Are you holding the phone?

What you see pictured here is the exquisite work of Sue Nickels: Quilting Celebrity, Applique Animal, Fabulous Feather(ed) Friend.

Since you are holding your phone, it will be really handy to dial us up (602-553-8350) and enroll in one (or both) of Sue's classes on the weekend of November 12th. Learn free-motion skills on Saturday the 13th in Whole Cloth Feathers and/or machine appliqued borders in Folk Garden Borders on Sunday the 14th. Both of these classes are a) from 11-5 and b) filling up fast.

Aren't you glad you're holding the phone?

Now use it, already!

~ Dare to Open the Door ~

Have you heard? We're going to Switzerland!! We are organizing a fabulous trip for next May where we will see ...

... white capped mountains and a Sewing Machine Factory Extraordinare! And just maybe ... if we're lucky ... we might bump into ...

... The Grandfather. We are having a "tell me all about it before I make my decision" evening -- this Friday from 6-8 p.m. down at the store. You know as well as I do that there is no harm at all in finding out.

Have you ever tasted Swiss Chocolate?? Enough said.

Poetry in Motion ~

Take a gander at the beauty of the 830 while it embroiders some ... magic.

It's enough to bring a teeny-weeny tear to your eye.

Or maybe just make you bawl like a baby.

No need ... thanks to the magic of Super Saturday ... this Saturday ... you could be enjoying this little wonder in the privacy of your very own home.

Stop on in on Saturday, October 16th.

And you might want to bring some Kleenex.

~ Pure Candy Corn ~

No, it is NOT too late to start a Halloween project.

I can't believe you'd even ask.

~ Think PINK ~

It's October people. It's the PINK month. Isn't that wonderful?

Thanks to those who came in last Friday to SEW PINK and participate with us in our efforts to support the cause of Breast Cancer Research. Our next event will be Saturday, October 16th from 1-5 p.m.

You can still make one of these fabbo journal covers.* You can always make more BC Comfort Hearts. **

Come share your heart with our hearts.

It's good to be PINK.

* Bring in your Bernina USB stick with you when you come to a SEW PINK event and download the design.

** There are always opportunities to make more hearts. Watch the newsletter and email for details.

~ Black & White & True all over ~

We have such talented customers, really we do. One of the biggest perks in working here is seeing a customer bring in a quilt top, searching for the perfected borders or backing and asking for our help. We drool, stammer, ooh and aah. We call over other BC elves to take a look and then we make sure some other customers get in on the fun. This precious quilt came in last week and we just wallowed in the creativity. First we got a feel for the black and white, then we noticed the occasional spark of color with some special ... unexpected ... appliques.

While taking it all in we noticed that one square had been inadvertently sewn in sideways.

Boo hoo.

And then we knew that this customer was actually rather brilliant.

Thanks for reminded us that it's okay not to be perfect. We really like that theory around here.

First carpet and hair, and now this!

Have you seen the latest patterns from our friend, Cindy Taylor Oates? They are called Shaggy Bags and I am pretty certain that you need to make one. You pick the fabric, you quilt it and you cut the "shags". Too simple. Way too cute.

And as long as we're talking cute, get a load of these new knits from Michael Miller? They come in 54" widths and they also have your name on them.

We sure do love bright and happy around here.

~ The Circle of Thread ~

We've come a long way, Baby.

~ Shop 'til you Hop ~

I am guessing that I am not the first to tell you that there is a major quilting event happening here in the Valley of the Sun and that you need to hop to it and get on board. Yep, there will a Shop Hop from September 10th to the 18th and ... in case you couldn't guess ... we are one of the shops to hop to!

So come on down to the BC and buy your Passport already, and while you are at it, pick up one of our precious "charm holders", because as we all know, Shop Hops are all about the charms.

Can you tell how excited we are?

We're Dotty all right ~

Just because it gives us a little oomph in our day to make your day easier, we did a little gathering last week.

We gathered together a bundle of bolts and put them right by the front door for your viewing pleasure.

Since we can NOT deny that fact that it is summer around here, we decided to just go with that and gather together some bright, happy, dotty and stripey bolts.

Seriously ... doesn't it make you feel all bright and happy?

And not just sweaty?