Onward and upward!

I have a very LONG laundry list of things to do before market - redesigning my website, coming up with new pattern covers and opening an online store were somewhere in there! Well, it got bumped up to the top of my list and *Voila!* and *POOF* - it's up and running. Well, maybe not so much poofing because I've been wracking my brain over it for weeks now, but certainly a *Tah-dah!* is in order.

As an extra newsletter goodie, I will be sending out special discount codes ocasionally. Soon I hope to offer kits for some of my patterns - like the Picket Fence quilt - and offering notions that I personally can't get enough of and that aren't so easy to track down at my local quilt store. So really, ahem, I buy for myself and just have to spread the love to the rest of ya! :)

I hope you all stop by my new site and visitor beware - you are entering an ultra girly zone!

Rock and Roll that Jelly Roll

Whew! It's been busy around here in my studio. I can only imagine what I could get done if I weren't sneaking hours in here and there when I get home at night.

By day, I spend a lot of time designing and illustrating cool things. Lately every waking moment has been consumed not by quilts but illustrations for a Toyota Corolla website that just launched a few days ago. I did the design for the interface and a good deal of the illustrations for the "Party Themes". What a challenge! But fun at the same time -who knew those two things could co-exist?

Here is the latest quilt top to roll out of the assembly line that is my sewing machine, "Picket Fences". The really cool thing about this quilt is that it uses just one Jelly Roll and 1 1/3" yards of a border fabric. My sample uses the new 3 Sisters Simplicity line from Moda fabrics. It's pretty yummy!

{ Picket Fences ala Simplicity }

As you know, I have a really great Mom who also happens to be my quilt tester. Here is a version of this quilt using the upcoming 3 Sisters Christmas group "Peace on Earth". Isn't it so beautiful!? She's doing such a great job, and is even putting up with me going, "hmmm, could you put that block over there and send me more pictures?". Now THAT's patience... :) She's off busy sewing this up at the moment and I can't wait to see the finished piece. YEAH!

{ Picket Fences ala Peace on Earth}

You know market is around the corner when...

Spring is in the air and market is just around the corner. The telltale signs are probably a bit different for everybody attending. For me, the sure signs are that quilts are actually getting completed and the sound of the printer here in my studio churning out patterns is it! Here is the next in line out of the seemingly endless array of quilts I've got in progress at the moment - Sunny Meadow. It's a crib sized quilt, but personally I would love to hang this on my wall (and probably will) just because the colors make me smile.

{Sunny Meadow}

Another sure sign Market is around the corner: In my mailbox yesterday was my official packet from the people at Quilts inc - including my booth location! Booth #3018 For sending in my forms so late, I actually think I didn't get such a bad spot at all and I'm just a few rows away from the Martingale Publishing booth so that's pretty handy... ;) Plus I'm an aisle away from the bathrooms, which we all know is a high traffic area come mid day!

Sew Expo - the sewing free for all!

Here is western Washington we have a yearly sewing free-for-all - namely Sew Expo! A full weekend of quilting and sewing madness that descends upon the Puyallup Fairgrounds. Being this is about 15 minutes from my house, I make the trip to see what new and exciting things I might find. Last year, I bought my Janome there! Not quite the 1/2 yard of fabric purchase I'm usually apt to make, but hey - who can blame a girl?

As a quilt designer, I am very lucky to have some very supportive local quilt shops. This area is just overflowing with wonderful quilt shops, one of them being The Calico Cat in downtown Auburn, WA. This year for Sew Expo they asked to borrow the sample of my Joyful Tidings pattern for their booth - so of course I had to stop by and snap a picture!

When I stopped by the booth, I got another pleasant surprise - Meg Hawkey of Crabapple Hill Studio was there! I took a workshop with her last Spring and am totally enamored with her patterns and stitchery abilities. Check out her patterns if you aren't already familiar with her work - it's a treat! I dare you not to buy one... or two... or three...

My Mom is the greatest!

My Mom is the greatest! When I came home yesterday I had a lovely surprise waiting for me- this beautiful embroidered potholder. Isn't that bunny the cutest? It's hanging up in my studio now, like a big hug from my Mom. The needle is even in silver metallic thread. She has one of this ultra-fancy-dancy Bernina embroidery machines and look at her go! She even embroidered my logo on there... WOW, I'm in awe.

{Q is for Quilter }

Speaking of mail - I'm so sorry this month's newsletter is delayed! But I think the free project is worth it! Here is a preview of the free project which will be available for this month only - after that, because I'm smitten with it, I just might have to make a pattern out of it... ;) Or maybe another book? Hmmmm.......

{Cherry Blossom }