The Teacher's Pet

What's the Buzz? The Auri-Buzz???

I can't begin to tell you how honored I am to be Miss October - the AuriFil Designer of the Month!  Come take a look!!!

https://auribuzz.wordpress.com/2016/10/16/aurifil-2016-october-designer-of-the-month-kathy-brown/#more-9873

 

My Day in the Splendid Sampler

I’m number 64 out of 100.  Or at least I used to be – a month ago.   My block date was switched due to Mother Nature and the great flood of 2016 here in Baton Rouge.  So here I am today – a month later – rescheduled as block #64 and ready to go!

Oh my gosh - it seems like yesterday that I got an email from Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson with this idea of the Splendid Sampler, and they asked if I would like to join in the fun.  What a fabulous idea – and of course I said yes.    A six inch block was all that was needed, but I had to provide a little story about me along with the block!  Hmmm.  Well as anyone who knows me can attest, a LITTLE story usually isn’t what you get.  I’m one of those folks who can’t stop talking once I get started.  But I digress.  (You see?)

I received a packet of fabrics in the mail from the Leaders of the Pack (aka Pat and Jane) and the fun began.  I quickly chose the three that immediately caught my eye, and began the process of formulating the block!  I knew it had to be an easy one – ‘cause that’s my ‘thing’, I knew it had to be fun – or why else do it, and I knew I had to have a story to accompany the block, and that’s when the idea hit me.  “Rising Star” is all about my life as a quilter!

I started my journey in 1994, and am a self-taught quilter.  I watched every episode of Simply Quilts that I could watch, read every quilting how-to book that I could read, and gathered as many tips and tricks from friends as I could gather.  And slowly but surely, my style developed.   The first block I attempted wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.  My second one was better, the third was better than the second, and so on.  In essence, each block and each quilt that followed was like a “Rising Star” – destined to be better than the last!!  So this “Rising Star” block was born!  If you look at the points, they aren’t fully formed – just like me!  I’m still learning in this quilting journey each and every day.  And in that journey – I’m rising – just like my star!!  Here are a few pictures to show you the steps in the Rising Star block!  Take a look, then hop on over to the Splendid Sampler facebook page to download my instructions.   And Happy Quilting!!!

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Our new website is up and running strong, and we couldn't be happier with our new look and design! What could make it better? YOU! Head on over - take a look - and while you're there, sign up for our newsletter. You'll automatically be entered to win a copy of our top selling pattern "Take 5" as well as a kit of our top seller in wool patterns and kits "If Friends Were Flowers, I'd Pick You"! Drawing to be held a week from today, Thursday the 24th! Tell all your quilting / wool buddies and good luck!  

With a warm heart, Kathy

 

Quilt Talk with Pat Sloan and Happy Mardi Gras!

Hey, did y'all get a chance to listen to our talk with Pat Sloan on her podcast on Monday this week?   Well if you didn't - it's not to late to listen in!   Just go here http://www.creativetalknetwork.com/ or here http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magazines-more/quilting-podcast and you can listen at your leisure!

So what's happening for everyone this weekend?   We have a parade or two we're thinking of attending.  There's nothing like Margi Gras in Louisiana to get your blood pumping and your heart smiling!   Whatever you do - make this weekend a good one!!!

 

 

Aaaaaaand of course it wouldn't be Mardi Gras without a slice or two of King Cake!

 

 

 

With a warm heart and a happy tummy,

Kathy

Today's The Day!!!

We will be a guest on the American Patchwork and Quilting Radio show with Pat Sloan today!  Excitement abounds!!!!    I'd love for you to join us - we're going to chat about so many fun things including my studio makeover.  I'll share tips and tricks to help you get more organized in your sewing space.     Here's the link where you can join in on our fun: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/radio/index.html    and here's the time slots for your time zones:  4pm eastern, 3pm Central, 2pm mountain, 1pm Pacific.    Join us, won't you?

 

 

We're Back!

Yes, it's been a long time since our last blog post.  While I won't bore you with the details, what I will do is say that we are starting fresh in a brand new year!   And what a way to kick off a new year - WOWZERS!  We are so fortunate that this coming Monday, February 1st, we will be a guest on the American Patchwork and Quilting Radio show with Pat Sloan!  Can you hear me squealing from here?   I'd love for you to join us - we're going to chat about so many fun things including my studio makeover!   Here's the link where you can join in on our fun: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/radio/index.html    and here's the time slots for your time zones:  4pm eastern, 3pm Central, 2pm mountain, 1pm Pacific.     C'mon and join us - we are going to have so much fun chatting and catching up on what's been happening with us and what's coming up!

  

It's Aussie Day!

Have you checked out Gail Pan's site today?

With a warm heart,

Kathy

 

Take 5 Fat Quarters Blog Tour!!!

Happy Monday everyone!    If you're here - then you're in the mood for fun!   We're on the first day of our Take 5 Fat Quarters Blog Tour.  Ready to get started?

