by Terry

     Where did autumn go?  It has been so cold here!  And the wind just cuts you to the bone.  I think I'm going to have to take a throw quilt to work!  My legs and feet freeze, as well as my hands.  When I found myself using my coat to cover with, I suddenly thought I should just cave and take a throw.  My next thought was then of my dear grandmother, now deceased, sitting in church with her quilt thrown over her legs.  Ah, the memories!

     Can you believe that Thanksgiving is in four weeks??  And Christmas will be hot on its tail, too.  In fact, when I drove home to Oklahoma week before last, I saw stores putting up Christmas lights in St. Louis, Missouri!  I could hardly believe my eyes!!!  It seems as though every year, the lights go up sooner and sooner.  Personally, I don't like to see them until after Thanksgiving, which is when I put mine up (the next day, in fact!).  I still plan to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and other family members in Vegas.  I'm excited and can hardly wait.

     My new home in OK is finished on the outside!  The brick and siding is complete, it's roofed, the windows are in, and I love it.  I hope to have it finished next spring.

     I noticed a few weeks ago that the word "passion" is being used profusely in relation to "quilting" now.  When I started my Web site "Quilting with a Passion" in 1995, you never heard the word "passion" used with "quilting"!  Did I start a trend?  I doubt it, but I'd like to think so!

by Terry

     Need a new wallpaper for your desktop?  Try the new November wallpaper located on the Web!  Done in traditional fall colors, it's appropriate for the month of November.  And did you notice that I sort of went wild with it?  I was thinking of all the fall leaves and decided to incorporate my thoughts into the calendar!

     The Quilting Passion eMarket opened on the first of March and closed on November first.  Why, you might be thinking?  Well, not because it wasn't making a little spending money!  The reason is a strange one.  I found myself feeling like I had to create new patterns and then market them.  It was beginning to take the fun out of it and I was starting to dread new designs, knowing I had to write them up as patterns.  Once I hit that line of thinking, I decided that it wasn't worth it.  So, what's this mean to you?  Well, it actually means three things:

1. Every pattern that I have is free.  All of them.  Even the mysteries... including those that I removed.  You'll find that they are all back online!

2. I'll continue the snail mail newsletters until the current subscriptions run out, but I am not taking any more subscriptions.  So, what happens to all of my design ideas that I was packing into the snail newsletter?  Read on!

3. The eNews (what you're reading right now!) is going to become more robust, more interesting, and stay free!  I'll be "advertising" new designs, mysteries, classes, etc. here in this eNews.  You can also keep up with them on the forum.

     As you can see, I'm all about change!  It's going to take some time, but I'll get there.  And while I'm at it, I really appreciate the support that I get from you!  

     So, what about the new section called  All About Blocks?  I have added a couple of appliqué patterns and hope to add more! 

     Be sure to check out the new fall classes being offered by QPU!

     Love a Challenge?  Love to Quilt?  Then don't miss the news on the Quilting Passion Challenge 2002!

by Terry

     October was a sparse pattern-finding month and there was only about 25 patterns added.  I'm not even going to promise to do better this month simply because the holidays are here! 

     Click here to begin the exciting  journey of pattern surfing!

by Terry

     My pick for pattern/project of the month is one that  is certainly fit for the season.  This pattern is created by Laurene King McGill and is called, "It Must Be Autumn".  If you like to appliqué, this is the one for you!

by Terry

      Did you like StarGazing, but think you missed getting the pattern?  Well, think no more!  The pattern is back on the Web and going to stay there.  Free!

     Mystery Quilt 9 debuted a couple of weeks ago and finished over the weekend.  If you need a cute, fast, simple baby quilt, this one is for you!  Be sure to check it out!  And if curiosity is killing you, be sure to check the pictures of a couple that are finished in the Gallery below!

by Terry

     The Gallery has had a few new additions (including some finished Stargazing quilts, Americana quilt, and a couple of the Mystery Quilt 9s!), so when you get a chance, take a look at all of the fabulous quilts made from our readers over the past few weeks.  A special thanks to those who share their finished projects with me!

by Terry

     Any new ideas roaming around in your head that you'd like to share with me?

by Terry

     The forum continues to blossom!  The  October Quilter of the Month is Lynn from North Carolina. The criteria for selection is hard to explain because it varies so much, but it can be based on the level of participation, logging in, and just plain randomness.  Or a combination of all these things!  Lynn received her $10 gift certificate, to be spent at Fare Tahiti Fabrics online.  Congratulations!  Perhaps YOU will be chosen in November!

