APRIL 2012 NOTES FROM NANCY

I have been really busy this week taking photo’s for the website of all the new fabric lines that have arrived—Alexandria (26) bolts by Jo Morton, Farmers Market by Brannock/Patek, and Collection Friendship by Howard Marcus. Recent collections are Heartstrings by Whimiscals, and Simple Charm by Jo Morton.

Recent books in the last week or two are Pretty Petals and Memories of Christmas Past along with Carol Hopkins Civil War Legacies. Two new patters by Jan Patek are also listed on the website so be sure and check out the Whats New.
Today (3/29/12) I re-stocked lots of Valdoni’s 3 strand embroidery floss balls. Numbers are on the website also.
The April Quilters Road Trip starts on Monday and the kits are ready. My specials for this Road Trip will be 20% off your purchase excluding wool, sale items, and kits. You may finish a bolt of sale fabric and get the fabric for half the sale price. These make great affordable backings. If you haven’t purchased your punch card for the Road Trip, I have a few left and they are only 5.00 for the 3 months.

I have the okay to start cutting the American Glory kits for the Quilt Sampler magazine which by the way they have re-named to Salute to Summer and I do think it has a nice ring to it! If you are picking up the kit which will include the magazine and be in my special bag, the cost is 75.00 plus tax. The cost is 89.95 if I mail them anywhere in the USA. They will be ready hopefully by the first of May. (I am suppose to get the magazines early. This is all so exciting and I want to thank you for making all this possible as it’s friends like you who support my shop and I love all of you.
My Dad has been here visiting again for the last two weeks. The wonderful weather last week was a god-send as he could sit outside and watch the traffic go by. My daughter thought I should have him holding a sign! Stop in and say Hi to him as he will be here till the Wednesday after Easter.

Keep Stitching and have a Blessed Easter.

Nancy

MARCH 2012 NOTES FROM NANCY

Well, where do I start to fill you in as so many new books and patterns and wool have found their way to The Hen House since last month. Mary Jane’s Farm is a new magazine I am now carrying. It is doing very well. Reading it you will learn tid-bits about a lot of subjects like collecting vintage hats, making organic pizza on a grill, upcycled wedding dresses and how to paint walls to look rustic plus lots of other articles all in this issue. I am sure I am going to have to order more.
Check out the Whats New and the Gallery on the website. Pictures are worth a 1000 words you know. Today the canvas bags came that I will use to hold the kits for the American Glory quilt kit. They have a zipper at the top and this bag is something I am sure all of you will want!

We have a great selection of classes for you during the month of March. Check them out and give us a call to sign up. Wednesday Woolies, no charge, is getting a lot of attention.

I am working on a new stitchery flag made with raw silk and wool. It is 31” long and fits in a picture frame. The stitchery is done and now I am ready to lace it to the backing before framing. I am sure you can find the pattern in the Whats New on the website.

Keep stitching and we will talk next month.

Nancy

Notes from Nancy

I just put pictures of Jo’s new Bridgeport line of fabric (28) bolts on the website under “Whats New”. Carolyn has ½ yard bundles, fat quarter bundles, and fat 1/8 bundles all cut, stacked and ready for you to add to your stash! This is a great line.

Jo’s Little Women Club and Prairie Women Sewing Circle will be starting Saturday, February 4th, Jo’s in the morning with Debby and Prairie Women in the afternoon with Carolyn.

Be sure and check out the Classes on the website for the variety offered and the dates and times.
I have the 3 small table toppers all stitched and ready for Linda to quilt. These toppers are for the Quilter’s Road Trip that will take place the months of April, May, and June. I have been selling the punch cards already so it’s never too early to purchase one for $5.00. You may visit each shop on the list once each month for special sales and a chance for a gift certificate at the end of each month. This is a great “ bang for your buck” as you can pick and choose which shops you want to visit as there is no special prize for visiting all the shops. Each shop has a small table topper they will kit and the pattern for the toppers are $3.50 each. I happened to make 3 different color ways from the same pattern. I have added wool to the center area of my toppers. So—I will have a different kit for each of the three months. You only buy the pattern once! I will have pictures of them on the website next month.

I want to remind you to get your name on the list if you have not already done so for the Quilt Sampler magazine for Spring which will be out in May. I am told I will have them late April. This will help me decide how many magazines to order. I’m also taking orders for the quilt, American Glory, and am really excited about the bags I have ordered to hold the kit. They are MADE IN THE U.S.A. and the business is owned by WOMEN. When I find out the final price of the bag I will know how much to charge for the quilt kit. If you missed the January Newsletter, I should let you know that The Hen House is one of the 10 top featured shops in the Spring Quilt Sampler. I also will be having a party in the shop when the magazine comes and the drawing for the free kit.

Our Journey to the Past will be happening again this year in July. We will be meeting soon to decide our quilt design and the week-end dates. More on that next month.

The new Spring issue of the Primitive Quilts magazine is for sale in the shop. I have made the quilt on the cover only I substituted wool baskets and flowers for the cotton used in the magazine. I hope to have it in kit form for you by the end of the week.

We had 14 ladies hand cranking at the shop today (Saturday,Jan. 28). It’s always so much fun and we had two new-bees with their first hand-crank machines. We crank the 4th Saturday of each month. I have some great pictures in the Gallery on the website.

Most of you have picked up the My Garden Quilt block of the month. If you wanted to do this and haven’t picked yours up, let me know. I realize this has been on-going for a long time and some of you have decided to not be a part of this block of the month. I have changed the colors so when you come to get your kit, it would be a good idea if you take a picture of the block. You can always get help on Wednesday Woolies (February 22). Keep Stitching————Nancy

NOTES FROM NANCY

Happy New Year to all of you and may it be the best ever. I know it’s going to start out very well for me. I have been selected to be in the Spring issue of the Quilt Sampler magazine in May. It was very hard to keep everything a secret since I first got the news on August 15th. Here is my quilt project for the magazine called American Glory. You may pre-order the kit and magazine and have your name in a drawing. First prize will be a free kit and magazine, 2nd prize will be ½ off the kit and magazine, and the 3rd prize will be a bundle of fat quarters. The kit price isn’t set in stone yet but somewhere around 69.00 plus 6.99 for the magazine. I have the quilt hanging in the shop and of coarse it has a wool flag in the center.

Debby will be starting Jo’s Little Women Club in February we hope. We are waiting for Jo to send out the instruction packet so Debby can get the first quilt sample done. We do have a poster in the shop but the real quilt always looks so much better.

Carolyn will be doing the Prairie Women Sewing Circle. The first quilt is a signature quilt and coming along very well. Below is the picture of the first quilt. Both these clubs will meet the first Saturday of February with Debby’s being in the morning 10:00 and Carolyn’s being in the afternoon probably around 1:30.

The “My Garden Quilt” block of the month will be ready for pick-up or shipping really soon. Some of the kits are ready except for one color of wool which is being dyed this week-end. The cost is 26.00 a month and includes the cost of the patterns. This is a 13 month block of the month as there are 12 blocks and the border and wool for the finishing kit. I am really pleased as to how it turned out and it will be spectacular when Linda gets it quilted. If you have forgotten what it looks like, check out the Whats New on the website and scroll down.

Carol Hopkins from the Civil War patterns I have in the shop that everyone loves has a book coming out I think in February or March from Martingale. I am taking pre-orders. Not sure of the cost at this time but I don’t need the money ahead of time as I just want to have an idea how many to order.

