Guest Post By Robert

Welcome to KT Bernina.  

Our adventure started in November when Lynne called Bernina USA in Aurora, IL. to locate a service tech to work on her machines.  They informed her that they were looking for a service representative in our area. Did she know anyone that might be interested?  When I came home from work that night she told me "What a Deal I have for you".  And so the journey began. We filled out forms, rearranged the entire KT Studio and travelled to Aurora, IL for service & business classes in Feb. By the end of March, we opened the doors of KT Bernina Quilt Shop & Emporium amidst unseasonable cold & snow. Our Grand Opening was the end of April during our local Shop Hop. We were officially in business.

It's been alot of work but also alot of fun setting up displays, finding unique items of interest to quilters and meeting all the quilters who stop by the store. We'd love to see you soon!

Come test drive a quality Bernina sewing machine at KT Bernina

KT Bernina Quilt Shop & Emporium Store Hours

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 10-5pm.

Wednesday - 10-7pm.

Saturday - 10-3pm.

Traveling? Call ahead and we'll meet you at the shop! 785-488-2120.

For after-hours assistance, call Robert at 785-488-6214. 

Catching Up

Winner

First of all, sorry for the delay in posting the winner of the Starry Kisses charm & pattern from 2 weeks ago. How time flies when you're out of town and playing with quilters! Congratulations to sue (comment #51) - you're the winner this week. Please send your mailing address to ktquilts2@twinvalley.net and we'll mail out your goodies this week. Just a note to those of you who comment on the blog. If you add your email address to your profile, I can notify you directly when you win and you can respond from there. We've had several unclaimed giveaways because the winners don't come back to check and see if they'd won. It's also difficult to identify someone just by their first name. I just hate for someone to miss out on winning. Just a thought.

Cape Girardeau, MO

My grandson, Cooper (12-almost-13), and I visited the quilt guild in Cape Girardeau, MO last week and had a delightful time with Chris, Lynore and their wonderful bunch of ladies. They were my test group for teaching Icicle Kisses and the fabric arrived at the local shop, The Golden Needle, during the class. I was intrigued and inspired, as usual, with the quilters' stories of how their lives are enriched by quilting and the bonds made with other quilters. Great group of ladies. Thanks for having us. Cooper helped unload, load, hold up quilts, pack up quilts, sell product and kept me company for several days.In return, we visited the Arch in St. Louis on the way home and shopped, shopped, shopped. Here's a sample of the "sick" shoes & t-shirt he found on sale for under $10 for both!

Scored some great deals!

Cool Guy

Memorial Arch in St. Louis, MO

 Prairie Lavender Farm

Just a few miles from Bennington is a unique commercial endeavor - a lavender farm. This creative family has turned a hobby into a thriving business, growing over 25 varieties of Lavender and processing it into creams, lotions, balms, sprays, candles and dried arrangements. Each year during peak flowering season, we enjoy a sneak peak into their operation during a lively open house. There are tours of the property, music, demonstrations and refreshments (lavender lemonade, ice cream and other delicacies) in addition to their gift shop. Mom & I enjoyed a lavender lemonade and shopped for lightly scented candles and sachets. I brought home a a lavender candle for each of the ladies at our KT Retreat this weekend. How fun!

Prairie Lavender Farm Open House

Lavender Fields

Lavender Lemonade & fresh bundle to hang & dry

Icicle Stars

We just received our boxes of Icicle Kisses fabric and are already cutting yardage for the Icicle Stars kits. Watch for them on our website soon. This week, our blog winner will receive an Icicle Stars pattern, so comment here on your favorite summer festival or destination for a chance to win.

KT Bernina

Check in during the week for Robert's new contribution to my blog, sharing pictures of the store and information on Bernina sewing machines and products. He will be presenting the program to the local quilt guild Monday night - stay tuned.

Eldreth Pottery Pendant Winner

Congrats to BizyStitches - you're the winner of the pottery pendant. Pick your preference - red basket block or blue bee skep - and let me know along with your mailing address. Thanks to everyone who commented on their favorite collectibles. Just a note - not everything in the cubby was purchased on my trip. The cubby was the find so I could load it up with junk I already had.

Icicle Kisses is Here!

