Moda Designers Blog Hop Day 10 -

I hope everyone has enjoyed the hop.  We always enjoy doing it.  If you missed any of the letters you can go to Moda's Blog for a link to each designer and letter to download.  There are also finishing instructions on a little quilt to make out of the letters.

Now to the important part - who won the fabric …..

And the Winner is……….

Nancy P 

Nancy P who said

Hi Jan - I'm 68 and I like my age but I would like my body to go back to age 35 -40. I think I would get more done. But I will take what I have and do what I can. Love the fabric and the pattern. Nancy P.

I had so much fun reading all of your comments - some each day.  It was good to hear that most of us like being the age we are - that makes for contented quilters.

I also think that a lot of the reason we're contented to be who and where we are is because we're quilters.

Quilting is one of the ways we take care of our souls.

Nancy, if you will email Tori at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com or call here at 816-632-7632 and give her your snail mail address, we'll send you your Fat 1/4 bundle.  Don't forget it the phone just rings and no one answers, it means she's on the phone with another quilter.

And I do have another giveaway -

A Front Porch Dessert Roll giveaway.

We do 2 BOM quilt kits each year on the website.  The Mystery Quilt, Fall Festival which has already started (see left sidebar) and

what we call a Featured Fabric Quilt.  This year it's a dual purpose quilt.  

You get an applique block each month and a log cabin block.  You can either do one each month and eventually have a full sized quilt (76"x76")

or

Sew an applique block and log cabin block together

to make an awesome Table Stand Quilt.

You can buy the blocks for the Table Stand Quilts (along with the Table Stand) on the website each month but we do have limited quantities of the kits. (You can always get the pattern)

If you want to make the big quilt or just be sure you get the Table Stand blocks each month, you need to email or call Tori at the number above to sign up.  If you decide you want to do both, there is a small discount on 2 sets of kits.

Anyway - hah, finally! - to get a chance at the Dessert Roll you need to either sign up for the series or be a continuing member from last years quilt.

We'll have a drawing of all of the members on March 10th which is when the 1st BOM tutorial goes on You Tube.

The kits should ship on the 15th - God Willing and the Creek don't rise  :)

It's been a fun hop ladies.  Thanks from all of us for coming along.

Day 7 of MODA Designers "Spell It With Fabric" Blog Hop - Y,Z

It's going to be a good day.

  

Not only do we have a couple of neat blogs to hop to but on this end the Heat Pump repairman is due.

Actually, it was kind of nice using the wood burning stove again as a source of heat.

It's a different kind of warm and since we live where we do we have lots of available wood right on our land.  We always leave some for the critters but there's still lots for us.

Getting up in the middle of the night to stoke the fire, however, wasn't quite the chore when we were younger :)

Let It Snow

Each day I've been chosing a quilt kit to put on special corresponding to one of the letters in the hop.  I don't have any Y or Z quilt kits any more so I decided to have granddaughter Zoie pick her favorite.

She picked "Let It Snow" so it's on special today.  She said she loves snowmen.  Well, she may get her wish - we're supposed to have another winter storm moving in this weekend.  Aargh!  

Well, we all know who to blame now :)

On to the hop.

My friend Barbara Brackman - maybe she got Y because she knows so many "whys" - sorry Barbara, just couldn't resist a pun here.

Zen Chic is of course, Z

and Gina Martin.

If you haven't made a comment for a chance to win the Fat 1/4 bundle of Front Porch that Moda so generously gave me to give away, click here to go to my post on the 21st and make one.  There's still time.

The random generator will pick someone and the winner will be announced tomorrow.

Good luck ladies.

CRISIS COPED WITH - DOUBLING UP TODAY - S,T,U - V,W,X

This is Day 8 of the Moda Designers Spell It With Fabric Blog Hop.

This is the wood burning stove that resides in our living room fireplace.  The fireplace isn't on an outside wall as in most houses  - it's in the middle of the house.

Before we got out Ground Source Heat Pump, it was the major source of heat in the winter.

It's been about 15 years since we used it on a regular basis.

Luckily we usually keep a good amount of wood in case the electricity goes out for days.

The electricity didn't go out -

 but the heat pump did.

It took some time but we got things perking again.  

Dampers had rusted in place and we filled the living room with smoke - yada, yada, yada but we're pretty well back to normal.

It just took a lot of time to get it up and running and then round up space heaters for the bedrooms.  I like to sleep where it's cooler but my design computer doesn't like to be chilly.

So we missed S,T,U yesterday.  If you did too, hop on back to see 

Sweetwater

Camille of Thimbleblossoms

and my good friend Sandy Gervais who had a lot of fun with U.

 Starpatch

And I've been putting a kit on special that starts with one of the letters.  My daughter Kelly really, really, really is ready for spring - aren't we all - so she wanted 2 Spring kits for the week.

Spring at the Gate

So Starpatch and Spring at the Gate are both 30% off all week.

Now today is V,W,X and we'll hop in a minute.

I searched and searched for a V,W,X kit and found a very few 

Wild Oak kits.  And I'm in a good mood since I'm warm finally so it's 50% off - today only.

Now lets go see 

Vanessa

Malka

and

Alma & Barb of Blackbird Designs

See you tomorrow.

Spell It With Fabric - Day 6 - P,Q,R

We're hopping again!.  This time our letters are P,Q, & R.

But before we leave I thought I would show you Parasol Princess since its a "P" quilt and is made out of my new Front Porch Line.

This little quilt - really it's not so little - it's 58" x 58" - got started many years ago when I picked up an antique "Southern Belle" block at a flea market.  She had embroidered arms, neck, shoes and parasol handle.

Years later, my very pink and white granddaughter Lilly fell in love with the Disney Princesses.  I used the Southern Belle block to make her a quilt of all the princesses but I do appliqué so I appliqued the arms, neck, etc.

When I decided to make it a pattern I darkened the background using Front Porch fabrics so that things would show up.

And Lori did an awesome job of quilting as usual.

 I'm usually not a "girly girl" but I just 

love my Parasol Princesses.  They are really 

challenging to appliqué 

so I'll be doing a tutorial on them in April.  My April "Table Stand Quilt" is going to be 

April Showers and will be the same block only smaller.  Anyway, I'll be showing you all how I put them together to appliqué.

The quilt kit on special today is Ring Around the Posie.  (P,Q,R).  Here's the pattern picture and the quilt on my bed.  

The color on both of them is really not true.  

This is really closer to the real colors.

Anyway, it's 15% off today.

Whew - lets go see what people are up too.

Lisa from Primitive Gatherings

Minick & Simpson got Q - I want to see what they did with it :)

and Stephanie Ryan is R on the Moda Blogspot.

See you tomorrow.

SPELL IT WITH FABRIC - DAY 5 - M,N,O

Welcome to Day 5 of the Moda Designer's Blog Hop - M, N, O.

As you probably know by now, each designer has a letter you can download and all together make a really neat alphabet quilt.  (Be sure to back up if you just got here and want them all.)  

And the letter they have usually goes with their name or something they do.

My name is Jan Patek and my company name is 

Jan Patek Quilts

so my letter is

When I got the email from Lissa saying my letter was "O", I emailed back 

sooooo…. does O stand for Old?  :)

I am the oldest designer.

My husband said it might stand for Omniscient

or Omnipotent

But I stuck with Old :)

As you might be able to tell, I think it's funny and love to tease our fearless leader, Lissa, about it.  I really enjoy being the age I am.  The only problem I find with it is that sometimes my body gets cranky and thinks I should ease up on the pace a little.  Silly of it!

To get the pattern for the O, click here.

Now for the questions.  

My letter is…. O

What are your initials? JLP

My favorite quilt block......…. Ohio Star

My favorite book, movie or television show starting with your letter...… Over My Dead Body - a Nero Wolfe mystery novel

I love quilting because.........… Only nice people quilt - mostly

What if everyday was a holiday?...… I'd get to quilt even more

Is there an object, tool or anything that you cannot work without? Sandpaper Board

Do you have a quote or motto you live ( or work) by? ……Do unto others

Something I like...… Olives

Somewhere I have been...… Oregon

Somewhere I want to go...… Ohio - I've been there too but would like to go back - great quilting state

Someone I know…. Old McDonald - well not really, but I do live in a farming community.

