Top 5 Joys of a Family Business

Have you ever wondered what it's like to work with family?

Turning Twenty® is a family business.  Each of us play a part and each of us love this company. Together we are blessed to breathe life into Turning Twenty® and to serve you!

So, in a spirit of fun...today, I give you

The Top 5 Joys of a Family Business

1.  We have our own "Professional" departments

Photography

Prototype Feedback

Training

Customer Service

Research and Development

Security

Inventory

Logistics

Editing

2.  Our work area is always clean and inventory is always in it's appropriate place

3.  We are always in the office, dressed professionally and ready to work by 8 AM

4.  We always have time for a nutritious and well balanced lunch

5.  Finally, we never, EVER goof off!!

The greatest joy of all though...

and working with them isn't that bad either!

Blessings,

Turning Twenty® is now on Quilting Hub!

Turning Twenty has our own brand identity page on www.QuiltingHub.com. 

As you may know, this is a hybrid between a Facebook page and all those inaccurate shop lists floating around. This community site fixes all the inaccuracy issues, and makes it easier to find shops, brands and events.  

My favorite features are:

• Map of shops along the way (trip planning) - Such a great resource!!
• Shop last verified date (customer/community maintained)
• The ability to view sales and classes in a local calendar

With 800+ listings, 3,000+ events and 17,000+ unique users, we highly recommend Quilting Hub! And...it's free!  

Just click www.quiltinghub.com and register.  Then, we could use your help!  After registering, please make sure to like, fan and rate us!

A truly great resource for quilters!!

Turning Twenty® Is Going Through "The Change"

No!  Not "that" change!  :)

Over the coming weeks you will see some pretty big changes around here!  You may have already noticed our name change.  Let me share our story:

In 1980, I was bitten by the no-so-rare, but life-changing quilt bug.  If you are reading this you must know there is no cure and you never recover from that bite.  Using patterns found in magazines, I learned a little more with each quilt I made.  I had finally found my creative passion!  In time, I began to create my own designs and found tremendous satisfaction in my work.  In 1994, I purchased my first longarm quilting machine and taught myself how to just let go and quilt FREESTYLE!  What fun!!  From this passion, FriendFolks was born!

By 1999, FriendFolks had the pleasure of opening a Quilt Shop on the square in Graham, Texas - the largest square in Texas! Our shop was located in the old Liberty Theater. We made a lot of new "friendfolks" while our shop was open!

In October of 2000, we took our growing business to our very first Quilt Market - WOW - was that fun!  FriendFolks was a success and we made several important connections that began moving us into a new direction...designing and publication.

In 2002, I created Turning Twenty® and FriendFolks was forever changed.  We established FriendFolks Publishing Company and now market our books and patterns to distributors and quilt shops all over the world.

In 2005 we closed our quilt shop to focus entirely on designing and publishing our own patterns.

In 2006, Gary retired and we added digitized machine embroidery to our ever growing line of products.

After 19 years working for a local company, our son, Scott Cribbs, joined FriendFolks.  He is now Director of Warehouse, Distribution and Customer Service.

After 20 years in sales training and corporate management, our daughter, Michelle Barnett, joined FriendFolks.  She is now our Director of Sales and Marketing.

In 2012, Turning Twenty® celebrated it's 10th birthday!  We decided to celebrate by launching an entire new book series and Turning TEN® was born!

Which brings us to today.  We have been so blessed with such amazing friends in this business.  Our customers, shops, and distributors have made us who we are today!  We could never thank you enough for all the love and support you show us each and every day.  We are blessed to have been able to create a family business.  Not many people experience the joy of working with your husband, son and daughter!  Now, our grandchildren are becoming involved in the business.  It's a wonderful life!  

FriendFolks was born in 1994, but we are known around the world as the "Turning Twenty®" people, so this year we decided to officially change our name.  We are now Turning Twenty®!  This launched us into a total makeover of our entire business and thus..."The Change" has begun!!  

Keep watching - you'll be seeing some wonderful things happening as we finish out 2013!

Blessings,

What's new at Turning Twenty?

Are you ready for a new Turning Twenty??  Keep reading for another sneak peek!

First, we are so excited to announce our newest Machine Embroidery CD.  It is in house and ready to ship today!

Our sweet little Sugar Dumplin' is stitched in 12 designs - one for every month of the year.  They each have a different and unique quilt pattern and can be stitched out in 4 different sizes and in redwork or multi color.  They finish out at 24" x 24" making them the perfect wall hanging year round!  Just pop a new one up each month.  No need to redecorate your walls!

