New Club! 19th Century Quiltmaking

Introducing Grandma's newest-in-store Quilt Club, 19th Century Quiltmaking. Led by Grandma Rachel, this club meets once per month with six sessions available.

19th Century Quiltmaking is a look at the quilting methods of an earlier era that continue to inspire us today. As Grandma says, you need look no further than the textiles produced by 19th Century women to learn about their lives, their daily passions, and the innovations of the era that allowed them to express their creativity in thread and cloth.

Colorways for 19th Century Quiltmaking

During this class you will learn, from an historic viewpoint, about 19th Century quilt styles, techniques and inventions that revolutionized quilting forever. Club members have an opportunity to socialize with friends, share stories and collect quilt blocks to make a commemorative quilt. Packed with history and adventure, you won't want to miss this exciting new club.

Quilt block kits are available in four color schemes: 1930s, 19th Century Reproductions, Patriotic colors and Batiks. Class participation is $10 per month per colorway. There is a $10 membership fee which helps offset the cost of class materials.

Grandma's Quilt Clubs are like no others that we know about. They are a fun way to learn about history that affects women today and discover new products. There are door prize drawings, an opportunity to be with friends, and quilt blocks to collect.

Dates of the club are:   September 3/4/5; October 1/2/3; November 3/4/5; December 7/8/9; 2016: January 7/8/9; February 4/5/6; March 3/4/5; April 7/8/9; May 5/6/7; June 2/3/4; July 7/8/9; August 4/5/6.

You can register for the class online by clicking here.

Sunshine and Stitches Shop Hop

Starboard--a Mini Wall Quilt

Doesn't this look like a ton of fun? Grandma's Attic is participating in the Sunshine and Stitches Shop Hop now through June 27 and the photo above is the project that we have chosen for our shop. This Shop Hop covers 15 Oregon shops within easy driving distances of one another (SW Portland, south to McMinnville, then Salem and Dallas).

Each shop is providing participants with a Quilt Block Kit to make a 6" quilt block. In addition, each shop has put together a project that uses their individual quilt block pattern. Each project is different. Some are large, some are small and some are in-between. But what it means to you is that you will have 15 different project ideas if you visit every shop  All shops are open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. Grandma's Attic and some of the other shops are also open on Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm.

This year, just for fun, we decided to make up a Sailboat block with three different colored sails, all from the Dit Dot collection by In The Beginning Fabrics. Participants get to choose which color sail they like best and that Block Kit is free. The other two can be purchased for $5.00 each.

Our exclusive quilt project is a mini wall quilt we've aptly named Starboard. Designed by Cheryl Libby, the quilt measures 9-1/2" x 20". Don't you think that it looks like a sailing contest is getting underway? Both the pattern and a fabric kit for Starboard are available.

To get started, all you need to do is arrive at any of the participating shops and ask for a passport. Each shop on your hop will stamp your passport. Once completed, you leave the passport at the last shop visited. It will then be entered into a drawing where you could win one of these amazing prizes:  a Three Night Stay at the Oregon Coast and prize bags filled with fabric, patterns and more valued at $300, $250, and $200. In addition, one lucky winner receives a $50 gift certificate from all 15 shops, and the individual shops are conducting an in-store drawing for a $25 prize. That means there are many opportunity to win a prize!

The 15 participating shops this year are:  Grandma's Attic, Dallas; A Common Thread, Portland, Bernina Stretch and Sew Fabrics, Keizer; Boersma's Sewing Center, Inc., McMinnville; Feather Your Nest, Gresham; Greenbaum's Quilted Forest, Salem; Holly Hill Quilt Shoppe, West Linn; Quilter's Corner Store, Beaverton; Sandra's Stitches, Hillsboro; Sewn Loverly, Wilsonville; Sharon's Attic, Hillsboro, Stitches 301, Mollala; Tea Time Calicos, Beaverton; The Cotton Patch, Keizer; and The Pine Needle, Lake Oswego. You can start and stop at any shop and passports can be picked up at the first shop on your journey.

Shop hops are a fun way to visit your favorite quilt shops while collecting quilt blocks and projects. Take a friend along, plan lunch out, and have fun shopping!

Oregon Towns and Founders

In this new Block of the Month Quilt Club, Grandma's Attic continues their series on the Stories of Old Oregon, with a focus on towns and their founders within the state of Oregon. You learn the fascinating history of how many of the towns in Oregon were founded--how they got their names, their early history, prominent citizens of the day, and beginnings of each town's commerce and industry.

Oregon Towns and Founders

Each month, participants receive the patterns and fabric to create two 12" quilt blocks featuring 19th Century era fabrics. Each block is done in a variety of reproduction scraps of reds and browns specific to the time period. They are all easy to create and fun to make. At year's end, club members will have received materials for 24 quilt blocks plus the sashing and borders to put them into a quilt top measuring approximately 71" x 99". An informational newsletter and other hand-outs are also included.

This is a fun, creative way to combine the art of quilt making with a love of history. You'll learn more about the history of Old Oregon as you go along. If you'd like to join this exciting club, click here.

Please Vote for Us!

Great News! Grandma's Attic has been nominated for Best Dallas Shop in the Statesman Journal's Best of the Mid-Valley 2015 contest. For the first time ever, this contest, annually sponsored by the Statesman Journal newspaper, is including shops in the town of Dallas, Oregon where the Grandma's Attic quilt shop is located.

Please vote for us! You can vote once each day until March 9th. We are listed under Your Community, Best Dallas Shop which is the button to the farthest right "Your Community"...or simply scroll down on the landing page until you find our name. Thank you  so much! To vote, click here.

Seasons Remembered

Seasons Remembered

Seasons Remembered is one of my favorite Patti-Ann Publications patterns. Designed by Jane Davis, a dear friend who recently passed away, the quilt features 12 different 18" applique blocks, each representing a month of the year. Surrounding the applique blocks is a simple leaf border. This leaf border pattern was taken directly from an 1840s era Red and Green Quilt similar to our Seasons Remembered. The quilt can be traditionally appliqued or made with fusible web. If using fusible web, you can use buttonhole stitching, either by machine or hand, to finish off each block.

According to Jeana Kimball, an applique artist, these types of quilts were considered the favorite type of 'best' quilt during the period of the 1840s-1860s. They were often made as a Presentation Quilt. A Presentation Quilt was a quilt made to present to a prominent member of society, such as a minister or politician. The red and green colors used in the quilt were often accented with yellow, pink, orange. Occasionally blue was used.

 Looking at the quilt, you can see that the first block in the upper left hand corner is January's block, Snowflower Blossoms. February's block is the second one in the first row. March is the final block in row one. The patterns continue in this manner until December's block, which is in the bottom right hand corner or the quilt.

This quilt and its patterns are available for purchase in several different forms. First, the quilt itself is available as a Block of the Month Club. In this format, you receive the pattern and fabric needed to complete one block each month until you have received all of the blocks. Once you have received all of the blocks, a finishing kit is sent to you so you can add the final border.

Seasons Remembered Pattern Set

Seasons Remembered is also available as a complete set of patterns but no fabric. All of the instructions for making the quilt are included. Each block can also be purchased individually as a kit with fabric included. The monthly patterns with fabric are:  Snowflower Blossoms;  Heart's Desire; Irish Rose; Tulips; Peonies; Bridal Wreath; Patriot's Rose; Calendula; Dahlia Wreath; Oak Leaves; President's Wreath; and Holly Wreath.

This quilt is a timeless heirloom that can be passed down for generations.

Color of the Year 2015: Marsala

The Pantone Company has announced that Pantone 18-1438 Marsala, is the Color of the Year for 2015. As the global color authority, this company develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions that designers and a variety of industries, including printing, photography, graphic design, plastics, textiles and others, have come to rely on.

According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, Marsala, a red-brown color named after fortified wine, "is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in to its embracing warmth." The hue is said to embody the  satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal, while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. As such, Eiseman says, "Marsala is a natural fit for the kitchen and dining room-- making it ideal for tabletop, small appliances and linens throughout the home." The company also states that "Marsala’s plush characteristics are enhanced when the color is applied to textured surfaces, making it an ideal choice for rugs and upholstered living room furniture."

Below are Pantone's suggestions for a 2015 Spring Wardrobe for Women. Incorporating the Color of the Year, these colors would also make a beautiful palette for quilts or other sewing projects!

Pantone's 2015 Spring Wardrobe for Women

Colors:  Top Row: Aquamarine, Scuba Blue, Lucite Green, Classic Blue, Toasted Almond. Bottom Row: Strawberry Ice, Tangerine, Custard, Mustard, Marsala

Turkey Lurkey

Just in time for the holiday season, here's Tom Turkey in a fun little quilt pattern created by Cheryl Libby at Grandma's Attic. 
 

Turkey Lurkey was created using two Turkey Tracks blocks, a few more fun half-square triangles, and some adorable fusible web applique for his head and feet. Isn't he cute as can be? 

You can purchase the pattern only or a kit with the fabric you need to create the quilt top and binding from our webstore.  The finished size of our wall quilt is 18" x 27". The pattern includes a template for embroidering or penning either the words "American Made" or "Happy Thanksgiving" above Tom's head. You choose which you want to use.

