Twelve Days of Christmas

 I have had this Christmas line 

for a few years now...

The selvages are adorable

and the colors vibrant 

and wonderful!

When quarantine started, I finished 

a couple of work deadlines and then

promised myself that I would do a

project or 2 for myself.

A friend of mine had done a 

a sew along that this fabric

was perfect for!

Suzn Quilts designed an adorable

miniature using her tiny templates.

The 12 Days of Christmas

 The finished size is 12" and since

I have so much of this fabric, I

thought it would be fun to keep 

making bigger blocks to go with 

the miniature....

Friendship Stars

I liked the little house blocks

and trees so much that I made 

another 12" miniature with them.

Here is the template for the trees.

In my mini, I left off the trunks.

Here is what I have so far...

My 2 minis, some Friendship Stars &

some Pinwheel blocks.

The first block is one of Susan's Tiny/Mini

Dresden blocks that can be found in

her Around the Block pattern.

I can't wait to see it finished

and I hope you will go visit Susan's

blog and site for lots of fun

ways to spend our days.

Until next time,

Keep stitchin'.

Houston 2017 (Catching you up:)

Houston brings so much with it....My Autumn Fix (VERY Important!), seeing beautiful quilts, being inspired, meeting with fellow professionals and making connections. 

Most importantly I get to hang with my sweet friend, Susan! We have known each other for quite some time now, work well together, and then get our antique fix together:)

So after my Autumums came out in October (see here), I went to Houston with, Susan, of Suzn Quilts to be a booth helper for the premiere of her book, Dresden Quilt Workshop. This Festival Pin is SOOOO ME!!!

The black circle shows where Susan's booth was on the floor....
so much floor:)

While there we ran into some other professionals that we talk with online but hadn't met face to face before....

Cheryl Lynch and Sue O'Very.

Susan finding her book on the shelf (above) and signing her life away (below).  She is so composed...I may have burst in the same situation:)

Once we got home to Susan's in Illinois, I had 1-1/2 days to antique shop with her!  We even hit a shop or two on the way from Houston to Illinois where she found a FANTASTIC red and green applique quilt for me (that is for another post!)!!

 

Because her book came out, we did Market and Festival back to back which ended up meaning 2 weeks away from home for me once you add in travel time.  Starting to see where I have been...:)

Heritage Stories: Susan's Find

You can look and look and rarely find such a lovely piece of embroidery needing its story finished.

 

Susan found this wonderful piece and thankfully someone suggested it be hand quilted and she knew just who to trust with it:)

 Neither of us know who started it but it is an honor

to be a part of completing her story!

Her stitches are perfect and lovely

and the design is so endearing!

 I know that Susan bragged on my quilting HERE

and so now it is my turn to brag:)

This final pic is where this adorable piece lives.  Susan's sense of design is awe inspiring!  I love being at her home where every little nook has fun antique items to drool over. 

 Home Sweet Home fits in perfectly in this vignette or the next one she dreams up after holiday change outs.

 

Make sure you check out her blog for lots of eye candy:

https://suznquilts.wordpress.com/

 

AND.....Susan has a new book that will be

out the end of this month! 

She has made Dresdens tiny and fun and adorable! 

Take a peek HERE.

PRE-Order it HERE.

Hurry Hurry:))

WHEW!

                                    
The year is off and running and I feel I am already playing catch up!
Whilst preparing for my upcoming BOM 2016 launch and my participation in BLOCK STOCK 2016, I took a break and went for a trip:)
Because that is what you do........

This is Rosemary's Quilt Shop in Highland, Illinois.  I used to live about 10 miles from here and her shop is just lovely!  She has rooms she will rent out to quilters so you can eat and quilt here for days...oh, and sleep if you need to :)

The house is full of beautiful antiques and walking through at night petting the fabric feels decadent.

There was a group of us that did it just before I was transferring to NC in 2007 and I really missed it.  I was able to fly out once again in 2011.

HERE is the post from 2011....

We had SEW much fun quilting and eating:)  There is a fantastic Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks away and I do miss it!

Looks like my friend Suzn Quilts was working on Dresdens even then!

The crew is a bit smaller now but just as much fun was had by all.

 

I was able to fly out a few days early and spend time junking and antiquing with my sweet friend.  Those treasures are for another post! 

Time spent with friends is so precious and rejuvenating so think about booking a retreat today!

Minneapolis Spring Market Part 1

WELCOME TO MINNEAPOLIS

 I found this photo online and it is a beautiful and

artistic shot of a wonderful city!

So after MONTHS of working hard designing, quilting, writing, editing, photographing, packaging, and packing, the day finally arrives:)

Here is my booth, with sign, showing me the way to my home away from home for the next few days!  You can see the many booths beyond me....

 To the right, Bird Brain Designs and one of the fabric companies.

To the left, Quilting (magazines, etc.) and of course you can see the Giant NORTHCOTT box in front of us:)

Our entry to quilting magic!

