Nearly Missed It! Free Kindle QUILTING MYSTERY!!

How did I nearly miss this one? It was just under my radar! I would have sent this one earlier had I found it first…

I love of course, anything with quilting in it, and mystery – cool…and a bit of romance? I’m good with that as long as it is not explicit ---

Wild Goose Chase, the first book in the Quilting Mystery series by Terri Thayer, is free in the Kindle store, courtesy of publisher Midnight Ink.

Book Description:

A computer techie by trade, Dewey Pellicano would rather swallow needles than be pinned down to a life of quilting. But when her mother passes away, Dewey must exchange code for calico as the new proprietress of Quilter Paradiso.

Between learning the business and dealing with a conniving employee who is also her sister-in-law, Dewey is ready to snap. During a national quilt show, quilting celebrity Claire Armstrong offers to buy the shop.

But before Dewey can accept, she finds the famous quilter lying dead on the floor—a bloody rotary cutter at her side.

When hunky homicide detective Buster Healy enters the scene, romance flourishes... until another murder takes place. Can Dewey thread together the pieces to this murderous pattern before the killer strikes again?

BLOODY ROTARY CUTTER?!?? I love the cover ---

Gotta read this!

Evening Edition! Free Kindle Book!

I had the most relaxing day today! Nowhere I needed to be, no appointments to keep, no bank runs or post office runs to make – just ME – and the whole dang day!

And I’m making good use of it!

I’m pulling fabrics and kitting up for the two Mystery Quilts I have running this winter. One is our November Mystery – so I can’t show you photos of what is going on with that, but let’s just say I’m going with a different color scheme for me ---and I’m liking it! I’ve been pressing and cutting and pressing and cutting and taking count and stacking up, and everything will be ready to load into zip lock bags so I can sew-on-the-go when I hit the road in Shamu on the 10th.

It’s amazing how much less space a quilt top takes when you cut it all out, put it in bags, suck the air out of those things and zip them down tight!

The second Mystery is one I’m teaching in Texas for New Years. I did the same thing last year and boy was that a blast! In fact, last year’s Texas Mystery will be featured in an upcoming Quiltmaker magazine issue as a regular pattern ((not a mystery))--- so hang on for that one!

It’s my hopes that the same thing will happen with this next mystery, that it will eventually make it’s way around to not being a mystery anymore. And then eventually I can post it in the freebies on the website or something.

And --- since THAT is also a mystery, I can’t share any photos of that either! That leaves for a very boring blog update doesn’t it?

Soon as these are kitted up --- I’m pulling out the Nearly Insane and going to get that top together. I also need to cut out all the border pieces for THAT quilt so I can assemble the border on the go too.

In the mean time…..since there are no photos here --- how about a free kindle book?

From a Distance by Tamera Alexander is free in the Amazon Kindle Store, and it’s got great reviews.

Book Description:

What happens when the realization of a dream isn't what you imagined... and the secret you've spent a lifetime guarding is finally laid bare?

Determined to become one of the country's premier newspaper photographers, Elizabeth Westbrook travels to the Colorado Territory to capture the grandeur of the mountains surrounding the remote town of Timber Ridge. She hopes, too, that the cool, dry air of Colorado, and its renowned hot springs, will cure the mysterious illness that threatens her career, and her life.

Daniel Ranslett, a former Confederate sharpshooter, is a man shackled by his past, and he'll do anything to protect his land, and his solitude. When an outspoken Yankee photographer captures an image that appears key to solving a murder, putting herself in danger, Daniel is called upon to repay a debt. He's a man of his word, but repaying that debt could bring secrets from his past to light.

Forced on a perilous journey together, Daniel and Elizabeth's lives intertwine in ways neither could have imagined when first they met . . . from a distance.

Still free when I sent this post, but be sure to check as always.

If I can tackle this pile of fabric on the cutting table – I think I’ll be up for the recliner and some binding for the evening!

Don’t you love Friday Nights? They don’t mean what they used to --- but I sure love them quiet and uncomplicated!

A New Foot for Sophia!

I mentioned that I picked up Sophia from the fix-it man yesterday ---and I waited until I had time to sew today to unpack her ---which meant putting Joe Cool back on the shelf for a while. I hope he doesn’t feel jilted!

