Tag: #WoolClub

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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Moda Blockheads 4 – Block #9 “Cross My Mind”

Hey gang! It’s Moda Blockheads time again. This week we’re tackling block #9, “Cross My Mind“ by Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic. Originally from Germany, Brigitte learned to sew from her grandmother when she was only six years old! Once she got older, the love of designing and sewing her own clothing lead her to choose Interior Design as her course of study in college. She found herself increasingly intrigued by the students down the hall who were using needle, thread, and of course fabrics within their curriculum, and eventually ended up changing her direction toward textile design. From there, an accidental encounter with a quilting book sparked a newfound infatuation with patchwork, which ultimately resulted in her online shop and fabric line designs.

Brigitte describes her quilt designs as a reduced, pure, and clear style. “Cross My Mind“ follows suit with its simple yet aesthetically pleasing layout. When describing “Cross My Mind” Brigitte says that she really likes to use the plus symbol in her work, which is why she loves this block so much. It’s easy to sew, and versatile enough to create a variety of different designs. I know you’re anxious to see what you come up with for your own version of this fun little design. You can find everything you need to get started on “Cross My Mind” including the pattern, project instructions, sewing techniques, tips, and advice from Brigitte by visiting her blog.

I’m loving this block in the colors I chose, and the prints are adorable! I used a bright orange Bella Solid paired up with a light gray print on white, a black floral print on a dark gray background, and a dark gray tiny print on a light gray background for the contrasting pieces – all from my Urban Farmhouse Gatherings II line.

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!

Are you just joining MBH4? All of the previously released MBH4 blocks can be accessed by visiting the Moda Blockheads 4 Archive. You can find the archive in the list of main links at the top of my blog page. In addition, 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 at the Inspiration+Resources Center as well.

We’re having a really busy day here at The Gathering. Wool Club is up and running along side our Tulip Festival multi-day retreat. What a day! The retreat house is buzzing, everyone is having a blast ,and of course, we’re getting a little work done too!

If you’re looking for a club to join and love wool appliqué, you’re going to want to get in on Wool Club. Jess describes this club as a sit & sew that focuses strictly on wool appliqué projects. If you’re participating in our subscription wool box, this is the perfect opportunity to put a dent in those projects! Whether you’re new to working with wool appliqué or a seasoned pro, everyone is welcome at Wool Club!

Our monthly Wednesday Wool Club runs all day from 9AM until 9PM and includes both lunch and dinner prepared by Chef Erica. The cost is $40.00 per person, per full-day session. If you are only able to attend a half-day session, that’s ok too! The morning session will be from 9AM until 4PM and includes lunch, and the evening session will run from 4PM until 9PM and includes dinner. The cost of half-day sessions is $25.00 per person, per session. Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis so sign up today by calling 920.778.8031 to guarantee your seat! You can also email thegathering@primitivegatherings.us to register.

Retreat guests are also keeping busy between their quilt project, ““Waddles and two spring-themed wool projects. The first wool project they’re making is my Spring Tulip Pillow. This springy pillow is done on a grunge background with fun and colorful cut-out lettering. It’s obviously adorable as a pillow, but it could make a great banner or hanging piece as well! Finished this pillow measures 16″ x 24″.

It’s not quite available for purchase yet, since my Tulip Festival Retreat is still happening, but I still have some good news. Kits and patterns are available to pre-order now on our website, and will ship once the retreat is finished.

The other wool project retreaters are working on is a gorgeous spring table mat, adorned with colorful tulips. It’s simply called,“Tulip Festival Mat.”  I used a gray speckled wool for the background, which really helps the color of the tulips to pop! Measuring at 26″ x 26″ this beautiful mat will brighten up any room! Again, since this item is one of our Tulip Festival retreat projects, it is only available on our website as a pre-order, and will ship once the retreat is completed.

Of course it wouldn’t be a quilting retreat if we didn’t have a quilt project, so let me introduce you all to “Waddles!” You may remember the, “Nibbles“ quilt from around Easter time. This little guy is up next in the, “Just One” series, which is a new collection we’re working on that will feature – you guessed it – a bunch of a similar motif paired up with “Just One” of something in the mix.

