Welcome! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to visit the Crafty Threads blog!

This blog tour is hosted by Timeless Treasures to celebrate the release of Judy & Judel Niemeyer's first-ever fabric line, The Reclaimed West.

Crafty Threads has been a Judy Niemeyer

Certified Shop since June 2013.

I always liked paper piecing, but when I discovered the "Judy" method of paper piecing, 

I was forever hooked.

Take a class, pick up one of her MANY patterns, and fall in love with paper piecing all over again!

I chose the pattern "Golden Harvest" to highlight the lighter shades of the Reclaimed West.

First, I made sure all the cows were not standing on their heads!

Cows? In Florida? Sure thing!

Florida's ranchers raise the third largest number of cattle of any state east of the Mississippi.

The photo above shows part of the piecing process.  Everything fits together so precisely.

That's the beauty of paper piecing!

"TA DA"!  The finished top!

We have this version of "Golden Harvest" in a limited number of kits.  You can see all of our Judy Niemeyer pattern and kit selections on our website.

Crafty Threads website 

Want to win?

ENTER THE TIMELESS TREASURES GIVEAWAY — Starting Nov 17^th – The giveaway will be open for entries throughout ALL five days of the blog tour. 

THREE WINNERS will be selected on Monday, Nov. 24^th at Noon Eastern Time.

Follow this link to enter!

http://www.ttfabrics.com/reclaimed-west-blog-tour

** EACH OF THE THREE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE: one fat eighth bundle of the entire Reclaimed West collection (24 pcs), one 52-pc charm pack of the Reclaimed West collection, one Braided Table Runner pattern by Quiltworx/Judy Niemeyer, one Geese in the West pattern by Cindi McCracken, one Reclaimed West bookmark & bag tag set from Quilt Dots, one spool of coordinating thread from the Reclaimed West designer thread set available from Aurifil.

Be sure to visit all of the Blog Hop Participants to see more great projects made in The Reclaimed West fabric line.

November 17

Carla Klop, Kits by Carla - http://www.kitsbycarla.com/blog

Catherine Wilson, Queenie Quilts - http://queeniequiltsblogs.blogspot.com

Lisa McCarthy, Compass Point Quilts - www.compasspointquilts.com

November 18

Deborah Brizendine, Just Stitchin with Deborah - http://juststitchinwithdeborah.blogspot.com/

Denise Green, HollyDee Quilts - http://hollydeequilts.net

Sandy Lueth, Totes by Sandy - http://www.totes-by-sandy.com

November 19

Cathy McKillip, Wish Upon A Quilt - http://wishuponaquilt.com/blog

Marcia Nagel/Megan Bohr, Pine Needles Quilt & Sew - http://thepineconepress.blogspot.com/

Stacey Day, Stacey in Stitches - http://staceyinstitches.wordpress.com

November 20

Barb Linares, Crafty Threads - http://craftyquilts.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Eubank, Archipelago Quilting - http://jennifersewing.wordpress.com/

Konda Luckau, Moose on the Porch Quilts - http://www.moosequilts.com/blog

Susan Nelson, Prairie Sky Quilts - http://blog.prairieskyquilting.com

November 21

Jackie Kunkel, Canton Village Quilt Works - http://cvquiltworks.com/blogs/blog

Lauren Rogers, Backdoor Quilt Shoppe - www.backdoorquiltshoppe.wordpress.com

Osie Lebowitz, From Needle and Thread - http://www.fromneedleandthread.com/

Timeless Treasures, SewTimeless (Giveaways!) - http://www.ttfabrics.com/blog/

Koru and the warrior princesses

Koru is Maori for loop.  This loop symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace.

Elizabeth chose this symbol during a 

crazy discussion about tattoos.

A strange and wonderful combination of "fateful" events occured and two friends supported each other in getting (almost) matching tattoos.

In honor of you, Elizabeth.

New life, growth, strength, and peace.

With love from your warrior princesses.

Faith, Hope & Love

Faith!

All the petty arguments, hurt feelings, and day to day inconveniences seem so, so, so trivial when someone close to you is battling cancer.

My heart hurts for Elizabeth, but not as much as she hurts.

I want to take away her pain, but not as much as she wishes for relief.

I want her to tell me how to help, but doesn't that just add to her burden?

Hope!

What gets me through each day is my belief that our lives are in His hands and He has a purpose for each of us.  Rarely do we know what that purpose is until long after He has pointed us down the right path, but the purpose is there and we just have to have patience and trust and hope and faith.

Love!

And laughter - there can never be too much laughter!  

Cancer SUCKS!

October 3rd, 2014 at 2:45 p.m. my friend answers my text 

"I'm sorry to say it isn't good."

She was still at the doctors office getting the results 

from various scans she had the day before.

Bottom line, her cancer had returned.

It's name is Metastatic Breast Cancer and it SUCKS!

Elizabeth Johnston is my friend, my employee, and the most fun spirit that has ever crossed my path.  We are sisters in so many ways, none of which include having the same parents.  We think alike, we are both breast cancer survivors, our husbands are geeks, the tools in the house belong to us, and, best of all, we share the love of everything fabric & sewing & yarn & wool...

Because she is a breast cancer survivor, this cancer will also be known as breast cancer - although it is not in her breast(s).  

Metastatic breast cancer can be in the bones, liver and/or brain.

For Elizabeth, it has chosen her bones and her liver.

She started radiation for the bone "mets" that is on her spine - it was causing her extreme pain.  She also has a bone "mets" at the base of her skull.

This round of radiation will end on November 3rd.

The next order of business is to attack the cancer in her liver.  This will start with MAJOR (is there minor?) chemo on November 10th.

Please understand that all of this information is 2nd, or 3rd hand and I might not have all of the "lingo" exactly correct.  

My goal is to share her story with you, for her, so that she can focus all her energy on her fight.

She wants to be at Crafty Threads as much as she can 

- it is her happy place!

   

But... she doesn't have the strength to answer questions, listen to anecdotes, hear about herbal remedies, or how acupuncture helped a friend of a friend.

She really likes her doctors and she and her husband, Keith, are comfortable with the proposed course of treatment.  

Well wishes, prayers, strength, and hope, are the things she longs for and needs the most.

And laughter - there can NEVER be too much laughter!

I have set up a fundraising website to help with her medical expenses here:
Warriors for Elizabeth

Giving Back

It is so easy to 'Give Back' 

when you have been given so much!!

Here at Crafty Threads we have so much fun giving to our community and customers that it has become second nature.  Our hearts are always open to the next BIG idea!

The great thing about the charities below is that they are so easy to help. 

Each site has a list of what you can do to help and if your time is limited, there is still a way!

Quilts of Valor: This group was started at Crafty Threads to give back in one of the biggest ways possible and you don't even have to make a quilt.  On the site there is a list of ways to help from donating fabric or batting to making a quilt.
Quilts are donated to: “cover ALL combat service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.”  This foundation is not about politics.  It’s about people.


Project Linus:  THE Tampa area drop off point for quilt, fabric and yarn donations.
This organization is all about the kids and again there are many ways to help: crochet, preemie quilts, etc. and patterns are listed as well to help you get started.
http://www.projectlinus.org/volunteer/volunteer.php?StateKey=FL#tgt

ConKerr Cancer Pillowcases:

Here is a small selection of the hundreds of pillowcases that come through the shop every September to support this worthy cause!  

So little yardage and so little time can really brighten the world for one sick child.  To entice you to help even more, you can get in on the raffle basket with ALL proceeds going to the local Con Kerr chapter.

All proceeds go to the local

ConKerr Cancer chapter

Metropolitan Ministries:
http://www.metromin.org/Donations-Drive
We all love to help out at the holidays and Crafty Threads makes that easy too.  Every year in the Fall, you will find the Big Blue Bins from Metropolitan Ministries waiting to accept your food and toy donations right here in the shop. 

You, our customers, are a huge part of our community!  Not only are you a part of our quilting community, but our ability to help comes from you in the way you bring ideas to us and the way you jump in to help us carry out those ideas.

How can we thank you? 
Do you have a small quilt club that needs a place to meet?
Come meet the Feather Princesses Traditional Quilt Group:
We help them and they help you.  Do you want to learn the glorious tradition of hand work?  This is the group to learn from.

