I’m really excited to be a part of the Quilting Gallery’s big St. Patty’s Day Blog Hop Party.  If this is your first time here I just want to welcome you to my blog!  I’ll just give you a quick overview of the major things that happen on here: (and yes – I will ship internationally…)

Project QUILTING

The biggest thing that happens on my blog is ‘Project QUILTING’.  To find out more about Project QUILTING click HERE.  This is actually perfect timing since the FINAL challenge of Season 3 is going to be posted this Sunday, March 18th at NOON.  There are so many great PRIZES and it’s not too late for you to have a chance to win one (or even the grand prize!).

The FINAL Challenge is POSTED!  Ziggin and Zaggin

Home Sweet Home Quilt Along

I’m also currently running a really fun Quilt Along where each block has to have either a tree, a house, or both incorporated into the block design.  16 block tutorials will be posted by different quilters by the time this quilt along is complete.  12 are already up but it wouldn’t take too long to catch up  - AND in the end you’ll have an adorable, whimsical house and tree quilt to cherish. 
Not only am I hosting a quilt along on my blog but I have become addicted with working on other quilt alongs as well.  You get to follow along as my blocks grow into quilts and find out what I had trouble with, great new tricks I’ve learned, and see what colors I decide to go with. 

Etsy

I’m an avid seller (KimsCraftyApple and TheApple)  and supporter on etsy so I do post tips/tricks/tutorials to help you on your way to be a successful etsy seller.  I also enjoy featuring great items I find on there. 

Family and Orchard

I do have separate blogs for my family and orchard (yes, I own an apple orchard) but sometimes the news is just too great I can’t help but to share it on here too!
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter, Like me on Facebook, follow my boards on pinterest and follow me on twitter - so you don’t miss out on all the fun that happens on KimsCraftyApple.

GIVEAWAY!

So – what am I giving away? Well – I’m going to give one lucky winner $25 in credit to either (or both) of my etsy shops - KimsCraftyApple and TheApple. And it’s simple to be entered!

Required for ENTRY:  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me which one of the fabric and textile art items in my etsy shop is your favorite:  Click HERE  Be sure to include your email in your comment so I can notify you of your prize!  If I can't get a hold of you I will redraw!

If you want to be entered more than once – these are some bonus entry options:

• subscribe to my newsletter
• Like me on Facebook (I would love it if you said 'Hi!!)
• Like Project QUILTING on Facebook
• follow my boards on pinterest 
• follow me on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway

That’s it – just let me know you’re favorite piece of mine for your entry.  If you really want my prize and are going for bonus entries – there are five opportunities for you!

***OPEN to everyone – I will ship internationally!****
The winner will be selected randomly on Sunday, March 25th.

Be sure to click on the link to see all the other AMAZING giveaways being offered with this party!  http://quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/quilters-blog-hop-party/

Don't miss out on the FINAL Project QUILTING Challenge:  http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2012/03/project-quilting-season-3-challenge-6.html

I saw this quilt by Aneela Hoey over 9 months ago.  I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind – I just LOVE it!

So – here’s what I am proposing – a House and Tree Quilt–Along!
That’s right – a tutorial for a block with either a house or a tree (or both) in it will be posted on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s during ‘off’ weeks of Project QUILTING.  Why am I doing this to myself – I seriously LOVE this quilt and ‘house’ quilts have caught my eye for a long time.
I figure if I do this during the off weeks of Project QUILTING I should get quite a few people to join along.

To make this work I need some volunteers to design quilt blocks and make up tutorials for them.  If you have a blog – you can post your tutorial right on your own blog.  Once your post is up, I’ll link the block from my website to yours and include a mini bio about you, the designer.  If you don’t have your own blog, just send me a word file with the instructions and photo’s and I’ll post it on my blog with links to you and of course a mini bio about you, the designer.

I talked to Aneela Hooey about my idea since her quilt was my inspiration.  She thought it was a great idea but has too many obligations this year to participate.  BUT she did give me a link to a house and tree tutorial on her blog so you can always start with those and work your own design off there. 

The block you design should be 12.5” x 12.5” (so it’s a finished 12” square). 
It has to have a house, a tree, or both incorporated somehow into the block but feel free to add other elements as well (see above inspiration quilt). 

