Great New Take-Along Projects!

Hope everyone is having a great summer!  Don't know about you, but summertime is a great time for take-along projects, for either stitching on the porch or traveling in the car!  We may not have time to sit at our machines to piece, but it's always good to have something to work on!  I guess that must be why I've started so many new projects!  

I've just picked kits for two gorgeous blocks of the month projects, Fairhaven, a lovely Americana appliqlue quilt done on a great navy/gray star stripe, the same one that the designer used!






Then, since Fall is drawing ever near, I had a hankering to start Blackbird Designs "The Raven", not that I'm rushing summer out the door! For this one I selected a great assortment of Japanese taupes for the backgrounds.  I'm excited to get my first block glued down just as soon as I get the bias vine made!  There are photos of the fabrics I've chosen to use for each of these kits when you click on the kit.

If you are looking for a bit smaller project, I just finished the "My True Love" table mat, 











and if you need something to pack everything in, check out this fun Mondo bag that Gloria just made from my "Sunshine and Shadows" fabric line-isn't it great? 

One last new item, is Martingale's new book "I Love Star Blocks", which of course I do! So it's no surprise that I have a project in this book, "Ties That Bind"!  


So why don't you pick your favorite and stitch along with me this summer!


Enjoy!
Janet

Merry ChristMOOSE in July!

Crazy Moose Messages from Crazy at the Cabin

  

We had a vistor that my son Zack managed to chase out of the yard and then photograph!  We do get moose migrating through each year, usually headed north toward the Spokane River in June, then back south toward the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in September.   

The moose has become a bit of a good luck charm for my boys....whenever they would see it on Hoopfest Weekend in June, which is quite regularly, they would win their bracket (and get the t-shirt!). 

So, on this, the 25th day in July, I've decided it can be your lucky day, too!  Use the code: 

Merry ChristMOOSE 

on my website at checkout and receive 20% off your entire order!

Maybe you can grab the last Crazy Moose Messages kit! 

It's really starting to look, and smell, like harvest (or quilt show) around here!  

Ewe are Loved quilt from Udder-ly Crazy

Jason has the hay cut and baled for wife Inge's sheep,

Hollyhocks Around the Barn pattern

The hollyhocks are bloom around the barn, 

And fond memories of quilt shows and gathered friends remain! Know that I'm thinking of you all this time of year with gladness in my heart for all of the good times we've shared! 

Enjoy!

Udder-ly Crazy

It has been a bit since I've sat down to blog, but with Quilt Market prep, it truly has been "Udder-ly Crazy" around here! I just received my latest book, "Udder-ly Crazy" from the printer so it's finally ready to ship!  I've gotten all of the pre-orders on their way so I finally have a bit of time to give you all a book preview and an update of what's been going on!  I've been hearing from many of you about the regret that my Buggy Barn book "Crazy til the Cows Come Home" is no longer in print so I've wanted to design a new cow block but wanted something a bit different....

So once I came up with this "All Stacked Up" idea, I was off to the races! 








The animals all have their own quilt, except for Bill the Goat! His was all planned but I ran out of time!  Maybe I can share at a later date!  

Here we have "Ewe are Loved" 

"Hen House" which is made from my latest fabric line, "Autumn Song".  Notice what a great border that the cheater fabric makes! 

And of course, there's "Udder-ly Crazy" which is made from a variety of my One Sister prints and plaids!

And there'a a new "Barn Star" quilt for all the critters    

In addition to farm animals, there are other fun quilts including "Country Nights" made from my "Folk Art Flannel" line so the center stars are fussy cut from the border fabric, or you can use the star block in this book to make your stars in your color way!

"Star Flower Baskets", with those cute baskets and fun stars, is made from a  variety of my One Sister prints and plaids. 

And I love the windmill, or whirligig block in the E-I-E-I-O quilt! If you are interested in a kit, just email me!  I have the fabric pulled but don't have them cut yet or up on my site. 

