February Issue of Quilters World -- 2 Quilts!!

 The February 2012 Issue of Quilters World is on the News Stands and there are 2 of my patterns in this month's issue!! 

You have seen these before on my blog but it is always so fun to see them in print.  The first was made by my super good friend Peggy Hartnett of Powell, OH -- who despite quite a lot of "complaining" about the difficulty of this pattern, put it together beautifully!!

Brenda Weien's fabulous quilting is featured on this quilt as well.  And I gotta tell you, it is really pretty.  I wish I could keep it, but its going back to Peggy who did the real work on this one.  The design was adapted from an old quilt I saw on ebay.  McCalls Quilting was interested in a full size version of this runner, but eventually ruled it out as being too difficult for their readers.  Well, I never!!  I think McCalls readers can paper piece with the best of them!!  The tough part of this quilt is getting the right color on the right piece.  But then. . . there are only 2 colors so you pretty much can't go wrong. . . well, ok, you can, but not if you are careful.

See Peggy, they even printed your NAME!!!!

The other quilt in this issue is a simple Irish Chain runner that I designed just for the fun of it.  The fabric line is Farmhouse Retreat by Andover Fabrics,  and it worked up very easily. 

This is a much easier quilt to piece, as long as you follow the color placement instructions on the strip piecing.  I just love designing quilts that challenge the eye as well as the quilter.  But they are really simple techniques that any careful quilter can do.  That's the fun of designing for me.  Make it look complicated but make it super easy.

 And of course, Brenda's quilting adds the 'piece du resistance'!!  Check out her curved cross hatching around the inner edges.  She just amazes me.  By the way, Brenda does a regular feature for "On Track" magazine (now edited by my good bud Kathi Eubank) where she reviews new gizmos and gadgets for long arm quilters.  She does a great job testing and talking about new rulers and thing-em-a-bobs on the market.  Congrats to Brenda (and Kathi)!!!

 And hang on because the new 2012 BOM is just about ready to start.  I am soooooo excited about this quilt.  I have been working on this pattern for months and months, it seems, and it is almost ready to begin.  I have a group of really great pattern testers, Jean, Ellen, Charlene, and Linda's "Second Tuesday" Quilters who have been making blocks and testing the patterns, fabrics, and helping me refine the block designs.  Their input has been invaluable, and wait till you see their blocks!!!  They are just fabulous.

One last item for this post.  I just have to show you these wonderful table runners made by Betty King, who won a great set of fat quarters as part of the 2011 Jewels BOM monthly give-away.  Look at these three incredible table runners Betty made from her winning FQ's.

 Didn't she do a fabulous job??  Thanks so much Betty.  You totally rock.
 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years from Morning Glory Designs