Our Harvest Shop Hop as you know it is not going to be this year. We have re-grouped, re-changed and made things better and more convenient for you. This is what we are doing: It will be called a “Quilter’s Road Trip”. There are going to be 16 shops participating. You will purchase a punch card for $5.00 and during April, May, and June you can visit the shops that you like. We each have chosen a small table quilt pattern and are using our own fabrics to make the project. Because this is a three month event, you may visit us three times, once each month to get our discounts and the pattern and kit for the project. I am making three versions of the table topper and you can purchase one each month if you wish. This will all be from the same pattern so you will only have to buy the pattern once. Of coarse I will be using wool for my center embellishment which I am in the process of designing.

My Dad and I had a great time in Indiana at an overnight New Year’s Eve party. Thanks, Judy, Harold, Joyce and Rich for the great memories.

DECEMBER 2011 NOTES FROM NANCY

Thanks for all who supported Small Business Saturday. I had a VERY BUSY day and really appreciate all the sales. I know there were many who came just because they wanted to support our independently owned businesses in Charlotte.

Sales were also good for Black Friday but I do believe I could give the same discount sequence by opening at 10:00. I will remember that for next year!! There are a few 1.00 fat quarters left and quite a few strands of floss for 4/$1.00. Check it out in the back room.

If you haven’t been in the shop, you need to stop and check out Jo’s Variety. It is an awesome line of red and whites—not white-white however. There are fat 1/8ths and fat quarter bundles as it’s hard to just pick a few fabrics and it is a small line.

The Saturday Crankers met Saturday and we had lots of fun. If you have a hand crank or would like one, come and see me. I do have a few for sale. We will meet again on the 17th of December and probably all be really busy working on those last minute Christmas presents.

Debby will have one more hand piecing class in December and then will resume in January. Carolyn will start classes back up in January so if you want to learn to quilt or tat please give us a call. The new Jo’s Little Women Club will start up in February. I have pictures of the quilts but no instructions for Debby yet.

Carolyn will do the second series of Prairie Women Sewing Circle and it will also start in February. The plan is to have Jo’s in the morning and Prairie Women in the afternoon.

The Wednesday Woolies will meet on the 28th (Wednesday) of December for working on whatever wool project you want to start or finish!! We meet at 9:30-12:00.

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and on January 2nd I will have a new newsletter with a great surprise for you. Until then—–keep stitching.

Nancy

NOVEMBER 2011 NOTES FROM NANCY

November is just around the corner and Christmas will be here before we know it so it’s time to get busy on those Christmas projects. I should be getting the new Primitive Quilts and Other Projects magazine on Monday the 31st. I am very excited to have my Redbird Pincushion published in this high quality magazine. I have kits available and what a nice Christmas present it would make for a special friend. It is very humbling to be listed with all the big designers!

Thirty bolts of Elizabethtown by Jo Morton arrived last Friday and the pictures are on the website. The girls have been busy cutting fat quarters, fat quarter bundles, and fat eighth bundles for your enjoyment. This week (Thursday) Jo’s new book, Prairie Flowers Encore, came and I will need to order more. I don’t think Jo got my last e-mail to double my order.
I have lots of new Needle Punch Patterns by Crane Designs and have pictures under Whats New on the website. I just got a re-order so that says everyone loves these patterns.

We have started a new Club called the Wednesday Woolies and we meet the last Wednesday morning of the month. This past Wednesday was our first gathering and I was really pleased that 7 of us were able to have a great time stitching wool projects. Please join us if you can November 30th at 9:30. We stitch till noon but I think we need to bring goodies and stay all day in November.

I have three hand crank sewing machines for sale. Peggy always finds the Singers and cleans them up and gets everything in working order. These are just under 100.00. Keep them in mind for Christmas presents. We hand crank the last Saturday of the month and always have a great time. We will be cranking November 26th and our project will be small Christmas napkins.