1st American Cookie Lady Cookbook

Grandma's Attic carries cookbooks that are guaranteed to be filled with scrumptious recipes and other fun tidbits of folklore, fun and information.

The 1st American Cookie Lady is one of our favorites!  In 1917, Anna "Cookie" Covington set out to record all of her favorite cookie recipes as a gift to her daughter because no published cookie recipe books existed at the time. Strangely, her 76 page handwritten personal cooking diary was never delivered to her daughter as planned. 88 years later, the unused diary fell into the hands of food historian Barbara Swell, who recognized it as perhaps the earliest collection of American cookie recipes, dating from the mid-1880s through World War I. 

The book includes 221 recipes recorded from 1917-1920 along with adaptations for modern kitchens, vintage graphics and photos, World War I food shortage recipes, plus curiosities of cookie baking history. To order a copy for yourself, click here

The Bee's Knees: Exploring the 1920s

Introducing Grandma's newest in-store Quilt Club, The Bee's Knees: Exploring the 1920s. Led by Grandma Rachel, this club meets once per month. 

Regardless of who you were or where you lived, the world was turning upside down in the 1920s. A generation of men had been lost during World War I. It was an age of change with a new obsession for glamour, music, movie stars, shopping and sports history. The story for our quilt club revolves around Betty and her love of the movies and all things "new" during this time period.

Betty, fresh off the farm, moves to New York City to live with her brother who just got back from the Great War. She takes a job as a ticket girl at the Bijou Theatre where she soon discovers the allure of the movies. Influenced by her brother's wounded spirit and desire to forget the War, Betty soon discovers the world of Jazz; glamorous fashions, seductive movies, notorious speakeasies, and dangerous gangsters. Betty's life is about to change dramatically. Can the farm girl truly adapt to the dazzling lights of the city, or will it's tantalizing lifestyle sweet her into a world of danger and easy virtue?

Each month during the Quilt Club we'll follow Betty as she makes her way through the 1920s. Classes begin September 4-6, 2014. Club members will learn about the 1920s from an historic viewpoint, plus socialize with friends, share stories and collect quilt blocks to make a commemorative quilt. Packed with history, adventure and optimism, you  won't want to miss this exciting new series.

Quilt Block Kits are available in four color schemes: American Made Brand, 1920s/30s, 19th Century Reproductions and Splash Brights. Class participation is $10 per month per colorway. There is a $10 membership fee which helps offset the cost of class materials.

Grandma's Quilt Clubs are like no others that we know about. They are a fun way to learn about history that affects women today and new products. There are door prize drawings, an opportunity to be with friends, and quilt blocks to collect.

Dates of the club are:  September 4/5/6; October 2/3/4; November 6/7/8; December 4/5/6; January 8/9/10; February 5/6/7; March 5/6/7; April 2/3/4; May 7/8/9; June 4/5/6; July 9/10/11; and August 6/7/8.

You can register for this class online by clicking here.

Sunshine and Stitches Shop Hop

Doesn't this look like a ton of fun? Grandma's Attic is participating in the Sunshine and Stitches Shop Hop now through August 2nd. This shop hop covers 13 Oregon shops within easy driving distances of one another (SW Portland, west to Forest Grove, south to McMinnville, then Salem and Dallas).

Each shop is providing participants with a Quilt Block Kit to make a 6" quilt block. In addition, each shop has put together a project that uses their individual quilt block pattern. Each project is different. Some are large, some are small and some are in-between. But what it means to you is that you will have 13 different project ideas if you visit every shop  All shops are open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. Grandma's Attic and some of the other shops are also open on Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm.

Our quilt block kit is called "Fun in the Sun." Our exclusive quilt project is a table runner we've aptly named Sun Runner. Designed by Cheryl Libby, the table runner measures 18" x 36", but you could make it longer simply by adding more blocks. Don't you think it looks a little like pinwheels dancing in the sunlight? Both the pattern for the Sun Runner and a fabric kit are available.

To get started, all you need to do is arrive at any of the participating shops and ask for a passport. Each shop on your hop will stamp your passport. Once completed, you leave the passport at the last shop visited. It will then be entered into a drawing where you could win one of these amazing prizes:  a Three Night Stay at the Oregon Coast and prize bags filled with fabric, patterns and more valued at $300, $250, and $200. In addition, one lucky winner receives a $50 gift certificate from all 13 shops, and the individual shops are conducting an in-store drawing for a $25 prize. That means there are many opportunity to win a prize!

Participating shops are:  Grandma's Attic, Dallas; A Common Thread, Portland, Bernina Stretch and Sew Fabrics, Keizer; Boersma's Sewing Center, Inc., McMinnville; Greenbaum's Quilted Forest, Salem; Needles in the Grove, Forest Grove; Quilt 'n Stitch, Stayton; Quilter's Corner Store, Beaverton; Sandra's Stitches, Hillsboro; Sharon's Attic, Hillsboro,  Tea Time Calicos, Beaverton; The Cotton Patch, Keizer; and The Pine Needle, Lake Oswego.

American Made Fabric

100% Grown and Made in America

Driven by a desire to bring America's once flourishing textile industry back, Clothworks is debuting their American Made Brand. After teaming up with some of the country's oldest textile companies, they have brought to market a fabric that is sourced and manufactured entirely in the United States.

There are currently 50 solid colored fabrics in the fabric line. This 100% cotton product is grown right here in the United States using Upland variety cotton. The cotton is then in spun into cotton yarn, woven into cloth, and dyed--all right here in America.

These solid-colored fabrics can be made into a myriad of beautiful quilt and sewing projects. Grandma's Attic is celebrating this Farm to Fabric movement by carrying American Made Brand fabrics and sourcing patterns that will help you use them. Look for these at our website in the very near future!

In Flanders Field

Flanders Field, Belgium

John McCrae, 1872-1918

One of the most famous World War I poems was written in 1915 by Canadian John McCrae. He was inspired to write his poem on May 3rd, 1915, after performing the burial service of Alexis Helmer, a friend and fellow soldier who died in the Second Battle of Ypres, Belgium the day before. At the time, he had noted how quickly the poppies grew around the graves of those who had died. Sitting in the back of an ambulance, he composed the poem, then crumpled the paper and threw it away. Another soldier retrieved the poem and convinced McCrae to submit it for publication. McCrae worked on the poem for months before submitting it to The Spectator in London. Although they rejected it, the poem was sent to Punch where it was published on December 8th, 1915.

"In Flanders Field" became the most popular poem of its era. It was republished throughout the world and became synonymous with the sacrifice of soldiers in World War I. Real poppies became a symbol for honoring soldiers of World War I are worn to this day on Remembrance Day.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We Lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though our poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
      -- Lt. Colonel John McCrae
 

Canadian Soldiers in France During World War I, 1916

Kimberly's Garden - 1930s Fabric

Kimberly’s Garden is a beautiful new collection of 1930s era reproduction prints by Fresh Water Designs. Kimberly was a sales representative for the E.E. Schenck company. She died from pancreatic cancer at Christmas time. Sick for approximately 13 months, she had been working on a hexagon quilt using vintage 1930s-40s fabrics from a salesman sample book. After she passed, the company decided to print a line of fabrics in her honor. They chose many of the samples that she had been using in her hexagon quilt and dedicated a portion of the profits to the American Cancer Society. Grandma's Attic is proud to carry all 39 prints from this beautiful collection. To order, click here.

J.F. Ingalls Roses Embroidery Club

J.F. Ingall's Roses Embroidery Club

Look what we just added to our Grandma's Attic embroidery selections! These beautiful roses are truly timeless. Each hand embroidered rose is adapted from  the J.F. Ingalls Stamping Catalog of 1887. Back then, the designs could be purchased for between 15 and 35 cents each. Customers would then have to create them using a process that involved stamping ink, a pad and kerosene or benzene to transfer the pattern to cloth.

Today, you can recreate the splendor of days gone by using Transfer-Eze, a convenient method for transferring patterns to cloth without first having to draw or trace them. Our J.F. Ingalls Roses Embroidery Club brings you 12 beautiful rose patterns, the Transfer-Eze to transfer them, and the fabric and floss to turn them into miniature wall hangings or decorative potholders. The background is white and the borders are hand-painted batiks.

Create them yourself or give them as a gift to someone who loves to hand embroider. Click here to join this monthly club!

The Color of Joy Quilt Challenge

Our new Quilt Challenge is here! Grandma's Attic is hosting a Quilt challenge to support Sable House, our local domestic violence shelter. Our theme for the past few years has revolved around "The Color of" concept. So far, we've hosted the Color of Peace,  Love, Courage, Healing, Hope, Compassion, Wonder and Dreams. This year we're hosting The Color of Joy. Doesn't that sound inspiring?

Entry packets for this year's theme include five theme fabrics, challenge rules, and an entry form. All proceeds from the sale of the packets go directly to Sable House. The maximum quilt size for quilts entered into the challenge should not exceed 180 total inches when all sides are added together; however, there is no minimum size requirement. Each quilt must incorporate all theme fabrics, although the amount used is up to you. The remainder of the fabric used can be quilter's choice.

