Open House - Saturday - August 28th

Quilts by Phyllis, Inc.
2943 Putnam Ave.
Hurricane, WV 25526
304-562-7404
Email – quiltsbyphyllis@aol.com
http://quiltsbyphyllis.blogspot.com

“Better late than never” – a phrase my mother repeatedly told me – well I’m using it this time!! Try as I might – the newsletter just hasn’t wanted to get posted yet – but here it is!

Open House is Saturday – August 28th – from 9:00am – 3:00pm – Fabric will be $1.00 per yard off – Fat quarters $1.50 each – PRECUT FAT QUARTERS ONLY –
Fat quarters cut on the day of the sale will be at regular price ($2.00). Books, patterns and notions will all be 20% off. Jelly rolls, Layer cakes will be $28.00 each.

A lot has been happening here at the shop – we have a new baby named “Millie” that arrived Monday, August 23rd. The “baby” is actually a new longarm quilting system from APQS which is the same brand I currently have. My longarm had to be sent back to Iowa for some repairs – so we decided to purchase an additional machine to help with the growing amount of quilting we do. I am currently talking with them about becoming West Virginia’s APQS dealer – so I’ll let everyone know if I do.

We have a company building our website – which should be live in the next few weeks. We will be posting our newsletters, link to the blog, class schedules and the newest fabric and kit arrivals.

Visions of WV fabric panels are going to be available again soon. They have been printed at the fabric mill in Korea and shipped here to the US. We don’t have an exact date – but wanted to let everyone know that it won’t be much longer.

Neighbor’s Day will continue to be on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 10:00am – 3:00pm – Hope everyone can come out and join Millie Clinton and the rest of the gang work on some much needed community projects.

Class Schedule:

Baskets of Blessings: What a wonderful way to start off our new season of classes than with an overflowing basket of natures blessings. Come join Pat Habenschuss as she leads us beside the “fence” and adds plenty of appliquéd goodies to our baskets. Jan Patek is the designer of this pattern which incorporates simple piecing and machine appliqué methods to construct a luscious fall quilt. Class will be held on Tuesdays – September 7, 14, 21 from 10:00am – 3:00pm. Beginners to intermediate levels – Instructor fee: $40.00 – pattern: $9.00. This is a jelly roll friendly quilt – however, fat quarters always work well!!

Fall Sampler Tabletopper: Beginners delight!! This class will start with fabric selection, a little introduction to the differences in fabrics – then off to cutting techniques, squaring up, ¼” seams, correct pressing methods and all the “tidbits” quilters need to know!! Sharon Martin will be instructing you and showing you all the “in’s and out’s” of quilting- all while you are making your first Sampler tabletopper (or throw??). This class will be held on Thursday from 1:00pm – 3:00pm starting on September 16, 23, 30, and October 7 and 21st. The instructor fee will be $50.00 which includes pattern.

Aunt Grace Circle of Friends: In honor of the 100th birthday of Aunt Grace, Judie Rothermel has created a very special Aunt Grace collection, Circle of Friends. As the originator of 1930’s reproduction fabrics for the quilting industry, Judie presents her Aunt Grace devotees with a group of prints that is varied in color, scale and motif, as well as classic Aunt Grace solids. This project is not only beautiful, but provides quilters with new techniques to advance their quilting skills. Roberta Farmer will be the instructor on this project – sharing her expertise and love of the 1930’s fabrics. This class is better suited to intermediate quilters with a desire to learn some new techniques!! Class will be held on the fourth Saturday of each month (unless it is a holiday) – September 25, October 23, and November 6th – We will skip December and resume classes in January. This class will also be offered on Wednesdays as well (if there is enough interest)- September 22, October 27, and November 3rd – no class in December and will continue in January 26th. Classes will be from 10:00am – 12:00pm on either day. This program is set up for a 7-month class. Instructor fee will be $10.00per class – Kits will be $140.00 and will be available for pickup now.

Harvest Thyme Sweatshirt Jacket: It’s not Fall until Cookie has a new “appliquéd fashion” for us to commence on!! Take a mustard colored sweatshirt – add some fall leaves, acorns, a crow sitting on a pumpkin and you will have Cookies newest creation. Cookie will be supplying the “kits” – all you need is a pattern and a sweatshirt and you’ll be all ready for the coming season. Instructor fee with fabric included: $45.00 – pattern $8.00. Class will be on Tuesdays – September 28, October 5, 12, and 19th from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Instructor – Cookie Ranson.

