Lancaster 2012 Giveaway

We were so grateful for all the customers that came to see us in the booth last week during the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show.  It was busy and crowded in there that we hardly had a minute to blog.  I still have to get caught up on that this week.

But I couldn't let another day go by without drawing a name from one of our many customers for the Glass Fusion Quilt Top Box giveaway offered at the show.  We offered the chance to win to any customer that bought something from the booth at the show.  Drum roll please.............

The winner of the box is Eileen Stevenson.  Eileen will be receiving a call/email from us soon.  Congratulations to you.

OK... back to work.  We are completely sold out of All Scrapped Out! and need to get new books in stock ASAP.

Happy Quilting! 

Off To Lancaster 2012

It's a hectic pace getting ready for the Lancaster Show.  It's one of the biggest events for the Cabin each year.  We go all out.  I love being in Lancaster with the quilters.  There's something about being in Amish Country and surrounded by fabric that makes my heart do a little dance.

So... in order to get there... we must do some gathering and packing.

... and what could be more important than a comfortable pair of shoes.  

Of course we have to have some goodies so that people will stop and chat with us.  

This year we are doing a drawing for this beautiful fusion glass quilt top box.  

The space in the back of the truck is getting tight.  Perhaps we should consider getting a trailer.

 

Since I am not going to be around I have left a present for my boys.  Time to learn to do your own laundry kids.  This should really make them miss mom.

This year we have more quilts, more books, pretty wooden racks and a quilter hiding in the back corner.  My friend Beth graciously agreed to come along in exchange for learning all the secret spots to buy fabric.

Where am I?  Well... here is the view from my scrappy vantage point.  Hiding in the booth greeting all the quilters.  Sound like fun?  It really is.  But really sad I can't walk over there and shop too.  

 

I shouldn't worry though... we were able to hit a few secret spots on Tuesday night after setup.  I have no idea how we are gonna to fit our purchases in the truck on the way home.  We may be purchasing the trailer sooner than expected. 

Yesterday's statistics - 

Number of Quilters present: 2

Number of smorgasbords visited: 1

Number of hours in Lancaster: 8.5 hours

Yards of fabric purchased: 101.5 yards

Gluttonous?  Feel free to comment.

Workshop with the Piecemakers

Another great workshop this past year was with the members of my own quilt guild... the Stafford Piecemakers.  These ladies all got together with me on a Saturday to get down and dirty with their scraps. I had 20 students that day... and not all decided to do the same quilt.  That was the best part.  All had different methods to their "madness" and brought what they thought would be best to attain the best result.   Have a look and tell me what you think.  

The quilter on the left is using completely random strips ... pulling them from the paper bag down below.  That's a great way to do it if you don't want to be overwhelmed with the color when you pull it out.  

The quilter on the right is using the scraps from a line of fabrics that she used for another quilt and mixing it with other fabrics with like colors.  

Above and below... working away and making something out of those mounds of strips.

She looks like she's have a great time working on color strips of red.  No stress here.

Sewing the scraps and pressing the pieces ... it's as easy as that. 

The quilter on the left is working on a Grammy's Thread Box quilt with her 1930's Reproduction fabrics.  The quilter on the right is making a Spare Change quilt with completely random fabrics.

My favorite part about the All Scrapped Out! method is the smiles I see from the quilters.   They are free to enjoy the pleasure of sewing and the pleasure of each other's company with laughter and chatter.  There is no stress that they need to concentrate to not make a mistake.  You really can't make one.  Well ... you could... but you are less likely to make a mistake when the method is easy.  And so many of the quilters (even the slow sewers) made tremendous progress on their quilts with much less effort.

Here are some of the results.

The above and below are both version of Scrappy Strings and Crazy Things... the above done with red, white and blue fabrics and the below done with random scraps.

