Dear Quilting Friends,

I’m hoping that the busyness of preparing for Christmas is behind you and that you are taking time to relax and enjoy the fun and festivities of the Season, cherishing the special times and creating wonderful memories with those you love.
 

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After Christmas SALE

For everyone who would still enjoy shopping for great deals after the holiday, we will be offering an after Christmas sale beginning December 26 through January 2, during our normal shop hours Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. All remaining Christmas fabric, wide backings and batting will be discounted, as well as many other items. Be sure to stop in and pick up the supplies you’ll need for upcoming winter projects.

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Quilt Show Website Goes Live!

Those of you on our quilt show mailing list should receive your postcard in the mail very soon. Over 8000 of those cards have been printed, addressed and delivered to the post office - I just hope they don’t get lost amidst all the Christmas cards! As the postcard says, registration for workshops with Sharon Schamber or to enter a quilt in the show will go live on the website on Wednesday, January 13 at 10:00 am. We expect workshops to fill quickly, so plan to register as soon as possible. Workshop titles are listed on the postcard, and will also be available for previewing on our website on January 6, giving you time to decide which workshops interest you the most before registration opens on the 13th.

If you have a quilt that you plan to enter in the show, please remember to do that in January as well. Last year many quilters who waited until March to register their entry were disappointed because the show filled so early and we had to turn away many wonderful quilts due to space limitations.

The guidelines for the quilt show remain very much the same as previous years, but we are always looking to improve wherever we can. For the 2010 show, we will be awarding two Best of Show ribbons - one for a wall quilt and one for a bed quilt. This year we’ve also added a couple of new quilt entry categories, increasing our total from twenty to twenty-two categories. Due to the large number of pieced, machine quilted bed and wall quilts that are entered each year, we have divided those two categories into large and small bed quilts and large and small wall quilts. Check your registration form for size qualifications for each category. Also new this year, we have set a maximum size for wall quilts and minimum measurements for bed quilts to improve the display and visibility of quilts hung by category.

So whether you can’t wait to take workshops from Sharon Schamber, or you’ve stitched a quilt that you’d love to show to the world, or you just want to come to the show and absorb all the beautiful craftsmanship and creative energy of hundreds of fellow quilters, be sure to go online at www.saudervillage.org on January 13 and take the first important step to making those dreams come true!
 

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January Classes

The winter months are a wonderful time to take a class and brush up on quilting skills or learn a totally new technique. Check out the classes we are offering during the month of January - one or more may be the perfect fit for you!


Strip Twist
Thursday, January 7, 2010, 6:30-9:00 p.m.
Instructor: Linda Stuckey
Class Fee: $15.00 / $13.50 Members
Class Size: Minimum 4 / Maximum 10
Skill Level: Advance Beginner

Do you have a favorite jelly roll or Bali pop that you been saving to use in just the right quilt? Strip Twist is a fast and fun quilt to put together in a day. Using 2 1/2” strips, the blocks come together very quickly with a partial seam method that is very simple to do. A great way to sew up that special jelly roll.


Basic Hand Appliqué
Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Instructor: Nancy Rosendaul
Skill Level: Beginner
Class Fee: $15.00 / $13.50 Member

Learn basic skills to produce beautiful hand appliqué. In this class we will concentrate on perfecting small, invisible stitches. Tips will be given on different methods for making templates, fabric choices, thread and needles.


Twisted Bargello
Saturdays, January 16 and 30, 2010, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. both days
Instructor: Carolyn Snyder
Class Fee: $55.00 / $50.00 Members
Class Size: Minimum 4 / Maximum 10
Skill Level: Advance Beginner

Stitch this stunning Twisted Bargello quilt. Using the quick strip method, we will sew together a range of colors or shades to produce a gradual color change of exciting patterns. When selecting colors please remember to choose a range of prints which should include some exciting fabrics and different size prints to provide movement and visual interest.


Cathedral Window
Saturday, January 23, 2010, 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Instructor: Sharon Moore
Class Fee: $30.00 / $27.00 Members
Class Size: Minimum 4 / Maximum 10
Skill Level: Advance Beginner

Learn the classic cathedral window folded technique using Cathedral Window Quilts by Lynne Edwards then add her new twist of various sizes and shapes in the Dawn to Dusk Quilt.
 

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Hold the Bus for the OH-MI Shop Hop!

Just a reminder to save the dates of February 25-27, 2010 to attend a Garden Tea Party hosted by nine quilt shops in southern Michigan and northwest Ohio. Your hostesses for this event will be: Corner Quilts, Quilt Foundry, Sonflower Quilts and Threads of Tradition in Ohio and Sew What, Pieceful Traditions, Material Girls, Quilt Patch and Viking Sewing Center in Michigan.

