Bloggers Quilt Festival - Mini Quilt - Spring Basket

It's like Lays Potato Chips -- you can't enter just one!!

I just couldn't help myself and decided (at the last minute) to throw a 2nd entry into Amy's Bloggers Quilt Festival.

Here it is "Spring Basket".  For those new to my blog - Welcome! Here is a bit of history...

"Spring Basket" is an 11" x 16" wool applique on cotton, half-moon, mini quilt.  The Original Design quilt represents a lot of First's for me!!

• My first ever completely wool design
• My first ever published "for sale" pattern
• My first ever Big Stitch quilted piece (ouch -- that hurt -- I Love to FMQ)
• My first ever teaching adventure (thanks Quilters Corners for taking a chance on me)
• My first ever ...

Well - you get the picture.  It all started when I shared a picture of my "Penny Garland Revised" wool on cotton quilt to Cheryl.  Penny Garland is a pattern by Kim Diehl..  You can learn more about "Penny Garland Revised" by clicking here.

Cheryl is a very talented Wool Felt Artist and a local Fiber Arts cheerleader.  Each year she organizes a Spring Fiber Festival event which includes animals, vendors, felters, woodworkers, and other wool related craftsmen.  Cheryl took a chance on me and invited me to show my Wool quilts at the next event.

One thing led to another, and a handful of ladies at the event signed up to learn wool applique!

I reached out to a Local Quilt Shop - Quilters Corner in Ithaca, NY -- and the partners there decided  to give me a chance.   (Thank you ladies!).

But wait, I needed something original to teach -- In two weeks time, I designed, stitched and delivered a "Spring Basket" sample to the shop so a class could be formalized and announced in their upcoming Newsletter.  See the debut in the Newsletter by clicking here (I was so honored and excited...)

The Spring Basket design came to me as I longed for warmer weather, spring flowers, and the return of the Carolina Wren to our cottage.  I also wanted it SIMPLE, and easy to learn, so beginners would feel comfortable making it.   I hope I've achieved that goal.  The PDF pattern includes many color photos and step by step instructions for preparing your background, wool pieces, order of stitching, etc.

Spring Basket is available as a PDF Download from my Craftsy Pattern Store.  If you are interested in a printed version of the pattern, feel free to send me an e-mail.   The printed version of the pattern includes the applique shapes already printed on freezer paper -- a sweet little shortcut for you!

Carrie from A Passion for Applique Blog graciously reviewed and stitched her own version of Spring Basket.

Image courtesy of http://apassionforapplique.blogspot.com

You can read her review here:

If applique appeals to you, you should jump over to Carries' blog, look at her beautiful work, and take in her awesome tutorials. (Thank you Carrie).

Well I hope you've enjoyed the "Spring Basket" tour with history.   You can see a sweet little Printed Quilt Label tutorial I made with Spring Basket by clicking on the image below...

"Spring Basket"

an Origial Design Mini Quilt

by Karen L. Miller

11" x 16" half-moon shape

Wool applique on Cotton background

Big Stitch Quilted

Quilt Festival Category: Mini Quilt

Voting starts later today -- I hope you have time to jump over to the Quilt Festival and see all the beautiful work by very talented Bloggers in the Quilting Community!

Hugs,

Karen

Celebrate Wool Applique love "Spring Basket" on Anything Goes Monday

Greetings blogging friends and welcome to the next celebration and giveaway in A Month of Monday Giveaways!!

but first... "Thank You" to everyone that commented on last week's post and offered their kind words and best wishes for Redbird Quilt Co.!

If you are joining us for your first visit be sure to click on this post and comment to enter last week's Aurifil thread giveaway - it's open until appx 9:00pm EST Monday April 7th.  Thanks again to Aurifil for sponsoring thread giveaways all month long! #aurilove

I did my best to respond to each sweet comment in the giveaway post but, I must admit, I was pleasantly overwhelmed with responses and I've fallen behind.  Please know that your giveaway entries are secure.

Sadly :(  MANY of you are showing as "No-Reply" bloggers, and unless your email address is included in the comments I have no way to reach you.  Click here to ensure YOU are not one of the unfortunate "No-Reply" bloggers.

OK - on to the celebration and giveaways!! 

Today I'm honored to guest host "Anything Goes Monday" - a fantastic weekly Linky party created by Marelize Ries at Stitch by Stitch blog.

Marelize is a wonderfully talented designer from Kriel, South Africa who brings her projects to life with the most beautiful free motion quilting sewn on her domestic sewing machine.

If you've never visited Stitch by Stitch I invite you to jump over and check out Marelize's lovely lineup of patterns and tutorials, along with her inspirational free motion quilting.

You absolutely have to see what Marelize makes with her creative self and a little Bernina Artista 180!

Marelize recently designed, created, quilted and published "Summer Solstice" available on her Craftsy Pattern store by clicking here.

Thank you Marelize for inviting me to guest host Anything Goes Monday for you today!  The Linky party is at the end of this post...

New followers -- if you have a blog I would invite you to try the Linky party -- it's a fun way to share your work with others and to enjoy a world of blogger creativity!! 

Today's celebration also includes the announcement of Redbird Quilt Co.'s first ever published pattern "Spring Basket"!  Yippee, happy dance, cartwheels and BIG smiles  !!

"Spring Basket" is an 11" x 16" wool applique mini quilt that is wool charm friendly.  (Wool charms normally contain 5 pieces of 5 inch square wools).  The pattern is available for immediate purchase and PDF download from my new Craftsy Pattern Store!!  Just click the link below !!


The printed version will be available at a few local and online quilt shops - stay tuned for these upcoming announcements!

The PDF pattern includes full size Applique Shapes (ready to print on 8.5" x 11" freezer paper sheets), step by step start to finish instructions with supporting images, and suggestions for finishing the quilt with big stitch quilting.

The printed version of the pattern includes the full size Applique Sheets already printed on freezer paper!!  This saves you the trouble of printing or tracing them.

Because it is my first pattern I look forward to hearing your constructive feedback on either version.  As always - thanks for your support and encouragement, it drives me to continue growing and sharing what I love <3

OK -- onto this week's giveaway in the Month of Monday Giveaways!!

I'll be sharing 3 copies of "Spring Basket" in your choice of PDF or Printed version.  I'm pleased to say the contest is open internationally (international winners will receive a PDF version of the pattern).

Also, for domestic entries, Aurifil is sponsoring another 10 Spool Thread Pack of Aurifil Mako Cotton 50Wt threads!  WOW -- now we really have something to celebrate!  If you want to see why I choose to piece and quilt with Aurifil threads take a look at a few old posts here and here and here.

Check out this beautiful thread pack that includes spring colors that compliment Darlene Zimmerman's Lazy Daisy Basket line for Robert Kaufman.  These threads would work perfectly if you made "Spring Basket" in cotton - you can even machine stitch it!!   Oh such beautiful colors!!  Thank you Aurifil!

To enter the giveaway:

This weeks giveaway includes 3 "Spring Basket" patterns and one Aurifil Thread pack!

Winners will be chosen using these methods:    

Follow my Craftsy Pattern Store here - and one lucky Craftsy Pattern Store follower will be chosen to win a "Spring Basket" pattern.

Comment on the Redbird Quilt Co. Facebook Post celebrating the "Spring Basket" pattern.  All comments will be placed in a hat and one will be drawn to win a "Spring Basket" pattern.

Comment on this blog post and two winners (one "Spring Basket" pattern and one Aurifil Thread Pack) will be chosen!

On this post tell me what you like about the design.

Leave an extra comment if you follow my blog and tell me how you follow.

You can get extra chances to win if you share the "Spring Basket" celebration on any social media outlet (Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Blogging) - leave one comment per share !!

This giveaway will be open until 9:00pm EST Monday, March ooops April 14th (thank you Dya!)  -- Be sure to come back next week for yet another Monday in the Month of Monday giveaways!

Now back to Anything Goes Monday !!    Woohoo -- we're really partying now!!

Using the InLinkz Link-up below - link up any current projects you've been busy with, anything at all!  From quilting, sewing, knitting and crochet, it can be of any fiber art.  If its handmade, share it!

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm looking forward to this new adventure with everyone.
Thanks again for your support and smiles -- they really make my day!

Hugs,
Karen