always special

welcome to my new turf

purplesew — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:18:04 +0000

Just want to say welcome to my new blog location. The very best thing about this new service is that it is FREE and I urge all of you to use it. Talk about user friendly…even I have managed to get it up and going and move all of my posts from the former service to this one without a hitch so far. I will never give up with all of this technology..it will never get this sucker! Just like a quilt pattern or anything else I do. I am persistent.

I have been pretty busy with wholesale orders and making this move and who knows what else.

Remember we are attempting to have a Mystery Reunion class at Acme Country Fabrics on November 16th if you can make it. Contact Acme Country at 973-696-1784 for sign up and info.

No much more to say right now. I will get back to my usual routine of Monday posts ASAP.

Keep checking and reading while I work on making this blog page a bit more interesting and visually exciting.

More soon.

OOO…JAL

progress

purplesew — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:12:47 +0000

Tuesday and it is raining. Not what I expected. I thought that was going to happen tomorrow. So much for progress in weather forecasting.

I said I would take a picture of my grandmothers flower garden quilt so we can track the progress on it during the world series. Here is the status of it as of today.

It looks a bit strange here but it will take on a more complete form after I add the next row. Who would have ever thought I would ever ever make a hand pieced quilt. Just one more reason to be assured that miracles do happen. The real miracle will be when it is finished. When I say finished I mean the top. I have no intention of hand quilting it. If I do that will be a true miracle and as for the word progress we will have to redefine that one!

Finally I think I should let all of you know that I am going to make some changes with my blog. I will be sure to let you know what is next. As of Friday the page may not be available for you to read but watch for e-mail and updates on where to find me. Progress as in free blog pages vs. paid.

OOO…JAL

nothing special

purplesew — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:13:49 +0000

Good morning and welcome to fall in NJ. The color right now is just great. Be sure to look around and note the colors for a future quilt. Things have been pretty uneventful with me. The most exciting thing so far is the Yankees winning the pennant and moving on to the world series. Both AGL and I are big Yankee fans so we were up well past midnight watching the game and the celebration.

The best part of this which relates to my quilting is that my grandmothers flower garden quilt it growing steadily and in fact by the time the World Series is over my quilt will be larger than I ever expected. I will take a picture of it later today and post it so you can see my progress.

More later.

OOO…JAL

finally back on my blog

purplesew — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:51:16 +0000

I have finally got my act together enough to write a post. It has been a task because I have been busy with I don't know what??? Let's see what has kept me sooooo busy!

I have made a sample for a mystery reunion class that is trying to form at Acme Country Fabrics. My friend and AVDS got an idea that we should have a class reunion of all the students of my mystery quilt classes. Sounds good. So here is the plan. If you have come to mystery class and would like to join this one all you need to do is to sign up, pay $20.00 and bring a mystery quilt from a previous class. If you have not attended a previous class you can still come to the reunion but the fee is $30.00. For this class we will review previous mysteries, answer questions and give classroom help for any unfinished quilts. Also the project for the night will be my first almost published pattern. This pattern will be officially offered for sale as of January 2010.

You will get it free of charge along with a chance to learn all about the Accu-cut Go that has had lots of buzz! I have posted a picture of the top here for you to get excited about. Start thinking about what your version of the quilt will look like. You can click on the actual photo to get a larger view.

I guess I should tell you some details ..duh! Friday evening, November 13, 2009…6:30 pm until 10 pm…Acme CountryFabrics, Pequannock, NJ.

Your supply list is very simple. You need 6, 1/2 yard cuts and 1 full yard cut. That is it and you will have a top that is approx. 65" square.

A perfect table cover for the holidays, Valentines day ( like mine) or any day of the year. As many of you know I keep a quilt on my kitchen table all year round.

Please join in and learn about mysteries of the past and new things that are to come.

Now for a bit more blabbing here is a picture of another top in the works since I have mentioned that I am getting into applique, machine applique of course!

Isn't it cute? I just love it can't wait to start to quilt it. Maybe a class in the spring.

Finally we went to a house warming on Saturday and just happened to have some new gift product ready for sale so Michelle and Dennis were the first to get a sampling.

We have here a 18" x 72" table runner and guest towels. Holidays are coming if you need gifts the web site address is www.shopalwaysspecial.com. Choose what you like and call or e-mail me with your order. Yes the web site is functioning but still needs work. I guess now know why I have been so busy.

more sooner than later

OOO…JAL

happy weekend

purplesew — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:04:45 +0000

The Fire quilt is finished and delivered to its owner. Here is the final picture.

Also have to admit that yesterday was my birthday and I am a bit down as this getting older stuff is not making me feel very good. But here are two things that made it much better. First is the bundle I rec'd from Hancock's because I spent the gift certificate my sister sent me for my b'day last year!

Now what to make with them????

And the best treat of all is this adorable little cake from AGL from my favorite bakery. Unfortunately it will all go right to my hips!

The bakery can't spell my name but I don't care…this week is all about cake.

Off to my good friend the sewing machine.

Thanks to all of you who sent cards, e-mail or phoned. I am very lucky to have so many good friends and a few good family.

OOO…JAL

more about what I’ve been doing

purplesew — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:45:09 +0000

Here are some pictures of what I have been doing for the last several days. First is a fusible applique top I have put together for Pat Farace from Quilt by Number. It is a sell sample for her booth in Houston and other shows this fall. She will quilt it someday I am sure!

I am delighted that I have become able to do machine applique with some skill.

The next picture shows the Fire quilt sample I am doing for Joan Jones of Seams Like Home to go along with the Ice quilt I did earlier this month. Believe it or not two completed quilts in one month. See what happens when someone dangles a cash carrot in front of me! It is still on the machine but I thought you might like to see my workshop. I will finishing quilting today and bind it tomorrow so I can take it to Joan this weekend. If you want to see them both in person they will hang in her booth at Quilt Festival in Houston in October.

Off to finish this up and get on with my class sample. As of now I am teaching one class at Acme Country Fabrics on Friday Oct. 16th. Call the store, stop in or check the web site for info. The project is open to all mystery students from past classes who are asked to bring a mystery quilt made in one of my previous classes and to those who want to get inside my head and make my very first original design quilt Peppermint Swirl.

I will have my latest sample top for you to see early next week. Meanwhile you can see two other versions at Acme.

More soon.

OOO…JAL

the streak continues

purplesew — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:32:02 +0000

Over the last few weeks I have had occasion to drop my cell phone. On one occasion as small piece of plastic broke off. Then fast forward to Friday morning and the final drop came when it split into two pieces. You know what that meant. A new phone. I am not a technology whiz so off to the phone store and more pain but we were lucky enough to meet a very competent and sweet young technician and he managed to help find me a new phone, transfer all my info from one to the other and best of all the new phone was FREE!!!! Can someone please explain to me how they sell you a phone and give you a rebate for the full price???

I am very happy that things worked out and the best part is that I now have a camera in this nifty little phone. Even better I know how to use it. Today I am going to take some pictures of what I have been up to and the new little phone. Look for more tomorrow.

OOO…JAL

hiding in pain

purplesew — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:13:36 +0000

This has been the week from H_ _ _! Have not had one this bad in along time. The worst part is it is only Wednesday. Actually I will go back a bit and tell you that I went to visit my quilt at he PA Quilt Extravanganza last week. My quilt was hanging next to a prize winning quilt from this show as well as Lancaster. Made mine look really bad! Beside the fact that I walked thru all of the quilts and never saw mine because it was hung across from what I thought was the best entry in the show. Finally had to get someone to show me where mine was! DUH!!

Next came Saturday morning and the phone rang at 9:30 am and one of my very good wholesale customers called all excited about an HGTV shoot planned for her store on October 15 . She was bubbling over with ideas and requests and I bit the carrot. All kinds of black and silver embroideries…I can't be more juiced. Fast forward to Monday, turn on the embroidery machine, thread the 7" mega cone of metallic thread and all hell breaks loose! Broken needle, torn fabric, pulled bobbin thread…what else can go wrong? By 3pm had only completed five embroideries and I was nealry in tears and exasperated!

Now it's Tuesday off to do errands and get back to work on samples and more embroidery. Stop to pick up copies of routine bloodwork results from last week and fall flat on my back…flat out at the front entrance to the Dr.'s office becsue someone was parked in front of the entrance and I had to manuver between curb and the car and my foot got caught and I went down…it was surreal. I layed there for a minute thinking …did I fall? You can imagine the sight. To say the least my back is sore, my heel is killing me as I turned the ankle with the spur and have been in pain since I drove home. Only to have AGL tell me home dumb I am and how I need ot be more careful!

Today is POOR ME day I am going to do nothing but whein all day. Now you know why I haven't written.

Here are pictures from the show to make up for my wheining!

OOO…JAL

You think I am kidding I could not post this yesterday because my typepad software froze or something so here I am finishing up this morning ! I told you this is the week from H_ _ _!!! I can't even get the pictures to line up. I give up ! The one with the bamboo and the bird is the that was across from my quilt and that's why I missed mine…do you agree it was distracting?

ICE is ready

purplesew — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:24:27 +0000

I have been very busy the last several days preparing the first of the two sample quilts I spoke about last week. The first one which is called "Ice" is done except for the binding which I will put on this morning. You can purchase the kit from www.seamslikehome.com. The kit and the fabric are from Timeless Treasures and Joan Jones of Seams Like Home will be offering it at the PA Quilt Extravaganza this week and on her website as well. Maybe I should insert the picture now so you have some clue as to what the quilt actually looks like.

I also need to give you a few more hints about the quilt blocks I designed that you will be looking for if you visit the PA show.

HINT # 4…not paper pieced

Hint #5… two different sized/style samples

The winner will be chosen form those of you who send me a comment on the blog from a random drawing to be held on Wednesday evening September 23 when AGL draw the winner from the entries. You need to provide the booth name and the name of the pattern offered by the vendor. The winner will recieve a copy of the pattern as well as my new pattern "Common Stars".

I am off to begin work on the second sample quilt and I almost forgot put the binding on this one, fill a few orders and so on.

More soon.

p.s. these two are the last of the hints so read back thru the blog and collect them all and go shopping!

OOO…JAL

next hint and more

purplesew — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:57:39 +0000

Good morning…since I said I would give you more hints on the newly designed quilt blocks here is #2 and #3 since I may get caught up over the next few days as tomorrow is a practice retirement day and the weekend always gets away from me. I hope all of you get to go to the show and seek it out.

HINT #2…machine applique

HINT #3….sashes aand corner stones

While I have your attention I will give you a peak at a few embroideries I did this week just because I still get the biggest high out of finishing product for a customer. These albums are two of many for an order that is off on the big brown truck today and on the the big world of retail.

Enjoy the view and keep track of your hints. The show is only one week away.

OOO…JAL