Harvest Time

The combines came this afternoon and cut the wheat around the barns today so there will be no wheat for quilt show but I'm sure they are happy to get it in before the predicted thunderstorms due tonight.  After last year, our first quilt show ever to be even partially rained out, everyone remember to keep praying for no rain on quilt show days!

I did get my Missouri Daisy back from our quilter and it's stunning!  I'd never used  rickrack along a binding before but Gloria helped me through!  Thank goodness she's back on her feet!  And yes, just in time for quilt show!!

And along with harvest comes fall and at our house that means Halloween- with both boys being October babies and Zack actually a Halloween baby, so I had a hankering to get these "Home is Where the Haunt Is" blocks put together.  I love the "Mind your Mummy" block and the "Bugs and Hisses welcome here" saying.  This block of the month has lots of little dimensional touches with the broom, and the flower on the hat, the sign on the house, even the mummy!  It was fun to make.  I don't see this on our web site but we do still have a couple kits left-I just called and checked!  They are $79.00 just FYI.

Besides getting ready for quilt show, the girls have still found time to keep stitching on these "Words to Live By" blocks.  They, too, are beautiful.  Its's nice to have a wool appliqué project to take along with you.  I not real happy with the color in this picture- the reds just aren't showing up very well but at least you get the idea.  They really are beautiful blocks.





I think that's all I have to show you for now!  Just happened to see the combines pop over the hill and thought you'd like to share the moment!  Hope to see you all next week for quilt show week-don't forget the show on Saturday and Sunday August 23rd and 24th!  It seems early, but I guess I could just be sounding old!  As a kid I remember thinking that all that old  people did was complain about how fast time went by....and guess what?  It does!! And yes, I know it's not rocket science....so no one needs to chime in about my age!  See you next week, I hope!

It's a hot one again this week!  Harvest is just around the corner.....although at the elevator where my son works, just a few miles south, harvest officially started yesterday, so I won't be seeing much of him-just his dirty work clothes and empty lunch cooler!!!  He moved home from southern California in May and we have all adjusted from living lives of our own, but he agrees that being "Home is Best"!  

He's just so happy to be home!  (Me too!)

 Meanwhile, I've cut out and started piecing the crazy stars to use in the "Winter Quilt" block of the month and thought I'd give you a sneak peek of what they will look like!  

I decided to make the backgrounds scrappy, so I stacked all the darks in one pile and all the lights in another, cut each pile, put the light stars in the dark pile and the dark stars in the light pile, and then only shuffled the background pieces.  You only use the stars with the dark backgrounds in the Winter Quilt so the other 90 stars are yours to use in a project of your choosing!  What a deal!

Earlier this month, my nephew got married outside at my sister's house, which was previously my mom's (and our) home. Just for fun, I painted a frame for them to use at their reception for candid pictures.....

My sister, Ron's mom, made him our "Folk Art Blooms" quilt.  She didn't start until January and it was still done in time!  I was so impressed!  She and I both need to quit saying she's not a quilter!  She's just not a full time quilter!

I used four of the blocks from Folk Art Blooms and designed a fabric panel for Henry Glass and I just received my production samples and made the project for "Flannel Essentials 8" which will be arriving in the shop in August.  There is a cream panel as well as the black version shown here.  I was able to cut a couple kits so call the shop to be the first to get one!

And quilt show is just around the corner!  I also finished my "Missouri Daisy" block of the month quilt but forgot to get a picture before sending it to get quilted for the show!  I really like the scrappy alternate feather blocks.  You'll just have to see it at the show!  If I don't talk to you before then, I will see you there!

Snowbound is Here!!

Our "Snowbound" fabric line has arrived!  I know we are all thinking summer, but now is the time to make our "Let it Snow"  quilt, off the cover of our "Crazy Snow Days" book!  

