.Quiltscapes.

Sew, Mama, Sew Giveaway winner

2012-05-26T10:21:00.000-06:00

CONGRATULATIONS

to the winner of my threadcatcher kit in the SMS Giveaway:

of MOONLIGHT SEWING
...fabric & thread when the kids are in bed...

A "Midnight Quilter" myself, I got a tickle when I saw the name of her blog and tagline. ;)

If you'd like to make a threadcatcher for yourself, PDF patterns are available for purchase HERE.

Blog Party Mania - Giveaway Day!

2012-05-22T01:29:00.000-06:00

It's a busy week out there in blogland, beginning with Amy's Virtual Blogger's Quilt Festival. Last I checked, nearly 600 entries in the show. Amazing!

Lots of folks had a great time at International Quilt Market in Kansas City last week and are sharing pictures on their blogs and Flickr accounts for those of us who stayed home to enjoy too!

And now it's Giveaway Day (Week) hosted by Sew Mama, Sew!

I'm giving away a KIT for a sweet little Thread-Catcher Pincushion!

Perfect for the sewing room, the kit includes the pattern, instructions and supplies you need to make your own thread-catcher, including the pre-quilted "Threads" fabric in the picture. I fill my pincushions with rice, but you can choose your own filler, which will make it more cost-effective to ship internationally.

Rules: One random winner, comment below.

The giveaway is open until May 25th

While you’re here, I'd love to have you follow/subscribe to my blog, FB or Pinterest; check out my free Tutorials as well as Quilting Basics Tutes, YouTube videos on the sidebar, or peruse my Patterns.

OK, as for a comment: My birthday is coming up, so... A favorite birthday gift? Tell me what it was, is, or would be. My kids always ask, and I always say, "A clean house and happy kids." Of course, a cruise might be nice someday, too!

Good Luck! Be sure to check out all the other giveaways at Sew Mama's.

UPDATE 5/26/12: GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Happy Sewing!

2012 Blogger's Quilt Festival

2012-05-21T00:33:00.000-06:00

An Interactive Quilt!!

"Tag, You're It!", The Ultimate Social Media Quilt

For the past 6 years I've participated in the HMQS design challenge. I always recruit my friend Debbie and at least one other person to join us in the fun. We refer to ourselves as The Midnight Quilters, and this year we consulted with Debbie's daughter Amy (the techno-savvy young one) who helped us discover and set up the Microsoft Tags that we used as our design elements to make this year's challenge quilt.

And if you can download the free app on your phone, http://gettag.mobi/

you can scan the center and each corner of the quilt to take you to five different sites on the web. It's the ultimate social media quilt (and a great GUY quilt). Not only can you scan the quilt... You can also scan a PICTURE of the quilt, or even scan a picture that has been scanned onto someone's PHONE (!) and the code will still work to take you to a website!

We had thought of making a quilt using the QR code below, but that one would have taken about 1,090 pieces! Although, it does make a cool design, too...

This was definitely a collaborative effort as we finished designing in EQ, Amy set up our tag codes online and screen printed the corner blocks, Debbie cut out the triangles with an AccuQuilt die, stitched the quilt together, then I quilted, bound and labeled it.

Amy, Debbie and Deonn "The Midnight Quilters"

Sold in a live auction to raise money for Quilts of Valor Foundation, we are honored that this quilt is now owned by the very fabric manufacturing company that supplied the fabrics for the challenge, Riley Blake Designs, who took it with them to International Quilt Market last week in Kansas City, Missouri.

(photo by Amy Nguyen Newbold)

My SL Modern Quilt Guild friend Amy, aka Sukie, snapped this picture at quilt market and shared it with me on Facebook. Cindy, over at Riley Blake Designs posted about it HERE.

Ever since watching a video about the SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION, I've tried a bunch of different ways to join the virtual world! So I wanted to say thanks to Amy, Amy, Amy, Kati, Samm and Dana, for their instruction and inspiration, and who have all reached out their arms and helped me jump on that train during the past year or so! I'm catching on, bit by bit! I still don't tweet, and I'm not LinkedIn, I don't even have a smart phone, but I have friends who do. And I so enjoy what a small world it really is when quilters around the world can connect like this!

Now let's go hang out together at my neighbor Amy's Virtual Quilt Show (wow, I know a lot of cool Amys!), with over 600 other quilters from around the world! (Our techno-tag group quilt is #492).

