Who doesn’t love new quilt books? The good folks at Martingale publish the most beautiful quilt books!! Bar none!
Sunday Best Quilts by Sherri McConnell and Corey Yoder.
I loved the premise of this book – each quilter made a quilt in the following themes: favorite star quilts, scrappy quilts, red and white quilts, Christmas quilts, pineapple quilts, and courthouse step quilts. What a fun exercise and the quilts were each very different and sometimes they were similar.
Here are our two favorite quilts in the book:
The next book is Follow Your Heart by Terry Atkinson. For the first time ever Terri and her husband Kirk went south for the winter to escape the bitterly cold weather in Minnesota. Some of the quilts have arrows, map legends and other markers of the road sometimes less traveled. The featured quilt is a sampler followed by 9 companion projects.
My very favorite quilt in the book is Rectangle Rodeo and I’ve decided it’s not so much the pattern design I like but the color combination that I really love! This combo would never occur to me and I love it!
The next book is Quilts of Love and Valor, Reproduction Quilts and an Authentic Civil War Love Story by Becky Wright. The stories in this book are heart wrenching at times – correspondance between a husband during the Civil War. I’m still reading these excerpts and the quilts seem to be traditional block designs. The most impressive part of this book is the fact that Ms. Wright hand quilted many of the quilts – almost unheard of in this day of machine quilting.
Usually when I review books I run a give away but there were so many problems with the July 3 book giveaway that from now on I will simply pick somebody and ask for their mailing address. Comments and closing ads didn’t work last time so we’ll try this method instead. I’m not even sure when I will pick winners for these books – but I will. Thanks to any of you who close ads on a regular basis – we appreciate it.
We’re having a rainy day here in North Iowa – it went from 94 yesterday to 64 today!
Great books! I love your blog, you are one busy lady!
Happiness from scrappiness! I love these quilts! I could use some Happy!
Thanks for sharing the great quilts out of these two books.
I just bought the Sunday Best book and I love it. There are several quilts in the book I hope to make someday. So many projects, so little time. Maybe when I retire I will get to quilt daily. Love your blog, thanks for keeping us entertained.
Great books! I have been thinking of getting the Sunday Best Quilts. They look like they would be great scrap busters!
Beautiful quilts from both books. So much inspiration.
Love the Sunday Quilts and your blog, Mary!
Did the parade get rained out? We go from 96 today to 75 on Monday. Finally I will vacuum…..Ha! And maybe cook something too.
There was no way to close the ads in today’s post. What a pain!
Brenda, I tapped on the heading, NEW BOOKS, and the ads came up. I closed them and then tapped on the CountryThreads header and more ads were available to close.
Hi Mary,
I love seeing the colours quilters have chosen for their quilts: it always gives me new ideas. The thing I enjoy most of all though, is seeing a patch made of a fabric I too have in my stash or have used in a quilt. It is a little reminder that we are all part of a huge likeminded quilting community, and I think that is great.
Hang in there with the heat, which has had a lot of news coverage here. We have our own heatwave coming later in the week, with temperatures predicted in excess of 100 degrees f. It rained today with very dramatic thunderstorms, (huge hailstones and lots of lightning) so at least the garden has had a good drink in advance of the return of the heat.
64 degrees…I wish!!!! Right now it is 96…only good thing to do is quilt or read a good book. You inspire me…keep going!!!! From hot Ohio….
Mary,
I like the color combo in the rectangle quilt! It’s me, I guess! And I want to make the spaced-out court house steps…it’s calling me! Thank you for brightening my day! It’s raining here in the TN mountains, too.
-Jean ❤
You’re at 64 degrees, we’re above 84 degrees here in Western New York…what a difference twenty degrees makes at the higher and lower ends of the thermometer….to me, 54-74, nice weather….84, phew, too hot… 34, starting to chill my bones!
I just got back from Bend, Oregon, the Sisters Outdoor Quilt show and classes. The high desert mornings were nice and crisp in the 40s and 50s, the afternoons, high 70s/low 80s, no humidity… I might want to move!
PS I love your animal photos, especially the kitties, of course! And your quilts. And your flowers. And your adventures with Reed! Closing a few ads is a small price to pay to receive the joys you share!
