Friday, July 30, 2010

SSSQ Quilt-Along Wrap up

Tomorrow marks the last day of the SSSQ Quilt-Along. How did you all get on?


I have been working diligently on my choice of quilt which was Bow Tie Circles from the Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts book, and it was completed just in the nick of time!



The activity on the Facebook group has been great fun for everyone involved including Kaffe and Liza, the creativity has been truly awe-inspiring, and this was yet another wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow quilters at all corners of the world.

Don’t forget to upload the photos of your quiltalong project to the Facebook group album to be automatically entered in the SSSQ Quilt-Along Sweepstakes. The winner will receive a signed copy of Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts, plus a Rowan Fabric gift package.

Good luck!

Brioni.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

How to Plan a Quilt Retreat

How often do I dream of being able to sew surrounded by other people who have a passion for quilting? Most times I sit down to my sewing machine the telephone rings, my two little girls declare world war 3 on each other or the cat decides to roll around on all my quilt block pieces.

I've searched for Quilt Retreats in my area but have never found anything. When I lamented about this to Krista from Poppyprints she told me tht she runs her own quilt retreats and would be happy to share her experience with us.

So get a cup of tea and read all about how to run a quilt retreat and you never know perhaps you'll find yourself running your own!

To Retreat, or not to Retreat….?

Are you a home-based quilter who socializes via the internet? Do you work full-time, quilt, run a household and raise kids simultaneously? Would you like an entire day, or better yet a whole weekend, free from family/work obligations to just SEW, EAT, LAUGH and (possibly) SLEEP?

Then you need a quilting retreat!!

For five years I’ve been hosting a day retreat for 25 women every 7 or 8 weeks. We are together from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. I cater the food, provide coffee/tea all day, set-up 3 ironing stations, an iPod loaded with chick-approved tunes, 2 large cutting mats, raised tables for basting/cutting, door prizes and goody bags. As is standard retreat protocol, every quilter gets her own table with plenty of room to spread out. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the success of this retreat – it has become a great small business that pays for my fabric obsession annually. Participants pay $65 Cdn for the day.

Once I’d had all my retreaters in training for a couple of years, I decided we should take the plunge and make a long weekend out of it. The biggest challenge was finding an appropriate venue. Luckily, a lodge on a local island fit the bill and off we went. We’ve been for three years now, every November, and it’s a cherished weekend for us all.

If you would like to start retreating with some friends, I have lots of ideas and recommendations for you…first and foremost: DO IT! The amount of work you can accomplish is incredible, the camaraderie priceless and, if you plan it well, the food amazing! Start small and watch your group grow as friends invite friends. I advertise my day retreats via email distribution list on a Sunday evening and am typically sold out by 5 p.m. the next day.

Here are some considerations when planning your retreat.

Bowen Lodge By the Sea

VENUE

• Church or community halls are ideal for day retreats – they are inexpensive and typically have tables/chairs included in the rental. Find out if the caretaker will help with set-up and if this costs extra. My husband helps me set up the room the night before.

• Is it far enough away that your family won’t be tempted to visit, but close enough to be accessible to most participants? The hall I use is 25 minutes away by car.

• Be sure to confirm the electrical situation: we’ve blown our fair share of fuses! Irons are a massive draw and should be on their own breaker. Three irons/boards is plenty for 24 people.

• How is the lighting? Washrooms? Kitchen & cupboard supplies?

• Is there a sound system? If you plan to have music, make sure your participants know this ahead of time – believe it or not, this can be the most contentious issue at retreat.

• Is there enough parking? Always encourage carpooling.

• How early can you get in and how late can you stay?

sandwiching Chinese coin quilt

SCHEDULE

• Be very clear with your participants as to start and finish time. I do not assign seats (too complicated), nor do I let people in early to save spots for their friends…it’s first come, first serve and when I open the door at 9:00 a.m., it is a stampede!

• Morning baking (scones, granola bars, muffins) are available upon arrival. Lunch is served at 12:30, dinner at 6:00, wrap up and departure at 10:00 p.m.). We usually have show and tell around 4:00 and do door prizes at that time as well.

• My retreats are all ‘UFO’ style, meaning everyone works on their own projects independently. Sometimes one of us will do a brief demo of a new technique, or show a new notion/quilting tool we have discovered.

retreat view2 2009

PARTICIPANTS

• Start with people you know or who have been referred – they will be more understanding and appreciative of your organization and effort. It can be a challenge to have a room full of disparate folks who do not know each other, or you. An extraordinarily needy participant can suck all of your energy and, quite honestly, really ruin the day.

