Insider Baseball

First an update.

I use a company called Squarespace for my blog.  Fabulous company.  Love them.  As I mentioned yesterday, my blog was going down temporarily due to flooding in NYC.  Because of the committed and tireless efforts of the folks at Squarespace, this hasn't happened yet.  But they cannot continue their Herculean efforts indefinitely so you may lose me yet.  Then again, maybe not.  No way of knowing at this point. 

If you're interested, you can read more here about what it's like to be a business in NYC trying to keep things going in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  Pretty incredible if you ask me.

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I sat down just now to write my first post from Quilt Market (industry trade show).  It was such a busy weekend.  SO much fun.  I'm still recovering.  And my sewing room is in terrible shape.  Seriously bad.  I really should be cleaning it up right now.  I made a ridiculous mess in here during the weeks before Market getting things ready and now I need to find a home for all the stuff I brought back ... so ... you know where this is going, right? ;)

Yep.  I'd really rather talk to you and share some of my favorite stories, starting with this one about the cute, funny, smart and TALENTED Angela Walters. 

(This picture was taken first thing in the morning on the last day after a late and somewhat sleepless night for me and I could NOT have looked worse, so ... that's why I cropped most of me out.)

I met her online almost a year ago when I was in the middle of a serious book deadline crisis.  There are two quilts in my book and I needed them longarmed.  But my favorite local longarmer (Hi Laura!) had just taken ill and couldn't do them.  Oh, and did I mention my deadline to have all my book projects to the publisher was DECEMBER 18th?!  I know.  What was I thinking?  Note to self - NEVER agree to ship time sensitive things during the Christmas rush.

I managed to get an extension, but I still needed to find a longarmer.  So I asked C&T Publishing if they could recommend someone.  They sent me to Angela who had just written her first book with them.  If you've ever tried to hire a longarmer you know that the really good ones are booked up months - sometimes a year - in advance.  It's not uncommon to be put on a waiting list.  Angela already had an amazing reputation with international customers.  So I crossed my fingers and called her up.  As a fellow author, she was sympathetic to my plight and kindly took pity on me. 

I didn't see the quilts again in person until this past weekend when they were hanging in 2 different booths at Quilt Market:  the girl quilt with C&T ...

(needed to include that cute embroidery hoop mobile!)

(sorry for the lousy photos ... I was literally running up and down the aisles of Market an hour before I had to leave for the airport snapping pix.)

... and the boy quilt with Lecien ...

... because I used all COSMO embroidery floss in my book.  And all Lecien fabric too.  I know.  Shocker, right?

You know, there are so many seriously cool and lovely people in the quilting industry and I need to give huge credit to those who made my book look so much better than I ever could on my own.  Angela is one of them. 

I met her in person the first day in Houston when she was giving a talk on her newest book.  (I won a door prize!)  It was so fun to finally thank her in person as she handed me a copy of her book.

So that is just one of the highlights of Market for me.  I'll be back with more.

Hurricane Sandy

Quick note to tell you my blog will be going down temporarily because my service provider in NYC is flooding due to the hurricane.  Will be back when I can.

Heartfelt wishes to everyone in Sandy's path.

xo k

It's What I Do ...

The last few times I went to Quilt Market I made myself a new bag (plus another one for my friend). 

This bag is basically a miniature version of a quilt designed by the adorable & uber-talented Camille Roskelley ...

from her book "Simplify". 

And this one is also a miniaturized version of a quilt I designed for the Lecien Quilt Market booth last year to promote the then newest Flower Sugar fabric collection.

(Free quilt pattern here.)

Well, I simply could NOT help myself. 

I was compelled to make a bag inspired by this quilt - another commission by Lecien for last Quilt Market (I didn't go to that one).

(Quilt pattern available here.)

The blocks in the quilt measure 5 1/2"/side.  The ones on this bag?  A mere 1 3/4"! 

If I'd had more time I might have made more blocks.  But necessity is the mother of invention, right?

I wanted to add a bit of embroidery, but I didn't have gobs of time so I opted for a simple open lazy daisy stitch to create a delicate scalloped/lace trim.  (I also started adding knots between the scallops, but it was too busy so I took 'em out.)

I love this novelty print from Meg Hawkey's "Whitewash" collection.  

It features vintage sewing motifs and was perfect for this tote.

It didn't take me long to go with the chocolate brown dotted print for the bottom.  Gives it a fun personality.

And I went for a lighter inside - makes it easier to find stuff in there!

It's a pretty roomy tote.

Ok.  I'm signing off now until I get back from Houston.  I promise to bring back lots of pictures and hopefully some other fun stuff.

