Happy Birthday to Olive and Cal.

Guess who turned 3 years old today!!

Remembering - - -

 Lonnie K. made this Quilt of Valor. In fact, she made two of them. They will be presented to two of her classmates who are veterans. This is an arrangement of Log Cabin blocks. Isn't it a striking quilt? 

This was machine quilted by Deb S. who uses all of her quilting proceeds to fund her charity, Iowa Comfort Quilts so this is a "giving" quilt in more way than one. 

Happy Memorial Day - - - We are closed today to spend time with family and friends. Play safe and remember those who have gone before us to make that possible. 

Baby Quilts for more family twins!

Here are baby quilts I made for great nieces Camryn and Brooke. They decided to come a few months early so, they had to stay at the hospital and missed their baby shower.

Here is mom and dad at the baby shower. For those who don't know me, I am 5' 10" tall. My nephew Jeff makes me look like short, though.  Suppose his baby girls will be long legged?

Looking for a volunteer - - -

The raffle quilt for the Dallas Co. Fair is almost completely pieced.

This quilt was made from the block challenge we held last summer.

It will be auctioned at the Dallas Co. Fair in July and all proceeds will be donated to the Dallas Co. 4-H program.

I have pieced the quilt top and donated all of the setting, backing, batting and binding fabric. Now we are looking for someone to machine quilt it and someone to bind.

The machine quilting can be the most basic all over design, not custom work, since the beauty of the blocks speak for themselves.

If you are interested in volunteering for either machine quilting or binding, just send me an email. Thanks!

A Quilt for the Birds

 See the first two books by local author, Phyllis Kaldenberg above. A Christmas story and a Quilts of Valor story. We have kits to make a doll size Quilt of Valor. Pair a little doll quilt with the book for a very sweet little gift.

Just released and in stock now is Phyllis's latest book, A Quilt for the Birds. This is a very cute story about a little girl watching the backyard birds build a quilt while Grandma is doing the same in her sewing room. Sweet little book.

Another Diva Wallet Class

Nancy Sharr will teach this class in Valley Junction, West Des Moines on Saturday June 25 from 9 am to 1 pm.  Contact At the Heart of Quilting to register.

Above are several of the wallets Nancy has made. She has lots of ideas to add to and improve on the original pattern. Fun class and great gifts.

Here's Nancy with a purse she made from 2 1/2" strips and below is the matching Diva Wallet she made. 

Great combo for the summer!

Our first two guest for the American Quilt Expo!

Meet our first two customers of the day, in the area for the American Quilt Expo at Wells Fargo in Des Moines (Thurs to Sat). They flew in from Arizona just for the show. Of course, they came a couple days early to hit all the local shops. Love their green bags, don't you?

Quilt Circled May Meeting

It was another great gathering of friends, Quilt Circle of Friends that is.

Lonnie brought this purse she made from All Iowa Shop Hop fabric to donate to our June porch sale.

Deb shared this Strip Club quilt she is working on.

She also showed us the pig block she has completed. This is part of a challenge we have been working on. There should be several of these "animal block" quilts on display at our Little Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in June.

 Trish made this cute pin cushion to donate to the June sale.

and here is her animal quilt. Really cute. The challenge was to use the 5 different animal blocks and make something - - -anything.

Here is a close up.

Margaret brought the potholders above and table topper below, both to donate to our June porch sale.

Margaret also shared this gorgeous batik quilt.

Lorna showed this pumpkin table topper she just finished up and below is the quilt she made from the Comfort Blocks the Quilt Circle friends made when her husband passed a few months ago.

Abbie showed us this quilt she finished for a Monster High loving granddaughter. She couldn't find Monster High fabric so she cut these pieces out of a sheet set. Next is a couple close-ups.

This will be one happy little girl.

Abbie also shared some projects she started in an art class at the Machine Quilter's Expo. First, a creative expression in drafting for thread play - - 

then design transfer.

and fabric painting.

and hula hoop weaving!

