_ I’ve been working on a bunch of new appliqué templates and having fun with text.  The first set is my new Love Letter Appliqués. Download the free quilt instructions (pictured bottom left) on the free pattern page. There are lots of pictures in the instructions. 

You could also draw your own letters or use shapes you already have to make the quilt (Accuquilt?).  I made the template shapes in two sizes but you can enlarge or reduce the shapes to the size you need on a photo copier.  So far I have made the quilt in the picture, a bigger quilt with the larger letters for my granddaughter, a pillow top and I have an idea for a pincushion.  Will post pictures as those projects get finished. Camera battery died so the pillow top picture will have to wait. 

And... there is a new quilt to be quilted on the longarm.  Very large - Log Cabin in the positive/negative setting. Betty did a beautiful job. It will be fun to work on it.

Hey I will send Love Letter templates free to the first 5 people who comment here.

It’s getting close to the time of year when we would be going to Hawaii for a couple of weeks.  We’re not going this year because we are in the process of searching for a house.  Yup,  we’ll be moving “yet again”, probably this summer.  The good news is, it will be within the same area so not far to go and we’ll be staying for a while.  This will be the 3rd time in less than two years that Bill will take apart my longarm and then set it up again in a new location.  Go Bill!

We’ll miss seeing our friends in Hawaii but hopefully next year...  Here’s a picture of the latest quilt from my Pineapple E Komo Mai pattern.  The center blossom isn’t included in the pattern.  For those of you who like the pineapple blossom, a free pdf with the appliqué shape is included in this post. You can download and print.  The blossom is layered and fused to the center of the quilt.  I blanket-stitched it down by hand but you can appliqué it using your favorite method and or use it however you like.

Hope you’re having a great start to the new year.

I've written up some quick instructions for the quilt that goes along with the Sock Monkey appliques.  Scroll over the Current Pattern Page above and then click on Free patterns.  You can download the pdf. 
Have a Happy New Year!

I had intended to start this blog much earlier in the year but things happened. Moving and settling in happened, among other things, so the blog didn’t.  Settling in took a long time. 

We’re living out here on the Olympic peninsula with the Olympic Mountains and Strait of Juan de Fuca in view and the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge nearby.  It’s beautiful and peaceful and oh so different from the suburbs of Seattle. 

Today is a really exciting day. I’m happy to be sharing a new pattern with all of you on the Moda Bake Shop.  If you have a chance, check out Sock Santa, Modaelf, and Rudolfarilla and see what you think.