Joint Venture with Karen Miller: Mystery Quilt Along – Part 1

Jan 7: Announcement post
***Jan 21:  Planning, basting, batting, etc
Jan 28:  Stabilization quilting or just to catch up
Feb 4, Feb 11: Inside center panel
Feb 25: Top and Bottom Rectangles
March 4: Top and Bottom Squares
March 11: Left and Right Side panels
Mach 18: Narrow Sashing
March 25: Outside (wider) Border
April 1: Binding & Hanging

***

Hello Friends, today is the day we start working on our Free-motion Quilt Along!  We are so happy to hear about the warm responses indicating you will be participating.  Again, this is low-maintenance stress free!  If you haven’t already joined us on this sheepish adventure and are thinking about it, I say, “Just do it!”  Click on the announcement post above if you aren’t sure about the details.

Now, I have heard that certain shops sold out of the panel, click HERE where Karen keeps a list of shops where you can purchase the supplies.

So, today I will share with you my tips on planning, pinning and basting.

#1.  I first starch-press my fabric pieces – panel and backing fabric piece.  You don’t have to use starch if you’d rather not.  I find that starch helps keep the fabrics nice and stiff for the pinning process so that I don’t end up with unexpected slack.

#2.  I am not doing anything to the panel.  I then trim my backing fabric to be about 1.5-2″ larger than the panel itself.  Then, I cut the batting piece to the size of the backing fabric piece.  The reason I don’t like to cut the backing or batting pieces larger than that is because I don’t like to deal with too much excess with the quilt sandwich.  I have had cases where I had too much excess on the backing piece,, and I would accidentally quilt the excess to the back of the quilt in the process of scrunching and pushing the quilt sandwich through that little throat of my machine.

#3.  This is a light-hearted and really cute panel.  So, I decided to add a little something fun to the quilting scheme.  Besides quilting the free-motion quilting motifs, I am going to quilt the word BAA along the left and right wide borders.

To fit the mood, I just scribbled the letters A and B about 4″ in height onto a piece of paper.  This piece of paper from Miss Baby’s stationery drawer has seen better days.  But I am a frugal Mom.  My daughter will never use that piece of paper, so I get to do the honor!  I did darkened the letters with a Sharpie.

Then, I just slipped the piece of paper under the panel, and use a Frixion pen to mark the letters onto the panel.  I am SO excited about these letters!

ALWAYS mark before you start pinning!

#4.  And let the pinning party begin.  A quilt sandwich is made of quilt backing piece (wrong side up), then batting piece, then panel (right side up).

a.  So, before actually pinning, it’s a good idea to tape down the backing piece with painters tape to make sure the fabric is taut all around.  This should take care of any slack as well as any puckering that might happen otherwise during the quilting process.

b.  Then smooth your batting piece down on the backing fabric before placing the panel.

c.  Starting from the panel center, pin outward in all directions with nickle-plated safety pins about 2″ apart until your quilt sandwich is securely basted and more than likely covered with pins.

d.  Pat yourself on the back — you have done well!

***

For my quilt, I am using the Hobbs Silk Tuscany batting.

And I will be using all the colors from my Subtle String Aurifil 50wt collection to quilt this piece.  You may purchase the threads HERE (a $140 value offered right now at $99.99).

This panel piece is perfect for us to try out the subtle contrast quilting concept that I so love!  Basically, I got tired to being relegated to only using gray, beige or white threads for quilting while there are so many other beautiful threads out there.  So, I began using pastel colored threads to quilt my quilts for a subtly colored effect.  I have been more than pleased!

Alrightie, FRIENDS!  I call it a smashing success if you have done this part.  Remember, successful machine quilting is made of baby steps.  In college, I was taught to set up the equations right for engineering calculations.  In today’s baby step, we set up the quilt sandwich correctly for stress-free quilting on the machine later.

NOW, I wonder what Karen has done …. remember, it’s ALL a mystery between the two of us!!!  I am heading on to her blog to see what she has been up to.  Click HERE to go to Karen’s blog.

Joint Venture with Karen Miller: Mystery Quilt Along

Hello Friends,  a very blessed New Year to you all!  I hope you had a great holiday season.  It was an extremely busy year for me last year, and this year is looking like it will be just as happening!  But I am hoping I will finally find a happy medium in my schedule where I get to interact with you more on my blog.  I appreciate many of you who emailed to check on me.  You are all so very sweet!  Again, if you are on Instagram, that is the best place to find me right now.  Look me up at ivory_spring.

