Sew Many Stars

The newest Glad Creations pattern,"Sew Many Stars", is now available! We put Susan's Jewel Tone quilt on the pattern cover but if you stop in the shop you can also see Nancy's "Jo Morton" combo. The pattern includes instructions for the quilt in two sizes - 78" x 90" or 90" x 102". Our quilts shown in the photos are the smaller quilt. The larger size adds a strippy border. We'll have kits for both quilts up on the web site soon.
Keep an eye on Nathan's blog. He has his quilt top done and will be posting a photo soon. I saw it a couple days ago and it's fantastic!

Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

When we started our Sylvia's Bridal Sampler club a year and a half ago, it seemed that a quilt show in January 2012 was a long time away. Now it's just around the corner. We're having our last sessions of the club this coming Monday and Tuesday. The members have really stuck with it--although some of those blocks were really hard! If you don't know about the Sylvia's blocks, they are from the book Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini. There are 140 six inch blocks using a variety of techniques. I think we will have enough quilts in our show to put up 2 quilt displays. Our only criteria for displaying your quilt was that it had to be completely finished--quilted and bound. I think some of the members made all of the blocks and will have a bed sized quilt--some will be lap quilts or wallhangings. We'll have all the specifics for entering your quilt ready by next week. If anyone else has finished a Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Quilt or if you are not coming to the final club meeting, let us know so we can send you the entry information.

Several of the club members have used the classrooms to lay out their blocks and make their final decisions. It's been really fun to see the blocks in different fabrics. Both Nathan and Dee have posted photos on their blogs. Check them out--we have links to their blogs on this page.

I've made all of the 140 blocks--I guess that's the pressure of being in charge of the club. I might not use all of them in my quilt. Now to make the final decision--how to lay out the blocks. One bed-size quilt or 2 lap size? I've been playing with some different layouts. Should I use a straight setting with sashing?




















Or set my blocks on point? Maybe I should use alternating squares. Time to make those decisions. I have a quilting date set in December, so it's time to sew blocks together.










I'm really looking forward to seeing all of the quilts. I know it will be an amazing show--or maybe 2 shows. Watch for information on the dates of the show. We will have all the specifics in our next class schedule and in our E-mail update. We hope you will come!

Fall Fun

The next session of quilting classes will be starting this month. We have some fun ones in the lineup. Whether you want a traditional quilting class taught by Pat Cox, a beginning machine piecing class taught by Annemarie Yohnk, a Lone Star class taught by Cheri Merritt or a once a month club we have something for you. Check out the class schedule on our website to see the complete list of fall classes.
Cheri teaches our Lone Star Class. She has made many Lone Star Quilts. She won a ribbon on one of them at the Minnesota Quilt show in June. You can see a photo of that quilt and another one that she has in progress on her blog. And don't let the Lone Star Quilt scare you! The small quilt you make in the class will teach you the techniques needed for perfectly matched points, perfect set-in corners and a star with a flat center. Your friends will really be impressed!
And if you want a monthly club, there are still a few openings in the 1:00 session of Scrap Tamers Plus From Marti and Me Club. We're excited to get a new year going.

Don't forget to enter our September Anniversary Drawing. Enter you name every time you come into the shop during September. We're giving away a really fun quilt called Northwoods.

Scrap Tamers Signup Day

Why the crowd in front of the shop? It was Scrap Tamer Plus Marti and Me signup day. Word has it that the line started at 7 AM. Sign up started at 9:30. Fun to see all the quilters with their chairs, coffee, donuts etc. Scrap Tamers Club Plus meets the 3rd Saturday of each month. The first meeting will be Saturday, September 17. We have 3 sessions scheduled--there are still a few openings in the 1:00 session. I think it will be a lot of fun this year as we're combining the From Marti and Me club with our traditional Scrap Tamers club--2 clubs for the price one ! I'm all about learning as many things about quilting as you can! And the Marti and Me club offers some fun new techniques and information about using her well designed tools and rulers.

If you're interested, call the shop or come in to get more information. We have sample bundles made for the Mystery Quilt we will be doing in the club. Order one or you can work from your stash--after all, this is Scrap Tamers. We also have a sample of the 1st project for the From Marti and Me Club. It's a really fun table runner called Bali Breezes. Each of the Marti Michell patterns will feature one of her rulers. This time it is the Small Full Diagonal Set Triangle Ruler.

