Jeni's blog from the Willow

Gone mad with paper piecing!

2012-02-17T16:07:00.001-05:00

Here is my newest project! I have a little appliqué to do, then the quilting! I may use this for Small Quilts club, but don't know for sure yet! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Having fun paper piecing!

2012-02-14T16:07:00.001-05:00

Here is what I've been playing with! I know it's not new, but it's new to me since last small quilts club! If you are in the area come see how pretty the shop looks inside! We have been busy arranging and moving things as new collections come in!- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Finished!

2012-02-01T15:25:00.001-05:00

I love how it turned out! We have kits! Now to get back to one of the many things that is still waiting to be finished! Happy Wednesday! Jeni

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January small quilts club sneak peak!

2012-01-25T16:23:00.001-05:00

I've been playing with an old classic quilt block for Small Quilts Club yesterday and started making the actual blocks today! They are quite fun! I'm having template rulers made by one of our gals husbands to help trim our pieces! Do you notice one of the dyed fabrics from a post last week?

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Hooked rug block of the month!

2012-01-19T20:40:00.001-05:00

Here is Carolyn's rug, she hooks the fastest!

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Craft night at the shop!

2012-01-19T20:38:00.001-05:00

Tonight we worked on the new rug hooking block of the month, and Janice taught a pin cushion class! I may not be able to do both pictures in one post, so hang on, it might take up two posts!

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Dying fabric!

2012-01-16T15:46:00.001-05:00

I found these white print fabrics in the clearance room. We had a little time on Saturday, so I dyed them with coffee! Tan Rit dye probably would be better for the fabric, but I do love how they turned out! I may use them in the next Small Quilts Club quilt!

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Sweet and Simple Block of the Month

2011-12-29T16:38:00.001-05:00

This is the new block of the month by Geoff's Moms pattern company called Sweet and Simple! It's 16 months with 2 blocks per month and a little story each block! I'm doing the fun stitching part now! Also, I have a new rughooking block of the month all drawn out and ready to hook! HUMMMMM are we seeing a pattern here? Do you suspect I love starting a new project almost more than finishing them????? I wonder if there is a 12 step program for people like me??? Oh, I think I might not be alone........
Here are a couple of pictures!

The rughooking block of the month will be a 5 month project, making it simple and not breaking the bank with such a large rug. It is 24" x 36" and I'll post as I hook! We are actually going to have a set day each month for local customers to work on it together this time! Of course you can do it by mail or just pick it up each month when the kits are ready! If you want details, email the shop at woolenwillow@aol.com, or call at 304-375-9665! Gretchen is hopefully getting some time to work on the newsletter for the shop while at the press check for the magazine in MI. They are on the way home, and I just heard from her. Dad is taking a turn driving and Mom is listening to her books on tape! The press check went well, and I can't wait till they print and send them to us, so we can see them in person! I can't believe this is our forth issue!! Can anyone remember when The Woolen Willow was therughookingstore.com???? Did you know we started in 1999 with our website, taking orders from Gretchens house in TX and my house here in WV? We used to talk on the phone 3 or 4 times a day, excited about orders and maybe having a real shop one day together! seems so long ago, and also so many pounds ago! LOL! Hummm, not so funny. I think I'll do something about it this year! Not a New Years resolution, but just need to take care of myself! I'm in good health and wanna keep it that way. Well, except for the Bronchitis that wouldn't go away and left me with Asthma! And the ribs I sprained at Market pulling a dolly, not to mention pulled muscles! Getting well though, and feeling much better! Did I go on too much? Can you tell I have missed chatting to my friends??? I'll try not to stay away so long!
Happy New Year and Happy hooking and stitching!!!
Love, Jeni

How am I suppose to sew or design a new block of the month rug?

2011-12-27T13:55:00.001-05:00

This is what my sewing room looks like the day after all Christmas activities are over! Yes, it became the holding room for coats, dog crates, and mail. It is also the laundry room, a safe place for kitties to hide from the puppy(see laundry basket) and oh yes, safe place to hide shoes from puppy (top of pile on sewing table!) I think I will retreat to the dinning room table! There is an idea or two brewing in my head, so I think I'll pour some coffee and get started! I'll clean up the sewing room later! Go ahead and nap kitty!

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Chester is rearranging my fabric today! Aaaagghhh!

Growing boy!

2011-12-18T17:08:00.001-05:00

My puppy Chester, is growing by leaps and bounds! Close to 50 pounds now! We had a fun family Christmas party last night, and he did great with a house full of family and food! What a sweetie! I'm still trying to get healed up and better, I think I'm almost there! Thanks for all the well wishes!
Jeni

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My helper

2011-11-20T15:19:00.001-05:00

Always so helpful! The cover kitty, Gray, that was on Primitive Quilts and Projects cover, Fall Issue!

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Few days later, a little progress!

2011-11-20T15:12:00.001-05:00

I went back to Doctor after feeling like I was relapsing.... Rib area hurting from pulling heavy dolly of magazines, and coughing aggravating it all....... this was Thursday I think, nope Wednesday. I started the Cheri Payne project night before. They said I had bronchitis, and strained ribs, possibly hairline fracture! Sheesh! So I have been resting a lot, didn't feel like sewing. Today feeling a little better, so decided to lay out wool pieces, glue down, and maybe stitch a bit after a nap! here is a picture with pieces all laid out and ready to stitch! I'm hoping to get my class gals together to work on it before the next class. Thanks for a great pattern Cheri!
Jeni

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Working on a Cheri Payne pattern for small quilts class!

2011-11-20T15:03:00.001-05:00

I do have some pictures from Market and Festival to post still, but have just been busy with things going on at the shop. Now I'm working on a sample for class on Friday! A customer friend asked me to design a partridge in a pear tree, or twelve days of Christmas quilt, and I happened to have just recently purchased this pattern while in California! So Cheri is sending patterns for all my class ladies! Why reinvent the wheel? Very cute pattern, can't wait to get it done, because I want to do her Nativity pattern also! Hehe!

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2011-11-10T10:57:00.001-05:00

My daughter, Kristen, is modeling Lisa Bongean's project! Too fun!

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Location:Another location shot!

2011-11-10T09:34:00.001-05:00

I'm finally feeling better, not completely, but almost there! Since we got home from Houston, we started shooting pictures! Having fun at a beautiful home, really nice family, and lots of coffee!

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Location:On location for the Spring issue!

Look what I had to buy!

2011-11-03T20:00:00.001-04:00

I have been really sick while at market, and spent hours in an urgent care between market and Festival! Yuck! Feeling a little better now, and had to buy this beautiful book from Quiltmania, by Yoko Sato! So pretty!

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Wow! It's hard to leave the booth to take pictures!

2011-10-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

Hi all! I left the booth a couple times today, but forgot to take my camera out from under the table! But I was usually on a dead run for a particular booth to buy for the shop, or to talk to a designer, so my mind was not on my camera! I'll try to do better tomorrow! I did find a couple of great Block of the Month quilts to bring into the shop to offer though! And we ordered some beautiful fabrics! I can't wait to get it all in the shop! Oh! And we ordered a lot of great trims to embellish your projects! Great fun!
More later!

Another shot with Gretchen!

2011-10-29T17:33:00.002-04:00

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More market booth pictures!

2011-10-29T17:32:00.001-04:00

Here are a few more!

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Picture of our booth!

2011-10-29T16:45:00.001-04:00

Here is a picture of our booth!

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First morning of Market!

2011-10-29T07:22:00.001-04:00

The first morning of Market! About time to pull myself out of motel bed and start getting ready! I will take some pictures today and see about getting them posted! We got here Thursday evening, set up the booth yesterday, and it is a little crowded, but looks really nice! We will have a larger booth for Festival. We walked most of the show room floor last night, just to peek at the other booths! Really nice! My honey is flying home today after driving our booth out here for us and helping to set the booth up. He should be boarding his plane in a little while, hope he has a good flight! He'll be back next Sunday to help undo booth after Festival and drive it all back home! Thanks honey!

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Saltbox and Willow Trees progress!

