Merry Christmas to All

From early elementary school days I recall the well-quoted poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. My mother read it to my brother and me every year as she did the Christmas story from the Bible. I remember having a skirt my mom sewed for me that was a complete circle with the poem printed around the bottom. I wore it to school in Fifth Grade class and all the girls were envious of my having such a fun garment. I had "umpteen" crinoline petticoats underneath to make it stand out full and fill the school desk seat when I was seated. Oh, the memories. And that was a long time ago. I always thought I would never be guilty of saying, "Forty years ago..." But, you know, I do it all the time now. Sorry! I'm compelled somehow to do that.

On a more serious note, we sadly report the loss of another of our long-time quilting friends, Penny Nichol. What a great quilter and good friend to many. She was one of the appliqué enthusiasts who would come into the shop on Wednesday mornings for all those years to sit and appliqué and exchange life's fun stories and charm us with their chatter. She will be missed. Thankfully we had the opportunity to know all of the lovely ladies who over the years frequented Heirlooms & Comforts regularly.

Sara

Important Calendar Notes
At Heirlooms & Comforts there are a number of early January sessions that you should note. The full class schedule is expected to be on our web site by New Years Eve. For now, be sure to mark your calendar for these:

January 5: First meeting of the Thimbleberries Reunion. If you were ever a part of the Thimbleberries Club at H&C you are invited to join us first Thursday of each month for "club". There will be no formal program, and anyone who wishes can bring a game or activity, just as Judy and Joan did all those years, for everyone to participate in. You are invited to bring your lunch or snack foods to share around and to sew, visit, shop, or "play' right through the day. There is no fee for this attendance. We will draw a discount percentage at each meeting for you to get special discounts on whatever you purchase that day. We will draw names for prizes, sing Happy Birthday, laugh at bad jokes, etc. Look for all the fun parts of previous Thimbleberries Club meetings without a pre-planned project. Bring the ones you already have, finished or unfinished, to get critique or aid in getting them completed. Margarett Boyer will be using Joan's email address list to send reminders to those on that list. If you wish to be added to the email list, reply to this letter with that request and we will pass your address on to Margarett. We are looking forward to seeing you Jan. 5 at 10:00 AM.

January 11: The Kaffe Club will meet in the shop at 10:00 AM. There is a challenge going on now and it is a voluntary adventure. Remember this is a fee-free event on second Thursday morning each month. You meet with fellow Kaffe Fassett fans to exchange ideas and challenges and to learn from each other new techniques and ideas. The members of this group have remarkable skills they are willing to share with their friends in this diverse group. Come for fellowship, sharing, learning, chillin', fun and maybe even a walk over to one of the lunch venues in Central. Mark your calendar. We want you to come for the fun.

January 16: Memories of Provence is the name of a sampler quilt pattern and group of fabrics that Kathy White has completed and has hanging in the shop classroom. This is gorgeous! Kathy is teaching this in a six-month format. You will get instruction in the techniques for two of the blocks each month and you know already how good Kathy's instructions are. The pattern is free and we have kits for this quilt that you can purchase at a 20% discount when you register for the class. You will need to make a choice of color for setting fabrics and borders. The tuition for six months is $108 and you have two options in paying this fee:

1. Pay in two installments.
2. Pay in full when you register and get 10% discount on the fee.

This starts soon, so we need to be talking about how you want to approach this. Come in very soon to see this quilt and to make your fabric choices. Register for one of the time slots that we offer: Friday mornings or late Monday afternoon. Don't delay; some people have already chosen.

January 21: Deadline for saving 20% on supplies listed by the instructor for classes for the winter. Complete registration with tuition payment by Jan. 21 and you will receive this great discount on the supplies. Don't delay.

January 18 and 31: These dates are reserved for Sew Days for persons who wish to sit and sew with friends for the day in the shop. No fees are attached. You bring your project, hand or machine done, and sew with friends. Bring your lunch or choose to order in or go out. Sew Day is your day.

February 4: Gathering of Quilters is a day set aside for District I members of Quilters of SC who will meet at First Baptist Church in Williamston, SC to enjoy a program that has been developed for the day and to learn from each other on several topics in the world of quilting. More information about this is coming later; for now mark your calendar for the day.

H&C Feature of the Week: Fat Quarters
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will continue to feature our special on Fat Quarters in 6-packs, 12-packs and 18-packs. The special prices apply to fat quarters that are already cut and on display. Great savings and a good way to augment your scrap quilt stash! 6PK for $12; 12PK for $22; and 18PK for $32 - a lot like a late Christmas present.





Fantastic Offers!

At Heirlooms and Comforts we can offer you 5-D Professional Embroidery Software at ½ price when purchased along with any H-V Designer sewing and embroidery machine. With this combination you can be well suited for creative machine work that puts others "in the shade."

