Bloomin Blog

Winner & Wild Rose Retreat

2011-11-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful (and much needed) retreat and visit to Washington, I returned home last night, just in time to select a winner for the Garden Party fat quarter bundle and coordinating Quilter's Solids this morning. With the assistance of random.org, the lucky winner is #13, CATSKILL QUILTER!! Congratulations!! E-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net with your mailing address and your package will be on its way!

I can't say enough about the absolutely fantastic accommodations at the Wild Rose Quilt Shop and Retreat Center in Orting, Washington! The quilt shop is on the ground level and the retreat center is the entire second story, with the bedrooms on both sides of the huge sewing area and a full kitchen. State-of-the-art lighting and ergonomic chairs, as well as design walls, cutting stations and ironing boards and irons, were all provided. Many thanks to Robbie, John and Andrea who made sure our every need was taken care of!

They also hosted a wine & cheese party one evening, where I was able to meet and talk with quilters who have participated in my block-of-the-month programs. It was so much fun!

After being gone nearly a week, I have lots of work to do, as well as preparing for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I wish you all a very happy turkey day!

Until next time. . . Vicki

New Fabric Bundles & a Giveaway!

2011-11-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

A new category has been added to our web site called "Fabric Bundles", where you will find an assortment of fat quarter and fat 8th bundles, all from the Aunt Grace's Garden Party fabric line, by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics. I can't tell you how much fun I had putting these together!

Our petite bundles include an assortment of prints in three color ways and are just the right amount of fabric for small applique or English paper piecing projects! If you haven't added the Quilters' Solids (by Marcus Fabrics) to your stash, these are a "must have" and coordinate perfectly with the Aunt Grace prints.

Or, if you'd rather have a complete fat quarter bundle of the Garden Party collection, we're offering that as well!

In celebration of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I'd like to express my gratitude to all of my wonderful customers by offering a Garden Party giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a complete Garden Party fat quarter bundle and Quilters' Solids bundle. Simply leave a comment and then check back the day before Thanksgiving when a lucky winner will be drawn!

I'm leaving in a couple of days for a retreat at a fantastic shop in Orting, Washington called "Wild Rose Quilt Shop". I've heard so much about it and will share photos with you upon my return. It's very rare that I take the time to actually attend a retreat, so this is really exciting!! I'm taking along some new Moda fabric collections and plan to start working on new designs in preparation for Spring 2012 quilt market. (I know it sounds like a long way off, but the time really creeps up on me fast, so I'm trying to get an earlier start than I normally would.)

Until next time. . . Vicki

New patterns & quilts for sale!

2011-10-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when new quilts are designed and made, instructions are finalized, photos are taken and patterns are printed in time for International Quilt Market. I must say, I'm extremely thrilled with my new BOM designed for use with Strip-It fabric (by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics). Her Vintage Rouge fabric collection is just beautiful, which made designing the quilt an extreme pleasure! This BOM pattern includes several techniques - English paper piecing, applique and embroidery. Check with your favorite quilt shop to see if they will be offering this program, which is scheduled to run from May through October. We've added the complete Vintage Rouge pattern pack to our web site today.

Another of our newest patterns is called Very Cherry and was made using two Aunt Grace's Garden Party prints and 1930's quilters' solids, by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.

And finally, a new pattern that is very near and dear to me, Remembering Annabelle. I chose fabrics from the Etchings collection by 3 Sisters (for Moda), and I know Anne would have loved it!

Also new to our web site are several Bloom Creek quilt models for sale. All of these quilts were used for our pattern cover photographs. I had the opportunity to donate several quilts to wonderful charities last year, but we are still busting at the seams and need to make room for newer quilts! We hope you will find the prices to be reasonable, making it that much easier to find good homes for our quilts!

Coming soon to our web site are fat quarter bundles of the Aunt Grace's Garden Party collection, assorted fat 8th bundles, as well as 1930's quilter's solids, all by Judie Rothermel.

Until next time. . . Vicki

Garden Party & Hexagon Madness!

2011-08-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

With September approaching, I wanted to share with you that together with Marcus Fabrics, Judie Rothermel and myself, our new Aunt Grace’s Garden Party BOM program will be kicking off in just a few weeks! Judie and I have become fast friends over the years and have learned that we both have aunts who have had such a profound affect on our lives – Judie’s Aunt Grace and my Aunt Janet. After learning that gardening was also a passion for both aunts, it was quickly decided that Garden Party would be the theme of this quilt.

While the complete pattern pack is available on my website, if you’re interested in participating in the six-month program (yes, you’ll have the complete quilt made in six short months!), check with your local quilt shop or on-line shop to sign up before it’s too late!

Completing and submitting my English paper piecing manuscript to Martingale Publishing several months ago kick-started a hexagon craze in my house! I have been basting 3/4” hexagons from a vast assorted of Fig Tree fabrics for a quilt that I hope to start assembling in a few months. I found the most perfect clear plastic boxes at Office Max that neatly stores about 250 hexagons. There's something so rewarding about just looking at all of them stacked up and in rows by color!

To my delight, after teaching my 10-year-old granddaughter Lexi to paper piece a few months ago, she has been basting like a maniac and tells me the tiny 1/2 hexagons are her favorite. I can't tell you what she's going to do with them because she's working on top secret presents for Christmas!

She brings her paper piecing cases and EPP supplies whenever she comes to visit and we have such fun sitting side-by-side, talking, laughing and sharing our passion for English paper piecing. We’ve been talking about designing an English paper pieced quilt together – how fun and special that would be!

With summer coming to an end, it’s time for me to buckle down and start working towards new designs for fall quilt market! The first one to be introduced is “Remembering Annabelle”, which is in the process of being photographed for the pattern cover. Hope to share it with you in a few weeks!

Until next time. . . Vicki

In Loving Memory

2011-07-06T08:22:00.001-07:00

As some of you might know, my dearest, sweetest friend, Anne Myers, lost her courageous battle with cancer in May. My sincere thanks to those who have supported and comforted me during this most difficult loss.

Anne and I met through quilting many years ago and became instant friends! My first Bloom Creek pattern, Blooms for Annabelle, was designed and named for her and I always told her she was as much a part of Bloom Creek as I am!

We called each other "sister friends", which best describes the close, meaningful relationship we had. For those of us who were fortunate enough to know Anne, I think we would all agree that our lives were truly enriched by just knowing her. I truly believe I am a better person for the years I spent with her and will have wonderful memories of our friendship for the rest of my life.

Not only was Anne an avid quilter who especially loved applique, English paper piecing and embroidery, she was proficient in needlepoint and made the most beautiful, one-of-a-kind Christmas stockings for each member of her family. During my last trip to Kentucky to spend a week with her in April, she was trying her best to finish the last stocking for her grandson who was born last fall. She had a sense of urgency about finishing it so that his stocking would be able to hang with the rest this Christmas. I promised to finish it for her, and after a quick brush-up on my needlepoint skills, I have been working on the stocking every chance I get, which has brought me a sense of joy that has been quite therapeutic.

I must admit that I have been in somewhat of a design "funk" for the past 6 weeks. However, I recently decided to design a new quilt that will be called "Remembering Annabelle", and I'm happy to say, I'm no longer in my funk!. I instinctively purchased a new fabric bundle at quilt market by 3 Sisters (for Moda) called "Etchings", most likely because 3 Sisters was one of Anne's favorite fabric designers. So, with Etchings on deck, I'm designing a quilt that will encompass many of Anne's favorite things. I hope to have it finished and ready to introduce by August!

And so my sweet friend, though you are missed more than words can say, you are always in my thoughts and will always be a part of Bloom Creek.

Until next time. . . Vicki

Pride & Joy!

2011-02-05T10:11:00.001-08:00

For those of you who assume I've disappeared into the sunset, just wanted you to know I haven't! It's been an extremely busy new year with little time for anything but designing and sewing. (I always seem to start my posts with excuses and apologies.) I think I should go on the quarterly plan, since I seem to only post about once every 3 months!

First and foremost, I have to brag a little about my 10-year-old granddaughter, Lexi. She is a natural at quilting and we have such fun sewing together. She just finished her third quilt and I can't tell you how proud I am of her. She picked out the fabric, I designed the quilt and did the rotary cutting for her, and she did the rest. She's already picked out fabric for her next quilt, and it's no surprise that she's incorporating English paper piecing into the next one!

I received a photo from Michelle Klein, a friend of mine and owner of The Gathering Room in LaGrange, Kentucky. She's doing my Circle of Friends BOM program and decided to make the center portion of the quilt and have it framed, where it now hangs in her classroom. It turned out just beautiful, and I love the matting and frame selection - perfect for Aunt Grace fabric! Thanks for sharing Michelle!

Speaking of Aunt Grace. . . Judie Rothermel and Marcus Fabrics have done it again - a spectacular new Aunt Grace fabric line is coming soon and I am thrilled to say that I just finished designing and making the quilt for the new Aunt Grace's Garden Party BOM . I can't show it just yet, but I think it's okay to share a little sneak peek!

As anxious as I am to start machine quilting it, I have to do a little routine maintenance on my Juki first. I try to clean and oil it often, but I admit, I've really slacked in this department lately. I feel bad, because the machine is a real work house and so reliable. It only takes about 15 minutes, a little oil, a screw driver and canned air.

Do you clean and/or oil your machine according to the manufacturer's recommendations? Do you change your needle every time you start sewing a new project? I find these to be two important steps that can make a world of difference.

Lastly, I've been working like a crazy woman trying to get all of the projects and manuscript completed for my second book. I have just over 30 days until my deadline, so it's very likely I won't be posting again until after that.

Until next time. . . Vicki

And the winner is. . .

2010-12-05T06:12:00.001-08:00

With the help of random.org, a winner has been drawn. . .

