I am fast forwarding over the last few months to the final end product of what has been a lot of work and tons of hours. As I mentioned in my last post back in July, I have been doing some designing for RJR Fabrics and also have learned a lot about pattern writing and publishing in the mean time.
Up until now, I have never written quilt patterns before. Part of my resistance in doing so has always been due to the fact that I knew if I was going to do it at all, I would need to learn the software that would enable me to illustrate diagrams as well as write good patterns. Needless to say, this summer was like going back to school! It was not easy. There was definitely a huge learning curve as well as more work than I could have imagined.
Of course, I never make things easy on myself. I honestly did not know how "over my head" I was when I started writing the pattern for this quilt. But I persevered and after a couple of weeks of working on it, I actually wound up with something I am really proud of. I owe a huge thank you and am eternally grateful to Judy Martin, one of the quilt industry's biggest icons, whose design career spans more than 35 years. She was kind and generous enough to spend over 90 minutes with me on a long distance phone call. She guided me on a crash course in Adobe Illustrator to get me started drawing quilt diagrams as well as sharing invaluable inside info on pattern publishing. If it wasn't for her giving me that push, I probably would not have gotten through this.
This medallion quilt was designed with Robyn Pandolph's new fabric line, Garden Gate, by RJR Fabrics. It is currently due out in stores everywhere as well as online. The quilt is being offered as a kit by RJR Fabrics to quilt shops around the country. I am also selling just the pattern in my Etsy store. If you purchase the pattern on Etsy, you will receive a 20 page 8 1/2" x 11" paper pattern in the mail. I have also added the option to purchase as a downloadable PDF file that you will print entirely on your own printer if you do not wish to pay shipping. However, either version is the same full-color pattern with detailed instructions and color illustrations and diagrams, 20 total pages plus a cover.
Here are several photos of the actual quilt so you can get a better look at the fabrics. . . .
The longarm quilting was done by Ramona Sorenson of Corn Wagon Quilts in Springville, Utah. I was very happy to turn that task over to someone else on this quilt and could actually get used to the idea of having someone quilt my quilts for me.
I will also have two more patterns available very soon, both are table runners. One is a companion to this Garden Star Medallion quilt done in the same fabrics. The other one is done in RJR Fabrics' 30s line, Everything But the Kitchen Sink. Both will be sold as kits exclusively by Missouri Quilt Company. As soon as they have them showing on their web site, I will share photos of those as well.
For those of you who are patiently waiting for me to write patterns of my other quilts, I still have not done so yet. I apologize for taking so long, but my time is so limited, I have had more than I can keep up with just doing projects for RJR and getting through this first round.
And now for the most exciting news of all. . . I was notified a few weeks ago that my quilt, Grandmother's Cabin, has won an award in the Traditional Pieced category at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this month! They don't tell you what exactly what prize you've won. But I am pretty blown away to have won anything in that show, just being recognized is a huge honor. So we are flying out to attend the awards ceremony at the end of the month and since we will be there, we will be attending Quilt Market and staying over to see Quilt Festival. I am super excited, this was not planned ahead at all. Everything just sort of magically came together in the last couple of weeks. I will take lots of pictures to share, that show is always so full of inspiration, I can't wait.
Until next time, Happy Quilting!
