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 :)

Strippy Log Cabin

Here's another easy paper-piecing pattern. This is a paper-pieced variation of a paper-pieced "Log cabin" - I'm calling it "strippy" because to me, it looks like what you'd find in a string quilt! :)

This pattern is 10 inches square - when you print out this pattern, make to sure to leave AT LEAST a 1/4 inch seam allowance beyond the actual pattern. Paper-piecing makes the pattern "shrink," you know! :)

You could also use this as a "crazy quilt" pattern of sorts - using the strips to showcase your gorgeous hand-embroidery! And remember to think about including a small embroidered spider in your crazy quilts - it's a symbol of GOOD LUCK! If you don't know how to embroider a spider, watch out for directions for hand embroidery in the September issue of the eZine! :)

Okee-dokee ... I'll have more up SOON! Please consider using one (or more) of these patterns to make a Hug Quilt for someone you love! :)

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!
Connie :)

Autograph Heart Block

This block, perfect for a quick "hug quilt," measures 10 inches square and is paper-pieced (sew it's EASY!). Please consider using this block to make a hug quilt (or any other kind of quilt, of course!) for a friend or loved one that needs a hug - or for a victim of the Minneapolis tragedy.

Pieces 1, 4, and 8 are the "heart" while piece 7 is the "autograph" strip. Pieces 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are the "border" of the block. 4 inch sashing strips between 3 rows of 2 blocks each and for outer borders would make a quilt 32 x 46 - perfect for a hug quilt or autograph quilt!

Please stay tuned for MORE easy to sew pieced blocks!

Until then ...

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)

Our Thoughts & Prayers ...

I've always said that quilters have the biggest hearts and have the kindest souls. So, I'm sending out a plea to all you quilters out there to send good thoughts and prayers to those who've been affected by the tragedy in Minneapolis.

Even those that didn't lose a loved one have been affected by this terrible tragedy. If you have a friend that was in the area, or lived nearby, or even used to travel that bridge - please consider giving them a "Hug Quilt." Sometimes, something as "small" as a hug quilt can uplift the spirits of someone who's undergone severe stress. Knowing that someone cares can make a HUGE difference!!

Now, for those of you who think "Well, by the time I finish it, they won't be so upset anymore" - a hug quilt is a small quilt (24 x 36 is fine - it just needs to be big enough to "hug") and usually consists of "easy-to-piece" blocks. Believe me, I've made more than a few in my lifetime (most of them when I was just starting out in quilting), and they go QUICK! It's just a matter of finding an easy block that you like.

Consider an "Autograph" block - there's several patterns for them out there. And there's got to be one that you like (and for the beginners out there, one you can do quickly and easily, no matter how many quilts you've made - or even if it's your first one!). To make it easier, I'm going to go through all my pieced patterns and upload a few paper-piecing patterns for some EASY and QUICK patterns. Please consider using one or more for a hug quilt for someone you know who's been affected.

Again, my love, prayers and thoughts go out to all of those who've been affected by this horrible tragedy ... I know I've used that same word - "tragedy" - several times, but no other word seems to fit. :(

Quilty hugs to you all & God Bless!!
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 :)

YIPPEE! I'm back & with a NEW pattern!!

Whew! As I was GOING to mention this morning, I was out for the last two days because of a vicious migraine (had them since I was 7 - and usually no big deal - but this time I had the unholy triad of side effects - nausea, vomiting, and loss of vision in one eye). But what do I come back to? A whole BUNCH of e-mails from ya'll letting me know my blog was down, wondering what happened, and if I was alright! THANK you so MUCH for your concern!! :)

What happened, best as I can tell, is that somehow, my blog got high enough rankings that it looked suspicious - that I was somehow manipulating the stats through some sort of robot or whatchumacallit. So they temporarily blocked my blog from being published. Stinky, huh? :(

So I spent ALL day moving my blog to WordPress - an account "attached" to my web site - but as it turns out, WordPress is REALLY hard to use - 'specially for me! "Sides, I'd rather design patterns than futz around wading through miles and miles of code. :)

So, here I am back again - Blogger wrote me a nice note of apology and all seems to be well, here. And I'd rather be HERE, truth be told. For one, the template's much prettier! :)

So, I went ahead and designed another quilt - this one isn't a series, per se - but you'll have to sign up for the rest of it via the eZine, now properly named "And Sew On ...." In the upcoming issue, you'll receive instructions on creating the rooster AND the "Grandmother's Fan" variation (though I'm sure some of you have a better name for it).

(For the "GF" variation, a VERY talented fellow in the rec.crafts.textiles.quilting Newsgroup I haunt, created a beautiful Amish style radiating sun like the one behind the rooster - and my first thought was "That would be PERFECT for the background of a rooster applique!")

In any case, the center "medallion" is 18.5 x 18.5 finished - so if you print out the image here on my blog, you'll need to blow it up 200%. Or you can sign up for the eZine and get the pattern pieces separated. But there IS more to that pattern - if you want to see it (much less get the separated pattern pieces AND the instructions) you'll have to subscribe. :)

I have more cookin' - and you'll get a peek SOON! :)

Until then ...

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)