Some Market Favorites and a Give Away!

While zipping around the vendor floor at Quilt Market, I always like to look for some new favorite products.  Of course I ran around and checked out all of the new fabric lines (lots more coming out in retro brights and more oil cloth), oogled over the beautiful sewing tables/furniture, buzzed by the Handiquilter booth as saw their new upgraded sit down machine that is really tempting me, and had to stop by and see the new Go Baby that Accuquilt is coming out with (that cute little pink carry bag is adorable by the way).  But it's funny, this year I was attracted to many items that I already have!  I always love stopping by the vendors that carry the vintage ribbons/trims and buttons ~ and this year I didn't really have much time to shop them, but I spotted lots of the ribbons wound around antique spools much like the ones I have available for sale in my etsy shop or on my website. 

The Quilt Happy people had a booth at Market, and I got to see all of their product line up close and personal.  They have some really nice totes and things coming out in the new year.  I just love my little carry all, and already have them available here in my shop.

And the Sullivan's Cutting Edge rulers were quite a hit at this Market too.  These rulers are cool because they have a carbide edge that sharpens the rotery cutter wheel with regular use.  I particularly like the markings, they're very easy to read, and pretty competivly priced too.  I have several sizes already available here on my website under Favorite Notions.  It was kind of neat to see that some of the most recent things that I've liked and brought to our store were some of the popular things shown at Market :)

...And in keeping with our little tradition of a Market Goodie Give Away, here is a little pile of things that I've brought home just to pass on the Quilt Market love.  Included in the give away is a great oversized tote from the Go Baby Schoolhouse that I attended, a really cute little gift box that has a special Go Baby key chain along with a bubble gum cigar to annouce the birth of the Go Baby :), A fabric tote bag from Andover made with their Dimples line, a current issue of Quiltmaker Magazine, A card making kit from eStudio fabrics and Christine Adolph, and a cloth quilt label...and I just may throw a few more things in the box before I ship it out to a lucky winner. 

So, just leave a comment on this post, and I'll do a random drawing of one name and announce the winner on Sunday night :) 

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Quilt Market Schoolhouse Heros

Schoolhouse, the day before Quilt Market opens, is a program that offers one session after another all day long where you get to see the new and exciting things coming out in the quilt world.  First I had the dilemma of choosing what sessions to attend and what to pass on.  Some sessions are purely educational, and not full of glitz and glamor.  I attended several web/marketing education classes ~ which is what I needed to be doing ~ but they weren't exciting enough to take pictures in that's for sure. 

But I did get to attend some sessions that were hosted by some of my favorites in the Quilt World.  I was so happy to see Elly Sienkiewicz and the beautiful quilt that she was showcasing from her book, Beloved Baltimore Album Quilts.  There is also a wonderful exhibit of Baltimore Album quilts at Market/Festival this year that is a must see if you're there, but pictures aren't allowed for most of it. 

There is a new program that was kicked off at Market in conjunction with Quilts of Valor called Under Our Wings. 

Marianne Fons hosted along with Catherine Roberts, the founder and Executive Director of Quilts of Valor.  The ladies introduced the new program that is bringing 9 different fabric companies under one tent to work together to release special Quilts of Valor fabric lines for making patriotic quilts for those military members who have been touched by war.  The Under Our Wings program is an incentive to pair up a mentor with a non-quilter to make a quilt to give.  It looks exciting ~ be watching for the QOV fabric lines coming out in the Spring from Andover, Clothworks, Marcus Fabrics, Moda, P&B, Quilting Treasures, Red Rooster, Timeless Treasures, and Windham.

I of course went to the Accuquilt Go Baby presentation and enjoyed Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson have a little fun, in that sweet Ricky and Alex style. 

Another of my favorite Schoolhouses was to see Lynda Hall's quilt from her new book with Kansas City Star, called A Little Porch Time.  I was sorry to miss Lynda, but Edie McGinnis

is so nice, and filled in for Lynda beautifully :)

And of course I couldn't miss the Jo Morton Schoolhouse session :)  This is a picture of Jo with a quilt made from her design Cut the Mustard, that a lady made using the Annandale fabric collection.  It was stunning!

 Another one of Jo's goodies :)

These are sneak peeks at some of the projects coming up in the Jo Little Women's club 10.  The next club will be run a little differently than in the past.  I don't have details yet, but basically there will be 8 projects that will span the course of a year instead of 6 months. 

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Picture quality took a back seat to just trying to snap a shot as a quilt passed by, and many of my pictures were filled with people's heads and deemed not blog-worthy (and remember, I'm still learning this new camera and it's idiosyncrasies), but this gives a little sampling of what goes on at Schoolhouse.  

And alas, I'm still unpacking...but check back tomorrow for my annual Quilt Market Goodie Giveaway...I promise to have my goodies unpacked by then :)

Enjoy the day!

~ Dawn

Whirlwind Trip to Houston

 

I'm back home already from my whirlwind trip to Houston (where the weather was just gorgeous by the way!).  Quilt Market is still going on, and I'm home already.  I had to do this Quilt Market quickly because I had to be home by Sunday evening, so I really was only there for Friday (School House) and Saturday (Day One of the Market Floor)...And half of Saturday I worked at the Quiltwoman booth, so I covered the entire Market Floor in a record 3 hours ~ as the blister on the bottom of my foot can attest to!

