NEW PATTERNS FOR FALL.....

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I hope you enjoy looking at all the new patterns for fall. If you are on the website email list you will be notified when they are ready for purchase.

HOME AGAIN.............

I'm not sure I'm running on all cylinder's right now, but wanted to post how much fun I had at the Buggy Barn. It was a very long flight - 3 planes each way. Not sure how many hours I was on those planes with the time changing with each flight, but felt like it was two days worth of traveling in one day!

Janet and Pam are gracious hosts and their staff is just marvelous. Everything was taken care of for all of the teachers and everyone was very kind. The Buggy Barn is situated in the town of Reardon - 20 minutes from Spokane - right in the middle of wheat fields. I didn't get to stay for the quilt show, but some of the gals said they would send me pictures to post. I'm sure you can see some on the Buggy Barn website as soon as they can arrange that.

Classes were very fun. The group picture on the left is the Gathering Baskets class, which was held at the town grange hall. The group on the right was the It's a Crock class, which was held in the community center. Kelly, I'm sorry you and your friend couldn't make it to the barn this year. You were missed. Perhaps next time!

I was a typical tourist.....took pictures from the plane! lol Arriving in Salt Lake City was beautiful. I was able to see the Grand Canyon and Colorado River on the way back near Phoenix, Arizona. Perhaps one day I'll get to stay in each of the cities I flew into and explore a little.

I will be posting all the pictures on my website soon so I hope you will go take a look see. I will post a link to the gazette page so click on it and you will be able to see them.

If you ever get a chance to travel to the Buggy Barn - you won't be disappointed.
It's a small shop that is just full of the right stuff for all of us primitive lovers. I would feel very confident in emailing or calling them to send me a dozen or so reds (or any color) and know they would send exactly what I wanted. Oh, and you'll want to keep an eye out for their newest fabric lines........yum!

I just keep trying.............

I am leaving Wednesday for Reardon, Washington. I will be teaching at the Buggy Barn - Thursday and Friday of this week. Gathering Baskets has popped up on several sights and Quilt Hollow posted a partial picture of her friends quilt just last week (Thank you!), so thought I would post a picture along with It's a Crock! I'll be teaching classes on both of these pieces - Thursday and Friday of this week. I'll share pictures when I return.

I wanted to write a note with the smile box.......but my fingers were quicker than my brain it seems. Primitive Youngins was published last fall. I've had so many people ask about it recently that I thought I would post it for everyone to see.

It's a 6 project book of smaller quilts that are named "games" we used to play as children. Perhaps it will take you down memory lane - if only for a little while!

I am working on the new patterns, trying to get a smile box of that made too. I will post it as soon as my pattern club members have gotten a chance to see it....they always see things first.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

So Old Fashioned!

I'm as old fashioned as you can ever imagine, so doing things that way just comes naturally to me. Oh, I'm not into hand piecing like gramma started out doing..........she got a sewing machine too eventually! But, I do love hand quilting and so that's how I do it. When new patterns come out it's always a time thing so only the first 23 patterns were hand quilted and since then all have been machine quilted. Here's where I could really use your help............Oh, I could buy a book and read up on this, but first hand knowledge always is the best. Here's what I need you to do......... please!

When you get a quilt machine quilted, or even if you do it yourself. What do you want your quilt to look like? And, how would you tell a machine quilter what you want done?

I think I know that stippling and meandering means the same thing, right?
That evenly quilted needs to be a little more exact? Like an inch apart or 3/4 inch apart?
If echoing - be specific about how far apart you want that?

But, other than that I'm clueless...........perhaps your insight will make this easier for me.

Thanks bunches!

I've been pondering about...........

Reversible quilts...What do you think?

Poll Results

Thanks to everyone that participated in the poll "What do you like least about starting a new project?"

I have people say to me that it's always hard for them to pick out the fabrics. That they usually buy kits from shops because they can't pick them out. So, when the end results came in "cutting the fabric" I was surprised.

Thinking outside of our comfort zone regarding colors and or fabrics is always hard. Knowing that we only have 6 colors to choose from should make it easier. However, if people don't know that brown is really Yellow and that pink isn't a color group, but only red with white added to it, no one will ever use them in quilts. Knowing that if you have yellow in your quilt - purple should be present as well because they compliment each other is another.

Sorry, got off track there...........here's a trick for cutting fabric. I never cut a whole quilt at one time. When you first get a pattern and (I'm so glad this wasn't the answer given most) have read all the instructions, choose the fabrics most likely to be the ones - cut enough for one block and sew it together. Testing the pattern first should be #1 - Making sure the colors/fabrics you've chosen are the ones #2. Building on a color scheme is always fun. Running out of fabrics and having to choose ones that go with what you've already chosen will make it special.

Precutting ALL the fabrics and then changing your mind is not only time consuming, but you can end up with a ton of cut fabric with no where to go. How many bins of scraps do you have in your sewing rooms? (I really do think they breed at night!)

And, lastly - after a day of choosing, cutting, sewing I think a glass of wine should be your reward. Start sewing the next day! Please share your ideas of cutting fabrics....everyone can learn from each other.

Until next time...........

Mocking Birds picture

It seems that the mocking birds have flown away! I can't see the picture on the blog and have been told by others it's the same for them. I apologize for this.........mainly because I can't fix it. I've tried to reload the picture but it's not working for me. I guess I need a lesson on editing what has already been published.

Anyway, here's an update. A back was made the other day and the quilt is on it's way to Ohio for machine quilting. As soon as the quilt returns I promise to post another picture showing a commpletely finished quilt.

I'm working on another new quilt too.........I hope to have it completed this week and then I'll share a picture of that with you. Think fall ya'll.

Until next time............