I recently received an order for my book Teapots 2 to Appliqué from a quilter living in New Zealand. She told me she had see a quilt made from the designs in a show in Orewa.

I was intrigued!! I asked her for a little more information, and she sent me a photo of the gorgeous quilt. It’s made with all Liberty fabrics!!

liberty-tpots-450

liberty-label

The Hibiscus Coast Quilters of Whangaparaoa, New Zealand, put me in touch with the maker, Julie Davis. Julie shared the following about her project.

“I would be very happy for you to use my quilt on your blog. It is such a lovely pattern and I thoroughly enjoyed hand appliquéing the teapots. The Liberty fabrics I purchased from a Liberty club at my regular quilting shop. There were six different Liberty fabrics in a pack for six months. I couldn’t wait out the six months so I purchased them altogether. I am going to use this as a tablecloth when I have a High Tea for my quilting friends.”

Those are some lucky friends! Thank you Julie, for allowing me to share, and I’m so glad you had a good time with the designs. And thank you Tish for letting me know about the beautiful quilt. Will look forward to seeing your teapot creations as well!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

A very happy Fourth to one and all! Keep your animals inside and safe from the hullabaloo!

In September, I’m traveling to Paducah to be a vendor at the brand-new AQS Fall QuiltWeek!

I guess you could call it a spinoff of the very famous show that happens every spring in Paducah. Have you heard of the new fall edition? Here’s some info:

aqs-fall-brochure1aqs-fall-brochure2

I’m both excited and terrified. I”ve always driven to the numerous quilt shows I’ve done, and this will be my first time flying. But I *think* I’ve got a handle on the logistics, so I’m giving it a whirl! At least one time in my life, I can say, I did Paducah!

Let me know if you’ll be there too!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

The Amador Valley Quilt Guild, based in Pleasanton, California, used to have its biennial show at the fairgrounds. Now they’re having it at a spiffy new location in nearby Livermore.

Does Livermore ring a bell? Yes, it is the home of Alex Anderson! And she’s giving two talks on Sunday!

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The show is this coming weekend, April 22-23, at the Robert Livermore Community Center. I’ll be there in my vendor booth in the Ballroom.

If you ever wondered, Robert Livermore was a Brit who jumped ship in 1822 and eventually became an influential landowner who helped shape California. He’s also the Livermore part of the Lawrence Livermore national research facility, and there’s an element named livermorium!

I don’t have any patterns celebrating the Periodic Chart of the Elements, but I do have several new patterns that I haven’t been able to show off due to the temperamental nature of the blogosphere. Here’s one:

cluck-image

Hope to see you at the show!

By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

It’s that time again! This year the quilt show season starts for me with the incredible Road to California.

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 4.41.03 PM

If you and I usually see one another at this wonderful show, I’m in the same booth, 1304 in the Ballroom. If this will be your first time as a Roadie, you’re in for a treat! Be sure to pace yourself as there’s a lot to see and do, and please come by and say hey.

you-packingDaisy says, you not packing are you?

BRB in a week!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

PIQF this week! and more

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I’m pretty excited that Pacific International Quilt Festival starts this week.

I’ve been prepping like mad, which is quite fun for me. On Wednesday we set up, then we’re open for a brief time on Wednesday night for showgoers who are registered for classes.

Then, on Thursday morning, the merry madness ensues!


Oh, what a great weekend. I see practically everyone I know, and meet a whole lot more. If you’re planning on attending this huge quilt show and conference, please stop by Booth #633 and say hello!

Special Sunday hours this year! Because Levi Stadium was recently built just across the way from the convention center, and there’s a 49ers game on Sunday this year, we’re opening an hour earlier at 9:00 a.m.

The organizers say, “The motto for Sunday this year is come early before the game & leave mid-afternoon during the game to avoid traffic snarls. The convention center campus has nearly 2,000 free parking spaces to accommodate PIQF attendees and free overflow parking with free shuttle buses.”

In other news, Martingale is having a 40% off sale on select eBooks this week, and one of them is my Scrap-Appliqué Playground!

If you’ve been considering adding this happy book to your collection, alternatively you’ve been eyeing that pile of scraps grow to small mountain size, then this is your chance for a great savings on the book.

Crazy Hearts from Scrap-Appliqué Playground

Last tidbit of news: You may or may not have heard that Amazon has launched their Handmade store.


