Covering the World

Kansas Dugout

When Moda approached me about participating in the Covering the World campaign to donate a quilt, I did not hesitate. I make quilts for a living, but also for my family. There are those in my family that think of my shelves full of quilts when someone is in need or when trying to raise money for a cause. I'm always happy to share. 

My daughter, Nicole, has her Master's in Social Work and knows of many organizations looking for quilts and pillowcases for foster children, seniors and victims of domestic violence. My daughter-in-law is the director of SAVA (The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center) in Northern Colorado. They provide crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling for all those affected by sexual violence while also providing prevention programs through community outreach and education. She organizes and hosts a fund raiser each year to continue their privately funded organization.

I know I'm not alone. Quilters are the most generous people ever. They love giving away quilts almost as much as they love making them. It's unconditional love stitched in cotton to share with whoever needs a big 'ole quilt hug. 

All four of my children and their families now live in the Longmont, Loveland, Fort Collins area of Colorado. As Robert and I were driving there the week after Christmas last year, we started to smell smoke, thinking it must be remnants of the wildfires in the mountains. As we continued, we realized visibility was greatly reduced as the smoke thickened. We could hear sirens and see first responders racing along the highway. We reached Longmont just before they closed Highway 25. It wasn't until later that evening that we saw the news and realized there was a large, fast moving fire in the Marshall, CO community. Sadly, more than 1100 homes and businesses were destroyed and thousands of families evacuated. We all felt helpless the next day as we celebrated Christmas together, knowing so many would be searching for a safe place for their families to sleep. 

 

Soon after we returned home, I received a call from my daughter-in-law saying one of her employees had lost their home. Did I have a quilt? Yes. Yes, I did.

I was pleased to learn that so many quilt guilds and quilters in Colorado have come together to make and donate quilts for the families affected by this tragic fire. I'm humbled to add my quilt to the many more given with love.

Kansas Dugout was originally made with my KT Favorites II fabric line about 10 years ago. It features my Layered Patchwork technique for simplified connector corners. 

With my Layered Patchwork technique, instead of stitching & folding a square to create a connector corner, I simply cut the square in half, layer the triangle on the corner and topstitch close to the bias edge of the triangle. It does not unravel because of the bias edge, but softly frays the more it is washed and cuddled. I love the primitive look of the soft edges.

 

Kansas Dugout

 

Thanks to Baby Lock and AccuQuilt for partnering with Moda for this year-long campaign and inviting me to participate. Find out more at:
Baby Lock - https://babylock.com/
Accu Quilt - https://www.accuquilt.com/


For more information and to follow a year of donations, go to the Facebook Group for Covering The World.
 

As a small "Thank You", I am offering the Kansas Dugout PDF pattern free to all of you generous quilters out there who make quilts and give them to those you know and love, and, to those you've never met. Find the pattern on our website at ktquilts.com HERE.

 

 

 

 

Moda Block Heads 4 - Week#6

 Happy Block Heads Day! 

Don't you just love Wednesdays? Here's another reason to get up early and check your inbox - Block #6, Spinning into Spring, by Linzee McCray. 

What a perfect block to say "Goodbye" to  April and "Hello" May!

One of my KT piecers, Tammy Kuntz, is making all of our Block Heads blocks this round. She's doing an amazing job featuring my new Freedom Road red/tan/blue collection coming in June. I've noticed over the first 6 weeks she's leaning heavily into the reds - and I couldn't be happier! Love, love the reds in this line.

Follow Linzee on Instagram for all the details about her block, Spinning into Spring HERE.

Find Linzee's block on the Moda website HERE.

Studio KTQ Update

It's been a long two years since we began building my dream studio. The foundation was poured in Feb. 2020. Not great planning, I know. Within a month, Covid hit and the world shut down. My son, Neil, the contractor, was quarantining at home in Colorado, so we decided to delay building "for just a couple months". Long story short, between Covid, shipping delays, unavailable materials and soaring lumber prices, it's finally coming all together.

Just a few weeks ago, we didn't have a floor or ceiling. Now, I'm stacking all my pretty fabric on simple, industrial pipe shelves that span over 18'. I've spent the weekend sorting and purging, trying to organize as I go. It will be so nice to have everything I need all in one place.

Now that we're on a roll, watch for Studio KTQ updates in the coming weeks.

Moda Block Heads 4 - Block#5

 Two of Five

This week, Barb Groves, of Me & My Sister Designs, offers this easy-to-piece block to feature a few of your favorite fabrics. Tammy (KTQ piecer) chose a selection of red, tan and blue prints from my upcoming Freedom Road line for our Kansas Troubles' block. 

According to Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns (3rd Edition), this block has had a dozen different names over the years from Churn Dash , Old Mill Design, Hens and Chickens and Double T to Shoo Fly, Monkey Wrench, Fisherman's Reel and Quail's Nest. It's all in the eye of the maker. 

Churn Dash is one of my favorite blocks to work with because of it's versatility. This option has 9 equal size units, but it's easy to transform these pieces to create a new look. What will you create with this week's Two of Five block?

Check out Barb's blog for more information. Find the instructions HERE .

Moda Block Heads 4 - Week#4

This week, Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill created Spinner, a simple pinwheel block that will add a lot of fun movement to your quilt. I love how Tammy pieced Spinner in red, tan and blue Freedom Road fabrics (coming this summer).

Find Anne's block on Facebook or Instagram @bunnyhilldesigns, or on Moda's Block Heads page HERE.

KT April Special

 How Does Your Garden Grow?

Are you a  quilter and a gardener? Do you love digging in the dirt and watching the fruits of your labor as much as cutting fabric and seeing a block emerge? 

I've enjoyed planting low maintenance perennials and shrubs for landscaping around the house over the years, and we always hang a few tried and true plants on the porch,  but I don't always have much success with annuals in our hot climate and clay soil. This year, I'm trying my hand at a raised bed vegetable garden. We're starting with two planted with the basics - tomatoes and peppers and few other favorites. My hope is that if we have some success, the multitudes of bunnies and deer don't get to them before we do. 

Every spring, I pull out this runner for my kitchen table, pretending I can really grow something. It inspires me to buy another succulent or two and get out my cute vintage watering cans to display on the porch steps. It's a start!

How Does Your Garden Grow was one of our popular KitToQuilt Mystery projects a couple of years ago. We're offering to you now over 20% off with Free Shipping. Retail value with backing and pattern included is over $50. Our KT April Special price is only $39.95 with Free Shipping! 

 Find our KT April Special HERE. 

Call the KT Quilt Shop to sign up for our auto-ship KitToQuilt Mystery series for only $30+$5 shipping every other month (retail value $45-50). 785-488-2120