Thinking About Writing a Quilt Book?

Now that I'm getting ready to write my third quilt book, I am just amazed at how different the experience is this time around -- already -- and I haven't even begun making any quilts yet or writing any directions.  Why is that? you might ask.

Let me tell you about my experiences with my first book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.  I was really lucky with this book.  I just happened to be at a friend's going away party (yes, she was a quilter).  At the party was another sewist/quilter, Cheryl, who just so happened to have a copy of her very first book with her.  I knew Cheryl from working in the quilt shop, but I didn't know her well at that point.  Since I'd been thinking a lot about writing a book on using my orphan quilt blocks, I screwed up my courage and asked her how she got published.  Cheryl was an incredible source of information AND was willing to share.  Thank you, Cheryl!  At some point that evening, I told her about my book idea using orphan quilt blocks to make new quilts.  I made sure to mention that no other book had been done on that topic before that I knew of.  Cheryl thought the idea sounded good and said that she'd mention it to her editor.  Whoah!

It truly is the "who you know" that gets your foot in the door, but it's the "what you know" that gets you the job....or the book, in this case.

Interestingly enough, I believe the party was on a Thursday or Friday evening and for some reason I had a three day week end with Monday off.  Amazingly enough, Monday morning I received a call from Cheryl's editor!!!!  After a discussion, she invited me to submit a book proposal. 

Could it really be that easy?

NO!  Of course not.  I submitted my book proposal and waited.....and waited......months passed by.  Then eventually I received a rejected email -- they were sorry but they had already accepted a similar-type book.  I was crushed.  Totally crushed. I had always wanted to be a "writer" and now on my first try, I had failed.  Then one day while driving home from work, I had a great idea that changed my original book idea.  So I emailed the editor again.  She liked the revised idea and we resubmitted the new and improved book proposal, which was eventually accepted.  It took about two years from the submittal of my first proposal to the actual acceptance.  Apparently in the middle of this, the company underwent a reorganization which really put a lot of things on hold. 

Have heart, don't give up if you want to write a quilt book, too -- I'm pretty sure that the two years to acceptance is definitely NOT the norm.  So, keep reading, please.

After my first book came out in 2010, I began thinking about a second book idea.  I had several thoughts, but one of my ideas definitely shone above the rest, so I began talking to my editor.  She took my ideas to the board and, although they liked the idea, they didn't want to commit to another project until they could see how the first book did.  Please keep in mind what was happening with the economy at this time -- the recession.  My first book did so-so, but was definitely not anything spectacular.  I did have several great reviews and a lot of new opportunities surfaced because of my first book, even if the book never made the best seller list (LOL!).

I kept pestering my editor from time to time about writing a second book, and eventually the board decided that they did not want to work with me on a second project, no matter how good the idea was.

One of my new opportunities led me to International Quilt Market in 2011 (my second Market).  I had a goal in mind when I went -- I was on the lookout for a new publisher. 

You may wonder how I decided which ones to approach?  I LOOKED AT MY COLLECTION OF QUILT BOOKS, OF COURSE!  I looked at my favorite books and I saw who published them.  Then I looked at the publishers' websites to see what else they published.  I narrowed my list down to three or four good possibilities with Kansas City Star at the top.

To prepare for Market, I wrote short descriptions of my favorite two or three ideas along with some sample designs and a short bio of myself.  I also included my contact information.  I took four or five of these packets with me (thinking positively).

I stopped by Martingale and a few others and mostly I was able to get some information and saw the books that they were currently offering, but the right people weren't available to pitch my idea to.  Eventually, I worked up enough courage and walked into the Kansas City Star Booth.  I took a deep breath and found a KCS employee and asked about the process of submitting a book proposal.  Edie (who I found out later was one of the main editors at KCS), was very kind and I took the chance to pitch my book.  We must have talked for a half hour!  At the end of our conversation, she invited me to submit my proposal.  She even gave me some hand outs.   I was really hyped!

But scared, of course.  It took me about a month to actually sit down and get down to the business of writing a book proposal for my top book idea.  Finally it was done, and I submitted my first proposal to KCS.  Two weeks later, I had an acceptance email!  After my first book experience, this was incredible!!!!!

