Sand between my toes

Checking in from sunny Florida before heading on to Jacksonville for a 5 day retreat at Camp Blanding hosted by Gloria Parsons, Old Green Cupboard, and her entourage. Pam Buda, Heartspun Quilts, and I will be teaching a couple classes over the weekend to a rambunctious group of about 200. How fun is that?

So far, our trip has been wonderful. Our visit to the Southwest Florida Quilter's Guild in Fort Meyers was very nice - even though many of the ladies are definitely batiks and brights, they welcomed the dark midwest KT look with open arms. Here's an example of what we made in the 2 workshops. Debbie Silhavey completed both of her projects!

 Great job! Thanks to all the friendly Florida quilters who made my day so enjoyable! And thanks for the awesome tips on the Keys for our weekend.Too fun!

A trip to Sanibel to hunt for seashells was successful...

We spent Friday gator-watching. Robert wanted to take Hwy 41/Alligator Alley. And did we find gators...

All of these were right by the road! We're definitely not in Kansas anymore!

On to Key West with Key Lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate, seafood, scooters, seafood, carnival, nightlife, seafood, so much to do! We rented a scooter and buzzed all over the island.
Got a little sun, very little sleep and were ready for a lazy beach day before heading to Jacksonville to teach again. So, we stayed in a lovely beachside hotel, Largo Lodge, in Key Largo. I read 2 magazines cover to cover and swung lazily in the hammock all afternoon. Perfect! Here's the view of the ocean from our room.

Teaching over the next few days at Gloria's winter retreat at Camp Blanding with 180 quilters - one from Loose Change and Mini Table Treats. Sounds like a fun bunch of ladies. More later, Lynne

Florida, here we come!

I'm packing to go to sunny Florida to the Ft. Myers Quilt Guild next week. If you live anywhere in the area, I'd love to visit with you at their guild meeting, or sign up to take a workshop from the Loose Change book or a Mini Table Treats class. Linda Kleinhenz is the contact person at 239-731-0251. I don't travel that far very often, so let's make it count!

The following week, I'll be attending/teaching at Gloria Parson's 5-day retreat in Jacksonville, FL. The retreat is held at Camp Blanding where Gloria has arranged for very reasonable (read cheap-cheap) accommodations/food and lots of space to sew. Call Gloria for more info at 904-742-1100. Everyone who's attended in the past keeps coming back and says it's a total blast!

Pam Bud of Heartspun Quilts is joining me to teach and play at Gloria's, too. Learn all of her hints and tips in one of her workshops. We've had a great time with our quilting cruises and are planning more events in the coming months. It's still not too late to sign up for our New England Cruise in September 2013. See more information on my sidebar.

Okay, the winner of this week's scrap bundle is .....the #1 comment by JollyWorkerAlice. Please end your mailing info and we'll send out your box of goodies before we leave (if we receive your info by Wed.) or when we return.

I'm sure my blogging time will be scattered at best during the next few weeks. If you comment between now and Feb.1st, you could win a new Pheasant Hill Dessert Roll and the new Dessert for Two pattern. The newest Moda precut features (20) 5" x WOF strips and offers a multitude of options for quilt making. Pheasant Feathers (a couple weeks ago) features a Dessert Roll as does our new pattern, Dessert for Two. It includes a lap quilt that takes just 1 fabric for border/binding in addition to the Dessert Roll. How economical and easy is that? By layering and stitching strips, it makes the best use of fabric with only a 1" strip left. I threw mine together in about 2 1/2 hours (it was 2 days before market). Obviously, perfection is not a key factor in this quilt :). Just pin the strips, stitch and go. I love the wonky waves created by varying the widths between strips. We've embraced the pinked edges as a design element so when it's washed, they will softly curl and fray for a wonderfully cozy look.

If you can't find a Dessert Roll in the fabrics you want, cut your own 5" strips with a pinked rotary blade. I used a scalloped blade for the strips on the included bag. It's about 14" square x 4" wide with an adjustable length handle. I carry my iPad, notebook & paperwork in it from home to work & back again. Don't ya just love the featured floral stripe???

Have a great January and 2013. See you later. Lynne

Happy, Happy New Year!

Phyllis, your #6 comment won the giveaway for last week - a Pheasant Feathers booklet & charm pack. You'll be the first on your block to receive them - just as soon as they're printed! Thanks to everyone for your New Year's Eve comments. I'm hanging out with grankids during the day, then just R and I for the evening. My favorite time is New Year's morning, snuggling in bed watching the parades. Robert fixes brunch and we pretty much snack the rest of the day. I just discovered Trader Joe's this year so we loaded up on small portions of appetizers from crab cakes and stuffed mushrooms to apple dumplings and artichoke dip. I'll be in my sweats all day, for sure!

