Past & Future

KT Winner

I'm a couple weeks behind in announcing a winner of the KT Country Road Flannel bundle. I've been enjoying working in the yard and cleaning up/organizing my spaces in this "in-between" fabric lines period of time. But we do have a winner! Congratulations to:

Jan Taylor -What happens when 2 different type of gardeners live in the same house & both live in the woods? You make garden areas for 1 to mow around but don”t fill the area because he needs to drive through in the fall to collect the leaves. So, yes yard art shows up as that can be moved plus it doesn’t feed the deer. 

I feel your frustration, Jan. We've replanted so many times I think we're just restocking the buffet for the deer at our house! Please email me at lynne@ktquilts.com with your mailing address and Robert will send your Country Road flannel bundle right away.

Happy Memorial Day

In the past, I've looked forward to the long holiday weekend, visiting with family & friends and relaxing on the porch. I usually help my Mom take flowers to the graves of family members passed - grandparents, great-grandparents and long lost relatives I've only heard stories about. I knew a couple of my grandparents, but I was relatively young when they passed, so it isn't usually an emotional time for me. This year is different. This week marks the first anniversary of my Dad's passing. I plan to take 2 dozen sunflowers to his grave tomorrow, one for each of his kids & grankids. I drive by the cemetery almost every day, but that's not where I feel his presence. We built our  little house in the country on the land across the road from where he grew up and learned to drive a tractor. I look out the window each day to see the pond he helped dig as a teenager. He stocked it with fish so his kids and grandkids could cast a line and catch a fish in minutes. He strolled down our lane every day, walking stick in hand, to feed the fish and linger under the giant cottonwood tree, watching the ducks and geese, surrounded by the place he loved. I don't need to visit the cemetery to be close to my Dad. I am blessed to live at his happy place. Have a wonderful weekend remembering those you miss and keep close to your heart.

New Projects

It seems everything I'm working on right now is not yet ready for the big reveal. I'm putting the finishing touches on a new fabric collection for 2019, including an all new KT Favorites line, designing a Block-of-the-Month quilt celebrating 20 years with Moda, taking pictures for a new book with Martingale to follow up Cozy Quilts and Comforts, and planning my new design studio we're adding onto our home. So much happening in the next year, but nothing much I can share now. What I can share is the project I'll be teaching on the Jenny/Lynne cruise in March 2019. This is a computer generated image of what I have so far, probably to be tweaked a bit, but here it is...

I designed this quilt with my Layered Patchwork technique in mind. The stars, flying geese and pieced border are all created using a Nature's Glory Layer Cake and my simplified method for easier piecing. Interested? In addition to making this 60"x60" lap quilt, you'll spend a day with Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. learning her unique way of assembling quilt blocks, and a day with Judy Fenton, Baby Lock dealer extraordinaire, creating a wonderful project using all the features of the machine. Plus trunk shows and lots of fun! We'd love to have you join us in March 2019 for one of two weeks quiltin' and cruisin' at sea. For more information, contact our travel agent, Lenore, at cruiselady@tampabay.rr.com.

For now, here's what I need from all of you - suggestions for a name for this quilt. Any ideas? I've named about 2 dozen projects in the past few weeks and my brain is fried. The winning submission will win a Nature's Glory Layer Cake, which isn't available until September. Help!

Seeing Stars

Moda IG Takeover

I'm taking over Moda's Instagram for a couple days while they travel to Portland, OR for Spring Quilt Market. I was rather surprised they asked me, since I'm not very tech savvy and don't post to my own IG on a regular basis. But I was up for the challenge, appreciated the opportunity and vowed to up my game with my own social media once this is over. Do you follow your favorite designers on Facebook and/or Instagram? What's your favorite social media site and why?

New Project for Nature's Glory

What can you do with a Jelly Roll in just a few hours? My new Stars on a Roll lap quilt! One Jelly Roll plus one border fabric is all you need to whip up a simply starry quilt for anyone on your list. Nature's Glory fabric and projects are available at your favorite quilt shop in September.

Mother's Day Wishes

KT Winner

Congratulations to Lisa in Missouri. You're the winner of our KT Country Road Flannel bundle.
Enjoy a bit of Country Road before it hits the quilt shops in July.

Lisa -Love reading the phrase "dirt roads". I still say that when referring to "gravel roads", which is said here in Missouri. 

Happy Mother's Day

Since I won't be traveling to Portland, OR for Spring Quilt Market, it will be an especially relaxing Mother's Day here. Usually, I'm making last minute preparations for the booth and packing the car. Our family is pretty low key for most holidays, and Mother's Day is no exception. Seldom do we all get together at the same time except for our family summer vacation and the weekend after Christmas. Otherwise, I'm happy to spend time with whomever shows up. My oldest son, Neil, was home last weekend finishing some construction projects for me (woohoo!). We met Brent (twin #1) and family for dinner and then enjoyed Delainey's dance recital Saturday night. Always an entertaining evening. Brian (twin #2) lives in Colorado, so we'll see them next month when we're on vacation. My daughter, Nicole, and grandaughter, Aleece, will be coming for the weekend to hang out, but no big plans. We'll invite my Mom over for a picnic Sunday afternoon, soaking up a little springtime - finally. Guess I better figure out the menu and hit the grocery store soon. Any suggestions for a quick and easy dinner & dessert for a lazy hostess that can be made while I'm working in the yard and quilting?

I hope all of you mothers and grandmothers and aunts and step-moms out there have your perfect kind of day, whatever that may be. Bless you and all that you do for your families and friends all year long.

Barn Star

A couple years ago, I painted a Kansas Troubles block to hang on the end of our home. At four feet square, it can be seen from the road a half mile away. I love it so much, I asked a professional barn quilt painter, Sue Hageman of Manhattan, Kansas, to make one for our KT Quilt Shop, too. At 8 ft. square, it announces the location of KTQ in a BIG way in our little town. She painted KT fabrics in the blocks, too - isn't that the coolest? Our building was the town's pool hall for years. The Bennington Billard Parlor sign with Coca-Cola beneath it is still visible on the bricks behind the KT block. A combination of past and present.

For my new fabric collection, Nature's Glory, I wanted to create a small charm quilt that would look like a barn quilt. Here's my version of Barn Star.

A Nature's Glory charm pack plus 2 tans and the navy border are all you need to complete this fabric version of a barn quilt for the inside of your home. Nature's Glory is being shown to quilt shop owners now and will ship in September. Watch for more projects featuring Nature's Glory in the weeks to come.

Happy May Day! (and a KT May Special)

KT Winner

Congrats to our winner of last week's flannels:

BONNIE HILL - Love, Love, Love, and want it all. !!!

Bonnie, you'll be the first on your block to be able to fondle the new KT Country Road flannels. They'll be at your favorite quilt shop in July along with the Flannel Days, Starry Nights booklet, shown last week, and the Country Road booklet, below. Enjoy! 

KT May Special

It finally feels like spring here in Kansas. Robert and I have been working in the yard, trimming branches, spreading mulch and rearranging the yard art. If a rusty piece of junk catches my eye - anything from an old farm tool to a vintage sprinkler, to the top of an old wood burning stove- it can be featured in the garden. I say garden generously, since we basically plant each year to feed the bunnies and deer, so there are usually a lot of holes in the landscape after just a few weeks. My solution? Bring in another piece of yard art!

One type of flower that lasts around here is the appliqued kind, like on my U-Pick Flowers charm pattern and Cut Flowers Mini Table Treat. For the month of May, buy the pair of patterns for the price of only one - $6.50 (retail $11.50). That's like buying U-Pick Flowers and getting Cut Flowers FREE! While you're ordering, add the KT Kut-ups for either of these projects to your cart for a quick and easy finish.Click HERE to receive your KT May Special BOGO now!

U-Pick charm quilt + Cut Flowers Mini Table Treat

Country Road Flannel

To visit me, you would need to drive a couple miles on a gravel road, then turn at the windmill and continue down a winding lane leading to my house in the country. We're surrounded by wheat fields and pasture on three sides with a pond out my front door. 

The view from my studio windows (see the pair of geese?)

Driving down the dirt roads each day, I envisioned a quilt with roads crossing between fields of golden wheat, bright green soybeans and rich dark tilled soil. I could see in my mind the crooked path that rambled thru the fields to our cabin. The result? The projects in my Country Road booklet featuring KT Country Road flannels - Crossroads and Rambling Road.

Crossroads flannel lap quilt

Rambling Road flannel lap quilt

Both quilts start with a Layer Cake to provide lots of yummy scrappiness. Add a few fabrics for backgrounds and borders for a soft and cozy quilt anyone would love to snuggle in the country - or the city. Two patterns in one booklet; also available as queen/king size quilts. The Country Road flannel collection and booklet will be arriving in quilt shops this July. But you can win a bundle of flannels now by commenting here about your favorite gardening decor. Are you a traditional gardener with perfect rows of blooms? Or a free spirit with wildflowers growing impulsively amongst your yard art? I'd love to hear from you.

New! Country Road Flannels

KT Winner

Congratulations to our winner of last week's U-Pick Flowers charm pattern & charm pack -

Sharilovessewing-Talk about crazy weather, 20" of snow in two days here!!! Your giveaway would put a wonderful touch of spring in our home and my heart. I'm keeping my fingers crossed you pick me.

From your comments, we're all ready for spring to arrive. It's ironic that my spring fabric seems to show up on a cold & dreary day when I've had about enough of winter, and the fall fabric appears on one of the last hot & humid days in September, when I'm ready for a break from the heat. I always see it as a sign that the seasons will change, I just need to be patient (not my strong suit). If you'd like a reminder that the newest fabric is just around the corner, join our KT Collector's Club. For just $25/3 times a year, you'll receive the latest KT fabric in your mailbox - 6 fat quarters, a KT mini charm and the new charm pattern. It's a little bit of spring, or fall, or Christmas, or flannel to inspire and lift your spirits. Call the KT Quilt Shop to sign up at 785-488-2120.

KT Events 2018

JUNE - Coming up this summer, I'll be visiting the Walnut Valley Quilt Guild in Winfield, Kansas on June 11 for an afternoon workshop of Mini Table Treats and an evening trunk show. June 12 & 13, I'll be in Wichita, KS for the Prairie Quilt Guild's day & evening programs and a full day workshop- Stacked Coins- featuring my Five & Dime ruler. I'd love for you to join us!

JULY - I'll be teaching several workshops at the Maine Quilt Show in Augusta, July 26-28. If you've ever wanted to try my Layered Patchwork technique and live in the New England area, here's your chance. I'll be sharing my method in 4 classes - Twisted, Goose Tracks Runner, Mini Table Treats and Rustic Stars. Hope to see you there! Click HERE for more information.

SEPTEMBER - Me and My Friend Quilt Retreat, Hilton Mission Valley, San Diego, CA with Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. For more info, check last week's post, or click HERE.

MARCH 2019 - Don't forget to check out quilting cruises with Jenny and me. We have two weeks booked next March - guaranteed sunshine while waiting for spring. Contact our travel agent, Lenore, at cruiselady@tampabay.rr.com or 352-270-8658 for more information. 

Country Road Flannels

I LOVE FLANNEL! I don't mean to shout, but I am truly addicted to the yummy softness of Moda's flannels. This year, instead of a Christmas line, I was able to create a collection of 40 snuggly, cuddly flannels in KT's warm, cozy colors and prints - PLUS 108" wide backing! That's wonderful news for those of us who love flannel on the back of cotton lap quilts, not just flannel quilts. My kids and grankids request flannel over any other fabric for their quilts. Their favorites are quilts with no batting, just two layers - the pieced front and flannel backing. It makes the quilt huggable without being heavy.

For this collection, I envisioned a super fast & easy lap quilt featuring a star in colors for every season - Flannel Days, Starry Nights. There's a color combo for everyone on your list.

Spring Morning

Summer Nights

Autumn Days

Christmas Eve

Wintry Afternoon

Country Road Flannels are shipping to quilt shops in July. Check with your local shop now and pre-order your favorite quilt. They stitch up with traditional piecing in a weekend so you can make several for Christmas gifts.

Click HERE to print the fabric chart for Country Road. It makes a great shopping list!

Watch next week for more Country Road Flannels projects. Comment now to win a bundle of Country Road Flannels to start a scrappy quilt now.

Still Wishing for Spring

KT Special for April

It snowed here in Kansas last weekend after temps hitting the 80's thru the week. Crazy! I don't know how to dress in the morning - t-shirt & sandals or a winter coat.  Boy, do we all need some Fresh Cut Flowers right now. Our April KT Special is Fresh Cut Flowers' fat quarter bundles for only $99 (retail $135). Robert said we have a few left at this special price, so don't delay, order yours today. 

