Creative Quilter!

Linda never ceases to amaze us with her wide range of quilting talent.  She brought this art quilt in to show us and we loved it!  An original pattern using appliqué , this quilt was created for a cancer-related theme (everyone of the ladies was affected by cancer, it could be the face of any woman.)  Linda's quilt just returned to her after hanging at the Mancuso show and we thank her for sharing it with us.  The dimensional appliqué, the faces (they are shaded) are wonderful.

We love to be inspired by all of our StitchCraft friends at every level, so keep the show and tells coming (email photos, too!)

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays from the creative ladies at StitchCraft, who enjoy working with you each and every day!
Thank you for the opportunity to grow our shop and become part of the sewing and quilting community.  We are truly blessed.  Happy, healthy holidays to everyone.

Last Minute Gift Shopping

Put a little 'POP' into someone's holiday with new Bali Pops from Hoffman.  Choose from delicious color combinations like Key Lime, Watermelon, and Coconut.  Use them to whip up a quilt using the 'jelly roll race' method (aka lasagna quilt.  Food trend starting here - must be lunchtime.)

We have lots of new patterns, fabric, notions, cool fabric pens and more for stocking stuffers.  Sewing machines and sergers are always nice!  How about a little humor for a friends' sewing studio?

When in doubt, a StitchCraft GIFT CERTIFICATE is always the perfect gift for the quilting and sewing enthusiasts in your life.  Happy holiday!

Grand Opening Day 2

Confucious said" Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life."
True.

We had a great second day of our Grand Opening Celebration.  I think all of my wonderful customers and friends came out during these two days to support their local shop (and get savings and some door prizes and delicious baked sweets).

Debbie and Lori had a jelly roll race.  In a short time, 1600 inches of sewn strips come together as a pretty quilt top!  Debbie finished her top out of a Moda Sophie jelly roll (despite a mysteriously buzzing sewing machine.)  Lori used a Tonga Treat jelly roll and added some red squares as some 'pop'.

We had the whole staff in - Johanna, Shirley, Tammie, Miki and Raine, with the exception of Suzanne (who had to help her husband work at a resort in the islands.)

Thank you to everyone who helped make this weekend a super success!  We couldn't have grown - and continue to grow - without your help.

Now I am off to set up our new Accuquilt display (many giant boxes arrived right in the middle of the busy grand opening and they are stuffed in Georges office.  He has a bunch of repairs today so I better get cleaning....!!)

Grand Opening - Part 1

It's always a blessing to celebrate with people you enjoy.  StitchCraft held their official Grand Opening (day 1) today and it was wonderful from the start.  The shop looked wonderful, merchandised and decorated and ready for our guests who joined us at opening for a ribbon cutting.

Boca Raton City Councilman Anthony Majhess cut the ceremonial ribbon with Johanna.  Tammie, Shirley, Mikki and our Baby Lock Regional Manager Rose Smith participated.  The day progressed so nicely with everyone choosing a 'lucky duck' for a discount on purchases, door prizes and the most delicious baked goods from Shea's Bakery.  Mini Cupcakes, cake pops and brownies.  Yum!

Charlotte won a wonderful bag of goodies for her Jelly Roll Race quilt (and she added red squares to it for extra zing).

In the middle of the fun, new beautiful batiks from Benartex arrived, along with everything from Accuquilt!  Not sure if I will have everything unpacked, but I can't wait to show you the new dies and patterns you can create with the Go! and Go Baby!

Saturday will be more of the same  - quilt shop fun and friends!  Thanks to those who came to StitchCraft today and who will join us tomorrow.

Celebrate with Us!

We opened the doors in our new space a couple of months ago and in that time we have all worked hard to create an environment that is a home base for quilters and sewing enthusiasts.  The fabrics continue to roll in, the thread racks arrived and we have gone beyond the usual products and added the 'craft' in StitchCraft with felt balls and pieces.  We will continue to add and grow, but we wanted to pause and officially celebrate our grand opening!!

Friday, December 9 and Saturday December 10th will be our shop celebration and we hope you can join us!  We will have a ribbon cutting Friday morning around 10, followed by a day of demos, door prizes, sweet treats and more!  Everyone will save on their purchases, but how much?  That depends on luck (the luck of the duck).  Our fabric suppliers have been generous and have supplied us with lots of door prizes.  We have delicious treats coming from Delray's award winning bakery, Shea's Bakery.

Best of all, we hope to visit with our customers, who bring creativity and joy to our shop each and every day.  See you Friday and Saturday!

Colorful Wavelets at StitchCraft

StitchCraft saw creative quilting at it's best yesterday, as Jane Hardy Miller, author of French Braid, French Braid Obsession and her newest French Braid Transformation, taught her Wavelet quilt pattern.  We had a full class of talented quilters creating beautiful tops, and each one was so different!

Jane Hardy Miller will be teaching her Quick Celtic Not in January and that class may be full.  Perhaps we should have her teach another class this season?  Do you have a favorite French Braid pattern that you have created?  Or do you have one you would love to take a class in?   

Block of the Month

Ripples and Reflections - our first Block of the Month!  Beautiful jewel-toned fabrics from Hoffman paired with traditional piecing techniques will result in this gorgeous 90"x100" quilt.  Program spaces/kits are limited so sign up now.  Please call us with any questions or to register.  If you are interested in purchasing a complete quilt kit let us know as well.

Dear Stella, I love your Fabric

It could be the beginning of a fan letter, however it is the name of a brand new fabric line with fantastic designs and colors.  Debuting at Quilt Market in Houston and arriving at the shop today, there are two lines that we have.  The first is pink, orange and white in different prints.

These are just a few that arrived.  I saw a lot of this color way all over Quilt Market with lots of samples of pieced quilts with these colors on white - beautiful!

