Happy Tuesday!

How are you all doing on this beautiful Tuesday? I'm enjoying some nice weather here (so unusual). The mold, tree and grass counts are ultra high but I have Allegra! Ha! So lately I know I've been sharing a lot about what the shop is doing because that has been most of my activity--with a little sewing thrown in. I did want to tell you about something I've been using that I just love! It's Lori Holt's Seam Guide:

It is so awesome! It fits on your sewing machine bed and attaches with little removable glue dots so you can take it off if you need to. Those 3 straight lines make it possible to sew triangles and corner squares without marking! You just follow the lines and NO marking!

 I don't know about you but it makes it a lot faster for me. Another thing is that you can follow the line on the right and get a perfect seam allowance. Yes, you can buy these seam guides other places but we have all the colors and a great price and you can buy them HERE. They come in red, aqua, green and pink.

I think this is a perfect gift for your quilting and sewing friends or for a guild secret Santa! And I couldn't go without giving you an update on Blossom. She is a spunky, adorable little girl! 

She's been to the groomer who evened up her hair and it's growing back in pretty quickly. 

You can see what a large area was affected but now there is inch-long sort of sparse hair growing there. Most of the hair on her tail is gone but I still think she looks adorable. Have a wonderful day! XO and cheery wave from Bev

September Block for Stash Bee and a 20% Off Sale!

Is everyone ready for the weekend? I've been busy but don't have anything finished. I did finish the block for September Stash Bee.

If you don't know what that is, when you join a Bee, you commit for a year to make a request block each month for one of the other members. The member tells you exactly what she wants and gives a tutorial for it. So at the end of the year, everyone has 11 blocks from other members. So I'm telling you all this because they are taking sign ups for 2016 and they fill up and close it before you know it! You can take a look and sign up HERE. 

More exciting news! This weekend we are doing a 20% off sale in the Etsy shop. It applies to everything except pre-orders. We have tons of new fabric including Hello Darling and Farmhouse! Well, have a great weekend! Cheery wave from Bev

X and Plus to Empty the Scrap Basket and a WINNER!

Good morning! I don't know about you but I have tons of scrap bags and baskets that are full to overflowing. When working on a quilt top and my scrap basket by the sewing machine falls over and scraps go everywhere. I just grab them up and make blocks. These are X and Plus blocksTaDah!

I don't even pay attention to matching colors. It's such an easy, fun block to do. It's so busy that these blocks will probably need a dark sashing though. I've seen this block done by tons of people and some are selling the pattern. There are also free patterns if you google them. 

Now for the winner of the Cozy Afternoon Giveaway by Jacquelynne Steves! The winner is:

Michelle who said:

"Thanks for being part of the blog hop and for the giveaway!"

Thanks to everyone who entered! Don't forget Jacquelynne's  Sew Along Day! She will be giving away prizes, including yardage of the fabrics she designed and much more. It's a chance for everyone to catch up on their blocks because next month we put the quilt together! 

Have a great day! XO and Cheery wave from Bev

Sunday and a Little Hourglass Tutorial with NO Matching!

Hello! It's just noon on Sunday and I'm stitching happily while watching Monarch of the Glen. It's a wonderful BBC show that is lots of fun to watch. I'm on Season 3 and it just gets better and better. The scenery is gorgeous too. We are having an Instagram giveaway right now for 4 charm packs from Hello Darling (just go to Instagram and type in @44thstreetfabric to enter). Someone asked me what you could do with a charm pack. Here's one thing that I like to do. Just sew 4 charms together in a 4 patch. I use spray starch to help prevent stretching of bias edges. I press each set of 2 squares in opposite directions and then press the center seam open so it lays nice and flat.

 

I have a 9.5" Omnigrid square ruler but any square ruler will do. I don't know if you can see but there is a diagonal yellow line running right down the middle of the ruler. I center that line on the block and put the tip of the ruler on the top center seam.

Make sure that the edges of the ruler are on the center seam edges at the sides. Then cut off the corners. 

Turn the square over and line up the center diagonal line on the ruler again, making sure that the ruler touches the corners of the block.

Then make your second trim. 

Line up the diagonal line on the ruler on the block and see how close it is to 6.5". If it is off by a smidge, square it up now, always keeping the diagonal center line of the ruler on the block. Sewing 4 of these together makes a 12.5" block that you can use however you want.

And you have the triangles left over to stitch together into 20 half-square triangles! Trim the half square triangles to 4" x 4".

There are 40 charm squares in the Hello Darling charm packs so you can make 10 squares from one pack. Alternating with the triangle squares, you can make a lovely table runner from just one charm pack. I hope you like this little tutorial. If you don't have any charm squares, we have them in the shop. I have other fun things I do with charm squares that I'll share here later. Happy Sunday! XO from Bev

ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!

Hello! How about another giveaway! We're having a Giveaway on Instagram! Have you tried Instagram yet? Our Instagram name is 44thstreetfabric and we are giving away 4 (that's right - 4!) Hello Darling Charm Packs!

There are 40 5" squares in each charm pack so you can do some serious sewing and quilting! So please visit us on Instagram and enter. Don't forget to enter the Cozy Afternoon Giveaway too! Have a great Wednesday! XO from Bev

Cozy Afternoon FREE BOM - BLOCK 5 and a GIVEAWAY!

It's here!! Cozy Afternoon BOM Block 5 AND a Giveaway! The Cozy Afternoon quilt is from fabric and quilt designer Jacquelynne Steves! It's a versatile, easy and fun quilt that includes 3 ways to finish your blocks. You can piece them using a plain fabric square in the middle, applique them or embroider them. Jacquelynne provides a video tutorial for the two stitches that are used for the easy embroidery so it's a great chance to learn! This BOM has gone on for 5 months and included the pattern for each block, plus the border and finishing instructions that are given at the end. Imagine curling up in front of the fire with this quilt, a good book and a cup of tea or giving it to a family member or special friend. Perfect! Jacquelynne has even done quilt labels for this little project or any other!

This month, you get the free pattern for Block 5. Here's mine:

 

It's a terrible photo but best I could do today. I photographed my block on the floral fabric that I am going to use for the border and the large setting squares just so you could see where I got my color inspiration. I decided to use raw edge applique for my blocks. I did embroider the little antenna on the butterfly but you can barely see it. I dropped my camera and had to use my phone camera. If you haven't already signed up, it isn't too late! Click on Jacquelynne's link and you will get all 5 patterns if you need them. These blocks stitch up quickly so you should be able to easily catch up! And she's having a day to catch up!

There will be giveaways, prizes and all sorts of fun activities. You can catch up, make extra blocks and win some cool stuff!
To get your block pattern Five, just visit Jacquelynne's website HERE, enter your email and click to sign up. That's it! Jacquelynne is also the editor of a gorgeous emagazine and it's FREE too! You can sign up for it while you're there. And, just when you thought you couldn't take any more FREE fun, there's more! Just leave a comment on my blog and you will be entered to win the beautiful free patterns shown below

that you can only get directly from Jacquelynne! Because these are electronic patterns, my blog friends from all over the world can enter! Jacquelynne will send the patterns to the winner during the week of August 21st. The giveaway is open until September 20th. The winner will receive the free patterns the next week directly from Jacquelynne. The ONLY way you can get these patterns is to enter the giveaway on my blog and on the blogs of the other quilters who are hosting the giveaway and showing you their versions of the blocks! Here's a list of participating bloggers. Be sure to visit them to see how they are doing their Cozy Afternoon blocks.

A Quilt and a Prayer 
 Lily Pad Quilting 
Red Letter Quilts 
The Crafty Quilter
Kathy's Quilts 

Be sure to join the fun on Jacquelynne's blog and enter to win prizes there too!

 You can see Jacquelynne's quilt labels and note cards from this QAL! They are adorable!

