In Between Stitches

Our Blog Has Moved!

2011-07-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!
Just a quick note to let you know that the address of our store blog has changed. We will no longer be posting on this address. To follow our new blog, visit www.inbetweenstitchesblog.com

Happy Quilting!
The In Between Stitches Crew :)

Civil War Tribute Month 2

2010-02-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

This month you will be making FOUR 15" Finished Squares and it involves LOTS of half square triangles. To make it even more work you will be using two fabrics that are directional to make the half square triangles. The photo provided with your pattern shows the background fabric going in different directions and the brown stripe in different directions, but well that just doesn't work for me. My block is assembled like Diagram 1 on page 2 of your pattern.

The pattern calls for cutting squares 3 3/8" from Fabric 1, 2, & 3 and then cutting them in half on the diagonal...*I cut the SQUARES as indicated and then stopped cutting.
When everything was cut I went to Piecing the Block, Step 1.
In this step you will make half square triangles, use the instructions and pair up the appropriate fabrics right sides together. I made the half square triangles by drawing a line from corner to corner and then seam a scant 1/4" away from the line on each side and then you cut on the diagonal line. See picture below for the "pattern" and the direction that they are facing, pay close attention to the bottom brown fabric as well the stripe on the left brown unit is going left to right and the right brown unit the stripe top to bottom. The red units on top you will do that to make one block, the brown units below you will repeat the left diagram four times for each block, and the right diagram four times to make each block. The blue dashed lines indicate the fabric "pattern direction". The green line indicates the line drawn from corner to corner and the red is the scant 1/4" seam allowance. Once you have sewn and cut on the drawn line, press towards the dark and then trim to 3", if you used a scant 1/4" seam you will have a little wiggle room on trimming.
Step 2: Fabric 3, cut (4) of the squares in half on the diagonal to make (8) triangles, assemble as direction.
Step 3: Fabric 1, use the photo below and use the blue line as the cutting line. Notice that the squares have the "pattern direction" in different directions.

Now all of your units are made. Layout the whole block and then piece it together as directed in the pattern. Enjoy the process, you are on your way to making this huge quilt!

**Side note about Half Square triangles.

If you are designing a quilt or trying to figure out what size square to start

with when making Half Square triangles,

just remember this number 7/8".

Always add 7/8" to the finished size of the half square triangle that you want!

So in the case above, we want a finished size of 2 1/2" so we start with a square that is 3 3/8".

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

Today marks our Eighth Anniversary....and of course Valentines Day! This is a small sampling of where we started at when we first opened on February 14, 2002. It was such a fun and amazing day, opening the doors for the first time and greeting a line of women! We are very excited about the store that we have become; adding an amazing staff, adding lots of fabric, moving into the "downtown",and joining the ranks of American Quilt Samplers Top Ten Quilts Shops.

Leslie and I are very blessed that all of you welcomed us and we are very grateful each and every day, to share the store with you. It has been an amazing 8 years and we are looking forward to many more. I know that all of the "girls" at the shop agree...we come to work each day loving what we do and we can't wait for our friends to walk through the door. Our slogan of "A Place Where Friendships Grow" has been proven time and time again. Just today we were talking with a customer at the shop and reminisced on when she was expecting her little one. We have watched many of your children and grandchildren grow into young people, your children graduate from high school and college. We have shared sorrows with you on the death of a family member, and joy on the announcement of a new child, new son in law or daughter in law.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives. Thank you for making our store your own! We look forward to many more years!

In Stitches,
Melissa and Leslie

Abundance Month 2

2010-02-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

Month 2 of Abundance has been shipped, here is what your blocks will look like when complete. This month you are doing the Acorns and Wishbone.Enjoy.

Our Customers are the Greatest!

2010-02-06T18:57:00.000-08:00

We just want to THANK all of our great customers!

We have collected 142 pillowcases for

American Patchwork and Quilting

1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.

The first 100 will go the George Mark Children's House. We can't begin to tell you how thrilled we are with the huge and generous hearts of all of you! These pillowcases will make the day of the children who receive them. We can't wait to deliver them in the coming weeks. I have to share that we have been approached by a mom who has used the George Mark House and she was just thrilled that we were supporting this cause. She said that they have created an environment that is wonderful. Her family felt so supported and comfortable when they needed some respite and it is an amazing place. We are glad to be able to donate to such a wonderful place.

You all have blown us away with your generosity and support! Janet R. rocks, with her 36 pillowcase donation. She said that she pulled from her stash and is now 36 yards down, she said it felt so good using up that fabric! Now she has room for more fabric in her stash. She had a ball seeing how many cases she could make and when she made 31 she decided she could make a few more. Whether you donate 1 pillowcase or 36 like Janet, just know that you are going to put a smile on the face of a child.

Now that we have reached our first goal in just about one months time it is time to announce the next organization we will support....This organization is near and dear to our hearts, they were the visionaries for Camp Arroyo where we host our Retreat Between Friends and the organization that hosts children's camps for special needs children each summer at Camp Arroyo. The Taylor Family Foundation, has been around for 20 years and this year will celebrate its 10th year of offering camps. From their website, "To put it simply, Camp Arroyo is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, where kids with special needs are free to just be kids. No conforming, no hiding, no being singled out as “different.” Camp Arroyo provides a safe, nurturing environment, filled with positive energy and support. It’s a place where kids are surrounded by children with similar conditions, and where individuality is not taboo, but celebrated." This organization offers campers the ability to come enjoy camp, free of charge. They have many fundraising programs including Coins for Campers which all of customers supported while the coin jar was in the shop. They also have an annual fundraiser "Day in the Park" which will occur on August 29,2010.

We have chosen to support this organization by donating 144 pillowcases to them. These cases will be given out during one of the camps that will occur during the summer. Each summer they host 2700 children with a wide range of special needs; children suffering from life threatening to chronic illnesses, developmental disabilities, and at risk children. We hope you will help us reach our goal, they need the cases by the end of April...which we are certain our great customers will meet the need.

Thanks again to all of you! We are very fortunate to have you and your caring hearts speak volumes!

In Stitches,
Leslie, Melissa, and the In Between Stitches Girls

Pony Express

2010-02-03T08:26:00.000-08:00

The beginning of the month has arrived which means that it is time to mail out a few block of the month programs! We have a new system in place which makes this task easier...but we still have to get the packages to the post office. Our mailman has a walking route, which means that we have to "schedule" a pick-up. However we aren't that far from the post office, so taking mail to the post office isn't a bad chore. This month proved a little tricky because boxes were involved and all the mail didn't fit into bags.

So I decided to put our wagon to use, who knows what the neighbors thought....

For those in our BOM programs that mail on the 5th...your packages are on their way. Have a great day...the sun is shining. Maybe it can keep it up for the rest of the week.

In Stitches,

Melissa

Abundance Block of the Month

2010-01-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

We have mailed out our first packets for the Abundance Block of the Month.

This great quilt was designed by Verna Mosquera of The Vintage Spool. The pattern is available in the shop and we still have spaces left in the Block of the Month. It is sure to become a Fall favorite in your home. For our Block of the Month we decided to do a twist and make ours in traditional fall colors of green, brown, gold, orange, and of course reds. Here are the first two blocks that you will make in Month 1. Enjoy...

Announcement...

2010-01-18T06:59:00.001-08:00

Congrats to Jim K. for solving the puzzle,

In Between Stitches has been chosen to be in
American Patchwork and Quilting Spring Quilt Sampler Issue.

