Covered in Threads

It's one of those things. Somedays I love being covered in threads, it's a sign of progress I think. There are even days everything and everyone in my house has an attachment or two whether they want it to be there or not. But there are days like when you're wearing a gorgeous comfortable black sweater that a thread just stands out and looks slightly out of place.

Today is one of the good thread days. I am glad to tell you much progress has been made since we've been back from vacation. I have quilted two tablerunners (pattern is next in line to debut), finished a quilt top, and cut out another project to be started soon. I did clean the house this morning, I sometimes wonder why I do it first thing in the morning knowing that I will have a sewing blitz later on and you won't be able to tell the floor was clean a few hours earlier, but I digress.

Vacation was so lovely and I had such a nice time. My hubbin and I went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean out of Miami. We stopped at Cozumel and explored Caverns and had a buffet at one of the most beautiful and luxurious beaches I have ever been to. Then we went to Grand Cayman and shopped the day away in the downtown area followed up by my still favorite port of call, Ocho Rios, Jamaica. In Jamaica we took an excursion to all sorts of hidden treasures. Our jeep took us through the actual factual Fern Gully (here I thought it was just a movie about fairies, but there is a real Fern Gully and I saw it!), we went to a house over 1,700 feet above sea level that was built in the 1700's and is still as beautiful today as it was back then. We also went to High Mountain Coffee Plantation, Dunns River Falls, and some other places I'm not sure what they were called besides breath-taking. It was magical and definitely an experience I was glad to have been able to enjoy.

Here's just a few pictures from vacation, I took a ton and hope to get some of them framed to hang around the house soon.











And finally what you all have been waiting for. Skip to My Lou is the latest pattern released for Ruby Blue Quilting Studio. It just got sent to the printers this morning and should be in stores within the next couple of weeks. Here's a small glimpse at the design, I hope you like it. As usual, more pictures to come once it hits the store shelves.



It's still fairly early in the day and I dont want to jinx it, but I think I'm getting more accomplished than I planned for which means, more threads to come! Have a great day and I'll update you more soon on the happenings here at the studio!

Let Me Introduce you to...

They're ready! The second pattern is ready and should be at Cottonpicker's Quilt Shop tomorrow, or later today I should say. It's late but I wanted to tell you before I finished my day. I would like to introduce you to Starbox. I cannot get enough of this pattern and I can't wait to have the quilt in my hot little hands while the weather is still cold. This is definitely my quilt, no little puppy dog of mine is gonna steal it from me! Or husband for that matter! :]

Starbox is compromised of stretched stars that interlock. I made my quilt of scrappy Civil War Reproduction fabrics. There are medium and dark stars, the medium all stretch one direction while the dark stretch another. I'm thinking of redoing this pattern for a color option with black and white stars with a teal-ish blue background. Once I get the color option done, I'll be sure to post a picture or two of it here.

I had a hard time naming this quilt. My aunt and I got together and brainstormed and messed around on the online thesaurus for awhile before she came up with Starbox. Thanks Aunt Kathy, I couldn't have done it without you. Otherwise at this point it would still be Quilt #2.

Also I have to send a huge thank you to Linda Bennett of Moosetracks Custom Machine Quilting. Linda is a doll and an amazing quilter. I have dabbled in longarm quilting and I could only aspire to be half as good as she is. She has a gift to read a quilt and see how a pattern or quilting design can not only enhance but bring life into it. To this day, the quilting mesmerizes me and I just run my hand over the quilt and basically "pet" it.

The pictures here we taken at the park at the end of my street. It's right on the lake and one day on my way home I knew the weather was perfect. My hubby and I loaded the quilt and the camera up and went to the beach in the freezing cold as usual (we've been to the beach several times, only one of which I believe it was above 50 degrees). The setting couldn't have been more perfect if I staged it. I love these pictures and plan on framing a few for my sewing room. Once the snow and ice melt, I can guarantee many more quilts will be pictured in the same park as well.

As promised, the third pattern should be out soon as well. I just did a photo shoot yesterday and I cannot even begin to tell you how adorable this quilt is. The photos were perfect and I will show you another sneek peek once it heads off to the printers.

Well, I think it's late enough. I hope you enjoy the photos and if you would like more information on this or any other pattern, please feel free to leave me a comment or e-mail me at rubybluequilts . gmail . com. Til next time!

~Rebecca

Snowed In

My Husband is loving this weather right now, I on the other hand, not so much. We're not that bad here in Madison, but a few miles south, my poor parents had about 18" of snow already and the forcast was calling for an additional 6"-9" today and snow everyday for the next forever.

My puppies are as torn about the weather as my Husband and I. Paco is definitely my baby because we both freeze and we are constantly hogging all of the blankets and quilts in the house. Duncan loves the snow like his father and loves to play in it every chance he gets.

If you can believe it, this small little dog stole all of these blankets by himself, makes his nest and lays right in the middle of it all. He layers each of the blankets one on top of another so if you want one, you have to move him and likely atleast two more blankets. I still cannot believe this puppy, all five pounds of him, can steal all of the blankets. The humanity of it all! :)

Well, the second pattern is officially off to the printers. Starbox will be out very shortly, as long as this snow doesn't keep me away that is. Here's a sneak peak for you:

The third pattern will be printed shortly as well. From Grammy With Love is the current project. And once I finish the photos and finish piecing the color option of it, it will be out too. I'm having so much fun with all of the designs I've created and working on other projects too.

My Mom and I have both discovered English Paper Piecing. It's filling my hands with busy work while I sit and watch TV. I love it, almost as much as handquilting. I have to say, the more I do, the more I love the fundamentals of quilting. Going back to the basics isn't bad every once in awhile.