So leave a comment on my blog to get the free patterns and be sure and go to Jacquelynne's blog to join the fun on the "Catching Up Sew Along Day"! This is the last block. Next time we finish the top! Cheery wave from Bev!

FINALLY!

Good morning! I don't know if anyone else has had this problem but I haven't been able to access Blogger for forever! It seems like I'm supposed to let my European followers know that this site uses cookies AND what type they are. The notice I read says that Blogger will put up that notice for me. I was glad and went on my merry way because I have NO idea what cookies are even on here. Well, apparently that notice has an expiration date. I wasn't able to get onto Blogger until I put up the correct notice. Finally, I found a place that had a bunch of code for this and I just picked one and entered it. Nothing happened. Then I entered the next one and, ta dah! I'm in! I have no idea what the first bit of code did. I don't want to know. I just want to be able to put up my blog posts and go on! I don't even know if my European blogging friends care about the cookies on my Blogger. Well, for now, I'm in! I've been working on many things this week and taking care of Blossom. She is adorable and is starting to look better now. I'll take photos soon! Jen came up with something fun to do for the shop. We are doing a pick your own Farm House bundle! Just pick what you want from the yardage we were able to get:

You can find that HERE! Also, we have chosen our winners for the beautiful patterns from our friend, Cheryl, at Meadow Mist Designs: Congratulations to:

Jacklynn wrote:

I really like Cheryl's Charming quilt pattern, that would be awesome with the Hello Darling layer cake! Thanks for the chance to win!

 

Laura wrote:

 

I have a jelly roll ready to use my favorite On a Jelly roll.

Bobbie wrote:

Only pick one? Making things difficult today :) I like them all. Charming is charming, on a Jelly roll is adorable, plus plus gets an Aplus!  

Ladies please email me at: bev@44thstreetfabric.com with your addresses and I'll send your prize! Thanks for entering everyone! We are putting up another giveaway tomorrow! Be sure to visit! I'm so glad to be back! Cheery wave from Bev XO

More and More Giveaways!

Happy Saturday and Labor Day Weekend! We are celebrating the holiday weekend with our Instagram Giveaway (44thstreetfabric is our Instagram name) where you can win a Hello Darling Layer Cake and Jelly Roll! Well, guess who else is having a giveaway? Our friend and fabulous designer, Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs! She is giving away one of our Hello Darling Layer Cakes and Jelly Rolls! And WE are giving away 3 of her patterns! We are carrying her patterns and have the giveaway patterns listed in our Etsy Shop plus we've listed other patterns by Cheryl that you are going to just love! Take a look! First we're giving away her pattern Charming:

It's an easy and fun quilt in 3 sizes that is charm square and layer cake friendly! I love the graphic look! Another lucky blog buddy will win On A Jelly Roll:

Make this quilt from some of those jelly rolls you've been hoarding! It contains instructions for 3 sizes! I want to make this one from Hello Darling! And our third winner will get a pattern to make the Plus Plus quilt! It is my favorite and I'm going to make one!

It's a fat quarter friendly quilt. Here it is in the bright colors that you know I love! And here it is in a different, modern version:

To win, leave a comment letting us know which of Cheryl's patterns is your favorite! We will pick winners and announce them on the 13th. You'll find a lot of her other patterns in our Etsy shop and you are sure to find several you want. After you enter our giveaway, go to Cheryl's blog, Meadow Mist Designs and enter her giveaway for Hello Darling HERE! It's a giveaway palooza! Cheery wave from Bev!

Introducing Blossom

Good Morning! I have some news! One of the local rescues called me and told me that they had a little dog that desperately needed to be in a home. She is a 2 year old Shih Tuz who weighs in at 10 pounds. Her name is Blossom and here is her photo:

As you can see, she hasn't been to the groomer yet but I think she is adorable! I miss Lola like crazy and still cry about her almost every day but it is wonderful to have this little soul with me. She has a serious skin condition that has to be treated so she needs me. Sorry but isn't she cute? She is funny and spunky and I am in love with her. Are you ready for your Labor Day weekend? Don't forget that we are having a HUGE sale at the Etsy shop! All yardage is $8.99 or less and many of the precuts are on sale! So hope your weekend includes sewing and quilting! XO from Bev and Blossom 

An Instagram Giveaway!