As advertised on the Husqvarna Viking web site there is a finance plan for the purchase of a Husqvarna Viking Designer sewing and embroidery machine. You can get 36 months of financing with 0% interest right now. That is a really big opportunity to get sewing and embroidering. Any Designer jewel qualifies: Topaz 20 or 30, Ruby, Diamond, or Diamond Deluxe. See us soon for this screaming deal - software, Designer machine and no-interest financing. Happy New Year!

Rising Star

There is more to life than sewing, quilting, and grandchildren. There is food, right? Lately I have been reading about a young chef in the Athens, GA, area who has a connection to our area as well. And when a new "star" appears in the "sky" isn't it fun to say, "I remember when..., before she/he achieved fame"? Well, lately several names have prompted that response from me when I have seen their names in print.

Hugh Acheson is a rising star name that we have seen in print a lot lately. One day last week there was an article in the newspaper about his new book about Southern foods and his restaurants in Georgia. Hugh is the son of Mary Acheson Lindsay who worked with us at Heirlooms & Comforts when we were downtown Clemson in the late 1980's early 1990's. Hugh and his sister were in school for a while with our children. Now he is the subject of numerous articles in newspapers and even in Southern Living Magazine as a part of the Comfort Foods article. His wife is our daughter's classmate from High School. Look on line for articles about Hugh, a Chef with a rising star that once sailed over Clemson.

Also, I recently read about Marjan Kluepfel in an ad about the Mid-Atlantic Quilters Show in Hampton, VA. Marjan has been teaching there for a number of years, coming east from California to instruct. She works with botanicals and replicates or interprets them in fabrics. Go to www.marjankluepfel.com and read about her. When she was in Clemson years ago she would frequent H&C for fabrics and supplies. It is nice to be able to say I remember her when she was working alongside Priscilla Hair (another of our friends with renown) exploring techniques.

It is fun to say, "I knew her/him when..." We all love to be associated with persons of renown - our own claim to fame. Keep sewing and quilting and one day maybe we can say that about you.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Fat Quarters and Christmas Fabrics
At Heirlooms and Comforts this week we will feature fat quarters in bundles of 6, 12 or 18. A 6-pack is $12; a 12-pack is $22; and an 18-pack is $32. These bundles are 6, 12, or 18 of your choice from the fat quarters that are already cut and folded and arranged in our fat quarter bin. "Fresh-cut" fat quarters do not qualify for this special price.

We will also continue to run the 50% off price on Christmas fabrics with a minimum cut of 1yd. Load up for next year if you have completed your holiday sewing for 2011. Otherwise, finish off your 2011 holiday sewing with finest quality fabrics at a bargain price.

Joyfully Giving
At www.husqvarnaviking.com you can find that H-V is joyfully giving you a number of good things and lots of good ideas. For one, there is the $25 off a $50 order from www.myembroideries.com until the end of day on December 23.

There is also "The Joy of Giving" window where you can click in and get ideas and patterns and suggestions for other fun things to make and to have. Check out the site and have some holiday fun.

Call us if you have questions.

Fantastic Offers!
At Heirlooms & Comforts we can offer you 5-D Professional Embroidery Software at ½ price when purchased along with any H-V Designer sewing and embroidery machine. With this combination you can be well suited for creative machine work that puts others "in the shade."

As advertised on the Husqvarna Viking web site there is a finance plan for the purchase of a Husqvarna Viking Designer sewing and embroidery machine. You can get 36 months of financing with 0% interest right now. That is a really big opportunity to get sewing and embroidering. Any Designer jewel qualifies: Topaz 20 or 30, Ruby, Diamond, or Diamond Deluxe. See us soon for this screaming deal - software, Designer machine and no-interest financing. Ho, ho, ho!

Holiday Hours at Heirlooms & Comforts
Closed December 24 (Saturday)
Closed December 26 (Monday)
Regular Hours December 27-31 (Tuesday-Saturday)
Closed January 2 (Monday)

Are You Ready Yet?

I hear that some people are already prepared and ready for the Christmas Holiday! How can they do that so well? How can it be done without last minute rush and jitters? Well, we at Heirlooms & Comforts would like to help you out with your preparations if we can. We are happy to share our suggestions for how to get by without having jitters and tears for lack of preparation. Just ask us when you are in the shop for tips on gifts, stocking stuffers, and miscellaneous items including foods. We always have an opinion; have you noticed? And, we obviously love foods as you can tell by looking at us.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Christmas Fabrics
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature 50% off Christmas motif fabrics (1 yd minimum cut, please). Yeah!! Last minute gifts of tea towels with a holiday print sewn on the hem are fun to make and inexpensive hostess gifts during this season. Also, you can appliqué a cute shape to sweatshirt or an apron or a hand towel. There are many other suggestions we can add when you are in the shop. Just heed this last call for Christmas motif fabrics at 50% off.

