Jan Patek Quilts

Almost done

2012-01-19T16:05:00.008-06:00

This is Block #11 of Over the Meadow, the Block of the Month quilt that started last March and will end in February. It is turning into one of my all time favorite quilts. (Although I agree with Linda (Brannock) that my favorite quilt is always the one I'm working on.)

And I am working on this one. After the Santa block there is only one more and the quilt will be complete. (And could the lady who asked me to please substitute another block for the Santa one for religious reasons, please get in touch with Tori or Byron at 816-632-7632- I can't find where I wrote your information. Sorry.)

Anyway, my quilt is almost done. It sewn together and beginning to look like a quilt instead of a series of blocks. Everything is on but the outside borders. It will be ready to go to Lori's to get quilted tomorrow. I am so excited!

Here are the borders and sashing that will be shipped with the block this month - fabric from the Classic Wovens and Together fabric lines.

The picture is good but the quilt is awesome - even if I do say so myself. It is really neat when the actual quilt turns out to look like what I saw in my mind's eye months ago. And this one did.

I'll show it all to you next month with the last block but meanwhile you'll just have to be patient and use your imagination. The blocks are on the side bar.

I am such a meaney :)

Meanwhile, next year I'm changing gears and going back to sending the Featured Fabric quilt out in blocks of 3 starting in April. It's going to be an Album quilt with flowers - coxcombs of course along with others. I'll post a drawing on the blog soon along with sending an email.

Meanwhile, I'm quite content. I just love Over the Meadow!

It's Winter! And we have a winner.........

2012-01-13T12:18:00.006-06:00

The Random # Generator picked #5 - which is .......Wendy, Quilts by the Sea. Wendy, if you will send your shipping information to Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com, she will ship you your Zoie's Baskets kit when she gets back from Mexico, poor dear. :)

Congratulations to Wendy and lots of thanks to all of you for your very nice comments about my lovely granddaughter and about my quilt. Wish you all could have won.

And while Tori and her husband are basking in the sun in Mexico, it finally decided to be winter here. Which brings to mind one of my favorite quilts "The Winter Quilt". It's one of my more complex quilts, to say the least. Helen Williams, bless her soul, pieced all of those star blocks and three of us worked on the applique - Helen, Barbara Dunaway and me. People always ask me how long it took and I really don't know but it was awhile :).

It's on the back cover of The Winter Book. And to celebrate the arrival of winter, I'll put the book on special over the weekend for $10.00 off.

Happy winter. I just love winter ---- as long as it doesn't get carried away with itself.

When Spike and I headed for the barn to feed the cats and let the chickens out we found a little lady cardinal sitting on the sidewalk. There are drawbacks to very clean windows. I was pretty sure that she was just stunned so I scooped her up and took her to the barn. We have an old bird cage there that's a good hospital bed. She just sat on the floor when I put her in. After feeding the cats and letting the chickens out and giving them food and water I went back and checked on her. She was flying around the cage trying to get out. I opened the window and the cage. Out she flew!

Probably over the garden and back to the feeders :) Stay away from windows, this time dear.

Just maybe sit awhile and bask in the sun.

Have a good weekend all.

Day 12 - Zoie's Baskets

2012-01-06T05:53:00.001-06:00

First things first. Loud drum roll here..............................The winner of the 2012 Mystery Quilt is judyquilts who started her comment with "I can always be tempted by birds." . Congratulations Judy . If you'll email your shipping info to Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com she'll make sure you get on the list and marked paid. We try to ship the Mystery Quilt blocks around the middle of the month.

Sorry everyone couldn't win but just to console the rest of you we have another big giveaway to mark the 12th day. It's Epiphany - the day the wisemen brought gifts to the child according to church tradition. So we have a gift for one of you.

But we need to back up a little.

This is our oldest granddaughter, Zoie. Zoie never played with dolls like Lilly. Zoie loved and loves animals.

Here she is with Turkey/Surkey (not a whiz at names). She just loves turkeys. And that turkey knew it. She would come running when she saw Zoie heading for the gate of the chicken yard.

When someone dumped a cat and kittens at the farm and the cat disappeared, Zoie jumped right in and fed them all the milk replacer. And eventually took 2 home. Of course when they moved from their duplex to an apartment the cats both had to come to the farm to live. And in the house - not in the barn. Hmmm!

This is Zoie and Afentra - her beloved guinea pig. Afentra had her toenails painted, wore a crown and knew how to work it so that she got lots of green and red peppers - her favorites.

This is Sumo Zoie's Japanese Chin a Christmas present last year. At the moment he's purple - still has on his costume from Halloween.

Zoie occasionally goofs off with people too. Here she is with Quinn & Cullen. Those are their jammies - the bones glow in the dark.

And this is Zoie's Baskets.

It's 102" x 102" and a very special quilt, like Zoie is a very special girl.

It's on sale all day for 20% off. Obviously the shipping is free.

And - - - - we're giving a kit away.

Make a comment, any old comment before the 12th. We'll draw another name then. If you've already bought it, we'll refund your money.

Happy New Year from all of us at Jan Patek Quilts.

Day 11 - House and Tree Day

2012-01-05T08:58:00.000-06:00

Years ago (back when the dinosaurs roamed) :) when I very first started quilting I did a quilt called "House and Tree and Me and Thee". With a house full of teenagers it was a kind of wishful thinking quilt.

A few years ago I did a little "House and Tree" wallhanging. All 3 are grown with houses of their own - pretty well full of kids and love.

Every once in awhile the kids come bursting into our house and bring all of their noisy love with them. We are always so very glad to see them. After another while they all leave again and it's House and Tree and Me and Thee again. And blessedly quiet.

Anyway, House and Tree is on special today for 15% off. After Valentine's Day it will hang in the back hall until time for the Easter quilts to come down from the loft.

This is Brian Jr. - one of the older bursters. If Brian and Shannon are coming he'll call and say, "Grandma, is Jake going to be there? OK, I'll come then". And Jake will say, "Is Brian Jr. going to be there? OK, I'll come then." Makes a Grandma feel needed. Oh well, I suppose if I learned to play X-box 360, I'd be more popular. I think instead, I'll make Brian Jr. a football quilt using Barbara Brackman's sports pattern. He looks like he plays football doesn't he?

On a different note - back to quilts - this is Square Dance Garden. We've returned to Coxcombs after the Lilacs. If you belong to the Wallhanging Club you'll be getting yours soon. If not, you can order yours by clicking on the title.

And this is our Valentine Mini Quilt - Heart to Heart. Just finished the binding today. Kind of hard to believe they're out of the same fabric line, but they are. I did use a classic Woven for one of the backgrounds in Heart to Heart but otherwise they're both from Together.

Don't forget to type in the promo code Holiday for free shipping on all orders over $30.00 (after discounts). And be sure to go back to Day 7 and comment if you haven't for a chance to win this year's Mystery Quilt. Tomorrow is the last day!.

Day 10 - Lilac Hill Day

2012-01-04T08:13:00.001-06:00

This is Lilac Hill - made out of the Lilac Hill Fabric Line by Brannock/Patek for Moda.

Linda and I designed the fabric, Linda designed the house and I designed the quilt. And for a change it has Lilacs instead of coxcombs. :)

Buy a Lilac Hill Turnover and get the pattern for the Lilac Hill quilt free. Or buy our one last kit and get 15% off. Or $5.00 off of a Lilac Hill Jelly Roll and a free Dresden Dahlias pattern.

Christmas tree down and out in the garden guarding rose bushes. Ornaments carefully wrapped and back in boxes. Beds made, morning stitching done on the Mystery Quilt. Now, think I'll start a pot of soup for dinner and then play with the Valentine Mini - it's almost done. Just love these days.

Oh and I've been reading some of the comments for the Mystery Quilt drawing on Day 7 (Be sure to go comment if you haven't already.) Glad the Random Generator is picking because I sure can't. Thank you all for saying such nice things. And for those of you who asked, I think we may have a few Bible Quilt kits left but you'd be better to email Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com and check with her. Also Phyllis who had the problem with the October block - email Tori and she'll send you another. Hope it get's through. We won't even talk about the mail - stresses me out too much.

Here's Lilly with her Ariel baby doll and Ariel's quilt. I did indeed finish the binding on Christmas Day :)

Day 9 - Coxcomb & Bird

2012-01-03T07:31:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I was talking about how fast they grow up. This is the inside cover of Together Again - our book special for the month of January. Linda is holding the baby Jake. She told everyone that she had to hold him because he cried if anyone else held him. Hmmmm!

This is Jake on New Year's Eve in Pep's chair. I tell you, they have to stop this, it makes me feel old. Well, maybe not stop but slow things down a little.

I must say, prejudiced or not (and I am) we have some very nice grandchildren.

And really that has nothing to do with the kit that's on sale today except that Coxcombs have long been a favorite flower in Linda and my quilts. Together Again has quite a few quilts with coxcombs in them.

This is Coxcomb and Bird. The kit is on sale for 15% off and the pattern is $5.00 off.

Don't forget to use the promo code Holiday if your order is over $30.00 after discounts to get free shipping.

Be sure to go back to Day 7 and make a comment for a chance to win this year's Mystery Quilt.

Day 8 - Layer Cake Day

2012-01-02T05:55:00.000-06:00

It's the day after New Years and I'm waxing nostalgic. We had our Christmas with Brian and Shannon and their kids on New Year's Eve. Cullen and Quinn were here too along with Brian Jr. and Jake.

They're all growing up so fast.

Yesterday they were all Brooke's age.

It makes a Grandmas's eyes leak.

Ah well, they're all healthy and happy.......

And active. It's so quiet when they leave - and I can sit down for a second. Life is good.

In the 12 Day Sale it's Layer Cake Day. Buy a Layer Cake and get a pattern for Cottage Garden (using a Harmony Layer Cake) or House on a Hill (using a Remembrance Layer Cake) free.

Or get the kits for House on a Hill or Cottage Garden for 15% off all day.

If you haven't already done so, be sure to go back to Day 7 and comment for your chance to win a free Mystery Quilt for the year.

Day 7 - New Year's Day

2012-01-01T08:31:00.001-06:00

Happy 2012. Hope you had a fun and safe New Year's Eve. We did.

The end of 2011 brought the last block in another Mystery Quilt. For those of you who have seen the original the mystery was how close I was going to be able to get to the feeling of fabrics long gone. It really was a lot of fun and I like it a lot. I already have 2 Bible Quilts. My sister Nancy is undergoing chemo for breast cancer and she said she'd like it, so it has a home.

And I had so much fun redoing a classic that I decided to do it again. So this year we're going to redo the Collector Series. Linda and I designed it years ago as an 18 month BOM. I've reworked it a little so we'll send it out in 12 months. If you belong to the Mystery Quilt Club, you're already on the list. If you decide you just don't have the time or inclination for another quilt right now, be sure to let Tori (who does the shipping) know by emailing her at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com. If you aren't a member and want to get the blocks each month, email her or call Tori or Byron at 816-632-7632 to join.

You're really getting a block and a half each month so the cost is $22.00 but that does include the shipping. The only month we'll charge shipping is the month the borders go out. (International shipments will cost the same if we send your blocks in groups of 3 or 4. If you want them monthly the cost for Priority so we can track them is an additional $10.95)

Whew - that's a lot of info!

I'm really having fun redoing the quilt. Neither Linda nor I have the original. It went out on a trunk show and never came back. She thought I had it and I thought she had it. Now I will finally have my own.

Here's a sneak peek at the first block.

What has this got to do with the 12 Days After Christmas Sale? Well................

Make a comment, any old comment between New Years Day and the 6th (you'll have to come to this page to do it) and we'll have the Random Generator draw a name. The winner will receive all of the monthly blocks free.

Good luck ladies. I wish you all could win.

Day 6 - Dec. 31st - Blessings Day

2011-12-31T07:57:00.001-06:00

Day 6 is Blessings Day.

There are Blessings (8 of the 9 a year ag0)

and then there are Blessings.

Buy a Blessings Honey Bun and get a free pattern for

Cabin in the Stars which uses a Honeybun for all of the log cabin blocks.

You can also buy a Blessings Baskets kit for 15% off

or a Tic-Tac Baskets kit for 15% off.

And don't forget to type in the promo code "Holiday" for free shipping on all orders over $30.00 (after discounts).

It's New Years Eve. Pep has to work. Brian and Shannon are coming up to camp out (I KNOW - it's still December - but the weather is in the 60's - in MISSOURI) and Cullen and Quinn are spending the night with me. We will all have a great time sitting by the campfire.

Have a safe New Years Eve, all.

Day 5 - Winners & Family Circle Day

2011-12-30T09:22:00.000-06:00

First things first - 2 winners to be announced. The winner of the Hemming House Jelly Roll is Jo who started her comment with "Great giveaway" and the winner of the Looking Back Jelly Roll is Colleen who started her comment with "Fantastic opportunity". Congratulations ladies. If you'll email your snailmail address and phone # to Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com she'll get those right out to you.

On Day 5 we have a special on a special kit for you. Family Circle is one of my favorite little quilts. It stays in the sewing basket next to my chair and keeps my legs and feet warm while I'm sewing. All Day today it's 15% off with free shipping.

So - family and angels. It reminds me that I told my oldest son over Christmas that we need a new family portrait after the first of the year. A lot of things have changed since we took this one. People keep growing up for one thing.

