A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Where to start. This is a blog post that is not easily written. I've sat down more than once to write it, but just couldn't find the words....

I have so many emotions going on inside me right now. After nearly 14 years of working at Katja's Quilt Shoppe, I am resigning.  This is a decision that didn't come easily.  Working there has been a lot of fun and a great challenge.  Katja has been so amazing to work for and I will truly miss her and my co-workers.  Having said that, I'm not going far.

In my last post I mentioned a project that was both exciting and terrifying.  Just a few doors down from Katja's, a retail space has become available and I have leased it.

I'm opening a yarn shop !  Knit2 will open it's doors early spring and I am so excited !
The knitters in town, me included, travel quite a distance to buy yarns we can't get here. So many people have expressed their wishes for a yarn shop, so I thought "why not?"

Things are coming together and I'm officially in freak out mode.  To settle my nerves, I've been knitting of course.  I want to open with samples to inspire : )

a finished pair of work socks that my daughter wants SO bad

Just a little sampling of some of the yarns I will be carrying. My goal is to support local artisans as well as those from farther abroad.  Suppliers have been sourced and meet-ups arranged.

Now comes the fun part of designing the space.  Oh the possibilities !  I'm so looking forward to showing you before and after photos  : )  Squeeeeeeel

This huge project will be a window display.  I want to make sure people know it's a yarn shop : )

Thanks for reading today.

 If you are local, do you have a favourite yarn?  Is there a particular one you think I should know about?  Let me know in the comments or e-mail me the info.
Also, I hope you will pop in and say hello !

A JANUARY FINISH

It's a small finish but a finish just the same.  This little pillow was for no other reason than I wanted to make it : )  I really love how it turned out

  A few weeks ago, I asked hubby if he would make me some ginormous knitting needles for a project I had planned.  I came home from work the other day and they were standing by my chair !

They are 5 feet tall

Here I am knitting a swatch.  I've taken on a project that is both exciting and terrifying at the same time.  More on that in the coming days/weeks.

It's so fluffy and soft.  Reminds me of Pavlova........minus the fruit : )

I'm linking up with Granny Maud's Girl for selfish sewing
and Finish It Up Friday and
wool on Sundays

have a lovely week-end

SPELLING TEST

This year I have pared down my sewing commitments to two groups.  One of them is a Spelling Bee group that I just couldn't resist.  I love words on fabric and sewing words into quilts sounded even better.  This month Elizabeth is piecing together a poem with our help.  I offered the words 'woman' and 'man'.  The W was a bit of a challenge, but turned out ok I think

After the first few letters it was easy.   Improv piecing is kind of fun : )

Elizabeth wants all shades of pink/red and light backgrounds.  I thought this little print made the perfect background for this word, and it's been in my stash for a long time. Good thing fabric doesn't go bad

Once I was on a roll, I pieced a few letters for a little project I'm working on for myself

It's going to be a fun year seeing what other words I have to piece.

Enjoy your week end!

A GOOD SWIFT KICK

A new year has such potential doesn't it?  I'm excited for another year of quilting, but am feeling weighed down by all my unfinished projects. So........I have declared this the 'year of the finish'.
I'm hoping to clear my slate so to speak to make way for new things : )

These blocks are from a group I was involved in but it no longer exists.  Three lovely readers were gracious enough to send me blocks to make up the slack, and now I have enough to make a quilt.  My original plan was to do alternate blocks with these and I may still do that but it would end up quite big.  We shall see.  Thank you Jeannine, Paulette, and Nicole for the blocks  : )

This poor quilt.  It has been hanging in the closet for about 4 years.  One of my son's friends has been waiting for it for about a year.  Ooops

and then there's my Millie. I do hope to keep puttering along on this.  I'm nearly a year behind,  but it's not a race. Apparently.

My basket quilt from the ladies in the Mid Century Modern group. I want this finished and on my couch : )

and lastly, this poor old thing.  I love hexies, so why isn't it done???

Perhaps now that I have a decent machine I will be able to quilt these.
I've given myself a stern talking to, and a swift kick, so we will see if I stay motivated or not.

That's probably enough of a list for this first quarter of the finish along.
Linking up with Leanne of She can quilt

METRO AREA MONTH 5

The first of the month has come and gone so I better get these blocks posted.  For those of you who are quilting along, we are on month 5 already!

This month we had a nice mix of templates and straight forward piecing.  The blocks didn't take long at all.

Because I'm a bit impatient, I started sewing some sashing between the blocks just to see how it's going to look.  I gotta say, I do like it.

We are in the middle of inventory at the shoppe, so tomorrow will be a busy day. We re-open on Thursday and will be sporting a new paint job : )  I'm excited for the change and the new fabric that will be arriving too !