NOTES FROM THE LODGE Sunday, May 31, 2009

Tomorrow is June 1 and that means just a few more weeks of business at Nutmeg Lodge. I am telling you this so that you don't come in on June 25 and expect anyone there. We won't be. The way things look right now, the last day of real business at Nutmeg Lodge will be Saturday, June 13. The sell off of the stock and fixtures has gone so well that we really won't have anything left past that date. Again, I want to express my sincere thank you for making this possible. Your patronage during these last couple of months has been instrumental in the closing date moving up. And, once again, thanks to the most amazing group of women who work at Nutmeg Lodge---they have been unbelievable in making all of this run so smoothly.

So here is the run down!!!!

• Beginning Tuesday, all fabric will be $4.00 per yard. Even those flat folds, bundles, etc. that were previously priced at $5.00, will now be reduced to $4.00 per yard. And all other items will be greatly reduced. There still are a few spools of thread, needles, notions of odd assortment.
• I will be at the Quilters Unlimited Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 5, 6, and 7. It will be the last big show I do--don't forget to stop by and say hello. Plus I will have regular merchandise that you might not have seen.
• On Wednesday, June 10 at 5:00 we will have our "holiday party" for all Clubs. If you belong to a club (Willing Hands, Thimbleberries, Crazy, Primitive, or Red Work) come at 5:00 p.m. for a really fun event full of great surprises.
• On Saturday, June 13, we will hold our last Saturday Sampler day. If you are participating in Saturday Sampler this year, that will be the last day you can pick up the remainder of your blocks for the year. In addition, we are keeping a list of your phone number and address so that we can all get together the end of the year for a setting pattern for your blocks.
• Also, on Saturday June 13 you can come out to the Tuscarora Presbyterian Church Meeting Hall on Tuscarora Pike for a delightful quilt show. From 9:00 to 3:00, 75 beautiful quilts will be hanging in the meeting hall building. There will be a car show, live music, food and tons of things going on for a real old fashion summer church event.
• If your birthday is June through December, you can come in and get your Birthday Fat Quarters before w close.

We will be calling you this week if you have your names on fixtures. For all who have selected and/or purchased fixtures, they are ready to pick up. If you have questions, call the shop. In addition, there are several lesser cabinets that I will be giving away to anyone who is interested. These are not large shelves and not extremely sturdy, but for the price are very nice.

Again, it has been my privilege and pleasure to have been the proprietress of Nutmeg Lodge. A labor of love begun by my darling husband and myself. Each of you have, in your own way, been very special to both of us. Barbara

NOTES FROM THE LODGE Sunday, May 24, 2009

The time is ticking away--in some ways it seems like a year ago that I made the announcement that we were closing, and then in other ways it seems just like yesterday. At any rate, the time is fast approaching and judging from the way things have sold, it will be sooner than expected. I really feel that June 13, might be our last official day being open.

Marcy and Judy have been busy making the cutest packages of coordinated fabric--perfect for your stash, a great addition to your retreat pile and the perfect solution to your creative juices. 3-4 coordinated 1/3 yard cuts that really would make a great and easy project--they have also cut coordinated backings. These are priced at $5.00 a yard and would also make a great gift idea.

Starting Tuesday, we will discount all fabric to 40%. And, also, for those of you whose birthdays fall after June, you can come in now and until we close and buy your birthday fat quarters. I have tried not to disappoint anyone and this is the one thing that I felt was a gift I wanted to make sure you had. So, if your birthday is May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., or Dec.--come in and get up to 50 fat quarters for $1.25 or $1.75 for batiks.

The thread cabinet has been sold and is going to a good home up Winchester Ave. at Shaw's Sew-N-Vac. Rachel Shaw is a lovely lady and has the Janome sewing center located at 1528 Winchester Ave. (they are just past the True Value store). I talked to Rachel about the need for cotton thread in Martinsburg and she has agreed to continue selling that prized item. She has a full line of Janome sewing machines, embroidery machines and sergers as well as bobbins, feet, etc. She offers classes for the sewing machines, and I will be teaching machine quilting for her from time to time. Don't forget to stop by and say hello and make Shaw's Sew-N-Vac your new source for thread. There phone number is 304-260-1065.

Also, don't forget about the quilt show at the Tuscarora Presbyterian meeting hall on Tuscarora Pike June 13. This event will be held from 9:00 to 3:00 with a car show, food, music, crafts and the quilts. I am still looking for quilts for this show, so let us know if you have a quilt to be displayed.