And there are 5 new additions for another. Max had Cullen and Quinn and Brian and Shannon were joined by Gabriel, Lilly and Brooke. So we definitely need a new picture.

When I first thought of featuring the kit as part of the 12 Day Sale, I thought - well, I have the family part in a picture but I'm missing a picture of the angel part. And then I remembered Eunice's Angel. She belonged to Pep's mother (Eunice) and has been part of our Christmas since the kids were little. Back when Pep's back was in better shape he would lift Kelly - or later Zoie - to put her on top of the tree. Now she sits on an end table and watches over us.

Happy stitching to us all.

Day 4 Dec. 29th - Jelly Roll Day - Giveaway Day

2011-12-29T07:19:00.001-06:00

Day 4 in the 12 Days After Christmas Sale is a Giveaway Day. Have you figured out that some of the items on Sale are bits and pieces. Well - we have one Looking Back Jelly Roll left and 1 Hemming House Jelly Roll. Make a comment, any old comment and 2 of you will win 1 Jelly Roll each. (Using the Random Number Generator of course, so I don't have to pick a favorite comment - which is impossible they're all so nice.) We'll pick a winner the morning of the 30th.

And then, for those of you who aren't randomly picked we have a few on sale. The Remembrance and Astor Manor Jelly Rolls are $5.00 off. And any of the patterns that use a Jelly Roll are $3.00 off.

Good luck - wish you all could win.

Day 3 - Fat 1/4 Day

2011-12-28T09:27:00.000-06:00

Day #3 - Fat 1/4 Day.

But back to Day 2 for a second. We had a very nice but rather hurried Christmas with Max and his family - so hurried that I forgot to take pictures. Our oldest son, Brian, is a dentist. December is usually somewhat slow so it's the month we all make appointments to get our teeth cleaned, sealants for the kids, yada, yada, yada. Max's appointment was at 1:00 and Brian's office is over an hour away - really about an hour and a half. Anyway, a good time was had by all and Max made his appointment.

Now on to Day #3.

Day #3 of the 12 Days After Christmas offers a great deal on Fat 1/4 bundles. Buy one at the regular price of $22.50 for 9 Fat 1/4's (a great deal all by itself) and get a free Fat 1/4 Foursome book - 4 quilts using Fat 1/4's designed by me and my friend Sue Spargo.

And another day at the Dentist - hopefully our last one for awhile. I'll drop Cullen and Quinn's table and chairs off at Max's in Kansas City, then on to Olathe for Jake's check up. Pep got me a new Crock Pot for Christmas (I asked for it) and a cookbook. Time to try it out.

Day 2 - Books and Change of Christmas Plans

2011-12-27T04:26:00.004-06:00

Max called last night as I was falling asleep to say that he and Michele and Cullen and Quinn were going to have to do their Christmas with us this morning instead of Thursday. Michele is working at Sears and they switched her days off. Oh My! I'm not quite ready.

So I'm up in the middle of the night changing the tablecloth, wrapping one last present and blogging. (I can run the sweeper in the morning.)

This will be short and sweet. Day 2 is Books. All books (excepting Quiltmania and KC Star books) under $15.00 are $5.00 off and all books from 15 - 30 are $10.00 off. And we'll still do it manually. When you purchase the patterns at store the checkout will charge you the regular price. Then Byron will refund your PayPal Account the amount of the discount. Or call Tori at 816-632-7632 to place your order and charge it to your credit card there. You can leave the order on the Voicemail if you see this after hours. And type in "Holiday" or mention it on the phone and get free shipping to the continental US for all orders over $30.00. And ladies, that's the discounted price, not the one that will show up on your checkout order. This just get's so confusing - we'll wing it if you're within a dollar or two. Goodsie (our store) is working on getting it so we can give discounts for particular types of products but for now it's a little confusing.

I'm off to wrap and figure something out for a quick brunch.

Have a nice day .... I will.

12 Days After Christmas - Day 1 - Patterns

2011-12-26T11:19:00.005-06:00

I just love technology. Today is the first day of our 12 Days After Christmas Sale. Day 1 is Patterns. All of our patterns are on sale for $3.00 off with the exception of our BOM's which are $10.00 off.

Now for the "love" technology part. Our store has "coupons" but they can't be assigned to individual groups of products. So we'll do it manually. When you purchase the patterns at store the checkout will charge you the regular price. Then Byron will refund your PayPal Account the amount of the discount. Or call him at 816-632-7632 to place your order and charge it to your credit card there. You can leave the order on the Voicemail if you see this after hours. And type in "Holiday" or mention it on the phone and get free shipping to the continental US for all orders over $30.00.

Whew!

Now for the rest of the "Love Technology" part. Kelly is trying to send an email telling you of the items on sale or giveaway each day to all of you that signed up . The email program won't let her upload the images. Last time this happened we had to upgrade our Adobe Flash so she did that again. Nope - still won't let the images upload. And of course, support for the program is limited over the Holidays.

So - check the Blog each day and we'll keep it posted and keep trying with the emails.

Sheesh! :)

On a less technological note - Thank God - here's Jake Christmas morning with this Snowball Thrower. Wow! For trees and buildings only.

And Zoie on her awesome new bike. She did put on shoes and a jacket to go ride it but the weather was really nice here so she got to try it out.

Gabriel, Lilly and Brooke were all sick so we'll do Christmas with them next Sunday. And Cullen and Quinn were at their mother's this year so Christmas with them will be sometime this week.

We truly are having the 12 Days After Christmas.

Happy Holidays.

Nothing like waiting til the last minute! And 12 Days After Christmas Sale.

2011-12-23T08:58:00.012-06:00

We finally have a granddaughter that likes dolls. Zoie always loves her quilts but never has been interested in dolls. Now give her a guinea pig, kitten or dog - stuffed or alive - and you're making her happy. But while she cheerfully makes Sumo (Japanese Chin) large pillows to sleep on and Phoebe (guinea pig) blankets, I haven't quite gotten into making them quilts.

Enter Lilly. Lilly loves the Disney princesses. And when I finally got around to giving her brother Gabriel his quilt, she played and played with it. (He just looked at it and went on with his Transformer - didn't bother me - he's a 4 year old boy).

When Princess Ariel got here late last week, my first thought was - "She's got to have a doll quilt!" Ariel and her travel carrier and stroller will fit right into Lilly's room. It's all pink and white and clear colors.

The quilt pattern I immediately thought of was "Country Stars" - just the right size. The colors are fine for here and Lilly can play with Ariel here - we have antique doll beds, etc. but to take home we needed something different.

So here is Country Stars done in Sandy Gervais "Lovely" line. Won't Ariel be cute wrapped in her quilt. I wonder if all quilters are this crazy. I mean, it's Friday. I want to finish a new tablecloth out of one of the Together reds. We have a couple of things to finish in the office and all of the orders are out but I still have some stocking stuffer shopping to do - then there's cleaning, grocery shopping, baking and present wrapping. And I'm making a doll quilt :)

Luckily Brian & Shannon and the kids won't be here until Christmas afternoon. I'll probably be sewing the binding on Christmas morning. :)

We changed out the quilt that hangs in the foyer early this week when Jake was here. Down came "Folk Art Favorites" and up went "Pinecones and Hollyberries". Every time we change quilts the minute we spread things out on the living room floor to switch them, Spike runs and sits in the middle of them. He really likes quilts.

And we're getting ready for our big "12 Days After Christmas" Sale so be watching for it

to start on the 26th. After all Epiphany celebrates the visit of the Wisemen with their

gifts. In the Western churches Epiphany is January 6th. So from the 26th through the

6th we'll have something different on sale each day. And even a few precut giveaways.

So be watching the blog and sign up for the emails at the top left if you haven't already.

Santa will be here soon (Here Comes Santa) and with friends and family, we'll

celebrate what Christmas is really all about.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Jan Patek Quilts to all of you.

And the Winner of the Farmer's Market precuts is......

2011-12-12T12:46:00.004-06:00

Drummm rolllll here ........ Stitched with a Prayer who said "Thank you so much for the pattern and for a chance to win some beautiful quilting treasure. Hugs..."

Hugs to you too. I emailed you but emails occasionally get lost. If you'll email your shipping information to Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com she'll get your precuts out to you. Have fun with them. And to those of you who commented about using the Turnovers, watch for my new patterns this spring. I used one in Tulips & Leaves and in Blooming Basket.

Thanks to everyone who followed the Merry Moda Blog Hop all week. I wish you all could have won. Personally, I really wanted to win Polly's little rug but I didn't. :(

It was a really full week followed by a really full weekend. It was our annual tree getting and trimming day on Saturday. Usually we just go to the front pasture but the cedars there were all too big this year. Pep and Jake inspected and pondered. We could have trimmed one down quite a bit but I thought I had seen some along the front fence line. So we all piled into the van

and drove to the front corner of the farm. Sure enough there were quite a few just the right size. Pep and Jake loaded it into the van and back we came to the house.

After we took the tree out, Spike had to check all the feed sacks to make sure everything was ok. Nope, no stray dog food sacks hanging around - just stuff for chickens.

Inside, Jake and Pep got the tree in the stand and tied to the hook in the ceiling (in case kitties decide to climb trees). Then Zoie, Jake, Kelly and I decorated with oversight from Pep. The weather was beautiful as was the whole day.

Happy Holidays to each and every one.

Day 5 of the Merry Moda Blog Hop - My Day - Wahoo!

2011-12-09T09:02:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the final day of the Merry Moda Blog Hop. It's my turn to post along with 3 other Moda designers - and I'm in really good company. Of course, no matter who else was on the schedule with me I'd be in good company. My cohorts for the day are:

1) Jen Williamson of Basic Grey

2) Sandy Klop of American Jane (She's posting on Moda's blog)

and

3) Sandy Gervais of Pieces From My Heart (you've got to hop on over and see her pictures of funky glasses. I love the moon and stars pair.)

So lets cut to the chase and get to the Giveaways. Leave a comment, any old thing, and we'll have a drawing Monday morning to determine the winner of 3 separate precuts from Linda and my new line "Farmer's Market".

A Farmer's Market Turnover (there are 2 new patterns using these turnovers - I just love triangles and it's really nice when you don't have to cut them yourself) ........

and a Charm Bundle

And a Jelly Roll. (All 3 go to the lucky winner).

They'll be on our website and in shops in March for those of you who want one but don't win.

My block for the Moda Schoolhouse was a pumpkin. When I first drew the block for the Schoolhouse, it was an appliqued pumpkin. I got a phone call telling me that there was no way to get the pattern on a recipe card. So we discussed how I was going to get my pattern for a 12" block on a recipe card since I do applique. After pondering a bit I decided to piece the pumpkin and applique the stem :). Where there's a will, there's a way. I really kind of like it for a change.

For the Merry Moda Blog Hop I decided to make a Tablerunner using the pumpkin block.

You can download the pattern for the block and for the tablerunner by clicking on the words below. If you'd like to order a kit for the Tablerunner, we have a few available. Meanwhile here's the pattern for the block and the tablerunner.

Download Now!

All week I've been having everyone pick their favorite quilt kit to be on special for 15% off. Well, it's my turn and I just can't do it. Linda Brannock years ago said that whenever anyone asked her what her favorite quilt was, the answer was always "the one I'm working on". I'm the same. I always get excited by the quilt I'm currently designing - at the moment next year's Mystery Quilt.

So I decided to make the sale storewide. Everything in the store is 15% off today only with free shipping on all orders over $50.00 for the continental US. (And as usual when we do something new - like coupons - we have to work the kinks out. If the checkout doesn't take the 15%off and charges shipping, Byron will catch it and refund the money through PayPal. We think we've got it right and there's a new catch every time.)

Meanwhile here's my recipe sheet to download. These are really yummy, even if I do say so.

Download Now!

The sale is for today only. You have through the weekend to comment to win the Farmer's Market precuts. We'll draw a name Monday. And don't forget to hop on over to the other Moda blogs. Merry Moda Blog Hop!

Day #4 - Merry Moda Blog Hop & Puppy Poppers

2011-12-08T09:26:00.010-06:00

Welcome back - It's Day 4 of the Moda No-Name Blog Hop. (Different designers have come up with different names. Sandy Gervais calls it the "Gifts Galore" Blog Hop. Kate Spain settled for the Merry Moda Blog Hop after deciding that the Moda Jingleblog Hop might turn into Jingleblop.

The designers to visit today are:

1) Camille of Thimbleblossoms

2) Kathy Schmitz at her blog

3) Edyta of Laundry Basket Quilts

4) Kate Spain at her blog and

5) Lisa Bonegean at Primitive Gatherings

Whatever you call it (and I think I'm going with the Merry Moda Blog Hop - thanks Kate) it's got lots of great quilt blocks and giveaways.

Back here at Jan Patek Quilts I'll introduce you to my daughter Kelly

and her cohort, our dog Spike. Kelly is my word person - she does all of the write-ups and sends the emails. And you should all know Spike by now. He is my faithful companion. Wherever I am, he is. His only drawback at the moment is that he loves to chew plastic and cardboard. He wanted to come with us the other day when we went to buy our new microwave so we let him. He, of course, had to stay in the car when we went into Sears. We had been to Sams the day before and hadn't unloaded a few things. When we came out all of the boxes were shredded. He didn't touch the bread or the nuts - just ate the boxes.

