Tag: #QuiltRetreat

Avoid Winter Blues with RETREAT and New Patterns!

Good evening stitchers! It was a beautiful day out there, but it sure has been cold so far this week. This time of year it’s not uncommon for a sunny, bluebird day to be a sign that it’s also colder than a witch’s… er… kneecap (yeah, that’s the part I was thinking of) outside. The good news is that by next early week we should be back in the lower 30s for a while, which is about the best we can ask for at the beginning of February in WI. Hey, that reminds me! Don’t forget, tomorrow is Groundhog Day. A day where, thanks to Pennsylvania Dutch superstition, human beings with advanced science and technology rely on a sleepy groundhog to prematurely emerge from its winter burrow to predict the weather for the next month and a half. Kind of silly yes, but I’m beginning to think that this may not be a bad method of forecasting the weather considering the track record of some of the meteorologists out there these days. LOL!

Over the years I’ve come to realize that no matter which way it goes for the groundhog tomorrow morning, we will most likely be seeing at least six more weeks of winter – if not more – before we can officially start calling it spring (unless you go by the calendar, then it’s March 20th this year). Winters here are always long but some years it seems to go on forever… Like four years ago when we got two plus feet of snow halfway through April – woo hoo! As much as I love my winter sports, by March enough is enough. To break up these cold and dreary days I thought it would be a great idea to host an event designed to brighten your spirits while we gather together and sew/stitch. That’s why the gals at The Gathering and I created the “Winter Escape” open sew event happening Friday, February 17th and Saturday, February 18th, 2023 at The Gathering!Bring whatever projects you’re working on (or any you’d like to start) to this over night, open sew session where the plan is to hang out, laugh, eat, sew, eat, stitch, SHOP, eat… and laugh some more! Enjoy excellent lighting with multiple cutting tables, steam stations, and large spacious sewing tables equipped with power strips. On top of that, there will be door prizes, delicious food prepared by Erica and crew, shopping, and an exclusive embroidery project designed just for us by my colleague and friend, Gloria Parsons. Bring a friend or come alone and make new ones! We would love to have you. If this sounds like something you need in your life, don’t wait! Spots are limited. Give Gloria a call at 920.778.8031 to register. It’s going to be great!

Well everyone, it’s time to hang it up for another day. I’ll be back tomorrow LIVE on YouTube at 1:00 p.m. CST. I’ll be talking about pattern releases for a few of my ongoing projects like the O’ Say Can You Sew QAL, the Revel Quilt, Dragonfly Dreams, Pumpkin Carving Contest and Garden Stars to name a few. PG Encyclopedia Jess will be on deck answering questions, Heidi is on Prize-Patrol (get those comments in!!!), and of course our fearless camera woman Kali will be at the wheel. Hope to see you there! You can tune in by clicking the STITCH button below. Have a great night everyone! ~Lisa

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Love and RETREAT is All You Need!

Hey gang! Welcome back. I’m happy to report that even though it’s only about five degrees outside (with windchills around -15), the sun is shining and I’m feeling a heck of a lot better than I was just a few days ago. After keeping things fairly low-key this weekend, I think it’s safe to say that I’m on the road to recovery – even if it might take me a while to feel 100% again. Good thing too, since my Love is All You Need day retreat is only a week away! I had a blast at this event last year, plus I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day so I’m really looking forward to this year’s shenanigans. Haven’t heard about Love is All You Need? Let me tell you all about it!

Next Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 is my annual “Love is All You Need” Valentine’s Day Retreat at The Gathering (sorry, the Saturday class is no longer available). It’s a fun-filled, Valentine-themed day class, full of creativity, friendship, good food, and of course, LOVE! We’ll start the day with Erica’s fresh-made mocha lattes and raspberry scones to help break the ice and get us in the mood for stitching. After that, we’ll spend the day working on two new projects that I recently designed exclusively for this event (class participants will be the first to see and stitch these fresh new designs before they’re available to the general public).

I know you’re probably curious about what those projects are so let’s take a look. The larger of the two projects we’ll be working on for the day is “Love Quilt.” At 80″ X 92″ “Love Quilt“ is on the bigger side for a one-day class, but also quite simple so don’t worry about the size. Big, easy blocks will make quick work of this darling quilt, making it the perfect challenge for a weekend project or new quilter.

