Home in Virginia

At last I am back in Virginia. I returned home a week ago after a plane trip that was not ideal. My connecting flight in Newark, NJ was cancelled and I was lucky to get a hotel room, thanks to my husband who procured it for me. The airlines said they ran out of hotel vouchers and lots of people spent the night at the airport. I won't use this format to complain, just use your imagination. 

We have had lots of rain, but fortunately it dried up for the 4th of July and people were able to enjoy the beach and the fireworks without getting rained on. I did not go. Without having our kids here I don't feel much incentive to brave the crowds. I was just happy to be home. 

 I finally got going on this darling sampler project from Primitive Gatherings. I have had the kit for a while and recently Anne at Cottons and Wool blog showed her finished sampler. It got me moving to finish mine. It is wool on cotton applique. The hardest part is the prep work, which is what slows me down every time. But seriously, it wasn't that bad.

I had a blogging friend come to visit on Wednesday! What fun to meet another blogger face to face. This is Joan Parker from Keeping You in Stitches. Joan is a mover and a shaker. She has raised eight children and she is still going strong! She is a prolific quiltmaker! These are two quilt tops that she brought to show me. They are great! The top is made from plaid shirts ala Bonnie Hunter. The flying geese quilt has very small geese that were the ends of binding strips, etc. All paper pieced into this beauty. It was great fun to talk and share our quilts, etc. Quilters just connect with no problem, don't you think?

I'll be back again with more. Enjoy summer! We waited so long for it this year!

A Variety of Feathered Friends

Our clever blogging friend Julie from Julie K Quilts made my pattern called Feathered Friends, and then she took it a step further. She made this darling tote bag! I love it so much that I must make one like it for me!

 Here is Julie's table topper or wall hanging. This turned out darling also!
If you read Julie's blog you already know that she makes lots of strip quilts. She is very creative and it is always fun to see what she is making. On top of all that talent Julie is a real sweetheart as well. We meet the nicest people on quilting blogs! 

 I am also very impressed with Janet from Mrs Sew and Sew. Not only is she a really neat person, but she has the magic touch with fabric choices. Here is Janet's adaptation of Feathered Friends. As you can see, she stretched it out to cover her dresser. Check out her blog too!
Both of these projects are a wonderful examples of how quilters adapt patterns to suit their needs. 

 Here is my original version of Feathered Friends. Most of it came from a charm pack that gave me a pretty selection of colors and textures. 

 Don't forget my BOGO sale going on now--it ends Tuesday, April 30. Find the pattern under Doll Quilts and make one for yourself!

 

Dear Little Rembrandt

I mentioned two months ago that our dear little Rembrandt, the kitty who entertained us on Karen's blog Sew Primitive, had found a home. Many of us were concerned about Karen's cats after she passed away and so we were gratified to know that they had been adopted by new families. Well, about two weeks ago I received the sweetest email from Sandi in Atlanta letting me know that Rembrandt now resides with her family! Sandi doesn't have a blog, but she read Karen's blog and she reads mine, and maybe yours! She said she enjoys seeing Rembrandt's picture on the side of my blog and that Rembrandt is being loved by her family in her new surroundings. Rembrandt has always been a little skittery and so Sandi sees her zipping from one hiding place to another as she becomes familiar with the house and the hiding places. She also comes out for food and affection. Good to know! I imagine she is getting to know the children, but Sandi says she hasn't quite warmed up to the dog! Karen's house was very quiet, as you might imagine. Filled with fabric and art supplies, it was Karen's own little den of creativity. I can't believe Karen has been gone almost three months. I miss her every day. I often go back to her blog and read old posts from when she was healthy and productive and funny! How nice to have that available at my finger tips. I am so touched that Sandi would contact me and assure me that Rembrandt is being loved and cared for. That was such a concern of mine. I know Karen would be pleased to know that Rembrandt is in a loving home. And now I have made a new friend online as well! Thank you Sandi! 

