Big changes are happening in the quilt shop! There are empty spaces on the shelves, empty pattern boxes in the back room and blank wall areas where quilt kits have sold out. But don’t worry – there are still lots of great stuff for sale. Remember how crowded it was in the shop? Now it will be easier to shop when sale day rolls around next week.

Our shopping cart will no longer accept your credit card but you can still shop and CALL US! We will continue to update the shopping cart to keep it current. The shop phone is 641-923-3893 and our shop email is info@countrythreads.com and we are all at work every day to help you.   We can take your credit card number over the phone because we know it’s safe – no hackers at Country Threads. Our web host was very concerned that sophisticated hackers could enter our secure site and grab your credit card numbers which I hear about on the news every day. A website upgrade would have been extremely expensive since we have so many items on our shopping cart –thus the decision to end the secure site that would accept your credit card. Remember all the trouble Target cardholders had recently? We don’t need trouble like that. So, the bottom line here is CALL US ON THE PHONE LIKE THE OLD DAYS! 641-923-3893

We have 7 gals from Minnesota, Illinois and Texas here this week sewing in the classroom. They are making some beautiful quilts and tonight we’re all going out to eat for the last time. I hope I don’t lose touch with all these old friends! When you can’t reach Country Threads anymore, you can still reach me at marye@ncn.net or on the blog Chicken Scratch.

We just received an email this week from our friends at Buggy Barn in Reardon, Washington, who have also decided that, after 18 years, it’s time to close. We have many fond memories of dinners together during market and it’s sad to think we will never do that again. Heather sent an email who said it must be a conspiracy that her favorite quilt shops are closing. Really it’s no mystery – Janet also lives on the property where Buggy Barn Quilt Shop is located and she, like me, is tired of having “company” 6 days a week. We are only human and our husbands need their own space, too.

So, could the week be any busier? Sure – I have all 3 of the Anderson dogs boarding for 10 days! And Biscuit and Sassy are arriving this weekend. And Hope will be here on Saturday while Connie works in the shop. That makes 8 dogs running amuck on the farm – ha! My main concern on Saturday will be to sit outside with a book and keep my eyes on the dogs. I hope it’s not hot. Here are Moses, Toby and Dakota. Dakota, the Beagle, has been staying here for 9 years, ever since she was a puppy and belonged to Heidi Anderson who died at the age of 16 from kidney cancer. Oh, but Heidi did love Dakota!!

 

Connie and Mary Baker are getting ready to leave for Columbus and the Country Living Fair on Tuesday morning. Mandy, Joan, Lori, Ina and I will spend Tuesday and Wednesday getting ready for the sale to start on Thursday morning. Customers have warned me about potential crowds on Thursday and I’m getting worried. We will do the best we can but probably won’t be able to answer the phones that day. I know I won’t be able to sleep Wednesday night!

Marilyn Holder – look at my hyacinth bean vines! They are almost to the top of the light pole and I have many pods producing seeds. I hope we don’t have an early frost so that those seeds will mature completely. I have had so many comments on this planter – it was the answer to growing this beautiful vine – it’s in full sun and we have had regular rains to keep it growing.

Our last camp, September 30 – October 3 is full and since we are going out with a BANG!, we are trying something new. Everyone will work on the same projects, a different one each day, and we are providing all the fabric for each day. Connie and I spent the day yesterday cutting fabric packs for camp and now we’re going to start washing the red and white fabrics for everyone. I can hardly wait to sit down and sew something.

I will provide answers to the blog questions from last Sun day and Monday. The quilt on the back side of the cutting table is called Wagon Wheels by American Jane. We have one pattern left but no kit. The small quilt lying over the sewing machine is called 42 Yard Dash and the kit is $19.95. The cheddar quilt made of squares in the back on the left is called Just Squares and the kit is $74.95.

Last week many of you were concerned that I was going to burn the walnut tree as firewood. I promise I will advertise this tree for sale so that someone can make good use of the lumber. Yesterday it was very windy and it started to list to the east. I’m sure it will land in the yard eventually, taking several more trees with it. Very sad.

We have sent out the last Charm School pattern and the last Pinterest pattern. They have now been cancelled. The Civil War mailing will be sent at the end of this month and then continue with Mandy. Please note that Mandy’s website is not ready to go just yet and won’t be up and running until Country Threads closes October 31.

Susannah is feeling good so Rick helped me with her on Monday. He held on to her while I trimmed her hooves as well as a minor hair trim that I noticed at the State Fair last month. She has not been able to come out into the yard this week since I have dog boarders and I know she and Emma miss that.

I will close with a reminder that we are here and the phone is available for you to place an order. Have your order and credit card ready when you call – we will be happy to talk with you on the phone. 641-923-3893.

I’m hoping I have time to stop at the Care Center today – I sure miss going there and seeing old friends. Saturday would have been Mom’s 95^th birthday so we are remembering her and her great attitude of calling Concord Care “Home Sweet Home”. I think I’ll buy a box of Junior Mints in her honor.

Mary

Scenes from the farm…