Thanks & Signing Off!

I've had a blast hosting 52Quilters this week!
The comments online and in person have been great!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my booth at Quilt Canada 
and said they follow me on social media.
(sometimes I'm not sure anyone is reading)

I'd also like to say a HUGE thank you to the lovely ladies that came to help out in my booth.
My sister Anita (not pictured), Suzie (on the right) and Shannon.
These ladies take a week out of their busy lives and drive from Quebec to help me out for the show.
They are not quilters, so they don't do this for the love of the craft.
They do like fabric and the things I can make them
(thank goodness)
but they really do this for me.

They love me and I love them.
It's such a wonderful feeling to have sister-hearts that are so connected.

Thanks again ladies!  You are the best!

If you've enjoyed reading the 52Quilters posts, and are new to the concept,
follow @52Quilters on it's various social media platforms.
You'll get a new host every week of the year.

If you have enjoyed your time with me this week at Fabric Please!,
sign up for my newsletter or follow on my Facebook or Instagram feeds.
You'll get updates on new items in the store, store news and info on sales and giveaways.

Till next time...
Rita

Quilts, Quilts and More Quilts! - Quilt Canada Wrap Up!

Spending my week at Quilt Canada has been  pretty much my idea of perfection.

 I've been lucky enough to have a booth right in the heart of the action.
The patrons have been doing some serious shopping, leaving my shelves bare.
That's a problem every vendor wants to have.

With little time during the day to look around; I have been taking my time after the show has closed to walk amongst the quilts, admiring (and sometimes drooling over) the incredible workmanship and artistry of the more than 400 quilts on display.

While I'd love to show you every quilt in detail, I'd need more than a week as host at 52Quilters to do so.
I can, however, show you some of the ribbon winners and some of my personal favourites.
So grab a cup of tea and settle in for a picture-heavy post.

Fire Island Host
(1st Wall & Bed Quilts)This one is better appreciated in person.

Jewel
(3rd Wall & Bed Quilts)I love the use of colour!

Kiku
(3rd Art-Abstract)We don't see enough quilts with yellow backgrounds

Walking with Mom
(1st Art - People/Critters)I thought this was a photograph it had such detail!

Loving Murano-Italy
(2nd Art/Naturescapes)Look at the reflection in the water!

Receiving Grace(1st Art/Naturescapes)

Navigators Star
(Mid/Longarm)

 
Holy moly!  Those are quarter inch pieces!

Can this one live in my home, please?

Very Canadian!

My absolute favourite!
This one may not have the quilting detail or intricate piecing of some of the other quilts,
but for some reason, it draws me every time I walk past.  I have fallen hard for this quilt!

This is a ribbon winner in the Youth Challenge Elementary division.  The child that made this is in elementary school!  Pretty amazing!

Viewers Choice winner in the Youth Challenge Elementary division.
Wow!  Elementary aged child!
If this is the future generation of quilters, we have some amazing work to look forward to!
I am stunned at the creativity and workmanship that these young people have.
I've heard it said, if you get your child hooked on quilting,
they won't have money or time for nefarious activities.

This is just a very small sampling of the quilts on display, for a few more,
head over to the 52Quilters Instagram feed.

Thanks for reading to the end!

Rita

Quilt Canada 2017 - Set Up Day

Hello my lovelies!

I've spent the day setting up my booth at Quilt Canada and I have to say... I'm exhausted!
Set up day is always a long day but today I chose to do it by myself.  Sometimes, I just need to do it slowly and not feel like I'm keeping someone from something they'd rather be doing.

I did get it all done and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.
Join me if you are in the Toronto area this week!

Now, I'm sitting in my hotel room, waiting for my dinner to arrive and thought of all of you!

Yes, you!

I'm thinking of the day I just spent... speaking with all the fantastic vendors at Quilt Canada.
We were all commenting on the shear size of the show!  Over 400 quilts!
(don't quote me on that)(I'll share pics tomorrow)

I'm also thinking of tomorrow and how I get to see many of you in person!
I know I've said it before, but I LOVE my customers!
I love chatting about all things quilting and sewing, I love sharing my tips and swapping ideas with you.
I just love... well, YOU!

You are the reason I opened my store, you are the reason I go to shows
and you are the reason I smile each and every day
because you have allowed me to turn my passion into my vocation.

Thanks for that!

