I designed Spring Buds Star in this issue. Rochelle Martin continues with her BOM series Garden Beauties. This month, we will finish Donnely Barber’s BOM Flutter By Me, and you’ll have a beautiful quilt to celebrate spring! We get to make another Bullas Bears block by Nan Baker.
We will start a new Mystery Quilt by Janet Barker, Broken Arrows, and Carol Dockery brings us a quick and easy pattern for a Spirit Tote that’s great for spring picnics. Jo Moury designed a quilt named Freedom’s Colors that you can finish in time for July, and Marija Vujcic designed Star Player, a fun patchwork quilt.
Reeze Hanson brings us Lesson 4 in EQ7. Aren’t you learning a lot from these lessons? Maria Hrabovsky reviews the book, Nurture Your Creative Spirit, by Vicki Pignatelli.
And last, but never least, The Barefoot Quilter Anna Branch writes on Quilters to the Rescue, and Chris Hammacott shares some serious thoughts on quilting in her column, Diary of a Quilter. Join us, won’t you
Karen
This month, we continue working on Garden Beauties by Rochelle Martin, and the Stained Glass Workshop by Mary Marcotte. Play with more color in this installment of Flutter By Me by Donnely Barber, and make another Bullas Bears block by Nan Baker.
We have a quick table runner, Little Bloomers by Joan Bassett, and the Seaside Splendor bed runner by Sally Johnson, if you’re in the mood for a smaller project. If you need a bigger quilt, Surrounded by Geese Over the Fields, by Carol Dockery will fit the bill, and Cindy Mccoy designed a Penny Rug Lamp Base.
In this issue, we have Cut-Away Triangles Mini-Workshop by Joan Bassett. We will also hear from Anna Branch in The Barefoot Quilter, and Chris Hammacott in Diary of a Quilter. Also, I’ve written a book review on More William Morris Applique.
Isn’t April a wonderful month? It’s like everything is new again. The grays and browns of winter are being covered with color, and the air is soft and warm. Breezes blow through our open windows, fluttering white curtains. The tulips and daffodils are blooming and color is everywhere! Color is everywhere in this issue of TQPM as well!
All in all, we have a great issue for you; but it will also leave you some quality outdoor time. Why not invite a friend over, ask them to bring some handwork and stitch on the patio? That sounds like a great afternoon to me!
Karen
Susan-Claire Mayfield’s Big Block Sashed 9-Patch uses coordinating color sets of 5″ squares you can cull from your stash. Off the Grid by Sharon Kirkpatrick uses 4-1/2″ squares cut from scraps. And, Simply Beautiful by Inge Baum uses strip-piecing to create 4-patches with tiny 1″ squares.
We also continue with our BOMs Flutter By Me Block 4 and 5 by Donnely Barber, Garden Beauties Block 3 by Rochelle Martin, Bullas Bears Block 2 by Nan Baker and our Stained Glass Workshop Part 3 of 4 by Mary Marcotte. We have EQ7 Lesson 2 by Reeze Hanson, and a fun wall hanging, Gathering Basket by Deanne Eisenman.
Our articles this month include a book review of Gail Garbers book, Flying Colors, and we hear from Sharon Kirkpatrick again, as we find ways for Helping Needy Children with our quilting. Chris Hammacott shares her experiences with the mad March hares in Diary of a Quilter and Anna Branch writes about her experiences From Cardboard to Computer in The Barefoot Quilter. Also, I’ve written an article on Adding Primitive Touches to Your Quilt.
Welcome to almost-spring! March is a month in which anything can happen, weather-wise. We may see the crocus blooming through the snow. The weather may be unpredictable this month, but here at TQPM, we are not! Does the phrase “Be there or be square” ring a bell with any of you? We are so square this month, we’ve become awesome! We present a collection of quilts this month, based on squares and using up your stash! While the square may seem boring and ordinary at first glance, in the hands of our talented designers they become beautiful quilts!
All in all, I do believe we have something for everyone this month. I do wish you a Happy Almost-Spring!
Karen
We are delighted to welcome Reeze Hanson from Morning Glory Designs, who is going to teach us how to use our EQ7 to its best advantage. We all know Reeze as an awesome quilt designer, but did you know that she is also a Doctor of Speech and Theatre?