That’s quite a temperature swing! It’s up to about 98 degrees here in the Philadelphia burbs and I am staying mostly inside except to water my plants this morning and go out for lunch, running from air conditioned car to air conditioned restaurant. Should get a break next week, at least down into the more comfortable 80’s. Thanks for showing us the new books. They look really fun. I have pieces that I have cut out for a mystery quilt I will never make, in similar colors, that would be perfect for that rectangle quilt you said you like. I like it too and it doesn’t look like it would be too complicated to make. Have fun at the fair next week. I hope Reed’s quilt wins a prize! Our local grange fair is in mid August. We love to go for their chicken dinner and to see the quilts, of course.
I love your book reviews and I, too, love seeing new and different color combinations being used. It helps me stretch my own color palette!
We finally have a little break in the heat here in Colorado today, but it looks like we are in for a late afternoon storm—very black clouds out over the mountains. I’m hoping that won’t mean hail because we tend to have very damaging hailstorms when we have them, and that’s never good!
No ads to close before I’m posting my comment. Often I get a whole lot more after posting, so we’ll see if that holds true today, otherwise I’m wondering if there’s something up with the program again.
Just two ads after, but that was two anyway!
All the books look like there are great projects to work on, definitely!!!
Lovely books – there are many times that I will save a pic on facebook or pinterest because of the colors that are in it, not for the particular pattern. Simple patterns with great colors = spectacular!
Lots of rain here this morning, I’ve heard anywhere from 4 to 6 inches. The plus side, it is way cooler, that will be a nice break, and maybe now some mid 70 degree days, sunshine, and NO rain!!!
Sherry Whalen
Again Ladies, click on the blue title to the right of Mary and Connie’s little picture. I just closed 4 ads.
Love the books Mary. I agree with you on Martingale’s books, they are beautiful!
We went from 101 today to now 68 but humidity is still tropical. Tomorrow 75, low humidity and sunny. The mosquitos finally hatched last week so getting in the garden will be horrible. Hopeing for a stiff wind to blow them away. Everything needs to be tied up in the garden as the storms the last two days have flattened tomatoes and corn.
Wow Mary, that’s a big drop in your temp. We’re having 100* temps today and tomorrow here in VA but it’s supposed to cool down next week to the mid 80’s. The books look great… in fact the first and third books are already on my wish list. It’s really sweet of you to give your books to your followers. I really enjoy reading your blog and seeing all the pics. Take care Mary and give Hazel a little belly rub for me.
Great sounding quilts and books. What a good way to spend a rainy day. Closed the only two ads I saw usually I have six. Storms rumbling through West Michigan today looking forward to the cooler temps coming on Monday. Dark skies, thunder and we are fortunate our power has stayed on. Many trees down, water over roads, wires down, north of us there was 12 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.
I love the quilt on the cover of Follow Your Heart. Closing some of the ads can be very tricky and I’m never sure if I closed the ad. Other ads are very easy to close. I do “open” the ads and hope you get credit for them. It’s very hot in southern CA but at least we don’t have the humidity. Always a breeze where I am located. How’s the baby goose? Have you seen s/he lately? Thanks for all your book reviews on quilts.
Linda in So Cal – he’s just toddling along with his groupies as fast as his little webbed feet can go! And he’s growing.
We are stuck in the 90’s these last few days. The heat index today is 106. I will trade you for your 64!
I love the colors in the rectangle quilt too. And some day I want to make a pineapple quilt. I like the scrappy look. Hope you get some relief from the heat soon. Talked to my dad (he’s 91) today in WV and it was 96 so he’s been in the house all day.
Sorry I missed that last sentence. You did cool down today. Great!!
Your rain came to Janesville. I don’t remember a year we have had so much thunder and lightning. I would love to read the book Quiltts of Love and Valor. I think I told you at one time I belonged to a Civil War group in IL. I love that period and love to read history and letters.
Love reading your blog and pictures of the animals.
I, too, have Sunday Best Quilts & love it! Not even sure which quilt I’ll make first! I have not seen the Terry Atkinson book yet. I have so many of her past books & ive made many quilts from them. Of course, I need not mention her Yellow Brick Road pattern, the all-time best selling pattern for 10+ years in the late 90’s & 2000’s. Remember?
What wonderful books. Did some sewing of Disappearing Nine Patch yesterday and a little sewing today.
Way too hot to be outside so I went to an auction in an air conditioned building today. A couple in their 90’s had passed away. They had no children. He collected clocks and guns and she was a prolific quilter. I bought four hand quilted quilts for $530 and I’m over the moon. They are striking quilts with lovely, lovely hand quilting. I’m guessing that three are from the 40’s and the fourth is much later.
