JWD Publishing Blog

Alex Anderson’s The Grape Escape debuts at Quilt Market this week. If you are going to Quilt Market in Houston, be sure to stop to see this quilt and order patterns for your shop.  Our booth number is 333-335. See you there. For more details about the quilt, see below:

The Grape Escape by Alex Anderson

When Alex showed us this quilt and asked if we would be interested in patterning it, we immediately said, YES! It’s not only beautiful, but after taking a close look at it,  we realized even those of us who are not skillful appliquers could actually make this quilt because the pieces are fused (or glued for those of you who prefer that route) and then everything is machine appliqued. Alex used a small buttonhole stitch to finish off her edges. Now those who prefer hand applique can prepare by adding seam allowances to their pieces.

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Alex Anderson loves cherries and cherry season—-and so do we! The only problem is a good problem: We never know whether to buy our old-time favorite Bing cherries or our new favorite Rainier cherries. We love both of them and so does Alex.

Unfortunately, Alex does not have a cherry tree, but we do. However, our cherry tree has been taken over by the neighborhood birds. They feast during cherry season and don’t even have the courtesy to share with us. They just fly in for a quick lunch or supper before we can get our ladder in position. So, these last few years we have been buying cherries at our favorite food store, Harbor Greens, which carries the most delicious cherries. We can’t walk passed the cherries without the urge to purchase yet another handful or two….or three.

Alex has taken her love of cherries one more step passed buying and eating them—-she actually has designed and made a super quilt celebrating them.  This quilt is aptly named Cherry Delight.. It is made with a combination of nine-patch blocks (sooooooooo easy), a cute little pieced basket block, and red work—-which quite literally means the cherries are embroidered onto their blocks with two strands of embroidery floss.  Isn’t this quilt cute?

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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.)

Cindy Walter, host of Quilters’ TV (http://www.quilterstv.com/) and an internationally-recognized quilt artist, designer, and author, recently interviewed Alex Anderson at the 2009 Quilt Market in Houston. You will enjoy watching this excellent interview, which will give you insight into the busy life of Alex, one of America’s most recognized quilting stars. 

You can see the video at http://www.quilterstv.com/channel/video/134?video=1530.

JWD Publishing is extremely proud to publish patterns by both Alex Anderson and Cindy Walter—two  very talented quiltmakers!

Join Alex Anderson on Saturday, November 7 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alex will inspire you with her quilt stories and journey. She’ll share ideas and provide a fun, whirlwind commentary of one quiltmaker’s journey. You’ll love spending a day with Alex! 

JWD Publishing is sending nearly a dozen of Alex’s quilts to this event, so that you can see Alex’s fun-filled quilts up close and personal. This showing will include Welcome Home, Cherry Delight, Holiday Lights, Popsicle Treat, Honey Bears,  Star Celebration, Star Flowers, Baskets & Blossoms, Spring Fling, and Bubblegum Dreams. Patterns will be available for all of her trunk-show quilts.

This event is sponsored by Bernina, Sew Original, Lee Sewing, and Sew Much Fun.

Embassy Suites
4800 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28217
Dates & Times:
November 7 Saturday 9-2
Class Fee: $ 25.00. Space is Limited.

Three days of talking, breathing, seeing, and feeling quilts is now over.  Most prevalently seen:  smiles on faces; heavy bags hanging over shoulders; tired feet screaming for pity;  and lots of friends to see, hug, and laught with…………………Paula N, Alex A, 4 and 6 sisters (Barb and Mary with Kathy), Heather (aka Mother Superior Thread), Ricky, Mary S and sister Nancy, Charlotte, Libby, and more.  It’s like old home week……..So much fun; so much to see; so much to talk about; so little time……

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.)

George R. Brown Convention Center

Today we find Houston in the rain. Coming from sunny Seattle area, we were amazed to find ourselves settle into a dreary weather day. However, inside the George Brown Convention Center was filled with positive, hopeful thoughts. Hundreds of vendors were working hard to prepare their booths for Quilt Market. A few dozen vendors made presentations at Schoolhouse, an activity that gives quilt shop owners the opportunity to meet with vendors and see the products they have to offer. Our late afternoon Schoolhouse session gave us the opportunity to show our newest patterns, which we love: Honey Bears by Alex Anderson, Summer Breeze by Christine Porter, In a Pickle by Larisa Key, and Snap, Grab & Go Tote and Quilt Ensemble by Teresa Fields (aka Quickie Chicks). We also introduced Ricky Tims’s Arabian Nights and Cindy Walter’s Poinsettia Christmas ensemble of beautiful painted table runner, placemat, coaster, and wallhanging. Ricky, Christine, Charlotte Warr Andersen, and Teresa Fields introduced their quilts, answered questions, Tomorrow is the first day of Quilt Market. When I left the convention floor just before 7pm tonight, vendors were still working hard to finish putting their booths together.

Tomorrow is a day of hope and excitement. We hope everyone has a great day tomorrow―both the creative vendors who sell their products and the shop owners who select products for their quilting clients. Here’s to three great days of great surprises and findings.

JWD Publishing is excited to announce that some of its authors will be featured at the Contemporary Quilt Show exhibit at the Binghamton University Art Museum beginning on September 10th.  This exhibit features quilts by pioneers and contemporary leaders in the field, including Ricky Tims, Paula Nadelstern, Joen Wolfrom, Ruth McDowell, Judy Dales, Hollis Chatelain, Caryl Bryer Fallert, Libby Lehman, Alex Anderson, John Flynn, Sally Collins, Margaret Miller, Kaffe Fasset, Becky Goldsmith, Linda Jenkins, Sharyn Craig, and others.

This show also includes two other exhibits: The Evolution of Natural Fibers; Vibrations: Color Resonance in Antique Quilts, 1860-1940. Movies and demonstrations are available for viewing.  Best of all admission is free!

Here are the details for the show:

Full-Spectrum: Natural Fibers, Quilts & the Textile Arts
Quilt Exhibit  September 10 – December 5, 2009
Full-Spectrum:  Natural Fibers, Quilts and the Textile Arts 

Binghamton University Art Museum
4400 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal, New York

Tuesday, Wed, Fri, Sat  12 – 4pm;  Thursday  12 – 7 pm
You may listen to the free quilt audio tour with your cell phone.  Jack Braunstein is the curator. For more information, visit http://artmuseum.binghamton.edu.