The leaves are turning and the 401 quilt run begins

Fall is my favorite time of year. The hot sweaty days of summer are gone and the air is fresh and clean. We are all sleeping better at night and that makes us more productive in the day.

I realize that it has been several months since I have posted on this blog . It has been a very trying year and we are finally on the upswing and hopefully I can get back to the tasks at hand and put the unpleasantness of the past year behind me.

Jane, Pat and I have been working very hard at getting ready for the start of our month long 401 Quilt Run.

To be honest with you I feel that it has been one step forward and two steps back but like death and taxes it's coming and there's nothing we can do about it. lol

It's been an extremely busy fall with our Quilters, Rug Hookers and Knitters already. 

Fabrics are arriving daily and moving out as quick as they come in. There are beautiful colors and patterns and people are sewing everything from quilts to home dec.

I've been dying up a storm and the hookers are eating it up. I check my shelves every day and just when I  think I have them filled up they seem half empty. There have been alot of travelling hookers that have made their way to my door this past summer and fall and for that I'm grateful. I've been dyeing some fleece for spinning and felting as well as my own handspun and I feel a real sense of accomplishment. I love fiber!

I managed to miss the Michigan Sheep Fest but when I visit Grand Rapids to see our son Travis, I will be hunting some fiber down. lol

For you knitters who are familiar with Vi from Kraft Village you will know that she has retired this year leaving a hole in the knitting supply for our area. I am doing my best to catch up and keep my shelves full.

This week we received a rather large shipment of sock yarns in a large variety of colors. I'm sure there's something for everyone there. Noro yarns are back in stock and make even the simplest pattern look amazing.

Dave Schwartz has joined our staff and will be looking after all our machine servicing and repairs. Dave has been repairing machines in the area for years and can be trusted to care for your machine. Bring in your machines and sergers and get them tuned up for your fall sewing  now. Dave will not be servicing machines that are under warranty from your dealer. Unfortunately you will need to see your dealers for warranty machines.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend and enjoying Applefest and the Leaf game. lol

Go Leafs Go

Mary Anne

Back at last

Wow! I looked at my last post and realized I've really been slacking on the blog.
Life has been very busy this summer as we spend time with our Grandchildren and make trips to the Muskoka's to vist Travis.
Travis is at Oxtongue Lake slugging canoes for the summer and after a couple of visits I have a great appreciation for Algonquin Outfitters. They outfit groups with everything they need for their adventure into the parks and our boy is part of the team that help them get ready. It's a great excuse for us to visit a beautiful part of Ontario. Why leave Canada for a holiday when we have all these wonderful sites to visit.
I have been buying for the fall and things have started to roll in lately. Beautiful new yarns from Noro Yarns and some great new sock yarns as well as some lace alpaca from Malabrigo. The fabrics are beautiful and there is something to entice everyone. Jane and Pat have been busy sewing and getting kits ready for our cottagers as well as getting ready for fall classes. We hope to entice you to drop in and see what's new and tell us what you have found on your travels this summer. We learn so much from our customers and I'm always delighted when someone has been on a quilt run and brings a new idea back to us.
I've been working on a quilt this summer that seems to have dragged on but I will post a picture this week when I finish the top. I have also been knitting a spiral shawl with the Noro sock yarn and it's finally turning out. It is an extremely easy pattern that yeilds beautiful results but I recommend not talking to your husband when starting this pattern and absolutely not even one glass of wine.
I look forward to seeing all of you out to knitting Tuesday afternoon to share your projects and I invite all of you who are interested in knitting or need help to drop in and visit.
Mary Anne