Have a great Memorial holiday--remember to say thank you to any and all service people that you know--without their service we would not be the strong nation that we are. Barbara

NOTES FROM THE LODGE Monday, May 18, 2009

Back from Pittsburgh and Quilt Market. It was really nice to sit in one place, let people come to me, sell a product, and not spend money. The booth looked fabulous--our friend Anthony did an unbelievable job of two arrangements that made the entire booth look just like an English garden. In fact Kaaf Fassett stopped by and said exactly that--it seems he had just arrived from England and just left a garden that had some of the same flowers. Everyone was duly impressed with the look of the booth. And they loved the quilts and our patterns. A number of shops around the country, as well as Australia, France, and Canada will be running the program. It was also picked up by Keepsake Quilting and the Fat Quarter Shop. It will not be long that Robyn and I will combine our two web pages. We will be featuring our patterns, the blog will continue to keep you in the loop for everything that is happening with Robyn, myself and Robyn Pandolph Design Studio, ordering information, marketing tips for retailers and, in the very near future, products exclusively for Robyn Pandolph Design Studio.

The closing of Nutmeg Lodge continues on its track. The shelves and shelving are getting thinner by the day. Beginning Tuesday, everything will be discounted 30%. We still have a lot of flat folds, notions, threads and panels. The wool is all 50% off. If you like wool applique, rug hooking or make clothing this wool is the greatest quality around--don't miss out on this great buy.

This week, I will be working at my desk job in the mornings and in the shop in the afternoons except for Thursday, when the order is reversed. If you have time to come by, we will be looking forward to seeing you. Barbara

NOTES FROM THE LODGE Sunday, May 10, 2009

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to everyone!!!! Hope sincerely hope that each of you had a lovely day with your children, your mother or, however you chose to honor this day. My children and I actually celebrated last week and today I have been working on samples for Quilt Market. On Thursday I will travel to Pittsburgh to begin a new chapter in my life. Robyn and I will be introducing Robyn Pandolph Design Studio patterns. We are very excited about being back in the pattern business. In a few months we will have the web site up and running where you will be able to order patterns on line and fabric, etc., etc.

The closing of Nutmeg Lodge continues to progress in a faster time frame than I had anticipated. I have been trying to take every opportunity to thank each of you for 8 years of fun and fabric. I will miss seeing so many familiar faces everyday but am positive that we will run into each other from time to time.

I am working on organizing a quilt show in our area. The Tucarora Presbyterian Church will be hosting this event on June 13. It is a juried show--if you would like to display a quilt at this show, please contact the shop for a form to declare the quilt you would like considered. We will be hanging about 70 quilts. The event will be at the meeting hall of the Church which is located on Tuscarora Pike just before Nollville Road. It is scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be food, live music and a ton of fun. We will have more information on the web site and at the shop.

Things are dwindling fast--if you need to stock up on backings, projects, thread, etc., etc., come in soon so that you don't miss out.

See you soon--Barbara

NOTES FROM THE LODGE Sunday, May 3, 2009

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! I really can't say that enough--to Judy, Marcy, Cathy, Pattie, Kelly and Debi--I am continually saying thank you for all you do for me, for Nutmeg Lodge, for everything and everyone Thank you!!! And to everyone that has and does come into Nutmeg Lodge--a huge Thank You. I am trying to close the store with as much appreciation as I can. I have had several occasions recently to really learn the impact that Nutmeg Lodge has had on people. I told my daughter yesterday that the upside of this closing is that I have been privileged to learn how I have impacted some lives -- not everyone gets the opportunity to know how one impacts others. I am so grateful to each of you for the impact that you have had on my life.

The sell down of merchandise and fixtures is going way ahead of schedule. When all of this started a few weeks ago, there were about 2000 bolts on the shelves---we now have about 600. The girls are doing a fabulous job of keeping things organized and straight. The fixtures are leaving and/or being tagged as sold in record numbers. Again, if there is something that you are interested don't delay---we have a very nice system to record and tag your purchases and will arrange for you to pick up. Some things can go right away, others we still need to use for a while. One of the big items still available is the first cutting table we had, that became a secondary cutting table and housed batting. A very useful item in your sewing room, or other places in your home. Cabinets, of course are still available even though a large number have been sold. Also, we have a lot of items that are specific to business--cash regester, copier, laminator, etc., etc., If you are in business or know a business that might need such items, have them contact me.

As always we look forward to seeing you---don't forget our Saturday Sampler Saturday--we will have some great bargains on that day next week.

See you soon--Barbara