Farmpark Show Part #2

This group of quilts were just so striking, they deserved to be shown.

 This quilt is large and the coloring is spectacular!

 This quilt is interesting. Not only is the quilting gorgeous, but it looks like a wholecloth. It is, kinda. It's actually pieced, but they only used one fabric... I honestly don't know why, but hey!

 There were interesting color combinations like this quilt that mimicked the fabric colors in the stitching.

 This quilt is so large and has so much detail I'm definitely taking another look next time I'm at the show!

 Not everything is designed for technical aspect, this fun Harry Potter quilt even had the different badges for the schools appliqued in each of the corner stars.

 Linda made this quilt and what an honor for her first entry to be right in the main lobby!

 This Wedding Ring quilt was hand quilted by the talented Tina!

 Here's Mary's Glacier Star in the hallway just outside the room that holds:

 Paulette's Glacier Star. You can see both of them if you stand in the hallway and I hear many comments of how people can't believe they're the same quilt. So cool!

 Wendy made this adorable quilt for her brother and then asked for it back to hang in the show :)

 Here's my entry for the show. Now if you see it in person it doesn't hang all that well but that's because I washed it and that's fine with me. It's all crinkly and wonderful and I can't wait for it to come home. (This is my pattern Prima)

 And near my quilt was this version of my Alphabet Stitchery: Farm Animals pattern! The lady that made this stitched the embroidery and then waited to piece the blocks until she knew what kind of grandbaby she was to expect. How neat!

 Gloria pieced this Lone Star with embroidery blocks between each of the points. Her husband quilted it for her and together they are one dynamic duo.

 Ruth returned with yet again another miniature masterpiece. I really think I need to make something like this soon :) Thanks, Ruth!

 Dawn made this incredible flannel quilt that will be perfect for those cold nights on the couch!

 Marge's Glacier Star looks wonderful hanging in the show! Behind it is another Glacier Star too, but I like this one better (not that I'm biased or anything)

 Kathryn made this monster of a quilt with a technique called fracturing. She takes several of the same fabric or panel and cuts it in a certain way and places it back together giving it a unique feel. The bottom left sewing machine and the center right(ish) sewing machine panels show off her technique. If you have the time you should Google this technique, it's pretty neat!

Mary and I see eye to eye on few fabric choices as I'm a bit more reserved and she likes the brights, but I have to admit this is a wonderful quilt using my favorite color. That pop of green really ties in the border print and grounds the quilt. I love it!

So that's enough for today. I have one more post for you with quilts from the show, but there may be more in the future.

Remember that this Friday and Saturday I will be having book signings for Seamingly Scrappy at Cottonpickers Quilt Shop in Chardon, OH! Come on out and see me! I'll be there all day both days (Friday I'll be in the store and Saturday I'll be in the classroom!) Also, if you can't make it out this weekend I will be at the Farmpark Show Vendor Weekend all weekend each day from 9-5 (Friday thru Sunday March 1-3). I  will have a bunch of the quilts from the book with me and will be doing demonstrations and book signings there too! I think I need to go rest up, it's going to be a busy couple weeks!

New Pattern! Prima

This is the one that started it all:

 Thank goodness for a small window of opportunity in the sky and changing seasons for the perfect backdrop!

 Prima is a simple 3 color quilt that is perfect for beginners. It looks quite complex, but I promise it isn't.

 I went to town on the quilting on this one and I wouldn't change a thing.

 The border fabric from this quilt actually inspired the red paint for our bedroom. One day when the dogs are gone this is going to be the quilt on our bed... (or so I hope)

 The stars are interlaced like a puzzle, so each star uses it's own points. No points are shared between the two colors.

At 94" x 94" it's a nice large size. Also, the outer edge is irregular even though the quilt is square. All stars end completed which gives the edge the random appearance.

Now would you believe that the fabrics used for the center of the quilt are blenders that are available at most quilt shops? If you choose a border first with this pattern as I did and then choose the star colors from that it'll look stunning no matter which color combination you choose.

This pattern is printing as we speak and should be ready to purchase in a couple weeks.

So what do you think?

Days of Fall

So, personally the best place I like to be when the weather is switching over to Fall is in my hometown. Conveniently, that happens to be where my quilting machine is with wonderful views of the outside.

Last week I was there several days. I stayed home over the weekend and when I returned on Monday the leaves had already started to change! But the dogs have a different pace, the cows are feeding constantly, the air is more crisp, everything changes.

So how about we take a picture journey through my Fall days?

 So this is the newest baby moo cow and one of the new bulls. They were inseparable that day.

 The hay buffet for the moo cows.

 From where I was taking pictures of the newest pattern, the cows were just off to the side. And they were very intent on what I was doing (at least the ones that weren't stuffing their faces).

 The colors on the leaves have already started to change.

 Ever had beagles before? They are notorious for being escapees. Just look at the hole Miss Joy is trying to dig to China under her house. This is Paige above, weren't not sure exactly what she's mixed with but it has to be terrier because she can jump straight up and look you in the eye.

 This is Joy. She will try to squeeze every ounce of her being through the fence if she could to love on you.

 But when that doesn't work she falls asleep in your hand.

 Paige again, love that old scruff!

 And now onto the other mongrels. These guys are normally not fond of the camera but they were so konked out that I had no problems snapping pictures of them. Tucker is the little brat. He and I have a love/hate relationship. But he is cute!

 Hershey, Hershey, Hershey. Does anyone else have a dog that sleeps like this? It doesn't look comfortable.

 And Miss Abby Sue. Here she is being the ham that she normally is...

But this was how I found her that day. Normally as soon as you walk in the room she rolls over like she was doing something wrong, but I managed to snap a picture or two on this day.

Love the critters, especially when they're lethargic and quiet. Unlike yesterday when my brother was "tuning his goose call" and it was driving the dogs insane, which was not a fun time to be had...

More updates about the newest pattern coming up soon!

The Wonderful World of Quilting Retreats!

So I was finally able to attend my first ever quilt retreat last week. We had a group of 24 women that all went up to the Riverside Inn in Cambridge Springs, PA for a few days. We arrived Sunday afternoon and stayed through Wednesday morning and sewed until our little hearts were content.

 The Riverside Inn was built back in the 1800's and features over 70 guest rooms I believe that are all decorated with glamorous quilts and lovely furniture. There are several lamps that hang on the lower levels and many of them are different.

 Outside there are lush gardens and this wonderful porch.

 This is the ballroom where we held our Retreat. This is how it would be set up for weddings or parties, but imagine this with cutting tables in the middle, sewing machine and ironing boards set up along the outer perimeter, and plenty of room to lay out quilts. (This picture was borrowed from their website because I was working so hard I forgot to take pictures... Ooops!)

 I did take these though! Our friend Judy and her Mom had a party while we were there. It was Mom's 89th birthday and she had a wonderful day including this wonderful cake, flowers and a tiara!

 Here's some really bad, but sufficient enough for sneak peek, pictures of the newest stitchery patterns. Look for a feature with good pictures later this week! The one above is the Baby themed stitchery.

 This pattern features Sea Creatures.

And another pattern due out in the near future would be Prima. I'm working on the quilting now and this should be on the market very very soon.

So, besides finishing these quilt tops and half of my rings for my Bali Wedding Star, I also started some charity quilts as side projects too. Hence why the photos aren't the greatest and they are the only ones that I took while we were there.

We had girls doing all sorts of things from pillowcases to table toppers, lap quilts, paper piecing, large grandiose things and I didn't get a picture of any of them... Dang! Guess that means we have to do it again! Well, speaking of quilting, I better get moving if I'm going to get that finished today!