Whoo! Whee!

Have you checked out this issue yet? If not, run out now and buy it! I'm in this issue! My profile is in this issue and so is a special quilt design. Let me know what you think. Oh, if you want to buy a kit for this, contact Nadine at The Material Girls Quilts.

  

My "Believe" quilt is pictured in the article. Many of you have e-mailed to inquire about it. I am re-packaging it right now and it should be ready very soon. You can contact Kindred Quilts to purchase it when it is ready. I will let you know here and on my website.

The folks at American Patchwork & Quilting did a fabulous job! Thank you to Elizabeth, Nancy, Bryan and everyone else involved. They are an awesome group of people to work with. It has been interesting for me to look back and explore my past while reading this article and writing for the designer hop. Designing the "Believe" quilt seems like eons ago.

What's amazing is that I started my business almost ten years ago. What a wild journey! I can't believe that I've worked with Henry Glass for 8 years now! [I should say that it's been about 4 years with Henry Glass and four years with Chanteclaire Fabrics before it became part of Henry Glass.] Love you guys!

Do you want to hear something funny? [well, funny now but not then] See those long side applique panels? When my friend Steve was going to take the quilt top to Quilt Market, I discovered that I had appliqued them both facing in the same direction by mistake. They're supposed to be mirror images of each other. Well, I am anal and I admit it. I re-did one of the panels in THREE days. Was I crazy? Yes, because it was all hand applique.

Would you have sewn a new panel? Tell me I'm not that anal. Just a little compulsive. Let me know what you think about the article too! I'd love to hear from you.
xo, L

Shop, Eat, Shop, Eat

Did you have a wonderful holiday weekend? I sure did! We ate and ate. Then my girlfriend, Roopa, dragged me out of bed at 2:30 a.m. to go shopping. Ok, husbands can stop listening now. Yes, we shopped and shopped. We didn't get carried away. In fact, we got all of our holiday shopping done and we got great deals.

After Black Friday was finished, I was done shopping. I was in browse mode. You know,  looking for inspiration. I found it in Anthropologie. They're so innovative and creative. I saw a lot of rosettes.

More rosettes. Are you liking them yet?

Ruffles are still hot.

One bored but patient husband! Sorry the pics aren't so great. I forgot to charge my camera so I had to use my cell phone camera. You get the point.

I love paper chains!

Leave it to the folks at Anthropologie to have a larger-than-life turkey. Did I ever tell you that I had a nightmare of an egret attacking me when I was pregnant? Ok, I digress. Another day perhaps. Well, this bird reminded me of that egret.

Over at Platypus, I saw lots of curly toes but we don't need to buy one, right? I know that you're going to make my  Sweet Stocking.

Hurry up and finish up your shopping so that you can slow down, relax and enjoy all that this inspiring season offers us. xo, L

Turkey Talk, Winners And Gratitude

I'm in a silly mood. It has been crazy and non-stop today. I don't know why especially since we're not doing anything special for Thanksgiving. My sister, her family and my Mom, can't make it here from Toronto until next week. It's probably because I spent last night cutting up turkey kits for 20 out of construction paper for Little A's class party. I do not want to see a turkey in any way, shape or form until next Thanksgiving. Gobble, gobble, gobble. The little one's class party was a hit and so were our turkeys. 

Check out the turkey that Big A made last year [above]. So cute! See the fabric? Great stash buster and the kids love to have the bird hanging around all year round.

Today [and everyday!] I'm thinking about gratitude. This year my family and I were able to express our gratitude in a different way thanks to the awesome Ree of The Pioneer Woman. You should run out and buy her new cookbook. If you're lucky, you'll be able to see her at one of her book signings.

I won Photoshop CS4 from Ree a while back. There was a mix-up and I ended up receiving two copies. I wrote to her to tell her about the extra copy and she generously told me to keep it and donate it to someone who needed it. How AWESOME is that? Thank you, Ree, for your amazing generosity in all that you share with your readers.

Now, who would I donate it to? The question wasn't hard to answer. My sons are very lucky men. Their librarian, Mrs. Cathy Ahart, is a wonderful librarian but Adam has been blessed twice because he had her for his first grade teacher. She is a gem and the teacher you always want your child to have.  Here's a part of the speech that my son wrote [all by himself!] and presented to the Board of Education that sums up how my family feels about her:

     "Mrs. Ahart, thank you for being the teacher that you are."

Here we are at the Board of Education meeting.

From left, Mrs. Ahard, me, Adam and principal, Mr. Katz.

Thank you, Mrs. Ahart.