It’s all handcrafted stuff! I was happy to be invited to join Handmade, and I’ve got my Artisan Shop all set up with a few items, more to come in the future.

Back to packing!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

As I knew it would, Outstanding Owls for Appliqué received many comments from quilters eager to get started on owl projects!

Random.org has pronounced that the winner is… No. 42, Swooze! Congratulations! The owls are flying your way.

Myself I’ve had a bit of a hiatus this summer with no shows for almost 3 months. I did have a list of things to do as long as my arm, and now it’s all, all done! There was only one thing given up upon (deemed just too unwieldy) but everything else, check! I even had time to wrangle a batch of foster kittens!


They loved puppy Daisy immediately, and she loved, LOVED them too, in fact as an enthusiastic young pup she wanted to love them to pieces! But with careful oversight we managed to get everyone through the foster period in one piece.

Kitties are back at the shelter and up for adoption, and now it’s time to gear up for Quilt Show Season. Yippee! Here’s where I’ll be this month.

Sept 12-13
Pumpkin Patch of Quilts
Two years ago, this show, put on by the Los Banos Arts Council Quilters, was one of the most enjoyable and heartwarming vendor experiences I have had. There couldn’t be a nicer group of quilters, or a cuter decorated show. There are freshly harvested pumpkins everywhere, and they can be purchased to come home with you! Read all about it at losbanosarts.org.com.

Sept 19-20
Sierra Quilt Guild Show

This lovely show in historic gold country is one of my favorite destinations. Hope to see you there in Sonora, California! Read all about it at sierraquiltguild.com.

September 26-27
Harvest Quilt & Fiber Arts Show

It’ll be my first time at this event in nearby Morgan Hill, California. I’ve heard it’s a great show, and I’m looking forward to being there! The show is part of the Taste of Morgan Hill, an event for everyone in the family. All the info is at svqa.org.

Got the Vibe washed, ready to hit the road!
Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

An amazing, amazing appliqué icon is the latest to be inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame.

So lovely. Do you recognize whose work this is? Click on over to the Martingale blog Stitch This to read all about it!

In other news, I received a message from the Road to California show that class registration for 2016 opens tomorrow morning. If you’re planning on attending this fantastic show and convention, jump on it so you don’t miss out on registering for your favorite class or event.

More news on a local Santa Cruz event coming up!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie
Kay’s Etsy Shop

The winner of Plant Your Own Garden is No. 6, Char! Congratulations, and have fun putting the techniques into your appliqué bag of tricks!

At Quiltfest Oasis in Palm Springs over the weekend, there was a special exhibit of quilts made by members of the Baltimore Appliqué Society. In the booth one day I struck up a lovely conversation with a fellow appliqué enthusiast, who told me she had followed her quilt to California all the way from Maryland. Kelly Kout, I enjoyed talking with you!!

Here’s Kelly’s quilt, “Flowers for Jean,” designed by Lori Smith.

That is one gorgeous, amazing, handcrafted masterpiece.

Next week… the fabulous Pacific International Quilt Festival!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

In Sonora over the weekend, Susan Florez mentioned to me that she had a dollhouse quilt in the show. I went to take a look, and OMG!

Pocket Dollhouse Quilt by Susan Florez

What a dollhouse wonderland! It’s the kind of quilt where you just stand there and look at every square inch of it, discovering delightful details at every turn.

The sewing room.

The kitchen.

The sweet girly bedroom. Wish mine looked like that.

I loved this little domestic microcosm. Here are links to the information on the label.

Designed by Jan Leifson for The Apron Lady Designs and purchased at Bearly Quilting (in Sonora).

What lucky kids!! Congratulations, Susan, on a true heirloom.

This weekend, I’ll be in Brentwood (the one in northern California, not the one near UCLA) for the Delta Quilters show.

Back one day, then headed to Palm Springs for the brand-new Quiltfest Oasis, put on by the same folks as PIQF.

See you when I’ve got time to breathe! :)
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Three really big shoos

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Got a note from the Mancusos that pre-registration is open for three of their upcoming shows:




There are some fantastic appliqué classes offered at each of these. I’ll be at both Oasis and PIQF, in the merchant mall. Oasis is new this year, and we all have our fingers and toes crossed that it will be just as big and bustling and exciting as PIQF. Heavenly heaven for the quilter.

