Well dressed

One of Snoodles' dear friends is SewCalGal . . . many of you follow her blog, where she shares insights on tools and tips that help quilters, embroiderers, and sewists. She shows us everything from free motion quilting designs to uber-cool software, from books to awesome tools. Her "12 Pocket Bag" is one that I really want to try!

A while back, she hosted a giveaway of some lovely fabrics and a pattern she provided, for "vests" for wine bottles -- seriously, these are neat additions to a gift you are giving, and can be tailored to the recipient, or to the occasion!  (Hey, I can see these in "black tie" for a special anniversary, or in red or blue velvet for Christmas or Hanukkah....)

Here's how mine looks, now that I finished it up:

(Had to borrow our shapely model there, but we go all out here at the Lilypad to show you neat things!)

Pop over to SewCalGal's and spend some time perusing her wonderful blog . . . I promise you will find a lot of interesting things to inspire you to add to your project list!

(I'm such an enabler. . . you really need more on your to-do list, right?)

Love,

The Fun Begins!

Welcome, blog hoppers! Welcome to the Lilypad! We are thrilled to be part of the Sew We Quilt Table Toppers hop --- featuring mini quilts that can be displayed on our Ackfeld wire frames.

Some of you that are hopping over here may not know why I say "we" here at Lilypadquilting . . . it's not the royal "we" that I am referring to. I share this blog with my mascot, Padsworth, a frog of some renown. (Wink)

He has his own web site, too: Ole Frog Eyes virtual design wall for quilters. He helps out here at Lilypadquilting, and we enjoy his antics. 

Let me show you my table topper for this hop:

It's a very simple block, called the Log Cabin block, and I made it to finish at 12 inches, which is a very nice size for the frame.

It's an old and traditional block, and I think that when someone comes in and sees it, it says, "A quilter lives here."  Personally, I think it also says, "And she is interesting and creative and has superb taste in fabrics and design."  But I digress.

You just need some fabric strips with nice contrast, like these:

and you start with a red block, because the hearth, or fireplace, is the "heart" of the home:

  . . . and you just keep building!

Madame Samm said we didn't need to show a tutorial, so I'm just giving you an idea of how the block is constructed. You can easily find log cabin blocks on the web. 

Once you quilt it and bind it, with a little hanging sleeve on the back, you have a mini-quilt to go on your frame and display with pride:

Okay, okay, Padsworth . . . get over there and I'll take your picture, too!  

Be sure to hop around and see all of the other table-topper display quilts!  

Here is the list for today:

Snoodles (haha! You're here!)

Lesley

Sharon

Dawnmarie

Piece Peace

And check each day at Sew We Quilt to see a list of bloggers that are participating!

Before you leave, be sure to enter our Colonial Needle giveaway, too!  Just scroll on down to the post below! And stop in at the next stop on our Colonial "hop," which is SewCalGal's place!

Love,

Golden Quilter Awards 2012

It's that time of year again!

It's time to celebrate the folks that help us be the best that we can be! Nominations are now being accepted in these categories:

1. Best Quilt Designer
2. Best Quilt Teacher/Instructor
3. Best Quilt book Author
4. Best Quilt Store (physical)
5. Best Quilt Store (online)
6. Best Longarm Quilter
7. Most Innovative Product (physical)
8. Most Innovative Product (software)
9. Most influential person in the world of quilting to-date, aka "Lifetime Achievement"
10. Best Quilt book publisher

Nominations will be accepted through Sunday, March 4th. Nominations can come from anyone, so get involved! Think about who has inspired you . . . who has given you great service . . . who has taught you . . . see what I mean? The ideas are popping into your head right now!

Here is an important caveat:

For nominations to be accepted, they need to recognize someone or a business, that is truly "in the quilting business" and can be contacted through a website. As such, you will also be asked to provide a website for your nominees. If you do not provide a website and one can not be found, that nominee will not be recognized when it comes time to vote.

And here is another important note: Have all of your nominations ready when you want to submit --- you can't do it in ten installments, OK? (Grin)

If you have all the information you need to submit your nominations now, click this link "submit nominations" to proceed. If not, come back once you are ready. To clarify, once you submit your nominations you are not able to add or change your nomination.  All nominations are confidential, but your contact information is requested as you are also entered to win a prize, when you submit a nomination and again, when you come back to vote.   

After the nominations close, SewCalGal will do the important work of verifying the data and compiling the list so that all the members of the quilting community can vote.  That list will be published on March 12th, and voting will begin.

Winners will be announced on April 2, and you know who gets to party? We all do! There are sponsored prizes up for grabs!

The winners of the prizes will be announced on April 3.

Now, your mission, should you choose to accept, is to nominate the people, the businesses, and the products that you feel should win.
Oh, and while you are at it? Leave a little love for SewCalGal, and let her know that you appreciate all of her hard work in organizing this!

Love,

Accuquilt Christmas Theme Blog Hop - I'm In!

