WHEW!!!! Some people think I am crazy, but I love to set up a booth and do a quilt show--it is a different kind of selling and I find it so much fun. And fun we did have this weekend at the Berryville Show. Those gals have been putting on this show for years and they really do make it look easy. Attendance was great and everyone was really in the mood to buy!!!

Next is Market, then Market Review and finally the QU show in Chantilly. Still a lot to look forward to. I am sorry to tell you that I have not finished the newsletter yet and will give you a better update on Wednesday with a time for you to be able to see what is new on the calendar.

So many of you have lamented to me about the canceling of Simply Quilts and so few quilt shows on TV. First, Simply Quilts was a beautifully done show but they had interviewed everyone in the known quilt world and will continue in reruns. There are several other shows still in reruns but the same thing, they simply run out of topics. But there is never any better way to learn than in person and at Nutmeg Lodge, I am so proud that I have the best line up of teachers and subjects of any shop that I know of. Each of the teachers and myself have taken the time to travel and take classes with other well qualified teachers in order to bring you the best and latest techniques and subjects out there. If you compare the price to going to a large retreat or quilt show and taking a class plus room and board, there is not a better value around. Watch TV and enjoy the shows but learn your craft from qualified teachers in person where you can ask questions and see demos up close and personal.

See you, Barbara

A busy week in so many directions. The van is still packed from last weekend's show in Hagerstown but there still has been plenty to keep everyone busy. We are cutting fat quarters like crazy--it is the end of the month and apparently a lot of you were April babies, Happy Birthday!!!! If you do have an April birthday and haven't made it in yet, the clock is ticking so don't forget to avail yourself of your birthday fat quarters. Up to 50 for $1.00 each or $1.50 for batiks.

The Berryville show is this weekend at the Rec Center in Berryville, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10:00 - 5:00. If you need directions, stop by the shop we have brochures. This is always a lovely show so put it on your list of things to do. Also, in Berkeley Springs the Delectable Mountains guild has their annual showing of quilts at the Ice House. This exhibit runs through June 4 and is always a wonderful event. Another great outing to contemplate.

I am working on the newsletter and am trying to get it off to Kathy momentarily. We have a great lineup of classes for the Summer. I will give you a shout when it is available for viewing and signing up. A class at Nutmeg Lodge is always a great experience so don't miss out on a great time and learning some new techniques and blocks.

See you at the show, Barbara

One down and one to go--so the saying goes. We successfully completed the Hagerstown show and are looking forward to the Berryville show this coming weekend. The ladies of the Hagerstown show really do a wonderful job. The quilts that were hung for display were delightful and it was exciting to see several quilts from projects and friends of Nutmeg Lodge. If you were able to attend, I am sure that you enjoyed the displays and vendors as much as we did. If you were unable to get out this weekend then you have another excellent opportunity to view a great array of talents and see some different vendors at the Berryville show that will be this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you are unsure about the directions, stop by the shop and pick up a brochure. Quilt shows of any size are a wonderful thing to attend and these small local shows are the heartbeat of quilting. We are very fortunate to have two very nice shows so near by.

We have received some new fabrics from Moda. It is a new line from Blackbird Designs. I have not seen it yet but Kathy and Antoinette report that it is really nice. There are several pieces of polka dots that Kathy was really drooling over. This fabric has not been put on the shelves yet so it will be brand new on Tuesday. Last week we received a new line of red, white and blue from Moda called Nantucket. This line also came with a bolt of bunting. It is 18 inches wide and finished on each side--all you need to do is have us cut the yardage you want you can hem each end and you are ready to go. In addition to traditional bunting for the front porch, it would make a great table runner. Come in and check this out, very cool!!!

We have a large group of ladies coming on Friday. They are off to a guild retreat and are planning to stop and shop on the way. This is a reminder that if you would like to plan a special occasion and shopping experience for a group, let us know. We love to make a party for you and your friends. We have several different things to make a trip special and we can also create special hours if you would like to do something out of the ordinary.

See you--Barbara

My goodness the weather has been so glorious!!!! I know that everyone is out in the garden and enjoying all of this wonderful Spring weather. Just remember not to plant those bedding plants too soon. It is always such a temptation to start to get some color going after the tulips and daffodils have done their thing but we really can get some more cold weather to damage those fragile blooms. It is a great time to get a fresh coat of paint on the porch swing or a new coat of stain on the deck. And also a great time to make some new cushions. We have some wonderful ticking just in from Moda. A lovely weight for cushion covers. Also the new homespuns that we received a couple of weeks ago are perfect for cushion covers as well. A quilted table topper for the patio table would make a perfect addition and these colors won't be affected by a late Spring frost.

We have really been busy and are very excited about all we will have in our booth at the Hagerstown show this weekend. Don't forget to put this great event into your plans for Saturday or Sunday. This is always a wonderful show and this year they will be offering demonstrations on various techniques and talents. I will be doing a demo on basting methods at noon on Saturday so if you are still planning your day think about catching this demo then stop by the booth to see our wonderful new packaging technique.

