Designer Challenge: Part 1 and Part 2

How good are you at recognizing designer patterns, styles, fabrics, and works by famous people, etc? If you have been a follower of my blog, for awhile, you probably know I've been trying to build my skills in being able to recognize designers by their work (and ultimately the work of their students).

In part one of Designer Challenge posts, I share photos of quilts made by the designer that I'm showcasing in this challenge. The challenge is to see if you can look at the collection of photos I'm sharing and correctly guess who the designer is.

The first person to correctly guess the designer of this quilt will be recognized in part two of this post, as well as be recognized on Designer Challenge Page of my blog.

This post will be updated (aka Part 2), once someone has correctly guessed who the designer is. If, no one correctly guesses the designer, within a reasonable time, I will add more clues, with the goal of closing this challenge within 24 hours of this post.

PART II 

Who Guessed it: Julie (non-blogger)

Who is this designer: Kari M. Carr (New Leaf Stitches)

Kari is a designer, teacher, author, quilter and overall, a very talented lady.

Her pattern design house, New Leaf Stitches, has many cute patterns from table toppers, wall hanging, purses, to quilts.  She is also well known for her "Clearly Perfect Angles" tool that helps quilters sew perfect Angles!


Cari has also recently released her first book "Just Around the Corner: quilts with easy mitred corners", which was published by Martingale & Company, home of That Patchwork Place.   And, she is celebrating the release of this new book with a blog hop and giveaway that starts on September 4th.  I hope you'll mark your calendar and visit the blogs participating in this celebration next week: 

Sun., Sept 4th - Kari (New Leaf Stitches)
Mon., Sept 5th - SewCalGal
Tues., Sept 6th - Pat Sloan
Wed., Sept 7 - Heidi (Hens and Chicks Studio)
Thurs., Sept 8 - Sherri (A Quilting Life)
Fri., Sept 9th - Roseanne (Rosebud's Cottage)



Related links:
New Leaf Stitches:  http://www.newleafstitches.com/
Kari's blog:  http://newleafstitches.posterous.com/
Martingale & Company:  http://www.martingale-pub.com

Pick Four: Blog Hop, Book Review, Giveaway, Beautiful Quilts

Today, SewCalGal is participating in a blog hop to celebrate the new book "Pick Four: Easy Fabric Choices for Great Quilts", by Sue Abrey, published by Martingale & Company, Home of That Patchwork Place.

Sue has an amazing talent for working with colors and choosing fabrics, as well as designing quilts.  In this book, she provides an excellent introduction, insights on choosing fabrics and basic quilting techniques.  What I found so special about this book, is that she also shares excellent insights on quilting decisions to finish the quilt and as you look through all the photos of quilts in this book, you'll also see examples of spectacular quilting that will inspire you.

This book has 12 projects that range in size from 47 1/2" x 47 1/2" to 70 1/2" x 88 1/2".  Each project has material requirements, excellent instructions for cutting and assembly, color alternatives, and quilting options.

Projects are also rated by skill level and range from Beginner to Advanced Quilter.

All of the projects are based on the selection of four fabrics and insights are provided to help those fearful of colors and prints make wise choices.  And, even many quilters that comfortable with choosing fabrics will enjoy the insights Sue shares on fabric selection.  While I'm a quilter that struggles with fabric selection, I  liked that this designs in this book focus on "no more than four fabrics", and I believe this would be helpful for myself, and other quilters, when we ask others to select fabrics for quilts that we want to make as gifts. 

Another reason that I love "Pick Four" is that many of the designs are also ones that offer the opportunity to show off beautiful free-motion quilting.  The quilts in this book are beautifully quilted and Sue does a great job recognizing the Digitial Quilt Designs used in this book, which are from:
Munnich Designs,   Quilters Niche,  Digi Tech,  and Intelligent Quilting.

I hope you'll check out "Pick Four" at your local quilt store, or on-line at Martingale & Company, as I do think you'll like this book too. 

Ok, did I mention a blog hop & giveaway.  Here is the line up for each of the blogs that are participating in this blog hop and they each have a giveaway for a copy of "Picked Four" autographed by Sue Abrey.

Wed 24 Aug - Hazel at Hazel's Quilts

Thurs 25 Aug - Mary at Quilt Hollow

Fri 26 Aug - Pat at Silver Thimble

Sat 27 Aug -Kim at Magnolia Bay Quilts

Sun 28 Aug - Barb at Bejeweled Quilts

Mon 29 Aug - Darlene at Insights from SewCalGal

Tues 30 Aug - Lynn at Sew'n Wild Oaks

Wed 31 Aug - Paulette at Sweet P Quilting

Thurs 1Sep - Trudi at Quilting Prolifically

 Fri 2 Sept - Hazel at Cotton Cocktails

To enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of "Pick Four" via SewCalGal's blog, in this hop, simply leave a comment on this post and be sure I have a way to contact you.  I'll randomly draw a winner on Sun., September 4th. 

