Holly Blog

My Favorite Things...175...A Hairy Tale With a Happy Ending!

It's been a bit of a crazy summer here on the east coast.  Lots of rain, wind & lighting storms that have upset the family critter's routine terribly, and me especially.  The humidity has been so bad that it makes me think that the wallpaper is going to unpaste itself and slither down the walls...

And yet I have a lot to be thankful for. 

Here's another quilt that I designed recently that is in the August 2009 McCall's Quilting...

I completely forgot to tell you all about this quilt, until now.  Paton and I have actually been through a bit of a rough patch with the dogs that we've been fostering.

I haven't told a lot of people about my animals lately, because when there is a lot of bad news over and over again, no one wants to hear it.  Heck, I don't want to have to re-live the story by telling it again.

But there has been some good news of late, so I thought I'd share it with you...

First, there's Hi Bit, who I like to think of as "Prozac with 4 paws".

A month ago, Hi Bit was really sick with liver failure.  We thought that he might not make it.  He and about 6 other animals from his pack, had been unknowingly fed aflatoxin-poisoned food at the kennel where he was staying after being rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri.  On top of that, Hi Bit's spinal column has fused discs in at least three places, so that he walks like a drunken sailor, and he has a wicked heart murmur, and he's not a young dog.

But today after a variety of antioxidants & Sam-E to help him regenerate his liver, and a homepathic remedy that has put some spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye, Hi Bit "is back".

Also, keeping our fingers crossed, Lady Bug the heart worm positive foster dog who I told you about this spring, is almost through her 8 week treatment, and she is ever-so-slowly coming out of her shell.
LB clearly experienced the most mental & emotional damage of any of the foster dogs that Paton and I have witnessed to date.

Here's a partial family picture, of Paton and the critters last week end.

That's "the Mrs.", Giulia--she who does as she pleases, Paton & Bitty, and Blueberry, the puppy.

More "Midsummer Days Tales" in a bit...

LOL

H2

My Favorite Things...174...Back in the Saddle Again

I remember writing a couple of essays when I was a kid at the beginning of a new school year that described what I did for my summer vacation. 

For the record, I haven't actually had an official summer vacation yet, but I have taken some time off for designing, and "re-charging my battery".  Here's a few photos of what I've been up to...

A little sneak peek of a quilt that I designed for American Patchwork & Quilting that uses our new Teatime Floral Two collection.  The fabric is due out in the stores in late September /early October.  It was made by Cheryl Winslow of Starshine Quilting.

I'll let you know what issue of APQ this quilt is in as soon as I get a confirmation on the exact publication date. 

Here's a tasty-design-tidbit from pictures that I took in Central Park while walking "the Mrs." aka Mrs Riley...

I spotted the most sensational lanterns hanging over the terrace at Tavern On the Green. From a distance, I could swear that the fabrics were Asian-inspired prints.

Up close the lanterns were actually made of decorator upholstery fabrics.

Aren't they fabulous?  They'd be pretty easy to re-create at home I think...

More later this week from the Big Apple.

It's great to be back...in the saddle again.

LOL  {:º)X  H2

My Favorite Things...165...Another Sneak Peek!

We have several delicious (if I do say so myself) quilts going out to magazines right about now...This one's going to Jill Meade over at Quilts & More...it is due out sometime this summer...(Will keep you posted.)

This one is a lap size...I hope that you will be pleasantly surprised when you see the article, as you can't quite make out the overall effect from this little snapshot, or can you?  The ric rac is  fabulous new color made especially to coordinate with our new Teatime Floral fabrics (and this quilt in particular) by my buddy Adam over at cheeptrims.com  Our "fabric mistress" Mrs. Winslow devised a great way to apply the ric rac without any muss or fuss!  (Hint: fusible thread, more later!)

I've got more pics to of another magazine quilt that has just been sent out, but I have to find them first...I've taken so many pictures lately that I am having a difficult time keeping them all straight...

Back in two shakes...H2

My Favorite Things...164...New Years Presents!

To start the new year off right, what could be better that a free pattern, or two?
Just click on the H on the right sidebar of this blog, and you can link to our Teatime Floral Projects page that has two of my new FREE click & print patterns. 

Many of you know by now that my mantra is "Let the Fabric do the Work"...These two new patterns are really a variation on the same basic layout, and yet they have two distinct looks...

"Step Lively" is an easy-to-make layout that shows you how to use a selection of colorful fabrics from our new Teatime collection to create a joyful quilt that has several "layers" of interlocking patterns.

"Step Softly" uses my favorite little Rose Ticking stripe, and a few others fabrics from the Teatime Floral  collection, to create a subtle plaid effect.  It's got sort of a "Rose Cottage" feeling to it...I can't wait to make one for myself.

