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Jan
31
Petal Path
Filed Under Designers, Magazines, Patterns | 4 Comments
I got home from Phoenix yesterday, safe and sound. I was looking through the mail that had accumulated and what should I discover but the March/April issue of Quiltmaker magazine with my project in it!
I met the magazine’s editors while I was in Salt Lake City last May for Spring Market, and we’ve been working on getting a design of mine into the magazine ever since. It’s finally here!
This was made entirely out of one line of fabric, Memories of Provence by Monique Dillard for Maywood Studio. The fabric line was a pleasure to work with and gave me every single thing I needed to make the quilt. It’s hand appliquéd and machine quilted.
Back soon with our featured book for February!
Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
11
Block No. 312!
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines | 172 Comments
A heartfelt welcome to those who are visiting today courtesy of the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Blog Tour! So glad you came by! This blog is devoted to appliqué ~ any kind. You’ll find a wealth of information here by exploring the Categories and the lists of links to designers and pattern companies. You can also search the archives by keyword if there’s something in particular you’re interested in.
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Today I’m writing about my entry in Volume 4 of 100 Blocks, a very special collector’s edition of Quiltmaker magazine that hit the newsstands this week.
I’m on the cover again! That’s my block Heartlets with the pink plaid hearts. How very fun.
This is part of a fantastic blog hop that takes you on a trip through cyberspace to find out more about the designers and what inspired them to create their blocks.
Since it’s me we’re talkin’ about, of course my block was going to be applique. I love hearts, and decided to grow some on a sort-of heart-shaped vine. I stitched it up by machine using raw-edge fusible appliqué and sent it in.
Here it is, months later, Block #312!
The designers who contributed blocks were also invited to send in projects showing the block in a different way. When I looked at Heartlets I thought it would be very cute done up in Christmas colors, so I made this little wall quilt for the holidays. I’m happy to say that it made it into the projects sections of the magazine, and is now hanging in the Quiltmaker offices in Golden, Colorado!
The 100 Blocks magazine includes a pull-out section of full-size templates so no worries about blowing up patterns. I already received my advance copy, and let me tell you, each block is more spectacular than the last, whether appliquéd, pieced, foundation-pieced, or mixed-technique. This truly is a treasure trove… you’ll want to save it for your future use again and again.
Today is the last day of the tour, but if you haven’t already done so, be sure to visit Quilty Pleasures, because there are prize drawings still going on.
I happen to have a couple prizes of my own! I have a copy of the magazine to give away, and I’m also going to draw another winner, who will receive my book Dolls and Dresses to Appliqué.
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So leave a comment before 7:00 p.m. California time on Monday, November 14, to enter the drawings! U.S. and Canada addresses only. Thanks for visiting, come again soon!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
7
It’s the 100 Blocks Blog Tour!
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines | 3 Comments
It’s Day 1 of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Volume 4 Blog Tour!
The tour lasts all week, with visits to designers who contributed a block to this issue. Be sure to follow the tour all week, because there will be lots of goodies and prize-winning possibilities. Start each day at the 100 Blocks blog.
My day on the tour is this Friday, November 11. I’ll show you my block and tell you a little bit about it, and I’ll have my drawing for a couple of prizes!
Hey, here’s an extra special treat. My buddy Sarah Vee has a block on the cover too. In fact, it’s right next to mine, how cool is that! Sarah has created a special coupon just for my readers. It’s valid at her Etsy store: SewJoy Creations, and will give you 50% off Sarah’s e-patterns! The coupon kicks in today, Nov. 7, and ends Nov. 13th.
The coupon code is: 100blockskay
Wow, I never had a coupon named after me before. I’m honored.
See you back here on Friday!
Kay
Oct
19
Fusible followup and other stuff
Filed Under Blog hops, Classes, Fusible web, Magazines | 2 Comments
In response to my query last time, Debbie wrote, “You got that right, Wonder Under is the lighter weight.” (That wouldn’t let its paper backing go.)
Debbie also reports that the wash-away product she referred to are Wash-Away Appliqué Sheets from C&T Publishing.
The website says that this product was inspired by Beth Ferrier. Now I happen to know that Beth uses a turned-edge machine appliqué method, not raw-edge. Just want to make sure we’re talking about apples and apples here, not apples and oranges. Here’s a portion of the product review from The Applique Society: “… When your project is finished you have the option of washing the sheet for a softer feeling piece or leaving it in and it will soften over time.”
