Home for a few days. It was great meeting some of you in Sonora, Portland, and San Mateo. It’s always so meaningful to me to hear that you enjoy the blog.

Next stop, the Simi Valley Quilt Guild show!

Now for this month’s featured appliqué book!

The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky sponsors an annual contest and exhibit called “New Quilts from an Old Favorite.” The winning quilts are published in a book and I have the latest one, Baskets!


The top winner and cover quilt is Book Plate I by Karen Grover of Rockford, Illinois. I absolutely love the art nouveau bookplate-inspired appliqué design.

To quote from editor Linda Baxter Lasco in the preface,

While preservation of the past is one of a museum’s primary functions, its greatest service is performed as it links the past to the present and the future.

Created both to acknowledge our quiltmaking heritage and to recgonize innovation, creativity, and excellence, the contest challenges today’s quiltmakers to interpret a single traditional quilt block in a new and exciting work of their own design.

The book features the quilts of five award winners plus 14 additional finalists. What I really like about this book is that it features not only the quilts but the quiltmakers and their respective processes. It’s fascinating to learn what each quilter was thinking, and see original sketches and inspiration, design problems and solutions, and techniques both new and old described in the quilters’ own words.

Second place was Basket Case by Leona Harden of New Tazewell, Tennessee.

Basket Case by Leona Harden

One of the finalists was Spinning Baskets by Theresea Reeves of Oberlin, Kansas.


Courtesy of the publisher, the American Quilters Society, I can offer this beautiful book to give away in a drawing. If you’d like to win Baskets: New Quilts from an Old Favorite, leave a comment here on the blog before 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 8. Contest open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only.

I cannot stress this enough: If you are reading this as an email right now,

All About Appliqué is not a newsletter, or an email. It’s a blog, and you’re subscribed to get the content of the posts delivered to you in the form of an email. To leave a comment and enter the drawing, click on the title of the post in your email. That will take you to the post itself on the internet. Once there, you can scroll to the bottom of the post, click the comments link, scroll down again, and leave your comment there. Good luck. :)

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Oooh, I’ve been waiting to get my paws on this one!

Back at Spring Market in Kansas City, I attended author Angela Lawrence‘s Schoolhouse presentation, because I’m always interested to hear what other appliqué enthusiasts have to say. Angela has been teaching hand appliqué for many years, and for her new book she’s broken down every step and laid it out in a beautiful visual guide. As she made her way through her presentation, I was like, “Check, check, that’s the way I do it, check, awesome.” With one exception, which is our placement method, Angela and I are “like this” when it comes to hand appliqué.

I spoke with Angela after the presentation, and she was delighted to hear that I wanted to feature her beautiful new book on the blog. But guess what? The copy she had in her hand was the only one in captivity! It was an advance copy and the book wasn’t even out yet!

Later in the weekend I stopped by the Landauer booth and made the acquaintance of E.B., the digital marketing person. She was also very happy to have the book featured once it came out. I gave her my card but afterward realized I hadn’t written my email address on the back for her. Argh! Since then I’ve been pondering the best way to follow up. Excelsior! I got an email from E.B. asking for my address so she could send me the book! Thank you Landauer!


I’d show you some more images, and tell you what-all’s in the book, but Landauer has gone to all the trouble, so just click on over to their website and watch the short video! Let me add that there’s a packet of full-size templates inside the back cover for the nine projects.

I have a copy of the book to give away to a lucky reader. If you’d like to enter the drawing, leave a comment at the bottom of this post before 7:00 p.m. California time on Wednesday, September 5.

Contest open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Remember that you can’t enter the drawing from your email program. You have to be on the blog itself on the internet to leave a comment.

Good luck everyone!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

The winner of Fuss-Free Machine Appliqué is Glynis B. of Duncan, British Columbia. Congratulations Glynis! Enjoy the book.

Glynis sent me a photo of herself with my book Inspired by Tradition. How sweet! I was so glad to hear that she is enjoying my designs.

