Some News and Christmas Tradition

No news has been posted in the blog for some time - mainly because the main blogger (Brooke) has had another part time job besides helping at the Quilt Frame Company.  It became time to retire from that job about a month ago, so now I have more time to gather thoughts and get photos ready for blog posts.

This time of year, I am thinking about traditions and wanted to share one from John's family; baking honey cake.  This has been a fascinating process to watch over the years.  John's mother was a phenomenal cook.  She and her children, including John, made several special Christmas cookies, including honey cake.  The recipe, handed down from John's German great grandmother, was written in the style of a handful of this and a pinch of that and add flour until you can't stir the batter anymore, so it had to be translated into standard measurements; a trial and error process.  But the bakers succeeded!

John and his sisters continue to make honey cake early in December because it gets better with curing.  So two weekends ago, they made honey cake - it is an all day process with measuring and mixing, dough chilling, rolling out, baking and making the thin candied icing.  It is stored in stoneware crocks at our house and we haven't eaten too many of them, honest.  Here are some pictures!
Baking

 Another bit of news is that Kate and John are both teaching at the Road to California Show and Conference in Ontario California in January.  This is a great show and they will be vending also.  Here is a link to an interview with John and Kate about their working relationship; kinda funny!
Interview

Thanks for taking time to read this blog post and we all wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or however you celebrate this happy season!  Most of all we wish you Peace.

"Hope and Love" by John Flynn

Hello - this is a busy time of year for us; John and Kate have just wrapped up the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, California and are on their way back to Montana. Then they must pack and restock like mad so they can vend at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. John teaches two days right before the show opens; like I siad BUSY!

I wanted you to see the little video about John's "Celebrity Alzheimer's Quilt Auction", a fundraiser for Alzheimer's research. I can't remember for sure but I think this is the sixth time he has made a miniature quilt for the Celebrity Auction; in fact he was one of the original four who dreamt up the fundraiser. I believe a late night after a big dinner with other quilt teachers and some wine were part of the brainstorm. Anyway, bid on one of these wonderful miniatures if you can - this is the last year for the AAQI auction.




More news to come later this week - we have dates for the 2014 Quilt Retreat here in Montana!  It's not too early to plan...  Brooke

Hey, Watch This!

John and Kate can really piece fast.  I can't believe it, with all that was happening in the rest of her life, Kate got this cute Pinwheel pre-cut kit pieced this weekend!  Having it all cut out helps, but still that is a lot of sewing, pressing etc.  So hope you enjoy watch the kit come together; she has some good tips in there too!  This pre-cut kit is only $27 on our website .

Free slideshow design generated with Smilebox The other piece of news is that we now have the promotional information about the tour and quilt show in Ireland in June 2014.  Ireland Info   Please send your mailing address if you want the whole itinerary; it is about 3 pages long and I will mail you one.  We are so excited to head to the "old country".  I don't know if either one of us has all that much Irish ancestry, but when your last name is Flynn, you have somewhat of a claim, I think! That's all the news for now.  John and I are vending at a nice little show in Cody, Wyoming this weekend. We had fun last year; this is a beautiful time to travel in this part of the country.  Hope you enjoy your weekend!  Brooke

We Had a Quilt Retreat and Fire broke out...

All three of the Flynns (well, two Flynns and one Flynn Nichols) look forward to the Quilt Retreat here in beautiful Red Lodge, Montana.  We plan and plan and try to make the days that quilters are here special and hope that we can make their experience educational and relaxing and enjoyable in our little mountain corner of the world.  That is all fine until someone STARTS A FIRE right across the highway from the Resort where classes are being held.  

Alarms, fire trucks, firefighters, emergency vehicles, EVACUATION, NO you can't take your sewing machine with you, everyone meet at Flynns' house to regroup, off to dinner as planned, new hotels, no toothbrushes, nightgowns or clean undies, no place for class the next day - oh, wait, we find a nice place for class, go ahead and get your stuff out of your old room, and your machines and sewing supplies, peaceful new spot for class and quilters are so adaptable - isn't that part of quilting?  Making the best out of what you have and what you can find to add to it?  

