A note of thanks to all of our loyal customers!

Nothing lasts forever!  It is with mixed emotions that we have decided close Glad Creations sometime after the 1^st of the year.  We opened the shop in 1976.  That’s 42 years ago.  We never imagined that we would still be in business in 2018.  It has been a wonderful and fulfilling adventure.  We have become friends with so many people, worked with beautiful fabrics, learned new techniques and have loved inspiring and teaching others.  But we have decided that it’s time to turn the page to the next phase of our lives, retirement.  We talked to several quilters who wished to own a quilt shop.  Isn’t that everyone’s dream?  But as of now, nothing has worked out. 

Our plan is to run our shop as usual until the end of 2018.  We still have some classes coming up and new fabric coming in.  We have a huge shipment of Hoffman batiks on the way, some reorders of our Aboriginal prints and a new group from Moda called Voysey, based on some prints from the Victoria and Albert Museum.   We will start our liquidation sale on the 1^st of the year, during our annual New Year’s sale.  Our yearly staff quilt show “Our Color Story” will be on display from January 1 – 12.  Sad that this will be our last show!  What a wonderful staff we have been blessed with.   We plan to continue marketing the Glad Creations pattern line.  Final plans for how that will work are not yet determined. We will be working out the final liquidation details and will let you know of our plans through our E-mail updates and on our facebook page.  Be sure to follow us!

And a special word of thanks to all of you for your support and your friendship.  We have shared joys and sorrows, laughter and grieving with so many of you.  You have become like family.  We will miss you and can’t thank you enough for your friendship.

Nancy and Susan

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 16

Block 16 pattern

The last block!  When you finish this one you can start assembling your quilt.

Here's my fabric selection: 

• Roof & Chimney - Fur
• Roof small - Fur
• Tower - Cherry
• Windows - Creme
• Cross - Lustra
• House - Cherry

Assembling your quilt
If you haven't already printed out the instructions for assembling your quilt, use the link above to get there.  The instructions tell you the length to cut the sashing and borders.  Just a tip - measure your quilt rows before cutting the sashing strips.  If your rows turned out to be a different length than is listed on the pattern, change the length of the sashing strips accordingly.  Same with the border strips - measure your quilt, then cut the border strips to length. I'm sure you all know this but when sewing your sashing and borders - pin first, then sew.  This will all help you to end up with a nice flat finished quilt.

Have fun finishing up your quilt.  I'm sewing mine together and after quilting, we'll have it on display in the shop.

Thanks for playing along,

Nancy

Ruby Quilts at Glad Creations

Ruby - the gemstone for a 40th anniversary. Our staff challenge for 2016 was to make Ruby Quilts to honor our 40th Anniversary. Judging by the number of quilts that were turned in, everyone loved the idea.  Who knew there were so many different kinds of red! We've just completed hanging the show.  The quilts will be on display through January 11, 2017.  It's a great show!  Stop in to see it if you can - or enjoy our slide show.
Nancy

Make your own free picture slideshow

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 15

 Block 15 pattern

Note as you get started on this block: Be sure to follow the piecing sequence for the roof sections. The first step is to add the 2-3/4" background squares onto each end of the 14" x 2-3/4" roof section with a diagonal seam. Add the 14" x 7" roof section to the unit you've already sewn, then add the 7-1/2" background square to the roof section.  This technique make the upper roof section float a bit.

Here's my fabric selection using the Moda Grunge bundle 

• Roof - Gris
• House - Rose
• Pinwheel Dark - Raspberry
• Pinwheel Light - Creme
• Tree - assorted Greens and Teals
• Tree Trunk - Fur

Keep having fun! Only one block left to go when you've completed this one!
Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 14

  Download block 14

This week's block is a quick one.  If you've been keeping up, you're almost done!  Here's a tip: after you sew the half-square triangle units that make the sail, square them up to 6-1/4" from raw edge to raw edge.  They'll fit perfectly into your block.

