You Just Have to See This!

I saw the most amazing crazy quilt pillow the other day made by a customer at the sewing machine store where I teach that I just have to share! Unfortunately, the only camera available at the time was the one in my phone, so the pictures aren't the best quality, but I'm going to post them anyway.

Janine Franc did all the embellishments by hand and it only took about 2 months to complete the pillow. She had a contest deadline, so she really pushed herself, but it was worth it because she said she won.

Sewing Room Horror Stories

When I teach a brand new quilter who has never touched a rotary cutter before, I make sure they know how dangerous a tool they can be. First I show them my scars and tell how I got them, then I proceed to tell them the horror stories I have heard or been witness to over the last 10 years. For instance, I have a friend that another friend has nicknamed "Nine Fingers". NF travels with my other friend and I on occasion to shows and helps us by cutting fabric for customers when we are busy. Within 3 months, she had cut herself 2 times. On the second accident is when she received her nickname. After we had her bandaged, she returned to the cutting table and picked something up. It was the tip of her finger.

I have left my rotary cutter open on the table, and since I am barefoot most of the time when I am home, when I knocked it off of the table, it landed on the top of my foot and cut me. From this experience, I now have a rule in the classroom. If I come by your table and your rotary cutter is open and you're not using it, you owe me a quarter.

I had one student who told me she left her cutter open on her table in her sewing room and her grandchild walked in and picked it up thinking it was a lollipop. I have forgotten the end of this story, unfortunately(maybe I blocked it out), so I don't know if she caught them in time or had to make a trip to the hospital.

I heard about a nationally known teacher who cut herself during a workshop she was teaching and asked for a needle and thread to sew her hand shut. Fortunately for herself and the workshop participants, the cut wasn't as bad as it could have been and the shop she was teaching for had butterfly bandages which did the trick.

Rotary cutters aren't the only dangerous tool in our studios. We have all seen or maybe own a tomato pincushion. How many needles do you think are lost inside of them? I'm betting close to 100. A friend of mine knocked hers off her sewing table and didn't notice until she stepped on it. She pulled about 80 needles out of her foot before she stopped counting.

Do you have any sewing room horror stories you'd like to share that I can include in my rotary cutter safety speech?

My Room at Seams Like Home!

This is the Hydrangea Room at the Seams Like Home Bed and Breakfast in Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania, where I was scheduled to teach a quilting retreat this weekend. I was lucky enough to be able to bring a friend with me to enjoy all the ammenities at this brand new B & B, so I am sharing this room with one of my best friends and having a wonderful time sewing away. I have known the owners, Donna and Rick Eicher, for about 5 years now, so I almost feel like family anyway, but I have a sneaking suspicion that they will make all of their guests feel that way.

The building has been completely re-done from its former life as an office building, so EVERYTHING inside is brand new. This is the view from the balcony down into the entrance. See the quilt block in the floor? The next picture is another view of the foyer from another angle.

You can see pictures of all of the rooms, including the lounge, on their website http://www.seamslikehomeretreat.com/

I have to admit I started quilting simply because I wanted a quilt for my bed and after 10 years, I still don't have one, but every guest bed has a quilt made just for that room. If they'd just let me move in, I NEVER have to make one for own bed!

Chautauqua Institution

What an amazingly creative place! I taught my first class yesterday afternoon and have 2 more to teach this week before I head back home to my regular teaching job. I am so inspired by everything else going on here, that if I could figure out a way to spend the entire season here, it would be a dream come true. I have so many new ideas that I can't wait to get back to my studio and try them out.

If you are ever in this area, even in the off-season, you would be so impressed with even just the grounds of Chautauqua Institution, it would be worthwhile to stop and check them out!

The people that volunteer here are friendly and helpful they make your visit even more enjoyable. The Special Studies classes being taught here are so diverse, you can come here and learn about almost anything, from Middle Eastern belly dancing to bridge, knitting to life casting, investing to yoga.

If I get the chance to take any new pictures while I'm here, I will post them soon.

Does anyone else have a place they know of that they consider "magical"?

My New "Toy"

I am mainly known for paper pieced designs, which I love to do, but I am starting to venture into some applique. My most recent applique design is the mermaid I have been working on. Because of a recent event at the sewing machine dealer where I teach, I have purchased an Accuquilt Studio Cutter and have inquired about having a custom die made to cut out my mermaid pieces. I should get a quote today to see if it is possible for me to produce my mermaid as a precut applique and offer her for sale without having to remortgage my house first!

I didn't buy any dies with the Studio Cutter, since I only bought it to do custom dies, so it is set up in a corner of my studio, just waiting to be put to work. I hope it isn't waiting too long. I have a lot of students who want to purchase my mermaid applique and put her on all sorts of things, like tote bags, jean jackets or make a small wall quilt like my sample, so I am hoping I don't have to disappoint them or make them wait too long.

Lakeview

This is a picture of the project I am teaching at Chautauqua Institution this year. It is a simple, paper pieced design I call Lakeview. This will be my first time teaching there and I am really excited! I hope I get the opportunity to teach there many more times.

Mermaids, mermaids and more mermaids

My family and I stopped at a roadside shop and saw this amazing fountain. The best I could do is take a photo since I don't have any place to put her or any money to buy her. I also have a small mermaid in my cottage, here in New York, where I got to spend the weekend, but I will have to add her later, since this isn't my computer and I don't know how to edit my photos in Paint. I had a friend meet me here at my cottage, so I was able to drink some wine and talk quilting for the whole weekend. What a great time. Next time, we bring sewing machines and no husband or kids!

Adding Details

Last night, I got brave and started stitching in a couple of details on my mermaid. She is only about 10" tall, so the most difficult part is deciding the scale of the details. I shortened the stitch length for the hair strands to 1.5, down from the default setting of 2.5. I also found a stitch on my machine that I thought mimicked fish scales and stitched some highlights on her tail. I think I will vary the width on the highlight stitching as it goes around curves when I re-do her, but for now, I am happy with the effect. Her face will be the most difficult part to do and I haven't decided if I want to stitch it or paint it yet. Any suggestions would be welcome!

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.

Quilting Gallery Contest

I have entered antother quilt in one of the Quilting Gallery's contests. It is called Spring Showers and would really appreciate your votes! http://www.quiltinggallery.com

Thanks!

I have the best friends/students!

I really do! Yesterday, one of my students surprised me with a gift. I have a lot of wonderful students that I now consider friends as well, and very often they bring me little gifts. It might be a fat quarter they think I'd like, a pack of needles, tin of buttons, or some little notion they picked up they thought I should try. But yesterday, this friend really went above and beyond. My friend Barb, had been in a couple of days after Mother's Day and we had been talking about the gifts we received. I got a lot of homemade gifts from my children, that I will treasure forever, and my 9 year old son even gave me his favorite "silly band" and held my hand out in public! My husband took me to the local nursery and wanted me to pick out a hanging basket of flowers but I couldn't find one that I liked that didn't cost and arm and a leg. So as we walked around the nursery, I saw Hydrangea bushes, which happen to be one of my favorites. But again, they were small and very expensive, so I left almost empty handed (my son was still letting me hold his hand).

Barb was in yesterday, finishing up a purse class with me and said she would leave when I did because she had something in her car for me. When I walked out to the parking lot and saw her standing there beside my car with a Hydrangea bush, 3 times the size of what I saw at the nursery, I couldn't believe my eyes! We stood there in the pouring rain trying to get it in my car and then I had to rush off to pick my children up from school, but not before I tearfully thanked her for her wonderful gift!

When we arrived home, my son brought his little red wagon up the driveway and helped me get the bush from the driveway to a spot where I think I want to plant it. If it wasn't still pouring, I would have made him pose for a picture with his wagon, but hopefully, I will be able to get a picture of the bush blooming later this summer! I might even be able to get my kids to stand next to it.

I can't tell you how wonderful it is to know how much people appreciate what I do!

Summer Plans and a Request for a Favor

I have several teaching jobs this summer, away from home, that I am REALLY looking forward to. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather be home than almost anywhere else, but this is a big step forward for me and I am really excited about the opportunities.

The first one is at Chautauqua Institution in July. I will be teaching a brand new design in paper piecing. At the moment, I am waiting for my fabric to arrive so I can make my sample. I will post a picture or two as I go along.

The second one is at a Bed & Breakfast near Uniontown, PA. I only live about an hour away from Uniontown, but if I have the opportunity to stay at a B & B, I'm taking it! The B & B is called SEAMS LIKE HOME and the owners are wonderful people, so I think the name is fitting.

I will be teaching there in October, as well, and if Donna and Rick ever need someone at the last minute, I'm their girl!

I will be vending at Quilting Around Chautauqua again in September. This will be my fourth year there and something I look forward to as I get to see a lot of familiar faces each time.

One last thing: I have been getting some strange comments on my blog lately, but I'm not sure if it is intentional and I can't tell where they are coming from. If someone could post a REAL comment on my blog and it shows up as normal, I will know whether there is a problem with my blog or a problem with the person or people who are commenting. Thanks!

My Beginning

For those of you who have never visited my blog or website before, I thought I would give a brief history of how I got into quilting. Well, it all happened by accident! I have always loved the look of quilts and when I was furnishing a new apartment, I came across what I thought was a quilt at J.C. Penneys, that I absolultely fell in love with and had to have. A few years later, I found out it was actually a patchwork comforter, which didn't make me love it any less, but lit a fire in me to acquire the genuine article.