We all survived and so appreciate the good nature and calm spirit of our quilter friends this year  Wow, what can we do to top it in 2014!

Here are some pictures from last week.  The first ones are from the team that is fighting the Rock Creek fire, aren't they great pictures?  I copied them from inciweb which is a really useful website if you live in wildfire prone areas.  The Rock Creek fire is not out and probably won't be until we have snow, but we are so grateful for the professionals here working the fire and that we don't have a huge and devastating fire like the one in Yosemite. 

 

Make a photo slideshow

Well, that's all the news for this week except John has been asked to teach at the International Quilting Festival of Ireland in June 2014.  Wouldn't you love to tour Ireland with John Flynn and take in a great quilt show?  We promise there won't be a forest fire!  

Take care, and don't throw anything that is burning out of your car window!  Brooke

MS Bike Ride 2013

It is that time of year; John has been faithfully churning his way up the hills to get in shape for the bike ride to raise funds for Multiple Sclerosis research. He gets up really early in the morning to ride; shh, please don't make so much noise!

Anyway, he loves riding his bike, it is such good exercise, he gets to see wonderful scenery and he enjoys the other bikers and travelers up and down the Beartooth Highway. He had an interesting encounter with a cow moose a few days ago. She was ahead of him, running uphill, right in front of him. He was afraid to pass her because, even though she was moving slowly at the time, he was pretty sure he couldn't pedal faster than she could run. A car came by just in time and she veered off in to the trees.

To make it more interesting this year, John is offering a prize to a lucky contributor to his MS effort. If you contribute to John's effort, your name will go in a drawing and you could win a beautiful original John Flynn wallhanging. The quilt is about 32" in diameter and is heavily quilted with all kinds of Montana creatures and other wildlife. It is really a nice quilt!  Click here to contribute

Thank you for helping: this is such a worthwhile cause.  Hope your summer is going swell; we only have a few more days until the quilters come for our 2013 Quilt Retreat here in Montana.  Thanks again and take care!

Brooke

SALE Through Sunday 3/18

Just a quick note to remind you that the Multi-Frame with 48" rods is On Sale through March 18.  Here is the web address and use IRISH for the discount code.  The Frame which is normally $150 is $20 off with the discount code, good through March 18, 2013

I want to do a blog post with pictures of all the "big" quilts John, Kate and I have done on the Multi-Frame, but I didn't have time before this post needed to go out.  Some folks have the misconception about the Frame only being useful for small quilts.  On the contrary, it is the big quilts where it is the most useful.  If you haven't watched the DVD, you can find it on the front page of our website and there are plenty of "big" quilts there.  Some of them are mine!

So watch soon for a blog with pictures of our "big" quilts.  And maybe medium size ones too.

Oh, we have started posting more on Facebook; would you go to Flynn Quilt Frame Company's page and Like us?  Thanks!

I'm thinking of joining the St. Patrick's Day Parade down Main Street in Red Lodge on Sunday, are you planning something fun for St. Paddy's Day?
Brooke

SALE - LIMITED TIME!

Well, John is on his way to the American Quilters' Society Show in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Now that's a far piece from Montana, let me tell you.  Kate leaves tomorrow to meet him to vend and demonstrate in the booth.  The shows are really close together this time of year, and they scrambled hard to get more frames ready and more pre-cut kits ready.  But the van was full and I hope the quilters at the AQS Show find just the pre-cut kit they are looking for, or give the frame a try and take one home with them!

The office is closed while Kate is gone, of course, but she wanted to have a Sale on the Flynn Multi-Frame with 48" rods while she was out of town.  So, go to the catalog, order a quilt frame and use IRISH for the discount code.  ($20 off)  She will be busy when she gets back, I guess she realizes that.

We still have banks of snow, but the days are longer and it is starting to feel a little like spring.  Click here for a look at what the folks in Red Lodge were doing for fun today.  I haven't been up to the Rodeo Grounds to watch the skijoring, but I watched it several times when it was just in a vacant lot beside the highway.  It is never boring in Red Lodge.

Why not plan a summer vacation to Montana; Yellowstone Park, Little Big Horn Battlefield, fishing on the Big Horn River or the Madison, backpacking in the Beartooth Mountains and combine it with 3 days of quilting with John Flynn!  Here is more information on the August 2013 Retreat.  John has chosen the classes and there will be lots of possibilities for students and curved triangles will never be a mystery to you again!

Take care and have a wonderful early spring (or early fall) wherever you are!  Brooke

Ami Simms Rocks

Here is a press release from Ami Simms, founder the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  She has put an amazing amount of time and talent in to raising funds for Alzheimer's research.  John feels honored to have been included in a small way in her efforts.  Just take a look at the grants below to see how successful Ami and her team of volunteers and donors have been.  Thank you, Ami!

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

(Burton, Michigan) -- February 12, 2013: Last month the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) awarded three research grants, the most awarded in a single month since the AAQI became a nonprofit in 2008.

• $40,894 was awarded to Texas A & M Health Science Center to explore the connection between type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. The research will be conducted by Ian V.J. Murray, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics; and Carmen Ramirez, M.D., M.Sc., Assistant Professor, Texas A & M Health Science Center.
• $35,000 was awarded to The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to understand why some individuals remain cognitively intact despite the presence of abundant plaques and tangles (the hallmark signs of Alzheimer's) in their brains. The research will be conducted by Nicole L. Bjorklund, Ph.D., National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Postdoctoral Trainee.
• $38,354 was awarded to Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, to identify and target molecular mechanisms of cell death in the Alzheimer’s brain. The research will be conducted by Lucian Soane, M.D., Research Associate.

The AAQI has funded 14 research studies to date. These grants are made possible, in large part, by the money raised from the sale of donated quilts.

For more in depth explanation of the funded research see www.alzquilts.org/researchawards.html
Purchase quilts online at www.alzquilts.org/quiltsforsale.html

The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is a national charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. The AAQI has raised more than $894,000 for Alzheimer’s research since January 2006. Ami Simms of Flint, Michigan is the founder and executive director of the AAQI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Her mother had Alzheimer’s. This is the last year the AAQI will be fundraising.

For more information about the AAQI or to make a donation, contact Ami Simms at 810-637-5586 (9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Eastern), ami@alzquilts.org or www.alzquilts.org.

###

And here are  pictures of some of the little quilts John has done for AAQI's Celebrity Auction over the years. These quilts are always 15" square (well, in diameter for the round one)
  

And this little blue and red one I own; John did the quilting, donated it and then I bought it back on the AAQI website.  It is 9" x 11" and there are still some for sale at AAQI if you want one. 

Be sure to visit the AAQI website to see the little quilts on sale now, and watch for news about the 2013 Celebrity Auction, which will be the last.  AAQI

It is still winter in Montana, yeay!  Oh, are you our friend on Facebook?


Brooke

A Lesson from John

We had a snowy weekend (I know, nothing like you folks on the East Coast) but it was nice to stay inside and do fiber projects.  John made up our newest colorway of the 9" Storm at Sea.  When he teaches the Storm at Sea class, students want to know about "placement".  It is so much fun to have a star to draw the eye and the wavy strips of color that make things look round.  We put together this little slide show so you can see how John plans for the star.

Customize a free slideshow These little laser pre-cut kits are only $25 on our website, all cut out and ready to sew! Website  Look for the 9" Storm at Sea Pre-cut Kit and type in "Blue Colorway" in the message section of your order blank.  Take care, stay warm and dry!  Brooke

Most Popular...

Hello again from Montana, I am taking a pre-game moment to write a little something about the pre-cut quilt kit that was the most popular at the Road to California Show last week.  Arrowhead Pre-cut Kit  It goes together fast, with engineered corners which are especially nice with all those diamonds and triangles.  There are good pressing instructions too.  Kate designed it and John pieced and hand quilted it, it is 48" square and very pretty!

