Winners...we have WINNERS!

Yes.... we have 3 winners!  Congratulations to all of you that have participated in our Marcus Fabrics "Friends & Companions" SEW-ALONG!!!

Here are the gifts my winners will receive!



5 Fat Quarters from our County Londonderry fabric line... and our Only A Few Hours "Mini" pattern! 










We hope you enjoy them!

Only A Few Hours Mini - KIT

Here are the comments from our winners:

Jeanenne Nielsen said:

I love your block and the whole quilt.  My friend and I want to make the quilt bigger.  Do you have any suggestions on how to best do that?  My email is jeanenne@digis.net.  I think your best tool is the ruler that measures the triangle after it has been sewn to make sure it is the right size.

Thanks Jeanenne for the great comments.... I would recommend you email info@redcrinolinequilts.com and chat with Paula Barnes.  She is the wonderful designer of our Blog Quilt and is the expert at helping you with your size changes.  Thanks for the guess of a "ruler", but that's not it.....

Karen in Breezy Point said:

What a fun block!  I love your baskets too--I've made a couple small ones, but nothing like that cool double handled one!  I'm going to guess that your favorite notions is.... a ruler?!?

Hi Karen.... I'm so glad you LOVE basket blocks too.  They are my absolute favorite.  We just designed this new one - Londonderry Market.  It's inspiration came from an antique one I have hanging in my dining room.  I have a primitive yellow cabinet (one of my doors is open) with it hanging over the door.  The cabinet is filled with antique white ironstone pieces (another love of mine).  You also have guessed a "ruler" as my favorite tool... but that's not correct either!                                              Londonderry Market Kit

Grannie Smith said:

Thank you all so much for this wonderful mystery quilt.  Every block has been unique.  I love them... and I'm keeping up!  My favorite notion is my hexie pincushion in a zinc lid (I bought the kit from Heartspun Quilts - Pam Buda)       Pin Cushion

You are so welcome!  All of us are truly enjoying chatting with each of you and letting you all know a little more about us.  I toooooo love the double handle on the basket!  I have one of Pam's hexie pin cushion in

the zinc lid too!  It's one of my favorites and makes me "smile" and think of Pam every time I'm sewing!  I also have an adorable pin cushion that Paula Barnes (Red Crinoline Quilts) made for me!  It's in my sewing basket so it travels with me where ever I take my "hexie" hand piecing.  Here are some other English Paper Piecing projects I'm working on!

 Lucy Boston Blocks - you can get a starter kit on Red Crinoline's Website  Lucy Boston Kit

Grandmothers Flower Garden
Daiwabo Fabric

Here is my "hexie" quilt that I'm now assembling together...
It's made from Japanese Daiwabo fabric!  I've been collecting this fabric for years and had the hardest time trying to decide what to make.  This pattern is perfect!  I cannot wait until it's finished (hhhmmm... I wonder when that will happen?)

6 Pointed Star

Then.... there are those wonderful six pointed stars that my friend, Mary Ellen Robison (Red Crinoline Quilts) has hooked me on!  All she had to do was show me some she had made and it was all over... can you tell I have no discipline when it comes to new projects?  I'm so bad!!!  When we are all finished we will set them with large plain hexagon blocks!







Then... I can't forget what got all of this English Paper Piecing started!  I'm working on Mrs. Billings Coverlet Quilt!  Oh Yes... I've lost my mind!  I picked up the pattern at market one year and began making all of my border hexies first (5/8").  My colors are blue, browns and blue/white shirtings.  Well... while working on it with my sewing group... everyone was amazed at this fabulous quilt... and before I new it - 5 more have jumped in and are working on their own.

This fabulous quilt was hanging in the booth of Karen Styles - Somerset Patchwork & Quilting!  She's so talented and NOW she is a designer with Marcus Brothers.  Be sure to visit March website and read all about her.   Karen Styles   She also has a GORGEOUS fabric line that will be delivered to the quilt shops in October -Victoria Park

What joy to have this great lady and designer with the Marcus Team!

To all 3 of my winners... don't forget to email me with your name and address so I can send your prizes!  oldgreencupboard@aol.com   Thanks so much for every one's comments... we loved them!  And... happy blogging and sewing.  I can't wait for each of you to see the final quilt on October 3.  We were so fortunate to have one of my quilters here in Jacksonville have the honor of quilting.  Thanks to Cathy and Lynn at Longarm Quilting by Lynn!!   (p.s.  They do mail order quilting also!!)  They quilt for many designers (including Red Crinoline Quilts) and are with the local quilt store here in Jacksonville - Cinnamon's Quilt Shoppe.

Now... here is the answer to my question..."What is my favorite tool/notion to use when quilting?

Can you tell what it is?  A PORCUPINE QUILL!!!  Yes... I use this REAL quill as my stylus... all the time!  They are so strong.... with a really, REALLY sharp point at the dark end and a duller - somewhat larger tip at the white end.  Paula Barnes, Red Crinoline Quilts, gives them to her students when she's teaching... so she too is spreading this great tool throughout the quilting industry.  I even have a smaller one for tiny  projects!  Now...are you wondering where in the heck you can find these?  Well... none other than E-BAY!  (I love ebay, Etsy, Amazon, and Pinterest....)  So... go shopping and be sure you look at the sizes... 5" - 7" work the best...with strong wider centers on the quill!

