Spring Morning

Spring Morning isn't quite happening for us yet as January storms prevail in many parts of the USA. However, McCall's Quick Quilts has a way of giving us a nice boost into spring in their February/March 2015 issue.

This magazine is full of lovely quilts that will get you in the mood to decorate for spring! I am happy to say that one of my little quilts was chosen to be in this cheerful magazine! It is called Spring Morning! I made this as a baby quilt for my son's third baby, Olivia Patch. McCall's graciously published the quilts I made for his first two children as well, so I was pleased that they accepted this one also. How can a grandmother explain to a grandchild that their quilt didn't make the cut? Haha! My friend and quilter, Marae Harris quilted this for me. She always knows just what my quilts need!

I have always loved the pink and yellow combination and I was looking for something sweet and girlie. And this is why-

Isn't she sweet?

Be sure and look for this issue of McCall's Quick Quilts!

And on a similar note, this quilt design is almost the same. Can you spot the differences? Well, obviously the colors make a huge difference! The blocks are the same size, I just changed out the four-patch in the block for whatever that little triangle block is called. You can see in both quilts that the Monkey Wrench block was altered so the seams lined up with the corner squares of the other block. See what options you have when you design quilts? You are in charge of the decision making! I am particularly proud of the border in this one. It is the first time I ever made a zig-zag border and I love it! The lovely blue-grey fabric in this quilt is by Olde Green Cupboard, for Marcus Fabrics. It's called Londonderry. You might still find it on whittlesfabrics.com. It is an old release at this point. Most everything is by the time a quilt gets published.

It pleases me so much to be working with McCall's Magazines and the great people there. I thank them for the recognition they give me as a quilter and for the opportunity to share my work with others.

            Piecefully Stitching,

Splendor in the Scraps

I am excited to finally be able to reveal one of my very favorite quilts! Splendor in the Scraps! It is featured in McCalls America Loves Scrap Quilts, due out December 23. I'm giving you a heads up so you can keep an eye out for it. Here is the cover:

Look for this magazine where you normally pick up your magazines, or you can follow this LINK if you want to order online. This is a news stand issue, so it won't come with your subscription.

This is a quilt I kept coming back to because as it grew I loved it more and more and every time I worked on it I wanted it to be bigger. Finally McCall's asked if I would please finish it so they could publish it, so it got finished at 76.5" x 84.5". With a design like this you can make it as big or as little as you choose. If you are a scrapper like I am, you love working with as many fabrics as you can. There is just something about all your fabrics playing together that gives such a great look. To further enhance the beauty of the scraps I used one tan fabric with scrappy corners for the square in a square block that is consistent throughout the quilt. I also used the same light fabric for the corners of the colored square in a square block. For me, this brings a calming influence.

Thanks so much to the folks at McCall's Quilting for publishing another of my quilts. They always do such a great job! 

Honk if you love flying geese!

I'm at it again with the flying geese! And this cute quilt is called Gosling-Go-Round. I'm happy to be able to finally share this quilt with you, thanks to the kind ladies at McCall's Quilting.

 Pretty darn exciting! McCall's Quilting September/October issue is featuring this quilt. If you follow me at all you may be surprised at the colors, as I am quite faithful to Civil War repros, but these fabrics actually fall into the reproduction genre. In fact, much to my delight, Judie Rothermel has two new lines that will work very well if you are looking for these colors:
 Judy Rothermel's Strawberries, Blueberries and Chocolate and also her Party of Twelve, both from Marcus Fabrics. According to Marcus Fabrics, "Madder reds, indigoes, chrome yellows, poison greens, double pinks and other colors were used prominently in the 1800s, resulting in vibrant, lively quilts that would brighten any room." 
We are so lucky to be able to find these fabrics by simply doing an internet search! 


If you have a subscription to McCall's Quilting it will be in your mailbox soon, otherwise, look for it in stores around July 30th. 
Now about that name...baby geese are called goslings, I am sure you know, and the geese are rather small, and they are going round and round, and the colors seem young and playful, hence the name, Gosling-Go-Round. You know I love to play with words, I just can't help myself.

I hope you like my quilt! 

Bloglovin and More

I guess I am joining the throngs of bloggers moving over to Bloglovin, so I am hereby claiming my blog!!! Not sure what that means, but since they tell us to do it, I'm doing it. This is the second time I have had to move my blog list to another program. Each time I am disappointed and maybe a little less involved than before. Guess we shall see what this one does for us. I have to say that I am surprised that Google eliminated their program, but oh well. 

I have all these little quilty things around that I need to finish. This one is a doll quilt for my granddaughter, Ellie. Maybe you remember her baby quilt that was published in McCalls a while back? They called it Teaberry Stars, and included it as a free online pattern in a bed size quilt. 
I added the border to this doll quilt today and now I need to get it quilted for her and maybe find a dolly too. 

 Here I am making progress on my wool sampler. I am excited to see this coming to life!

I just saw that Lisa Bongean (of Primitive Gatherings) has a new fabric line out of little flowers and also pastels. Blow me over! Last time I spoke to her she told me "I like dark quilts", which we can believe because she is Primitive Gatherings! The new line is darling and I can't wait to see what Lisa does with it! Follow the link and check it out!

Happy summer friends! 

 

Teaberry Stars--Oh Baby!

Has anyone out there missed me? I have been in Arizona for the past three weeks as my Dad suddenly ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. As I arrived he was transferred to a rehab facility for another week and a half. (heaven help we call it a nursing home). I seriously hope we never have to see that place again. He is home at his apartment now and recovering quite nicely I am happy to say. It has been nice to be here and spend time with him. When I think of all he has been to me in my life, it is a pleasure to be able to do for him for a change.

I feel bad that I don't get into blogging when I am away. There is just so darn much keeping me busy and running around. Once again I am getting a few things done at our house in Mesa while I am here. Yesterday I ordered carpet and am so excited to have that installed. Coughing up that much money has not been easy. After that we can begin moving in. Just waiting for my husband to retire to make the move official. It is so beautiful here this time of year and I don't miss the onslaught of pollen that is clouding the skies in Virginia Beach this time of year.

So here is some exciting news to share. McCall's Quilting May-June 2012 issue, is featuring a baby quilt that I made for my granddaughter Ellie who will be less than a year old when she finally receives it! McCall's also featured her brother Isaac's baby quilt, so I am delighted that they will both be able to say that their quilt was published by McCall's. That is when they can speak! 

 These are five inch blocks made primarily with a darling fabric line called Little Pink Stars designed by Margo Krager.You may be able to find some online if you check. There is also fabric from my stash included. I love pink, so I am always collecting it! McCall's also has an online pattern available for this quilt using 10" blocks to enlarge the quilt to bed size.  I have considered making it larger in blue. Wouldn't that be pretty?

Tomorrow I am leaving to drive to Utah with my son-in-law. He has been here helping me on the house and making himself very useful. He is done with school and about to embark on a new career as a pharmacist. A man of many talents! My daughter, Polly, is driving to Provo, UT from Missoula, MT and meeting us there. This is the home of my darling twin grandsons, and also Ellie and Isaac, so my life will be filled with grandbabies for the next two weeks!

I doubt I will be blogging until I return to Mesa, and then I will have baby pictures! Thank you dear readers for coming to visit me once again, and check out my Pinterest boards--see the link at the top right.

Stockings at last!

The stockings were stuffed in the mailbox with care, in hopes they would travel to my grandchildren by air! Well it rhymes, but will never be a hit. Yes, I finally got the stockings mailed off to the kids just in the (St.) Nick of time! 

 All the stockings I have made for my nine grandchildren and two greats have been from denim jeans. You can see the seam that runs down one side. These make nice sturdy, home-style stockings. These stockings were smaller than the others because I had to beg for jeans from a lady who only had skinny ones. What is with that? If this trend continues I will be making crazy patched denim stockings next. Sounds cute, but too many seams. As it is I had to piece the toes, but it doesn't show under the toe patch, or on the back, so it is fine. The applique is all done  in wool. This is different from years past as well. I love wool applique! 

Just as I was beginning this project my Jan. 2012 issue of McCall's Quick Quilts arrived in the mail, and there was a cute snowman quilt in it. I used the pattern for those snowmen on my stockings. Great timing!

I seriously wondered if these stockings would ever get done this year. I am itching to sew on other projects, but that may not happen for a while. Christmas is just around the corner and I am all for deep breathing and relaxing when possible! January will be here soon enough and then I can become a serious sewer again.

 I made up this cute little pot for my sister. It contains a sprouting Amaryllis, which my mother always loved, along with a little Christmas trim. I think she will enjoy watching it grow. Have you ever had one? They are so pretty!


Merry Christmas friends! I have appreciated all the nice words of comfort and love sent my way this past year. I am constantly amazed at the wonderful friends I have made out there, and most of you I have never even met! May the blessings of the holidays warm your homes and your hearts.


Marcie

It's a Grand Old Flag

I love pictures with flags! This one happens to be my grandfather, I think around 1907. Just guessing by his age. How do you like that outfit? I wouldn't be surprised if he was marching in a parade that day.

 

Wally Winspear, about 1907 

I just was visiting Minick and Simpson's blog and they have a link to Jimmie Cagney dancing his heart out. Honestly, you should go see the video, it is awesome! I remember watching his movies when I was a kid and they had the old movies on late at night. I watched a lot of the old black and whites when I was up babysitting or whatever. Cagney made Oscar winning Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942. Some of those old movies just can't be beat, even in black and white!

This is my darling granddaughter, Danielle, taken at our house a few years ago. Another flag waver! The quilt behind her is a favorite old pattern from Little Quilts!

Here is a quilt of my own design that McCall's published last summer. It is called American Dreamer and Minick and Simpson designed the fabric. They really do patriotic well! I mentioned once before in a blog post how active they have been in providing quilts for the military and funds as well. They are awesome! I can't tell you how much respect I have for them!