If you're going to be there too I'd really love to meet you!  I'll be at the C&T booth Saturday at noon for my book signing.  I'll also be doing an embroidery demo (C&T booth again) Sunday at noon.  Just remember "Nooners with Kristyne". 

Uh ... wait a sec ... doesn't that mean something else?  Never mind.  You know what I'm sayin'. ;)

PS:  For all you sick and twisted people who are jealous of my snowy climate, here's the view from my sewing room window. 

Any volunteers to come and shovel?  And scrape the ice off my windshield in the morning?

Coffee Break

Right now I would normally be making a cup of tea, especially on account of the several inches of snow and -16C (3F) temperatures outside my window.  (I won't depress the rest of the world with a picture.)  But I ran out of my favoured Irish Breakfast so instead I thought I'd say hello and show you a little peak of a little something I've been working on.

First, last night I traced this cute little embroidery design I got last year at Quilt Market (and never got around to making). 

I need something for the plane and the just-in-case "nothing else to do" moments I might have. 

Besides, Natalie has designed "Folktale" featuring these cute hedgehogs

and I'm hoping to snag a FQ bundle.

Also.

I've had these scraps ...

on my sewing table since I made this quilt ...

for the Lecien Quilt Market booth last May.  (Pattern available here.)

So you know how I like to make little things, right?  Well ...

It's almost done.  I'll show you the finished project tomorrow.

Thanks for the break.  Back to work.

Still Here ...

(Sheepishly)  Sorry.  I'm still alive.  And well.  Just very busy.  Thanks for checking up on me, though.

I know you're used to me being here at least a few times a week and usually more.  Believe me, I'd be saying hello every day if I could.  But the reality of having a pattern business has finally hit me. 

First, I'm getting ready for Quilt Market next week.  Along with a book signing (still haven't been shopping for a nice new outfit), my publisher - C&T Publishing - has kindly asked me to do an embroidery demo in their booth.  So I'm prepping for that. 

But most of my time has been spent coming up with new patterns for you.  So even though I've been sewing and stitching like a madwoman here, I can't really show you much.  Most of my patterns are still in the "prototype" stage ... close, but not good enough.  Or I still have testing and stuff to do.  I hope I will find some yummy new fabric at Quilt Market to translate my ideas into fresh designs.

But speaking of yummy new fabric, I found this at a local quilt shop last week.

To.die.for.pretty.

It's a cotton linen blend.  (I think.)  Definitly linen-esque.  By Yuwa.

I have no idea what I'm going to make with it.

But since when is logic and reason necessary when deciding on a fabric purchase?

Uh, like never. ;)

Have a great weekend. 

UPDATE:  Sorry, I just did some googling to find a source for you but this is the best I could do ... same print, different colors.  Still totally pretty.  I bought mine here.

UPDATE 2:  HOLD THE PHONE!  I found it here.  Also comes in an even pinker version. 

Ear Candy (My Random Act of Kindness for Today)

My Dad had a lot of James Bond vinyl in his record collection and I inherited his love of the soundtracks.  You will find a double CD James Bond theme compilation in my own collection. 

I also love the James Bond movies, even though I'm more of a Pride & Prejudice / Princess Bride / The Notebook kind of girl.  You know, period costumes and happy endings.  (Even though I always end up doing the ugly cry at the end of the Notebook ... )

So when I heard this latest James Bond theme by Adele yesterday ... well ... have a listen.  It's pretty awesome.  And I'm not the only one who thinks so because it's been viewed over 22 million times in less than a week.

This isn't a video, just colored smoke & lyrics.

I wonder how many times I'm going to hit repeat today.  A good guess would be about 37 kajillion.  Maybe more.

Oh wait.  I forgot.  I finally rented Downton Abbey from the library yesterday.  And I have a ton of hand sewing on my to do list for today.  Nuts.  Might only listen to it 36 kajillion times. ;)

Double nuts.  I'm home alone.  I gotta figure out how to work the DVD player all by myself. 

How Does Quilting Make Me Feel?

That's the question I tried to answer over at Stash Books blog today. Click here to read my response.

It wasn't easy, but I tried. 

I think I had more fun taking these pictures. ;)

So tell me ...

how does quilting make YOU feel?

Smells Like What?

Last night after my daughter had a bath and was all clean & cozy in her white terry robe I gave her a hug & kiss.  Freshly bathed child is my most favoritest scent ever ... yes, even better than freshly baked bread.  I told her she smelled soooo good.  She said she smelled like coconuts (new conditioner). 

But I heard "polkadots"!

Ten minutes of hysterical laughter ensued.  Then we tried to decide what polkadots smell like.

We're not really sure.  But according to my fabric stash, polkadots smell an awful lot like pink. ;)