Post Office Box

Thank y'all so much for the overwhelming response to my request for wonky log cabin blocks for the LLS charity quilt I'm putting together.  So many of you are willing to help that I had to get a post office box today.  So, if you would like to contribute a block, you can send it to:

Kisha Petticolas

P.O. Box 1654

Easton, MD 21601
Keep those blocks rolling in!

Ronnie's LLS Blocks

I know that I am supposed to be writing a post about my style, but I'm still on the mend and haven't had the mental fortitude to do anything outside of my day job.

I am, however, completely excited about the LLS blocks that have been arriving!  Yesterday, this package was waiting for me when I got home.

My initial thought was, "When did I order a record?  I didn't think they made vinyl albums anymore".  Quickly, I realized this was from one of my new quilty friends.  I excitedly opened the package to find this.

Then I thought, "Okay, maybe I did order something on eBay that I just don't remember".  I tore open the cardboard and found these wonky beauties...

...with a note from their maker, Ronnie.

Thanks so much, Ronnie!!!!  I love them!

There's still plenty of time to get in on this project.  The deadline is April 22nd.  Hope to find some more wonky goodness when I get home this evening!  :)

Postal Wonky Goodness

I'm not feeling great today, so this will be a quick post.
When I got home from the doctor's office, these were waiting for me in the mail.

These are the first LLS blocks to arrive.  I'm so excited!  Thanks, Sandra Leigh!

I'll be back later this week once I'm back on the good foot.

Overwhelmed

Lately, I find myself completely overwhelmed by quilty goodness.  Two days ago, I asked y'all to make some blocks for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society quilt I'm working on and already I've seen pictures of blocks I should be getting in the mail soon.  I'm so excited  about the response I've gotten so far.  I hope it keeps growing.  Thank y'all so much!

I'm also a bit overwhelmed about all the projects I want/need to make this year.  Last July, my sister got married.  I was supposed to gift her a quilt for their bed.  It's not finished yet.  The horrible part about it is that it's a really simple design, but for some unknown reason, I just haven't been able to pick it up again and finish it. 

It's a row of string blocks like this one across a black background.  I think I've about finished all of the blocks.  Now all I have to do is buy the black fabric, cut and piece the background and figure out the back.  Just can't seem to get it together.  And now my sister is pregnant and due at the beginning of June.  Of course that means a quilt for my new nephew, JC, but have I designed it yet?  Not really.  Do I have fabrics for it yet?  Nope.  I've gotta get on the good foot!

I also want to finally make a quilt for my bed.  I've had the sketch for awhile and I finally cut into the fabric in January.  Last night, I started piecing the string blocks. (Can you tell I love string blocks?)

I'm hoping to finish this by the end of the summer.  I think that's a pretty conservative timeline considering the rest of my list for the year.

Every year, my best friend and her daughter, Little Miss, get quilts from me for Christmas.  For some reason, I always wait til the last minute on these.  This year, I decided that I would make a block each month for my best friend's quilt.  Here is January's block.

I'm still toying with February's block.  No telling what March's block will look like.  I have no idea what I'm doing for Little Miss' quilt yet.

Remember the Cherrywood fabrics I bought at QuiltCon?  The design for that is called "Share the Same Cover" and it features some curved piecing.  I've never done curved piecing before and it scares the crap out of me.  Gotta overcome that fear because I'd like to see that quilt before another year goes by.

I also have a design called "Individual Couple" that should be done this year.  I've worked out the measurements and have the fabric I want to use.  I just need to cut and sew.

Then there's "I Believe in Miracles" which was supposed to be a Christmas present for my mother a few years ago but I hit some serious snags along the way.  Now I'm not crazy about what I produced back then and need to just start all over (especially since I can't find enough fabric to complete what I started).

So many designs in my notebook that I can't wait to see come to life, and for some reason I feel that I need to get them all done this year. *deep breath*  We'll see what happens.

Thanks for stopping by!  Join me next time for "What's my style, anyway?".

Please Help Me To Help Them

I had not intended to write a post today, but I had a meeting earlier that I need to tell you about.  I'm hoping after you've heard, you'll be willing to help by making a square for a quilt that will be auctioned.  A few weeks ago, I agreed to participate in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Man & Woman of the Year Competition.  I'm not really sure why, in that moment, I agreed to do it, but I'm sure the reason will be made clear to me at some point in the near future.  The title of Man/Woman of the Year goes to the man and woman that raise the most money.  I don't intend to win because I'm not a great fundraiser.  I just want to help this organization. 

As a candidate for Woman of the year, I'm raising funds in honor of the 2013 Boy of the Year, Matthew Wilson (Matty).  Matty was originally diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in June of 2010 when he was just 17 months old.  After a successful six-month chemotherapy regimen, Matty enjoyed 13 months of remission.  Upon relapsing, Matty benefited from life saving research through a clinical trial drug that was indirectly funded through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which saved his life.  Matty received his bone marrow transplant on May 1, 2012 by way of a partial match from his father.  Now 3 years old, Matty has a long road ahead of him, but he is hopefully on his way to living a long, healthy, and happy life with his family and the many people that have come to love him for the brave warrior that he is.