I'm continually amazed at my grankids' minds. I found a note from my 8-yr-old grandaughter, Aleece, on my note board after she left yesterday. "The sool (soul) with in you will make you strong." Wow! I don't remember being that introspective at 8!

My 6-yr-old grandaughter, Delainey, showed off her new karoake microphone and shared, "I love singing so much I could do it all day, but Mommy & Daddy clap more if I only do it sometimes." How true! Grankids can certainly teach us life lessons, if we take the time to listen.

This week, I hope you all begin the new year with hope in your heart and a new quilting project you can't wait to begin. I'll help you out with this week's giveaway. I have a scrap strip bundle of Pheasant Hill with someone's name on it. It's about 2 Jelly Rolls worth - plenty for the Pheasant Feathers pattern (last week's giveaway) or any scrappy quilt on your list. Here are a few of the prints included in the 40+ strips.

Tell me what you're hoping to make this year!

Post Christmas Poundage

So explain to me how eating less than a pound of cheesecake equals 5 pounds gained on the scale? It just makes no sense to me! Obviously I've done my share of indulging this past week with celebrations at my Mom's house and at the KT Retreat with my kids/grankids. All 14 of us snacked, played games, opened gifts, ate some more and laughed until we cried. It's the first time in years that all of them have been able to spend the night for Christmas. I forget just how funny my kids are. A wonderful time was had by all.

As for the giveaway last week, congratulations to scottylover. You're the winner of the KT Loose Change book and set of 2 rulers. Enjoy! This week, we'll be giving away a Pheasant Feathers booklet and Charm pack. The booklet is being edited this weekend and printed next week, so it'll be hot off the presses. Joyce Spaulding, you'll finally get your Pheasant Feathers booklet and mini charm in the mail, too!

All 4 of these projects using my layered patchwork for easy, peasy blocks are included in the booklet along with another pillow topper using a single star block. So much fun for so little! The lap size quilt features a Dessert Roll - one of Moda's newest precuts. It features (20) different 5" x WOF strips from Pheasant Hill that make the blocks and much more! Just 4 more fabrics are needed to complete the quilt with enough leftover to make a pillow or runner. What a deal! Watch for Dessert Rolls in your favorite quilt shop in March.

Let me know how you celebrate New Year's Eve or your wish for the New Year. Ours will be quiet, as usual, after having grankids in and out all week. More good food, but I think I'll pass on the cheesecake. My jeans can't take it!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday season and a Very Happy New Year to all!
Lynne

Holiday Prep

Good Morning Ladies! Less than a week until the whole tribe shows up for our family Christmas this Sat. night/Sunday. I spent most of the weekend rearranging/cleaning/redecorating the bedroom of the retreat space to accommodate everyone. It's been almost 4 years since we hosted quilting retreats and the bedroom was looking weary. I'd put away most of my antique quilts and vintage decorations since the grankids were the only ones sleeping there. After moving beds, pulling out quilts and decking the walls, it feels like the cozy KT retreat space it always has. I don't have all the beds made yet but will have pictures soon.

Congratulations to Christie (commented on 12-10@6:41pm) and Linda (commented on 12-11@7:42am). You're this weeks winners of the Christmas patterns. Christie will receive the 3 patterns from last week's giveaway and Linda will get the Merry, Joy, Wish and Warm Memories booklets. It's not too late to send in your money for either set of patterns - or both! $5 postage would cover it all!

We're so pleased with the response to our new book, Loose Change, and the rulers -Five & Dime and Spare Change. Soooooo, this week's giveaway is a set of rulers and the book! I'll be posting next Monday, Christmas Eve, to announce the winner. What a fun Christmas gift for yourself or a friend. 

There are several fast & fun ideas for Christmas included in Loose Change - Christmas Coins features a Layer Cake and Charm pack (watch for my new Christmas collection in May 2013, Icicle Kisses),

 A darling wall quilt using a charm and mini charm pack with wool holly & button berries and a Christmas wish embroidered in the border by Cheryl Ross of Heaven on Earth Quilt Shop in Wabash, IN....

and a cute pincushion made from an extra block! Even I could get a couple of those made for gifts next year! 

