THE WINNER IS

The winner of the Fabric Expressions Patterns is  Kaynik from Canada.  Please email me an address where I can mail the pattersns.  I hope everyone enjoyed the Blog Hop.  This was the first  online "Hop" we have participated in.

Alison

Quilter’s Blog Hop Party with Give-Aways

I am excited to be a part of the “Quilter’s Blog Hop Party and Give-away.” Happy 5^th Birthday Quilters Gallery. 

  We are giving away a set of Fabric Expressions patterns and books.  

Leave a comment and we will randomly choose a winner. On December 16, 2012.  

                  If you would like another chance Like us  on Facebook
                                                 "Fabric Expressions"

  

and leave another comment. We have some great things planned for 2013 so keep checking back. Thanks for visiting our blog.

Happy Quilting

Alison

New Mystery for 2013

                                     2012 Saturday Sampler Mystery
 Our Saturday Sampler Mystery Quilt has been solved. Thank you to everyone who participated. We had a lot of fun making the quilt. After talking to many people who made this years quilt I have decided to make next years Saturday Sampler another mystery.
 We will meet on the Second Saturday or The Second Tuesday in the Evening.
 The cost for 2013 will be $65. You will need to sign up by Dec 30, to insure we have enough patterns and kits made for the first meeting. I am excited about the next quilt and have been picking fabrics.  

 We are working on next years schedule we will be having a lot of fun classes and new Block of the Months programs.  Will let you know more when I get the samples done.

 Here is a peak of  a few of our upcoming classes for 2013:

The "Wow" Factor

WOW!  Day two of the quilt market and I have seen all the quilts and there are some incredible quilts.  Weather you like traditional, modern, or artistic style of quilts; there are quilts for you to ooh and ah about. 

 While walking through the quilts show I thought this was maybe a outside of a merry- go-round, until I got closer and say that is was accually a real Yurt.

                                       The workmenship of these two quilts were  amazing.

                                     This is "Ben"

It felt like he was watching me as I walks toward up the aisle toward him.  He is made from pigment ink and thread.

On the merchandise side, there is a lot to see and take in.  I will have to make decisions before the show ends Monday.  There are so many books, patterns, and fabrics oh my.  I have ordered some things but Monday is my big day.

My goods friends at Moda  Fabrics won 1^st place with their multiple booths theme “My favorite color is Moda.  Way to go team Moda.

Quilt Market

Today was the first day of quilt market.  My usual routine is to walk around the show and try and take it all in.  When I start to feel overwelmed by go look at all the beautiful quilt on display.  This year there are over 26 rows of quilts.  I made it through most the international section. The quilts are amazing. 

This Dear Jane quilt from a quilt group in Hungry

There is a special collection from Europe making reproductions quilts. 

This quilt has 4000 triangles in the center.

These are 1/2 inch hexagons in this quilt.

Happy Birthday Mom and Dad

I went home this past weekend to celebrate my parents birthdays.  Their birthdays are just four days apart.  My sister and I planned two celebrations for them.  We had an afternoon Tea for  Mom on Saturday and a Brunch for Dad on Sunday. All the food we made was awesome if I say so my self. 

                                   Dad with his quilt

I made them both photo album quilts as gifts.  Each quilt is a collection of family photos from there childhood to now.  It was fun going through all the old photos.  Some of theme I had not seen before.  Thanks to everyone who helped me gather photos.

                                   Mom's Quilt

My dad’s brunch was a party with many of his friends.  I made a quilted birthday card for everyone to sign at the party.

                Maria and Lily signing dads card

                  Dad with his three kids.

It was great to be able to celebrate my parents birthdays.  The trip was short but very sweet.

Alison's Way

We have a new Block of the Month starting “ Vintage Rouge.”  This is a six month program, the quilt utilized both piecing and appliqué with a little embroidery. The quilt measures 78’x 78. 

Each Month I will demo the blocks you be making. I will show you how I made the blocks; I am known for not following directions.  It was suggested that call it (AW) for Alison’s Way.  Thanks Chris for the idea.

Month 1 you will be making 4 “Darting Bird Blocks.”  It is not a very difficult block to make especially since you are not piecing the Half Square Triangles (HST.)   They are made using the “Strip-It” fabric.  You cut out your HST from the fabric no sewing needed.

AW TIP:  Spray starch you fabric before you cut the HST since you will be working with bias.  The starch with help prevent you from stretching your fabric.

 The pattern shows you cutting the HST using a bigger square ruler.  I used the 2 ½” square ruler from creative grid.

AW TIP:  Have your mat at the corner of the table so you can move around the ruler instead of moving the fabric, or use a rotating cutting mat.

After you have cut the 24 HST the rest is a piece of cake. Cut the rest of the fabrics according to the pattern. Follow the pattern and make four blocks.

AW:  when making the four-patches, I placed two strips on top of each other and then cut them into the 1 ½” segments.  That way they were ready to sew.  Make sure you sets of both greens in the four patch.

Remember to make 4 blocks.  It may look strange but there is only one dark green cornerstone square in each block.  That is how it is suppose to look.

I'M BACK.

Quilt Market is over and now it is back to work.  Market is a lot of fun seeing friends you only see twice a year, but it is also a lot of work.  There were 34 rows of venders at this show.  The first day I walk the floor looking at all the booths.  Each one gives you a brochure. By the end of the day I have a suitcase full of papers to look at and  choose what I want to order. 

