Great New Book

I just received Janice Vaine's new book, "The Art of Elegant Hand Embroidery Embellishment and Applique". This book is just beautiful, it is a hard cover, spiral bound so the pages open completely and stay open (love that feature on an instruction book). Janice has taught at Elly Sienkiewicz' Applique Academy. The book has a section on needle turn applique and her technique of "Perfect Placement Applique" which is a form of back basting applique. There are 62 embroidery stitches, 20 ribbon work techniques, 8 stump work techniques and 10 fabric techniques. The book also includes over 100 four and eight inch blocks and the patterns are on a DVD. Janet is also offering a free block of the month starting in April based on techniques and blocks from this book. Check it out at: http://www.grahamcrackercollection.com/GrahamCrackerCollection/Ribboned_Bouquet_Block_of_the_Month.html

What fun this is going to be.

I have been working on some customer quilts

and just got Sara's quilt loaded on the frame and I am ready to start quilting it. This quilt has such wonderful fabrics and colors, I just love it, it is a joy to work on and get to see. It is a great pattern (I believe it is a Miss Rosie's design) for using jelly rolls.

Lisa used the same pattern to make a graduation quilt for her nephew. She used all fabrics from her stash - well done!

I also finished the Santa Baby quilt!

This is a pattern from the book Positively Crazy from Buggy Barn. I quilted holly leaves all over the quilt. I made this quilt for my friend Jan, we were working with a special size to display in her home so it is a little smaller than the pattern and I made a table runner out of a couple of the extra blocks.

I did not show you my friend Leslie's fabulous quilt she was working on at our recent quilt retreat.

The blocks were colored with crayons and just beautiful embroidery detail that I hope you can click on the pictures to enlarge and appreciate her wonderful work. She found the perfect border fabric (that looks like little roof shingles to me - perfect for these little cottages). She has been working on this quilt with her granddaughter Claire in mind, but I think she is falling in love with this quilt and might not be able to part with it. I can not wait to see how you quilt this Les.

Finally a word about the earthquake disaster in Japan. My sweet daughter-in-law's immediate family is okay, they have not been able to reach some cousins who live in the north. My thoughts have been sort of an ongoing prayer this morning for all those affected by this terrible disaster, and for Kaori's family, and for her many Japanese friends in the Houston area who I am sure are so very concerned for their family members so far away. May God surround you in his loving arms, keep your family members safe, and give you peace of mind.

Cheri