Stained Glass Stars Published

Fons and Porter’s LOVE OF QUILTING Magazine published my Stained Glass Stars pattern as an online Bonus Pattern in their January/February 2013 issue on page 98.  You can get the pattern HERE!

They did not give credit to the Machine Quilter, Brenda Weien of Ottawa, KS, who did an amazing job on the quilting!
In the magazine they rate the pattern as Intermediate, but on their website they rate it as Challenging!  You pick!  I would rate it Intermediate for setting blocks and Advanced for the star blocks.  I paper pieced much of it, but their instructions have you rotary cut and strip-piece the whole quilt.  Not that difficult in my opinion. The star blocks do take some time because of all the pieces, but they are not difficult.  I did most of them at a retreat and had a blast watching them come together.
If you receive the Fons & Porter’s LOVE OF QUILTING Newsletter, there is a link to the quilt in the December 25. 2012 issue.

Scroll down a ways until you see the picture and the link.

Once you get to their website don’t forget to click on the Designers Page!  You will see my smiling mug if you scroll down far enough!

Leave a comment and one lucky winner will get a FREE Morning Glory Designs Pattern of your choice! 

Gosh I love give-aways!

Winners in McCall’s Quilting Magazine Give-Away

Wow, my random number generator got a real work out today.  I used it to pick the three winners from among all the comments posted about my Rainbow Galaxy Quilt blog post.

First, thank you for all the wonderful comments and compliments on the quilt and the publication of the pattern.  I am pleased that so many of you liked the quilt.  It was fun to see how many people love these CW repros as much as I do.  But then, I love 30’s repros and 50’s repros and just about everything else.  Well there are a few things I don’t like.

Ok, back on task. . . .the winners are comments # 19, 34,and 42.

19.  Rachell

34.  Cynthia in Connecticut

42.  Cat Lady

Congratulations to our winners!!!  You all rock! 

Please send me your mailing address via email [reeze @ morningglorydesigns.net] so I can get your free magazines mailed off to you as soon as possible!!

And thank you to everyone who left a comment.  You are all winners in my book.

Merry Christmas and

Happy New Years from Morning Glory Designs

Reeze

OOPS! Block 22 got a boo-boo

If you are one of my newsletter subscribers and already downloaded your #22 Blocks, please go back and download #2 (12" block) again.  The templates were the wrong size!!  Yipes.  The applique placement guide was the right size, but I put in templates for a 9" block instead of for the 12" block.

The pattern is correct now.  So if you downloaded the block prior to December 9, please go back and download it again.  Here is the link:  Tulip Crossing 2 - 12" block.  It is the same link as the one in your newsletter, but the file is updated.

Sorry about the confusion.  Some days you get the bear.  And some days the bear gets you!


 

Rainbow Galaxy Published!

Hold the Phone!  Its time for a Give-Away! 

McCalls Quilting will give away 3 free issues to 3 lucky readers who leave a comment on this post .  Just leave a comment!  That is all it takes!

I will choose 3 winners from comments on Friday, December 21. 

Here are the OFFICIAL RULES for the contest. 

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Whoo Hooo!  My Civil War Stars quilt just returned home this week and much to my amazement it got a new name:  Rainbow Galaxy.  I guess because it is a lot of stars and they are all different colors, get it?  Hehe, yea took me a while to figure that out too.  Some days I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

But here is the best news.  McCall’s Quilting just published it in their special publication called America Loves Scrap Quilts Winter 2012-13. 

My quilt is on pages 66-69.  You can see it HERE.

Let me tell you the story of this quilt.  I was wandering around on eBay one day looking at old quilts and saw this great old red and white quilt.  Now this was way before that big red and white quilt exposition in NY happened.  I just was struck by the pattern.

Being the curious type, I wanted to see it in more detail so I scanned the listing for a close-up.

I loved the secondary pattern which was formed by the white space between the blocks and had to figure out how it was made.  I realized that it was a combination of two blocks:  a variation on the variable star and the counterpane block.   I immediately drew it up in EQ7 and was off!
I tried a variety of colorings, mostly variations of red and white.

