The Best Things in Life Say, “Primitive Gatherings” on the Package!

What’s up stitchers!? How was your weekend? I was happy to catch up on a little rest and recuperation time as I recovered from a very rude, and uninvited guest who showed up in the form of a kidney stone last week. The pain was definitely intense enough to throw a wrench in my gears so I’m thrilled to back in the swing of things so soon – and just in time for the first day of spring! Seeing the sun coming through my window so bright and early this morning was like a special treat after so many months of consecutive dreary days. I hate to say it but after a while you get used to it, so when the sun finally starts to warm things up again it’s almost a bit of a shock. It’s truly amazing how 45º can suddenly become shorts and t-shirt weather after dealing with much colder temps and flat light all winter long.

Despite strict nagging to rest from both my husband and my ever so loving staff, I did manage to get a little work done from my easy chair over the weekend… like catching up on answering messages and comments posted to my blog, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for instance (I LOVE reading comments but it definitely takes some time!). In reading all those comments, one thing I’ve noticed is that many of you are still on the fence about joining the fantastic monthly subscription wool box that we offer – otherwise known as the Primitive Gatherings Wool Box Subscription Box – so I thought I might take a second to help bump you off in the right direction by reminding you of what a fabulous opportunity it is.

If you’re not familiar with how the Subscription Wool Box works, don’t worry. It’s super easy to sign up! Boxes are released and conveniently delivered to your door every other month. They focus primarily on wool and stitchery projects and contain as close as we can get to $100 worth of wool-based goodies. These coveted boxes are made up of all new projects that have not been previously released, including at least one major project kit and pattern, a pattern for an ongoing project, novelties, and more! Our Wool Boxes consist mostly of Primitive Gatherings products and patterns, but we may also have guest designers and products as well in future boxes. Still need more convincing? Just take a look at a couple of examples of what boxes have looked like in the recent past…

Triggered yet? Even I am and I’ve already made all the projects – LOL! If you love working with wool even a fraction of how much I do, I’m not sure how you can stand to look at these photos knowing that you’re not at the party when you could be. In other words… You’re missing out! Ready to sign up? Here are the details!

  • Projects are 40% OFF retail value!
  • PG Wool Boxes will be charged the 15th of the month and will be shipped after the billing cycle.
  • The price of each box will be $72 which includes shipping (international orders are required by customs to have protective shipping materials and will be charged at $83 per box including the cost of shipping).
  • Boxes will ship every other month starting in January. Subscriptions will continue until you email us and request to cancel.
  • PLEASE NOTE: when canceling your subscription, you will still receive the next box in the line up. After that box your subscription will be canceled.
  • Ready to sign up? It’s easy! All you have to do is click the link below to get started…

If wool isn’t your thing, no worries. There is also the Primitive Gatherings Quilt Box Subscriptinon to consider that I will be talking more about in my next blog post! To give you an idea of what they’re like, PG Quilt Boxes are themed boxes that re-create some of my antique quilts into similar smaller versions or mini quilts. Sound like something you could get into? Check back here on the blog this Wednesday for more information.

If you have questions about the wool box, feel free to leave me a comment and I will answer them as soon as I can! You can also email us at store@primitivegatherings.us or ask me LIVE in the comments during  STITCH with Lisa Bongean this Thursday at 1:00 p.m. CST. As I mentioned earlier, today is the official first day of the spring season on the calendar so to celebrate we’ll be talking about… all things spring, of course! We’ll be talking about a few Easter-themed items along with some of our favorite everyday projects to get your brain going in the right direction for the warmer months. We’ll also cover any shop announcements and upcoming events as usual. Set your reminder now so you don’t miss out! You can tune in by clicking the link below. Until next time, take care and remember to stitch every day! See you soon! ~Lisa

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Almost to the End…

Hello stitchers… Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I hope you’re in a “sewcial” mood this holiday because it’s time once again for another Sewcialites 2 block release! This week we’re featuring Block #20 – “Fascinate“ by my friend Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life. You’ve probably heard of Sherri and her blog sometime along the way in your quilting journey but if not, I definitely recommend that you check out her work. She is part of a mother-daughter quilting design team based in southern Nevada along with her daughter Chelsi Stratton. Fitting, considering Sherri has always found inspiration in her rich family heritage, passed down through generations of women who loved sewing and creating. Keeping the familial tradition alive, her life-long stitching career led her to start her highly successful quilting blog, A Quilting Life in 2008, and eventually to publishing her designs in magazines and books as well. On top of all of that, she’s also a talented Moda sister who has designed over 16 fabric lines under the Sherri & Chelsi name since 2015. Busy lady!

Sherri describes her favorite designs as typically involving scrappy squares or star blocks of some sort. “Fascinate“ is an intricate mix of four-patches, half-square triangles, and squares that creates an advanced skill level look within a beginner level block.

To make things easier for you while working on “Fascinate,” Sherri recommends used strip piecing for the four patch units instead of cutting small squares. This makes the block not only easier to piece, but also more accurate (especially when working with very small pieces). Color wise, if you follow the pattern as it’s written, be sure to pay attention to the direction of the darks and of your half-square triangles. Speaking of half-square triangles, as always I highly recommend using triangle paper where you can when doing this block to make sure your half-square triangles are accurately sized. If you need to stock up, you can get my custom Primitive Gatherings Triangle Paper by clicking HERE! 

If you’ve been following along you know that for my blocks I’m using my Garden Gatherings fabric line, leaving out the five tans. For this block I chose to go with dark navy for the outer half-square triangles, and green, yellow and pinks for the four patch units. For the background I used a selection from the Garden Gathering Shirtings Collection, #49176 15 – a cream fabric with an adorable tiny mustard/orange floral print. It’s looking pretty sharp, if I do say so myself!I keep saying that one of the things I love most about this quilt-along is that you can do it on your time, however your schedule allows. In fact, please don’t let the fact that we’re closer to the end of this QAL than we are to the beginning scare you off. Many of the blocks are fairly simple to make and can be done in an afternoon, so catching up is a snap once you find the time. You can always grab patterns for previously posted blocks on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page by clicking the button below. You can also visit the Sewcialites 2 Block Archive on my blog which is listed in the main menu of links at the top of the page.

Newly released blocks are posted on Kim’s blog The Jolly Jabber, along with a video tutorial on her YouTube Livestream the same day. Each designer will also post their own block to either their blog or their website on that day as well. I will also be posting each block release here on MY blog every Friday for your convenience. Fabric requirements and all block patterns are on the  Sewcialites 2 Landing Page, which you can access by clicking the link below. If you’d like to get automatic updates on Sewcialites 2 you can subscribe to the blog by signing up in the Email subscription box by visiting the Landing Page, or by subscribing to the YouTube channel by clicking HERE.

It seems like only yesterday that we were starting this QAL so it feels a bit on the unbelievable side that we’re getting ready to wrap it up in just four short weeks – truly just in time for spring. The timing really couldn’t be better if you ask me. I think it’s a pretty quilt, who’s cheerful palette fits the bill for spring and summer décor nicely – I have several thoughts on how I might display mine…

Well gang, that’s about all I have for you today. I’ll admit I’m ready to relax after starting out the week dealing with a nasty kidney stone that my doctor reports was about the size of a pea (no pun intended – ha ha). It didn’t help matters that there was a ton of activity going on here at PG that I really didn’t want to miss out on. Sometimes though, it can’t be about what our brains want because our bodies simply object – and this was just one of those cases. 🙁 If you’ve ever had a kidney stone before you know they are no joke. The pain is some of the worst I’ve ever felt! I tried to power through but even I need a break sometimes. Needless to say, I’m super grateful to finally be feeling better after all that, and looking forward to resting up as much as I can over the weekend with my sweetheart.

Before I head out I want to say Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all my friends and supporters out there. It’s been a great year so far and I have you to thank for much of it! Today in honor of the holiday and to say thanks for all your great comments here on the blog, I thought it would be a great day for double prizes… So let’s do it! Congratulations to Mary Lou D., Sylvia M.,Catherine D., and Alice V., it’s your lucky day! Please check your email for a message from Heidi (Note: I do not post last names or email addresses for your privacy, so if you think you’re one of the lucky winners this week please be sure to check your email. You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received a prize confirmation letter from her. If you think you are a winner but have not received a prize confirmation email, be sure to check your spam folder – it’s not often but our emails will sometimes end up there)!

