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A hearty hello to all! It feels good, once again, with pen in hand to be “chatting” with some of my favorite people: quilters! I hope everyone survived March and used that stormy month to their advantage by working on new projects or finishing-up old ones.

Here, March was a flurry of quilting activity! There were samples to be stitched, “The Quilt” (Shop Hop ’08 quilt – thank you, Ginny Poplawski!!) and all kinds of quilting goodies to be made and organized all in preparation for the 3^rd Annual VT Shop Hop! And what a quilting event it was! We had over 300 quilters pass through our shop – one from as far away as Bermuda!! One “hopper”, Ginny Moody, shared with some of us how to spot and save “fabric money” – she checks the serial number of her one dollar bills and if the serial number starts with the letter “F” that’s fabric money! What a great idea!! Thank you, Ginny, for sharing that $ saving tip. I now look at one dollar bills in a whole new way! J

I don’t know about you, but this spring I’m just itchin’ to start cleaning and organizing up a storm! (and ladies, this is not like me… either age is catching-up or this winter was just way too long J.

So, back to the subject of hoeing-out and organizing “stuff” (read: fabric and all things quilting related). The following is a suggestion for organizing I have heard time and again, either on TV organizing shows or in magazine articles; when sorting things, make 3 piles: “Keep” “Get rid of” and “Unsure.” In this newsletter I’m going to focus on our “Get rid of” piles.

Let’s face it, we’ve all got those fabrics that cast some sort of blinding spell on us when we saw them and “just had to have them” – OR, we loved them when we bought them (what 5 – 10 years ago?) but now the styles and our tastes have changed. What to do?

1. You could always take your whole “get rid-of” pile and do just that – get rid of it (gasp!). Keeping in mind of course, what the organizing experts say: You can’t organize clutter. Get rid of the “clutter” and organize what’s left… hmmmm…makes sense. Still, this option might be a bit drastic. Let’s move onto option #2.

2. You could pack it all neatly away in a plastic bin. Then hide the bin and all of its contents in some deep, dark corner of your basement, hoping that it will be found someday by a descendent who thinks they’ve found the fabric mother lode! Okay, reality check: I can tell you right now, if my daughter happens to be my “lucky” descendent my goose is cooked! Not only will she not feel “lucky” about getting my “get rid of” fabrics, but she’ll curse me at my grave for leaving her such a mess!… L Option #2 is really not an option for me. And then there’s option # 3!

3. Option #3 is based on the tried & true theory that one quilter’s “trash” is another quilter’s “treasure!” This option is also the most fun! On Friday, May 30^th from 3pm – 7pm, you’re invited to Northland Quilts 1^st Ever Annual Stash Bash!

1. On any Thursday in May, anytime between 1pm – 6pm stop by Northland Quilts with any fabric you’d like to “trade-in.” Your fabric will be measured and you’ll receive “trash cash” in the amount of what you would pay for that fabric at Northland Quilts ($7.00/yd or $2.00/FQ – any size fabric 1/8^th of a yd or larger will be measured).

2. On Friday May 30^th, from 3pm-7pm, all “trash-to-treasure” fabric will be on display for “sale.” Have fun using your “trash cash” to “buy” from another quilter’s stash! Who knows? Maybe you’ll find that fabric you wished you had bought more of back when it was still available in the quilt shops…!

And of course we can’t shop on an empty stomach! Not to worry, Northland Quilts will be serving munchies, drinks and definitely something with a “hint” of chocolate! J So this year let spring cleaning be fun and exciting – out with the old and in with the “new”

(to you!). Sometimes all you need is a few fresh fabrics to revive your whole stash and inspire a new project. This is the most fun option of all 3! It’s also in keeping with Northland Quilts’ ’08 theme: “Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without!”

· Spare Change Quilt Pattern or Kit: This kit flew-off my table while vending at the St. Albans Quilt Show recently. This quilt top is so quick to put together (only 6 ½ hrs. from start – to- finish! Eleanor Burns, eat your heart out! J) that I’ve re-named it “Spare Time!” This pattern goes together so quickly and easily that you’ll have plenty of “spare time” to do other things! (Are there other things…? J)

· New Magazines! Northland Quilts is very excited to announce that it will be carrying both the Australian Country Threads Magazine, and the American Patchwork and Quilting Spring ’08 Quilt Sampler Magazine! Both magazines are due to arrive in the shop late April/early May – but don’t wait and risk not getting a copy! Pre-order your copies and save! Because I know both of these magazines are going to whiz right out of here (and at quilting events I’m scheduled to vend at during the month of May) I am encouraging you to pre-order your copy of either/or both of the magazines. As always, all new magazines are sold $1.00 off the cover price at Northland Quilts. PLUS, since April’s monthly shop coupon is $1.00 off any new quilt magazines, I will honor that coupon too – even if the magazine doesn’t arrive here until early May! So here’s the deal: Pre-order your copy of Australian Country Threads and/or American Patchwork & Quilting Spring ’08 Quilt Sampler and save $2.00 off the cover price of each magazine!! Tea & chocolate here we come! J

· New fabric due to arrive any day from MODA (of course!), Red Rooster, & The Buggy Barn from Henry Glass

· Anne O’Donnell has finished a Noah’s Ark wall-hanging and her sampler quilt top – both started years ago. “You go, girl!” J

· Michelle Rusin has been working on finishing a binding for a quilt she started quite a while ago.