Above and Below, NESTLINGS by Robin displaying all new baby quilt designs including spring frogs and baby bottle rockets.  In addition to babies, we have a new BOM of shoes...one for every month.

GET PUMPED buttons to spread the word about the most comfortable shoes you will ever own:)
This group of booth mates should look familiar to you by now.  Have friends will travel and they actually like to be near me too:)
Go figure...We try to be near one another at Market since we usually travel alone and may have to go to the bathroom at some point!  (NO, I don't mean we need other women to come to the bathroom with us:) 

Meet Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts.  Her booth bloomed in Dresden Plates this year. I know we shouldn't covet but, oh man do I want that quilt directly behind her!  I may have to make one in Red for myself:)

Here is Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods.  She has a fun way of using traditional designs and making them her own.  Look at how cute that Christmas pattern on the table is...reminds me of Christmas Crackers.

Susan Knapp of The Quilt Branch with her booth mate Karen. Some really neat designs going on over here including a bag so big you can pack for days in it!  Who doesn't need one of those??

Have you met Cheryl?  THE Cheryl Sleboda!  She stopped by and she is too cute which matches her web name: Muppin:))))

When in Minneapolis......We had the opportunity to eat at a local landmark that will unfortunately be closing: Nye's Polonaise   Wow, the whole atmosphere takes you back including these cool glass lamps.  Delicious food too.  I had a polish soup that was so comforting that I could have eaten a whole pot!

I hope you enjoyed Part 1...stay tuned for part 2:)

SO Cute!

New from SUZN QUILTS!

 

Suzn Quilts Tiny Dresden Series

Sometimes I get the opportunity to edit new patterns from my friend, Susan Marth.  Here is her latest series and they were just too fun to make.  If you love Dresden plates AND tiny things, this is the series for you.  She reimagined the traditional Dresden plate into a year of celebrations.  Every month also offers tiny little buttons to add a bit of unexpected / bling to each mini quilt. 

Each mini quilt measures in at 6" x 8" so they are quick too.  Plus, you can purchase this sweet mini hanger to hang them in.

I am storing them on their sides in a stack on a shelf in my sewing room and just love the way they look from the side....
All the colors!  Yum!

Visit Susan at her website: http://www.suznquilts.com/

Portland, Oregon: Spring Quilt Market 2013

I am not much of a flyer....the views are gorgeous but that nagging, "we could drop out of the sky at any moment" thought is never far away.  The circle crops were mesmerizing and came in so many formats: green, brown, circles with pie wedges, circles with fun lines drawn in them.  I had to figure out my phone for airplane mode so I could take pictures.  Of course, I am such a rule follower that I didn't get a pic of the double rainbow out our window during landing....SO beautiful!

So after 2 stops (KC and Albuquerque) and 9 hours on a plane, Welcome to sunny Portland.  I had to have the pic to prove to my husband that the sun really does come out.  We lived in Oregon for 2 years once and according to him, the sun came out once in 2 years and it never got above 70 degrees.

To be honest, this pic looked completely different in 20 minutes:) 

One spire of the Convention Center

My booth: NESTLINGS for Autumn

Jillily Studio Booth: Can I have this in my Living Room?

Do you see my mug on the Generation Q magazine wall??

The IQF traveling quilt show was on exhibit too.  There were some breathtaking quilts there....Lots of hand work too!!

Eileen is a friend of mine and this may be one of my favorite quilts of hers!

 Old Friends and New Friends made up my Booth Mates!!

Me and Susan Marth

Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts and her daughter Chloe

Chloe was essential in making sure we were all fed and caffeinated!  Thank you!

My dear friend, Pepper Cory, stopped by to let me hug her!  Very Important business!

Susan Knapp of The Quilt Branch and her staff, Karen Bailey.  Loved meeting Karen!

Always fun to see Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods again!

Our corner had the most fun I am sure!  Then we headed out on the town for dinner.  A friend had recommended The Portland Grill on the 30th floor of one of the skyscrapers.  The food was so good and went well with the view and the company!  So good we went back a second time...Look the weather changed:)

After Market was done, Susan kept the rental car for another day so some sight-seeing could be done.  A very quick drive into Washington State, some antique shopping in Astoria, and a jaunt out to Cannon Beach. 

We had lived south of here for 2 years and never made it up to see this iconic rock (Haystack Rock)/ beach in Oregon. So beautiful!

New Signs!

The flowers in Oregon were just beautiful!  I don't really remember seeing Cala Lilies when I lived there.....

Of course I had to stop into Golden Whale Jewelry after Karen went on and on about this rare and cool stone cut.  It is called a Lighthouse Lens cut and it was very expensive.  When I asked my husband about it, he wanted to know if they give a Lighthouse Keeper discount since he is CG.  No to that but they do offer a Military Discount.  So if you are looking for something unique and you are in Oregon.....check them out.  I was hooked once I saw the orange stone named Indian Flame Sapphire:)

 

The trip was a lot of work as usual, but the friends, food, and memories will be cherished for a lifetime!