Holly Blog

244...My Favorite Things...Hearts A Plenty!

It's been so long...and just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier, things did...so it's wonderful to be back.

The Sweet Little Words Quilt from the March/April edition of McCall's Quilting was just returned to me.  It was so precious, I had to call Pam and have her come over to see it in person and snap a few shots to show you...The Pam Kitty Love color palette is positively radiant!

Kudos to Pam Kitty for her lovely, seemingly effortless photos.

Here are some close-ups of Nubin Jensen's delightful quilting...

And a big shout-out to Fat Quarter Shop's Debra Taylor, for her lightning-fast precision piecing...

Hugs all around for all you gals, it takes a dedicated & experienced team to meet the time demands of quilt magazine projects!  In case you haven't actually seen the magazine article, the Sweet Little Words Quilt is being offered as a kit (with two different border color options!).  To see the kit info, just click here.

In addition to all of the quilty-love excitement, there's been friends visiting from out of town, we've been putting the final touches on the Sweet Things collection, had several bouts of frozen pipes at the studio, and our mascot -- a Border Collie/Terrier mix who demands (seemingly endless) hours of exercise on every chilly day we have.  I could go on, but let's get to the really good stuff...

Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who is a renowned chef from Berkeley California, says that the secret to being a good cook is knowing how to shop (for the best quality ingredients).

People often ask me about my design inspiration & secrets...Yes, there are tales of travels, flea markets & tiny one-of-a-kind boutiques, on quiet, tucked-away-streets in Europe.  More often than not, inspiration sort of "bonks me on the head" while I am walking down the street minding my own business, and *poof* something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye.  Or like the other day, at a little mom & pop store called Andy's Local Market near where I walk my dogs.  Getting a morning coffee, and what did I see amongst an adorable display of Valentine's Day trinkets & treats...?

Naturally, I thought of Pam, & our recent Pam Kitty Love collection...called her immediately.

We came up with the idea to offer all of you a chance to win your very own Pam Kitty Love LunchBox...

So here's the deal...Tell us a wonderful Valentine's story...it could be true romance...a tale about the power of love, or a rom-com, like a first date story that went awry, or a true tale about one of your most beloved & favorite critters.  Make it good, really, really good...and then tell us your story in our comments bar...and we may pick you!

The deadline is Thursday February 14th

The winner will be announced on Tuesday February 19th

Be there, or be square.

(Or keep carrying your lunch in a boring paper bag to work...)

*<:@)

H2

PS~Pam, this one's for you WoOoF!

PPS  thanks to Goji, for being such a willing subject

:oP

 

 

My Favorite Things...243...Teacups, Teacups, Teacups!

Under the category  "Just can't get enough of those LakeHouse Teacups"  -- here's a close up...

A "Six Pack"...

Et voila', the finished quilt...

We posted the fabric swatches for this quilt on FaceBook...so I thought it was only fair to post a shot of the finished quilt.

I've blogged about designing this quilt before...if you want the pattern...click pattern

For the kit (if Jennifer has any left) click kit

For Penelope 4, 5 or 6 swatches click below:

Penelope 4

Penelope 5

Penelope 6

And of course, if you've made anything with these Penelope 4-5-6 fabrics, I'd love to know what y'all are up to.

Back to the drawing board...Fall Quilt Market is just around the corner!

;o)

H2

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Things...242...Pretty Pictures taken in a Secret Garden

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought I'd show you all some pretty pictures taken by none-other than our fabulous "resident" blogging queen aka "Pam Kitty" (& photo-savant) Pam Vieira-McInnis, at a secret garden that I stumbled upon recently here in Marin County CA.

This is the new "Scrap Happy Basket Quilt" (designed by yours truly).  The New Applique' Pattern for it which BTW uses fabrics from my new Penelope 4 -- 5 -- 6 collection (that has just been delivered to independent quilt shops near you), has been written & published by our friend Jennifer Bosworth over at Shabby Fabrics.  Psst: if you haven't heard the good word...Jennifer writes a great pattern!

Here's a little close up of the quilt...

I just LOVE all of the fabrics in this quilt...the colors are OH SO HOME DEC!  IMHO, all of the prettiest colors for a warm & inviting home.  I think Jennifer might even have a few kits left, too...? Check her stock, by clicking here. 

On another note, on the home front today, things started off with a splash.  I was brushing my teeth when "El Bandito", my Milo rescue kitty (the only truly clumsy cat I have ever known) fell in to the toilet feet first while trying to jump up on the bathroom sink (trying to get a better look sniff at what he thought I was putting in my mouth (mint ice cream -- whatttt ?).  (This would also explain the times in recent months that I have sat down on a less-dry-toilet seat in that same bathroom...)