My favorite part about this quilt is the ombre effect – or visual gradation – the hearts create as they go from light pink on the ends to dark red in the middle. As I mentioned, the large heart blocks are super simple to make and go together fast but if “Love Quilt“ seems like it’s still too large for you, no worries. We can simply adjust the size and/or the number of hearts used to your liking.

The smaller project for the day is going to be my latest wool appliqué pillow design that I so cleverly named, “Flower Heart Pillow.” It features – you guessed it! – wool appliqué flowers delicately laid out in the shape of a heart. “Flower Heart Pillow“ is literally the definition of dainty – small and pretty – making it a unique and elegant addition to your Valentine’s Day décor.If you’ve not done wool appliqué before but have always wanted to give it a shot, now’s your chance! Come spend the day with me at The Gathering where I’ll be available for one-on-one help and advice throughout the class. Not to mention you’ll leave with a least a good start on what will be a stunning work of art you’ll be proud of in the end.

The class fee for this event is only $150 per person, which includes a “red inspired lunch” and exclusive class party favors! It will run from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at The Gathering on Tuesday, February 7th, 2023. Maybe you have a special someone you’ve been struggling to find a gift for… If not, maybe you’re single and would rather mingle with a bunch of your fellow stitching comrades than spend another Valentine’s day all by your lonesome. Either way, I’d love to have you join us! So come hang out with me next week while we stitch, laugh, learn, and eat entirely too much. It’s going to be a great time! Space is limited so please call Gloria at 920-778-8031 to reserve your spot. I can’t wait to see you there!

As much as I would LOVE it if every single one of you could make it here for retreat, I realize you can’t. That’s why in order to be able to include everyone as much as we can, I’ve decided to go ahead and make both the “Love Quilt“ and “Flower Heart Pillow“ available to pre-order now, rather than implementing our usual waiting period of several weeks to months. That means that though these projects will not ship until sometime after the retreat is over (anticipated shipping date on these items is February 14th, 2023) you will be the first to receive them once they are officially released. If that sounds like something you’d like to take advantage of, simply hit the links above to pre-order now!

I really hope you had a nice weekend. Tell me about it in the comments! Did you stitch? Stay indoors due to the cold? Or were you laid up like me? I can’t tell you how glad I am to be feeling better. Thanks again to everyone who sent well wishes – you really made it better! Even though I hate it when it happens, we all get sick sometimes and it’s nice to know I’ve got so many people backing me up when I do. Just know that I really appreciate each and every one of you! Have a wonderful evening and I will catch you soon!. Take care. ~Lisa

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Junk in Your Trunk!

Hey stitchers, welcome back to my blog! I don’t know what it was about this last CA trip of mine, but I feel especially happy to be back home in WI. Traveling that far in a short time really takes a lot out of a girl! After all the rain that fell while I was away, a week later the grass is a lot taller and the trees are full of lush green leaves… I feel like I’ve come home to the jungle of the north! Spring has definitely sprung. If you need the proof, it’s all over my car in the form of yellow pollen dust and cottonwood fuzz! Ahh, the joys of having four seasons.

I got home late Wednesday night and despite my exhaustion, I could barely sleep because I was so excited about our big Warehouse Sale and “Junk in Your Trunk” event that’s going on as we speak. There has been a heck of a lot of planning and preparation going into these events, and I have to say that it’s super satisfying seeing everything coming together. I want to thank my awesome staff for all their hard work in setting everything up because without them, this would have been one heck of a big job to tackle alone!

We kicked off the big sale weekend bright and early yesterday, and things were in full swing by mid-morning. I really couldn’t have asked for better weather, so it was nothing less than lovely to sit outside manning my “treasure booth” for most of the day (my blog manager Heidi is extremely jealous of the nice tan I have going on – as she should be!). We have a nice set-up with several vendor booths outside featuring things like finished quilt samples, home décor, hand-dyed wool, baked goods, hand-painted barn quilts, wood working, and more (vendors vary by day)!

