QFEA Book Tour

This book is the fruit of sweat, blood, and tears.  Over the course of two years, it was a physically demanding task, as well as an emotional journey.  One that no one could ever fully understand until they experience the publishing industry for themselves.  This experience is one that I will be eternally grateful for.  It challenged me in so many different ways, allowed me to grow, and it will continue to test my strength and perseverance in the coming years.

When writing this book, I sincerely strived to make something different.  I wanted the designs to stand out from what we typically see in quilt books.  As a consumer of quilt books myself, I yearned to see designs that were fresh and appealed to a more modern aesthetic.   I tried to fill that void with Quilting from every Angle, and I think I did a good job.  I really hope you love it.

To celebrate the release of Quilting from every Angle, some wonderful friends and associates of mine have come together to share this book with you.   Please stop by to see what they are up to and what they have to say about the book.  There will be a giveaway at each stop, so enter for your chance to win a copy of my book.  I am very excited to share my book with you, and I hope you find great inspiration in it.

BLOG TOUR

11/10- Michelle Wilkie of Factotum of Arts

11/11- Hillary Goodwin of Entropy Always Wins

11/12- Karen Lewis of Karen Lewis Textiles

11/13- Anna Graham of Noodlehead

11/16- Rachel McCormack of Wooden Spoon Quilts

11/17- Tara Larson of Rad & Happy 

11/18- Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane

11/19- Holly Hughes of Holly Gets Quilty

11/20- Nicole Daksiewicz of Modern Handcraft

11/23- Pat Bravo of Pat Bravo Fabric Design 

11/24- Astrid Slagle of Red Red Completely Red

11/25- Holly DeGroot of Bijou Lovely

11/26- Christopher Thompson of The Tattooed Quilter

11/27- Spoonflower

xx nancy

Fossil quilt variations || Quilting from every Angle

After I got my advanced copy of the book Quilting from every Angle, I reached out on Instagram asking if anyone would be interested in making a quilt from the book.  I received quite some interest! I wanted to share with you the quilts they made along with my version from the book.

I will be sharing five different quilt patterns from the book with you.  All photography is done by the individual who made the quilt.  Each person chose their fabrics and were permitted to do whatever they liked with the pattern.  I had no say in what they chose to do with it or the colors and fabrics they used.  Basically, I gave them free reign.  It's their quilt anyways, and I wanted it to reflect their own personalities, not mine.  

What is really interesting and nice to see is other people's interpretations of your patterns.  I love seeing a design of mine in a color way I normally would not gravitate towards because it helps me to see how many varieties the design can take, and maybe, it will one day encourage me to branch out of my own comfort zone.  Sometimes, people see things in a way you never could have imagined.  I think that is why I love quilting and art so much.

Quilting from every Angle is a book that shows my love for design.  It is filled with unique and graphic quilts.   I really wanted quilt designs that could appeal to younger and older generations, but my main focus was to grab the attention of quilters who loved graphic design and modern day textile art.  Although all of my quilts are rooted in traditional piecing and shapes, the combination I did with these things makes the patterns stand out and are very graphic.  I hope that you enjoy the quilt patterns I am sharing with you this week.

To get a copy and see updates to the book, please click here.


FOSSIL

The first one I want to share with you is called Fossil.  Fossil came about while playing with triangles and moving them around.  The end result looked like a rib cage that was partially unearthed.  When I sketched Fossil, I instinctively knew I wanted the colors to be a fire-y orange red.  Placed on a white background, it created a visually high-impact design.  For the quilting, I echoed the design.  Fossil is a pretty straightforward pattern that is great for advanced beginners.

1.  Nancy Purvis

2.  Ruby Loves Red by Sandra Cassidy

Website: Ruby Loves Red
Instagram: @rubylovesred

3.  Rad and Happy by Tara Larson

Website: Rad and Happy

Instagram: @radandhappy

4. Sarah Hill

Website: Sarah Lynn Hill

Instagram:  @sarahlynnhill

4.  Factotum of Arts by Michelle Wilkie

Website:  Factotum of Arts
Instagram: @ml_wilkie

Didn't everyone do a good job?  I really appreciate seeing the different versions of these patterns, and I am sure others do too!!  Thank you to all those who contributed.

I will be sharing more patterns over the next two weeks, as well as a blog tour in November that you will not want to miss!

