January Newsletter  
Stitches... fabric & yarn shoppe in Charles City, Iowa

Happy New Year from the staff of Stitches...
2013 brings a whole year of new projects.  Let us help you get started.

New fabric:

• Monkey Around by Quilting Treasures
• Honeybell by Blank Quilting
• Sumatra Batiks by Blank Quilting

Classes :

• Thursday, January 10th, 3:30pm  Sylvia's Bridal Sampler BOM
• Wednesday, January 16th, 6:30pm  Country Gatherings  BOM
• Thursday, January 17th, 6:30pm  Every Barn Tells A Story  BOM
• Friday, Saturday, Sunday,  January 25, 26, 27  Cabin Fever Weekend Retreat @ Stitches...
• Thursdays, February 21, 28, March 7,  5-7pm  Beginning Quilting

Coming soon :  Technique Workshops

Quilter's Fun Run Shop Hop  -   March 21st thru 23rd
We're joining 5 other shops for a local shop hop - get ready for some fun, prizes, new ideas, etc.
You know what the shop hops bring!!!
Stitches...   Debbie's    Moose Patch    Crazy to Quilt    Quilter's Window    Red-Roxy Quilt Co.

From the staff at Stitches...         Holly             Joy           Joyce            Linda    

July Newsletter

July 2012 Newsletter from Stitches... in Charles City, IA

• Welcome to the jungle - speaking about the weather.  Wow, what a hot June and July looks to be the same.  Lots going on in July to keep quilters busy though.
• Quilt Appraisers are coming to Charles City on July 9th.  Don't miss this opportunity if you want some real experts to look at your quilt.  They will be at First Citizens Bank in the Heritage Club Room from 9am to noon and 1pm to 4pm on Monday the 9th.  It is free for a verbal appraisal and $35 for a written appraisal (apt. needed for this). Take advantage of the knowledge of Val Bonk and Charleen Ritchmeier.  Thank you 1st Cits!
• Floyd County Fair Time will soon be here and a favorite of local fairgoers is the quilt show so we're asking you to get involved and show off your quilts.  We will have information sheets at Stitches... for you to fill out and times and dates for drop-off and pick-up at the Fairgrounds.  The fair starts on July18th so make your decisions soon and show your stuff!  Betty Jo Staudt and Karen Thomas are in charge.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, July 12th 3:30pm  Sylvia's Block of the Month

Friday,Saturday,Sunday - July 20,21,22 - Sewing Retreat

Guild members - this could be a good time to sew with Sheila's Fabric

• New Block of the Month starting in September will be the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30pm - "Every Barn Tells a Story" for 6 months.  We encourage new or inexperienced quilters to join a Block of the Month class and you will be a mazed at what you will learn from the instructors and the other members of the class.  Learning techniques from each other and having the cameraderie of the group will be a pleasant experience for all
• $35 + Book + Fabric = Awesome Quilt
•  
• New at Stitches...
• Capri Collection of fabric by AdornIt in grays and yellows
• Cuddle Fleece in Elephant Motif
• Ruffle and Ladder Yarns  in new colors

What about a Buggy Barn Quilt?  Ana Blickenderfer has volunteered to teach "Barn Chicks" at Stitches... so we are taking names and will announce a date when the class is full. This is a really fun 2 Saturday class.

Beginner or Wannabe Quilter?  We are also taking names for a class for you beginners.  Come in and sign up now and let's get a class going for the fall.  It could be a table runner, bed runner, baby quilt - you help decide what to make while learning to quilt.

Friday afternoons under the Pergola - bring your project and join us for Iced Tea or Coffee

FYI : Stitches... will be closed the week of August 7th - 11th

Email us at charlescitystitches@gmail.com visit our blog or call us at 228-3383

Joy          Holly          Joyce



May Newsletter from Stitches... in Charles City, Ia

Happy May Basket Day!

