Sweet!

 The quilt festival was also an opportunity to try what I had heard of as "the best cupcakes ever".  Since I was in the neighborhood I dragged my crew over to Sprinkles in Newport Beach.  No arm twisting needed.

     I think favorite daughter's chocolate and oldest sister's salted carmel cupcakes were devine.

Confession time...oldest sister had also mapquested another cupcake place in Lake Forrest so the next day we traveled to Frostings for dare I say it more cupcakes.  

They are almost running for the door.

They look as good as they taste.

I'm really hoping this will be cupcake overload and I'll never eat another cupcake again. 

 Yeah, right!

Quilt Festival

   This is my third visit to the summer event which is Quilt Festival/Long Beach.  This time in an attempt to avoid excessive traffic and crowded isles I decided to attend "preview night".   Sorry for the lack of booth photos I got too wrapped up in the shopping end of it to remember to take pics.  I'll do better next time.

At the end of the evening we walked the main event...the quilts.   Over the next week I'll post a few that caught my eye.

 

Favorite daughter joined me as we strolled the show.

Yo-Yo's  or .....

A Portrait quilt!  Rosanne Barr??

    It was a pleasure seeing customers from the shop, meeting and greeting vendors and taking in the enormous talents of quilters far and wide.  Have a great weekend.  Laural

WWW

   First of all thank you for all the positive feedback from my "good news" post.   I wasn't able to blog this weekend  but I was hard at work, behind the scenes, on a soon to be published "Gallery" page.   Its part of what I'll be working on this Wednesday.
    I'll also be completing the applique' on another sample for the shop.

 This is from the Moda line "Lil Rascals" and its my version of a quilt from a new book at the Coop called "A Baker's Dozen" by Sandy Klop.

Lunch trays are a great way to transport your projects.
They can be found at restaurant supply stores.

   I love the vintage look of the buckets and so far the hardest part has been deciding which vignette to select.

   The rest of this week I'll be on the road for the International Quilt Festival/Long Beach.  I'm sure there will be more on that topic later.

It's a Good Day

   Two posts in one day?  Yes, because when you have news this big you have to shout it from the roof tops (or quietly type it from home).  A few months ago I submitted a new design to "Primitive Quilts and Projects" magazine.  Yesterday while at work Jennifer informed me that my quilt will be published in the Summer 2012 edition.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am and what an honor this is.  If you haven't done so yet follow the link in the blog title and look at the work being done by this great group of folks.  YEAH BABY!

Girls Gather

   Last night was our sup-n-sew group.  This is a fairly new group and we are still trying to find our niche' but we definitely know how to "sup".

Mary's blueberry crumb cake with a side of fancy fingernails.

Spicy artichoke dip and chips.

   I asked the ladies to un-furl and share their projects...this is what they brought.

Elisabeth's first quilt ever!  Looking less than thrilled at being photographed.

Elvia's fabric art block

Susan's table topper

Theresa's sit n sew project that is ready for quilting.

Mary's version of a JoAnn Mullaly wool crazy pattern.

I continue to be amazed and awed at the talent that surrounds us all.  And thank you ladies these get togethers mean more to me than you can know.  Have a glorious and peace filled weekend.  Laural

WWW

  We can either complain about the heat or crank the AC and get back in the sewing room.
  Last year I designed a fall table runner around a line of fabric.  When the outer border ran out so did the sales of that pattern.

#334  Bountiful Harvest   

   Today on this "whatima workin on wednesday" I'm going to rework bountiful harvest.

   The plan is to grab 5x5 charm squares that we all buy every year because the fall fabrics are so appealing.

   And turn them into a table runner plus two placemats.

   Wish me luck, and the sample should be in the shop and on line soon.

Honey Q

   Finished the custom quilting on a photo collage quilt.  I was instructed NOT to sew on their faces so instead I did a swirl frame around the photo fabrics.

 The results are quite nice and I think the client will be pleased.

Now some have asked "Hey Lori what's with all the quilting as opposed to pattern talk?"  If you read my first post you know my life has taken a dramatic turn, and while I wait for the pattern line to take off nationally I need to still have an income coming in.  My little honey Q and the fact that I did custom quilting for several years are helping me slowly meet those financial needs.
  PS:  I just figured out that if the title of a post is in white and you place your cursor over it you will be taken to a link.  In this instance my link takes you to handi quilter, last post takes you to the buggy barn blog.  Stop laughing at me, I'm a slow learner.   Have a great week everyone,  Laural 

Its News 2 Me

   Ever since the girls got back from Quilt Market I have been anxiously awaiting the new Buggy Barn book.  The buzz about the book (Still Crazy) and projects within have gotten several of my sewing groups into a stack n wack frenzy.  Well Thursday when I got into work there was a nice crisp copy left on the counter with a little post it saying "hold for Lori".

Now I have never done a buggy barn project and am not exactly sure how to construct one of these.  But I have dog eared my two favorites and plan to begin pulling fabrics.

Eating ice cream while debating on making an ice cream quilt!

This may never grow up to be more than a table topper or runner but I am determined to try this because those ice cream cones are dang cute.

WWW

   The agenda for today is to...relax.  I can't remember the last time I just took a day off and sat with my own thoughts.  And nothing relaxes me more than to complete a quilt job.  One that doesn't have a deadline just a project I'm excited about.
   I have a nephew who got married earlier this year and is now expecting his first child.  It has been leaked (by a reliable source) that the baby will be a girl, so today I'm digging out some "Lilly and Will" by Bunny Hill.  I'm throwing in some brown and pink that I've had laying around and framing all of that with a floral tone on tone.

Linda Rodgers made this little brown mohair bear.

After I complete this little sewing project I'm going to relax with one of my favorite things...

http://www.trulymadlysweetly.com/blog/

 No, not a book silly.

They may call this one "Indecision" but I always know its the one I want.

To all my blogger friends and followers I send you a peace filled day.   Laural

Something New

   I finished the "Sister" pattern and spent the morning making patterns and kits for the Coop.  As promised here is the photo of the completed 5x7.

#316 Sister pattern $6.50 as  kit $9.00
Kit includes pattern, lace, buttons, fabric, paper & backing.   

If you would like to see this pattern or any of the Simply Put patterns sold at your local quilt shop I would greatly appreciate "suggesting" me to the owner or manager. 

 Thank You,  Laural

WWW

   The idea for a new pattern comes to me in many different ways.  Since I have been stitching for over a dozen years I have quite the collection of sayings that I use to make finished goods.  Last week a couple of ladies who I haven't seen in a while came into the shop and made a request for "something for my sister".
   That was all it took.  I went through my old pattern sayings and started sketching something up.

  On this whatima workin on Wednesday I'll be making a 3"x3" log cabin block using the paper piecing method.

This little block will be inserted into the body of the 5x7 stitchery.  My hope is that the focal fabric in the center can be switched out with a fabric printed photo of "most favorite sister".

I'm working out the details of adding texture by going to my lace basket and neutral background choices so that the vine stitchery around the log cabin block will stand out.   I'll post a picture of the finished stitchery at a later date.    

Honey Q

   BBQ's, picnics, fireworks and family gatherings...this is how the 4th of July holiday weekend is meant to be enjoyed.   My focus however is to complete the quilting of the store sample.
    In January of this year I bought myself the HQ16 sit down model so that I could restart  my hand guided quilting service.  It took several months to get used to Honey and we still struggle at times but I'm sure glad I have her for this project.

"Trillium Leaf Vine" border design by Darlene Epp
When I first began free motion quilting some 5 years ago, I found a quilting forum that suggested getting "The Pocket Guide to Freehand Quilting" by Darlene Epp.  

The center panel is complete and I am almost to the outer border.  What will that be?  I don't have a clue.  As it hangs on the banister, and I flip through my quilting patterns, it will come to me.

I'm loving the rick rack reindeer legs!

Just Hanging Out

   Seasonal quilts make up a large majority of my quilt stash.  I enjoy switching out the quilts to match the season and I'm fortunate enough to have several locations in which to do that.  One of my favorite spots is right by the front door, on the bench were you leave your shoes.  There sits an old quilt frame that holds a 13"x13" quilt.  In honor of the 4th of July and summer in general here is what's "just hanging out" on the bench this month:

"United We Stand" by MH Designs  (715) 549-5395 

"Miss Liberty" shown above is one of the designs by my very good friend Mary.  She doesn't publish (yet) but with some encouragement we hope to change that.  One of my designs that has sold really well is "God Shed".  After the embroidery is complete this is literally an afternoon project that will wow family and friends.

Retail price for this pattern $8.50

Have a safe and happy 4th of July.