To purchase a copy, please click here.

xx nancy

One year ago: Homemade caramel sauce
Two years ago: A swoon pillow
Three years ago: Your thread under a microscope
Four years ago: Felt Acorns

Quilting from every Angle

My book is finally here!  Quilting from every Angle features 16 geometric quilt designs and will be a great companion to your quilt book library.

• Perfect for advanced beginner with basic quilting knowledge to intermediate quilters.
• Perfect for anyone looking for high-impact designs with a modern flair.
• Perfect mix of minimal and all over designs.
• 3 mini quilts and 13 baby to large throw size quilts.
• Covers half-square triangles, half-rectangle triangles, flying geese, paper piecing, y-seams, improvisational piecing, and appliqué.  
• Introduction to glue basting

This book was an accumulation of hard work and sacrifice, and I hope that you enjoy it.  Thank you to all for your love and support.

UPDATES

To be informed of updates in the book, please CLICK HERE.  If you have any questions, please contact me.  

HOW TO ORDER

For a signed book addressed to a specific person, please include the name in the box 'Note to Seller' at checkout.  All copies purchased through me will include my signature.

BUY NOW!

Quilting From Every Angle $25.00 USD

xx nancy

bound mini quilt + pillow + giveaway || 30 Days of Sewing with Art Gallery Fabrics

Happy National Sewing Month!

303 Kona Colors + One Little Mistake

303 colors is a lot, right?  It is, and Beth from Stash Fabrics  asked a few quilters to put together some bundles for you because she now carries ALL 303 colors. I hope you will check it out.  

At first, I was immediately drawn to do pick out something bright, but I got to thinking that more than likely most of the other bundles would be bright.  I wanted to provide Beth's customers with variety, and I think this bundle does just that.  It is also perfect for both sexes and can be broken up to work on a smaller scale, providing even more variety for your projects.   The colors work really well together.  They are rich, sort of manly, and will be perfect for your fall quilting!  I don't know about you, but I'm already day dreaming about fall with cooler weather and colorful leaves on the trees.  

Mistakes Happen

I went back and forth a little about whether or not to share this part with you.  Then I thought, why not?  I ran into a little problem with what I had made, and of course, I only wanted to show the best AND be the best as I could for this hop.  But life isn't always perfect, is it?  As a maker, it is sometimes hard to critique your work and then to publicly come out and say it could be better.  Mistakes are definitely part of the making process, and they happen way more frequently than I would care to share.   

Originally, I made a quilt top (just needed a few more seams) loosely following the directions by Lizzy House from her Catalog Quilt pattern.   This is what was on my design wall.

Spontaneity came full force towards the end of making the top, and I decided to cut it up.  You have to understand me though to know that I rarely get attached to my quilts or fabrics.   I love them.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm just not like a lot of other people who would shudder at the thought of cutting up a quilt top or altering it in some way that could produce a totally different outcome.  To me, it was just fabric, and I wanted to experiment.  It's the fear that stops us from exploring.  Fear we will ruin a good quilt top. Fear of the outcome.  Fear of wasting precious time because um, hello.  That top took me several hours to prep, cut, and piece.  Fear of hurting someone's feelings, including our own.  Fear of making mistakes.   Well, in my opinion, cutting up that top was possibly a mistake.  I know some of you will absolutely love the improv log cabin I made, but it's not sitting well with me like some of my other work.  I'm not beating myself up about it, but I am little bummed it didn't turn out quite like what I had envisioned in my head.  But then again, can improvisational piecing ever come out just like what we had in our heads?

If I could go back to the Catalog quilt, I would. It was a risk I took, and it was something I would have never known unless I took that risk.  Would I take a risk like this again?  Most certainly!  Sometimes the biggest risks can yield the greatest results, but you never know until you take that step.  If you want to ever expand your skills or abilities, you need to learn to push on.  To push through the mistakes.  To push through the pain.  To push through the fear.  You can do it!

I also played around with some of the leftover scraps, which I loved the outcome of this.  I do have plans for this, and I can't wait to have the time to implement it!

Stash Fabrics offers all 303 Kona colors and provides free shipping on orders over $50.  You can get 10% off your entire purchase now through the entire month of August with the coupon code “WOW303”.  It expires September 6th 11:59 EST and does not apply to pre-orders or clubs.

Here is the link the to my bundle and the link to all the bundles.

