We are swimming in amazing new fabric again this week, and invite you to come stick your toes in if you get the chance. These are from a group of stunning oversize print fabrics guaranteed to challenge even intrepid sewers/sewists. Come see!
Archive for the ‘Fabric’ Category
More Fabric!
Wednesday, August 10th, 2011New “Solids” at New Pieces!
Friday, July 15th, 2011Among the bolts of new fabrics that arrived in the Store this week were sets of bolts that cheerfully strain the concept of “solid” color. While a picture is worth a thousand words — no picture can really do adequate service to these fabrics. We encourage you to look for them the next time you are in the Store. They may not be with us long.
There are eight bolts of this clear gem-toned cloth, each with the same, subtle, printed “texture” that lets them perform as slightly more than solid.
There are also 11 new bolts of an amazing fabric called “Lumiere Sateen”. Cotton sateen ombres that glow. We’re speechless.
  
If you have a project in the planning stage for which you needed “Solids +”, these may be the fabrics for which you were waiting.
The pictures can at least give you an idea…
Wow.
Rearranging the Fabric…
Saturday, July 9th, 2011Only our regular customers will be confused, but Staff (and friendly customers) have been moving the fabric around the Store. The most noticeable change is documented below:
      
Where once a wall of black and white fabrics greeted you at the door, there is now an equally wonderful section of more modern prints, organized by designer.
Don’t panic! The black and whites have moved to a place slightly farther from the door. With more space they can exhale, and expand a little, too.
There is now also a bay of fabrics at 25% off 1/2 yard cuts, in addition to the 1/2 price bay. There are many more subtle changes, and we hope you’ll check in with us about the ones that work and the ones that don’t. Our goal is always to remain recognizably the New Pieces you know and love — but still to find ways we can improve what we do… you know that quilters love to hear “Oh, that works!”
Staff
P.S. For those of you less familiar with the New Pieces Quilt Store, there is a “tour” of the Store (in photos) on the New Pieces Quilt Store page on Facebook. Enjoy!
A Day at the Store…
Saturday, April 30th, 2011
When I came to work on Thursday, Mary Mix’s purple 9-patch quilt was on a table being carefully checked for loose threads.
It is an almost mesmerizing quilt. The more we looked, the more different, and interesting fabric choices we found.
The quilting pattern she selected complements the pattern well, too. It’s “swoopy” not square, and I think she chose a variegated thread as well. Thanks Mary, for letting us share your quilt!
Begin With a 9-Patch; Make a Stunning Quilt!
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Detail of Becky’s Nine-Patch Quilt
2 Mondays, May 9 and 23
6:15 pm – 9:15 pm     All Levels
Begin With the 9-Patch is perfect for quilters of all experience levels who want to master a basic pieced quilt, while concentrating on color and pattern scale to make a quilt that really ‘sings’.
Teacher Becky Keck says, “The 9-patch is one of the most basic and easiest blocks to make. It either blends with the focus fabric or contrasts with it and moves your eye across the quilt.”
Beginners will learn use of the rotary cutter, basic piecing rules, strip-piecing, block construction and bordering. This class is one of the first marked with the “Beginner Friendly” icon, but it will still challenge anyone who takes it.
Tips for New Piecers – Take Pictures!
Thursday, February 17th, 2011Last week I finished a jacket that was intended as a birthday present for my wonderful mother-in-law.
Caroline is a gardener and bird-watcher, living in the cold, cold Midwest. The jacket was meant to give her a warm hug on her February birthday – when we couldn’t be there to do it in person. I was thrilled with the fabrics I found — and, since I only have one jacket pattern, I was set! Having procrastinated far too effectively, I laid the jacket out and sewed it up over the course of two or three days. I made some truly creative fixes to my mistakes, a la Lisa’s quilt. I hemmed the jacket on birthday-minus-3 day; then affixed two silk frog fasteners and mailed it off.
No picture. Oops! I can show you the fabrics — and I can remind you to always take pictures before mailing gifts to your loved ones. Most of us stop short of carrying those little “brag” books in our purses, but I’ve yet to meet a quilter who doesn’t want to see what you’re working on!
See you at the Store. And please, bring pictures! — Heather
IT’S A BLIZZARD!
Friday, February 4th, 2011Many New Pieces customers and staff are originally from colder climes — and almost all of us are grateful not to be traveling anywhere east of Pleasant Hill this week. New Pieces has also had many wonderful and dynamic out-of-town visitors this week. They seem happy to be missing the weather they left behind, and to really enjoy the cool, clear February weather we earned after all last week’s foggy gray.
That said – We’ve been having a blizzard of sorts at New Pieces, too. Between the extra visitors and our usual, busy schedule, Staff has barely been able to keep up with the flow of bolts of new fabric coming in the door. Its been overwhelming and wonderful.
It’s hard to capture the excitement in words, or even pictures, but here’s a quick peek at this year’s February Blizzard.
There are Free Spirit fabrics, from Jane Sassaman and Jay McCarroll; there are amazing Asian prints including adorable lions, elephants and bears. There are more bunnies….
A huge order from Trans – Pacific included these bolts of lava cloth. Brilliant colors, 100% cotton – but with a slight texture.
Among the arrivals in “juvenile” fabrics were these few, including additions to our turtle, owl and bug offerings.
And finally…
To round out today’s peek at the “symphony of color”, there’s a jazz combo in blacks and white.
Stay tuned, or come in — there is more to show!