Quiltsy Christmas Tree Promotion

Oh Christmas Tree

Christmas and the holidays are fast approaching. Before long the smell of turkey cooking in the oven will be filling your house. After that will be the beginning of the hustle and bustle of buying gifts, parties and open houses, plus decorating your home. And let's not forget the tree.

Well, we did it again. For our final challenge for 2018, in November our members we challenged to make a table runner, table topper or wall hanging with a Christmas tree as the focal point. As usual, team members stepped up to the challenge. They created something as unique and different as they were. In all, there were 18 submissions to the challenge.

Voting will be from Nov 6th through Nov 18th. You can vote for your top 3 favorites again.

Click this link to vote for your favorites:

An InLinkz Link-up

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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The Winner Is...Black and White Challenge

All the votes are tallied for the Black,White and ? challenge. It was really close throughout the voting with several quilts changing places. Although all were worthy of prizes, we have the top 3 winners with congratulations.

First place goes to Gaydeen of SweetLeafQuiltShop with 65 votes. Here is her beautiful Black, White and Green cascading log cabin quilt

Second place goes to MaryEllen of MaryMackMadeMine with 44 votes. Here is her gorgeous Day and Night Batik Lap Quilt in Black, White and Lavender

The third place goes to Gina of TexasQuiltsforyou with 43 votes. Gina chose to make an amazing Pinao and Notes Wall Hanging or Lap quilt in Black, White and Purple.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Quiltsy Black, White And Challenge Time to Vote!

Are you ready to vote on your favorite Quiltsy Black/White/and one color challenge? 

So we now have all the challenge quilts finished. Some went right to the wire to get finished and listed, but now we have 20 amazing quilts and quilted items ready for your vote. There is a lot of diversity between quilts, baby quilts, table runners and wall hangings. One member even made a basket for her challenge. Because it was so hard choosing just one last time for the Lew the Ewe contest, you are now able to vote for your favorite 3 items.

An InLinkz Link-up

Here are larger pictures of the quilts and the shop that made them.

JackieSewingStudio

homesewnbychristine

MaryMackMadeMine

IsewTotes

SalllyManke

ForQuiltsSake

KathyKinsella

QuiltingGranny

CuddleCatQuiltWorks

VikllageQuilts

MulberryPatchQuilts

HollysHutch

QuiltSewPeaceful

TexasQuiltsforYou

MoranArtandQuilts

MonkeyMuffin

ClubAloha

PatsPassionQuilteds

SweetLeafQuiltShop

anotherghostquilts

Black and White and ?

Black and White? 

It's a matter of preference. Some people like the combination. It is clean, basic and very contemporary. Others think it is too stark or sterile looking. But what if you add one color to the black and white combo? Would you get something that would stand out?

That was the challenge put to the Quiltsy team this month. To make something (preferably using what they already had in stock or in the "stash") in black and white, but to add one other color. 

There was no limitations or sizes to what could be made. And they could chose any color they wanted. It could be anything from a mug rug to a quilt to a wall hanging. They have until August 4th to finish and list their challenge quilt. Twenty-two members signed up for the challenge. What they are coming up with is a group of quilts as different and unique as the maker. 

 These is a just a sample of some of the quilts.By each adding a different color, it changes the look and effect of the quilt. Starting August 6th we will have another voting open to everyone to find the top 3 quilts that you like best.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Christmas in July

What? Christmas? In July? 

How many times lately, if you are a Facebook user, have you seen the posts of a dancing Santa or a twinkling Christmas tree that say "Christmas is in 6 months"? How many times have you walked in to a store and they already have their Christmas stock on display? And everywhere you turn you are hearing about "Christmas in July". What's this all about?

For some people they just shake their heads saying it's way too early. But for others it means the start of their Christmas shopping. These people like to get a head start to find that perfect gift (hopefully at a great price) for the people on the list. But how did all this "Christmas in July" get started?

Werther, an 1892 French opera had an English translation published in 1894. In the story, a group of children rehearses a Christmas song in July, to which a character responds: "When you sing Christmas in July, you rush the season."

In 1935, the National Recreation Association's journal Recreation described what a Christmas in July was like at a girl's camp, writing that "all mystery and wonder surround this annual event".

The term, if not the exact concept, was given national attention with the release of the Hollywood movie comedy Christmas in July in 1940. In the story, a man is fooled into believing he has won $25,000 in an advertising slogan contest. He buys presents for family, friends, and neighbors, and proposes marriage to his girlfriend.

The U.S. Post Office and U.S. Army and Navy officials, in conjunction with the American advertising and greeting card industries, threw a Christmas in July luncheon in New York in 1944 to promote an early Christmas mailing campaign for service men overseas during World War II. The luncheon was repeated in 1945.

American advertisers began using Christmas in July for summertime sales as early as 1950. In the United States, it is more often used as a marketing tool than an actual holiday. Television stations may choose to re-run Christmas specials, and many stores have Christmas in July sales.

In keeping up with the Christmas in July tradition, Quiltsy will be celebrating too. Check out our Quiltsy Team Pages for unique handmade gifts. If you are someone who likes to make your own gifts, check out the Destash Fabric, Destash Patterns and Kits, Destash Quilt Books, and New Fabrics Patterns and Tools.  And don't forget to browse the Christmas and Hanukkah Decor if you are thinking to add to your own Christmas decor.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Time to Vote on our Quiltsy Lewe the Ewe Baby Quilt Challenge!

