WHAT A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!!

Hello Dear Friends!

Well, I'm back from the International Quilt Market

held in Houston, Texas

and filled with inspiration!

This is what Moda's booth looked like before the show.

During the show the tables were filled with store

owners viewing the newest Moda fabric groups.

My booth was part of the Designer Row.

We each had a section of the Moda booth

to share our newest lines and the inspiration

behind them.

(Be sure to stop back next week to see my blog about

my new Valentine group "Surrounded by Love."

There will be prizes involved!)

I had a WONDERFUL surprise waiting for me

upon my return....

after hugging my husband and sweet

grandsons, I turned on my computer to see

this BEAUTIFUL pillow!

It was created by Karen Miller using my "Family Tree" fabric group and was featured on

Moda's Bake Shop!

Karen was thrilled and so was I.  It is wonderful isn't it?

I love seeing things made with my fabric.  It is 

like watching your kids succeed at a sporting event!!

You can see the tutorial of how to create this beautiful pillow at

modabakeshop.com

or go to Karen Miller's website

Karen's Quilts, Crows and Cardinals

 to learn more about it

and Karen's other wonderful creations.

Karen is having a giveaway too,

on her blog

karensquiltscrowscardinals.blogspot.com

so be sure to visit and

 you will have double the chance

to win!

Leave a comment by Monday, Nov. 11th and I

will send one lucky winner

a box of Family Tree scraps

to create your own

inspired project .

Be sure to stop by on the 11th to see if you have won

and learn more about "Surrounded by Love!"

Hope that you are enjoying this beautiful fall

weather!

Always,

Deb

And the winner is.....

Hello Friends,

Thank you to everyone who commented on my

blog in Moda's  SIZE MATTERS blog hop.

The comments were so wonderful and so interesting to see if the

blue or orange block was chosen most.

I think it was a close race, but the blue block

won as the favorite.

And now for the winner!

Random.org helped chose the winner as.....

KAY!

Who commented on Sept. 9th at 4:42 am.

(You have a picture of a tiger on your comment...

would love to hear the story behind that!)

Congratulations!

You have won these precuts from my 

Family Tree group.

Please send  your address  to me at:

debstrain@embarqmail.com

and I will get your prize right out.

Thank you, thank you, again

to everyone who commented.

Be sure to stop by

Moda's blog, The Cutting Table

to get instructions on how to assemble

all of the blogs in the hop.

Have a wonderful fall!

Always,

Deb

It's

Moda Blog Hop Time!

Welcome to Day 4 of Moda's latest visit with all

of the designers.

Today is my day and I am honored to be sharing it with Barbara Brackman and

V & Co.  Be sure to stop by their blogs too!

The theme of this blog hop is "Size Matters" and my newest line of fabric "Family Tree"

(available in stores this fall) definitely illustrates how size matters. 

The panel is an actual family tree that you can use to applique your family

members (little birds) onto.

The number of birds on your family tree depends on the

SIZE of your family!

Our family is still growing......

(As you can see from this picture of my husband's birthday!)

.........so our tree is not full yet.

(Notice there is a lot of room left  for many, many more grandchildren!)

For the Hop, each designer was given a block to create

using our newest fabric.

Download instructions for my block "Family Patch" here.

We were to create a finished 18" block and incorporate it into a project.

These are my 2 blocks.  I just couldn't decide which 

color version I liked the best when laying them out.

So, I tried both

and appliqued little birds from the group in 

some of the blocks.

Using the blue block, I made this simple pillow

(I plan on making the orange block into a  pillow too!)

Barb Cherniwchan of Coach House designs has created several wonderful

patterns using "Family Tree," including the wall hanging

above.

Stop by her website

Coach House Designs

to see all of the creative patterns that she has designed for 

Family Tree! (I've just included a couple.)

In The Treetops

Quilt

Reunion Tablerunner

Be sure to visit all of the designers and collect all of the

block patterns.  Here is the schedule:

September 4, 2013

Laundry Basket Quilts
French General
Zen Chic

September 5, 2013

Bunny Hill
Basic Grey
Sweetwater

September 6, 2013

Jan Patek Quilts
Pat Sloan 
Sandy Gervais

September 9, 2013

Deb Strain
Barbara Brackman
V & Co.

September 10, 2013

Lauren + Jessi Jung
Kate Spain
Me and My Sister Designs

September 11, 2013

Kathy Schmitz Studios
Minick & Simpson
Primitive Gatherings

September 12, 2013

Fig Tree & Co.
Malka Dubrawsky
Thimbleblossoms

September 13, 2013

Blackbird Designs
Cotton Way
Stephanie Ryan Design Studio

September 14, 2013

Kansas Troubles
Aneela Hoey

On Sept. 16th, Moda will post the entire quilt assembly

instructions at

modafabrics.blogspot.com

And now for the Giveaway!!!!

Leave a comment telling me if you like my blue or orange block

best and you will be entered to win

these Family Tree precuts.

The winner will be announced on Sept. 16th.

Please make sure that you leave an e-mail address or stop by 

on the 16th to see if you have won, so that I

can send your prize.

Have fun hopping!

Always,

Deb

 A Lot of Winners!!!

Hello Dear Friends,

Hope that you enjoyed the incredible creations the

very creative ladies of 

Rushville, Indiana created

from their bags of scraps.

I am amazed every time that I go

through the photos!

And now to announce the winners....

Debbi Duckworth of Moda fabrics

was gracious enough to be our judge of the 13

projects created by our talented participants.

I know that it was a difficult challenge

as all of the projects were amazing!

Debbi chose the Grand Prize winner

to be.......

In Debbi's own words: 

        Brenda Wilson and the Table Topper---I loved the rectangles and the black was a great choice! Sometimes what appears to be simple is the most striking.  Congratulations, Brenda, on a great table topper. 

 

With fall just around the corner, Brenda wins

this Fat Quarter Bundle of my

"Give Thanks" fabric.

"Thinking Outside of the Box"

Winners

(This was Debbi's idea because they were so creative and different!)

Alice Woodhull's Potholders

    "Taking the fabric with cherries and making them look like cherry pie (made me really hungry),"

says Debbi.

and 

Deby Priddy's Table Topper

Says Debbi Duckworth, 

"using the scraps to crochet the table topper---I loved this one!" 

These two unique designers will each receive

Jelly Rolls of my "Give Thanks" fabric!

Thank You! Thank You! to all of the wonderful,

participants for sharing your talent and

creative spirit with us.

All of your projects are outstanding!

You are all very dear to me (we meet every year to share a fun, laughter  filled evening.)

It means so much that

you spent so much time and energy on this

contest.

All of these sweet ladies will receive a small fat quarter bundle

and "Hope Lights The Way" book, that I illustrated.

Congratulations to all of you!

And now for our three blog winners who posted

such positive and encouraging comments.

Each of you will receive your own box of

colorful scraps (from my "Family Tree" group,

in stores October 2013!)

The three winners are:

Lola, who commented on Aug. 12th at 5:05am

Karen, who commented on Aug. 11th at 8:21pm

and

Creatology, who commented on Aug. 11th at 2:16pm.

Please email me your addresses to

debstrain@embarqmail.com,

if you don't receive my email to you.

Congratulations to all and thank you all

for joining in our contest within a contest.

Always,

Deb

Amazing Creations Contest!

Hello Dear Friends!

Hope that you are all having a wonderful

summer.

Today, I am presenting a contest within a contest to you!

Please let me explain....

Several months ago, I was visiting one of my favorite

Quilt Shops,

"In Stitches" in Rushville, Indiana.

At the end of a presentation that I was giving,

I passed out a bag of scraps (generously provided

by our friends at Moda!) to everyone attending.

A challenge was presented to the

recipients to see what they could

create with the scraps within their bag.

The results were amazing!!!

I've posted the incredible projects below and would

love for you to share your amazement with

the talented ladies who have created them.

Leave a comment
by noon on Sunday, August 18th,

and I will randomly  choose 3 winners

to receive their  own box of colorful scraps!

We are also having these beautiful projects

judged by Debbi Duckworth from Moda to choose a winner.
She is a wonderfully talented and creative part of the
Moda team.
(I'm glad that I am not choosing!)

I'm sure you will be impressed with the

creative talents that were shared!

Here are the wonderful ladies (and dear friends)
from the "In Stitches" Quilt Shop
group and their projects:

Alice Woodhull's Small Quilt

Alice Woodhull's Tablerunner

Alice Woodhull's Totebag

Alice Woodhull's Potholders

Brenda Wilson's Table topper or small quilt #1

Brenda Wilson's Table topper or small quilt #2

Carolyn Messer's Pincushion

Carolyn Messer's Wall Hanging

Cathy Burkett's Purse

Deby Priddy's Table Topper/ Braided Rug

Deby Priddy's Totebag

Martha Schneyer's Wall Hanging

Rita Hellmich's Jacket

Aren't you amazed???!!!

WOW, what talented, creative ladies!

Let them know what you think

and you may win your own box of fun.

Please don't forget to leave

a way for me to reach you.

Thanks again Dear Friends

from Rushville, Indianna!

Always,

Deb

And the winner is........

Congratulations to....

Janet, who commented

on July 11th at 8:47!

Random.org chose you as the winner

of the "Countdown to Christmas"

panel.

Janet chose the red and cream panel

colorway as her favorite.

Thanks so much to all who visited my

blog and left a comment.

Janet, I will get your prize right out.

Thanks to everyone for your happy Anniversay wishes too.

Scott and I both appreciate

your kindness!

Happy Summer!

Always,

Deb

Christmas in June/July!

Hello Dear Friends,

Hope your summer is going well!

We just had a wonderful event here at

the Strain household.

Scott and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary

by going on a "Once in a Lifetime" trip!

We visited Turkey,Greece and Italy

and saw some amazing places.

 The Amalfi coast of Italy was breathtaking!

Santorini, Greece was one of the most 

beautiful places that we have been...

While we were gone, something else really exciting

happened...

My new Christmas line from Moda

was delivered to your favorite

Quilt Store!

I am so pleased with 

"Christmas Countdown."

The colors are rich, traditional red, greens

and whites.

The panel is actually an advent

calendar, with each block numbering

the days until Christmas!

I really can't decide which colorway 

I like the best...I like them all!

Patterns include ornaments, snowflakes and holiday

polka  dots and damask.

And the pre-cuts are wonderful.

Moda always does such a good job with

these.

Now, for a little contest!

Leave me a  comment telling me which

colorway that you like best for

the panel

and one person will win that panel!

You have until Sunday, July 14th

at 6:00pm to enter.

Please make sure that you leave me

an e-mail address where I can

reach you if you win.

Wishing you happy moments to

celebrate this summer too!

Always,

Deb