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!

More from Quilt Market 2012

I am back home in Virginia Beach for a few weeks. I haven't been on line much, and you may have seen tons of photos from Quilt Market already, but I have more to show, so check it out!

 Meet Becky Delsman of Plays with Wool Designs.
 I got to meet Becky and her partner Kim Schueffner at their booth at market. You may recognize the project she is holding, "the Great Pumpkin" from the Fall 2012 issue of this magazine below--Primitive Quilts and Projects. This is such a stunning wool project.You can order a kit at the Plays with Wool website. Order now and you will have it ready for next fall!

This magazine is, of course, everyone's favorite! I am excited to tell you that I have another project coming up in this magazine next year. Below is a photo of me with "the Prim Sisters", as Kimber likes to call them. Jeni, me, Judy and Gretchen! Their booth was close to mine and I ran into them every day. These sisters got the magazine going and it took off like a shot last year. If you can't find it in your LQS, look at Barnes and Noble, or even better, get a subscription! Be sure and tell them that I sent you! Follow the link: Primitive Quilts and Projects.

I love meeting people at market that I "know" but haven't had the pleasure of meeting. Above is Kathy from the Cottage at Cardiff Farms. I bet you have seen her work in magazines, etc. I was definitely a pleasure to meet Kathy. My friend Joan kept raving about her booth and so I went to see her. She is so nice and so full of talent. You have to check out her website and see the great projects she has available.

This is my dear friend Janna from Bloc-Loc Rulers. I met her and her husband Paul in Houston two years ago when their booth was close to mine. Now we are always so delighted to run into one another. Their business is going like crazy and I LOVE their products. If you go to their website you can see the nifty rulers they have created for trimming down small blocks. I use them all the time because I love perfection! And these rulers give you that. I wrote about them previously HERE.

This final photo for today is from the Marcus Fabrics booth. You know I love Marcus fabrics, and Judie Rothermel is at the top of my list. You can follow the link to their website and peruse the wonderful fabric lines that they have out. You can also download these fabrics to EQ7 if you have it and see what they look like in your quilt designs. Love that!

At Quilt Market-Houston 2012

I am rushing to get this posted as I am in Arizona and leave tomorrow to go home. It is always nice to be here. I came straight from Quilt Market where I picked up a nasty cold and so I have been coughing my guts out and haven't felt that well. Consequently, not much blogging going on. Now I am pressed for time, so this will be quick.

 Here are a few photos of my booth. Me above with Button Bandits to the left and Old Soul in the back. 

My buddy Joan went with me again and helped me set up and work the booth, etc. Don't know what I would do without Joan! We are surrounded here in our little 10' x 10' booth with padded walls! Very cozy, as one visitor commented!

It was exciting to me to have several people come to my booth and tell me that they read my blog! Thank you! And thanks for stopping by! It was also fun to see people that I have been meeting at different shows and they remember me. Alma Allen from Blackbird Designs, for example, remembered that I took a class from her and Barb Adams several years ago. That shocked me. Just goes to show you how special these ladies are. Or how gullible I am!

 This is Barb Adams from Blackbird Designs. Alma was busy at that moment so I didn't interrupt her. their booth is always so nice.

 I grabbed Jo Morton as she was walking past my booth. I introduced myself and she said, "You're Karen Mowery's friend". Yup, that's me! Don't we all love Jo? Yes!

 My neighbor in the booth next door was Mary Koval.I was so happy to get to know Mary. She has been doing this for many years and has a huge following all over the world. I often see her on Scandinavian blogs. She designs fabric, has a quilt shop, and also sells antique quilts. Her booth was full of antique quilts. Fabulous! Her husband Joe was with her working hard!

That's all for now. I have to pack to go home! More photos later.

 

Off to Houston

Well, here it is my friends. My bags are packed and I'm leaving in the morning for Houston. This is THE big event that I have been working towards for months. All the preparation for International Quilt Market is about to be implemented in booth #935. You have seen my newest quilts and given me great feedback on them. I hope the people shopping at market like my stuff. That's all I can say, I've done my best. Here is a funny little fact for you, my patterns seem to sell the best to Wisconsin and Texas shops. Now why do you think that is? 