The $500 Rebate from Husqvarna Viking when you purchase a Designer Diamond Deluxe is NOW. The offer ends on December 15, 2011. Buy your deLuxe by close of business on Thursday and qualify for a manufacturer rebate of $500. This doesn't happen often and the qualifying machine is super special as well. You get the capability of using the 15-inch square hoop in machine embroidery. There is easy maneuverability of designs on the machine screen as well. This machine is the BEST and the savings are tremendous. Don't let your personal Santa miss this.

Monday Is Final Day to Save $50 off $75!
Until midnight Monday, December 12, you can save $50 off the purchase of $75 of embroidery designs at www.myembroideries.com. Just go on line to that site and choose at least $75 worth of designs. Use the code provided for you when you check out, making sure you have chosen Heirlooms & Comforts as your dealer. Then you save big. Download your designs in the proper format for whatever machine or software you are using. Enjoy stitching!

Making a List

Are you making a list and checking it twice to see if you have forgotten to make something wonderful for everyone? Well, we can probably help you or those who shop for you with planning for having it all done properly. Have you seen the great table-full of gifting ideas that Sue put together in the shop? She has some good ideas for the Secret Sister or the co-worker or the daughter who sews or the grandmother who crafts. On the top is the Gift Certificate from Heirlooms & Comforts that allows the recipient to choose exactly what she wishes to have this year. Drop by the shop to see the arrangement on the "idea table" and to purchase the Gift Certificates that fit just right into the stockings hung by the chimney.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Patterns
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature patterns at 20% off. This is a terrific idea for stocking stuffers. Patterns are for quilts, table runners, jackets, purses and totes, Redwork, wall hangings, appliqué, and more. The choices are many and the value is great this week - 20% off your choice of pattern.

The Husqvarna Viking offer of $500 Consumer Rebate on the purchase of a Designer Diamond deLuxe sewing and embroidery machine will expire on December 15, 2011. This is a big offer for those who wish to have the Diamond deLuxe. Don't let your special Santa miss this opportunity for making you the happy recipient of this great machine. Remind him to be sure to come by this week to make this deal!

Free for December
Go to the Husqvarna Viking Web site to get a free embroidery design and project instructions each month. During December you can get a Christmas tree design to incorporate into a Greeting Card Holder free project. Be sure to follow the instructions on the site for getting the designs at no charge. Then you can print out the .pdf file for the project. Enjoy making this handy hanging.

Free, Free, Free
At Heirlooms & Comforts during the month of December the purchase of a Sapphire 875 will carry with it a free Limited Edition Quilter's Kit that includes a Quilters Foot Kit, an Extension Table, a Travel Bag for the Extension Table, a Spinner Tray for the Extension Table, and a Quilting Needle 5-pack. A $320 value is Free, Free with the Husqvarna Viking Sapphire 875 purchase.

Headlong Toward Yuletide

Now it is time to charge headlong toward the Yuletide season. We are ready at Heirlooms & Comforts to do just that. Down come the haystacks and pumpkins, and up go the Santas and Herald Angels. We will be looking for the appropriate fabrics to make those table runners and napkins and even some ornaments. Have you gotten the stockings completed? This Grandma managed to get the additional two done before leaving for a Texas Thanksgiving. Some of our holiday fabrics remain and they are the latest arrivals into the shop. They are very pretty; so if you are not done there are still some great things to work with.

And by the way, if your personal Santa has not received your wish list yet, let him know that there are some really good prices on our Husqvarna Viking sewing and embroidery machines and software. Send him in to Heirlooms & Comforts for the great help our staff can offer. We also issue Gift Certificates so that the recipient can make her own choices. Be sure to convey all this information to your Santa.

Sara

Husqvarna Viking is offering a $500 Rebate on the purchase of a Designer Diamond deLuxe from now until December 15. When you purchase or trade up to a DDDluxe, you get an opportunity to apply for a $500 rebate directly from Husqvarna Viking. What a great chance to save, but it ends on December 15, 2011. Look on the H-V website to get more information.

H&C Feature of the Week: Clean Off the Bolt
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature our Clean Off the Bolt special. If you clean off a regular price bolt of fabric you get 25% off the original price. We have a large number of skinny bolts in the regular price fabric racks. Also, if you clean off a sale priced bolt of fabric you get an additional 10% off the original price of the fabric. So, you could be getting 40%, 50% or 60% off if you take it all. Think of those Secret Sisters and others who would love a "batch" of great fabrics to add to their stashes.

Special Financing
At Heirlooms & Comforts from now until December 2, 2011, we can offer you 24 Months with no interest financing on your purchase of a Husqvarna Viking machine or Embroidery Software. Two years with no interest, now there's a deal for you. See us soon because December 2 is Friday, you know. We will help you with the application for the GEMoney Home Design Card and process the sale for you. We're ready; come on in.

Give Thanks!

Give thanks! What an open request this is. We can be thankful for so much in our generously blessed lives that it is time-consuming to try to enumerate each category, not to mention each item. Our individual faiths dictate the supreme thanks and our personal experiences dictate our inter-personal gratitudes. This season of the year gives us an opportunity to remember and to voice our feelings.