So, come join in the fun--next year you may be out in front of the shop--anxious to sign up again.

35 Years!

With this being our 35th anniversary year, I thought it might be fun to do a little reminiscing. A few of you have known us from our beginning in 1976. But most of you have become friends later on and may not know our history. So the story begins: Gladys and Nancy (mother and daughter) opened Glad Creations Inc. in 1976. It was the bicentennial year and there was a new interest in quilting. Nancy had just graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Economics and had become interested in quilting. Gladys ran a busy business out of her home called "Glad Creations". She made purses from denim and vinyl with appliqued flaps. They were made to order--customers would choose their own fabrics and applique design and 2 weeks later come in and pick up their purse.

In 1976, they decided to combine their 2 interests and open a quilt shop which also took orders for and sold Glad's purses. They purchased a corner grocery store on the corner of Bloomington and 34th street in south Minneapolis. The building had a grocery store on the 1st floor and an apartment upstairs. We are still, after 35 years, in the same location. We have expanded the shop to include classroom, display and office space on the 2nd floor. As the quilting business grew, Glad sold her purse business and began working at the shop full time.

It has been great to be part of a family business. Our dad worked there after his retirement, doing the bookwork. Our sister, Carol, does our long-arm quilting and has made many samples for us. I began working at the shop in about 1978 after my kids were a little older. A lot has changed in our 35 years! Look for another blog talking about some of the changes that have taken place.

And don't forget--to celebrate our 35th anniversary, we will be having a drawing each month through the end of the year. All you need to do is come in to the shop and enter the drawing. Enter as many times during the month as you wish. We will draw the winner at the end of the month. In September, someone will win our Northwoods Quilt. It's from a Glad Creations pattern that we designed especially for the Moda Booth at Quilt Market. I love this quilt! So--good luck to all of your who enter our September drawing. I wish you all could win!
Susan

Class Signup

Thursday, August 11, is the first day to sign up for Fall classes. There are some great ones coming up. We have some new ones in the plan so be sure to check on the website to see what looks like fun. Cheri will be teaching a color class. Dee has scheduled a machine quilting refresher class if you'd like a little more hands on help with planning or quilting. I'll be teaching a Lemoyne Star class using the new Rapid Fire Ruler by Deb Tucker. Nancy and I are working on the next Mystery Weekend quilt. And of course, all the basics are also in the schedule.

We'll be starting a new Scrap Tamers this fall. We're calling it Scrap Tamers Plus From Marti & Me Club. (What a long name). After some input from last year's group, we decided to combine the 2 clubs into one club. Signup for Scrap Tamers Plus Club is on Saturday August 27. We have the signup sheets ready and you can pick them up early if you'd like. We will be doing a mystery quilt like we've done in Scrap Tamers before, but also doing projects each month from the Marti & Me Club. We put together some sample bundles for both the mystery quilt and the September Marti & Me project for those of you who do not want to choose your own fabrics. There is also a poster of the Sept. project at the shop. After reading the Marti & Me pattern, I feel like I've already learned some new techniques. This should be fun!

Be sure and ask if you have any questions about upcoming classes.

Our busy neighborhood

This weekend is the Powderhorn Art Fair. It runs on Saturday from 10:00 - 6:00 and on Sunday from 10:00 - 5:00 and is just down the street from us. It's a great art fair with 184 artists this year. It runs in conjunction with the Uptown Art Fair and the Loring Park Art Festival. It's a nice venue for the art fair, with all the artist's tents surrounding Powderhorn lake. It does make our parking situation a little tough. If you are coming for class, you'll want to drop off your machine at the door and then go to park. We'll be there to help however we can. If you are shop hopping, hopefully you might be lucky and find a spot that another hopper or art fair lover has just left. The art fair crowds usually thin out later in the day. Keep in mind that we will be open until 8:30 on both Monday and Tuesday of the coming week. The parking will be super easy both of those days. Or come and enjoy the Powderhorn Art Fair while you're in the neighborhood!