Ever the artist, Karen had rooms dedicated to her many endeavors. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

A little time for a little quilt

 We all lament the passage of time and I am no exception. Where does it go? It evaporates into space and leaves us wondering. I truly feel that the older you get the faster time flies. I can't prove it, but ask anyone of a certain age and they will testify as I have--it's next week already! The past few weeks have been filled with doctor appointments as my husband and I prepare to use our insurance while we still have it. He is trying to retire, but doesn't feel comfortable about it until he knows that my voice problem has been resolved. So tomorrow I go in for that surgery that I mentioned a few months back. I can't wait to get this over and out of the way. My grandchildren are beginning to make fun of me! We were doing 'facetime' on our phones the other day--the kids love that. All of a sudden Isaac (age 3) began talking funny. My husband picked up on it right away and had a good laugh.

After thumbing through my Primitive Quilts and Projects magazines I decided to make this little quilt by Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings. This is from the Summer 2011 Issue. I love a little wool with scraps! I feel very happy picking up small projects right now. And I love playing with scraps. I pretend that I am cleaning up in my sewing room if I sew any small scraps together! I have so many little pieces laying around that it is like a scrappy blizzard in there.

This little quilt is the remains of a class I taught for my Old Elegance quilt. I made several blocks to demonstrate color options and to show how to use the Tri-Recs Tool for the star points. Since I just had nine blocks I added a sawtooth border to finish it. I think I would have gone on to make another whole quilt if I had more of that plaid that I used in the 9-patch block. But now it will be a table topper or wall quilt. You can see another color option of this design on Patchalot Patterns Facebook page. JoAnne at the Patriotic Quilter was in my class and her quilt turned out great! By the way, if you go to that Facebook page be sure and hit LIKE will you?

So many great things going on with quilters these days. I really love what Rose Mary has done with her favorite star. Take a look at Applique 'n Patch for an eyeful of her talent and skill in design! What a delight it is to meet so many wonderful quilters and peek in on them as they share their projects! 

Hopefully more next week from me after a bit of down time.

 

Are your quilts labeled?

Labeling quilts is a priority for me. I try to get my quilts labeled right away, but it doesn't always happen. When I was checking quilt backs last week I realized that a few needed to be labeled, so I got busy.

My method is a simple one. I open a Word Document and write in what I want to show on the label. For example:

My Happy Place

Marcie Patch

-Patchalot Patterns-

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Quilted by Marae Harris

80-20 batting

2006

I iron a 8-1/2" x 11" piece of freezer paper to a piece of fabric that is cut just a little smaller. Usually the paper curls a little so I press it under something heavy while it cools. I try to do a few labels at a time on the same page. The fabric side faces down in the paper drawer and rolls up to be printed on. Often the top edge catches when it starts going through the printer and the top of the page gets smudged with ink, so I leave a large margin at the top just in case. This isn't a fool proof method, but it works well enough. The more you do it, the more you know what to expect. 

After your page is printed on the fabric you can peel it off the freezer paper and press it with an iron. The heat seals the ink so it doesn't wash out. Now trim down each label, leaving about an inch around each side of the lettering. Add little borders to make it cute, if you wish. Next I sew it right side down to a piece of light colored fabric on all four sides. Carefully slit open the back and turn it in side out. Pull out the corners, press it and it is ready to stitch on to the back of your quilt. You will thank yourself for doing this in the coming years! 

I also like to give notice as to who designed the quilt. Sometimes it's me, but not always. Also, who quilted it, what batting, etc. Sometimes there is a story behind a quilt that you may add. 

Another thing I have done when I make little gifts for friends is to simply make a bunch of little labels with my name and the year, fold all the raw edges in and tuck it into the binding so you have a little tab label.  

I know people document their quilts in different ways. If we post them on our blog we can do a search with the right key words. Today I was able to find a post by Karen Mowery about a quilt that she made that was recently won at an Ebay auction. My friend Paula the Quilter was the high bidder and when she received the quilt there was no label. Luckily we were able to find Karen's notes about the quilt on her blog! It was a great find because it not only gave the date she made it, but also who quilted it and the fabric line and her inspiration in creating it! Now Paula can make a really interesting label!

 

By the way, a few of you have asked about Karen's cats, especially Rembrandt, and whether they found homes. Yes! I am happy to report that Karen's son Tim found homes for both her cats! 

