Book-learnin is a good thing . . .

. . . especially when it comes to books about our favorite habit, er, addiction, er, hobby -- quilting!

Put your paws together for another one of our wonderful sponsors!

Martingale !

Yes, Martingale is back with us again this year as a sponsor for our Pets on Quilts Show!

Martingale is a go-to resource for all kinds of books about quilting. Want to learn a new skill or technique? Check out their online store!

Modern quilts, traditional, basic to advanced . . .

For those who would like to re-decorate, using their sewing skills:

Want to use up some of the fat-quarters in your stash? Search for those books and patterns on the site:

There's a little bit of everything at Martingale! Books, patterns, and freebies, too! And one lucky winner of the random drawings in August will win a $25 shopping spree on the site!

(Waving) Thanks, Martingale team! We love you, and thanks for sponsoring!

Love,

The sponsor spotlight is turned on . . .

We're shining the spotlight on more of our awesome Pets on Quilts Show sponsors today! First up, is the fabulous Quilted Kitty shop!

I love it when the newsletter from the Quilted Kitty hits my inbox . . . not only is it fun to see what the Furry Dudes are up to, but the fabrics, kits, and notions that are featured in their online store are just wonderful! 

And of course, those of you lucky duckies who live near Lincoln, Nebraska, know that their brick and mortar store is a happening place -- and you get to meet the Furry Dudes in person!

Nanci and Connie do an awesome job of catering to quilters' needs, and of course, to the needs of the furry residents of the shop. They (the furry residents) are the real movers and shakers there, but they let Nanci and Connie assist them.... (Wink)

Wally, who contributes each week with his Wally's Weekender newsletter, is pictured here channeling his inner Oliver Twist:

Remember that line in the movie, "Please, sir, can I have some more?"

Wally comes up with some really neat project ideas, and dictates them to the ladies so they can include them in the newsletter! Meow!

There's the handsome Opie, too, who they say gives great advice on mousing:

And Sophie, who looks like a real quilt diva to me:

Isn't she a doll? I've heard that she has a weakness for Frisky's Treats....turkey variety, dahling!

When you check out their web site, you'll see they have an innovative way of showcasing fabric collections:

They have a lot going on, at both their store and their site . . . they have an awesome selection of batiks, and they are starting up a BOM called "Women of Courage" too. Their tongue-in-cheek "Strip Club" is a super offering, and they have kits, notions, books, and gifts, too. 

Nanci, Connie, and the Furry Dudes got together and decided to sponsor --- not one --- not two --- but THREE prizes for our Pets on Quilts show!

The first is a fabric prize -- look at these adorable prints! Three one yard cuts of kitty fabrics!

Mmmm, snuggled up with your furbaby, having a cup of tea!

The top lucky winner will receive a $50 e-gift certificate for use in the Quilted Kitty online store!

Put your hands, or paws, or flippers together in a big round of applause for the Quilted Kitty!! Thank you, Nanci, Connie, Wally, Opie, and Sophie!

Another sponsor for our show is the talented and humorous Kelly, at I Have a Notion, or IHAN, for short. I've followed Kelly at her blog long enough for the girl to swear out a warrant on me. (Wink) Ever seen her posts about the flamingo family? 

But I digress. The IHAN online store is a wonderland of --- well, of notions! There are so many gorgeous choices there for thread . . . you can get lost looking at all of them.  There's Aurifil, Floriani, Wonderfil, and many more, in shades that will make you drool. Strolling the virtual aisles you will find kits, ink, dye, embellishments, whew! Let me catch my breath!

Kelly also has irons, and tables, and lighting, oh my!  I really can't imagine that you wouldn't find just the right gift there, but just in case, you can even get a gift certificate for that special quilting friend! 

Kelly and her obsessively compulsive elves (they help with packing and shipping, so I hear) have sponsored a prize for one of our lucky winners of the Pets show. Take a peek at this:

Here's a closer look at the lovely fabric:

It measures 18 inches by 14 inches, and has a zippered pocket on the outside, and three pockets on the inside! This beautiful paisley bag from Bagamore collections will belong to one of our winners! Thank you, Kelly!

Another bodacious sponsor for our show is Martingale Books. They graciously sponsor Lilypadquilting, and make it possible for us to review and giveaway books. They have such winning titles available as:

CopyCat Quilts, by Dawn Navarro!

And how about this e-book:

They have other titles, also, that cater to the cat and dog lovers in our audience --- but you can use the gift certificate for anything they have on their site, if you are the lucky winner!!

Thanks, Martingale folks!

We also have another awesome Etsy shop that we're announcing as a sponsor --- Pat's Designs offers dog tags, key chains and more, and is sponsoring two winners!

Check out some of the wonderful handmade things in her store:

I'm really pleased and happy that we have these Etsy shops participating, and I hope you will give them a visit and check out their wonderful handcrafted items!

We'll give you a sneak peek of an upcoming project soon!

Love,

How about another giveaway?

Thank you for your interest, but this giveaway is closed now!

One of our wonderful sponsors is the fabulous printer of quilting and crafting books, Martingale!! I am grateful that they sent me a copy of  Nature's Beauty in Applique to review and give away.

This is a gorgeous book. Seriously. The projects and the photos in here are sumptuous and inspiring to behold. It's yet another home run from Susan Taylor Propst.

Take a look at a couple of these:

What I really love, is that it's not just about breath-taking applique. Even though that is an incredible part of this book. It's about practical items that you can truly use. Who wouldn't LOVE to carry that tote bag? Or how about this?