This is all happening at the same time as the Winchester Town Wide Garage Sale event, so you will have plenty of shopping options to choose from… after you’re done blowing your budget here at PG of course. In case you get hungry our soup and salad bar will be open for lunch, which always hits the spot. And if you’re like me and have a sweet tooth to satisfy, we have Erica’s signature homemade snickerdoodle cookies available for purchase as well!

Unfortunately, the forecast is calling for rain tomorrow so we may not be able to set up our vendor booths outside. If that happens not to worry – our rain plan is to simply move vendors inside at The Gathering!

More of an indoor shopper overall? Come check out the awesome deals Jess and Amy have put together for you inside the shop and warehouse! Save big on fabric, notions, patterns, kits, jewelry, home décor, pre-made samples, and a bunch more! If you’re looking for something to do and happen to be in the area, stop out! The sale runs until 5PM today. We start back up at 7:00 AM tomorrow and will be open through 5PM.If you aren’t local or simply can’t get out here to shop, you can also find warehouse sale items on our website through Sunday (in-store sale runs through Saturday)! To find the listed sale items simply visit http://www.primitivegatherings.us and click the “NEW” tab. Then click “Warehouse Sale.” For a direct link click HERE. Did you get a chance to watch “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ yesterday? I was live on scene here at the sale to give you a first-hand glimpse of all the shenanigans going on. If you’d like a virtual recap of the event you can still watch the replay by hitting the STITCH button below!

Boy, as fast as it went this week felt long! I’m really looking forward to the weekend and just being at HOME. It sure will be nice to enjoy a little rest and relaxation before next week is in our laps and demanding all the attention. I hope you all have a great weekend and I will see you very soon! Take care and of course, do your best to stitch EVERY day! Bye for now! ~Lisa

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Wrapping up May with My Current Works in Progress in

Welcome back! I haven’t talked about what I’m currently working on for a while, so I thought it might be time for a little update. If you know me at all, you know I always have multiple projects going at any given time and this month is no different. Yesterday during my YouTube LIVE show, Stitch with Lisa Bongean I went through each of my active, but unfinished projects one by one to give you an idea of what my ongoing agenda has been like. If you didn’t get a chance to watch it, that’s ok. Let’s go through them again!

First up on my to-do stack is “Stars All Around.” This quilt is one of the projects we came up with for this year’s Summer Blocks of the Week. I always love a quilt with multiple options to consider, and this one does not disappoint. There are two versions of “Stars All Around“ to choose from including Contemporary and Traditional designs. Both versions will be approximately 88″ x 88″ when finished. Kits for the Traditional version are available now on our website by clicking the link below. We are just about sold out of kits for the Contemporary version so you cannot find it on the website, but we do have just enough inventory to fill about 30 more. These kits are available on a first come first serve basis, and supplies are limited. If you are interested in a Contemporary kit, please email the store at store@primitivegatherings.us to let us know. We will do our best to fill the order while supplies last.

The Contemporary version uses only 33 fabrics to create this amazing quilt, including Moda’s Ombre Fairy Dust line. These clever fabrics make the quilt appear as though there are more fabrics being used than what there really is. And for an alternative, unlike the Contemporary version of “Stars All Around,” the Traditional design uses 208 different Reproduction fabrics to create the blocks in this quilt. Pretty cool, right!?

I am also currently working on “Pumpkin Carving Contest,” which is also part of “Summer Blocks of the Week.” How cute is this darling quilt?!? This was so much fun to sketch and design, and  I am beyond happy with how it turned out. I love the different personalities of every single one of those cheeky little jack-o-lanterns! It’s the perfect size for a lap quilt or to display for holiday décor around your home. Finished, “Pumpkin Carving Contest” measures 51″ x 58″.

Want to learn more about Summer Blocks of the Week? Click the button below to read my blog post where I explain it all! You can also call the shop at 920-722-7233 if you have any questions.

