Tokens of the Past: Gathering In Blue

At last!  It seems like forever since I introduced my new Tokens of the Past: Gathering In Blue trio at Quilt Market.  It's been a couple of months, and I've been anxious to spread the word about it, but I wanted to wait until all of the fabric, namely the 10 x 10 precuts of Mrs. Miller's Apprentice were ready.  

What would be the point of telling you all about this pattern whereby all of the units and blocks for all three quilts are made from just one 10 inch precut of Mrs. Miller's Apprentice when the precut wasn't ready?  

It's ready now and available at your local quilt shop!!  

First up is Color Me Blue.  A wonderful star quilt in many shades of blue.  The quilt measures 18 x 18.  

Second is this sweet postage stamp quilt called Check My Stars.  I love this quilt so much.  It was so fun to piece and play with all those fabrics.  I am definitely in a "postage stamp" phase in designing right now.  Love, love piecing little squares.  Perfect leader/ender projects.  Quilt measures 13.5 x 13.5 inches.

Third and last is Blue Angel.  It has a little applique with the orange peel shapes and is very easy to do.  It applique is a FOUR letter word to you, you can sub wool appliques if you like, or play with more HST.  Quilt measures 20 x 20 inches. 

Please ask for the pattern and Mrs. Miller's Apprentice fabrics at your local quilt shop.  We simply must make it a priority to buy our quilting goodies from our LQS to support them!!!  We can't afford not one more shop to close its doors.  Seriously...my friends. 

If your LQS isn't into reproductions, or you don't have a shop nearby, you can order the Tokens of the Past: Gathering In Blue pattern and a complete kit (with all the same fabrics I used) from my website here.

Or...if you'd just like the Tokens of the Past: Gathering In Blue pattern, you can order it here.

My new Kentucky Crossroads quilt top is being assembled now.  All of the blocks are done and the top is coming together.  Looking so, so good!!  It's exciting to see a new quilt come together.

I'm also beginning to pack for my next trip.  I just returned home from the Atlanta, GA area where I visited with the quilters of East Cobb Quilters Guild.  Had the best time with them!!  Great ladies to spend time with, delicious food and quilts to die for from their members.  Thank you all for a terrific time.  

I'm off to spend a few days of vacation in the Washington, DC area with my hubby.  We will travel to visit the Winterthur Museum in Delaware, and the Harper's Ferry CW battlefield in West Virginia, after which I can cross off two more states in my quest to visit all 50.  That will leave me with just one left!!!!!!  

Then, onto Maryland to give a workshop at Traditions at the White Swan in Hagerstown, and Spring Water Designs in Columbia.  

After that....off to Lee's Summit, MO for Stitching With The Stars.  I'd sure love to see you there!!!

Grab an iced tea and a comfy chair on the porch this evening and do a little stitching.  Sounds lovely, doesn't it?

Jane ~ Before and After

This is Jane.  She's named after the nineteenth century best selling book, Jane Eyre.

She's featured on the cover of my Vintage Patchwork book for Martingale Publishing.

I came across this photo I took while I was piecing Jane.  It's just amazing how the squares shrink when you piece a small little quilt like this.  

I also wanted to show you how that you can certainly make the projects in the book anyway you'd like to.  These cuties were made by Valerie Langue, owner of The Quilt Merchant.  She made Scarlet (left) and Jane (right) out of Mrs. Miller's Apprentice fabrics.  Love them!

You might ask.....what would I do with a 5 inch quilt?  Well....several things come to mind.  I  attached a ribbon to the back of Jane.   Sometimes, I tuck the ribbon between pages of a large, old book (like a bookmark) and she is displayed in front of the book.  At the moment, I've taped her to this antique cutting board in my kitchen.  I think it makes a great display....a little patchwork always warms things up and adds color!

I used the new (to me) Wall-Safe tape.  It works just like a Post-It note as it sticks well, but leaves no residue behind.  It doesn't damage anything either.  Great stuff!

Tiny, bookshelf size quilts are quite versatile.
I love displaying them in places you wouldn't expect and I hope I've inspired you to give them a try. 

You can get a copy of  my Vintage Patchwork book here.  There are twelve small projects all made from just one 10 x 10 precut of my Pam's Prairie Basics fabric collection.  Or, as you can see, you can make them from fabrics of your choosing!

Any day spent quilting is a good day!

Feeling A Little Blue is a Good Thing!

A few weeks ago, we sold out of my Mrs. Miller's Apprentice fat quarter bundles, but am happy to say, they're back in stock!

In this case, being in a blue mood isn't a bad thing at all!  Teehee!

And, there's a bunch of pretty lights for your truly sunny side.  

You can find Mrs. Miller's Apprentice yardage and bundles at your local quilt shop and right here.  

Last Friday, I happily put the finishing touches on the manuscript for my second book for Martingale.  Oh....I am so jazzed about this book!  It will be out next spring sometime.  Seems like so long to wait, doesn't it?  But, considering all the work that goes into creating the beautiful books they do, transforming a pile of type written pages into the glorious color filled books we love, we have to be patient and give them time.  Sigh...so hard to wait!

In the meantime, I'm making progress (with lots of help from Debbie) on three new patterns.  Tokens of the Past: Gathering In Blue is nearly done.  Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for a few sneak peeks!  

There are no less than three new fabric lines in production as well.  I'll begin another next month sometime.  There's always something new brewing around here.  We have to keep our fabric stashes well fed.  Wink, wink!

With the manuscript now complete, I'm back to my early morning sewing.  I love starting the day that way.  It makes me feel so centered and happy.  I'm still making (read can't stop making!!) Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks and never get tired of them.  They are such a happy, easy block to make.  I'm also sewing pieces for a new quilt (not a quilt in this new batch) as leader/enders with my morning sewing.  I feel like I get so much done before 9am!!

Well....back to getting things done for spring market.  Hope Spring has arrived at your doorstep!

Mrs. Miller on the Plantation

With the arrival of my new Mrs. Miller's Apprentice fabrics, I pulled together a new mix of blues to make kits for my
Plantation Stars pattern!

Gosh, I love this quilt!

There's a very pretty range of prints.....

And a gorgeous range of shades for all those stars to sparkle!  (The lighting makes them look much lighter than they really are.) 

I chose this floral for the border as it has all different shades of blues and ties the quilt together so well!  

Click here to read more details about the Plantation Stars quilt kit.  

Tomorrow, I'm heading for a much warmer climate!  At home today in Chicago, it's -12 temperature, so the 80's in Florida sound wonderful!  I'll be there giving a lecture and a bunch of workshops in the Tampa area for the East Pasco Quilters this Friday and Saturday.  So, come on and join the fun!!  

I'm also working toward the deadline later this month to submit the manuscript for book #2 for my next book with Martingale, and then there's the tax returns (groan) that are due.  

I'm also working on piecing the blocks together for a new, very different, large quilt called Stars Over Union Hill that is very scrappy and has some wool applique!  Ohhhh...fun stuff!

 And, at the same time, working on a new Tokens of the Past pattern, called Gathering in Blue, with three quilts made from a 10 inch precut of Mrs. Miller's Apprentice and border yardage.  Loving those 3 little cuties!  And...if time allows, maybe one or two more quilts before market in May.  

So...I'd better get packing.  The signs of spring are here somewhere.  The clocks change this weekend, and it's the beginning of Lent and Punchkie time (I know I didn't spell that correctly, but you know what I mean!)  Now, if Mother Nature could see to warmer weather....

Be Well and Stitch Happy!!  

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice - All Quilted!

I'm back home from a wonderful trip to Nashville.  I just loved Nashville!!!  What a fun town.  The weather was very hot and humid, much the same as it was at home in Chicago....so you go with the flow.  The food was yummy, the town was fun and the people are so friendly.  That's southern hospitality for you!  I will definitely go back again someday.  

My thanks for the ladies of Music City Quilters and Lakeshore Quilters for a lovely time.  I so enjoyed meeting everyone!

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice.  2019 Block of the Month by Pam Buda and Marcus Fabrics

My Mrs. Miller's Apprentice quilt returned home from her trip to Las Vegas where she was quilted by Val Krueger.  Val does not disappoint and did Mrs. Miller proud.  Before I send her off to be photographed, I thought I'd take some photos of Val's beautiful work. 

I took these photos in natural daylight inside the house to show off the quilting.  This, of course, does not show the true colors of the fabrics.  

I love crosshatching and Val put a lot of it in the quilt.  I'm so happy!

This photo shows the fabric colors a but better.  I very humbly say that I adore each fabric in this collection!  So jazzed with how the quilt turned out and the quilting just put it over the top!

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice is my new Block of the Month for 2019.  Quilt shops are signing up now to offer the program which begins in January.  So....ask for Mrs. Miller's Apprentice at your local quilt shop!  Fabrics will ship in December. It is so very important to support our LQS!!!  Too many of them are closing.  It's terrible.  

