Dear Quilting Friends,
By the time you read this newsletter, I will be
vacationing at the lake with Jim’s family. This much anticipated
week is an annual event where all four generations have a great
time. With the addition of two new fiancés and another
great-grandchild, we now number 29 plus assorted friends that
arrive with our young adults. Everyone usually shows up for at
least part of the week. Vacationing together as a family is a
great way to make lots of wonderful memories and keep up with
what is going on in each other’s lives!
Nifty Notions at Threads of
Tradition!
For
all of you who have been waiting to try the fantastic new
mechanical quilt marking pencil by Fons and Porter - we
finally have them back in stock. We cheered when thirty-six
pencils plus extra packages of white and silver lead arrived on
August 4. I have a feeling that this order may disappear just as
quickly as previous ones, so get yours while they last! The lead
in these pencils is the closest thing to the perfect marking
pencil that we have found - it doesn’t need sharpening, it marks
smoothly and easily and wipes off with a wet cloth. What more
could we ask for? Thanks Liz and Marianne for a great new
product!
Last month I mentioned Stipples Made Easy,
rolls of adhesive edged patterns for machine quilting. Your
response to this new product was so good that I ordered border
designs in various sizes to add to our selection. If your quilts
never seem to get finished because you dread marking the
quilting designs, give these new patterns a try and finish some
of those unquilted tops!
Upcoming
Events
With
summer wrapping up and school starting soon, it’s time to think
about activities for this fall. Why not give yourself the gift
of "sewing time" and attend our quilting retreat to be
held at the Sauder Heritage Inn on October 3 and 4. You can read
all about it on our website, and the online registration form is
available at:
http://www.saudervillage.org/Hospitality/Quilt_Retreat_Reg.asp.
This will be the fourth retreat that we have hosted at the Inn
and we would love to have you and your friends join us for a fun
and relaxing sewing weekend!
I’m
happy to say that Glora Belle is back to work part-time after
some time off due to the death of her husband, Tom. She is ready
to re-schedule the Weekender Tote Bag class that was
cancelled due to his serious illness. We are attempting to offer
that class on Saturday, September 6, pending approval by the
students who had signed up earlier. If you are interested in
sewing this Amy Butler tote in class, we can still make room for
you. Please call to register and we will see that you receive a
supply list.

If you are interested in Amy Butler fabric and
would like to duplicate her Midwest Modern look, four new bolts
of her decorator weight fabric have just arrived.
All four pieces will mix and match very nicely and are 55/56" wide
which saves on the
amount of yardage required.
Unique purses and bags have become a very
popular sewing item and make great gifts. Amy Butler’s latest
pattern, the Birdie Sling holds everything and is easy to
make, even for beginners! Modern styling and dynamic proportions
will make this one of your favorite carry-all bags! Stitch up
several in fun fabrics and get a good start on hand-made gifts
for Christmas or the new mom in your family.
Fabulous Fabrics
Speaking of Christmas, this is a great time to
pick up special fabrics for Christmas quilts and decorating.
Most holiday fabrics have arrived and there are some really fun
and unusual choices available this year. We just finished our
Dear Santa quilt top and have packaged kits for your
convenience. This throw size quilt depicting Santa at play is
quick and easy to piece and will add a festive air to your
holiday decorating.

Snowflakes Welcome is another very
attractive red and green winter panel that combines snowmen and
printed Lone Star quilt blocks for a wall quilt that can be
displayed all winter long. Coordinates are available for
borders, binding and backing or to add to the panel in any
creative way you desire.
The Kasuri Collection by Hoffman includes
a combination of dark blue and brown fabrics with an Oriental
flair, including prints with the look of Japanese sashiko
stitching. Elegant for quilts or striking in bags, these classy
fabrics will stand out in a crowd.
For
a softer blue look, La Grande Jardin in shades of heather
and moss by Lakehouse Drygoods will bring garden flowers indoors
all year long. The large scale individual flowers can be fussy
cut and featured as a block on their own, either alternated with
a pieced block or a plain block with pretty quilting. A variety
of coordinates and some suggested patterns make this an easy
fabric line to work with.

Two new fabric groups have arrived for the cat lovers.
XOXOXOThe Cat is a fun novelty group by In The Beginning
fabrics. Gray cats dance among pink and purple flowers on this
playful fabric that girls of every age will love. Coordinating
dots and a floral with black background complete the group.
Curious
Kitties features a charming and irresistible collection of
realistic cat illustrations by Bay Tree Studios. These cats will
win your heart with their mischievous antics, kitten-like
innocence and adoring gestures. The collection includes a large
panel print to make quick and easy pillows, cat beds and frame
able art and a smaller framed cats print for smaller accessory
projects such as fabric postcards, cornerstones in patchwork
quilts, coasters and quilt labels. Completing the collection are
an adorable, small scale paw print, fur texture and a border
print in two sizes. The pattern for the door hanging is in the
August issue of Fons and Porter’s Easy Quilts magazine,
available of course, at Threads of Tradition.
Inspiring Books
From gleaming stars to candy-jar sweets, cozy
mittens to winter blooms; add sparkle to your holiday decorating
with the six versatile quilts in Holiday Wrappings.
Projects include wall hangings, lap quilts, table toppers, tree
skirt and more. Also included are tips on adapting each project
to other holidays, seasons and special events.
Make
quilts for the kids you love—and spark a love of learning at the
same time with Snuggle and Learn Quilts for Kids. Pair
easy appliqué with fun fabrics and stitch up a snuggly lesson on
numbers, colors, words and textures. Each quilt offers and
educational dimension for children’s growth and development. Fun
projects include lap quilts, a placemat and a portable roll-up
chalkboard.
Circles made easy! Discover the excitement of
working with curves in this color-splashed book. Adventures
in Circles Quilt Designs from Start to Finish will teach you
the latest tricks for cutting and sewing circles; then apply
your new skills to eight creative projects. Choose from small
wall hangings to twin size quilts in both contemporary and
traditional designs; a gallery of quilts provides even more
inspiration.
Appliqué
enthusiasts will find 20 all-new flower designs in More
Fabulous Flowers: Mini Quilts in Dimensional Appliqué. With
just simple folding and stitching, you’ll be growing gorgeous
dimensional flowers in no time. Learn to make rosebuds, water
lilies, marigolds, larkspurs and more. Personalize your flowers
with beads, novelty yarns and trims. Make unique floral
arrangements by combining different flower designs, the gallery
will inspire your creativity.
Rug Hooking Event - August 13 -
16
Many quilters also love and appreciate other
fiber arts as well. It especially seems that quilters and rug
hookers (hookers for short!) have a common bond. One of the most
beautiful displays of hooked pieces you will ever experience is
on display at Sauder Village this week, August 13-16. Entries
are accepted in seven categories plus the featured display -
"Celebration Exhibit" - Rug Hooking magazine's
"Celebration of Hand-Hooked Rugs XVIII", your only
opportunity to see an exhibit of the year's BEST rugs
exclusively at Sauder Village!
Click here for more information about this
exciting display. I do hope you will take advantage
of this opportunity to see this wonderful exhibit of
award-winning hooked rugs. When you come to the Village, be sure
to stop in Threads of Tradition and say hello!

With schools starting this month, we all have the tendency to
return to a more structured routine. Be sure to allow for plenty
of creative sewing time in your fall schedule, just to keep your
life well balanced and fun!
Happy stitching,
Linda
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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