2011-10-13T21:28:00.000-04:00

I've been working on this the past three Open Craft Nights at the shop, and I think two more Thursdays and I'll have the border done. It will be on to the background, then somewhere in my house where the puppy can't reach it! LOL! As a matter of fact, all my rugs are rolled up and placed up high! I forget how long the biting and chewing lasts, since it has been 14+ years since I had a puppy! But the rugs are all safe for now! Here is the picture of my progress! I have been working on it off and on for years, but am determined to get it done once and for all!
Have a great weekend!
Jeni

Not much sewing going on!

2011-10-07T21:36:00.001-04:00

I've been doing a lot of playing and sitting on the floor though, and walking my little Chester! My sewing room is blocked by baby gates, and there are a lot of shoes protected in there also! Haha! Tonight when I got home from a busy day at the shop,I played interference with the puppy for my husband while he worked on clearing out the flower beds. We were out all evening playing and working, and now have a very tired pup!
I did a bit of rug hooking at open craft night last night at the shop though, and it felt great to get a nice chunk done on my Saltbox and Willows rug by Emma Lou Lais! One day soon it will be done! It's been long time coming, always putting it on the back burner! Now every Thursday night, I plan to hook on it till it is done! I'll try to remember to take a picture of my progress soon!
I'm going to try to post a picture of growing Chester now from my I-pad... Hubby bought it for my Birthday and I'm trying to learn how to use it! Here goes!
Okay, no luck! I will look at the manual now! If all else fails... Right?

New sewing kit, Crazy quilt style! And Chester!

2011-10-05T10:21:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I have a few pictures of my puppy boy, and a new sewing kit, made the Crazy quilt way with wool! We did kits for them, and they are so fun to make! I might make one in bright colors for our customers who like "bright!"

It's been a busy week working with Chester, trying to house train him! It started out wonderful, and we couldn't believe how good he was! No accidents for three or four days, sleeping all night in the crate! Then the "good puppy drugs" the breeder MUST have given him (haha) wore off! LOL! So far there has been one accident per day, and a lot of biting on things! Oh, yes, I knew it would be this way when I wanted a puppy! I had one a long time ago when I was much younger and had a lot more energy and was home every day! LOL! He is still sleeping all night in the crate, which I love! I don't know how good I would do getting up in the middle of the night being older than I was with first puppy, and I could take naps back then! So I'm very happy about his sleeping habits! He is so sweet and loving, that we will look past his potty habits and just keep working on it! After all, it is usually a humans fault that he was able to go in the house! He loves to go for walks, and I love that it wears him out! Maybe it will help me shed some unwanted pounds too! So here are some pictures! One is of my daughters kitty Gray looking down at him while he sleeps! The kitties are letting him get closer to them, but not too close!

Look what I got for my Birthday!!!

2011-09-26T21:56:00.001-04:00

His name is Chester! Isn't he sweet?!!!! I have been wanting a new little furry friend for so long, since our sweet Taffy left this world a little over a year ago. He is perfect and loves his new home! (And Dad!)

"What's been going on," you ask?

2011-09-26T07:05:00.000-04:00

I have been a very busy gal! I know, I know, aren't we all these days??
   My daughter and I vended at a quilt show in GA last week, and even though it was a lot of driving, we had a really great time! Those Cobb County quilt guild ladies really know how to throw a nice quilt show!! Then this past week, we were busy putting everything back in the shop that we took with us, and then I had Small Quilts club to get ready for! Here I will post a picture of my newest design that we made on Friday in class! We made lots of extra kits! I'm also posting pictures of open craft night a few weeks ago, where one lady was making a needle felted bird, and our Carolyn was hooking a rug we did for a block of the month! I still haven't made mine! Geesh! Also, I'm posting the picture of my Hexagon quilt all quilted! I kept forgetting to take a picture! That quilt is from Kathleen Tracy's "Civil War Sewing Circle" book!
   Thanks for all the nice comments on my last post! I'm looking forward for you all to see the Winter issue of the next Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine! It is close to being printed soon! We are also working on a quicker method of shipping, and have a new permit pending! So hopefully by the time the Spring issue ships, it will be very quick! No more waiting forever!
    If you are wondering what ever happened to that challenge quilt, fear not! I have not forgotten! Now that the quilt show is out of the way, and you know how much work it is getting ready for one of those, I can get back to that challenge quilt! Yay! Stay tuned! Enjoy the pictures, and have a great week!
       Jeni

New little project by Simply Put!

2011-09-08T07:50:00.000-04:00

Good morning! I finished stitching on a little project by one of our upcoming designers for the magazine! You will love what she made for the Summer issue, but you will have to wait to see that! Her name is Laural Arestad (hope I got the spelling right!) and her pattern website is www.simplyputplus.com. She has really nice things, so go check them out! Here is a picture of one of my favorites, all ready to quilt! I think I'll quilt it by hand! This one is called "Count your Blessings."

Oh, speaking of hand quilting, I finished quilting and binding my little hexagons quilt, but then accidentally erased the picture I was going to post! I'll try to remember to take another today.

Remember I was talking about the changes at the Woolen Willow? WELL, I have sweet talked my honey into painting for us! Here he is!.....

He is a keeper!!! He hates to paint, but does such a good job! No drop cloth or tape! Makes my wrist hurt just thinking about how big this place is! LOL! here are more pictures, some walls have the quilts back up again, and of course, in different spots than they were before! Why not move things around while you can, right???

I am loving the new color! It is called Paprika! I'm thinking I might have to paint my sewing room this color too! Two walls to go, and then I'm gonna try and sweet talk honey into doing two walls in the wool room! Wish me luck!!!
Have a great day everyone! Hope you all get in some sewing time!
Jeni

Hexagon quilt ready to quilt!!

2011-08-27T07:16:00.000-04:00

A little break from the challenge quilt yesterday during small quilts club, I finished putting together my little hexagon quilt! It is from "Civil War Sewing Circle" by Kathleen Tracy. I just love it, and have had so much fun doing the English paper piecing. I plan on hand quilting it, and may just get started this morning before heading to the shop!

Yesterday we got in the new Patek and Brannock line of fabric! Wow! So pretty! I will have to get a little off each bolt and play with it tomorrow! Also just in, is some of the new Primitive Gatherings line of fabrics! And of course, I need a little piece off each of those bolts too! Hummmmm..... what to make????

Progress on Challenge quilt!

2011-08-25T16:48:00.000-04:00

Hello! I worked on the blocks more today and got them all sewn together. Now I'm just thinking about putting a border on or not. I plan on adding some wool applique and we'll see how that looks! We all think it is looking pretty! Just not primitive! LOL! I'll keep plugging along, and keep you posted too!

Have a great evening! If you are near, come by for open craft night tonight, 6-9pm!

Challenge blocks!

2011-08-18T21:54:00.001-04:00

Here they are so far! After a few strips, I was thinking oh brother, YIKES! But after a few more, it's not looking too bad, but not at all primitive! I worked on them at open craft night at the shop tonight, and included a few pictures of our group this evening having fun! Stay tuned for more!!!

Jeni

Fabric challenge!

2011-08-17T17:48:00.000-04:00

Today two of our helpers, Kim and Chelsea, at the shop picked out 16 fabrics they thought I would not likely pick out for one of my projects to make a quilt with! I plan on doing a log cabin pattern, so lets see what I can do with it! Yikes! I can over dye them, and I can add to them, but I have to use all of them! Yikes again! Some have been on the shelves for months, and a few are new. Here they are....

Looking at the picture, I like several of them, but wouldn't pair them with the others, so here goes! I guess I really have to do it, now that it is out there in blog land!! Haha!
Have a great evening! I'll post my progress!
Jeni

Fun at the Woolen Willow!

