Fowl Play Collection by Benartex Fabrics Contest is over and Joyce is my winner of the fat quarter bundle with 6 of the chicken panels. Congratulations, Joyce! I get to rock out again in the hen house with the Fowl Play fabrics I used a few weeks ago in a tutorial for Benartex. These are just so much fun, as you can see in the stack above: little chicks, chicken wire, chicken scratching and BIG hens with names from REAL chickens from a REAL chicken farm. There's even a border print with chickens on a wire which I used at the top and bottom of this table runner. Table runner using my Arrowheads "tilt" template You can see what I did here: Rock out in the Hen House I wanted to revisit these fabulous chicken and rooster panels and do something very different. This time I chose those with the blue chicken wire backgrounds. Same chickens with a blue background Then I did something radical (at least I think so). I ignored the square shape and cut them out...

Yes, I have not one, not two, but THREE projects in here The latest issue of Modern Patchwork is on newsstands NOW. How can a 60-something quilt designer, in love with traditional patterns, create something to appeal to modern quilters? Why, use some of the newest fabrics and think outside the box. I love the refreshing, clean (not busy) and simple designs that our younger quilters are bringing to the quilt world. Here are my 3 projects that you will find in this magazine , on newsstands now: The Improv Adventure quilt was made using the Windham Fabrics Gees Bend Collection of solids. The hexagon kitchen ensemble was made using the Windham Fabrics Bella Collection by Lotta Jansdotter. Improv Adventure - a fun class that I've taught that helps students step outside the box 3 Hot Pads, strip pieced using a 60 degree ruler (lined with batting) Four block table runner using same technique as the hot pads I think the straight line quilting is a modern appeal. I lo...

The Dori Collection by Benartex Contest is over: Sharon of Phoenix, Arizona won the fat quarter bundle of Dori fabrics. Congratulations, Sharon! New fabrics to play with. I revisited a pattern I designed last year for another Benartex Collection which appeared in the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine Issue 5. Come with me to the Sew in Love with Fabric Blog (Benartex) to see what I made with these. Here's a sneak peek: Is that a curve? Do you really want me to sew a curved seam? Yes, I show you how to not only sew a curved seam but how to fussy cut a beautiful flower: Oooh! What a lovely flower. How do I get it in the center of that circle? Here's my giveaway: 4 fat quarters in the blue fabrics: 4 Fat Quarters from the Dori Collection Just leave a comment for me here. Tell me you've visited the Benartex blog to see my tutorial and your HONEST thoughts about piecing curved patches. If you are not a Blogger, you must leave your email or you come ...

What can I say? A mother of three daughters finally has a set of boys and now I can make non-girlie things! Miles is 3 years old today! Favorite activity when they come visit grandpa? Cruising in the wheelbarrow, just this past weekend! My two little grandsons (1 and 3 years old, this week)  Another favorite activity? Playing in the big "bubba" truck! One big boy and two little boys in the truck bed. "Can I drive now, grandpa?" So, you know I had to make trucks and things with wheels for the little boys. Pam Rocco's patterns from a past issue of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine I was going to make a quilt like Pam's and then realized that I didn't have the energy to put an entire quilt together. Plus, I wanted something for both boys to share. Why not over sized postcard versions of these cars, trucks and buses? Well, why not!! You can see Pam's quilt - and get the free pattern at the QNM site - and my early blocks here: The...

My 3 "girls" and our dog Belle  Had all my girls home this past weekend for my oldest daughter's baby shower (Audrey, on the right above, wearing a wool cowl I crocheted). Hilary came in from Pittsburgh, PA (on the left, daughter #2) and Valery (in the center, the youngest) came from Atlanta, GA. The dog just had to sneak her way into the photo and then refused to smile. What did mom make for her favorite oldest daughter? Paper Dolls Collection ( Windham Fabrics 2007, I think) Audrey saw a set of these dolls at an Etsy shop and immediately asked me about them. I recognized the fabric and went sleuthing to find it for less than the asking price of $25 a yard of another Etsy seller (gasp!) I emailed about 100 quilt shops around the USA (found a list at the Windham Fabrics site) and while most (of course) had none remaining, a few did and I also bought a yard of the doll clothes. 3 little stuffed dolls with vintage ribbon from my stash Let's see the fa...