Kansas City!

Quilt Market is perhaps the best place for a quilter to be. If you are a designer, prepare to be inspired. If you are a shop owner, prepare to be overwhelmed with eye candy that you couldn't even imagine. 

I hadn't been to Spring Quilt Market for a few years, and it was wonderful to be back in the thick of things. 

It was wonderful seeing Renee Nanneman from Andover Fabrics, and Needl'love publications. 

Renee's booth is stunning. This is always the booth I seek out FIRST when I come to Quilt Market. I am never disappointed by the elegance, sophistication, and charm.

 

I love seeing Renee, and her work, plus the work of the other designers, takes your breath away.  Be sure to check out her facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/needllove 

 

Next Stop...Grand Forks, ND

In a few days I'll be packing up my suitcases and heading North and West to the city of Grand Forks, ND. This brings back memories....2004, my friend Karen from New Zealand came to stay with me for a week, where we were joined by another friend, Karen, from Toronto (originally from England) for a wild week of going to concerts, driving through 4 states...and being GIRLS!  

My drawing skills awarded us front row seats, and a back stage meet and greet session with....drum roll please.....Clay Aiken!..Now...before you laugh too hard...the boy was on fire! having just lost American Idol. This was his first solo tour, and we had a blast!  He puts on an amazing concert, and we "Claymates" were legendary.  It was nothing for us to travel across the country just to hear that voice, and giggle.  For a brief moment in time...we were all 16 again, and loving every second of the experience. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I digress....quilts..yes..that is why I'm here. We have less than 3 weeks to get everything together for quilt market in Kansas City, and panic has set in. Have I done enough? Will my new designs attract buyers? What are the trends? Can I find the convention center? Will I get stuck in an elevator again? Lock myself out of my car? 

These questions are weighing heavily on my mind at the moment. Without further procrastination, I must get back to work!

The Winning Poster!  Karen and I in Sioux Falls, SD

Karen (NZ) and Karen (Toronto)

Opening Night in Grand Forks

Kentucky Bound!

My parents are locked and loaded, and headed off to Paducah for the American Quilter's Society Quilt Show! I was unable to complete my big quilt, Stars over Kentucky as I was chained to the quilting machine.  We made several new quilts and small projects, and there was just too much to accomplish in a short amount of time. 

We also just got new fabric from Jo Morton! Beautiful Toiles and the complete line of Elizabethtown. While the cat's are away, I plan to play with the new fabrics! I have more ideas than I can ever get done...but I'm going to try!

Here are a few new projects!  I have made a Mini Version of Hopscotch, which is absolutely adorable. Heading North is a paper pieced small quilt featuring a lovely border stripe, and flying geese. If you haven't paper pieced flying geese, I recommend it highly. It's truly addicting!

Marblehead is the name of a lovely French Braid Runner made from Ro Gregg's Marblehead fabric collection. 

My mother took the earth tone granite and marble fabrics, and made a gorgeous Fire Escape Quilt (Atkinson Designs)  Another easy quilt, was the Popsicle Quilt from Atkinson Designs. Terri does an amazing job with her patterns. It's no surprise they are always in the list of best selling patterns. 

My father cut kits for all of these quilts, and more! He's a great guy for cutting, while I quilt, and mom sews.  It's truly a team effort. 

Last week we had a surprise snow!  Here are the "kids" in their play area. Bruiser loves to stand guard at the fence, and he's such a ham! He will stand there and "pose" for me all afternoon!

Guarding the Castle

 

 Gracie, Sophie and Bruiser

 

Marblehead French Braid Runner

 

Starry Starry Night   21" x 21"

 

Mini Hopscotch 

made from the Falling Leaves scraps!

 

Starry Starry Stripes

Stars over Kentucky

This is a new pattern I'm working on, and hope to have kits ready for next week at the AQS Show in Paducah, Kentucky. Here is just a quick little teaser of things to come!

Next Stop....Paducah, Kentucky

Piecemaker's Quilt Shop, (my parents shop) will be at the American Quilter's Society Show in Paducah, Ky!

We have been a vendor at this fabulous quilt show now for several years, and we love it!  Even if the venue was under water last year in the worst flood in over 60 years (as we were informed). 

My newest patterns will be there on display, along with many of the new designs that we feature in the quilt shop.

I hope you can stop by and say hello to Mary and Ed.  I'll be home with the quilt shop in Hackensack, getting ready for the Quilt's and Coffee trunk show in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and then it's off to Spring Quilt Market in Kansas City!  

Please stop by and say hello!

Kansas City March - Our Legacy Sampler

I can't believe we are so close to Spring Quilt Market, and the American Quilter's Society Quilt Show is in Paducah, Kentucky is right around the corner!

At Piecemaker's Quilt Shop, things are crazy busy. We are sewing, designing, and packing for Paducah. After we get home, I'll travel to Grand Forks North Dakota for their Quilt's and Coffee program, and trunk show. 

Time to sort the quilts, finish the new designs...and...sleep?

Check out my website at www.cottontales.net  for more information on the Kansas City March, and find out what is new in my world!

Happy Quilting everyone!

Hickory Sticks and Crystal Snow

Let's face it...winter is Minnesota is just plain Cold! However....it can be very, very pretty.

Hickory Sticks is a new little quilt designed just in time for Houston Quilt Festival. The piece measures 18" x 18". The little log cabin blocks are made from scrap fabrics. Paper piecing onto a foundation kept my little blocks accurate, neat, and just plain adorable! How can you resist these little blocks!  They are truly addicting!

The center block has significance that I'll share with you later. I'm very proud to be part of this exciting news that will be announced in the weeks to come!

Crystal Snow is one of my favorite pattern designs. Embellish with flat back swarovsky crystals, beads, or decorative threads.