He and Kelly picked the House on Hill kit for the special today. It's where she grew up and where he lives now. The code for the 15% discount is house15 and houseship will get you free shipping.

Kelly also helped Spike pick out and type his recipe. We're having to use a new site and we're having trouble with it so at the moment you can't download it. Hopefully we'll have both of the recipes for you tomorrow. Luckily, all my things for my post are already on the blog page ready to post. Whew!. All of this new technology is great .... but can be stressful.

Yay! - she got it fixed. Way to go Michele.

Here's his recipe. To download, click on the words below.

Download Now!

Day #3 - Lots More Goodies

2011-12-06T17:36:00.008-06:00

Day 3 brings us to the blogs of 5 more great Moda designers. You won't want to miss the quilt blocks and giveaways of:

1) Bonnie of Cotton Way

2) Kaari of French General

3) Liesl of Oliver and S

4) Karla of Sweetwater and

5) Ellen of The Long Thread

They've really got some neat stuff for you.

Back here I'd like you to meet Byron (or Max to his dad & I). Here he is with sons Quinn & Cullen. (Quinn had decided he didn't want his picture taken.) Byron does all of the computer work - first of all figuring out how to make the new updated Quickbooks work, then invoicing and charging all of the clubs and orders. Then he emails the invoices to Tori who ships them out. He does all of this while going to school and raising 2 very active boys. And he is greatly helped in the raising, etc. by his significant other Michele. Michele is the one who makes things "download" and figures out how to get my fabric as a background on the blog. Together, they're a pretty good team as well as being pretty nice individually.

When I asked him which kit he wanted to put on special he replied that he wanted one with eggs or chickens or devils - something to go with his Deviled Egg recipe. I've had some chicken kits (Flags & Chickens & Kids) and a little devil in the Trick or Treat kit but they're all sold out. So we decided on Blessings Baskets. The vines wouldn't be growing at this time of year, after all, so we can use the baskets to gather eggs. :) Use the promo code blessings15 for the discount and blessingsship for free shipping.

Download Now!

To download a copy of his recipe, click on the words. Well, it didn't work this time. We'll see what we can fix it to download tomorrow. I just love left brain stuff. :)

Day # 2

2011-12-06T10:23:00.007-06:00

There are 5 great Moda designer's blogs to hop to today. Along with Lynne from Kansas Troubles are Joanna at Fig Tree, Julie of Cosmo Cricket, Lucie fromSummersville and Liz at Paper Pie. Each and every one of the has a great block for your Moda Sampler Quilt. And there are some great giveaways too.

Back here at Jan Patek Quilts Tori is my Girl Friday. She cuts kits, orders fabric, prints patterns and does all of the shipping. Lately the shipping has involved a trip to Kidder twice a week (1/2 hour each way) so we can be sure to get things out. Unfortunately for some reason our local post office is somewhat unreliable since last March. And right now Tori and her family are moving to a new house. Nobody was in any shape for pictures so we'll have to do that sometime later. I really hate it when people post bad pictures of me so I don't want to do it to Tori and Wendy. Anyway, Tori has picked Family Circle as her kit for you. To get 15% off just type in the code "family15" and then "familyship" will get you free shipping too. Family is certainly uppermost in her mind right now.

Here's her recipe for a great dip for the Holidays. In her words "there are no real directions for the cheese dip. Just throw it together and call it good!" Sounds yummy to me.

To download a copy of the recipe sheet hit the button below.

Download Now!

Day #1 - 4 Great Moda Designers & Triple Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies too

2011-12-02T19:36:00.009-06:00

Today is Day 1 of the December Moda Designers Blog Hop. Each day four or five of the designers will show you the quilt block and recipe that they presented at the schoolhouse session at Salt Lake. You'll be able to download their patterns and recipes - a little Holiday gift to you from us. And some of the designers that weren't at Market have added a block and recipe to the mix. At the end of the week you'll have the blocks for a great sampler quilt (my favorite kind of quilt) and maybe even a wallhanging or two and lots of great recipes.

The designers featured today are:

Minick and Simpson - (you've got to see Polly's house and I want that giveaway rug)

Bunny Hill's Anne Sutton

Barb & Mary from Me & My Sister

Deb Strain

Meanwhile, at Jan Patek Quilts, I needed something to post each day besides the designer picture. It's a neat picture but could get really boring after a day or two. I decided that everyone here could get in on the act. Each day you'll meet one of the great people who help Jan Patek Quilts stay together so I can design and sew - my favorite things in the world outside of my family and dog. And they'll give us a recipe for our Christmas party and pick their favorite kit to be on sale for the day.

So today meet Wendy Karr. What - no picture. Well Wendy is camera shy and was helping Tori and her family move Friday before the rain set in, so no picture ........ yet. I have my camera ready and am waiting. Check back later.

You see Wendy's name on the pattern covers or books under "sewer". Wendy is an absolute whiz at piecing and machine applique. She does, however, hand all blocks that need hand applique over to me (or Amy or Marie). For some reason, she's just stymied by the hand work. Which really is fine with me because it's my absolute favorite thing to do. My day is not complete without some stitching to do each morning and night.

The quilt kit that Wendy picked is Tic-Tac Baskets. As you can see, it's just made for her - great piecing and machine applique. Today, until midnight, it's 15% off and free shipping. Just type in the code Tic Tac Baskets to get 15% off and then Tic Tac to get free shipping on your kit. We're new to the "coupon" thing so if you have any problems email Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com (Byron's in class today) and we'll fix it.

Wendy, poor girl, just returned from a week in Hawaii so she said her recipe had to have macadamia nuts in it. I can't wait until our office party to taste them.

To print out a copy of the recipe sheet, click on "Download Now" below.

Download Now!

Come back tomorrow to get the links to 5 more Moda designers and their patterns. And to meet Tori and see what she has for us.

Ok, ok - so it's Winter

2011-11-30T11:09:00.006-06:00

It seems that our days when it's in the high 60's are over here for awhile - probably quite awhile. At least we're not far enough north that we're getting snow already. I think we were already last year though.

The house is slowly changing seasons - Bittersweet wreath returned to the peg in the back room, Stars & evergreens on the door, twinkly lights overhead.

Dresden Turkeys came off of the back wall and will return to the loft while our latest Sue's Snowman Basket came down to the house. This is the latest Mini Quilt Club offering so if you belong to that club yours will be shipped next week. I really like snowmen because they're great for Christmas but then carry over into the new year since winter usually carries on after Christmas. And it's quick and easy and along with "Here Comes Santa" should give you something to stitch on each night.

And speaking of Christmas and stitching, a gift from Jan Patek Quilts to you - a free pattern or book (excluding KC Star and Quiltmania books) will be included with every order from now until the 1st of the year. That includes our Club & BOM shipments.

I'm working on next year's Mystery Quilt and the Blog Hop Pumpkin Tablerunner (still holding onto Fall a little - in my heart at least) every morning and night. It is pretty cold outside so Deuces decided to stay in and entertain us by playing with Spike while I stitched and Pep watched TV. They really like each other and didn't tire of playing until Pep had to get ready for work.

The Blog Hop starts Monday and we have some goodies in mind - Dec. 5th - 9th. See you then.

Skipping Black Friday.......

2011-11-27T15:27:00.006-06:00

The last 2 years Kelly and I have cheerfully gotten up before the crack of dawn to join the throngs of shoppers looking for a deal on Christmas goodies. This year there just wasn't anything we wanted that was offered. So we just as cheerfully slept a little late after a great Thanksgiving dinner.

It was supposed to start raining Friday night so that morning I planted some bulbs (a little late here) and Jake turned over a couple of beds in the garden to ready them for Spring. We have some walking Egyptian onions that refuse to stay where they're put and we always have go get them out of the other beds or they'll take over. Grandma Laird's iris are safe for another year, thanks to Jake.

And our house and garden still have most of the vestiges of Happy Hollow. I do so love Fall.

I pulled all of the marigold plants, shook them a little and then laid them in the beds. Playing in the garden was a great way to spend the day. Then in the afternoon, we jumped in the car and went to Max's to have some post Thanksgiving pizza and cake with Max and Quinn and Cullen. Michele got home - she's working at Sears for the holidays and had gotten to work at 3:45. She said it wasn't too bad, all in all, for Black Friday.

Can you tell I'm not quite ready to let go of Fall?

I'm afraid Winter is on it's way though. The temperatures have drastically fallen.

I have one awesome potted plant that doing it's best to hold on. I almost feel like bringing it in the house tonight. Probably will.

We're getting excited and ready for the Moda Blog Hop though - Don't forget - December 5-9th.

It's beginning to look a lot like..............

2011-11-17T21:02:00.007-06:00

But let's have Thanksgiving first, please.

I just love our Dresden Turkeys wallhanging. It is, of course on the wall at our house. If you haven't gotten a kit already you probably won't be able to get one made for this year but you could be stitching on Thanksgiving Day while watching (or not watching) the football games of choice. Be sure to order a Dresden Tool too as it makes things so much easier. Then you can feel very self satisfied as you're already ahead of the game for next year :).

"Santa's Coming" is our newest Wallhanging Club quilt so if you belong to that club, yours is on it's way. If not, you have plenty of time to order a kit and get it made in time. The piecing is really easy.

If you happen to live in France or Europe, you can get the pattern in Quiltmania's newest magazine Simply Vintage. The directions, of course, are in French.

And be sure to keep checking in for Moda's latest - this time very short - Blog Hop starting December 5th. I'm not sure which day I'll be posting yet. We'll all be downloading the patterns and recipes we did for the schoolhouse last spring. And I decided to take the block and make a tablerunner/wallhanging so I'll also be downloading the pattern for that. All of this downloading, of course, depends on whether I can sweet talk Michele into setting it up for me. Have I mentioned more than a million times that I am NOT a very left brain person. I'm sure she will, she's very nice.

Well, off to designing, the grocery store, picking up feed at Coop, Jake's school Christmas parade tomorrow, picking up Cullen and Quinn for the parade, yada, yada, yada.

And tonight I will get to sit and stich. :)

It's Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T15:34:00.006-06:00

Most of you who follow this blog (or have just read my books over the years) know that we're a pretty military family. My father was career Army, Pep's father was career Navy and Jake's father is career Air Force.

So Veteran's Day is pretty important to us. And it's a day for the country as a whole to stop and remember to say "thank you" to all of the men and women (my aunt Janet was a WAC) who have served their country so well and kept us all safe.

We thought it would be nice to celebrate Veteran's Day by cutting the price of two of our patriotic quilt kits.

My idea was to offer Jake's Eagles and Four Flags for 20% off today. But Kelly sends out our emails and she made it 20% off for a week. Good idea Kelly.

The kits would make a nice gift for a quilter who has served or has a spouse serving. And really, they're both pretty simple to make and could easily be done in time for the holidays.

But you don't need a quilt to say "thanks". It's just one way of remembering. Our local veterans were selling things outside of Walmart this week. I didn't need a cap but I gave some money anyway. When they said thanks, I said - "And thank you!" Let's make sure we do.

It's Good to be Home

2011-11-06T16:47:00.009-06:00

It is indeed good to be home.

Once here, besides all of the packing and unpacking, washing clothes and generally detoxing from a week away, I had promised my church - which is an hour away in Kansas City - that I would bring quilts and kits and appear two nights at an event they're having. If you're in Kansas City, Missouri Crossroads church at 79th & Main is presenting the musical Big River. It was this weekend and next weekend. It is well worth seeing.

Next weekend - Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 and a matinee Sunday at 2:00 - my quilts will be there but I will be at home. It's an excellent production.

To back up a bit, I'm rather late posting about Market but better late than never, I always say.

The last day of Market was Halloween. I didn't go with Jenny Doan so I didn't have to be Raggedy Ann. I did take my Witch Is In quilt though. (I always say "it's not a Halloween quilt, it's a 'statement' quilt").

But it is fun to take pictures of ladies in witch costumes. I grabbed my camera when I thought of the pictures but neglected to get the names of the first two ladies. I just love the purple. Sorry ladies.

Here is Susan Knapp. Just love her hat!

And we spotted Mary Ann Nelson and Marsha Harward across the aisle at the Moda booth. If you look closely the tips of their hats are moving. Too funny!

Carole Krag didn't wear a hat but she brought her quilt. Great job Carole.

Nick from Primitive Gatherings was absolutely awesome as Elvis.

Back home, Zoie's Japanese Chin turned purple for Trick or Treating.

Kelly was taking care of the animals and farm while we were gone but had stopped bringing Spike out. He got too upset every time he came and we weren't here. He's only 7 months old and it's the first time we've been gone for any length of time.

She brought him out about a half hour before we got home. When we walked in Spike got so excited I almost thought he was going to have a seizure or something. He kept falling over, wiggling and jumping and running between Pep and I. Dueces (Pep's cat) on the other hand was somewhat aloof. He would follow Pep from room to room and sit down with his back to him.

As we slowly unloaded the van over the next two days, every time we opened the door Spike jumped in and wouldn't get out. As far as he was concerned the van was not going anywhere without him again. I had to leave the door open a couple of times and just go in the house.

Tuckered out but happy!.

To Market - to Market

2011-10-25T06:56:00.005-05:00

It's O-dark-thirty and we're off to Market. The chickens aren't even up. Kelly and the kids are coming to stay and take care of Spike and critters.

Spike isn't happy. When we packed the van last night he got in and wouldn't get out. I had to carry him out and he's getting a little hefty.