Quilt Sampler will hit newsstands on May 11, 2010! Last September American Patchwork and Quilting sent a photographer and a designer out to take photos of the store. The plan was they would photograph the store and we would be open for business. Oh did I mention we couldn't share with anyone about the magazine. It was such a difficult secret to keep, especially from those of you who were in the shop during photographing. Andy and Jan made the day very fun and they took pictures of almost every nook and cranny in the shop. To begin their Livermore experience we took them to Casa Orozco, a visit to Livermore wouldn't be complete otherwise. The next day the photography began, even our shop dog Harley was in on the action. He was brought to the store by special request of the editor of American Patchwork and Quilting. We can't wait to see what the article looks like and says.

This great honor of being one of the Top Ten Quilt Stores in the country, would not be possible without our great staff. Each of them have made the store what it is today. We are grateful to all of you, our customers, for allowing us the opportunity to do what we do each day! It is very exciting to be able to share your quilt store with the country. Not only are they showcasing the store, they are also showcasing Livermore. They planned to drive around and take some photos of attractions in town...that may have been clever photographer talk for going wine tasting but we won't know. All in all we are very excited and hope that this brings a whole new group of quilters to our area. We have been getting lots of emails from our friends across the country, they want to see what Leslie has done in the front windows...here they are.

Remember we are having our Monster of a Pillowcase Challenge....bring in a standard size pillowcase made from novelty fabrics. We are donating the first batch to the George Mark Children's House in San Leandro.

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Saturday Marks One Year

2010-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
It is amazing how one year goes by so quickly! Saturday, January 16 marks one year since Leslie and I first walked into 2190 First Street and covered the windows, to begin the remodel!
It was finally time to make Mel's Furniture the new quilt store and our crew of workers had a large task in front of them. We wanted to be able to reopen in the new location by our Seventh Anniversary on February 14th, 2009. The anticipation of our new store was mounting and we even had ladies who decided to get in line early...
It was a long haul, with long days and nights...but with lots of hard work, LOTS of sandpaper for the hardwood floors and over 50 gallons of paint it was finally time for moving day.We filled every truck and SUV we had with all of the store inventory and made the trek across the parking lot. Then began setting the store up! Visit our February 2009 blog post to see the process.

Here we are one year later, the response from all of you about our new home has been amazing! Everyone agrees In Between Stitches has found the perfect spot. It has been truely amazing being a part of Livermore Downtown and we have met so many new friends.

Now we have GREAT....BIG NEWS to share with you...

and so we decided to play a game....

The first person to post a comment with the correct answer will receive a
$25.00 Gift Certificate to the store and a gift...

Also to Celebrate the Big News and the significance of January 16th we are having a sale....

20% Off any 1/2 yard or more of fabric

**Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount,
purchase not applied to frequent buyer points, cannot be used for s

pecial order fabrics or precut goods**

So now time for the game....

It is a tile scramble...put the tiles in the correct order to guess the news.

Remember to post the answer in the comment section...

the first person to guess will win the prize. We will have some runner up prizes as well...so be sure to post your comments.

In Stitches,

Leslie and Melissa

Retreat Between Friends

2010-01-12T06:38:00.000-08:00

This May we will be holding our Seventh Annual "Retreat Between Friends".

The retreat is held at Camp Arroyo, located in the outskirts of Livermore. Once you arrive on the property you feel like you are a world away.

The fun begins on Friday May 14 at 4 p.m. and we depart on Sunday May 16 at 2 p.m., during the weekend stay all meals are prepared for you, allowing you to sew, sew, sew.

There are always people sewing in the dining hall, from early in the morning until well the next morning! The coffee pot is always on, along with sodas, juice, and tea, if you need some chocolate well we have that as well. A snack table is usually brimming with chocolate, peppermints, pretzels, and much more! The naturalists at Camp Arroyo always enjoy the snack table as they pass through to check out what we are doing.

When you get tired, the cabins are just a short walk away. Each cabin accommodates 4 people, with its own bathroom. The weekend involves lots of sharing, quilting, and of course friendship and fun! Why don't you grab and friend or two, or join us and meet some new friends. It is always a fun weekend and you won't want to miss out.

Call or email the shop for more details....

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

P.S. Stay tuned for the big reveal.

Monster of a Challenge

2010-01-05T16:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We thought we would start the year off just right with a Monster of a Challenge. American Patchwork and Quilting is sponsoring the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge and we are participating. To inspire you, Leslie has created some FUN front window displays! These monsters are having a great time, pillowsack races, jumping on the bed, and even a pillow fight..

Will you join us in the cause? We have made up lots of pillowcase kits or you can use your own fabrics. The first organization that we have chosen to support is The George Mark Children's House in San Leandro, CA. They will accept the first one hundred pillowcases that we collect. To find out more information about their organization, please visit their website.

We will begin collecting standard size pillowcase immediately and then will deliver them once we have received 100 cases. Your fabrics should be pre-washed and good quilt store quality fabric. Remember that these cases will be loved and washed quite a bit. The pillowcases should appeal to little kids through early adult (20's). We have pillowcase patterns available at the store.

In Stitches,

Leslie and Melissa

Winter Class Preview Party

2009-12-07T17:52:00.000-08:00

Thursday December 10 from 7-9 p.m. to our Winter Class Preview Party

This special evening will begin with introductions of our teachers. Then they will share their class projects with you! The class schedule will be available online Tuesday December 8 and signups will begin on Thursday evening.
As a special incentive to attend we are offering,
For the first time ever a 15% discount on both the classes and the required book or pattern when you sign up on Thursday.
Refreshments and deserts will be served and
we will even be having some raffle drawings during the evening.
Call the shop or email us to reserve a seat, we are sure that it will be a full house!
Reservation fee will be $5.00, payable in advance, however it will be refunded towards your purchases made during the evening.

We can't wait to see you there!

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Thanksgiving is Almost Here....

2009-11-22T18:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Can you believe Thanksgiving is almost here? It has been a crazy but very fun month at In Between Stitches. I can hardly believe that the month is just about done! Don't remind me what is coming up, I just want to catch my breath and enjoy Thanksgiving.

This weekend we wrapped up the Jingle Bell Hop Shop Hop. It was so fun to see old friends and meet new ones. We had people in from near and far, Washington, Oregon, and Southern California, I just know there were others...but my brain is a little mooshy at this point. And checking the camera card I guess I didn't get any pictures...not sure how that happened. I will check with the girls and see if they took any photos. Here is a photo of our store quilt that we made using all of the blocks from the Jingle Bell Hop.

We would like to thank everyone who came to visit! We hope you had as great of a time as we did. A huge Thank-you to Grandma Shirley who stamped cards on Thursday and Kristel and Pat who stamped on Saturday. It was such a help to have someone covering the table. The photo below is Kristel (Leslie's Daughter) and Pat (Leslie's Dad) and of course Leslie.
Also, thanks to everyone who came out in their jammies...The Shop Earlier than the Bird event was very fun. For those who missed it, each year the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Downtown Livermore hosts The Shop Earlier than the Bird event. Many of the downtown businesses have warm drinks, sparkly drinks, and snacks and if you are in your Pajama's you can earn special discounts. Be sure to watch for it next year.

Here are just a few of our shoppers from the event.Have a great week! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

In Stitches,
Melissa

Fall Fantasy

2009-11-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

Here is some "eye candy" to start your day.

