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.

-------------

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.
------------------------------

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 :)

Introducing "Wintry Welcome"

I designed Wintry Welcome during one of the hottest weeks here in Phoenix recently...temps around 115 every day. It's not hard to figure out why I had snow on my mind.

This new pattern is a great one for anyone new to satin stitch appliqué. There are a lot of straight lines but enough curves for "turning" practice. Satin stitching in black rayon embroidery thread from Robison-Anton gives this guy a "cartoony" look. I used an opalescent white thread to quilt the entire piece in a loopy meandering path that gives the impression of the snow blowing around. It makes a great door banner for all of the winter season...not only the holidays.

I hope you like him!

A sneak peek

My knowledge of blogging is limited to this: If I type what I want to appear in a post in the little box that comes up when I click "New Post" it just magically shows up here. I can even post a pic, color the type, and create a link to another page. It's not that I'm stupid...just too busy to spend the time on learning much beyond that. (Sometimes I'm stupid, too.)

I know my friend Jami, back in Iowa, has tried to post a comment to the blog and it wouldn't allow her to. I had no answers because I'm oblivious. But I decided to look around my settings and, lo and behold, it was set to only receive comments from members. I hadn't even paid attention to whether or not there were comments because I was getting emails and that was fine with me.

I've changed the settings and, if you'd like, you can now make posts to this blog and maybe we can get a little interaction going among us. Of course, if the spammers start bombarding me, the settings will be changed back. But, in the meantime, feel free to be the first to comment.

I also found out that I could create a link to allow you to email posts to your friends. So, if you know someone who might be interested in what I have going on here, please send them a link to join us. The more the merrier.

Here's a bit of a tease. The guy in the opening photo is coming soon. Check back later for the whole picture! :)

Thanks for checking in on me and for being patient with the "oblivious guy".

More on the way....

Thanks very much for the response to "Happy Haunting!" I love to hear what you think of my new designs. That's the main reason I post them here; so I can get your take on the things I have in the works. I try to offer what you ask for or what I see missing in the marketplace. For those of you who don't have my email address, it's patricklose@gmail.com.

Starting out this entry is another "teaser" photo of the next pattern coming. Give it a click to see the pattern cover. It's not quite ready to ship but should be by next week along with a couple of others. I'm still really excited about all of the new things I've been doing. I have project designs that are already quilted and piled up waiting for me to get the instructions written. It's hard to shift gears when I'm in "design mode" and go from the sewing machine to the computer. I'm gonna have to find some good quilters to make some of the samples for me.

Of course, I'll keep you posted on what's going on. Keep in mind that, if you don't hear from me for a few days, I'm at the sewing machine instead of the computer. And that's good! You can also keep in touch or just keep up by visiting my website here.

Oh...and thanks for all of the questions and comments about Lily! She and Grandpa are back to work together now that Mom has started back to school. Besides being here lots already, she'll be here with me a couple of days a week while Mom and Dad are at work and "Sissy" is at school. They're on an alternative calendar at the school where Katie teaches and Lauryn is in 4th grade now. Lauryn was really excited to get back to school (back to friends!) but it made for an awfully short summer . Still, I'm glad to have Lily here to help me-as only...she...can. Let's just say that I love her with all my heart but I'm glad that there's only one of her. She's a bundle of energy and commotion. But she's also my biggest inspiration. I wish you could see the way she runs up to the Santa Under The Stars table runner and kisses Santa! Here are a couple of recent pics.

Thanks for looking in on me (us) :-)

A New Pattern!

Here's the cover for the first of several new patterns I'll be introducing in the next month or so. You asked for more Halloween designs and I love doing them. This one is now shipping and you can be one of the first to get your copy. Be sure to visit my website to order. I think there's going to be a contest involved with this new release so check back often for details!

"Happy Haunting!" includes the pattern and detailed instructions for creating the two 20x28" (please ignore the wrong measurement on the front cover) Poster Quilts shown in satin-stitched and raw edge appliqué (click on the photo for a closer look). The main quilt features two of my favorite characters I've ever designed for Halloween. They first appeared on one of my most successful collections of Halloween fabric. "Frank" and "Drac" make a great pair of beggars night greeters on your front door in this fast and easy-to-make quilt.

The second quilt is even easier featuring all raw edge appliqué and free motion quilting over the surface. Make one for yourself and one for a fiend...er, friend!

If you'd like to take a look at my other patterns and books that are available click here.

I'll get back to the machine and finish up some of the new designs. Wait til you see how many Holiday/winter ones I have coming :) It's been awfully busy around here and you'll see why soon.

As always, I'd love to hear what you think of this one. It's your feedback that drives me on to the next design.

Thanks for looking in on me :)

The July 4th weekend was wonderful but, even though it was a long weekend, it was way too short for me! It was great to get the family together for the old-fashioned barbecue and to take the kids to the fireworks display. I actually spent a lot of the remainder of the weekend working but, when you enjoy what you do as much as I do, it's not unusual to work nights and weekends.

I've actually completed 5 new projects for patterns and I'm in the process of getting them photographed for the pattern covers. Then, I'll design the covers so they can be sent off to the printer and the process of writing the instructions continues. I can't show you the projects just yet but, so far, there are two Halloween projects (both included in one pattern!) and 3 new Christmas projects. That's a teaser photo at the beginning of this entry :) I'm hoping to have them all available early to mid August. I hope you'll check back for the release date!

I've been using my new fabrics in a lot in these projects and I've also used some of Robert Kaufman's Kona Cottons. I have to say, these cottons are beautiful and a pleasure to work with! They're so crisp and full of body. Back in my fashion days, I would have grabbed yards and yards of it in different colors to make shirts for myself! They're beautiful and durable for quilt bindings and I love the perfect crease you get when pressing the binding fold. Be sure to get your hands on some..especially the Jet Black.

Speaking of bindings, I have one that's all ready to be sewn onto a holiday table runner so I better get to it. I hope all is well with everyone and that you're enjoying your summer. Cheers!

Brrrrr.....

A cold front must have passed through. A really weak cold front moving really fast. It actually dropped below 110 a couple of days this past week but the water in the pool is still 90 degrees. How refreshing! (Yes, the sarcasm is intended to be as subtle as a jackhammer tapping.) But, you know what? It's not bothering me. The short periods I've spent outdoors in the last few days were with my granddaughters in the pool and it was a lot of fun. The girls have been with me since Friday night because Mom and Dad needed some vacation time (and so did Grandpa). We had a great weekend.

I even managed to get some work done because I've really enjoyed working on the new patterns I'm adding to my line. I'm anxious to show you all a sneak peek but I have to wait until they're all photographed so give me a little time. I think you'll like them too. I need to break down and hire some quilters so I can produce new designs for you more quickly. I have to keep my hands on everything, though, and hate losing control of my designs. I'll find a happy middle ground soon and start bombarding you with new projects to make and fabrics to use!

I've got some instructions to write and then I'm going to spend the rest of the night finishing one of the new projects. So, that's all for now. Thanks for looking in on me.

The photo, above, was taken by Everett W. Gibson of Tucson, AZ. Although I joke about the weather here, it can be beautiful sometimes.

Forging ahead

It's not easy to be working on Christmas and Halloween designs when it's 115 degrees. Period. I may have to blast the air conditioning and put on some Christmas music. Despite that, the designs I'm working on are some of my favorite holiday designs I've ever done. Hopefully, I'll have something to show you soon. But the more than 10 days streak of temps over 110 degrees is pretty stifling. I can't believe it's only June!

It's HOT!

"It's not the heat; It's the humidity." Whatever.... It IS the heat. Though I live in the Phoenix area now, I spent most of my life in Iowa where the summers can be oppressively hot AND humid. When it's 110 degrees here in May and June it's HOT. Right now it's 99 and not even 10 a.m. I think it got up to 112 yesterday and it looks like at least today and tomorrow will be the same. The excessive heat warnings of the past couple of days continue and summer hasn't begun yet! Okay, I just had to get that out of my system.

It's still better than having to deal with the flooding that has ravaged Iowa and the midwest again. I was there for the floods of '93 and it's devastating. My heart goes out to all of the people affected.

On a lighter note, I wanted to let you all know that, if you take a look at the Robert Kaufman site for my Kona Colorworks yarn-dyed fabrics, there is now an option to click to view the fabrics by color story. Move your cursor over each print to bring it forward and get the information for it. I think it's a cool way to present it and thought you might like to take a look.

Other than that, I'm finishing up the manuscript for my book and starting on some new patterns! I LOVE using the new fabrics and will let you know as soon as I have new things to show you. Thanks for checking in on me and I really do appreciate all of the emails. Don't forget to send photos of anything you've made from my patterns or fabrics too! I'd love to add them to my website. Have a great day!

"A Patrick Lose Christmas" is in.

I'm happy to say it's arrived a little early! If you'd like to be among the first to order click here. I'll be happy to sign yours if you email me with the specifics (who to sign it to, etc.) after you've ordered.

:)

Busy, busy, busy...

...and I've come to realize that I thrive on it! The past few weeks have been really energizing for me and I have a lot of new designs to show for it.

I'm back to work on my latest book for C&T Publishing and cranked out almost 3 of the 10 projects over the weekend. That's a great testimonial to the fact that the projects for this book are truly fast and easy to create (which is what I wanted to offer in this one).

It's less than 2 weeks now until the release of A Patrick Lose Christmas. I hope you'll consider it as an addition to your personal quilting and crafting library...just in time to start on the projects for the 2008 holiday season. If you plan to order from me, please be sure to email me now and I will hold a copy for you!

Spring Quilt Market took place in Portland, Oregon a few weeks ago. I was surprised that even though attendance was low I've been filling lots of pattern orders! I'm glad to have a Canadian distributor now. On top of that, I got some great news yesterday from my friends at Robert Kaufman Fabrics. I was worried that the low attendance would mean low sales of my new fabrics but everyone was surprised at how well they sold despite the attendance! The samples for my Kona Colorworks yarn dyed fabrics didn't arrive in time to make sample folders for presentation so they weren't even really shown at market yet they still managed to sell thousands of yards by showing bits and pieces to several customers! If you visit the page by clicking above, please note that the color stories are grouped by name (Garden, Bermuda, etc.). RK is working on adding an option to view all of the fabrics by color families.

Satinesque sales are off to a great start also. You can see the entire introductory color range here. I can't wait to see photos of the things you make using it. Please be sure to email your photos to me and, with your permission, I'll post them on my website! One of the projects I made over the weekend is a July 4th banner and I wish I could show you how great it turned out using the Red, Ivory, and Navy Satinesque colors. You'll have to wait until we're closer to the release date of the next book though :( I'll be sure to show you the newest version of my "Merry" pattern that I'm making entirely from Satinesque when I get it finished.

I better get back to working on the book projects as the deadline for finshing them is getting close. I know I'm forgetting things that I wanted to tell you here but check back often and I'll post as I think of things. I'd love to hear what you think of the new fabrics!

Bye for now...

Updates coming soon...

I'm finally back at home and in the office after a few weeks of travel. It's good to be home and I've got some exciting updates for you but I need to get my thoughts collected and answer lots of emails and phone messages so please check back later today or tomorrow and I'll try to have something posted then.

Here's a teaser!

Thanks for looking in on me :)

On The Road Again

I'm sorry I haven't posted too recently but I've been doing some traveling. I spent the day today with Martha Pullen and her incredible gang and taped a couple of upcoming episodes of Martha's Sewing Room to air on PBS Create toward the end of this year and beginning of 2008. I appeared as a representative of one of their sponsors, The Warm Company, whose products I've been using for years. I had a great time and it was a lot of fun to meet and spend time with everyone. The staff made it super easy to tape both shows in a day and they're such a talented group! I just got back from having dinner with them and really enjoyed the entire day. Hopefully, this will become a yearly tradition.

I'm anxiously awaiting word on how Spring Quilt Market went in Portland this past weekend and will let you know as soon as I hear details. I'll try to update the blog from the road. Have a great week!

What a day!

First of all, Lily is here with me today and that always makes for a good day. Then, a gorgeous floral arrangement showed up from my friends at C&T Publishing to congratulate me on our new book and my advance copy arrived almost simultaneously with the flowers. The book looks great and, as I said in my last post, enough time has passed since the final work I did on it that it looked almost brand new to me. I hope you'll consider adding it to your collection. I believe the release date is June 16th.

As if all of that wasn't exciting enough, FedEx showed up again this afternoon with a box from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. I was expecting a couple of sample yards of "Satinesque" but I thought this box was too big for that. I was right...it wasn't just a couple of sample yards but a couple of yards of each of the 29 colors we're introducing! Seeing the whole collection when I opened the box was such a rush. And, since I still have a few projects to make for my new book that I'm working on, I'll be able to use some of them in it. I can't wait to start.

One of the things I'm happiest about with this new fabric is this: If you take a look here, you'll see a scan of the artwork from which this fabric was printed. Click here and you'll see a scan of the actual fabric (enlarged) or here for a detail that actually looks hand painted. I think you'll agree that it's a great reproduction, on fabric, of the artwork. That's what we strive for. Not only are the colors rich and vibrant but there is a depth and dimension that was beautifully recreated also. Take a look here for a couple more colors I scanned and a list of the colors we'll introduce.

"A Patrick Lose Christmas"

I got the word from Zinnia at C&T Publishing that the advance copies of my new book are in and I'll get mine tomorrow...YAY! It's been long enough now, since I finished working on it, that I can be excited to see it again. There's always a short period toward the end of the process that I get pretty tired of looking at the same quilts, photos, and words...especially technical words.

But this book is full of fun stuff including a recipe for a "Caramel Christmas Mix" that I always make a boat load of to have around to snack on during the holidays. (I just got a craving for it and that usually doesn't happen until about November.) I'm anxious to get the book into stores so you can start working on your Christmas projects for this year. Believe it or not, it's time to get started on them again. Where does the time go?