Still Staying Safe

And it looks like we may be doing this for a few more weeks, depending upon where you live. I keep telling myself that we will get through this and we will. Stay strong, people.

I learned something the other day. Apparently I am on trend in the fashion industry. I told my daughter that I am basically wearing the same 7 short sleeve v-neck shirts and black capri pants every week; she, in turn, told me that I have a capsule wardrobe. Who knew that was a fashion trend??? Honestly, I am quite tired of my capsule wardrobe and look forward to the moment I get to go out and wear a nice blouse and pants! This capsule wardrobe is probably going to be donated to Goodwill as soon as this is over!

I also learned that ear piercing holes don't grow over in 2 weeks! It's been that long since I've worn earrings! 

Paula hit the warehouse the other day and located our fat quarter bundles. We don't usually sell fabric on our website, but we decided to change it up a bit and have added 3 bundles to our website. Here's a picture of each bundle and a link to the website.

Mood in Blue fat quarter bundle

Mood in Blue  - 19 fat quarters

Chatham Row fat quarter bundle

 

18 fat quarters

Hill Country Heritage fat quarter bundle

22 fat quarters

I thought as long as I'm sharing things from the website, I'd share our Tree of Life quilt that is in the Blue & White Quilts book from Martingale Publishing. We were so honored to be part of this book. I'm sure many of you have already purchased the book and are trying to decide which one you want to make for yourself (or as a gift). We can make that happen for you with the Tree of Life quilt. We have a kit and it includes all of the Star Single HST papers that you will need for all of those HST's. (I promise not to tell you how many.) Kits are available with the book or without. We are also selling copies of the book.
 

Blue & White Quilts book

 

Tree of Life quilt kit

And finally, watch Facebook and Instagram on Monday for the Marcus Fabrics designers (Marcus Block Stars) new program : Heroic Hearts. We have something planned to help you celebrate the heroes, your heroes, that are fighting to help us all as we weather this pandemic.

Until next time, stay safe and create!
Mary Ellen

Staying Safe

Stay safe, self-isolate, social distancing - these are all words we've heard frequently in the past few weeks. The coronavirus has arrived and it has changed our world significantly. I pray that none of you are dealing with Covid-19 first hand. We are all trying to find ways to deal with this daily threat - humor, prayer, avoiding the news, etc. I've enjoyed the memes on Facebook and as a retired librarian, particularly the ones about homeschooling. Laughter does help to ease the tension, even if it's only for a few moments.

I congratulate and thank all of the quilters that have stepped in with sew-alongs on Instagram and the tutorials for making face masks. I question the people that are hoarding food and toilet paper (why??). This is a time when we should be coming together as a country and helping each other out. If we work together, we will get through this.

For me, social distancing is a way of life. I spend the majority of my day in my sewing room working on quilts and projects for Red Crinoline Quilts and I love every moment of it. I should probably take some of that time and organize my sewing room or something along those lines, but I'm very happy doing what I do; well until I had issues with the cabinet near my sewing table. Dang wheel broke and I had to unload the whole thing so I can figure out how to fix it. That wouldn't have been too much of a problem, but my husband had to assist with the unloading. Really didn't ever want him to see all those kits that are stored in the bottom drawer!! Now you have to understand that I have a room full of fabric, but somehow having him see me pull all of those kits out of that drawer just gave me a fright. I was just waiting for the comments and there were so many he could make, but fortunately he kept it to - wheel probably broke because that drawer was so heavy. I agreed and moved on quickly!! Time to reorganize that cabinet when I figure out how to fix it!

Aside from the cabinet issue, I've been busy working on quilts from Paula's new collection - Madison Square. This collection should be in stores around May 1st. We decided to make 2 quilts from these yummy pinks and browns - a re-do of Pinwheel Triangles and a new quilt, Madison Waltz. Pinwheel Triangles is one of the quilts in the pattern, Red Crinoline's Favorites Collection #4. There are 3 small quilts in each of our Favs patterns and we now have 7 of them. It's an easy quilt - just HST's and a border. And even easier when someone makes all of the HST's for you - thank you Paula! Here's a picture of our latest version.

Madison Waltz is currently being pieced, but here's a picture of the fabrics we're using. Don't you just love that border??

We will have kits for both quilts when the fabric is available. I've linked both the fabric collection and the pattern for you. 