***

I have exciting news to share… it’s been simmering for a while now!  But the soup has finally boiled over, and I have no choice but to share the exciting news!  Ha!  The super sweet and VERY talented Karen Miller of Redbird Quilt Co and I are teaming up for a Mystery Quilt-Along! Karen and I had been online friends for a while, and were able to meet up two Fall Markets ago!  She has been a bright spot in my quilting journey.

This is a special quilt-along — because this one focuses on Machine Quilting, and we will be using motifs covered in my book Stitching Pathways.  You can read about the book here.  This will be a multi-part quilt-along where Karen, and I won’t know ahead of time how we each quilt the different parts of the quilt, making the quilt-along rather mysterious!  Think a really fun Quilt-Off!

***

DETAILS on supplies:

1.  We’ll be using one of our favorite panels from World of Susybee, Lewe the Ewe.  This panel is a 1 yard cutThe product code for this panel is SB20042-710.  You’ll need one panel — or one 36″ x 42″  cut. There is NO additional piecing because we are impatient and want to jump RIGHT into the quilting part.

Click HERE for participating shops who are selling the fabrics.

2.  For backing — we are using the Susybee Lewe the Ewe allover design.   Product code: SB20049-810.   For this fabric you’ll need about 42″ in length (or 1 1/4y) — that will give you a little extra around the edges of your quilting.

3. For the binding we choose the Susybee Black and White Dot.

The product code on this is SB20171-199    A quarter yard of this fabric is perfect for your binding.

4.  I will be using the Hobbs Tuscany Silk batting because that is my go-to.  You may also use wool or cotton.  A crib size is is all you would need (45″ x 60″).

5.  My book Stitching Pathways.  Karen gave the most gracious review on my book. “In my opinion this is one of the best Free Motion Quilting books on the market.  Not only does Wendy give you awesome beginner information and tips, she includes a wide variety of quilting motifs and shares in great detail HOW to quilt them… You won’t be disappointed — I promise!  Best Book Ever!”

You may order the book from:

Connecting Threads

Fox Chapel Publishing

Amazon

or email me for signed copies!

6. I will be using Aurifli 50 wt threads from my Subtle Strings collection.  You may read more about the collection here, and here.  You may order your collection here for $99.99 (regularly selling for $140)!

***

DETAILS on schedule (subject to change):

We are all busy — so, we are trying to keep this Quilt-Along very non-demanding!

Jan 7: Announcement post
Jan 21:  Planning, basting, batting, etc
Jan 28:  Stabilization quilting or just to catch up
Feb 4, Feb 11: Inside center panel
Feb 25: Top and Bottom Rectangles
March 4: Top and Bottom Squares
March 11: Left and Right Side panels
Mach 18: Narrow Sashing
March 25: Outside (wider) Border
April 1: Binding & Hanging

***

And of course, what is a Quilt-Along without a giveaway at the end?  Check this link here for information.  This will updated as we quilt along. :)

I hope you will get your supplies ready, and join us on this really really fun adventure!  Just think — by the end of this Quilt-Along, you will have a completed quilt, and have honed your quilting skills!  WIN-WIN!

GIVEAWAY!!!! Michael Miller Last Minute Gift Blog Hop 2018

Hello Friends — Happy December, and Happy Christmas to you all!  I hope you have been well!  For those of you who have started to follow me at Instagram (ivory_spring), THANK YOU!  I have enjoyed your visits and comments, and chatting with some of you even!   I have lots more to share, but for today… I am going to focus on my contribution to the Michael Miller’s Last Minute Gift Holiday Blog Hop!

Operative word here is Last Minute!!!

Christmas is in full swing at my end despite a really busy work and life schedule, and I am sure it’s about the same at your end.  No matter how prepared I think I am, I always end up with something last minute to do!  If you are looking for a last minute gift to make — a pillow is always a quick one!

TIP:  Make a quilt block (pieced or even cut from a panel), and add border pieces to the size of your pillow form.  Then, construct your pillowcase, and voila!

I got to work with Hollywood Pixie fabrics for my blog hop project.  This is a most adorable line, especially if you have a precious girl in your circle of influence who fancies herself a fairy or pixie.  I have just such a girl living in my house!  These fabrics are currently available in local and online quilt shops.  Click here to view the fabrics.

So… I made a tree block from my Santa’s Tree Farm pattern, and added enough pieces to make a 24″ x 24″ square because I have a 24″ square pillow form from Hobbs Batting — softest pillow form ever, by the way!

I get asked a lot how big is that little star tree topper — it is 3″ finished!  It is possible to make as long as you are careful with your seam allowances, with your seams pressed open.

Constructed throw pillowcase with the pillow form inserted — in the “kids” Christmas corner at my house.

FROM START TO FINISH — a little over an hour — can’t get more “last minute” than that!

I used the easiest “envelope” method to construct the pillowcase back  because I don’t know how to insert a zipper!  There — I said it!  I just used the pixie print for the entire back.

Do visit Michael Miller’s Facebook page HERE. 

GIVEAWAY:  To win a fabric bundle from Michael Miller, please comment and tell me if you give handmade Christmas gifts!  Winner will be announced on December 12th!

I hope this gives you an idea for a quick gift to make this holiday season!  In case you haven’t checked out the other blog hoppers —

• Monday, December 3rd: Debby Kratovil
• Tuesday, December 4th: Stephanie Kendron: Modern Sew Society and on Instagram: @modernsewciety
• Wednesday, December 5th: Lish Dorset
• Thursday, December 6th: Sam Hunter (blogging on the Michael Miller Facebook page)
• Friday, December 7th: Wendy Sheppard
• Saturday, December 8th: Natalie Crabtree (Instagram: @njcrabtree)

That’s all for now, Dear Friends!  Have a great weekend.

Spool-en-dids Ornament Project #4 – Focusing on the Spool!

Hello Friends, it’s good to be back to re-connect!  Summer is over for us.  Miss Baby started school this week.  I have to say it took me a bit to get used to the quietness during the day while she is at school.

Have you been sewing along with a little friend, or by yourself since I last shared “Happy To Be ME”, Smar-kly and a Primer on Cross-Stitching ornaments?

It’s time for me to share with you the fourth of the six mother-daughter (adult/child) collaborative ornament project, released to highlight Aurifil’s Aurikids iniatiative — an effort to pass on the love and joy and needle and thread to the next generation.

All the ornaments use embroidery floss Spool-en-dids, a thread pack my daughter curated for Aurifil.

Read more about Spool-en-dids, and find out the names my daughter has for her selected colors HERE.

#1.  YOU may now purchase the collection from FAT QUARTER SHOP by clicking HERE.

#2.  YOU may purchase the collection from Donna — email her:  followthatthread@yahoo.com

#3.  YOU may also purchase the collection by clicking HERE.

#4.  OR, ask your local Aurifil dealer to order the collection for you.  Click HERE for a dealer near you!

Miss Baby is saving the royalties for her college fund, as well as supporting the medical missions of Samaritans Purse.

***

PROJECT: Focusing on the spool!

SUPPLIES:

7-8″ square piece of Cross-stitch Aida fabric (11 or 14ct — I recommend 11ct for younger children 7 and under, 14ct for older), Spool-en-did thread (s), Aurifil 50wt thread, a piece of ribbon, embroidery hoop, tapestry or embroidery needle, stuffing material & basic sewing supplies. 

To make the ornament like what we have done here, you will need 4 pieces of fabric scrap to frame your stitched piece, and one for backing the pillow case.  Time to go dig through your scraps pile.

NOTE: This tutorial, as well as all pillow ornament tutorials in this series, is not for a specific finished size. You may make it as big or as small as you wish. Since we hang our pillow ornaments on our Christmas tree, our ornaments do not finish larger than 4″.

GOAL: We will just be practicing on crossing the crosses row after row to get used to cross-stitching, until your child complains about being cross-eyed (JUST KIDDING!).  But in the end, the rows will result in a spool of thread.

From ornament #3, (if you missed the tutorial, the link is here),

we will progress to this:

Here is the fun part about this spool stitching — you may choose the colors you would like to use, and you may stitch as many rows as you would like as well.

Step 1.  If you would like to stitch your spool just like the one that is shared, first you will hoop the fabric with an embroidery hoop!  You will just start a little left of the center of your 7-8″ cross stitch fabric square,

a.  stitch a row of 13 cross stitches using the brown floss.

b.  stitch a row of 11 cross stitches using the brown floss, off setting one stitch from the previous row.

c.  stitch subsequent 14 rows of 9 cross-stitches using red and yellow, alternating 2 rows of red and 1 row of yellow.

d.  stitch a row of 11 cross stitches using the brown floss, mirroring row b.

e.  stitch a row of 13 cross stitches using the brown floss mirroring row a.

Step 2.  After stitching is complete, remember to praise your kid stitcher to the sky!  Trim and square up your piece, and frame with fabric scraps to make pillow ornament top.  Then, with the pillow front and back pieces facing each other and folded ribbon piece tucked in the between, I sewed with a 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving a small opening. Turn pillowcase right side out, and stuff. I started using the stuffing made by Hobbs recently, and have ABSOLUTELY loved it!!  Hand stitch opening shut, and there you have it!

Now, how cute is this little spool ornament?

Imagine…
#1. having a stitching party of stitches of all ages, and have everyone stitch out the spool in their favorite colors – solid, variegated etc!
#2. making this as a gift change for a stitching or quilting group
#3. stitching a row of multiple spools during the different colors to make a horizontal pillow ornament

I hope you will enjoy this little stitching project with your kid stitcher, and jump start a lifetime of sweet stitching memories.

Meanwhile, Miss Baby has a new progress picture to share on her Patchwork Aux Chat sampler using ONLY colors from her Spool-en-dids collection.  She has mixed up floss of different colors to achieve additional colors besides the ones in her collection.  I have learned to zip my mouth and let her run with her color choices for her sampler because I think her choices produces striking results!

She tried her best to finish this sampler up before school started, but it didn’t happen.

Thank you for stopping by — and let’s get some stitching going!

Spool-en-dids Ornament Project #3 – A primer on cross-stitching

Hello Friends — have you been sewing along with a little friend, or by yourself since I last shared “Happy To Be ME” and Smar-kly ornament?

It’s time for me to share with you the third of six mother-daughter (adult/child) collaborative ornament project, released to highlight Aurifil’s Aurikids iniatiative — an effort to pass on the love and joy and needle and thread to the next generation.  This third ornament is a simple primer on cross-stitching, to get us ready to do cross-stitching for ornaments #4 and #5.

Read more about Spool-en-dids, and find out the names my daughter has for her selected colors HERE.

#1.  YOU may now purchase the collection from FAT QUARTER SHOP by clicking HERE.

#2.  YOU may purchase the collection from Donna — email her:  followthatthread@yahoo.com

#3.  YOU may also purchase collection by clicking HERE.

#4.  OR, ask your local Aurifil dealer to order the collection for you.  Click HERE for a dealer near you!

Miss Baby is saving the royalties for her college fund, as well as supporting the medical missions of Samaritans Purse.

***

PROJECT: Cross-stitching Primer Pillow Ornament

SUPPLIES:

Cross-stitch Aida fabric (11 or 14ct — I recommend 11ct for younger children 7 and under, 14ct for older), Spool-en-did thread (s), Aurifil 50wt thread, a piece of ribbon, embroidery hoop, tapestry or embroidery needle, stuffing material & basic sewing supplies. 

You will need 4 pieces of fabric scrap to frame stitched piece, and one for backing the pillow case.

NOTE: This tutorial, as well as all subsequent pillow ornament tutorials, is not for a specific finished size. You may make it as big or as small as you wish. Since we hang our pillow ornaments on our Christmas tree, our ornaments do not finish larger than 4″.

GOAL: This project is to get children familiar with structured stitching associated with the “holes” on Aida/cross-stitching fabrics.

PLEASE read through the entire project before attempting. You may let your kid stitcher step in and be involved in any of the steps. For us, my daughter participated in selected the fabrics and stitching. I did the rest.

So — you would want to start with a piece of cross-stitch Aida fabric that amply fits your hoop.  The stitches are done with (2) strands of embroidery floss.  The Aurifloss consists of 6-strands of individual floss, just like the conventional embroidery floss.  So, you would have to cut a length of the floss, separate out 2 strands for the stitching.

Step 1.  Refer to the photo below to teach your kid stitcher stitching just straight lines, half-cross-stitches, and then cross-stitches! Notice all the Spool-en-dids come out to play on this one!

Important Notes:

#1.  It’s really important that you hoop the cross-stitch Aida fabric so that the stitches will turn out nicely.  If not, hooped, your kid stitcher might struggle with the tension of the stitches.

#2.  Your kid stitcher may choose to stitch more than just 15 squares in a row.  She might want to stitch long lines for a nice throw pillow.  Since we are doing ornaments at our house, we do a limited number of stitches so that our ornaments do not end up being more than 4″ x 4″.

#3.  To make it fun, feel free to mix colors – using 1 strand of yellow and 1 strand of brown for example for a fun effect.

