Photo Flood

Since this is such a busy time of year I am going to flood you with photos rather than lots of chatter. These are the little wool ornaments that I made for my grandchildren this year. Little penguins. If you read my post from a few weeks ago you will notice that they go with the penguin gift theme. I am pleased to say that my grandkids look forward to their ornaments each year and love looking back through their collections from over the years. That is what makes it worth it to me!

Below is a photo from Thanksgiving of me with three of the little darlings. August and Katie on top and Grey on the bottom getting a little tickle of encouragement to smile.

 And the tree! We all love our own tree, filled with love and memories from years gone by and usually something new as well. My Williamsburg Medallion Quilt is the backdrop.

 I found the perfect spot for my little red hexagon table topper. My little rocking horses and reindeer are playing merry-go-round on the pedestal plate. That is my Wintergreen pattern in the background--still available on my website!

 If you have been reading my blog for a long while you may remember this little cute tree quilt. I designed the pattern and have the instructions for FREE on my website. This version is smaller than the directions specify. I made so many of these for gifts! And so did many of you! If this design is new to you be sure and see the gallery.

Lastly, I want to share my Tone it Down quilt from last winter's American Patchwork and Quilting magazine. If you are on Instagram, go to #apqquiltalong and you can see lots of variations, including the original by Lissa Alexander, commonly know as the very talented ModaLissa. Right-she designs for Moda Fabrics!  Anyway, I love mine! The pattern is actually called Burgoyne Surrounded, a very old pattern after a Revolutionary War general. Lissa updated the pattern in a beautiful way! (I know--if you follow all these links you will be here all night!)

 I hope you are enjoying this wonderful season of hope and love!

Published! Yay!

Hi everyone!  I wonder how many of you have seen my quilt published in American Patchwork and Quilting Super Star Quilts magazine? I picked the magazine up in the grocery store the other day and saw that they republished my quilt Pick from the Past! I am delighted! I never tire of this! Ha ha! The magazine contains beautiful star quilts of all types and sizes. Thanks AP&Q!

 I have been busy sewing little hexagons together, as you can see. I used cheddar for the centers and went for the scrappy look. I plan to trim down the edges on this little quilty. So my fingers have been busy, but they also get numb! The price we pay for our art, right?

 Our darling little August, my 3rd great-grandson, is now six months old and he is a charmer! His mom, Becky, took this photo and I thought the carrot was a nice touch, in case you know the book, Guess How Much I Love You. Check out Becky's blog if you want a laugh, or her point of view on just about anything! She is a really good writer!

 

SPEED-not all it's cracked up to be

Another week, month, year has sped by and leaves me in it's wake wondering what I can say I have accomplished. Whatever it is, it is not enough, I can tell you that. 
I have been working on a little hexagon treat that I shamefully copied from Jo Morton. Well, I did change mine a bit. Jo made the most darling little tree skirt! I hope she won't mind if I share her photo. She is amazing! Follow Jo's blog!

 I added another round of hexagons to mine and made a table topper. I think it will look darling with some greenery on my round kitchen table. The hexies are 5/8 inch. I learned that you measure hexagons by the length of the side. I was able to purchase a couple packs of them at a quilt shop over the summer. It is enjoyable stitching in the evening while watching TV. But let me tell you, these babies take forever! This project has been every evening for a month! In this case speed is not involved. Just consistent stitching!

 Somewhere on line I saw where someone finished the edge of their project by adding hexagons all around the underside of the quilt. Again, tedious, but what a nice edge you get. I should have stopped there because I am not at all happy with my hand quilting on this project. Maybe it doesn't need to be quilted. Can I get a hands up for that?

 I happened upon this project in the December 2012 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine while sorting through my magazines. The design came from a vintage project that Ann Hermes adapted. This is one I wanted to make when I first saw it. I always have scraps, and they prompted me to get to work. I enjoyed this scrappy, wonky project so much that I just kept making blocks, and now I have a much larger quilt like this that I adore! Plus it feels so good to find yourself at the bottom of the scrap box!

 On another note, I have been having a terrible time posting to my Facebook for Patchalot Patterns. Things just don't seem to show up. It is very frustrating. And you know I don't post to my blog like I used to. But I am on Instagram and also on Pinterest. In fact I just noticed that I have 91 boards on Pinterest. Someone please save me from myself! I do think it is a great way to catalog photos of quilts and things that you like. I would prefer to fine tune it a bit, but so far making more boards is my only option. I have so many boards now that sometimes I am not sure where to pin an item. So I make another board.

In reference to my last post, I am now into season 12 of Midsomer Murders and they have become a little spicier and perhaps a bit more graphic. I hope I didn't recommend something that you find offensive down the road. Oddly, it didn't seem as provocative to me as American TV. Then again, my head is down stitching for a good part of the program!

