Janet knows just what to do when the weather is cold and gloomy. She made this colorful little table topper/wall hanging! It certainly will brighten up a grey Syracuse day. The embroidery was done on a machine, but you can also do it by hand. The Gals have the pattern, named “Loverly,” and it’s right in time for Valentine’s day. Call the Syracuse store if you are interested in either version.

Wear Red, Sew Red, February 3 – 5

Join Calico Gals on National Wear Red Day to support efforts to educate women and to fund breakthrough research by the American Heart Association. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women and we want to do our part to make a difference.

The National Wear Red Day is February 3, but we are celebrating Sew Red Weekend February 3-5. Stop in to the Syacuse or Oswego store for fun demos, this free quilt pattern and more. Make a donation to the American Heart Association and receive a red dress pin. Wear red just for the fun of it – you know we will!

A Night at the Theater

The Gals are going to see the musical, “Quilters” presented by the Syracuse University Drama Department. You are invited to join us at the Syracuse Drama Theater on Wednesday, April 4th, at 8 pm. We have reserved a block of 40 seats at the special price of $14 each.

Read more about SU’s production or watch a video segment from a former production. You will love it!

To reserve tickets for the April 4th performance, stop by Calico Gals in Syracuse with cash or a check for $14. It will be a fun night for all! Call for more info: 315-445-0617.

Starting this week in Syracuse

Blessings, Too, with Gay Silkey

Syracuse, first Thursday of every month beginning February 2nd, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

One of Calico Gals longest running and most popular clubs is expanding! Gay has decided to add Blessings Too to her schedule because Blessings Club has been full for years! If you love hand embroidery – no matter what your skill level – come in, sit a bit, chat a bit and stitch a bit! Fee: $36 for a whole year of club meetings. Call 315-445-0617 to sign up.

Debra Gabel’s Butterflies Block of the Month

How about a few butterflies to shake us out of the winter doldrums? Begin with the Monarch block in February and collect a new butterfly block each month for a year to create a quilt or individual small hangings, pillows or little quilts.

Just $12 per month includes the fabric and pattern for a 14″ block. Registration fee of $24 includes first and last month’s blocks. Butterflies are available in Syracuse and Oswego or by mail order. Call the Syracuse store to register: 315-445-0617.

Grease is the word for this year’s Quilt Camp, and it’s synonymous with fun! The gals are planning fun and fabulous activities and classes for this year’s retreat. Learn how to make the sweetly innocent Sandra Dee quilt or the darkly brooding Danny Zucko version. It’s the same quilt, but you can achieve totally different looks depending on your fabric choices. Beginning with strips means it’s a fast one. You could even make both!

You can take more classes during the weekend or just relax and work on your own project. Either way, fun is guaranteed!

Quilt Camp 2012, February 18 – 20, 2012, at Christ the King Retreat Center, Syracuse, NY

$359 per person includes all meals, private room, all classes, free sew, lots of stuff to make you laugh, and memories to last a lifetime! Call 315-445-0617. Hold your spot with a $100 deposit.

Download the Quilt Camp 2012 brochure.

Debra Gabel plus inspiring quilts plus Kathy B’s famous lemon cream pie all add up to a fabulous weekend. One participant said, “It truly was amazing! I am so jealous of all of you who will be taking the workshop tomorrow! I should be sleeping, but my mind is working overtime to take in all of the inspiring things I learned tonight! Debra, it was awesome!”

Debra thought the Gals were pretty awesome too judging by her Facebook post, “Thanks to all you wonderful NY quilters in Syracuse! It was fun to meet you all! Janet and her shop rocks! You are very lucky to have such a great shop and great creative shop owner! Remember to all of those who where in the workshops….DeSHCMUTZing! is the key! Thanks, Debra.”

And More Facebook Love!

A recent visitor to the store posted on Facebook saying, “My husband and I visited this store recently and trust me, he is not fabric fan, but he was impressed. Said they were all about customer service. What a novel concept and very appreciated! We will go back again every time we are in Syracuse.” We sure do appreciate your comments and look forward to seeing you again!

