Reflections of a Quilt Pattern Designer

Often times, I come in here and have so much I want to talk about but can't.  It can be very daunting, keeping things under wraps!  I'm so thankful for all of the work that has come my way.  Recently, I've taken on extra freelance work and am taking a class for a course I'm taking through The Art Institute of Pittsburgh's online division.  It is a program that will take me into late next summer, 2011 that I'm counting on to expand what I already do.

One thing I can mention is that I'll have a quilt in the upcoming November/December 2010 issue of McCall's Quilting.  It is a quilt I called: Highland's March.  I had the pattern for sale on my site, but decided to pull it with the upcoming issue to hit newsstands within the next month.  I'm so glad to be able to offer free patterns through the magazines that keep me busy!  The quilt has a subtle 3-D effect to it with one of the borders and when I was finished making it, a few years ago, it reminded me of a quilt that would have traveled across the states heading west in a covered wagon.  The fabrics used are from Quilting Treasures and are reproduction.  I hope you'll like it!

So, what do I do on a daily basis?  It changes daily, so I'll touch on today's work, which consists of some editing, prepping binding for two new upcoming quilt patterns (look for them in October!), responding to e-mails, working on future designs, and checking in with my online class.  I also have patterns to prep and mail for shops, a distributor, and a new customer.  What I'm working on today may not be seen for up to 8 months.  And although it is still very exciting to reveal projects coming out, I typically have my head in projects that are starting a new 8 month process.  It is a crazy business, yet so satisfying.

What I enjoy most about what I do is the variety.  I like that I'm able to work with the latest in fabric colors and designs, I'm able to keep my basic math skills up when writing patterns, and I'm able to see my designs come to life from a basic sketch.

Spring Market Quilts: Free Patterns on QT's Website

Here are two quilts I made for Quilting Treasures, that hung during Spring Market 2010 . . . Patterns for these quilts will be on Quilting Treasures' website, soon!

My camera was not on the best setting, resulting in a blurry photo . . . This is Jim Shore's new line, called: Royal Family. Quilted by Linda Barrett of Threads and Traditions. Linda did a beautiful all-over swirled pattern in a periwinkle thread.

This photo was taken before the quilt was sent to Market. Playing card images are hand appliqued onto the pieced blue/cream check background. Bonus throw pillow pattern included!


Here is the second quilt: Made using Sweet Baby, by Susan Branch. Again, not such a great photo, but I wanted to share the image with you.

The chicks were hand appliqued, then eye and legs/feet applied using black pearl cotton embroidery floss. Linda custom quilted this one. Pretty scalloped edge, swirled motif in white spaces, blocks are stitch-in-the-ditch, chicks are outlined, and fanned motifs in chick block corners, resembling a chick's footprint.

June 2009 issue of Quilter's Home Magazine, etc.

I received a phone call from Mark Lipinski of Quilter's Home magazine on Friday, asking a few questions about a quilt I made specifically for QH.  The name of the quilt is "Go Bananas!", and it will be in the June 2009 issue, along with some other colorful quilts.  I used the fabric line called: Minny Muu, by Lecien (a Japanese fabric company).  The fabrics are very playful and fun and I hope you'll enjoy the quilt, too!  The quilt's center is a traditional, somewhat-difficult pattern but I made it up so that anyone can make it easily.

I just checked my photo album to see if I could give you a sneek-peek, but I had forgotten that, at the time, I was rushed to get the quilt in the mail and never took a picture of it.  All I have is the EQ6 image and it simply doesn't show the fabrics as well as in person.

This afternoon I must work on the upcoming "Norman Rockwell's Christmas" collection quilt for Quilting Treasures.  It's a very simple design and I'll let you know when it is available as a free pattern on QT's site (sometime after May).  The quilt will be shown at Spring Market in Pittsburgh, as well, for those of you who are attending.  I'm waiting for my "I Love Lucy" fabrics (also QT).  That's the next one I'll be doing for Spring Market, as well.  The new line is called: "Hollywood At Last".  The thing I love about QT's fabrics is that they bring back such fond memories of the past!

Nudges of Spring Market

Plans are forging ahead for Spring Market, 2009! I'm designing & making the last sample quilt in the series of "I Love Lucy" fabric by Quilting Treasures. The fabric line is called: "Hollywood At Last". I've also designed & will be making the quilt for their upcoming Norman Rockwell's "Christmas" line, as well. These quilts will be displayed in QT's booth in May.

In addition to the Block-of-the-Month I'm hosting through my website, I'm in the process of finishing the design for a BOM that will be distributed by Brewer (available to quilt shops everywhere). Quilts, Inc. has to put the final approval on it, but I've also been asked to do a "Schoolhouse" presentation promoting the Block-of-the-Month. I'm excited about it because the design is fresh and modern and I'm hoping to turn on some would-be appliquers into great lovers of this resurgent art form.

RJR is coming out with a new line called: Fifth Avenue. I'll be making a quilt from this fabric for Market, too.