     Will Luck be your lady this month?  Well, one of the many activities going on at the forum is something called a Block Party.  Each month, a new pattern is chosen, along with a theme and colors.  Anyone wanting to participate can send blocks (can make as many or as few as you want!) to GR8DAME (Myra) and then, around the 16th, a drawing is held and the blocks are given to the lucky winner(s)!  This activity has proved to be exciting and very rewarding for some.  The October Block Party, which featured a block called, "Maple Leaf", had one winner, Claudia from Oklahoma.  Claudia won 16 of these gorgeous blocks!  November's block is a fantastic block called "Prairie Queen".  Will November prove to be your lucky month to win?  The drawing is coming up on the 16th, you still have a few days to enter!

     The Fat Quarter Drawing, hosted by Peggy is moving ahead.   The "Green With Envy" drawing was on October 16th, in which Mary (Californina) won 10 FQs, Marianne (Illinois) won 6 FQs, and Jessica (Wisconsin) won 6.  The new drawing will be held on November 15th and the theme is "Winter-Holiday", so if you would like to become eligible to win, simply submit your "Winter-Holiday" FQs to Peggy.  

     The "Round Robin Charity Drive", or RRCD continues to grow and is quickly becoming one of the most popular activities on the forum.  We have initiated a total of 113 quilts since March!  That is so amazing!  Not only is this fun and rewarding for each of the volunteers in this project, but the end result is that we are making an impact on the lives of kids that truly need a spark of hope.  If you haven't joined this project, let me just say that it is truly one of the most rewarding projects that I have ever participated in.  And we have so much fun, too!

     44 quilts have been donated so far, and there is three more that are ready to go.    The last donations were made to the Portland, Oregon chapter of Project Linus and also to the Winston-Salem, NC chapter.

     I am tracking all of the Project Linus Project information on our Web site, so it is easy for you to keep up with what's happening with this tremendous and oh-so-valuable project.  The site also contains information on the donations and the waiting list.  It sure hammers home how much there is a need for this!

     For more information, refer to the Forum Project Linus Web page describing the project.

     Another activity that began is that of Volunteer of the Month.  All participants in the RRCD Project Linus project are eligible to win.  Congratulations to Ann of South Carolina for being chosen as Volunteer of the Month for October.  A huge thank you is due for contribution to the project.  Ann received a $10 gift certificate to Fare Tahiti fabrics.  Perhaps YOU can win in the future!

     There are numerous block and fabric swaps going on, so if you're in the mood to sew, feel free to jump right in!  There are also many in the works, so stay tuned for new information.

     A new Challenge is just kicking off (and there has already been one entry!), so if you love a challenge, be sure to join in on the first Quilting Passion Challenge 2002.  The deadline for signing up was October 15th and the deadline for submitting entries is November 30th.  Join in on the fun!

     For those of you that are members of this very special forum (which is my home on the Internet!), thank you.  For those of you that haven't visited yet, please do so by clicking here.  Remember, basic membership is still free!  

    
by Terry

     There are currently three classes open for enrollment:

1. #101, 12-Month Sampler

2. #203, Appliqué the Easy Way

3. #104, Quilted Greeting Cards

     These classes are 100% free; no tuition!  Click here for more information on them, and continue reading to hear a few words from one of the teachers!

     I'm teaching all of the open classes right now.  The 12-Month Sampler is about to begin the 11th block.  It's still not too late to join!  Catching up should take hardly any time at all!  The appliqué class has had a bit of a hard time getting started (due to my busy schedule) but it is back on track and it isn't too late to start this simple, easy project.

     For those of you enrolled in the 12-Month Sampler, the eleventh block will be available within the next few days (by the 10th?).  It can be found on the new home page of the Web site under What's New.

     There are already numerous classes planned for 2003, so be sure to keep checking the schedule!

by Terry

     More free patterns, of course, to be added to the site, plus I'm also thinking about another MQ!  Yes, another one!!!  #10 is a quickie baby quilt, so if you liked #9, you'll love #10.

     Quilting is such a passion of mine.  How about you?

by Terry

     So much to do, so very little time!  I hope that this month is happy and healthy for all of you.

Happy quilting,
Terry