A declaration of emergency and provincewide stay-at-home order are in effect as of Thursday, April 8.

The announcement from the Ontario Government puts us into even tighter restrictions. This means that we're still allowed to be open for online orders and curbside pickup or mail deliveries only.

This is a challenging time for everyone and we appreciate your cooperation and patience. Thanks for doing your part!

We are open for pick-ups during the following hours: Monday through Friday 10:00 - 4:00, with curbside pickup available until 5:00 Saturday 10:30 - 3:30, with curbside pickup available until 4:00

We hear it all the time: "I need inspiration. What's new?"

It's a great part of the appeal of shopping in the store rather than online -- not only can you see and feel the fabric in person, you can see it made up into a variety of projects. And often you can talk to the people who actually made the samples, getting advice on fabric and colour selection, pattern reviews, tool recommendations. In short, inspiration.

Even during lockdown, you still need ideas and we're still making samples, so welcome to our virtual show and tell! Until you can visit us personally, we hope that by showcasing new fabrics and patterns, we'll spark some thoughts of new possibilities for you. We know you'll enjoy our new feature, the Samples Page!

We've all been waiting, fairly patiently, for machines to arrive, and now we're able to report that progress is being made!

We have entry-level Pfaff 160's in stock, creative icons available in the warehouse, and many other options in between. There's a machine to suit every sewist and every budget, so ask us to help you find your perfect machine!

The 'My Favourite Color Is Moda' kit may seem intimidating, but Val is here to help you create your own beautiful, modern quilt. With videos of her favourite tips and tricks, you will be cutting and piecing with the greatest of accuracy in no time! The videos are free and available on our YouTube page. They won't be taken down so you can watch and sew at your own pace.

We will also have print sheets available to look at (and write on) if you click here. Keep checking back for more!

Primrose Garden kits are still available on our shopping page here. 

Our presentation by Rhonda Pierce, North American spokesperson for Schmetz needles, was hugely popular, judging from the comments we've been receiving. Rhonda reminded us that successful sewing is often about paying attention to the little things – like the needle in your sewing machine. She addressed all of our needling questions, ranging from the anatomy of a needle to the differences between all the styles, sizes and systems, and  we all came away with brand new respect for this 2" piece of steel. Who knew it could solve so many problems, like broken threads, skipped stitches, puckered fabrics and noisy machine issues?

If you missed her presentation, or just want to review all of the information, you can revisit it here on our Facebook page. And don't forget to request our free ABCs of Needles booklet, or download the Schmetz app to your phone. It will be like having Rhonda in your pocket!



 

If you're looking for some enlightening entertainment, search no further. Quilty Pleasures is producing a series of videos that bring you up to speed on great gadgets to make your sewing experience easier, more creative and more fun!

Take a look here!

Spring is finally here, and our new fabrics are perfect for the season!

Check out Northcott's Orchids in Bloom, or Moda's Lulu by Chez Moi or Birds on the Move by Stof -- these collections are just a few examples of the fresh, lively fabrics that are arriving regularly. Florals, textural geometrics, and birds feature prominently this season, so you're sure to find something to lighten your mood. Not a snowflake in sight!

If you're looking for a major injection of colour after a long drab winter, here's the perfect project for you -- the Kasada quilt, shown at right. Designed by Crystal Manning for Moda, this 63" x 63" quilt has been kitted with the pattern and all the fabric required for the top and binding. It's truly glorious. And, since we can't travel these days, you can pretend to be visiting Turkey while you sew!

Since staying home and sewing is an authorized activity these days, why not take the opportunity to try a new technique or experiment with a new design? We've had an influx of new quilt patterns lately, so if you've always wanted to explore fabric collage, or colour theory, or curved piecing -- now's your chance to try something new with all that fabulous fabric you've been hoarding!

It's an Eleganza extravaganza! New 8 weight pearl-cotton has landed and is a fantastic way to add depth and colour to any project (or drool over, we don't judge!). The Alison Glass collection includes 36 solids and 12 variegated spools in swoon-worthy colours that have our hearts racing. Available both in-store and online.

Since we probably won't be able to have in-person classes for the foreseeable future, we're taking the plunge and moving online!

That might be a bit of an overstatement. We're dipping our toes in, with a series of FREE short videos about all sorts of topics -- product demos, tips and techniques, sewing machine maintenance, needles and threads, and anything else we think you might like. The first ones have been posted, so take a look here to see how we did!

If you have any suggestions about areas you'd like us to cover, please email us at info@quiltypleasures.ca

We've all been sewing non-stop for almost a year now, and maybe it's time for a little break. But we still love to sew and can't stand the thought of completely walking away, even for just a little while. It's what we do, especially in troubled times. But sometimes we need something different.