← Happy Browsing!

2012-05-18T13:54:00.000-06:00

It was a "Star-Spangled" amazing, blissful week at the Home Machine Quilting Show!

*On the HMQS board, I was privileged to assisted the NQA Certified judges Barbara Broshaus and Elizabeth Spannring for two days as they judged and placed 320 quilts and quilted garments submitted to the show from quilters around the globe.

I got a tickle out of Barbara's little flashlight...

Every item was examined carefully for design and workmanship.

*Set up the quilted garment display with Renae Haddadin's quilted wedding dress as its crown jewel. It also received the Viewer's Choice award, but I did not get a great picture. I am amazed at people's creativity and skill. Beautiful!

*Sang an a'cappella duet of the national anthem as Airmen posted the colors prior to the "fabric" cutting to open the show. Did all right until the moment of silence afterward, then my eyes seemed to be leaking. Had several of those moments during the week...

*Taught 50 quilters in my piecing classes some of my favorite tips, tricks and tools to make some fun, fabulous quilts. (Click to see slideshows→) Star Medallion Tree Skirt * A Soldier's Star * Carpenter's Star

*The "Midnight Quilters" group won an Honorable Mention for our Riley Blake Design Challenge quilt, "Tag, You're It!"

Demonstrated how to download the free app (http://gettag.mobi/) and scan the quilt:

Quilts in this design challenge were sold at auction to raise over $7,000 for this year's charity, Quilts of Valor. Riley Blake Designs purchased ours, and we changed the five tags to go to five of their websites, including their main Website, Blog, Cutting Corners College, YouTube Tutorials, and their Facebook page. Right now, the quilt is hanging in their booth at International Quilt Market in Kansas City. Woo hoo!

*Sang "God Bless America" as part of a Quilts of Valor ceremony. Forced to retire from the military when diagnosed with MS, Diane Jaeger has made around 300 quilts herself, and has quilted over 500 quilts to donate to soldiers who have been "touched by war". In this ceremony, the founders of QOV were on hand to present Diane with a quilt of her own.

*Shopped the vendor mall, and bumped into Mary Ann Fons, who is now the liaison between the quilting world and the Quilts of Valor Foundation. She was stitching up some quick pillowcases for QOV.

And finally, I was astounded by the beauty of the quilts in the show, but especially the message of this year's Best of Show, "America, Let it Shine" made by Sherry Reynolds of Laramie, Wyoming.

Sherry drafted her design on graph paper, then made and quilted it on her home Bernina 1001 sewing machine. Her quilt is a masterpiece. Plus, she's adorable. Here's a YouTube interview from a previous quilt show:

If you want to see some great close-up pictures of the front and back quilting details, check out this link: America Let It Shine.
Whew, what a tremendous, wonderful week! I'm so inspired by quiltmakers from around the world and their stunning quilts; beautiful designs, pristine workmanship, and overwhelming creativity.

Now, it's a week later, and while recording a new album with the Tabernacle Choir, they've invited us each to bring a blanket, which of course I interpret to mean "quilt". We spread them on the empty benches to buffer the sound during recording sessions. Last week was quilting bliss with a little singing, and this week it's singing bliss with a little quilting. I love it when both worlds overlap! PICTURE VIDEO

Wishing you some blissful quilting (or singing),

"Tag" Winner!

2012-05-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

Thanks to everyone who played along, jumped through hoops, and had fun with our "Tag, You're It!" quilt last week! You really made it fun!

Congratulations to our winner,
HUEISEI!!

You've won a scrumptious stack of fat quarters
courtesy of Riley Blake Designs!

TAG, it's a GIVEAWAY!

2012-05-09T23:00:00.000-06:00

Want to win one of these stacks of lovelies??

Let's play

TAG!

"Fiona's Fancy" by Lila Tueller for Riley Blake Designs

DOWNLOAD the free app on your smart phone or other mobile device with a camera:

http://gettag.mobi/

SCAN the five "Microsoft Tags" on the picture of the quilt below.

(YES! it really works!)

FOLLOW the INSTRUCTIONS on the upper right corner tag Ü

Don't have a smart phone?? You can still play!

Click → HERE ← for details

Have fun!!

Tag, You're It!!

