It's Finally Here!

Hey there, friends!  If you're looking for Needle and Thread Thursday, I will post it tomorrow morning, but this announcement deserves its very own post!

I am SO very excited to let you know that my latest book, Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs is finally available for preorder!  Technically, the release date isn't until June 21st, but as the author, I'm expecting to get my copies a little bit earlier.

I'm so, SO proud of this book.  If you're a regular around here, you know that I love making pieced quilt backs for my quilts.  Sometimes they're very simple and sometimes they're a little more intricate, but I always, always piece my backs.  It allows me to keep my scraps in check, and I know that my back will coordinate perfectly with the front of the quilt.

So, I wanted to write a book that made pieced quilt backs accessible for everyone.  So, those of you who stare at your pile of leftovers and aren't quite how to use them, this is your book.  You quilters who worry that a pieced back is too much work and your brain just doesn't want to expend the effort to figure it out, this is your book, and for those of you who have tons of fabric in your stash, but end up buying more for quilt backs because you think you don't have enough of the "right" fabrics, this is your book.  It's even for those of you who make pieced quilt backs regularly but feel stuck in a rut of always making the same design!  Here's a rundown of everything this book has to offer-

*30 (!!!) unique pieced quilt back patterns-

     15 patterns use scraps from the front of your quilt.  These are organized by scrap size so you can easily find a pattern that fits the leftovers you have available.

     15 patterns use stash and yardage.  If you don't have any leftovers, you can choose a quilt back that uses fabrics that coordinate with the front.  These are organized by the number of fabrics used.

*EACH quilt back pattern is written in three sizes, lap, twin, and queen.

*Full quilt finishing instructions, including how to keep your pieced quilt back straight and in-line with the front of your quilt while basting.

*18 (!!!) FREE bonus quilt patterns!  These lap size quilt "front" patterns coordinate with the pieced quilt backs, and are downloadable directly from the publisher with the book purchase.

So, where can you get it?  I'm happy to report that Perfectly Pieced Quilt Backs is available from all the usual places you might buy a quilt book- Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Connecting Threads, Missouri Star, and maybe even at your local quilt shop.  If they don't have it in stock, please ask about it!

Also, you can get a signed copy of the book from my Etsy shop HERE.  I'm expecting my books in mid-June, so go ahead and get those orders in, and you'll be one of the first to get yours.  Thanks so much, friends!

Welcome Back to NTT!

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, friends.  It's been a whirlwind two weeks.  We have a high school graduate!  I'm going to brag a little bit and include that he graduated summa cum laude with a final cumulative high school GPA of 4.34.  He has worked so hard with several Honors, AP, and Dual Enrollment (college) classes.  He will technically enter college as a sophomore, and we couldn't be prouder of him.  His academic achievement is great, but the kind, compassionate, hardworking young man he has grown up to become is even better.

We celebrated his graduation by leaving for a beach trip the next day, and after all of the hustle and bustle of graduation and family visiting, the peaceful week at the beach was very much appreciated.  Plenty of sunshine, perfect temperatures, and crystal clear water make it impossible not to relax.

Check out this stunning sunset I captured on our last night.  This photo is completely unedited (I didn't even crop it)- it really was that beautiful!

Another unrelated milestone happened during all of this, though I only realized it after the fact.  My blog just turned TEN years old (and NTT will turn ten next month)!  My very first blog post was on May 3, 2013, and I feel like such a big milestone is worth a mention.  

Okay, y'all!  I hope you've had lots going on in your sewing studio!  We'll party in a little bit, but first, take a look at some of the eye-candy linked up at our last party.  Rita at Quiltpiecer shared this pretty quilt-

This simple, sweet quilt is from Kat at Scrapbook Quilts-

And this patriotic beauty is from Alycia at Quiltygirl-

Okie dokie, friends!  Let's do this!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Southwest Scenery and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  BIG things are happening here.  My son's last day of high school was yesterday, and believe me when I say it's bittersweet (he is exempt from his final exams because he has all A's, so he is out a few days early).  I'm so very proud of him, and I'm excited to see the culmination of all his hard work, but closing this chapter of life holds a little sadness too.

Since we're expecting family in town next week for his graduation, I've been working hard to get my latest quilt all finished up, and I am absolutely in love with it.  In case you missed my last couple of posts, this quilt is destined for his dorm room this fall, and the colors were chosen to coordinate with THIS set of posters.

I'm almost as excited about the back as I am the front (but not quite)!  I sewed up all my leftovers to create a second landscape, this one in striated layers.  It is truly a two-sided quilt!

I chose to keep the outdoorsy feel of the quilt and gave it lots of great texture with free motion wood grain quilting. I haven't quilted this motif in awhile, and it took a little time to find my groove, but it was well worth it.  The quilting is fairly dense, and the solids show it off so well.  The black binding echoes the black frames of the posters, and is a great complement for these colors!

We have a solid navy quilt picked out for the main quilt on his bed, and this will be used as an accent.  It measures 72" x 72", a great throw size.

Before we get to the highlights from last week's party, I want to let you know that NTT will be taking a break for two weeks.  My son graduates next Friday, May 12th, and then we are leaving for a grad trip the day after!  With family coming in town next week, there is just so much to do to prepare for our trip and our company!  NTT will be back on May 24th, and I hope you'll have lots of things to share!

Okay then, friends!  Here are a few of my faves from last week's link-up!  Sew Preeti Quilts shared this fun quilt-

Love this one by Anne-Marie at Stories from the Sewing Room-

And these blocks from Rebecca Grace Quilting are fantastic.  I can't wait to see more!

Keep up the awesomeness while I'm gone, friends!  And let's party!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)