backdoorquilts

Bali Bedrunner in progress

2012-02-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

Linda has been working hard, making arcs from 2-1/2" strips. She's taking advantage of Judy Niemeyer's paper foundation techniques to make every seam perfect. The sections just need to be sewn together and the top will be finished! We have kits for this project, which is the featured project for our class with Fran Sargent, a Judy Niemeyer certified teacher.

Year of Judy Niemeyer

2012-02-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

This is our year of Judy Niemeyer quilts! We've always loved them, and now we're making them! We have a class for those who want to learn her method of paper piecing in February, and a Judy Niemeyer certified teacher is coming in March.

We are also getting a new quilt from Judy every 6 weeks or so. Here's the one we got in December, Cattails in the Meadow.

This is our current trunk show quilt, Flowers for my Wedding Garden. The pattern shows two different colorways, and we've ordered the fabrics and Bali Pops for both. Yes, Judy uses 2-1/2" strips for the rings!

Stripes

2011-07-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

One of our most popular projects is Karen Montgomery's Easy Striped Table Runner. Using a stripe that is about 8-1/2" wide, you can create an amazing table runner from 1-1/2 yard of fabric. In fact, 1-1/2 yards will give you two tops and an octogon placemat or candle mat. We recently received a lot more striped fabrics from Timeless Treasures and other companies, ready for you to get cutting and sewing.

Project Linus Day

2011-06-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

Early on a Saturday morning, the coffee was brewing and donuts set out, and a group of dedicated ladies came to the Back Door Annex to sort, label and distribute quilts for Project Linus. Bags of quilts were donated, and all were sent to children in the area, from newborn to age 18. Most go to hospitals, while some are reserved for children in shelters.

Did you know that Project Linus takes donations of quilts, single layer fleece blankies, and knitted or crocheted afghans? They also receive donations of yarn, top quality quilting fabric, and new batting. Back Door Quilts is a donation point--you can bring your donations anytime during our regular store hours.

Fat Free Pincushions

2011-04-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Linda has been wrapping and rolling WoolFelt to make these delicious confections--plenty of fiber, and fat free! All it takes is WoolFelt and a 1.5 cm wool ball for the cherry. trim the finished cupcake with rick rack, beads, or whatever else you have around.

Happy Birds

2011-04-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

We've been having a lot of fun with our wool beads and balls! Linda created these happy little birds with 1 cm and 3 cm wool balls and wire.

Stonehenge

2011-04-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

We've received Stonehenge fabrics from Northcott. We ordered all of them--102 fabrics! Most have arrived, and they are completely wonderful. You can mix them with batiks or other fabrics.

2011-03-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

Look what we've been doing! Well, actually, Linda and Marilyn have been working on these wonderful quilts. Linda used English Paper Piecing for the cute mini Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt at left. It looks different from the usual because it uses Civil War reproduction fabrics.

The Double Hourglass quilt also uses reproductions, and is a little less scrappy looking because of the uniform setting blocks and borders. Linda pieced it as well, and Marilyn quilted both quilts--yes, even the mini!

Both quilts are from the new book by Kathy Tracy, Civil War Sewing Circle.

English Paper Piecing

2011-02-22T13:25:00.000-08:00

We're excited about English Paper Piecing. Linda's been working on this Pies and Tarts quilt, from Australian designer Sue Daley. We'll be having a class March 27 at 1:00. Called Tea, Pies, and Tarts, you'll enjoy refreshments and learn the techniques for doing English Paper piecing. We'll have starter kits for you, and show you just the right tools.

First Saturday 2011

2011-02-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

For First Saturday 2011, we are once again using a fabulous Lori Smith pattern. The directions are great, and include construction pictures and pressing arrows. You can make either the Batik or Reproduction colorway, and choose the appliqued or pieced center with your finishing kit for either colorway. We'll be constructing a little of the Batik quilt each month, but our Reproduction quilt is almost done.

More Staff on Hand

2011-02-07T15:21:00.001-08:00

Toni and Darlene are ready to cut your fabric at the front cutting table, while Neppie and Kim are at the back table, near the clearance section. Customer service is what we do best!

Staff at your Service

2011-02-07T15:17:00.001-08:00

Liz has pulled a lot of the First Saturday and Block of the Month holds, and is ready to run her register.

Diana is at the door, showing people the new classes and letting them know what's new in the shop.

First Saturday

2011-02-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

We made it! We survived a week of snow and ice and got to the shop on First Saturday, amid more snowfall. Here are Marilyn and Charlotte, ready to help you at the register.