2012-04-30T16:18:00.000-06:00

Reveal Day!

"Tag, You're It!!" ~ A Socially Interactive Quilt

HMQS Design Challenge 2012, Sponsored by Riley Blake Designs

made by "The Midnight Quilters"

Amy, Debbie and Deonn

This quilt was designed using "Microsoft Tags" that can be scanned with your smart phone, ipad, or any mobile device with a camera on it. The triangles were die-cut using AccuQuilt's Equilateral Triangles die (also the 2-1/2" Strips die), which made it a snap to put together!

The quilt is one of 2 dozen quilts made for the design challenge, which will be on display for the duration of the Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake City, Utah May 10th through 12th. The challenge quilts will then be sold in a LIVE AUCTION, and proceeds will benefit the Quilts of Valor Foundation (see more details in my previous post).

Try it!
1) Download the free app here:

http://gettag.mobi/

2) Scan this tag with your mobile device. Be sure there's plenty of white space around the tag.

Did you find us? ÜÜÜ
I don't actually have a smart phone, but my friend Frannie tried it, and it worked! She even scanned the 5 tags in the PICTURE of the quilt and it worked too!! Does it work for you??

THIS QUILT COULD BE YOURS!!

~ LIVE AUCTION ~

Saturday, May 12th

12:30 to 1:30 pm

HMQS—Sandy Expo Center

9575 S. State, Salt Lake City, UT

**TAGS MAY BE CUSTOMIZED

TO THE WINNER’S SPECIFICATIONS!**

Did you see that?? ↑↑ TAGS CAN BE CUSTOMIZED!! Wouldn't you love this quilt hanging in your office or studio? We own the rights to these generated tags, which can be transferred to the new owner, who will be able to CHANGE any of the quilt's five tags to be directed to any website, video, picture... anything that can generate a url code to be found on the world wide web. So, if you are in the area, be sure to drop by the Home Machine Quilting Show and bid to buy this quilt at auction!

Here's even more fun: For the duration of the show, attendees will be able to scan the quilt, follow the instructions to visit certain booths or like certain companies on Facebook, then enter a drawing for stacks of fat quarters generously donated by Riley Blake Designs. (I know!) Stay tuned next week to find out how my followers can also participate and win!

Meanwhile, it's back to the sewing machine to finish preparing for the classes I'll be teaching at the show! Oh, I can hardly wait!

Next Quilt?

2012-04-28T16:00:00.000-06:00

I just found out that one of my designs for this year's AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Design contest received Honorable Mention as one of the Top Ten favorites! Yeah!

If you want to see the Top Ten, including this year's winning designs, here's the live announcement of the winners, by Ricky Tims at the Quilt Show in Paducah (see 5:35 or so).

VIDEO

If you'd like a diagram for this block, leave a comment or send an email (deonn@quiltscapesquilting.com) and I'll send you a layout. Make four blocks for a nice wall hanging...

Make 12 blocks for a great twin size quilt, etc, etc, and the list goes on! By the way, it can be made with 2-1/2" squares, half square triangles, and strips (2" finished size) -- and AccuQuilt has dies for all of those... just saying! One of these days, I might get a minute to actually write up a complete pattern!

Happy Quilting!

A Sneak Peek. . .

2012-04-26T13:10:00.000-06:00

Getting excited for the Home Machine Quilting Show coming up in a couple of weeks...

I'm participating once again in the annual HMQS Design Challenge, sponsored by Riley Blake Designs. They supply the fabric - this year it's the Tuxedo Collection by Doodlebug Designs for Riley Blake. And up to 30 participants/groups proceed to design and make quilts which are sold in a live auction at the end of the show raise money for charity.

Here's a sneak peek of this year's entry made by the "Midnight Quilters":

What would you make with these lovelies??

The "Midnight Quilters" (Comprising of myself, my friend Debbie, with whom I've taught quilting and sewing classes for about 12 years, and at least one other ~~guillable soul~~ person) have enjoyed participating in the annual HMQS Design Challenge (← click to see our previous designs) for the past six years!

There's a reason we call ourselves the Midnight Quilters... we're usually sewing until the wee hours to get the project done. One year, we didn't even start the quilt until 3 days prior to the show... bound it in the car on the way down the canyon and finished in the parking lot in time to turn it in before the judges arrived... (Debbie every year: "Now WHY are we doing this again??") Well, because we always seem to end up with fantastic results! And for some reason, our quilts always raise a bunch of $$ for the HMQS charity of choice.