Here’s the schedule
Block 1: January 17th – Kim Lapacek - LIVE - My Home
Block 2: Januray 19th – Diane Lapacek - LIVE - Lapacek's Orchard
Block 3: January 24th - PamelaQuilts - LIVE - House by the Bay
Block 4: January 26th - Quilts By Barb - LIVE - My Tilted House
Block 5: January 31st - TerryAskeArtQuilts - LIVE - Two Trees
Block 6: February 2nd - Quilties - LIVE - Tree of Life
Block 7: February 14th - Quilt Jane - LIVE - Under the Moreton Bay Fig
Block 8: February 16th - Kim Lapacek - LIVE - A Wonky Modern House
Block 9: February 28th - CraftyMamaD - LIVE - Scrappy Trees
Block 10: March 1st - Michelle Foster from QuiltingGallery - LIVE - A Home for the Birds
Block 11: March 13th - Prairie Moon Quilts - LIVE - The Happy Tree
Block 12: March 15th - Olive and Ollie - LIVE - the little house
Block 13: March 27th - Around The Quilt Block - LIVE - three trees
Block 14: March 29th -  Melissa Stramel of  Lilac Lane - LIVE - Under the Apple Tree
Block 15: April 3rd - Samelia's Mum - LIVE - A Home for Hoot
Block 16: April 5th - Sally's Ponderings - LIVE - Branch Sweet Branch

BONUS Blocks
accuquilt home
Marcia's Crazee Patch House
Rippling Pond - Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting
Acid Cottage - Love Affair with my Brother


Sashing BONUS


Bonus Sashing Tutorials

1. 1. Four Rectangles
   2. Scrappy Strips
   3. Stepping Strips
   4. Four Squares
   5. Trees in Blossom
   6. Window Trees
   7. Mosaic Tree
   8. Truffula Tree 
   9. Spinning Tree
   10. Hexagon Forest 
   11. Diamonds in the Rough
   12. Shoo Fly Sashing
   13. Geese a Flying
   14. Tall True North Tree
   15. Tall Trees
   16. Wild Trees
   17. Eight Rectangles
   18. Branches Wild
   19. Birds in the Bushes
   20. String a Flower Garden
   21. Steps
   22. Let's Strip
   23. Stripped Squares
   24. Tri-Recs Trees
   25. Hexagon Trees
   26. Strips and Mosaics
   27. Stacked Modern Pine
   28. Suburbia
   29. Tetris
   30. Spinning Pinwheels
   31. Happy Neighborhood
   32. Nine Patch Centered in Red
   33. Drunken Geese
   34. True North Mini Tree
   35. Chevron
   36. Tri Strips
   37. Twelve Rectangles
   38. Zig Zag Pathways
   39. Checkered
   40. Window Panes
   41. Bird House 
   42. Split Hexie Tree
   43. Tall Pinwheel Tree
   44. True North Tree
   45. Zig Zag Sashing
   46. Rail Fence
   47. 36 Patch
   48. Two Rectangles
   49. Stepping Strips 2

Cornerstone Ideas:
Fat Quarter Shop Fabric Finds

1/3/12 update
***So - I have 16 designers and 16 blocks!  Whoo Hoo!  If you are really wishing you would have signed up for it because you have an amazing idea in mind I'd be happy to feature *bonus* blocks that a person could make to increase the size of their quilt or in replace of a block they're just feeling.  Just contact me if you're still interested!  Thanks to everyone that signed up so far!  WOW!

Feel free to add your button to your blog as a reminder of the fun that's about to start!

Woo Hoo! We’re back up to TWENTY-TWO particpants! TONS and TONS of fabulous projects. Lots of our regulars and I’m happy to welcome some newbies! I have to say that I’m glad that I get to be a ‘participant’ and not a judge – they definitely have their work cut out for them again this week!

For those of you just tuning in you can read more about Project Quilting Here: http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2010/04/project-quilting.html

and about the third challenge of Season 2 here:

http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2011/02/project-quilting-season-2-challenge-3.html

CHALLENGE WINNERS:

***See the bottom of this post for two minor changes made to this years prize/voting process

This week’s PRIZES!