Congratulations to #12, Nancy!! You have won the Aunt Grace fat quarter bundle!

Please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net with your mailing address so that I can get your prize shipped off to you tomorrow.

Sew Much Fun, a Giveaway and More!

2010-12-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

There are so many things going on in my life right now, but no matter how busy I am, I try to make time for "sew days" with my granddaughters. I think it's so important to try and keep our young children and grandchildren interested and passionate about quilting so that they will have the opportunity to experience the joy we have had because of this wonderful industry!

Sunday was our most recent sew day. Lexi (age 9) wanted to work on her yellow, black and white quilt top, Ava (age 7) loves to iron, so she pressed about 50 fat quarters, and I was at the cutting table prepping fabric for two new designs.

We sang, talked and laughed and had such a great time! As you can see, I am now the proud owner of an Oliso iron! I was introduced to this wonderful product at quilt market. If you aren't familiar with the Oliso irons, take a look at this video and prepare to be impressed! Nothing like a new toy to make ironing fun!

As my granddaughter reminded me, today is the first official countdown day to Christmas. . . hard to believe! To kick off the countdown, we've bundled 21 assorted fat quarters from the Aunt Grace Circle of Friends fabric line and added this to our web site. Hurry though. . . quantities are limited!

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, we're giving away one of these bundles to one lucky blogger!!! Just comment on this post and you'll be entered to win! Drawing will be done the evening of Saturday, December 4th, so check back on the 5th to see if you're the lucky winner!

You may remember me sharing one of my newest designs, Berry Basket Welcome. I recently received an e-mail from Julie at Craft Town Fabrics letting me know she has kits available for this fun and easy table runner. The kit includes the pattern and fabrics from French General's Maison de Garance line. If you're interested, check it out here.

I will be traveling to Kentucky to spend six wonderful days with my dear friend, Anne, next week. While there, I will be doing a book signing at The Gathering Room in LaGrange on Saturday, 12/11, so if you'll be in the area, stop by! There will be door prizes, a quilt raffle and a special sale - it's going to be a funfilled day!

With wishes for a safe and joyful holiday season . . . Vicki

New Patterns!

2010-11-07T05:03:00.000-08:00

Fall quilt market has come and gone and I'm just now getting a chance to post a few of my new patterns. I had a wonderful time in Houston and it was especially nice to meet and talk with those of you who came to my book signings. Quilters are such wonderful, friendly people and I'm so priviledged to be a part of this fantastic industry!

My first new pattern is called Berry Basket Welcome and I chose beautiful brown, red and tan prints from French General's new line for Moda called Maison de Garance. This is a fat quarter friendly pattern and can be easily made in a weekend.

If you love big, bold prints, The Big EZ II is perfect for you! It goes together with ease, and would be a great choice for even the beginning quilter. I chose fabrics from the "Definitions" line, by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics.

Last, but certainly not least, is my newest block-of-the-month pattern designed for use with Strip-It. This is a 6-month BOM with a few twists. Each month, blocks or a border is made and added to the previous month, so that at the end of the sixth month, your quilt is completely finished! By using Strip-It for many of the blocks and rail fence border, your piecing time is cut in half! The name of this pattern is Chestnut & Vine, which is also the name of the fabric line by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics.

I couldn't end this post without sending out a special "thank you" to Gregory Case, who came through for me in a pinch with beautiful photography and in record-breaking time! If you should ever need an expert in quilt photography, I would highly recommend Gregory Case Photography!!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Winners!!

2010-09-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you for your nice comments about my new book! Using random.org, two winners were chosen this morning, and they are. . .

#14 - chookyblue
#44 - Deb

Please email me at vickibellino@charter.net with your mailing information so that I can get your books shipped off.

If any of you are interested in purchasing Bloom Creek Quilts,

check your local quilt shop in a few weeks, or you can order it from our web site.

Congrats to the winners!

Vicki

Another first and a give-away!

2010-08-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

It’s been over a year in the works, but I am so thrilled to say that my first book, Bloom Creek Quilts, is here!!! I can’t thank Martingale enough for the beautiful job they did! I couldn’t be any more pleased with the end result. (In fact, plans are already in the works for a second book. . . here's a hint. . . English paper piecing!!!)

About a week ago, I received a flower delivery with a card from the staff of Martingale congratulating me on my book. Wasn’t that nice of them!

If that wasn’t enough, about an hour later, I received an express package from UPS. Inside was an advance copy of my book. To actually have the book in my hands was quite exciting!

This book is dedicated to my dear friend, Anne Myers, who has been with me every step of the way on the Bloom Creek journey. She is my confidant, my best critic, my calming force when things gets crazy, and the most supportive, kind and courageous friend I’ve ever had. For these reasons and many more, I surprised her and gave her my advance copy of the book.

To celebrate the release of Bloom Creek Quilts, I’m giving away two books. Just leave a comment on this post and you’ll be entered to win. I’ll draw the winning names on Wednesday morning, September 1st!

Until next time. . . Vicki

McCall's Quilting

2010-08-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

My friends at McCall's Quilting have done it again! They featured my "Dresden Medallion" quilt in their Sept/Oct 2010 issue and did a beautiful job with not only photography and layout, but with their step-by-step English paper piecing instructions. I chose Judie Rothermel's beautiful "Twelve Oakes" fabric line for this quilt and, of course, incorporated my favorite past-time, English paper piecing, into the design. A limited number of kits for this quilt are offered through our web site, but are going very fast!

If you've never tried English paper piecing, look for this issue of McCall's at your local quilt shop or book store and I guarantee you will be able to learn this technique in no time at all by following their step-by-step photo instructions. We also have a limited number of these magazines available through our web site.

I hope all of you are enjoying your summer, but still making time to quilt!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Summer Fun

2010-07-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

It’s hard for me to believe it’s almost August! What have I been doing for the past couple of months? Here’s a brief recap.

Quilt market in Minneapolis in May. That’s Judie Rothermel and I in front of the Circle of Friends quilt. The canvas tote bag you see in the photo is used to package the shop kit for this quilt, which brings me to the “what have I been doing” question.

I wanted to cut and package the shop kits, so the fabric was sent directly to me from the Marcus warehouse. . . what was I thinking?!?!? (I felt sorry for the delivery guy who had a heck of a time operating the dolly and unloading the boxes!)

Even though it was a lot of work, I’ve received numerous comments from quilt shops who were extremely pleased with their shop kit and the way it was packaged, which makes it all worthwhile!

In June, my husband and I took all four of our granddaughters camping on the Oregon coast for a week. Fun was had by all! The girls are growing up so fast and I know these trips will create fond memories for them when they’re older. We already have another camping trip planned for August and they can hardly wait!

The month of July has flown by! My husband and I took a 5-day trip to the Oregon Coast by ourselves, where we enjoyed weather that was about 30 degrees cooler than where we live! When we returned, I got a jump on school shopping with the granddaughters and we spent two days shopping for school supplies and clothes. That's always a yearly event and the girls love Grammy to take them shopping. . . I guess I'm a pushover or something!

Now it’s time to get back to work! I’m anxious to start designing with some of the new fabric bundles I bought from Moda at Sample Spree in Minneapolis.

I love them all, but I think my very favorite is the “Pure” fat pack by Sweetwater – beautiful blues, browns, tans and creams. Maybe I’ll start with that one first. . .

Coming soon. . . a sneak peek at “Bloom Creek Quilts", my new book with Martingale that will be out mid-September!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Minneapolis-bound!

2010-05-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

It's unreal to me that in 5 days I'll be boarding the plane bound for Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis! Where did the last few months go? Well, I know where they went, but they sure flew by! With my boxes en route to Minneapolis and all of my new quilts finished, I can now take a few deep breaths and share some of my newest designs with you.

In addition to my Holidays at Home BOM, I'm so very proud to introduce a second block-of-the-month pattern that was the result of several months of collaboration between myself and Judie Rothermel. With Judie living in Ohio and me in California, we spent hours on the phone and endless e-mails working on this project to coordinate Judie's exclusive fabric line with my quilt design, to honor what would have been Aunt Grace's 100th birthday. Judie and I became friends because of quilting, as was the case with Aunt Grace's circle of friends, which ultimately led to the naming of this quilt - "Aunt Grace Circle of Friends". This 7-month program will be offered through quilt shops from September 2010 through March 2011, so be sure to check with your local quilt shop if you're interested in being part of the fun!

I've added a few other new designs to my web site that will be shown at quilt market, with a few more to be added by the end of the weekend. Here's one of my favorites, Bitty Baby Girl.

In addition to new patterns, I've also added a kit to my web site for the Holidays at Home quilt. This kit includes all of the fabric for the quilt top and binding, as well as the complete pattern pack, and comes to you packaged for the holidays in a vinyl tote with handles.

Even though preparing for Quilt Market is a lot of work, and oftentimes very stressful, it's always worth it in the end! I always look forward to seeing my friends and customers, and all of the new products and fabric collections! I always come home inspired, then take a break for a few weeks, and then start working towards the next one!

Until next time. . . Vicki

New Block-of-the-Month!

2010-03-18T08:22:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited to be able to share my new 6-month block-of-the-month pattern that was released last week called "Holidays at Home".

This is a new approach to a block-of-the-month quilt, in that the blocks are made using "Strip-It", which is a unique fabric design that features an assortment of 17 assorted prints across the width. One of the fantastic things about using this fabric is that many of the block components (such as the half-square triangle) aren't pieced, but rather, cut from the stripes.

I've had so much fun designing with this fabric and have recently been using paper pieces combined with Strip-It for some exciting new designs!

If you're interested in making this holiday quilt, check with your local quilt shop to see if they're offering this block-of-the-month program. The patterns and fabric will be arriving soon to a quilt shop near you!

