Cherry House Quilts

Lizzy's Parade

 
Have you seen the new Fons and Porter's Easy Quilts Winter 2009?  If not, you should check it out!  On page 74 you will see Lizzy's Parade.  I thought it the perfect title for a quilt featuring "flags" from Lizzy's Red Letter Day fabric. 

On a personal note, I can't adequately express the joy I feel in creating a quilt with my daughter's fabric...truly a dream come true!  It's one of those strange occurrence that instead of it being a dream in the far off distant; maybe never to happen future, it is happening now - and it is as wonderful as I imagined; which is also a sweet surprise!

Well that's it for me today...have a happy Sunday,

Cherri

In the works...

There is so much going on it is a challenge to keep up with it all...quilts, kids, market...all exciting, all lots of work!

Let's start with kids, namely Miss Elizabeth House...Lizzy to you, is home for a visit, and to even add more excitement, I think Ashlee and Melissa are coming home too!!!  Luke and Becky will have little Benjamin blessed (christened) on Sunday, so it will be a wonderful family gathering - which truly is the best thing in the world to me.  When all my children are together, I am at my happiest - completely, joyfully, gratefully happy! 

Next is quilts of course, to be honest it is quilts, quilts, quilts...new patterns, market around the corner, that kind of thing. 

I DO believe that all of our I DO fans will be pleased with an up and coming pattern using Moda's amazing Authentic line - I can't tell you how much I love that fabric!  Circles, circles, and more circles...gotta love it!

And on the heels of that new quilt and pattern will be the next quilt in our City Series called City Breeze...this will be our first pattern with two size options offered, one size will be a large quilt, and the other size will be our Baby Breeze for little ones.  Check out these glorious colors of Kona Cotton Solids from Robert Kaufman for City Breeze.

I loved your stories and comments about your best fabric finds, I can't tell you how much I wished I had been along for your shopping/garage sales adventures - what bargins - thank you for sharing them!  If you haven't had a chance, be sure to leave a comment to be entered into our Wee Play Charm Pack drawing here...our drawing will be on Saturday.

Until then,

Cherri

I am in love (again)

  Look at this beauty - I am completely in love all over again!  Let me introduce you to my newest love...his name is Benjamin Ryan Buchanan House.  My son and his wife welcomed this sweet little one (or not so little) on Monday morning.  He weighed 9 lbs 11oz, and was 22" long...big baby!  Amazingly, not as big a baby as his Daddy...but a big healthy baby with beautiful red hair. 

I got to hold him for about two hours on Monday...what a privilege!

Gotta go make this baby a quilt!

Cherri (gramma to two little ones now!)

A Forbidden Love

Once upon a time one of my daughters was engaged (not Lizzy), the wedding was planned, the wedding quilt was made, everything was a go; except the groom.  In the end, it was the best for everyone, especially my girl; the biggest casuality seems to be this wedding quilt.  For a few years now the top sat innocently by, waiting to be a quilt, waiting to be loved.  The bride no longer had any love for the quilt, or for the fabrics.  What to do?  In her mind the quilt is tainted, but not for me.  I love this quilt, I loved making it; literally hundreds and hundreds of little 3 1/2'' blocks, arranged just so.  So I alone will love this quilt, but I'll keep this forbidden love to myself, lest anyone think me disloyal.  I can see it now, my girl comes home, and I'm stuffing this quilt into a closet...oh well, maybe she will forgive the quilt, maybe in the end, she will love it too!

 

All Things Brilliant!

I love things done well, done creatively, done outside of the box...I love to watch an amazing play in a football game, I love to watch Elizabeth (Lizzy) create art beyond what I thought her capable of (and she's capable of soooo much), I love Melissa and Ashlee's song writing ability - to turn thoughts and words into amazing verses...I love all things brilliant!!! 

Years ago when Simply Quilts repeats were on HGTV & DIY; I would DVR them, then watch my favorite ones over and over, trying to learn, and take in techniques that were unfamiliar to me.  One of my all time favorites was the episode with Anita Grossman Soloman where she introduces cool cutting techniques.  I was blown away by the square on point - I thought it absolutely brilliant, and outside of the box.  In my mind, conceptualizing that, and figuring it out required a different kind of thinking - which is the coolest thing in the world...figuring something out that leaves convention far behind.

So, to the present: I had been given an opportunity to create a quilt with some wonderful new Moda fabric by 3 Sisters (which I have a crazy fondness for).  I wanted to create a square on point pattern, and I wanted to share Anita's method with the world.  How to share to the brilliance of Anita's method, and reference it in my pattern? All I could think to do, was to ask her...what would I say, "hey lady, you know that cool thing you discovered, can I share it with everyone?"   What would she think?  How would she react to my request?  I'm happy to say, the encounter was better than I could have ever imagined, she was kind, gracious (she even knew my work!), she said she was happy that I liked the process, and was happy that I wanted to share it!  My first unembarrasing celeb encounter!!!  Life is good!

For any interested in learning how to use her method for cutting square in a square block - here is the link: http://www.hgtv.com/videos/super-fast-rotary-cutting/4431.html

Here's the link to the pattern that Anita is using on the segment: http://www.makeitsimpler.com/square_on_point_pattern_aI9.pdf

The blocks are all cut, and going on the design wall as fast as I can sew them!  Hooray for a long weekend...sewing, sewing, sewing!  This quilt will be done before I know it.

Happy 4th of July everyone!!!

Cherri

Queued up

I love the idea of british queues, everything neatly lined up, and this case fabric patiently waiting in line to be turned into quilts. 

This is what I've been up to...

1. My Red Letter Day quilt for Fons and Porter is in the mail...such a relief! This fabric is so fun, and special (it doesn't hurt that my sweet daughter designed it);  go get some fast if you haven't already!

