I spoke too soon about spring….it is in the low 40’s today and suppose to be in the 30’s tonight.  Ahhhh! more time to knit on my socks! ha  I just finished the models and instructions for the potholders and will have them available to you when I get back from Paducah and the Quilt Show.  Would you like to see the first two? This shows the old one Carol had and the new, blue and white one i redid.  the little dress was always a favorite of mine. This…

Good morning on this fine spring day.  Spring has finally come to the Northwest and the locals are absolutely giddy from three days of sunshine.  I want to thank you all for being patient with me…the learning curve for the blog was a bit sharper than i thought or maybe I just made it harder than need be….hopefully we are on the right track…let me know if not. We have some exciting news to share!  McCall’s Pattern Catalog for Early Summer 2009 features a dress on the cover embellished with…

Okay, quilters….GET READY!  the Paducah, KY AQS quilt show is coming up in a couple weeks.  April 22-25th.  Once a year thousands of people descend upon this quiet little town and the fun to be had is hared to describe.  The men and women that come to the show from all over the world have a wonderful time taking classes and viewing the breath taking quilts shown.  I will take my laptop and send pictures and tidbits through out the show.  If any of you will be at Paducah stop…

Minnesota in February isn’t at the top of my list of places to visit but the warmth of the people that come through for this huge event more than made up for the freezing temps outside.  It was my second year to do the event and it was just as much fun as the first experience.  It makes my heart smile to see the people that are dedicated to the needle arts and love knitting and crochet work as much as we do here at Clover.  A BIG thank you…

I am starting to see signs of spring here in the Northwest.  The tulips are up and starting to form flower buds.  The flowering trees and shrubs are budding out and each week brings more sunshine and warmth.  Not far from my home is the Skagit Valley where tulip and daffodil bulbs are grown.  The quantity and quality of the growers bulb production is second only to that of Holland.  In April they valley growers hold the annual Tulip Festival and thousands of acres are in bloom with all sizes…

The SEWING and STITCHERY EXPO was held in Puyallup, Washington Feb 26-Mar 1.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with this event it is a 4 day happening that includes classes, booth selling the newest and most creative products for garment construction, quilting and stitchery needs.  I was able to walk the show this year as it is practically in my back yard.  It is always exciting to see what is available to the consumer…it’s like a day of shopping made in heaven.  As always I had my trusty…

Here are some excerpts from Clover’s Japanese newsletter. In last month’s newsletter, we introduced about Japan’s “Setsubun” rituals. We’d like to tell you about the Hina (Girls’) Festival, held on March 3. It is still cold when Setsubun is held (on February 3), but by the time the Hina Festival comes around (on March 3), the sunlight has gotten a little warmer, and one can almost hear spring’s approaching footsteps. During that time, when spring is almost in the air, the Hina Festival is held to pray for young girls’…

TNNA SHOW (San Diego, CA) THE NATIONAL NEEDLEWORK ASSOCIATION Wow!  I have creative overload from the two amazing trade shows I’ve just returned from.  TNNA ( The National Needlework Association) show held in beautiful San Diego, CA was 3 days of sensory overload.  I am always blown away by the creativity contained within the walls of this show.  The new yarns and knitting and crochet patterns are featured here along with all the “must haves” of those doing these needleart forms.  The hand-painted canvases and fibers used to bring them…

Simply Soft Eco Caron Yarns has a new yarn on the market that is earth friendly…check it out! Save the planet one stitch at a time! Every 10 skeins of Simply Soft Eco saves 6 plastic bottles from U.S. landfills. Simply Soft Eco is a yarn from Caron International that blends 80% of normal Simply Soft fiber with 20% of a specially processed fiber produced from recycled plastic bottles. Simply Soft Eco is soft to the touch, easy to work with and environmentally friendly. It can be used in any…

I’ve been going through some of my stacks and stacks of magazines – some have been with me so long they are old friends – and wanted to share some of the tips that caused me to have an “ah ha” moment as Oprah would say.  Hope they have some meaning for you, too. Michael del Vecchio: When working Fair Isle, the key to getting a good and smooth fabric is to stretch out your stitches on the needle every inch or so. Knitting With Balls: A Hands-On Guide to…