At Heirlooms & Comforts we would like to give a collective thank you to all our wonderful patrons who visit us from day to day and have become integral components of our business family. Your beautiful faces and personalities have become the joy of our daily business life. Thank you for making our days!

Sara

Thanksgiving Hours
At Heirlooms & Comforts we will observe the following hours:

• Wednesday, November 23: Close at 2:00 pm
• Thursday thru Saturday, November 24-26: Closed

Reopen for regular hours 10-5 on Monday, November 28.

Last Minute Class
Recently we pointed out a winter (holiday) print to Gail Sexton and instantly she declared that it needed a snowman. She gave it a snowman and friends in a matter of a day or so, and now the resulting wall hanging is a Last Minute Class. Gail has created a pattern for the delightful wall quilt that is about 24"-27" square and is offering it to you as a class on November 28 and December 5, Mondays, from 10:00 to 1:00. There is a $3 pattern and a $48 tuition for this class. You go home with a friendly snowman design that has your choice of cats or dogs with the jolly fellow and with your choice of hat style on the snowman. Really, this is one of the nicest designs we have seen for the winter! This promises to be a great learning experience. See it soon and register for the class.

H&C Feature of the Week: Christmas Motif
At Heirlooms and Comforts this week we will continue to offer Christmas Motif fabrics at 30% off regular price with a 1/2 yd minimum cut. Remember that we will be open only for three days this week; so get into the shop before you begin cooking for the holiday or traveling for Thanksgiving so that when you are "stuffed like a turkey" you will be ready to sew and sew.


Filling the request from the Stabilizer Event
This is sure to "stabilize" you and your center of gravity!

Mema's Pound Cake
1 lb. Creamery butter softened at room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 cups of eggs
4 cups of flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract (can substitute almond extract)

Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer until light in color and fluffy in appearance. Sift flour before measuring. Alternately add eggs and flour and salt, beating as little as possible to thoroughly mix. Fold in extract, blending well.

Bake in a greased and floured tube or Bundt pan at 300 degrees about 1 hour or until lightly browned and pulling away from pan. Done when testing "straw" comes clean when inserted into cake. Turn out onto cooling rack and try not to cut it before it cools (ha, ha!)

More than Fifty Years

As high school friends approach and pass fifty-year anniversaries they begin to gather for a celebration. We had such an event recently among those of us who graduated from D.W. Daniel High School with folks who completed high school from 1958 to 1963. That kind of occasion is always fun and a little bittersweet for remembering classmates who have passed away from this life. When we met on November 5, little did we know that two beloved members of that group would be in such trauma and loss within a week's time. It is with saddened heart that we offer our collective sympathy to the family and friends of Linda Webb Martin who lost her life as a result of injuries in an auto accident last week. She and Joe were married for 53 years and set such an example of love and joy for all of us in that wonderful marriage that was blessed with three great children. All have become great friends of Heirlooms & Comforts in the years we have been in business. Those of you who enjoy Cheryl's embroidery classes will remember Linda and her enthusiasm for stitching even when the awful specter of Alzheimers began to dim her capabilities for remembering how to do the next step. Such a gentle person and so appreciative of the kindnesses offered for those of you who saw her often. Heirlooms and Comforts was her haven away from home and we will miss her. Linda, my admired friend from childhood, fly freely with the angels!

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Christmas Motif
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature 30% off Christmas motif fabrics. There are a number of really pretty Christmas holiday fabrics in our shop just now and you can choose some really great motifs for your holiday sewing and decorating. Some of the motifs are just plain fun for the kids and those who are young at heart. Ask about the ten-minute table runner and look at the sample that Sue sewed for the holiday display. Of course, the better selections are available for the early shoppers. Don't wait too long to choose your favorites at 30% off (half-yard minimum cut, please).

Last Minute Class
Recently we pointed out a winter (holiday) print to Gail Sexton and instantly she declared that it needed a snowman. She gave it a snowman and friends in a matter of a day or so, and now the resulting wall hanging is a Last Minute Class. Gail has created a pattern for the delightful wall quilt that is about 24"-27" square and is offering it to you as a class on November 28 and December 5, Mondays, from 10:00 to 1:00. There is a $3 pattern and a $48 tuition for this class. You go home with a friendly snowman design that has your choice of cats or dogs with the jolly fellow and with your choice of hat style on the snowman. Really, this is one of the nicest designs we have seen for the winter! This promises to be a great learning experience. See it soon and register for the class.

Thanksgiving Hours
At Heirlooms and Comforts we will observe the following hours:

• Wednesday, November 23: Close at 2:00 pm
• Thursday thru Saturday, November 24-26: Closed

Reopen for regular hours 10-5 on Monday, November 28.

Stabilizer Event
At Heirlooms & Comforts we are looking forward to seeing all of those who are joining us for a special program on the use of stabilizers on Friday. We expect a great presentation from Viking Educator Gail Dodson that will be beneficial for all of us who like to appliqué and embroider.