2. Lizzy was here for two minutes two days, it was too short, but I'm so glad she was here to celebrate her birthday...our day of beauty was grand!  While all the pets were so happy to see our girl, Pinecone would like an explanation as to where Lizzy is, she doesn't understand this coming and going thing. 

3. I'm taking a little detour from my quilts in solids, and I'm going to play with some fabulous Moda prints for a bit.  I'm so excited about creating a quilt with Moda's newest 3 Sisters fabric...I love those florals so much...there is something so romantic about those fabrics.

As soon as that quilt is done, I'm going to create a quilt with Moda's new Authentic line by Sweetwater, I'm just crazy about this fabric.  Any fabric with with type on it catches my eye instantly!

Well I'm off to start on my 3 Sisters quilt, I can't wait to share it with you, and tell you about a special encounter I had with a famous quilter in regards to this quilt.  You know I don't have best track record for dealing with famous people, but I handled myself well, you'd be proud!

Jacquie and Kathleen your anniversary packages have been shipped...hopefully you either have them already, or will have them soon.

Cheers!

Cherri

Come Celebrate with us...2 year anniversary!!!

 

Hi dear friends!!!

It's our anniversary, and we would love for you to join us!  We are celebrating quilting, family, friends, community, sharing, caring...everything good thingy!  As is the tradition in our house, we like to give away something on our special day, as our way of saying "you matter to us, we care about you, and we thank you for being a part of our lives!" 

What's the gift?  Well, like all good gifts, it is a surprise, but I'll tell you this much; it's gonna be grand!  Think patterns, think fabric, and a little something delicious...not bad, right? 

Since we are celebrating our 2 year anniversary, we will give away 2 gift boxes!  One to our domestic friends, and one to our international friends...that way everyone gets to celebrate!

How to join in the good times?  Just leave us a comment about twos...your two favorite hobbies, your two favorite people, your two favorite Cherry House Quilts patterns (haha had to throw that in), your two favorite foods, two things you totally grateful for, two, two, two; you get the picture! 

So when does all the fun begin?  Now, right this very second!  When will the drawing be for the gifts?  On June 10th...so enter away my friends, leave us a comment, tell us two sweet things, and join the fun. 

We love you, we thank you for being a part of our lives, and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of yours!

Cherri

Happy Mother's Day!

       Happy Mother's day to everyone!  Whether you are a Mom, a step Mom, an Aunt, or a Mom to 4 legged kids; I hope you have a wonderful day!  Last year was my first Mother's day without any of my children home, and I cried the whole day :-(  This year I'm doing much better, which is good!  My sweet son and his family sent me flowers, which is always such a treat! 

Life has been going a hundred miles an hour it seems, and I haven't been able to post as much as I would like.  I do thank you for your sweet comments and thoughtful emails - they mean the world to me! 

Let me share a few things that are in the works...

• A new project for Fons and Porters
• A special pattern for _____________, utilizing ____________ fabric.  (Some details, huh?)
• A new pattern for Cherry House Quilts, created with some new 3 Sisters fabric from Moda!!!
• An interview for EQ newsletter
• Lizzy's move to Portland
• Melissa's move to Baltimore
• A new grandbaby due in August

Market is next week, and I'm sad to not be going...it just wouldn't be the same without Lizzy, and that girl couldn't it make cuz she's starting her new life in Portland.  **NEWSFLASH** I just got off of the phone with her - she made it safe, and she loves  her new place!

Well that is all for now...everyone going to Market, have the best time!

Cheers,

Cherri

She's a real quilter now!

Would you look at this?  My girl Lizzy is officially a quilter now!!!  This is her quilt Marble Champ...check out her blog where she explains the meaning behind the quilt, and through several post she also explains the meaning behind several of the pieces in her Red Letter Day collection.  Something that you will learn about my girl is that everything has meaning, everything is about the whole, and that everything is part of a grand plan.

Something else about Lizzy that I'll share is this...if she says that she has "seen it in her head, and knows how it will work" just get out of her way, and let her get to it.  It won't do any good to argue with her, or explain to her the reasons why it won't work, because she has worked it out already in her mind, and she knows that it will work.  It always does, everytime.

This is such an accomplishment for her, she designed the fabric, created the quilt design, made the quilt, quilted the quilt, made the binding for the quilt, and did the binding.  This amazing girl of mine, I'm just so proud of her!!!  She has been surrounded by quilts all her life, and has always loved them, but to make this leap, and truly become a quilter in her own right - WOW - words fail me.

Here's another photo of her quilt, I love this image...enjoy!

Family Togetherness

I grabbed this photo off of facebook from Melissa's photos yesterday...when I saw it my heart melted a little.  My sweet girls Ashlee and Melissa in Salt Lake last week.  My children have always been so close, the very best of friends.  I taught them from the earliest age to love each other, and to take care of each other.  They have always been stronger and more whole when their siblings are close by. I'm a little concerned on how my girls will fare when they go their separate ways soon.  Lizzy will move to Portland, Melissa will move to Baltimore, and Ashlee will be in Salt Lake. 

When Lizzy started school at BYU-Idaho years ago, Ashlee followed her, then Melissa followed them both. Even though they were away from home, they were still together.  Lizzy has spent much of her college years mothering her sisters, cooking for them, feeding them, nursing them, whatever was needed, she would do.  She will always and forever be the ultimate protector, and big sister - heaven help the person who messes with a House girl!

So now this time for them is drawing to a close, and again as a Mother, I have to come to terms with these changes. I often think of the line from Mary Poppins, that she will stay until the winds change.  Well the wind is changing, and their lives are changing too. How did they grow up so fast, and where did the time go?  I can't wait to see what's next!

Stay tuned,

Cherri