All Bundled Up: This little quilt (12” x 14”) is an extremely quick and easy project. Cookie’s little “snowman” is wrapped in a scarf and hat adorned with wool fringes. His smile brightens up any room – display on a single scroll stand (available here at the shop) or hang on the wall. Some may even want to make a pillow for a friend – who knows – if enough interest – we may just plan on some more for special occasions and holidays. This is a great time to get started on some of our gift ideas!! Instructor: Cookie Ranson – November 9, 16 from 1:00-3:00pm – instruction cost $20.00 plus pattern.

Tennessee Waltz: We have had many requests for this class – a book by Eleanor Burns that is an easy, traditional pattern. No curved piecing (but it sure looks that way). The Tennessee Waltz Quilt is easily created by combining 4-patches, star points and snowball blocks. Straight forward piecing techniques makes this pattern fun and easy to make – Join Jody Postalwait on Saturday, October 30 and November 13th from 10:00am – 3:00pm – Instructor fee: $35.00. Great for beginners and intermediate quilters.

Tablerunner: Want another great gift idea?? Jody Postalwait is willing to guide you in a fast and easy tablerunner. Using a border print and a little time – you will have this project finished in no time at all!!! Cost $10.00. Friday evening 6:00pm-8:00pm on October 15th.

We will be taking deposit checks for the Pigeon Forge trip in March 8-11, 2011. This years cost will be $375.00 – 1st payment due 9-15-10 - $125.00 – 2nd payment due 11-15-10 and final payment due 1-15-11. (Will have itinerary in September.)

Happy quilting!!
Phyllis

Summer Fun

I love Summer!! I have been enjoying the fresh picked tomatoes and peppers, zucs and squash and waiting (not quite patiently) on the green beans and corn. Besides quilting, canning is a favorite pasttime of mine - I think alot of it is the self-satisfaction of looking in the pantry and knowing that I helped create another colorful masterpiece!!(Besides being yummy and healthy). Summers also mean lots of beautiful flowers and colorful hummingbirds - just seems like summer has its own special palette - doesn't it??

The only downfall to this special season is the heat - How do you deal with the temperatures spiking 90+? Well, I have decided to try practicing some suggestive thinking - for example - Snowmen, Christmas ornaments, holly and partridges in a pear tree. Can't help feeling a little "cooler" when working with all the new Christmas fabrics. We have Modas fabric lines, - Fruitcake, 12 days of Christmas, Wrapped in Paisley and Making New Friends - all in the shop and samples made. I will try to upload some pictures of what I have come up with so far - otherwise - stop by the shop and check them out. Who knows - maybe working on Christmas quilts and wallhangings will help you beat the heat to!!

**********New Class Scheduled****************
Pat Habenschuss will be teaching "Blessings" - a great beginner to intermediate quilt. The quilt consists of piecing a rail fence block as well as panels of applique - very stunning!! The class will be Tuesday - August 3rd, 10th, and 17th - 10:00am - 3:00pm. The cost of this class will be $40.00 instructor fee, $8.00 pattern. Call the shop to schedule soon. (Picture of sample at beginning of blog above)

We are working on a fall class schedule and date for our annual open house - as soon as the schedule is complete - I'll let everyone know. We will for sure be doing a
30's Block of the Month (Roberta Farmer) that will be held on a Saturday.

Keep checking back for updates - and new Fabric arrivals.
The WV Visions Panels are being reprinted and should arrive in the shop by mid-late August -

Keep loving the sunshine :)
Phyllis

Mountain Quilt Quest - June 9-12, 2010

Hello everyone! My apologies for not updating my blogspot - but things have been quite hectic at the shop and at home. We are in the final countdown before the "hop" and I think I met myself coming as I was leaving the shop the other night!! Ha!

Seriously, I am really excited about the shophop this year. As many of you know, we waited anxiously for our beautiful "Visions of WV" fabric to arrive. Now that we have had it for a few weeks - the big question was - WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?????
I have so many ideas and the fact that it is so versatile that I do believe it will coordinate with any fabric in my shop - which way will I go? We've ponder and pouted and finally started stitching - only to say - oh my - Isn't that Beautiful!!! Let's do another project . I believe this fabric could become addictive. So - beware all you hoppers - I think you will be pleasantly surprised to see what our 12 shops have come up with to tempt you.

Our exclusive shophop fabric will be available at all 12 participating shops - You will need to purchase 1 yard at your favorite local quilt shop(which will be used in all 12 blocks) - then travel to each of the 12 shops to pick up a "kit" for $6.00 which includes 1/2 yard of fabric and a pattern for a 12 1/2" block. At the end of the "hop" you will have all 12 blocks, and probably endless ideas of what else you can do with the "extra" shophop fabrics you knew you just had to have.

We will be giving away charms to those who visit the shops and will have Charm Holder Pins for sale for those that need one ($12.00)

I hope all can come by and check out our "Vision of West Virginia".

