It's Good To Be Home!

Wow! Time flies when you are having fun! Since the last post here on the blog, we've traveled through 8 states and spent many a night away. It's so good to be home!
Some exciting news... A new Punchneedle Mini Quilt is published in the current issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects!

I do believe this little quilt, Pomegranates and Pennies, is my favorite Punchneedle Mini Quilt yet. The rich colors are just what I love and say "home" to me. It's a super easy design to punch and works up very quickly due to the large smooth shapes. The finished size is 12" and will be a great addition to my mini quilt wall. I have the magazines and full kits, including that beautiful wool and Valdani Threads, for this little quilt on my website HERE at Traditional Primitives. This would make a great Holiday present for someone special! After all, it is time to be thinking about shopping for Holiday Season.

Do you see something familiar below in the photo of Frond Studio's booth in Sample Spree at Quilt Market?

The light colored quilt is my pattern French Diamonds! What a difference color makes. See more pictures HERE.

Stephanie Brandenburg is the designer of Frond Fabrics. She's an amazing artist with exceptional talent! I have used several of her fabrics for my backgrounds in some of my primitive quilts. French Diamonds above uses her Plaster Of Paris fabric and has the look of leather in my quilt. The background of the original Pennies In My Garden is also her fabric called Brushstrokes.

It's a challenge for us to think outside the box when we see a quilt we love. You can see their light artsy version below on the back wall as well. Look closely at the table and you'll see Brookshire Star!

Wow! Such a different look with different colors and fabric styles! Frond has used their new Barnboard fabric for the background of Brookshire Star. It keeps that rustic look but adds the modern touch with the Frond fabrics they've used. It's that industrial meets rustic that's so popular today! See more pictures HERE.

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And my version below...

Take a look at Frond fabrics HERE to see if you can find a unique fabric for one of your upcoming quilts to add the rustic feel you are looking for! Sometimes we need to open our minds to create the "look" we're after when making quilts. I search for primitive fabrics in all types of fabric design styles... Try it! You may find it's easier to open the box than you think!
That's my lesson for today!
I'll share a few pictures from Quilt Market and Festival. We found it challenging to squeeze 40 feet of quilts into 18 feet of wall space at Market, but we managed to make it work out, thank goodness!

We enjoyed bringing our Dear Daughter and Son In Law to help handle the crowds! It was a great time! I was so hoping the World Series would finish up before they had to fly south to join us. Unfortunately the last game was played while they were on the flight to Houston. On the good side, the flight was delayed so they got to see most of the game at the airport...it's a good Son In Law who gets on a plane to join his Mother In Law at a quilt event...especially when the most important inning was just beginning as he entered the plane! He's a Cubs Fan so thankfully the reruns of the end of the game were pleasant for him to see the next day! I love him dearly! Thanks to both he and our daughter for their hard work at Festival!

We saw some friends from the past and met lots of new friends! I love it when you bring your quilts made from my patterns. Thanks for sharing ladies! Enjoy these collages of Fun from Festival! We see A Warm Welcome and Gardens Of A King in the photos below.

Teaching, translating by way of the internet and enjoying the rush! English Paper Piecing basting with Starch, rug punch and punchneedle! My favorite pastimes!

The exhibit was stunning. Unfortunately my camera did a reset and lost all of the photos I took. The exhibit at Festival is always stunning. Absolutely takes your breath away when you see these extraordinary quilt from all eras.

It's such a great time to go to Market and Festival. We are rested and caught up and are ready to take on the upcoming Holidays. It's hard to believe this year has moved by so quickly! Before we know it, we'll be writing 2017. Yowza!
Thanks for taking time to check in on the blog today!
Take care,
Missie

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Lots To Share!

Well, life's been keeping me very busy these days! I can't believe I have not posted since the new year! Where has the time gone?

Ginger has had her paws busy too, helping me guard new quilts until I finish them. Here she is keeping one of my new quilts, Gems & Jewels safe and sound!