Here's my fabric selection using the Moda Grunge bundle:

• Flag - Geranium 
• Sails - Kraft
• Mast - Fur; 
• Boat - Eggplant
• Waves and Water - Sky

Keep quilting,
Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 13

Download block #13

Today's tip: Be sure to follow the instructions for making the leaves (step 2) so you have mirror image leaves.  Some of us might have been hurrying along too much and made all of the leaves facing
the same direction.
Oh well, it didn't take to long to fix it.

Here's my fabric selection for those of you following along with the Moda Grunge fabric selection:

• Leaves - Decadent
• Flowers - Sunflower for the larger circle and Raspberry for the center 
• Roof - Papaya 
• Half-square triangles - Papaya 
• House - Vert
• Windows - Creme
• Bird applique: Beak - Sunshine; Body & Tail - Cobalt; Wing - Sky; Eye - Eggplant

Have fun!

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 12

Download Block #12

You'll have this block together in no time!  It's just a couple of quick nine-patches featured in a large four-patch block.

Here's my fabric selection if you're following along with our Moda Grunge bundle:

• House Roof - Eggplant 
• Houses - Jade 
• Chimneys - Kraft
• Nine-patches - Aqua - I used background for the light squares in the nine-patches as listed in the cutting instructions.

Keep working on your blocks! Only 4 more to go when you've finished your nine-patch house.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 11

Download block 11 here.

These are fun, quick houses to stitch up.  I think they look a bit like colorful beach cabanas.

Here's my fabric selection:

• Houses are Papaya, Rose, Prussian Blue, Raspberry, Spearmint and Hyacynth.
• Roofs are Gris, Eggplant, another Gris, Cobalt, Cherry and Papaya.
• Windows (or doors) are Creme.

There are only 5 blocks left to go.  I hope you're all having fun and are getting lots of blocks made. Here's a link to the setting instructions if you'd like to start sewing rows together as you get your blocks done.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 10

Download block 10 here

Love the star on this house, and notice how cleverly it's made. The star floats just a bit so you won't loose your star-points when you piece the house together. 

My fabric selection: 

• Tree - Jade (or do multiple green and turq. if you wish)
• Tree Trunk - Fur
• Star - Eggplant
• House Roof - Lustra 
• House - Elafin

Bird applique: Beak - Sunshine; Body & Tail - Cobalt; Wing - Sky; Eye - Eggplant

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 9

 Download Block 9 here

This was a fun house to make and once the bow tie blocks were done, it went together really fast. It reminds me of a castle.  I hope you're all having as much fun as I am stitching this neighborhood.

My fabric selection:

• House Roof - Prussian Blue 
• Bowties - Hyacynth 
• Wondows - Creme 
• House - Lustra.

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 8

Download block 8 here.

When you finish this house you'll be halfway through the blocks for this quilt.  Isn't that just the point where you get overly confident and think you don't really have to look at the pattern?  Look at it. I sewed the flag parts together the wrong way and had to think a bit, then rip a bit.  If you're following the pattern, I'm sure you won't do that!  

There's a bit of applique for the flower on this block.  I'm doing satin stitch machine applique. You can also do raw edge applique by just sewing a straight stitch around the edge of the pieces after fusing them in place. If you enjoy hand applique, that's a great technique. Choose the technique you like best. 

My fabric selection: 

• Leaves - Spearmint 
• Flower - Sunflower & Eggplant
• Roof - Hyacynth 
• Flag - Geranium 
• Flag Pole -Gris 
• Window - Creme 
• House - Cobalt

Enjoy your stitching!

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 7

Welcome back to the Neighborhood.  Aren't these houses fun?!  You can download Block 7 here.

You'll be making flying geese units to assemble this house.  Following the pattern instructions, you'll make the flying geese units using 5" x 2-3/4" rectangles and 2-3/4" squares.  This technique works great but if you have another technique you like, go ahead and do that.  The finished geese units will be 4-1/2" x 2-1/4" (5" x 2-3/4" including seam allowances).

Here my fabric selections if you're following along with the Moda Grunge fabrics:

• Tree - assorted greens and turquoises
• Tree Trunk - Fur
• House Roof and Chimney - Papaya
• House - Sunflower
• Flying Geese Dark - Geranium
• Flying Geese Medium - Rose

I hope you're all having fun.  

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 6

This looks like it could be the apartment building on the block.  Love the fancy tiles!

Take your time with the tiles on the house.  The pattern instructions are great. Just follow along for a simple way to make these square-in-a-square units.

You can download the pattern for Block #6 here.

My fabric selection for those of you following along with the Moda Grunge fabrics:

• House Rooftops - Jade
• Tiles - Sunflower
• Windows - Creme
• House - Decadent

Check out our facebook page - I've posted some picture of Neighborhood blocks done in different fabrics.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 5

Block #5 is a valentine house! Have you been thinking about who's living in each house as you make it?  I wonder who would be living in this cute house.
Download the pattern for block #5 here.

My fabric selection:

• House - Duchess
• Roof and Chimney - Rose
• Heart - Cherry
• Bird - Sunflower beak, Cobalt body & tail, Sky wing and a bit of Eggplant for the eye.

The pattern had a neat way of doing the chimney.  Follow the step by step diagrams and it will turn out great!

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 4

Here's this weeks addition to the Neighborhood.  I think you'll find that this house goes together pretty quickly.  Download the pattern here.

You'll be making 3 quarter-square-triangle units for the foundation of this house.  You can cut the 5-1/4" squares into triangles as listed in the pattern or use another quarter-square-triangle technique if you like.

Another note - when you make the connector corners for the large roof, save the big triangles that you cut off.  You'll be able to use those to cut some smaller pieces on future blocks.

Here's my fabric selection for those of you following along with the Moda Grunge fabrics:

• House Roof Large and House Roof Small - Cherry
• Quarter-Square Triangles - Aqua
• House - I used Elafin for the house except for the two 5-1/4" squares.  I cut those squares from Kelp.
• Window - Creme

I'd love to see some photos of your finished blocks.  You can email them or post them on our facebook page.  Have fun!  

Nancy 

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 3

Isn't this a fun house with the mailbox and the cute bird sitting on the roof? Go to our web site to download the pattern for block #3.

You'll have a little bit of applique to do this time.  The pattern notes that the bird pattern pieces are "not reversed". If you're doing hand applique, you can make pattern pieces and use them right side up.  If you're doing fusible machine applique, flip your pattern pieces over when you mark on your fusible product.  Your bird will end up facing the same direction as shown on the picture of the block.  Save your pattern pieces - you'll be making 3 more birds on future blocks. Some face right, others face left.

Be sure to watch the layout diagram as you assemble the mailbox.  

The pattern shows a little circle on the front of the mailbox. I thought it made it look like a birdhouse instead of a mailbox. You choose.

For those of you following my color placement, here it is:

• House - Sky
• House roof - Kraft
• Mailbox front - Kraft
• Mailbox side & pole - Fur
• Mailbox roof - Geranium
• Windows - Creme
• Flag - Sunflower
• Flag pole - Gris
• Bird applique - yellow beak; cobalt body & tail; light blue wing; eggplant eye

Have lots of fun.  I have my first 4 blocks on display at the shop. Stop by and see them if you have a chance.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 2

Here's my block 2 for Moda's Be My Neighbor quilt.  It looks to me like it's a barn with a quilt painted on the side. Pick up your pattern for block 2 here.  I hope you're all having fun!

Here are the fabrics I used in my block.
I divided up the house color a little differently than listed in the pattern.

• House:

1 - 9-1/2" x 3-1/4" rectangle - Geranium
1 - 9-1/2" x 2-1/4" rectangle - Geranium
4 - 5" x 2" rectangles - Geranium
2 - 3-7/8" squares - Decadent
4 - 2-3/8" squares - Decadent

• House roof - Fur
• Pinwheel - Jade
• Pinwheel Points - Purssian Blue
• Tower - Papaya
• Tower Roof - Lustra
• Tower Chimney - Lustra

Remember to share photos of your blocks as you finish them.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor - Block 1

Here's my first block for Moda's "Be My Neighbor" quilt.  You can pick up your block pattern from our web site here.
Each week I'll be posting the selection of Moda Grunge fabrics that I've used in my block. I'll also let you know if I have any tips for cutting and assembling the block.

