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I got an email from my friend, Jerona, this morning that said just this:

I just want to put you in a bottle and drink you for some energy! Keep up the great work:)!

I think she meant that she was surprised to get word that my new book has been released. Well, Jerona, you wouldn't want a bottle of me right now! I am bushed...plain and simple.

But it's a "good" bushed. Not only do I have a new book that's just been released but also 3 new patterns going out this week, a club that has taken off in quilt shops, and not one but TWO fabric collections hitting the market. It's a great feeling because of the amount of work I've gotten done but also because of the response I've been getting to it all. It is so rewarding to have the wonderful feedback I've been getting. It matters to me that I'm doing something that others appreciate.

So I'm going to hit the hay right now (and I may stay there awhile) but I wanted to let you all know that you can get your hands on any of the stuff I mentioned above by going here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed creating it for you!

There's a lot more where this all came from...coming soon!

Thanks for looking in on me ;-)

Party Pics

I promised to post a few pics of the party I had the pleasure of attending at Zoe's Trunk in Chandler, AZ a couple of weeks ago so you can click here to go see them. This was a really friendly and fun group and I got to offer a little show and tell with my newest fabrics from Robert Kaufman and my new book on it's way from C&T Publishing. Zoe's is a great shop and I'm sure Mary and the crew there would love for you to stop by!

I'll have more news on the latest fabrics in the next day or two but, if you can't wait, visit the website!

Hope all's well with you;-)

Today is Lily's 2nd Birthday!!!

I can't believe she's already 2 years old. She seems to be growing up faster than my daughter did and that's scary. There's a big party at the park planned for this afternoon and Lily will be in heaven playing on the "side" (slide). She LOVES slides and laughs the entire trip down them. I'm looking forward to it, too, although I do really wish time would slow up a bit.

Sorry for the long "pause" between posts. I was away...sort of. I don't know what the deal is but I'm just not very good at taking a vacation. Maybe it's the fact that I enjoy my work so much or maybe it's just that there's too much of it lately but I can't sit still and relax for anything.

We took the Winnebago to the lake this past week and tried to have a "working" vacation. It turned into way more work than vacation including daily trips back home (an hour, round trip) for this thing or that thing I needed to work. I didn't have an Internet connection so I was trying to correspond through typed-on-the-cell-phone emails (what a joke). And RVs aren't known for their spaciousness so I couldn't spread out my drawings and paraphernalia all over the place like at home.

But, still, I really enjoyed it because it was something different AND, I got to take Lily to spend the night with me by herself one night and both Lauryn and Lily another night. That part WAS wonderful. Except for the fact that there's no "sides" at the camp playground.

Lots of April parties have been going on and lots of happy quilt shop owners are reporting in. Sherry, at Calico Cupboard in central Ohio, has been really excited about the response to the Party with Patrick™ Club at her shop. She and I had the chance to chat on the phone and I think she was a little surprised at the turnout she's had. I'm surprised myself by the fact that some shops are having to schedule more than one party a month to fit everyone in. What a nice problem to have, huh? I heard that there's one club with well over 50 members now and they just had their FIRST party! It's nice to know that what we're doing is helping to bring more customers into the quilt shops.

One thing that has always been rewarding about what I do is the fact that I can create a design and put it into pattern form so that my "audience" can make the same piece using their favorite fabrics. The Party with Patrick™ Club doesn't require a shop or its club members to buy large amounts of my fabric designs. I encourage my customers to use fabrics from their stash if they'd like or they can choose to use my fabric designs if they wish. In this economy, the main thing is to keep quilters quilting. Why do we have stashes in the first place? They aren't meant to take up space (I'm not even going to get into that issue!) So, if the money is tight, club members can draw on their stash and be able to join the party and all of it's social aspects without breaking their bank.

So, I get a lot of photos of my designs looking very different from the one I made and that's really cool to see. Sherry sent some pics from her April party and if you'd like to take a look you can click here. I posted the pattern cover showing my sample of the May Flowers design so you can compare it to the various choices in fabrics made by Sherry's partiers. It fascinates me to see what fabric prints other quilters choose for my designs.

I also had the chance to attend a party at a shop that's not too far from me called Zoe's Trunk in Chandler, AZ and these people know how to have fun as well. I have some pics to share from that party as soon as I get them posted so stay tuned. Hopefully, I'll have them ready to post tomorrow. I hear that Mary (owner of Zoe's Trunk) and Ken (their PWP Host) are going to be joining us for my Dam Christmas Party retreat in Boulder City, NV in July. I'm sure they'll bring a lot of fun with them!

I've lots to get done before the big birthday party this afternnon so I better get to it.

Thanks for looking in on me ;-)

Critics :-)

I woke up this morning, still tired, after a not-so-great night of sleep, made some coffee that's strong enough to strip the finish off of some of that horrific, black lacquered Deco furniture (it truly needs to be done), and went to my computer to check on the "stack" of email as usual. Someone had sent me a link to this review of A Patrick Lose Christmas:

Reviews

Another winning selection of quilting projects from Patrick Lose
By jenniequiltsit

Pros:
These are the kinds of Christmas quilts and accessories you'd find in the stores like Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn...GREAT stuff. They're not the sugary sweet and overly cutesy stuff you see at every craft show across the country. These are some sophisticated but still very fun and humorous designs.

Cons:
I wish there were even more projects but it's well worth the money.

If anyone knows jenniequiltsit, please tell her she made my day! I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday...especially you, jenniequiltsit. And I hope you like my new book ;-)

Don't forget to stay updated on the latest info we have on That Dam Christmas Party retreat in July. I wish we had a bigger location because I'm afraid it's going to fill up as soon as we start taking reservations so, if you're seriously interested, watch for details so you're not left out. It's gonna be a blast!

Someone's Getting a "Partying" Reputation!

Photos and stories have started to come in from the April parties and I'm sorry I'm a little behind posting them because of all of the other news to share lately. I got a note from Rick and Linda at Little Stitches Sewing Center after their second party on April 4th. They've only had two parties and I'm already looking forward to hearing from them every month because they go all out and really know how to party. AND because they're so good about sharing their parties with us (this is a not-so-subtle HINT to some other shops out there!)

Here's the note I got from them:

Hi Patrick,

Saturday was another "Party With Patrick" day and everyone had a great time. As before, we made our party an all day event. We served a springtime-themed lunch of soup and grilled chicken salad and followed up in the afternoon with your scones and lemon curd. What a hit! Thought you would like to see the attached pictures.

Thanks again!

Rick & Linda

Little Stitches

Now you should take a look at the photos they sent. Get a load of the lunch they served! Like I said, they know how to throw a party. It looks like everyone had fun. Thanks for sharing the day with us, Rick and Linda.