Back Door's Quilt

2010-07-05T16:33:00.001-07:00

Stars Over Indiana Shop Hop

83" by 105"

Finishing kit is $78.95

Stars Over Indiana Shop Hop

2010-07-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a bird's eye view of the quilts from the six shops participating in the Stars Over Indiana Shop Hop, Tuesday, July 6 to Sunday, July 11.

All shops will be open Tuesday--Saturday 10a-5p & Friday until 7p. Additional hours are found on the passport under each store's listing. Passport is included with purchase of $6 Bear Paw charm. You will receive two blocks from each shop, and optional fabric kits are $12.50 for the two blocks.

Participating shops:
Back Door Quilts
Greenwood, IN 46142
317.882.2120 www.backdoorquilts.com

In Stitches
Rushville, IN 46173
765.938.1818 www.institchesquiltshop.com

Pohlar Fabrics
Liberty, IN 47353
765.458.5466 www.pohlarfabrics.com

Quilt Shoppe
Anderson, IN 46011
765.649.9102www.thequiltshoppeonline.com

Ruth's Legacy
Pendleton, IN 46064
765.778.2488

Stitching Nook
Richmond, IN 47374
765.962.7678 www.stitchingnook.com

The blocks this time are different designs with a 14" Bear Paw edge. They were designed by Quakertown Quilts. The fabric used is Noel by Benartex.

Christmas in July

2010-07-01T18:32:00.001-07:00

We have so much Christmas fabric in the shop right now, it's unbelievable! Take a look at our shelves and see what's in store for you. We're having our annual Christmas in July Open House Friday, July 9 from 9:30-7 and Saturday, July 10 from 9:30-5. Our friend Mary Pierson from Original Creations will join us to demonstrate her time saving product, Transfer-Eze, and our Gammill partners Accomplish Quilting will bring a new Vision 22 machine for you to try out. We have terrific kits and quick gifts to help you jump start your Christmas crafting.

Mother's Day Shop Hop quilt

2010-04-04T14:48:00.001-07:00

The quilt is completed and bound! Come by the shop to see it in person! You can get the block pattern on the shop hop, and we will have instructions for the quilt in the kit that will be available during the shop hop. Afraid we'll run out? Reserve your kit now!

Mother's Day Shop Hop quilt in progress

2010-04-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

We've sewn six of the blocks and put them together in rows. Now we're auditioning the borders. There's a lot going on here, but it will be a cheerful toddler quilt. You could use just about any border because the quilt is so colorful.

Mother's Day Shop Hop

2010-04-01T06:00:00.001-07:00

We're working hard on our Mother's Day Shop Hop project. Here is our block, and we're going to put several together for a baby quilt. It's one of those terrific blocks that make secondary designs when placed side by side.

Join us for the Mother's Day Shop Hop, Friday, April 30 to Saturday, May 8! All shops will be open Monday-Saturday 10a-5p & both Fridays until 7p. Additional hours are found on the passport under each store's listing. Passports are $5 from April 1-29, and $6 during the Shop Hop.

Participating shops:
Adys Fabric & Notions Morgantown, IN 46160
812.597.0578 www.adysfabrics.com
Back Door Quilts Greenwood, In 46142
317.882.2120 www.backdoorquilts.com
Country Quilt Barn Rushville, IN 46173
765.663.5882
In Stitches Rushville, IN 46173
765.938.1818 www.institchesquiltshop.com
Loose Threads Seymour, IN 47274
812.524.2013 www.loosethreadsonline.com
Pohlar Fabrics Liberty, IN 47353
765.458.5466 www.pohlarfabrics.com
Rivers Edge Shelbyville, IN 46176
317.392.1550 www.riversedgefabric.com
Sharynn’s Quilt Box North Vernon, IN 47265
812.346.4731 www.sharynns.com
Stitching Nook Richmond, IN 47374
765.962.7678 www.stitchingnook.com
The Fussy Cut Quilt Shop Beech Grove, IN 46107
317.786.9289 http://www.thefussycut.com/

You will get your first block when you purchase your passport, and the last block when you turn your passport in, then one of the other ten blocks at each of the shops you visit. Get a 20% discount on one regular priced fabric, book, or notion at each shop during the shop hop! (Cannot be combined with other discounts, used on shop hop blocks or finishing kits, and must be used on the visit in which your passport is stamped).

All blocks were designed for our Shop Hop by Meg McGuire of Meg's Choice Patterns. The blocks she designed are her interpretation of quilt patterns she saw painted on barns during her travels.

Back Door Candles

2010-03-10T17:00:00.000-08:00

We have candles with a quilt and our name on them! Just imagine pancakes and Buttered Maple Syrup...that's one of the scents, along with Hot Apple Pie and Fresh Apple. Mmmmmmm! The candles have a double wick and burn cleanly down to the bottom, making them a great value!