2011-08-14T20:22:00.000-04:00

Hello! Just wanted to share what has been going on the past few days at The Woolen Willow! We have been very busy moving things around, hanging quilts and getting the new room ready for lots of stitching things! We have a lot of new threads coming in, as well as patterns and kits! We plan for mostly fun, quick, make and take type things! There is more wool and fabric coming in also! Speaking of wool........ we had some fun ladies from out of town in the shop yesterday. Some of them had been in the shop before, and they like to go through our wool scrap bin, where you fill a bag for a steal of a deal! Usually they are on the floor with it spilled out way up front in the small wool room. Well, it is really cramped and usually warm up there when the sun is coming in the big windows in the afternoon, so I offered to carry it back to the cooler part of the shop and spill it out on the carpet for them to sit! They were really happy about that idea, but I felt like there just weren't enough "Good" scraps in the bin! While they were having fun going through it, I went into the room where we keep stuff set aside for kit making and found some great wool scraps for them in bigger pieces! I threw them into the middle of the ladies sitting on the floor and they CHEERED and had so much fun! Still feeling that there wasn't enough for them all to find what they would want, I cut up some fat quarters of wool and threw them into the middle! More cheering of course! It was a lot of fun! So here are pictures of the ladies and the quilts all over the shop in their new spots! More to come, because we are going to paint all the walls in the shop and my husband is re-making the fabric cabinets! Yay to Glen!

This area above, will be our class room area!

These above are the projects in Fall issue of magazine!

That's me, cutting wool in the wool room! LOL!

More Fall issue projects! (above)

Hope you are all having a nice weekend!

Finished! Harvest Time!

2011-08-11T07:53:00.000-04:00

Just sharing my little finished Harvest Time quilt! It's tiny, but was fun to make! I quilted it at home on my Janome 6600p. I'm not that great at moving the quilt under the foot, I get tense and shoulders get tired. I didn't want to run over in my jammies to the shop to use the long arm though for such a little quilt though. After coffee dying and drying, you can't really tell how imperfect my quilting is! But that is Primitive, right?

What will we get into at the shop today???? My husband went over last night, and after mowing with our son, he patched holes in the wall in a room where a vendor for the Painted Cupboard side of our shop left. We are going to fill that room with Woolen Willow stuff! We have in mind, stitcheries, threads and notions related to stitchin' and embroidery, small wool projects! He plans to repaint the room tonight during Open Craft Night! I can't wait to start filling that room. We kind of scrunched up the shop when we needed more room for the Magazine shipping department! Dad likes his shipping space! LOL! Next is the plan to re-do the Woolen Willow area! Paint, cabinets, lights!!!! Wooo hoooo! I can't wait, because I have become tired of the old look! I'm ready for some changes!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Jeni

Back from Long Beach!

2011-08-07T20:46:00.000-04:00

Can you guess what I might be working on??? I was very inspired on my trip to Long Beach and shopping in southern California at great quilt shops!!!

We are back from Long Beach! It was so much fun and the show was great! Two of my Internet quilting group friends, Nora and Kathy, took a whole day out of their busy schedules to take me quilt shop hopping after the show! Kathy's hubby took mine golfing! We went to Stars and Scraps quilt shop I believe in Corona, Temecula Quilt Company, Fat Quarters quilt shop in Vista, Quilters Coup in Temecula, and also in Temecula, the Wool Lady! We had fun, and I found so many great fabrics and patterns to buy in every shop! What? I already have a quilt shop and shouldn't need more fabric and patterns? Well, I do, but I can't possibly have seen everything and have it all now! I actually liked two pieces of fabric so much, that I bought them both in two different shops! LOL! We met up with the men for dinner and parted. So sad, because I really had so much fun with them, and wish we lived closer to sew and shop together more! Thank you so much Kathy and Nora!! Oh, and Allen too!! Glen had a great time!

The next day, my husband and I drove down to San Diego and I visited The Country Loft! It was wonderful and they were all so welcoming and nice! I shopped till I dropped in there also! It would have even been more fun with my new friends, but they were going on vacation! I had fun visiting with Sharon the owner, Jo Ann Mullaly the Wool Crazy lady! They have pictures on their blog of my visit! I don't know what I was thinking, and didn't take pictures at each shop! I must have been in awe of the shops and couldn't think straight! I have a few I will post on here though! We also drove to Coronado Island and walked on the beach a while! We used to go there when we were first married and stationed there in the Navy! Fun to go back, but also very happy to be home!

This is a shot of our booth at the Long Beach show!

This is the Hotel Del Coronado!

The Great Primitive Pumpkin!

2011-07-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

This is my new Great Primitive Pumpkin Quilt! I started it two years ago and finished a week ago! Of course it didn't take that long, but was hiding in my closet! haha! We are working on kits now! Kimmie just did all the figuring for fabric and it will be up on the website soon to order! I had the most fun quilting it with the loopy stars! We are off to California this afternoon! Long Beach, HERE WE COME!
Jeni

Hexagons! They are addictive!

2011-07-25T19:33:00.000-04:00

Hi there! I have been making little hexagon blocks like crazy! We got a wonderful book in the shop called "Civil War Sewing Circle" by Kathleen Tracy a little while ago and have been nuts about all the projects in it! I had my Small quilts club on Friday, and instead of designing something for it like usual, I decided to give my brain a small break and work from this book! We ordered one in for everyone in the group, and I called them all to have them bring their own fabric this time. Some did, and some used a kit, but we had a lot of fun! No machines this time, and I think everyone just might be hooked! I'm not sure which project we will do next, but they are all great in the book, so it will be good no matter which one. Gretchen took home some fabric and a book to make one of the projects and we are doing kits of a lot of them at the shop. It's a good thing too, because it is kind of empty looking with everything on the way to Long Beach for a show later this week! So fear not! If you are going to the shop, we are working on new kits and wool to leave behind while we are gone! I hear the girls might run a sale while we are gone too! I have a picture here of a few little blocks!

Also, here is a new quilt I just finished, or just a peak! It is called "The Great Pumpkin." I'll put up a new picture in a day or so. I just finished the quilting and forgot to take a picture today while I was working on the instructions and templates! So just a peak for now!

Last month's small quilt club project was a patriotic quilt that I called "Give me Liberty!" It had little wonky blocks with embroidery of patriotic words or phrases from songs!

Thanks for following along! We leave for Long Beach California Wednesday evening! I can't wait to get out there! I hope if any of you live near there, you come to the show to meet us! It is always so fun to put faces with names!
Have a great evening!
Jeni

Wow! I haven't been able to get on my blogger account for a month!!!

2011-07-08T09:40:00.000-04:00

I don't know why, but for some reason I couldn't get on my blog to post or comment on my blog or anyone Else's! But finally I had a little time here at the printer, Quad Graphics, in Midland Michigan, I got it figured out! So here I am! Back and blogging! I have some pictures to post once I get back home from the press check for our Fall Issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects!! Wait till you see it! It is so pretty! And, you will find out that the pictures in the new issue were taken in my house! It is the last time my house was clean though, because we have been very busy proofing and editing the magazine, and getting ready for shows! Judy and I had a booth in Utah, at Spring Market, and then a couple weeks ago, Judy, Gretchen, and our other sister Sally and I had booths in Columbus Ohio for NQA quilt show! We are getting ready to fly to Long Beach, CA the end of this month for Summer Festival! Whoooooo hooooo! CA here we come! The shop gals have been very busy making kits for the booth! The floor of the shop shows it too, with wool and cotton fuzzies all over it from those flying rotary cutters and wool strip cutters going from 9 to 5! LOL! Thanks for being patient with me not being able to post, and hang on for pictures in a day or so when I get back home! In the meantime, here is the cover of the next issue! It will start shipping soon, so get ready!
Jeni

A new Small Quilts Club project!

2011-05-26T16:01:00.000-04:00

I worked on this some yesterday and today. I still have to get the leaves stitched on, but then it will be ready to quilt! I'm calling it Old Time Crossed Flowers! I think there will be a pretty good size class tomorrow, and the kits are being made today! It's a little different than I usually do, but I like it so far!
Hope everyone has a great weekend! My husbands family has a couple of reunions that we'll be going to and we will have a Memorial Day cookout with all my family on Monday!
Jeni

A Mark Lipinski Radio Interview!!!!!