Here's more pictures taken by Auntie Pam, the day of our photoshoot last week of Bandito...

Is it just me or does that little black chin make you think of C Everett Koop...?

LOL

;oP

H2

PS, Pam Kitty will be making a table runner from blocks using the Scrap Happy Quilt pattern (in yet another bee-u-t-ful Penelope colorway...I'll announce the specifics of this VERY SOON!  OH & YES, you heard it here first:  there will be another FQ bundle giveaway too!

 

My Favorite Things...237...Roses from the Garden

These SweetHeart Roses remind me so much of the lush flowers in our Penelope series...And by-golly, it's that time...Penelope 4 5 & 6 are being packed & readied to leave our warehouse on the East Coast as I write...

Even better, I have done a few new designs that can use any of your favorite Penelope Fabrics...(1,2,3,4,5 or 6...) These quilts weren't in the latest Penelope 4, 5, 6 sales booklets, so your LQS hadn't seen them until last week in Kansas City at Jennifer's booth...

That's the Big News...Jennifer Bosworth of Shabby Fabrics has graciously taken on the writing & publishing of my quilt designs.  This is a huge relief to me on so many levels...writing patterns has always been a challenge.  I've received my share of hate mail over patterns that took me weeks & months to conceptualize, write, check, re-check & re-check again...And when I am writing patterns, I am not designing fabric & quilts...Of course those of you who have seen how Jennifer writes a quilt pattern or her beautiful Block of the Month programs...know why I am clicking my heels!

Thank you Jennfier for freeing  me up to do more of the projects that I have been thinking about for years, but haven't had the time to focus on...I am chomping at the bit to do my first Block of the Month...I can't wait.

Here's the first two of my quilt designs that Shabby Fabrics Pattern Company will be publishing that use new Penelope Fabrics.  First, the "Teacup Star" quilt...

 

Second, the Scrap Happy Baskets quilt...

Lots more on my favorite Penelope fabrics, projects & people too, coming up...

Back soon...H2

My Favorite Things...236...The Day After Market

It's been too long...Forgive me.  The last 15 months of my life have been filled with new adventures, new friends, lots of fun :o)  but also the craziness of not one, but two moves...& more things to do than I could do myself or delegate.  I had to put several things on hold...and blogging was one of them (even though it is one of my favorite things to do).  Thank goodness things are settling down a bit now...more details on all of the above later.

For the first time since 2003, when we started LakeHouse -- the fabric company, I did not actually make it to Quilt Market.  I came down with my second bout of the flu (in 6 weeks time) the week before market & it really hit me hard.  Luckily, Pam & her daughter Frankie were there to help out...Kudos & Hugs for stepping up girls!

Luckily, Pam took lots of fun shots of the Pam Kitty Love themed LakeHouse booth in Kansas City...(it's like they asked us what color to make the aisle rugs) -- LOL!

On our side & back walls were a combination of oversized posters that I designed for the booth, as well as quilts made by Pam, Nanette from Freda's Hive & Darla Padilla from Wildflower Quilting.  Many of you will recognize the gingham block quilt on the right (click to englarge photo), it's the one that I designed for McCall's Quilting Magazine, and oo la la -- I just love Nanette's sampler quilt!  The "Come Around For Coffee" quilt on the poster in the middle is a freebie click & print pattern from Pam...it's on the right sidebar on her blog...it's UBER CUTE! (I'll show you more color combinations of this quilt from our sale booklet sometime soon--wait till you see how she designed the handles on the coffee cups!)

Here's a couple of close up shots of the little goodies in our booth, (Is it just me, or do Pam's fabrics put a smile on your face too?)...The adorable bags filled with goodies are by Keiko Clark of K Cotton Studio.

Frankie helped us fold dozens of the heart-fan decorations, & Pam's accessories on the clothesline are just darling, aren't they?...

Before I close for today...Don't miss having your own mini version of the Pam Kitty Love sales booklet...just click on the 9-patch Pam Kitty Love sidebar icon to the right--->  So you can run in to your LQS and make sure that they'll be ordering exactly what your heart desires!

Sorry, but the perfectionist in me needs to mention that the colors on the .pdf are not the greatest. (They are muddy!)  Since you've probably seen the colors of Pam's first collection in your LQS, you already know that her color palette is clean & bright and filled with "good cheer".  Most importantly, the new Pam Kitty Love fabrics due out at the end of this year, will "play nicely" with the original Pam Kitty Morning fabrics...so you can't go wrong blending the old with the new.

Sort of reminds me of the song we used to sing in girl scouts..."Make new friends, but ke-ep the old, one is silver but the other's gold"...Do any of you remember singing that song too? 

Back in two shakes...(promise!)

:oP

H2

My Favorite Things...230...The Spirit of Giving!

