Showing posts with label quilters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quilters. Show all posts

Monday, February 25, 2019

Why Every Quilter Should Have a Library Card





Do you have a library card?

I think every quilter (and every person for that matter) should have a library card.  

In addition to my quilting career, I work part-time as a librarian at my small hometown library.   So many people have come into our beautiful library and have said something like "Libraries are a thing of the past -- everything's digital these days."   

Really? 

Who said so?  Was this something you read on the Internet?  And of course, everything you read on the Internet must be true, right?

My friend, Missi, got me thinking about this concept when she was describing a recent book, THE LIBRARY BOOK by Susan Orlean. 



Libraries are more than books, more than information -- libraries are a place.  

Okay, so how can having a library card enhance being a quilter? 

1. BOOKS! (This one is a no-brainer)   Libraries have books.  Whether you like fiction, ebooks, reference books, children's books, etc.  Libraries have 'em.  Looking for quilt books?  Visit your local library!

2.  Along with #1, check your local library to find out if they have interlibrary loan services.  In a nutshell,  if your library doesn't have a book that you want, they may be able to borrow it from another library just for you.  Talk about personal service.

3.  Periodicals.  Local newspapers (check out the local quilt shows!) and maybe magazines. (What!  Your library doesn't have any quilting magazines?  Then why don't you ask about donating a subscription???)

4.  Classes, Programs, and Workshops.   For you, for kids and teens -- for everyone!  Check out the offerings at your local library, you might find a class on knitting or quilting or painting, computer classes,  Friday bag lunch and a movie, story times for kids, American Sign Language, etc.  By the way, most library programs are FREE (please ask though). 

5.  Access to computers, fax machine/printer, etc.  There might be use restrictions, so you will need to check at your individual library.  This is a real lifesaver when your computer crashes or your printer is not cooperating.

6.  Digital Resources.  This one will depend on individual libraries.  It might be ebooks that you can borrow or access to Ancestry Library Edition.  My favorite digital resource right now is Universal Class.  There aren't any quilt classes on Universal Class (yet), but there are classes for tons of other topics.  Maybe you want to learn quantum physics?

7. Social Hang Out. Yes, libraries really are social hubs.  Gather your quilting friends and your go-to hand quilting project and head to your nearest library.  I bet they have a place that you can sit, sew, and socialize.  This is great when it's hot and you can enjoy the air conditioning.

8.  Meeting Place.  Need to find a space for a quilt guild meeting?  Check with your library -- they might just have a community room or meeting space that you can borrow for a low fee or perhaps even no fee.

9. More Digital Resources -- Okay, I am adding this one on at the end because I just discovered it.  My sister bought my family an Amazon Firestick for Christmas.  Who knew that I could access aps like Hoopla and Kanopy which are digital resources through my library card.  Hello movies!  Good bye stack of quilts that need the binding hand-sewn!

Sew -- what are you waiting for? Go get your  library card if you don't already have one.  Then visit your local library and see what it can do for you.

 

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

QUILT BLOG HOP JANUARY 30TH - FEB 3RD


 Are you ready for a BLOG HOP?  

I'm hosting a Blog Hop for my new quilt book, 

I Love Precut Quilts!

 January 30th - February 3rd


Here's How it Works:

 

Each day during the week of January 30th through February 3rd, there will be bloggers blogging about my new book.  They might be showing you a project they made, reviewing the book, hosting an author interview, or whatever else the bloggers can dream up!  


Mark your calendars!  

Join us for some fun and great giveaways!!!!!


Stop back soon for the Blog Hop schedule.


 

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Ollie the Owl is Going Places

Everyone remembers "Where's Waldo" right?  Or maybe the "Flat Stanley" school project where A child mails a paper "Flat Stanley" to a grandparent or friend who lives somewhere else and that person takes Stanley around and writes about his adventures?

Well, I have a really fun idea that I'm going to do.

Meet  Ollie Q. Owl --

 Taking a little time out of his very busy schedule to 

smell the flowers and to say "Hello."



Ollie is young, single, and loves to travel.  His favorite color is green.  He likes sunsets, dogs, and going on road trips.  He has many friends and enjoys hanging out.  But most off all -- he adores adventures.

 Well, Ollie just got back from a trip across the country.  He traveled in the company of my 16 quilt projects for my new book, I Love Precut Quilts! all the way from Pennsylvania to California and back again.

In fact, Ollie is even in the new quilt book -- he's such a super star!  Ollie says that you just have to get your own copy of I Love Precut Quilts! when it comes out in November just so that you have his photo.  And if you see us around sometime, he might even autograph his picture for you!

So I thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to tuck Ollie in my bag and take him with me?  I could even take a photo of him in different places and blog about his adventures."

So there we are.

Ollie has already traveled farther than I have and through more states than I've seen. So, where is Ollie headed to next?


Friday, June 17, 2016

Surprise! Quilts Show Up in Unusual Places.

Earlier this year a kind quilter named Joan emailed me asking about the fabrics that I used in my Steppingstones quilt in Annie's Lap & Throws Quilts book.






At first I was a bit confused, because I didn't know this publication, so I looked it up online.  Oh!  Of course, a new compilation of previously-published designs.

My Steppingstones design was originally published in a QW publication back in 2011/2012.  It's nice to see it again in publication.

  Here's my original drawing of the design:



Here is a photo of  Joan's finished quilt, which she kindly emailed to me.  Joan is gifting this quilt to her brother. She added two more vertical rows to make the quilt larger.  Isn't it wonderful?  Thanks for sharing, Joan.



It's funny, but I don't always know when Annie's republishes my patterns in new compilation publications -- it's too hard to keep track of these things, so it's always a surprise to be flipping through an Annie's book or special publication and see one of my designs.  It makes me smile.  This is especially fun if I'm at the grocery or craft store. For just a minute I feel like a celebrity.  LOL!

 When I was looking through the Lap & Throw Quilts book on Amazon (see the link above), I also just discovered another one of my designs, Spring Baskets.  Surprise!






 

Yes, quilts can pop up in unusual places.  

Remind me to tell you about the "CEMETERY QUILT" sometime........