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Oct
23
Cynthia Wheeler just sent me the most amazing Show & Tell. In her words:
“You and I meet at various quilt shows. I’ve bought most of your books because I just love the simplicity that you offer without it being silly looking. I had asked you at the Delta Quilters quilt show (one of my guilds) if it was all right to use the patterns in the Growing Hearts book with my appliqué group in Fairfield to make a quilt for donation. You said it was all right as long as I put the name of the book and author on the label, which I did.
This quilt was made by the members of the D’Vine Applique Society in Fairfield, California. We chose the blocks from your Growing Hearts to Applique book and each member hand appliquéd their block during our monthly meeting. It took about a year to complete and we are really pleased with the finished product. We hope you are too.”
Are you kidding me Cynthia? Am I pleased with it, seriously? I’m over the moon! I can’t believe the fabulous job you did, and for such an important cause.
The quilt is named “Hearts of Joy.” It was made for The Breast Cancer Quilt Auction, a community-service project to raise funds for Sutter Cancer Center’s breast cancer research and patient treatment programs. The auction takes place Saturday, November 5, 2011, at Sutter Cancer Center, 2800 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95816.
“Hearts of Joy” is 70” x 70” and also can be seen as quilt # 537 on the Sutter Medical Center Foundation Philanthropy auction site.
Cynthia continues, “We all got together and selected the backgrounds and border fabrics. We followed the idea that was on the cover of the book with four different off-whites and different brown/tan colors for the sashing, etc. Sometimes it amazes me how so many women can actually agree on so many choices. But we did in short order. We also all agreed on having certain fabrics carried throughout the blocks. These were all scraps that were brought to the meeting and shared.
The real work actually began with the preparation, and then there was a lot of concentration as you can see from the photos. I think it is fun to see the progression of a project in photos.”
Cynthia quilted the quilt on her longarm. She says, “I tried to quilt each block in a non-traditional way, such as the swing in the tree, the planter became a sailboat, and the ribbons being dropped by the bird as it is flying.”
Here’s the beautiful quliting that Cynthia did on opposing corners of the border.
Amazing.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you another part of our story,” Cynthia continues. “We were so bent on completing the quilt so it could be quilted on time for submission that we decided to forgo our annual Christmas celebration and work right on through. Instead we promised ourselves that when we completed the quilt we would treat ourselves to chocolate sundaes. And that is just what we did, the completion of the quilt made those sundaes taste ever so sweet.
The D’Vine Appliqué Society meets from 6:30to 8:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Cornerstone Quilt Shoppe in Fairfield. We have a very special group. Thank you for letting us use your patterns. We are hoping that this quilt earns a lot of money for the auction.”
I sure hope so too, and I have a feeling it will. Thank you so much for choosing my designs for your efforts.
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Growing Hearts to Appliqué | 9 Comments
Oct
16
Nancy Manion is a quilter that I met at the San Diego show. She told me she had made the sampler quilt from Teapots 2 to Appliqué, and I asked her to send me a photo.
Isn’t it gorgeous? Nancy says,
You can quote me: “I couldn’t remember doing applique before and had avoided it for some time. I wanted to do the teapots, so I read your directions for back basting applique several times and dove right in. I love the technique and am very pleased with the results. I realize I need to practice more to get the tiny curves right, but this sure beats other applique techniques which I have tried since doing the teapots. Thanks for such great patterns.
Yay! Another back-basting convert!
Notice how the teapots are all set up for a left-handed pour. I haven’t seen one like that before, and it’s a refreshing change! Back-basting takes a reversed pattern. Nancy chose not to reverse them, my husband the lefty would be so proud.
So glad you are enjoying appliqué now, Nancy. Thanks for sharing your beautiful creation.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Teapots 2 to Appliqué | 1 Comment
Oct
12
For the last three years or so, a trio of wonderful ladies have visited me in my booth in Long Beach. They’ve each been working on their own unique version of my 16 Baskets quilt from Baskets to Appliqué.
This last summer, they had the quilt tops all completed and brought them to show me.
All I can say is, WOW!!!
As you’ll see, I managed to get photos of their quilts but not of them! These gals are kind of shy and retiring but I just had to brag about them. I told them they have stick-to-it-iveness!
This is Laureen Baker’s quilt, using Civil War reproduction fabrics.
Here we have Judy Uyemura’s basket quilt, with the adorable polka-dot background.
And this is Amy Wang’s, made with American Jane fabrics. I sent the gals down the aisle to show this to Sandy Klop, who was just as thrilled and speechless as I was!
Great job, gals!! I’m so happy that you chose my pattern to devote years of your appliqué life to. I am quite honored.
Funny tag ending: Judy told me that the gals had been intimidated by the dogtooth border and had devised some folded-fabric kind-of backward prairie points instead. I told her, are you nuts? If you can appliqué all those baskets, the dogtooth border is gonna be a cinch!
I saw Judy again at the San Diego show and she pulled out her quilt top. There was the dogtooth border! She said, you’re right, it was so easy! Yay!
Baskets to Appliqué is out of print but you can get all the basket patterns in a pack at my website, on the patterns page.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Baskets to Appliqué | Leave a Comment
May
17
At the recent Seven Sisters Quilt Show in San Luis Obispo, I met Marilyn Pound of Torrance, California. Marilyn told she had made the Sixteen Baskets quilt from my book Baskets to Appliqué. She showed me a snapshot and it is so beautiful! I begged her to send me a photo.
Marilyn did a fantastic job. I love the way she made the eggs into Easter eggs!
Marilyn picked up Growing Hearts to Appliqué at the show and says she plans to use pinks instead of reds. Can’t wait to see it!
Thanks a million, Marilyn!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Baskets to Appliqué | Leave a Comment
Mar
23
Jane Adams sent me a photo of the sampler quilt she made using the designs in Teapots 2 to Appliqué!
Teapots by Jane Adams
Look at this cheerful gem!! Jane says she used all types of fabrics to depict holidays, different cultures, and fun designs. I love how she added her own little touches to the blocks and put the milk and sugar pitchers in the corners.
Jane used the fusible applique method with a blanket stitch around the designs for this 68 X 68 project. It was quilted by Erin Gonzales at The Calico House in Placentia, CA. Jane crows about Erin’s quilting, saying, ” She did a fabulous and creative job, even quilted different names of teas in the inner border and steam coming out of the teapots!”
Great job, both of you!!
Jane shared that she will be teaching a teapot appliqué class at The Calico House! Check out their Classes page in case you live in the greater Los Angeles area and would like to stitch some teapots with Jane!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Teapots 2 to Appliqué | 1 Comment
Mar
13
“I’m excited,” writes Janis Rink of Albany, New York.
“I worked on the BOM sponsored by Flying Geese Fabrics in Albany during the past year. It was led by Pat Cunningham. I jumped on board in March when two of the ladies who signed up never claimed their first two blocks. So I was a little behind throughout the process. I managed to stick with it and I was able to finish it this past November. Eight months in all.”
Look at this gorgeous rendition of “A Little More Tea” from Teapots 2 to Appliqué!
Pat Cunningham at Flying Geese Fabrics chose the block of the month and coordinated the fabrics. This beauty was quilted by Janis’s cousin, professional quilter Teresa Fabozzi of A&T Home Quilting.
Janis continues, “I did follow your applique tips in your book where by I used a heavy thread to outline the shapes making it easier to turn under and stitch.” Janis is referring to the back-basting method of preparing shapes for hand appliqué, a fabulous method explained in Teapots 2.
“I stitched them with a SIL. I thoroughly enjoyed every step of the way. This is actually my first applique quilt and I’m interested in doing more. I am generally a piecer and won a yellow ribbon last year at the Vermont Quilt Festival. That was very exciting.” Congratulations, Janis!!! And a hearty welcome to appliqué.
“Anyway, I love sipping tea and it is a cherished memory of my mother who passed away fourteen years ago. This quilt is dedicated to her. I am planning on photographing one of her teacups, then scanning it onto fabric and then using it as a label.”
How nice to learn that this quilt has so much added meaning for you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Janis is an art teacher. She gave me the link to her blog, Dream Draw Create.
Janis shares another nugget with us, a little quilt shop in Brooklyn called Fiber Notion that she and her daughter enjoyed visiting.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Teapots 2 to Appliqué | 1 Comment
Mar
8
Yesterday morning I got up and did the happy dance.
For me this looks like jumping up and down while doing the twist. I am not normally much of a morning person, especially before coffee, but I was celebrating the fact that it was the official publication day for Inspired by Tradition: 50 Appliqué Blocks in 5 Sizes!