I was busy teaching in April; first I was off to Arizona with this lovely group of ladies and friends!  And what beautiful scenery!

Then it was off to Salt Lake with a multitude of quilters all week long!  They, too, have beautiful scenery with those snow capped moutains!  I regret I don't have pictures from everywhere I went, but in the first picture below are a few of the girls from the Utah Valley Quilt Guild that were in class, and then the second picture is the group from Village Dry Goods where we were stitching in that lovely room with all of those fabulous windows!

While I was in Salt Lake, I got to stay with my friend Sandi who ran me all over and kept track of my schedule because I usually had it wrong!  Here is a picture of Sandi's churndash chemo quilt that we made for her using the block from "Crazy Favorite Things".  I just love this quilt, and love this friend!  Thanks to all of the groups that have invited me to teach!  I so enjoy my time teaching and getting together with quilters!

And then in May came Quilt Market, but I think I will save that for another day!! For now you can check out the new things from Market that I've added to my site!  I have been gone from the blog-o-sphere for a bit, but at least you've missed hearing me complain about our wet, cold spring!  It's amazing how wet it still is! There's still tons of standing water that has begun to smell, and that's my dog Murphy's favorite kind to play in!  But I'm so glad the warmer weather and spring flowers are finally here!  Here is a picture of one of my new favorite flowers- I just love this happy purple flower! Just thought I'd share! Enjoy the sunshine!  If you'd like to keep up with me on a more regular basis, be sure to follow me on Instagram #ones1ster

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

I hope you're all wearing your green today! This is my lucky hexie I made last year while sewing with dear friends.  I need to get back to this project....time just has a habit of slipping away....  

Mom & Dad's wedding day

Today is my mom and dad's wedding anniversary; my mom even wore a lovely sage green suit that I've always loved!  (And yes, it's hanging in my closet along with my own wedding dress!)

Mom, left, with her brother and sister on her 80th bday

Needless to say, Mom was just a wee bit Irish, and we girls have carried on the tradition so sisters Kathy, Sue & I along with our fams will be getting together tonight to raise a green beer in honor of our folks!  

 Meanwhile, things have been stacking up around here, while I work to have a new book ready for spring market!  It's shaping up (or should I say stacking up?) to be a fun (and crazy!) book! I will keep you posted on its progress!

Boise crazy piecing class

I've been fortunate to be doing quite a bit of teaching lately.  Be sure to check out my upcoming teaching schedule here.  I'll be in Arizona and Salt Lake in April, then home for a little Lake Time this summer, then off to Colorado and Indiana in September.  No wonder things  are stacking up here at home!  

I was in Boise last month to teach both crazy piecing and appliqué, where, as a bonus, I was able to reconnect with two of my sorority sisters.  I hadn't seen Marion since my wedding I think!  It was such a surprise to see her at the guild trunk show and so fun to visit again! It's that time thing again, slipping by, until I realize just how much I've missed the people I've loved!! So until next time.....may each of you know that "Ewe are loved"

The new book will be coming soon!

And in case you'd like to keep up with me between posts, you can follow my on Instagram #ones1ster

Sunshine and Shadows Day!

Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow so six more weeks of winter for us!  Although his track record isn't all that great, those "Crazy Flakes" will be around a bit longer I'm afraid!   It's another gorgeous bright sunny day, great for seeing your shadow and playing shadow tag, but since it's so cold, I believe I'll stay indoors and sew! Now until the snow melts, the "Crazy Snow Days" book will be 25% OFF! 

All new Crazy Cats! You CAN still get this look!

"New" Crazy Cats

Many of you have been lamenting the loss of the Crazy Cats pattern, since both Buggy Barn books, "That Crazy Thing We Do" and "Undeniably Crazy" are no longer in print (although you may still be able to find them out there!).  I've been referring you all to my new "Crazy Favorite Things" book for brand new cat and flower blocks, but many didn't think you could get the same look....