Leah from Pleasanton brought in this quilt that her friend Diane made for her fifteen years ago. Leah loves this quilt so much and wanted to increase the size to fit a new mattress. The quilt was tied so she dis-assembled it and added larger borders. She had new backing fabric and didn't think she had enough until Melissa drew out cutting directions to make the best use of the fabric she already had. It turned out that Leah had plenty of backing and went happily on her way.

Sharon loves making anything associated with Autumn and Halloween. She says, "One can never have enough quilts for Fall."

This was fabulous Buffalo Bill fabric that Sharon used to make a throw.

Look at these adorable potholders!

Sharon has been busy and is very creative.

Lucky Helen has a new little addition to her family and she made this quilt for her new little granddaughter to enjoy. The color combinations are wonderful Helen. We found a nice fabric for the binding and she's all set.

Inspiration abounds at the shop. Buzz on in and see all the new fabric and patterns.

As always,

Lynn

Happy Autumn

2009-10-22T07:18:00.001-07:00

Good Morning Everyone,

It was a gloomy, rainy day in Livermore on Monday....but the shop was full of light and wonderful quilts brought in by our customers.

Betty brought in this quilt that she and her daughter Karen made. Betty wants everyone to know that her daughter was a big help in getting this quilt completed for a wedding shower for Betty's granddaughter. Betty bought the kit at PIQF last weekend.....and it's being quilted right now! The name of the quilts is Diamond.....perfect for a bridal shower.

Judi made this Tee-shirt quilt from old tee shirts she found in a drawer at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. Judi is the secretary to the principal at the school. This quilt will be a wall hanging in the Principal's office.

This is the oldest shirt that Judi found.

See how bright and cheerful the store was on our gloomy day outside. Just look at the new Celebration fabric line that will brighten any day.

Stop on by and check out the new patterns from the Houston Quilt Market.

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Lynn

Pacific International Quilt Festival

2009-10-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

If you go to PIQF in Santa Clara this weekend, stop by booth #722 and see all the goodies we've been cutting, folding, packaging and preparing for the last several weeks.

We have an end booth which is nice for displaying new quilts.

Melissa brought back some new things from Quilt Market in Houston that you won't want to miss! Melissa and Leslie made the booth so cozy you'll want to just pull up a chair and stay for awhile.

It's a big, wonderful show. The quilts in the exhibition area will surprise and amaze you.

Stop by and say hello.

Have a fabulous autumn weekend everyone from all of us at.......

In Between Stitches

Mini Quilt Show at IBS

2009-10-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Friends,

I'm at a complete loss for words and adjectives to describe the absolutely amazing and incredible projects that you, our talented customers, brought to the store this week. This was a week of heirloom quilts. So sit back and enjoy the mini quilt show.

Let's start with Lennea who finished her Blossom of Friendship block of the month. You would never know that this was Lennea's first attempt at applique! The quilt is stunning.

Lennea also has an embroidery machine. This is the beginning block for another quilt.

Look at this detail.

Alicia designed and made this cheerful and fun quilt that is going to be a tablecloth in her home.

Here's another fun quilt designed by Alicia.

Shirley remembers her mother working on these blocks in 1934 while they were living in Oregon. Shirley's mom bought the blocks at the old 5 & 10 (where's the 'cent' key when you need it!) or as we called it the five & dime store.

Shirely and her girlfriend had a fun time picking out sashing and border fabric. Shirley, you've made your mother proud.

Now we go to Ann's creations. Ann stitched all of her blocks by HAND!!! She is making this quilt for her friends granddaughter.

Just look at the detail.

Here is the sashing and inner border we pulled together for her. Those of us at the store this day wanted to be adopted by Ann so she would make us a quilt!

What can I say about Laura's quilt...... I couldn't stop looking at it. This quilt won best of show at DVQ (Diablo Valley Quilters) last month. This is from the Little Brown Bird book by Margaret Docherty.

Laura has been working on this heirloom quilt for nine years. She spent 115 hours machine quilting it. There are 900 leaves in the border.

Anne, from Stockton brought in one of the first Christmas quilts that I've seen at the store so far this season. This quilt is going to be a gift to Anne's neighbor. Anne made this from a pattern by Kevin Kosbab http://feeddog.blogspot.com/ Check out Kevin's blog site.

That's all of the "eye candy" for the week. It's a good thing that it's free of calories.

Take care and have a wonderful week quilting!

--Lynn

Busy week at IBS

2009-10-08T17:32:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Remember this picture of Pam's peacock back in July? Pam was working on it and came into the store looking for additional fabric.

Well, take a look at the finished peacock that came strutting into the store in full plumage on Monday!

Pictures just can't do this woven quilt justice. If you have the opportunity to go to PIQF (Pacific International Quilt Festival) next week, stop by the Material Pleasures booth and check out the peacock in person. Don't forget to come by and say hello to us at the In Between Stitches booth too!

Here are more photos of Pam's quilts that she made from the book called Simply Stunning Woven Quilts by Anna Faustino.

Amazing! I'm so glad that Pam made the trip from San Martin up to Livermore to share her beautiful creations with us.

Okay Marti, there's just no hiding from the fact that you've made a wonderful quilt for your granddaughter! The color choices are so pretty. She's going to love it!

Beautifully quilted too.

The class schedule is on the website under the quarterly newsletter. There are some great opportunities for learning a new skill to make handmade Christmas presents. Check it out and sign up soon.

As always,

Lynn

Girls Night Out: The Witching Hour

2009-10-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

(Click on photo above to make image larger)

We are so excited for this Wednesday, October 7th. We will be staying open until 10pm for all of you Girls to come out and have some fun. In Between Stitches along with other downtown merchants are staying open for the Full Moon. Come in a Witches hat or costume and receive 5 Fat Eighths of your choice and all Halloween Fabric will be 15% Off...the selection is getting smaller so you won't want to miss this!

Also, Holly will be doing Mini Hand Facials using Mary Kay products and Shimmer Jewels made by Amanda Emery will be on sale in the store. This is a perfect opportunity to start a little Christmas Shopping. Deer Ridge Vineyards will be offering tastings of their wine and we will have appetizers and ice tea.

Be sure to get some friends together, go to dinner at any of the great Downtown Livermore restaurants and then shop with us!It is sure to be a great night out!

Happy Autumn

2009-09-24T07:17:00.001-07:00

Hello friends,

Take a look at the quilts and finished projects that came into the shop this week.

Kathie made this stunning quilt! The colors were amazing. What an heirloom she's created.

I wish I'd taken a close-up of the braided border she added. It was quilted by Cindy Young.

Ruth on the right, finished her Saturday Sampler quilt. Chris is helping hold this lovely quilt.

Beautiful Prairie Paisley fabric, piecing and quilting. Fun for all of us to see.

Isn't this table runner fun that Chris made! Perfect for this time of year.

Here's another wonderful table runner that Ruth made.

Barbara made this quilt from the Stone Cottage pattern.

The Hawaiian fabric centers with the coordinating fabric makes this quilt pop! Barbara, as always, you did a fantastic job!

Barbara and her husband have a new little companion in their home named Honey. Honey is a sweet Border Collie.

Barbara found this fabric in New Zealand and had it shipped to her. This quilt is for Honey's breeder, who is a family friend. I saw this quilt finished the other day. Diane quilted little dog biscuits all around the border.....so cute!