Now let's fast forward a bit.  When I went to International Market in Fall 2013 to promote my first book with Kansas City Star, A RUSSIAN JOURNEY IN QUILTS, which was timed nicely with the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, The KCS people were very supportive and asked several times if I was thinking of my next book.  After the experience with my first publisher, I was so surprised that they would even ask since my book had just come out.  Their nonchalant answer was that they didn't make their authors wait a certain period of time between books.  This made me super excited, but I wasn't quite ready yet -- I wanted to concentrate on a Russian Journey in Quilts for a while.

Then I went to Market in May 2014 in Pittsburgh, and everything changed.  I was there promoting my book to a more local crowd (since a good portion of the story takes place in northwestern PA).  The book seemed to generate a lot of interest in Pittsburgh so I started thinking about writing another book.  There was so much inspiration, every direction that I turned, and I made the decision that my next book was going to be a modern quilt book that didn't include loads of research and writing like my first two books.

After some discussions back and forth with the editor of my Russian Journey book, Kent, and some suggestions from Jenifer Dick who works with the new My Stars section of KCS (which features the new modern quilt books), I submitted my new proposal.  Jenifer called me a few days later to clarify a couple things, and within a week of actually submitting the proposal, I had an acceptance!  Holy Cow!

Sorry this was so much writing, but I really wanted to explain how the process worked for me.  Maybe my experiences will help another would-be quilt author.

After a long long vacation away from blogging.....LET'S START OVER WITH QUILT ADDICTION

I really don't have a knock-your-socks-off excuse for ignoring my blog for the last four months.  I could lie and say that my dog ate my computer.....but he's only a little dog and the computer wouldn't fit.  I could lie and say I volunteered for a risky mission to the moon.....but there's probably wi-fi there. 

So instead, I'm just going to start over. 

Hi, my name is Tricia Lynn Maloney and I'm a quilt addict.

This is me, Quilt Addict Extraordinaire! 



Maybe you're not a quilt addict, so let me tell you about the life of a quilt addict. 

A long time ago, I started collecting antique quilts, blocks, fabrics, patterns/books.  If it was about quilting, I saved it.  Of course, eventually I decided to teach myself to quilt.  Interesting experience.  Resulted in my first completed quilt -- hand stuffed with polyester fiber and hand quilted for that homey "biscuit quilt" style that's all the rage.....somewhere.  Blue.  Lots of blue.  Didn't matter what the fabric content was....it just had to be blue.  But the amazing thing is that after "Ugly Quilt" I kept right on quilting. 

I started making quilty stuff for everyone I know because I really didn't know any better.  Now I even prowl the streets at night looking for more "quilt victims".......  Okay, not really, but didn't that sound really scary? (I'm usually too busy quilting, of course.)

I found a job working in a great quilt shop and there my quilting life really exploded because I could work for FABRIC!  (If you work in a quilt shop, you know exactly what I mean by this.)  I learned all kinds of important stuff while working at the shop like free motion quilting, fabric dyeing, how to cut eight layers of fabric at a time without cutting my hand off.  But this still wasn't enough so I started designing my own quilts.  Then I started teaching quilt classes.  OH NO!  This is a terrible disease and highly contagious, I've learned.  I even found friends......friends who quilt.  This just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it?

Then one day, I decided that I wanted to write a book. It took a long time for everyonthing to fit together, but with the help of a -- shall I say it -- quilt friend, I finally got connected to a publisher.  My first book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS, came out in 2010.   Every quilter's dream, right?  To see your name on the front of a book in print.  That felt really good so I begain to make plans to get my name on the front of another book.  Of couse, I kinda got sidetracked by the quilt magazines and started getting my work published in magazines and other publications. 

Then I went back to the second book idea and it happened.  Really.  My second book came out last year (2013) and was called A RUSSIAN JOURNEY IN QUILTS:  THE STORY OF NICHOLAS AND NINA FILATOFF.  This books is so very special to me because it tells a story shared by my grandma and it tells the story with quilts.  Who knew you could tell a story using quilts?