Eldon Center

2010-03-09T19:18:00.001-08:00

Here's the completed center of Eldon:

Eldon center completed

2010-03-09T19:03:00.000-08:00

The inside part of Eldon is done! We are waiting for the border fabric to arrive, but for now, I'm resting on my laurels! or not. When it's time to put the sections together, it looks a little like a puzzle. You have to join diagonal rows, but they're not straight. Here's how it looks going together.

Eldon getting close

2010-02-25T18:55:00.000-08:00

Eldon is getting close to being done, at least the body of the quilt. The setting log cabins were added between the star blocks, and the background batik diamonds as well. All the blocks now have the background diamonds sewn on, and the diagonal rows are starting to be assembled.

The fabrics are on a huge design wall, which is insulation board covered with flannel. If only it could stay like that and not need sewing! Oh, well, it would be hard to keep it together without sewing it!

Designer visits Back Door Quilts

2010-02-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

We've had lots of people in the shop lately including locally famous quilters, shop owners and former shop owners, and we love to visit with all of them. We don't usually think to get pictures, but when Tara Lynn Darr from Sew Unique Creations came to visit last Saturday, we were inspired by her blog and camera, and pulled ours out. Unfortunately, our pictures didn't turn out, so we'll have to let you see Tara's on her blog:

http://sewuniquecreations.com/SewUniqueCreationsBlog/?p=416

Eldon in Progress

2010-02-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

Progress is being made! All the stars have log cabins in the eights sections between the points. It wasn't hard to do, I just had to do one side at a time. Careful pressing ensures that the blocks are flat. All the connector log cabins are made, so the next step is putting the background diamonds on like the star in the top left. Watch those seam allowances!

Come on Spring

2010-02-22T04:48:00.000-08:00

We're thinking Spring in the shop! We have the cutest Spring Tree as you come in, and it's covered with watering cans, flowers, Spring signs, vintage chenille stem garland and more. It's all for sale! Get some and make your own Spring tree at home.

Shop Hop continues

2010-02-21T18:14:00.001-08:00

Well, a few posts ago I said we were going to party, snow or no snow. The snow won! We are extending the Mardi Gras Shop Hop an extra week, until Saturday, February 27. But each store is going to just have their regular hours, so that means if they are closed on Monday, they will be this week, even though the Hop was extended. You can click on the link below to get to each shop's web site. Please check with the shops brefore you travel!

Shops include:

Always In Stitches, Noblesville

Back Door, Greenwood

In Stitches, Rushville

Pohlar Fabrics, Liberty

Quilt Shoppe, Anderson

River’s Edge Quilt Co., Shelbyville

Ruth’s Legacy, Pendleton

Shiisa Quilts, Bloomington

Stitching Nook, Richmond

Breaking News

2010-02-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

We are now a sub-dealer for Accomplish Quilting in Michigan. We have just taken delivery of a Statler Stitcher, and will soon have a Vision Home-Pro. You will be able to see demonstrations, take a longarm class, and rent time on one of our machines! You can even purchase your Gammill Longarm from us! We're working out the details, but we are really excited by this new partnership.

Eldon stars

2010-02-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

The stars were easier! You just sew the long strips together and then use the template provided to cut the shape. The strips are slightly wider than the template, so all four sides are perfectly trimmed.

Next, the stars are sewn together in pairs, stopping 1/4" from the outside edge. Edyta includes holes in the templates for easy marking. Next step will be setting the log cabins into the stars. Wish me luck! Or at least perfect seam allowances!

The search for the perfect seam allowance

2010-02-12T18:17:00.001-08:00

http://www.backdoorquilts.com/ I've been trying to get the perfect seam allowance on my machine, because it's critical for the First Saturday blocks and for the Eldon quilt that I'm working on. I'm getting the best results with this item. It's a cling that just lays on your sewing machine and table and the original purpose was to help with diagonal seams and corner connectors. It's great for that, but as an added bonus, I've found that the black line to the right of the vertical green stripe makes the perfect 1/4" seam!

First Saturday

2010-02-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

We have quilts from two of the colorways for First Saturday completed, and I'll be making the third (Batik) block each month. The patterns from Lori Smith are terrific, with assembling and pressing directions, and the only thing I really had to be careful about was the seam allowances. What I decided to do was measure the pieces as I was putting them together, instead of waiting until the block was completed.

