. . . a bit more 'spring cleaning' (. . . & a tag sale!)

I am really serious about my 'spring cleaning' this year & I've just added two pages full of 'Tag Sale' items to the website on top of the 25 - 75% off all patterns & books. . . 


Here's a taste of what you will find. . . remember the wonderful moda line 'Seaside Rose'?. . . (hands down. . . my favorite moda line. . . ever!)

. . . there's also some wonderful fabrics from Blackbird Designs, Fig Tree, Sandy Gervais, Lakehouse Dry Goods, . . . & more! . . . just looking for a new home that will love them too!

Hurry though. . . as quantities are limited on some items. . . 

Happy 'Spring'! (. . . while it lasts!)

♥ Bren

. . . this precious freedom

Such a day. . . Such a reminder that freedom isn't free. . .

. . . & so thankful for those & their families who have sacrificed & paid the price that we may enjoy our freedom.

May God bless you & keep you.

. . . a little peek

This little bit of a quilt has taken my fancy for the last few weeks. . . it's actually the smallest version. . . (& the one with an appliqué option). . . of a quilt design with three size options. So, I've made this quilt three times . . . & believe it or not . . . I didn't tire of making it! (I'm even thinking of making a pillow version/option.) 

For this appliqué version, I am using a wonderful fabric that looks like it's an old tea stained muslin for the background. . . & for the 'whitework' appliqué, I'm using the lightest of the wonderful 'Primitive Muslin' by Primitive Gatherings for Moda. It's wonderfully & perfectly imperfect, & I love that about it mottled wonderful-ness. Actually. . . this little peek is just the center appliqué. . . there's also going to be  'whitework' appliqué all around the border. I have it all cut out. . . & am using the fusible method for the appliqué (or else this design wouldn't be ready until next year!) I'm hoping to get all of the borders prepped by the end of the week & then all three quilts will be off to Nubin. . . my quilter. I've had so much fun with this design. . . I didn't rush with it. . . no deadlines. . . & I took a step back toward the love of designing quilts for the sake if designing quilt designs that I love.

 . . . & another little secret. . . I'm also turning the center appliqué into a stitchery (or two!)

. . . more when they're all ready!

♥ Bren

daybook ::39::

for today :: May 18, 2011

outside my window. . .   wind & clouds trying to take over the day . . . (bringing with them cool temps. . . & maybe rain!)

I am thinking. . . of next spring's fabric line. . .

from the kitchen. . .  coffee, my (almost) daily egg-white & 2% sharp cheddar cheese omelette.

I am wearing. . . t-shirt & shorts. . . (not too cool outside. . . yet!)

I am creating. . .  a new pattern series for quilts, & stitcheries. . . lots & lots of stitcheries!

I am remembering. . .  that the price I paid for my airfare to Fall Quilt Market (Houston) was half of what I'm being quoted for flights for this fall. . . Yikes! (. . . & bit of grumble, grumble, grumble in there too!. . .)

I am reading. . .   'Organized Simplicity' - by Tsh Oxenreider, & re-reading 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society' (it's such a sweet & fun story!), & 'One Thousand Gifts' (so good - I want to re-read to catch what I might have missed the first time.)

I am hoping . . .  to get to catch up with a bunch of my cousins next month!

I am hearing. . .  quail 'couples' . . . they seem to be very busy fervently "discussing" the best nesting spots in the backyard. . .

around the house. . .  windows are wide open. . . taking in the cooler temps. . . (love it when I can do this!)

I am going. . .  out to dinner with the girls at the quilt shop tonight. . .

one of my favorite things. . .  getting to work from home. . .

a few plans for the rest of the week. . . working on the Spring 2012 fabric line. .  . working on the appliqué for the borders for a new quilt design. . . & putzing around in the yard (my new favorite way to spend time!)

from my picture journal . . .

♥ Bren

*** Don't forget the sale going on at the website. . . 
 25% - 75% off all patterns & books!

. . . a bit of 'spring cleaning'

I decided . . . since most of the quilting world is at Quilt Market this weekend. . . that I would participate in celebrating the quilting world by jumping into the spring cleaning that I've been promising myself I would do this year. Lately, I'm all about making room for new things that will be coming this summer & later this year, & I've decided that it's time for some patterns to be 'retired'.
So. . . I've decided that if I'm going to do this. . . I wanted to do it in a big way. . . so I've put all of the patterns & book (that are in stock) on sale. They are discounted from 25% to 75% off! (. . . & yes, even the newest pattern!)  So. . .  if you'd like to take advantage of my desire to 'spring clean'. . .  don't delay!. . . as some of the patterns will be gone/retired. . . !

(click on image to go to website)

(. . . also. . . for wholesale customers. . . . although the website doesn't seem to be able to apply the discounts to the majority of the patterns/books. . .  please know that this sale also applies to wholesale orders & we will adjust & refund the difference to your order - so that you will receive the 25%-75% off your wholesale order!)

So. . .  I'm off to the studio. . . working on the next fabric line (to be released this fall - for those of you who have been asking!. . .) & on a new pattern series that I'm so very excited about. . . ! 

Hope you have a weekend full of blessings!

♥ Bren

… a new Season. . .

Ever since I posted a couple of photos of my quilt 'Seasons' in the autumn of 2009 (here). . . I received a lot of questions about it. The original quilt is an appliqué quilt, & I know that appliqué isn't everyone's 'cup of tea' - so since it still remains one of my favorites, I decided to re-do & re-design the quilt for embroidery. In doing so, I also made an option layout for the blocks & made one version a redwork version. I'm calling it 'Seasons of the Heart'. . . as each of the seasons has it's own lovely personality. . . but sometimes the best of the seasons are what we remember. . . (not necessarily when we are in the middle of it!)

I have to admit - that I have taken my time on these. . . I think I just had so much fun stitching! But I am happy to announce that the pattern will be available (finally!) on the website tomorrow. (. . . & a big thank you to those of you who have been emailing me about when it would be ready!) I am not going to be at Quilt Market this spring - so for you shop owners. . . as of now - this one is only available from us for now. . . I'm sure that the distributors will have it after all the Market craziness passes. . . (June?)


Here's a couple of peeks of both versions.

I'll post some more photos in a day or two. For now. . . I'm having a bunch of fun on some new designs that will be part of a series of quilts. For now - all I can say is how much I'm loving creating these. . . as they bring me back to why I fell in love with quilts many years ago. . . 

I hope that you are enjoying the start of spring (or autumn for my Aussie friends!) . . . can you believe it's May already! Whew! Here we're getting ready for some hot weather. . . & I'm doing my best to keep the house cool, & put of turning on the air conditioning for as long as possible. . .

. . . but I'm loving the season that I'm in!  ;o)

♥ Bren