New Year, New Name, New Website

For 2012, I have decided my shop's website needs a refreshing upgrade. To that end, I am in the process of having it redesigned and reorganized. I have high hopes that it will be wonderful and fun! I am even changing the name of the store to go along with the new look. Watch for the improvements to show up sometime in February or March, and don't panic if the current website dissappears for a while! Bookmark this blog now, and you can still visit me while the new site is being finished.
The new website's address will not change, so as soon as it is up you will be able to access it again via the same address, www.crazyforquilting.com.

In the mean time, my mom, my husband, and I are spending some time in the next few weeks reorganizing the store itself, and doing a major inventory overhaul. Visit us after the first of the year, Thursday - Saturday, to see how it's going. I'm sure there will be many items marked down and added to the sale area, as we make room for new merchandise in the coming year!

Along with this overhaul, I am also re-organizing my quilting calendar. This will allow me to be more accurate and more on schedule throughout the year with the long-arm quilting. Right now, quilts can be booked for March. With my new scheduling, quilts will be done within 1-2 weeks of my estimate, instead of 1-2 months. I am excited about being more organized and on-target, and I hope you all are too! If you would like to view pictures of my quilting, please visit the store's Facebook page, here.

Phone Troubles

If you've tried to call the quilt shop in the past week or two, you probably didn't reach anyone. Why? Because I make a brain-dead move and neglected to follow up with my new phone system to ensure I had set it up properly. The result? No one trying to dial the quilt shop could get through.

Great........As if the for-sale sign in the front yard wasn't enough to make people think I was out of business, now I've really gone and done it!

In my defense, I've had a super busy couple of weeks learning a whole lot of fun stuff at my new job.

But still......is my face red?

Anyways, the phone is back online. And, "YES!" I'm still in business!

Cabana Batiks Are In the Store!

The new batiks from Moda arrived today! I haven't carried batiks for quite a while, as in a few years. So, even though I'm not a huge batik fan myself, I do appreciate them and I am excited to have them back in the store. This new line from Moda has some beautiful jewel tones. It will be followed up with another shipment in December of Tropicana Batiks, also from Moda.
The batiks in stock now have been uploaded to the website, so have fun drooling over them here!

Look What I Did Today!

Today I had a day at home, with five blissful hours to myself while everyone was away at school! Here is how I spent my day:

First, I helped Bailey get into her Cowgirl gear. This week is homecoming week, and today was "Western Day." Since Bailey lacks all of the self-consciousness I had in high school, I am taking full advantage of having a little fun and living vicariously through her. I didn't think far enough ahead to procure a horse for her to ride to school, so I drove her instead. Apparently Grandpa's Chaps weren't very comfortable for walking!

When everyone was gone, I vacuumed and did some other miscellaneous housework. But...since the kids had popcorn tonight while they watched Ghostbusters it's a little late for a picture of that.

Next, I finished putting the borders on my Night Owl table topper, which I have kits of in the store. I have been carrying the cut pieces of this quilt back and forth from store to home for about 6 weeks now, so this is a major victory!


Then, I did some quilting on the long arm.


After that, I felt like baking, so I made some rosemary bread to go with dinner. I wish I had a picture of how pretty it looked before I cut it up. Here is all that is left, safely sealed away so that Charlie actually gets to have some before I.....I mean the kids....eat it all.

Since I had baking on the brain, I decided to tackle the baked potato/tortilla steamer pattern that just came last week. It was super fast and easy, so in less than an hour I had it done!

After dinner, it was almost time for Bailey's volleyball game. I had just enough time to prepare some fusible shapes for her costume tomorrow, which Kylee and I cut out at the game. Tomorrow is "Super Hero Day." Can you guess what Bailey's going to be?
They don't allow guns in school. Even super cheesy guns that only shoot ghost-sucking plasma rays. So, I had to think of a different prop.
After the game, and after I finished the costume, watched Ghostbusters with the kids, and tucked them into bed, I whipped up another Easy Striped Tablerunner. This time I used fabric from the Tangled Threads fabric line by Whimsicals.


