Hi everyone! Welcome to Day 1 of our Glorious Autumn Block Party. I’m excited to get this party started! To help kick things off, dear friend Pat Sloan is our featured designer and we have an amazing Super Deal from Eleanor Burns’ Quilt in a Day.
How does this work? Over the next 15 weeks, 45 fabulously talented designers will be making 12" blocks and tutorials for you to make. You can pick and choose which blocks you want to make. In addition to the blocks, there will be Super Deals for Quilters from our favourite online retailers. Be sure to check each designer’s post, as many will also be offering give-aways on their own site that everyone can enter.
Visit the Block Party Headquarters for more info and upload your completed blocks to the Flickr group.
Super Deal from Quilt in a Day
Quilt in a Day has everything you need to make a quilt – books, patterns, free block patterns, notions, fabric, rulers and videos. Quilt in a Day was founded in 1975 by “Hall of Fame” quilter, Eleanor Burns. Throughout her career, Eleanor has published over 100 “How-to” quilt books, developed an Eleanor Burns Signature Pattern Collection and designed a variety of specialty rulers all produced to aid the quilter in successfully and easily completing their quilt. Her Quilt in a Day TV series began airing on PBS and is still broadcasting nationwide and abroad.
Today’s Super Deal:
66% off Fat Quarter Bundles this week only. Ten fat quarter cuts, 100% Quilt Shop quality fabric. Choose from a variety of colors. No special code is required. Expires Tuesday, September 11, 2012.
Get your Super Deal Savings here!
Featured Designer: Pat Sloan
How did you get into quilting?
My first first quilt was not made as a quilt.. but as a bed spread.. you can read the whole story and see it at this post (2 posts really). For some reason that first quilt didn’t inspire me to make any others (you will be shocked by that after you see it.. wink!).. much later my friend Gwen insisted I learn to quilt so I took classes as my local shop and was hooked…
How/when/why did you transition from a quilter to a designer?
I have always wanted to work for myself.. and since I loved quilting so much I thought it just might be what I was looking for as a business. You can read a great article here and here
Which quilt is your favourite? Did you design it? Why is it your favourite?
I’ve designed hundreds and hundreds of quilts and fabric projects. So it’s really hard to select a favorite. To be fair I’ve decided to select my most recently published quilt from my new book “New Ideas for Applique”. It is a Calendar quilt done in 2 color ways. This is the batik and other is done in more traditional colors.
How many UFOs do you currently have?
Funny you should ask this! I just wrote a blog post on this and recounted my UFOs.. the ones I could find… I’m at 31 since I’ve spent the last few years removing or finishing them!
What size of quilt do you prefer to make/design? (e.g. table runners, lap quilts, bed quilts, etc.)
I really love making wall hangings. Large, medium and small! I find they let me use my creativity while also allowing me to finish up a project much faster than doing bed quilts. But I make those too.
What colour do you use most often in your quilts?
Yellow. It’s my first favorite color and is still a ‘go to’ color for me.
Favourite one-sentence tip for a new quilter:
Let go of perfectionism, it gets in the way of having fun!
Favourite size and brand of rotary cutter:
45mm Olfa with the handle that extends and retracts the blade (although I do lock it open a lot.. don’t tell!)
Favourite quote or mantra:
I enjoy collecting quotes and change “my favorite” as often as I change my socks. Now I have a pinterest board where I’m posting ones I find so I can find them again! One of my all time favorites is:
“Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.” — Thomas Edison (more Edison quotes)
Block Party #1 – Pop-a-Licious
Here’s Pat’s block, Pop-a-Licious… isn’t it cute! Head over to Pat’s blog to download the block tutorial.
Designer Give-Away
Be sure to visit Pat’s blog and enter her give-away of a Jelly Roll of the batiks from her latest fabric line “Eat your Fruits and Veggies” for Moda and an Aurifil thread sampler pack.
Share the FUN on your blog
Please share the logo below on your own blog.
250px square
125px square
Good morning, Michele and thanks for this glorious Autumn block party. I love fall and can hardly wait until tomorrow when our temps will drop into the 70’s. We will be near 90 again today and that does not feel like fall! Going to dig in my fabrics for the perfect colors to use for Pat’s block. I see yellow and burgundy. I hope it works!
Pat is such a great designer. Love this block.
That’s a very cute block, Ms Pat!!! Love it!
Gotta love it!
Wonderful block!
Rather quilt than sleep,,rather quilt than eat, rather quilt than shop, rather quilt than cook could there be something wrong with me? :) :)
Love this block!
What fun this is…Pat’s block is just adorable!
Beautiful block!
Love her block and her calendar quilt is beautiful.
Beautiful!!!!