Sew Charming Review

If you’re a regular reader here you know I was, and still am, a big Country Threads fan.  I was so sad when they closed the shop.  I loved going there…as of yet, I have never found a shop that I’ve liked better.

Over the years, I became friends with Mary and Connie and admire them both so much.  I correspond regularly with Mary.  We share blogging woes, dog news, weather reports and the like.  Not too long ago I mentioned to her that I had seen that the two of them were having a new book published.  Mary told me not to buy one.  They were expecting to get a few promotional copies sent to them and she’d forward one of them on to me.  Wee-HAW!!  I was excited to see it.

Last week, the book came.  I love it!

Back when the shop was open, Mary did a monthly program called Charm School.  Each month she made a project using a charm pack.  The projects were always so different….table runners, wall hangings, baby quilts, and more.  Mary was a pro at taking a charm pack and creating awesome projects.

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The fun thing about this book is they took 18 of those projects that Mary did and put them in this book…BUT they also made a scrappy version of the quilt from their scrap bucket.  For me, it’s often hard to pick which one I like better.

Here is an example.  This one, just a simple fun nine patch was made with a charm pack…

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and this one, using the same pattern, was made with scraps.  See?Sew-Charming-5

Often time one is a little more modern and one a little more traditional.

This one I really want to make…a simple churn dash, but if you look close up the backgrounds are all white prints with black.  I love it.  I would like enlarge it for a baby quilt.

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This one is super simple….Split Square is the name.  Mary is hosting a sewing along on her blog so readers can sew along and make it in time for Christmas.  Read more about that here.  When Mary hosts things, it’s fun and informal, sewing at your own pace.  I love that.

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Mary said that she’s making her project in reds and neutrals for Christmas.  I think I might sew along and follow her lead.  I think rather than a quilt I might make a table runner.

I am so happy about the new book.  Honestly there are several projects in there I’d like to make.  I have lots of charm packs and partial charm packs here that I’d love to get used up.  In many of the scrap boxes that blog readers send me are a half dozen charm square that they had left over from projects.  I’ve kept them all together in the basket shown in the first picture.  I think it will so fun to sort and organize them into piles that with go together, then sew them up.

Mary did write a note to me teasing that she thought I wouldn’t be able to make the projects in the book and keep them small…she might just be right!!!  I might try one or two though.

Thanks a million for the book Mary and Connie.  Congratulations on another awesome publication…even in retirement you two rock!!

If you’re looking for the book, Mary wrote this on her blog, “Mandy at Farm Chick Quilts can take your order for our new book Sew Charming.  It’s likely she will get it shipped quicker than Amazon.  Go online to Farm Chick Quilts or call her at the shop 641-430-6341.”

I’m off to sort some charm squares…

 

 

 

4 thoughts on “Sew Charming Review”

  1. I also loved going to their shop when would visit my mom in Osage, such a charming farm setting and truly a fun shop with wonderful fabrics. I will have to look for this book since I have lots of 5″ blocks looking for a project, it will be scrappy. Right now I’m looking at doing Bonnie Hunters new mystery and the first clue came out today.

  2. Mary Etherington`

    What a surprise to read your blog today, Jo! And thanks for all those kind words! There are many things I miss about the shop but there are more that I DON”T miss so you can probably guess that I love retirement. It was always a “given” that when I finished a charm project I wanted to make it again in scrap but there was never time so this book was a chance to do that. I think we’ll start the sew-along on Monday and for those who don’t have the book yet, I will give complete instructions so they can get started. As you said, Jo, it will be very laid back and informal so I hope everyone will feel like they can join in. Thanks for such a glowing report!!

  3. Country Threads was one of my first quilt shop visits when I started Quilting. Every time i got to go there was such a treat, just loved the homey atmosphere and comfortable “country-ness” of the shop. Was so sad when they closed, but it comes to all us former quilt shop owners at one time or another. So glad to know there is a new book out, I’ll be shopping for that soon!

  4. Hi Jo.- I love reading your blog and was so happy you liked the book Mary and I did for
    Martingale. I told Mary the other day I enjoyed working on these quilts for several reasons. They were all smallish qulilts with easy sewing techniques, and since she had come up with the original design it was fun for me to revisit her “Charm School” class….with my own spin on things.
    We need to get together sometime- I would love to hear about everything you have been up to- kids, grandkids, dogs….oh and quilts!!!!
    My best, Connie

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