September 11

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Just recieved this e-mail from Polly Minick.
LETS DO THIS……

We have a little less than one month and counting to get the word out all across this great land and into every community in the United States of America.

If you forward this email to least 11 people and each of those people do the same … you get the idea.

THE PROGRAM:
On Friday, September 11th, 2009, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this eighth anniversary of one of our country’s worst tragedies. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn’t take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country.

Give Away

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Mosey on over to American Quilter’s Society to find out about a huge giveaway.
http://www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests/desmoines/2009/giveaway/
Contest runs July 15th thru September 1st.

Not tempted? Just another giveaway?
Well How about this Prize Gallery?


Grand Prize
One (1) winner will receive the
Ultimate Quilting Studio package from HandiQuilter®, Tracey’s Tables and Moda to include:
One (1) HandiQuilter® Machine Quilting System to include:
HQ Sixteen™ with Table and Frame ARV including shipping $9,000.00 (US)
Training retreat provided by HandiQuilter® ARV $750.00 (US)
Estimated ARV $9,750.00 (US)
Quilting and cutting tables from Tracey’s Tables:
Estimated ARV with shipping $3,071.00 (US)
One (1) trip to the American Quilter’s Society 2009 Quilt Expo-Des Moines,
October 28 to 31, 2009,
Estimated ARV $1,000.00 (US)
See their site for exact details of the trip.
Fabric collection from a variety of Moda designers
Estimated ARV $3,000.00 (US)

Okay are you tempted to enter now? I wish I could but I can’t.. some legal mumbo jumbo about working for moda. But I hope one of you win, so go ahead and enter! Good Luck!

my own Washington Oregon Shop Hop

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Last week I had the privilege of traveling with 2 of the moda sales reps that cover parts of Washington and Oregon. Diane and Bob Toycen

Bob had made Diane license plate holders with fun sayings. This one says check out moda at Moda Bake Shop.com. The car was loaded up and we started on our way to see some of the local “color”. I rode along to just a few of the stores. Man oh Man, I am so jealous after seeing the variety of stores in this area.

We stopped at Fibers & Stitches in St. Helen’s, Oregon. Just the outside of the building was enough to make you have to stop and see what is inside.

Quiltworks MW in Bellevue was a feast. Where Materials meet Inspiration…..
Full of the unusual and different. I couldn’t help but love their Moda Bake shop display table. The sign read, All you DESIRE self-serve dessert table. Too cute!
They also stock a FULL range of beads and buttons. Too far for me to take some jewelry classes but I would if I could.

Another stop along the drive was The Quilting Loft, a fabric boutique. Cute shop in a very

trendy area. Apparel, kids things and a great variety or fabrics and patterns. Angie also has machine quilting services and is very involved in charitable events.
I found out that right down the street from here is where the boats from
The Deadliest Catch dock.
(this is one of my husband’s favorite shows so I felt it was my duty to stop for some pics)
Stopped here for a drink and a T-shirt.

Found a boat for my husband or just a funny picture.

I had a coffee from the Starbucks headquarters. Saw the Amazon building also.

Sisters Fabric in Chehalis, Washington was one of our stops. They were excited that
the UPS man delivered moda’s William Morris collection during our visit.

A huge fan of Fig Tree fabrics as the front window proudly displayed several

quilts featuring Joanna’s fabrics. And yes all you fig tree fans she does mail order!

Momma Made It is a delightful shop specializing in reproduction fabrics in Longview, WA.
If they do not have the reproduction fabric you are looking for it probably does not exist.Recognize Edyta’s (Laundry Basket) quilt in the background?
( thanks Diane for being such a trooper and letting me take so many pics of you!)
Thanks to all the stores for making me feel at home and letting me shop!
Tough, I know but someone had to do it.

randomness

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I am sitting at LAX leaving the Long Beach quilt show.
I got to see lots of friends at the show and make a couple of new ones also.
I met Julie Herman from Jaybird. She has a new project over at the moda bake shop. The project is for giant pincushions. Julie was a giant ball of energy and enthusiasm. she has tons of ideas for more projects for the bake shop. Check it out! She was alot of fun.
I am now headed to Portland Oregon to travel with a couple of the moda reps for a few days. I am excited to visit a few of their accounts. I think this is called a bus man’s holiday. 2 1/2 days of quilt show and 3 days of getting to go to a bunch of different shops! Yeah!
So as I am sitting here reading my Tweets. ( yes I tweeter, do you?)
This Friday is a friend of mines birthday so I thought I would check out and see what her colorstrology birthday is. Check it out and see what color you are.
Sorry no pics yet. Will post those soon. Randomness over and out.

My First Quilt

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My First Quilt and My Latest Quilt

I have been coursed by Camille, Carrie and Brenda to post about my first quilt and my latest quilt. (read about it more on Camille’s blog) I am so super bummed that I threw away my first quilt. Yes, Yikes, Gads, I did. I have been made about it ever since. My first quilt was made using a sampler pack from Keepsake Quilting in Centre Harbour, ME. I ordered through a catalog and mailed them a check for a pack of 1000-1″ squares. Of course this was in 1980 and 1000 seemed like a really big number back then. I knew nothing about quilting much less sewing but that didn’t matter. My sister sewed her entire wardrobe all thorough high school and went to college to be a Home Ec teacher. If she could sew then certainly I could quilt. Can you spell COMPETITION? I began sewing these squares together and I am sure I thought that I was going to be able to make a full size quilt. I sewed and sewed and sewed 29 rows x 34 rows using 986 of the 1000 squares. Whew! My first quilt was a whopping 15″ x 17″ before I put a 3″ binding on it. Camille thanks for the encouragement because I thought this quilt was just a memory but I did come across a picture of my “pride and joy”. Yes the rust velvet couch the quilt is laying on proves that the pictures is from the 1980’s (inherited the couch with the husband)Okay I guess I would say that the quilting bug did bite and many, many quilts later I am proud to show my latest finished quilt. It is an oceans waves variation made using Rounneries by French General. I love how it turned out and I am thrilled that McCalls has picked it to be in one of their future magazine issues.