This is the first year in a long time I will not be having my Christmas Make and Take the Saturday after deer season opens. There are so many places to be on that day and I no longer have a lot of craft supplies. BUT I thought perhaps on December 10, I would have a drop in 5.00 wool ornament for you to make. More on this in the December newsletter.
I will be open at 8:00 A.M. on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving for special sales. All Halloween and Christmas fabric will be 40% off from 8-10 A.M. From 10-12 A.M. they will be 30% off and the rest of the day they will be 20% off.
The Wool Workers will be meeting every Friday evening from 5:30-9:00.

OCTOBER 2011 NOTES FROM NANCY

Shop Hop is winding down and on Tuesday, October 4th we will meet and draw for the prizes. I am getting good response for those of you who signed up that you like having it 2 week-ends in a row.
Thank you for your participation in this year’s Harvest Shop Hop.

My Dad is on his second week of visiting and getting anxious to go back home to Indiana. I agree with him that you can only sit so long even though he sits most of the day at home—at 98 you can do what you want. Tuesday will be his last day here and I can get back up to my sewing room each evening.
New items have been arriving all week. Got in lots of new brushed cottons—many designed by Primitive Gatherings. Great for backings for wool projects and backgrounds for everything. Maggie’s new book Buttonwood Farm is in the shop and flying out the door. I have two wool kits for her projects. One is a Wool Bird, and the other is a Wool Hearth Rug. I put the backing on the Wool Bird today and have it hanging in the shop. The kit is 30.00. The Wool Hearth Rug kit is 69.00 and I will be starting that soon. Many other new books have come in; one is Renee Plaines Stitches from the Schoolhouse. I have made several of these projects in classes with her but just need to put some finishing touches on them. Another book that is very enjoyable and has a beautiful quilt to make is called Faithful and Devoted. These are all Kansas City Star books. Crazy Quilted Memories is another great new book that came in on Thursday. Check them all out on Whats New on the website.

Jo’s Variety should be coming in October. As you know, Andover was hit hard by the hurricane at one of their warehouses. They are working very hard to get back on track. I have 5” squares for you to get a sneak peak on what will be coming.

The class schedule for October is on the website. Remember we rug hook every Friday evening at the shop and The Saturday Crankers will be meeting on October 22. Please join us with your hand crank or machine with a tail. You may work on your own project or do one we have kitted with instructions for you.
Nancy

JULY 2011 NOTES FROM NANCY

My store is full of new Fall fabric. It has all found a home at the front of the shop so when you come in you will see wonderful colors of Fall and we are still waiting for nice weather and summer right?
And—the rest of Jo’s Carolina arrived this week. So that line grew from the 18 that you saw to 24 bolts. Now, you will have to come and pick up the rest of the 6 fabrics!

And then a few days ago Happy Jack arrived and I will be kitting that quilt only making it a bit smaller. I even have the wide black rick-rack for it. However, I am still waiting on four more bolts that go with the line. Check out the picture on Whats New on the website.

And it never stops—my out of the box Christmas fabric came with those cool crazy snowmen that we liked several years ago. There is a free pattern you can download from the Andover website for this quilt called Flannel for All Seasons. The fabric I ordered is cotton.

Jo’s Little Women has stopped for the summer and will resume in September as well as the hand piecing classes.

Remember “My Garden Quilt” that I was going to do as a block of the month a long time ago? Well, I have 5 blocks done and on display on the wall and two more ready to stitch. The wool has to be dyed for the kits and by August or September the kits should be ready. At this time I do not know the cost.
I have received the wool for a pumpkin and flag wall hanging kit from Blackberry Primitives. I will get that started when I get back from Primitives.

Saturday Crankers will be sewing on their hand cranks and early machines with tails on Saturday, July 23. Come and check us out, you may want to be a “cranker” yourself.

Remember that Journey to the Past is coming up July 29, and 30. Don’t miss this event.
I am off to my Dad’s for Fathers Day and combining it with a class reunion. Then on Sunday I am off to Primitives of the Midwest—my annual fun trip. I’ll be back in the shop June 27th.

Keep Stitching, Nancy