2011-05-24T16:38:00.000-04:00

Hello, everyone!!!

We're going to be on the radio!!! You are invited to listen in on the Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski radio show this Wednesday, May 25. The show is at 3:00pm Eastern Time and runs LIVE for two hours. Gretchen will be interviewed by Mark, discussing our new magazine!! Our tentative air time is at 3:20, fyi.

To participate, please go to www.toginet.com and click on the "listen live" button on the right hand side of the page. The podcast with our interview will also be available within a few hours of the LIVE version, via the Show Host page under "Our Shows". Scroll to find "Creative Mojo" and you will see the latest podcast on the right hand side of the page.

Thanks, and have a great day.....hope you can all listen in! :)

International Spring Quilt Market!

2011-05-13T22:44:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Sister Judy and I are at Quilt Market, in Salt Lake City, Utah! Wow! It is beautiful here! Nothing like seeing a big city, and right behind it a giant mountain! Look in one direction
and they are snow covered! Look the other direction and they are green! Spectacular! Being from WV, you wouldn't think it was such a big deal, but we have hills and mountains, and where we live it is in a valley, with not much city action! So just to see these mountains just behind a sky scraper, is really wonderful!
Here are some pictures of our booth, and a far off shot of a mountain! If you are here at Market, stop by our booth! It is booth number 545!
Jeni

I know, the loading dock isn't so great but I'll try to get some good pictures of the mountains before we head for home! Enjoy!

Quilt Retreat pictures!

2011-05-09T18:53:00.000-04:00

I'm not the best picture taker, and since I was having so much fun sewing and visiting, that I didn't take very many! We had 5 customer friends at our retreat and 8 family members including myself! We held our retreat at North Bend State Park in West Virginia, less than an hour from the shop! So here are some pictures! I'm heading to Salt Lake City, Utah with my sister Judy for Quilt Market on Wednesday, and I'll try to keep you posted on how that goes! We'll be having a booth with the magazine!
Jeni

This is Aunt Judy sewing! She is also smiling at the camera in the picture above! She is my Mom's sister. Mom and Bethany my niece are in the picture above with their backs to the camera! You can also see Karen, Vera and Myra in that picture!

The cute little boy is my niece Bethany's son Avery! He was staying with his Grandpa while Bethany got some fun Mommy time! She is expecting another baby and made the cutest little things for her baby to be, and also a nice pirate bag for Avery! Bethany's mom is my sister Sally who was also at the retreat!

Carolyn's Bunny Rug! Carolyn is a really fast rug hooker!!!

Charlotte, reading a pattern and her daughter, Cherie rug hooking!

These scissors belonged to my Great-Grandmother Anna Sarah Dickson! They have been sharpened so many times they don't cut near the points anymore! What a treasure! I think my Aunt Judy brought them!
Great Grandma was a quilter!

Cousin Jill, Aunt Judy's daughter, sewing on her "lasagna" quilt!

Jill's Lasagna Quilt! In the background in pink is Aunt Martha, Moms other sister, and our friend Myra!

Karen, Vera and Sally sewing away!

Karen's Sunshine wall hanging!

Karen's Sunshine on my Shoulders wall hangings

Mom sewing on her featherweight!

Sally's Wool Crazy purse!

More sewing! Aunt Martha in Pink, Myra over by the window!

Vera! Making a Sunshine on my Shoulders quilt also! That is her chain of Dresden blades!

New Pictures!

2011-04-27T07:16:00.000-04:00

Hello! I took a few new pictures of the shop yesterday, and also a picture of our April Small Quilts club quilt! We have our annual UFO Quilt Retreat this coming weekend at North Bend State Park in WV! Yay! I'm so excited to be with all the fun ladies from our shop that are coming and also with the fun ladies in my family that will be there! I have a few projects packed and ready to work on, but not my clothes. We have to have our priorities, you know! I'll get to that tomorrow or the next day.
Hope you like the pictures! Have a great day!
Jeni

April Small Quilt Club, and more show pictures!

2011-04-22T21:50:00.000-04:00

Hello! Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. It has been a bit crazy at the shop with so much going on with the magazine, and the quilt shop side a little short handed! My husband helped me move lots of cabinets and furniture around in the shop, and we hung different quilts up and took older ones down. It looks really pretty, and now that I have teased you, I hate to tell you that I forgot to take pictures! LOL! I'll try to get some tomorrow to post on here! What I do have to show you is a few shots of my Small Quilts Club we had today, and of an old Penny Rug a customer brought in today to show us! It had the tongues all sewn down onto a piece of ticking, and then backed with a floral print. There is what looks to be punch needle in the center part! It is in wonderful shape! Also I have a few more pictures of Spring Festival in Cincinnati! Enjoy, and tomorrow I will take pictures of the shop and of the little quilt we made in class today. I can't believe I forgot to take that picture as well! LOL! I was very distracted today! I hope you all have a Happy Easter weekend!

Spring Quilt Festival Cincinnati!

2011-04-09T21:51:00.000-04:00

Here we are at Spring Quilt Festival in Cincinnati! We have had so much fun, and the booth for the Primitive Quilts and Projects is always busy! You can see from the pictures! I'l have to get a shot in the morning early before the show opens so you can see all the projects! The other pictures are of Judy driving the horse carriage we took a ride in last night, that was a blast!
I hope you are all starting to get your issue of the magazine by now! Media mail is kind of slow, so don't be hurting your mail man please! LOL! Let us know when you get it!
Jeni

The Truck of Magaines arrived!!!!!

2011-04-05T18:24:00.000-04:00

We thought they would be here yesterday, so I was a little sad by the end of the day after all that excitement! LOL! Today, they came! So the pictures are of Dad opening our loading dock door, ( this building had many owners and uses before we got it, who knew we would need that loading dock some day?) The truck pulling up and Gretchen supervising where to put the boxes. Next are pictures of my son Kris, Gretch, Dad and the truck driver. Thanks Kris for getting out of bed to help unload! LOL! Teenagers! Then we have the Homespn Media Office, of shipping and packing! This room used to be a classroom and storage for kit making. The helpers are Dad, Mom, Trevor,(Gretchen's son) and his girlfriend Alicia!(thanks kids for coming after school to help!) Then Gretchen at the desk printing labels for all the boxes! Today the wholesale orders were going out, and we'll do more of those and then regular customers tomorrow! So much work, but also so much fun! We heard some shops and customers that ordered before March 23rd started getting their magazines today! Yay! Wow, I think that was a bunch of run on sentences, hope my english teacher from long ago isn't reading!

Let us know when you get your magazine!!!

Jeni

Small quilts club quilts Feb and March!

2011-04-03T22:42:00.000-04:00

I just put the binding on my Small quilts club quilts for Feb. and March! I know, I know, Finally! LOL! They are ready for some coffee and tea dye now! I have a few on display at the shop that still need their grunging, and I plan on doing that after Spring quilt Festival in Cincinnati next week! Woooo hooo! I hope to see some of you there! Come to our booth and tell me who you are! We will be listed as Homespun Media!
Have a good night!
Jeni

And the Winner of the first issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine is.......

2011-04-03T19:10:00.000-04:00

The winner is........ JulieF1962!!!! If you will email me (glenandjen@suddenlink.net) with your name and address, I will send out a copy! It will arrive in the Woolen Willow Quilt shop tomorrow and will be mailed out Tuesday!!!!! Congratulations Julie!!

Today we (Mom, Dad, Gretchen and I) cleared out a room we had been using as a classroom to hold the Homespun Media headquarters! Actually Mom and Dad had started doing that on Thursday while I was on my way home from Michigan. But we finished it all up today! Gretchens boys and my son, helped with some heavy lifting in the loading dock for when the big truck comes with the pallets of magazines! Yay! It's good to have 6'5" sons! LOL! They are big strong boys! One of Gretchen's isn't up there yet, but give him time, he is just 13! He'll be there soon!

Have any of you already recieved your copy of the first issue yet??????? I know someone has by now!!! I can't wait to hear how you like it!
More tomorrow!
Jeni

Magazines are printing as I post!!!!! Give away First issue on my blog!

