Join the Fun -- Blog Hop Party!

We're joining the party -- why don't you?

Between December 10 and 17th, leave a comment here and we'll draw the name of a lucky winner for a "Snow Crazy" kit! This block-of-the-month quilt kit with all fabrics and patterns features snowman embroidery and crazy quilt piecing and you will love working on it during the winter months!




Here's the link to participate: Blog Hop Party

If you're a blogger -- join the fun!

If you want to find a list of bloggers participating, you will find a list posted on the above link on December 10.

Have Fun!

Cozy Fun with Fleece & Flannel!

Wow -- we just got in LOTS of bolts of fleece and flannel from Westminster and Free Spirit! Just in time for cold weather, these fabrics will make great throws, clothing and toys!

Because we bought these at a special price, we can pass our savings on to you! Regularly $11.99/yard, we have these marked at $8.49/yard, or if you buy 5 yards of any one, it will be $6.99/yard. You can see them all online on our webstore under "Flannel and Fleece Specials." These are collections from some of our favorite designers -- Valori Wells, Anna Maria Horner, Erin McMorris, Annette Tatum, Brandon Mably and Eleanor Grosch. All bright and fun designs for the young and young at heart!

We love using flannel in ragtime quilts -- and here's a quick way to make a fleece throw:

• Use 2 yards of fleece for the front and 2 yards for the back
• Trim fleece pieces to exactly the same size
• Cut a 4" square from each corner
• Every 1" along the sides, cut 4" into the fabric
• Tie knots in every other "fringe" all the way around
• Flip and tie the other fringes.
  

Enjoy!

Kathy's Cowl -- with Berroco Link Yarn!

We're sharing this from Berroco Yarn's newsletter --

Kathie, one of Berroco's most versatile employees, was recently experimenting with new ways to use Berroco Link™, our jumbo-sized multicolored wool blend. She ended up creating an adorable cowl that requires no special skill other than tying a few knots. It's a perfect last-minute gift idea, and a great project for children. Since there's enough yarn in a hank to make two cowls, it's also economical. For two cowls, all you'll need is one hank of Link and about 36" of scrap yarn in a matching color.

Here's how to make your own version of Kathie's Cowl:

1. Wrap Link 9 or 10 times around two stationary objects placed approx. 28"–32" apart (such as the arms of a chair, or someone's hands). Cut the yarn and knot the ends together, without removing it.
2. Cut two 9" pieces of scrap yarn. Tie one piece around all strands of Link in same place as the knot. Tie the second piece around all strands of Link at the opposite end of the cowl.
3. To wear, place the cowl around your neck with one tie in the back. Loop the front half around your neck again, so that both ties are at the back.

See all the colors of Link -- http://www.berroco.com/shade_cards/link_sh.html

Jo's Little Women Club

We're in the next to the last month of our current Jo's Little Women Club. Part 10 had eight projects -- different sizes but all small quilts made in Jo Morton's fabric for Andover Fabrics. Our online club sends a pattern each month to members, and a fabric kit is available for optional purchase.

The next group of small quilt designs will be Part 11. These patterns are available only to club members and are designed by Jo specifically for the club. We will begin Club 11 in February of 2012.

Keep watching the website for full information!

Quilt Sharing

Do you have a quilt you'd like to know more about? The Rogers Historical Museum is hosting "Quilt Sharing" day on November 17 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

You may bring your quilt that day and have our resident "quilt detectives" Rheba Ford and Alice McElwain uncover answers to your questions. Rheba and Alice and both students of quilt history and quiltmaking and they would love to see your treasures!

You can make a reservation by calling The Rabbit's Lair at 479.636.3385 -- Tell your friends about this great opportunity!

"Saturday Sampler" Update!

We're having a great time with our "Saturday Sampler" friends -- on Saturdays and Thursday evenings.

October will bring the 10th month of blocks -- make sure you attend and see the completed quilt top! I hope you're all keeping up and will be ready to assemble your quilt in December. We'll have kits available with finishing fabrics -- accent border and outer border -- or you may choose your own fabrics. The blocks all fit together (no sashing will be needed) so when the 12 blocks are done all you need to do is add the borders.

Just in case you haven't made Block 8 yet -- here is a picture of it (It was left out of the kits).

Let me know how you're doing on this project!
Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

A Lot Going On!

Dear Friends Who Love Fabric and Fiber --
This last month has been busy! We are excited to now be the home of LibertyQuiltShop.com. We share a love of Jo Morton fabrics and will be offering more opportunities to use her designs!

Beginning tomorrow, September 15, through Saturday, September 17, we are participating in the annual fall Mo-Ark Quilt Shop Hop. This will be a fun event -- come in and start your hop with us or one of the other participating shops! More information is available on the front page of the website.

Friday night is "3rd Friday Twilight Walk" in downtown Rogers. We will have a young guest, Molly Hargus, demonstrating zipper jewelry. She will be here from 5:30 to 7:00.

On Saturday, the "Quilting a Memory" exhibit opens. This exhibit runs for two months, giving you a chance to plan a trip to see us and the quilt exhibit too!

In connection with the quilt exhibit, we are hosting the "Red, White and Sometimes Blue" challenge. Be sure and pick up the guidelines when you're in the shop, or read about it in the "About Us" section of the website. Deadline for submitting items is October 15.

Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

LouLouThi by Anna Maria Horner!

We are so excited to have this wonderful line of fabric arrive in the shop from Free Spirit! The colors and designs are gorgeous and it won't be hard to find a perfect project for using them!

Here is what Anna Maria has to say about this collection:
"The Loulouthi collection is a treasure box of all that I love about flowers and fabric coming together in form and inspiration. The world loulouthi simply translates from Greek as "flower". But in an ongoing story, my cultural heritage has enlivened these fabrics with visions of needleworks in progress, the gentle tending of village gardens, and the luxury of living alongside everyday works of art. The language of flowers and and floral handiwork has spoken to me since before I could thread my own needles, and this collection is my reply to all that beauty."

You can see the whole collection on our website by clicking Here.

Anna Maria also invites you to see her "Visiting Artists" posting -- This was taken from her newsletter:

"Happy Summer Friends!

You are invited to have a walk through our new gallery of Visiting Artists! One of a kinds for Fashion, Art, Home, Family, + Tidbits (everything I love!) are waiting for you.

What is Visiting Artists?

For years I have had the pleasure of seeing so many beautiful items created using my fabrics, and I love to help showcase them through my Flickr group. But recently I've been inspired to take it a step farther and not just celebrate the making, but also the maker! So I'm proud to curate an edited collection of goods that are exclusive to my shop. I've handpicked each of these makers to share their collections here because I feel they bring something unique and special to my fabric collections. Whether used heavily or sparingly, each of these amazing designers has translated my textile work into their own vision, and I am so excited to share their one-of-a-kind pieces with you (while they last). We're excited for this to be an ongoing gallery, changing up every few months."

We know you'll enjoy being inspired by this beautiful fabric and artistry!

Only Because of His Grace,

Mary Elizabeth

Pillowcases on The Altar

More pictures from The Sewing Bee -- pillowcases and throws displayed on the church altar last Sunday. What a wonderful example of giving from the heart, and it is so exciting to see our fabrics made up to benefit so many!

More pictures are available -- Click Here to see them!

The Sewing Bee

The Rabbit's Lair is thrilled to help The Sewing Bee with donations of fabric for their projects! Here is a brief description of what they do:

The Sewing Bee is an annual project at First United Methodist Church in Historic Downtown Rogers. It is sponsored (organized!) by Boomerang Joy Circle at the church. Over the years we have made school bags for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (to go all over the world), chemo caps for area cancer support homes, pillowcases and travel pillows for Arkansas Children's Hospital and NWA Children's Shelter, Christmas stockings for St. Mary's Hospital. This year our projects were the quilts or throws for the chemo room at Highlands Oncology and full-size pillowcases for NWA Children's Shelter, Ronald McDonald program at St. Edwards Hospital in Ft. Smith, and Circle of Life Hospice. We were also able to complete 5 additional fleece blankets for the Linus Project that gives blankets to area children.

Shown are a few pictures from their day of sewing and working together!

For more pictures, Click Here.

Happy Fourth of July!

Time flies -- here it is July already! We will be closed on Sunday and Monday for the holiday. I hope everyone enjoys celebrating our many freedoms and remembering our troops that sacrifice so much for us.

We are busy getting ready for our "Quilts of Valor" auction at the shop on Friday evening, July 15. Since many of our friends may not be able to come, we will accept prebids on items -- we'll start posting some of them on the website and featuring them in our email newsletters right after the holiday.

If you are unfamiliar with the "Quilts of Valor" program, you can find out all about it on www.qovf.org. Their mission is to provide quilts to men and women who have been injured or touched by the wars. To date, they have given out over 40,000 quilts.

This year, we have been hosting workshops to make quilts for the soldiers, and making available kits with patriotic fabrics. Several fabric companies have designed beautiful collections for us, with proceeds from the sale of the fabric to benefit Quilts of Valor.

Shown is one of the quilts that will be in the auction, donated by Jo Morton. She is a well-known quilt and fabric designer, and this quilt is made entirely with her fabrics from Andover Fabrics. We have enjoyed using her "American Valor" collection in making quilts for the soldiers in our workshops.

Keep watching for more information on what will be happening with our auction!

Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Quilts for Joplin

Tomorrow - Friday, May 27 - we will begin our efforts in creating quilts of care for Joplin residents whose lives have been turned upside down by the tornado.

We know their recovery will be a long process, and it will be sometime before they will be able to accept our gifts of caring. Right now, the basic necessities of life are what they need. But by working on quilts now we can work toward being ready for when they can accept them.

We'll have kits available in fabrics that will make the young set smile -- "Dino" and "Dots & Daisies" -- or bring your own fabrics!

If you can't make it tomorrow, we've set some other Friday dates -- June 3 and 17, July 1 and 8.

Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Twilight Walk -- David Moran Trunk Show

Tomorrow - Friday, May 20 -- is the first night of the Downtown Rogers 3rd Friday Twilight Walks of the season!

Our staff member, David Moran, will be here sharing his work. Although he has been quilting only a few years, he is very prolific, creative and talented! You will enjoy meeting him and getting to know more about him. Shown is his "Modern Art with Fabric" quilt. He will be conducting a workshop for this fun and easy quilt on Saturday, July 23 from 10 to 3.

We're hoping for good weather for all those who come out for "Twilight Walk" -- we'll also have some specials in the shop from 4:00 to 8:00 only!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Trick or Treat Express!

We are now taking sign ups for this exciting trip -- the ultimate Shop Hop! Get on the bus and leaving the driving to them -- Have fun with friends and be entertained. Price includes bus trip, 2 nights of motel lodging and all meals at the shops you visit! The buses will stop at 12 great shops in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.

Call the shop or come in to sign up!

New Fabric Designer!

Introducing Ellen Medlock Studio designs -- Two small collections in the shop -- "Enchanted Damask" and "Flight Pattern" -- are fresh and bright in colors of Turquoise, Citrus (Orange, Hot Pink and Lime) and Fuchsia. Plus, she has some free patterns on her blog for creating fun quilts.
www.ellenmedlocksblog.com. We really like "Going My Way."

We know you'll have fun with these fabrics, and the pattern for "Interchangeable Purse" -- two different patterns on our website, both include the handle. Too cute!

Red and White Quilt Exhibit

Wow! If you're close enough to see this exhibit in New York City, you're very lucky!

Check out Martha Stewart's blog -- wonderful pictures of the quilts -- be sure to look at them all. We especially like the redwork quilts -- love that embroidery work.

http://www.themarthablog.com/2011/03/infinite-variety-three-centuries-of-red-and-white-quilts.html

One day Only -- $20 gift certificate for $10!

Tuesday, March 22 -- NWA Deal Piggy -- Purchase a $20 gift certificate for $10!

Use in the shop, online or by phone.

www.dealpiggy.com

National Quilting Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is National Quilting Day -- Celebrate with us -- Draw for your discount and find your favorite in our "flat folds" section - $5.00/yard. Not your usual fat quarters -- from the ends of our bolts and making kits.

Also, see the NEW Kaffe stripes and circles! They're gorgeous!

National Quilting Day is Saturday!

How will you celebrate your passion for quilting this year? Get together with some friends for a fun sewing day? Go out shopping for the newest and greatest fabrics and designs? Work together on a quilt for donation to a worthy cause?

The National Quilting Association has a long list of possibilities on their website to help you celebrate! In addition, they have the pattern for this beautiful "Build Your Own Log Cabin" design available for you to download.

Visit their website at www.nqaquilts.org to find out more!

Quilts of Valor Workshop

Quilts of Valor Workshop -- with Donna Roche -- in the shop this Friday, March 11, from 9:30 to 3:00. Come in and help with this important way of honoring our wounded soldiers.

Come for the day and make new friends, or a part of the day whatever time you have. Or find out how you can participate by sewing at home.

How about making this easy design -- Andover Fabric's free-to-use quilt pattern using Jo Morton's "American Valor" collection. You can download the pattern at Andover's website, www.andoverfabrics.com.

Serve Your Country -- Make a Quilt of Valor!

For more information on the Quilts of Valor program, visit www.qovf.org.

Online Jo's Little Women Club 10

We're getting ready to start our Online Jo's Little Women Club, Part 10. We've had 2 groups meeting in the shop, but we know that some of you don't have a local shop that offers this wonderful program for using Jo Morton fabrics in her designs.

The club will run from March through November this year, making 8 small quilts. Each month you receive a pattern in the mail, along with a newsletter all about Jo and her designs -- find out more about it on the website -- Jo's Little Women Club 10 Online.

Only members of the club can receive these patterns, and order the optional kits. Plus, members receive a 10% discount on all online orders.

Old Quilt Pillows

Sisters-in-Law Madeline and Dorothy had SEW much fun making these darling little pillows from an old cutter quilt. We showed them how to hand applique, and they embellished them with ribbons and buttons.