Remember the days when we spent hours making our little paper May baskets and delivered them to a friend's front or back door and went scurrying away hoping to get caught?!?  You younger Stitches... Friends may not recall those days but that was when girls weren't participating in sports, TV wasn't worth watching ("It's Howdy Doody Time") and parents would allow us to use the phone in emergencies only.  My how times have changed.

Some of us still love to take time to make special, handmade gifts and home decor.  It is all very fun and therapeutic and we encourage everyone to try something handmade.  Knit and crochet teaching goes on daily at any level, come give us a try.  We have some great yarns and patterns.

Enough about the good old days, let's talk about future projects, classes, fabric, yarn, notions and the All Iowa Shop Hop.

May Calendar
Thursday, May 10th, Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Block of the Month  3:30pm


Thursday, Friday, Saturday,  May 17, 18, 19  Stitches... will be closed for Quilt Market in Kansas City (we promise to bring back some great ideas, fabrics, notions, etc.


Wednesday, May 23rd, Signs of the Seasons Block of the Month 6:30pm

Friday, May 25th, 1-4pm Interchangeable Bag/Purse Class with Hazel Smith (sign up now, class is filling up)

June 1 thru 14  All Iowa Shop Hop  (90 participating shops) Flyers available at Stitches...

Stitches... 715 Kelly Mall   Charles City, IA       641-228-3383      charlescitystitches@gmail.com 

Holly       Sheilah         Joy        Joyce

April Newsletter from Stitches...

Happy Spring... or is it summer already? Wow, what a great March we have had. We hope a frost in April doesn't cause flower, tree, garden problems. The warm weather doesn't mean we have to quit the fun pastimes we enjoy all winter long. We have great new fabrics and yarns arriving all year long.

Chickfest - 2012 "Celebrate Chicks"

April 7th 9am - 5pm

Join the fun

Demonstrations, Make-It & Take-It

Refreshments, Specials, Drawings

New Fabrics :

• Who's A Bunny (Quilting Treasures)
• 1862 Battle Hymn (Moda)
• Sparky & Marie : Picadilly (Quilting Treasures)
• Busytown Bood & Coordinates - Richard Scary (Quilting Treasures)
• Be Prepared (Boy Scout Panel & Coordinates (Quilting Treasures)

New Yarns :

• Boutique Ribbon in new colors
• Starbella in new colors

Classes :

• Signs of the Seasons (Block of the Month) Wed. April 11th at 6:30pm
• Sylvia's Bridal Sampler (Block of the Month) Thurs. April 12th at 3:30pm
• Paper Piecing Technique Class Thurs April 12th at 1:30pm(if you want to learn or improve your paper piecing, join this class with Barb & Joy)

Coming in May

Stitches... will be closed May 17, 18, 19 for Quilt Market in Kansas City

Bag/Purse Class - interchangable fabrics for use with all your fashions -

Friday, May 25th 1-4pm with Hazel Smith

Coming in June :

All Iowa Shop Hop June 1-14 (more information in May newsletter)

Holly, Sheilah, Joy & Joyce

Stitches... 715 Kelly Mall Charles City, IA 50616 641-228-3383

charlescitystitches@gmail.com Facebook at Stitches

Tues - Sat 11am to 5pm Thurs til 7pm

March Newsletter from Stitches...

• Hello and welcome Spring. This truly has been a remarkable winter. Thunderstorms in February. Maybe flowers in March. If you are itching for some spring ideas come in to Stitches and we'll load you with ideas, fabric, kits, whatever it takes to get a jump on spring.
• Please welcome another new staff at Stitches... Joyce Laffe will be working on lFridays for you help and convenience. She, along with Sheilah McClain and Joy Frank have a wealth of knowledge waiting to be tapped. Just ask for help in finding or planning your next project. Sheilah will be at Stitches... on Tuesdays and Joy will be there on Wednesdays.
• We again have some great bolts in the Dog Pound for $4 a yard. These are some of our quality fabric that we offer at great prices. Maybe a backing or a border that goes with some blocks you have already put together. Come, give it a look. We will always have the Dog Pound filled for your enjoyment. Also, fat quarters in the Dog Pound for $1.50 and some kits for 25-50% off. Great bargains!!