 

How elegant would you feel, if you were pulling out this gorgeous case to don your eyeglasses?

Or if you carried this on your next trip?

I believe the most stunning project in the book is this one:

When I grow up, I wanna be able to do applique like that! (Wink)

What I find especially wonderful about the Martingale books is the patterns (full size for the smaller projects) and super-clear instructions. I enjoyed reading the author's section about choosing fabrics, too. She gave some great insights as to how she created these beautiful pieces of art.

If you would like to have your very own copy of this book, just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite breakfast food is . . . the food that cranks your tractor and gets you through the morning!

We'll leave this one open till midnight on Tuesday (June 19th), and announce the winner sometime on Wednesday (if Padsworth oversleeps our announcement will be delayed). 

Good luck!

Love,

Now where did my bingo card go? (And a giveaway!)

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

Excuse me, I'm searching for my card . . . even tho the four of us who are calling the words can't win a prize, it is a lot of fun to follow along and place a button or two!

(Muttering) I thought sure it was right here. No, maybe over by the fat quarters. Hmmm.  I think I just found a clue . . . Remember this?

At the time, I thought that Padsworth was designing a barn quilt block. Now look what I found in my notebook --- he was planning something special for May for Me!

(Can you see the drawing there?)

Ah, yes, my little green friend, I am on to your scheme . . .
He was sewing the basting stitches across the card as quick as a hoppy toad on an asphalt driveway:

So you have appropriated my bingo card to be your cape? Alright, hold still and I'll snap your picture:

What's that, Padsworth? 
Well yes, you are a frog of some renown.
And you say you are going to be a super hero?  Well, what will you fight to protect?

Patchwork, applique and the right to fearless free motion quilting!

Hey, I like the sound of that!  Now you just need a name --- Caped Crusader is taken. We need it to be just right for a special green frog like you. I'll have to think on it.


In the meantime, here are the bingo words for today, from Lilypadquilting.


  N--Berries (no specific berries)

  O--Snake

  O--Bird(s)

  N--Snowman(men)

  B--Watermelon

Be sure to stop in at the other three blogs (I hope you have them bookmarked by now! Grin) which are VroomansQuilts, HillbillyHandiworks, and CraftySewingandQuilting.

Now before you run off, leave me a comment telling me what you think Padsworth's superhero name should be . . . and you'll be entered into a drawing to receive this wonderful book from Martingale Publishing:

Remember Fast and Fun First Quilts? You can check out my review at this post. It's a super book, and if you would like to win, just be a follower (one comment) and tell me a super-hero-ish name for Padsworth (second comment) and you'll have two chances to win!
We'll leave this open til midnight on Sunday, May 6, and announce our winner the next day!


Good luck!


Love,

Martingale Books -- It's a Happening Place!

Martingale and Company is our newest sponsor at Lilypadquilting, and I’m really impressed with their brand new web site and online store.

They also sent me a book to check out, and I want to show it to you:

It’s called Fast and Fun First Quilts – 18 Projects for Instant Gratification.

Hey, with a title like that, I know two things right off: first, I’m going to like it because I do enjoy a project that can be easily done in my lifetime. (Grin)  Second, the author is a quilter who understands my needs for “instant gratification” . . . blocks that work up quickly, and that are user friendly when it comes time to put them together into a quilt!

This book would be excellent for wantobes and veteran quilters alike; no one is immune to the “make it quick and easy” bug. Wantobes need projects that are simple enough for their skill set, but turn out to be quilts that really look great!  Veterans can always use a easy pattern for a quilt-in-a-rush situation, whether it’s for a birthday you almost forgot, or a call for quilts for a charity. Fast and Fun First Quilts will be your go-to manual for all of the above!

The author, Sara Deipersloot, utilized two techniques to make eighteen projects that all look different – no cookie-cutter quilts here.

First, she shows us projects that utilize large blocks in simple settings – like this one, where pieced sashings alternate with large squares of a focus fabric.

This is a great way to use two coordinating fabrics that you really like together, and with blocks that measure 6 inches by 8 inches, your quilt top is ready in no time flat!

Here's another example of large blocks that will make up a nice-sized top, really quickly:

With a fabulous floral like that one, those large blocks are a super way to focus attention on your lovely fabric! 


The second strategy the author uses is to take a focus fabric and let it shine in a large center section, and then make pieced blocks to go all around it.

Got a novelty fabric that is a large scale print, and you want to use it for your top? Never fear. Try this layout for some instant quilting joy:

Just pull some fabric colors from the center square for your pieced stars, and then add a border and you're done!

I hope you'll forgive my photography skills - kinda hard to get the lighting right, hold the book open, and snap a photo, all at the same time!

Martingale and Company revealed their new web site just recently, and they're celebrating their 35th birthday, too! I hope you will check out their site, and look over on the left-hand side for their blog's RSS feed button . . . you'll be in the know when they have sales (which they do, pretty often) or when they have new releases (they make a habit of doing that, too!). 

The blog, called "Stitch This" is wonderful -- lots of good content and (here's the magic word) giveaways!! As their site says . . . freebies, news, contests and chit-chat. One of the bloggers is Jenny, who is the author of another awesome Martingale book, called Resew --- all about giving thrift store bargains new life as new-to-you pieces of high style apparel. I've been following her personal blog, the Wild Cards, for some time now --- she's very talented, and lots of fun to know!
And . . . if you subscribe to their blog, you will get SIX free E-patterns! (What? Are you still here? Go ahead and click to go over there, already!!)


Padsworth and I are wishing you a "hoppy" sewing day!


Love,