Hello everyone! For anyone who is on Instagram, we are having a Giveaway to celebrate the fact that Bev figured out how to put an account on Instagram for 44th Street Fabric! Just go to 44thstreetfabric on Instagram and like the post, become a follower and invite a friend to enter the Giveaway! The prizes will be a Hello Darling layer cake and a Hello Darling jelly roll! 

If you aren't on Instagram, we will shortly be announcing another giveaway with one of our friends and a great pattern designer! So be sure to check back here this weekend! And be sure to visit the Etsy Shop for the fabulous Labor Day sale that starts tonight and ends at midnight on 9/7/15. We will have the following on sale!

Bloom & Bliss yardage  Regular $9.99  Sale: $7.99 
Flutterberry yardage  Regular $9.99 Sale $7.99
Flutterberry Fat Quarter Bundle  Regular $54  Sale $45
Just Dreamy 2 Fat Quarter Bundle  Regular $54 and Sale $45
Summer Song 2 Fat Quarter Bundle Regular $62 Sale $53
All other fabric yardage: $8.99 per yard!

It's a celebration! And tomorrow I'm introducing a special someone to you, my blog friends! XO from Bev

Here's What I'm Making with the Christmas Fabric from the Shop

Hi guys! Hope you've had a wonderful weekend. Mine has been full of surprises and quirks. Remember the pieces I cut for a Christmas quilt? Here is one block of the Christmas Wreath quilt. 

I don't know if you can see it, but there is a big wreath connecting the little wreaths. You might have to squint-hehe. You should be able to see it better when I get more blocks finished. Anyway, it's a fun block to make. I've watched the movies Leap Year and If I Stay while I'm sewing. Are you making any Christmas projects yet? I started early because we've gotten so many red and green fabrics in the shop. It's made me think of cold weather. It's probably just around the corner! Let me know what you've been up to and visit again soon! We are going to have a great giveaway! XO from Bev

Just a Quick Note!

Hi guys! How is everyone? I've been cutting Christmas fabrics (or red and green fabrics) to make mini-bundles for the shop. So I decided to make a quick top for the holiday since I was lugging bolts around and cutting fabric for the shop anyway. Well, as usual, it probably won't be the quick top I intended.

Can't wait to show you. I had to stop sewing for a little while and get up and move around. It's so funny, I sound more and more like my Grandmother! So can you tell what I'm making? I'm now off to lay on the couch. I know you wish your life was as exciting as mine....Have a great day tomorrow! XOXO

Uggg.....

Hi everyone! I'm sorry I've been a bad blogging friend lately. I've been so sad since Lola died. I miss her so much. The house is super quiet. I keep seeing things that remind me of her. I guess I could write every day but everyone would quit following and visiting me because it would be such a downer. I've had a few bright spots though. My friend Annette came over last Thursday and we hung out and went to lunch. She petted the fabric for the shop while she was here. We've gotten a lot of new fabrics in so it's kept me busy which is a real blessing. You can see them at the Etsy shop.

 And I made a block for the Stash Bee for August. It's a group with "hives" of 12 quilters. Each month we make blocks requested by one of the members of our hive and send them to her. At the end of the year, we each have 11 blocks from the other members. This month we made Offset Log Cabin blocks in a bright color of our choosing and low volume fabrics. All the hive members put up tutorials so it's a  fun place to get free quilt patterns and see how they look made up in a variety of fabrics. They will be signing up for 2016 soon if you're interested! Thanks to all of you for putting up with me being so sad. Thanks for your support! It makes a tough time a lot easier! XO from Bev

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Hello everyone! I've just been notified by Jacquelynne that the winner of the Cozy Afternoon Giveaway is Margaret! She said the following in her comment:

"love the block, must get motivated, mine are partly cut out so part way there! Is that a Kaffe Fasset fabric you are using for the background?"

