Cherry House Quilts

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

A Flower for You!

       This is just a quick hello, and thank you for all of your kind words about the book giveaways.  Your sweet words have touched my heart, and I wish I had books to give to everyone...I would, I'd send them all over the world. 

Quilt Update...City News is done!  I don't have a proper photo yet, as soon as the binding was finished, I got a call from Robert Kaufman asking for the quilt so they could photograph it, then it will be forwarded to Lizzy so she can do the pattern cover.  When all of that is complete, the pattern will be released - let's say May 1st.  The next quilt pattern that we will release is called Center Stage, and it will be amazing!  Check out this beautiful fabric that will be featured in this quilt.  If you love I DO!, you're going to love this too.

The photo above is a Texas Bluebonnet - they are so beautiful!  I didn't take these photos, they're from Webshots - is anyone familiar with this service?  It's free!  Back to beautiful flowers - last week's book drawing winner has an amazing article on Tulips in Turkey - very interesting, informative, and she has such beautiful photos.  Check out Nihal's blog at here.  She asks which flower is indispensable to your city?  I'd say Azaleas for Houston, but definitely Bluebonnets for the State of Texas.  What's yours?

Be sure and leave a comment to enter this week's drawing - great prizes!  Check back Sunday to see if you are the lucky winner!

This Week's Winner, plus an extra special drawing!

Our winner this week is Nihal...Congratulations!!! 

Now, to this week's drawing!  As I mentioned yesterday, this is the final week for our book drawing.  I've finally whittled down my supply of quilt books, and it's time to get ready for Quilt Market.

In honor of this last drawing - I thought it should be extra special, so here goes...

Kitties to Stitch and Quilt by Nancy Martin, Rich Traditions - Scrap Quilts to Paper Piece by Nancy Mahoney, and Back to Front - A new approach to machine applique by Larraine Scouler

Plus a free copy of our City Blocks Quilt Pattern, and one yard of assorted fat quarters to get you started.

These weekly drawings have been such a great experience for me, because through it I've been able to get to know many of you.  It is so interesting to find that quilting is the same all over the world, even though we may not speak the same language - there is a language that we all understand.  Our love of our families, our love and need to create, the love of sisterhood, the love of sharing, and of course our love of fabric and quilts.

Leave a comment to enter this week's drawing

One More Day

Just one more day to enter this week's drawing for 3 QUILT BOOKS - Thinking Outside The Block, as well as New Wave Quilt Collections - Vol 1 & 2 by Setsuko Segawa.  Are you a Traditional, Contemporary, or Art Quilter - leave us a comment to be included in this week's drawing. 

Thanks to everyone for such thoughtful responses!  There are many many traditional quilters around the world, but lots who are also looking to try something new.  It's been great meeting, and getting to know so many of you!

Check back to tomorrow when we announce the winner of this week's drawing.  Next week will be the last week for our book giveaway...but since it's the last week it will be extra special - not just books! 

Have a peaceful Sunday,

Cherri