Calendar Giveaway and a Sale!!!

It's that time of year again! I can't believe it myself...

Time to pick out which Martingale Calendar is going to grace your wall for 2017! Yes, they are out and ready for your enjoyment (I'm pretty sure, if they're not out yet it'll be soon)

I got the wonderful news that I have a quilt in the Quilt Calendar 2017 (click here to purchase your own calendar):

I'm Miss August. Or atleast my Wayfarer quilt from Seems Like Scrappy is. See:

One of the best parts of this particular calendar is the wide variety of quilts to gaze at throughout the year. Oh, and the fact the instructions to make all of the quilts are included and that's pretty cool too. Yes, you read that right. It's like a calendar and a quilt book all in one.

The quilts are all gorgeous and its so wonderful to have this collection. Would you like one? You would? Well that's wonderful because one lucky reader will get a copy of this calendar - just leave me a comment below and you're entered! I will pick a winner Monday August 1st! Good luck!

Also, don't forget in the meantime my entire online store is having a sale in honor of my birthday month. Just enter the code HAPPYBDAY for 31% off all books, magazines and patterns. Sale runs through July 31st, so act fast!

Crickets

Sorry I haven't posted, it's been a crazy week around here and as much as I love chatting with you all, I just haven't had enough energy at the end of the day, but don't worry; I have plenty more to share in the near future!

So, did you listen to Pat Sloan's Radio show earlier this week? I had such a nice time chatting with her, but I always do!

If you listened to the beginning of the show, for some weird reason my phone kept echoing everything Pat was saying. Right in the middle of the show instead of chatting with Pat, I'm instead talking with the technical guy at the radio station trying to figure out what's going on and testing my phones. We ended up having to switch phones completely and I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get it working so I can get back to chatting with Pat. I'm not going to lie, it was kinda stressful, but it's one of those situations where now looking back I can laugh and listening to the show afterward, Pat did a wonderful job "covering" me.

If you haven't listened to the show, you can listen to it on iTunes if you search for American Patchwork & Quilting Radio or you can visit Pat's website and scroll through the shows each week and listen to them right on your computer. She also has links on her website to download the shows onto your Android device and much much more for other players and devices too.

Head on over and get a chuckle if you haven't listened yet but now know the backstory.

Pat and I talked about:

My little cheat sheet for Precuts, you can find the original post here.

My newest book, Seems Like Scrappy.

And how I organize my stash, you can read more and see pictures here.

Have a great weekend, I'm off to get some quilting done and I will be back soon with more to share!

-Rebecca

APQ Radio with Pat Sloan!

Now, before you all here in the states get into full-on holiday weekend mode, I wanted to pop in and give you a little tidbit of information about next week. Monday to be exact. Monday afternoon to be more precise...

Join me Monday afternoon at 4pm Eastern while Pat Sloan and I have a chat on her radio show! It should be a great time, Pat is always a joy to chat with and I hope you can tune in.

You can listen to the podcast here: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazines-more/quilting-podcast 

If you're busy at that time and can't listen, don't worry. You can always click on the link and listen to the show on your own time after it has aired. It may take a day or so for the show to be available after the live taping (is it called taping still?), but I will be sure to let you know when you can check in and listen.

Also, you can find all of the shows on iTunes. Just search American Patchwork & Quilting and from there you can have the podcast automatically downloaded and waiting for you!

I hope you can listen in, I'm looking forward to it!

Have a great and wonderful weekend. Be safe, eat too much, relax and I hope you get some time to sew!

I'm only Human...

I just wanted to let you know, I made a mistake. It's not a big one, but when you get your copy of Seems Like Scrappy, there should be a little piece of paper tucked in there with a correction for Patch Stack.

What can I say, it happens. When I realized the mistake I was in the process of making this version of Patch Stack:

I don't think I shared this quilt yet... I finished it right before Market, showed it in my Schoolhouse and I think it's still packed away. I need to dig it out and get it quilted one of these days. 

I immediately contacted my editors and the motions were put into effect to fix the issue, but the book was already printing at that time. I was devastated. I felt sick, I was mortified. But then I realized I'm only human and these things can happen. Even with all of the eyes and edits, there's so much information and so many details to go over, and I'm sorry.

The good news is it was found and as I mentioned, there should be a little piece of paper in your book. If you happen to lose that paper or your book doesn't have one, you can see the corrections by clicking here.

However, all eBooks have already been edited to adjust for the correction and all future copies will be fixed, so if you downloaded your copy, you should be all good to go. Nevermind my babbling above.

I'm off to quilt and make some progress with Memphis today. I hope you get some time to sew, have a great day!

Good news bad news

Well, the good news is I'm guest blogging over at Martingale today. I'm sharing more about Seems Like Scrappy and you have a chance to enter to win an eBook!!! To see that post, go here:

http://blog.shopmartingale.com/quilting-sewing/how-to-make-a-scrap-quilt-with-no-scraps/

(Sorry, I'm doing this the mobile way and it's not super link friendly)

And now onto the bad news...

I got this notification today:

I'm very sorry to report that if you've ordered a copy of Seems Like Scrappy, it'll be a little longer until they arrive. This box made it across the country and got damaged within an hour of my house. 

So, that does still leave more time for preorders at the sale price at my online shop (rubybluequiltingstudio.bigcartel.com). Act fast though!

This also brings the scenario up - if you've placed a preorder and don't wish to wait for a signed copy, please email me at rubybluequilts at gmail dot com and I will issue you a refund. I'm so sorry for the delay, but I have more copies on their way. 

Have a great day, I think I'm going to drown my sorrows later in a long walk and a milkshake because I can. Don't forget to head over to Martingale's blog and enter for a chance to win!

Book-to-Precut Cheat Sheet

Alrighty. I have worked up this handy little cheat sheet contained all on one page for you. I used the chart I created for Seems Like Scrappy and left that on the right, while adding the same type of information about Seamingly Scrappy on the left.

If you missed the other post about this chart, basically I listed all of the projects from the book and which precut belongs to which quilt. It also has some other helpful information particularly for shop owners and teachers, but it's good information for everyone, so I wanted to share it here with you where you could print off your own copy.

Oh, and one other little detail I forgot to mention the other day, if you print this out and look at the column labeled "Great for Samples" - this line is pretty much specific for shop owners. I realize your time is precious and you all wish you had more time to sew... So if you want to make a sample but only have time to make one, make one with a star next to it!

Here is the link to the chart! I hope this helps you to streamline the information needed so you can concentrate more on creating a gorgeous quilt or two!

Don't forget, if you need anything, my contact information is at the top! Let me know if there's anything else I can help you out with and don't forget to send me pictures of your finished quilts!

Tomorrow is the day!!!

And I do mean it is THE day. June is going to be such an exciting month and it's really starting off with a bang!

Not only is tomorrow the official release date of Seems Like Scrappy...

There is so much more to tell, but it will have to wait until tomorrow... Don't worry, the wait will be worth it, I promise!!!

What I do have for you today is something kinda special. I came up with a printable chart to use with Seems Like Scrappy. I handed this chart out to shop owners at Quilt Market, but I wanted to be able to share it here with you too.

Basically, this chart shows each project in the book and which precuts go with each project. Not only that, but it also lists which quilts are great for kits (if you are a shop owner or work at a shop) and which projects are great for beginners.

This was designed to be used by shop owners and it has other information that may be more useful in that context. However, I realize not all shop owners were able to make it to Quilt Market. Also, I realize that several of my readers teach at shops and guilds or just with friends for a night of sewing. And that's when I thought it would be best to share this information with you all, because why not? Anyway that I can help you all, I'm all for it.

When you print out the file, there will be two of these charts, side by side to fit on a regular piece of paper. Print them out and share the spare with a friend, or hang one and keep the other tucked away for safe keeping. Either way, all of my contact information is listed at the top. I ask that you please be respectful of that knowledge, but if you have any questions, you know how to get a hold of me.

Now, finally, to get to the printable link, click here. You can either print out the form (click on the printer icon when you scroll your mouse to the top center of the page - the icons will appear when the mouse is over them if they're not immediately displayed) or you can save this file for later (click the arrow pointing to a flat line).

I hope you all can use this chart as a tool both personally and professionally. I think it's only natural I create a similar one for my first book, Seamingly Scrappy. Stay tuned over the next couple days and I will try to create a chart for that. If it helps, I can even make the printable file with one side for Seamingly Scrappy and the other for Seems Like Scrappy. Two birds I guess...

Well, anyway, I hope this can work as a little cheat sheet for you while working through Seems Like Scrappy. Come back tomorrow for some equally exciting news and each day this week. This month is going to be awesome!!!

Seems Like Scrappy: Baby Cakes Again

I had so much fun making this quilt, both times. This is another one of those quilts that I love the original version, but I really love the second version.

 What more can I really say about this quilt? It's just too stinkin' adorable! I used a layer cake of April Showers by Bonnie & Camille for this one and I love how the fabrics play off of eachother.

 It's simple and clean and the fabrics work so well with this design. Plus, I couldn't wait to use the navy and white stripe from this line for the binding. It's just too perfect.

I seriously think I need to go on a picnic just so I can use this quilt for it. And I need to get my dose of Vitamin D and enjoy this weather while we have it!

You can see the original version of this quilt by visiting this post. I love being able to see two quilts made from the same pattern look completely different from eachother.

And just like that, I think I have shown you all of the quilts I've completed from Seems Like Scrappy just in time for it's release. The official release date is Tuesday, June 2nd and I can't wait for you all to see this wonderful book I've worked so hard on!