Sue shared her t-shirt quilts - above and below

Sue also shared this cool strip quilt.

This is the quilt top I put together from blocks made at our Spring Quilt Retreat. This is Scrappy Trips, a Bonnie Hunter pattern taught to us by JoAnne Schnebley. It will be a Quilt of Valor.

I demoed one block of Scrappy Trips, using just red and white fabrics. I hope to have some more blocks made to share at our June meeting.

I also shared this little shop sample quilt, forest animals with doll clothes. Then we closed our evening with a cupcake.

Look at all these happy faces. We always have a good time together at Quilt Circle of Friends.

Thank you, as always,to Jackie O. for taking all these pictures.

Adel Chocolate Walk Winnters!

Just realized I have not yet posted the winners of the Adel Chocolate Walk prizes. Six local businesses each gave away a $50 basket of goodies. Here are the names that were drawn from the completed passports:

Enezer Gartei

Jessica Embre

Amy Lucht

Jamie Jorgenson

Maria Lopez

Renee Sweers

Congratulations to the winners and a big THANK YOU to all who visited us during the annual Adel Chocolate Walk!

Sunday Sewday

I spent most of Sunday working outside and loving the spring Iowa weather.  In the evening, I did spend a little time in the sewing room, finishing up this mattress, pillow and quilt for a doll house bed. They measure 6" x 9".

American Quilt Expo

Free Polyester Fabric

Mae Graeve of Adel is helping a friend donate "lots" of polyester fabric, already cut in 4 yard pieces. If you are interested, please call Mae at 515-993-3735.

New Iowa Quilt Museum Opens Saturday!

We have a request for volunteers at the new Iowa Quilt Museum in Winterset,Iowa. To learn more, contact board president, Phyllis Kaldenberg at 515-462-4731.

Museum opens Saturday, May 21 with a Gran Opening June 4.

Look what just came in!!!

The All Iowa Shop Hop guides just came. You can see two of the patterns on this front cover. There are 3 more patterns and all the patterns this year are really nice.

Also just in - - - - The All Iowa Shop Hop 2016 fabrics! On the side of the barn there is a sign that says "Come Home to Iowa". You can place an order now. We will cut it and save it for you to pick up June 1 or later.  Follow up - The border print shown above will not be available until later.

This year, there is also a large assortment of blenders to go along with the AISH fabrics. We ordered one bolt of each and these are also available to order now for June 1 or later pick up.

OOOOOpen Sew This Week!!!

Quilt Circle of Friends meets this evening in the shop, 6 pm. Bring your show and tell to share. 

Join us for Open Sew at the Adel Library Thursday and/or Friday this week, 10 am until the last stitch is made!

Moda Block Shuffle

Here are the next 3 blocks. Be sure to check back the 15th of each month for 3 more blocks.

What's next? All Iowa Shop Hop!

This is the cover of the 2016 AISH Book. In addition to the passport, map, directions and color ads of each shop there are also 5 patterns from Williamingham Designs. This guide to the Iowa quilt shops sells for $6 and will be available between May  15-20

New this year - - - Sew Great Tours is providing a bus trip to each district. Buses leave from either Ames, Cedar Rapids or Carroll. Great way to make the rounds with friends!

Save the date!

Little Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

June 18, 2016 - 10 am to 4 pm

Come view the quilts hanging around the shop yard and vote for your favorites. There will also be a special exhibition of challenge quilts from Quilt Circle of Friends.

As always, there will be lots of shop samples and  hand made items by Quilt Circle that we will have out to sell for our annual library fund raiser.

Additionally, the Dallas Co. quilt many of you contributed blocks to will be on display

Couple new samples

Diana W. just finished up these two little shop samples. They measure 12" x 18", perfect for hanging and switching out. We have a whole line of these on display in the shop, one for every season and holiday. Thanks Diana.