Dr. Reeze L. Hanson is and has been a College Professor of Speech and Communication Studies for more than 30 years, teaching at universities in Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, and France. She is also an expert in the EQ7 software for quilters. Reeze lectures on EQ7, Color Confidence for Quilters, Sources of Quilt Inspiration, Communication for Quilters, Odd Blocks and Settings that Rock, and Grandmother’s Flower Garden Quilts (The Hexagon and Beyond).
Reeze’s design style was inspired by her busy life and wanting to make complex-looking pieced and appliqué quilts using simple, fast techniques geared toward working women and beginners. “If I didn’t speed up the process somehow, I would never get anything done! There are just too many designs running around in my head and too little time to get them all completed. I want to share them with other busy quilters so they can enjoy beautiful quilts even as they are developing their skills.”
Who doesn’t love TQPM? This month, we continue with two BOMs – Flutter By Me by Donnely Barber, and Garden Beauties by Rochelle Martin, and start another one - Bullas Bears by Nan Baker. We progress with our Stained Glass Workshop by Mary Marcotte, and we’ll also begin learning how to use our EQ7 with ongoing lessons from Reeze Hanson, an expert in EQ products.
Cindy Mccoy gives us a patchwork pattern named Dragon Tails, and also insight into the mathematical principle governing her pattern by explaining the spidron. Jan Allston tells us how to make a Sewing Machine Cover, and Jo Moury shares Sunny Baby Quilt, with both boy and girl versions. Martyn Thomas writes to us from Wales about his adventures in fabric shops in There Be Dragons! Linda Carlson shares her knowledge on Increasing Brain Power in our babies. We also hear from our favorite regulars Anna Branch who writes about Winter: A Quilters Paradise and Chris Hammacott who tells us another story from her life, when she attends a Vintage Fair.
February is not my favorite winter month. Winter has worn out its welcome, but it’s not quite spring yet. There is the occasional lovely warm spring day and all I want to do is get in the garden, but it will be to no avail. There are still frosts and perhaps snows to come. I’ve found it best to focus on February as the month of love, since we do indeed celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th. I think it’s fun to decorate the house with hearts of all kinds – paper, stuffed hearts, or wooden hearts sitting on the mantelpiece. Start the day with some heart-shaped pancakes just to let everyone in your family know they are loved. Hang some shiny hearts in the window. Bake some heart-shaped cookies! Yes, it might be silly, but it’s also fun. Celebrate the love in your life!
I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the month of love!
Karen
Here at TQPM, we’re prepared for the beginning of your New Year. First, you’ll find the list of winners from the Quilt Kitty contest. We have Part 2 of Donnely Barber’s Flutter By Me, and Part 1 of a new BOM from Rochelle Martin called Garden Beauties. We’ll begin a new workshop from Mary Marcotte, Stained Glass Workshop. Susan Claire- Mayfield has a new Big Block Quilt – Shoo Fly.
Mary Kay Davis designed a quilt to bring baby home, Baby Bear Hug, and Joan Bassett has a table runner called Faceted Stars. Inge Baum created a pair of quilts, Twin Twigs. I reviewed the book Embroidered Memories. Anna Branch shares A New Addiction. And Chris Hammacott shares a wonderful, new beginning in her life.
We’ve turned a new page in the journal of our life. This is our blank canvas upon which we can write or plan anything. There is an excitement about the thought of leaving the old behind and looking toward the future, where anything is possible. So why then, do we end up with the same life, year after year?
We set our goals too high. We overestimate the time available to us, and have a tendency to think we will suddenly become a different person. I’ve developed my own theory about the New Year. We must mesh who we are with what we want to do.
I’ve always wanted to make a Baltimore Album quilt. Looking at the time ahead of me, I imagine an entire year would be enough time to make one. Sure, it would, if I didn’t have to work, keep a house, take care of my family, have a social life and do the mending. We have to learn to set realistic goals. Instead of writing, “Make a Baltimore Album quilt”, at the top of my list, and go on to list more things, I revise it to say, “Make two Baltimore Album blocks”.
If I make two blocks, I’ve met my goal. If I make three or four, I’m ahead of the game, but, never do I feel like I’ve failed. We want to finish our New Year, crossing that last thing off the list, and looking triumphantly toward the next one!
May your New Year be filled with success and new learning experiences.
Karen
Editorial, Karen | Cindy M | 
May 8, 2013 8:53 am | 
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