Still knitting, quilting and sewing

Well, summer is slow to arrive so we all continue to knit, quilt and sew and for my business that is not a bad thing at all. However, my tan is not getting any better at this rate. lol. Even my pool still has its cover on and Cliff is in no hurry to open it up. It's to cold to swim so why pay for chemicals is his thought. Open the Pool!
There have been lots of changes in the shop in the last year. Sharon has retired for the second or third time and at the end of May , Geri Logan has retired.Although they are retired, they are not far from my thoughts and I consult with them regularly.
Pat Schwartz has been at the shop for one year now and I am so delighted to have her. Pat is our in shop sewing consultant. I like that handle and although she would scoff at the title she is really very knowledgeable. We have had some very nice sewing classes since Pat has come on board and she is a sergeing genius. This is said by the girl who had quite a bit of difficulty even threading the serger but with Pat's patience I am now running it like I know how.
 Jayne Thomas is the new hire and I am delighted to have her on board as well. Jayne , for those of you who do not know her is a delightful addition to the shop. Jayne is an avid quilter and sewing enthusiast. She has held a couple of classes since she has come to the shop and they have produced wonderful product and led to very happy customers.
The three of us are working very hard at classes for the summer and fall . There will be Christmas in July as well as another chenille class and some beginner projects for those of you who would like to try your hand at quilting. Everyone can sew. A little instruction goes a long way and all the little tips you will learn along the way will help make your experience an enjoyable one.
All our groups will continue to meet through the summer. I have found in the past that people want to continue the routine so our Knitters will continue to meet Tuesday afternoons from 1-3, Hookers Wednesday from 1-3 and Stitchers on Thursday morning from 9:30-11:30. Everyone is welcome.
The third Friday of the month is our Spin In and the last Friday of the month is our Hook In.
I look forward to meeting with everyone on these days.
I have noticed that it had been quite awhile since I posted. My apologies, but life has gottten in the way. Thank you for your patience and I promise to do better.
Mary Anne

Spin In Friday

Don't forget that Friday is our monthly Spin In. Come in , sit down and spin away your problems. This is one of the most enjoyable days of the month for me as that is exactly what I do. 
There is just one problem. I need to start using all this wool I have been spinning. lol
See you Friday
M

I'm back again

I've been away for a little while but I'm back and ready to go. 

Mothers Day was busy as usual and I was off to the flower shop to help look after the Mom's and play with flowers for awhile. Although it seems to be something I am doing less and less , I still enjoy going into the shop and doing design work.
It's a rainy day out there this morning and I can actually see the grass growing. lol. Poor Cliff has been cutting the grass like crazy already. No rest for the wicked. 

Pat, Jayne, Geri and I have been very busy at the shop making shop samples for classes. It is always difficult to know what people want to do and it has been my experience that by making these samples up you get your feedback and then you have your class.
It is very important to listen to your customers. They keep us informed as to what they're looking for and usually after being asked for something a couple of times you know that you better get it in  
the shop because as sure as the sun will rise, there will be more people looking for that item.

Our Rug Hooking group continues to grow and we are going to make great strides this week in making more room in our classroom area. There have been up to 15 hookers some days and it's getting a little cramped so we're remaking the room once again and I'm looking forward to it. 
When spring arrives I can't seem to stop myself from moving and cleaning. Hopefully we'll be able to find everything once I'm done tidying. 

This past week has seen the arrival of some beautiful fleece fabrics for babys and some nice brushed fleeces for pajama pants. Pat has been teaching some sewing classes and I'm expanding our fashion fabrics to accomodate these classes so drop in and check our what's new. 

Mary Anne

Springs seems to have arrived

As I sit here and type, I see that the sun has come up and is shining. Woo Hoo! I won't get to excited as the weatherman has just informed me that the storms are coming up from the U.S. and we will have lots of rain coming our way. At least it's not snow but thanks for sharing with your neighbors to the north. lol
Knitters will meet this afternoon from 1-3 , so if you are in need of company, drop in and knit to your hearts delight. We knit everything from socks to afghans.
We are off to The Gathering this Saturday in Port Hope. For you fibre enthusiasts this is a wonderful show of spinners, weavers, knitters and hookers. You can always find something to buy at this show and I always have a wonderful time while I'm there. It's a getaway for me, not work.
The Gathering is held at the Port Hope Community Centre on McCaul Street just behind the ball diamonds. There are plenty of vendors and lamburgers for lunch. It's a wonderful group and you will have a great day. See you there.
Mary Anne