2011-03-30T14:26:00.000-04:00

I wanted to post a picture, but the server we are on at our hotel, won't let me since I'm using their internet I guess! So I'll have to post the picture tomorrow when I get home! I'll email them over to my sister Judy, and she can post them on the magazine blog, Primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com!
Thanks for following!!!
Jeni

I will be having a give away of the first issue on my blog! If you are a follower or become a follower to this blog, and post a comment to this message, I will draw three names on Sunday!! Good luck!

Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine Ships in 5 Days!!!!!!!

2011-03-27T21:01:00.000-04:00

Yay!!! 5 more days! This picture is the actual cover of the magazine!!! Yippee!! You are all the first to see it! Unless of course, my Sister Judy is putting up a picture of it on the magazine blog also! LOL! We'll have a race!
Jeni

Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine, Ready to Print!!!!!

2011-03-20T12:27:00.001-04:00

Everything heads to the printer on Monday!!!! Yay! My husband, Glen, and I will drive to the Printer in MI next Sunday, for the "Press Check!" It could be on Monday or Tuesday, then we'll head back home, hopefully with the first copy in my hands! I can hardly wait! I have got to get myself better, since I've been hanging out on the couch since Wednesday! Just a weird bug. I'm forcing myself to walk around my house outside and take in the Spring air out there! We sure can't wait for you all to see YOUR first copy of the magazine!! Don't forget to subscribe, or tell you local shop to carry them!
    I hope to sew a little today, as I haven't felt much like it. On my EQ7 program I designed something new this morning, so I'm going to see about starting it this afternoon. I will take pictures!
    Happy Spring Day to you all!
      Jeni

Just wanted to add, that the partial rug picture is a large rug on our website, that I designed back in 2003, I think. It is called "My Country Home" and is found under the large rug kits section! We sell patterns also! It was a fun one!

New little hooked rug!

2011-03-17T10:34:00.000-04:00

This little hooked rug is for a friend! The friend doesn't know it yet, so I won't say who! LOL! I've been working on it off and on, mostly off. So now it just needs bound in some way. Maybe I'll use the left over strips and whip the edges! I like that look a lot! I'll show you when it is done. don't hold your breath though, you know my track record! Ha! Home sick today, so I don't feel much like sewing. I think I'll read today, that doesn't take so much energy. Tea sounds good too.
Thinking of all the people in Japan today, hard to not have that on your mind, isn't it?

The beginnings of a new Wool Quilt!

2011-03-13T16:31:00.000-04:00

This is the first month of a wool quilt I'm starting! I designed it and cut out all the pieces over a year ago, but hadn't gotten around to stitching it! I brought it out of the back room of the shop the other day and got busy! I believe the finished size will be about 58x58, and will be a 7 month Block of the Month! Or of course it will be available as a full kit also! I hope to get a lot done on it this week, but at the same time we are proofing the magazine pages which head to the printer next Monday! Woooo hoooo! Wow, do they ever look great! I can't wait for you all to see! My camera is broken, or at least I can't get it to work, so this picture was taken with my i-phone! Hope it looks okay! Have a nice Sunday evening everyone!!!

Jeni

Mom's new Featherweight!

2011-03-05T19:13:00.000-05:00

This is my wonderful Mother, Mary! She just bought a featherweight on Thursday evening! I know she has been wanting one, especially to take to our retreat next month. She had just opened it up at the shop during our Open Craft Night, and was using her magnifying glass to read the manual. Mom has Macular Degeneration, and uses ott lights and magnifiers to do just about everything. She can still thread a needle on the second or third try with her peripheral vision! Isn't she pretty!!! We love our Mom! She taught us girls all to sew really young!

Doggie quilt Finished and auctioned off!

2011-03-05T07:12:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of the dog quilt I was making last week! I got it all done, quilted and put it in the Humane Society's silent auction last Saturday! It went well, and I am going to make one for a lady who really really wanted it for her daughter by next Christmas! I don't normally make finished things for people unless I'm just making stuff for sale in the shop to sell, with no particular person in mind! No deadline or stress! Ha! But I do have till Christmas, so that is good! It did only take a few days to make after all, but with my A.D.D. (self diagnosed) I am already on to other things! LOL! I wish the pictured showed the quilting better, not because I'm particularly great at it, but because in the little black border I quilted the words.....Good Dog, and Fluffy, all the way around! In the pattern, by Kimberly Rado, that can be found on Fons and Porter's website under their Bonus Pattern's section, (Dog Daze,) you can see how they quilted the large border, which had things like that quilted in it!
Hope you enjoy the quilt!! Jeni

Wool applique, so far!

2011-03-04T07:48:00.000-05:00

Here is the wool applique, so far, on my Feb. Small Quilts Club project! In class we made the quilt base, and then I Challenged the ladies to add their own "thing" to the alternate plain rows between the stars! This is what I'm adding! These pictures are without having stitching the wool down, so I'll post another when I'm all done! Hope you like it!

Doggie Quilt!

2011-02-20T19:52:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know it isn't primitive, but it is for a good cause and darn cute! The designer is Kimberly Rado, and it is called "Dog Daze." I am making it for a donation to the Humane Society's "Fur Ball" Auction at the American Legion next weekend! I'm having the most fun making it, using colors I don't work with normally! She also has a Cat quilt. The pattern is a free download from Fons and Porter's website! Go get it!!!!! They call for foundation piecing, but since the pieces weren't small, I decided to do it sort of like a "Stack and Wack!" It worked great! I might make another one to keep for a baby gift, it is so darn cute! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, it sure was beautiful!

Sewing room pictures!

2011-02-16T21:23:00.000-05:00

It's not much, but It works for me! I was doing some sorting and organizing last weekend, and my husband put together a book case shelving unit from Wal-Mart. It isn't a really great one, but after it was assembled, put into place and filled up with things, it is not too shabby! My fabric was laying all over the chair, cutting table and floor! I had to do something once and for all! I have one more bookshelf to put together, but for now I think it will work out pretty good! Only one shelf has the fabric stacked by color, so I still have some work to do. I just thought I would share my pictures with you! There is also a picture of a big hook rug I made from a Wooley Fox pattern, called Tennessee Hearts! Enjoy!
Jeni

The first "Wool Crazy" Class!

2011-01-31T20:44:00.001-05:00

Here are pictures of our first "Wool Crazy" club! I was expecting a larger crowd, but several couldn't make it last minute. Hopefully they will all come next month! It sure was fun! I started them with a pin cushion just to show them the technique! Enjoy the pictures!

Heart Quilt Finished! Yay!

2011-01-29T07:30:00.000-05:00

Ta Da! Sure was a fun one to make, and I love the pinks and browns! We had our Small Quilts Club yesterday, and crowded everyone into the class room! I didn't really know exactly how many to expect, and whew! There wasn't much elbow room! We did have fun though, and then after they left, we re-arranged the back of the shop to make a larger classroom area, that we can un-do and re-do as needed! Today we have our "Wool Crazy" club! I expect a bigger crowd, so hopefully we have enough seating out! I gathered up some fun stuff from my sewing room to bring for my project last night and made some step by step examples to hang up on a wall for the gals to look at! Should be fun! I will post some pictures if I remember, so if any of you who are reading this post will be in the class/club today, (JM) please remind me! LOL! Have a great weekend everyone!
Jeni

Sneak Peak of Heart Quilt!

2011-01-26T13:20:00.000-05:00

Okay! Here it is so far! I got up early and started cutting and sewing! Not many customers at shop today with bad weather on the way, so I'm sewing all day till it's done and maybe even quilted! The worst part??? Writing the instructions!!! Do you spell every detail out? Or assume most know???

Working on projects!

