More Goodness From Brenda Riddle Designs...

Brenda Riddle Fabric and Pattern Assortments

Aren't these colors sweet? They're all the fabric and pattern designs from my friend, Brenda Riddle of Brenda Riddle Designs. 

I've created quilts from her designs before. This is a post I wrote about some of the books and patterns of hers that I own. You can also click HERE to see a quilt I made for my sister, Diana. It came from Bren's book, Home Comforts.

Brenda Riddle's Grace Layer Cake Fabric Assortment

I don't think you'll be at all surprised that I recently purchased Bren's pattern for her fabric line Grace. I received more fabric from the Grace line this week. More gorgeous fabric for the collection. 

I'm going to create the quilt shown in the above pattern. I'm quite sure the historic name for the block design is Courthouse Steps, and I love Bren's take on it. I can't wait to make a quilt with these fabrics. 

Now that I've reviewed my posts of all the patterns and fabrics I own from my dear friend, I think I can safely say that, at least as far as quilting is concerned, this might just be the year of Brenda Riddle Designs quilts! Stick around this year, and I'll show you as they take shape.

Gobsmacked and Grateful...

Brynwood Needleworks - Brenda Riddle's "Cottage Linen Closet" Fabric Line

 

Brenda Riddle is the creative force behind Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. We've followed each other's blogs and lives for a long time. We keep in touch through Instagram and Facebook, too, now.

 

Recently, she posted photographs of her newest, luscious fabric line called "Cottage Linen Closet", and I commented that I was "in love" with it. Soon after, she sent me a private message asking for my "new" (farmhouse) address, so I gave it to her.

 

Yesterday, a box arrive and when I opened it I was so excited. Bren sent me a fat quarter assortment of her new line, along with a lovely little tin I can use for needles, or just about anything. 

Brynwood Needleworks - "Cottage Linen Closet" Fat Quarter Assortment

 

Bren's notes about this line perfectly describe the individual prints and colors. You can visit her online journal HERE to read all about her inspiration for this line. She's truly a girl after my own heart.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - "It Is Well With My Soul" Tin

She also included this lovely little tin, which after the health issues I've had in the past twelve months, couldn't be more perfect. "It is well with my soul" is so true. 

 

I'm absolutely going to execute one of Bren's quilt patterns to use this fabric, but I'm also working on something special for her to thank her (and she'll get a tiny bit of this fabric back in the process).

 

Thank you, dear friend. Hugs to you and sweet Emmie. 

(Tag, Bella and Carly send their love, too.)

Much love from this grateful heart to yours.

Winners...

 I finished the quilt top for "Flutterby"...and I think it's a winner!

 This is to show you the whole quilt top.

 This is to show you my cute knees. lol

 After I finished the quilt top, I assembled a new Strawberry Rose Pincushion.

I had done the stitching a while ago, and now it's finished for a swap I'm in.

 I joined Erin and her other participants at Why Not Sew? Quilts blog for a 

Strawberry Pincushion Swap. This swap was right up my alley. A real winner!

 I'm sending it off to my swap partner today. I sure hope she likes it!

Oh! It just occurred to me that you're all here to find out 

who the winners of my 1600th Post Giveaway are! 

Silly me!

Well, let me announce the winners now!

The winner of the fabric assortment is:

#25 GILL

 The three FOUR (I added one more!) winners of 

"Home Comforts" are:

#14 JOYCELM

#61 GLORIA M

#60 CLARA

and

#41 MRAY

 and finally,

The three FOUR (I added one more!) winners of 

"Simple Things, Small Joys" are:

#50 CHARLOTTE

#1 LEANNE of Quiltmekiwi

(See? #1 does win!)

#4 MINIMISS*

#64 SHIRLEY*

If there isn't a blog link or (*) after your name, please contact me with your full name

and address so that I can send your prize to you. You can send a message to me via the

email link on my right sidebar.  I'll mail your prize as soon as I have your information.

(If I don't hear from you by next Friday, October 11, 2013, I'll draw a new name.)

Congratulations to everyone who won a prize

and

Thank you to all who entered and visit Brynwood.

I appreciate each and every one of you.

xo

1600th Post Giveaway...

 I'm celebrating 1600 blog posts this week, so I wanted to have a

special giveaway for my wonderful, fabulous, loyal friends.

I'm going to give away a Moda™ jelly roll assortment, along with

a piece of pre-joined fabrics from the same line. It will come with 

the pattern to make this piece of fabric into a great little snap bag.

ONE person will win this assortment.

 I also purchased copies of "Home Comforts" by the creative Brenda Riddle,

designer for Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. I have owned my own copies

for some time, and have created some of the designs from her books. I know

that the winners will love her patterns as much as I do.

THREE people will win their own copy of  "Home Comforts".

 I'm also offering Brenda's "Simple Things, Small Joys".

THREE people will win their own copy of this book.

Here's how to enter...

• Leave a comment telling me that you're a "follower" of my blog

for one entry.

• Leave a separate comment telling me which gift you like most

for a second entry.

 That's it! I'll choose a winner (via Random Number Generator)

one week from today...Friday, October 4th at midnight. You can

find out the winner's names in my post on Saturday, October 5th. 

Make sure I have a way to reach you if you're a winner!

