Home from Houston

I'm home from my whirlwind trip to International Quilt Market in Houston! I had an amazing time and have lots to share! I'll have to break it into a few posts to try and get everything in! First of all, the downtown area was beautiful...I'm actually from Houston but haven't been there in many years, so I was pretty interested just to have a look around!

The downtown skyline was gorgeous too...this is a view from the pool at our hotel (located on a balcony of the 6th floor)!

You probably want to see the fabric as soon as possible; I'll have lots of that to share, but first I have to post about the people! Everywhere you went people were friendly and passionate about quilting and fabric! I truly appreciated getting to talk to people from all over the world who love this art as I do!

 I was able to participate in a SchoolHouse session and two book signings for the new Moda Bakeshop Book Sweet Celebrations with Moda Bakeshop Chefs: 35 Projects to Sew from Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, Fat Quarters, Charm Squares & More. Although all of the contributors weren't able to be at market, it was so much fun to meet the ones who were able to attend. Pictured above are: (back, left to right) Angela Yosten, Stefanie Roman, Mary Brown, and Melissa Corry; (front, left to right) April Rosenthal, Natalia Bonner, Aneela Hoey, Me, and Jane Davidson! Lissa isn't in my picture, but she was the creative genius behind this project!

I was also able to finally meet Kate Spain in person! I have been inspired by her designs and have been sewing with her fabrics since she became a Moda designer. She has always been so kind and sweet in her e-mails, and I'm happy to report she is just as amazing in person! I really enjoyed visiting with her!

I was also able to meet the very inspirational Kaari Meng! I have been following her blog for a while now and love each and every one of her French General fabric collections for Moda. Again, she is just so nice and kind and wonderful to talk to!

Kristyne is amazing...she blogs at Pretty by Hand, has recently published a beautiful book, S is for Stitch, and has also just started a pattern company. I've followed her blog for awhile; it was funny because I was looking for her, and we ended up being in a line right next to each other! She is so sweet and fun to talk to!

I was also hoping to meet  Jackie and was actually able to run into her several times! I even saw her again at the airport when I was leaving! I wish we had been able to sit and talk--she always inspires me with her fabulous quilting, incredible quilts, and her use of color in her designs!

Just before leaving I was able to meet Sina of Quilt Essentials and get one last picture with her and Aneela (wearing one of the Tova tops she made--I'm making this pattern asap)! At this point I was pretty sad to be leaving...I could have easily stayed for the entire market and had plenty to see and do!

I couldn't end this post without a pictured of Mary Jane's restored teardop trailer featuring her new fabric line Glamping for Moda! I was able to meet and talk with Mary Jane, and someone took a photo...I'll have to see if I can track that down! Anyway, I've read her magazine for a few years, and it was so wonderful to meet her (not to mention the fact that her new fabric is as cute as can be)!

The Moda booth won first prize for the best multi-booth, and I think this trailer display contributed to their winning.  I also loved the Moda theme which was: "My Favorite Color is Moda!"

And speaking of color, color really did seem to be the thing that stood out the most when looking at all of the beautiful displays! I'll be back soon to share fabric and quilts, but I'll leave you with my Sample Spree purchases...from left to right PB & J by Basic Grey for Moda, Posy by Aneela Hoey for Moda, and Glamping by Mary Jane Butters for Moda. Pictured in front is a color case of amazing Aurifil threads...a small rainbow of my favorite thread for my sewing room!

I hope that everyone who lives in the path of Sandy is safe and doing well...it seemed like so many market attendees were scurrying to get home before the storm; my thoughts and prayers go out to you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

A Little Bit of Avalon

Recently these wonderful pieces of fabric arrived--they are from Joanna Figueroa's new collection, Avalon! Before I started sewing a market quilt made with these fabrics I had to snap a few pictures! I absolutely love, love, love the taupes and reds!

And the navy blues are stunning--this is a color I haven't seen in any of Joanna's previous collections.

The creams are absolutely dreamy...

And this gorgeous vintage cherries on cream print might be one of my favorite prints ever!

I can't decide if I like the vintage cherries better on taupe or cream...but they both look wonderful with my favorite floral in the group--mini roses surrounded by a white flower!

I'm definitely making a red and taupe quilt soon...these have been so much fun to play with!

This collection will be debuting at market, and you can see more sneak peeks here on Joanna's blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

To Market, To Market!

It's been a little quiet here on the blog as I've been preparing to attend International Quilt Market in Houston this week...I'm so excited...I can hardly wait to get there! This will be my second time attending, and I think I'm more excited than I was the first time I went. I know how amazing everything will be...the eye candy and creativity combined in one place make for an incredible experience!

I decided to do a little sewing today to kind of ease my excitement (okay, I should have been packing, but I had a couple of last minute projects I wanted to try and finish)!

Since I'm flying, I decided to prepare some hexies for sewing on the plane and in the airport!

And I started a new bag which I'm not sure will get finished--I'm going to make myself pack after I finish this blog post! Then if there is any time I'll see about finishing the bag!

