How to fight Lex Luther using only fabric

Pixelating Blog Hop... Too Much Fun!!

by Joanne Hillestad on 12/04/18

Today is my day for the Pixelating Blog Hop... or as I call it. The Pixel Blog Hop. lol. Pixelating is such a long word.

I am quickly becoming addicted to making pixel quilts. I have made 3 so far and am working on another now.
I would love to show you the quilts I have made... but they are Christmas gifts and the lucky people who will receive the gifts may see this post. So, you will all have to wait until a post right after Christmas! I'll plan to loop back on the 26th with pictures.

I can show you a fun pop up my sister made using Quiltoni's book, Designing Block Quilts. The technique was easy to follow and fun! The sky is really the limit for what you can do with block quilts... or block pop ups!

The first thing to do is to choose a subject... my sister decided on a butterfly. Here is her inspiration image:

She graphed it out and creating this using graph paper:

Then she pieced the side of the pop up, added stabilizer and sewed it up. This is a large stacking pop up:

Didn't it turn out cute!!! It is so bright and happy.

So, here are a few peeks at the pixel quilt I am working on right now... I used Electric Quilt to draft the quilt instead of graph paper. I created a quilt with all 4" blocks and then created the pattern using fabrics pre-loaded in the software. At first I made every block a 4 patch. After I had the initial design figured out, I went back and changed the blocks that only had 1 or 2 colors into either solid blocks or half blocks. It worked like a charm!!

and here is is partially sewn:

If you don't want to draft your own block quilts... hop over to Quiltoni's websiteand check out her patterns. They are too much fun!!

Toni is also on Twitch live streaming every week. On Friday I am going to be a guest commentator while she sews a Wire-Framed Tote. I will be there to answer questions and just hang out! Toni is raising money for St. Jude's. Chec it out starting by 1pm EST on Friday, December 7th! It should eb a lot of fun!!

Now it is time to learn about the blog hop prizes... they are awesome!!

Make sure you read each of the hoppers blogs. They are making some pretty cool things.

Nov 27 - Quiltoni - Welcome and Introduction of Bloggers and Giveaway https://quiltoni.blogspot.com/
Nov 28 -   Kate Colleran Designs, LLC -   http://seamslikeadream.com/blog/
Nov 29 -   A&E Gutermann -   http://www.seewhatmaterializes.com/blog/
Nov 30 -   Triangle Frenzy LLC -   https://trianglefrenzy.blogspot.com/
Dec 1 -   Desert Bloom Quilting -   https://www.desertbloomquilting.com/blog/
Dec 2 - Quiltoni - /https://quiltoni.blogspot.com/
Dec 3 -   Tamarinis -   https://tamarinis.typepad.com/
Dec 4 -   The Fat QuarterGypsy -   http://www.fatquartergypsy.com/Lex-Luther-Blog.html
Dec 5 -   Around the Bobbin -   https://aroundthebobbin.com/blog/
Dec 6 -   Quilting Affection Designs -   http://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/
Dec 7 -   Muppin Inc -   http://blog.muppin.com/
Dec 8 - Winners Announced
I wouldn't be the giveaway queen and this wouldn't be a Blog Hop without some giveaways. So what are the giveaways? We have some pretty cool ones.

That's right! You can win your very own Arrow Wicked Cosplay Hydraulic Sewing Chair! Gutermann is also giving away a cool thread pack and of course a few books will be given out. To qualify just follow all of the blog hop participants Instagram Pages! You can find them on our giveaway page here and you will be automatically entered to win and following and clicking enter!

So make sure you check out every day of the blog!

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A Monday in the life of a pattern designer...

by Joanne Hillestad on 12/03/18

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A Monday in the Life of a Pattern Designer

Happy Monday!
For today's blog post I have decided to give you a peek into a typical Monday at the Gypsy. Hold onto your hats... this is going to be exciting! Or not...

I forced myself out of bed at 6:32. I wanted another 2 hours of sleep... but it was time to make the doughnuts!!
Left the house just after 7 (I was speedy). Stopped at the local gas station for coffee. Doctored up the coffee with LOTS of creamy chocolate coffee creamer and hit the freeway heading north. Oh... almost forgot. We hauled the recycle and garbage down to the end of the driveway. That is always a really fun part of every Monday! Usually Mike (that's the hubby) takes care of it... but you will see why he didn't in a bit...

My son Nick rode with me today. Normally 3 of us (and our dog) all head to the same location. Rarely do we all end up in the same car. Today Mike stayed home with the dog and a tummy bug. No fun at all! Nick and I are keeping the businesses running. Nick is in school learning everything about how to run CNC machines so he can be generation 3 of my husband's wire forming business. He works between classes.

My quilt studio is in an old apartment upstairs. So, unlike many pattern designers, I do not work from home. I treat my business as a full time job... plus many evenings and weekends.

So... I was driving north. Got of I-35 at Exit 169. Time to get busy!
First up... take care of all the emails from over the weekend. This wasn't a terribly busy weekend for emails, so that didn't take too long.

Next, I always pull up my Trello app. I use it to make to-do lists and keep in touch with other designers via teams. It is a wonderful tool that has helped me in many ways. Everyday gets a new 'Card' with a To-Do list of the most important tasks I need to complete and a Leftovers list of things I will do if I have time. The Leftovers list will roll to tomorrow... and the next day... and so on. Today's list included:

1. order paper
2. setup up print files for printer
3. send Lisa A from Around the Bobbin some pop up springs (this has been rolling from day to day for a week at least)
4. Fill out google form for upcoming guild lecture.
5. look for fabric for a new pattern
6. blog
7. figure out topics for the Schoolhouse Series at Spring 2019 Quilt Market... yes... we start prepping for for the next one now... booth registration will arrive soon.
8. work on bookkeeping at least an hour.

Are you surprised how it doesn't say "quilt today"? The reality is that about 90% of a pattern designer's time is spent sitting at a keyboard doing boring business stuff.

An email arrived from Quilt Market about Schoolhouse proposals. Time to FB Message two of my favorite fellow designers: Kris Poor from Poorhouse Quilt Designs and Kate Colleran from Seams Like a Dream. The three of us often team up to do presentations and other collaborative projects together. We each have different skill sets and experiences which makes teaming up work great!

We brainstormed for probably way too long... but we have ideas for 3 exciting schoolhouse presentations for Spring quilt market. Schoolhouse is a day long event where every 15-30 minutes a bunch of presentations start in a bunch of rooms. There is a big schedule and shop owners and industry professionals pick and choose what topics interest them. Of course, we hope they want to hang out with us! I'm not sure how many topics are happening in each time slot... but it must be 25 or so? It is a great way for us to share our knowledge and introduce some of the new items we will be having in our booths on the floor.

Time to get back to work.
I just spent an hour editing patterns for the printer.

Squirrel!!!! I just heard the UPS man... I'll go see if there is anything important for anyone... heading downstairs... into the wire forming part of our little world.

Mike got 6 boxes! I feel bad for Chris our wonderful UPS guy. That was a lot to haul in.
How many did I get? Well... usually none. But today I got 3! Yeah!
2 contained models and extra product from a trunk show at the Bernina Connection in Phoenix. They made medium pop ups in a class taught by Vanessa Fromm of Fabric Confetti. She does the coolest embroidery designs... and she loves to put them on pop ups. Maybe I'll write a blog all about that on Wednesday? I think I will... so check back then to see some of the fun things she has made using my patterns. Here is a teaser:

The 3rd box is Happy Mail!! Oh Boy! I have a box from Michael Miller Fabrics! Let's go open it up!

Look what I get to play with! This is going to be a fun new version of Cryptic! I will definitely write a blog about sewing this during the 31 day challenge! Getting happy mail is not part of a normal Monday here at the Gypsy. There was also another quilt to be sewn in the box... but it is super secret. All I can show you is a few of the basics... here I am during the 15 minutes or so of pressing I did:

After that I got a couple orders from distributors... that always makes me do a happy dance! Orders are precious and never taken for granted. (Insert Happy Dancing for a few minutes).

Time for lunch... remember yesterday when I told you it was so snowy and windy I didn't go get groceries... well here is my lunch:

It was a good as it looks.
Off to gather items for my orders... see if I need to print anything. What needs to be stuffed... be right back...

I'm back! I need to print the insides of some Grand Central patterns and stuff a bunch of pop ups. Time to turn on the big Xerox! I spent the next 45 minutes printing and folding and stuffing and printing and folding and stuffing.

Mike called... he is starting to feel better. He spent part of the day in his pole barn. We had a lively discussion on dog beds and the lack of one for Bugsy out in the barn. Which one of the 3 in the house he should put out there. My thought is the one with the ugliest and darkest fabric since it will get dirty. But, that's just the mom in me. Here is a picture of Bugsy helping last Friday. He is a golden retriever and they like to help.

My day is almost done. Only an hour to go. I just finished some emails. Then I brainstormed on some new Knobie Talk designs. I have spent a LOT of time writing this blog post. That is really, really not normally part of my Monday. I have to run downstairs and ship some widgets for Mike. Then I'm going to spend the last part of my day cutting out my super secret project I can't tell you about... except it has a piece of lime green in it.

I plan to sew and stuff patterns and pop ups while I watch TV tonight. I also need to write a blog post for tomorrow morning for the Pixel Blog Hop I'm part of. Tomorrow is my day. Then to bed by 10, fall asleep by 11. wake up at 3:30 (but just for a few minutes lol). and then it will be time to head to work on Tuesday!

Until tomorrow!
Jo

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Day 2... I've got nothing important to say... but the pop up pictures are fun!

by Joanne Hillestad on 12/02/18

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It is Sunday evening and I have all sorts of ideas for great blog posts... however, most of them require preparation and pictures. I am sadly lacking in preparation and pictures. So, I'll have to find something else to talk about.

How about the weather? That is usually safe.
I spent the weekend inside. I didn't even get myself out to buy the groceries we need. Instead, I stayed warm and cozy in my sewing room. I live in chilly Minnesota. This weekend was particularly chilly. The snow was falling. The wind was blowing. It was not the nicest driving on the roads.
I worked on a Christmas gift for an unnamed person. I'd show you all my progress... but that would reveal the gift. So, again... lacking in pictures. It is a very fun project using my friend Toni's book titled "Designing Block Quilts". On Tuesday I'll be participating in a Blog Hop for the book. I have a fun pop up my sister made to share. I will discuss my mystery project, but I don't think I will have it completely sewn in time for a big reveal. Instead, I will show you how I designed the project. I like technology... and used it where I could!
So, you should check back on Tuesday to learn all about it!

This is getting wordy, so I think it is time for a picture to brighten your day.

This fun winter themed pop up is called Snow Follies. It is part of my Dress Up Your Pop Up collection. The cute snow people are appliqued onto the side of the pop up before constructing it. The pop up also has a flap with a drawstring so you can use it for a gift. IF you don't want the applique, you can make it plain instead! The pattern is FQGDU208 Snow Follies and contains the instructions, a spring and a label to make one. Sew Fun!

In addition to Snow Follies... there is also Winter Serenade (To the Left) and Winter's Catch (Below). Snow Follies and FQGDU207 Winter Serenade are both made using the Small 5.5" diameter spring. FQGDU206 Winter's Catch uses the Medium 8" spring.

And this concludes day 2 of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge. So far it is not flowing out of me easily... but tomorrow is another day and I will be in the studio which will greatly help me be more prepared and have access to more images! Yeah!

Until tomorrow!!
Jo

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I'm doing the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge!

by Joanne Hillestad on 12/01/18

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Today is the first day of the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge!

I decided to dive into this challenge... however I may regret this about day 3. :)
Today I am cheating and just blogging about the fact that I am going to be blogging.

I find social media challenging on a good day. Putting myself out for the world to see is something I generally avoid. Yes, I am a HUGE introvert. People who have met me find this difficult to believe. However, it is true. Being super social is exhausting. After the first day of Quilt Market a month ago I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open past 9pm!
On a normal day I can't fall asleep before 11pm.

So, I have no idea what I'll talk about. Maybe my chickens. Christmas cookies? The Laundry?
You will have to follow along to find out!

Until tomorrow when I post something worth reading...

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#MISSING MARKET

by Joanne Hillestad on 10/31/18

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Who is ready for the most SWAGTASTIC SWAGTACULAR Missing Market Giveaway?

International Quilt Market is such an exciting time for everyone! All of the quilting industry under one roof with new fabrics, threads, sewing machines and collections of every kind!

