Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 15 Blog Tour

Welcome quilters! Thank you for stopping by Shadows of the Blue Ridge as you travel Quiltmaker's Road Rally! I hope you're having a great time this week visiting all the stops and soaking in the quilty goodness.

Today I get to share with you my newest block, Boxed Star. Boxed Star came about as I was experimenting with creating secondary design using the background space on a quilt block. The first few blocks I designed had plain backgrounds, but I've enjoyed learning how to add secondary patterns to my newest blocks. Here is what Boxed Star looks like as a single block:

Boxed Star

Not bad, and it can certainly be used as a stand alone block as it is here it is in my Random Sampler quilt (center of left edge-made using caramel and tan fabrics)

This is a sampler quilt top that I've recently finished

However, the magic really happens when Boxed Star is used across a quilt top either with or without sashing added. I created these two mock-ups by copying a picture of my block into Google Drawing and then copy/pasting it several times.

Boxed Star quilt top without sashing

When the Boxed Star block is used without sashing the background elements become the focus and the stars becomes the secondary design element. It's always so interesting to see this happen in a quilt. When sashing is used between the blocks (see picture below) the star remains as the focal point and the various boxes are the secondary design element.

Boxed Star quilt top with sashing

Boxed Star is my sixth block to appear in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks. When I first thought to design a block I was a bit afraid to actually submit something. After all I'm not someone schooled in design. However, once I pulled out my colored pencils and graph paper and just started sketching ideas I had fun with it - and surprised myself! We all have things we're afraid of, or that make us nervous. Of course, the silliest fear I have is parking in a parking garage. Can you believe it?!? I'm so afraid I'll get my car parked in there and not be able to get back out again. I mean, what if it's an unmanned garage that only takes cash and I don't have correct change? Do you see where I'm going with this? I could be stuck in there with no way to get out! It makes my hands sweat just thinking about it...but, I digress.

Fat quarter giveaway!

Giveaways:
I think it's time for a couple of giveaways! I'm holding a drawing for a copy of 100 Blocks, Volume 15 plus this little spring-time inspired fat quarter bundle (shown above).

In addition, the editors of Quiltmaker's are generously giving one of my blog readers a free issue of 100 Blocks, Volume 15.

For a chance to win just leave a comment telling me about your silliest fear :o) I'll draw random winners on Sunday morning, May 7. Note: If you suspect you may be a "no reply" blogger please make sure to include your email address in your comment.

Well friends, thanks so much for stopping by and letting me tell you all about Boxed Star.  I'd love to see you back here again. If you'd like regular updates from Shadows of the Blue Ridge consider signing up for an email subscription (top right of your screen), or you can follow me on Bloglovin'. You can also find me on Instagram. 

I hope you soak in a lot of inspiration as you visit all the blogs on the tour. You can read about the tour and find links to the featured blogs on Quiltmaker's blog, Quilty Pleasures. 

Inspiration - Nordic Style

Do you ever ponder where inspiration comes from? I enjoy thinking about that sometimes...looking at things I've made and reflecting on where the idea came from.

Nordic throw with a matching pillow

Early last fall I received a Country Curtains catalog and saw this picture of a cozy and inviting Christmas bedroom. I was dreaming of how perfect something this look would be in the guest room of our log home :o) I just knew that great Nordic throw would be the perfect companion for my All Points North quilt block.

Festive Christmas bedroom - Country Curtains catalog

I purposely kept my Christmas making to a minimum this year because of all the time being spent on preparations for our log home. However, if you're a maker then you know it just doesn't feel like Christmas if you don't have at least one handmade gift to give ;o) This pillow was a nice project to occupy myself during the evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Deep saturated reds and inky black fabrics gave a nice crisp look to this Nordic-style block.

All Points North - Nordic style

The background fabric was a fun departure from my comfort zone - my first inclination was to play it safe and use Kona bone (a solid fabric), but I have long admired printed background fabric in the work of others. I decided to go for it and pulled from my stash the red/cream Purebred Derby Preakness paint-by-number fabric from one of my favorite designers, Erin Michael. It adds a fun layer of dimension to the pillow.