Basically the release date is when books start to ship from Martingale, so depending on where you are, you can expect to see copies in your LQS probably later in the week. I also have my preorder sale still going on in my shop. You can preorder your signed copy and enjoy 25% off the price! The sale is good until my copies arrive at my doorstep, so you probably have most of the week if you still would like to place your order. As soon as the books arrive, the sale is off (you can still purchase a signed copy for full price) so act quickly!

I can't believe it's almost here! This is going to be a super exciting month and it's starting off on a high note (or a few) so stay tuned for all that I have in store, you won't want to miss it!

Seems Like Scrappy: Baskets Redone

I hope I'm not the only quilter that plays favorites. I try not to, but it happens all too often. Usually my favorite quilt is the one I'm working on or one I just completed, but I really really like this one. I like it enough I may actually hang it in my quilting studio (I like it that much - I don't have anything besides minis hanging at my house).

 This quilt may change all that. Meet Baskets part two, or the alternate, or the other one... This version isn't too much different than the original (see the original post here), but I love the colors. The blues are more of a shale color scheme with hints of grey and green and the background fabrics are a bit richer.

 It actually looked perfect hanging on my fence (or my neighbor's fence) in all of it's rotting and mildewy state.

 I quilted this one much differently than the original. I focused on breaking the quilt into on-point blocks using the chain as my guide. Then I quilted a feathered wreath in each block.

 I filled the rest of the space with alternating matchstick lines and a fun star where the baskets  meet. The four full wreaths were quilted with a 1/2" crosshatch while the half wreaths at the edge of the quilt have a 1/4" crosshatch in their centers.

 I just can't get enough of this quilt. Plus while I was taking these pictures, the sun was starting to set through the trees and it was casting the most amazing glow on the quilting...

 It's just magical.

I planned on making this quilt with low volume prints for the background and a wild range of bright fabrics for the baskets. Something along the lines of Anna Maria Horner or Amy Butler style prints. But then I was digging through my stash and came across these fabrics I had been collecting for another project. I collected waaayyy more fabrics than I would need, so I used some for this quilt and I'm so glad I did!

Do you have a preference? Which version do you like better, the original red or this slatey blue?

I also just got to thinking this would look magical with a dark background and really warm rich golds and rusts and it would be a wonderful fall quilt. What colors will you choose to make yours? I can't wait to see!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Baby Cakes

Well folks. We've done it. This is the last quilt to preview from Seems Like Scrappy just in time for it's release next week! Today I'd like to share Baby Cakes with you.

Photo provided by Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved. 

So many of the quilts from Seems Like Scrappy are fun fast and easy. This one is probably the fastest and easiest quilt in the whole lot!

I was inspired by all of the love my Coinage pattern from Seamingly Scrappy received, so I wanted to do a remake of sorts. This time around I still used the same basic construction, but I started with a layer cake and that's all you need to create this quilt top.

The piecing is organized yet impromptu so it's very forgiving and mindless which works great for a fast quilt project. Baby Cakes finishes at a large crib or small throw size, but as I've said before with other quilts, you can easily make this a bit larger with some borders.

I know I still owe you all a post with the alternate Baskets quilt, and I hope to take pictures of that one today (if I can find it in my Market luggage, I still haven't unpacked my quilts). I also have an alternate version of Baby Cakes I will be sharing too in the near future. I like to show you all options, plus I like to make quilts again in a new style to see how different two ideas from the same pattern can be. My yard finally isn't a jungle, but after we cut it , it looked all clumpy and nasty... Then I noticed all of the overgrown brush along the fence where I take pictures, so another trim of the yard and a bunch of trimmed branches and wild grape vines and it looks much better. I on the other hand am still a bit sore, but I will try to get photos today before all of this rain hits this week.

I hope you all had a great weekend (hence the reason for the delayed post, I attempted to take yesterday off for the holiday and failed miserably) and I hope you enjoyed seeing all 14 quilts from Seems Like Scrappy! I had to double check this morning to see if I missed any because there are so many quilts.

As I mentioned, I still have alternate versions to share and I'm still working on a few more, so once I get those done I will share them here too. To see a recap of all of the quilts, you can search the blog for Seems Like Scrappy (best way if looking on the mobile site), you can click on the Seems Like Scrappy link to the right (if looking at the desktop version of the site) or you can click through this link here and it should list the posts for you.

Thanks again and don't forget to check your LQS in the next couple weeks or your mailbox if you've preordered the book! Books will begin to ship next week, but you can still preorder a signed copy in my shop for 25% off from now until the moment that the books arrive on my doorstep. I will get them shipped out right after!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Baskets

I'm home from Market and I have to tell you - have you heard about the #quiltmarkethangover? It's real. We got home late Sunday night and by the time we got in the door and collected our puppies and they settled down, it was super late (for me at least).