Being behind the scenes at Set Up of Quilt Market was an interesting experience.  This is the night before opening day, still lots of crates. 

Everyone is buzzing away at their own booths, and stuff is everywhere, but it all works out with beautiful results.  I was in awe.

I stopped in on the Quiltwoman booth after school house to help with set up, but Nancy and Jen had most if it done.  So dinner was in order, and I just came back early the next morning to help with sorting patterns, and all of the last minute touches that needed to be done before the opening.  

Quiltwoman has 5 booth spots this year right at the end of the 300 row (I couldn't even fit it all in my photo), and they are going to remain there through Quilt Festival!  If you're going to Festival, just look for the Red booths :)

And here are my two quilts that are hanging in the booth, Circle Gets the Square and Abby's Owl! You can see that I took this picture while set up was still in progress.  Once I was working the booth Saturday morning, I was too busy to snap pictures!

And my Minneapolis Tote is hanging on the end ~ everyone who goes to the bathroom on that end of the hall will go right by it...prime spot I think :)

I'll have some Schoolhouse pictures here tomorrow, and some sneak peeks at Jo Morton's upcoming Little Women Club 10.  Right now I have to unpack, and start going through all of my new "work" that I just brought home...and maybe do a little laundry too.  

Enjoy the Day!

~ Dawn

Heading to Houston!

I'm busy, busy here getting ready to head to Houston for Fall Quilt Market.  You can click here to download a pdf file of our Fall Quilt Market Flier with my newest patterns premiering this fall.  I'm so excited to be working at the Quiltwoman Booth on Saturday, so if you're there, stop by and say Hi!

PS ~ I'd love it if you'd give a copy of my pattern flier to your local quilt shop, and stay tuned for my annual Quilt Market Giveaway of Goodies when I return :)     See you when I get back ~ and if I can figure out this new camera, hopefully I'll have some pictures to share!!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Saving an Old Sweater ~ Continued

In my continuing quest to repurpose some of my old knit sweaters, here is a Christmas pillow that I made yesterday out of an old Nordic sweater that needed a new life.

Before I commence to showing you my up-cycling process ~ please pardon the quality of the photos.  My digital camera died Sunday night, and I made these pillows yesterday before running out and purchasing my new little camera, so the photos were taken on my phone.  Now I have to learn the new menus and button symbols on the new camera...so hopefully I'll be up and running with it by Market :)

To make a recycled sweater pillow, you'll need an old sweater to cut up, a half yard of cotton fabric for the pillow back, and a pillow form (mine is 16 inches), and Fusible Fleece or Interfacing.  

First I cut the sweater up the side seams and around the arm holes.  This is the back of this particular sweater that I'm using for the pillow front.

Then, in order to stabilize the sweater, I fused a 16 1/2 inch square of fusible fleece to the back side of my sweater panel, placing it in the area that I want to become the pillow front.  Other types of interfacing could be used for the same purpose, I just like the body and stability that the fusible fleece adds to the pillow. 

Now, using my 16 1/2 inch square up ruler, I cut out around the fusible fleece square to give me my sweater pillow front.  (The pillows can be any size that you want, or whatever works for your sweater ~ I chose 16 1/2" because I have a 16 inch pillow form).     

To make the overlapping pillow back (so that a pillow form is removable), trim the half yard of cotton fabric to 17 inches by the width of the fabric.  Then cut the fabric in half to make two pieces that measure 17 x 22".  Fold the pieces in half, wrong sides together to make two pieces that are 11 x 17".   Lay them out, using the grid on a cutting mat, so that the folds overlap each other in the center by 5" and the outer edges fit around a 17" square on the grid.   Then lay the sweater square right side down, centered over the pillow back pieces and pin, then sew all the way around the outer edges using a generous quarter inch seam allowance (A walking foot is helpful for sewing through the layers).  Clip the seam allowances and corners then turn the pillow right side out, and insert a pillowform.
 

For another alternative, a plain sweater square (leftover from the sweater that I cut up on Sunday) can also be embellished with applique.   On this piece I used some wool shapes that I cut with my Accuquilt Go Fall Medley Die #55041.  I then machine blanket stitched around the shapes (the fusible fleece has a nice affect here of making the appliqued shapes have some dimension).  Border the embellished sweater square with some cotton strips, and back like above for another up-cycled sweater pillow. 

All three are available in my Etsy store, or do a little archeology in your sweater drawers and make one for yourself...I'd love to see pictures of the ones you make!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Autumn Green

What can you do with a pretty Autumn knit sweater that is all stretched out from years of wear?  Well cut it up and make a throw pillow of course :)

I was in an Autumn mood, so I made this one today by bordering it with strips of cotton fabric in some lovely fall colors.  This one is for sale here in my Etsy Store. 

There are many ways to work with upcycled items, and giving them new life.  I'm busy recycling some other old sweaters, so check back soon ~ there just might be a little tutorial on how I make mine :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

Need a New Christmas Quilt?

My Winterberry Wreaths quilt is now a pattern available at Quiltwoman.com.  It's available as both a hard copy pattern and as a pdf downloadable pattern ~ Just in time for the holidays!

This is a nice Christmas quilt, that is not toooo "Christmasy", so you can leave it on the bed well after the holidays :) 

And the pattern includes instructions for the bonus throw pillow that can be made in any coordinating fabrics.  Happy Holidays a little early!

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn