~ And the winners are ... everyone! ~

I have a heart full of thanks for all of your kind words about my block in Volume 8 of
Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks.

Let's face it ... you are all ... stars!



I am proud to announce that the winner of a Sea Quilts pattern is ...

Dawn Frisch.
She picked "Speaking with the Stars" (as seen above).

The winner of a free copy of the oh-so-delicious Volume 8 is ...

Sherry Von Femetti

Congratulations to you both!!
But read on, because there is NO need to feel crabby ...



Because everyone was ever-so-nice, I would like to offer you the chance to purchase that pattern that was your favorite (+ any other patterns)  at a whopping

30% off!

Just go to My Shop, pick patterns with abandon and then type in
Volume8
to receive the discount.

But keep on reading because ...

The first two pattern orders will receive a free copy of  Volume 8 when I mail their patterns!! 

I told you that you wouldn't feel crabby!

   

~ The Holidays are HERE, people! ~

The countdown has begun, no matter how high the temperatures are here in Southern California.

I have a brand new pattern on my Etsy Shop and you are going to want to get started.

I have spent the past month sewing these coastal ornaments ... with abandon.

They were not time consuming ... au contraire ... they were just addicting!

So now I am passing on that addiction to you.

It's only fair.

And in keeping with the holiday crafty spirit, I am putting the above (landlubbing) pattern back on my shop, here.  This has been a favorite of many a quilter since I created it in 2008. If you can't complete it this year (which you could, it's only 36" square) you could have a head start for next year.

And speaking of head starts ... get going over to the Blog Tour this week at Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks!

Make sure to stop by here on Wednesday.  We are all making it worth your while.

So ... go out and finally put away those pesky Halloween decorations and start in on the fun.

Bing said it best: "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

(and Bing is always right.)

~ Sailboat Quilt for Sale + More! ~

This week I am adding this fabulous 3-dimensional quilt for sale on my

Etsy Shop.

And along with that ... I am putting the pattern on sale this week for 50% off!!

So ... this is perfect for the non-sewers and sewers alike.

Win. Win.

You know you can NOT resist that oh-so-charming Rick-Rack.

Go here for the quilt ... and go here for the pattern.

~ Ships Ahoy ~

~ Crabby Quilt for Sale + More! ~

Having had my Etsy Shop for about 6 months now, I have decided that it's time to sell more than just quilt patterns.

I have decided to sell some quilts.
I will put up one quilt per week onto my Shop.

On that same week, (the first week only) I will offer that same pattern for a whopping 50% off!
(No discount coupon needed.)

I sold some quilts last year after being contacted through Etsy by interested buyers and decided that I (gulp) could indeed part with (most of) them.

But because I am so attached to these "children" of mine, I'm putting them out there ...
one by one.

(Not all of them will be available for purchase.  I'm not selling the ones I have hanging in my home.)

The first one up for sale is this baby ... "Feelin' Crabby". Her name is so ironic because she induces nothing but cheerfulness.

So check out the Sales and the Discounts over at my Shop.

I promise you'll be Feelin' Fabulous!

~ Sea-sonal Topiary ~

Whew.  I finished it.  I sewed down most of the binding last night ...

 ... while handing out candy to my four (count 'em 4!) groups of trick-or-treaters. I was actually pretty excited since that was four (count 'em 4!) times the number of groups I had last year.
My house is not really easy to get to.

 I just love my new tablerunner ... and the pattern that is available for you, so that you too can have a lovely Coastal Christmas.
No matter where you live.

It took me some time because I fused and then quilted 55 scallop shells onto my topiary.

It was a wonderful exercise in machine quilting.  That is not usually my favorite part of the process but in this case it was just one of my favorite parts.
Actually, I have to say that I enjoyed every part of making this one.
  

In fact, the back brings me a lot of JOY also.

So ... what do you think?  Did I do my original inspiration justice?
Thank you again to Romantic Homes ... November 2011.

Please stop by my Etsy Shop and pick up a pattern.
Now that Halloween is over you can officially jump feet first into the Holidays.

I have.

~ BOO on the Beach ~

It's finally finished.

My beachy, pastel Halloween quilt is finished.

Yeah.

You can make one of your own.

Start by picking up a pattern ... here ... on my Etsy Shop.

This one is a quick one ... you can have it done before Halloween.

And since it doesn't scream "Jack O'Lantern!!", you can leave it up until Thanksgiving.

It's Autumn at the beach too, you know.

~ The Autumn Seashore ~

Here is my design wall this morning.

The temps will still hit the 90s this week here in southern Cal ...

... but I am officially declaring it autumn.

In trying to decide just how I would merge this season with the sea, I chose to light up some jack o'lanterns with sea life. Then while in the process of drawing said pumpkins, I remembered that I had drawn pumpkins before.
In another life, under another (pattern) name, I had published a pattern for a 90s era folk-art fall wall hanging.  I have long since grown weary of the fabrics in it, but I decided that since I had drawn the pumpkins in the first place ... I could copy my own design.




Then ... I started thinking ... why not copy the whole dang thing?
I knew I wanted calmer sea colors and I wanted to add some light to the pumpkins, but it seemed a good idea not to try and reinvent this particular wheel.

So I got out my pattern and I followed it.
  

Having recently been to the beach and become fond of all the lovely lavender, I knew what color the flowers would be.

I kept my print palette to dots, stripes and solids.

I vow to have this pattern up on my Etsy Shop ...
not next week, but the week after.

Next week I will be immersed in a class taught by this master quilter.

I feel cooler already!

~ Bucket List ~

Finally!

I finished this.

The problem with trying to finish this summer, beachy quilt was that ...

I was too busy enjoying summer ... and going to the beach.

You can find the pattern on my Etsy Shop.

I promise it won't take you as long as it did me.

Orange you glad I picked this binding?

~ Sea Pillows ~

When we last spoke I was working on this little number, seen above.

My third quick project in the form of a pillow slipcover.

Ummm ... make that two (count 'em 2!) pillow slipcovers.
Each a mirror image of the other.
Each stuffed with cushy down/feathers.

I am in the process of making the pattern for these (very simple) beauties. I used some non-traditional methods for my madness (and my applique) which I will pass on.

But ... I am selling these very pillows ... not just the pattern ... on my Etsy Shop.
Here.
No sewing machine required. Instant fluff.

This is an absolutely one-of-a-kind duo.  Even if I made them again, I would not be using the same fabrics.

The pattern for this one has been up for a couple of weeks.  This one-of-a-kind pillow is also on sale now.
Here.

Ditto for the Dots ... here.

The pattern for the "Shore Thing" pillow slips at the top will be available as a free download with the purchase of any other pattern. Convo/email me to let me know you are expecting it.

The Summer Sand and Sea can be with you year 'round.
Even if you don't ... Sew.

Really. It's a shore thing.