Margaret wins these patterns from Jacquelynne Steves:

I know she will make something beautiful! And, Margaret, the answer to your question and the questions of some of the other entrants is that the fabric used for the background is from Mary Engelbreit. She's one of my favorites! The other fabrics are from the shop. Thanks to everyone who entered! The shop will have a giveaway soon so watch for that.

I would also like to thank everyone who sent me lovely notes and emails about Lola. It has been very hard on me. I haven't been without a dog in the house since I left home at 18. It is so quiet. I keep thinking I hear Lola or Charlie and I keep seeing things that belonged to her. Seeing her little coat hanging on the rack by the back door made me dissolve in a blubbering mess yesterday. This was a devastating loss for me. My heart actually aches. I know all of you who have pets understand. So thank you---every sweet message meant the world to me. I love you guys! XO Bev

R.I.P. LOLA

I lost my little Lola today. My heart ripped in half. Lola was the sweetest, funniest girl ever.

Cozy Afternoon FREE BOM - BLOCK 4 and a GIVEAWAY!

It's here!! Cozy Afternoon BOM Block 3 AND a Giveaway! The Cozy Afternoon quilt is from fabric and quilt designer Jacquelynne Steves! It's a versatile, easy and fun quilt that includes 3 ways to finish your blocks. You can piece them using a plain fabric square in the middle, applique them or embroider them. Jacquelynne provides a video tutorial for the two stitches that are used for the easy embroidery so it's a great chance to learn! This BOM goes for 5 months and includes the pattern for each block, plus the border and finishing instructions that are given at the end. Imagine curling up in front of the fire with this quilt, a good book and a cup of tea or giving it to a family member or special friend. Perfect!

This month, you get the free pattern for Block 4. Here's my Block Four:

I photographed my block on the floral fabric that I am going to use for the border and the large setting squares just so you could see where I got my color inspiration. I decided to use raw edge applique for my blocks. I did embroider the little antenna on the bird.

How cute is this little bird! I'll be doing some embellishment after I quilt it. If you haven't already signed up, it isn't too late! Click on Jacquelynne's link and you will get all 4 patterns if you need them. These blocks stitch up quickly so you should be able to easily catch up!

To get your block pattern, just visit Jacquelynne's website HERE, enter your email and click to sign up. That's it! Jacquelynne is also the editor of a gorgeous emagazine and it's FREE too! You can sign up for it while you're there. And, just when you thought you couldn't take any more FREE fun, there's more! Just leave a comment on my blog and you will be entered to win these beautiful free patterns that you can only get directly from Jacquelynne! Make a Mad About You quilt or Sun Blossom Tote Bag. I love these!

 Because these are electronic patterns, my blog friends from all over the world can enter! Jacquelynne will send the patterns to the winner during the week of August 17th. The giveaway is open until August 16th. The winner will receive the free patterns the next week directly from Jacquelynne. The ONLY way you can get these patterns is to enter the giveaway on my blog and on the blogs of the other quilters who are hosting the giveaway and showing you their versions of the blocks! Here's a list of participating bloggers. Be sure to visit them to see how they are doing their Cozy Afternoon blocks.

A Quilt and a Prayer Lily Pad Quilting    Red Letter Quilts  The Crafty Quilter
Kathy's Quilts 

 Something to brighten your Monday! Hope you enter! Cheery wave from Bev 

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

The winner of our Milk, Sugar and Flower fat quarter giveaway is:

Jacklynn Grimm who said...

I really like the Fat Quarter Low Volume Fabric Bundle of Eight Hard to Find Fabrics News Print, I really don't have a lot of low volume and could use it! Like you I have a lot of bright fabrics. Thanks for the chance to win!  

Most of you said you wanted more low volume fabrics. We just listed quite a few and have more coming so be sure to check our Etsy shop! 

