Quilt Market

We helped Jen of ReannaLily Designs put her booth together. It looks great!

The making of a booth

Hello from HOUSTON!

hello!

Sorry I haven't posted anything! We've had a major computer meltdown, but I hope to send you all pictures from market over my phone. Until then,

Love,

xoxo

It's for the Dogs

 I built this dog house a *few* (I think six) years ago. Imagine my surprise to go outside yesterday and see it decorated.

 with leaves and a late blooming rose.

 I have the most creative kids.

And by the way, if you're going to market (as in the International Quilt Market) next week, will you please let me know? I'd love to meet up!

Love,

xoxo

Be Still My Heart

I'm not sure if you've been following along with Quilting Gallery's Celebrate Christmas Quiltalong, but I have and it's so much fun. Here are a couple of people who made my block. As a designer, this is what it's all about! I can't tell you how it makes me feel.

 From Tiny 1949

From CBNova1

Good work, ladies!
Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Love,

xoxo

Patterns Available

 Looking for Bountiful or the Joy bag? These are my two currently available patterns.

They are both now available from Henrietta's Handbags and QuiltWoman.com. If you are a shop, they are now carried by the distributor Petersen Arne.

Love,

xoxo

Winner of Clare O'Donohue book

June said...

Love a good mystery, especially if it involves another quilt lover!

October 13, 2011 10:39 PM

June, give me a shout out, please! Congrats!

Love,

xoxo

A Someday Quilts Mystery Giveaway!

Clare O'Donohue writes mystery books, and one of her series is the Someday Quilts Mystery series. I was given an advance copy of her new book THE DEVIL'S PUZZLE to give away! I'm sure many of you are familiar with her work. In fact, Clare was the supervising producer of HGTV's Simply Quilts. She's here with us today with a guest blog.

First, let me tell you a little bit about THE DEVIL'S PUZZLE.

Witchcraft in a small New England town typically harkens Salem, Massachusetts. However, amateur sleuth Nell Fitzgerald finds the upcoming anniversary of Archers Rest, New York drawing out the town’s own dark history of witchcraft, as well as that of its residents in THE DEVIL’S PUZZLE. Nell is thrilled when her grandmother Eleanor’s boyfriend plans a double surprise—restoring the rose garden of her old Victorian house, and a marriage proposal. However, Oliver’s plans are put on hold when a skeleton is unearthed in Eleanor’s backyard. Police Chief Jesse Dewalt launches an investigation, and for once, Nell vows to stay out of his way, instead focusing on organizing a historic quilt show as part of the town’s upcoming anniversary festivities. When clues lead to questions about Eleanor’s past, Nell is forced to uncover the truth. As the anniversary approaches, a chilling wave of vandalism strikes town hot spots, raising fears that witchcraft has returned, and revealing secrets that could change life in Archer’s Rest forever.

The Someday Quilts series includes The Lover’s Knot, A Drunkard’s Path, The Double Cross and The Devil’s Puzzle (Oct. 2011), and her Kate Conway series recently made its debut with Missing Persons. O’Donohue lives in Chicago, IL. Visit her website at clareodonohue.com and the Someday Quilts fan page on Facebook.

 

And now from Clare:

Recently I was working on a hand appliqué project with thin vines and small berries. I wanted each of the vines to be exactly the same, and the berries to be perfectly round, but that wasn’t happening. I’m not very experienced at hand appliqué. I usually piece my quilts and only sometimes do I add appliqué, and usually by machine. So I was struggling.

But I was also happy. It took me a moment to realize that. I was doing a bad job at this project, having to take it apart and do it again (several times on one vine), yet I was happy. I was learning something new and I was caught up in the joy of discovery, without any worry about whether it was good, or worthwhile. I just had fun.

How often, I wondered, do I allow myself – do any of us allow ourselves – to be bad at things, to be new at things? After childhood ends, not often. We expect to be masters at what we do. So, without even thinking about it, we only do the things we have already mastered.

Letting myself be bad at something, and knowing that awkward beginning is the first step toward a new skill, is something that quilting has taught me. And when I look at my slightly crooked vines, my not quite perfectly round berries, I remember that. And hopefully, try to use it as a reminder to be happy even when I’m struggling.

So true, Clare! Thank you so much for being with us today!
To win a copy of THE DEVIL'S PUZZLE, simply leave a comment by midnight CST on Friday, October 14. I will randomly draw a winner on Saturday. Good luck!

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Psalm 62:1

Love,

xoxo

And the winner is:

The winner of the book Deploy That Fabric by Jen Eskridge is:

Lisa Marie

So, I looked the book over and I kind of totally dig it.
The use of uniforms is awesome and unique (to me) and was impressed there was a Coast Guard patch included (they always get left out!).
With or without the use of uniforms the projects are cute!

October 4, 2011 12:44 PM

I promise it's not rigged!

Love,

xoxo

My First Quilt

In case you missed this post on Gen X Quilters, I thought I would share my first quilt with you.

I made this quilt when I was just ten years old. I recently gave it to Emilie. All the teddy bears are counted cross stitch. I'm sure I would not have the patience for one of those these days!

 A couple of my favorites.

Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat! Isaiah 55:1
Love,

xoxo

A Tote for All Seasons

In Jen Eskridge's book, Deploy That Fabric, there is the cutest tote bag. It's about 14" square and just the right size for carrying crafts or books or anything else you need to tote around.