Day Two I walk around again and order products that I knew I needed.  This market I had a list of wool, wool felt, patterns, a few books on my list so I ordered them.  Day three is when I really get to work ordering most of my notions, books, and patterns that will start to arrive any day.  I did bring some patterns back with me. The fabric at the show will start arrive this fall.

McKenna Ryan has a new series of patterns that I brought back with me.  Each one is a small wall hanging.  Bears, Moose, Bears, and Eagles.  McKenna is also coming out with a new Christmas Block of the Month.

Day Two of Quilt Market

We are at the end of day Two of Quilt Market.  You know you are tired people when you start laughing and cant stop or when people start acting silly and put their guard down.  Well I think we are at that point. 

Barb and Mary from “Me and my Sister” Playing after the photo shoot.

Tonight when the convention had ended for the day, all the Moda designers took a group photo together in their booth.  It seamed to draw a crowd. So I started taking photos of all the photographers taking photos of the designers.  My friend Lissa then turned and took a photo of me taking a photo of her and the other people taking photos.  Confused yet?  After the real photos were taken.  Lissa handed out paper mustaches to all the designers for a funny photo.  

 

                 Lissa Turning here camera on me.

                        The Moda Design Team

 This Morning I took a really fun class by Bigfork Bay Cotton Company.  We made fun tote bags that you can change the appliqués for each season.  It will make a great class this fall.  I also booked some new trunk shows.  Yahoo.  The first one will be in the shop next week.

Quilt Market Opens

Day two of Quilt Market is about to start.  Each morning before the show opens, I have signed up for classes.  Yesterday my class was call  “Appliqué with Attitude” based on their new book of the same title by Piece O Cake Designs.  They thought their needle turn method but stitched the appliqués using pearl cotton.

   

After my class I walked the floor of the convention center.  I look at everything on the first day; ask question and take a lot of information make to my hotel room.   I found quite a few fun patterns and notions so far.  

These flowers are made with the Kanzashi flower makers.  We have them in the shop and plan on having a demo at our next Terrific Tuesday.

Hi everyone, day two in Kansas City. Although Spring Market does not Officially start till tomorrow, it was a busy day and night. Today’s event is called "School House." A day filled with demos and show and tells.  The purpose is to show off their new products and classes on running a business.  Each session lasting 30 minutes or less.  The catch is there are about 15 classes going on at the same time in rooms all round the convention center.  So you get a lot of exercise.  I attended some fun and interesting classes. After school I helped at the Moda tables at "Sample Spree."

The best way I can describe sample spree is similar to the day after Thanksgiving when people line up hours before the stores open and charge o the deals.  Tonight the first group of people was in line before 2 pm.  Sample spree started at 8 pm. Many vendors have specials or sell sets of patterns with their samples.  Most of the fabric companies sell pre-cuts.

At the Moda tables they sold fat quarter packs along with a few kits.  The tables were piled high before the start. By the time I left there were just a few packs left.  I bought a small pack and a kit.  It is hard to buy more and get it back because of the weight in my bags.  I can order them after I get back from the show.

I have a class in the morning so I better get some sleep since it is almost tomorrow.

SPRING MARKET SET UP

I am at the Kansas City Convention Center, for  spring International Quilt Market in Kansas City, Missouri. Yesterday I arrived and helped my friends set up there booths.  It is amazing  how this show gets put together so quickly. 

 The venders start setting up on Noon on Wednesday and have to be finished by end of the day on Thursday.  Basically it is a blank slate. The venders have to bring everything to for there booths.  There were big crates and boxes everywhere.

I helps my friends set up tables in the Moda booth and then spent the rest the of time helping Joanna Figueroa set up her booth.  Sorry no photo of her booth yet.  I can give you a sneek peak at one of her patterns.  

This is a block from one of the quilts I made for the Moda Booth.  The Pattern is called "Sparkle" by Fig Tree using her next line of fabric.  Check back tomorrow for more Market updates.

Alison

New Arrivals

 Happy Valentines Day,  It seems impossible to believe it  is already Valentines Day. 

Very good friends of mine Craig and his wife Jamie welcomed their first son  Quinn Patrick Walker to the world on February 2,  at 11:29 am.  He was 8 lbs  6 oz and almost 21 inches long. He is beautiful.  Craig and I worked together at the Denver Post.  We have been through a lot of up and downs together.  I am so happy for whole Walker family.

I had been thinking about what type of quilt I could make for Quinn, then on Friday during our Appliqué Club  meeting UPS delivered a new box.  I looked to see what was inside and it was four new books from The Kansas City Star Quilts.  While I was looking through them one just hit me,  “This is it”.  I sent Craig a text about the colors of the Quinn's room and starting planning.

Story Time: Picture Quilts to Stir a Child's Imagination

by Kim Gaddy

  The Book is full of really cute animal appliqué quilts.  I have selected most of the fabric with some adjustments once I found out the colors of Quinn's room.  Can't wait to get started.  I will show my progress as I get the blocks done.  Here is a photo of the quilt from the book.  I will have to change the name on the wagon to Quinn.

Hope to start working on it tomorrow after I get my chores done that I have been neglecting lately.  My house looks like a tornado has struck with papers and receipts everywhere.  Ah tax time. Here are the other cool books that arrived on Friday.

                      A Year of Cozy Comforts: Quilts and Projects for Every Season

                           by Dawn Heese

A Bountiful Life: An adaptation of the Bird of Paradise quilt top in the American Folk Art Museum

American Summer: Seaside-Inspired Rugs & Quilts

by Polly Minick