It's Tuffet Time at SWD

Have you seen the Tuffets that are all the craze now?  We'll we've been having Tuffet Classes at Spring Water Designs and they're very popular, whimsical, and just a little bit addictive :)
These Red Tuffets were made by Mary and Carrie.  They were made with Essential Gems strip packs, but any strips or scraps can be used.

Here are a few "sights and sounds" from some of our recent Tuffet Classes where some unique little gems have been created...

Every one is so different and special ~ we're having so much fun seeing all the different creations come alive :)

We have one more Tuffet Class scheduled for this summer on Tuesdays, July 26th & August 9th.  Carrie will help you sew your Tuffet cover at the first session, and then put it all together in the second.  We also have the Tuffet Pattern, Foundations to make additional Tuffets, and we'll put together a Hardware Kit for you.  Contact us if you have any questions, and come spend some time in our studio creating some Whimsy of your own...
After all... as Willy Wonka quoted ..."A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men" :) 

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Are You Row by Row Hopping this Year?

Row by Row Experience starts today and runs through September 6th ~ You have all summer to collect Free Patterns, and make a Row Quilt...And if you enjoy a challenge, there's a contest too!  You can go to the Row by Row Experience website for all the details and to get a list of all the participating shops all over the country and Canada too :)
There are many State and regional Facebook pages too.  You can visit the Maryland/Delaware/New Jersey page for lots of Row Photos :)

The theme this year is Home Sweet Home, so since I'm born and raised in Maryland (I can walk to the house I grew up in both from my home and my shop ~ the nut here literally did not fall far from the tree), of course I had to do a Maryland themed row.  The row shown above is called "Across the Old Line" from the mountains of Western Maryland, to the farms, to Baltimore, to Annapolis, to across the Bay...
We have the free pattern available in the shop, kits with the pattern and all the fabrics to make it, and packs of pre-fused Die cut shapes for the houses.  But you have to come to the shop to get them ~ Row by Row Rules!

Our little bee made a return appearance too for the third year :)

Then I made up a second Row to choose from this year using our License Plate from last year that said "Needle Workin" and this year's plate, "Pieceful Home".  Added a little, and have a nice banner for your sewing room (and eventually mine) called "Needleworkin in my Pieceful Home".  Or it can be a nice vertical row to add into your quilt :)

Again we have kits, or the Free pattern available, and loose License Plates.  Only one Free pattern per person/per shop though so you have to choose which one you want for your Freebie ~ but can buy a kit that includes the pattern if you want both of our Rows...or buy a kit for each!

Here is a photo of our Row by Row display in the shop.  It'll change as the Summer progresses and we have more fun with it :)

In the meantime, enjoy your Row hopping and enjoy my Maryland Home Sweet Home :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Meet the Milltown Quilters Guild

Part of our mission at Spring Water Designs Quilting, along with introducing the art of quilting to the next generation, is to support and promote our Local Quilt Guilds and highlight all the good work that you all do.  With that in mind we will be featuring a Local Guild each month this year in our Newsletter and on our Blog.  
 

We are so appreciative of all the support we’ve received from the guilds in our area since we’ve opened our doors in our Brick & Mortar shop, that we’d like to give back and have a special Appreciation Month for each of our Local Guilds - For the month of June we are featuring Milltown Quilters!  So…during June, any member who comes in any day during the month and shows their current membership card to Milltown Guild will received 15% off regularly priced items they purchase!  

Remember, Every Monday is always our Guild Appreciation Day at our shop, and members of Any Guild receive 10% off of regularly priced items.  (Just let us know on a Monday that you are a member of a quilt guild).  

Here is a little bit of information about the Milltown Quilt Guild:

Milltown Quilters Celebrates 19 Years in 2016! Milltown Quilters became a member of the National Quilting Association, Inc. (NQA) in 1983 and was chartered as Chapter 214.  Initially, Milltown Quilters met at St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Ellicott City.
In March, 1997, a group of women, including some of the original members, founded Milltown Quilters as it exists today.  The mission of Milltown Quilters is to provide fellowship and inspiration; to share the appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of quilting with members and the community; and to support the community through charitable efforts.

The members of Milltown are invited to participate in all activities.  In addition to educational workshops and lectures, by both nationally recognized teachers and their own talented members, Milltown sponsors bus trips to local quilting events, an annual quilt retreat, and two luncheons each year.  Milltown publishes a monthly newsletter, Milltown News, which highlights their many activities and provides updated information to members, and they maintain a website which contains relevant information:  www.milltownquilters.com.

Milltown supports the community by sponsoring a yearly Silent Auction to financially assist the outreach efforts of First Presbyterian Church during the holiday season.  The Friendship Quilts Committee organizes the construction of quilts and other items to be donated to various charitable organizations within Howard County and neighboring counties.  At the biannual Quilt Show, a Raffle Quilt is featured designed and made entirely by members to help raise funds to ensure the continuation of all our activities.

Milltown Quilters meets weekly on Mondays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church, located at 9325 Presbyterian Circle, Columbia, MD 21045, near the corner of Route 108 and Route 29.  Bring a lunch and spend Monday mornings quilting while making new friends.  

During the summer months (June, July, and August) members meet informally.  The first official meeting will be on August 29th, 2016 and many special events are already on the calendar - Friendship Quilts work days, a bus trip to the Hershey Quilt Show on July 22, a lecture and workshop by Gyleen Fitzgerald on August 19th, "Boo Bingo" in October, a Quilt Retreat scheduled on November 1, 2, and 3, and so much more.  Contact Milltown Quilters for more information if you want to join in on the fun!

 

Thank you again to our Local Guilds for all you do in promoting and keeping alive the art of quilting that means so much to so many!

Enjoy the day!

~ Dawn