What a fun challenge this has been. We had 23 members of the Quiltsy Team answer the challenge of making baby quilts using the focus fabric from a line called Lewe the Ewe from the World of Suzybee. As we went through the month, we even caught the attention of Suzybee. How fun is that?

The Challenge:
There were no rules as to size or design, and they could add whatever other fabrics they chose to make their quilt. Each member had free rein to use their imagination and their individuality when designing and making their baby quilt. The results are 23 absolutely adorable, different and amazing baby quilts.

Here are the quilts and the members who made them:

ForQuiltsSake
SereneStitches
BackPocketDesign
QuiltSewPieceful

 




FabriArts
Mountainquiltworks
QuiltingGranny
MoranArtandQuilts

ISewTotes
Clubaloha
LawsonCreations
MulberryPatchQuilts

lynndalou
Texas/Quiltsforyou
homesewnbychristine
HollysHutch

djwquilts
RedButtonQuilting
SweetLeafQuiltShop
PatsPassionQuilteds

Pamelaquilts
MaryMackMadeMine
TheBattyQuilter

Below are pictures of all the quilts to vote on. All you need to do is click on the little heart in the upper right hand corner of the picture to vote for that one. Please only one vote per person. You can also click on the name below the picture which will bring you to the listing itself.

An InLinkz Link-up

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day is only a week away (May 13th). Is there something special you do, or have planned? Maybe flowers or a plant? Maybe a nice dinner? You know that we celebrate our Mother's on this day, but do you know why or how it all started?

Mother's day is now celebrated in 40+ countries worldwide in honor or mothers and motherhood. The actual date varies by country, but is celebrated annually. The modern holiday of  Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Her campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is "the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world"

In 1908, the U.S. Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would also have to proclaim a "Mothers-in-Laws Day". However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all of the U.S. states observed the holiday with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday (the first being Jarvis' home state of West Virginia in 1910). In 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers.

So this year, put a little extra into celebrating not only your own mom, but also the generations of mothers who came before (like your grandmother, great-grandmother). Maybe look for a unique gift, make a nice dinner or desert, or get a little creative and make her a card. And as always, the Quiltsy Team is here to help. Check out our team pages for one-of-a-kind gifts that are ready to ship.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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April Showers

I'm sure everyone has heard the old adage "April showers bring May flowers". Well...maybe Mother Nature hasn't quite co-operated with this saying with some of our Quiltsy members in the north who are still seeing winter weather. But April will prevail, and we will see plants starting to peak out of the ground, buds coming out on the trees, and green grass. Eventually we will see flowers blooming everywhere. What's your favorite flower? Spring tulips, daffodils or crocus? Or maybe more Summer ones like roses, daisies or dahlias? There is something wonderful about sitting outside on a nice, warm sunny day surrounded by a gorgeous flower garden.

Of course there are other kinds of showers that come with April. There are the baby showers, bridal showers and wedding showers that invitations are starting to come in for. It's time to start thinking about what unique item to give to the newlyweds, or that something special for the new bundle of joy. Maybe a Wedding Guest Book quilt where quests sign and leave a special message for the bride and groom on a fabric square that is made into a Keepsake quilt? Or a custom baby quilt that will be cherished for years?

Here in Quiltsyland, we are into full swing with our next big challenge.

This month we have 23 members who have signed up for a Baby Quilt Challenge. We have an adorable focus fabric called Lewe the Ewe by Susy Bleasby for Hamil Textiles. Our challenge is to design, then make, a baby quilt using this fabric as the main focus. We are limited only by our imaginations. Our deadline to have them finished is between May 18-24 where they must be listed in our shops. We might even be planning a "Which one do you like the best?" challenge, so stay tuned to find out more about that.


So as we continue through the month of April, enjoy the days getting longer and warmer, flower gardens coming to life, and the promise of new beginnings. Soon it will be May, and that is a whole new adventure.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Quiltsy Cares March 31-Lynn Meadows

Our final Quiltsy Cares donation comes from Lynn Meadows of lynndalou. Lynn is from Nashville, Tennessee.

Lynn's Charity is the Tennessee Chapter of Project Linus which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide homemade blankets and quilts to children in need. This charity is special to her because she feels it is important to give back to the community and she loves being able to use her talent for quilting to gift the comfort a handmade quilt provides to the community of children Project Linus serves.

Lynn donated a quilt made of bright multiple colors in a modern design by Hunter's Design Studio and hid some swirly hearts in the quilting (see second picture).

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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Quiltsy Cares March 30-Phyllis Pharis

Today's Quiltsy Cares donation comes from Phyllis Pharis of Jambearies. Phyllis is form Winter Springs, Florida,

Phyllis's charity is the Thomas Fire/Mudslide Victims. She thought it must be awful for anyone who has lost their whole life in a puff of smoke, and felt it was important to bring a little cheer to them and to let them know that others care about their plight.

Phyllis made 5 pillowcases to donate that would mostly appeal to children since she felt that they were hit especially hard and might have a hard time feeling safe. A pillowcase is something they can take with them from one temporary residence to another, and provides a bit of consistency no matter where they lay their heads. And the fabrics she chose were fun and cheerful.

Written by Pat Young of PatsPassionQuilteds, Quiltsy Team member since May 2011.

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