Appreciating Your Opinion!

June 22nd, 2012

Many thanks to Kelly of Hoppin Bobbin who offered some helpful suggestions to the Free Tote Bag pattern for my Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle ruler. I think you will find this amended pattern a much better product. As always, I appreciate your feedback, positive and constructive. I remain humble enough to recognize that I don’t know it all! Although I’m trying too!

tote bag

Hoppin Bobbin plans to feature this pattern in an upcoming Free Bag Lady class. Check with the shop to get more info! 410-272-2226

 

Sometimes Stuff Just Gets in the Way

June 20th, 2012

I was feeling very generous yesterday so no quilting for me! I have to give these cats credit. They have learned that the quilt on the frame is not a hammock and they can’t sleep in it. Apparently right next to it will do! It is a very convenient spot up and away from the dogs but still in the thick of the household activities.

Obviously, it didn’t take much for me to avoid quilting, that’s for sure. I could have shooed them off and gotten to work but there is always something else to do in my studio. So plan B – binding and paperwork worked just as well.  Today I quilt  – after I shoo the cat off – yes, one is there already but I plan to be more assertive today… in a little while…

Short and Sweet!

June 13th, 2012

I”m told that my quilts are too big! That everyone wants to have a project that they can actually finish! So, today, I’ve been working on that issue. Table runners and place-mats should fit the bill! Here are two upcoming addendum to my Fan-Tastic Fanwork patterns using my Creative Grids 15-degree Ruler.  The addendum will be free but you’ll have to  buy the patterns for the big quilts to get all the inside  information, like measuring and cutting!

Here are a couple of examples I’m working on – the Uneven Fans as a table runner – they still need to be quilted. Note the red – Pretty cool! or Hot! Red is a warm color, after all!

And the Stacked Fans as a table runner and a place-mat.  The Table Runner is quilted already. I used the Quilt-As-You-Go method  – flipping and sewing as I went along – Fast! But since I didn’t think about that before I started the placement, it is simply straight-line stitched.

So keep an eye out for the addendums coming soon! Who knows, you may be savvy enough to figure it out just from the picture but you still need the ruler!

 

Hitting it Big with You-Tube – May It Go Viral!

June 7th, 2012

I am so excited to see that I didn’t do half bad demonstration how to use my Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler. Its hard to be a movie star!

Open House Trunk Show

June 5th, 2012

I am honored to be asked to have a Trunk Show at Hoppin Bobbin in Aberdeen Maryland! All to highlight the debut of the Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler I designed and the 12 patterns I have ready to go with the ruler – my Fan-Tastic Fan Series! It starts tonight 6-8pm. Refreshments will be served. A demo and short lecture about the whole Fan-work process starts at 6:30.  Kelly Davis (of Hoppin’ Bobbin) and I hung the show yesterday – well she hung it, I handed her pins. Here’s a sneak peak of some of the quilts. If you can’t make it tonight, the quilts will be hanging until the end of the month. Come in and get inspired!

       

Finishing Those Pesky Geese!

May 31st, 2012

So here it is – the final instructions to set all those geese blocks.  Hopefully you have discovered a favorite method to make all those geese since the border has lots and lots of them flying around the quilt. But never fear, if you didn’t find a method you like, there is still another one – 3 Dimensional Geese! If you can’t figure out what I wrote, here is a youtube video of Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson making them! Just use the measurements I gave you so they will fit.

Flying Geese 9 BOM finishing instructions

Don’t forget to send me pictures when you finish your quilt!

Here’s What I’ve Been Doing Lately…

May 29th, 2012

Went to Spring Market in Kansas City, MO and stayed on the 18th floor! That huge monstrosity of a building is the convention center where all was unfolding – it is so big that streets run underneath it!

See I really was there – somewhere…

Flew back home – way above the clouds to avoid the storms below – looks pretty peaceful to me! We deviated so far off course that I am pretty sure I saw a Great Lake through a hole in the clouds!

Watch a chick flick or two, went strawberry picking with my beautiful daughter! 13 pounds of strawberries in the rain – lots of fun! The chickens took great delight in the strawberry tops!

  

Made jam! – drank the left-over foamy stuff you skim off the jam while it cooks! Who knew you could find a purpose for that stuff! Very refreshing after spending the day heating my kitchen up to 110 degrees!

Went to Front Royal, Virginia, to see family and was awestruck with the price of gas…

Until my brother said it was $3.06 in Harrisonburg. : (

Played with the new apps on my Iphone (my brother told me about them too) – like checking your hearing and photo editing!

   

Tilled and planted the garden  – well the hubby tilled, while I mowed then I planted while he fenced me in – but no pictures of that – just a great tan! Yes, I know we’re a little late, but hey, its in.  Swam a little in the pool… well, I floated, my hubby and the dog did the actually swimming. Watched the Hatfields and the McCoys on the History channel…

I guess the fun is over and I really should think about getting back to quilting – after I fold and bag some more patterns! Hey –  I could watch another chick flick or two today and still be productive!

Maybe I’ll get back to quilting in a few days… After all there’s lunch with the girls tomorrow…and the cherries are coming into season…

FREE Tote Pattern for the Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler!

May 16th, 2012

The Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler design by me! is debuting at the Spring Market this weekend! Attached is a free pattern for a Tote Bag using this versatile ruler! Check out all the other Fan-Tastic Fanwork patterns for this great ruler at my store.  Ask about the ruler at your favorite quilt shop.

tote bag

 

Off to My First Market!

May 10th, 2012

Spring Market – Kansas City MO here I come! I’ve got the quilts ready to go.. For all you quilt-police out there – No, the labels aren’t on yet  – that’s today’s project. If you are going to be there, I’d love to meet you. Come to my schoolhouse presentation for my Fantastic Fanwork Series featuring the Creative Grids 15-Degree Triangle Ruler designed by me, of course. Its the last one of the day! A perfect time to sit down and rest while you get inspired and maybe even win a door prize!

     

Yes, all these quilts are made with the 15 Degree Triangle Ruler – it’s versatility is quite impressive! Can’t wait for their debut!

Wild Goose Chase!

May 1st, 2012

Here it is – the last block in the Goose Block of the Month series. I’ll bet you started to think I wasn’t going to post this. I was worried about finding the time to do it myself! These last few days have been very hectic with lots of driving here and there. Driving can wear a body out – especially a body that has been around a little longer than some other bodies – sorry, in my blurred vision, chocolate craving exhaustion, I digress.

But despite all the busy stuff I’ve been into,  I am grateful to offer to you WILD GOOSE CHASE.  This fancy little block has some paper-piecing for the geese otherwise it is traditionally pieced. Notice that in two of the blocks the large triangles on the 4 sides are  darker  fabrics and one block has lighter fabric in the same areas. Its your block so make it look the way you want it too!

   

Wiild Goose Chase BOM

Next month I will be posting suggestions for sashings and borders so hurry and catch up if you are not there yet!