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!