2011-01-25T21:32:00.000-05:00

Hello! Just wanted to post about a couple of projects!
   One is for Small Quilts Club on Friday! It is a small quilt of course, with cute heart blocks, all done in Civil War reproduction pinks and browns! So far, very fun! I'll post a picture when I get a bit more done!
   The Second project is for Crazy Wool Club on Saturday! I have room for more people to sign up, and hope to get some things all prepared. I will have Warm and Natural batting and muslin ready to go, as well as some great scraps and threads! The club friends will bring scraps and threads from home, but they might like to add to their collection! I had posted a couple of pictures a couple of posts ago of two little projects I had done right after Christmas.
   The projects for the magazine, all but two, are at the photographers studio!!!! He will be taking straight on shots of every project in his studio. Then the second week of Feb. we will have the photo shoot on location at a wonderful home made from an old barn! I can't wait to see how they all turn out! His work is wonderful, so I know it will be great! Just wait till you see all the wonderful projects! We actually have 17 in the first issue! Since we are new, we don't have a lot of advertisers, so we had room for more projects! Yay! Make sure and subscribe to get in on that first issue!
    Okay, look for pictures soon! I'll be sewing in the morning! Yay!
            Jeni

Winter Stitchin' mini quilt finished!

2011-01-06T13:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday! LOL, I know, you just get used to saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, so I wanted to be different!

I've been very busy the last couple of days dying lots of pretty colors of wool! The shelves were getting very pitiful! Now they are colorful and pretty! I just heard the buzzer sound on the dryer, so now there is even more!

I'm posting a picture of my newest little sampler quilt, the third in a series! It is called "Winter Stitchin" and was 4" blocks with wool applique. Each block was free with a purchase every week. 12 weeks later, you buy a finishing kit! We still have the kits and blocks if anyone would like to do one, you would need to go to www.woolenwillow.com to order!

Enjoy the picture! I hope to quilt it soon, but am still trying to get that big project of mine done! Another one of our designers in the new magazine, sent us her project today! Wow!!!!! Thanks Dawn Heese! I can't wait for everyone to see it! Beeeeautiful!

Have a Happy Weekend everyone!
Jeni

Happy New Year! Another "Wool Crazy" project!

2011-01-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

Okay! Here is another "Wool Crazy" project from "Crazy At Home" I made this past week! I still have some finishing to do, and hope to stitch one more thing on it, but thought I would share it with you all! I have been sewing for two and a half days mostly in Jammies! But I have been working on a quilt for "Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine!" So I can't show you that! You will have to see that in the first issue in April! I have had a lot of fun working on it at home since the shop has been closed a few days! Happy New Year Everyone and lets all get some sewing and stitching done this year!!!
Jeni

Wool Crazy Bag!

2010-12-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

Look what I made last night and finished this morning! Yay! It was so much fun too! The pattern is from "Crazy at Home" by Jo Ann Mullaly! We have her books at the shop, although they aren't on the website yet! But if you want one we can take care of it for you! They are about $25.00 if I remember correctly! I had fun going through my scraps and playing with it while my sister Sally made beautiful earrings! The Woolen Willow is closed today, so I'm playing as much as I can this week. I'll post pictures of what I get done, all except for the quilt I'm making for the first issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine! Here is my little bag.......

Finished snowman quilt!

2010-12-23T14:27:00.000-05:00

Here is my new Snowman Quilt called "Snow Time!" It was made for small quilts club and kits also for the shop and website! The kit is only $18.00! We only had two make it to club because of the weather, so we are going to have the club meet again the Friday after New Years! Looks like we will have to make a few more kits, they are dissapearing!

also Chelsea, who works at the shop is learning how to piece a quilt! She is doing wonderful! I will post a picture of her too! She is a sweetie!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! I have a houseful again this year, and love it so much! There are a few pictures of our shop Christmas Party and my Family Christmas party, both were held at my house! Enjoy!
Jeni

Snowman Quilt!

2010-12-15T15:55:00.000-05:00

This is just a little sneak peak at the project for Small Quilts club on Friday! Little blocks are snowballs, and the applique is wool! I hope to get it quilted tonight, so I can finish getting ready for Open Craft night at my house tomorrow night! A few other pictures also!

Thanks for looking!

This is a rughooking class I had on Saturday! All out of town ladies! They all drove about 2 hours to come to the shop! It was fun!

Naughty kittens!

Secret Santa Gift!

2010-12-07T18:55:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of a wonderful gift I recieved from my Secret Santa! It is a Wool Crazy pincushion, cute ornament made from an old spool, fat quarters I didn't own already! Ha! Also pretty Christmas colored floss, a nice little note pad for my purse and a really neat Christmas pattern by Lynda Hall of Primitive pieces by Lynda! Thank you Sandy!!! The second picture is of my daughter Kristen's kitten's playing with a strip of wool!

Give away on Primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com

2010-12-06T15:01:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm doing a give away on Primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com!!! Go on over and join in to get in the drawing!!! Here is a picture of the little kit!!!! Have fun and good luck!!!
Jeni

Free Ornament Pattern!

2010-12-03T07:49:00.000-05:00

Hello! Just wanted to share some free ornament patterns! Judy is posting them over on our Magazine blog... primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com They are fun and easy and look great on a tree or present!!! Have fun making them!! Here is a picture of one of them!

Idea for Christmas cards!

2010-11-29T07:28:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is over and I had a few days off from the shop! I have been working on a Secret Santa gift for a lady on an online group I belong to! I was done, and then I thought to myself, "Self? what am I going to do for a card?" And then it hit me! I went to the store and got some blank cards, and started playing with my wool and cotton scraps! Here is what I have so far! The second picture is my daughter Kristen's little 6 week old kitty "Pea" sleeping in front of the fire! She loves it there! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving! If you go over to the Primitive Quilts and Projects Magazine blog.....primitivequiltsandprojects.blogspot.com, Judy is giving away Calendars and we also have free projects to download! The first two projects are Christmas ornaments I designed for our quilt shop! There will be something new each week!! Anyone ready to start decorating for Christmas??? I am!!! I'll try to post some pictures once I start!!!

Small Quilt Club Xmas project!

2010-11-18T20:49:00.000-05:00

This is our project for tomorrow at Small Quilts Club! Fun and quick! I had a ball making it and wanted to hand quilt it, being so small, but my quilting finger is wounded from quilting the Perfectly Perched quilt! LOL! So I did it on the long arm this afternoon! After class, I will grunge it up a bit!! Have a great day!!!

Christmas Open House at the Woolen Willow and Painted Cupboard!

2010-11-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures of the shop on Saturday for our open house!

This is Janice decorating Gretchen! We sure had the shop in a mess trying to get decorations up for Saturday! We stayed late two nights in a row!

This is Gretchen being a Christmas tree! LOL!

tree in wool room with handmade ornaments! Hopefully there will be more one day! Ha!

another shot of the wool room! Love the little sheep on the tree!

Entering Woolen Willow from Painted Cupboard!

A few pictures to share!

2010-11-05T07:02:00.000-04:00

Here are a few pictures from our fun at market! The dancing pictures are at the Moda party! The first one is of Me(left) Gretchen(middle) and Judy(right) the first morning at Market! Before the feet were tired and the bags full! Lol!

This one is Gretchen, two ladies we met just then, and Judy walking to the Moda party! Funny thing was that the lady next to Judy told us she was from California but was born in Pittsburgh at the Magee Women and Childrens Hospital, the same place Judy and I were born! Small world! We laughed all the way to the party!

This is at the Moda Party with our fabric rep Mark! Moda invites it's shop owners to a nice party and treats them to a great meal and entertainment! They had a really good band, and it was in a large box at the Minute Maid stadium! Lots of people got up and danced!

Judy, Me and Gretchen!

Thats Jude in the middle of that crowd of dancin people with the red sweater on! Too much fun!

Judy striking a pose! The nice Asian man behind her was a lot of fun! He loved to dance!!

A very fun group of Asian friends at the table next to us! They loved to dance!

Shop owners sitting at our table! Fun ladies! While we were dancing the lady in Blue grabbed my camera off the table and came out to take pictures of us!

