Merry Christmas to All!

Almond Sugar Cookies

A simple Merry Christmas to all of you in Blogland!  I have been thinking of you for weeks now, but with no extra time to write until today - Christmas Day!!

 

Being Danish, I love anything almond; especially pure almond - the real thing! These little cookies are a favorite of mine & the family.  I thought it only fitting to share the recipe with you today!

Almond Sugar Cookies

1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract - the real stuff  - pure!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract - pure!
4 to 5 teaspoons water

Sliced almonds!

Roll dough into 1" balls; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.  Flatten to 1/4" thickness with the bottom of a buttered glass dipped in sugar.  Don't push down too far! 

Bake for 7 minutes at 400 degrees or until edges are very lightly browned.  Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet.  Cool completely.  Frost with glaze & decorate with almonds!

Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies!  Enjoy!

I hope you have all enjoyed a very special holiday with friends & family.  It is the most wonderful time of the year! 

 

Have a super New Year 2014!

Winners & Fall Market Highlights !

General Sheridan

I'm back from market & it was wonderful, but before I go any further, I want to notify four winners of a free new pattern - General Sheridan!

If you remember - back in September I promised to draw a winner from those who made comments on that day's blog as soon as General Sheridan was printed & ready to go - well, there were 4 comments by the followers, so I've decided to give all four of you a new pattern.

So, would Billie Bee (billiemick), Nancy E, Karen & Roberta Krueger please email me your mailing address as soon as possible so I can keep my promise to you!   Email me at evonnecook@clotheslinequilts.com

And many thanks for your comments!  It really is the pay-off for us out here in blogger land!  I love to hear from you!

Yes, market was fabulous, so very much to take in, & so many old friends to catch up with.  One shop owner who is always a joy to welcome into the booth is Michelle Joyner of Fat Quarters Quilt Shop in California.  So good to see you again, Michelle. 

Of course, there are many, many awesome shop owners who come by & we appreciate them all; sorry to say, we just don't get pictures of them all.  I did not crop this picture down so you can see so much more of the booth this way.

And here is the other end !  Everyone especially enjoyed the black & gold General Longstreet & the new Table Cozees IV.

Then, too, the new Welcome Home hung on the new ladder that Sharon's dad had made for the booth.  It worked superbly to show off the new quilt!


Welcome Home is my version of a Christmas quilt; not much red & green, but I love the holly on the grapevine wreath & it coordinates with my home décor.  You can add different leaves included in the pattern if you don't want holly!

And in this picture you can see the new Little Brown Baskets on the side wall & the New Orleans we made out of the Women of Courage border fabric.  It is beautiful in the teals, browns & touches of red.  I'll post a closer shot of that quilt for you in a few days.

All in all, it was a super trip & the fall foliage was in it's full glory coming home through Arkansas.  Until later -

It's Time to Show . . .

With fall market less than a week away, I believe it's time to show you the new Generals quilts!  We have General Sheridan, the Union General known to be the first to use the "scorched earth" policy that General Sherman used on his march to the sea.  General Sheridan, however, used the technique in the Shenandoah Valley earlier, and it, too, did help to put an end to the war.  After the war Sheridan was sent to fight Indians in the far West & is credited with saving Yellowstone for the generations instead of the land developers.

General Sheridan was a small man, only 5'5", nicknamed "Little Phil."  I smile whenever I read the quote by Abe Lincoln, "A brown, chunky little chap, with a long body, short legs, not enough neck to hang him, & such long arms that if his ankles itch, he can scratch them without stooping!"  Funny!  But Sheridan was indeed one of the most superior generals,  winning Grant's & Lincoln's praise before the end of the war.

General Sheridan


The quilt features stars, like all the Generals, between light & dark sashings.  The dark sashing resembles the scorched earth left behind the marching army. 

Jo Morton's Savannah fabrics make the stars sparkle & dance across the quilt.  As you can tell, I really like General Sheridan & it was a joy to sew!

Then we have the Confederate General Jeb Stuart, leader of the South's cavalry, as was General Sheridan for the North.  The cavalry was the eyes & ears of the armies for Grant & Lee; accomplished horsemen, they scouted out the enemy & returned information to the camps needed for successful battles. 

You may have seen pictures of General Stuart in the past.  He was the general in his "red-lined gray cape, yellow sash, hat cocked to the side with an ostrich plume, red flower in his lapel, often sporting cologne."  What a sight he was on the battlefield; a "knight in shining armor" for the South.

When I first saw Jo's red toile fabric, I wanted to do a quilt with red stars on the toile, and General Stuart is it!  This quilt would be a beauty on a full bed with the 10" block size! 

Four different reds are used for the stars & the alternate blocks!  Add the borders & it's done.  An easy quilt to decide the fabric call, that is for sure.

Take care until I return from market.  I will try to blog from market & send pictures.  Wish me luck, as you know,  that does not always work, but I will certainly give it my best try!

New Table Cozees for the Houston Booth

I have been spoiled in the past having a dear friend Shirley to sew most of my new quilts & patterns.  But . . . Shirley wanted to retire her position here, which I might say, was right up at the top.  So I have been left to actually do the sewing together with the pattern writing.  When I decided to market in Houston this year. . .well, needless to say, I have been scrambling to get it all done.

But do we have some great new samples of the patterns for the market booth!  And I just wanted to share some of them with you before we leave.

This little red & black design is from the very first Table Cozee   pattern.  I love this Jo fabric in the border & always wanted to do something with it; I think it makes a beautiful border fabric.

Now this little black & gold number is from the Table Cozee III  pattern. 

Love that big paisley fabric on the border.  Another of Jo's!






And here are the Pinwheels included in the Table Cozees II  pattern.


Isn't it cute with Jo's new Savannah in the border!



Now I wouldn't be very nice if I didn't show you the very newest Table Cozee pattern - IV! 







As you know, each of the patterns features two designs; Table Cozee IV is no exception.  It features Stars Over Tennessee and Blockade blocks.  I hope you like it as much as I do! 


You won't find this new one on the website yet, but just give us another week.

                                                       

 

 

And let me know by calling

 712-362-3022

if you're interested in a day class at your shop. 

 

We'll do one of the designs

with extra attention to

mitering the corners &

scalloping the edges. 

 

At the end of the day you can go home with a finished project! 

 

Blue Water Quilt Guild in Milford, IA

What a super nice time spent with the Blue Water Guilt Guild in Milford!  Many of the gals there are old friends & customers of our quilt shop - so many years ago now!  Isn't it grand to have such wonderful memories from the past!  I have to admit - I do miss our quilt shop, especially the fabrics.

The Civil War Generals were a big hit and this group of gals is totally awesome.  It was great to see them again. 

Here are a few pictures that Judy Wehrspann took since I totally forgot my camera that night!  A close-up of the General Grant quilt; a totally working man's quilt reminds me of the victorious Union general!


Below right is Sharon's General Lee in the large bed size.  Remember, you can make these patterns with 5" blocks for a lap or wall quilt perfect for decorating or 10" blocks for a bed size quilt.

And some of us enjoy the backs as well as the fronts!  The red & white General Sherman below is showing off it's backing here which is actually maps of the Civil War battles.  Pennsylvania is where I found many backings unique to the Civil War reproductions.  Just love using them!  They add a little fun!

Now General Jackson below has this beautiful backing of what I believe is the President's seal with the eagle's wings spread and flags flying.  This one is in green, but I'm sure it was available in other colors at the time of printing.  It truly is unique & again, found in a Pennsylvania quilt shop.

 

 And a close-up of a corner of General Meade, the victorious Union general at Gettysburg.  Just a little history for you since we do get in to some of that in these presentations; it's fun to learn a little about these very important people in our history!  Especially now that we don't have to read it from a book, right??

And the backing on General Sherman is very picturesque; soldiers in fields and on horseback around trees; it looks like battlefields, but very serene with a courthouse and a farmhouse scene.  Just a beautiful toile!


And last is the 10" block size of General Longstreet in red & block.  I love how the alternate blocks move in to the main star of this pattern.

Thursday Girls tour in Minnesota!