The winner of the JUDGES vote will receive $10 to FabricsNQuilts AND a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

The winner of the PUBLIC Choice will receive $10 to SpiceBerryCottage AND a Novelty Square Set from QuiltingDiva

FOUR, nope - now FIVE - randomly drawn participant will receive either In the Studio with Judy Murrah by Judy Murrah from UniquelyNancy OR $20 for Machine Quilting Services from QuiltsbyBarb. OR Downloadable Quilter's Cookbook 2009 from the QuiltingGallery OR $10 to Dye Candy OR a pdf of 2 maze quilt patterns from Lisa Penny!

Voting closes at 7pm CDT on Friday, February 18th.

This week’s Judges!

Diane Lapacek

Barb Raisbeck

Lisa Penny

Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side founder of the Bloggers Quilt Festival

OTHER BONUSES:

Don't forget! Everyone that entered a piece for this challenge can decide if they want their name entered in a drawing for $50 off the 2011 Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat Getaway Weekend.

I will also be sending everyone their rank (somewhere between 1 and 10 – be sure you’ve emailed me (lapaceksorchard {at} gmail {dot} com) your email address) and any critique’s the judges have about your creation. The top 3 scoring projects will be posted on my blog next weekend.

PUBLIC WINNERS: YES, you can win a prize too! You’ll find out how to WIN at the bottom of this post after you’ve checked out each of our challengers entries.

And now here are all the entries – in no particular order…

***Please note – I have left the images smaller to help the blog load a bit faster. I strongly URGE you to take closer looks at the projects before voting by checking out their submittals on the flickr group:http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/

Quilter: MoranArtandQuilts

The Story Behind ‘I’ll Remember You’:

This little quilt named "I'll Remember You" measures 18" in diameter.

I thought about this for quite awhile and the thing that kept coming to mind were all the people and pets in my life that I have lost. I wanted this to be a Valentine to them. I kept it general so it could relate to anyone else who has ever lost someone they love.

I drew out the design with the sun rays signifying the rays to heaven and the path is for the path in life I have walked with all these people and all the walks I've been on with my little dog that passed away last April. I decided to paper piece the background and what a challenge that was! I struggled for two days sewing all those pieces in place and getting the path to line up and finally succeeded.

Then I attached the Valentine envelope made from fabric and found the perfect verse to write on the Valentine itself. The little heart adds the perfect final touch. The little note which measures 3x4 is removable and also made from fabric.

The quilting was done in free motion in a whimsical heart and loop design.

Catherine from Columbus, OH

Quilter: Pastor Katie Bishop

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine’:

This past week, the scripture passage of 1 John 4:7-12 has been on my mind. It was the text we used for last Sunday as we began a new sermon series, “Love is a verb.” When I think of love, I can’t help but think of the great love that our God has for us. And the “God shaped hole” in my heart that has been filled now that I know that love.

So for my piece, I made a heart. Blue because of the way I felt before I knew the love of God… cold, empty, sad. And I left a “God shaped hole” (symbolized by the white heart) in it. The only pink I used was the little pink button that symbolizes the love of God moving to my heart.

For me, there is no greater valentine then God, who is always calling out, “Be Mine.”

I paper pieced the background out of a jelly roll I had been saving. I quilted the background with brown and teal thread. I then used blue buttons and the two heart buttons on top.

Made in Brunswick, Maryland, this piece is 6.5 inches by 9.5 inches.

Quilter: Shape Moth

The Story behind ‘Bee in love’:

Blogged:
shape-moth.blogspot.com/2011/02/hexie-bee-in-love-yellow-...

My entry for Project QUILTING Season 2 – Challenge 3 – 'Be My Valentine'. The pillow measures 42cm x 42cm and has been made in Germany :)

Quilter: Besty H

The Story Behind ‘New Beginnings’

I love the Miami artist Britto so I adapted my quilt to his style. I call it New Beginings & the idea came from my daughter and her boyfriend. Second time around for her and she is so happy. The approx. size is 28" x 34". This is my own design and I really like it.
Created in South Florida

Quilter: Gock’s Frocks

The Story:

this is my entry for week 3 of project quilting :)

Kristen from Rochester NY

Some Bunny Loves Me

size = 6.5" wide x 6.5'long

no red...no pink was the challenge so I went with my favorite color - PURPLE!

I love making functional wearable art and decided to make a scarf for this weeks challenge.

