3 Years!!!

Hello Everyone,

I can't believe it has been 3 years since I began podcasting!!  Since I podcast once per month that means this one is the 36th episode!!  Do you believe it???  I am so excited about it.

But I must thank YOU all my faithful listeners from ALL OVER the world literally, and to all the NEW listeners as well. 

For my 36th episode, I sat down again with one of my good friends that many of you know from her fabulous books...

Marie Bostwick!  I know that I had a few posts about her this month, but that is because her newest book was just released and it is just as fabulous as the first four in her Cobbled Court Quilt series.  

If you didn't know, I am giving away a copy of her her book, just click here to enter, but come back, I will wait!

Okay, now that you are back, you must listen to this latest podcast.  You can see what Marie has been up to since last we spoke and get some insight into her newest book...

Ties That Bind.  You can purchase here book by clicking here.

To listen to the podcast from your computer, just click here.

To download for free from iTunes, search for Jackie's Quilting Chronicles in the iTunes store or click here and it will take you there.

Also, please make sure that you visit Marie on her site by clicking here.  She has tons of stuff going on and some free pattern downloads too.

Enjoy the podcast!!

On a side note, I was interviewed by Quilt Magazine a little bit ago, come and see what I said.... just click here.

Until Next Time...

3 Years!!!

Rockin' Round The Improvi-Robin

Hello Everyone,

My part in the Improvi Robin this month was fun for me.  From the moment I received the piece below from Stephanie...

I knew that all I wanted to do was to add just to the top.  I had several ideas, but waited until the last minute as I had other deadlines to meet first.  But, lately I have been loving these colors together... eggplant and green just are fascinating me of late.  

You can see what I mean in this quilt that I recently finished.  Just click here.  I will wait for you to come back.  See what I mean?  Don't these colors just really go together well?

So now for my part...

I just added to the top.  I added the purple and mauve batiks with the Asian fabric as the background.  Sorry for the darkness in the photo above,  I definitely tried retouching and editing it, this was the best I could get.  But the next photo is a better depiction.

Here is the top part that I added.  I really like how it finishes it off.  Just enough, it didn't really need much more.  Now it is off to Miki for her to do her round.  I can't wait to see what she will do with it, I am sure it will be gorgeous!  If you would like to see the progression on some of the other pieces in the round robin, just click here to go to the Flickr group.

Speaking of batiks... this weekend only you can take 15% off ALL batiks in stock in the shop!!! Yes, that is right, just use the code batik15 at checkout to receive your discount.

Start shopping now...

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!

Until Next Time...

Rockin' Round The Improvi-Robin

A Cosmic Laptop Mat...

Hello Everyone,

A few weeks back Mark Cesarik sent me some swatches of his fabric line from Free Spirit called Cosmic Burst.  Today, I pieced them together and really love the results.

Aren't the colors vibrant and the design modern?

Love the postcard with the fabrics all stacked up.

Here is the little piece all together.

Quilted and bound.  I used Kona Cerise for the binding.  Kona Cerise is my hands down favorite Kona solid.  You can find it here.

I backed it with a batik from the shop.  The quilting was just simple lines with a YLI variegated rayon thread.

And look... it is just the perfect size for my laptop to sit on when I am at at the table. How cool is that?

Thank you, Mark for sending me these really cool fabrics of yours!  Love them.

Don't forget to...

1.  Enter my giveaway going on here.

2.  Get the Blogger's BOM Month 8 by clicking here.

Until Next Time...

A Cosmic Laptop Mat...

Blogger's BOM Month 8

Hello Everyone,

It is that time again!  Are you ready for Block #8?  I can tell you it is a beauty for sure.  But first, take a look at the first seven blocks all together.

From Left Top Row:  Block 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

They are fantastic together, aren't they?

To see variations from everyone who is participating, take a look at the Flickr Group.  I love what everyone has done!

If you are just starting, you can get ALL the links to the instructions for each block over on my right sidebar... under the heading Blogger's BOM Block links.

Block Number 8 is brought you by the fabulous Amy of Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts.  This block is a beauty.  So hop on over there and grab your instructions and start sewing!!

If you would like to see the original post about the BOM and the rules, just click here.  

Don't forget to post your new blocks to the Flickr Group.

Hop on over to Amy's right now, by clicking here...

Don't forget to enter my giveaway going on here.

Until Next Time...