I can't believe it's time to think about Christmas quilting already! We both know if we don't make a plan now, it won't be done before the holidays. So now is the time to pick up the new Icicle Kisses fabric and precuts for a a couple of great new projects, both easy enough to make several for gifts and one for yourself! Icicle Stars simplifies a classic star block with our signature layered patchwork technique, making more perfect blocks with less work. By layering different sizes of triangles on squares and rectangles, star points and trees are created with a fun texture and primitive appeal. For a scrappy look, start with a Jelly Roll; for blocks with a consistent background fabric, choose fat 1/8's and 1/4's.

This 72" square lap quilt pattern also includes instructions for a 3-star runner. If you love the ease of charm quilts, check out our Starry Kisses quilt. I actually used a template (although I'm sometimes allergic to the "T" word) to make a 4 pointed star that's as easy as sewing a quarter square triangle block. An Icicle Kisses charm pack and 2 fabrics is all you need for this 32" sq. wall quilt. Perfect for gift-giving!

Ready for a Christmas giveaway? Share what kinds of projects you like to make for family & friends. Win an Starry Kisses pattern & charm to start you on the way to holiday stitching.

A Few More Finds

Here are a couple more finds from our trip. I had two of these number stencils, but found the alphabet/number one in Brimfield. Don't ya know you have to have three for it to be a collection? Now, where to hang them.

This treasure is a housewife. Women made them for their husband's going off to battle during the Civil War so they would have all the neccessities they needed to mend their uniforms and replace buttons. The round, stuffed pincushion at the bottom rolls up into a neat roll for easy carrying. Pam Buda has several very old ones and explained the history behind it. We agreed I needed this one since I'm a July 5th baby. I love the flag and color scheme.

The quilt in the background will be arriving in August as part of our KT Stash Society series - Red Hots. Our simple layered patchwork technique makes it as easy as sewing quarter square triangles together in shades of red for a summer or Christmas addition to your home decor.  Don't forget to comment on your fav sewing collectibles for a chance to win an Eldreth Pottery pendant (see previous post). Laters, ladies.

Dodged a Twister

Severe Weather Season is Upon Us
Thanks to everyone for their emails and concerns over the tornado Tuesday night here in Bennington. Robert and I watched it on the ground about 3-4 miles west of our building for over an hour before the storm spotters determined it had broken up. This is the RR crossing right behind the KT Store. All we got was some heavy rain and a little hail. Dodged that one, but more storms are in the forecast for the remainder of the week. Our heavy duty brick building has survived 2 tornadoes in the past, so I think we're good. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again for your concern.

A Few Treasures from Brimfield

I finally got completely unpacked over the weekend, savoring all my little treasures from the Brimfield, MA Antique Show all over again. I have my drafting table set up in my design studio and love the versatility of having the top slant for sketching.

I found this old hotel or boarding house key cubby in Seville, OH on the way home. It looked like the perfect place to display some of my favorite sewing needfuls.

My very favorit-ist (grankid speak) sewing items are those that are shaped like acorns. The wooden and bone ones were Brimfield finds and hold a thimble. The green glass with gold top acorn is a perfume pendant. The ones with the actual acorn tops are tiny wool pincushions filled with crushed walnut shells. My travel buddy bought me one (Thanks, Pam!) but I had to have a couple more to fill the bowl.

I even found two large wool acorns at The Old Country Store Museum Shop. What a treasure trove of handmade gifts! Can't wait to go back in July!

While in Lancaster Co, PA, we stopped by Eldreth Pottery. I have a collection of their Santas and recently fell in love with their darker glaze.

This pear pot will keep my sunflower jug company all year. Comment here on your fav sewing collectible and win your choice of the square red basket block or blue beeskep pottery pendants from Eldreth (I've got dibs on the green house one, sorry :). See you next week.

Brimming Over in Brimfield, MA

Oh My! I had no idea how many vendors would be here - over 3000! We haven't hit half of them and are soooo delighted with the cool finds. Pam Buda, Heartspun Quilts, and I are tickled with the selection of vintage fabrics and quilts along with the wonderful early American antiques. We've hauled wooden advertising boxes, divided grain bins and a nail bin for displays in the shop, a couple of marshmellow and pretzel tins for display in my kitchen, and some awesome old sewing needfuls shaped like acorns. Pictured below are a couple items that I wish I'd gone back for- a really good red cupboard (but where to put it?) and a graphic old dart board. Guess you can't buy everything you see. There's so much to choose from and so much of everything. Including people & traffic. It took 2 hours to go 15 miles last night, parking is as rare as hen's teeth and porta potties and my feet feel like they're 80 years old, but I'd do it all again in  a heartbeat. Great trip, great company, great finds.