I'll be posting more often this week, due to being at the helm of 52Quilters.
I hope you are all okay with it and don't go running for the hills with all the over-posting.
Bear with me y'all, it'll be over in a week.  LOL

Don't forget the 20% off discount during this week... use code 52QUILTERS

Till next time...
Rita

Fabric Please! is so "Pleased" to be here!

Hello my lovelies!
I’ve got a very busy week ahead of me and I would love for you to join me in person or via social media….

I will be the driver of the bus (trying not to crash and burn) for the week on
@52Quilters over on Instagram and @52quilters on Twitter.
I’ll be blogging
(yeah, really!)
on the 52Quilters blog and cross-posting to all of my own social media platforms as well.
(Wish me luck on all this clicking, pasting and sharing!)

Oh, did I forget to introduce myself?  Silly me!
I’m Rita… owner of Fabric Please! YOUR online fabric store.
If you want to learn about my journey as an online store owner, head over to my About page on my website.  You can sign up for my Newsletter if you want to get in on some sweet sales, giveaways or news about all the fabulous products I have.  Sometimes, I even share my “makes” to give you ideas of what you can create.  If you would like to learn about my life before I became an e-commerce neophyte, head over to my (sadly forgotten) personal blog Pin Pricked Fingers.  Otherwise, if you just want to hitch a ride with me until the next stop… I’d love for you to come along!

This is the perfect week for me to share!  I’ll be heading to Quilt Canada (Canada’s version of Quilt Con) for the week and you will get a sneak peek of life “behind the scenes”.   I’m a vendor in the merchant mall (peddling my wares) so you’ll be able to see the show from that perspective.
I have my trailer all loaded up and ready to roll!

Set up starts bright and early Tuesday morning and hopefully I’ll get a chance to share a few pics of the chaos of ‘trade-show life’.  During the week, I’ll share pictures of some of the gorgeous quilts entered into the juried show.  I’ll share pics of quilts for Canada’s Big Quilt Bee, a country-wide initiative to make quilts for kids staying in Ronald McDonald houses while in hospital.  There will be quilters donating their time and materials at the show to finish up the last few (hundred) donation quilts.  The goal was to make 1000 quilts but I know we’ve surpassed that… I’ll try to get a final number for you during the week.

While I’m away at Quilt Canada, I won’t be able to fulfill my online orders until June 20th
but as a little treat for my 52Quilters followers, I’m offering 20% off storewide
for orders placed between June 12-June 18.
You can use coupon code:  52QUILTERS at the checkout. 
(offer not valid for Monthly Subscriptions or Gift Cards)

Thank you so much for coming along with me this week!  I hope you enjoy the ride!

Till next time...
Rita

Thank you for a great week!  I posted more on Instagram than I did on the blog...go check out @52quilters for more.

Signing off for now, see you in Instagram world @funwithtotes!

Laura

This is the view of my sewing room that I like the most...the wall of rainbows and favorite minis!

I taught my first sewing class at the quilt shop on Wednesday to make the Prima Diva Wallet by Sew Many Creations.  It went well! 😀 

I

The Singer 404a.  This is the same model sewing machine that I learned to sew on many years ago.  It was my Mom's machine and served us well for several years.  We are both staunch Bernina fans and I am dazzled by all the functionality of my Bernina 790.  Last year something caused me to reminisce about my sewing beginnings and I started hunting for this model, found a fabulous deal online and pressed my husband to get it for me.  It was a thrill to turn it on and hear how it sounded.  It seems that I'm late to the party when it comes to buying old sewing machines.  In talking to customers and coworkers at the quilt shop, the phrase, "Oh yes, I have 13 machines" rolls off the tongue of many without hesitation.  THIRTEEN? After I ponder the amount of storage they must have to own this many, I wonder about the stories of these machines, the history, the thrill of the hunt, etc.  Now I must admit that I've been surfing online sales again.... How many machines do you own?  Which one is your favorite, your traveler, your dust collector?
#52quilters #sewingmachine #singer#sewing #singersewingmachine

Week 24

Hello hello to all!  It's my turn at the #52quilters helm this week and I am very excited!  I'm Laura and you can find me on Instagram at @funwithtotes.  I make quilts and also bags, wallets, totes.  I inherited my quilting/fabric addiction from my Mom, who hooked me in about 24 years ago. (!!!)  I live in North Carolina and work in a quilt shop in Concord, NC called We're Sew Creative.  I'm the bookkeeper in the back corner but also help in the sales area and will be teaching classes this month.  I look forward to sharing my quilty endeavors with all of you!  #fabricaddict #quiltingblog

Week 23 (Mindy Reeves): Sunday!