Classes in Syracuse and Oswego

Syracuse Classes

Learn to Sew! It’s sew much fun!

Here is a photo of Janet’s daughter Jolene with the pillow she made in the Learn to Sew class. In this fun class for beginners, you learn how to make a pillow from one of your old t-shirts. All supplies (except the t-shirt) are included in the class fee of $50. And if you act fast, you can save $25 with a Living Social deal good at either the Syracuse or Oswego store.

• Syracuse, Afternoons: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
• Tuesday, August 16 or 30, or September 20
• Friday, August 26 or September 30
• Sunday, August 21 or 28, or September 11
• Syracuse, Evenings: 5:30 – 8:30 pm
• August 9, 16, or 30, or September 20

For Oswego class times, please call the store at 315-343-0272.

Machine Quilting with Wenda Coburn

Syracuse, Saturday, August 6, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

This is the class for those who enjoy making quilt tops, but have trouble completing the project. Take this class and learn all the basics of quilting your quilts on your own sewing machine. Wenda will begin by teaching important basting techniques and move on to straight line and free motion quilting. Class includes demonstrations and discussions of tips and tools that will improve your stitches. Bring your machine, threads and muslin squares to practice your new skills. Fee: $25

More from Wenda!

The UFO Bag

Syracuse, Saturday, August 6, 2:00 – 5:00 pm

Do you have a UFO that will never end up being a quilt? Bring it to class and turn it into a bag! Learn some great bag construction tips from Wenda, a bag lady who quilts! This project is a great weekender tote or handy for bringing your supplies to class. Also makes a really good diaper bag for a new mom. Students need to bring a quilted piece to class – start with a UFO or pretty piece of fabric. Fee: $25

Embroidery 101 with Gay Silkey

Syracuse, Sunday, August 7, 12:30 – 3:00 pm

New class! Gay has been stitching since she was a small child. Learn three classic stitches in the class to use in a large number of embroidery projects. Leave the class with confidence to stitch numerous embroidery patterns. Perfect class for anyone who has never embroidered or anyone needing to refresh their skills. Class covers basic knowledge of thread, needles and stitches. Pick up a class kit with everything you need to complete a beautiful cotton tea towel: thread, needles, tea towel, hoop, and pattern. Fee: $25

More from Gay!

Dominoes Table Runner

Syracuse, Wednesday, August 10, 2:00 – 4:00 pm or 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Gay calls this one “fun, fast and quirky!” Cut and stitch your 2-1/2 inch strips into a vibrant tablerunner that resembles tumbling dominoes! Start with a jelly roll or bali pop and you are off to a fast start. Great gift . . . if you can bear to give it away! Fee: $20

Oswego Classes

English Paper Piecing with Laura Abbott

Oswego, Thursday, August 4, 10:00 am – Noon

One of the best things about English Paper Piecing is that you can take it anywhere! It is the ultimate in portable projects. Learn to piece classic quilt blocks by hand and enjoy the precision of this method. Make a pincushion with Laura and take your new skill to new levels with a variety of different patterns, blocks and projects. Class includes fabric and pattern. Fee: $20

$10 class in Oswego!

5 Seam Table Runner with Janet Dehm

Oswego, Tuesday, August 9, 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Fast, easy and clever! This tablerunner project by The Quilt Company is one of the top in the country. Fabric companies design fabric just to use with this pattern. Join Janet in the Harborview classroom and see what the fuss is all about. Betcha’ can’t make just one! Fee: $10

Cardinal in the Pines New Block of the Month!

Syracuse and Oswego

Look at this beautiful fabric! The cardinals become the focus of the blocks in a 65″ x 77″ quilt that will be complete by the holidays. Perfect for a gift or just keep it for you. Begin with part one in September and in two more months you will have all you need to complete the quilt top, including a large running stripe for the outer borders. $38 per month for 3 months. $38 reserves your kit and covers the payment of your last month. Bonus – Gay Silkey will be offering three free demos days in the Syracuse shop. Limited number of kits. Sign up in either store!