I believe this is the backside and the front is a big camo pocket panel.

Well, I didn't have any military uniforms here. And not even a pair of pants or a jacket I was willing to cut up. But I sure liked the idea of upcycling something . . . and then I remembered a pretty sweater I had been saving because a moth had gotten ahold of it.

 Having never worked with sweater material before, I decided to first fuse Dream Weave onto it. And then it really did sew like a dream. I'm not sure if that was the difference or if it would have been easy anyway, but it was very easy. (This really needs steamed to get those little wrinkles out.) I cut it so that the ribbing at the bottom of the sweater would become the top of the bag. Then I used my ballpoint needle (for stretchy fabrics) and a very slight zigzag everywhere I sewed the sweater. I added a flower pin, because you know I need a little bit of pink!

Here is the back. You can see the subtle stripe of the sweater, which goes nicely with the stripe of the cotton fabric. I'll probably miss the pockets, but I totally love this bag.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway to win your own copy of Deploy that Fabric!

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 NIV


Love,

xoxo

Deploy that Fabric Blog Tour Day 4

Welcome to the Deploy that Fabric Blog Tour Day 4! My friend, Jen Eskridge of Reanna Lily Designs wrote a book published by Stash Books. Isn't that awesome? Even better, she is sharing a copy of the book and a tote bag with one lucky commenter.

And here is the blog hop schedule:
Oct 1st Fat Quarter Shop
Oct 2nd Sew Mama Sew
Oct 3rd I Have A Notion (IHAN)
Oct 4th Lilac Lane  (you are here)
Oct 5th CampFollowerBags
Oct 6th Fat Quarterly
Oct 7th Tall Grass Prairie
Oct 8th My Bragg Bag
Oct 9th Quilt Dad
Oct 10th Quilt Story
Oct 11th Gen X Quilters
Oct 12th Amy’s Creative Side
Oct 13th Keepsake Quilting Blog
Oct 14th True-Up

In my opinion, the coolest thing about the book is how versatile it is. Of course, if you have military in your family, you will want to make these projects from the uniforms. But the patterns also translate easily to other fabrics, as Jen explains below. I'll share a project I made from the book tomorrow and I think you'll be surprised at how different it can look just by using different materials. 23 (!!!) projects are included in the book. They vary from quilts to bags and wallets and even a Christmas stocking. Here's my interview with Jen:

1. Tell me about ReannaLily Designs.

My sewing pattern company is a little mix of everything. I have quilts and bags, even accessories patterns. Many of my patterns even include directions for sewing and working with a military uniform, in the event you'd like to incorporate that garment into what you are making. The company is just a couple months over 3 years old.

2. What in the world inspired you to write a book?
I wrote the book specifically to showcase military uniforms re-purposed into new designs. I sewed many commission projects throughout the years and realized, although many people sew commissioned bags/quilts with uniforms, there were no patterns specifically targeted to this style. I thought it's be a good way to give people a pattern collection all in one place. One really cool thing about the 23 book patterns is that we've provided yardage requirements OR uniform requirements, so every project and be constructed with or without an actual uniform.

3. What motivates you the most?
I think my "need to create to preserve sanity" is the most motivating factor for me. Whether its a pattern, a uniform project design or something for me to sew and keep at home, I just really like to be creating things. Sitting still just really isn't an option for me.

4. How long have you been sewing?

I've been sewing for about 26 years and quilting for about 18 or so. My mom taught me to sew pillows, then I dabbled in sewing clothes in high school. Those clothes... well, they didn't turn out awesome. I made my first quilt my sophomore/jr year of high school.

5. What is your favorite sewing tool?

Can I shamelessly plug my Seamingly Accurate Seam Guide tool here? =) I really love its multiple uses in quilting, garment and home dec sewing. BUT if I had to pick another tool... I don't think I'd get by without the turning tool. It is a thin wire with a hook on one end and a circle on the other end. It allows you to turn spaghetti strap sized tubes right side out. Great for bag handles, appliqued vines, actual spaghetti straps, making matching "ribbon" ... I love that thing.

6. What is your studio like?

I just recently opened my home to the local quilt guild (800 members) and hosted a quilt room tour. The room is bright and light blue with inspiration work all over the walls. My fabric is housed by color in 18 little cubbies from Target and I have window in the room that overlooks our culdesac. You can actually take the virtual tour here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vmKfJLYZYc

7. How do you have time to do everything that you do?

Mostly I can get things done because all 3 kids are now in school. They are 11, 9 and 6. I also keeps lots of lists and go "to work" in the studio or on the computer for about 6 hours a day- depending on the day.

8. You have been in hoardes of magainzes, have your own pattern line and now have a book! Do you have any future plans or goals?

I'm working on my second book right now (releasing next fall or late summer) and am releasing two new patterns (one bag and one qulit) & relaunching my Seamingly Accurate at this year's Fall Houston Quilt Market. This will be my first year to have my own booth at market, so please stop by and say HI at #2048, right by C&T Publishing.

Thank you Jen!

To enter the drawing for your own copy of Deploy that Fabric and the matching tote, just leave a comment below. Enter by Friday, October 7 at midnight CST. A winner will be randomly drawn on Saturday.

Love,

xoxo

First Quilt

Hi there! I'm over at Gen X Quilters today, showing off my very first quilt. You'll have to go see and tell AnneMarie hi. She and I were two of the collaborators on the Rockin Robin Quilt.

Love,

xoxo