Blogger's BOM Month 8

Marie Bostwick's Ties That Bind Book Blog Hop Tour & Giveaway

Hello Everyone,

Last week I blogged about my good friend Marie Bostwick and her new role as a quilt designer!  You can read the post here if you would like to read it.  But today, I am part of her book tour.  Her newest book "Ties That Bind" is being released today!!! Very exciting!!

Michele Foster of the Quilting Gallery is the host of the blog hop so be sure to hop on over there for a variety of goodies!

Marie and her errant spaniel!

A few things that you will need to know about me and this book.  

One of the reasons I was taken by this book is because I have read all the other ones in the Cobbled Court Quilt Series and they are DYNAMITE... just like Marie!

I actually identify with Philippa just a whee bit.  Coming into a new town, being thrown into a variety of things, feeling a little tentative... hmmm... sound familiar?

Even if you haven't read any of the other books in this series, not to fear, you can pick up any book at any time and not be lost.  Marie writes her books like this by design.

If you are looking for a good read, here is why you need to read this one...

friends, family, quilting, and love.

I once did take my first quilting class like many of you and some of the characters in the book.  My first class wasn't that great.  But that didn't make me not want to try again.  So, I did and loved it from then on.

In the book Philippa signs up to make her first quilt... a baby quilt... hop on over to Michele's blog to see my first baby quilt and the story behind it.  Just click here. 

Here is the fabulous cover from Marie's new book.   And just to draw you in a little further, here is a short synopsis...

Christmas is fast approaching, and New Bern, Connecticut, is about to receive the gift of a new pastor, hired sight unseen to fill in while Reverend Tucker is on sabbatical. Meanwhile, Margot Matthews' friend, Abigail, is trying to match-make even though Margot has all but given up on romance. She loves her job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and the life and friendships she's made in New Bern; she just never thought she'd still be single on her fortieth birthday.

It's a shock to the entire town when Phillip A. Clarkson turns out to be Philippa. Truth be told, not everyone is happy about having a female pastor. Yet despite a rocky start, Philippa begins to settle in—finding ways to ease the townspeople's burdens, joining the quilting circle, and forging a fast friendship with Margot. When tragedy threatens to tear Margot's family apart, that bond—and the help of her quilting sisterhood—will prove a saving grace. And as she untangles her feelings for another new arrival in town, Margot begins to realize that it is the surprising detours woven into life's fabric that provide its richest hues and deepest meaning… 

Doesn't that make you want to just run out and buy the book now?  But wait... this is a blog hop, right... 

You could WIN a copy right here and on every other blog involved in the hop!!

Here they are:

Tuesday, April 24 
Michele - Quilting Gallery - http://quiltinggallery.com/
Jackie - Canton Village Quilt Works - http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/
Wendy - Ivory Spring - http://ivoryspring.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, April 25
Jennifer - SewHooked - http://sewhooked.com/
Erin - One Piece at a Time - http://erinrussek.typepad.com/

Thursday, April 26
Victoria - Bumble Beans Inc. - http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/
Sandi - A Legacy of Stitches - http://alegacyofstitches.blogspot.com/

Friday, April 27
Michele - With Heart and Hands - http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/
Melissa - Lilac Lane -  http://www.blog.melissastramel.com/

Saturday, April 28
Melissa - Sew Bitter Sweet Designs - http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/
Kim - Crafty Apple - http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/

Also, a special surprise will be available soon on Marie's site.  When you register as a reading friend on Marie's site you will be able to download, for FREE, this...

Hide and Seek Baby Quilt Designed by Deb Tucker of Studio 180 Design

beautiful quilt pattern.  But just know that it is not quite ready yet.

Also, come back here later this week for another special post on Marie and the recent podcast that we did!!

Anyway, would you like to know how to enter to win Marie's Book?  

Just leave a comment here on this blog post that is it!!  The drawing will remain open until May 2.

Best of luck!

One more thing... Don't forget to stop back tomorrow for the Blogger's BOM!

The giveaway is now closed, thank you for entering!

Until Next Time...

Marie Bostwick's Ties That Bind Book Blog Hop Tour & Giveaway

Almost There

Hello Everyone,

Remember when I showed this quilt in progress.  It is still in progress.  This is the quilt that is my Two's Company Bee project.

February was my month and I sent all the participant's paper foundations and the background fabric.  Then they had to use wild red fabrics for the geese. 

This is how far along the quilt is right now.  I am still waiting on a few more blocks to arrive.  So looking forward to completing this quilt!!

The fabrics that everyone chose are just fabulous!!

Quilt Stats:

Pattern:  Which Way is North?  can be found here.

Background Fabric:  Aboriginal Dots Ivory by Kaffe Fassett can be found here.

Stay tuned for a completed quilt soon!

Until Next Time...

Almost There

Picking Fabrics For A New Project

Hello Everyone,

Soon I will be going on a quilt retreat and I am thinking ahead as to what projects I would like to work on.  Ideally, I would like to work on two more samples for my Judy Niemeyer Certification coming up in July.  They will then become permanent samples for my classes as well as trunk shows.

The color palette I picked is bright and cheerful.  Very similar to my Island Breeze quilt, but there is no yellow.  They are all batiks that can be found in my shop by clicking here.

There are 24 fat quarters total to make this quilt.

These are the blues.  Funny thing is I am not a blue person, but I just love the depth of the color in these blues and knew that I had to use them in a quilt.

Purples to hot pinks.  This is probably my favorite color that I like to use and you can see it in many of my quilts.

Beautiful bright greens.  Love the variations in the colors and I think that they will play well with the pinks and blues.  

The quilt that I will be making is...

and the pattern can be found in my shop by clicking here.  Stay tuned for the progress on this quilt. 

I will be teaching this class in several places too!! I will be at the Quilt Basket in Wappinger's Falls, NY on September 15, 2012.  Find out more details by e-mailing Cathy, just click here.

I will also be doing this at a retreat!!!  If you would like to come and spend an enjoyable weekend with me in a fabulous Bed and Breakfast in Vermont, I would love to see you there!!  It will be January 25-27 and you can choose from 3 patterns to work on.  You will be pampered all weekend.  Grab a group of friends and come join me.  Find out all the details by clicking here.

You can see the rest of my schedule by clicking here.

Until Next Time...

Picking Fabrics For A New Project

Vintage Grandmother's Flower Garden

Hello Everyone,

Back at Christmas time, my sister in law had a wonderful vintage Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt with her.  When she took it out of the bag to show me,  I was in love!

Each flower is hand sewn with fabric that dates back to the 20s or 30s.

The choices of colors is just fantastic!  I love them encircled with the solid white.  As some of you may remember, I am working on my own.  You can read about it here.

The binding was a sweet yellow and two of the edges are zig zag, the others straight.

The entire quilt is hand quilted and in excellent shape!  It has a couple of stains on the back side, but not on the front.  The great part of this story was that it was for sale!!!  I was psyched!!  She said the proceeds would go to the local animal shelter (something near and dear to my heart).  I asked how much and she said to make an offer and guess what????  They took it and I own this fabulous quilt!

I am in love with it!!  I don't think that I could have found a quilt like this in the condition that it is in, I am so fortunate!  Thank you, Shirley for bringing it to me this weekend!

Also, a couple of months ago a very good friend of mine, (you know who you are), found these...

and sent them to me!  What a surprise to receive these in my mailbox.  My day was made!

Some great vintage Grandmother Flower Garden blocks that are begging for me to finish them.  

Great colors and well put together.  Now for one more project on my to do list!  Thank you so much for making my day, you truly are wonderful!

Do any of you have anything vintage?  I would love to know and if you have photos, would love to see them!

Until Next Time...

Vintage Grandmother's Flower Garden

It Was A Good Day!

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday was a very good day!  We celebrated my youngest's 17th birthday.  I can't believe he is 17!

Because it was such a beautiful day outside, we grilled my special hamburgers.  The hubs caught the grill on fire, there were no burgers harmed... thank goodness!

We are BIG fresh fruit fanatics and these were all so ripe and tasty.

Pavi had to be the official gift inspector.  He has added that to his other duties of quilt inspector.

Even though we had fresh fruit, on a birthday you have to have something decadent!  So I made him a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake. Notice one thing I forgot was candles.  We searched the house and all we could come up with was a 2!  It was symbolic...

Slice of cake... everything made from scratch... buttercream frosting, chocolate chip cookies, cake, and cookie dough filling.

Lots of butter in this baby.

Looks great and was a ton of work, but so worth it for my son!

Low calorie and low fat, only in my mind.... You can find the recipe by clicking here.

We had a great day, great company and ended with this...

My boy and me!  Love you!

Happy Birthday!

Until Next Time...

It Was A Good Day!