Mod Quilt Con Review

KT Winner

I'm a couple days late after being iced in at the Dallas airport, but the blog goes on!
Congratulations this week to :
Aggiequilter - Just goes to show that your patterns look great in all colors ! Would love to win Loose Change. Enjoy Austin and QuiltCon, wish I was going but life intervenes ... 

 Mod Quilt Con

What an eye opener! So many intriguing designs and ideas and colors - Oh my! After spending 3 days with quilters from all over the country with a variety of tastes and talents, it was obvious that no matter the fabric or technique, quilters are quilters wherever you go. I met so many delightful ladies and shared my layered patchwork technique. Whether it's KT or brights or anything in between, it all works beautifully. Many of the ladies knew KT, some were even big fans, some had never heard of us. No matter, the passion for creating and joy of quilting bonds us together. I was expecting a younger crowd, but was pleasantly surprised by the many mother/daughter duos roaming the show floor looking for new ideas. Also, alot of quilters who loved brights, but lived with KT colors. I'd say that's a great compromise! Here are a few highlights from my trip to Austin.

Jen Kingwell, Moda designer, hanging out in the Moda booth playing games (literally!). Love her scrappy, eclectic look!

Here are a couple of pictures proving I really was working while at Mod Quilt Con. I demonstrated our new KT Wedge and Melon Templates in the Modern Cotton booth (Quilt Haus owner & designer, Deanne Moore). Shown here - Clara's Garden in KT fabrics and Seedlings Runner started in V & Co's Color Theory by Moda. I love her new graded color Jr. Jelly Roll strips - too fun! It's the perfect partner for her bright prints.

Our trip was full of new sights and smells as we ate and shopped our way through Austin. One evening, Robert and I enjoyed live music at Bangar's brew pub and sausage house. Their menu boasted over 50 beers and 30 sausages. Really. I had chicken, spinach & sun-dried tomato sausage that was soooo yummy!

And of course, we had to spend some quality time with our friends, Jenny & Ron Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. Jenny was in Austin promoting MSQC and their cool new Mod Block magazine. I wonder how many photos were taken of her with quilters??? We're plotting and planning lots of fun on the two cruises we're teaching together next year in January and April. Go to Cruisin' with Jenny & Lynne for more information. 

For this week's giveaway, a Color Theory charm pack and Jr. Jelly Roll (20 strips). It's a whole lot of spring cheer in a little package. Comment here to win!

Off to Quilt Con

KT Winner

Congratulations to : 

Kathy ... aka Nana

I'm in a local quilt guild, but unfortunately our group doesn't do any challenges ... I wish they did. Perhaps I need to suggest that, eh? ;-)

You're the winner of the KT Barn Raising pattern and Five & Dime ruler this week. Hope you enjoy our process of layered patchwork using precuts. Let us see what you create!

Mod Quilt Con

I know, you hear the name Kansas Troubles and immediately think of hot pinks, bright blues and lots of white background - NOT! Then why, you ask, would I be attending the Mod Quilt Con in Austin, TX this week? Because it's so cool! I was delighted to be asked by Deanne Moore of Quilt Haus in New Braunfels, TX to demonstrate my layered patchwork technique and rulers/templates in her booth at this showcase of modern quilts. I enjoy using brights for the grankids' quilts and try to make a couple of alternate colorways of some of my projects just for fun and to show the versatility of the technique. Here are a couple of my favorite bright versions.

 

2 Bits, 4 Bits from Loose Change. A Layer Cake, charm and mini charm plus binding are all you need make a delightful drag-around-and-love-it-to-pieces 57" sq. quilt for your favorite little one. 

Me and My Sister fabric collections.

 

Delainey's Twirls & Swirls from Layers of Love. Our light-hearted pinwheels are made with just one charm pack and our layered patchwork technique for big results for your small fry. 72" sq. quilt. Sandy Gervais Pieces From my Heart fabric collection.

 Watch next week for more KT bright quilts and lots of cool stuff from Mod Quilt Con. For now, comment here to win a Loose Change book.

KT Barn Raising Mini

KT Winner

Thanks to Charlotte from California for sharing her comment this week. You're the winner of our Seedlings pattern & KT Melon Template. Please email your shipping address to Jamie at lynne@ktquilts.com. She'll send it right out!

 

Kurt Schindler February 4, 2015 at 9:49 AM

Even though I live in So. CA, I still decorate with snowmen and a few Valentine decorations. And then it is time for Easter/spring decorations. Sorry but nothing original.  Charlotte

Thanks to everyone for their decorating advice. I'm in awe of those of you who redecorate monthly for all the holidays. I'm lucky to add a few seasonal touches quarterly! Most of my "look" changes with a switch of quilts or adding a few gathered items from the yard to a crock or jar. One of my decluttering strategies is to find natural elements, use them for a couple months indoors, then return them to the yard. The ultimate in recycling!

