Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow! It's the day before Thanksgiving! What a wonderful time of the year!

This year I am especially grateful for family and friends. As many of you know, our son-in-love, Randall Ricketts, was diagnosed with glioblastoma (brain cancer) in late August this year. He underwent surgery, completed 30 treatments of radiation, and continues to take chemotherapy. We are most grateful he never experienced any seizures or nausea, enjoyed mowing his yard the day he took his last radiation treatment, and returned to work at Bethel University on November 16th, the day after his last radiation treatment. We are most most grateful for the outpouring of love we have received from friends and family who continue to pray for Randall daily. God is good all the time!

I hope your Thanksgiving Day is filled with happiness and joy as you celebrate the bountiful blessings we are privileged to enjoy in this great nation we call home! I am so thankful for the men and women who stand ready to protect us by serving in our armed forces. My hat is off to each and every one of you!

I'll be making the dressing this year for our traditional family Thanksgiving Dinner. I wonder what all of my quilting friends will be making. Whatever you are doing I hope it is just exactly what you enjoy!

Here at EllaKate's we are preparing for our First Annual Christmas Open House! You are invited to come on over and join us! There will be door prizes every hour, refreshments for all, demos to see, the latest in fabrics and books, what's in store for 2017, "Stuff Your Stocking", "Wrapped & Ready", and more! Make this your special day as you get inspired and ready for the Christmas Season! See you Saturday, November 26th, 9 till 5:00!

Home from Quilt Market

Oh my goodness! Quilt Market was awesome this year! I have some great fabrics and tools coming to EllaKates in the coming months!

This month, November, we are doing the FabShop Hop. Be sure to shop and register to win prizes with the Fab Shop Hop. Click on the FabShop Bunny on our website for more information then be sure to visit EllaKates Website and give us your email address for a free fat quarter of your choice with your first order!

EllaKates will be stocking the NEW Rotary Cutter, rulers, and mats by RNK with Alex Anderson! You have got to see and feel this rotary cutter! It is top of the line! Call us for more information or if you want to order. More details to come soon!

Hop, Skip, & a Jump is scheduled to arrive at EllaKates today! I will get those fabrics uploaded to our site ASAP for all of you online shoppers. Locals be sure to check them out on FUN & FABULOUS FRIDAY, November 11th or call me if you would like a sneak preview this weekend.

Be sure to take some time for yourself today and stitch a little!

Check out this awesome sunrise from this morning! Now there is a color palet for stunning quilt!

Happy Stitching!

Well look what I have been up to lately!!!

This quilt is on the front cover of the October 2015 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. When I first saw it I knew I wanted to make it for Fall. Well things got crazy busy and I did not get to start it as soon as I had hoped but I stayed determined that I would get this one made before  Thanksgiving. I am right on track and I love how it is coming together!

The fabrics are named "Candy Corn" by Renee Nanneman from Andover. They just scream pumpkins and fall leaves!

I really got excited when the first blocks came together!

The name of this quilt is "Midnight Hour". 

You can get all the fabrics at EllaKates if you want to join me in stitching this one up! 

Until next time,

Happy Stitching!

Just had to share an update on the progress of my husband painting the deck! It's looking great and guess what the color of the paint is named...Gray Flannel Suit. Herman said I even pick out paint that has the name of fabric!

I thought that was pretty funny since I spent most of the day quilting on a customer's flannel quilt! I'm telling you her quilt is so stunning with rich manly colors! It is going to be a show stopper. Here are some of the flannels in her quilt from EllaKates! They are so soft!

So I'm all excited about our Mini Retreat in November! Two people have already registered! There's room for three more! This is the pattern in the kit...

OK, I've gotta run and head to the rodeo to help Christie. She is taking pics. I snapped this picture last night myself after I looked up and spotted him looking at me. LOL

OK, gotta run. Hope you got to stitch today. I've sure enjoyed stitching on the flannel quilt!

"Saturday Morning"

Mini Quilt Retreat
November 18 & 19, 2016

What a lovely Saturday Morning! I am so glad to be home this morning to play in my Quilting Studio  while my dear husband gives our deck in the back a new coat of paint!

I'll keep you posted on how it looks when he's finished!

So I could stand it no longer! I just had to get my hands on this fat eighth bundle that we are going to use at our Fall Mini Retreat scheduled for Friday & Saturday, November 18th and 19th.

They are so pretty I can't decided which ones I like the best! And there are several Grunge fabrics that just pop with the other bright colors!

We will be making "Saturday Morning" which will finish at 65x85 inches, a nice size throw. It reminds me of a stained glass window. By the way our mini retreat will be limited to five people due to the fat eighths bundle being such a hit it is no longer available for me to order more. I have five bundles on hand. The Kit Cost is $138 and classes are always free at EllaKates. We will get started at 6:00 on Friday evening so grab your dinner before you come and then on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 we will have a light breakfast and lunch will be provided. We are going to have so much fun! Secure your spot by purchasing your kit or letting me know to put one back for you!

Enjoy your Saturday and make some time for STITCHING! 

A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! And this girl needed to make good use of some down time in the doctor's waiting room. So...
I moved the end table around in front of me and "taa daa" instant cutting table with the help of my little cutting mat and rotary cutter.
I will admit I did some fast furniture rearranging when they called us back for our appointment with the oncologist!

And then yesterday we were pleased to meet a new quilter who was in Martin with her daughter at UTM! Christie snapped a pic while we were visiting at the cutting table in the studio. One of the best things about quilting is meeting new quilters and making new friendships!

Look at all my half square triangles! Spinning Star triangle paper made them a breeze! The "Martin Place" Quilt is one step closer to coming together!

All those little blocks inspire me to get this one done. I hope you are inspired today to work on your latest project.

Gotta Run, I have some stitching to do!
Until next time, HAPPY STITCHING!

Time for Quilting

I absolutely love the art of quilting!

Most recently, I find myself preparing steps that can be done when I am away from my quilting studio.

Let me explain...

On August 26, 2016, we traveled to Nashville with my son-in-love, Randall Ricketts, who was diagnosed at our local emergency room with a large brain tumor. This was followed with surgery and 12 days in the hospital. Tomorrow we will return to Nashville to begin the process of receiving chemo and radiation. This is uncharted waters for all of us.

In the midst of trouble, I still find the time to break away and work on a quilt.  Working with my hands allows me the time to reflect on God's goodness. So today, I am grateful for the art of quilting and the gift of being able to create beautiful quilts! Trimming up theses little 1" squares will be a snap with my little mat and rotary cutter. Then they are ready to have all the paper torn away as we travel.

When we return home, I'll be ready to move forward in creating the "Martin Place" Quilt!

Time to call in a night and hit the sack! I hope you too are finding the time to stitch a little! Until next time, 

Happy Stitching!