National Sewing Month, Precuts, a new FREE Pattern, and a GIVEAWAY

As part of National Sewing Month this month, C&T authors are writing blog entries, doing tutorials, and offering free patterns!  YAY!  To see what other authors are up to on C&T's blog, click HERE.

Today, September 20th, is my day.  So you can hop on over to C&T and read my blog post about My Obsession with Precuts.

There are a lot of reasons to love precuts, aren't there?

Here are some of mine:

12)  Less waste than yardage. 
11)  Precuts are smaller than fabric bolts -- you can store more precuts in a smaller space.
10)  They are just like candy, but better -- no calories!
9)  Whether you actually use them or just decorate with them, they're pretty.
8)  There are sew many different types of precuts available -- there's a precut for every person and every project.
7)  When you're traveling, they pack well in suitcases and carry on bags (fat quarters roll up nicely in shoes).
6)  I've never met a precut that I didn't like.
5)  Books, patterns, rulers, and other tools.  OH MY! (Have you checked out my book, I Love Precut Quilts! yet?)
4)  Precuts make it easy to make controlled "scrappy" quilts.
3)  I can have a piece of fabric from each bolt in an entire collection and it doesn't break the bank.
2)  Precuts can be cut into other precuts (for example -- you can get four 2 1/2" squares from a 5" charm square or four 5" squares from a 10" Layer Cake square).
1)  Precuts are sew addicting!!!!!

I am happy to offer you a new FREE PATTERN in honor of National Sewing Month!  It's called Around Town and it is another companion quilt project from my book, I Love Precut Quilts!  On my Tutorials and Freebies website page, you will also find a couple tutorials and 2 other free companion projects for my book.

 Around Town

 NOW FOR THE NATIONAL SEWING MONTH GIVEAWAY

I will be giving away a copy of my latest book, I Love Precut Quilts!, to one lucky winner -- maybe it will be you!

Here's how it works:

You have up to 3 chances to win.

1.  Leave a comment and tell me why you love precuts.

2.  Become a blog follower and leave a comment telling me you that you're a blog follower.

3. Follow me on Instagram @tricia.maloney and leave a comment telling me you're an Instagram follower.

Ready!  Set!  GO!

You have from Wednesday, September 20th through Sunday, September 24th to participate.

 The winner will be selected randomly on Monday, September 25th.

You never know........I might be inspired to add more prizes along the way if I get lots of encouragement.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

 

Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Block Volume 14 BLOG TOUR

Hello and Welcome to my Blog!

YAY!  I'm sew excited to be participating in the Volume 14 Blog Tour -- it's like a quilt party with all my friends -- both old AND new.

My block is called SLIDER and is #1383 in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 14.

A lot of people ask me how I come up with my designs.  Let me tell you that it definitely isn't rocket science.  LOL!  I like to start with something familiar like a favorite block, an inspiration piece of fabric, or maybe even an idea.  Then I usually sit down in front of my computer to use my Electric Quilt 7 software.  Do you EQ?  If not, then I really suggest that you try it out because it can take your quilting and designing to new levels. 

When I started playing around with ideas for the 100 Block project, I first decided that I wanted to use red, black, grey, and white fabrics in the block.  That made me determine that my block had to have enough pieces so that I could use 4 fabrics.

 

This was my first block attempt.  Ugh.  Pretty ugly, isn't it? 

 I was trying out some asymmetrical qualities here.

Oh well.  Back to the drawing board.

This was my second try.  Hmm.  Much better, I think.  But too busy.
Maybe I should reduce the number of pieces in the block.

This thinking led me to the actual Slider block that I submitted.

Voila!  There you have it!  A peek inside my design process.

Now let's play with the Slider block a little bit.

 Five blocks and a border makes a fun table runner, doesn't it?

Maybe we should add some printed fabrics instead of just solids?

Here it is in Moda's For You fabrics.

 

 

Now let's try it in Riley Blake's new Crayola fabrics.  Fun and cute!

Here we have fabric from Benartex's Kitchen Love line.  Yum yum yummy!

That was fun, wasn't it? 

Auditioning blocks, layouts, and fabrics is all part of the quilt design process. 

 Thanks for coming along for the ride.

BUT WAIT....................DON'T GO.....................THERE'S STILL MORE!  

KEEP READING......YOU'LL GET TO THE GIVEAWAYS SOON, I PROMISE!!!

__________________________________________________________________________________

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY NEW BOOK --

IT'S LITERALLY JUST HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!

I'm really really hyped about my third and newest quilt book. 

 I mean, who doesn't love precuts, right?

If you're anything like me, you buy them but never seem to use them.  Yes, I am guilty of precut hoarding and I keep adding more to my sagging shelves.
What about you?

That's where my new book, I Love Precut Quilts! , comes in.  My book has 16 go-to projects ranging from place mats and table runners to wall quilts, throws, and YES! even big bed quilts.

The projects are easy enough for beginners but interesting enough for more advanced quilters, too.   It  has a fun fresh contemporary feel that is light and airy and all of the projects feature traditionally-pieced blocks.  

Time to get your own copy, isn't it?????

Sew.....where can you find my new book?  

Well, read to the bottom to the Giveaway section and you just might win
your very own SIGNED copy.  

You can also find my book (ebooks are also available!) at these locations online:

C&T Publishing

Amazon

Barnes and Noble 

AND it's coming to your local quilt shop soon 

(Psst!  Don't forget to ask your favorite quilt shop owner to order it). 

I will also have copies available soon on my website:

orphanquilter.com

____________________________________________________________________________________

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY

 You've all been very patient, reading through my entire blog, so I promise that it'll be worth it!

I will be giving away the following:

1.  A copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 14

2.  A copy of my new book, I Love Precut Quilts! (Yippee!)

3.  A  Riley Blake Crayola 2 1/2'' strip roll

4.  A Mystery Prize donated by my local quilt shop owner, Gail, who owns Homespun Treasures.

Who knows?

 I might just add some more prizes along the way if I get
lots and lots of encouragement.

(Wink!  Wink!)

Here's how it works:

You have up to 3 chances to win the prizes listed above.

1.  Leave a comment and tell me what your favorite precut is.  

2.  Become a blog follower and leave a comment telling me you that you're a blog follower.

3. Follow me on Instagram @tricia.maloney and leave a comment telling me you're an Instagram follower.

Ready!  Set!  GO!

You have from Tuesday, November 15th until Saturday, November 19th to participate. 

 Winners will be selected randomly on Saturday, November 19th.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

 

Great Quilt Exhibit -- Wish I'd Thought of That!

Well, I wanted to share some more pictures from Fall Quilt Market.  Here are some quilts that were part of an exhibit about using parts of vintage/antique unfinished "orphan blocks" and pieces to make new modern quilts.  I wish I'd thought of that!

The exhibit was called Twisted.

Don't forget...........