Update:  Congratulations to Pamela Nees (Stitches on my Lap) as she is the lucky winner of a signed copy of "Pick Four", by Sue Abrey.

Related Links you may want to visit:
Sue Abrey's blog Quilt Times:  http://quilttimes.blogspot.com/
http://www.martingale-pub.com/store/

From Daisy to Paisley, by Leah Day

From Daisy to Paisley: 50 Beginner Free Motion Quilting Designs, by Leah Day, is a "must have" for any quilter that wants to learn free-motion quilting (FMQ) and/or improve their FMQ skills.

Leah Day is an very talented and creative  young woman, wife, mother, quilter, teacher, author and passionate about free-motion quilting on a home sewing machine!  She came up with a personal challenge to create a new FMQ design, every day of the year, thus kicking off the Free Motion Quilting Project (aka 365 days of FMQ), after becoming bored with stiplling.  She soon launched her on-line store and found that this business grew enough to allow her husband to quit his job, so that they focus both of their energies on their own business, which they run out of their home.

While Leah has done an excellent job creating videos that are available on you-tube and her blog (The Free Motion Quilting Project) of her quilting designs, she also captured insights on 50 of her designs in her book "From Daisy to Paisley".  This book is well written and organized into various categories of design styles, such as Edge to Center Designs, Edge to Edge Designs, Center Fill Designs, Stacking Designs, etc..  Each of the 50 designs, in this book, has an excellent visual, as well as a short description to share how to insights.  You'll also find info on Leah's Filler Design theory, Echo and Traveling, Scale, Quilting on a Home Sewing Machine, general FMQ tips and more. 

These ease of using this book to help plan designs for a quilt, as well as to set near your machine while you are building expertise, is another factor why I view this book is a "must have".  You may can still have fun reading her blog, watching her videos, but I do highly recommend you have your own copy of her book if you really want to build your FMQ skills. 

Each of the 50 designs in this book has a very high quality photo or drawn illustration with instructions on how to quilt the design in your own quilts.  And she shares insights on how various design categories work best in various quilt designs.  Some samples of these designs are:

Paisly Quilt design

Pebbling Quilt design

Pumpkin Patch Quilt Design

Super Daisy design

Remember the above four sample designs are just four of fifty designs in this very helpful spiral bound book, by Leah Day!

From Daisy to Paisley is also available in 2 formats.   You can get it printed book (aka Physical Book), that is spiral bound, or you can get it via an electronic PDF format that you can download and print pages, as you need them.  You can even purchase a DVD that contains 30 of the FMQ videos that go with the designs in this book.  Wait, it gets better - you can purchase a "bundle" where you get the book and the DVD!  For more info, visit Leah's online store, where you can also find many other products that are quite helpful for free-motion quilting.

While "Daisy to Paisley" is perfect for quilters wanting to learn FMQ and/or improve their skills, Leah has also has a new book "Feathers to Flames: 60 Intermediate Quilting Designs" which is available now in a downloadable format and the printed format has preorders starting September lst.   I've not had a chance to check out Feathers to Flames, but I am confident it too is an excellent book for those with basic FMQ skills that want to continue to improve their skills.  Both of these books are very reasonably price and will help you add more interest to your quilts, by way of free-motion quilting. 

Lastly, sign up for Leah's newsletter and receive two free downloadable designs, plus you'll hear insights on Leah's teaching schedule and when new products are released.

http://www.daystyledesigns.com/

Wholesale order info:  http://www.daystyledesigns.com/wholesale.htm 

blog:  http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com 

Leah Day, P.O Box 386, Earl, NC 28038

San Diego Quilt Show Announcement

Everyone is invited to attend the upcoming San Diego Quilt Show, September 7-10th.  This is the 30th Annual show and a show you will not want to miss!  You can come by car, trolly, bus, plane, or sea.  This show is fun and if you are coming from out of the area, there are many wonderful things to see and do in San Diego too! 

The San Diego Quilt Show (SDQS) is all done by volunteers.  There will be over 300 quilts on display, a fashion challenge, and opportunity quilts.   The Old Town San Diego Quilt Guild will be demonstrating an old fashioned quilting bee.

Special Exhibits include:  Quilts on the Wall:  Archaeology, Quilts Then and Now, Photographs on Fiber: A Collaboration, and a display of San Dieog Quilt Show Ephemera with a look at quiltmaking when the San Diego Quilt Show first began to the present, all round out the special exhibits.