Then yesterday unpacking bags and doing laundry and getting into the swing of "normal life" again was just crazy. It doesn't help that Spring Market always falls in the middle of allergy season, but I did what I could yesterday and today I'm attempting to hit the ground running. After sleeping in a bit of course ;)

Today I want to introduce you to Baskets. I know it's not a super original name, but after coming up with the quilts and making them and quilting and binding and writing the patterns and doing the illustrations - my creativity was spent... But I think I spent my creativity on the right areas.

I actually have a second version of this quilt that I will be sharing later this week when I can get photos. Right now the yard is awful with high grass and we really need to get at that first. Poor Paco looks like he's out on a jungle safari each time he goes out. We cut it right before we let for Market, but it's been the perfect combination of warm and wet here and it grew like mad. So, look for the alternate version of this quilt later this week.

Baskets is made with a combination of fat eighths and fat quarters. It doesn't take much fabric at all and it's pretty fast to cut out and piece. You may already have the fabrics needed for this sitting and waiting for you to get started. Otherwise, this would be a great class and really fun to kit (for you quilt shops out there).

Even though this pattern looks quite traditional in this colorway, I originally thought about making an alternative in a super modern scheme with a mixture of low volume prints for the background and crazy bold fabrics for the baskets. Think about it with a Jen Kingwell inspiration if you would... My alternate version turned out fairly traditional as well. I stumbled upon the perfect fabrics I had stashed for another quilt that I forgot about and I wanted to try this pattern again, so I did.

This quilt was well received (as well as the alternate) at my Schoolhouse at Market and I can't wait to see your version of it too.

Baskets is a decent lap size quilt, or it could be a large wall hanging depending on your space, but it can always grow to the size you're looking for with borders too. Just keep that in mind. I think these quilts might be the perfect back-of-the-couch size for that little added quilty decoration without putting holes in your walls or climbing on ladders.

Once again, this quilt and several others are found in my new book, Seems Like Scrappy, that will be released in just a couple weeks - June 2nd! Look for this book shortly afterwards at your LQS or you can preorder your own signed copy from my online shop. Enjoy your preorder from my shop at a 25% discount, good until the books show up on my doorstep!

Look for more quilt previews from the book here each Monday and I will be doing a special post for the alternate Baskets quilt later this week. Also, check back here often over the next month or so, it's a super exciting time here at the studio and I have so much to tell you!!! Have a great day!

Market Schedule

Well, I'm checking my lists and packing my bags and hoping I have everything I need. Hope to see you all at Market so I wanted to post my schedule so you know where to find me :)

I have a Schoolhouse on Thursday showing off my quilts from my new book, Seems Like Scrappy in room #211D at 3:45 - 4:15. 

I also have a few booksignings going on. You can find me:

Friday at Martingale's booth #325 at 11:30

Saturday you can find me at:

Brewer #1919 at 11:00 and

E.E. Schenck #1023 at 3:00

Some booksignings may have reservations or advanced tickets to get a book, please check with each vendor to see if you need to make a reservation. 

See you soon!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Crumpet

I'm not typically a girly girl. I do like flowers and doing my hair and gardening (and quilting of course), but I'm usually drawn to the more rustic or bold styles. Except this time.

Somewhere deep down inside of me is a girly girl and she likes to make an appearance at random times. One time being when I chose the paint color for my sewing room, and another notable time when I made this quilt:

Photo provided by Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved. 

Meet Crumpet, one of the smaller projects from Seems Like Scrappy. I was inspired by the array of half square triangle quilts in modern layouts sprinkled throughout social media. I love the offset center and wanted to mix it up a bit more, just because. That's when I got the idea of using 60 degree triangles. With the array of rulers available on the market now and really awesome patterns to go with them, triangles aren't as scary to quilters like they once were.

But how was I going to get a scrappy look by using precuts? I could have cut strips from Fat Eighths or Fat Quarters, but then I had a "lightbulb" moment. Use honeycombs...

Honeycombs you say, but they're hexagons. Precisely! A hexagon is nothing more than six 60 degree triangles! Now, it does make the triangles much smaller once you cut everything down, but trust me - it just adds to the charm of this small quilt.

Crumpet was fun and interesting to make and I love how it turned out. It was really fun to quilt too and I used Quilter's Dream Puff batting to really pop the quilting and give it definition.

Seems Like Scrappy will be available very very soon. June 2nd is the official release date and I can't wait for you all to see it. Don't forget you can preorder a signed copy in my shop for 25% off the list price. This sale runs until I get the books on my doorstep, so act fast!

Otherwise, be sure to ask your LQS to order it and tell them to come visit me at Spring Market! I will be sharing all of the quilts I've made from the book plus the duplicates I've made.

Tomorrow I will be posting my schedule at Market and where you can come find me and my book! I can't wait to share it with everyone, it's so exciting!!!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Bitsy

Before I begin, let me start by saying May the 4th be with you!

Alrighty, now I can get to the reason you're all here today. I want to introduce you to Bitsy!