My fabric selection for block 1:

• House - Geranium
• Windows - Creme
• Roof & Chimneys - Fur
• Tree - I used assorted greens, aqua and jade. The trunk is Fur.

This week I have a few tips for cutting for scrappy blocks.

• Background - you'll be cutting lots of different size squares and rectangles from your background fabrics.  It made sense to me to cut a strip across the width of the fabric for each size needed.  I then cut the squares and/or rectangles needed and labeled the leftover strip with it's width.  That makes it easy when you're working on the next block to pick up the size strip that you need. 
• I am using the same approach to cutting for the house and trees.  I've cut strips in the sizes needed. cut off the squares or rectangles listed and saved the leftover ends for future blocks.  Don't worry about direction unless you have an obviously directional fabric.  For example: cutting the pieces for this first house, I cut the 2 - 12-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangles and 3 - 2-1/2" x 7-1/2" rectangles from strips cut 2-1/2" x width of fabric.
• I'm using "Creme" for windows in most of the blocks.  Most of the windows in future blocks are also 3-1/2" squares so if you cut a 3-1/2" strip, you'll use it again.

I know many of you are planning to select fabrics from your stash as you go.  We'd love to see how your blocks are coming along!  Post a picture to our facebook page or send me an email and I'll put together an album for each block.

Nancy

Moda's Be My Neighbor

When I saw Moda's Neighborhood quilt, I knew I had to make it. Anyone want to do it with me?

It's a quilt-a-long from the creative folks at Moda Fabrics.

Monday September 19, we'll begin posting the series of 16 free downloadable "blueprints" each Monday. They'll be on our web site as well as here on the blog. The project will run through January 2.  I'll also be sharing photos of my blocks as we go along.  I'm planning to make my quilt using Moda's Grunge line of fabrics. You can follow along with me (we'll be cutting bundles this week of the fabrics I'm using) or use your stash to make it all yours.

Are you ready to plan your quilt? Here's a link to the quilt layout so you can get started.

Nancy

Don't you love Show & Tell

Last month we enjoyed three Mystery Weekend sessions here at Glad Creations with a total of 55 participants!  What could be more fun. This was our 56th Mystery Weekend. Since we offer this workshop twice a year, that means we've been offering Mystery Weekends for over 25 years.  It's through these Mystery sessions that we've developed our line of over  90 patterns for bed size quilts.

One of our favorite parts of the weekends is the Show & Tell.  It's so much fun to see all of the finished quilts.  Of course, we see quite a few completed quilts from the previous two mysteries.  Sunburst was from our March 2015 session and Star-Crossed was from our session a year ago.  We also get to see quilts from some of our other patterns and many beautiful quilts from a variety of sources.  Congratulations to everyone who shared their wonderful quilts!

During the show & tell, we like to snap some photos so we can share all these great quilts in a slide show.  You'll see quilt names that are from our line of patterns as you look through the slides.  Enjoy the show!  Just so you know - you won't see the Mystery 56 quilt in the slide show.  Some folks are still working on the pattern in the Mystery by Mail format.  We don't want to spoil their surprise!

Just in case you haven't heard, we're making some changes to our weekend workshops.  Instead of Mystery Weekend, we'll be offering Not a Mystery - Weekend in our winter schedule.  This new workshop will run a lot like the Mystery Weekends.  The big change is that participants can work on any Glad Creations pattern.  We know that many of you have patterns you've been dreaming about starting or that you have been collecting fabric for.  Some of you might even have a couple of our kits waiting to be your next project. So, we think this newly designed class sounds like a lot of fun.  Plan on demos, show & tell, and fun sewing with others.

Another picture slideshow by Smilebox