I can’t get over how cute “Waddles“ is! And I absolutely love all those giant tulips – they’re one of my favorite flowers! Don’t you think this quilt would make an adorable gift for a baby or young child?  I could see this as hanging décor in a nursery or play room – or even draped over a porch swing! Finished “Waddles” measures 46 1/2″ x 61 1/2″ – not too big, and not too small. The perfect size for cuddling! Remember, “Waddles” is available as a pre-order only at this time, and will ship out after the Tulip Festival retreat is finished.

Do you feel like it’s been a long day? I do – but I still have a ways to go yet! I better get back to the grindstone before I get any wild ideas about hanging it up for the evening. I have stitching to do! …and I’m willing to bet, so do you! If Blockheads 4, O’ Say Can You Sew, Heartfelt, and the many other projects we have going on aren’t enough to keep you busy, remember I still need Flag blocks for my Hogs for Heroes mystery mission fundraiser! You can get the details and the pattern for my mystery mission by clicking the link below.

Speaking of Hogs for Heroes, tune in to watch my LIVE show, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ this Thursday at 1PM CST. I’ll be presenting Hogs for Heroes with a check for the amount we raised during our Hogs for Heroes online auction fundraising event – that’s over $9,000!!! I am so proud of each and every one of you who has contributed to this great cause. It is all of you that make the donations Primitive Gatherings generates possible. THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU!!! Alright everyone, I must get back to the retreat house. There’s a Tulip Festival going on over there after all – I hope they are behaving! See you all tomorrow during “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” Bye for now! ~Lisa

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Weekly Shop Talk with Shelley!

Hey gang! Welcome back to my blog. As usual, the week flew by faster than a speeding bullet. I have been busy finalizing details on a bunch of projects that I’ve been working on, including my 2022 summer blocks of the week, and tying up any loose ends on our upcoming Hogs for Heroes fundraising event. I’m really excited to be participating in Hogs for Heroes again this year. It’s such a fun and awesome way to help WI veterans, and I’m super proud to be involved. Last year we raised over $30K! I’ll be talking more about the details on how we’ll be raising money for Hogs for Heroes this year very soon, so stay tuned to the blog for that! In the meantime, if you would like to know more about Hogs for Heroes and what they’re all about, follow the link below for more information.

I sure hope you were able to join us on Tuesday for the first, “Shop Talk with Shelley,” our new segment on my YouTube Channel, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” Shelley and Jess went over a few shop announcements including new spring retail shop hours and some clarifications on my, “O Say Can You Sew“ Quilt-Along. Speaking of that, Jess would like me to remind everyone that you can find the FREE downloadable PDF for each of the “O Say Can You Sew” Quilt-Along blocks here on my blog for one month after their original posting date. New clues post the first Monday of each month. After one month the block is no longer free. It will then be posted to the Primitive Gatherings website. Blocks will only be posted to the website AFTER the next month’s FREE block is posted to the blog. Again, once they are posted to the website, blocks are no longer free. There is a $5.00 charge for each block once it is posted to the website. CLICK the link below for CLUE #1!Remember, if you don’t have enough scraps to complete the project we have red, white, and blue fabric bundles perfect for the “O Say Can You Sew“ Quilt-Along that are available on the website for purchase now. You can find those by clicking the link below!

If you have any questions about the “O Say Can You Sew“ Quilt-Along, please revisit my blog post with all the details by clicking HERE. You can also feel free to give the shop a call at 920.722.7233!

Looking for a club to join? Jess is thrilled to announce that her monthly Wednesday Wool Club will be starting this May! If you love wool appliqué you’re going to want to get in on this club. Jess describes Wool Club as a sit & sew that focuses strictly on wool appliqué projects. If you’re participating in our subscription wool box, this is the perfect opportunity to put a dent in those projects! Whether you’re new to working with wool appliqué or a seasoned pro, everyone is welcome at Wool Club!

Wednesday Wool Club will run all day from 9AM until 9PM and includes both lunch and dinner prepared by Chef Erica. The cost is $40.00 per person, per full-day session. If you are only able to attend a half-day session, that’s ok too! The morning session will be from 9AM until 4PM and includes lunch, and the evening session will run from 4PM until 9PM and includes dinner. The cost of half-day sessions is $25.00 per person, per session. The first Wool Club will meet May 18th, 2022 at The Gathering. Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis so sign up today by calling 920.778.8031 to guarantee your seat! You can also email thegathering@primitivegatherings.us to register.