The CD includes all 12 Sugar Dumplin' designs and all 12 quilt patterns for $44.95 with free shipping!

Click here for more information or to place your order.

January

July

October

So, who sleeps 3 hours and then sneaks out to the barn to quilt at night?  You guessed it!  Now that Sugar Dumplin' is ready for you, I've turned all my attention to fall market and you know what that means!!  The new designs are just around the corner!  Here is another sneak peek.  Reckon it's a Turning Twenty?  Ahhhh reckon it just might be!!

Keep watching the blog for more sneak peeks as we get closer and closer to launching ALL of our new designs.  Some exciting things happening here!!

Blessings,

Won't You Let Me Take You On A Sea Cruise?!

I am getting excited and nervous all at the same time.  Truth be told...I've been nervous since before I was asked to teach!

Have you ever been on a cruise?  Would you love to go on a QUILTING cruise?!

Sounds like a ton of fun, huh?  So, why the nerves?  I CAN'T SWIM!!  I mean, come on, haven't you ever seen Titanic?!  So, you see, a QUILTING cruise is the only way you would ever get this girl on a boat in the middle of the ocean!

Carla Hoff of Cactus Quilts is hosting a Quilting Cruise in February and I will be teaching a quilt pattern that I have designed just for the cruise!  Just like all Turning Twenty® patterns, it will be fast, easy and FUN!  Those who go on the cruise will be the first to make it!  EXCITING!!

So, here are the details:

7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Magic from Feb 9-16, 2014.  Galveston to Key West, then on to Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas with three full Quilting days at sea!  Price starts at $952 and if you bring any guests who will not be quilting, their price is reduced.  Bringing the whole family?  The third and fourth person is even less!

What is included in this price: cruise, all meals, cabin, evening shows, room service, casino, quilting classes, workshops, quilting activities and fun events, two formal dinners, swimming pools, fitness center, ports of call.  Pretty all inclusive.

Other than quilting and the Bahamas, what else can you do on the ship?  Here's what I'm told: pools, hot tubs, 2 story spa (OH!  I am there already!!), a water slide from Deck 14 to Deck 9 (hmmm....don't think so!), a rope course (again...don't think so!  I somehow think Gary will be up there though!), gym, jogging track, mini-golf (game anyone?), shuffle board, an outside theater (FUN!  Probably not showing Titanic though), shops, lounges, casino, games and contests, Broadway style show in the evenings (can't wait!), Karaoke (maybe I can get Gary to let his inner "Beach Boy" out!), Disco (why yes, we do this every night at home!), all kinds of bands and music.  And QUILTING!! Something for everyone.

  

My daughter and son-in-love have been on several and have assured me that this will be the best vacation I have ever had.  I think, even with my nerves, that they are right IF all of my quilting friends are there too.  So, if you want to come along with me, call Carla now and grab a room while you still can.  My packing tip: a screwdriver.  I'll be sure to loosen the hinges on the door...you never know when you just might need one to float on!  <nervous grin!>

Here is Carla's information:
409-965-9778
http://www.cactusquilts.com/

Will I see you there?

                Blessings, 

The birth of a new Turning Twenty® with Lone Star Quiltworks!

We've got a HUGE surprise on the horizon!

Today I am sharing glimpses of the four days we spent at Lone Star Quiltworks in Bryan, TX.  Watch this blog and be sure to "Like" us on Facebook (Facebook/TurningTwenty) as we reveal more of the mystery.

Yes!  There's a new Turning Twenty® book coming soon.  Totally different than anything Turning Twenty® has ever presented before!!

We had a full house for the Lecture and Trunk Show and sold out three back-to-back workshops!  The women who participated in the workshops were part of a very special photo shoot and were the first to make the new pattern.  They will be featured in the new book that will release in September.

Since this is just the first "tease" of what is coming and why you want to keep checking back for new sneak peeks...you'll notice all I can share are head shots of these wonderful ladies.  Can't show you their beautiful work just yet, but it is coming very soon!  They were all stunning, show-stopping quilts and I can't wait to share them with you!

Terry and the staff at Lone Star Quiltworks were just wonderful.  Everyone was very gracious during the three intense days of workshops.  Gary and I are so thankful to you all.

