JWD Publishing Blog

We have two Quiltmakers’ 100 Block magazines that we will give away on Monday, December 7. To participate in this random giveaway, you may chose one or both of the following activities. Have fun, and thanks for your participation!

1.  Send us a jpg image of your favorite quilt that you have made in the last few years. Include your name, your city and state, and the name of your quilt or your design.  Note: Let us know if you are willing (or not willing) to have us show your quilt on our blog and/or facebook page in December.  Send your image and information to contest@jwdpublishing.com by December 6, 11:59 PM, PST. 

OR

2.  Go to our JWD Publishing Pattern page. Select your top 3-5 favorite pattern quilts. (To see enlarged views, click on selected quilt images.) Besides giving us your top picks, we would love to hear what you most like about your top quilt picks. Just leave a comment on this post with your selections by 11:59 pm PST on Sunday, December 6th, 2009, and we will pick a random winner!  Please make sure to leave a valid email address (so we can contact you if you win). Here’s our contest rules.

Just like all of you I am very busy trying to get ready for the upcoming holidays. Can we talk just a minute? Doesn’t it seem like it is coming quicker this year or what? Maybe it is just my age creeping up on me. Things seem to be going by quicker. Anyway I have a couple things to share with you.

November 14th I had the pleasure of teaching a class on my new tote from the “Snap, Grab and Go” pattern. Now check this out.

Two gals named Kathy and Sally Wilcox are sisters but they also married brothers. How cool is that! They own a soon to be quilt shop called “Little Scrap Quilt Shop”. I say soon to be because they have been vending for the last year and 2010 they will be opening a quilt shop in Kokomo, IN. Maris, Judy and Ruth that are in the photos had a great time making the bag. When I teach this I like for you to leave with a finished bag. We don’t need anymore UFOs. The fabrics were all different. Maris picked a fabric for a diaper bag, Judy a cute fabric with flamingos, and Ruth a everyday bag. The bag is so versatile! Kathy and Sally had all their products set up for sale and their guild could stop by and shop during the class. They also had a “snack table” set up for us with lots of goodies. They know how to do it! We sewed, shopped, ate, talked, laughed and walked out with a finished bag. What more could you ask for?

I just received two cans of Marking Magic spray. I will be testing these in the next few days and will give you my results. Until then keep quilting!

Are you hankering to make a charming traditional Christmas quilt this season? I think you’ll love this small 43” square wall quilt from Chris Porter’s pattern Deck the Halls with Nine-patch & Holly.  This small quilt has 9 nine-patch blocks, 4 holly leaf blocks, and a holly leaf and berry border.  It’s cute, cute, cute!  (Sorry, no photo of this little quilt yet.)  This quilt is fairly quick to make and beautiful in traditional Christmas fabrics. We used red buttons for the berries to great effect.

Chris’s pattern features a much larger cover quilt (61” x 84”), which is pictured here. We have also designed a Christmas table runner. Our favorite quilt, the small wall quilt, has not been photographed, as it is being exhibited in a trunk show.            

Shop Owners:  Deck the Halls in Nine-patch & Holly  is a great quilt to kit. You may purchase this pattern from your distributor or directly from us. Suggested retail price is $ 9.98. 

Quilters:  You may purchase this pattern from your local quilt shop. Please contact us if you are unable to locate this pattern.  

We hope you have enjoyed our Twelve Days of Kaleidoscopes tour!  Our last day shows us a design named Nuance, which resembles a cloisonné brooch or pin from ages past. The small star flower in the center is accentuated by a outer star flower that is larger and of great delicacy. Nuance’s outer edge is filled with glorious textures and patterning that provides understated beauty.   

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website.  Click onto #12 Nuances.

The delicate lines of the concentric stars in Lime Green Wacky Stripes are tantalizing. The iridescent glow of the outer star layer is accentuated by the center’s luminous lime green. Each concentric star has its own delicate personality that blends ever so beautifully with its neighbors. This kaleidoscope is filled with the most amazing stars.

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website.  Click onto #10 Lime Green Wacky Stripes.

“Happiness in a Block” was the block I submitted to Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Edition. I was so excited when it was one of the ones to be choosen to be in the magazine. The block is paper pieced and easy to make.

I designed this block with my mother in mind. She lost her battle with ovarian cancer three years ago. She always celebrated every holiday and made them so special for my family. On our birthday, even as an adult, she always made a “big deal” about it.

What better way to celebrate her life and all the wonderful memories but to put them all in one block. To me “Happiness in a Block” looks like a “birthday present”. Just like one that my mother would have given to me. So I called it “Happiness in a Block”.

I hope you love making it and I hope you check out all the other beautiful blocks in the Quilter’s 100 Blocks magazine. Until then, keep quilting.

Rainbow Christmas is a stunning design that creates visual echoes and vibrations that flow throughout this design. The warm gold and red hues create a glorious richness; the violets give cooling drama. The red star in the center provide a strong focus among the intricacies of color and line. 

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website.  Click onto #9 Rainbow Christmas.

The small center star echoes quietly in Dots (day eight on the Twelve Days of Kaleidoscopes tour), as outer portions of this design look as if they have been woven together in an intricate fashion. The fuchsia petal-like shapes allow a vision of the most extraordinary sunflower to take form. 

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website. Click onto #8 Dots.

Today’s stop on our Twelve Days of Kaleidoscopes tour brings us to Turquoise Nail Clippings, which is reminiscent of a beautiful cloisonné brooch. The beautiful colors are accentuated by delicate gold “metalwork” star points that are surrounded by a single-strand wreath of the same hue. 

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website. Click onto #7 Turquoise Nail Clippings.

As part of the Twelve Days of Kaleidoscopes, today we are looking at Paula’s Lime Hourglass.  This breathtaking design is unbelievably exquisite with its circular design radiating outward in elegant fashion. Lime Hourglass resembles the most delicate, beautiful dahlia one could imagine. Its soft, creamy yellows are accentuated by petals of blue-violet in dazzling delight. 

To view a larger version of this kaleidoscopic art print or to order your own signed Giclée art print, go to Paula’s Website.  Click onto #6 Lime Hourglass.