Design to Inspire - September Challenger Laura Piland

Meet our September Challenger: Laura Piland!

My husband and I grew up in the same town in Kansas and met in high school just before he left for basic training in the United States Air Force. He served four years, and was stationed in Kansas for the same amount of time. Then we moved to Las Vegas, Nevada for his job. I taught middle school math for most of the time we lived there. I loved it! Math has always been my favorite subject!
Also while living in Las Vegas, I got an inkling to make a quilt for a friend after she had a baby. I had sewn a little bit as a kid, but never made a quilt. I used internet tutorials and YouTube videos to teach myself everything I needed to know! I also called my mom and grandma for quite a bit of advice! That first quilt was made six years ago. As soon as it was finished, I started another. And another. And…I was hooked!

About four years ago, we decided we wanted to move somewhere with lots of trees. We also wanted to move to a small town and start a family. Those desires led us to Mountain Grove, a small town in southwest Missouri. Since moving here, we have had two boys. The oldest is now 3 ½ and the youngest is 1 ½. I am currently staying at home with them. This new challenge of dealing with toddlers has led to much more quilting! I like to say quilting is to me what fishing is to my husband! It keeps me sane!

Sweet Hexie Pillow with Sew Bee It! Collection

Mountain Grove is about an hour away from the “big city” of Springfield, Missouri. The area is referred to as the Ozarks. There are lots of trees and hills, called the Ozark Mountains. We live on a small farm about ten minutes into the country. The dirt road that leads to our house has trees covering several parts of the road. The days just started to get cooler this week, and I am really looking forward to the leaves changing colors! On the way to our house, there are five low water bridges. I had never heard of those before moving here!

Basically, they are concrete patches in the road where the creek flows right over the road. So we drive through the creek five times on the way to our house! During a heavy rainstorm, the water level in the creek becomes too high to pass through. The rest of time, my boys like when we drive fast through the water to make big splashes! Oh, the life with boys!

Pillows and Quilt with Sew Bee It!

Mini Quilted Books

In the six years since I started quilting, I’ve made 79 quilts! 38 of those this year! I’ve made mini quilts, mini mini quilts, table toppers, table runners, baby quilts, and large quilts too. I sometimes make things other than quilts, but I always go back to quilting. In 2014, I wanted to make 14 quilts in 2014, but I didn’t hit that goal. So I changed it to 15 quilts in 2015 – and ended up making 27! I think I’m well on my way to my 16 quilts in 2016 goal too! Ha!

 (You can see all my quilt finishes on my blog!)

Sew Bee It! Quilt Close-up

I don’t really have a set style or type of quilt that I love. However, I really love trying new things! I rarely make the same quilt twice. I always seek out new techniques and short cuts. I don’t want to waste the precious sewing time I get! I tend to like more modern quilting designs, but I don’t limit myself! I’m always willing to learn something new!



I sew almost exclusively on my vintage Bernina 930 Record. I bought it just after starting my first quilt. I quickly realized the “just in case” hand-me-down machine I had was causing more frustration than it was worth! I use my Bernina to piece and quilt. I have a walking foot for straight-line quilting and a darning foot for free motion quilting. I’m not sure I could trade it for any other machine! I love it!

 Finished Quilt with Sew Bee It! Collection

This year, I discovered that writing quilt patterns feeds my love of math and teaching! I have written a few patterns and will be releasing some more very soon! It is a goal of mine to teach quilting classes at quilt shops or quilt guilds one day!

Sew Bee It! Apron 

The online quilting community has really helped me find my “tribe!” I love connecting with quilters all over the world! I’d love to “meet” you and get to know you too! You can find me around the web on Facebook, Instagram, Ello, Pinterest, and of course, my blog. I like to share the stories behind the quilts I make along with behind the seams photos. In fact, I have a blog post up about my Desire to Inspire Challenge with lots of behind the seams photos!

Sew Bee It! Weaving Pillow

Facebook: Slice of Pi Quilts - http://www.facebook.com/sliceofpiquilts/
Instagram: @sliceofpilife - http://www.instagram.com/sliceofpilife/
Ello: @sliceofpilife - http://ello.co/sliceofpilife
Pinterest: Slice of Pi Quilts - http://www.pinterest.com/sliceofpiquilts/
Blog: http://sliceofpiquilts.blogspot.com/

I have truly enjoyed the Desire to Inspire challenge this month! I still have a fabric panel and some other fabrics left over, so be sure to keep an eye out for more projects from this fabric line! Thank you Henry Glass & Co. for the opportunity to work with these beautiful fabrics!