Here’s the Table of Contents, beautifully presented by That Patchwork Place’s book designer.
Here are a few more blocks.
Six blocks from Inspired by Tradition
Some more very cool news: Pat Sloan has invited me to be a guest on her Creative Talk Radio show on March 21! That should be so fun, as Pat is a relaxed, outgoing person and totally easy to talk to. There will be giveaway goodness associated with this event, so be sure to mark your calendars.
The next day, I’m kicking off Book-A-Round 2, a 10-day tour visiting other quilting bloggers. Each one will feature something a little different about Inspired by Tradition. More giveaway goodness, as a copy of the book will be offered in a drawing at each stop of the tour. Mark your calendars for March 22-31, and stay tuned for more information.
In celebration of this long-awaited day, and to say thanks, I’d like to offer blog readers a coupon for $2.00 off orders from my website. Use coupon code BLOG2 during checkout. Coupon expires March 31, 2011.
Still got happy feet,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Inspired by Tradition, My website | 2 Comments
Nov
2
Check out Jeanne’s gorgeous colorful teapot top over on Flickr! Some are my designs from Teapots 2 to Appliqué and some are others… and I love love love the dachsund!!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Teapots 2 to Appliqué | Leave a Comment
Oct
12
I recently received the most amazing message from Rebecca Hoffmann of Plant City, Florida. It made my day and then some!!
I am a member of Feather Princess Appliqué Guild of Tampa, Florida. One of the sewing circles of the guild is “Sewrority Sisters Appliqué Sewciety.” We meet once a month for four hours of sewing and fun at one of the local libraries. We wanted to give something to the library for allowing us to use one of their rooms, so we decided to make a raffle quilt and donate all the proceeds to the Riverview Library.
I contacted you last year about using your basket patterns for a raffle quilt, and you gave us permission. My group has finally finished the quilt and I’m sending a photo of it.
Basket Quilt by the SSAS, 80 x 100
Is this not a masterpiece of a quilt? I am totally blown away. This is a group of gals who are not afraid of appliqué! They enlarged the blocks, designed a new setting, and embellished many of the blocks in a most delightful fashion, I love it!
Rebecca continues:
Each person donated $10 towards the cost of fabric, batting, etc., for the quilt. Sixteen women volunteered to make blocks, one person did the piecing, another the quilting and another the binding. We used your 16 patterns from Baskets to Appliqué, and I designed four more to make a total of 20 blocks.
My friend Shari Gillis and I designed the sashing for setting the 12″ blocks. Some of the women added their own designs to the baskets and one person changed it completely. The quilt is finished, and we are now in the process of selling the raffle tickets. This is a beautiful quilt, I wish you could see it in person. Thank you so much for allowing us to use your patterns. We are hoping to make a large donation to the library.
Oh my goodness, I should think so! Huge thanks to you and your group, Rebecca, for choosing my basket designs for your quilt. I feel honored. You have elevated the designs and you’ve inspired me!
Here are some closeups of the blocks.
I’m so glad Rebecca sent me closeups so that I could see the delightful sewing doodads that were added to these blocks. How fun! My hat’s off!
Here are the four blocks that Rebecca designed herself. As I told her, they’re so lovely and entirely to my taste. Do we see a new pattern designer emerging here?
Here are two labels for the quilt that Rebecca did up in EQ7.
Great job with the computer work!!
Now a word of news about Baskets to Appliqué. Gentle quilters, it’s very nearly out of print. That’s right, there are now exactly 9 copies left in captivity. But never fear, the designs will still be available once these copies are gone. I’ll be offering all 16 designs in a different format, an unbound pattern pack in a baggie. There won’t be any color photos or instructions, just the designs for your appliqué pleasure. The baskets will go on!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Baskets to Appliqué | Leave a Comment
Jul
31
I just returned from International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, California. My next-door neighbors were the gals from Quilters’ Paradise in Clovis. When they saw my Teapots 2 to Appliqué they told me that their appliqué teacher Adena uses the book to teach blanket-stitch machine appliqué! Very cool!
Here’s the project from the class, photo courtesy of Quilter’s Paradise.
LOVE the exotic fabrics. Thanks gals for being fabulous neighbors and for using my teapots!!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Filed Under Appliqué, Teapots 2 to Appliqué | Leave a Comment