AQS QuiltWeek™ — Paducah 2013

It’s that time of year again… time for the Quilters to take over Paducah! That’s right, it’s QuiltWeek™ in Paducah, KY, a time when the city comes alive with creativity… when thousands of quilters and educators will arrive, all because the AQS Quilt Show & Contest is in town. Carloads of quilting buddies will be motoring across Kentucky, stopping at quilt shops along the way. Residents will share their homes with return visitors and tourists will swarm, sampling the local food and shopping the quaint downtown shops. The National Quilt Museum will be filled with folks eager to see top winners from past years. Caryl Bryer Fallert’s Studio, The Bryer Patch, will be lit up with visitors. BBQ and lemonade will be served under tents on the grounds while golf carts and buses transport giddy quilters from one event to the next. It’s truly a magical week for the quilting community, one not to be missed!

[image from AQS]

Festivies kick off tonight with the awards dinner and we can’t wait to get a peek at some of this year’s winning quilts. You can see a list of the semi-finalists right here. Legacy™ by Pellon®’s sponsored category is Small Quilts, Handquilted. Good luck to all involved!!

Legacy™ by Pellon® can be found in the main Convention Center at booth 1204. Our batting expert extraordinaire, Darlene Christopherson, will be there to answer all of your questions. Looking to drive home with some rolls of batting? Legacy™ by Pellon® will have 48″ boards, 30 yard rolls, 96″ boards (who wouldn’t want to own ‘the whole 9 yards’??) and more.

[images by Darlene Christopherson -- L: Legacy™ Batting Rolls ready to be taken into the convention center. R: Outside the National Quilting Museum]

AQS – Paducah
April 24 – 27, 2013
Paducah Expo Center
415 Park Avenue, Paducah, KY 42001

Schedule:
Wednesday :: Thursday :: Friday :: Saturday

Show Info:
Reigstration
Place to Eat at the Show
Getting Around
Photography Policy
Sanctioned Events
Vendor List

Local Destinations & Info:
All About Paducah
The National Quilting Museum
Hancocks of Paducah
The Bryer Patch
Paducah Tourism Info
Local Quilting and Fabric Shops

What are the attendees pinning?
Paducah on Pinterest

[image from Far Outliers from Paducah's Men in Quilts]

Accuquilt’s 2013 4th Annual Barn Quilt Contest

As a proud sponsor of the 4th Annual Accuquilt Barn Quilt Contest, we couldn’t miss the chance to give a giant shout out! There are still 2 days left to submit an entry, which means you still have a chance to win;).

This year, there are $8,500 in total prizes and more than 100 winners! Take a peek at what’s at stake:

Grand Prize Package worth more than $5,000
One Winner will receive:

• $750 AccuQuilt Shopping Spree – Your choice of AccuQuilt product!
• Round trip for two to Omaha, Neb. for an unveiling ceremony for their design at the AccuQuilt offices. The unveiling date is scheduled to occur June 7, 2013 with special guest, Ricky Tims!
• 2 tickets to the 3rd Annual Let’s GO! Quilt Retreat in Fremont, Neb. on June 4-6, 2013 for themselves and a friend.
• Trip includes 4-night hotel stay (one room for four nights) in Fremont, Neb.
• All meals included except dinner on June 7.
• Baby Lock Grace Sewing Machine (Model # BL40A)
• TheQuiltShow.com 130-Show Library (40 DVDs)
• Riley Blake Assorted Fabric Bundle
• Pellon® Legacy™ 80/20 Batting with Scrim – 9 yard board

Runner-up Prize Package worth more than $1,000
One winner will receive:

• $350 AccuQuilt Gift Certificate – Your choice of AccuQuilt product!
• 1 ticket to the 3nd Annual Let’s GO! Quilt Retreat in Fremont June 4-6, 2013.
• Madeira® Quilting Thread & Susie’s Basket
• Pellon® 805 Wonder-Under® Fusible Web – 35 yard board

100 Prize Packages for Top 100 Blocks
Each winner will receive:

• $25 in AccuQuilt Rewards Points

On top of all that, if you’re the winner, or the runner-up, your design will be admired by the masses;). Take a peek at last year’s winners:

[Design by Belinda Karls-Nace from Des Moines, Iowa]

[Design by Carol Johnson from Ontario, Canada]

The unveiling event will take place on Friday, June 7 at the Accuquilt Headquarters in Omaha, NE.

A few handy links:
How to enterThe History of the Barn Quilt Movement

And don’t forget to follow along with Accuquilt so that you don’t miss any big news!
Website :: Facebook :: Twitter :: YouTube :: Pinterest

If you’re entering, good luck! If you’re following along, get ready for a little greatness! Happy Friday All!

Sew South Giveaway

We were incredibly proud and honored to be one of the sponsors for the very first Sew South Modern Sewing Retreat. A weekend of classes, fabric shopping, and online friends having the chance to meet face to face, the retreat was a wild success. We provided all of the interfacing needed for the weekend’s classes and adored seeing all of the photos of the students’ creations. Founder Jennifer Mathis did a terrific job in pulling everything together and we’re hoping to see this turn into an annual event.

[image by Ellison Lane on Instagram]

[image by slidbom on Instagram]

[image by maychappell on Instagram]

Take a peek at this little video for a sneak peek into the weekend’s activities:

For those who didn’t have the chance to attend, Sew South has been kind enough to offer a fabulous swag giveaway!

Three lucky winners will receive a Sew South Swag Bag full of amazing sewing products that we’re sure you will love! Each swag bag is valued at over $200!

Here’s a closer look:

Here’s what you get:
Dritz Rotary Cutter, Dritz Flower Pins, Omnigrid Cutting Mat, Free Spirit Notting Hill Bundle, Jo Ann Fat Quarters,  Insulbrite Batting, Warm & Natural Batting, Steam-a-Seam Sample, Baby Lock Pattern Books, Andover Charm Pack, Michael Miller Cotton Couture Charm Pack, Fabricworm Fat Quarter, Art Gallery Fat Quarter, Alison Glass Fabric Sample, Spoonflower Quilt Label,  Windham Fabric Samples, Modern Patchwork Magazine, Generation Q Magazine, Aurifil Thread, Coats & Clark Thread, Phoomph Sample, Moda Mini Charm Pack, Downtown Tape Washi Tape, Pellon® Interfacing Charm Pack Guide, Green Bee Pattern, Straight Stitch Society Pattern, Kati Cupcake Pattern, Favorite Things Pattern, & Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee Book.

Many thanks to the following sponsors:
Pellon, Jo Ann, Oliso, We’re Sew Creative, Dritz, Ellison Lane, Fabricworm, Free Spirit, Rowan, Ty Pennington Impressions, Studio Cherie, While Baby Naps, Art Gallery Fabrics, Fat Quarter Shop, Generation Q Magazine, Windham Fabrics

and friends:
Michael Miller Fabrics, Alison Glass, Brandy Lynn’s, Old Red Barn Co, Spoonflower, Andover, Coats & Clark, Aurifil, Downtown Tape, Kati Cupcake, Stash Books, Favorite Things, Green Bee and Oliver + S.

To enter to win, simply head to the Sew South site! Good luck!

AQS Lancaster

The AQS Show in Lancaster, PA kicked off this morning and we’re thrilled to be a vendor! Our fabulous batting expert, Darlene Christopherson is there today through Saturday to answer questions, tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Legacy™ by Pellon® battings and maybe sell you a few boards while you’re there;).

She’s joined by Roseann Noll, owner of Phoenix Rose Quilts, a local Legacy™ distributor.

We do hope that you’ll pop in to say hello if you’re walking the floor of the show! More details are below:

2013 AQS Quilt Week™ in Lancaster, PA
March 13 – March 16, 2013
Lancaster County Convention Center
25 South Queen Street

Show Hours:
Wednesday – Friday, 9am – 6pm
Saturday, 9am – 5pm

Links
Full Program
Vendors
Getting to Know

Girl’s Night Out — Charlotte

The Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores Girl’s Night Out Blogger Get Together is a small event where online friends can gather in an intimate setting to meet, laugh, and share their passion for sewing — knitting together the sewing community in a more personal and binding way. After the success in Salt Lake City this past October, organizer Jess Abbott of Me Sew Crazy & Sew Set decided to take it on the road. The next dinner is in Charlotte this weekend!

Though the dinner is completely sold out, you still get to take part in the fun! We’ve banded together with the other incredible sponsors of this awesome event to offer some fabulous prizes for you to win.

ELEVEN to be exact!!!

6 Winners will receive the amazing 200 Year Anniversary Collectible Coats & Clark Tin filled with goodies courtesy of Coats & Clark!

————————-

 

1 lucky winner will receive this fun cutting set courtesy of Fiskars, which includes their Ergo Control Rotary Cutter, Non-Stick Scissors & traveling Folding Scissors!

————————-

1 lucky winner will get an incredible bundle of some of our brand new packaged Pellon Products, which includes 1 throw size Pellon® Nature’s Touch® Cotton Batting, 1 pkg of 988 Sew-In Fleece (22″ x 36″), 1 pkg 931TD Fusible Midweight (15″ x 3 yards), 1 pkg Lutradur 70g (10- 8.5″ x 11″ sheets), and 1 pkg 542 Stick-N-Washaway (5- 8.5″ x 11″ sheets). Woo hoo!

————————-

1 winner will get this incredibly fun fat quarter bundle of the new Happy Tones fabric collection from Michael Miller Fabrics!

————————-

The most surprising will be this box of fun fabric courtesy of Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores for 1 winner!

————————-

And last, but certainly not least, 1 winner will receive the same swag bag all of the Girl’s Night Out attendees will be receiving!!! Filled with goodies from Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores, Coats & Clark, Pellon, Michael Miller Fabric, HGTV, and Photojojo.

————————-Who’s with me that THAT is one incredible bundle of prizes?!!

To enter, simply like all of the Facebook pages below…

***Make sure you only enter ONCE, because this form is shared on participating sites. Duplicate entries will be deleted, and giveaway ends Thursday, March 14th. Good luck!***

JO-ANN FABRIC & CRAFT
MICHAEL MILLER FABRICS
COATS & CLARK
PELLON
ME SEW CRAZY

& then Tell Us…

Fill out the form below with your answer!

* This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability.

No purchase necessary. For alternate entry, e-mail jgerblick(at)hotmail(dot)com with your full name and the subject line ìGNO Charlotte Giveaway.î All prizes will ship within 7 days of the end of the giveaway. Giveaway starts Thursday, March 7th at 3:00 am EST and ends Thursday, March 14th at 8:00 am EST. Once the giveaway ends, winners will be chosen using Random.org and contacted within 24 hours by e-mail. A post announcing the winners will go live at MeSewCrazy.com with winnersí names on Thursday, March 14th. Winners will need to respond within 48 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to US contestants only.

Want to see the action live? Follow hashtag #gnocharlotte on Twitter & IG for live updates from attendees and Sponsors!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and GOOD LUCK!!!

Until next time, Happy Sewing!

 

Road to California

The first big show of 2013 is here!! The Road to California Quilter’s Conference and Showcase kicked off today, January 24th, at 10am and we are proud and excited to be a part of it! Though our whole crew can’t be out West for this one, our #1 batting expert, Darlene, is there with a smile and all the answers you’ll need about Pellon® products. Additionally, Nancy Williams of Batting Unlimited will be selling batting rolls right at our booth at what we like to call ‘try me’ prices — aka an excellent deal!! If you’re attending the show, we hope you’ll stop by booth 1713-1715 to say hello!

Road to California :: January 24 – 28, 2013
Thursday – Saturday 9 AM – 6 PM
Sunday 10 AM – 3:30 PM
Click here for show information

[photo: Nancy Williams in the Pellon®/Legacy™ booth, clearly having a great time!]

We are honored to be the batting supplier for all Long Arm classes as the show. If you happen to be in attendance, keep you eye out for that Legacy™ by Pellon® logo and your very own batting chart. If you’re following along at home, we’ve still got you covered. Here is our basic batting info:

If you’d like to download pdf of all of our quilting products, simply click here.

We’ll post pictures of the event via our Facebook page, so make sure to follow us there for the latest updates!

We Love Batting!

How much do we love the Holiday Season? So much that we’ve teamed up with Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft to bring you a super HOT deal on batting!! This is your chance to grab a great product for an even better price, and it’s the perfect way to use that gift card you just got for Christmas. So… set your alarms for EARLY tomorrow and make sure to head to your local Jo-Ann or simply head to their online store. For easy shopping tomorrow, follow these links for the big deals:  Nature’s Touch & Quilter’s Touch.

If you’re looking for some ways to use all of the fabulous new batting you’ll grab tomorrow, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of our free quilt patterns on our website, or browse through our favorites on Pinterest.

And now… back to Christmas cookies and hot chocolate;).

————————————–

pssssssssst!!! Have you entered-to-win in our last Handmade Holiday Giveaway? You’ve got until midnight tonight! Good luck:).

Quilt Market Love, Houston-Style

[image via Elle C on Pinterest]

Since we didn’t get as many photos as we’d hoped, we thought it extra important to shine a giant spotlight on all of the other fabulous round-ups we could find. Thankfully, there are oodles of amazing bloggers & shops out there who took some gorgeous photos, schooled us on the new fabric lines to watch for, and showcased their favorites from Houston.

Spring Quilt Market 2012 :: Blog Round-ups
* Have a recap of your own that you don’t see listed here? Post a link in the comments and I’ll add you to the list!

3 Little Brds

A
Amanda Murphy Design :: And Sew It Goes :: Annemarie’s Anecdotes

B
Bari J :: Beaspoke Quilts :: Beck & Lundy :: Bernina – We All Sew :: Betz White :: Bunny Hill Designs

C
Cluck Cluck Sew :: Crazy Old Ladies :: Creativebug

D
Don’t Call Me Betsy

F
Fat Quarter Shop – The Jolly Jabber :: From the Blue Chair

G
Generation Q (multiple posts) :: Going Home to Roost

I
In Color Order :: Inventive Denim

J
Jacey Craft :: Janome :: Jemima’s Creative Quilting

K
Keepsake Quilting

L
Little Lady Patchwork :: The Little Red Hen (multiple posts)

M
Made by Rae (multiple posts) ::Martingale – Stitch This! :: MaryJane’s Gift for Gab :: Modern Quilt Relish :: My Go-Go Life

P
Pat Bravo :: Pearl the Squirrel :: Piece N Quilt :: Piece O’ Cake Blog :: Pink Chalk Studio :: The Plaid Portico (multiple posts)

S
Schlosser Designs :: The Seasoned Homemaker :: Sew Can She :: Sew Caroline :: Sewing Over Pins :: Sew It Up :: Sew Liberated :: Sew Sweetness (multiple posts) :: Spoonflower :: Such Designs

T
Tina’s Touch Quilting :: True Up, Part 1 (multiple posts!)

Houston Quilt Market 2012, Part 2

One of the things that I love most about Market is having a chance to check out all of the booths. It’s so much fun to see the projects made, the layouts, and really just the creativity that goes into each one. We work in a highly creative business and Market is where that creativity really gets to shine. I didn’t get to make quite as many stops as last time (never enough time!) but I did get to pop by a few and I’m happy to have the opportunity to share some photos here.

Stay tuned for a round-up of all the round-ups;). So many posts to read, so many pictures to ogle.

Andover Fabrics
Loved seeing Lucky Penny by Alison Glass and Asbury & Frippery by Thomas Knauer

Textile Creations
They included little tags on their quilts describing which battings were used in the middle. We love it!

Robert Kauffman
Loved the booth featuring Carolyn Friedlander‘s Architextures. The quilt was done by Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts and the poufs are courtesy of Andrea from Knitty Bitties.

Art Gallery Fabrics
Rock ‘n Romance by the amazing Pat Bravo

Monaluna
Simply adored all of the patterns and projects in this booth, including a few by Pellon Projects™ designer Vanessa Lynch of Punkin Patterns!

Moda Fabrics
This booth just blew me away!! With the theme of Glamping with Mary Jane, it was a total standout. There were new lines by Kate Spain, Eric & Julie Comstock, Aneela Hoey, Malka Dubrawsky, and more. Simply fabulous!

Lunch Box Quilts
Angie Steveson’s latest quilt pattern, Ooh La La was a total hit!

Island Batik Fabrics
Lovely quilts on display!

FabShop
Forever supporting the independent!

Echino
Always the amazing eye-candy

Coats & Clark
This booth featured a quilt by Heather Jones of Olive & Ollie. There’s Legacy™ by Pellon® batting inside;).

Among Brenda’s Quilts
Brenda Miller’s bags are just awesome. I would encourage to check out her patterns! She’s also a Pellon Projects™ Designer.

Birch Fabrics
This booth is always a favorite of mine. The colors, the layout, the dresses, quilts and home décor. Just love it! That adorable dress was made by Shannon Cook of luvinthemommyhood and the quilt hanging on the back wall is by Melissa Lunden of Lunden Designs.

Art Gallery Fabrics
Splendor 1920 by Bari J is stunning. How fabulous are the color combos on that floor pouf?

Aurifil had such a friendly crew (including the lovely Kim from My Go-Go Life) and such a gorgeous array of colors!

Aunties Two
I’m in love with Carol McLeod’s designs. Just look at that pouf! Also, Carol just happens to live in the town next to me so she is one of the few people in the business I can actually meet for lunch. Maybe it’s time you all take a trip to Maine?

Amy Butler
I’ve never seen an Amy Butler print I haven’t loved;).

Art Gallery Fabrics
Just loving Color Me Retro, the debut line from Jeni Baker of In Color Order. Stay tuned for a new project from Jeni, coming soon!

—————————————————————–

That’s all from Houston! Now begins the countdown to Portland;).

Cathedral Windows, Part 3

If you’ve been following along, you’ve already seen (and maybe even made) the last 3 blocks in our Cathedral Window QAL. We had so much fun with this one and are pretty darn impressed with the creativity that each of these 9 designers brought to the table.

So, without further pause… our final 3 blocks!

Cathedral Window Star Block :: Elizabeth Dackson, Don’t Call Me Betsy
Elizabeth’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

Wonky Shattered Glass Window :: Kim Niedzwiecki, My Go-Go Life
Kim’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

Mod ‘Cathedral Window’ Block :: Heather Jones, olive and ollie
Heather’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

Feast your eyes on the latest eye-candy from the fab flickr group:

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

AND… we noticed that a few of you have finished your quilt tops! Couldn’t help but give a little extra shout-out here:).

[by Casa Crafty -- blogged here]

[by BJPinckard -- image here]

[by a.Amelia Handmade -- blogged here]

Don’t forget, we’ll be accepting block image entries for the QAL giveaway via the Cathedral Windows Quilt-Along Flickr group through November 15th. Plus, we want to see all of that beauty that you’re creating;). For more information about prizing and submission, check out Bree’s post right here or head to FreeQuiltPatterns.info.

Houston Quilt Market 2012

Oh Houston, how we love thee so;). At long last… it’s the Houston Quilt Market recap. I had fully intended to get this out last week, but somehow, I’d forgotten how exhausting Market can actually be! Pellon® had an absolute blast at the trade show this year. We met new and old friends, ogled all of the fabulous new fabric lines launched, marveled over the creative booths, filmed some demo videos, taught some classes (yay Darlene!), introduced some exciting new products AND re-introduced some of our favorite go-tos in the world of interfacing and batting. We ate great food, I had the best martini of my life and we all walked miles and miles. Isn’t that all what Quilt Market is all about?

This year, we printed up free project sheets featuring some of our fabulous project designers. We also put together a brand new display for our batting. Oh, and did you get a sample of Fabric Magic™?

These snazzy little bags were filled with goodies for Market giveaways. Stay tuned for a special giveaway right here on the blog!

Project wall, Pellon Projects® Fixture, and lots of Legacy™ by Pellon® Batting!

Packages of Pellon®!

A stunning quilt created especially for our Fall booth by the incredibly talented Darlene Christopherson.

The Project Table
Top right: Embroidery To-Go Bag by Sara Lawson & Rachael Gander, Frippery Coasters by Rachael Gander, Gift Bags by Vanessa Lynch (tutorial coming soon), Makeup Brush Roll by Jessica Skibicki
Middle left: Luggage Tags by Jill Dorsey
Middle middle: Fabric Envelopes by Jeni Baker (tutorial via Fat Quarter Gang — uses Décor Bond)
Middle right: Sweet & Tiny Keychains by Emily Lang
Bottom left: Modern Girl Clutch by Whitney Edwards
Bottom middle: Gift Card Holders by Heather Valentine
Bottom right: Panty Pack by Michelle Dorsey

The I {heart} Pellon Christmas Stocking by Rachael Gander — tutorial coming soon!

Our lovely corner booth!

——————–

I had the pleasure of working with 6 of our amazing project designers on a special video project. We’re not ready to release all of the details, but thought you’d enjoy a little sneak peek all the same:


A trio of panty packs!

——————–

I know we saw a few of you at Darlene’s Take & Teach classes each morning. I was impressed with the turnout and had such a wonderful time talking with attendees. Darlene is a pro and I always come away feeling as though I’ve learn something new. On Sunday & Monday mornings, special guest Brenda Miller and her friend Lisa stopped by to talk about different types of bags, popular interfacings and more. Her designs were a big hit and I’d encourage you all to check out her website: Among Brenda’s Quilts.

——————–

Lots more eye-candy is coming soon:). Stay-tuned!

 

Cathedral Windows, Part 2

It’s time for Round 2 of our Cathedral Window QAL! We have 3 new fabulous blocks which means we’re 2/3 of the way to a finished top;).

Opposing Waves Cathedral Window Block :: Emily Lang, Mommy’s Nap Time
Emily’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

Feathered Cathedral Window Block :: Rachael Gander, Imagine Gnats
Rachael’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

Color Burst Cathedral Window Block :: Jessica Lynn Skibicki, Sew Crafted
Jessica’s Post — Printable Pattern — FreeQuiltPatterns.info

New blocks COMING SOON!!

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

What else makes me giddy about this whole thing? Checking out all of the blocks created from these tutorials;). If you’re sewing along, don’t forget to add your blocks to the flickr group.

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -

Don’t forget… You can also enter to win some fab prizes! For more info on prizes and how to enter, head to Bree’s post right here. Happy sewing and GOOD LUCK!!

A Girl’s Night Out!!

Are you all as excited about October as we are? Between the Cathedral Window QAL, the Trick-or-Treat QAL, Sewing Summit, Quilt Market and Quilt Festival, we’ve already been hopping around the office in a constant giddy state. But now we’re doing cartwheels too;).

We are excited to be involved in the very first Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores Girls Night Out Blogger Get Together! The event was organized by Jessica of Me Sew Crazy and will take place on Friday, October 12th out in Salt Lake City, UT. It was planned to coincide with the oh-so-fabulous Sewing Summit, which takes place over that weekend.

Our industry happens to have a tremendous online presence, powered by an enormous collection of extraordinarily talented designers, crafters, sewers, writers, and educators, sharing their every day passions with the world through their blogs. As Jessica said so eloquently, “Blogging gives us a platform to share our common interests, our daily life, our goals and aspirations, and helps us connect with others in a powerful way. We form meaningful friendships with people through the written word. And when the opportunity arises for us to meet up, we jump at the chance to rejoice and celebrate those friendships.” (see her announcement post here)

We’re proud a sponsor and honored to be in such good company: Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores, Michel Miller Fabrics, Coats & Clark, Fat Quarter Shop, & The Ribbon Retreat.

Want to get in on the fun? (Of course you do!!)

Enter-to-win in the Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores Girl’s Night Out Contest for your chance to win some fabulous sewing swag!

Don’t have a Twitter or Instagram account? Leave a comment on Jess’s intro post over at Me Sew Crazy. That’s also where you’ll want to head for contest rules;).

Take a peek at some of the lovely attendees:

Ooooooooo — it’s gonna be good!! Have fun and good luck!!

Cathedral Window QAL

Good Morning to all you fabulous creators and welcome to October!! It’s going to be an amazing month, chock full of pure AWESOME with The Sewing Summit, Fall International Quilt Market and Quilt Festival and a plethora of fabulous QALs and giveaways. We’re certainly not lacking for things to do;).

To kick things off in style, we’re happy to announce the Cathedral Window Quilt Along. We’ve teamed up with FreeQuiltPatterns.info and 9 talented Pellon Projects™ designers to bring you a fun 9-block Cathedral Window Mini Sampler.  Each week in October, there will be two block tutorials featuring each designer’s take on the traditional Cathedral Window. Each designer will post her block on her own blog, and of course, we’ll provide the free pdf download for your reference right at PellonProjects.com. See below for the schedule and please visit each individual blog to support these wonderful ladies. We’ll post updates on the blog every Friday.

Oct 1 :: Sara @ Sew Sweetness 
Oct 4 :: Bree @ My Crafty Crap
Oct 8 :: Jill @ Made with Moxie 
Oct 11 :: Emily @ Mommy’s Nap Time
Oct 15 :: Rachael @ Imagine Gnats 
Oct 18 :: Jessica @ Sew Crafted
Oct 22 :: Elizabeth @ Don’t Call Me Betsy
Oct 25 :: Kim @ My Go-Go Life 
Oct 29 :: Heather @ Olive & Ollie

If that weren’t already enough, how about a few chances to win some fabulous prizes? We have contributed some snazzy little prize packs AND there some awesome items from Aurifil, FreeQuiltPatterns.info & Fat Quarter Shop. All details are below. The only question now is, are you ready to sew??

Prizing Details
1st & 2nd place will be randomly drawn from all completed sampler tops. You do not need to have the mini backed, quilted, or bound, but all nine blocks must be completed. You may have one entry for each completed sampler top. All blocks must be completed & submitted to the flickr group by midnight central time on november 15 to be considered for the drawing.

First Prize:
1 Kindle Fire HD
1 $35 Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate
1 pkg Pellon® EK150-10 Easy-Knit® Tape
1 pkg 70 Peltex® Ultra Firm Sew-In
1 pkg Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
1 pkg Pellon® 805R Wonder-Under®
1 pkg Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex®
1 Legacy™ by Pellon® Throw (60×60) 100% Natural Cotton Batting
1 pkg Pellon® Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber
1 Pattern Playground CD

Second Prize
1 $35 Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate
1 Legacy™ by Pellon® Crib (45×60) 100% Natural Cotton Batting
1 pkg Pellon® Perfect Loft™ Cluster Fiber
1 pkg Pellon® 805R Wonder-Under®
1 pkg Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex®
1 Pattern Playground CD

- – - – - – - -

3rd & 4th place will be drawn from all individually completed blocks. You may have one entry for each of the nine blocks completed.

Third Prize:
1 pkg Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
1 pkg Pellon® 805R Wonder-Under®
1 pkg Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex®

Fourth Prize:
1 pkg Pellon® 987F Fusible Fleece
1 pkg Pellon® 805R Wonder-Under®
1 pkg Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex®

- – - – - – - -

Individual block prize bundles will be drawn from all entries for each block design. You may have one entry into each of the nine drawings for each block completed of that design.

Individual block prize #1-9:
1 Aurifil thread bundle
1 Pattern Playground CD

- – - – - – - -

For more info, check My Crafty Crap and don’t forget to join the cathedral windows qal flickr group!! Get your sewing machine ready for a great month;).

The Sewing Loft :: National Sewing Month Series

Happy Friday!! Today, I’m pleased to introduce you to Heather Valentine, a brand new Pellon Projects™ artist and owner/creator of The Sewing Loft. In honor of September and National Sewing Month, Heather has been hosting a terrific series highlighting favorite tools and techniques from some of our industry’s great creative ladies. We’ve been following along and suddenly have a giant list of new tools that just *must* be purchased for our sewing rooms;). Thankfully, we can use all of the posts in Heather’s series as a guide for what to make with all of our new handy tools;).

Thanks so much for taking a moment to chat with us today, Heather!

Pellon Projects: What first inspired the National Sewing Month Series?
Heather Valentine: National Sewing Month was always a big deal with my New Jersey Sewing Guild Chapter. We always did our best to celebrate in a special way. Now, that I have moved 600 plus miles away, I still wanted to keep the traditional alive. I thought the blog was a wonderful way to share the celebration with others!

PP: Was your intention always to keep a focus on tools and tricks of the trade?
HV: My focus was always tools, tips and tricks. With so many tools on the market today, it is difficult to know every last one. Plus, I think it’s really interesting to see how others use the similar tools. I mean, let’s face it, we all have a machine but those little tools, they’re like eye candy! They can save a bunch of time. Case in point- the little wooden stick!

PP: What are your hopes for the series?
HV: My hope is that stitchers of all levels will find something of interest and become inspired by a new tool, tip or project idea. The main goal is to inspire others to “Reclaim” their creativity through stitching! Hopefully, someone following along will see a tool in a whole new light, or discover that their old standby tucked in a drawer somewhere can actually be used differently to help save time. That would be a win in my book.

PP: What is your favorite or most-used sewing room tool?
HV: This question is a toughie! But it is funny that you ask, I just completed a few projects all from my fabric stash. Without a doubt in my mind, this is my most over worked and under appreciated tool.

PP: What Pellon® interfacing product would you recommend to readers and why?
HV: Well, currently I am working on this fun project with the 906F interfacing. I think by now, everyone knows that I save all of my scraps. This product allows me to salvage them and reclaim them into a fun new fabric.

To be fair though, I think it’s super important for stitchers to realize the importance of a quality interfacing. During my years of Product Development and Technical Design in the garment industry, I learned the significance of this hidden gem caught between the layers of fabric. A quality interfacing can make a piece of inexpensive fabric shine like a brilliant diamond! But without it, your project is sure to show flaws and will breakdown over time.

I think many stitchers underestimate the powerful foundation this hidden layer provides. For me, interfacing is like the secret ingredient in your favorite sauce. Without it, something is lacking.

A few key links
Zipper Foot
Handy Sewing Needle Tips & Tricks
The Power of a Pin Cushion
Get to the Point with Sewing Pins
The Wooden Iron
Heat Erasing Pens

Thank you again Heather!!

[all images courtesy of The Sewing Loft and guest posters -- click the links for more information]

Craft Book Month @ Craft Buds

If you’re like me, you may have assumed that September is ONLY National Sewing Month. Not true… over at Craft Buds, it’s also Craft Book Month! Now in its second year, the event strives to shine a light on the talented creatives behind the many crafting & sewing books out there. From quilts to embroidery, crafts to apparel, there really is a little something for everyone. The series thus far has been nothing less than fascinating, featuring interviews with industry folk sharing advice for aspiring authors and how-tos from prominent designers and beloved bloggers. It’s possible that we’re just a tiny bit biased (co-creator Lindsay Conner is a Pellon Projects™ Designer), but we’ve been loving every minute and are, quite frankly, a little sad to see it come to an end.

That said, we’re extremely happy to have had a chance to chat with Lindsay and learn a bit more about how the series came to be and how the month of pure bloggy loveliness has been for her. Thanks so much to Lindsay for taking a few moments out of her busy schedule!!

Pellon Projects: What first inspired the Craft Book Month Series?
Lindsay Conner: My husband and I were vacationing in Quebec City a couple summers ago. I tend to get new ideas when I’m away from my day-to-day environment. Thankfully, this was one of those times! For several months, I’d put myself toward the goal of writing a DIY/how-to book. I realized that there wasn’t much information in blogland about the actual process. How do you go about writing a book proposal? What’s the best way to research and connect with publishers that might be interested in your idea? Do you need to hire an agent? I figured that the process looked a little different in the crafting field than with other types of publishing, but I had to do a lot of digging to find answers.

As I was walking the streets of a new city, I came up with the idea for a blog series called Craft Book Month. I had two goals in mind: a) I wanted answers to the questions above and b) I also wanted to encourage and inspired crafters (myself included!) to actually make a project from a craft book and share it. Let’s face it… some of our craft books are collecting dust! As a side benefit, I’ve been able to network and connect with inspiring craft book authors and their publishers while promoting the event, which has led to some pretty cool opportunities.

PP: Was it easier to pull everything together for this one, now that you’re in your second year of running the event?
LC: Yes, absolutely. This year, I had the idea to move beyond the author/editor relationship and expand the series to share a bit how craft book photography, marketing and design/layout work. There’s so much that goes into the book production process, that I thought it would be great to learn from the experts! I also formed a team of bloggers this year to help me spread the word through a blog hop, which helped us to cast a wider net for the event and share the craft book love.

PP: Do you have a favorite Craft Book that you would recommend to readers?
LC: I have several! In general, I love all of the quilt titles from Stash Books, especially Block Party and Bags: The Modern Classics. Fa La La La Felt and Stash Happy Felt are two of my favorites from Lark Crafts. The One-Yard Wonders books and Improv Sewing from Storey Publishing are also favorites, because they each have 101 projects! There is really so much inspiration to be found, and I like checking out books from a variety of publishers and even self-published books and patterns.

PP: I would imagine that reader participation for a month-long event like this must be pretty strong. Have you been getting a lot of great feedback?
LC: We have more than doubled our participation in the linky party from last year (and had a huge response from Craft Book Month sponsors) so I am thrilled! The feedback has been very positive, both from the blog readers and the wonderful experts who agreed to do a Q&A with me and take the hot seat. And I expect that readers will chime in on the linky party and this week’s giveaways through the last day, September 30.

PP:What types of projects do you see the most of in the final week link-up party?
LC: We have a lot of sewing and quilting readers, so it’s not surprising to see lots of quilts, sewn wearables and home decor. But we also have some knitters in the mix. It’s fun to get to see two interpretations of the same quilt!

PP: And just because we’re curious, what Pellon® product would you recommend to readers and why?
LC: I love  Legacy™ by Pellon® batting, and cannot wait to wrap up a couple projects so I can dive in and work on my free-motion quilting. The batting looks great with tight quilting, so I was happy to get my quilt back from the long armer and see how smooth it looked–brilliant!

[Images courtesy of the Authors, Publishers and Craft Buds -- see below for article links]

A few handy links
Craft Book Photograph Elizabeth Maxson
Author Talk: Fat Quarter Shop & Giveaway
Craft Book Author Angela Yosten
Anna Maria’s Needleworks Notebook & Giveaway
Linky Party [link your projects up TODAY!!]

Check out Craft Buds for access to a full month’s worth of fabulous articles. To learn more about Craft Buds and co-creators Lindsay Conner & Mary Jaracz click here. Lindsay can also be found online at Lindsay Sews & Mary blogs at Bugglebee.

Quilt Market Love

WARNING: Reading this post may cause you to lose a few hours out of your day;). We’ve all been hooked on the Quilt Market recaps this week, at least I know I have been! There is so much loveliness to observe, so much talent. After everything I’ve seen this week, I couldn’t help but dedicate this week’s Pinterest post to the magical weekend in Kansas City. The time-loss part? Scroll down for an alphabetical list of all of the Quilt Market recaps I could find! Happy browsing!!

top left: pinned by Virginia Halkias — source: Sew Sweetness
top right: pinned by Heather Magill — source: Sew Sweetness
bottom left: pinned by Cindy Walker — source: Riley Blake Designs
bottom right: pinned by Kelly McCants — source: C&T Publishing on Twitter

- – – – -

top left: pinned by Amanda Kattner — source: Pink Chalk Studio (image of Anna Maria Horner)
top right: pinned by Jenelle Clark — source: Pink Chalk Studio (image of Amy Butler)
bottom: pinned by Lisa Walsh — source: In Color Order (image of Vanessa Christenson)

- – – – -

top left: pinned by Sandy Rizzo — source: Kimberley Jolly via lockerz
top right: pinned by KC — source: Sew Sweetness
bottom left: pinned by Erica Burnbaum — source: Freshly Pieced
bottom right: pinned by Julie Forster — source: Pink Chalk Studio

- – – – -

top left: pinned by Helen LeBrett — source: Fat Quarter Shop
top right: pinned by Pink Chalk Fabrics — source: Pink Chalk Studio on flickr
bottom left: pinned by Becky Laswell — source: Lindsay Sews {@craftbuds} on flickr
bottom right: pinned by CatsMeowToo — source: Freshly Pieced

- – – – -

top left: pinned by Sue Shimomura — source: Oh! Fransson
top right: pinned by Di Mill — source: Free Spirit Fabric
bottom left: pinned by Megan Patent-Nygren — source: The Printed Bolt
bottom right: pinned by Nadine S — source: Modern Quilt Relish

- – – – -

top left: pinned by Elaina Turpin — source: Free Spirit Fabric
top right: pinned by Pink Chalk Fabrics — source: Pink Chalk Studio on flickr
bottom left: pinned by Jacklynn Grimm — source: My Go Go Life
bottom right: pinned by Pink Chalk Fabrics — source: Pink Chalk Studio on flickr

- – – – -

top: pinned by Whistlepig Creek — source: Whistlepig Creek
bottom left: pinned by Pink Chalk Fabrics — source: Pink Chalk Studios on flickr
bottom right: pinned by Andrea Turner — source: Two More Seconds via Instagram

- – – – -

Spring Quilt Market 2012 :: Blog Round-ups
* Have a recap of your own that you don’t see listed here? Post a link in the comments and I’ll add you to the list!

3 little birds

A
A Place to Share :: Art Gallery Fabrics

B
Bari J :: Bumble Beans

C
Canoe Ridge Creations :: Cloud 9 Fabrics :: Common Threads Quilt Shop :: Craft Foxes :: Crazy Old Ladies

D
Dear Stella :: Diary of a Quilter :: Don’t Call Me Betsy

F
Fabric Envy :: Fancy Tiger Crafts :: Fat Quarter Shop :: Fishsticks Designs :: Free Spirit Fabric :: Freshly Pieced

G
Generation Q

I
I’m A Ginger Monkey :: In Color Order

J
Jackie’s Art Quilts :: Jaybird Quilts :: Jennifer Jangles

L
Lella Boutique :: Lindsay Sews :: Little Bluebell :: Lovebug Studios

M
Made By Rae :: Modern Quilt Relish :: My Go Go Life

O

Oh, Fransson! :: Olive and Ollie :: oliver + s

P
Pearl the Squirrel :: Peas in a Pod :: Penguin & Fish :: Pink Chalk Studio :: Pokey’s Ponderings :: Prudent Baby

Q
Quilter’s Haven :: Quilting Lodge

R
Rebekah Meier :: Ribbon Candy Quilt Company :: Riley Blake Designs

S
Schmetz Needles :: Schnitzel & Boo :: See How We Sew :: Sew Flakes :: Sew It Seams :: Sew Modern :: Sew Sweetness :: Stitch This! — Martingale :: Such Designs :: Suzn Quilts

T
The Cottage Home :: The Long Thread :: The Printed Bolt :: The Quilt Patch :: The Rabbit’s Lair :: True Up

V
Violet Craft

W
Whistlepig Creek

- – – – -

Happy Long Weekend!!

