4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.

1. Listen to that little voice inside, it is usually RIGHT.
2. Floss
3. Exercise everyday
4. Follow your dreams where ever they may lead you!!

Well isn’t it true, if only we knew then what we know now, I keep saying youth is wasted on the young.

I sure wish I had the energy that I had then, but in reality I have much more focus now than I ever did back then.

I am trying to focus on making new work this year.

Oh sure I made plenty of new work last year, but most of it was small and I really want to get back to making big stuff. I miss that.

So this year already I have completed two larger pieces. One of which I can’t show you yet, but it will be in an upcoming issue of the new Modern Quilts Unlimited Magazine.

Here is a sneak peak at part of it. It is called Green Leaves.


And then I started a project for my daughter-in-laws mother. I don’t think she reads my blog but if you do CATHY, stop now.

This project is to be something for spring and it had to be a certain size.

I decide to use two of my favorite gradations to PIECE this idea.

Here is the beginning of  the project I am calling Cathy’s Baskets.

I used Raspberry gradation and Limey Avocado to create this spring Wall Quilt.

I am working on a series of posts showing you the step outs for making this basket quilt.

Happy Quilting.

All you need is Love, dotta doda do

I posted this last year, but very late, maybe you want to give it a try this year – you have a whole month until Valentine’s Day.

All you need is Love.

February is the month of Love. And Valentine’s is just ONE month away.

Do you think that is because there is nothing else going on in the month of February?
Why not make this Valentine wall hanging to brighten up your space.


You can down load a free PDF pattern here. Have fun.

If you want to make it just like mine I have a fabric kit for you - 3 quarter yards of hand dyed fabric for $15. Order Here.

Woven heart baskets

I posted this last February but I posted it so close to Valentines, I bet some of you didn’t bother trying them.

So I am reposting it early this year in case you want to give these a try.

Have fun.

Woven Heart Basket

I first made these twelve years ago.

I got the idea from the paper heart baskets that the Scandinavian's put on their Christmas trees. I thought why can't I fuse the fabric and make these out of fabric. So I did.

This is a fun, easy project for you to make. You can down load the pattern here. if you sign up to follow my blog. Just click the link at the top of the page on the left side. Thanks

Church banner

How many of you out there do things for your church?

This is a banner that Alice from TX made for her church using a gradation she requested from me in shades of red to purple.

It turned out really well don’t you think?

She used the fusing techniques we did in class.




This is the one of the projects Alice did in my class back in 2009, geez weez, that is 4 years ago already! Time sure does fly.

I love the little acorns, they make me smile.

Ta Da

And the winner in my blog hop give away is….


Needled Mom
Please send me your snail mail address and I will send out your fabulous prize!!

On a side note Connie has been faithfully following the method of making the trees in PEACE,  and made some charming small Christmas Tree art.

Her original intent was to make some mug rugs, but as this developed she decided to keep it as small art.

Wonderful small art, thanks for sharing Connie.

Last week of November Special

I have a secret November special going on this month. With every order over $10 on my website you will receive a free fat quarter of batik fabric. Woo Woo!!

FrieStyle Fabrics and Notions Newsletter

I am ready for the Holidays. Are YOU? Do you need some quick gifts for that special person in your life? I have a few things that might help.

My Holiday Fabric Special through December will be 1/2 yard of Winter Red AND 1/2 yard of Grass Green for $20. These are the colors of Christmas, and they will make a wonderful bundle to give to your special quilting friend or to help jump start a project for your wall or table.



These are the colors I use in my pattern "Holiday Moments." It's not too late to make one of the three hangings in this pattern to put on your wall or front door for the holidays. Each of these patterns only takes a day or two to put together. I also used the Winter Red and Grass Green to make the Christmas tree skirt in last year's issue of "Quilting Arts" gift magazine. At this time of year you can never have too much RED and GREEN fabric. Don't forget to gift yourself too!!



This tree skirt is all fused and sewn in four sections to make it easy and quick to put together.

This is a link to the pattern http://www.quiltingdaily.com/media/p/30999.aspx

It is free with registration to Quilting Daily.

Patterns
A pattern makes the perfect gift for that special quilting friend. It is right in the budget for "exchange gift" giving. I have so many wonderful designs to pick from and all are very fun and easy to make. A beginner quilter or an experienced quilter can all follow the step by step directions.

Join my blog
This month's free pattern for joining my blog will be a PDF of Star Lilies. Email me that you have joined and I will send that pattern on to you. If you haven't already joined my blog, now is a good time to do so. I will be posting many new videos and free patterns this winter. Just click on the link at the top right of this page that says “join this site”.

E-Patterns
E-patterns are always available for sale on my website. This is a great way to buy the pattern and NOT pay for shipping. You purchase the patterns and then immediately download them yourself. You not only save on shipping BUT also receive the patterns the same day you buy them. Why not give it a try today? They are at the top of the pattern page.

Don't forget to stock up on these notions for winter sewing:

I just finished making some new quilting samples on 18" quilt sandwiches for easy reference when I want to know what batting to use with what thread color, etc... And I really was glad to have all the needles and thread that I needed right at my finger tips.

These also make great "exchange gift" gifts and fit in your budget nicely.

Rayon and matching cotton thread
Embroidery sewing machine needles
Wonderunder
Decorative blades
Kia Scissors – these are what I use everyday and l love them. They have extra large holes for your fat quilters fingers.

My Teaching Schedule for 2013

2013 will be here before we know it, and I am going to some really fun places this coming year.

I love seeing friends and meeting new people, so I hope that if you are near any of these venues, you will pop in and say hello. 

It is a nice opportunity meet and to see all of my quilts up close and personal. 

What I brought home from Houston

I love new gadgets, don’t you. I am always looking for that next best greatest thing that will make my life better, easier, more fun whatever – you fill in the blank here.
One of the things I love most about going to the big quilt shows is looking for new stuff to sew with.

I came home with a few new things that you might find interesting.

I am getting older. This is no secret, my youngest son when he sees me now often says to me, “You look tired”, this is code for “You are looking older”. 

The truth hurts but well it is the truth.

So, where is all this rambling going, well my eyes are not what they used to be. I like to say that I hope I can keep sewing and quilting until I dye oh I mean die, that means that the brain and eyes have to hold out, as well as the ability to see to put the needle and thread in the right place.

This is my newest and greatest thing for my machine quilting THE BIG LOOK.

Karen Kay Buckley wandering into our booth in Houston during the show and I asked her what she had found out there among the many venders, this is what she told me about. 

I ran right out and took a look and decided it was well made and would do the trick for me and my aging eyes. I have tried other options and not been happy with the results.




The magnifying class is attached to a long solid metal arm that is attached to a heavy metal plate base that sits under your sewing machine. I think it is great. I will give you updates as I use it more.


Art Kloth is another new product that I am going to start playing with. This is a medium weight canvas foundation that can easily be sewn through.

I could even just create my art quilts and fuse to this foundation and then finish it to hang on the wall.



This company BBD Creations had a huge sale the last day of the show. They said they were going in a new direction and were cleaning out all their stock. I got all of this at a real bargain. 

Many will become stocking stuffers and Xmas gifts.


I love all the art that is at these shows.

We were next to Laura Maclay at the Houston last year, and this year she had these wonderful painted cloth pictures. 

I bought two, one for me and one for my friend for Christmas.I LOVE her purses too, and lusted after them last year, but I just don’t carry a purse much anymore. I would love to get one for my daughter-in-laws though, but don’t really know which if any they would like. I guess, duh, I could just ask them.



This is not new, but I now am selling it on my website. BOHIN is a French company that sells lots of notions products that I like and use. This is a solid stick iron cleaner I really love, mainly because it works so well and is SO easy to use. Check it out on the notions page of my website.



I also have a new crop of KAI scissors. These are my small scissors to work with. They also have a larger hole for your fingers, just in case you have fat thumbs like my buddy Laura does. You will love these.

Of course I buy lots of thread while I am at the show. I try to pick up colors that I don’t have, or try new products.

This is what Mother Superior was recommending, So of course I got a few to give a whirl. This is new Premium high tenacity Triobal Polyester, 40 weight thread.

I loved the colors and if it sews as well as all their other threads it may become my new favorite. I am also going to view the Thread Therapy DVD with Dr Bob. You can always learn something new. And if you aren't already a member of their newsletter you should be. I always pick up some little trick or tip from them.


I also needed a few new colors in YLI silk thread, and here are the colors that I picked up.

And lastly but certainly not leastly I found a new hankie for my tatted hankie collection. I haven’t gotten many hankies this year, and I didn’t see many at the show. In years past I have bought dozens of them but this year this is all I could find.

My one and only.

Very Pretty though. I am sure I could never blow my nose with it.

Happy Quilting.