop 712-764-7012 to order.

Here's that doll quilt that I started the other day (the next to the last in our current series). It's been fun coming up with the designs for these, but with the four series that's over forty quilts!

Little quilts are so versatile. I doubt very many are actually used for dolls. I hang mine, use them as table toppers and put them on the backs of chairs. Because they are small and don't take very long to finish you can try out fabrics and patterns that you might not usually think of.

This is the newest version of our popular Wedding Quilt made in Moda's Lumiere De Noel by French General. It's such an elegant fabric line - sure to be an heirloom quilt.

I just went out to feed my cats. It's almost cold this morning. Fall is certainly in the air. I'm home today and will probably work on the design for the next Doll Quilt. There are only two more in this series.

Wow! They did it. Everyone at the retreat finished a quilt top and we actually found time to have fun, too.

2010 Pumpkin Gathering started last evening. After dinner we went back to the shop to "harvest" fabric for the quilts we're going to make today. This was a change as usually everyone chooses fabric earlier and has it cut before they come to the retreat. We just selected a focal fabric (like the pumpkin fabric in Pam's sample) and went from there. It's so much fun to see the thought process. Then we took it all to the retreat center and began cutting - it took no more than an hour. This morning they'll start sewing and I bet there'll be some tops finished by the end of the day.

We just recorded the last in our series of twelve local access TV shows. This is the setting I've chosen to use for my blocks. It's been a fun experience. For those of you who were not able to follow along, if you come to the shop I'll give you the block patterns. Instructions for this setting are available on the TV Show Page of our website www.prairiestarquilts.com

If you are looking for a modern baby quilt kit, this one really fits the bill. It's made from Moda's Wee Woodland flannel in the Baby I Do pattern. It could also be a great Kindergarten nap quilt.

We will be closed Monday for Labor Day, so come see us today for your weekend sewing needs. I like to use Labor Day to kick off my Fall quilting projects. This year I've designed a new needleturn applique that I will start on Monday.

Mary just completed this top using Sandy Gervais' Awesome fabric for Moda (there are a few other pieces added in). This pattern is the one we will use at our Pumpkin Gathering next weekend. We'll have fun because on Friday night everyone will choose a fabric for the interior sash and then search for the perfect fabrics to go with it. There is still time for you to sign up and join us.