Happy Montana Shop Hopping, everyone! I hope you'll all at least stop and see our new window display (you can see our Shroll Lone Star as well :)



Nova loves her new seat where she can check everything out. She just turned 8 months old and is very adolescent at the moment, but still a pretty good girl. She also discovered the joy of Minkee, so her mommy has to figure a quilt to use some orange Minkee on. Our Shroll color for the shop hop is orange, and here is a picture of the cute little things:




We've got tons of new fabric, particularly a lot of new fun Robert Kaufman lines, so come in and check them out. Hunky Dory, by Chez Moi for Moda is also here and is such great spring colors. Woohoo for sunshine, longer days, and shirtsleeves weather.

Things are going to be a little bit crazy the next few months at LTQ courtesy of a wild and wooly travel schedule for yours truly. As many of you know, last summer, my husband and I were supposed to go to Japan for two weeks as chaperones for 10 teenagers from his school in Livingston. Alas, we were banned from going by the Japanese side of the partnership due to swine flu. So, we are now going this summer. On its own, missing a couple weeks mid summer wouldn't be such a deal. But, dear quilters, that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I will begin my travels this weekend, heading to Portland for training on the latest and greatest Janome sewing machine, set to be unveiled to the public on May 1st. I'm as curious as you! They haven't told us anything about it except that we're going to love it. So I will return on 4/28, frantically prepare for quilt retreat, leave for retreat on 4/30, come home 5/2 and then I have a couple weeks before I leave to go to Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis on May 17th and return the 26th (I'm driving so I can see family while I'm back there).

Whoofta, I'm already tired just thinking about it, but then I have a mere ten days at home before I leave with my dear husband and mother for the trip of a lifetime. My mom and I have wanted to go to Africa on photo-safari basically since I could utter the word "cheetah" as a baby. My mother and I decided that I'm not getting any younger, life is short, and you never do know when little ones might come along, so on June 6th, we're off for ten action packed days in Kenya. Woohoo!

Then I am the matron of honor in the wedding of two very dear friends the weekend after I'm back...In D.C. Then home for a week or so and off to Japan. Then, on July 24th, my life will finally seem sane again.

The point of this long winded account of my travels is that I will not be here for much of the following three months. Therefore, I will be unable to clean and service machines until August. This also puts my longarming schedule back a bit. If you've rented before, you're all set to rent while I'm away. If you're a first time renter, see below. If you have already left a quilt with me, it will be done before I leave for Market. Anyone is welcome to drop quilts while I'm gone, but I wanted to warn everyone that I just won't be here, so it'll be the end of the summer before they're done.

Since I will be gone so much, I wanted to do a Longarm class for anyone interested in renting during the summer. On May 8th, at 1:00, after Saturday Sampler, I will do a class on using the long-arm, the basics of edge to edge and allover quilting designs, as well as some basic custom techniques. The class will be $20 and you will get to play on the machine. You won't need any supplies beyond pencil and a sheet of paper. Please feel free to bring tops so we can brainstorm ideas for quilting, batting, thread, etc...Sign up today, I know it's short notice.

We will also be rescheduling some classes that didn't go this spring, like the Bargello and the Wedge Ruler tree skirt. Look for the newsletter with dates.

Happy Quilting!