Maggie's First Dance BOM - giveaway!

This is so exciting!

I'm always happy to be working on one of Jacquelynne Steves' wonderful patterns. This one is no exception -- there are so many ways to be creative here!

This pattern can be completed with embroidery, or applique, or even fussy-cut block centers, to showcase one of your favorite fabrics.

If you haven't signed up for this Block of the Month yet, hop over here (click on that link) and sign up quick!  Come on! What's not to like? Can we say F - R - E - E ?!!! Yes, this talented designer is sharing this with us for nothing! Nada! Zilch!

This is a photo that I snagged from Jacquelynne's blog, and look at how cute it is! If you like these fabrics, you'll need to hop over to her store and see if there are any kits left....they were selling fast.

Today all of the bloggers that are helping with this Block of the Month are introducing themselves to you. I hope you will hop over to Jacquelynne's blog -- there's lots to see! Here is a list of the bloggers participating:

http://greydogwoodstudio.com/
https://farmhousequiltsblog.wordpress.com/
http://thecraftyquilter.com/
http://www.evapaigequiltdesigns.blogspot.com/
http://gogokim.blogspot.com/
http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/  (You are here!)

https://thequiltingnook/wordpress.com 

For those of you who may not have visited here at the Lilypad before, let me introduce you to my two assistants. What would life be like, if I didn't have a frog and a dragon frolicing in my sewing room?

Seriously.

Meet Padsworth:

Padsworth is truly a hard worker. He HAS to be . . . you can't count on Moses, the Studio Cat:

Or on Kooshie, the resident duck herder (as long as you don't say "bacon" anywhere near her, she's quite reliable).

Well, Padsworth used to have a virtual quilt design site, but it kinda petered out. So now he fills in at a lot of different tasks:

He helps announce prize winners!

He also auditions fabrics!

He keeps track of designs and such in my notebook!

And he is invaluable when my machine needs some looking after.

And you will also see DragonDrop:

DragonDrop arrived a couple of years ago from "the land down under." Our gracious friend, Mhairi, allowed us to adopt him, and he keeps busy, too!

He checks projects to make certain they are ready to be posted here at the Lilypad.

Someone has to build houses out of the charm packs, don't ya know?

He helps with the placement of applique, too.

Keeping the bobbins of our favorite Aurifil colors organized is important!

And it's a tough job, but someone needs to dive in the buttons regularly, and keep the stock rotated. (Grin)

Me? My name is Snoodles -- I prefer a certain amount of anonymity on the Interwebs, though many of my followers are better acquainted with me, and know my real name. I'm a retiree-wannabe, with so many designs in my head, and scraps in the bins, that there is not enough time in the day to get my work done and my quilting, too. I'm looking forward to the day that I can retire and play all day!

I enjoy applique (you can zoom in on that photo to see my original design at the top).

I added a completed "Swoon" quilt to my resume last year.

I loved making Jacquelynne's last design:

And small projects are fun, too, like Elizabeth Hartman's pillow.

Now, enough talk about me and my assistants -- you want to know how to win a prize, right? This time we are giving away two digital patterns from Jacquelynne Steves!

Two beautiful patterns -- the Merry Go Round pattern AND the Amelia pattern, which includes a charming pillow to go along with the quilt!

OK.

Here are your instructions -- be careful, read quickly, this tape will destroy itself in five, four, three, oh wait! This is the interwebs, we're OK.

1. Leave me a comment and tell me about your most memorable dance. (The name of the BOM is Maggie's First Dance, ya know, in honor of her grandma!)

2. It's not required that you be a follower, but if you are, you can leave a second comment for another entry in the giveaway.

3. Please make sure that you leave me a way to contact you. Lots of folks don't realize they are "no-reply" commenters, and if I can't respond to you via email, I will choose another winner, because it's really time-consuming to track people down. (Grin) You can ensure that I can reach you by including your address similar to this: padsworth(at)thelilypad(dot)com. I might not be able to answer each comment, but please know that I appreciate them all!

Easy peasy!

Our giveaway will be open until May 4, and then we'll huddle and choose a random number winner!

Love,

Got it done!

Remember this UFO? Using some of my favorite Mary Engelbreit fabrics, and a block from the Farm Girl Vintage book:

Here it is, all quilted and bound:

(I do love me a polka dot binding!) I love the crinkly look of the runner, too, after washing it!