Exciting news, Lilypad Quilters!! Tomorrow (Monday) is the first day of the Accuquilt Christmas Theme Blog Hop and Tutorials, organized by the one and only SewCalGal!!

Fun and creativity will be spilling all over the place, as bloggers who use Modern Quilting Tools, and who love their Accuquilt products, will be posting tutorials and tips (and maybe some giveaways, too!). And of course, SewCalGal will be pointing you on Day 1 to a BIG giveaway from the awesome sponsor! (Are you still drooling over the Go!Baby, and want, want, want one for your very own? Then this blog hop has your name all over it, toots!)

Here is our schedule for the coming week:

Monday, December 12th

• SewCalGal

Tuesday, December 13th

• Leona's Quilting Adventure
• Cherry Material Obsessions

Wednesday, December 14th

• Terrie Bits & Pieces
• Nancy (Tattered Garden)

Thursday, December 15th

• Katrina  Sunshower Quilts
• Jacque Lily Pad Quilting

Friday, December 16th

• SewCalGal
• Paulette  Sweet P Quilting and Creations

If you visit all the bloggers (and comment) during the week - that's an entry for the Go!Baby.....and if you follow all of us, that's another chance!

So be sure to check back here each day, and I'll provide you with the links and you can hop to your heart's content!

Don't forget, there's a charm pack up for grabs, on our Blog Hop Party post!

Love,

Feeling Grinchy? Here's a cure . . .

Are you lagging behind in your Christmas plans? Are you planning how to do away with scowling at people who are cheerfully whistling Christmas carols at work? Are your Christmas gifties still in the fat-quarter-and-pattern-set-aside stage? Are you admiring the fine spirit of independence that crochety old Scrooge displays?

Well, have I got a cure for you!!

SewCalGal's Christmas Quilt Show may be finished as far as awarding prizes goes, but the fun ain't over yet! (Haven't you always wanted to say that?!)  The linkie is still active, and there are over one hundred lovely entries with heart-warming stories to accompany them. It's a sure way to get your creative juices flowing, and banish grinch-y thoughts! 

Just click here to zoom over to her site and admire the show entries. And while we're at it, take a peek at the Viewers' Choice Award winners: Barbara at Catpatches, whose gorgeous stitcheries and patchwork are accented with wonderful crystals, and also May at Abyquilt, whose lovely quilt won the Christmas division. Does anyone see a trend here? (Grin) Lots of talented folks are incorporating stitcheries into their quilts - and I'm going to be just like them when I grow up!
Listen! I can hear some of you humming "Deck the Halls" right now, and I lost a few as they scampered off to start some Christmas baking . . . it's working! 

SewCalGal had a whole lot of awesome sponsors, and if you need anything for your holiday sewing or gift-giving, I hope you will go to those sites and make them so happy they were sponsors! In this economy, it's difficult for many of our favorite businesses to keep their heads above water, so to speak. So if you can, purchase from them, but if not, at least let them know you appreciate them. A quick note on a blog or a Facebook page can mean a lot!

Personally, I'm still super excited about my prize . . . I need to go and drool over, lust after, er, browse the Fat Quarter Shop site, and figure out how to best utilize the gift certificate that I won!
(Hey, it's a tough job, but I can get it done!)

Now aren't you feeling Christmas-y now? (Grin)

Love,

Christmas Quilt Show Begins Today!

Huzza! Today is the day we've been waiting for! (Well, some of us have, anyway!) The Christmas Quilt Show begins today at SewCalGal's blog . . .

Be sure to go by there and check it out! There are lots of fabulous prizes to be won, and lots of inspiring quilted projects to admire!

Here is my entry --- a hand-quilted tablerunner! I created this from a mix of Christmas and Mary Engelbreit fabrics, and created large nine-patch blocks. I set them on point, and then stitched some fancy stitching on the seams and edges. See?

It is quilted with swirls and stars in the black background areas, and then the holly leaves and berries at each end are appliqued. You can take a closer look, but don't be too judgemental --- this was one of my very first projects, so be gentle, OK?

I backed it with a green candy cane fabric, and brought it around to the front for the binding.  I wish that I'd had a brighter day to make my photos, but hope you can see it alright.


I hope you like my Christmas quilted tablerunner! Have fun checking out all of the other entries in the show!


Love,

Congratulations to Two of our Followers! Pet Parade Winners!

There might be someone else among the winners, who is a follower here at Lilypad, but I know for sure that two of our peeps won prizes in the Pets On Quilts 2011 Show!!

Let's give them a hand!!

Tonya, of Hillbilly Handiworks, won a super book, called Stash Magic! This looks exciting:

Another one of our long-time followers, Joy, who blogs here, won this great book:

I'm just tickled pink for the both of them!! And I can't wait till next year --- Pets on Quilts was a blast!

SewCalGal does an awesome job of organizing it!

Love,