Day 12: Mark Lipinski

Thanks for following along on the Sew Merry and Bright book tour! All of the posts have been great! Some of the giveaways are still going on too! I hope that you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed designing and writing it!

Today my special guest is my good buddy, Mark Lipinski! I am afraid but excited to see what he's up to today because he asked for a photo of me from my childhood.

Today is also the first day of the Henry Glass Summer Party. Enjoy!

xo, L

p.s. I have been having spam and computer problems this week. Sorry I had to put in the robot for comments.

Day 11: Fat Quarter Shop!

Thanks to Aurifil for their fabulous post yesterday. Who doesn't love some awesome thread? I have designed a few projects for their blog. I used their thread in this book. Their colors are to die for! In case you missed it, go and check see what this box is all about!

Today I welcome the Fat Quarter Shop! Kimberly Jolly founded the Fat Quarter Shop in 2003. She is an avid quilter [though I don't know how she does it with four kids and a busy business!].

She puts together some fabulous kits and creative bundles and. Her husband, Kevin, has joined in the business. You can't miss their clever marketing bundles and of particular interest, take a look at their holiday shop, The Christmas Cloth Store at the Fat Quarter Shop. Here's fellow Henry Glass designer's Snow Much Fun Flannel.

Fat Quarter Shop has Kate Spain's Joy collection too!

You can still enter to win some wonderful things at the Martingale, Henry Glass, Fat Quarterly, and Pat Sloan.

Enjoy!

xo, L

Day 10: Sew Merry and Bright with Aurifil

Thank you to Fat Quarterly yesterday for their lovely post for this tour! You can read it here. Remember, there are still some awesome giveaways here, here and here.

Today the Aurifil crew writes their review for the Sew Merry and Bright Book Tour. I love Aurifil threads. I love the colors and it is smooth as silk.

Speaking of Christmas, I designed this pillow for Aurifil. The reindeer is so adorable. Go over there and grab the pattern. It's a free download. Give them some love and you have a chance to win some awesome thread! It's a box of the colors that I used in the projects in the book.

On a different note, Henry Glass Fabrics is having a Summer Party. Tune in to read about some fun, summer antics. The designers have been busy. Win some fabric while you're there.

Have a great weekend!

xo, L

Day 9: Welcome Fat Quarterly!

Thanks to Kim Diehl for her great post yesterday on the Henry Glass blog! You can still enter the giveaway over at Henry Glass, at Pat Sloan's post here and Martingale's here.

Today, we have the fabulous folks over at Fat Quarterly magazine. Pat has a two-part interview with the Fat Quarterly family. I love to read the e-zine because I can take it with me when I am sitting around waiting for my kids when they're in tae kwon do, piano or whatever else I am waiting for!

I was asked which was my favorite design to make. I would have to say that I had tons of fun with the Holiday Musical Chairs and the Oh Nuts! ornament.  For the Holiday Musical Chairs, it was all about having fun with the fabrics and moving that square around!

Oh Nuts! was a favorite because my son sat beside me watching it's progress. He had a serious interest in the design.

Enjoy!
xo, L

Day 8: Kim Diehl for Henry Glass Fabrics

We are on Day 8 of the Sew Merry and Bright Book Tour. Have you been enjoying all of the posts? I asked Kim Diehl to review my book for the Henry Glass blog. Go over and check it out!

I've never met Kim except in e-mails or on the phone. She is so funny, enthusiastic and a real great person. I can't wait to meet her in person. Her dog, Murphy, is soooooo cute. If I weren't so allergic to dogs, that's how my dog would look.

She writes beautiful books for Martingale & Co. I saw this one in my local shop recently. She says that she loves my use of color. I say the very same for her!

Go over to the Henry Glass blog for more fun and giveaways. 

I had so much fun making this tree skirt with some Henry Glass fabrics. The elves are so adorable.

Enjoy!

xo, L

Day 7: Martingale & Co. On Sew Merry and Bright

Wow, is it Day 7 on this Sew Merry and Bright book tour? Thanks to Lee Heinrich for the fabulous post yesterday. Her squirrel is adorable! I love to see your designs.

I've had some wonderful guests so far and today is no different! Today we have Martingale & Co., the publishers of this beautiful book, as the guest on Day 7.

I met the Acquisitions Editor, Karen, at my first Quilt Market and we had talked about working on a book. Well, it took me 5 years before I submitted a book proposal because I was 6 months pregnant when we met. Big A was a busy child and the book was on hold. I finally submitted two books, Cool Girls Quilt and Sew Sentimental. Both were published in 2007. You can check out all of the books that I've written or contributed to here.

Cool Girls Quilt is available in digital format in the Martingale store where they have the book and individual patterns for sale but Sew Sentimental is out of print.

I contributed to these wonderful books. My pincushion is on the cover of Sew The Perfect Gift.

I also contributed a runner to Skinny Quilts & Table Runners II. 

Fast forward to today. Sew Merry and Bright was a joy to work on and the results are fabulous. I loved working with everyone at Martingale on this book. Thanks to Mary Green, Karen Soltys, Paula Schlosser and her team, Brent Kane, Karen Johnson and Mary Burns. My editor, Rebecca Kemp, did a great job of keeping things in good order!

Enjoy!

xo, L

Day 6: Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced

Thank you to Kate Spain for the awesome post yesterday! Make sure that you go through and read everyone's posts. Each one so far has been so fun yet so different! Pat Sloan's giveaway is still open.

• Wednesday, July 18 - La Vie En Rosie with Carrie Nelson
• Thursday, July 19 - Sew Mama Sew ~ Beth Wilson
• Friday, July 20 - Pat Sloan
• Saturday, July 21 - Ellen Luckett Baker of The Long Thread
• Sunday, July 22 - Kate Spain
• Monday, July 23 - Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced
• Tuesday, July 24 - Martingale & Co.
• Wednesday, July 25 - Henry Glass Fabrics
• Thursday, July 26 - Fat Quarterly
• Friday, July 27 - Aurifil
• Saturday, July 28 - Fat Quarter Shop
• Sunday, July 29 - Mark Lipinski 

My next guest is Lee Heinrich of Freshly Pieced. We met while waiting for the shuttle to the airport this spring in Kansas City right after Quilt Market. I know, mama told me not to talk to strangers. I really liked Lee as we started talking and I had myself a guest here in a matter of minutes. Perhaps she agreed because I talked her ear off but I digress and she hasn't said so. There was just something that was oozing with sincerity and confidence. I like that about people and can pick it up easily. I was right and let's add talented, nice and enthusiastic. Lee is one of those people that you like to have around you. You'll see when you read her blog. She does so much and she has two little ones to boot!

She co-designed and co-hosted the Summer Sampler Quilt Quilt-Along. Love it!

She has some adorable tutorials on her site. I love these place mats!

In addition, she hosts, W.I.P. Wednesday. 

Yep, it's ok to talk to strangers. Go and give her love, won't you? She's made a version of the squirrel ornament. Very cute.

I love her version. You can see it here.

Good luck.

xo, L

p.s. She just designed a tree skirt tutorial for you too. Check it out while you're there!

Day 5: I Welcome Kate Spain

[Credit: Kate Spain]

Thank you Ellen Luckett Baker for her lovely post yesterday! You can still enter her giveaway and Pat's!

I am excited to introduce today's guest too! Kate Spain is a designer who licenses her designs in many industries beyond the quilting industry. I LOVE her style and her blog is a lovely read. I feel especially grateful for her participation in this book tour because she was in the midst of moving. Thank you, Kate!

If you haven't seen her designs before, she designs lovely fabric for Moda. I love her holiday line, Joy, and am going to make some things with it. Fat Quarter Shop has the line here. Fabulous, isn't it?

[Credit: Fat Quarter Shop]

Her new line [October release], Cuzco, is gorgeous. Fat Quarter Shop is going to have the line in their shop.

[Credit: Fat Quarter Shop]

I love the goods that she designs for Crate and Barrel. 

[Credit: Crate and Barrel]

See? Talented. Nice too. My son's comments: "We should have purchased that lemon cup that you loved and she used to design for Nickelodeon? Awesome." Ok, I had the cup in my hand and headed to pay but said young man was grumpy that day.  I had to put it down and leave the store. Hrmph! 

She designs many other beautiful goods and you will have to drop by her website and blog to read about the latest because I am beginning to sound like a stalker. Well, I am but don't tell her!

xo, L

Day 4: Guest Ellen Luckett Baker

Great visit with Pat Sloan yesterday! Love her! She gets you to show things like a messy studio desk! She has a way with people you know!

Today I have a special guest. I have never met Ellen Luckett Baker but I have admired her website, fabric and her book! Her first line, Quilt Blocks, was lovely! I saw a display of the range at Rock, Paper, Scissors a little while ago. I love the colors and the geometric shapes!

Ellen writes all about handmade and she curates with a sharp and discerning eye for the beautifully goods that artists show on their own blogs. I love to see what inspires her to put into her collections.

I thought that I'd share a few of my past freebies with you. There are links on the right sidebar or below under the photos.

Aurifil holiday project.

 Crafter's gift tags.

Funky gift tags.

Enjoy!
xo, L

Day #3: Sew Merry and Bright with Pat Sloan

Thanks for hopping along the Sew Merry and Bright book tour! I'm enjoying the posts and I want to thank the guests so far! Do go and visit Carrie Nelson and the Sew, Mama, Sew! site for their posts!

Today's guest is the super talented Pat Sloan! She is one of my most favorite people in this industry and she has more energy than my kids! I enjoy seeing her smile when I see her at Quilt Market. She has her own quilting business, works with Aurifil, has a new line for Moda and is the fabulous hostest of American Patchwork and Quilting Radio. Her talent goes on and on. Love you, Pat! Run over to her blog to read her great post!

Here's the list of guests for the Sew Merry and Bright book tour! Please visit each one for a fabulous post and a chance to win a book!

Thanks for hopping along on the Sew Merry and Bright book tour. Carrie Nelson and Sew, Mama, Sew! have done a fabulous job so far! Carrie's giveaway is still on until today so please do stop over there and enter!

In case you missed it yesterday, Sew, Mama, Sew! asked me for a project and when Lil' A saw this Robert Kaufman polar bear fabric, he just had to have it! Sounds like his mother, doesn't he? In case you haven't seen it, the tutorial for the "have jingle will rock" body pillow is over at Sew, Mama, Sew!

Enjoy the tour stops! Have a great weekend!
xo, L