New Pattern--Barnyard Buddies

The flu hit our home this week--yuk.  Who knew there were so many places on one's body that could hurt?  Even my hair!  A good excuse to curl up on the couch with a good book and be waited on for a change!

On to happier topics.  I've actually had this quilt finished for a few weeks but when you live on the wet coast of Canada, it sometimes can take awhile for the sun to come out so I can hang the quilt on my washline and photograph it.  So the sun shone today and it's supposed to rain again tomorrow so I ran out and got the picture.

The quilt is called "Barnyard Buddies" and it will be going to the printer on Monday and will be available on my website right after that.

Like a lot of my projects, there's a mixture of patchwork and applique.

It measures 60" x 72".

I love the quirky animals!

Like the horse with his buck teeth.

The cow, not at all anatomically correct!

Mommy pig so proud of her little ones!

The fat sheep,

And Mother chicken with her brood.

Of course, I've got to stick a crow in there someplace!

Why not on the barn?

 Isn't it fun?

What do you think?

Springtime Sampler - A New Pattern

Hot off the press--here's a new pattern for you to work on during those long winter nights that are heading our way.

It's called "Springtime Sampler" and is a mixture of patchwork and applique, made up in several sections and then pieced together.  By the time spring comes, you'll be ready to display it!  Go to the New Patterns page on my website if you'd like to order it from me, or ask for it at your local quilt shop.

What Shall I Make Today? Burlap Pumpkins!

Sometimes I want to take a break from quilting and just make stuff to decorate my home or sell at craft markets. Here's an idea I came up with for fall--burlap pumpkins!

First, find a plate or something with the diameter you want--mine was 8" across. 

Place it on a double layer of burlap and trace around it with a pencil.

Cut out the circles 1/4" outside of the traced line.



Sew all the way around the circle on the traced line.

Separate the two circles and cut a small "x" in the center of one of them.

Turn the circles right side out through the opening.

Stuff with polyfil.

Cut a length of twine, thread it through your largest needle, and knot the end.

Push it through the opening to the other side.

When it comes through the center of the other side, pull the twine around the circles and reinsert it into the opening.

Pull it around the opposite side.

Turn the circle one-quarter of the way around and pull the twine around and through the bottom center.

When you come to the end of the twine, knot it off and bring the end into the center of the pumpkin.



Keep going until you've divided the circles into 8 sections.

This is what it should look like when you're done this part.

Find a stick about 1" in diameter and cut off a 2" long piece.

Put a bit of hot glue on one end.

Press the glued end of the stick down into the opening of the pumpkin.

Squirt some more hot glue around the stick onto the pumpkin opening.

Press some Spanish moss onto the glue to cover the opening.

Enjoy your burlap pumpkins!





Happy fall, y'all!

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway - Week 8

Welcome back to our blog tour and book giveaway!  Hasn't it been fun?  I'm a little sad that today is our last stop--I'll just have to write another book so I can do this again!

 

Haven't found out yet who won last week's giveaway but congratulations!  Michelle will let me know as soon as she draws the name and I'll get the book out to you asap!

Today we're heading across the country again--this time to West Virginia,

home to Jeni Gaston, Judy Williamson and Gretchen Streeter, the supremely gifted sisters and co-creators of "Primitive Quilts and Projects" my favourite quilting magazine.  I'm so glad someone finally decided to publish a magazine specifically for us primitive quilters!

In addition to publishing this wonderful magazine, they are co-owners of the Woolen Willow quilt shop, pattern designers, wool dyers, you-name-it!  A visit to their shop is definitely on my bucket list.  I'm so happy that in their extremely busy schedule, they found time to post about my book on their blog!

If you're one of my followers, go over to their blog and leave a comment for a last chance to win a copy of my book.  Good luck everyone!

I'm thrilled that they've asked me to design a pattern for the spring 2013 issue and to be in the company of the many talented contributors to their magazine. Just look for a pattern with lots of prim houses.  Here's a teaser--

Hope you'll like it! 
Thanks so much to all of you who've been a part of this blog tour!
We couldn't have done it without you.

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway - Week 7

Welcome back everyone and congratulations to Suz for winning last week's giveaway!

Today we're off to sunny California--Vista, California to be exact--home to quilt shop proprietor and good friend, Michelle Joyner.

Michelle runs the Fat Quarters Quilt Shop and has been one of my most loyal customers since I met her at Market many years ago.  Here's a picture of us in my booth in Salt Lake City, 2011.  (She's the cute, petite one.)

I've never been fortunate enough to actually see her store, but I can tell from the pictures she posts on Facebook, that it's amazing.  And this month she's hosting both trunk shows from my book!  Thanks, Michelle for the beautiful display on your blog!  So if you do plan on being in the Vista neighborhood, make sure to drop by and say hi to Michelle and get a close-up look at the quilts.

And leave a comment on her blog for a chance to win a free copy of my book!  The book giveaway ends next week so this is your second-last opportunity!  Good luck everyone!