Step 2.  After stitching is complete, remember to praise your kid stitcher to the sky!  Trim and square up your piece, and frame with fabric scraps to make pillow ornament top.  Then, with the pillow front and back pieces facing each other and folded ribbon piece tucked in the between, I sewed with a 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving a small opening. Turn pillowcase right side out, and stuff. I started using the stuffing made by Hobbs recently, and have ABSOLUTELY loved it!!  Hand stitch opening shut, and there you have it!

Next month, we will be cross-stitching a thread spool ornament!

Meanwhile, Miss Baby is stitching a Patchwork aux Chats sampler (designed by French designer Jardin Prive – I highly recommend her designs for children).  She is mixing her colors to stitch the cats.  Follow me on Instagram for work-in-progress pictures.  My handle is ivory_spring.

I hope you will enjoy this little stitching project with your kid stitcher, and jump start a lifetime of sweet stitching memories.

***

p.s.  If you missed the article in a recent Quiltmaker issue about my experience in teaching Miss Baby to stitch, it is now available online here.  Enjoy!

A Simple SPOOL-EN-DIDS project tutorial #2

Hello Friends — have you been sewing along with a little friend, or by yourself since I last shared “Happy To Be ME” ornament?  It’s time for me to share with you the second of six mother-daughter (adult/child) collaborative ornament project (Smar-kly), released to highlight Aurifil’s Aurikids iniatiative — an effort to pass on the love and joy and needle and thread to the next generation.

To dovetail with the release of Spool-en-dids my daughter curated for Aurifil, we will be highlighting 6 monthly projects to give you ideas on hand-stitching with kids. The colors selected are by a kid for kids!  You may purchase Spool-en-dids from the following sources:

#1.  NEW!! ** YOU may now purchase the collection from FAT QUARTER SHOP by clicking HERE.

#2.  YOU may purchase the collection from Donna — email her:  followthatthread@yahoo.com

#3.  YOU may also purchase collection by clicking HERE.

#4.  OR, ask your local Aurifil dealer to order the collection for you.  Click HERE for a dealer near you!

Read more about Spool-en-dids HERE if you aren’t familiar with the Aurikids initiative. And to those of you who purchased the thread collection, please allow me to thank you from the bottom of my heart or contributing to Miss Baby’s college fund!!

***

PROJECT: “Smar-kly” Pillow Ornament

SUPPLIES: POLKA DOT fabric scrap, paper-back fusible and THIN batting scraps, Spool-en-did thread (s), Aurifil 50wt thread, a piece of ribbon, embroidery hoop, tapestry or embroidery needle, & basic sewing supplies. 
You will need pieces of fabrics – one for pillow top, and one for backing the pillow case.  I didn’t use a batting piece this time to stabilize the project because I wanted Miss Baby to be aware of the thread tension when stitching just on a fabric piece.
OPTIONAL – however, if your kid stitcher is tiny, it is always a good idea to back your ornament top fabric with a piece of batting and a piece of backing fabric.

NOTE: This tutorial, as well as all subsequent pillow ornament tutorials, is not for a specific finished size. You may make it as big or as small as you wish. Since we hang our pillow ornaments on our Christmas tree, our ornaments do not finish larger than 4″.

GOAL: In ornament #1, we did the random no rule confetti stitching.  For ornament #2, we will introduce structure into stitching within the confine of a circle.

ALSO:  This tutorial will not cover how to finish the pillow ornament, as the steps are already covered in the tutorial for ornament #1.

***

Step 1:  This one is light on prep work for the adult.  Once you have the supplies, your kid stitcher is ready to go.  So, everyone has a polka dot fabric collection like I do, right? :)  I picked the polka dot print because the work is all done for us in this quick and easy project.

NOTE:  I notice with children (and adults alike), the excitement of the first project wears off over time.  I also believe keeping on with the projects teaches perseverance in children.  Keeping in mind both aspects, I picked this super easy project to make the experience stress free for both adult and child.

Step 2:  Once you have your fabric hooped, the stitching can begin.  Simply stitch the length of the diamater of the a circle four times (first do a cross, then, the two diagonals), and you are finished!  There is no ruler on how many circles to cover.  The stitching gives the polka dots a bit of dimensional sparkling twinkle!  I happened to find a fabric that provided the background for matching a few Spool-en-dids colors.  Feel free to do a contrasting effect!

Step 3.  To secure the stitches at the center of the circle, you could teach your kid stitcher French knots if she is older.  If not, you can just teach your kid stitcher to take a tiny stitch in the circle center, and your stitches are secure!

