What will you show off?

For many quilters, projects take a back seat to the outdoors during Montana's beautiful summers. But it's time to start thinking about what to enter (or make!) for the annual autumn Peace by Piece Quilt Guild show.

Here's the fun hat quilt Gordy Ann entered in the 2012 show.

This year's show is Oct. 11 and 12 at the Park County, Mont., fairgrounds. Peace by Piece is the guild that serves Livingston, Mont., and surrounding areas. The annual show is such a wonderful opportunity to get out and see what folks have been working on in the past year. Colors, patterns, techniques -- you'll get more ideas than you know what to do with!

The 2014 show has lots of fun categories: kids, holiday, modern, vintage, and even one for "man cave quilts." Head over to the guild's show page for all the details on categories.

If you need inspiration for what to enter or what to start working on, check out the guild's photogalleries. And don't be shy about brining your works in progress by the shop. We love to see what you're sewing! Thimbelina's Quilt Shop is located in downtown Livingston at 118 North B St.

We'll have more details about the show, including the really neat raffle quilt that's on display now in the shop, in upcoming blog posts.

Hang your quilts in style

Look at these beautiful quilt hangers we have in the shop, handmade by a local woodworker! Joe King of Livingston brought these in to us and we recently began carrying them. Joe crafts these quilt hangers out of various types of wood (alder, oak, cedar, etc.).

They are the perfect way to display your wall hangings without having to attach hang loops or worry about putting holes in you works of art by using pins. Just slip the quilt under the top bar and the little knobs secure it in place.

Joe's hangers are available in a range of sizes from 30 inches to 72 inches. They cost $1 per inch.

These hangers also make great gifts for the quilter in your life!

Solstice by Kate Spain

We are so excited about this pattern and fabric collection that we have in the shop now and online that we just had to share it here. 

Kate Spain (we love her designs!) partnered with Moda for this gorgeous collection. There's just something about the way the white in the fabrics sets off the crisp reds and greens that makes it feel really fresh and ripe for summer projects.

We also have the pattern that Kate Spain and Moda released to highlight this great collection. It makes a 68x68 inch square top. The pattern uses five different blocks set off by borders that really make the bright colors pop.

If you need a summer project, put this one on your "to quilt" list!

Mystery quilt class, coming right up!

We still have some spaces available for our mystery quilt class on Saturday, June 28. Choose your fabrics from three lovely colorways, then watch to see how they all come together.

Click here to find details on how to sign up. 

Frog and Toad Together, at Thimbelina's!

Remember the great Frog and Toad stories by Arnold Lobel? Clothworks Fabrics has a new Frog and Toad collection featuring those two little guys, and the fabrics are just darling.

We've got them in the shop (118 N. B Street in Livingston, MT, near Spirits liquor store) and in our online store).

These prints have us thinking about all kinds of cute presents for babies or kiddos: bibs, changing pads, burp cloths, bags to hold library books, wall hangings for the nursery, etc. And of course, a kid-sized quilt paired with one of the Frog and Toad books as a great little gift set.

Be sure to check out the Frog and Toad Together panel. It would make a nice centerpiece for a fast, simple quilt. Or cut out the little blocks and use them as appliqués for different items for baby or kiddo.