We will have an awesome time at Market - already looking forward to seeing good friends.

And I think I'll cry half way to Houston :) I miss my Spike.

See you in a week

Look what we did! And a sneak peek, no less........

2011-10-19T11:17:00.016-05:00

We're in the usual mad rush around here getting things ready to leave for Market. And, of course, I can't show you any of the quilts I'm working on because they need to debut at Market. So, I decided that this was a good time to show you some of the quilts other people have done.

These first two - the "Bible Quilt" and "Flowers" were appliqued by Ada Voskuilen. Both are Blue Ribbon winners. The Bible Quilt was made for her grandson Olsin and was machine quilted by her friend Megan Best.

Flowers is a Linda Brannock design and Ada asked me to say thanks for her since she didn't have Linda's address. It was hand quilted by her friend Sharon Struiksma.

Thanks Ada, for sharing. Awesome work, all of you.

And this is Gabriel's Ark appliqued by Lisa White for her new granddaughter. We all just love the fabrics she chose. Mine is definitely a "boy" quilt - made for my grandson Gabriel. Her's could be for a boy, I suppose, but I do think it looks like a girl's quilt too.

The next one is "Give Thanks" by Toni Peerbolt (from We Gather Together) and seems to be a blue ribbon quilt too. A lot of hers are.

And last, but not least, in the quilt section is "We Gather Together" by Toni.

I just love her choice of fabric too. Awesome work!

And here's what Zoie did Sunday afternoon. This is the wolf mask & ears she made for her Halloween costume. She's a very creative kid. I never could do 3D stuff and think this is just stupendous.

And while we're all working away, what are the kitties doing. Hanging out in my chair - Dueces on my Primitive Primer quilt -- sleeping! And they don't look like they feel a bit guilty about sleeping while everyone else is busy.

It's supposed to freeze tonight and tomorrow night. I'm going to cover my dahlias and Pep's peppers because it's supposed to get warm again next week. We'll see if they'll make it. They have just outdone themselves this last few weeks.

And Tuesday I'm off to Houston for a week. Here's a sneak peek at out new line, Farmer's Market.

Can't wait to show you the quilts but that will have to wait awhile :)

First we need to at least have the holidays.........Turkeys first - Dresden Turkeys, of course.

Arkansas, Des Moines and Home Again!

2011-10-11T11:35:00.014-05:00

Here I am at the Arkansas Quilt Congress with Jeanne, Linda and Ann.

Jeanne (on the left) facilitated at the workshops I taught and was a great help (she even brought candy for us). Linda (in the blue jacket) was the program chairperson and maybe even arranged the whole shebang. She was awesome. Besides keeping everything running smoothly she took time to take me to breakfast each morning. Ann (on the right) is president of the Guild. I really, really want to thank them all for a great teaching and lecture experience. Besides being very competent they are all really nice people and great quilters. If you live anywhere near the area, they are great people to hook up with.

This is "Flags of the American Revolution" - which is part of my trunk show/lecture. And it's really special right now because I

talked Melissa Becker into making me some button kits so you can get the star buttons. It includes all of the very small white star buttons for the Bennington Flag block and the First Stars & Stripes block along with the blue star buttons she designed for the Guilford Courthouse Flag block. She made them for the shops years ago when it was a Girl Gang quilt and very nicely said that she would bring them back into production for me. So if you want to order the book and make the quilt, you can order the buttons too if you want them. Thanks Melissa.

We got home from Arkansas late Saturday night, unpacked, repacked and left for Des Moines on Monday.

Here's a pic of the booth - or part of it. We had a very nice time and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - met a whole bunch of very nice quilters as usual. After a 2 day set up and a 4 day show, it was time to go home again. And I'm really glad Des Moines is so close - about 2 1/2 hours.

Spike was really glad too. He stuck like glue the next few days. Here he is, trying to climb in my lap. I keep telling him he's getting to0 big. He's not a baby any more. His face is looking more and more like a bulldog - getting his big boy teeth.

And we don't leave for Houston and Market until the 25th. I really don't think he's going to like that.

But meanwhile we're at home and decided to have a fall special on Jack at the Gate - one of my favorite Fall minis. This week (Oct. 11th - 17th) it's only $29.00 - that's a little more than 15% off. We sold most of them at Festival so order yours now.

And speaking of stitching, my line for Market got here yesterday.

Let the sewing begin!

Home at Last........And the Winners Are!

2011-10-04T03:28:00.008-05:00

After 2 weeks away I'm "Home Again" - for awhile at least. It's about time for Market. And speaking of Market, I have so very little time to post on my blog because Market deadlines loom.

I had a stupendous time in Arkansas at the Quilt Congress and in Des Moines at the AQS Festival. I hope to have a little time next week to tell you all about both of them.

I'm grabbing a minute though to post the winners of the Blog Hop drawing. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful comments. It was a fun hop, wasn't it? Lissa Alexander always has such great ideas. And thanks to Moda for the Fat 1/4 Pack and Jelly Roll of Together they so generously provided.

Anyway - The winner of the Fat 1/4 Pack of Together is James_Linda who started the comment with HAPPY AUTUMN TO YOU and ended it with BLESSINGS. If you'll send your name and address to Tori at jpqinvoices@yahoo.com, we'll get the Fat 1/4 pack out to you.

The winner of the Jelly Roll is therealfrannie who started her comment with "love your fabrics" and ended with "great idea to put the eucalyptus inside." Also please send your shipping info to Tori.

And QuiltinginMinn who said "That look Spike is giving you" and ended with "It's my favorite time of the year", is the winner of our latest BOM pattern for Cabin in the Pines. Once again, please send your shipping info to Tori and we'll get it out to you.

Congratulations to the winners and I wish you all could have won.

Well - back to work.

I promise to tell you all about my wonderful trips to Arkansas and DesMoines Festival as soon as I get my deadlines met. Quilters are usually such nice people and these were all tops.

Day 18 - Jan Patek of Brannock/Patek

2011-09-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 18 of the Moda County Fair Blog Hop.

I have fond memories of County Fairs in Harper, Kansas where my brother and I would go spend the summer with our Great Aunt Odell and Uncle Carl Elliot. The fairgrounds was right down the street from their house - Kid heaven!

Aunt Odell and Uncle Carl owned a house in town and they also owned a farm outside of town where we would go for picnics and fishing. Our summers there were a huge influence on my life today. They're pretty well the reason we now live in the country. (Cousins Wayne and Katherine had this great chicken house and my Grandpa Laird who lived in Kansas City had a huge garden and a chicken house in his back yard.)

Lissa Alexander - our favorite marketing guru at Moda asked

"What's your favorite Fair Food"? Caramel Corn and hot dogs.

Since Sandy Klop has already told you about her Caramel Corn, Pep got busy and made our favorite Caramel Corn.

Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn

12 cups popped popcorn (about ½ cup kernels

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup whole almonds

½ cup butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup light colored corn syrup

2 Tbsp orange juice

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 275. In a very large bowl combine popcorn, cranberries & almonds. Set aside.

In a 2 qt saucepan cook and stir the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in orange juice. Bring to boiling over medium heat. Boil at a moderate, steady rate for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture will foam up).

3. Pour the syrup mixture over the popcorn mixture in a bowl; stir to coat well.

Transfer to a 15x10x1 inch baking pan or shallow roasting pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, stirring twice. Transfer caramel corn to a large sheet of greased heavy foil; cool.

When it's cool, put it in a large bowl and serve.

And with four grandkids in the house for the weekend, don't expect it to last very long. :)

Do you have a pet? Boy, do I! His name is Spike. He is 6 months old and he's an English Bulldog. And I'm sorry to say that he's getting rather spoiled. He loves sitting on laps - and quilts.

Here he is asking pretty please can he make a bed on the quilts.

And here he is after he's been told "No!". Spoiled or not there are limits. :)

What's your Guilty Pleasure? Climbing in bed at night with a good book and a piece of chocolate. (And please don't tell my dentist - who is also my son. He says that sugar on your teeth before you go to sleep is a huge no-no.) Ah well, that why it's a guilty pleasure - once in awhile.

What's on your bucket list? 1.) A trip to Alaska and down the coast to see the whales.

2.) A tour of the New England states and Maine to see the leaves in the Fall. The 2nd one may never happen because Market is in the Fall.

Now for the Goodies. I have two to give away - (Many thanks to Moda, of course) - a Fat 1/4 bundle and a Jelly Roll of Linda and my latest line "Together". The line has shipped and should be at your local quilt shop now.

Leave a comment, any old thing at all, between now and October 2nd when I get back from the AQS Festival in DesMoines. We'll have a drawing then for two of the names and send out the prizes.

And here's our free pattern to download. It really is from both Linda and I. Years ago she gave me a Pineapple Trivet stuffed with bay leaves. When we needed a County Fair type project for the Blog Hop her trivet came immediately to mind. You can't believe the awesome smell you get when you set a hot dish on it. So from Linda and I - Enjoy!

Download Now!

Day 14 of County Fair - Barbara Brackman

2011-09-19T09:33:00.006-05:00

First, here's "Shoo Crow!", the quilt that's hanging in the back hall. It won't be going to Arkansas or Iowa but is staying home to make us happy when we head to the back of the house. The pattern for it is in We Gather Together, one of my Kansas City Star books.

It's officially Fall at our house - the summer quilts have been folded and taken to the loft and the Fall quilts put in place yesterday. This is Oak Leaves and Turkey Feathers. If you want the pattern you're in luck because it's in Country Paths and Country Paths is our special this month.

The foyer quilts are hung on a board that's painted the same color as the wall. Then the board hangs on hooks on the wall. We used to hang each quilt on the wall but Pep came up with this idea. It's a lot easier to take the board down to take one quilt off and put another on.

Except - of course - when you have help.

Boy, did I get a dirty look when I told Spike he couldn't make a bed on the quilts.

Today is Barbara Brackman's day on the Blog Hop. Besides being a great fabric designer she is, of course, an awesome historian. Her blog is always full of interesting information and today is no exception.

And her free pattern is for a 60's retro Chicken Potholder. I loooove it!!! I have got to find time somehow, somewhere to make some. I'd say somebody could make some for me for Christmas but I'm the only one in the family that sews. Maybe I could talk Wendy into making some for me. And I even want her retro fabric. That I know where to get.

And speaking of finding time to do things, this will be my last post for awhile - except, of course, for my day on the 23rd.

I'm getting ready to leave for Ft. Smith, Arkansas and the Arkansas Quilt Congress. First I'll take Spike down to see my brother (the veterinarian) in Springfield, Mo. for an overall puppy checkup. Then on to Ft. Smith to teach 2 workshops on the 23rd and give a lecture on the 24th.

I'll pick Spike up on the way home, get here Sunday and leave Monday for Des Moines, Iowa and the AQS Festival there from Wed. 28th - Oct. 1st. - Booth 100

If you're in either area - come visit, please.

Then I need to get ready for Market - the fabric from our new line is due here that week.

Whew!

I am getting my blog ready to post on the 23rd and both Michele and Tori will make sure it's posted.

Meanwhile there are lots of great things in store for you on the Moda County Fair Blog Hop. Click here (or on the button on the right) to see what's going on each day.

Lucky Day 13 - Aneela Hooey & Day 12 - Blackbird Designs

2011-09-18T11:40:00.006-05:00

Sorry I missed posting yesterday but I was in Kansas City all day with my Girl Gang. One of the things we did was take a sneek peek at the 2011-12 Girl Gang quilt "Sampler Spree". I don't do a lot of quilts with pieced blocks because I like my blocks to have something to say about what's going on in my life. They need to mean something to me. But this year I found quite a few that did. The pinwheel block stands for my friend Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. Jenny taught me how to get four 2" finished triangle squares out of two 5" charm squares. Wow! The basket blocks always stand for quilting and the log cabin block is an obvious favorite. 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and that is represented with the Lincoln's Platform block. The wheel block stands for travel and my trip to France this spring to visit the great people at Quiltmania.

So here's the quilt in tan. In color my quilt is made from our latest fabric line "Together" and Linda and my Classic Wovens. I hope you can find a Gang shop near you so you can make the quilt. If not, email us at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com and we'll see what we can do to help you.

Then hop on over to the UK and visit with Aneela Hoey's. She didn't have a booth at Market so there's no recipe card but she does have the instructions on how to make this darling "Tissue Box". The name of her blog is Comfort Stitching. How neat! Kind of says a lot about her doesn't it. :)

And then if you were really busy yesterday too, take a moment to visit with Barb and Alma of Blackbird designs. Their new fabric line Blueberry Crum Cake looks scrumptious and Alma has instructions to make this great Huswife.

Day 11 - Kansas Troubles.

2011-09-16T08:18:00.008-05:00

This is not Lynne - it's Wilhamina. :) (Sorry, Lynne, I just couldn't resist it.) Obviously Wilhamina Witch. She might work quite well in the back hall. She's available as a kit (we have a very few left) or a pattern (we have more of those.) But she'll probably come with us to Des Moines. She's a good little witch and wants to go.

This is Lynne - a very nice lady

and her husband Robert. She says he's the one on the right.

You need to hop on over to her blog and see some of the neat things from the Kansas State Fair. I particularly liked the Duct Tape Division. Wow! Pep would have gone wild. He loves duct tape. He says it's like the "Force" - it has a dark side and a light side and holds the universe together. And I'm sure that's not original with him. :)

And while you're visiting her blog and seeing the sights at the Fair make a try at her giveaway of precuts from her new line, Cattails & Clover.

Here's her recipe from Market.

Day 10 - Joanna of Fig Tree

2011-09-15T09:06:00.007-05:00

This is "3 Pumpkins and 5 Black Cats". I'm thinking of quilts to put in the back hall while I'm gone. I think we have a few kits left though (as well as the pattern) and if we do, it will go to Festival in Des Moines too. Hmmm! I'll just have to keep looking.

Meanwhile, it's Day 10 of the Moda Blog Hop and Day 10 belongs to Joanna of Fig Tree who just happens to have as her free pattern --- chickens. Yay Joanna! You can download the pattern for free at the present time and she also has a few kits for sale as well as a yummy giveaway.

Here's her recipe card from Market.

Day 9 - Liesl of Oliver & S

2011-09-14T09:17:00.007-05:00

This is "Jack at the Gate" which is one of my Fall favorites for my back hall. I've got Punkin Heads there right now but will have to take it down soon to go to Arkansas for the Quilt Congress and then on to Des Moines for the AQS Festival there. I was going to put this in it's place but come to think of it, this one will have to go both places too. Decisions, decisions. Well, at least I do have a big selection to choose from - lots of Fall wallhangings and quilts. Hmmm! "Sunflowers and Scarecrows"? That's a good one too. It's in Primitive Quilts & Projects right now.

Jack at the Gate is available as a kit or a pattern if you want to make one.

Today is Day 9 of the Moda County Fair Blog Hop - Liesl of Oliver & S. She is a most charming lady and a welcome addition to our Moda Designer team. And she has the neatest patterns for children's clothes - their dolls too.

So hop on over and learn more about her. Here's her recipe from Market.

Day 8 - Sandy Klop

2011-09-13T09:52:00.005-05:00

This is my newest BOM "Cabin in the Pines" made out of Together and our Classic Wovens. It really makes me happy. I can't wait to see it hanging in my foyer but right now it's in France getting it's picture taken. And if you get the latest issue of Quiltmania, on the inside front cover Moda has an ad for Together and a picture of the quilt. :)

At the moment you can hie down to your nearest quilt shop for the pattern or get it from us if they don't have it. We're also offering a very few kits and I do mean a very few.

Now on to the Blog Hop and one of my favorite Moda ladies, Sandy Klop. At least she was until today. She just fell from grace because she stole my favorite County Fair food. I just love Caramel Corn. I'm not usually a sweets fan - much rather have the savory. And that's probably why I like it best - you get the sweet with the popcorn taste too. Well, I guess I'll have to reinstate her as a favorite Moda lady and share the Caramel Corn.

A few years ago Sandy came to the farm for a week and boy, did we have a good time. I just love her California colors and designs. And of course, we all know I love chickens. So hop on over to Moda's blog and get her free pattern and a chance on her fabric.

Here's her recipe from Market.

Day 7 - Minick & Simpson

2011-09-12T11:24:00.006-05:00

I love Fall and I love pumpkins. This is one of the new "Together" quilts, "Pumpkins & Geese". The pattern is available now. You can get it at your favorite quilt shop or if you can't find it click on the title and get it from us. (The kit will be available soon - if you belong to the Quilt of the Quarter club, you'll get it with a 15% discount.) The quilt is 87" x 97". Flying Geese and Pumpkins - 2 of my favorite Fall things.

Anyway, besides showing a quilt each day that makes me happy - this really does tie into the Moda County Fair blog post for Day 7 - Minick & Simpson.

Polly (Minick) and Laurie (Simpson) are just the nicest people in the world as well as awesome designers. Be sure to hop on over to their blog to get their free pattern and a chance on some really great fabric.

This is Victory Girls - one of their latest quilts and a KC Star book you just have to have.

And you have to read Polly's favorite County Fair memory. It's about cupcakes and brought a huge smile to my face. Way to go Polly - you're my kind of cook.

Which brings me back to pumpkins. I know, my mind kind of jumps around, doesn't it? :)

Pumpkins and cupcakes. Polly & Laurie weren't able to come to Market so didn't have a recipe card. Here's the recipe for my favorite cupcakes - Pumpkin, of course. I think I'll make some for the munchkins this weekend. Thanks, Polly.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cupcakes

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin

½ cup cooking oil

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Line 15 muffin cups with paper bake cups or grease muffin tins.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder & soda, salt and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Set aside.

In another bowl combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chip pieces. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from cups. Cool completely.

Ice with canned chocolate frosting.

9-11 First and Foremost - But also Day 6 - Basic Grey

2011-09-11T08:14:00.004-05:00

Before we start the blog hop for the day let us take a moment to pause and remember those lost on 9/11/2001.

I usually remember things of significance in my life with a quilt. This is the 10th anniversary of that tragic day and if you would like to honor the day, the victims of that tragedy and their families by making this quilt, I'm offering a free download of the pattern today.

God bless us, Americans all.

It's called "Liberty Star". If you'd like a kit to go with the quilt you can get one by clicking here.

Today is also Day 6 of the Moda Designers Blog Hop and Day 6 belongs to Melanie Bauer of Basic Grey.

Hop on over and get her free pattern and see what she's giving away.

Here's their recipe from Market.

It bears repeating. God Bless us, Americans All. We'll never forget.

Day 5 - Edtya Sitar - Laundry Basket Quilts

2011-09-10T11:24:00.008-05:00

This is another quilt that makes me happy. It's called Punkin Heads. It's our Mini Quilt Club selection for this month and will be shipping out next week. At the moment it's hanging in my hall in the back of the house for everyone to see on their way to the kid's rooms - where we are all going constantly to pick things up. At least we get to see a neat little quilt on the way to the clutter. :)

It's made out of our new line "Together" and our "Classic Wovens". You can either get the kit or the pattern. I kind of like it.

After you smile at the Punkin Heads, hop on over to Edyta's blog. She is such an amazing, full of energy and gracious lady.

And she has a free pattern for this neat purse........

along with a chance to win a bucket full of goodies - including her latest fabric and her new book. You can beat that!

Here's her recipe card from Market.

Day 4 Camille Roskelley of Bonnie & Camille

2011-09-09T07:19:00.007-05:00

This isn't Camille's house, it's mine - only mine isn't blue except in this quilt. I thought I'd start each day's post with a quilt that makes me happy and well, most all of them do. This is Happy Hollow and it's getting ready to go on the wall in my foyer where I can see it every day so I thought I'd show it to you too. If you want a kit, we only have 2 left. Once again, first come, first served. The pattern is in We Gather Together if you miss getting a kit or just want to use your stash.

I do so love Fall and we are having gorgeous weather.

And speaking of gorgeous, you need to hop on over to Camilles and meet her family and see her quilts. And get the story behind her dish soap bottle apron. She has the pattern for us too.

To get her pattern and a chance to win some "Ruby" jelly rolls click here.

Here's the recipe she brought to Market. Sounds yummy! I'll have to get Pep to make one.

I'm going to the dentist today to get my teeth deep cleaned. And it's such a pretty day! Well, at least my dentist is my son and he's taking me to lunch first. :) And I get to play with my grandkids. Gabriel and Lilly are both in preschool already - they grow up soooooo fast.

Have a good one ladies.

Day 3 - Me and My Sister

2011-09-08T07:53:00.007-05:00

No - this isn't Barb and Mary :)

Sorry girls. That will teach you to beat me up with your suitcase at Market. (It really was an accident but I like to give them grief.)

It is Donder and Blitzen. We thought we were out but we found one kit in the wrong bin. If you want it click here. There is only one so first come, first served.

And we found 2 Pumpkin Wreath kits.

Always a favorite of mine. Click here if you want one of them. Again first come, first served.

Now on to Barb and Mary - really nice people and great fun. I love their blog post today. Just to let you know - I am NOT doing the pie thing on my day. Nope. :)

I do love their napkin ring idea so jump on over to their blog, catch up on their antics and get their pattern.

Here's their recipe from Market.

Day 2 of County Fair Blog Hop - Bunny Hill

2011-09-07T08:56:00.004-05:00

You need to hop right over to Anne's blog. To begin with she is really a very entertaining lady - she and Chelsea - her chihuahua. If you have a baby or grandchild coming (or maybe just for you) you've got to try for her "Putting on the Ritz" precuts. And download the pattern for her cupcake banner or pincushion.

But WAIT - there's more. This is Henrietta Whiskers. Not only is the pattern awesome (Zoie would die for it) - the quilt is made mostly out of Linda and my "Lilac Hill" fabrics and the patterns are Free - for now.

Here's her recipe from Market. Enjoy!

Untangling the mess and COUNTY FAIR BLOG HOP!

2011-09-06T09:07:00.007-05:00

This is going to be a busy day - or should I say week. I think it's going to take us more than a day to go through all of last week's emails that came while we were out of town. And then we get to try to straighten out the problem with PayPal. We have no idea why they were sending orders to our old, defunct email address. And of course, all the problems had to come right after the Together give-away. Bear with us, we will figure things out and get you your orders.

On to what's up now.

Here were a bunch of us at Spring Market, getting ready for the Moda County Fair Schoolhouse.

Each of us designed a block that Moda put together into a sampler quilt. To learn more about it go to the County Fair blog button to the right.

This month, we're doing a blog hop. (You can get the list of who has what day by clicking on the blog button.) We'll each have all sorts of goodies to give away and a free pattern for a County Fair type project. So be sure to check back each day.

I can't paint pictures with my toes like Sandy G. so I scanned the recipes from everyone that we had in our booths at Market. Be sure to read Sandy's before you hop to her site to see what she has for you.

My oh My! What a Mess!

2011-09-03T12:35:00.008-05:00

I decided that this was an apt quilt to describe things at the moment. Fiesta - you were correct. For some reason Paypal is sending notification of payment to info@janpatekquilts.com. That was our email address at the old website. I have no idea where they got it or why they started all of a sudden using it. We didn't even take Paypal at that website. Aargh.

Luckily we have a way of cross referencing things now that we know there is a problem. Our store also has an orders page and we'll go back over our old orders and doublecheck things.

Mary from Lake Pulaski, I found your order there and we'll send it out Tuesday.

I also know that we were having trouble with the store deciding all by itself to charge a "handling" fee. We have Flat Rate shipping - there is no handling fee. Byron was refunding the "handling" charge amount so you may have gotten an invoice from us that differed from the PayPal invoice. It should have been lower. If you have gotten an email invoice from us, it means your order was shipped. It may have said "Payment is Due" but that's Quickbooks with their templates, I guess. Kind of like "Word" will capitalize or uncapitalize words for you without you knowing it. We live on "Last Drive". When I give directions, lots of people at first would try to figure out how they were supposed to know which one was the last drive. We figured it out and fixed it.

Just for your info, for those of you who don't know, we're not a retail store with a large staff. We're not really a store at all. I'm just a designer who started kitting a few things when people wanted them. We try to be efficient and get things out in a timely manner. And the post offices in rural areas like the one we live in seem to have gone bonkers since March so getting things mailed at all has turned into quite a challenge. We can take them to the post office but where they go from there is anyone's guess. We think we have that figured out and fixed but occasionally there is still a glitch.

And last week my nephew (brother's son) died suddenly. My daughter and another nephew and this one were all born the same year. We will miss him.

And my only sister is having surgery and chemo for breast cancer. Since her husband died a few years ago, I'm her main support and driver.

When things like that happen, we have to stop and take time for life and we don't always have time to answer emails immediately - that is, if they don't go to the wrong address. I know it's frustrating and I do apologize and we can only do what we can do.

I don't usually blog about things like this, but I can understand people's frustration at not getting what they ordered in a timely manner.

We just got things somewhat back to a routine and now we need to figure out what orders we're missing and why the old address got used at all.

Tomorrow I'm going to church with my grandkids and family. The rest of this Labor Day Weekend, we'll see what we can figure out. Luckily Pep's off - he can cook. :)

And I WILL take time to stitch. It keeps me sane.

It's September - Yay! - and Freebie Friday again

2011-09-02T11:29:00.003-05:00

It's September - one of my favorite months of the year. To begin with it's cooling down and Fall is on the way, if not here. And of course, the 7th is Cherie and my birthday. We're birthday sisters - she's the young one, of course.

This month we're shipping out our "The Witch Is In" kit to Wallhanging Club members. It's one of my favorite little quilts. It has hung over my chair at the last 2 Markets and probably will again this fall. I always say that it's not a Halloween quilt, it's a statement quilt.

And we have a few Together Scrap Bag and Petit Four sets left to make our Cozy Cabin in the Christmas Woods wallhanging. Moda was very generous so we had a lot. They'll be in the store for a penny (not Free but pretty dang close to it) until Tuesday. Scroll down to our last post to read all about it.

And remember, the Moda County Fair Blog Hop starts on the 6th with Sandy Gervais (see the button to the right.)

Happy September and Happy Quilting from Moda and Jan Patek to you.

Freebie Friday! "Together" by Brannock/Patek for Moda

2011-08-18T19:36:00.009-05:00

Early this summer our nice UPS man brought us a big box from Moda. Hmmm! We hadn't ordered anything lately. When we opened it, it was crammed full of strips from Linda and my latest line "Together". Wow! Cheryl, the fabric guru for Moda and our boss, thought they might be good for a blog giveaway.

