Barb and I were not able to go to Spring Quilt Market.....and pictured above is the reason why! My youngest graduated from college. Look at his joyous face! Congratulations Greg!

Barb and I are very sorry we missed seeing everyone at market. Thank goodness Edie McGinnis, our editor, presented our newest book, Country Inn during schoolhouse at market. It should be in shops very soon.

I finished the new Anniversary of the Heart pattern while riding in the car. (A bit hard to keep the threads counted right...but great time to work as Dave drove us to the graduation.) It was stitched in memory of my grandfather. I was surprised how much I enjoyed thinking about him as I stitched this piece. Usually I pick a grandmother to remember in my samplers....but as I stitched the year of his birth and his initials into the linen I was so glad that I had chosen him. During the quiet stitching moments I thought of him and our time spent together. It felt so right. This pattern should be in shops in about 2 1/2 weeks. (And....we will include the first bonus pattern with next month's pattern. My son after reading the blog told me, "You have to fill the space.")


The above picture showcases our final Loose Feather project for the years 2009/2010. This is the front of the project bag....the reverse side is stitched with another design. It too should be in the shops in about 2 1/2 weeks. This was stitched on 20ct Straw linen by Weeks Dye Works. It was an easy fun stitch. I had Barb's mom, Leona put the button holes in for me. I just couldn't take a chance of doing them wrong. After all of the stitching!!! I'm a whimp.

Until later!

Alma

Pat Ryan of R&R Reproductions is stitching the complete piece for us. She sent this piece to show her progress. As we work on the house patterns, we stitch them individually. But we send the patterns to Pat so she can progress on the larger piece. The empty space is left for one of the bonus pieces...which was to be released in October. But Barb and I have been talking about this. Maybe it's because I like everything to be orderly....but the empty space is beginning to bother me. We are thinking about offering this bonus early ....so you don't have an empty space in your sampler for a year.

What do you think? Does it bother you or not?


Meant to post this on Sunday....but was busy stitching and talking on the phone. Hope all of you had a Happy Mother's day. When you think of all the time and effort that go into raising a family being a parent is quite a life time adventure. We should all pat ourselves on the back. Thank you Mom for spending all those fun years cooking dinner and doing laundry and walking to the grocery store. Dad is holding my hand....and my Mom is expecting my sister. Looks like we are going on a picnic with one of Mom's friends and her baby. (Where did my Dad get that shirt????? holy cow!!!!) Maybe that's how I first got interested in quilting....

Until later!

Alma

The random number generator has spoken....here are 8 winners. E-mail me ... alma@blackbird-designs.com and let me know your address so I can ship out the fabric packs. Congratulations!!!

1. #36 Leslie Allen said...Now, I would LOVE to collect Pink Hill manor, but since finding your blog, I've ventured off to your quilts (after a 7 year hiatus in quilting), even though and I'm two years behind with Loose Feathers' club too! Talk about a wealth of choice! I'm trying very hard to resist, but it may be fruitless! Thanks so much for your wonderful inspirations!

2. #49 Kim said...Your new book looks wonderful and I love the new house! Beautiful as always!3.

3. #94 Carmen Sutton & Jean Hohulin said...Can't wait to see your new book in person. It is amazing all the you two get done.

4. #103 susan_bish said...Can't wait to get my hands on the new book. It look great. Just love your designs. I am a quilter and have never taken time to do cross-stitch(I don't get all the quilting done I want to do), but your Pink Hill Manor is calling my name...

5. #146 Berit said.."Anniversaries" is moving right along!Thanks for offering a fun fabric giveaway; please include me in the draw!

6. #379 edie said...Can't wait to get the new book, new chart, and . . . my local stitchery shop's order for the linen has been on back order FOREVER, and it looks like we have another five weeks to wait. BOO!!! Patience. You all two are so talented. How do you do all you do, AND just keep coming up with wonderful things. Counting the days until Boxwood and Berries! Is it possible to bribe the random number generator?