And here is the finished quilt! I'm very happy with how it turned out. It's made of my favorite colors! These 1/2" Hexies are samples I made during shows last year to demonstrate my Starch Basting Technique for English Paper Piecing. I had a 5"x 9" x 3" box full of Hexies and decided to mix them with some wool and this is what they became. A fun little quilt!

The Gardens Of A King Stitch Along has begun on FB and this is my first block. I'm still deciding on backgrounds... I'll keep showing my blocks as I make them. This time around the colors will be bold and strong, so I need a strong background also! There are about 150 members and they are beginning to start sewing the blocks together and it's so exciting to see them done in other fabrics. So many different color themes and styles!

The latest issue of Quilmania arrived on my birthday so that was nice. It became a nicer b'day when I opened the magazine and found Pennies In My Garden featured in the Quilt Festival section! The quilt hung in the Special Exhibit at the show in Houston and it was such an honor. A perfect Birthday!

Moda has sent me some lovely new fabrics to work with. A happy surprise to be able to see and enjoy new fabrics before they are in shops. This is a Laundry Basket Quilts line called Southern Exposure. I'll be making two baby quilts from two Layer Cakes plus a little extra for the borders. So far so good and it's been a fun challenge!

This is the Baby Boy Quilt. The pattern is called Royal Babies and will feature both the boy version and the girl version in the pattern. The Baby Girl Quilt is almost finished so I'll show it soon! The name Royal Babies was chosen because the block shape in the quilt is one from the original King George III quilt and King George was married to Charlotte. Now the latest Prince and Princess' names are George and Charlotte so I thought the name fit well.

I sold my quilting machine and decided to get a bigger model. The A1 is what I chose and I'm so happy with it! The feathers on Gems & Jewels turned out so nice! It was so fun to quilt with the new machine!

I've prepared a new project for wool workshops and finished it in two evenings, so quick and fun! It's called Tulip Time. The 13" size was so easy to handle while stitching!

My husband is now my full time Marketing Manager and we are having fun working together. He was caught in corporate cuts recently and we'll give this a try for a while to see if he is challenged enough. I need help desperately so I am thrilled. Since we are empty nesters he will also travel with me to shows, which will be really nice.

We are headed to Dallas for the Dallas Quilt Show next week and my daughter will join us to help. It's a great show! If you haven't been before it's well worth it to go! Lots of beautiful quilts and unique vendors! March 11-13 at the Dallas Market Hall Convention Center. Hope to see some of you there!!

The 14th and 15th I'll be teaching a two day workshop on the basics for The Gardens Of A King at Happiness Is Quilting in McKinney, TX. The class has outgrown their shop space and we are letting more ladies in if you care to join us! Contact them through their website at Happiness Is Quilting to signup! It will be great fun to get you started!

The new patterns are on the site if you are interested. CLICK HERE to see details! Thanks for stopping by the blog today! Follow along on FB by liking my business page- Traditional Primitives; and Intagram- traditional.primitives.
Take care,
Missie
#showmethemoda

 

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Pennies Pennies!

I've been working more on my pennies today! The buttonhole stitch is so relaxing and easy stitching...don't you agree?!

 

There will be 3 large pennies on each block. I've layed them out in groups to keep the colors mixed up a bit. I guessed at the amount of circles I'd need and would you believe I only had one extra set? I'll have to put that one on the label on the back and make good use of it!

I'll work real hard tomorrow to get the border ready so I'll have lots ready to stitch in the next few days! I'm ready to start with the freezer templates to cut out the flowers and leaves from cottons and wools. It's quite a fun time to choose just the right fabrics for each section!

I don't think I've mentioned it to you all, but I've added a few new things to the website. One thing I've added is my own collections of Valdani 3 Strand Floss. I enjoy the same colors used in different combinations for my designs.

This collection is called Hallbrook Designs Prisms. It's a grouping of some of the brighter colors I like to use in my designs. You might notice that the yellow is quite a bit brighter than you see in my work. I like to adjust this one by mixing strong instant coffee (about 2 tsp of instant coffee in about a half to three quarters of a cup of hot water.) Then I drop the ball of floss right in the coffee and let it soak about 10-20 minutes. When I take it out I squeeze out the coffee and let it dry very well. The coffee will be heavier in some spots than others and give the yellow a nice dirty hue! Nothing like dirty yellow when you are punching or stitching traditional primitive style! Haha! You can also choose to paint the coffee on after you've punched with it, but I prefer the method described above. Here's an example of how it turns out! These colors are so nice...I love 'em!