The show kicks off with a pre-view party on Wed., September 7th (6-9pm) which will raise funds for Rick Roberts' Warrior Foundation program.  Tickets are $15 in advance and you can purchase with a SASE (until Sept 1), to P.O. Box 420148, San Diego, CA  92142.  Must be received by September 5th and all checks received after September lst, the tickets will be held at will call at the entrance to Hall H at 5:45PM on the 7th.  

There will also be a surprise presentation by the 2011 Guest Artist Eleanor Burns, founder of Quilt in a Day. 

Tickets for the preview party, if available, will be $25 at the door.  This event typically sells out, so order tickets early. 

Rick Roberts’ Warrior Foundations mission is to help wounded and disabled military heroes leading the fight in the war against terror. The Foundation vows to assist, honor, and support the soldiers who have so bravely served and sacrificed for our country. The Warrior Foundation, through the Navy League, is a non-profit, 501c3. All funds go directly to support these troops.

There will be two different Docent Tours available this year, all three days of the show.  This tour feature quilts that have a "special" story or something our Docent chair thought would be of interest to the showgoers.  Those interested in these tours should meet at the front of the hall.  Tour #1 will start at 11AM and 1PM and Tour #2 will start at 12 and 2PM. 

Many Vendors will be offering Make-N-Takes during the show.  For a complete schedule of these activities be sure to visit the SDQS booth, when you first arrive, as a current schedule will be posted in this booth, as well as a copy in the lobby.

There will be a great selection of vendors, at this show, of which you definitely will want to be sure to visit :

• By Kay Mackenzie,
• Cozy Quilt Designs,
• Embellishment Village,  
• Material Possessions Studio,
•  Monica's  Quilt & Beads,  
• Quilt in a Day,
• Quilt Passions,
• Sew EZ Quilting,
• and many more wonderful vendors will be at the show too!

While the San Diego Convention Center has plenty of parking, everyone is encouraged to car pool and/or to take the Trolley to the Gaslamp Stop.

Lastly, remember to check out the 30th Anniversary 2011 show pin at the SDQS booth.  This pin is special and I hope you get a chance to check it out.  Everyone is going to want to have one.

San Diego Quilt Show

San Diego Convention Center

111 West Harbor Drive

September  7th Charity Preview Surprise 6-9 PM

September  8th & 9th, 2011 10 AM to 6 PM

September  10th 10 AM to 5 PM

Preview Party Admission: $15 pre-order to benefit this year’s charity.

General Admission:

11 years and older: Single Day Pass $8.00/Three-Day Pass $12.00

4-10 years old: $5.00

3 years and under: FREE

http://www.sandiegoquiltshow.com

Lastly, if you attend the 2011 San Diego Quilt Show I hope you will take time to complete the following survey (starts 9/8).

Winners of the Pets on Quilts Show

The 2011 Pets on Quilts Show is officially over, but you can still view all the entries at your liesure.
There were 109 entries this year (66 entries in the 2010 Pets on Quilts Show).  And, we had  5,000+ visitors to the show this year!

I want to recognize and thank all of the sponsors for this show and I hope you will also thank them and support them too, when you have the opportunity.  They've been very generous donating wonderful prizes.

• Fabric.com
• Fat Quarter Shop
• I Have A Notion
• InchWorm Fabrics
• Jane's Fabrics
• Java House Quilts
• Little Windows
• Martingale & Company, home of That Patchwork Place
• One-Stitch Off Jewelry
• Patterns to Quilt
• The Quilted Kitty
• The Rasberry Rabbits
• Sherrod Studios
• Sulky of America
• Two Wacky Woman

Thank you to everyone that entered this show.  You are all truly winners and the show wouldn't have happened without you entering!  We had a large variety of entries from dogs, cats, fish, birds, llama, EQ designs, and art quilts and everyone was delightful.  But, for added fun, like many shows, we have the Winners of the Viewer Choice Awards, which were based on nominations of viewers.  They are:

• Dog on quilt/Dog theme: My Life in Quilts
• Cat on quilt/Cat theme: Cats on My Quilts
• Other pet on quilt/other pet theme: Happy Cottage Quilter
• Best EQ pet theme quilt design: Southern Styles
• Best Art Quilt: A Creative K

Other winners were randomly drawn based on a number of categories (e.g. PR Angels,  those that entered the show, those that came to the show to have fun and view the show, those that took time to view all the entries and leave a comment on the post of the entry, those that voted for Best of Show, Best of show winners, etc.).  And, as there were a few winners of last year's show where a particular sponsor never did ship the prize, when those winners came back to participate in this show, they were automatically given a prize.    Once all the names were identified for the 26 prizes, I did my best to match winners up with the prizes that some of you expressed an interest in.

Congratulations to all of the lucky winners!  I'm sending out emails to all of them today, to let them know and confirm they want to claim their prize.  If they do not claim their prize within 3 days I will draw another winner. 

