Sometimes Life is not sunshine and Lollipops. Life hands us a blow to the head when we are not expecting it. I have been trying to find a way to share the death of Whip Up Designer/founder Kathreen Ricketson and her husband Rob Shugg ... who was not only an industry friend, but a personal friend. They died in a scuba accident (read about it here and HERE at CNN) It's important to celebrate her life and all the amazing things she has done to support the Quilt, Sewing and Craft community. Today a little rainbow popped into my mailbox... Continue reading

Roberta shared her "Traffic Jam"! And Karen made another! She told me the border fabric has been in her stash a long time and was PERFECT! CLICK HERE for my FREE "Traffic Jam" Pattern And look at Deb's Dragon fly from Brambleberry friends CLICK HERE for all the Sew A Long posts and CLICK HERE for my book! Sharing a bit of Behind the Scenes at Quilt Market ************************** CLICK HERE to read my latest newsletter! ************************** This is my show and tell today!! Now I'd love to see YOURS! Put a direct link to your latest blog post, your... Continue reading

UFO busting is SO important. Because if you have these UFOs around giving you guilt, you just can't have any fun. Am I right? My UFO Busting Tip 5 is the "Search and Rescue" It is VERY important one Ask yourself these questions When was the last time you actually SAW the top of your cutting table Is your ironing board piled HIGH with crap that needs put away.. .. treasures you purchased? Do you HAVE your newly selected 3 to 10 UFOs in a spot where you can actuall GET to them? Where are your Scissors, rotary cutter, favorite... Continue reading

There are always so many amazing photos from the trade show being shown online and at Facebook. This time I tried to get in 'more' than usual, but my time at the show was very full of meetings and working my booth. So I didn't get to walk the rows like I normally hope to. It seems the "Breakfast meeting" is the "New Black" so I was busy from sunup to sunset! Let me share a few other show photos.. you can see more by CLICKING HERE and then going forward for a few days I thought this was super... Continue reading

How is THAT for a title? Scrappy is Trending, getting over the fear to start and other uses for your fabric... this show jams all that and MORE into it! CLICK HERE to catch up on my prior shows! Just sroll PAST the show description until you hit the "Disco Ball". Once that comes in the player is there! Here is what you can look forward to on my show today! Guest - I think Scrap quilts are 'trending' right now. Everyone has those bits and chunks left over and we want to know how to use them. I meet... Continue reading

How is THAT for a title? Scrappy is Trending, getting over the fear to start and other uses for your fabric... this show jams all that and MORE into it! CLICK HERE to catch up on my prior shows! Just sroll PAST the show description until you hit the "Disco... Continue reading

We fly home today, arriving at midnight is all goes as planned... keep good weather thoghts for me! I really hope you enjoyed the posts from market.. it's such fun to be able to share snippets of what is going on. I took LOTS more photos that I'll share coming up So with a fabric line called 'Bobbins and Bits" there has to be a name with SEW in it for one of my new patterns! Sew Happy is a splash of little baby sewing baskets.. adorable eh? I love them! This one is on the pattern cover. It was... Continue reading

There is a quilt show called HMQS, Home Machine Quilting Show, that has blow your socks off quilts. They highlight the quilting of the 3 layers, you know the QUILTING... not the Quilting.. LOL! Don't you love we use the SAME WORD for several parts? ok.. here is the real deal.. the quilting DOES take your top to another level when you approach it as designing the 'next level' on your piece. Karlee Porter, won third place in the Utah’s Own quilt category for her 'Shimmering Symphony quilt'. She quilted this on an HQ sit-down machine... which means you can... Continue reading

Some photos from quilt market! Day two starts soon! Pat Sloan Continue reading

My friend Amy from "Amy's Creative Side" is running Blogger's Quilt Festival and today is the day to link up! I am hosting one of the giveaway slots.. yeah baby! Amy started this event so that people not going to the trade show would 'celebrate' the twice a year 'Quilt Market' when all the people in the quilt industry are at the trade show with their 'new' things! I interviewed Amy about this event on Oct 15, 2012 CLICK HERE to listen And this is my prize!! 8 pieces, 1/2 yard EACH of my Americana Fabrics A sampler of Aurifil... Continue reading

Sometimes it is JUST SO MUCH BETTER to watch someone explain or share. I have a video on my new fabric line... take a look! Click HERE to my whole YouTube Channel for more videos. Do you like watching videos? Leave me a comment telling me WHAT KIND you like to watch and when I return I'll send someone a package of my new Bobbins and Bits fabric line fabric stirps!! Videos that are less than 10 min Videos between 10 and 30 min Videos that are longer than 30 min single technique videos Sharing of a whole project Sew... Continue reading

Pat Sloan Continue reading

I had this dropped 9-patch idea in my head for a LONG time. When I got ready to work on the layout I was shooting ideas around, doing sketches, and finally the ideal.. SIMPLE way to make this came about! I was SO EXCITED! My friends Sue and Monica pieced the tops and tested the pattern.. they gave it the SEAL of Approval... exciting! The pattern will be available in early July My friend Sue pieced this top. Then I asked Cindy to quilt straight lines. I wanted to see that very graphic addition to the quilt. This is also... Continue reading

