Thursday, March 15, 2012

An Elm Creek Quilts Novel Giveaway!!! Sonoma Rose

I'm part of the Quilting Gallery's Blog Hop Party which runs from March 16th - 23rd.

I have a copy of Jennifer Chiaverini's newest novel Sonoma Rose for one lucky winner!

1. Become a Follower of this blog

2. Leave me a comment telling me if you will be giving

the book away or will it be a gift for yourself.

Good luck and a random number will be drawn on Saturday, March 24th.

Sorry but I can only ship within the United States.

Sonoma Rose - An Elm Creek Quilts Novel





NOW AVAILABLE: Sonoma Rose
The 1920s evokes indelible cultural motifs—the Jazz Age, Modernism, Prohibition—and
inspired heralded literature—from the interwar disillusionment explored in The Great Gatsby
or The Sun Also Rises to the strong women portrayed in Alice Adams or Main Street.
But in recently published fiction, this time period has rarely been explored.

Jennifer Chiaverini, author of the bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series, is one of few writers
working today to demonstrate equal mastery of contemporary and historical fiction. In 2011,
she published two New York Times bestselling novels—The Union Quilters, a Civil-War-era
chronicle of life behind Northern lines, and The Wedding Quilt, a twenty-first-century
celebration of one of America’s most enduring and romantic traditions. In SONOMA ROSE
(Which went on sale: February 21, 2012), Chiaverini turns her imaginative powers to the story of how one woman’s courage and vision wrought true change, for her family and for herself.


Rosa Diaz Barclay is touched by the criminality surrounding Prohibition when she
unwittingly discovers that her husband, John, has given over the duties of their
Southern California rye farm in favor of armed bootlegging. Fearing the safety of her four
beloved children, Rosa flees, with little more than a suitcase filled with John’s ill-gotten gains
and her heirloom quilts. Accompanying Rosa is her true love, Lars Jorgensen, a good but
flawed man who is the father of two of her children.

Together, the six travel north to San Francisco, seeking not only refuge from danger, but a cure for two of the children, who suffer from a mysterious wasting disease. A beneficent doctor orders a special diet and a rural convalescence for which Rosa and Lars, under assumed names, hire on at a Sonoma County vineyard. There, the devotion of the Italian-American community to the craft of viticulture—which through no fault of their own, has become illegal—inspires Rosa to acquire a vineyard of her own, even as she discovers firsthand its inherent hardships and dangers winemakers face in such turbulent times.


As Rose, she creates a personal and professional identity that she would never have dared
imagine at the opening of her tale, one that brings great honor—and beauty—to all who
surround her. As the New York Journal of Books has written, “Jennifer Chiaverini’s strength is
not only writing strong female characters, but also placing them in interesting life and
times.” SONOMA ROSE is a triumph on both fronts.






Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Harvest Cabins has gone to it's new home.

When my sister Dawn was here last year she picked this Harvest Cabins quilt out. 


I told her I would get it quilted and send it back to Florida with my Dad last Fall.  It did get quilted by Jennifer McCann, but I had not completed the binding. 


Doesn't Nermal look great with this as a background?

So when she decided to visit this month to spend time with my Mom Cindy after her breast cancer surgery, I decided to get it bound so she could take it back with her.

She helped me pick out the fabric binding, it's a diagonal strip from Moda from the Gobble Gobble line by Sandy Gervais.


I like the way that a diagonal binding finishes off a quilt.



This was the first quilt on my 2012 UFO list, and the 4th item I have finished off the list so far!!














Friday, February 10, 2012

2012 Lake Metro Farmpark Quilt Show

Last night was the reception for the exhibitors and their guests at the 2012 Lake Metro Farmpark Quilt Show.  I invited my Mom Cindy, my Aunt Winnie and my sister Dawn is here from Florida.  It was great chance for them to enjoy something that is one of my great passions.

As soon as we walked in we spotted the Best of Show and Large General Pieced first place quilt, Amazon Star by Sue Wilson of Huron, Ohio.  This quilt was selected from the first place winners of all the categories


What an awesome quilt!!  This is a Judy Niemeyer pattern.  I have always loved Lone Star quilts and this may become a future project.  If I learn how to paper piece effectively.

Then we headed down the hallway heading for the reception.

In the hallway we found Jennifer McCann's entry Key Largo.


This wallhanging won a 3rd place in the Pictorial category.

After enjoying the wonderful food provided by J & J Catering of Kirtland, Ohio we went in search of my quilt!

I found Rebecca Silbaugh's award winning quilt Union Jack in the side room.


I have this pattern and will use it to make myself a scrap quilt.

I finally found my quilt Spinning Sampler just as you enter the room that holds the featured artists quilts, what an honor!


It's so cool seeing it hanging there with it's Red ribbon!!

I had Dawn take a picture of me with my quilt.


I hope everyone that attends the 2012 show has a great time experiencing all of this beautiful art!



Saturday, January 28, 2012

Our 8 hour trip to New York!!

No not New York City, we spent the night in Fishkill New York, which is 60 minutes north of Manhatten.  DH was on a 'wishlist' speaker retrieval trip and I just happened to find a couple quilt shops to stop at on the way!

The first was Enchanted Mountain Quilting in Olean, New York.  It's 2.5 hours from our house and perfect place to stop for cookies and a restroom break.  While I checked out the fabrics my husband spoke with Betsy about their common home town of Castalia Ohio?  What a small world!!

First I found  this beautiful Serentity Gray by Red Rooster Fabrics.


Then I spotted this Beautiful Red Complements Embelishments by South Sea Imports.


The last thing I saw, was these Primitive Muslins by Moda, they looked like suede!

Primitive Gatherings

Then we got back in the van and continued on to Endicott for lunch then finally to Fishkill.

We checked into our Days Inn and then decided to go to the other quilt shop on my list.

The Quilt Basket in Wappingers Falls, New York

This shop has a great selection of fabrics, patterns and notions.  It was a little hard for me to make a selection with my DH following me around!  They had a number of totes displayed in the shop so I took the opportunity to purchase some Red 1" Webbing to use as straps on one of my next tote bags.  I also purchased the Large Twister tool.  I really had fun using the Lil' Twister to make this Christmas wreath wall hanging.


Yesterday we drove straight home so the van could be returned.

Today it's back to the sewing machine and a spring project to try and push away the snow and cold!!