KT Winner

Congratulations to Bonnie58 - you've won the new Fresh Cut Flowers booklet and a box of scraps from the new projects. Thanks for commenting and helping me clean up my studio.

 

Bonnie58 -We are still in a nasty cold snap which is supposed to hang around until mid-April. I am getting desperate for spring. Thanks so much for sharing. I love the new pattern.

 

U-Pick Flowers

When Moda first came out with Charm Packs, I challenged myself to design a small project using just 1 charm pack plus a couple fabrics for each of my fabric collections. It's still one of my favorite things. The charm pattern for Fresh Cut Flowers is especially fun with our KT Kut-ups precut fusible appliques. Traditionally pieced half squares create diagonal rows of color that offer the perfect backdrop for a Mason jar full of blooms. So simple, so fresh, so spring!

 

U-Pick Flowers Charm Quilt

The name of the quilt was inspired by this wonderful vintage find - an orchard sign with wooden letters - U-PICK - on both sides. It hangs in my east windows in front of red/tan ticking stripe curtains. I love it! This morning the sun was shining (wahoo!) and creating a glare, so I laid it on the dining table. I'll try to get a picture of the whole window later.

 

Are any of you antique lovers, too? I have shelves full of vintage quilts and quilt tops that I need to edit/sell/share. In addition, I have quite a few 30-50's vintage finds that just don't fit into my KT theme anymore, but worked in the retreat bedroom at one time. As I have time, I plan to post items for sale on our website. Watch for the KT Attic coming soon!

Me & My Friend Quilt Retreat

If you're a quilter today, you know the name Jenny Doan and Missouri Star Quilt Company. I'm blessed to say Jenny is a good friend. We have such busy schedules we try to plan a couple of teaching events together each year to be able to hang out and catch up. We've been teaching on quilting cruises for several years and have openings on next year's cruises in March (more on that later). Diane Erickson, of Eternity Quilt Events, has organized a wonderful weekend for us at the Hilton Mission Valley in San Diego in September 2018. Take a look at this little video we put together on the last cruise.


Me & My Friend Quilt Retreat   

Interested in spending a few days with Jenny and me? We'll each have a trunk show of quilts and teach a full day class and a half day class. Plus, there are lots of options for fun activities in the area. Contact Diane for more information. We'd love to have you and your friend join us!

KT Giveaway

Comment this week to win the U-Pick charm pattern and a Fresh Cut Flowers charm pack. You'll be on your way to stitchin' up some springtime blooms in no time!

Getting Ready for Spring

KT Winner

This week's winner of the KT Collector's Club Fresh Cut Flowers Pack is:

 

Janie -What a great giveaway. It will help those of us who remain unsure if they want to commit to a fun club. Thanks a bunch!

Please email your shipping address to lynne@ktquilts.com along with what you've won. Robert will send it right out. Sounds like everyone is ready for a little springtime. Check out what we have for you this week.

 

Ohio's One Stop Shop Hop

If you live in Columbus/Dayton area, come join me this weekend at the area's OneStopShopHop at the Nutter Center in Fairborn, OH. It's the first time they've invitied a designer to their event, so let's make it a good time! I'll be teaching Rustic Stars on Thursday, April 5 and sharing my quilts in a trunk show on Friday, April 6th at noon. I'd love to meet you there!

KT April Special

April showers will bring our new KT Fresh Cut Flowers booklet and fabric! This month's special is our Fresh Cut Flowers fat 1/4 bundle for only $99, or the new Fresh Cut Flowers booklet for only $11.95 - that's a 25% savings! Choose one, or both for a fresh start to spring stitching.

Fresh Cut Flower Booklet #11.95 (retail $15.95)

The Fresh Cut Flowers booklet includes instructions for the lap quilt, king size quilt, runner, wall quilt and pillow.The wall quilt is the center of the lap quilt with four blue flower appliques. It makes the perfect welcome for your home entryway.

Fresh Cut Flowers Fat 1/4 Bundle $99 (retail $135)

Comment this week to win a Fresh Cut Flowers booklet and bag of scraps! Are you ready for spring?