In other Primitive Gatherings club news, evening Hexi Club is also coming soon! I wish I could tell you more about it but we are still working out all the details on this one. What we can tell you is that it is definitely coming soon, so if you’re a fan or hexi quilts like I am keep watching the blog for more information! I’ll be posting it as soon as I have it.

Aside from news and updates, Shelley and Jess also have some super cute spring quilts in the shop to showcase this week. If you’re looking for a project that will be perfect for the spring and summer months, we have just the patterns for you. Let’s take a look at what they found! First up we have “Sweet Strawberry,” from Martingale’s Piece & Love book. Traditional patchwork meets a more modern aesthetic on this little gem, with its large-scale, colorful motif. It combines reds, pinks, and greens to make this larger-than-life strawberry quilt.

“Sweet Strawberry,” is done with quarter square triangles, and measures 41″ x 50 1/2″ when finished. Wouldn’t this sweet little quilt make a perfect lap or baby quilt? To make it even easier for you, Jess has put together kits for “Sweet Strawberry,“ which you can find along with the Piece & Love book by clicking the link below!

We keep saying spring is coming, but with the cold and dreary weather so far, I’m beginning to wonder. You really have to hand it to the wild birds that migrate each year. What a journey! It’s a marvel they can survive such harsh conditions. Along with the ducks, geese, and robins (just to name a few) we’re also currently seeing a lot of sparrows returning home from down south. They are such cute and tiny birds – and so tough! That’s why I love this next quilt. “Sparrows” is done with large pieces and minimal triangles – which is great for those of you who aren’t the best with triangles but want to get some practice in.

With its patriotic color scheme and adorable design, “Sparrows” is the perfect quilt to display in your home this summer. Can’t you just see it hanging on your porch swing this 4th of July? Finished, “Sparrows” measures at 65 1/2″ x 71″ making it a nice size for a bed or couch as well.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer season here in WI is go to the farmer’s market. There’s nothing better than local, home-grown veggies roasting away on the grill for dinner on a hot summer night. “Tomato Pincushion Quilt“ reminds me of the giant, plump tomatoes I’m lucky enough to get all season long from a stand just down the road from me. I can’t wait for it to open for the year!

The “Tomato Pincushion” quilt kit comes in a keepsake box measuring 11″ x 11″ x 4″, which is perfect for storing your blocks as you go. The box kit includes the quilt pattern and all the fabric you’ll need for the quilt top and binding (backing fabric is not included).  This 58″ x 70″ quilt is done with larger blocks and a boarder, making it simple and fun to make! We only have a few of these box sets left in the shop, so if you have your heart set on it, don’t hesitate to get your order in!

Well folks, they tell me the weekend is finally upon us. It looks like another cold and rainy couple days are in store for us here, which I guess is going to have to be ok. I still have not figured out who to call and complain to on that one… Looking on the bright side, it’s perfect weather to get some shopping done at Primitive Gatherings! Don’t forget, we are now featuring the “Sticker of the Month.” Each month I will release a new custom, Primitive Gatherings collectible sticker. With every purchase of $30.00 or more you will receive one of these adorable stickers as a FREE GIFT while supplies last (order must total $30.00 before tax and shipping)! Once the month is finished, stickers left over from that month will be offered for sale. We only have a limited quantity, which means when they are gone, they are gone! Take a look at this cute design we came up with for April!

Shelley and Jess did such a good job with their first Shop Talk, don’t you think? I’m super proud of them! Way to represent girls! If you liked “Shop Talk with Shelley“ remember to tune in weekly every Tuesday at 9AM CST! If you’d like to watch the replay from this week just hit the button below!

Alright, now that we’ve covered all the announcements and updates, let’s talk prize winners! I love all the comments we’ve been getting here on the blog, on our facebook pages, and during my LIVE show “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” It’s so much fun to hear what you all are up to, I really enjoy reading them every week! Without your online support we would never be where we are today, so thank you to everyone who continues to comment on and “like” our posts each week, you’re the best! Ok, on with the fun part… Sandie M. and Barbara F. – you are our lucky blog prize winners this week! As always, I don’t want to post last names or email addresses for your privacy, so if you think you’re one of these lucky winners please check your email! You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received an email from her. She will use your email address to confirm that you are in fact the winner (in the case that there is someone with the same initials, she will determine the correct person with matching email credentials)! If you’re not a winner this week, please keep trying. You can’t win if you don’t play!!! Have a great weekend everyone! ~Lisa

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