Daily Blog

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"If you ever plan to motor west
Travel my way, the highway that's the best.
Get your kicks on Route 66!"

If you've ever wanted to travel Route 66, this is the way to go.  Join Ricky and Jim West of Sew Many Places from June 16 -29, and visit a spectacular number of cities and sites including Chicago, IL, Amarillo, TX, the Grand Canyon, and Hollywood, CA!  The trip will include deluxe hotel accommodations and a private motor coach and driver.

Ricky will be offering historical information during travel time each day. These special talks will revolve around the daily themes. No need to dress for the theme, but anything fun you wish to do that relates will be fun for all.

Ricky will also be offering a pattern for an original Route 66 quilt that he has designed. The blocks will relate to the locations along the way. It's a great way to commemorate this trip of a lifetime in fabric!

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Alex and Ricky taped a number of shows at the Main Street Quilting Company in Bozeman, MT. While he was there with them, Photo Man, Gregory Case, snapped a few shots of this lovely, lively town.

Here's what the Chamber of Commerce has to say about Bozeman.

Clean air, a moderate climate, access to national forest and trails make Bozeman a perfect place for outdoor recreation. Those who like to stay a little closer to home also enjoy shopping, parks, world-class museums, and other diverse arts and cultural opportunities. Residents of Bozeman receive the benefits of an extraordinary standard of living with year round recreational and cultural events, complimented by the Bobcat spirit of Montana State University student body. Bozeman is the place to be for that small town feel with big city amenities- The perfect place to do everything or nothing at all.

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It's almost springtime in France, which means that it's almost time for the annual Pour L'Amour du Fil International Textile Creation Show in the city of Nantes. The show, which runs this year from April 24 - 27, prides itself on presenting visitors with outstanding needleart creations from Europe and around the globe. Artists including Kaffe Fassett, Anne Woringer, Di Ford, and Petra Pins, as well as many others, will be on hand to offer a wide range of classes and lectures.

Whether your passion is knitting, quilting, or embroidery, you're sure to find something to pique your interest. One class (sample shown at left) even teaches how to stitch a custom-made Frida necklace, an accessory that's sure to draw lots of attention. As this year also marks the 150th anniversary of Jane A.Stickle's iconic quilt, the show will feature no less than 100 Dear Jane quilts for visitors to enjoy.

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Even though the days may be dreary and cold, spring is on its way. Prepare for the new season by making this adorable door decoration that's sure to boost your spirits everytime you enter the house.

We found this fast-and-easy tutorial on the blog Our Cozy Nest. With just a little bit of fabric, ribbon, and greenery, you can whip up this "little bit of spring" in no time. Find the link to tutorial here.

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Cathy Miller, A.K.A. The Singing Quilter, is sharing an assortment of goodies, and you just might be one of seven lucky winners! 

Each winner will receive one of either a songbook, CD, or a "Hot and Cold" Mock Mola pattern. Click on the button below for the details. Winners will be announced in the eNewsletter/Blog on March 5. 

Cathy is also running a special on her Singing Quilter songbooks through the end of this month.  So hurry!

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Have you entered yet?  One entry per household but the contest ends Monday night.

Welcome RJR! Now Win Some Fabric & Get A Free Project

RJR Fabrics have joined the TQS team.  We are excited as they will be helping us learn more about fabric, introduce us to the designing process, have free projects, and give out samples in contests.

To start off with a bang, you get a wonderful table runner pattern and a chance to win...

Click here to play.

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Olfa Creates just posted a link to a wonderful way to make perfect square-in-a-square blocks.  You'll want to give this tip from Julie Cefalu at www.thecraftyquilter.com a try.

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Cathy made the Star and Plume quilt after she wrote a song of the same name for her third quilting CD, A Quilter's World. 

It tells a happy-ending story about our favorite quilt gal, Sunbonnet Sue, who finds true love after some dicey moments with an intruder, using 46 quilt block names to tell the story. Thanks to Barbara Brackman for her wonderful "Encyclopedia of Quilt Block Patterns", where Cathy not only got the names of the blocks, but also what they look like. If you have "A Quilter's World," you can "follow the bouncing ball" and read along with the quilt as the song is playing!

Machine and hand pieced and appliquéd, machine quilted.
Each block is 9."
Finished in her car on her way to Texas, January 2005.

You can learn more about Cathy in Episode 1204: Songs, Stories, and Buttons.

The Star and Plume Quilt - 35 pieces non-rotating

The Star and Plume Quilt - 99 pieces non-rotating

The Star and Plume Quilt - 300 pieces non-rotating

The Star and Plume Quilt - 99 pieces rotating

The Star and Plume Quilt - 300 pieces rotating

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Well, I’ve been at it again. I was trying to clean house, and I ran across a cookbook I had gotten at the thrift store. See, that's what happens when you're cleaning house instead of quilting like you should be! It was a book with a new dessert recipe for every day of the year ( A Year of Diet Desserts.) Oh saints preserve us. But it actually had very low calorie recipes in it. It was written in 1987, so has some of the typical cooking that seemed to be popular in that era. The recipes were very low fat, and had a minimal amount of sweeteners. Honey was the sweetener of choice in most of the recipes. Most of the recipes were under 200 calories, well within the range I allow for treats.

So that got me in the baking mood. I tried a few of those recipes, and also developed a couple of new ones myself--a roasted butternut squash pudding and apple blueberry baked oatmeal. And I made a made a single-serving lasagna that was killer!

It is actually possible to enjoy baking and still lose weight. You just have to be a little creative. To read more about my adventures in (healthy) baking and see the recipes, check out my blog, Debby Weighs In. 

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The theme for the Quilt Alliance 2013 contest is TWENTY!