Cherry House Quilts

Facebook has turned me into a 7th grader

First there was MySpace - but Melissa says, "Mom, nobody does Myspace anymore".  Then Typepad, then Flickr, then Twitter, then there is Etsy, but I don't have one of those, and now Facebook...oh my gosh, Facebook.  Facebook was something that my daughters used to keep up with college, and high school friends.  Facebook was where they told me to go to look at photos, if I wanted to see what was happening in their world.  Facebook - I am now on Facebook - how crazy is that?  Ashlee said, "I'm not sure how I feel about you being on there Mom".  Lizzy says, "Facebook is for my college friends".  When I told her I had just become friends with someone, she said, "they are on there too?  Have the quilters taken over Facebook?"  As if all of this isn't bad enough, who has time to quilt, or do anything?  I'm always checking my email, always checking if someone has written on my wall.  The girls would tell me about one of their friends, and I'd ask if they had spoken with them recently...they'd say 'no, they wrote on my wall'.  I'm thinking "wrote on your wall, why on earth would someone write on your wall???"...it's a facebook thing Mom.  I feel as if I've stumbled into a party that my children are attending, but where I don't really belong.  They are much too polite to tell me to leave, but they aren't quite sure why I'm there.  Another thing, I'm not automatically their Mom on Facebook, they actually have to confirm that we are related. 

If all of this isn't bad enough, you have to learn the right words for everything, I'm embarrased by how many times Lizzy has had to correct me.  I told her about something that occurred on TWEETER, she said "It's TWITTER MOM", then I asked her about something on EEEETSY, she said "it's Etsy MOM".  But the worst part has to be the Friendship Request - I've been reduce to a 7th grader, trying to figure out why someone hasn't accepted my friendship request, all I can think is...

• "did they get my request?"
• "do you think they've received it yet?"
• "maybe they got it, but maybe they don't like me"
• "why don't they like me?  I thought we were friends"
• "OMG if they accept _________'s request, but not mine, I'm just gonna die"

I wouldn't mind looking like I did in the 7th grade, but to think like I did in the 7th grader is a little much. 

Oh well, I wonder what the next online social networking thing will be?  I can't even imagine...much less keep up.

 Cherri

Quilt Two - One Mountain, Ten Quilts

On to quilt #2 of my scrap project, One Mountain, Ten Quilts.  This time I wanted to try Sharon Pederson's two sided quilts.  I had seen the episode several times on Simply Quilts, and I wanted to give it a whirl!  I wasn't interested in the quilt that had been demonstrated, but I was interested in the concept of quilt as you go, and joining the blocks with sashing.  I really enjoyed this project, and was happy with how turned out.  Working in such small increments, you could make a really large quilt, and not be overwhelmed by the size.

Some advangtages of this type of quilt:

• You can use the smallest of scraps - one little pink block in the close up photo, is only about a 1/2" high
• The back of the quilted blocks can be rejects, or leftovers from other projects
• Use up leftover batting!  I cut ALL of my leftover batting pieces into usable size squares, and strips.  It took a couple of hours, but when it was done, I had bags, and bags of ready to go batting.
• Quilt as you go, that's always a cool thing :)
• Think of this as a flip and sew method, but instead of sewing on foundation fabric, your foundation is the batting and the quilt back
• Block Size 8" square when I started, but trimmed down to 7.5"
• Quilt Size 30" x 38"

        

My rejected and leftover blocks from other projects work perfectly for the back, it so much better than them wasting away in Land of Misfits.

Two quilts down, 8 to go!  Sometimes I thought that bag would never run out of scraps...it finally did!  I still believe that they somehow multiply.

Cheers,

Cherri

What are you working on??? Plus the I DO! Quilt Pattern Winners

First of all - thank you to everyone that entered the I Do Quilt Pattern Drawing!  We received some comments from new folks, who kindly introduced themselves; which was great.  We always love new friends from near and far. 

The winners of the I Do Quilt Pattern were Linda from the Netherlands, and Jennifer from Virginia. I Do! is the perfect pattern for a quick weekend project, and I can't wait to see your creations.  One of the most rewarding aspects of being a pattern designer is watching the evolution of a pattern through someone else's eyes.  I've seen it with City Scapes, and now I Do!  It's just the greatest!!!

Does anyone belong to any Yahoo Quilting Groups?  I belong to several, and one of the questions always popping up is "What are you working on?"  So, I thought I'd share what I'm working on...

For the last year or so, I've had a personal quilting challenge that I issued to myself. 

Here was the challenge:

• Use up an entire paper grocery bag of scraps that I had been saving, all the scraps were similar, and had been collected by style/color
• Nothing could be thrown away, nothing could be added with the exception of borders, a white on white fabric, binding if necessary, and quilt backs
• Even thought they would all be scrap quilts, or string pieced quilts, each quilt had to be different (I couldn't make 10 of the same quilt). 
• As much as possible, I should create quilts that were outside of my comfort zone, or a new style to me, such as a Gee's Bend style quilt, etc.
• Make as many quilts as possible from the bag

I've made 10 quilts from one bag of scraps - the name of my project "ONE MOUNTAIN, TEN QUILTS".  When I first began the project, I would dump all of the scraps on my work table, and start sorting, pairing things up, figuring out what to do and where to go.  At the beginning it was a mountain of scraps, now I'm down to a few stray bits of strips that I've turned into applique flowers.

It's been fun, and challenging - which is the best kind of project.  It's kind of like when there is "nothing" in frig, but you've got to feed your family, so you just work with what you have, and sort of accidentally come up with something everybody likes

Jacquie over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio wrote this great post in January about Improv style quilting, Gee's Bend, etc.  I love the Gee's Bend quilts, I love everything about them.  One of my quilts is in the style of Gee's Bend; and I must admit it was much more challenging than I would have thought.  Here's my version of a Gee's Bend Quilt...I never would have considered myself anal, or OCD, but I am; I must admit.  Cutting those wonky strips was really hard.  It's like asking a classical musician to do jazz - it was a stretch, but a good exercise. 

I'll be adding more of my One Mountain quilts over the next few months.  If you have a bag of scraps, just begging to be turned into something, this is a really good way to use them up!

Have a good night,

Cherri

Girl Power Revisited

    

I thought it would be fun to rework Girl Power using Amy Schimler's new fabric Forest Fun.  Check out the attached project sheet for some of the color, and fabric options.  These quilts will be perfect for girls or boys, everyone needs a quilt! 

Download PROJECT SHEET

Download GIRL POWER QUILT PATTERN

P.S. Don't forget to enter our drawing for a free I DO QUILT PATTERN...we will have the drawing on Sunday!

Happy Wednesday,

Cherri

I Do, I Do, I Do!!! I Do Quilt Pattern giveaway, plus pattern winners

Our best selling quilt pattern I Do! has been remade by Robert Kaufman in their new fabric line Hot Blossom, check it out... For anyone nervous about the circles, and applique, don't be - it couldn't be easier.  Check out the 6 minute circle instructionsfrom Dale Fleming on our Free-a-bee page.  You will be making PERFECT circles in 6 minutes - amaze and dazzle your friends!  Something special about the I Do! Quilt Patterns is that they were designed specifically for big splashy prints, and solids.  If you've ever had a beautiful piece of fabric, too lovely to cut into small little pieces - I Do! is the pattern for you. 

Not only did Robert Kaufman create I Do with Hot Blossoms, and their amazing Kona Cotton Solids, but they will be selling kits through Fons and Porter in an upcoming issue of one of their magazines.  In honor of all of this, I'm giving away two I Do Quilt Patterns...one state side, and one international.  Just leave us comment, be sure and tell us where you are in the world.  If by chance you have already purchased I Do, I will be happy to substitute a Baby, I Do quilt pattern (keep it all in the family).

A special thank you to everyone who entered our Favorite New Pattern giveaway.  I always appreciate your comments, and sweet support!

Here's the winners of our New Pattern Giveaway...

Linda- Forest Friends

Upstatelisa- City Fair

Barbara- Baby, I Do!

Goodnight friends, time for some sleep, Monday will be here too soon!

Cherri

Oh so many things...

  Happy Valentines Day my friends!  I wanted to take a moment, and wish you the happiest of Valentines Days!  I have lots of sweet memories of valentines day when the children were little.  We would have a little party where everyone would invite a friend or two, and we would decorate heart shaped sugar cookies that I had baked.  We would have lots of frosting, sprinkles, all the goodies.  It was always so much fun - I miss those special days.

First I wanted to say that I have finally made a decision about the name of the log cabin quilt.  Second I wanted to thank everyone for your heart felt suggestions.  I could see that much thought, and consideration was put into your suggestions, and I sincerely thank you. 

Okay - the name of the quilt is...