• Be clear about what you are offering – will you be available to give advice and help? Will you assist people basting quilts? Will you carry machines back and forth to cars? Can you accommodate allergies and dietary restrictions? Do you provide extension cords & power bars?

Retreat Feet

WHAT TO BRING

• The key to happy participants, is well-prepared participants. Create a checklist of ‘Items to Bring’ for your quilters. The most devastating item that is inevitably forgotten by a home-sewist is their foot pedal!

• Everyone needs: sewing machine, rotary cutting equipment, a desk light, cushion to sit on (or their own office chair!), extension cord/power bar, all project supplies.

• At my retreats we have a swap zone for sewing room items no longer wanted – my only proviso is that whatever doesn’t get scooped up must be taken home by it’s
original owner!

lunch

Once you are ready to take the plunge to overnight retreats, I think the two most important factors are comfortable beds and decent food. In my experience, participants are very happy to pay for these amenities. Also fairly important: will you have free reign of the venue so that you can quilt in your jammies into the night, or when you wake up at 5:00 a.m.? This is tough to do in a hotel setting, which is why small lodges typically run by non-profits, universities or church camps are perfect retreat venues.

If you have any questions or need more specific information on hosting a retreat (like sample dinner menu for 25), I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me via my blog!

City Quilts winners

We hope you're all enjoying our second issue! As always, we're eager to hear your feedback.

In the meantime, we're a few days late in announcing our City Quilts winners (hey, we've been busy!) Congratulations to the following FQ readers:

A copy of Cherri House's City Quilts book will be sent to:

#224 - TheCraftBarn, who wrote "LOVE the quilts!! I would sooooooooo love to win!!"

And the Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton prize pack goes to:

#325 - dawson.tracy35, who wrote "Awesome book, cant wait to get my hands on it!" (Well, Tracy, we hope the fabrics will do!)

Congrats to you both! Please send your mailing address to fatquarterly@googlemail.com.

Don't forget, our Mega Moda giveaway is still open!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Get Kitted!

Fancy making Brioni's Daisy Chain?




or Tacha's Elephants on Parade?



Well grab your copy of Fat Quarterly Issue 2 and head over to Burgundy Buttons to check out the kits available to make these quilts.

Monday, July 26, 2010

ISSUE 2 - ON SALE TODAY!

Issue 2 is now on sale!

What's in store in Issue #2? Here's what you can expect:
  • Ten original project patterns -- including seven all-new quilt patterns, two fabulous pillow patterns, and a pattern for a placemat.

  • Interviews with fabric designers Jennifer Paganelli and Valori Wells, dishing about their new & upcoming lines.

  • Interviews with new authors and a chance to win their books.

  • A review of EQ7 with a chance to win a copy for yourself.

And much, much more.

There are two ways to purchase Fat Quarterly. The first (and easiest) way to purchase an issue for yourself is to simply visit the "Buy" section of our site.

If you are interested in buying an issue or subscription as a gift for someone else, visit our Etsy shop and complete your purchase over there.

For our current subscribers, your download link will be sent to you automatically. If you have not received your link by the end of today, please let us know.

We hope you enjoy our second issue. And, of course, we want to hear what you think. Please comment here on the blog, give us a shout on Twitter, or email us at customerservice@fatquarterly.com.

Happy sewing!

OMG ... Mega Moda Giveaway!!!

Mega Moda Giveaway

It's a BIG, BIG week here at Fat Quarterly headquarters (or FQHQ, if you will).

First, our second issue launches TOMORROW! We're so excited to share what we've been working on and hope you've been enjoying the sneak peeks that we've been leaking over the past week.

Second, we are THRILLED to announce our newest sponsor, Moda Fabrics and the Moda Bake Shop! Surely by now you know about the wealth of free project ideas and patterns over at the Bake Shop, all made from pre-cut fabrics such as charm packs, jelly rolls, and layer cakes.

Mega Moda Giveaway

To celebrate both, we are hosting our largest giveaway yet! See that stack of yummy Moda pre-cuts above? It's a sampling of all of Moda's upcoming lines, including It's a Hoot, Pure, City Weekend, Punctuation, and Bliss. And ALL OF IT will go to one lucky Fat Quarterly reader!

So what's up for grabs?

Two adorable little sets of 2.5" squares of Bliss and Clermont Farms ...

Moda Giveaway | Mini Charm Packs

... a full fat quarter bundle of Punctuation by American Jane ...

Moda Giveaway | Punctuation FQ's

... charm packs of It's a Hoot and Pure ...

Moda Giveaway | Charm Packs

... a honey bun of Punctuation and a Bella Solids jelly roll ...

Moda Giveaway | Rolls

... and a layer cake of City Weekend by oliver + s.

Moda Giveaway | City Weekend Layer Cake

Ummm, wow. Enough good stuff for you? This mega prize will keep our lucky winner busy for a LOOO-OOONG time.

Will you be that lucky reader? Here's the drill. This giveaway is open to all of our blog readers. Simply leave a comment on this post, letting us know which FQ project you'd most like to make with these fabrics.

Want to increase your chances of winning? If you currently have a subscription to the FQ magazine, or if you purchase issue #2, you're eligible for a second entry. Just come back and leave a second comment indicating that you've recieved our second issue and tell us what you think!

We'll randomly select one winner to win this AWESOME prize next Monday, August 2nd.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Scrap Happy Cushion

Aneela's cushion is the perfect project to use up the smallest of scraps.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Daisy Chain Quilt

Who would have thought that scrap fabric could look so good?



A fresh, summery quilt from Brioni which will be featured in Issue 2.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Poodle Quilt...

This fresh quilt is sure to brighten up any room! The pattern also includes matching pillows.

Issue 2 on sale from Tuesday 27th July!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Pinwheel Playmat

Sure to make every baby smile...
Katy's pinwheel quilt.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Sanctuary Quilt..

Brought to you by Quilt Dad
Issue 2 will be available from Tuesday 27th July!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

City Quilts: FQ talks with author Cherri House

We are so pleased to be one of the stops on Cherri House's City Quilts blog tour. As you surely know by now, modern quilter extraordinaire (and all around extraordinary person) Cherri House has released her first book, City Quilts - 12 Dramatic Projects Inspired By Urban Views, which is chock full of inspirational projects suitable for both beginning and advanced quilters. According to the book's publisher, C&T Publishing, "the book explains the secrets of minimalist design and how to find beauty in the basic elements of your environment."

We've seen the book, and it is amazing. Want a chance to win your own copy of the book? How about some Kona cotton solids to make a project from the book? We're happy to give our readers the chance to win both. More about that in a minute, though. First, let's learn a little bit more about the amazing Cherri House and enjoy some amazing images of quilts directly from her book!


Tell us a bit about yourself and your quilting background.

I come from a long line of Mormon pioneers, who through necessity were quilters. My Mom was a very accomplished seamstress, and she taught me to sew when I was little. My FAVORITE thing to do was to go with her to the fabric stores, I loved the fabric, the colors, the smell...I loved it all. I made my first quilt with my Mom when I was 12 years old. Quilting really become important to me as a young mom, making quilts and blankets for my four little ones.


What do you find the most inspiring in the city?

Everything! The buildings, the architecture, the outdoor sculpture, fountains - most every city has fountains. I grew up near Los Angeles, California - so that was my first city! The best thing to do is to walk around a city, to see it on foot, and discover what is unique, and personal about an area. The little hidden gems that every city has; and treasures.


Apart from your own (of course), what is your favorite city?

London! I was there on business and spent several weekends walking around the city...I love everything about it, Manchester too. A guidebook and raincoat - I'll go anywhere!


What other things inspire you?

In what might be considered a little off, I see beauty in everything. Stacks of bricks, shipping containers, it doesn't really matter what it is, I think there is beauty and inspiration everywhere. I'm always looking at pattern, numbers, formations; and I'm always trying to figure out how to translate it to a quilt.


How would you describe your style?

I have somewhat of a split personality, Part of me likes clean, sharp, almost to the point of being severe, but there is a part of me that likes flowery, romantic, and vintage things. I'm a sucker of Moda's Three Sisters line of fabric, no matter how much I have, it's never enough!


How would you describe the patterns in your book? Are they step by step instructions, or designed to inspire a quilter to make their own design decisions?

The quilt patterns are step by step instructions, but there is a section of the book devoted to encouraging quilters to create their own designs. I'm quite passionate about learning the fundamentals of a skill, and then building on those skills in order to give yourself wings, to do whatever you desire to do. The quilts in my book were designed with that end in mind. If someone wants to recreate a quilt that I've made - go for it! If you like what I've done, but want to add, build, or change it, that is great too!


Do you have a favorite quilt in the book?

City Lot...I just love that quilt!

(not City Lot : )


Tell us about your road to publication. Was it how you expected it to be? Did anything about it surprise you?

I began my business, Cherry House Quilts with a quilt named City Scapes. I become very fascinated with translating city themes into fabric - the hardness of a city, to the softness of a quilt. By the time I got to a quilt named City News, I knew I wanted it to be in a book. The ideas and themes had become clear in my mind, and I was ready to go forward with a book proposal. Publishing, like most everything it seems, was not at all what I expected it would be. The deadlines were tight, 12 quilts in 5 months, plus the actual writing of the book, and everything else that went along with the process. In regards to surprises, the biggest one had to be the solitary nature of the project. My children were all gone, so it was me, my dog, and two cats. The days took on a particular kind of rhythm of cutting, sewing, ironing, quilting, binding. Oddly, when the quilts were finished, first there was a sense of relief, then there was the sense of "What's next; what do I do now?"


You are a very creative family. How much do you all bounce ideas off each other?

We do, all the time! Lizzy, Ashlee, and Melissa are all musicians, and all of us sew, and create. It's very much a collaborative effort, and there is much bouncing ideas off of each other. Distance doesn't seem to matter much, we take a digital pic, and email it to each other for opinions, and suggestions.


Describe your sewing space. What's on the walls? What's the overall vibe?

Small! I sew in a small corner of my master bedroom - I kind of like that all of the quilts in the book were made in this tiny, compact space...very cocoon like. Since completing the book I have converted one of the bedrooms into a fabric/prep room, but the actual work is done in my little corner. I dream of an awesome studio space, but until then...this is working for me. On the walls? Batting - a constantly revolving show of projects on my design wall. Nothing fancy I'm afraid.


What do you watch / listen to while sewing?

During the whole time that I was doing the book, all of my children were away from home...so I had to have something on to keep me company during all those hours. One of my best companions during the thick of things was watching The Amazing Race Season 2 on repeat. I can't even tell you how many times I watched it...I should have acknowledged the cast on my dedications! For music I have separate playlists on my ipod for machine quilting, and a playlist for sewing. I have to have something going all the time - helps me keep a steady pace.


You obviously love color. What is your favourite color palette for a quilt?

Going strictly by looking at the quilts in the book, the answer would be blue/green. I never knew I was so drawn to those colors until I looked at how frequently I used those same fabrics over and over again. I think more in terms of mood, than favorite colors, so pink would be sweet, and yellow would be warm, and blue would be calm and cool, on and on it goes.



Prints or solids?

SOLIDS! I do love prints, I love all fabric; but I am especially drawn to the timelessness of solids.


Who is your favorite designer?

I certainly have a weakness for Kaffe Fassett - can a girl ever have enough Kaffe? My own Lizzy House of course! She keeps getting better and better. Her next line is going to be incredible!


Shoes, socks, or bare feet while sewing?

Bare feet - I hit the door, and off come my shoes.


What projects (patterns + fabrics) are on your "must make" list?

I have so many of my own patterns that I am going to create all queued up - it's a really long list. Fabric I want to work with the most? Some beautiful yardage of Cherrywood Fabric! I'm going to make a Drunkard's Path - I've been trying to get to the project for over a year now.



What’s next for Cherri House?

New quilt patterns, a proposal for a new book, teaching opportunities, a booth at Fall 2010 Market, and I would like to explore designing fabric. More of everything!

Thanks so much, Cherri! To win your own copy of City Quilts and a Kona cotton solids FQ bundle, please leave a comment on this post. We will pick a winner next Sunday, 7/25.

Be sure to check out all of the other stops on Cherri's tour to learn more about Cherri and her book, and also for more chances at winning some fabulous prizes!

July 12th - Cheryl Arkison (Naptime Quilter)
July 13th - Amy Lobsiger (Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts)
July 14th - Stefanie Roman (Little Lady Patchwork)
July 15th - Pat Sloan
July 16th - Spool Sewing
July 17th - Allie (Robert Kaufman)
July 18th - YOU ARE HERE!
July 19th - Emily Cier (Carolina Patchworks)
July 20th - Sarah/Josh (Sewer Sewist)
July 21st - Julie (Jaybird Quilts)
July 22nd - Vickie Eapen (Spun Sugar Quilts)
July 23rd - Jessica Levitt (Juicy Bits)
July 24th - Kim Kight (True Up)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Reading Cushions

These reading cushions are perfect for throwing on a lounge but work just as well in a child's room or reading nook.