The Good Old Summertime!

What a great summer this has been! We have had fun and it has gone fast. Doesn't it always? Below is this really cool horse I found at an antique shop in Minnesota. It is heavy rusted iron. I love it!

I flew from Arizona to Virginia the end of June with a layover in Minneapolis. I was home for a week and my husband and I packed up and drove to Minneapolis! Well, I didn't want him to drive alone. And... we drove through Wisconsin and stopped in Menasha to visit Primitive Gatherings! I was delighted to get to see Lisa Bongeon's shop, tho Lisa was not there. She was off teaching somewhere, of course. Sorry to have missed her, but I did get a couple photos. And you can visit her at her blog by clicking her name. Lisa always has the best stuff!

This is my quilt pattern, Prairie Fire, that was hanging in the shop. It was quilted by Linda Hrcka at The Quilted Pineapple. Check out her blog, she is amazing!

I have to share this cute display. It is an old ladder with little nails on the rungs and primitive designer Cheri Payne's patterns are hanging there. How appropriate! 

We left Menasha and drove a short distance to Appleton, Wisconsin. I went to high school there and haven't been back since. 

We drove by the old house, which I still love. It looked happy and well cared for! I could move right back in! We loved Appleton so much!

From there we drove on to Minnesota and up to the Brainerd Lakes area. We spent about two weeks with family there and loved it.

Here is our darling Katie with the twins.

Here is the darling August James with me! 

My great-grandson!

I will end with a cute little wool pumpkin that I worked on while traveling. I was a fun design to work on and is free from American Patchwork and Quilting magazine. You can find it on their website, All People Quilt.

Good News!

Guess who has a new baby brother? If you guessed the twins, Grey and Micah, you are right! I didn't give it away by the photo did I? This little guy is August James. His weight was 8 lbs 9 oz, about the same as both twins together when they were born. 

Isn't he the cutest little bundle?! I can't wait to snuggle this little guy!

I have been having great fun working on the APQ Quiltalong. Have any of you joined in? The pattern is in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine, February 2014 issue. If you can't find this issue it is available to download.

This is Lissa Alexander's quilt, Tone It Down, as shown in the magazine. It is beautiful! For a real treat go to Lissa's blog for a display of several of these quilts completed by various designers. They are unique and awesome! You may recognize the design as a  pattern called Burgoyne Surrounded after a general in the Revolutionary War. Historically it has been a two color quilt, like red and white or blue and white. This scrappy version really appeals to me!

This is my version. Naturally I stuck with my traditional repro fabrics. I have all my blocks completed now and I'm working on the 9-patches and sashing. 

Follow this LINK to find info and to find the list of designers who are involved in this quiltalong. You can also find a hashtag board on Instagram at #APQquiltalong. If you follow me on Pinterest I have a board for Burgoyne Surrounded, the traditional name of the pattern.

The above is Burgoyne Surrounded that I made many years ago for my son and his wife. It is basically the same pattern. I added a checkerboard border to it. It has been well loved and used! 

Have a great week my friends, and I hope you get some quilting in! I hope I do too!

Lincoln's Promise

 My life has taken a dramatic shift and therefore so has my attention to blogging, quiltmaking, etc. Here is the deal. My 90 year old dad became quite ill in September and my siblings and I felt he should not be living alone any longer. The most logical solution was for him to move in with me and my husband in our Arizona home. So I flew to Arizona earlier than I intended, and my brother came from Minnesota with his two sons and they moved Dad and his belongings into my house. Dad's health has greatly improved, I am happy to say. His strength has increased and so has his desire to get back behind the wheel. That is our only bone of contention. Aside from that, things are going well. He is hooked on Netflix and watches lots of TV, and I am attending to his needs. I am happy I can be here to help him. Don't expect lots of new patterns from me however. That department has taken a back seat to Dad. Life changes, doesn't it? 

Before I came back to AZ I had the pleasure of designing a quilt with some fabric that Marcus sent me. The fabric is from a new line by Pam Buda of Prairie Women's Sewing Circle fame. Her quilts are wonderful and so is her fabric. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Pam as we email back and forth. Her new fabric line is called American Gothic and if you follow the link you can take a look at it. It is all wonderful little black and cream prints. I combined just a small amount of red with those beautiful prints and came up with this design that I call Lincoln's Promise. Somehow all the black prints made me think of Abraham Lincoln as he was always seen in his black suit and tall black hat. Lincoln has been called Honest Abe for his reputation of honesty. A promise made was a promise kept. Here is a man to whom all politicians refer, but few actually emulate.  So here is my small tribute to a great American President. May he long be remembered and cherished as one of our greatest!


 

 

 By the way, if you are going to Quilt Market in Houston the quilt above will be hanging in the Marcus Fabrics booth, and the quilt below will be hanging in the American Patchwork and Quilting booth.

