Candy and Quilting

Today, Bill and I were watching CNN as we were getting ready for work. There was an article on that talked about how the sale of candy is still strong even with these difficult economic times. (And any of you who know me, understand that I contribute heavily to these candy sales!)

But what, you are asking, does candy have to do with quilting?

I'll tell you. Both candy and quilting are done to experience pleasure. Both fulfill an urge - and sometimes a hunger. People may buy more candy during times of stress seeking a momentary "high" on sugar. Nothing wrong with that. (I believe that one of the great pleasures in life is a huge piece of chocolate-nut fudge and a gallon of cold, bubbly milk, after all.)

But the pleasure of quilting lasts far longer than the caloric-candy-high. Even though times are tough, people will always quilt and sew because creativity, craftsmanship, and the love of color cannot be crushed. People will always need to use their hands to produce what their minds can imagine, and art will always emerge the victor after hardship. Self-expression through the use of needle and thread is an age-old, long-respected skill that still runs strong in the currents of American society.

Go ahead. Eat candy. But do something far more long-lasting, and get to your sewing machine or pick up your needle. Candy might be dandy, but sewing is far sweeter.

Apparently, many of us have a "sweet tooth," and giving into that craving gives us an occasional high-caloric boost. But many of us also have "fabric fingers," and "sewing souls," that create beauty that will last until long after we're gone, way past the pleasure of chocolate, the tanginess of Sweet Tarts, the chewiness of taffy, or the luxury of licorice.

Getting ready for a party -- or a shop hop!

We're getting ready for a party....or more specificially a shop hop! We're having two this summer. The first, the Illiana Shop Hop, begins next week on June 12, 13, 14. Our theme is "Birds of a Feather," and each block from the eleven participating shops contains a bird, a birdhouse, or a flower. Contained in each block is a hidden heart to symbolize our support of the American Heart Association which receives $1.00 of each passport sale. Go to www.illianashophop.com to view the quilts that each of the shops have created. Don't miss out on our first great "party" of the season with door prizes, give-aways, and special discounts to passport holders. You can purchase your passport from any one of the shops during the shop hop if you don't already have one.

Our next shop hop is the East Central Illinois Shop Hop on July 10, 11, & 12th. This event includes twelve shops in the eastern and southern parts of Illinois. Northcott Quest for a Cure is the sponsor, and proceeds from passport sales and raffled quilt items go to breast cancer research. Click on our website, www.threadsoftimefab.com and go to the upcoming events and East Central Illinois shop Hop.

Yes, as we mentioned in our previous blog, Bill and I have been gardening. Thanks for the postings about the color combinations and the flowers. The lively plantings just add to the joy of the events!

Eye-Popping Color Schemes in Nature and Quilts

Bill and I finally got a chance to plant flowers last weekend. Gardening is an activity we truly enjoy, but with the hours we spend on the business and my dad's recent illness, (not to mention all the rain we've had), there just hasn't been any time. Saturday was the day. We took our gardening color scheme of purple and white to Danville Gardens, a fantastic local greenhouse and planting center with thousands of plants.


We fell in love with Illumination-Orange trailing begonias....something that didn't fit in with our planned, (but somewhat ordinary), purple and white color scheme. The gardener on site held up the deep, velvety, purple of the petunias against the flaming orange of the begonias. "Fantastic!" was her response. Bill, a little unsure but willing to give up the traditional color scheme, went along with the new plan.

It was more difficult than we thought it would be. Trying to figure out how to garden in shady areas and sunny areas in the appropriate palettes nearly drove us crazy, but finally we did it. After several hours of planting, we had full flower beds and eye-popping colors in the front flower beds at Threads of Time.

The front of our building is now aglow with purples, salmons, and oranges. Funny, how the totally unexpected combinations give a powerful punch to the landscape.

Gardening and quilting are very similar after all. Be bold. Be experimental. Blend colors and mix hues. You may be surprised by the fantastic display you produce. Visit our online store at http://www.threadsoftimefab.com/ to view the possibilities of gorgeous fabric in fabulous colors.