Wednesday, February 9, 2011

I'm in LOVE and the pattern give away...


Ah...love is fickle.  I usually think of myself as pretty loyal partner.  My third finger on my right hand has been married to the same Roxanne's quilting thimble for years.  I occasionally use the old fashioned silver one for applique, as it was my grandmother's.  And, I like the adhesive thimble pads when I go "au naturale."


I have had 3 Roxanne's thimbles over the many years, with the brass one as my favorite for the last 8-9 years.  Well, move on over 'cause I have a new love...a new thimble!


(I still love my Scissoroos, Nat!!)


I just bought this little beauty after Barb (Fun With Barb) shared her story of finding her thimble after it had been missing for a while.  I was so touched by her emotion in telling her story that I just had to look into the matter for myself.


The thimble is made by T.J. Lane at http://www.thimbles2fit.com/.   I was a little skeptical of getting a good fit ordering it online, but I am completely pleased.  They guarantee the fit.

I chose an "open thimble," which allows for your fingernail, usually not a problem for me..please excuse my man-ish, piano-player, horrible manicure.  I downloaded her paper measuring strip and followed the directions for a great fit.  You can get the opening round or slightly oval.  I found the slightly oval to be perfect.  (Hey Glenn...how do you like yours?)

The fit with the Roxanne's thimble was never great.  It just wasn't shaped like my finger tip, so my finger tip never went to the end of the thimble.  It was heavy and after it flew off my finger and hit one poor woman in the chest while I was teaching a hand quilting class, I knew the love affair was over and I needed to move on.  Sigh.

This new thimble fits perfectly...like a second skin.  And it is so lightweight and beautiful.  They have many styles to choose from.  When I first slipped it on, I was a little worried that it might be too short and not stay on, but it is fabulous.


I've tried every kind of thimble...leather, snakeskin, plastic, metal, rubber...there was once even a paddle-shaped thingee that you held, which someone borrowed and never returned, so I can't show it to you.  (It actually worked so I am sorry I don't have it anymore...)


Anyway, on to the pattern give away.  I recently finished the top called "All Around the Town" by Sue Garmon.

There has been so much interest in this older BOM pattern, purchased from Quakertown Quilts in Houston, and it was a little expensive so I thought I would give it away.  This way, someone else can enjoy this journey.  (I taped the original pattern sheets together for each of the 12 blocks to lay out my applique.  I think I would mess them up if I was to untape them, so I will just roll them up gently and put them in a tube mailer along with the rest of the directions and the picture that came with it.)


So leave a comment by Thursday evening at midnight EST and I will announce a winner on Friday morning.

And now, some eye candy!!  Check out this incredible Halloween gourd that my best friend Ola designed and made for my husband as a Christmas gift.  We are  now using it as a night light in our bedroom with one of those LED tea lights.  There's a ghost on top of the cute pumpkin and somehow she made the most beautiful cut in the gourd to separate the shapes.  Look...it even looks like Steve!! (he's holding it in the dark picture)



Next, Mary J. is at it again, holding a second top made using the Fons and Porter doggie pattern that was available on their web site.  The ears are 3-D and I just love their expressive eyes.


And finally, Beth K. surprised me, Ola and Mary J. with homemade mittens today.  We were 3 very happy kittens with our lovely new mittens!  Thanks Beth!!


It's been a fabulous week and it is only Wednesday!!

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

32 comments:

  1. Oh yes I bought the Thimble last year at Houston and while I am not a Thimble wearing person I love this one.
    And the pattern oh yes please put me in the draw, I went to Sue Garman's house for dinner our group from Australia adn have fallen in love with her quilts. Love yours.
    cheers
    Christine

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  2. Put me in the barrel for this one Teresa, I want to make an Australian Town...! Oooh, imagine kangaroos and koala's, the southern cross and Eureka flag, oh the mind boggles....
    Lizzie
    xxx

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  3. I looooove Sue Garmon Patterns I have a couple of them and would love this so I will keep my fingers crossed. A very generous give-away for sure.
    now thimbles I have used a brass top for years and years and years...but there is one I want to try that is called tin to tin. you don`t rock your top finger you rock the bottom finger the one under the quilt. have the equipment just a bent metal piece in a v but have not tried the method yet. it is to much out of my comfort zone but will try one day...
    Christine you were sooooo lucky to meet Sue in person that is a wow!!

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  4. your new thimble looks wonderful!
    I know you'll be happy together for many many years!
    I'm thinking about buying a back up one for the sewing room when I go to the AQS show in March.
    Don't put my name in, I know I wouldn't make it, so let someone else win it.

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  5. I have a paddle thimble and love it. I actually have two of them at least in case I lose one of them. I have the TJLane also but mine is not rounded on the edge like yours but pointed - I wish I would have gotten the rounded edge - the point bothers me but not until after I used it awhile and was too late to return it.
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

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  6. Oh, Teresa!! I'm a Roxanne girl...do I need to be converted!?! I have 3 Roxannes -- a big one for my thumb and two different sizes for my third finger because it shrinks as I quilt! :-D I'll have to check TJ out at Pigeon Forge or Paducah later this spring!
    I'd love the patterns! Been resisting buying the set for I don't know how long!! I usually bypass give-aways; I've got way more fabric and books and such than I will ever quilt in this lifetime...but this one is right up my alley (so to speak! :-D).
    Love the manicure! :-D If they weren't so short, I'd have "man-hands." :-D Wide square-ish fingers and the worst nails you've ever seen! But they quilt pretty good, just like yours! :-D
    Blessings!
    Mary Lou

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  7. Hi Teresa I would love to have a chance to win your pattern. I have been admiring your quilt and am sure it would be lots of fun to do. Thanks also for the thimble review yours looks really good. I've never tried an open thimble and I'm sure it would be more comfortable than the one I use.
    Debra

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  8. Hi Teresa,

    My thimble is great as well. My Roxanne suitcase has been retired.

    Love your pattern but would not have the time to make it. Take my name out of your hat.

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  9. Love your show-n-tell! Been great fun following along!

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  10. Such a beautiful thimble! I LOVE your quilt and have had so much fun watching you make it. Especially all your personal touches. What a great project.

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  11. I've always wanted to get a custom fit thimble. Does your fit on both the normal finger size days and the puffy days?

    You know I would love to win the pattern...keeping every thing crossed LOL.

    I LOVE the mittens, what a great gift!!

    Crispy

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  12. Oh, Teresa..........
    You know how I have loved this pattern.. on the other hand I have never won anything in my life..So I believe everyone is safe as far as my chances are concerned.

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  13. Around Town is great...I enjoyed watching it come together. Please include me in the drawing.

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  14. I am going to pass on the pattern just because I have so much going on right now it wouldn't be fair to someone who might begin working on it right away.
    I really like the adhesive thimbles when I am appliqueing.
    TJ has actually visited our guild. I don't have one of her thimbles but I do have a Roxanne one which I like when I do hand quilt which is not often. lol

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  15. i have been drooooling over your town quilt. and can you believe i've been quilting for 7 years and have never used a thimble? i've got the callouses to prove it.

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  16. I have to agree thimbles are a problem. I use the sticky dots, but purchasing them over and over again, well, costly over time. I have only tried the old silver thimble other than that. I've not tried any of the other thimbles pictured, but I'm sure to go there at some point, and try, and try and try.. something has to work other than that boxy fit.
    NOW, to the most exciting giveaway EVER!! I'm so very excited! I looked up this pattern after seeing your delightful rendition. I must say as nice as the pattern is.. the cheapest I could find it was $57.00 OUCH! I also must say your additions to the original pattern were THE most delightful additions EVER. IF I am lucky enough to win, I will be returning to your blog over and over and over again trying to peek at all of your additions to get some pointers to try to make my version nearly as good as yours, because yours was SO very perfect!

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  17. I love Sue Garman's work, just love it. A win here would really make a special day for me. *S*

    Thx for the very genrous offer. Your quilt is just fab.

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  18. I am an avid appliquer and hand quilter. I saw this pattern and had to have it, until I saw how much it was. I put it on my want list and maybe someday I'll get it or even better maybe I would win it. Wouldn't that be great...since I never win anything, maybe my luck will change.
    I use a plastic thimble and go through them like crazy, time to undate! Love your blog!!

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  19. I so loved watching your progress on this quilt. I am a raw edge applique gal so my take would be a bit different. I do have a friend that would take the time and enjoy the process of this pattern, If I win, do you mind if I share? cheryl

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  20. So glad the new thimble fits and you like it. I know it's a little scary to try to order something like that over the internet. But, since you had not one, but two recommendations for her thimbles, I'm sure that helped.

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  21. Hey Anonymous...please email me with an email address so in case you win, I can get in touch with you!

    Teresa of Fabric Therapy

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  22. Oh, that pattern! Thanks for generously sharing it.=)

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  23. Love the new thimble! It does look light and definitely pretty. I need to check out those thimble pads..even just hand piecing, I have a finger tip still healing.
    Thanks for the generous offer to share your pattern. It is so cool!

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  24. Thank you for the show n tell and for the share! xoxo

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  25. Hi Teresa, I'm a reasonably new reader of your blog, I find it very inspiring :) You have motivated me to try hand quilting and I love it, would dearly love to win the pattern and put a New Zealand twist on it, keep up the great posting I look forward to my morning coffee and read with you, kindest regards

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  26. Please add my name to your giveaway. I love all of Sue Garman's designs and All Around the Town is currently on my wish list.

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  27. I would love to do it, and I think you pass it along is a great idea, and I would send the pattern along to a new home again when mine is finished too! Great Idea!!

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  28. I would love to be entered in the draw and attempt that quilt, too. I'd pay it forward as well once I'm done. I don't use a thimble but having a custom-fitted one might change my mind!

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  29. I, too, would love a chance to make this quilt. Not being smart enough to figure it out by myself, I would love the directions. I do not use a thimble. When I put one on I use a different finger to push the needle. :)

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  30. OMG I love it all. The Gourd is fantastic. I love pumpkins. Fantastic give away. I would
    love to win it. I have a love for thimbles so I
    will definitely check this one out.
    Janet

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  31. Thimbles! I still can't find one I'm happy with!
    Please enter me in your giveaway! I would love to make this pattern!

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  32. I haven't found a thimble I can use yet. Thank goodness I can sew without one. Please enter me in your giveaway.

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