The theme for this week’s virtual quilt contest is Quilts for Fathers. The quilts are gorgeous.

The winner of this week’s contest will receive a $30 gift certificate from Around the Block Quilters Shop in Illinois.

Thanks to the sponsor and also to everyone that entered.

Now it’s time for you to vote for your favourite!!

• Voting is open Friday – Sunday @ 11:59 p.m.
• One vote per IP address (NOT email address), so have your family and friends cast a ballot for their favourite quilt (from home if you send it to coworkers)
• Winner announced Monday!
• New: in the event of a tie at the end of voting, 5 random Facebook quilters will be asked to vote again to break the tie.

 Loading ...

Next week’s theme is Friendships. Keep in mind that you can interpret the theme in many ways. You may wish to submit a quilt that you made for a friend, or a quilt made with blocks from friends, etc. Note: for this weekly contest only, I will accept submissions of quilts that were given to you by dear friends that are sadly no longer with us. Please use the description field to tell us your quilt story. I’m looking forward to seeing your beautiful quilts. Get your cameras out!

The voting schedule for next week may shift slightly due to the Canadian and American holidays. Check the blog for the most recent information.

Facebook, email subscribers and RSS readers: You need to visit the Quilting Gallery blog to vote: CLICK HERE

Please join me in welcoming guest blogger Angela Magnan as she shares her quilting journey with us. Plus, check below for a "HOT" give-away from Angela. Angela doesn’t have a blog yet, but you can email her. Thanks Angela for being a guest here at the Quilting Gallery.

Greetings from Maryland,

Thank you so much for allowing me to guest blog. My name is Angela Magnan, I’m 31, and I’ve been quilting for about ten years. I started the hobby shortly after my mother did. She began quilting after being inspired by her mother-in-law, my grandmother, who everyone knew as Memere. My mother and Memere had long-shared a passion for buying and selling antiques, setting up at the same antique shows, and going to auctions together. When Memere starting making a Joann Block of the Month quilt, my mother was inspired by the fact that she wouldn’t have to cut any pieces. It was only a matter of time before my mother would overcome her fear of cutting and catch the quilting bug for good. And then she gave the bug to me!

Each of the three of us developed our own style. Memere was a pattern quilter and always quilted by hand. My mother also usually follows a pattern, prefers piecing and rarely does appliqué, and sometimes quilts by hand and sometimes by machine. She occasionally steps outside of her comfort zone and chooses fabrics or patterns that are a bit funkier than her normally conservative self.

I have my own style. I studied biochemistry as an undergraduate and was drawn to the mathematical and logistical side of quilting. More recently, I completed a Master’s degree in nonfiction writing, so naturally I am drawn to story quilts. A few years ago, I modified a pattern to design a quilt based on my trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (for which I’m still deciding on fabrics), and currently I am designing a quilt based on my ten day writing conference in Bar Harbor, Maine (for which I have the fabrics, but am undecided on the layout).

Continue reading »

Congratulations to last week’s winners of the Story Quilts weekly contest:

First place goes to Sheila Craigie with Wee Village

Tied for second and third place winners were

Wanda Robinson with Aaron’s Nursery Rhyme Quilt

and Dolores with Story Time

The winners will each receive one of Mary Tatem’s new books Quilt of Joy or Quilt of Faith. Fine out more about these lovely books and purchase them.

This week’s theme is Fathers and is sponsored by Around the Block Quilters Shop. To enter the weekly contest, read the rules and guidelines, then submit your quilt photo by Thursday. Voting will start on Friday and last until Sunday night.

Around the Block Quilters Shop

Take a peek Around the Block and see “sew” many wonderful project ideas, beautiful fabrics, unbelievable clearance prices ($5.00 per yard!!!), and kits in popular colors and styles, even Mystery Quilts!

New this week – Adoring.

This Christmas Collection is modern and charming. Here are the kits from this collection.

Angelic

In a Manger

Ice Crystals

Tree Trimming

Check out the Block of the Month programs that are ready and waiting.

Star Light, Star Bright BOM

By the end of this week we should have the “Tidings” line by Nancy Halverson and the “Surfin’ Monkeys” online. If you can’t wait until they are online, just call (618-624-3645) and we will take your order over the phone.

Tidings

Surfin' Monkeys - Aqua

Surfin' Monkeys - Yellow/Orange

The winner of this weeks contest will receive a $30.00 Gift Certificate good for any purchase at Around the Block Quilters Shop through July 3,2010. (Excludes shipping costs. please.)

Perhaps you will want to stay with this weeks theme of Fathers, and use your gift certificate to purchase this macho “Be a Man” Kit.

Be a Man Kit

Happy Quilting!!!

Blog It

Please share the logo below on your own blog. The more contestants, the more exciting the contests!

There are still a few weekly sponsorship opportunities left this year. Please contact me if you’re interested. It’s a fabulous opportunity to showcase new notions and fabrics.