Eames and Ice Cube

Tickets are booked and The Eames' house is marked on the map....

Flash Class sale!

Hey everyone! You know how you have wanted to sign up for classes but haven't? If you do it this weekend you can get 20% off! Although this doesn't apply to our basic classes it does for our advent calendar, granny square, gumdrop pillows and colorworking class. Come into the store and sign up or enter "blueberry" when checking out online.

Huzzah!

Holiday Hop Guest Star: Kim Eichler-Messmer

We are so excited that during the Holiday Hop on Friday, November 2nd from 10-1 we will be hosting Kim Eichler-Messmer at bon bon! Kim is one of our favorite people, not only because she is an incredibly talented quilter, but also because she is on overall lovely person.You will get to see her lovely quilts in person and ask her all about her fabric dying process, as well as anything else you want to know!

Kim Eichler-Messmer grew up in Iowa. She learned how to sew in 5th grade when she made a quilt with her father out of old shirts. She went on to study engineering, Spanish, Portuguese, drawing, and printmaking before taking a textiles class in 2000. Kim received an MFA in textiles from the University of Kansas in 2007. She was an Artist in Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Kim currently lives in Kansas City where she does math daily, grows tomatoes, hugs cats, and teaches surface design and quilting in the Fiber department of the Kansas City Art Institute.

Artist's Statement
I create hand-made, one of a kind quilts with a dual purpose. They are equally at home on a bed (or in a crib) or on the wall. Inspired by color theory, mixing, and gradations, I hand dye all of my own fabric. The method I use is scientific, based on a ratio of weight of dye to weight of fabric to produce accurate, reproducible colors with minimal dye waste. I use only the highest quality quilter’s cotton or Kona cotton for the tops, backs, and binding, cotton quilting thread, and cotton batting that is free of chemicals, glues and resins.

My landscape quilts are inspired by the sky in the Midwest, especially right before or after a thunderstorm. I love to see strange color combinations and am constantly amazed and delighted by what Mother Nature has to offer. My own photographs of the sky act as starting points for the color use and proportion in each quilt. Each quilt top is pieced from a large number of different hand-dyed fabrics using my own custom dye recipes.

See more on Kim's website!

National Voter Registration Day

Happy National Voter Registration Day everyone! Are you registered to vote? Are you sure you switched your registration after you moved? It happens... Well if you or a loved one live in the KC area and need to register to vote, come on down to bon bon and we'll fix you up!

Or if you are out of town, register here. 

Sign up for Fall Classes

Don't forget to sign up for our Fall Classes, we have some great ones coming up!


Gumdrop Pillow 10.10 & 10.17
A perfect pouf can really set off a room. Make one in this class! We'll be making one large gumdrop pillow, from start to finish. The class will be two 2 hour sessions, 10/10 and 10/17. Although a beginner level project, you must have sewn before to take this class. Materials + pattern not included, you will get a list when you sign up. $75.00

Advent Activity Calendar 10.13 & 10.27 

We love advent calendar, after all what isn't to love about a crafty item that gives you candy and toys? We are so excited to welcome Alex from Teaginny designs who will teach you to make this fun Advent activity calendar just in time for the holidays! This class is two 3 hour sessions, October 13 and 27 from 1-4pm. The class is $95 which includes the pattern, but not the materials. Once you sign up for the class you will receive the pattern and materials list.

Knitting Colorwork Class 11.20 + 11.27
Confused about colorwork? Always wanted to add a smiley whale to your sweater? In this workshop we will explore the techniques of Intarsia and Fair Isle, learn how to graph a colorwork design and practice working from charts. Make colorwork your bitch! Intermediate level class, materials not included, two 2 hour class session, 11/20 and 11/27 $75.00

Beginning Crochet Class, October 13th, 10-12 AM

Learn the ins and outs of crochet. Soon enough you'll be crocheting afghans, vests and maybe some stylish plant hangers. October 13 10-12 $45.00

Granny Square Crochet Class, November 10th 10-12

Once you can crochet granny squares, the world is your oyster. Vests, sweaters, afghans, potholders, the list goes on and on of wonderful things you can make. Learn how to granny in this class!
You must know the basics of crochet before you can granny...
November 10th 10-12 $45.00

Holiday Hop Guest Star: Jenifer Dick

The Holiday Hop is coming up soon! As you know this year as an added attraction each store in the Hop will be showcasing a local designer. Keep an eye out here and on the Holiday Hop blog to learn more about our guest stars and their schedule.

Today we will be highlighting Jenifer Dick, who you can see at Bernina on Friday November 2nd from 10-12. Jenifer began quilting in 1993 when on a whim, she signed up for a beginning quiltmaking class. From the moment she finished that first wall hanging, she was hooked. Jenifer considers herself a traditional quilter who appreciates all aspects of quiltmaking from historical research to contemporary art quilts to Modern quilting.

Her current book, Quilt Retro, is an appreciation of her early childhood interpreted through 11 Modern quilts and projects. In Quilt Retro, she guides you through the quilt design process - from inspiration to completion - encouraging you to make your own choices every step of the way.

She is a member of the Lee’s Summit Quilt Guild; the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild and the American Quilter’s Society. Jenifer previously wrote The Circuit Rider’s Quilt and Grapefruit Juice and Sugar: Bold Quilts Inspired by Grandmother’s Legacy for the Kansas City Star. In addition to making quilts and writing books, she is an editor of quilt books for Kansas City Star Books.