I must admit, I figured that instead of Chicks in the Garden, you'd make Cats in the Garden!  I really like the new flower since it has pieced stems and leaves.  But it's human nature to want what we can't have, so I've been pondering the dilemma, primarily that the new flower doesn't cut down well without cutting off the lower leaf.  Then the light bulb went off and I realized we could use the "Summer Blooms" block out of "Crazy at the Cabin"; these blocks work even though the block is significantly bigger than the original flower (by 3").

"New" Cat and Flower Blocks

So this is what you're going to do to get the old quilt "look" using the new blocks:
1.  Make 12 cat blocks following the directions in "Crazy Favorite Things" except for the shuffling:  For these cat blocks, the cat body, head and tail will all be the same fabric so for all of these pieces (steps 5A and 5C) put the top fabric on the bottom.  Follow steps 5B for the stripes and 5D for the background as written.
2. If you want to add whiskers to the cats, cut 3" strips of mini ric-rac.  Select three pieces, stack and stitch into bundles of 3 whiskers each as show below that you will sandwich at the top corners of the cat nose as you stitch the blocks together.

3.  After piecing the blocks, stitch a strip of the leftover portion of your fat quarter to the right side of each block so there is background fabric on the right side of the tail.
4.  Square the cat blocks to 11-1/2" wide x 13-1/2" high.
5.  For the flowers, select 6 light and 6 dark (reds and purples) fat quarters and make 12 Summer Bloom blocks following the directions in the "Crazy at the Cabin" book.  These blocks are squared to 9-1/2" as indicated in the book.  
6.  For the eight vertical flowers, stitch a 4-1/2" x 9-1/2" rectangle of the corresponding background fabric to the bottom of each block.  For the two horizontal blocks, stitch a 2-1/2" x 9-1/2" rectangle of corresponding background fabric to the bottom of each block.  The long horizontal flower (underneath a cat and a flower center left of the quilt) has one 7-1/2" x 9-1/2" rectangle of the corresponding background fabric added to the bottom and a 4-1/2" x 9-1/2" rectangle added to the top. Add wool stems, leaves, and centers.  The center templates are found in the book.  Here is a scan of the stem and leaf I used:

7.  Stitch the blocks together as shown below, stitching the seams in the order as numbered in the diagram.  Then ta-da! There you have it; a very good replica of the original Buggy Barn Crazy Cats!!

New One Sister Crazy Cats

Old Buggy Barn Crazy Cats, both designed and pieced by me   :-)

I hope this helps those of you who can't find a book; it gives you an option anyway!  And remember, NONE of the Buggy Barn books will be reprinted!  WHEN THEY'RE GONE THEY'RE GONE.  See my website for those still in publication.  If they aren't shown/listed in the STORE then they are no longer available.  Many of the book titles are getting low, so please, if you have been wanting a certain Buggy Barn title, don't wait until it's too late!

Americana Star

Have you gotten your Spring Edition of Primitive Quilts and Projects?  If not, you better get one!  Be sure to check out my "Americana Star" quilt made with an assortment of fabrics from my recent lines (except for the border ticking!)  The quilt is 60" square and kits are available! 

It remains cold and clear and we've got just enough snow for the wind to blow it all into the roads and close the roads!  We haven't been snowed in, but both my sister Kathy and Gloria but have been- even the county plows got stuck on both of their roads!  All this snow makes it a bit difficult for Murphy, my dog, to bolt out the door and sprint across the yard out into the pasture to protect his secret stash of apples from marauding wildlife!   I've yet to see anything out there but he likes us to know he's the "Big Dog" ha! 

Crazy Dog Block from Crazy Favorite Things

My son Zack thinks the apples must have fermented and that's why Murphy is such a goof-ball:  he's been eating too many fermented apples! There's not much entertainment around here in the winter!  We have to get it where we can!  Thankfully Murphy is around to entertain us!  I've been busy piecing and will share that with you next time! Until then, stay warm and keep stitching!