Welcome to Deb Strain's studio...

Welcome to Deb Strain's studio...

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Congratulations to Laurie!


Congratulations to Laurie!

Winner of a "Seascapes" jelly roll.
Thank you all so much for visiting my
blog during this busy time of year
and sharing your favorite
holiday traditions.

We here at the Strain home
wish you all the Merriest of Christmas
and Happiest New Year!

Looking forward to visiting with you more
in 2013.
Always,
Deb

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Now in stores...."Seascapes!"








Hello Dear Friends!

Hope that December has started well for all of you.
What a fun, busy time of year!

I just wanted to take you away from
holiday baking  and present wrapping for
a moment to
let you know that 
"Seascapes"
is now in your favorite
Quilt Shop!


"Seascapes"
is my newest line of fabric, 
filled with blues, greens and aquas of
the ocean.
Seashells and sand dollars, scallops and sea horses
will remind you of treasures from the sea.



has created 3 wonderful Quilt Patterns with
"Seascapes."

This is just one of them.
Be sure to stop by her website to see all three!

And now for the drawing.....
Leave a comment by Dec. 15th,
telling me your favorite 
holiday tradition.
On the 15th, I will random.org
will help me choose the winner
of a "Seascapes" JELLY ROLL!


Good luck to you and Happy Holidays!
Always,
Deb






Friday, November 9, 2012

Happy Fall!

Hello Dear Friends!

What a beautiful time of year!  The air is crisp, the colors have been inspiring and the holidays are right around the corner.  It has also been a busy time of year for us here at the Strain Homestead......

Thought that I might show you a few of the things that we have
been doing in the last month or so!

Two weeks ago, was the International Quilt Market, in Houston, Texas.

My booth was filled with beautiful quilts using my newest fabric line
from Moda, "Seascapes."
Barb, from Coach House Designs, created 3 incredible new quilts
to show off this lovely new group featuring everything nautical.
"Seascapes" will be available in your favorite Quilt store soon!
Watch for my next blog where I introduce 
this newest line created with colors from the Sea.
(A drawing will also be held then!)

I forgot to bring my camera to take pictures of my booth and
the excitement at the show, but found a video 
that will show all!   



Just click on the above link and you will be transported to
my booth in Houston.




Last week, was a trip to Newark, Ohio, to
meet with Longaberger Baskets.
My meeting was held in their "Giant Basket" building.


They really liked the 2013 Calendar that I designed for them


and wanted to get started on 2014!


Of course, there has been a lot of fun with our twin
grandsons....like baking cookies and playing with
Power Rangers!


Earlier in October, we took a little resource trip for
inspiration.  I found so many ideas and wonderful
images in Southern Indiana.  Look for
several of these in my future artwork!


Love this!

Already used this one in a new
Christmas painting!

September included being an exhibitor with my dear friend,
Anne McKinney at the Country Living fair.

It was a lot of fun and very inspiring!
This was our booth.
The crowd was plentiful and the
weather was beautiful...what
a perfect weekend!

That has been our recent month or so...
Next up.....
THE HOLIDAYS!

Hope your fall has been as much fun as mine.
Always,
Deb











Saturday, September 15, 2012

Oh, So Sweet Winners!


Hello Dear Friends!
Thanks so much for joining the Moda designers
on our hometown tours.
I'm ready to travel, aren't you?

Thank you also for leaving such wonderful comments on my blog.
I read them ALL and am REALLY ready
to travel now!!!

And now....to introduce the winners.....
(drawn randomly with the help of random.org)

The winner of the Seascapes Jelly Roll 
is....
Ellen, from Dunedin, Florida (where
orange juice was invented!) who commented on
September 8th at 1:21pm.



The winner of the SPA Jelly Roll
is....
Cecilia from sunny
San Diego, California
who commented on September 10th
at 1:21 pm!

Congratulations to you both and
I will get your prizes right out.
Thanks again to everyone who visited
my blog.

Stop by Moda's blog, 
for directions to
set all of the blocks that you have
received in the hop, together.
(Those Moda people are geniuses!)