Fallin'

Fallin'! So what does fall season do for you? Do you get a particular mood when the leaves begin to fall and the temperature begins to fall? Does your disposition begin to fall? I think that a study of personal moods in autumn would provide quite an interesting contrast of conditions. For me, there is an energizing force somewhere in all the color and the briskness and the anticipation of coming holidays and family times. I look forward to the aromas that come with the autumn season. Think of the odor of smoke curling from the chimneys as folks begin to warm themselves by a crackling fire. Think of the aroma from the kitchen as we bake apples, pumpkins and sweet potatoes. Add in those special breads and cakes and pies. (In the south you kinda just go with the flow when the turnip greens and collards are cooking. Instead, think of the cornbread to go with those greens.) Hot soup is soul food when combined with that cornbread. After a brisk walk, how about snuggling in a cozy quilt to read a book (or your e-reader) or to whip down the binding on that last quilt you just quilted (or received from the longarm quilter). Quilt making just seems to "fall" into fall. So we are looking for you in the shop soon to select your next projects!

Sara

Special Shop Hours
At Heirlooms & Comforts on Saturday, November 12, we will NOT be open at all because the Clemson home football game with Wake Forest is starting at noon. This game will mark 53 years that Bobby has been to every home game that the Tigers have played. Can't miss this one.


Thanksgiving Holiday Hours - Close at 2:00 PM Wednesday, Nov. 23; reopen Monday, Nov. 28 at 10:00 AM.


Special Event
At Heirlooms & Comforts on November 18 we are hosting a Stabilizer Event with Gail Dodson, Viking Educator from the west coast of USA. She will be demonstrating the use of machine embroidery and machine appliqué, and how stabilizers aide in making those designs great in the stitch-out. She will discuss which needles and the styles and uses of certain ones. If you have already called to sign up for this all-day session, which includes lunch that we serve, please send your tuition or call with a credit card payment to secure your seat in our limited space. Also, we want to have the count correct for lunch. All day November 18, 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM with lunch and a "goodie gift bag," related to stabilizers and embroidery (10 free designs) for a tuition $15. Yet another bargain! Complete your registration with payment to reserve your seat.


H&C Feature of the Week: One Item 25% Off
At Heirlooms and Comforts this week we will feature any one item of your choice at 25% off. The item can be anything in stock with the exception of machines, sergers, cabinets, and embroidery software. You choose; you save.



Fall Retreat
The other thing that autumn means locally is that Quilting in Toccoa - Fall 2011 is this week (formerly known as Quilters' Rescue Mission or R&R Retreat). That means that Sara has loaded the trailer again and made the shop look funny. We will be normal again after Thursday.

Quilting in Toccoa

Changes

Many times you have heard me say that life is a series of changes and that we have to roll with the flow. Well, once again all around us is changing. Just look at the world around you! This year the dogwood trees and the oak trees are the stars of the show. How could they be any more burgundy than they are just now? As Bobby and I rode through the hills on the way to Shop Hop meeting in Asheville on Friday we were amazed at the blazing color even in a year of not such good conditions for beautiful fall foliage. How could anyone not love the autumn part of the year? Mother Nature is always sneaking up on us with some kind of beauty - thanks, Mother!

Sara

Special Closing
November 1, Tuesday, we will be closed. Unfortunately the new sidewalk at the shop is not as the engineers had anticipated it would be. The efficiency of turning rainwater from the front door and eliminating puddles didn't happen. Sooooo-now on Monday, Oct 31 the construction company is back to our front door to chop up the new sidewalk making way for a newer, re-engineered pouring of the section in front of our doors. They have been three weeks deciding exactly how they wished to do this: On Monday they will jack hammer the concrete. We will be open for business, but watch your step coming in. On Tuesday, November 1, we will be closed for the pouring of concrete. It will be suitable for walking on by Wednesday morning when we open again. Hopefully, this will be the last of the inconvenience for all of us; but we are thankful for the progress we are making toward a safer, smoother entry to Heirlooms & Comforts.

Special Event
Calling all who sew, embroider and machine appliqué! On November 18 (Friday) we will host Gail Dodson, a Husqvarna Viking Educator from the west coast, USA, in a special all-day trunk show and demo. For a $15 fee you will get unbelievable inspiration for machine embroidered and sewn projects, knowledge for how to use stabilizers and when to use different types of needles, tricks you can do with embroidery software, and we will buy your "lunch with the girls." Gail has an entirely new set of ideas for us coming from a different background than we have had before in our events. You will receive a bag of "goodies" from the world of stabilizing and embroidery and appliqué that is worth more than $25. There will be specials on various products that day as well. What a fun start for the holidays of 2011! Seating is limited in our classroom, so sign up early to take advantage of the opportunity to once again be inspired and have fun. Call the shop today.

