Amy Butler Fabric Arrived Today!

Quilt Market was over just 10 days ago and already boxes of new fabrics, books, patterns and notions are arriving daily! Today the UPS man brought boxes from Westminster and Moda. Of course Sydney signed for them. Look at these Amy Butler fabrics! Aren't they delightful? Come in to see them. Liz has made a bunch of samples of her newest bag pattern---help us name it! She used this collection and more for her samples. I took one of the bags to market.
Today we also got a limited supply of the Better Homes & Gardens Complete Guide to Quilting. It is full of gorgeous quilts. The photos alone of each step of all the techniques are worth twice the price. This book is a bargain at $19.99 but with a $50 purchase you may buy the book at half price while they last. It's just one way we want to give back to all of you, our special friends. If you don't live near Scottie Dog Quilts you can shop on the website http://www.scottiedogquilts.com/....just put BH&G Quilting Guide in the special instructions box.

The rainy season has begun here in the Redwood Forest...We'll see rain most days until sometime the end of March or end of April. It rarely rains really hard....but it will be wet. The damp is what makes the mighty redwoods grow. We live in a beautiful place--on the Pacific Ocean midst the ancient Redwood Forest!

The Eureka Bathroom

Mr. Scottie Dog has been busy the past several days working on our new shower. It is so very beautiful. I know it's been taking a long time, but he is so carefully making sure it's perfect.

I had asked if the floor tiles could be "on point." On the diagonal to those of you who aren't quilters! We looked a long time before we found the 13 inch tiles. We looked on our travels, looked at granite, other stone tiles, and finally the one we liked the best was at Pierson Building Supply right here in Eureka. Then we chose the trim piece and Bill changed the design to have the tiles on diagonal up to the trim and then sitting

straight. I think it is so very beautiful!
My plan wasn't as good as his. Again we've agonized over the right grout color. I didn't realize grout comes in lots of different colors. I thought you got white or black. No...way too many colors to choose. Should we go dark, light or try to match the tiles. What we chose looks a lot more yellow on Bill's test piece. But it won't show much, so we are going to go with it. Look at the close up of the trim. It looks like carved stone. The shower "room" is coming along.

The lavatory is painted--it's actually a soft green with a touch of gray--in this pic it looks gray---the lights that go above the sinks are in, the intercom in in and the telephone is in......that's right, remember Mr. Scottie Dog is an electrical and electronic technician.....so we have telephone AND intercom next to the camode so if I feel a need to contact anyone, I'm covered.

Bill, I'm in awe of the lovely and loving job you are doing.

Thanks.

Visit from a Marine

In August I shared about little Sydney at the Crescent City Quilt Show making quilt squares for the "sick sojers." The Lighthouse Quilt Guild has a project of making quilts for injured soldiers...such a wonderful gift from their hearts. They invited show attendees to design 9 patch blocks using the 3" squares of fabrics provided by the members. Then several ladies would sew the blocks together. This year alone the number of quilts has exceeded 100! One of our regular quilters went to the show with her husband and son. Brigette's son had noticed Sydney hard at work designing her quilt blocks and was impressed with her devotion to the "sick sojers."

He was back home for a visit in late September and brought Sydney a "Marine Teddy Bear." Imagine Sydney's face when her Sojer arrived at Scottie Dog Quilts one evening in his dress uniform (and I tell you it's true.....a man in uniform is soooo handsome!). After a firm handshake and a thank you he was gone.
Thanks so much!

Houston International Quilt Festival

I've never been to Houston International Quilt Festival. It is THE definitive show of shows in the Quilt World!
Three friends linked up there....Christina Seaman (who is on her 2nd year of traveling the N. American Continent), Toni Morgan (now living in N. Carolina) and our own Pat Durbin. We had hoped to see Toni & Christina in Houston, but they arrived late the day we left early. Boo Hoo. So near and yet so far! Pat's quilt, "Beside the Still Waters" won a Third Place Prize! Congratulations, Pat! It is impressive! She also had another quilt juried into the show....a portrait of Jesus. I saw some ladies admiring it when I saw the show.

