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.

Everybody's Working for the Weekend

Here's the perfect antidote to the Monday morning blues...a new book from AQS meant specifically to use on weekends! Or any day you have an hour to spare!

In Weekend Quilts Judy Laquidara has created 16 easy, colorful quilts that are a joy to make and use. The great thing is, she wrote the instructions for each quilt in one hour segments, and none take longer than a weekend to piece!

If you're a quilter who has to find bits and pieces of time for your passion, this is the book for you. Judy's tips on getting the most done in an hour spent quilting will work for anyone. And she even includes time-saving recipes so you're not stuck in the kitchen.

A real bonus in this book is Judy's knack for interesting borders. Never make a ho-hum quilt again, and get lots more done with Weekend Quilts!  Order it (AQS #8149) on the web or by calling 800-626-5420.

The Next Quilting Generation Has Their Own Book!

Anita Shackelford and her daughter, Jennifer Perdue, have written a charming book called Teens N Tweens; Quilting Fun with Family and Friends.

The home dec, fashion accessories and quilt projects were designed mostly by Anita and Jen but were made by kids ages 4 (4!) to 17. Absolutely adorable, fresh and fun, these projects can be made by non-sewers with adult guidance as well as kids who know their way (a little bit) around a sewing machine.

The instructions are super-easy to follow, and most projects can easily be made in one or two days. How much fun to make a three-pocket pouch, a DVD carrier, a laptop cover, a ruched table skirt, a BFF pillow or a message board! And what about making a stylin' poncho, a wall hanging or even an appliqued or pieced bed quilt!
















If you have kids or grandkids and want to share your love of sewing and quilting with them, this is THE book to have. Make one of these projects or take inspiration from their ideas and fly with your own! Ask for item #8026 at 1-800-626-5420 or order from our website: www.americanquilter.com .

Shipping News

This box was not only ripped front and back, it was open when it arrived. The plastic shopping bags loosely wrapped around the quilt had come apart, leaving the quilt exposed and vulnerable to theft and damage.

Sending quilts to shows or publishers can be scary, for the quilter and the recipient. The horror stories you may have heard about quilts being lost, stolen or damaged are most likely true. This is one time when overdoing the safety angle makes excellent sense. We've written up the best practices in shipping quilts, so our authors and contestants can rest assured their treasures arrive at AQS safely. If you have additional suggestions, we'd love to hear them and will pass them on.

AQS Shipping Information

We know how much your quilts mean to you, so we’ve compiled this checklist of best practices when sending us (or anyone) your quilts.

Mail or ship them to:

(the contact name you were given on your entry form or email)
AQS
5801 Kentucky Dam Road
Paducah, KY 42003
(270) 898-7903

Email a tracking number as soon as you have it and let us know when we should expect your quilts to: Tracey@aqsquilt.com.

If you don't take any other measure suggested here, at least sew a label with, at a minimum, your name, the quilt’s name, and your address and phone number onto each quilt.

For quilts larger than 30” x 30”, sew a 4-inch sleeve across the back at the top. Be sure the sleeve is set down far enough not to show above the quilt when hung.

Enclose each quilt in some sort of plastic bag that you can close or tape shut to prevent water damage should the box rip or tear. Ziploc makes large-quilt size bags. Do not use anything that might be mistaken for a trash bag!

Include a color photo of the quilt in the bag with your name and contact information and why you're sending the quilt to us - the name of your proposal, book or magazine article or the contest or event you're entering.

Enclose a packing list with the box that includes your name and contact information and a list of the quilts in the box. Do not include any indications of your quilts’ values.

If you are concerned about insuring your quilts, have them appraised, and use a fine arts rider on your home owner's insurance rather than buying the shipper's insurance.

Do not pack your quilts too tightly. We have to use a sharp blade to open most boxes and the danger of damaging a quilt stuffed into a container is real. Consider adding a layer of cardboard on top of the bagged quilts as a safety barrier.

Do not indicate anywhere on the outside of the box that it includes quilts. Do not use the word “quilt” anywhere inside or outside, including the shipping label. Use “AQS,“ not “American Quilter’s Society.”

Send your quilts early in the week so they do not sit around a warehouse or loading dock over the weekend, or send them overnight so they arrive here by 2:00 pm CST on a Friday.

If you are sending multiple quilts or multiple boxes of quilts, consider packing them either one quilt to a box and sending them on subsequent days, or put two or three quilts in a box and send the several boxes on subsequent days. This prevents having all of your quilts on the one truck that gets into an accident or burns down in a warehouse fire.

If this seems like overkill, it isn’t. The condition in which many boxes reach us is terrible, and quilts have been known to get wet, become damaged or disappear in transit.

See additional good information about shipping sent in by Pat from Montana in the comments section. Thanks, Pat!

We hope you will take these precautions and we look forward to seeing your quilts.

Being an Author with AQS

Thankfully, there is more than one correct way to make a quilt and to write the how-to instructions. This has given rise to several major quilt book publishers, and AQS is proud to be among the leaders.

