Strip Quilt Secrets Blog Hop & Give-Away!

Diane who blogs at Butterfly Threads Quilting makes the most wonderful scrappy quilts! I'm always inspired by her combination of bright colors and fabric patterns to design such a variety of patterns. When she published her first book: Scrap Book Secrets, I devoured it, reading it cover to cover and taking note, especially as I read her chapter of Quilt Making Basics. And now she's done it again!!

BOOK TWO!

 

I quickly volunteered to be part of her book release blog hop as I've had this tote of 30's repro fabric strips that I had cut into two inch strips about five years ago to to stitch English Paper Pieced Hexagons. When my book arrived, I literally dumped the whole tote out, mixed up the large variety of colors and patterns....

...and started just grabbing and sewing the strips together.

After a few email exchanges with Diane and then referring to the index of the quilts by strip size ranging from 1 1/2"-3 1/2" found at the back of her book, I decided to make her Vortex pattern as most of my strips were already two inches wide...exactly what the Vortex pattern called for.

So I got busy sewing strips...which as you can imagine provided some easy chain piecing.

I chose black as my block centers and cornerstones. I found the block assembly quick with Diana's easy to follow, step by step directions and am learning to perfect my partial seam. BTW, Diane also offers four alternative quilt sizes (crib, twin full/queen and king) and a coloring sheet for each of the fifteen patterns included in the book.  I love that! So much bang for your buck!

So even though I still have a bunch of strips to sew together:

Here's a peek at what they are looking like as they come together as a finished 9 1/2" block:

A GIVE-AWAY!

This give-away is closed. The winner was announced here.

For the chance to win a copy of Strip Quilt Secrets by Diane D. Knot, comment on this blog sharing with us your favorite "sewing" time entertainment. For example, I often find myself just enjoying the quiet, but will every now and then find a good NCIS marathon or something on Netflix. (Anything that does not require a lot of my attention.) I will draw a winner on Friday, January 11, 2019 and announce the winner here on the blog as I also share my progress being made. NOTE: If you are a no-reply (Right now I have had 26 no-reply comments) so please leave your email so I can contact your for your mailing address. Due to shipping costs, this give-away if only available to US residents. Good luck! 

Also if you missed Diane's blog series highlighting the five main strip techniques highlighted in her book, click HERE to get a closer look at those and learn how much her book has to offer.

BLOG HOP!

I hope you have fun visiting everyone else on the hop and you'll also increase your chance of winning your own copy of Strip Quilt Secrets! Our blog hop runs all week. 

Here are links to all the quilters who are participating: 

Friday January 4 - C&T 

Saturday January 5 - Tanya

Sunday January 6 - Val (You are here!)

Monday January 7 - Lori

Tuesday January 8 - Heather

Wednesday January 9 - Audrey

Thursday January 10 - Susan

Knitted Baby Blankets and More...

Many of you who follow my blog regularly know I sometimes like to highlight the beautiful projects my mom knits for our family and friends. I just received this one in the mail yesterday as a gift for my previous teacher partner's family, as they just had their second child, a baby boy, two weeks ago.
They named him Everett and for some reason I just love that name. 

I love the pattern in this knitted blanket. It is super soft and the babies will often be found with their little fingers weaved through those tiny holes when you are cuddling them. It's so sweet.

She also made a small, car seat blanket. I love how the yarn is variegated and the pattern it creates.

I made two receiving blankets last night. Dad's a local high school football coach and mom loves elephants. Needless to say, they both loved their personalized blankets. Upon request, this summer  I'll be making them a football designed quilt in our town's school colors. I'll use minky on the back and it will be perfect for mom and son during those Fall football games next year. 

I even made another "taggy" blanket with minky on one side and satin on the other. I like to use books as "my card" and included The Baby's Handbook of Songs thinking is was perfect for big sis to "sing and read" to her new baby brother as all the pictures are in black and white.  

Well...I hope you found a little inspiration here and perhaps even a few baby gift ideas.

Hope your weekend is filled with sunshine and happiness.

PS: Here's one more gift idea perfect for preschoolers. Their preschooler "cut" for the entire two hours I was there. Bless her little soul. She was having so much fun before she noticed a new little blister on her finger. Luckily it was nothing a band-aid couldn't fix and she was back to cutting before we knew it. It was cute. She is three and our grand-guy who is four, really enjoy this book:  

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Creativity: Remembering my "WHY" as I read: Our Family Quilt

Our Family Quilt

The Fabric of Life

by

Rhonda Cratty

Summary: Join and experience creativity and nostalgia through Grace, a master quilter, -as she shares her creative gifts with her young granddaughter, Audrey. Together their lives unfold around their family quilt.  The love between grandmother and granddaughter keep a family’s generations turning despite minor setbacks, disappointments and celebrations of life. As friends and family of this charming mountain town in Colorado come together for life’s moments. Creating an inspirational, heartwarming story to share with those you love.