Step 4.  Finish up the ornament as we did before, and you will have added another Christmas ornament for your stitching buddy.  Do remember to store the ornaments in a nice clean box, so you don’t have to hunt for them when Christmas comes… ask me how I know!?!

We are actually using this as a sewing pillow companion as summer is just about here — we will be ramping up the stitching!

If you are stitching along — do send me pictures — the plan is to do a couple more of these, and we will have a nice giveaway for those who are participating!

*Smar-kly = Sparkly (Gwen’s version at 5), and we still say her 5 year old version at home.

I hope you have fun with this fun little project.  It should take no more than 20-30 minutes for handstitching.  I will show you additional ideas on stitching on polka dots in a couple of weeks.  And the next installment — cross stitching basics!  If you want to prepare ahead, you will need either 11- or 14- count aida that you can easily purchase at your local craft stores.  

Love and hugs to you all — till next time!

Long time no chat!!!

Hello Friends, looong time no chat!  I hope you have been well…. and spring has sprung!

DAY IN LIFE

If I don’t see another clump of monkey grass for the rest of my life, it would be too soon!  I don’t mean any offense at all to those of you who love monkey grass.  We are in the process of redoing part of our front garden, and that involved having digging up and digging up and digging up existing monkey grass!  I thought it was just going to be an afternoon to get the front garden on the path of living out my vision.  But it turned out to be a much bigger deal, and I am still not finished.  Part of what’s in place of the monkey grass are some new rose bushes.  So far so good — I check for new growth every morning, and keeping my fingers crossed!

Spring is my favorite season.  What is yours?

SOME FUN QUILTS FOR YOU

I have quite a few new designs out.  You might have seen this one on the cover of Keepsake Quilting catalog.  Sweet Berry Farm is my design, and I was so excited it made cover on the catalog.  I actually wasn’t aware of it making cover until my sweet quilting teacher Barbara texted me about it!  This is an exclusive design with Keepsake Quilting.  You may purchase the kit or pattern here and here.  The fun thing about the blocks is that I used Ohio Star units to be the strawberry stems!

Then, I have my Sleeping Cat kit offered through Hancocks of Paducah.  You may purchase the kit here.

And the latest release is my quick and easy Basket Toss quilt!  I love this quilt for its simplicity.  I can’t decide for now whether to use this on my bed or the guest bed.  Complete instructions are in McCall’s Quick Quilts June/July 2018 issue, and kits are available here.

Miss Baby’s Stitching Shenanigans

You remember the confetti handstitching Miss Baby learned to do through the monogram pillow ornament I posted here?  Well, there is a method to my madness…. the confetti stitching was meant to prepare Miss Baby for more structure stitching.

So from this random stitching…

to this…

We are beyond the moon happy a magazine in Australia, Handmade, feature Gwedolyn’s stitching story to celebrate her first thread collection, Spool-en-dids.  She had to answer a questionnaire in order for the story to be written.

THINGS ARE HAPPENING

Though I have been silent on my blog, things have been happening at my end.  Between home and mother responsibilities, and the regular things I do all things quilting, here are some upcoming exciting happenings.

Next week — I start my 2018 travels.  I will be speaking at Flying Geese Guild in Maryland on May 21.  Public is welcome to attend with an admission.  I will be bringing goodies!

Then, I will be in Tennessee later this summer/early Fall.

It’s to Berne, Indiana I go…. because I will be filming a new machine quilting video class!  Click here if you haven’t known about my existing classes.  I have some step-out samples from previous classes I found the other day that I will be giving away soon!  Stay tuned.  I am also arranging an event with a local guild while I am in IN.  I will share more once I have more details.

I will be home just in time to head to Houston for Fall Market.  Some fun things are being cooked up that I can’t share yet….

AND — I just found out I will be teaching 5 different classes at Road to CA in Jan 2019.  So I hope to see some of you there!

And with that, I need to get going with my day to squeeze in work before I pick up my precious cargo from school.

If all goes well, I will be posting my no scraps left behind giveaway winners tomorrow.  So, I hope you will come back!  Tootles for now.

The foreshadowing and the fulfillment…

Behold, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:29

I think it’s interesting that Passover and Good Friday falls on the same day this year — combining the foreshadowing and the fulfillment of the Lamb of God on one day.

Have a blessed Passover and Good Friday, Dear Friends!

Happy Veterans Day 2017

A very Happy Veterans Day!  Thank you to those who served valiantly for God and Country!

I have be back next week.  I “think” things are finally tending toward normal at my end….  TAKE CARE, and I look forward to visiting with you again!