Enjoy the game, if you are so inclined. I may look in from time to time, but Downton Abbey is on tonight and I am one of the Downton Abbey fans!  Cheerio!  Brooke

Winter News

It is hard to settle down to office work when it is so beautiful outside!  We finally had some serious snow, it has cooled down enough so the snow may be here for a while and the world is crisp and bright and sparkly out there.  John is drafting on the table next to the big windows and I am making myself do tax stuff in the little office which is not next to the big windows.  But I did go out for a while this morning to snowshoe; it leaves very funny tracks in the snow.

So John and Kate are back from the Road to California Quilt Show; one of our favorite shows!  And the southern California location is a big plus.  Pre-cut kits were very popular; once folks buy one (oh, and sew it up, not just stash it), they are back for another.  The most popular kit at Road was the 1860s Arrowhead.  Check the kits out here.  Pre Cut Kits

John taught a hand quilting class at Road to California; he is always happy to see that interest in hand quilting has not died out.  We both like to quilt "both ways" and each has its place, for sure.  I have probably mentioned John's sewing machine collection.  He has over 40, maybe more, I don't want to know.  But a deal came up at the quilt show in Houston for a Singer 301, such a cute little machine and in great, great shape with all it's accessories, well, you get the idea.  Kate and John didn't tell me about it until they were on their way to Road to pick it up.  

We still have a few openings in next summer's Quilt Retreat here in Montana.  Two classes over 3 days, so you will get a lot done.  The classes will be variations of the 8 pointed or Indian Star design and on John's original Feathered Sun which features rings of triangles, no, not paper pieced!  You will be able to design a variety of curved triangle units (such at New York Beauty and Pickle Dish) after this class.  That is, if you pay attention and don't gaze out at the creek too much!  Call, email or sign up on the website to save your place in class.  We have fun and you and your family will like Red Lodge.  Sign up on the Website or call 800 745 3596.

Take care, stay warm and dry.  Brooke

Has It Been So Long?

That's a line from Ron Howard's fantasy movie, "Willow".  Did you ever watch it?  Nothing to do with quilts except it is one of the DVDs I like to have playing when I machine quilt because I don't really have to watch anymore, just listen.  But, I haven't written on the blog since September; that has been a long time.

Mainly, I wanted to put together a slide show of the new pre-cut kits.  I think Kate and John are really doing some beautiful things and Kate's latest addition is a selection of "big" quilts; queen size and larger.  She says that quilters in Houston were interested in making bed size quilts now that they had tried the wall hanging and lap size quilts that we do, so she got busy and has three batik laser pre-cut Storm at Sea kits ready to go!  WEBSITE

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John is downstairs hand quilting and watching football.  When I finish posting on the blog, I will be knitting away on a Christmas present out of the prettiest and softest baby alpaca yarn.  It is a perfect day to be inside and doing handwork!

Brooke

New Rewards Program and Retreat, 2013

Well, summer is gone and John is behind, I am behind, and Kate is caught up with her custom cutting but working hard on a new quilt sample.  So really, everything is normal!

John and I just got back from a small local quilt show in Cody, Wyoming.  It was a lot of fun and well done; such a nice group of quilters!  What a treat for us to be able to drive home after work and stay in our own house.  Cody has changed a lot since I lived in the area; but the beautiful canyon and lake outside of town look almost the same.

I volunteered John to make a quilt for the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary's fundraiser in a few weeks.  The top is done and he is busy quilting; wow, I think it is really going to be nice!

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I am working on a slide show/video for the same event; I have decided if I can still figure out new software like this video editing program, my mind hasn't completely given out.  Click here for more on the Wildlife Sanctuary 

WHAT:  QUILT RETREAT IN RED LODGE WITH JOHN FLYNN

WHEN:  AUGUST 20 – 22, 2013

WHERE: ROCK CREEK RESORT, SOUTH OF RED LODGE

MORE:

Six hours instruction of each day with John Flynn.  Classes have not been chosen yet. The fee for the three days of instruction, lunches for students and an evening BBQ is $325: a $50 non refundable deposit holds a place in class.  Class size is limited to 20.

