BOOKS ARE HERE!

I am so excited to write today because MY NEW QUILT BOOK HAS ACTUALLY ARRIVED!  It actually came on Friday, but I haven't had a chance to spend time with my computer yet due to the holiday.

Anyway, now the really hard work begins:  MARKETING!

I will be doing a blog giveaway for a copy of my book soon, so if you aren't an officIal follower yet, please become one so you won't miss out the chance to win a copy of my new book.  I don't have a date in mind yet for my giveaway, but I'm thinking the end of July or beginning of August.  You can find me on Facebook and I will be updating my website too.

The title of my book is:  A RUSSIAN JOURNEY IN QUILTS:  THE STORY OF NICHOLAS AND NINA FILTAOFF.

Let me tell you a little bit about my book:

This book was inspired by a story shared by my maternal grandmother about two of dearest friends, Nicholas and Nina Filatoff.  Nicholas and Nina were Russian emigres who fled the Bolshevik Revolution and eventually found their way to Meadville, PA.  They met my teen-aged grandmother when they purchased a small farm outside of Meadville as their retirement home.  And that was the beginning of a long friendship.  Sadly, the Filatoffs had had not children, but it was my grandmother who preserved their story by passing it down to her children and grandchildren, by recording it in her autobiography, and in the pages of her journal.  It is thanks to my grandmother that the Filatoff's story didn't die with them.

Now you can relive their adventures from Russia to the refugee camps in Constantinople and across the ocean to the United States by creating the 15 quilt projects in the book.  The projects range from table runners to wall quilts, and throws, all the way to a large bed sized Sampler Quilt. 

The Russian Journey Sampler is a wonderful BLOCK OF THE MONTH PROJECT, which would be especially meaningful with the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.  There is even a FREE Block of the Month Program guide available at www.pickledish.com. 
The actual link for the FREE DOWNLOAD is: Russian Journey Sampler Quilt Block of the Month Program Guide.

Oh, I also wanted to tell everyone that the photography is simply gorgeous and was done on location at the Baldwin Reynolds House Museum. This Museum was once home to Supreme Counrt Justine Henry Baldwin and later home to Baldwin's nephew's family by marriage, the Reynoldses. Here's the museum's website: Baldwin Reynolds House Museum.

I don't have copies available on my website yet, but will do so very soon. At this time, you can copies from the following websites:

www.pickledish.com

www.homesteadhearth.com

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?????? GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!!!!

I HOPE THAT YOU'RE AS EXCITED ABOUT MY NEW BOOK AS I AM!

Time to Kick It Into High Gear

Well, today is the day that I am kicking things into high gear.  Already this morning, I emailed the Kansas City Star marketing person, the person in charge of organizing Quilt Market, and the person in charge of books.

So, I now have ordered copies of my book to resell!  Wahoo!  They'll be arriving soon.

I wrote all the things that I'm working on to promote my book or am planning to the marketing person.

The Quilt Market person already got back to me to let me know that she will be sending out an invitation to do a Schoolhouse lecture and a booth book signing.

Okay, so it begins...

___________________________________________________________________________________

Yesterday, I went to an interesting antique shop in Harrisville, PA which used to be a hardware store.  It was huge and had so much stuff -- items were stacked and piled everywhere from floor to ceiling.  I did find this quilt, though.

 

So far this quilt is a puzzle to me.  The black sqaures and pieced triangle squares (which looks like the Little Cedar Tree block) are BLACK SILK.  The lighter fabric squares and rectangles at top and bottom (which is a brownish green)  are also SILK or maybe TAFETTA (I'm guessing they were once a darker green, perhpas poison green?).  The block arrangement is unusual as are the colors used.  The border is a dark blue green (maybe also poison green?) and it is somewhat coarse, maybe LINEN?  It is about 74x81.  It has a pale green silk ribbon or tape binding on two sides and a black silk ribbon or tape on the other two sides.  The quilt is hand pieced and quilted.  Hand quilting at 8 full stitches to the inch and includes both crosshatching and double diagonal lines in BLACK THREAD.

 

As you see, it definitely has some condition issues, shattered silk, tattered binding/edge, a few holes, etc.

 

But what really makes my heart go thumpity thump is the backing fabric!  It is glorious and near perfect, see below.  Although it's hard to see -- the colors are that distinctive greyish-blue, gold/brown, and tan.

 

 

 

My gut tells me this a very special quilt.  Sadly, I have no information about it.  I feel that this is an early quilt, perhaps pre-Civil War.  I am going to consult with some quilt expert friends and I'll post an update when I know more.

 

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!!!!

I know that I've kind of dropped off the blog radar for a while, but well, things have been busy.  My book has been printed and should be sitting in the warehouse right now.  I should be getting copies soon!  WAHOO!!!!!  I can't wait to hold it in my hands for real. 

