"Orange You Glad"

I am so excited about my second finish of the year-"Orange You Glad"!

I used True Colors charm packs from Joel Dewberry, Anna Maria Horner, Jenean Morrison, and 

Heather Bailey for Free Spirit

From the moment I saw them at fall market I knew I wanted to do something with them.

I left out most of the neutrals because I knew they wouldn't show up on my background.

(Collage by Carrie Bloomston)

I also threw in some Henna Garden from Sandi Henderson for good measure. :o)

I almost quilted pebbles in the background, but I'm so glad I did this instead!

I'll be posting a step by step on how I made this next week. Orange you glad?

 Tomorrow I'm headed to Quilt Bliss to sew all weekend long.

HAPPY SEWING!

Smile, it's Wednesday!

Here's a little something to make you smile (or cry, but I hope it's smile).



I love Hilary Weeks and her music, but this is still one of my favorites :o)

SLMQG presents Carolyn Friedlander

On Saturday I took the morning off from being a Mom and drove up to Salt Lake City for a special guild meeting where Carolyn Friedlander presented a trunk show. Seriously, this girl is fabulous. You may be scratching your head thinking "I know that name...." Well let me jog your memory. Carolyn is a fabric designer for Robert Kaufman and the artistic genius behind the collections Architextures and Botanics. 

Not only is Carolyn a fabulous fabric designer, her quilt patterns are AMAZING!

(please excuse the janky phone photos!)

PARK. Carolyn does some amazing needle turn applique work. 

GROVE mini. Love the paper piecing and color blocked binding!

One of my favorites- PALMETTO

SHIRTS inspired by.... shirts!

The quality of this picture if not so great, but you can kind of see the amazing quilting on the back of the 'Shirts' mini. Carolyn does it all herself on a straight stitch Juki.

I totally fell in love with TANGELO

Isn't she the cutest! I met Carolyn last fall in Houston. She is so nice and down to earth. It was a pleasure to be in the audience on Saturday and here her quilting story.

The amazing border work on FOCAL

And last but not least, my over all favorite BOTANICS. This quilt stopped me in my stracks at market. The colors in her Botanics fabric collection and her amazing eye for fabric placement and design, not to mention her impeccable applique all make this quilt an amazing piece of art.

Take a minute to check out her work at

carolynfriedlander.com

HAPPY SEWING!

 

Bag Lady

I was in a quilt shop the other day when I heard a couple of women talking to each other. The one was telling her friend about some cute fabric she'd picked out and commented how cute it would be for a bag. Her friend quickly replied saying "Oh, I don't make bags." I smiled and thought "I know what you mean, neither do I." But that's not true anymore!

A few months ago I found myself doing something I thought I would never do- making a bag! Ok, so it's a small bag; a clutch to be precise. And you know what!? It was fabulous! The experience was so painless and fun that I decided share it with other bag-shy quilters.

I'm teaching the "Classy Clutch" at the Corn Wagon quilt shop in Springville and you should come join me! Even if you're an expert bag maker, this little clutch is so quick, easy and fun you'll have a blast making it.

Sorry for the horribly blurry pic!

I LOVE this clutch! It's the perfect size for normal everyday purse essentials without all the extra bulk. If you're not a 'clutch' gal, line it with laminate and use it as a cosmetic bag. Or use it to tote around your english paper piecing project. There are so many uses for this cute little bag you'll be making it again and again. Believe me, I'm on my 5th with three more waiting in line.

So come join me Wednesday, February 5 from 6-8pm. Stop in the Corn Wagon or sign up online.

HAPPY SEWING!

Cover Girl

Last week I received the most awesome surprise in the mail!

The latest issue of Modern Quilts Unlimited features a new pattern designed by me and the photo is on the COVER!!!

As soon as I found out I was going to be on the cover, every time I thought about it a song I remember fondly from my childhood kept coming to mind. Cover Girl by New Kids on the Block. Come on, take a moment to listen, it will brighten your day :o)

I am honored and excited to have my quilt chosen for the cover. I had a lot of fun planning and making "Pluses". I used batiks again and really love how they POP on the white background. The quilting was done by my friend Konda of Moose on the Porch quilting. She did a fabulous job!

And as if being on the cover of a magazine wasn't a big enough surprise in itself, I turned the magazine over to find a gorgeous ad from Michael Miller Fabrics featuring another quilt that I designed and made! 

The "French Tile" quilt that I made using their Blue and White collection is a free pattern download on their site.

Now who can say they've been on the front and back cover of a magazine at the same time!? :o)

HAPPY SEWING!

First Finish

In the past I haven't kept very good track of my quilts. Sure I can go through patterns I've written and figure out when it was made, but there's more quilts than just the pattern quilts. This year I am going to try and keep better track and post each and every finish here on the blog. 

My first finish was done a few days ago but thanks for a broken computer monitor I'm only just posting about it now.

I used the GLITZ fabrics from Michael Miller Fabrics. 

I can't tell you how much I LOVE this fabric. Of course the colors and prints are cute, but what I really love is the use-ability of it. What I mean is it is soft and flexible and delicious!

I know you've seen fabric like this before, with an over print of some glittery goop that makes the fabric stiff and scratchy. Not this one. They worked to get the formula right and it is so right. 

I can see some of the cutest little girl clothes made from these prints. Think Easter dress! In fact, I'm stitching together a skirt for Miss Paris using the scraps. 

Before it was quilted I used it as a photo backdrop. I wanted to get a picture of me wearing my fabulous new scarf made by my dear friend Yvonne. THANK YOU SO MUCH! I absolutely love it.

HAPPY SEWING!