Mary, the fact that you give books away is so big hearted & generous that any method you chose to figure out who the recipient is I should be just fine, Nobody has a right to complain.
98 right now.. put a 9 lb. turkey in the electric smoker & have made up potato salad & deviled eggs. Dinner tonight & lunch after church taken care of, and don’t have to heat up the house. Bought another 1/3 bushel of peaches, think will just blanch, peel & freeze. Peach cobbler will taste good come January , so will peach pie.
Nikki m – frozen peaches are my favorite home frozen and canned peaches are at the top of the list. We can’t ever be sure about getting nice peaches however. It’s been years since I’ve had any as good as the two I just ate like an apple. So juicy it rain down my arm!
Around here Parker County peaches are the best & since Hutton’s Peach farm in Weatherford,Parker County isn’t far I am lucky to be able to get fresh picked, tree ripened peach’s at their produce store on the farm..& at only 79 cents lb. & rain came at perfect time this year.
Nikki M in TX – I am jealous – I love fresh peaches!
The books look wonderful, especially the pineapple quilt, have never made one of those. Here in my part of Alabama we escaped the worse heat our temps are in the high 80, but 75% humidity. I am happy in my a/c sewing room making Christmas table runners.
Thanks for the book reviews! Always close the ads for you b/c I would never want to lose your daily (most of the time) posts! I enjoy your wit and also your pictures. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
The country best quilt book looks very interesting and always like Terry Atkinson. Always enjoy your newsletter. Take care.
It is currently 97 here in West central Illinois, but I hope the meteorologists are correct when they say the heat advisory ends in three hours! I often wonder how my grandpatents and great grandparents survived the heat homesteading across Iowa and Kansas.
Ironicalky, I only follow three quilt blogs, you and Corey and Sheri! I plan to invest in their book. They are starting a sampler quilt sew along using 12 of these blocks in XXL sizes. Won’t that be fun!
OH MY! I’ve been looking at the book “Sunday Best Quilts” and looking and then I look at my bookshelf and all the wonderful quilts I already want to make!! So far I’ve convinced myself I really don’t need another book……….HOWEVER the possibility of winning one sounds wonderful!!!
Mary your blog is a daily treat I enjoy after my chores are finished!! You are a true treasure in that you share so much of yourself and your time! Thank you so much!
Yellow Brick Road is one of my favorite
patterns. It is so easy and looks different every time when you use different fabrics.
Love, love Rectangle Rodeo quilt. I will have to look for that book.
I close ads all the time and even scroll to top and close them again. Hope this helps!
We had a couple of really bad storms this morning and early afternoon. Right now it looks like another storm on the way. Southeastern Minnesota sure is getting too much rain this year. Trees down, flooding and power outages today.
I hope Reed has got luck with his quilt at the fair and comes home with the top ribbon.
Well as usual we are steamy in Florida. To hot to go outside, may as well sew. We have one very old husky who is not doing real good. Our vet made a stop at the house last night. She thinks it’s a disc problem. Pain meds and steroids till the disc heals. In the mean time its boiled chicken and rice. He loves chicken and rice and hamburger and rice. Gotta love a 14 year old husky. I wish I could get him in the pool.
I enjoy your blog so much. It is the first thing I look for.
Diana Stanfill – I’ve had a number of older dogs with orthopedic issues and it’s all hard to deal with. Would he allow a gentle hose over his back to cool him off?
What a great idea. Never thought of that. He weighs 68 pounds. That is to much for me to handle in the pool. When he was younger and we lived in Illinois he would always get in the pool. He would get out and shake. Drops of water flew EVERYWHERE!!
What great books ! Here in Southwest Iowa it is 100+. We are hoping for rain tonite to cool things off for awhile. Hard to keep potted plants watered in this heat. I can’t imagine doing your farm chores.
WOWZA! Those are some gorgeous quilts!
Send that 64 degree weather East please!!! We expect at least one more day of high 90s then high 80s. I won’t even complain about the rain. Our ducks don’t have a pond-just kiddy pools and their night shed gets soooo hot. (no electricity in the shed) We filled 5 gallon buckets with pounds of ice and set in a pan to catch condensation and that seemed to help some…that and buckets of cold water and battery operated fans-yes spoiled they are. They may not be super comfortable but they will live.
I do love those colors in the Rectangle quilt.
Annie – what kind of ducks do you have and how many? You’re a good duck mama to try so hard to keep the comfortable in the heat!
