The Flora Bag

I have gotten so many compliments on the purse I made a few months ago that I decided to make a pattern for it. Today I made it up in completely different fabrics and took careful notes as I worked. These fabrics are from the “Blossom” line by Urban Chiks for Moda. My daughter suggested the name "The Flora Bag." The bag below is the one I made first, with hand-dyed fabrics. I hope to have the pattern done in a week or so. The purse measures 16" high by 12" wide by 3.5" deep.

Glasgow Rose

Here’s a photo of my latest quilt, “Glasgow Rose.” It will be at Quilt Market in Houston (in late October, before the International Quilt Festival) in the Moda/United Notions booth, along with “By the Sea.” It uses Terry Clothier Thompson's new fabric line for Moda called “Oak Leaves & Reel,” and features Arts and Crafts era motifs, including the Glasgow Rose appliqué and ginkgo leaf quilting designs.

By the Sea

Here are some photos of a new 25"x45" wall quilt I’m just finishing up for a pattern called “By the Sea.” (Thanks to my friend, DeLane Rosenau, who came up with the name!) It is made with a great new fabric collection by Moda called “The Hamptons” by Minick & Simpson, which will be available in quilt shops in October. The pattern features a large appliquéd crab, lobster and starfish. The pieces are big, so they are not hard to appliqué, and it goes together quickly with an easy-peasy pieced border. A little detail quilting gives the creatures some personality. This is pattern BMR119. The retail price is $10.

Sue Spargo workshop

Quilter Sue Spargo spoke to the Charlotte Quilters Guild this week, and gave a workshop today. She does marvelous folk-art style appliqué with mostly woven wools and some cotton and upholstery cotton fabric. Then she adds lots of fun embellishments with beads, ribbons, ric-rac and wool yarn. Her sister Wendy hand-dyes all the fabric and makes beautiful sterling jewelry based on her designs. Sue is a very kind and generous teacher, and I really enjoyed her workshop, and the chance to see her gorgeous work close up. Thanks, Sue! To see more of her work, go to www.suespargo.com. She sells her patterns, books, kits, wools and jewelry on her website. The photo above shows me with Sue and her “Greenbrier” quilt. The photo below shows the little pillow “pin keeper” I made from one of her kits.

“Harbinger’s Hope” wins honorable mention at PNQE

I just found out that “Harbinger’s Hope” won an honorable mention in the “Innovative” category at Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza XIV!!! I'm really pleased, since this is the first national show I've entered, and I really didn't expect to win anything.

PNQE is a Mancuso show held Sept. 6-9, 2007 in Harrisburg, Pa. Mary Schwarzenberger, a new quilting friend I met online, took a bunch of photos at the show and sent me the one above. Thanks, Mary!