Bye, Bye, Butterfly Pattern Release + 20% SALE

Just this week I was sharing with my youngest son why spring is my favorite time of year. It’s always been thrilling for me to discover those first bulbs, bursting up through the dormant soil…the perfect shade of spring green that adorns foliage with the promise of new life – tender and delicate…the much-craved light and warmth from a sun that now lingers longer than in the previous winter months. More than anything, I think my love of spring has more to do with the feeling that it ushers in… a feeling of hopefulness that hovers thick. Winter is coming to an end.

With this in mind, it feels like it is perfect timing for the release of my latest pattern, “Bye, Bye Butterfly”. A butterfly is symbolic of change and transformation, and I hope that it invokes feelings of renewal, hope, and courage.

Starting today, save 20% off my latest quilt pattern, Bye, Bye Butterfly, as well as all my patterns in my entire shop! Just  enter the Sale Code: byebye. Sale ends Monday, March 8th, 2021!
 

"Bye, Bye Butterfly" is for the intermediate quilter, and combines applique, XXL applique, and reverse applique with simple paper piecing techniques. The oversized shapes are a good starting point, even for the experienced quilter who wants to try their hand at applique. 

Reverse applique is a fantastic way to eliminate bulk in an applique project, plus it's a fun way to incorporate accent fabrics.

... and with so many of my patterns, circle accents add just the right touch, don't you think? With the help of my video, "how to make the perfect circle using the starch applique technique", you'll be making circles like a pro in no time.

I love combining piecing techniques with applique, and a fun little row of flying geese, adds to the organic applique shapes.

The PDF pattern includes the full size templates, and a coloring page. There are plenty of illustrations, and even a brief explnaion of the starch applique method. Find all my patterns in my shop and get started on your "Bye, Bye Butterfly" quilt today!

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Partridge In A Pear Tree - Today's Quilter Magazine

Are you looking for an applique project to warm up those cold winter months? Then my "Partridge In A Pear Tree" applique found in the latest issue of Today's Quilter magazine might be just what you're looking for - such a soft and subtle palette is perfect for almost any season!

Combining applique and reverse applique can be a satisfying way to highlight focal point design elements. Showcase them for holiday artwork or make a pillow ready to adorn any sofa.

Soft orange and salmon colored berries add just a hint of warmth to any wintery project.

Simple leaf details add interest to this soft-winged snow bird.

The "Perfect Pears & Branches" blocks can be used either by themselves, or in a larger project. Three layout options are included to turn these blocks into a whole quilt!

Find my Partridge in A Pear Tree project in issue 69 of Today's Quilter Magazine, out now!

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Cool or Warm color palette?

My grandmother loved blue. She had piercing blue eyes and found beauty in surrounding herself with that cool and calm shade... every room, and even a large percentage of her wardrobe. Because my mother grew up with so much blue around her, she attributes that as one of the reasons why there was an extreme absence of blue in the house. Like my mother, blue is also noticeably missing in my home, but in spite of all of that... somehow blue seems to follows me.

If you were to look at my most recent projects, you might get the impression that an ocean-inspired palette is what make my heart sing. Hmmm... there's Purdy Bird, then my second Fly High Dragonfly, my reverse applique quilt, and now my most recent project, a second Circle Around pillow.

When I am working on a project, I usually have a pretty specific color palette in my head. Even though finding blue in my house would be a little like a "where's Waldo" search, I very much enjoy working with a cool palette in my quilting projects.

And, as I've discovered about myself... I can sometimes get stuck on a color combo, camp out on it for a while before moving on. There are actually several examples to mention: my purple phase, my jewel-tone phase, a green phase (which is totally to be expected since it is my favorite color), a warm color phase...

Sometimes a specific purpose for the project influences my color decisions... why am I making the project? Is is for me to use? Is it a sample for a teaching class? Am I making it for a pattern? Will it be gifted to someone special? 

 .. and this particular project, I did have someone special in mind - a confirmation present for our goddaughter, who just happens to loves shades of blues and turquoises. I have to admit, that I love the way this warm and cool color palette work together, that I might just have to make this again.

What about you... are you are you drawn to a cool and calm color palette? or does a warm and fiery color palette hold your affections?

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In Reverse Gear

So far there have been two of my teaching events that have been canceled because of the craziness that is going on in the world right now. One of those events was my biggest show of the year, Nadelwelt. Each year, flocks of quilters make their way to Karlsruhe, Germany for THE networking and meet-up event of the year for quilters in Germany (and several other surrounding countries)

One of the classes that I had planned to teach was combining reverse applique with piecing techniques. The last weeks of 2019, I worked on putting together several blocks and samples for the class, one of which was this mini pattern. Since that class will not be happening, I decided that it was high time to share the quilt finish that came out of those preparations.

