New Fabric and New Folks

NQA (Nat'l Quilt Assoc) Show is in town and of course, 
I was there.   Kathy Guenther, my quilt buddy in "fiber crime"
 came along with me and we hit a few LQS as part of the adventure.    

Word of advice...when parking in downtown lots 
be sure to keep track of your parking ticket.  
I almost had to pay $60.00 to get out of the lot 
or bust down the exit barrier and go directly to jail.

I found my ticket and no handcuffs were required!

(and just when I thought the fun was about to begin)

A great thing about shopping with Kathy is 
we like most of the same fabrics.  
So when we find something we really like, we split it.  

Like these great Moda FQs - Aspen Frost 
which was a helava bargain with my 25% off coupon 
At Red Rooster LQS.

36 FQs became 72 Fat 8ths and we both get to

make something fun for the holidays!  

And then Kathy found these Michael Miller
"Stitchy Squares" FQs at the show.

Now we both have Fat 8ths for our stash!

I have had many requests for OWL baby quilts lately... 

and I found these fun FQs...I better get busy!

And OMG..this Owl fabric had to come home with me.  

Picked them up at LQS "Sew to Speak" 



Very modern VIBE going on here!

Sew to Speak is a small shop, but you know the saying

"good things come in small packages" 

The center Halloween fabric (Riley Blake - Too Cute to Spook)
and the purple / organge were bargain rack specials!  YAY
Once I pull from my stash..I see a

fun Halloween quilt on the horizon!

Of course I bought other things...like some gray linen for my low volume quilt (that is living in my head)  

And Kathy has been using these pressing sticks 

to help press seams open (for less bulk)...

So I to have some.  

I haven't done hexies in 15 years but I did find some templates.

Will give them a try and see if they are habit forming.  

Like I need another habit!

Well another day of shop hopping awaits.

But before I go....check out these new bloggers 

on the Plum and June sponsored hop.

Show em some bloggy love!

Friday, June 28

Green @ So Sew Green

Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts

Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme

Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap

Kathy @ Kayak Quilting

Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts

Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

Kris @ Sew Sunshine

Camilla @ Faffling

Want to see the entire schedule...click on the Blog Hop

button on my side bar.

TWO MILESTONES - TWO GIVEAWAYS

This contest is closed.
Winners have been notified.

Kwilty Pleasures 
has reached 2 milestones


500 Followers  (GFC+BL+Email)
100 posts (I'm talkin here)

I began blogging in the Fall of  2011
had no clue what I was doing
 or really what "blogging" was all about.  
I knew I loved to write, loved technology 
and loved kwilting.   Combine those 3 loves and 
Kwilty Pleasures blog was born.
 A Kwilty Pleasure, by my definition,

 is anything fabric or fiber in the 

kwilting world that puts a smile on your face 

and fills your creative soul with pleasure. 

I just luuuuuuvvvvv blogging and I have learned so much!!!
Let me break it down!

What I luv about blogging!!!

• I have a "voice" in blogland
• I get to write about my passions - kwilting, gardening, etc
• I get to read my followers "wonderful" comments!
• I get to leave comments on other inspirational blogs
• I wake up in the middle of the nite with an idea for a post
• I get to take photos for my posts
• I am addicted to blog hopping 
• I get to make projects "for" blog hops
• I get to party everyday by joining up with linky parties 
• I get to WIN giveaways - and GIVE prizes in giveaways
• I have new bloggy friends all over the world. 
• I draw my inspiration from other bloggers
• I get to see wonderful projects of other bloggers
• I get to follow links a blogger may post and find even more inspiration!
• I get to challenge myself bywriting tutorials
• I get to read great tutorials and try new techinques
• I see no evidence of QUILT-ZILLAS or their crap!  

What I have learned about blogging...

