Yarn, Beautiful Yarn - New for You!

Panda Superwash Sock from Crystal Palace is my favorite yarn to sock with! Soft, yet durable, it's made of 51% Bamboo, 39% Merino Wool and 10% Nylon. A 186 yard skein is just $7.99 - a terrific bargain for all you sock addicts! Just in - six new colors, shown from left to right above: Rose Musk, Dark Knight, Cocoa Mint, Stained Glass, Chocolates and Night Shades. You'll find these at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

The super-soft feel of Eco Duo from Cascade Yarns comes from it's 70% Undyed Baby Alpaca and 30% Undyed Baby Merinao Wool combo. We have five yummy natural color combinations in 197 yard skeins at $12.99 each. This is really a lovely yarn and I know you'll enjoy working with it! Look for Chicory, Cream, Zebra, Storm & Pecan at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

It's Summer and your needles need some cotton on them! Ultra Pima from Cascade comes in 11 delightful colors just perfect for Spring/Summer stitching. Whip out your size 6 needles and get ready to enjoy some 100% Pima Cotton fun at $9.99 for a 220 yard skein! Available at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

With love from your fellow yarnie ~ Annette

Amazing New Quilting Fabrics - Just In

More Asian inspiration! Twelve Moons from Robert Kaufman offers four stunning panels suitable for framing and three smashingly gorgeous coordinates - Kanji, Surf and Watercolor. The wonderful quilt shown here is made from a free pattern on their site. Available at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th).

Frolic from Moda is a sweet swirl of posies. A great addition to your stash, you'll find the coordinates go well with each other and so many other fabrics. Available at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th).

Promises from Red Rooster is a burst of joyful color in dots, florals and tiles and there's a marvelous patchwork (shown at bottom of coordinates picture on top) to go with! I love the darling quilt (botom) made from a free pattern on their site. Available at Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup.

Red Rooster's Stitch in Time is a Mother Goose cutie! Fun, floral coordinates, an all-over nursery rhyme print and a redwork-look character block print will inspire lots of kid-friendly ideas! Available at Bellevue, Everett & Puyallup.

Have fun!  ~ Annette

Asian Inspiration - Keiko's Garden from Hoffman Fabrics

We're always on the lookout for Asian fabrics since they're in high demand at most of our stores. Hoffman Fabrics new Keiko Garden has just arrived and its a gorgeous mix of rich, saturated colors, batik influence and traditional Asian motifs. I've shown you just a few of the floral prints and coordinates here. You'll find more to feed your Asian print habit at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th). Yum!

Celebrate the Grad or Bride with Flags & Streamers

Looking for a fun, easy, crafty way to decorate for a Bridal Shower or Graduation Party?

Flags or Streamers are fun to make from fabric and you can get the whole family involved. Last year, my family made flags for my birthday picnic that would be really cool at a graduation celebration or bridal shower, too. You can see mine at the right. Choose theme fabrics that represent something personally imortant about the grad or bride or use their favorite solid colors and stencil them with fun personalized motifs (like mine) or use our 'party perfect' Graduation fabric (shown below; available at all stores except Outlet on 4th), lace, bridal colors or ??? See how fun this can be?! You can save these to use another time or send them home with the grad or bride to decorate their dorm room or first apartment.

By the way . . .  I LOVE the Stencil Me In book (below)! You can find it at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th) and you'll find lots of Jacquard paint and other amazing stencils at all our stores, too.


                                               What you'll need:

Theme or solid color fabric to make as many flags or streamers as you want
Double-fold Bias Tape to coordinate with the flag fabric (enough to stretch the length of where the flags will hang)
Thread to coordinate, contrast with or match the Bias Tape
Pinking Shears or Pinking Rotary Blade
Optional: Stencils, paint, glitter, rhinestones, buttons, etc. for embellishing
(Jesse James theme buttons are fun to use!)





How to do it:

1. Using the pinking blade or shears, cut as many flags and/or streamers as you need to be evenly spaced along the length of your Bias Tape. The size is up to you. My flags are about 4" wide and 8" long and they were spaced about 6" apart.
2. Begin stitching along the un-fold edge of the Bias Tape for about 3". (Stitch for about 10" if you want to tie the end of the flag to a post, etc.) Unfold the tape, insert your first flag, fold the tape back over the edge of the flag and stitch across. Continue stitching until you reach the point where you want to insert another flag and repeat. Easy and fun!

