Desire to Inspire - December Challenger - Meet Melinda Collins

Meet Melinda Collins- She took on the challenge of using "Twilight Lake” by Andrea Tachiera in the month of December 2019

"I am Melinda Collins and I currently live in Lexington, South Carolina, near the state capital of Columbia.  I live with my wonderfully supportive husband, Tray, and daughter Kelley, who often serves as my color and/or layout consultant.  My career for the past 30 years has been in medical imaging and I work full-time as the CT Scan supervisor at a local hospital. I have always loved crafting - knitting, scrapbooking, beading, weaving, and stained-glass art- as a creative outlet, but quilting has become my passion.  

My mother and grandmother taught me to sew.  Most of the time we made clothes or home decor - I was the only one who branched out into quilting. I made my first quilt for my daughter right after she was born in 1995 and have loved it ever since.  Someone once asked me what my favorite part of quilting was - and I really didn’t have an answer.  I enjoy the whole process.  Designing, choosing fabrics, piecing, quilting and, yes, even binding!  I like taking traditional blocks and methods and coming up with my own versions and techniques. 

I mostly quilt for my family and friends, but have recently started Longarm quilting on my awesome A-1 machine (courtesy of my aforementioned supportive husband).  Longarm quilting has opened up a whole new realm for me.  Who knew ruler work could be so much fun!?!  

I’m a member of the Threads of Time Quilt Guild, Quilters of South Carolina, and South Carolina Longarm Quilters.  The members of these communities are so talented and create such beautiful things it inspires me each time I go to a meeting.  They are always willing to share and give advice and I have learned a lot from them.  Also, our local quilt shops, Jessamine Quilt Shop and Sew Suite Studio, have fantastic staff who are always willing to share their knowledge.  

When I saw the Twilight Lake fabric line, I knew I wanted to make something with it.  Then, when I was chosen for the challenge, I got my chance.  The fabrics have such a soft hand and were so easy to work with.  The lodge camping theme begged to be made into log cabin blocks, flying geese, stars, and a bear paw, of course.   My husband loves it! Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this challenge!"

Melinda's Quilt Made with "Twilight Lake" by Andrea Tachiera
Photographed by Marc McNatt of Upstate Drone Works

 

View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt #1 Here

Download Quilt #2 Here

Get Quilting - Liberty Star Bundle Giveaway

"Liberty Star" by Kim Diehl is a 20-SKU collection featuring prints in warm shades of cream, red and cranberry, as well as aqua and teal with a sprinkling of stars. Additionally, there are two FREE projects (a quilt and a banner) available for download. IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Liberty Star Bundle Giveaway 
View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Download The Banner Here

Desire to Inspire January - Looking for a Challenger

"Calming Tides" by Jessica Mundo is a 13-SKU collection featuring crustaceans, tossed shells, seahorses, fishing nets, and more, tossed across shades of blue, white, and grey. Perfect for those who love the ocean.

In this month's Desire to Inspire Challenge, the winner will receive this collection to make something great. The caveat is... it MUST BE made in the month of January, and pictures of your finished project(s) must be provided to us by the end of the month. Along with your picture and bio, too, of course. 

Are you ready to take on this challenge? 

Send an email to jennifer@jaftex.com to put your name in the hat!

Click Here to View the Full Collection

Get Quilting- Home is Best Bundle Giveaway

Home is the starting place of love, hope, and dreams. Add a little comfort to your quaint space with "Home is Best" by Janet Rae Nesbitt. Featuring beautiful yarn stripes, tonals, and more. Additionally, there is one FREE quilt project available for download. IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Home is Best Bundle Giveaway

View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Get Quilting - Count Your Blessings Bundle Giveaway

"Count Your Blessings" by Color Principle is a 17-SKU collection featuring sunflower vines, star check, foulard hexes, roosters, hens, and more! Also included are a 24" x 44" banner panel, a border stripe, and 10" novelty blocks. Additionally, there are two FREE projects (a quilt and a table set) IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Count Your Blessings Bundle Giveaway 
View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Download The Table Set Here

One Crazy Sister Club II - Premiering in January 2020

Have you signed up your quilt shop to join "One Crazy Sister Club II" from Janet Rae Nesbitt? The "Best of Days" Collection designed by Janet Rae Nesbitt of One Sister Designs was created with the One Crazy Sister Club II in mind. 

One Sister designer, Janet Rae Nesbitt has long been known for her scrappy quilting techniques and crazy pattern style. Janet incorporates a unique primitive color palette with her Crazy pattern method, blending prints and yarn dyes fabrics to create her look. 

Club members will have access to eight small quilt patterns exclusively designed by Janet. These projects will be made available to the club members with a password in early January 2020 when the fabrics ship.⠀

Click Here for Additional Details on the Club and to Sign Up Your Shop

Additionally, Janet’s Basics "Linen Closet" and her "One Sister Yarn Dyes" are great coordinates to work with the club collection and good staples to have in your shop.

