Miller's Dry Goods January Newsletter

Dear Quilters & Crafters

Happy February!  Hope this finds you all in your sewing rooms surrounded by your favorite fabrics!  As soon as I finish my craft room I need to get busy at the sewing machine.  Lori will need several dresses for the parades and festivals she will be attending this summer.  I’m going to attempt making them myself.  Right now I have my scrapbooking table set up in the living room and am working on the kids’ school albums.  I’ve saved a lot of their papers and special projects to put in their albums.  I love looking back at all the cute little drawings and the art projects that they did.  All three of our children love to craft and draw and are quite creative. 

            As for my craft room. . . I did get started on it!  I’m almost done painting and then we can move the desk  in and I can finish organizing everything.  I’m hoping for a few more snow days so I can get all this accomplished!

            Ryan brought little league papers home from school, so that means spring isn’t too far away.  Sometimes I get tired of the cold dreary winter days, but I am thankful to live in an area where we can experience all four seasons and the beauty each one brings. 

            Recently I created a business page for the shop on facebook.  Next time you’re on facebook, search for Miller’s Dry Goods and become a fan!  You can upload photos of projects you’ve done and interact with other quilters and crafters!

Happy Valentine’s Day and keep those sewing machines humming,

Mary

What’s New?

Books

Spectacular  Rectangles -12 Quilts from a Simple Shape by Ilene Bartos

This book is full of traditional quilts-with a twist.  Log Cabin Blocks, Chevrons, stacked Chinese Coins, and more, yet they don’t look like the same old pattern.  Ilene focuses on rectangular blocks and has created 12 new refreshing patterns.  The patterns are easy enough for the confident beginner but appeals to the advanced quilter as well.

More Favorite Traditional Quilts Made Easy by Jo Parrott

In this follow-up book to Favorite Traditional Quilts Made Easy,  Jo gives quilters more of what they love: old time favorite quilt patterns made easy with her rotary-cutting and piecing shortcuts. This book includes Storm at Sea, Broken Star, Geese in Flight and more.  It also includes 2 bonus projects.

Another Season of Beautiful Blooms by Susan Taylor Propst  

Inspired by the breath-taking gardens and countryside of England and Europe, this book brings beautiful floral designs to appliqué enthusiasts.  The book includes a full size block and instructions for a pillow and wall hanging in two color ways for each flower.  The flower designs include: Petunia, Poinsettia, Black-eyed Susan,  Cherry Blossom,  Lily, Tulip, Bougainvillea, Clematis, and Rhododendron. 

Magazines

American Patchwork & Quilting April 2010 issue has just arrived.  It is full of fabulous projects and lots of reader’s tips.  Also meet Eleanor Burns, the Quilt in a Day Queen.

We also carry the following magazines:

Quilts & More – Winter 2009

More Fast & Fabulous Quilting Ideas 2009

Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting

Patterns

Fat Friday by All Washed Up. 

Pick up 20 Fat Quarter, Skinny Quarters or a mix of both and sew up this quick and easy quilt.  Great quilt for beginners.  It also includes the bonus Candy Bar quilt pattern.

Travel Nappers by Sew Baby

These fun travel pillows make naptime more comfortable in the car.  Choose from the lamb, bunny, or kitty and sew up one today.  One size fits children 2-12.  Great pattern to use Minkee fabric.

Take a Kwik Trip Around the World by Two Kwik Quilters

Just 5 Fat Quarters plus border and binding make a baby quilt or pick 5 different yard pieces plus borders and binding for a queen size quilt.  Unlike other “Trip” patterns, strips are not sewn into a circle, so unstitching is eliminated.

Fabrics

Wild Rose designed by Marti Michell for Maywood Studios

Classically simple yet elegant, the lovely old fashioned roses meet cherry blossoms and charming foliage for a collection that is soft and pretty for spring.  Colors are soft pink, green, blue and yellow in a variety of prints.

