Patsy Thompson Designs at Spring Quilt Market 2010 in Minneapolis

Hi Patsy!!! I was thrilled to see Patsy Thompson at Spring Quilt Market in Minneapolis.  She lives locally here but I had only met her one other time in person.  I'll put our first meeting in the foot notes of this post...it is too funny not to share.  Patsy had a end booth so when you walked up all you could see was her beautiful quilts being displayed and a big TV screen playing one of her DVD's.  I have to say, I don't know why anyone would bother looking at her DVD when a Diva of Free Motion Quilting is sitting right there with her machine!!!  I prefer the real thing....and that is what I got :)

Patsy got to work showing me first hand how she creates her signature feathers.  I had a bit of a time getting the right angle to take the pix so you'all could see too....after all I want you right next to me seeing the same thing I'm seeing. 

Zip, Zip, Zip.....see....that's all you need to do.....besides practice fearlessly!!

These are photo's of the booth, Patsy Thompson Designs.  I say it is Patsy's but really Patsy has her partner in crime with her.  His name is Ernie and he is the fortunate man that is married to Patsy and vise verse I'm sure.  Earnie is the talent behind the camera for all those incredible DVD's and he is just as pleasant and interesting as Patsy.  Funny how that works isn't it?  Wonderful people marrying other wonderful people....you gotta love that.

The photos above are the real life quilts that are featured in Patsy's work.  Can you imagine my absolute pleasure and joy when Patsy and Earnie agreed to let me help them pack up after the show.  Here they thought I was being nice.....nope!!!  I wanted to touch all those beautiful quilts and see them up close.  I got to take down all those lovely quilts and roll them up.  Talk about a gift....and they thought I was doing them a favor....go figure!! 

Oh, how ever did that red bag get there on the floor?  Hmmmm.....I wonder if Patsy has noticed anything missing.  See, she does not know my antics.....that truly I'm the Quilt Market "Ocean's 11 Type Girl."  You all thought it was Julia Roberts who was the Ocean's 11 Girl....but I'm just the "older" Oceans 11 Woman!!! If they haven't noticed yet, that Fish Quilt hangs in my livingroom.....or does it?  I'll have to run look...lol.

This is Patsy's new book, "Feather Adventures!"

Patsy was a hand quilter for 25 years before she started doing free motion quilting on her machine.  Since she had made so many feathers by hand she thought it might be natural to interchange the motions for machine quilting.  NOPE....didn't happen.  After struggling for so long she was about to give up.....and then it happened.  She was able to make a feather.....can you imagine where quilting journey may have gone if she had not persevered?  A perfect example of having the desire but not the skill.  I know for sure the desire is the fuel that will get you and anyone else to their destination.  No guarantees that you'll be a Diva like Patsy.....but I'm guessing most of us would be thrilled to just be able to make ourselves happy with our work. 

"Feather Adventures" is a book about her journey and it is full of some of the most beautiful close up photos of her work.  This substantial book has 137 pages (12' x 9" by 1/2" deep) of excellent information and incredible photos.  It includes:

• 
  
  General Advice
• 
  
  Tools of the Trade
• 
  
  Anatomy of a Feather
• 
  
  Types of Feathers
• 
  
  Tracing the Spine Guideline
• 
  
  Stitching the Basic Freeform Feather
• 
  
  Perils and Pitfalls
• 
  
  Feathers Flowing from Feathers
• 
  
  Feathers Flowing from Other Structures

And that is just the first chapter!!!  Weather you are a beginner that has never stitched a feather (that would be me) or you have already made feathers and want to branch out with your creativity....this book is the book for you. And you all know I don't say that if it is not true right? RIGHT!! 

Oh, and did I mention the first person to order the book from IHAN gets this autographed copy?  I just did, so if you want it....click here and order away :)  You may also want to check out her new DVD, Free Motion Fun with Feathers! Volume 4 .  You can click here to see all of Patsy Thompson Design DVD's.  Patsy writes a great blog and hosts fun giveaways so you may want to put her blog in your reader.  

The winner of the Autographed Quilt Life Magazine is Marcia.  Congratulations Marcia.  I chickened out and used the Random Number Generator and it selected number 1 who happened to be Marcia.  There is no way I could have chosen from that list.....I loved the comments which only reinforces for me why I love to write the IHAN blog.  Thank you everyone for being such an important part of this journey.  You may not realize how important it is for me to have this part of my life....it has given me brighter days, laughter, joy and a part of myself back that had been dormant for some time.

Grateful Smiles,
Kelly

Post Note:  I was standing near Patsy and had no idea who she was.  I heard her talking about going to Market so I asked if she had luggage tags.  She said not really so I suggested she go to my blog for a free tutorial for bag tags.  She asked what my blog was so I told her.  She said, "You are Kelly Jackson? You don't look anything like your picture."  I laughed and said I get that all the time.  I should post a "regular day" photo of me and a "cleaned up" version of myself.....two different people really.

