It's Here! Tis the Season!

I don't know about you all, but I am finding that time really does seem to go faster and faster. My mom always said that and I didn't believe her. She was, of course, right!

I have not shopped out in the stores this weekend at all. I have done some online shopping. The last few years I have done most of my shopping online. I have had great online shopping experiences so it is hard for me to understand that there are still people who are "afraid" of it. No need to fear it at any of our shops. We always ship as inexpensively as we possibly can, and we always refund any amount over what it costs us to ship!

After the terrible news of people clammoring over "deals" to the point of someone's death, I may never shop brick and mortar on this weekend again.

Today, it is rainy and cold here in Virginia. I am writing while my amazing husband makes our weekend morning treat-an amazing coffee shake with extra protein, ice cream, half and half, and two shots of his great espresso.

There are still chores to finish, but today, the sewing machine will hum. I am finishing a project for a friend, am hoping to make good progress on a quilt for my mom, and will consider the other things I'd like to make for people.

I am finding myself so incredibly grateful for the life I have. I have a healthy family-great husband, 4 wonderful sons (one is my "in-law" son), one beautiful, pregnant daughter, wonderful parents, and a business that I love.

No, things aren't perfect! but therein lies the beauty! In the imperfection. So, I will sew with no fear of perfectionism! The beauty is in the love in the stitches, not in the perfect length of them!

Happy Sewing today!

Good Morning! Well...It's almost here-The shopping frenzy. We have jumped in the frey.

And before the questions come-we do business at all of these locations and each shop costs us a different amount in fees and expenses-hence the differences in the specials!

Below are our specials at each shop:

Quilt Batting and Fabric Supplies on Ebay~ get FREE US shipping on orders over $100.00 and for international orders, take 10% off your $100.00 order. Allow us to send you an invoice with the correct total.

Fabrics by the Sea on Etsy.com~FREE US Shipping on orders over $30.00/10% off international orders! Buy 5 yds get 1 FREE and every first time customer gets a FREE gift with purchase! Or if you buy a quilt kit, get a FREE Quilters Dream craft size batting! I'll send you a correct invoice upon completion of your shopping!

Seaside Quilting Supplies~We have lowered many of our prices yet again and we will continue to offer FREE Shipping on all US orders over $100.00 for the remainder of November and 10% off our international orders.

I have been blog challenged of late..Didn't want to just ramble aimlessly...I realize that is the point of some blogs. But not ours!
Wanted a coherent, flowing, contribution. So, I waited, and waited, and I may still be waiting. But I am writing, nonetheless.

Today is my birthday. I am 45. I said to my husband, I suppose my life is half over (technically), but I feel like I am on the upward slope! Not that the first 45 were downhill, there was just such a learning curve in that half-how to be a great mom, a great friend, a super wife, a smart businesswoman-you know, all the hats that we women wear. So much to learn, so little time, and at a breakneck pace!

Now, although time seems to be going faster than ever, I do feel like I have learned a few things. And now, I can apply them to my world. I have learned lots of "skills" in the last 45 years. Often wondering what value they would have in my life. Some skills are now revealing their value.

Quilting and sewing for example. I learned to sew at a young age (middle school) and my mom was a seamstress. I viewed the ability to sew mainly as a utilitarian skill. One that would serve me well in the future. An economical, practical skill to have in one's toolbox. And it has been that over time.

What I have come to learn about sewing and quilting, however is-that the pleasure in this process goes far beyond utilitarianism-the quiet hum of a sewing machine, the tactile pleasure of beautifully crafted fabric in your hands, and the transformation of tiny pieces of fabric into a gift of love, are magical. Those seemingly small moments provide places in our day where we can dwell on the quiet, gentle, important things in our lives- Those we love and cherish and want to communicate those feelings to, and those we may not know at all-to whom we want to communicate that the universe cares for them (thanks to all you amazing quilters who give away your works of love to those in need of care).

