Patience is NOT one of my virtues!

When I design something new that I'm paticularly excited about, I want to show it to everyone right away! But when you are fortunate enough to get to work with a fabric company, you are on THEIR timeline, so you have to wait and keep it under your hat until they say it's okay to show it off. I have a hard time with this but I made it and I finally have permission to show this new design. This is a design that is featured in the Island Batik Fall/Winter 2024 catalog. The line I used in my design is called Fall Gatherings, a rich palette of green, orange, gold, rust and blue. It was a fun collection to design around. The collection will start showing up in quilt shops in May 2024. My quilt design is called El Paso and the blocks reminded me of southwestern designs but it also has that crisp fall feel because of the beautiful colors. This design is paper pieced and although it seems to have curves in the blocks, they are all straight lines, so it's simple enough for a beginner paper piecer. The finished quilt measures 55" square and makes a grand statement on the wall or works well as a lap quilt. Ask you favorite local quilt shops if they will be carrying this line!

Christmas Angel on Craftsy!!!

My Christmas Angel pattern is now available for immediate download on Craftsy! The pattern is $10 and is ready for you to turn into wonderful gifts or holiday decorations. Follow this link to purchase the pattern: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/christmas-angel-too/34062?rceId=1443697389730~5su6wwx6

Working on fall projects!

Anyone else working on fall projects yet? I sketched this out yesterday and stitched it out last evening. Its not really finished, but I wanted to audition the beautiful fall leaves fabric I chose for my border and just laid the stained glass block on top of it. I think I like it! I love quick and easy projects like this one. Fusible web applique with fusible bias tape as the leading makes this project go together very quickly. The bias tape is sewn on with a double needle and takes almost no time at all.

Ahhhhhhhhhh....

This is a picture of the project I have been working on for the last year and its nearly finished! This quilt was the brainchild of Alfie Chico, who is now my friend, but when she called me out of the blue to ask me to help with this project, I was totally caught off-guard. Alfie had been looking for a way to raise funds for our local library and originally wanted to raffle off a quilt. She was inspired by a children's book, similar to a coloring book, but with pictures you could customize to your own interests. One of the pages had a bookshelf with books on which you could write you own titles.

After some thought, Alfie, Debby Recker and Paula Kelly, the head librarian at the Whitehall Public Library, realized the quilt would probably bring in more money if the project was approached from another direction. Rather than selling tickets for a chance to win the quilt, they decided for a $100 donation to the library, the donor could choose a title for one of the books on the quilt. The quilt will hang in the Whitehall Library next to a companion book in which each of the donors got a page to say why they chose their book and what it means to them. This made it possible for more than one person to choose each book.

I was the last one brought into the project, but since I have more experience with quilting and machine embroidery, they allowed me to take the helm. After I designed the quilt, Alfie, Debby and I got together quite a few times to embroider the titles. Once the book titles were finished, it took me about a week to put the quilt top together. Then I was able to give the quilt top to my friend, Cathy Werner, of Your Fairy Quiltmother, who did the actual quilting. She did a dense allover design that should hold up well over time.

The quilt was unveiled at the Whitehall Public Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration held at The South Hills Country Club on Sunday, May 5th, 2013. It was well received and after a few finishing touches, it will be ready to hang in the library for the next 50 years and, with luck, many more!

I can't wait to visit it!

Made with love

This is a picture of a quilt I have been helping my friend make. It was a birthday gift for her mom that she presented at a surprise party this past weekend. There are a lot of special details in this quilt like the christening gown that was worn by all of the children and all of the grandchildren in the family--23 people in total. My friend thought it was time to "retire" the gown before it was damaged or lost so we designed the quilt with a special place for it to be featured. Under the hem of the dress, there is a fabric book with the names of all of the people who wore the gown as well as a family picture. Lots of family photos were included on the shelves and the books were embroidered with the names of the streets that the quilt recipient lived on. Buttons will be added on the "drawers" at the bottom of the quilt as drawer pulls. This quilt was a lot of fun to work on and has inspired me to make one of my own...eventually!

Update on Whitehall Library Quilt

Here is another picture of the quilt I am helping to make as a fundraiser for The Whitehall Public Library. This is the library I grew up going to and it holds a special place in my heart. This section of the quilt will be on display at The Whitehall Community Day on Saturday, August 25th. We are waiting until we have a full list of the books that will be featured on the quilt before we start to assemble the shelves. There is still time to have your favorite book included!

We All Scream For Ice Cream!

This is my newest design called "We All Scream for Ice Cream". Its a table runner that measures 46 1/2" x 20 1/2". It is paper pieced and the pattern includes the buttons for the "cherries". I'd love to know what you think of it!

