Don’t you love surprises!  Receiving a new book is always wonderful but this one has 3 quilt projects of mine in it.  5-10-15 + Fat Quarters, published by House of White Birches is a beautiful book filled with projects that you can complete with pre-cut fabric bundles.

Now, wouldn’t you just love to make this dog coat for your dog?  It’s made with “It’s A Dog’s Life” fabrics I designed for VIP by Cranston Printworks. (Just a note to tell you that some fabrics of this collection are in some Walmart stores as precuts). The pattern is easy to make so you can have the best dressed dog in the neighborhood.

OK, now that your dog is dressed, you can move onto making a cozy quilted pillow for a favorite child or each of your favorite children, since I’m sure you have more than one. This “chick pillow” is made with a full size pillow so it will fit nicely on a bed. Three pockets to hold little treasures are appliqued with a chick on each pocket. Can’t you just imagine the surprises that can be tucked away in these pockets for safekeeping until the next morning! (no snakes or snails I hope!)

Now its time to move onto some serious quilting and make a table runner for yourself or as a gift. A “Warm Breeze” tablerunner is made with Jim Shore’s Angel Among Us fabrics by Quilting Treasures. I had the good luck to meet Jim Shore a couple of months ago (see my prior post).

Since you have now had a few days of sewing and quilting, take a break, eat some ice cream!

I hope you enjoyed looking at these quilt pictures and I would love to see any that you make with these patterns.  Check out the book and you will be delighted as I was with all the fun projects made with precut 5″ charms, 10″ squares and fat quarters.

Happy sewing!

Phyllis

The colors of the fabrics used in this quilt - turquoise, lime green and purple - are my favorite colors. So I was “in heaven” while designing and sewing “Gypsy Wind” for the book ”Patchwork Comforters, Throws and Quilts” published by House of White Birches.  The fabrics are Marie Osmond’s “Gypsy Breeze” collection by Quilting Treasures.  

41 colorful and exciting quilts are shown in this book along with patterns and instructions.  It is a book quilt lovers will cherish.

And if you love these fabrics as much as I do, please check out my earlier post where I met Marie Osmond at the International Quilt Market with another quilt I designed using these fabrics for Quilting Treasures’ booth.

I wish you a day filled with your favorite colors.

Phyllis

Aren’t the colors in this quilt fun and make you want to celebrate! And this quilt also helps to celebrate a worthy cause.  I wanted to show you the celebration quilt that I designed in for the recently published quilt book “Think Pink” published by House of White Birches.  Celebrate Each Step is 44″ x 52″ and is made with fabrics from Quilting Treasures.

This book is filled with projects to give comfort to women as they battle breast cancer, plus a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each book goes to breast cancer research.  I hope you make this quilt and help a worthy cause at the same time.

Happy Quilting!

Phyllis

I was fortunate to have 3 designs published in a new book, Sew Special Fat Quarter Gifts published by House of White Birches.  As the title suggests, all projects in the book were made with fat quarters (fabric cuts that a fat 1/4 yard).

My projects were varied in style, an apron, decorative towels and a Christmas quilted table runner.

The apron is made in a patchwork style with black and white fabrics. I just love how popular aprons are and all the different styles.

I designed the decorative hand towels using embellishments of beads, rick rack, and applique.

The quilted Christmas table runner is decorated with appliqued poinsettias and bead trim.

Have a great day!

Phyllis

I have been wanting to write about this absolutely, unbelievablely fabulous quilt, based on a translation of an old German Fairy Tale, and the interesting woman who designed and made the quilt - but my blog has not been working.  Someone hacked into it and it took me days to get it fixed.

But onto the story of this quilt and the woman who created it - Sieglinde Schoen Smith.  I had attended the International Quilt Market trade show in October 2006.  After the show, I was sitting in the lobby of my hotel waiting on the airport shuttle bus and had dozed off.  I was awakened by a woman, Sieglinde, who had started taking to me.  She had just arrived for the International Quilt Festival, this huge consumer show that follows Quilt Market.  She was so excited - she had entered a quilt and hoped that she would win a prize.  Sieglinde showed me a picture of her quilt, and my mouth dropped open - it was the most fantastic quilt.  I thought to myself that if she didn’t win, the judges were blind.

Sieglinde grew up in Germany during the war and had the children’s book Mother Earth and her Children read to her.  She had remained fascinated by this book and created her quilt based on this story. The quilt is really “mind boggling”, a work of art that is so detailed with both the quilting and embroidery.

As we sat and talked, Sieglinde told me of her childhood and family and the horrors of growing up during the war.  She was completely fascinating and had me thoroughly captivated.  Unfortunately, the shuttle bus came too soon and ended our conversation.  I could have sat hours listening to her.

Although I had her card, I was busy working and did not follow up with her, but often wondered how her quilt placed at the show.  

The next spring, I attended the Spring Quilt Market.  As I walked the show, I saw a quilt hanging in a prominant spot and immediately recognized it.  The booth was a publisher, Breckling Press.  I asked about the quilt and learned that it had been awarded “Best in Show”.  I also learned that the quilt was being used  to illustrate Mother Earth and Her Children in a new children’s book. 

When the Fall Quilt Market arrived in October 2007, Seiglinde was in Breckling Press’ booth, busily autographing copies of the book. She has another book coming soon, Mother Earth’s ABC,  using the alphabet on the quilt. Congratulations to Sieglinde, who is living a true fairy tale, and a huge thanks for sharing her talent!

I have been wanting to post more about Quilt Market, but my plans didn’t work out due to computer problems. I just hate computers when they don’t work right! Unfortunately, they are a necessity. But there is just so much unproductive time when the computer acts up. new hard drive requires hours and hours of time loading software and files.  UGH!!!! My husband believes that no one can have as many computer problems as I have.

Anyway, back to Quilt Market. I want to talk to you about my friend Lynne Farris and her new book, Fresh Felt Flowers. Lynne is shown below with a bouquet of

flowers from her book.

Fresh Felt Flowers, published by C&T Publishing, is a new book that showcases techniques created by Lynne to make three-dimensional flowers from wool felt and then detailed using a sewing machine.  You don’t need fancy stitches, just a straight stitch and a zigzag stitch. Lynne makes it so easy to create 17 beautiful textured flowers that you don’t have to keep watered and that don’t die.

Lynne is autographing a copy of her book for me. The smile you see on Lynne’s face is a natural for her.  I’ve known her for many years and she has the best sense of humor and is just downright funny.  She has entertained many of us at various gatherings with her acting talent in humorous skits. But when it comes to designing, Lynne has a very serious talent.

Please check back for more from Quilt Market.