Pattern will be in Issue 2 of Fat Quarterly.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Elephants on Parade

Issue 2 goes on sale from Tuesday 27th July!

Each day, we will be bringing you a snap shot of what you can expect in our second issue focusing on utilising scraps.

First up, Tach's beautiful 'Elephants on Parade' quilt.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Featured Crafter - Tallgrass Prairie Studio

Today, we are featuring the talented Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studio.

FQ: Tell us a little bit about your creative journey?
Jacquie: 'I’ve always been a creative person and for many years my home and my children were my creative outlet. Most of the rooms in my house have been painted, decorated and painted again and maybe a few more times after that.

I love art and music and I’ve felt for most of my life that there was an artist in me waiting to emerge. My boys are both talented artists and musicians. They are my primary inspiration and motivators.

At the beginning of 2008 I stepped back from a very demanding job and with a little more time on my hands decided to pull out my sewing machine. At that time I didn’t know that quilting would become my thing, but after a visit to the Gee’s Bend exhibit, I was struck by the ‘feeling’ of those quilts and I sat down at the sewing machine to see what I could create. After my first couple of quilts I gave improvisation a try and I’ve now embraced improvisational quilt making for all of my quilts.'
FQ: Which part of the quilt making process is your favourite and why?
Jacquie: 'That’s a tough question, there are times when I get in the groove and it’s the actual sewing that I love, seeing things come together. What excites the artist in me is the design process. I feed off the frustrations of false starts and the exhilaration of when a design comes together. I think that’s why I have trouble repeating a design. I feel a bit like been there, done that. Time to move on and try something new.'

FQ: Do you have a favorite fabric designer?
Jacquie: 'I guess it’s easiest to say I have many. I’m constantly searching for fabric that inspires me. I’m not much for buying a whole line and using it it in a quilt. I look for individual fabrics that speak to me. I think Yoshiko Jinzenji has some amazing fabric. Heather Ross is the queen of whimsy in her fabric and I love finding indie designers who put out unique fabric like Lauren Hunt of Kansas City.'
FQ: Where do you draw inspiration for your quilts?
Jacquie: 'Inspiration seems to be everywhere for me. I’m inspired by people, stories, experiences, patterns in walls, fabric, artists, words, and shapes. I see quilts all around me.'

FQ: Do you have a favourite quilt?
Jacquie: 'My favorite quilt is probably the one I’m currently in the process of making. It’s what’s on my mind and in my head. Of the quilts I’ve made I’m pretty proud of the ‘Urban Garden’ quilt. It was a personal scrap challenge. I love the ‘Not Lost in the Woods’ quilt too. The lines and shapes that are created and simplicity and boldness are very appealing to me. The ‘Selvage quilt’ is pretty special to me as well. It’s like a memory book of all the fabric I’ve used and the quilts I’ve made over the last 2 ½ years.'
FQ: Are there any new creative skills that you would like to try in the future?
Jacquie: 'For sure! I want every new quilt to be a new creative adventure for me. I want to push myself to go more modern. My traditional side has a pretty strong influence in my work, and I want to move in a new direction. I’m excited to start teaching quilting classes in my studio this summer. Teaching has been my profession for 30 years, but this is definitely a new direction for my educational career!'

Monday, July 12, 2010

Weekend Winners!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend! We certainly had a scorcher in Germany. We measured 40 degrees in our garden!

The two winners of our Weekends giveaway are:-

Monda who said "I envy Erin and her design skills so would love one of these bundles.
My perfect weekend: Taking that step and cutting the fabric for my first real quilt (I'm still holding back because I'm just a bit scared I'll muck it up), followed by nice food and drinks, a spot of boot fair-ing (and finding the ultimate vintage fabric or retro dinnerware set for virtually no money, and then winning the Erin bundle - yep that would just top it off nicely."

and

Meg who said "My perfect weekend would be full of brisk autumn air (this heat is KILLIN me!), going apple-picking with my hubby, maybe going to hit a museum. Good old-fashioned quality time--my hubby and I normally both work weekends, so a weekend together is a real treasure! "

Congratulations! You each win one of the fat quarter sets of Erin McMorris' fabric line Weekends. Please email your addresses to customerservice@fatquarterly.com so we can get your fabric to you!

Friday, July 9, 2010

Spa from Rosemarie Lavin

Rosemarie Lavin is the designer behind the new line Spa from Windham Fabrics. Previous lines from Rosemarie include Feelin' Groovy and Rhumba amongst many others.

Her newest line Spa has a very subtle, organic feel to it. Rosemarie uses natural shapes and very soothing colours.

