Good Heavens ...........May is almost over!!!!

In fact it's Wednesday again and this is it for May.

May is a big Birthday month for us.  

Pep's birthday is May 10th,

Max's son Quinn's birthday is May 11th,

Max's birthday is May 28th 

and my friend Susanne Steil's birthday is either the 28th or 29th.

I have a tendency to forget the last two.  I don't forget when their birthdays are but I'm so tired from Market I forget it's the 28th  :)

Anyway it is the last Wednesday in May and time again to post a 6" Moda Blockheads Block.

This is lucky Block #13 - Bowtie Quartet by Lynne Hagmeier and you can go to her blog to download the pattern by clicking here.

Then be sure to go to the other designer's blogs and see what they've done with their #13's.

Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/ 

I just love the little frame I found at Market to display the blocks.  I mean, we won't sew them into a quilt until the end and I might as well get to show them off meantime.  And maybe even double up on a couple to show in the frame.  

I just got it yesterday so I don't have it in the store yet, but it should be there in a week or two.

See you next week ladies and keep quilting.

Back from Market and It's Block #12

I've been asked to include more pictures of my booth and the Sycamore quilts from Market.

The large one is Coxcombs and Pomegrantates, a 12 month BOM.  

We are taking preorders for the kit of the whole quilt.  You can either buy it from our store by clicking here or you can call Tammy at 816-632-7632 to put it in Lay Away and make payments.

It will ship in August.

Other quilts seen are Piecetime, the one with the house and trees,

Stars and Squares,

Lady Liberty Tablestand Quilt,

and Galaxy hanging next to my Girl Gang jacket.

(We're going through all of the old Girl Gang folders to try to find the applique patterns for those of you who want it.

And these lovely people came a long way to see us.  This is Mr Park and his able assistants from Korea.  They are the ones who take my ideas and turn them into fabric.  They wanted to make sure we were happy with their work and indeed we are.

OK, enough chit chat.

The block this week is Puzzled by Carrie Nelson.  

 I made my block out of my fabric line Coral Bells

To download the pattern click here.

Then wander on over to the other designer and see what they've done with the block.

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/ 

Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

And please keep Lynne and her family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn the passing of her father yesterday.

We're off to St. Louis and Quilt Market but first.....................

Lisa's star by Lisa Bongean

who is an absolute whiz at doing these teeny, tiny triangle squares.

To get her pattern for the block you need to go to her blog by clicking here.

I, on the other hand, am not an absolute whiz at doing these teeny, tiny triangle squares.

I love the way they look, especially when Lisa does them,  and I am really having fun with them but to me they are work unless I can do them the very old fashioned way with templates, yada, yada, yada. 

Applique is just plain fun.  

I've thought of offering a few alternate 6" applique blocks for the teeny triangle challenged but that might get a little complicated.  :)

Anyway, do have fun with this one.  Lisa's mantra is "no whining" so I probably need to stop.

Let's all go to the other designers and see how they've done with the block.

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/ 

Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/ 

See you back here next week for the next block.

Wednesday, 10 May - Pep's Birthday and ....

My Wednesday to post a block in Moda Blockheads.

My block this week is an appliquéd Basket and Flower.

It says on the pattern page to use your preferred method of Appliqué which makes sense because

it's your quilt.

I never taught appliqué because I assumed that everyone else knew how to do it.  

However, I learned a few years ago that a whole lot of quilters were very frustrated by appliqué.

It can either be very relaxing if you know what you're doing or it can make you want to throw the  block across the room.

I should have remembered that before I posted my last block - and to make it worse somehow the instructions page wasn't posted - just the drawing.

So I'm going to back up a little here and see if I can make things simpler for those of you who don't appliqué for at least an hour each morning and evening.

First, to get to the pattern page, click here

and now, to get to the link to my tutorial on applique and baskets click here

Do watch the tutorial if you can because it covers
1) Supplies needed
2) Basics of my method of Freezer Paper Appliqué
3) Mastering the Applique stitch
4) Baskets & Handles
5) Flowers in Baskets

It also covers to some extent "inside and outside curves".

And if you type "Jan Patek Tutorials" into your browser, there is a whole series of tutorials covering just about every aspect of Appliqué.  It's not quite as helpful as having someone sit down and show you how to do it, but it's close.
I hope they are helpful.  They were a lot of fun to make.

And besides binding quilts for Market I decided to hand quilt my latest Mini Quilt, Flags and Stars because I do like to quilt once in awhile too.

