Kaleidoscope Surprise - a quilt you can learn to make

Three years ago, I attended the Outdoor Quilt Show in Sisters, OR and took a Kaleidoscope class from Judy Johnson. Judy lives in Central Oregon and is a math teacher who loves quilting. You can see Judy's Kaleidoscope quilt by clicking here. Recently, I discovered  that the ruler we carry in the Bellevue store for my Night and Day Quilt class was perfect for this Kaleidoscope project, too. 

When I want to finish a project, I just design a class around it. It's my little secret to getting my projects done! And, so my Kaleidoscope Surprise Quilt was born. I started with this wonderful seashore theme fabric which, unfortunately, sat in my sewing room too long and is no longer available in our store. My apologies, but I did want you to see what I started with. Don't worry - we have many, many other equally suitable fabrics in our stores!

I used lengths of the basic fabric and a couple of coordinates for my backing, so it's pretty, too. Currently, I have 5 fellow staff members who want to take the class, so I'm scheduling another class just for them. We've had some really interesting fabrics picked out for this quilt. I can't wait to see them! Right now we have an all blue Asian print, a second multicolor Asian print in maroons and golds (and a little lavender) and the vintage Chevy's. I REALLY can't wait to see that one!

And here is my quilt!!! My "regular" Kaleidoscope Surprise class is scheduled for March 18 & April 1. I left a week in between so that you could learn the basics of aligning the fabric and cutting and sewing the octagons the first week and continue with adding corners and layout on the second class. Sign up now - I expect the class to fill with "real" customers now that the sample is up at the Bellevue store!!

~ Alice

(Alice Schultz, an extraordinary quilter and all around nice person, works and teaches at our Bellevue Store.)

Choose Your Melody! Blue Skies or Rhapsody in Bloom - NEW in our stores!

Click on the pictures to see a larger image, then click here to find the store nearest you!

Blue Skies shining above, nothing but blue skies from now on.
Here's a collection so appealingly lovely, that I think the words of the old Willie Nelson song are decidedly apropos! Blue Skies from Fabri-Quilt has everything I look for in a collection. Beautiful colorways and gorgeous designs that blend together in an enchanting way. Quilts? Definitely! Clothing? For sure! Home Decor? Absolutely! Whatever you sew, Blue Skies are ahead for you! Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

Is that a Gershwin tune I hear playing?
Rapturous bursts of rose bouquets grace this aptly named Maywood Fabrics collection. The charming rose buds and vibrant blossoms of Rhapsody in Bloom would be delightful stitched into a sweet baby dress or ultra-special nursery suite or wondrously romantic in lush curtains, pillows and quilts for the bedroom. Choose your passion and bloom! Available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate and Puyallup stores.

Choose your melody, plan your stitching, and enjoy!
~ Annette

Sewing & Stitchery Expo Tickets Are Here!

Here's an update you'll love - all of our stores now have Sewing & Stitchery Expo admission tickets for you to buy! They're just $10 per day if you purchase them before the show begins on March 3rd. At the Expo gate, tickets will be $12 per day, so get yours now!

An excited crowd of sewists at the Pacific Fabrics booth.

What's a Sewing & Stitchery Expo? Just the largest, most fabulous sewing show in the whole country! And, if you live in Western Washington, you'll be pleased to know that it's held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Practically right in your own back yard!

One of the 8:00 am entry lines on the first day of last year's Expo.

Do you live outside of Washington State? Don't let that stop you! Sewing enthusiasts come to the Sewing Expo each year from all over the USA and Canada. It's so fun to meet everyone and see what their wearing.

An embroidered jean leg seen at last year's Expo.

Click here to visit the Sewing & Stitchery Expo web site and see what it's all about. You'll be SEW glad you did!

After Hours Party guests making a free craft project at last year's party.

Right up the hill from the Fairgrounds, you'll find our famous After Hours Party on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at our Puyallup store. It starts after the show closes and goes until 10:00pm, so that you can enjoy free cake, free make 'n takes, door prize drawings, special guests and sale prices.
By the way, on the Sewing & Stitchery Expo web site home page, the picture of someone tossing a fat quarter out into the crowd is from our booth last year, too. That's Pat, the Assistant Manager of our Everett store, and she's always a party. See, I told you it would be FUN!

See you there!
~ Annette

Button-Covered Candles

If the dull, low-light Winter days are getting you down, I have a lovely, crafty way to light up your world!