Now, it's back to my machine. . . lots of projects to finish!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Fun with Girlfriends

2010-02-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

It’s almost embarrassing to see I haven’t posted for over a month! The new year is already flying by and I sure have a lot to accomplish before Spring Quilt Market in May! But, nothing is more important to me than making time to spend with some of my closest friends that live far away, so off to Kentucky I went last week. I spent the most wonderful 5 days with my dear friend, Anne Myers. You know a true friend when just being together with no planned activities makes you so happy! We only ventured out on one day to visit her local quilt shop, The Gathering Room. Other than that outing, we just talked, laughed, ate and stitched!

Anne is quite fortunate to have inherited a few antique quilts that have been in her family for several generations. We had fun getting them out, spreading them onto the bed and just admiring the handwork involved.

When I had last visited Anne in November, I took a few of her quilt tops back home with me and told her I would quilt them for her when I had the time, which she assumed would most likely not be until the summer. Well, I surprised her by quilting her Regency T-Star quilt and bringing it with me on the plane. I knew she would want me to do lots of quilting, and because this pattern has lots of open space to showcase quilting, that’s exactly what I did. It brings me such joy to do special things for special friends!

You might recognize the Blooms for Annabelle quilt hanging on the wall. Anne was the inspiration for that quilt, so I thought it was appropriate for her to have the original quilt.

My sewing machine has been purring almost non-stop since I returned home, and will most likely be in overdrive until the 2nd week of March, when I travel to Portland to spend 3 days with my New York friend, Pati, who will be in town for E.E. Schenck’s Trends show. I’ll also get to see some of my friends at Crafts Americana Group and have a sew-night with them one evening after work. So much fun!!!

My posts will most likely be few and far between for the next few months, so I’m apologizing in advance!

Happy quilting to you all. . . Vicki

Because of friendship. . .

2010-01-19T17:39:00.001-08:00

It was just over a year ago that I was inspired to make a special gift for my friend, Anne Sutton, over at Bunny Hill. I wanted the gift to be reflective of our friendship, so I began by preparing appliqué pieces for a bunny on a hill holding blooms on a vine. I just happened to have the perfect fabric for a friend that loves pink . . . Aviary (by 3 Sisters for Moda), with it’s beautiful shades of pink, cream and green florals, I couldn't go wrong! Once framed, it was packed and shipped off to Bunny Hill headquarters . . .

And after that . . . it led to a quilt designed, made and quilted by both Anne and I, which we then submitted to American Patchwork & Quilting.

And now. . . it’s featured in the current issue (April 2010) that subscribers will begin to receive this week (due to hit newsstands in a few weeks).

And after cutting, folding and packaging all of the fabrics for the quilt top and binding. . .

You too can make this quilt! Kits are available at both Bloom Creek and Bunny Hill, while supplies last!

With special thanks to APQ and my friend, Anne, so ends the story of a collaboration of friendship and design. . .

Vicki

A new year, new patterns and new kits!

2010-01-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

A very happy new year to all of you! It’s hard to believe 2010 is here, but there’s something about a new year that really jump-starts new ideas and a fresh beginning to what I hope will be a great year!

To kick off the new year, we’ve added two new patterns and four new kits to our web site. The first new pattern is the Versatility Tote that was made using the most beautiful new fabric line called Rural Jardin, by the French General for Moda. Watch for this fabric in your local quilt shop in a few months! It’s a beauty!

The second new pattern, Goodnight Avery, was designed for a special little boy so that he could have a quilt to call his very own for years to come. We used soft and cuddly flannel prints from Goodnight Monkey, by Erin Michael for Moda. (His dad loves sock monkeys, so this fabric was the perfect choice!)

In a few weeks, a brand new kit will be added to our web site. All that I can say right now is that it will be featured in the upcoming issue of American Patchwork & Quilting and is a collaboration of friendship and design with my friend, Anne Sutton, of Bunny Hill.

More on that story in a few weeks!

The best of everything to you and yours in the new year. . .

Vicki

And the winner is. . .

2009-12-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to #14, sallyannequilter, you are the winner of the pre-cuts!! Please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net with your mailing address so that your package can be sent out right away!

We hope to have some new kits and new patterns added to our web site in mid-January, so check back in a few weeks! In the meantime, I wish you all the happiest of holidays and all that is good in the coming year.

Vicki

Winners and a Giveaway!

2009-12-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

After all of the wonderful comments about the mini Patriot's Home, I couldn't choose just one winner, so there are three of you that will be receiving the kit to make this miniature quilt! With the help of random.org, three numbers were selected. Congratulations to the following winners:

#10 - BJ

#31 - Christy

#57 - Claire

Please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net and provide me with your mailing address so that I can get your kits shipped out to you!

How about another giveaway? Who wouldn't' like (or need!) an assortment of pre-cuts to add to their stash? Post a comment and one lucky winner will win all of these!

Check back the morning of Sunday, 12/20 to see the winner is! Good luck and happy, happy holidays!

Vicki

Happy Holidays Giveaway!

2009-12-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Because one of my favorite things about the holiday season is the spirit of giving, I've decided to have a "give-away" once a week until Christmas.

This week's give-away is the kit for the miniature version of my "Patriot's Home" quilt that is featured in the current issue of McCall's Quilting.

The kit includes all of the fabric for the top, backing and binding, the instructions and the paper pieces for this 16" x 16" project. (The English paper pieced blocks are easily made using "Strip-It" fabric from the American Patriot collection by Marcus Fabrics.)

Leave a comment and your name will be entered in the drawing. The winner (or winners!!!) will be drawn next Sunday morning, and another give-away will be announced on that day as well.

A very happy and safe holiday season to all of you!

Vicki

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-26T05:57:00.001-08:00

With early morning turkey preparations about to begin, I wanted to take some time to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving! It's hard to believe that tomorrow the craziness of the holiday season will be underway. Where did this year go?!?!

I was fortunate to have a feature, "Patriot's Home", in the 100th issue of McCall's Quilting, which should be out on newsstands or in your local quilt shop right about now.

This quilt was a sheer joy to design. The fact that McCall's requested I do another English paper pieced quilt was an added bonus! I chose fabrics from the "American Patriot" collection, designed by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics, which was a perfect fit for what I had in mind for this project.

If you've never tried English paper piecing, purchase the Jan/Feb 2010 issue and you'll find a great step-by-step photo tutorial that the great staff at McCall's put together for this article!

As an added bonus, a miniature version of this quilt that measures 16" x 16" is available as a free download on McCall's web site.

Kits are available on my website, and include the fabric and pre-cut paper pieces for both the quilt and miniature version of the quilt. These are going fast, which I believe demonstrates there is a bit of patriotism in all of us!

Enjoy this holiday and take a moment not only today, but every day, to reflect on what you are thankful for.

Vicki

Bloom Creek Down Under

2009-11-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

How exciting to be featured in Australian Homespun! If you've never had the opportunity to read this magazine, I would highly recommend it! It's beautiful from cover to cover, and I'm so honored to have my quilt shown on the cover of their "Red Issue", Volume 10.11. I was asked last April if I would be willing to do a project for this issue, with a request to design a project based on my Blooms for Annabelle pattern and choosing a fabric line with a hint of "red". That was an easy decision for me. . . "Snippets", designed by Sandy Klop of American Jane (for Moda) was the perfect choice for my "Patches and Posies" design. I don't believe the magazine will be available in the United States until December, so I thought I'd share a few photos with you here.

I had so much fun quilting this, and of course, had to add a personal touch with a quilt label on the back of the quilt that mimics the applique used in the quilt.

A very special thanks to Catherine Sanchez and Elizabeth Newton at Homespun, who were wonderful to work with on this project!

Cheers!. . . Vicki

And the winner is. . .

2009-11-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your nice comments on my block. I hope you are enjoying the blog tour!

Using random.org, a winner has been chosen to receive a copy of the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers, and the winner is. . . #33, Pat.

Please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net with your contact information so that the issue can be sent to you.

Congratulations!

Quiltmaker's Blog Tour

2009-11-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

A special greeting to all of you who are on the blog tour associated with Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers. Look for this special magazine edition in your local quilt shop or on newsstands by November 17th! This is one you won't want to miss! If you haven't heard about this fantastic blog tour, you can read all about it on Quiltmaker's' blog and be a part of the fun!

At about the same time I was asked to design a block for the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks edition, I had just received a beautiful new fabric line of red and cream prints called "Gallery in Red", by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics. My immediate thought was to use this fabric to design a block with a Valentine's Day theme . Here is a sneak peak at the end result.

Before you continue on your tour, we invite you to check out our website, as well as leave a comment on this post to be entered in a drawing to win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers. A winner will be drawn and posted on our blog Tuesday morning!!

Happy blog hopping!!

Vicki

A Perfect Week

2009-11-02T07:31:00.000-08:00

The past week was fun-filled for me and I thought I would share it with all of you. I was able to have a full "sew day" with my 8-year-old granddaughter, Lexi. While the two oldest granddaughters have made several quilts, Lexi has recently demonstrated that she has been bit by the quilting bug!

I took her with me to a nearby quilt shop to look for backing fabric for a quilt she had nearly finished. While I was chatting with the owner, Lexi was shopping. She said she had found fabric she wanted to use for her next quilt. My first reaction was to say "Don't you think you should finish the one you're working on first?" Then, it hit me. . . she's becoming a true quilter. Who was I to discourage her thinking ahead, so of course, we left with an assortment of yellow, black and white prints that she had so thoughtfully put together. When I asked her what she wanted to do with the fabric, her only requirement was that it have triangles.

So, home we went and immediately got started. I taught her to draw diagonal lines on each square, then arrange her fabrics on the design wall. . .

and before I knew it, she was at the machine and sewing like a crazed quilter!