New this year - Threads of Tradition and Corner Quilts will be co-sponsoring a bus trip for the OH-MI Shop Hop. The bus will leave the Sauder Village parking lot at 7:15 am on Friday, February 26, visit the other seven shops and return around 7:30 pm. In order to make the most of your day on the bus, you will be responsible to get your passport stamped at Corner Quilts and Threads of Tradition on either Thursday or Saturday during the shop hop. The $55.00 cost of the bus trip includes your passport, transportation, your choice of a Jr. Chef Salad or chicken salad croissant sack lunch prepared by the Barn Restaurant, a late afternoon snack, fun and games on the bus, and the camaraderie of many quilting friends. Stop in or call us at 419-445-9610 to reserve your seat on the bus and you will be free to enjoy yourself and let the worries of driving, directions and the weather up to someone else!
 

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Got a Notion?

More and more frequently, customers call or stop in the shop looking for basic sewing notions like zippers and bias tape. For your convenience we decided to purchase a display of YKK zippers that includes both jeans zippers, coil zippers in four lengths and thirteen colors and Unique Invisible zippers in two lengths and thirteen colors. We’re hoping this selection will provide the zipper you need for all the projects on your to do list.

Wash Away Appliqué sheets by C&T may just be your next favorite appliqué necessity. Draw or print motifs onto these handy sheets, then fuse to your appliqué fabric. Just wash the paper away after stitching.
 

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Calling All History Buffs

Last month I mentioned the Civil War Tribute block of the month. Only seven kits are still available and we plan to have the first month’s kits ready to pick up or ship on January 10. If you would like to participate in this historical quilting experience, call or e-mail us as soon as possible. For more information and a picture of this gorgeous quilt, please refer to the December Current Threads online at http://www.saudervillage.org/Hospitality/CurrentThreadsDec09site.asp.
 

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Fabric, Fabulous Fabric

Fabric continues to arrive weekly and this winter we have concentrated on restocking basics, but several new groups really stand out and must be mentioned. The Montana Modern collection by Benartex is designed around an elegant silhouette panel featuring six different wildlife blocks. Rich paisleys and geometrics make a stunning border for this panel in the Mountain Lodge pattern provided on Benartex’s website.

Mary Englebreit fans will love her latest group called Attitudes featuring a panel of eight blocks, each with its own typical Mary attitude and quote. Coordinates in her signature style and colors complete the look whether you make quilts, totes or clothing with this fun fabric collection.

Also new are three John Deere prints, always popular with the country crowd. A bandana print, denim-looking print with large tossed tractors, and John Deere sunflowers coordinate with previous fabric lines to warm the hearts of John Deere lovers everywhere.

In my opinion Minkee is the softest fabric on earth and we always carry the pastel baby colors for wonderful baby blankets. We’ve decided that more grown up people also like soft Minkee fabrics, so we’ve added a bright pink, navy, golden brown, burgundy, a pink and brown argyle print, blue and brown argyle print, a bright dot print and a teal and green floral print to our selection. Now Minkee softness is for everyone!

Cloth books are a favorite gift at baby showers and as gifts for young children. Our newest selection is called “I Can” and features different jungle animals. Also in stock are Winnie the Pooh, Puppies, Zany Barnyard and a nostalgic Mother Goose cloth book.
 

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Books - Hot Off the Press

Here are bargello quilts like you’ve never seen before! Instead of streaking up and down, the eleven designs in Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts wave, twist and curve to create beautiful shapes with incredible movement. Eileen Wright’s techniques use the efficiency of strip-piecing to make truly mesmerizing modern designs. You’ll create strip sets, slice and dice them, and arrange the values using a number chart for flawless results. Set your bargello in motion!

When you are ready to take your quilting skills to the next level, Fabric + Paint + Thread = Fabulous is the book for you. Pat’s innovative techniques allow you to expand your artistic horizons and make breathtaking art quilts. First you’ll paint on fabric to make a simple landscape background. Then the excitement begins! You’ll use thread to “paint” astonishing realistic trees, leaves and more onto stabilizer, cut out the motifs and apply them to the background. With five captivating projects to choose from, there’s plenty of inspiration for your next quilt. It all adds up to fun!

More! Hand Appliqué by Machine is appliqué that looks needle-turned with no hand sewing! Beth Ferrier teaches you how to adjust your machine to create stitches that no one will believe were machine sewn. Have fun with fancy stitching, decorative threads and appliqué trapunto. Using fast assembly-line techniques to reduce preparation time, try out these updated techniques on nine traditional style wallhangings included in the book.

Show off your fabrics in big-piece quilts. Simple Style, Easy Weekend Quilts are easy enough for beginners, but intriguing enough for seasoned quilters. Find over fifteen patterns for theme prints, Asian prints, batiks, pastels and more. Quick and easy, these quilts make perfect retreat projects. Most are made from squares, strips, or rectangles, and a few feature large triangles, just for fun. Piece one (or two) this weekend!
 

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this summary of what’s new and newsworthy at Threads of Tradition. Stop in and visit when you get a chance.

Wishing you and yours a Christmas filled with peace and joy and a wonderful New Year!
                                                    Linda

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Threads of Tradition @ Sauder Village
22611 State Route 2, Archbold, Ohio 43502
800.590.9755  or 419.446.2541  ext. 3011
www.saudervillage.org
send email inquiries to: lrufenacht@saudervillage.org

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