Linda Ann told me, “When you put it up there at first and I read what you said about it I immediately put it on my Must Buy Book List.” How very cool that she won it instead!

It could happen to you. Keep those comments coming when there’s a giveaway going on.

In other news, I’ll be at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival in San Mateo next weekend, September 16-18. Those of you in the northern California area, mark your calendars! Go to the Rusty Barn website for a map and a discount admission coupon.

And, I finished the first pass of edits on the first pages for my new book. (Ooh, it’s going to be so gorgeous.) Now I enter the agonizing stage, where I look at every little thing over and over until my stomach is satisfied. I have until Monday, which is when I have to send it back to the publisher.

Until next time,
Kay

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In her new book, Cynthia Tomaszewski’s message is that paradise is not a place, or a destination, but really the journey.

Little pieces of paradise are right there in our daily lives (if we have the wisdom to recognize them), and quilts made from these spaces in our heads are quilts from paradise. The designs in this book will lead you to Cynthia’s personal idea of paradise… the magical spirit of a tropical isle.

Filled with hot tropical colors, this book takes you step-by-step through 12 different quilt projects. Names like Falling Water, Natural Beauties, Tequila Sunrise, and Tropical Whimsy will give you an idea.

Tropical Whimsy by Cynthia Tomaszewski

There’s also a cute Island Tote and a darling rounded purse called Romancing the Bag.

All the appliqué templates are given full-size, and besides placement guides and detailed instructions for each project, Cynthia includes quiltmaking basics and an introduction to appliqué. Here she covers fusible appliqué with hand embroidery stitches for finishing the edges, freezer-paper appliqué with the freezer paper on the back or on the front, needle-turn appliqué, bias stems and vines, and embellishments.

I’ve always found it so fascinating that Cynthia lives in Abu Dhabi. The bio in the back of the book says that she and her husband plan to relocate one day to some land they have in Fiji. Until then, these colorful tropical quilts will remind her (and us) of island paradise.

I have a copy of Quilts From Paradise to give away to a lucky reader of the blog, courtesy of That Patchwork Place. If you’d like to leave your hometown behind for awhile and immerse yourself in tropical quiltmaking, leave a comment by 7:00 p.m. California time on Tuesday, September 7, 2010. U.S. and Canada only due to the cost of shipping.

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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First pages are like galley proofs, where the author gets to see the book laid out for the first time (instead of the words being separate from the illustrations being separate from the photos). It’s quite an exciting and nervous time for an author. Just as before, the tyvek envelope and its super gumglue defeated me, and I called the DH for scissors. Finally into the package, I took out the contents and glimpsed the cover. O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” It is sooooooo beautiful. White with colorful blocks and a lovely typeface for the title.

And that title is now official! I’m pleased to announce that Inspired by Tradition: 50 Appliqué Blocks in 5 Sizes is due out in March 2011! It’ll have the CD with it just like Easy Appliqué Blocks, so you can print the patterns in the size you want. As soon as I get the go-ahead from the publisher, I’ll show you the cover!

I couldn’t be more pleased with the name. As you may know, in traditional publishing the author does not have decision power over the title and things like that. I’m so happy — this was one of my first choices. It describes perfectly the intent of the blocks. Not necessarily exact renditions of traditional appliqué blocks, nevertheless they’re all inspired by that vintage look and feel.

Now I have to settle back to earth, find a good editing pen, and get to work.

Happy dancin’,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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At one of our Nite Needler meetings, Pam told me about a quilt that was making the rounds of the internet, having achieved celebrity status after its debut at the Spring International Quilt Festival earlier this year.

I was fascinated with this concept of celebrity quilts, so of course I had to check out the quilt known as 19th Century Folk Art by Maker Unknown or The English Medallion Quilt.

First glance and small photos do not do this piece justice. Once you see some of the closeups, you’ll be delighted with this forgotten appliqué artist’s sense of design.

Penny’s blog post from May pulls together lots of links about the quilt and about some reproductions of it. Pam sent me one more from Threadbare in Australia.

What are some other celebrity quilts that have “gone viral?”

Until next time,
Kay

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So I was delighted to take note of a new book by Laurel Anderson called Appliqué Workshop: Mix and Match 10 Techniques to Unlock Your Creativity!

Here’s some information straight from the author herself.

Laurel Anderson:

I wrote this book with the idea that everyone has different design needs and different technique requirements.

The quilter who wants to occupy her time while on a fishing boat or in a doctor’s waiting room will be more interested in hand appliqué or cutting out fused shapes for three-dimensional or fused appliqué. The mother of four with limited time may be delighted with the speed of machine appliqué or the raw-edge technique. The artist who wants creative freedom may mix many methods into one piece of fiber art.

The techniques in the book are grouped into turned-edge, raw-edge and needle-turn appliqué. Each technique has a summery of its best uses. For instance: the Turned Edge with Starch or Glue makes very sharp points on leaves or petals. The 3D Broderie Perse method makes fast and easy daisy petal shapes for wall hangings. It is easier to be creative if you have your choice of many design tools.

