Applique . . . how I love it!

Today my husband flew out of town for a few days and I miss him very much. Yesterday, I was telling him about an idea I have for my next applique quilt pattern design. I was able to sketch out most of it this evening and will be putting the finishing touches on it over the next few days. I am really pleased with the drawings so far and I think it could have a wide audience of interest.

I've found that one of the greatest things I enjoy about applique is the quiet time it takes. You can be in the middle of a group of excited people watching a Sunday afternoon football game and still feel the serenity of stitching fabrics in place to create a unique and beautiful result. Unique because no one will finish an applique project just like yours. I think that's pretty neat!

I'll share more on this subject later . . .

*NEW* Patchwork Rendezvous Quilt Pattern - Super EASY!

FreeSpirit's Savon Bouquet by Verna Mosquera will be used in our sample quilt for our newest pattern called: "Patchwork Rendezvous". Please let us know what you think!

We're so thrilled with how fast the quilt top goes together and how you have the option to use either fat quarters (for an 82" x 82" quilt) or a Jelly Cake (for a 64" x 80" snuggle quilt). The design shows off the fabrics nicely and we hope you will enjoy making it, soon.



Please visit our website for more information! We are taking pre-orders now for pattern delivery the first week of January, if not sooner - Thanks!

2009 Block of the Month

Our first Block of the Month is wrapping up. We have one more month to go . . . December's block is sure to fit in well with the upcoming snowy season. We hope you're thrilled with the design! We've been working on plans for our 2009 Block of the Month and will be announcing the details by the end of the week.

Please stay tuned! It is one you won't want to miss out on! It's different than other BOM's you've seen in your local quilt shops and in the online quilt shops you'll find on the web.

If you would like up-to-the-moment information on our 2009 BOM, please be sure to sign up to be included on our mailing list, here!

While visiting our website, be sure to check out our latest pattern called: Candy Bar Road! We just participated in giving away a free Candy Bar Road quilt through our friend Dana's blog: Old Red Barn Co. You can go to her blog to read up on her quilt giveaways . . . they're lots of fun and entertaining, as well!!!

New Give-away Coming Soon!

Dear Friends:

Give-aways have become quite popular in the blogging/quilting world and I would like to participate and make someone happy to receive a free gift in the mail.  I hope you'll agree that snail mail is still very fun to receive!

Please stay tuned, as I'm formulating the give-away.  It will take place very soon.  I'll let you know what's coming up and if you are not on my mailing list through my website, please be sure to sign up here.

Anyone Up For Winning A Quilt?! . . . for FREE?!

Remember Dana of Old Red Barn Co.? We profiled her in our September NuzLetter. Well, as of today, she is giving away 3 quilts through her blog.



Simply click on the link on my sidebar and it will take you directly to her blog where you can sign up to win one of the following quilts. You can also find out a little more about the quilts and Dana gives you tips on how you can increase your chances of winning.




This is my Candy Bar Road pattern. I designed and constructed the quilt top especially for this giveaway. Isn't Dana's photography fantastic?




This pretty quilt was designed and made by my friend Kari Ramsay of Fresh Cut Quilts:

So go over there now and sign up. That's all you have to do, unless you'd like to do a little more for extra entries . . . Have fun participating in this free giveaway and I hope you win!

Soup Weather . . . or not?

I can't believe it's November 1 and we haven't had our first snow fall in Colorado. It's been in the 60's/70's over the past week and I've been on this soup-making kick . . . that is, if you think making it twice in one week is considered a "kick". This is the last one I made: Minestrone. It's one of those packaged versions with dried beans and a seasoning pack. This one called for a small can of crushed tomatoes. I added one, plus a can of diced tomatoes. It also called for 3/4 cup of pasta. I was pre-occupied as I was making the pasta portion of the soup and accidentally poured the entire pound of pasta in (talking on the phone or something). What do you do at that point? Pull out what you weren't supposed to put in? Nope. Just go with it. I think it looked prettier than it would have with the little bit they said to use. The bread is a multi-grain and went perfectly.

The first soup I made days earlier was a Northwest Lumberjack green pea. That called for carrots, celery, and onion sauteed in margarine. I sauteed it in Smart Balance, then added it to the rest of the soup that had already been cooking. It was so delicious. No picture this time. I'm trying to be a better blogger and am receiving great Blogging Coach lessons from my friend Dana at Old Red Barn Co. Thanks, Dana! ;)

Now Showing This Week at the International Quilt Market

This quilt design is called: Bachelorette Party! It is made with RJR Fabrics' Soiree line that came out in September. It will be showing in RJR's booth at the International Quilt Market.

You can purchase the pattern for this quilt on our website, SuzGuz Designs. Be sure to check out the Green/Lt. Blue/Brown colorway of this quilt, as well.



Showing in Quilting Treasures' booth, the following quilt is made with fabrics designed with Norman Rockwell's artwork. The line is called Rowdy Kids and I named the quilt design, Fond Memories. If you click on the pictures, you can see a closer view of the panels used. In addition, be sure to check out the outside border . . . kids hanging out of car windows.

Quilting Treasures will have a free pattern on their website in November 2008, so you can re-create this quilt, if you are interested.



This young girl, sitting outside the Principal's office, sports a shiner . . .




And the young boy in this frame, concerned for his best friend, patiently waits for the Vet . . .



This is another Quilting Treasures line designed by Julia Cairns called Joyful Days. I named this quilt Joyful Village. It shows off the colorful variety of fabrics you can get with this line and it, too, will be a free pattern available on the Quilting Treasures' website in November 2008, and is also hanging in their booth during International Quilt Market.




All quilts are quilted by Russ Adams of The Back Porch Quilters.