This year's charity, Quilts of Valor, is one that's close to my heart as well. The QOV mission is to "cover ALL combat servicemembers and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor." And though my son was not wounded during his deployment to Afghanistan last year, there were plenty of incidents where he could have been. I am just so grateful that he is safe at home now.

So, guess what? We all cheerfully, excitedly finished this quilt; sewing, ripping, trimming, re-sewing about half a dozen times, trying new ideas, accucutting, screen printing, getting it just right, hoping that it will raise lots of money for QOV. And I NEVER heard Debbie say once, "Now WHY are we doing this again??" Ü

Midnight Quilters 2012: Amy (Debbie's daughter), Debbie and Deonn {teehee}

We anticipate that CROWDS of people will gather around the quilt, talk about it, come back every day to see it... {{giggles}} then pay lots of $$ to buy it in the live auction.

THIS QUILT COULD BE YOURS!!!

Charlie is excited about it, too!!

But I'll have to wait to show it to you until after the folks at Riley Blake Designs have finished judging all the quilts in the competition. Just. Can't. Wait!!!

I'm on pins and needles... Ü

Table Topper Finale!

2012-04-26T09:38:00.000-06:00

GIVEAWAY UPDATE:

An adorable little ♥ hanger

like the one on the Ackfeld logo

Goes to:

KATHY!!

(Hennies.Pennies)

Congratulations, I'll send a note!

What a wonderful Table Topper Blog Hop we've had, such creativity! So inspiring!

And Madame Samm has organized the entire collection of 159 designs on

↑ ↑
Go check it out!!

I can't wait for her next Blog Hop in July!

Happy Quilting!

Table Topper BLOG HOP!! My turn...

2012-04-18T00:01:00.000-06:00

Here's the perfect cure to dress up a little corner and make you smile: Tiny Terrific Table Topper quilts!

Ackfeld Wire makes great little bent wire products, perfect in the sewing room.

I love their 12" x 14" Table Topper, and took a look around my sewing room just to see what might work with it. I found several little quilts of varying sizes to try.

Paper-Pieced Lanyard and Nametag:

Uh, cute, but TOO tiny! Ü

My little "Soldier's Star" which I designed for the AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Design contest last year:

Hmmm, a bit too small...

~~~~~~~~

Pause for Show & Tell:
I was thrilled to learn that a couple of my submissions had made it to AccuQuilt's Top 100 in their 2012 Barn Quilt Design Contest!! They'll make great little toppers, someday, too!

~~~~~~~~~

OK, back to the teeny quilts! (I know, that was shameless... Ü)

My beginner quilt:

A little Butterfly wall hanging with dimensional curves:

This one is 17" x 17"... Hmmm, almost too big for the frame, but could work.

Mitered Border → TUTORIAL ←

Little Sunbonnet Susie and Sally quilt I made in order to design a poster:

Sweet.

Bingo Quilt for the online Bingo Party hosted by Tonya, Marcia, Sharon and Snoodles during the month of May.

Machine-bound it in minutes, (→ TUTORIAL ←)
B = Balloon, Tractor, Bug, Snake, Cat
I = Mouse, Bear, Flower, Bus, Thread
N = Frog, Chicken, FREE, Fire, Bug
G = Snail, Dog, Frog, Alligator, Cat
O = Spiderweb, Elephant, Lizard, Cat, Horse

Then I began thinking of other little quilts I'd already made ...Potholders! With matching Bloomin' Blossoms Table Runners:

I thought Lesley had a great idea the other day, using "Orphan" blocks - leftover blocks that may never make it into a big quilt:

Leftover block from this →TUTORIAL←

And finally, I found a little embroidered square in an old sewing kit that my then-14-year-old daughter had made. Added borders, quilted it, bound it, PERFECT!

Thanks for hopping by, Friends!

ALSO... Check out Madame Samm's PINBOARD to see the whole collection!

Table Topper BLOG HOP!

2012-04-17T00:30:00.001-06:00

Ten Days of Table Topper Inspiration! Once again, the illustrious Madame Samm of brought us all together to visit each other, ooh and aah over one another's fun creations, and maybe even win some prizes along the way!

Here are all the participant's links to their blogs, and you can find all 159 designs from the hop in

Madame Samm's Table Topper Pinterest Collection

Enjoy!

Jacque (Snoodles - LilyPadQuilting)

Lesley (CuddleQuilter)

Sharon (Vrooman'sQuilts)

Kris (KrisLovesFabric)

Marcia (Marcia'sCraftySewing) Jenny (Quiltin'Jenny) Sheila (Sheila'sQuiltWorld) Josie (InsanityDefense) Vickie (Creative Notions) Deonn (Quiltscapes) hey, that's me! Mrs. Pickles Piece PeaceLeslie (LesQuilts) Jennifer (ThatGirlThatQuilt) Karen (BriarsideLane) Katherine (SewMeSomethingGood) Marlene (StitchinBytheLake) Charlotte (GrammieQ's) Leslie (ALooseThread) Darlene (QuiltingNana) Jane (Grandmama'sStories) Michelle (L7QuiltCo)Cherry (CherryBlossomsQuiltingStudio) Christine (QuiltMonsterInMyCloset) Just Carol (JustLetMeQuilt) Patty D (AStitchInTime) Wendy (WhyKnotKwilt) Leanne (Daisy&Jack) Elaine M Judy C (ShadeTreeQuilting)Jennifer M (CraftyImaginings) Roxanne (ScrapbookChickadoodle) Syd Selina (SelinaQuilts) Connie (QuiltingByTheRiver) Jane (Jane'sFabrics&Quilts) Mary (CrookedGulleyArtQuilts) Marianna (Craftluvr) Thearica (Pigtales&Quilts) Kelly (UnDeniablyDomestic) Pauline (QuiltnQueen)Betsy (QuiltingFiesta) Shanna (SparrowInFlight)Our Hostess, Madame Samm (SewIQuilt)

A Time and A Season...

2012-04-13T01:22:00.000-06:00

What a busy, busy time of year!

Spring cleaning? Housework? Cooking? Cleaning? Laundry? Gardening?

Eh. I'm allergic.
There's a time and a season for everything. (A time to sing, a time to sew...)

Days filled with quilty stuff:

Entered this year's AccuQuilt Barn Quilt design contest. Astounding! These submissions made it in to the top 100 choices! You can go and vote for your Top 5 Faves HERE:
2012 AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Design Contest

Gearing up for the Home Machine Quilting Show in just 3 weeks! Quilted Garment Division Chair; Teaching 3 classes. The Carpenter's Star class is full, but I'll cover several of the same fabulous tips, tricks, tools, and speed-piecing shortcuts in the other classes.
See the class flyer on the sidebar ►►►

A Carpenter's Star

A Soldier's Star

Star Medallion Tree Skirt

Participating in the HMQS Riley Blake Design Challenge... yes, again. Thought I would relax this year, but no. We just had to take the plunge for the 6th time! Can't wait for you all to see what a fun surprise the "Midnight Quilters" (aka me, my friend Debbie, and her daughter Amy) have in store for you!! It's a pretty simple quilt, but I fully expect to see crowds of quilters gathered around it at the show... we'll see!

What would you create with these lovelies?
Slowly but surely, well... maybe a little slower than normal these past few weeks... quilting for clients. I'm continually amazed at people's creativity!

Uploaded more of my patterns on Craftsy.com - What a great little website full of wonderful surprises for every kind of handmade craft!

"Helped" at the local quilt shop once this month. It's not work... it's play.

Worked on samples for more quilt conventions and retreats around the state in June and July (Panguitch Quilt Walk, Quilters on the Edge, 4-H Leadermete)
Finished up a NEW YouTube Tutorial with Cindy at Riley Blake Designs! (Will I ever NOT be nervous on camera??) But it has made a difference for at least one person: "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This is the first time my mitered corners have been perfect! I will use your site for all my tutorials from now on!!!" ~ Sharon S. Awesome!

And weekends and evenings filled with music stuff:

Practicing the National Anthem to sing at the Home Machine Quilting Show on opening day, complete with a color guard, and Quilts of Valor ceremony - several of my passions combined!
Choir rehearsals, training, tests and performances 15 of the past 21 days. All I can say is "Hallellujah!"

I think I need to slow down, or at least pause. Wake up and smell the... hyacinths. Which fade too quickly. And be grateful for blessings both big and small. And remember "...from Whom all blessings flow."