Have fun visiting the rest of your Marcus's designers and friends.  It's been great visiting with each of you!

Gloria, Vicky and Heather

Marcus - Friends & Companions Designer SEW-ALONG

We are so excited to have you visit with us and participate in the Marcus Fabrics Friends and Companion Sew-Along!  All the designers have been working very hard to make this a fun trip while visiting our blogs and learning more about all of us and Marcus Fabrics.

Guess what?  Olde Green Cupboard Designs is your HALF-WAY point!!!  Yes...we are your FIFTH stop and we can tell... you are progressing well!  Are you having fun?  That's what it's all about...fun and SEWING!!

 

So... with that in mind.... let me tell you about US!!!  My twin sister, Vicky (she's on the left), myself (I'm on the right of her) and my beautiful and talented daughter, Heather - are Olde Green Cupboard Designs.  We have been in business since 1999 and still love every minute of it.  We began with a wonderful store in Jacksonville, Florida and were so blessed with a great staff and super customers.  We were voted Top Ten Quilt Shop  in 2004 by American Patchwork and Quilting, featured in Country Business Magazine as top Primitive/Country/Antique Store, and Top 20 Quilt Shop from American Patchwork and Quilting - since the magazine began.  However, after 10 years... we all retired from the retail side of the business and now we are strictly designers and have our website and blog.  Besides designing our patterns and fabric for Marcus Brothers, we have also begun designing  primitive home decor/gifts for a wonderful company we've known for over 15 years... living our dream!  Then... to top it off - we are retreat coordinators!  Now... you tell me... can it be any more fun than that?

Our first line of fabric with Marcus was County Londonderry.  The inspiration came from a beautiful antique floral piece we found from a collector - living in Vermont!

"just a little hint of what's to come"

We will have our second line debuting in early January/February for a spring release - Farmhouse Florals! The colors of our new line remind Vicky and I of our childhood years - living on a farm in Indiana.  We had the most gorgeous yard and orchard - full of rich bold colors from the flowers to the fruit trees... then.. being a child in the '50's we had a mother that loved the brightly colored/floral table cloths - with the wonderful big flowers, checked fabric... so we decided to share those memories with you - resulting in Farmhouse Florals.We have our patterns designed and as soon as the fabric is milled - we will be sewing up a storm!


Our block for the Marcus Blog Hop was an inspiration from one of my favorites - BASKETS!  Yes... I will admit... I am a BASKET COLLECTOR!  Not only do I collect - I weave baskets also.  I taught weaving in my shop for over 4 years and there have been hundreds of happy gals leaving the store after class with a finished project...!  Here are just a two of my favorites...

This large beauty hold many of my quilts!



The one on the right with the double handles is great to use when carrying projects back and forth to your sewing groups.  I love large baskets!  Just like I love my quilts!  BIG!  I'll never forget the first quilt I made... it was red, white and blue and HUGE!  The instructor was a bit worried I was biting off more than I could chew... but she soon learned... NOT to worry.  I finished it in no time!

Now... that you know a little more about Olde Green Cupboard Designs... it's time to show you our block!

But first.... Let's do some cutting of this fabulous fabric from Marcus Fabrics - Paula's Companions Collection.

Cutting Instructions:  finished block 8 1/2"

Background (sku 1038-0188)
     * Cut 2 -  2 7/8" square - subcut on the diagonal      
     * Cut 4 -  1 1/2"  x  4 1/2"

Black print (sku 1035-0112)
     * Cut 4 - 1 1/2"  x  2 1/2"

Green print (sku 1702-0116)
     * Cut 1 - 2 7/8" square - subcut on the diagonal
     * Cut 4 - 1 1/2"  x  2 1/2"
     * Cut 4 - 1 1/2"  x  1 1/2"
   

Cheddar (sku 1033-0128)
     * Cut 1 - 2 7/8" square - subcut on the diagonal
     * Cut 4 - 1 1/2"  x  2 1/2"
     * Cut 4 - 1 1/2"  x  1 1/2"
   

Piecing Directions:  1/4" seam allowance

Center 4 Patch:

Sew your 4 patch together as shown below with 2 green and 2 cheddar     1 1/2" squares.  Press seams OPEN.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Add black 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" pieces to both sides of 4 Patch.  Press seams to the black fabric.

Add 2 remaining 1 1/2" squares of both cheddar and green to the ends of the remaining (2)  1 1/2" x 2 1/2" black pieces as shown.  Be sure to have the cheddar on the left and green on the right.  Press seams to the inside black fabric.

Attach these units to the top and bottom of your 4 patch unit as shown... making sure the top piece has the green on the LEFT and the bottom piece has the green on the RIGHT.  This will give you a diagonal green and cheddar chain across the block as shown below.   Press seams OPEN.

Finished inside of the basket block!






Now let's finish up the block by adding the basket "body" and "base".

