BLOG HOP DAY 5

Good Morning Friends!

Today is Day 5 of Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop.  If you leave a comment on the daily blog from March 8th until March 14th, you will be registered to win a copy of my book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.  Also, while you're visiting, I hope that you'll become a follower so that we can stay in touch.  Don't forget to visit the other blogs on the Blog Hop, too -- there's like 200 of them!

This morning I found myself working on the binding for the memory quilt I blogged about the other day.  It's amazing how fast binding goes on a small project.  After an hour, I am actually done with the binding.  Now I only have to tack down the hanging sleeve and the quilt will be finished.  I hope my neighbor loves it -- I'm really happy with how it turned out.

After I'm done blogging today, I am planning to begin writing the instructons for two quilts headed to Fons and Porter Easy Quilts.  They are both throw quilts.  One used Marblehead fabrics while the other one used fabric from the Sweetcakes line from Riley Blake.  I really love working with Riley Blake collections, they are fresh and fun and they definitely fit my style.  What's your favorite fabric manufacturer and why?

I finally heard from my editor Kent, who is on  his way to a vacation in Mexico tomorrow -- LUCKY HIM!  Anyway, all fifteen quilts arrived safely last week and are now waiting to have the straight-on photos taken.  Kent said that the book is right on target with space and we should have plenty of room for the diagrams and photos.  WAHOO!  I was a little worried about this because it seemed like so much stuff to cram into 96 pages.

Here's a little nibble about my new and upcoming book with Kansas City Star Quilts:  THE STORY IN THE BOOK BEGINS IN RUSSIA AND ENDS IN THE UNITED STATES!

Interested in knowing more?????  Then become a follower so that you can stay up-to-date on theis new book!

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 3

Oh What a Beautiful Day in Northwestern Pennsylvania!

Today is DAY 3 of the Blog Hop with the Quilting Gallery.  Remember, if you leave a comment on the day's blog from March 8 - March 14th, you will be registered to win a copy of my first quilt book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.  The drawing will be March 15th and the winner will be notified then.  Good Luck! 

OH!  I almost forgot!  Please become one of my blog followers so that we can stay in touch and you'll know when my new book comes out and any upcoming events!

Anyway, back to this beautiful day in NW PA.  It was a balmy 64 degrees F today with lots of sun.  Would you believe that I washed a couple loads of laundry and hung them outside to dry?  Me neither, except that I actually did it.  Oh, how wonderful my clothes smelled when I took them inside and put them away.  Ahhhhhhh.

Spring must be on the way because the animals are coming out to see what's going on -- woodchucks, squirrels, chipmunks, Canadian geese, and other assorted bords.  Sadly, I haven't seen my first spring robin yet, but I know it's just a matter of time.  I've even noticed the buds starting to swell on the trees.  What's spring like in your neck of the woods?

Today I did manage to spend some time in my studio although I was wishing it was outisde instead of down in the dungeon!  I put the binding on a small quilt that I've been commissioned to make for a neighbor as a memory quilt for her granddaughter which includes fabric salvaged from her father's (the great-grandfather) red plaid flannel shirt.  I designed a medallion setting and feature a photo of the granddaughter and great-grandfather in the center.  It's rather sweet, don't you agree? I'm very pleased with the quilting.  Have you ever made a memory quilt?

I'm also working on a fat quarter tote bag for an upcoming book.  It's going to be really quite mod with fabrics in black, cream, grey, and taupe.  Pretty fabrics, huh?

I haven't heard from my editor for about a week now.  I'm guessing that no news is actually good news.  I do need to check to see if the quilts arrived at the office, though.  They should have been there last Wednesday and I haven't heard anything so I'd better check on that.

Well, I guess that's enough for today.  Until tomorrow!

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?

Jumping in with Both Feet

Okay, I lied. Well, sort of. I'm still going over the contract and the other documents and I kind of got excited about getting started. So, today I went to one of my local quilt shops (I'm so lucky to live in the center of four quilt shops within about a 30 minute drive). I took along diagrams for five of my quilt projects for the book.

The last couple of nights I've been shopping in my own stash, but I was having a hard time deciding where I wanted to go with the projects. When it comes to selecting fabric for my projects, I have to consider several different factors including time period and geography. My stash just didn't yield what I was looking for. Most of my fabrics are the supporting actors, I don't generally stock up on the stars. Most of the time, I start with my focus fabric which may or may not be the border and then I select the supporting fabrics using a combination of my stash and shopping. I'm going to try to stick with shopping at my local shops as much as I can (doing my part to keep them in business), although I do dearly love to shop online as well.

So of course I headed to my nearest quilt shop today. After fondling many fabrics, stacking and restacking, walking round and round, I finally narrowed my choices and left with fabrics for two complete projects and borders for three others. Not a bad beginning, I must say. Now I that I have borders, I can shop in my own stash again and see what I have already that will go with the borders.

I'm not going to show you my fabrics right now, but I will say this much: PAISLEY. Hmmmmmmmmmm......