Wow, I sure wish every day could be like today. Now I can relax with a glass of wine, because I sure earned it!

Shoplifters Beware!

To all of my honest customers, who are happy to pay for the products you take home with you. I regretfully inform you that you will now be shopping on camera. Due to your dishonest, lying, cheating, good for nothing (except putting products in their bags/pockets/etc. and leaving without paying) counterparts, I have installed security cameras throughout the store. I can now find out, if necessary, everything you touched while you were here.

Do I really want to? No.

Has it become necessary due to incessant stealing of everything from charm packs to finished samples? Yes.

Will I be watching the cameras constantly? Only if I find something missing and want to know without a shadow of a doubt where it went.

If you are honest, you have nothing to worry about.

If you have previously walked out of my store with stolen merchandise, be afraid. Be very afraid. I will prosecute shoplifters. If not for the immorality of stealing, than for the simple reason that my daughter should not have to worry at the thought that someone might swipe her Sneaker Sack and keep it as their own. (Seriously people, the things I make are often for my kids. They have sentimental value. Make your own!)

My kids don't need that stress. Neither do I. And now, thanks to Costco and my dad, I no longer have to stress about who took my Zippy Strippy Bag, or which sample will go missing next. All I have to do is replay the camera and call the cops.

Or maybe not. Hopefully the camera is enough to make you think twice. Better yet, hopefully you're an honest shopper to begin with. Either way, I will sleep better.

(And no, it appears I haven't quite exhausted all of the favors my dad doesn't owe me!)

Oregon Trip Picture Time!

It's picture sharing time! Warning: This is purely me bragging up my family and our great week long trek up the Oregon Coast. Skip this post if you are looking only for quilting related news. Otherwise, enjoy pictures of our vacation last month along the Oregon Coast!

New Samples

After spending last weekend at the St. Maries Quilt Show, I took some time to rearrange and reorganize the store this week. It's a great time to do it, since everything I took to the show had to be put away anyways. It also gave me an opportunity to hang some of the new samples that have been completed recently.

Hanging samples is not my favorite thing to do. It is difficult to do alone, since holding a quilt, hanging pins, getting everything straight and the right heighth, while standing on a ladder does not come easily to me. In fact, standing on anything tends to be a hazard when I'm involved. Take, for example, the time I decided to clean out the cabinets above my kitchen counter while standing on the bar stools. There are four stools, which I thought would be perfect since it meant I could step from one to the other while not having to get down in between. Cabinets would be neat and tidy in no time, right?

Turns out me on bar stools looks a lot like a contestant on Wipe Out crossing the "big balls." Only bar stools aren't bouncy and soft, there isn't a swimming pool in my house, and I wasn't one of the lucky ones who made it across.

Luckily Wipe Out is one of my kids' favorite shows. After making sure I was still breathing and there had not in fact been an avalanche in our dining room, they had a good laugh at my expense.

Thankfully, I am done hanging samples for now. Plus, I still have all of my bones in tact although my ladder is an old one of my dad's. The fact that he hasn't come looking for it in several years should tell you something about it's condition!

Here are some pictures to enjoy, albeit not the best quality since I'm using my phone. The first is the new sample of Flight North using Moda's Snowy Eve fabric line.

Next up is my wild and crazy holiday version of Spotlight featuring sock monkeys in Moda's Santa's Helpers fabric line.


And last for now, the new Shenandoah pattern featuring Bliss by Moda. This is the crib size, but the pattern includes sizes up to King.

Fall Classes

After taking a long hiatus from offering a class schedule, I have decided to offer new classes this Fall and Winter! The classes through September are listed on the "News and Classes" page now, you can view them here. Questions, requests? Send me an email through my home page!

Who's going to be the first one to touch the ocean?!