H&C Feature of the Week: Clean Off the Bolt
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we are featuring Clean Off the Bolt Week. For the entire week we will honor our regular procedure of 25% off any regular price fabric when you take all that is left on the bolt. When you take all that is left on a sale priced bolt you get an additional 10% off. There are some bolts on the sale table that have enough left for quilt backs. Take advantage of these bargains this week!

Glorious Day

We just returned from the fall meeting of the Quilters of South Carolina at the Pieceable Retreat 2011 at the White Oak Conference Center. There were 319 women and one man from all over the state of SC who met for three days of classes and convivial fun. This is a place and time when South Carolinians teach South Carolinians skills and techniques that they have perfected. The setting for this meeting was absolutely couched in the most beautiful weather you could imagine. The sky was brilliant and the temperature was moderate and the company was good. Any time that you are among good quilters, you are among good people!

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Inspira Needles
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature Inspira Needles in the carded packs of 5 or 10 needles buy one get one free (of equal or lesser value). These are the great needles that Husqvarna Viking makes that are our favorite needles for the machines of all brands. These are specially made and polished sonically to make them smooth and strong. All this week get buy-one-get-one on machine needles

Look at Husqvarna’s Web Site
We at Heirlooms and Comforts recommend that you go every week to the Husqvarna Viking web site to read about and experience special things that are going on with Viking. There are free projects and free designs that you can download. There are instructions for making various things and for special techniques. There is information about machines. And, there are coupons and special offers for your savings. Go to that site often; who knows what great thing could happen to you.

Retreat Time

The time of year for retreats planned for quilters has rolled around again. I was counting just the other day how many times Heirlooms & Comforts has been to Pieceable Retreat in Winnsboro, SC at White Oak Conference Center - seventeen with a break the year (?) a hurricane preempted us because the center is an evacuation point. That means every time QSC has met for Pieceable Retreat we have been there. And, we are going again this week. The retreat filled instantly this year with more than 315 quilt enthusiasts registered. We will be together for three days and "fun will be had by all", including learning new techniques and stretching our creative personalities. Join Quilters of South Carolina and become eligible for attendance next year - it is a real bargain for membership and the community of interest is uplifting.

Sue and I will be there when everyone arrives on Friday!

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: My Embroideries
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature the special that is offered through October 20 at www.myembroideries.com. When you purchase $100 worth of embroidery designs from the web site and put in the special code of "50off100" at checkout you will get a $50 savings on the $100 purchase. That, my friend, is one-half price. You choose the designs you want and load your basket with them. Then at checkout you enter the special code (50off100) and select Heirlooms & Comforts as your dealer and you get a great savings. Remember you must choose and buy by the end of the day on October 20.

Closed Saturday
Heirlooms & Comforts will be closed Saturday, October 22, 2011, because of a noon kick-off time at the Clemson home game with North Carolina. Be sure to complete your shopping with us for the week on Friday so that you are not disappointed when you find us not open on Saturday.

H&C Traveling Time
Traveling time for Heirlooms & Comforts means that if you have been eyeing a particular fabric on the sale table waiting for a better discount, your time may run out. On Wednesday morning we will begin loading the trailer with fabrics and quilting supplies to go to the retreats. Most years those fabrics do not come back to the shop, especially the sale fabrics. You have Monday and Tuesday to get that favorite sale fabric before we move down the road with all the sale fabrics. Fair warning.

Deluxe Rebate
Beginning now there is a Manufacturer's Rebate offer of $500 on the purchase of a Designer Diamond Deluxe! That includes trade-ups. Come on in to Heirlooms & Comforts and get the details. We are ready to make the deal.

Me, Too!

All the other boys have had their chance at writing Grandma's letter to you; so, I said, "Me, too!" My name is Miles and I am Finn's twin brother. One great thing is that Finn and I do not "look like twins." I am just different and I love it. Grandma says that that is the way things get to be in the world of sewing and quilting too. Everybody's project does not look the same even if they are made in the same class. My daddy likes to be different, too. He even plays soccer still and he is getting closer to 40 years old. Grandma thinks that is pretty brave of him to tempt bodily injury that way, especially with the three of us to get grown and educated.

You know, Grandma and Grandpa were here in Texas recently to visit and help get our house ready to live in. I heard Grandma ask Mama some questions about our Christmas stockings so I guess that means she is trying to remember how she made those for the family last year so that she can make mine and Finn's match the others. Have you ever made quilted Christmas stockings? Grandma quilts them, she said, on her Husqvarna Viking Designer Diamond sewing and embroidery machine. That sounds like fun to us. My Nana has one of those H-V machines, too, and she gets things made much faster than Grandma does. But, everybody is different - like Finn and me. You really should see Grandma and the ladies at H&C if you don't have one of those H-V machines. They can show you how they work and you can buy one to make your Christmas stuff. They even have some previously owned Designer Diamonds that are priced very nicely for bargain buys.

Well, I need to go practice rocking on my hands and knees getting ready to crawl. I'm going to surprise Mama and Daddy one day and before Finn thinks of it I am going to crawl away from the quilt they put us on down on the floor. Then I will get away from them all and find some kind of mischief to get into. My big brother Naaman probably will help me get into something. I can count on that, don't you think? Go see Grandma and the ladies soon.

