Sunflower block (FAFSQ) pattern pieces coming up later today!

I talked to my hubby last night and he had a great suggestion ... he felt bad that his accident has put back the eZine schedule (didn't I tell ya'll what a great guy he is?!) ... so he suggested that I go ahead and post the September block to the blog (with the pattern pieces) instead of waiting until the eZine was finished.

I have to say, I'm in total agreement ... I figure I've made ya'll wait long enough and some of you, I know, have already started on the Sunflower block ... last thing I want to do is make ya'll have a WIP in your sewin' room longer than you need to! Sew in the next day or so, I'll be getting September's block finished, pattern pieces laid out, and uploaded (with the original PDF on my site as a download link). I hope ya'll will look for the link to be posted here in the next couple of days! :-)

But I'll be sending the link out earlier to those who've subscribed to the eZine ... I figure, their loyalty, encouragement, and support is the whole reason I was able to get this far! Sew they "deserve" (in quotations since I don't think my designs are that great of a prize, LOL!) to get their patterns first!

Sew, until then ... big ol' quilty hugs!!
Connie :-)

Whoops! I forgot!!

I meant to post the results of the votes for fave pattern types - I'm removing the poll from the page (since the votin's over anyway) and replacing it with links I think you'll find useful, helpful and just plain interesting! :) I hope you'll give'em a look-see! :)

The results are:
Traditional applique patterns: 13 votes
Fusible applique: 21 votes
ANY applique: 22 votes
Patchwork & piecing: 42 votes

Now, I figure ya'll already figured out why I asked ya'll that - I want to make sure to give ya'll the kinds of patterns you want! And it looks like I need to get a few more piecing patterns up here! :) So, I will! Sew, keep an eye out, ya'll!! :)

Until then ... big ol' quilty hugs!!!
Connie :)

Update ...

Hi ya'll! I'm sorry I've not uploaded any new patterns in a coon's age! :( Things around here have been awfully hectic ... packed hubby off for an extended biz trip to the UK (lucky him, huh?!) and made him PROMISE to visit several quilt shops in the area - with the hopes that I'll get a few squishies when he gets home!! :) Also, school for us is starting in about 2 weeks, so I've had to get the kiddos outfitted best I can (everything's picked over already!!). Then, what with the whole blog situation (that was about 12 hours that I'll never get back!!) and the overwhelming amount of e-mail I've been getting (THANK YOU!! I LOVE hearing from ya'll!) ... well, I'm not complaining in any way, shape or form, but it does set me back a bit in designing. :)

New Pattern Coming up SOON!!
Right now, I'm finishing up a 3 panel dragonfly applique - I've gotten at least 14 requests for dragon flies! You can use them all together as a wall-hanging - or split them up and use it as a "medallion" or just use them as regular ol' blocks. I think it's turning out real cute - there's a couple of ducks in there, too! What's a scene with pussy willows without ducks, right?! :)

And the eZine ....
I'm still working on the eZine (And Sew On ...) and we're up to over 36 pages! YIPPEE!! It has been SEW much fun working on the eZine, hearing from ya'll, and getting to design appliques!! All of my loves wrapped up in a big ol' fabric covered package! :) I've got the download page designed and ready to go - so once the 'Zine is done, I'll send ya'll the link and you can go and download it from there. I figure that way, I won't clog up ya'lls e-mail boxes with big files. But don't worry - I've been using PDF files for forever, so I'm experienced at making sure that the PDF won't be a nightmare to download! :)

For those of you with EQ software ...
Also, I just wanted to let ya'll with EQ know that I'll be putting in downloadable links to EQ project files - I figure that might make things even easier? It might be a bit of a pain in the rear end to download, size wise, but hopefully they'll be worth it! All you'll have to do it "click" the link in the PDF and the download will automatically start ... and if any of you are mega-experienced with EQ and want to give me some pointers on how to make it as painless as possible, I'd sure appreciate it! I'll also be getting Quilt-Pro soon, so I don't leave ya'll out, either! :)

And you oughta see ...
Oh, and one last thing - sort of a plug, I guess. I've been taking a class at Quilt University (a site a wonderful lady gave me - I had never heard of it! LOL) ... it's a "Math for Quilters" class, taught by Dena Cain. And I have to tell you ... if you ever feel the need to sharpen up your math skills or need help designing your own blocks or patterns (and who doesn't?!), I'd HIGHLY recommend this class! Her class and instructions are super easy to understand, without feeling "dumbed down." She's been making the class VERY fun and exciting (and I never thought math could be exciting OR fun!!)! The tuition isn't much at all, either - only about $27, IIRC. And you definitely get "bang-for-your-buck!"

Okee-dokee ... I have oodles of e-mails to reply to and I have 4 quilts I'm designing - complete quilts. I'll post "teasers" here, but the rest of the patterns and instructions will be in the eZine. Mainly because I don't think a simple blog is the right medium for'em. For some reason, I work better in InDesign (what I use for layout - then I export to PDF) than Blogspot! What is it they say about teaching ol' dinosaurs tricks? ;)

I should have the dragonflies posted soon! Please keep an eye out! :)

Until then ....

Big ol' quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

Can Anyone Help???

Every once in a while, when I can't find a requested pattern (or can't make it myself), I'll post a plea to all you wonderful quilters out there ... and here's the first one!

A very nice lady e-mailed me asking me if I could find a missing pattern for her. She's looking for the SANTA SAMPLER from MINIATURE QUILTS, Issue 21. This is a foundation/paper-pieced pattern. And ya'll, I get the feeling that this is a UFO she'd REALLY love to finish!

If you have made a quilt from this pattern and can send me a pic, I can recreate the pattern for her (if you no longer have the actual pattern). It doesn't have to be a professional photo - I can even work from photos that Uncle Bill took with his finger on the lens!

So, PLEASE, if any of ya'll have this pattern or a pic of a quilt you made from this pattern, please e-mail me and let's help her get her quilt DONE! :)

If anyone has a pattern they'd love to find or would love to see, please e-mail me! I would LOVE to help! After all, that's what we're here for! :)

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

Folk Art-Flavored Series Quilt, block 1 of 6

I've always loved country flavored quilts - especially appliqued country quilts (what can I say? I'm a Southern girl!). So I decided to share with you all a quilt I'm designing (and making!).

It's a 6 block quilt - 6 rather simple appliqued blocks, slightly "folk" in flavor - and a pieced border (with an optional appliqued flower vine border for the "over-achiever!"). The blocks are (though you can always resize them as you like - but according to the pattern as I'm presenting it ...) 9 x 13 and 18 x 5. Fat quarters, charm packs, etc, would be perfect for this wall-hanging! So gather up your scraps and let's get stitchin'! :)







The schedule for the flower blocks are as follows:

Sneak preview block: Sunflowers (9 x 13)
Month 1 (first issue of eZine - August): Coneflowers (9 x 13)
Month 2 (second issue - September): Pomegranates (18 x 5)
Month 3 (third issue - October): Daisy chain (18 x 5)
Month 4 (fourth issue - November): Cowslips (9 x 13), Primroses (9 x 13), Pieced border & (optional) Appliqued border ... and of course, a coordinating quilt label!

No, that wasn't a typo - you'll get two blocks AND the borders in November. We have to have this finished before Christmas, you know! :) 'Cause I'm going to have a few sweet holiday patterns for you to do in November! They'll be quick 'n' easy patterns perfect for gift giving projects. :)


So, if you haven't yet, sign up for the eZine and get your fabrics ready! It's going to be SEW much FUN! :)

Until next time, quilty friends ...

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

"Sailboat" labels!

Here are two labels for the "Sailboat" applique pattern - I just couldn't decide what layout I liked best, so I'm uploading both! :)

Next up will be at least one coordinating label for the "Espresso" pattern and another applique pattern! :)

And remember, ALL applique patterns uploaded to date will be in my eZine - all pieces separated, in a higher quality file (vector-based PDF, so you can resize at will) AND higher quality coordinating quilt labels!

Until then ...

Happy quilting & quilty hugs! :)
Connie :)

PS - Once I get my copy of EQ6, I'm going to experiment with exporting my patterns to EQ6 ... I'd love it if I can also provide a EQ6 compatible file for download! If anyone out there is a EQ guru and knows the best, most reliable method for doing so, please drop me a line! :)

Another update ...

NEW web site!
I uploaded a "place-holder" page for our new web site! Even though I still have a lot of work to do (and I mean A LOT!!!), it was really exciting to at least accomplish that much! Whew!

It's my first stab at web site design in quite a while ... please drop me a line and let me know what you think! :)

NEW e-mails!
If you haven't noticed, I've got the "official" e-mail addies up and running. It'll make it sew much easier to keep e-mails organized (though you really don't want to look at my e-mail app right now! It's a l-o-o-o-n-g list of e-mails!) and hopefully, help me to reply quicker! :)

Now ... for fun stuff!
I went to my first guild meeting in about 5 years tonight! Of course, my dear girly-girl, Mara (who'll be 13 in September) went with me! And after only 10 minutes we both decided that we HAD to be members (We were so lucky that our new "home" accepts members under 18 ... not all guilds do, of course)! So we are now proud members of the St. Andrew's Bay Quilters Guild of Panama City, Florida! Yippee! :)

I really have to give a "shout out" to my hubby. Taking my girly with me (which, quite possibly meant more to me than her!) meant needing hubby to watch our son. And of course, tonight was the night his work was having serious computer problems (read: he had to work late). But did hubby blow us off? Nope. We made a mad dash to meet up and he entertained our 9 year old while dealing with tech support for several hours!! Is that a supportive hubby or what?! :)

Another call ...
I'll end this post with another plea for submissions and nominations! Please take a moment and think about a quilter who really influenced you - maybe she's opened her stash to you. Maybe she's always given you support on difficult projects. Or maybe she's been there to help you celebrate a finished quilt. Send her name to us and let's get her the recognition and the "Atta Girl" that she deserves!

And how about that quilt shop owner who tirelessly helps you pick out fabrics? Or makes sure that there's always one extra spot in a class? Or makes a point to ask you about your latest project? Doesn't her efforts to go "above and beyond" deserve recognition?

Okee-dokee ... I'm done nagging for now. I really hope to hear from ya'll soon! :)

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

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 :)