2014 has been an interesting year for me.  The last time I blogged -- back in May -- I was blogging from International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh.  It was so totally MY MARKET.  Of course, it helped that I live less than 2 hours north of Pittsburgh, so things weren't unfamiliar to me.  AND my dear friend (who quilts of course), Leslie, went with me -- which was good because Leslie is from Pittsburgh.  Of course, instead of a noisy uncomfortable hotel, we stayed with another good friend of mine, Isaac (who does NOT quilt....yet) in his very comfortable home. 

Anyway, Spring Market in Pittsburgh was an amazing experience.  I met a lot of great people and the inspiration that I took away from Market was staggering and a bit overwhelming.  Probably one of the most important inspirations was that I wanted to write another quilt book.  I decided that I didn't want to do a ton of research this time (like my first two books) and I wanted it to have fun quilt projects.  After I got home from Market, after a short procrastination period, I wrote and submitted a book proposal.  AND IT WAS ACCEPTED very quickly -- faster even than my second book.

So this is where I am at right now with my quilt addiction. Did you know that writing a book is a great way to explore your quilt addiction?  You get to spend time shopping for fabrics, petting fabrics, cutting fabrics.......AND YOU GET TO SAY "I AM WORKING."  Ha!

In my next blog I'm going to talk about who this book project is SO SO different than the first two.

BLOG HOP DAY 4

WOW!  I'm very excited that so many people have visited my blog so far.  What fun!  Hopefully you'll become followers too!

Anyway, today is the 4th day of Quilting Gallery's BLOG HOP.  If you leave a comment on today's blog (or any blog from March 8th through March 14th, 2013), you will be registered to win a copy of my first book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.

I thought I'd tell you a little bit about ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS today.

I doubt that I could explain the book better than the back cover description, so here's the description from the back cover:

Make a Home for your orphaned blocks!

Orphan blocks can find their way into any quilter's life.  Whether they are leftover from an unfinished project, collectible blocks found at a garage sale, or even antique blocks discovered in your great-aunt's attic, Tricia Lynn Maloney will teach you how to care for your orphan blocks, and make a home for them.

ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS INCLUDES:

• 14 projects with 11 variations
• Instructions on caring for your orphan blocks
• Advice on designing a setting
• The story behind each quilt

If you don't have any orphan blocks, Tricia gives you advice on locating potential sources, whether from your own family or online.  And it's easy to substitute brand-new blocks, and make a new quilt from the ground up.  Check out the 11 variations in the book, where Tricia did just that!

Whether your orphan blocks are antique, vintage, collectible, or simply leftover from a recent project, you can sew the perfect setting that will let the blocks shine!

I don't think I could have said it any better!

Here's one of the quilts from my book.  It's called Mad for Madder.  The blocks are circa 1880.  All of the other fabrics are new reproductions.  This is a great quilt setting for any blocks, even modern ones, don't you think?

BLOG HOP DAY 1

Hello Dear Readers!

Today begins the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop. What fun! If you visit my blog between March 8th and March 14th, leave me a comment on the day's blog (yes, I am going to blog every day during this time, seriously) and you will be entered in a drawing to win a copy of my first book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS: MAKING A HOME FOR ANTIQUE, VINTAGE, COLLECTIBLE, AND LEFTOVER QUILT BLOCKS.

 I am going to put all of the participants' names into a hat on March 15th and will pull out the winner. If there are a lot of participants, I might just give away a second book! Or maybe some magazines as I have stacks and stacks of magazines featuring my quilts now. WAHOO! Let the fun begin!

This week I've been feeling decidedly happy. Or perhaps it's giddy relief? I think it has something to do with getting all of my new book project stuff off to my editor, Kent, including the quilts themselves. Also, I think I've got a touch of spring fever too.

At first I thought I'd feel like something was missing once I sent everything, but actually I'm feeling the opposite. I feel like I've found something. Maybe my mind?? Or perhaps my sanity???? Or maybe it could have something to do with actually being able to sew again. Before I sent in all my book stuff, I was chained to my computer and didn't see my sewing machine for weeks and weeks. Sigh.... But now I'm back in the studio working on four quilts and one bag for magazines, and three memory quilts for a neighbor. Oh, I have a couple class samples going right now too. I am SEW HAPPY to be quilting once again.

Until tomorrow!