I hope you have seen this quilt in the Dec. 2013 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting. I had lots of fun making this quilt and yes, it took a while! But this is what I love, playing with little pieces of colorful scraps and seeing what comes of it. I love traditional designs, and I have fun making them a little unique to give them my signature. 
 “Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

I have to show this additional quilt as well. It is designed by Pam Buda and is made from the American Gothic fabric line. It is just gorgeous! Check it out at Homespun Quilts, Pam's website. I just noticed that Fat Quarter Shop has it kitted, if you are interested. 

On a totally different vein, I HAVE A NEW GRANDDAUGHTER!   

 

 Her name is Olivia Ann Patch, 7 lbs. 7 oz.

Isn't she the sweetest? I am now blessed with 9 grandchildren. Three boys and six potential quilters! Plus Micah and Grey--my great-grands! 

All is well with the Patch family! Thanks for stopping by!

Annual Ornament Feature

Getting a jump on Christmas and making ornaments for my grandkids. This is a tradition I began with my own children, and as they had children I continued with the grands. Oh there have been a few years where I didn't follow through, but that was before my grandson, 15 at the time, said that he loved to decorated the tree and find all his ornaments that I had made him through the years. When I discovered that it really meant something to him, a teenage boy no less, my heart was touched! Let's face it. we love to make things. It's in our blood or something. But if no one appreciates what we are doing it kind of takes the heart out of it. We all love a little recognition, right?

So here is this years simple little offering. The pattern was in American Patchwork and Quilting magazine December 2011 issue. It is a pattern by Sue Spargo that I adapted to my own needs. Hers is wonderful, but I needed something that was easier to mass produce because I needed so many. Years ago I made felt ornaments every year. In those days my mom would design the pattens and she always made them for everyone. Now I am working with wool, but I still had a nice big hunk of heavy white felt from "the old days" that worked well for the background. So I am happy to say that the ornies are done for this year!! Now I need to design and make four Christmas Stockings! Boy, these kids expect a lot!

On another note, someone telephoned me the other day to ask if I take credit cards for my pattern purchases. I do not. My website is set up to accept Paypal, which is so easy to use, and safe as well. If you haven't tried it, do so on something inexpensive, like one of my patterns, just to get the feel of it. If you are uncomfortable doing that and you don't want the hassle of mailing a check, you can always call this number: 757-523-2711. It is the local shop here in Virginia Beach (What's Your Stitch 'N Stuff) and they carry ALL my patterns. They also often have kits available for at least one or two of my patterns. It changes. Of course I also mentioned two shops in my previous post that have kits for Old Elegance, and naturally they have that pattern as well, plus other Patchalot Patterns. 
Seems like I am doing a lot of self promotion lately. Well I ask you, who else is gonna do it? LOL!

If you are living in snow country and got blasted yesterday, my condolences. We actually turned on the furnace for the first time last night. I hope this winter it is not going to be a repeat of last winter. Warm wishes to all!

 

Cocheco IV Fabric and Kits!

I just came home from the grocery store and am collapsing for a few minutes. My husband is expecting an apple pie. But before I begin that I need to catch my breath. I left several bags of groceries at the foot of the stairs by the garage. Our kitchen is on the third floor and it about kills me to carry heavy bags up there. I just carry the frozen and refrigerated stuff up and then Hubby gets the rest later. What a plan, huh?

 Here it is again, Old Elegance. I am excited about this quilt being displayed at the Marcus Fabric booth at Quilt Market in Houston. I know you have all heard this before, if you read my blog. The additional great news is that there will be kits available at two fabulous shops. Coincidentally, both are AP&Q top shops!

When I called Michelle Joyner of Fat Quarters Quilt Shop in Vista, California she was very enthusiastic about my pattern because she had ordered this fabric line from Marcus. She now has the fabric and the pattern in stock so hopefully kits are in the works! You can reach her shop at 760-758-8308. Also see the link to find out what other great things are in the shop. I had the pleasure of visiting this shop several years ago and love it! 

Another great shop, and closer to home for me, is Millstone Quilts, right here in Virginia. Millstone Quilts was just featured in the most recent issue of Quilt Sampler magazine. You probably have the magazine so you can take a look at how darling the shop looks. Regina Simmons is the owner and when I spoke to her she decided to order the fabric so she could make up kits. You can contact this shop at 804-779-3535. Wow, make my day!

I can't tell you how delighted I am to have these two great shops kitting up this pattern! It gives me the opportunity to share this pattern with you kitted in the original fabric pictured in the photo. I hope you love it and give one of these great shops a call!

Also, you can purchase the pattern individually at the Patchalot Patterns website, or ask for it at your LQS. I am always happy to take shop orders!