On to the This and That. There’s a Pets on Quilts show going on right now, hosted by Lilypad Quilting. This internet quilt show features real pets on quilts, pets depicted on quilts, or any combination thereof, so what a happy topic. Joanna, who blogs at Needle Thread Happiness, used two of the cat patterns from my book Easy Appliqué Blocks to depict her gorgeous black cat Moxie. And in the post Moxie herself inspects the results LOL!

Joanna also shows her very cute version of Lollipop Grove (the cover quilt for Scrap-Appliqué Playground) with a little dog frolicking in the trees. What a great idea! Thank you Joanna, for including my patterns in your Pets on Quilts entry. I really enjoyed them.

I got a nice little surprise while I was in Long Beach… the Martingale blog Stitch This! did a feature on different ways to label your quilts, and lo and behold up popped the information I included in Scrap-Appliqué Playground on how I make labels. There are lots of other great ideas too so be sure to check it out.

And I was honored to hear from Dorothy Sparks that she had made a small quilt using the Eagle block from Inspired by Tradition to donate to the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative August 2012 Online Auction. Dorothy had contacted me and the publisher earlier for permission to use the pattern, and it came out just wonderful. It’s Number 10546, “Proud to Be an American.”

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

If you’re like me you’re always interested in finding out more about how other appliquérs go about things. I was very intrigued to read up on the method that author Lori Buhler gives in her new book from Martingale, Fuss-Free Machine Appliqué: Sew on the Line for Great Results.

Lori tells us, “The quilts in this book are a combination of appliqué quilts and pieced quilts that use appliqué pieces to emulate the look of curved piecing. This technique used for appliqué is a fast and easy method that fits in with our busy lives. It involves using interfacing to face appliqué shapes, making it possible to turn under the edges with perfect results.”

Aha! So that’s how you can sew on the line! It’s all done by machine, stitching on lines that are marked on the interfacing. Very cool.

I’ve done a fair amount of this method with fusible interfacing; Lori uses a non-fusible product and pins the shapes in place for stitching.

Here are some of the stunning results she gets!

French Summer

Chocolate Kiss

Spinning Spools

This beautiful book gives full information on the interfacing technique, as well general quiltmaking and finishing instructions. There are 12 gorgeous projects, all using interfaced appliqué either for appliqué shapes or to eliminate the need for intricate piecing.

Courtesy of the publisher, I have a copy to give away. If you’d like to enter the drawing, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post before 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 5. (Can you believe it’s August already?)

Open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. And remember, if you’re reading this in your email program, clicking “Reply” is not leaving a comment. You’ll need to click over to the blog itself.

Good luck!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

With all the hubbub about my new book, I’ve not yet bragged about my husband’s new book, which came out right about the same time!

DH Dana Mackenzie is a science journalist with a number of books to his name (plus myriad magazine articles, glossy brochures, conference proceedings, etc.) but since he’s a PhD mathematician he’s particularly excited about The Universe in Zero Words.

Some of our friends have said that based on the title, they expect there to be no words in the book LOL! The subtitle is The Story of Mathematics as Told Through Equations. I explain that mathematicians don’t need words to express the universe, they have equations. But when we talk about the equations, we need words, so yeah.

Dana describes the book as a history of 24 important and beautiful equations throughout the history of thinking mankind. It starts with as simple as 1+1 and goes from there, all written for the general reader. He loved writing it and we are so happy that it has finally come out.

Dana, me, and some of our North Carolina friends. I’m not sure, but I think we may be trying to explain the universe in zero words.

On another note, I’m packing for International Quilt Festival in Long Beach this coming weekend, July 26-29. I’m in the first row of the vendor mall, next to the exhibits, so if you’re headed for this big bustling quilt show and conference, I hope to see you there!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

A little bird told me that my new book Scrap-Appliqué Playground is a guest star on this week’s Part 3 of Quilt Out Loud!

Have you seen Quilt Out Loud? If not, then be sure to check out this lighthearted, fun-filled internet TV show hosted by Jodie Davis and Mark Lipinski over on QNNtv.com. The segments are free to watch for a week following their debut, so give it a whirl!

P.S. Mark obviously did not read the caption in the book for my Studio quilt LOL!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Random.org has declared that the winner of Janet Pittman’s Appliqué: The Basics & Beyond is… Number 3, Melody!

Melody says that this book will be perfect since she is just learning how to do applique, and she’s very excited. Welcome to appliqué, Melody!

I must apologize for stating that the contest ended Friday, June 7. As they say on TV, I can explain! You see, I’m calendar-challenged. My whole life I have never been able to wrap my head around the fact that calendars split the weekend and put Sunday at the beginning. It’s a deep-seated conceptual thing that I’ve never overcome. So, just for the future, if my day and date don’t line up, go by the day, not the date LOL! I looked at the end of the week, which to me is Friday, and it said 7.

You remember during our recent Book-A-Round that Erin Russek was turning her darling appliqué design into a pattern? She named it Miss Kay and I feel very highly honored. You can check out Miss Kay in Erin’s Etsy shop. Thank you Erin! It’s not every day that one is immortalized in a gorgeous appliqué pattern.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

At Spring Market in May, I stopped by the Landauer booth to find out more information about one of their upcoming appliqué titles.

I happened to speak with the right person! The staff member in charge of digital marketing was thrilled at the prospect of sharing their appliqué titles with All About Appliqué and handed me a couple to peruse.

One of them was Janet Pittman‘s Appliqué: The Basics and Beyond. I sat down and looked all the way through through the book. It’s fantastic, and I was presented with a copy to take home in my suitcase. Thank you, Landauer!

Janet has really done a comprehensive job of presenting information about appliqué… several kinds. After a section on equipment and supplies, we’re on to the preparing, stitching, and embellishing! There’s paper-backed fusible-web, turned-edge with template and starch, turned-edge with freezer paper and glue, turned-edge with freezer paper on the wrong side and also the right side, faced appliqué, marked-line and thread-basted, you name it, Janet has covered it. And it’s all beautifully photographed and illustrated for you.

One of the really cool things about the book is that it’s spiral-bound inside a hardback cover so it lays flat. What a nice convenience.

The subtitle of the book is, “The Complete Guide to Successful Machine and Hand Techniques with Dozens of Designs to Mix and Match.” In addition to all that appliqué information, there are a bunch of projects with complete instructions. There’s even an index in this comprehensive resource.

If you’d like to win Appliqué: The Basics and Beyond, please leave a comment here on the blog before 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 7.

Please pay close attention to the following. There are always a few who don’t understand how to leave a comment.

If you receive this blog post in your email, replying to that email will not enter you in the drawing. You’ll need to click on the title of the post, which will take you to All About Appliqué on the internet. Scroll to the bottom and leave your comment there. Open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Kay

You remember how I mentioned that Martingale had gotten together with Quiltmaker magazine to publish the first two issues of 100 Blocks in book form? Well right now over at Stitch This!, the Martingale blog, Quiltmaker editor-in-chief June Dudley has done a guest post talking about how the collaboration came about, and they’re teaming up for a fantastic giveaway.

Not only can you win a copy of the book, if you win you’ll get the first two 100 Blocks mugs too! I just happen to have four of these mugs and I treasure them :).

So go on over to Stitch This! and good luck!

Another item you might find of interest is the Checker Distributors blog, where Penny Haren put up a couple of posts with wonderful photos of designer booths at Kansas City. It’s another taste of Market.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Part 1

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Part 2

In other news, I’m off to southern California this weekend to the Beach Cities Quilters Guild Show in Aliso Viejo. That’s in the famous O.C. don’t ya know, near Irvine. If you’re in that area, hope to see you there!

And, mark you calendars for our upcoming Scrap-Appliqué Playground blog Book-A-Round, June 7-16! I put the schedule up on the Book-A-Round page here on the blog. Each day we”ll see what the other quilting bloggers have been playing with in the Playground, and there will be prize-winning opportunities all along the way. It’s going to be a blast!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

P.S. So glad you enjoyed Fabric by the Mile!

I’ve always thought that “That Patchwork Place” was a funny and quirky name for a publishing company, and that there had to be a story there. Sure enough, on the Martingale blog Stitch This! theyve told the story behind the name, and revealed the exact long-kept secret location of “That” Patchwork Place . Wonder no more. :)

Speaking of Martingale, they’ve teamed up with Quiltmaker magazine to publish in book form the blocks from the first two issues of 100 Blocks. That makes 200 blocks! Aptly enough, that’s the title of the book, 200 Blocks from Quiltmaker Magazine. I’ve already got my advance copy and it looks fantastic. There’s even a bonus CD so you can print the full-size appliqué and foundation-pieced blocks from the comfort of your own home.

In addition to book form, the staff at Quiltmaker has been going to town with all sorts of options for the 100 Blocks franchise. Go to Quilty Pleasures and check out all the different ways you can get the blocks, even from the very earliest issues!

I had a fantastic time talking with Pat Sloan on APQ Radio yesterday. If you missed the chance to listen live, you can still catch the podcast. There are a couple of other great guests on the show following my segment.

Tomorrow I’m getting on a plane to fly to Kansas City for the spring version of International Quilt Market. This huge, bustling event is a trade show for quilting industry professionals only, where designers, publishers, and manufacturers show off all the latest and greatest for shop owners to see. I’ve tried to describe it to Dana, who can’t quite picture the ginormity of it. I tell him it’s the size of several football fields but I don’t think he believes me. I can’t wait to see all my old buddies and make new ones! If you’re going to be at Market, come and see my demo/book signing at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday in the Martingale booth.

Back soon,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

I subscribe to the Checker Newsletter blog. Checker Distributors is one of the major suppliers of everything for our independent quilt shops, and Penny Haren, author of the Pieced Appliqué books, does a wonderful job of writing about all of the new and intriguing products that are coming down the pike. Lo and behold, yesterday Penny talked about a gorgeous new floral bouquet fabric that is just coming on the market! Maybe they’ll make a comeback!

On my last post, a reader asked for some help: “I saw a lady who gave a Quilting with Crayons demo, and I have lost the demo, but she really did a great job showing how to do it well, at least for me. I would love to find her again. No, I did not remember her name.”

Jeanne, could you be thinking of Creative Quilts from Your Crayon Box by Terrie Kygar?

Neat things coming up:

Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Volume 5 Blog Tour is next week, April 30 through May 4. My day is April 30! The tour will continue all week with visits to lots of other designers who have a block in the magazine. Be sure to tune in for prize-winning opportunities all week long.

On Friday I’m driving down the coast to beautiful San Luis Obispo to set up for the annual Seven Sisters Quilt Show at the historic Madonna Inn. I was at this show the last two years and it has become one of my favorites.

Back soon,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Tuesday was the Official Publication Day for Scrap-Appliqué Playground. Happy dancing, happy dancing! It doesn’t get much more exciting for an author than that!

The publisher, Martingale, recently launched a wonderful new blog called Stitch This! (You’ll want to subscribe.)

I’m so excited that today there’s a post by Karen Johnson of the marketing team, in which she recounts her eagerness to visit the Playground, and the fun she had on her first trip! I couldn’t love it more. It’s so cool, you have to go and see. Not only that, they’re giving away a copy of the eBook hot off the digital presses!
Stitch This!

My copies are en route, in fact Brown should be paying me a visit later today. Just as soon as I have them in hand I’ll be updating my website, hopefully as early as tonight.

They’re here! The new book is now available on my website, kaymackenzie.com!

Martingale sent me this button. Notice the new birdy logo. Very cute.

Back soon,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

I finally found a way to code the blog so that the comments on each post are numbered. Finally I don’t have to manually count (and count again to be sure) to find the winning comment. Yay!

The winner of Nancy Mahoney’s Fast, Fusible Flower Quilts is… drumroll… Number 27, Susan!

Susan says she is thrilled, being a big fan of Nancy’s work. I know she will enjoy the book.

Just got home yesterday from a long weekend trip to Reno, where Dana was playing in a chess tournament. I went to three fabric stores. The first one was Mill End Fabrics. When I saw the sign for it, I thought, “Oh, it’s in that big building.” When I got out of the car and walked inside, it was like, “No, it’s the WHOLE building.”

I felt like I was in Mood! A huge building full to the rafters with every type of material and trim you can think of. I meandered around and looked at everything, and finally found the cottons section. After some sleuthing I did discover some very good bolts of high-quality quilter’s cottons.

Then I went to Windy Moon. A delightful visit as always, with gorgeous arrays of fabrics. It was a special treat to spy my Teapots 2 to Appliqué in one of their displays!

The next day I revisited Sew-n-Such, an airy, happy, cheerful quilt shop. It was just a fresh and friendly as the first time.

Here are my fabric purchases from the trip. I was apparently on a deep-red-and-cream jag.

Admin note: Early last week our ISP moved all of our websites and blogs to a new server, and upgraded the blogs to the latest version of WordPress. This was not without a fair amount of angst. By now, most of the wrinkles have been smoothed out, but if you notice anything funky about the blog (such as missing images), please let me know.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Our featured book this month is by none other than Nancy Mahoney, my current technical editor at Martingale!

Nancy has been publishing with Martingale for a long time. Today, thanks to Martingale, we get to explore her Fast, Fusible Flower Quilts.

fast-flower

Like many quilters, Nancy loves to garden as well as quilt. She has created this special collection of 11 quilts that combine a patchwork garden backdrop with beautiful flowers in bloom.

Precious Peonies

Precious Peonies

Like all Martingale books, this one includes quiltmaking basics, and also goes into detail on two ways to prepare your appliqué motifs. Starch-and-template produces a turned edge, and fusible-web results in raw-edge appliqué. Nancy gives detailed, illustrated information about both.

A-Tisket A-Tasket

A-Tisket A-Tasket

Star-Flower Baskets

Star-Flower Baskets

The quilts are so very appealing, aren’t they? As you can see, they’re beautifully photographed in a garden setting. The book includes full flat shots of each quilt as well, along with complete instructions for making them.

Congratulations, Nancy one another great one!

I have a copy of the book to give away in a drawing. If you’d like to win Fast, Fusible Flower Quilts, please leave a comment here on the blog before 7:00 p.m. California time on Monday, April 9.

The fine print: Drawing open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Don’t reply to your email feed; instead, click over to the blog itself and leave your comment at the bottom of this post. Good luck to you!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

IBT goes e!

Filed Under Books | 4 Comments

ibt-450

Inspired by Tradition is now out of print. That’s always sad for an author, but the book is still available in eBook form! It’s over at shopmartingale.com.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Awhile ago, a reader suggested that I might highlight the work of incredible appliqué artist Deborah Kemball. I agree! I don’t know Deborah but I have been admiring her gorgeous work and have been collecting references to her as I come across them.

Deborah is the author of the very successful and lovely book Beautiful Botanicals.

In an interview in the newsletter of The Appliqué Society, I learned that Deborah does all of her work by hand, including the quilting. I was truly gratified to learn that she works quickly because she is not a perfectionist! If she’s unhappy with anything she makes it work later with embroidery or an additional motif.

At the 2011 AQS Lancaster Show, Deborah’s Midnight Garden won First Place in the Appliquéd Quilts, Hand Quilted division. You can see this beauty on Deborah’s Gallery page.

It’s one of two quilts in her pattern pack Twilight Garden Quilts.

Deborah currently lives in Chile and has started to include information about her techniques on her blog. We will all continue to look forward to more beautiful appliqué from this gifted self-taught quilter.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Today’s the third of three days at home before schlepping off to another show. I love it! Despite all the driving, hauling, setting up, tearing down, bumps, bruises, etc., I still smile and say, “Best job I ever had!”

This weekend is “Springtime in the Valley” put on by the San Joaquin Valley Quilters’ Guild of Fresno, California. It’s at the Golden Palace, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4. If you’re in that area, I hope to see you at the show.

My advance copy of Scrap-Appliqué Playground arrived, and it’s so purty! It’s kind of like a miracle when you’re finally holding a book in your hand that started out as an idea in your head.

srcap-cover

scrap-back

See you next week!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

I’ve been waiting and waiting for this one to come out!

baltimore-garden

Our featured book this month is Barbara Burnham’s Baltimore Garden Quilt from AQS Publishing.

My maiden name is Burnham so I’ve often wondered if Barbara and I are long-lost cousins. After all, Burnham is a good old “up east” name (my dad is from Massachussetts) and Barbara is a charter member of the Baltimore Appliqué Society, but alas we still haven’t figured that out LOL.

Today I’m turning the blog over to Barbara to tell us all about her stellar new book. It’s quite something!

Barbara M. Burnham, author:

“My dear husband thought I was crazy to buy that old worn quilt I found in 1999. “But it really does have potential,” I told him. “Try to imagine that quilt as it looked in 1848 when it was made.”

M.E.C. 1848

M.E.C. 1848

“So he smiled and said “Whatever you want, dear.” (Love that!) I wanted to reproduce the quilt and make those designs come alive again. When the quilt arrived, we had fun looking over all the appliqué, some completely gone from age and wear, and dense quilting with florals in between all the appliqué. This is the quilt that became the new “Baltimore Garden Quilt.”

M.E.C. Remembered

M.E.C. Remembered

“Flowers on the antique quilt had been stitched on one petal at a time –- one flower had almost 50 petals! But I devised a method of appliqué to do those flowers in layered sections. Over the next ten years, I traced the designs and appliquéd the blocks. (Not that I’m so slow, but also working a full-time job). Meanwhile, my friends at the Baltimore Appliqué Society cheered me on to publish the patterns.

I kept a journal noting techniques, drawings, problems, and solutions. I wondered what the original quilter might have been thinking about her world in 1848, and what she grew in her garden to inspire these flowers. Techniques on her quilt include buttonhole stitching, woven baskets, embroidery, inked signatures, and tiny cross stitched initials.

Those techniques and more are described in my book using today’s tools and methods. The companion CD includes all the patterns for appliqué blocks, border swags with 40 florettes, quilting designs, alternate sets, and an 1848-era cross stitch alphabet.

Finally, I must give credit to my friend, Marty Vint of Dogwood Quilting, for her masterful machine quilting of all the original designs from the antique quilt. The Baltimore Garden Quilt, or “M.E.C. Remembered,” will be displayed in the Author’s Row exhibit at the American Quilter’s Society shows in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Paducah, Kentucky.”

I asked Barbara to tell us more about the intriguing topic of her appliqué methods.

Barbara: “My favorite method for hand appliqué is freezer-paper-on-top with needleturn (blind stitch). I leave the freezer paper on until the piece is stitched. I don’t mark the applique fabric or background. But this quilt required a LOT of techniques! All my techniques are in this book, plus:

• A new technique for creating symmetrical multi-layered flowers
• No-mark placement
• Buttonhole (blanket stitch) and iron-on fusibles
• Reverse applique
• Embroidery stitches
• Several ways to make a woven basket
• Bias stems
• Tricks for handling small pieces like berries and bird’s eyes
• Back-basting on the sewing machine
• How to trace designs from an antique quilt
• How to find just the right fabrics, including Turkey Red
• All the quilting patterns that appear between the applique
• How-to’s for adapting quilting motifs for your quilt
• Marking quilting motifs
• How to assemble the quilt (joining blocks, joining borders and adding corner swags)
• Backing and batting, basting the “quilt sandwich”
• Quilting by hand or machine
• Preparing your quilt for machine quilting
• Binding
• Signing and dating your work, ideas for labels

