So this happened...

Look at what the UPS man dropped off on my doorstep this afternoon? Couldn't wait to share it with you!! More details and a free copy to giveaway before end of week. Soooo excited!

The US version and the UK version are both shipping from Amazon now.

Modern Designs for Classic Quilts Book Giveaway Winner

It was such fun to hear all about the projects on your 'someday' lists. And it makes me feel so much better to know that all of you have super long lists too!! Congrats to the lucky winner Margaret, #100 (chosen by random number), who said: A quilt on my must do list is a dresden plate. I bought the templates for the cutting and have some fabrics that I am stashing but I am fairly intimidated about the process so I have not started one yet.

I hope you love the book Margaret. Make sure you drop Andie and Kelly a line and let them know you were the lucky winner. :) I know they'd love to hear from you!

And for everyone else who didn't win, make sure you pick up a copy of the book. It really is filled with some wonderful and inspiring projects.

Oh my gosh...I can hardly believe Thanksgiving is next week! I've got to go clean out my fridge and get the house ready for company. Everyone have a great weekend!

Modern Designs for Classic Quilts Book AND a Giveaway

When I was in Houston at Quilt Market a few weeks ago, I was tickled to get to meet Kelly Biscopink and Andrea Johnson. These two adorably sweet and funny ladies are the amazingly talented duo behind the new book, Modern Designs for Classic Quilts. 

Not only did I get to meet Kelly and Andie, I got to meet a few of the quilts from the book. :) There's a Dresden Plate quilt that I was especially excited to see since its made from my Tufted Tweets collection. And Oh. My. Goodness. Gorgeous simply doesn't do this quilt justice. Kelly's piecing is impeccable, I love the incredibly unique layout she came up with and the quilting (by the amazingly talented Angela Walters)  is superb. 

One of my favorite things about Kelly and Andrea's book is how they have taken traditional quilt patterns and infused a really modern sensibility to them. There's something uniquely special about the projects in the book too. I can almost always find one or two projects in any book that I'd love to make, but there's so many in their book that are now on my 'must make someday' list.  The quilt on the cover is one that I think will be my next big project. And in reading through the pattern, its beautifully written, clear and easy to follow. Can't wait to start pulling fabric for it!

And how about this amazing Flying Geese lovely by Andie? I know, amazing, right? The simplicity of the pattern is just so sophisticated isn't it? (Also now on my must make list!)

And here's the best part...Kelly and Andrea were nice enough to give me an extra copy of Modern Designs for Classic Quilts to give away to one of you! To be entered to win, just leave me a comment here and I'd love to hear about a project on your 'must make someday' list! I'll draw a winner  on Friday 11/16/12. 

Good luck!

Giveaway winner and free quilt pattern

Thank you so much! You guys shared some paper piecing tips galore! I pulled out a few of my favorites and compiled them below, so as soon as I'm ready to start my own picnic blanket with Don't be Crabby and Amy's Crabby pattern I have your great advice to guide me. :)

- take your time, be patient and don't rush

- measure the width of the part that you are going to piece, then cut strips with a some extra

- don't be afraid that you're wasting fabric

- use Easy Mask paper that you find at the paint store. It comes on a roll in widths multiple of 3" (e.g., 6", 9", 12", etc.), is very thin for your perforations, but sturdy enough for feeding through your inkjet printer. Best of all it's very inexpensive and can be cut to whatever lengths work best for your pattern, unlike regular printer paper. 

- the freezer paper method which I much prefer over the method where you spend hours picking out bits of paper

- tack small pieces really well

- shorten your stitch length to 1

- backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to secure it

- don't scrimp on the fabric so you ensure you're covering all the section

- check and double check your fabric will cover the section

- iron, iron, iron

- the add a quarter ruler makes it easy to figure out where and how much to trim. 

-remember, you are working from the wrong side, so whatever you're making will be the opposite of the pattern.

And now for our giveaway winner. Congratulations to #118 Cindy who said:

LOVE your fabric! It just makes me happy when I look at it. I'm new to paper piecing too, so my advise as a 'newbie' is to use larger pieces of fabric then you think you'll need. It's a little wasteful, but until I really know what I'm doing, it is saving me from having to rip out seams. :) Thank you for the opportunity!!!

I hope you love the fabric Cindy!

Don't be Crabby starts shipping in December (which is right around the corner!) so it will be making its way to your favorite LQS store super soon. In the mean time, make sure you grab a copy of this adorable FREE pattern, Come Sail Away, from the team over at Robert Kaufman. I love the little whale in the bottom right corner. And the sailboat with the whale on the side... And.... And....

Paper pieced crabby pattern AND a giveaway!

Ya'll know that I get all geeked out when I see what creative and lovely things you make with my fabric. Well, you are going to get all geeky with me when you see this!

Amy over at During Quiet Time agreed to make something special from Don't be Crabby to help me show off the new collection (starts shipping in December). I love the paper pieced patterns that Amy designs, so I was just giddy with excitement when she said she was going to design a paper pieced Crabby. Eeeep! Are you ready? You should probably sit down. No, really. Sit down. Ready?

Again. Eeeeep! Is that not one of the cutest things you have ever seen? Ever? Amy designed the paper pieced pattern based on the little crabby in my fabric and made this incredibly fabulous beach bag.

And I love the way she incorporated more of the prints from the collection for the back and sides of the bag.

And look at the little wave lines she quilted between the rows of the boats. So sweet. 

Today you have two (yep, two!) chances to win both a FQ set of my entire Don't be Crabby fabric collection plus a Crabby paper pieced pattern from Amy. 

For chance #1, leave me a comment here (and make sure to include a way for me to contact you). I haven't tried much paper piecing, so if you have any advice, I'd love to hear it. Or if you're new to paper piecing too, just let me know what you might make with the fabric and/or the pattern if you were to win! I'll draw a random winner on Wednesday 11/7/12.

Amy also has a full FQ set and a Crabby pattern to giveaway too! So hop over there next. Two chances to win all sorts of Crabby goodness :) Amy's adorable pattern is available in her Craftsy store and over on Etsy. Here's some details about the pattern :)

--The  block measures 10" x 8" finished. 

--It's an intermediate paper piecing pattern but there are no Y seams or curves.

 I can't wait to try my own Crabby!! I'm thinking beach blanket maybe...And good luck!