Here we find ourselves in the season of giving(although for most quilters the season of giving goes on and on) with only a few days left before the "BIG GIVE". That reality can create pressure and steal the joy of the gift making and giving away from us.

So my thought for today: Make the season of giving be whenever your heart is moved to give. Do not be confined to a day or a moment. That robs both the giver and the receiver! If your projects aren't going to be finished "in time", do not relinquish the joy of creating for the stress of meeting the deadline-simply write a lovely, loving note to those you wish to bless, and create on in peace.

Happy Creating!

just as an aside-if you ever wonder where you can find our things:

www.seasidequiltingsupplies.com

http://stores.ebay.com/quiltbattingandfabricsupplies

www.fabricsbythesea.etsy.com

Happy Halloween Day! Now, I am not normally a big Halloween person, but this whole month has seemed like a trick or treat festival! Between the financial upheaval in the entire world and the election frenzy reaching a crescendo~I can't wait to move forward from this month!

I hope November becomes a month of thankfulness for all the opportunities we have in this country and in the world. A thankfulness for our health, our families, and the relationships we have with those around us.

With that in mind, I am going to get out some quick and easy patterns and quilt kits and start sewing for those I love..I can't remember a time in our history when a handmade gift will mean more. These stressful days call for something comforting. There is a long list of people I would like to comfort with a quilt~even if it's just a little lap quilt to fend off the chill as we sit and watch our favorite 5 minutes of television. Most of those I love the most live far away and I cannot be with them often..But if I get out those Just Can't Cut It , 5 and 10, and some of the other quick and easy fat quarter patterns we have, I can have something that my own hands have lovingly fused together that will create a bond across the time and space that separates me from those special people in my life.

So, today I will make a list-trying to be realistic-and begin planning which fabrics and which pattern for each of those people..Wish me luck and take on my challenge to send comfort out into the world with a handmade gift of love~a quilt!

Good Monday Morning!

This week will be a good one! We each need to choose for our week to be good, and then the collective will be good!

Once we have done all we can do to attend to the necessities of life-we need to enjoy that life as it is..So, I will embrace this week and make some plans for future projects. And begin work on that holiday list! Wow, is it close at hand.

We all know that there is talk of a much more conservative holiday season than we have seen in many, many years in this country. It helped me make a plan to give handmade gifts. Some will get aprons, some table runners, some lap quilts, and some will get tote bags. Unlike running to the store for a gift, these gifts will have a part of me in them. And I will have given something that can never be replaced or repurchased-time.

The creation of the gift turns out to be a gift to me if I approach it as an opportunity to give a piece of me with the gift. The project then is not a "thing" weighing me down, or hanging over me to be done; but a joy to create and produce.

It is with this attitude that I approach the creative gift giving season..So, grab your list, check out our site-we have lots of great, quick kits that will give you as much joy to create as it will to give them.




Happy Crafting~

I NEED A QUILT!!!!!

Well..another day of dismal news. I am not usually inclined to have my mental state impacted by the stock market or the news in general-but days and days have taken their toll..

So what should/could I do now to distract me from this doom and gloom snowstorm? I just want to sew. I want to make a quilt and wrap up in it and forget all of this! And I think I will. The holidays are coming and we are all going to need a little comfort after the last few months and the ones yet to come. I want my family to be able to grab their lap quilts, snuggle up, and wait for the storm to pass.

Our little shop has recently done everything we can to help in these tough times-so that we can keep sewing comfort for those we love and perhaps for those far less fortunate than some of us. Most fabrics in our shop are now only $7.50/yard! With most brick and mortar shops and even most online shops pricing fabric at $9.00-$10.00/yd-we can save you some real money at Seaside!


So go get yourself a cup of tea (spiked or not..lol), grab a notepad and browse through the shop, with the Ocean Sounds on (it'll help!) and make a plan to sew until you can't remember what made you retreat to your sewing spot! I'm gonna!

