Kate Spain - Master Plumber & Breadmaker - Day 8

You really must hop on over to Kate's blog and read all about her. She is a very interesting person who seems to be able to tackle almost anything - sinks, faucets and bread. By the way, Kate, my husband makes bread to relax too. His sourdough starter has been in the fridge "since the dinosaurs roamed" and makes the best bread in the world. Jake and Zoie spend most weekends with us and the first thing Jake does when he gets here is make toast out of Pop's bread. And while you're at Kate's be sure to register for her Jelly Roll.

We were all wowed at Market when she told us that these were her first quilts. Her pillow is darling.

And speaking of pillows - We have a pillow winner!

Kay who is a vet tech - please email your information to janpatekquilts@yahoo.com and we'll mail you a pillow kit.

If you didn't win and would like a pillow kit, as soon as the homespuns are here, we'll have some for sale. You can preorder by emailing us or watch the Home Page. I'll post the kits when they're here.

And a Layer Cake winner.

Sarah whose husband has a CPAP too, if you'd email us your info, we'll send you a Lilac Hill Layer Cake.

When the Lilac Hill precuts arrive, I have a fun surprise involving a Petit Four so watch the blog for news.

Tomorrow we go to Kathy Schmitz' blog. I'm lucky enough to have an awesome bulldog necklace she made. I can't wait - but then I guess I'll have to :)

Kansas Troubles - Home from the cruise just in time for Day 7

And just in time to have missed the great blizzard of 2011. Here's one of the perks of that snowstorm- Gabriels and Lilly's snowman. I just love the mouth. And the eyes aren't coal - they're walnuts still in the hulls.

I love Lynn's pillow and all of the symbolism. You simply must hop over to her blog to see it and read all about it. If you missed the retreats they used to give, you truly have missed a great time.

Tomorrow we off to see Kate Spain. Have just met her at the last few Markets and she seems to be a truly nice person. That seems to be a trait of the Moda designers. Maybe Cheryl won't hire you unless you're nice as well as a good designer. :)

Fun in the snow and Day 6 - Fig Tree

Here's what's went on at our house yesterday afternoon - or rather, outside our house. Gabriel and Lilly really like riding the intertubes. Their dad drove around and around the barn while Shannon sat on the tailgate and watched in case anything went wrong. It didn't. What fun!

Today I have to have a short post because I'm needed outside soon to take snowman pictures.

I thought I'd post the list again just so I don't have to go down so far to see what's going on with Pillow Talk. (Wasn't Bonnie's Tote awesome?)

Feb 6th Joanna from Fig Tree has it all buttoned up.
Feb 7th Kansas Troubles will amaze us all with her warmth and hospitality.
Feb 8th Find out what Kate Spain has to share. Any pillow talk secrets?
Feb 9th Kathy Schmitz has something wonderful stitched for you.
Feb 10th Camille Roskelley wants some pillow time (sleep) after having a new baby in the household.
Feb 11th Me and My Sister will energize you with the creativity oozing out of every orifice of their body.
Feb 12th Hear what these two retired librarians (Minick and Simpson) have to show and tell.
Feb 13th Liesl from Oliver+s has been so busy creating fun stuff.
Feb 14th Sandy Gervais, the queen of hearts, is featured today.
Feb 15th Lauren and Jessi Jung , one of our mother and daughter teams.
Feb 16th Sweetwater is so-o-o-o inspiring.
Feb 17th Visit this noted historian who probably can tell you when pillows were invented.
Feb 18th Deb Strain has just joined the blog world. Stop by to see her creations.
Feb 19th Join American Jane back here to talk about her design inspiration.
Feb 20th Primitive Gatherings is joining in on the fun as our newest moda designer.

And you need to hop on over to Fig Tree and download the really cool "sit upons" designed for her daughter's Girl Scout project. So cool.

Day 5 of Pillow Talk - Bonnie of Cotton Way

Bonnie - you know, Camille's mother, if you use her raising kids name. That's how I was always known - Kelly's mother, Max's mother - Brian's mother :) Bonnie of Bonnie and Camille design team to use her grownup kids name. And her pillow is really nice - beautiful colors as usual.

Here's a sneak peek at the pillow but you have to hop over to her blog to hear all about it and her. And to see her Giveaway. It's great.

And tomorrow we go to Fig Tree. Come join us!

Day 4 of Pillow Talk and FREEBIE FRIDAY!

It's Freebie Friday! - Yay!.

Today we're giving away - FREE - any pattern you want with the purchase of any precut.

(You don't have to get one of these, I just thought these looked appealing to all of us snowbound folks). Just put the name of the pattern you want in the "comments" section when you check out. This offer excludes only the 4 newest patterns, Trip Around the Cabin, Gabriel's Ark, 3 Cabins and the Bicycle Quilt.

And while I'm here I thought I'd announce the winner of our drawing for the Petit Four collection from Moda. Tara was finally able to get here to man the computer to find the Club rosters. So if you joined one of our clubs last month, you had a chance to win. Our winner is Jan Reliford, so Jan, Tara will be sending out your Petit Fours today. We had an extra Lilac Hill Turnover sent by Moda so we did a 2nd prize drawing and it was won by Maria Mignon. Congrats, ladies, and have hope you have fun with the fabric.

It's Day 4 of the Pillow Talk Blog Hop and Bunny Hill has posted already. She's an early riser too. Her pillow is darling and her post is hilarious. I really want one of her giveaways. Hop on over and say "hi" and get in the drawing. Tomorrow we go to Cotton Way - what fun!

Day 3 - My day on the Pillow Talk Blog Hop - February 3rd

Welcome to Day 3 of the Moda Pillow Talk Blog Hop.

Wasn't my friend Alma's pillow awesome? To say nothing of Barb's Basket quilt. I just love their Antique Fair fabric line.

Since Linda and I had 2 fabric lines (Classic Wovens and Lilac Hill) come out around Fall Market, I decided to do 2 pillows. Actually, I took flat pillows to the schoolhouse - I did get the tops done in time but they weren't pillows yet. The pillows were supposed to be about who we are - a way Lissa conjured up to get us to talk about ourselves - pretty clever and a lot easier on us too.

I am, and always have been, about home and family. I live in the country in a house on top of a hill, have a patient, loving husband of 41 years, 3 grown children, 9 grandchildren to keep me happy in my old age, 2 dogs and numerous cats. And chickens, we can't forget the chickens. I have always thought that quilting is women's art form - a practical art form that keeps our homes and the people we love warm.

Therefore, both pillows had to have houses.

This first pillow is Crabapple Farm, made out of our Lilac Hill fabric line. The pattern will be featured in the April issue of Primitive Quilting and Projects magazine. I'm sure the picture will be much better there - it's kind of glarey here. Since I can't give you the pattern, I'm substituting a Layer Cake of Lilac Hill. Make a comment, any old comment, and add Lilac Hill and we'll put you in the drawing for the Layer Cake. And be sure to watch the blog when the Lilac Hill precuts ship (no-I don't know when, wish I did) for a free pattern and giveaway on Lilac Hill Petit Fours.

We'll also have a Free pattern in a kit for a little quilt using the Petit Fours, a Charm Bundle and a Layer Cake.

Coming Soon to your Nearest Blog - this one :)!

The second pillow is made out of our Classics Wovens line.

Homespuns have always been a favorite of both Linda and I. We love the texture and how they absorb the light - somewhat like wool.

Download Now!

Click on the Download Now to download the pattern for the pillow. (And if you can't get it to download - some people are having problems - please come back later) My son's friend set up the download system. She works nights. As soon as she wakes up, she'll fix it so us nonleftbrain people can work it.) If you leave a comment, any old comment, and add Classic Wovens, we'll put you in the drawing for a pillow kit. If you put both Lilac Hill and Classic Wovens, you'll be in both drawings. Put the one you would prefer first. We'll draw a name Monday for both. We will have a few pillow kits for sale after Monday too ($19.95) if you don't win and want a kit.

In the past I haven't sold yardage of fabrics, just kits, but I have decided to carry the Classic Wovens. They really are our favorites. They're due in any day now so watch for them in our store.

Now for a couple of the questions.

What is a little known fact about yourself? This really is my hair color - the dark I mean. For some reason, I have very little grey in my hair at this stage. When I started getting a little grey, I had red streaks put in for camoflauge - so you wouldn't notice the grey. My sister Nancy, who is 5 years younger than me, has beautiful silver hair and has for years. I think she stole all my silver.

Do you sleep in a nightgown or pj's? I sleep in a bed - with pillows, sheets, a wool blanket and 2 quilts. If you get my meaning.

What do you do to relax? I applique and listen to music. The repetitive movement of the sewing is very relaxing.

Early to bed or all-nighter? Early - really early, around 8:30 or 9. But I wake up at 5:00.

How many nights have you or your spouse slept on the couch?

OK - now we have a pretty big bedroom. In the corner by my side of the bed is Bully's kennel. That's where he sleeps. He is obviously a bulldog. They snore. He does.

Then beside me is my DH, Pep, who has sleep anpnea (he has a machine now but before he got it - he snored.) Here he is with Quinn.

In the corner by Pep's side of the bed was Fuggles kennel. Fuggles was Pep's mastiff. Mastiffs snore.

So - here I am sleeping in my bed in the middle of the night.

Bully is snoring.

Pep is snoring.

Fuggles is snoring.

I - fully awake by now, pick up my pillow and my quilts and go to the living room couch where it is blessedly quiet. :)

Be sure to go visit Ann at Bunny Hill tomorrow. Her talk at Market had us all laughing.

Dreaming of Summer Nights

I really think it's amost time for summer now. Well, maybe not quite. But we can dream. This is my very simple "Summer Nights" quilt - baskets and stars and space. It's one of the quilt projects in our Across the Wide Missouri book.

If you order the quilt kit Feb. 2nd-Feb.9th you can get the book for 1/2 price. Email (jpquilts@cameron.net) or call (816-632-7632) Tara to order.

This is my Gabriel's Ark quilt. We've had some request to kit it. The homespuns are due any minute now so we're taking preorders for kits. The cost is $74.95 + S&H. If you'd like one, let Tara know.

Wasn't Aneela's pillow for the Blog Hop cute? My oldest son's house is done in clear colors and he has a daughter who is just as active as Aneela's. Since I've started making something for the younger grandchildren each Christmas I'm on the lookout for different fabrics.

Alma and Barb (Blackbird Designs) are next on the Blog Hop. Their stuff is always awesome. You need to hop on over and check it out.

Pep shoveled the walk and a path on the front porch to the door. I waded through knee high snow to the barn and bird feeders. Now I get to spend the day designing and stitching. There are some nice things about winter.

Tomorrow is my day for the Blog Hop. See you then.