Pat Sloan's Holiday Celebrations Book Tour & GIVEAWAY!

Today I'm so excited to share Pat Sloan's upcoming book with Martingale, Holiday Celebrations -- an amazing quilt book full of holiday inspiration for all the fun and warm moments throughout the year including 17 designs for lap quilts, table decorations, Halloween bags, Christmas stockings and many other holiday projects to bring new comfort and joy into your home with each new season!



Decorating for the holidays is something I have always loved to do to make each holiday extra special, so when Pat asked me to join in her book tour, I was thrilled to! Holiday Celebrations is full of projects for all the seasons, from amazing quilts to special smaller projects, there are so many projects in this book that you will want to make!



For my stop on the book tour I whipped up one version of the two heart block patterns that are included in Pat's Be My Always throw quilt pattern in Holiday Celebrations! When I saw this heart block I knew it would be perfect for pairing with the pink and coral prints from my newest fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, Open Heart!





These 18.5" x 16.5" size heart blocks would also make an adorable quilted pillow that you could enjoy all year round!



I've also always loved Pat's scrappy-happy tulips from her previous book, Celebrate the Seasons, and I knew her pretty tulip quilt blocks would be another perfect block for my Open Heart fabrics, so using the same prints I used for the heart block, I stitched up this sweet patchwork tulip!



Look how adorable the two blocks look together! It has me wanting to create a sampler style quilt using a variety of blocks from my collection of Pat's amazing books!



You can find Pat Sloan's books, including her newest Holiday Celebrations in quilt stores, Amazon, Barnes and Noble and more! To follow Pat you can find her on her website, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram!



There are lots of wonderful Giveaways as part of this book tour!! You can visit Martingale to enter to win the grand prize: a HUGE, fabulous assortment of quilting things! 

PLUS I'm so thrilled to offer a special Giveaway to my wonderful readers for a paperback copy to US residents and PDF copy to International friends of Holiday Celebrations!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED • a HUGE thanks to all who entered and a BIG Congratulations to the random winner, Scottylover!

xo Maureen

Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living Blog Tour & GIVEAWAY!

When my dear friend, Sharon Holland invited me to join the blog tour for her first quilt book Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living (Landauer 2017) I was so excited, and today I have the pleasure of sharing a bit about this beautiful book with all of you!

The friendship Sharon and I share is so special! I'm fairly certain we text each other at least once a day. Mostly to share our creative plans and to ask for or offer one another advice, which I've come to both treasure and depend on. Our friendship gave me quite the behind the scenes look at the process and work Sharon poured into Utility-Style. I learned just how talented Sharon is, she's incredible, truly. The end product is proof, Utility-Style is an amazing collection of quilts that are meant to be used and loved. Sharon is just as conscious about how she envisions using each project, as she is to creating amazing quality patterns, furthering the quality of this book. She shares not just sewing patterns, but inspiration with beautiful photography of how to use each project throughout your home. To me, Utility-Style feels more like a lifestyle book and I love that!

Before I share the pretty Flower Child quilt Sharon made using the Goose Chase pattern from Utility-Style, I chose two favorite images from the book to showcase just what I mean above about the way Sharon presents each project with stunning, creative photography. I find each page of her book enchanting, down to every last detail. What is particularly special is how this book shares such a sense of Sharon's warmth and personal handmade style, that's both inspiring and attainable for any quilter.





One of the things I love most about the patterns that Sharon created for Utility-Style is that I'm reminded of the infinite possibilities of just one pattern. The quilt I'm showcasing today is the perfect testimony to how many ways one quilt pattern can be translated to something completely new by a change of prints and color. In her book the Goose Chase pattern is made using a combination of vintage and new fabrics to create a timeless quilt.



For my Flower Child Quilt Market booth Sharon used several prints from the collection and this same pattern to create a quilt that became one of the star projects in my display. The large HSTs and placing of bright solids present so perfectly the colors and a few of my favorite prints in this next collection of mine, due out in April 2018. It was exciting to see how the Goose Chase pattern worked equally well for the vintage style of the original quilt and for my brand new collection that's more trendy and modern.

I'm so in love with this quilt!



Signed copies of Utility-Style Quilts for Everyday Living can be purchased by US residents directly from Sharon in her new STORE and you can also get the book through Amazon!

Before I end with a special Utility-Style for Everyday Living GIVEAWAY, I want to share and invite you all to follow the rest of the tour for more project inspiration and chances to win this amazing book!

