A Big Win!

Excited that last week I got "Mi Amore" published. It is now available on patternspot.com for purchase as an easy PDF download. If you would like a printed copy sent in the mail, you can contact me directly. They are $10 + shipping/tax/etc.

The original will be on display at the Spring 2012 Trends Event March 16-18 (EE Schenck's mini-market in Portland, OR for trades only)

Here is a 'boys' version.

I also finished up a customer's custom quilting on an elongated variation of my Starlight-Flutterbright in a blue colorway. Fun to see the variations that clients will create with your original patterns.

Do you remember the EQ 2011 BOM that I worked on all last year?

March 1, 6am EST was the deadline for the EQ 2011 BOM Layout contest. I had spent the last two days quilting to death (a new approach for me), what I am now calling, "Spinner". About midnight I submitted it. Only the top needed to be pieced in order to submit it, but I had quilted it too. I had hoped to get the binding on before submitting it, but it was just taking too long. When I checked my email about 7:30am I had a 'Winner' email from Electric Quilt. I was so excited! I use EQ to design all my quilts and have enjoyed participating in the BOM last year, winning the Kaleidoscope add-on and now I'll get even more add-on software to have fun with. Whoo hoo--ok, I AM a software nerd!

To see all the entries go to this EQ blog entry.

More photo details with some closeups of the quilting and blocks at my flickr set. I'm working on a prairie point piped binding--serious effort here!

The Sewing Expo is on in Puyallup and I had the opportunity to attend on Friday afternoon. Picked up a couple of interesting tools, a binding tool called Zip Bind from Martelli and new full-line stencils from Hancy that are fine mesh, so no 'holes', but you can still use a pounce pad. Saw quilting celebs, including Eleanor Burns, Marti Michell and Marci Baker. Had a very productive conversation with Robert Purcell of Superior Threads. Thanks Bob!! It was fun to run into Barbara Em, Terri Hellberg, Donna Hibner, and Eddie Walker. I understand more of our quilting guild members were present too! I also saw Karen Brown -- beautiful long-arm quilter from Spokane.

Some of you may know my pattern 'Zoe'...this quilt was made for and named after our friend's daughter--Zoe and she is turning two this next week. For two weekends in a row we've been able to spend time with their family. Such a special time. I made her a rain slicker, with the body and hood lined with fleece. Nice to do something different once in a while. While at the Sewing Expo, I talked with a gal at Pacific Fabrics and she recommended some decorative snaps that I could use for the closures. 'babyville boutique' --worked great!

Another friend had a baby in January and named her Zoe, so she got another version of my Zoe quilt.

I heard from one of the Ireland trip participants! It is getting exciting. Have a great week!