The beautiful hand work of Mary Dugan (Molly Flanders Makes blog) enticed me to quilt this with big stitches using perle 8 cotton. Hand quilting is a comfortable, slow process that allows me to sit in the living room with my husband in the evenings instead of at my sewing machine.

Envelope-style back with buttonhole stitch trim

My favorite way to make a pillow back is the simple envelope style. I always plan on a generous overlap and usually use 2/3 of the pillow dimension for my fabric measurements - this ensures no pillow insert peeking out. To add just a touch of cozy to the back I added machine buttonhole stitch to sew down the binding across the back.

This was a satisfying final project for 2016 and has been gifted to a sweet friend. I think that cozy Christmas bedroom picture provided just the inspiration I needed :o)

As 2016 comes to a happy close I'm looking forward to what 2017 brings. Hopefully, a move into our log home for my family! What are you hoping for in the New Year?

Blessings,
~ Debbie

Cabin update & contest winner

I've been thinking that's it's time for a cabin update! Would you like to see how our Katahdin Cedar Log Home is coming along? Join me for a tour :o)

Loving the green shingles and window trim!

This picture was taken about a month ago. Our builders, Cabin Run Construction, are doing such a nice job! The roofing is complete and all windows are installed in this picture. The log walls are ready for the finish/protective sealer to be applied. We've decided to go with Perma-Chink in the Cedar colorway; this seems like a natural choice since our home is built with cedar logs from Maine.

Door into great room

This side door leads into the great room. I'm sure we'll use it a lot for fire wood :o) I'm so glad we decided to wrap the decking around the side of the house. The original plan was to just have a front porch and a back deck. But once we saw how the land would be graded around the house we opted to have this decking to connect the front and back. It's one of my favorite features.

Sliding glass door on back of house

From the living room to the back deck we opted for a sliding glass door instead of a swinging patio door. This decision was based mostly on my thinking that a sliding door takes up less floor space to operate.

Deck off the back of the house

We kept the deck off the back of the house a cozy size. This picture shows how it covers the patio door leading into the lower level. Both panels of the patio door are functional in order to allow large items to be moved in and out with ease. We won't have a carport or garage for awhile so the lower level will need to store kayaks and garden equipment. Since the back is the shady side of the house we had a concrete pad poured under the deck to prevent a muddy mess.

Quadra-Fire Wood Fireplace

In the great room the living area is to the left and the dining space to the right. We had a wood burning insert installed in the fireplace for maximum efficiency. This unit has an internal fan and a burn time of up to 16 hours. We are going with native field stone cut to a thin veneer and hope to do a rough hewn mantle. That big pile of wood to the right is actually cedar paneling. Katahdin log homes are built using what they call the energy envelope system. The inside of the house will be lined with rigid foam insulation and then covered with the cedar paneling. So, it looks as if you are seeing the inside of the logs, but it's actually the cedar paneling. This greatly increases the R value of the walls.

Looking the other direction...

When you turn around and look the other direction you can see the other rooms of the cabin. On the upper level there is a guest bedroom to the back with a loft and 3/4 bathroom in front. On the lower level the kitchen will be to the left with the front entry hall/mudroom and master bathroom behind. To the right is the master bedroom, laundry closet, and a small office. That yellow LVL beam will be encased to make it more attractive :o)

This is pretty much where we stand right now. We'd hoped to be moving in by the end of the year, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen now. We've been busy picking out appliances, fixtures, and flooring. The decisions are both fun and a bit stressful; knowing these products are expensive, and must last a long time puts pressure to make wise choices.

Okay - now for the results of the Quiltmaker's 100 Block Volume 14 drawing! The Random Number Generator chose No. 18! The winner is Bonnie and she sent me her mailing information which I've forwarded to Quiltmakers. Congratulations Bonnie!





