Monday, March 26, 2012

On the Road

I'm treating myself to a retreat after spending a delightful weekend in Oshkosh, WI at the Fox Valley Technical College Sewing & Quilting Expo. Twenty ladies joined me for a Five & Dime class on Friday, I shared my quilting story thru a trunk show of quilts at a dinner with over 200 women Friday evening, then gave 5- 1 hour presentations on Precuts, Raw Edge Applique, Fabric Design & Inspiration and more on Sat. I was so tired of listening to myself talk that the 3 hour drive to my friend, Pam's, house was a quiet blessing on Sunday.

While here, I'm working on a quilt for my daughter, Nicole's, 30th b'day (last October). It's the same block I'm featuring in the new Holiday Medley Christmas fabric due in June. Just cutting today, but here's a look. It's a simple 9-patch with raw edge appliquéd squares and triangles to create the double star effect. 30 stars, 90 different KT fabrics.




She'll love it!

Oh yes, today's winner of the trio of charm patterns is......KrisD. Please send your mailing address and I'll send your patterns when i return home next week.
Thanks for stopping by,
Lynne

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Mokena, ILL

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Happy First Day of Spring!

I've been so busy packing for my trip to Oshkosh, WI to teach this weekend that I missed posting yesterday. For those of you who stopped by, so sorry. The random number generator picked a bigger number this week - #59 - so that means Carol is the lucky winner of the 3-pack of KT Stash patterns. Please email your address and be patient since I won't be home to send your patterns until April. Thanks to everyone for your delightful critter and grandkid stories. Definitely got a chuckle out of them.

This week's goodies up for grabs - 3 of our most popular charm patterns, KT Classic Charm, Prairie Medley and Wildflower Baskets - all just perfect for spring stitching!





There might even be a few charm squares thrown in to get you started.

Gotta run. Lots of packing to finish. Update next Monday. Check back for a sneak peek at the April KT Stash project.

Know of any good antique stores between Kansas and WI?

Monday, March 12, 2012

Spring is in the air

Congratulations to ILUVMYBUGS, winner of the Bloomin' Pinwheels pattern/scraps this week. So, does the "bugs" in your name refer to VW cars or does it refer to crawly bugs? Just wonderin'.

I've had the best time traveling the past few weeks to Hesston, Kansas, Belleville, Kansas and Bartlesville, Oklahoma for programs and workshops. Such welcoming, enthusiastic ladies at every stop. I enjoy hearing their stories, seeing their quilts and answering questions of all sorts. Hanging out for an afternoon of quilting is always a blast because we get to know the ladies a little better and see how tickled they are with the fast results of our raw edge applique workshops. Is this the best job in the world or what?! Thanks to all of you who have been so warm and supportive in my travels.

On Tuesday, March 13, 7pm. I'll be sharing my quilts in a trunk show for Linda, owner of Sunflower Quilt Shop in Hiawatha, Kansas. We're expecting a good crowd at the Fisher Community Center, 203 E. Iowa St.  Join us if you can!  Call Linda for information at 785-742-4343.

The following week, March 23-24, I'll be in Oshkosh, WI for their 11th Annual Sewing & Quilting Expo at Fox Valley Technical College. I'll be teaching at a college - how cool is that!!! A few of the other instructors are Rhonda Horvath of Ragspun Quilts (I love her raggy appliques in KT fabrics); Mary Sorensen teaching fine hand applique; Renee Shedivy with crazy quilting and Jan Krueger with her Fireside Cuddle Quilt. I'll be teaching my Five and Dime quilt on Friday, a trunk show presentation Friday evening and 5 1-hour programs on Saturday. It's a brand new experience for me and I can't wait! Get the scoop here.

On a personal note, last weekend, a couple of the grandsons were here exploring the surrounding woods with the dog, Gus. In one section of trees, my grown up boys have set up a paint ball course with barrels, piles of railroad ties and other fortifications against enemy attack. The little boys enjoy playing there with their Nerf guns, hiding in spots where no one else can go. Well, one hiding spot is inside a 4' round barrel with a cone-shaped roof that has about a 12" hole in it. The boys have filled the bottom with straw and claimed it as their hideout. When Cooper (11 years old and impulsive) started to climb in, Gus went wild barking at him. Rowan (9 years old, level-headed and wise beyond his years) remarked, "I wouldn't get in there without looking first, Cooper." When Coop looked into the barrel - with one leg already hanging inside - he noticed the object of Gus' warning - a skunk. It didn't take him very long to jump down from the barrel. Rowan remarked, "He can move pretty fast!" Gus found the opening at the base of the barrel, we covered it with a brick and called Grampa B (my Dad) to come shoot the skunk. It's been hanging out under my front porch, stinking up the whole neighborhood and had to go. While waiting for Grampa, the boys insisted on beating on the side of the barrel to incite the skunk to spray, then complain about the putrid smell and do it again and again. Really? I'm pretty sure a couple of girls wouldn't go there. Grampa B came, shot the skunk and was proclaimed the hero of the day. We thought the problem was solved. A couple of nights later, Robert and I were overcome with the stench of skunk from behind the cabin. Guess all the relatives came for a wake. There's been no sign of any skunks since. Just another day "in the wild", as Delainey likes to call our little patch of country.

Okay, enough of the grankid stories, let's move on to the giveaway of the week. How about one of each of this year's new KT Stash Society patterns - Snow, Hearts to You and Bloomin' Pinwheels?





Comment here by Sunday 10pm for a chance to win all three. Tell me a story about your grankids - or pesky varmints at your house. Hope to see you at one of my upcoming events this spring.


Monday, March 5, 2012

#20's a winner!

Our handy dandy random number generator picked #20 out of the hat today, so congratulations to Judy - you're the winner of the Sandhill Plums bundle. Have fun and share the results with us.

A new KT Stash Society participating shop this year is Country Fabrics in Brainerd, MN. Brenda leads the group with enthusiasm and inspiration for her ladies. Here are a few of their completed January projects -



Don't ya just love all the different fabrics and color combinations? I thought this runner would be great for summer in red/tan/blue - now I know I have to do it! Thanks to all of Brenda's ladies for sharing their Snow projects. I'd love to know their names - and what they named their quilts, too. Please send photos of your Stash group anytime. We'd enjoy seeing what you're doing.

This week's giveaway is the new KT Stash Society March project - Bloomin' Pinwheels - plus a few fabrics to get you started. Traditionally pieced pinwheels in 2 sizes create a colorful accent for spring. A little raw edge applique for leaves/stems and button embellishment turn some of the pinwheels into spring's first blooms.

Comment here by Sunday 10pm. for a shot at winning the pattern and some parts and pieces laying around :).

I'm off to Bartlesville, OK for a program and workshop on Friday. Hopefully, we'll have some industrious ladies with blocks to share.
See ya,
Lynne