Linda made this four season quilt. She had the sweetest little buttons sewn on each of the trees. So pretty and so creative.

Are you inspired yet? For more inspiration, head on over to Alden Lane Nursery this weekend for Quilting in the Garden. The quilts displayed in the old oak trees are a visual feast!

As always,

Lynn

Busy Bees

2009-09-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
It is that time of year when we get in gear for Quilt Shows, we are busy bees making kits and planning for our booths...Mark your calendar for Quilting in the Garden at Alden Lane Nursery Saturday September 26-27,2009 starting at 9am. This year the featured artist is Laura Wasilowski. We are very excited to have her join us.

This show is a can't miss show if you are in the Bay Area, over 100 quilts will be hung from the Oak trees that fill the nursery. Several vendors will be on hand selling fudge, food, gift items and of course quilt fabrics, books, and patterns. Alex Anderson will be there, as well as Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts

Bring the husbands along with you on Sunday and they can enjoy the 20th Nostalgia Day Car Show presented by the Altamont Cruisers that will be held downtown in Livermore. Over 700 cars will be parked along First, Second, and Third Street. This is a free show from 9am-4pm.

Part of the getting ready phase is of course making quilts, and everyone has been busy working on new samples to wow you with. Here is the latest one as I was machine quilting it, this fun quilt was designed by Brenda Riddle of Acorn Quilt and Gift Co.
In Stitches,
Melissa

A Vintage Christmas

2009-08-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

The new Block of the Month is ready to be mailed. Here is what the first months kit looks like. The snow person is missing some buttons and embellishments, which will come later after the quilting is done. If you are interested in signing up for this new block of the month, click here.

Another creative Monday

2009-08-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Monday was a very busy day at the shop. Thank you all for bringing in your fabulous projects for us to see. We had a full house in the classroom with Jill Schumacher teaching machine quilting. What a great opportunity to learn from the Quiltmaker to the Queen!

Enjoy your week everyone.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

As always,

Lynn

Last Day of Kid's Camp

2009-08-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

It was so much fun having this great group of kids in our classroom all week, hearing their chattering and watching them work like busy little bees. Take a look at all these awesome finished projects!

Kids Camp is in Session

2009-08-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Friends,

The classroom at the shop is filled with enthusiastic and creative quilters this week as Kids Camp kicked off a week-long class Monday. They are learning from the best, Dee Christopher.

Dee walks the students through the quilt making process from rotary cutter safety, to machine quilting.

This student's rotary cutter matches her fabric!

They learn how to mark stitching and cutting lines.

The students learn the proper use of rulers.

They are learning the proper way to press the seams.

We'll post the finished quilts at the end of the week. Come back to see Sponge Bob, polka dots and bats come to life!

***********************************************************

Other activities were also taking place in the front of the shop. Lonae brought in her double wedding ring paper-pieced quilt that she's been working on.

We loved her choice of colors and it's going to look fabulous when she gets it all assembled.

This is a picture of a section for the backing of a quilt that Peggy is making for her son. Peggy is adding additional blocks to the front of the quilt and is extending the backing since her son has grown to 6' 3"!

He wants to take the quilt with him to college and requested that Mom make it a bit longer. Very clever Peggy.

Here's Harley at the end of his day on Monday. You know it's a fun, yet demanding job greeting everyone as they come through the front door! He also misses his Mommy!

As always,

Lynn

Tea Anyone?

2009-07-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Gail stopped by the store on Monday with a table runner that she had just finished. She's going to a tea and made this adorable table runner as a hostess gift.

She knew that the store carries greeting cards with tea bags and she found the perfect match!

Susan came in and Holly and I got to see her completed 2008 Saturday Sampler. This is Susan's first Saturday Sampler and she did an excellent job.

Need some good "blender" fabric? The shop carries the whole line of Itsy Bits by Renee Nanneman. The colors are so rich and will work well in so many different ways.

Have a great week everyone.

As always,

Lynn

Yo-Yo Fun & New Perspectives

2009-07-25T10:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning, Friends!
As Aunt Leslie and I are drinking our Mocha Breezes (with an extra shot of espresso; look out, world!), gearing up for a busy, fun-filled Saturday here at the shop, I thought I would share some pictures from yesterday.

Are you looking for a creative way to use up those extra yo-yos you have lying around? Or, are you looking for some easy, portable handwork? (Come check out the yo-yo makers we have in stock...super easy & fun!) Lisa Ramos brought in this adorable, summery table runner she made entirely out of yo-yos:

How fun is that?! I'm in love with this table runner...I wanted to go home and start making yo-yos, straight away! Have fun playing around with the placement of the differently colored yo-yos until you find an arrangement that you like, then start whip-stitchin'! :)

Ever since we hung the sample for the "All Wrapped Up" pattern by the Artichoke Girls, the pattern has been flying off the shelf, along with the kits we put together with the soft pinks and yellows that have been so popular for this quilt. We love seeing new perspectives here, so we were totally wow-ed when Rachel Banke brought in her finished "All Wrapped Up" quilt top, done in soft pinks and browns:

While store samples can serve as a great source of inspiration, it's always empowering and liberating to think outside of the box. We love being here to provide new perspectives and thoughtful opinions when you need us, but above all, we love to emphasize the fact that it's YOUR quilt, and you can do ANYTHING you want with it...so why not have some fun?! Just a little food for thought...

The doors are officially open for today, so I'd better get to my station at the cutting table. Come in and say hi to us today! Happy Weekend!

In Stitches,
Holly :)

Inspiration and a recipe or recipe for inspiration?

2009-07-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Lots and lots of "eye candy" for you this week.

Near and dear to my heart are Jan's blocks from the Blossom of Friendship block of the month program. Jan lives in Van Nuys. She came up to visit her family in Pleasanton and came to the shop on Monday to show me her beautifully appliqued blocks. I was so happy to see Jan's blocks and even happier to meet Jan and welcome her to the In Between Stitches quilting family. We wish you lived closer Jan!

Kathie made this quilt for a family in Bordeaux, France. The family hosted Kathie's daughter Laura for five months while she attended a French University. What a lovely gift as an expression of gratitude.

Mary Ann Jones brought in this quilt that she made for the Youth Pastor at her church. Mary Ann's grandchildren, Travon and Halia came into the store with Grandma. See the front....or is this the back?

It was Travon's idea to switch positions with his sister when Mary Ann flipped the quilt over. Good thinking Travon!

Ruth Ann made "Psycho" from the Strip Therapy book by Brenda Henning. Ruth Ann made this beautiful quilt out of batiks. Just wonderful!

Cindy is in a "dreamy" mood just thinking about the quilt she going to make for her first grandchild. Lucky baby, lucky family and lucky grandma-to-be. We are so happy for you!

So friends, that's the inspiration.....now to the recipe. On July 15, I taught the Stone Cottage class. No quilting class is complete without food, so I made a Strawberry Pizza. (No, I did not use my rotary cutter to slice it!) We were so anxious to dig in, that I forgot to take a picture before I started serving. Everyone in the room requested the recipe. My husband requested that I make another one....only so I could take a picture first!

Strawberry Pizza
Mix together:
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup flour

Mix well and pat onto a 14" pizza pan
Bake 7-10 minutes at 400 degrees

Mix together:
9 ounces Cool Whip
1 1/2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar

Beat well and smooth on top of cooled crust.

Slice 1 quart large strawberries and place on top in a circle. Chill
(Cut into slices with your rotary cutter!)

