Notes from the Patch

Everything I learned about business I learned from a game of marbles

 1. Keep your eye on the ball

 2. Don't worry about the competition

 

3. Keep trying till you get it right.

4. Never give up!

5. Have fun!

*heart* Suzanne

Going to Kansas City

Going to Kansas City,

Kansas City here we come.

We've got some crazy little growing grandchildren there,

and we're going to hug us some.

   

Bill and I are off to Kansas for a babysitting gig. Haven't seen Michael and Sarah since March so we are definitely ready for some time with those two. Packed my camera and hope to get some good pics.

Ta Ta...

I'd like to think she takes after her Grammie

 

Congratulations Sarah for winning the "Most Creative" award for your third grade class. I'd like to think you get it from me.

   

Tip Tuesday

 

A blog reader suggested that we continue the Tuesday tip theme with a weekly helpful hint post. I thought it was a terrific idea (as long as I can come up with an idea every week). It is my hope that you will help me by adding suggestions and additional helpful hints as we go. As with so many things it's the sharing that makes this work, so please comment if you have something to add!

This week I wanted to share my love of clear thread. Not just any clear thread, but Madeira's monofilament thread. (Heaven forbid I should ever run out of this stuff)!

It's perfect for topstitching and attaching ribbon and trims invisibly since it eliminates the need to be constantly changing thread colors. Often when I topstitch around Minkee blankets I'll use monofilament so the stitches don't show as much. I especially like it for topstitching blankets and things that have lots of colors. There is never a question of what color to match your thread to.

                     

 

 

There are a lot of clear threads on the market and most that have tried Madeira's say they like it the best. It's super thin, 100% polyamide (nylon) and comes in smoke for sewing on darker fabric, and clear for everything else. I use the clear about 95% of the time.

 

You can use the monofiliment in the bobbin or just use regular thread (which is what I tend to do). When winding a bobbin with monofiliment  be sure to wind it slowly so as not to stretch the thread as you wind.

 

Madeira monofiliment is definitely something I wouldn't want to be without!

 

Have you used it? Tell us what you thought.

 

 

 

 

Not me! Monday

      

Welcome to "Not Me!" Monday.

This blog carnival was created by MckMama as a fun way to 'fess up about some embarrassing or dumb things we've done ...by pretending we totally did not actually do them! To read what MckMama and everyone else have not been doing this week, check it out. 

Happily, and amazingly I haven't embarrassed myself too much over the last week so I haven't much to report. But I didn't want to deny you all the opportunity to share what you haven't done, so here's a couple of things that I've not been up to:

I haven't spent the last few hours personalizing port-a-potties for our big fishing reunion party in two weeks. No, not me! That would be a ridiculous use of my precious three day weekend.

I didn't sleep for nearly two solid days this weekend. My five hours of sleep each night last week hadn't caught up with me rendering me a gelatinous glob of sleepy goo these last few days. (Who said you need less sleep when you get old?) No, not me! That would have been such lazy waste of time.

We didn't have to paddle home from a romantic harbor sunset cruise after Bill "fixed" the electric boat. (That darn boat - it's always something!) Not us. That would have been so embarrassing to paddle a sixteen foot piece of junk boat past our neighbors houses while trying not to crash into their lovely operational and sea worthy vessels!

That's it for me. What have you not been up too?

    

Thought for the week - Week #34

 

                 

                   (Just ask any husband)

                            

Color me happy

 I wanted to show you some of the fabric that came home with me for this long holiday weekend. With a little luck I'll be doing some sewing this weekend.

   

   

A shop owner is the liaison between customers and suppliers. We are often asked what you want and what is needed in the marketplace.  I can't tell you how many times a fabric company will do children's prints in great boy colors then ruin it all by throwing in a touch of pink or purple. Ask any new daddy and they'll tell you that their boy's blanket or nursery wouldn't be having any "girlie" colors in it. When I've mentioned this to fabric companies they look at me like I have two heads. "Oh, hadn't thought about that" they'd say.

Geez people!

Any way. Michael Miller got it right with this group. Good current colors in fun masculine prints that all mix and match beautifully. Prints that baby boys can grow into.

Now if I can just get someone to make chenille in good colors. Oh well. That's a post for another day. (Those who know me well, know I will make that happen. Remember Minkee?) lol

  

 

 

 

Oh my, it's darling - "Clementine"

Walk through the mall or flip through any magazine and you'll agree, orange is this seasons fresh fun color.

Orange and lemon, orange and lime or 100% pure orange.

It's just all so juicy!

Clementine is a colorful new group from Moda and designers Me & My Sister.

       

Big bright flowers with coordinating prints in fun citrus colors and here just in time for leisurely summer sewing.

Of course we have Jelly Rolls, Honey Buns and Charm Squares to make your projects carefree.

Now, orangeyouglad? 

 

Bernina Club

Wow. You ladies (and gentleman) are amazing!

I feel so blessed to have such a talented and caring group of people in my life. We really have created a special community of creative (and really nice) people here at Strawberry Patches. Haven't we?

Your willingness to share your creations touches me more than you will ever know (and it doesn't hurt that we bribe you will drawing tickets either does it?)

So, I don't know about all of the rest of tonights Bernina Club attendees, but I for one can not sleep because I'm just totally over stimulated by all the fabulous show and tell (and the triple iced latte from Starbucks). 

And you know the best part is that I get to do it all again tomorrow morning at 10am!

I love this job and I love my customers friends.

Ga-night,

A warm hug for Candra

I've probably made this quilt a dozen times. Nothing special, just coordinated nine inch squares randomly sewn together and backed with Minkee.

But this one is special. It's for my friend Candra that faces some pretty scary surgery next week. She asked me to make her a quilt that she could take to the hospital and wrap up in as she recovers at home.

Candra had another request; that I use fabric from Anna Griffin's new Flora collection. You see, Candra is a bit of a celebrity. She's a craft double for Anna Griffin herself for her scrapbook shows on QVC. Candra is the talented lady that makes all those samples that Anna shows on camera to get us all to pick up the phone and buy. She has been working with the Flora collection in paper and expressed to me how much the prints mean to her. She asked if I could sew the printed selvage edges of the fabric into the quilt.

What a great idea!

 

 

So my dear friend, I hope this gives you much comfort as you cuddle up at home and get better. It was my absolute joy to make it for you. Thanks so much for asking!

Oh and I wanted to show you what Candra made for me last month for my birthday.

 

A sweet little notepad covered in Anna's Flora paper! 

LOVE it!