All Iowa Shop Hop Magazines are in!

Just in - Here is the magazine you've been waiting for. Great value just to have for reference of quilt shops in Iowa but also includes the All Iowa Shop Hop passport and maps. Get yours while the getting is good! This magazine gets better every year.

Our Winner was in!

Nikki Hunt was in to pick up our gift basket, a drawing prize from the Adel Chocolate Walk. Thanks Nikki!

Sunday Sewday?

Not on Mother's Day! I got to spend the day with these guys.

After church, the girls made a trip to Holub's Greenhouse where I redeemed my M.D. gift card. Someone appears to have learned how to "strike a pose." The background to this pic was equally beautiful - - - just a sea of potted geraniums.

News from the Iowa Quilt Museum

Three All-American Events Monday, May 29th Quilts of Valor awarded to Madison County Veterans Ceremony at Winterset Cemetery - approximately 10:30 am Saturday, June 3rd First Anniversary Celebration & Military Uniform "Fashion Show" Sunday, July 9th Quilts of Valor Award Ceremony at the Iowa Quilt Museum 27 quilts to be awarded

Help the Iowa Quilt Museum celebrate it's FIRST ANNIVERSARY!! June 3rd, 4-6pm - Party Featuring Military Uniform "Fashion Show" Leo Landis, curator at State Historical Museum of Iowa will present on these historical artifacts No Admission charge & refreshments will be served Free will donations accepted to continue the work and mission of the Iowa Quilt Museum RSVP Appreciated to Museum Director Megan Barrett, 515-462-5988 or director@IowaQuiltMuseum.org

Couple of Sunday Sew Day projects - -

These are a couple of little zip totes for our June porch sale. The lamb panels were something I printed on fabric as part of a demo. The laminated cotton was donated to Quilt Circle for our Orphan projects. I was happy to marry them up.

This was running yardage of a border print donated to Quilt Circle as an orphan. I cut the fabric into two pieces, put flannel on the back and quilted them. Now we have two little lap blankets for our June Sale.

Adel Chocolate Walk Wrap Up!

Thank you to everyone that came out to the Adel Chocolate Walk! It was a beautiful day and a great time. 

These are our Tuxedo Brownies, with cream cheese filling and toffee sprinkles.

Shop owners met following the walk to draw for prizes. Above is our basket.

Here is a list of the drawing results for $50 gift baskets:

AdelHealthmart - Nick Stajcar from Adel
Adel Quilting - Nikki Hunt from Adel
Brick Street Bakery - Jessica Chumbley from Waukee
Brick Street Books and Cafe - Jessica Delp - Adel
Decor Adel - Leslie Balsay from West Des Moines
Studio Q 360 - Kathy McEntee from Waukee

We are already making plans for the 5th Annual Adel Chocolate Walk in 2018! 

What do you want for Mother's Day?

I copied the 2nd part of this post from a FB post. I think it really speaks for all moms. Mother's Day is a time to remember to be nice to our moms. I was not always patient with my mom and I sometimes hear customers being impatient with their moms. I want to say to them - - - "Be nice to your mom. She won't be around forever."  

Full disclosure - I am lucky to have 3 little T's (Brookly knows what that stands for) that try their hardest to be patient with me! Thank you, guys, for making me a mom.

            -----------------------------------------------------------

Every year my children ask me the same question. After thinking about it, I decided I'd give them my real answer:

What do I want for Mother's Day? I want you. I want you to keep coming around, I want you to bring your kids around, I want you to ask me questions, ask my advice, tell me your problems, ask for my opinion, ask for my help. 

I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life, whatever. Tell me about your job, your worries, your kids, your fur babies. 

I want you to continue sharing your life with me. Come over and laugh with me, or laugh at me, I don't care. Hearing you laugh is music to me.

I spent the better part of my life raising you the best way I knew how. Now, give me time to sit back and admire my work.

Raid my refrigerator, help yourself, I really don't mind. In fact, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I want you to spend your money making a better life for you and your family, I have the things I need. 

I want to see you happy and healthy. 

When you ask me what I want for Mother's Day, I say "nothing" because you've already been giving me my gift all year. I want you.

One last shout out!

Today, 10 am to 3 pm is the Adel Chocolate Walk! 