So happy together...

2012-04-07T10:04:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I feel this way about my quilts too... :)

(Daughter so happy, binding her quilt)

Enjoy!

Round the World Round Robin

2012-03-29T08:01:00.000-06:00

I have a thing for little red sewing machines. I paid $5 for 6 "opportunities" at a State Quilt Festival several years back and my name was drawn to win this little sweetie...

The perfect size machine for my daughter's QUILTING DEMO. Oh cute!

I'm sending this little 6-1/2" darling off on a trip around the world to places like France, Australia and... Montana! Woohoo! Eight ladies in my Modern* Mini Mystery Round Robin group will trade blocks each month, adding up to a 2" border with each trade. By the time she returns, this little darling will be the perfect size wall hanging for my sewing studio!

Bon Voyage, little Ruby, enjoy your travels! Make new friends!

*Still trying to figure out my place in the "Modern" quilting world. And what constitutes a modern quilt? I added grey fabric... does that count?

By the way, you can find this FREE paper-pieced pattern by Sewhooked at Craftsy.com ←

Happy Sewing!

Spring Fever winner

2012-03-25T06:23:00.000-06:00

Oh, now I really have Spring Fever!! Can't help it, with all your lovely descriptions of your favorite "Spring Things"...

Sunshine, flowers, gardening, open windows, cherry blossom festivals, warm breezes, kids playing outside, sunrise service, the smell of rain, new grass, birdsong, babies, new beginnings, quilting on the porch, riding an orange cruiser bike, soft ice cream, running in the snow with no worry about bears... the sounds, the smells, the colors, the spirit... even cleaning out closets and a yellow haze of pollen... all the joy of Spring - it's a beautiful world!

With the help of random.org, our winner

of a little stack of Daisy Cottage goodness goes to...

Happy sewing!

sPriNG fEVeR! & Giveaway!

2012-03-21T12:10:00.000-06:00

Oh, I do love fresh-cut flowers... both kinds ~ grown or sewn!!

This little posy is giving me Spring Fever!

Help me find a cure with Madame Samm over at Sew We Quilt.

Hop on over to see my Fresh-Cut Tutorial for this

"Bloomin' Blossoms Spring Posy Table Topper"

Daisy Cottage fabric by Lori Holt (Bee in My Bonnet) for Riley Blake Designs

Sew sweet - love the rick-rack!
Love the stripes for mitered borders.
Wouldn't it make an adorable quilt?

Bloomin' Blossoms ~ Spring Posies Lap Quilt, 64" x 64"

~~And now, just for stopping by, shall we have a giveaway~~?

How does a selection of Daisy Cottage fat quarters sound?

(yellows and greys and a stack of Jumbo rick-rack)

Leave a comment about anything "Spring-y"
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: How do you feel about....
the color yellow, rick-rack, flowers, quilting,
high heels and kicky skirts, grey fabric in quilts,
wonky piecing, Spring in general?

UPDATE: Giveaway Closed / Linda's our WINNER

(Read all the great "Spring-y" comments!)

Happy Sewing!

Carpenter's Star - My favorite!

2012-03-16T13:57:00.002-06:00

Finished quilting a quilt for my sister. She's redecorating her room in these colors ~ love her color combination for this Carpenter's Star!

Ferns, sunflowers and swirls

Carpenter's Star SLIDESHOW

I do love this big, easy design, and every night I sleep under the quilt that my girls and I made for my husband. My most popular pattern, I'll be teaching this class and a couple of others in a few weeks, at the upcoming Home Machine Quilting Show (← see class flyer) in Salt Lake City (happy dance!). It will be a fabulous show with classes, vendors, and an incredible, "Star-Spangled" quilt show! For more info, check their website: http://www.hmqs.org/ Maybe I'll see you there!

Happy Quilting!

Chenille "Appliqué-tion"

2012-03-12T10:38:00.000-06:00

Need a warm fuzzy?
A fun tutorial is waiting just for you at Riley Blake Designs today!

All about Chenille!

Chenille Strip Appliqué

Click ↓ Here

Hope you can join me for class!

Using chenille strips to applique' words, hair, stems, flower centers

Introducing the "Lil' Woolies"

2012-03-07T00:01:00.008-07:00

It's March!!

Spring is just around the corner here. And with that fantastic "lake effect" blizzard that accompanied me home from choir practice last week (2-1/2 hours for a 50-mile drive), March came in like a Lion!

Hopefully, it will go out like a Lamb...

Which brings me to my next "little" project ~

"Lil' Woolies" Pincushions! 1-3/4" x 2"

So I've made up some PATTERNS and a few KITS
↓ available here ↓
→ "Lil' Woolies" ←

just to test and see if you love them as much as I do!

Ooohh, so cute!

What do you think? Can you ever have enough pincushions??

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2012-03-05T21:32:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who entered the Spring Chicken & a little "Foul Fowl" Pincushion giveaway! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, hope you make more, hope you fill your sewing room with these fun chicks!

Here are some more cute chicks made by some of you...

Dawn's Leanne's Evelyn's ↑ and Karen's brood ↑

And now, with the help of Random.org, we have a WINNER!

It's

Congratulations!
(Your chicks are on the way!)

Nobody here but us Chickens...

2012-03-02T02:00:00.007-07:00

Guest posting over at Riley Blake Designs today, talking about some of my favorite "Chicks"

It's Pincushion Club Friday!

Click here ↑

I'm giving away your choice of two of the "Daisy Cottage" pincushions from today's tutorial, OR kits to make all six.... (Six? Check out the tutorial to see the "bonus" chick...)

If that appeals to you, leave a comment. Which is your favorite?

Have you ever made a chicken pincushion of any kind? Email a picture to deonn@quiltscapesquilting.com for a second entry.

For a third entry, be/become a follower or subscriber of this blog,

then let me know in a separate comment. Good Luck!

Random.org will select a winner on Monday, March 5th, 2012.

Meanwhile, I'll just be here in the sewing room, cackling to myself... :)

Stop back again sometime to check out this little chirp

and all of his little friends... :)

Contest closed - Congratulations to Kelly!

Sewing With Love

2012-02-22T09:08:00.030-07:00

My sister Renee` sits at a sewing machine all day, and has done so professionally for over 30 years. She is surrounded by piles of satin, silk, lace, and chiffon; beading, boning, lining, tulle, horsehair braid, patterns, and pins on a carpet of thread confetti. She's a tailor. She's the master of her craft when it comes to wedding dresses. For over 10 years, she worked as a seamstress for Maggie Sottero, a designer bridal gown company, altering, repairing, and "filling" wedding dresses. In a conservative community like this, the definition of modesty is an important factor in design, and Renee's talent is to fill in where a design ends.

And now, her own daughter is the bride. Renee` isn't one to brag, (or blog), so I'll do it for her. She feels like she has worked her entire life to be able to do justice to her daughter's dress; the "pièce de résistance", a culmination of all of her skills, and infused with love for her daughter. A beautiful dress (← click to see) to begin with, none of the style was sacrificed in order to finish it to the specifications of the bride-to-be.

This dress... this bride... well, you can see for yourself:

→ Jacque Lynn Photography ←

Aunt Deonn is a little choked up right now...

How can I keep from singing?

2012-02-18T10:15:00.002-07:00

Are there things in your life that just make your heart sing?

Tomorrow I'll be privileged to raise my voice with 359 other members of a renouned choir~something I have worked toward my entire life. In the final phase of a pretty rigourous training process, tomorrow's broadcast will include us new recruits. A thrilling, joyous blessing!

And since this is a quilting blog... singing is a major fabric woven into the patchwork of my life.
Tell me, what are some things (in addition to quilting *Ü*) that fills your soul with joy?

Feelin' Wonky

2012-02-16T07:32:00.001-07:00

Tried my hand at a little wonkiness with Jane's "Wonky House Block Swap."
won·ky (wngk) definition: 1. shaky or unsteady (rickety, wobbly, unstable) 2. not in correct alignment (askew, awry, cockeyed, crooked, lopsided)

A Wonky Neighborhood

A little outside the saltbox for this "pointy" quilter (give me the points, bring it on, I can do that! OK, yeah, somewhat OCD)! Sent these off to be shared with my block exchange sisters - can't wait to see what comes back!

Check out this amazing, ↓ whimsical, wonky gallery!

Have a wonky day!

p.s. Blanket-Stitched all the applique' by machine. See, my recent ► TUTORIAL ◄