Girlfriends @ Sea, Reserve Now!

Because my newest fabric collection, Girlfriends @ Sea, was inspired on the 2010 Sisterhood of Quilters Alaskan Cruise, this year's Alaskan quilt cruisers will receive the opportunity to purchase the fabric before it is released to the general public.

If you won't be joining us on this year's cruise, you can still "reserve" fabrics for Sept. 1, 2011 delivery. The fabrics are limited in quantity and only available for a short time, so don't miss this opportunity. See the April 17, 2011 blog posting for the designs available and reference numbers to use.

The complete quilt kit, "Girlfriends at Sea" is $55.00. The totebag kits are $28.00 each. Both are shown here.

To reserve the new fabrics, simply email me (jody@jodyhoughton.com). You will receive an email in September and can confirm your order and make payment at that time.

Grandmother-to-be

One of the wonderful benefits of quilting is the ability to create projects to honor events, family or friends.

I have the great privilege and honor of becoming a Grandmother for the first time. My daughter and son-in-law are having a little girl in September!

My design mind immediately started thinking about baby images. My first collection is zoo animals with encouraging blessings (sample panels are shown at right). The individual 10" x 10" art panels and zoo baby fabric collection are available here.

The zoo babies are my current "Art Depicting Life" project. I have designed a quilt pattern that includes the art panels. It is also available at www.sisterhoodofquilters.com.

I will be announcing another "Art Depicting Life" project so check back to learn more!

Totebag Workshop at the Quilted Cottage in Toledo, Oregon

I had so much fun making totebags with Quilters: Shirley, Jan, and Joyce! From cutting the fabric to applying the rhinestones, we moved along completing the totes.

Quilted Cottage shop owner, Monica Lyons, gave us a special treat by serving High Tea. We giggled with "Pinkies Up" as we sipped our tea from fine china.

The highlight of the class for me was teaching the unique process of making my three-dimensional leaves. I love to use the leaves as embellishments on my totes and quilts.

I will be offering a packet of the leaf patterns and instructions very soon on the sisterhoodofquilters.com website.

Faith, Hope & Charity with Red Checks

This past weekend I was a vendor at the Polk County Fairgrounds. Thank You Mid-Valley Quilters Guild! They did a great job with their show.

At every event, I find a gem in the form of a design idea, a contact, or an opportunity. At this show, I realized the value of my large banners featuring my characters: Faith, Hope, and Charity. I received many, many requests for fabric art panels that matched the banner images and encouraging messages.

Thanks for your comments, Quilters. Your requests are appreciated! Art Panels (5"x10") have been printed, along with a red check strip (3"x42"), and are available on the website NOW! Images are shown here.

NEW Girlfriends At Sea Fabrics

Girlfriends at Sea is a fabric collection that was inspired by last year's Quilt Camp at Sea to Alaska.

These new fabrics are currently being shown to quilt shops nationally by the Northcott Fabrics Sales Team. Now is the time to notify your local quilt shops to bring this fun collection into their shops.

Girlfriends love to go on adventures together and this collection is perfect for memory quilt projects, totebags and cabin wallhangings. More projects and kits will be available in September when the line is released.

Mid Valley Quilt Guild Show

Come visit me at the Mid Valley Quilt Guild Show at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Rickreall, Oregon, April 21-23, 2011. My booth will be in the main room of the show and I'll have my newest totebag kits on hand.

The Beach Babe collection of totebags has been very popular for this season's Girlfriends trips to the beach. Several groups have purchased the kits to make on their weekend getaways! The newest tote design is made with my Sun Block and Seagulls fabric, very fun and cute with a Girlfriends @ Play message.

Be sure to visit www.sisterhoodofquilters.com to see my fabric art panels for your spring and summer projects.

Speckled Hen Quilts Grand Opening

If you live near Aurora, Oregon, please join me at the Speckled Hen Quilts Grand Opening on Saturday, April 2, 2011.

I will be showing a preview of my new line of gift pins. The card that comes with the pins features the message, "May this little Block of Joy happily Brighten Your Day".

The pins will be shown at the International Quilt Market this May for national distribution to quilt shops. The artwork for the pins comes from design elements of my fabric collection. The pins make wonderful complimentary gifts for quilting projects.

A new totebag pattern will also be featured at the Grand Opening with my Sunblock & Seagulls fabric for directional prints.

Come by and celebrate Karen's new venture. We all wish her great success in her new location!