The story of this bright, beautiful quilt, which uses patterns from my Teapots to Appliqué:

My quilting bee was asked by by son’s girlfriend, Lyndsay Benson, to help her DAR chapter make a teapot quilt. The name of their chapter is the Wilmington Ladies Tea Walk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

We began this project in October of 2008. My bee, which is part of the Quilters by the Sea Guild of Wilmington, North Carolina, attended one of the Tea Walk meetings to show them how to applique and quilt. Each person in my bee and each lady in the chapter were given a choice of the teapot patterns and then made their block from material that was chosen for the project.

The quilt will be used as a raffle to make money for the projects that the chapter does for the community. As you can see there was hand quilting, machine quilting, hand applique, and machine applique as each person did their own thing. After getting all the blocks back, I then put them together and added the teacups in the corners and the border. It was really a fun quilt to do.

Ann, this bright quilt is brightening your community in so many ways. Your bee took time to teach appliqué and quilting to the chapter, and you all collaborated to benefit the good programs of the DAR. I love the fact that all kinds of appliqué and quilting come together in this way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing my teapot patterns for this wonderful group project. I hope it raises lots of $$ for the cause. By the way, did you know that North Carolina is my home state? I grew up in Chapel Hill.

I think those are picnic ants making off with a chocolate chip cookie.

Teapots to Appliqué, which was my first collection of teapots, is now out of print, but an unbound pattern pack is available on my website. Teapots 2 to Appliqué is still in print.

Still smiling at the cheerful teapots,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

I’m so proud.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

That first collection is now out of print (though you can still get pattern packs over at quiltpuppy.com, but when I contacted the shop owner, Judy Hansen, she told me they carry Teapots 2 to Appliqué now and sent me a picture of their shop sample.

Teapots 2 to Appliqué banner

Wow, eh what? Check out teapot number three… it’s the same one that’s shown on the cover of the book, but what a difference a really groovy fabric choice can make! That’s what I love about seeing my designs done up by someone else.

Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs

I sent off an email asking about the quilt, and soon received a reply from MJ Peters in Vermont, on the left in the photo. Here’s the story behind her teapots.

“My guild in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont has a monthly activity we call friendship blocks, and my choice was to have my friends make each a teapot from your collection. It was a challenge for some members as they do not do appliqué often (myself included) but I am a teapot collector (65 approx.) and I have even thrown a formal tea party for friends. We will be having a tea party in August for the guild at my house.

I am also a retiring Family and Consumer Sciences teacher (31 years) so it will be a treasured memento from this great group of women I see once per month. I really enjoyed the patterns and you have helped to make a wonderful treasure.”

Okay, folks, this is what it’s all about. I love hearing these stories more than anything!

I have to admit that I had not heard of the Northeast Kingdom, but Google soon educated me. I learned that it’s a region in the northeastern corner of Vermont known for its lovely countryside and recreational opportunities.

MJ, congratulations on your retirement, and thanks for sharing your beautiful friendship quilt with us.

Until next time,
Kay

P.S. Teapots to Appliqué is now out of print, but there’s a pattern pack available over at Quilt Puppy, as well as a brand-new collection of teapot designs, Teapots 2 to Appliqué.

It was through their BOM with the original Teapots book that I got to know the shop’s owners, Kit and Julie. They contacted me with an emergency book order, and told me about their popular “Sunday Tea” program.

Last year, when I told them that I was putting out Teapots 2, they asked if they could make a sample to go in the book. Could they ever! I was delighted at the proposition. They made “Tea With the Empress” using the Empress Garden collection by Hoffman Fabrics, and these are the fabrics they’re using for the new BOM program (while supplies last of course).

You don’t have to live nearby to participate in the BOM, as it is also offered online. Their website is www.alwaysquiltingonline.com. Go there and click on On-Line Catalog, then Block of the Month. You’ll see “Tea with the Empress” among many other offerings.

The book comes with the program, but if you already have your copy of Teapots 2, just let them know. They’ll give you a different price structure.