Stash Fabrics Kona Blog Hop Schedule

July 17 – Darcy @ Modern Cozy
July 23 – Jacey  @ Jacey Craft

July 30 - Kelly @ Kelby Sews
August 3 – Nancy @ Owen’s Olivia
August 6 – Jodi @ Tales of Cloth
August 10 – Megan @ City Stitches
August 12 – Rita @ Red Pepper Quilts
August 17 – Elizabeth @ Andpins Handmade
August 19 – Tara @ Rad and Happy
August 21 – Sharon @ Color Girl Quilts
August 24 – Allison @ Allison Sews
August 27 – Kristi @ Schnitzel and Boo

August 31 - Jessee @ Art School Dropout

xx nancy

One year ago: Pattern Parcel

Two years ago: Hexagon Clock

Three years ago: For Gracie

Four years ago: Homemade Laundry Soap


My quilting book released Sept. 24, 2015 and is on Amazon.  Check it out!

My bundle was given to me to create to a project to showcase the colors I chose. I have shopped with Stash Fabrics before, and I love their customer service and shop.  I only promote businesses that I feel would be good for my readers to know about.  

How to Machine Bind a Quilt || My Method

Binding is one of those things that I seriously forget how to do every.single.time.  No lie.  After every quilt, I refer back to my printed page from Heather Bailey's site.  But this started to get old for me, so I cheated.  Yeah.  I got "lazy" and decided that I no longer wanted to sew the last seam at an angle to join the two strips at the very end of binding, which was the one step that always had me going back to my trusty Heather Bailey referral sheet.

Like always, I urge you to find a method that best suits you.   My method may or may not be the best method for you, but if you find yourself getting frustrated figuring out that very last seam in binding, then my tutorial might be helpful.   Quilting should make you happy not grumpy.  I think this is becoming my new motto.  Actually, it did become my motto.

In this post I go over how to make straight grain binding, the math, how to apply it to your quilt, and how to finish it.

Pandamonium Quilt Pattern || Fat Quarter Shop

Hello!

I wanted to let you know about a new free pattern by Fat Quarter Shop.  It is called the Pandamonium Quilt.  The link for the pattern is here.

The instructions are pretty straightforward, and you can have this done in a day or two.  If you are on Instagram, check out the hashtag #pandamoniumquilt to see other variations of this quilt.  I even spotted an Andy Warhol version. Pretty cool!   Enjoy!

xx nancy
Find me on Instagram and Facebook

One year ago:  Sweet As Honey Pillow Top
Two years ago: Modern Mini Quilt Challenge
Three years ago: Lucy's Doll

Etno Quilt Top || Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics

Hello all, and Happy Spring!  I was asked by Pat Bravo to participate in her Etno Blog Tour.  This tour shares with you her newest collection, Etno.

Inspired by ethnic patterns, Etno features a colorful selection of fun prints in yellows, pinks, blues, blacks, whites, and tans.   I combined most of the prints using flying geese and half square triangles to create my Etno quilt top.   Are not the fabrics lovely?

For the official list of those participating in this hop with links, please visit here.

April 3rd ~ Teri at Fa Sew La
April 4th ~ Lisa at The Quilt Jam
April 5th ~ Hilary at Young Texan Mama
April 6th ~ Sharon at Color Girl Quilts
April 7th ~ Marija at Marija's Fabric Creations
April 8th ~ Nancy at Owens Olivia
 April 9th ~ Becky at Sewin 4 Him
April 10th ~ Erin at Poppy Quinn
April 11th ~ Kathryn at Up*It*Is*Quilts
April 12th ~ Lori at Lori Hartman Designs
April 13th ~  Abbey at Sew Charleston
April 14th ~ Aida at Aika Maku
April 15th ~ Debbie at A Quilter's Table
April 16th ~ Lara at Scrap Quilt Preach
April 17th~ Isabel at Lamb & Wolfie
April 18th ~ Kylie at Faith Love Fabric

Please stop by Marija's Fabric Creations and check out tomorrow's feature at Sewin 4 Him to see what these quilters are up to.

Helpful links:

Art Gallery Fabrics
Pat Bravo's Blog

Find me elsewhere:
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest


Have a great week!

xx nancy

One year ago:  Sweet as Honey
Two years ago: Bedroom Makeover
Three years ago: My first quilt


My quilting book released Sept. 24, 2015 and is on Amazon.  Check it out!