Besides binding Mrs. M., I have been putting the finishing touches on the Mrs. M patterns, and writing the diary stories that will accompany the monthly instructions.  It's been fun!  

I've also begun constructing the quilt that is my super-secret-scrappy-project for the last year!  I will finally....(finally!) be able to reveal all sometime next month.  There's a whole lot of preparation going on here and at Marcus for the big announcement.  I can barely contain myself!  

I can't believe the summer has whizzed by, although I do welcome the cooler days of autumn.  I'm also getting ready for my new Vintage Patchwork book to be delivered next month!  Yikes...there's so much fun stuff going on.  

I hope you have some time to enjoy these last days of summer.  Be well.....

More Vintage Patchwork Projects

I truly cannot believe that it's been 3 weeks since I wrote a blog post!  It's a crime how quickly time passes.  I will sound like a broken record when I say I am busier than I'd like to be....but with good things happening.

I had a great time....really great time teaching and hanging out with all the quilters at Stitching With The Stars a few weeks ago.  Honestly, that event is one of my favorites all year....and Rita of Quilter's Station Quilt Shop is doing it again next year...and so am I!!  It will be in August, but maybe one week earlier?  Not sure about that.  

I am delighted to report that I am all healed from my knee replacement, have graduated from PT, and have 95% of my energy back.  Please, dear Lord, no more surgeries.  My DH is having his hip replaced in a few weeks.  Feeling like we're paying for our Ortho surgeon's villa in Italy all by ourselves....geesh!  But...oh, so grateful that we have access to great health care and talented docs.  

Since returning from Kansas City, I've been submerged in writing Mrs. Miller's BOM patterns, getting the graphics, designing and making the bonus quilt, big quilt is being quilting now, and submitting a new fabric line that had to be in by Sept. 1!  This week, we're also packing me for another trip...this time to Nashville!  

But....I really wanted to share a few more of the projects from my new and very first book, Vintage Patchwork.

This is a pinkeep called Wives & Daughters.  I really, really LOVE drum pinkeeps because they have so much versatility.  You can put just about anything in the band and they are not hard to make at all.  There's great assembly instructions in the book to guide you through the process.  The buttons are very old and imperfect...which for me...makes them perfect!  Love the aged patina of those old buttons. 

This is Huckleberry.  What a fun block to piece.  The butternut and blue prints are a classic combo.  I love a block with motion in it and this one certainly has that....yet it isn't hard at all.  Isn't it divine with that sweet old blue toy sewing machine??  Oh, I wish it were mine as it sure looks great with Huckleberry.  Hhmmm.....oh... eBay!  

Hope you enjoyed seeing two more of the Vintage Patchwork projects.  There's still more to share with you!    

You can Pre-Order the book here and I'll autograph your copy, and include a little surprise!  

Vintage Patchwork will be released October 1st!

If you live in the Nashville area,  please come to see me at the Music City Quilt Guild!  
I'll be lecturing Tues, Sept 4th at 9:30 am at St. John's Lutheran Church.  Come join the fun....I've love to meet YOU!  

Be well.....

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice Progress

Blocks, blocks and more blocks!  Yay!  My Mrs. Miller's Apprentice quilt top is pieced and on the way to Val for quilting.  I'm elated over how it turned out.  Before sewing the top together, I took a few photos of the sampler blocks.  I think this is the best way to see fabrics, don't you?

Yup....Fabrics are luscious on the bolt,  but seeing them pieced in blocks gives a whole different perspective...to see how they play together.   Do you love playing with fabric and putting fun combinations together?  That's one of my favorite parts of piecing. 

If you're considering making Mrs. Miller's Apprentice, you should know that the blocks are constructed with simple, common piecing units.  

I so enjoy sampler blocks.  It's an adventure with each new block.  

Now that the top is done and off to be quilted, all the technical writing is taking place.  I like piecing blocks a whole lot more than writing, but it's part of the job. 

I'm writing the instructions and figuring out what graphics will be needed.  Then I'll have some fun doing something new....writing the fictional diary that will tell the story each month of Mrs. Miller and her apprentice.  

Once all of that is done, the patterns will go to a proofreading editor.  The quilt will be bound and professionally photographed.  And, finally....printing and distribution.  It takes one year to produce a block of the month and I really do love it!  

Yesterday marked 6 weeks post op from my knee replacement surgery.  Joy!!  It's healing very well and I'm doing great with PT.  So, so happy it's over.  

I'm still sewing and working on my super secret scrappy project.  I will begin assembly very soon.  Oh...I am so jazzed about this quilt. 