Included Patterns:

• Twenty-five 15-inch appliqué blocks
• Border Double Swags and 40 Small Florettes to join them
• Quilting Motifs from the antique quilt
• Alternate Set for arranging the blocks
• Cross Stitch Alphabet from 1848

Here’s who will enjoy this book:

• People who enjoy or collect antique quilts and patterns; Baltimore style quilts, red-and-green quilts, appliqué quilts and antique quilting patterns.
• Beginning appliquérs who could learn techniques with a simple tulip block.
• Advanced appliquérs who will enjoy the more challenging and complex designs and techniques, or modify them for their own quilts.
• Quilters searching for unique border designs and ideas.

I do hope you enjoy the book!”

Thank you, Barbara! All I can say, is WOW. I mean WOW. How much more could an appliqué enthusiast ask for??

Courtesy of the publisher, I have a copy of Baltimore Album Quilt to give away to a lucky reader. To enter the drawing, leave a comment here on this post before 7:00 p.m. California time on Sunday, March 11.

The fine print: Contest open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Do not reply to your email feed; instead, click over to the blog itself and leave your comment at the bottom of the post. Good luck!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Cheryl Lynch, well known for her charming Judaic quilt designs, took a trip to Mexico to go deep-sea fishing and whale-watching. While she was there she became enchanted with the colors and patterns of hand-painted Mexican folk art. On a return trip south of the border she traveled to Puebla, known as “The City of Tiles,” and steeped herself in the world of Talavera tilemaking. It is these little pieces of Mexican folk art, where “perfection is not a goal,” and “at their heart is the simple joy of creation,” that serve as the inspiration for the designs in Cheryl’s book Quilt Fiesta!

quilt-fiesta

The books starts out by with beautiful photographs of Mexican pottery and architecture. As Cheryl says, “Inspiration for quilt designs can be found everywhere,” and what a great idea to translate these into quilt patterns, especially since some of the tiles have corner motifs that result in a secondary design when blocks are put together. Very quilty!

Cheryl shares information about the appliqué method that she used for the motifs in the book, raw-edge fusible appliqué sewn by machine. There’s also a bit of foundation paper piecing instruction for when that’s needed, then a whole section on quilt construction and finishing. Then we’re on to 10 glorious decorative projects reflecting the beauty of Talavera ceramic tiles. There are quilts, placemats, a bed runner, and more. Here are just a few.

Frida's Flowers

Frida's Flowers

Puebla Posies

Puebla Posies

Floral Fiesta place mat. So cute!

Floral Fiesta place mat. So cute!

So vibrant! I love folk art. Cheryl helps you translate the solid colors of tilework into lively quilt designs using the array of fabrics at our disposal today.

Courtesy of That Patchwork Place, I have a copy to give away in a drawing. If you’d like a chance to win Quilt Fiesta, leave a comment on this post before 7:00 p.m. California time on Friday, February 10.

The fine print: Open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Do not reply to your email feed; instead, click over the blog itself and leave your comment at the bottom of the post. Good luck!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

This just in from my pal Holly Mabutas of Eat Cake Graphics:

I’m SO excited to announce a new project! I’ve teamed up with author Terri Thayer, actually she’s the one that approached me with the project over a year ago. She’s writing an 8 month series of stories called Tales of the Quilt Shop, and I’m creating an applique project to go along with it called Sugarplums.

You have GOT to go and take a look at the first block on Holly’s Blog Sprinkles of Thought. If there were anything cuter it wouldn’t be allowed by law. Way to go Holly! Not only that, Holly includes a link to her glue-stick turned-edge hand-appliqué tutorial.

Back soon,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

← Previous PageNext Page →