All New York Shop Hop Kick-Off Party

Stop by Quilting with Margaret, 100 Boxart St., Studio #265, on Saturday or Sunday (March 15 or 16) from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. for the All New York Shop Hop (ANYSH) Kick-Off Party. At the Kick-Off Party you will be able to preview the exclusive Riley Blake fabric to celebrate New York.

I can’t wait to make a quilt with this fabric. I’m sure you will also need some of this exclusive fabric to make a quilt or add to your stash. The fabric will only be available in participating New York shops. It will be available on May 1st for as long as supplies last. I ordered a bolt of each fabric of the entire line plus an extra bolt of the panel fabric.

The panel is my favorite of these exclusive fabrics, highlighting the wonderful regions that New York State has to offer. Upstate New York was well represented with a “poster” for the Finger Lakes, Letchworth State Park, Watkins Glen State Park, the Adirondacks and Niagara Falls. Upstate got 5 of the 9 “posters” on the panel. I call them “posters” because they remind me of the National Parks fabric that has been so popular and has a retro WPA-style poster vibe.

In addition to collecting this limited edition fabric, each participating store will have a free 5” square with a quilty phrase, which you can collect from all of the stores you visit. Mine will say “Oh Scrap!”, a phrase I often use just before I pull out Jack (the Ripper). To go with the collectible 5” phrase squares, Quilting with Margaret will have a pack of 5” squares of the exclusive NY fabrics along with a special Rochester skyline slate coaster for sale. They will all be available along with lots of 5” square-friendly patterns beginning May 1 through the end of June, or until the supply runs out.

I expect to sell out of the fabrics and exclusive 5” square/coaster packs before the shop hop ends. That is why I will have them available for pre-sale at the Kick-Off Party. As a thank-you gift for stopping by Quilting with Margaret on March 15th or 16th, you will get a free grab bag full of lots of little goodies. Pre-order the exclusive fabric at the Kick-Off Party and pick up an ANYSH magazine full of patterns, maps, participating stores’ locations and hours, special extra store hours for the shop hop and your passport to prizes. You will be able to pick up your pre-ordered fabric on May 1st or after.

If you pre-ordered a magazine, it will be available for pickup at the Kick-Off Party, along with a special grab bag. If you didn’t get your magazine pre-ordered, I will have more for sale at the Kick-Off Party and during the shop hop. But getting your magazine early allows you to plan your shop hop before it begins on May 1st.

Looking forward to seeing lots of you at the Quilting with Margaret ANYSH Kick-Off Party on Saturday or Sunday (March 15 or 16) from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. There will be cake and champagne to celebrate New York and the upcoming All New York State Shop Hop. See you then!

ANYSH Magazines Available Now

The All NY Shop Hop (ANYSH) magazine is now available for pre-purchase. Pre-purchase your magazine from Quilting with Margaret before February 25 to get $3 off. Why pre-purchase from Quilting with Margaret, you ask?

By pre-purchasing here before February 25th, you will get your magazine for $9.95 instead of $12.95. Also, when you pick your magazine up on Saturday or Sunday, March 15 or 16, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Quilting with Margaret ANYSH Kick-Off Party, you will get a free grab-bag.

In addition to the savings and freebies for pre-purchase, your magazine will offer lots to help you to pre-plan your May - June Shop Hop:

• Exclusive maps of all participating Shop Hop stores

• All participating stores hours and special additional shop hop hours, including 2 Sundays

• Your passport for prizes and a list of all of the prizes available to win

• Articles and lots of patterns to use your exclusive New York state fabrics

• A list of quilt guilds, quilting events and long arm quilting services in New York state

Watch for more information about the Quilting with Margaret ANYSH Kick-Off Party on Saturday and Sunday, March 15 and 16, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at 100 Boxart St., Studio 265, Rochester, NY 14612. The exclusive Riley Blake All New York Shop Hop fabric will be available to preview and for pre-purchase. Only participating shop hop stores will have this exclusive fabric which will be not be available to pick up until May 1. Pre-purchase to be sure you get some of this exclusive fabric. Check back to my website for details.

What’s Your Favorite Holiday Movie?