Up next will be quilts for Paula's next two collections: Indigo and Madder (7-1-20) and Little Companions Shirtings (8-1-20). I fell in love with the large floral for Indigo and Madder and can't wait to start our re-do of Star of the West. I don't think Paula has designed a quilt for Little Companion Shirtings just yet, but it won't be long. I've linked the two collections to the Marcus Fabrics website so you can see all of the fabrics, but here's a little peak at Indigo and Madder and it's quilt. (Sorry about the blurriness in the quilt picture.) 

So many pretty things to look at. I hope it helped to relieve the stress and tension of these crazy times just a little. Please stay safe. Practice social distancing - if not for yourselves, then for the people around you.

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Plans change

Unfortunately the coronavirus has struck again. The Dallas Quilt Show has been cancelled. Paula learned that this morning on her way to the show to sell kits to all our wonderful, loyal customers. It is a crazy time we are going through, but this too shall pass and all will be right in the world again. We totally understand the reason for cancelling and credit the Quilter's Guild of Dallas for their valiant attempt at making a go of it. Here's a couple of pictures to share of what you would have seen in the booth. Another beautiful set up and display from Paula.

So as we all settle in for self-isolation, self-quarantine and spatial distancing (what they are doing where my daughter works - separate the employees in the office), check out our website and order the kit you were considering and make yourself happy with a new project. Order a pattern and dive into that stash to make your own version. If I had extra toilet paper, I would even tell you we would throw in a roll of tp with each order, but I can't even offer that!! Pick a good show to binge and relax and take advantage of this time if you can. I realize many of you will be heavily impacted by schools closing and workplaces closing, but we are strong and will get through this.

 Red Crinoline Quilts

We are still planning our retreat for next week and I will share the pretty things we will be working on. Post pictures of what you are creating - quilting, knitting, crocheting, painting, etc. - share it all!

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

Weekends

Weekends are made for fun. Paula and I recently spent a great weekend at our retreat at Camp Blanding in Starke, FL. 100+ women in a very large room in the Armory building that sits right on beautiful Kinsgley Lake. You certainly can't find a better location. It's a great 3 days of fun, food, friends and a little bit of sewing. We definitely have fun, but we don't always get a lot done and that's ok. I thought I would share some of the beautiful quilts these ladies were making while we were there.

Congratulations Diane on your completion of Bristle Creek Farmhouse! It's beautiful!!

This is Darlene's Dear Jane quilt and it is gorgeous. She's still working on it.

Congratulations Geraldine on your very first quilt!! This is for her grandson.

Diane F. did a fabulous job on Latte. I remembering watching her doing some of the embroidery!

Laurie's Circa 1880 Nine Patch by Pam Buda is well within sight of a finish. One more retreat and it should be completed!! Way to go Laurie.

Karla designed this mini and it's just adorable.

And now for upcoming weekends - Paula will be vending at the Dallas Quilt Show this weekend - March 13-15th. Sponsored by the Quilter's Guild of Dallas, this show is always filled with good vendors and beautiful quilts. We've been vending here for at least 12 years and have always enjoyed it - even the year of the flood!! I'll actually been there on Sunday to help Paula with load out and the drive back to Houston because we have another retreat starting on Monday. This time we'll be with some fellow designers at And Sew It Began retreat house and shop in LaPorte, TX. Our good friend, Ronda Stockton, owns And Sew It Began and let me just say, it is a fabulous retreat house and the shop is adorable and chocked full of things you just need to take home with you. Guess I'll be bringing an empty suitcase for this one!

Here's the info on the show:

Dallas Quilt Show

March 13-15, 2020

Friday, Saturday - 10:00 - 5:00

Sunday - 12:00 - 5:00

Dallas Market Hall 

Paula will have kits for all of our newest quilts: Indigo Baskets of Plenty, Tree of Life, Woven Heritage, Second Hand Clothes, Crosstown Pavement, Ancient Stars, Jubilee Celebration, Remembering Sue, Anna Ella and the minis from RCQ Favs #7. Hope we'll see you there, but remember if you can't attend these kits are available on our website: 

Red Crinoline Quilts

I'm looking forward to our retreat. I can't wait to see what everyone else is going to be working on. Paula's fabric for Madison Square arrived, so I'll be working on our quilt, Madison Waltz. Madison Square is Paula's new pink and brown collection. I've linked pictures on Marcus Fabrics website, but here's the border. It's just yummy!

Paula has been busy designing, so watch for quilts in these collections very soon.

Can't wait to get my hands on these fabrics too!!