Moving along, you all know how I love participating in Quilt-Alongs. Right now I’m involved in a couple that I’m really enjoying. “Heartfelt“ is an awesome fundraising project for Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop. I decided I wanted to participate in this fundraiser because I love helping kids, and Make-A-Wish is a wonderful organization who’s mission is just that. “Heartfelt” is a heart-themed quilt made up of six stunning sampler blocks, each featuring pieced hearts. It was designed by Corey Yoder based on her new Moda fabric line, “Beautiful Day.” For mine I decided to stick with the heart theme, and do my quilt with all Valentine’s Day fabrics that I had left over from last winter. I also decided to do my blocks half the size of what’s featured on the pattern (in other words I did 6″ blocks rather than the 12″ version that the pattern shows).

If you follow the pattern, “Heartfelt” measures 76.5″ x 84.5″ when finished. I’m right on track with this project and have the released blocks 1 through 4 complete. I really enjoy the way the Valentine’s Day fabrics are coming together on this one. Loving what you see? We still have Valentine’s Day fabrics bundles all set to go for this project! You can find the Valentine’s Day fabric bundles by clicking HERE

I’m also working on a fundraiser to raise money for WI Veterans that I’m sure you’ve heard about. I’ve been calling it my, “Mystery Mission.” It’s my latest great idea to generate funds for one of my favorite charities on the planet, Hogs for Heroes. My goal is to produce and collect as many Flag blocks as possible by June 15th, 2022, which will then be used collectively to create a future project that will generate even more funds for Hogs for Heroes!

If you would like to participate in raising funds for Hogs for Heroes by making and donating blocks to this charitable mission, click the link below for the pattern and instructions to get started! One is great, but if you feel like making more we’d love it!!! We only have about half of what we need for this project so far… In other words, we still need more! Please send your finished piece(s) to us no later than June 15th, 2022. We’re super excited to get started on the final project, so if you can get your blocks to us earlier (June 1st, 2022 would be ideal) that would be even better!

To those of you who have already sent in blocks, I THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! You all continue to amaze me with your talent and generosity every day. Keep up the great work everyone. Our veterans need us!

Since we’re talking red, white, and blue, let’s talk about my O’ Say Can You Sew Quilt-Along! Are you stitching along with me on this one? I am right on track with Clues #1 and #2, and ready for Clue #3 to release on June 6th (remember there is no set time a clue will be released, please keep an eye on my blog throughout the day).

If you’re looking for a good scrap buster project this could be just the ticket!  I’m calling this Quilt-Along O’ Say Can You Sew because I have so many reds, whites, and blues leftover from previous projects. I thought it would be a fun way to get an awesome patriotic quilt out of simply recycling my leftovers. I also thought it would be entertaining to make this a mystery project – meaning you are not going to know exactly what you’re making until it all comes together in the very end! We’re only two clues into this quilt-along so if you’re thinking of joining us you still have plenty of time! You can find all the information you need about O’ Say Can You Sew by clicking the link!

For those of you who are following along and using red, white, and blue, we have bundles made up especially for this project in case you start to run out of scraps. I know some of you decided to skip using scraps all together and have dedicated the project to new red, white, and blue fabrics. These bundles are perfect for that as well.

Are you a Moda Blockhead? Moda Blockheads is a fun annual Block of the Week Sew-Along that includes weekly exclusive blocks created by a group of Moda’s top designers. It features 28 individual designer blocks (mine included – I’m block #7!) and 8 bonus blocks, making 36 blocks in total! Moda Blockheads 4 is in full swing as we’re approaching week eleven. I decided to do both sets of blocks (9″ and 4.5″). My. color choices include “Ochre,” a bright orange Bella Solid paired up with my Urban Farmhouse Gatherings II line.

I really love this color combination – it reminds me Harley Davidson colors! If you’re still contemplating fabric choices for this quilt-along and decide you’d like to do yours like mine, you can find everything you need on our website! To purchase Urban Farmhouse Gatherings II pre-cuts and yardage, click the button below. For Orange Bella Solid “Ochre” (#9900-79) CLICK HERE

Still on the fence about quilting along with MBH4? Don’t be! It’s a lot of fun and the blocks aren’t what I would consider difficult or time consuming. You still have plenty of time to catch up and can do so by visiting the block archive. You can find the archive in the main list of links at the top of my blog page. Additional information and bonus blocks can be found on Moda’s Inspiration+Resources Center page by clicking HERE! If you’re having trouble keeping all the details straight you can also sign-up to receive Moda’s weekly Blockheads blog posts via e-mail there as well.