No offense, Joe! You are a handsome devil, but I needed to see if the high shank adapter foot I ordered off of Ebay and the 1/4” snap-on patchwork foot would do the job that I hoped for Sophia!

It’s amazing what you can find on Ebay ---THIS is the adapter “ankle” I purchased. I held my breath that it would work. I was in Illinois/Ohio when it arrived, so it was waiting for me when I got home -- -but alas! No Sophia! She was still in the shop.

I also have a walking foot on order for her ---None of the walking feet I had are long shank ones.

I had bought THIS 1/4” foot at MQX in Providence, Rhode Island:

Yes, I do my shopping all over! I had hoped this foot would work better on my Janome ---but hadn’t tried it yet. NOW --- the Janome is at the fix-it shop as well! May as well try it on Sophia!

The ankle fits perfectly, and the foot snaps on! All seems good so far ----only one more thing to test. The 1/4” is measured supposedly along the NARROW right side of the foot. But I’ve come across many a foot that are NOT 1/4” even though they say they are. Will it pass the benchmark test?

YES! I put my seam guide right under the needle, and with the presser foot down, the edge of the narrower part of the foot is right at the edge of my guide! Only thing to do now is a test run!

I stuck down the Scotch mounting strip right next to the guide before removing it..and ran a test seam – I’m happy to say that this foot IS worth the $19.00 I paid for it, and if it works this great on Sophia, I’ll be picking up another for the Janome 6500 --- I really LIKE having my needle center at all times and don’t like to have my needle over to the right to get a 1/4” seam which is what I was having to do with the foot that came with the Janome.

Don’t even start asking me about those feet with the black 1/4” guide..hate them! They don’t extend far front enough of the foot to really give you a good guide, you can't see the edge of your fabric and I don’t find them all that accurate --- But this --- I can do!

I’m loving sewing, cutting out and kitting up – and getting things ready for traveling to Ohio on the 10th. Everything will be cut and ready and in ziplock baggies --- for sewing on the go!

Happy Bloggy-versary! Give-Away!!

Whaahooooo! 7 years of blogging!

I’m celebrating!

I’m also laughing just a bit – I’ve had several readers telling me that they have gone all the way back and read this blog from the beginning. Wow. What a story it tells!

About moves, about going back to school for my license in massage and neuromuscular therapy, about starting up my own practice and having that blossom into a full time career, and then moving to North Carolina 4.5 years ago and making the choice to not start up another practice, but put myself full time into teaching quilting and writing instead.

This is one of those journeys that I could not predict the path or the ending even if I tried. Many twists and turns, but oh, the doors that have been opened simply by not worrying about WHERE the road will lead --- just get on the road and get moving on it and find out!

Which brings to mind ----will I still be writing all this stuff in another 7 years? Who knows! I hope so!

In the mean time --- I thought this 7 year celebration could use a Give-Away --- and have I got a good one for you!

The latest edition of Quiltmaker Magazine is out!

Inside it you will find this month’s Addicted to Scraps column! The featured block is Four-Ever-Nines!

I love ANYTHING with 9 patches in it! This one does a little accent square in the center and can easily be pieced from your collection of scrap strips!

The crew at Quiltmaker have given us a suggested setting of block to block to block…and I love the plaid-y appeal! It would also make a great alternate block ---ooooh, what about putting it on point? I like that idea too!

I’m offering up a FREE copy of Quiltmaker Magazine’s July/August issue to one lucky blog reader! Simply leave me a comment below! And to make it fun for me, I’d like to know how long you’ve been reading me, and what little story you found either fun, silly, inspiring or educational. Are you learning anything by reading my drivel? If so – speak up! It makes it fun for me to read the comments that way!

And don’t forget that Pre-Orders have started for my new book STRING FLING! You can preview the quilts, and place your order by clicking to this post HERE.

We will draw the lucky winner on Sunday Evening! Good luck everyone!

Thursday Ramblings & a Free Kindle Book!

First off, if you are looking for the new book preview and pre-order post, click HERE!

What a day – I feel like I’ve been chained to the computer most of the day ---and I have been. I still haven’t updated the Quiltville.com website with the new book info – maybe it can wait til tomorrow?