Stone Cottage Class images

Judy working on her block.

Carolyn selecting the center of a block for Barbara.

Diana taking notes while eating "pizza."

Kaye working on her first block.

There you have it! Food for thought and food for the soul. Have a fabulous week everyone.

As always,
Lynn

What a week of activity!!!!

2009-07-17T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

I'm a bit late getting this week's issue of the In Between Stitches blog posted. There was so much going on at the shop and I have so much material to show all of you.

The following pictures are just some of the finished quilts or quilts in progress that dazzled us on Monday.

Let's start with a quilt that Janice (left) made for her granddaughter. The pictures just never do the quilts justice! Janice's granddaughter picked out all of the fabric and the quilt just kept growing and growing. The prairie point border was so attractive.

Carol finished the borders on her quilt that she brought in a couple of weeks ago. We picked out a red Itsy Bits fabric for her inner border. The quilt turned out beautifully Carol!

Pam from San Martin brought in this amazing peacock from Simply Stunning Woven Quilts by Anna Faustino. Pam was looking for some fabric for peacock legs and additional feathers.....we had it at the store!

Take a good look at this close-up. One slip of the scissors and you start over! The fabric is all woven together....amazing. Everyone in the store stopped to check out this beauty. Pam promised to bring this back in when it's finished.

Kim, also from San Martin, brought in Grannie's Granola....she finished this in one day.....from scraps that she had in her sewing room. Another beautiful quilt.

Last but not least is Roberta's creation. This is Roberta's own design and one of her first quilts! We helped pick out binding and backing for her wonderful quilt. We are so happy that Roberta is in the process of moving to Livermore so we can see her more often. Welcome to Livermore Roberta. You've made friends here already.

What a great Monday Holly and I had at the shop. We love seeing all of your quilts. I go home so inspired from meeting all of you and enjoy seeing your projects. Keep up the fabulous quilting.

As always,

Lynn

.....and the winners are......

2009-07-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Ferne wins the Jelly Roll for her comment:

ferne said...
My favorite tradition is to make something yummy with blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream.

July 8, 2009 8:01 AM

Annmarie wins the Honey Bun for her comment:

annmarie said...
We live on a river between 2 lakes in northern Wisconsin. Every 4th. I sit on the dock after dark & watch the beautiful display of fireworks above the trees in both directions - double the peasure & fun!! But the best display is usually put on by the hundred or so fireflies lighting up the swamp on both sides of the dock!

This is my first visit to your blog - love the eye candy. Thanks so much! annmarie

July 11, 2009 8:52 PM

Ladies, email me your mailing address and your Zippity Do Dah prizes will be mailed to you. Send your addresses to patched55@comcast.net We'll get them in the mail to you right away. Thank you all for your comments.

As always,

Lynn

Saturday at In Between Stitches

2009-07-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

I'm never at a loss for material for the blog site. I am however at a loss for adjectives to describe the amazing projects that our customers and instructors bring to the store. The following is just a small sampling of what was happening in the shop on Saturday. There was laughter, sharing and the spirit of friendship. ENJOY!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Don't forget to make a comment on the previous post for the giveaway.

As always,

Lynn

Dog Days of Summer

2009-07-07T21:15:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Little Hannah came to visit us on Monday. Hannah is Tina's little canine companion. Can you tell she's a little girl with her pink leash?

Holli came in to show us a quilt she recently completed called Crayon Box. Her color selection was perfect for this beautiful quilt. Thank you for bringing it in Holli! You've done a fantastic job.

Carol (left) and Barbara (right) are showing off Carol's quilt called Over Easy. This was a class that Linda Ballard taught. Carol came in to select a small inner border that matched the outer border fabric she already had. We found the perfect match from the "Itsy Bits" fabric line.

Another Carol brought in her Botanical Birdhouse quilt to show us how great the border fabric looks that she picked out last week at the shop. We found some great wide backing fabric for her(complete with birds) and she was happy as can be.

Ginny drove down from Jackson to show us her spectacular blocks from my Blossom of Friendship block of the month. Her blocks are incredible! She has added her own personal touch to each and every block. She's well on her way to creating an heirloom!

Now if all of the above isn't enough to inspire you.......how about a GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Tell us your favorite Fourth of July tradition or memory in the comment section by 5pm on Monday July 13th. If your name is selected, you will win either a Jelly Roll or a Honey Bun of Zippity Do Dah. So you have two chances to win. The winner will be selected by a blindfolded Harley. The winners will be posted on the blog next Tuesday, July 14th.

Good luck to all of you and have a wonderful week of quilting.

As always,

Lynn

Happy 4th of July Quilting Classes

2009-07-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Before summer gets away from you, check out the classes we are offering and put one on your July calendar. Now is the time to sharpen up your quilting skills, or learn a new technique while making some new friends. (You know, quite often food is involved too!)

I'll be teaching Lil' Orphan Scrappy on Friday, July 10th from 10-4. It's a great way to put some of your scraps to work and make a quilt just about any size you want it to be. These blocks become addicting and are fun to make using the precise hourglass method.....no small triangles!

Paulette will be teaching Scrap Happy. (Do we have a theme going on here?) This class will be Sunday, July 12th from 10-3 and Saturday July 18th from 10-4. Paula says it goes together quickly and just look at the end result!

Want to make a new bag? Remember all of the purses right by the front door that you admire every time you walk in the shop? Well now is the time to take Melissa's Purse Party class and make the Little Charmer tote on Monday, July 13th from 6-9. Start planning ahead and have a couple of gifts made before you get too busy during the rush of the holiday season.

I'll be teaching Stone Cottage on Wednesday, July 16th from 6-9. One beautiful block turns into one beautiful quilt. We have a few kits available if you are interested.

Last, but certainly not least for the month of July, Dee will be teaching Picnic Potluck on Monday, July 20th from 6-9. Let Dee show you how to perfect Flying Geese blocks. This is a fun and easy quilt to make.

There are many more classes on the July calendar. Check it out in the quarterly newsletter section.

As always,

Lynn

Welcome to July at the Shop

2009-07-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

July 1st already? Time just goes way too fast when there are so many projects you want to finish and quilts you want to make. It was an inspiring day at the shop on Monday. Look at all of these fabulous projects that came to visit us.

Meredith just finished her "Over the River" quilt. She's going to have a good jump on the holidays with her lovely quilt. The embroidery was so precise and so pretty.

Linda brought in Botanika! My oh my, words can't describe the incredible job she did on this quilt. The applique is truly amazing. She also put in cute little bugs, bees and a butterfly.

Pat, from Modesto is showing us a tablerunner she made for her secret pal out of Prairie Paisley fabric. What a great gift for this time of the year.

Kerry is holding up a quilt she made for her friend's new baby.

The new father is a canine police officer. The fabric is a perfect choice. She did a terrific job machine quilting it also. Lucky baby and lucky family.

Edwyna (on the right), made this quilt for her great-granddaughter's 1st birthday. Edwyna came out from Arizona to visit her sister Vera. They came to the store to purchase some backing fabric.

Happy 1st birthday little Julia! You have a very special great grandma!

See what I mean when I said Monday was an inspiring day. I'm always in amazement at the creativity possessed by quilters. Keep bringing in your projects so we can see them. It's always a special treat for us to see your beautiful projects.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July.

As always,

Lynn

Double the fun!!!!

