Feb
1
While I was on the road to Road to California, I got an email from my longtime friend, fellow designer and publisher Darcy Ashton. If you’ve been following this blog for any length of time, you know how much I admire Darcy’s designs. In addition, for years and years she has been to me a boon companion, consultant, source of support and freely given information, in short a wonderful mentor.
Now I find out that Darcy will be at the show as well! I’m so surprised and delighted! Darcy hails from Oklahoma and this is her first trip west of the Rockies. She’s with the Anna’s Awesome Appliqué Designs booth. Anna digitizes designs so that you can stitch them in the hoop if you have one of those nifty embroidery machines.
I couldn’t wait to see Darcy in person!
Me ‘n Darcy.
It was thoroughly wonderful to get a chance to meet, greet, sit down, and chat in person. At a show like this, you have to steal the minutes, but we visited as much as we could, and I had a chance to look around Anna’s booth.
The quilt behind the two of us is “Owls With Attitude,” featuring designs from Darcy’s newest book, Outstanding Owls for Appliqué. I wrote about the book in September.
I also spied some of Darcy’s other animals, including her famous bunnies and the Darling Little Dogs.
Anna works with other designers to digitize their designs.
Fiesta de Talavera, designed by J. Michelle Watts based on Mexican hand-painted tiles.
The incredible Jacobean appliqué of the late great Pat Campbell.
I hope Darcy had a great time in California and comes back soon!!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Sep
5
Darcy’s Outstanding Owls!
Filed Under Books, Prizes | 51 Comments
Outstanding Owls For Appliqué is here!
Darcy Ashton has long been known for her incredible series of animal appliqué books. We’ve seen her Darling Little Dogs, Big Beautiful Dogs, Claire’s Cats, Grandma’s Bunnies, Butterfly Dance, and more! These popular classics are now joined by a bookful of the most amazing owls.
There are 20 of them in all, each one with its own expression and personality. Add that to the fact that you can easily create new variations by mixing up the different body shapes, heads, and features, and the owlish possibilities are endless!
This book couldn’t be more jam-packed. Just take a look at the Table of Contents!
In addition to the appliqué patterns, Darcy gives you tons of information on appliqué, both hand and machine, plus how to make those fetching eyes, plus how to enhance with quilting, plus a slew of different projects!
Not to mention embroidery. Swoon.
One of my favorite touches is the idea of giving the owls little flowers or quilt squares to hold. So darling.
Darcy sent me a copy to give away! Before I announce the drawing, let me reiterate how to enter. Leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post. If you send me an email by repying to your email subscription feed, or if you leave your comment on a different blog post, you will not be able to be entered in the drawing. Sorry for the constant reminders, but there are always a few, still.
Now for the fun part! If you’d like to win a copy of Outstanding Owls For Appliqué, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post before 7:00 p.m. California time on Wednesday, September 9. Drawing open to U.S. mailing addresses only.
Best of luck!!
Thanks for reading All About Appliqué,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop
Mar
22
My Little Orange Kitten
Filed Under Patterns | 2 Comments
No, I did not get another kitten LOL (though kitten season is beginning and I should have new fosters soon).
No, the fabulous Darcy Ashton got a new kitten, and made the most amazing pattern!
Pumpkin Jr., side-by-side with his fabric rendition.
Darcy is famous for her blanket-stitched appliqués, and this is an example of her more realistic work. I’m blown away.
“My Little Orange Kitten” is available as an instant download at Darcy’s Etsy Shop.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Feb
9
Darcy’s Guide to Eyes
Filed Under Embroidery | 2 Comments
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
Aug
25
Sewing Room Clocks
Filed Under Batik, Blanket stitch, Circles, Designers, Patterns, Wool | 2 Comments
I am in awe. The ingenious Darcy Ashton has done it again! You have got to go and see her fabulous new design for making an appliquéd clock!!!
Who knew?
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jan
21
Got home on Monday afternoon from Road to California, tired but happy. The show was beyond fabulous. I met many amazing folks, got some new products to try out, and will write about everything in the fullness of time.
In the meantime, head over to Darcy Ashton’s blog, where you’ll see all the projects from her new book of appliqué patterns Horsing Around, which is just about to come out!
Sigh. I love horses.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
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