Thanks to everyone for being such great friends and visiting 

Brynwood Needleworks over the last 1600 posts. Here's to the next 1600!

Acorn Quilt and Gift Company...

Closeup of "By My Hand"

Now that my Scrappy Plates quilt is in Susan's capable hands for her freestyle free-arm work, I've been thinking about what my next applique project might be. I want to choose something that will be a long-term project that I can finish in time for the February 2014 quilt show that our guild sponsors every two years.

By My Hand by Brenda Riddle

I've decided that this design is going to be one of my efforts. I have been a fan of Brenda Riddle and her design company, Acorn Quilt and Gift Company for a long time. With my heart firmly entrenched in needlework, particularly counted thread, it skipped a beat when I saw "By My Hand".

At the time, I never dreamed of making a large quilt with so much applique', but my confidence level has definitely improved. I intend to start working on this quilt after the start of the new year.

My latest additions...

I have followed Bren's blog for some time and as usual, I link over to her website to window shop. I saw a few patterns that I loved and ordered them. They arrived yesterday.

"From Little Acorns"

If anyone is surprised that I ordered this pattern, you haven't been reading my blog for very long. See the acorns and leaves in the center? 

"Mills Cabin"

Somehow, this pattern had escaped me in previous shopping forays, but I noticed it this time. Mom's (Grace) last name is Mills. I'm going to choose the most beautiful shades in her favorite colors when I make this one. It will be a tribute to her kindness and gentle heart...and her unconditional love for me.

"Seasons"

"Seasons" captured my heart. This finished quilt measures 60" x 60", and the four finished seasonal blocks measure 16" square. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Hmmm. Which do you think is my favorite? I'll give you a hint: Which one do you think features acorns on the tree? This might be a second quilt I'll submit for our quilt show.

So, these were all the patterns I ordered. What a delightful surprise to find a fourth pattern in my package!

"Small Joys"

Bren added a gift for me. "Small Joys" is brimming with beautiful designs...and sweet and soft colors. I also love the names she chose. Places from England, where I was born. 

Designs from "Small Joys"

Places like "Nottingham" (top left), "Dover Gardens" (top right), and "Picadilly" (the blue on in the middle row). They're all garden-themed, so giving them British names is so appropriate. There are also sweet baby quilts and "squishy blocks" for babies playtime.

Bren's thank you card.

I smiled when I saw Bren's attached card. In addition to being extremely talented, she's also very generous. I hope you (click here) to visit her blog, and (click here) to window shop. I'm sure you'll see things you just can't resist. By the way, when you get to her blog, you'll see her latest quilt project. I'm really looking forward to seeing it finished!

One more thing. I'm still not sure about what I think about pinning on Pinterest. You may have noticed that up until now, I've imbedded code on my blog that doesn't allow pinning. I worry about the perils of copyright infringement, and Lord knows I don't want to be part of any test cases or lawsuits on the Internet.

If you have a blog, what do you think about pinning? I love going to Pinterest and frequently save recipes, decorating or gardening ideas. (I'm no gardener, but it never hurts to dream.) When I pin, I try to add a link to the original location. It's my attempt to protect the rights of the original contributor, but there are times I'm unable to do that.

What else have you read on this subject? I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this, as I'm considering removing the code that prohibits pinning my images. Any input would be appreciated.

Machine Quilting And What's Up Next...

I took this book with me on our trip to Nantucket. Even when I can't sew or knit, I love to take along something that I can read about sewing or knitting! I did complete a book called "Vintage Nantucket" that was in our hostess's library, but I took along "The Guide To Machine Quilting" hoping to learn some tips and pointers.

This book didn't fail to deliver. I can highly recommend Diane Gandynski's book if you would like to learn how to do your own machine quilting. I read it cover to cover and am looking forward to trying some of the new things I learned on some of my upcoming projects.

While I continue to work toward the finish line on the quilt for our hostess, I'm going to share a little about my next quilt. I'm going to be making a queen size quilt for my sister for Christmas. She already knows that she's getting this gift, but doesn't know which fabric or pattern I'll be using.I purchased "Home Comforts" from Brenda Riddle of Acorn Quilt and Gift Company - along with another of her books called "Comfort and Joy". (Her blog is called Little Acorns.) I really enjoyed paging through each book as I tried to decide which design to use. I finally decided on a pattern called "Twinkle". More than that, I can't tell you because I know Miss Snoopy Pants will try to see what I'm doing.

So, I'll be finishing my current project to be ready for Kathy's scheduled slot for me - for machine quilting - the first week of November, and then I'll need to scamper right along to finish my sister's quilt for the second week of November. If I can get this accomplished, the rest of my Christmas sewing will be a cinch! Of course, I might just kill myself trying to get the first two projects done. Whew!

I'll keep you in the loop, and hope you'll come along for this years' Christmas Sleigh Ride. You can see all the projects I finished last year (in case you weren't here to watch), by clicking here. I assure you, the list is not as extensive this year. That entire list was accomplished start to finish from November 30th to December 23rd. I am going to try my best to be finished with everything by December 15th this year.

More sewing today, and then I'll start working on my list so I can plan out my time for this years' gifts. See you tomorrow, hoping you have a creative day planned for yourself, too!