Alright everyone, that’s a wrap! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you’re able to spend some time doing whatever it is that makes you happy. Maybe that’s getting outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Or maybe you enjoy going for a drive to see the sights, shopping til you drop, or staying INside to stitch while you watch the replays of all my past STITCH with Lisa Bongean episodes all weekend… Whatever it is, enjoy yourself, be safe, and I will see you next week! ~Lisa

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My Favorite Things: Creative Grids Itty Bitty Eights Ruler Designed by… ME!

Hey everyone! How’s your day going? Mine is going fine, and quickly as usual. It’s another busy day here at PG which means I’ve been stuck inside most of the afternoon hard at work in front of my machine (then again, is it really “stuck” if you love what you’re doing???). Despite being somewhat confined indoors, I’m surrounded by big, beautiful windows that let in a ton of light and allow the glorious sunshine to fill up The Gathering. I’ve gotta say it’s really nice to see! Even though the robins are officially back (I’ve heard them in woods but have yet to actually see one), spring isn’t quite here yet so it’s nice to have some tangible reassurance that it’s actually on the way. I just heard it’s going to be snowing again by the end of the week so I will certainly take this short-lived bout of nice weather while I can! I’m beginning to think that if Mother Nature had her way, we’d be giving spring and summer a miss and be getting ready for fall all over again… Sheesh!

Speaking of snow, I was doing some brainstorming earlier and was thinking back to how we’ve done certain things in the past – particularly around Christmas time – when I used to talk about what I refer to as, “my favorite things.” These “favorite things” of mine included different sewing notions and quilting hacks that I feel like at this point in my quilting career I simply can’t live without, and think you should know about too. Unfortunately, I got away from doing that last year since we opted out of celebrating our usual 12 Days of Christmas like we have in the past. In my brainstorming this morning I realized I really miss talking about the little things that make me happy in my quilting life, so I figured now is a great time to reawaken that idea. My goal is to feature one or two of my favorite things each month so that I can not only share the tricks I find to be efficient and time saving, but also to get feedback from all of you on what you think of them as well. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

So without further ado, let’s get this party started with two of my all-time favorite Creative Grids rulers that I just so happened to custom design! If you know me at all you know I have a special place in my heart for mini quilts – to the point where I actually have an entire wall of them on display in my home sewing studio. They can be fun projects if you want to make a quilt but don’t have the time, space, or need for a large one. Mini quilts also use a lot less fabric and allow you to put a dent in your scrap stash and make great heartfelt gifts when you’re in a time crunch. You can’t go wrong with mini quilts!

My 3″ x 7″ and 6″ x 6″ Itty Bitty Eights Rulers by Creative Grids are perfect for working with small pieces and little blocks because as you know, precision really is key with mini quilts! These slick rulers clearly mark each 1/8″ so you’ll never wonder if you’re measuring 3/8″, 5/8″, or 7/8” ever again – now we can see. Mystery solved! Not to mention, all the lines are dashed so you can see your fabric at all points of the ruler. You’re welcome!

I designed the 6″ x 6″ and 3″ x 7″ Creative Grids rulers specifically for mini quilts but they are also super useful when cutting mini pieces or sub cutting larger pieces for other projects. Like all Creative Grids, these nifty rulers slide easily over fabric until pressure is applied. Then, the exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts!

I use the 3″ x 7″ ruler the most when I’m making a mini quilt because I like how it fits in my hand, making it so much easier to wield around those mini pieces. Remember, accurate cutting is CRITICAL with minis because just a thread can make a huge difference in a 1/2″ finished square, or a 1/4″ inner border, so these rulers can be a huge help.

Like I said above, even if you only make a mini quilt here and there, these useful rulers will not be sitting around collecting dust in between projects. They come in handy in all sorts of situations where accurate measuring is important. Want them for your own sewing room? Get yours by clicking the button below!