2009-06-24T18:48:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Another fun Monday at In Between Stitches. We were all seeing double most of the day. What are the chances of having three sets of twins in the store in the same day?

Rhiannon flew in for a Father's Day surprise. She stopped by the store to say her goodbyes to Melissa when in came Paula and Pam. Of course I had to take their picture!

Later on in the afternoon we had 2-year-old twins come to the store in their adorable little dresses. They loved Harley!

Carol P. on the left and Carol P. on the right are holding up a quilt that Carol P. on the right designed and made by combining a couple of different patterns. (I told you it was a double the fun day.) We decided to name the quilt Botanical Birdhouses. Carol is making this for a special friend. (What a lucky friend!) We helped her pick out some beautiful border fabric from the Beach House collection. She promised she would bring it back for us to see when it is all finished. You did a great job Carol and your friend will love it.

Kit brought in an adorable quilt that she made for a new baby in their extended family. Lucky baby! Again, we helped select a 30's border and binding fabric.

Halloween fabric is arriving! Christmas fabric is arriving! Leslie moved some of the displays around to make room for all of the new goodies. It's never to early to start thinking about those holiday gifts you are planning to make. Get a jump on the season and spread out the cost of the holidays by starting (and finishing) some projects early.

Check out the new class schedule on the website. Melissa and Leslie have many fun classes planned for a jam-packed summer of quilting with friends.

As always,
Lynn

A Day at In Between Stitches

2009-06-18T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

Holly and I thought it would be fun to be photo journalists for the day. Here are some of the results. It was a busy, and fun day at the shop on Monday. We encourage you to bring your projects in, completed or not, so we can see them, take some pictures and post them periodically to the blog.

Don't miss out on the recipe below. Glenda, one of our "Monday Ladies" brought in a casserole dish filled with Apple Dumplings to share! We really lucked out!

Make a Smilebox photobook

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPLE DUMPLINGS

4 Granny Smith apples
2 cans crescent rolls
1 stick real butter....no substitutions...just go for it!
1 cup sugar
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
20 ounces of Sprite......yes Sprite.....trust me these are good!

Peel, core and quarter the apples. Lay 1 quarter apple on each crescent roll. Roll the crescent dough around the apple. Place in a 9" x 13" pan.

Melt butter. Mix in sugar and cinnamon. Spoon over the top of the rolls then pour Sprite around the rolls. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Let pan sit to cool and soak up the yummy liquid.

Any Dad, Grandpa, Daddy-to-be.....anybody would love to wake up to these scrumptious apple dumplings.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday was a great day at the shop. Lots of friends stopped by to say hello and see what fabulous new material has arrived. Soon, we will have many new quilts on display featuring this summer's class schedule.

Come on by, join us in all the latest quilting buzzzzzzzzz.

As always,
Lynn

Stone Cottage Part Two

2009-06-13T14:57:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,

Here's an update on the quilt made with the Stone Cottage fabric. I just need to add borders and it's almost finished. I've put 10 kits together (with some fabric substitutions.) The majority of the kit is from the Stone Cottage line. The additional fabrics that I've selected have the Stone Cottage look and feel and incorporate beautifully into the kit. We are waiting on the arrival of one more fabric, and the kits will be complete.

I'll be offering this as a class on Wednesday, July 15th from 6 to 9pm. I'll bring the scones and we'll put a kettle on for a "spot" of tea while we make this cute Stone Cottage quilt.

As always,
Lynn

Stone Cottage Fabric

2009-05-27T12:56:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

It's Lynn here, your guest blogger this week. Stop by the store and check out the beautiful new Stone Cottage fabric by Renee Nanneman. You can go to the Andover site and download a free pattern for this wonderful new fabric line.

http://www.andoverfabrics.com/QuiltDesigns/QuiltDesigns.asp

I downloaded the pattern and here's what I've completed so far.
I love creating these adorable little blocks! They are so much fun to make and they are all so different. They are in shades of dusty rose, creamy red, greens and muted browns with a touch (smidgen) of aqua.

These little blocks take a bit of time to make. There are 24 pieces of fabric in each one....25 if you count the center. They are worth the time and just come alive by the time you get to round three.

Now don't think that I'm crazy, but I use my pasta dryer to display my strips once they've been cut. I can organize them from lights to darks and then I can see them so much easier. The pasta dryer also takes up much less room in your workspace. You can see just exactly what strips you have cut. I always use the pasta dryer whenever I'm working with any kinds of strips, especially for a log cabin quilt.

My finished quilt will be hanging in the store in the near future. Stop by and take a look and see if you would like to add this unique and adorable quilt to your home. If there is enough interest, we will add a class to the schedule.

As always,

Lynn

P.S. Stone Cottage is one of the main fabrics used in a new design from Bunny Hill called A Vintage Christmas. We are taking sign-ups for this BOM program.

http://bunnyhilldesigns.com/store/products/details/?product=vintagechr

What time do the delivery guys arrive?

2009-05-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
As many of you know Quilt Market was last week, which means our delivery guys have never been so popular. Each day we are anticipating their arrival which means new patterns, books, and of course fabric! We are expecting the new Jo Morton book "Vintage Journey" any day.
Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs has outdone herself again with "A Vintage Christmas", and yes we will be offering this as a block of the month. Please email us at info@inbetweenstitches.com to get on the list. More details coming soon.

In the meantime we have all been busy bees making new samples! Brenda Riddle from Acorn Quilt and Gift Co, designed this darling quilt Benji's Pockets and I have been on a mission to make this quilt.

It was so much fun designing outfits and choosing the fabric. The quilt will be in the store by next weekend and available as a kit.

Come in and visit us soon to see all the new arrivals,

In Stitches,
Melissa

PS Harley says Hi!

More Classes Offered in May

2009-05-05T15:42:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends,

It's Lynn, your guest blogger again showing you pictures of more classes that we are offering in May at In Between Stitches.

Melissa will be teaching Parquet Roses on May 12 & 19 from 6 to 9pm. It's a gorgeous quilt that you would absolutely love to have in your home or give as a gift.

Mary Anne Fitzgerald will be teaching Elongated Diamonds on May 14 & 21. I keep calling it Elegant Diamonds which truly fits this quilt.

Tere Piper will be taking you on a "Roman Holiday" May 16 & 23.

I'll be taking you marching while we make Sherman's March on May 30th.

There's so much going on at the shop with new fabric, patterns and projects arriving daily.

Take care and more to come soon.

As always,

Lynn

May classes you don't want to miss

2009-04-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

Well, we made it through the grand re-opening in February. We survived the March Madness Shop Hop and had the pleasant opportunity of meeting many "shop-hoppers". Then some of us stayed up and quilted 'til the wee hours of the morning during the quilt retreat in April. To say the least, In Between Stitches has been a very busy, happy and productive place.

Now May will be here soon and we are planning many fabulous classes for all of you. So keep checking the blog to see images of the quilting classes we have scheduled throughout the month.

Before we get to May, check out the class Sandy Close is going to teach beginning April 28th called Vintage Pleasures. Sandy will be working on Anne Sutton's Spring Postcard quilt. It's a darling quilt that you can check out at http://bunnyhilldesigns.com/store/products/details/?product=APspring Lunch is provided....all you need to bring is a dessert and your sewing supplies.

To get the month off to a great start, Lorraine Cline will be teaching Snapshots on May 5th from 6-9pm. Use up some of those fat quarters you've been saving and create a great quilt very quickly.