 The above photo is one I got from Pinterest. I just love this display. I need to find a cute ladder that I can do this with. I have seen so many cute displays with ladders that I have a whole board on Pinterest with just ladders. Check it out!

 Since I don't have anything new to show you let me refer you to another blog who has a darling free pattern available. I would like to make this when I get a chance. This is from Joanne from Manitoba, Canada, and her blog is Thread Head. Many of you may have seen it already, in fact I saw that Karen at Log Cabin Quilter has made this project and posted it. You may need to scroll through some of Karen's beautiful work to find it on her blog. Thanks to Joanne for this darling project!

Another blog, Quilts by Cheri, has been posting free projects also. Cheri Payne designs darling primitive projects, and I am sure you all know her. Her last blog post shows a quilt she made from a pattern on Lori's blog, Humble Quilts. Lori has posted several darling little quilt-a-long patterns over the past few years. Bloggers are so generous with their time and talent. Sometimes I feel out of the loop because it takes me so long to accomplish my own projects and what I would love to do is just dive into one of these others. I really appreciate the great blogging community and am thankful for the friends I have made. I was explaining to my husband the other night that I have met so many bloggers over the years and even tho we may not keep up with one another on a regular basis, it is so nice to have someone that I met way back drop in to make a comment on my blog, or just to say hello. Such a nice circle of really nice people!

One more blog of note is that of my friend Karen at Sew Primitive. Karen has been making the Suffrage blocks that Barbara Brackman is providing on her blog. Barbara is amazing in what she offers us on her various blogs in terms of historical perspective and quilt blocks to commemorate events in history. Karen is one who follows along and actually keeps up with each block in real time! Check out Barbara's Grandmother's Choice blog, and then check out Karen's version of these blocks. Karen is amazing! If you are familiar with Karen you may know that she has been undergoing cancer treatment for the past year and has been really sick. All the more reason why her work is so amazing, as she just pushes though the pain to get things done that are important to her. Any prayers you send her way will be appreciated.

Thanks Blogging Buddies for all you contribute! More when I return from Quilt Market! And if you are going to market please come see me in booth #935! Patchalot Patterns!

 

A Bountiful Life and more...

 I didn't go to market this time and I sure wish I had been there! Look at this beautiful display of quilts in the Kansas City Star booth. They publish quilt books, as you probably know. Front and center in this display is my good friend Karen Mowery's quilt, A Bountiful Life. This quilt is a replica of the famous Bird of Paradise quilt that is at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. It is an awesome quilt and Karen's book is awesome as well. Request it at your LQS or order it online. You won't be disappointed! See what Karen has to say about all this excitement at her blog, Sew Primitive.

And 

Other books on display from Kansas City Star, Including Simply Charming by the darling Tara Lynn Darr. I love this book! Confederates in the Cornfield by Edie Mcginnis has the most amazing cherry quilt in it.

Edie's new book, A Bag of Scraps, is wonderful for those of us who live and breath scrap quilts. Plus, Edie always adds interesting facts and stories. Edie is an editor at Kansas City Stars, so she knows a little bit about writing books! Also, I stole these photos from her on Facebook!

 

 Above, a few more wonderful quilts from the Kansas City Star booth.

Even tho I didn't get to market this spring, I have been excited to see the photos and hear about the enthusiasm of those that were there. You can see more market photos at the links below:

 Fat Quarter Shop,  their Jolly Jabber blog

Country Quilts-Cheryl Wall

Fat Quarters Quilt Shop (Vista, CA) their Facebook page

There are probably more, but I don't have time to look right now as I have been on this blooming computer all day!

Enjoy!

A Little More Market

 A little more market never hurt anyone, right? So here is a peek into the wonderful Bonnie Blue Booth. The quilt on the back wall is the Cotton Club BOM that we are seeing all over. It is awesome!

 Pictured above is Paula Barnes and Mary Ellen Stoddard from Bonnie Blue Quilts. More nice people with whom I am happy to connect. I really love their quilts!

 The Bonnie Blue booth always blows me away!