Looking through these OLD pictures I did find a few more of my treasured old quilts that may have to turn into some future blogs!Tag you’re it. Show us your first quilt and your current quilt.

Chicago and more…

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I am not a photographer but I certainly pretended to be one this past weekend in Chicago. Camille from Thimbleblossoms and Joanna from Fig Tree and myself all attended the Country Living A Celebration of Creativity Women’s Entrepreneur’s Weekend. Basically a good reason to go to Chicago and hang out! These 2 gals certainly knew how to “work it” for the press on the Country Living catwalk.

Joanna and I took pictures of each other taking pictures! Camille has a great post about the weekend in Chicago. Walking the streets of the Lincoln Park area was a wonderful area to stop and try out the new things Camille had taught me about my camera. I must admit I take pictures of things that are a bit odd. Signs that make me smile, couples making out on Navy Pier, dogs out for a walk are just a few of the shots on my camera. I learned also that you have to take hundreds of shots to get the really good ones. I learned of a new lens that I need to order. (done!)

What mom wouldn’t smile at a stinky pants sign?

We took the train out to an antique mall in Edgewater. Joanna met a delightful man! Don’t be jealous Eric. (Eric, did you like your gift Joanna picked up for you?)

A picture perfect day in Chicago which helps during the photography class!

Spending an entire weekend with these 2 talented ladies you certainly learn alot. Yes, I swore that what happens in Chicago stays in Chicago. I won’t spill the beans about feet, snorting, flying bat costumes. I will share how thoughtful these 2 gals are. There was a huge statue of the American Gothic painting at the Art Institute of Chicago. Everyone knows this painting! As a kid we had this painting in our home. ..(remember I am a natural blonde and come by quirky things naturally)… I did not know this was a famous piece of art, I always thought it was my grandparents. Don’t laugh! It looks just like granny and grandad Collins. I was amazed when I went to a neighbors home and asked, “Why do you have a picture of my grandparents in your home?” Well, Joanna and Camille must have had some time to spare at the airport because they were so KIND to send me this picture. What photoshop skills! I will return the kind dead with my own photographs and photoshop skills when you least expect it.
One note of business! Sweetwater introduced their first line of fabric at Quilt Market. Now they have a blog! Add it to your list to follow!

more quilt market

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Taking inspiration from the fresh smell of clothes hung on the line the entire moda booth was designed as an outdoor clothesline. Every detail from the market invitation to the clothespin bag signs shined in the brightly lite Pittsburgh convention center. The natural light was a little overwhelming in the morning, but I guess you could say the future is bright with moda. If your salesperson comes home with a tan you can certainly see why by this picture. (quilts shown- Close to my heart tablerunner & quilt by Laundry Basket, Aster Manor by 3 sisters, Blessings by Brannock & Patek)Sandy Gervais from Pieces from my Heart always has an adorable booth. Her entire booth was recreated as a Thanksgiving dinner. The quilt shown here is a turnover quilt featuring her Gobble, Gobble line of fabric due in stores in August. Great, quick easy project because using the turnovers all the triangles are already cut for you. Sew them together and applique the turkey!Sandy covered her pans with a piece of her fabric. She said she couldn’t cook anything since she packed her pans to use in the booth.

It was hard to walk past her booth without getting hungry. What a great idea for a store display! Moda Jelly Rolls for the big feast!
A quilt that was in the United Notions booth that I loved is this quilt from Lori at Bee in my Bonnet.

This picture does not due the quilt justice. There is so much detail that every where you look there is something else that makes you smile. More pictures coming soon…….

show and tell

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Just a few pics today. busy working. So I will post post a few pics. I guess the title should really be show and no tell. I will get more pictures tomorrow and post more details.
Sherri Howard, Angela Yosten, Camille Roskelley, Bonnie Olvasen. New Thimbleblossoms fabric in background
new American Jane pattern that I am dying to make
Sandy Gervais’s booth is an adorable Thanksgiving dinner set-up. Yummy!
me, Sara Fielke, Holly Hickman chilling on a boat.

set-up day one complete

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Due to the limited flights and travel time from Dallas we actually came in a day earlier than normal. This gave us a day to relax and get situated in Pittsburgh. We met some local musicans. We went into a local dining spot and there she was…the queen of market, Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill. We knew we had to be in the right place.

Of course we had to get our Market energy.Here is a before picture. Looks simple, right? We have put down almost 4o00 sq ft of flooring. We got alot more down today but I did not get many pictures. Afterall I had to stay focused on my actual job. I promise I will take more pictures tomorrow.If you have never seen what set-up is all about. It is ALOT of work. If you don’t believe me just look how hard Joanna from Fig Tree is working. You thought she just did pretty fabrics and patterns! Her booth is going to be beautiful, I think. ( her new fabric is laying on the table)Wish you were here,