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| Volume 2 Number 5 |
May 04, 2002 |
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Spring has sprung! And with it comes thunderstorms, budding trees and bushes, and fresh flowers all over the countryside. My favorite time of the year. I certainly hope that each of you take time to enjoy the season! I have been so busy with work, that my quilting life has been sorely neglected. I think I am going into withdrawals! Mother's Day is just around the corner and I am not going to be able to fly home to spend the day with my mother. If ever there was a perfect mother, it's mine. I would be deliriously happy if I was just half as amazing as she is! I have been reading a lot of books the past month. I crawl into bed, then read until I get so sleepy I can hardly keep my eyes open. The types of books I have been reading are a diverse bunch. I've read everything from murder mysteries to horror. I have also discovered several series of books that revolve around quilting and/or needlework. In fact, I became interested in needlework and am working on my first little project; a simple sunglasses case that I work on while watching television. Need some good reading material? Check out Janet Evanovich, Monica Ferris, and Earlene Fowler, just to name a few! And if you're an avid reader, feel free to check out my newest (free) forum, The Book Nook. Happy spring!
Debuting in April was the first issue of the Quilting Passion Newsletter, snail mail edition! The response to this has been fantastic and I am so psyched and already working on the June issue. It's not only going to have continuations of projects begun in the first issue, but there is also a new project planned... just in time for the summer holidays. The first issue includes part one of a gorgeous wallhanging sampler that is a great start for beginners, part one of a "Simply Sizzlin'" Mystery Quilt, and a nifty new paper-piecing pattern putting a new twist on an old block . Although this came out April 15th, anyone subscribing between now and June 15 will receive the first issue. And, of course, it is always available as a single copy. Subscriptions are $9.95 a year, and international pricing is available. For more information on subscribing, refer to the eMarket. Need a new wallpaper for your desktop? Try the new May wallpaper located on the Web! I like the fresh, springy look to this one! The Quilting Passion eMarket opened on the first of March and already has three items. I hope to be adding more items soon! Patterns, patterns, patterns. There are so many to choose from! I added 75 in the month of April, though. I hope to add just as many, if not more, this month. Click here to begin the exciting journey of pattern surfing!
My pick for pattern/project of the month is one that is as cute as it can be. It's a simple appliqué block of a spool of thread. Found on Patchpieces, it's called "Follow The Thread". It uses Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free. To download a copy, visit the Adobe Web site. Be sure to check it out! Do you like to appliqué? If so, be sure to give this simple spring block a whirl. It not only would make a wonderful quilt, it would also make great placemats or a tablerunner, too. It's called "May Flowers".
A scrappy new mystery is in the works and I hope to begin it by the first of June. It should finish sometime in August. It's my version of a twisted row-by-row. Check for updates either on the Quilting Passion Forum or via the MQ mailing list. I can hardly wait to begin! The Gallery has had several new additions, 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!
Any new ideas roaming around in your head that you'd like to share with me?
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The forum is fabulous! The April Quilter of the Month was Genny, from New York. 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! Genny can expect to receive her prize soon. Congratulations! Perhaps YOU will be chosen in May! Do you believe in luck? 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 April Block Party was a huge hit! There were three winners, with a grand total of 70 blocks given away! Will May top that? The Fat Quarter Drawing, hosted by Peggy is off the ground. There have been several entries for the drawing. The drawing is May 16th, so you still have time to send in your entries (which are pink fat quarters)! The "Round Robin Charity Drive", or RRCD is going strong. I have already received three finished quilts, with more on the way. There are also a lot still out making the rounds! This is a wonderfully new activity in which members volunteer just a little of their time (and resources) to help make little quilts to be donated to Project Linus. Talk about a hit! This project began around mid-March and we already have 22 quilts lined up! One of the things that makes this project so popular is that no one individual is responsible for making an entire quilt; it's all done on a volunteer basis for each step in the quilt-making process. I am very excited about this!!!! I can hardly wait for the quilts to start rolling in so that they can be distributed to Project Linus. For more information, refer to the Forum Project Linus Web page describing the project. Another new activity is for those of you that love to read fictional books, that include quilts and other needle arts. This activity is called "Round Robin Books" and works like this: Someone announces that a paperback book is available to read, then forum members sign up to read it. The book then makes its rounds from member to member on the list. All members are out is the price to ship the book, via media mail, to the next person on the list! Right now, the Earlene Fowler series is making its rounds, as well as the Monica Ferris series. And speaking of Monica Ferris... she joined our forum for a live chat on April 26th. We had a super turnout and the chat was fantastic. We were able to ask questions and she gave us tidbits for future storylines. Monica also asked for our input! Talk about a blast. It was almost 2 hours of non-stop fun! Be sure to join us for the next live chat, which is sometime in May with Earlene Fowler. Date and time to be announced later. 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!
There is currently only one class open for enrollment:
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 the 12-Month Sampler, and although we're about to begin our fourth block, it's still not too late to join! Catching up should take hardly any time at all! For those of you enrolled in the 12-Month Sampler, the fifth block should become available around the 10th of the month.
More free patterns, of course, to be added to the site, plus I'm working on two patterns that will sell in the eMarket sometime in June.
This month is going to be a busy month for all of us, but I hope that you take some time for yourself and your families. Have a wonderful month and I hope to talk to you soon! Happy
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