Nov

10

Hacked!

Filed Under Admin notes | 2 Comments

I apologize for the unauthorized post that you have recently received if you are subscribed by email. I have removed the post and also what I hope is the fake admin account of the hacker. I will continue to keep an eye on things.

Again, my apologies. It’s not the first time the site has been hacked, and I’ll consult my IT professional.

Kay

Jul

9

A new little corner of the interweb

Filed Under Admin notes, Buttons | 5 Comments

I started a new blog!

Screen Shot 2017-07-09 at 1.09.00 PM

Quilts and Buttons over at Blogspot is going to be more of a creative playground for me. While All About Appliqué was created to be a resource center for those interested in the art of appliqué, Quilts and Buttons is where I can branch out and show all of the stuff that I work on besides appliqué!

If you’re at all interested, come on by and check it out! You can follow it by email or in a blog reader, just like All About Appliqué. Hope to see you there!

Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Jun

20

2 new from C&T!

Filed Under Admin notes, Books | 1 Comment

Well folks we were down for a little while there. I got a message from Google that the blog had been hacked.

Oh bother. As an admin that is not a word you want to hear. I looked into the “issue” and came to the swift conclusion that it was above my non-techie head to fix it. Instead of having a nervous breakdown, I decided to hire a professional.

I engaged the services of a web guy, who knew just what to do. He basically stripped the files and re-loaded fresh versions of them, removing discovered malware along the way. Everything is all neat and clean and given the good housekeeping seal from Google once again. Thank you Jordan Iversen for saving my sanity.

During the “hiatus,” I got press releases from C&T announcing new titles. Two of them are beyond-gorgeous appliqué. If you click on the images, it will pull up a pdf of the entire press release. I’ve also added them to my Amazon Appliqué Bookshop. Do they not look amazing???

Until next time,
Kay

By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

euphoria

hexie-garden

hexie-garden

Nov

19

MVPs, again

Filed Under Admin notes, Freezer paper on the back | 2 Comments

Admin note: This is the same post as last time; somehow in the strange badlands of code, there was a glitch that prevented the Comments from working. I *think* it’s fixed now (fingers crossed, toes as well). Just skip this if you read it before. Thanks!!!

___________________________________

When I started this blog years ago, I wanted it to become a resource center of information for those who celebrate appliqué or who are interested in learning more.


When I added the capability of subscribing to the blog by email, I found that quilters forgot it was a blog, and thought of it as a newsletter.


The thing about newsletters is, unless you save them all, you can’t refer back to the information that you may have found useful when they came across. That’s why blogs are so nifty! The articles stay there, everything’s indexed, and you can find the info any time using a variety of mechanisms… Categories, Keyword Search, Archives, they’re all right there in the sidebars.

But again, those who receive the contents of each post by email never see the blog itself on the internet unless they click over! (This is done simply by cliking the title of the article in the email you are reading.)

The blog header.


That’s why I’ve decided to start a Sunday drive down memory lane. I’ll be revisiting older articles that you may not have seen if you joined the blog after they were posted, or may have forgotten about if you’ve been around for awhile.


We’ll be looking back at the articles that are the very most helpful concerning appliqué. A bunch of different kinds of appliqué are covered. So relax, kick back, and enjoy the scenery!

Let’s go back to An Early Heart to see what Freezer Paper On The Back is all about.

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

May

29

Etsy Shop Grand Opening!

Filed Under Admin notes, Patterns | Leave a Comment

I’ve been working hard on my Etsy Shop!

I just added a new section, Appliqué Blocks. The section contains individual downloadable blocks from my out-of-print book Baskets to Appliqué.

Here’s the Apple Basket
for example.

All 16 basket blocks are available individually for instant download. You can pick your favorites to use in the project of your choice! Use the appliqué method of your choice.

Of course, if you’d rather have all 16 basket blocks in printed form, you can always get the Baskets to Appliqué Pattern Pack from the Appliqué Patterns section.

To celebrate all the work I’ve done in getting the Etsy Shop up and running, I’m holding a Grand Opening Celebration!

Coupon! Coupon!

Use the following coupon code during checkout to receive $5 off an order of $10 or more, before tax and shipping.

GRAND

Have fun shopping! You’ll find my books and patterns, tools and supplies, beautiful button magnets, and a few other fun things I’ve made.

The coupon expires Saturday, June 6, at midnight. Feel free to share with your friends!

Thank you so much!
Kay
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Mar

9

Curious about fusible appliqué?

Filed Under Admin notes, Classes, Fusible web, Machine appliqué | Leave a Comment

The wonderful Kim Jamieson-Hirst has launched her Essential Guide to Fusible Web Appliqué at Curious.com!

This is the most comprehensive on-line course imaginable, including over 20 lessons that will show you everything you ever wanted to know about fusible web appliqué.