Here one student is laying out blocks and deciding what could be done.  As you can see on the left... she has begun the layout for From Strips to Squares quilt... but not the right... she's looking at more of a "barber pole" look.  We were discussing how the quilt on the right could be pieced.  I suggested perhaps making striped columns and dividing them with sashing or border strips to make them really stand out.  I love both looks.  These triangles are all so versatile.  Laying them out really helps you to see what you can do.

This quilter chose to bring only green and cream scraps with her on this day.  She was stepping way out of her box and wanted to play it a little safe.  I think the result is pretty fantastic.  She slows a little slower than most and was very pleased with her progress on this day.

These two quilters are laying out their blocks.  The above quilter pulled her strips from a paper bag.  The quilter below used leftovers from a recent project.  

Above and below are quilters laying out their random strip quilts.  Their quilt layouts are actually completely different.  The quilts look quite similar though.  You have to look twice to see the difference in the layouts.  Was one of them making a mistake... ????   Of course not.  There are no mistakes in this method ... only design choices.  

The above and below quilts are versions of Spare Change.  Each quilter used what she had in her stash.  One used strips and one used charm squares.  Just because I tell you in the book to use strips doesn't mean you can't use charms... and there was no math in this quilt really.  Is the design the same as mine... no.  This quilter thought she made a mistake... but it ended up being a design choice as well.

These two quilters were sewing like lightening in this workshop.  The above quilter got her random strip quilt top completed with the borders to be added later.  The quilter below used some leftovers from another project and finished her quilt top completely, with borders and square up, before she left the class.  Pretty impressive and a really cute design.  The quilt top had little ants all over it... and I think it was destined to be a picnic quilt.  

Anything is possible with this method.  Give it a try and see what you can come up with.  

The Workshop at the Hive

I have been teaching workshops and doing trunk shows for the past year with All Scrapped Out! and the most popular comment that I hear when show the attendees my trunk show is ... "My quilt would never look like that... I don't have enough scraps!"  So many people are afraid to dig into their scrap basket and just begin sewing.  I am hear to tell you again.... JUST DO IT!

The pictures in this post are from a workshop that I taught last Spring/Summer in Newark, DE in a shop called The Quilter's Hive.  Here are a few of the "bees" in the hive getting down and dirty with their leftovers and some of the quilt layouts that they came up with that day.

Bees getting their strip sets together.

Strip piecing and checking their patterns

This bee chose a different pattern than everyone else.  You can see her strips are divided by color

This bee brought only batik scraps.  You can do that if you wish.  Dividing your scraps by a specific fabric "flavor" is a great way to feel comfortable about your project.  Her block layout is below.

Totally random awesome layout of From Strips to Squares

The picture above and below are completely random strips to make 

Scrappy Strings and Crazy Things.  

The difference between the two quilt depends on the scrap stash of the maker.  

Same quilt ... different look... equally beautiful.

Here are some blocks from the bee who used all batik scraps.  Pretty amazing look.  

Same design as the two quilt above... the batiks give the quilt a totally different look.

This just goes to show that you can even use your scraps to create several different versions of the same quilt and they will look different every time.  I'm so sorry that I didn't get pictures of the block layout of the students that chose another design.  I think they were shy about their blocks.  No need to be shy.  I encourage all my students to show their layout while sewing so that they can see the beauty in their own creation and get excited about completing it and showing others what they made from their "FREE" stash of fabrics.  Who knew that they had these quilts all balled up in a scrap basket. 

Heading off to a quilt show is always exciting.  I feel that way whether I am going as a customer or a vendor.  It's doubly exciting when you are a vendor with a new product to show.  I am gearing up this week for a trip to Lancaster, PA to the Lancaster Spring Quilt Show.  Last year CWQ premiered a new book All Scrapped Out! and the customers responded very favorably to this new way to quilt.

This year I am attending the show as a 3 time author.  I can't believe it.  I am so excited to meet all the customers and show them the new book in our series, Still All Scrapped Out!.  I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks about the new quilts.   Here is the front and back cover of the book.  

I hope I get to meet you at the show.  See all of you in another week.