Camp Sloanie

Head on over to the Pat Sloan web site and check out all the fun.

What fabric will you be using? I'm going to use Make Life from Sweetwater for Moda. It's the Deal of the Day from Missouri Star Quilt Co.

Until next time,

Looky II

Looky whats new at our house.

Can't wait to show you real pictures of what's all new at our place.

P.S. I was over at Quilters Stations new place this week and man it's nice. They are still moving in. Give them another week and then I will get some pictures.

Delay

Sorry for not posting like I said, but the camera and I are not getting along and I need to kick it in the butt and show it who boss. The camera is over exposing red. I'm running a few tests right now, but that thing called work has gotten in the way. I hope to have solved the problem here soon.

I did order some fabric that I want to tell you about. It's Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt for Free Spirit Fabrics and I plan to make this pattern from the fabric. I'm not much of a white person, but I love everything about this pattern.

I have also ordered two Verna charm packs by Kate Spain for Moda to make this pattern that I have designed in EQ6.

I'm planing to make my nephew a quilt to go along with his brothers quilt. I'm going to use Make Life by sweetwater for Moda and use Baby Mine {boy version} by Camille of Thimble Blossoms

Until next time,

Looky

See what I got? It's charging now. Will get some pictures tomorrow.

Until next time,

Just Test It

I was reading though all the blogs I follow and came across a post from Nicole of Sister's Choice Quilts about her experience of using a poorly written pattern. It's entitled Surprise Finish. You will not want to miss the quilt that she made from the pattern. Even though the pattern was not written with clear instruction, Nicole was able to put together a beauty of a quilt.

Have you ever bought a pattern to find out that it's written poorly or missing part of the instructions, and no matter what you do you just can't make your quilt look like the patterns? There is not much one can do other than let the author know that you have had trouble with the pattern, and hope they can help you clear it up. I understand that mistakes happen and part of a pattern may get left out or mistyped, but that is why a pattern needs to be tested before it's ever sent to press.

Just because a computer quilting program told you how to make the quilt you designed, you can't assume that it will go together the way it looks on the screen or paper. Some quilt designs just don't work out in real life. I don't think Nicole would have had as many problems as she did, if the quilt shop would have tested their pattern before sending it out. When I have written patterns in the past I would have a quilting friend make the quilt following my directions to the T and then she would give me feed back on the pattern. She would let me know what needed to be changed or let me know the trouble spots if there were any. Yes, I know there are deadlines and all, but a bad pattern could turn someone away from quilting. When I write a pattern again, I would like to test it in a classroom setting at my local quilt shop. This way I can get more feed back and see what people think of it before I get hundreds of copies made.

I think that most patterns are written thinking you can just look at them and figure them out, but that is not always the case. I think they need to write everything out step by step and make sure it's clear. It's like when you go to write a computer program, you need to tell the computer everything to do and you can't skip over anything or the program won't work.

Back in high school I had to write a mock computer program telling how a person would put on socks. You think that would be easy, but it's not. I had a page of instructions when I was done. I could not leave anything out and yet I still missed a step. I think that patterns need to be written this same way. I think that patterns need to go as far as telling you what direction you need to press your seams because it can make a big difference in the finished projects. Don't you just love when a pattern has clear pressing directions? Most of today's patterns are doing good if they tell you to press. Patterns seem to take it for granted, but sometimes we need reminding of the simple things like squaring up your blocks or individual pieces.

I was doing an online quilt along awhile back. Received my block instructions and read them all before I began, and then thought this is kinda easy, I should be able to do this. I got my blocks all done and was so proud of myself. Then went to piece them into a top and they did not line up no matter what I did. I wrote back to the person putting on the quilt along to ask her what I could have done wrong and she asked if I had squared up my blocks. I was like "no I didn't square up my blocks because the pattern didn't tell me to". Her reply to me was "I guess I left that step out because I thought most people would just know to square them up". She did make a note so the next pattern could include this step. Yes, I should have known to square up my blocks and I'm not trying to say it's all the author's fault, but a reminder would have been nice. Even if the block is simple like a four patch you still need to square them up and we don't always think of this. It can make a big difference in the end.

When I did write my patterns I always tried to write them in the style of Quilt In A Day. They tell you every single step with lots of pictures. Some people have to see it before they get it and others read it.

In short keep it simple, include everything and test the pattern before it's sent out.

Until next time,

Be on the look out for another giveaway when I tell you about the Grand Re-Opening of Quilters Station in Lee's Summit Missouri. Rita is celebrating 15 years of being in business. Congrats Rita.

Still no camera. Hope to have one soon.

WINNER!!!!!

There you have it the winner of my first giveaway Gene Black. Who said: I would definitely miss Sew What. I already wish they had longer hours so I could get there more often. Gene send me your address and I will get your prize out to you as soon as I can. I still have one more thing I need to add to both yours and Nancy prize pack.

Do you follow Red Pepper Quilts? No? You should she is making amazing quilts like this one

The colors and the fact that the pattern is prepared with the beginner quilter in mind is what drew me to this quilt. Head on over and get yours today. It's in a download-able PDF format.

Until next time.

Not Easy...

I guess I did not make it easy when I asked you to guess what shop I would hate to see close. It never dawned on me that I hadn't ever told you the name of the shop, just the owners name. With this information in hand you used Google to find shops with the owners name of Rita and came up with the correct answer of Quilter's Station in Lee's Summit Missouri. I will do a blog post on Quilter's Station with pictures around the middle of the month. It seems the shop is moving to a new location.

Whom is the lucky winner you ask?... Nancy of ...with thread in hand. She will receive a quilters gift pack as soon as I can get out to mail it.

It's snowing here in Kansas City once again. They are calling for 6 more inches of snow and I think we just might get it.

Keep warm and until next time....

There's Still Time

There's still time to enter my first giveaway. Just leave me a comment here of what place you would miss if it was to go out of business and I will get you entered to win a great quilting prize pack.

No one has guessed what place I would miss if it went of business. Here is a hint, I have talked about this place in my blog lots of times. Guess the owners name and I will throw in something extra. Some of the guesses have been:

• My place of work: Viking Sewing Gallery, Kansas City
• Coffey House Quilts: She is the one that has my quilts (works from her home)
  
• Local coffee shop.

Watch for a post on my favorite local place after the giveaway.



P.S. Hope to have a new camera here soon. The snow is keeping me from getting one.