If you subscribe to our Quilt Box you’re probably familiar with this next beauty,”Revel.” This quilt was inspired by an antique in my collection that I really love. I wanted to pay homage to the cheerful, bright colors and stunning geometric designs that it has, and at the same time change it up a bit. In my version I included a gray background to keep a bit more on the subtle side.

I’m a bit ahead of the game and already have June’s blocks for “Revel” completed, along with the mini versions of each month so far. I think “Revel” is going to be nothing less than stunning when it’s finished and I can’t wait to see the final outcome! The bold solid colors paired with bright and cheerful designs really looks perfect together. “Revel” is not available to the public at the moment because as I mentioned, it is the ongoing, year-long project in our current Quilt Box. If you’re not a member of our Quilt Box subscription but love this quilt, don’t worry! It will be available to the public sometime next year after we’ve moved on to the next Quilt Box subscription year.

Last on the works-in-progress stack is “Dragonfly Dreams,” which is an ongoing quilt project featured in our current Wool Box subscription. “Dragonfly Dreams” is another design inspired by a vintage quilt in my personal collection. I love the combination of wool appliqué paired with different types of hand embroidery and stitching. Just look at the intricate floral design work on this beauty!

My modern version uses more earth toned colors with a color palette that includes blacks, browns creams and grays. If you like this quilt and aren’t currently subscribed to the Wool Box, hang tight! It will be available as a Block of the Month in 2023.

Whew! That’s quite the stack of projects! There is never a lack of things to do in the studio – both at work and at home. But you know what? That’s perfectly ok because I love it! I am truly living my dream every single day and I am so happy that you’re all a part of it. If you’d like to watch the LIVE presentation of my works in progress you can do so by clicking the Stitch with Lisa Bongean button below. Thanks so much for continuing to read my blog and watching me on my YouTube channel. My customers and fans are what keeps us going. My staff and I appreciate every single one of you!

As the holiday weekend approaches I just want to say I hope you have a great time with friends and family. Do you have big plans for the weekend? Let me know in the comments what you and your family will be up to this Memorial Day. I always love hearing about what everyone is doing. Enjoy yourselves and stay safe out there! See you all soon! ~Lisa

 

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Having Trouble Commenting on My YouTube Channel?

Hey everyone. In the last couple of weeks I’ve been getting a lot of questions and comments regarding being able to comment on my YouTube Channel, during LIVE broadcasts. I promised you a post on how to go about setting your YouTube account up so that you’re able to make comments, so here it is! The girls and I did some research and came up with a few different reasons why you might be having an issue. Here are the top possible reasons that we found…

This seems to be the most common reason viewers aren’t able to make comments on YouTube videos. To be able to comment on YouTube videos, you need to have your own YouTube Channel. Who knew?!? It doesn’t matter if you plan to use your channel to post your own content or not, but establishing a channel is required to be able to comment on videos posted by other creators. This is not the same as an initial YouTube account. You will not be able to comment if you only have a YouTube account, and not a YouTube channel of your own. YouTube is a Google owned company so you’ll be able to create your channel using your already established Google account, such as your Gmail or YouTube (these are just two of many Google account options). If you do not have an existing Google account, you can simply go to YouTube.com, click ‘sign in,’ and select ‘create a Google account.’ Then follow the prompts.

After you created your Google account, you will then be able to create your YouTube Channel. If you’re having trouble creating a Google account you can also hit the link below for more information.

Instructions on how to create a Google Account

Once you have your Google account created, you are now able to sign in to YouTube and create your channel.

Once you make all the selections required to establish your channel, you should be all set!

If you already have your own channel and are still unable to comment, another reason could be…

YouTube has a, “Restricted Mode“ feature, which can be found in the settings drop-down menu. Its purpose is for parents to have more control over their child’s YouTube environment by restricting content and postings. Comments are disabled in “Restricted Mode.” In other words, if for some reason your account was set or changed to this mode, you will not be able to make comments until it is turned off. Below are instructions on how to do this on most desk-top or lap-top computers. If you are on a smart phone or tablet, it’s going to be a little bit different. Those instructions are posted below.