Sweet Flower Fairy & Morning Flower Fairy from Michael Miller

The Sweet Flower Fairy color way is done in shades of pink and green.  The Morning Flower Fairy is in shades of apple green and tans. 

Novelties by Michael Miller

New fun novelties with a vintage feel are in.  There are prints with ice cream treats, coffee & donuts, teapots, cake, summer barbecue items.  Also for summer fun, there are vintage travel trailers, lawn chairs, mushrooms and garden gnomes. 

Wonderland by Moda is back!

This fun line based on Alice in Wonderland was so popular that is has been reprinted.  Fun florals in large and small, large and small dots, butterflies, vines, and scissors make this a very versatile fabric line. 

Blush by Moda

Designed by Basic Gray, this new line is hip, modern and sophisticated.  In shades of pink, aqua, brown and a touch of red, the prints are paisley and a variety of floral, plus a few heart and dot prints.  We have yardage, jelly rolls, and charm packs available.

All of these new fabrics will be on our website, so stop by www.millersdrygoods.com and check them out. 

Quilt-opoly & Stitch-opoly Board Games.

Quilt-opoly  is a game that keeps you running around the “blocks”  Collect blocks and quilting techniques and form your own quilting empire.  Just don’t pick the card that says “Sewed your seam crooked” or you will be sent straight to “Rip out a seam” without passing “Start Quilting” and without collecting $200.

Stitch-opoly keeps you in stitches as you collect various needlework techniques and open your own needlework shops.  Make sure your stitching is centered or you will be sent to “Pull out a thread” without passing “Start Stitching” and without collecting $200.

Both games are for 2-6 players and include instructions for the traditional or short game.  The game would be a great addition to your next quilting or stitching retreat. 

Stitchery

New 9” Quilt Blocks from Jack Dempsey

            Monkey – cute little monkey hanging from a tree branch

            Princess – Castle with “Princess” written above the castle

Both blocks with added sashing would make a darling baby or toddler quilt

DMC crochet thread.  This is a fine crochet thread in a white and a variety of pastels.  It would be perfect for doilies or edging on pillowcases.

Did You Know  .  .  .  .

. .We carry Michael  Miller’s  Fairy Frost fabric line?  Currently we have over 40 colors in stock.

. . We carry a large selection of Duck Cloth?  We have 23 colors in stock.  Duck cloth is a heavy duty cloth that is used for making corn hole bags or other projects that require sturdy fabric.

. . We carry a large selection of Minkee and Cuddle in a wide variety of colors?  We have over 70 bolts in solids and prints now,  with more to come.

. . We carry a full line of DMC embroidery floss. 

. . We carry a large selection of Jack Dempsey Embroidery Items.  We have Baby quilts, quilt blocks in 9” and 18”, lap quilts, wall quilts, pillowcases, beginner embroidery kits, and large quilts and shams.

If you haven’t been to Miller’s lately, we invite you to stop in and see us for your quilting and sewing projects. 

“Quilting ‘N Cuisine”

March 27^th 2010

·      9 am – 3 pm:  Shop Hop at participating shops

2:30-4:00 pm Food sampling and Wall Hanging Quilt Show

At Kidron Community Center

·      3:45 pm Prize Drawings for 6-$100 Gift Bags plus additional prizes

(You must be present to win)

Passports are needed

Preregister $5.00

Day of Shop Hop $8.00

Pre registering is recommended and your passport can be picked up or mailed prior to the shop hop.

Visit each shop for a free quilt block pattern and a delicious, authentic Amish recipe.  The quilt is a mystery quilt so you will need to visit each shop for the step by step instructions.  The final instructions are available at the last stop – the food tasting and quilt show at the Kidron Community Center!

Your Passport may be purchased at any of the participating shops:

Miller’s Dry Goods – Charm, OH

Country Craft Cupboard – Berlin, OH

Gramma Fannie’s Quilt Barn – Berlin, OH

Helping Hands Quilt Shop – Berlin, OH

Lone Star Quilt Shop – Mt. Hope, OH

Hearthside Quilt Shoppe – Kidron, OH