I think this product is similar to the Appliqué Stabilizer that Sharon Schamber uses. Again, it’s meant for turned-edge appliqué. It remains in your quilt, and even though the stiffy part washes away, it leaves soft fibers behind.
Floriani has a similar thing too, called Stitch n Wash.
And Ricky Tims has one called Stable Stuff.
Whew!
In other news:
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Over the weekend, at Pacific International Quilt Festival, I picked up a flier from Amidon Quiltworks, home of the amazing Pearl P. Pereira of P3 Designs. The flier features a couple of exciting events coming up for appliqué enthusiasts.
The first is an Appliqué Weekend, May 31 through June 3, 2012. More details on the Special Events tab on their website.
The second is a Hawaiian Cruise in 2013, complete with appliqué classes on-board! They don’t have the dates set yet, but you can contact the shop for more information.
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I just posted a couple of amazing projects over on my Show & Tell Center. You’re cordially invited to go and see the beautiful teapots and baskets that quilters have been sharing with me.
And, I just heard from Janis Rink that the teapot quilt she made won a Blue ribbon over the weekend at the Empire QuiltFest in upstate New York! How very thrilling! You go Janis!
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Volume 4 of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks is coming out very soon! I’m happy to say that I have a block in this one too, and I think I spy with my little eye that it made the cover this time too! I’ll be participating in the blog tour that takes place November 7-11. My day to post is the last day, but I’ll remind you to go and join in the tour on Day 1, so you won’t miss out on all the fun and prize possibilties!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jul
23
IQA Journal
Filed Under Magazines, Quilt shows | 3 Comments
The Spring 2011 edition of the International Quilt Association’s
IQA Journal is now on line.
It has some absolutely gorgeous appliqué quilts in it, and the stories behind them. Be sure to go and flip through the pages electronically!
I’m off to Long Beach in a couple days, so see you in August!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jun
9
New magazine for the primitive look
Filed Under Magazines | 3 Comments
I found out about a new magazine devoted to projects for the primitive quilter, rug hooker, and stitcher.
Called Primitive Quilts and Projects, this magazine is going to feature at least 15 projects each issue from leading designers across the nation. They’ve already got such luminaries as Jan Patek, Janet Nesbitt, Kathy Schmitz, Cherie Ralston, and many more lined up!
Go see the gorgeous appliqué quilt on the cover of the first issue at www.primitivequiltsandprojects.com.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jun
5
Winner, new on the website, fusible web
Filed Under Articles, Fusible web, Magazines, Raw edge | 1 Comment
Random.org has declared that the winner of Annie Smith’s Ultimate Appliqué Guidebook is… Barbara! Congratulations! Barbara reports that she is a beginner and has been enjoying the blog for introducing her to different ideas and artists. She says, “I wish I had discovered appliqué earlier in life. It is so relaxing.” Barbara, I know you will enjoy the book.
I wanted to let you know that I just added a couple of items to my website. First off, if you haven’t had a chance to get Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Volume 3, I have it available now on my Patterns page.
And, I’ve created special intro packs of SoftFuse paper-backed fusible web, so that you can try out the product. This is my favorite kind of fusible web for raw-edge fused machine appliqué. The intro packs are on the Kits & Notions page.
Which leads me back to the recent Call for Topics, in which Paulette C. asked:
“I would like to see a review of the different fusibles available for appliqué. On the blogs many quilters have given reasons why they have their favorites. But a real time review of the 3 major brands with pros and cons and photo examples would be interesting.”
In the November 2010 issue of American Quilter, fuser extraordinaire Frieda Anderson presented an article called Choosing and Using Fusible Web. If you can get your hands on this issue, you will find a comprehensive comparison of 11 different types of fusibles in varying weights.
Frieda does share on her blog, in this post called Fusing that her favorite is Wonder Under regular weight. Be sure to go read her post, and while you’re there on her blog, type “fusible” or some variant into the search box and you will come up a bunch of other good information. Note: I believe that Frieda, like other members of the Chicago School of Fusing, pre-fuses large pieces of fabric, whereas I use fusible web to make templates for individual shapes.
A few years ago I embarked on a whole determined expedition to try out every kind of paper-backed fusible I could get my hands on. I tried them all. Some of the reasons I was not satisfied included the following:
• Too thick, like gauze
• Didn’t work as advertised (supposed to stick without fusing, didn’t)
• Too many types within brand, some on a bolt, some in a package, similar names, way confusing
• Separated from the backing paper before I had a chance to use it
I finally zeroed in on Wonder Under #805, regular weight. It became my go-to fusible web. Back in 2009 I wrote a blog post giving my tips for fusible web management.
Continuing my fusible web saga, at some point after that I started having trouble with the Wonder Under. After I fused it onto the back of my appliqué fabrics, the backing paper would not come off. I had to wait until the following day to peel the paper off and continue with my project.
At a quilt show, I bought a pack of SoftFuse from the Shades Textiles booth. What a relief! It’s very very lightweight, it doesn’t separate from the paper, it fuses to the fabric like lightning, and the paper comes off immediately! So that’s why it’s my current favorite. It acts the way this type of product is supposed to act! What a concept.
Here are some other articles that you may find of interest:
Hand Vs. Machine Appliqué: A Timed Experiment
Hope this helps!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
May
28
More from Schoolhouse
Filed Under Books, Designers, Glue stick, Magazines, Prepared edge, Prizes | 3 Comments
The winner of the Quilted Crow Girls pattern is… ! Congratulations
One of the Schoolhouse sessions that I attended during Spring Market was a presentation by Tri-State Printing. Tri-State is a well know name in the quilting industry. I’ve never used them, but I’ve been aware of them for a long time. They are extremely knowledgeable about our industry and its printing needs, and they print for a ton of quilt designers. If you need a little or a lot of help with your printed materials, from pattern covers to brochures to self-published books, they would be a good company to contact.
I went to a fun presentation from the Quilted Frog! Aka Carla Scott and Leanne Smith, who just came out with a new book from AQS Publishing called Lady Bug & Friends Quilts.
The Quilted Frog gals have developed a distinctive, cartoony, and very fun style they call Easy Outline Appliqué™. You have to go to their website and see the quilts from the new book! They are so different looking, really fresh and appealing!
Over on their website they also have tutorials and videos, so be sure to poke around all the great resources they offer.
There’s more from Schoolhouse and Market. I’m trying to wrangle some guest posts, so stay tuned!
Whilst I was tramping around the aisles of Market, I stopped by the Creative Crafts Group booth. They’re the ones who publish Quiltmaker and the special 100 Blocks issues, among many other publications. I was tickled to see the cover of the recent 100 Blocks Volume 3 blown up to poster size. A staffer insisted on taking my picture, and she told me to point to my block. This cheesy maneuver caused me to slump down, which made me look like I gained back that 10 pounds I just lost, but oh well. 
In case you ‘re interested in getting that special issue and haven’t found it yet, I have it available on my website now, on the Patterns page.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Apr
16
Winner and more
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines, Prizes, Quilt shows | 3 Comments
The winner of the drawing for Exploring Embellishments is… Lori Ginsberg! Congratulations Lori! In her comments, Lori wrote, “I am fascinated by the idea of embellishing applique. Just another whole dimension to this wonderful artform.” I agree!
I’d like to take this opportunity to announce another exciting thing coming up. Hey guess what! I’m a cover girl!
This is Volume 3 of Quiltmaker Magazine’s special 100 Blocks issue, coming out May 10. Lookie! My name’s right there, on the cover! Could this mean… possibly… that I’ve arrived?
And, my block is on the cover too! Can you guess which one it is?
Quiltmaker is conducting a blog hop May 2-6, with bunches of participating designers and giveaway goodness each day. My day is May 5, but make sure you go on the whole tour for the maximum amount of fun.
Here’s a link to the 100 Blocks page over at Quiltmaker. That’ll get you to the links for the hop.
In other news, I’ll be at the Seven Sisters Quilt Show in San Luis Obispo, California, April 30-May 1. I’m really looking forward to this event. It’s at the Expo Center at the Madonna Inn, which is quite storied and is as pink as pink can be. And there are horses pastured where we vendors park our cars! That’s an added treat for me. Full info at aqgc.org.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Feb
16
Red and green just look right
Filed Under History, Magazines | Leave a Comment
In the December/January 2011 issue of Quilters Newsletter, I enjoyed a three-page Reader’s Quilt Show of 19th century red-and-green appliqué quilts from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.
The article gave a link to the magazine’s website to learn more about why so many red and green appliqué quilts were made in that era.
After reading this on-line sidebar, I thought the topic could also be phrased, “why so many of that era’s quilts were red and green.” Very interesting!!
Quilters Newsletter Magazine Web Extra
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jan
1
Quilt Pattern Magazine winner!