Thank you all for celebrating my block, Order in the Court, with me. If you end up making one I'd love it if you'd tag me! I've already submitted a design for inclusion in Volume 15 which will be published in the spring ~ wish me luck :o)

Order in the Court by Debbie Martin

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 14 Blog Tour

Welcome friends! It's one of the most wonderful times of the year - Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks blog tour! Twice a year I relish sitting down with my computer and a hot cup of tea and blog hopping to read about the creative inspiration behind the blocks that appear in Quiltmaker's new issue. I bet you love to do the same thing and that's why you're here :o)

I am so thrilled to have my block, Order in the Court, included in Volume 14. Can you see how it got it's name? It should look like a cousin to the block known as Courthouse Steps.

Order in the Court

Order in the Court came about as the result of a challenge I put together during Quiltmaker's Volume 12 blog hop this time last year. I asked visitors to tell me their favorite quilt block when they left a comment, and said I may use that as a jumping off point for a new design. Far and away the favorite block of most was the log cabin. I previously submitted a block, Flowers for the Cabin, to Quiltmaker's Volume 13 designed around the log cabin block; you can read more about it here if you're interested. In keeping with the challenge I tried everything I could think of for another design with a log cabin block, but just couldn't come up with anything. I was starting to think I'd have to move to something else for inspiration. Then, I got to thinking about the Courthouse Steps block, and how it's a sister to the log cabin block. Ahhh...Courthouse Steps. Now this block showed some promise.

After sketching out some ideas I started cutting fabric. I knew I wanted my block to have a fun little center, but wasn't sure just what it should be. Here are a couple variations I tried:

My first attempt included a small friendship star in the center with contrasting fabric

Since star blocks came in a close second to log cabin I thought a simple friendship star might work for the center. I also thought I'd like to use contrasting fabric to really draw attention to the center, but this just wasn't speaking to me.

Second option was to use a small shoefly as the center; still using high contrast colors

Next, I thought a small shoefly in the center would be cute. I do like this, but the colors were just not right so I set the block aside to ponder more options.

Final version with a square in a square center - just right :o)

Home one day because of a snow storm, I pulled some pretty fabric scraps in softer colors, and sat down to play with them. The always versatile square in a square came about, and seemed to be just the right center for this Order in the Court block. Although, I bet if I changed out the fabrics any of these three options would work fine.

Order in the Court as a quilt top

Here's a picture to give an idea what Order in the Court would look like as a quilt top. Pretty fun! Rather than looking like courthouse steps it turns out more like chunky plus signs. Don't you love how the look of a block changes when you combine them? I don't have any special software, so this picture was made in Google Drawings by just copying and pasting.

How about a giveaway?! Quiltmaker's is generously giving one of my blog readers a free issue of 100 Blocks, Volume 14. For a chance to win leave me a comment telling me about your holiday sewing - do you enjoy making homemade gifts? Are you an early starter, or a last minute crafter? Any good go-to gift ideas you want to share? :o) If you suspect you may be a "no reply" blogger please make sure to include your email address in your comment. I'll draw a random winner on Saturday morning, November 19.

Well friends, thanks so much for stopping by and letting me tell you all about Order in the Court. I hope you soak in a lot of inspiration as you visit all the blogs on the tour. You can read about the tour and find links to the featured blogs on Quiltmaker's blog, Quilty Pleasures. 

I hope you've enjoyed stopping by :o) I'd love to see you back here again. If you'd like regular updates from Shadows of the Blue Ridge consider signing up for an email subscription (top right of your screen), or you can find me on Bloglovin'.

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Magazine Drawing Winner!

What an exciting week this has been! I hope you've enjoyed visiting each of the blogs for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 13 block designers...I know I have :o) It's always fun to read about the design process of a quilt block ~ and get some layout options!

Flowers for the Cabin

If you make Flowers for the Cabin I sure hope you'll stop by my blog and let me know, or tag me on flickr or Instagram so I'll be sure to see it!

For the magazine drawing I asked readers to tell me about their sewing machines - what they like, what they don't like. I read about many great machines, from featherweights all the way up to mid-arm machines. Thanks for sharing your insights with me!

I used the Random Number Generator to pick a winner for an issue of 100 Blocks Volume 13 to be sent directly from Quiltmaker's. 

The winner is No. 110!! Hooray!! I've sent Karan an email to let her know she is the magazine winner from my drawing.

