NEW Gifts: 1-inch Square Pins

I've extended my gift line to include 1" square pins mounted on wooden tiles. Each pin comes with a message card (shown).

These pins are perfect as an addition to a Birthday card or simply as a small gift to brighten the day of a special friend!

There are 13 different designs. Be sure to give them a look at my site.

Puyallup Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival

Come say hello, November 18-20, 2010, Thursday - Saturday, 10 am - 5 pm, at the Puyallup Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, Western WA Fairgrounds, 110 - 9th Ave. SW, Puyallup, WA 98371-6811. Show program, map, and coupons are available here.

At the Festival you will find a wide variety of sewing, quilting, needle-art and craft supply exhibits from many quality companies. In addition, you will have the opportunity to participate in one or more of the many “Make and Take” workshops or FREE educational seminars.

Also, you'll have a chance to see a sneak preview of my Beach Babes fabric collection. The Beach Babes panel will be available for purchase.

Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show

December 1, 2010 is coming fast now that Fall has arrived. That is the deadline to submit your creation for the Quilt Challenge for the Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show using my Earth Blessings Patchwork print (this fabric has sold out). I've been a vendor at Stitches in Bloom since the very first year and am honored to have had my fabric design chosen.

If you live nearby in Oregon and need any coordinates, visit the Cotton Patch in Keizer, or Quilted Forest in Salem.

Applications and information are found on the Oregon Gardens link for the Stitches in Bloom Show.

Have fun Quilters, I look forward to all of your creations!

NEW 3-Pocket Purse

I've created a new pattern for a 3-Pocket Purse that I've just added to sisterhoodofquilters.com. The finished size is 8.5" x 9" with three layered pockets inside. It's the perfect size purse for your essentials.

So quick to sew, you will want one made from all of your favorite colors! Visit my site to see my fabric designs that will make this purse extra special.

It's also easy to embellish on the flap edge with fancy stitches, beads, and charms.

As of 3/12/11, this pattern has been discontinued.

Bags for All Seasons

The Halloween themed totebag pictured at right is the first in the BAG for ALL SEASONS collection.

Quilting Sister Hope is ready for Happy Halloween fun! An 8" x 12" art panel pocket makes this quick and easy Halloween fabric tote fun for any All Hallows' Eve occasion. The finished size is 15.5" square and it can be carried as either a tote or purse.

Watch for this collection as it grows for each holiday or season. The pattern and complete kit are available for purchase at www.sisterhoodofquilters.com.

Cell Phone Bags Are Here!

Mattie Rhoades of Quiltsmart® and I met as quilt show booth neighbors several years ago. I loved her printed interfacing and quickly saw how fun it was to make complex projects very easily.

I am proud and pleased to include Quiltsmart® products at www.sisterhoodofquilters.com and I have created several Cell Phone Bag kits that are available now. Pictured at right is my Earth Blessings Patchwork Cell Phone Bag. It's quick and fun to make. The Quiltsmart® Cell Phone Kit is included for supplies and instruction, along with Earth Blessings Patchwork fabric.

Be sure to check out my other designs. More will be coming soon!

*As of 2/13/11, Quiltsmart® products have sold out and will not be reordered.

New Fabric Collection Sneak Preview

My newest fabric collection, BEACH BABES, will be available for purchase December 2010.

Faith, Hope, and Charity are in their beach attire and are ready for Girlfriend Getaways. Samples of the designs are shown here on the right. The fabric will be just the inspiration you need to start making summer totebags and beach quilts.

In addition to the new fabrics, I have designed a large panel wall hanging that is perfect for embellishments. The pattern will be a free download on www.sisterhoodofquilters.com. Yardage and complete kits will also be available as soon as the fabric arrives. Enter your e-mail address in the box that says "Join Our Mailing List" on the right side of this page and we'll let you know when you can begin ordering.

Shop owners contact your Northcott.com sales representative now for pre-ordering of the Beach Babes fabric collection.

Meet Me At The Coast

This weekend, August 6th, 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM, and August 7th, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM, I will be sharing a booth with Monica Lyons at the 20th Annual Quilts by the Sea in Newport, Oregon. The booth will feature my current fabric collection EARTH BLESSINGS and new totebag and quilt patterns will be previewed.

Monica, shop owner of Toledo's Quilters Cottage, has entered her Earth Blessings Quilt in the show. I wish her the best of luck. I will also be judging a local quilt guild's All Blue competition; the best of luck to those quilters as well.

If you are on the Oregon Coast this weekend, please come by and say, "HI"!

What a fun trip: Alaska Quilt Camp at Sea!

About 60 quilters joined the Sisterhood of Quilters Alaska Quilt Camp at Sea. The ladies were from across the US and several from Canada.

At the first gathering of the group, I officially made each attendee a Member of the Sisterhood of Quilters, presenting them with Membership Cards and Certificates. The only qualification was to "pledge and promise to create handmade items with a joy-filled heart." All became enthusiastic members! It was for fun and to honor our coming together as quilters and soon to be friends.

The cruise was a great mix of classes, new sewing tools and techniques, and sight-seeing in awesome Alaska. The week went by very quickly and many signed up to join the Alaska 2011 cruise as well as Mexico 2012 with Quilt Camp at Sea, both of which I have been invited to be the Special Guest on board! Read more about these cruises in my previous blog posting.

I am designing a new fabric collection that will be available for fun, sun, and cruise projects. Keep watching. I'll be posting a sneak peek, very soon.

Two New Quilt Camp at Sea Cruises

Join me as a special guest on these Quilt Camp at Sea Cruises:

Alaska “Stretch Your Imagination” Quilting Cruise, July 31 to August 7, 2011. We sail roundtrip from Seattle, Washington aboard Holland America Line's ms. Oosterdam. Ports of Call: Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia, with spectacular Glacier viewing during our visit to Glacier Bay.

Mexican Riviera "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" Quilting Cruise, March 10-17, 2012. We sail roundtrip from San Diego, California aboard a Holland America Line beautiful vista-class ship. Ports of Call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

These fabulous cruises sell out quickly, so please make your reservations now by clicking the name of whichever destination you're interested in.

When you sail with Quilt Camp at Sea, the only "surprises" are the numerous door prizes and gift items guests receive during each cruise! In addition to the fabulous meals, beverages, snacks, entertaining shows, and onboard events provided by the cruise line, our upcoming escorted QUILTING cruises feature:

• TOP OF THE LINE BERNINA or JANOME sewing machines with TWO sewing machine vendor representatives sailing on every cruise to provide classroom assistance and support
• SMALL quilting classes with nationally recognized instructors (10-15 maximum average in each class instead of 20 or more) so you will have plenty of one on one time with your instructor
• Comprehensive and PRE-CUT kits for classes provided at the beginning of your class
• Exciting special guests and lecturers

Hope to see you onboard!

New Patterns and a SALE

Three new totebag patterns have been added to www.sisterhoodofquilters featuring Hope, Faith, & Charity art panels used as big pockets.

Colorful and fun, the designs feature my new Earth Blessings fabric collection. Earth Blessings was inspired by Faith, Hope, and Charity's desire to be Earth-Friendly. Ladybugs, leaves, clouds, and a fun new patchwork all enhance this bright and colorful Art Panel and Fabric Collection.

Also, a selection of Sisterhood of Quilters patterns are on sale for $5 (regularly priced at $10). Please be sure to visit the site and take advantage of the savings.

Quilt Challenge Announced

My Earth Blessings Patchwork print (pictured at right) has been selected as the Quilt Challenge for next year's Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show, January 28 & 29, 2011. I've been a vendor at Stitches in Bloom since the very first year and am honored to have been chosen.

Besides being available at my website, The Cotton Patch quilt shop at 4475 River Rd. N., Keizer, Oregon is also selling the Earth Blessings fabric collection. In the Portland area it is being shown by The Fabric Depot (found under Northcott Fabric: The Sisterhood of Quilters).

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting EASY QUILTS magazine for Summer 2010 features our GIRLFRIENDS fabric in a fun, cute quilt and pillow! It is designed by Patti Carey. She's the Marketing Coordinator for Northcott Fabrics.

"She enjoys playing with all the new fabrics her company produces. She loves to design quilts when new collections arrive, and hopes to inspire other quilters with her creations."

Thanks Patti for creating a great project with my GIRLFRIENDS fabrics! Kits for the project are available here.

Watch for McCall's Quilting Magazine

Please watch for McCalls Quilting Magazine issue, June 2010. Northcott Fabrics has placed an ad for the Earth Blessings line on the back cover! Monica Lyons, shop owner of the Quilted Cottage in Toledo, Oregon, designed the quilt featured in the ad shown on the right. It is always exciting and uplifting to see our work in print and this is a big one! Congratulations Monica on your acknowledgement and good design work!

Please see our BLOG post March 1 as a reminder of the upcoming event May 8, 2010, QUILT QUEST XXM in Toledo, Oregon.

Meet My Show Neighbor

I had a great time in Puyallup at SEWEXPO and getting to know my show neighbor Amy, sharing business ideas and sources. My booth was 10'x20' and hers was 10'x10'. Mine was a little too big and hers a little too small, so next year we are going to divide the space and each have a 10' x 15' booth space! Amy will be able to teach beading classes in her enlarged space and I will be just a little cozier -- a win/win for both of us.

Every time I exhibit at a show, I find a "gem" and this time it was Amy and her husband, Andrew, who brought us warm chocolate chip cookies from their RV oven!

Please check out Amy's website: www.i-bead.com. Her designs are unique and very popular.

SAVE THE DATE: March 3 - 6, 2011 for next years show!

Earth Blessings Fabrics Have Arrived!

The NEW Earth Blessings fabrics by the yard and complete pattern kits are available now for purchase at sisterhoodofquilters.com!

Earth Blessings was inspired by Faith, Hope, and Charity's desire to be Earth-Friendly. Ladybugs, leaves, clouds, and a fun new patchwork design enhance this bright and colorful Art Panel and Fabric Collection.

You'll find quilt designs like Deborah's Capistrano Lily (shown here) by Quilting Sister Deborah from www.inthedoghousedesigns.com. So fun and bold! The complete Kit includes the fabric, and bonus Earth Blessing Pattern Book rather than an individual pattern. Backing not included.

Come see what's new!

QUILT QUEST MMX

I know Mother's Day seems to be far off, but I wanted to give you plenty of time to register for High Tea at QUILT QUEST MMX in Toledo, Oregon on Saturday, May 8, 2010.

The city of Toledo is located 5 miles east of Newport on US 20 and is a wonderful gateway at the Oregon Coast. More than 100 quilts will be on display in the city's historic Main Street district from 10 AM - 4 PM. The event includes vendors offering patterns, designs, long-arm quilters and more.

I'll be there as a special guest signing my new pattern and gift book, "Earth Blessings."

For more information or High Tea reservations contact: Monica Lyons at 541-336-2877 or oregonquilterscottage@gmail.com.

I'll be at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo this weekend

If you're in the Puyallup, Washington area this coming weekend, Feb. 25-28, stop by the Sewing & Stichery Expo and say hello!

SEWEXPO is the largest, most comprehensive consumer education and trade event for the sewing industry in the United States. It's the perfect place for both experienced and beginning sewers and quilters (and everyone else!) to indulge their creative passions or explore new ones.

I will be introducing my NEW Floral Art Panel collection. These patterns that include Specialty Art panels and kits will be available for the FIRST time! I'm including an image here of a detail of my inspirational Hydrangea Quilt design as quilted by Linda Perry from Dallas, Oregon.

Linda is extremely talented as she intreprets her long arm quilting skills with the design of the quilt. I highly recommend Linda's talented designs.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Earth Blessings

I am thrilled to announce my newest art panel and fabric collection, Earth Blessings. My idea for Earth Blessings came to me while reflecting on the feelings and attitudes of people today due to the current economic situation, coupled with the awareness to be "Earth-Friendly."

My wise women: FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY are featured in this collection as the visual representatives of all who honor nature and are striving to be good stewards of the earth's resources.

Ladybugs, leaves, clouds, and a fun new patchwork all enhance this bright and colorful Art Panel and Fabric Collection. Fabric will be available for purchase in March.

I hope you enjoy my newest collection and visit www.sisterhoodofquilters.com often.

Quilting at Sea!

I am excited to be the special guest on the Alaska "Sisterhood of Quilters" cruise with Quilt Camp at Sea. Their mission "is to create friendships at sea, one quilter at a time, by providing those who share a love of quilting with the opportunity to experience...locations where the scenery is breathtaking..."

The Alaska cruise is in July and registration is closed, but I hope you will visit their website and consider a quilting cruise in the future. Mattie Rhoades of Quiltsmart and quilting instructors Joyce Becker, Janet Bottroff, Patti Carey, and Jo Anne Gordon will also be onboard. View some of the class project photos from these great instructors.

Girlfriends Collection

I'm happy to announce that my Girlfriend collection is available at sisterhoodofquilters.com.

The collection is all about honoring the special relationships we have with our Girlfriends. The fabric designs include images of teacups and pink flowers. And my character, Hope, has a special panel in support of all our girlfriends who have been challenged by breast cancer.

This collection is inspirational, whimsical and uplifting. I've even created a 56-page full color pattern and gift book to go with the collection. The book includes fabric requirements, instructions, hot tips for embellishments and quilting, full size applique patterns, and scrapbooking ideas and artwork.

I'm excited to share it with you.

I wish you Joy in your day!