The big give-away!

It has been an exciting week in the quilt cave...first of all, 252 comments for a give-away.  WOW!  It is so interesting hearing from so many people from all over the place!  I wish I had a prize for all of you!

Here are the 5 winners: (using a random number generator)

1)  Cookie  (quilty package)
2)  Nancy Hilderbrand  (Quiltmaker 100 Blocks magazine)
3)  Margaret  (Quiltmaker 100 Blocks magazine)
4)  Elsie Montgomery  (quilty package)
5)  Helen Bowie  (quilty package)

I have sent an email to each winner...if I don't hear back from you within a week with a snail mail address, I will choose another winner...

Thank you to everyone who visited and left a comment...I hope you will come back!

There are a few things in the quilty package...some little rectangular containers for storing applique pieces as you work (I am ALL about the containers, LOL!), this little applicator bottle for glue baste (with a needle tip for applying tiny dots)...

...some "disappearing purple" Elmer's glue sticks...

...some Washable Elmer's School glue for glue basting, to put in your little applicator bottle (I find it works just as well as the Roxanne's Glue Baste, and soaks out a little faster/easier)...

...a package of pattern weights...

...and one of these "Lil' Sticks," PERFECT for clearing the needle tip of the glue applicator bottle.

I will have info in my next post about where to find some of these tools...

Congratulations to all the winners!

The Blog Tour continues today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday) - ENJOY!

In stitches,
Teresa  :o)

The launch is coming!

The moment I have been waiting for has almost arrived...my block will be appearing in the new Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 10 next week.

There will be an associated week long Blog Tour to celebrate the launch, and I think my day is Monday, November 17.

I hope you will join us all next week to celebrate the launch!

In stitches,
Teresa   :o)

Exciting news...my original block was accepted!

I just got the news that my original block was accepted for, not this issue #9 (pictured above), but the #10 issue of "Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks" that will go on sale in November.  I am so excited!

I had not heard anything for so long that I figured I didn't get in.  But then I got the congratulatory email this week. 

I wish I could show you the block, but I will give you this tiny teaser hint of the fabrics I used: (I know, I know...a pretty sucky hint...)

OK, maybe I can show a little more:

I can't wait until you see what I did with the hearts!  There will be a blog tour and I will have a detailed tutorial on the blog to go with the published magazine pattern.  Yee haw!  

Happy stitching.

Teresa   :o)

Shhh! Secret deadline...

I mailed off an original block to the Quiltmaker Magazine folks this morning for consideration in one of their "100 Blocks" publications. I wish I could show you the finished block...it is so cool!!... but I have to sit on my hands until it is (hopefully) accepted and published in the upcoming issue.

All I can tell you is that it is an applique block (duh!) and that I used the following fabrics on my crisp, white background.

Meanwhile, the hand quilting continues.  I have finished the outer border...believe me, there was much rejoicing and happy dancing going on for a while in my family room.

Now, I am doing the outline quilting on the remaining blocks.  I worked on the French horn block while watching Olympic Skating yesterday.  

Before outline quilting...

During and after outline quilting...

I know...it is very subtle, but I will know it is done, and I like the way it makes some motifs "pop" and some just "sizzle" in the background. There are some bigger pieces, like the French horn bell, that really need the quilting to keep them from poofing out. 

It is difficult quilting because there are many layers, but it is satisfying.  At this time, I'm glad I chose to cut the background fabric away from under the larger applique motifs.  Also, due to going around little pieces, I can usually only get one stitch on the needle at a time.

But it is fun to re-visit each design close up as I hum along.  You should hear the crap that runs through my head while working:

1)  "#@%$& - what possessed me to draw this tiny flower blossom so small?!?"

2)  "Oh, I really should have put another leaf here..."

3)  "Yikes - not enough French knots in the center of this flower."

4)  "Ooooo - I really like that fabric..."

5)  "Ahhh - I like to run my hand over the surface of the hand quilting..."

6)  "I wonder if I can talk Steve into making dinner?!?"

7)  "Squirrel!!"

We are our own worst critics, aren't we?

Happy stitching,
Teresa  :o)