Last December, I designed these Button-Covered Candles using the great bags of buttons and E-6000 glue that we sell in our stores. We've had fun inspiring customers with them at the Everett store where I work. I love coming up with projects that use the wonderful supplies we sell and these have been a big hit. I used a subtle, monchromatic theme, but you could make them colorful or coordinate buttons and candles with your decor. They'd be fun as a mid-Winter gift for a friend, too!

I wrote up a pattern and you can download a PDF of it by clicking here.

Hope you have as much fun as I did!

~ Memory

(Memory is a very talented member of our Everett store staff who is always on the lookout for new ideas!)



Savannah, y'all - NEW in our stores

Click on the picture to see a larger image, then click here to find the store nearest you.

Pretty as a picture, Savannah from Fabri-Quilt couples Deep South charm with modern flair. Lush florals and saucy little go-withs will lend themselves well to some lovely pre-Spring quilting or a new pillow or two! Available at our Everett, Bellevue, Northgate & Puyallup stores.

Enjoy!
~ Annette

More Suess-piration - A Cat In the Hat Quilt!

A few posts ago, you saw my Suess-pirational apron and soon after that Marian, our Receiving Clerk at the Outlet on 4th, turned her Suess-piration towards quilting!

Marian designed and pieced this beautiful Cat In the Hat quilt, then Regina, our Long Arm quilter, quilted it for her. Isn't it great? We were very, very lucky to borrow the quilt from Marian's cat Cha Cha, who believes that it is really supposed to be a 'Cat On the Quilt' quilt.

Don't worry, Cha Cha! We'll be sure to return it to you after everyone has a chance to admire it! (If you'd like to see the quilt in person, please stop by the Outlet on 4th. We'd love to show it to you!)

~ Mary

(staff member at the Outlet on 4th)

Top 5 Reasons to Buy the new Stitch Magazine

There is one sewing magazine that I must buy every time a new one comes out- Stitch from Interweave. It is chock full of projects, inspirational stories and great ideas. Check out this Spring’s issue now available at ANY Pacific Fabrics location.

The top 10 lists in this season’s issue inspired me to give you my top 5 reasons to run out and buy this magazine. IMMEDIATELY

5. Mini articles- At the beginning of the magazine there is a section called Sew Boutique that highlights inspiring people, new trends and interesting stories from all over. The Spring issue features Ty Pennington, Guatemalan textiles and Marissa Lynch from the New Dress a Day blog (one of my favorites, you should check this out too!)

4. The Envelope Clutch (pg 64)- This awesome clutch is made from flannel or wool and lined with bright colored quilting fabric. Finish it off with some velvet ribbon and you have an amazing clutch for an evening out. (I just love all the projects this magazine has!)

3. The Top 10 Lists- The title of this issue is The Technique Issue. It gives you the top 10 challenging sewing techniques that everyone should know- I’m sure everyone could learn a thing or two in these pages. They also include the top 10 sewing notions you should own as well as the top 10 sewing resolutions we should all resolve to do in 2011.

2. The Baby Doll Dress (pg. 55)- I love this dress and can’t wait to make one. Wouldn’t it be amazing in solid black with a black and white or black and color panel?!

1. The Appliqué Pillows (pg. 42 and 46)- These pillows (one is featured on the cover) look so simple but would add a great splash of color and style to any room. The great part is that we just received these awesome wool squares (12x12, at all our stores) in fresh colors that would be perfect for these projects. I’m thinking of trying them in the wool and then in our ultrasuede squares too. Maybe even wool on suede… oh my!

Michelle

Woodwinds Flannel - Warm, Cozy & New in Our Stores

Click on the pictures below to see a larger image, then click here to find the store nearest you!

Let's get cozy! Woodwinds Flannel from Marcus Brothers has just arrived in our stores full of potential for warm winter sewing. I love the vintage, classic feel of these lovely prints and I'm thrilled to see a few that would work equally well for men. Whether you're stitching up nightclothes or a snuggle-under quilt, this collection will provide you with what you need.

Here's a close up of the wonderfully versatile strip print you see in the collection image at the top. Aren't the prints great?

And here you can see the whole repeat of strips ready for you to use. Strip quilting never had it so good! You'll find Woodwinds Flannel at our Bellevue, Everett and Northgate stores right now and it will arrive in Puyallup very soon.