I really wanted to experiment with different ways to quilt using my walking foot. I ended up marking the designs on the solid stips to highlight three different quilting designs, and filling in with straight line quilting for the background.

Believe it or not, I actually used the walking foot for the orange peel quilting. It was a bit of a challenge with the movement of the quilt under the machine to get those curves in since you are essentially sewing "straight". But I have to say that it got easier and the lines looked better the more I did it.

Even though it was the most marking to do, I found this design to be the most satisfying after it was quilted. I also used this design in my Purdy Bird quilt. You know what they say... if it's not broke, then don't fix it.

My goal is that after things get back to normal, to work on a few online teaching resources for the reverse applique technique... but until then, sending a little quilty love your way.

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Fly High, Dragonfly

Last week, I shared a very emotional post on Instagram. Essentially putting into words a mixture of trying to sort out my feelings about the current events that are happening in the world, and finding the balance of moving forward in the midst of the storm. 

Since the planned release date for my Fly High Dragonfly quilt was perfectly positioned in the eye of the storm, I found myself asking the questions... how do I just carry on as if nothing has happened?... what does one do in the midst of a crisis? Retreat to our caves? make lemonade out of lemons? turn our focus to the good and simple things of life? search for the things that distract us from reality?...

AND let me tell you... I was totally overwhelmed and touched by the responses that I got!?! Such encouragement for moving forward with the pattern release in spite of the current situation. That beauty and inspiration is actually what helps us cope... that  a sense of normalcy settles fears... that creativity is an outlet that brings joy...

When I make a quilt, I find that what comes out is often a reflection of what’s in my heart at the time. And usually when I reflect back and do a little digging, I find that what I’ve created matches what I had been processing in that season of my life. With that thought in mind, I decided to find out more about this amazingly beautiful and fascinating creature…the dragonfly.

In almost every part of the world, the dragonfly symbolizes change & new beginning, living life to the fullest, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization. They are also often associated with courage, strength, hope, and happiness. All things that are so fitting and needed for this time in all of our lives.

Photo: Schnigschnagquiltsandmore

Since so many had shared that a semblance of normalcy, opportunities to be creative, and busy hands help with processing, dealing with, and coping with what is going on right now, I decided to move forward with releasing my Fly High dragonfly pattern. As with all my new releases, I will offer a 20% discount, with the SALE CODE: dragonfly. Sale ends the day after Easter, April, 13, 2020.

 Photo: Schnigschnagquiltsandmore

If you decide to purchase my pattern at this time, my desire is that with each stitch, perhaps this pattern reaches you in those ways. I hope that no one misunderstands that by releasing my pattern that I am simply going about business as usual, but that it is more of an attempt to be a part of helping others find the joy and therapy in being creative.

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"Fly High, Dragonfly" Intro & Class

The past couple Wednesdays I was ready to sit down to write a blog post... but as I looked around, I only saw one secret project after the other. I simply didn't have anything to share. If you follow me on Instadgram, then you may have already seen my latest "cat-out-of-the-bag" project, "Fly High, Dragonfly". But here I would like to officially introduce her and take a little more time to tell more about her.

After I had shared this post, I decided to check back and see exactly when I had started this project... it was back in March!?! Perhaps you remember my first blocks from this project?  I've recently come to love working with an elongated drunkard's path block... it feels like it has more of a twist than the standard block. And my current mood is that every quilting block looks better with an applique dot on it, don't you think?

Currently my quilt is now with Iva from @schnigschagquiltsandmore for her to work her quilting magic. This is not the first quilt that Iva has quilted for me. I find that having my top longarm quilted, helps me get to the pattern release finish line a lot quicker. By the time to you factor in time needed for the pattern concept to making the top, the actual pattern writing itself, plus the time needed for testers, that puts you out quite a while, no matter how fast you are. Having it quilted frees me up to work on the not so glamorous behind the scenes computer work.

photo credit: Iva Steiner

Even though I started this in March, I finished it rather quickly. If you are familiar with farming in Germany, then perhaps the background might give you a little hint of the time of year these pictures were taken? Even if you're not up on farming seasons, you may have heard me rave a time or two (or three, or four...) about my favorite time of year in Germany - canola / asparagus season...