For more favorite things from me, Jess, Vicki, Gloria, Luke…and whoever else decides to grace us with their presence, tune in to watch us LIVE tomorrow on STITCH with Lisa Bongean at 1:00 CST by clicking the STITCH button below! Don’t forget – Sue Spargo will also be making a special guest appearance to spill the beans on the magic that’s been happening over at The Gathering for the last couple of weeks. You’re not going to want to miss it! See you there! ~Lisa

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2023 Red, White, & Green Quilt Show Details

Hey stitchers, welcome back from the weekend! After hiding inside from yet another three day long winter storm, I was about to come on and report that it’s finally done snowing here in eastern WI… BUT looking out the window just now I realized that I can’t say that quite yet, as we still have a few stubborn flurries floating around out there. The good news is that the brunt of the storm is past, so road crews should have things pretty much cleaned up by the end of the day. All in all, I think we got about 10″ between Friday evening and now – an impressive dump that I would have preferred to have seen much earlier in the season. As usual, Mother Nature can’t seem to decide what she wants so we’ll just have to go with the flow since there’s obviously no sense in arguing with that woman. I’m trying to look on the bright side of the situation… Being stuck inside is never bad when you’re a quilter. It’s easy to embrace being “forced” into my sewing room to wait out the storm. There’s no better time to get things done!

Hey, speaking of decisiveness (or lack there of), have you decided on which quilt to enter into the 2023 Primitive Gatherings Red, White, & Green Quilt Show? I know many of you are excited to start planning and working on your entry for our second annual holiday quilt show at The Gathering, so I wanted to take some time today to explain the rules and requirements this year, especially since we’ve made a few important changes to the way we did things during our last show.

This time around we decided to kick it up a notch and go with an extra color in the mix by adding green. Though you typically think Christmas when you hear red, white, and green, this color combination actually has no connection with Christmas at all when it comes to where it originated in quilting. Historically, the red and green quilt phenomenon began in the mid 1800’s – a time when dyes were mostly made from plants, causing them to be unreliable. Some plant dyes were better than others, including reds and greens which made them more popular choices. Red and green quilts were usually made for a special person or occasion and usually synonymous with appliqué. Reason being is because this type of quilting required sophisticated sewing skills in order to apply appliqué and a huge time commitment. Designs included many red and green floral elements on white backgrounds, often featuring fancy patterns like wreaths, leaves, and stems. Receiving one was a huge honor.

Do you have any red, white, and green quilts in your collection? If not, now’s the perfect time to change that! Whether you want to go with a full size quilt or a mini, you really can’t go wrong. There are so many beautiful patterns out there that could be used for this show, I feel like the possibilities are truly endless! Here are the category options…

CATEGORIES: Commercial Design – 30″ and above, Original Design – 30″ and above, Mini Quilt – 30″ and below. It doesn’t matter if your quilt is appliqué, pieced, or a combo. Anything goes as long as it’s red, green, and white, or close shades of those two colors (cream and dark reds are acceptable for example, turquoise, purple, and blue is not – if you are unsure if a color is acceptable please feel free to call the shop to double check. Quilts that do not fulfill color requirements will not be admitted into the show). Prints, solids, and wool can all be used as well. The sky is the limit as long as the quilt is done in reds, whites, and greens!

WHAT DOES THE REGISTRATION FEE INCLUDE? The $35.00 registration fee covers entry into the 2023 Primitive Gatherings Red, White, & Green Quilt Show, one complimentary 2023 Red, White, and Green Quilt Show sticker, one Joyful Gatherings 5″ Charm Pack (your sticker and charm pack will be mailed to you along with your quilt when it is returned after the show), return shipping and handling of your quilt after the show is complete, and show operation overall (one quilt entry per person please!).

WHAT CAN YOU WIN? Cash and prizes of course!!! Exact prizes are still pending at this time. I’m working hard to get some sponsorship from the big companies I work with, like Moda, Bernina, Juki, Martingale, Riley Blake, Free Spirit, and Checker to name a few. I’m doing my best to get the best prizes that I can for this event! Don’t worry – it’ll be worth it. Just ask the prize winner’s from last year’s show!