WELCOME TO DAY TWELVE OF OUR BROWNIE POINTS BLOG-ALONG-ATHON!

As we await a visit with quilting's funny lady...Let me give you a little snippet, and we'll see if you can guess who my next guest was supposed to be today:

Tried to post & have technical difficulties...electricity out in the rain...then the dog chewed my cables... Am I just an old coot, or does this sound like the modern day equivalent of "the dog ate my homework"? LOL...

I'll send out some fat quarter bundles to whoever guesses who our tardy guest is.

And also in the spirit of giving, since quilter's flock to free stuff like scrambled eggs to bacon...

I have read most of your posts as of this morning.  It occurred to me that this would be a good time to tell all of you who make quilts for good causes, things like:  Project Linus, children in local hospitals, etc.  We do have a Free Fabric Policy at LakeHouse. 

First we verify that our excess fabric is going to a good home...many of you are in quilt guilds who are registered as non-profit organizations for this purpose.  There are also a lot of other ways to verify that you are "doing good works"

Second, we tell you what we have available that would suit your needs.

Third, we need to know how much fabric you can afford to have sent you you and how you want it sent. Because while our overstocked fabric is FREE, shipping to you is not.

Guess who helps us out with this?  Kristine Tate, she's the angel who made up all of our Fast Flowers Quilt Kits for this Brownie Points event.   You can write to her at:  [email protected]

Hope this gives the charitable amongst us some food for thought.

Peace on Earth,

Goodwill towards Quilters!

H:oP

H2

 

My Favorite Things...219...Old Friends with New Projects

WELCOME TO DAY ONE OF OUR BROWNIE POINTS BLOG-ALONG-ATHON!

As promised, the Fast Flowers Quilt Kits, are ready in time for Christmas, for your little angel...see more below!

I'm excited to introduce you to Tammy Tadd Designs.  Tammy & first met when our booths were near each other at our first Fall Quilt Market in Houston.  I've seen her evolve from a quilt & pattern designer into a shop owner, blogger & all around bon vivant.  Tammy's got the most colorful little quilt shop in Sycamore Illinois. 

Here's a close up of some of the beautiful Christmas tree ornaments that Tammy has made with our Fun Flowers fabrics.  Leave it to Tammy to kick off the holidays with this charming assortment of hand made & store bought ornaments.  Notice the jumbo ric rac she's using in her tree as a garland...a girl after my heart!

For more pics of Tammy's shop and clever designs, see Tammy's Blog--A Tadd More.

  

 

Tammy will be offering the Fast Flowers Quilt Kit for sale on her website, along with lots more projects that use LakeHouse fabrics.  As mentioned, I'll be donating $5.00 for every Fast Flowers Quilt Kit she sells to her favorite charity:  Tails Humane Society.

Just remember, the FREE Fast Flowers quilt pattern is available online at the Quilts & More website, so click here to see more pictures of the Fast Flowers quilt, and download your free pattern.

I'll be offering a FREE downloadable HOLLYTIPS TIP SHEET in addition to the FREE PATTERN later this week on the sidebar...(because you know how picky I am about quilt construction).

Come back tomorrow for more on Tammy and some of the fabulous freebies & special offers she'll be offering during our Brownie Points event...

So many of you write to us, wanting information on where to purchase LakeHouse fabrics.   So now's the time to see some of the wonderful independent shops all over the US who carry our fabrics.

Join us won't you?

;o-   H2

 

 

My Favorite Things...205...Encore Paris!

The new Penelope sales booklet front cover.  This new collection is due out in about two weeks at Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis. . .

Hello Ladies,

I have been in a "Paris state of mind" lately...Missing the flea markets, the patisserie, the confisserie...I could go on, but to those of you who know me, I'm a bit of a broke record when it comes to Paris.

I've named my new "Penelope en Paris"  It's the fourth intro we've done of the Teatime Floral series...The color palette is slightly muted.  It looks great in with "tea stained" fabrics. 

It all started with the piece of a slipcover that I found at a little stall at the now famous Cligancourt flea market just outside of Paris. I'll never forget the experience I had buying that scrap of fabric...

So there I am in this little lean-to fabric shop in one of the alleys in Cligancourt.  It's one of the little shanties that seem like they have been there forever.  There are all sorts of tassels, shawls & embroideries hanging in fragments from the ceiling, with piles of large fabric scraps of every description:  huge drapery panels, parts of old quilts, you name it..all over the floor.  The aisles are tight and the people, and as you might expect, are as eccentric as the day is long. 