At first I was going to just pack them in bags and give them away.

But then..... my mind started seeing strips made into log cabins - log cabins and trees. And "Cozy Cabin in the Christmas Woods" came into being.

To celebrate "Together" shipping to your favorite quilt shop this week and next, you can download the pattern for the little quilt by clicking on the "Download Now" under the quilt.

Download Now!

And if you want to make a quilt in similar fabrics you can go to our store and get a Scrap Bag and Petit Four for a penny. (Our store won't let us just give away things, darnit.) You can make the border exactly like this from the Petit Four pack but the fabrics in the scrap bags will vary somewhat. Tori and Wendy did make sure that there were a variety of colors in each bag and red for the sashing. And one per customer, please.

You can use fabrics on hand for the background, tree trunks and door, stars and binding or you can order our Cozy Cabin Fabric Pack for $7.00.

Either way the pattern is free and the Scrap Bag and Petit Four are only a penny.

Linda and I really like "Together" and hope you do too.

Happy quilting

Jan

Sunflowers & Scarecrows - I'm ready!

2011-08-16T17:16:00.005-05:00

Boy, howdy, am I ready for Fall!

We've had lots of fresh tomatoes - one of summer's great gifts. Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches with real tomatoes, Burgers bacon and Pep's sourdough bread - I'm in heaven. Pep's summer pizza with his homemade crust, tomatoes, cheese, olive oil and anchovies - to die for. And don't turn your nose up at the anchovies. They just add a touch of rich saltiness to the mix. And then there's just plain ole sliced tomatoes on sandwiches or with dinner. God's gift in summer for putting up with the heat.

And awesome fresh sliced cucumbers, chilled straight from the garden (grown by me) with a dollop of hummus (made by Pep) and a twist of roasted red pepper or sundried tomato.

And still, I'm mostly sated (we're having summer pizza tonight :) - yum) and glad that we're getting some cooler weather already. Thank you, God!

This is Sunflowers and Scarecrows (or is it Scarecrows and Sunflowers?). Either way, it my project in the latest Primitive Quilts and Projects. You can order the kit from me here

or just get the pattern by going to their website and ordering a magazine here.

And there are 14 great projects in the magazine besides mine. Pretty good deal!

"Together" - Linda and my latest fabric line for Moda - is getting ready to ship. Be watching the blog for a free quilt pattern and some fabric - coming soon!.

Time for the dogs and I to go on our walk. Then I get to sit and stitch while Pep makes Summer Pizza. Life is good!

August in Missouri ........

2011-08-04T15:27:00.006-05:00

is hot! And this year is no exception. Here's where Spike & Nero spend most of their time. I must admit I don't mind sitting and sewing or working at the computer much - as long as it's inside. We do go out for our daily walk unless it's over 100 - which it has been a few days. Then Spike doesn't get to come (bulldogs can have swelling that cuts off their oxygen) - and Nero and I only walk halfway.

Our latest Quilt of the Quarter kit is shipping this week - Gabriel's Ark. I made one for Gabriel for his birthday and we're making one for me to keep. Can you tell I like it? It's going UPS so things should ship on time. We've found out that a lot of our problem is because we're a rural post office and things are cutting back out here. We think we finally have the smaller item shipping problems taken care of. We're crossing our fingers that everything goes smoothly again this month.

Meanwhile, we've added a new item to our Notions page in the store. When I was teaching in France this spring I found out that they don't have Freezer Paper over there - at least not in France. I've been using the Jenkins Freezer Paper sheets for quite awhile as well as the paper on the roll you can get at the hardware store or Walmart (in season). Natalie, my interpreter - who lived in the US for awhile - assured me that they just don't have what we quilters know and love so much. So I decided to carry it.

It's even pretty handy here in the US if you have a scanner. Just scan your pattern page in and print it out on the paper. And if you're overseas and order kits, etc. from us, just have us send a package of the paper with your order. It's been years since I appliqued without using freezer paper and wanted to make sure it was available if possible.

It's cooled down a little today so I'm off to water the garden and go for our walk. Spike gets to come today. He does get cranky when I leave him behind.

Lazy, Hazy - My Eye!

2011-07-28T17:00:00.011-05:00

Old song from my youth - by Nat King Cole, I think, - about Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. I always think of it about this time of year and wonder where they lived. Certainly not in the country.

A week or so ago, I went to Jefferson City, Mo. to give a lecture to their guild - another really neat group of ladies. My thanks to Bev Coleman, their program chairman, and to Janet and her husband Phil, who put me graciously up for the night. It's always so neat to see not only the quilts by the guild members but the ones in peoples homes too. And by the way, watch for an awesome cookbook they're putting together for a fund raiser. If the food at the meeting was any example the cookbook will be great!

Then the next morning, being so close, I had to run by and see my nephew Jewell and his wife Heather. And of course, my great neices Emmie and Mazie. And they are great too.

The following Saturday I finally got to run over to Hamilton to teach a machine applique class at Missouri Star Quilt Co. We've been trying to schedule this class all spring and we finally made it! Here Carolyn Peterson and Jenny Doan are working away and

Kelly and Mary Beth are too. It was a great class and I think everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

And summer or not, every afternoon the dogs and I go for my walk. When we get back to the top of the hill Spike just climbs in the watertub by the chicken yard and sits down. He reminds me of that old time picture of the baby in the tub. He's a whole 4 months old now and quite a handful. He is a bulldog. Part of the purpose of the walk is to wear his little puppy self out so the evening will be a little quieter.

Then every evening the garden needs watering - flowers and veggies. We've had our first tomatoes so as usual, I'm now ready for a freeze :). Have I mentioned a lot how much I dislike hot weather.

We finally seem to have the hawk problem taken care of for now so new baby chickens have gotten here. Cullin may follow in the footsteps of his great grandfather and great uncle - my brother - and be a vet. Every chance he gets, he's up with the chickens........

or playing in the sprinkler with Quinn.

There has been some quilting going on - a little, at least. We're having Christmas in July here and this week you can get 15% off of Christmas 101 if you buy a signed copy of Country Quilts for Your Soul.

And it's time for me to go stitch. Pep almost has dinner ready - it's his night off - and I am ready to sit and stitch and then eat.

Stay as cool as possible, ladies.

Jan

Busy as a Bee & Growing like Weeds

2011-07-14T16:54:00.014-05:00

Both puppies and grandkids are growing in leaps and bounds - sheesh!

Here Spike is playing with his great friend Duke, Max's dog. And Duke is ever so patient with the little puppy that pesters him all of the time. I occasionally have to put Spike in his kennel to help him settle down, he plays so hard.

And not to be outdone, Quinn and Cullin are growing like weeds too. Here they are with some of the baby chickens.

And the chickens have been part of the busy as a bee syndrome. For the first time since we lived here, we have had a chicken hawk. We've lost quite a few of the babies, it leaves the big chickens alone. I know it's a hawk because I saw it in the brooder pen one afternoon when I came down from the loft to get a drink of water. We ordered netting and covered the pen and we were still losing chickens. I finally figured out that he was landing on the gate to the pen and coming in under the netting there. We covered that small space and have stopped him - hopefully. At least everyone has been safe long enough that we ordered new babies. Sorry hawk - go work for your food and eat vermin like you're supposed too. These ladies lay our eggs. And they're our friends.

This is 3 Cabins, the Wallhanging Club kit we just sent out. It's made totally of the homespuns from our Classic Wovens line. You can order it here. I just love the homespuns. I almost always use them as backing because I like the way they feel. Occasionally I do a whole quilt out of them and this is a favorite of mine. Homespuns are so soft and comfy and quilty.

The latest Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine is shipping. If you want a subscription you can order one (or buy a single magazine) here. You can find a pattern for

"Sunflowers and Scarecrows" in this issue. You can also buy a kit by clicking here. It's a really fun kit and while I'm waiting for the first real tomatoes, I'm also starting to long for Fall. Working on a Fall kit always helps me through the heat :).

Speaking of heat, I just went to Ponca City, Oklahoma to give a lecture and teach a workshop with the Pioneer Area Quilt Guild. It was 110 there one day and they are having a major drought while up here people are coping with flooding. I'd send them some rain if I could.

Heat or no heat, we had a great time. All in all a great group of women. I want to especially thank Jane and Bill Thomason who graciously let me stay in their beautiful home as well as their program chairman, Cheryl Ramsey for squiring me around.

Spike wasn't fond of my trip however. Pep said he climbed into my chair looking woebegone a couple of hours after I left. Pep sent the picture to me on my phone and titled it "Missing Mom." It broke my little heart. We both survived though :)

I realized that I forgot to mention my trip to Warrensburg, Mo. in June to speak at their Guild. Another really warm group - if you're in the area, a great group to visit and join. And lots of thanks to Toni and Dave Peerbolte who put me up for the night. This is a picture of just a small part of Dave's train garden. It's really fun. - Make a great quilt - hmmm!

Well, the chickens are safe and I go to Jefferson City, Mo. to speak at their guild next Tuesday. Today I get to slow down and stitch a little.

Have a good weekend.

My "house" in France - La Maison de Jan Patek

2011-06-23T17:19:00.010-05:00

I was so excited today to get an email from Mathilde at Quiltmania. They had posted the videos of the show in Nantes this spring.

Here's my House. It was such an awesome experience. And this week if you preorder (we're expecting more books any day now) a copy of Country Quilts for your Soul you can get a Monkey Wrench kit for 15% off - It's the large quilt behind the bed. You'll need to email Byron at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com to order the book and the kit together. We still haven't figured out coupons :).

The only quilt in my "House" not in the book is the one on the bed. It's Jubilee which was on the cover of Quiltmania awhile ago. They had made one for the magazine cover and brought it to put on the bed. Here's Jubilee.

I take that back, the other quilt that is pictured in the book and video that doesn't have patterns in the book is The Bible Quilt. If you want to make it, you can order it here.

They also posted the interview with me but it's overdone in French so I can't really hear me much.

If you can put up with not really being able to hear what I say while looking into the sun -(I'm saying that I developed a style of needleturn applique that allows me to do the designing and prep work during the day and then applique at night while I watch TV and then in the morning while I drink my coffee). If you can wade your way through that, I'm starting to teach a star. Then Valerie translates to the class and it was great to see and hear her again.

If you want to see the other "Houses" and interviews go to www.pour-l-amour-du-fil.com/pages/videos-edition-2011.php.

All in all, an awesome experience - fond, fond, memories. I can't thank them enough.

And many thanks to Laurie Simpson who told me how to put the videos in my blog - while teaching a workshop, even.

Thread - lots of yummy thread & a Lilac Hill Correction!

2011-06-20T17:33:00.006-05:00

For quite awhile I've been looking for thread that I could start carrying to workshops when I teach. It's really pretty important that the thread color match the applique piece in order to hide your stitches and, especially if I'm teaching people who have never appliqued before, they don't have a wide variety of colors. But I didn't need or want one of those megaholders of thread that quilt shops use.

I'm also pretty picky about the thread I use for applique. Even if the colors are awesome, if it knots a lot, I won't use it. Applique is one of the ways I relax and it's not relaxing if you have to be coping with knots in your thread all of the time.

When I was at Salt Lake, we were doing our usual socializing and lo and behold, my good friend Sue Spargo is a distributor for an Italian cotton thread that she uses for applique. It took no time at all before I was back at her booth with my trusty sewing kit. We got our heads together and picked out threads to match the ones I had been using.

Sue swears by this thread for cotton, wool and velvet. I've used it since I got back from Salt Lake and absolutely love it for cotton - sure the same will apply to wool and velvet. I use wool occasionally, velvet very rarely and cotton is my first love. The thread is great! It sews up beautifully and there is very little knotting.

We have a limited selection - 24 colors - but so far they've been enough for me. If you need anything I don't have, go to her website she carries a lot more of the brighter, etc colors. You can buy it from us individually or in color packs for a discount. Just have us throw in a spool or 2 or 4 when you order a pattern or a kit. Or buy it all on it's own - it's worth it.

On a totally different note, we found a left brain error in the instructions & diagram for our Lilac Hill quilt. We're emailing the corrections to our Club people so watch for them if you got a kit. For those of you who bought a pattern or got a kit elsewhere go to the corrections page in our store or email Byron at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com and we'll email or send the correction diagram & instructions.

The fabric is back in the store!

2011-06-18T17:28:00.007-05:00

This just seems to be the year for messes in my business structure. First Tara got married and decided not to come back - boy, what a mess with no one knowing where she kept files or lists - who got what, who had cancelled, yada, yada, yada.

Then the same shipping structures I have used for years seem to have collapsed and we're having to restructure the way we mail things.

And then my store people decided to upgrade things while I was in France & Salt Lake City. It was a good idea and I like most of the changes now that I know about them BUT

in the process they seem to have lost

all of the fabric in my store. You could see the cuts you could get (1/4 yd, 1/2 yd, etc) but the fabric itself disappeared.

I didn't even know it wasn't there until a customer told me she couldn't find it any more. Sure enough - no fabric.

Well, it's back. I just put it all back in and it better not disappear again. So there :)

I'm going to go sit on the deck and stitch for awhile. Whew!

Have a good weekend.

Mayhem, Mischief, Destruction & Puddles - My Day's Work is done!

2011-06-15T11:47:00.012-05:00

The other day while cleaning, we found Spike's cache under Pep's chair

We took all of his "toys" and put them in a bowl on a chair -

in front of his favorite puppy.

He soon made short shrift of emptying the bowl - he just loves this chore - but

all of this playing and growing too is hard work!

He does keep me occupied. The bowl and toys go with us when we head back for the computer. The toys are properly scattered again and he's asleep at my feet.

We've received our first shipment of my books and another is on the way. I really can't thank the ladies at Quiltmania enough for the stupendous job they did (and Guy for his photography - can't forget him). It is just loaded with patterns for 20 of my favorite quilts. The cost for a signed copy is only $52.50 (that's just $2.63 a pattern for each of the 20 quilts)

Right now we're having a sale of some of the kits of quilts that are in the book.

This is Blessings Baskets - regularly $149.95. It's on sale for $129.95 if you buy a signed copy of Country Quilts at the regular price . Email Byron at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com or call him at 816-632-7632. We still haven't figured out coupons for the store :( but we will someday.

Lastly but definitely not leastly - here is our latest Mini-Quilt - "Liberty Star" 28" x 28". If you belong to the Mini Quilt Club yours will be on the way at the end of the week. I will post a notice under the picture on the sidebar when it ships. If you don't get it within a week, please let us know.

Someday when I have 2 or 3 hours I will tell you all about all of the trouble we have been having with the mail since March. One good customer finally got an order yesterday that we shipped May 2oth. We're in Missouri - she's in Michigan. I got a call from a woman today who still hasn't gotten her Bible Quilt Block we shipped the same day. She lives in Massachusetts. One lady in Pennsylvania never got 3 orders we shipped in March & April. Yada, yada, yada! We have tried shipping through Stamps.com because they have tracking #'s. I found out yesterday from the hatchery where we get baby chickens that it doesn't do any good to use them because the post offices don't scan things in. She said the tracking # would show that the chicks were still in Lebanon, Mo. where the hatchery was. It did.

We have been mailing through our local post office for years and I know it's not them but there is a hitch in the get-along somewhere.

Here's what we're doing.

All orders over $75.00 are going UPS - they cost a little more but we don't have to keep replacing the kits.

We will still send the BOM's & Mini-Quilt, etc 1st class but we'll take them to another post office to mail them. It's not our post office, I know that, but it is probably the route they follow when they leave here. When we first started looking into the problem we were told things could hold for 2 - 3 days at each post office. It feels more like 6 or 7 days to us. We will continue to post under the picture on the side bar the date that we mail them so you can know.

Never let it be said that owning your own business isn't interesting. :)

To end on a less stressed note - here are our new soft and fuzzy baby chicks - 15 Buff Orpingtons and 20 Cornish Cross. I just love new baby things.

And I can't end the blog post without saying a big thank you to everyone who so kindly commented or sent me emails about Bully. They do ease the pain. I will probably always miss him - he was part of our family and a big part of my life for 11 years. Spike helps - new baby things do. So do friends.

Thank you again.

Jan

Bully's at Peace

2011-06-09T14:59:00.006-05:00

We lost our beloved Bully yesterday. Besides his heart problems he developed diabetes and a tumor in his abdomen. When he awakened yesterday his breathing was labored. He's at peace now - behind the barn with our other pets from over the years. He's with Waylon and Bilbo and Fuggles and Sylvester and they're all probably having a good romp in the pasture.

I ran Jake into town late in the morning and when I came back, I cried and cried. For the 1st time in 11 years, Bully wasn't there to bounce up and down and be excited because I came home.

I really miss him. Wherever I was, he was.

Spike's a comfort even though he's not Bully. He senses when we're sad and comes and wants to be cuddled. Or tries to chew on us. Here is his playpen - he made it himself. He drags all of his toys behind my chair and muddles them. He doesn't really tear them up, just mouths them.

And when I get really sad, I sit and stitch. This is a santa I'm working on for a Quiltmania Christmas issue. Chistmas is homey and makes me smile and think of things for my grandkids. Bully had a good, good life and none of us can live forever. He was my friend and I will miss him.

Girl Gang Doin's

2011-06-05T11:36:00.012-05:00

This is Show and Tell from our Lee's Summit/Warrensburg Girl Gang. (We had our meeting in my loft yesterday.)

Lisa Boling (on the left) of Warrensburg had finished her top from "Across the Wide Missouri" and brought it to show us. It is just awesome!

The backgrounds are all cotton but the applique pieces are wool. And she added details to each block. Eggs, a flower and a quilt were added to the basket block.

She added a deer, a bird and a squirrel to one of the tree blocks

The "Initials" block got a pioneer woman, a sheep and a lamb while the log cabin block got snow. I'll bet it was in Wyoming or Utah :).

The Dogtrot Cabin block got a tree stump and ax and the beeskep got bees.

The Soddy House block got some grass, clouds and sun while the Churn block for a pitcher and some candles.

What great fun! Good work Lisa and thanks for showing us. If you want to make your own Across the Wide Missouri quilt, click here to get to the book.

Then Toni Peerbolt showed us her Lilac Hill Petit Four quilt and the pillow sham she's making to go with her Favorite Things Quilt. To see the quilt, click on the words.

Besides Show and Tell, we sat and sewed and gabbed, ate lunch and then hit the quilt shop in Cameron, Crossroads Quilting - a really neat shop. Last time we went to Hamilton and shopped at Missouri Star Quilt Shop. It's really great to have two shops so close now. Anyway, it was definitely my idea of a fun day.

On a more sober note, one of our members couldn't be there because she had to fly to Texas. Her daughter-in-law had to have an emergency c-section and the brand new baby granddaughter, only 3 lbs, 15 oz, is having heart problems. Prayer support for baby Emily and her family is needed and appreciated. I've found that most quilters are not only good at quilting but pretty good at praying too.

Monday comes on Wednesday this week!

2011-06-01T10:30:00.007-05:00

Sorry bout that but Bully isn't feeling well again and all of my energy has gone there. He hasn't eaten anything for 3 days. He just wouldn't eat. The only thing he really wanted was Spike's Baby Dog food. (And we've had Spike for a couple of weeks now so I didn't think that the new puppy was the problem.) I finally called my brother (he's a vet) last night and he confirmed what I thought - the Baby Dog food would not be at all good for Bully. Jim said that dogs with Bully's heart condition can develop liver and kidney problems and it makes them nauseous. The Baby Dog food is really high in protein and not at all what Bully needs - it could make him worse. Pep's been making Bully chicken and rice but he wouldn't even eat that. Pep cooked some fresh today and we gave it to him warm. Huzzah, Huzzah! He ate it! So I'll be heating it up in the microwave twice a day from now on. Good Lord! Anyway, things may be turning around again for awhile. But I do have to face the fact that he's 11 and that is pretty old for a bulldog. Jake looked it up on the internet and the oldest bulldog was 13.

So - back to the quilting part of my life. Zoie drew Janell's name from the entries. Janell, if you'll send your name and shipping address to janpatekquilts@yahoo.com, we'll send you your Recipe Card/Quilt Blocks and your Together Scrap Bag.

Thanks to all of you for your comments. That was a fun video and of course, I think Spike is awesome.

Memorial Day is over and Summer is Here. I know because Jake is taking Driver's Ed (however did he get that old?), Zoie is in Summer School and Quinn has T-ball games. And I've got to find time to get out to Olathe and see Brian and his family and catch up on their doings. I haven't seen them since before I left for France.

To celebrate summer we're going to have a "special" on a kit each week in June. This week it's Jake's Eagles - Regularly $39.95. June 1st thru the 7th, it's only $32.95. The 4th of July is coming. This awesome little quilt will add to your home not only on the 4th but all year long.

Well, I'd better get off of the computer and take Spike outside for his constitutional. :)

Hope you had a good Memorial Day

2011-05-30T21:02:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, my sister Nancy and I went and put flowers on the graves of our Mom, Nancy's son Matthew and our sister Susan.

My dad's grave is too far away so I always put flowers on his memorial in the garden. Pep's brother Keith always takes care of his parents.

My grandson Brian asked today why so many people had flags out. I told him that Memorial Day started as "Decoration Day" - a day to honor the veterans who had died keeping out country free. We now have Veterans Day - a day to honor all of the people, alive or passed on who have served our country. So Memorial Day has become a day to honor not only them but all of the people that we loved who are further along on the journey.

A way to say thank you to our ancestors and our heritage.

Barbara Brackman has a really good history on her Civil War Blog. Thanks, Barbara.

You all are probably going to get really sick of pictures of Spike but, oh - well. Max was in Oklahoma this weekend at an event so Spike's cousin Nero came for a visit. Spike loves Nero and follows him everywhere. Nero is really very patient with the little guy. Maybe because even though he's a lot bigger, large dogs mature more slowly and he's still pretty much a puppy himself. They're really pretty funny together.

I'll announce the winner of the recipe cards tomorrow. Forgot Monday was Memorial Day.

Hope you had a good one.

Stitching for Joplin & potty training

2011-05-26T21:11:00.003-05:00

Kelley, a neat lady that belong to the same Prim group that I do commented today about the situation in Joplin: "Am wondering if there is a way to get hand piecing kits to the quilters missing their stashes...for me the comfort of stitching gets me through stressful times..."

I thought that was a great idea and volunteered to send some kits. I know I would be lost without something to stitch. It truly is one of the ways we take care of ourselves. Our group moderator, Nancy, another neat lady got right on it and found out where to send them. I thought I'd send a Basket Patch and maybe Lilly's Hearts or Stars, something pretty easy and soothing, not frustrating.

If it sounds like a good idea to you too, here's where to send them:

This company is distributing the items thru the local churches who have set up donation sites for the people of Joplin.

Ackfeld will take quilts, kits for quilts and toys, the address
Skip & Peggy Ackfeld
Ackfeld Manufacturing
One patch at a time
360 Emerson Road
Reeds Spring, MO 65737

Thanks Kelley and Nancy.

Spike is settling in and Bully is learning to tolerate him. They bicker a bit still but if Bully falls asleep, Spike will cuddle up next to him.

This is my potty training chair. I used to just go and sit on the top step until the puppy had played around and decided to go potty. But with Spike, I've gotten a little old for that. My joints don't bend as well as they used to. So I got a spare chair and set up a little "potty training station". Now I can sit in comfort, drink my coffee or water and even stitch if I want to. One can't hurry mother nature, you know.

Don't forget to post your comment to enter the drawing for the recipe cards and Together scrap bag. I'll draw a name Monday.

Have a good weekend.

Pray for the People of Joplin

2011-05-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

A great ride home - and Spike!

2011-05-19T14:48:00.008-05:00

I've been trying to find time to blog ever since we got home. Market ended at 4:00 on Sunday and we were on the road by six. We drove (well, Pep drove, I sat and hooked - I'm making coasters out of homespuns for the 4th of July) for 3 hours and then stopped for the night.

It's a 16 hour drive from Salt Lake City to Cameron so that left us 13 hours on Monday. The trip through Wyoming was awesome. This is part of a windfarm that stretched across the horizon.

And of course, there were the mountains in the distance.

Nebraska, not to be outdone, had a dinosaur. This was a full size T-Rex beside the highway. Pep pulled off at the exit so we could take a picture. By the time we realized what it was we were past it and this was as close as we could get.

Back at home I unpacked, rested and started laundry on Tuesday.

Then on Wednesday I drove to Kansas City to meet Spike's breeder and pick him up. If you're in the Market for a bulldog, I highly recommend Nicole and Spring Valley Bulldogs. Along with his papers, she brought along a booklet of tips for training, vitamins he'd been taking and a small package of the food he'd been eating.

A healthy, happy, bouncy bulldog puppy is now part of the family. As you can see,

Bully is not exactly thrilled with the addition. I'm making sure that Bully gets lots of attention - more really than he required before Spike joined us. His attitude still is "so - when is he going back home?" I must say, it doesn't help things any when Spike tries to nurse. :)

Instead of showing lots of booth pictures (I'll show you mine as soon as I can find it) I thought I'd show the group picture Camille took for Moda. I did like the picture Sandy Gervais had on her blog of all of our feet - (Bruce couldn't get the camera to work) but this one is a little better.

Moda had a Schoolhouse at Market. Lissa had all of us design a 12" block and give her a recipe and a quilting tip. Then they had all of the blocks printed up on Recipe cards for us to have in our booths. Shops went to all of the designer's booths and picked up the recipe cards. I did too - I have a collection of 14 recipe cards (14 blocks) in all - - a sampler quilt. And I have a collection of the cards for you along with a scrap bag of strips from Together, the newest Brannock/Patek line that will ship to stores in August.

But there's a chore involved. A funny one. Awhile ago I sent a video to Lissa Alexander, if you watch it, you'll know why I sent it. I don'tknow how to put videos on the blog but she does. Go to her blog and watch it and make a comment, any old comment will do. Or you can comment about Spike. Or if you can't comment on the blog, email Byron at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com.

I'll draw a name from the comments, next Monday.

And I will end this with a contented sigh - It was lots of fun but it's good to be home.

Neighbors & Old Friends

2011-05-14T20:32:00.005-05:00

I don't know what it is about Market that is so tiring - I usually sit and stitch and talk to quilters. But at the end of the day, I'm bushed. So tonight, I thought I'd just tell you who my neighbors are. I'm on a corner.

Across the aisle one way are Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts and her husband Micheal. We're old friends. They are thoroughly delightful people. I love her quilts, always have. And she and Pep share a Slavic background. Pep's is a lot more removed than hers is but he recognized the influence in her quilts.