I love the word  print: I took liberties with the words to "over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..." and re-wrote them with my kids in mind..... they loved their Grandma and loved going down the road  to her house to stay and play....the words go something like this:





"Over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house we go, where sledding is best and the cookies are fresh and it’s me she surely loves best! Over the river and through the woods, oh how the wind does blow! My cheeks are all red, my nose is quite cold, but won’t the hot chocolate taste fine?  Over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house we go, where snowballs we’ll throw, and build men made of snow, Oh the fun, what very good fun, we’ll be having! Over the river and through the woods just look at the snow come down!  We’ll play for a time and smile all the while and stay for as long as we can!  Over the river and through the woods, to grandma’s house we go!  It’s our very most favorite, yes the absolute greatest, place we ever can go! "

My oldest sister lives in mom's house now, and the boys still have a tendency, as we all do, to refer to it as Grandma's house instead of Aunt Kathy's, but she has been so generous with all of us to allow it to still be the family home.  It's soon to be the site of a family wedding next month so we are all excited about that!

Meanwhile, I forgot to share with you the finished "Cottage Basics" quilt...It turned out cute, don't you think? 

Bertie is enjoying his summer!  You be sure to do the same!  Talk to you soon!

Words to Live By

We've been busy trying to get some of our sample blocks done for "Words to Live By" block of the month...it's going to be so beautiful!  The appliqués are all done in wool on cotton backgrounds.  You stencil, or trace, the calligraphy word for each block using a permanent pen.  I used the one recommended by the designer and that we are selling with the block of the month; it doesn't seem to run or bleed like other permanent markers tend to do.  We are also suggesting an awesome light panel that's  compact and easily transportable.  It makes tracing your words a breeze! 

And speaking of words to live by, our gal Gloria could probably use a kind word now and again as she begins her physical therapy after a fall several weeks ago left her with two new pins in her ankle! UGH!  We've been missing her in the shop, but the rest of the girls have been troopers and have stepped in to fill in the gaps!  We are all wishing her a speedy recovery!  

Since Gloria needed to keep her ankle elevated, (another reason she might be in need of a kind word: not being able to piece!) I have taken over the piecing of a "Piecemakers" quilt that Gloria had started; it's really cute!  It's what we call either a "cheater" quilt or a more politically correct name is a "convenience" quilt: all those blocks that look like appliqué are really cut from a fabric panel! I just have all of the alternate blocks/sashings to piece and then it will be all done!   Best I get to it, so here's to speedy piecing to me and a speedy recovery for Gloria!  Hope everyone has a great week! 

Heavenly Days!

I mentioned in a post a bit ago that our newest Buggy Barn Yarn Dyes were in....and with the rich reds and pumpkins and golds paired with the Basic Black Yarn Dyes, these will be perfect in our Heavenly Days kits, one of my all time favorites.  It's a classic!  So, if you don't have one yet, there's still time!  Order yours today!  Have a great day!

I'm just getting some of the blocks done for the "Cottage Basics" quilt.... aren't they adorable?  They colors are so cheerful and I love the word prints!  Just thought I's share a bit of spring sunshine!  Have a great day!

Happy Easter!

I know everyone (including me!) is tired of the long winter and ready for the spring sunshine and green grass! But if spring is yet a bit distant, just plant a smile upon your face and bring a little sunshine to those you meet as you hop on down the Bunny Trail and may you find many blessings along the way!  Have a very happy Easter enjoying family and friends and maybe a bit of chocolate too!  Take care, and truly, have a wonderful weekend!

Snowbound

I 've finished my Snowbound quilt!  I tried to talk myself out of those embroidered snowflakes around the border but they really do add just the right touch!  We are so happy to have this designer, Pat Wys, with us to be teaching for our 18th annual Buggy Barn Quilt Show!  See the rest of the great line up of guest teachers HERE!  So make your plans, and schedule a class or two, and we'll see you in August if not before!

Crazy Monkey See Monkey Do

I've finished another crazy pattern, a single this time!  These goofy monkeys remind me of playing endless games of “Barrel of Monkeys” with my Aunt Mable…I believe the slogan for the game was “it’s a barrel full of laughs!”  so these guys make me smile!  Because of all the curves, this  pattern has a lot of pieces: way more than most crazies, so if you are new to this technique, this may not be the pattern you want to learn with.  But all the rest of you Buggy Barn Crazies out there: monkey see, monkey do, but remember, no more jumping on the bed!  Patterns retail for $12.00 and are available on our website.

Our newest Buggy Barn Basic Yarn Dyes are finally here!!  It's been a LONG wait but I think they are worth it!  I love the way the colors have all turned out!  This is the first time our yarn dyes will have a brushed finish on one side-it too is just as I'd hoped.  Thanks to Henry Glass for their work on this one because there was lots of back and forth to get it right!  Here are some pictures, although I just realized that I forgot the purples!  Sorry!  Enjoy!