There are lots of other shops out there that have promised to send photos and the scoop on their parties so...get with it, slackers! ;-) Sherry, from Calico Cupboard, sent some and I promise to get them posted soon. It looks like her gang had a great time as well.

It's very rewarding to me to see that you're all enjoying this program that I really feel is a great way to connect quilters, create new friendships and foster old ones, and to bring this celebration of our favorite pastime to the centers of the quilting communities around the world...local quilt shops!

A New Book!

I got my advance copy of my new book Poster Quilts with Patrick Lose yesterday and it looks GREAT. It's exactly what I wanted it to be. I set out to put 10 easy-to-make projects together into a book that you could turn to when you have a few hours to spend making a fun project to hang on your wall or use as a door banner.

The instructions are super easy and most of the projects are raw-edge applique but you can finish them your favorite way.

All of the people at C&T Publishing did a wonderful job pulling this one together and I have to thank designer Kristen Yenche, especially, for making it look so festive!

If you'd like a closer look or want to order click here.

Hope all is well with you!

Project Linus and Patrick Lose (PL & PL)

As I said in my entry yesterday, I have lots of news that I'll have to report a little at a time. I've been working on something for awhile now that I'm finally able to announce "out loud".

At the end of last year, Project Linus National President, Carol Babbitt came to me and asked if I would design a collection of fabrics especially for Project Linus to be produced by Avlyn. I was thrilled to be asked and I'm really happy to say that my work on the collection is completed and the process of promoting it to independent quilt and fabric shops has begun. If you'd like to see what I came up with for them, click here. You can also download a PDF document that features many of these designs all on one page. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

While you're on the Project Linus website, take a look around and read about the wonderful work they continue to do to provide a sense of security through blankets to children in need. I'm happy to do what I can for them and I hope you'll do the same. Look for Project Linus Chapters in your area and ask what you can do to help.

Don't forget to take a look at the wonderful Boulder Dam Hotel where we'll be holding our "Christmas in July" retreat, That Dam Christmas Party, in July. We're working out all of the fun and crazy details now and will provide information as it becomes available.

More to come... :-)

Happy Easter!

I hope you're all having a happy Easter! Lauryn and Lily have spent the weekend with me and it's been a blast. In fact Lily's worn out and finally napping.

It's been another busy couple of weeks for me and the parties are in full swing. Party with Patrick™ is officially "international" now with shops joining in Canada and we're in contact with European shops as well. We also had our first Alaska shop, Sylvia's Quilt Depot, join this past week and I'm thrilled to have them on board. It's really exciting to me that everyone's having so much fun with the club.

There's so much to tell you about that I don't know where to start so I think I'll have to spread the news out in a couple of entires over the next few days. I spent last weekend in Boulder City and Henderson Nevada and had a great time. Merry and the gang at Fiddlesticks hosted the third of three consecutive weekend retreats in Boulder City. My friend, Gary, (who is also my sales and marketing director) and I stopped by for a vist and basically stayed all day and well into the night on Saturday because we were having so much fun with all of the quilters there. We spent a lot of time laughing and, after getting to know this great group, we decided that Boulder City is where we want to hold our first retreat. The town is perfect for the type of getaway we have planned and the people are so friendly, too. And, if you haven't seen any of the publicity/documentaries surrounding the builing of the new bridge, it's amazing! The photos don't give you the same feeling you get when you're driving through the construction area. It's like driving though a set from a science fiction film.

On to my news; the first order of business is to announce that first retreat we have planned. It's going to be a not-your-run-of-the-mill "Christmas in July" event. Since it's going to take place in Boulder City and held at the wonderful 1930's era Boulder Dam Hotel, I decided to call it "That Dam Christmas Party". We'll be posting info here as it becomes available. There are limited spaces available on a "first-come" basis so, if you're interested, check the info page often.

We're also having the first Party with Patrick!™ retreat in the same place in September. This will be an expanded version of our monthly parties for quilters and I will actually be able to be at this one like I wish I could be at all of the ones being thrown in quilt shops coast to coast! You can bet that both retreats will be great fun-filled and creativity-inspiring events that you won't want to miss. Dates for this one are September 18, 19, and 20. Mark your calenders and watch for information here and on my website.

I'll let you give some thought to the retreats and be back with some more news later. It's been pretty exciting around here lately and I'm anxious to share the developments.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!

Happy Friday

Hi Everyone! I'm sorry for the delay in posting but it's been an insanely crazy (and really fun) week here. I can't tell you how many quilt shop owners and customers we've spoken to this week about the Party and it's really inspiring to me that so many people feel this is what they need either in their shops or as a new social and learning adventure for themselves, personally. I'm really grateful for the trust and support from all of the shops and quilters that have signed up! The fun has already started and it's gonna be a wonderful year ahead.

I got some more photos from the various St. Pat's Day parties but since it's past we'll wait to see who throws some of the best April parties and get their stories posted. I also promised to get some pics of my grandgirls up from our St. Patrick's Day festivities for those of you who 'know" them and want to see some more recent pics. But, since this bizarre Blogger interface isn't allowing me to insert pics where I'd like them to be anymore, I've posted them here.

Speaking of the girls, I have to end here to go pick them up to spend the night with me tonight...yay! Come to think of it, I forgot to get the house Lily-proofed too. Gotta run!

Have a great weekend and thanks for looking in on me ;-)

Website updates

We've made some changes to my website and I wanted to let you all know that, if you have the old menu page bookmarked you should go to the new site and add it to your favorites. The old url for the menu page won't have the information you need anymore.

More and more shops are joining the Party with Patrick™ club and we're hearing fun stories about the various events at member shops. Remember to send photos so I can post them here. If you're a quilter and want to join the party, be sure to let your local quilt shop owners know!

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day and my birthday and I'll have a few photos to share with you from that. My daughter, granddaughters, and I went for a traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage lunch and it was a lot of fun. I hope you all had a fun day too. More to come soon.

Thanks for looking in on me ;-)

Another round!

More Party with Patrick™ festivities and preview events are happening and I just got some photos from Linda and Rick at Little Stitches in Missouri City, TX of their day-long event this past Saturday. They didn't even wait for St. Patty's Day to roll around before pulling out all the stops with everything GREEN! I have to share the note they sent me on the morning after. I didn't get a sense that there were any hangovers from green beer involved so they must have behaved:

Good Morning Patrick,

A quick note to let you know our first Party with Patrick was a big success! The classroom was decorated with St. Patricks Day items. Each student was given a box with their supplies and a schedule. Supplies included material, thread, batting, recipes, templates, instructions and even a strand of green beads. All three recipes were served to the students as either snacks or salad with lunch. (We served corned beef, boiled potatoes and carrots, coleslaw, Emerald Isle Salad, and Irish Soda Bread) The day concluded shortly before five. Everyone had a great time! We are now full for next month's party and have registrations through June. For us, making it a full day all inclusive event seems to be the ticket. Linda will be forwarding you pictures of our first party.

Have a great week and Happy Birthday!

Rick & Linda

Little Stitches

So, if this isn't enough to convince you that you need to be a part of our Party, I don't know what will. How about a peek at the first official EXCLUSIVE project for April's party, maybe? Take a look at this and see if you still want to be a wallflower.

Yep, this project is, literally, wall (or door) flowers. And, that's a custom-designed banner hanger you can purchase to go with April's banner project called "May Flowers"! Member shops are already filling their guest lists because their customers want to make this fun and easy project.

Just the two parties featured here, so far, have pulled in enough customers to their shops that they can't accomodate any more. That tells me that quilters are ready for a party and that, if you're a shop owner, you should invite the partiers to your place. So, put away your breakables and pass out the party hats. This party's gonna last awhile!

To join, all you have to do is contact us. Hope all is well with you!

:-)

Countdown to party time!

The first Party with Patrick™ event took place last Saturday at Fiddlesticks in Boulder City, NV! Merry Summey, the shop's owner (2nd from the left, above) has been so excited about getting the party started in her shop and her excitement has paid off judging from these photos. It looks like she pulled a great group of ladies together for her shop's club and their first party was a St. Patrick's Day themed get-together to make the St. Pat's Mats free project I offered last month. This was just her preview to the actual parties that will start happening in April.

As I mentioned in my last entry, lots of shop owners have agreed that it's time for a party and are being very creative with their preparations. That's the way to do it! Everybody loves a party and, if you throw a good one, your customers will be anxious to get on the "A" List!

I'm really excited to show you the first month's project but the member shops get to see it first so, unless you join now, you'll have to wait.

Don't be a party pooper! RSVP now and get on the party list. Happy days are here again! :-)

Wanna party?

I just got off the phone with Merry Summey, owner of Fiddlesticks Quilts and member of the Party with Patrick™ club and guess what she was doing? She was out buying party hats and balloons to decorate for her kick-off party tomorrow! They're going to be making the St. Pat's Mats free March project and, no doubt, having a great time because these ladies are a kick!

Then, I happened to go to the website for Little Stitches Sewing Center and saw that Linda and Rick and their crew also know how to throw a party. They have the invitation posted right on the home page of their site inviting their customers in for a day of quilting and partying. They're even serving Irish Stew for lunch at their kick-off! What fun-loving quilter could pass up an invitation like that?

If I lived closer, I'd be hopping in the car and going to both of these parties because they know how to CELEBRATE quilting and camaraderie! And those are the kind of people I like to hang out with. But, most of all, those are the kind of shops that are offering their customers what they need right now; a place to get together, make friends, and have fun with fellow quilters being creative. With all of the bad news about the economy and everything else going on, it's refreshing to the spirit to just drop everything once in awhile and have a party!

As I'm writing this, our newest member just signed up and is just excited as everyone else. Thanks and welcome to Liat and Miles of Stitches. I know you'll throw a great party too! Liat has already invited me to party with her and the gang in Hemlock, MI. I'm there!

So the party's gearing up. All it takes to be on the "A" List is the desire to have a good time. If you want to be on the list, make sure you let the quilt shops in your area know you're ready for a party. If you're a shop owner and haven't joined us yet, what are you waiting for? Let's get this party started.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and thanks for checking in on me ;-)

Sunny-side Up

With everything else that's been going on, I almost forgot to tell you all that Sunny-side Up is now available! It's my appliqué pattern for a 20 inch round table topper and a 15 inch round charger-style placemat. This one was a big hit at quilt market and I've had a lot of requests for it so if you're among those who have been waiting, ask for it at your local quilt shop or you can get it here.

Other than that, I've been busy helping shop owners with their Party with Patrick™ club sign-ups and I'm really enjoying our conversations and getting to know them. We're gonna have a fun year for sure.

I've gotten a lot of emails/inquiries about how you can be a part of the club if there isn't a shop in your area that's hosting. What you really need to do is let your local shop(s) know that you want them to be a member shop. Maybe they're just waiting to hear if their customers have an interest...? We've been knocking around the idea of an online club but that's probably down the road a bit.

I'm also finishing up a new fabric line that I'm anxious to tell you about but, in the meantime, check out my new Space Cases collection for kids and kids at heart at Robert Kaufman. It's kooky and colorful.

My next book, Poster Quilts, is on it's way and the one that will follow later this year (still top secret) is making its way through the process at C&T Publishing. The days are definitely full but fun.

There are also more new patterns on the way so keep checking back for updates!

I hope all's well with everyone :)

Quilters Gone Wild

I have to tell you about the experience I had on Saturday. I was asked to make an appearance at a retreat that Valley of the Sun Quilters Guild was having here in Phoenix. They wanted me to bring a trunk show of my quilts and tell a little bit about what I do. I thought it would be fun and it's always nice to meet fellow quilters but nothing could have prepared me for this group...

The retreat was being held in a local hotel. I wondered why they would choose a hotel instead of somplace more cozy, refined, and bed-and-breakfasty. My wondering would soon be quelled. I expected we would set up and present my show-and-tell in a conference room there. When I was led into the room where this would all take place, I couldn't believe what I saw.

It was like they had taken up some kind of semi-permanent residency in this place that had become a foster home for wayward fabric scraps, sewing machines, and any conceivable sewing and quilting notion to be had. Their quilting projects-in-progress were displayed on every available square inch of wall space. Every stationary object in the room, and some living and breathing objects, were either draped in fabric or covered, beyond recognition, in stray snips of thread. I mistook one of them for a chair. The only word I could think of at the time to describe my first impression of this place was "overwhelming". Looking back, I'm wondering if it wasn't more like what I've heard about shell shock.

I couldn't believe that they were spending 3 or 4 days buried in this kind of "rubble" and "destruction" only a true quilter can create. It's the aftermath of a few days of creative wild abandon when rotary cutters run amok and billions of bits of ten-dollar-a-yard fabric fly in a kind of frenzy that's usually kept behind the closed doors of the elusive quilters' den. But not on Saturday. Nay, these quilters were proud of what they had accomplished in the complete transformation of this room that most likely, at one time or another, had hosted such civilized (and scrap-free) happenings as wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs, and Kiwanis Club meetings. Events like that couldn't even be imagined in this space in which I found myself. Then, as if that weren't enough to make me wonder how I was going to be able to locate the door through which I would make my escape, they came closer. Not one by one, but as a pack. They descended upon the containers of fabric we had brought to show and, like wild animals, marked their territories.