So here's a thought: How about reading about sewing? Not a how-to instruction manual, but a really good novel. The lovely folks at Schmetz have compiled an annotated list of stitch-themed books to get you through the winter, and what a list it is! There are histories and mysteries, novels, and travels, slaves and royals -- definitely something for everyone, no matter your taste.

Take a look at the latest issue of Inspired to Sew for the complete list, and get inspired to read. Who knows what inspiration you'll find between the covers? Then you'll be ready when it's time to get back to the sewing machine.

We also have all the back issues available on our Tips & Apps page of our web site. It's always the source of some really good reading!

Implementing an on-line shopping platform has necessitated a number of changes around here. One of the biggest is our new POS system, which won't affect you too much in your day-to-day shopping with us, but it does change how our loyalty programme works.

In a nutshell, the new system gives you a $10 coupon good for 90 days for every $250 you spend in the store*. Still pretty rewarding!

*Rewards are earned on regular-priced items only. Does not include classes or sewing machines.

Here's a timely message, written by one of our very own customers for all of the young children in our lives.

Laurelle Callaghan is well-known within the local quilting community. She's also a retired chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces, so she has ample experience in helping families with difficult situations.

It's no surprise, then, that she turned her own experience with COVID-19 into a picture book that helps kids and their parents deal with the realities of life during this pandemic. Told from the viewpoint of a six-year-old, the story's serious content is blended with a healthy dose of humour, making it perfect for encouraging family discussions about a troubling topic.

The book is only $20 (shipping and handling included) and may be ordered directly from Laurelle at grumpabooks@gmail.com.

Maybe you remember meeting Barry Jenkins, our TrendTex sales rep, at our Christmas open house last year. He's pretty memorable, but we know you were really blown away by all the fabrics he showed you.

Well, we aren't in a position to order every fabric TrendTex sells, but now you have an exciting opportunity to shop directly from their warehouse! This will give you access to a huge inventory of Moda, Benartex, RJR, Hoffman California, Stof, Michael Miller, and Lewis & Irene collections!

Here's how it works:

1/ Visit shop.trendtexfabrics.com to, well, shop;
2/ At checkout, enter the code QUI102 This gives us a portion of the sale, keeping your dollars local;
3/Shipping is $15 for all orders under $149, and free for orders of $149 and over.

This is a unique programme and we're excited to be a part of it, so please give it a go. It's always disappointing for us when a customer requests a fabric we don't have, but this gives you another way to buy exactly what you want.

It's easy, it's fun, and it's fabric. All good!

Please visit our Facebook and Instagram pages for all the latest QP happenings.

Amy keeps those sites up-to-date, so take a look and be one of our Quilty Pleasures friends! (A new window will open when you click the above links.)

If you want our Facebook postings to pop up on your news feed, visit our FB page, click "Follow". (it's next to the "Like" button.

Hovering over the "Follow" button will show you a menu with the "Get Notifications" option. Selecting this means you will be alerted in your notifications window whenever we post something.

So easy to be so connected!

We continue to collect cuddle quilts for the Montfort. 

If you've never made one before, a word of explanation: These are small baby quilts that are placed in the neonatal incubators and bassinets, so the size is restricted to between 22" x 22" and 24" x 24". Their small size also makes them perfect for testing block patterns, busting your stash, and practicing free-motion quilting.

Keeping in mind the intended recipients are newborns, please aim for cute and cheerful, using only 100% cotton or flannel in the top and backing, and 100% cotton thread for the construction and quilting. Cuddle quilts are typically sent home with the babies who use them, so there is a constant demand for them.

Thanks very much. Your donations will be gratefully appreciated!

 
We can special-order products for you!

It happens all the time: You're reading someone's blog and they recommend a pattern, book, notion, or other item that you'd really like to have. Only trouble is, either they don't sell it or you don't want to order it from them because of the exchange rate, shipping costs, Customs issues, whatever.

Let us deal with it! We can usually order these products from our suppliers, and all of the hassles are taken care of. No fuss, no muss, and your order comes right to the store and into your hands.

We know that price is a big factor when shopping for quilting supplies, and it's easy to assume that big box or chain stores will always offer a better price than an independent quilt shop.

However, we recently have had several customers tell us of specific instances where our prices were equal to or better than our competitors', even after their 50% discount was applied. We appreciate knowing that people are paying attention and realizing that our prices are competitive, even though we're a small, local business.

To our watchdog customers: Thanks very much for doing the math!