Our log cabin begins!

To add to the excitement of the week here is the very first progress shot of our log cabin! One of our future neighbors snapped this photo and sent it to us this morning! We can't wait to go by and see. Hopefully there will be many more pictures to share through the summer. 

Thanks again for joining me as we celebrate 100 Blocks Volume 13! I hope to see you stop by my blog again ~ If you are not already following Shadows of the Blue Ridge you can sign up using Bloglovin, Follow by Email, or Google Friends Connect. All these options are available on the top right sidebar. If you do, be sure to leave a comment so I know you are a new follower :o) Hope you have a great week!

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol. 13 Blog Hop!

Welcome quilting friends! How fun to have you join me for the opening day of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Vol. 13 Blog Hop :o) I'm so thrilled to have my fourth block included in Quiltmaker's biannual collection of quilt blocks. To add to the fun my block appears on the cover - WooHoo!!

First, I'm so happy to introduce my block, Flowers for the Cabin. Maybe you can see why it has this name?

The intentional selection and placement of floral fabric = Flowers

The use of log cabin piecing to create the basket = for the Cabin

Flowers for the Cabin

I have to say this issue of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks contained quite a surprise for me. I was not at all expecting to see this block when I opened my designer preview issue of Volume 13 about a month ago. You see, Flowers for the Cabin has a bit of a backstory which can be found here if you're interested.

Flowers for the Cabin makes a perfect springtime block using the light pinks and crisp white fabrics shown above. In my area of the country we have a huge celebration each spring called the Apple Blossom Festival and these fabric are perfect for it :o)

However, Flowers for the Cabin can easily become a basket of flowers suited for the harvest season by changing out the floral fabric, as shown in this example:

Flowers for the Cabin

I think a Flowers for the Cabin block would make a perfect center for a medallion quilt. Or, maybe use it in a four-block arrangement like one of the examples shown below. I just pasted an image of my block in Google Slides and copies/rotated/added colored squares to create these mock-ups. 

Four-block layout options

How about a drawing?! Quiltmaker's is generously giving one of my blog readers a free issue of 100 Blocks, Volume 13. For a chance to win leave me a comment telling me about your sewing machine: Love it? Hate it? Have your eye on a particular model? I hope to upgrade my machine in about a year and I'd love to have input on machines to consider :o) If you suspect you may be a "no reply" blogger please make sure to include your email address in your comment. I'll draw a random winner on Saturday morning, May 7.

Don't miss out on all the other blogs featured in the tour. They can be found on Quilty Pleasures blog. I can't wait to fix a cup of tea and enjoy the hop myself!

I hope you've enjoyed stopping by :o) I'd love to see you back here again. If you'd like regular updates from Shadows of the Blue Ridge consider signing up for an email subscription (top right of your screen), or you can find me on Bloglovin'.

Surprises along the way

Every once in awhile isn't it fun how something totally unexpected happens? Just a fun little surprise out of the blue. Back on March 2nd I received an email from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks that one of my block submissions had been accepted for publication in the upcoming Volume 13 issue.

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Vol. 13

This email caught me off guard because I actually just mailed off a block for consideration in Vol. 14, but I had missed the earlier Vol. 13 submission window. I thought, "Wow! How fun that they accepted my block and moved it up to an earlier issue." This news caused me to very quickly design and send in yet another block that would hopefully be included in Vol. 14 which comes out in the fall.

Yesterday I came home from school (teacher, not student) and found the package of magazine issues Quiltmaker's generously sends to each block designer. I quickly started paging through the issue looking for my block. Boy-oh-boy was I surprised when I found it! I can't wait to share with you what I discovered! You'll have to join me on Monday, May 2 (kick-off day for the blog hop!) to find out :o)

False Starts and the Design Process

What do these little cuties have in common? They are rejects...all three of them.

3" Quilt blocks

Last November when I participated in the Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks blog hop for my block, All Points North, I asked readers to leave me a comment with the name of their favorite quilt block. I thought it would be fun to use one of the suggested blocks as a jumping off point for a new design. It was fun to read the suggestions and there was a nice variety of blocks named. I'd never heard of some of them and had fun looking the blocks up online to find pictures.