As you can see, I don't always stick to the rules.

For my project using my O,  I designed "O My Stars".  

I just love Circle/Stars and I just love this fabric line.

To download the patterns for the project, click here.

To purchase a kit for the quilt click here.

This is Little Houses, one of my new Front Porch patterns.  When we were making it, it dawned on me that there were 48 little windows on the little houses.  Whew! So I found an easier way to make them.  To get a tip on making all of those windows you can watch my tutorial by clicking here.

And I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at my latest fun thing!.
 We're doing a dual purpose block of the month.  Each month starting in March you will get an appliqué block and a log cabin block.  You can use them as Table Stand blocks or sew them together to make a large quilt - or both.  And you get a discount if you do both.  There's more information on the side bar.

Anyway, you can check it out at your leisure by clicking here.

Now for the part you really came for - THE FABRIC!

Moda has generously given me a Fat 1/4 bundle of Front Porch for a prize.

Make a comment saying why you like being the age you are - "cuz its fun" will do - and we'll have the random number generator pick a winner on the 28th.

And more prizes are to be had from

Barb & Mary

Kate Spain

Pat Sloan

so hop on over and see what they're up to.

See you on Monday.

Spell It With Fabric - Day 4 - J,K,L

Today we're going to visit Lauren & Jessi Jung, Lynne of Kansas Troubles, Edytka of Laundry Basket and Lila Asbury.

That's a lot of hopping so I'll make my part short.

This is Long May She Wave, one of my new Front Porch patterns - size 50" x 22".  You can get the pattern or a kit for it by clicking here or on the name.

And this is the pattern and kit I have on special today - Lilly's Stars.  You can get the pattern or kit for it by clicking here or on the name.

Wow! - now we need to get moving or we'll be on the web all day :)

Lauren & Jessi Jung

Lynne of Kansas Troubles

Edytka of Laundry Basket

Lily Ashbury

Have fun and I hope you win lots of fabric.

Be sure to come back tomorrow because it's My Day!

Spell It With Fabric - Day 3 - G,H,I

Day 3 of the Moda Designer's Blog Hop - "Spell It With Fabric" - Moda Fabric - of course.

Our Letters for today are G, H, & I so we'll be visiting French General, Janet Clare and Basic Grey.  Hmmm.

But before we hop on over to their blogs, I thought I'd show you one of my new Front Porch patterns and tell you what kit is on special today.

This is Hearts & Flowers, a 70" x 85" quilt made from my Front Porch fabric line.  

Have I mentioned more than a time or two how ready for spring I am?

And I love the softness of this quilt.

You can get a pattern by clicking here or on the name above.

The kit on special today is Audra's Iris Garden.  Both the kit and the BOM pattern are on special and you can get them by clicking here or on the name.

Now - lets go hopping.

French General

Janet Clare

Basic Grey

See you tomorrow.

Spell It With Fabric - Day 2 - D,E,F

Today is Day 2 and the letters are D,E, & F

so the quilt kit I chose to be on special today is Farmer's Market.

Boy, am I ready for spring - and birdhouses and gardens and bees.  I'll even give the rabbits some carrots.

You can order it by clicking here or on the name above.

Since I only have 6 new Front Porch patterns  I can't show you one every day, so I decided to show you come cute puppy pictures today instead.

This is Dobby - Jake's Welsh Corgi puppy - and he is a little spitfire.

He's playing with one of Jake's grey socks.  It's a tug-of-war toy.

He'll lay on his back and use both his front paws to hold it. 

He really is a ham - he's cute and he knows it.

Well, enough about Dobby.  This is a Blog Hop.  Lets get hopping.

Lets go see what Deb Strain - one of my favorite people - has been up to.

And then on to see two other very nice ladies, Kathy Schmitz and Joanne of Fig Tree.

See you tomorrow.  :)

Spell It With Fabric - Moda of course - A,B,C

Welcome to Day 1 of 

"Spell It With Fabric" 

the Moda Designer's Blog Hop.

Over the next 2 weeks we'll hop to quite a few blogs and see lot of new Moda fabrics that will be shipping to your favorite quilt shops.