Quilts are due in to Grandma's Attic by July 23, 2014 where they will be displayed from July 25-27, 2014. The general public will be invited to vote for their favorites. Winners will be selected by customer ballot (one vote per viewer) based on Best Interpretation of Theme and Best Use of Color. (Remember, this is the general public, not professional quilt judges, so don't be afraid to enter!) First Place prize is a $100 gift certificate to Grandma's Attic; Second Place prize is a $50 gift certificate; Third Place is a $25 gift certificate. In addition, Best Interpretation of Theme will win a five yard fabric bundle and Best Use of Color will receive a Gift Baskets filled with color tools.

 Quilts will also be displayed at the Polk County Fair in Rickreall, Oregon held in August, and on display at other locations as well. All quilts will be returned to their owners by the end of August, 2014. If you'd like to participate in this quilt challenge, you can purchase a packet either at the shop or on the web. We can't wait to see what you've dreamed up!

Stories of Old Oregon Block of the Month

Grandma's Brand New Block of the Month Club

Stories of Old Oregon Quilt

    What was it like to move to and live in Old Oregon during the days before Oregon became a state in 1859? In this unique Block of the Month Club, you will sew blocks that the Pioneers themselves might have made as you discover the  the exhilarating adventures and tall tales that were part of the western expansion of the Great Migration to the Oregon Territory.

     Included in the Club is a monthly newsletter written by Grandma Rachel. She will tell you fascinating stories about Jimmy Chitwood and the Bear, Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Spaulding, the Sager Orphans and more. This newsletter is packed with information about the early pioneers, the migration, life in Old Oregon, and more.

In addition to the newsletter, you will receive the fabric an patterns you need to create two 9" quilt blocks. Other handouts are also included. This is a 13 month club, with a finishing kit sent in the 13th month. Size of the completed quilt is approximately 64" x 85". You'll have fun sewing while you learn about the Oregon Trail and the early Pioneers. Click here for more information and to join this exciting new club.

Fusion Illusion Fabric

Fusion Illusion Fabrics by Blank Textiles

Here's a cheery group of fabrics that speak of Spring and new beginnings. With its swirls of color, this nice group of fabric blenders can add depth and dimension to just about any quilting or sewing project.

Fusion Illusion, by Blank Textiles is a beautiful blender group by Blank Textiles. Grandma's Attic now has this fabric group available in many different colors of the rainbow, from red and orange to violet and indigo on the other side of the color spectrum. To order them, click here.

Worldwide Quilting Day

 

Grandma's Attic is participating in Worldwide Quilting Day, Saturday, March 15, 2014. To celebrate the day, we are kicking off 30 days of "Wrapping the World in Stars." By participating, you could win a $100 shopping spree to our quilt shop by making 12″ star blocks for charity. Make a 12" star block; then take a photo of each unique star block, upload it to worldwidequiltingday.com with a an original caption. Enter as many times as you like. Then take your 12″ star blocks to Grandma's Attic quilt shop where they will be donated to a favorite charity. Now doesn't that sound like fun?

Shooting Stars Block of the Month Club

Shooting Stars Block of the Month Club

Isn't this a gorgeous quilt? We think you'll be "over the moon" with our Shooting Stars Block of the Month program. Each block features beautiful fabrics by Laurel Burch of butterflies, dragonflies, and birds in the bright rainbow colors she is so famous for designing. Easy to complete, each month during the program members receive the fabric and pattern needed to create a star block using those fabrics and a deep black background. A Finishing Kit is then sent in the 10th month. The finished quilt top measures approximately 50" x 50". This club is both beautiful and economical, and you will love the way this looks when done!

It's Snowing!

We live in the middle of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Everyone knows it rains a lot here in the Valley; however, lately it's been snowing and snowing and snowing.

This is a picture of our barn. With six inches of snow in the barnyard to begin with, it is snowing again. Pretty soon, we will have even more snow and it will be a little more difficult for Grandpa Stephen to get back and forth to check on his chickens. He's had to break the ice off of their water and make sure they have plenty of food and are cozy under their heat lamp. He'll also check on the barn cats while he's out and about.

Even though we're only 3-1/2 miles from town, our little Farm is higher in elevation. That means it can be raining in town and snowing here in the foothills of the Coast Range. I can call work and say "I'm snowed in," and they will think I'm making it up because it's only raining where they are.

But today it is snowing both in town and at the house and they will believe me when I say I'm staying home. We'll put a big pot of chili on the stove, and hope for sunnier days soon!