New Patterns
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Baltimore Needlework Market had come and gone. It feels like Barb and I work like crazy to have new patterns ready for a market....and 15 minutes later it's over. We look at each other and think, "Now should we do?"
Barb didn't go with me to this market as she is trying to finish the remodel job on her home. Then to top it off, she came down with a pretty nasty respiratory virus. She's still coughing one week later. We are all glad that she stayed home. There's no sense in passing all of those germs around to our friends. But I missed her company and funny comments at market. Barb has the best sense of humor.
(Front and back cover....this pattern comes with 2 pincushions too!)
My husband Dave went with me to this market. He turned out to be great help. We were able to combine this trip with a visit to our son who lives in Washington, D.C. I never thought of market as a vacation time....mostly because the van is loaded with patterns and furniture and we have work on our mind. But now, I'm rethinking this whole notion.
I'd never been to Baltimore before. Dave and I enjoyed riding the light rail downtown to the Inner Harbor after our booth was set up. It was a fun location to grab a bite to eat and watch the people walking around the harbor. We also went to Annapolis and visited some shops. It was parent's weekend and the new cadets from the Navel Academy were in their dress uniforms showing their families around. We had a bit of lunch at Reynold's Tavern. Great place to eat and the food was lovely.
(Front and back cover....the cover pattern is stitched on 30ct and framed. The back cover shows the same piece stitched on 40ct. The paper mache box comes with the cylinder boxes inside. They were painted and covered with paper. We like to make a color copy of our pieces after they are stitched. Several copies were made of this piece to cover the box lids. Instructions are included in the pattern.)
Thanks to all of you who visited our booth at the needlework market! Barb and I are now busy thinking about quilts for the Houston fall market. We are working on a book using our new fabric line Blueberry Crumb Cake by Moda fabrics.
Two new show and tell items!
Nancy Frisch sent us pictures of her Trick or Treat quilt from When The Cold Wind Blows. She writes, "I am thrilled to tell you that I won 1st prize at our Truckee Meadows annual quilt show with your Trick or Treat quilt design. It has been a pleasure to hand applique all those baskets and then when I completed the top it was too big for my sewing machine! I had to hand quilt the whole thing! Please note I opted for yo-yos in the border triangles -it seemed an appropriate alternative. This is my first time receiving such an honor and I wanted to share it with you. This is a wonderful design! Thank you for all you do!
Nanci Allen Bowen sent the above picture and writes, "I used to own Fiddlesticks Quilts here in Boulder City, Nevada, and I’ve met you both and spoken with you several times at past Quilt Markets. I sold my shop 6 years ago when I needed a fulltime job with the basic benefits (life change event) and at times even wondered if I would sew again and make another quilt. I didn’t want to lose my creativity and inspiration so I tried to keep my hands busy. I kept my pattern company (Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs) and have published a few designs.
I wanted to send you a photo of my finished quilt. The one that took me 6 years to finish after I decided to force myself to learn hand appliqué. I love your style, your fabrics, and your patterns! When I found this quilt in your book, I decided this would make a good learning project. Heck, it was only 4 blocks of appliqué… how hard could that be? And really, I could just do one block and call it a day, and a little wallhanging. But I liked the pattern and had so many fabrics in my collection… I kept going. I took the handwork to my son’s baseball games, worked on it during my 30 minute lunch breaks at work, took it on trips with me… basically knowing it would take me a long time to finish. In a previous life, I would’ve had it finished much earlier. It’s still not bound yet, but hey, I just picked it up from my quilter last week. J
Well....that's all the news for now. I'm off to clean the studio and get out the fabric!
Until later!
Alma
45 comments
Love the new patterns. Can't wait to get them and start stitching.
ReplyDeleteLove Halloween Eve and Casting a Spell...they are both in my bag at my LNS awaiting pick up! Now I have to go in the other direction to Hobby Lobby to get the shadow box, or whatever that is got the Spell. Very cute.
ReplyDeleteI have finished stitching LF Summer, part one, and should finish up Woodland Berries tomorrow, love those. Can't wait for part two!
I hope Barb is feeling better.
Also looking forward to some Blueberry Crumb Cake some cold autumn morning in upcoming months.
Bobbi
I love your new patterns ~ I bought everything I need for Morning Star except I cannot find the box ~ I went to 2 Hobby Lobbys and also tried to order online but no luck. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the great new charts! I don't think I'll be able to resist a couple of those...
ReplyDeleteAlma - I'm so glad you and your husband had a nice combo vacation/market experience. I was amazed how much I liked baltimore when I was there several years ago for the Maryland Sampler Symposium - it was a neat place. I loved the last 2 blog posts you did - it was awesome seeing what beautiful things are done with your designs. When is there going to be a rug again??? I am an avid hooker you know - I realize I probably could convert any quilt pattern to a rug - hummm - maybe I should consider that. I am stitching the Partridge from the LF chart - LOVE LOVE LOVE it and the colors - I had never tried the Dinky Dyes before and am very impressed with the texture and sheen. Can't wait to get Halloween Eve - Is it fall yet??? thanks for all the great designs
ReplyDeleteMelody
Love the new patterns and the lettering you used, perfect for fall. Great show and tell, both beautiful pieces.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Your new patterns are fabulous and ordered them yesterday:))
ReplyDeleteLook forward to your new Blueberry Crumb Cake book!