I spotted a lovely 19th century floral scrap of cotton out of the corner of my eye.  I moved over to it and began examining it for the quality of the printing, the repeat sizes, the motifs.  I loved it, but I stood around with it in my hand, thinking about what to do with it...it seemed a little sophisticated back then.  I closed my eyes and the next thing I know I feel a tug on the fabric that I was holding.  Opening my eyes a woman in a "get up" that was a cross between Vampira & a Nicholas Nickleby character, had her paws on the fabric I had not yet relinquished.

She clearly wanted the fabric that I had in my hand, and she wasn't giving up until she had it...

I'll finish this little tome in my next blog, when I tell you the rest of the story and show you the other cover from our new sales presentation booklet....it has some unexpected twists & turns and a trip in the Chunnel...so stay tuned.

Back in two shakes...

H2

My Favorite Things...204...Dolly Dresses Fabrics, Coming to a Store Near You!

It's finally here, and on it's way to a favorite independent quilt shop near you.  Fabric for the Dolly Dress Up Quilt that was published in McCall's Quilting March/April 2010 issue...and all of the other little goodies from the Dolly Dresses 2 Collection, too.  The Dolly Dresses 3 fabrics (with the alphabet panel, etc) will be in the stores 4 to 6 weeks later.

For those shops kitting the Dolly Dress Up Quilt, I have a special diagram on how to cut the Dolly Dresses panels...LH 09002 & LH 09003.  PLEASE LOOK AT THIS CUTTING DIAGRAM BEFORE YOU CUT ANY PANELS--It will maximize your yield for kits!  It's really easy...Download the click & print .pdf file we made for you in the right side column.

Many of you already know that there were lots and lots of quilts made out of the Dolly Dresses Panels for our blog event back in December '09.  If you want to refer back to those projects (some of the projects will be offered as a pattern), click on the DOLLY BLOG icon in the left side column.

Meanwhile back at the studio, we've been hard at work on another free pattern to go with our new Fun Flowers fabrics that will be out in late summer/early fall.  We'll be introducing the Pinwheel Party Quilt at Spring Quilt Market in May in Minneapolis.

For the first time ever, LakeHouse Dry Goods will be offering the quilt pattern  in a "Quick & Easy" panel format as well as a traditional "Cut & Piece" method.

Here's a little sneak peek at the Pinwheel Party Panel LH 10027 used in the "Q & E" version of the quilt:

We'll show you the whole quilt when we get back from Quilt Market at the end of May.

That's all for now gals, it's as busy as Santa's workshop here today, as we prepare for SQM.

Back in two three shakes...

:ø)

H2

My Favorite Things...200...The Big Two Oh-Oh!

Day 15 of 16

 

The ric rac & ribbon is from my buddy Adam...(quilt shop owners take note!) The Forget-Me-Not millinery flowers are from my personal stash...but I have seen something very similar recently at Michaels.

Well Ladies, it's my day today, and a bit of a coincidence, actually...It's my 200th blog post. I have to laugh, when I think of what my webmaster said about blogging a couple of years ago, when I wanted to add a blog onto my website.  Something to the effect of "be careful with that and make sure you really want to do it and that you won't run out of things to say".  LOL...

Actually, I only run out of time, not things to show & tell.  I have pictures from trips and projects and things that inspire me waiting in files to show you...

Anyhoo, I designed the panel to expand the "circle of friends"...that is, people who liked the Dolly Dresses quilt from last fall & who would like to work with the Dolly Dresses fabrics, but like me, don't have the time to do all of the applique'.  Tick-tock, I say.

So before I even was finished with the dolly dresses panel fabric, I called the Beth "the Beauty Queen" Hayes (it's the cheekbones) at McCall's Quilting.  What I love about working with Beth is that she has even less time to waste than I do.  I send her a picture, she loves it, she hates it...I get instant feed back...Tick Tock.

So the embellished Dolly Dress Up panel quilt that was shown in the LakeHouse booth at Fall Quilt market, (which I showed in a previous blog back in October)...Is going to be in the McCall's Quilting April 2010 issue that hits the newsstands in February.  The timing is perfect, because the Dolly Dresses 2 fabrics will be getting to the stores in early April...For those of you with scraps left over from Doll Dresses 1, I used a lot of scraps from that collection in my quilt...Not to worry though, DD 1, 2 & 3...they all go together, it's a mix & match thing...like Garanimals...LOL

Meantime, it's time for you to give it your best shot...Remember the scene in the movie "Notting Hill"...Hugh Grant's character is sitting around the dinner table with friends?  Each of them had to tell a story about why they deserved the last brownie...Well now's the time...Give it your best shot & tell me why you deserve to win the Dolly Dress Up panels (months earlier than anyone else) from our secret stash here at the studio. 

Leave your story below and I'll announce the winners of the Dolly Dress Up panels tomorrow.

Make Me Laugh!...Back in a Flash,

H2