Update ...

WOW! Yesterday I had approximately 100 unique visitors to my blog! More astonishingly, I've got about 50 subscribers to my newsletter! I really didn't expect so many people to be interested!

That being the case, I'm not going to offer a traditional newsletter, per se. You know ... the kind where it's all black and white, short and thin on content ... It's going to be an E-zine of a sort. I'm thinking about 12 pages (maybe more)? With nice color images, regular departments, etc ... hopefully, since I've designed 4 magazines in my career as a graphic artist, this'll be a piece o' cake. The biggest problem will be knowing when to stop with the content! :)

So ... I'd like some help from the quilting community! I'd like to offer an advice column, some reader's quilts, simple recipes (we all want to spend as much time quilting as we can, don't we? Simple recipes might help us get that latest project done quicker!), feature an online and/or traditional quilt shop, some product reviews, etc.

So, please e-mail me with what YOU'D like your perfect e-Zine to feature. Love product reviews, but hate celeb bios? Simply adore seeing what other quilters are doing but hate leafing through scads of ads? Go crazy for seeing the new fabrics, but dislike

Here's what I have so far for the first issue in no particular order (look for it in your e-mail box late next week!):

"Ask Ms. Sew-and-Sew" - Your quilting dilemmas solved! I have three advanced quilty friends to help in answering YOUR questions about getting the most out of your project!

"Fondle-worthy Fabric" - What to look for (and drool over) in your favorite quilt shop soon!

"Sew it Simple" - Simple quilting projects for beginners or guild meetings. Or you can use these projects to nurture a love for quilting with the next generation of quilters!

"Block of the Month" - Get out your fabrics and sewing machine! I'll feature a BoM each issue that'll get your creative juices flowing and your fingers itching to quilt!

"Applique it Sew Easy!" - Easy applique patterns for fusibles or needle-turn. Whichever is your favorite method, you'll find a pattern for it here! Separated pattern pieces you can print out full size (or bigger) and a coordinating quilt label (I'm a fanatic about labeling quilts for posterity, can you tell? LOL)!

"Quilt Shop of the Month" - Have a favorite shop you'd like to recommend? Know a shop owner who goes out of her way to get you that fabric you're dying for or who patiently helps you with a tricky technique? Looking for a quilt shop to visit while you're traveling this summer? Find it here!

"Sew Simple Recipes" - Recipes to get you OUT of the kitchen and back in your sewing room - all while managing to fill up the family's tummies, AND netting you major compliments on your culinary skill! :)


"Reader of the Month" - Get to know other quilters ... not just the celebs. AND let other quilters know who YOU are! Share your quilts, your passions, or pix of your Quilt Inspector! It's YOUR column! What do YOU want to say? :)

"Sew Simple Tips" - Tips, tricks, and tidbits to make your projects go more smoothly, keep your sewing room organized, tackle tricky binding, end those aches and pains at the end of your quilting day, and MORE! :)

"What's New?" - Products that you can't (or won't want to) live without! I'll scour the industry rags looking for new and innovative products to make your quilting projects easier, more fun and of course, quicker! :)

"Have Quilt, Will Travel" - a listing of upcoming quilt shows! Let me know about YOUR guild's or local area's quilt show!

And MORE! I have a few friends brainstorming even as I write this! :)

Now ... CafePress, the newsletter generator I was going to use won't let me get that creative ... so for the first few issues, the newsletter will be in the form of a downloadable PDF link in the e-mail you'll receive. All you'll have to do is click on the link and download the PDF! Sew simple! :)

There may come a time when I'll ask for your e-mail address so I can send it through my web site (which I'm still working on, of course) - no pressure. I won't use your addy in any way except to send you my newsletter (or e-Zine). And it will be easier for you to "opt out" of future mailings (though hopefully, you won't want to!).

But in the meantime, send me an e-mail and tell me what YOU want to see (no one else can tell me what YOU like) ... or tell me about your favorite quilt shop/owner, or ask a question about your latest dilemma. And don't forget to toot your own horn, either - I'd love to see YOU as my featured "Reader of the Month!!"

Remember, this is YOUR e-Zine, too! Spout off, give lauds - make your voice heard! Whatever you have to say, I want to hear it! :)

Until next time (probably later today - still have to upload the quilt label and reverse image for the egret applique!) ...

Quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

Quilting Mags ... a quick personal review.

Okay, granted ... I've not quilted in about two years and two years IS a long time ... but I was surprised at how much things have changed since the last time I either bought a quilting mag or had a subscription. I've bought pretty much every quilt mag on the market (looking for new mags to subscribe to) and this is what I've found (NAYY - No affiliation, of course, yada, yada,):

American Patchwork & Quilting: In the beginning (about 6-7 years ago, give or take a few) I would have told beginning quilters that this was THEIR magazine - not the magazine for the advanced. But now, I'd have to change my tune ... it's got a great spectrum of articles, pattterns, and techniques to suit the first time quilter, the advanced quilter and just those who love "eye candy" (I even caught dear hubby leeafing through it's pages!).

They've got applique, strip piecing, paper-piecing, and the more traditional types of patchwork - they've managed not to leave any quilter out! And not only have they managed to cater to every level of quilting and quilting interest, they also have several "sister magazines" that cater to even more specific genres.

***** stars!

"Quilts & More" (brought to you by those who bring you AP&Q) adds in small projects for the quilter AND sewer ... ranging from stylish bags, dolls, and home decor accessories. It's a veritable buffet of quilting options - it shows you how to turn a quilt into ANYTHING! My only criticism? It's not yet available for a subscription. You have to go to your local bookstore or newsstand - which in my area, is rather thin. :(

***** stars!

Quiltmaker is another one of my old favorites. It seems to have run out of ideas for the most part as I've noticed that in recent issues, they're rehashing some old patterns (but then, no pattern is truly new), but they've managed to make those old patterns seem fresh and new with new color-ways, techniques, settings, etc. Still a great magazine!

*** stars!

Quilter's Newsletter was at one time, my favorite. It catered to the more advanced quilter, but seems to now be doing a better job at leaving no one out. Still heavy on the art quilts, applique and bios (backgrounds and spotlights on up-and-coming quilters - not just the ones who you've heard of again and again). But if you're a new quilter, you'll have a better time with AP&Q or, another vastly improved mag:

**** stars

McCall's Quilting ... it's definitely improved over the years. Yes, I'm sure most of you remember Robert Callahan's series of "Grandma's Country Albums 1 & 2" and while those were gorgeous, they tended to be the most creative of the patterns/quilts featured. But as they say, it's come a long way, baby! Gone are the "THAT'S a featured quilt??" reactions that the typical quilter would have. It's now full of great patterns, interesting color-ways, nifty techniques, and interesting articles on everything from choosing the perfect machine to the greatest new notions we can acquire. Definite kudos to this mag! :)

***** stars!

Every "review" has to have a loser ... and that, in MHO, would be Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home. After passing it up on the stands and at my LQS, I decided to take a chance (it IS about quilting after all - or so I thought). How many patterns and/or quilts did it feature? THREE. And three sub-par ones who's patterns you could have found in any of the other mags I've mentioned. And how much self-serving, self-aggrandizing "Mark-isms?" Well, pretty much the rest of it. Very little on actual quilting ... mostly a celeb-tells all sort of magazine here, folks. Honestly, if it weren't for the ads that led me to new online quilt shops, I'd have asked for my money back.

* star!

I realize that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and most of you won't agree with my estimations of these mags (and I've in no way approached "reviewing" them all, of course - just sticking to the "big" ones). Some of you might eagerly look forward to your next copy of Quilter's Home ... and some of you might absolutely detest the ones I've given 5 stars to. And if that's the case, I'd love to hear YOUR reviews, opinions, and comments on the "reviews" I've given. I'm sure there's new quilters out there who'd love a little guidance in which mag is best for them to subscribe to. And who knows? Some of these they may not have even heard of yet! :)

Sooooo ... any comments? :)