The Ruler Debacle

Does every quilter buy tons of rulers? 
Do you buy a ruler for one particular pattern and then toss into a draw and forget about it?

Just a few of the many rulers I have.
 

Well, I have more than my share of ruler let me tell you.  I am a gadget junkie and I know it.  I am looking for good ideas to organize and reuse my rulers.  Do you have any to share?

I think this is an issue that many quilter face.  We purchase a particular ruler for a pattern and then find it ends up in a draw or box somewhere and is forgotten until we manage, quite by accident, come across it while searching for something else.

How to you deal with your many rulers?  Do you have a system? Or are you like most of us?

HELP!!!! I need help.

Personal Gifts for the Holidays!

With the holidays fast approaching, it might be a good time to start your holiday quilting. If time will allow, I plan  to make a few projects this year for family members.  I love to get homemade gifts.  I love the fact that someone actually spent the time to create something just for me and I hope they will feel the same.  I love that feeling and I want to show my love and appreciation in the same way.  Being away from home so much makes you really appreciate the one's you leave behind. Here are a few of my planned gifts.  I hope this list will also inspire you to consider the same, or at least consider similar ways to make the holidays special.

I have a few ideas.  Pinterest has been a great source of inspiration for me this year. 
First, I've decided to make some of those gourmet recipes I've been pinning and then place them in some of those fantastic fabric storage boxes I've been wanting to make.  You know the ones that are everywhere. 

Fabric Boxes as an idea instead of a basket.

Canning Sauces

I can customize them to suit each persons personality.  How clever of me, right?  It's all about the whole package.  I may even share some of those recipes on hand-printed recipe cards. (Annie's also has a paper-crafting division, CardMaker) of course, I have lots of inspiration for those recipe cards.

While I'm at it, my daughter-in-law pointed out a casserole and insulated carrier she suggested as a Christmas gift recently.  I can make a better one. And of course it should have a recipe card or two to go with it.  I know its not a quilt, but I can quilt it and also use some of my wonderful fabric stash.

One possible casserole carrier.

I have a granddaughter that recently moved out of her home for her first adventure as an adult and I'm sure I can think of at least a dozen or so things she could and should have. A daughter that's a professional chef, and a son who's a product manager, hmmmm I wonder what I could make him?

Well let's see how many things I actually accomplish from my list. The list is getting longer.  Autumn is a very busy time in the quilting industry.  I'd love to hear how you blend your quilting with the holidays. 

Available at AnniesCatalog.com.
 

Another great source for holiday inspiration is Quilter's World Quilting for the Holidays SIP.  The only way you can buy it is as a download from Annie's catalog.  We sold out early on the hard copies but it's still a great collection of Christmas patterns.  It's worth checking it out. 

And what are you doing this weekend??? Got and good gift suggestions I'd love the hear them. 
Carolyn

How Many Projects Do You Have Going Right Now?

Okay, I'm getting a bit side tracked with other projects.  I can't help it.  It seems I have no will power then it comes to control then selecting a creative project.  I bet at any given time I have at least six projects going at the same time and I could almost guarantee that is a low estimate.  When you work doing your favorite pastime, sometimes the lines are blurred and you can't separate the work from the pleasure.


Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. It's just sometimes I can't decide which to work on.  I start researching products for the magazine or the newsletter and I find I've added another project.  My latest addiction is wool felting.

 

Products for review.

While testing and reviewing some absolutely wonderful products I again got sidetracked.  Felting is one of those things I've always wanting to try and now I have.  The problem is I've added several new projects to my already too long list.

 

Scarf number one>

 

Well, if all goes well, I think several young ladies in my family will get a new wool scarf under the tree in December.  One good thing about the timing, I have plenty of time to finish them.

Have a wonderful creative quilty day!
Carolyn  

Repost of information for Neo-natal quilts

Here is the information again for those asking...

Fabric Scrap Solution with a Bonus

Neonatal Quilts

I love it when a plan comes together.

At a recent gathering of family and friends the topic of scraps, stash and charity quilts came up.  One of the attendees was a neonatal nurse at a local hospital and the subject of what and how they use the quilts donated intrigued me.  The size most desirable for preemies was a simple 24” square.  They use them to lay across the babies, and in the bassinette, that is the size that works best.  Now a 24” square is a simple project with a lot of possibilities.  You can whip one up in a hurry and without a lot of expense.  Actually, I found that I had everything I needed right in my sewing room.  Lots of fun fabrics in small amounts, leftover batting and of course my computer and QE program for fast and easy designs. 

I found that four simple 10” blocks and a 2” border make cute quilts without a lot of time invested or fabrics.  Everything I needed I already had. 

QE drawings of possible 24" neonatal quilts.