Then I turned it on point. . . Yes, the original is a horizontal setting.  Here is what it looks like on point:

Strange huh?  I sorta liked it like that but I knew all those pieced setting triangles would earn me no friends!  LOL  So I returned to the horizontal setting and tried other colors.

I loved the civil war repros a lot but thought it needed a border.  In the red and white versions I created the illusion of a border in my fabric colorings.  But I thought this one needed a real border, but it had to be simple.

Viola!  (pronounced wah-la’)  The Civil War Stars quilt was born.  I sent it to McCall’s Quilting and they wanted to publish it.  It took me quite a while to get all the civil war reproduction fabrics I wanted to make it.  There were 41 stars and I wanted each one to be a different fabric.  I had a lot in my stash but they all tended to be blues and reds.  I needed more variety.  I went shopping in the stash fabrics from some of my quilty friends who kicked in a few fabrics and then I shopped the online fabric sales and purchased a few more in interesting colors and textures.
It went together really fast and the blocks filled my design wall and I was ready to put them together.  Then I discovered I had only made 8 rows of blocks and when I consulted my drawing there were 9 rows of blocks!  Yikes.  I raced to my LQS, picked up a few FQ’s from the repro section and scooted home to make up five more blocks.  Thank heavens I had enough background fabric.
I finished the top and ran it over to my quilter – the incomparable Brenda Weien of Brenda’s Machine Quilting and asked her to do her magic.  I always love how Brenda “reads” the quilt and knows just what it needs to make the pattern work.  She is a wizard with thread and did a fabulous job on the quilt, as always.

Quilting Close ups VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Here are a few pictures of the completed quilt so you can see her work up close and personal.  Now that the quilt is home, the magazine is on the news stands I have to figure out what I will do with this baby!  It is 80 x 80, a bit small for my queen-sized bed.  I think it will become a snuggle quilt on my recliner or perhaps a Christmas present for my new daughter-in-law.  Hmmmmmm. . . . . . . 
Now I discovered I may have to change the label.  Why?  Well look at it.

It was originally scheduled for publication in the December 2011 issue but looked too “Americana” for that issue so they held onto it.  The told me they would publish it in a different issue so I waited patiently to find out which one.  When I got an email from their editor last week saying they were returning the quilt I asked if they were returning it because they were no longer going to be able to find a place for it.  To my delight she told me they put it in their annual Scrap Quilt issue!  Well I knew my quilt would be very happy there and home it came.
I like the label, however, so I may just leave it in place and add a little note to the bottom identifying where it was REALLY published.  HEHE.
Hope you go buy the issue!!  Cuz there are lots of great scrap quilts in there!  If you decide to make this quilt I would love love love to see what your version looks like!  Yup, it’s a Happy Scrappy Quilt.

Block 21 and Winners!



Block 21 and Winners Announced!

We had a great Thanksgiving yesterday at our house.  My son was able to come and spend the day and we had a great visit.  Not to mention he got on the roof and cleaned out the gutters for us!  Raked up leaves and cleaned out the garage! 

I smoked a turkey on our new grill (yum) tried stuffing in the crock pot!  Both were a huge success.  My new daughter-in-law had to work (:-( and we really missed not having her with us for the day, but we sent her texts and pictures throughout the day so she would know we were thinking of her.

Thanks to all of you who left comments and "Liked" my facebook page.  I had fen reading all your comments and seeing pictures of your blocks.

The Winner of the Fabric Pack is comment #14,  Jennifer Padden:

The Winner of the Fabric/Kit for Liking my Facebook page is Di Schlenk!

Congratulations to both of these wonderful ladies for posting comments and playing along with the Vintage Sampler 2012 Free Block of the Month.

Block 21 is Tulip in a Blue Pot.  I am a bit late in posting on the blog due to the Holidays bu you can download this fun block now and save it for later.  Just visit the BOM page (see tabs at the top of the page.

Block 21 Three Tulips in a Blue Pot

And just in case you need a few laughs you might go back and read my Thanksgiving post from 1 year ago -- the great Thanksgiving Plumbing Debacle.  I still chuckle about that one. 