Alright though, speaking of projects, I need to get back to them. I have to take advantage of being snowed in while it lasts. I'll let you know once I have the new patterns in my hands and where you can find them. Stay warm out there, I'm going to go make myself some tea and sew away the rest of the day.

~Rebecca

I'm here...Really I am

Alright, I missed chatting, but I had many projects I worked on and had an awesome Thanksgiving so I was busy, were you? How was your Thanksgiving? I have to tell you about mine.



Here goes: I hosted my first ever Thanksgiving. It went so well, I'm still wondering if something went wrong and no one told me about it. My husband and I made an elaborate meal complete with turkey, ham, stuffing, rolls, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, gravy, broccoli gratin, and to top it off, my new favorite dessert...

Please let me introduce you to Pecan Pie Cheesecake. I got it out of Cuisine at Home Magazine's Holiday issue and it is to die for! I'm actually eating the last of it right now and don't want it to be over, but looking at my thighs reminds me why you only make one! I had to take a picture of it before the festivities began (and for fear that my husband wouldn't wait for everyone to come over first). I highly recommend it and plan on making it again in the future.

I will be finishing up the next pattern this week and plan to have it out to you very soon. I'm finalizing the pictures on the cover and then it will be off to the printers. I have been very busy with other patterns too, I have created and tested two more charm pack patterns and finished the project I have been handquilting for the last few months. All of these will be out hopefully in the next couple months, I will keep you posted with the progress.

Off to go feed the pups and get some quilting in before dinner, so take care, have a great rest of the week and stay out of the white stuff if you can. I'm planning if we do get it that I can stay in and work on binding after binding and catch up on my movies. Good night!

~Rebecca

Following Up

Okay, it's been a whirlwind of a week and I'm trying to make sure I get it all in and remember to tell you all about it. First off the 1st pattern of mine is currently at the printers and hopefully will be ready next week. I'll try to show you a sneek peek as soon as I can. Just want to keep you in suspense. Well, if you've been to Cottonpickers, you've seen it already in the raw, but if you haven't, a glimpse of it will be up soon. I can't wait, the suspense is killing me!

My husband and I just moved a few months ago and LOVE LOVE LOVE our new house. It's absolutely gorgeous and perfect and to top it all off, I finally have my own sewing room. It's still a work in progress, but it's coming along nicely. And being in the spirit of a new house and a new business and a new season of all, I'm so having a Suzie Homemaker mood. My hubbin thinks I have lost my mind, but I have to tell you I made an awesome batch of homemade applesauce and a slighty runny but still yummy apple pie. I would take a picture, but it's seeming to disappear everytime someone walks into the kitchen. I think this house might have a kitchen elf or something....hehehehe. But in all seriousness one of my favorite things about the house isn't even in or near the house at all. It's down the street and around the corner at the local park - the view and the inspiration I get just makes my day, make that my week. Here's why:

It was a little chilly today, considering we've had lower than normal temperatures lately and it's been around the mid 40's and rainy for what feels like forever, but I digress. When I took these photos a couple weeks ago it was warmer initially, but it was so windy there were huge waves in the lake and I felt frozen in a matter of minutes. It was still gorgeous, even if you don't stay long, just to see the water and forget everything else for awhile it still worth it. But today was magical, it was warmer, not so breezy, and most importantly, the sun was out!

It has been so chilly that I finally broke out the slippers this week. I love them, my mom has gotten me the best slippers just about every year for Christmas, and these were just one of the pairs I received last year. They're fuzzy and pink and sparkly, I just wear them to death when this time of year rolls around. The others were little dogs, which really freaked out Duncan, my Cairn Terrier in the picture here. He wouldn't leave them alone even while walking around and I didn't feel the need to trip and fall over the dog.

Well, I have been quilting and binding like crazy and I hope to show you more soon. I'll be at Cottonpickers all week and I might see you there. As soon as I get the patterns back from the printers, you'll be the first to know. I promise! Well, and once I get more to tell you, I'll be back, but I have to go now. Thanks for chatting and I'll see you soon!

Introductions

I was trying to think of how I was going to post my first blog and where I should start. After a short while of thinking on the subject, it came to me, why not introduce myself. That's where most people start a conversation, right? (I'm a little slow on the uptake some days!)

Here goes, my name is Rebecca Silbaugh. I have been quilting for the better part of a decade now and have really fallen in love with designing recently. I grew up in a small town and took as many classes as I could in school on several subjects, my favorites of which happen to be art and math. Weird combination I know, but it's really starting to work out for me. I love to design quilts, make up combinations and try new techniques that challenge the brain, but still leave enough sanity to function. It makes my brain work and play at the same time, and I can not even begin to tell you how invigorating it is.

My patterns will be out in the near future, I'll post pictures soon once I get them ready for you. My designs tend to be a smidge traditional with a little flair or complexity to them. My goal as a designer is not only to create and design quilt patterns, but to inspire, motivate, and share a passion of quilting with many other people like myself.

Why Ruby Blue you ask? My answer is why not? I love the sound of it and the way it doesn't work but it does. (Hopefully other people out there are on the same brainwave as me and understand that) But in all seriousness, it's just my favorite. I'll elaborate more later, I promise.

Most days you can find me at Cottonpickers Quilt Shop in Madison, either working or just hanging out and "playing" or sewing up a storm. Check our blog for the quilt shop here. We're constantly getting in new fabrics and dreaming up several projects I don't even have time to think about, but in the end what does make it to my sewing room will show up here eventually and in your local quilt shops.

Well, off to handquilt some more and get another project in the finished pile. Let me know what you're working on, introduce yourself and quilt with me in the future.

~Rebecca