This is Matty sick.

This is Matty well.

I'm asking all of my quilter friends to please help kids like Matty by donating one wonky log cabin square towards a quilt that will be auctioned of at our Grand Finale Gala on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club.  I'd like this quilt to be at least a generous sized lap quilt, if not bigger.  LLS's colors are red and yellow, so I'm asking that you use any shades of those colors and white as a neutral color.  Please make your block(s) at least 8 inches. Here's a great tutorial on how to make a wonky log cabin block.  I'm hoping the end result will be a scraptastically bright and happy quilt that will cause people to bid high and raise lots of money for LLS.

The deadline for squares is April 22nd.  So as to not put my home address out in the blogosphere, I'll be getting a post office box specifically for this project.  I'll post the address in the next few days.

Thanks in advance for your help!

*** Since originally posting this, I have gotten a post office box.  My mailing address is:
Kisha Petticolas
P.O. Box 1654
Easton, MD 21601

QuiltCon: Quilty Goodness

There was no shortage of beautiful quilts at QuiltCon.  There was something there to fit everyone's tastes.

What I learned while taking in all of this quilty goodness was that I tend to gravitate towards designs that either gives a nod toward traditional quilting or are very scrappy.  Here are my favorites from the show.

Best in show went to "Double Edged Love" by Victoria Findlay Wolfe of the NYC Modern Quilt Guild.  This is a very interesting take on the Double Wedding Ring pattern.  The quilting on this is phenomenal.

 "Modern Mirage" by Lee Heinrich of the Milwaukee Modern Quilt Guild and "Flutterby" by Andrea Fox.  Both of these quilts have very traditional elements, but have been given a modern twist.

This is me and my favorite Denyse Schmidt quilt, "Works Special Edition tangerine/poppy".  Orange is one of my favortie colors and I love the simplicity of this quilt. 

 My other favorite by Denyse is "Single Girl" because...well...I love circles and it wouldn't make much sense for me to have a double wedding ring quilt in my house at this point in my life.  :)

My absolute favorite in the show was RGB Modern by Sherri Lynn Wood.  Her work is amazing to me.  I love the movement of this quilt, not to mention the scrappiness of it.  Love the hand quilting.

But of all the quilts that were displayed in Austin, the vintage quilts from the personal collection of  Roderick Kiracofe spoke to me the most.  All of these quilts are featured in his latest book, simply entitled "Quilts". 

Scrappy, lovey, folksy, quilty goodness.  For me, this is what quilts are supposed to be.  I aspire to create works that look and feel like this.

Well, so as not to bore you all with yet another post about QuiltCon, I believe this will be the last one, although I reserve the right to refer to it as often as necessary.

Join me on Wednesday, as I try to prioritize all of my pending projects.

QuiltCon: Unexpected Encounter

QuiltCon was full of interesting and fun people.  I met a woman from Canada who had been hit by a car while riding her bicycle just a few months ago.  She made the journey to QuiltCon alone and fought through some painful days of walking and sitting just to enjoy the experience of this inaugural event.  I can't remember her name and I regret not getting her contact information.  (If any of you out there know of whom I'm speaking, please forward this post to her.  Thanks!)

I was also very impressed by Casey York.  Casey and I were in a lot of the same lectures and I had occasion to hear her conversations as groups of us stood around talking in between lectures.  There's definitely something special about Casey and I believe she's one to watch.

Then there was Amanda of The Cozy Pumpkin.  I met her in the lecture hall on Saturday.  She made my insides giggle.  She was so full of energy and made everything seem bright and shiny.  It was Amanda that encouraged me to spread the word about my blog and said that she would be bugging me via email if I wasn't posting on a regular basis.  I sure hope I don't disappoint Miss Amanda.  :)

Now, on to one of the biggest and most unexpected highlights of my trip.  I met Jacquie Gering of Tallgrass Prairie Studio. 

Jacquie's blog was one of the first that I found when I started quilting.  Her quilt entitled "Tin Roof" was part of the inspiration for the design of my "Affirmation".  Jacquie was also the first blogger that actually responded to a question I asked.  When I contacted her back then, I had no idea that she was one of the giants of the industry.  I just knew that I liked her work.  She was so thoughtful and encouraging in her response to me.  It's something I'll never forget.

Jacquie was the speaker right before Denyse Schmidt's keynote address.  She spoke for an hour and made us cry no less than four times.  She spoke so lovingly of her family and how they influence her work.  She was real and spoke in terms that I could relate to.  She impressed my soul.

I was thrilled that I was able to have a brief conversation with her after her speech to tell her how meaningful her response to me was back then.  She was gracious and kind and allowed me to snap a few pictures.  If you're interested in hearing Jacquie's speech, you can watched it for free on Craftsy.

The experience of QuiltCon has left an indelible mark on me.  I am hoping that what I gained while there will last until the next convention in two years.

My next (and possibly last) QuiltCon post will be about the quilts that were on display that inspired me.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!