You may follow her on her blog 42 Quilts at 42quilts.blogspot.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/42Quilts.

Holiday Hop Guest Stars

I know you guys have your calendars marked for the 2012 Holiday Hop, right? I mean, how could a weekend be any better than a major fabric fest at four local stores? Well, I'll tell you how it could be better...Guest Star trunk shows! Yep, each store will have a special guest and trunk show on both Friday and Saturday and we are especially excited about ours, Kim Eichler-Messmer and Tula Pink!!

Kim will be in the store Friday November 2nd from 10-1 showing off her amazing quilts and telling us all her secrets about fabric dyeing. Take notes friends, because Kim makes quilts like I've never seen before (although you might have seen one last year in the West Elm catalog). I've long wanted one..maybe this is my chance!

Tula Pink will be here on Saturday November 3rd from 1-3! We are so excited to host a fabric designer who designs like we think (does that make sense?) At any rate, I think we are on the same wavelength. Also, if we ask really sweetly we might get a sneak peek of her brand new line, Salt Water which she will have debuted the week before at Quilt Market.

Ok, do you have your calendars marked now? Keep an eye out, every  Thursday from now until the Hop we will be highlighting guest stars.

Northland Needlers Quilt Show

Head's up folks! Once again we will be packing up and moving out this weekend, this time to the Northland Needlers quilt show. The show runs Friday the 21st from 9:30-5:30 and Saturday the 22nd from 9:30 to 4:30 at the Salvation Army Community Center at 5306 N Oak Trafficway.

That means that we will be taking fabric with us. We will pack up Thursday afternoon, although there will be plenty of fabric here to choose from, but if you are wanting some of the new Liberty Lifestyle fabrics you best get in here before Thursday afternoon. Or come visit us at the show!

Liberty Lifestyle has arrived!

They are here!! Liberty Lifestyle Collection finally walked through our door yesterday. They almost walked right back out that door and into my house, but being the strong-willed person I am, I did leave them alone. For now. They are so lovely, I can't even tell you. My crappy pictures do not do them justice, you totally have to come in and see them. For you folks who can't, they will be online tonight. I just couldn't do it last night as I wasn't feeling well and went straight home to bed. In other news, I really enjoy taking a 2 hour nap after work...is that normal?

 

 

 

Field Study

Apparently we were on the bottom of the list for getting our Anna Maria Horner Field Study order, but good things come to those who wait, no? I mean look how pretty this is! I love the those dark purples and blues for fall, especially with that chartreuse. Lovely!

Also, rumor has it that our looooong-awaited Liberty of London craft fabric might be arriving today or tomorrow. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, but I give you the go ahead to start getting excited.

Oh, and I'm sorry to say we will be taking Field Study with us to the quilt show this weekend, so if you need it ASAP call us today before 4:00 and we will get you some!

Twilight stitchers quilt show

It's time again to pack it up and take the show on the road. We are setting up shop this weekend at the Twilight Stitchers Quilt Show in Blue Springs on Friday and Saturday. We will still be open in Westport but with less fabric than normal, so be warned.

We've not done this quilt show before, but I heard it has amazing quilts to display and lots of good vendors to shop, so we are really looking forward to it. Hope to see you there!

Crochet classes!

So, we all know that you can make some really bitchin things with crochet. I mean, the projects are really limitless from afghans to swingin 60's dresses, hats, ponchos, potholders, plant holders and on and on. 

The problem is that neither E nor I have the crochet ability, so we are unable to help all of our customers who are dying to learn. However, it turns out we have a good friend, Kristin, who is a crochet mastermind. So we are going to have her teach you!! 

On Saturday October 13th from 10-12 Kristin will be teaching a basic crochet class. (Stay for the Advent Calendar class Alex is teaching at 1!) After a few weeks of practicing that Basic Crochet, come back for Kristin's Granny Square class on November 10th from 10-12. 

Crochet beach cover up, here you come!!

Disneyland!

So, you know those commercials where there is a kids opening a bland looking birthday gift, only to find out they are going to Disneyland? I've always wanted that kid to be me. And last week on my 31st birthday, J made my dream come true! 

I'm super excited, but haven't jumped into full on planning mode yet, since we've been so busy at work. But what is there to plan really? We will go on every single ride...even Space Mountain, despite my fear that I will randomly feel like I have to stand up and then be decapitated, which is a story my mom told us for years. 

Thanks to J for making my Disneyland dreams come true!

Westport Art Fair

The Westport Art Fair is the weekend! Yes, right now there is a veritable monsoon out, but it will be over by the time it starts tonight at 5:00, I promise. I'll be hanging out at the Shop Westport booth tonight from 5-9, rain or shine...come by and say hello! Or wait until tomorrow (which is supposed to be beautiful) to come check it out.

Fashion's Night out at Kaplans!

Are you guys doing anything for Fashion's Night Out? If not, get thee to Kaplan's! Our favorite apparel only fabric store is having a fashion show tonight featuring 19 designers. Also on hand to show you how to use a serger to make a simple silk scarf will be our friends Karin and Jaime from Bernina. Go check it out!

Tap romper

I was so excited yesterday because my tap dance started again. The only problem was, what to wear? I decided that I needed something exciting to start the new season. Enter a vintage Simplicity pattern and some Denyse Schmidt Chicopee.

A few frantic hours later I had myself a brand new practice romper. Tappity Tap!