We also talked about how Dorothy could salvage a family quilt and make heirloom items for her family. If at all possible, quilts should be preserved, but sometimes they are in such bad shape that it makes more sense to use the parts of the quilt that are in good shape. Blocks can be framed, made into pillows or small quilts for display. Even small parts of a quilt may be used to make pincushions for your favorite sewer. The important thing is to value the work of the quilter and create an appreciation for the work they did. Sometimes the best way to do that is to share it in smaller items with those who remember the quilter.

Vintage Notions Gatherings

At the first meeting of our Vintage Notions Gathering, Shana and friends covered a notebook. This past week, she shared with them how to make a small purse and flower from a "recycled" tie. What a great idea for using those family leftovers -- how about one for everyone on your gift list?

This group is based on Amy Barickman's book, "Vintage Notions." To find out more about it, visit Amy's website, www.amybarickman.com. Each month they have a fun and quick project, information about the influence of sewing in the lives of women, and good fun.

Bunny Bucks Goodies!

"Bunny Bucks" are being issued through April 22 -- For every $1 you spend in the shop until then, you will receive "Bunny Bucks" to be spent at the "Hare Affair at The Rabbit's Lair" Customer Appreciation Auction on Saturday, April 23. Here's a picture of just some of the goodies that will be in the auction -- Lots of fabric bundles, books, kits and more! Remember -- only "Bunny Bucks" will be accepted for these items! Come in, take a look, and make a list of your favorites!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It may not really be Spring, but it sure feels like it this week! We'll take it and enjoy! We wanted to wish all our friends Happy Valentine's Day -- enjoy it doing something fun. Stitching would be our choice. Here's a great free design from Bird Brain Designs; you can download and print it from their website, www.birdbraindesigns.net. Make it especially easy by using Transer-Eze, just copy the design from your computer and press on your fabric. When you're done, it dissolves in cold water!

Since this is National Embroidery Month, we're celebrating with 20% off all embroidery supplies all month -- patterns, floss, scissors, anything you would use for stitching is included. PLUS, this Saturday, February 19, we're having a Free Embroidery Class from 9:30 to 11:30. Learn how easy it is to get started and add beautiful stitching to your quilts, or make wonderful embroidered blocks!

Enjoy!
Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Snow Days!

Well, I would have never believed we would have this much snow and be 18 below zero in Rogers, Ark. But we are living through it right now!!

We will be open Friday am and ready to see all your shining faces!

I have attached our newest block of the month to this blog --- it is paper pieced and it is stunning!

Bunny Bucks!

Like many places in several states, we've been closed yesterday and today. We'll be open tomorrow and hope the streets will be safe for traveling! Yesterday was our scheduled date to begin issuing "Bunny Bucks" -- These will be good to use for our customer appreciation auction on April 23, "Hare Affair at The Rabbit's Lair. We'll have lots of great things to buy with "Bunny Bucks" -- quilts, fabrics, fat quarters, patterns, block of the month sets! It will be great fun and it's just our way to thank our customers for shopping with us. Our newsletter each week will feature a different item that will be in the auction. Here's a fat 1/8 bundle of the 40 pieces "Max & Whiskers" collection by Moda -- an auction item!

Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Scrappy Saturday!

How about a fun and quick way to build your fabric collection? Or your stash of wool for projects? Choose from our selection of LOTS of scraps left from making kits, ends of bolts, etc. Fill your own bags with your favorites! This is a great chance to get a variety of prints and colors if you love making scrap quilts. One day only -- Saturday, January 29!

New Block of the Month!

"Baltimore Bunnies" --
I'm starting on a new block of the month! I've always loved the "Baltimore Bunnies" quilt by Bunny Hill Designs -- and a fat quarter bundle of "Lilac Hill" by Brannock & Patek got me going! I'm fusing my applique and then will stitch it down, but you can use your favorite technique. This is a great project to start in January, and I'll keep you updated each month on the challenges and rewards of my journey!

Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

Open House for Classes Today!

Today is our Open House for Classes -- Come in and see all the new, fun projects you can make and have fun doing it! We have some really wonderful teachers that will be here to guide you through making the right decision for your next creative adventure! We also have lots of Clubs continuing on and just beginning -- you can come once a month and spend time with those who share you love of wool, applique, stitching, piecing, history and more! We'll have drawings all day -- don't need to be present to win! Sign up for a class today and receive 4 free cotton fat quarters! The weather's fine here, so come on in!
Only Because of His Grace,
Mary Elizabeth

A patriotic year!

We're in the process of changing the shop around -- Getting ready for Open House for Classes, Saturday Sampler "Rocky Mountain Sampler" in patriotic colors. We're also signed on to be an official shop for the "Under Our Wings" program with Quilts of Valor and will have fabrics to support those efforts. We'll be sharing more information on this program as we go.

Here's the first block from the Sampler and the pattern design -- Starts January 22 in the shop, or you can sign up to have the kits mailed. Just call the shop to get involved with this program.