Fusible Piping - a speedy way to create!

File this under 'what will Nancy Zieman think of next'!

I enjoyed the Northwest Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival last weekend and found our dear Chris Claus demonstrating this incredibly cool stuff! Wrap 'n Fuse Piping designed by Nancy Zieman for Clover makes piping and gifts super quick and easy!

Chris used a Bias Tape Maker, another of our favorite Clover tools, to make the bias strips she used to cover the piping. How did she put it all together? Watch my little video below!

See - easy! And just to round out our list of Clover products we love, Chris uses Clover's Mini-Iron to do the pressing because it fits the small space so well. Thank you, Clover! And when you're done fusing your piping . . .

You can coil and stitch it into these cute coasters or hot pads! You'll find all of these wonderful Clover products at all of our stores - just in time for Thanksgiving hot pads and great for gifts. (Watch for more videos. I had great fun 'filming' Chris at our booth at the show!)

~ Annette

(Chris "Claus" is well known for her part in our Christmas in July events and being the queen of demos at our Sewing & Stitchery Expo booth. In between demo engagements, you'll find her at our Everett store where she is the Assistant Manager.)

Home 'Baked' Bread Baskets for Your Table

Stitch up a handmade bread basket, fill it with your favorite buns, biscuits or muffins and add a creative touch to your holiday table! Here are two of my favorites:

Aunties Two patterns are designed to use those beautiful batik strips we all love and you'll have a great time making this Biscuit Basket. Pick out your favorite combo of pre-cut 2-1/2" batik strips, add a package of Craftex to your shopping cart and your home 'baked' bread basket will be practically done! What's Craftex? Just the best foundation for super-fab baskets and purses ever! Think super stiff, heavy interfacing. You'll find this fun basket pattern for $8.99 and packages of Craftex for just $5.99 at all our stores.

And for those pre-cut 2-1/2" batik strips take a look at our selection of Tonga Treats from Timeless Treasures. Yummy colors and I love the names -Sugarplum, Coffee Cake and Hard Candy are shown here. You'll find these and more at all our stores, too.

You'll love this! Ba-Da-Bing . . . Ba-Da-Boom . . . It's a Basket is a seriously quick and easy basket pattern from Tiger Lily Press. Adorn your own table and make a few to use as hostess gifts throughout the season. They're great filled with muffins, little loaves of bread, cookies or soaps and handknit washcloths and simply gorgeous in holiday fabrics! Available at all our stores except Bellevue.

Have fun!  ~ Annette

Placemats, Runners & Napkins - oh my!

I LOVE table runners and placemats. They're fun to make and you can have a set for every occasion. Which brings me to the point of this post. Thanksgiving is coming and it's time to brighten up the table! Here are my suggestions:

Valori Wells designs sweet little pattern cards and Placemat & Napkin is one of the best. Use playful colors to make these zing, then add a little big stitch embroidery to make them artful. Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th. Just $2.95 for the pattern card!

Our perennial favorite, Take 4 Placemats from Quilt Woman makes uber-great placemats from any 4 fat quaters you choose. So easy - cut, re-position, stitch and you're done. You gotta have this pattern! Perfect for everyday tables, wonderful for gifts and marvelous for the holiday. Available at all our stores except Outlet on 4th.

So cool and the picture just doesn't say it all. Easy Striped Table Runner from The Quilt Company is amazingly quick, easy and fun to use with all sorts of fabrics. Five seams and no binding combined with a magical 60 degree ruler (sold separately) will make this your new fave for your own tables and to pop into gift boxes for every occasion. Gorgeous in quilting cotton prints, but think about batiks, dupioni silks or linens, too. Yum! Available at all our stores.

Stunning! That's what your guests will say when you stitch up the Simply a Pleasure Table Runner & Placemats pattern from Tiger Lily Press. Choose a fabulous bold print, a charming coordinate and a just right solid for this terrific design. Gorgeous in holiday fabrics! Available at all our stores except Bellevue (coming soon!) and on our web site, too - click here.

~ Annette

What Goes Under the Turkey? Top Your Table With Peace & Safety

Do you fear gouges in your heirloom wooden dining table? Are you tired of trying to figure out how to get cranberry and who knows what out of your best tablecloth? Pacific Fabrics to the rescue! You'll find these terrific products at all our stores.

We have wonderful Table Felt or Table Padding (above - left side & middle) to protect that special table and Clear Vinyl to go over the holiday table cloth. Think of it as an investment in your peace of mind and the peace of your Thanksgiving gathering. Or you may want to pick up some Vinyl Lace or Oilcloth (shown above on the right) for the table. Let the kids (big and small) spill and pound all they like - you've got it covered!

 And if your silver looks a wee bit tarnished when you bring it out, plan to stitch up some Pacific Silvercloth (above) covers before you pack it up again. This fabulous fabric is impregnated with a solution that keeps your silver shiny and you can easily make storage bags for those seldom used serving pieces. Another peace of mind investment!
So there you go - now you can relax!  ~ Annette

Harvest for Your Home - NEW in Our Stores!

I love having themed fabrics to use for the seasons - don't you? Harvest from Timeless Treasures contains everything you need to make versatile table coverings, napkins, pillows and quilts for the Fall season! Ripe with rich Autumn colors, crisp leaves and the luscious fruits of the season, it's a great fit for Halloween and Thanksgiving, too. Click on the picture above to see more detail. Available at all our stores except Bremerton and Outlet on 4th. 

~ Annette