Favorite blocks from my blog readers

As you can see from the list log cabin is the clear winner followed by star blocks and churn dash. Well gosh...it was hard to ignore the fact that the log cabin is so popular. Up to this point my method for designing quilt blocks has been to take a traditional block and find some way to modify it. But really, what could I do to change up a log cabin quilt block? I've already modified a star block (All Points North), and a churn dash (Dashing Geese) so I felt like I should give the log cabin block a try.

For two months I have been sketching and mulling over what I could do. I was just about ready to admit defeat and move on to a second choice when all of a sudden inspiration hit! Funny enough I was taking a shower...what is it about showers that helps to clarify thinking? This has happened to me more than once.

I sketched out a couple different variations of my idea in my sketch book then got to sewing. In the process I made the three little reject blocks up at the top of this post. My dear friend, M, was pulled into the review process for a second set of eyes :o) On the first couple tries either the colors just were not right, or the pattern didn't look the way I thought it would in the finished block. It took a bit of ripping and replacing elements to get everything just right. I also put to good use Leanne's (She Can Quilt) post for how to replace a piece in a completed quilt block. Thank goodness I could refer to this post so I didn't have to start from scratch!

I'm so excited to say I have a block stitched up and ready to send in the mail for possible inclusion in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 14 which will come out next November. It will be several months before I hear whether or not it is selected ~ wish me luck :o)

And the winner is...

Such an exciting week this has been! I hope you've enjoyed visiting each of the blogs for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 12 block designers...I know I have :o) It's always fun to learn the inspiration behind the design of a quilt block ~ and how the designers come up with ideas. Such talented ladies they are!

If you make All Points North I sure hope you'll stop by my blog and let me know, or tag me on flickr or Instagram so I'll be sure to see it!

All Points North quilt block

For the magazine drawing I asked readers to tell me what is their very favorite quilt block. Wow did I find a wealth of inspiration in the blocks you've named! I'm going to see if I can use one of your favorites to come up with a new variation. The stand out favorite is the humble log cabin block. Whereas this block has a lot of versatility with regard to layout I'm not so sure about finding something to actually change about the block itself. But you never know...I've already been sketching! I'll keep you posted :o) 

I used the Random Number Generator to pick a winner for an issue of 100 Blocks Volume 12 to be sent directly from Quiltmaker's. 

The winner is No. 72!! Hooray!! I've sent Joye an email to let her know she is the magazine winner from my drawing.

Thanks again for joining me as we celebrate 100 Blocks Volume 12! I hope to see you stop by my blog again ~ If you are not already following Shadows of the Blue Ridge you can sign up using Bloglovin, Follow by Email, or Google Friends Connect. All these options are available on the top right sidebar. If you do, be sure to leave a comment so I know you are a new follower :o) Hope you have a great week!

Blog Tour ~ Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 12

Welcome quilting friends! I'm so happy to have you visit my blog :o) Quiltmaker's blog tours are always a good time ~ you're sure to find lots of inspiration as you visit all the stops!

All Points North is the name I chose for my block, and you can find it in 100 Blocks Volume 12 as block No. 1186. About the time I was planning a new block to submit to Quiltmaker's I was admiring all the Nordic snowflake blocks that were cropping up around quilting social media sites, so I used that basic block design as my jumping off point. My block is a cross between the snowflake block and a Tulip Lady Finger block. I combined dimensions from the snowflake block with the piecing method of the Tulip Lady Finger.  Then, as has become my design method I evaluated the negative (background) areas to see what I could add to the block and ended up with the chevrons.

All Points North ~ designed by Debbie Martin

My goal was a block that would create a secondary design, or a totally different look when repeated across a quilt top. In order to see what it would look like as a complete quilt top I inserted a photo of All Points North into Google Slides. Then I copied and pasted multiple times to create a mock-up of a top.

All Points North ~ quilt top mock-up

I was delighted to see that when the block is repeated over the quilt top the background almost becomes the noticeable pattern and the Tulip Lady Fingers become the background! So fun!!

