A Straggler

A big cheer went up here on the day I shipped off the quilts for Away From Home: Quilts Inspired by the Story of the Lowell Factory Girls.  I worked doggedly to get nine quilts/projects done for the deadline.  But I only finished eight.  The ninth was not done.  My sense of triumph was tinged with a bit of disappointment.  But Donna, my editor assured me that eight was quite enough for a book.  But you haven't seen this ninth quilt, I thought.  It really fits with the story we are telling in the book.
But luck was on my side.  The photographer wasn't available until December 9th.  Is this an odd coincidence?  Quilt number nine, Dec. 9??  Donna told me get it done and to her before Dec 9 and it's in the book.
Although #9 was not done, I eked out some here any there over the Thanksgiving holiday.  When the family was in watching football, I was in my sewing room.  When everyone was sleeping in the day after Thanksgiving, I was up early making the binding.  Here's a picture that shows where I was.

So today after my daughter headed home to San Diego with her cute little dog Jack riding shotgun, I sewed the binding to the quilt.  Tonight I'll sit in front of the TV with Oliver and watch our favorite shows that all seem to be on Sunday night and sew down the binding, add a label and a hanging sleeve

Mill Girls Update

It's been quite a while since I blogged about the quilt I'm making for my upcoming book, Away From Home: Quilts Inspired by Lowell Mill Girls, (Kansas City Star Books pub).  Getting ready for my first Quilt Market put things on hold for a while, but I am back at work, trying to make my November 17 deadline.

Here is the center panel all appliqued.  The spool blocks are being arranged and a row of them are added to the top and bottom of the center panel.  

Now it's time to arrange the border blocks I've been piecing and appliqueing. Still have a few blocks to finish. 

All the blocks are done and sewn to the top.  Just two more borders to go.  Moved to the design floor "aka. the living room".

Loaded on my Millie.  Time to quilt . . . .

 . . . and quilt . . .

 . . .and quilt. . . and still quilting!  In this last photo you can see a little bit of the last two borders. 

Quilt Market--Houston 2011, cont.

I didn't get a chance to take many photos at Market but I did manage to snap a few pics.

Here are the Paul and Mary Ellen, the creative forces behind Bonnie Blue Quilts.  As always, their booth is warm, homey, and gorgeous!

This quilt-Royal Peacocks--was in the Hoffman Fabrics booth.  I designed the pattern for them the week before Market.  Don't know who made it, but someone definitely burned the midnight oil!  The fabric is gorgeous and has gold metallic highlights.  It also comes in a blue color story.  The pattern is free to download on Hoffman's website.

Although Vicki Bellino of Bloom Creek Quilts was not at Market, her new block-of-the-month quilt Vintage Rouge was.  The quilting on her quilt is to die for.  And the piecing is so, so clever because she used a Marcus' Strip It (TM) fabric along with several others.

Here is a corner of the Exclusively Quilters' booth.  Notice the red arrows?  They weren't hanging in the booth, I Photoshopped them on the photo so you noticed two quilts I designed.  The larger quilt on the left is Fantasy Garden, that features fabric from their Renaissance collection.  The little quilt in the lower right corner is Have A Heart made with their Let The Sunshine In collection. 

I have to give credit to my dear friend Mary Carpenter who made both quilts just for Market.  Unfortunately, she became so ill that she was unable to attend Market and see her wonderful work on display.   Next year, Mary!  Both quilts were quilted by Lynn Douglass of Lynn's Creative Stitches.

Here's another picture of Have A Heart hanging in my booth.  Yes, Mary made two quilts--one for me and one for Exclusively Quilters.

And, of course, here is my booth!  It was my first time at Market as a vendor, so it definitely was a learning experience.  You may notice that I brought along a table and chairs.  So many of the young designers have no place to sit and virtually stand all day.  That is because they are young!  This 50 plus year old lady cannot do that anymore--thus the seating!  I think some of the shop owner appreciated it too!

And here's another view of the booth.  Sorry the picture is a bit fuzzy--it was taken with my camera phone.

Quilt Market 2011-Houston

I know I haven't blogged in quite a while.  Getting ready for my FIRST market took over because I wanted to get everything right.  Market went well--I think--since I have nothing to compare it to.  But there were some unexpected glitches, but those will be for another blog!
Amish With A Twist (88" x 105"), our new block-of the-month quilt debuted, which we are doing in conjunction with Marcus Fabrics (http://marcusfabrics.com/).  Seven new solids have been added to their Centennial Solids collection for the program, which runs February-June 2012.  Designed with the beginning quilter in mind, the pattern instructions are in full-color and feature lots of diagrams and photos.
Check with your local shops to see if they are participating!