I have to tell you, I have some pretty great friends. Last night I was pulling fabrics for a quilt, and low and behold, I did NOT have enough variety of lime greens – and I wanted batik.

When Lisa was over the other day she said she was willing to weed out her batik collection so I Facebooked her with a plea for green. ((Yeah, just did the “add to dictionary” thing with the word Facebooked….come on, folks, it is SO a verb!! LOL!))

If you ever want to belly laugh until the tears roll, just try speaking or writing to your friend in a medieval Olde English Shakespeare type drone!

It went something like this:

((And the girls involved will have to forgive me but this was just hilarious!))

It was even funnier when Karen joined in – poor thing, her basement got flooded and it’s been a HUGE mess and she can’t even get to her sewing stuff ---so when she said “I shall returneth now to my moat” I bust out laughing right there on the table at the chiropractor’s office where I was having electric stim therapy…LOL!

So what was that saying about “Getting old isn’t an option, but growing up is?!” I like life on the silly side!

I bring this up about great friends because after the chiropractor appoinment, I just pointed Shamu in the direction of Lisa’s abode ((minus the moat!)) and there on the front step was a zip lock baggie of green, just for me! Thank you Lisa --- I’m just wondering what your mail man thought of the very green bundle sitting there on the front door mat!

I swung by the sew & vac place to pick up Sophia --- who also had her foot pedal worked on. The guy loves vintage machines and even took time to tune up the foot pedal ---and I left him my Janome 6500 to tune up since it hasn’t been in the shop in 3 years. It’s time. I wonder if they would ever consider giving me the revolving machine plan? You know, I pick one up and drop off another and pick that one up and drop off another --- we can keep this going for quite a while with the machines I have!

On my way back I stopped at a local thrift store. You just NEVER know what you will find there, and I did find some old machines --- some cool ones, but I left them. They were far too broken to be used for much more than parts.

I still took pictures, they were cool to look at!

How about a very sleek white Kenmore with purple accents? No bobbin case, no spool pins, they were both broken or missing. The light makes it look yellow, but it was white white…..and the poor bobbin winder is broken beyond recognition. Too bad…because I really liked that purple!

It was a pretty paint job!

This heavy beast wasn’t workable either. The levers and knobs did not turn…but it is a very cool robin’s egg blue. It’s about the same age as my Marilyn –this one’s zig zag puts the needle in permanent left position too even for straight stitch – that was if we COULD get it working. I left it there. Someone somewhere might pick this up and get it going, but I’m not skilled that way --- I just want them to run when I get them.

Oh yeah, and the free Kindle book --- this one was a heads up by Leah who commented back on yesterday’s saying this author had another title for free:

Deep Voodoo by Stephanie Bond is free in the Amazon Kindle store:

Book Description:

When Deke Black is stabbed through the heart with a lawn stake, the secrets of Mojo, La., start bursting to the fore in this lively first of a new romantic mystery trilogy from Rita Award–winner Bond (Whole Lotta Trouble). Deke's ex, health-food store owner Penny Francisco, is the primary suspect.

Not only was she found at the scene of the crime holding the murder weapon but, at her divorce celebration, she stabbed a voodoo doll bearing Deke's likeness. The police are keen to pin the crime on Penny, and only sexy, junk-food-loving PI B.J. Beaumont may be able to keep her out of jail.

It's hard to sympathize with Penny, whose troubles often stem from her own stupidity, and harder still to believe that she could fall in love with B.J. while suspecting him of murder. Despite these flaws, Mojo and its zany, likable inhabitants—from a slutty, lawsuit-happy tanning-salon owner to a randy, 109-year-old woman into voodoo magic—form a solid foundation for future books in the series.

Enjoy! It’s supposed to be free just through May 31st so get it while you still can and double check before clicking that it’s still free for you!

Have a great evening!

Presenting: STRING FLING!

Guess what?! We’ve got a cover! Which means ---- It’s time for a preview and pre-orders!

And take a look above --- a new header! I’ve been a busy girl!

This book has been underway for over 2 1/2 years ---long before we ventured forth into string-land with “Roll Roll Cotton Boll” ---I had ideas for this book just running through my mind, using strings in a “not-so-ordinary” way, and pushing the boundaries and opening up the possibilities of making our traditional patchwork much more exciting through the use of string piecing.

The title has sat in my brain for over 2 years too --- and I’d catch my breath when I’d see someone else on the same thought-train and name their quilt “String Fling” --- because that IS what we are doing, aren’t we? Flinging these strings into a beautiful place to land --- just yesterday my copy of “American Patchwork & Quilting” showed up, with a string quilt in it – called, of course “String Fling” also! My big concern was that someone might think I stole their quilt title, or that there might be another book coming out with this name around the same time as mine because strings are so popular right now ---to my knowledge there isn’t. But even if there was, we’d just all join in the String Fling party – because the more strings, the merrier! As the saying goes, “Great minds quilt alike!”

And HERE is our COVER!

OH! I love this cover! My desire was that the color on the front would make this book jump into people’s hands right off the shelf, that they wouldn’t be able to resist --- Did we succeed?

And for a few of you --- I hope this makes you happy to see your comments and testimonials on the back cover:

Thank you for all the wonderful things you’ve said, I’m so happy to have you along on this journey with me!

Without further ado, I’d love to share with you just what you will find within the pages of String Fling—Happy, Scrappy & Loving It!

Blue Skies! 84” X 84”

Charlotte’s Baskets! 53” X 53”

Daylilies! 90” X 90”

Jamestown Landing! 84” X 96”

Orca Bay! 74” X 84”

Pfeffernuesse! 84” X 84”

Pineapple Crazy! 80” X 90”

Roll Roll, Cotton Boll! 85” X 100”

Santa Fe String Star! 72” X 72”

Talkin’ Turkey! 84” X 97”

Tulip Fields! 76” X 84”

Wild Child! 77” X 93”

Zuckerwatte! (Cotton Candy) 60” X 72”

Holy Moly, that’s a lot of string piecing!! And I’m STILL loving it! The book is full of helps, hints, and thoughts from me about how I work and what inspires my quilts. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I honestly think this is the best book I’ve ever had the pleasure to put together with a group of people that I’ve grown quite fond of. It’s pretty rare that an editorial team will stick together the way mine has over the past 4 books --- I’ve had largely the same team throughout and it’s been seamless, continuous, and a real joy to work with them!

I’m not planning a blog tour. I spend enough time on the internet as it is, and it is just one more thing I don’t want to add into the frenzied juggling routine. I will be hosting a giveaway when String Fling is actually IN my hands --- but for now, who wants to simply pre-order? I don’t have a definite date of when this is going to land on my doorstep, we are shooting for “SOMETIME” in July. And I’ll get them out in the order that they were received, working around my schedule.

Click HERE to place your pre-order on-line with a credit card through our secure server!

To order via snail mail with a check as payment, print your order form HERE.

I am asking your help in getting the pre-order word out. Could you link to this blog post on your email lists, your facebook pages, news groups, message boards, twitter, and anywhere else that quilters gather to let them know IT’S TIME?!? I’d so appreciate it!

Late On the Sleep In Train!

This staying up past 1am is killing my morning routine --- it’s become a vicious circle and I’m not happy with it!

A couple days with nap indulgences ---because I LOVE naps, and I was home to be able to enjoy them in the middle of the afternoon ---has left me up and awake way beyond my usual bed time habit.

And now that is encroaching upon my usual early morning routine. It must stop! There will be NO NAP today ---and tonight I WILL be to bed at a decent hour.

Getting up at 8:45 am means the morning is nearly half over by the time my feet hit the floor. And then I feel like my day got all short-sheeted some how!

But I did get busy in my late night time last night---I’m all caught up on my Jubilee blocks from Randy's Sow-a-Long!

And I got to use this yellow/orange plaid that didn’t have a place before because it always got lost against the cheddar background.

This one was named “Peace & Plenty” in the Farm Journal. I used the easy angle ruler and put my blue and yellow plaid 2” strips right sides together and cut matched pairs. 4 of the pairs are sewn into half square tris, and 4 of the pairs are sewn as quarter square triangles. Then I used 2” strips ((Yes, same size of strip!)) of cheddar background and blue plaid and used the companion angle to cut 4 matched pairs of quarter square triangles for the corners.

It went together so slick, all from one width of strip. Just gotta be careful with the inner corners, they have bias on the outside that is stabilized when the large pieced corners are added.

LeMoyne Star, Aunt Sukey and Peace & Plenty

((And one more bow-tie under the presser foot!))

And here is how we stand at the design wall, which is getting VERY crowded and almost out of space! I’m really liking the freedom of no sashings. I think this is a quilt that doesn’t need any --- don’t you? And for those wondering, YES – there are a few different shades of “cheddar” going on in here – I’m using up scraps of all the different dye lots of got, just letting them play where they will. I think it makes it look more interesting that way, rather than having everything the exact same shade. ;c)

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Evening Edition! Free Kindle Summer Reading!

I almost don’t know what to do with myself!

I’ve had such a nice easy day today --- one run to the post office that afterwards had me driving down the road to Thomasville to do some antique browsing at a place I hadn’t been to in eons….

I didn’t really find anything! I took TWO pictures of a vintage quilt, not because it was a great one, but because – I finally saw hexies quilted with baptist fans, which is what I’m planning on doing ---

I’ve sewn a bit, my backlog of blocks for Randy’s Sow-a-long are just about caught up! And just in time too, her next installment comes out on Wednesday ----are you ready?

I’ve made plans for future quilts, I’m amping up production for the quilts in the NEXT book in the pipeline – yes, there is no down time really, if a book comes out every 18 months, and you need 12 to 13 quilts for the book, is there really time to rest? Nope. Not when they are big quilts with many pieces, there isn’t!

So I’ve been busy and productive behind the scenes, but it doesn’t leave me much to show you, does it?

Here’s what I’ve found for some good summer reading:

Got Your Number by Stephanie Bond is free in the kindle store.

Book Description:

Roxann Beadleman just received an ominous message that resurrects old secrets, and her debutante cousin Angora Ryder was just jilted at the alter. A road trip to accomplish thing on a life list they made in college leads them back to their alma mater for Homecoming, and to the professor they were both in love with…

But Angora doesn’t know that Roxann is wanted for questioning in a police matter, or that a dangerous criminal could be following them. Detective Joe Capistrano is on their heels, too, determined to charm information out of Roxann and to protect her, whether she wants it or not…

Once Roxann and Angora hit campus, their lives are turned on end. Professor Irresistible is majoring in Seduction, old skeletons are leaping from closets, and Detective Capistrano is closing in. Roxann and Angora soon find themselves thrust into a chilling lesson of murder, and if either of them gets out of this mess alive, could true love be at the end of their chase?

Sounds good to me! Still free for me this afternoon, so check before clicking that it still is for you because prices can change without notice.

Oh yeah, the antique quilt:

Thomasville NC is about 9 miles down the road from me. And the Antique Emporium is quite large, but I didn’t find a single sewing machine, and only one quilt worth photographing and it wasn’t all that old I don’t think….it’s pretty worn, but I love the quilting on it.

I tried to get the light so I could get decent quilting detail – this is hand pieced, and then hand quilted in fairly large stitches. I love the gingham rosettes the best! The fans were large, and of course mine would be a lot smaller when I finally get around to quilting my hexie, but I do like the idea of fans simply because the quilting crosses the piecing lines --- it will anchor those seams, where as a quilt that is simply quilted 1/4” inside each shape leaves the seam lines exposed and unanchored – that’s where the quilt will come apart because there is only one thread holding those hexies together. Crossing seam lines will just make it stronger, and hopefully last longer.

And if you didn’t know it --- Thomasville is known as “Chair City.” And indeed there is a huge chair right across the railroad tracks that has become a tourist destination --- probably the only one that Thomasville is famous for! LOL!

The Big Chair gained national attention in 1960 when then Presidential Candidate Lyndon B. Johnson greeted supporters on the monument during a campaign whistle stop. Hey, if you are going to be known for something, maybe a chair isn’t so bad? I can think of worse things!

And with that I’ll get back to working on these blocks. I am SO loving that it is light so much later now, and I don’t feel the need for pajamas at 7:30pm!