Welcome!
I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June.
-- L.M. Montgomery
...and now it is summer time! School is over, the flowers are blooming, and it's soon strawberry picking time. There's nothing quite like summer... the days seem easier, laughter is lighter, and color is everywhere. This is a wonderful month to begin a brand new quilting project, and perhaps you'll have it ready for your county fair or area quilt show later this summer.
Thanks for visiting the Hearts & Pines website! A tall glass of mango iced tea might be a perfect beverage as your browse my site today. In addition to what you see here, there are more clubs, more kits, and other items, too -- ask if you're looking for something in particular. There are three blogs to follow -- Nordic Arts, Quilting & Stitchery, and Paper Arts. The newest is the "PAPER ARTS BLOG" featuring CLOSE TO MY HEART products! Scrapbooking, cardmaking, papercrafts, and vinyl -- so much fun! I've been a CTMH Independent Consultant for several years, and it's just the best. On the Paper Arts Blog (last button in the green bar, above) you can see what's new, order my own custom-designed kits, finished greeting cards, and other items, AND you can click on the CTMH link to go directly to my official Close To My Heart website! HURRAY!
Looking for quilting items? Perhaps the newest fat quarter bundles from Kansas Troubles? Are you ready to start work on Moda's Blockheads 3 program this month? How about a quilt club? Two of our most popular clubs continue to be Moda Blockheads and Moda's "Be My Neighbor". Let me know if you're interested!
Our Gentle Arts Sampler and Shaker Threads Club is up and running. These hand over-dyed threads are gorgeous. This new Gentle Arts Thread Club is just for you stitchers! When you join this club, you'll receive a set of five Gentle Art beautiful skeins each month for a wonderful price of just $9.95 -- and that includes shipping! Each month's set will include a variety of colors and you won't receive doubles over the course of TWO full years; this club will include 96 different Gentle Arts skeins if you stay in the club for the two years. However, you may discontinue earlier -- whenever you want to -- if you prefer.
I'm also working toward offering custom-made traditional Norwegian Bunads for American Girl dolls! I'm in the planning and fabric preparation stages of fabrics and trims, and soon I'll begin the garment construction for these little beauties. Each bunad will feature some of my own hand stitched hardanger along with other traditional Norwegian trims. We visited Norway in June 2017 and again in September 2019, and we saw many women and girls wearing their traditional dresses while we were there.
We have a treasure trove of Thimbleberries patterns as well as a few fabrics and kits, and these gems are becoming more rare by the week -- and more valuable, too. Don't hesitate to ask for what you're looking for in Thimbleberries.
There are website pages and slideshows devoted to my original designs and some of my longarm quilting work and awards. The longarm quilting schedule is booked several years in advance, but if you have a special request, please inquire about the possibility of a date on the calendar when I might be able to quilt for you. Also, the Hearts & Pines blog is now part of this site instead of a separate site.
Check out our great, practical kits for "Bertie's Year"! Do you have an embroidery machine? If so, you'll love the "Changing Seasons" quilt clubs from The Stitch Connection. There are four separate parts, and you can join any or all. Each is a three month commitment and each is beyond adorable! All four of the quilts are the same size -- 33" x 45", so you can have four seasonal quilts to display throughout the year in just one special place in your home. Another GREAT quilt club with either machine OR hand embroidery options is Aunt Bea's Parlor, from Black Cat Creations. You can find a photo of one of the blocks on my blog. Looking for quilting and history? We have more "Farmer's Wife Sampler" memberships, so I hope you'll consider joining! There are two versions -- all Moda fabrics, featuring Howard Marcus Heritage fabrics or all Thimbleberries classic country colors. We'll also be starting a new round of our very own "Prairie School Sampler" this fall -- with beautiful fabrics from Kansas Troubles Quilters. "Quilting With Laura" and "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" Club are two of our clubs that attract steady attention. Please join us!
Our online shopping process has been simplified. We offer FREE SHIPPING in the USA on every order! Checkout is easy, as the transition to Pay Pal is smooth as silk. During the secure checkout process, you may use major credit and debit cards, or your Pay Pal balance. We continue to welcome international customers, and it's easy to make any necessary shipping adjustments -- just contact us. Have a wonderful time with the art of quilting and needlework during the coming months! -- Karie Hougard
The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. -- Thomas Moore
-- L.M. Montgomery
...and now it is summer time! School is over, the flowers are blooming, and it's soon strawberry picking time. There's nothing quite like summer... the days seem easier, laughter is lighter, and color is everywhere. This is a wonderful month to begin a brand new quilting project, and perhaps you'll have it ready for your county fair or area quilt show later this summer.