Photo used with permission from Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved.  

This could be considered a mini quilt or a table topper or a wall hanging... Bitsy is well, small, but full of personality! Above is the original that you'll see in my new book, Seems Like Scrappy. Bitsy uses a charm pack and some yardage and I think I know what you're thinking...

There's no way I'm sewing all of those tiny squares!

Well, I'm here to tell you - you don't have to! I've come up with a genius (if I do say so myself) way to sew with maximum results and as little effort as possible.

Bitsy is so fun and simple to sew, I made another one:

 For this second option, I chose to make a small Halloween quilt and it's super fun and spunky.

I can promise you the sewing steps are minimal. Honestly, I spent probably the same amount of time, if not a little more, pressing the pieces.

 I love how the striped fabric for the binding blends all of the colors together on this one.

Here you can see the quilting a bit better. Since the colors in the fabrics are so vibrant and bold, I opted to do the same with the quilting so I chose an orange thread. It honestly doesn't stand out nearly as much as I would have thought it would, but it completes the quilt nicely.

The best part about Bitsy - I'm sure each and every single one of you has the materials stashed away somewhere to make this right now. We all have charm packs stashed away or sitting on shelves waiting for the perfect opportunity to break into them and use them up. Plus, the yardage for this quilt is minimal, so not much is needed to get started.

This quilt would make a great retreat project or a weekend sewing adventure since you can get results quickly. And with the visual impact it gives when it's done, what's not to love?

Bitsy and several other quilts are brand new patterns featured in my latest book, Seems Like Scrappy due out June 2nd for release. That's less than a month away!!!

If you are traveling to Quilt Market all of my quilts and I will be making appearances and I will post the details as we get closer to the tradeshow. Otherwise, if you'd like to preorder a signed copy of Seems Like Scrappy, you can do so in my shop and enjoy 25% off your preorder.

Don't forget that I have luggage, will travel! If you'd like my quilts and I to come and do a trunk show for you or visit your group for a lecture and/or workshop, please send me an email at rubybluequilts (at) gmail (dot) com. I'd love to come and visit!

I'm almost done with my second Patch Stack and if I get the top done tomorrow, I will try to post pictures later this week. It's turning out awesome! I have all of the blocks done, now I just need to lay it out and sew!

Come on back here each Monday for another quilt preview from Seems Like Scrappy and I will have all sorts of other quilty posts during the week! Have a great day!

Quilting Splotch Part Two

Even though my job is to quilt and finish other's projects, sometimes I am the worst at finishing my own. I can look at other's quilt tops and know exactly how it should be quilted...

Then I look at mine for months and I can't think of where to start. I guess it comes back to that saying - you are your own worst critic... It just depends on the quilt and the project, but I will guarantee my own quilts are much harder to plan than my clients most of the time. I just put too much pressure on myself sometimes.

 Some days I just need a reset or a refresh moment. Well, remember this quilt I shared yesterday? I loved how the chevron quilting turned out... And we chose this pattern to emphasize the elongated blocks...

 Then I was staring at my own Splotch Part Two... And it's kinda modern and it would be neat to emphasize the stripes in the background... And that's when the idea of quilting it with a chevron design hit my upside the head!

Now that would be all good and plenty, but us long armers have a tendency to over quilt our own stuff. That's why it takes forever to come up with a plan and execute it. It's so easy to go overboard with the quilting. The simple plan is the least taken sometimes...

 So then I started thinking about another option to show off the hexagons too. I just finished those dahlias recently on Bobette's quilt and I though they would look nice in the blocks. So then the plan shifted to dahlias in the hexagons and chevrons in the background...

But then I started thinking that plan was too much of a good thing. Maybe less is more or random is best? So I thought about taking a Sudoku approach to the dahlias and I will quilt them in like above picture. The Sudoku part comes in where there's only one dahlia per row and column...

Then what I'll do is fill in the rest of the quilt with chevrons up to the hexagons filled with dahlias. That way they will hopefully stand out a bit more and give that unexpected pop of excitement I'm hoping for.

All in all it should work out well and hit all the right notes I'm trying to achieve. This quilt is quickly becoming my favorite (at the moment until the next favorite comes along) and I hope to have it done and ready to show at Spring Market.

I always like providing options with my designs. I realize that the quilting community is a visual place. Sometimes it's hard for quilters to come up with their own ideas when they fall in love with a quilt. Usually they want to make that quilt with those fabrics just like the picture... However, I find when I show the same quilt a couple of different ways, quilters are more open to choosing their own fabrics and ideas and come up with some of the coolest things!

At least that is what I have noticed and it helps me to play with more fabric and work "outside the box" more.

So hopefully this is either being quilted or will be shortly and I will share the finished product when I can!

