April 2022 Newsletter

If you're coming to see us:  The mask mandate in Essex has been lifted, but Yankee Pride staff and many of our customers are still choosing to wear masks. **Please sanitize at the door. If you have your own sanitizer, please apply it when you come in so we can see that you're being safe. **Our customer limit remains at 8 people. If we are at capacity, we will hang a sign at the door - if you see the sign, please wait until it's your turn to enter. **All entry is from the side door, unless you are unable to manage the stairs. **You can still shop online at yankeepridequilts.com! We can ship to you, or you can choose Store Pickup and everything will be bagged and ready to go. All online orders are filled on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for supporting Yankee Pride, and all the other quilt shops in the Vermont Shop Hop during the month of March. We looked forward to seeing you every day, and you didn't disappoint. We did notice that Hoppers were more relaxed this year, most likely since you didn't have to blow through all the shops in one weekend (or two). We hope you found lots of new things to add to your stash, whether it's books, notions, or fabric. Each shop has a different feel, and different samples, so we also hope creativity has struck, and that you're sketching up all your new ideas! Since spring is here (technically, though not so much in reality...), you're probably planning graduation quilts and wedding quilts. Bring those patterns and the fabric you've chosen from your stash, and we can help you finish up your choices so you can get sewing. Summer will come quickly, and you'll want to get those gifts finished before it's time to head outdoors into the garden, the mountains, and the water. NEW: Essex has lifted its mask mandate, so masks are now optional. For our own safety, and that of our most vulnerable customers, most of the Yankee Pride staff will continue to wear masks. Thank you!

Block of the Month Information

We are so excited that you love the Blocks of the Month we'll be starting soon. We've had lots of sign ups; so if you're interested in joining the fun, please contact us soon.

Forever More, by Pam Buda, will be a Spring Block of the Month. Marti has finished the center of the quilt, and it's hanging at the front of the store. We're hoping to start in April or May, so if you're on the fence, time is running out! *Click on the image for a closer look at the quilt. Please email us at staff@yankeepridequilts.com, or give us a call at 802/872-9300 if you're interested in signing up for this gorgeous project! Emma, from Windham Fabrics, will begin in the Spring of 2022 (We're hoping for April!). It's a 12-month program, made with gorgeous blue and aqua batiks. It will be $26.50/month, plus shipping if we need to mail it. NEW: The shop sample is complete and hanging near the front door - stop in and see this fabulous quilt! *Click on the image for a closer look at the quilt. Please email us at staff@yankeepridequilts.com, or call the shop at 802/872-9300 to sign up.

Winter Hours

Monday - Saturday: 10-5 Sunday: closed 

Special Exhibit

Check out where we began... Did you know Yankee Pride spent its first 21 years in the Champlain Mill in Winooski? We were a part of the Mill to Mall experience. Right now there's a special exhibit going on at the Mill, commemorating its original revitalization. Judy spoke with the organizers (but chose not to appear on camera, of course!) about our experience and the early days of retail there. This exhibit is ongoing through July 29, 2022 - if you're in the Winooski area, make sure you check it out!

Classes

Technique Workshops These one-time workshops will be taught by Yankee Pride staff. We're offering workshops that cover many quilting techniques. Most are basic, but they're things that can be improved in your sewing by learning tips and tricks, and with some practice. Click on the links for more information or to sign up online: *Curved Piecing: Sunday, April 10, 1 - 4. There are two spots left in this one! *Hand Quilting: April 9 - sold out! Ruth has begun listing some of her classes for fall, and you can already sign up! *Machine Piecing: Oct. 22 at 10 a.m. *Machine Piecing: Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. (These are the same class, just meeting at different times.) *Introduction to Quilting: Oct. 23 at 12 p.m. *Introduction to Quilting: Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. (These are the same class, just meeting at different times.) *Machine Quilting: Nov. 5 *Wool Applique: Nov. 6 If you have questions, please give us a call at 802/872-9300.

New Fabric Arrivals!

Click on the images below for an up-close look at the fabrics

Kona Color of the Year - Cosmos by Robert Kaufman This Kona solid is quite a lovely red-purple. The Modern Guild is currently using it as their challenge, and plenty of quilters just like to have the COTY in their stash. Pick up a fat quarter, or yardage - we have it on the bolt!

Batiks - various lines by Hoffman We got another shipment of batiks last week - aren't they beautiful? There are light prints (center of photo), and a variety of mediums and darks. Almost everyone can find a batik in this photo they might like to add to their stash - which one (or more) will you choose? 

Turtle Bay from Deborah Edwards and Melanie Samra by Northcott More ocean prints are arriving almost every week at this point. We love the contrast between the teals and the dark blues in this one. And those turtles (top left in photo) are wonderful! Sure, you can make a kids quilt with pieces from this line, but the motifs also lend themselves to adult projects. We sold yardage from some of these before Cindy even got them into the computer!

The Sea and Me from Stacy Iest Hsu by Moda Who in your life loves mermaids and the ocean? We're pretty sure you know someone who will adore both the mermaid dolls (photo below) and the accompanying line of fabric (photo at left). Aqua and coral are such a pretty combination - choose a simple pattern with large pieces that highlight all these fun motifs, and make the matching dolls for an unforgettable gift.

News, Notions, and other cool stuff

The Sulky Club returns! Hand stitching continues to be very popular - it's really surged since the beginning of the pandemic. And these pretty 12-weight threads will help make your project a stunner! Join our Sulky Club, where you will get 13-14 spools of thread per month for 6 months, and a free carrying case to put them in, for $24.99/month. Club 1 starts in April, and Club 2 will follow, 6 months later. If you sign up for both, you'll end up with all 160 threads and two cases to store them in. Interested in signing up? Please call Marti at the shop.

If you've visited the shop recently, you've seen Marti's version of Strips & Salsa - striking in brights on a black background. Did it inspire you? We've had lots of compliments! We have the pattern, so you can make your own version! It's jelly roll-friendly, so if you have an extra one hanging around your sewing room, this might just be the perfect project for it.

Geese in the Lilies, from Debbie Mady, is another new arrival. It's a mashup of two very traditional patterns that looks fresh and new. You can make it in four sizes, from lap to king (photo at left). Use controlled scraps and create a gorgeous heirloom!

Do you have boxes or bags of scraps? Are you constantly looking for ways to use them? This book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, can help you do two things - reduce your scraps and make small but beautiful quilts. See how to turn those scraps into 'improv fabric', and turn that fabric into quilt blocks and miniatures, and projects that won't take months to finish!

Hand embroidery, which got very hot in the early days of the pandemic, continues to be pretty popular. This new book, Tabletop Stitchery, from Australian quilter Gail Pan, combines sweet embroidery with simple patchwork to make table toppers and runners. If you love handwork but don't want to commit to a bed-sized quilt, take a look at this book - we think you'll love it!

Thank you for being our customer, for supporting us, and thank you for continuing to believe in shopping local.  Judy, Rae, Marti, Suzanne, Cindy, Wendy, Kathy, Ruth, Marjan, Deanna, and Kay

Yankee Pride Quilts yankeepridequilts.com

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