See you soon, Barbara

Happy Easter to everyone--I hope you each had a lovely day. It really was wonderful weather. My grandchildren are too big for hunting eggs but they enjoyed sitting on the deck and the front porch. I had put a quilt out for games on the lawn but I had no takers. Don't be stingy about your quilts for outdoor use. A sturdy homespun quilt, machine quilted is a wonderful summer play area. A lovely spot to read a book, play a board game or watching cloud formations and naming your favorites, then in the evening a perfect place to name the constellations or look for shooting stars. We have all of those wonderful homespuns from Red Wagon and this is the perfect fabric for that summer quilt or a quilt to take to the game this fall and snuggle under waiting for that perfect play and touchdown for your favorite team.

The quilt shows start this coming weekend. We will be at our usual spot in Hagerstown. Come out and enjoy the fun and beautiful quilts that these quiltmakers always have to display.

See you at the shop and then at the show, Barbara

We have been like a 3-ring circus--getting ready for Easter, getting ready for the Hagerstown and Berryville quilt shows and checking in and processing new orders.

I hope that each of you have a lovely Easter, that your eggs all turn out to be beautiful and your baskets brimming with goodies. My family will all be around my table and that really means we need two tables--with six grandchildren, they fill a table by themselves.

As I have mentioned before, we really will have a lot of different things going on in our booths at the upcoming shows. Check the time, place, etc. above and put these two events on your calendar and then stop by and check us out when you are there.

We received the fabled homespuns from Indo yesterday and they are just as beautiful as I led you to believe. If you love homesuns then you must come in and see these beauties. We have 20 skews. If you have a masculine quilt on your list for graduation, Christmas or other special occasion, then these are perfect for a Turning Twenty.

Did you know--that Big Lots has a most fabulous deal on Ott lights. They have a goose neck table and floor models that sell for about $85.00 and $150.00 at Nutmeg Lodge but at Big Lots the price is $24.99 and $29.00--unbelievable. I have one of these at my sewing table and they really do make life wonderful. At this price you can get two!!!!

Happy Easter!!!! Barbara

Our Spring Fling was fun and so many of you really did give yourself a good deal of the bargains. Thank you for your business and support. The staff has been very busy cutting fabric for the upcoming shows we will be doing. Kathy has posted the information above on the upcoming shows in Hagerstown and Berryville. Put these two events on your calendars. They are both great shows, a lot of fun and it is a good thing to support local shows. Also, don't forget to stop by Nutmeg Lodge's booth. We always have something different going on than what we have at the shop so it really is a different Nutmeg Lodge.

Saturday Sampler was a lot of fun this week--so many people are showing up with show and tell and that really makes the gathering that much more fun. This past Saturday our dear friend and one of our favorite teachers, Gina Zdziera had a most wonderful show and tell. She has made a sample for the shop of her photo transfer class and, to our delight, had used the pictures of the staff from the web site and surrounded them with Nutmeg Stars. The whole thing is absolutely wonderful and we were all so happy and appreciative of Gina's work. The quilt is hanging behind the checkout counter. Come in soon to see it and look for Gina's classes in our the upcoming newsletter.

I will begin work on the class schedule in a few days. If there is a specific class that you are interested, now is the time to let me know. Just call or email me with your requests, suggestions or questions. Input into this process is always welcome. I am so fortunate to have a great teaching staff and they are all able to teach any topic you might desire or any technique that you have ever wondered about.

See you soon! Barbara

Spring Fling is in full swing. As I had mentioned on Sunday, we have unadvertised specials--yesterday all punch needle supplies were 25% off. If you didn't make it in, sorry you missed out if you are a punch needlier. Today all baby panels have been 25% off. There are still plenty of fat quarters, the pastel shelves still have many yards to offer you a great opportunity, we still have a great many book titles and there are still great surprises ahead with our "unadvertised specials". Also, the back room still has a number of items left at 50% off so don't delay, hurry on down to Nutmeg Lodge for our great Sring bargains.

I have been contacted by Dorothy Holliday's family. They are looking for a buyer for her long arm machine. It is a 2002 Gammill machine and has been kept in excellent condition. If you are interested or know someone who might be interested, please call me at the shop or email me and I will give you more information. Research shows that the price of these machines can be recouped in about two years. If you were to go into business you should be operating in the black in two years. If you are sending your quilts out and would decide to own a machine for your own convenience--the same thing, you would probably make up the difference in about two years.

I know I keep going on about how good the shop looks--Kathy came in and took pictures yesterday and they are in the scrapebook or you can click on Spring Pictures at the top of the page to see how gorgeous Nutmeg Lodge looks with it's new Spring-Do.

See you all soon, Barbara

I have spent several days trying to get things ready for Spring indoors before going outside. I am really looking forward to start working in the dirt. So many of the perennials that I put in last year are peaking through and it is so exciting to anticipate their return.

So many of you were in this week and admired the "new look". It really is exciting and more than one person said they were seeing so many brand new things. If you haven't made it in yet, you are in for a great treat.

Well, next week is our Spring Fling Sale which runs Tues. through Sat. This is our opportunity to clean out the back shelves and let a little air onto the shelves. All pastels will be on sale 25% off, all single fat quarters will also be 25% off (bundles are excluded). and selected books will also be 25% off. You might want to come in often this week as we will have unadvertised specials. In the class room we have prepared and pulled together a great assortment of fabric and other items that are priced at 50% off. This will be a great opportunity to get started on that graduation present, Spring/Summer projects and maybe even thinking about Christmas gifts.

Looking so forward to seeing you this week for the Sale. Barbara