 

So on a weekend, on a rainy day, I managed to whip up a total of four quilts for the neonatal unit in Indianapolis, IN.

My finished quilts made from fat quarters and scraps. All made in one rainy day.

Ready to ship to the hospital.

If you would also like to make a few and send them in, here is the address.

St. Francis Hospital/NICU
8111 S. Emerson Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46237
Attn: Kathy Anderson

They need to be freshly laundered before sent to the hospital and the best size for the neonatal unit is a 24” square.

It’s a great way to use up some of the stash and fat quarters you have laying around and feel good about it.  You’ll be totally amazed at all you can accomplish from your scraps. 

I'd love to hear if you choose to try this and your success story.  It's truly is a feel good experience I hope all of you try. 
Carolyn

If it rains.....

I am always excited for a three day weekend.  Especially, because it means I will be traveling home.  In case you don't know I work in Indiana and stay there through the week but come the weekend....I head for home to Michigan.  It's a 4 hour drive.  I manage to catch up on my pleasure reading (listening) on the trip with audio books.  I love that I can multi-task. It makes the drive much more pleasurable. 

I'm bringing some quilting with me though.  I've kind of found a new mission.  I started making neo-natal quilts for a hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana and I find I just love it.  It's a great way to use up odd fat quarters and scraps and I really enjoy making these cute little quilts out of existing  leftover or forgotten fabrics I've had laying around in my sewing room.  It's a challenge to come up with cute combinations of fabric and create something that will be useful.

Two more neo-natal quilts ready to finish binding and ship out.

 

I've started sorting through my stash and WOW do I have lots to work with.  The added bonus in all this, that only means something to me, other than the fact that it's a feel good project and it helps someone in need...is....I am slowly cleaning my fabrics out, dividing them into themes and actually putting them to use. 
I am a very fortunate person in many ways.  I have a loving and supportive family, wonderful friends, a great job, a successful quilt shoppe (thanks to a very understanding husband) and the freedom to do what I love.  Now I have the urge to help others with what I love to do.  It may not be a lot, but the sense of accomplishment really feels good. 

Have you ever asked yourself the question, 'Is there anything I love to do that would help others?'

So, if on this extended weekend it rains and you find you're looking for something to do..... give a thought to something that may help others.  A feel good project.  I promise you'll enjoy it!

Have a wonderful creative and safe holiday weekend.

Carolyn

Fabric Scrap Solution with a Bonus

Neonatal Quilts

I love it when a plan comes together.

At a recent gathering of family and friends the topic of scraps, stash and charity quilts came up.  One of the attendees was a neonatal nurse at a local hospital and the subject of what and how they use the quilts donated intrigued me.  The size most desirable for preemies was a simple 24” square.  They use them to lay across the babies, and in the bassinette, that is the size that works best.  Now a 24” square is a simple project with a lot of possibilities.  You can whip one up in a hurry and without a lot of expense.  Actually, I found that I had everything I needed right in my sewing room.  Lots of fun fabrics in small amounts, leftover batting and of course my computer and QE program for fast and easy designs. 

I found that four simple 10” blocks and a 2” border make cute quilts without a lot of time invested or fabrics.  Everything I needed I already had. 

QE drawings of possible 24" neonatal quilts.

 

So on a weekend, on a rainy day, I managed to whip up a total of four quilts for the neonatal unit in Indianapolis, IN.

My finished quilts made from fat quarters and scraps. All made in one rainy day.

Ready to ship to the hospital.

If you would also like to make a few and send them in, here is the address.

St. Francis Hospital/NICU
8111 S. Emerson Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46237
Attn: Kathy Anderson

They need to be freshly laundered before sent to the hospital and the best size for the neonatal unit is a 24” square.

It’s a great way to use up some of the stash and fat quarters you have laying around and feel good about it.  You’ll be totally amazed at all you can accomplish from your scraps. 

I'd love to hear if you choose to try this and your success story.  It's truly is a feel good experience I hope all of you try. 
Carolyn

 

 

Lean to Quilt With Panels

Learn to Quilt With Panels

My next book will be on sale at the end of the month.  Learn to Quilt With Panels, from Annie’s Publishing, is a how-to book on designing with panels.  If you’re looking for great ideas to incorporate and use fabric panels as design elements this just may be the book you’ve been waiting for. 

 

This book will take you through the design process from purchase to finish.  It will show you how to graph and design, figure the cutting and seam allowances, and then how to put it all together. Several chapters are dedicated to making adjustable borders and settings.  Learn to incorporate letter tiles into the designs, cut apart panels and rebuild them into usable blocks or appliques.  

It’s a fun book with lots of possibilities. Give it a try. Give yourself permission to cut a part those panels and play!

