Exciting American Patchwork & Quilting Moment

Every once in a while you have something happen that just makes you feel really good. This week I had one of those moments.

I received my advance copy of the American Patchwork & Quilting Calendar for 2010. Now I knew this was coming, obviously, but it was still exciting to see.

http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Store_id=408&Page_id=23&Item_id=13310

What you ask? My quilt "Tea with Martha and Betsy" is featured on the calendar for the month of July, 2010. They did change the name to "Flying Stars" which is fine with me. A rose by anyother name is still a rose.....as Mr. Shakespeare said.

http://webstore.quiltropolis.net/stores_app/Browse_Item_Details.asp?Shopper_id=59526171046135952&Store_id=408&page_id=23&Item_ID=9043

We all love to have someone else like our work, we are only human after all. One of the reasons we join guilds and enter our quilts in shows is so that others will go "ooohhh, ahhh" over them. Your quilt shop owners are no different, we want people to like our creations also.

This simple quilt was fun to create, fun to make and now fun to see in print. Thank you American Patchwork & Quilting for giving us your vote of confidence.

If you are interested in ordering your calendar now, you may pre-order and we will ship it just as soon as we have them in hand. We also have the kits available on the website. All the other quilts shown in the calendar are gorgeous also and it comes with a full set of patterns so you may make everyone of them. I love that about this calendar.

I hope you enjoy seeing this and thank you for all your support.

Jerry

"That's it. I am not going any further, learn to live with it."

What a beautiful weekend we just experienced. Sometimes the weather in Kansas is really harsh, but Spring is just gorgeous. I always wonder how the women in covered wagons managed to withstand the elements of Kansas. I just cannot imagine seeing so much wide open land with the heat and wind with cool water and air conditioning. There were brave women for certain. To think they walked most of the way West beside the wagons, wearing long dresses with petticoats and no water except what was stored in old barrels on the side of the wagon. Yuk! Up at dawn, feed the family, move on and then stop for the evening to build a fire and start the feeding routine all over again.

I have often wondered what was in their minds when they looked out the wagon opening one day and said, "WOW, THIS is it. This is just paradise and I want to spend the rest of my life right in the same spot". Or did they wake up one morning and say, "That's it. I am not going any further, learn to live with it." Either way, I am glad as this is beautiful land.

With all that in mind, I created a new Block Of The Month. This BOM will tell the story of 12 women who moved West with their military husbands. These Frontier Army Wives helped settle the area and create a civilization where there was none. It will be a mystery series, just as they lived a mystery: never knowing what each day would bring.

Each month the participants will receive their pattern, fabric for the block and access to a DVD/video showing the piecing of that block. There will also be a history of each of these wonderful women.

Since we live in Leavenworth, we will introduce you to 12 women who helped settle Fort Leavenworth. Fort Leavenworth is the oldest continuously operating military post west of the Missouri River.

The first lady we will profile is Harriet Lovejoy Leavenworth, wife of Colonel Henry Leavenworth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4YhPYh6doc