Fat Cats and Quarters

Fat Cats and Quarters

This week, I’m thinking a lot about fat. I know this is not a nutrition blog, but that’s not the kind of fat I was thinking of. I began my musings while listening to the news. It’s kind of hard to escape from, here recently. There has been much discussion about those “fat cats on Wall Street” who got us into the current big mess, and who should certainly receive their comeuppance! We could muse on this subject all day, but I will leave that to other bloggers of a more feisty nature.

Hearing “fat” juxtaposed with money led me to my next fat thought – fat quarters! Are these bloated coins that are desperately trying to keep up with the price of gas? Unfortunately, no. But don’t despair! Fat quarters are indeed anxious to help out a financially thoughtful quilter. Quilting fabric, as most fabric in the US, is sold by the yard. A yard is 36 inches long, so a quarter of a yard is 9 inches long. Most quilting fabrics are 44 or 45 inches wide. Therefore, a quarter yard cut will result in a piece of fabric measuring 9 X 44 inches.

Now granted, quilters often cut their fabric into inconceivably small pieces in order to sew them back together (we’ll discuss the rationality of this process another day…), but sometimes a 9 inch width may put you in a bind. (Not to be confused with binding, which we also discuss another day…). However, you may be loath to purchase a half-yard, and end up with much leftover fabric, which is not a fiscally responsible thing to do at all! Never fear – fat quarters to the rescue!!

A fat quarter is a half yard, or 18 inch cut, which has been cut apart at the fold, resulting in two 18 X 22 inch pieces. When you buy a fat quarter, you have the same number of total square inches as you would if you bought a quarter yard, only the rectangle is a completely different shape. Oftentimes this facilitates cutting pattern pieces in a more efficient way. Many patterns are designed to use fat quarters for this reason.

At Seaside Quilting supplies, we have a large selection of fat quarter packs available. We will gladly customize a fat quarter pack for you from any fabrics you see on the site. So whether you are a fat cat or a miser, consider using fat quarters in your quilting or crafting.

"Next week's quiz: What are the dimensions of a fat eighth?"

Kilt Quits, I mean Quilt Kits

Are the Scotsmen revolting? Thankfully, no. At the Seaside Quilting Supplies main headquarters, we are usually each doing two or three things at once. This leaves very little room for speech processing. As a result, one of our most common unintentional phrases is “kilt quits”. The phrase never fails to make us laugh, no matter how many times it comes out that way.

We have found that many people who love to quilt, don’t have the time, confidence, or inclination to choose the many fabrics that must work together in the making of a quilt. Quilts by nature are usually made out of many different fabrics. Not only must they work with each other, they must also work with the pattern. A “serious” pattern doesn’t call for whimsical fabrics, and visa versa. Then there is the issue of borders, binding, and backing.

What then, is a kilt quit, I mean quilt kit? Our kits include the pattern, and all the fabrics for the top, borders, and bindings. Some kits include the backing, batting and a thread. These items can always be added to any kit! Kits are listed as a certain size, but most of the time this can be adjusted.

At the shop, we have the advantage of having all of the patterns and fabrics in front of us, where we can stack them up, lay them out, and visualize what the finished quilt will look like. We have many patterns that range from easy to difficult, suitable for any level quilter. And we have the world’s best photographer to shoot the finished kit so you too can visualize what the finished quilt will be!

However, we aren’t so vain as to believe that just because we liked something, you will also. Or maybe you like the top, but need a different color emphasized in the border or binding. All quilt kits are negotiable! We are thrilled to customize kits to meet your particular needs or tastes. Do you have a quilt idea in mind, but don’t see a kit that matches? Just contact us with your specifications, and we will gladly see if we can create it for you. But don’t be surprised if you catch us laughing when we answer the phone!

Chocolate Zen, Seaside Rose, or Topsy Turvy?