I thought you might want to see a couple pictures of my van packed for retreat. My husband took the van for gas before we left and when he returned he told me that he had moved something because he thought it blocked my view. Paula and I just smiled, thanked him and reminded ourselves of all the trips where Paula's truck pulled our trailer and we could never see out the back window!! That's what sideview mirrors are for!! Oh well, I can't complain, he filled up the gas tank for me and helped load all that stuff!

Until next time, happy quilting!

Mary Ellen

 

Time to Share

Well, it's been another couple of months since I last posted. Trust me, I have the best intentions, but life just seems to get in the way! Fall Market and Festival were great, the holidays were fantastic and the New Year is off to a bang. If you've been following us on Facebook or Instagram, you can see that I've been busy with a lot of personal sewing. Paula has 3 new collections in the works and we are waiting for her yardage to arrive so I can begin the quilts Paula has designed. You are going to love them - fabric and quilts!! Personally, I hate the waiting!! I want them now!!

One of my big accomplishments - actually 2 big accomplishments - were the Laura Heine quilts I made for my granddaughters for Christmas. Talk about stepping out of your comfort zone. These were truly a challenge for me, but they are done. Paula helped me - a lot - with the first one (the sloth), but I was on my own for number two (the unicorn). Plus I totally forgot the whole "steam" part of Steam A Seam and that totally messed me up when I went to quilt it. Let's just say it was a little ugly at my house through this whole process!! Lots of whining texts to friends. They were so happy when I was finally finished and apparently I'm not allowed to consider another one unless I have close supervision!

Without further ado, here they are: Sydney's sloth and Julianne's unicorn! PS - they loved them!!

  

For the rest of today's post, I would like to share some new additions to our website. We introduced a number of new quilts at Fall Market and Festival, but unfortunately for some, we didn't have the fabric yet for the kits and we took orders. We now have kits for all of the new quilts and I thought you might be interested in seeing them. I will also provide links to their pages on the website, in case you would like to place an order - no pressure!!

One of Paula's new collections this past year was Mood in Blue and she designed 2 new quilts with the fabric - Indigo Baskets of Plenty and Tree of Life, which is in the Blue and White Quilts book from Martingale.

Indigo Baskets of Plenty

Tree of Life

 

Paula's Companions was another new collection and she designed Crosstown Pavement with it and our RCQ Fav's #7 - which I will share later. Companions is a great collection of basic fabrics that work well in so many quilts.

Crosstown Pavement

 Our new Block of the Month program is Hill Country Heritage and Paula also designed Woven Heritage with that collection. Those 2 different borders are all part of one border stripe fabric. If you are interested in participating in the BOM program, but don't have a shop near you, please call us and we will find a shop for you. 

Hill Country Heritage Block of the Month

Woven Heritage

 Chatham Row was an earlier collection from last year and Paula's new design, Ancient Stars, and a re-do of Jubilee Celebration both feature it. The borders in the latest collections - Baltimore House, Chatham Row, Mood in Blue, and Hill Country Heritage have just been beautiful.

Ancient Stars

Jubilee Celebration

We always like to do a couple of re-do's for Festival, so this year we cleaned the warehouse and came up with a new version of Second Hand Clothes - 110 fabrics in this one. The year before we did a Christmas version of Evangeline, but this fall we went for a more Fall/Autumn version.  

Second Hand Clothes

Evangeline

 

 

 To see each quilt on the website, just click on the highlighted name in the post. If you want to see them in person, stop by the Dallas Quilt Show, March 13-15, 2020. Paula will be there as a vendor. I've also linked the fabric collections to the Marcus Fabrics website in case you want to see all of the fabrics in the collection.

Well, I think that's all for today. Check out our quilts on our website, where you can get a bigger picture of them.

Until next time. Happy quilting,
Mary Ellen

I Think We're Ready

Quilt Market is only 4 days away (Quilt Festival is just 8 days away) and I think I can safely say: "we are ready!" The quilts have all returned home after their glamour shots, the kits are cut and assembled, the fat quarter bundles are folded, stacked and tied, and the patterns are written and printed!The only thing left to do is load up the truck and head down to the George R. Brown Convention Center.

I thought you might enjoy seeing pictures of the quilts that will be seen at Festival. For Market, we only bring the newest quilts using Paula's collections, but for Festival we also bring the new versions of quilts that we have remade. So let's start the show.

Ancient Star features Paula's Chatham Row collection

Indigo Baskets of Plenty is a new version of our Baskets of Plenty pattern and features Mood in Blue.

Evangeline is a perfect Fall quilt. Browns, golds and blacks are featured in this re-do.