Hi Mary! I have 9 ducks now (We had to bring Pete ( 11 yr old) to the vet last month. Very sad day as he was among my original 6 that I adopted from an ill advised school hatch. There are only 2 Original Ducks left-Rose (he was named by the school children and the name stuck) and JoJo. We have 2 small runner/mallard?? mix drakes (George and Harry) that were given to me by a woman who was ‘surprised’ that one or both of the ducks she hatched were not egg laying females. I adopted from a sanctuary another 2- mix mallard and call? (Ruthie and Della). And I have 2 black swedes MoonPie and S’mores (hens) and a fawn and white runner drake (Rooney) who all just turned 1. They are way more fun to watch than anything on TV and great company helping me garden.
Anniewiththeducks – I agree 100% that these farm animals are much more fun than tv in the summer. I miss them when they are confined to the barn in the winter even though I see them at choretime. It’s when they roam my yard that I enjoy them most!
Thanks for the chance to win one of these wonderful books…I was able.to close a.couple.ads….We are.74 in Mn right now…so nice the worst of the heat has left us…
Love the Civil War area! Thank you so much Mary for sharing your pictures!
That should say Civil War era!
I’ve been saving strips for a pineapple quilt. The bin is about full, so I really should start. I’ll have to look for these books when I go to Quilt Expo in Madison in September. Love scrappy quilts. Cooled down in Waverly after some early afternoon wind and rain. It has been too hot in northeast Iowa. Happy quilting everyone. Headed into the sewing room after supper.
I love all the books and quilts shown, but my fav is the second one from Sunday Best Quilts. Maybe it’s the colors.
Carol, at Pin Oak Quilting….You were lucky with the temps in Sisters. Sometimes it can be very hot there during the Outdoor Quilt Show. Isn’t it a great show? Glad you liked it there.
I had about 4 or 5 ads to close today.
Really appreciate you reviewing the books for us and showing a picture of your favorites!
Nice book reviews Will be checking on the Quilts of Love and Valor Love the fabrics of that time (my fabric stash includes lots of those reproduction line back in the 80s) and a story to go along with it Right now the Waukesha County Fair here in SE Wisconsin has a display of Quilts of Valor and over Memorial Day mu quilting buddy Angie & I visited a display of the 911 Quilts Spectacular work if you ever get a chance to see it
Nice book reviews What a fun “job” to do Will be checking on the Quilts of Love and Valor Love the fabrics of that time (my fabric stash includes lots of those reproduction line back in the 80s) and a story to go along with it Right now the Waukesha County Fair here in SE Wisconsin has a display of Quilts of Valor and over Memorial Day mu quilting buddy Angie & I visited a display of the 911 Quilts Spectacular work if you ever get a chance to see it
Mary, as usual, you’re teasing us with more books and projects. Keep it up!
Our temps got up to 114-115 a couple of times this week and now, we’re at a “cool” 109. No humidity however, so, it’s almost bearable. It was high 70s this morning at 5 a.m. so I turned the ac off and opened screen doors for a few hours. The monsoons haven’t arrived yet but expected later next week. The haboobs (dust storms) are miserable but that’s life in the desert. A 7000 acre, probably larger by now, fire is in the mountains north of us which was started by lightning. Poor firefighters working in this weather.
Went to a quilt challenge meeting this morning and there’s a lot of committee work to be done, along with my challenge which is on the drawing board.
It’s hard to believe you were suffering thru the cold winter not long ago and now a wet heatwave. I miss farm life, but that was eons ago.
Stay cool.
Beautiful books!! We were up in St. Ansgar today trying to play baseball (district championship game to see who goes to state). The game got moved up to 11:00 AM from 7:00 PM in anticipation of the rain. We got in one inning and it down poured. Storms were predicted the rest of the day so we are getting this game done Monday at 7:00 PM. Oh and we’re on vacation in southern Iowa so we’ve been going back and forth!
Such interesting books! I agree about the color combo in the rectangle quilt, looks great! Closing all the ads I see because it’s a small effort for the pleasure of reading you every day. We are sweltering too in central Indiana but it’s to cool tomorrow. I’ve been staying inside and appreciating the AC!
These look like great books! I had 3 ads to close,,
I have always loved the quilts by Terry Atkinson. Being a MN native, I feel like we have something in common. Like others, I have used the Yellow Brick Road pattern many times. I closed 7 ads. Will refresh and close them again. Thanks for your blog. I’m in Iowa now, and have lived here much longer than in MN. We celebrated 51 years of marriage in June. How can that be??