Don't forget - send pictures of your completed quilts to me at info@TurningTwenty.com and I will share them here on the blog, on the Show and Tell page of our website and on our facebook page (Turning Twenty...be sure to go "Like" us!) just as soon as the book is released.

Here you go...the very first glimpses of the ladies of Lone Star Quiltworks!

Check back often...more coming very soon!

Blessings,

Fun in Houston

I had a great time with the ladies (and one gentleman) at West Houston Quilt Guild!

So many sweet folks, lots of talent in Houston!

Making Turning Twenty® Hope Chest Treasures quilt with this group was a hoot!

A chatty group that made me feel right at home.

Beautiful fabrics, yummy lunch, machines humming and lots of new friends...I am blessed to have such a fulfilling job.

To top it all off, at least one of my new friends is going on the quilt cruise with us in February!

Thank you to everyone at West Houston Quilt Guild for a great lecture and workshop.  Gary and I had a blast!

Blessings,

Nana Bear's Notions - Book Signing

I was so very blessed to be invited by Hope Heaton of Nana Bear's Notions in Snyder, TX to a book signing!  What a wonderful day we had!

Hope and her employees are just the sweetest people.  Gary and I loved meeting so many "Snyderites" and Nana Bear's quilt shop is perfectly perfect!  We left behind some of our most popular quilts for her to display until mid-June and she gets new fabric in almost daily.  You've got to go check her out!  She's located at 2513 College Ave in Snyder.  You can also find her on Facebook, just search Nana Bear's Notions.

I have a terribly embarrassing story to share with you!  You will never believe what I did!!  As we were getting ready to leave, Hope took us into the kitchen area where she had these HUGE fantastic cupcakes special for us...looked so mouthwatering!!  (By the way, Hope, where did you get those?!)  I picked this amazing Key Lime cupcake with mile high frosting.  I was in Heaven!  Could not wait to eat it.  Gary picked an equally impressive Cookies and Cream cupcake.  I leaned over to give her a Thank You hug and SPLAT!  My beautiful cupcake landed FROSTING side down on her CARPET!  And it splatted hard!!  Where is a rock when you need one to climb under?  I was mortified!  I immediately dropped to my knees to clean up my mess.  Hope was sweetly telling me it was ok as I was using paper towels to try and scoop up the green glob and clean her carpet.  As I stood up, red-faced, she gave me another Key Lime cupcake!  Such a sweet lady.  Of course, I ate that one as quickly as I could before disaster could strike again!  YUM!!  As good as it looked!

Thank you Hope and Nana Bear's Notions for a fun day and for the cupcake!  We had a wonderful time!  Oh...and I'm sorry about the carpet :)

Blessings,

Suddenly Sewing Lecture and Workshop

In April we met the wonderful quilters from Suddenly Sewing!!  Owners Michael and Abigail Kralicek were so gracious and Jean was a ball of energy and so much fun...and really good at keeping everyone on track!

The first day, we held two lectures.  We had a huge trunk show featuring quilts from every Turning Twenty book, our Turning Ten book and most of our other books and patterns.  I can never catch pictures of the trunk show because my usual "Photographers", Gary and Michelle, are also my usual "Quilt Holder Uppers"!

I do have pictures of the second day though.  We had such a good time at the workshop!  We had a room full of amazing quilters from beginners to advanced all learning a brand new technique to the Turning Twenty Again pattern.  I can't wait to see their finished quilts.  I'll be sure to post pictures of them as they come in.

In the mean time, here are pictures of the wonderful event we had with Suddenly Sewing.  If you live in the Ft Worth area and have not been to their shop, be sure to stop in and say Hi.  www.SuddenlySewing.com

Learning a quick and easy way to cut fabric for a Turning Twenty quilt

Everyone busy cutting and pressing

Fabric is all cut and sewing begins

Gary and Michelle pressed the fabric so we could keep sewing.
Here is Gary showing off a chain, chain, chain....chain of squares!

Laying them out to get the arrangement "just right".
The colors are just never as accurate or vibrant as they are in person.
This was a gorgeous violet and cream quilt.

Love the colors!  Owner, Michael, picked these colors out for her quilt.
It turned out beautiful!

Mardi Gras!!
Another fun choice of color!

Hard to tell in the picture, but this quilt is full of funky little bugs!
Someone very special is going to enjoy this one!

Jean and me at the end of the day.
What fun!!

Thank you Suddenly Sewing!

 Blessings,