Filed Under Magazines, Prizes | 3 Comments
Top of the New Year to you! Today’s the day to pick a random winner for a year’s subscription to the new on-line Quilt Pattern Magazine.
Random.org has declared that the lucky winner is Angie, who posted on December 11th at 8:11 p.m. Congratulations Angie! You’ll be hearing from the magazine soon, so be sure to watch your in-box for the details on how to activate your subscription. You’ll have until January 31st to claim your prize.
Many thanks to everyone else who entered the contest. Though the chips didn’t fall your way this time, you can still get a great magazine at a great price. The premier issue is up and running today!
I’ll be back soon with a look at another beautiful quilting book, and after that, I’ll talk about MY new book, which comes out March 7!
Happy New Year,
Best regards,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Dec
11
New! Quilt Pattern Magazine
Filed Under Articles, Blog hops, Books, Magazines, Prizes | 80 Comments
Welcome new visitors to All About Appliqué! You may be here as a stop on the QPM blog hop… if so, stay awhile and poke around! This is a great resource for any quilter interested in appliqué of any kind.
Regular readers… Have you heard about the new online pattern magazine created by a quilter for quilters? Introducing The Quilt Pattern Magazine, debuting in January!
Cindy McCoy, the quilting brain behind QuiltCampus.net, is the publisher of this exciting new venture. I’ve been watching this new publication develop since it was first announced, and when the sample pages went up on the website, I was thrilled to discover that the editor is a great chum of mine, Maria Hrabovsky of Maria Michaels Designs!
I immediately submitted a short piece for the first issue of the magazine. It’s a review of Baltimore’s Country Cousins from AQS Publishing.
The cool thing about The Quilt Pattern Magazine is that since it’s online, there are no printing or shipping costs like those associated with other magazines. Subscribers will receive monthly issues with no less than five new patterns included in each. A subscription gives instant access to magazine issues from the day of their release to two months afterward.
Save trees! Print only the pages you need.
Would you like to win a free one-year subscription to The Quilt Pattern Magazine? Here’s what you need to do: Go to the magazine website right now and take a look around. Then come back here and leave a comment about it on this post.
Here’s a link to the magazine that’ll open up in a separate window. Go! Then come back!
Hey, great to see you again! Now comment here to enter the drawing. My winner will be announced during the first week of January.
Cheerio!
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Dec
9
100 Blocks x 2
Filed Under Magazines, Prizes | 2 Comments
Who says we don’t have seasons here in California?
The view from my studio.
Random.org has declared that the two who receive Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks first issue are Ruth C. and Deb Lester! Congratulations! Please email me (kay at kaymackenzie dot com) with your mailing address and I’ll get the magazines right out to you.
See you back in a couple days for more giveaway goodness!
Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Dec
6
‘Tis
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines, Prizes | 33 Comments
The winner of Folk-Art Favorites is Marcia Kosturock! Congratulations Marcia! Cheers. Enjoy the patterns.
‘Tis the season and ’tis said ’tis better to give than to receive. In that spirit I’m making it a month of giveaways!
I was recently in dire need of a file pocket. I usually raid the DH’s office supplies but he was totally out, dang it. I searched my office, and my eyes lit on my collection of Magazines That Have My Stuff In Them, in the perfect file pocket. So I dumped them out for the moment, to deal with later.
Later came, and as I was sorting through the stack I realized that I have four copies of the first issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks issue. I really don’t need four copies. I’m keeping a couple for the archives, and that leaves two copies that I can offer in a drawing.
Here’s my block, Number 8.
The second issue of this fabulous special publication is on sale now. I’m not in that one, but I submitted blocks for the third and fourth, and I’ll let you know about that when the time comes.
If you’d like to win a copy of this first issue, leave a comment by 7:00 p.m. California time on Thursday, December 9. U.S. and Canada only. I’ll draw two winners. Those subscribed by email or feed reader, remember to click over to the blog itself to leave your comment.
Then, on December 11, there’ll be another giveaway event! I’m participating in the Quilt Pattern Magazine blog tour countdown, so stay tuned for that as well! After that comes my birthday and I like to do something a little special for that too.
This is fun.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Jul
15
Interview with the Winterthur
Filed Under History, Magazines | Leave a Comment
Collectors Weekly recently published an in-depth interview with Linda Eaton, textiles curator at the Winterthur museum in Delaware.
The interview includes lots of information about the museum and about quilt history, and shows some beautiful examples of appliquéd quilts from the past. Linda explains what quilts from the 18th and 19th centuries tell us about the lives of the American women who made them.
Do you have old quilts? Collectors Weekly also wanted me to let you know that they’ve started a Quilt Show & Tell page for collectors to share pictures and stories of items in their collections.
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
13
It’s a win-win situation
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines, Prizes | 4 Comments
The winner of a copy of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks is Cathy of the 7:20 a.m. comment. Growing Hearts goes to 3:41 p.m. Barb. Congratulations to you both!
And my great appreciation to everyone who visited and left me warm, wonderful, amazing words. I hope you all enjoyed the blog tour and I know you will love the magazine.
Until next time,
Kay
Nov
12
100 Blocks from Quiltermaker!
Filed Under Blog hops, Magazines, Patterns, Prizes | 74 Comments
A heartfelt welcome to those who are visiting for the first time today courtesy of the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Blog Tour! So glad you came by! This blog is devoted to appliqué ~ any kind. You’ll find a wealth of information by exploring the Categories and the lists of links to designers and pattern companies. You can also search the archives by keyword if there’s something in particular you’re interested in.
Today I’m writing about my entry in 100 Blocks, a very special collector’s edition of Quiltmaker magazine that hits the newsstands November 17.
It’s part of a riproaring blog hop that takes you on a wild ride through cyberspace to find out more about the designers and what inspired them to create their blocks.
Back in May, when I received the invitation to submit a block, I jumped at the chance, and of course, since it’s me we’re talkin’ about, it had to be applique. After my book Easy Applique Blocks: 50 Designs in 5 Sizes came out, I immediately started on another batch of new block designs. I had a bunch of them piled up, awaiting their manifest destiny, so it was easy to pull one out, stitch it up, and send it in! Done, done, and fun!
Watering Can design, still a vector drawing in Adobe Illustrator.
Here it is, months later, Block #8! It came out so cute.
The magazine includes a pull-out section of full-size templates so no worries about blowing up patterns. I already received my advance copy, and let me tell you, each block is more spectacular than the last, whether appliquéd, pieced, foundation-pieced, or mixed-technique. This truly is a treasure trove… you’ll want to save it for your future use again and again.
And, when you do, Quiltmaker has create a Flickr group where you can post photos of the projects you make from this issue.
Follow the 100 Blocks Blog Tour daily Nov. 9-13 at Quiltmaker’s blog Quilty Pleasures for inspiration, ideas and giveaways galore! Look for 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers in your local quilt shop, or purchase it at www.quiltmaker.com/100blocks.
Be sure to visit Quilty Pleasures, because there are prize drawings still going on.
I happen to have a couple of my own! I have a copy of the magazine to give away, and I’m throwing in my book Growing Hearts to Appliqué for another winner. So leave a comment before 9:00 p.m. California time on Friday, November 13, to enter the drawings! Thanks for visiting, come again soon!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Nov
8
100 Blocks Blog Tour starts tomorrow
Filed Under Blog hops, Designers, Magazines, Patterns, Prizes | Leave a Comment
That’s right, 100 new blocks for quilters! Quiltmaker magazine is publishing a special issue and it’s better than a candy store. I can attest, because I’ve already got an advance copy. How did I get ahold of that, you may ask? Because I have Block #8!
It all started during Spring Quilt Market in May. Through my publisher That Patchwork Place I was given the opportunity to submit a block for the collection. It couldn’t have been more up my alley, since designing blocks is what I’ve been doing for years. In fact I pulled out a new, unpublished one that I already had and stitched it up in the larger size required for sending it in. Done, done, and fun!
The issue hits newsstands November 17 (but could show up a little earlier). The publishers at Quiltmaker are organizing a blog tour next week, Monday through Friday, November 9-13. Start at the magazine’s blog, Quilty Pleasures, and hop to each designer’s story of their inspiration for their design. You will have the opportunity to win a copy of the magazine at each stop of the tour and I think the designers have some pretty special things in mind as well. Quilty Pleasures also has some great giveaways going on throughout the week, and at the end a lucky grand prize winner will receive a huge basket of goodies.
Follow the 100 Blocks Blog Tour daily Nov. 9-13 at Quilty Pleasures for inspiration, ideas and giveaways galore! Look for 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers in your local quilt shop, or purchase it at www.quiltmaker.com/100blocks.
My turn on the tour is lucky Friday, November 13. I’ll show you my block and, in addition to giving away a copy of this very special issue, I have something else up my sleeve, so be sure to click on by!
Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
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