Dee Christopher will be teaching Old World Charm beginning May 6th from 6-9pm.

I'll post more images of upcoming classes soon. Also the next time you stop by the store, check out the new Legacy fabric. The whole line is in the shop and it's absolutely "yummy". Several yards of this fabric line followed me home yesterday. Many of us that work at the shop have plans for this fabric and you will be seeing the end result soon!

Take care, be safe, quilt everyday and keep checking this blog for updates. Also checkout the IBS website under the quarterly newsletter for more classes and specific information.

As always,
Lynn

March Madness Shop Hop 2009

2009-03-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

We are in currently in the midst of Shop Hop, and although it has been crazy, it's been a lot of fun! We love to see our customers having fun, spending time with friends, and shopping for fabric.:) It's great to see so many friends from out of the area who don't have a chance to come see us very often. These ladies are serious shop-hoppers, they mean business! I just couldn't resist taking a picture of them in their matching shirts.

Have a great time on the hop!
-Holly :)

The First Week

2009-02-23T19:45:00.001-08:00

Hello,
Welcome to the NEW In Between Stitches Quilt Store!

WOW the response has been amazing to the new place! We appreciate all of your kind words and gifts. I think we all agree that the hard work paid off....we hope you love your store as much as we do! If you haven't been to the new place yet, you won't be disappointed. People have said it makes "Downtown Livermore just glow", at In Between Stitches, "the sun is always shining". Leslie and I both had to do a drive by. It is sure fun to see at night.

The day we opened, we had shooters from Digs Studio on hand to capture the wonderful day. We started with a toast to Thank all of the Girls for their hard work and to a fun day!

The crowds started pouring in soon after! Everyone was so thrilled and a little "in need" of fabric. Being closed just one week, the ladies were out of thread, batting, and so much more!

Even Harley was in on the day, he begged to not be left at home. So his job, as usual was to be the official greeter. He also sported our newest In Between Stitches tote bag.

All in all, it has been a fun week, seeing all of your smiling faces and delight at the new place. I think we all thought we would have time to get settled into the new place, but then we looked ahead at the calendar. The March Maddness Shop hop starts March 4th. Oh well, there is time to settle later. In the meantime we have blocks to pack, kits to make, and so much more!

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melisa

The Grand Reopening! February 14, 2009

2009-02-16T08:31:00.000-08:00

HI Everyone,
Thank-you to everyone that came out for the Opening Weekend! We are so glad that you love your new quilt store. It was really so much fun to put the new store together. Rhiannon and Derek were our official photographers and we should have some of the pictures from them this week.
Many comments from those that visited were the skylights are awesome, the lights are just right, and you love the floors. The only part of the building that was unchanged by us were the four walls and the skylights. We added all of the paint, lights, interior walls, and architecture. Don't you love the floors, they were hidden underneath the carpet and 5 or 6 layers of carpet pad. The Douglas Fir Floors are around 94 years old.
Until we have our pictures, check out this slideshow of moving day.

Make a Smilebox photobook

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Drum Roll Please

2009-02-13T10:13:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the big day, do you know where your favorite quilt store is located?
Have you taken the time to drive down First Street in Livermore. The new awning is in place and the signs will go up today. Leslie is busy dressing the windows and Melissa is making sure all the newest fabric will be on the shelves for tomorrow. The ladies who make up the wonderful shop employees have been hard at work to make sure the store looks perfect.

I have a secret, Melissa has been holding back the newest collections to introduce tomorrow. So come by early, we will be opening the doors at 10am. Valentine's Day 2002 was a day to remember for In Between Stitches, let's make Valentine's Day 2009 even more memorable.

I can hardly wait for the new store to be filled with the energy of the In Between Stitches friends and the excitement of quilting bliss. Until then, have a lucky Friday.

XOXO Rhiannon (the one that is not Melissa) LOL

Can you sense the anticipation?

2009-02-12T08:58:00.000-08:00

Friends, we can hardly wait to introduce the new store on Saturday. We have felt so much love this week as customers have been stopping by and are ready to shop.
Below are a few customers already lined up to shop.

Since we didn't open the doors, they decided to try to see in another way.

Join us Saturday as we open our doors on First Street. It is going to be a day not to miss filled with gifts, contests, prizes and celebration for our new location and seven year anniversary. XOXO Melissa and Leslie

The New Store

2009-02-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

HI Everyone,
The new store is coming along nicely. Our last day at 2033 Railroad Ave will be this Saturday. We will be closed for moving from Sunday February 8-Friday February 13. Check out our progress on the new store here.
Make a Smilebox slideshow">

Be sure to mark your calendar and come visit us on Saturday February 14. We will celebrate our Grand Reopening and Seventh Year Anniversary. It will be a day of goodies, prizes, and giveaways with purchase. You will not want to miss it!
Leslie and Melissa

Progress on the new store

2009-01-21T07:36:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Well we are making progress on the new store! Thank-you to everyone for the well wishes and excitement on the new place. We know that everyone is excited to see the new place, however with all of the construction that is going on, we cannot have visitors.
Here we are painting. Do you think it will take us awhile? Maybe we need better tools!

Harley has been supervising our progress, I have to work on the pictures of him. Photographing a black dog is hard.

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Autumn House Quilt

2009-01-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

The Autumn House Sample is coming along, it is all blanket stitched and just waiting for borders. Here is a picture of it in progress. Hopefully the borders can get sewed on this week and we can get it quilted next week.
In Stitches,
Melissa

Our New Home

2009-01-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
Our new location is now officially ours! We will be moving in February (dates to be announced later) to 2190 First Street. You will park in the same parking lot, only near the buildings on First Street. Here is a hint of what use to be in the building.

We are very excited about the new spot and will share more with you as we progress.
In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Happy New Year

2009-01-06T06:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,
The shop is all new and fresh, we did inventory last week and then had a great time moving the store around. It has been so much fun putting fabric away, we keep heading for the wrong spot.

Have you been quilting up a storm? I am working on getting the Autumn House sample all blanket stitched down. This will be offered as a Block of the Month in the shop, for more details click here. Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs really outdid herself on this pattern. We had such a great time choosing all of the fabrics and making the blocks.

This sample is all fused down, but her new project "A Tisket A Tasket" is on the list to be hand appliqued for sure. Click on the link above and visit her blog for the free pattern.

Well off to sew!

In Stitches,

Melissa

Getting down to the wire...

2008-12-17T11:31:00.000-08:00

Well, Lisa just pointed out to us that Christmas is a week from tomorrow.....yikes! I think we've all been in such a frenzy trying to get ready for the holidays that we didn't realize they were actually getting so close. Here are some quick and easy last minute gift suggestions from some of the ladies here in the shop:

Lisa's Suggestions:

Quilted Potholders-- a great way to use up some scraps! All you need is a little Insul-Bright and some batting for the inside, then get creative with the top and backing!

Basic Aprons-- add some buttons, rick-rack, sequins, etc. to dress up the classic apron shape!

Leslie's Suggestions:

Pillowcases-- Easy to make, wrap up a pair of new PJ's in the pillowcase, maybe a pair of warm socks, tie with a beautiful silk ribbon, and you have a great snuggly gift!

Holly's Suggestions:

Woolfelt ornaments-- Cut classic Christmas shapes out of woolfelt, and either stuff them with fiber-fill or double up the layers with a little embroidery and some embellishments.

Placemats-- Dress up the host's/hostess' Christmas table with some beautiful handmade placemats.