Patsy Thompson Free Motion Quilt Extraordinaire at Checker 62 Anniversary Open House

Checker Distributor 62 Anniversary Open House

Chapter 9 (but who's counting?)

Patsy Thompson Free Motion Quilter Extraordinaire

 

Patsy Thompson and her husband and partner Ernie were at Checker's Open House.  I always enjoy seeing Patsy and Ernie and watching Patsy free motion quilt is AMAZING!!!  It seems to come naturally to Patsy as she just moves that fabric under the needle with such grace.  But you know what?  It didn't come naturally to Patsy!!  She was a hand quilter for 25 years before she tried free motion quilting.  She was unsuccessful at making free motion feathers even after she practiced and practiced.  Then one day, it happened, Patsy was able to make a free motion feather and she has not stopped since.  I'll let you read the rest of Patsy's story in her new book, Feather Adventures! Volume One. 

Patsy was just swooping and looping like Ginger Rogers on the dance floor!!  (Notice the Bendable Bright Light?  Doesn't it just illuminate everything wonderfully?  I love mine.

 

Patsy uses a bendable ruler to mark her registration points so her flowers are spaced at consistent intervals. 

Just look at the quilting....absolutely beautiful.

 This is her Sassy Quick Tote Bag Pattern. 

 

And this beauty is from another new book written by Patsy, Hyperquilting.  It is the cover photo.

I'm not sure Patsy and Ernie even had time to eat lunch or have a drink.....when they weren't talking to guests she was autographing books.  Speaking of Autographed books....IHAN has some Autographed books available!!!  Just click on the links below and on the check out page be sure to write in the message area: Autographed copy. 

Hyperquilting

Feather Adventures! Volume 1 

Can you imagine publishing two books and a new DVD?  Well that is exactly what Patsy and Ernie have done.

 

A 2 Disk Set no less.....Free Motion Fun With Feathers Volume 4. 

I am sooooo glad Patsy did not give up and that all of her efforts to make a free motion feather have laid the ground work for her DVD's and books.  Can you imagine if she had given up?   I believe you too can accomplish amazing things when you don't give up!!! 

Smiles,

Kelly

Patsy Thompson Designs

Welcome to the month long "I Have A Notion" Anniversary Celebration!!!  Let the party begin........



Come on .....Lets Shake our Tail Feathers!!!!   Who better to shake our feathers with than Patsy Thompson of Patsy Thompson Designs, right?

(Hi Patsy:)

Have you ever wanted to learn or improve your machine quilting?  Let Patsy show you how she creates beautiful award winning quilts with her DVD's.  She has graciously offered the following three sets of DVD's for the IHAN Anniversary Month Long Giveaway!!!

We all know it takes practice, practice, practice.....however if you are anything like me I could practice until the cows come home and make little progress.  But with some instruction from a talented instructor...I can make progress much faster.  (Don't believe me?  Just ask Mary Jane!!)  

Isn't this absolutely beautiful? 

Wow....now that is a "tail feather" LOL

This is a lovely use of fun threads and you could learn from an expert how she makes these gorgeous designs.

It might be difficult to see the quilting in this photo but if you click here you will see it beautifully.

New this Spring, Patsy has a  2 disk set coming out based on feathered border designs and a Feathers book.  So we have more fun to look forward to :)

Patsy offers free (we love free) downloads and a Power Quilter Certificate!!  She also has a lovely on-line shop to purchase more of her DVD's and recommended notions. 

Speaking of notions, Patsy honestly has the very best video on her site about the Bendable Bright Light.  She makes taping a video look so easy.....trust me....it is not.  I drop things....my voice sounds funny....her video ROCKS and it shows you exactly what I've been saying about it.....I don't think there is a stitcher alive that would not love a Bendable Bright Light. (if you find one....you've moved a grave stone and that is against the law!!!)

On to the Giveaway.....you can win the above DVD's by leaving a comment on this post about why you would like to have one of Patsy's Free Motion Feather's DVD's. 

Want more entries?  Click here to find out how you can get lots more entries for each of the days between today and April 15th when the Giveaways end.

There will be three winners, one for each of Patsy's DVD's and the winners will be announced on April 16th, 2010.  This will give everyone plenty of time to read through the post/posts and be thoughtful about their replies. 

Tail Feather Smiles,

Kelly

FYI-All of the posts for the coming month have been written by Kelly Jackson.  They are all my own words and thoughts.  Having this giveaway is my way of saying Thank You to all of you and the wonderful people who so generously donated these items.  How better to celebrate?  I get to tell all of you about wonderful products and you have a chance to win some really incredible things!!!  Now that is what I call a Party!!! 

(a special note to all my friends out there....if you see I've made a mistake....let me know, thanks :)

Practice, Practice, Practice....with Patsy Thompson

If I've been told once, I've been told a thousand times...practice, practice, practice....and then practice some more and you'll improve you Free Motion Quilting skills.   That's just what I did yesterday...I spent 4 hours with some friends and we all had a chance to practice and learn from Patsy Thompson. 

