Cherry House Quilts

Fabric Update

Well, after sorting through all of the fabric, there were a total of 4 garbage bags.  Most it is strips & strings, perfect for string pieced quilts, but there is also quite a bit of yardage...1/4 yds or better.  Please let your Heartstrings, and Valor friends know; I really would love for this fabric to find a good home.  I've had some offers to pay for shipping, but my first choice would be for someone to come whisk it away from my little house.

What a lovable face!  Every time I say that I'm going to market, my BFF always finishes the sentence with "to buy a fat pig".  Then I say "home again, home again jiggity jig"  then we do a little dance.  Just kidding about the dance part...well, kinda kidding.  Okay, so I could definitely bring this girl home from market...what a doll!  Lizzy & I are off in the morning to Market, and I am so excited!  But more importantly I am just so excited to see my girl!!!  It's been since Christmas, and that is just too long.  I'll be sure and bring lots of updates about Market, what's new...what's hot...all the good stuff!

Take care my friends,

Cherri 

Help! Hurty Painful Adult Decision Time

Okay my quilty friends...I'm reaching out in need of assistance!  It's time for me to grow up, and face some realities (never a fun way to start a post)

1. I have too much fabric
2. I have more fabric than I WILL EVER USE
3. My pioneer heritage will not allow me to throw it away
4. Lizzy says it's time (past time really), and sometimes that girl is the grownup, and I'm the 7 yr old :(

So here goes; I probably have at least 2 BIG garbage size bags of strips and strings (that I love), but cannot fathom having time to use, and I must find a home for them.  Is anyone part of the Heartstrings group?  If not, do you have any Heartstring friends in the Houston (Humble) area.  I think they would just be too expensive to ship.  This is excellent fabric - quilt shop quality fabric.  It will be hurty to get rid of them, sort of like getting rid of teddy bears, and dolls, but I must...it is time. 

So, if anyone is interested in coming to pick them up, they are yours for the taking.  Please spread the word, and tell your quilty friends.  Just leave me a comment, or email me at cherryhousequilts(at)gmail(dot)com. 

Okay...I can do this. 

Cherri

Happy Mothering Day!

Happy Mothering Day!  That's what my Melissa always calls it...I like it.  I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's day wherever you may be, whatever your situation.  We are all Mothers, because we mother...we nurture, we love, we share, we are the caretakers of the world...and what could be better than that?

This is my first Mother's day without any of my children being home...I never imagined it would be so hard.  But I do take comfort in the knowledge that Lizzy will be home on Tuesday; so I'll survive till then.

Have a happy day!

Cherri

Twist & Shout!!!

Look!  It's official, our Soda Shop pattern is now available on Andover Fabrics website...I am so excited, I'm just giddy!  Just scroll down the page to Jitterbug by Cosmo Cricket to see all the fabric selections.  Before you know it, our JukeBox quilt pattern will be published in Fons & Porter magazine which also uses fabric from the Jitterbug Fabric Line. 

This fabric is so much fun to work with, especially the super big polka dots!  I love polka dots so much...as I'm sure you can tell. 

Click her for the free Soda Shop pattern

 

Silly Me

Okay...I meant to add this to the previous post, but blitzed it, but I've remembered now!

After doing the test run print of City News a few changes were made.  Everything was correct, it just needed a little tweaking (remember that from You've Got Mail?)  So here's the deal, if you are interested - I'm giving away those copies of the City News pattern.  There is no reason to be wasteful, and throw them out, I just don't want to sell them.

To the first 6 people who respond, and leave and comment can have a free pattern! 

Brought to you by the friendly girls at Cherry House Quilts!

Behind the scene

City News has traveled more in the last two months than I have traveled in a year.  The fabric arrived from Robert Kaufman in LA, become a quilt in Houston, traveled back to LA for a photo shoot, traveled to Lizzy in Idaho for our photo shoot, is traveling back to Robert Kaufman in LA, so it can be on it's way to Portland for Spring Market.  Tired little quilt!  Here are some close ups of Lizzy's photo shoot, she had to hang it from the ceiling in order to get the shot over an actual printing press.  When I first thought of this quilt I was so amused with myself...thinking about that silly riddle "what's black & white, and red all over?"  A newspaper...with a click in my head, City News was born!

If you are in Portland next week, we hope you will stop by and see this little not so little quilt at the Robert Kaufman booth.  I haven't yet been able to capture on film how this quilt glows, or how the quilted Kona solids look like suede!  Poor Lizzy was not very happy when I told her it was time to give it up, and send it on it's way again.

In other news (get it...news...haha) Ashlee has released her first CD called Hi Dreamer, and she had her CD release concert last night...I am so proud of her; I am just beside myself, and in less than one week, Lizzy Dish will be unveiled at Market.  I am a proud Momma!  Here's a photo of Ashlee's cover - she's a beauty!   

Introducing Quick Slice Quilts

Howdy!  We would like to introduce our newest line of quilt patterns!

What is a Quick Slice Quilt???

• Quick to cut - only 1 to 3 different cuts of fabric
• Will work for the newest fabric lines, or your favorite scraps
• Quick to make - straight forward piecing, and pressing
• Smaller sized quilts - perfect for weekend projects
• Full color patterns...plain & simple instructions
• Each pattern includes ideas for easy changes, and fabric options to make it all your own

Best of all...

We will give you the keys to making the quilt design work...help you step out of your comfort zone a little by exploring some options.  Try a new technique, fabric choice, or color.  Think of it as a mini quilt class...we hope you will join us, it's going to be so much fun!!!

 

Our first Quick Slice Quilt...

• Quilt Size 54 x 54
• Made with Kona Cotton Solids
• Quick to Piece - Perfect Weekend Project
• $9.00
• 

Presenting City News!