Have a wonderful fall!
Always,
Deb


Friday, September 7, 2012

Oh, So Sweet Blog Hop!!!!


Hello Dear Friends!
Today (Saturday) is my day in Moda's 
Oh, So Sweet!
Blog Hop.

September is National Sewing Month and what
better way to celebrate than lots of
give-a-ways and free patterns?

Our theme for this blog is a "Hometown visit."
So, I will be taking you for a little visit to
rural Ohio.


We actually live in Gettysburg, Ohio.  A little village
of about 500 people, an hour from the Indiana border.


Everyone in Gettysburg has a post office box that we go to
everyday to get our mail.
Here are the postal boxes for our entire town....
all on one wall!

Our nearest "BIG" city is Greenville, Ohio....

....population 13,189.

Greenville is known for 3 things:
the birthplace of Anne Oakley,

the Great Darke County Fair,

and......

Maid Rite.

Anyone who has been to Greenville, has been to Maid Rite.
The food is good, but it is the building itself,
that is famous.

Because every wall (outside, not inside!)
is covered with GUM!
(Sorry if you are eating while viewing this.)

Sometimes the "gum stickers" get
experimental and see what they
can leave in their gum.....

and some are more creative in their
"gum expressions."

You can even buy a souvenir T-shirt
to help remember your visit to
the "Gum Wall!"

So...now that you've seen more ABC gum (Already Been Chewed) than you ever wanted to,
let's get to the freebies!

Leave a comment telling me where you live and what
your hometown is known for and 
2 winners will randomly be chosen on Sept. 15th.

The first will win this jelly roll of my
newest line "Seascapes" coming to
stores in December.
(You will be the first to have this
fabric!!)

The second winner will receive a jelly roll of
"SPA" that was just released last month!

The sewing geniuses at Moda came up with an
"Oh, So Sweet" block using my fabric too.
Enjoy this free pattern by linking to:



Be sure to stop by 

and

today and visit their hometowns.
The rest of the week, you can travel
all over the world to other Moda designers too.

Sept. 9
PIECES FROM MY HEART
LAUREN & JESSE Jung 
and
FIG TREE & CO

 

Sept. 10
PRIMITIVE GATHERINGS
LILY ASHBURY
and
FRENCH GENERAL

Sept. 11
LUCIE SUMMERS
and
COTTON WAY 

 

Sept. 12
KANSAS TROUBLES
MALKA DUBRAWSKY
and
LAUNDRY BASKET QUILTS

Sept. 13
KATHY SCHMITZ
SWEETWATER 
and 
V AND CO.

Sept. 14
MINICK & SIMPSON
Jenn Ski 
and 
ZEN CHIC

Sept. 15
Prizes Announced on each blog. 

You will also want to stop by moda's blog the Cutting Table  all throughout  the week.

Goodbye and good luck from rural Ohio!
Always,
Deb



















Monday, September 3, 2012


Have fun with the Moda designers as we celebrate
National Sewing Month!

For 10 days, there will be 1 post from 3 different designers.  This blog hop
will include lots of give-aways and projects
as we visit each designer in their hometown.

Mark your calendars and be sure to join 
us for the fun!


Sept. 5
BARBARA BRACKMAN       
ANEELA HOEY 
and 
ME & MY SISTER

Sept. 6
BLACKBIRD DESIGNS
BASICGREY
and
Pat Sloan

Sept. 7
BRANNOCK & PATEK
Eric & Julie Comstock 
and 
Thimbleblossoms

Sept. 8
BUNNY HILL
KATE SPAIN
and 
DEB STRAIN 

Sept. 9
PIECES FROM MY HEART
LAUREN & JESSE Jung 
and
FIG TREE & CO

 

Sept. 10
PRIMITIVE GATHERINGS
LILY ASHBURY
and
FRENCH GENERAL

Sept. 11
LUCIE SUMMERS
and
COTTON WAY 

 

Sept. 12
KANSAS TROUBLES
MALKA DUBRAWSKY
and
LAUNDRY BASKET QUILTS

Sept. 13
KATHY SCHMITZ
SWEETWATER 
and 
V AND CO.