 

Karen Mowery

My dear friend Karen Mowery passed away on Friday, February 1, 2013, just one year after being diagnosed with cancer. It was a really tough year for her and she was sick for most all of it from the treatments she went through. She went peacefully, and her wonderful son Timmy was with her at the end, as he has been all along. He was her greatest joy and treasure. 

Karen was always reluctant to have her picture taken, so I scanned this from her beautiful book, A Bountiful Life, published by Kansas City Star.

 

My one comfort is that I know she is in another realm where there is no pain and love will surround her, and peace will comfort her.
I know that we have many quilting friends in common and you will feel her loss as well. She was a person of enormous talent and also of great humility. She took joy in her artistic pursuits and had so much left to offer. I am sure that our Heavenly Father has a whole new palette of color to offer her. 

I will miss her every day.

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!

 

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Fest

Yesterday was one of those days we quilters wait all year for:  Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival! It is held in Hampton, VA at the Convention Center. I drove up there with my friends Joan and Sue, as usual. We start out together and get separated very quickly as we each see things that interest one of us more than another. So many different things for so many different quilters. Look what I spotted right off the bat--our friend Karen's book, A Bountiful Life! She would have been delighted with the setting as it was nestled in with nice rolls of wool and other cozy things.

 Minutes later I ran into Mrs. Goodneedle! We hugged and visited for a few minutes then met later to visit some more. Love that lady! One of the benefits of blogging is making some wonderful friends, such as Karen and Debbie.

 

 Notice the booth we are in, Attic Heirlooms, and the neat stuff they have. The quilt in the background is awesome. Check out their website. Lots  of wool and primitive, etc.

I ran into another friend, Janna-the president of Bloc-Loc. I met Janna and her husband Paul in Houston at Quilt Market a couple years ago. Their booth was right by mine. They totally sold me on their product and now I can't function without their amazing rulers. Their rulers each have a groove in them that gets placed on the seam line of a half-square triangle so you can trim it accurately. The groove locks in on the seam for greater accuracy. These are perfect for a scrapper like me because I am always trimming down triangles and flying geese. Yes, they have one for flying geese and they keep coming out with new ones. Be sure and check their schedule because they go to shows all over America and if you are a block trimmer you must have these rulers. They are only distributed through Bloc-Loc! I had to get a new 1-1/2" HST size because I left mine in Arizona.

Other purchases? Well, I made out OK. I bought titanium coated sewing machine needles at the Superior Threads booth. I had to get these after watching the very interesting and informative videos on their website. When you have some time you really should watch THESE. At least the ones that look interesting to you.

I also found fabric. Can you believe it? Honestly, I tried to resist, but there were a few that I had to have. Barbara Brackman's Battle Hymn  fabric is wonderful! From Moda Fabric.

One booth that I am always happy to shop is called Traditions of the White Swan. I always come away happy from that booth! They are from Hagerstown, Maryland and have lots of kits on line. Last year I bought the whole collection of fat quarters of Little Pink Stars, and designed a baby quilt that will be in McCall's Quilting magazine--June issue, so keep an eye out! This year I found this darling collection of grey and blue Buggy Barn prints from Henry Glass. I wonder what these will become?

Finally, I broke down and purchased this beautiful basket. I have been looking at these for years each time I go to Quilt-Fest. They are made in Africa and come in all shapes and sizes. The beautiful bag is a gift from my friend Sue Cruthers who made it for my i-pad! Isn't it the cutest thing?! I LOVE it!

All in all, it was a great day! I will post another day with a few quilt photos. There were some awesome quilts this year!

 

 

Helpful Hands

Just checking in to say hello. I have been madly writing directions for my quilt, Old Elegance, as I have named it. That is the one I showed back HERE made in the brown and blue Cocheco Mills IV fabric from Marcus Fabrics. The worst part of writing directions, for me, is figuring the fabric requirements. I always worry that I may have forgotten something. Hopefully that is not the case! I know people count on accurate instructions. The thing is, when I make a quilt I just cut and cut and it is not until later that I have to figure out how much yardage I used. I realize that people need to know that!

The good news for me is that my dear friend Mary Flynn at Quilt Hollow got my quilt quilted and back to me in record time! I am so pleased with it. She always does beautiful work!