What do you most want to see? I'll do my best to take pictures and share them when I return!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

This & That

I've got a little bit of this and that for your today--I've been thinking about posting about all of these things and finally just decided to put them all in one post!  I recently made a quilt that just had to have bias binding, but I had limited fabric available and wanted to be sure I'd have enough to go around the whole quilt. In the past I've used Heather Mulder Peterson's terrific tutorial for making bias binding (find it here). But recently I saw a new post on bias binding and decided to give it a try.

Sew For Home recently posted a very thorough tutorial about bias binding (find it here). I loved the fact tht this post gives you a formula for figuring yardage for bias binding. I was able to quickly calculate that I needed just a 24" square of fabric to make 2 1/4" bias binding for a 40" x 50" baby quilt. Everything worked out perfectly; I have just the piece of binding pictured above left over and didn't waste any fabric. I've saved this formula in my notebook for future reference.

The bias binding was just what this quilt needed...with so much pink the quilt needed something "extra" around the edges.

And since I'd used the plaid for the backing as well, the contrast with the plaid on bias added some interest to the back of the quilt.

On a completely different subject...I just have to mention how much I love these cookbooks--Our Best Bites: Mormon Moms in the Kitchen and Savoring the Seasons With Our Best Bites. I have a very picky family, but I love to make homemade meals; these two books have been an incredible help in my homemaking. I've made over half of the recipes in Sara and Kate's first book and am now steadily making things from their latest release while trying to finish making everything in the first book! I keep getting the question,"Where did you get this recipe? It's amazing!"

The answer is always the same..."You know those cookbooks I bought...the recipe came from there!" I highly recommend them both!

Just a few more things...the spring/summer quilts are folded and back in the closets...

And the "fallish" quilts are out on display! Pulling these quilts out after they've been "away" for half the year is like welcoming an old friend! 

 

 

And finally, there is a terrific article in the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living about the restorative power of creating! The article is titled, "This is Your Brain on Crafts" and discusses the benefits of crafting in easing stress and helping us to feel happiness.

Okay...well that's all for now (hope that wasn't too much for one post)! Thanks so much for stopping by...have a wonderful day!

What I'm Working On...

First, thank you, thank you for all of the wonderful comments and support for my announcement the other day! I appreciate it so much!

While watching the debate this week...I made a few more flowers...

And now I have eleven! It doesn't dound like a big number...but if I can just keep working on them they'll keep multiplying!

I'm also working on a secret project with these amazing Amy Butler fabrics...

And working on another secret project with Flirt by Sandy Gervais for Moda!

I'm hoping to make a new bag this weekend as well...although the weather is so lovely I'm tempted to just sit on the patio and sew hexies!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend!

Sweet Celebrations Winner

 

Congratulations to Heather who is the winner of the Sweet Celebrations Book from the Sweet Celebrations Blog Tour stop here on my blog!

 

Heather commented:

I am currently obsessed with Sweetwater's Hometown and Reunion lines, but
anything by Bonnie & Camille is right up there, too!
October 7, 2012 7:58 PM

I'm sending you an e-mail, Heather...thanks so much to everyone who entered!

Announcing A Quilting Life!

Well, today is the big day...I'm a little nervous but very excited to present A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home. Yes, I've written a book which will be available from C&T in March (pre-order here) and will be available from Amazon in April--click this link to pre-order from Amazon: A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home!

Words can't even convey how excited I am about this project! I've actually wanted to write a book since I was a little girl reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series. I guess I had it right as a child, because I have truly loved every aspect of the writing process so far: from dreaming and planning, to designing and creating, to writing and editing! And, all 19 of my projects have now been wonderfully photographed and are actually back home with me. I'll definitely have more information as publication gets closer, but I just couldn't wait any longer to make the announcement!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!

Chantilly and Some Winners

I've been busy lately doing a little "behind the scenes" sewing for the upcoming International Quilt Market in Houston. Luckily, I do have one recent finish I can share today; I'd like to introduce Chantilly, an "It's Sew Emma" pattern designed by Jocelyn Ueng.

The fabrics used in this quilt are La Belle Fleur by French General for Moda--this is an absolutely gorgeous line of fabrics! My recent fabric choices seem to tend towards the brighter colors, but there are certain designers (French General, Fig Tree, and Minick & Simpson) whose more traditional palettes always appeal to me. This is definitely one of those lines that is timeless!

The pattern went together easily and comes in several sizes; the quilt pictured is the lap size. The fabrics won't be available until January, but there will be a kit available for this quilt at that time.

I'd also like to announce the winners from the Simply Fat Quarters Showcase giveaway! There were over 400 comments, so I'm happy to be able to announce four winners!  Congratulations to: Josie McRazie, Denise in PA, and Michele...you've all won a copy of Simply Fat Quarters.

And congratulations to Happy Cottage Quilter who won the Simply Fat Quarters book and the quilt to make my version of the cover quilt!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Fabric Apples All in a Row

I've been making apples...the fabric kind! These apples have cute little leaves and stems...

And come in many different varieties--green and pink and yellow and red!

Some of the apples are cute little apple cores!  If you've been rowing along with Lori you know this is Row 4! If you're not rowing along yet...it's not too late to join in!

We have apples, zig zags, butterflies, and a checkerboard! I wonder what she'll think of next?

I'm using fabric from Bliss, Ruby, Vintage Modern, and Marmalade...all by Bonnie & Camille for Moda!

Thanks so much for stopping by!