• I need a good camera for blog photos (but I need more practice)
• My head spins 360 degrees as I drive around looking for "outdoor photo opportunities"  
• I will freeze my arse off (I wish) taking those photos
• My husband's bi-ceps are looking good from holding up my kwilts for those photo ops. 
• I love to try all the new technology for blog designs
• I now can use FLICKR for more than just PHOTOS!
•  FLICKR email strings are overwhelming! 
• I know how to link my posts to other social media
• I spend way more time in blogland than ever imagined (good thing I recently retired)
• I can multi-task: watch TV, read social media on my iPad, type posts on my laptop and occasionally look up to see if my hubby is still in his recliner!  
• I had to put a white-board in my sewing room to keep track of what blog post is due when...what I'm making for hops, etc.
• I have a wonderful "following"...hell, I didn't even know what a following was when I began blogging !
• I have determined that reading your comments is more important than email, FB or Pinterest
• NO REPLY BLOGGERS make me sad - can't respond to them
• I start my day with coffee, my iPad and reading blogs, FB, Pinterest...sometimes that's as far as I get (period)  I'm hooked!
• Folks are actually reading my blog and leaving comments.  
• Comments inspire me.  It is so nice to know someone out there has an interest in what I'm saying, doing, showing.
• Comments give me hope that my creativity just might make a difference for someone out there.  

So, because you 

and this post marks





It's time for 2 "Milestone" give-aways!

Giveaway #1

3 coordinating FQs and a 42 piece charm pack of 
"Sew Stitchy"by Aneela Hoey for Moda

just look at all this "Stitchy" fun!

Giveaway #2

Two 42 piece Charm Packs of
OZ by Sanae for Moda



and who wouldn't love this in their stash?





Just leave me a comment to tell me
"why" you follow me!

This is open to all my blogworld friends! 
I'm not looking thru 500 names to verify if you follow or not! 
It's a celebration party, not a shake down!   

It will be my Kwilty Pleasure to random draw
two winners on July 1st!
Make sure I have your email in your comment
if there is any chance you are a NO REPLY BLOGGER!

Thanks for all your bloggy love!

A "Charming" Mail Call

Stacey over at The Tilted Quilt recently organized a

"Rainbow" Charm Swap.   

Stacey assigned each of us a color in the rainbow.

We cut our charms and sent them to her in

a postage paid, self addressed envelope

I am sooooooooooooooo excited.

My charms arrived in the mail yesterday!

This gets better...at least from my "stash" view.

The Columbus Modern Quilt Guild

did a swap earlier this year.

We swapped 2 1/2" strips of modern fabric.

I have 40 strips!!!

Toss them all together and OMG!!!

My hands were shaking, my mouth was watering.

I didn't know if I should sew or have a cocktail!

Looking for ideas or a pattern to use up all this 

YUMMINESS!!!

But before you go...I want to remind you

It's Friday and the "Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop"

sponsored by Plum and June is in full swing.

Here are today's bloggers...

Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage

Stacey @ The Tilted Quilt

Sarah @ Quilt Candy

Jackie @ NW Patchwork

Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles

Erica @ Happy Fabric

Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity

Lauren @ Seraphym

Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Now, where did I put that bottle of wine?

LABEL IT...

Today I'm working on kwilt labels...
It's gonna take me more than a day cause 

I'm really bad about labeling kwilts I make and keep. 

SEE!!!!!

Left stack - MY KWILTS     Right stack - HEIRLOOMS

You can buy pre-made labels and write in the information with permanent ink, 
order custom labels on line, 
but I usually just make mine using "ink jet" printable fabrics.
There are many brands so just look for "ink jet" fabric packages.  
I like to set up 4 to page.  Change ink colors, relevant info. 

 I add a border to coordinate with the kwilt or backing
TIP**  "Used" fabric dryer sheets for the label back
and hand stitch them on.  




The most unique label I ever did was on a baby kwilt.
Daddy (a romantic) wanted a unique gift to give his wife, 
recently pregnant, for their 1st wedding anniversary.  
I had a brain storm and he had the perfect photo!