Thanks for visiting the Hearts & Pines website! A tall glass of mango iced tea might be a perfect beverage as your browse my site today. In addition to what you see here, there are more clubs, more kits, and other items, too -- ask if you're looking for something in particular. There are three blogs to follow -- Nordic Arts, Quilting & Stitchery, and Paper Arts. The newest is the "PAPER ARTS BLOG" featuring CLOSE TO MY HEART products! Scrapbooking, cardmaking, papercrafts, and vinyl -- so much fun! I've been a CTMH Independent Consultant for several years, and it's just the best. On the Paper Arts Blog (last button in the green bar, above) you can see what's new, order my own custom-designed kits, finished greeting cards, and other items, AND you can click on the CTMH link to go directly to my official Close To My Heart website! HURRAY!
Looking for quilting items? Perhaps the newest fat quarter bundles from Kansas Troubles? Are you ready to start work on Moda's Blockheads 3 program this month? How about a quilt club? Two of our most popular clubs continue to be Moda Blockheads and Moda's "Be My Neighbor". Let me know if you're interested!
Our Gentle Arts Sampler and Shaker Threads Club is up and running. These hand over-dyed threads are gorgeous. This new Gentle Arts Thread Club is just for you stitchers! When you join this club, you'll receive a set of five Gentle Art beautiful skeins each month for a wonderful price of just $9.95 -- and that includes shipping! Each month's set will include a variety of colors and you won't receive doubles over the course of TWO full years; this club will include 96 different Gentle Arts skeins if you stay in the club for the two years. However, you may discontinue earlier -- whenever you want to -- if you prefer.
I'm also working toward offering custom-made traditional Norwegian Bunads for American Girl dolls! I'm in the planning and fabric preparation stages of fabrics and trims, and soon I'll begin the garment construction for these little beauties. Each bunad will feature some of my own hand stitched hardanger along with other traditional Norwegian trims. We visited Norway in June 2017 and again in September 2019, and we saw many women and girls wearing their traditional dresses while we were there.
We have a treasure trove of Thimbleberries patterns as well as a few fabrics and kits, and these gems are becoming more rare by the week -- and more valuable, too. Don't hesitate to ask for what you're looking for in Thimbleberries.
There are website pages and slideshows devoted to my original designs and some of my longarm quilting work and awards. The longarm quilting schedule is booked several years in advance, but if you have a special request, please inquire about the possibility of a date on the calendar when I might be able to quilt for you. Also, the Hearts & Pines blog is now part of this site instead of a separate site.
Check out our great, practical kits for "Bertie's Year"! Do you have an embroidery machine? If so, you'll love the "Changing Seasons" quilt clubs from The Stitch Connection. There are four separate parts, and you can join any or all. Each is a three month commitment and each is beyond adorable! All four of the quilts are the same size -- 33" x 45", so you can have four seasonal quilts to display throughout the year in just one special place in your home. Another GREAT quilt club with either machine OR hand embroidery options is Aunt Bea's Parlor, from Black Cat Creations. You can find a photo of one of the blocks on my blog. Looking for quilting and history? We have more "Farmer's Wife Sampler" memberships, so I hope you'll consider joining! There are two versions -- all Moda fabrics, featuring Howard Marcus Heritage fabrics or all Thimbleberries classic country colors. We'll also be starting a new round of our very own "Prairie School Sampler" this fall -- with beautiful fabrics from Kansas Troubles Quilters. "Quilting With Laura" and "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas" Club are two of our clubs that attract steady attention. Please join us!
Our online shopping process has been simplified. We offer FREE SHIPPING in the USA on every order! Checkout is easy, as the transition to Pay Pal is smooth as silk. During the secure checkout process, you may use major credit and debit cards, or your Pay Pal balance. We continue to welcome international customers, and it's easy to make any necessary shipping adjustments -- just contact us. Have a wonderful time with the art of quilting and needlework during the coming months! -- Karie Hougard
The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. -- Thomas Moore