Syracuse Events

You Cut, We Cut, Pre-Cut!

Syracuse and Oswego, Noon to 4 pm, Sunday July 10

Special sale prices on all pre-cuts in both stores. Fun for all!

Did you ever wonder how the gals cut all of those cool tumbler shapes for the Big Shot and Little Shot kits? Stop by either store on Sunday, July 10, and try it yourself! Bring in two, 1/4 yard cuts of any cotton fabric and cut your own shots on one of our AccuCut machines. We will show you how and let you go! Swap out your pre-cuts with our pre-cuts and take home the makings of a very scrappy tablerunner or placemats.

The Gals are bringing Debra Gabel to Syracuse!

Designer, author, amazing quilter and all around funny gal, Debra Gabel is driving up from Maryland to hang out in Syracuse. You know her best from her beautiful 2010 Birds and 2011 Blooms block of the month programs.

Location

All events will be held at the beautiful DeWitt Community Room, 148 Sanders Creek Parkway, DeWitt, NY, just minutes from the Syracuse store, at Thruway exit 35. View a Google map.

Dessert Reception

Friday, July 29th, 6:30 pm, DeWitt Community Room

The Friday evening dessert reception will feature a show of Debra’s original quilts. It’s only $10 per person! Invite a friend!

Butterfly Appliqué Workshop

Saturday, July 30, morning or afternoon, DeWitt Community Room

Morning option: 9 am – noon, then stay for lunch!

Afternoon option: Start with lunch at 12:30, then class 1:30 – 4:30 pm

Learn Debra’s unique and simple method of creating detailed machine appliqué. Choose the morning or afternoon session to make the monarch butterfly block. Just $45 for a three hour hands-on workshop with Debra! The workshop includes the pattern and fabrics and a salad bar lunch buffet.

Act quickly and save! First 20 people to register for the workshop will save $5 off the class fee! Call 315-445-0617 to sign up.

Click here to visit Debra’s website. Learn more about her, and be sure to check out her gallery to get a sneak peak of her work.

$20 Classes in Syracuse and Oswego

Syracuse Classes

Wool Hydrangea with Melonie Unger

Syracuse, Wednesday, July 13, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm or 5:30 – 7:30 pm

Create a gorgeous wool table mat as you learn to fuse wools and add the details of fun embroidery stitches. The class is a great kick-start for beginners and wonderfully satisfying for wool fans. Get all the basics and leave class with the perfect portable summer project! Fee $20.

Ruffles Galore with Nina Dukette

Syracuse, Wednesday, July 20, 5:30 – 8:30 pm

You’ve seen them on everything! Ruffles adorn bags, garments and home decor items everywhere we look. Join Nina and learn to make ruffles galore as you create a resource book with a variety of ruffle techniques. Learn about the three settings on the ruffler foot that
work to achieve different looks. Pull out the ruffler attachment for your machine or pick one up before class. Fee $20

See more Syracuse classes.

Oswego Class

Zippy Strippy with Pat Osetek

Oswego, Tuesday, July 12th, 5:30 – 8:00 pm

From the very popular Atkinson Designs comes Zippy Strippy, the best cosmetic bag ever! Roomy and practical, they make great gifts and go together in no time at all! Choose any or all of three sizes and embellish any way you like. Start with fat quarters, strips or even your own scraps. Finish at least one Zippy Strippy bag during class and go on to make dozens more. Class includes a simple, great looking technique for installing a zipper. Fee $20.

See more Oswego classes.

The NYS Row by Row Quilt Shop Hop Is Here!

Our resident crazy genius, Janet, is always coming up with new ways for everyone to have fun. This time she’s bringing along a whole bunch of New York State shops with her!

It’s a summertime shop hop made just for quilters traveling through New York State.
It’s the easiest shop hop ever! Just visit any of the participating quilt shops throughout
the months of July and August. Each shop is giving away a pattern for one row in a
Summertime Row Quilt. Pick up as many as you can, then mix and match your rows to
create a fun and unique quilt. No passports and no fees! It’s a freebie!