WHAT ARE THE RULES? Now for all the fun stuff…

  • The show is open to all who have a confirmed Red, White, & Green Quilt Show registration.
  • ENTRANCE FEE = $35.00 – Fee includes your entry into the show, one exclusive show sticker, one Joyful Gatherings 5” Charm Pack, return shipping and handling of your quilt, and overall show operation. NOTE: Your sticker and 5” Charm Pack will be shipped to you at the end of the show along with your quilt.
  • Only one quilt entry allowed per person.
  • Completed submission including photos and signed documents must be received at Primitive Gatherings by October 31st, 2023.
  • It is the responsibility of the entrant to insure and ship their quilt to Primitive Gatherings by October 31st,
  • 2023 using the provided mailing label. Please do not ship your quilt sooner than October 1st, 2023 – we do not have the storage space before then.
  • Primitive Gatherings will be responsible for shipping your quilt entry back to you. Insurance on the package will be determined by the size of the quilt, up to $500. If you would like to add additional insurance on your quilt, you are responsible for any additional shipping or insurance costs.
  • A clear photograph of your quilt is required to enter for identification and display purposes. Please include it in the package with your quilt. Entry into the show automatically grants permission for any and all images of the quilts and/or all parts of the artist’s statement regarding the quilt to be used by Primitive Gatherings in any and all media productions for this exhibit. *Photo can be on regular copy paper.
  • The quilt artist retains all copyrights to the quilt and will be credited for any usage of its likeness by Primitive Gatherings. No compensation will be granted to the entrant/copyright holder for the use of the quilt, or images of the quilt in any promotional materials.
  • Quilts will be hung and displayed at The Gathering from November 16th through December 22nd, 2023. They will also be displayed online via our social media platforms after the show is complete.
  • Quilts will be returned after January 15th, 2024. This will allow time for the mail system to settle down after the holidays. It also gives us time to disassemble the show and mail your quilt back to you in a timely manner.

DESIGN RULES:

  • Commercial patterns will be accepted as long as you give credit to the designer by including their name and the name of the pattern you used.
  • If any part of your quilt was from another quilter’s design, or was inspired by another quilter’s design, please include the designer’s name, the name of the pattern, and what part you sampled from the piece.
  • If you have paid the entrance fee and fail to submit your quilt for the show, you therefore forfeit your rights to the sticker and 5” Charm Pack included in the fee. Unused show fees will be donated to charity.

SIZING AND CONSTRUCTION:

  • Each entry must have a 4” finished sleeve on the top back of the quilt, securely stitched on both the bottom and top edges.
  • Each entry must also include a permanent identification label attached to the bottom, left-hand corner with entrant’s name, the name of the quilt, and the entrant’s address and email address.
  • Quilts of all sizes are eligible for this show.
  • Primitive Gatherings reserves the right to disqualify entries if they do not meet the show criteria including but not limited to size, specific category, or color of fabrics used.
  • Please remember to complete our, “Red, White, & Green Quilt Show Entry Checklist” before sending in your quilt (included in the information packet you receive at registration)!

Whew! I think that about covers it! I know that was a lot of information but I have been getting a lot of requests to elaborate on the details of the show and I wanted to make sure everyone is on the same page! If you have questions or are still contemplating all the reasons to participate in the Red, White, & Green Quilt Show, please feel free to call the shop at 920-722-7233 and we’ll be happy to help you get it sorted out!

Ready to get registered for the 2023 Primitive Gatherings Red, White, & Green Quilt Show? All you have to do is click the pretty little button below! Once the Red, White, & Green Quilt Show icon comes up on our website, simply hit “add to cart” and then head to checkout (unless you’re still shopping, of course).  Once your $35.00 registration fee is processed you will receive your registration packet in the “downloads” area of your PG account when it is available. PLEASE NOTE: Because of the way our system works we have to process each registration order by hand before it downloads, which means it will not available immediately. That being said, if you register after hours you won’t receive confirmation and your packet in your downloads area until we are back in the store to push it through. I’m sorry for the pain – I blame it on the pesky website situation!!!

For more on the Red, White, & Green Quilt Show, plus any shop news, announcements, and if we’re lucky enough… a sit down talk with none other than Sue Spargo, who has been gracing us with her presence over at The Gathering since last week, tune into STITCH with Lisa Bongean this Thursday at 1:00 p.m. by hitting the STITCH button below!. For those of you who don’t know, Sue is an extremely talented fiber artist known for quilting, layering, and embroidering. She uses market wools saturated in bright colors along with multi-medium layering and embroidery to create textural depth and dimension that is truly unique. Sue also offers a variety of quality notions, tools, fabrics, speciality wools, a vast collection of embroidery threads, technique and pattern books, and kits at her online shop, suespargo.com. Check it out by clicking HERE! I’ll warn you now… You’re going to want everything you see! See you Thursday! ~Lisa

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Spring Has Spru… Nevermind.

Hey everyone! Lisa here, coming to you from my cozy spot at The Gathering on yet another snowy day here in WI. Just as soon as we got used to temps in the 40’s, we’re now in the middle of receiving an additional 6″- 8″ of the white stuff. The storm made its debut last evening, making the commute home an interesting (and fun?) journey for anyone traveling more than a couple of miles. It came in fast and hard with whiteout conditions at times, and hasn’t really stopped since. Needless to say, it’s caused a bit of grumbling around here but personally, I’m happy to see it – fresh, clean, and ready to ski on… I’ve been super busy over the last couple weeks and my ski time has suffered because of it. I welcome the chance to get out there at least one more time before it’s over for good. Not to mention, it’s nice to see it fluffy and white again after unseasonably warm temps turned it all to a sloppy mess last week – my least favorite part about all four of our seasons combined. No thanks!

We’ve had a busy week here at Primitive Gatherings and The Gathering, and I couldn’t be happier about it. The famous and wonderful Sue Spargo has been here since Sunday, gracing us with her presence for not one, but TWO weeks of glorious retreat. If you don’t recall seeing this one advertised that’s because we never got much of a chance! Sue is so popular that as soon as people heard that she was coming to The Gathering, word of mouth did its magic and both sessions were full before we even had time to put it out there – and I can’t say I’m surprised either! Sue is an extremely talented fiber artist known for quilting, layering, and embroidering. She uses market wools saturated in bright colors along with multi-medium layering and embroidery to create textural depth and dimension that is truly unique. Sue also offers a variety of quality notions, tools, fabrics, speciality wools, a vast collection of embroidery threads, technique and pattern books, and kits at her online shop, suespargo.com. Check it out by clicking HERE! I’ll warn you now… This site may be hazardous to your pocket book!

Well stitchers, we can’t have Friday without a Sewcialites 2 block release, so let’s get to it. This week we celebrate Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Company with her block contribution, “Invigorate.“ Joanna has had an interest in the creative arts all her life. She and her sister grew up working in the family business until adulthood when she eventually moved on to start her own business, Fig Tree & Co. Highly inspired by color, her designs for fabric and quilting always start with the color palette, which is typically inspired by everyday things like fabric swatches, her flower garden, antique quilts, and flea market finds.

“Invigorate” is a traditional Weathervane block, which just so happens to be one of Joanna’s favorite block types of all time. She describes it as, “the perfect blend of interesting and simple.” This block showcases fabric of any style nicely, which makes it a great opportunity to finally do something with that perfect collection you’ve been hoarding away for just the right project. Despite its simplicity, “Invigorate“ is still considered intermediate on the Fat Quarter Shop’s skill level scale (unless you are working on the three inch version – then it is considered advanced). It consists of one background, one fabric for the outer pieces, one fabric for the inner pieces, and another fabric for the middle square (in other words, one background and three fabrics total). Units include half-square triangles, corner squares, rectangles with corner squares, and a solid square.

For my blocks I’m sticking with my Garden Gatherings fabric line, leaving out the five tans. For this block I chose to go with yellow, green, and orange. For the background I used a selection from the Garden Gathering Shirtings Collection, #49176 15 – a cream fabric with an adorable tiny mustard/orange floral print. I love how it turned out!