Thankfully my friends, Gary and Ellen, one of the herd's Alpha members, fought them back and made them sit, mostly in chairs but some amid their droppings and debris on the floor, while I made my presentation. It seemed to work. They calmed down a bit and, for the most part, were docile and attentive while I told them about my work (And while I formulated in my head the idea I'm going to pitch to Mutual of Omaha for their next television endeavor, Wild Kingdom of Quilters).

All kidding aside, the way that the day turned out is what the community of quilting artists and crafters is all about. We shared our current projects and past accomplishments, told stories of our successes and failures, voiced our likes and our dislikes and happily offered our personal expertises to those who are still (and always) learning. I was on a "high" when I left there. And not only because we were able to locate the exit. What a fun day and what a FUN group of people!

Sign-ups are going great for "Party with Patrick™". All of the quilters at the retreat were really excited about it and told me they were going to find local shops where they could sign up. I'm really looking forward to this year. It's going to be something very different from what I've done in the past and it's exciting to have something so new and fresh to work on. The shop owners I'm working with are as much fun as the ladies in the Valley of the Sun guild so it looks like it really IS going to be the party I had hoped for! I hope you'll join us :)

Woo hoo!

It looks like the "guest" list for the party is growing! I had a feeling you'd all be up for a party too. I can't write a lot right now but I hope you'll stay and wander through my blog.

To be honest, I had to stop what I was doing because I got this photo that I just had to share right away. Looks like someone else is ready for the party! Thanks to Lynn and Bob at Country Crossroads in Florida for sending me the pic.

If you haven't seen the information about my new club for quilters called "Party with Patrick™" yet, you can take a look here.

Thanks for looking in on me ;-)

You're invited...

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post but it's been super busy here. I'll get to that in a minute.

But first I want to reassure everyone that I have recovered from the discarded cell phone fiasco. I appreciate, very much, the concern expressed in your comments and emails but, honestly, most of the ranting in my last entry was purely for dramatic effect. It was just one of those days and I needed to vent. To me, it's best to do it in a silly and non-violent way (no matter how inclined toward violence I felt at the time!)

Furthermore, my Christmas tree and all of the rest of the holiday trinkets and trappings are back in their boxes and my house looks like it lost a couple of hundred pounds (because it did). It's a weight off of me, too.

I am getting very close to the formal announcement of my club for quilt shops but there are all of these tiny little details I need to pull together. I'd say I'll be on target for getting a mailing out next week to all of the shop owners who have expressed an interest. A couple of them that I talked to today were ready to sign up right then and there and I really loved their enthusiasm but I have to have it all in order first. Maybe I can get sign-ups going by the end of next week...? I sure hope so.

I think it would be okay for me to go ahead and announce the name I've chosen for the club. We're calling it "Party With Patrick (A monthly dose of Patrick Lose!)™". There are a few reasons I wanted to go with that name.

My birthday is St. Patrick's Day and that's going to be the official start date so that I can remember the anniversary. (Cue crickets chirping....) Just kidding. It's because it's the best party day of the year! St. Patrick's Day is festive and fun even if you're not born on that day. That's what I want the club to be.

With all of the bad news we're being bombarded with these days, I thought it was time for a party. And every month there will be a party in your local quilt shop with a different theme and a new quilted project to work on with your friends. There will also be recipes for snacks to make to bring to the party and other ideas to "get the party started". It will be a place to go to forget about all of the "junk" going on with the economy or the job market or any of those other annoying, not-so-fun aspects of life.

If you're a quilter, you have a stash pile. If you have a stash pile, there's nothing stopping you from enjoying your favorite pastime even though the economy sucks. So I'm going to offer a different pattern and project each month and they're not going to be "throw away" projects, either. They're going to be easy and fun to make and useful.

So, I'm asking you to get to your local quilt shop and tell them you want to "Party With Patrick™" in their shop! If they want information, you know where to find me. I'm really looking forward to this new adventure and I think I can offer a lot of fun to help us through the gloom and doom.

Stay tuned. Happy days are here, again! ;-)

T.G.I.F.!

This is the part where I tell you way more about me than you probably care to know. I used to be afraid that a few of the things I’m going to reveal here could be used against me but, you know what? I’ve found that I don’t have time to care about things like that anymore (Read: I don’t give a rat’s ass.)

My Christmas tree is still standing. Not quite as majestically but, yes, it’s still looming in the corner of my family room where, because of the two large windows, most of the natural light used to come into the room where I spend most of my “off” time. So, even though it’s been a beautiful and sunny 80 degrees this week, I’ve had the kind of cabin fever I used to get when I was living on the cold, gray, frozen tundra that Iowa’s beautiful plains become at this time of year.

Excuses are useless at this point although the tree has stood much longer in other years that, shamefully, come to mind. Those are back in the days when I used to take a long break after Christmas and go home or vacation elsewhere. This year it’s just work responsibilities (and a strengthening ability to ignore its piney presence) that’s kept me from getting it done.

That’s not even the worst of it. There are nearly five hundred things hanging on that tree. I’ve always loved my collection of ornaments and all of the memories that come to mind every year as we hang them. I love the compliments I get each year on how beautiful the tree is from people who haven’t seen it before. But have you ever had to dust five hundred Christmas ornaments as they came off the tree before you could pack them away? Or roll up and pack twenty five strings of a hundred lights?

That’s what I have to force myself to do this weekend. If there weren’t so many truly cherished ornaments on it, I would bag the whole thing up, as-is, and stand it in a corner of my garage until it was time to take it out again next year at Thanksgiving, so it could offer its usual three weeks of comfort and joy and another three (or so) of anxiety and dread of having to pack it up again.

Okay…so that’s just part of what I’m so excited about today (Read: depressed) Yesterday I finally did something that I’ve nearly done more times than I care to say. I accidently threw something in the garbage that definitely wasn’t garbage. Then, proud of myself for even remembering that it was pick-up day, I carted the can out to the curb and went about my business as they came and took away my trash… and my cell phone.

Lily and I were out for the day and, when we got home, there was the usual ritual of extracting her from the vehicle along with whatever plush plaything she was toting and anything else I needed to carry into the house from the garage. I had my phone (which, by the way, was also the only personal “phone book” I owned) in one hand and Lily and her traveling companion, Curious George, in the other when I noticed a bunch of junk on the seat of the car that needed to be thrown in the trash bin since it was, after all, right next to the car and trash day.

Proud of the fact that, with one free hand (except, of course, for my phone) and the other arm full of 23 pounds of adorably rambunctious baby and her monkey sidekick, I managed to scoop up the paper napkins and straw wrappers, the remains of her sister’s healthful snacks, and lift the lid of the trash bin to discard the junk…and my cell phone.

Only, this one time, unlike so many others, I didn’t realize that I had thrown something in the garbage that didn’t belong there.