Having Patsy work with each one of us at our own pace and level was wonderful.  I'm more of a beginner and my only goal is to be more comfortable and do what ever it is that I can do, without wanting my work to look a certain way.  I don't aspire to become an incredible quilter....I aspire to love the process of making my quilts and have some tools under my belt to be able to do some of my own quilting.  I wanted to practice some Free Motion Embroidery, Trapunto and play with a variety of weight threads....and I certainly had my chance. 

Before I show you my "progress," I thought you'd like to see some of Patsy's work.

 I like the contrast between these two pieces. Patsy used her Appli-K-Kutz die to cut the same feather for each quilt.  It is the weight and choice of threads that Patsy used in the second quilt that makes it look so very different from the first.  

I so admire her choice of colors and how she has chosen to put these pieces together.  Patsy has added Machine Embroidery to her quilting and I absolutely love this corner piece shown above.

You may have already seen this table runner on Patsy's blog.  In real life...it is so much more than what it looks like in photos. 

 Here is the center block....in the photo it looks like the fabric in the center is what gives it the change of color....nope....

Look at the Machine Embroidery....I just love it added to her designs....it really grabs me.

 Here are a few more samples her free motion quilting.

 Ok, remember when I said that I just want to improve what I do?  Take a little break....blink a few times...other wise you just might miss just how nice my piece really is....LOL.

 It may not look like much to many of you, but to me this is a sign of real progress and I had a ball stitching on the applique shapes.  The other thing I loved is playing with the different variety of threads.  I had first stitched the little veins on the leaves in the lime green color.  Patsy suggested I use some Floriani (PF 516-the gold tone thread above) thread just inside the lime green and it would make the leaves really pop.  She was absolutely right!!! (No surprise there...but it is incredible to see before your very eyes).

I'm not finished with my flower yet.  Patsy suggested I use Invisifil Thread to go around my flower after I had done the thread embroidery and then do some quilting.  When Patsy says that many quilters under utilize their thread...that is so true of me.  I'm going to continue my Free Motion Quilting practice and use lots of the variety's of threads I own.

The stitching in red in the upper right corner....that's my very first time ever doing any Free Motion Quilting....so as you can see....I've come a long way!!!

Patsy suggested using fabric grade Silicone Spray on the bed of my machine and it really did help quite a bit. I think I was getting tense because my fabric was not sliding as well as it could have in the beginning....just more Practice, Practice, Practice :)

SewCalGal's Free Motion Quilting Challenge is going on so I'm going to have to take more pictures of my practice and submit them.  

Smiles,

Kelly   

Silk Heart Quilt by Sarah Vedeler Designs and Free Motion Quilting by Patsy Thompson Designs

I know what you are thinking....yep....I do.  You are thinking to yourself....hmmmm...did Kelly finish her Valentines wall hanging today.  The answer.....is no.  But I did get the thread I need to finish....yippee!!!  I had to buy 5 spools....because not one local sold it by the spool in the color I needed.  Guess I'll be using this thread for lots of things...lol.

Since I've been tied up with the details of life I've not shown you some of the beautiful things I have seen lately.  Check out this quilt below....SILK....so beautiful and delicious.

Machine Embroidery Designs by Sarah Vedeler Designs

Silk Hearts Collection

Silk Hearts Collection Thread by Aurifil

Now you can not tell me that you would not flip if you had a silk quilt with beautiful hearts on it.....for a special anniversary (my 10th is coming in May) or as a Wedding Gift!!!  I might even be willing to marry my husband all over again if I knew I'd get this Silk Hearts Quilt (you speak one word of this to him....and your name is mud...LOL).

Adding these DVD's to my website has been on my "to do" list for way too long.  I'm even embarrassed because Patsy Thompson is a local here and I have even had the pleasure of meeting her.  If you read this Patsy...please forgive me.  (I have lots of excuses....dogs eating lists...kids....husband....family....weather...ok...I'm done :)

Free Motion Fun with Vines and Leaves & Fast and Free are just two DVD's I've added to my website.  You can see them all by clicking here.  Patsy Thompson Designs also has some free downloads on her site.  Check them out...click here :)

My machine does not have the stitch regulator so it is a bit more difficult to practice free motion quilting on my machine.  After "playing" with the big guns (click here and scroll down until you see me with the big guns!!) going back to my machine....well it is just not the same.  But I thought I would share that I have added them to my website just in case you are wanting to learn how to do Free Motion Quilting or you already know how and want to improve your skills.  No, I'm not planning on purchasing a Long Arm Quilt Machine....just so you know.  If I win one....I'll work at learning how to use it and you all can come over and play with it too!!!  Print this out and keep it as proof of your invitation for entry into my home :)

Smiles,
Kelly