My quilting sketch book ~ drafts of All Points North

My typical design process begins with my grid paper composition notebook and a package of colored pencils. I sketch out my idea and begin coloring. If you look at this page you can see I used half-square triangles the first time I added the chevrons. The second time I changed to flying geese.

I also experimented with the placement of the chevrons. I chose to keep them closer to the edge of the block (top drawing) since my goal was to create a secondary design. I thought this would be more evident if the chevrons matched points when multiple blocks are sewn together.



Once I have the design finalized I draw it again on 12" square Quilter's Rule paper so I can see what it looks like at full size. Doing this helps ensure I cut my fabric to the correct dimensions when I make a test block.

Full size sketch of All Points North

Here's a picture of All Points North the first time I made it. If you look closely you can see I used the half-square triangles for the chevrons. It was after making this test block I decided to switch to the flying geese in order to reduce the number of seams.

All Points North using traditional fabric

Maybe seeing how a piece of grid paper and colored pencils are all you need to design a quilt block has inspired you to try your hand at design. If so, I hope you'll let me know! 

Quiltmaker's is generously giving one of my blog readers a free issue of 100 Blocks, Volume 12. To be entered into the drawing just leave me a comment telling me what is your favorite quilt block - maybe I will use it as a jumping off point for a new design :o) If you suspect you may be a "no reply" blogger please make sure to include your email address in your comment. I'll draw a random winner on Sunday evening, November 22.

I hope you've enjoyed stopping by :o) Don't miss out on all the other blogs featured in the tour. They can be found on Quilty Pleasures blog.

100 Blocks Blog Tour Magazine Winner!!

Such an exciting week this has been! I hope you've enjoyed visiting each of the blogs for Quiltmaker's 100 Block, Volume 10 block designers...I know I have :o) It's fun to learn the inspiration behind the design of a quilt block. Learning about how the block testers contribute to the process was interesting, too! Such patient and talented ladies they are!

For the magazine drawing I asked readers to tell me how long they've been quilting and how they got started. Wow did I enjoy reading the stories you shared with me! I have to admit that more than one of them brought tears to my eyes. It is so wonderful how quilting has brought together people from across the generations and given family and friends a vehicle to create bonds. 

I used the Random Number Generator to pick a winner for an issue of Volume 10 to be sent directly from Quiltmaker's. 

The winner is No. 149!! Hooray!! I've sent Verna an email to let her know she is the magazine winner from my drawing. 

Verna blogs over at The Quilting Loon...go check out a few of her quilts. I believe we can read about the pretty quilt she mentions in her comment here.

I'm so thankful for each person who took the time to visit my blog and leave a comment about Nested Bear Paw. Wishing a blessed and happy Thanksgiving to all :o)

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 10 Blog Tour

My block made the front cover :o)

{Welcome Friends}

What a privilege it is to be part of the monumental tenth issue of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks. This publication provides such a wonderful opportunity for both new and experienced designers to share their creative ideas. This is the second issue I've had a block in...the first was my Dashing Geese block in Volume 9.

I'm over-the-moon about finding my block, Nested Bear Paw, on the front cover! There may have been some dancing around the house when I learned of this :o)




Here's a larger picture of Nested Bear Paw (Block 982, p. 59) so you can get a better look at it:

Nested Bear Paw by Debbie Martin

Inspiration for the Nested Bear Paw quilt block came from a wool felt wall hanging I designed and made. Inside each large bear paw is a smaller set of paws.

Wool felt wall hanging designed & stitched by Debbie Martin

When making this design with wool felt it was pretty straight forward to get the layout to work; however, when it came to translating it into a quilt block I had to rethink the dimensions in order to get the small set of paws to fit inside the larger paw. It took me a while to get this figured out.

This is a block that lends itself to both modern and traditional quilts. When making my block for the magazine (picture above) I used Moda's Puzzle Pieces in Jacquard Black for the background and P&B Textiles Color Weave in Orange and Light Aqua for the paws. These fabrics tend to have a modern feel.