ORPHAN QUILT BLOCK IDEAS

Recently, I had an email from Dianna who just stumbled acorss my blog. She is part of a sewing group and together they have tons of orphan blocks and she was wondering about ideas to utilize them. Below is the list of ideas that I emailed her. Hope it helps all of you orphan block rescuers to get going and whip out some orphan block quilts so that you, too, can be orphan quilters like me! 1. First, of course, you need to check out my book, Orphan Block Quilts: Making a Home for Antique, Vintage, Collectible, and Left Over Quilt Blocks!!! ;) 2. How about an orphan block exchange or swap? Have the members sort their orphan blocks, keeping like blocks together. You could make it into an auction and use the money to buy supplies to finish quilts to donate to charity such as Project Linus. 3. What about an orphan block challenge??? Each particpant has to pay a fat quarter to participate. Set a deadline and a few guidelines (such as how many blocks must be used or the size of projects). Display the completed projects (which could be quilts, purses, bags, wearables, etc.) and everyone should vote on the "Best Orphan Block Project." The winner, of course gets all of the fat quarters. 4. Have each member put a set number of orphan blocks (groups if possible or same size blocks) into a brown lunch bag. Add a few fat quarters of coordinating fabrics or left over fabrics from the blocks. Put all of the bags together, mix them up, and each person picks a bag. If she gts her own, she would need to select a different bag. Then , do an orphan block project challenge. 5. What about an orphan block round robin? Each member makes a quilt center using orphan blocks. She then puts it into a bag with any coordinating fabrics she wants to add. Then she passes her project to another member. Continue to do this until each member has had a turn adding to each round robin quilt. (if there are a lot of members, you could have two or more round robin groups). Set rules for each border if so desired or do an "anything goes." 6. Instead of a round robin do a row robin using orphan blocks! 7. What about a mystery orphan quilt project? I designed one that uses either 9" or 12" orphan blocks for a guild last year and we had an all day sewing workshop. It was great fun! AND all of the quilts were amazingly terrific! 8. Members could pair up to create projects using both their stashes of orphan blocks together. These projects make great charity quilts. 9. Have everyone bring in their orphan blocks. Keep track of how many blocks each person brings. Sort all blocks by size. Hopefully there will be lots of blocks in a single size. Then each member picks up the same number of orphan blocks she brought, hopefully in groups of the same size (she may get back some of her own of course). Having a group of blocks in the same size makes it easier to put together a project. 10. If all else fails, donate them to a good cause or send them to me, the Orphan Quilter!!! :)

New Orphan Block Acquisitions

I promised that I'd have pics of my most recent orphan blocks......so here they are:

I found the two 1930's double wedding ring blocks at a flea market. I was thinking of just finishing them as table quilts. I have a round table and I think one would look great in the middle (if only I could find the table under all of the newspapers, magazines, and mail.....LOL!). The string blocks and large four patches came from the same place -- one of my quilt friends called and said she had some old quilt pieces she thought I'd be interested. People know me too well, I guess. There are something like 150 string blocks about 8" in size. The fabrics are really fun -- they range from the 1930's to the 1950's. Not sure what I'm doing with them yet, though. As for the big four patches, I think I might take them apart, that way I can reset the four patches into a more interesting setting. The set of Album blocks was truly a very special find. They date from the 1870's-1890's and there are 75 of them in the set! Amazing!!!! The fabrics are incredible and I don't think there are any duplicate fabrics within the blocks. There are even some early purples that haven't faded to brown yet. Sadly, there are no signatures on them. So, what do you think of my new finds? Not bad, eh?

Playing Catch Up / Orphan Quilt Update

Do you know the old saying, "When it rains, it pours?" Well, that pretty much sums up the last week or so for me. After I returned from my quilt vacation at Chautauqua, I made a list of items I wanted to make for people for Christmas. I even made some Pittsburgh Steelers pillow cases for my brother in law and I gathered up additional supplies that I would need for my special one of a kind Christmas gifts for my friends and family.

I was on a roll and getting ready to start my next holiday project when I received an email from Quilter's World magazine -- an acceptance for an article for the June 2012 issue. Super!

Then in the afternoon, I received another acceptance from Quiler's World -- this time for two quilts for an upcoming House of White Birches book! I was ecstatic, but there was a catch -- a deadline of Nov. 8th, which is only about four weeks away. Oh my!

Of course, I found all this out this past Monday and I had to work all day on Tuesday. I called one of my local quilt shops and begged them to stay open a little later so that I could get the fabric for one of the quilt projects so that I could get started that night. And they did! It took me about fiftenn minutes but when I walked out of the shop, I had the perfect fabrics for the first of the quilt projects and the perfect backing to boot! Let's hear it for our local quilt shops -- you wouldn't find that kind of service at a chain store, would you?

By the way, today is Friday and the first quilt top was DONE yesterday. That's three days, not too bad for a throw-sized quilt top, eh?

ORPHAN QUILT UPDATE:

A few blogs ago, I included a photo of Nancy's orphan quilt, which she made from blocks purchased at an antique shop. Well, Nancy emailed me back to say that she won a ribbon at the Fair! Well Done, Nancy!

Valerie sent me this photo of her orphan quilt -- sorry it's taken me so long to get this on the blog. The blocks were hand-pieced by her great grandmother. Great quilt, Val!




Recently, I also reconnected with a very dear quilt friend who moved to Colorado three years ago. She emailed me and then called me shortly thereafter. My friend, Dot told me a little bit about her home in the mountains -- she can see Pike's Pike from the potty in her upstairs bathroom! Anyway, she asked me for my mailing address because she said she had something for me. I figured that she might have come across some old blocks and thought of me.

A large box arrived the other day. Inside the box was a treasure trove of vintage fabrics, old blocks AND newer blocks, a pieced apron, a prairie hat, and even a few quilt tops. I was speechless. Completely. Just thinking about Dot makes me smile. She never was a quiet quilter -- always prefering red and orange and purple with a splash of lime green. It was Dot who taught me how to dye fabrics and got me hooked. I've really missed her a lot in the past several years. I'm so happy to reconnect with her.

Quilts Talk....REALLY!

It's hard to believe that today is the 10th anniversary of September 11th. It was aday that our nation will never forget. I hope everyone takes a moment today to reflect on all of the lives lost on that day as well as on your own life and how you can make a difference in the world. Perhaps today you planned to make a quilt and donate it to a charity. Or to volunteer your time to help others in your community or in someone else's community. It doesn't really matter what you do, just do something.

The past few weeks have really flown by as I've picked apples, made applesauce and apple butter, prepared and froze garden produce for the winter.... Oh, I've been working like a crazy woman on the three quilts for Quilter's World, too. I'm almost done and hope to ship them at the end of the week. At the latest, I need to ship them next Tuesday.

I promised to share a photo of one of my new quilt acquisitions -- the one from my Berlin Ohio trip a few weeks ago. So, here it is:



It really isn't anything spectacular, but this quilt told me a story. I fell in love with the story of this quilt and brought it home with me for a pretty reasonable price.

The center part of this quilt (the pieced blocks and alternate pink squares) was made in the circa 1900-1920 era. The top wasn't put together very expertly so I'm guessing that it was never completed into a quilt.....that is until the Depression. The person who completed this quilt (it could have been the original quilter, but who knows?) added chunks of opened up feedsacks to three of the edges to make the quilt top big enough. Big enough for what? you may ask. Well, the batting inside this quilt is a worn out indigo and blue quilt! The backing of the whole completed piece was made from several opened out plain off-white rough feedsacks. The back was brought around the front and whip-stitched for binding and the quilt was tied with multi-colored crochet floss.




It's too bad the "filler" quilt is in such bad condition. I can just make out the pattern, swastika blocks alternating with indigo squares set on point. It was probably made 1880-1900. Perhaps I can reproducs it......

Speaking of quilts that talk to us, here is a photo of an orphan quilt made by a new orphan quilter friend, Nancy. Nancy kindly emailed the picture so that I could share it with you. SHe bought the wonderful set of scrappy late 1800's strip blocks at an antique shop. She lovingly completed the blocks into a beautiful orphan quilt. Kudos, Nancy -- way to rescue orphan blocks and give them a permanent home!