  This is my own quilt, Celebration Stars, which, I am proud to say, was hanging in the Marcus Fabric booth!

 This is the darling and talented Kathy Schmitz! Always in the mood for Christmas....

 When we first spotted Kathy it was the day before market began and she was down on her knees painting her floor! What a girl!

 We came across Kathy later while she was visiting her sister, Bonnie Sullivan's booth. Can you tell they are sisters? Bonnie's company is All Through the Night. check it out! Can you believe her booth? It was drop dead gorgeous! Wool applique on flannel. Watch for her new book coming in the fall.

 Here is a cool looking new book on the market by Kathy Brown. Sorry, I don't know her website. But do a title search and you will find her book all over just now!

I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy while in the Sew Unique Creations booth. Also met Granola Girl, Debbie Field. I was introduced as Patchalot by Tara Lynn Darr and told that heretofore that is what I would be known as. Never mind Marcie.

This is the adorable Renee Plains of Liberty Star in her equally adorable booth.

I bought her book, A Bird in Hand, and can't wait to dig into it and make something! I wonder if they call Renee Liberty Star?

Hope you enjoy viewing a few more photos from Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, Utah. For me it never gets old!

Too Much Fun!

Let's begin with these adorable babies! These are the adorable twins that I got to see while I was in Salt Lake City. You may already know that they belong to Becky, my granddaughter. They are now four months old. I have lots more to share, but wanted to grab your attention with these little cuties first! Grey and Micah!

It is not an easy thing to be a dedicated blogger, and as much as I enjoy it, I must admit that at times it seems a burden. You may have noticed (or not) my absence of late. First I was in SLC for Quilt Market, then visiting family out west while there, then I came home and had a hysterectomy and that laid me up for a while. Actually I pretty much slept for a week. Now I am working my way back into the game. Ideas are streaming. But I still have hardly touched on my trip and market and the babies, etc.

 

 So let me begin by saying that I met up with the wonderful and charming Tara Lynn Darr of Sew Unique Creations while I was at market and I got to see all her darling quilts that are in her new book, Simply Charming, and they are just that! Simply Charming! Her book is available all over the place, including her website. But you might get lucky and win it in my drawing! 

 Also while in Utah I met up with Kairle Oaks who I met thru blogging a few years ago. Now we have met face to face and I can honestly say how wonderful it was to meet her! Kairle took a day from her busy life and showed me and Joan some darling quilt shops in the Salt Lake area. 

This place, Quilt, Etc. actually has storefronts on two sides of the street and people carry things back and forth. They treated us with little bags of Utah's famous Salt Water Taffy, and also had cookies and drinks sitting out for customers. Hospitality plus, I would say! Click the link for a virtual tour of the shop on their website. It's great!

Next shop on our tour was Material Girls! The Utah shops seem to be especially fond of clean, bright colors. I would have to change my whole color palette if I lived there. This shop was darling and visually appealing. 

Then it was on to Gardner Village! We loved this place! Just look at the trees in bloom and the mountains still covered in snow and the bright blue sky! The village contained many darling shops that we visited, but of course our main destination was Pine Needles Quilt Shop, pictured right there with that darling deck over the stream.

These pretty pastels rule in this area, and I had to laugh when talking later to Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill about this shop. I told her it looked like it was painted to match her fabrics! 

Then take a look at the darling cutting table and the big drawers. I love it! I would love to do that in my own sewing room.

What a wonderful day it was, and we owe it all to the generosity of my blogging buddy, Kairle! Aren't blogging friends the best!

Here are a couple more pictures of the twins with two of their grandmas. On the right is Mary Brandt who also came to town for Quilt Market.

Mary works for Shelley Stokes and Cedar Canyon Textiles. They have those nifty Paintstiks that so many people are enjoying. They always do a huge business. People love those Paintstiks! It was nice to enjoy their company again!

So now I made you read all the way thru this post to find out what you need to do to enter the drawing for the Simply Charming book. Well, I think if you read this far you qualify to throw your name in the hat! Be sure I can link back to you or else leave me an email address. Good luck everyone! Let's give it one week and I will draw next Thursday, June 16.

Have fun clicking on those links! They are all great!