I'm thankful for you too, dear readers. I enjoy sharing bits and pieces of my designing life with you and are so happy that you are along for the ride. The other Cross-Country Designers and I thank you for sharing the stroll down memory lane with us last week.

On to some exciting business! I got a fabulous package from the good folks at Martingale & Co. today! Yippee! That means that I have winners to announce today. Here they are:

1. Stina 9:51 a.m. "Thanks for sharing ... In Sweden we don't have the tradition with stockings ... but I think it is a wonderful tradition ... got my first stocking last year ... and long to fill it up with something nice just for me."

2. Becky 4:10 p.m. "Thanks for introducing us to your family, books and creations! Love your book titles! Will look for them in my LQS. This blog hop has been fantastic. Again, Thank you!"

Congratulations! Thank you Martingale & Co., Henry Glass Fabrics, and American Patchwork & Quilting! p.s. See that book "Skinny Quilts & Table Runner II" above? I contributed a table runner in the book. Go and check it out! All of the other designers did a fabulous job!

I hear that my profile is out now. It's in the latest issue of American Patchwork & Quilting [Feb. 2010] issue. Let me know what you think!

Happy Thanksgiving! xo, L

Today Is An Awesome Day!

Thanks so much again for visiting our blog hop. It was so much fun, wasn't it? This weekend I really missed it a lot. Did you miss me? I missed you a lot too! I enjoyed reading all of your posts and was tickled that so many of you would share your memories with us. I hope that you will come back often. 


I had so much to do and so much running around  today so it wasn't so bad. I started to think about making a few things in the next little while. It's always a fun and dangerous thing when my mind starts designing. I'll let you know what I come up with, ok?


I've been hearing from a few of you about seeing my profile in American Patchwork and Quilting. I can't wait to see it. I've seen the proofs but it's always fun to see the real thing. Let me know what you think! See those birdies up there? I designed those for APQ last year. I love them and they're so easy to make.


Now, for the real reason that you are here. We have some winners!

Now, for the big blog hop contest. I know that's what you are hear for! The winners are:


1st grand prize goes to:  Thea M www.theamccurry.com
2nd grand prize goes to: Arlette from Costa Rica http://arlette0521.blogspot.com
3rd grand prize goes to: What Comes Next http://round22.blogspot.com


Much congratulations to the winners. Please verifiy and e-mail Gudrun at gudrun@gequiltdesigns with your shipping info and she'll take care of shipping the awesome prizes.

Another Chance to Win!

That's right, we are giving you another chance to win some of the prizes in the photo above. If you post your finished project on the Flickr site by Tuesday, December 1st, you will be entered into a drawing. One lucky person will receive some goodies. Instructions on how to upload the photos are on the Flickr page. Good luck! Let's get the machines whirring!


Oh, I didn't forget about my little contest. I've been waiting for the goods so that I can take a photo of them for you. I will try to post the winners by tomorrow.


In case you were wondering. I haven't lost my mind. Blogger is acting up today.
xo, L

Day 12: Crafting - It's My Day!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for joining us for the last day of our Cross-Country Designer Blog Hop. It has been deliriously fun, hasn't it? Please remember to comment on the FEATURED DESIGNER'S Day in order to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. If you've missed some days, that's ok. Just click on the links on my sidebar and start reading. You have until Sunday night to submit your comments. That way you can go through everyone's featured day and leave a comment in order to be eligible for the grand prize. On Monday we will draw names of the winners and we'll all check our blogs to make sure that the winner has filled the requirement of commenting on everyone's blog. Then, on Tuesday, Gudrun [and the rest of us] will announce the winner! Good luck!

For those of you who don't know me, I am Linda Lum DeBono. I am a designer and author. I've designed fabric for the wonderful folks at Henry Glass and Co. I have written books on quilting, knitting and scrapbooking for Martingale & Co./That Patchwork Place and Leisure Arts. I've contributed to American Patchwork and Quilting, Quilts and More and other publications. Here's some more tidbits for those who are new here!

I'm from Toronto, Canada but I now live in NJ with this swell guy, my husband, Reno. As you know well by now, I also have two little boys, Adam and Alex, and we love to have fun!

I've written two books and have just contributed to one recently for the wonderful people at Martingale and Co.

I also write for the terrific folks at Leisure Arts. My latest book, Jolly Stuff [pub. Leisure Arts ] should be hitting your local quilt shop very soon. I hope that you enjoy it!

I have designed fabric for Henry Glass Fabrics in NYC for 8 years now! Love them! My latest line is Inspiration.