This kwilt label was the highlight of the 
kwilt titled "In the Beginning"
and included the sonogram image of the baby.
A picture is worth a thousand words...

Mommy cried when she received the kwilt!

If the kwilt is a gift or in my Etsy shop I include a "corner label" with wash/dry instructions, sewn to the kwilt before binding. 

A label doesn't have to be elaborate but all those stitches you put into that quilt...
deserves some history.  
At least try and include.. 

Kwilt name, year made  
(if a gift - recipient name, giver's name)
name of who pieced and kwilted it.

Hope you week is "labeled" full of Kwilty Pleasures.  

MODERN MINI QUILT CHALLENGE

Ellison Lane Quilts is hosting a fun challenge.



Click here to see the entries or enter your mini kwilt 
until June 16th.  Then the voting begins for great prizes. 
The Linky is at the at the bottom of the Allison Lane post.

The Columbus Modern Quilt Guild had a Madrona Road "
Michael Miller" fabric challenge with a reveal this past April.  
Along with the fabric we were challenged 
to do our own interpretation of "Stars and Stripes"
This is my entry..you may have seen the before. 

My mini kwilt measures 13" x 24" 
and is my own design.

We were given 6 Fat-8ths and 1 FQ.
We could add more Madrona Road fabrics
or SOLIDS.  

I cut the yellow FQ,and resewed it to make the "solid background".

Then I cut strips at various width and layered them one

at a time arcoss the yellow...zig zagged them down.

The wonky star was free-style cut from some of the scraps,

layered on stop and zig zagged down.

 I added a solid gray for the for the backing and a 

solid black for the binding.

I played around with some fun FMQ designs.

I had some scraps left, so I made a friend this fun little bag 

for our kwilt shopping adventures!

Nothing like hands free fabric shopping.

Front

Back

Head on over to Ellison Lane Quilts and 
check out all the mini quilts. 

All entries are eligable for prizes, so if you like it
and the voting begins....

...a vote for my mini kwilt 
*caption is Kathy at Kwilty Pleasures*
is appreciated.  

"Grandma's Stitches" Comes Home...

Last Sunday, angels reached down from heaven and delivered 

a Lonestar (family heirloom) kwilt to me.

Take a deep breath!!!!

Grandma's Stitches

Just look at the piecing, the perfect points

and the hand kwilting!  

Solid colors....what goes around does come around!  

Modern..nope this is an antique!!!

The backing is all white cotton

I never knew these "grandmas" but 

have heard many stories about them.  

I now have pieces of them in my hands. 

The label will read...

"Grandma's Stitches"

was hand pieced and hand quilted

in the late 20s to early 30s 

by my husband's (Phil Gordon)

Great-Grandma Lottie Gregg 

and Grandma Cora Stuckey who lived in Ohio.

Grandma Stuckey passed it down to 

Phil's mother, Geraldine Gordon.

Gary Gordon, Geraldines oldest son

inherited it and had it for 40 years  

Because of Kathy Gordon's love for quilts....

Gary gave it to Phil and Kathy.

"Grandma's Stitches" came home June, 2013.  

Grandma's Stitches

2013 Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop

My name is Kathy, and I am a blog hop enabler....

There's a new hop in town!

Below is the entire schedule, which is each
Friday in June and July
 but you can always find it at Plum and June!  
(button link is on my sidebar)

 So what bloggers will you meet? 

Modern
Active
New

It could be someone who has just started their blog a month ago 

or someone like me who is a good year into blogland.   

It may be a blog you are familiar with 

or a newbie that will soon be on your blog reading list.    

The host has asked for Modern aethetic but 
some bloggers may have more than sewing to talk about.
A little bit of this and that is always good for the soul.  

Kwilty Pleasures is up on July 19th but if you

are reading this you have seen a lot of my projects, which
have been rooted in a traditional style.
Beware...modern has been creeping into
my sewing room.

Please go say hello to the June 7th group of todays 

New Modern Bloggers!  