I wasn't brought up around quilts, so I had no idea the work that went into making one, but decided I wanted one for my bed when my husband and I bought our house. We started pricing them and I realized, after seeing the look on my husband's face, that I was NEVER going to own a handmade quilt unless it was my hands that made it! To be totally honest, I would have failed sewing class in high school if it weren't for my sister sewing my projects at home for me, so I didn't know if this was something I was capable of or not. But I decided to check the phone book for a local quilt shop. As luck would have it, I found a great one not too far from me, Quilter's Corner in Finleyville, PA. The first class I took was a hand quilting class, since I didn't know there was any other way to quilt a quilt and I figured if I didn't like that part of it, there was no point in going any further. I liked hand quilting but knew I would probably not finish too many quilts if that was my only option. Fortunately, the quilt shop had so many beautiful samples that were quilted by machine and I realized there was more than one way to skin a cat.

My next class was a beginning quilting class, for which I needed a sewing machine. I thought a low end model would serve the purpose, since I was having flashbacks of my high school sewing class and didn't want to spend a lot of money on a machine I might never use again. I walked into the store, where I now teach, and walked out about an hour and a half later with a brand new sewing machine. It wasn't exactly low end, but I deserve the best, don't you?

I fell in love with piecing, but since I am math challenged, I didn't enjoy having to measure everything and having to be accurate so my stars have points. So my next class was a paper piecing class. If you have never tried this technique, Piecing By Number, is the best way to describe it. With this technique, you use a big piece of fabric, sew it in and trim it down to the right side afterward. Brilliant!

Soon after this class, I started thinking that I could design my own patterns using this technique, so I bought a tablet of graph paper and went to work. My first design was AND IN THE MEADOW and featured a snowman, tree, and star with a rail fence border as well as a polymer clay carrot nose and 3d scarf. I was thrilled with the result and when I took the quilt with me to the quilt shop to find a fabric for the binding, the employees told me I should publish a pattern for the quilt. So I did!

Larkspur Lane Designs officially came into being in 2003 when I started the company with a friend of mine. She and I have known each other since we were children and since our birthdays are one day apart in July, we named the company for the flower for July. Although we are still friends, Colleen left the business in 2005, but because of all her help in the beginning, I was able to keep it going on my own.

At this point, I think I have about a dozen patterns on my website, and have been published in magazines ten times, (including 3 times in Quiltmaker!). My patterns are sold by Clotilde and McCalls and also through my website: http://www.larkspurlanedesigns.com

I have probably a hundred designs in my computer waiting to be sewn out and just need to invent a time machine, so I can keep resetting time to get them all done!

Counting my blessings

I guess the best time to count your blessings is when you start to feel like you don't have any. That is the point I am at now, so time to start counting.

1. I have 2 wonderful children and a husband who is an amazing father...when he is around. Regular readers of my blog know he has had to go to work in a city 2 hours from here and we only get to see him one night during the week, (if we have the money for him to fill his gas tank). He also comes home on the weekend if he doesn't have to do a personal appearance for the radio station where he works, which have been scheduled much more frequently as of late.

2. We have a roof over our heads in a nice, safe neighborhood.

3. We have food to eat, even if it is just grilled cheese sandwiches and noodles (which my kids happen to love, so they have no idea when we are broke!).

4. I have several jobs, that I love:
Teaching sewing, quilting and embroidery classes for a local sewing machine dealer. Most of my students end up being my friends, so that makes the job even more enjoyable than just sharing my love of sewing and quilting.

I have an aunt who has Multilple Sclerosis, who I help care for and am paid by the state. Its not much, but every little bit helps. My aunt is 2 years younger than I am and I have known her and have been very close to her her entire life. We have always spent at least one day a week together since she was diagnosed 16 years ago, but when she was told she could hire someone to help her, she chose me and one of her sisters. Between the 2 of us, we run errands for her, take her to her doctors appointments, clean her home, make sure she eats and do whatever else she needs done that she can't do for herself. She is an inspiration to me, since she is the one person I know personally, who has reason to complain about her lot in life, but NEVER does.

Then, there is my pattern company--LARKSPUR LANE DESIGNS. I started my company with a friend in 2003 with one pattern and at this time, I think I have a dozen on my website for sale. I have had 10 other designs published in several different magazines, which at some point, I would like to publish my own patterns for and add them to my site. It is such a joy to be able to do something you love and get paid for it! I wish everyone could have that.

5. I have great friends, who are there for me even when I'm not being a great friend in return.

6. My relationship with God. Even when things are really bad, I know they won't be for long because He is always watching over me.

I think I could go on forever with this list, but I have to get ready to go to work at one of my blessings!