NEW Fabrics in our Stores! Graduation, Poppy, Hedgehog, Cherish Nature, Royal Mendhi, A for Alligator

They just keep coming in! Look what I found in our stores this week . . .

Perfect for rewarding those who have worked so hard! Graduation from Free Spirit will make great pillows or quilts for the new grads. Available at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th).

Feeling nostalgic? Need a little retro in your sewing life? Poppy from Timeless Treasures will satisfy all your needs! Available at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

So sweet! Delightful and charming, Hedgehog from Michael Miller is just right for every age. Available at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

From Moda, of course! Butterflies, honeybees and eggs to welcome Spring. Cherish Nature is available at our Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

Royal Mendhi evokes images of the setting sun and beautiful nights in India. A lovely, dramatic collection for you, your quilts and your home from Hoffman Fabrics. Available at our Bellevue, Everett, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

A for Alligator, M for Monkey and on through the alphabet these cute little critters prance! Cottons and flannels combine in a 'sure to please' collection for the little ones in your life and the young at heart, too. From Hoffman Fabrics. Available at all our stores (except Outlet on 4th).

Stay tuned! I'll have more for you in a week or so.

~ Annette

Nantucket, Precious Moments, The Very Series & Half Moon - More NEW Fabrics in Our Stores

Melissa from our Northgate store sent me a list of brand new things that just arrived. Check out these fabrics at the stores listed below!

Nantucket from Studio E Fabrics is available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate and Puyallup stores.

Precious Moments Flannel (yes, the real Precious Moments!) is available at the stores noted above, also.

Eric Carle's The Very Series fabrics from Andover are available at all our stores.

Oh, my goodness, this is gorgeous!!! Half Moon from Moda is available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate and Puyallup stores.

Go get 'em!!!

~ Annette

Great gifties for new humans (and one for anyone!)

As some of you who know me or read our newsletter may know, I am expecting my first child later this month.  (I am so excited - a little apprehensive, but still really thrilled to meet this little person who's been kicking me for the last few months.)  Steve and I have been taking a seven week birth and childcare class which has three other couples in it, and I've been wanting to make the whole class some little gifts, but as usual, I am low on time and cash, and the last class is this Tuesday, so I came up with three quick, inexpensive little projects - and they came out so cute, I thought it would be lovely to offer them up to you.  I did all three this weekend, and still had time for a slumber party, three loads of laundry, an easy hike and shopping trip with my mom, and lots of zoning out and watching my belly shift from side to side, just to give you a sense of how really quick these are. 

Project 1:  The Fabulous Flannel Burpcloth.
This is so very simple, and as anyone who has ever been around a newborn will tell you - you cannot have too many burpcloths. 

You'll need:
2 fat quarters of flannel in coordinating prints or solids - a half yard of each will give you enough for 2.
Thread
All the usual sewing gear - rotary cutter, mat, scissors, sewing machine, etc.

1. Iron your two flannel FQs and place them right sides together - trim them up so all edges match - I trimmed mine down to 20" by 17".  
2. Stitch them together, using a 1/2" seam allowance and leaving an opening of about 3" on one side for turning them right sides out.

3. Clip away the corners - this will make getting neat square corners really easy.  Turn them right sides out, run a point turner or even a chopstick along all the edges and into the corners, and press nice and flat. 

4. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch all the way around.

5. Have some ice cream. (That's what I like to do, and since you've finished your burpcloth already, you might as well join me. Pickles, as side dish, not as topping, are totally optional.)

Project 2:  The Microwaveable Heating Pillow -
While I am giving these to help with labor back pains, they are great little quick gifts for almost anyone.  I have family friends who order a few of these every holiday from me, for aching muscles, chills, or even taking with them out to the car on snowy days to ward off the shivers while they wait for the heater to kick in.

You'll need:
Two 10" by 13" pieces of coordinating flannel. ( I picked up two 3/8 yd pieces, which is enough to make four)
Thread
A few pounds of uncooked rice
All that sewing paraphernalia again

1. Place your flannels right sides together, and trim up the edgs so they match nicely.
2. Stitch them together, using a 1/2" seam allowance and leaving an opening of about 3" on one side for turning them right sides out.
3. Clip away the corners - this will make getting neat square corners really easy. Turn them right sides out, run a point turner or even a chopstick along all the edges and into the corners, and press nice and flat.
4. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch around the three edges that are completely stitched.
5. Fill your bag about 2/3 of the way with rice - using a funnel makes this nice and neat.  Pin the open edges closed.
6. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, topstitch along that last open edge.
7. Stick it in the microwave and test to see about how long it takes to heat, so you can give directions.  Mine heated up in about 3 minutes, 30 seconds, and that was snuggly warm.  Make a little label for the bag to pin on, letting them know approximately how long it will take to heat. 
8. Go take a nap with the toasty warm pillow - you deserve it, after being so sweet as to make everyone presents, and you're done sewing, so what else is there to do?  Unless you like to knit, in which case, its time to get started on:

Project 3: Cozy Quick Baby Socks
These are simple, sweet little socks - if you are a knitter, you could easily make up a half dozen pairs in different colors and put them in a candy box for a shower gift that will be memorable and appreciated.  If you have not attempted socks before, this gives you a chance to try out the basic techniques without starting a major new project - just dip your toes in! 

You'll need:
DK weight yarn - I'm not sure of exact yardage - I used Debbie Bliss's Rialto, which is a wonderful soft 100% Merino and is superwash, which means it can be machine washed without worrying about it, and after three pairs, I still had about a third of a 196 yd ball left - so probably about 50 yards per pair.
Size 3 double pointed needles
A smallish yarn needle to close up the toe and work in ends.

Cast on 24 stitches onto 3 needles. 
Ribbing: Knit 2, Purl 2 - 6 rows
Leg: Knit all the way around, 9 rows
Next row - knit 12 stitches onto one needle, then turn.
Heel flap -
Row 1: Slip one, then purl to the end of row, turn.
Row 2 - Slip one, then knit to the end of row, turn.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 till you have 12 rows on heel flap, finishing with a knit row.
Turning the heel:
Row 1: Slip 1, purl 6, purl next two stitches together, purl one stitch, and turn, leaving last 2 stitches unworked.
Row 2: Sl 1, knit 3, knit next two stitches together, knit one stitch, then turn, leaving last two stitches unworked.
Row 3: Sl 1, Purl 4, purl next two stitches together, purl 1, and turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, Knit 5, knit next two stitches together, knit one, and pick up and knit 7 stitches along the slipped stitch edge. Knit the next 12 stitches onto one needle, then, with another needle,  pick up and knit 7 stitches along the other slipped stitch edge, continuing on to knit the first four stitches off of your first needle.  You should now have 11 stitches on your first needle, 12 on your second, and another 11 on the third. All future rows begin at the first stitch on the first needle.
Decreasing the heel:
Row 1 - Knit to the last three stitches on needle 1, knit next two stitches together, knit last stitch. Knit all stitches on needle 2. Knit first stitch on needle 3, then slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together.  Knit all remaining stitches.
Row 2: Knit all stitches.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you have only 6 stitches on needle 1 and 3 (24 stitches total). 
Instep: Knit for 6 rows.
Closing the toe:
Row 1: knit to last three stitches on needle 1, knit two stitches together, then knit last stitch on needle 1.  Knit first stitch on needle 2, slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together, knit to the last three stitches on needle 2, knit two together, knit last stitch on needle 2.  Knit first stitch on needle 3, slip next two stitches, then knit slipped stitches together, knit to end of row. 
Row 2 - Knit all stitches.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 16 stitches altogether. Knit Row 1 one more time, (12 stitches remain) then do final row: Needle 1: Knit 2 together, knit one. Needle 2: Knit one, slip next two then knit slipped stitches together, knit two stitches together, knit one. Needle 3: Knit one, slip two stitches and knit two slipped stitches together. (8 stitches remain.)
Finish closing toe with kitchener stitch, or just do what I call a bellybutton closure - leaving all stitches on needles, run tail of yarn though all stitches twice, remove needles, and pull tight, making a neat little bellybutton at the toe.
Now start over from cast-on instructions, as the vast majority of babies are born with two feet. 

As a new mommy-to-be, I can testify that I would love any or all of these three gifts - try making them for someone you love (or just work with) today!

 - Anna-Beth