Let's make this year the best year ever, shall we?

X;º)  H2

My Favorite Things...137...Cherries Jubilee!

This little darling is by Cyndi Walker of the uber-adorable Stitch Studios  & Wishful Stitches blog.

I was tickled pink that Cyndi used the Cherry Toss fabric that we introduced at Houston market last year, in her little "ensemble".  Not only because she did an adorable design, but because I love that little Cherry Tossed fabric as much today as when I saw the first strike-off 2 long years ago!  Also because it a) goes perfectly with the new Doll Dress fabrics (and those of you who have been paying attention, know that that is TOTALLY ON PURPOSE on my part) & b) over the years that I have been active in the "quilt community" it's become very apparent to me that quilters LOVE anything having to do with  cherries, is it just me, or have you all noticed that too? 

I just love the mini yo-yo style cherries on this little "Cyndi original"...don't you?

Today while I was stuck in traffic, thinking about what to write about in this blog,I realized...Geez, I really don't know Cyndi all that well (even though I've been a big fan of her blog)...but using those cherries on her little dress...I could write a couple of good solid paragraphs on quilters and cherries...

A couple of years back, there was a cherry themed redwork project by Alex Anderson in American Patchwork & Quilting, she mentioned fond childhood memories of cherries and cherry pie in Door County Wisconsin on her grandparent's farm.  That was sort of a weird coincidence, since my family has been going to Door County and cherry picking there since before I was born.  I'd only met Alex briefly at Portland Quilt Market in Spring of 2003.  I was there to preview my first line of LakeHouse quilt fabrics.  I didn't actually have a booth at that market, but there were white room divider curtains up everywhere that market, so I used them to my advantage...I gave private viewings to all sorts of quilt industry bigwigs out of a gigantic suitcase that was loaded with my first collection of quilt fabrics.  Don't ask me where I got the nerve (Holly who?) to walk up to Alex and ask her if she wanted to look at my new fabrics, but I did (shock) and she couldn't have been nicer.  Business cards were exchanged, and a couple of years after that I just had to call her about our "6 degrees of separation" Door County connection.  She actually remembered me (double shock) and we talked about our childhood memories of Door County...

My other quilter/cherry story also involves Door County too.  When I was in Arizona back in January visiting Penny, Brenda and Cindy (Oates).  I also got to visit my mom and show her the Cherry Baby salesman sample cards.  I figured that she'd show them to her pals down in Arizona. I was half right on that!  Turns out a bunch of her friends in Arizona are from Door County!  I left a set of sample cards with her.  They got passed around, taken to some quilt guild meetings, and before I knew it, a little shop in Sister Bay Wisconsin named Quilter's Quest called to say that they just had to have the Cherry Baby fabrics for their store.  Small World.

So Cyndi, do you have a Cherry story that inspired your little dress?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Meantime, go check out Cyndi's pretty little blog and see what she's up to for fall market too.

Back in two shakes...H2

A Dozen Darling Designer Dolly Dresses   LakeHouse Dry Goods Doll Dresses Collection   Fabric Frolic

My Favorite Things...136...Little Sweeties!

My next guest is one of my favorite quilting friends.  We share a love of so many things. Brenda's formal schooling is also in design, so we tend to have a "mental mind meld" (that would be an M3, right?) when we discuss quilts and other design related topics.

So here's the second block in our series, isn't it just so "Brenda"?

Make sure to go on over to Brenda's Little Acorns blog and check out what she's previewing from her new fall line.  Actually, if you haven't seen it already, you ABSOLUTELY MUST see her own unique doll dress quilt called Betsy's Closet that she just made with all LakeHouse fabrics (mostly our Doll Dress fabric)...Bren's outdone herself again!

It's just so fun to see each designer's personality come out in their work, don't you think?

Back in two shakes...H2

A Dozen Darling Designer Dolly Dresses   LakeHouse Dry Goods Doll Dresses Collection   Fabric Frolic

My Favorite Things...135...Getting Started!

Can you say precious?

Our First Fabric Frolic-er is none other than my buddy Cindy Taylor Oates of Taylor Made Design.

I met Cindy many markets ago, so long ago in fact that I have lost track of exactly when that was...all I can remember is that she had a really cute alphabet quilt on the wall of her booth and that she was so nice, that I felt like we'd be friends forever.

Cindy's the clever genius behind the world's most adorable cupcake pin cushion & a relatively new blogger, so go on over and see what she has to show & tell you about this adorable block, and every other little thing that she has up her sleeve for Fall Quilt Market (hereafter known as FQM)...

