2014 Summer Newsletter

2014  SUMMER NEWSLETTER

Our 24^th Annual Anniversary Sale begins the weekend of June 21^st, 2013 ‘til July 27^th! Come in for our Special Bundles – regularly $55.00, on sale for $35.00. We also have 1 yard fabric cuts for $6.00 and 1 yard batik cuts for $7.00. We have added more fabric to our $6.00 sale fabric. Get this fabric for your quilt backs and project finishing.

Vermont Quilt Festival

We are looking forward to The Vermont Quilt Festival, June 26^th – June 29^th. Country Treasures will be open for extended hours on Sunday, June 29^th and Monday, June 30^th from 10 AM until 5 PM for those of you heading home or just for a day of shopping. We will also be open on Friday, the Fourth of July!

Music in the Meadow – with a Quilt by Sue

Music in the Meadow is an inspiring annual musical event in our village of Chester. This concert event takes place on June 21^st from 12:30 to 7 PM and June 22^nd from 11 AM until 3 PM – with benefits going to The Race for the Cure. Country Treasures has donated a beautiful quilt “Carolina Lily” pieced by Sue and quilted by Carolyn worth over $1500 to be raffled at this event for this great cause. For more information please visit www.motelinthemeadow.com or call Pat at 802-875-2626.

Spring Quilters’ Weekend at Country Treasures

Our 1^st Mini Spring Quilters’ Weekend retreat was a huge success with so many wonderful ladies sewing and completing many projects. Show + Tell was fabulous with many beautiful quilts!  We are working on plans for our next Mini Fall Retreat which takes place Nov. 7^th – 9^th, 2014.  There are a few spots still available so hurry and secure your place!!

Class Schedule

Our Fall Newsletter will be out in August with many new and exciting classes.  Carolyn will resume her machine quilting classes this fall!  Sue has many new ideas and patterns to share.

Row by Row Experience

Have you heard about the Row by Row Experience?  We couldn’t wait to join the fun this year.  The event runs from July 1 to September 2, 2014.  The theme this year is “Sew a Season.” Here is how it works:  participating Vermont shops design a row and post photos on www.rowbyrowexperience.com or at www.Facebook.com/VTRowbyRowExperience. Quilters can pick up the free patterns in person at the participating shop. Sue chose the winter season for the Country Treasure’s row: Snowball Snowmen. Quilters then assemble a quilt using at least 8 rows.  Once your quilt is finished, quilted and bound take it in to any participating Vermont shop.  If you are the first quilter to bring a completed quilt to that shop you win a prize.  If you use that shop’s row you may win a bonus prize!

Softly Spoken by Harriet Hargrave

Have you seen Softly Spoken, the new fabric line from Marcus Fabrics, designed by Harriet Hargrave?  Harriet will be teaching at VQF this year.  Sue will have the whole fabric line at her booth.

Talking Quilts

You have probably noticed that we have been rather quiet online recently.  The main reason is we have been occupied setting up Talking Quilts, including a new, more functional website.  Sue also took Talking Quilts to Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, PA and did a fabulous job introducing herself as the new owner of this product line.  Checkout our new website at www.vermontquilting.com or at www.talkingquilts.com.

Shop News

Please check out our blog to stay informed about what’s happening between newsletters at:  www.countrytreasures-threadingthenews.blogspot.com . We look forward to your comments. Have a fun and safe summer.  We hope to see you soon.  Sue and Staff

Coming Events

June 25 – 27                    37^th Annual Maine Quilts Show, Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, ME

June 27 – 29                    Vermont Quilt Festival, Essex Junction, VT
Aug. 1 – Sept. 21             Billings Farm 28^th Annual Quilt Exhibition, Woodstock, VT, see www.billingsfarm.org
Aug. 11 – 17                    The Art of Vermont Quilts, Vermont Festival of the Arts, White Horse Inn, Fayston/Waitsfield, VT, see www.VermontArtFest.com
Aug. 14 – 16                    World Quilt Show – New England, Radisson Center, Manchester, NH
Sept. 13 – 14                   Bennington Quiltfest, Mt. Anthony UMS, Bennington, VT
Sept. 27 – 28                   Cape Cod Quilters: Made in America, So. Yarmouth, MA, see www.capecodquiltquild.org
Oct. 11 – 12                     Milk & Honey Quilter’s Guild Show, Middlebury Union High School, Middlebury, VT
Oct. 18 – 19                     3^rd Annual Deerfield Valley Quilt Show, Wilmington, VT
Oct. 24                            Ellington Country Quilters, 2014 Annual Gathering: “A Quilter’s Dream Come True,” Ellington, CT, see www.ghqg.org.
Nov. 6 – 9                        Country Treasures Fall Retreat
Oct. 24                            Ellington Country Quilters, 2014 Annual Gathering: “A Quilter’s Dream Come True,” Ellington, CT, see www.ghqg.org.
July 25 — 27, 2015           Greater Hartford Quilt Guild, “Rock & Roll is Here to Stay,” Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, CT

Yours in Quilting,
Sue and Staff 

A Preview of Winter 2014 Class Projects!

Baby, it’s cold outside! Let’s turn up the heat with a preview of the Winter 2014 class projects offered at Country Treasures.

First, here are the initial projects for each of our Weekly Quilting Classes. The Advanced and Intermediate classes will start out with a simpler project to warm up your skills: a winter wallhanging called “Joined at the Hip.” Carolyn’s Beginners & Advanced Beginners Class will start with Atkinson Designs’ “Graphic Mixx” Sampler, which gets beginners off to a good start and will re-heat the skills of more advanced quilts.

 

Or you can catch the Club Fever! Sue now has four clubs up and running: Farmer’s Wife Club, Woodpile Sampler Club, Judy Niemeyer Club, and the newest, Dear Jane Club. You pay a one-time fee of $48 and receive a Club Card that entitles you to come back to any class of your club forever more!!

Here is a picture of Sue’s completed Farmer’s Wife quilt made with Reproduction fabrics. She is almost finished with her second version with more modern fabrics. Farmer’s Wife has also been popular as an online class. Here are a few photos sent in by the ten quilters: such wonderful color schemes!

 

 

 

It’s time to stoke the fire with a trip to the Woodpile Sampler, a must-have traditional quilt—stunning and beautiful, available as an online class.

Sue is featuring some of Judy Niemeyer’s paper piecing patterns in the Judy Niemeyer Club. You get to pick one of eight designs created by Judy. We have samples of four of the patterns on display in the shop: Cactus Flower, Arizona Cactus, Feathered Star and Snowflakes. The other three patterns which may be selected for the class are: Cappuccino, Compass Rose, Sunflower Illusions, and Summer Solstice. Judy Niemeyer has also applied her paper-piecing techniques to the classic Double Wedding Ring design. Sue will show you how Judy’s techniques simplify all those curves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many quilters are catching another fever, Dear Jane. Country Treasures offers the Dear Jane Club, either as weekly class on Wednesday mornings or as a series of mini-workshops on Sunday afternoons.

Talk about generating heat: Sue has been inspired to make a dozen quilts from the fabulous book: Scrap Basket Beauties. Here is a photo of several of her quilts.

 

Maybe you are simply hot for hexagons: satisfy your urge with the Hexi Garden crib-size quilt.

The latest Block of the Month from Marcus Brothers is Hampton Ridge. Here is a photo of the fun Sue has been having with this quilt.

Sue is teaching several mini-workshops on Sunday afternoons. The first one in January is a paper-pieced wallhanging: Chickadee Treat. There are two mini-workshops in February: Piece O’Pie placemats, and Irish Chain tablerunner.

 

 

Sarah is now a Certified Deb Tucker instructor.  She is teaching two more classes this season: Deb Tuckers’ New Year’s Star and Doubly Charmed.  Doubly Charmed creates two quilts, one out of the leftovers of the first!

 

 

Sue will teach you the secrets of making two of the most popular quilt patterns: Colorsplash and Bargello.

 

Last, but certainly not least, the very elegant Eden quilt has attracted a lot of heated interest. Sue has revised the pattern to avoid all the difficult Y-seams in the original pattern.

More soon at Threading the News.

Yours in Quilting,

Sue and Staff

Hello Quilters:

We are starting a new feature at the shop: a Sale Book of the Week and a Sale Kit of the Week.

This first week of September the featured book is Great Expectations by Celine Perkins published by Perkins Dry Goods.  The book was $15.25 and is now $5.00.

The featured kit is Wrapped in Paisley designed by Kansas Troubles Quilters using the Wrapped in Paisley fabric collection from Moda.  The kit was $132.25 and is now $98.00.

More soon at Threading the News.

Yours in quilting, 

Sue and staff

Hints of Fall

Hello Quilters:

This week we heard the first news reports of Fall color on Vermont Route 100.  It’s hard to believe the Chester Fall Festival is only three weeks away.  If you haven’t seen the gallery of Fall class projects please check the blog postings at www.vermontquilting.com.  Fall classes start in less than two weeks!

Bargello Class
We posted a photo of the wrong project for the Bargello class to be held on October 5.  Here is the correct project. 

Fabric Just In
New Fabric received includes the too-who cute to believe You Who from Henry Glass, Noah’s Jungle from Northcott, and Lakeside Retreat and Mini-Cabin Series flannels and the glittery Eden, all from Timeless Treasures.

New Kits
We are currently making up kits with Eden and also Hampton Ridge, a BOM kit from Marcus Fabrics.

New Books
Our staff suggests you check out these new books: Cindy Lammon’s “Simply Modern Christmas” and “Set the Table—11 Designer Patterns for Table Runners,” both from That Patchwork Place.