Ideally this would make a great valentines day present or illustrates the kind of gift I love to receive - HANDMADE

the back side is a cotton interlock - purple with 1 foot of aqua interlock and a purple heart appliqué.

Quilter: Sally’s Angelworks

The Story Behind ‘His Love is Everything’

Ohhhh I loved this challenge. The first thing I thought of when hearing the inspiration "Be my Valentine" was a "LOVE" collage. And when I think collage, I think linen and lace and gorgeous neutral fabrics. I have had these fabrics laying around my craft cutting table waiting for me to make something out of them for about four weeks now! (I'm going to make a scrap wreath out of the rest of the 1.5" strips! fun!). I recently saw on Joanna Figueroa's blog (Fig .Tree & Co) a pillow using squares across like this and totally wanted to use that design idea as a frame for my collage. The quilting was purposefully random straight lines horizontally across the bottom of the quilt to mimic the straight line of the little squares.

I absolutely LOVE using paper scraps in my quilt collages, and here I've used a page out of a shorthand textbook, several random pictures (from Artchix...love that art site!!), and words cut out of pages from old novels. (I got those from a vintage supplier on Etsy...very addictive!!).

The words I chose to highlight on the quilt started out with just "Love is everything". But today while I was driving, I couldn't get this song out of my head (Christie Nockels - Song of the Beautiful) that says "He loves me...the broken and the beautiful...He loves me". It made me think that really for me, HIS love is everything. So I added that word today! :)

The transparency with music printed on it is also from ArtChix. And of course, I added lace and buttons. For the fabric heart, I ironed on interfacing then sent the fabric through my Big Shot and cut out the cool heart. I sewed around it slowly using my machine. I'm learning...it's good for me, for sure!! LOL!!

I just want to mention that the folds in the heavy linen were a problem for me and frustrated me. I tried every technique to get them out (yep, I froze my quilt!! LOL!), but alas, this heavy duty linen had been folded up in my craft studio closet for a long, long time! (years...*sigh*) and the folds will just have to add to the collage/art effect. Not an excuse...just an explanation. :)

Thanks for taking time to look and comment!! :) Still loving this process!! (btw, don't you love the picture of my great-grandparents in the silver frame below??? {adore}!!)

Sally's Angelworks
this quilt measures 9.5"x15" and was made in Texas! :)

Quilter: TerryAskeArtQuilts

The Story behind ‘I Give You Heart’:

I didn’t think I would enter this week’s challenge. Then on Wednesday afternoon, inspiration struck! I came across a cardboard glove insert that I had been saving, and the words from the Elton John / Kiki Dee duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” popped into my head. The words to the chorus are actually “I gave you my heart”, but in my head I was singing “I give you my heart” – the title of my quilt.

I decided to use the glove insert as a template for two hands, with a heart between them. I spaced the heart in the middle, so it is not obvious which hand is giving and which is receiving, because in a good relationship, each person should give their heart to the other.

I purposely ignored my pink and red fabrics, and pulled bright and cheerful fabrics from my other colors. I thought the purple fabric with the pink hearts was perfect for the heart, and I used a heart print on the back.

I fused the heart and hands to the yellow background, then added the top and bottom borders. I used a narrow zigzag stitch to outline the heart and hands, then stippled the yellow background, and outlined the flowers in the borders with free-motion stitching. I really like how that turned out.

I decided to try something new (to me), machine sewing the binding by stitching in the ditch from the front. There were a couple of spots on the back that required some hand-stitching, but overall it worked very well.

The finished size is 19" wide by 17" high.

I create in New Westminster BC Canada.

Quilter: Kathleen P.

The Story Behind ‘Be my creepy crawly slimy valentine!’

We're very into puzzles over here. And I've never been so into the hearts and flowers cheesy valentine's day stuff. And I have an unseemly amount of flannel scraps. So I appliquéd and quilted a matching game of those animals usually ignored on February 14th.

There are 7 pairs: snails, snakes, fish, seahorses, ants, sharks and iguanas (one iguana went AWOL before photos: lover's spat?). I can continue to add to it whenever the whim hits (or the scraps threaten to take over). A few of them have matching hearts, most of them make kissy-face if you put them together, and some of them have 3D felt detail. Each is 5" square. I used whatever was around in the way of batting and interfacing, but the ones with the higher quality batting or the heavy interfacing are really better. They're all flannel with some felt so they're washable and will get even softer.

This can be used a lot of ways. Right now it'll be a matching game. Later, since the backing is all the same, it can be a memory game. But really, who knows? I mean, who am I to say that a shark can't fall in love with a snail? You can't stop love.

I made this in Central NY (Oneida County). And seriously, I'm a terrible photographer in the winter. In the summer I do OK, but in the winter every thing's either too white or blurry. These aren't dingy, I swear (though there is the stray dog hair).

Quilter: QuiltingDiva

The Story Behind ‘Mend My Broken Heart’:

I love this style of quilt and have made it with turtles before but thought it would be fun with another design. The second I read the challenge I just knew that I would have to do this in hearts! I used the same template as my turtle quilt but changed it up. I used solid black fabric and cut 8" squares from my batik collection to create the colorful hearts.

Approximate Size: 32"x22"
Tampa, Fl

Stacy Edell

Quilter: Kathy Kreig

The Story:

When I read about this challenge I started thinking about what colors mean Valentine's day to me. Chocolate brown came to mind. Santa gave me this great Oreo fabric in my stocking so I thought I would put it to use. This was such a fun quilt to make!

Quilter: AllThingsBelle

The Story Behind ‘A Mother Never Forgets’

My name is Jennifer Rodriguez and I'm art quilting in West Jordan, Utah.

This was quite the emotional quilt for me. It is dedicated to the baby I lost a few months before I conceived Juliette.

It is approximately 16x16. I choose rough edge appliqué to symbolize my raw emotion. It is free motion quilted on my sewing machine. I free motion embroidered "A Mother Never Forgets" in between the blood lines that link the image of myself with my 2 daughters and our angel baby.

What a therapeutic journey!
Blogged here:
allthingsbelle.blogspot.com/2011/02/mother-never-forgets....

Quilter: SpringWaterDesigns

The Story Behind ‘Puppy Love’:

The first thing that came to my mind for this challenge was “Puppy Love”. I wanted to do something that showed love without being too obvious. This took me in the direction of something functional for taking care of the beloved family pet. So I made a quilt that can hang on a door, or the wall in a mud room, that has plenty of pockets for holding all of those dog supplies that need to be kept together and handy, but up and out of the way. The four square pockets are made of wool for great texture and sturdiness. The other two long pockets are made of cotton with multiple reinforced seams to section it into several pockets.

I used a color block style to give the overall piece a fun and contemporary look. For a little whimsy, the borders on two sides are a different size than the other two, and the binding is done using two of the border colors used on opposite sides. For those subtle Valentine touches, I added a layered heart and flower embellishment that I made from scraps of the wool to one of the pockets - Directions on how I made this can be found in this blog post: springwaterdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/happy-heart-pin.html, and another wool flower topped with a button to another pocket. Three horizontal border strips are embellished with twill ribbon with paw prints and dog bones. The large dog bone shape at the top is also made of wool, and would be the perfect place to add the pup’s name.

The finished quilt measures 21 ½” wide x 44” long. Designed and made in Jessup MD USA.
~ Dawn Stewart
Spring Water Designs

Quilter: Miranda’s Place

The Story Behind ‘A Gift of Love’:

To me, love is like a beautifully wrapped gift that everyone hopes they have the opportunity to open. The outside packaging is so appealing that people will do ANYTHING to open Love.
It is my hope that if you have already opened love you continue to bask in its beauty and if you haven't opened love yet, don't worry.... Your Gift of Love is on the way.

Miranda Dozier, Atl. GA

Quilter: LibraryLynn

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine’:

Hi! This is my first challenge to enter. I've only been quilting for about three years and I usually follow patterns. This is one of the first quilts that I've designed myself.

When I saw the challenge, I thought I could make something for my husband. His prize possession is his bright yellow Mustang Saleen convertible. I decided I could do something in black and yellow and immediately an image of a bee came to mind. I know it's not incredibly creative, but I knew he would like it. This is my second attempt at free motion quilting. I still have a ways to go, but it's better than my first attempt. The little bee has googly eyes because googly eyes always make my husband laugh. I blind hem stitched the appliqué because I like the way blind stitching looks on appliqué. The antennae and mouth are hand embroidered. This is his Valentine's Day card, and it is 12x12 inches square. I am quilting in Conroe, Texas.

Quilter: Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting

The Story behind ‘My Little Sweatheart Box’:

Marcia Wachuta - Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

Boscobel, Wisconsin

Measures 5 1/2 inches across by 5 1/2 inches deep.

I designed the crazee patch paper pieced heart for a heart quilt we made for a Breast Cancer fundraiser a couple years ago. When you said Valentine - that was it! I had to use my paper pieced heart! I started combining blues and greens and then added the oranges and printed butterfly fabric. I decided I wanted to make a 3 D quilted box . I took pictures of the whole process. See my blog posts at www.craftysewing.com

My little Sweetheart Box can be used as a catch all for just about anything from a plant to sewing supplies to a Kleenex box.

What a fun challenge!

Quilter: For Quilts Sake

The Story Behind ‘not even the rain: a love poem’:

Made by Pam Geisel of For Quilts Sake in Yellow Springs, Ohio, Feb. 2011 for Project Quilting Season 2, Challenge 3, Be My Valentine.

19” x 26”

My creative process and how I made it:

First I started thinking about Valentines and ways people express their love to another person. I thought about love letters, and specifically classic love poems. I decided to include part of the poem “somewhere I have never travelled” by e.e. cummings, which my husband wrote in a love letter to me when we were dating.

somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near

your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skilfully, misteriously) her first rose

or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;

nothing we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility: whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing

(i do not know what it is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands

Next I came up with a few design ideas then went into my fabric stash to see what I had in green, blue and purple that made me think of romance. I found a piece of fabric that had 7 different floral and leaf images, so I decided to make a quilt that incorporated items that someone would keep to remind them of their love including the second and final stanza of the poem, some ribbons, heart-shaped beads and charms, a little key and a small bag with a pair of hearts inside.

I fussy-cut the floral and leaf fabric (number 7 is the label), printed the text that I wanted to add (the poem and text in two other places. I pieced a thin grayish-green inner border and a yellow/green/blue/tan batik for the outer borders.

The six pieces were sewn with a pillowcase binding and then top stitched around the edges. I did quilting stitch-in-the-ditch on both sides of the inner border then quilted around the flowers and leaves. I even added some hand quilting some of the leaves to give them definition. I wanted to use some fun fur to soften the edges and I wanted it along the outside and not on top of the quilt so I used a zigzag stitch to attach it. Then I added my embellishments. The final step was to use beads to connect the quilts both vertically and horizontally. (The heart-shaped bead on the second quilt on the right side is actually a navy blue, although it looks black in the photos). Rod hangs from a cream colored ribbon.

More closeup photos at:
www.flickr.com/photos/forquiltssake/

Quilter: Quilties

The Story Behind ‘Be Mine Pillow’:

My entry for Project Quilting 2:3 "Be My Valentine" Challenge...

I decided to give my project the look of vintage Valentines, with romantic clip art images made into Victorian-style crazy quilt blocks. I used fancy fabrics and flowery cottons in a vintage color scheme of taupe, cream, brown, light green, a little rose and pink, and lavender. All the embroidery and beading was done by hand. There's also an assortment of buttons, appliqués, vintage lace and tatting that I also did by hand. The back is a beautiful shimmery upholstery fabric and I gave it a brown flowered piping edge.

15" square pillow cover with an envelope back.
Made in Urbandale, IA by Emma Thomas-McGinnis

Quilter: Dashasel

The Story Behind ‘Valentine ABC’s’:

For this challenge, I decided to make a little valentine for my baby. However, being a baby, he isn't into cards, but he sure does love books! So I decided to make him a Valentine book, using the alphabet and having each letter exemplified by something related to Valentine's day (surprisingly, that in an of itself was a challenge!). He also loves texture, so I tried to use a variety of textures; you will see linen, cotton, flannel and even googly eyes! I also tried to mix up making my own shapes versus using patterns that had the elements I was looking for. "K" also has a little key that can be put into the heart. The other fun thing is that this book also serves as a crib bumper.

In terms of quilting techniques, I used a lot of applique and I tried to do some very basic free-motion quilting, which was something I had never tried before. I also did a teeny bit of embroidery. My quilting ended up being a two step process where I first appliqued and did the free motion quilting for the blocks onto interfacing. After all the blocks were assembled, I then quilted through batting, keeping the lines really simple and just following the blocks since the blocks were pretty busy already! I'm not sure if people tend to do this (this is only my second time trying applique), but I didn't want to see all the applique and free motion stitching on the back of the book. This was also my first time using printable fabric, and wow, that was fun!

I can't wait for tomorrow so baby can have his Valentine!

This quilt measures 9.5" x 76" (as a bumper) or 9.5" square (as a book) and was made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Quilter: Sarah B

The Story Behind ‘Our Family Valentine’:

I made this special little framed quilt as a keepsake for my husband and myself as a reminder of our family. Each heart represents our kids, the rosy heart is our oldest who adores pink, the middle is our second purple-loving daughter, and the third is our little boy. The green border made up of half-inch squares represents me and my husband.

All the fabrics used for patchwork are either from the kids' baby quilts or from my latest quilt that I made for my husband and I, so it's neat to pick each little piece out and see where it came from!

The hearts were crazy pieced then raw-edged appliquéd on to the pieced background.

I free-motion quilted loops and hearts on to the background.

As I did last season in Project Quilting, I gave myself an additional challenge for each one I completed to try something new! This is the first quilt I've completed with raw edge appliqué and the first quilt I've placed in a frame.

I create in Colorado.

Quilter: Kathleen Quilts

The Story Behind ‘Our Love…Our Life’:

I first thought I would do an intertwined block to represent two lives together but settled on the nine patch for simplicity and time and the room to express myself in the alternate blocks. I like how the nine patch pulls it all together. I took our wedding invitation, enlarged the graphic and traced it onto fabric with a brown pigma pen. The other blocks include part of our life together.... we met on horseback and had horses for several years. Our family grew to five quickly. The other button blocks represents our family now, with an additional son and daughter that came to us through marraige and five grandchildren. The house is for the country homes we had as weekend getaways. Car rides were entertainment for us and were walks in the woods. We birdwatched and raised birds. Our future is a blank canvas... I can't wait to see what our Lord paints for us next!

Most blocks are fusible applique. The bird cages have netting for bars. The paint on the artist's whatever-you-call-it are floss french knots.

22.5" x 22.5" created in Cissna Park, IL

Quilter: Ilsa B

The Story Behind ‘Chocolates on Your Pillow’

I made a queen sized quilt for my mom when I first started quilting, 5 yrs ago. She now has a twin bed, and has put the quilt on her guest bed. Time for a new one for the woman I love more than life! A) I'd been collecting brown batiks for a long time, B) my best friend and quilting buddy couldn't sew with me yesterday cuz she works as a chocolatier, and BINGO! c) Idea for a quickish project in one day! This will go with Mom's new quilt.

Oh, Ilsa Birmingham, Lake Forest Park, WA, 18 inches square. My mom has an envelope with ALL the valentines my brother and sister and I, and two grandsons, have made for her. I love the paper lace doileys (sp?), and always trim mine with them.

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Quilter: KimsCraftyApple

Not eligible for Public Voting Prize

The Story Behind ‘Owl be Yours’:

When I first read this challenge my mind started turning. I'll be honest, I think 'Be My Valentine' is a cheesy challenge BUT I did love the fact that we couldn't use much red or pink with it.

I initially had one idea that would involve a lot of handwork but as I thought about it more I realized it would also need red or pink to make it truly what it deserved. So...I changed my train of thought. I then realized that the class I had taken the previous day - 'How to Paint an Owl' with Juliette Crane was the perfect inspiration! And it was.

My piece is called 'Owl Be Yours'.

-Pieced the main background fabric AND the border strips.

-Fusing, Fusing Fusing! I fused all the branches and each separate piece of the owl onto the fabric.

- I then took a piece of fusible fleece and did the outline quilting of the owl. I cut it out for the 'trapunto' technique.

- Free Motion Quilting. I did LOTS and LOTS of free motion quilting on this piece. To create more texture in the branches, throughout the owl, I did an awkward, not perfect outline of the branches with variegated purple thread to create a 'windy' look, fun whimsical half circles all around the owl, feathers on the owls head and wings, hearts, the word's 'Love' and 'Amore' in the wind...the more you look...the more details you would see.

- What's a project without a little fiber? I appliquéd fun fiber onto the branches and the owl. The owl fiber was meant to give you the feeling of feathers and to create some distinction between the tree and the owl.

-Oil Pastels, I used some of my oil pastels to create some shine on the beak and the feathers. I also used some bronzer to give the owl some flushed cheeks.

- Paint - three small white dots were painted in each pupil - to help make them look more realistic.

Did I mention - of course my owl is pregnant!

Approximate Dimensions: 22.5" x 24"

Created in Poynette, WI

~Kim Lapacek, KimsCraftyApple

Now for the PUBLIC Comment PRIZE!

Quilted Perpetual Calendar from TheCountyFair

I’m having one of those moments (which seems to be happening more and more frequently) when I really wish I was eligible to win the public comment prize. Luckily, for all of you – you are all eligible! Kathleen of Kathleen Quilts and The County Fair has generously donated a Quilted Perpetual Calendar for this weeks Public Comment Prize. WOW! WOW! WOW! I can’t wait to find out who the lucky winner is!

NINE Chances to WIN!

Entry 1: REQUIRED! Leave a comment on your favorite entry at the bottom of this blog post (you can also comment on twitter/flickr/facebook but that won’t get you an entry) (or at least that you voted) and vote for your favorite on the poll on the upper left hand side of the blog. - ***MUST DO***

Optional/Additional Entries – please note – if you want to qualify for these additional entries you must leave a SEPERATE comment for each with your email address– if you already follow or are a fan, etc just leave comments saying each. If you write everything in ONE comment you only will have ONE entry…

Entry 2: Follow my blog.

Entry 3: Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/kimscraftyapple

Entry 4: Tweet about this fantastic contest with hashtag #PQValentine (important or I won’t know you did it)

Entry 5: Like Project QUILTING on facebook

Entry 6: add my Project Quilting ‘Grab my Blinkie’ to your blog or blog about my giveaway (link your blog or post in your comment, please)

Entry 7: Head on over to The County Fair and let me know your favorite item in the store!

Entry 8: Follow Kathleen’s Blog: Welcome to My World

Entry 9: Sign up for my newsletter in the upper right corner of this page!

***Participants, Judges, and Sponsors in project quilting ARE allowed to enter in the public poll/contest as well.***

This means you have NINE chances to win! I need you to write each of these entries as different comments in order to qualify you for all seven entries and include your email address. If you don’t include your email address I won’t be able to contact you when you win and I will have to choose a new winner. I will be picking the winner on Saturday, February 19th.

***Changes to Prizes/Voting this season***

1. One person can no longer win both prizes. If this does happen (as it has), they will take home the ‘JUDGES Choice’ prize and the person in 2nd in the PUBLIC vote will take home the ‘PUBLIC’ prize. As before, each of these winners will not qualify for the random prizes. I’m doing this just to spread around all the amazing goodies so many great sponsors donated!
2. The second is, I will not even be listing myself (KimsCraftyApple) on the Public Vote. Since this is my ‘creation’ I will never win any of the prizes – I don’t want to seem like this is biased towards me at all. I’m doing this merely for the fun, the challenge, and the camaraderie. I will still, however, be showing off my entry AND sending it to the judges

Have you hesitated about participating in Project QUILTING because you don’t have confidence in your work or are new to quilting? What’s the point if you don’t think you’re going to win the prize, right? WELL, this week I’m adding a new prize! Everyone that submits a quilt for this challenge will be entered into a drawing (probably from a hat and my daughter Cedi will probably pick the name for me…and be very excited about it) to win a yard of fabric that Diane and or I, dyed (we often dye together and it’s hard to know who dyed what…I like to say that I always dye the coolest looking pieces). EXCEPT, yup, one exception – the winner of the public vote and the winner of the judges vote will not have their name entered into the drawing. I want to spread the love a bit. Above is an example is one of the yards of fabric we dyed. I will be sending the winner a random, super amazing piece.

At the end of season one I plan on doing these ‘random drawings’ similar to the Quilt by Barb Retreat drawing to help keep the excitement going. Right now I’m sure I’ll have some hand-dyed yardage, some patterns, quilt books, and maybe even some fun apple related goods from our apple orchard. Hopefully I’ll find some more fun sponsors for these prizes – I’ll keep you all posted!