Across the other aisle is Sweetwater. This is the first time we've really had a booth close to theirs and we've been getting to know them. Awesome ladies personally as well as great designers. One of the things I have always liked about Moda is the sense of family and these "sweet" ladies certainly have it.

And it was so great to see my friends from France again. I hope they like the pictures but I'll lay you odds they don't - they didn't like the last ones I posted. But then I never like the pictures of me either. They are Marie - Caroline Courtier and Carol Veillon of Quiltmania - awesome ladies all. I really can't tell you how much I enjoyed being in France and working with them. And my book they did is so really neat. I can't thank them enough.

Market is over tomorrow and we'll be packing up and heading for home. The whirlwind of France and Salt Lake City is almost over. When I get home I'll show you the rest of the booths - if I can figure out how to attach the jpgs to an email and get them to my home computer. Well, I'm a little tired here. Pep just reminded me that even if I can't, the laptop will be at home with me. Duh!! :)
Back to my garden and dogs and grandkids. I am so blessed to have the best of both worlds.

Day 1 -

2011-05-13T21:18:00.003-05:00

It's been a fun day - but long. Too tired to post all of the pictures. Will try to do more tomorrow. But here's the theme for Moda. We all got Country Fair Flag banners out of our fabric lines for our booths.

See you tomorrow - I hope.

2 days later - We're here!

2011-05-11T10:05:00.007-05:00

I'm somewhat tired of riding in things but I prefer cars to airplanes. If things start bouncing around in the wind in a car, I can ask Pep to pull over for awhile. We heard that it was really hot at home but it was in the 50's in Wyoming. And right after we passed the Continental Divide (elevation 7,000 ft), it started snowing. Then it stopped again as we went down.
These were taken at the Welcome Center just in Utah.

And here's a picture of the little critters that live here. They're not tame but they are enough used to people being around that you can get a picture with a zoom lens.

The little green speck walking towards Pep i

The little green speck walking towards Pep is me. He didn't know about the zoom lens :).

It was really neat once we got to Salt Lake to look up at the very tall mountains and watch it snow on the top. We were moving on the Freeway so I couldn't get pictures but I'll try to stop somewhere today if it does it again. Right now I'm off to the convention Ce

A new little brother & Together Scrap Bags

2011-05-05T11:50:00.006-05:00

This is Bully and Sniff last December in the garden. Sniff was a Welsh Corgi. He and Bully were the same age within a couple of months and they were great pals. Actually he was Jake's Welsh Corgi. When Kelly and the kids moved to Cameron from Lexington they rented a duplex. It didn't have a fenced in yard so Sniff had to be put on a lead whenever he went outside. Since Corgis are herding dogs, Kelly would bring him out to the farm whenever they came so that he could run. After awhile he started hiding when he saw signs of leaving. He would go under beds, in closets, behind the barn - whereever he could think of - and he wouldn't come out until they had left.

Kelly and Jake finally gave up and said he could stay here - Jake is out here all of the time anyway.

He died the day after I left for France. We don't know why - he hadn't been sick like Bully had - showed no symptoms. He had been off is feed a little and I had told Pep that after Market I was going to take him down to my brother's for a check-up. My very nice husband didn't tell me until I got home so as not to make me sad on my trip.

Corgis are awesome dogs. We miss him a lot. And Bully doesn't like being an only dog.

I had been going to get Bully a little brother this summer anyway so we decided to look.

I'm pretty sure that we're going to get this one. I put a deposit down on him. He's the one Pep likes.

But nothing is every simple. I just love this one too. Decisions, decisions. I've kind of decided that we'll put the deposit on the white one (Spike) but if the 2nd one hasn't been bought by the time I get back, I'll see if I can meet them and see which one fits best. From the personality description, I'm still pretty sure it will be Spike - but you never know.

Back to the other part of my life. These are scrap bags full of the Together fabrics sent by Moda. I'm taking one box full of them to Market.

I'm keeping another box full for a Freebie Friday when I get home. No time before I leave so be watching for the give-away. I just love getting fabric! Isn't it neat!

Back to packing.

Osama Bin Laden is dead!

2011-05-02T09:14:00.002-05:00

I hesitate to celebrate, or even approve, the death of a fellow human being. But there are some people who cannot be allowed to live among decent folk.

Justice is served.

Praise for our heroes in the military who strive to keep us safe.

God bless us - of every race, creed & color - Americans all.

Next Door Neighbors

2011-04-30T17:44:00.015-05:00

In 4 hours I'll be getting a "wake-up" call from the front desk to start my journey home. I have enjoyed my stay in Nantes tremendously but am excited about going home. I thought I'd give you a short run through of my neighboring "houses" at the exposition.

First is Petra Prins. I posted the link to her book Treasures from Holland the other day. I don't have her picture with her quilt here because she had a booth too. Her quilts and Petra who I've known for years from Market, are indeed a Treasure.

And don't we all know who this is. Becky wasn't in her house and the picture of Linda didn't turn out well - camera problems - but I did get a couple of pictures of their awesome quilts.

And everyone in Europe is looking for a couch like the one Carol found to go with this quilt.

Bonnie Sullivans "house" and book are awesome as usual.

And this is Shuziko Kohuro - I hope I spelled that right - and some of her awesome indigo quilts.

Across from my house was the house of Yoko Saito. The detail in her quilts just blew me away.

Yoko Saito.

The title of her book is My Quilting Life, Past and Present. This is one of the cover quilts. I'm honored to have been apart of that, however small.

And this is Caroline Courtier. I worked closely with Caroline in the publication of my book. I showed a picture of Carol Veillon - the editor of Quiltmania the other night with Petra. It has been a joy both working with and visiting Quiltmania and the people of France. Thanks to you all.

Wedding Day

2011-04-29T13:30:00.007-05:00

It was pretty quiet today at our exhibit. The main exhibit over here was in England and everywhere else people were glued to their TVs. We few however were in class learning the basics of Needleturn Applique. And they don't have freezer paper over here. I'm not sure how quilters survive.

The lady in the pink shirt is my interpreter, Valerie. She is a jewel. She's French but lived in the United States for awhile and working with her has been really great. Thanks Valerie.

And the man taking the picture with his big camera is Guy - the Quiltmania photographer. And he is pretty awesome too. I know from past experience how difficult it is to photograph my quilts with the brown and grey tones. The pictures of my quilts in the book are right on - just plain excellent. Thank you, Guy.
This is what happened when he stopped by class for a picture. All of us handed him our cameras. If you've got an expert in the area, utilize him.

Here are the last 2 of my quilts that are hanging on the outside by Yoko's house. This is Coming Home Again.

And beside it is Flower Patch. Tomorrow I'll try to go across the hall to Yoko's house and up to the other houses. I may have to wait until I get home to post them all. It gets tired out here :)

Day 2

2011-04-28T14:16:00.010-05:00

My - what an awesome experience this is. I just came back to my room after the party for exhibitors given by Quiltmania. Lots of good food and drink. After a day of sitting and stitching and talking with quilters from all over Europe (with the able help of Marion - my sweet interpreter. She's just finishing her studies and eager to improve her English).

Here's the inside of my house - or at least the quilt part. All of the quilts except the one on the bed are in my new book "Country Quilts for your Soul" by Quiltmania.

Brian's Quilt on the left and Noah on the right.

Miami Valley, Christmas 101, Sophie and the Rose Trees, Lilly's Stars, Moon Garden Snow and Winter Star.

Ring Around the Posie, Monkey Wrench, Homespun Stars and Sunny Days
The quilt on the bed is Jubilee. Its not in the book but was featured on a Quiltmania cover.

Blessings Baskets, House on a Hill and Cockscombs and Stars.

And here are Marie Claude (left) of Quiltmania, Petra Prins (middle) author of Treasures from Holland a new Quiltmania book and Carol Veillon (right) editor of Quiltmania. Petra had just won best booth in the show (she also has a shop in Holland and had a booth at the Festival. She won a weekend vacation as the prize for best booth. Wow!

It's time to get some sleep

2011-04-27T13:53:00.008-05:00

I just caught myself nodding off while reading my email so this is going to be short tonight. I've gotten about 4 hours of sleep each night due to the jet lag thingy and I am really tired. So mostly I'll blog and show you pictures later in the week. I hope to finally sleep tonight. But first, this is a closeup of the awesome quilt at the entrance. I don't think I need to tell you that the Piece of Cake girls are here, now do I?

Here's a view of part of the 1st floor from the top of the escalator.

And here's the entrance to my "house" where Carol wants to make sure I feel at home. And I do.

The people (and the food) here are all awesome. I'll tell you more later, but for now, I'm going to sleep.

Setting up Day

2011-04-27T02:25:00.006-05:00

At the beginning of the day the best thing for me to do was stay out of their way. Which I gladly did. I went in search of a cooler for my room. They have a refrigerator in the room but it has no freezer and no ice. I like ice. There's a supermarket close by but the one that would have something like a cooler was about a 20 minute walk away - so they said.

It was a beautiful day so I took off walking in the general direction of the store. You need to be careful where you walk. This is the general size of cars. A lot of places that seem to be sidewalks are really one way roads.

I thought this was awesome. A good ole Kansas windmill by the river in Nantes - two of them in fact.
I never did find the store - I'll just go to the front desk and get a big glass of ice whenever I need it.

When I got back to my "house" this table was sitting in it along with some awesome furniture and my quilts. I must say, it raised my eyebrows a bit. Carol is good but I wasn't sure how she was going to fit this in with my things :)

Walking around the booths I found a "not pink" booth and stopped to chat. Most people here speak some English.

This looks like a booth Cherie might like to visit - pink or not.

At the end of the day the welcoming booth was up and I found my chandelier and feathers. Looks much better here than at my place.

I made it and the computer works!

2011-04-25T12:51:00.004-05:00

Boy, do I need sleep but I'm here. Kansas City to Chicago - 1 1/2 hrs - small plane and bouncy flight. Don't particularly like bounces when I'm that far up in the air but we made it - really with no problem.
Then I walked at least 6 million miles to the gate for my flight to Madrid. BIG plane this time and a very smooth 8 hour flight. Had an extremely nice seatmate name Jessi (or Jessie). She and her husband live in Spain at the moment - they're originally from Puerto Rico. He's in the Marines and presently stationed in Spain. She speaks Spanish fluently and took me under her wing during the flight and aiport in Madrid experience. Thanks Jessi and best of luck to you and your husband and cats. The flight was smooth and they served us both dinner and then breakfast. The dinner was yummy and I nibbled on the fruit and drank coffee for breakfast. They're 7 hours ahead over here so it was breakfast time but not according to my body. Only a few hours sitting up sleep on the plane.

This is the airport at Madrid. I thought that all airports were pretty well alike but this one sure made short with that theory. I had to stop and get my camera out of my carryon to take this picture. The only problem with the awesome ceilings is that you can get messed up with the moving sidewalks if you're staring at the ceiling. :)
Then another short flight to Nantes. Another small plane but the weather cooperated -not so bouncy. I slept most of the short hour flight.

I'm in Nantes. After a shower and a short nap, I got the computer up and running and talked with Pep on Skype. He's usually with me and I sure miss him. But he need to drive me to Salt Lake City for Market when I get home.

The Quiltmania group is running around like busy bees setting up for the Festival. I would help but I would only get in the way. I did make Carol open one of the boxes and give me one of my books.

They did an awesome job. I just love it to pieces. I'm going to make all of them sign my copy - I'm really thrilled with it.

I'm trying to stay up all day to get accustomed to Nantes time so I took my little legs that look like sausages after the plane trip for a walk.

Here's a couple of things I'd like to explore if I have time.
And it's 7:30 here now so I'm going to eat dinner and go to bed.

And thanks, Max, for all the work you did so I could figure out how to blog over here. Believe me ladies, it wouldn't have been done without him.

There just aren't enough hours in a day!

2011-04-21T09:09:00.007-05:00

Since I'm leaving for France on Easter (not my idea, but we do what we have to do) we decided to have our Easter dinner and egg hunt on Palm Sunday instead. Michele (Max's significant other) had never seen or heard of a Lamb Cake before. Pep and I both lived back East when we were young and Easter wasn't Easter without a Lamb Cake. Michele and Zoie and I decorated the cake Pep and I made. The purple eyes were Zoie's idea but Michele liked them too. I had already vetoed red. :)

Dinner was a lot simpler this year. Usually we have the whole nine yards with ham, etc. This year Pep grilled a turkey he had brined and jerked. With lots of salads and deviled eggs we had a nice buffet that fit into Grandma's busy schedule.

Then out into the garden for the egg hunt. Unfortunately Brian was sick so their family couldn't come but I'm taking them little Easter Egg cakes on Friday, God willing and the creek don't rise.

Part of me is really excited about going to Nantes for the quilt show - and to sign my new books. I'm taking some kits and Max is setting up a laptop for me and I'm going to try to take pictures and blog.

And part of me is somewhat sad to leave my garden right now. Between the trip to France and then to Salt Lake City I'm going to miss a great deal of my spring flowers. Bluebells and bleeding hearts don't last that long.

Nor do the blossoms on the crabapple tree in the front yard.

But I have my Crabapple Farm pillow to remind me.

Better run, I need to get a quilt block or two ready for the plane. It's a 14 hour trip so I should have time to stitch a little :)