Monday 12/4  Heidi Staples - Fabric Mutt

Tuesday 12/5  Amy Friend - During Quiet Time

Wednesday 12/6  Maureen Cracknell - Maureen Cracknell Handmade

Thursday 12/7  Amber Johnson - Gigi's Thimble

Friday 12/8  Karen O'Connor - Lady K Quilts Designs

Saturday 12/9  Kori Turner-Goodhart - Olive Grace Studios

Sunday 12/10  Silvia Sutters - A Stranger View

Monday 12/11  Sarah Maxwell - Designs by Sarah J

Tuesday 12/12  Jessica Swift - Jessica Swift

Wednesday 12/13  Lisa Ruble - Love to Color My World

Thursday 12/14  Cindy Wiens - Live a Colorfullife

Friday 12/15  Eleri Kerian - Sew and Tell Project

Saturday 12/16  Anjeanette Klinder - Anjeanette K

Sunday 12/17  Stephanie Kendron - Modern Sewciety

Monday 12/18  Christopher Thompson - The Tattooed Quilter

Tuesday 12/19  Susan Playsted - Hopewood Home

And now, I'm so thrilled to be able to offer a copy of this book in a special GIVEAWAY to one of my readers!

Enter to Win!

Here's how,

Just leave a comment below and you'll be entered into the drawing! This giveaway is only available to US residents due to shipping costs. (So sorry international readers -- you know we love you!) I'll choose a random winner on Friday, December 8th!

A big thanks to all who stopped by and to those of you who entered my Giveaway! The lucky winner is commenter, Linda Williamson! Please check your email for a message from me!

Thank you, Sharon. Thank you for creating such a beautiful book, for your endless inspiration and encouragement, for your continued friendship and for trusting me to share with while on your journey. 

xo Maureen

A Chevron Table Runner : :

This week is my stop on my friend Heidi Staples' tour for her brand new book, Sew Organized for the Busy Girl! Heidi's book is a wonderful how-to for fitting sewing into our busy lifestyles, including practical tips that will help you stay organized and excited about finding the "you" time we all need to live happy, creative lives! This book includes 23 beautiful projects, ranging from handcrafted quilts to home decor, children's gifts, and functional storage pieces. Sew Organized includes an arsenal of time-saving tips and easy-to-implement advice, as well, you'll even find a tip from me within it's pages!



After a quick scan through of each Sew Organized project, I decided to make Heidi's Chevron Table Runner from her Chevron Table Set project. I've never made a runner before, so this was perfect!



I love Heidi's use of flying geese for this pattern, their one of my favorite things to make! With her clear instructions I felt comfortable adapting the measurements to better fit our dining table. Inspired by the Ombré color technique of the Runner Heidi shares in her book, I began making my large geese with fabrics in my most favorite color palette, arranging them to the same effect!





I love how these colors so perfectly match the roses I bought this past weekend!



After adding my border fabrics and attaching my runner backing by stitching in the ditch with yellow Aurifil, I finished with my Folk Plaid binding. I love how this shade of denim blue coordinates so well with these pretty color!







Once my Chevron Table Runner was finished I first tried it out on our dining table. The finished 12" x 80" size that I made works perfectly! I decided right away to make another, this time using the exact measurements shared in the book, to have on our kitchen island!



Next I moved the runner to our mantel and I love it just as much!





Looks like I'll be making two more!

Thank you so much stopping by today! I hope my project inspires you to check out Heidi's lovely book! Congratulations, Heidi, thank you for inspiring me and giving me this chance to try something new!

♡ Maureen

Fat Quarters: Small Fabrics, More Than 50 Big Ideas + a GIVEAWAY!

Today I'm so excited to share this new book, Fat Quarters : Small Fabrics, More Than 50 Big Ideas, a collaborative book, full of wonderful projects, published by Lark Crafts! Inside you'll find a great variety of projects from things for babies & kids, to bags, quilts, pillows, wearables, and more! By many familiar names, including me! That's my cute, little patchwork Sewing Caddy on the cover!

When I designed this Sew Caddy project for the book I had created two, one using just three, small solid cuts of fabric and a second scrap-friendly version using an assortment of 2.5" charms!




Since they were returned to me at least a year ago, I've used them everyday! I have one either hanging from the foot of my extension table, or sitting close by, to be my catchall for snipped threads, lint, my little scissors, seam ripper, extra bobbins & Aurifil spools. I love it!