Here's the other collection from Hallbrook Designs called Basics. These are the more primitive colors that I use. I love these colors too! Cant do without the basics! With these two collections you can make about any of my Punchneedle designs. Go take a look if you are interested by clicking HERE.

Mmmm...Scrumpdillyumptious colors, don't you think!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Take care,

Missie

 

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Another New Pattern...And A Giveaway reminder!

Indian Summer...that time in the fall when you think there are no more nice days left before the weather stays cold...then a burst of warm sun and temps come for a few days...in the Midwest we call it

Indian Summer

This 12" wool project is one in The Little Woolie series. It has the warm sunburst in the center, the fall leaves and acorns.. Work on this little quilt now so it's ready when the fall season arrives! This Little woolie will be perfect on one of the wire hangers that are so popular. a QUICK and easy finish!!
Count your blessings and keep those in Boston in your thoughts today. I know many must be fearful and we all hope for a speedy close to the terrible events of the week.
Don't forget to get signed up for the Give Away from the last post!
Take care,
Missie

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New Sunflower Pincushion Pattern!

I have a new Pattern ready for you, thanks to Michelle May of The Raspberry Rabbits! She and I have become good blogging buddies in the past year. We both love to work with Valdani Three Strand Floss and believe it or not, that's what got our friendship going! That and our love of Bunnies that is! If you have been to her blog you know she LOVES bunnies. If not, check it out here. She collects REAL bunnies and I collect dark colored bunnies to sit around the house!

Ok, Back to the pattern...

A while back she asked if I would design a pattern using her Valdani Three Strand Floss Collection, called Folk Art Fusion. It is a 12 color collection of beautiful colors available from her online store here.
I decided to make a Sunflower Pincushion. This pincushion is about 5" round and the pattern has instructions for making it in Wool or Punchneedle embroidery. It is really a quick little project and was so fun to make! As a punched pincushion, it would be a unique addition to your collection. As a wool pincushion it would be a darling addition as well as quick to finish! If you have followed my blog for a while, you have seen my coasters in the past. This pattern could also be made into coasters as well. (The cork coaster bases are available on my website notions page).

The picture above is a bit brighter than it really is, but Folk Art Fusion is a collection of great colors to work with as you can see below! She creates all sorts of pretties with these colors.

You can buy the Pattern and any Punchneedle supplies on my website, Traditional Primitives HERE and the floss collection and wool felt kit on her website, The Raspberry Rabbits! Check out all of her other goodies while you are there! She is very talented and creative! Her designs are unique and modern, yet have a country flair to them also. She's always keeping things "hopping" on her blog with fun offerings and stories!

If you are a visitor from Michelle's blog, I welcome you to my blog! Feel free to become a follower and join me in my quilting (and punching) adventure. Take a look back at some past posts. I hope you learn something new and decide to come back and see me! Be sure to visit my online store, Traditional Primitives HERE and see what I have to offer you. I love English Paper Piecing, Punchneedle, Wools and Appliqué.

As a celebration of my friendship with Michelle, I'd love to have a drawing for a copy of the Sunflower Pincushion! Follow me if you like my style and leave a comment telling me what kind of quilts or handwork you like to make and if you are interested in the drawing! I'll draw next Sunday so be sure to allow reply emails in your profile so I can let you know if you won! ( if you want to buy the Sunflower Pincushion Pattern today, you can choose another $9 pattern from my site if you win the drawing!)
Thanks to Michelle for this fun little blog hop we cooked up and thanks to you for visiting today!
Take care and come back soon!
Missie

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What Stitch Color Do You Prefer??