Crosstown Pavement is a great scrappy quilt using the new Companions collection

This year's Favs #7 features 3 small quilts using the Companions collection also

Jubilee Celebration is a new version and it features the Chatham Row collection

Second Hand Clothes is one of top selling patterns and it was time to bring it back in all of its scrappy glory

A patriotic version of our Simple Star

Woven Heritage offered us the opportunity to feature the elegant border stripe of the Hill Country Heritage collection

Many of you have asked when patterns and kits will be available for those of you not able to attend Festival. Patterns and kits will begin appearing on our website the week of November 11th.

If your coming to Festival, be sure to stop by Booth 1115 and say hello. We love when we get a chance to meet and visit with our loyal customers.

International Quilt Festival 

October 30 - November 3, 2019

George R. Brown Convention Center

Houston, TX

I'll try to post some pictures as we set up and throughout Market and Festival, but it does get a little crazy!

Until next time, happy quilting,

Mary Ellen

 

Market and Festival are Getting Closer

Apparently my calendar for the month of October is incorrect! I could have sworn that there was at least two weeks before Market, but I guess not!! I leave for Houston tomorrow afternoon and we set up for Market on October 24th! Where is that extra week??? Oh well, I guess we'll just have to be ready!!

I have good news to share - Blue and White Quilts by Martingale Publishing will be released December 2nd!! We are so excited to be part of the designers that were selected for this book. We had a picture of the cover and now we have a picture of our quilt, Tree of Life, that we can share. Here's the description of the book from the Martingale website:

   Crisp, calm, and captivating--experience the magic of blue & white! From the editors of the best seller Red & White Quilts comes a fresh take on another timeless color combination. Thirteen dreamy quilts from famed designers and collectors include a mix of exciting new designs and sentimental favorites, plus three antique treasures to remake using today's fabrics and techniques. From traditional Nine Patch and Album quilts to the pinnacle of patchwork, Tree of Life, enjoy spectacular blue & white quilts from:
Lissa Alexander . Lisa Bongean . Julie Hendricksen . Sherri McConnell . Camille Roskelley . Laurie Simpson . Helen Stubbings . Debbie Roberts . Jill Shaulis . Nancy Mahoney . Paula Barnes and Mary Ellen Robison
You'll be captivated by the creations that come from this humble two-color palette, as quilters have been for generations. It's an eternal classic that never goes out of style.

Love this cover!!

Our Tree of Life quilt

We will have kits for our Tree of Life quilt on our website in mid- November and books as soon as it is released!

We've been super busy over the past 2 months with Market and Festival quilts (my sewing machine is eagerly awaiting its idle time while I am in Houston), but both Paula and I managed to get in some family travel time and a retreat. Paula traveled to Denver, CO to visit her daughter Ashley and son-in-law Robert and trips to Breckenridge for Oktoberfest and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum were some of the highlights. What a surprise it was for Paula to see our Lancaster quilt hanging in the museum shop. It is their donation/raffle quilt. If you are interested in obtaining tickets, please contact the museum: 
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

Paula with Ashley and Robert

Paula and Ashley

Beautiful mountains in Breckenridge

Lancaster quilt at Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

I visited my daughter Megan, son-in-law Brian and adorable grandson Adam on my trip and got to spend the weekend enjoying Louisville. It was supposed to be both Peter and I, but we were in the potential path of a hurricane, so I got out of Dodge and Peter stayed to deal with Dorian. Luckily it skipped us this time. Hurricane season is almost over and looks like we've made it through unscathed!!

Adam, my Louisville cutie!

 
Watch for emails and future blog posts with all of our quilts for Market and Festival. Paula has four collections that will be featured at Market and we have completed quilts with kits for all of them!! Chatham Row (Ancient Stars and Jubilee Celebration), Hill Country Heritage (BOM and Woven Heritage), Paula's Companions (Pavement and Fav's #7) and Mood in Blue (Indigo Baskets of Plenty), plus re-do versions of Simple Star and Second Hand Clothes.  Wow, when I look at this list I am amazed at how much we've accomplished! It's no wonder my sewing machine is ready for some R&R!!

I shared pictures of Second Hand Clothes as I was working on it and we received some great comments. It is one of our favorite quilts and the pattern is one of our best sellers - 110 different fabrics, what's not to love! One of the comments also came with a picture. Ruth Ann Clark shared her hand-pieced, hand-quilted Second Hand Clothes that is on the full-size bed in their A-frame tent that she and her husband share as Civil War reenacters. Great job Ruth Ann and thank you for letting me share your picture!

Second Hand Clothes

Until next time, happy quilting,
Mary Ellen