"ROMANTIQUE" is Simply Vintage

I am beyond thrilled to announce that one of my 

FABRIC COLLABORATIONS 

samples is featured on the cover of this awesome magazine!

~~on stands now~~

"ROMANTIQUE" is the upper left picture and

 it is quite a lovely piece, if I do say so myself:)

Simply Vintage always creates a special little graphic

to go with each design and look how sweet my graphic is!

Thank you, Simply Vintage!!

For those not familiar with FABRIC COLLABORATIONS, 

here is a quick overview.

I fell in love with the fabric in this ca. 1880s block.

It became the jumping off point for the lovely piece, "ROMANTIQUE".

It is romantic and antique:)

Detail of some of the embroidery.  

The samples become a 'search a block' to see if you can 

find the designs I created to match the fabric design.

Simply Vintage magazine is one of the Quiltmania publications and they do fantastic layouts and an overview of some of the antiquing to be found in a feature city each issue.  The magazines are more like a book and a great resource for summer trips.

If you would like to read more about my process 

on this post, Fabric Collaborations

Going to Houston Festival?  I know you are intrigued about collaborating with your stash so come to Festival and take the Fabric Collaborations class with me!

Keep stitching~

CHRISTMAS SHIMMER

Get a jump on the holidays:)
This fun pattern requires the most minimal of paper piecing in order to get the cool border points that I made by accident and could NOT recreate with piecing no matter how hard I tried!

The wall hanging is only 24" square and additional instructions include a runner and placemats too for complete dining décor:)

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY...

This pattern can be yours when you purchase the summer issue of Our Quilting Journey magazine HERE.

Katie Bock, editor, has put together a fun online magazine that features something for everyone so you will receive multiple patterns for the cost of one.

Enjoy and keep quilting.

Appraisals, and workshops and QUILTS, Oh My:) -part 3

Houston Bound and I haven't stopped squealing with delight:)

So SWIMMING SEAHORSE which I recently taught to the West Pasco QG will be my second class and I didn't want to push both together in one post because I had so many lovely photos to show!

Below you will find photos from the latest Seahorse class and it really shows how different fabric choices change the look.

Here is the original sample made by me:

This is such a great Quilt As You Go technique 

that can work for so many things!

We all LOVED the polka dot seahorse!  

That is the fun of workshops to me, seeing what 

fabrics everyone brings and then the 

subsequent, "why didn't I think of that?".

 This seahorse has great value and 

keeps its soft feel!

You don't have to go bright to 

get a good composition.

 I say you don't have to go bright but

I LOVE this orange one...what a surprise:)

For those of you that don't know, 

I love the color orange:)

Better than the orange seahorse is 

the gorgeous smile behind the quilt:)

Marilyn started her

piece in class and once home decided there wasn't enough contrast so I received this pic later in the week where she made a sweet coral seahorse and WOW!

THANK YOU to all the students who gave me permission to photograph their works in progress!!

I love my job and meeting Fantastic students.  I really love lunch time when I get to hear the stories behind these quilters. I try to find time to ask, "what did you do in your life before quilting?".  

This last class had a Navy Veteran, a retired RN, and a retired Judge who is in her 80s. They are all inspiring to me when I think of the times they lived in and what they accomplished.

Keep quilting ~~

Appraisals, and workshops and QUILTS, Oh My:) -part 2

So in between all the appraisals and training, I have lectured and premiered my new, Fabric Collaborations, workshop to glowing reviews (not that I was shaking in my shoes or anything:)!

Have I told you yet that I will be teaching in Houston???  !!!!  Can you hear me squealing with delight?!

FABRIC COLLABORATIONS will be one of the workshops and the other will be my SWIMMING SEAHORSE which I recently taught to the West Pasco QG.

Here are some teasers to wet your whistle so you will come play with me in Houston...

Fabric Collaborations:
I revealed this last year in this post from September

The class with the Creative Quilters of Citrus County was everything I imagined and more.  The students were open minded, receptive to the idea, and really got on board enjoying something different. 
With permission I will show a few pics of what was being worked on,

Trish and her sister, Maddie, working 

on some lovely pieces inspired by 

the fabrics in their blocks!!

I REALLY LOVED this one!!! 

It had swirls and circles-WOOT!

 These Creative Quilters, Maryann Zutaut and Joy Streicher, had finished products from the Fabric Collaboration workshop with Robin Koehler to share with the guild....YAY YAY YAY!

It didn't have to be applique! 

As you can see above, 

a pinwheel was used to recreate 

the pinwheel from the orphan 

block and with the sewing 

machine, a spool and embroidered

thread were added.

Look at these fantastic floral appliques:)

SO FUN! Thank you Creative Quilters!!

Here is another sample I am 

working on to explain the process. 

Look at this FAB 1880s

block with a sweet daisy print!!

Expand that daisy out to the border and Voila'!

Thank you Kathy Cray!!

Don't you want to come play with me in Houston now??

We are going to have SO MUCH FUN!!

Appraisals, and workshops and QUILTS, Oh My:) -part1

This year has been crazy right out of the gate!

This is my appraisal booth at the Quilter's Workshop 

of Tampa Bay quilt show in February.

I also appraised the Sunbonnet Sue Quilters 

show in Vero Beach the week before.

Both shows were fabulous with lovely guild

members who were a joy to work with.

Then I hit the road these past 2 weekends in a row

to shadow Brenda some more because I can't have

too much training with her!!

We stay with hostesses from guilds sometimes 

and our last 2 were Amazing!! 

Fun, accomplished women who were so gracious to 

open their homes to us and feed us:)

THANK YOU Hilary and Susan!

It is exhilarating meeting new people and hearing

new stories especially since I work alone.

Quilt show season here in Florida is wrapping up 

and now I will get back to designing 

(a couple of magazine layouts coming up), 

lecturing, training, and teaching.

Hope to see you at one of your guilds.

http://nestlingsbyrobin.com/lectures--workshops.html

With a little help from my friends...

I have amazing friends who

 want me to succeed!!

Whenever I see them, they

have some little item to 

help me along my appraisal

study path and I am 

extremely grateful!

These goodies are from Teddy Pruett.

Fabric samples are all well and good in a 

book, but touching them and seeing 

them in person is so much more 

educational and it sticks in

your memory better because you 

development a relationship with it

through the sense of touch.

Cigar Flannels

Fabrics from the 1950s

Fabrics from the 1970s

When I become certified, it won't just be

an accomplishment for me, 

it will be a group effort!!

Workshop development!

 What do you use your guest room for????

Once all the company was gone, 

I could get back to work!

There are piles for what to bring to a lecture, 

teaching proposals, and 

Fabric Collaboration development.

Handouts plus items students may 

be interested in purchasing.

The Fabric Collaboration sample 

pile continues to grow!

Has your guild signed up yet?

The stencils have arrived and will 

be kitted this next week!

Students will receive 3 in their kit leaving 5 

others to choose from or get them all~

It is going to be a great class with

lots of collaboration!

http://nestlingsbyrobin.com/whats-new.html