Awesome, as always. I am so addicted to BBD!
ReplyDeleteYour new designs are wonderful, as always. Loved seeing pics of the quilts too.
ReplyDeletewhat a great letter about your quilt! I remember that shop
ReplyDeletegreat blog post - thanks for sharing all of it with us :) I too can't wait 'til Blueberry crumb comes out! have a grand week - laurie
ReplyDeleteGreat post full of wonderful eye candy! As usual. I hope Barb is feeling better soon and her house is remodeled to a T. Love your new stuff! And yes, I can't wait for blueberry crumb either. :D
ReplyDeleteLove the new patterns. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePrim Blessings
Robin
Love the new patterns!! Looking forward to stitching them soon.
ReplyDeleteI love the new charts- Casting a Spell is a MUST!
ReplyDeleteAlso love Morning Star, but can't find the paper mache box on the Hobby Lobby website anywhere.
Could you please tell me where you found the paper mache box with the cylinders.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog - the photos are always so beautiful.
Thanks,
Charlotte
kurts111@msn.com
i just bought the new halloween cross stitch patterns, cant wait to get them!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour new Halloween patterns are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see a blue ribbon on one of your quilt designs.
Lovely Alma! I am also wanting to get the box with the cylinders... Thanks!
ReplyDeleteReady to stitch these new patterns.
ReplyDeleteI was looking for an old loose feathers pattern. But 2008 is ages now !!!!
So I was wondering, have you thought about a collector book where old loose feathers could be found?
I am sure you have already thought about it !!
Love your sticheries and the paters are so beautifull! love and hugs from Bruges Carine
ReplyDeleteThe paper mache box with cylinders can be found at Hobby Lobby. If you can't find it there I know that The Attic Needlework in Mesa, AZ has some. If you have a cross stitch shop and are carrying the boxes please let us know here too so I can include you!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.atticneedlework.com/
What about the box used for Casting A Spell? I've checked Hobby Lobby's website and don't see anything there like it. I NEED TO HAVE IT.....please help.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your wonderful cross stitch and quilt patterns. Always so unique and you offer such creative ways to finish them.
Can anyone tell me which quilt book shows the quilt done by the gal "Bowen" that was done? I love Blackbird Designs! Please help:)
ReplyDeleteSome wonderful designs like all we see in this blog.
ReplyDeleteGreetings very loving from the Canary Islands.
I've posted in my own blog a wonderful design.
ReplyDeleteThank you for designing such wonders.
A stalwart of his work.
For Marian J.
ReplyDeleteThe box is hard to find on Hobby Lobby's web site. I think their site is a bit confusing to navigate at first. Take a look under "crafts", then "medium wood" then click on "household". It's the glass covered shadow box.
http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/default.aspx?DepartmentId=7873
For GPS...I will have to check with Barb. I'm sad to say that I'm not sure which book the quilt is from. (Hard to believe right?)
OMG!! I already have one. Sorry to say, my stash of unfinished wood pieces is getting almost as extensive as my fabric stash!! How embarrassing is that now. Now, all I have to do is wait for my local shop to get your patterns in. Thanks, Alma!!
ReplyDeletePS Hope you're enjoying your 'extra' time off this year. Keep those ideas coming. I love them all.
Alma - Your casting a spell book calls for painting the wooden box with soft black paint by folk art. I haven't been able to find this anywhere. Do you think it was discontinued or am I looking at the wrong brand. Thanks,
ReplyDeleteMarty
Great. Thanks for info.
ReplyDeleteR835P56X Black Friday
I was able to find the Casting a Spell box by putting the sku number in to the Hobby Lobby website. When I put in the number for the Morning Star box, I got a bead. I am wondering if the item number is just printed incorrectly which is why we can't find it.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, out at the Hobby Lobby site, the Casting A Spell box is shown as a "Bestseller"!! Wonder why??!!!!
What pretty designs!! Love your blog! : )
ReplyDeleteHi Ladies -
ReplyDeleteI fell in love at first sight with Raven Bewitched and am going to start on it this very week. However, will you tell me why you picked Year 1851 - any particular reason ? Thank you for letting me know !
And as usual, congratulations for your creativity and sharing it with us stitchers and quilters.
I love the new patterns - all of them. I am starting Casting a Spell first and hope to get it done for Halloween.
ReplyDeleteBTW - it was a bugger to figure out how much fabric for all the pieces. Could you include a layout next time?
Alma, you had left me a reply on the quilt that Nanci Bowen had made in the August '11 blog that you were'nt able to find which book you & Barb had designed. It would have been around 2005 or earlier so could you please, please check again?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Tammy aka GPS
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteProviding quality needlework supplies and personalized customer service since 2000.
ReplyDeleteWhen I found this quilt in your book, I decided this would make a good learning project.
ReplyDeleteSeveral copies were made of this piece to cover the box lids.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t want to lose my creativity and inspiration so I tried to keep my hands busy.
ReplyDeleteThere's no sense in passing all of those germs around to our friends.
ReplyDeleteGood post.
ReplyDeleteYou can definitely see your skills in the work you write.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful design! Thank you for all you do! Thanks for sharing your happiness in doing your art.
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful chance to visit this kind of site and I am happy to know. thank you so much for giving us a chance to have this opportunity! I will be back soon for updates.
ReplyDeleteNote: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.