Do you like this plan? Is there something else you'd do that I haven't thought of? Voice your opinions in the comments below and we can brainstorm together! Who knows, this quilt is so fun I just may make another that would need to be quilted a different way. I made a whole new version of Aura from Seamingly Scrappy just so I could quilt it differently than my first two...

Just a reminder that Splotch is a new pattern of mine found in my new book, Seems Like Scrappy due out this June. You can preorder your copy in my shop and I will sign it for you!

Well, I'm off to sew! Have a great day!

Splotch Part Two

Sometimes people think that since I design quilts and write books and long arm that I have all my crap together. Ha! It couldn't be further from the truth.

I find that a bunch of creative people walk that thin line of this is going to be genius or it could be a complete disaster on a daily basis. It's knowing when to take risks and when to move on that distinguishes what side of that line we fall on.

Sometimes we have this idea in our heads that sounds awesome. And then we pour our hearts and souls into it until we get to the point of no return... And then we continue on in this process not knowing which side of the line we will come out on... Usually the thought is this is going to be this biggest disaster known to man. It's an epic battle in our brains all the time. I mean. All. The. Time.

You may have seen this graphic going around on social media sites... It's funny only because it's so true:

But on some freak chance, we forge through and come out with something much greater than expected.

 When I started making the blocks for this new version of Splotch (from my new book, Seems Like Scrappy), I had this little voice in the back of my brain saying "make the background striped, it'll be awesome". And for a minute I thought it would look nice. Then I thought it would be amazing and all other priorities and tasks ceased to exist and I tore into my stash to find the perfect fabrics...

Only to discover I didn't have enough of them. So I waited patiently and put them on my list to grab the next time I was at the quilt shop...

And that's when it happens. When you let too much time set in and doubt starts to eat away at your inspiration. I got the fabrics and doubted the outcome the ENTIRE time I was working on finishing this top until the moment the last seam was sewn and pressed.

Then. In that moment. Just like the graphic above. IT WAS AWESOME!!! I'm so freaking happy with how it turned out I already know how I want to quilt it and I want to quilt it now.

Only problem being I don't know what to put on the back. Or if I have something to bind it in that would fit. I'm sure I do, but I have quilts to work on and deadlines to meet. And Market is only a couple weeks away!!!

(Insert mini panic attack here)

But then I look at this and realize it's the middle of the morning and I'm still in my PJs and the sun is shining and and and...

It'll all get done when it gets done and I have a pooch to take on a walk and fabric to play with. How can I stress about that?! I mean really?

Anywho, back to the new Splotch. I used a honeycomb of Mirabelle by Fig Tree for the blocks and combined my favorite French General linen print basic for the tan background with Natural Kona cotton for the cream. I have no clue when I will get it quilted, but once I do, I will share that with you too because it's going to be awesome.

Oh, and I just added Seems Like Scrappy to my shop. Head on over to preorder a signed copy now.

And just because I like you (I like you a lot), from now until the day I get the books in my hand, all preordered copies are 25% off! No special code needed!

What can I say? Without having all of you to share this crazy creative life with, I'd be a crazy hermit. Seriously. I'd like to show my appreciation for you because without you all, I wouldn't be able to do this and call it my job. Simple as that.

I'll be back with more quilty goodness. Stay tuned!

Wait, what?! It's almost May?!

I swear to goodness I was just minding my own little business over here and before I knew it, May was in a couple of days... When the heck did that happen?!

Well, it has been absolutely insane over here (mostly the good insane) and when you mix that with a little vacation, a new dog and some allergy season shenanigans... I lost a month or so of time and I don't know where it went.

I'm going to be busy playing catch up on the blog here and showing you a ton of quilts I've been working on, so get ready for quilty overload in the coming weeks.

Oh, and I just got some good news. Some really good news. Seems Like Scrappy is getting released a little earlier than we thought. It is still a June date, but June 2nd is soooo much better!

Let me repeat that, Seems Like Scrappy will be released June 2nd!!! Okay, I feel better. I'm super excited to share this all with you and I can't wait for you all to see it in your hot little hands.

So, today I just wanted to pop in and once again say thank you to all of you that have given words of encouragement and support for our Rosie Roo.

 She is doing fantastic and we've learned a few more things I wanted to share:

* The cage was a huge part of the separation anxiety problem. No more cage, no more crazy dog.
* We have to open a window for her to look out and she's much calmer when we leave
* Except that time she locked herself in the bathroom somehow and went bat-crap crazy. She was safe and fine, my flat iron and some rolls of toilet paper didn't fare so well however.
* She doesn't like to get her feet wet. At. All. (Such a diva)
* She loves going on walks and we go almost every day!

This face is such a joy to us and she loves to go with us as much as possible. On one of our walks we ran into a gentleman who said she looked just like the dog from "Because of Winn Dixie". So we looked it up and he's right. We think she is a large part Picardy Shepherd now, but she's too small to fit their standards and with those ears of hers, she still has something else mixed in there, but we have no clue what it is. It doesn't really matter. She's one of a kind!