Last week, I took a much needed break to visit the Oregon Coast with my husband and our three youngest kids. (The three that I get to share my very own DNA with. Some day they will thank me for this, I'm sure)

Charlie especially wanted to see Crater Lake, and since this was to be nothing if not a sight seeing trip, we hit the lake first thing. We drove from 12:30am Monday morning until about 9:30am to see this:

After looking around a bit, we excitedly headed for the coast. Well, at least we thought we did. See, Kylee and I had done some preliminary research the week before, and decided to pick Gold Beach as our first coastal stop. (OK, so I picked it and Kylee just wrote it down. I admit it, it was my fault already!)
Little did we know that there isn't exactly a main highway from Crater Lake straight to Gold Beach. In fact, my Garmin GPS didn't know this either. It deceivingly gave us directions, turn by turn, as if it were no big deal. By 2:30pm, we were headed up a winding, one lane, mountain road that looked alarmingly similar to the set of Deliverance.

The GPS said we'd be hitting the sandy beaches by 4:00pm. But, after several "keep lefts" and "turn rights" we were still in the mountains at 4:30pm. In fact, the only things keeping my from insisting we turn around were the road markers every few miles that said "Coastal Route" and the nearly full tank of gas in the car.

At one point, Charlie said that he needed to take a potty break, but thought twice about getting too far from the road in fear of ending up squealing like a pig.

About an hour into it, my car actually started to smell hot. My brand new, still on manufacturer warranty, car, started to smell hot!

The entire way we kept meeting large econoline vans, pulling trailers full of river rafts. We even saw a sign warning vehicles to use a CB radio if possible. I'm pretty sure every one of those vans was using their radio, to warn the vans behind them about the stupid ****'s from Idaho in the red car headed their way!

At what might have been the top of the mountain, we pulled into an overlook area and met a couple from Holland who were headed the opposite direction. They were on a 4 week vacation, and didn't seem alarmed at all about the road they were traveling. They must have some fierce traffic in Holland!

Finally, delirious from hours on a winding, narrow road that seemed to go nowhere, we emerged on some highway where there was road construction, complete with flaggers, and deep, unmarked trenches that tried to rip my car apart and swallow it. I'm pretty sure it will never be the same. The moose was no match for backwoods Oregon!

And then, just when I was about ready to turn around and go home, we finally found Highway 101, and Gold Beach. Actually, it was all worth it, because Kylee and Will have never seen the ocean, and I got to watch as Charlie called out, "Who's going to be the first one to touch the ocean?"

It's finally here!! The fabric I ordered at Spring Market, and then had to re-order when my order got mixed up in the supplier's computer, finally came! Now, I can finally begin offering this beautiful new block of the month from The Quilt Company.
This time it features barns! This quilt is gorgeous in person, and will make a fantastic addition to any one's quilt collection. These quilts are also fun to make, and are much less daunting than they appear when you take it one block at a time. (Months 5 and 6 include the setting blocks and borders.) Last year I vividly remember sewing up the last BOM in a round of 3am sewing sessions in late July. Maybe this year I will create my shop sample in the same fashion a month later? I will be sure to let you all know when it is complete. Regardless, if you are already in love with this quilt as much as I am, you can start yours anytime by ordering here!

Ready for Sun

While at Quilt Market, we completed a fun booth hop put on by some of the vendors from Utah. Bailey actually did most of the leg work on it for me, and was great at collecting stamps from each participating booth we passed. As a reward for all that hard work, we won one of the prizes!
A few weeks ago in the mail, I received a package containing my very own Abbey Bag, which I didn't even have to make! Plus, a copy of Abbey Lane's newest books. Just in time, too, because I was under the gun to make Will a sun hat before a camping trip, and I hadn't figured out how to adjust the Amy Butler pattern I made for Kylee into a less girly version of sun protection. I was excited to find a great unisex hat pattern in one of the books, and in a couple hours I whipped up a great hat for Will.
The books are full of other great patterns too, so watch for them in store soon!

2011 Crazy Eight Shop Hop

August 5, 6, and 7th marks the annual Crazy 8 Shop Hop! This is always a great time for all. Visit area shops Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a chance great prizes plus have a lot of fun. Each participant will receive a shopping bag with goodies at their first shop. Door prizes and refreshments along the way, plus prizes for the best poker hands in the end! Email me through the website at The Crazy Quilter website with any questions or for more info.

Snazzy New Bag for Bailey

Bailey picked out fabric for this great bag a few weeks ago, and while she was away at camp I surprised her by finishing it! Now it goes everywhere with her. It was surprisingly quick to make after the gathering of the strips was finished. It is the Snazzy Bag by Lila Tueller, made using Happy fabrics.

New Fun Projects

Last week I spent a few minutes here and there making some of the great new projects from Ellen Medlock. These are more of my favorites from Market, and they have been super fast, fun, and easy. My girls and I now have coordinating rings, bracelets, and purses for our dresses! Possibly the easiest and least expensive accessory ever is the button rings.


Then there's this fantastic heart clutch!



Great napkin rings! These come white, and you can paint them, cover them with ribbon, wrap them with fabric, or anything your imaginations can come up with! Make them to match your dishes, tablerunner, or whatever!


And finally, the bracelets. They are similar to the napkin rings, only bigger around to fit over your hand. They come in large or medium size (we all wear the large so medium is for small children and people with very small hands). I can't decide if I like the ribbon covered ones or the fabric ones better! They are like chocolates, you can't have just one!


Like what you see? Want to try it your self? You can find these items online under Gifts & Fun. Bracelets will be added soon!

Spring Dress Fever

Spring and Summer always bring on the mood for me to sew up a new dress or two. This year, I get to sew three! After finally finishing my Monique Dress Tuesday (pics soon), Bailey and Kylee both wanted a dress too. So, yesterday, at Kylee's request, I sewed up an Abigail Dress for Kylee that matched her hat and headband.

The only catch? She had her heart set on wearing the dress for the Spring Music Concert, this morning! I guess I do best when I'm under the gun, because I finished the dress at 5pm yesterday, and she skipped off to school in it at 8am this morning! Thank goodness it fit!

Now, I just have to finish another Monique Dress for Bailey by next weekend, and I'll probably be over my Spring Dress fever for a little while.
And, just for a little proof that even when I don't write on here, I am actually doing things, here is a picture of a delicious cake I made for Nick's 18th birthday Tuesday.

Here's how to make it:

Roll 1 package of sugar cookie dough out into a circle, using flour as needed. Place on a pizza pan and bake according to directions on dough. Allow extra baking time as necessary to make sure the center is done. Then cool.

Mix an 8oz. package of cream cheese with 1/2 C. of sugar and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Spread evenly on the cooled crust.

Slice up your favorite fruits (I used strawberries, kiwi, and blueberries) and decorate your cake with fruit and berries.

Eat and enjoy!

Back from Market

Another Quilt Market has come and gone, and I survived yet again. We had a fun trip to Salt Lake City, and found some great patterns. I have finished uploading everything to the website that is in stock now, and more will follow as ordered items start to arrive in about a week or so. Check out the New Additions category to keep up with everything we found!
I also ordered various fabrics that will ship through the rest of the year. Included are a western themed line, a large selection of black, white, cream, and brown prints, some wilderness cottons by Holly Taylor, and new Maywood florals.
Now that I am on summer break from school, I will be spending my spare time (or lack of spare time as the case may be) sewing up a storm of new store samples. First up, my Santa Monica jacket, which now has sleeves and will hopefully have a collar and a zipper by the end of tonight!