Good Day! I am finally working on my Little Woolie again and swear I will finish it today!!! Haha! So why am I blogging right now! I want to know what color of wool stitching you like to use when you appliqué wool, that's why! :-)

As I have worked on the Little Woolie quilt, I chose to use thread that matched the fabric. The further I get into the project, I wish I had chosen a contrasting thread. The pincushion has contrasting variegated Valdani thread that shows in some spots and blends in some spots where red falls on red.

When I made In the Orange Grove I matched every color! It was lots of work, but it was fun to stitch, so I didn't mind! I think for my next Little Woolie I will try to contrast the thread color with the wool color. Which way do you prefer to stitch your wool? Matching or contrasting color??

The coordinating pin cushions shown HERE went to some new friends the other day. I had Julie of Me and My Stitches and Carolyn of Lee Prairie Designs over this week and we had a fun day of chatting, eating and shopping! It was the best day! If you'd like the pattern for this little pincushion above, please let me know and I'd be happy to send you the PDF for it. Be sure you have reply allowed in your profile so I can reach you!

Last, but not least, don't forget to check the last post for a chance to win a few fat quarters! I'll close that drawing on Sunday afternoon...

Take care,

Missie

 

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Summer Starburst Punchneedle Mini

It's soooo cold here in Des Moines I am thinkin' summer to warm up! We had -20* windchill today! Brrr! So I thought I'd share my latest mini punched quilt with you since it has Summer in it's name. This one isn't really a quilt I guess, because it is not quilted. It has a wool border giving it a more prim look. I'm real happy with it, loving the colors and cheerfulness they bring on a cold winter day. This pic is nice and bright, but the real deal is a bit less bright when you see it in person. Even though Summer is in the name this little quilt would be great for all year long. It would pass for spring with an Easter bunny sitting on it, for summer next to a basket of flowers, for fall with the warm brown accents and even on a cold winter day like today with the blue that reminds us of a winter quilt. I'm sure this one will stay out all year long at my house. I have missed displaying blues in my home and was happy to find these beautiful blue wools along with the other pretty colors from Blackberry Primitives.

It measures 12" square just like the others. The Valdani 12 pearl cotton, always colorfast, is great for a prim look, imitating a mini wool rug. You can buy this pattern from my Traditional Primitives HERE if you like it! It's a unique way to show off your punched project! You will also find the punch needle and hoop on the website if you are in need. I will be making a Valdani Thread order early next week if anyone needs any of these beautiful threads. Please let me know if I can help you with an order!

On another note, it's Super Bowl Weekend! Who's going to a quilt store sale to celebrate?!? What better reason to shop than a football game, right ladies? I will be supporting some local stores at their sales before the big game. If you do some shopping and you're a blogger, be sure to show us your stash!

Have a great weekend, Stay warm and Take Care,
Missie

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One Woman's Junk Is Another Woman's Treasure! Let's Get Organized!

I have a pattern I designed for keeping my projects organized which I have used and loved using for years!

It's called the Sewing Bee Binder. I have made several different sizes...large, medium and small. When you go on a trip or to a quilting group to stitch and don't have a table, it works really good because the binder sides are stiff and allow you to have a little flat space to use as a table while sitting in a straight chair. Then when it's time to go home or get out of the car, all you do is zip it shut! They have been used ALOT! But now, I have so many different projects going, I have piles of projects laying here and there to stitch on now and then. I need to make a few more binders to keep projects in, but there just isn't time for me right now!

Taryn at Repro Quilt Lover was so sweet to send me a cute little sandwich box to take with me to keep my purse safe! I mentioned to her that my scissors cut through one of my nice purses! It was an extra for her and is now my treasure! You can see it here. It is working great to take to the Doctors office every few days! (Allergy shots with 30 minute waiting time after)

Even my own junk is a new treasure for me!! I needed a bandaid this morning and went in search of the right size...couldn't find a safety kit with any bandaids left so gathered a few to throw away. As I was getting the last health goodies we have not used out of the cases, I realized these cases could be used and used WELL! Look at this great divider in this big case!

And here it is in action!

It has a perfect slot for my glasses, thimble and thread and two larger sections for unused pieces and the block I am stitching on! I'm excited!