Until next time,
Kay

This weekend I’ll be at the Piecemaker Quilt Guild’s biennial show held at the Newark campus of Ohlone College here in northern California. The guest artist is design genius and my pal Tracey Brookshier :).

At a recent show, my booth was situated in front of a back hallway. The guild had a security person posted there, because it was not an entrance to the show. But it was the path to the hospitality room. Guild members congregated in that spot all weekend long, and I was treated to much information about their various medical histories.

At great length and detail, I heard about:

• High blood pressure.
• Allergies to medications.
• Rashes. Lots of rashes.
• Foot surgery.
• Cysts.
• Arthritis.
• Diabetes.
• Sciatica.
• Pain. A whole lot o’ pain.
• Asthma.
• Open heart surgery.
• And my favorite, the ruptured bra from the crutches.



Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Random.org has determined that the reader who won Piece O’ Cake’s Backyard Birds is No. 39, Pat! Congratulations to Pat, who says that hand appliqué is her first love, so this will be right up her alley.

The show at the end of June in San Luis Obispo had some beautiful appliqué quilts.

Fragrant Memories by Margaret Taylor

I love how fearless Margaret was in creating this masterpiece not from a pattern.

Earth and Twig by Sally Inouye

I’m a big fan of the designs of Sue Spargo.

Empress Feathers by Janie Walker

We were just talking about how delightful everything is from Piece O’ Cake. :) Beautiful colors on this one.

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

The first year I was at the Seven Sisters show in San Luis Obispo, I kept hearing the volunteers talking about the slow quilters. I filed this away in my brain as a curiosity. It took me awhile to figure out they were saying SLO quilters, as in San Luis Obispo LOL!

SLO is three hours drive down the coast from me, and I always look forward to rolling up on the beautiful and very pink Madonna Inn, with horses grazing in adjoining pastures. This year the show is June 28-29.

For the first time, they’ve added a workshop to the festivities!

Jan Krentz is well known for her books on star and diamond quilts. Jan will be giving a one-day class called Quick Starburst on both Saturday and Sunday, in two different locations.

In addition, Jan is giving the keynote address on Saturday evening, entitled “Design Inspiration from Everyday Life.”

You can register for these events at the show’s website, aqgcc.org.

If you’ve attended this show before, you’re used to finding me tucked away in the little side room, but this year I’ll be out on the main show floor. Hope to see you there!

Cheers,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Over the bridge!

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Today I head north over the Golden Gate Bridge and into wine country for this weekend’s quilt show in Santa Rosa. It’s put on by the Moonlight Quilters of Sonoma County and last year it was great fun.

The Golden Gate Bridge has done away with toll booths and now you register your vehicle online and your license plate is scanned as you cross. It really speeds things up… but I still don’t know what they do with all the rental cars…

The reader who won Home Sweet Quilt is No. 4, Kathleen! Congratulations! She says she is really looking forward to this color-filled book with its combination of patchwork and appliqué. I agree, that’s the best combo platter!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

The three door prize winners in honor of National Quilting Day are… No. 34-Dorothy, No. 39-Cathy, and No. 47-Lynn. Congratulations to all three and thanks to everyone who entered the draw!

When I put together door prizes for the shows the contents may vary… this time they contained two of my books.

Growing Hearts has 16 flowering hearts blocks, and A Merry Little Christmas has a variety of holiday designs in sizes that play nicely together. Enjoy the designs ladies!

I’m off to SoCal once again (my car knows the way) for the Glendale Quilt Guild show at the Pasadena Convention Center. Hope to see you there, and who knows, maybe you’ll win a door prize :).

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Chock full!

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I’ve got a lot of fun stuff to mention today!

First off, Martingale is commemorating Worldwide Quilting Day, March 15, with several suggestions for things to do. One of them is, “Start a spark—make just one block!” To support this notion they’ve got some of their favorite block eBooks on sale. And my Easy Appliqué Blocks is one of them!

Go see the Martingale blog post!

Golly, it’s good to see those EAB blocks again.

I might just have to cook up something myself this Saturday to celebrate what is both Worldwide Quilting Day and National Quilting Day. Got my thinking cap on…

While I’m thinking, you have got to go and see what the phenomenal Darcy Ashton is working on now.

The gorgeous Miss Mermaid.