I went WAY outside my comfort zone here, with new free motion quilting attempts. New to me, at any rate! I was encouraged by our sweet friend, QuiltShopGal, to use a mandala motif in the center blocks. 
That blew me away at first . . . I looked up the term and was seeing all kinds of Super. Duper. Intricate. Stuff.
But then she assured me that a very simple design could still be called a mandala, and would fill those blocks nicely. 
So, with fear and trepidation, and knees knocking in my knickers (like that alliteration?), I tried it out. Here is one of the blocks, seen from the front. 

And here is one, seen from the back of the runner:

I mucked about with the contrast on this one, so you could see one of my feathers . . . kinda proud of how those turned out!

Here is a link to a video that helped me with the feathers. Karen Miller explains and demonstrates the "bump back" feathers. Thanks, Karen!

Now it's time for a Kale and Banana smoothie and I'll sit back and admire my new runner!

Love,

Help out our sponsor! (Grin)

Our fabulous sponsor, the Green Fairy Quilt Shop, needs our help!

Quick!

They have too many charm packs!

We must do all we can to help them!

Hurry over and select your favorites, at a 40% discount! And while you're there, check out their other fabric offerings!

Have fun shopping! Happy weekend!

Love,

Winner of the Fat Quarter Shop giveaway!

Today is the day!
One lucky person will win our lovely prize from the Fat Quarter Shop! This cabinet is sure to be a treasured addition to someone's sewing room, or a fabulous carrycase for their next retreat!

Here's the lovely cabinet:

And here are the cute Christmas charm squares:

Now, let's see who our winner is . . . how about it, Mr. Random Number Generator?

Ooh, listen to those gears grinding!

Here's his choice:

Number 42 is JLVerde! Congratulations! We'll be in touch to get your shipping address, so your prizes can come to you!

Thank you to everyone who participated -- we'll have lots more fun coming soon! And thank you to our fabulous sponsor, the Fat Quarter Shop!

Don't forget about the annual Pets on Quilts show coming this August . . . get those furbabies posed on your quilts and snap some photos!

Love,

Fat Quarter Shop Giveaway! Prize plus fabric!

Please note: This giveaway is now closed, but thank you for your interest!

Woot!

Today is the day!

Are you ready?

Padsworth and DragonDrop sure are!

They're so excited about our great sponsor and the giveaway, that they almost fell off the lilypad!

The Fat Quarter Shop was our first sponsor here at Lilypadquilting, and they have stayed with us for years. Maybe they have a thing for frogs and dragons. (Grin)

The team there is awesome, and the selection in their online store is wonderful . . . take a peek:

Pre-cuts of all kinds

Patterns and books

Notions

And even some things you might not think of, when you are sitting in front of your screen, drooling over their fabrics!

Did I hear someone say, "What, for example?" 
Glad you asked! Take a look at this adorable cabinet!

This is the Aqua Solutions Cabinet from ArtBin, and it's a $35.00 value! 
It has three drawers that pull out . . .

The drawers are deep enough for our favorite Aurifil threads and much more!

The top compartment is deep -- you can put lots in there -- your rotary cutter, patterns, scissors. The latch on the front is sturdy, and holds the drawers securely.

I can see that this would be a wonderful way to help straighten up and organize our sewing spaces!

And it would be a fantastic help when we are headed to retreats, too. (Oh. My. Goodness. I want one so bad.)

Our friends at FQS are offering one of these cabinets to one lucky winner here at the Lilypad! 

And Padsworth wants to offer these two cute charm packs, as well! Christmas fabrics, anyone? (I can hear those jingle bells....)

Here's what you have to do, to enter our giveaway drawing:

1. Comment here and tell me how this cute cabinet would be useful to you
2. Hop over to the Fat Quarter Shop and sign up for their newsletter, and leave a comment here. If you are already signed up, just let me know in a comment.
3. You don't have to follow here, but we really love our followers, so if you are one, leave a comment and say so!
4. Hop over to the Fat Quarter Shop's blog and follow there, for another chance to win!
5. Make certain that I have some way to contact you....you can feel free to leave your email in your comment like this: sparky(at)sparky(dot)com so that the spam bots won't find you! There are so many non-reply comments, and DragonDrop gets so upset when we have to draw again, cos I can't find you! (You don't want to break DragonDrop's heart, do you?)
6. If you will help spread the word about our giveaway, either on a blog, or Facebook, or on Twitter, you can have another comment and entry!
7. Please don't feel slighted if I don't answer every one of the many comments I expect will be here; I do read them and value every one of you special peeps!

There now!
Easy peasy!
We'll leave this giveaway open for a week, and then we'll choose our winner by random draw.
Good luck!

Love,