You won’t believe how complete it is, with exercises and assignments and personalized teacher feedback. I’ve know Kim over the interweb for years now and I can tell you there isn’t a more pleasant person that you’ll meet. My favorite feature is that there are 172 minutes of learning-packed video “that isn’t sleep-inducing.” I love that LOL!

Go on over to Curious.com and check out all the many features of the course.

Some Admin Notes:

There’s a new internet special on my website. The BOGO book is now Dolls & Dresses to Appliqué. It comes free with any other book purchase at kaymackenzie.com, including the ones that are on overstock sale!


I don’t believe I’ve mentioned here that for the past year or so I’ve been having the most fun with buttons. Oh my gosh, I’m in deep. Introducing Kay’s one-of-a-kind Button Magnet Sets, available at my Etsy shop. They make fantastic gifts, for a friend or for yourself.


Lastly, I’ll be at the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association’s biannual show this weekend, at the Convention Center. Hope to see you there if you’re in NorCal!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Oct

28

A self-help brochure?

Filed Under Admin notes | 13 Comments

Greetings fellow appliqué enthusiasts! I’d like your opinion on something.

I was thinking of putting together a self-help brochure to hand out at my booth during quilt shows. Something like this.


The brochure would be offered to visitors who say things like:

I haven’t done any appliqué yet.
I can’t do appliqué.
I’m afraid of appliqué.
So this is all hand appliqué? That’s too hard.
So this is all stick-on? That’s not really appliqué.
How long did this all take?
I don’t have the patience.
Did you do all this?????
My dear, you need to get a life.
Oh, it’s more of that crappliqué.

And the list goes on.

My responses generally fall into the form of reassuring, encouragement, clarification of method, assertion that there is no one correct method, and letting less than kind comments roll off the back. :)

It’s a lot of talking. Wouldn’t it be much simpler to hand them a little brochure? Something that they could take home and read at their leisure? Surely the scales would fall from their eyes and their quilting lives would be forever changed!

What do you think?

Can you add to the list of comments that put you into appliqué defense mode? And what would be the perfect name for the handout?

Many thanks,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Feb

21

Golden Quilter Awards

Filed Under Admin notes | 3 Comments

Whaat??!!! (Sorry, I just watched the Psych marathon.) I’ve been nominated for a Golden Quilter Award!


These are reader-nominated awards hosted by SewCalGal. Someone nominated me in the “Best Quilt Book Author” category. There’s some mighty powerful company over there… you’ve made my day!

The categories are:
Best Quilt Designer
Best Fabric Designer
Best Quilt Book Author
Best Teacher/Instructor
Best Quilt Store (physical)
Best Quilt Store (online)
Most Innovative Product (software)
Best New Product Introduced in 2012 (physical)
Best New Product Introduced in 2012 (software)
Best Quilt Book Published in 2012
Lifetime Achievement Award

To cast your vote in any of these categories, head on over to SewCalGal before the end of the month. Voting ends February 28, 2013.

Doin’ the happy dance!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Nov

15

Flying Fan Kites

Filed Under Admin notes, Fusible web, Patterns, Raw edge | 5 Comments

New on the website: a brand-new pattern, Flying Fan Kites.


As I was working on Scrap-Appliqué Playground, which whacks together scraps and cuts appliqués out of them, I jotted down ideas for taking the idea on a tangent and using traditional pieced blocks.

Flying Fan Kites is the first pattern from that list! You piece a fan and then cut a kite and kite-tails out of it! It’s fun! This is a little guy, 12″ x 16″.

The kites are paper-pieced. Do not groan. Do not fear the paper-piecing. I made it so systematic, so no-brainer, you will not get confused or sew a piece into place that won’t cover when flipped. The full-size foundations are included and ready to use.

Once the fans are pieced, I use paper-backed fusible web for the machine-appliquéd kites and kite-tails. I’ve now started to offer SoftFuse in the 10-pack, and that’s up on my website too, in the Notions section.


Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Nov

25

Holiday Special

Filed Under Admin notes, Books, Patterns | 2 Comments

In contemplating thankfulness, I’d like to shout out a great big Thank You to all of you who follow All About Appliqué. I thoroughly enjoy writing this blog, and it’s gratifying to know that someone is reading. No matter what form of quilting we employ, we all have one thing in common… we are appliqué enthusiasts! Yay!

ready-web
Ready, Shop, Sew!


In appreciation, I’ve created a coupon for $5 off any order of $10 or more on my website, where all my stuff is. The coupon code is 5OFF and is good through December 10, 2011, for your holiday shopping pleasure. U.S. and Canada only, regular shipping charges apply.

Here are some great ways to take advantage of the coupon. Stocking stuffers for your quilty friends!

When you click on the links below, you’ll be taken to the page on the website where the item is found. If you don’t see it right away, just scroll down.