If you've made an orphan quilt (with antique or even modern blocks) email me a photo -- I'd love to show it off on my blog. My email is: littlequilts@windstream.net

Oh, one last photo about quilts talking. This orphan quilt, although completed in the 1980's or 1990's has a fantastic collection fo 1940's blocks! These blocks have incredible fabrics. Eventually I'll probably take the blocks out of the quilt and reset them in something more appropriate. This quilt really talked to my shih tzu buddy, Gizmo!

In the Good Old Summer Time

Like most of you, it's been really hard recently to keep up with my garden. The weeds are growing as fast as the veggies. It's race with the bunnies to see who gets the beans and carrots first! But the fun is beginning, too, as I've begun doing some of the harvesting. The cukes have been doing well -- there's nothing yummier than fresh cukes out of your garden. Unless of course it's the broccoli or the green beans. I'm not crazy about tomatoes, but they are fun to grow. Our tomoato plants are more like bushes than plants. Does anyone else have crazy tomatoes?? Then of course, this is a bumper year for our two overgrown dwarf apple tress. Yesterday I picked two bags of apples. They're small but they'll make great apple sauce and apple butter. Ah, these crazy summer days.

Of course, I've been doing some quilting as well. Right now I'm working on three quilts for the April issue of Quilter's World. The first top is doen at at the quilter's and I am ready to quilt the second top now. THEN I'll move onto the third and final quilt. Oh, I still have to write all of the instructions too.

About a week ago, I had the opportunity to do an orphan block mystery quilt project with the Happy Scrappers quilt guild. It was a lot of fun -- I hope they all had as much fun as I did. Check out these photos! This was my first orphan block mystery quilt, but as you can see, it turned out great! Each quilter brought her own blocks and fabrics and each quilt turned out great. It never fails to amaze me how it all comes together and that no two quilts are ever the same!

Victorian Days in Mercer, PA

My lecture at the Mercer County Historical Society yesterday went very well. There was a nice turn out. As always, I totally enjoyed talking quilts and quilting for an hour and a half.


Here I am talking about the cover quilt of my book, Orphan Block Quilts. The quilt is called Lavender Green.

After my lecture, the intern, Morgan, kindly helped me pack up and get my stuff out to my car. THEN it was time for some old-fashioned fun. On my way to finding something yummy to eat at the food vendors, I checked out a corner antique shop and then hurried to the quilt shop, The Gallery. I was so pleased to find some great pieces of fabric for my niece, Meghan's graduation quilt (she will graduate in 2012 and has requested a purple and green quilt for college). I even found the perfect brifge fabric that breings all the other colors together! SO after the quilt shop, I enjoyed a philly gyro while listening to live dulcimer music. Next I wandered through the crafter's tents. Finally I started to get a little tired and decided it was time to head home -- there was one last antique shop to stop at and I didn't want to miss it.

I made it to the last antique shop, housed in a charming old mill, and happily found a little gift for one of my BF's as well as a few vintage aprons, a 1930's quilt block, and some 1930's quilt pieces. What a nice end to a great day!

Lecture

Well I'm off to Mercer PA tomorrow. I'm doing a lecture at the historical society during Mercer's annual Victorian Days celebration. I plan to show some of my quilts from my book, Orphan Block Quilts, a few magazine pieces, and even those three recently acquired crazy quilts and tops (you know -- the ones I blogged about last month).

I'm looking froward to it. I had wanted to do something with the Mercer County Historical Society last year, but it just didn't work out, so I'm happy to be working with them this year. In anticipation of my lecture, they've put many of the their own antique quilts on display. I will be there to talk about the collection's quilts as well.

So, if you're in Mercer tomorrow, stop by the historical society, my lecture will be around 1 PM upstairs in the museum.

BTW, Mercer has a nice little quilt shop AND there are several antique shops, too. Hope I have time to visit. OH! No visit to Mercer is complete without going to the Old Fashioned Soda Shop for a flavored coke, either!

Amazon's Top 100

I am so very excited to shout to the world that my book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS, has made the top 100 quilt books in the Kindle category on Amazon. Wahoo!!!!! Yesterday I was #91. So, if you are interested in getting my book as an ebook, go to Amazon and download it for $11.99. Oh, and don't forget to leave a customer review, too!