Newsletter

We are back from Retreat which was FANTASTIC as usual!  Ask anyone who attended and I think they were pleased with the accommodations, food, companionship, and the amount of sewing they got done.  Plus, we made the cutest table runner and apron on the planet.  Mark your calendars for the next two July- August retreats.  Dates are July 30, 31, Aug 1, and 2^nd, or Aug 6,7,8, and 9^th.  An option to stay in between the two retreats is open.  Location is GreenBriar Creative Retreat Center in Eustace, Texas.  If you would like to reserve a space, please contact the shop at 979-595-1072.  A $50.00 non-refundable deposit will be required to hold your space.  Spaces fill fast so don't wait too long.

We will be vending at the Dallas Quilt Show again in March.  Dates are March 12, 13, and 14^th.  Location is Market Hall on I-35 which is also known as Stemmons Freeway.  If you are able to attend, this is a very nice show.  It is the second largest quilt show in Texas and one of the few three day shows left.  Aisles are large, viewing of the quilts up close is possible, and vendor attendance is strong.  There are free demos going on all day in an area where you can rest a little, and lunch is available in the food vendor area.

New to the shop is a Liquitex Surface Design Center.  For all of you ladies and gents anxious to venture into art quilting and surface design, this is the ticket.  The Design Center contains acrylic paints, gel medium for fabric, dyes, a super instruction book, and a blank canvas book to use for practicing techniques.  Add to this all of our thread, fusible ribbon, cut wool pieces, and Kreinik metallic threads, and the sky is the limit.  Why not try a small piece that you can machine quilt and test a few of these new products?  We all need to step out of our box now and then.

When you visit the shop next, don't forget to pick up a copy of the free Country Register magazine located by our front door.  It is filled with free patterns, recipes, articles, and ads listing quilt shops, antique shops, tea rooms, etc throughout Texas.  We advertise in this newsletter and think it is the best.  Many of our customers ask for it even before the next issue is out!

For our batik lovers, we have added some new gradated batiks.  These bolts run from light to dark across the length of the fabric.  An example would be that you could purchase a one yard cut of the pink and end up with 4-6 shades of pink, from a very soft pink all the way to a dark rosey pink all in one piece of fabric. These would also work well with the items from the Surface Design Center!

Many of you have asked us to add more flannel.  We have, however, the bolts are spread out throughout the shop.  We are now carrying solids in many colors, tons of baby flannels, and the heavier wooly flannels from EE Schenck.  Wovens, which we have always carried, work well with flannels, whether using them for texture, warmth, or ragged quilts.  Stop by to see our newest "ragged" baby quilt sample.  It is too cute to describe in words.

From Universal Yarn, we have added a chunky acrylic in maroon and white.  I am not sure what we are going to do with this yet, but it is just screaming for an Aggie shawl.  We have also added five more colors of mohair.  Try running a thin strand of mohair with a worsted weight yarn.  You will be amazed at the color change of your base yarn.  Additionally, we have added some Christmas colored yarn with metallics and a pretty new yarn with beads.  Why Christmas yarn?  Because we are all supposed to be thinking ahead for 2010 holiday gifts.  If you wait too long, at Christmas you won't find this type of yarn. Be the bunny and not the turtle.

For all of you western fabric lovers, we have two cool lines that just arrived;  Midnight Cowboy by Maywood Studios, and Montana Modern by Benartex.  Both have some easy projects that incorporate panels and would work up quickly.  On the softer side, we have Blush from Moda that is simply gorgeous with soft pale colors of cream, pink, and turquoise.  From Blue Hill, we have a redwork panel with coordinates to frame out log cabin style reds and creams.  You could stitch the panel motifs if you choose for this line.

Sales, sales, sales.  Our favorite word, right?  Well, check out the tubs in the back of the store.  I keep adding items daily to the 50% off box.  We still have our sale fabric area, and our 2009 Christmas Panels are now at 50% off. Our March special includes select kits located in the back of the store at 15% off.  Stop by and pick up a bargain while out running errands.

And when you decide YOU need a little treat, we have new gadgets from Graphic Impressions.  A cute lighted magnetic pin retriever, an LED light you can attach to your sewing machine, mini scissors that are the tiniest I have ever seen, and a digital clock you can also attach to your sewing machine.  We wouldn't want you to sew right through dinner now, would we.

Well, that is all for now.  Talk with you again soon.  Thanks as always for your continued support of the shop.  We truly could not do it without you............Terry and the LSQW Ladies