Retreat & Cafe Quilt

As I was sewing this 12 inch block I knew that I wanted it all for my own! Come to think of it, I seem to be quite a selfish quilter wanting to keep everything I make but I'm certain most people realized that long before I did!

I knew that I wanted to hang it on my studio wall to enjoy rather than stuffing it in one of my various finished project bins away from cat fur tumbleweed & colour-sucking sunlight, and a wonderful one day quilt retreat gave me the perfect opportunity to turn my Texting While Sewing contest block into a cute little wall-hanging.

I used high loft polyester batting which is my batting of choice and as I started quilting I thought that I had made a huge mistake! My lines started warping and spots were way too poofy! But I continued on and by the end I really liked the trapunto effect around the signs in my quilt :o)

I sewed some small pockets onto the back before adding the binding which are perfect for hanging small quilts. One wonderful quilter at the retreat asked if she could use the idea so I will be writing a small tutorial in the next blog post.

I also received my contest prizes in the mail. I still haven't spent my $50 gift certificate for the Fat Quarter Shop because I am waiting for Lecien's Inkwell to be released!

Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)

Pattern Shop News!

'Tis the Season wall-hanging pattern is now in my SHOP. Previously published in Taiwanese craft book Cotton Life no. 4, it is finally available as an individual pattern booklet and even better it is now written in English!

All PatchworkPottery digital pattern booklets include metric conversion chart, stitches & terms section, illustrated step-by-step instructions, and full size templates. 'Tis the Season is a 13 page PDF containing 2 pages that make up the cover, 6 pages of instructions including basic paper-piecing, 4 template pages all reversed for use with fusible web applique and foundation piecing techniques, and 1 page on how to properly print and assemble your very own pattern booklet.

My patterns are instant downloads so if you do not receive an e-mail with the link to your pattern immediately, please check your junk mail folder.

The next patterns I'm working on include Partridge in a Pear Tree, Book Pillow, and Teapot Pillow. I'm also thinking of mixing in some fresh new patterns every now and then so that PatchworkPottery stays interesting.

Which pattern are you waiting for? Would you like to test one of my patterns? Let me know!

Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)

Texting While Sewing Surprise!

We were away all weekend enjoying our last trip to visit my family and have fun at the Interior Provincial Exhibition & Fair so I missed the news that my block for the Texting While Sewing contest was chosen as one of the Top 10!

A bigger surprise awaited me when I opened my e-mail the next morning to discove that I won first place! I would have blogged sooner but I was sidetracked when I hopped on over to the Fat Quarter Shop to pick $50 of free fabric!

No really... it was the first week of school and we are all trying to get used to the new schedule. A reversible bug jar dress that was a special request for summer was finally sewn for the second day of grade 3. At least she said it was worth the wait and the boys at school gave me the thumbs up too!

I am also often lured into playing with our new kitty Opal. She is very sweet but can wreak havoc on the organized piles in my craftroom!

Oops! Sidetracked again! Now back to the contest...
Second place went to Cindy for this ingenious iphone block. I giggled when I first read the selvedge conversation!

And third place went to Kristy for her Quilter's Bible. I just love that selvedge bookmark!

Thank you to Amy of During Quiet Time for hosting such a fun contest. I joined before I even knew that there would be such fabulous prizes. Thank you also to the talented Kerry & Ayumi for their difficult work as judges. There were so many amazing blocks created with text fabrics and you can see them all in the Texting While Sewing flickr group.

Enjoy your afternoon tea & quilted crafts :o)