DCQ & Do It Yourself Emporium

Good Afternoon!

Such a nice week. So many things to be thankful for.

Our days were jam-packed with activity... parent/teacher conferences, book fair at the library, Haunted House at the theater, supper with friends. Plus, Matthew turned seven on Friday, and we had a big party at the theater, inviting his entire class plus a few special friends from the grades above and below for a movie, popcorn, and birthday cake. The party was chaotic but fun, and he loved every minute of it.

Last night, we took him out "Trick or Treating", neatly dressed in his Harry Potter costume. It was a beautiful evening, and so fun to walk around our little town, checking out the Halloween decorations and visiting with friends. It was the first time we've truly enjoyed Halloween as parents. Previous years have been so miserably cold that we couldn't wait to be get home.

In the midst of all of this, Friday was a crazy day at the shop. We couldn't help but laugh at the assortment of requests.

First a customer needed some burlap. "Burlap?" Luckily we had some Osnaburg linen that would work for her project.

Next, a pair of men arrived, looking for some "Speed Felt". That was a new one. It turned out they were making a poker table, and wanted to cover their creation with some speed felt so that the cards would slip neatly across the surface. They settled on Moda marble flannel in a lovely shade of blue. They also picked out some Warm & Natural batting for the padding.

Next, a customer looking for some silver fabric, "extra bright & really shiny." She and her husband wanted to dress as the "Black-Eyed Peas" for Halloween and planned to applique two large letter "P's" on the front of two black t-shirts. Of course, they would also use black makeup to blacken their eyes. Pretty creative, we thought. She ended up choosing a bright lime green batik, and we taught her how to use Steam A Seam to accomplish fusible applique.

Finally, our friend Ann-Marie arrived. She politely inquired, "Do you have any fabric I could use to make a pair of Smittens?" By then, we all had the giggles... "Smittens? Are you kidding? What are those?"

Ann-Marie explained that "Smittens" are mittens "built for two". Getting an early start on Christmas gifts, she planned to make a pair of "Smittens" for her daughter and daughter's boyfriend. A few minutes later, she left with a couple of coordinating flannels and some fleece for the lining. She promised to return with her finished "Smittens" so we could check them out.

I found the Smittens shown in this photo for sale at www.restorationhardware.com. for $49.00. Many other websites sell them. Just google "smittens"... if you want to buy a pair. Or, if you are feeling ambitious, make your own!

After a day like that, we considered changing the name of the shop to "Dakota Cabin Quilts & Do It Yourself Emporium". Then again, it was the day before Halloween, a full moon, and a whole lot of fun!