If

If I published a pattern for this mermaid quilt, would you buy it?
If you were going to make a mermaid quilt, how big would you want it?
Is there anything you would change about my design?
Would you like a machine embroidery file of my mermaid?

I know there is quite a bit of interest in mermaids right now but there is a lot of work in publishing a pattern and I need to know if it would be worth my time. I would love to hear from you so I know whether or not to pursue this.

You can send me a private email if you don't want your comment published here. My email address is: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Thanks!!!

Library Quilt Update

I had the chance to work on the window for the quilt being made to raise funds for the Whitehall Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so I decided to post a picture of my progress. The center of this quilt will be on display at the Whitehall Community Day on August 25th so you can see it up close and check out some of the details we are adding. We have had quite a number of books chosen so far but if you would like to have your favorite book featured on the quilt there is still time! What a wonderful way to share a favorite family story or commemorate a loved one. You can choose the book you've read a million times to your children or grandchildren or one that has special meaning to yourself. For more info visit the Whitehall Public Library's website http://www.whitehallpubliclibrary.org/ or contact me via email at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Sneak Peak of library quilt

. . If you are a regular reader of my blog you probably already know I am working on a quilt as a fundraiser for my local library. But in case you're a new reader I'll give you a little background. The Whitehall Public Library, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will be celebrating its 50th birthday in 2013. Alfie Chico had the original idea of making a raffle quilt to raise funds for the library but after meeting with Paula Kelly, the head librarian, the two decided the quilt should hang in the library upon completion. Debby Recker attended the meeting where the fundraiser was proposed and volunteered to help with the project. I was brought in to design the quilt and supervise the construction of it. People will have the opportunity to have a book of their choice represented on the quilt for a $100 donation. There will be 50 adult books and 50 childrens' books featured on the quilt as well as a window and window seat and a lot of special, little details. There will also be a companion book to the quilt in which all of the donors will have a page of their own to explain their reason for choosing their book or books. While we are waiting for all of the book titles to be chosen I have started to piece the window section of the quilt. The window is pieced using paper piecing, curved and traditional piecing but will probably also have some applique added later. The curved piecing was a little bit of a challenge for me since I haven't done much of it but I am very happy with the result and I will definitely do more of it! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work on this very important project. I feel so blessed that I can use my talents to help others and I can't wait to see it hanging in the library and show my children "their" book!

For more information or to have your favorite book featured on the quilt send me an email at: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Quilt still available!

I can hardly believe it, but this beautiful quilt is still available! My friend is looking for someone who will appreciate this handmade quilt and give it a good home. She is asking only $500 but is also open to entertaining other offers. This quilt measures 80" x 92" and is handquilted. Contact Kathy Hartman if you are interested.

 412-563-5871 or kathleenhartman@verizon.net.

Update on QOV quilt on eBay

This is the email I just received from the maker of the Quilt of Valor quilt currently being auctioned on eBay:

Sue: thanks for the note, and yes I'm the quiltmaker and am fully aware of the eBay auction. Both June Moore and Catherine Roberts are "on it" in an attempt to prevent the sale. I've heard from a number of people, and its gratifying to know the QOVers are being so supportive and share my feelings.
Carole Halteman
Orono, Maine

Special thanks to AT for tracking down the maker and getting contact information for me. I would love to name you but not without your permission!

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks--Just Clowning Around



This is just one idea for a finished quilt using my block design



This is my block featured in and on the cover of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks by Today's Top Designers!





And this is a picture of what one of my winners will receive along with one copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 3. Is a page of my clown faces printed on Printed Treasures. You must be one of my followers to qualify for this prize and also leave a comment on today's post.



If you leave a comment on today's post you will be entered in a drawing to receive a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers Vol. 3. In addition, if you are one of my followers and leave a comment you will have a chance to win a copy of the magazine and also a page of my clown faces printed on Printed Treasures so you will be ready to start sewing when the issue arrives!

For anyone who might be interested in purchasing a page of my clown faces please send me an email for more info at: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Here is a link to Quiltmaker's blog with all the information for all of the other designers participating in the blog tour. http://www.quiltmaker.com/100blocks.html There are some amazing blocks and amazing designers in this issue so be sure to check them all out!

The issue will be available by May 10th, so if you don't win one, you're not out of luck!

Mermaid quilt started!

I got to spend the weekend with one of my best friends, who happens to be an amazing art quilter, so I was inspired to start working on my mermaid quilt. I drew my mermaid on Saturday, then started to play with different fabrics on Sunday. She is done with fusible web applique and I am pretty happy with the progress so far. My husband told me my original sketch was "comic book" good, which I took as a huge compliment coming from him. You can't see any details yet in the actual quilt, but I am planning to do some thread painting and beading and who knows what else!

This is so different from anything else I have done and I hope I continue to be inspired by this project and will post pictures as I go along.