We're so honored to have been given the opportunity to write this sixth (yep - SIXTH) book with Martingale!!  This book was such a joy to work on - and each and every quilt inside is a treasure.   Each quilt follows our popular Take 5 method of quiltmaking with just one exception.  Instead of choosing 5 fabrics in yardage amounts, you are choosing 5 Fat Quarters!   Add a bit of yardage for backgrounds and / or borders and binding, and you have 15 gorgeous quilts to choose from!!!  Here's a few of my favorites:

Spring Fling!   Bet a few of you folks are wishing for that right now!!!

Black Tie Affair - an awesome quilt for that special man in your life

Criss Cross Applesauce - young or old, this is sure to be a winner!

Farmhouse Favorite - whether you use it as a bed runner or xl table runner - you're going to LOVE this one!

And last but not least - - -

Drop Box - my favorite in traditional fabrics - but would look awesome in brights, batiks, 30's prints, etc, etc, etc!!!

So there's just a little sneaky peaky of a few of the quilts in this awesome book.  We've got a star studded cast lined up for the rest of the week on this tour - and we will be just as surprised as you to see which favorites these gals have chosen.

Stop by and see:

Tuesday - you'll visit with my sweet buddy and co-Red Rooster fabric designer and co-Martingale author Gail Pan!!!

Wednesday - my longtime pal and all around great gal Pam Vierra-McGinnis - ya know - Pam Kitty Morning!!

Thursday - you'll visit with one of my buddies that keeps my sides splitting - the hilarious Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.

and last but not least -

Friday - the uber talented and all around awesome gal Jody Sanders  from All People Quilt fame!!!

Leave me a comment and let me know which one of these quilts you'd love to make, and we'll be drawing a winner at the end of the tour to win your very own copy of Take 5 Fat Quarters!!!

With a warm heart,

Kathy

 

Whatcha' Doing Next Week???

I know you'll be hanging out on the web from time to time - and so will we!!! We're having a blog hop to celebrate our latest book with Martingale - Take 5 Fat Quarters!!!

The blog hop will be short and sweet - just 5 days - but jam packed with some of your favorite folks!!!

Monday - come right back here to The Teacher's Pet blog

Tuesday - you'll visit with my sweet buddy and co-Red Rooster fabric designer and co-Martingale author Gail Pan!!!

Wednesday - my longtime pal and all around great gal Pam Vierra-McGinnis - ya know - Pam Kitty Morning!!

Thursday - you'll visit with one of my buddies that keeps my sides splitting - the hilarious Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.

and last but not least -

Friday - the uber talented and all around awesome gal Jody Sanders  from All People Quilt fame!!!

Who knows - you just might win one of the Take 5 Fat Quarter books and maybe - just maybe - a super secret surprise to boot!!!    So join us next week for a short and sweet but jam packed 5 days of fun!!!!!

With a warm heart,

Kathy

Gratitude

Out with the old and in with the new is my saying for the day!!!  Without going into much detail (don't need tears on my keyboard this morning),  I lost both my mom and one of my beloved fur babies last year.  The stress of those times and learning how to cope with the loss of both parents (my dad passed 4 years ago - so with both gone I kinda feel like an orphan) was - and is - a 'fly by the seat of your pants' experince for me.   I've learned to take each and every day one step at a time as I move forward.   I'm healing, and part of my healing process can be summed up on one word - GRATITUDE.   As I look back on 2014, and the heartache and sadness that accompanied it,  I began to look at everything that I experienced last year.  As I did,  I realized in a pretty swift shake of my noggin that I had sooooo many things to be grateful for!

"A is For Animal" - the childrens line I designed for Red Rooster hit the quilt shops doors in February and March!

AND our new basics line in 36 color ways for Red Rooster - "Sprinkles" was launched!!!!

 

Our newest book with the best publisher in the world - Martingale - Take 5 Fat Quarters - released in October!

Our newest childrens line of fabrics I designed with Red Rooster - "Forest Friends" - showed at fall market and will be gracing the doors of your quilt shops this coming March:

 

My new endeavor with Creative Grids USA - the Strip Smart Mini template was launched!

And to accompany the little bugger - a brand spanking new booklet!

And in addition to all that, released a number of new patterns!    Whew - when I look at all that, I sit back and marvel at the accomplishments.  

But as wonderful as those are, they can never - ever - never take the place of all of the wonderful experiences I was so blessed to have over the year.  Traveling to new places and meeting new faces, teaching and lecturing along the way, seeing new sights - eating new things (Amish peanut butter spread - to die for - and my hips grew with every lick of the spoon!!!) - - - getting to spend time with treasured friends  - - -  it was a whirlwind of excitement.  And to top it all off, I am blessed beyond measure to have made so many new friends along the way.   Grateful, and blessed that each and every one of you has graced my life. 

So what's in store for 2015?   A stronger path - one that has me witting down each night writing in my gratitude journal, and knowing that with each step forward I am forever grateful for each new day.  I have my health, my family (both 2 legged and 4), the best of friends, and my work that I can hardly call work.  New fabric to design for Red Rooster - - more patterns than you can imagine - -  my lucky No. 7 book with Martingale - - more booklets and patterns with the Strip Smart Mini - a bevy of teaching and lecturing engagements - - and a smile on my face.  What more could a girl ask for?

With a warm - and grateful heart,

Kathy