“It’s a Wonderful Life”

I love this time of year when you can watch all of your favorite old holiday movies. Some of my favorites are “White Christmas.” “Holiday Inn,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Christmas in Connecticut,” “Holiday Affair,” and “Best Years of Our Lives.” Some favorites from my childhood are ”The House Without A Christmas Tree,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Occasionally a newer movie becomes a classic like “A Christmas Story,” “Christmas Vacation,” and “Elf.”

But now there are whole channels devoted to making Christmas movies, like the Hallmark Channel which has over 300 Christmas movies, with 30 - 40 new ones each year. Although most of these movies are likely not to become classics sometimes there is a good one. Today I watched a Hallmark Christmas movie that was actually pretty good. Maybe because it was based on the old classic movies from the 40’s. It was called “A Biltmore Christmas.”

But sometimes you just want to have a cup of cocoa and watch a “bad” movie. Last week I came across a movie called “The Fabric of Christmas” (sometimes titled “A Cozy Christmas Quilt”) about a quilter and a fireman. It was a very sappy movie and not very good, but it was fun watching a movie centered around quilting. They had the quilting terminology and process of making a quilt down pretty well. But I had to laugh when they were piecing a block and just put a completed block under the sewing machine needle and sewed over the top of it. No right-sides-together for these “quilters.” Also, when the quilting teacher taught a hunky fireman (who had never even used a sewing machine before) to make his first quilt, it was a bed-size feathered star pattern with lots of background needing to be heavily quilted. Oh, and he had to complete it in just a few weeks. It was an amusing watch, but I don’t think it will go on my list of favorite Holiday films. I don’t think this is a movie that I would want to watch over and over each year.

That’s the thing with a classic Christmas movie. After watching them every year, you can often even recite the lines and sing the songs along with the movie. Of course we all know the lyrics of “White Christmas”, but there is another tune in this movie where the two lead actresses, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, sing the song “Sisters.” A week or so ago I went with a friend to see a local belly dancing group do a holiday show. They did various dances in groups, pairs and solo. About halfway through the show, two woman came on stage wearing blue belly dancing costumes and each had a fan. When the music started playing, after only a few notes, I laughed and leaned over to my friend and said “I think they are going to do the fan dance from White Christmas.” And sure enough they did the fan dance to the song “Sisters.” Definitely not something that I was expecting to see at this show. How amusing, since my friend knew all the words. Turns out she and her sisters used to sing this song together, into a hairbrush.

Well, I think it’s time to watch another holiday movie, if I expect to see all of my favorites before the season is over. What’s your favorite holiday movie?

Get-Away Nearly Sold Out

2025 Get-Away Weekend, April 24 - 27

We have only a couple of spaces left for the 2025 Get-Away weekend at The Mansion, which sits on a bluff overlooking beautiful Keuka Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes. .

If you were thinking about joining us and haven’t put down a deposit yet, don’t delay. Last year everyone loved the new venue and most signed up as soon as the 2025 dates were announced this summer.

The well-lit workspace where we spend our days quilting and crafting is in the newer venue space attached to the west side of The Mansion, an 1800’s estate with a deep history in the region. You can opt to stay in the antique furnished mansion with updated modern baths or stay in the newer lake house-styled inn to the east of The Mansion.

The retreat cost includes all meals, snacks, a wine tasting, a goodie bag, a pattern for the optional guided quilt project, a mini-class kit, and instruction. The classroom is equipped with individual work tables, cutting and ironing stations and a mobile quilt shop. All you need to bring is your supplies (including your sewing machine) to work on the guided project and/or your own project.

The three-day basic retreat runs from Friday, April 25, at 9 a.m. to Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m. But you can opt to add the extra day and begin your retreat at 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 24.

Also, when you book you hotel room, you can opt to come the night before your retreat begins, as well as stay Sunday night after the classroom closes at 3 p.m. for the same low retreat price. The room prices are per room, not per person, so if you want to share your room with a friend, you can split the cost.

To sign up for the retreat, complete the registration on the sign-up brochure and mail it along with a deposit. You will find the sign-up brochure on the retreat page along with more detailed information about the 2025 Get-Away Weekend. Next, you need to call The Mansion and reserve the room and dates that you want, Be sure to ask for the Quilting with Margaret rate. Once the retreat is full, you can still contact me to be put on a wait list. There is often a last-minute cancellation, life happens. And if not, being on the wait list will assure you are the first to hear about the 2026 Get-Away along with those who attend in 2025.