Amy Walsh's In and Out Pattern

was one of my Stitchin Post purchases.  They had a finished quilt hanging in the shop, and I thought it would go with the rock on our fireplace and our yellow furniture, although I considered designing something else for the fabric kit.  I decided to make Amy's pattern, because it would be quick and easy, so I can get the quilt finished asap!  Last weekend I cut it out , and this weekend made the blocks (a three day weekend helped:-))  Some of the blocks might get re-arranged before I start sewing them together, but here's an idea of how it looks so far:

Fun with Friends

This is the third year I was able to meet up with friends in Sisters, OR during the Quilter's Affair and Sisters Quilt Show.  This year, all my friends couldn't fit into one house, so there were two houses, but we were able to get together for dinner at each house to visit while we were there.  During the quilt show, my housemates and I posed for a few pictures together:

They close off the main street during the show, so everyone can wander around looking at all the quilts safely.  Many buildings have quilts hung on more than one side and at the end of the day, I always hear about something I missed from one of my housemates.

There were other interesting things to see like this old truck (can you tell I have boys?):

Pictures of poppies from my trip three years ago became the poppy quilt on my book cover, so I made sure I took more flower pictures:-)

And look at this old basket:

We saw lots more  beautiful quilts, spent time looking through many shops and booths, which were only there for the show and had lots of fun!  Of course, I did some shopping, even finished a couple projects, but I'll save those for another post.

Quilters by the River

One of my trunk shows came home while I was in Sisters, Oregon, so today I took them down to my local quilt shop, Gathering Fabric for a short visit before they leave for the next stop on their trunk show tour.  While Susan, the owner was hanging the quilts, a group of quilters that belong to Quilters by the River in Sedro-Wooley, came in and were surprised to find me there.  It was nice chatting with them, signing books and we even had our picture taken to remember the event!

Cause for Celebration!!!!!!!

OMG, I just received a package from Martingale / That Patchwork Place and inside was a copy of my book, along with a note that said it had been reprinted - again!!!  That means it's on it's fourth printing!!!!!

I'm on YouTube!

Not long ago, my friend recorded me doing a short quilting demo with her Grip & Stitch Quilting Disks. These are the disks I quilt with all the time - I've got 3 pair, because I really hate the idea of quilting without them!

If you can't see the video below,  you can also see it on the YouTube website HERE.

New Patterns and Shop Hop!

This year I'll be doing quilting demonstrations at Quiltworks Northwest during our Western Washington Shop Hop, so stop by and say hi, I'd love to meet you!  I'll have patterns with me as well as extra books, just in case the shop runs out:-) The samples are at Gathering Fabric, along with patterns as well.

Just in time for our local shop hop, I have 2 new patterns!  With shop hop starting tomorrow, I’m hoping to get them up on my website later today, as well as an updated snail mail order form.

Summer Bounty:

This is my idea of summer!   The piecing is quick and easy, and weaving fusible strips of fabric for your basket for texture is fun, especially when you add some paint to it.  Fuse your fruit and flowers in place, and you’re ready to quilt.  After you’re finished quilting, add some beads to the flower centers to make it sparkle, and you’re done.

Fall Basket:

By the end of summer there are so many flowers blooming in the garden, I just had to create a basket full of them!   The piecing is quick and easy, and weaving fusible strips of fabric for your basket for texture is fun, especially when you add some paint to it.  Fuse your fruit and flowers in place, and you’re ready to quilt.  After you’re finished quilting, add some beads to the flower centers to make it sparkle, and you’re done.

I hope this is enough

yarn for a sweater (or vest), that is.  In a few minutes here and there, and then a massive attempt to get it all plied, I've manage to finish 3 huge and 1 medium skein of dk / worsted yarn from that warm gray wool.  I'm in need of a break from this color,  because I'm tired of looking at it and after putting it around my neck like a cowl and looking in the mirror, I believe it will be headed into the dyepot before knitting.  so it's washed and dried and I'll try out my McMorran balance to see what yardage I might have after it has been dyed (it could change during dyeing process).  Here's what I have at this point: