We are a full-service quilt shop offering the best in quality cotton fabrics, featuring many exciting fabric lines to satisfy a variety of tastes. Browse our many books, patterns, and notions. Check out our hard-to-resist kits to get your project started. Also, we are very proud of our exclusive quilt patterns featuring local quilt artists.

News 08/11/10: While most people don’t get ramped up for the holidays for a few more months, quilters and quilt shops get started early! In August, quilt stores already have Halloween, Christmas and Hanukah fabric. Grocery stores don’t even have Halloween candy yet (or do they?). Cotton & Chocolate already has projects, classes and sales planned to help you get a jump on this season’s festivities.

Needless to say, our newsletter is ready for on-line viewing. The hard copy is still at the printer so you e-quilters get the first shot at seeing what's coming. As usual, the newsletter can be downloaded from the Classes page. Don't forget that you can also download a class sign-up form to complete in advance of coming to the shop. Click on the link below to download your copy of the newsletter which covers Sep through Dec 2010:

Class Schedule (PDF)

Click here Class Registration Form to download one you can fill out ahead of time.

Take a look at Penni’s Patchwork Christmas Stocking class, and Margie’s Holiday Tree Skirt, and Marie’s Tea Towel Time or pillow classes. Or how about Sue’s Pillow or Oven Mitt class, and Linda’s Placemat, Tablerunner or Napkins classes, and Vicki’s Easy PJ’s & Pillowcases class. Those are just some of the small holiday-oriented ideas. There are plenty of great full-size quilt classes, technique classes, and clubs to keep you in stitches from August to December.

Already have a project started or just need to get away? Come to one or more of Carole Frye’s fun Fridays Girls Nite Out classes to get some dedicated sew time while enjoying the company of fellow quilters. Want to design your own quilt? Come to one of Jerry’s Electric Quilt classes and learn how to design your next masterpiece. We also have some new “stitchery” classes happening that feature our wonderful Cosmo floss. Additionally look for a couple of new Redwork kits sure to stir the love of hand embroidery.

Finally, a big thank you to all of you who have been a part our participation in the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge. We just donated over 400 pillowcases to the Interface Children Family Services where they will find great homes. You can still participate as this challenge goes through the end of the year. Join us for our fun sew-in on Saturday September 8th.

There is always lots to do at Cotton & Chocolate, so please come by for a visit, stay for a class, and eat some chocolate!



News 08/05/10: Is it just me or did the summer go by really fast? I know that there is plenty of hot weather left this summer, but wow, it's already August and kids (and teachers) are already heading back to school. As many of our customers our teachers, I hope you enjoyed your brief summer and made some really great quilts!

While our family was able to get away some this summer (Hawaii is always a nice destination), we also worked very hard to make sure the shop remains a fun and exciting destination. The preparation for the fall quilt shows (Long Beach included) was brutal, but we have persevered. I thought the LB show was great! Everyone who joined us on the bus were wonderful shoppers. I remember the bus driver mentioning something about gas mileage going back due to the added weight of your purchases (just kidding).

Right now we are busy getting ready for two major events in August. The first is our 6th Anniversary Celebration coming up in just over a week on Saturday, August 14th. This is traditionally one of our biggest sales of the year. In addition to fabulous fun and flowing chocolate fountains, we are opening our doors to great discounts on everything in the store. A generous 25% off on all fabrics. This includes new lines, fabric on the bolts, towers, charm packs, layer cakes, jelly rolls, honey buns, fat quarters, fat eighths, and whatever other scraps you can find laying around. And that is just the start. You can pick up new books, patterns, and notions for a full 15% discount. Think about scissors, rulers, mats, blades, thread. Stock up now for the busy holiday sewing season! To top it off, we have some great new kits that will be marked down by 10%. We don't normally mark down our kits due to the amount of labor to put them together, but for this one day you can snatch up one of these great kits and save some money too! Mark your calendar and save this date - Saturday, August 14th, 10-5.

The second major event in August we are preparing for is the next class session. Sign-ups will start on Saturday, August 28th. While typing on this new schedule I can tell you there are once again more great classes than ever! Right now the only new class I will let you in on is my EQ Refresher class in which I will review the EQ basics for prior students and provide a summary of the new EQ7 features. In my next post I'll let you in on a few other jewels. Stay tuned and mark your calender for August 28th as well.

See you at our 6th Anniversary Celebration on the 14th, if not sooner!