Avery and Her Spontaneous Scrap Quilt

Avery and Her Spontaneous Scrap Quilt

You might notice we were using the Hootie Hoot prints from Riley Blake.  I'm making a Turning 12 with this fabric, and appliqueing the larger animal motifs onto the larger blocks.  It's looking pretty good!

Kids make quilts too!

My neighbor's grandson (age 8) and granddaughter (age 5) came to visit yesterday while I was putting together a "Turning Twelve" quilt for my grandson (almost 4 months).  Naturally curious, they both wanted to try out my sewing machine.  Turns out they really only wanted to operate the pedal.

So I pulled out a couple scraps, lined them up, and let Avery "drive."  She did a great job, slowing down when she saw the end of the fabric approach the needle.  One look at the two pieces we put together inspired me to add another, then another, and so on (all the while Avery drove), until we had a nice, random, 24" x 36" (approx) quilt.  Wow!

Then it was Jackson's turn.  He had a vision.  "Can we take this piece and sew that piece on it, but leave one end open so it makes a pencil holder?"  "Why sure, Jackson," I said as we sewed one piece to the other, rights sides together.  The looks on his and his sister's faces were worth a million bucks as I turned the item right side out!

Their mother is an elementary school reading teacher; the two of us marveled at the excitement generated by this "old-fashioned" activity.  We both thougth it would be fun for quilt- and sewing-shops to sponsor birthday parties, and the like, for young folks to have fun creating useful and beautiful fabric art with their own hands.

I'll snap photos of Avery's quilt and Jackson's pencil pocket later today and will upload to this post.

Another note about kids and projects.  In our first issue, Lynda Hall's 7-year-old granddaughter Rebecca helped design the "Cold Days" project.

I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on kids and sewing.

Take care!
Judy

The Fall Issue is in the Works!

Hello!  We apologize for kinda dropping off the face of the blogosphere and newsletter-land.  Things have been pretty busy producing a new magazine--busy but super fun!

Check out the image of the Fall Issue.  That quilt is by Kansas Troubles, and the cute little kitty cat on the bed belongs to Jeni's daughter, Kristin.  She kept jumping in front of the camera during our three-day photo shoot.

We promise to get back on track with the newsletters, block of the week (you will get to complete that mystery quilt), and this blog.

Thank you for your well-wishes, encouragement, compliments, support, and constructive criticism.  We value you, and your opinions, and are working our little fingers to the bones to make this magazine better, better, and better!

And the winner is....

Krisgray is the winner of the Woolen Willow pattern!  Nice blog ... "Farm Girl Transplanted."  So, Krisgray, email your shipping info to us and we'll send a kit your way.

Thank you everyone for participating.

Judy, Jeni, and Gretchen

Creative Mojo Interview Wednesday 5/25 at 3:30....(and a giveaway)

1. Please listen to Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski on Wednesday, May 25 at 3:00pm EST. Gretchen will be interviewed by Mark; tentative air time is 3:20. Go to www.toginet.com, & click on the "listen live" button. The interview will also be available later via the Show Host page under "Our Shows". Scroll to find "Creative Mojo". Hope you can listen!
2. It's time for an overdue giveaway....Comment on our blog this week.   We'll put your names in a hat (or bowl or basket or something) and draw a winner.  The prize is a free pattern!
3. Thank you for all the wonderful comments!

It's a Bookazine!

Cherie Shaeffer owner of "Quilts in the Attic" and and Paula Barnes of "Bonnie Blue Quilts," were talking about our magazine and coined the new phrase, "bookazine."  Don'tcha just love it?  I think that name might stick...thanks Cherie and Paula!

We are having a wonderful time at Market, and are enjoying Salt Lake City.  Jeni and I found a really neat restaurant, "The Inferno Cantina," around the corner from the convention center on Pierpoint Street-or-Drive-or something.  The food is authentic (or nearly authentic) Mexican, really really really good, and the atmosphere is calm and pleasant.  They play great American music, and the decor is super fun!

Salt Lake City is a beautiful, clean, and fun town.  All the Utah folks we've met this weekend are so nice!  Here is a photo of one little corner of the town.  Love those mountains!

Jeni took a little break from the booth this afternoon and returned with this cute little sample from the Slice booth.  She knows I love their Riley Blake Hootie Hoot samples.  I have the fabric to make a quilt for my little grandson who is now two months old.  I bought the fabric at Fall Market in Houston and haven't started the quilt.  Somehow holding a full-time job AND publishing a magazine doesn't leave room for making quilts.  Here are photos of the sample AND of my handsome little Julian.  I bet he's growing while I'm away at Market.





We are at Spring International Quilt Market!

We are at Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City Utah! It is beautiful here! I have a couple shots of our booth for you to see, and maybe more pictures soon! It is fun, but also long days of standing and lots of walking! We can't wait for you all to see the Fall Issue photographs! Oh, I guess we can't wait to see them too! We will see them next week and pick what we like for the next issue! Hope you all are getting your projects made from the first issue because July is just around the corner!  Don't forget to check the corrections page on the website!
     Jeni and Judy