Finding Inspiration

Many of you have asked where I get inspiration for designs? It's hard to say because design inspiration seems to just crop up everywhere! Friends and family inspire a lot of my stitchery designs. Today I'll share a couple of them with you.

First of all, a dear friend gave me this rustic heart for my birthday several years ago. 

The minute I saw it I visualized a quilt pattern, and went to work to create Rusty Garden Heart. This pattern has been one of my best sellers for several years. Success!

But alas, not all of my creative ideas are quite so great.

My sweet granddaughter is now married and has a 2 year old, but I recall a time when she was going through a particularly snippy spell.  She was 12 going on 25!

Now, Hailey has always been quite stylish and as cute as a bug. I took her 'attitude and style' at the time, and created this oh-so-clever wall-hanging. 

I was more pleased with it than just about anything else I had designed, and had total confidence that a thousand grandmothers would relate, and want to recreate and hang it in their own sewing room.  I created the pattern, took it to market & proudly displayed it prominently in our booth. Over the 3 day period, we sold a total of TWO patterns!

Bummer!  My favorite design wasn't a hit with anyone but ME (well, and two other ladies)!  To this day it hangs in my sewing room & makes me smile.

Design lesson: sometimes you design for the masses & sometimes you design only for ONE!    

 

Gimme 5 & Make It Scrappy

It's finally here and I can tell you the secret!

For several weeks now, I have been hinting at a new book coming and I can finally tell you all about it!

I'm thrilled to introduce our new pattern, designed by Scott Cribbs!

I love it when things seem to work with very little effort.  Here's the story of how this book came about.

For quite some time I have pleaded with my son, Scott to develop some of his quilt ideas into patterns.  They are amazing!

Terry Skrabanek invited me to teach at Lone Star Quiltworks and I promised to come up with something special.

One morning Scott and I decided we would simplify one of his star designs.  Ok, ok...here is how that should actually read.  One morning I hounded my son so long that he finally gave in and simplified one of his star designs.  We loved it and we had our pattern!

Terry filled three days of classes with ladies willing to make...well, they didn't know what!  They only knew it needed 5 fabrics.  They were all so delightful and and extremely patient while working without a written pattern.  Quilters are truly wonderful people.

This was probably the most fun I have had bringing a new pattern to life.  Maybe it's because I wasn't the only one in the birthing room!

Take a look at the finished product!  Then see if you recognize any of the beautiful ladies at Lone Star Quiltworks who tested Gimme 5 & Make It Scrappy.

We are now taking pre-orders for the book.  Click here to read all about it!  You can also see it at International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival in just a couple of weeks!  We'll be in Booth 1027.  Stop by and see all of our new designs!

Blessings,