KT Barn Raising & Mini by Cheri Branca

Thanks so much to Cheri for sending me a picture of her mini version of my KT Barn Raising quilt. Instead of using a Layer Cake and Charm pack for 9" blocks, Cheri used a couple charm and mini charm packs to make smaller 4" blocks into this wonderful little lap quilt (42" x 58").  Doesn't it look perfectly at home on her earth tone sofa?? Please share your photos of variations on KT projects whether it's miniaturized, like Cheri's, or in batiks or black/white. I'd love to show them here.

 

 The original KT Barn Raising quilt features a KT Favorites Layer Cake and Charm pack (72" square lap quilt). Centering the charm squares to make these simple blocks is a breeze with our KT five & Dime ruler. Layer a dark charm on tan LC and tan charm on dark LC; stitch 1/8" from pinked edges.  Place right sides together to create a layered bias square.

 This basic block is graphic and visually appealing in the Barn Raising setting, but also works in any setting where a light/dark block shines. Like this furrows version, or a classic pinwheel.

By using LC/charm blocks in the center and charm/mini blocks in the border, you can make a great queen/king sized quilt for your bed in very little time. KT Barn Raising includes all options shown.

Cheri also shared one of her small group's (M&M Quilters, Victor, NY) fun exchanges based on the Fold it - Snip it - Rip it - Drop it - Pass it guidelines (click for more information). Basically, your group decides on a colorway, then each member buys 1 yard of fabric. Cut your yard in half, keep half and pass it on. Each quilter takes half of whatever she's passed until it's made it's way around the circle. You'll have your own 1/2 yard piece plus 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc. Your challenge is make something from the pieces you end up with. Here's the swap piles for Cheri's group using KT fabrics. Can't wait to see what they can imagine!

Are you in a quilting small group? Do you have group projects, swaps or other interesting challenges for yourselves to challenge your quilting skills? I'd love to hear about them. Comment to sign up for this week's giveaway - a KT Barn Raising pattern and KT Five & Dime ruler to make your own version.

More at KT Bernina Quilt Shop

KT Winner

Congrats to Kathy E from Iowa. You're the winner of the Clara's Garden booklet and KT Wedge Template. Thanks to everyone who commented and/or stopped by this week.

A Few More Pics

When I asked Robert to take a couple pictures of the store after moving everything around, he went just a tad overboard and sent dozens! So here are a few more to share...

 The Bee's Knees quilt above, featuring Moda's precut Honeycomb hexagons, is one of my favorite precut quilts so far - and one of the easiest.  Simply cut a Honeycomb into quarters and stitch onto the corners of a square. When you sew the squares together into rows, the hexagons magically appear. So cool! Our KT Honeycomb ruler makes it even faster!

 30-Something from the Layers of Love book looks way more difficult to piece than it is. Using our layered patchwork technique, it all breaks down into a 9-patch with squares & triangles stitched on top. Impressive results! The mini Charming Stars quilt on the bench starts with a charm and mini charm. It's all precut for you.

An oldie but a goodie is this quilt from Piecing the Past, a collection of a dozen vintage quilts from my collection remade in KT fabrics. All but a bowtie runner are made with traditional piecing methods. This stunning quilt is made from just 100 light/dark 9-patch blocks. Really!

We also handcut our own 10" and 5" squares of my woven brushed plaids - or we have fat 1/8 bundles, too. I think plaids add a great linear dimension and "man up" just about any quilt.

Need mini charms? We've got them in several KT fabric lines. What a great way to have a little piece of every KT collection, or a great beginning for a delightful postage stamp quilt.

KT Giveaway

This week, I'm sharing our newest charm pattern, Seedlings, and the KT Melon Template to make the appliques. Go to for the pattern, melon template and kit for a spring-y addition to your home decor. Comment here about your transitional home decorating - what do you do between Christmas and Spring? I'm trying to figure out something other than snowmen. Help!

Changing things up

KT Winner

Carol C - Congratulations! You're the winner of last week's Clara's Garden fat 1/8 bundle. Enjoy and share with us what you create!

KT Bernina - Shaking things up

Over our week long Christmas break, Jamie & her 2 sons (Colton & Sheldon) were the muscle to help Robert & I move displays around and freshen up the store for the new year. Robert built a HUGE ladder to display most of our Christmas quilts in the off season. At 3' x 9' it holds a ton of quilts.  I think I need at least one more - and maybe one for myself! Next to Christmas are bins and bins of hand-dyed wool. We're ordering more all the time and making samples for inspiration. I love to work with wool in the winter.

 

A ladder full of Christmas goodies.

Clara's Garden was moved up front & center with kits and precuts.

We hung a couple more quilt racks to display even more lap quilts. KT Barn Raising looks great on the wall with KT Dugout on the bench. An old red ladder found in Dad's barn holds A Day at the Park charm quilt, Pheasant Feathers and Plum Perfect with a pair of pillows resting below.

If you've been thinking about ordering the Rustic Stars kit from the October issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, now is the time. We're down to just a few left with the original paisley border, so don't delay! Call Jamie today!

 

This week's giveaway is the new Clara's Garden booklet & KT Wedge Template. Comment on whatever strikes your fancy this week to win! See ya next week. 

 

Clara's Garden is Here!

KT Winner

Congratulations to gyates625@bellsouth.net - you're the winner of the trio of pillow sleeve patterns. Please reply to lynne@ktquilts.com and Jamie will send them right out.

Thanks to all of you that commented this week. I always enjoy reading your thoughts, but this week was especially helpful to see what you want to hear/see from me in the new year. It may seem that the life of a designer is terribly interesting and exciting, but believe me, just like you, I go to work each day and have to take care of piles of paperwork, emails and organizing what other people are going to do before I ever get a chance to sew - if at all! One of my plans for the new year is to sew a little every day, even if it's just a couple of seams in a block. I'm one of those quilters that feels like if I don't have time to make several blocks - or a whole quilt - it's not worth it. No more. Just the feel of fabric in my hands and the hum of the sewing machine is such therapy for me. I'm sure Robert will be relieved to hear it since I'm usually in a better mood after I've had a chance to stitch on something - anything - for a bit each day. In fact, once our mess of construction is done and the dust settles, he's suggested we piece together! Over the years, Robert has learned alot about quilting just being in the business with me and watching me teach classes. He's very knowledgeable about my methods and KT products, but has become more interested in a variety of quilting notions and techniques in the past year. And, since opening our KT Bernina Quilt Shop & Emporium, he's learned that he has a whole lot more to learn in order to answer our customers' questions like a "real quilter". Stay tuned to see if our marriage can survive quilting together!

Clara's Garden Has Arrived!

UPS dropped off the last of Clara's Garden precuts and bolts of fabric this week. We just love those guys! After Jamie & Joy open the boxes, remove the plastic, check inventory and fold the ends just so, it's time for me to admire all the fat new bolts lined up on the shelf. The ladies coming to our retreat this weekend are already calling to see if Clara arrived. I'm sure it won't stay this way for long!

Clara's Garden on the top shelf; KT Favorites on the bottom. Don't they look great together???

Clara's Garden captures the beauty of spring in a large floral print, small scale dots, buds & swirls and a petite stripe  in yummy KT reds, greens, blacks, navys, golds, plum & tans. This collection includes several wonderful tan prints and tone-on-tones for backgrounds, so stock up now while the selection is good!

I'll show you how our new wedge & melon templates make piecing circles with layered patchwork so much easier in the coming weeks. For now, I'd like to share a fat 1/8 bundle of Clara's Garden with you. Comment here for a chance to win!

KT Favorite Quilt Contest Winner

KT Favorite Quilt Contest 2014

Thank you to everyone who submitted quilts, and to those of you who voted thru your comments. Without further delay - drum roll please - the winners are:
                1st Place - Connie Lanier - Five & Dime
                2nd Place -  Jane Licata - Aleece's Charming Stars
                3rd Place - Leanne Hopper - Spare Change

Congratulations, Ladies! Please contact Jamie at 785-488-2120 to claim your gift certificates. 

I was delighted to see so many of you chose to submit quilts using my layered patchwork method (more than 80%). I receive emails from quilters everyday who were hesitant in the beginning, fearing the raw edges would unravel or the layering would add too much bulk to their quilts. In the end, there are smiling faces all around when the quilt is completed with flatter blocks with fewer seams and easier piecing, more perfectly square quilts and fun frayed edges for a primitive look and cozy feel. Thank you to all the brave souls who've believed in my technique, tried it for yourselves and are sharing it with your friends. Welcome to the club! 

In addition to the contest winners, the winner of the Loose Change book is Tonia Young. And just for fun, a Layers of Love book goes to Vicki H. Thanks to all of you who commented.

Blog Ideas for the New Year

It's a new year and a fresh start so I'd like to get some input on what you'd like to see in this blog - do you have questions for me? Do you want to see more quilts, more in progress, more of what? I would love to have an ongoing dialog here with your comments/questions leading me to write blog posts about what your interests. My goal for this year is to take more pictures to share as I'm designing. Any other suggestions? Believe me, there are days when the blank screen is a huge challenge.

Pillow Pals

Today's giveaway is a trio of pillow sleeve patterns to freshen up your home throughout the year. Make or cover a pillow, then simply swap out the pillow sleeve for the seasons. Please leave a comment on the above blog ideas to win. See you next week!