One UFO down!

This is my Cartwheeling Clowns quilt that was on display recently at the Three Rivers Quilters show in Pittsburgh. I called it Clowns For Gayle and was meant as a gift for the outgoing President of the guild,....oh, I guess, about 2 years ago. Now that it is finally finished and I got to talk to Gayle at the show and know that she really likes it, it is a load off my mind! She asked me, "Are you REALLY going to give me that quilt?" I told her, "Its YOUR quilt, Gayle.", and I could tell she was happy about it. That makes all the work I put into it worthwhile. I'm not sure where this quilt or the other one I had in the show are, at this moment, but I am sure they are safe. I had to work yesterday, so I was unable to make it to the venue to pick up my quilts and asked someone else to do it for me. Hopefully, I will see my quilts again tomorrow and be able to personally give the clown quilt to Gayle.

Do you think I should pattern this design?

Still Waiting

I am still waiting for that elusive cover quilt, but I have just had my 9th and 10th designs published in magazines! This time around, I have one quilt in Quiltmaker, in which I have been published twice before and one in Quilt Magazine for the first, but hopefully, not the last time.

I haven't gotten a copy of Quilt Magazine yet, which features my Bubble Bath design, but I have seen the photo of my quilt used in the magazine. I am really excited to see it in print though!

Plus, my friends are tired of hearing me ask, "Have you seen this yet?" when I bring out my advance copy of Quiltmaker!!!

Doesn't this sound heavenly?

Not the part about taking a class with me, but having someone else prepare all of your meals while you relax and sew for an entire weekend?! Even though I will be working the whole weekend, it still seems like heaven!

Seams Like Home Retreats with Sue Cook from Larkspur Lane Designs

Christmas in July Gingerbread Man Paper Pieced Wallhanging
July 17-19

Haunting Halloween
Paper Pieced & Appliqued Wallhanging
October 8-10

Cost: $300 per person

Check-in is 3pm on Friday and check-out is 3 pm on Sunday. Cost includes dinner on Friday, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. After dinner on Friday, Sue will help you cut out and get organized and prepared for class on Saturday. You will have some free sew time later in the evening, or play some fun sewing and quilting games, watch TV or play pool in the lounge. Snacks are available in the evenings. On Sunday you can finish what you may not have completed on Saturday, have free sew time, or just sleep in! Sue is a very talented and creative quilter and teacher. This is an opportunity to master the paper piecing technique and learn from a pro. No phones, no kids, no cooking, JUST FUN AND RELAXATION! More detailed class descriptions and photos will be posted on the website www.seamslikehomeretreat.com in May.

A Few Of My Favorite Things

This past weekend, I spent the day at a quilt show and got to see someone else's version of one of my designs. I found it interesting to read her comments on the label, where she said she bought the pattern and then wasn't sure she wanted to attempt paper piecing but now she's a fan of the technique. That made my day!

I took this photo with my phone, so its not the best quality, but if you want to see a picture of my sample, you can go to my website and check it out: http://www.larkspurlanedesigns.com/

I tried to meet the woman who made this quilt and tell her how much I enjoyed seeing hers, but I missed her. Maybe she will see my blog!

Forget about spring, its Quilt Show Season!

Its finally here! Quilt Show Season!

Beside my pattern business, I also teach for a local sewing machine dealer and, on occasion, get the opportunity to spend the day in her booth at local quilt shows. This is about as far from WORK as you can get! I love being around other people who get as excited as me about fabric, new techniques, products and projects.

The show started yesterday, but I had to work in the store since I had a class to teach. But today, I get to go to the show! One of my co-workers called me from the show to tell me there was a quilt in the show that was done from one of my patterns. I always love to see how others interpret my designs and can't wait to see it. I will take a picture if I am allowed and post it soon.

Next Friday, instead of being in the store, I will be on a bus trip to the Sewing and Quilting Expo in Cleveland! Could it get any better?!?

Intellectual Theft?

There was a message posted to a Yahoo Group I belong to about "possible" copyright infringement, that I found to be very disturbing. A fabric company obviously "borrowed" (stole, in my opinion) images from a card designer and then refused to admit or acknowledge or reimburse her in any way for her intellectual property! They told her SHE NEEDED TO GET A LAWYER!

I am so sick of big companies thinking they can get away with anything just because they have more money or resources backing them up. Below, you will find a link to this designer's blog about the situation, as well as images of the designs in question. Check it out and see what you think.

Are they her images they used in their fabric? Personally, I don't think there is any doubt, but I am afraid she won't get any justice because she is just one person fighting a big company. But, I think if this company began to get emails from people who will no longer buy their product until this matter is resolved, they might change their tune.

http://kimberlyshaw.typepad.com/my_weblog/protecting-.html