Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Quilters' Meet & Greet

Greetings! I was asked (again this year, oops) to be a part of this hop, and this time I said yes! Last year I was, I dunno, busy? an idiot? but I didn't sign up... Anyhow, I am in this year and I am very pleased to welcome everyone, including any newcomers to my blog.

I hope you'll stay, poke around a bit using the tabs up top, or visit some of the links in my sidebar which will take you to to the magazines in which my designs have featured, or my pattern shop on Etsy. Some of the links in the sidebar can help you investigate some of the linky parties I host here both annually and monthly.

I also hope once you are done here, you'll click the graphic above which will take you to the main page for this hop where you will find the list and links to all the other quilt bloggers in the hop. And, yes! There are some absolutely amazing prizes. Read on through to find out how to enter! The hop runs through the month of September, so you have lots of time to visit and enter from each blog.

I've been blogging since September 2013 (hmm, seems like the blog turns 6 this month...). I started it mainly as a way to document my quilts, write my thoughts (I love to write), and keep in touch with my friends and family. I cannot believe where the blog has taken me; it has enriched my life so much, in so many ways, from getting designs published in magazines and sewing for fabric companies, to meeting, both online and in person, many many like-minded people, to designing and publishing my own patterns, and selling some of my quilts!

Benita, who blogs at Benita Skinner's Creative Space, and whose online store is Victorian Quilt Designs, is the creator and host of this annual hop. She asked us to send her two photos, one of a favourite quilt and another of ourselves. The quilt I sent is this one:

This is a quilt I am very proud of. I put a ton of time and effort into quilting it. I designed it in June 2018 using the Mother's Choice block, which is not only the very centre 12" purple block, but also the huge 72" green block (minus the lavender hearts; I added those for interest). I made it in February 2019. It is a tribute to my mum, who passed away in May 2018. It uses Benartex's 'Lilacs in Bloom' and was published in the July/August 2019 issue of McCall's Quilting.

You can read more about the quilt here.

My current quilt that I'm working on is for my grandson, Brady. I'm making him a football quilt, using the Touchdown! pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew. Here is an in-progress shot of the blocks so far:
I love scrap quilting and using many fabrics in a quilt. Brady's quilt is a good example of the controlled scrappiness I love, and of sewing from my stash, which is ample, unlike my bosom LOLOL. Yeah, I have a pretty good sense of humour.

Some of the activities I host/do here that may interest you...
First of all I am a very proud Island Batik Ambassador,

and as such, I have to create a quilt a month for them using their beautiful fabrics. Last month I made this quilt, which I called Ripples:
Photographed on the shore of Lake Erie. This spot is a 2 minute walk from my house.
You can read about Ripples here. There was a giveaway on that post that is now closed, and the winner of the 2.5" strips and a copy of my Blue Skies & Sunny Days pattern is:
118 was havplenty, who has been contacted, and who wrote:

The quilt I made for the 'Beat the Heat' August hop is not my pattern, but every one of the previous six months have been.

Speaking of the past six months of designs, I totally hadn't planned this, but it is just perfect: the pattern for the quilt I designed, Oh, the Places You'll Go! for the January blog hop is available as of today in my Etsy shop!
Yup, those are suitcases, and the 'pockets' are 6" blocks. You can read the blog post about this quilt here. The regular price of the pattern will be $12CA but to celebrate its release, it is on sale this week for 25% off, so $9, no coupon required. Thank you so much to several friends who tested the 6" blocks for me:
Cindy - A Stitch in Time
Ioleen - ioleen.kimmel
Rochelle
Rose - somethingrosemade
Roseanne - Home Sewn by Us
Wendy - Pieceful Thoughts of my Quilting Life

You can see three other patterns and a few quilts for sale in my Etsy shop here.

I also have a popular house block pattern (affiliate link) on bluprint, for just $1. I actually have a stack of these house blocks, all with different 6" blocks (I like 6" blocks, and superimposed images in quilts) that needs to be put together from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2017! Yup I have a couple UFOs... and I do love rainbow quilts, as well as scrap quilts!
Okay enough about the business end of things!

Monthly Link-ups

This stands for Drop Everything And Make it! for those of us who are easily distracted and love to chase squirrels, aka projects that catch our interest to the point where we actually do drop whatever project we should be working on, and make the squirrel one. There is a monthly link-up where we share our distractions on the last Saturday of each month. The one for August is still open until midnight tonight. 😉
I started hosting this in January 2018. It used to be hosted by Jenn at A Quarter Inch from the Edge but I'm babysitting it for her for now. This year beginning in April, Andrée at Quilting & Learning - What a Combo! and I have been hosting it on alternating months. It is for those quilts that we made before we started our blogs, so we can photograph and document them, and tell their story. It is on the first Thursday of each month, and this month, on September 5, it is on my blog. I'll be telling you all about this quilt:


Annual Activities
The first one I hosted was in 2017, so this year was the third year. It used to be on Instagram, but in 2019 we moved to a private FaceBook group. It usually runs in the spring, and the challenge is to create 30 quilt designs, either digitally or on graph paper, within 70 days. I just love that many of those who have participated have had their designs published, both by magazines as well as by self-publishing.
Each year since 2017, I have hosted a quilt along using one of my own original designs. This past year it was the Beothuk Star.

The original quilt I designed for an Island Batik challenge.


And here is the second version, made with a kit of fabrics you may still be able to find at Needle & Foot Fine Fabrics.
This pattern is my next one to be released.