Enjoy!
~ Annette

Your Home Makeover with Ty Pennington!

Remember the days of Trading Spaces and how you wished that the hunky carpenter, Ty Pennington, would show up at your house to makeover a room. Now you can be the home decorator and bring a little bit of Ty’s designs into your space. He has designed new home décor and quilting fabric lines with Westminster Fibers and they are now available at Pacific Fabrics!

Unlike most celebrity designers, Ty actually took a hands-on role in designing the prints and choosing the colors. Using his amazing carpentry skills, he experimented with carved wood stamps and techniques in fabric dying. The result is an impressive, contemporary group that will bring the splash of color and style that your home needs during this rainy season.

"I'm constantly finding inspiration everywhere I look... architecture, nature, travel and stories from the extraordinary people I meet."
~ Ty Pennington

This past October, Ty attended the semiannual Quiltmarket to premiere his new line and I actually got to meet him. And yes he is as sweet and as cute in person (if not more so)! It was really interesting to see the prototype pieces of fabric and wood stamps that he brought to share with all his adoring fans in the quilting world. Ty even took the time to take pictures and sign autographs for the anxious women waiting to meet him.


Ty and I at Quiltmarket!

Here are a few of the home décor pieces now available at our Bellevue, Northgate, Outlet and Puyallup stores.

We also have an amazing selection of Ty's laminated cotton and quilting cotton fabrics at these stores, except for the Outlet.

Now get decorating!
Michelle

Before & After - Banish the Post-Holiday Home Blahs

I LOVE Christmas and I especially love all the wonderful decor we surround ourselves with during that wonderful season. But, every year, there's a little dilemma. Our homes look amazing with all that marvelous sparkle, then after the holiday we start to wonder - what now? So, I was thinking, if you could spark up a post-holiday room or two for under $100 just for you, would you? Take a look at what I found in our stores . . .

We recently found this super inspirational book by Candice Olson of HGTV's Divine Design! Candice Olson On Design holds 24 before & after room transformations from every area of the house. The book is full of Candice's sharp tips and fun sense of humor and very easy to use. You'll find swatch images, room sketches and the dramatic before and after pictures that will get your decorating genes switched into high gear. It's a great collection of simple to do, high impact ideas you'll love! Available at all our stores except Bellevue.

A makeover book for your home! Better Homes & Gardens Before & After Decorating book will efficiently lead you to a new, fresh look for any room you choose.  You'll see 43 transformations, tour 3 homes and learn to do 26 DIY projects along the way. The uber-helpful tips and how-tos make this a great reference book to keep around for future years, too. I love the "do this-in this way-for this reason" approach that makes perking up your home an "I can do this" kind of thing. Really a great book and you'll find it at all our stores!

Would you like to learn more about color, decorating styles, makeovers, storage solutions (yes!) and DIY projects? Better Homes & Gardens New Decorating Book is just what you need! Chapters include: Design Basics, How to Discover Your Decorating Style, Style Solutions, Room-by-Room and House Tours (10 in all). I'm really impressed with this book! It holds a whole decorating course between it's covers for just $24.95. Definitely one I'll refer to again and again since there are other times of year when homes look a bit dull, too! Available at all our stores.

There you go! You can have a new look that suits your budget and can be done your way. Plan a stop into our nearest store soon, thumb through a book or two, then take your dreams over to our lovely Home Decor Fabrics & Home Decor Trims (20% off through 1/15/11!). It's time to take down that Christmas decor and start freshening up your rooms!

~ Annette

Hoffman Challenge & William Morris from Moda - NEW in our stores!

If it's a gorgeous gold splashed Asian print . . . you know it's Hoffman! This year's Hoffman Challenge collection, Hanami, is no exception to the rule and you will love it. Stunningly subtle coordinates to go with gently swirling large floral and water prints - everything you want in an Asian collection. Are you ready for the challenge? Click here to read all about this year's Hoffman Challenge. It could be your year! Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

If you're a quilter who has always wished for William Morris print fabric, wonderful Moda has heard the cry of your heart! A Morris Tapestry combines all the wonderful symmetry and classic charm of Morris prints with Moda's fine quality cotton fabric. Now you can quilt Morris, dress Morris or decor Morris! Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

Aren't these marvelous?! If you haven't already, scroll up and click on the pictures to see a larger image, then run to the store, get your share and ENJOY!

~ Annette