Block 5 Tulip Tiles Free Block of the Month is Posted

Block 5 is now available for Free on the  BOM page of this blog.  See the tabs at the top, and click on the Tulip Tiles BOM page.  Be sure to download and print the pattern while it is available for the next two months.

This has been a tough week for me.  I started feeling bad last weekend and thought I had the flu.  It turned out to be first bronchitis and then pneumonia, 2 trips to the ER later.  I went into the hospital Thursday evening and finally managed to come home Sunday morning feelling weak as a kitten, but slightly better than before I went in.  Despite a whole week off of work, I was not able to get any sewing done.  Not sure this week will be any better as I am taking it very easy while I recuperate.

But spring is here, everthing in my yard is in bloom, and I am determined to at least enjoy the weather while I am home. 

Heatland Quilt Network

Yesterday was a really good day!  I attended the Heartland Quilt Network Annual Meeting in Lenexa, KS and had such a good time networking with other professional designers and teachers, and meeting people from Quilt Guilds in the region (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska).  Nancy Wakefield does a wonderful job as President of this group, and so many talented and dedicated quilters participate.  Wow, it was wonderful to connect! 

This organization is a networking group to link up speakers and guilds, quilt shops and teachers, quilt professionals and clients.  No vending takes place, it is just to share information!  I got four bookings from

quilt guilds to lecture at their meetings, and several teaching opportunities as well.

Lots of people asked what I lecture about so I thought I would put my list here in case any of you were curious.  Blogs are great networking tools as well.

EQ6 - Designing Quilts and Blocks on the Computer

The Hexagon and Beyond:  Its not just your Grandmother's Flower Garden

Color Confidence for Quilters: Or How to Trust Your Hunches

The 21st Century Quilting Bee:  Online Quilt Communities

You Said WHAT!?!? Communication for Quilters

Odd Blocks: Settings that Rock with Blocks That are Different Sizes

Here is a picture of my Booth at the Meeting.  I really didn't know what to bring since it was my first time attending, and I got lots of great ideas from other booths all over the room.

I would love to know if there are any other networks like this in the quilting community in other regions of the country or even in other countries.  It is such an incredible resource.   Here are some pictures of some of the other booths at the meeting.

Deanna of Rose Cottage Quilts

Barb Eikmeier "A is for Applique"

Libby Wallis and Petunia (in the hat)

Amy Barickman of Indygo Junction & The Vintage Workshop

MeadowLyon Designs

New Look!

How do you like the "New Look" of my blog?  I thought it needed something lighter, and more spring-like to reflect all the great projects I am working on.  I would love your feedback on it.  The best part is that there is now a separate page just for my new Block Of The Month.  Won't that make it easy to find?  And I have lots of other great ideas planned for the blog this spring as I get back in the swing of things after being a way for a few weeks.

I just got back from a wonderful Quilt Retreat and you can see pictures of all the incredible projects that all the girls worked on HERE.  Wow did they ever get a lot done.

I nearly finished work on my next pattern:  March Daffodils!!  I am so excited about it.  Quilt Woman.com will be publishing it this spring, so look for it on her website in the next month or so.  Here are a few glimpses at the work in progress!

It turned out to be HUGE for a table runner.  About 24" across by nearly 75" long.  It will take a mightly long table to accomodate this beastie.  But I just love the yellow and green.  It is just like the daffodils blooming in my yard today.  These pictures show the completed top.

Here is a closeup of the daffodil block.  It is super easy to piece traditionally or to paper piece.  The daffodil trumpet is appliqued and the ruffled edge is ric-rac.  It was so much fun to make.  And the cool thing about it is. . . .it was super easy to do.!

Most of the quilt is just stitched in the ditch, but I had fun designing and quilting a vine and daffodil border.  Here is a little glimpse.  I quilted in in a wonderful variagated lime green thread.  You can just see the fun daffodil patterned fabric I used for the backing.  I am working on the instructions now and hope to finishe them this weekend! 

And guess what?  I am really excited about this.  One of my quilt patterns will be featured in the Keepsake Quilters Catalog!!  As soon as I get the final word on that I will let you know.  Want a hint?  Look at my April Pattern on my Website. Hehehe.

Much more to come soon!!

So Much News. . . So Little Time

Wow, where do I begin.  It has been quite a month for me with dramatic ups and downs.  Most recently I have been in Ohio with my sister.  My father passed away on March 10 from the complications of Alzheimer's disease.  He had been stricken with this condition more than 6 years ago and my sister was his primary care giver.  I went back whenever I could to give her a break.  Dad was almost 90 and in remarkably good health right up to the end.  Thanks to hospice he was able to stay at home with my sister and go peacefully in his sleep. 

So after nearly 2 weeks away I am finally back home and re-adjusting to work, and getting caught up on quilt projects.

First of all, I am late on posting the next block in my 2010 Free Block of the Month, so without further ado, here is Block 4 of the Tulip Tiles Quilt.

Go here to download the
Block 4 Instructions and Applique Placement Guide.

This blocks will be available for free until April 30.  After that time it can be purchased from my website at http://www.morningglorydesigns.net/ for $2.00 and $.75 shipping.

Block 3 will be available for free for a few more weeks.  Blocks 1 and 2 can be purchased from my website.

There is so much more to tell but I will have to add more tomorrow when I have time.  Off to retreat for a much needed break, and work on finishing another pattern!  I will post pictures soon.  For now, enjoy this month's block.  I can't wait for some of you to send me pictures of the blocks you have made so far.