Pick up a passport at any participating business:

Adel Healthmart with gift boutique

Adel Quilting & Dry Goods Co. - fabric, patterns, notions and gifts

Brick Street Bakery - coffee and pastry bar

Brick Street Books and Cafe - great lunch specials

Decor Adel - gift shop - New!

Studio Q 360 - luxury spa and gift shop - New!

Get your passport stamped at each of the 6 shops to be eligible for our prize drawing.

All of the completed passports will be combined to draw for 6 baskets of goodies - each at least a $50 value.

Above is our basket, filled with fun things for either a quilter or a non-quilter, for you or for you mom!

While you make the rounds, remember to grab a free chocolate sample and the recipe to go with.

Great day to visit Adel with the Juffer Family Gardens having their annual plant sale and the Penoach Winery hosting the Iowa Clay Festival. Find more on both of these events on their Facebook pages.

Spring Quilt Sampler Magazine!

Look at what just came in! They go back out just as quickly so grab one soon.

New Backing Fabric

We all love a nice selection of wide backs, don't we?  We are expanding our selection. Here are a few of the new pieces and there are more coming soon.

These are a re-order. Called Circle Play, we had these in October and sold out immediately. They're back plus we added one in grey and black.

Today these two more country colors came in. Also coming is navy, grey, soft pink and yellow.

Meet these lovely ladies!

It's that time of year. Quilters are hitting the road and spreading their joy.

 These gals from West Bend stopped by today on their way to visit the Iowa Quilt Museum in Winterset.

And these gals came from even farther. They are from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, making their own road trip to visit Iowa quilt shops.

May Purple Bag Drawing Winner is - - - -

Diana Deskin! 

Congratulations, Diane. Your prize is in the bag - - - a small jelly roll, a bundle of fat quarters and one of our brand new, 2017 License Plates.

OOOOOpen SEEEEw!!!

This week at the Adel Library, Thursday and Friday!

Plan an Outing in Adel!

Saturday, May 13!

Visit Adel for all sorts of fun on this Mother's Day Weekend. Bring mom or just treat yourself to Chocolates, Pottery and Plants!

Adel Chocolate Walk:

Visit these 6 businesses for a chocolate sample and recipe. Take your "passport" to each to enter the drawing - - - 6 baskets, each valued at $50.

AdelHealthmart (with gift boutique)

Adel Quilting & Dry Goods Co.

Brick Street Bakery

Brick Street Books and Cafe

Decor Adel

Studio Q 360

Iowa Clay Festival:

Saturday and Sunday at Penoach Winery. See their facebook page for more.

Heirloom Plant Sale:

Wildly popular plant sale. Come early for best selections.

A "thank you" quilt delivery - - -

Lonnie K. presented this quilt to Andrew for his first son. Andrew is the chef for our Ladies of the Lake Quilt Retreat.

He appreciate the extra effort he goes to to make sure we are all happy and we wanted to say thank you with this gift. It has a fun flannel back of soft orange with blue elephants.

This quilt was made by strips collected from all those who attended our spring Ladies of the Lake Quilt Retreat.

Who needs a spool of thread?

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to this old dog! Max is 105 years old in human years today. Here he is doing what he does best - - - napping.

Cake Mix

Have you seen the latest thing making a buzz in the quilting industry? Miss Rosie's Quilt Company started with 4 "recipes". Shown below is Recipe #2. Very soon, recipes 5 through 8 will be out.

 Here's how it works. Place two 10" squares right sides together. Pin one of these paper patterns on top. Sew on the arrowed lines and then cut on the solid lines. That will net you enough units to make any of the blocks shown above in Recipe #2.

It's kind of like paper piecing but using just 2, 10" squares. After stitching, you pull all the paper off.

This is an efficient use of fabric and it is also the hesitant quilter's friend.

There are 45 recipe sheets in each pack for $9.95.

Fiber Arts Fair in Perry!

Don't miss this fun day in Perry, IA!

Saturday, May 6, 10 am to 4 pm.

free admission

Check out the yarn lamp post warmers

Enjoy a warm cookie and visit the Bloody Mary Bar at LaPoste

Take a class 

See the displays of quilts and other fiber art at these 6 locations:

• Ben's Five & Dime
• Citizens Bank Gallery
• Mary Rose Collection Gift Shop
• Perry Public Library
• LaPoste
• Petersons Designs

See more on these Facebook pages - Perry Iowa Piecemakers Quilt Guild and LaPoste Perry, IA

Just in!

