BLOG HOP DAY 6

Hello Once Again Everyone!

Welcome to Day 6 of Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop.  If you leave a comment on the daily post, consider yourself registered to win a copy of my book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.  Oh!  And don't forget to become a follower too!

I am one happy person today!  First, since yesterday I've had FOUR more quilts accepted to Quilter's World Magazine and for an Annie's (used to be House of White Birches) book.  Oh my word!  Luckily all four of them are wall sized or smaller.  What a fun challenge.  NOW OF COURSE, I GET TO GO SHOPPING!

Another cool thing that happened recently is that I found out that my oldest niece, Meg, recently cited my book for one of her papers in college!  Wahoo!  That's something you can't say happens everyday.

The icing on the cake of course, is that the robins are back which means spring is truly right around the corner.  I say this of course, while there's a veritable snowstorm outside right now.  LOL!

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 2

Hello Again!  Welcome to Day 2 of the Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop.  Don't forget to leave a comment to be registered for the drawing of a copy of my book, ORPHAN BLOCK QUILTS.  If you leave a comment on the day's blog from March 8th to March 14th, your name will go in the drawing hat.  I plan to draw the winner on March 15th.

The weather was so beautiful today and the sun was so bright that my antique-loving parents and I played hooky and went to one of our favorite places -- Lisa's Indoor Flea Market in Greenville, PA.  Here are some photos of quilt and textile items that I saw there.

This photo shows the assorted quilt blocks that I scored today at my favorite booth.  Five Dresden plates from the 1930's, a ca. 1910 single wedding ring, a ca. 1940 stripy block,  a ca. 1910 unidentified block, a ca. 1900 pinwheel variation, a ca. 1900 nine patch variation, and of course over 100 little nine patch blocks from the 1930's/1940's.

What did you do today?

Getting in the Groove

I know a lot of quilters slow down in the summer due to the heat, but I don't. I even manage to sew on binding on big heavy quilts. My secret -- shhh! -- is propping the quilt on a TV table instead of on me as I hand sew the binding down. I also have a fan blowing directly at my legs which helps keep me cool. Add a cool beverege and a favorite DVD and I'm good for a couple hours of binding as long as the air conditioning is working hard, of course. Right now, I'm getting two quilts ready to go to Quilter's World for another upcoming book on precuts which will be out sometime next year. Instructions are written and the quilts are finished, I just need to get everything packages, printed, and mailed. I'm also wrapping up a quilt for FOns and Porter Easy Quilts magazine for Spring 2013. I just have to test the instructions to make sure they are accurate and then it too will get packaged, printed, and shipped. I'm also trying to complete the binding for my niece, Meghan's graduation quilt before her party on July 28th. I plan to make a matching pillow case as the gift bag too. I'm pleased that the quilt won't be travelling too far....she is attending my alma mater, Allegheny College, in the fall. In fact she will be living in the same hall I did when I was both a freshman and a junior, only just down the hall. I am incredibly proud of this young lady. Stay tuned for pics of her quilt and pillowcase in an upcoming blog. In the meantime I'm trying to get down and dirty with my new book project. I've contacted the publisher but do not have an assigned editor yet so right now I'm on my own. There are about 15 quilt projects in the book. I have two quilts quilted and in the binding phase, two tops ready for quilting, and I'm starting the fifth top. The majority of the story part is done. Photos are being translated as we speak. And I'm working on the book layout, or flat plan, too. I do need to start writing the instructions for the projects I've been working on, although I do jot down notes as I make the quilts. But I do need an editor ASAP and a deadline, of course!

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?

Guilty

Okay, I admit I must be one of the worst bloggers right now. I haven't blogged since the end of April. I've never gone this long without blogging. It's not that I didn't have anything to say, actually it's been quite the opposite. It's just that I've been quilting like a mad woman and haven't been spending any real quality time with my computer. No computer time, no blogging. I've been so lax in computer time that I'm actually checking my email on my ipod now. Sad, isn't it? Now that that's out of the way, let me tell you what I haven't been blogging about. May was a really busy month. Of course, I worked on several magazine pieces and made my deadlines. I also made several stash projects including another quillow, a table runner out of left over batiks, and a miniature quilt for an upcoming guild quilt challenge. Speaking of guild, I didn't even make it to the May meeting. I also worked on a few projects for my upcoming book -- I really need to buckle down and get serious about the projects. Of course, I also worked on research and writing for my book, too. I had an Orphan Quilt trunk show in May. It went well and the dinner beforehand was delicious. Of course, all of these activities were fitted around my day job at the public library, a few other part-time jobs, and my home responsibilities. The end of May brought some real heartache in my family, though, as we said good bye to our beloved canine companion, Poohka. This was really hard. He was a very special and unique Shih Tzu, with a smile and he even stomped his foot (yes, like a two year old's temper tantrum) when he didn't get what he wanted fast enough. His kidneys were failing rapidly and there wasn't anything more the vet could do. What hurt even more was the fact that my other furry pal, Gizmo has been absolutely bereft in the absence of his doggy brother. I think he's finally adjusting somewhat but he's very clingy and doesn't like me to leave him. Giz has even taken to sleeping on a pillow in my studio while I sew (he's never done this before). We've all had to make adjustments in our daily lives. It's ironic, really, when you realize how much your day revolves around a beloved pet only after he or she is gone. Smile on, Pookie, smile on.... June is turning out to be just as crazy as May was. In addition to trying to spend more time with Gizmo, I'm working on one project for the magazine and I just found out today that they accepted two more for a pre cut book. Whew -- I'd better start sewing faster. I had another program for the Sew and Sew Guild in Grove City recently too. Very nice group. I debuted my new program, "Fabric Dating Tips and Orphan Block Tricks." It was a fun evening. Next week I have a program for Country Charms Guild -- I'm doing the new one, and I am also doing a volunteer workshop on English paper piecing at the at the local senior center. Well, I see it's getting late so I'll stop here. Hopefully I'll get some photos up soon for your viewing pleasure. I want to show off some of the new Orphan Blocks that have come my way recently. Good Night! I need to go to bed so that I can get up early and QUILT!

Welcome to my blog!

Hello! My name is Tricia Lynn Maloney and I am The Orphan Quilter.

What is an orphan quilt? You might ask..... An orphan quilt is made up of orphan quilt blocks, or blocks that never made it into a finished quilt. I LOVE ORPHAN QUILT BLOCKS! New, old, in good condition, or poor -- I love them all. In fact, I love orphan blocks so much -- I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THEM!

Orphan Block Quilts: Making a Home for Antique, Vintage, Collectible, and Leftover Quilt Blocks.

My book will be out 30 August 2010!

So stay tuned for more orphan block fun!