· Ginny Poplawski has been impressing us all by continuing her work on her Dear Jane quilt.

It’s amazing how much you can accomplish at a regularly scheduled stitching time – not to mention all the fun! Please feel welcome to join us any Thursday between the hours of 1-6pm. Stay for as long or short as you’d like – every little bit helps to get the project done! J

1. I’m very excited to announce Northland Quilts 1^st ever “Junior Sewing Camp!” which will be taught by Laurette Allard! Laurette is currently teaching a sewing club for a group of 6^th grade girls at Barre Town Middle and Elementary School and by all accounts; the girls, adult volunteers, colleagues, is doing a fantastic job! Laurette comes very highly recommended, and I feel very fortunate to have her onboard to teach at “Northland Quilts Jr. Sewing Camp!”

Cost: $75.00/ girl & cost of required sewing book (the sewing book can be purchased at Northland Quilts at a 20% discount)

Think about how much quilting and sewing has meant to you in your life – wouldn’t it be wonderful to pass that on to a young lady who would love it, too! (Most schools, sadly, no longer teach these skills.)

2. Ami Simms Portable Workstation Class: Claire Graham-Smith will be “coaching/teaching” this fun and practical class. Claire took this class directly from Ami Simms herself and has loads of tricks and tips on how to make this portable sewing station. Claire has even taken this sewing station on post 9/11 flights. With good weather arriving and traveling increasing, it just makes sense to be able to take our projects along with us. I am looking forward to taking this class myself!

Class size: 6

· For more information, or to get on the class list, please call Northland Quilts at (802) 479-3282 or e-mail me at: fourps@aol.com

4. Quilt-As-You-Go Class: The goal of this class will be learning a method of quilting each section of a quilt, either by hand or machine, and then how to connect the sections of the quilt. Quilting in sections is much easier and more portable (hand quilting) then trying to quilt a whole top.

The project goal for this class will be to quilt and construct a wall hanging which will teach the techniques of quilting-as-you-go, joining quilted blocks, joining quilted rows and joining quilted borders. By the end of the class you will have the option of leaving your project as a wall hanging, or continuing on your own to turn it into a full size quilt.

Teacher: Kim Portalupi

Class size: 8

Class fee: $60.00, plus required project pattern @ 20% discount

Dates: Weds. Evenings 6pm-8pm; June 25^th, July 9^th, July 16^th, July 23, July 30 and Aug. 6th

February: Carol Fumigalli

You have both won a copy of American Patchwork & Quilting Quilt Pink magazine ~ incredible heartwarming & inspiring stories plus 9 scrappy patterns! Enjoy!

*Monthly Coupon books are available, free of charge, at Northland Quilts. Enjoy monthly savings and a chance at winning the monthly prize drawings.

Prize: Craft apron, FQ, Moda Charm Pack, Yankee Candle, yo-yo maker & scented sachet

Congratulations, ladies! And thank you all for participating in VT Shop Hop ’08!

Northland Quilts Return Hopper Special Prize Drawing: Prize: Portable Ott Lamp

* Lori Ploof – St. Albans, VT Congratulations, Lori! And thank you for your return visit! J

1^st Prize: A $500. VT Shop Hop Stash Cash certificate. – Janet Caldwell, Bridport, VT

2^nd Prize: A $200. VT Shop Hop Stash Cash certificate. – Judy Newton, Jericho, VT

3^rd Prize: A Huge “Quilter’s Basket” of fabric, notions, books, and more! – Carol Labonte, Randolph, VT

4^th Prize: A $100. VT Shop Hop Stash Cash certificate – Dean Fackler, Highgate Center, VT

5^th Prize: A “Quilter’s Basket” of fabric, notions, books & more! – Marie Miner, VT

6^th Prize: A “Quilter’s Basket” of fabric, notions, books & more! – Connie Reeder, Ft. Wayne, IN

“Congrats! One and All!! Thank you for “hopping” by during this years Vermont Shop Hop!!”

Okay, ladies, I think our “little” quilting chat has come to an end… (finally!?! LOL!)

Northland Quilts

Class size: 6

February: Carol Fumigalli

Northland Quilts Return Hopper Special Prize Drawing: Prize: Portable Ott Lamp

April/May Calendar @ Northland Quilts