Easy Sewing + Fabric Stash = Great Project

Are you making 9 Patch blocks?

If you aren't familiar with the project you can scroll down through my blog posts and read about where the idea originated from and how the whole thing works. It is a simple concept and everyone is welcome to join the fun. There is nothing to buy and no "rules" to follow, all you need to do is make one 9 patch block each day from now (by "now" I mean today, the day you are reading this) until August 20th. Those of us that started on June 1st will have about 80 completed blocks by the end of the summer. If you started a bit later, you can either get caught up by making more blocks per day or make a smaller quilt! The blocks can be any size and I suggest that they be made from your fabric stash. If you want to join the Facebook group, log on to Facebook and search 9 Patch Project, we would love to have you!

I have chosen to make 6 inch blocks that start with 2 1/2 inch squares. Some of the almost 700 Facebook participants are starting to worry about how they are going to put these blocks together. Personally, I think it is a bit soon to start fretting over setting ideas, I'm still enjoying the gorgeous colors of the batiks that I am using. I do realize that some people like to plan. Others are wondering how many blocks they need to make to make the project queen size and how much border fabric they need....

My advice - relax! Enjoy the process! On the other hand, maybe dreaming about the finished project is the part of the process you enjoy....

Later in the summer I will be providing sashing and border suggestions for the blocks, but I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of the other setting options in finished quilts.

Karen Snyder has this beautiful 9 patch quilt featured on her blog. You can read her post about "leaders and enders" at:

http://annalenaland.com/ .

This quilt is obviously set on point and has 13 rows of 13 nine patches. If you do the math, this quilt requires 169 nine patch blocks - that is a little more than double the number that we will have by making one per day! For those of you that are looking for a large quilt (Assuming that those are 6" finished blocks, this quilt would measure 110" square) you will need to kick things into high gear and start making at least TWO blocks each day. (If you aren't familiar with bed sizes, I consider 110" as a generous queen or a skimpy king.) This would be a great project for the over achievers in the group!

One of the things that makes 9 Patches so irresistable is that they can look so totally different! Believe it or not this quilt, my Daybreak pattern, is also a 9 patch project! The blocks are sewn side-by-side without sashing to create the overall pattern. I used solid batiks for the Daybreak quilt, but I have customers that have translated the color chart in the pattern into prints and even packed florals for a watercolor look - beautiful! The pattern is available on our website at http://www.thequiltcompany.com/ and you may also have seen it featured in the Hancocks of Paducah catalog.

Now I'm off to finish my husbands Father's Day gift... it is not a quilt, just a bit of custom framing!

Market

I know that many of you have been (not so patiently) waiting for an update from Quilt Market. Unfortunately, updating the blog has been on the bottom of the to-do list since returning home from Minneapolis. I also had to finish our version of the Western Pennsylvania Shop Hop quilt, write the summer newsletter, produce the final instructions for both our block-of-the-month projects and our First Friday/Saturday program. Some of you are probably thinking that I should have done some of that before I left for Market. I would like to point out the ridiculousness of that theory, before Market I am busy getting ready for Market. Now that Market is over, I am busy playing catch-up before I leave on vacation. Never a dull moment

around here.

Quilt Market was wonderful! I couldn't identify any "one big thing" that everyone was excited about. In my book, that is a good thing. I like it better that way. When something "big" hits and all of the shop owners are chasing the same item, I think it makes for a much less creative atmosphere. The next Market all of the manufacturers and pattern designers try their version of the "big thing". When there isn't a clearly defined "hot" item they are forced to be more original and creative. A much better industry for everyone involved!

At this Market we bought heavy on beautiful batiks. Timeless Treasures introduced their own line of Tonga Treat pre-cuts in 2 1/2 inch strips and 10" squares. We bought them all - and lots of them. Hoffman also introduced a new assortment of Bali Pops which we won't see until fall, but they are well worth the wait. The photo at left is a project that was made from one package of the Hoffman Bali Pops with the border and applique added.