Coneflowers by Laurel Anderson

The book offers ten appliqué methods, two edge-finishing facings, and several different template ideas. As a bonus, there’s a section on color and a chapter on dying fabric for flower quilts. The pullout section gives six full-size, ready-to-use patterns. The instructions teach several techniques for each pattern. If you make them all you will have tried all the techniques!

The book is available from Laurel’s website, Whisper Color. Laurel says to be sure to send her a message in an email telling her who to sign to book to. (There’s a Contact button on the website.) And while you’re on the site, check out the 100% bamboo batting and Laurel’s latest stand-alone pattern, Winter Amaryllis.

Winter Amaryllis pattern

Isn’t this gorgeous?

Thank you, Laurel, for telling us about your exciting new book. I’ll be directing those face-makers to it!!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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The SewCalGal is holding a Pets on Quilts show!

Everything’s pet-related, from the quilts in the show to the prizes donated by the sponsors. Of course I’m a sponsor, being such a dog person as I am. I put up copies of my first book, Dog Cabin and Others: A Fast Fun Theme-Quilt Project, which has poodles on the cover.

(Okay I’m a cat person too. I haven’t told you this before, but this summer I’m a foster mom for kittens from the shelter. I have three cuddlebugs right now.)

But back to the topic at hand. The Pets on Quilts show runs through August 21 and you can enter now! Be sure to read the rules of the show… if you have a blog you can enter that way, if you don’t have a blog you can still enter your pet-on-quilt. Or, you can simply enjoy all the entries in the show!

Until next time,
Kay

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More Fabulous Flowers: Mini-Quilts in Dimensional Appliqué by Sharon K. Baker gives a ton of information on how to make faced, double-fused, prairie-point, double-folded prairie-point, ruched, strip-pieced, and yo-yo leaves and flowers. The detailed, illustrated instructions in the book go soup-to-nuts, from fabrics and supplies to pre-quilting the background to making stems to constructing all those luscious leaves and petals to embellishing them with beads and yarns to finishing the darling mini-quilts.

The book includes 20 little quilt projects to spark your imagination, and you can go anywhere from there. “The designs in this book are like ingredients in a recipe,” says Sharon. “Combine the ingredients as you like to whip up your own special creation. Use the flowers to embellish quilts or wearable art, or simply wear then as decorative pins on clothing. Combine the flowers, explore your own creativity and style, and create a peaceful garden for the mind and soul.”

Many thanks once again to Martingale & Company / That Patchwork Place for providing a copy of More Fabulous Flowers for a lucky reader. If you’d like a chance to win, leave a comment by 7:00 p.m. California time on Monday, August 9. U.S. and Canada only due to the cost of postage.

Those subscribed by email, remember, don’t reply to the email to leave a comment. Instead, click over to the blog itself. The comments link is at the bottom of the post.

Good luck!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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Her pattern “Rose Wreath” is a spinoff of the coverlet project from A Dozen Roses that we were all slavering over. The instructions in the book are the foundation for the pattern’s how-to’s so Jennifer says that it’s better to be familiar with the process in order to complete the project.

If you are already the proud owner of the book (and yes, Barbara you’re eligible ), leave a comment by 7:00 p.m. California time on Thursday, August 5, for a chance to win this beautiful pattern.

The pattern is available at Rosie Quilters.

Next time, a look at More Fabulous Flowers: Mini-Quilts in Dimensional Appliqué by Sharon Baker.

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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You may remember me posting about some random hunks of patchwork I had dug out of the UFO pile.

I had an idea! I thought of the fusible interfacing method for turned-edge appliqué! I felt this was a natural for making something appliqué with all those seams.

I marked the hearts on the smooth size of the interfacing and pinned in place over the right side of the patchwork.

I did a whole tutorial on this method over at the Show & Tell Center. Check out The Anatomy of a Lollipop for a refresher.

Shortened up the stitch length a bit and sewed all the way around each shape, on the drawn line.

Cut out the hearts, leaving a 1/8″ seam allowance. Clipped the notches.

Cut a slit in the interfacing and turned the hearts. A quick run along the seam with a craft stick and a poke at the tip with a stylus and that’s it! They look like a stack of fluffy pancakes.

I know from making gobs and buckets of lollipops that these will smooth out and flatten when they’re fused to their backgrounds.

I thought I was now done with those hunks of patchwork. However, as the project went along, I found myself pulling the bigger scraps back out of the trash. Will this never end!!!?

Now what am I going to do with the hearts? Hmmm…

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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The Quilt Show has posted a whole slideshow of Nancy’s work. OMG you have got to go and see this. It will make you smile.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

P.S. I’m headed to Long Beach tomorrow for the summer edition of International Quilt Festival. Hope to see some of you there!

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