Have fun traveling, shopping and collecting all the different patterns!
Have more fun making the rows and designing a quilt. Be the first person to
bring a finished (quilted, bound, labeled) quilt using at least 8 different
rows in to your local shop and receive a bundle of 25 beautiful fat quarters.
Limit one prize per quilter or quilt.

See the list of shops below and download a list to carry with you as you travel through the state.

Join the fun right now by visiting our page on Facebook.

It must be summer if the gals are having a sidewalk sale!

June 11 and 12, 10 am – 5 pm on Saturday, and noon – 4 pm on Sunday, in Syracuse and Oswego

Stop by either store and join the fun! The gals will have some amazing deals including five-yard bundles of assorted fabrics: One for $30, 2 for $50, or 3 for $60.

Because this sale is part of the Calico Gals 10th anniversary year-long celebration, there will be prizes too! Get a ticket for every $10 that you spend.

Events

Taste of Summer!

It’s tradition! Taste of Summer is a super sampling of the upcoming classes and events at Calico Gals. Meet teachers, check out the new classes and sample goodies, too!

Syracuse, Tuesday, June 21, 5 – 8 pm. Two Chix Dipz will be offering tastes of their delicious dips and savory samples.

Oswego, Monday, June 20, 5 – 8 pm. Featuring delicious samples from Taste the World.

Classes in Oswego and Syracuse

Machine Quilting 101 with Wenda Coburn

Oswego, Saturday, June 18, Noon – 3 pm, $25

Syracuse, Tuesday, June 14, 5 – 8 pm, $25

Do you enjoy making quilt tops, but have trouble completing the project? Attend this class and learn all the basics of quilting your quilts on your sewing machine. Wenda will start out teaching important basting techniques and move on to straight line and free motion quilting. Class includes demonstrations and discussions of tips and tools that will improve your stitches. Bring your machine, threads and muslin squares to practice your new skills.

Syracuse Class

Rug Hooking with Melonie Unger

Syracuse, Wednesday, June 15,
5:30 – 7:30 pm, $20

Have you been bitten by the rug hooking bug? Create a beautiful cardinal chair pad or tablemat with gorgeous wool strips. Even if you have never hooked before, come and learn this simple, satisfying craft. Great project to take along on summer travels.

We hoped that our friends would follow us over to the new store and we hoped that new people would find us, but we had no idea the number would be so great! Everyday, folks stop in just to see what is going on in that new building. And if we thought that all the quilters in Syracuse already knew about Calico Gals… well let’s just say that we have been humbled. Welcome, everyone!

A friend named MoonShine stopped in to say hi this week.

"Shine" is shopping too!

Shine’s owner, Debbie Butler-Miller not only raises and shows beautiful dogs, she creates quilts of beautiful dogs. This quilt was created as a gift in memory of a much loved Golden Retriever. You can see more of Debbie’s work on her website.

Quilter Debbie with Ollie

Marcia! Gay! What are you doing with that hammer?!

Careful with that thing!

We’ve been coming up with all kinds of excuses as to why there are so few quilts hanging on the walls in the new store… we are still unpacking… we don’t have a ladder yet… etc… etc. All valid concerns, but the real reason is that I have been hesitating to put nails or anything into the new walls. Gay and Marcia took matters (aka hammers) into their own hands this week. We are hosting an amazing trunk show from Sue Spargo and those quilts could have been created for our walls. Look!

See what I mean!

You can look at the photo, but nothing can match the real thing. The quilts, bags, pillows, runners and more are made of a clever mix of wool and cotton. Sue combines piecing, applique and embellishing to create her own unique style. Stop in to see the show before January 1st. We have the fabrics, books and patterns, too.

She’s famous!

Kathy. Just making the world a happier place.

Calico Gal, Kathy B, keeps us in stitches in and out of the store. If you have ever stopped in on a Wednesday or Thursday, you know what I mean. I found out this week that she was moonlighting in the mall, wrapping Christmas gifts. How do I know this? It is all over the internet – as reported by TV guy, Matt Mulcahy. Read all about it on Matt’s blog.