Back in two shakes...H2

PS  Many of the designers involved in this online event have cleverly found the time to include tips and tricks for you via a "click & print" (a downloadable .pdf file) that you can print out and save for your personal use.  The Basic Doll Dress block is re-sized from the "Playing Dress Up" pattern by Rene'e Plains at Liberty Star.  More information on Renee's quilt pattern and the Designer Dolly Dresses variation on this pattern will be coming in future posts, so check back every day, as this fun new project unfurls!

A Dozen Darling Designer Dolly Dresses   LakeHouse Dry Goods Doll Dresses Collection   Fabric Frolic

My Favorite Things...132...Catching Up!

I have been whining about my camera (and it's lack of performance) for a while now.  Thanks to Gina and Penny, I think that I may be on the right track now with my new Canon G9.  It's got an anti-jiggle feature...which has been a problem for me since I started taking pictures with my Kodak Instamatic "back in the day". 

Just about the time my camera started giving me nothing but aggravation, I got a mystery package in my post box...I was baffled.  I opened it in the parking lot at the post office...Wee hoo! it was a Pam Kitty bag!  It's been a heck of a long time for me to keep this secret, so here it is...

Turns out PK is not only a "stunt sewer" for the industry's finest, she's also a wiz with electronic embroidery gadgets, ric rac and the picking out the cutest combinations of fabric EVER!  In the meantime, I know that I am a little late to the party, because Brenda, Elizabeth and Monica all have blogged about her fabulous bags already...(and each one is cuter than the next!)

Now that I have a camera again, let's play catch up.  It's like Pam knew exactly what I needed...

Here's TWCTB* bag again with some of our new Doll Dress Collection fabrics. This new collection was inspired by some antique doll dresses that I have collected over the years, and was designed to blend with the Cherry Baby collection that we introduced at Fall 2008 Quilt Market. I'm loving how that black and white bag looks with the new fabrics, don't you?

As a matter of fact, here's a little sneak peek at a quilt that I designed and my own stunt quilter Cheryl Winslow made for McCall's Quilting.  It's scheduled to be in the April 2009 issue, which will be on your newsstand in February.  BTW, for those of you who like circles as much as I do, Cheryl's long arm "signature" is her circle quilting.

The new swatches for the Doll Dresses Collection are live on the LHDG site, so swing by and take a peek.  The first wave of this fabric is due to hit the stores in October.  Some of my favorite designers are already toiling away with some of the sample yardage that we just got in from overseas, more on these projects as they become available.

Lots more to show and tell--yet another magazine quilt, a new doggie (lots of pics & a story to got with her that will will rip your heart out) and a special event here on HOLLYBLOG.

Back in two shakes...

;º)

H2

* "the world's cutest tote bag"

My Favorite Things...131...Dover Gardens

Most of you know by now that one of my all around favorite people-quilter-animals lovers is Brenda Riddle of Acorn Quilt & Gift Company. 

For Fall market, she did the most delicious quilts made of LakeHouse fabrics in her book "Simple Things & Small Joys"...

One of my favorite quilts was her pastel version of Dover Gardens made with the Pearl version of La Grand Rose...

I liked this quilt so much that I tinkered around on the computer and came up with this Heron version using our new La Grand Jardin fabrics from Spring market...

I did this darker version too, it's so dramatic.  Something about this quilt reminds me of Colonial Williamsburg, I don't know why...

Do you have a favorite? 

Back in two shakes...H2

My Favorite Things...130...A Circle of Friends

It's been a while ladies...So much to do and so little time to tell you about it all!  (More on this soon, I promise.)

I still owe you some of the quilts that were designed for Spring Market...the fabrics and patterns are in the stores now.  I "have a bit of a fetish" for doing several colorations of the same basic quilt layout...This one is called Circle of Friends...Penny wrote it, so it should be a good pattern!

Above is my favorite, it uses the big flowers from our La Grand Jardin focal point fabric and our Flower Power Stripe as an accent border. The layout was inspired by the way they frame botanical prints in France.  I know that the white printed border is an unlikely choice for this quilt, but I loved it this way.

Below is an alternate border.  A medium to dark border is what most people are most familiar with, so we included instructions for this version in the new pattern too...

I just love pastel, so I'm a little bit smitten with this coloration...It uses our La Grand Rose for the large focal point roses.

Some of you will remember this quilt from our booth pictures...It has a sort of "Gypsy Rose" feeling about it.  It uses two colorways of the same La Grand Rose focal point fabric.

And perhaps the most dramatic coloration for last...

Write and tell me which is your favorite, won't you?  I just can't decide!

Back in two shakes...H2