Kingsport, TN

I spent last week in Kingsport, Tennessee. It's a lovely mountain town with lots of quilters. The guild sponsoring the workshops was the First Frontier Quilters of Kingsport. www.firstfrontierquilters.org

Like all quilt guilds in America this one has more than it's share of talented quilters. Theresa Richardson is just one of them. Of course her quilts attracted me because she loves to make Log Cabin quilts. On my first afternoon in Kingsport I was excited to see an exhibit sponsored by the guild at the local Renaissance Center. The quilts were in their annual challenge, "Don't Bug Me". Each quilt in the challenge had to have 2 bugs visible on the surface to qualify.

All of the quilts were hanging high on the wall so my photograph is not taken at a straight angle. I had to tilt the camera up to get the shot. Theresa appliquéd two butterflies, one in a block and one in the border, to meet the challenge requirements. The black border with just a touch of appliqué to add drama and interest to the blocks.

On Thursday Theresa took my log cabin workshop and learned to use the Log Cabin Trim Tool. She loves it! Now her log cabin quilts will go together so much faster. Here is Theresa at the log cabin workshop with her first block make with the Log Cabin Trim Tool Two. www.jeanannquilts.com

Theresa says that her next goal is to learn to fly an airplane...let's hope flying won't take time away from quilting. 

I Spy Hexies

A friend of mine, Colette Kocinski, is making an I Spy quilt using a prototype of the new Hexagon Trim Tool. Here are the first two blocks. The quilt will use a mix of 6" and 4" center hexagons. It also uses one focus fabric and 6 fat quarters, plus the fabric for setting the blocks and the borders.

Colette is off to a good start. I can hardly wait to see the rest of the blocks and the finished quilt. Good sewing Colette!

Hexies Rule!

Actually, it's a Hexagon Trim Tool. Works like the Log Cabin Trim Tool. I am so excited about this new tool. I am having so much fun making Hexagon quilts. I never thought I would say that! I have always resisted hexagons because of the "Y" seams that are required to sew the hexagons together. After making two small projects I have recovered from my "Y" seam phobia and I am making my 4th hexie quilt right now.

If you live in Georgia, come to the Georgia Quilt Show at the Galleria in mid-September to visit my vendor booth. Be among the first to see own and use a Hexagon Trim Tool.  http://www.sewingexpo.com/GeorgiaQuiltShow.aspx

Here is a quilt just finished. It's a wall quilt named "Have A Cuppa". I fussy cut the cups using the 4" hexagon markings on the ruler, then sewed two rounds of strips around the hexagons to make the 8" blocks. Using the seam intersection holes on the ruler I was able to mark the points where the "Y" seams make their 30° turn and it went together very easily. 

Hexagon Trim Tool - available October 1. Preorder Hexagon Trim Tools and patterns now from my website www.jeanannquilts.com or look for it at your favorite quilt shop this fall. The tool is manufactured by Creative Grids® and sold in quilt shops exclusively.