Block 3 Triple Tulips Block of the Month Posted

I just got home from a wonderful four-day retreat and feel refreshed and invigorated.  And the four+ hour nap I had this afternoon after I got home didn't hurt either!  So I jumped on my computer and put the finishing touches on the instructions for BLOCK 3 of my New 2010 Block of the Month Quilt. 

This block will be available for free until April 18 so be sure to print a copy while it is available.  After that is will be for sale on my website.

You can go here to download the block and the applique placement guide.

I hope you enjoy this month's block.  I would love to see pictures of your blocks.  Please send them to me at reezehanson (at) hotmail.com and I will post them. 

And the Winner is. . .

Wow, thanks for all the wonderful comments about my blog and reaching more than 50,000 hits!  I am so thrilled that you are enjoying my travels through quilt land!  Sorry it took me a few days longer to post the winners but I had a magazine deadline I needed to meet.  Now that is done, on to the fun.  And when I read all the great comments I decided not to pick just one winner, but FOUR winners!   Yikes. . . I just kept pulling names out of my little basket. 

So the lucky winners are:

Monica from Texas

Doina from Romania

Gari from Alabama

Bertiequilts

If you will email me at reezehanson (at) hotmail.com with your address (for snail mail) or email address (for downloads) I will send you your choice of patterns and the FQ's to go with them.

Congratulations to all of you who entered my celebration give-away.  You are the Best!

50,000 Visits to my Blog!! Time for a Give Away!!

To celebrate the fact that my blog has been viewed 50,000 times I am going to give away a pattern and a stack of fat quarters.  If you would like to be in on the drawing please leave a comment telling me what you like (or don't like) about my blog!  You will get your choice of one of my patterns plus a set of FQ's to go with it.  Whoo hooo!

View Full Album

Click on View Full Album to see all the pictures of my patterns.  You will be able to take your pick!  What could be better than that??  I am so excited that so many people have been following my blog and reading along as I show you my weekly progress.  I am so thankful to all of you who have downloaded my free BOM and subscribed to my feed.
If you want to share the love with my new 2010 BOM why not put my BOM Logo picture on your blog with the link to it?  Click on the picture and save to your computer.  Put a photo widget on your blog and link it to the URL below!   http://katlovesquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/tulip%20tiles
If you leave a comment along with a note saying you put my BOM link on your blog you will get your choice of TWO PATTERNS of your choice if you win the drawing!  The Winner will be announced on Thursday February 18.  Thanks so much for all your support and encouragement.   I love giving away my patterns.

Reeze

More Dotty Stars

I spent most of the weekend working on my Dotty Stars.   I have 8 blocks done in the cool colors – blues, greens, purples -- and am now working on another set of 8 blocks in the warm colors – reds, oranges, yellows.  I can’t believe how long it takes to make each block!  Granted, they are 18” squares, but sheesh, they take forever.  I am paper piecing them for accuracy, which is much easier than traditional piecing on this block.  I redrew the block in EQ6 so I could print off my own foundation papers.   Here is the pink star.
I love the way these are coming out so far and am anxious to see all the other blocks that people are making for this swap.  I know some of the swappers are making totally scrappy blocks, while mine tend to be “color coordinated” on the warm and cool color schemes.  I am actually having fun making these. Surprise surprise!  LOL
I am also working on a pattern and quilt top which will be submitted to a magazine and published this fall.  More on this as later, but here is a little sneak peek.  Look for the whole pattern in the October issue of Quilter’s World.  
Last week I finished another set of 5 blocks in my Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler.  These are so fun to make, but some of them pose a real challenge.

View Full Album

I hope you have taken the opportunity to download my FREE Block of the Month – Tulip Tiles.  Blocks 1 and 2 are both available now for free!! In a few days Block 1 will be removed as a free download and will be available for sale on my website.  Block 2 will remain free until March 18.  I will add Block 3 the first week of March.  You will always have about 5-6 weeks to download each block for free!  Click on the Tulip Tiles link or on the right side bar to go to the free download page.
Hope you are staying warm and digging out of the snow (for all of you in the USA)!!  Yes, it snowed AGAIN in Kansas today.  That dratted groundhog!  I was so hoping Spring would be early this year.  Thank goodness I have my quilting to keep me happy!

Reeze

Swapping Dotty Stars

This week I am working on some blocks I am swapping on my online quilt forum – Sew Many Swap.  I have wanted to do this Dotty Star pattern for a long time and finally have the opportunity.  It is available for free on www.AllPeoplequilt.com. Here is my first block.

The blocks are huge, 18” stars and all the fabrics are dots!  I have been collecting dot fabrics for a while and I am getting to use them like crazy in this project.  I am doing two sets.  One will be all cool colors with blue, green, violet, and turquoise.  The other set will be warm colors with red, orange, pink, and yellow.  I am paper piecing them and they come out very nice. . . but sheesh. . . do they ever take time to make!

So what are you working on.  Leave a comment, I would love to hear about your current projects.

Reeze

Tulip Tiles Block of the Month Block #2

I had a bit of time today so I thought I would post the February Block of the month a bit early.  I planned to post each block on the 18th of each month but what the heck.  I am still recovering from my cruise vacation and getting caught up at my day job.  But the snow fell in buckets today so I stayed home and managed to get the 2nd block ready to post.  Here is the block pattern and directions:

Go here to purchase Block 2.

I can't wait to see what your blocks look like.  Send me a picture of your block and I will post them.