View the "Best of Days" Collection by Janet Rae Nesbitt

and the Eight Free Small Quilt Patterns Below:

Open Hearted - 24" x 24"

Spooling Around - 42" x 42"

In Full Bloom - 33" x 33"

Watch Over Me - 27" x 27"

Cats Are Angels Too - 31" x 31"

Hole in the Barn Door - 31-1/2" x 31-1/2"

How Does Your Garden Grow - 42" x 58"

Now I Know My ABC's 30" x 36" 

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Get Quilting - Shoe Love is True Love Bundle Giveaway

Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life. Now imagine what shoe fabric can do? "Shoe Love is True Love" by Kate Mawdsley is a 9-SKU collection featuring shoes, accessories, sunglasses, leopard, zebra, and more! PLUS there's a FREE quilt project available to download on our site!   IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Shoe Love is True Love Bundle Giveaway
View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Get Quilting - Winter Cottage Bundle Giveaway

"Winter Cottage" by Marcello Corti is a yuletide collection that will surely grab you. This 10-SKU collection features winter birds, pine cones, birch trees, a winter scenery banner panel, and more! Did we mention there is a FREE quilt project too?⁣ IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Winter Cottage Bundle Giveaway

View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Get Quilting - Nana Mae III Bundle Giveaway

Pastels were all the rage in the 1930's! "Nana Mae III" by Henry Glass & Co. characterizes the bright pastels and floral prints that were popular during the Depression Era. Carry on tradition with this classic, 24-SKU collection which features a FREE quilt project download.  IN QUILT SHOPS NOW!

Get Quilting - Nana Mae III Bundle Giveaway

View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt # 1 Here

Desire to Inspire - November Challenger - Meet Judy Wright

Meet Judy Wright- She took on the challenge of using "Blush and Blue” by Kim Diehl in the month of November 2019

I live near Payson, IL.  It is a rural area in west central Illinois.  Payson has about 1000 people.  It is a great place to live, full of lots of caring people.  Payson is close to Quincy, IL and Hannibal, MO.  We are about two hours north of St. Louis, MO. 

My daughter and son-in-law live in the Dallas area with their five children.  I have made red and white quilts for each of my grandchildren.  My daughter always wanted red and white baby quilts.  The quilts are bigger that your normal baby quilt.  She wanted the kids to enjoy wrapping up in the quilts as they got bigger.  I love seeing the quilts in use when I’m there.  I have made clothes and toys for the grandchildren over the years.  If they were closer, I would make lots of clothes for them, but it’s hard to do the fitting long distance.

I am a retired music teacher.  Quilting was my therapy when I was teaching.  I could come home after a rough day and lose myself in the project of the moment.  I made several quilts to hang in my classroom throughout the years.  They made the room warm and inviting.  I’ve been retired for 7 years now.  It is so nice to have more time to sew.   I live on my family’s farm, close to my brothers and their families.   I’m not involved with farming, but I enjoy being close to the activity. 

A friend and I have traveled a little in the last couple of years.  I always have my eye out for the quilt shops along the way.  I have a few small projects to finish from our trip to Alaska.   Along with the shops, I love looking for inspiration as we travel.  I have several pictures from our trip to Charleston, SC that will make their way into some quilting designs when I find the right place to put them. 

I started quilting in 1980.  I took a class at The Hickory Stick in Hannibal, MO-still one of my favorite quilt shops.  We sat among the bolts of fabric and learned to piece by hand, and then to quilt by hand.  I have never finished that quilt.  It’s close-I’ll finish it someday.  I’ve never pieced another quilt by hand.  My mother taught me to sew and I made lots of clothes through the years.  My grandmother loved making quilt tops and she made many of them.  I remember her opening a box of pre-cut squares for a Trip Around the World quilt-she made at least a dozen of those.  I didn’t fully appreciate that box at the time.  The pieces must have all been cut by hand and then perfectly stacked in the box.  (She would have loved today’s pre-cuts!)   I do remember being drawn to the colors and the fabric.  I guess I should have known at that point that I would be making quilts myself someday. 

I make mostly traditional quilts.  Mainly machine pieced, occasionally appliqued.  I love to hand quilt.  It is so very soothing.  I do enjoy learning new techniques.  I am learning to machine quilt.  Both of my projects are machine quilted but I’m not fully comfortable with it yet.  I am fascinated with needle-turn applique and English paper piecing.  I have done some of each, but I have a lot to learn.

 I belong to the Hannibal Piecemakers Quilt Guild.  We have so many talented quilters in our guild.  We have monthly workshops to learn new skills and also bring in teachers from outside the area a couple of time a year.  I also belong to a smaller group that meets twice a month to work on our own projects.  Once a month I meet with a group at A to Z Quilting in Quincy, IL.  We pick a certain type of project to work on for a few months.  We share what we have done and discuss any issues we may have had.  It is always inspiring to see how others approach the same project in a different way.   One of the best parts of all the groups I belong to is Show and Tell.  It is incredible to see all of the different projects. 

This summer, my family and I have been cleaning out our parents’ home.  It was a bittersweet time.  There were lots of memories.  Some of the younger family members had not heard the many stories, so it was good to share with them.  My mother’s 1956 Singer came to live at my house.  I learned to sew on that machine.  I also carried home sewing supplies, button boxes, and wooden spools in a jar.  One of the pieces of furniture that I claimed is the youth sized bed that was my mother’s when she was a child.  My projects are for that little bed. I didn’t know what I was going to put on the bed so that my youngest granddaughter could sleep in it at Christmas.  Now, she has two brand new quilts.  I need to get some pillows made, maybe with the scraps left from these two quilts.  Thank you so very much for the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful fabric.  

Judy's Quilt Made with "Blush and Blue" by Kim Diehl

View the Full Collection Here

Download Quilt #1 Here

Download Quilt #2 Here