As we both sewed, sang songs and talked, I realized there should be more of these days.

To top the week off, my husband and I spent three days in Monterey and had a great time spending some quality time together. It was a 5 hour drive each way, so I was able to get a ton of English paper piecing finished by the time we returned home. (I always find a way to sneak in some paper piecing!)

This weekend proves to be fun-filled also! I'll be picking up two of my granddaughters in Oregon and driving them back to our house for a three-day weekend. I've decided it would be so much fun to have all four granddaughters over for a slumber party, followed by a day of baking, movies and shopping. With these four, how can I go wrong?

Until next time. . . . Vicki

Getting Back in the Groove!

2009-10-06T08:27:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been two months since I posted last! I've really been out of the blogging loop, but plan to get back in the groove now! I'm am happy to say that I have finished the manuscript and the projects for the book I'm authoring for Martingale & Company. I'm definitely doing the happy dance!! As I was packing the box to ship, I realized that inside this 20 x 20 x 20 box is my life in a nutshell for the past 2 1/2 months!

I'm not sure how, but I did manage to get three new patterns out for fall, with the others coming out most likely in November. It seems no matter how busy I am, I can always find time for a little English paper piecing. I've incorporated that technique in two of my new patterns.

The first one, "Spinagons", uses a quick strip method to make 2" hexagons. They might look like half-hexagons, but they're not!

The second is "Suitable for Framing". This is a bigger project, but quick and fun to make. I've included all of the pre-cut paper pieces inside each of these two patterns, so all you will need is fabric and you're ready to get started!

Last, but certainly not least, is "Geese in the Posie Patch". I used fabrics from Sandy Klop's "Happy Campers" fabric line, resulting in a very cheerful table runner. Her fabrics always make me happy. I'm working on a quilt with the same fabric right now and can't wait to see the end result! That's it for now. I've got to go check out some of my favorite blogs and see what's been going on for the past couple of months!

Vicki

Fussy Cutting Fun!

2009-08-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

Since returning from Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, I made a resolution that I would be diligent about posting regularly on my blog. I was on such a good roll. . . but, things have changed. My sewing machines have been pushed to the limit recently and will be for the next couple of months! I finished a quilt that will be featured in Australian Homespun magazine in a few months and just finished another project for McCall's that will be featured in their February issue. On top of that, I am working on a book that will be published by Martingale & Company with my deadline date being October 2nd. I still have eight more projects to make and the manuscript to write and only eight weeks to finish. So, needless to say, my posts have been (and probably will be) few and far between for awhile.

But, no matter how busy I am, my day isn't complete unless I have done a little English paper piecing every evening. Thanks to JoAnne over at Paper Pieces, I received a baggie full of little half-inch hexagons a few weeks ago.

I thought they would be perfect for fussy cutting on small prints, so decided to get a few made to see how I liked them.

Then, I wanted to just whipstitch one hexagon flower together and see how I liked that.

One thing led to another, and here is what I've done so far. I put a spool of thread in the photo to give you an idea how small these little hexagons are. Who knows when I will finish this and what the end result will be, but in the meantime, it’s a great project to take along wherever I might go!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Red, White and Beautiful!!

2009-07-12T10:20:00.004-07:00

It's no secret that red is my favorite color, so it's no wonder I fell in love with one of Faye Burgos' newest line for Marcus Fabrics called "Gallery in Red". This fabric immediately found its way to my design wall almost as fast as I received it!

I'm almost finished with a new pattern using this fabric and can hardly wait to share it with all of you. I will tell you this much. . . these hexagon flowers will be in there somewhere! (Big surprise, right?? Yes, I'm still into English paper piecing!!!)

You may remember my red stripe ironing board cover from a few posts back. . . well, here are a few more accessories that I'm adding to my red quilting room.

Of course, no red room room of mine could be complete with adding some beautiful blues that can always be found in Minick & Simpson's fabric lines. Their newest line for Moda called Wiscasset is next up on my design wall and I can hardly wait to get started. This beauty of a fat pack came home on the plane with me after spring market and I have waited long enough to open it up and get started!

Until next time. . . . Vicki

Happy 4th and Free Pattern

2009-07-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Happy independence day to all! I am feeling especially patriotic after hanging a quilt I made when I taught Jan Patek's "Girl Gang" several years ago at a local quilt shop. The name of the pattern is "Flags of the American Revolution", and is definitely a favorite of mine. I've decided to have the quilt hang in our living room for the remainder of the summer so that we can enjoy it for a few more months.

As promised, here is the link for the "Regency T-Stars" pattern, which is a free download via Marcus Fabrics' web site. I'm showing the quilt again for those of you that missed it the first time I blogged about it. This quilt finishes at 68" x 77" and is super easy and fun to make.

I wish you all an enjoyable and safe holiday celebration!

Vicki

Making an Ironing Board Cover

2009-07-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

I spent the month of June primarily working on whittling away at my "to do" list. One of the projects I wanted to complete was to make a new ironing board cover that would look nice in my quilting room. Because my new colors are tan, white and red, I chose a red stripe twill. If I would have known making a new cover was so easy, I would have made it months ago! From start to finish, it only took about an hour.

Here are the basic steps to follow if you'd like to try it:

1. Turn ironing board upside down onto the wrong side of the fabric and trace all the way around the board. (Leave old cover on, as you will need to iron in Step #4)

2. Mark approximately 4” out from the traced line all the way around and cut out.

3. Serge or zig-zag raw edge.

4. Press an approximate ¾” hem all the way around cover and pin in place, easing in fullness as needed. Stitch approximately 5/8” from pressed edge, leaving a 2" opening and backstitching at the beginning and end of the hem.

5. Cut a piece of ¼” cording the length of the outside perimeter of the ironing board plus 12”. Insert a safety pin into one end of the cording and insert through hem. (I wrapped the end with tape before I inserted safety pin.)

6. With ironing board standing up, center the cover over the board and pull both ends of the cording until taut. Tie off.

I'm going to be curious to see how this cover holds up compared to the store-bought covers I usually buy. Regardless, it looks so much better, coordinates with my decor and I can now cross off one of my "to dos"!!

And the winners are. . .

2009-06-28T10:31:00.001-07:00

Just returned from a wonderful weekend in the mountains where we didn't exactly escape the heat, as it was in the mid-90's all weekend. But, I did manage to get a ton of paper piecing done while sitting outdoors among the pine trees, but in the shade!!

With the help of random.org, the six winners of the pin cushions have been selected. If your name is listed below, please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net with your mailing address. You can also let me know which pin cushion you would like and I will try to accommodate on a first-come, first-serve basis. The winners are:

#4 - VaNella

#9 - Deb

#12 - Mary on Lake Pulaski

#21 - Tamara

#31 - roccagal from Ontario

#35 - sipiweske quilts (Marlene)

Congrats to the winners! Hope you are all having an enjoyable weekend.

Vicki

Kentucky Fun, Summer Sale & a Give-Away!

2009-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

I returned from teaching two English paper piecing classes in Kentucky feeling so energized! There’s something so rewarding and exciting about teaching a technique I am so passionate about to others and then experiencing their enthusiasm. Classes were held at the most adorable, quaint shop in LaGrange called “The Gathering Room”. If any of you are ever in that area, this is a shop you won’t want to miss!

Summer has definitely arrived in my neck of the woods, with 100 degree weather forecasted all week. But, summertime means lots of fun and I always look forward to it. Taking our granddaughters camping and our yearly trip to Sisters, Oregon for the big Sisters Quilt Show are on the agenda for the month of July. To celebrate one of my favorite times of the year, Bloom Creek is having a 25% sale on all patterns and notions from today through Sunday, June 28th. Just type in the coupon code “Summer Fun” to receive the discount when you check out.

Finally, it's time for another give-away! I made these pin cushions for the EPP classes I taught and would now like to give them away to you! There will be six winners, so post a comment and your name will be entered in the drawing. The winners will be announced the morning of Sunday, 6/28.

Good luck and happy quilting to you all!

And the winner is. . . .

2009-06-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Thanks to everyone for posting such nice comments about the Regency T-Star kit. A winning number was drawn (www.random.org) this morning, and the winner is. . . .

#75 - Congrats to Barb!!

Barb, e-mail me (vickibellino@charter.net) with your mailing address and the kit will be sent off to you tomorrow.

Hope all of you are having an enjoyable weekend. I'm leaving for Kentucky in 3 days to teach two English paper piecing classes and will post about it when I return.

Let's have a give-away!!

2009-06-10T05:18:00.001-07:00

Happy June everyone! What better way to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation than with a give-away! In one of my more recent posts, I shared a photo of the Regency T-Star quilt I made for Marcus Fabrics with Judie Rothermel’s new Regency III fabric line that she designed for The New England Quilt Museum. If you didn’t see that post, here is a picture of the quilt.

Thanks to my friends at Marcus Fabrics, I received enough fabric to put together a kit to make all of the blocks shown in this 68” x 77” quilt. Included with the kit are seven yards of fabric, the instruction sheet and an 8 x 10 photo of the quilt for reference. Here is a link where you can view each of the skus in this line: http://www.marcusfabrics.com/cgi-bin/fabricgallery/gallery.cgi?Category=498

Not only is this quilt very simple to make, it was so much fun to quilt! Here is a close-up of how I quilted the blocks.
The instruction sheet for this project will be available as a free download through Marcus Fabrics’ web site on July 1st. (I originally posted that it would be available June 1st, but it got pushed back a month.)

Leave a comment on this post if you would like a chance to win this kit. A winner will be drawn on Sunday, 6/14. Good luck!!

To-Do List for June

2009-06-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

With quilt market behind me, I’ve made a commitment to finish decorating and reorganizing my quilting room before I begin designing with all of the wonderful fabric I brought back with me from Pittsburgh.

First on the list is to organize my fabric closet. On a recent shopping trip to Ikea (too bad it’s a 3-hour drive from where I live, as I would be a frequent shopper!!), I found the perfect storage boxes for my fabric and was so excited to find them in red, since red is the “theme” color in my quilting room. I came home with six boxes, but will be ordering at least that many more!

Next is my ironing board cover project. I don’t know about you, but the ironing board covers in the stores are so not appealing and because I have an oversized board, I can never remember which stores carry the right size. Since I have to look at my ironing board every day, I’ve decided to make my own. I chose a red stripe twill and will begin this project by making a template of the top of my ironing board. Should be pretty easy! If it turns out like I have envisioned, I’ll share a photo of it within a week (or so. . .)

Do you ever find things you forgot you had and are so excited to rediscover them?!?!? I bought this 36” x 45” pre-printed panel many months ago with the idea that I would quilt it and hang it in my new, red quilting room. This panel is from Minick & Simpson’s Flag Day Farm line.

The panel is pre-marked with quilting designs, so half the work is already done! Because I love to machine quilt, this is a project I am really excited to start.

Once all of the above is finished, I will then tackle some of the unfinished quilt projects. Wish me luck!

And the winner is. . . .

2009-05-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all of you who posted such wonderful comments - I wish I had a jelly roll/layer cake for all of you!! Each post was assigned a number, with 1 being the first comment and 69 being the last comment. A number was drawn . . .

and the winner is. . .

Jane, you have won the Happy Campers jelly roll and layer cake! Please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net and provide me with your full name and mailing address and I will get it sent out to you today.

If you are interested in the free pattern for the Regency Stars quilt, check back in about a week. There will also be another giveaway associated with this pattern! I'm loving these giveaways. . . might have to do one a month!! Hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend.

Home Sweet Home & a Free Drawing!

2009-05-21T05:47:00.001-07:00

After an action-packed, fun-filled, inspiring six days in Pittsburgh for quilt market, it’s always so nice to get back home. I always leave market so energized and inspired to begin designing with the wonderful fabrics that I brought back, as well as those that will be arriving in a few weeks. There are some real beauties coming out for fall and I can’t wait to get started!

A special thanks to my two good friends, Anne and Daun, who flew to Pittsburgh to be my right-hand women! They were tireless, energetic and so excited to experience their first quilt market. I couldn’t have done it without them!
I went with a neutral, simplistic booth this time and included a demo table where I shared my love of English paper piecing with anybody who was interested or wanted to learn. The response was fantastic, and I got to paper piece for three straight days!!

My booth was across from my friends at Marcus Fabrics and I was able to get a photo of Judie Rothermel and myself standing in front of the free project I designed using Judie’s new Regency line. (The instructions will be available online the first part of June, so check back in a couple of weeks for a link to download the instructions and enter for a drawing for a Regency Stars kit!!)

As always, Sandy Klop of American Jane has designed another fantastic fabric line for Moda and her booth was just as fantastic! Her new line is called “Happy Campers” and was a must-have for me!

I was so excited about this line that I bought a jelly roll/layer cake combo pack at Sample Spree to give away on my blog. Sooooo. . . leave a comment to this post and a winner will be selected upon my return from a camping trip with my grandkids over Memorial Day weekend! I will announce the winner on Tuesday, May 26th. Good luck!!

Fun with Quilt Labels

2009-04-18T13:14:00.001-07:00

I’ve been spending my morning making labels for the back of my newest quilts. Because it has been sooooo long since I posted last, I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and share the way I make my quilt labels. This will be my longest post ever, but that’s what happens when I wait so long between posts!

I don’t like the way my handwriting looks when I try to write on a label, so I do the printing on the computer. Rather than buy fabric sheets from the store that are white or muslin, I like to use one of the fabrics that I used in the quilt and a sheet of freezer paper to make my own fabric sheets. Here are the basic steps to follow:

Iron the piece of fabric that you want to use for the label onto the waxy side of a pre-cut 8-1/2” x 11” sheet of freezer paper, making sure the piece of fabric is large enough for the amount of information you have typed. Remove paper from paper tray and insert freezer paper sheet with fabric facing down into the printer tray and print the text. (Depending upon the way your printer works, you may have to insert the freezer paper face up in the printer tray.)
Peel fabric off of the freezer paper and heat set the ink with a hot iron, no steam. (The freezer paper sheet can be reused.)

Add borders or embellish with appliqué. Press an approximate ¼” hem around all four sides and press well. Pin to back of quilt and whipstitch label in place.

I’ve made four labels so far today. . . . six more to go! The first label goes onto the quilt of one of my new patterns that will be out in a couple of weeks. I’ll show you a “snippet” of what the quilt looks like, as well as the label. Oh, did I say “snippet? . . It just so happens that I used “Snippets” fabric, another delightful line by Sandy Klop for Moda. I decided to use the selvage as a border on two sides of the label that shows the name of the fabric designer, fabric line and company. Why didn’t I think of doing this sooner?!?!?

I just loved the “Snippets” line and used it again for a quilt I designed for Homespun Magazine. Here is the label I sewed to the back of the quilt before it left on a long, long journey to Australia!

Next is the label for another new quilt that I made using my favorite two past-times – English paper piecing and appliqué! I made an extra diamond star flower for the label. This pattern is called "Cabin Flowers" and will be out in a week, or so.

This label is for a soon-to-be-released free project I designed for Marcus Fabrics with Judie Rothermel’s newest Regency line. Again, I used the selvage from the fabric as the border.

Try creating your own custom labels! It's fun and fast and will add a special finishing touch to your quilts.

Whew. . . that’s a long post! Happy label making. . . Vicki

A New Favorite Thing!

2009-02-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

I’ve recently found a product that has turned into my new favorite thing and wanted to share it with all of you. Thread is something I can never seem to get enough of, especially since I do a lot of machine quilting, appliqué and English paper piecing. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me a few spools of Alex Anderson’s Masterpiece thread to try for appliqué. After using it once, I now use it for all of my hand work, as well as machine appliqué. It’s Egyptian cotton and it just melts into your fabric like butter! But, it even gets better!

Whenever I travel, I always bring an appliqué or English paper piecing project with me. Rather than lug along my suitcase full of thread, I now have a wonderful array of 36 prewound Masterpiece bobbins in a tidy little bobbin case – perfect for tucking into a little sewing bag for traveling! This can be purchased at Superior Threads here: http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/category/frostings-prewound-bobbins-145/products/

If you’ve never used this wonderful thread, give it a try. . . you won’t be sorry!

Making Room for the New!

2009-02-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

Bloom Creek is busting at the seams with quilts! We've now resorted to stacking them in closets and hanging them on empty wall space as all of the quilt racks are full! I think my 4-year-old granddaughter's recent comment got me thinking of a solution when she said, "Grammy, you shouldn't make any more quilts. . . you don't have any more room!" Well, because making quilts is what I do and what I love, I had to think of another option.

In order to make room for all of the new quilts that will be finished in the next couple of months, we've gone through our inventory and selected several older ones to add to a new category on our web site, "Quilt Models for Sale" that can be found here: http://www.bloomcreek.com/store/products/?category=6

These are the original quilts shown on the pattern covers that have now been retired from trunk shows and need a new home. It was our intention to price them reasonably as a way of showing our appreciation to all of those who have continued to support the wonderful world of quilting! If anyone has questions or needs any information about these quilts, please e-mail me at vickibellino@charter.net.

A Quick Project!

2009-01-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

As you may have figured out by now, I'm not very diligent about posting on my blog! Since I haven't posted since before Christmas (bad girl!), I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year full of quilting and completing those unfinished projects! lol!

Yes, I'm still addicted to English paper piecing and always have a project ready to work on in the evenings. Because I just don't have the time to make an entire quilt using this method, I've come up with a few small projects that I can manage to complete inbetween all of my other business-related tasks.

Over a year ago, I purchased the cutest shower curtain and bath towels for our guest bathroom (also known as the grandkids' bathroom) from Pottery Barn. I needed something for the walls that would tie in with the colors, but never found anything I really liked. Soooo. . . I once again went to my stash of American Jane fabrics, combined them with my favorite past time and this was the result.

I used the largest paper pieces for a Dresden Plate that finished at 10". (Paper pieces can be seen at http://paperpieces.com/index1.html ) I then rummaged through old framed pictures and artwork and found the perfect 15" white frame. After appliqueing the finished Dresden onto a background fabric, I then basted a thin batting onto the wrong side and did what I like to call a somewhat "primitive" quilting stitch 1/4" inside each petal and 1/4" around the outside of the Dresden.

My Dresden was then ready to frame. When I took apart the framed artwork, there was a cardboard square I was able to use as a template for my Dresden block. I cut the block 1" bigger than the cardboard on all four sides and then gently stretched the Dresden over the cardboard one side at a time and taped it in place on the back using painter's tape.

One finished project. . . many more to go!

Holiday Traditions

2008-12-19T07:52:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd better take time to do at least one post related to the holidays before they have come and gone! One of the most important things about the holidays in our family has always been the traditions that go along with Christmas. We started traditions with our children when they were very young, but now they're grown and have families of their own. I decided to start a new tradition when our first grandchild was born nearly 10 years ago. It's called the "special box".

I found a great assortment of Christmas boxes at the Paper Factory and chose one that I liked for our first grandchild, Madilyn. Each year I would make something special for her that would go into her special box. After she opened it, the special box would then get safely tucked away until the next year. Ten years later, we now have four special boxes under our tree every year for each of the grandchildren. I'm thrilled to say that the "special box" is always something they look forward to every Christmas, and usually save it to open last.

It usually takes a bit of thought to decide what will go into each special box. This year, the two youngest grandchildren (Ava and Olyvia) will be getting a reversible apron and their own little baking utensils. Baking cookies with Grammy is their favorite thing to do when they come for a visit. I found the perfect pattern called "Little Flirty Skirty" by the Apron Lady and immediately went to my stash of "American Jane" fabrics. I couldn't make a decision about which prints to use, so I altered the pattern and made it reversible so that I could use several.

The older two (Madilyn and Lexi) are getting a tote bag for their sewing and quilting supplies. I used a pattern that was in the Fall 2008 issue of "Quilts and More" called "Super-Easy Bag", which is the perfect size (8 x 10 x 4) for junior quilters. I chose contemporary fabrics from Amy Butler's "Daisy Chain" line and Michele d'Amore's (Marcus Fabrics)"Alfresco" line. Inside their totes I wrapped up an assortment of quilting necessities such as scissors, pins, a ruler and charm packs.

(I'm thrilled to say that Lexi, age 7, is already on her third quilt. During our recent sew day, she told me she wants to make a quilt with triangles next time. I'm hesitant to have her use a rotary cutter, so I'm thinking a pack of "Turnovers" (by Moda) will be perfect for her!)

In addition to family and friends, I think traditions are what make the holiday season so special.
Wishing you all happy, happy holidays. . . Vicki

Another "First"!

2008-11-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to take a moment to reflect on all of the things in your life for which you are grateful. In addition to my family, I am so grateful for the lifelong friendships I have made and the opportunities that have afforded me as a result of the wonderful world of quilting.

I recently had the opportunity to do a project for McCall's Quilting, which was my first magazine submission. Thanks to magazine editor, Beth Hayes and her talented staff, this was such a fun and pleasant experience and I will definitely do it again! McCall's doesn't divulge what will appear on the magazine cover prior to it being released, so I was surprised and very excited to see "Lithia Park" on the front cover of the February 2009 issue.

My excitement heightened as I saw the beautifully staged photograph of the quilt that appears within the article.

McCall's has included a step-by-step photo tutorial of English paper piecing within the article, which I'm hoping will encourage those of you who have never done this technique to give it a try. Beware, however. . . it is extremely addictive!

It was suggested I offer a kit for the Lithia Park project, which was another "first" for me. I must admit that when I saw the FedEx delivery man bringing huge boxes of bolt after bolt after bolt of fabric to my door, I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into! To make a long story short, the response to the quilt, the kit and English paper piecing has been overwhelming! There are only a few kits left, so if anybody is interested, you can find it here -
http://www.bloomcreek.com/store/products/details/?product=LP

Since the Thanksgiving aftermath has been cleaned up and turkey noodle soup is simmering on the stove, I can't think of anything else to do but sew, sew, sew!!!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Fabric Frenzy!

2008-11-03T08:32:00.000-08:00

After completing my fall line of patterns, I decided to spend the next month finishing up some of my old, personal projects that were started months ago, as well as complete the redecorating in my quilting room. Well, that all came to a screeching halt when my favorite man in brown, Mr. UPS, left a Moda box on my front porch. I would recognize that blue and white packing tape from a mile away!! I tore into that box with great anticipation and was thrilled and inspired as I began emptying the box.

What perfect timing, because I've been in "red" mode for several weeks, and included in the box was Minick & Simpson’s new line for Moda called “Flag Day Farm.” I laid out the Layer Cake packs with their last line, “American Primer”, and just as I expected, they look great together! Hmmmm. . . the ideas are already getting the better of me and I think I’ll start designing something new with this fabric next week!

Or. . . maybe I will start with Sandy Klop’s new line called “Snippets,” although, I just hate to disassemble the fat quarter pack because it looks so cute! I’ve always been drawn to American Jane fabric and this line is no exception! Adorable, fresh and fun are some of the adjectives I would use to describe it.

As if the Moda box wasn’t enough to get me re-energized and inspired, Mr. FedEx left a package from Marcus Fabrics on my porch two days later! Heaven help me!! Inside was the brand new Aunt Grace line that I immediately spread out on the floor to get a good visual. Judie Rothermel never ceases to amaze me with her wonderful lines of 30’s and Civil War reproductions.

Then, to send me over the fabric frenzy edge, my friend, Anne Sutton, sent me the dots, stripes and stars from her “Angel Houses” line for Henry Glass that has already made it to my design wall and will, no doubt, be on the cutting table in the very near future!

After proofreading this post, I am now convinced that I will most likely never finish some of my old, personal projects as long as I’m surrounded by new fabric, which leads to new designs, which leads to cutting, piecing, quilting and writing patterns. It’s just a never-ending cycle that I’m thrilled to be caught up in!!

Where does the time go?

2008-09-22T05:01:00.000-07:00

I know it has been awhile since my last post, but after one of my "special" friends recently pointed out it has been many weeks since I posted last, I've decided to quit procrastinating and put this on the top of my "to do" list. Actually, I've quit keeping a list because it makes me crazy to see how long the list actually is!!

I'm not going to make excuses, but will just share some of what I have been doing during the past month so that you can see I really have been busy. My day usually begins between 3:30-4:00 a.m. After drinking my coffee and contemplating my day for about 30 minutes, I'm either at my Bernina machine piecing a new quilt, or at my Juki machine quilting, or working on applique, paper piecing or sewing down binding, or working on pattern instructions. Inbetween all of that, I'm answering the phone, filling orders and bagging patterns. Hmmm. . . after reading this so far, I'm thinking I need a helper!! My problem is that I love every aspect of what I do (well, maybe love is a strong word for working on pattern instructions! lol!) and I don't want to give up any of it.

Oh, I forgot to add that about two weeks ago I traveled to Kentucky to visit one of my best friends and teach an English paper piecing class to her quilt group. (Have I mentioned I am totally hooked on English paper piecing?!?!?!?)

In addition to working on completing my new patterns for fall, I've also been working on a feature for McCall's and a project for Marcus Fabrics, Inc. I can't show either of those to you yet, but can give you a glimpse of the fabrics that I used. This is one of Judie Rothermel's new lines for Marcus Fabrics called "Quaker Quilts".

I've added three new patterns to my web site this month and my goal is to have two more added this week, with the remainder added by the first week in October. After finishing my Chrysanthemum pattern, which I made out of Judie Rothermel's "Vicksburg" line, I decided to make another one using a different color palette , so I chose Joanna Figueroa's "Fig & Plum" line.

A huge thank-you to Jo at http://paperpieces.com/. She individually bagged the paper pieces for me so that I could include them in my pattern. She did the same thing for my "Charm Sampler" pattern.

It's now a little after 6:00 a.m. and I have yet to turn on the light in my quilting room, so I'd better get busy. Until next time (which I hope will be sooner than later). . . Vicki

Fun with English paper piecing!

2008-07-28T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was introduced to English paper piecing several months ago and have absolutely been hooked on it ever since! It’s so much fun, very addictive, and is a great take-along project for traveling. I’ve found a great source for all of my paper piecing needs at http://paperpieces.com/ . They have every shape and size, and I think I have most of them now!

I initially raided my Civil War reproduction stash and prepared enough diamonds to make at least 25, 6-point stars. I completed that during an 11-hour drive from Seattle to Redding (no, I wasn’t driving. . . I was the passenger!).

Since then, I’ve been playing around with different sizes and different shapes. . .

and just recently turned a miniature Dresden plate into a 4-inch pin cushion.

Learning a new technique adds a whole new realm to quilt design, and it’s safe to say that English paper piecing will be incorporated into several of my new designs for fall! For those of you who have never experienced English paper piecing, I would highly recommend giving it a try!

A Day at the Sister's Quilt Show

2008-07-15T05:08:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you combine friends, quilts, shopping and perfect weather? A fun-filled day at the Sister’s Quilt Show! We arrived about an hour early and quilts were still being hung by the local firemen. The camera quick-draw began!! I knew I had to be quick for blog opportunities going up against Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill!

Quilts were displayed on the shops along the main street . . .

and on the side streets. . .

A pit stop at the local candy shoppe. . .

and making "generous" contributions to the local economy at Sundance Shoes and Heritage USA (a wonderful store full of collectibles, hand-crafted treasures and much, much more). . .

We headed back to Bend and packed for the journey home. It's always great to get back home, but I'll sure look forward to the trip to Sister's next summer!

Sisters, Oregon here we come!!

2008-07-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

I can hardly wait! It’s time for our annual trip to Bend and Sisters, Oregon, where the big event will be attending the Sisters Quilt Show on Saturday, July 12th. (Although, the big event for my husband will be golfing a different course every day for six days!)

We’re an RV family and, of course, the “Lakota” is coming along for this road trip.

What RV is complete without a sewing nook? This is where I can be found when I’m not shopping, visiting the local quilt shops or visiting with friends.

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to attend the Sisters Quilt Show, it’s truly an inspiring and indescribable event. This outdoor event, in such a quaint little town, lends itself to a truly unique experience. I’m sure my camera will be in overdrive the entire time!

My project bags are packed with lots of new fabrics from Spring Quilt Market (you didn’t think I could be gone for six days without projects to work on, now did you???), so as far as I’m concerned, I’m ready to go!!

Safe travels to those of you driving to the quilt show. I hope to see some of you there!

A Big Thrill in a Small Package!

2008-06-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

It’s not every day that receiving a manila envelope in my mailbox can cause such excitement! As soon as I saw the envelope from Keepsake Quilting, I knew what awaited me inside. But, knowing and actually seeing are two entirely different things. I was pleasantly surprised (well, a little more than pleasantly surprised) to find out that my “Sand Dollars” quilt was going to be featured on the cover of the summer issue of "The Keepsake Quilter". Needless to say, I’ve been watching my mailbox for weeks in anticipation. The waiting is now over, and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with you.