New Fabrics at Stitches...

• 1862 Battle Hymn by Moda
• Plaid, Plaid, Plaid by Moda
• Lily & Will by Moda
• Paddington Bear by Quilting Treasures
• Richard Scary by Quilting Treasures

New Notions at Stitches...

• Applique Fiber
• Carol Doak's Paper Piecing
• Pressing Sheets
• TaDa's (in place of Thangles)

Upcoming Classes

• Block of the Month - Sylvia's - March 8th at 3:30pm
• Block of the Month - Signs - March 21st at 6:30pm *note change of date due to spring break
• T-Shirt Quilt Class - March 17th 10am-4pm $12 plus materials - taught by Ana Blickenderfer - start collecting those T-shirts now to make this amazing keepsake.

Chickfest is coming April 7th

You won't want to miss the fun : make-it & take-it, demonstrations,

refreshments, prizes, etc. 9am-5pm

*Come and see our new samples of quilts, wallhangings, tabletoppers, etc. made with new fabrics at Stitches...

New Yarns at Stitches...

• Tutu in 6 new colors (this yarn is so fun and easy to make into a scarf as a cool gift for friends and family) a must see.
• Starbella - the hottest new look in scarves - new in black and white
• Beautiful - (also known as windopane yarn) to make those awesome crochet necklaces ( you really don't have to know how to crochet)
• Starter Kits by Dark Horse Yarn - for your little daughters and granddaughters who want to learn how to knit.

Join us on Friday afternoons (or any afternoon) for a 'sit & sew or knot or crochet or just sit group'. Tea and treats served every Friday.

Stitches... 715 Kelly Mall Charles City, Iowa

641-228-3383 or 641-330-2308

email us at charlescitystitches@gmail.com

Find us on facebook at charlescitystitches

or on our blog at charlescitystitches@blogspot.com

February Newsletter from Stitches...

Hello to our Stitches...friends,

• February brings us lots of sales, specials, new projects, classes, fabrics and yarns. We are always trying to find what our friends need in the quilting, sewing, knit and crochet world so if there is something you need that we don't have at Stitches... just let us know and we'll do our darndest to get it.
• 
  
  February Sale in the Dog Pound
  50 bolts at $4/yd, patterns ½ price, kits 25% off
  Fat Quarters - $1.50

New fabrics at Stitches...:

Primitive Muslins

Ginny Beyer Color Palette Bolts

Minky Dot in Brown (also in pink, blue, green) great for a soft backing

Bridgeport by Jo Morton (arriving in Feb.)

New notions at Stitches...:

Creative Grids Rulers

Big Mama & Big Daddy

New yarns at Stitches… :

Crystal Palace - Sausolito, Mendocino, TuTu, Mochi

Brown Sheep - Beautiful (window pane), Fantasy Starter Kits

Diana – Silk and Merino(new colors)

Classes at Stitches :

Wednesday, February 8th, 6:30pm, Block of the Month - Signs of the Seasons with our

own "Fons & Porter" Julie and Sandy - come join us for 6 month of sewing fun

Thursday, February 9th, 3:30pm, Block of the Month - Sylvia's Bridal Sampler - with

Annette Ashbach. (You can still be a part of this awesome quilt experience)

Friday, February 24th, 1-5pm Sit 'n Sew (bring you project and sit with friends & sew in

our lower level.

