ELM CREEK PINS

While at the Jennifer Chiaverini book signing for her new book, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, I also asked Jennifer to sign my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler pattern book and my copy of her book The Giving Quilt.  Those books both have pins associated with them, and she so generously gave me these.  Love them!  I will add them to my quilt pins collection.

MRS. LINCOLN'S DRESSMAKER

 

Tonight I went to Jennifer Chiaverini's book signing in Vero Beach, FL.  She is my favorite author and I have all of her books.  Friends Nan and Jodi were there too.

Jennifer's newest book, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, is not a part of the Elm Creek series, but is a stand-alone.  The book is historic fiction, based on the actual dressmaker who stitched for Mrs. Lincoln. 

Jennifer was so sweet.  She signed not only her new book for me, but my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler pattern book, The Giving Quilt, and two fabric squares.  She also gave me pins for two of the books I had signed - The Giving Quilt, as well as Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.

In all Jennifer has 4 books coming out in 2013, including one in time for the holidays next year that will have family trees for the Elm Creek series, a new floorplan for the newly remodeled Elm Creek manor, and other Elm Creek information.  The other two will be the Union Quilt pattern book, and a book about a union spy.  Just a hint (spoiler alert), she is a character from a past book -- can you guess?

She's a great speaker as well as super author. Sure hope she comes to FL again next time around. 

If you aren't familiar with Jennifer Chiaverini or Elm Creek Quilts books, you can find Jennifer on FB and all things Elm Creek at Elm Creek dot net.

LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE BLOCKS

Today I finished my 12 Little Red School House blocks for the Sarah's Sampler swap. Sarah's Sampler is from the Elm Creek Quilt Series. It is in the very first book, The Quilter's Apprentice, and is the selection of blocks Sarah chose to use for her first quilting lessons with Sylvia. That was way back when Jennifer planned to have a simple series, starting with The Quilter's Apprentice, and ending with The Master Quilter. But there's been many more books than that, as Elm Creek has taken on a life of its own, thanks to talented author, Jennifer Chiaverini.

Here's all my blocks and the three different color combinations I used. No, they are not red. In this swap all blocks are a combination of brown, tan, and blue. Yes, there's blue in there in the sky.

And here is one of my labels.

This has been a fun swap, but I cut it too close to the wire, as the blocks are due to the hostess by the end of the month. And this is one of the hardest school house patterns I've seen, as everything is just a tad different size. Many different cuts, and four templates later, I'm satisfied.

A QUILTER'S HOLIDAY

Yesterday I received this lovely thank you card and pin from Jennifer Chiaverini. The pin is the same design as A Quilter's Holiday book cover. I tried to get a close up of the pin to share with you, but the photo came out as a big glow with no detail.

That's a lot of thanks for making one 12" block for her charity quilts. But that is just like her!

You can scroll back a few posts, to see my "Rock-a-Bye Baby" quilt block which I made. You had to choose a block pattern that represented something you are thankful for, and this year I'm especially thankful for my 6 grandchildren. I love how Jennifer really gets into the names of the traditional quilt blocks and their meanings/origins.