Congratulations, Jeanine! ❤️❤️
Thank you Caryn.
What fun books! Will have to keep my eyes open for these.
I adore Martingale books, they are so well done and the pictures are amazing. I have my eye on Sunday Best quilts and there will be a sampler quilt along soon that I really want to join. Love the pictures of the animals and enjoy seeing all your visitors.
martingale does have beautiful books. i have been looking at follow your heart.
You are so generous to give away a book they all look wonderful. It has been in the 90’s the last couple days, been in the ac working on my #8, not sure i’ll finish by the the 1st, i’m trying. Love reading your blog.
You’re right, who doesn’t love new quilt books! All of these look and sound wonderful. It’s hot here in MA, we picked blueberries this morning before it got really hot this afternoon and spent the rest of the day oiling and lubing my new to me sewing machine. Always click the ads, in fact you’ve got me clicking ads on other sites as well! Hope that your cooler temps arrive here soon. Jan in MA
We felt the cold front come in this morning as we were finishing chores. A little while later there were tornado warnings & we could hear the siren going off in town. Had the kids & dogs ready for the basement but didn’t end up with much damage here. The boys (8 &9) were gathering snacks like a bunch of squirrels getting ready for winter while we were waiting to go to the basement. They must have been worried we’d be there for awhile!
Great books! I look so forward to your blog posts each day! Thank you so much for sharing with us!!
Thank you for the book reviews! They look like good books.
I love the two pineapple quilts on the cover of the 1st boo. I have the creative Grids ruler to make one someday as a matter of fact I have 2 of them! I guess I want to make one so bad I ordered another after seeing a video on You Tube! Someday soon I hope. Right now I’m working on my own self imposed 12 quilt tops or finishes in a year, due to back issues I don’t think I’ll get them all done darn it. Have a happy day Mary.
Both books look wonderful! So many neat quilts/patterns!
Glad it has cooled off here in Iowa. Today’s storm was a bit crazy in our area. Sumner was having their annual celebration. Bouncy houses took off with kids in them. Thank goodness a man held one down until they could get the kids out.
Your such a busy women. I look forward to your daily words. I tell all my sewing friends about your blog. Happy sewing. Terri
Just when you think that you are pretty much caught up on the ‘to make’ list some other pretty quilts come your way. I love the quilt w/ rectangles. It’s been oppressively hot in Kentucky so I’m slogging away on the Omigosh quilt in the sewing room at the moment. I’ve heard about summer spreads. I think I need to be working on one of those instead. Never made one…yet.
Love your blog Mary. Those books look and sound really interesting!!
It’s been about 108°-118° here in Phoenix…. blaaahhhh…..
All three books look wonderful. I always look for them after you review them. 64′ sounds wonderful to me. Summertime in Texas is hot.
I would love to have that civil war quilt book as that’s my very fav for fabric colors and the stories I love!! Thanks for such a great blog. Hope you cool down soon. Here we’ve had triple digits as far back as middle of May. But that’s par for the course for us. South Georgia is always hot and humid!! But we’re here so we do the best. Love, love, love the ac! Thanks and God bless!
I click on the blue Read All Comments and get many ads. Five today. The books look great. Still HOT in Central Ohio. ☀️☀️☀️
Love the color combinations on some of the pictured quilts. Loved reading your blog along with Jo Kramer’s blog.
I have seen a lot of good things about Sunday Best. I want to make a double wedding ring quilt- have a precut kit of 30s fabrics but haven’t started it yet. I have an old dwr quilt made for my parents when they married in 1946. It is pink and white and very worn and faded.
Thank you for sharing these books with us. You have me really interested in the stories of the Quilts of Love and Valor. I am a civil war buff. Agreed the weather here in Iowa has had its extremes this year! Thanks again!
Mary, always love your blog! The books look inviting and ambitious!
Yes, weather certainly has been a topic. Yesterday was the hottest with a heat index of 107 and today it is 67 after six inches of rain. Crazy.
Hope all your animal menagerie fared okay yesterday.
Marian in MN – you poor people in SE MN! The rain gods have not been good to you, have they? I’ve never seen so many huge rainfalls in a season! Not 1 or 2 inches but 4,5,10”!!!!!! At a time! Hang in there!
Love, love the Sunday Best quilts. I usually work with civil war reproduction palettes, but those 2 quits are stunning and inspiring.