Thanks to everyone who entered! Stay tuned because we are going to have a LOT of giveaways in the future! Tomorrow is the Jacquelynne Steves Giveaway and new free pattern! Hope your weekend was happy! XO from Bev

Strep Throat Drama

Hi guys! Well, day before yesterday (I think), I started feeling really bad and my throat hurt. Yesterday I found out that I have strep throat. I got my antibiotic so will be fine but yuck! I'm thinking I'm too old for that stuff. I woke up at 2 AM and decided to make a block from some of the fabric just in at the shop. This is a 6" Tumbleweed block from Lori Holt's Farm Girl Friday QAL. 

It's a departure for me because it's soft, feminine colors from Bloom & Bliss. Did you notice the polka dot background fabric? We finally found some of it and bought 2 bolts! I think it's the most versatile background ever. By the time I was ironing my tiny block, I was feeling woozy so I gave up and went to bed. Tonight I feel some better but still feel like I could lay down and take a nap all the time. The really bad part is lugging Lola around. I'm glad she's still here to lug around though. So what's up for you this weekend? I'm going to try to get some sewing time in. Going to go to bed now though. It's already 7:20-lol! XO from Bev (and I hate to keep talking about the shop but Hello Darling will be here Monday)!

Love Entwined

Good morning! I've been swamped with projects and putting new fabric up in the Etsy shop. Take a look HERE! For some reason, even though I'm busy all day long, it's hard to get to sleep. So I pulled out the Love Entwined medallion block and thought it would be a good applique project to work on until I'm sleepy enough to crash for the night.

Well, it worked! I do one little thing on this block and can't keep my eyes open. Of course I have not much hope for getting it finished but the spirit is willing even though the body is weak. Here's what the finished quilt looks like. This is a free pattern by Esther Aliu. She's amazing.

See that little circle in the middle? That's how much I have completed. I wonder why I'm doing this...will I live long enough? Will I put it in the ufo pile again? I'm pretty sure the answer to that is yes-lol. You can't accuse me of not having ambition. So I wish I had more to share. I know you are sick of hearing about all the new fabrics in the shop but that's what I've been doing. We have most of Jeni Baker's new line, Curiosities. Her fabrics are yummy and I'm kind of in love with them.

She has great names for her fabrics, like Fireflys in a Jar. You probably can tell from my collage that the fabric on the left is little bunnies. She has bunnies in her garden and that was her inspiration for this line. Another favorite of mine is the Bloom & Bliss line. Look at the fat quarter pack...so adorable!

Don't forget to enter our Giveaway for 6 fat quarters of Milk, Sugar & Flower. You can enter HERE. 

Let's see, what else. Lola is still holding her own but I'm having to carry her around. She expects it now so this will probably go on for the rest of our lives. We are just two old ladies getting through the day-lol. Well, if you've read this far, accept my apology for such a boring post. My life is not glamorous right now. I'm sure that will change-hahaha. I'll soon be introducing you to Jennifer, my new partner. She's an amazing person and you guys will love her! Okay, I'll stop chatting and go do something productive. Let me know what you think of all our new fabrics! XO and cheery wave from Bev

Milk, Sugar & Flower Giveaway!

Jen and I have been super busy ordering fabrics for the shop and I think you'll love what's coming! We are getting fabric in every day this week! So, since I have no other news, I thought it would be a great idea to tell you that we are starting the first of the giveaways that we have planned! For our first Giveaway, we thought you would love a chance to win some of the Milk, Sugar & Flower fabric we have in the shop. I think the colors are luscious. 

Win a fat quarter of EACH of the fabrics shown! There are six fat quarters for a total of 1 and 1/2 yards of fabric! To enter, just go to our Etsy shop HERE and take a look. Then come back and leave a comment telling us what fabric you like best and what fabrics you would like us to stock. We will soon have pre-orders up in the shop as well as be stocking the new lines. And, we are still doing the free fat quarter with each yard purchased! There will be more fabric added every day. Jennifer and I want you to have fun and win some fabric! We will announce a winner next Sunday! Have a great weekend!