Chocolate Zen

Mmmmmmmmmmm. Chocolate Zen. Sounds like comfort and peace in one package. Where can you find such a blissful combination? Why, in quilting fabric, of course! One of the great parts of owning a quilt shop is all of the inventive fabric names the manufacturers and designers come up with. “A rose by any other name…” is not just a rose! It might be a Seaside Rose, or a Mary Rose, or a Cabbage Rose, or a Vintage Rose. They might be Sweet Roses, or even a Sweet Bed of Roses! In quilting fabric, the possibilities are endless. Or at least it seems that way when we are trying to keep up with the names, but that just adds to the fun. Does today Seem Like Old Times, or are we feeling Topsy Turvy? If you’re not quite rosey today, perhaps it’s Tulip Time. If tulips aren’t your thing, then how about a Ginger Blossom?

Some names seem designed to put you off. Who wants to sew with a Bar Code Stripe? Lot of people, apparently, given the very short time that particular print stays on the shelf. Others send you to far away places, like Empress Woo or Kyoto Gardens. Our favorite place to go is the beach, so we Flamingo Run to gather some Sandy Seashells.

What’s in a name? Just click on one you’ll find out. Our name is Seaside Quilting Supplies and we would very much like to know yours soon. Hope you have a Nouvelle Melody in your heart when you step out into the Fresh Air…

Fussy Budget

Fussy Budget

When I was a little girl, occasionally my mother would refer to me as a “fussy budget”. This was not an endearing term, and usually meant I was not going to have my way in the matter at hand. Oftentimes, when reading quilt patterns, I feel the old, familiar whine begin to rise in my throat, especially when I see the words “fussy cut”. It just sounds wrong to be instructed to be fussy.

But a beautiful quilt sometimes requires a little fussiness. Fussy cutting can mean several things, actually. Simply put, to cut fabric in a fussy manner is to pay attention to the print, not just the measurement, before attacking it with scissors or rotary blade. It’s usually easy to tell from the picture on the front of the pattern if fussy cutting will be necessary. For example, if there are blocks that contain a large flower in the center, you have to cut carefully to center the flower in the square. Sometimes a border will use a striped fabric that must be centered in the strip. If a fabric is very patterned and you are making very small cuts, you may find the resulting pieces look very different from one another, unless you turn on the fussy. Some quilts are appliquéd after the basic top is complete. An appliqué can be an object, such as a flower or bug fussy cut from a printed fabric.

Keep in mind that fussy cutting increases the yardage necessary to make the quilt, as there is usually some waste. But don’t get fussy about that! Find a pattern that lists the yardage requirements as “a pile of scraps” and you’re all set.

Pitter Pattern 2

Pitter Pattern 2

OK! Now you have a pattern. You feel a sense of completion and accomplishment. Until you open it and look at the directions… Sometimes I think pattern writers’ sole purpose is to confuse the daylights out us. Here’s how I go about untangling the obfuscated instructions.

First, if the fabrics are labeled with letters or numbers, celebrate! If not, mark them on the pattern with whichever you like best. Careful! Sometimes a fabric is listed twice if it used in more than one place in the quilt. For instance, a piece in a block may also be used as a border, or the binding. Scan the list before you label to see if this is the case. If so, repeat the label as required.

Next, I like to repeat the labels on the picture of the finished quilt on the front of the pattern. This helps me visualize what the finished quilt will look like with the fabrics I’ve chosen, and to construct the blocks without straining my brain too badly. I also like to put the fabric labels on the pictures of the blocks in the middle of the instructions.

Before cutting, it is a good idea to walk through the directions completely to see if there are any mistakes. We have found that quite often there are, especially in the free patterns offered by fabric manufacturers. It is a terrible thing to be in the middle of a project and discover you don’t have enough of a fabric, or the directions told you to cut it incorrectly. Also, the required yardage listed may not have taken into account a directional print, or the repeat of a print.

Finally, see if you need any special equipment in order to cut or sew the quilt. Sometimes a template is required or helpful. Some patterns include templates that you can make yourself. Do you need a different color thread for an appliqué? Again, reading through all the directions before you start will help you avoid any nasty surprises later. And who knows? Maybe that direction-reading thing will rub off on your significant other the next time a grill needs to be assembled…