Showing that Nested Bear Paw is also a block friendly with more traditional quilts I used reproduction fabric when I put together a wall hanging to send in for the Designers Gallery (page 16.) 

Nested Bear Paw wall hanging by Debbie Martin

Fabrics for this mini quilt include Amity and Love Knots from the Ladies Album collection by Barbara Brackman, and Hope Chest by Laundry Basket Quilts - all from Moda Fabrics. Here's how Nested Bear Paw would look as a full size bed quilt:

I used photo editing software to create this

Quiltmaker's is generously giving one of my blog readers a free issue of 100 Blocks, Volume 10. To be entered into the drawing just leave me a comment telling me how long you've been quilting and how you got started. If you suspect you may be a "no reply" blogger please make sure to include your email address in your comment. I'll draw a random winner on Friday evening, November 21.

Thank you so much for stopping by Shadows of the Blue Ridge :o) If you'd like to follow my blog in the upper right side bar are options for BlogLovin', email, and Google Friends Connect. I hope you are enjoying this special week and visiting the blogs of many block designers, as well as sponsors to the blog tour!

Quiltmaker's Excitement is in the Air!

Can you feel it? There's a buzz in the air...Quiltmaker's 100 Block Volume 10 has arrived in stores! My local quilt shop, The Scrappy Apple, reports issues of Volume 10 are selling fast and furious. 

To celebrate reaching the 10 issue milestone Quiltmaker's put together a fun video. Click the video image to watch it.

Note: I am not in the video

Join me back here on Wednesday, November 19 to play along on Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks blog hop...I'll share a bit of background on my block and hold a drawing for a free issue of the magazine. See you on Wednesday!

Ten, 10, X

Ten...that's how many issues of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks are now in print. That means 1,000 quilt blocks have been designed, submitted and published. Wow!! Now that's impressive :o) Even cause for a celebration!!

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, Volume 10

Admittedly, I am late to join in on the 100 Blocks fun with Dashing Geese in Volume 9 being my first submission and acceptance. To have a block included in the milestone tenth issue is, to me, quite an honor. 

Something I appreciate about this publication is the opportunity it provides for anyone to experiment with designing. For quite a while I would mull over how I could follow patterns created by others and come out with a beautiful product, but wonder if I had any capacity to design. I so appreciate the vision that designers have...looking at things in ways not previously thought of. How fun to know, that even on a small scale, I can design an original quilt block.

I hope you'll join in November 17 - 21 for the blog hop tour! Stop by my blog on Wednesday, November 19 for details on my block and fun give-aways :o)

p.s. My block made the front cover of the magazine!! Wow, how fun it was to discover that...I may have squealed and danced around a bit :o) Can you guess which one it is? I won't tell until the blog hop...hope to see you then!

An Extra Day in the Sun :o)

I'm still enjoying a bit of fun from my participation in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks, vol. 9. The school where I teach uses a video broadcast for morning announcements each day. On Friday's there is a special segment called "Trojan Spotlight" which features an interview of a student or a teacher who has done something special. Some of the past participants have:

• shot their first buck...a major milestone in the life of a tweenager/teenager :o)
• set a record in a district sporting event
• participated in community theatre

As you can see it takes a lot to be invited to appear on Trojan Spotlight! Being a published quilt block designer qualified me ;o)

Of course I had to make up a new sample of Dashing Geese to show on camera since the prize pillow I'd made for the blog hop has already been sent to it's new home.

Dashing Geese

I thought I should use something nice and bright to appeal to my younger middle-school-age audience. This DS Quilts flower print and Cherry Rain by Timeless Treasures fit the bill just right! 

All participants on Trojan Spotlight get a Trojan Spirit t-shirt. At this point in the year the only sizes left were small and X-large. Neither of which are a good fit for me. I've been wondering what I'm going to do with the t-shirt when it came to me...use it to turn the Dashing Geese block into a pillow!

The bright red is almost a perfect match for the Cherry Rain print of the geese. I'll use the screen printing to be the back of the pillow and the rest of the knit fabric can be used for borders. What fun this will be! 

Hope you have a great weekend!