Let's Get Quilting - 2016 Give Thanks Bundle Giveaway Contest

It's Monday! Time for this weeks giveaway. It is time to start thinking about our fall sewing projects already. So we are giving away the "Give Thanks" bundle from the collection by Shelly Comiskey to one lucky winner! You remember Shelly. We interviewed her on the HG blog last month.

Shelly's collection Give Thanks features crazy turkeys and a beautiful fall palette. See the collection swatches here. Or visit your local quilt shop to get the line for yourself!

  Let's Get Quilting - 2016 - Give Thanks

Desire To Inspire - Early December Edition

We had a technical problem yesterday so we are going to continue the Let's Get Quilting giveaway next Monday. Sorry for the inconvenience. The latest winner is Kathy Coop Luerhs and we will be contacting you very soon. Congratulations.

We are pleased to present the latest installment of the challenge to you. Desire To Inspire has been one of our favorite events on this blog. We ask quilters to submit a photo and we randomly choose some to make a project of his or her choice in a limited amount of time. If you are interested in the challenge, check out the details above.

Our new challenger is Betsy Lewis and she too went above and beyond what we expected. Let's meet her and see what she made with ABC-123 by Shelly Comiskey. You can view this collection and all of Shelly's other ranges on the Henry Glass website.

HG:  Where do you live?

BL:   Brooksville Florida

HG:  Tell us about your family.

BL:   I have been married 27 years. Met my soulmate while in the military. We raised to wonderful children who have blessed us with 2 grandchildren.

HG:  How long have you been quilting?

BL:  10 years. I actually learned to quilt when we moved to Florida. We lived in North Carolina for 20 years and though I sewed, I never really knew about quilting.

HG:  What's your favorite technique? 

BL:  Appliqué, back basting method.

HG:  Who taught you how to quilt? 

BL:  I teach high school Spanish in a middle school and I wanted my students to make a Mexican scarf called a serape. So I requested that each parent donate a yard of fabric so their child could make a serape. One parent donated bags and bags of little squares. I called her to come pick them up since we could not make serapes out of those little squares. She said to me, if you keep the squares , I will teach you what to make with them. She gave me about 2 months of private lessons and I was hooked. I have been quilting ever since. My first year I made 20 quilts!

HG:  Do you belong to any guilds? 

BL:  Not at this time. The guild meets during the day and I work full time. When I retire , I hope to join a guild.

HG:  Anything else you would like to share with our readers? 

BL:  Before I leave each morning to begin my journey with middle schoolers, I stitch. It relaxes my mind and feeds my soul. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this challenge.

Thank you Betsy! 

Have a great day. 

- HG

Desire To Inspire

Welcome to the latest edition of Desire To Inspire. As you can see we have another amazing contribution. If you want to be considered for the challenge, see details below.

Let us introduce you to our challenger, Heidi Kuntz. We sent her a bundle of Kringle Krossing by Shelly Comiskey the result is the beautiful quilt.

HK:  First, I want to all those involved for this wonderful challenge! I was able to cut a fat eighth of each fabric for a wee giveaway on my blog. [HG:  See the link to her blog below.]

HG:  Where do you live?

HK:  My husband, Ty and I live in Henderson, Nevada, but we jokingly call it "Hendertucky". We are not far from Las Vegas, at the foothills of Lake Mead Recreational Area. Our neighborhood has a rural-vibe with horses, chickens and one or two unruly roosters nearby. We enjoy an immense sky here, with no streetlights. It makes for a quiet contrast to the brightly lit Las Vegas Strip. Close enough to commute, yet far enough to escape!

HG:  Tell us about your family.

HK:  We live more than a thousand miles from family and it can be tough at times. Thankfully, Vegas is a destination and we have visitors popping in throughout the year.

HG:  How long have you been quilting?

HK:  My first quilt was a Trip Around the World I made while expecting my son nearly 30 years ago.  Using fabric leftover after sewing some baby clothes, I cut it all up into squares, sewed it all back together again, and pronounced myself brilliant!

HG:  What's your favorite technique?

HK:  Fabric is generally what first inspires me. If stashing were considered a technique, it would be my favorite! I am always excited to design a quilt with fabrics that are 'speaking' to me, and I enjoy each step that provides a glimpse of the final result! Forced to choose, machine piecing is my favorite technique. Once the decisions are made, the pressing, cutting and trimming completed, it is nice to just sew!  Whether it be patchwork, settings, or improv style, the anticipation of a real visual keeps me humming along.

HG:  Who taught you how to quilt?

HK:  Initially, I learned from library books. My oldest UFO is made with sampler blocks inspired by those books. The online quilting community is amazing, a global journal of 1,000's of quilters teaching one another.  Education is at our fingertips, yet the resource most dear to my heart is still our local library!

HG:  Do you belong to any guilds?

HK:  Recently, I joined a local group called Art Quilts, Etc. It is a diverse group sharing a wide range of artistic talents.  Art Quilts, Etc.. is one of  20 sub-groups that make up The Desert Quilters of Nevada.

HG:  Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

HK:  Yes! I would like to invite reader's to drop by and visit at Red Letter Quilts! This was such a thrilling challenge and I look forward to all of your creations next!

Thank you to Heidi.

- HG

Desire To Inspire - April 2015 Edition

We at Henry Glass & Co. have to say that this time of the month is one of our favorites. When we open the e-mail from our current challenger we are always so in awe of the photographs of the projects that come in. Thank you to all of the challengers for the hard work that is put into these projects. If you have submitted and haven't heard from us, don't worry. We have received an overwhelming amount of interest in this blog feature and we will get to you!

We sent our April challenger a bundle of Toil and Trouble by Shelly Comiskey.  Fun characters and bright colors are featured in this latest Halloween collection by Shelly.

If you are look to making a fun Halloween project, go to the Henry Glass website to download this free pattern that accompanies the Toil & Trouble collection.

Let's meet the April 2015 Desire To Inspire challenger.

Name:

Lea Anne Brummett

Where do you live?

I live in rural Martinsville, Indiana.  We like to call our little 8 acres, Podunk.  We have recently added beehives and chickens to the many other hobbies we enjoy.

Tell us about your family

We have a combined family of 4 adult children and 2 grandchildren,   My 2 sons live in neighboring towns.  A daughter and both grandchildren living in Kentucky about 3 1/2 hours away.  And my husbands daughter lives in Pennsylvania.   We can't leave out our newest addition to our family, Lobo, our German Sheppard.

How long have you been quilting?

I made my first and last fan quilt block in a 1986 Needle Crafts class taken in High School.    Later in the school year I made my first Chicken Scratch baby quilt.  Many years past, sewing Halloween costumes, baby doll cloths and various household items, curtains, small quilted wall hangings and chair cushions.  It wasn't until my children were teenagers that I started quilting on a regular basis and considered myself a quilter.  

What's your favorite technique?

Applique, the smallest amount of applique can make a quilt shine.

Who taught you to quilt?

Except for the Needle craft class in high school, I've never taken a class.  I'd like to say that I'm self taught but in reality the biggest influence on my quilting would be the Internet and bloggers who share knowledge of techniques.

Do you belong to any guilds?

Not currently, I belonged to the local guild for two years, and hope to someday find the time to join again.

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

I have a blog that was started a few years ago when I was teaching a small quilting class.  My blog Podunk Pretties was a way to share with my class what I was working on in my Quilting Studio as well as post the weeks lesson when snow kept me from getting to the classes.  Over the years it has become my avenue for sharing free patterns and tutorials with quilters all over the world.   It was through my blog and it's followers that I learned about the Desire to Inspire Challenge.  This has been a fun and exciting challenge that forced me to work outside my comfort zone and grow as a quilter and designer.  Thank Henry Glass Fabrics, I hope to participate in another Desire to Inspire challenge in the future. 

Thank you so much to Lea for being the April Desire To Inspire Challenger!

- HG

Let's Get Quilting - March 30, 2015 Edition

Good morning! The Henry Glass Fabrics e-mail box was full with a lot of activity this weekend. We came in to discover many more submissions to the Kim Diehl Simple Whatnots Club Contest. For the procrastinators, you still have until midnight March 31, 2015. Thank you to all who have sent in a photograph of their Kim Diehl quilt. If a shop has the Heritage Stars quilt on display but hasn't entered, it is simple. Take a photograph and e-mail it to us by tomorrow night! See flyer below. Good luck!

