Wow, this year seems to be flying by already. I swear I looked up, looked down, turned my calendar over, and it is already March! FYI, this newsletter is LONG; lots to cover!

 

Sew, you know what that means? Time for our annual LSQW Fat Tuesday Fat Quarter Sale. Yes, the info is as follows; Tuesday, March 8^th starting when the doors open at 10 AM. Selected fat quarters will be $1.50 each. These do NOT include the fat quarters that are cut and on the wall. We will have special baskets set up in the back of the store for the sale, plus of course containers for you to pile to the sky with your contents. I promise we have enough fat quarters cut to get through the whole day. Ladies, the girls cut and cut and cut all year long for this sale from the end of the bolts. This is why we do not give an end of bolt discount. We do, however, come back to you in the form                                    of this annual sale.

 



 

March also brings us the Dallas Quilt Show. Dates are March 11, 12, and 13^th at Market Hall off of I-35. Please go to their website at www.quiltersguildofdallas.org for more information. If you are interested in riding a bus on Saturday, March 12^th, please contact Marijane D at 979 778 2487. Please note this bus is being organized through the local Brazos Bluebonnet Quilt Guild, and not through our shop.

 

A couple of new cool items we have received are appliqué scissors by Karen Kay Buckley. We have two sizes and both come with large handles for easy use, plus the all important serrated edge to help hold your fabric when cutting small pieces, embroidery floss, etc. The other item is 2 ½” wide Stone Strips by Northcott in pink for Quilt for a Cure. Two dollars from each sale of these strips will be donated to breast cancer research by Northcott.

 

Many of you have been asking us for quilt labels. As a shop owner, these are often hard to find as they are themed. Often the theme we purchase is not right for the quilt you have. Sew….we have found some books with iron on quilt labels that you can color in. Each book has quite a few labels, and we have the colored permanent pens to fill your label in. There are several that could additionally be machine embroidered or hand embroidered showing your name, date the quilt was made, who you are giving it to, etc. You are labeling all of your quilts aren’t you?

 

When you are at the check out register, don’t forget to look at our $4.99 Mystery Grab Bags. The girls have been making these up using scraps in different themes, ie: pink, Aggie, Reproduction, etc. I promise you there is more than $4.99 worth of fabric in these bags, so give one a try for a cute project.

 

On Saturday, March 19^th, we will have a special visitor. Arelene Sachitano will be here for a book signing from 11A-4P. Arlene writes quilt murder mystery novels featuring detective Harriet Truman and her cohort quilters named the Loose Threads. Arelene’s newest book, Quilt by Association, features a dog rescue group, a newly adopted baby, a rival quilting gang, and two murders. For those of you who are Yorkie lovers, the cover picture features an adorable Yorkie. Arlene’s book will retail for $15, and she would love to autograph it for you.

 

We would like for Arlene’s book signing to benefit our local Animal Shelter so here is what we are asking of you. Please bring a bag of dog food to the book signing on Saturday, March 19^th and as a return present, LSQW will give you a coupon for 10% off your purchase in the shop that day, excluding Arlene’s book and any other items already on sale.
 

Are you making your travel plans for the Quilt Across Texas Statewide Shop Hop? Don’t forget this will be going on the ENTIRE month of September. Go to www.quiltacrosstexas.com for more details. I have just returned from another organizational meeting and will be sending you a separate email with more details later. Ladies, there are some phenomenal prizes for this hop, not to mention that our own Brazos Bluebonnet Quilt Guild will be holding their bi-annual show September 9-11 of that same month. Please go to www.bbqg.org for more information concerning the show titled Renaissance of Quilts.


 

 

Don’t forget to stop by and see all of our new knits now that spring is here. No more cold weather, just bright and airy clothes in fresh colors. To that end, we have double knits for tops and acetate knits for bottoms, similar to the skirts and “swish and sway” from Chico’s. New to clothing sewing? Use a ballpoint needle for knits. We have some great Kwik Sew patterns that would look nice in these knits. You know, when you sew your own clothes, you don’t see yourself coming down the street!

 

My last newsletter item is a little sad for me. After two years of trying to grow our yarn category it has become evident it is not working. As of today, all yarn will be put on clearance at 40% off. All sales are final with no returns, refunds, or exchanges. 

 

While there is a small knitting community in the Bryan/College Station area, unfortunately it has not been enough for us to continue to purchase yarn for our store. To those of you who have purchased yarn from me, I thank you for your loyalty to the store. I would like to refer you to WC Mercantile in Navasota. This is a small shop that is mother/daughter owned and are building a strong following with natural fibers, roving, spinning wheels, looms, and great classes. Please tell them I sent you there!

 

Also for March, we have a select group of kits on sale at 20% off. These kits are located in the back of the shop and have a 20% off hang tag on them. Please note this kit sale does not apply to all kits in the store.

 

Do you have an income tax refund coming? Do you need a new sewing machine or serger? Well, come and see all of the new BabyLock machines we have in stock. Prices run from low to high with options galore - sewing, serging, machine embroidery, sashiko, and even felting soon. 

 

Armando, the “Machine Whisperer”, will be here Monday, March 7^th to work on any make or model of sewing machine, serger, or embroidery machine. Please call the shop at 979 595 1072 if you are interested in having your machine cleaned or repaired. Drop it off by Saturday, March 5^th, and pick it up on Tuesday, March 8^th. No waiting, and you can attend our annual LSQW Fat Tuesday Fat Quarter Sale!

We still have four spaces available in our One Block Wonder Retreat weekend on June 3^rd and 4^th. Call the shop at 979 595 1072 for details. Why wouldn’t you want to make a fun quilt top, eat great food, and spend the night with your friends?

 

Our March class schedule is attached to this newsletter for your use.

 

Gotta run, more fish to fry! See you at the Dallas Show…………Terry

 

PS….Would you like to ride a bus to six other quilt shops and stay overnight in July? More details to come soon.