Sweet Quilting Retreat

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Last weekend at Picket Fence’s annual quilt retreat, I met wonderful, talented women.  This is Terri and her sister Marsha who was visiting from Missouri.  They both made Junk Bags, but with a crazy quilter spin to the pattern using wonderful, interesting embellishments.  I love seeing how they used their imaginations – crazy quilters find the most ingenious ways to use so many different elements in their quilts and projects.

Donna, Lisa’s daughter, who is in the education field, worked on finishing up the Mother’s Love quilt with the ruched borders.  Donna is also a knitter and crocheter and does wonderful work. 

Barbara, who I didn’t get a photo of, was working on two Cute as a Button Baby Jackets for gifts.   Baby girl  Lilly, has  a  L on the  pocket.  She fussy-cut the letter from my Sweetest Gifts fabric.  Both jackets are lined in cotton flannel.

Three glorious days in the quiet country sewing with friends and getting projects finished, what a wonderful treat!  Thank you Lisa for putting together a lovely experience!

PS: I promise I didn’t pay these gals to work on my patterns at this retreat, but what a wonderful  thing to get to see!  I learn so much watching others create and it helps me as a designer to see what the patterns and fabrics can become!

Fabric Swatches!

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

My fabric swatches came!  We have been working with Benartex Fabrics to design this wonderful line and up ’til now, it’s been on paper.  This week, the girls and I got to see the prints on fabric for the first time!

We squealed, we oohed and we ahhed.  There were fabrics everywhere!  It just looks so beautiful!  It has been such a pleasure working with Benartex on this project!  I just  could not be any happier with the colors, the detail and how quickly this has all happened.               

We each have our favorites already!  Look at all the choices!  This purple and green argyle fabric is darling.  I can’t wait to get yardage of thes fabrics and start sewing models for Spring Quilt Market!

I am working on a free downloadble quilt pattern to use with the new line.  Seeing the fabrics all together like this makes the combination of colors/prints  for the design easier.  This alphabet fabric comes in two color ways, one more suited for boys, the other for girls.  It also has numbers and punctuation symbols!  I can’t wait to personalize a quilt with a name.

I had the opportunity last weekend to join my friend, Lisa of Picket Fence Quilts (here in Wichita) at her annual quilt retreat.  I got the fabric swatch samples earlier in the week, so I took them with me and had a chance to make a couple of small projects.

The pattern I used was Little Scraps from This & That.  It was agonizing trying to sort through my odd shapped swatches and then CHOSE the combination to use.  I wanted to use them all!  The project was fun and I added some lavender inside to make the notebook holder freshen my purse.  I made one for Steph and Bev.

Faux Crochet Granny Square fabric!  I have displayed this baby afghan Tamara Gonzales, my sister made and carried it to market after market – finally it made it’s way into my fabric line.  Tamara really did a wonderful job on the stitches and her work really looks lovely in cotton cloth.  Check out Tamara’s blog with Leisure Arts, Tamara’s Take  for all kinds of crochet ideas.

All I can say is that I am so excited, so grateful, so pleased!

Christmas open house!

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

My dear friend, Lisa had a Christmas Open House at her quilt shop, Picket Fence on Saturday and  invited me to do a short presentation on making gifts and wrapping gifts and to introduce my Junk Bag pattern.

Click on the image to download a .pdf of this handout, also listed in Helpful Hints.

Steph and Bev joined me to help with handouts and door prizes.

I also got to see projects that friends are working on and projects they have finished.

How much fun are Wanda and Sandi having?  I love it!  Sandi brought her bag she made to show me.  She crocheted this lace.  I love this idea, very clever Sandi!  The crochet lace is Tamara’s pattern from the bed-skirt in one of my project books, A Mother’s Love.

Back from Quilt Market

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

I had a wonderful time at Fall Quilt Market this year.  I was joined by my sister, Tamara and local quilt shop owner of Picket Fence, Wichita (316-558-8899), Lisa Johnson and Stephanie, of JCD.  We took the Cowboys and Quilts tour and visited some delightful shops in different cities near Houston, followed by a tour of working ranch, George Ranch Historical Park. 

I thought the tour was well put together and the quilt shops did a wonderful job sharing what works for them in their individual shops. The shops we visited were The Feathered Star, The Quilter’s Emporium and The Quilters Cottage.   Steph and I carried our Junk bag, and Bling bag (made from Junk bag pattern).  The four of us also eagerly picked School House presentations and learned a great deal.

I don’t know how much Tamara will write about this trip, but since blogging for Leisure Arts, she has become quite a crochet celebrity! 

These ladies are from Missouri Star Quilt Co., a mother and her lovely daughters sat next to our group in one of the classrooms.  So friendly and full of ideas and talent! 

Tamara, Steph and I visited Moda’s Booth and loved this idea.  We got to pick our sign and this was for Bev. who wasn’t able to come.

I was very happy to have a sample of the Junk Bag displayed in Moda’s booth!

Part of the fun of Market is seeing friends and visiting.  We traveled to Houston only to run into Kansas friends, local quilt shop owner, Charlotte of Charlotte’s Sew Natural  and her beautiful daughter, Lily.

 Lani of  The Quilt Shoppe  webstore posed for a quick photo with me.  I have always enjoyed visiting with her and her husband, Sam.

Our freinds from Pine Mountain Designs Holly & Sandy had a lovely booth with some fun children’s quilts.  It was wonderful to see them again.