Sept. 14
MINICK & SIMPSON
Jenn Ski 
and 
ZEN CHIC

Sept. 15
Prizes Announced on each blog. 

You will also want to stop by moda's blog the Cutting Table  all throughout the hop.

Disclaimer: Not all designers will be posting during this event, to learn more about the designers visitmodafabrics.com/designers

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Ahhhhh....SPA

Hello Dear Friends!

Hope that your summer has been passing smoothly and it has been filled with blue skies.
Speaking of blue skies, I wanted to introduce you to my newest fabric collection, called "SPA."


It is a fresh new group featuring blues and white, available in stores
this month (August.)


Throughout this clean, crisp collection are different shades of
blue,  from relaxing "spa"blue to rich cobalt blue.

If you were at Spring Quilt Market, you might remember
my entire both was blue and white......

Barb, of Coach House Designs, once again created beautiful patterns using
my fabric.  Be sure to stop by her website to check them out!



SPA just makes me want to take a deep breath,
relax and unwind.

Or....just look at the blue sky and remember why blue is one
of my favorite colors!
Hope you enjoy "SPA!"

Always,
Deb







Saturday, August 11, 2012

The Winners!

Hello Dear Friends!

Thanks to everyone who listened to
American Patchwork and Quilting radio!
Also, thank you to those who
left comments on my blog
and participated in 
the drawing.


And the winners are......

1st place.....
Karen who commented on Aug. 7th at
3:57 pm.

2nd place.....
Gill who commented on Aug. 9th at
9:36 am.

3rd place....
Nancy who commented on Aug. 8th at
5:47.

Congratulations!
If you haven't heard from me, please send your address to
debstrain@embarqmail.com.





I'll send the prizes right out!
Again, thank you so much for visiting
my blog.

Always,
Deb


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Radio Contest!

Hello Dear Friends!

Hope that August has started well for you!

If you have been following my blog,
you know that yesterday,
I was interviewed by Pat Sloan for 
American Patchwork and Quilting's
radio show.

Pat was so kind and it was OH! so exciting!
If you would like to listen,
you still can at


Just scroll down to the 8-6-12 Podcast 
to hear Pat and I discuss my design
process and a little about
what life is like as a designer.

Now, for the drawing.....
If you listen to the podcast, you will know the
answer to the following question:

"What piece of furniture have I had in my studio
since I was a little girl?"

Leave me a comment with the answer 
before midnight  on Friday night (8/10/12)
and 3 winners will be chosen to win....

A little Christmas in the summer!

I'll be giving away a blue, red and green panel from my
new Christmas line "Share the Joy"


and a little ornament just to get you in
the holiday spirit.

Good Luck and thanks for listening!
(Please include a way for me to contact you, if you win.)

Always,
Deb




Saturday, August 4, 2012

Christmas in the Summer!!!!

Hello Dear Friends!

As we are enjoying the 90-100 degree weather this summer,
my new Christmas line "Share the Joy" has been introduced to remind
you of what is just around the corner!


Yes, Christmas is coming with it's cooler weather,  times with family and friends, and of
course, SNOW!

The panel from "Share the Joy" shows my 3 newest snowmen,
all sharing the joy of the holidays with friends.

And, if you like snow, there are 2 patterns featuring snowflakes in the
group!



If you like Christmas trees....
we have those too!

Or birds.....

And of course, snowmen are included!


There are so many other fun, festive coordinates in this
happy group.  All of which will help get you
ready for the holidays and
sharing joy with family and friends!




Be sure to listen Monday, August 6th,
Show Time
Monday 4pm eastern, 3pm Central, 2pm mountain, 1pm Pacific

on Pat Sloan's 
American Patchwork and Quilting 
radio show as she interviews me 
about the process I use to design fabric.

You can listen live at

On Tuesday, August 7th,
I will ask questions from
the interview and 
have a drawing
giving away 3 prizes!
One of them will
be from 
"Share The Joy!"

Hope to you can join us.
Always,
Deb