Congratulations also to Gerry Smeltzer....her lovely blue pants outfit was impressive. We had the white glove man move the signage in front of it as it hid the ensemble.

Quilt Festival begins 3 days AFTER Quilt Market ends....so we just can't stay. Maybe some year.

Last Market Update

I keep getting asked, "When are you going to tell us more about Quilt Market?" So I thought I'd post the last pictures.

Who am I posing with here? This is Brenda Lou from Whistlepig Creek Patterns (and yes, there IS a Whistlepig Creek), I think in Colorado where the pattern company is located). I've never met another BrendaLou before. Most Brenda's seem to be Brenda Lee's.

It wouldn't be Quilt Market if I didn't connect with my good friend Jo Morton. She came to Eureka to teach the first year I opened the store and we've kept in touch. She has a new book out and of course a new Civil War Vintage fabric line with Andover Fabrics.

Eleanor Burns (with son, Orion) is always fun--

-this year her crew were all wearing these brightly colored "pony tails." See the Scottie Dog on the quilt in the background? We ordered the new Eleanor Burns Big, Big Flying Goose Ruler and we expect Eleanor's Trunk Show for her book, Victory Quilts to arrive any day now at the store.

Next I'm posing with the "Vampire Couple." Dennis and Julia are with P&B Fabrics and they always dress up one day at Market. You usually find Dennis in a big black cowboy hat, until he dresses up. One year they were Fred & Lily Munster. Last year Dennis was a Red Hat Lady! I've never seen such large high heels before! As I've said before, "You never know what you'll find at Quilt Market!"

Isn't this booth beautiful, calm and serene. These colors of green, aqua and cream were seen in many booths.....fabrics, sample quilts and patterns.

So there you have it....Quilt Market 2008. Until next October.

Come along on Our Market Tour

The actual Market part of Quilt Market only lasts 3 days. But of course there are meetings, dinners, classes that stretch our trip to 6-7 days. During that time you have a chance to chat with the "celebs" of quilting, with vendors and manufacturers of fabric, batting, thread, notions and more. We were delighted to meet Heather Bailey, a very talented young lady. We're posing with her in front of her new fabric line. We loved it and ordered accordingly. You are going to love it too, I"m sure. I learned only today that Heather is the daughter of elinor peace bailey the famous doll maker. Her brother is a famous photographer too. What a family heritage.

The official announcement has been made: My good friend, Karen Snyder is now the spokesperson for Elna sewing machines. Congratulations Karen! Other spokeswomen include Marie Osmond for Janome, Eleanor Burns for Viking and more. I've owned an Elna 6003 for several years and am quite happy with it. Can you believe it, Karen, YOUR face on the posters. And I knew you when.....

Each booth at Quilt Market is unique, portraying the personality of the booth owner. It might be a pattern designer, a fabric company....it may exude a feeling of calm, of electricity...or a trademark design. Sandy Klopp who designs fabric (for Moda) and quilt patterns under the name American Jane. Look at the great black and white striped awning valence! It plays so very well with the bright primary colors of her 30-ish, Dick and Jane-ish, Elementary School-ish fabrics. Sandy's fabrics are happy, evoking good childhood memories for the Baby Boomers and their children and their children's children.

Quilt Market is not all work and no play. Many of the fabric companies host dinners, parties and the like. We usually get more invitations than we can attend. Saturday night we started out at the Moda Party, probably the largest party of Market. It always includes an awesome dinner and fabulous entertainment. We dined with 3 ladies from a shop in Florida and 3 ladies from another fabric company (they'll remain nameless since they were "crashing the party"). Then the Flamico dancers came out. They were beautiful the way the moved. A Salsa dance team performed and then we snuck out.....to the Robert Kaufmann Fabrics party! Parties, parties....Sunday night we went to Classic Cotton's party and met up with my "posse," a group of shop owners I meet with on a regular basis. Off to bed too, too late. More next time.