Book Blog Tour and Giveaway - Week 6

Hi again and welcome back to all of you who are following along on this blog tour!  Congratulations to Gayle from Utah who won last week's giveaway!

And here we go--back across the continent and down south to beautiful Florida to the home of my friend Lynda Hall from Primitive Pieces by Lynda.  She felt the effects of Hurricane Isaac this past week but fortunately is safe and well.

I met Lynda at my first Quilt Market and fell in love with her primitive style.  I loved how she decorated her booth with all the fun props she brought from home. Here's a picture of her booth at Minneapolis Spring Market in 2010.

 And a close-up.

Lynda's a designer, teacher, author, and one of the most fun people you'll ever meet.  At Christmas, she decorates more than 20 trees in her gorgeous, primitive-filled home!  If you haven't found her website yet, make sure to check it out!

And all you Country Quilts followers, don't forget to leave a comment on her blog this week for a chance to win a copy of my book.

Good luck and see you back here next week for a chance to meet another wonderful blogger!

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway Week 5

Welcome back to Week #5, the halfway mark of my blog tour, and congratulations to Mary from Florida for winning the giveaway for Week #4! 

 This week we're back in my home province of BC and are visiting my friend Wendy in New Westminster.

I met Wendy several years ago when she visited my open house and you can meet this amazing quilter on her blog, "Snippets of a Quilter".  She makes beautiful quilts and always has something inspiring on the go!

I was so happy that she found time in her busy schedule to blog about my book.

So if you're a follower of "Country Quilts", pop on over to Wendy's blog, leave a comment, and you'll be in the draw to win a copy of At Home with Country Quilts later this week.

Good luck and check back next weekend for the next location on the tour!

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway - Week 4

Hi everyone and welcome back to Week 4 of my book blog tour!  I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am!  Thanks to all of you who have commented--your kind words just make my day!

Congratulations to last week's winner, Laura from Florida!  Your book is on its way.

This week we're heading back across the border to the far east section of Washington State and the tiny town of Reardan, home to Pam and Janet of the Buggy Barn quilt shop!  

I've been a fan of these talented sisters since I spotted their patterns at my first Quilt Market.  Every August for the past 16 years, their shop has hosted the most amazing outdoor quilt show and I've been privileged to display my quilts there for a few summers now.  But I must admit that the first time I drove there, if I hadn't seen the signs beside the road, I'd have wondered if I'd taken a wrong turn along the way!  The shop is located on their farm, surrounded by "amber waves of grain" seemingly in the middle of nowhere.  But the morning of the show, car after car drives up the gravel road bringing hundreds of quilters from near and far.  And as you get closer, you see quilts and more quilts hanging from fence posts, tacked onto the sides of their barns, and inside their shop.  Here are a few pictures from past shows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This show has become a destination event for many quilters and over the years has expanded to include classes with well-known teachers from all over the US as well as local artisans selling their unique wares.  I'm not able to attend the show this year but several quilts from the book will be on display so if you're lucky enough to go, make sure to check them out!

If you hop on over to Pam and Janet's blog, you'll find out more about the show and if you leave a comment on their blog this coming week, you'll be entered to win a copy of my book.

 Good luck everyone and check back next Sunday to find out the next spot on this blog tour!

Blog Tour and Book Giveaway - Week 3

Whew, I think summer's finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest!  Today it's a balmy 32 C or about 90 F.  On days like these, when I was younger I'd slather myself up with baby oil and do nothing but lie in the sun for hours.  My backyard bikini days are long gone (for which I'm sure my neighbours are all profoundly grateful) and these days I'm quite content to stay inside where it's relatively cool and keep working at my projects.

Okay, first things, first!  Congratulations to Chris from Alabama, who won the book giveaway on Week 1 and to Pauline from Texas who won last week!  Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to comment.  And now on to Week 3!

Today we're heading back across the continent to my home town of Abbotsford, BC.

It was several years ago and I was at my local quilt shop when I overheard someone ask the clerk, "Do you have any Cheryl Wall patterns?"  I turned around and said, "Do you mean me?"  I'd never met Kimberly before and she didn't know me either but she'd already made several of my patterns and was wanting to make more.

If you haven't yet been to Kimberly's blog, "My Brown Bag Studio", you're in for a treat.  She's an amazing quilter, crafter, and mom.  She sells her creations on Etsy and every year she hosts a wonderful Christmas Open House with her sister.  We've also rented booths at the same local craft shows.  Isn't it great how quilting introduces us to people we'd likely never meet, from across the world and sometimes from just across town?

Anyway, if you're one of my followers, hop over to Kimberly's blog and leave a comment there to have a chance to win a copy of my book.  She's set up the giveaway so that you can have up to 3 chances to win!

If you've left comments on the two previous posts, don't feel you have to come up with something new to say each time, unless you want to!  You can repeat yourself if that's easier.  This blog tour will run for several more weeks so just keep checking back for the next location and leave another comment and hopefully one of these times, it will be your turn to win.

Good luck!