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.

My FIRST Cover!

Beth Hayes and the amazingly talented staff of McCall's Quilting gave me a great surprise:  My first cover!

Photo compliments of McCall's Quilting, Sept/Oct 2010 Issue

Please check out this issue, on newsstands soon: McCall's Quilting Magazine, September/October 2010.  I have two quilts in this issue (also a first!).  Hope you'll enjoy . . .

Savon Bouquet and Patchwork Rendezvous

I was browsing through Fabric.com's website and saw where they have 19 different fabrics from the Savon Bouquet line on sale for $3.99/yard . . .

I used Savon Bouquet for my quilt sample on the cover of my pattern: Patchwork Rendezvous.

This pattern still sells strongly and I thought I'd mention the great pricing for the fabric.

If you are interested in purchasing the pattern to make the quilt using this fabric, keep in mind that I used 25 different fat quarters for the finished quilt.

Fabric images from Fabric.com's website.

A First: Quilting Together Quilting Retreat

I received an invitation from my friend, Carolyn Beam, Creative Editor for Quiltmaker Magazine, to attend a new quilting retreat in Chicago, this year. It is called: Quilting Together in Chicago, and will be held September 29th - October 2, 2010. I will not be able to attend, but hope you can!

The Quilting Together website says that it "is the first event to bring together editors from you favorite quilting magazines with industry experts and innovators to provide avid quilters with a quilting retreat like no other."

In addition to Carolyn, Sherri Bain Driver, a former colleague, and Angie Hodapp, Editor-in-Chief of Quilters Newsletter, will also be holding a class. Sherri is Associate Editor of McCall's Quilting, McCall's Quick Quilts, and the McCall's Special Issues magazines.

Other instructors who will be teaching are Marianne Fons, co-founder of Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine, Jo Morton, quilt artist, fabric designer, teacher, author, and lecturer, Dawn Cavanaugh, award winning custom freehand quilter, Jodie Davis, "quilting enabler" and host of Quilt Out Loud & Quilt It!, and Nancy Mahoney, author, teacher, and fabric designer.

Image and information obtained from the Quilting Together in Chicago website.

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.

New Discovery: Blue Rose Pottery

My husband, Erv, has been working in Mexico and living in El Paso, Texas, for the past 3 weeks. It's tough to be away from your spouse for that long, especially if he's your best friend and biggest fan. We enjoy spending time together, so there is a big void for both of us.

Bluebell Teapot Image compliments of Blue Rose Pottery

On Friday evening, I drove up to Charlotte to pick Erv up from the airport. On my way, I saw a couple of new billboards advertising a pottery store off Exit 85 of I-77 in South Carolina. The name of the store is Blue Rose Pottery. I thought it would be a fun shop to stop by when he flew out, a few days later, so that's what we did.

Indigo Place Setting Image compliments of Blue Rose Pottery 

Check out the beautiful patterns they sell on their website. While we were at the store, we also discovered a few Christmas patterns, too. I never knew there were so many unique Polish pottery shapes and designs available!

More Market Updates from Minneapolis

Last week was crazy-busy. I finally have a moment to share a few more of my observations from Spring Market . . .

What to look for in upcoming months, online and at your favorite quilt shop:

From Robert Kaufman . . .

Coming to stores in July: Monaluna's Metro Cafe. Add some solids, and this line would make into a beautiful Candy Bar Road!

Like butterflies and darling coordinating prints? Check out Remix by Ann Kelle. This grouping is very colorful and fun! Great for quilt backings, or try all prints with one of our easy patterns, such as Patchwork Rendezvous.

I saw lots of touches of gray in many of the new lines coming out, this Summer. Check out Nancy Mim's Free to Grow; a new organic cottons line. Try it with our Bachelorette Party pattern for a dynamic throw.