You can help too, just click this link for Quilts of Valor to find out more.

So I just wanted to share a little bit this 4th of July weekend! Hope it is a good one for you and yours!

Great Minds, and all that...

Yesterday I picked up the new American Patchwork and Quilting Quilt Sampler magazine. I am saving it to read on the plane, as I savor every page of these Sampler magazines. But this morning the cover really snagged my attention, and I had to grab my McCall's Quilting magazine to confirm what I was seeing. Yes! The cover quilt on McCall's Quilting May/June 2011 issue is virtually the same quilt design as the one on Quilt Sampler! I find this just a little amusing because I know both of these magazines really are outstanding and that they want original works, and for sure they don't want to duplicate one another. I am not laughing at their infallibility, only that it is getting more and more difficult to be original. As a designer I can't tell you how many times I see quilts that are so close to my own. In fact I have designed what I thought was a totally original quilt, only to see it published by someone else. And of course traditional designs get used over and over again. 

What can we do about that? What do magazines and pattern makers do about that? Most people these days are so caught up in copyright issues, but what about honest mistakes? What about two outstanding magazines that both have the same quilt on their cover? I say shake hands and have a good laugh about it. I doubt there is any blood percolating over this. These editors are certainly above that. I have worked a little with both teams and they are great!

This red, white and blue quilt was designed by Leslie Knoop. It is great!

This blue and white quilt is from Sarah Maxwell and Delores Smith and is stunning!.


Congratulations to all these ladies on their beautiful quilts! And to American Patchwork and Quilting and McCall's Quilting I say keep up the excellent work on these great magazines! And any time you need me, I am here! (Oh, did I say that out loud?)

If you don't have either of these issues there is still time to rush out and buy your own copy. They never disappoint!

Horsing Around

The most difficult step for me in the pattern producing business is getting a good, usable photo of the quilt for a cover. Yesterday my friend Joan and I went to a horse ranch owned by a friend and fellow quilter, Peggy Nelson. It is in Pungo, Virginia. Yes, Pungo. It is close to Virginia Beach, and more rural. Remember my Saddle Tramp quilt that was published in McCall's Quick Quilts? I needed to get a good photo of it for a pattern cover, and a ranch seemed like the perfect place. Plus, I could borrow a saddle! Joan and I took a few photos and then her rechargeable battery went dead. So it was down to me with my little Kodak Easy Share C330. About half way through the photo shoot the batteries fell out of mine in the grass somewhere while we were moving the saddle and quilt around. Joan hits her palm to her forehead and exclaims, "I can't believe this! We are jinxed!"  Well, fortunately I had more batteries, so we were able to continue. Face it, nothing goes as planned! 

 There was this beautiful horse who very much wanted 

to be in our pictures!

 He was sure we brought him a treat. 

He kept searching for carrots!

 Joan tried to comfort him in his disappointment.

 Finally he tried to taste the quilt! That is when we moved on!

 

 We never got the perfect photo with the horse, but hopefully this one will do. 


Now I need to sit at the desk and write directions! Hopefully this pattern will be back from the printer in two weeks and the directions will be ready to go! Watch for it here, I will keep you posted!


I got an email from a reader recently who made this quilt as an auction quilt. Check out Nann's blog, With Stings Attached, to see her version! Very clever use of a novelty print! Thanks for sharing that with us Nann!

 

Saddle Tramp

 Does anyone remember when I said in January that this is my lucky year? I based that on the fact that my birthday read the same frontwards and backwards: 01022010  Remember? Well, for me, this has been a truly lucky year. I have had quilts published in FOUR magazines this year! To help you remember, they are listed on my side bar. Notice the full length photo of this one as well. This one, above, is the latest and is coming out in McCall's Quick Quilts October-November issue. I named this one Saddle Tramp. You must click on the name to see how they shot it. I mean with the camera. I was hoping they would shoot it with a horse or saddle or fence or something like that. And they did! Yay!! I am very happy!

Please take note of the way this quilt is quilted. My friend, Rose Skinner quilted it using the Baptist Fan. I wanted it done that way to give it the look and simplicity of a well used utility quilt. Like something from the bunkhouse. Great job Rose!

I hope you will all go out and buy this magazine. I want their sales to jump every time I am in a McCall's magazine. Maybe that way they will keep me on!

Dream Catcher

A nice surprise came in the mail today. McCall's Quilting magazine sent me their latest release. It is the September-October issue, and I have a quilt published in it. It is the quilt pictured above called Dream Catcher. Anyone remember when I was working on that one? See it here.

This quilt was so much fun to make because you can really have fun combining scraps. I love a quilt where I can use both old and current fabrics. Scrapdillyitious!
This one was quilted by my good friend in Arizona, Marae Harris, with lovely feathers running down the strips. 

It is such an honor for me to be in this lovely magazine with so many designers that I admire, including Pat Wys whose blog I read! Cool! Watch your mailbox or retail stores for this magazine. It will put a smile on your face!