You can find the full pattern and instructions to get started on “Invigorate“ by clicking the button above. You can also visit Joanna’s blog “Fresh Figs“ by clicking HERE. She not only gives her two cents on the block, but also offers two alternative option ideas for what to do with it, including a pin cushion, table topper, and runner. All three are super cute and FREE!

Well everyone, it’s getting to be about that time – prize time I mean! As always, thanks a ton to everyone who continues to comment on my blog and LIVE shows. I have so much fun reading through them, and do any chance I get. It’s one of the ways I get to hear about what’s going on in everyone else’s life and what you’re thinking about. It’s also a great way to let me know what you’d like to see more of. Spring is right around the corner and I’m going to start talking about spring projects more and more, so leaving a comment is a perfect way to tell me what your favorites are. Plus, you might even win a prize for it – just like Lora C., Dolores R., and “Grammy” H. did for commenting last week… Congratulations to the three of you! Note: I do not post last names or email addresses for your privacy, so if you think you’re one of the lucky winners this week please be sure to check your email. You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received a prize confirmation letter from her. If you think you are a winner but have not received a prize confirmation email, be sure to check your spam folder – it’s not often but our emails will sometimes end up there)!

Alright friends, time to get back to my stitching before my teacher notices me not giving her my undivided attention. Just a quick reminder before I go that if you’d like to send a card or gift to wish Shelley well during her fight to beat Leukemia you can do so by sending it to: Shelley – C/O Heidi Niesl at Primitive Gatherings – 8567 South Loop Rd – Larsen, WI 54947. Special thanks to those of you who already have sent things. You have no idea how much she – and I – appreciate you! Positivity really does go a long way and she can use as much as she can get right now, so from the bottom of my heart – thank you.

I hope you all have a great weekend and manage to stay out of trouble. …I will do my best. No promises though. You never can tell what kind of shenanigans you’ll find happening at a quilting retreat, and I’m not about to put a governor on the engine of Lisa Bongean. Just gonna let it run – that’s how you get things done! Take care and I will see you all soon! ~Lisa

 

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Sustainable Sewing is Where it’s At!

Have you ever thought about how you can use your creative side for the good of the planet? Today I want to talk a little about sustainable sewing. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s defined as sewing in a way that leaves a minimal impact on the planet. A few examples include using eco friendly materials, reusing old textiles, and doing projects designed to be scrappy, thus using up extra scraps and reducing the amount of fabric wasted. Basically, reuse, recycle, and use what you’ve already got in your stash instead of buying more.

Personally, I like to flex my sustainable sewing skills with projects for reusable items, designed to replace things we would normally use once and then throw away. Recently, I discovered a fabulous article in a back issue of my favorite Better Homes & Gardens publication, American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine – April 2022 – Issue 175 that had some great ideas on this exact topic. The article features several different project ideas for products that you can make at home rather than having to buy them from the store. For example – makeup removers! I don’t know about you but I go through sometimes two and three a day depending on what’s going on. You can easily replace the store bought version of these by using soft flannel and minky to create washable, reusable pads. Not only do they help reduce waste but they also save you money. I love win-win situations!

Another handy project designed to replace a common household throw-away item is reusable “paper” towels. Most of us are guilty of overusing paper towels in our homes – especially considering that according to drgreen.com, over 3,000 tons of paper towel waste is produced in the U.S. alone every day… And when you really stop and think about how much goes into making a product like that (natural resources, habitat, man hours, etc.), only for us to use it for literally seconds before throwing it to the landfill, sustainable sewing becomes all that much more appealing. Just like the makeup removers, these stylish towels are super easy to make and convenient to use. Soft and absorbent, simply throw them in the washing machine to use them over and over again!