Gretchen striking a pose!!! Did I say the band was great? They were! They started out with country music and only had a few people get up to dance. Then they started playing "She's a Brick House" and everyone got up! LOL! Needless to say, they stayed with songs from the 70's and 80's after that! LOL! It's a really nice thing that Moda does. Us shop owners really need to get out and loosen up after all the long days we put in at our shops! It's pretty darn stressful sometimes, and to have one of your fabric companies treat you like royalty and throw a party for you is really great! They really know how to show appreciation! Mr. Moda himself was there, and we made sure to shake his hand and thank him! He is a snappy dresser and really very nice!

Bye bye Houston!

2010-11-01T10:13:00.000-04:00

We are on our way home now! The trip was successful! We found great designers for "Primitive Quilts and Projects" magazine, and great fabric, books, patterns and gadgets for the shop! Yay! We had trouble getting online in the Hilton for some reason, so I will post the pictures when we get home! I've got great shots of Gretch and Judy cutting the rug at the Moda party! Lol! Talk to ya later once we are home!!!!

Waiting to board our Airplane bound for Houston!

2010-10-29T19:03:00.000-04:00

This is Gretchen, Judy and me, ready to board our airplane bound for International Quilt Market in Houston!!!! Yippee!

The City of Houston!

2010-10-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

Here is the view from our room at the Hilton, which attached to the convention center! We are on our way over to the convention now! Tonight is Sample Spree!

Bound for Houston! International Quilt Market!

2010-10-29T11:04:00.000-04:00

We are on our way! Judy, Gretchen and I are at the Columbus Ohio airport waiting to board! Yippee! I'll try to post the first picture of Judy and Gretch!

Hand-dyed Wool!

2010-10-26T20:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I dyed 36 yards of wool at the shop! Today another 24 yards! Wooo hooo! The shelves were not looking so hot, but now they are getting full again! The top picture is of the pre-cut strips that Dad cut today to hang on the rack. They are full fat quarters all pre-cut! The second picture is a stack of some of the pretty wools, and the third picture is of a pot of pumpkin colored wool stewing! Hot and steamy in the kitchen, but fun!

Our Calendars are at the printer now!!! Yay!

2010-10-25T17:59:00.000-04:00

We approved the final layout of the calendars today, and they are being printed as we speak! So if you would like a beautiful new calendar for 2011 order now! We have over 12 pictures of small quilts and hooked rugs inside! Very exciting! They will make great gifts also!!!

Yet another new project! LOL!

2010-10-25T08:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, I really think I might have ADD! I had to start another new project! Are the others done that I have posted about? Nope! But I have wanted to do this wall hanging since last year! It was featured in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine, December 09 issue, by Lynda Hall. Anyway, I decided to do needle turn applique instead of something with fusible web or freezer paper for a change! I love it! I had only tried it once, when Mom showed me how years ago, and thought it would be too time consuming. But now after just about completing the tree last night, I decided that by the time I did all the tracing and fusing, and gluing or whatever, I had most of it sewn! So I think it is my new favorite! Here are a couple of pictures!

Lots of new wool in the shop now, so today I plan to dye a bunch of colors so the shelves will be full when Gretchen, Judy and I leave for Houston!!!!! Have a great day!

October Small Quilts Club

2010-10-19T16:56:00.000-04:00

After spending all morning straightening up my sewing room, I worked with some scraps from previous small quilts club projects to decide on our project this month! I have different fabric picked out for the actual quilt, so this is just a sneak peak! Hope I get started on the actual one and have it finished for Friday's class!

Anyone interested in a give away???? I will wait for comments and see!

Open Craft Night!

2010-10-14T19:11:00.000-04:00

We had Open Craft Night tonight, actually it is going on right now! I took some pictures, against their will though! LOL! The ladies are Carolyn, Linda, Terri, and Janice! The other pictures are of the projects the gals are all working on, including me! I'm working on the little willow applique! I'm attempting needle turn, haven't tried it for several years, so I'm sure I'll need some practice!

My sisters Judy, Gretchen and I worked on the magazine more today! Coming along nicely! Can't wait!

Bottom three pictures...... two more gals showed up! Linda T and Nan! The pictures after them are Linda's penny rug and Nans quilt!!! Too much fun!!!

Today....the start of Mystery Harvest Shop Hop!

2010-10-06T20:15:00.000-04:00

Today was the first day of the Mystery Harvest Shop Hop! Our hop consists of 16 shops that span WV, OH, and KY! It lasts for 4 long days! LOL! My feet are tired just after one day! Of course we did stay late yesterday sprucing things up and finishing last minute things for our project! So here are some pictures of the shop, the first one being our shop hop project! It is called "Stitches and Patches" and it is a nice fun project! Each shop designed their own project revolving around Jelly Roll strips! Our kit is $24.00 including the pattern! Enjoy the pictures! I'm putting my feet up now!

Big News!!

2010-10-02T15:57:00.000-04:00

Here it is!! My sisters Gretchen, Judy and I are launching a new primitive magazine called Primitive Quilts and Projects! We have 10 top name primitive designers lined up with brand new designs just for the magazine! It will be available to purchase in shops and bookstores by April 15, 2011! In the meantime the website, www.primitivequiltsandprojects.com, will be up and on by October 5th! Or you can email the Woolen Willow at woolenwillow@aol.com or call at 304-375-9665 for subscriptions! We are also doing a Woolen Willow Calendar, full of our favorite woolen willow designs! That will be available very soon, so keep watching for that on our website!

Beginnings of a new Wool Quilt Block of the Month!

2010-09-29T07:31:00.000-04:00

This is the start of a new Block of the Month Wool Quilt! Those of you who have been in the shop have seen it in this state of progress for a while! Sorry! I'm going to get it going ASAP! Still figuring the price per month and how we will break it up! It will be about 56" x 56" when finished! All wool, including the background is hand-dyed! There is only about 6" of stitching on it so far, and If I can remember to take it down from the wall and bring it home, I will get it finished!!

Have a wonderful Fall day!!!

Having a nice lazy day!

2010-09-26T15:54:00.000-04:00

Having a nice lazy day at home. Kristopher and I watched the newest Star Trek movie together! Making Chili for my hubby who had to work today, then going over to Gretchen's house for a cookout! We have our last Mystery Harvest Shop Hop meeting tomorrow in Pomeroy, OH. The shop hop starts a week from Wednesday! I hope everyone likes our project for the hop! The kits are all made! Yippee!

No sewing yet today, but I did get a great idea for a bag to hold my laptop! I'll post pictures as soon as I start on it!!

Churn Dash quilted!

2010-09-25T12:42:00.000-04:00

Here is the finished and quilted Cheddar Churn Dash! It will be on the website for sale along with all the other small quilt club kits and patterns! Class was loads of fun as usual!! Can't wait for the next one! I wonder what it will be????

Small Quilts Club quilt before quilting!

2010-09-23T08:09:00.000-04:00

Here is a picture of the Small Quilts Club quilt for tomorrow before quilting and aging! I hope to get that done today, as well as our free block of the week quilt assembled, so we can do the finishing kits during class tomorrow! Wish me luck! Ha!

A few pictures from our shop The Woolen Willow!

2010-09-23T08:01:00.000-04:00

Here are just a few pictures from The Woolen Willow and The Painted Cupboard (our other shop

The top picture is a couple of our gals working on quilt kits, the second is my sister/partner Gretchen doing a heap of paper work! Yuck! Still smiling though! The others are pictures of our attached shop full of great primitives!

Sneak peak at Small Quilts Club project!!!

2010-09-22T07:55:00.000-04:00

Good morning! Hey! I'm getting better at this blogging now that I have my laptop! So nice to have right in my sewing room to snap a picture and post right away while having morning coffee or a favorite evening show while sewing!! Here is the sneak peak at the Small Quilts Club project for this Friday! I do like going traditional for these quilts, they are my favorite style! Hope you like!!! Have a great day!

Dancin' with the Stars Sewing!

2010-09-21T07:41:00.000-04:00

Good morning!
Last night while watching Dancin' I worked on a new small quilt. I know, I know, how many projects do I have going on at the same time? I think I have ADD, it isn't pretty. Haha! But Dancin' was great! I love that show! Enjoy your day, and I hope you all get to sew! Oh, by the way, while I'm working on this project I'm planning our next Small Quilts Club project!!! Stay tuned!!