Our Family Quilt immerses readers in:

• Family Life
• Contemporary Women
• Quilting ideas
• Creativity for everyday living
• The secret world of Grandmothers and Granddaughters and the people they love…

 I was flattered and happy when author Rhonda Cratty, sent me a copy of her book, The Family Quilt for me to read and offer as a give-away here on my blog. I'm enjoying this book in-between quilting my "monster" ragged roses/nine patch quilt. (Which your guys, is almost done!!!) After a few e-mail correspondences between us, it was fun to get to know Rhonda and learn about her path to quilting and how much we have in common. She lives in beautiful Colorado and like me, enjoys walking, hiking, and cross country skiing. And like many of us quilters, when she is not writing, she enjoys traveling, quilting, crocheting, cooking, reading and painting.

Remember our WHY!

As I read, though I don't have family nearby, or any granddaughters, I love the idea how quilting connects people. Like you and I. And lately, it's so wierd, but I have been asked why I quilt. What do I do with all my quilts. Why don't I just sell them. I even been kinda laughed at for having a dozen (okay more) quilts just piled around my house and that even the dogs have a quilt! They gasp...while I'm internally thinking: "Of course they do! LOL!"  

I hate when I don't have a quick answer....I always find myself contemplating others views and comments rather than having a quick response. Hmmm....more often than not, I do ask myself those very questions. Am I evolving into a lonely, old quilt lady? Why do I do what I do? 

While reading Rhonda's book I'm intriqued how writing Our Family Quilt began as a book idea but then moved her into research of quilting as an art form in America. The characters in this book evolved through quilting classes, quilting shows, museums, shops, the Columbine Quilt Guild, inspiring speakers, and encouraging quilters. Each experience inspired the Rhonda to add a different dimension to both her quilting and writing.

Like Rhonda and I'm sure many of you, I find the quilting process moves me forward and inspires my NEED to be creative. It adds that different dimension to my life that I like. I value the quiet time it provides me to recharge. It's a way I take care of myself....a healthy outlet during times I may feel lonely or sad from life's challenges.   But it also allows outlet to my creativity. I love that I can create original gifts for others. I can give to charities. It allows me to continuously grow and learn. Example, while quilting the "monster" I have gained a new confidence in my quilting and with that, took a pile of business cards to my favorite quilt shop for distribution. Out of the blue...while rhythmically quilting those 99 blocks, a brand new idea has been formulating in my mind. Each day I have found myself enthusiastically capturing those ideas in my sketchbook for later reference. I'm learning that confidence comes from doing something you thought you couldn't do. Inspiration comes from sources we don't predict. That's why I quilt. As Rhonda's book so wonderfully interweaves throughout her story it's the value of living a creative life quilting allows. 

How about you? Why do you quilt? Please do comment and share and perhaps an inspiring email conversation will evolve? Annndddd....if you can't wait for my September give-away of Rhonda's The Family Quilt book and want to get a copy of it now, she forwarded this info. for to me to share:

https://www.acreativespin.com/home.html

·         ASIN: B01N8WSCV7

https://www.amazon.com/Our-Family-Quilt-Fabric-Life-ebook/dp/B01N8WSCV7/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480736270&sr=8-2

·         ISBN-10: 1537796852

·         ISBN-13: 978-1537796857

           Keep an eye out as I continue my series of  "Creativity" posts.

                       Coming up soon: Being Prepared followed by Making Time . 

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

WIN quilt batting this summer. Click HERE to read how.

Tuesday Archives #167: Tea Cups

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

Happy Fourth of July to all my blogging friends in America.

This week's theme is: Tea Cups

Who would have ever thought a cute tea cup, an 8" square piece of fabric, a glue gun, and some Polyester Fiberfill would turn into such cute little pincushion!

We made those at the June retreat I attended and I also treated myself to a copy of Sue Spargo's latest book: Cuppa and find myself looking at it everyday as it's full of so much inspiration

It's that time of year when we finally empty our piggy banks and splurge on something quilty! Click HERE to link your post.

Please feel welcome to join us here next Thursday, July 13th, as sign-ups for the  5th Annual Challenge will begin.

Fun Happy Mail!

The mailman delivered my turn with Bernie's, over at Needle and Foot,  Fabric and Fiction book share. (Click HERE to read all about her cool happy mail/quilters book club of sorts.)

We receive (and send forward) three new fat quarters that relate back to the novel in some fashion. My person sent me these three fun fabrics below, each representing one of the main characters in the story. Her character captions have me intrigued.   