Elizabeth

 

It was one of the suggestions, and after much thought, it seemed the best to me.  It does have Lizzy's fabric in it from her little Kindergarten jumper, as well the fact that Lizzy did help me decide on a layout all those years ago.  I'm not even sure what grade she was in...it's been lots of years.  You gave some great names that I'm going to keep in mind - don't be surprised if you see them as a pattern somewhere down the road.   I can't wait to finish the quilt, and show off the whole thing.  The setting is really unusual, and it's just about as unique as my daughter.  In the future, I'm going have to make an Ashlee quilt, and a Luke quilt - they definitely keep tabs on these kind of things.  The Melissa quilt will be out in the Spring issue of Fons and Porter Easy Quilts!!!

You have one more day to enter the WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE NEW PATTERN CONTEST!  Choose from Baby, I Do, City Fair, and Forest Friends.  Leave a comment telling us your favorite pattern in order to be in a drawing for one of them, we are giving away one of each.  Be sure and check tomorrow for the winner, and another contest (think patterns, think our I DO QUILT PATTERN!!!)

Happy Valentines <3<3<3

Cherri

 

 

Please help me name my quilt - Plus 3 free patterns

 

Here's a portion of my log cabin - which is still nameless.  Any suggestions?  I am just having the hardest time with a name.  This top has been finished for years, just sitting and sitting, waiting patiently to be quilted.  The problem was that I wanted concentric circles across the entire quilt...red on the red, and creme on the creme.  I was never able to find someone to quilt it the way I wanted, and I knew that I couldn't do it myself, unless I did it by hand, which wasn't going to happen.  I was able to find a wonderful quilter named DeLoa Jones, who I am now sort of related to by marriage in a completely long way around the bend, kind of way.  When I explained what I wanted, she said that it wasn't possible, but she made some suggestions, and in the end, I'm very happy with how it turned out.  If I had my own long arm, I believe I could accomplish what I was trying to do - maybe I'm just a bad explainer - who knows???  So, back to this quilt - I love it so much, and I am looking forward to getting the binding done, and giving this baby a name.  Part of the reason this quilt is so special to me is because I collected the fabric for a couple of years before starting it.  When I traveled frequently for Continental, I would track down all of the local quilt shops in the city where I was working.  I was always on the hunt for red, and creme scraps, as well as repro Conversation Prints.  There is also some fabric that was a gift from my Mom, and fabric that the girls picked out to go in the quilt.   Some of the fabric is representative of what was important to the children at the time.  See that little strip of Tartan Plaid (top, to the right)?  That is fabric from the jumper that I made for Lizzy on her first day of Kindergarten.  I'm not sure if this is considered a string pieced quilt or not...the finished strips are only 1".  Do any names come to mind?  If so, please leave me a comment - if I pick your name - you will receive a free pattern of the quilt when it is released. 

Also, don't forget about our free pattern giveaway for the three new patterns released!

Hooray for Wednesday!

Cherri

Free Pattern Drawing...3 new patterns!

Holy cow...what a week it's been.  Three patterns in one week, is pretty nuts I must admit.  Releasing Baby, I Do, City Fair, and Forest Friends has definitely been a time consuming effort for our little quilt pattern company.  I bugged poor Lizzy to death for the pattern covers - thank you Lizzy!  It seems that we are individually, and collectively drowning in projects - a mixed blessing. 

Want a glimpse at how exhausted Lizzy is?  Check out this interview that Lizzy did for someone from school.  The interview was conducted at 8:00 AM, but Lizzy had only gone to bed a few hours before.  She tips forward a little bit every time she speaks - I'm so glad that she doesn't fall.  For all the worrying Momma's out there - she did get some rest.

Well, the patterns are complete, the Pattern Store has been updated...I think I'll breathe for just a minute, then get on to the next project.  What is the next project you ask???  It is sewing down the binding on my still to be named red scrappy log cabin.  Binding/pattern/photo - give us a couple weeks, and it will be available soon.  You can take a peek at my log cabin quilt here. 

In honor of our new patterns I'm giving one of each away!!!  Just leave a comment, and let us know which you like best - entries welcome from all over the world!  We'll have our drawing next Sunday and announce the three winners.

        

Have a great week everyone,

Cherri

City Fair Quilt Pattern Now Available!

Last, but not least presenting City Fair, the latest in our City Quilt series.  If you love Kona Cotton Solids, this is the quilt for you! 

$9.00

 

 

Baby I Do! Quilt Pattern Now Available

                       Hooray, Baby, I Do! has arrived, and is ready to go!  For everyone that loves I Do!, here's a special quilt for your baby. 

The pattern contains instructions for the both Orange Baby I Do, and for Baby I Do Blues as well.  Two patterns, two quilts - one price.    

$9.00

Here's our original I DO! Quilt Pattern, everyone's favorite!

$9.00