One more trip to the store for brunch fixin's and a couple of stocking stuffers (and another bottle of holiday cheer!) and we'll be good to go for this year's celebration. I love that all the kids and grankids come to spend the night, then we open presents in our p.j.'s and have Christmas brunch like we used to when they were little. As they head out the door Sunday evening to gear up for their own family Christmases, Robert and I sigh a little and relish the quiet once more. 

Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and a blessed Christmas with family and friends. 

Holiday Mind Scramble

I opened my blog this morning to announce the winner of the 3 Christmas patterns from the blog special last week and guess what? NO COMMENTS! I wondered if everyone was so busy Christmas shopping they weren't blogging, but then realized I hadn't posted that little bit of information. So sorry! Sooooo, this week, there will be 2 winners - one for this week's giveaway of 2 Christmas booklets and last week's for the 3 patterns. For this week, how about Warm Memories with a feather tree & ornaments to count down to Christmas...

AND Merry, Joy, Wish with double stars simplified with our layered patchwork technique and 

fused raw edge applique in the borders. 

Each booklet has several other projects for the holidays including runners, pillows, etc. It's still not too late! Who am I kidding? At least you'll have a good start for next year. Why does it feel like December only has a couple of weeks in it? I haven't even gotten a tree yet! My excuse it that we're moving virtually every piece of furniture we have to lay new carpet next week, I'm moving my office from one end of the building to the other, and we're changing internet providers. Lots of people coming and going making a mess with nothing in it's right place. Hauling out a bunch of Christmas decorations to add to the chaos didn't seem like a good idea. Before the kids & grankids come to spend the night, I'll hang some Christmas quilts, pull out the little already-decorated tree and pile presents underneath. As long as there is plenty of food and warm hearts, it's all good around here.

Hope your holiday preparations are going smoothly. Let me know how you do it all and stay sane!

If you'd like to purchase these 2 booklets ($10.95 retail each), please send $15 cash or check to: Lynne Hagmeier, PO Box 278, Bennington, KS 67422. We'll pay the shipping since they won't fit in a regular envelope. Robert would love it if you include a self-addressed label - that would be awesome!

Counting down...

Congratulations to Joyce Spaulding - you're the winner this week of the Pheasant Feathers booklet and Pheasant Hill mini charm pack. Please be patient as the pattern won't go to the editors next week. We'll send it out as soon as Robert prints it.

I'm making my lists and checking them a dozen times. I enjoy wandering through the stores to see what's new and collecting small gifts for the stockings, but a little of the holiday crush goes a long way for me. Much of my Christmas shopping is done online since we live far away from major shopping areas. Besides, many of the items requested this year are easily found on Amazon or ebay. Why spend the time and money to hunt for it when it practically jumps out at you from your computer screen yelling, Buy Me! Buy Me!

The most fun shopping, of course, is for the grandkids. Aleece is into collecting recipes - actually, she loves to copy recipes onto cute recipe cards. It's been amazing to see how much her handwriting has improved since she's found something to write that she's interested in. I'm stocking up on recipe cards, stickers, a recipe book with sleeves and an assortment of cool pencils. She also asked for her own paper punch and a mini stapler - too funny! Any other suggestions?

Delainey is pretty easy, anything to do with dance is on her list - leotards, a sweat suit to wear to dance, leg warmers, etc. She's our little performer, for sure. Bronson, with limited mobility, is always a challenge, but a new Matchbox track that mounts on the wall looks like it might just be the perfect solution. Cooper at 12 is way past the toy stage. He just wants really cool shoes. Santa might have to grant that wish. The kids/grankids will all come to stay the night on Dec. 22nd with brunch and gifts in our p.j.'s the next morning. It feels just like Christmas past when they were all little. I love it!

What's on your Christmas wish list? If KT books, patterns and fabrics are on your list, stay tuned. Each Monday between today - Dec. 3rd - and Dec.17th, we'll be offering a KT Blog special. Just send a stamped, self addressed envelope in the size indicated and cash for the items that week and we'll make your holiday wishes come true! This week's pattern bundle (offer good until Dec.13th.) :

Twinkly Stars from KT Stash Society (retail value $7.95)

Light Up the Holidays Mini Table Treats (retail value $5.00)

AND, Deck the Walls Charm pattern (retail value $6.50). Total value $19.45!

Receive all 3 patterns for only $10 (cash or check) with a postage paid ($3.00) 6" x 9" self-addressed envelope (Continental US only). Gather up a few friends (up to 5 offers in one envelope) and send $5.15 and a self-addressed label - we'll provide the USPS Priority envelope.

There's still time to whip up a simple project for someone special this year!

Check in next Monday to see the weekly special. Lynne