Finally..... nice weather

I wasn't sure what to do this afternoon. It came down to a choice between playing with new fabric or sitting outside.

This box of fabric arrived. It's from the Northcott's Canyon Ridge line. (Marsha I know you're drooling)

It's the fabric that is featured in Dust Devils and I want to make up the sample.

However it was SO nice out and it's amazing what has popped up in the last day or so especially since it was all covered with a bit more snow last Wednesday.

Can you guess which one won??

My chair on the porch called louder.

I'm teaching tomorrow so maybe I can do some cutting then.

Rock Star of a different colour.....

Jennifer from The Quilted Cow (love that name) in Cape Fair, Missouri (www.thequiltedcow.com) sent a picture of the Rock Star she did in her store.

I love it

I checked out the website and this looks like such a fun place to be. Gotta love quilt shops.

Thanks Jennifer.

New Pattern and your imagination....

My latest pattern for Northcott is out and they will be shipping soon.
(remember that if you see something you like you can always order from me.)

Dust Devils features Northcott's Canyon Ridge fabric

Dust Devils makes great use (even if I do say so myself) of a border fabric.  How many times have you passed on a beautiful border fabric (and sometimes they are the most beautiful print in the whole line) because you think that if you use it you'll have to do a mitered border? Or do you just buy them for that runner pattern?

Why not use it alternated with blocks or even just strips of coordinating fabric to do a simple row quilt? Let the border print BE the design.

In Dust Devils, for instance, the border is used 3 times as a design feature and the border is NOT mitered but uses corner blocks that are repeats of the block in the center.

What would Dust Devils look like in florals??

So next time BUY the border fabric and show it off .... Your quilt will go from nice to WOW. Just say thanks and take all the credit.

I've been going crazy waiting to show you the piece I've made for the guild challenge. I didn't want to post before the voting just in case I happened to influence the outcome. We won't know the winners until next month. It was a tough race with some outstanding entries and I will try to remember to get some pictures of the other entries.

The title of the challenge is Quilts in Bloom and I decided to do hexie flowers and think outside the box... or square. I had visions of flowers dripping over a garden wall.

The hexagons are 1/2" and I am addicted to making them. I wasn't sure about the English paper piecing method - maybe too fiddley - but found that I just love it. There is no worrying about seam allowance and the method is quite forgiving. And pulling the paper out is like popping bubble wrap!

I had so much fun fussy cutting some and some are pieced with ideas from the book Pieced Hexies by Mickey Depre.

There are so many great ideas in this book. I have to make more!!!

Well today is the Good Friday holiday and it is a beautiful spring day. I hope you get out to enjoy some of it.

Don't forget to post comments. I love to see what you have to say.

Happy Easter 

everyone

Today is Pi day - 3.14 (March 14) so to celebrate I am going to tell you how to figure out how much binding you need for your circular projects like tree skirts. Use this anytime you need to figure out the outside measurement (circumference) of a circle.

Think way back to math class.

 Circumference = diameter x Pi

So.... measure the widest part of your circle (diameter) and multiply x 3.14 (Pi)

If your circle is 24" across multiplied by 3.14 you get 75.36". Add 5" or 6" for joining the ends (depending on how join could be more or less). You need about 81" of binding..... Easy!!

Don't forget to use bias binding when binding curves.

Enjoy some Pi today.

Kudos to The Electric Quilt Co...

I still can't find the CD for my quilt design program.
The other day I wrote an email to The Electric Quilt Co. explaining my dilemma. I told them that I thought I knew what they were going to say but had to ask if there was a way that I could reload it without buying a new program. (It is an excellent program but it costs $189 + tax and shipping) It's registered so I thought that they might be able to see that I do own one... somewhere. I thought for sure the answer would be "No"
Amazingly they replied right away and told me I can get a replacement disk for $10..... $10!!!
I was so excited and relieved.

Thank you Electric Quilt Co.

Don't you love it when good things happen.....

Finally.....

I finally have my computer back after a major crash and now have to reload everything. Luckily my files are okay so all the work I have done lately is still there.

I am only missing one CD to reload and it is my EQ7 design program. I have looked everywhere and all I can find is the empty box.

I really hope I can resolve this before the next assignment from Northcott. Plus I have all sorts of designs floating around in my head and I would like to get them out of there.