Designer Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup Blogs for US

I have not fallen off the planet for those who are wondering...

Remember when I was telling you about our new quilt book? I was going to keep you updated as we went through the process. The book is called Cradle to Cradle and this is what the cover looks like. The book features quilts designed to commemorate the moments in a girl's life from her baby quilt through her wedding quilt and ends with a baby quilt for her first born child.

When I left off last time, the quilts were getting their beauty shots taken by the photographer. Well today the whole thing has gone to the printer! I don't know how that happened. We will give you all the details in our July newsletter.

The good folks at Henry Glass have agreed to reprint Bubblegum Basics one more time so we will all have enough fabric to make the quilts in the book! What a company! Two of the quilts in the book are made from Bubblegum Basics.

We also have a new mystery block of the month quilt made from Bubblegum Basics in the works. We will be offering it on our website and I think it is pretty cute if I do say so myself! The reason I say that is because I am doing exactly what I want and will keep this quilt for one of my grandaughters. It has been really fun to work on. Sometimes you gotta do exactly what you want, don'tcha think? Until Next time.... Barbara

For more info on Barbara Jones and her designs please check out her website http://quiltsoup.com/

Hg Designer Kim Diehl Blogs for US!

I recently returned home from a WAY fun teaching trip to a quilt shop in Victor, New York, called “Ivy Thimble Quilt and Gift Shop” (www.ivythimble.com), where I was given the opportunity to share my quilts and my new Molly’s Meadow collection of fabrics for Henry Glass. We also offered workshops for several projects featuring my invisible machine appliqué method (and here’s where I have to admit to all of you that I’m always thrilled to be able to turn people on to the joys of appliqué). What a blast!

With every workshop, I see students arrive for class with enough sewing paraphernalia to require at least three trips to the car to haul it all inside – looking at all the rolling travel cases and mounds of “stuff” you’d think that they were moving in, but we all know if they left one single thing at home, that would be the one thing they needed and didn’t have!

One of our workshops focused on the quilt design from the Molly’s Meadow line of fabrics, and I can’t tell you how rewarding it was for me to see people embrace the scrappy look of this collection, especially when they saw how the prints work together to completely take the guesswork out of choosing fabrics for scrap quilts.

Am I a lucky girl to be able to spend my days with other quilters who share this passion for cutting up perfectly good fabric and then sewing it all back together? Sometimes I almost have to pinch myself! Next stop is California…who wants to stay home when you can be out sharing the joy of making quilts?

Happy stitching,
Kim ~

New HG designer Brenda Pinnick Blogs for US

Are you inspired to create coordinated projects for table settings or just everyday living? Use my new fabric line Opulence to make yourself this very handy and stylish market bag and then design your own wine labels to match. Wouldn't it be lovely to show up at an outdoor concert with this set-up?

Here in Atlanta, we have Chastain Park, offering outdoor concerts all summer long and believe me, there is a bit of a competition with regards to food and presentation!
I chose to use a natural colored canvas as the accent for the top and bottom of t his large tote. And yes, I did indeed spray it with several coats of fabric guard! You'll notice I used ribbons as accents rather than fabric as the pattern shows. I also doubled the width of the handles so they would be very comfortable and sturdy.

I used a McCalls Pattern, number M5897 from Designer Karina Hittle, her line is called Artful Offerings. My coordinating paper line is available through QVC.com and is called the Iris Collection by Brenda Pinnick.

For More information on Brenda Pinnick- check out her website and blog:

Website: http://www.brendapinnick.com/

Blog: http://www.brendapinnick.com/blog/