It was an exciting September day for the Thursday Girls when we traveled to Shakopee, MN for a tour of the Hunt farm home & woodworking shop.   This outing was Eagle Creek Quilt Shop's annual quilted house tour.  The shop is an experience in itself of fabric & history as it is sheltered in the old railroad depot of the town.  Don't you just love old depots!! 

So thanks to Lori & Becky, owners of the shop, 11 of us enjoyed their shop first, then toured the beautiful home in the country.

We were first greeted with quilts hanging on the fences & on an old crib on the farm.

And here is the house from the front --

 

 

 

 

And from the side entry!

Inside the front door hangs one of the quilts from Country Threads new book "The Blue & The Gray." 

Isn't it sweet - album blocks with pinwheels - Remember Me!

In fact, the whole trunk show was featured in the house -

what a treat!

 

 

 The dining room leads into . . .

 Of course, the kitchen.  Old - but modernized!

How do they say that?

 

The old is new again!

 

 

 

And at the back door - the perfect boot & shoe collector - an old feed bunk!

And this beautiful quilt graced

the sunroom;

wouldn't it be the

perfect reading spot!

 

 Another beautiful quilt in the sunroom; that must be my favorite room in the house! 

 

The high ceilings make it perfect for the large pieces of furniture.

And this is the old barn converted into the woodworker's shop!  Many woodworkers would love this much room to work in, I am sure! 

A beautiful use of an old building! 

The Hunt's have done a superb

 job with this homestead from the early 1900's.

  

Hope you enjoyed this quick little tour.  Have a great weekend!

 

Looking for a new BOM for 2014??

The Legacy Sampler is now available for sale.  Contact me as soon as possible for copies of this beautiful Block of the Month program complete with blocks by 16 familiar designers & quilt layout by Pam Buda & Carol Hopkins.

Staggered stars at the top & bottom add extra interest - a unique BOM design !

Comment below for information.

Jo Morton's Savannah (& others) make an awesome new quilt!

Don't you just love the mornings when you can clean the cutting table off & begin an entirely new project!  That's what I was doing the last time we visited!  
 

I was cutting some of Jo Morton's fabrics into a new design that is destined for Quilt Market in Houston the end of October!
 



Well, here are the steps that followed that first cutting! 

 

And voila - stars!

Stars for a new quilt for the Civil War Generals Series!  I am loving it & it's coming together fabulously!  An awesome sashing - but I can't tell it all just yet!

I'll have it to you before market !  Be sure you are receiving our newsletter by signing up on the website www.clotheslinequilts.com.

Make a comment below & get into the drawing for a FREE copy of the new pattern as soon as it's printed!

Piles of Projects!

I keep asking myself "How do I get all these piles?"  I have piles of fabrics all over my table for projects only in my mind at this point, piles in the process of making it to new patterns, piles for redoes of older patterns, piles of fat quarters, piles of threads, piles of books, piles of patterns, & on & on it goes.  Here are a few of my present piles -

Still just love those Aunt Grace's; I have to pull a project or two out once in a while just to have a little handwork, I guess.  I think it's just an excuse to work with the sweet colors of the 30's fabrics.

Here I have a pile of fabrics for blocks of 100 patches; it is great fun & I'm trying to do a couple blocks every week. just mindless sewing which is very nice at times.  Think I'm a few behind since I started new quilts for Houston market coming up this fall.

This is a pile of beginnings for a possible quilt to commemorate our club's 100th anniversary next year.  That will have to go on the back burner for a few more months. . . Don't you just love that red floral !

This is a pile of Jo's reds - fat quarters - again, planning for a new pattern that has only made it to the beginning stages.

Then, of course, there are piles of Jo's latest two fabric lines, Madison Manor & Savannah; have you seen them? 







The colors & patterns are just simply beautiful; in fact, that is what usually starts most of my piles. 


But that is good!

I really am working on new quilts for the market booth this fall.

I have two new generals patterns in the works at this time. 




So this is my new pile that just moved to the cutting table this morning. 

Sewing is going good, so I'd better get back to it.  How about you - do you have any piles on your cutting table??