The new range can be found at the Fat Quarter Shop.

We caught up with Rosemarie to find out more about her and her new line.



Tell us a little bit about yourself and your artistic background.

I am a textile designer and work with my studio artists in NYC. I create products and designs for various customers in the home products market, home sewing market, and the apparel industry.

What 5 adjectives would you use to describe your line.
Organic,beautiful,natural, easy ,and soothing would be the 5 adjectives I would use to describe Spa.

The group is ORGANIC in its NATURAL shapes and SOOTHING in its coloration. I hope sewers will find it EASY to use and create BEAUTIFUL projects.



How do you foresee Spa being used?
I think Spa will have a broad appeal among quilters and sewers. Each pattern is an integral part of the whole collection and will make fantastic quilts. Yet each is strong enough to stand on its own and work for dresses as well as accessories.



Are you a sewer?
As I am not a sewer, I am amazed at the beautiful designs that quilters create with my fabrics. Lately I have been trying to cad some quilt designs using my fabric collections.

A pattern of a peace sign quilt that I designed with the Feelin' Groovy collection is available.

I am also working on a Breast Cancer awareness quilting collection and I will be designing a pattern for that group. Windham Fabrics donates a portion of the proceeds from all my collections to the Maurer Foundation. All projects are available at Windham Fabrics.com

What comes next for Rosemarie Lavin?

Two other Rosemarie Lavin for Windham collections will be released in the next few months. The Flannel Rose will be released in May. This is a beautiful floral group in plums, roses and sage greens, printed on quilters flannel. This follows Cambridge my first group for quilters flannel. Spa will be released in June, and in July Paisley Panache will be out.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Agony Aunt - Dana

Dear Fat Quarterly readers

Hi I'm Dana from http://drinkingfabric.blogspot.com.

I’ve recently embarked on my very first quilting project, an appliqué quilted pillow.
I'm having a few problems!. I'm using a walking foot but I’m still experiencing puckering. Do you know why this would be? I have spray basted my quilt and used a thick wadding. The project advised that I use this wadding to give a puffy appearance but I think it's too thick for my standard machine in retrospect.


I'm also getting inconsistent stitch lengths. Could this be because the wadding I have used is too thick?


..and whilst I’m on the subject of wadding, I cut the wadding a little larger then I needed it, as I read that it can shrink whilst sewing, but it keeps getting caught in my machine foot. Is there anything I can use instead to avoid this happening in future projects and that still gives a puffy appearance?


Finally, my lovely appliqué which I attached using iron on interfacing is fraying, what with all the tugging I need to do to get it through the machine. I have tried partially rolling it up but it’s a pain trying to get a thick rolled up quilt through the machine as im trying to quilt it. Would I have been better off applying the applique on piece by piece and quilting as I go rather then attaching the whole appliqué on first and then quilting it?

Many Thanks

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

City Quilts Blog Tour

We are so excited to announce that Fat Quarterly will be one of Cherri House's stops on her blog tour for her new book, City Quilts.

inside City Quilts

Surely you have heard of Cherri and the City Quilts book by now. Cherri is an amazing quilt maker and pattern designer with a specialty in using solid fabrics to great effect. City Quilts is one of the most talked-about quilting books to hit the market in a long time, mostly because of its combination of beautiful new quilt patterns and insightful tips into choosing effective fabric combinations, especially when using solids.

City Play 1

Every stop on the tour will feature amazing giveaways, including copies of the City Quilts book and fat quarter stacks of Kona Cotton Solids from Robert Kaufman fabrics for you to make your own version of a City Quilts design.

City Lot

Here the full schedule for the tour.

July 12th - Cheryl Arkison (Naptime Quilter)
July 13th - Amy Lobsiger (Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts)
July 14th - Stefanie Roman (Little Lady Patchwork)
July 15th - Pat Sloan
July 16th - Spool Sewing
July 17th - Allie (Robert Kaufman)
July 18th - Fat Quarterly
July 19th - Emily Cier (Carolina Patchworks)
July 20th - Sarah/Josh (Sewer Sewist)
July 21st - Julie (Jaybird Quilts)
July 22nd - Vickie Eapen (Spun Sugar Quilts)
July 23rd - Jessica Levitt (Juicy Bits)
July 24th - Kim Kight (True Up)

City Green

Be sure to visit all of the stops on the tour to learn more about Cherri & City Quilts and to maximize your chance of winning. We'll see you back here on the 18th!

city fair