A heartfelt thank-you to Michele d’Amore of Marcus Fabrics for designing such a beautiful fabric line as “Surf & Sand” . (Here we are at Quilt Market in Portland this past May.) I can hardly wait to start designing with some of her new lines that will be coming in a few months!

Until next time. . . Vicki

Home for the Holidays

2008-05-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

As promised, I'm finally able to share my newest design, "Home for the Holidays", which wasn't finished until the day before I left for Quilt Market in Portland. Now that's cutting it close! The quilt was displayed in the center of the Marcus Fabrics booth, which was right across the aisle from my booth. Since I haven't had a chance to have the quilt photographed for the pattern cover, I'm sharing a photo I took, just to give you an idea of what the finished quilt looks like.

If all goes according to my time-table, I should have the pattern finalized, printed and loaded on my web site by the second week in June.

On a final note, thanks to those of you fellow bloggers who stopped by at market and introduced yourselves. It's wonderful to be able to place a name with a face!

Next week I'll have photos to share from Quilt Market. Until then. . . Vicki

Sneak Peek - "Home for the Holidays"

2008-05-10T07:57:00.000-07:00

My only valid excuse for being a slacker blogger for the past several weeks is that I’ve been under the gun to complete a holiday quilt that will be introduced at spring quilt market in Portland in a few days. I just finished machine quilting it two days ago and am now working on finishing the binding and tacking down the hanging sleeve. Once that is finished, I’ll need to get a good photograph, race to the print shop to finalize the brochure, have it printed and then pack it with the numerous boxes that will be making their way to Portland on Tuesday. Could I have cut this any closer?!?!?!?

You may remember these appliqué pieces that were the beginning of my “Home for the Holidays” design.

They made their way to a tree, which is in the center of the quilt. Several borders and 38 blocks were then added, for a finished quilt that measures 68” x 74”. . . Stay tuned to see the finished product upon my return from Portland on May 19th.

For those traveling to quilt market, have a safe trip. I'll look forward to seeing you there!

Hot off the press!!

2008-04-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

Completion and accomplishment is always a time for celebration in my book! So, having completed most of my new designs for Spring Quilt Market, I took a four-day trip to Carmel, California with my husband and returned revived and ready for the final "crunch".

With all of my focus and time being spent on new designs for the past several months, I thought it might be nice to get a “jump-start” on Spring Quilt Market and share some of them with you.
Sometimes we need to make a quick project for a gift, or just want to experience instant gratification by completing a project in a day. That was the inspiration behind my new series of “Make-in-a-Day Charm Project” patterns, and here are a few of those. . .

The first, "Flower Welcome" was made with a "Dandelion Girl" charm pack (by Fig Tree, for Moda). In fact, I liked that fabric line so much, I used it for a new jelly roll /charm pack pattern called "Strips, Bits and Blooms".

I chose a "Prairie Paisley" charm pack (by Minick & Simpson) for the second make-in-a-day project. . . "Let Freedom Ring". (Once again, I loved this fabric line and used it in a new jelly roll pattern that will be coming out in May.)

The third is called "Birdhouse Welcome". I used an "At Water's Edge" charm pack (by Blackbird Designs, for Moda) for this one.

Currently, I'm working on a new Christmas pattern that will hopefully be completed in a few weeks! I'm using a beautiful new line by Faye Burgos (for Marcus Fabrics), called "Home for the Holidays II", that I believe will be available in May/June 2008. The design is finished, most of the applique pieces are prepared and the fabric is ready to be cut, so it's now time to get down to business!

Until next time. . . Vicki

From the Sky with Grace

2008-04-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

After many months of designing, sewing, redesigning, more sewing, quilting, binding, photographs and instructions, I can safely say I’m at the “whew!!!” point in preparation for Spring Quilt Market in Portland. I’m sharing another one of my new patterns entitled “From the Sky with Grace”, which was made with “Aunt Grace Scrapbag 2008” charm packs (by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics) .

To those, I added a few coordinating fabrics and some vintage white. . .

. . . and the end result is a 74” x 74” quilt.

There's something about a finished product makes it all worthwhile!

Sneak Peak

2008-03-27T09:22:00.000-07:00

I've been a very, very bad blogger for quite awhile, but I do have excuses! Besides designing, sewing, machine quilting and writing instructions, I managed to take a 10-day road trip to Oregon and Washington to spend some time with my best friend, Linda (who was recovering from surgery), and my east coast friend, Pati, who was in Seattle for business. We took two days while in Washington and visited as many quilt shops as we could, which is always my favorite past-time! (Don't tell her I posted this picture - she'll kill me!)

Once I returned home, it was back to reality. . . quilt tops to finish and instructions to write. At least I can now say that my efforts have paid off, as I'm close to finishing all of my new designs in time for International Quilt Market in Portland. I thought I'd give you a sneak peak of two new patterns, both of which I made using the "Surf and Sand" fabric line (by Marcus Fabrics). The first is called "Seaside Cottage" and the second is "Sand Dollars".

Until next time. . . Vicki

Free Pattern!!

2008-02-04T14:41:00.001-08:00

I've been spread somewhat thin lately and haven't been able to devote time to blogging, but I'm hoping that will change in a few weeks when I return from a trip to Washington. I did, however, want to share a new "free" project that I designed for Marcus Fabrics using one of their recent fabric lines designed by Edelin Wille. The line is called "From The Garden" and includes twelve beautiful vintage florals. The pattern can be downloaded here: http://www.marcusfabrics.com/makeit/projects/from_the_garden/index.html

Happy quilting to you all!

Last Shop on the Hop

2008-01-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be cutting my "shop hop" short, as we just received our long-awaited shipment of new home office furniture from Pottery Barn and I need to get the room set up, organized and functional once again. Sooooo. . . here is the last shop on this hop.

Just south of Redding in the small town of Red Bluff is "In Stitches". When you drive up to this quaint little house, you just know there are going to be good things inside!
The display around the antique fireplace is constantly changing and usually features something new on the market. Directly across from this is the 30's room, which is always stocked full of every color you could possibly need! Or, if wool is your passion, walk a little further down the hall to the wool/homespuns room for a great variety of kits, patterns and supplies.

As I was shopping, I spotted a coffee drink that had been left on one of the shelves and quickly began searching for it's owner. A good laugh was had by all, as this was actually a kit! If you look closely, you'll see the various layers of fabric neatly layered inside the cup. How clever!

As I approached the rear of the shop, I saw my "Ferndale Flora" quilt made up with a few changes. . . flowers were appliqued to each of the corners, which really finished the quilt off nicely. What a great addition to the quilt! It's individual creativity that makes quilting such a wonderful hobby!

On my drive home, I couldn't help but think about where we would be without our local quilt shops. Whether it's a much-needed dose of retail therapy, a class, or just inspiration or motivation, a local quilt shop is always nearby to take care of those needs!

Second Shop on the "Hop"

2008-01-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

The second shop I'm sharing with you, Sew Simple, is also in Redding, California. As you enter the shop, you're welcomed with a wonderful selection of "American Jane" and "Dick and Jane" fabrics. (Hmmm. . . I recognize that alphabet quilt! lol!)

This shop carries a huge assortment of charm squares and jelly rolls. . .

as well as "Thimbleberries" fabrics and kits.
As you browse the shop, you'll find cute little dresses made up in various fabrics that add such a nice touch to the fabric displays.

This shop has one of the largest classrooms I've ever seen! It not only can accommodate classes of 20 students with ease, but is also a great place for the "Sit 'n Sew" groups that meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.

I'm traveling south of Redding today, so check back for a few more shops along the way!

Quilt Shop Hop

2008-01-16T06:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know about the rest of you, but one of my favorite parts about traveling anywhere is visiting the local quilt shops. I love to see the creativity in displays, talk with the owners and staff, and, most importantly, find things that I can't live without! So, for those of you who don't live in my neck of the woods, I thought I'd share a few inside views of several quilt shops in my area.

Today we'll start with "The Sewing Room", located in Redding, California. Here is the first thing you see as you enter the shop. Off to a great start, right?! The shop owners are very creative and like to rearrange their shop frequently, which always seems to make it feel fresh and new.

I know one of my favorite things about this shop is the 30's section. Look at the cute display of vintage aprons above the 30's fabric. . . there's more!

What could be more appealing than a tall bookshelf filled with color-grouped 30's fabrics. . .

How about oodles of baskets filled with color-grouped 30's fabrics!!!! Who can resist these little triangles in their individual baskets! It reminded me of a candy store, which I can never resist!

Hope you enjoyed the first shop! Check back soon for the second shop on this hop!

A Quilting Adventure

2008-01-05T02:57:00.000-08:00

The real title of this should be, "The things we'll do for quilting!" It all started early Thursday morning. . . One of my good friends, Veronica, lives an easy 1-hour drive north of me in Mt. Shasta, where she runs her machine quilting business. Veronica taught me the art of hand-guided, free motion machine quilting many years ago and is always available to assist me when I'm in a jam. (What a great friend!!) When I have several quilt tops finished and am ready for quilting design, marking and pinning, I usually head up to her house for a fun-filled day of girl talk, laughter and music while she quilts and I mark and pin.

A big storm was predicted to hit the mountains in northern California on Friday, so I had no worries about the weather interfering with my trip on Thursday! The drive up is always pleasant - beautiful trees and scenery all along the way. The weather was a piece of cake - light rain, clear roads and hardly any traffic. Hmmmmmm. . . (Note to self: clean the windshield!!!)

