January 5, 2012 

Hi all!

On this day in 1914, Henry Ford, head of the Ford Motor Company, introduced a minimum wage scale of $5 per day. ("Day" not defined.)

Welcoming 2012, let us count our blessings!  Listening to the news, one might think the USA is doomed as a country.  Our lawmakers paralyzed by their convictions, we, the voters, confused by our own.

This year's Civil War Journals Block-a-Month focuses on the CHILDREN of the 1860s caught up in our nation's Civil War.  Could they even begin to imagine the blessings their descendants would be counting in the future?! 

A year-long program, the fabrics are all 19th century reproductions, and very authentic!  The patterns include an interesting story each month, block patterns & directions for making one small child-size quilt a quarter, or combining your entire year's production into one large quilt, as pictured further below.  

Click on these smaller quilts to see larger images, clearly showing the fabrics in detail.

The fabrics for the FIRST QUARTER are available now.  

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=30650

Complete fabric & pattern bundles may be purchased monthly or quarterly, plus postage each month or quarter.  

Monthly kits are $29.99 and quarterly kits are $82.99.  Postage will be $5.50/month or $5.50 to $10.50/quarter if you can not pick up your kits in the store.

CIVIL WAR JOURNALS CLASS STARTS Saturday January 14th 2012 at 10 a.m. ($36/year), meets for an hour and runs through December 2012, every Second Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. 

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=30651

If you are interested in the era of the Civil War, you might be interested in BARBARA BRACKMAN'S Civil War blog, with all sorts of interesting stuff, for FREE, including history lessons, quilt blocks, quilt ideas and more.  

Started in January 2011, her last weekly post happened Saturday, December 31st but she'll leave it up at least until July 1, 2012 so people can catch up.  And there is a book in the future...Late 2012 or 2013 is my guess.

http://www.civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Charlotte's Shopper's Club members save 20% off all regularly priced merchandise for a year, including class kits!

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=21161

Make it using reproduction fabrics from the 1800s, in reds & browns.  Come see our quilt on display now! 

A VINTAGE FLORAL print will be suggested for the border.  The block fabrics will have reds, browns, blue/green, creams & naturals.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=25832

There will also be a second choice.  It will use all the gorgeous BLUES, TEALS, GREENS and a touch of gold, as found in TIMELESS TREASURE'S PLUME which will be suggested as the border for this quilt.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nl.asp?p=0&c=656

Jan Hutchison quilted this for me and it is FABULOUS!

Go to Jan's blog for more pictures of this quilt and a few others she's finished recently.

http://thesecretlifeofmrsmeatloaf.blogspot.com/

Plume TIMELESS TREASURES fabrics are available now.

If you can't join our SECOND SATURDAY program, which involves FREE BLOCKS, you can still order a complete KIT for either of these great quilts.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=30520

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=29999

Two NEW Block-A-Month appliqué classes will meet mornings & evenings on the 
FIRST THURSDAY each month, 
FEBRUARY through December 2012.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=29826 

Choose RAINING CATS & DOGS, with GRAY, PINK & TEAL, finishes approx. 55 x 62 inches.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=29808

Or, also from BUNNY HILL DESIGNS & MODA FABRICS, choose

MERRY, MERRY SNOWMEN, classic RED & WHITE with GREY, finishes approx. 62 x 66 inches.

http://www.sewnatural.net/nli.asp?iid=29810

NEEDLE-TURN appliqué done by hand, and MACHINE APPLIQUÉ, which starts by fusing the fabrics to each other, will both be covered in the same class sessions.  

In this class, learn how to make fabric choices that will make your work POP!

Wishing you and yours all the best in 2012!