It's all about fun and inspiration!  

Friday, June 7th

Nancy @ Owen's Olivia

Amy @ 13 Spools

Ashley @ Wasn't Quilt In A Day

Casey @ The Studiolo 

Nanette @ Yeah, I Made That

Ange @ Heart Of Charnwood

Kim @ Robot Mom Sews

Erica @ Kitchen Table Quilting

Friday, June 14

Julie @ Jolie Maxtin

Melissa @ Melia Mae Quilting

Adrianne @ On The Windy Side

Molli @ Molli Sparkles

Laura @ Little And Lots
Sarah @ Duck Egg Threads
Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation
Cari @ There's A Thread
Valerie @ Between Quilts

Friday, June 21
Leigh Anne @ Ella's Cottage
Stacy @ The Tilted Quilt
Sarah @ Quilt Candy
Jackie @ NW Patchwork
Liz @ Beadqueene's Bits And Baubles
Erica @ Happy Fabric
Stephanie @ Simple Sewendipity
Lauren @ Seraphym
Amy @ Cloud CouCou Crafts

Friday, June 28
Green @ So Sew Green
Gwendellyn @ The Rainbow Revolts
Jessica @ Stitched In Thyme
Amira @ Little Mushroom Cap
Kathy @ Kayak Quilting
Michelle @ Factotum Of Arts
Paula @ The Sassy Quilter
Kris @ Sew Sunshine
Camilla @ Faffling

Friday, July 5
Christa @ Christa Quilts!
Alyce @ Wonderland By Alyce
Anna @ The Crooked Banana
Rachel @ Sew Happily Ever After 
Stephanie @ Quarter Incher
Kristy & Shayla @ Sassafras Lane Designs
Caroline @ Carolines Craftiness
Lisa @ Hilltop House Creative Works

Fridau, July 12
Leona @ Leona's Quilting Adventure
Karen @ Karen, {Novice} Quilter
Anne @ PlayCrafts
Rachel @ Let's Begin Sewing...
Jan @ Sew And Sow Farm
Anna @ Quilting Along The Grain
Cath @ Wombat Quilts
Sarah @ {No} Hats In The House

Friday, July 19
Karen @ Little Birdie Quilting Studio
Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures  (that's me)
Katie @ Snuggle Up With A Dish From Karma 
Alison @ Making Happyness
Ella and Nesta @ Ella & Nesta's Little Room
Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Modern Quilts
Nicole @ Modern Handcraft
Aylin @ AyliN-Nilya
Kelsy and Amanda @ everydayfray.com

Friday, July 26
Vicki @ A Quilter's Mission
RobinSue @ RobinSue Quilts
Elise @ Lovelea Designs
Elizabeth @ In The Boondocks
Jenny @ A Note To Follow Sew
Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Sonia @ Fabric & Flowers
Emily @ Sew E.T.
EM @ SEWING BY MOONLIGHT

WEDNESDAY WANDERING

I have a giveaway winner and some wanderings to share...

First up I just finished quiting this fun baby quilt for a friend.  

Love the Backyard Baby "Bug Fabric"

  

and I have the top and backing done for my first PLUS quilt

I had an errand this morning that took by a favorite

 Sew to Speak QS and of course these fabrics jumped right into my hands!

And now what you've been waiting for.
I want to thank the 100 commenters, I read and replied to all that I could.  I had a few no-reply bloggers!
Thanks for all the gardens you told me about!  

My "Say it with Flowers Blog Hop"
Giveaway Winner is...
Thimblemouse!  

and she won this Moda charm pack.
I have sent an email to get a mailing address.

But wait....There were so many wonderful projects I wass thrilled to have 
my bag of flowers place in the most creative category!

It's in my Etsy store now.

One more Wednesday Wandering!  
  Since I've only been blogging a little over a year I have
been invited to be a part of this hop. 
Plum and June is hosting...and each FRIDAY 
during June and July you can meet new bloggers.