Miles Ballentine

H&C Feature of the Week: Notions
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will feature 30% off any one notions item of your choice. That means you can choose scissors or needles or thread or ruler, etc. at 30% off during this week October 10-15. In stock items only qualify for this promotion.

Streetscape
Pretty much the construction work has been completed except for some tweaking of the area just at the front door of Heirlooms & Comforts. The grass is growing in the "green spaces" and we have some of the flowers planted at the front of the shop. The stop sign is in place so that the intersection is safer for drivers and pedestrians as well. The crosswalk looks great and is designed to aid those who park on Banks Street or in the Handicap Space just directly across from our front door. There are numerous parallel parking spaces down Madden Bridge Rd. on both sides of the street all the way to the front of the Roller Mill. Bobby has placed steppingstones in the "green space" to help you get onto the sidewalk without getting your feet dirty. Hopefully, you will find these great safety improvements beneficial as you come and go at Heirlooms & Comforts.

Meet Newest Associate
At Heirlooms & Comforts we are happy to introduce you to our newest associate on the sales floor. Carolyn Harris is a resident of nearby Fair Play in Oconee County. She and John live on a working farm where they raised a daughter and a son. Carolyn worked for a number of years with the Clemson University Extension Service in Oconee County, which gave her experience in a diverse group of specialties. One of those specialties is the discipline of sewing, both clothing and home décor. Carolyn possesses great expertise in handling fabrics and in quilting. She produces wonderful projects and is especially talented as an instructor. She can teach any skill she has developed over the years, as many of you have experienced in the classes she has taught at Heirlooms & Comforts. We are extremely pleased that Carolyn is spending some of her retirement time with us at Heirlooms & Comforts. Come by to welcome her.

Classes
Fall classes at Heirlooms & Comforts are now on the web site in several formats and are easy for you to print out if you wish to have reminders of the schedule. To hold your seat in class you must complete registration with tuition payment. We will give you a copy of the instructor's class supply list and you can receive a 10% discount on those items when you purchase them at Heirlooms & Comforts. Call soon to register.

Class Listing

New Voice

Finn Ballentine here. I'm the smallest of the Ballentine boys, but don't underestimate my strength! My twin brother Miles was pretty nice to let me be the spokesman for this newsletter. But, you know, it works both ways. I'm nice to him too; I even let him gnaw and gum my foot when they put us on the quilt on the floor to play. His tooth is not yet breaking the gum like mine is. He may be four pounds heavier than me, but I'm getting teeth first and he better be on his best behavior or I'll have a weapon for him. Really, though, I like playing with him and sharing time with him while Mom is tending to our older brother Naaman (2 yrs.) You know Naaman just might have a good idea about only using the word NO so much and I think Miles and I will note this for when we get to be two.

Grandma and Grandpa (Naaman usually calls him Bobby unless Grandma insists that he say Grandpa) came to Texas for a week to help my family move to our larger house. We just needed more space to be comfortable as a family and, boy, did we get it. There is even a room that Grandma and Grandpa can use when they come again. This past week Grandma watched us with the help of our Aunt Sissy while Dad, Mom, and Grandpa did all kinds of jobs at the new house. Our Nana and Poppy live just five minutes away, but they were moving into that new house this same week. Sissy let us all stay at her house when the furniture left our little house.

I hope that those nice ladies at Heirlooms & Comforts were able to take care of all your requests while Grandma helped here. My brothers and I enjoyed having Grandma and Grandpa in Texas. Now they are back in South Carolina with my cousins and at their work. We Ballentine boys put our heads together and decided that they should come more often to visit because they play games and do things that Mom and Dad don't seem to have time to do. Please don't get mad if they start to do that more often. We love it. Grandma has a really great smile when she is playing with us and we like to see that. You know how patient Grandpa is when he is working on your machines? Well, he is that patient when he is teaching us to play games too. That really is nice!

Finn

H&C Feature of the Week: Clean Off the Bolt and 50-off-75
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week there are two features: Clean Off the Bolt all week and 50-off-75 from MyEmbroideries.com.

As usual we have our first full week of the month event for clearing the bolt -- take all of a regular price fabric on the bolt and get 25% off or take all of a sale price bolt to get an extra 10% off the original price. We had a number of skinny bolts ready to cleaned.

The second great feature is MyEmbroideries.com is having a special event from Oct. 3 until Oct. 6. When you spend $75 or more with MyEmbroideries.com you will receive $50 off and you must use the code 50off75 when checking out after making your selections. How about that -- $75 worth of embroidery designs for only $25. You should be sure that Heirlooms & Comforts is selected as your dealer when making this purchase. Great week for saving!

Exception to Normal Saturday Shop Hours
At Heirlooms & Comforts on Saturday, October 8, we will close the shop at 1:00 for the Clemson Homecoming Game with Boston College. October 22, 2011 shop hours will be announced at a time closer to that date. Other Saturdays in October are normal hours of 10:00 AM till 3:00 PM.

