Latest news!

It's been an eventful few months!  But, here's the latest news.  Last week, I did an AccuQuilt demo at our local guild, County Line Quilters.  It was a wonderful experience!  AccuQuilt provided a prize package consisting of a GO! fabric cutter, a GO! Qube and a strip die.  


It was TO DIE FOR!  The winner would only need to "add fabric" and for us quilters, you know that's really not a hard thing to do.   Drawing the winner's name was the very last thing we did that evening and Pat K., who really wanted it, actually won the prize package.  So, it went to a great home!    Congratulations, Pat!


This week, the 2017 Row by Row Experience began.  At our local quilt shop, The Round Bobbin (in Ambler, PA), everyone has been busy sewing the samples and putting kits together.  "From Sea to Shining Sea" is the shop row and you can check it out on Facebook!   Here's a sneak peak!

While I wrote the pattern, it is based on Susan S.'s idea (she also made it!) and Susan A. machine quilted it perfectly! 

Speaking of Susans, my latest AccuQuilt blog tutorial using the GO! Sunbonnet Sue die has been published. 

Sunbonnet Sue is such an iconic quilting figure, it was a puzzle to come up with new ideas to present her.  Family events this past spring finally inspired my project.  I have three sisters (including another Susan!) who I do not see often.  It's even harder for us to all get together in one place at one time.   So, the blog tutorial this month is a "portrait" of my sisters and I as Sunbonnet Sues!  Check it out!  

More news to come soon!  Watch for it!  Until next time...

Serendipity

I'm sure you have heard of Edyta Sitar (Laundry Basket Quilts) by now.  She of the lovely quilt designs in patterns and books.  Well, add AccuQuilt dies and embroidery to the list!

With the GO! Qube Specialty Set - Serendipity by Edyta Sitar, you get dies and an embroidery CD to make a couple of her designs.  Plus, you can use the the applique and geometric dies to cut shapes for your own quilt.

For my most recent blog tutorial for AccuQuilt, I made patriotic placemats using some of the applique shapes!

After making the star placemat, I wanted to play with some of the floral appliques to make the flower placemat.   I love the way these turned out!  So, if you would like to check these projects out, head on over to my tutorial!

Christmas in July!

I don't know about you but I'm never ready with presents and projects in time for Christmas!  For once, I've made an early start.  On this hot July weekend, why don't you join me and dive into Christmas projects?   And, boy, do I have a cute project for you!

Check out my blog on the AccuQuilt website to make this wonderful table topper!

Shown here On Point

It doesn't take that long to make so spend the hot day in the cool indoors and you'll still have time to sit out to enjoy the sun at the end of the day!

Bobbin Along

The first day of summer, June 21, is also the first day of the Row by Row Experience 2015.  It is an exciting shop hop event where you can visit participating shops and receive a free pattern for a quilt row.  Collect at least 8 row patterns, make a quilt and show-and-tell at a participating shop and you could win prizes!  There are over 2700 participating shops from all 50 states and Canada with 107 shops in my home state of Pennsylvania.  Just amazing!

This year is the third year that our local quilt shop, The Round Bobbin is participating in this event.  Every year, I have had the privilege of designing the row for The Round Bobbin.  So, with an event theme of H2O (water!),  our row for the The Round Bobbin is the Storm At Sea!

It is a paper-pieced pattern as the pieces do get a bit small.  Susan S., the shop owner, put the row together and Susan A. machine quilted fish on it!  So wonderful!  It looks great even as a stand-alone row (think table runner!).  You just have to come and see it!!!

Our Fabric plate this year is - Bobbin Along!  I accidentally came up with it during a group discussion.

So, if you're in Ambler, Pennsylvania this summer (June 21-Sept 8), drop by the Round Bobbin, pick up your free row pattern and maybe throw in a kit and a fabric plate!

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...

Free Quilt Patterns

Notice a little something different?  I'm fiddling around here to share more quilts with you.   The latest are a bunch of my free quilt patterns that are listed under the "Free Stuff" tab above.   They are in PDF so you can easily download them.

Speaking of free quilt patterns, here's a shoutout to Ebony Love of lovebugstudios.com   for doing the Downton Abbey Mystery Quilt Along!  You're awesome, Ebony!  What an undertaking!

Anyway, if you haven't registered yet, you still have time to get the free weekly patterns to create your very own Downton Abbey quilt!   Come January 12, 2014, the Mystery will be totally solved and Ebony will no longer offer the pattern for free.

My Downton Abbey quilt will be a scrappier version of the Edith quilt kit.  It's got a lot of peach and some pink and green.  The original Edith also had purple and blue.  I'm still adding and removing fabrics to my version and I have yet to get started on the sewing!  I'll post a picture of my fabrics soon.

If you need Downton Abbey Fabrics, the Round Bobbin Quilt Shop will have the complete line at some point.  Though, right now, they are missing several bolts just like everyone else.  Downton Abbey is just so popular!