Make two 1/2 square triangle units - of both the green/background
AND the cheddar/background.  Press seam to the dark fabric.

 Lie them on a flat surface as in the photo - with the cheddar 1/2 square diagonally across from each other - color side pointing IN  and background pointing OUT.  Now we'll work on the side units.  Be sure your 1/2 square cheddar points to the cheddar square and the green points to the green square.

Piece 4 units together - using green and cheddar - 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Press seam to green fabric.

Add background 1 1/2" x 4 1/2"  to the previous 4 units.

ATTENTION:  be sure to add -
a background piece to the left of TWO cheddar/green unit
a background piece to the right of TWO cheddar/green unit
Press to the light fabric and lay out as shown.

Sew the SIDE units to the center block unit.  Press seams out to the side unit.

Add the 1/2 square triangle units to the ends of the top and bottom units as shown. (green to green & cheddar to cheddar).  Press in to the center of the strip.

Sew these units to each of the TOP & BOTTOM sections - being sure connecting seams meet.

Press seams OPEN.


 The finished block should measure 8 1/2" square.

Visit: www.oldegreencupboard.com to print your hard copy of these directions.

How was that?  Can you see the 4 baskets?  Now... here is the best thing ever about these great blocks you will be making!  When some of us hear "Mystery Quilts" we panic... shake our head and say "NO" I want to know what I'm making... I don't like surprises!  Now... I ask this question... don't you like surprises on your birthday?  What about opening those packages under the Christmas tree?  See..... you DO LIKE SURPRISES!!!  When it comes to a mystery quilt... it's all about TRUST!!!  Trust in the designers!   Then... best of all... when you are finished with this quilt - you will have 9 patterns (blocks) that you can make into a ton of different quilts!!!  Let's say you are a lover of basket blocks (like me), here you go... you can make an entire quilt of just this block - in any color of your choice and you too have become a designer!  So.. you see... mystery quilts ARE THE BEST!  

When you finish this quilt - I challenge you to pick out your favorite block from the group and make a brand new quilt - send me the photo and we'll post it on Marcus's Website!  How cool is that?

Now... for PRIZES!!!  We all LOVE PRIZES and I'm going to give away 3 of them!  You have 3 days to make comments to a question I'm about to ask you.... from those comments, my websites "random generator" will pick 3 comments as the winners!!  The morning of September 1, I will post the winners and the prizes you will be receiving!!!  So... put on your thinking cap!

Here is my question!

What do you think is my FAVORITE notion/tool

 that I use while quilting?  

I can't wait to see what you think it is!!!

Next on your blog hop....... is Nancy Rink Designs!  Mark your calendar so you won't forget to get visit her blog and 
get your next block instructions on September 5, 2015.

8/1                        Pam Buda ~ Heartspun Quilts                                  www.HeartspunQuilts.Blogspot.com

8/8                        Paula Barnes ~ Red Crinoline Quilts                       www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com

8/15                      Sarah Maxwell ~ Homestead Hearth                       www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com              

8/22                      Pati Violick ~ Marcus Fabrics                                   www.MarcusMentions.com

8/29                      Gloria Parsons ~ Olde Green Cupboard                 www.OldeGreenCupboard.Blogspot.com  

9/5                        Nancy Rink ~ Nancy Rink Designs                           www.NancyRinkDesigns.com/blog

9/12                      Mary Ellen Robison~Red Crinoline Quilts               www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com

9/19                      Dolores Smith ~ Homestead Hearth                         www.HomesteadHearth.Blogspot.com

9/26                      Lisa Shepard ~ Marcus Fabrics                                www.MarcusMentions.com
10/3                      Red Crinoline Quilts ~ Quilt Revealed!                   www.RedCrinolineQuilts.Blogspot.com

Thanks so much for visiting with all 3 of us today!  We hope you enjoy our BLOG and get a chance to take a look at our website:  Olde Green Cupboard Designs

Be sure to stop back often to see what new items we have to offer you along with fun retreats!

Keep those machines hummin' !!  Gloria, Vicky, Heather

NEW BAGS!!

Good Morning!!

I am so excited to show you NEW BAGS that I have on my website!  These are from the same company of those I posted in an earlier blog and I LOVE THEM!  We have additional styles on our "shopping" page.  Please visit Olde Green Cupboard Designs Website  and order yours TODAY!!!  

Boio Bouble Strap Bag 12" x 16"

Made from reclaimed leather and canvas. Lined with cell phone pocket. Double closure buckles.

Price:

$ 65.00

Price:    

$ 65.00

Domestic Mail Cloth Strap Bag 16" x 18"

Made from reclaimed canvas and leather. Cloth handles. Lined with a cell phone pocket

Price:

$ 65.00

Price:    

$ 65.00 

Postes France Buckle Bag 18" x 18"

Made from reclaimed leather and canvas. Lined with a cell phone pocket. Bag has double leather adjustable handles.

Price:

$ 65.00

Price:    

$ 65.00

US Postal Double Strap Bag 13" x 16"

Made from reclaimed leather and canvas. Double strap handle with shoulder strap. Lined with cell phone pocket. Leather closure.

Price:

$ 75.00

Price:    

$ 75.00