Jun

28

A new venture!

Filed Under Patterns, Piecing | Comments Off on A new venture!

All the way back in January, I received a call for designers to participate in Checker Distributor’s new pattern company, Cut Loose Press.

CLP takes a new approach to pattern publishing… it put out unique, affordable quilt and project patterns geared toward beginning and intermediate quilters. Each pattern, printed both sides on one 8½x11 page of heavy duty cardstock, also introduces quilters to new tools and notions that will help them with their project and with their quilting in general.

It took me awhile, but I finally got my first design all the way through the process and it’s available now!

Now don’t fall over in shock, but this one has no appliqué! Yes, I can piece when I want to!

Introducing Buttonton Square!

buttonton-square-web

I had a blast making this classic design using the good old-fashioned square-in-square block. I used Civil War-type fabrics together with shirtings for this version, but it would look great in any number of other fabric choices. And since I’ve been mini-obsessed with buttons lately, I added light ones on the colored fabrics and colored ones on the light fabrics. It was a lot of fun.

What made this project even nicer to construct was that I used a specialty tool to make the blocks, the Creative Grids Square On Square Trim Tool. It was such a relief when all the blocks came out the same size and with no points chopped off.

square-square-ruler

The pattern and the ruler are both available in my Etsy shop, as well as the “antique white” buttons that I used plus some embroidery needles for sewing on the buttons with embroidery thread.

Midyear kitten fix:

double-kilroy-sm

Until next time, with some news about another new venture!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Oct

1

New Studio!

Filed Under Patterns | 4 Comments

No, I do not have a new quilting studio. Just the same cozy little one where I probably feel the most at home of anywhere in the world.

But, I did finish my new Studio banner. I’ve made several versions of this project and it’s always a fun and engaging process putting the scraps and strips together into patchwork compositions. I’ve now updated the pattern cover.

newstudio-cover-1000

It’s available from my new Square shop, or Etsy if you prefer. The links to both are at the bottom of the post. Here’s a 10% off coupon if you’re interested: Use the code THANKS at checkout. (It’ll be good on your whole order.)

Oh, and if you already ordered this pattern recently I’ll be sending you a copy of the new cover.

Now that that’s done, I’ll be gearing up for the Pacific International Quilt Festival in about two weeks time. Monster show, love it!! There’s no football game at the nearby stadium this year so everything should be smooooth sailing.

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Apr

20

Lovely Hearts

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Two of my books with Martingale have gone out of print. That’s bittersweet. Sad face, there aren’t any more copies of the books. Glad face, the rights have reverted to me and I can now develop and offer patterns using the designs! :)

The very first pattern that I worked on was the “Love” block from Easy Appliqué Blocks. It’s one of my favorite blocks from the book so it was an easy choice to go first.

Here’s the new pattern, Lovely Hearts.

lh-cover-website

It’s a 16 x 16 mini-quilt that can go up on any little wall space, proclaiming your affection for the world’s best emotion. I used raw-edge fusible machine appliqué, but of course you can use your own favorite method.

Until next time, with more!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Nov

20

Considering the Stash

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I made a new version of Love My Stash!

Love My Stash by Kay Mackenzie

It’s really is made 100% from my stash. Can you tell I love blue and red and ivory, florals and toiles and polka dots??

I’ve updated the cover of the pattern and also the notecards.

Speaking of the stash, here’s a blast from the past involving two big kittens and their midnight tippytoe excursion.

normal-stash

And, a Fabric Surprise filmed by the DH!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Jul

31

Summer hiatus

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Got a couple months now with no shows. I consider this type of stretch a hiatus, and I make a long list of things to work on. Things get done and crossed of the list (I’m a scribbler), then more stuff gets added on, it’s always a work in progress, and it ends up looking like this.

Good progress!!

One of the things on my list was to publish Spice Pinks. I wrote about this project back in April, when the May/June issue of Quiltmaker came out.

Spice Pinks is an old block that I first saw 25 years ago when I signed up for my Beginning Quilting class. It was included in the sampler we were going to make, and I was captivated. When I started the class, I was slightly disappointed to find out that another block had been substituted. But I never forgot Spice Pinks, and here’s my version of it!

A little appliqué reimagining eliminates curved piecing, and a non-traditional palette gives it a modern zing. Of course you can make it with any colors you like!

If you missed it in the magazine, the pattern is now available on my website, on the Patterns page.

More stuff to come from The List!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

Apr

6

New stuff!

Filed Under Back-basting (no-template), Patterns | 2 Comments

I’ve been working on stuff. Well, I’m always working on stuff, and sometimes I have something to show for it. :)


A new pattern! I pulled hunks and scraps out of my stash, anything I liked, and put them all together for this important quilter’s statement piece. Your hunks and scraps will be completely different than mine, but your quilt will make the same proud pronouncement.

Also, I made a stand-alone set of instructions for back-basting.


This illustrated guide includes the 9″ Heart and Flower practice block, illustrated back-basting instructions, hand stitching tips, and my guide to points and notches.

Note: If you have Teapots 2 to Appliqué or Inspired by Tradition, you have these instructions built-in.

This weekend I’ll be at the show put on the the Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County in Concord (say that 10 times fast). Hope to see you there if you’re in the area!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

May

14

Ginger Jars

Filed Under Patterns, Quilt shows | 5 Comments

A few weeks back I showed a sneak peek of my newest pattern. Here’s the whole deal:


I love blue, and I had five out of six of these blues in my stash! Usually I work with a mix of colors, and it was a very fun departure to do a monochromatic piece. I think the Ginger Jars would also look great done up in Oriental fabrics.

This weekend I’m off to Brentwood, California. It’s time for the Delta Quilters Guild show, and they’re having it at a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility, the Brentwood Community Center.


Sunday is our wedding anniversary (24 years!), and sweet DH Dana has decided to drive up to help me pack at the end of the show, and then we’ll have dinner. Anybody familiar with the area know of a nice casual place that has yummy food?

Cheers,
Kay

Feb

18

New patterns!

Filed Under Patterns | 6 Comments

As part of my 2013 New Year’s Day post, I mentioned that I’m starting up my own line of stand-alone patterns. I showed the first couple of new ones.



Well, I’ve been a very busy girl and now I have twelve! Here are the rest of them.











These are all available at kaymackenzie.com, on the . Some I appliquéd by hand, some by machine, but of course you can use your own favorite method. I’m pretty excited about the whole thing. It feels great to be doing something new!

Thanks for taking a look at my Show & Tell,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie