Monday, July 28, 2014

Layers of Love Preview Week #8

American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine

Oh. My. Goodness!  We made the cover of APQ's October issue! My Rustic Stars quilt is so much fun to make. I used a Honey Bun for the star points layered over large triangles to simplify the piecing and add a primitive, rustic element. I can't believe the October issue is here already in July!!!The new Paisley Park fabric is featured in the quilt but won't arrive for a few weeks in September.  If you're interested in a kit for the project, call Jamie at KTQ at 785-488-2120 and she'll put you on the list to be one of the first to receive a kit when UPS delivers the fabric. Hey, maybe it'll come early too!
Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine.
©2014 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.
The pictures of the KT retreat, store and my studio in the story are
 wonderfully done with more on the APQ website. 

Layers of Love Week #7 Winner

Our winner of the Layers of Love book this week is Deb, comment #11 from Loma, CO who said, "Loving it all! Kansas Troubles fabrics make fabulous quilts!!"  Thanks so much! I love reading all of your comments full of enthusiasm for quilting and support of KTQ. It makes my week start off so happy! 
Only one more week (I can't lie, there's a bonus week #9!) so comment to win your copy of the new book.

Layers of Love Preview #8 - Delainey's Twirls & Swirls

Delainey is our entertainer - she sings, dances, recites stories and tells jokes, all with the confidence of someone much older than 8. If she's not a professional performer someday, I'll be surprised. What may surprise you is how this quilt is pieced. A single charm pack is cut into large and small triangles, as shown. The two sizes of assorted triangles are then layered and sewn on opposite sides of a background square. When you lay out the squares with 4 large triangles together, pinwheels appear! As the rows are stitched together, the smaller pinwheels emerge. How fun and easy is that???  It's one of my favorites in the Layers of Love book.


Delainey's pinwheel quilt is as vibrant and colorful as she is. I chose a
Sandy Gervais (Chance of Showers) precut to suit her personality perfectly. 

It's also delightful in KT fabric for anyone on your list. At 72" square,
 it's a good size for a lap quilt with just one charm pack and 2 fabrics to choose.

Check back next week for our final (bonus week #9) preview of the Layers of Love book. You won't want to miss it!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Layers of Love Preview Week #7

Layers of Love Winner Week #6

Congratulations to Redfinch (comment #10) - you're the winner of this week's Layers of Love book. Please send your shipping info to lynne@ktquilts.com and you'll be one of the first to receive the new book after they're delivered to us. Looks like July 30 is Dday!

Reminder to Layers of Love Week #1 winner Laura Riley of South Dakota - please contact us soon. If anyone out there knows Laura, let her know she's a winner!


Layers of Love Preview Week #7 - Kiera's Kickin' It

Our 6th oldest granchild, Kiera lives in TX with her big brother, Ethan. Soccer is a year round sport down there, so she really had no choice but to play along. Her Dad and big brother coach her team of very serious little girls. Grampa Robert lovingly calls little kids' soccer 'herd ball' since they all follow the ball all over the field like a herd of kicking, flailing colts. So much fun to watch! In honor of her love of soccer, I've created a quilt that's fun and playful. Moda's newest precut, Honeycombs (6" hexagons), even kinda looks like soccer balls, so they're great for making a personalized quilt for the soccer player in your life. My inspiration for the layout came from a quilt in Loose Change called Pennies from Heaven. We layered and stitched a smaller tan square on a larger dark square, then cut the blocks in half and staggered them in vertical rows for a simple but striking lap quilt. It's perfect for the guy on your list and only requires a Layer Cake & 1 fabric.
Pennies from Heaven, Loose Change book
 In playing with Honeycombs, the vertical strippy quilt made alot of sense - fast, easy construction with outstanding results. I love it! Honeycomb hexagons are cut in half using our KT Honeycomb Ruler. The half hexs are positioned on both edges of a tan strip of fabric, pinned & stitched. The movement and illusion of piecing is amazing! Once the tan strips are done, you're actually just sewing tan and blue strips together. Could it get any better than that?