Fun, Easy Headband Tutorial

I saw headbands similar to this style in a mail flyer, and wondered if I could make them easy and inexpensively. Mine are more funky and less fancy, but just as fantastic! I am not a pattern writer, so use these instructions at your own risk. If you are smart enough to follow them, you are probably smart enough to make up your own pattern, so make as many of these headbands as you want, just don't sell the pattern!
Here is how to make your own. (Pictures follow each step:

1. You will need 2 strips 2.5" wide by WOF for your headband, 1 strip 2.5" wide by WOF for your flower, enough fusible fleece for a 2.5" x 40" piece (can be pieced together), and a scrap of green for your leaves. You will also want matching thread.
2. Layer your two main strips together, still folded in half, with the fold at the same end and lined up together. Using your ruler and rotary cutter, cut the long sides at a slightly tapered angle by lining the ruler up with the folded top corner and in about 1/4" from each bottom corner. Then, cut the selvages off straight across the end.


3. Using one of these angled strips as a pattern, cut single sided fusible interfacing to cover 1 strip. Since my fusible interfacing is 20" wide, I cut two pieces and butt them up in the center of the band before ironing. Because you will be ironing them on, plus sewing around them, you don't need to have the interfacing all in one piece.
4. Iron the fusible interfacing to the WRONG side of one ofyour headband strips.

5. Layer both headband strips, one with interfacing and one without, together with right sides facing. Sew around using a 1/4" seam allowance and leaving about 5" for turning on the center of one long side. Clip the corners at each end.

6. Turn the band right side out, one half at a time. Iron the band, making sure to press all seams out with no folds. Top stitch around the entire band, 1/8"-1/4" in.


7. Taper the 2.5" strip for the flower. This doesn't have to be very exact, just taper it to a slight point. You might also want to cut this strip down in length to about 30" for a less bulky flower.
8. Cut 2 or 3 leaves from your green scrap. I just eyeballed mine by cutting two intersecting arcs.

9. Take the flower strip and fold it accordian style. This may take some pratice to get it just like you want it, and you want your accordian to be messy. Once you're satisfied with it, sew it in the center to hold it.

10. Place your flower on your headband by trying it on and seeing exactly where you want it to be on your head. I like mine just to one side or the other. Once you like your placement, sew the flower to the band by just sewing a 1/2" line in the center and then backstitching. Then, add the leaves by sewing around them and then up the middle with a straight stitch.
Congratulations! Your headband is ready for wear! Tie and enjoy.

Upcoming "I Sew, So I Hop" Shop Hop

The 7th Annual I Sew Shop Hop is fast approaching! Here are the dates, details, and fun:

May 6 & 7, 9am-7pm daily
9 Quilt Shops in North Idaho and Eastern Washington
Fantastic Prizes! Prizes are drawn at random from all completed passports. The Grand Prize includes a $25 shopping spree at each participating shop. There are tons of other great prizes. (I got to be the prize collector this year and they are making a mountain in my office!) Prizes include fat quarter packs, charm packs, books, patterns, rotary mat/cutter, a custom sewing machine table, and more!
Great fun, friends, and food, plus door prizes at many of the shops along the way.

All hoppers will receive a goody bag. In addition, all hoppers will get a free fat eighth and pattern at each store they visit.

Need a map, more info, or have questions about any of this? Feel free to email me at crazyforquilting1@yahoo.com! Grab your friends and carpool to fun!

As Promised, Mug Shots of a Moose Killer

It turns out, if you're going to committ moose murder, you probably want to be driving a Chevy Cobalt. The car, despite hitting Mrs. Bullwinkle nearly square center, drove to the body shop 50 miles away from the scene of the crime.


Sadly, Mrs. Bullwinkle did not fare so well.

As usual, I haven't failed to find a silver lining. Hitting a moose is one way to sweet talk my way into this ride for a day or two! Why do husbands gotta be so protective with their cars, anyways? It's not like I'm gonna drive it into a moose or anything.

OK, even I must admit that I can see where he might have gotten that idea.