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.

Congratulations AQS Authors - Houston Winners!

Congratulations to Paducah's own Caryl Bryer Fallert for winning Best of Show at the IQA 2009 show in Houston! She is shown above left with a corner of "On the Wings of a Dream," a self-portrait that garnered Caryl the $10,000 top prize, sponsored by Handi-Quilter.

In addition, Caryl won first place in the Digital Imagery Category sponsored by C&T Publishing for "Watch Master," a tribute to her father. Her book, Caryl Bryer Fallert: A Spectrum of Quilts 1983-1995, is out of print, but Fallert's Guide to Images on Fabric in the AQS Quilt Savvy series is still available (item# 6413). Way to go, Caryl!

Susan Stewart of Pittsburgh, Kansas, is pictured next to her mother, above right. Mom is calling the folks back home to announce that Susan and Gloria Meyer won 1st place in the Computer-aided Machine Embroidery category sponsored by Oklahoma Embroidery Supply & Design for "Gloria's Garden." Susan's book, Heirloom Machine Sewing for Quilters, came out in 2008 (item#7495). Congratulations, Susan!

Thanks to Chris Brown, editor of American Quilter for those on-the-scene photos from Houston.

Another AQS author who won at Houston was Sarah Ann Smith of Camden, Maine. Her Thread Work Unraveled just came out (#8029) and she taught a Schoolhouse session and signed books at the AQS booth during market. Her "Fields of Gold" took 2nd place in the Art-Miniature category sponsored by Quilting Arts magazine. We had this beautiful piece in our offices while we edited Sarah's book; now wonder it won an award!

Zena Thorpe's AQS book, Beautiful Alphabet Applique, is due out in January (#8148). It is based on her "Illuminated Alphabet", which won 3rd place in the Innovative Applique category sponsored by EZ Quilting by Simplicity Creative Group. This quilt is stunning and the workmanship impeccable; we never got over it while it was with us. Congratulations, Zena (who is from Chatsworth, California)!

Due out next Spring is 100 Sweet Treats by and for Quilters (#8156) by Ann Hazelwood of St. Charles, Missouri. Two of the contributors to her book were winners in Houston: Annette Hendricks of Grayslake, Illinois, won the Judge's Choice award from Sue Nickels -- also an AQS author -- for "Hide N Seek (Now where did that mousie go?)." This award was sponsored by Jackie's Animas Quilts. Annette's recipe is for Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. Sue's books include Stitched Raw Edge Applique (#6897), Machine Applique: A Sampler of Techniques (#5855) and Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques (#6299). Another 'Sweet Treats' winning contributor was Nancy Brown of Oakland, California. Her recipe is Mother's Cocoa Delight, which should pair perfectly with her 3rd place winning quilt, "Pup Art," in the Art-Whimsical category sponsored by Quiltmaker.

If we missed anyone, let us know! We are so excited for these AQS authors and contributors and all the winners at every quilt show. And we're grateful to the sponsors who make these awards possible.