Early morning shout out to another local business that I love - Dutch Bros Coffee! The people that work at these coffee stands are amazing and always happy and sweet! If you're ever in the Pacific Northwest and see one if them, stop by and say hello! My favorite drink is this yummy blended Double Rainbro Rebel. Rebel is the DB brand energy drink and the Double Rainbro is strawberry, peach and coconut. Totally my new addiction!
 

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I finished up the first unit and made good progress on the second today!! Getting excited about this quilt!

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So what's in store for me in the near future? I'm going to enter quilts in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show for the first time! I've been going to the Sisters show for years and am very excited to finally enter quilts!

These are my Glacier Star (Judy Niemeyer), my Feathered Star (Judy Niemeyer), my 2016 En Provence Mystery (Bonnie Hunter) and my awesome Tula 100 Blocks (Tula Pink) quilts that will be entered!

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While in Sisters, I will also be taking classes at Quilter's Affair. I will be taking one class with the amazing Tula Pink @tulapink and another with the awesome Elizabeth Hartman @elizabethagh ! I got to meet both of them in Houston last year and I'm so excited to get to see these ladies again and take their classes!! #52Quilters #tulapink #elizabethhartman

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 And as I sign off of 52 Quilters for the week, I want to thank you all for letting me be a part of this journey, especially @chrismakesthings for all the organization and time he puts into this! I hope you have all enjoyed my pictures and look forward to sharing more on my account, @mommyandmeemeequilting! Best wishes, happy quilting, and good night from this beautiful blue sky moon! Love to all!

Good night! ~ Mindy Ellen Reeves ~  @MommyandMeeMeeQuilting
 

Week 23 (Mindy Reeves): Saturday!

My dad's family has owned a tire shop and rubber company for several decades, so I love to shop local when I can. And of course that means supporting my local quilt shops!! These are my favorites in town, Jean Marie's Fabrics for fun "modern" fabrics, and Something to Crow About for great "traditional" fabrics (and some awesome U of Oregon DUCK fabric!). Thank you to Winona, Shawna, Kenette, and everyone else that supports these shops!! (Sorry the pics are dark! The sun's not fully up at 530 a.m.! Lol)

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I was born and raised a proud DUCK (U of Oregon)! My favorite ducks are male mallards with their beautiful GREEN heads! These guys were in the middle of the road and I just thought they were too cute not to share! Go Ducks!!
#52Quilters #goducks #mallardducksarecute

 
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These are a few of my other favorite quilt shops. They're all about an hour or hour and half away so I don't get to support them as often as I'd like but we do go whenever possible! I don't have pictures so these are their websites! Jannilou Creations in Philomath, OR is great for my Judy Niemeyer patterns and offers classes on Judy quilts (and others! Lol). Finally Together Quilt in Lebanon, OR is my favorite place to get my favorite Moda Grunge fabrics! Quiltwork Patches in Corvallis, OR has tons of fun fabrics of all types (and is where I found my Moda Hazelwood fabric in my Vintage Rose quilt!). Country Lady in Roseburg, OR is what I like to refer to as the place to go for batiks! Their selection is the best! If you're ever in these areas, please check out these local quilt shops!

#52Quilters #janniloucreations #finallytogetherquiltshop #quiltworkpatches #countryladyquiltshop #localquiltshops #localquiltshopsrock

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 If you've been wondering if I ever do anything besides quilt, the answer is yes! Lol Here are a few of my parents' toys (yes, a few... this is not all of them lol. This maybe isn't even half of them!). We like to go riding at the Oregon Coast and over to the mountains in Eastern Oregon or it's always fun to just ride around my parents' 20 acres too!
#52Quilters #polaris #loveridingquads

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 I've decided my next quilt will be the queen size Fire Island Hosta! This one is a kit my dad bought for my mom from Quilting by the Bay (they're in Florida but have a great website!). I am impressed with how well-organized this kit is! Every piece of fabric is very clearly labeled! I spent about an hour and half cutting papers and another 3 hours cutting fabrics for the first book of the pattern (there are 2 books!) but decided to take a break from cutting! Now to start sewing!

This is where I cut wrong and found VERY similar fabric in my mom's stash! I got super lucky!

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 Made some decent progress on my first unit! 24 of the 40 sections done! Woohoo!
#52Quilters #judyniemeyer #fireislandhosta #fireislandhostaqueen #quiltworx