For those of you that may be interested in buying a kit for this quilt, please come back later and I can tell you of a couple shops that will be kitting it once the fabric arrives. Don't know about this sideways shot! Blame Blogger.

I managed to make a few blocks for Johna'Lee at the Scrappy Appleyard for the patriotic comfort quilts she is making. Check out her blog for more information. I know she would be so happy to receive blocks from anyone who cares to contribute. They are for the family of a fallen soldier (her daughter's fiance) and his best friend.

The weekend is almost over. I am going to watch some TV while I stitch down the binding on Old Elegance. The rush is on to get it to Marcus Fabrics along with the pattern in time for Houston Quilt Market. Will I make it? Come back in a few days for a progress report. 

By the way, is anyone willing to share the longest amount of time they have continued to stitch after the bobbin thread ran out? Just curious. Not that it ever happened to me or anything...

A Little Sharing

Once in a while I get emails from people who have completed one of my patterns. I don't always get the time to show them all, but I got two recently that I want to share.

 This little cutie was made by Christelle Taquet. I happened to hear from Christelle because I saw another quilt that she made posted on Lynda Hall's blog, Primitive Pieces. I commented on how much I liked it and then heard from Christelle that she made one of my little quilts (Medallion Doll Quilt, above) and is working on another one. Apparently Christelle lived in Virginia Beach for a while and before moving back to France she stocked up on supplies at What's Your Stitch n Stuff, a LQS. Among her purchases were a few of my kits! It makes me happy to think of her in France stitching along on Patchalot Patterns! Thanks for sharing Christelle!

 I also heard from Michelle Condon, a fellow blogger from Quilts and Stuff. Michelle was in Millstone Quilts, in Mechanicsville, Virginia recently and bought a few of my patterns. She wrote to tell me about it, then later sent this picture of Stitchin' Time that she had completed! Nice job Michelle! By the way, Millstone Quilts will be featured in the next edition of the Quilt Shop Sampler magazine by Better Homes and Gardens (the American Patchwork and Quilting people). I always love to see the great shops they feature in that magazine!


On another front, I had the pleasure of speaking to the Colonial Quilt Lovers Guild yesterday in Camden, North Carolina. I had such a great time and really felt welcomed in their midst! My husband asked if I was going to another support group, and yes, it is something like that, except we kind of encourage each other in our addictive habits. I spoke a little bit while I showed my quilts. Heaven knows that is an easy format for me! I also have to say how impressed I am with the good work they are doing in supplying quilts to Project Linus, and baby quilts to a local hospital as well. Quilters just overwhelm me with their goodness and generosity! Thanks ladies for a great day!

The Joy of Reading

I have spent far too much time playing with my Ipad of late and consequently have not read as much as usual. I enjoy my books too much to let them be overshadowed by ever changing electronic gadgets. Not to say I don't enjoy my Ipad. I do! I also enjoy reading books on it, but it is not the same as gripping an actual book and turning the pages. Plus I haven't outgrown the need to peruse the shelves of bookstores, or scan through the best sellers at Sam's Club or Costco. Many times my husband and I read the same books, and then I often send them to my dad or my children. Good books are meant to be shared! 

Recently I finished reading Dreams of Joy, by Lisa See. This is a great book! Fascinating and frightening in its historical setting in Red China. It follows the journey of Joy, the daughter of Pearl and May in the book Shanghai Girls. You really must read Shanghai Girls first! Lisa See is an American of Chinese descent. Her family's history is amazing (On Gold Mountain) and she draws on this history and their experiences in her writings. I often see books reviewed on blogs that I read, and I find that helpful and enjoyable, so I thought I would add my 2 cents worth.

And then there are QUILT STORIES! I love them! I read two good ones on blogs recently. There are probably lots more out there, but I am not straying very far afield these days. Check these out for good reading, I know you will love them:

• Sweet Home Quilt Company by Melisa Morrison
  
• Bunny Hill by Anne Sutton

Please let me know if you see other stories I can add to this collection. 

And here are those darling twins again. Can you believe how they are growing! Coming up on 5 months 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!