And now for the link to the fabulous prizes as well as the list of all the other bloggers participating. Every blog you visit gives you a chance to enter for the grand prize! It is a great way to find new blogs, and meet more quilters, and maybe get new ideas and inspiration. Remember the hop goes all month so you can visit at your pleasure!

Giveaway Link!

32 comments:

  1. Hi Sandra. I didn't participate last year either. I think craziness was up with my family. I love love love the ripples quilt....may have missed it the first time due to computer fatigue or some other such thing. Hope you are doing well...it looks like you had a great vacation.

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  2. I started blogging in 2013, too - glad to have found you along the way and I always enjoy seeing what you've been up to! One of my first zipper pouches was your Pyramid Pouch and I still love it! Great post, Sandra!

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  3. I asked another quilter this earlier this week, but it's worth saying again. Is it unladylike to snort-laugh? Hahahaha. Ample stash . . . Okay, thanks for making my day. It's always good to start out smiling. I'm so glad you are my fearless Squirrel leader and friend, and that our distractions often come at the same time or are similar. I'm delighted that we met through this lovely online community, but someday, we will meet in person. :-)

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  4. nice quilts - I was going to participate this year and then couldn't!

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  5. Good to see you on the hop. I tried to follow it last year, but there were just too many to visit even though I had all month. I seem to spend more time reading blogs than sewing and that's not right. Gives me too many ideas and I don't get anything done.
    Pat

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  6. I think I'm a fairly new follower and have loved adding you to my morning blog readings.

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  7. All that glorious eye candy! From that beautiful tribute quilt for your mom to the ripples by the lake all beautiful as are you my friend! Keep on blogging I love reading your posts.

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  8. Hi Sandra! When I saw the photo of your favorite quilt, I just knew it was going to be a tribute for your mum. Those colors - can't you just smell the lilacs when you look at the quilt?! It brings a tear to my eyes in a happy, sentimental way. She would have loved this tribute, and it makes me think of my mom named Violet. It's truly a beauty. I'm going to go check out all the other friends playing in this hop. How fun! ~smile~ Roseanne

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  9. Awesome awesome quilting. I have been following your blog for sime time. I'm one who still reads blogs. Yay!

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  10. Good choice on favourite quilt. It's a great one.

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  11. After reading this post, I feel like I know you, wait I do, just haven't met you in person yet like the others. We need to set up a retreat for so all your followers can finally meet you and each other. Wouldn't that be fun? Might I mention again, your one of the first blogs I started following. You're always an inspiration.

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  12. So many beautiful quilts. You are talented.

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  13. Wonderful range of quilts - very clever! Ripples is my fave on here I think.

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  14. Nice work. You do so many sewing activities, and do them well.

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  15. Such a lovely blog to follow! Thank you!

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  16. Ah, yes! I love your tribute quilt! It’s beautiful! I remember when you made it. It is a fine tribute to your mum!
    Keep up the good work, Sandra! I love seeing your beautiful quilts and catching up on what you are doing!
    It’s such fun to visit you!
    Hugs,
    Barbara xx

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  17. Love the football project, that's going to be such a fun quilt for Brady. A great "summary" post for your blog. Hope you get to meet and greet a number of new readers.

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  18. So many beautiful quilts, Sandra. Really interesting to see the effect of different fabrics in the two quilts with the same design.

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  19. Wonderful stories - as usual - in your blog today. Fun to be participating in this. I am behind - what else is new? Love seeing Brady's quilt coming together - it is going to be terrific!

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  20. How nice to see you in this year's blog hop! I live about as far from Lake Michigan as you do from Lake Erie -- love our inland ocean. Your little house block caught my eye. I'm on a committee that awards grants to women 65+ who need assistance to stay in their homes and that block would be great for our annual sponsor recognition.

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  21. Hi Sandra! I am Jayne from the Meet and Greet! When you said you live close to Lake Erie, I thought "Ah! Another Ohioan!" But I see that you are on the opposite shore. Well, I live about 4 hours south of Lake Erie, and my husband and I enjoy traveling to South Bass Island/Put-In-Bay at least once each summer.

    All of your quilting activities wear me out! I am doing well to just work my way through this massive stash of fabric I've accumulated over the last 40 years. I am now accumulating a massive quilt top stash, which I hope to soon begin quilting.

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  22. Whoa! Love your favorite quilt!!

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  23. Delightful post, Sandra. I declined this year.....and yes, now I’m sorry. I love revisiting all your beautiful creations! How ever do you pick a favorite?

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  24. Hi Sandra, that's a great post. I love the quilt that you made in honour of your mother...I must have missed that one! I don't have much time to actually read much on the internet. That's why I'm catching up a little during my holidays. I participated last year but since I was also in the middle of a couple of projects, I didn't do much except post... so I'm going to make up for it a little this time around.

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  25. You are a busy busy quilter.... I'm tired just reading everything you are working on! It was a pleasure to meet you and see what you do with your time!

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  26. Glad you joined in the Meet and Greet this year, Sandra! I was just thinking of you earlier today. I was suffering from a DrEAMI moment.

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  27. Thanks for sharing in the meet and greet. They are all beautiful eye candy, and awe inspiring.

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  28. Hi Sandra, great to see you in this blog hop! Beautiful quilts and photos, as usual ;)

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  29. I've followed you for quite awhile.. love your sharing info & quilting & all... Always feels like I visited a good friend, when I read your Blog Posts :)

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