Our favorite vendors didn't disappoint! Here is Debby showing off one of Terry Atkinson's newest patterns. These cute little zip bags are perfect for everything from jewelry and make-up to sewing supplies and even lunch! Although we already have the absolute best assortment and price on 22" zippers, Terry was also offering a gorgeous assortment of 14" zipper in stunning colors, so we have that coming too. The bags are oh-sew-adorable with the added trims, so naturally we hit our favorite trim supplier.

Can you imagine how much fun it is to sort through the offerings in this booth? Lace, rick rack, ball fringe, beaded fringe, snap tape, ribbon, cording, you name it, they have it - and in tons of colors! Just browsing this booth has inspired several of my own designs, like the ball fringe on our MacGreggor's Garden pillow. We purchased yards and yards of new trims for you to use to decorate your projects.

As you may know, before we hit the Market floor there are several events that take place. Schoolhouse is one of them. This ALL day program is based on 15 or 30 minute classes that run continuously from about 11 am until 5 pm. There are over a dozen classes to chose from in each time period. I presented thirty minute sessions for Timeless Treasures and so does Karen Snyder. We both design for Timeless, but live on opposite ends of the country and only get to see each other at Market. This photo is of the two of us the day we presented our Schoolhouses. Proving that great minds not only think alike, they dress alike too!

Another delightful event that happens before Market is the FabShop Dinner that is attended by shop owners from around the world. Normally I am filthy dirty and busy setting up a booth on the Market floor when this dinner takes place. In Minneapolis I was a special guest at this dinner and was presented the Star Communicator Award for our industry. It was a special thrill to be chosen by my peers for this award and to be included in the company of the other recipients, Marti Michelle, Star Designer, Carole Britt of Batiks Etc, Star Shop, Oliver+S, Rising Star, Checker Distributors, Star Supplier.

All in all it was a wonderful Quilt Market, lots of fun new items, lots of wonderful new fabrics and patterns and lots of laughter. Once again, Debby and I were not "cool" enough for our hotel - We stayed at the ultra hip "W" and we are more the Holiday Inn Express type. When I get some time I will have to tell you about the orange water - too funny! But right now I have to clear my to-do list and get ready for vacation!

Friends

It was so cold last evening that I decided to snuggle up on the sofa with my laptop, clean out some files, back up some long over due folders and catch up with the blogs that my friends write. I have some strange friends.

Take Karen Snyder for example. Karen is an absolutely delightful person. She is lots of fun to be around, has a wicked sense of humor, but not much of a singing voice (Don’t worry Karen, I won’t tell them about Delta Dawn. What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico). I also credit her with introducing me to Lemon Drop Martinis, for which I will be forever grateful.

Karen has just closed her retail quilting store in Washington (The state of Washington. Karen LOVES when you clarify where she lives by adding “state”) Now that she is no longer running a retail store and making fudge every day she has plenty of free time. Yep, her retail store sold quilting fabric and fudge. (If my store also sold fudge, you could lay money on the fact that I would weigh 300+ lbs – Karen doesn’t). Karen has decided to fill her leisurely retirement days by writing more quilting books for Krause Publishing, designing fabric for Timeless Treasures and acting as the national spokesperson for Elna sewing machines. If you ever have the chance to meet her you will probably never suspect that she is also a nut case.

I can prove my point.

These are photos of Karen’s sewing room. I snitched these photos directly from Karen’s blog, not some fancy schmancy glossy paged magazine. If you want to see more of her room, there is a link right over there on the right under “My Favorite Blogs”. You can scroll through Karen’s posts and take a virtual tour of her sewing room. Despite the fact that Karen obviously has an affinity for the color orange, can you honestly believe that any normal quilter is THAT organized? My friend Debbie, from New Jersey (also a state) has actually been in this very sewing room in person and claims that it really is that neat. As far as I can tell there are only 2 possible explanations.

1. Karen’s real last name is Stepford
2. There is a fake wall hiding the mess.

Both of us are named Karen. Both of us design our own line of fabric. Karen writes books, I publish patterns. This is Karen’s work area…….. I’m not going to show you mine.

Karen - the messy one.