Classes
In case you didn't notice last week, the class schedule is on-line on our web site. Peruse it and make your choices. We are ready to roll. The process is to complete registration by paying your class fee to secure your seat in the class. We print out a supply list for you and help you make your choices for the class. It is all fun and a great learning experience for all of us. Look over the schedule for fall and give us a call!

Class Listing

End of 3rd Quarter

In many venues of the working world, life is based on quarters (not to be confused with Fat Quarters, although some managers would like more "fat" quarters). As this week is the last in the 3rd quarter of 2011, we should begin to prepare for the ending ¼ of the year. This includes Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We have at Heirlooms & Comforts fabrics that speak to all of these holiday times. We can also suggest many effective ways to use these fabrics to enhance your final quarter of this year, even incorporating fat quarters. See us. We can help you make it happen.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Fall Fabrics 30% off
At Heirlooms & Comforts this week we will continue to feature Fall Themed Fabrics, except now we will offer them at a 30% discount thru October 1 (1/2yd minimum cut, please). There are still plenty of choices remaining in stock. This will help you get ready for the fourth quarter of 2011 filled with sewing fun.

Learn to Sew
Many of you have asked for a basic learn to sew class. Susan Wainscott has agreed to teach this class. It is scheduled for this week on the 28th. Sue will teach you machine basics about threading, stitches to use, and tensions. You will have classes on how to read a pattern, how to hem, how to install a zipper. If you have special requests for specific sewing methods, you can submit those for inclusion in the course. Other sessions for this class will be on Oct. 12, Oct. 26, and Nov. 9. Call to register early in the week.

Previously Owned Husqvarna Vikings
At Heirlooms & Comforts we still have some previously owned Husqvarna Viking sewing machines that are aching to be taken into new homes. There are several Designer Diamonds, a Sapphire, a Designer II, and a #1 all polished up and ready to go. Check with us for the bargains; you'll be glad you did.

View our Previously Owned Machines

Pay Attention

It is time to really pay attention to the changes around Heirlooms & Comforts. The work on the streetscape is almost complete so that there are changes to be noticed. There is a new spot for the Handicap Parking directly across the street from the front door. DOT regulations change sometimes and the distance between a parking space and a corner is important. The curbing and the "island planters" secure the corner of Bank and Madden Bridge Rd. The new handicap space is also larger and allows for getting a wheelchair or walker out and going in a safer manner on a level surface. There is also a new ramp and a crosswalk (not yet painted in the street, but coming). This will provide safer movement for all of us from one side of the street to the other at the new STOP sign that will go into place at the corner on October 7. Now we will have all-way stopping at the corner, which will slow traffic to a safer speed and also allow us to cross more safely. Although the parallel parking spaces on the sides of Madden Bridge Rd seem to be relocated, there are now 18 spaces in our two-block area whereas there were only 8 marked before. The sidewalk is new and wide and will allow for pulling your machine cart on a smoother, safer surface as you come in for classes and lessons. You will notice new plantings at the front of the shop. Bobby gets the credit for that installation. Hopefully we can keep them alive.

We are grateful to the Department of Transportation and the Town of Central for their attention to "our side of the tracks" with this project that has improved the safety and the appearance of the area. Just be sure you are paying attention to the new stop sign that will be in effect on October 7, 2011.

Sara

H&C Feature of the Week: Fall Fabrics 25% off
At Heirlooms & Comforts we have received a number of great autumn themed fabrics from a variety of sources. We have Halloween prints that are cute. We have harvest prints that are both cute and stylish, some even with metallic gold accent. This week we will feature these themed fall prints at 25% off with a minimum cut of 1/2yd. There is one especially nice stripe fabric that is going to be great in the Striped Table Runner pattern. See for yourself. 25% off Fall Fabrics this week.

Special Shop Hours this Saturday
As we announced earlier this month, September brings some busy weekends in the lives of our employees and customers. Some of us have a habit of attending home football games at Clemson University, and for that reason we will have unusual hours when there are home games. On Saturday, September 24 we will CLOSE AT 1:00pm because the game is set for 3:30pm kickoff.

Watch our emails to know when other home games are played and what our hours will be for those days. Thanks for your accommodating our fun times!

Two Great Embroidery Quilts
We have two really good classes about to start that teach how to effectively use embroidery and machine embroidery appliqué. Cheryl Keith has designed these two classes to use your machine's capability beautifully. You can make International Sunbonnet Sue blocks and set them creatively to get a really unusual "traditional" quilt. Katagami Quilt And/or you can make a beautiful Asian motif hanging or throw using an embroidery design of the traditional Koi fish and navy/cream fabrics. These classes teach you so much about your embroidery machine you may not know yet. These classes fill fast; so don't hesitate. Complete your registration with payment right away to assure your place in class.

View Upcoming Classes