If you're considering authoring a quilt book, this is what you can expect from AQS:

• Clear, succinct proposal and manuscript guidelines
• A fast consideration of your proposal
• Transparency in the publication process
• Generous contract terms
• A close working relationship with editorial staff and individual attention
• Retention of your author's voice; no cookie-cutter books here
  
• Regular contact and communication, from concept through post-publication
  
• Offers to teach at AQS shows once you're published
• The opportunity to tape online classes that provide college credit for students
• Expansive marketing and advertising efforts and assistance, wholesale and retail
  
• Friendly support and advice every step of the way

We offer a lecture at every AQS show that details what it is like to be published by us. If you're considering writing a how-to quilt book, treat yourself to the facts and join us in Knoxville, July 22-25, for "Writing a Quilt Book: The Reality Show," or Des Moines, October 28-31, for "Putting Pen to Paper: Publishing with AQS." Our proposal guidelines are posted under the "Authors" tab at www.americanquilter.com. And you may always contact us at 270-898-7903 or andi@aqsquilt.com. There are a lot of talented, creative quilters out there! We look forward to hearing from you!

Inchie Quilts Are in the House!

What started as a "just between friends" trading card-like pasttime has been turned into a hot new quilting trend. Leading the way is AQS author Nadine Ruggles with her book, Inchie Quilts.

Inchie quilts really are just that - tiny, one-inch square quilts. They are adorable, addictive, and oh-so-fun to embellish! You can make inchies the star of the quilt or use them as accents. They are equally at home on traditional, contemporary and art quilts.

And because Nadine explains how to attach the inchies in a semi-permanent way, you can move them around! She even gives you an Inchies Chess quilt pattern!

You will have hours of fun creating inchies and hours more thinking of creative ways to use them. Enjoy!

Call 1-800-626-5420 to order. Ask for item # 8021.

An AQS First! Fiction!

Heart for a Hero has just come in and we're excited to welcome our first venture into fiction! Authors Ed Ditto and Laura D. Patrick collaborated as only cousins can about the deeply personal topic of post-partum depression. Set in Chattanooga and with a "lost" and then "found" quilt as a prominent character, this book explores what heroes go through in a war zone like Korea and on other fronts. If you're part of the quilting community you will recognize the care and support from quilters woven throughout the authors' first published novel. We hope you enjoy this very different book from AQS and will let us know what you think!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you all good reading, good writing, good quilting and an excellent year with your creative muse!

Faux Applique is in the House!

Our latest book, Faux Applique, by Helen Stubbings, is available and what perfect timing for a holiday gift! Helen's Colourque (a registered name) technique allows anyone - anyone! - to master perfect applique by using colored pencils, shading, machine quilting and textile medium. No needle turning, no raw edges, no fraying! Helen creates her show-stopping, award-winning masterpiece quilts with her sister, Tracey Browning, from their homes in Tasmania, Australia. Pick up a copy (or several) of her elegant book today from our web site: www.americanquilter.com to make your holiday gift-giving even to the non-quilters on your list complete.

What a Great Show

Des Moines Quilt Expo was a wonderful show! Everyone raved about how beautiful ALL of the quilts were, AQS Contest Quilts and those from the Greater Des Moines Quilters Guild as well as the special exhibits from Nancy Kirk, Sandi McMillan, Judy Martin, and The National Quilt Museum.

The Iowa Events Center is a new facility, so spacious that we never had that "sardine" feeling even though attendance was tremendous. And plenty of restrooms!

My week was spent meeting authors old, new and wanna-be, and every single one was delightful. We received interesting proposals and scoured the vendors for what's hot and what will be The Next Big Thing. Too much fun to call it work!

If you can, put the Des Moines show on your calendar for next year: October 28 - 31, 2009. It's a lovely city at a beautiful time of year and now that we've been there, we know the quilts will be spectacular! Join us!

New Release

We're excited to announce the first book by well-known pattern designers Linda K. Johnson and Jane K. Wells, a.k.a. the Crafty Ol' Broads. If you like to experiment and innovate, then Beyond the Block is for you. Use their tips and techniques and gallery to jump start your own unique quilt creation. If you like a bit more structure, re-create one of their eight projects in your own inimitable style. Either way, you'll have a blast as you sew along with these amazingly creative sisters.

Nashville or Bust

Two weeks from today we'll be putting the finishing touches on the Quilt Expo in Nashville. Doors will open Wednesday at 9 am to welcome an expected 25,000 people eager to view more than 300 of the world's best quilts, shop with vendors and meet old friends.

AQSpublishing is looking forward to making new friends, especially authors and quilters thinking about writing a quilting book. Please stop by the Admissions desk and ask for me, Andi Reynolds, so we can meet!

Have a book in mind? Check out our proposal guidelines at www.amercianquilter.com under the "Authors" tab. Have a finished proposal ready to submit? Bring it with you to Nashville!

Hope to see you there!

Welcome to AQSpublishing

Welcome to AQSpublishing.

This blog is intended to promote American Quilter's Society authors, discover new talent and book ideas, and keep the buzz going on the best quilt books out there.

Check back weekly for new information, and be sure to visit our website: www.americanquilter.com.

We look forward to hearing from you!