Your newsletter was mailed this week!

And if you don’t subscribe or you like to see it on your computer – hop on over to Calico Gals website. Go down to the bottom of the page where you can download the whole thing for your printing and viewing pleasure.

Some highlights include the 40% off Christmas fabric sale until January 2nd. I am not going to brag about the huge selection because there are only about 15 bolts left. They are good ones and the sale is irresistible if you love Christmas fabric.

Also want to invite you to the Calico Gals annual taste of Winter Event, noon to 4pm, on January 3rd. This is where the teachers make and serve soup. Lots of it! A whole smorgasbord of delicious soups to celebrate the whole smorgasbord of exciting classes being offered this winter. Stop in and get a taste of both!

Calico Gals is the place to be and this week lots of people agreed! The Gals hosted three local quilt guilds on three different days. The guilds brought their members and lots more people stopped in to see what the excitement was all about.

On Monday, Candlelight Quilt Guild showed up with homemade chili and cookies. Gotta love it! Elizabeth Balderrama and Sharon Jarvis hosted the table where Elizabeth was proudly showing the current issue of Quick Quilts. Yes – that was her quilt on the cover! Congratulations to the team at Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs.

Elizabeth and Sharon "wrap it up" at the Candlelight Gathering

On Tuesday, the Towpath Quilt Guild showed up in force! They were also enjoying 2 days of workshops with Barbara Persing and Mary Hoover, the popular designers of 4th &6th Designs. We were thrilled to see Barbara and Mary stop in to our new store. (Guess what… they liked it… a lot!) And we like them… a lot! They took a few minutes away from stacking bolts on the counter to autograph their books.

Barbara and Mary - just say hi!

Not to be outdone, the Plank Road guild members descended on Wednesday, with Charlotte Angotti in tow. What? You don’t know Charlotte? She fills the room with fun and laughter wherever she goes! Visiting from Myrtle Beach for 2 days and teaching at the guild, Charlotte climbed over boxes and settled into a rocking chair in our loft. We discussed the possibility of turning the loft from box storage into a stitching lounge. (What do you think about that?) I couldn’t get enough of Charlotte, so I accepted the invitation to meet her and the guild gals at The Retreat in Liverpool for dinner. Good food and great friends – can it get any better?

Charlotte, Shirley, Linda and June - wait for me!

Meanwhile, back at the store… Joan Ford was teaching one of her Project Therapy classes. When you join this group, you become part of Joan’s design process for her Scrap Therapy patterns. Everyone in the class is a pattern tester and Joan values the feedback that results. Barb Sunderlage, from Brewer Quilting and Sewing Supplies, “dropped in” from Chicago to take Joan’s class. Brewer is the exclusive distributor of the Scrap Therapy program and they love Joan as much as we do!

Barb and Joan choosing fabric for the Project Therapy class.

Let me ask you this…

What is your favorite part of Calico Gals new store? Everyone seems to have an opinion, so let’s hear them! We will take some pics to share. Here is the first one: Kathy B’s favorite thing in the new barn is the toilet paper holders. Here’s a great shot of her demonstrating just how wonderful they are. Thanks, Kathy, for your valuable comments!

Kathy, in her Spooktacular garb, shows off our TP.

What is the one thing, above all others, that says “Fall” to you? For me, it’s honking geese. I heard ‘em. It’s official. Good thing we love fall as much as summer. We don’t just love fall in Central New York, we live it!

Have you seen the decorative apple tree in front of the old barn? Pause to enjoy it, next time you stop by. Here’s a photo until then:

Something else we expect in fall: Adopt-A-Bolt at Calico Gals! All this week until next Sunday. 30% off every bolt you finish. And if you get there and there is nothing but a pile of empty bolts sitting by the door… you’ll know you were too late. (Not like that’s going to happen. Have you seen how much fabric we have?)