Next week, I'll be traveling to the Kansas City area.  I'll be teaching at Stitching With The Stars in Lee's Summit, MO.   This awesome venue is hosted by Quilter's Station which is also one of THE BEST quilt shops in the US!!  Can't wait...good times are coming and truth be told....I will be happy to get out of the house for awhile.  Oh...and I can't forget about the awesome BBQ!!!

Hope you're enjoying your summer.  As soon as the humidity calms down, I'll go sit on the deck and stitch a bit.  Be well...

Meet Mrs. Miller's Apprentice

Last summer, I began working on a new Block of the Month for 2019.  I am really in an Indigo blue mood lately and wanted the new BOM to be in the classic Indigo and light palette.  After all these months of keeping it all a secret, I am so jazzed to introduce you to....

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice!

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice ~ 2019 BOM Program by Pam Buda & Marcus Fabrics

The quilt features sampler blocks in a traditional setting for the quilt center. I added a  stunning pieced border to finish the edge of the quilt in grand style!  

My Mrs. Miller's Apprentice fabric collection features a selection of light and blue prints in various shades to give sparkle to the quilt.  There are 27 prints for your piecing pleasure!

I have added another element to this new block of the month.  Each month you will journey to the mid-19th century and read a fictional diary written by Mrs. Miller as she tells the story of meeting young Ellie who just moved into the neighboring farm with her widower father.  When Ellie shows interest in learning to piece quilt blocks, Mrs. Miller takes her under her wing, and not only teaches her to piece, but helps her learn many other housekeeping skills she will need to know.  Every month you'll join them in creating a beautiful variety of sampler blocks and read the diary entries telling the story of their budding friendship.

The small blocks in and around the center star in the quilt center are those made by young Ellie as she learns to piece.  

The quilt is being pieced right now and soon I will have some blocks to share with you.  What better way to show off all the pretty fabrics than in pieced blocks?  For now, here are some photos of the fabrics.  

I chose a wide variety of prints to play with.  The blue floral at the far right is the main border print supporting the many different shades of blue in this quilt.  I just adore the blue version and the light tonal version.  I also added shirtings in both light and dark versions, and the tiny little sprig print comes in two shades.  So sweet!

I don't know about you, but I love, love a great paisley!  The blue paisley turned out so great - beyond my wildest dreams!!!  I can see using it as a border and setting print in a doll quilt.  I created a beige tonal of that paisley as well.  The middle three fabrics gave me terrific options for playing with shading and color.  And...the fabric on the far right gives movement to the print and adds a lot of interest in the quilt blocks, too.  I can't wait to show you how it looks in the finished blocks.  You're gonna love it!

All of the Mrs. Miller's Apprentice prints are historic reproductions taken from my collection of 19th century quilts.  I have been holding on to several prints for years, waiting for just the right collection and this quilt is just what I've been waiting for!  The three prints on the far left, which look like spinning petals, is one of the best - most classic 19th century prints ever!!  It has great movement and depth.  Love, Love, Love!!!!  The middle prints are sweet little ditsy prints that also have some movement in them.  The last two prints with the berries is one of my all time favorite prints ever.  I used it several years ago in my Treenware & Berries collection.  It was done in brown back then and I think it is gorgeous in Indigo!   Another classic print!

I wanted a beautiful medium blue print for this quilt and it had to be just the right kind of print, in just the right shades.  I found it in the floral print at the far right.  It;s definitely a medium but also features other shades of blues, tying all the shades together just as the main border print does.  It's really lovely in the darker blue version as well, I think.  Going left again is another shirting in light and dark grounds.  I can never have too many shirting prints. 
Lastly, at the far left is another print I have been hanging on to for a long time.  That sweet little flower just tugs on my heart.  Oh how I adore that print.  The Indigo version is perfect in its coloring, and the blue on light ground and beige tonal show off the print so well.  I think I have to order extra bolts of all of them just to have them in my stash for future Indigo quilts.  

I hope you have enjoyed meeting Mrs. Miller's Apprentice.  There is a story behind the name, and there really was a Mrs. Miller.  Who do you think was her apprentice?  More hints coming soon.

As with all of the Block of the Month programs I design for Marcus Fabrics, you must join the program through a participating quilt shop.  So...be sure to ask for Mrs. Miller's Apprentice at your favorite shop!  

Fabrics will be available in December.  The program will begin in January, 2019.  Quilt size is 77" x 89".  I'll post some pictures of the sampler blocks next time.  They're almost all done and then we'll assemble the quilt top.  

Until then, be well and hope you have time to stitch every day!