I laughed a little when she said the circle design represents the character Samantha whose thoughts seem to keep her running in circles. I smiled in thought of the pink representing the character Lydia, because older women often mentor younger women without even knowing it. And finally, those trees, they represent King, the character who is cool with himself, steady and stable. (I'm so grateful to have my own King) After this wonderful introduction, I'm looking forward to meeting these characters myself as I spend a few hours this chilly morning reading: Open House.

Next week's theme: Anything GREEN!

Tuesday Archives #149: Reading

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: READING

Oh my...I've had one of those days where I kinda forgot what day of the week it is! LOL!! Anyhooo....this week's Tuesday Archives theme is reading. I know, not a quilty theme, but never-the-less, a past-time I notice many of us quilters do enjoy. I usually read in the summer as I always get so caught up in a book and end up staying up way too late reading!

But last Friday temptation got the best of me as I found myself enjoying our beautiful weather by strolling through our downtown shops: A "vintage" shop going out of business, "country collectibles", and yes, the used book store...in which I almost immediately found a good read. I then treated myself to a few hours at our favorite coffee shop downtown. I relaxed  with a yogurt lunch, some green tea and let myself get lost in the beginning of a new story. (Of which is almost done!)

I enjoy the Elm Creek Quilts novels by Jennifer Chiaverini. Lucky me, my mom keeps me well stocked. (THANK YOU MOM!) But in-between, I like a new read. I got hooked on this series below after Carole's blog post.  (I'm off to the public library soon to check out the last one of the series!) 

Bernie over at Needle and Foot  came up with the most creative idea and started a Fabric and Fiction book share. I got in on the Winter Book Share and am looking forward to my turn. 

Click HERE to read all about her cool happy mail/quilters book club of sorts.

And I know many of you also post your "current" read on your sidebars too. (Cause I'm always looking) So this week guys, really, feel free to create a new post with your favorite recommendations and/or rejuvenate your already published book/reading posts.  I'll leave the linky open till next Monday but know this week's linky theme is open to anything that has to do with reading. Enjoy!

How do you read your books?

One of the luxuries I enjoy about summer is reading...especially since our evenings are light until ten pm and I can afford to stay up late reading since I'm on break. I just finished reading Defending Jacob and have started The Quilter's Legacy (of the Elm Creek Quilt novel series by Jennifer Chiaverini)  I also visited our local library today and checked out: Three Women on the Water's Edge  to read next. Which found me wondering as I walked home from the library...

...how do you read your books? 

I mean, do have a kindle? Buy new? Buy used? Trade? Check out from your local library? 

As you come to know me, you'll learn I'm a very practical person. Thus, the only series I collect are the Elm Street Quilt Novels...as my mom gifts them to me. Other than that, I love the feel of an old fashion book in my hand when I read and usually borrow, trade or check out books.  I love the dusty ol' smell the one I picked up from the library has. It's one of those smells that reminds me of being young...my fingers searching though the old card catalog hoping to find a great adventure to bring home to read! Funny to think I now use one of those card catalogs for ribbon storage! See:

Please do comment and share how you read your books and why...curious minds want to know...and who knows, maybe this old dog will learn some new tricks in the world of reading??

PS: Two bloggy friends who help me find good reads: Tanya and Diane. THANKS!!

Tomorrow's theme is FLAGS

Crafted Applique Book Give-Away!

This applique project had moved to the top of summer sewing list because with Lara's Crafted Applique Method, tackling those WELCOME letters will be easy!

And if seeing is believing, here's a peek into her book where she compares her method 

with two common applique methods:

Looking at the Fig 3, you can see why I'm not dreading all the curves and thin pieces in my letters as with Lara's Crafted Applique Method, I'm confident they will come out as smooth and clean as her Oak leaves....with no frayed edges!

As you can see in her Table of Contents, Lara explains the process in easy to follow steps and I was able to gather the supplies I didn't have on hand at JoAnne's for under $8.00.

Along with introducing this fantastic new applique method Lara also included a variety of projects 

in her book like this adorable Catmint Cottage sewing machine cover! It's so cute!

This give-away is closed. The winner was announced here.

Anndd, if you are like me, and avoid small pieces, thin stems, and yes, letters in your applique, we don't have to anymore!!! Thank you Lara for sharing your ingenious idea that really does create new possibilities and for letting me give-away one of your books right here on my blog! Yep! Leave a comment sharing what you look forward to most about Summer and I'll be announcing the winner later this week. Click HERE to follow Lara's Book Release blog hop and enjoy others preview of her  book as well. And if you can't wait, Lara's book is available on Amazon. 

Click right HERE to get your copy today. Congratulations Lara!

PS: I-Spy Swap coming this summer here at Val's Quilting Studio!!

Click the picture below to get a peek.