Yeah..........SPRING!!!!!

 

chirp! 

Aren't these so beautiful?
They're from Joan McAnulty's chickens.
She brought them for inspiration to her Wool Felt Chick
workshop last Saturday, along with some she dyed with silk.

 Joan used some of our silk (of course) but you can use
old silk ties from thrift shops and such.
There are quite a few instructions for this floating about online...
below is a link to Martha Stewart's, but there are others.
Silk Tie Easter Eggs

Although Spring has been PAINSTAKINGLY

slow to come this year (YES it has!) the creative bug

has already infected everyone around here

So, as I stroll about the mill

I'm seein' all kinds of groovy things....

I wandered up to our Home Decorating sewing studio

the other day and who did I see hanging out

on a valance.......hmmmn???

These two cuties pies!

Christine LaFlamme made them.

She has mad sewing skills, including making fabulous

window treatments and heirloom sewing, but her passion is her dollies.

She has an amazing collection of them and has them decked

out in the most exquisite clothing (made by Christine, of course)

Here's a sample of her handiwork:

Christine has a few workshops coming up.

She'll be teaching a series of Home Decorating

themed classes.  For more info check out our

class listing page:

Simple Decorative Pillow Workshop

Decorative Pillow Workshop 

(more advanced)

more eggs.......

Nancy Keyes created this sweet little felt egg bluebird condo.

I'm particularly enamored with the lily of the valley

she embroidered on the back.

Lindell has been busy making fabulous things

with some of the new fabrics coming in. 

Check out this fun pillow she made

(her design) using the new "Sports Fan Cats".

I love it!

She's also making a quilt with the "Super Hero"

collection from Robert Kaufman.

She doesn't like it when I take pics of her work when they're

incomplete, but it will be hanging in the store soon

and y'all can see the real McCoy when you come in!

Here's a quick peek at some of the new fabrics

coming into the mill...

"Doggy Dog"

from Pink Light Design.

 

We're all lovin' the Zig Zags from Riley Blake.

More colors coming too!

"Cool Dots"

from Michael Miller

"Mon Amie"

from Brejer

"London Calling lll"

Very pretty cotton lawn from Robert Kaufman.

Imperial Collection 9

Gorgeous!

There's so much more.....

Hope you'll come in to see us!

Mary

Old friends, new stuff

My new best friend.

He doesn't sew, or knit, or make us

sandwiches at lunchtime (that would be nice)

BUT he has the cutest little band around his ankle and his

wings flap around and wave at people...

yep.

OK.

What I really wanted to show you are a couple of

new fabrics I'm loving from two of my fave "friends"

Amy Butler has a great new collection called "Alchemy"

I'm in love with the colors and painterly feeling of these fabrics.

 Can't wait to make something with them.

Amy also has a new online magazine called "Blossom"

Just go to her website to sign up for it.

(click below)

It's free!

I think Anna Maria Horner's latest collection "Field Study" is my all time favorite.  

She has this art of combining classic, eclectic and fun.  Love it.

 We've had the cotton collection in the store for a bit,

but now she's put some of the prints on rayon.

This is my favorite in both collections

"Raindrops Poppies"

 These new rayons are a huge leap from the rayons of the past.

Soft, flowing...washable!

Makes great dresses, skirts and blouses.

and...rayon is a natural fiber, so it's breathable.

Very comfortable on hot days.

 Lastly,

friends and co-workers Joan, Nancy, Lindell and Jennifer

have fabulous hand-crafted items for sale in the store.

Come see us!