From the Cutting Room Floor
JanniLou Creations' Newsletter
Hello dear friends:
Well, once again it’s "back to…" time. Back to school, back to work, back to "the grind," back to rainy days…but those don’t have to be negative things at all! It’s an adventurous time. It’s a time for learning. It’s a time for growing. It’s a time for welcoming new faces…we welcome Nancy Currans to our staff! And, it’s a time for sharing. All of us at JanniLou Creations are anxious to share the adventures of quilting with you.
We have been focusing on our "private reserves" this past year. It feels so great to combine special fabrics from our stash with new-found fabrics and colors available in a myriad of styles for every taste. And, it’s "Back to the Basics:" our classes are directed to learning skills…the basics and some new techniques to advance your adventures in quilting. The standard "Absolutely Beginning…" classes are available in December for just a "taste" of appliqué.
Our last newsletter indicated that our summer schedule doesn’t slow down at all. THAT was certainly an understatement as we move into Fall already! We’re preparing for our Double Mystery On the Beach in November and are taking reservations for January’s retreat! They fill up fast! Actually, we’ve had a cancellation in November, so there may still be room for you to join our Double Mystery group. Remember, you don’t have to work on the featured project – it’s lots of fun to do – but this gives you an opportunity to finish up projects of all sorts! Some retreaters even work on doll clothes and knitting projects.
Check out our classes, and remember, if you don’t find THE class you are looking for in our Fall/Winter CRF, remember we are always happy to customize a class for you and three friends…or a one-on-one with just you! Just let us know and we will make the arrangements! If you are a beginner and "PG-13" scares you, be sure to talk with our staff…sometimes we rate certain classes PG-13 simply because the instructor needs you to be comfortable with your sewing machine. But, we are always willing to customize a class for you and your quilting pals. Of course you’ll find the staples: Hand Quilting, Absolutely Beginning Appliqué and a paper foundation project or two on our schedule. Note that our all time favorite Absolutely Beginning Quiltmaking Sampler series class will reappear on the fall schedule.
Quilt County is well underway. From mid-August through September you’ll find quilt exhibit venues throughout Benton County. JLC has a small exhibit of our StarStruck challenge samplers at the Philomath Branch of Citizen’s Bank. Two are from from earlier challenges, but our focus is on the 2007-08 challenge sampler – "Teahouse of the August Moon" – honoring the film by the same name. Of course we always try to have a few quilts with Scotties for the Philomath Branch of the OSU Federal Credit Union – Jan Tallis and Margaret Drahn came through for us this year! There are also several of the QSI double mystery quilts from our November 2008 On the Beach retreat – they’ll come down briefly to make an appearance during Quilts in the Garden on the 29th of August, but will return to complete their tour of duty at the OSU Federal Credit Union. Please check out the small "Sophie’s Challenge" exhibit at the Furniture Restoration Center of Oregon. JLC will have a small trunk show from Nancy Halvorson’s book Cider Mill Road from September 14-25…and there may be some other surprise exhibits at JLC as well. Do pay special attention to the Permission2Play Journal quilts on exhibit at Footwise from September 2 through the 29th. We are SO privileged to have the P2P woman hang out at JLC! The positive energy is contagious!
Judy Niemeyer has debuted several new patterns – we’re anxiously pulling fabrics for new samples! And Jan has just about completed her rendition of Judy’s ThistlePods. It is absolutely exquisite! Wait ‘til you see it. Speaking of Judy Niemeyer, besides featuring her patterns in our shop classes, featuring her patterns and projects at our January On the Beach Retreat, and teaching at least one of her projects in Sisters at Quilters’ Affair… we’re delighted to announce that Judy will be on location at JLC once again in early March for a Tuesday-Thursday presentation! Watch for more details at JLC!
All of us look for quick and easy small wall or baby quilts to use as gifts. JLC continues to carry a myriad of panels from Noah & Company, Up, Up and Away, Thimbleberries Cover Story quilt projects, to holiday wall quilts…you are sure to find something that fills the bill for you! You’ll find fabrics cut up in a virtual bevy of delight for ease of creation: Fat Quarters, of course; Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, Honey Buns, Charm packs, Turnovers, Bali Pops… my goodness the list goes on! Designers continue to entice us with fun new patterns…and the fabric palette never ceases to enchant us!
This Fall, we’ve begun pricing some of our shop samples for sale. It’s taking much longer than Lou ever dreamed. Our list of quilts that have been exhibited at our regular venues is getting full, so it’s time to let some of our "friends" find new homes. Quilts will be added to our sale section regularly throughout the season.
Newest on our Block of the Month roster is the Briar Rose Designs "The Great Pumpkin Quilt." It is a fourteen-month block of the month featuring pumpkins, of course. It is designed for fusible or hand appliqué. What a delightful Fall quilt! Additionally, Amelia’s Rose Garden – another hand-applique project – will be on the block of the month board by the printing of this issue of the CRF.
Many of you have asked about a new "StarStruck Sampler." Lou didn’t get a chance to design a new challenge for our StarStruck series, but we’ve decided to offer the Trip to Philomath sampler in that same type of format This quilt was featured in the Philomath Bulletin during 2009, and we’re sure not all of you had an opportunity to gather those patterns from the Bulletin. Here’s your chance to render this quilt in your own favorite fabrics and compete for viewer’s choice awards as well. Begin the 2nd Saturday in September with the first block. You pay $5 and sign up for the series. If you bring a block in to share for viewer’s choice, the next pattern is available to you at no cost. We’re looking forward to this sharing opportunity!
This past summer has been filled with the things of life: weddings, anniversaries, births, celebrations, vacations, reunions, and for the most important journey of our lives: passings. The passings are never easy for those of us left behind; but, nevertheless, incredibly significant. The joys and pain go hand in hand in this thing we call life. May your celebrations be many…your sorrows few…as we adventure into this new season.
As always, we look forward to seeing you and serving you as you discover new beginnings and happy endings with completed projects! That’s Entertainment in the most delightful form!
Jan, Lou, directors and crew
