Just in Time for Spring

What better way to celebrate the arrival of warmer weather and green growing things than with a sweet food treat! Ann Hazelwood has completed her trilogy of "100s" with 100 Sweet Treats by and for Quilters. The book itself is delicious with many photos of quilts by the dessert makers. When you need something more substantial, dig in to one of 100 short, yummy recipes for bars, breads, brownies, cakes, cobblers, cold desserts, cookies (are you hungry yet?), crunchies, fruit dishes, pies, puddings or sundries. Is it your turn to make treats for the guild or your sit-and-stitch group? Need a hostess gift? This book is the one!  (AQS #8156)

Now that you're all happy from eating a sweet treat (or two), it's back to the quilting with Sue Patten's latest books, Adaptable Quilting Designs.  Here are 90 pages of designs Sue created to fill those tricky spots on a quilt -- the sashings, cornerstones and setting triangles. All of them can be worked by hand or any type of machine, and reduced or enlarged as needed. Sue's designs work up beautifully as is, or use them to jump start your own ideas. If you enjoyed Sue's first book, Quilting Possibilities...Freehand Filler Patterns, you'll love this one. (AQS #8234)

The blogging program doesn't like posting pictures today, but you can see the books on our home page -- www.americanquilter.com. Call 800-626-5420 to order.

Lancaster or Bust!

If you've ever planned a birthday party, a wedding, even a potluck dinner, you know what a mad scramble it can be as the time draws near. Add hundreds of quilts, dozens of teachers, hundreds of vendors and thousands of quilters and you can imagine life at AQS this last week before we open in Lancaster on March 24!

Our first show in that lovely city will be like our other shows, only different, because each show has its own "flavor," depending on so many variables -- the city, the local volunteers, the weather (!), and most importantly, the attendees. This show we expect to have many, many more people from the East than we usually see, certainly in Knoxville and Des Moines. Be prepared to hear a wide variety of accents, y'all and you guys!

Not only is this our first event in Lancaster, the show will be the first big event in the brand new Lancaster County Convention Center. Everyone there is excited and probably a little nervous. Truth to tell, so are we, for although we've put on big quilt shows for 25 years, and have become accustomed to being in new-to-us venues, every show is different. We can only hope we've planned the best to make this a memorable time for everyone involved.

We are thrilled with the enthusiastic reception we've received from Lancaster folks and from people long accustomed to attending a quilt show in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The area is a must-visit Mecca for quilters, and we're delighted to keep the quilting spirit alive there. See you next week!

Create Masterful Quilts Based on Mosaic Tiles

Mosaic tile patterns have inspired quilters for years, and Jean Biddick is no exception. She has put clever drafting and piecing techniques in play to create visually stunning quilts based on the tiled floors of the Truro Cathedral in England.

These exceptional quilts are truly easier to make than they appear. A few of them are challenging, which many quilters find appealing. Not many books on the market today appeal to quilters looking to elevate their skills, so Masterful Machine Pieced Quilts should light up their sewing rooms.

The quilts are so beautiful, this book could almost pass as a coffee table book. There plenty of ideas here to inspire competition-level work. Call 1-800-626-5420 to order AQS #8153.

Book Proposals Welcome

If you've ever thought about writing a quilt book, consider sending a book proposal to us. We look for fresh ideas or new ways of doing things demonstrated by colorful, well-executed quilts. Book proposal guidelines are on our website under the "Authors" tab. We review proposals approximately once a month, except March, April, July and October when our shows keep us out of the office for a week at a time.

As soon as we review your proposal, I'll contact you so there's no waiting and wondering on your part. Please note that proposals should be accompanied by one or two completed representative projects.

One of the great things about quiltmaking is that there's more than one correct way to do almost everything. If you've got a great idea and want to share it with others, consider writing a quilt book. We look forward to seeing what you're thinking!