I have another tip for you that was passed on to me. A woman told me that whenever she buys fabric as soon as she comes in the door she goes straight to the laundry and washes her fabric. She said that way she does not have to wonder if it has been washed when she goes to use it. Pretty good! Thanks for the tip. I got to go so be safe and keep quilting!

January has arrived, and rumor has it that Mickey Depre is home enjoying a quiet respite before she revs up for another whirlwind tour of teaching, traveling, and designing. While in the midst of a hectic schedule last fall, I asked Mickey to jot down thoughts about her life as a successful quilt artist, teacher, and designer. She graciously complied. So now that we all have time to pour a cup of coffee, sit down, and relax for a few minutes, here’s a slice of life from Mickey when the fast pace of fall was upon her. There’s a good chance Mickey’s having her cup of coffee right now― along with the rest of us in this quiet time in January. Enjoy!

Ten Weeks…Two and Half Months… Seven Engagements…makes for one tired quilter. Since the first week in September I have been “on the road” nonstop.    And when I have been home it has been a whirlwind of activity.   Our twins (age 18) are off to college now and my dear husband has decided now is the time to get the entire “honey do” list that has accumulated over the last few years done in the same time period I am off  lecturing/teaching.  Thus when I did return home it was to… well…. house project chaos.

I often tell my students that most of my quilts are designed “on the road” in hotel rooms across America, because it is truly the quietest place on earth for me.  That and on airplanes…especially long trips.  I just put in my ipod earbuds and draw, draw, draw.   In fact The Ninepatchers  were born on a plane ride.   I spent the entire trip feverishly drawing these little characters in a whole slew of activities.   And when I heard the “ding” of the captain announcing it was time to land, I only then glanced over to catch the awkward sideways glance of my row mate on the flight.  I can only imagine the thoughts in his head as he watched me smile wildly to myself the last two hours of designing.

But now I am home for two months…and while the kids will be back and forth on various breaks/visits, I have made my dear husband promise that all “house projects” will be suspended until late January.   I need the quiet so I can begin to make my own chaos in the studio.   

JWD Publishing is proud to have Mickey Depre as one of its talented designers. Besides the hilariously cute pattern, The Ninepatchers―A Family Reunion, Mickey has designed the adorable wall quilt Friends in High Places.  Also, she has two charm patterns: Wild Flowers and Bee Charmers.  To view her patterns, click on Patterns > Mickey Depre. If you are a shop owner, you may purchase Mickey’s patterns through your distributor or directly from us. If you are a quilter, please order from your local store.

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.  

If you are just now getting your head wrapped around the idea that Christmas is around the corner, it’s time for that special Christmas project―If you have always wanted to make a Christmas wall quilt, consider Holiday Lights, Alex Anderson’s popular Christmas classic.  It is one of our best selling patterns.  What can be cuter than these adorable Christmas trees surrounded by old-fashioned tree lights (with plug!)? 

If you’re a quilt shop owner, you can purchase Holiday Lights through your distributor or directly from us. If you are a quilter, please contact your local quilt store. They, too, can order it for you.  The suggested retail price is $10.96. (Directions include twin-bed size too.)

Hands down, Larisa’s quilt has taken Quilt Market by storm.

If you are interested in a trunk show, we have two quilts available from our quilt collection. One is hand appliquéd; the other is machine appliquéd.

Skill Level: Intermediate

In a Pickle

Larisa Key designed In a Pickle specifically for experienced quilters who want to make a quilt that will be stunning in any setting.   This beautifully elegant quilt will surely be a treasure for generations to come, and we believe every traditional quilter will want to make this quilt.

To find more information on this pattern, please go to the In a Pickle page on our website.  We will post on this blog when lesson plans are available.

Skill Level: Experienced intermediate to advanced quilters

Honey Bears

We never know what great idea Alex Anderson will come up with for a new quilt from one year to the next.  The genesis of Honey Bears came from a childhood memory of pouring honey from a “bear” container. It’s hard to believe that a sudden glimpse into the nostalgic past can result into an adorable quilt that is perfect for children of all ages.

To find more information on this pattern, please go to the Honey Bears page on our website.  We will post on this blog when lesson plans are available.

Skill Level: Confident beginner (someone who has quilting experience and who enjoys learning new skills.)

Christine Porter has a talent for designing easy- to- construct quilts that are colorful and really fun to make. Summer Breeze is no exception.  This quilt is really fun for selecting fabrics and is an excellent way to learn or refresh one’s basic rotary cutting and strip-piecing skills.  For the shop owners, if you have wonderful focus, theme, and/or large-print fabrics, then this pattern quilt is really an excellent class project for you.

To see more information on this pattern, please view the Summer Breeze pattern page at our website.

Skill Level: Confident beginner

Snap, Grab, & Go Tote and Quilt Ensemble

We are very excited about the Snap, Grab & Go Tote that Teresa Fields has designed!  The Snap, Grab & Go Tote is a perfect tote for the beach, the pool, a picnic, quilt retreats, kids’ over-nighters, and sporting events.  Teresa also designed the Grab & Go Quilt, which is a wonderful companion piece for the tote. Even though this striking quilt looks complex, it is very easy to make. Teresa designed this carefree quilt to be simple in construction. This quilt can be a stand-alone project or it can be combined with the Snap, Grab & Go Tote. 

So please view the Snap, Grab & Go Tote and Quilt Ensemble page at our website for more information. 

Skill Level: Confident beginning quilter or a novice sewer