Now if you don’t want to adopt-a-bolt, you could adopt-a-dog! That’s what Calico Gal, Nancy did this week. Meet Monty, isn’t he just the cutest thing? OK – Nancy got the puppy, everyone else gets the bolts.

Montegue Graham

Are you busy on Halloween?

Have we got a date for you! Leave town on the Spooktacular Quilt Shop Bus Tour and visit 5 more spooktastic quilt shops in Pennsylvania (Transylvania) and New Jersey (Boo Jersey). The Calico Gals Bus Mom, Lynn, is already brewing up a bunch of activities to keep you laughing all the way. The other shop owners and I are planning to meet in Houston at QuiltMarket to stir a few more random “parts” into the pot. Don’t delay! Our bus is already over half full. Call now! 315-445-0617

Looking good!

Our sewing studio in the Parade of Homes is looking good. Our beautiful furniture never arrived, so that caused quite a bit of stress. But quilters are creative creatures! I called my husband and he sent over the guys from Lutz Monuments. They loaded one of our store cabinets into the monument truck and brought it over. It looks fantastic! Then Joan shows up with baskets of beautiful quilts and stitching accessories. She helped Nina and I pull the whole thing together. ALL of my photos came out terrible (I should stick to apple trees). But you can see the real thing through the 27th. Don’t forget to print your coupon!

Looking great!

The moment you have been waiting for… is the new barn ready?… no… keep waiting. Now just look at this. I go down there expecting all kinds of banging and pounding and dust and noise and this is what I see.

Hi Tom.

OK, I guess they deserve a lunch break for a few minutes. But, I warned them. Their picture will be all over the internet and quilters everywhere will be outraged! Get to work!

Now that's what I'm talking about!

This is what we like to see.

Just keep it moving. We’ve got lots of fabric and sewing machines and a whole classroom to move in here. I wonder if we can borrow their truck?

People have been driving by the construction site and telling me that nothing is happening. Not true! There is a lot of inside work going on in there. What are they doing? I have no idea! Construction guy stuff, I guess.

Last week, they sprayed foam insulation on all the walls and ceiling. Close-up it looks like marshmallows! Farther back and it looks like snow on the inside.

Marshmallow frosting everywhere!

I was sure this would keep us toasty in the winter and cool in the summer. But, Bob P, the owner decided to add more insulation to the walls. He wanted to be sure we aren’t bothered by noise from the street outside. The gals are a little concerned that he has driven by the old barn during some of our classes… maybe he wants to keep the noise inside! Anyway, they brought in a product that we can understand:

They use batting, too!

Before they cover all of this batting with sheet rock, the ducts for the air conditioning were going in the ceiling.

Looking in the rafters

Here’s a little teaser for you. Guess what we are getting…

Don't tell the guys!

Are we building a sewing center or a sports bar? Hmmm… mostly a sewing center.

And on the outside…

What are these things?

I am told they have something to do with drainage for the property and the parking lot. OK, makes sense.

Gals are busy, too.

We are running around, getting ready for our fall activities. The newsletter is printed and stitched and heading to the post office. Web Gal Lisa, is frantically adding the new classes to the website and calendar. The teachers are finishing up their supply lists and bringing in their samples.

We pulled out the Adopt-A-Bolt tags that we use every year for our big sale and we have to change them. This year it’s 30% (not 25%) off every bolt you finish (Monday the 14th thru Sunday the 20th). We usually pull small bolts off the wall and cut them into fat quarters. We have been leaving them for weeks so you have lots of littles to choose from.

Parade of Homes starts on Saturday. Our beautiful new Koala Sewing Studio is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. We ordered an exotic Brazilian Cherry finish that will look amazing in this house. I won’t tell you too much more because I am going to take pictures for the Gabby Gals blog. Wait a minute! Stop out and see it in person! Here’s a coupon to save a dollar off admission.

What did we do during our free time? Went to the fair, of course. We enjoyed the quilts and the tomato sandwiches. Kathy Barden sampled the deep fried dill pickles and actually liked them. We didn’t go on any rides, but we still had a blast. Just ask Melonie and Beth.

Got milk?