Here are some more First Saturday tips:

1) Starch the fabric for best results. We like the Mary Ellen's Best Press or heavy duty spray starch. Spray the pieces (separate darks and lights) and let them absorb the starch, then press dry. Be careful not to stretch the fabric.

2) Cut carefully. We included a smidge more fabric than the pattern will say, but there's not much more! In most cases, there's not enough fabric to oversize the blocks then trim later. If in doubt, measure twice and cut once.

3) Check your seam allowance as you go--don't wait until the block is done! For example, in the first block there are half-square triangles that are sewn next to a 2" square. The half square triangles need to measure 2" as well, and if they don't, you need to adjust your seam. The blocks this year have lots of pieces in them, so you will need to be accurate.

4) Pressing arrows are included in this pattern, so you won't have to guess. Once in a while, there are none, so you can choose for your self.

www.backdoorquilts.com

Accurate seam allowances

2010-02-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

I've been working on the Eldon quilt from one of our favorite designers, Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. Edyta always has something exciting going on, and new ways to make old blocks. This pattern includes templates for cutting the pieced strips accurately, and I found that I really had to watch my seam allowances so the log cabin squares wouldn't be too big or too small.

Using the Clearly Perfect Angles cling on my sewing machine, I carefully sewed all the seams together in the log cabin blocks, then trimmed them with the template provided when I was done. I also marked the corner dots so I would know where to stop and start the seams.

Mardi Gras Shop Hop

2010-02-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Snow or no snow, we're going to party! The Mardi Gras Shop Hop is Feb. 12 – Feb. 20, 2010 from 9-6 each day, closed Sunday. When you purchase your party pass, you will receive a string of gold beads. When you visit the shops, each one will have a string of different color beads for you. Since the hop is during Mardi Gras, any shops you visit on Fat Tuesday will give you a free fat quarter. All during the hop, each shop will have a pattern using fat quarters as well as a block pattern and kit, and a kit for that shop’s project. The blocks are made from Moda’s Bella Black and batiks. Party Pass is $5 through Feb 11, and $6 during the Shop Hop.

Shops include:

Always In Stitches, Noblesville

Back Door, Greenwood

In Stitches, Rushville

Pohlar Fabrics, Liberty

Quilt Shoppe, Anderson

River’s Edge Quilt Co., Shelbyville

Ruth’s Legacy, Pendleton

Shiisa Quilts, Bloomington

Stitching Nook, Richmond

Civil War Tribute

2010-02-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

We started the Civil War Tribute in January, and it's been so popular that we are doubling the number of spaces available in this Block of the Month. We're waiting on patterns, so it will take a week or so to be able to send out the blocks, but we're very excited about the response we've had for this program. Check it out on our web site http://www.backdoorquilts.com/nl.asp?p=0&c=14

Christmas Tree, Houston Festival, AQS Des Moines

2009-10-01T03:58:00.000-07:00

We have a Christmas tree with lots of wool balls! We embellished the balls with beads, then our resident floral designer, Darlene, fixed up our tree for us. It's a little hard to see in the picture--you'll have to visit the shop or visit our booth in Houston or Des Moines!

More Wool Ball Projects

2009-10-01T03:45:00.000-07:00

We've been working on our Wool Ball projects! We have a couple pair of earrings, a necklace, a memory wire bracelet and another bracelet, pins, and more!

You can see the balls in a basket at the right, along with another basket of rat tail cord and yarn embellishments. This was at a recent show, where they loved the wool!

The balls come without holes, so it's perfect for projects like the flower pins, left. If you want holes in the balls, you can use the HandBEHG needles in the green package. The needles also have eyes, so you can string them onto yarn or cord.

Wool Balls

2009-10-01T03:20:00.001-07:00

We've received shipments of wool balls, and we're having a blast! Sherry at Tammy Tadd gave us the idea for this cute bracelet and Liz has made several of them. The balls come in three sizes, and we've used this smallest size for the memory wire bracelets, the next size for a jingly bracelet, the next largest size for centers of flowers, and the big daddy size for "strawberries" for the pin cushions. We plan to also make Easter eggs with the big size. More pictures on the next post!

Food Fabric

2009-02-15T19:14:00.000-08:00

We have a cute section of all kinds of food fabric, from candy to chips, and even yummy healthy fruits and veggies. We don't have fabrics listed on our web site, but feel free to e-mail to inquire about any specific fabrics. teribackdoor@indy.rr.com

Batiks

2009-02-15T19:09:00.001-08:00

We have hundreds of beautiful batiks in the shop. http://www.backdoorquilts.com/

Homespuns

2009-02-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

Take a look at all the homespuns we have! They are perfect for baby quilts or raggy dorm quilts. http://www.backdoorquilts.com