I am a hand quilter. It is my relaxation and connection to the quilters of the past. The machine quilting is beautiful as well, but I would not know where to begin. Someday, Mary. I want to try your parallel line quilting. So striking.
Debbie Lindeman – if I can do such easy straight line quilting, anyone can!
Weather today in western Iowa–early morning hot and humid, then overcast, and (thankfully) less humid this afternoon. Was able to close at least six ads today. Will go back through to close some more. Enjoyed the book reviews.
Super duper books! Always enjoy your posts.
All three of the books look fun! I love the pineapples, too! Yay, a break from the heat! Enjoy!
Wonderful new books from Martingale and I agree the pineapple quilt is gorgeous! We had a severe storm here in upper state SC late yesterday that blew down a huge hickory tree in our pasture. Thank goodness no animals hurt or fencing damaged. The goats loved it-that’s where we found them-out in the limbs munching away on all the leaves!
Debra Miller – all goats should be as happy as your goats browsing on the downed tree. In the fall when the garden is done, we let our goats out there where they browse their way through part of the grove – happy goats!
Really like the quilt you show from the new “Sunday” book. Very fun with all sorts of scraps! Very hot here in Illinois, too. Should be a little better tomorrow. Thanks for the book giveaway- always appreciate these quilty perks!
Hi Mary! I love the concept of Sunday Best Quilts, the idea of two friends interpreting the same quilt concept. When I heard it, it made me wonder how my friend and I would do that and what it would reveal about our personalities and quilting styles. And isn’t color interesting? When I saw Rectangle Rodeo, that color combination gave me a feeling of deja vu. I don’t know what it harkened back to, but it was really strong! Maybe I’ll have to pursue that, see if the memory comes back while I’m piecing a quilt in those colors.
All 3 books are wonderful. Thank you for the give away. We are still very hot here! Maybe rain Monday or Tuesday and it will be a relief. The days seem to be going by fast. Put Mom on hospice last week. Spending
lot of time with her. Sewing a little in evenings. Love reading your blog.
Fun quilts! I love your book introductions and “reviews”. I usually end up buying most!
I celebrated my 67th birthday yesterday. How did that happen??? Ha!
It’s warming up in western Oregon. Supposed to be in the upper 80s tomorrow. We visited our daughter in Nashville a couple weeks ago and I have a new respect for folks who survive the heat and humidity in the south, east and Midwest! Whew doggies!
Happy Sunday to all!
Bonnie In Oregon
Hi Mary,
The pineapple quilts are my favorite, but I haven’t made one yet. I bought the tool to do the corners. My hubby built me a small quilt room and I’m still setting it up. Maybe this winter I’ll just jump in and start that pineapple quilt.
I sure send prayers to the whole country that’s in all the heat crisis. I live in the Pacific Northwest on the west side of the mountains in Washington state, so we usually don’t get those hot, hot temperatures. It was 80’s here today and tomorrow but with a little wind. Didn’t feel that hot.
Oh I see some beautiful quilts in that book that I could love to make!! Thank you for telling me about the ads…ever since you said something, I have been closing them on every blog I read!! Easy for me to help that way.
Susan the Farm Quilter – your support helps keep this blog up and running!
Thanks for showing the new books from Martingale. I like your choices! Keep cool.
Great books – I especially like the first one or maybe it’s the fabrics. I’m sure you’ll find a unique way to choose three winners. Maybe one of the chickens can peck the winners!
Thanis for the reviews. I’m looking forward to checking these books out!
The books look great, thanks for the reviews. I was able to close 10 ads today.
Teresa – thanks for your support – we need it!
I closed about 8 ads today. They were all small and right next to each other, I never saw them set up that way. Love the books and your posts!
Sharon Ray – thanks for closing those ads! They’re a mystery to me, too!
Mary
New books look amazing!
Happy to report- I finished my number 8 dirty dozen!
That project moved with me from Indiana to Tennessee
It has been in a project box for several years and now it’s on my wall!!!
Thanks for this terrific idea.
We are going to introduce this plan at our guild for the upcoming year
Pat
Pat – congrats on finishing #8! Send me a photo to my email. And tell your guild members to subscribe to our blog! It’s a good feeling to finish, isn’t it?
Love the Sunday Best Quilts book too! Have been thinking of the Quilts of Valor book as a good way to use my stash fabric. I always enjoy reading your blog!
Great books. I’ve heard Becky Wright speak several times over the years. She wears authentic Civil War clothes and tells great stories. How she “finds” her quilts is quite interesting.