Do you want to see a 'Behind the Scenes' of my 'photo shoot'? Well tomorrow we fly to Portland for the trade show and I've been busy getting all the things ready to show the shop owners! My new Pattern covers are one of those super important things that had to be completed. I have FOUR new patterns that will be avaialable in early July. I showed you Crush HERE... let's see Pop! First... my classy 'photo taking apron'. I put my phone in a pocket, my pins and clips are stuck on here... scissors too... it works so well!... Continue reading

CLICK HERE to catch up on my prior shows! Just sroll PAST the show description until you hit the "Disco Ball". Once that comes in the player is there! Here is what you can look forward to on my show today! Guest - Nancy Allen is the author of the new book from Martingale called "Triple Play Scrap Quilting". I am always excited to see a new way to use scraps..and this one is triple the fun! Nancy is going share how the book came about! Blog: http://bountifulheirlooms.blogspot.com/ Guest - I love learning about the quilt and texitles museums across... Continue reading

CLICK HERE to catch up on my prior shows! Just sroll PAST the show description until you hit the "Disco Ball". Once that comes in the player is there! Here is what you can look forward to on my show today! Guest - Nancy Allen is the author of the... Continue reading

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." ~John F. Kennedy, U.S. president Bringing out the bike means it's truly SUMMER time!! I think this MIGHT be my favorite block in the quilt. I had such a great time designing and making this one. Look at this bike for your garden!! I SO LOVE It! Would you do this? xx here is the whole quilt, incase you forgot.. wink! If you are near We're Sew Creative in Concord NC.. they have my quilt visiting them! Take a photo of yourself with my quilt and send it to me!!... Continue reading

It's count down to Market time... I have 4 new patterns, at least 2 quilts from each, other projects made with "Bobbins and Bits" and a few other quilts going to market with me NEXT Wed! I will be carrying as much on the plane as humanly possible, then checking the rest. We have a direct flight.. I may ask to escort my bags to the cargo hold.. do you think they will let me? So first let me who you one of the last quilts I have to bind.. NOT the last.. but ONE of the last.. wink! "Crush"... Continue reading

May is time to think about FRESH Fruits! At least it is for me. In our Brambleberry Friends Sew Along our May block is the long Pear block. I have several pears with a branch of flowers. Green pears, yellow pears, maybe you want to do a reddish pear! The Fresh Pears will be here before we know it. So here it is May.. and the time has come to work on your block and get it done! How else can you use this block? In the book I show you an awesome pillow done in 2 color ways you... Continue reading

I love a great blog hop with GREAT giveaway chances.. and Sew Mama Sew hosts a fantastic one! Today is the start. You have until May 10 to enter at as many blogs as you can. This time I decided to give away a FINISHED bag.. yes FINISHED! StudioKat's PortaPockets PLUS is truly AMAZING.. and I have One to giveaway made in my "Eat Your Fruits and Veggies" fabric! Let's take a look.... The bag insert... it could be yours! Fantastic for inside a purse, a big tote or a project bag! Clip for things ... things you need to... Continue reading

This year I'm going to rerun a few of my really fantastic shows for you. You may missed them the first time around, or you may have been listening since the beginning. Just like sharing a favorite quilt pattern, "My Favorite Shows" will be sprinkled throught the year, and of course on holidays! In case you didn't know, I also have a lot of show that I taped before I started to work with American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine. You can CLICK HERE to listen to those! The "My Favorite Shows" Segments are available right now, so you do not... Continue reading

This year I'm going to rerun a few of my really fantastic shows for you. You may missed them the first time around, or you may have been listening since the beginning. Just like sharing a favorite quilt pattern, "My Favorite Shows" will be sprinkled throught the year, and of... Continue reading

I was cutting a massive order of {Textured Fabric} for a customer today. You know I really should let you in on this incredible fabric. I bet a lot of you have not even tried it.. right? If you used to use Sandcastle from Dan River Fabric company years ago, then this fabric is very similar. It is manufactured by Moda and I carry it in natural and tan colors. This is 100% cotton slightly heavy weight fabric... let's take a look Click the photo for a LARGER image. It' is FANTASTIC for inside bags as it has more weight.... Continue reading

Holey Moley... I'm sending a few quilts out to a shop in Texas where I'll be teaching this summer. The shop is owned by Laura Kay Houser.. "Happiness Is . . . Quilting!".. fantastic name eh? I got two quilts to send and one didn't have a label.. WHAT?? I'm HUGE on labels.. but .. these things happen! Are you good about labels? Tonight I'm stitching on the label... the printed label is one of the Moda lines from awhile back. This is the quilt "Baker's Dozen".... on my FREE pattern page! CLICK HERE for the pattern When do you... Continue reading

When novelist Marie Bostwick wrote me about her new book I was excited! It is titled "Between Heaven and Texas" ... the story is set in Texas. I'm doing 4 trips to the awesome state of Texas this year, so this is exciting! PLUS Marie is doing a "Star Studded blog Tour" and today is my day! The hop is being hosted by the fabulous Michele at The Quilting Gallery.. let's get to it.... Marie and I meet 'in real life' at my local guilds quilt show. She was there signing books and I interviewed her. This has been the... Continue reading