Sometimes I wonder about me.

Be sure to go to the other Blockheads blogs to see what they've done with the Basket & Flower.

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/ 

Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/ 

Have a great week ladies and meet me back here next Wednesday for Week #11 of the Moda Blockheads BOW.

I can't believe its Wednesday Again-----Already

And its May already.  

Memorial Day is coming and I always like to have a new Flag Quilt for Memorial Day so I designed this little Flag and Star Mini Quilt.

It's quick and not too hard and you can easily have it done by the end of the month.  

If you belong to the Mini Quilt Club, a kit - which includes the pattern - is being prepared for you as I type.  And its 15% off if you belong to the club.  

If you don't belong to the club and you want to make the quilt, you can either join by emailing Tammie at janpatekquilts@centurylink.net, calling her at 816-632-7632 - that way you get 15% off and a free scrap bag - 

or you can buy a kit or pattern by clicking

here.

And speaking of stars

our Moda Blockhead block this week is an Ohio Star variation

by Jo Morton.

I made mine out of some of my Fern Hill fabrics.

You can get the pattern for the block by going to

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

I'm sure she has a tip or two about piecing the block on her blog also.

Then, of course, drop in on the other designers and see what they've done with it.

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/ 

Betsy -
Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/ 

For those of you who have asked, Pep's hip is healing nicely and the doctor was quite pleased with his recovery rate.  

So are we.  

He won't be able to go to Market with me - too much walking - and it's one of the first Markets in years that he hasn't gone. 

 I shall miss him but at least he can stay at home and take care of Elizabeth.

Speaking of Market, I have quilts to bind.  

Have a good week.  :)

I almost forgot it was Wednesday

I've been so busy what with getting ready for Market and scheduling in doctor appointments in Kansas City for Pep.  

I did forget that it's almost May and I had to design a Mini Quilt for the Mini Quilt Club that goes out in May.

I just got the design done (Whew) and am working on the quilt.  I'll do a "Starting the Day with Appliqué" on Instagram for Moda Monday next Monday and give you a sneak peek.

I totally forgot that I only did one Mini Quilt with Coral Bells because I wanted to back up to Fern Hill fabrics for a 4th of July look for the summer Mini.

Anyway

Block 8 of Moda Blockheads is an awesome Basket of Triangles by the awesome Betsy Chutchian made with her fabric line "Racheal Remembered".

To get the pattern go to her blog

Blog - http://betsysbestquiltsandmore.blogspot.com/ 

and see what she did with it and maybe get a few tips.;

Then head for the other designers blogs for their versions.

Lynne -
Blog - http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com/ 

Lisa B -
Blog - https://lisabongean.com/ 

Jo -
Blog - http://jomortonquilts.com/jos_journal/ 

Moda -
Blog - http://blog.modafabrics.com/ 

Have a great week ladies and see you next Wednesday.

It's Wednesday - Time for

Moda Blockheads Block #7

Penny Basket by Lynne of Kansas Troubles

You can download the pattern from Lynne's blog by going to 

 http://kansastroublesquilters-lynne.blogspot.com.

I made my block using Lynne's fabric line Thistle Farm and I really like it.

We're home from the hospital!

Pep has a new hip made out of cobalt chrome, ceramic and plastic.

I'm not at all sure how Dr. Bruce got it in with only about a 6" incision but he did 

and it's working very well.

Pep was up and walking the next morning and doing his physical therapy.

And I came home with 3 appliquéd blocks, mostly done while waiting for things to happen.  

We got to the hospital at 8:30 AM and his surgery started at 2:00 PM.

Hurry Up and Wait was about the norm but I had brought along lots of things to stitch :).

And speaking of stitching, probably I should answer a couple of the questions we've been supposed to  be answering.

Needles:  I use Milliners, Size 8 or 9 with large eyes so I can thread them.  I think it's very important to use needles that are long enough to fit in your hand comfortably and don't bend when you sew.  I mainly use Clover or Richard Hemming needles.

Thread:  I use 60 to 80 wt thread because it hides the stitches well.  I use Efina 60wt 2ply 100% Egyptian Cotton distributed by Sue Spargo and Aurifil 80 wt thread distributed by Moda.  I use them both due to color choice.   And of course, you always match the thread to the item being appliquéd, not the background.

And now is a good time to jump over to the other designers and see that they've done with Lynne's block.

See you next week.