Happy for all the readers finishing their #8s. Love your book reviews, always enjoy a new quilt book. I go back and close more ads when I reread your bog. Thanks for the newsletter and all the news from your readers. I read all the comments. Glad you are finally cooling off. I pray for everyone suffering in this heat wave, especially the firefighters.
Isn’t it wonderful to not have to be sweating all day? I am enjoying this cooler weather. Hoping that we aren’t going to continue to have the storms that we have had these last couple of days. Did you get them as well? Hard on the animals -as well as we humans! It has been nice to finally see ads to click on. For so long I didn’t see any – sometimes there would be one or two if I read your blog on my phone but not on my computer. So glad to be able to help! The new book you just showed us is really interesting. Looking forward to your new book – when does it come out?
Kathy Hanson – new book will come out in December
So glad you are getting a break in the heat even if it doesn’t last long. I loved the books. Happy Stitching
Earlene in Arizona
Yes, Martingale books are beautiful, with very clear instructions. If I’m going to buy a book—it’s theirs. So nice to read reviews from you, an experienced quilt designer/maker. Thank you!
Closed 10 ads today. Stay cool!
The new books look wonderful — great for scrap quilts! I always enjoy your blog — the quilts, animals, flowers and plants, and the farm!! Thanks so much for sharing with us!
Mary, many times I come back to the blog to reread or recheck on something that was said, and close the ads again. Do you get credit for the second time?
I was wondering the same thing Caryn because I enjoy coming back several times and reading additional comments and close ads again. I sure hope it helps.
Very beautifull books.
Summer is not very warm this year here in Holland.
Maybe next week.
Love your garden.
Greetings from Janny Schoneveld
Mary, you keep tempting me with quilt projects, books (fiction & other) and dogs! There’s always something that tugs at me in what you write and in what others add as comments. Thank you. This time I especially noticed your note about hand quilting. We just had a full circle experience with a lovely quilt. Years ago my neighbor pieced a star quilt and started hand quilting. As you say it’s a time consuming and lost art. She passed along the quilt and other UFO’s to me to share with my guild. One of our members accepted the challenge and finished the hand quilting. We were planning to raffle or auction it to fiund our guild projects but when my neighbor heard it was done she jumped in and bought it back. Everyone is happy that it’s back with the original quilter. I’ll email you a pic.
Those books look very interesting and I’m quite happy to see the one by Terry Atkinson. Her pattern Yellow Brick Road is one of my all time favorites and I’ve made at least a dozen of them. It’s been quite warm here in Southwestern VA and we seem to get a fast rainstorm almost every afternoon. Reminds me of living I in Florida! I’m quite happy to stay indoors and quilt in the A/C. Next thing we know it will be Labor Day and then Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas … again. Time seems to go by so quickly. I also try to click as many ads as I can as I enjoy your blog every day.
Mary, your number 8 is lovely, front and back! I finished hand quilting my number 8 and plan to put the binding on tomorrow. I enjoy the binding so expect it to go fast.
It’s been very hot and humid in Michigan, too. Yesterday I just finished unloading a load of topsoil into my garden when the skies opened up and rain came down sideways and in sheets. The wind was fierce and the temp went from 95 to 70 within minutes. I made it to the house safely and was back in the garden an hour later. My zucchini are coming in and are wonderful. Have a great day!
Oh! Mary those books look grand…but 64 degrees sounds fabulous.
We started Frontier Days last Friday and went to a concert last night. Many things have changes since our last concert. It poured down rain on the folks without cover. And I think I prefer country from the 70’s and 80’s.
When I saw Terri A. book cover, I started singing “On the Road Again”. I think I’ll need to make it with my cowboy fabric collection.
Enjoy your 64.
Mary, it’s nice to think that some of us receive a book and very nice to read of newly published ones. Sweltering here in Maryland. Makes me think a lovely snow storm would be welcome! Ha! Judy
Hi Mary, Grateful that the heat wave/ severe thunderstorms are over (for all of us) and that we are back to normal temps. The garden is soggy and was in need of some serious staking. We lost a very large limb, but we did well compared to others in our neighborhood. Lots of trees were completely uprooted and many people were without power for 12 -15 hours! Having to stay inside gave me the opportunity to really clean my sewing room. Found some County Threads fabric (Wear Warm Clothes) hidden in the back. What a find! I closed the ads and then clicked on the banner at the top of the blog and got another set of different ads to click. I did this 6 times and each time got a new set. Who knew!? Enjoy the cooler weather.
Mary, thanks for a chance to win. Had a very strong wind yesterday, lots of small braches, sticks and even some big branches. Thank goodness we didn’t lose any trees. Good luck to Reed at the fair, ours begin tomorrow too.
Felicia Hamlin
The quilt books look interesting. I’m always amazed at the colors other people choose. Our heat left yesterday after a crazy little storm. The wind blew so hard it knocked two of my planters off the step. The moss roses in one of the pots were pulled out of the pot and left on the sidewalk. The other pot was tipped over. I went out with my umbrella to get the pot before it blew away. The wind turned the umbrella inside out. I had to push against the wind to get back to the house. We’ve had about 4 inches of rain from the last couple of storms. The corn and soybeans love the heat and moisture. I’ve closed quite a few ads for you.
I loved the Sunday Best book – hoping either my library or the guild gets a copy for borrowing.
Sunday Best looks amazing. I had back surgery in June and didn’t have anything prepared to work on so I’m really ready to start something. Enjoy reading your blog. I used to get the goat magazine read it from cover to cover when I got it.
Got some tree damage from storm in SE Iowa last night. Hope all is well thanks n your farm. The Sunday’s Best quilts is on my list of ‘to buy’ when I can. Take care
Mary—this is about all those leaves and branches the squirrels drop while building their nests. We knew they were at work recently in our front yard tree because of all the leaves and sticks on the driveway. The other night we were backing out of the driveway and there was the whole nest in the middle of the driveway. My husband got out and picked up the whole nest and just put it in the yard as we didn’t want to drive over it. As he picked it up he found 3 very tiny baby squirrels that were alive. So he picked them up with some of the leaves and put them right by the tree and we left. When we got back home they were gone so momma must have come and gotten them. It was in front yard on a busy street, daylight and we weren’t gone that long so don’t think some other critter got them. We were very glad we didn’t drive over the nest—even though we really don’t need more squirrels! We do enjoy watching all the animals and birds that come to our feeders. Always enjoy all your pictures and stories. Thanks for all the time you take to keep this blog going. Pat in Iowa City
Pat Williams – I, too, have far too many squirrels but couldn’t bear to have driven over a nest! I know people have raised baby squirrels but I hope the mom took them!
I look forward to reading your .blog everyday. Always something fun and/or interesting!
I just read where Jo picked up a copy of one of your old books, so fun! I have most of your books, but had never seen this one
Mary – and I don’t think we have any more copies but I could look. It won’t be .25 however.
😀 Thanks, Mary
Do you or any of your readers have any ideas on how to keep squirrels away from my bird feeder?
I was able to “borrow” a tension screw for the long arm bobbin case and finished quilting #8. Yay!! Sewed the binding on and will take it with me while visiting a friend in Salem this week. Looking forward to the next number to be drawn. Will email a pic when it’s totally done.
Went trout fishing this morning and limited out! Was a beautiful 75 degrees at the high lake but turned into 90 degrees by the time we got home. Oh well – take it as you get it. What else can you do?
Any of those books would be a great addition to anyone’s library. Thanks for your generosity!
I’m only getting maybe one ad to close. Maybe after posting there will be more to close, like someone said earlier!
I LOVE those books!!
If you love the books then I know I will love them too!
Harry S. Truman is shedding all over everything! I brush and brush and still with the gray and white cat hair! He has never shed like this. He does not care for this heat but still have to go outside to watch the birds. He looks so pretty amongst the petunias!
Happy summer to you and yours!
I am so looking forward to a cool down! Will be so nice to get outside and enjoy it.
I love the look of the pineapple quilt in the Sunday Best book, it is on my bucket list. As usual, so many quilt, so little time .
Thanks for sharing your reviews.
I just ordered and received Quilts from Aunt Amy a couple of weeks ago. I am gathering favorite fabrics for the Bull’s Eye quilt. Looking forward to putting it together.
Thanks for the book reviews they look good and the photos are the best show and tell! I ordered the flag pattern from Jan Patek to add to my “to do” list, don’t know when I’ll get any of these done but I am always a sucker for a new pattern and a new book– they represent endless possibilities, if only there was endless time! 😉
Nice patterns in these books. I agree with the one with the color combination. Thank you for doing the give away. Nice to have some cooler days – this would be perfect if we had this all year!
Fun books with beautiful pictures and inspiration. Thanks for the chance to win a book!