Comment this week on anything you like to win a Layers of Love book. It's almost here!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Layers of Love Preview Week #6

KT Winner Week #5

Congratulations to Paula for commenting last week. You're the winner of a Layers of Love book. We're hoping to have them by the end of the month, so hang in there! Of course, you all will the first to know.

Layers of Love Week #6 - Bronson's Christmas Wish

Bronson is especially loved by everyone in our family. He was born with multiple issues and has not only survived, but thrived, proving that disabilities don't mean disabled. The doctors said he wouldn't walk - he not only walks but goes up and down stairs alone, swims, and kicks a ball. They said he'd never speak - he's learning to communicate thru a computer program, but definitely makes his wishes known. He is strong, determined and admired by us all. He reminds us to be thankful for our gifts and talents everyday.

A KT Holly Wishes Jelly Roll provides everything you need for a simple rail fence block. Layer and stitch gold triangles on the ends of the outer strips before piecing them together for spinning pinwheels as the blocks come together. For me, Christmas quilts need to be fast & easy with lots of red & green charm - this one fits the bill perfectly. Whip up a coordinating pillow topper with a few leftover strips.


KT Bernina Fall Workshops/Demo's

At KT Bernina Quilt Shop, we're offering some new classes this fall beginning with a fun little runner that was featured in Primitive Quilts magazine a few years ago. Heads or Tails Runner is pieced with a charm and a mini charm with raw edge layered flying geese. So easy - you'll never lose your triangle points again!
We'll be offering a 3-hour workshop ($20 plus kit $20) or a 1-hour hands-on demo ($10 plus kit $20). You can bring your own machine and sew in the KT Retreat space surrounded by inspiration while you stitch up the runner in just a few hours - OR - come in and try out Robert's Bernina's during a demo and make a few blocks, then go home and finish in the comfort of your own sewing room. Either way, we hope you join us while we share my layered patchwork technique and some of the new projects from the Layers of Love book later this fall. Check our website by Aug. 1st for a complete list of the fall workshops or call Jamie at 785-488-2120 for more information.

Thanks for stopping by this week. Comment here about what you like/don't like about quilting workshops. I'd love to know your thoughts. We're giving away another Layers of Love book, so don't be shy!


Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Layers of Love Preview Week #5

Layers of Love Week #4 Winner

Congratulations to dortha - you're the winner of this week's Layers of Love book giveaway. Just a couple weeks and they'll be hot off the presses - I so excited! Thanks to all of your comments about your favorite retreats. I'll be looking into some of them :).

Layers of Love Preview #5 - Rowan's Rails

The Layers of Love book features mini-bio's of each of our 8 grankids from oldest to youngest - kinda. It all depended on how the pages/instructions fell. And that's kinda how I'm presenting this preview. Rowan is actually the third oldest, but Aleece's Charming Stars seemed more applicable last week since it was the workshop quilt at Patchwork Garden. When Rowan checked my blog last week looking for "his" quilt, he wanted to know why a 9-year-old's quilt was featured before his - he is, after all, 11 1/2.  I assured him he'd get more space for his blog post this week and he was totally cool with it. I love how much pride and interest the grankids have shown for this book. They're even asking for copies for friends! Several family members who don't quilt (and don't get what I do for a living) are already asking about it - something of a family album, I suppose. Anyway, without further ado, here's Rowan's Rails. With a Jelly Roll layered over a planned background, this is one of the simplest projects in the book with fabulous results. I like the way your eye dances across the quilt top from one corner to the other, following the steps. At 72" square, it makes a perfect size lap quilt - or add wider borders top & bottom for a twin bed quilt.

Layer a Jelly Roll strip over a square and stitch to create each block.
Then sew squares together in rows following the color-coded
diagram. So simple! Perfect for the man in your life.

My question this week is all about family - do you make quilts for everyone in your family? Does everyone "get it" and appreciate your quilts? What percentage of quilts do you make for yourself? Comment here to win a Layers of Love book. See you next week!