Patch Abilities sponsors a giveaway!

PLEASE NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!!
STOP BY ANYTIME, WE LOVE VISITORS!!

You're going to love this new sponsor!
(No affiliate linkies today, just spreading the word about a great resource for quilters!)

Patchabilities is the passion of Julie Wurzer -- the truly creative mind behind the patterns and fun that she shares with her "tribe" of followers and customers!

I love what I see on her site..... since 2004 she's been creating oodles of "mini" projects that "invite others into this soul-satisfying hobby of quilting."  Most all of her designs are simple and straightforward enough to finish in one day -- and who among us stitchers doesn't love instant gratification?? (Grin)

This is kinda like her mission statement:

"I love creating small designs (6 x 22, 6 x 12, etc) with minimal basic sewing and simple designs to applique, so BEGINNERS can do it and not "screw it up." We take great CARE to write patterns with simple yet complete instructions, so that ANYONE may create without frustration....no matter what their skill level is."

Take a peek at some of her cute and easy-to-create designs:

Like so many of Julie's patterns, there are great options for us there.... a digital pattern, button packs to add embellishment, wool, and even the hanger to display our work!

In fact, she has a boatload of hangers for us to choose from!
Here is just a sampling.... six categories from her "Hangers and Frames" splash page..... clicking on these images (on her site) will show you extra variety and even more choices!

Personally, I love the kits that she offers -- fabrics, buttons, wool if needed, and the hanger to display -- all in one package! Genius!

I gotta love a gal that leaves the corporate world and makes her own way, like Mr. Snoodles and I have done. (Grin) Check out her "About" page for some chuckles and the motivation behind Patch Abilities.

There's a monthly minis program (adorable tablerunners) that looks like a lilypad-full of fun, and bunches of Christmas designs so we can decorate the halls for seasonal parties and such!

Never fear if you have an independent streak a mile wide....you can easily order just the patterns for her cute designs, and use fabrics and buttons from your own stash to create one of a kind masterpieces!

I like the tutorials on the Patch Abilities site, too. You'll want to check those out!

Julie urges all of us to utilize our local shops for these wonderful patterns and kits, but if we live in the "boonies" we can order from her site, as well.

Now, for the giveaway!
One lucky winner is going to receive three of Patch Abilities' patterns -- and the winner gets to choose! Can't get sweeter than that, right?

How do you enter to win? I'm so glad you asked!

1. Leave a comment here on this post and tell me which of the hangers you like best.
2. If you follow here (but it's not mandatory, just optional) leave another comment.
3. Go to Patchabilities and sign up for her emails for another chance.
4. Spread the word on your Facebook page or blog or Instagram, etc for another chance to win!

Easy peasy, right?
Let the contest begin! We'll leave this open for a week, so comments will close on May 7th, and the randomly selected winner will be announced shortly thereafter!

Have fun on the Patch Abilities site -- I know you're gonna love it!

Love,

Hearing voices from the past, part II

Here's the second part of the quilt exhibit that I had the good fortune to see recently.... it's almost like listening to them talk as they are stitching, when you admire these lovely quilts.

Two gorgeous examples of Bethlehem stars.....and just look at those flying geese! That quilt was completed in 1830! With no specialty rulers, either!

More hexies!  I loved the fact that some of these quilts were faded and worn....I'd call them well-loved!

A truly massive Irish chain from 1850....all those two inch squares!

I love the scrappiness of the quilt below. Some of the stars have less contrast with their background pieces, but some of them really pop. That's using your stash!

This album quilt is dated 1852....wonder if the lady who received it from her friends was starting across the country in a wagon train? She may have covered up each night in her Conestoga, tracing the signatures of her friends as she drifted off to sleep.

You might think this one is a modern quilt at first, but it was completed in 1880. Its creator used black velvet for the central squares and colorful silks for the "logs."

Just a fragment survives from this Tumbling Blocks quilt made in the late 1800's. The family who loaned it to the exhibit says one of the squares of gold damask was from Martha Washington's wedding dress!

And the contents of this glass case made my jaw drop. Because, you see, I'm a history nerd. (Grin) Hear me out....not only are these adorable, tiny hexies....not only are they awesome examples of fussy cutting and placement of fabric.....but they still have the papers attached!!! Papers that I could read from before the War Between the States!
See that diamond shaped template? That's cut from a lady's visiting card....you know, you dropped them into the silver salver and the butler took it into the resident to see if they wanted to let you know they were at home? (Grin)
And that metal one above the white diamond? A silversmith made it for his wife to use in her quilting! 

This was so much fun to see....I hope you have enjoyed looking over my shoulder and imagining the quilting bees and stitching groups that crafted these beautiful pieces of history!

Love,

Hearing voices from the past, part I

It's always inspiring to me to see quilts from quilters whose needles were flying many years before I was alive..... quilting is, after all, many things. It's an art form, and it's a community, too.

Recently I had the opportunity to "listen" to these quilters by visiting an exhibit at a South Carolina museum hosting some lovely examples surviving since the 18th and 19th centuries.

I wanted to share my good fortune with you.

Right as you entered the room, this show-stopper greeted you....I spent a while drooling here. (Grin) I do need to apologize for some of the photos -- flash was not allowed, so I spent some time fiddling with making available light pictures, too. Some of them turned out well, and some were deleted!
That treasure above was made in 1852!

Here's another beauty, in what we call "Low volume" today:

I've seen it called many names, sometimes "Tulip," and this one was crafted in 1885.

I loved this pair -- same pattern, different colorway -- the red and white was made in the late 1800's while the blue and white was stitched in about 1900. Love that Hearts and Gizzards pattern....anybody had a good dinner of gizzards lately? LOL

By the way, all of these can be embiggened so that you can check out the details....

Here is a stunning pair in thirties fabrics..... (look at all those yo-yos!).

The vibrant colors of this Drunkards' Path quilt make it hard to believe that it was made before 1900!

Here's another curved piecing treasure....this one was made by a Massachusetts stitcher and maybe traveled with her to the South.  Robbing Peter to Pay Paul, I believe, and the card said approximately 1820!

This has a Christmas vibe, from the colors.....sometimes called Caesar's Crown, and other folks call it Full Blown Tulip. Made in 1850 or so.

The one folded on the chair is sometimes called Turkey Tracks, but also known as Wandering Foot! It has been narrowed down to a possible date of 1880.

Think of all the wonderful and handy tools that we use to create our quilts..... now look at the few tools these stitchers used:

Makes it all the more inspiring to see their craftsmanship!

I have a few more photos that I will share next time - hope you enjoyed the first of the show!

Love,

I love a bargain!

If you love bargains, too, check out the one right there! Two weeks of binge-watching on Craftsy for just a buck!

Pardon my dust.....I'm clicking on that button and heading over there!

Love,

Happy Easter!

I'm not ashamed to say Hallelujah!

At Easter, we are reminded that there's an end to suffering and that there is a purpose in the pain. 

Our Savior rose from the dead.

He triumphed over evil. 

And Jesus is, indeed, coming again in glory. 

We will live with Him forever!

This I believe.

This is how I live.

I'm wishing all of you wonderful Lilypadquilting followers a blessed and fun-filled Easter! 

He is alive!!

Love,