Click to see our City News Press Release...

City News - Tradition with a Twist!

• Quilt Size 72 x 72
• Fabric Requirements:
• 3.5 yards of assorted Red Kona Cotton solids - pink, purple, orange, and everything in between
• 2.5 yards of assorted Black & White print fabric
• Now available in our pattern store

Sliced Fruit Anyone?

  Sliced Fruit anyone?  A new pattern by Cherry House Quilts!  Aren't these colors mouthwatering?  I love fruit so much...so what could be better?  Fruity colored fabric?  It's impossible to beat fabric called Papaya, Melon, Banana, Pear and School Bus, well, skip that last one, but I had include it; School Bus, what a great name!   This little quilt managed to slide right in between City News, and Center Stage.  My dear friends at Robert Kaufman had an idea for a last minute quilt for Market, so here it is, it's both fabulous & fruity.  And again, Lizzy's logo's are simply perfect!  The pattern will be available in the next few weeks. 

We have been super busy, and Lizzy has a special peep project going on that is going to be so fun & exciting, and we hope everyone will participate!  Life is hoppin' around here!

Postal Woes

The post office and I have not been getting along lately...unpleasant postal folks, things lost in the mail, things returned for insufficient postage - how can they incorrectly quote their own prices?  What's a girl to do?  All of the book prizes are on their way to their delightful new owners!  My only sadness is that I was never able to get an address for Erica - the Grand Prize Winner; but alas, I could wait no longer, these books deserve a new home. 

Here's my tribute to mail boxes across world, in an attempt to appease the postal gods...

 

Okay Sue, Nihal, Carey, Kristen, and Amanda cross your fingers, and be watching your mail box wherever you may be!

Thanks again everyone for participating!

Cherri

Learning something new

Do you ever have a tendency to stick with what you know, rather than venture out on a limb to learn something new?  Even if that new thing could make your life so much easier?  I'm starting the newest pattern, Center Stage for Cherry House Quilts, and I'm experimenting with a new attachment on my sewing machine.  Is any one familiar with the Circular Embroidery Foot?  Any recommendations?  I watched the Bernina video - which was helpful.  A last minute trip to Joann's was necessary to pick up some heavier stabilizer than what I had on hand.  I'm excited about this quilt, the fabric is so beautiful!  Robert Kaufman has really outdone themselves. 

Here's a peek at some of the fabrics in Center Stage...

   

Color Play

I love color!  If I've said that once, I know I've said it 100 times...I love color!  I love to play with color, I love to experiment with color, I love to take risks with color; sometimes it's a mistake - but that's okay.

City News is all about color!  It's taking a traditional pattern, and then going wild with color.  The pattern will be out in a few days...then you can what I'm going on, and on about.

In experimenting with EQ6 I came up with this little quilt idea - I love transparency in quilts - solids work so great for this type of effect.  This is Color Play ...it utilizes one of my favorite blocks - the simple Nine Patch with some 1/2 sq triangles. 

Homecoming Mums & other stuff

Lizzy and I were talking earlier and she was telling me about a project that she has planned for her Advanced Book Arts - I can't give it away, but it will be 2 parts BRILLIANCE 1 part NOSTALGIA 1 part HURTY (a word we invented in our home when something causes us emotional pain).  After we got off the phone I started looking for something in a seldom used closet, and I came across a bag of parts for HOMECOMING MUMS.  If you are unfamiliar with Homecoming Mums, check it out on www.webshots.com - it is equally fascinating and tacky - kinda like some reality tv (which I love/hate).  Kids in Texas start getting mums in grade school, and they only increase in expense & size till you die.  When the kids were in high school - having the best mum was everything.  We shopped all over Houston trying to buy the best parts & pieces for homecoming mums; but now it's just bag of nostalgia, that doesn't really matter; so I'll throw it away...that's a little hurty too. 

All of these thoughts got me thinking about a quilt I started for Melissa some years ago.  It was the cutest, brightest fabric I could find.  There was lots of cat fabric, all the cat fabric in the world it seemed.  When I started the blocks Melissa was so excited, and by the time I finished 75 6" blocks she had grown tired of it, and said she was really too big for a hot pink kitty quilt anymore - my heart broke that day. 

It's funny & sad how something one day has all the meaning in the world, and in what seems just like 5 minutes later; has no importance at all, other than just a passing memory of something that used to matter.

Oh well...everyone grows up - I'll throw out the mum stuff, but I'm keeping that quilt - someday someone I will love is going to be crazy about pink & kitties.

Here's some photos of some homecoming mums for your guilty viewing pleasure:

Show Time!

Guess who got to go to Las Vegas?  My quilts!  Animal Crossing, and City Park got to go to Las Vegas with Robert Kaufman for the International Textile Expo  Here's a peak at their booth!  I love this Critters and Creatures Fabric by Amy Schimler...it is so fun.  This quilt is great 'in person' because the color builds from the center out, creating a glowing circular effect.  Plus the strong diagonal lines across the top, and the direction the fabric is cut - it appears as if the animals are walking around, and around, and around!  Hours of fun imagining where they are going, and what they are talking about.  Our Animal Crossing pattern can be purchased in our pattern store here.

And the winner is...

And the grand prize winner is Erica but I also decided to have a second place winner - Sue Cahill; she will receive a City Blocks Quilt Pattern, plus one yard of fabric (4 fat quarters) to get started.  I don't know if Sue has a blog - so I'll email her...or if anyone knows her, you can give her the news!

I've enjoyed this so much...thanks to everyone who participated, I feel closer to the quilt blogging world, and I am grateful.

To all of the prize winners - I am shipping out all of the books at the same time - so as soon as I have Erica & Sue's address...everything will be mailed out.

Thanks a million...this has been so fun!

Cherri