The labels are coming of easy peaty on this one! I think I have a new treasure!

I keep my buttons all nice an organized in floss caddies. Have not really used my buttons too much since I stopped smocking years and years ago, so recently I decided I could reuse this caddy. My Valdani floss is forever rolling away on the floor when I pull to get more length. I discovered this old floss box works wonderful for the balls of floss! I pull a length, leaving the ball in the box, close the lid and keep pulling while the lid is closed! No balls falling off my lap and rolling across the carpet catching dog hairs! Yeah! This caddy was pretty much junk sitting on the shelf for at least 10 years...now it's a new treasure!

I can keep all my floss colors for the project I am working on in the caddy, ready to find easily! Instead of getting snagged in a basket or lost under the end table. I also have a habit of forgetting to write down the colors I am using for a Punchneedle project, then spend quite a bit of time trying to figure out what exact colors I used for the pattern. With my floss all packed away neatly in this box, I have an easy way to know exactly what colors I used!

Life's getting easier with these little (junky) treasures! I could show you a few more, but you get the idea...

What do you use to keep organized??

Have a great day and take care,

Missie

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Think Christmas!! It's Time!

I can't help but to Think Christmas now that the Think Christmas Blog Hop is in full swing! What great ideas have been posted to get us ready for decorating early this year! No excuses not to make a new Christmas Project, except for the fact that so many cute ideas have been brought to our attention! Which ones will everyone choose to make?

Here is my 12.5" block which I made into a little quilt to hang from my wire hanger. I am calling it The Partridge and The Pears...pretty plain and simple, just like primitives styled quilts. The primitive stitches are done with a normal invisible appliqué stitch, but I have used a deeper bite and pearl cotton so that it shows in primitive style. Look closely at the stitches around the pears below to see how it looks!

I saw this stitch recently, but can NOT find the email newsletter it came from! If any of you know of someone else promoting this type of primitive stitch, please let me know as I would love to give that smart girl credit for this cute primitive look!

For the quilting of this little quilt, I decided to keep it primitive and used pearl cotton size 12, with easy big stitches. I outlined the shapes about 1/8" around, then did echo quilting in 1/2" increments around the shapes. You can see that I quilted with tan, green and gold pearl cotton.. When I quilt with pearl cotton, I like to use the Fons & Porter Hand Wool Appliqué Needles, size 2. These glide through the fabric with this thick thread very easily.

Everyone can be a winner here for my give away! If you like my little quilt and would like to make one for yourself, please do these few things...visit my website Traditional Primitives HERE , and send me a comment From the guest book at the site after checking it out! Let me know which pattern or picture you like the best! Then, leave a comment on this blog REQUESTING The Partridge and The Pears pattern if you want it and make sure you are a follower of my blog. Be sure you are listed as a follower who can recieve email and I will email you a PDF file containing the pattern. I'd love to spread the Christmas Joy that comes with the season. You have until August 11 to leave your comments!

Thanks to Lesley at The Cuddle Quilter for hosting this fun Blog Hop! She has done a great job keeping us organized! You can find the complete list of blog hop participants in her side bar. And also thanks to Madame Sam of Sew We Quilt for being the ever so great cheerleader for all of us! She will be posting the 2 favorites each day on her blog, so check it out!

Be inspired to get ready for Christmas early this year by checking out the blog hop! Here is the list of bloggers for today! Take a peek by at what they are working on since they too are Thinking Christmas!! Just click on thier blog names to visit their blogs..


Creations on the IslandThat Other Blog
Sunshine Girl
Treaditional Primitives (You are Here!)
The Recipe Bunny
Sisca at That Other Blog
Polkadot Classic
Ariane's Crafts
Katie's Salt Marsh Path
The Cuddle Quilter

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog! Check out my older posts and please become a follower if you like what you see! I will do my best to keep you coming back!
Happy August and Merry Christmas!

Take Care,
Missie.

UPDATE-- this pattern is now available as an epattern in my web store Hallbrook Designs for only $3. It is listed at the bottom of the page.

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