I’m not even going to get into how many times, before realizing where it was, I called that phone number from my home phone in order to locate it from its ringing. Or how many times I tore my Mountaineer apart thinking it had fallen into or between the various nooks and crannies. And, as much as I’d love to get into the details of my four phone calls to Sprint last night (spanning more than two hours and leaving me completely exhausted) I’m afraid my attorney has cautioned that I shouldn’t…even though I now have to go BUY a new phone today despite the fact that I’ve paid them seven dollars every month for insurance on my phone that covers, yes indeed, even acts of adult Attention Deficit Disorder. (In their defense, they would have replaced my phone with one of those highly-sought-after “reconditioned handsets of a similar style” you’ve, no doubt, heard tell of.)

Ah…this is the life.

So, my little blog has become more of a rant. You come here looking for inspiring and creative ideas and leave more than a little worried about my state of mind. Thanks for letting me vent.

My only consolation today is that the grandgirls are spending the night tonight…yay! Lily will be cute but completely useless. Lauryn, on the other hand, will be pretty and knows how to use a dust cloth.

;-)

Enough of the cold, already!

Since it's been right around 80 degrees here the past few days, I decided I needed to change the snowy home page on my website to my new Valentine's Day page now instead of waiting a few days. Those of you who live in places where it's been so ungodly cold lately probably didn't want to hop onto my homepage and watch snow falling, huh? So it's all changed now just for you.

I spent the better part of the day sick in bed yesterday but I had the T.V. on so at least I got to see most of the Innauguration festivities. What a day!

Nothing else new to report right now. I'm still working on new pattern instructions and my latest book so I can get them to you as soon as possible.

I also had a little camping trip over the holiday weekend with Lily (what a blast!) so I might post a few pics when I have a sec.

Hope all's well with you all and thanks for looking in on me ;-)

S.O.S. (Subscribers Only Sale)

Just a reminder that, if you're a subscriber to my email list, the coupon that went out a couple of weeks ago expires tomorrow, January 16th! Be sure to take a look at my patterns and books in the online shop and use that coupon for 25% off of patterns like Pretty Ribbons, pictured here. It's a great placemat pattern for all occasions.

I might be back to update this post later with news about NEW patterns! There are a couple of other pieces of "news"...deals in the works, so to speak, that I am seriously itching to spill but I can't yet. Stay tuned because these are BIG and so exciting to me. Maybe I'll have a release for you next week?

Again, the day is getting away from me already! Thanks for looking in on me :)

Inspiration

Hands down, the #1 question I'm asked by readers and quilters/crafters is "What inspires you?". I have so many answers that they always end up regretting they asked. So, for those of you that are wondering the same thing, it's probably best that, from time to time, I post a little blurb about something that gives me inspiration.

One of my biggest sources of inspiration is children and, especially, toddlers. They crack me up. It's almost ridiculous (and sometimes embarrassing) how hard I can laugh watching a baby doing something goofy. But it's one of the best feelings in the world! They usually have no idea that they're the ones causing the laughing and that's what makes it even sillier. But my granddaughter, Lily, has developed a little sense of humor and she knows it. She'll do some bizarre little thing and then look at me like "So...are you gonna laugh now?" And, of course, I do.

Here's something I watch when I need a break and some inspiration. If you don't laugh at this...well... there's something wrong. I just watched it again and, as always, laughed 'til there were tears in my eyes. If you want to witness complete, unbridled glee, take a look. I hope it gives you a good, healthy laugh and lots of inspiration too!

It's great to be Irish AND have a St. Patrick's Day birthday! I'm already counting down :-) You can click on the banner and get a countdown banner of your own, if you'd like.

Do you have any St. Patrick's Day traditions?

What's the (Sugar) Buzz?

It’s busy here; I’ve been at the sewing machine from early morning ‘til late at night the last 3 days in a row!

But there’s something I need to address with those of you who have my book A Patrick Lose Christmas from C&T Publishing. It has come to my attention (through several emails over the last few months and a phone call a few minutes ago with Kathy Runyan, owner of The Quilt Shoppe in Stewartsville, MO) that many of you have made the Caramel Christmas Mix recipe offered in the book. Apparently, Kathy felt no shame in announcing to me that she and her staff had made 4 batches of the stuff over the holiday season. Keep in mind that one batch contains 3 entire boxes of cereal and 2 POUNDS of brown sugar.

I’m truly sorry that you’re having problems fitting into some of your Christmas gifts but I have to say that I warned you. There is a disclaimer printed clearly at the bottom of the page on which the recipe is printed. In case you overlooked it, let me remind you:

"Patrick Lose is not responsible for the intrinsic weight gains, sugar buzzes, gluttony, or cloying addictions (4 batches?) resulting from the consumption of this treat. Eat at your own risk!"

I don’t recall any text in the book telling you to contact me with your tales of woe about what 4 batches of Caramel Christmas Mix does to a person’s waist line. And, no, I don’t need you to send photos of your “transformation”. I went through one of my own a few years back that took me up a couple of waist sizes. And, to make mine worse, I had quit smoking at the time and replaced my cigarettes with the above-mentioned concoction. Trust me, Kathy and crew, 4 batches is only a starting point. And adding things like chocolate chips to the recipe makes me think you’re not even trying to take that first step down the road to recovery.

So, in closing, I don’t think it’s fair that you change the bucolic name of Caramel Christmas Mix to Patrick’s Crunchy Christmas Crack. Take responsibility for your own weaknesses. FYI, I don’t run a clothing alterations business. I have enough of my own to do. What? I never said I was quilting at the machine the last 3 days!

That said, all of the preparations for the new Patrick Lose club are going well…lots of details to iron out! If you’re a shop owner, I’d love to hear your ideas in case we’re overlooking something. If you’re a retail customer, the shop owners and I would love to know what you’re hoping for in a membership to the Patrick Lose club.

I’ve got several new patterns and a new line of fabric just around the corner so be on the lookout!

Cheers!
Patrick ;-)

New Year's Resolutions...bah humbug!

I had the perfect start to the new year spending time with family and friends so that makes it even harder to buckle down and get back to the "business" of my work (which is my least favorite part).

It's a good thing I love what I do because I really do work all the time. From the time I get up in the morning til the time I go to bed at night, the day is pretty much centered around my work. I love the design aspect of my job and making the projects I design. But, eventually, I have to deal with the emails and the phone messages et cetera, et cetera. I could do without that part. But only because it keeps me away from the good stuff...designing.

I don't really believe in New Year's resolutions because I think they're made with the romantic notion that, because it's a new year, the resolutions will be accomplished more easily or maybe even stand for something more profound. (I purposely quit smoking a few years ago at Thanksgiving rather than waiting until January 1st so that I would be reminded at that time, every year, that I had something else to be really thankful for.) But I do believe in taking the time to think about and to consciously resolve to make changes for the better in life. I try to do that but I fall short sometimes...whether it's a new year or not.

I am resolving to make more time for the things I feel passionately about in my life. My daughter, Katie, and I could always use more time together. And that means time with her whole family, too. It's not always available since we all have busy schedules. But I'm going to look for more time in mine. Spending time with everyone that makes my life better just by being around them is something I'm going to strive for.

What may be of more interest to you is that I'm going to spend more time on designing and less time on the business of it. I'll either get "people" to help deal with that end of it or I'll do like everyone else seems to be doing lately...not taking the time to reply to what they deem to be unessential emails or phone messages. It's all about priorities ;-)

Just a reminder, I hope you'll make it a priority to sign up for a subscription to receive email news and special offers from Patrick Lose Studios. A lot of people have already done so and have taken advantage of their first coupon for 25% off in my online shop. You'll be glad you joined when you're the first to hear about all of the new patterns and books and fabrics coming!

Cheers and thanks for looking in on me :-)

The Benefits of Membership

Have you subscribed to receive newsletters and email alerts from Patrick Lose Studios yet? If not, you didn't receive a coupon by email today for 25% off anything from our online shop from now until January 16th. That includes all patterns and books at 25% off of retail price!

It's not to late to get in on this S.O.S. (Subscribers Only Sale). All you have to do is go to the subscription page and sign up. It's just a few simple questions on a completely secure form and you'll be all set to receive information on new patterns, books, and fabrics as well as special offers like this S.O.S.!

I hope you'll take the time to join our online "family". I also hope that 2009 is off to a great start for you!

Cheers!

Patrick :-)

Happy 2009!

I know it's been awhile since I've posted but the holiday preparations and celebrations took up way more of my time than I had planned to allow. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, as I did, and are taking the time to relax and "recover" as I am.

I'm actually working on some new designs and some of them are even holiday designs for next year! The new pattern I'm finishing up today, though, is bright and tropical and makes me wish for an island vacation. I'm anxious to show it to you so I'll be hurrying to get the samples made.

In the meantime, if I don't get back to you before then, have a wonderful New Year's Eve/Day and I wish you only the very best in 2009! Be safe.

Cheers!
Patrick

Let it Snow!

I had the pleasure of going to Cleveland as a representative of The Warm Company last week to tape a segment on America Sews with Sue Hausmann and it was a great time. This was my second appearance on the show and even more fun than the first. We displayed a lot of my quilt projects and newest patterns using their products and talked about them in Sue’s sewing studio. Then I demonstrated how to make a placemat project geared toward children. Sue and the entire crew were great hosts and made the entire experience completely painless.

But I have to say that my favorite part of the trip was that I got to see snow! Everyone on the crew thought I was crazy when they saw how happy I was when the snow started falling but I truly miss it (see the disclaimer below). I’m from Des Moines, IA, originally, and have lived in the Phoenix area for the past 8 years so I don’t get to see it too often. I especially miss it at this time of year and it wasn’t easy putting up my Christmas tree a couple of weeks ago in 80 degree temps. I’m sure many of you think I’m nuts, too, but Christmastime always seemed to be snowy when I was a kid in Iowa. Memories of sledding and snowball fights and building snowmen and snow forts are what I try to bring to mind when I’m designing for the holidays and winter. Of course, snow has its ugly, dark side, and I’ve been witness to that also. I simply choose to repress those memories.

Whether you’re working on a wintertime or holiday project or not, this is the perfect time of year to shift your quilting into high gear. If your world is snowy and cold right now, use it as your inspiration to catch up on all of your quilting projects in the works! And, this is the perfect time to resolve to make more time for quilting in 2009.

Disclaimer: Snowfall must be in small, aesthetically pleasing amounts, during the holiday season, not accompanied by bitter cold, and gone, for the rest of the season, by the time I wake up in the morning on January 2nd.

My house looks like Santa Claus threw up all over it....

Well, Thanksgiving was great but it's never long enough. I would have taken more time away from work but I'm off to Cleveland for a taping of America Sews and Quilts on Wednesday so I had to get all of the details and project preps ready for that. On top of it all, I have a new book manuscript due in a couple of weeks so it's a little "tense" around here.

But I did manage to get some more time in with the grandkids this weekend. They spent the night with me on Saturday and we put up lots of Christmas decorations inside and out! (Can I tell you how much sheer willpower that takes when temps are in the 70's?) I love this photo I took of Lauryn helping to decorate the tree.



Lily wasn't quite as much help. But I think she's developing a creative streak. When she came across some gift containers with rope handles in the many boxes of Christmas stuff, the first thing she said was "purse". She picked up Pooh and slung a "purse" over her arm and headed for the door saying "bye-bye". She knows the drill. Here are a couple of pics of her with her Christmas purse collection. Of course, the Christmas footies were a must to complete the ensemble!

I hope you're all having fun, too! Thanks for looking in on me :)

P.S. I'm blogging for Quiltmag.com too if you'd like to take a look.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Charles Schulz always knew how to say it!

Bring on the holiday pounds!

I had to take a quick break from the holiday meal preps (yep, I'm cooking) to wish all of you a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving! I hope you get to spend it with the ones you love.

Cheers,
Patrick :-)

New patterns added to online shop

As promised, You Better Watch Out and Flaky Fella have been added to the online shop at my website. You can take a look here. They'll ship the same day you order so there's still plenty of time to get them made for yourself or as a great gift!

New jammies :)

One of the cutest things in the world has to be a toddler in footie pajamas...


Lily loves her new Christmas ones! :)

Designers....geez

Okay, I decided I needed to start working on the "look" of my blog and, as you can see, it's a mess. That's because I changed the background and now, for some reason, I can't get the elements' colors to change.

So, please tolerate the "Christmas at the Circus" look that's going on and I'll keep working on it.

Update: Some of the colors are looking better so now I'm wondering how I can get rid of those ugly wrenches and screwdrivers. Smile. Even though I'm a control freak when it comes to aesthetics, I'm kidding about that....mostly.

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Okay, that's all I can do for now. At least there's some color to it and it's looking like the holidays :)

Have a great day and thanks for looking in on me :)

My 2 cents (that's about all I can afford!) ;-)

As expected, Quilt Market in Houston was wonderful. What came as a complete surprise was how well we did with my patterns. I’ve never exhibited solo at market. I’ve always been there with Indygo Junction, or Timeless Treasures selling my patterns or fabrics with those companies. And, although it was always very busy back then, I guess I wondered if the current state of the economy would keep the purse strings tight. I really wasn’t counting on the numbers of patterns we sold but I have to say I’m very happy and that it was inspiration to get back home and work on finishing up the newest ones in order to get them to you faster!

I have 8 new patterns that we displayed samples of at market and told shop owners that they would be available sometime after the first of the year. But I was so motivated by their response to the new ones that I had to get them done as soon as possible. So I buckled down and put a couple of other things on hold and for the most part, 5 of the new patterns are done and in stages of going to print. They should all be shipping by November 24th. If you’d like to take a look at the new designs, Click here.

I have my own belief about the state of our industry in these times. And from what I witnessed at market, I’m not out of line. Yes, the economy sucks right now in so many different ways to so many different socioeconomic groups. But in times like these, people aren’t willing to give up all of their creature comforts. We’ll still spend money to entertain ourselves especially when times are tough and we need an escape. But it’s easier to let go of those dollars when we’re not only entertained but when we also have something to show for it in the end. To us, quilting and crafting is entertainment that we don’t have to feel guilty about. Those hours we spend making ourselves happy with our favorite pastime yield a wonderful and useful finished product also. And, at this time of year, our creativity and ingenuity also come in handy when it seems like the list of gifts we’d like to give is out of our reach, financially.

So, when you take a look at my new patterns or any of the wonderful things our industry’s designers are still cranking out, keep in mind how quickly you can make a set of placemats or a table runner or a door banner for a friend or family member this holiday season. And those kinds of gifts are heartfelt and remembered and useful long after something like a cashmere sweater or the latest and “greatest” piece of electronics becomes obsolete.

On that note, I hope you’re enjoying the “gearing up” to the Holidays as much as I am. I hope that’s obvious in all of my new holiday/winter designs.

Happy quilting to all and thanks for looking in on me :-)

Ready or not...

I know it's been awhile since I've posted but, if you could see the state my house is in right now, I know you'd understand. I leave tomorrow morning for the drive to Houston for Quilt Market and, although I'm nowhere near ready, I'm excited. Fall Market is my favorite for a lot of reasons but, mostly, because it's where I started in this industry 14 years ago. There are lots of fond memories and I'm looking forward to seeing all of the new offerings and old friends there.

So, I promise to give you a rundown as soon as I get home and collect my thoughts (and clean my house). Wish me luck with the new patterns!

Thanks for looking in on me :)

Missing My Girls

Katie, Lauryn, and Lily (my daughter and granddaughters, respectively) have been gone for almost a week and it's a good thing they get home tonight. It's no fun around here without 'em. Talking to Lily on the phone just isn't the same as having her on my lap and chatting. Besides that, all is well but very busy.

Market preparations are making me a little crazy. Things like ordering carpet and electricity for my booth take a well-deserved back seat to designing and creating samples. With everything that's going on to get ready, I've still managed to design and make the samples for another 3 new patterns. That's the part I enjoy and I think it will be obvious when you see the new stuff...very fun!

But I need to take a couple of days to get my act together and to fold LOTS of new patterns for the orders I've received in the last couple of days. Thankfully, Katie tells me she'll help when she gets home and Lauryn, budding businesswoman that she is, always helps if there are dollars involved. She's a big help and the time we spend folding patterns together is great for catching up and talking about school. She's a very busy fourth grader and she'll be the first to let you know.

Well, the sewing machine is "nagging" so I better get back to it. I hope all's well with you!

I need your input!

I spent the afternoon yesterday with my friends at Quiltz in Phoenix promoting the class I'll be teaching there on my Sugar & Spice pattern on Friday, November 14th. It was a great time and I met lots of nice people and got to play show-and-tell with all of my new patterns and samples. I'm really looking forward to the class. I'll also be teaching a new pattern that hasn't been published yet at Cotton Fields Quilt and Knit on Thursday of this week and that one will be a great time as well.

There's something in the works that I'm going to "leak" a little bit so that I can get your thoughts. A local shop owner approached me about starting a "Patrick Lose Club" for quilt shops and their customers. Clubs are nothing new but we think we can put together an original one with a lot of fun ideas and perks for the people who love using my patterns and fabrics. What would appeal to you in a club of this sort? What I want to know is this: Are you more interested in getting existing patterns or occasional offers of patterns and fabrics at a reduced price? Or would you like to have access to exclusive club-only pattern and craft designs? Do you like attending party-like events and classes at your favorite local quilt shop? Would you participate in online aspects of the club (coupons, a forum, blogging, downloading designs)?

I have LOTS of ideas! In fact, the only reason we can't just start it up right now is that we need to weed out some of the ideas so we aren't bombarding you all at once with everything. If you have ideas for my club that you'd like to share, please contact me or comment here. That will help us to know what YOU want and keep us from weeding out something you'd like. And, if you want my club in your local shop, the best thing to do is to contact the shop owner and have them contact me with their ideas and input.

Rest assured this won't be your average, ordinary quilt shop club. And I'd like you to be involved from the beginning as a part of our little "focus group"! So get your thoughts together and let me know what you think.

Thanks for looking in on me :)

Still under the weather...

...but I'm back from Las Vegas and today is a "Lily Day" so that makes it better :) I'll be back to update soon.

Thanks for looking in on me.

What happens in Vegas...

...doesn't always need to stay there. In fact, I want to tell you about the day I spent in the Las Vegas area yesterday.

I decided to pack up some work and get in the car to go visit a friend who lives there. I've been teaching him to quilt and he's been helping me get some samples made for Market. I needed the break anyway. It was so invigorating to work with the ladies at Cotton Fields Quilt and Knit last Thursday that I couldn't stand the thought of going back to working by myself at home over the weekend. This was the perfect getaway for a bit of a "working" vacation.

Yesterday, we decided to check out a couple of the quilt shops in the area and it was a great afternoon! Quiltique was the first one on the list. (You can click the names of the shops to go to their websites and take a look around for yourself.) What a cool shop! Jan and Bob and their daughters Jennifer and Kara (I hope I spelled that right) have put together a beautiful space for quilters to see all that they have to offer...and it's a huge offering including Bernina sewing machines. They were worried that we showed up during a remodel/expansion but it made no difference to us. Not only is the shop beautiful but the staff is so friendly and helpful, too. They also picked up a few of my patterns so you'll have another place to shop for them...in their shop when you visit or online when they get it all set up. Be sure to visit their website to see what I mean.

Next, we headed to Boulder City (near Hoover Dam) to a shop called Fiddlesticks. This was another great surprise. It's located in a beautiful old, historic district. We spent a good deal of time there just chatting and laughing with Merry, the owner, Kathy, and Jan. Merry also picked up some patterns and already has a little display set up in her shop. They're another great bunch in another beautiful shop that you have to add to your list of shops to visit when in the Las Vegas area. I'm so glad we took the time to go to both shops and I think we may take another couple of hours this afternoon to visit more in the area. The hospitality here, alone, has been worth the trip.
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It's nearly 6 p.m. and, despite feeling HORRIBLE from a nasty sinus infection I picked up over the weekend, we hit 3 more Las Vegas shops this afternoon. I'm so glad I didn't give in to my pounding headache and pass up the chance to see The Christmas Goose, Fabric Boutique, and Nancy's Quilt Shop. Las Vegas has not one or two but FIVE fantastic quilt shops for you to visit. I'm not just being PC here. I kept thinking we'd eventually walk into a shop that didn't quite measure up but each and every one of them was as enjoyable and had as much to offer as the one before. The key to their respective successes was obviously the fact that they understand and cater to the needs of their customers.

The Christmas Goose is a great shop in the "country" category. After looking around awhile at the many bolts of fabric and samples I felt like I was in a shop that occupied an old building like Fiddlesticks. But it was just the owners' attention to the ambience of the shop that gave that feeling because it's located in a newer shopping center. They did a great job and have a knack for mixing brighter contemporary colors in, quietly, with the usual country palette they offer.

I was blown away by the amount of samples on display at Fabric Boutique and Nancy's Quilt Shop! There were quilts and wall hangings and any other quilted thing you could imagine hanging everywhere....all beautifully done. Both of these shops are bright and colorful with lots of fabric and a huge selection of patterns. Nancy's also has a section of the large store devoted to knitting and her customers that love it.

The most important thing, to me, about all of these shops is the way we were welcomed into them by a friendly and helpful staff and we felt completely at home. I'm thrilled that every one of the shops picked up my patterns so I hope you'll take a look at their sites and turn to them if you're in need of something you cant find in your local shop!

I'm looking forward to coming back soon but I better get back to work because I have to head home to Phoenix in the morning. Thanks for looking in on me :)

Break time

I can't believe how much work I've gotten done in the last few days on top of all of the market preparations! You'll be glad to know I've designed two more new patterns that you'll be seeing sometime in the next month or so. One of them is based on the characters on the home page of my website from a very popular collection of fabrics I did called "Brazen Bluebirds". I'm not going to give it away but it's my favorite pattern design in a long time!

Tomorrow is the big Project Party at Cotton Fields Quilt and Knit in Avondale, AZ. Be sure to visit their website. Mary and her staff are a great bunch and very knowledgeable and helpful! I'm really looking forward to it. We'll be working on the projects for a new book I'm doing with C&T Publishing for Fall 2009.

That's all for now. Break time is over :) Back to work!

Thanks for looking in on me.

To market, to market...

The last week has been absolutely crazy but I'm still kicking. I decided after lots and lots of consideration and brainstorming that I'm going to take the plunge and exhibit at Quilt Market in Houston at the end of October.

This isn't my first rodeo but it's the first time I've gotten a booth for myself and that I'm taking on all of the details and preparations (not to mention all of the expense) myself. I wanted to wait until my pattern line grew enough to be more marketable to the shop owners who attend. With the blast of all of the new holiday patterns, it looks like it's big enough to take a stab at it. The orders have been coming in and growing on a daily basis and I have to say a big "thank you" to everyone who's been buying my patterns and books!

The thought of "I've bitten off more than I can chew" set in almost immediately and the to-do- list is horrificly long. Besides having to decorate a reasonably appealing booth, including making (or finding help to make) all of the booth drapes out of my new fabrics, there are so many samples of my patterns to make. I'll be spending the weekend doing some of that. I haven't had a free weekend in awhile but I don't even care. I'm pretty pumped about doing this and about how all of the hard work, and long hours seem to be paying off. I love what I do and it makes it even better when it's so well received. So thanks, again, for helping me get my line off the ground and wish me luck at market!

I know you'll understand if the blog updates aren't too frequent in the meantime but I'll try to get a word in now and then. Thanks for looking in on me :)

Bright Christmas

As promised, here's a peek at the next in my line of holiday patterns. I call this one Bright Christmas. It's another table runner and placemat pattern because that's what I've gotten the most requests for lately. Now's the time to get started making your holiday gifts and table runners or a set of placemats would be great because they're easy to make in a short amount of time and inexpensive too. (FYI, if you click on the pattern cover photos I post here, you can view a full-sized version.)

The newest patterns will be available to purchase within the week so visit my website to order!

I hope you're having a great holiday weekend :)

Dedicated to grandmas everywhere

Here's my latest to hit the marketplace. Sugar & Spice is a table runner and coordinating placemats pattern in a warm, more "country" home look. I designed these to be made from some of my yarn-dyed Kona Colorworks by Patrick Lose for Robert Kaufman Fabrics but you could even make it in bright contemporary Christmas colors. If you have kids or grandkids around your house during the holiday season, this will put a twinkle in their eyes (similar to the one brought on by a kick-ass sugar buzz but without all of the fallout).

My inspiration for this one came from memories of my grandma's kitchen during the week before the holidays. Our entire huge family would get together on Christmas Eve at my grandparents' house and those times are my fondest childhood memories of Christmas. During the week before, my grandma and anyone who cared to help would bake cookies or make candies until there wasn't a place left to store them. (The only difference is that it was her famous molasses cookies, not gingerbread, that I remember and miss the most.) All of the cookies would be stacked in brand new shirt boxes layered in wax paper, and hidden where we couldn't get into them. Either Grandma wasn't very good at finding hiding spots or she intentionally put them where we could sneak one now and then in between the ones she gave us. She was the perfect grandma and, even though she's been gone for two decades, I still miss her and the things she would bake. So this one is dedicated to Grandma :)

I've got another one ready to show you, too, but I have other things I need to accomplish today so check back, maybe tomorrow, to see the next in line! It's one of my favorites to date.

Thanks for looking in on me :)

Another busy weekend

Although the weekend was filled with work, I still enjoyed it because I started one of the projects for my next book from C&T Publishing. I can't tell you what kind of projects will be included in this one yet but it will be a bunch of very practical and useful pieces that are fun and easy to make. I know...that pretty much sounds like most of what I design but I can't think of a better way to describe them.

Some of the gang at Cotton Fields Quilt and Knit here in the Phoenix area will be getting together with me for another Project Party like the last one we had with the ladies from Quiltz. I'm sure this one will be as fun as the last and I'm really looking forward to working with some more talented quilters from the area on this next book.

A Patrick Lose Christmas is selling very well so it sounds like a lot of you are gearing up for the holidays already. That's great news and now you'll be able to find even more Christmas designs in the quilt shops or on my website. For those of you who aren't quite ready to start Christmas quilting just yet, check out my Halloween designs.

There are still quite a few more holiday and winter designs coming so stay tuned! Thanks for looking in on me :)