The Fons and Porter Experience

I'm so delighted to report that I have projects in a couple of Fons and Porter publications.  The first, "Orange You Sweet?", is in the Love of Quilting September/October 2017 issue and is also available as a kit or a pattern.

The quilt is made with fabrics from the Bleecker Street and Harmony Collections from Quilting Treasures and wonderfully machine quilted by Anne Cowan.  

I was also invited to appear in the second episode of the current 3000 TV Series!  It was quite a thrill to do the filming - it was my first time to film a tutorial and, to get comfortable, I just did my best to imagine all my quilter friends and students behind the cameras!  Everyone was so friendly and fabulous.  I can't thank Vanessa, Diane, Colleen and Sara enough for their patience in guiding a newbie through this process!

You can contact your local PBS station to find out if and when they are airing the Fons and Porter Love of Quilting TV Series or you can get the DVD of each season.  I saw some of the other projects in the 3000 series and I am in awe!  It's well worth getting the DVD. 

A second project, "Hillside Harmony", appears in Quilting Quickly September/October 2017 issue.  It is made with fabrics from the Harmony Collection from Quilting Treasures.  More on this in a future blog.  In the meantime, here are both quilts with the magazines and the TV series DVD with Mini, my cat, enjoying them!

Truthfully, Mini just wanted to get in any picture I was taking that day!  Cats have minds of their own!

My Sweet Hearts Quilt and other projects

It has been quite a busy last 3 months, filled with travel and family visits and, of course, holidays.  It's hard to believe but I found myself with doing maybe half an hour of sewing in all that time!  I logged in lots and lots of digital sewing, however, putting my EQ7 to work!

One of the first projects I picked up this month - when I finally had time to sew - is the Sweet Hearts Quilt.  Read all about it on the AccuQuilt Blog.

I really enjoyed making it especially since AccuQuilt makes cutting those triangles so perfectly easy and precise.  I love that the dog ears are removed, right at the start.  I love that I can piece quarter square triangles together for the border and they come out the perfect size!  I love that I didn't have to spend much time cutting and subcutting.  Can you tell I love my AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter???

Last year (before my little sewing hiatus), I made Prismatic from a couple of Northcott's Sandscapes jelly rolls and it is now available as an Exclusively Annie's quilt pattern from Annie's Catalog.

Photo courtesy of Annie's

 One of my quilts, Sunspots, also managed to land on the cover of a book, Bargello Quilts and Beyond!

Photo courtesy of Annie's

It was a lot of fun and easy to make, using non-traditional bargello methods.   So fun and easy, I used the same methods to come up with Robin's Egg Blue, which is also in the same book.  

Photo courtesy of Annie's.

Doesn't it remind you of southwestern turquoise and silver jewelry?  I hope it does for that was my inspiration for it!  Anyway, I can visualize this quilt in dramatic red, white and black, too.

For now, I have one more project to share with you - my Bollenvelden table runner  that appears in Quilter's World Magazine Spring 2016 issue.  Google assures me that "Bollenvelden" is Dutch for tulip fields and that's exactly what I was going for in this quilt.

Photo courtesy of Annie's.

Think Spring!

ECHO

Welcome to the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Volume 11 Blog Hop!  

If you're not hopping yet, get thee to Quilty Pleasures right away to find out what's going on.   Don't miss out on giveaways, quilt ideas, fun stuff, giveaways, more fun and more giveaways!

I am so honored and pleased to have my block, ECHO, in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 11.   It is listed on page 36 as Block 1049.  This is only the second time I've submitted a block and also the second time I've participated in this blog hop!  So exciting!  It's also a bit nerve-wracking to be on the Hop on the very first day!!  But, here we go....

I thought it would be fun to see what this block would look like in different fabrics.  So, the first thing I did is to change the background to dramatic black!  

Those bright colors really become brighter on a black background, don't they?  

Next, I wanted to see it with reproductions.  Here's a black and tan version that looks like it was made in 1890!

Are you loving a particular version yet?  How about a soft modern look?

Did you notice I changed the value placement in the soft modern version?  It makes the diagonals look more prominent.  

Last but not the least, here is a traditional version that's just a touch patriotic. I did several things different about this block.   First, I mixed batiks and regular cottons.  I have been doing that more and more these days.  You can, too!  The quilt police won't come after you for mixing them up.  I promise! Second, the color for the arcs and the circle in contrast to the red/blue really pops those arcs and circle.  Finally, I just love the transparency between the red and the blue in this one.  These 3 fabrics just blend and transition so well!

Making the blocks in different colorways is one thing.  But, really, how would they look in a quilt?  

So, I designed a 30" square wallhanging with a special sashing strip that creates a secondary pattern for a more cohesive look.  Check out the different looks:    

So, which one is your favorite colorway?  Tell me in a comment below and you will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 11!    This prize will come from Quiltmaker directly.


Even better, in your comment below, include your favorite quilting tip and you will be entered in a drawing for a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol 11 AND a fat quarter bundle of yummy fabrics from Quilting Treasures.   These fabrics are from the Color Blends collection with which I designed the Surf and Sand Block of the Month program.    I will be sending this prize bundle out.






You will find a link at the top of this blog (and on the right-hand side column) for quick directions to make the quilt above - especially those sashing strips.  However, these directions are intended for the more experienced quilter who knows how to make flying geese units, hour glass units and make circle appliques.  You can substitute a yo-yo for the circle applique, by the way.

Just one more - here's Echo in a table runner.

Have fun Hopping onto the other blogs!  Back to the Blog Hop...

Are you Blog Touring?

I am so honored and glad to have my block included in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 6!  This issue will hit the stands on November 13th!  Watch for it or keep reading to see how you can win a copy.

Picture courtesy of Quiltmaker.

My block is #573, Cross Keys, found on page 54.  I so love to play with colors and shading.  So this block features blue in three shades, and a yellow-green accent on a neutral background.

Here is the quilt, as shown on page 16, that I made to showcase this block. I created a pieced sashing strip that coordinates with the block and produces a neat secondary pattern!

Picture courtesy of Quiltmaker.

So many of my friends love reproductions so I had to see what this block would look like in repros.  Then, I just had to see it in pastels and in a very graphic black, white and red!

They all look so different, don't they?  With the repro block having such a strong cheddar background, I wanted to see it in a quilt with the pieced sashing.  I love the transparency the secondary block creates!

 Here are two simpler Table Runner settings - just the blocks sashed with cornerstones:

What colors would you want to see in this block?  Post your answer in a comment below and  be sure to include your email address.  You will be entered to win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 6 from the publishers!

Also, if you subscribe to this blog AND post a comment, you'll be entered in a separate drawing to win a book from me.  

Winners will be chosen early next week so be sure to post your comment and/or subscribe by Sunday evening, November 11. Please be sure to return to the Quiltmaker blog to keep touring everyday and be entered to win even more goodies!  

Thanks for visiting and if you're in the U.S., don't forget to vote today!