My First Book!

Just about a year and a half ago I attended my

first International Quilt Market as a vendor.  I

had just started a quilt pattern design business

and this was my first big time exposure in the

quilt world.

I was in my booth at Market one day and I was busy

with customers.  My fabulous Mr. Wonderful was there

to lend a helping hand, he's great with a hammer and nails

but a needle and thread ~ hmmmm, not so much...

So a woman came into the booth and started asking Rob

some questions which he tried to answer, finally he

confessed,  "I'm just the driver."  To which the woman

replied, "Oh, you're adorable", she then gave him a card

and said she was the Publisher at C&T Publishers.  When

 I finished up with my customers Rob gave me the card

and told the story.  It was a cute story but I was so sad

because I would have LOVED to have had a chance to

speak with a big time publisher.  A short while later

another woman came into the booth and said she was

the Creative Director or C&T Publishing.  She said her

publisher made her come visit this time since she had

been to my booth 3 times already and didn't want to

look like a stalker ~ ha ha!  So we gabbed about quilting

and publishing and old time paste-up methods and when

I returned home the conversations continued and soon

 enough I had a book contract!

 

 

And here we are a year and a half later, all the edits

are in and the book is heading to the printer.  I have

learned so much in the past 18 months and it has been

 a fascinating education.  So much energy goes into

making a book and so many people are involved.  It has

 been a wonderful experience.  I can't wait until I actually

 get to hold the book and flip through the pages, that is

still a few months away but the book is available for

 pre-order right now at the following sites:

 

From C&T:

http://www.ctpub.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=3130

 

From Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Homestead-Quilts-Brownstone-Craftsman/dp/1607058073/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383245779&sr=1-1&keywords=american+homestead+quilts

I hope everyone enjoys the book!

From my American Homestead,

I wish you All the Best,

~ Ellen

 

Ps. Please share this post with your friends!

Birds in the Air

 

 

Hi!  If you enjoy this blog, please become

a follower, I need to know if anyone is out

there using these tutorials!  And pop on over

to the American Homestead blog and see what

is going on in my life.  All the best!  ~ Ellen

 

http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com

 Cut 2 dark & 3 light 3 1/2"

squares, then cut on the diagonal.

Then cut 1 - 8 7/8" square &

cut on the diagonal.

Sew 3 light and dark squares as

shown, mine squared up to 3 1/8".

Sew units together as shown.

I found that pressing seams

as shown above is the best

option to achieve precise points.

Especially that center seam, notice

those seams are pressed in opposite

directions, they will lock together

when you pin the seam.  After

sewing this seam, I pressed the

seam open to reduce bulk.

Sew the final light triangle to

the light & dark unit.  Next you

have to trim the long edge of this

triangle, take care to leave 1/4"

from the points of the dark triangles.

 

Then sew the above units together

along the long edge of the triangles.

Press seam to the solid triangle

and square to 8 1/2".

Here is another one I made

using different fabrics for the

dark triangles.

This is another with

different fabrics.

New Pattern Collection

 

Tomorrow I leave for the Fall '13

International Quilt Market in Houston.

I'm flying and have LOTS of stuff to take for

my booth so the laptop is staying home.

That means my blog readers will have the

first peek at the new designs.

 

This is Stars Hollow.

 

 

Floral Park

 

Summerside

 

I have been back at work with wool felt.

 

Grand Isle

 

Avalon

 

Petaluma

 

The patterns are up on the website and you

can order by just emailing me:

 

ellen@americanhomesteaddesign.com

 

 

Wholesale orders are available through me

or from Checker Distributors.

Cotton Boll

Cotton Boll

 

Hi!  If you enjoy this blog, please become

a follower, I need to know if anyone is out

there using these tutorials!  And pop on over

to the American Homestead blog and see what

is going on in my life.  All the best!  ~ Ellen

 

http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com

 

This is a block that you have to think of

as a 4-patch, then it is easy.

Cut 4 - 2 7/8" squares and cut on diagonal.

Cut 4 rectangles 3 3/8" x 7".

Use the same fabric for all 4 or

2 of one and 2 of another, the

choice is yours.

On the back, draw a line in the center.

Place the diagonal line on a square

ruler on top of the drawn line and

the point of the angle on the edge

of the fabric.  Cut excess triangles off.

Place long edge of small triangles

right sides together on long edge of

rectangles.  Overlap the point of the

triangle by 1/4" and sew.  Repeat to

the other side.

This is an important step for

precise points.  Press the triangle

seams of 2 rectangles to the inside

and the seams of the other 2 rectangles

to the outside.  If using rectangles of

the same color, just do 2 and 2.  If  using

2 different fabrics, press Fabric A

seams to the inside and Fabric B

 seams to the outside.

Square up the pointed edge

of rectangle as shown.

Now square up opposite side

of rectangle, unit should measure

to a 4 1/2" square.

Layout units as shown and sew

together in 2 rows.  Now this is

where the pressing of the seams

comes into play.  As you pin the seam

before sewing, take care to "lock" the

seams together at the mid section

of the seam.

By pressing and taking care you

will get very precise points.

On the two units press the

seams in opposite directions.

Sew final seam of block and

press seam open to reduce bulk.

Square block to 8 1/2".

Here is one I did using the

same fabric for the rectangles.

The Hands of Strangers

 

 

Hi!  If you enjoy this blog, please become

a follower, I need to know if anyone is out

there using these tutorials!  And pop on over

to the American Homestead blog and see what

is going on in my life.  All the best!  ~ Ellen

 

http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com

 

 

We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's

Block of the Month, Dixie Diary.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com

Today I realized I somehow missed September,

I chalk that up to too much work and some

travel fun thrown in.  I'll post October's

sometime later in the month.

Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Red

1 - 7 1/4'' square

Fabric B: White, Red & Green Print

1 - 7 1/4'' square

 

Fabric C: Blue

4 - 3 1/2'' x 6 1/2'' rectangles

Fabric D: Green & White Print

4 - 3 1/2'' squares

Make Half Square Triangles:

Mark a diagonal line on the back of the
Fabric B 7 1/4'' square.

Pair the 7 1/4'' squares with right sides

together.  Sew 1/4'' away from each side of

the drawn line. 

Press seams to the dark fabric.  Square to 6 1/2''.

Note: you will need only 1 of the half square

triangles, save the other for another project.

Sew a Fabric C rectangle to each side

of the Half Square Triangle.

Press seams to the Fabric C.

Sew Fabric D squares to each side of

the remaining Fabric C rectangles.

Press seams to the Fabric C.

Layout units as shown and sew together.

Square to 12 1/2''.

I added the sashing and applique as

described in month 1.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2013/01/dixie-diary-1-her-flag-flying.html

Fort Sumter

 

Hi!  If you enjoy this blog, please become

a follower, I need to know if anyone is out

there using these tutorials!  And pop on over

to the American Homestead blog and see what

is going on in my life.  All the best!  ~ Ellen

 

http://americanhomestead.blogspot.com

Cutting Requirements:

Fabric A: Red

 4 - 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles

Fabric B: Blue

2 - 3 7/8" square - cut

on diagonal each way

Fabric C: Light

4 - 1 1/2" squares

Fabric D: Dark

4 - 1 1/2" x 4 1/4" rectangles

Fabric E: Medium

1 - 4 1/4" square

Sew Fabric B triangles

to each side of Fabric A

rectangles.  Press seams

to the outside.

Make 4.

Sew Fabric C squares to

each side of Fabric D

rectangles. Press seams

to the outside.

Make 2. 

Sew Fabric D rectangles

to each side of Fabric E

square.  Press seams to

the inside.

Sew above units together

taking care to "lock" seams

together and pin before

sewing.

Sew Fabric A/B units to

opposite sides of center

square.  Press seams out.

Sew other 2 Fabric A/B

units to remaining opposite

sides.  Square to 8 1/2".

Here is my first attempt.

I cut the red rectangles

too large, I shouldn't quilt

before fully awake.

Here is a quilt I made a

few years ago using the

Fort Sumter block.

I think I may have to

get this one quilted,

I quite like it.