Sponsor	Prize(s)
	Prize #1 One very lucky winner will receive a $150 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop winner: Hand Wash Only
	Prize #2 One lucky winner is going to have fun making a cute quilt with this very cute Muchas Poochas quilt pattern, from Java House Quilts. To clarify, this prize is a full pattern set for the Muchas Poochas BOM. winner:  Stormy Days
	Prize #3 One lucky winner will receive a beautiful stitchery "kit", created special for this winner.  This special prize will  include a hoop, embroidery needles, floss kit, fusible interfacing, and The Rasberry Rabbits new Christmas pattern called "Birds on my Berry Tree's"   Winner: KdQuilts
	Prize #4 One lucky winner will receive a kit to make this cute "Sienna" bag:  Winner: Pigtales and Quilts
	Prize #5 One lucky winner will receive a Kona Fat Quarter Set, 7 spools of Presencia Perle Finca Thread and one yard of Marcus Super Softly Flannel to use for their embroidery stabilizer.  winner: What a Hoot
	Prize #6 One lucky winner will receive a $75 gift certificate to The Quilted Kitty. Winner: Seriously..I think it needs stitches
	Prize #7 One lucky winner will receive a $100 shopping spree at Fabric.com Winner:   Bejeweled Quilts by Barb
Two Wacky Women	Prize #8 One lucky winner will receive a Two Wacky Women welcome package (given to all participants at their Award Winning Quilt Retreats).  Package contains fabric and notions.  winner:  Chris (Cats on my Quilts)
	Prize #9 One lucky winner will receive a fat quarter bundle of the new Sapphire Collection by Skipping Stones Studios from Clothworks. Winner:  Happy Cottage Quilter
	Prize #10 One lucky winner will receive the book "Snuggle and Learn Quilts for Kids" by Chris Kirsch, a pattern called "Whiskers" by the Ginger Cookie Company (It has cats on it) and a charm pack, called Grand Finale from Moda Winner: Jo's Country Junction
	Prize #11 One lucky winner will receive a Little Windows brilliant resin  photo jewelry starter kits (retail $48). Winner: Vroomans Quilts
SewCalGal	Prize #12, 13, 14 Three lucky winners will receive a 2012 Pets on Quilts Calendar (12" x12" wall calendar), estimated value $25 each winner #12: tpott winner #13: Apple Avenue Quilts winner #14: My Life in Quilts
	Seven lucky winners will receive a copy of one of the following books: Prize #15 - Strip-Smart winner: Joy Prize #16 - Stash Magic winner: Hillbilly Handyworks Prize #17 - Fancy to Frugal  winner:  Chatterbox Quilts Prize #18 - Heartfelt Giving winner: Nanbon's Corner Prize #19 - CopyCat Quilts winner: TBD Prize #20 - Sunbonnet Sue and Scottie at Play  winner: TBD Prize #21 - Out of the Box with easy Blocks  winner: Needle, Thread, Happiness
	Prize #22 One lucky winner will receive: A Sulky kit that contains:  A concepts in Sulky Book, a randomly selected solid color sample spool of Sulky's NEW 60wt. PolyLite Thread, a randomly selected multi color sample spool of 60wt. PolyLite, a randomly selected color of Sulky 30wt. Cotton Blendables, a 1yd package of the NEW Sulky Soft 'n Sheer Extra, a package of 12 precut sheets of the NEW Printable Sticky Fabri-Solvy, and a Sulky Iron-On Transfer Pen, with a Total Retail Value of $40.92. winner: A Creative K
	Prize #23 and #24 Two lucky winners will receive: one(1)  e:patterns from  Patterns to Quilt.  winner #23: Legarthiclass winner #24: TBD
	Prize #25 One lucky winner will receive a Wonderfil Thread pack of 7 InvisaFil threads Bold-n-Bright donated by I Have A Notion. winner:  Southern Style
	Prize #26 One very lucky winner is going to win a beautiful handmade necklace (design of their choice from current selection ) from "1 Stitch Off", which makes jewelry handstamped with mixed metals embellished with charms, crystals and vintage beads.  They also specialize in personalized ordres.  Email One Stitch off for special orders.  They also specialize in necklaces for Quilters and have also created some necklaces with blog names. winner:  And Sew On

 I hope you will come back and participate in the 2012 Pets on Quilts Show, or come back and have fun viewing the entries. 

Please remember that there are pets living in shelters that need good homes.  If you have room in your heart and home, I hope you'll consider adopting one.  You may also want to consider making a quilted pet bed, or quilt, for an animal living in a shelter to have a cozy home.  But do check with your local shelter to see if they have any special bedding requirements before you do sew.