New from Moda - Grunge with tone on tone polka dots. Tjust he Jelly Rolls came in. In June, the whole line of 20 colors comes in!

Worth the trip!

Lonnie and I were happy we got to squeeze in a trip to the Iowa Quilt Museum in Winterset this week, the last week of the Art Quilt exhibit.

It was fun to look at the interesting ways quilters express themselves with Art Quilts.

Not all quilts lay flat on a bed.

This was fun, titled "In Cold Blood". Standing next to it, it seems to be an abstract quilt in red and black on white. You have to step back a few steps to see the gun.

Another fun quilt. Each of the quilts seemed to feature a good deal of thread play.

Even more fun is this doggie quilt Deb S. made for the live animal shelter. She had no idea she was a modern quilter. We at Quilt Circle thought it was too pretty for a dog kennel but, - - - Deb really loves her dog.

As a really beautiful contrast, there was also a room of 1800s log cabin quilts on display.

If you have not been to the museum, it's worth the drive.

April Quilt Circle of Friends

It was another fun gathering of friends on April 17. We meet in the shop on the 3rd Monday of each month (except December) at 6 pm to share our quilts and our stories. Here is our April Show and Tell.

Nancy J played with the dimensions of the Split Pinwheel block. She discovered you start with two squares that are 2 1/2" smaller than the finished block star you desire. So, to make this 16" finished block, she started with two 13 1/2" squares. See more on the block on our website under the Classes and Events and then How to Demo tabs.

Then it was Lonnie K's turn. Above is a baby quilt she just finished for a new great niece. Below is a shop sample she made with the Ambrosia panel and Side Lights pattern. Deb S. machine quilted it and just delivered it before our meeting.

Then Diane W. shared what has been keeping her busy. She and her daughter make a quilt together every year. This year, they are making the One Block Wonder. These blocks below all came from the fabric she is showing above.

Diane also shared this huge quilt she just finished for her son. It has about a million (more or less) little pieces and is all flannel!

Deb S. is having fun expressing her creative side by putting together odds and ends to create dog quilts for the shelter.

Last month we pilfered through some of the stuff donated to us to finish up for our June library fund raiser. Joyce S. took home some of the place mats that were donated and finished them up!

Celia (also know as the serious one - - - not!) is showing us some bags she made for a recent trip to Hawaii.

She was wearing one of her favorite t-shirts.

And, as it goes, her sister liked her shoulder bag so much, Celia made one for her as well, using some of the fabrics she purchased in Hawaii.

Abbie showed us this garment bag she made for her granddaughters dance costumes!

And this dance recital memory quilt.

She also shared this Grunge BOM quilt top she finished, using her signature "purple" for the border.

and a few excess embroidery machine blocks she is donating for our June sale orphan projects.

This is a quilt top Sue took home from our selection of orphan quilts. She finished it up and now it is ready for the June sale.

She also shared these two "What Cancer Cannot Do" quilts that will be donated to Warrior Wagons. This non profit was started by a cousin of Sue's who lost her son to cancer. His name was Reed which translates to Warrior.

Marti K. shared this picture. She was featured in Quilt Folk and she also has a featured article in the magazine.

Bonnie N. share this beauty. Each Dresden plate is surrounded with a striped flange.

It has been beautifully quilted by Julia S.

and the backing was not quite big enough so Bonnie added a few inch inserts!

Jackie O. is continuing on her quest of "kicking quilts and taking names later". Here are some now on the done list.

and last, Nancy J. shared several things she took home from our collection of orphans to give new life.

She brought a whole box of table runners, pillows and small quilts to donate to the June sale.

As you can tell, we are in full swing to have items ready for our June sale. It will be held on our porch and is the only time all year we sell quilted items. All proceeds are donated to the Adel Library where we love to gather and stitch. Watch this blog as June approaches for the exact dates of the sale. It generally runs for about 2 weeks, including during our June 17 outdoor quilt show.

I shared a demo on how to make a fun pin cushion tuffet, we had a snack and called it a night!

Thank you to all of my fabulous Quilt Circle of Friends! As always, special thank you to Jackie Orton for taking all these pictures.