Here it is:

Isn't it beautiful?????????

Here;s the description from the back:

Spurred by a family story and a love of quilting, Tricia Lynn Maloney weaves a tale of sweeping adventure and romance, telling the amazing story of Nicholas and Nina Filatoff. Each of the 15 quilt projects are taken from period designs and commemorate their incredible journey from the traditions of Imperial Russia through the intensity of World War I and upheaval of the Bolshevik Revolution. There are 11 wall hangings, three table runners and a large bed-size sampler quilt. The Russian Sampler combines blocks from the other projects and would make a wonderful block-of-the-month quilt. Learn the story of Nicholas and Nina as you piece through their extraordinary lives.
Retail: $27.95

Right now you can oder it on two websites:  www.pickledish.com and www.homesteadhearth.com.


I have so much more to say, but not enough time right now because it's getting late.  So I'll be back soon.  In the meantime, what do you think of my cover??????

Where I Was Last Night

Last night I attended Patricia Knoechel's (Eleanor Burns's sister) lecture about Eleanor's new book, Quilts From El's Kitchen.

Have you seen this book yet?  It's a typical Eleanor book filled with great photos of quilts, quilt history, and easy to understand well-illustrated instructions.  Not too mention all kinds of inspiration!  The book features sixteen blocks (both 12" and 6") with a food theme and a central basket medallion.  Of course, it also includes many other smaller projects such as Laundry Day by Patricia Knoechel which includes three adorable pieced aprons hung on a mini clothesline (the last photo).

Please enjoy my photos from the program.

BOOK UPDATE

It's scary, but my book is hurtling fast towards the anticipated July publication date.  I don't know the exact date.....  My editor Kent says we're a bit behind, but that we're still on target.

In the last week or so, Amy, my book designer, has been super busy at work taking my editor's rough draft and making it into a real book.  I am loving her ideas and so thankful that she keeps my ideas in mind as she designs.  So, now we have a book design plan and a tentative cover.  Wish I could show it to everyone right now, but  (SIGH) you'll have to wait a bit longer.

The biggest thing right now is that we have a space issue -- we need to somehow find three more pages for the rest of the book.  So, I've been doing some cutting and editing.  You know, it's really hard to chop sections out of your own work, but I'm gritting my teeth and doing it.

Right now I'm just starting to think about book signings, trunk shows,  and Fall Quilt Market.  I've been doing pretty good about getting the word out to magazines so far too.

Kansas City Star Books is a great publisher.  I just love how they've included me every step of the way.  Not all publishers are like that.  It's so awesome to contribute to the overall design of my book -- the layout, the way it looks, graphics, etc. 

OH!  I am so happy to announce that we're keeping my original title.  I really think this must be a very unusual thing.  My first book went through something like 6 name changes before Orphan Block Quilts was selected as THE ONE.

IRONY

Okay, I have a VERY IRONIC event to share with everyone.  I went JoAnn Fabrics in Meadville tonight to pick up a few things to make some doll clothes for a young friend of mine.  While there, I cruised through the quilt books and saw -- GASP!  Nine Patch Panache by House of White Birches.

 My quilt is on the cover of this book.  I've been waiting three years for this moment when my local store actually carried one of the books that I'm in.  So, I carried the two books from the shelf up to the counter, explained that it was my quilt on the cover, and asked if they wanted me to sign the books (which I've done in quilt shops before....). 

The cashier went back to ask the manager who then sent back this message:  she was not "authorized" for me to sign the books so I could not sign them.  Isn't that about the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard??????  EVERYONE knows a signed book is more desireable AND generally worth more.

Well, I guess this goes to show that local quilt shops are more supportive of designers, particularly local designers.  When my first book was published, I had several signings and trunk shows ay my local quilt shops.  I did contact JoAnn Fabrics about carrying my book at the time, but nothing ever came of that.  Nor did my local store ever contact me about doing an event. 

Let's keep supporting our local quilt shops because they support designers!

Free Quilt Pattern Anyone?????

On Friday, Quilter's World Magazine. posted a link for a FREE PATTERN from the Summer 2013 issue. 

It's my quilt design, MODERN CELTIC.

Here's the link to get this limited-time free pattern:

http://bit.ly/St0GJJ


To order the Summer 2013 issue filled with over 20 projects including Modern Celtic and my rockin' bag, Hippy Swing bag and two gorgeous quilts by my friend Leslie Lattner, follow this link: 

http://bit.ly/12juCJE

If you love love love the hand-dyed fabrics, check out Lori's website:

http://www.labfabrics.com/index.php


Have fun and don't ever stop quilting!