When the new BOM program came out, there was also renewed interest in the first Teapots BOM. Though the original Teapots to Appliqué book is now out of print, I’m happy to say that Always Quiting continues to offer the original BOM using my pattern packs.

Thank you, Kit and Julie!

Until next time,
Kay

Blue Willow was my mother’s china pattern. Whenever I see it, it brings back warm memories of childhood. Imagine my delight when Reeze Hanson of Ottawa, Kansas, sent me pictures of a whole collection of Blue Willow teapots!

Here’s the story behind the quilts. As you’ll see, Reeze’s mother and mine shared an affinity for Blue Willow.

“I teach classes at Quilting Bits & Pieces in Eudora, Kansas (where I bought the first teapots book) and planned to make some small quilts using the patterns and a bolt of blue willow fabric I had recently purchased. My mother was a Blue Willow China collector and antique dealer, and our house was filled with (literally) thousands of pieces of blue willow china.

My mother was an active member of the International Willow Collector’s Society (which she helped establish many years ago) and very active in the local Ohio chapter for many years. She attending many of their annual meetings, until she passed away in 1993. My sister inherited most of the willow and has generously spread it around to all the grandchildren, friends and family that we knew would all want a few cherished pieces in memory of mother. Much was sold, and many pieces are still in the family.

My sister continued to attend the annual Willow Society conventions and later I joined her. Immediately I thought of your teapot patterns, as teapots were my mother’s favorite BW item to collect and she had dozens of them. So I designed and made each of the little quilts, and many more!

It was so fun. I only made one of each kind, no two were alike, and never even wrote down the patterns I designed. But I loved making these and plan to make more with the new book.

Thanks so much for your interest in my quilts! They really were a labor of love, done in honor of my mother.”

Here’s to mothers everywhere, and the cherished memories they leave us with.

Until next time,
Kay

Today is the official publication date, but I actually had the book in time for last weekend’s quilt show put on by my home guild. It’s so much fun having a new book and having all of my quilter friends come by to check it out. I envisioned this one with a pink and girly cover, and I think I hit the mark!

The fabric used for the teapot is “Rose de la Bagatelle” by Holly Holderman of LakeHouse Dry Goods. I love it!

I’ll be putting up some pictures of what my appliqué friends did with the 16 new teapot designs, or, if you want to see them now, you can see them and more information about the book on my website, Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs.

I love my job!

Until next time,
Kay

Our guild meeting was last night. When Jean arrived, I said to her, “I heard you got something.” Beaming, she said there was a funny story about it. At their last get-together, Jean had gotten out some books for the ladies to look at, and when she came to mine, she said, pointedly, “Now I like this book, and I like these teapots.” The other ladies looked down, looked sideways, held a straight face. Kathy told me, “We wanted to pull the table runner out right then, but was hadn’t all signed the card!” So fifteen minutes later, when all was in readiness, Jean was presented with the teapot table runner. Each of the gals had signed her block, seven in all.

Kathy (left) and Jean (right)

I asked Jean what the occasion was. With a broad smile and a twinkle in her eye, she replied,”Because I pour out my hospitality for quilters.” Oh my gosh, that got me “right there.” Jean always hosts her group at her house, and this was a thank-you from all of them to her for her generosity.

Kathy Rickabaugh, Linda Fazendin, Barbara Lockwood, Teri Gardner, Tish Criswell, Alice Olsen, and Megan Bowen, I’d like to thank you for including a little piece of me in your lovely expression of gratitude.

Until next time,
Kay

Janet works only by machine and is masterful at a couple of different machine appliqué techniques. This one was done using freezer paper templates and glue stick to turn the edges. The stitching is a mock hand appliqué using the machine blind stitch. Looks great!!

For those of you in the northern California area, Janet will be teaching this method, using this quilt as an example, at Cabrillo Sewing Center in Capitola on October 29, 2007. For full details, visit the shop’s website and click on Classes & Events.

Until next time,
Kay

Jean is a fabulous quilter whose creations always look smashing. For a real treat, visit Jean Post’s Quilt Patch.