I have a lot of fun and exciting things coming up in the next year. Sometime very soon you will see a profile of me in the February 2010 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. [I think in the next two weeks or so.] I can't wait! You will have to check out some of the designs that I've done for the magazine in future issues! I'll be sure to let you know! Phew! I think that that's enough of me.

Sweet Stocking [approx. 12" x 22"]

Now, let's get to my design for today. I hope that you love my stocking!

You will need:
1/2 yard lime green for the stocking front and back exterior
1/2 yard of your choice for the lining
2 fat quarters of different stripes
batting
1/4 yard red fabric for the ruffle [NOTE: I MADE THE RUFFLE FAIRLY WIDE. THE MORE THAT I LOOK AT IT, I THINK THAT A SHORTER RUFFLE MAY LOOK JUST AS CUTE. YOUR CHOICE!]
coordinating thread
stabilizer
ribbon

Cutting:

Download the template here.
From the lime green fabric, cut:
1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]

From the lining fabric, cut:
1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]
From the red fabric, cut:

1 ruffle, 6 1/2" x 42" - then trim in half lengthwise to yield two strips, 6 1/2" x 21"

Directions:

Fold your exterior fabric together, selvage to selvage right sides together. Cut out the stocking template. Do the same for the lining fabric.

Follow manufacturer's directions and fuse the candy canes to the front of the stocking. Stitch around the candy cane applique with a zig zag/satin or any other decorative stitch. Make sure that you have some stabilizer behind the applique when you're doing this step.

Next, layer the front of the stocking with a piece of batting on the wrong side of the fabric. Quilt the stocking as desired. Swirls, loops and circles are always fun! Repeat for the back of the stocking. Trim excess batting away.

Fold the ruffle strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press. Open up the piece and fold in at each end 1/2". Stitch the ends with a 1/4" seam allowance. Use a needle and hand-stitch with a large running stitch at the raw edge of the strip. Pull the thread and gather to form ruffles. Repeat for the other red strip.

Pin the ruffle to the top edge of the stocking with the raw edges aligned 1/4" in from each side edge. Stitch together with a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat for the back of the stocking.

With right sides facing, pin the front of the stocking to the matching lining. Repeat with the back of the stocking. Stitch across the top edge of the front of the stocking and lining. Repeat for the top edge of the back of the stocking and the lining.

Open up the stocking/lining pieces. Pin the front/lining piece with the back/lining piece with right sides facing. Stitch all around and leave a 4" opening for turning. Turn right side out and hand-sew the opening closed.

Push the lining back inside the stocking. Stitch a 1/4" across the top of the stocking body.

Hand-stitch the ribbon to the inside of the stocking. Overlap each end of the ruffle from the front and the back ruffle. Sew a small black button or just a plain stitch to hold the front ruffle to the back ruffle. Repeat for the other side of the ruffle.

There you have it! Your very own candy cane Sweet Stocking!

Today is also "Crafting" day. I love crafting. When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with making pop-up cards. I had several Japanese crafts books that had patterns to make the cards. I'm itching to make some more cards. I will have to dig out the books to show you just how cool they are. I bought this little one at a store in the Mitsuwa plaza in Edgewater, NJ.

I make these silhouette seating cards out of fabric and paper. The kids love to walk around the table and try to guess who will be sitting in that seat.

We have been glitter crazy this year. We covered the clam shells that we had and then I went outside to pick up some pine cones. Guess what got the royal glitter treatment?

Remember to check out my free designs page on my website here .

Last year, my friend Joanne helped me make these easy peasy wreaths for our school library. Just wrap some styrofoam balls with yarn. Then glue down in an alternating fashion, the ornaments and the yarn balls. Cool, right?

Thanks so much for hopping around with us. It has been a blast but more importantly, I have enjoyed it on a personal level. I have been enriched by reading the stories of my fellow wonderful designers. I know the super-talented Heather Mulder Peterson , Pat Sloan , Carrie Nelson and Roseann Kermes . I look forward to meeting the other fab and talented women at Quilt Market next year, Gudrun Erla [I thank you for organizing this awesome experience for everyone], Terry Atkinson , Terri Degenkolb , Sherri Falls , Pam Viera McGinnis , Sandy Gervais , and Kari Carr . Please visit their sites for their crafting stories today.

I thank you, dear readers, for sharing your stories too. We have all enjoyed reading them and your willingness to share them have made our efforts worthwhile. Special thanks to Sew Mama Sew and True Up for letting their readers know of our blog hop. Sew Mama Sew has a Handmade Holidays series going on now. Check it out! Too fun!