$10 Rebate on any Martingale/Patchwork Place Book
Martingale has announced a $10 rebate on any Martingale/That Patchwork Place book.  Simply purchase any Martingale book of your choice and pick up a copy of the rebate coupon.  Mail the coupon to Martingale with your shop receipt.  How simple is that?  This rebate program runs from September 1 through December 31, 2013.

Retreats at Vermont Quilt Design
Our friend Vermont Quilt Design is leading two quilt retreats next year.  “Bring a Beginner” will be held at the Brandon Inn in Brandon, Vermont on February 7 – 9, 2014.  “Quilting in Vermont” will be held at the Strong House Inn in Vergennes, Vermont on May 2 – 4, 2014.  For more information, please go to www.VermontQuiltDesign.com or send Kay and Allison an email at VermontQuiltDesign@gmail.com or call them at (802) 236-4562.

COMING EVENTS

September 2                    Labor Day, Country Treasures is open 10 am – 5 pm
September 14 – 15           Bennington Quilt Fest 2013, Bennington, VT
September 16 – 22           New England Air Museum: Fights and Fantasies Quilt show 2013
September 21 – 22           Chester Fall Festival on the Green
October 14                       Columbus Day, Country Treasures is open 10 am – 5 pm
Oct. 17 – Dec. 28             Roots of Modern Quilting: Everything Old is New Again at the New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA
October 19 – 20               Second Annual Deerfield Valley Quilt Show, Norton House, A Quilter’s Paradise, Wilmington, VT
Oct. 31 – Nov. 3               A Quilters’ Gathering, Eastcoast Quilters Alliance, Manchester, NH
November 5 – 10              Falling Leaves Retreat, Country Treasures, Chester, VT
November 11                   Country Treasures will be closed for Veteran’s Day
March 21 – 30, 2014         Vermont Shop Hop
May 29 – June 1, 2014      Spring Retreat, Country Treasures

Please don’t forget that Country Treasures is CLOSED ON MONDAYS.  Our hours remain the same on the other days: Tuesday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday 12 noon till 4 pm.  Country Treasures will be open for Holiday Mondays: Labor Day (September 2) and Columbus Day (October 14).

More soon at Threading the News.

Yours in quilting, 

Sue and staff

A Gallery of Class Projects

A Preview of Autumn 2013 Class Projects!

A number of quilters have already dropped by the shop to sign up for classes and to view the class projects.  We would like to give you a preview of the Autumn 2013 projects.  First, here are the first projects for each of our Weekly Quilting Classes.

The Intermediate and Advanced classes will start out with a simpler project to tune up your skills: a set of placements called Take Four.  You will probably finish the set during class so Sue will be prepared to help show you how to quilt one of your placemats.

Farmer’s Wife was such a hit class last year that Sue is teaching it again.  We have a picture of Sue’s now-completed quilt made with Reproduction fabrics.  Sue is already making another one with more modern fabrics and a picture of some of those blocks follows.

Carolyn’s Beginners Class will start with the Bricklayer’s Daughter Tablerunner.

Sue is teaching a class featuring some of Judy Niemeyer’s paper piecing patterns called Judy Niemeyer Club.  You get to pick one of eight patterns.  We have samples of most of the patterns on display in the shop: Compass Rose, Cactus Flower, Arizona Cactus, Feathered Star and Snowflakes.  The other three patterns which may be selected for the class are: Cappuccino, Sunflower Illusions, and Summer Solstice.

 

Sarah will be teaching the first of our Weekend Workshops.  Her first class uses Deb Tucker’s V-Block template to create a pattern titled Victorious.

Sue is teaching Stargello which can be finished as either a table topper or a Christmas Tree skirt.

Machine Quilting I provides an excellent foundation to the world of machine quilting.

Machine Quilting II explores the world of free motion quilting.

Machine Quilting III and IV journey outside the box with zig-zag appliqué and free-motion, echo quilting.

October begins with a Saturday class during which Sue will teach you the secrets of making one of the most popular quilt patterns: Colorsplash. 

Bring a bit of Italy home!  The Bargello quilt pattern is inspired by the well-known style of needlework found on the chairs in the Bargello Palace in Florence, Italy.

Judy Niemeyer applied her paper-piecing techniques to the classic Double Wedding Ring design.  Sue will show you how this simplifies all those curves.

The foliage will have faded by the beginning of November so our thoughts will of course turn to … Christmas Tree Skirts.

Pick-up Sticks is a great way to use scraps, charm packs or layer cakes.  Just add an accent color and it’s magic!

Woodpile Sampler is a must-have traditional quilt—stunning and beautiful.

Sarah taught the first Weekend Workshop so it’s only fitting that she return to wrap up the season with our only December class.  She will show you how to make perfect points with Deb Tucker’s Corner Beam template and show them off in a gorgeous quilt called North Star.

More soon at Threading the News.

Yours in Quilting,
Sue and Staff