The first month with this pup had it's ups and downs. The second month was much better and I can only imagine it'll get better from here.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that she is such a quilting dog. She hates the elliptical here at home, so one day when I took her out to the long arm with me I wasn't sure how she'd react. It's big and loud and it moves... But I had a super long day of quilting ahead of me, too long to leave the pups alone for, so I packed up the car and took both of them with me.

She slept right under the machine and could care less what was going on. She has a knack of making herself comfortable just about anywhere we've taken her so far. So comfy in fact she's not a morning dog. I got up early one morning to work on binding before the sun came up... After a while I couldn't find her. She was asleep on our bed in the dark quiet room while I had all the lights on and was making noise! I found her in there and she gave me a look like, "Oh, be a dear and shut the door and keep it down so I can sleep a bit, mmmkay?" That morning she slept on our bed til about 7:30 and then came out like it was nothing. She's done that a bunch lately if I'm a little too active in the morning for her. Goofy dog!

Well, I think I've rambled on about Miss Roo for too long now. She's fun and great and I'm so glad we made it through those first few horrid weeks because right now I couldn't imagine life without her! I'll be posting my one little quilty finish later today, I think you'll like it so come on back!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Tic Tac Tile

I get asked a lot where I get my inspiration from. Whether it's inspiration for designing the quilts, the quilting itself or choosing the fabrics, I get inspiration from everywhere and everything. I swear! And it's different for every quilt. If you ask several designers, they will probably tell you the same thing, we get inspiration from the craziest things.

For me personally, each quilt offers a unique perspective into my creative mind and they are all different. Some quilts I know exactly what fabrics I want to use, but have no idea on how to quilt it. Some it's the reverse... I know exactly how it should be quilted, but I can't quilt it if I can't decide on which fabrics to choose first to actually make the quilt.

With some projects however, it's as simple as being inspired by an antique quilt that was constructed in the most hap-hazard way known to man. Granted I know they didn't have rotary cutters and half of the rulers and notions we have to help us create our quilts... BUT. It breaks my heart to see a quilt that's such an easy breakdown and to see it constructed in the craziest way. This quilt was inspired by one of these antique quilts. Meet Tic Tac Tile:

Photo used with permission from Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved. 

Quilting by Steve Kooistra. 

When I first saw this design as an antique quilt, it was a single block put on point and each block had bias edges and about 20 pieces to it. It was such a simple concept to the eye, that I chose to pay homage to the work from yesteryear and sprinkle in my innovation of today.

Tic Tac Tile uses a Layer Cake (10" squares) and a Jelly Roll (2 1/2" strips) to get this top. It's simple construction and half of the cutting is already done for you by using precuts. This would be a great retreat project or a quilt for a first time/beginner quilter because it's so easy to make, yet gets big results fast. Or to be completely honest, it's one of those almost mindless quilts when you still want to make something but you just got done with a quilt that made you want to tear your hair out...We've all been there where we just want a simple quick quilt with immediate results. This quilt finishes at a large lap size but could easily fit a twin bed with borders added to it.

I have been pondering recreating this quilt too (like several others I've talked about already) and I just got my materials to do so. It's going to look completely different and I can't wait to get started! I'm almost done with my second version of Splotch and next on deck is the alternate version of Patch Stack I've already shown to you. As soon as I finish them up, I will be posting them on here!

Seems Like Scrappy contains 14 different (and brand new) scrappy inspired patterns you can create with precuts or your stash (use precuts if you don't have a stash but still want that scrappy look). I've been showing several of the quilts from the book and I will be back each Monday to show you more. Seems Like Scrappy will be out this June, but look in my shop in the near future and I will be adding a preorder option if you'd like your copy to be signed by me! I'll let you know when I get to that point! Have a great Monday!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Shimmer

If there is one style that I gravitate towards when I'm designing quilts, it's probably star quilts. There are so many little adjustments you can make to change the personality of the block. With that kind of versatility, I find star quilts work great for anyone and any style. They're not gender, age or style specific so star quilts cater to a much broader audience. The quilt I'm about to show you fits into this category wonderfully!

Photo used with permission from Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved.

Meet Shimmer! I love this quilt. It's a star quilt, there's no doubt about that, but it's interesting... I love the fact that every person I have shown this quilt to sees something different. Some people notice a lattice type effect, some pick out the secondary stars in the design, and some just gawk with their jaw on the floor (and that's perfectly fine with me, just don't drool on the quilt).

Shimmer is created with the Tonga Treats 6-Pack. The 6-Pack is a fairly new bundle that includes 20 strips that are each 6" wide x WOF. Some packs have 20 different fabrics and some have less fabrics (some duplicates may be in the pack), but this new bundle is a great way to still have a coordinated fabric group and still have a nice bit of fabric to play with.

