IN THE MEAN TIME.....

While we were not looking.... the month of January flew by! 
O.K. maybe we were looking, but we were also busy.  Most of the country was doing their best to stay warm and safe. Temperatures dropped to below 0 in some places, including ours. At one point our water froze and a pipe burst! We were blessed with a great insurance company, great contacts of companies who came out and took care of the clean up, and blessed that it wasn't worse and mainly involced the garage and not the main part of the house. 
We were also blessed in that it didn't get into the studio. 
The temps however did play a part in less studio work time this month. I did manage to get two quilts done for customers, but am a bit behind where I wanted to be at this time. I will catch up. 
For the first time I have a waiting list of quilt work to be done. Most customers are not in a hurry which is a help, but I still do my best to get them done quickly so they can have their quilts and I can work on other customer quilts, or my own. 

IN THE MEAN TIME - I've been making ornaments!  I have several orders for Christmas ornaments for this year and am working on filling those orders. (Some are ordering several and spreading the order out throughout the year to better budget their money and save me from a mad rush at the end of the year. I am appreciative to that thoughtfulness).  In the mean time..... I've made a couple ornaments/decorations for Valentine's day and even more for Easter. Those that are still available for sale can be found on my Etsy shop!   I LOVE making these!  Yes, they take some time to make. But are a great way to use smaller amounts of fabric!  I now have a supply of ribbons I never thought I'd have a use for! LOL   

Temperatures are now getting higher and this weekend (Saturday) I'll be in the quilt studio working on at least 2 customer's quilts. Back into the rhythm of what makes up Quilter's Pantry!

May you all have a wonderful weekend! For those watching the commercials on Sunday - otherwise known as the Super Bowl - have fun!  I'll be working, but watching when I get home..... Love the commercials! 

Til next time..... keep those needles stitching, the fabric in stitches, and your imagination and creativity flowing!  Share your joy with others and watch their faces light up!   

Phyllis

WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR

Welcome to 2014

We have made it through another year and entered into a brand new one. 

Above is the best way to end the year - teaching my son to longarm and my granddaughter to sew!  She's 7 1/2 years old and took to it so naturally! For those wondering how old a child should be before you teach them to sew and get around a real sewing machine, I say let their enthusiasm play a part in it. She wanted a sewing machine for Christmas (so of course I gave her one of mine!). She took to following the directions well, and her only complaint was that the foot pedal sewed too fast! LOL  She needs practice controlling her foot pressure on the pedal. I was so impressed with her and am so proud.  My son also took to the longarm quite easily. Even doing some ruler work - to stitch a straight angled line!  He used the computer system and was working on just solid fabrics. But made two pot holders or whatever he uses them for. Wish they lived closer. I could have two quilters on my hands! He had ideas for a quilt or two for me to make.  :)

As we all get started with our new year, putting away all the Christmas decorations, reorganizing our sewing/quilting space and starting to quilt I wish you all the best.  May your goals for this year be met and go beyond what you think you could get done.  Try a new technique, step out of your comfort zone. Use up some of your fabric stash. Share your love of quilting with others and teach someone to quilt. Show off your work. Enter your quilt(s) into a show. Join a quild. Start a sit and sew, or join one in your area. Learn the history of quilts. The list of things to do in this wonderful quilting world are endless.

My goals for this year...... finishing the quilt I've started for my Daughter, finish the quilt I've designed and have started to piece.  As well as ALL the quilts for my customers. 

And then there are the ornaments I now make. I have 52 orders so far!  My goal.... let's say 150 and see where it ends up.

Yes, this year at Quilter's Pantry will be a busy one. I plan to spend today - black ice on roads and some snow on its way, so staying home- catching up with all the paper work from last year. Then I can start fresh for 2014 and hit the studio running! 

til next time...

keep those needles stitching, 

the ideas flowing, 

and your joy showing. 

Phyllis