Fellow Quilters,
     As I write this post, I am sitting on the deck at the family cottage, enjoying the last few hours of a spectacular Canada Day.  To my fellow Canucks I say “Happy Canada Day!”  I am wearing the pre-requisite Canada t-shirt of course.  This year, Canada Day falls on a Friday, so we get a long weekend, and our American cousins will also get a long holiday weekend as they celebrate Independence Day on Monday July 4. 

Maui Stone Roll

 Enjoy!  And thank a soldier.  We very often take for granted the rights and freedom that have been won on our behalf by the brave men and women in our Armed Forces.
     I am “sew” excited (I couldn’t resist)!  Quilter’s Newsletter magazine put out a call for quilt designs for a special Best Fat Quarter Quilts issue

on newsstands this Fall.  I have never designed a quilt with fat quarters, but since Northcott has fat quarter rolls of our Stonehenge groupings, I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to play with the Stone Rolls.  I chose the Maui group of 12 fat quarters. 

I was allowed to use one other fabric, so I chose a white tone-on-tone from Northcott’s elements by my bud Mark Lipinski.

Hawaiian Punch quilt

  I downloaded the fabrics into my EQ7 program and began playing.  Once I had finalized my design, I emailed it to the folks at Quilter’s Newsletter.  Much to my surprise, they accepted it, and sent me details of the deadline for the finished quilt.  I quickly wrote the instructions so that my oh-so-talented piecer Susanne could whip it up.  Then I quilted it, Susanne bound it, and we sent it off to the magazine.  We called it Hawaiian Punch.  I think it is such a cheerful quilt, with its bright colors contrasting against the white background.  Quilters Newsletter will be having a blog tour early October to launch the issue, and I hope to participate.  There will be prizes, so check back around then to participate.  The last time I participated in a blog tour was for the launch of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks issue - I showed my block in different Northcott collections.  Both I and the visitors to my blog were amazed at how different the block and resulting quilts looked depending on the fabrics used.  I’m not sure if Hawaiian Punch would look good in any other fabrics – we shall see!
     I’m off to the kitchen now to make some butter tarts, a quintessential Canadian treat – similar to pecan tarts, but with raisins instead.  Or shall I make Nanaimo bars, or maybe both…mmmm.

Cheers,
Patti

What do Armani, Christian Dior, Steve Smith (‘Red’ from the Red Green Show) and a Scotsman have in common? Yes, it is that quintessential pattern that can look equally at home on a runway in Paris or a cabin in the woods; plaid.

fashion or anti-fashion, plaid is 'in'.

Perhaps most famously fashionable in Scottish kilts (depending on your idea of fashion), plaid or ‘tartan’ can be found in any variety of colors throughout the world. Even with plaid designs running strong in 2011, the pattern itself has a rich history dating back thousands of years. The design transcends ancient cultures from Asia, European royalty, Scottish clans, and even political and social movements within the 20th Century. Truly, plaid is a design that is worth recognizing.

Our friends over at Quiltmaker magazine are doing just that, a “Salute to Plaid”. Follow the link and visit Quiltmaker’s contest page to answer a few questions for a chance to win fantastic prizes including Northcott fabric.

All this talk about plaid made me think of an ad we just composed for one of our newest collections called Majestic Mallards, a flannel print that has some great plaid designs. Have a look on our site to view more, I’ve also included a couple of snapshots to get those creative minds working!

When Northcott began accepting donations and offered to transport your quilt donations to Japan, we had no idea how heart-warmingly generous you would be. I mean, we knew we would have dozens, even hundreds of quilts…but here we are at over 1,500 quilts made by YOU! Wow, it is truly breathtaking to stand back and look at 1,500 quilts all stacked in one place. The countless hours invested in each one, the devotion and care that went into each stitch and seam, the careful placement of colour and design. It was hard not to get choked up just assembling the (many) stacks for our photo shoot! There are so many beautiful quilts. Cathy Miller says it best:

“May this quilt keep you safe from harm
May it be your good luck charm
I do not know your name or the mountains you face
What you hold in your arms is a quilter’s embrace”

While the photos don’t do it justice, it is at least something we can share back with all those who donated a quilt. In some cases many quilts. If you have ever felt like contributing just one thing doesn’t make a difference, have a look at what happens when 1,500 of you said I CAN make a difference. Each quilt received will be a blanket of love that someone will cherish for years to come. When tragedy strikes, it is sometimes the simple kindness of others that can be the hope that’s enough to make it through.

Today our staff has packed up the last of the remaining quilts. We will be shipping out the many boxes in short order. In addition to those already  mentioned in earlier posts, we would like to recognize the following contributors of quilts or supplies that will be packed and sent to Japan. If your name has been left off of this list, we sincerely apologize. Your quilt was not missed in the final packing.

• Castilleja Cotton, Calgary, AB

• Keepsake Quilters Guild, Sicamous, BC

• Brampton Quilt Guild

• Hilltop Quilters Guild, Hamilton, ON

• Marion MacGowan

• Cookstown (Country Cove), Kingston, ON

• Ionne McCauley, BC

• Candy Mullins, Mississauga Quilters Guild

• Jeff of Evelyn’s Sewing Centre

• Bev Smith, Warm ‘n’ Cozy

• Mayflower Quilter’s Guild

• Jannette Binder, Strathroy

• G. Bleakney, QC

• Louise Nykifourk

• Susan Cameron, Rouge Valley, QC

• So Creative, Strathroy, ON

• Cini of Cindy Bee’s, Espanola – Sudbury – Manitoulin

• The Piecemaker’s Bee of Halifax, NS

• Creemore House of Stitches

• Etobicoke Quilters Guild

• Judy Messenger

• Genie Green of Parksville, BC

• Markham Town Quilters Guild

• Quilters Cupboard, Uxbridge

• Sew Have Fun

• Quilting Gnome in Jacksons Point, ON

• Stone Cottage Crafts in Midhurst, ON

• Quilter’s Dream of Burlington, ON

• Threads that Bind, Maxwell, ON

• Creative Sewing, Kitchener, ON

• Oakville Quilters Guild

• Ye Old Fabric Shoppe, Stratford, ON

• Green Wood Quiltery, Guelph, ON

• Sara Nedd, Qualicum Beach, BC

Fellow Quilters,
  Today is my day to post a blog on the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Volume 3 Blog Tour, so if you are new to my blog – WELCOME!  I hope you come back to visit often, or even subscribe.  Being invited to join “100 Blocks” is such an honor – I’m tickled pink to be included.  The blog tour is actually what got me into the blogosphere.  To see all of the other participants, visit  
quiltmaker.com/100blocks

   My High Tea block is on page 57.  It uses Northcott’s High tea 10th Anniversary collection.  I combined this block with a simple Snowball block to create this pretty twin/double quilt.
I also played with 3 other new Northcott collections to show you how the block may look in completely different fabrics.
  Midnight Madness keeps the black background, and here is a lap version of the quilt.

Snow Queen has a dark ground, but I used a light fabric in the alternate snowball blocks.
I also chose the lovely Leading Ladies Encore collection to show you how this block looks with a light background.  I like them all!  What about you?  Leave a comment by midnight tonight and let me know your favorite, and your name will be entered for a chance to win a copy of “100 Blocks Volume 3″.  I may throw in some fabrics from your favorite too!