Sometimes when I'm playing with a new design and I find a new fabric I like, I'll grab a charm pack... Then once I get into the project I fall in love even more with the fabric and wish I had more of it to play with... Sometimes I'd like a little more heft to satisfy my fabric craving. You can get that with the Tonga Treats 6-packs. Unlike a fat quarter bundle, the strips are still the width of fabric so it feels like yardage and it tricks your brain into thinking there is more fabric in there.

One of my favorite aspects of making scrappy quilts is when I can take a simple design and add extra pieces into it. It's part of my "the more the merrier" mentality. For instance, some of the triangles are whole, and some are pieced in this quilt. Part of the reasoning for that was to make it easier to sew the blocks together, and part of the reason was simply because I could. :)

The bundle I created this quilt with obviously had a simple fall-like color palette to it and I love how it turned out. However, don't forget that this whole new book is full of tips and tricks if you'd like to use your stash too! This would be amazing with a smattering of whatever fills your scrap bins thrown together. With a more eclectic color palette, parts of this design may stand out mare giving your quilt a totally new look from the original!

Shimmer and all of the other quilts I've shared each Monday are patterns in my new book, Seems Like Scrappy, due out this June. Come back each Monday to see a new quilt from the book and I'll keep you posted on when you too can get a copy! I know June is still a bit away, but I have that feeling that if I blink, it'll be here in an instant! I can't wait to share the book with all of you!

Seems Like Scrappy Preview: Medley

Happy Monday! Hahahaha, yeah, it even felt wrong typing that... I'm still downing coffee and think I'm going to need another to keep me going today. Paco (my deaf, blind, super old Chihuahua) decided to sleep all day yesterday after we went for a walk and then he was up all night... So not cool!

Anywho, it is Monday again so I have another quilt from Seems Like Scrappy to share! I'd like to introduce you to Medley:

Photo used with permission from Martingale. Photography by Brent Kane. All rights reserved.

Quilting by Steve Kooistra. 

I LOVE THIS QUILT. No seriously, I LOVE THIS QUILT. 

It's quite apparent that sampler quilts are really popular right now. I am seeing them all over other quilter's blogs as well as Pinterest and Instagram. Medley is my version of a simplified sampler. There are several different nine patch blocks within this design so... there's a theme but it's subtle. 

I used a blend of Civil War reproduction fabrics and some batiks to create the color scheme in this quilt. I love combining the two and it gives you a color scheme that is rich and vibrant with a depth of color you wouldn't normally be able to create with just one or the other. 

I love mixing fabrics like this in my quilts because for me, it breaks those unspoken rules in quilting. When I started quilting you hardly ever mixed lines of fabric and if you did it was usually still the same designer's fabrics. It was unheard of to combine two different styles of fabric! And lordy, if you did... The looks and glances that came your way... You were one short ride away from getting your head checked. 

Thankfully the industry has changed and adapted. There are so many innovative quilters that have made crazy wonderful combinations that break these unspoken rules whether it be out of necessity or just because. Basically what I guess I'm trying to say today and with my quilt is this: if you have an idea and you think it'll look amazing - GO FOR IT! 

There are no rules in quilting! There's only guidelines. The greatest part about quilting is there is no right or wrong with anything. There is just what works best for you and that's that. I can think of several ways to make HSTs. I like to make them one way, but that doesn't mean that if you make them different your way is wrong... That just means you took a different path to get to the same end result. Can't we all just celebrate the fact that we are different and build each other up for embracing our individual creativity rather than knock people off of their creative path? Just think on that fact for me and pass along the inspiration. 

Now, I know you won't like everything everyone else does, and you are entitled to your own opinion, but please be respectful of others creativity. Constructive criticism has a time and place. Nasty criticism never has a place... Alrighty, phew! I don't know where that came from, but it obviously had to come out!

As much as I love Medley, I have been thinking of making a softer more girly version with some Liberty of London scraps I have from my latest swap project. I thought the pieces I had were larger so it may not work the way I had in mind, but we will see :) 

I had this quilted with a baptist fan design because it's one of my favorite traditional quilting designs and this quilt begged for it. I'm so happy that it turned out just the way I had in mind! The quilting was the icing on the cake for this quilt and it just finished it off perfectly. 

Medley is a large lap size / small twin so it's a great substantial quilt without being too big. Medley was designed to use fat eighths and some yardage, but it works great with leftover scraps too for more variety within the blocks. 

I try not to play favorites with my quilts, but this one has a special place in my heart. I don't know why, but I think it's because this would fit into any room in my home. It has that comfy cozy feel that fits in regardless of the weather outside or the holidays on the calendar. 

I hope you all like Medley! I can't wait for you to see the book as a whole and it will be released before we know it! I actually just got my advance copy last week and I screamed when it came. You can read all about it in the previous post. 

Seems Like Scrappy will be released in June, so hold on tight and it will be here soon! I will be back next week with another quilt to share!