Celebrating America

One of the biggest weekends in our community revolves around the Fourth of July! The local Chamber of Commerce hosts a "Festival of America". This year it is going to be during the weekend and not on the actual 4th of July, but that's ok. We still get to celebrate America, the land where we live.

Today through Sunday, 10am-5pm in Odessa, WA is a Red, White and Blue Quilt Show. It is being held across the street from Experience Quilts! I've got two quilts in the show that I've just finished up. They were original tests done by Carol Cricenti, admin on the Quilt of Valor Stars Facebook group. The flag (ish) design is using a kit of Island Batik fabrics from my shop and with Flyover she used her own fabrics but I could kit it in a similar way. Both of these are 'bonus' designs included in my "Dangling Diamonds" pattern. I quilted both using 80/20 batting and an edge to edge (panto). The flag(ish) one has soaring eagles and Flyover has words (valor, honor, bravery, courage).

This month as an Island Batik Ambassador our theme was 'Curvacious Curves'...I have two designs formulated, but honestly, just have run out of time. I've been focusing on designs that will be released at market in October. Crazy! Right? Yes, there is a lead time in this industry that makes reveals seem very anticlimactic. I'd love to show you what I've just put in the mail yesterday and what is being finished on my long arm table today for another designer that is also headed to Fall Market. Beautiful things coming along, can't wait to show you more than just 'sneak peeks'!

Here is a bit of a cheat as you might have seen this before --these are the 'curve' blocks from my co-authored book, You Can Quilt!, Chapter 8. I'm calling this finished piece, Flightline. Here are finishing instructions and other ideas for blocks in the book.


This one is a bit scrappy, but primary block elements are made with fabrics from the French Roasted collection. You just can't go wrong with these beautiful Island Batik fabrics. I still have a couple of 10" stacks available in the shop from this collection.

My top for next month's challenge is done, so just have to quilt it and the queue is a bit lighter to accommodate Row by Rowers--hope you stop by! Maybe I'll get this month's done too.

Happy Birthday America!