Call 800 745-3596 to reserve a spot or to be placed on the mailing list for more information as classes are chosen.

A big thank you to every one who helped John raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Bike Ride.  It was quite an accomplishment and he survived in very good shape, I'm glad to say.

Create your own free photo slideshow

 It is getting kind of cool for biking now besides the fact that the Highway Department has the road torn up. Gravel and those thin, skinny tires are not a good combination!

The really important news is that we are starting a Rewards Program.  Sign up on the website and accumulate a discount you can use whenever you shop our website.  It's easy, just go to the button that says Join Mailing List, and follow the instructions!

Have a lovely fall!  Brooke

The Bean Recipe

We are on the third and final day of John's quilt retreat at the Rock Creek Resort.  Things are going swimmingly, I think, and Kate and John are enjoying themselves.  The students are doing well and are making progress.  The star of the show, however, is the blond squirrel cruising the patio outside the classroom windows.Who ever heard of such a thing?

We had a barbecue dinner here last night and I promised to post the recipe for the beans we had along with our roast pork.

It was fun to meet the friends and spouses of the retreat quilters.  A very interesting bunch of folks!  I'm just getting the last of the serving dishes etc. washed up and put away.  It was fun!

More pictures will follow, have a great weekend.  Brooke

Wildlife at the Shop

We have lots of wild animals in Red Lodge, but here is a cute raccoon baby at the shop in Billings.  On Friday, Kate swept up the cutting floor area and left the garbage bin open for the next load. When she went back with more, she noticed this raccoon in exploring the fabric scraps (okay, there was a bag of real garbage in there too).  She yelled and came back in the shop but then went right back out with a board for it to climb out on.  That didn't work so she offered it a ride on a broom (ala Harry Potter) and that was the ticket, off into the bushes!

It was a little tense because the garbage pickup is on Friday.  Whew, just in time.  

This is Kate's newest Pre-cut Kit "Spinning Pinwheel".  It is 48" x 60".  It's a beauty!  You can find it in the  CATALOG  It is only $65, all cut out and ready to sew!  Brooke

Piecing and the Olympics

Most of you know that our August quilt retreat here in Montana is just a week or so away.  John pieced a new class sample for the "Reinvented" Wheel of Mystery class in black, white and red.  He and Kate are hoping that the blue fabric they ordered weeks ago will show up in time so they can cut red, white and blue kits for class.  Always something.  Rectangular Wheel of Mystery

The other day, I was wondering how many "fund raising" quilts John has made over the years, let's see, for our school's PTA, our church, the International Quilt Association, for the American Quilter's Society, lots for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, on and on.  

But one of the first was a "Log Cabin in the Woods" he designed for the Red Lodge Petting Zoo.  The Zoo has transformed itself over the years in to a regional wildlife sanctuary for animals that can not be returned to the wild.  And he is making a quilt now for the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary to auction off at their fundraiser this fall.  I think I'm going to like it.  It is a variation of "Feathered Sun" and no, it is not paper pieced.  (the burgundy background is our pool table, it seems to make a dandy design "wall").  He is piecing and watching the Olympics, although sometimes it is too exciting and he has to stop piecing and really pay attention.

And, finally, a look at this year's Silent Auction fundraiser miniature quilt for the International Quilt Association.  Little and bright!

Here comes an afternoon thunderstorm, Rain, Rain, Rain!!

Brooke

Maintenance

We are lucky to have 10 acres or so near Red Lodge.  Most of it has been undisturbed for years; no livestock etc.  and we don't mow. But here in Montana, we have a troublesome weed called Spotted Knapweed that can really take over.  We have had it sprayed several times over the years.  That works for a while, but the spray is really not very environmentally friendly and it kills the wildflowers.

Bees like knapweed, but most animals won't eat it - except GOATS and their innards also kill the weed seeds during digestion.  So our young friends put us on the list to have the goats come eat our knapweed when it was ready and when they were in the neighborhood.  The goats are kept in place by a portable solar electrical fence and a lovely sheepdog named Shua.  They moved across our ten acres in two days, was it fun to watch!