You can find FREE patterns for both the makeup remover pads and reusable towels, PLUS items like cloth napkins, utensil rolls, totes, sandwich and snack bags, reusable gift bags, t-shirt quilts, and more on the American Patchwork & Quilting website by clicking the link below! If you’re planning to dive into these sustainable sewing projects you’re probably going to need some super nice flannel to get the job done. For mine I’m using my latest flannel collection, “Lakeside Gatherings.” This line of super soft flannels is a refreshing collection of blues, tans, and creams that are sure to fit the bill for winter and summer projects alike.Love it? If the answer is yes you’ll be excited to know that “Lakeside Gatherings” pre-cuts, project kits, and project book are all available to pre-order now until March 19th, 2023! Not only will you be one of the first to get your hands on this coveted new collection when it arrives, but if you pre-order by March 19th, 2023 you’ll get 20% OFF pre-cuts (sorry, this offer does NOT include yardage)!!!

Our final order for “Lakeside Gatherings“ inventory is due into Moda by the end of the day on March 19th, 2023 so if you’re thinking about stocking up, don’t wait! After that, the ship will have sailed and we will not be able to discount the line any longer.

For those of you who are interested in making these sustainable sewing projects but think you may need a little guidance when it comes to finishing the edges, heads up! My friend Bernina Barb and I put together a little tutorial video on how easy it is to complete the edges on both the makeup remover pads and the reusable towels using your serger. Or, if you don’t have your own serger but are thinking of purchasing one, she gives you a little sneak peek at the coveted Bernina L 890 – Bernina’s premier serging machine. Barb will show you just how easy it is to use this fantastic and magical machine to get the perfect edges we all want. Watch it by clicking HERE!

If you haven’t heard about the Bernina L 890, let me tell you just how great it is. First of all, the L 890 is the first Bernina overlocker to come with a color computerized touch screen navigation system, complete with a super slick feature that teaches you how to use it with helpful built-in tutorials and animations. This “Combo Machine” can create three unique stitch groups including all your standard serger stitches, combo stitches, and cover stitches. It includes 27 built-in pre-programmed stitches, and room for 100 custom stitch designs in the “Personal Memory” feature for you to create and save your own stitch settings. How cool!

The Bernina L 890 is perfectly suited for working with all types of fabrics, including knits as well as wovens. It comes with many features designed to make your sewing experience as easy and painless as possible, like the exclusive Bernina one-step Air Threader for instance. This feature helps you to thread your machine in one simple step by magically moving it through the machine using the foot control, allowing both hands to remain free. The L 890 automatically sets the loopers in the correct position for the air threader – no turning the hand wheel or searching for the right position needed. Simply press the foot control and you’re off! Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? I also love the way that by pressing the foot control with your heel, you can effortlessly raise or lower the needle by a half stitch. The Bernina Free Hand System lets you raise and lower the presser foot with your knee, leaving both your hands free to guide the fabric.

I really can’t say enough great things about the Bernina L 890. I mean, you can read all the articles and five star reviews you want, but in order to really get a feel for what this machine can do, you’re better off taking one for a “test drive” in person rather solely going off the opinions of others. In fact, if you’re seriously curious about the L 890 and close enough to pay us a visit, I invite you to stop by our new Bernina storefront here at Primitive Gatherings, where Luke and crew have many machines for you to try before you buy. Not to mention, now is a great time to be shopping for a new Bernina because now through March 31st, 2023 Bernina is offering 20% OFF all Bernina machines including sewing, embroidery, quilting, and sergers! As if that wasn’t a sweet enough deal, Bernina is also offering 0% interest for 60 months on in-store purchases of $3,000 or more March 10th – 14th, 2023 (terms and conditions apply – please call Luke at 920.778.8035 for more information)!

Boy, there are always so many great things going on here at PG it’s hard to keep it all straight sometimes. That’s why I really enjoy it when my crew joins me LIVE during STITCH with Lisa Bongean… It’s just so much easier to let them do the talking when it comes to the things they specialize in. Tune in tomorrow to hear Luke talk more about all the exciting things happening in our Bernina department, along with our weekly chat with Vickie from the shop, upcoming events at The Gathering from Gloria, and an update on the latest from Shelley. Set your reminder now for 1:00 p.m. CST so you don’t miss it. Have a wonderful evening everyone. See you tomorrow at 1:00! ~Lisa

P.S. Have any questions for Luke about Bernina or the L 890? Hop on early and post them in the LIVE chat before the show. We will do our best to answer them on air!

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