Carolyn

 

 

Old Treasures Update

 

After a week or so on the shelf, I’ve finally gotten back to my vintage project.  This is more fun than I first thought.  With the use of strip piecing and a great ruler, I’ve managed to create a modern version of a classic pattern.  What is really neat, it’s just what everyone is doing today.  Pinwheel Hexagons.

This classic quilt will be assembled without templates, hand piecing, or set in seams.  Here’s a peek. 

 

For the full article you will have to check out Quilter’s World Magazine in January. Now I’m on a roll.  Bach to the sewing machine!!

 

Carolyn

 

 

 

Old Treasures Revisited

I recently started working on a new column for the magazine.  My thought was to create a feature where old quilt patterns were re-stitched with fresh fabrics.  I started to dig through thirty year old issues I found in the warehouse and was amazed to realize that instructions thirty years ago were predominately templates with little to no instruction for assembly.  I guess if you’re piecing by hand and you probably learned most of your skills from a grandmother, you wouldn’t need all those instructions we are so used to using. 

I found a pattern in one of the old magazines that really caught my eye.  It’s was a very basic hexagon pinwheel and the sample, you could tell from the photo, was done in old shirts and probably scraps.  This was very typical for the era. 

To be honest, I’m not much for hand piecing but that’s not to say I don’t admire those that do.  It's really a time thing with me. My mind started to think about how to simplify the process and make it faster.  This type of quilt pattern is quite popular right now.  You know, anything hexagon. 

I selected the fabrics I wanted to use, then began to experiment. First, I would strip piece to save time. That was easy enough.  Figured the angles and selected my rulers then it totally dawned on me. Faster can mean more complicated. 

Fabrics from Moda.

 

There is a lot more to figure out these days to update those simple template patterns.  With all our wonderful gadgets, it’s faster only after someone figures it all out.  Wish me luck!

 

 

Congratulations Fat Quarter Winner

Well today is the day! We are giving away the beautiful fat quarter collection.  The number has been drawn and the lucky winner is: Titamomo. The lucky post was posted on July 5^th, 2014 at 8:14am.  Congratulations! We need for Titamomo to contact us via our facebook page or through the blog.  Please leave a message.

I want to thank everyone for following my blog and I hope you visit often.  - Carolyn

One More Day

There is still one more day to try for the fat quarter collection.  Simply visit  my blog, follow me and comment with a way to find you. I'll be picking the lucky winner of the beautiful fat quarter collection tomorrow.  Be sure to stop back my tomorrow to see if you're a winner.  Good Luck!

Fat Quarter Give-away!

There's still plenty of time to win this beautiful fat quarter collection. Simply follow this blog, make a comment, and sit back and wait to see if your name appears on this blog and/or facebook on July 9th, 2014.

The winner will be selected randomly and posted.  All you have to do in contact me through a comment or message.  Good Luck! You still have time!

To celebrate my new blog and thank my followers I will be giving away this beautiful fat quarter collection on July 9th, 2014.

I’ve started a blog.  It’s a forum for quilting thoughts and hopefully inspiration.  I want to invite all my friends, fellow quilters and colleagues to stop by and check it out and I welcome your comments.  It’s still a work in progress so please be kind.  As an incentive to stop by, follow my blog and comment, I will be giving away a fat quarter collection to one lucky follower, picked at random.  So make sure to follow and leave a short message so I know where to find you.  Winner will be posted July 9^th, 2014. 

 

The Row by Row Quilt Shop Hop begins July 1st, 2014

The Row by Row Experience National Shop Hop.

Get ready to explore quilt shops this summer across the nation.  If you’re traveling around the country and are a quilter,  you’ll be interested to know that a huge amount of quilt shops will be participating in a national Shop Hop. 

For those that don’t know me, I also own The Village Quilt Shoppe in Lake Orion, MI.  Our shop will also be a part of this fun and exciting hop.  We are ready to go.  Our samples are up and the patterns are printed. 

The Village Quilt Shoppe, Lake Orion, Michigan Row

 

Each participating shop has designed a 36”row depicting the seasons.  Either all the season or just one.  The pattern is free to all shop hoppers.  The rows can be viewed on facebook on the official page,  Row by Row Michigan is where you’ll find ours or on our facebook page, The Village Quilt Shoppe.

Come on and join the fun.  It’s going to be fun!

Carolyn

Wish Me Luck!

I am a quilter, a designer, teacher, lecturer and editor of Quilter's World Magazine.  I also edit quilting books and write a regular e-letter on anything quilt related.  Today I begin to blog.  Wish me luck!

 

Wheel of Fortune - Annie's Publishing

Color My World - Annie's Publishing

 

Floral Fantasy - Quilter's World Magazine

 

Above are a few of the many quilts I have made lately.  As I learn how to blog I hope to share many more.  I love color and texture and try to incorporate as much as I can in the work I do.

 

Carolyn