Will post pictures on Wednesday -

Happy Hopping - Phyllis

Spring Jacket Class Scheduled

Cookie is getting us all ready for Spring!! Join her for class on Tuesday's from 1:00pm until 3:00pm on April 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th. This jacket is the perfect weight for the coming spring evenings. Instructor cost $40.00. Call the shop to sign up as space is limited.

Martinique by 3-Sisters will be arriving in the shop soon. Also for those waiting - Butterfly Garden by Kansas Troubles has arrived; as well as Garden Party.

Reminder: March 30th from 10:00am - 3:00pm we will be hosting our Pillowcase Challenge for the Veterans Home in Barboursville. We will be doing several of these throughout the year - so stay posted. If you can't attend this one - and would like to drop some completed pillowcases off - I am sure they will be appreciated. We will be keeping a chart of the local quilds and homemaker clubs to let the community know how many pillowcases have been done - as well as to the destination of the donated items. Thanks for your continued support in our charitable endeavors.

Hope everyone has been enjoying the brillant yellow daffodils and enjoying the singing of the spring "peepers". Happy spring!!

Home Again!!

We made it back from the Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge, TN. What an absolutely wonderful time we shared. We even made it back with all 48 people that we left with!! However, we sure didn't come back with the same amount of luggage. We shopped, shopped and shopped some more in all the wonderful quilt shops and vendors at the show. As a quilt shop owner - it was great to just browse around, get ideas and enjoy all the efforts of the other shops staff. The show was good - saw some really nice quilts - even saw a ribbon on one from home - Roberta Farmer took 3rd place in the hand-quilting bed quilt category - Give her a big hand when you see her - for she had some pretty tough competitors.

This is one show that you don't want to miss in the future - yes we already have rooms booked!! The quilt guild hosting the show was friendly, outgoing and more than anxious to help us in anyway possible. We will be working together this year to perhaps add a "private" class or lecture from one of their nationally certified teachers. I will keep you updated as we work through this process. It did make me feel overwhelmed when they came to me and offered this for next year. They were very pleased that this was our second year to their show and again - did everything they could to make us feel welcome. Big Thumbs Up!!

Well - its mid-March now - the TN quilt show is behind us and now we will start working hard getting ready for our Pillowcase Quest and our own state Shop Hop. Keep checking back often for dates and event changes. There will be buses running for our Mountain Quilt Quest in June 9th-12th. For details - you can call, email or reach me on facebook. (or perhaps stop by the shop!!)

Butterfly Garden by Kansas Troubles came in the shop last week while we were gone - Stephanie said she had most of it put out and that it was "Gorgeous" as usual.

Shop Hours for this week

Hi everyone!!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and we are off to Mountain Quilt Fest in Pigeon Forge, TN. There will be 50 of us attending this event - soooo- we are having to change our shop hours this week:

Tuesday - March 9, 2010 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday - March 10, 2010 - CLOSED
Thursday - March 11, 2010 - 9:00am - 5:00pm
Friday - March 12, 2010 - CLOSED
Saturday - March 13, 2010 - 9:00am - 4:00pm

We will resume normal hours next week - Tuesday - Friday - 9:00am - 6:00pm and Saturdays 9:00am - 4:00pm.

Thank you for your understanding and allowing me to attend this show.
Watch for photos of our trip on Facebook (Phyllis Handley)

Enjoy the sun shine!

Class of paper piecing rescheduled

Okay everyone - lets think positive. I have rescheduled the paper piecing demo for Wednesday, February 24th - 11:00am - 2:00pm. I am sure the snow will be gone by then, the sun will be shining and everyone will want to come out and learn to paper piece or just pick up a few new techniques from Pat Habenschauss. (Hint: Pat always has chocolate next to her machine!!) You can come in anytime during these hours - stay for a few minutes or watch for a while - no need for machines - my machine will be set up for you to play on.

We haven't rescheduled the hand-quilting demo with Roberta Farmer yet - but we didn't think we should push it!! We'll set a date soon.

Moda's newest line Garden Party is due in the shop this week - comes with a wonderful project sheet - I will try to get a sample made up and put a photo on here as soon as possible. I think it will be a good spring project. Eden - another Moda collection is already in the shop and is screaming SPRING, lots of pinks, purples and yellows - just waiting to be made into a spring runner or throw.

Don't forget Thimbleberries class coming up this Saturday - Jody was going to call everyone and make sure of which time slot (mornings or afternoons) you are going to be in. It is really great to have two classes this year!! (Although she will really be busy making those door prizes for both classes) Jody does have us spoiled - it's such a treat to see what she comes up with next. Not to late to get in the afternoon class.