Here is the Dancin' project, ready to quilt!

Fun at the shop today!

2010-09-20T19:08:00.000-04:00

Today sister Judy was at shop along with Janice my helper and Susan our Painted Cupboard helper! We had a photographer there taking pictures of some of our projects for a great new idea we had that we'll let you in on very soon!!! I had to take down all the quilts and rugs I had just put back up from the show we did last week! Lol! Oh well, all for a good cause, and I suppose up and down a ladder is good exercise! Here are a few pictures, one is Janice showing Leah, Judy's daughter and Judy how to needle punch, and another of our photographer, and one of a cute purse we just had made for the shop that only uses 6 or 7 jelly roll strips! I will post the picture of it being made by our helper Penny also!! Have a great evening!

Good morning!

2010-09-20T07:45:00.000-04:00

Good morning!

This morning at 6AM I went for a walk with my sister Judy, and her dog Boomer! It was so nice out and we walked for about 50 minutes! I feel great! So far I have lost 17 pounds and 12 inches! Yay!!Time for breakfast and shower, then off to the shop! Photographer coming to take pictures of my rugs and quilts for a new project I will let you know about very soon!!! Exciting!!

Covered my design wall finally, and a quilt that needs finished!

2010-09-19T19:30:00.000-04:00

This is a small design wall, as I do mostly wall hangings. But there is room to grow on that wall if I need to! I covered the foam board with Sandcastle "quilted fabric" that I aged. I had two pieces, so where they meet, I'm going to put some ric rac or something fun. I covered the nails with buttons! I know I should put some flannel on it, so I wouldn't have to use pins to hold my blocks up, but I like it. It is all changeable after all! I don't think that is a word, but I like it too! I really would like to paint the walls a pumpkin color, so when I get around to that, I will probably make the design wall bigger and cover it with flannel. I will, of course, have to age the flannel and make it look nice and grungy! I hope you all are sewing or doing something you love! I decided to come downstairs to be with my honey for the rest of the evening. It was a nice relaxing day! Changeable must be a word, because spell check didn't seem to care about it! ha!

A little sewing time!

2010-09-19T19:15:00.000-04:00

I found a little sewing time at the shop Thursday night at Open Craft Night on my new little Janome! I can't remember the name and number of it, but I'll post it tomorrow! It is their new upgrade to the 760 Platinum "featherweight type." It weighs nothing, and comes with a nice sewing table attachment. Also it has the wonderful scissors button, so you never need look for your scissors when you sit down to sew! Of course, many other great features, but I haven't gotten to use it much yet, so I will post about them later! No, we don't sell sewing machines, but I love it so much!!! Our friend across the street at the Sewing Bee sell them! I made a little log cabin block with extra wide borders, for a small wall hanging with wool applique. I only got the log cabin part made at Open Craft night, because of Tornado warnings! Everyone left early. Saturday at the shop we were a little slow, so I did the applique cutting and basting there, and hand stitched the wool down at home last night and today! Hope you like the picture!

Show in Sharonville, OH

2010-09-14T21:11:00.000-04:00

This past Wednesday through Saturday, Gretchen and I went to a show in Sharonville, OH to vend for our shop! It was a nice show and we felt worth doing again next year! The drive was easy, or maybe we should check with Gretchen on that one, she drove! We stayed in a Homewood Suites by Hilton. It was really nice and felt like home! They had complimentary breakfast and dinner! I don't know the amount of quilters that came through, we felt like maybe our location in the building wasn't all that great, but we signed up for the show a little late. Even so, we did well, and next year should be better if we get a better location! We did have fun as usual!

Back at the shop the gals ran things smoothly like they always do, and it is great for us to know things will go fine without us and we can trust our wonderful helpers!

When we pack for a show, it seems to go faster than putting it all away when we get back. Today was day two back at the shop and we are not done! AAGGHH! Maybe tomorrow! We did get two new lines of fabric in while we were gone, so re-doing the displays makes it take longer. Pretty new stuff!!! Can't wait to make something with it! Our small quilt club quilt will be made with some of it! Come take a peek!

Tonight I bought a laptop, so I'm getting familiar with it. I think I'll be able to post more often, and it will be great to take up to my sewing room too! So keep watching!! Tomorrow morning I plan to work on my "Maddie Bea's" quilt more!!

New Quilt I'm working on!

2010-09-03T20:58:00.000-04:00

This is a new quilt I'm working on! The pattern is called "Maddie Bea's" by Silver Thimble/New Beginning Designs. We saw it at NQA in Columbus in June, and I'm now finally getting to it! The kits are already made, just waiting for the sample! It comes with a handy dandy tool, that is really three tools in one! First you sew 28 strip sets together and press. Then you use the middle size tool and line up the dots and lines, and cut all the way across each strip set. Each of these little units get joined with another little unit, and cut with the tool again to form the cute little patch! You make a bunch of these little cute patches and then join them all together with sashing and borders! I think I can get all the pictures posted from my sewing room! Hope you like it! We only have 6 kits though, so maybe only 6 of you need to like it! Haha! We could always try it in another color way!

Tomorrow is our Fall Open House!

Friday's Small Quilt Club!

2010-08-29T20:35:00.000-04:00

Friday we had Small Quilt Club! We didn't have a really big class, but as always, we had a fun time! I had posted a picture the other day of the quilt before it was quilted and aged, so I have replaced that picture with the new and improved one! I'm also including a picture of the gals at class having fun making the cute house blocks! They went together really quick, and we made a lot of extra kits of them, if anyone would like to make the same little quilt! I'm thinking about making it up large with 12" blocks after our next show. In class the ladies you see are Joy, Karen, Sue, Vera and Janice, left to right! Jenny came for a little while to sit and visit! She wasn't in the picture though! I didn't think of taking a picture till she had already left!

Tomorrow Gretchen and I head off to the Mystery Shop Hop meeting in Pomeroy, OH at the Fabric Shop. We are all bringing our finished projects to be photographed! Then lunch with sister Judy at Panera! I'll post again soon! Enjoy the pictures!

A new house quilt for small quilts club!

2010-08-25T14:56:00.001-04:00

Friday is Small Quilts Club at our shop, and I usually wait till the last minute to get the new quilt designed and made! I was really pushing it the last two months, not having it finished in time, but finished enough to teach. I worked on the blocks I designed last night along with a shop hop quilt project that is due to be completely finished by Monday for photographing, until after 10! I was able to go to bed feeling like I would actually get them done in time. It was nice! I took the day off today to get the tops all ready to quilt, and Yay! I'm done!!! All ready to quilt, and hopefully I can get them quilted by the end of the day tomorrow. So after I get a little instructions written for both of them, I will head to the grocery store, as we are starving around here! Nothing good to eat, is what my Son says!!! Hope you enjoy the picture! I'll post another once it is quilted and bound!! Have a great day!

A day with my girl

2010-08-20T09:24:00.000-04:00

There was no sewing yesterday, but a day well spent with my Daughter. I drove a van full of stuff to her new apartment! My husband went down on Monday and helped her get it cleaned up and fixed a few things that were bothering him. We had an older pretty love seat, a desk with a chair, and a cute painted chair from on of our antique dealers in the shop. We also had a fridge, she used in her dorm last year and her microwave. So with the help of three strong young men she called, we got it all to the second floor apartment. One of the guys took the door off so we could get the love seat in, removed the yucky broken fridge from the kitchen and we got it looking pretty darn cute! Yes the bathroom is old and not so pretty, but with her shower curtain, a scrubbed floor, pretty little rug and a picture, not too bad! We ran around buying a toaster, bed skirt and a little bit of food the rest of the day. It was fun, and she loved the upholstered headboard we made for her bed! She seems very happy, even though we worry about everything. But she is our little girl you know! She is buying herself a little furry kitten room mate today. Can't wait to hear from her!
More later about sewing stuff!! Off to the shop! www.woolenwillow.com