Down to Earth

It's finally arrived! The Down to Earth fabric is now in the shop and the girls worked hard cutting all of your pre-orders!  The panel can be used as is, or you can embroider over the top of the design for added dimension.  We hope you agree, it's been worth the wait!

Gloria just finished her Hampton Ridge block of the month quilt, and as everyone always says, it's so much prettier in person! 

Kathy is ready for her class "Practice What I Preach",  so won't you come join her?  You will learn to use a variety of specialty rulers using Pam Buda's techniques. The class is March 15 from 10-4 pm in the Big Barn.  Cost is $25 and Pam Buda's book is required.

There's lots going on at the Barn!  We hope to see you all soon!

Can this be Love?

They say that "Love is in the air", but our "air" has been bitter, bone chillingly cold, with wind chills well below zero, just like around most of the country, but we have our love to keep us warm, right? LOL!  As long as we stay tucked up tight in our sewing rooms and keep our fingers busy this may be true, especially if our fingers are tucked down in this adorable wool project, "I Heart", from Helen Stubbings, one of our favorite  designers from the land down under!  

Helen's sample is originally made from cotton, but I made mine out of wool, so it is also slightly smaller than suggested due to the yardage width of hand dyed wool, but I had no problem fitting the design on.  It might be fun to throw in some of the hand dyed velvet, too that you can see in the foreground in the photo.  We have lots of great wools to select from as well as rolls quilter's candy for $2.50 that gives you just a nibble of a few colors.  To get the design just right, I actually traced the heart with the letter "edges" onto freezer paper and cut out the inside of the heart, and then ironed that template onto the wool so I knew all the letters had to fit inside my heart template.  This seemed to work really well for me.  

I don't know what I'd do without my freezer paper!  I go through a ton of it, as you can see from my giant size roll, especially now when I'm working on a new crazy design.  I have the design done and have started piecing the blocks for a new monkey block but still haven't quite figured out the setting....hope I've guessed correctly on the number of blocks so I don't have to go back and make more!




And speaking of crazies, here's some crazies that are perfect if you're "feeling the Love" this time of year! 

Love quilt

Our "Love" quilt is made from the letters out of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" out of our "Crazy Among Friends" book. 

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

"Hearts" is out of our "Crazy Fun N Games" book.










And there's the ever popular single pattern "Heart Crazies"

And in case you are still looking for your "Prince Charming", we have one of those too!  Whatever you do, make your day happy, and here's hoping your love will keep you warm!

Winter Quilt

I've finished my first block of the "Winter Quilt" block of the month and it's looking quite cute!  As you can see, it's still frosty as can be here!  There have been intermitent power outages with all the frost on the power lines and the trees continue to shed branches.  We went out today and tried knocking frost off what branches we could reach, but just ended up with ice down our necks! 

This coming Tuesday, January 28th brings the end of an era at the Buggy Barn-Donna Booth is retiring!  She has been with us since the beginning and it will be so hard to see her go!  If she wasn't being a "little cut up" then she was being a "little sew and so" and she has brought boundless fun, laughter, and friendship along in her wake.  

Along with Roxie and Lynda, Donna has always been our Tuesday "charge nurse", so please, if you can, stop by on this coming Tuesday, enjoy a piece of cake and wish Donna well.  She will be missed!  

Watch for this!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

Our project is featured in the Aril 2014 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine!  See my project as well as other featured projects from this issue, here:
http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazines-more/american-patchwork-quilting/american-patchwork-quilting-april-2014

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

And, yes, we have kits!  This quilt features a garden themed panel designed by one of our fellow Henry Glass designers, Annie Downs.  It's such a cute panel, as I hope you can see from this close up of a block!  This is just the project we need to pull us out of our winter-time blues and have some baskets of sunshine coming our way!

And while I'm on the subject of Annie, I thought I'd share one of her current fabric lines that we have in the shop, Button Tree Lane.  She very cleverly has designed button dots and I love that needle stripe, and the paisley is very cute!

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So let us know if need fat quarter packs or yardage

of any of her Button Tree Lane fabrics to go along

with your kit purchase!