happy new year~

mom and I hope you have a safe and happy New Year’s.

we are busy getting our spring and summer quilt shows finalized, so if you can’t get to the shop be sure to check out our events page and maybe you can stop by and see us at a quilt show.

as for new projects in the New Year…we have some fabulous ideas and even a summery themed Quilt Along that will start in February sometime…but more on that.

our Countryside Quilt Along started yesterday…we hope you can take part in it.  the project is perfect for using up all those orphaned 5 inch squares or round up some charm packs or layer cakes.

as for resolutions in the New Year…I am going to try to be healthier and spend more time doing the things I love and less time worrying about things I cannot change.  (I am also going to finish my Lucy Boston by the Minot Quilt Show.   I already have 3 rows of blocks sewn together, so I’ve sewn 21 of 56 blocks.)

I’m also going to try and do more on pinterest…even though it is like a vortex and when I get sucked in I am there for hours…there are so many ideas and inspiration and wonderfulness that I don’t want to miss out on anything.  maybe i’ll even try and whittle down my boards–or maybe not.

i’ll leave you with a picture from the first post of 2014…on January 4th…we finished up the Sylvia blocks and I posted pictures.  Sylvia is still bagged and waiting to be sewn together.  Did anyone join us when we worked on these…did you finish or is she still waiting?  maybe we can get her finished up in 2015 too…wouldn’t she be a sight?  all those lovely florals on a bleached muslin.

we are closing early today…3pm.  we hope you have safe and happy new year.  i’ll see you in 2015~

–april

sylvia–the last blocks

we just laid out the blocks and they are SO pretty!  we are going to put in a blush pink cornerstone along with white sashing and the sleeping bag fabric for the border.

so…the last 5 blocks…

i promised a pic of my favorites…well as i was separating out the ones i absolutely loved, i realized that i really loved about half…    

then we spent an hour or so laying them out according the book.  (i apologize for the lighting).

as for the sashing…white muslin.  cornerstones will be blush pink–the pink we use in our blissfully cottage shams.

and the border will be the floral in the sleeping bag.

we are heading into record cold temps–so stay warm.

we are still planning on being in the shoppe on monday.  (Loose Threads club meeting at 1-ish.)

xoxo–april&mickey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

We hope your holiday season was full of friends, family, and laughter.

 

 

We had a crazy holidays…Connor, Monica and the girls came over for Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas Day Tina went down the cities to get Granny Anne and Dad went to Osakis to get Grandma Zimmer. Granny Anne is staying with us until Saturday.

 

a SYLVIA note:

The last 5 sylvia blocks were not finished in time for todays post…i don’t know why we thought we could get them done–good intentions, i guess.

 

so instead of promising them…i’ll just let you know that they are waiting patiently for things to settle down a little.  (which will be after the New Year, since Mel is moving into St. Cloud on January 1st.)

 

we are also brimming with ideas for the upcoming winter months, Valentine’s Day, Easter…Quilt MN and spring.

More Sweet Delights are on the way…

and

Keep an eye out for

Sweet Relish

another unofficial series of projects and patterns that will be available just as soon as we have time to put them together.

 

Have a safe and happy thursday…  april&mickey

 

 

sylvia…almost there!

3 more blocks done!

today we have weathervane, wedding ring 1, and wedding ring 2

 

we are nearing the end!  just 5 more (this includes Lancaster Rose)… Wild Goose Chase, Windblown Square, Winding Ways, and Yankee Puzzle.

 

we’ll be back next week with these last 5 blocks and i’ll lay everything out so we can oohh, ahhh, and admire.

–april

sylvia…

sylvia blocks…

Trip Around the World, True Lover’s Knot, and Tumbling Blocks

the next 3 blocks are…weathervane, wedding ring 1, and wedding ring 2.

 

 

 

 

sylvia–this afternoon–

yikes…sylvia was worked on yesterday, and we brought home the last block to work on.

then proceeded to find out that dad’s cousin passed away yesterday and sylvia never made it out of the bag.

we’ll get the last one finished up and pics up.

we apologize for the delay in the next 3 blocks.

–april

Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler

we have 3 more Sylvia blocks for you today…

Sylvia’s Shooting Star, Tennessee, and The Friendship Quilt

the next 3 are Trip Around the World, True Lover’s Knot, Tumbling Blocks (then just 8 left!!!!)

 

haven’t forgotten about my Vintage Pillow Tutorial…just crazy busy with machine quilting, quilt mn meetings, days off, and snow.

 

have a wonderful evening!  april*mickey  {sweetwater}

sylvia and the Loyal Union

sylvia!  yes, we have 3 more blocks today–Star of the Orient, Steps to the Alter & Swamp Star.

next up is (keep in mind we will not have Sylvia blocks next week since we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, so be sure to join us Thursday, December 5th)…sylvia’s shooting star, tennessee, and the friendship quilt

 

now beings we only have 13 blocks left (which will bring us to the end of December) we needed to come up with a new project to do.  then we sew this book…and after loving Sylvia blocks we thought this one would be a good choice.

 

 

The Loyal Union Sampler which is brand-spankin’ new is a sampler quilt of 121 traditional blocks.  Each block is 6 inches finished…just like Sylvia.  This quilt will be made from civil war prints.  We will offer it with 2 options.

Option 1:  book and background yardage

Option 2:  book and kit complete with monthly shipments of the blocks.

Quilt finishes at 98 x 98 inches.

We’ll be figuring out the details as we start wrapping up Sylvia blocks.

Happy Stitching!
–april&mickey  {sweetwater}

sylvia

sylvia blocks…

stamp basket, spinning hourglass, and square and star

next up…star of the orient, steps to the alter, and swamp patch.

christmas gallery on the way!  just going through the 90+ pictures!

–a   (sweetwater)

check back for sylvia tomorrow morning!

the stamp baskets need some applique…so we’ll be doing that tonight.  so i’ll post those blocks right away tomorrow morning then sometime in the afternoon i’ll post our Christmas fanstatic-ness!

lots of lights, holly berries, glitter-y goodness, 7 wonderful trees, and all around pretty-ful-ness that you can do at home.  (otherwise, everything is for sale…or buy the entire tree (minus the lights and tree) and decorate your own.)  i’ll be coming up with prices along with hints, tips, and how-tos for some of the basics, and links to purchase the pre-done products that can slip right into your home displays.

see you tomorrow morning…my lovelies!

–april&micky  {sweetwater}