As I began approaching the town of Mt. Shasta, there was snow on the sides of the roads and a light dusting of snow on the road, but I still figured, "no problem", as it wasn't raining or snowing. Veronica's house sits up on a hill, with a slightly steep driveway. As you can see, a little snow in her driveway, very windy (just look at my hairdo!) and freezing cold, but not snowing. Still not worried, and was only thinking about everything I was going to be able to accomplish on this great day.

Let the fun begin!! Choosing the right quilting stencils can sometimes be the hardest part, but thanks to Veronica's surplus of stencils, I'm always able to find something that will work well. Each one of these huge portfolios contains hundreds of stencils.

After about two hours of marking and chatting and not paying much attention to anything else, I looked out the window and saw gusty winds with some snowflakes. . . still not worried. . . plenty of time before the storm hits. About an hour later, I see lots of snow on the driveway, but Veronica assures me it's no problem because my car is all-wheel drive. That's all I needed to hear. . . time to start pinning quilt tops. You'll notice all of the straight pins. . . yes, I was taught to straight-pin all of my seams for doing "ditch work" and the outside edges of the quilt to help keep it square while machine quilting.

Uh-oh. . . looked outside again and this time I got slightly concerned when Veronica said, "Oh no, you better leave. The snow is really coming down!" I wanted to finish pinning the quilt I had started, so I ignored her advice, but I knew I'd better hurry! As you can see, her driveway was no longer visible, but I had no idea there were several inches of snow on the ground already!!! Yikes!!

I finally gave in, and even though I hated to leave, I knew I was pushing my luck if I wanted to get home. So, I said good-bye to Veronica & Gus, loaded up my car and left. Just making it down her driveway was the first obstacle!! Navigating the interstate on the drive home was another story!

It was a blizzard, to say the least. It was was of those driving experiences where I had to turn off my phone, turn off my music and concentrate on staying on the road. (Another note to self: make eye appointment!!)
I was never so relieved to finally make it home 2-1/2" hours later. But, I'd have to say, I'd do it all over again for the love of quilting!

SALE-A-BRATION!!!

2007-12-31T07:59:00.000-08:00

In celebration of a new year, all Bloom Creek patterns purchased between today and January 15th will be 30% off. This sale applies to both retail and wholesale orders and comes with a heartfelt “thank you” for your continued support.

Visit our website at http://www.bloomcreek.com/ to take advantage of this sale. When you place your order and check out, type in 2008 for the coupon code and 30% will be deducted.

May the new year be full of happy times and provide us with more time to enjoy our passion for quilting, our friends and our families.

Junior Designers

2007-12-28T04:17:00.000-08:00

With the new year approaching, I've already been thinking about what I'd like to change or do differently this year. My number one resolution is to make more quality time for my granddaughters. It's very easy to get so caught up in everything I need to do or get finished, that I forget how important it is to make time for special days with my grandkids. So, I got a jump start on this resolution by arranging an all-day "sew day" with my two oldest (Maddy, age 8 and Lexi, age 6) yesterday, and I'm so glad I did! Fun was definitely had by all!

I've found that charm squares are a great way for younger kids to make a simple quilt without having to use rotary cutters (I'm not that brave yet!!). After raiding my charm square bin, we were ready to begin auditioning fabric on the design wall before beginning to sew. Both girls have watched me do this for years, and required little instruction. I let them have total control over which fabrics they used and which ones went where (even though it was killing me not to change a few!).

I found a great machine for my grandkids about two years ago (Hello Kitty by Janome), but because sharing a machine doesn't always work well, Maddy said, "Grammy, I think I'm ready for the Juki." I cracked up! Well, she was right and it was a perfect solution. We had three machines going at once (yes, I was even able to sew) and I am still so amazed and thrilled over how well they did. By the end of the day, they had all of their rows sewn together. We safely tucked them away in their sewing bins, where they'll pick up next time and finish their quilt tops.

I think it's so important to instill the love of creating, sewing, and quilting in the younger generation, and I hope to do my part with my own granddaughters.

Making Time to Design

2007-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

I was going to wait until after the holidays to get back to my designing, but since the shopping is done, presents are wrapped, food has been prepared and the house has been cleaned, I can wait no longer! Besides, there's a new line of fabric that I've been obsessed with since I received it from Marcus Fabrics after fall quilt market! For me, I find that my pattern designs are inspired by the fabric, and "Surf & Sand", (designed by Michele D'Amore) has been my inspiration for at least four new pattern designs. This is a somewhat sophisticated fabric group, with subtle tones of tan, beige, and pale blues. I find it very soothing and suggestive of a life of leisure along the shore! (I can only wish and hope!!)

Because patience is not my strong point, I have decided to introduce one of these new patterns sometime in late January or early February, rather than waiting for spring quilt market. Here's a sneak peak at the design, still in progress. (And yes, it's going to have applique!)

Michele's fabric lines seem to appeal to me quite often and have been my inspiration for several pattern designs. Most recently, my "Bella Baby" pattern was inspired by Michele's "Bella Baby" fabric line and sure has been one of my most popular new patterns. The fabric was designed for the modern nursery, with old-fashioned appeal, and also comes in blues and browns.

Happy quilting to everyone, and the happiest of holidays!

Discovering "American Girl"

2007-12-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

Apparently, I am the only one who was not aware of the world of the "American Girl" dolls! I had heard of them, but had no idea the extent of this world (unbelievable, since I have four granddaughters!). Well, I am happy to say I am no longer in the dark! On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I not only became aware, but hooked on the whole idea that I need to start this collection for my granddaughters. While shopping at a fairly new outdoor mall called "The Grove" (that appeared to be modeled after Main Street at Disneyland), we discovered the "American Girl Place." I said to my husband, "Let's just go in and look." Ha!!!

To make a long story short, I found the perfect gift for our youngest two granddaughters, who are such pals and want everything alike. The "Bitty Baby Twins" with a few extra outfits, then had to be safely packed in our suitcase for the flight back home! Even though I was beyond excited about this perfect gift because one twin has blonde hair and one has brown hair (our Olyvia is blonde and Ava is brunette), something was missing. . . you guessed it! These Bitty Baby Twins needed Bitty Baby quilts!!

Amidst everything I needed to do to prepare for the holidays, as well as complete our home office remodel job before company arrives on Christmas Eve, I felt it necessary to get the doll quilts made, wrapped and under the tree. I kept it quick and simple, and after a thorough search through my stash, I was able to find flannel that coordinated well with the the dolls' pajamas. After sewing 2" squares together, I decided to add a 1" ruffle and tie off the quilts. I'm pleased with the finished product, but my true pleasure will be when my granddaughters open their dolls and say, "Oh Grammy. . . you made quilts for our dolls!!"

Special Handmade Gifts

2007-12-15T07:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is getting out all of the decorations, because so many of them have special meaning and memories. I always insist my family endure my "trip down memory lane" (or as my daughter calls it. . . "Moms' remember whens"), as I go through the boxes of holiday decorations. I thought I would share some of my favorite handmade gifts that have been given to me by special friends.

My dear friend, Anne, (who I miss so much since she moved to Kentucky) made this adorable needlepoint ornament for me this year and it just happened to arrive in the mail the same day we were putting up our Christmas tree. What a nice surprise! Now I'll have a special ornament that will remind me of her each year.

Do any of you remember when fabric-covered frames were the rage in the world of crafting?! Based on the ages of my kids in this picture, I'm estimating this was in the early 80's. My friend, Lori, and I made oodles of these one year and gave them as gifts. Yikes!! (My handmade gifts have sure come a long way since then!) She made this one for me, which will always be one of my favorites.

The snowman pillow was made by Linda, my "bestest" friend since 7th grade. (Won't say how many years ago that was!) She has not yet become a quilter (though I am not giving up hope), but she definitely has sewing and crafting in her blood! She surprised me several years ago with this snowman pillow, which has a place around my Christmas tree every year.

In a few weeks all of these special gifts will be boxed up and put away until next year, when I can relive the memories all over again!

(Coming soon. . . my introduction to the world of "American Girl"!)

Free Pattern!

2007-12-13T12:38:00.001-08:00

Well, it didn't take me long to get hooked on blogging! I sure enjoyed all of the comments I received on my first post, and now I'd like to share a free pattern with you.

I recently designed a project for Marcus Fabrics using their Crazy 8's (8-1/2" squares) and charm squares (5" squares) from the new Aunt Grace fabric lines. It's a free pattern that be printed from the their website. http://www.marcusbrothers.com/makeit/projects/aunt_grace_quilt/index.html

It's a quick and fun project - hope you enjoy it!

Happy Holidays!!

2007-12-12T16:11:00.000-08:00

After procrastinating way too long, I’ve finally decided to join the world of blogging, and just in time to wish all of my quilting friends and wonderful customers a very happy holiday season! I’m hoping many of you are like me, who have decided on last-minute “must make” gifts. I seem to do this every year about this time, and thought I’d share my latest idea with you.

Having four granddaughters who all love to have sleepovers, I thought it would be fun to make each of them one of my “Brandyvine Tote” bags and fill them with everything they would need for a weekend with Grammy and Papa – a book, a movie, a game, pajamas, drawing supplies, a hairbrush and toiletries and a gift card for their favorite store for an afternoon of shopping.

After choosing a different fabric for each of them, I began sewing up a storm. I altered the pattern a bit to size it down to 16” x 18”. I did this by only using nine, 2-1/2” strips instead of 10, and shortening it by two inches. I also shortened the straps by about four inches. Rather than doing the appliqué on all of them, I used a focus fabric instead. Here are the three I have finished, with only one to go. They’re quick-to-make. . . in fact, I finished two in one weekend!

The next step will be to wrap all of the gifts that will go inside each tote, and I’m hoping to find wrapping paper that will look cute with each tote bag. I may decide to use white paper with a coordinating ribbon, but I’m undecided.

(I thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as I “fine-tune” my blogging skills!)