Finishing Touches

After rearranging for a couple days, we just had to add a few finishing touches.  We received a trunk show from Andover, the makers of Downton Abbey fabrics.  We had to temporarily move some quilts to get all the quilts near the Downton Abbey fabric.

 

Some of these quilt patterns can be ordered, and some are free downloads on the Downton Abbey section of www.andoverfabrics.com.  There's even a cute Tea Cozy from Pink Sand Beach , along with a kit.

Brights abound in the shop right now.  From left to right, the quilts are Snacktime from Jaybird Quilts, Quilty Fun from Lori Holt's book by the same name,  Science Fair from Jaybird Quilts, Sparkler from Freshly Pieced Modern Patterns, and on the chair, Giggles from Jaybird Quilts

Linda and Teri are wiring the wooden stands together so it doesn't all fall over!

The Rearrangers

This week, we got bitten by the Spring Cleaning bug!  It always makes everything look new when you move things around, so that's what we did.

It all started when Kathy Schmitz sent us all 12 of her Fabric Accent stitcheries.  There's one for each month, and each pattern includes a fabric accent that can be fused in place once the stitchery is completed.  Add a pieced border (each one is different), and final tiny border (topstitching at the end makes it look like binding), and you have a charming project that looks a lot more complicated than it really is.

We pinned the stitcheries to the carpet covered wall in the shop, then added various wool projects from Nutmeg Hare, Buttermilk Basin, Bits n Pieces by Joan, Penny Lane Primitives, and French Inspirations, the book by Kathy Schmitz and her sister Bonnie Sullivan, and we have a fantastic display!  We added an old ironing board with a quilt from Indiana designer Carol Hopkins to complete the look.

We moved things around a little in the flannel/wool/wool felt area and hung a beautiful cotton and wool quilt from Australian Designers, the Quilted Crow Girls.  Small quilts from Carol Hopkins, Lori Smith, and Bonnie Sullivan are tucked in here and there.

Our oak Hoosier cabinet got a revamp, as well, with a mix of reproduction quilts and wool projects.  I see some more Carol Hopkins and some Clothesline Quilts here!

So it was time to put the Little Bits quilts from our good friend Cindy Edgerton up.  They got a prime location all around the notions department.

We put all the patterns and kits in one area

and continued the quilts around the corner...

 

and across the top to the end.

Meet our New Booth!

When people visit us at quilt shows, they usually get the impression that we only carry reproduction fabrics and patterns.  Well, meet our new quilt show look!  

Our bright section starts with Sara's quilt from the Quilty Fun book, continues with a Sue Daley's Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows, features purses from Marlous Designs, A Quilters Dream, and Pink Sand Beach, then segues into our EPP department with Little Red Two in two color ways.

We have our fun little girl dresses on the inside of the booth (see our previous blogpost), then two patterns from Freshly Pieced, a great hexie quilt from Jaybird Quilts, and a quilt from A Quilters Dream on the table.

Our reproduction quilts are also represented in lighter backgrounds and scrappy darks.  Savannah is a kit from Jo Morton's fabric line, while Simply Charming is a fun scrappy small quilt.  My Checkered Past is simply stunning, with bold graphics and nice contrast.

Sue Daley is well represented again with Cassie's Quilt, Coconut Ice, Butterscotch, and Baskets for You.

If you have any questions about any of the quilts, please post them in the comments section, or email us at teribackdoor@indy.rr.com.

Grandma Alert!

Many quilters started as sewists, making clothing for themselves and their kids.  After years of quilting, we're returning to our roots for a little while.  

It's fun to make little girl outfits, and even more fun to make matching clothing for your girl's favorite 18" dolls!  We've found a great company that makes patterns in multiple sizes, plus matching doll clothes.

Olive Ann Designs is the brainchild of Portland, OR designer Ann Blair.  We've made her Urban Princess dress in Kaffe Fassett fabrics, and the playful Cutie Pie set in Riley Blake fabrics.

We have a few more patterns on our to-do list, as you can see here!  Bubbles and Buttons skirt and the Charley dress both have bubble bottoms, and are really popular.  Easy Peazy Pleats is another fun choice, with the top completely pleated, then falling free into a full banded skirt.

Butterscotch is a fun play dress, with multiple tied bows.  Classy Cargo is another great play outfit, dressed up with buttons and ties.

Pick your favorite, measure your girl, and let us show you all our fun prints!

Guest Trunk Show

We were pleasantly surprised to have Julie Lambert stop by our EPP Addiction Club meeting this week.  She had a few quilts of her own to show, and we were eager to see them!

The first is from Marsha McCloskey's book Quick Classic Quilts, and the second is another Feathered Star quilt.  If you can look at these on a tablet where you can get close-up, you'll be able to see Julie's wonderful quilting.  It is simply stunning.

Next is Ohio Beauty, named for the little Ohio Stars in the centers.

This Wedding Ring Quilt is unusual because the pieced arcs have longer, skinnier pieces in them.

Here are a couple of pieces that Julie teaches called color trapunto and shadow trapunto.

This is the front, above, and back, below of a beautifully quilted wall quilt.

This stunning quilt is a reproduction of an antique quilt called Crowning Glory.  Perfectly pieced and elegantly quilted, it is a modern masterpiece!

 

 For more information about Julie, visit her web site at  http://www.julieylambert.com/index.html.

 

Julie is doing the program for the Quilter's Guild of Indianapolis in April.  It is open to non-members, with a $5 charge.  The lecture is during their monthly QGI meeting on April 10, at 7:00pm at Second Presbyterian Church.

She is also doing 2 workshops: 

April 11, 9:30-4 at St Luke’s United Methodist Church on the north side of Indy - Basic Free Motion Quilting 

April 12, 9:30-4 at Frieden’s United Church of Christ on the south side of Indy  - Cables and Borders

Both workshop are open to non members at a cost of $60.  Details can be found at the QGI website under the events/workshops and events/programs pages.  quiltguildindy.net

Table, Please

Table Please, Part Two is from Nancy Halvorsen and features More This n That fabrics from Benartex.  The first collection of fabrics was more like Spring and Summer, and this collection is more like Fall and Winter.  The book is a delightful compendium of table runners and table accessories, like chair covers and centerpieces.

Spooky fun is everywhere when you have mummies on the chairs and monster eyeballs on the table!

We've had enough snow this year, but these cute snowmen can come back out next year!

I love the shades of grey in the trees and the applique bird silhouettes.  Classic, yet modern, and very elegant.

Here are two totally different table runners, but both would be sweet on your holiday table.

Hello, Autumn is a lovely table runner that evokes a change in the wind, while Thankful says it all for your fall table.

We have all the fabrics right now, so this would be a good time to get started!

 

 

EPP Addiction, March part 2

We have a great show and tell at our English Paper Piecing Addiction club!  Sharon, above, has several pieces done for the Hexie Table Mat we carry in kit form, while Dorinda is just getting started gluing her pieces

Sharon is working on her Lucy Boston Patchwork of the Crosses quilt...
 

and Donna has another section ready for her growing hexie quilt, ready to be added on.

LuAnn has completed the center section of a quilt in Di Ford's book, Primarily Quilts.

Not one to be idle, LuAnn has also been completing Lucy Boston blocks

and lots of stars for the Fussy Cut Friday challenge.

Leave us a comment if you would like to know more about our EPP Addiction Club.

EPP Addiction March, part 1

We got a good start before our English Paper Piecing Addiction club started on Monday with a visit to our booth from a very special designer.  Mickey Depre, author of Pieced Hexies and Pieced Hexies Deux stopped by during the Indiana Heritage Quilt Show for a fabric fix and a quick picture with Linda, who made the very colorful quilt from Mickey's first book.  That is one cheerful quilt!

 

EPP Addiction Club met on Monday at 10 am, and we started as always with Show and Tell.  Robin didn't bring any new EPP, but shared a beautiful digitally printed fabric she had purchased at the show.  It is so sold and silky!  We have some bright digital fabric coming, and now we can't wait!

Marlene finished this striking Star and Log Cabin quilt.  It was partly a block of the month, but like any good cook, she changed the recipe to make it uniquely hers!

Barb is working on her Sue Daley Quilt, It Takes Two, and she's down to the half circles in the border, which look like crowns!

Michele is our super achiever, and she made this beautifully fussy cut block...

plus a number of blocks from the Pieced Hexies Deux book by Mickey Depre.  Many of the blocks are pieced the same, but the component hexies are turned to make two completely different blocks.

Judy is just getting started, but she has chosen beautiful pastel prints for her flower hexies.

We had a guest, Julie Lambert, who's adding stars to a great fussy cut block.  She also brought some of her quilts, which are the subject for another blog post.

Sue McDaniel spotted an antique star quilt made from hexies, and she has a couple of the points made.  I love her arrangement of colors!

Indiana Heritage Quilt Show winners

We got out of the booth briefly and got to look at more quilts Thursday, so we took pictures of some of the winners.

Best of Show wall quilt was won by Sandra Peterson of Muncie.  Wow! Congratulations!

Kathy Wylie from Ontario won first place, appliqué wall quilts, plus a ribbon for exemplary machine quilting.  Amazing!

Gail Stepanek from Illinois won first place in pieced bed quilts and best of show in bed quilts.  Unbelievable!

Lahala Phelps from Washington state won a ribbon for exemplary hand quilting, which was very well deserved!

And then there are the fabulous miniature quilts!

We have one final quilt to share, this one from Birgit Schueller from Germany.  With what could be English paper piecing, appliqué, tiny Zentangle quilting, Swarovski crystals, yarn, sequins, and other surprises, no wonder this quilt took the blue ribbon for Mixed Techniques!