Nancy Halvorsen's "Garden Song"
You all know Nancy Halvorsen. She's the one who comes out with the sweetest holiday fabrics around. Well, just last week, for the first time in Sew Inspired history, we received her spring line of fabrics. And let me tell you, dear readers, that it's every bit as sweet as her holiday lines. We have the entire line here at the shop, and her book is coming out by the end of the month, so make sure to stop by to get a good taste of spring. Here's what you can look forward to:
The first show of the season is the CT Piecemakers Quilt Guild show, in Trumbell, CT, and runs Saturday and Sunday, March 28 and 28. For more information on the show and the Guild itself, click 
Another show Sew Inspired will be making a presence at is MQX (the Machine Quilters Exposition) in Providence, RI, from April 15 - April 17. While we won't be vending, Sandy, our resident long-arm machine guru, is helping to man (or woman, as the case may be) the Handi-Quilter booth. This basically means that Handi-Quilter thinks Sandy is so darn awesome at using their machines that they must have her at the show to answer any and all questions about the Handi-Quilter Sit Down, the HQ-16, the Avante, and the Fusion. So, not only should you trek out to Rhode Island (and really, it's not that far of a drive) to see Sandy in action, but you will also get to see some of the most jaw-dropping, pick-yourself-up-off-the-floor quilts in the country. Seriously ladies. Bring your cameras and get ready to be inspired! Oh, and for those of you who already own long-arm machines, this is an opportunity to wander around visiting the hundreds of vendors selling every long-arm gadget, gidget, and thingy known to quilters. More information on MQX can be found 
So, I come into the shop the other day, bright eyed, bushy tailed, and excited for a day's work, and I'm confronted with a task: I'm supposed to unpack and set up the contents of a rather large cardboard box. So of course I unpack the box, take a gander at what's inside, and get to work. And what, you may ask, was inside? Well, it was tons of exciting stuff! Inside was a whole display case of paints, mediums, books, and canvases.
Yeah, I know, Valentine's Day was yesterday, but I'm a sucker for things that go together, like Valentine's Day and chocolate, or peanut butter and jelly, or our Sew Sweet Shoppe event and the Fat Quarter Frenzy! Our first Sew Sweet Shoppe event is in March, but now is the time to start gathering your fabric for the fun. Get this: the pattern calls for twenty-four fat quarters (twelve light and twelve dark), and wow - look at this: tomorrow starts our Fat Quarter Frenzy sale, where you can purchase ten fat quarters and get ten free! That means that you can get an awfully good start on collecting fat quarters for your quilt top and have everything pulled together by the time the middle of March rolls around.
Fat Quarter Frenzy:
What does Super Bowl Sunday mean to you? As a quilter who spent a few of her formative years in Pittsburgh, if Super Bowl Sunday doesn't include the Pittsburgh Steelers, it doesn't mean much. As this is one of those years (sorry Steelers - we'll get 'em next year!) I'm looking for some other way to pass the day. And I think I've found it. Sew Inspired is hosting a Sew-perbowl Party! This coming Sunday, February 7, we are hosting a sew-in.
Well, the gauntlet has been thrown, fellow quilters. The 2010 Hoffman Challenge fabric is now in the shop, and it is beautiful. Why would you not want to spend some time at your design station thinking up wonderful ways to use this fabric? I certainly don't know.
There's nothing I love more than the smell of fabric in the morning! So, what's a better way to start off your year than getting in a full day of sewing? I certainly can't think of anything, how about you? It's been six months since we started the sixth series of the Thangles Buck-A-Block program, and we're extending you an invitation to come to our Catch Up Retreat. Are you behind in making your blocks? If so, come on down and start those sewing machines humming. Are you caught up with your blocks, but want to get a jump on your finishing kits? Well, bring those bags of fabric with you. Here are the details:
Also, we don't discriminate here at Sew Inspired, so if you're working on a different block of the month (Marie Antoinette, Greenpiece, Civil War Tribute) you are MORE than welcome to bring your blocks with you and sew along with us. The more the merrier!
"Dancing Horses" by Laurel Birch for Clothworks