We have received some wonderful submissions. Here are a couple more [in no particular order or preference] that may inspire you.

[Submission from Debbie Aldridge & Toni Owens of Oklahoma Quiltworks, 

9323 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Oklahoma City, OK]

[Submission from Carrie Dodge of The Stitchery, N2482 Country Road, O'Delavan, WI]

Let's get to our Monday morning blog business. Congratulations to Sarah for winning last week's giveaway. Please send us your contact information here. This week we are giving away a bundle of Mommy & Me by Shelly Comiskey. So sweet! Tell us who taught you how to quilt.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

- HG

Let's Get Quilting - March 2, 2015 Edition

Wow! Is it really March already? It sure came in with a blast here in the northeast with a snowstorm. The upside is that it is great weather for staying in and quilting!

As with each Monday, we have our Let's Get Quilting event. Let us know what you're quilting or sewing.  Send us an e-mail and show off what your are making with Henry Glass fabrics!

Congratulations to Pauline Ann Perry. You are the winner of last week's giveaway! Send your contact information to us and we will ship the bundle off to you.

This week we are giving away a bundle of Believe by Shelly Comiskey. It feels like Christmas around here with all of the snow that we've had in the past few weeks. This whimsical bundle will inspire you to make something special for Christmas 2015!

Let us know what you are sewing or quilting this week to enter to win a bundle of Shelly Comiskey's Believe.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

- HG

Countdown To The Holidays - October 13, 2014 Edtion

Good Morning! It is another fabulous day here in NYC. We at Henry Glass are preparing for Quilt Market. The mad rush of the finishing the final details is upon us. Thanks to all of you who have been playing along with "Countdown To The Holidays" in the past few weeks.

Last week's winner is Teri Harman. You should be receiving an e-mail soon! Congratulations. This week we are giving away Shelly Comiskey's "Outback" - Pink Edition. This collection features all sorts of critters and creatures from down under.

The kangaroos, koalas and friends are having so much fun. Of course there are some fun little coordinating prints that include stripes and dots. Enter in the widget below for you chance to win this bundle of "Outback."

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

-HG

Desire To Inspire: September 2014 Edition

Thanks for your continuing to tune it to our "Countdown To The Holidays" event. We love sharing Henry Glass fabric but most of all we love to read your comments. Keep them coming! If you haven't participated yet, hop over here to get the details.

Another thing that we love is connecting with you. The "Desire To Inspire" Challenge was designed to work directly with our fans. We are amazed again and again when we see the photographs of your projects. You can see previous projects by clicking the tab at the right sidebar. If you want to participate in the challenge, please send your submissions to Henry Glass.

Our September "Desire To Inspire" challenger is Amy Smith from Somerset, KY. We sent her a bundle of "Outback" by Shelly Comiskey [Shelly's "Cocoa & Cookies" collection happens to be our featured giveaway fabric this week].

HG:  Tell us about your family.

AS:  I am engaged to a wonderful man that allows me to stay at home with our 2 daughters. Isabella is 4, and Brooklyn is 3 months.

HG:  How long have you been quilting?

AS:  I have only been quilting a short time, the quilt I made using the fabrics I was sent was the first one I have completed start to finish. I have however, been sewing for 4 years. I am a self taught seamstress and sew mostly children's clothes, bags, home decor, and photography props. 

HG:  What's your favorite technique?:

AS:  I don't really have a favorite technique. I mostly sew and do things that make my items stand out and have great quality. 

HG:  Who taught you how to quilt?

AS:  I am self taught. I read a lot of blogs, talked with other quilters in various facebook groups, and read books/patterns.

HG:  Do you belong to any guilds?

AS:  I recently found that our small town had a few guilds at some of our local churches. I am excited to attend my first meeting next month. 

HG:  Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

AS:  I really enjoyed pushing myself to actually finish a quilt! My quilt has lots of imperfections but my oldest daughter loves it! She is really into animals at the moment and she has gushed over the Australian Animals that are on the fabric for her dress and quilt. The fabrics were very soft, easy to work with and such great quality. She's already eyeing the Owl Fabrics for the next quilt she wants!

Thanks so much for this opportunity! 

Pattern Credits:

Ruffle Layering Top By: Made For Mermaids

Knot Dress By: Little Lizard King

Jumper Pattern By: Made For Mermaids

  

Thank you Amy! You did a fabulous job and your daughters are darling.

-HG