Beach Birdies

Who can think of being at the beach on days like we have had lately! Whew! Its hot! The nice place to be is in the AC at Quilting by the Bay - and then you can enjoy these really fun Beach Birdies - a new collection from Moda. Here's one of the 3 panels and there are some really cute coordinates to put together a throw, wall hanging or use for tote bags! There is even a Christmas panel with the Birdies all ready for the holiday!

Speaking of the holidays, we have a big surprise coming soon! Just wait till you hear what's coming this fall! Oh, the fun we will have! But in the meantime, we are working on ideas and inspiration for your holiday gifting. I really love to be able to make gifts - and my philosophy is I get the fun of planning and shopping, the therapy of creating and the joy of giving - so what a great way to stretch my dollars!

My dad loved his quilt! And my mom, the quilter, asked me if I made pillowcases to go with! So pillowcases he shall have - and it is a good thing to think of when giving that quilt. There is nothing like a set of matching pillowcases to go with the beautiful quilt. Guaranteed Bed, Bath and Beyond won't have anything nearly as beautiful as what a quilter can create!

Anita Goodesign has some really great Christmas designs coming out in July. One of them is a tile scene called Santa's Visit and my Designer Diamond has done a beautiful job. All Anita Goodesigns are multi-format so it really doesn't matter what embroidery machine you have. It will be at Quilting by the Bay in the next few days - its really gotten me in the spirit.

I need to take a break from quilting and get a dress done for our Alaskan cruise in July. I'm excited to be taking two classes with Margaret Miller - one Angle Play and the other is a class to set block collections. Our friends from Australia are joining us and we will stay with my quilter friend in Seattle and visit the quilt museum there.

Maybe I'll even blog from there!

Be sure to checkout the website and get signed up for Judy Niemeyer!

See you soon at Quilting by the Bay,

Sue

Beach Birdies

Life is a Garden

"Life is a Garden of Scraps" is the quilt you see ... sent to my dad for his 85th birthday. He should open it this weekend. And life sure dishes out some really dillys, doesn't it. And when things get tough, where do quilters turn - to their favorite quilt store - aka Quilting by the Bay! Sometimes to start a new project or just find that special piece of fabric to finish one... and sometimes its just to find solace in the beautiful fabrics.

And for those of you who have not been by Quilting by the Bay lately and seen the chairs full of fabrics, you are missing a real treat. In the last 3 days we have probably received 15 boxes of fabric! The new Moda Beach Birdies with great colors and patterns featuring cute flamingos - even a Chrismas one!

And the very best news is that Judy Niemeyer is coming! Not sure who she is - check out her website www.quiltworx.com and see all the dynamic choices for her projects. She will be at Quilting by the Bay for 8 days! Because her class space is limited we have scheduled her so not only are there a variety of techniques available but also class spaces to accomodate our dedicated quilters. We are told her classes fill quickly so we are taking deposits now. Call or stop by QBTB for more info.

Enjoy your quilting time!

We look forward to seeing you soon at Quilting by the Bay,

Sue

Life is a Garden

Retro

What a great birthday party at Quilting by the Bay this weekend! It was so fun to see our QBTB family and reminisce and also share the fun and excitement with new friends! There was a real special moment for me yesterday when friends were uniting around the store and I thought back to those early days - getting to know you.... and now, it isn't unusual when we look at a new fabric collection or a specific bolt of fabric that we say "that's perfect for her". One of our customers walked in the door on Friday and said "I'm in my happy place!". That's what it is like for me at QBTB - my happy place where I can enjoy helping, planning for the future and especially be inspired by your creations.

And the walk down memory lane went down a long road back to my Harvest Gold appliances when our new fabric collection from Timeless Treasures called Apples arrived! Wouldn't you know I would like something with a food name! The colors and prints are really fun - apples, trees, owls and flowers with a swirl blender to match. Think ahead to the holidays and the quick aprons, table runners and placemats that you can create for those on your list of think early gifts. I'm thinking those fun "6 Halves Make a Whole" Placemats.

I've taken another walk down memory lane this week as I finish up my Blooming Scraps quilt that will go to my dad for his 85th birthday. I took it to show my mom, the woman who inspired me to start quilting and my dad wanted it. Oh, what a terrific solution for the ever challenging birthday present. As I work on the binding, I see the different scraps which remind me of the project or the event in my life related to that fabric.

And now, it is time to meet with my therapist! Frank is outside helping Pete today so I don't have to chase him around to retrieve things he swipes.

Thanks to all of you who make Quilting by the Bay my happy place and the wonderful quilt store it has become - and especially to Sandy and Al who strive to assure that our quilt store will be well stocked and full of inspiration.

See you soon at QBTB!

Sue

Retro

Happy Birthday Quilting by the Bay

It's our Birthday!! Quilting by the Bay first opened it's doors 7 years ago. We are celebrating June 12th and 13th by having a fantastic online special of 15% off books and kits. Check out the website at Quiltingbythebay.com

Also, come by the store today and join in the fun at our Lucky 7 Sale. During our Lucky Seven Sale our special is buy 5 get 2 of equal or lesser value free (minimum 1 yard cuts for fabric). For example, buy 5 spools of thread - get 2 free; buy 5 fat quarters get 2 free; buy 5 yards of sale fabric at $4.99 - get 2 yards free; and yes someone has already asked - if you buy 5 sewing machines we would be happy to give you 2 free ; ). If you have one of our Coupon Books there is a coupon for a free gift with any purchase over $100 too.

There are great deals on our Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machines too, with prices starting at $299 you don't want to miss this opportunity to take advantage of some of the lowest prices we have ever offered on Emeralds, Sapphires and Topaz machines. Our Sapphire 850, regularly priced at $1899 is only $999 for 2 days only!

Happy Birthday Quilting by the Bay

Choo Choo Puppy

As a child, I was fascinated with trains. My grandfather was a train engineer and it was a real treat to go to the end of my grandparents' street and watch him bring the train in. Train travel was so common "back in the old days". Now with the fast pace of life, trains have lost their role in our daily lives. But not for our doggie clan - they have their own personal choo-choo train - and our furry friends are on board. What a great cuddle quilt for a little one, espeically when it is backed with Minkee. Stop by and see it - the quilting (done on Belle, of course) just makes it that much cuter! I wonder if I could get Frank (our dog who is always into mischief) to hop on board and take a ride so I can get some uninterrupted quilting done!

I've had a day to spend with my therapists (aka my Designer SE and Designer Diamond sewing machines). For many years I have wanted to make a Hunter Star quilt - and you know, those diamonds can just be such a pain. When Sandy and I were at Quilt Market we met Deb Tucker who designed the Rapid Fire Hunter's Star technique. So this week, I set aside some time to try it. It is so easy, the pictures are so clear and the instructions included are for both right and left handed quilters. I have everything ready for a demo board which should be done by the end of the week so you can see how easy and fun this technique is. I'm hooked!

Lots of new things to see at Quilting by the Bay,

Sue

Choo Choo Puppy

Buckeye Beauty

Here's a little sneak peek at one of the new Hoffman Bali Pops that are coming soon! This quilt pattern is called Buckeye Beauty and it is made with the new Spumoni Bali Pop. There are 6 brand new and delicious Bali Pop flavors on the way and available for pre-order. You can view them here in the Quilting by the Bay online store.

Buckeye Beauty