Vol 4-500Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Volume 4. Only $6.99.

sew-crazy-cover-356
A cute little pattern for your friend who would like to hang this in her sewing room. Just $6.

butterfly

Magnetic Needleminder, $9.50. These look like beautiful cameos and make fantastic gifties. There are 10 different styles to choose from.

needles

John James #10 Straw/Milliner needles, $3.00. My favorites for hand appliqué.

scissors

Clover 5″ miscroserrated scissors, fantastic for appliqué. They’re very grippy on the fabric and the cut edge is less prone to fraying. $23.50

The coupon is good on anything you’d like to order from By Kay Mackenzie, including all of my books, patterns and notions. Maybe you’d like to get a gift for yourself! Have you been looking at Sew the Perfect Gift, Inspired by Tradition, or Teapots 2 to Appliqué? Now’s the time!

sew-perfect-gift

inspired-tradition

t2cover

Hope you had a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Mar

14

Overheard at the quilt show

Filed Under A story of another book, Admin notes, Books | 14 Comments

Last fall I was hanging out in my cozy little booth at a quilt show. An attendee came in, looked around, and said, “Oh, it’s more of that crappliqué.”

Well, she had a nice spirit about her and the way she said it was funny, so that actually made me laugh.

We started chatting and I asked her why she felt that way about appliqué. She told me that she had taken a class and had hated the process and the result. During our conversation I told her that there’s not just one way to appliqué and she just hadn’t found the way that suited her best. She agreed with that philosophy, and promised to give it another go.

I hope I helped this nice gal be more receptive to our polarizing pastime. What do you say to fellow quilters who have experienced frustration with appliqué?

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

• My talk with Pat Sloan on March 21 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time
•10-day blog hop, Book-A-Round 2, March 22-31.

Oct

11

I’m versatile!

Filed Under Admin notes, Designers | 1 Comment

I recently received the Versatile Blogger award from a fellow blogger who enjoys my blog.

versatile-blogger

How very cool! I certainly appreciate receiving an award of any type!

What does it mean? I asked myself.

I Googled the term and found Versatile Quilter awards all over the internet, and not just among quilting blogs. You name it, this award is going around it, and I couldn’t find out who started it.

Not knowing its provenance, I’m choosing not to pass the award along, which would involve telling you seven things about myself and presenting the award to other blogs that I read. However, I will tell you about one blog that you may find of interest. Did you know that Checker Distributors publishes a blog? Called the Checker Newsletter, it’s mostly written by Penny Haren, author of the Pieced Appliqué series of books. Penny’s not a Checker employee but works with them a lot in the industry. The blog highlights all the brand-new things that are coming onto the market… very interesting!

The fellow appliqué enthusiast who sent me the award is Erin Russek, who writes a pretty darn versatile and attractive blog herself. Thank you Erin!

Erin’s blog is One Piece at a Time and she does lovely, lovely work. Not only that, she has posted several appliqué tutorials that you’ll find of interest.

Well, I still don’t know who started the Versatile Blogger award, but the way I interpret it is that Erin finds my blog worthwhile, so I’ll take it and run! :) Thank you so much again Erin! Your original designs are gorgeous.

Miss Kelly-web

Here’s Erin’s “Miss Kelly.” It’s the center block for her 2011 BOM called “My Tweets”. There will be a free small pattern every month so be sure to check it out on Erin’s blog.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

May

22

Call for contributors

Filed Under Admin notes, Articles, Guest posts | Leave a Comment

wanted

Would you like to contribute an article to All About Appliqué? Come on down!

You can show us a special tip or trick, give us a photo tour of your method, demo a product, review your favorite book, etc. etc. Any method of appliqué is great! Use anybody’s pattern, or your own, just be sure to give the pattern source. Shoot me an email to kay at kaymackenzie.com (you know the drill, use the @ sign and no spaces) and let me know what you have in mind.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to know how to blog! If you can write an email and attach a photo, you can do this! I’ll turn your material into a fantastic post.

Many thanks!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

May

25

Newly listed designers

Filed Under Admin notes, Blogroll, Designers, Patterns | Leave a Comment

When I got home from Market, one of the first things I did was to add a bunch of designers and pattern companies to the lists in the right-hand sidebar. Here are my new additions:

Bayou Patch Designs
Bloomin’ Minds
Ewe-unique Creations
Granola Girl Designs
Hatched and Patched
Jenny Creek Designs
Kitambaa Designs
Log Cabin Quiltworks
Patchworks Studio
Primitive Gatherings
The Quilt Company
Rabbits Haven
Sue Spargo Folk-Art quilts
Under the Garden Moon
Cathy Van Bruggen Designs
Waltzing With Bears
The Wooden Bear

There were scads more appliqué designers that I also saw and/or chatted with that were already on the lists. Other appliqué designers… if I’ve missed you, give me a shout!

Much more to come pursuant to Portland…
Until next time,
Kay
Quilt Puppy Publications & Designs