And you'll not only get to see the new fabrics there will be a chance to win some.

  

This is Cake Walk made from 2 Layer Cakes & some yardage of Front Porch, my newest fabric line that shipped in January.

And since it's also Presidents Day, I thought I would put on special my Lincoln's Platform Quilt - and honest Abe also starts with an A.

I'm not sure why we also put Jakes Eagles on special - maybe because it looks presidential :).

But now let's hop and see what American Jane, Aneela Hooey, Bunny Hill and Cotton Way have been doing - and what they're giving away  :).

Come back tomorrow and we'll visit 3 of my favorite Moda Designers, Deb Strain, Kathy Schmitz and Fig Tree.

And I'll have a kit on special that begins with D, E, or F.  See you then.

Spell It With Fabric -Moda Designer Blog Hop

I am so computer challenged.  

I finally found the Blog Button.

Join us!

Happy Day After Valentine"s Day

I told you about our Valentine Perk in the post yesterday - Free Shipping all weekend - but forgot to tell you that there is a promo code - CUPID.

Kelly had mentioned it in our email but if you're not on our email list you didn't know there was a promo code.

From My Heart

Which is a very good reason to be on our email list.  That way you don't have to depend on my memory.

Hope you have a great day and aren't eating too much chocolate :).

Happy Valentines Day!

Here are some of my favorite Valentines that show up in my quilts

Aiden & Quinn & Cullen 

& 

Brooke, Gabriel & Lilly (along with Spike, Hunny and Dueces - Pep's cat)

And the older grandchildren, Jake, Brian Jr. and Zoie who are a little bit too big to appear in Grandma's quilts in snowsuits.

And my children Brian, Kelly & Max who were the original toboggan kids in Snowbound.

And my oh-so-supportive husband, Pep, and our new puppy Dobby.  And….and…and

My life is blessed with Valentines for which I am grateful.

I wish the same for you!

For those of you who were in the Spring Break kit BOM, 

I thought I would show you some of Lori's awesome quilting.  The quilting just makes the whole thing come alive.  

I'm binding the quilt now.  I love binding quilts.  It's one of my favorite parts of quilting.  I get to sit warm and cozy under the quilt and marvel at how all the work has come together.

Another one of my favorite parts is designing the new patterns with the new fabric.

Here's a sneak peek at some of the fabrics in Castlewood that will preview to shops soon.

And speaking of new patterns, I'd better get back to work.

I believe we're having free shipping all weekend as a Valentine perk.

Happy Valentines Day

Snow Day - 2014

It snowed 12 inches here yesterday.

The chickens elected to just stay in their house today - 

no sitting in the sun on a log - they couldn't find it.

My cat, Wendy has also decided it's nicer inside since the snow is over a cat deep.  

Here she is at the kitchen window.  Pep says she's watching Food Network :).  Not really, she's belled.

(You can see how deep the snow is by looking at the top of the birdbath.) 

After giving the chickens food and water I decided to go back to the house through the garden.  The snow was really deep there

but where I go -  the dogs go.  Dobby didn't like it much there - especially after Spike walked over him to get to me.  I picked Dobby up about then and carried him. 

The maintainer (road grader for city folk) has been by so we only have our 200 ft driveway to contend with.  Hopefully our neighbor will come by soon with his bobcat and clear it for us.  It is nice to have nice neighbors.  He says he does it because we never complain when his cows are in our front yard.  :)  I think he's just nice.

Then Zoie and Cullen and Quinn will be able to get here.  I don't think there will be a snowman this time though.  The snow is very dry and powdery and doesn't stick together.  

It will be great for snowboards and toboggans and we have both - along with a long hill down to the woods.

And this is "Snow Day" about just what is going on today and this week.  Soooooo….. both the pattern and the kit are on sale until next Wednesday for 15% off.  It was a really fun quilt to design and to  make.  To get yours click here or on the quilt name above.

And now that I'm back inside until chores this evening, I'll put on some chicken soup.  Then I get to sit and design and do a little stitching till time to gather eggs.

The deadline for Spring Market looms.

Stay warm and keep stitching, ladies.