The other color way reminds me of summers in Cape Cod.  Navy, orange and white, some with nautical prints.  So smart and crisp.

Come by StitchCraft and see for yourself.  Visit our 'links' page to visit Dear Stella and see their projects and sample, too. 

Block of the Month

Ripples and Reflections by designer and author Laurie Shifrin.  This is an 11 month program beginning in January and created out of gorgeous, jewel-toned Hoffman batiks.  The quilt will finish at 90"x100" and includes complete, clear instructions each month for the 'block" (which is sometimes a few smaller blocks). Laurie uses traditional piecing techniques in her design.    Participation will be limited as we will only have the fabric that you see with no substitutions.  The kits will include fabric for blocks and borders.  Backing is separate and there will be a 20% coupon in the final kit to use for it's purchase.  

Sign up now to reserve your monthly kit!  You can pick it up in person each month at a BOM instructional gathering (tentatively slated for the 2nd Saturday of the month) or at your leisure.  We will ship, too, for a small postal fee.  Cost is a $25 non refundable registration fee and $24.50/month.  

Questions?  Call or email us!  

Jane Sassaman Early Bird

The artist in Jane Sassaman is evident the minute you see her fabrics.  Her new line for Free Spirit is creative, bright and simply gorgeous.  We were excited from the time we first saw it on paper and it has now arrived!

She has a free pattern of this quilt here.  Her samples at market included a beautiful dress, purses and aprons in addition to the stunning quilts.  Stop in and see the fabric and get inspired!

Black Friday Sale

And then go shopping at StitchCraft!!

Why go to the mall and fight the stressed out crowds when you can be among peaceful quilters!  We don't want you to miss out on good sales, however, so if we can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Shop early and save more on everything in stock (yes, everything, including machines in stock.)

From 10-11 save 25%

From 11-12 save 20%

From 12-1 save 15%

From 1-5 save 10%

And Friday is also Sit and Sew, so our classroom will be open for social sewing (or simply social-izing!)

(don't worry - we'll remind you again since it is only Saturday)

New Books (and patterns and notions and fabric...)

Finally back in stock, Kaffe's newest book.  It is wonderful (and have you seen Kaffe's shot cotton fabrics we have that go so well in creating some of his patterns?!)

The photos in Welcome Home are stunning, and they cover other fine crafts, not just quilting.  Beautiful!
(Many new books in stock - come check them out.  We have a MUCH better selection of quilt books than our local book store.  We are starting to stock magazines, too!)

The Best Part

Why am I in this industry?  Because quilters are the best.  Saturday was a perfect example when we were blessed with our very first bus group!!  50 wonderful quilters from Pasco county visited us while on their quilting trip and it was wonderful!

(my dad stopped by to say hi and didn't get past the front room, but thankfully he snapped a few photos)
This was our first large group and I think we did a pretty good job of handling everyones' shopping needs. Of course this was thanks to Tammie, Shirley, Sue and Mom for everything!  We hope to see the ladies again in our shop.

And for any group planning a bus trip and wanting to stop by StitchCraft - we can easily accommodate you! With easy parking for your bus, too!

Blend Fabric Line

We are excited to have a new line of fabric in from Blend, a division of Anna Griffin.
Check out Kitschy Kitchen...

Photos from Houston Quilt Market 2011

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

What a Novelty!

Tuesday was a busy day in the store, with visits from some wonderful people!  It was topped off by a visit from our favorite UPS man and a very large delivery of FABRIC!!

In addition to the most gorgeous addition to our batiks collection and an expansion to our solid selection, we received some really awesome new novelty fabrics!  Imagine the fun you could have with these:

Candy!

Yum - Yum - Yum

Cheers!!  

Love these corks!

Hooping it up!

Are you ready for some football?

Soccer balls

It's a Wrap!

I finally took the time to begin to learn to make garments, thanks to the help of super talented Suzanne N!  (This girl whips up clothes and bags that are fabulous!)  She showed me how to cut a pattern and I sewed it and subsequently modified the length.  It is a learning experiment on my part, as I chose to put buttons on it instead of wrap ties.  Another big challenge?  Choosing the fabric - there are so many fabrics that I would love to wear!!   

We will putting this on as a class at the shop with Suzanne in the teachers chair.  As soon as we pick a date, it will be on the 'classes' page.   

Stonehenge In Boca

Boca may be one of the curious wonders of the world (we won't go there), but the Stonehenge we have is not the leaning stone type - it's fabric!

We have two brand new panels in two completely different color ways, along with a good selection of coordinating fabrics.  If you are not familiar with Stonehenge, it is fabric from Northcott that has the look of natural stone (marble, granite..)  Imagine the possibilities!

All Things New!

The new shop is up and running and looking wonderful!  We are so blessed to have been so well received by all of our friends/customers.  The construction turned out wonderful and looks clean and bright.  The fabric and other merchandise has found it's place and we are slowly and carefully unpacking and setting up the new additions - Koala Cabinets and Baby Lock machines.  We have room to add lots of new fabrics (Houston Quilt Market, here we come!)  Additional cutting tables cuts down on waiting and a classroom has become an informal gathering place for fellow quilters and friends to gather, sit a while and chat.    In other words, it is just what we wanted!!

This web location will be our new online home base.  We will have out blog posts, information on classes and events and sales.  You can link to and from our Facebook page from here, as well as see photos from classes and show and tells and more on our new Flickr site.    I am finding this platform easier to maintain, and thus will be able to better update everyone on what they want and need to know about StitchCraft.

Wouldn't it be great to have an online presence for everyone to stay connected all year round?
What would you like to see included in the new StitchCraft site?  Please leave a comment and let us know!

Creatively,
 Johanna