Wild Roses: Grandma's Newest Quilt Club!

Introducing Grandma's newest in-store Quilt Club, Wild Roses: Women of Strength and Honor. Led by Grandma Rachel, this club meets once per month with six sessions available.

Wild Roses takes a look at some extraordinary people who just happen to be women. These women have excelled even when personal, economic, or societal obstacles got in their way. With lives brimming with adventure, romance, loss and triumph, each unique woman's story serves as a model of inspiration for current and future generations.

Wild Roses Quilt Club

During this class you will learn about women who have paved the way for women of today. 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, Amish style colors and Batiks. Class participation is $10 per month per colorway. There is also 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 and ideas. There are door prize drawings, an opportunity to be with like-minded quilt enthusiasts, and quilt blocks to collect.

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

Register for this class by clicking here.

Brand New Website

Grandma's Attic has a brand new website! Designed by Gail Bean of Gail Bean Design, the format is suited to all types of devices, from cell phones to tablets to desk top computers.

We've been on the web for 19 years, ever since 1997 when we were one of the very first quilt sites. Since that time we've added lots of new products and information, including pages like yummy recipes, redwork patterns, links to various sites, and fun things such as quotes for quilters.

We'd love to hear your comments. To view our new website, click here.

Honeybee Quilt Block

Honeybee Quilt Block

According to Quilt Historian Barbara Brackman, the Honeybee quilt block dates back to at least the 1840s. The block was pieced with a solid square for the center; then "bee wings" were appliqued in place.

Sometime in the 20th century (1920s or so), quilt designers of the time began to use a nine patch for the center square. Ruby McKim created a Honeybee pattern showing a nine patch center for the Kansas City Star in 1929.

More recently, Roxy Burgard of Calico Hills Farm, published her version of the Honeybee quilt block as part of her traditional quilt pattern, Honey Bees, in the 1990s. She used a traditional nine patch layout to create her pattern, with five Honeybee blocks and four Bee Skeps. Popular for the past 25 years, the pattern continues to be available at Grandma's Attic by clicking here. If you would like to read a more in-depth history of the Honeybee quilt block, you will want to read Barbara Brackman's Material Culture post by clicking here.

Honey Bees Quilt Pattern

Sweet Laundry Bag

Do you remember Grandma's old-fashioned outdoor clothesline? Laundry bags such as this one were filled with clothespins and hung on the line so they would be in a convenient position when you began to hang up clothes to dry. 

This adorably cute little Doggie Laundry Bag is not from those days gone by, but straight out of 2016! Our classroom instlructor, Cheryl Libby, made it using a brand new book called Vintage Stitching. Filled with more than 400 authentic embroidery designs, this is a treasure chest of patterns you will want to make! There are projects to complete, plus hundreds of retro-cool art embroidery patterns from classic catalogs and magazines.

Vintage Stitching Treasury

There are also projects for making quilts, aprons, tea towels, and potholders. How-to pages and tips are also included, as well as a color gallery where you can see many different embroidery projects from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Each of the popular embroidery stitches are illustrated so you can remind yourself how to create those stitches you may have learned long ago. You'll find a page on tinting with crayons and another on caring for vintage linens.

If you love embroidery, you will love this book!

Memories of Old Oregon

Memories of Old Oregon

This beautiful appliqued sampler quilt is the newest Block of the Month Club by Grandma's Attic. Reminiscent of the traditional applique samplers from the 19th Century, our Memories of Old Oregon block of the month club commemorates early Oregon landmarks and towns.

There are 24 applique patterns, in the traditional 19th century colors of red and green, each of which can be made using either traditional or fusible web applique. Each month, you receive the pattern and fabric needed to create one 12" quilt block, plus a mini-history about the town or landmark for which it was named.

These gorgeous applique blocks will look beautiful in the sampler setting shown, surrounded by an applique border, or in any other quilt setting you choose. We are currently working on a border treatment for this quilt and will post photos as soon as it is complete. The finished size of the Quilt is 52" x 76".  To order our Memories of Old Oregon block of the month 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 2016 contest. This annual contest, 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 7th. We are listed under Your Community, Best Dallas Shop. Follow the link Best of the Mid-Valley 2016, scroll down to Dallas Shop until you find our name. Thank you  so much! To vote, click here.

Snowflakes and Stitches Shop Hop

The Queen of Hearts

Grandma's Attic is participating in the Snowflakes and Stitches Shop Hop that is taking place in Oregon through February 20. The photo to the left is the block that we have chosen for our shop. This Shop Hop covers 15 Oregon shops within easy driving distances of one another (Vancouver, south to McMinnville, then Salem and Dallas.)

The Queen's Hedgerow

Each shop provides 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 that means is that you have 15 different projects 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.

Using our Queen of Hearts quilt block, we created The Queen's Hedgerow, an 18" x 40" table runner that would make a beautiful setting for any table. Designed by Cheryl Libby, the table runner uses three of our shop hop blocks and a beautiful paper pieced border.


If you cannot participate in the Shop Hop, you can always purchase our patterns on-line. Simply click on the captions below the photos shown here and you will be taken to our website for ordering.

The 16 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; Fiddlesticks, Vancouver, Wa; Greenbaum's Quilted Forest, Salem; Holly Hill Quilt Shoppe, West Linn; Quilter's Corner Store, Beaverton; Sewn Loverly, Wilsonville; Sharon's Attic, Hillsboro, Stitches 301, Mollala; Tea Time Calicos, Beaverton; The Cotton Patch, Keizer; and The Quilted Hill, Yamhill. 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!

2016 Color(s) of the Year

 

Pantone's 2016 Color(s) of the Year

For the first time, The Pantone Color Institute has announced that the color for the year 2016 is actually the blending of two colors--a pink and a blue. Pantone 13-1520 (Rose Quartz) and Pantone 15-3919 (Serenity) are the colors chosen. According to Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone's Executive Director, "joined together, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate an inherent balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as a soothing sense of order and peace."

According to the Pantone website, consumers are  seeking mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill a yearning for reassurance and security. They also believe that the combination of Rose Quartz and Serenity challenges traditional perceptions of color association as many parts of the world experience a gender blue as it relates to fashion.

Pantone has also provided suggestions for a 2016 Spring Wardrobe for Women incorporating both colors into a palette that would also work for quilts and other sewing projects. The colors are, from top to bottom, Rose Quartz, Peach Echo, Serenity, Snorkel Blue, Buttercup, Limpet Shell, Lilac Grey, Fiesta, Iced Coffee, and Green Flash.

Veteran's Day in the United States

American Stars Block of the Month Club

Veterans Day is an official United States holiday honoring those who have served in the armed service of America. First proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson, November 11 was set aside to honor those who had fought in "The Great War," also known as World War I. November 11 was chosen in honor of the formal end of hostilities during World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

The United States Congress passed a resolution on June 4, 1926, requesting that President Calvin Coolidge issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. By Congressional Act in 1938, the day was made into a national holiday "to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day."

In 1945, Raymond Weeks of Birmingham, Alabama, organized a National Veterans Day parade to honor American veterans of all wars. In 1954, Congress passed a bill, signed by President Eisenhower, proclaiming November 11 as Veterans Day. In 1982, Raymond Weeks received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Reagan. Today, Weeks' local parade and ceremonies are an annual event celebrated nationwide.

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!