The fabulous and fun Mathew from MisterDomestic and Go-Go Kim are co-hosting a #missingmarket event on Instagram and invite you to join us for the MOST HAPPENING PARTY that is NOT in HOUSTON!

You can find the #missingmarket Instaparty by visiting @misterdomestic and @gogokim!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/715465f737/?

If you are not on Instagram, we did not want you to miss out on the opportunity to grab some Quilt Market goodness!

This sponsored giveaway is generously offered by leaders of the sewing and quilting industry that want you to enjoy their FABULOUS Quilt Market swag!

There are a variety of brands including some you know and love and also some that are just starting out on their adventures in the sewing and quilting world!

One very fortunate WINNER will receive this fabulous prize package including:

A $40 gift card from Fat Quarter Shop

If it is not on Fat Quarter Shop, it does not exist! This $40 GC will be perfect for fabric, thread, needles or anything else you need!

Kimberly and her team bring the best of everything together and put it online for your convenience

Shannon Fabrics:

Crazy 8 Cuddle Kit Violeta

If you have never had the opportunity to feel a cuddle quilt, you will fall in love! There is not a word to describe how soft and warm Cuddle fabrics are.

From The Quilters Planner:

A 2019 Quilter's Planner and QP Pattern Magazine. Stephanie Palmer has made sure to include everything for your busy home and sewing life!

oliso:

Your favorite iron brand oliso is giving you the choice between the pink or yellow Oliso® Pro™ TG1600 Smart Iron!

Oh My Goodness! This magical iron will spoil you with dependable heat, hot steam ( if you like steam) and a feature that cannot be found on any other iron! It raises itself up to avoid scorching!

Designs by SarahJ:

A fat Quarter Bundle of her new Sew Sweet Batiks for Marcus Fabrics. These batiks are so light and airy. The colors are like a candy shop window!

Hobbs Batting:

What's in your quilt sandwich?

Make it Hobbs Batting! The quilter's choice of quality batting!

Hobbs is including Throw-sized batting bundle of:
Tuscany Silk
Tuscany Wool
Tuscany Cotton/Wool
Tuscany Bleached Cotton

String & Story:

Two digital patterns that are brand spanking new and a pair of String & Story vinyl stickers for your sewing machine , sewing box or even your computer!

OLFA Creates:
Safety is always first in the sewing room!

OLFA 60mm Rotary Cutter + 60mm Endurance Blade is not only good for your hands but has a safety lock when not in use.

BUT WAIT!!!

There is MORE!!!!

From Needle, Ink & Thread:

Omnigrid Foldaway Mid-Size Cutting Mat & Ironing Area 9in x 12in. Perfect for at home or on the road sewing!

Gudrun from GE Quilt Designs:

Gudrun offers a great variety of items including her Stripology books and Rulers!

$25 gift certificate to gequiltdesigns.com

From the fun Swirly Girls Design:

A pattern pack including:

Go Go Hexies quilt pattern

Pineapple Party quilt pattern

Sew Sweet Book

Perfect Ten

Maywood Studio:

A Maywood Studio Chloe Irish Chain Pods Quilt Project! Discover a new way to make projects even faster!

Maywood Studio Pods are a precut kit making your project " easy peasy" meaning less cutting and less time!

The Southern Bobbin :

Make yourself or someone you love a wallet that is both useful and stylish!

A Slim and Sassy Southern Wallet Kit which includes pattern, fabric, stabilizer, zipper, and snap. ($25 Retail Value)

Quilt-Pro Systems:

Quilt-Pro is giving their software with an incredible variety of patterns, blocks and designs for you to create your own personalized quilt block or pattern on your PC or Mac!

Be sure to share this fab giveaway opportunity with all of your friends! They will love you even more!!!!

This giveaway will be run through Rafflecopter. You are not required to do all of the options offered.

There is only one mandatory option and the rest we hope you will happily do!

Your chances of winning will increase with the more options you choose. The giveaway is open to all of our international friends!

This SWAGtastic giveaway closes at 05 Nov 2018 at 3pm CT ( the same time as the close of Quilt Market in Houston) and one random winner will be chosen from the Rafflecopter entries and contacted by on or by 08 November 2018.

The winner will be announced on the blog post.

Link to Rafflecopter Giveaway

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