We just got the gorgeous new line, Gypsy Rose, by Fig Tree Quilts in the shop. There are some wonderful paisleys and beautiful florals, come check it out!

On another note, yes, the rumors are true! We will be moving locations a couple months into the new year. No, we are not going out of business, simply moving, and we will be staying here in Livermore. We will definitely be letting all of our wonderful customers know where our new location will be sometime in January, so if you aren't already subscribed to our email newsletter, go to http://www.inbetweenstitches.com/ and click on the red "Subscribe" link on our homepage to sign up!

From all of us here at In Between Stitches, Happy Holidays and Keep on Stitchin'!

Project of the Week: Retro Chic

2008-12-08T14:22:00.001-08:00

This week's Project of the Week is the Retro Chic pattern by the Artichoke Collection. We have kits made up for this curvy quilt in delicious tangerine and lime colors. This bright throw is perfect for the retro fabric lovers out there!

Is it December already?

2008-12-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and that you didn't eat TOO much! :)

We've been working nonstop lately, getting this adorable new BOM put together! The Baltimore Halloween Block of the Month runs from January to July. In each shipment you'll actually receive the materials to make 2 blocks, in order to get the quilt finished in time for Halloween! If you're interested in signing up, check out our website for our new online sign-up feature, and browse through some of our other BOMs!

Project of the Week: A High Calorie Treat

2008-11-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,
It's time for this week's project of the week! And what a sweet project it is. Pictured here is the Cupcake Pincushion by Portabellopixie, the High Calorie size. Included in the pattern is the High Calorie version, as well as the Low Calorie version (smaller in size) and a tutorial for creating Rolled Roses. A quick and easy project (and tasty!), you could whip a few up and display them on a decorative cake plate. Patterns are available in the store, come down and pick out your cupcakes!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...

2008-11-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas is starting to sneak up on us, so we thought we'd better get our decorations up!

There are Christmas fabrics out this season to suit every style, from traditional to novelty to bright; we even have a line in the store for all you dog lovers!

We all know what it means when we start to see Christmas popping up in stores...it's time to get those Christmas projects finished! To help get that creativity flowing, we're starting a Project of the Week here on the blog. At the beginning of each week, we'll be posting new and fun projects that we're working on here at the store. This week's project is the Wine Gift Bag from Valori Wells' book, Sew Easy Lifestyle. The wine gift bag is quick and easy; perfect for a last-minute gift!

Blossoms of Friendship Blog Moved

2008-11-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

Hi there!

The blog for the new Blossoms of Friendship block of the month has been moved. It can now be found at inbetweenstitchesbom.blogspot.com.

Sorry for any confusion!

New Block of the Month

2008-11-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Hi friends,
We've been busy bees over here at the shop, doing some fall cleaning and prepping for the start of our new block of the month! The "Blossoms of Friendship" block of the month is starting this month, and runs for a year. We still have a few spots open, so if you're interested come on in or give us a call to sign up!
Lynn is putting this BOM together, and she's set up a blog for those who are working on the quilt. She'll be posting photos of each block as it comes out, as well as helpful hints and words of encouragement. She'll be writing her first post tonight or tomorrow, check it out at http://inbetweenstitchesbom.blogspot.com.

In other news, we just received Verna Mosquera's new line of fabric, Savon Bouquet, which she used in her new pattern, Jardin de Roses. Both are on display, so come take a peek!

Leslie is working on getting our holiday display window set up; it should be up in the next week or two. We'd love to see what kind of fun winter crafts our friends are working on, feel free to bring them in for a show and tell!

See you soon!
Holly

Mid October Already!

2008-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Well, it was starting to feel like fall, but now the sun is shining and it is warm out!
We are back from Pacific International Quilt Festival. It was a great show! Congrats to all of you who had quilts featured in the show. Leslie and I enjoyed viewing all of the quilts, some are just amazing! Did you see the quilt made with 1/4 hexagons from Japan. It was a large Rose and it was just amazing! I can't imagine making anything with such small pieces.

While we were gone at the show, there were many boxes that arrived. Holly and Leslie put out some new colors of DMC Pearl Cotton, Batik fabrics, and more! Come in to see all that is new.

The new line of fabric Providence by Jo Morton has arrived. We have been busy making fat quarter bundles! The fabrics are just wonderful with some great paisleys.

Have you started to think about the holidays? This Snowman Quilt Panel is super cute and a great project to make for a special someone. It is quick and easy. Add some quilting and it is done.

This year Leslie and I won't be attending Fall Quilt Market, but don't worry many of our favorite vendors have already shipped us their new patterns and books. We will update you as new ones arrive.

Anka's Treasures has shipped us her newest Little Charmer Table Runner patterns, we now have in stock Little Charmer 5 and 6. Also, her new book Livin' Large which has many great quilt patterns that are perfect for those large scale fabrics.

PIQF, here we come!

2008-10-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hi friends,

We just finished loading up the van, and we're heading out to the Pacific International Quilt Festival at the Santa Clara Convention Center. We'll be out there Wednesday through Sunday, with all kinds of fun stuff to browse over!

As you can see, Justin is very excited!

See you there!

In Stitches,

Holly

Recently Finished Projects!

2008-09-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

Here are a few of the projects we've been working on over here...
Lynn just finished her grandson's quilt, using the pattern "Play Time" by American Jane. Last Monday, when it was hanging in our classroom, it drew lots of attention and praise! We're currently working on putting together some starter "inspiration" kits.

Holly just finished making Amy Butler's Birdie Sling, and it's turning out to be a great bookbag for school. There's plenty of room inside to hold her books and laptop, and with a few alterations to the pockets, it keeps her pens and planner organized neatly. The Birdie Sling makes for a great, easy weekend project!
We hope you're finding the inspiration and creativity to finish up your own projects! Here at the store, we love to see what wonderful projects our friends are working on or finishing, so bring them on down! :)

In Stitches,
The Gang

In the works for a long time!

2008-09-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Well we are excited, it is finally here...the online sales have started! Holly has been busy working to load inventory in the website. It has been a learning experience for sure! Keep in mind this is a work in progress, we have many great things in store for you. Be sure to check back often.

Quilting in the Garden at Alden Lane Nursery is coming up soon, be sure to mark your calendar for this great event. Saturday-Sunday September 27-28 at Alden Lane, for more details visit www.aldenlane.com

In Stitches,
Leslie and Melissa

Introducing Us!

2008-08-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Hello! In Between Stitches is a full service quilt store, located in Livermore, CA. We opened the shop February 14, 2002, and the last 6 1/2 years have just flown by. Let us introduce ourselves to you - Leslie Emery (the new grammie of Maurice) and Melissa Emery are the shop owners.

Over the years we have added many Friends to our staff. Let us introduce them to you:
Dee Christopher (Dr D, Color Coordinator)
Erica
Lisa (Quilt Bug)
Tina
Lori
Paulette
Lynn
Holly
and Harley (THE Official Greeter).

The shop is "A Place Where Friendships Grow", and a great place to find all styles of fabric, notions, kits, books, patterns and gifts. Our goal in opening the shop was to serve all quilters. We offer Batiks, Reproduction 1930's, Florals, Solids, Retro, and Novelty fabrics. The types of projects on display range from Baby Clothes, Purses, Quilts, Tablerunners, Aprons, Skirts, and more.

We welcome you into our shop and can't wait to see you!

In Stitches,

The Gang at In Between Stitches