Whew!!! It is HOT outside!! I'm a tropical island girl at heart, so I love warm weather, but if it's going to be this hot there had better be an ocean beach in my back yard! So perhaps it's time to come inside (inside the shop, that is!) and cool off... enjoy the beautiful cool colors... and get stocked up for some summer stitching fun!

Lots to tell you in this newsletter -- but let's get the important stuff out of the way first!

Important announcement #1:

Shiisa Quilts will be closed on Saturday July 4th. Have a safe holiday!

Important announcement #2:

Congratulations to the winners of the

Shiisa Quilts "Out of the Blue" Challenge

Viewers' Choice ($50 Gift Card): Lola Thorpe

Staff Pick ($20 Gift Card): Jean Baumert

Mystery Judge ($20 Gift Card): Pam Richards

Thanks to everyone who entered!! It was FUN!!

Important announcement #3:

SALE ON CLOSEOUTS --

Saturday June 27th through Friday July 3rd

• Closeouts Fabric (everything on the closeouts rack!): Buy 2 yards, get the 3rd yard *FREE!! Minimum 1 yard cuts.
• Closeouts Books, Patterns, Software: Buy 2, get the 3rd *FREE!!

*You know the rules... the free item is equal or lesser value...

FAT QUARTER STOCK-UP SALE -- 10 for $20 (current FQ stock only!)

Important announcement #4:

Check out our New Arrivals!!

Great Home Dec 54" fabrics by Joel Dewberry and Amy Butler

only $5.99 per yard!

More beautiful batiks from Princess Mirah Designs

Be a Man by Douglas Day for Free Spirit Fabrics

Important announcement #4:

Coming Next Week!!

The Accuquilt Go! Cutter

Great for quilters, sewers, scrapbookers, and crafters!

Watch Ricky and Alex demonstrate the Go!Cutter

Important announcement #5:

Did you know we have one of those very special Fifth Fridays in July?? That means it's time for 4F Night at Shiisa Quilts...

Clear your calendar for Friday night... July 31st... 6 to midnight... we're gonna be stitching... and chatting... and laughing... and you'll go home with a cool mystery project!! You haven't signed up yet??? What are you waiting for??? Fifth Friday Fun with Friends... don't miss it!

Important announcement #6

Please join your friends for Charity Quilting Day on the 2nd Friday of each month from 10am until 5pm. Come for the whole day or just part of the day! We're working on quilts for various Bloomington organizations such as Jill's House, Middleway House, Bloomington Hospital and more! You don't have to be a super-quilter to join us -- you simply need to want to share your time and talent with people who need us! We can sure use your help! It's a great way to learn new skills, meet new friends, and play with fabric!

Upcoming Classes:

Need a link to our Calendar?

Monthly Design Series with Mary Buvia -- there's still room in Thursday's class! Register today!

Quilting Beyond the Basics -

• Get to the Point! Wed, July 1 & 8, 5-8 pm. Learn the basics of setting blocks on point -- including the formula so that you can calculate it for different sized blocks! No algebra required!
• Turkey Tracks - Wed July 15 & 22, 5-8pm. Learn the secrets of paper-piecing!
• CrossRoads - Wed July 29 & Aug 5 - Half Square Triangles and more Flying Geese!

"Invisible" Applique with Mary Buvia - Thursday July 9, 10am-2pm. This has been a very popular class -- and there's no pre-requisite!

Make Your First Quilt - 6 weekly sessions - begins again on Thursday July 9, 5-7:30pm. Start at the very beginning and make a beautiful lap quilt!

Gift Boxes Quilt - Fun with 2-1/2 inch strips! Saturday July 11, 11am-5pm

Bundle of 12 - Look what you can do with 12 Fat Quarters! (hmmm... stock up at our FQ sale and then sign up for the class!) Tuesday July 14, 10am-4pm

Big Bold & Beautiful - Make a great quilt with the Crafty Ol' Broads! Friday July 17, 10am-4:30pm

Beginning Machine Quilting with Mary Buvia - Saturday July 18 & August 1, 10am-2pm ONE SPACE LEFT!

Quick Start Sewing - Are you a new Shiisa Quilts Bernina owner? Then this class is for you! Learn the basics of your machine in this project-based class. Tuesday July 21, 11am-2pm

Mei Tai Baby Carrier - a great class for mommies-to-be OR a wonderfully unique shower gift for that special baby! Tuesday July 28, 11am-4pm.

Coming SOON!! Asian Block Swappers Club

Registration starts August 1st!

Join us for the Shiisa Quilts Asian Block-Swappers Club!! Each month you'll make six 8-inch Chinese Puzzle Blocks. We'll all use the same background fabric, but each block will have two additional fabrics --- you can make all six blocks the same (that's easier!) or you can use up your stash and make them different. Just be sure to follow the theme -- Asian fabrics! The next month -- same pattern... but use different fabrics!! Bring your six blocks to Shiisa Quilts by the 1st of the month and then come back after the 10th to pick up your swapped blocks. By the end of the 6-month swap, you'll have 36 different blocks to make into a really cool quilt! We'll give you some setting ideas each month, so that you can start dreaming and planning your quilt. Club Registration Fee: $10

Keep an eye on Shiisa Quilts in Cyber-Space!

Find us online... and you just never know when there might be a contest or give-away at one of these online places... you just never know...

Facebook -- become a fan!! If you load project pics on your FB account using SQ fabrics, patterns, books, or inspiration, please "tag" us!! We love to see your creations!

Shiisa Quilts Blog -- register with the blog to comment on posts or tell us you want to be a guest blogger for us... that would be fun!

Shiisa Quilts Online Shop -- register for classes... shop in your jammies... just check out what's new!!

Shiisa Quilts Classes & Events Calendar -- when you just have to know what's going on!!

Flickr -- pics pics and more pics!!

Bernina USA -- what a great website... from projects to product info to software updates, Bernina keeps us informed!

Bernina Owners Corner... Updates Available!

Bernina Owners!! Check here for firmware updates for your machines/software!

• New firmware updates for Bernina 820 and 830 owners. If you need assistance with the updates, bring in your machine during Tech hours and we'll do it for you!
• New style packets for MyLabel owners!

and... just a local note...

Support the Bloomington Winter Farmers' Market!!

I just voted in the "Love Your Farmers Market" contest sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org to help my favorite market, Bloomington Winter Farmers' Market, win a grand prize of $5,000. I care about promoting fresh, local and healthy foods, and I need your help to get enough votes to help Bloomington Winter Farmers' Market win. You can vote, too!

Thanks for being one of our very favorite people in the whole world -- without YOU we wouldn't be here! See you soon!

Jan and the Shiisa Quilts Staff

Brittney, Annie, David, Donna, Hannah, Jackie, and Will