End of the 2024 is almost here.

At my age, the days in November and December are black diamond skiers. Whizzing by, while I try to stay standing with what needs to be done in time.  I remember, another time as a child, the days of Christmas took forever. Advent calendars made the bunny slope run to the 25th tolerable to a five year old.  

Driving home from the shop tonight, I realized that we have already been here for over 3 years.  How the heck did that happen?  Seems like yesterday, Me, Mike, my sister Monday, 3 huge dogs and one howling cat were driving across the country to start a new life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  

I never had a "real" quilt shop in California.  I had worked in one, seeing the good and bad of running a shop.  In CA, Rusty Crow was only online and we vended at quilt shows all over the west coast.  It would take every bit of 8 hours to set up my Rusty Crow Quilt booth at quilt shows.  So opening up a shop in a vacation destination was just a bit scary.  

To say I have a wonderful and supportive husband in Mike is an understatement.  He keeps the backroom stocked and fills orders everyday.  When I tell you Mike never used a computer until 5 years ago, is proof that he loves me.  

We just finished our 3rd Quilt retreat for the year.  Every retreat is a bit different, a different kind of wonderful.  The stitchers come together, some know each other, most don't.  But by the end of the week, we will know the names of our tables mates and the projects they are working on. This retreat make me appreciate EPP again.  English Paper Piecing.  One of our retreaters, Amber was amazing.  Not enough, for me to jump in to her caliber of challenging patterns, but maybe enough to pull out a project I started years ago.  Yes, I have those too! 

We have openings for the February Retreat.  Dates are Feb. 1-8th  The Fee is 650.00 per room, $250.00 if you add a roommate.  I'll get the available rooms on the website.  It's a free sew, no instructors.  We host dinner the first night.  Food is not included.  There are plenty of frigs in these homes and lots of open resturants. 

We keep adding and adding to the shop.  Sometimes new lines of fabric don't make it on the website.  There is small business, then there is family business.  Our business is Mike and me.  We have flourished here and we want toThank you all. 

Recently, Valdani wrote that we are their largest distubutor in the US.  Mike and I looked at each other? Us, we move more Valdani than anyone else?  Honestly, that put a huge fire in me work even harder.  

Here are a couple of new products we will have as soon as they start shipping.  

I don't know the color numbers yet, but I'll be posting more as soon as I do.  Always good to have something new to look forward to.  If you haven't tried our new machine pieceing threads, please give them a try.  We have 50 and 35 weight.  

But until then, I have to do something for Cyber Monday!! We have lots of patterns on sale, JeromeThomas and Crane designs. 

Here are some new patterns from Thread that Bind that we got this week. 

We recently got a bunch of new wools. Very pretty solids, Tiger, Rosewood, and Sky Blue.  Christmas Green is back.....  Needless to say, my 3 Wool Rooms are busting at the seams.  We are putting the cut wool pieces on Sale.  Online Fat Quarters are regular $14.00 are now $12.00 and the 9" X 14" pieces are regular $6.50 are now $5.00.  The sale is going to run the whole month of December so you can stock up. 

Christmas Gift Idea?  We have Thread Bowls and Moda Mini Box Collection celbrating 50 years in business.  

We are going to take some time off in December.  We haven't penciled in the dates yet.  Appointments keep moving, life stuff. But I will post the dates the shop will be closed on the website.  The island slows to a crawl after Thanksgiving and doesn't pick up until Christmas.  We will be open like normal after Christmas.  

On a personal note.  Mike and I flew to California early this month to attend our son, Jared's wedding to his love, Cristina.  We are so happy for them.  It was a beautiful wedding, filled with family and freinds.  In January, our family grows again with the birth of a new baby girl to our daughter, Brooke and her hubby, Dan.   I'll be flying to California to meet the little one sometime in February after the Retreat.  

Mike and I hope this Christmas season brings you peace and love. In the end, family and friendships are the most important treasures to hold onto.  Stitchers are just lucky enough to wrap those we love in quilts.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from Shawn and Mike