Another Christmas story...

Kathy O'Sullivan shares this lovely story of a Christmas many years ago...



Back when AOL had a quilting chat room . . . I was home during the week with my kids, working weekends, and I had much more time to quilt and correspond on the internet. I loved participating in block swaps on-line. Total strangers from all over the country and sometimes the world would participate in the swaps. It was a great way to meet fellow quilters. In fact, I met my very best friend in the world through a block swap. Sometimes the blocks were disappointments, but always there were outstanding blocks that more than made up for those.

One year I participated in a Christmas block swap. Most of the ladies were from a guild in Phoenix but a few of us were "on line." I finished my blocks and mailed them well before the due date. But it came time for the swap, and my blocks had not arrived at their destination. I called my post office. I called the Phoenix post office. The blocks were nowhere to be found. I spoke with the hostess. She could not delay the swap any longer. I was disappointed, but I understood that the others were anxious for the swap.

The swap went on without my blocks. The hostess told the story of the lost blocks at the guild meeting. The quilters, wonderful people that they are, offered blocks. They said "I have an extra of the ones that I made" or "I will donate one that I've received" or "I will go home and make another one for her."

A few weeks later, 16 blocks arrived in my mailbox. On the same day, the lost package of blocks showed up in Phoenix. At the next guild meeting, all of the generous people who donated a block received one from me.

The quilt that I made from that swap hangs in the entryway of our home every Christmas, where it reminds me of the good things that people do, even for strangers on the internet.

Kathy O'Sullivan

Columbus, Ohio

Thank you, Kathy.

Last weekend...

Here we are...the last weekend before Christmas...all those emergency late night bindings...the table-toppers...fabric birds for the trees...pocket books...book covers...gift bags...pillow cases...

OH my, Are you going as crazy as I am??? What are you last minute finishing... I know I will be spending most of Sunday watching sports with the family while I finish the binding on a twin size quilt...and 2 more pocket books to make...
and I.O.U for a quilt, that I never got to. Thank goodness it is an accepting recipient! And it will be on it's way the week after...thank goodness for good friends who know that your presents are worth waiting for!

How are you all coping? Have you done everything?? Or are you, like me, scrambling with a needle in one hand and a watch in the other!

How are those Christmas Fabric stories coming? We've heard some lovely things from around the world...er hemispheres...But we want to hear more! Remember Carly is offering Gift certificates for the best stories...and Gift Certificates mean FABRIC!!
Let's hear some more stories! Write to us... if you can't post on the blog itself, write to us at CustomerTeam@Webfabrics.net ...and we'll post your story for others to read and enjoy!

Back to my binding!!

Peace my friends,

Kerry

Christmas Contest postings...

I don't know how many of you have read Pam's great post. But what a concept...picnicking for Christmas...just another reminder of how we all celebrate the holiday differently!

I'm not sure how many of you are having difficulty figuring out how to post your stories...our blog is hosted by Google's blogger, if you sign in as a member with Google, you can use that account to post your entry in our Christmas Fabric Contest! There are a few other services that you may belong to that allow you to use your name and password to post (they are listed once you try to post your comments...a bit backwards...but when this internet works it's marvelous!!)

We would love to hear from you now and later...whether with comments or questions or just anything! We want Bolt Talk to become a real world-wide conversation. So consider joining our conversation with a Google identity/password. We still have our Christmas story contest going on...so join us and post your story for all to share!


As ever,


Kerry

What does Fabric mean to you at this time of year?

If you are like me...you are going crazy trying to complete holiday gifts for those near and dear to you. These last few weeks here at WebFabrics, I have been cutting a lot of fabric...and each time...I think....hmmm this would make a great purse for my sister, Chris...wonder which one to use as a lining and straps...
Or at home, having cut out pieces for a quilt, looking at all the 3/4 inch strips left over and thinking what a wonderful rope-covered basket. I can make for my cousin, Wendy, in her favorite colors from Provence.
All the table runners and tree skirts we make will be stories for our children and grandchildren...but what of the ones we have already?
We here at WebFabrics were wondering about all of you around the world. How do YOU use your fabrics for the holidays? What do they mean to you?
Ornaments? Do you have fabric ornaments you bring out every year...and remember a story with each one as you hang it on the tree? Is there a beloved quilt that your Aunt Sarah made you that you cuddle under during this wonderful holidays? Do you decorate with quilts? How about a Christmas tree skirt made by great-grandmother and passed to down to oldest daughters in the family? Do you have fabric that tells a holiday story to you? Share that story with us. Or share a photo that will tell the story.

Starting now and thru December 26th, send us your story. Post it as a comment to the BoltTalk Blog so everyone can read it or see your photos. We will award 2 (TWO) $50.00 Gift Certificates to WebFabrics for the two best!

Post your entries as a reader comment!! I can't wait to hear all the traditional stories from around the world!

As ever,

Kerry


PS...Carly's birthday was a huge success!! You all came through to the tune of 1600 congratulatory emails. That is a phenomenal number! We have the best customers on the planet!!! Thank you all so very much for helping us celebrate Carly's birthday!

Kerry

Kaffe Fassett around the World...

Kaffe Fassett...great fabric...combinations and patterns that can be anything! You all love it! But this will really catch your fancy! One of our customers, Ineke sent this link to us. In Friesland, the northern most part of Holland, they have made a Kaffe Fassett quilt and hung it from a church tower!!!

It is actually made of 360 smaller quilts. Kaffe Fassett was present himself.

http://www.quiltkabinet.nl/page_1221931598156.html

I know many of you don't understand Dutch, nor do I, but it seems the large quilt will be turned back into smaller quilts and given away to local charities... what a wonderful way to showcase quilting around the world!

Kaffe Fasssett's Latest

The new Kaffe Fassett is here.
There was a flurry of unpacking the truck from Houston (just finished on Tuesday...PHEW!) and cutting my beloved Urban Couture (which is almost sold out on a few of the bolts!) which kept us on our tip-toes for days.







This week, every day was spent finishing the Kaffe Fasssett 1/2 yard complete collections... fat quarter complete collections (which already sold out and are being re-cut) and all the lovely Kaffe bundles that Carly puts together with her expert eye for colors and combinations...



I was amazed at the speed that the last Kaffe Collection was sold...but this one is even faster and I didn't believe it was possible to beat the old record.






This one is going, going....well YOU know the rest of THAT line!


As ever,
Kerry

Urban Couture has arrived!

It's here!!! It's here!!! and it has been very well worth the wait...
Urban Couture by Basic Grey for MODA is in the shop...my wonderful co-workers cleared all the other new fabrics that had arrived and let me have a day full of cutting. It was a wonderful day of cutting for the shop and the website and a lovely little pile for ME!!! I had downloaded the pattern from Moda's website and now I'm raring to go...

The new Kaffe Fassett line arrived as well, so the tables are full of piles of cut fabric and rolled bundles.

All this furious cutting and there's STILL Carly's truck to unload from Houston. We are busy bees this week!

Now for another introduction...Here is Jane. she is definitely not a Plain Jane! I have the pleasure of working one day a week with her and always look forward to it. If you order on Monday or Tuesday, chances are Jane has cut your order perfectly!