7. #434 Emma said...Can't wait to get my hands on Country Inn. Right now I'm finishing your latest freebie Done My ABCs. Love your sweetness and generosity.

8. #452 Jantine said...I hope I am still in time. Love your designs and would love to stitch one! Maybe some day I will ;-)

I have a dish thing going.....as you can tell from the photography above and below. I love plates that have pink floral designs along the outside rim of the plate.

While at the beach I found these plates at a local antique shop. I picked these up so we could eat in style out in the screened-in porch. The chips and cracks don't bother me too much. I love the sweet look of the plates....and I love the smaller size too! Helps with smaller portions and still looks like your plate is full. The wine glasses were a find too.

Variety is the spice of life and using different plates for each setting is like looking at a great scrap quilt. You look all over the surface of the quilt trying to find the pattern. It's the same with my dinner table. The consistency of the pink floral trim around each plate makes everything go together. I use these for parties and even Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. (Nothing is too good for those I love.)

I tell the check-out people at the antique shops, "I'm having someone special over for dinner." Usually they just take a second look at me and smile. (They are thinking....poor dear! She doesn't have the money for a "real" set of dishes!)

But the man helping me at the antique mall in Robertsdale, AL, looked at me and said, "Sounds like fun. Wish I could come too."

I think he meant it. Even with the big chip in the plate (see below)....I think dinner on old chipped plates sounded good to him. (My kind of guy!)

I just love the simple beauty of them!!!

Wishing you all great vintage finds and friends and family to enjoy them with!

Until later.

Alma

Our newest quilt book. It's at the printer now and all the proofing and corrections have been made. It should be done in a couple of weeks....just in time for market. This one has quilts, food and other fun projects.

My friend and editor, Edie McGinnis and I went to Spring Green, Wisconsin right before last Christmas. We stayed above Country Sampler (quilt and cross stitch shop) in their Second Story. Click on the shop name to check it out. We cooked the recipes for the book in the kitchen and worked on quilts in the very large, open and gathering room. You can see the areas in the photographs when you visit her site. I photographed the food in a window well on top of a cutting board. (Great light!) Jeanne Horton, owner of Country Sampler has a great shop. Staying upstairs of the shop has its advantages. If you run out of something, you can go downstairs and make a fabric run in your slippers!

Pink Hill Manor is the newest in the Anniversaries of the Heart series. It is at the printer too ...and should be ready to ship out this week. Barb did this one and I think it is my favorite so far. Love the colors.



Cathy Campbell from Primitive Traditions sent these two sweet quilting templates to us. She was staying in Cape Cod and found them. Usually, I'm a Baptist Fan person when it comes to quilting.....but I have to say I can hardly wait to use one of these! Aren't they sweet. (Click on Primitive Traditions to go to Cathy's site.) I've been checking out her Eliza Robertson. Love the saying and think I have to stitch this one!

Well....have to make this short....Barb and I are working on the fabric line and we have to get it sent to Moda.

I've got 6 of these sample packs of Garden Party fabrics. Leave a comment and will do the random number generator and pick 6 winners Thursday morning.

Until later dear friends!

Alma

We offered several projects for the retreat. The above picture is of the outside of our Stitcher's Companion. Inside the box are several compartments to hold scissors, a pincushion and floss. The women in the class had time to paint and wax the outside and finish the inside of their wooden boxes. It was amazing to see what each person accomplished in one day!

These two projects were completed by friends. They both made their pincushions reversible. Each stitched her initial on the reverse side of the pincushion. The print fabric used inside the wooden box is from Garden Party and the alphabet print is from Beach House by Blackbird Designs for Moda fabrics. Everyone chose letters from the alphabet print that had special meaning for them.

The wonderful mother-of-pearl strawberry inside the project below was a gift to each attendant from Deb the owner of Stitchville, USA. They fit perfectly inside the box. The strawberry floss keeps are from Kelmscott Designs.




The woman who stitched the above project placed her sachet (also a project from class) inside the box until her piece is completed. She also stitched over the "S" and "T" from alphabet print.



Above is another completed project....I should have gotten everyone's name along with their projects....I wasn't thinking at the time. Look at these cute scissors! Her's is complete too!




Both of the ladies projects pictured above have stitched the letters in the alphabet prints. The extra stitching added dimension and texture to their piece.


The small bird cards each have a shell button stitched in place by Dave...who offered to help me get ready for the event. (He wants to know what union he can join!)




Barb and I loved seeing how everyone took one project and changed it to reflect themselves. Luckily I remembered to take my camera the second day of the event to get these shots.

Sachets finished from class.

If you get a chance to go to an event hosted by Deb, sign up. She puts on a great event. Many thanks to you Deb! We had a great time.

I know everyone would like to find out how to get The Workbasket free chart. (Isn't it wonderful?) Barb and I picked it up from Needle Delights in Pensacola, Florida. It was available with a purchase from the shop. I have e-mailed Candy from The Workbasket to find out how she distributed the chart. Sometimes these are available to shops that make a purchase from the design company at market. This is the design from The Workbasket and Barb and I are not able to distribute it. The pattern from Candy is of the flower. Barb added the words and border. We can give the pattern for the border and words "Sweet Alabama", but not the flower.
Click on the company name in the first sentence and it will take you to their web-site.

Until later,
Alma

Only 2 posts for April. I can't believe it....where did this month go?

It's now official!!! I'm a bad blogger. If I had a rubber band around my wrist I would snap it. (Luckily, I'm not wearing one today!)

When Barb and I go to Gulf Shores, Alabama to "our" beach house we take a day and drive to Pensacola, FL. It's about a 45 mile trip one way but after driving 900 miles to get to the beach what is 45 more? We save this day to visit Needle Delights, the local cross stitch shop.

We pick out linen and patterns to stitch during our stay at the beach. Barb is stitching the above piece. It is a Workbasket pattern...their freebe. Barb is stitching hers on 20ct Cappuccino linen by Weeks Dye Works. She hasn't stitched on this large count linen before and is finding she loves it. She's using 3 strands of floss.

My choice for the week is one by The Sampler Girl. I loved the saying and all of the nautical elements. I'm stitching it on 28ct. Parchment by Weeks Dye Works.

Both samplers have progressed a bit....I will take pictures again so you can see how they are coming along. Great way to remember that special trip.

Kathy, the owner of Needle Delights is on the left. Tonia her right hand gal (and framer) is on the right. Kathy ran home and brought back this piece for us to see. She is stitching the Anniversaries of the Heart on 20ct linen by Weeks Dye Works. This piece took our breath away. Makes me want to do mine on 20ct now too. I can just see it over my fireplace. It will only cost about a million dollars to frame....but great way to spend a million.

I wish we had taken a picture of Tonya's project. (Tonya...if you are reading this send a picture!) She is working on the Christmas Village by Kathy Barrick. Stunning to say the least.

On the quilting front....Barb and I are in the final proofing stage of our newest book Country Inn. It should be going to the printer next week and will be released at Spring Quilt Market.

Barb and I are leaving this weekend for Stitchville USA. We are running around like crazy getting all the details finished for the weekend. Can hardly wait to get there and see everyone.

Until tomorrow.

Alma

Barb and I are working at the beach. I have lots of pictures to show...but can't figure out how to load them while using Barb's computer. We finally got this one saved on her desktop. But then of course couldn't remember exactly how we did it. AUGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! This is a sign I should get my laptop up to speed.

We bring linens and dishes to decorate the dining table in the screened-in porch. A couple of estate sale table cloths and my favorite pink floral dishes add to the casual beach decor. Food always tastes better outside. The sound of the surf and the light make dining a pleasure. The breeze is a bit cooler at night....but with a sweater, not too bad.

Look for more on Monday when I get back home. Will have more pictures and information and a contest too!

Until Monday.

Alma