The ‘lucky” reader who won the Ugly Christmas Sweater block is… Beverly! Beverly claims that she is planning a Christmas quilt that will welcome and enfold this block. Nice. I love a happy ending.

Speaking of winning, a teapot quilt that I put in my guild’s show over the weekend received a Judge’s Choice ribbon!

A Spot of Tea by Kay Mackenzie

The theme of this year’s show was “The Way We Were.”


Our show is not juried or judged, but we do have visiting dignitaries come and put ribbons on their favorites. I never found out who the judge was… whoever you are, thank you so much!

The quilt features nine of the teapots in my Teapots 2 to Appliqué, on the book page at kaymackenzie.com.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Just got word that I’ll have a block in the next issue of 100 Blocks! Keeping my streak alive!

However, they sent back another block and said no thank you.

Ugly Christmas Sweater by Kay Mackenzie

Can’t imagine why!!! :)

I sewed as much stuff to it as I could.

Would you like to inherit this hand-appliquéd and embellished 12″ block? if so, please leave a comment before 7:00 p.m. California time on Wednesday, February 18.

U.S. shipping addresses only, and clicking “Reply” to your email feed won’t enter the drawing. Come to the blog on the internet and leave your comment at the bottom of the post.

Thank you to anyone willing to adopt this poor orphan.

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Thanks you *so much* to everyone who left nice comments about the Heffalumps. I’m as tickled as the pink baby one.

My fellow appliqué enthusiast Darcy Ashton just published a guide to the hand-stitching of eyes.


It includes 14 different eyes, with instructions for all of them!

Darcy is the author of many appliqué classics featuring animals, from bunnies to big dogs to little dogs to horses to butterflies to aquatic creatures. I’ve always thought she did the most fantastic job with the eyes, really bringing the animals to life.

Check out Darcy’s website Ashton Pubications, which features all of her books, and spend some time poking around her Etsy shop as well, where you’ll find many darling patterns. She also has an embroidery stitch guide.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Sometimes, when I get an idea for a new pattern, the title and the layout jump into my head fully formed. So it was with my latest.

I saw in my head what I wanted to do. Once I got the heffalumps drawn, I thought of making them in batiks. I pulled a few out of my stash, and purchased a couple more. Then a brain storm occurred. I thought, what am I doing!? I’ve got these precious hand-dyes left over from the super secret piecing project! Back the batiks went into the stash, and it was full speed ahead.

In choosing the colors, I did a rather primitive mockup on the design wall with chunks of fabric.

I think I ended up changing one ear.

I’m mighty pleased with how the heffalumps came out, with a smile for A.A. Milne, and they’ve been a big hit so far. The pattern is available now on my website, on the Patterns page.


Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie