Better with Cheddar

I don't know if that is true or not, better with cheddar, but I sure have been eating it up lately! (purposeful pun) I just finished this little cutie that I am calling Button Box Stars. 

 I just ordered pattern covers, so it will be a couple weeks before it is available. I will post it when it is on my website. Meanwhile, I have been getting lots of bounce back from Quilt Hollow and comments on the beautiful job Mary has done quilting my big cheddar quilt! Be sure to see the nice things she says about me too. (Aw shucks) My patterns are not widely available because I am just a little runt  on the totem pole of designers, but most shops are willing to order if someone wants to buy something, so please ask at your local shop and have them call me. Otherwise, purchasing on my website is as easy as can be with Paypal. If you haven't used Paypal before, don't let it scare you, it's easy!

This is the quilt that Mary just quilted for me. She sent me a photo, so I haven't seen it in person yet. But her quilting is amazing. Be sure and see close-ups on her blog. And seriously consider asking her to quilt your next special quilt. You will be as thrilled as I am!

So what do you think, is it better with cheddar?

WINDOWS ON THE WORLD

Here I am in front of my computer this morning, opening my (Microsoft) Windows on the World! I have been catching up on blogs after being incommunicado for the past week. I love that I can look in on you through your window in whatever part of the world you reside! I have favorite blogs in Australia, Europe, Canada, U.K., U.S. and even Japan! Thanks for sharing your talents and your enthusiasm, and for coming to visit me!

I have been doing a little sewing to sooth my soul. It feels good! I finished my "star" top, and will get a photo of it soon. Meanwhile I am back to writing directions for a project I completed last year. Remember my funny little eagle? Well, I have had the pleasure of enjoying him on my own wall for a while, since I never got around to writing up a pattern last year. Usually my quilts go to the shop and stay there. No, I don't own "the shop", but they do promote and sell my patterns and so many of my quilts are on display to help do that. (I can arrange for other shops to borrow them, however!)
I adapted this little eagle from a picture of a vintage quilt that I liked. He has now been dubbed the "Patchalittle Eagle". I also did a wool pillow from the same basic design that you can find on my free patterns page on my Patchalot Patterns website.

At least I got that part of the instructions done last year! Now I have this one scheduled as a class for June. The border for this is adorable, if I do say so myself. I will show that next time. Maybe it will entice you to come back!
Have a happy day!

MID-ATLANTIC QUILT FEST

Did anyone notice that I used Fiona’s blog title, Scraps in Progress, as the title of my last post? I realized it when I was visiting her blog. Just goes to show that I never have an original thought. Thanks for sharing, Fiona!
I finished the second round on my little quilt the other day. Ain’t it purdy? I am working on a second one like it so that I can give the shop accurate kitting instructions. I love using up all my little pieces, but people love to buy kits. I can understand that.
This is as big as it is going to get. It is another Patchalittle Project. It is 16 inches square. Big enough to put a lamp on, or a plant, etc. All the cute patches show around the edges. I played with the idea of a plain border on the outside, but decided against it. Easy enough to add if anyone chooses to do so.
My friends and I went to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton yesterday. It is a Mancuso Brothers event. It was previously held in Williamsburg, VA, but starting last year, it was moved to the coliseum in Hampton. It is much more spacious. I think it is the best show I have been to since I moved here from Seattle 6-1/2 years ago. I have gone to this event for the past 6 years and the quilts shown have always been quite artsy. Not my taste. This year there was a nice mix. There were some outstanding traditional quilts with fabulous hand quilting. I will share a few over the next few days. I know there were others in our blog ring that attended, so I am anxious to see what impressed them and what they show on their blogs. The vendors were great, of course. I found a huge roll of shirtings that I had to buy. I didn’t recognize any of them! I love shirtings and find that quilt shows are the best place to get a good variety.
Now that I have discussed how much I love traditional quilts, the quilt pictured is far from traditional. Look closely. They are all little stuffed goldfish. It is called Synchronized Swimming, and the creator is Kathy York from Austin, TX. I think she really had a good time making this. It is a riot! I was so busy looking at the fish that I didn’t notice, until I put the picture on my computer, that the background fabric is dyed with the rings appearing to be little waves in the water. Very clever! Very, very fun day! More later!