 

Vintage Sampler Sale! AND Give-Away!

We have reached Block #20 in the Vintage Sampler Block of the Month

Let's do something special to commemoriate this milestone in this year-long adventure.  I have planned a whole boat load of fun things to thank all of you for hanging in there with me.

All past block sets are on sale for half price!  Yup, you can get any of the blocks or sets you may have missed for just $3.00.  Go HERE to my Website and pick out the ones you like or the ones you missed and get the three block set for 50% off.  You get the 9" beginner block, --the ones featured on my blog-- plus the 12" crossing block and the 16" wreath block that were only available to my newsletter subscribers.

 

 

 

I am now offering SETS of 5 blocks for just $15!  That's 50% off the regular price and you get all 15 blocks-- the 9", 12" and 16" versions of Blocks 1-5.  Set #1 is available now, and I will have sets 2, 3, and 4 ready in a day or two.

 

Three Ways to Win Free Fabric Bundle, Kit or Pattern!

1. Leave a comment about your progress on this BOM and you will be entered in a drawing for a free fabric bundle of Kaffe fabrics!  [US only, International entries will receive a free pattern download]
2. Leave a comment AND "Like" my Facebook page and be entered in a drawing for a free kit! [US only, International entries will receive a free pattern download]
3. And I had to save the best for last.  Everyone who has completed all of the first 20 blocks will receive a free Morning Glory Designs pattern as my way of saying THANK YOU for playing with me this past year. To claim your prize leave a comment letting me know you have done all 20 blocks, then post a picture on the Flickr Group with all 20 blocks in 1 picture! Be sure to send me your email so I can send you the download link to the free pattern!  I can't wait to see these.

A sale, new sets, a give away and freebies galore.  Its a good day.

 

Block 17 links - fixed em

I am still working on taxes for my second visit to taxzilla - who is auditing 2 years of my personal and business taxes.  GACK!  So I have not had much time for quilting or working on new projects.  But I did get a bit of hand work done during the two weeks I was laid up with Bronchitis and Pneumonia.

First, a number of my subscribers had problems with the links to Block 18 - Star Flower.  So here they are if you had problems getting them.

 

Download the 12" and 16" blocks here.

Next, I started doing the Vintage Sampler blocks in redwork.  Here is the first one.

Then I have been working on The Flower Dance, a block of the month quilt for my local quilt shop made form a selection of 13 of the 16" wreath blocks from the Vintage Sampler.  Here is the one I am almost done with.

I apologize that they are not very good photos, but I took them with my phone last night in a dim livingroom.  I am going to make another version of the big red flower in twilling stitch.  I will see which one I prefer, twilling or stem stitch.    Both are fun to do and make a great hand project.


That's all I can manage today.  Back to my recliner, cough drops, and taxes.

The Wedding

September was quite a month!   I wish you could have all been there to see the incredibly happy event when my son Eric and his new wife Jessica got married!  What a great day!  Let me share a few pictures of those two adorable kids as they took their vows and started off on their married life.

Aren't they stinking cute?

Now, the wedding did not take place in the corn field.  That is just where they decided to stop and have some pictures taken on the way to the reception.  Did I mention these were a couple of crazy kids and their friends?

You can see lots more pictures HERE. 

Eric dancing with his mom.

Now the wedding was not the only thing that kept me busy in September. 

• I also did 2 days vending at a local quilt show,
• attended my nephew's wedding in Ohio,
• and had my taxes audited.

Ummmm, on that last one. . . .the tax audit. . . uh. . there is no nice way to say it. . . . AACCKKKK.  i have had root canals with no anesthesia and a red hot poker in each eye that were less painful than that.  Can you say, pain in the ______!!!!!!!  I go back on November 1 for round 2 with the auditor.  Wish me luck.  If you don't hear from me after November 1 its either because I died from stress and anxiety due to ongoing tax audit rage, or I killed the auditor and am in jail.

Now, lets move on and get back to quilting, shall we?  :-)

Vintage Sampler blocks win a Ribbon at the Fair!

Quilter Betty King has been making some of the 12" Vintage Sampler blocks (available from my newsletter) and sent me a picture of the quilt she made using 13 of the blocks.  I just LOVE her amazing quilt.  AND she won a ribbon at the fair for this quilt.  Beautiful job Betty.

How I love to see what peope do with these blocks.  Do you have a quilt you have made from any of these blocks so far?  Send it in and I will feature your quilt of top on my next post.

Today I am working on a wedding veil for my daughter-in-law to-be.   I held my breath and cut the curve in the bottom of the bridal illusion tulle and then measured the length for her cathedral length veil.  I based all the lace on and then gathered the top.  I need to get some ribbon to sew the gathered top to, then I will sew it to the hair clip.  Once she tries it on and I am sure the length is right I will sew down all the lace by hand and trim the tulle around the bottom of the lace.  I'll post a picture when I have it ready.  It really will be pretty.

Block 15 Posted & Kitties have names

 Wow, I can hardly believe it is time to post block 15 in the Vintage Sampler Block of the Month.  This month is one of my favorites:  Two Roses!  It looks like a rose stencil and it is a classic 30's block.  I found an example of a quilt with this block on ebay.  Click on over to my BOM page (see the tabs above) and download your free block!


Well, the kitties have names at last.  Thanks to everyone who submitted suggestions.  They were great and it was so hard to choose.  The babies are officially Buffy and Buster.  Goofy names for goofy cats.  The little terrors survived somehow while we were away for a few days last week.  The critter sitter was for the most part unscarred, although I am not sure if she will critter sit for me again.

The kitties sit on my desk and bat at the letters on my monitor as I type, then jump on the keyboard and type their own weird messages.  This picture was taken in a RARE moment when the babies were sleeping and not obstructing my view of the monitor as they are in the pictures below.

 Buffy sits with her nose right on the screen.  I don't think that can be good for her eye sight, can it?

The winner of the Name the Kitties Contest has received their prize.  Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.  I am keeping a list of them all just in case I get more kitties!  (Yea right!) LOL
 

Name the Kitties Contest

Trouble and More Trouble

I lost my mind and got two new kitties.  My old kitties, Wilma and Betty went off to cat heaven and I have been catless for a while.  These two were adopted from the Kansas City Siamese Rescue and they need names. 

 

There is a little male(left) and female (right) seal point Himalyan kittens, 8 weeks old.  They are little rascals. Playful, feisty, and active, they are a pair of scamps!  They need appropriate fun names and my brain is a bit fried so I am asking for suggestions.  The person who suggests the winning pair of names will win a really nice prize!

Please post your suggestions as comments to this post.  If you post anonymously you won't be able to win as I have no way to contact you that you have won!  I can't wait to see what you come up with for this rascally pair!

Finished Stars and Bars

I finally finished Stars and Bars quilt and it is off to the quilter where she will work her magic on it.  It was a challenge to make design decisions along the way on this one, but I am pleased with the results.  Here is a little sneak peek.  It will be going off to Fons and Porter the end of the week.  Hopefully they will like it enough to publish it!  Keeping my fingers crossed!

 Actually the quilt is really different from this table runner version.  But I can't give it all away, can I? Just have to wait to see the final version if it is published. As a good friend and incredible designer once told me, "free is not a good business model."

Speaking of free, the new BOM for July 15 is posted.  It is one of my favorite blocks and I think you will have fun working on this one.  Here is a picture to tempt you.  Go to my BOM page (see the tabs at the top of this page) to download your free copy.  Remember it is only available for one month then you can purchase the block from my website.

Now I finally have a bit of time between deadlines to work on my son's wedding quilt.  I must be insane because I am going to make him a Judy Neimeyer pattern called Misty Pond.  He is a hunter and I thought the cat tails in the corners were really appropriate for him.

Judy Neimeyer's Misty Pond

I am going to try and squeeze this in between making a cathedral length veil for the bride and working on more BOM block samples.  I really need to quit my day job.