Got the Quilt Bug?

I went to the Northwest Quilters show at the Portland Expo Center yesterday with a few friends of mine.  Fun show!  The first "quilt" you see when you enter is this.  Is this fun or what?!?!  It was featured in Quilters Home magazine a while back.  If you're in the Portland, Oregon area and looking for something to do on a rainy day,  the show runs through today.

My DIL has a bug..... hmmmm.....

April Giveaway!

For the April Giveaway, the winner will be able to select any one pattern from Atkinson Designs that is in stock on our website.

Click HERE to view the selection.  We currently have 16 different patterns designed by Terry Atkinson.

To enter, just leave a comment to THIS POST and say you'd like to enter.  That's it!

For a second entry, if you are a follower of this blog (long time follower or brand new- it doesn't matter),  leave a SECOND COMMENT to THIS POST and let me know that you are following.

For a third entry, tell your friends about the giveaway.  I don't care if you blog about it, post it to Facebook, tweet about it, or take out an advertisement in the New York Times.  Just spread the word.

Then made a THIRD COMMENT to THIS POST and tell me.

Want a 4th entry?  Have you ever made a quilt designed by Terry Atkinson?  Send me a photo.  I'd love to see it!


We'll run this for the whole month of April.  On May 1st, I'll use the trusty random number generator to pick the lucky winner.

If you are a "No Reply Blogger", make sure I have a way to contact you, or make sure to check the blog on May 1st to see if you won.  If I can't contact you, I'll have to select another reader and that would be very sad.  :-(


GOOD LUCK!

Cobblestone Crows

I made this wall hanging a few weeks ago.  I donated it to a benefit auction that will be held later this month..  The proceeds will benefit the Lelooska Foundation in Ariel, Washington (just north of the Portland area).

The pattern is called, "Cobblestone Crows" and was designed by Sheryl Mycroft of Random Threadz.  Sheryl has a real talent for designing patterns that are not very difficult, but look stunning.  I sell the patterns and complete kits on my website and I've always wanted to make this up.  I like it so much that I want to make another one for myself!  Sheryl also designed the Manzanita Tree pattern.  She's very talented- and very nice, too!

The fabric is appliqued onto the background.  The Crows are applied with fusible applique and then stitched very closely around the edge.  Then the beads and buttons are sewn on by hand.  It took me longer to sew on the beads than it did to make the quilt!  The bead packs are made for Alderwood Quilts by my bead artist friend, Lanai Kinsky. I carry the little bead packs in 6 different colorways.  The thin green border (see top photo) is 3-dimensional, which is a really nice touch.  (Did I mention that I love Sheryl's patterns?)

The funny thing is that the birds are seen as "crows" by the designer.  I see "Raven".  And a friend of mine looked at it and said, "Magpies!".  So... their identification is in the eye of the beholder.