BOOK WINNER AND ELECTRIC QUILT DRAWING

First I want to thank those who left a comment about my book and wished me a happy birthday. Today is the official day and I've reached a milestone! 65 years. I can't believe I am that old! Not that it is old to me, but to someone who is under 40 they would think it was!

Anyway, the winner of my book drawing is Michele T. Congratulations Michele! You will be getting an email from me so I can get your address and put your signed copy of my book in the mail.

Starting today, Electric Quilt is having another drawing for my book. If you are here for the first time after reading Electric Quilt's blog, then welcome. I hope you will come back again and consider following me. If you are a loyal blog friend and reading this before going to Electric Quilt then you need to go to Electric Quilt's blog and leave your comment on their blog (not mine) for a chance to win a copy of my book. The reason that Electric quilt is featuring me in their blog today, is because I am one of their EQ designers and I designed every quilt in the book with EQ7. Maybe after seeing all of the wonderful things I can do with EQ7 you might want a copy of your own! They are also have a huge drawing for unbelievable prizes! You can see how to enter other drawings, including the grand prize, on their blog.

So far I have been giving you peeks of some of the quilts in the book. Today I decided to show you all of the quilts and explain a little about each one. Kaleidostars is a book about how to use symmetrical fabrics. Those are fabrics that, if you drew an imaginary line down the center of the design, it would be the same on both sides. A butterfly is symmetrical for example. Here is a sample of Paula Nadelstern's newest fabric collection called ChromaZone.

  
You can see many more symmetrical fabrics like this on my website.

In my book I tell you what to look for in symmetrical fabrics, how to cut perfect repeats every time, choosing coordinating prints, and how to sew the block together that has no "y" seams. 

Here is a sample of a block that one of my students made in my Northern Lights workshop. She used two symmetrical fabrics by Jinny Beyer called Carnival. You can see that there are two versions of the print, one with a dark background and one with a light. You can get this fabric on my website also.

 

 

I also used that collection for a quilt in my book and called it Carnival. Here is the EQ7 version and my version. I like how I can manipulate the fabrics in the program to create the symmetrical design, so I can see what they are going to look like when I sew them together, before I even cut one piece out.

      

Some quilts I only used one symmetrical fabric. Again, I'm showing the EQ7 version and the finished quilt. This quilt is called Parfait and since it only has four blocks in it, I suggest that if you haven't made a block like this, to start with this quilt. It has a 17" block.
 

 

Here is another quilt, that I used only one symmetrical fabric in it, called Royal Garden. It is really hard to tell the real version from the EQ7 version! This is probably the hardest quilt in the book because you have to match everything that comes together in the diamonds.

The next quilt is called Caribbean Blues. Again, it is hard to tell the difference between the real quilt and EQ7 image. That is how good the program is! This one uses two fabrics, one is symmetrical and one is not, but both are fussy cut.

The cover quilt, Mardi Gras also uses two fabrics, both symmetrical. Can you tell which one is the EQ7 image?

This next quilt uses one fabric. Instead of cutting the same repeat, I cut the mirror image (a right and left section of the fabric repeat), to create Fun House Mirrors. I didn't have a fabric that looked like this one in my EQ7 program so the image of it doesn't look like this one.

The quilt I really had fun designing is Electrifying! In EQ7 you can design all kinds of border treatments. It also has borders that are already made that you can pick from. Again, I didn't have the actual fabric in EQ that I used in my quilt but I was able to get the general idea of what the layout and border were going to look like. It uses one symmetrical fabric and I cut two different repeats in the same block. I think the title really fits the quilt!

In the final quilt called Northern Lights, I used three different coordinating symmetrical fabrics. 

I hope you have enjoyed this virtual trunk show and given you a good idea of what is in my book. I do have to add that most of these quilts are not as hard as they look. Just ask anyone who has taken my workshop. If you don't win the book you can always purchase a copy of it here: Kaleidostars

So for today's drawing, on my blog, I will be giving away a fat quarter bundle of Paula Nadelstern's newest collection called ChromaZone. All you have to do to be in the drawing is to leave a comment at the end of this blog telling me which quilt you think you would like to make. Be sure to LEAVE ME SOME WAY OF CONTACTING YOU IF YOU WIN. I can't tell you how many times I have drawn a name from the list only to find out I have no way of letting them know they won. If you do not want to leave your email in the message or you have difficulty leaving a comment, then use the contact me form on the right side of the blog and send me your email address. No one will see it but me.

Got to get quilting. I'm working on a new sample for one of my workshops (along with so many other projects). I'll post it as I make it on my FB page.

As always, do what you love and love what you do. Good luck and thanks for reading. Toby

MARCH MADNESS SALE AND ELECTRIC QUILT GIVEAWAY.

As I look out my window I see wonderful signs of spring. My Redbud and Dogwood trees are blooming. I love when everything starts to green up. Our woods are so drab in the winter when all I see are tree trunks!

For all of the Electric Quilter users out there, they are having a 25th anniversary celebration this year with lots of giveaways. The grand prize is unbelievable! You can follow their blog here: Behind the Mouse, The Electric Quilt blog.

Since I designed all of the quilts in my new book Kaleidostars, Electric Quilt be giving away a copy of my book. All you have to do is go to the Electric Quilt blog and leave a comment. Watch for my interview on the blog. Behind the Mouse, The Electric Quilt blog.

 
Here is how you can enter to win the grand prize. EQ Grand prize giveaway.

Here is one of the quilts in the book with the EQ7 image and the actual quilt image.

 It's hard to tell them apart! This is the quilt that is on the cover of the book. I love working with EQ7 because I can manipulate the fabrics to create the fussy-cut look you see. If you have never used Electric Quilt, you should consider purchasing it. It contains thousands of quilt layouts, fabrics, and block designs. It is so easy to use too!


You can purchase a copy of the book here Kaleidostars book.  (If you don't win it!) If you want a chance to win my book from me as a second chance along with Electric Quilt, please leave a comment at the end of this blog to let me know which quilt you like best in the book. A winner will be drawn at random.





Anyone who has been following me for quite a few years knows that I always have a huge sale at the end of March to celebrate my birthday. I'm sure you have heard the saying, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb". Well my maiden name is Lamb and my birthday is the last day of March. How fun is that?  

This is a big one! I turn 65! I don't know where the time went but I sure don't feel 65. I remember how old I thought my mom was when she was 65. Anyway, I will have ALL of my patterns at 50% off until March 31st. That goes for mailed copies or PDFs. Some of the shipping charges on the purchase of one pattern will be refunded (or all of it will be refunded for PDF purchases). You will get a refund to your account after purchase. You will also get 10% off the rest of your purchase (including sale items) which will be refunded after purchase. All purchases over $100 will receive free shipping. I will have an additional drawing on the 31st to celebrate my birthday. You will have to come back to find out and enter the drawing on that day only!

Check out some of my sale fabrics. These are from the Dreamweaver collection by Jason Yentor. They are only $8.00 a yard. Aren't they yummy!!!!

You can find them here: Dreamweaver
 
Be sure when you leave a comment you give me some way of contacting you. If you do not want to leave your email address in the body of the message then use the Contact me form on the right of the blog and send me an email.
 
As always, do what you love and love what you do. Thanks for reading. Toby