Connecting People with the Joy of Quilting

Hi <%[First]%> <%[Last]%>,

Hello, my Quilters in Paradise!

This newsletter is brought to you by the letter 'B'. Why? Well, for starters, my husband, Mark, has (wrongfully) accused me of going on yet another Batik Buying Binge. I say "wrongfully" because getting a little over 100 bolts of gorgeous new Batiks from Hoffman, Robert Kaufman and Timeless Treasures isn't a "binge" ... Maybe I was a little overindulgent or overzealous ... just maybe. But I have to say that these are some of the best Batiks I've seen in quite awhile.

As many of you know, the 2010 Southern California Quilter's Run is coming up soon starting on Thursday, June 17th! With 38 participating shops, there's plenty of fun, fabric and prizes for all!

Of course, with all the sense of adventure and craziness there is with a quilt run, Mark had to ask: What's a good theme song for this year's run that starts with the letter 'B'? Well, Born to Run by the Boss, Bruce Springsteen, almost made it given its title. But instead, he chose to adapt the title and lyrics to a very well-known song that really gets the heart pumping and reflects the mood of a quilt run. So, sing along to the lyrics of Born to Go Run adapted from the classic song Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf. (And a piece of trivia from the letter 'B' ... Who wrote Born to be Wild? Answer: Mars Bonfire ... and, no, I'm not making this up!)

For the cat lovers out there, "Lucky 13" in the series of Garden Patch cats is now available and its name begins with 'B' ... Broc-Kitty! Although a certain US president whose last name began with 'B' (hint: Bush) didn't care for broccoli, we think Broc-Kitty is simply adorable. And laser-cut kits for Jeri Kelly's June Every Month table runner are now available. The sailboat theme is perfect for summer, beaches and San Diego!

Be sure to mark your calendar for the next Finish It Today (FIT) demo on Saturday, June 5th at 8:30 am. We have a special treat for you this time where you get to use your creative talents! Have some fun, enjoy some coffee and donuts, and get 15% off all non-sale merchandise.

Summer is only a few weeks away, but we've been busy lining up teachers and classes to help make your summer more enjoyable:

Jayne Kratzer is holding another session of her very popular Hat Expression class.

Carol Kaplan is teaching a mini-series of very simple-to-make quilts called ... you guessed it ... Keep It Sew Simple (KISS).

Mary Lou Rankin has scheduled several informative and hands-on garment making classes including Right Pattern - Wrong Fabric, Why'd She Do That & How'd She Make It Work, Casual & Comfortable Without Being Frumpy, Dress the Spirit As Well As the Body, The White Shirt, and A Jacket for All Seasons.

Karen Cunagin is teaching her ever popular Diamond Patch Bag and Cat's Game classes.

Sharon Wilhite is returning to teach an original design called Zandra's Choice.

Wendy Mathson is offering an excellent class for those who want to further develop their quilting skills with Intermediate Quilting & Skill Building.