I am having a giveaway today. I'm splitting up the prizes and I will draw two winners:

* Fat quarter stack of Inspiration
* Several quilt books generously donated by my wonderful publishers, Martingale & Co.
* Some more fabric,  generously donated by the terrific folks at Henry Glass and Co.
* 2010 Calender/Instruction booklet and a copy of Bags, Pillows & Pincushions, generous donated by my awesome friends at American Patchwork & Quilting

Good luck everyone!

The most important thing that this blog hop has done for me is open the door to many memories. Sometimes we get caught up in the everyday and we forget the little things that matter to us. Create a little magic this holiday and I'll see you very soon.  xo, L

Oooops!

Sorry, that was my rough draft and I didn't put links or photos in. You guys are early! See you at 6:00 a.m.
xo, L

Day 11: Decorating With Quilts

We are almost at the end of our blog hop. It's been so much fun. I hope that you've enjoyed visiting me and the other awesome designers. Remember, you can still enter the grand prize drawing. All you have to do is go to each designer's special day and comment on that day. There are lots of goodies waiting for some lucky winners! Also, come back tomorrow. It's my special day here on the blog hop. Squee! I can't wait!

Today's topic is a tough. I haven't put up a lot of quilts until the past year or so. My little guys just loved to draw on my walls. One fine day, the little one and I were hanging out in his play area and I ran out of the room for a split second. When I returned, he had taken a bright, emerald green marker and drawn McQueen, the car from the movie Cars and a racetrack on my wall. It wasn't a drawing of a little car. It was about a foot wide and 2 ft. high. This is the same child who colored my car dashboard, including the radio screen, with a Sharpie marker. [Don't ask how. Just feel comfortable in knowing that my experience is your gain because I discovered that Magic Eraser works to take it off.]

Don't get me wrong. I let them play with the quilts. Only, I supervise them! I let them lay out the quilts on the floor and have parties with their stuffies. They love looking at the quilts and I do love that. I just can't leave them alone with the quilts!

I was chatting about this with the owner of Henry Glass one day. He laughed and told me that I couldn't be mad at the little one because he was just taking after me. Very funny but true.

I was in Kindred Quilts yesterday and I was talking to a few people about holiday decorating. One lady said that her sister-in-law went all out. Right after Thanksgiving, her SIL would bring out everything holiday right down to the bed linens. Oh, how I wish that I had that energy.

How do you decorate? Any tips that you want to share? Let's share with everyone here!

Next up is Roseann Meehan Kermes.  Roseann is a friend of mine. We met at the Better Homes and Gardens' Designer Retreat. She's a hoot and we have fun together when we see each other at Market. In between, I harass her with crazy phone calls and we have a good time. Today is her special day today. Go and check out her crumb catcher pattern. So adorable. Tomorrow it is my day. Come back for a little fun, won't you?  xo, L

Day 10: Favorite Gift From Child

Whoo! Hoo! We've hit double digits! Day 10 of our Designer Blog Hop! Are you still there? Thanks for hanging around here! Have you had fun reading the posts and checking out everyone's designs? I'm a little crazy right now because I can't decide between a few ideas. Yikes! Show them all right?

Remember, to be eligible for the grand prizes you must comment on the featured designer's blog on her special day. Good luck!

Today we are talking about our favorite gift from a child. I know that I talk a lot about how I love handmade and how I love the things that my kids make. I really, really mean it! We don't make the kids buy us anything for the holidays though they have been known to drag my husband out to buy me craft supplies. Instead, they love to make or draw us gifts and that is, as my little guy says, awesome! Here's a little secret. I don't always like looking at my designs after they come back from the publisher or the editor. There's nothing wrong with the designs, I just don't want to look at them right away. I'd rather be surrounded by the things that my kids make.

One of my favorites? My oldest wrote this letter/haiku [above] to me two years ago and drew snowmen all around the background. I have it hanging above my sewing machine. I love it. Sometimes I even leave things around all year round. This ornament hangs onto the hinge of the door to my garage and the photo frame magnetically sticks to the same door. Look at that cute necklace! Christmas lights!

They painted these for me too one holiday. The oldest painted the top one and the little guy painted the bottom one.

Then there's the ornaments. We have them make one each year. Right now we are glitterizing [is that a word?] everything around us. Remember those clams? Well, we've even covered the shells with glitter. What do you think? What's your favorite gift from a child?

Hop over to Carrie's blog today. She's the featured designer today and she's sure to have an awesome design up for you! Remember to check out all of the other ladies too! The links are on the sidebar. xo, L