Want to make some fun projects with like minded quilters?
Join the O.R.E.O.S. (Original Rowdy Enthusiastic Off-Beat Stitchers).
Every month when you show your finished project, receive a $5 chip.  Sometimes you get an extra $5 chip when Barb doesn't get the sample made...  Do you feel lucky?

From small gifts like key chains, fly swatters, nail files, and bag carriers to 10% off your ENTIRE next purchase whenever you spend $250....We say THANK YOU!

We can never say it too many times!  

Thank you! 

Events ARE people too!

Everyone loves to attend a Crafty Threads event for the sales and surprises and we hope you come for the smiles and laughter as well!  If you haven't attended one yet, the best is yet to come.....

Here is a YEAR-Long Event:

Become a Crafty Threads Bag Lady for year-long savings.  For a limited time, purchase your bag for only $10 and then receive 10% off your ENTIRE purchase every time you bring it in through June of 2014.  Plus we will be offering monthly specials just for you. 

 

Now that July is here, it is time for our annual Christmas in July Celebration.  This 3-day event will make you feel like a child again starting with our gift openings on Friday, July 12th.

Brightly wrapped gifts have been popping up around the shop in every nook and cranny and more are on the way-- so don't delay-- mark your calendar today!!

Saturday, July 13th we continue to celebrate with demos and prizes and elves, oh my!

Sunday, July 14th we wrap it all up with quick and easy gift ideas to Make and Take.  Let us, help you, make your holidays a cinch.

 

 

Calling all 'NIGHT OWLS'...August 10th brings the second of our Saturday Sleep Over events.  Join us for an evening and early morning sew-a-thon.
Arrive at 6pm on Saturday evening and stay up until 8am Sunday, sewing and chatting and munching and sewing and chatting....Did you see sleeping on that list?  NOPE... NO sleeping allowed!
Sign up today for only $20 with Pot-luck for dinner and a catered breakfast. 
You  might want to bring 2 projects: One to work on while still focused and one for after we become punchy:))

Not all events are about receiving prizes, sometimes the best events are making prizes for others.  Come be a part of our Pillowcase Sewing Day on Monday, September 23rd.
All day long we will be stitching "Miles of Smiles" for ConKerr Cancer.  Save the date, stop in anytime, and make someone smile.

COMING SOON:
October will bring our Customer Appreciation Event.
December heralds Barb's Big Birthday Blowout Bash.

Just as those wrapped gifts stir a sense of mystery and excitement, events too bring an air of mystery and treasures untold.  Will you find a new fabric or thread?  Will you learn a new technique that changes your whole outlook on future projects?
Or, will you win the grand prize in the form of a smile and shared laughter that will bestow the treasure of friendship on your future.

See, Events ARE people too!  Can't wait to see you again or meet you for the first time.

Awesome Judy Niemeyer!

Judy Niemeyer
Arizona Cactus Table Topper
&
The Cactus Flower Tablerunner

If you are a regular at the shop, you have seen the monthly trunk shows of Judy Niemeyer that have been rotating through.  They are incredible works of art.
You also remember that in January, Jody and I took a 3 day seminar with her in Toledo, Ohio learning paper piecing techniques. She is a fantastic teacher and her patterns are amazing!.

I wanted to become certified because I LOVE paper piecing!!  Judy's quilts are stunning, but it is her method that really strikes a cord with me.  The organization and step by "stepped-ness" of her patterns tickles my fancy!!

Judy Niemeyer, Pepperdish, in the shop now.

From May 29th-June 5th, I will be in Kalispell, Montana becoming a Certified shop. 

What does this mean for you?  Being a "Certified Shop" allows me to offer you Judy's, "Technique of the Month".  In 2012, it was her famous Glacier Star.  Beginning in Jan 2013, her new "Technique of the Month" is the Mariner's Compass. 

Same quilt shown so many ways it is hard to pick a favorite.  I hope to come home from the retreat with my top completely pieced.  

What colors will mine be, you ask?

A Mariner's Compass in colors that are 

soooo very Florida!

Make sure you watch for more photos while I'm piecing the top in Montana:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Crafty-Threads-LLC/173359149383565