Now it's time for a Fat Quarters : Small Fabrics, More Than 50 Big Ideas Giveaway!!



Enter to win, here's how!

-- Simply leave a comment here in this post! -- Help spread the word about my Giveaway! Whether by Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, blog post, etc...

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Thank you to all who entered! From 480 entries, the random number generator says the lucky comment winner is #473, * Duff * Congratulations! I will be in touch shortly!!

Just For You Book & GIVEAWAY : :

Long ago I was invited to contribute a project for the new book Just for You: Selfish Sewing Projects from Your Favorite Sew Can She Bloggers: 24 Simply Stylish Projects by authors Sarah Markos and Caroline Fairbanks-Critchfield of SewCanShe. Over the years the SewCanShe blog has so kindly featured many of my own tutorials and I was thrilled to have been asked. To celebrate it's release there's a fun blog hop happening all month long, featuring all the book contributors, including a sneak peek of each project, with lots of chances to win your very own copy of Just for You! This is my very first book contribution, so it's all very exciting!



The book is a collection of "selfish sewing" projects from bags & totes to skirts & tops to scarves & aprons and more, all designed by many of your favorite bloggers! The projects are arranged into twelve chapters, one chapter for each month, so you can sew along with the book throughout the year. In October, you'll find my project for a Pretty Pocket Apron!



This apron is made using just five fat quarters of fabric, a denim linen, my favorite English Garden Serene print by Bari J, Art Gallery Fabrics Flumes in Citron and PE solid Nocturnal, with several scrappy bits for the colorful pocket applique!



Today, Stash Books is offering a copy of Just For You to one of my readers!

Enter to win!  

Here's how,  

1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (one entry)
2. My followers get a second entry whether you follow here, on Instagram or Facebook! Just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do so, I've added sharing as another way to enter! Whether by instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 3 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, November 24th! The winner will be picked at Random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog. 

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment. U.S. winner will receive a hard cover book, International winner will receive the eBook version! 

In addition to this chance to win, Caroline is also giving away Just For You plus fabric for four projects! Enter HERE and be sure to click through the blog hop to see the other project previews from the book!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!! From 339 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #159 --   * Linda Nelson *  Congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly!   

A Modern Bee GIVEAWAY : :

Today is my stop on the Modern Bee Book Tour! Which means I have another wonderful Giveaway to share with all of you!!

I personally love the story behind this book -- Author Lindsay Conner has taken the work of her quilting bee, including 11 very talented partners, and has turned their collective work into a beautiful, new book! 



Rather than sharing a review today, and over-using the word LOVE, I chose to make & share a quilt block from one of the 13 quilt patterns included inside! The June quilt -- Stacked Windmills by Jeni Baker, made with Domino Dots, Juliana Horner's Rosette and a little Denyse Schmidt, both from Joann Fabric's Premium Quilting Cotton collections.



One glimpse of this block pattern and I knew it would make a wonderful addition to my Making Rows quilt in progress, so I got to work! Plus, this block is perfect for mastering those HST's, half-square triangles, and shares with you Jeni's super, quick method for making four at a time!





I'm currently thinking it might be the perfect innermost block in the middle row of my quilt, possibly set on point? I just love how it turned out!



To see more peeks inside this wonderful, new book be sure to check out the other stops on the Modern Bee Blog Tour : : 

 
Monday - 10/7:  Sew Mama Sew + Stash Books
Tuesday - 10/8: SewCraftyJess + Sew Sweetness
Wednesday - 10/9: Ellison Lane + Diary of a Quilter

Thursday - 10/10: Katie’s Korner + Pat Sloan
Friday - 10/11: Fat Quarter Shop + imagine gnats
Saturday - 10/12: Quilting is My Therapy + Hot Pink Stitches
Monday - 10/14: Live a Colorful Life + Craft Gossip
Tuesday - 10/15: SewCanShe + Maureen Cracknell Handmade (Me!) 

Wednesday - 10/16: Craftsy + Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

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How would you like a chance to win a copy of Modern Bee for yourself?

Here's how,

-- Simply leave a comment under this post! I'd love to read about your own quilting bee, or a favorite quilt or sewing project you've made! (one entry)

Enter now through Friday, October 18th! We'll choose one random winner to receive a copy of the book, and if the winner lives outside of the U.S., they'll receive a copy of the e-book!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!              

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

   From 381 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is... 
Comment #184 --   * Kathy @ Kwilty Pleasures *   

Congratulations! I will be in touch shortly!