Spring Quilt Market 2012 — Day 3

Day 3:

It was a hectic one, that final day. It started out with yet another fabulous class by Darlene Christopherson (she really is amazing!) and rolled into to what felt like an all out sprint from booth to booth. My flight was scheduled for early afternoon, so I had a little less time to snap photos, but I did what I could.

So, what did this first time attendee think of Quilt Market? WOW. It’s incredible that one word can so succinctly sum it all up. Just wow. The level of creativity and craftsmanship was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The camaraderie was unparalleled. I witnessed reunions between quilters and industry veterans, first time meetings of long time ‘online’ friends, and more hugging than I ever would have imagined possible at a trade show. I’ve been talking with many of you for weeks, even months, and upon meeting face to face, almost every single one of you went in for the hug;). After a while, the hug just seemed like the way to go, so a few of you might have fallen subject to a healthy squeeze from me too. It really does seem like Market is just a gathering of new and old friends, all together for the most awesome and creative party imaginable. Am I overreacting? Maybe. But I’m hoping that the I’m at successful in communicating how humbled I was by it all… by the level of talent, the unconditional support and unwavering respect for your peers.

I hope that you all enjoyed yourselves, and, if you’ve been following along with the recap, that you’ve grabbed your own little piece of the action just by looking at the photos. Here’s hoping we’ll see you in Houston!

International Quilt Market, Houston
October 27 – 29, 2012

- – - – - – - – - -

Accuquilt® :: www.accuquilt.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Me and My Sister Designs :: www.meandmysisterdesigns.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Birch Organic Fabric :: www.birchfabrics.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Moda Home :: www.unitednotions.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Such Designs :: such-designs.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Michael Miller Fabrics, LLC :: www.michaelmillerfabrics.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Ilene Bartos Designs :: www.ilenebartos.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Totes by Sandy :: www.totesbysandy.com

- – - – - – - – - -

V and Co. :: www.vanessachristenson.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Sarah Jane Studios :: shop.sarahjanestudios.com

- – - – - – - – - -

Until next time!

Spring Quilt Market 2012 — Day 2

Day 2:

My second day of Market began with a wonderfully packed class taught by our very own Darlene Christopherson. She filled eager listeners in on our new products, deferred to guest speaker Linda McGehee (Ghee’s) for a presentation on zippers and bag construction and then went through how to make your very own ebook cover. Attendees were all given a slew of info and a whole bag construction kit. It made me wish I was a more skilled sewer;). Maybe next year!

In between meetings, booth duty and our big fixture giveaway, I managed to stroll the aisles, say a few more hellos and grab more photos! Enjoy:)

Textile Creations, Inc. :: www.textilecreations.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Maple Island Quilts / Debbie Bowles :: www.mapleislandquilts.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Kona Modern Quilts :: www.robertkaufman.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Violette Field Threads :: www.violettefieldthreads.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Bananafana :: www.bananafanadesigns-byjess.blogspot.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Villa Rosa Designs :: www.villarosadesigns.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Frond Designs Studios :: www.fronddesignstudios.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Suzn Quilts :: suznquilts.homestead.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Seven Islands Fabrics — Echino, Heather Ross, Kokka :: www.sevenislandsfabric.com

- – – – – – – – – -

Quiltsmart, Inc. :: www.quiltsmart.com

- – – – – – – – – -

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for the Sunday photo recap:)

Pellon Projects™ Fixture Winners!

If you were roaming the aisles of Quilt Market this past weekend, you may have happened by the Pellon® booth. If you did, you likely got a glimpse of our Pellon Projects™ Fixture.

The fixture is a fantastic merchandising system that we created for shops both big and small to help motivate and facilitate sales. It proudly displays our best selling products, including a wide range of batting on boards, all of your favorite interfacings and stabilizers and a healthy selection of new packaged products. It also features tear sheets with FAQs and project ideas complete with shopping lists. It’s really an amazing way to shine the spotlight on products that are normally hidden in the back of a shop. Why am I going on and on about this wonderful fixture? Well, we went a little show crazy and gave one away! That’s right… a whole fixture, for FREE.

[top & bottom: crowds gathering for the drawing; center: our CEO giving a little background on the fixture]

Shop owners had the chance to enter to win between 9:30am on Friday morning and 2pm on Saturday afternoon. The winner had to be present at the drawing in order to win. We all had a few laughs as the first few names drawn were no-shows. I ended up being the one with the magic touch and drew our winner! The moment that I called out the name Nancy Handler, there was a small shriek from the crowd and a heck of a lot of smiling.

[top: Marcia Beck, Dee Beck, Nancy Handler & Cris Haskell, our CEO; L: Darlene Christopherson from Pellon® & Nancy; R: Cris & Nancy]

Nancy runs her shop, I Love Sewing, with her mom and her aunt and all three were present to claim their prize. The shop is located in Fremont, NE and though I’ve never been, I’m absolutely loving their website. I hope you’ll take a moment to check it out and if you’re local, pop in and say hello! Pretty soon, they’ll be sporting a fabulous fixture to meet all of your Pellon® needs!

Congratulations again!!