My next show is the Glendale Quilt Guild, March 21-22, newly held at the Pasadena Convention Center. After many years in Burbank, they’re moving to this new venue where the entire show can be in one giant happy room. Can’t wait, especially since I’ll get to see my special pal Cathy, she of GefiilteQuilt. Note that this is a Friday-Saturday show.


Got a lot to do to get ready! I’m also working on yet another new pattern. Stay tuned!

Until Saturday,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Right now I’m in Valencia, California, staying over on the way to Palm Springs for the Desert Guilds biennial quilt show! Setup is tomorrow, then the show is Friday and Saturday. I had a great time two years ago and am happy to be going back to the desert once again. My pal Debby has a beautiful shop The Quilter’s Faire in nearby Palm Desert and it’ll be great seeing her again over the weekend.

The winner of Fall Into Spring is No. 41, Ellen. Congratulations Ellen! I know you will love this expanded pattern from the AQS. Thanks so much to everyone who follows the blog and enters the drawings.

Back next week,
Cheers,
Kay

Commenter No. 16, Karen Pastoor, came up the winner of The Quilter’s Appliqué Workshop. Congratulations Karen! I know you will enjoy this fabulous new book.

And don’t forget that Kevin Kosbab is holding a blog tour later this week to celebrate the book’s release! It’ll go February 20-28 over at Kevin’s blog, Feed Dog Designs.

In other news, I’m gearing up for my own guild’s quilt show this weekend! We’re the Pajaro Valley Quilt Association, with members from Santa Cruz County and beyond.

The show is held at the County Fairgrounds in Watsonville. It’s a great location, we have all three buildings and there are lots of fun features and activities during the show. I’ll be in the Harvest Building this year, the same building where lunch is served and the quilt auction and fashion show are held. Hope to see you there this weekend! Saturday, February 22, 10-5, and Sunday, February 23, 10-4.

I mentioned that I was working on a new pattern. Here it is, Sunday Dress.


Originally I called it “Easter Dress,” but after thinking about it some more, I changed it to Sunday Dress so that it wouldn’t seem so seasonal. Those of you who got it at the Folsom show (thank you), I guess you could say you have a collector’s item! :)

Back on the 1st with another great appliqué book! See you then!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Goin’ to Folsom

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Just a couple quick notes today. You may be wondering what happened to our book feature for February. It’s coming! Stay tuned for something really cool, a little later in the month.

I’m headed to the Folsom Quilt and Fiber Guild show this weekend. It’ll be my first time, and from what I understand it’s a pretty big and wonderful show. I’m looking forward to it! I saw my buddy Cathy of Cathy’s Crafts at Road, and it turns out we’ll be next-door neighbors, yay!

I made a new pattern! It has this in it. I’ll show you the whole thing later.


There’s a giveaway going on right now at Quiltmaker. It ends February 8, so hurry on over!

Until next time,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

Finally getting my head back on straight after a week away from home at the glorious Road to California show. My goodness, what an extravaganza! The Mayor of Ontario (California) said it is their single biggest event of the year.

This year, about 50 more vendors were added, located in a structure that was variously referred to as the Bubble, the Big Top, the Tent, and officially, The Pavilion. My pal Debby, whose shop is The Quilter’s Faire in Palm Desert, was the last to get a space and it was wonderful to have a chance to visit with her in those few minutes a day when we are not bungee-corded to our booths.

Debby had been telling me that she was going to make up my pattern
A Spin in the Garden, and there it was!

A whole new look, so fresh and adorable! She had kits for the happy spring-like fabrics, and I think they sold out. If you’re interested, you can contact the store to see if they have more. The Quilter’s Faire.

The Appliqué Self-Help Brochure went over well. :) I didn’t hand out that many, because in general the visitors to the booth had lovely, positive attitudes. When I did fish one out and hand it over with a smile, it was taken in good spirit, so I think it’s going to work.

A few of you stopped by to see the new Teapot quilt, thanks! it also was well received and fit into the booth “like butter.”

I didn’t get the chance to take many photos of the show entries, but what I did notice were several variations of the good ol’ Dresden Plate, one of my favorite blocks. There were more, but here are just a couple.

Fancy Dresden Plate by Cheryl Beckendorf and Leslie Guyton, quilted by Heidi Stagno

Bloomin' Cogwheels by Janna Thomas

There’s something exciting coming to Appliqué Book Land, quite soon! Stay tuned!

Until then,
Kay
By Kay Mackenzie

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