Instructions on how to turn off Restricted Mode on YouTubeInstructions to turn off Restricted Mode on YouTubeInstructions to turn off Restricted Mode on YouTube

If you are still experiencing problems turning off “Restricted Mode“ on your computer, you can find additional help by clicking the link below!

In a perfect world the instructions for turning off, “Restricted Mode“ on your phone and tablet would be the same…buuuut since that would just be way too easy, of course they’re not. If you are trying to do this on an Android phone, you will need to follow the instructions posted to the link below.

…and if you’re on an iPhone or iPad you will need to follow yet another set of instructions by clicking the button below. Having fun yet? LOL!

Hopefully you’ve resolved your commenting issue between those two options. If not, we have a few other things to explore. The next possibility is…Expired Cookies a common problem with an easy fix. This would only apply if you already have both a YouTube account and YouTube channel established, and the cookies in your browser have expired. Sometimes all you need to do is log out of your YouTube account and log back in and that fixes the problem. You can also clear the cache data from your browser. Because there are many browsers it would be hard to post instructions on how to clear cache for all of them. Google has a very helpful article about it that covers the different methods. For instructions on how to clear your cache and cookies, please hit the link below.

Once you’ve tried clearing your cache and cookies, I recommend restarting your computer. Log back into YouTube and try commenting again. If that doesn’t solve the problem it must be something else!

If you’re watching on your cell phone, the fix could be as simple as changing the orientation at which you’re holding your phone. On many phones, if you are holding it horizontally the comment section will disappear. In that case, you are only able to see the comment section if you are holding it vertically.

YouTube takes spam and negative comments very seriously. If you have been blocked by YouTube for any comment, on any page, you are unable to comment on YouTube videos. There are a couple of ways you can become “blocked”. YouTube filters language and comments by using algorithms, which is one way you can be flagged and blocked. The other is the result of a large number of people reporting the user, comment, or content. Both YouTube and the content creator can choose to block someone. If this has happened to you in the past, chances are you are still blocked from using the commenting section on YouTube videos. C’mon now, behave!

Hopefully out of these possible scenarios, you found the solution to enabling comments on YouTube. If not, you can always visit YouTube’s ‘Help’ section. It has several great articles on how to get things going with your account. If it’s to the point where you’re totally stuck and you just can’t figure it out, you can even contact them directly!

Alright everyone, class is over for today! LOL! Now I want you all to go practice your new YouTube skills so that you can get everything straightened out in time to watch, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ today at 1PM CST! And now, since you’ll be able to comment, I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what your favorite project is from the show today. Remember to hit the like button as well, all for a chance to win a prize!

Speaking of prizes, I have a few winners I’d like to mention that we picked from the comments on the blog over the last couple weeks. Carol E., Jennifer H., Amy Z., and Deb M. – Check your email ladies! I don’t want to post last names or email addresses for everyone’s privacy, so if you think you’re one of these lucky winners please contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us. She will use your email address to confirm that you are in fact the winner! If you’re not a winner this week, please keep trying. You could be next! To watch, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ today at 1PM CST, simply hit the button below. See you there! ~ Lisa

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Save the Date For Sit & Stitch!

Hi everyone! I hope you had a great weekend. I spent mine cozied up indoors since Mother Nature decided to go nuts and ruin any chance of doing anything fun or enjoyable outside. Temps were unseasonably warm and it rained like crazy! Huge fat drops, and flowing rivers of rainwater everywhere… And now yesterday we just got two inches of snow. There’s an old saying about March in WI. “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” We’ve definitely got the first half right so far… I hate to say it but, a lot of years it’s more like, “In like a lion, out like a lion.” We’ll just have to wait and see what happens this time around!