Saturday, February 25th, 10am-4pm, Beginning Quilt Class (Bedscarf) with Ana

Blickenderfer. Make this bedrunner/scarf and learn tons of sewing/quilting

techniques. $12 + material

Saturday, March 17th, 10am-4pm, T-Shirt Quilt Class with Ana B (learn how to put

those T-Shirts into a quilt you can give as a gift or keep forever

Holly, Joy, and Sheilah

Stitches…715 Kelly Mall Charles City, IA 50616 charlescitystitches.blogspot.com
Email : charlescitystitches@gmaill.com 641-228-3383

Happy New Year from your friends at Stitches...
January 2012 Newsletter

• A new year and so many projects to start. Come join us for lots of fun and new ideasfor gifts and home decorating. We havefabrics and yarns to whet your appetite and patterns and ideas to put them touse. If there is something we don'thave let us know and we'll do our best to get it.
• FYI :
• Tuesdays you will seeSheila McClain at the counter. Sheilahis a long time quilter from Charles City and also works at ACE Hardware. Come in and get to know her and she'll helpyou with your needs.
• Wednesdays you will find Joy Frank at the counter. Joy has taughtlots of Stitches... classes this year, including beginning quilting, Block ofthe Month, and more plus she is quite the knitter making, socks, cowls,scarves, and many other unique items. She can help you with either your yarn or fabric projects.
• New Fabrics :
• Ginny Beyer Palette Bolts of tone on tone prints
• Susan Branch : Friends (For a darling child's quilt)
• Minky Dots in several colors : great for quiltbacks 60" widthNew fleece prints for a new winter tie blanket
• New Yarns :
• Boutique Eclipse Yarn (wool, acrylic, nylon)
• In beautiful colorsWindow yarn in 4 colors (to make those necklacesand other great items

Pom Pom Makers

Tu Tu Yarn (makes up into a great ruffled scarf)
Upcoming classes & events :·

• Thursday, January 5th -4:30pm Double Wedding Ring class·
• Wednesday, January 11th -5:30pm Tatting with Joyce·
• Wednesday, January 11th -6:30pm Signs of the Seasons Block ofthe Month 1st session·
• Thursday, January 12th -3:30pm Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Block of the Month 1st session·
• Saturday, January 14th10am-5pm Mission Sewing (Hospital Gowns for Haiti, Guatemala, &Mexico -call for details)·
• January 20-22 Cabin FeverWeekend - Quilt-A-Thon with Joy @ Stitches... see * below for details · Saturday, January 28th - Knittingwith Gigi at the Charles City Library (time TBA) books, yarn, needles, etc.available at Stitches...
• Knitting Class Project for January will be SocksCome knit a pair with us. We will have a pattern, needles, and yarn ina kit or you can choose you own and special individual instruction will be available on Thursdays from 6-8pm or Fridays from 3-5pm; come and get your Christmas projects startedin January. Everyone loves a pair ofhand knit socks.

*Let’s have aQuilt-A-Thon on the weekend of January 20, 21 & 22 at Stitches.
Okay, ladies, let’s havesome fun for a whole weekend or any part thereof.
I found a great pattern for a scrappy quiltthat can be completed during the weekend.
We have a sample in the store. You use your scraps or fat quarters to complete this quilt.
You will need off-whites or beigetone-on-tone prints plus all of the leftovers or fat quarters you have stashedaway and waiting for something to be done. Of course, if you don’t have any, come on into Stitches and we can fix you up with your supplies.
We will start @ 5 pm onFriday, January 20 and sew as long as you want – midnight sounds good!
Saturday, January 21, we will start @ 9 am and once again, go as long as we want. If we don’t get finished on Saturday, we will do again on
Sunday starting @ 10 am and going to about 4 pm. It will cost you only $5.00 per session or $15.00 for the wholeweekend. Bring you own sewing equipment,including machine, mat, cutter and iron. An extension cord will be useful. We do have an ironing board but I would recommend you bring your ownpressing board – this is a ½ inch plywood, 18 x 24 inches with one piece ofbatting and one piece of muslin turned under to the back and stapled down. Let'shave some fun.
Joy& Holly