Birchen Quilt Top for Fat Quarter Shop + Art Gallery Fabrics

Fat Quarter Shop has teamed up with Art Gallery Fabrics to present to you, AGF Stitched with Kimberly, which offers one-of-kind free quilt patterns exclusively for Fat Quarter Shop.

This season is the Birchen Quilt.  I picked out some fabrics and used Triangles on a Roll to make this top.  I used mostly Bonnie Christine's Hello, Bear collection and added one Leah Duncan print and three solids as well (not pictured).  Both artists can be found at Art Gallery Fabrics.   Photo from my Instagram account.

And two progress shots.

This is only the top.  It looks complicated, but it was a fairly straight-forward quilt to make.   Fat Quarter Shop offers a nice video on how to construct it, as well as a few tips.

I think this is by far the busiest quilt I have ever made to date.  It was fun!

Is it any surprise there is black in this quilt?  :)

The black was actually an accident because, you know, I'm human and capable of making poor choices.  I had originally chose the cream multi-colored mountains print in place of the large HST, but I immediately knew I had made the wrong choice once I laid out my blocks.

 I was bummed.  I don't use any special software to mock up my blocks with its fabrics.  I just try to envision my projects in my head and hope and say a silent prayer everything will work out in the end.     Does anyone else do this too?  Luckily, I had chosen the black subway print as well because it became my saving grace.

The location for this shot is right down the street from me.  I call it the Coco-cola Bar because of the old timey large red coke sign out front, and well, it's a bar.  I'm not sure if this old place even has a name except to the locals that frequent it.  I love how the wind kicked up this top and made one diamond the focal point.  Thank you Mother Nature.

You can find the pattern here, and you can see other quilters' interpretations of the Birchen quilt here.  You can also purchase a quilt kit.

Thanks for stopping in today!  Feel free to follow along on Bloglovin'.

xx nancy

Find me elsewhere: Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook

One year ago: Cargo Duffle by Anna Graham
Two years ago: Paper pieced star
Three years ago: 30 Fat quarter projects

life lately || sewing

I thought I would share on here some of the things I have been doing lately in the sewing room.  Most of this I share on Instagram, so if you have an account, stop by!  But I know many of you do not have one, so I don't want you to be left out.

I have two main projects in the works.  First up is my Circle Lattice quilt by Carolyn Friedlander.  This was my first attempt at hand appliqué, and it is not that bad actually!  It is a slow process and one that gives my fingers a beating.  I do enjoy the time spent with working with my hands while tucked under something I have made.  It is very satisfying.

My next project is another appliqué, but it is a mini.  This is called my xoxo quilt, and to be painfully honest, I have had mixed feelings about it.  It was one that I sketched out, but that's about it.  I worked piece by piece hoping that in the end my desired outcome would be achieved.  Well, I ran into some hiccups, which is natural for improv.   And now I have the top 90% done, and I have NO clue how to finish it. And by finish I mean binding, what I want the final product to be, etc.  I am just hoping inspiration will slam into me with full force.

I joined in on an Instagram hashtag that didn't really catch any steam.  I made this improv flying geese panel, which I adore, and I hope to return to it soon.  But for now it is in the WIP pile.

And lastly, I made this small piece as a prototype.  It was a design that came to my mind during my book writing, so I quickly sketched it out not to forget it.  I think I would like to take out a few of the overlapping gray and black areas and make them lighter.  I just need to order some Aurifil, and as soon I do that, I can finish this piece.  I am not sure why it is taking me over 3 months to order a spool of thread.

Not quilting related, but Matt gifted me a loom.  My weaving is done and just needs to be hung onto a dowel.  I definitely foresee more weavings in my future.

I found these odd baskets (I have two) at a thrift store for $2.  They hung on a wall waiting to be used.  When I started to clean up my sewing room I discovered a clever use for them. They now hold my large and small embroidery hoops.  I don't know about yours, but mine were hanging on a nail and kept falling off.

And just a quick shout out to Bobbie Lou's Fabric!  She has some great quilting cottons with new arrivals coming in all the time.  Be sure to pop over and check it out.  And of course, free shipping on orders over $50 in the US.

So those are just a few of the things going on.  I wish I could share it all!  One day though!  :)   Just know I am alive and I have not sworn off quilting, although my husband thought for sure I would after he witnessed the stress in my life and home last year.  Ha!  It's all good though!

Happy quilting!

xx nancy

One year ago:  Triangle Fish Quilt
Two years ago:  WIP Wednesday
Three years ago:  30 Fat Quarter Projects