The one advantage I can think of to all this sloppy weather is having the perfect excuse to stay inside and – what else – stitch! My dear friend Val Krueger is here visiting me from NV and needless to say, she’s not exactly impressed with our indecisive weather. When I asked her how she was feeling about it yesterday morning she very seriously said, “I feel glad that I live in Nevada!” LOL! She’s here visiting for the next few days, which is awesome. This is her first time visiting Primitive Gatherings since we put up the new buildings last summer, so it’s been a lot of fun showing her around.Val and Lisa

Part of the reason for Val’s visit is to prepare for the release of Moda’s new Garden Gatherings fabric line (scheduled to release this April/May)! We’ve spent a lot of time filming for our future, “Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-A-Long,“ which is coming up in June/July, 2022. There is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into these online tutorials, and getting the footage is half the battle! Since Val is only here until Thursday, we have a lot to do and not a whole lot of time to do it, but that’s ok. It’ll all be worth it in the long run!

Val Kreuger and Lisa Bongean Filming Stitch A Long

You might remember back in January when I was out in Las Vegas visiting Val at her place. She had a pretty good start going on her gorgeous quilt, “Meet Me in the Garden,“ which is designed with my new Garden Gatherings fabric line in mind. I’m excited to say she’s not only finished, but she brought it with her to WI so we could see it in person. Finally being able to see this masterpiece in its full glory has me simply in awe! “Meet Me in the Garden“ is a pretty good sized quilt. Val says, “It’s a real monster!” I really love the feel of a heavy quilt – just like a weighted blanket! Finished, this quilt measures at 104″ x 104″.Completed "Meet Me in the Garden" Quilt

If you would like to participate in our, “Meet Me in the Garden Stitch-A-Long,“ we’d love to have you! We will post more information on how to join once we have a better idea of when the collection is going to arrive here at Primitive Gatherings. We will also be doing a post on what you’ll need for the Stitch-A-Long closer to the event that includes pattern & ruler details, so keep an eye on my blog for that. 

Remember, the Garden Gatherings line doesn’t release until April/May, 2022, but you can pre-order what you’ll need for the Stitch-A-Long in advance! You will need the FQ Bundles of each Garden Gatherings and Garden Gatherings Shirtings, along with a Layer Cake of the shirtings as well. (please remember each pre-order needs to be ordered separately as an individual order – it should be the only item in your cart).

Click HERE to Pre-Order Fabrics for the Upcoming Garden Gatherings Stitch-A-Long with Lisa & Val!

As always, I have several projects in process, and several more on deck waiting to be started. Is it just me, or are there never enough hours in the day? I have been getting a ton accomplished during the, “Sit & Stitch“ group at The Gathering every week. If you haven’t heard of “Sit & Stitch“ let me fill you in. “Sit & Stitch“ is not a retreat, but more of a gathering where all types, ages, and ability levels of sewing enthusiasts can come together and stitch! It’s a great opportunity to socialize in a judgment-free zone, where participants are encouraged to share ideas and advice. Of course, there’s also plenty of good food, great conversation, and laughter to go around too!Sit and Stitch Participants

You can bring your stitching projects of any kind to “Sit & Stitch!” Come take advantage of our huge, beautifully lit activity space. You can bring your own machine or rent one from us. Either way there’s plenty of room for everyone to spread out and get comfortable at one of the many large sewing tables – complete with power stations! Take it from me, a lot of times I’d rather work on projects at The Gathering rather than my studio at home!Stitch-A-Long Participants

The casual and easy-going atmosphere not only allows me to relax a little, but I can also take more time to talk one-on-one with people about anything they might need help on with their projects, or just about life in general! It’s always a great time. 

Sit & Stitch Details

If you want to join us for a Sit & Stitch we would love to have you! Call The Gathering to register. The phone number at The Gathering is 920-778-8031. You can also email thegathering@primitivegatherings.us. Sessions run from 9AM until 4PM. Registration fee is $25 per person for the day and includes a salad bar and homemade soup lunch prepared by Chef Erica!

Alright everyone. Time for me to get back to work! We have a few more things to film this afternoon and then it’s back to my studio for more stitching! I will catch you all later this week on, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ where I’ll talking all about what I am currently working on, and what I have planned coming up! Don’t miss it! And as always, make sure to leave me a comment here on the blog for a chance to win a prize! We choose prize winners from our YouTube page, Blog, and my, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean” Facebook page, so don’t be shy! Let me know what spring projects are on your work table! See you soon! ~Lisa

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