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Well, this is probably a lot more about goats and knapweed than you wanted to know, but they did such a good job and the entertainment value was priceless.

Next post will be back to quilting and about the projects for John's retreat in August.  He is sewing right now  and watching the Olympics.  I better clean house.  Brooke

New Laser Cut Kit, Quilted and Bound!

This is Brooke, the would be photographer, writing this.  I have been trying to get better at still photos and at  using our deceptively simple little video camera.  I took some photos and a little video while John was working away on the newest laser cut kits, "Blanket".

What John is doing is kind of interesting; he has the feed dogs down on this old and trusty Singer 201 and he is just quilting back and forth.  So when he gets all the way to the right, he puts the machine in reverse and backstitches all the way to the left edge.  This kind of pulls the quilt top and it ends up almost looking herringbone which we love for this handwoven inspired "Blanket" design.  The kit is all batiks that Kate had saved away somewhere.  I think it looks great!

Well it is early morning here and I need to go water my little garden and far flung plants.
 

Enjoy your beautiful summer day and stay cool!

Oh, important, the 15% off sale is still in effect - go to the website for the code and details   WEBSITE

Brooke

Read All About It!

A few weeks ago, John took part, kind of informally, in a bicycling tradition; riding up the Beartooth Highway before it was open to motorized traffic.  The Highway Department usually has the road plowed by Memorial Day but we had SNOW on Memorial Day this year so opening was a little late. Of course, the bicyclers love this as they don't have to contend with cars, although John says he rarely has a problem.

Anyway, the Billings newspaper had sent a reporter to cover the ride and he was nice enough to be interested in John; he does have an interesting profession and was probably the oldest bicycler on the ride.  So reporter came out to our shop in Billings to talk to John and Kate about the Quilt Frame Company last week and here is the article!  (I do not think Kate wanted her picture taken.)

Happy Fourth of July!  We are under fire restrictions, so no fireworks.  Maybe we will just yell BANG,  WHIZ, POP POP POP instead.  Brooke

Early Summer and the Garden

                                                           

Hello, Summer!  We seem to be keeping busy; John and Kate are busy designing and piecing new kits; they are really getting a lot done. John is piecing a pretty batik basket version right now.  I have been assigned a piecing project; maybe it will be cooler in the sewing room later this evening, if you know what I mean.

Peas, onions, beans

Tall Deer Fence and Watering Tank

Here are some pictures of my garden; I am pretty new to gardening but I have a good source of water and most importantly, a 7' tall deer fence, so I'm hoping things keep growing and growing and growing!  The beans, peas, radishes, and spinach are up.  The lettuce and carrots are a little shy.  Watch out for the zucchini!  We also planted the last surviving tomato plants in the fenced garden last night as their special bed was destroyed by the wind storm we had earlier this week.  We are already talking about next year...silly gardeners!  


This is such a fun time in Red Lodge; it's not that there is nothing to do here in the winter but summer is really busy!  There are lots of visitors in town and the Home of Champions Rodeo starts Monday, yep, our rodeo lasts three days.  There is a bicycle race through the Beartooth mountains John is considering; he thinks he might be the only rider in his age group so there might be a prize for him there.  Age has its benefits?


One event we just enjoyed was Founder's Day at the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary.  (It is a place where injured animals that cannot be returned to the wild can live safely.)  Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary  This is a link to their Facebook page; you might want to sign up for their photo list; such cute critters! 


We thought we would have a Fourth of July SALE, featuring our red, white and blue pre-cut kits.  But then we decided to have everything on sale, so if you have had your eye on something, now is the time!  The code is RWB , merchandise orders over $25 and the discount is 15%.  We also have gotten set up with PayPal now in case you like to use that method.  Website


Of course our retreat at Rock Creek Resort is only a month away!  We are really looking forward to it and John has been getting some of his sewing machine collection ready for students to use. 


Have a great Fourth!  Enjoy yourselves and stay safe! Brooke