De-stash Update / NEW BOOK / Free Pattern & More

Hello Everyone, this is your long-lost wayward quilting friend checking in!  I am briefly crawling out of my “pattern writing hole” to write a quick note to you.  It’s been crazy since I last updated my blog… but all is well, and thank you to those who wrote to ask me to take care of myself.  I am so glad you are looking out for me.  Yes, I am doing well despite the craziness.  I am sleeping well – I go running at least once a week – I am getting my house in order – and I am getting caught up with my “home-school” regimen even though Miss Baby does go to an outside school during the week.

Most don’t know, but each blog post I write takes about 1.5-2 hours, and it’s been hard to carve out that time for me to update my blog.  Please don’t take that to mean I don’t like you.  In fact, many days, I would go through the day thinking about certain things my bloggy friends would find amusing!  I do like you very much, and often wish I have just a few more hours in the day.

So without further ado…

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DE-STASH

There’s been a bit of kerfuffle of late regarding my de-stashing project.  Many have written to asked why they haven’t heard from me.  I thought I would just share the reasoning here:  I am writing quilters on the waiting list in the order they signed up to be on the waiting list.  Back to the original first come first serve arrangement.  If you have not heard from me, that’s because you have signed up late, and I am not able to get to you.  The latest update is that I think I will have about 10 boxes left to the next 10 on my list, and that will be it.  There were actually close to 150 of you who signed up, and to date, I think I have shipped close to 50 boxes.  It’s been a demanding task that I have tried to fit into my daily schedule… and so, some days, I don’t get to pack any boxes or work on my stash.  And after that, I am tasked with hauling the boxes to mail them to the various destinations.

I will have a formal announcement to let you know the de-stash is officially complete once I am sure all the fabrics are gone from my guest room.  I have moved the rest of my stash off my family room floor to the guest room just so that my family could have a somewhat normal living space while I re-arrange things for our house.

I also have a BOM quilt kit and some additional fabrics to give away apart from my de-stash project.  I will have details soon.  Stay tuned.

I thank you for your understanding!

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One reason I have been busy is that I have been proofing the pages of my upcoming book!  This book has been MY baby, and it is finally happening.  It is going to print next week in time for Market!  I cannot be more excited!  More about the book next week…

Most of you know I am passionate about machine quilting.  And to think back on my quilting journey to the point of this book, my heart is full!  I hope to be able to share  sample page with you, but for now, let me just say that my publisher has done a phenomenal job on this book!  I was just telling my husband this morning that the layout of this book has completely knocked it out of the park!!!

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FREE PATTERN

And I do have a lovely free pattern to share with you today that I had designed for Windham to highlight their Simply Red fabric line!  I am in love with the birds in the quilt!  Click here to download the free pattern.

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And that’s all for now!  I am heading out to ship out fabric boxes to some of you, do groceries, and school pick-up! And I still need to work on my Spring on Bleecker Street Sew-Along etc… and get my weekend details worked out. Have a great weekend, Dear Friends!

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p.s.  This story from my local area warms my heart — I always love to see a young person who is a go-getter: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/11-year-old-frank-gets-his-wish-to-mow-white-house-lawn-gets-personal-thank-you-from-trump/article/2634543

“Even though I’m only ten, I would like to show the nation what young people like me are ready for.”  I love that boy’s sentiment!

I have been in the States more than half of my life, but there’s one Bible verse I can quote in my native Mandarin language till this day.  It’s Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

HELP ME DE-STASH!

UPDATE AS OF noon EST — I am amazed at the overwhelming response.  Thank you so much, Friends!  However, I have taken enough requests for the waiting list as well which I think I can fill.  Any requests made from henceforth, I cannot guarantee.  THANK YOU AGAIN — I look forward to being able to actually see the floor of my family room!

UPDATE AS OF 6:45am EST — Order for 20 boxes is fill!  You will receive an email from me confirming you made the first come first serve 20.  I am turning off comments.  If you would like to be on the waiting list for the next 20 boxes.  Email me at wendy2@wendysheppard.net

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Happy Monday and Happy Week, Dear Friends!  I hope you had a good weekend, and are really to roll with this new week!

A few months ago, Miss Baby and I had a conversation.  For some reason, the conversation made an impression on me, and you will see why!

B:  Mom, do you mean I will get to have ALL your quilts in your future?

M: Yes…. But you can always pick out your favorites, and perhaps donate the rest.

B (with a visible sigh of relief):  Oh, that makes me feel better.  I love all your quilts, but I don’t think I want a whole house full of quilts.  If you only made a few, of course, I will keep all your quilts…. but not when you have more than 200 quilts.

I mentally counted as I was organizing my quilt stash – big and small, I think I have over 250 of them, and the pile is still growing.  I keep almost all my quilts because I never know when I need them for educational purposes.  So, I have them neatly folded (and aired and refolded every three months or so) into piles, scattered all through out.  I have:  #1. a bed quilt stash where the quilts are used on beds,  #2. a basket full of smaller projects like runners, placemats and pillowcases, #3.  a utility quilt stash in the coat closet where the quilts are to be used, #4. a linen stash where the quilts are used on the table, and #5. a (large) stash of throw sized quilts that have filled up a couple of bookcases in my sewing room.

Here is a snapshot of my #5 stash:

The side effect of me having made many quilts is that I have a huge fabric stash!  HUGE!  With the conversation I had with Miss Baby in mind, I am determined everything sewing related is going to be confined in my sewing room. I am turning over a new leaf — I am not going to have anymore fabrics stored in boxes and tubs, and have the boxes and tubs stored at various spots around the house.  I am giving away 70% of my fabric stash.  SOOOOOOO — if you could help me de-stash, I would be ever so grateful. Here is how it works…

A.  THE FABRICS ARE FREE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO COVER THE SHIPPING COST(s) of $15 per fabric box!

B.  FABRICS WILL BE PACKED AND SHIPPED IN A USPS PRIORITY FLAT-RATE MEDIUM BOX.

C.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE BOXES WILL BE MYSTERY FABRIC BOXES — I am sorry I can’t take special order.  But you will get quality cotton and batik fabrics from Moda, RJR Fabrics, Riley Blake, Hoffman Fabrics, Island Batik, Windham Fabrics and Quilting Treasures.  They are fabric pieces of considerable sizes, FQ’s and yardages – unless they are precuts.  

If you are interested — 

#1.  Email me your intention — with your name/address — and how many boxes you would like.  Please write “Destash/fabrics” in subject line.

#2.  I will email you back with information where to mail the check.

#3.  I will stuff the flat rate medium box FULL to the brim with fabrics, and mail the box to you!

#4.  This is on a first come first serve basis.  Right now, I have about 20 boxes!  Once the order for 20 boxes are filled, I will put you on a waiting list.  The way things look right now, I can probably make another 20.  But let’s start with the first 20.

#5.  I have first offered the ladies in my Bleecker Street Sew Along Group, and have already shipped out quite a few boxes.

#6.  Offer is good only for US Addresses.

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Meanwhile, I also have a few copies of two of my existing book titles (signed) if you are interested… I need to make room for copies of an upcoming book.

Click here if you want to read more about this book.

Click here if you want to read more about this book.

$15 for one book (includes USPS Priority shipping), or $25 for both (includes USPS Priority shipping).  

#1.  Email me if you are interested for which book(s).  Please write “Destash/books” in email subject line.

#2.  Offer is good only for US Addresses.

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Thank you, Friends — for doing a good deed in de-stashing my stash… and my family thanks you too!

Happy Independence Day 2017!

Hello Friends, I hope you have been well!  I want to stop in really quickly to wish you a very blessed 241st Independence Day – continual prayers and blessings to a great country!

I would like to know what America means to you on this special day!

My country, ’tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims’ pride,

From ev’ry mountainside

Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,

Land of the noble free,

Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills,

Thy woods and templed hills;

My heart with rapture thrills,

Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,

And ring from all the trees

Sweet freedom’s song;

Let mortal tongues awake;

Let all that breathe partake;

Let rocks their silence break,

The sound prolong.

Our fathers’ God to Thee,

Author of liberty,

To Thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright,

With freedom’s holy light,

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God our King.

by Samuel Francis Smith (1831)

Additional verse to celebrate Washington’s Centennial:

Our joyful hearts today,

Their grateful tribute pay,

Happy and free,

After our toils and fears,

After our blood and tears,

Strong with our hundred years,

O God, to Thee.

I hope you have a lovely rest of your day, Dear Friends – Stars and Stripes over Columbia, forever!

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If you are curious about the quilt I posted earlier – it’s Summer Sparkler, featured in American Patchwork & Quilting’s 2017 Calendar for the month of July.  It is a completed scrappy quilt with about 50 fabrics from different manufacturers – RJR Fabrics, Art Gallery Fabrics, Moda, Windham and Benartex.