A Little Imagination, a Lot of Cheer!

We have a pretty creative family, if I do say so myself.  John's sister and her daughter came up with the idea to give us all boxes of assorted Christmas decorations (bells, angels, a toilet paper roll, pattern tissue, sparkly things) and challenge us to make a sculpture or collage, whatever you want to call it.  And because these are competitive people, it was a contest with the deadline of Thanksgiving.

Our two grand nieces had the largest displays, very impressive with lots of detail.  We really admired them all and then we had to vote; John won!  He wasn't as happy when he found out that first prize was getting to plan the challenge for next year!  So the little Smilebox show is pcitures of the contest "entries".  If you have any ideas to help John out for 2012, please let us know!  email

Create your own digital ecard I have got to get busy Christmas shopping.  Christmas Day will be here soon!  Take care and have a wonderful holiday season, however you celebrate. Brooke 

The Orphan Quilt Kit

We ended up with a pre-cut quilt kit for the Storm at Sea that was rejected by the original owner.  She sent along a note that said something to the effect that the colors would never work and it wasn't going together right and she had been sewing for 40 years and never had any trouble before.

Well, all that negativity spurred John to put the kit together himself; just to prove her wrong.  Here is a little Smilebox of the progress.  And, she may have been sewing for 40 years, but not with an accurate 1/4" seam allowance, which does help.  Seriously, how do you think it turned out?

This photo slideshow made with Smilebox

Don't forget that there is a discount in effect right now for 15% off the merchandise price on orders over $75.  The discount code is NOV  Website

And, details are coming together for the 2012 Quilt Retreat here is Montana.  We will be sending out registration forms next week; if you want one, please email so we can put you on the list!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving to our US quilter friends, to the rest of you, wherever you are in the quilt  world, have a great weekend!

Brooke
Flynn Quilt Frame Company

More on the 2012 Quilt Retreat

John and Kate have stitched the last demo stitch and packed up the last of the pre-cut kits and left the big quilt show in Houston.

They had a fabric budget, and I think they spent it all at Market, so some beautiful batik will be showing up soon.

So, I have three bits of news for this blog - first, I am trying a new format for the blog, did you notice?  I hope it is easier to read and you can search it if you need to.  Second, we now have an Android app to go along with the iPhone app for three of John's "tricks"; strip pieced rings of triangles, an almost infinite number of combinations of the Braided Border and Diagonal Pieced Backs.  I used the diagonal pieced back trick just this weekend when I had to make a back for a 42" wide quilt out of 42" wide fabric.  Very handy to know how to do this.  The app is called John Flynn's Calculator.

And last but not least, we have more details on the Quilt Retreat scheduled for this August in Red Lodge, Montana.  The first thing I would do if I were you is get your reservation made at the Rock Creek Resort.     Rock Creek Resort  Toll free number 800-667-1119  A block of rooms is set aside for "John Flynn Quilt Seminar"; the dates of the block are 8/7, checking out 8/11/2012. You may want to stay longer and use the Resort as a base camp for other adventures in the area.  Yellowstone Country

The retreat will be 3 days, with 6 hour classes.  The cost for the 3 days, including lunches and a famous Flynn family barbecue, is $300.  (We may decide to offer pre-cut kits which would be extra - what do you think?)  We haven't chosen classes yet, so if you want input, send me an email at flynnquilt@gmail.com or post a comment here.  Check out the classes John offers here.

This free photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

So, if you are interested, make your lodging reservations, plot your summer adventure, round up friends and family and get ready to head to Montana.  Email flynnquilt@gmail.com or call 800 745 3596 for a registration form.  We haven't done a retreat in Montana for a long time and are really looking forward to this one.  We all hope you can join us and let us know if you have any questions.  You will love it here!

Well, John just called me from Arkansas.  He has a teaching job there and then it is home for the holidays!  I have some house cleaning to do soon - family is coming here for Thanksgiving, but John's sister is the cook, not me!  Take care.

Brooke

Plan for Next Summer in Montana!

Come Quilt in a Mountain Paradise!

John Flynn will lead a three day quilting seminar in August 2012 in beautiful Red Lodge, Montana

Classes will be held at Rock Creek Resort, south of Red Lodge, where you will also find comfortable lodging and fine dining.

Join John, Brooke and Kate one evening for a barbeque and Show and Tell!

Beautiful and historic Yellowstone National Park is only 70 miles from Red Lodge and is a wonderful family destination.  Blue ribbon fly fishing opportunities are also only a hour or so away. 

Call 800 745 3596 to be put on the email list so you will be first to know all the details, or email flynnquilt@gmail.com

QUICK!

The next three quilters who email me their names and addresses can split this box of goodies.  I will send you 1/3 of this box of miscellany - we are cleaning the office!  U.S. addresses only please.

email  flynnquilt@gmail.com  with your name and shipping address.  I'll add some leftover fabric, too, how does that sound?

UPDATE - okay, thanks for helping me clean and the boxes are gone now.  I hope you quilters enjoy what I sent - I can now see the floor in front of the file cabinet!  Keep watching; I think this is worth doing again!

Brooke

Summer Sights and a Finished Quilt

Another free picture slideshow by Smilebox

After our weekly hand quilting group, we decided to drive up the Beartooth Highway, it was such a beautiful day.  There is still quite a bit of snow on the higher peaks and slopes.  The flowers were just beautiful and so thick; they like the extra moisture this year.  It is always fun to drive up to "the top"; the wind is usually blowing and you can see forever.

John finished his Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative challenge quilt and has sent it off.  I am not sure when these little challenge quilts, made and donated by some of the best known names in the quilt industry, will show up on the AAQI website but they will all be shown in Houston this fall.  We are sponsoring the Alzheimer's booth again this year; this is a cause near and dear to us.  Anyway, wow, the little quilt turned out great!


Our neighbor on the north called to tell us to watch outside the window, because we were about to get company!  What a beautiful animal; I know she could hear us running around finding cameras, exclaiming and admiring her.  She hung around a long time.  Then our neighbor on the south told us that she was leaning over their fence, eating apples off their trees.  With those long legs, they can really get around!







Too Sad

We are so sorry, Norway,  that another maniac has turned on his fellow human beings.  What an incredible waste.  God bless all the friends and families who have lost someone.

Brooke and John Flynn