Since this field is just outside my office, you certainly don't think that I could miss the perfect photo opportunity, do you? With all that being said, canola fields in Germany usually bloom between April and May, depending on how warm the spring season has been. I had the deadline of having this finished before I left for Nadelwelt so I could make the hand-off to Iva at the show. Started the end of March, finished in April, traveled to Switzerland in May... sharing now.

... and now for the really exciting part: As part of an exclusive pattern launch, I will be teaching my "Fly High, Dragonfly" quilt pattern March 7th & 8th, 2020 at Galerie von Quilt Et Textilkunst, in Munich, Germany! This class that will be a mixed bag of everything - paper piecing, traditional piecing, starch applique, and "go big or go home" - XXL applique! Hope you to see you there!

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Put Your Feet Up - Brimfield Stool

I recently had a visit from a quilty friend for the weekend, and it seemed as if I was all over the place with my projects... somehow, I wasn't really motivated to work on the things that I was "supposed" to work on... and I actually pulled out a project that had been a long time in the works... for a long time.

When I first started this Brimfield block, I didn't have a specific plan, but had thought to possibly make a little pillow for my living room. Since I already have several quilted pillows, I quickly concluded that it was perhaps a little predictable... and even overdone. By the time I had decided to turn this single block into a stool, the next step was to actually find a stool.  

Anyone who is keen on vintage shopping or furniture refurbishing knows that you might have a general idea of what you are looking for, but may not find it on the first couple excursions. Sometimes you find the most when you are not looking for something specific.

Last year on the way home from Nadelwelt, I made a spontaneous stop at a little antique place that was on the side of the road. I was excited to find some comic books for my boys, a few vintage cigar items for my husband, and yes, you guessed... a stool for me!

But as you can imagine, my block had been basted, half quilted, and put on the back burner by then. It's not always easy to pick up a project that has been packed away for so long, dust it off, and jump back in.

Because I had to custom fit the block to the stool, you can probably imagine how nerve wracking it was to cut this block into a circle... if the measurements slightly off, then I would have to scrap the whole thing - only one-chance-cutting here. Sewing the inset circle was nothing new to me, because I did it often from my purse-making days... and give me a staple gun, and I am a happy girl.

... and just like that, to my surprise, I was stapling away for a weekend finish!?! I was super please how well the upholstery fit. So the only thing left for me to do now, is kick back and really put my feet up.

Pattern: Brimfield Block, from Brimfield Awaking
Fabrics: Anna Maria Horner, Alison Glass, Heather Baily
Background: Essex Linen

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Very Berry Applique Mini Pattern

Warm, sunny days, flowers in full-color bloom, and a freshly-picked, picnic spread on a breezy afternoon... isn't that what summer is all about? Introducing my "Very Berry" applique template set... the perfect way to get you in the summer mood! These scrumptious berries are a delicious embellishment for a sweet summer pillow for the terrace, a pretty table runner for your summertime table decor, a playful carryall bag, or whatever quilting project you can dream up!

The "Very Berry" mini applique pattern, includes 4-piece applique templates, a brief explanation of the starch applique method, how-to instructions for the reverse applique leaf, as well as a layout/coloring sheet.

I thought that a few of my favorite Basic Grey grunge fabrics highlight these fresh tastes of summer perfectly... adding just the right depth and interest.

So, are you ready for summer yet? You can now find my "Very Berry" applique template set in my Payhip shop.

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Confessions of a Secret Agent

I have a new-found respect for the life of a secret agent... trying to live a life of normalcy, but behind the scenes there's enough action to fill movie screens. With that being said, did I happen to mention that I have three patterns in the works... no? hmm, that could be because I was stuck behind the computer screen and everything has to stay under wraps until it's time. Sneak peeks are few and far between, and showing too much too soon might give it all away.

It's no secret that I love applique, but what I really love is the combination of traditional piecing combined with applique... who says you can't have it all, right? Right now my flavor of the month are these elongated drunkard's path units. I find them so much more interesting than their simple-curved cousin. My original plan for this project was to go super saturated in my colors, but I found that I needed to reign things in a bit and bring a little balance into things... thus, more grunge!

... and give me a quilt block, and I'll add a circle to it! Such a simple little embellishment can go so far!?! Don't sit there too long with your coffee, or you might get a dot too!

Believe it or not, this quilt top is finished, and already with the long arm quilter... that way it frees me up to get to the dirty work of pattern writing...  rolling up my sleeves and delving back in. I'll try to come up for air soon!

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