New EQ7, YIPPEE

Let's start with the most exciting news first.  Electric Quilt has a new version, EQ7.  We love eq, we use it almost everyday, in fact most our designs are done on it.  We have been interviewed by eq and even featured in the Amy Butler version.  Sarah and all the ladies over there are so helpful.  So,  head over to http://www.eletricquilt.com/ and read all about it.  WE CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUR HANDS ON IT.

Janice and I are up to our ears in fabric, patterns, quilts, flowers, bags, you name it, we are working on it.  Market is coming way too fast.  We do have one new pattern that is now ready to purchase on the website, http://www.abbeylanequilts.com/.  It is called MA BELLE, and has a fun, french flair.  We used Provence from RJR for the pattern cover.

We made up this beautiful version using moda fabrics.  It is just patiently waiting for binding.

Have to get back to work, so have a great week.

Janice and Marcea

ALOHAS AND GRANDPAS

Sorry, just no way to break the news other than to say, I am heading to Kaui, Hawaii, in the morning.  I know, it's rough, my niece called two days ago and asked if I would go and help her watch her two little babies.  Her husband has been detained with work meetings.  Darn.  Janice is in Pennsylvania visiting her daughter and three grandsons, so this post will be short.

One quick grandpa story.  Janice's husband, Kevin called me on the phone yesterday to check a recipe.  He usually makes a cake called 30 MINUTE CAKE which he decided to make but did not have the recipe.  He found one of my recipes, TEXAS FUDGE CAKE, so he wanted to know if it was the same.  Yes, I said.

He called back a couple of minutes later, but I missed the call, so I called him back about thirty minutes later.  "There is no frosting recipe,"  he said.  "I think I remember it though."  While we were talking I could here this yelling in the background.  "Are you babysitting Kevin," I asked.  "Yes," he said, three boys ages 5, 3 and 1.  "Who was that?" I asked.  "That was Noah,"  he said.  Noah is the 1 year old, just turned 1 last week.  I asked Kevin what the baby wanted.  Kevin said, "He is eating a corn chip."  I asked him if the baby had any teeth to chew this hard corn chip with.  Kevin said, "Yes, he has two on top and two on bottom."  I asked him if he thought the baby could chew up the corn chip.  Kevin said, "Sure, he just put too many in his mouth at once."  We finished our conversation and all of a sudden a very strange noise.  "Oh no," Kevin said, "the baby is starting to gag."  I told him goodbye very quickly and suggested he go help the baby. 

As you can see, the three boys survived their day with grandpa.  On a side note, this is the same grandpa that gave the same baby blue marshmellows out of the cereal box when he was two months old.

Thought I would throw in the recipe for this cake.  I am pretty sure you have all had it, but just in case.

Have a great week, we are, and make sure that all your grandpas act like little boys.
Aloho, Janice and Marcea

SPRING IS SPRUNG

Don't you just love spring,  yesterday, 69 degrees, tomorrow, 62 degrees.  This morning, woke up to 3 inches of snow on the ground.

It was 35 degrees outside when I took these pictures.  I wanted ya'll to know the sacrifices I go through for your viewing pleasure.

Next on this list is a brand new pattern.  You have followed the progress and now MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR is finished.  Here is the final cover.  The pattern is really three different patterns in one.  It is on our website, so go check out the details:  http://www.abbeylanequilts.com/.

The back shows all three quilts.

Finally, I posted this picture last year, and several people wanted the recipe.  Janice has called three times for the recipe.  The problem, I don't use recipes, but I have finally written down a recipe for it.
















The pie has no sugar, which makes it great for the diabetics.  The picture has a real pie crust, but the recipe has a nut crust.  My step-daughter has a wheat allergy, so I changed it up for her.  It is also very low in carbs and high in protein.

Remember, you can double click on any of the pictures of the recipe and it will give you a bigger picture to see the details, or in the case of the recipe card, you can print it off.

Have a great week.

Janice and Marcea

WE HAVE THE WINNERS

We did it, 200 FOLLOWERS.  We did not have any number in mind, but when it hit 190, it is an exciting goal.  When we made 199, we were hoping one more, one more. 

We got our facebook up and running and have 220 friends already.  Facebook is great for posting a quick picture and we love your comments on the work.

Before we give the winners, we want to thank everyone who left us a message, checked our website and joined us on facebook.  We were truly overwhelmed with the response and the kind words.  Janice went to everyone's blogs and she said your comments there were fabulous. 

Also a BIG APOLOGY to all who could not view the website.  Apparantly mozilla firefox does not like one of our fonts, so it won't read it.  We are fixing it right now and hopefully tomorrow EVERYONE can take a look at the website.

We wish we could give everyone an ABBEY BAG,  (we can't live without ours).  Based on your comments, though, we are adding FIVE ABBEY BAG PATTERNS to the giveaway.  That makes 11 winners all together.   I know, I know, you just want to know who won. So here goes:

We chose from 603 entries coming from 34 states all over the United States, 18 countries, and 6 continents.  Don't you love the internet.  I tell my husband all the time we have friends all over the world.  The top three patterns were in order:  1- MATCH BOX   2- ABBEY BAG   3 - GLAD ALL OVER.
The favorite ABBEY BAG was NUMBER 2, the TEAL AND GREEN one.

Every year for birthdays and christmas, when my kids wrapped the presents for each other, they would use an entire roll of scotch tape, sometimes duck tape, and sometimes 10 layers of wrapping paper.  It took forever to get to the present.  Oh, but I digress, hee hee.  You have endured enough of my wrapping. 

The LUCKY WINNERS are:

Abbey Bag # 2  goes to CHRISTINE from Crafty Girl Creations.

ROMEKA from Australia wins her three favorite patterns:  PAPER BACK, UNCLE ALBERT, and GLAD ALL OVER.

JAN HATCHETT from Jackson, Georgia wins her three favorite patterns:  THE ABBEY BAG, MAGGIE MAY, and MY DEAR PRUDENCE.

NANCY ROTHSHILD BIRD from Many, Louisiana wins her favorite pattern:  SEPTEMBER MORN.

LYNNQUILTSALOT  wins her favorite pattern:  MATCH BOX.

QUILT HOLLOW from North Carolina wins her favorite pattern:  THE CLARABELLA BAG.

KRISTY  in Ohio wins an ABBEY BAG pattern.

SONIA from Sydney Australia wins an ABBEY BAG pattern.

QUILTMAVEN from Texas wins an ABBEY BAG pattern.

PURPLE PAINT from Colorado wins an ABBEY BAG pattern.

BEESHEBAGS from Australia wins an ABBEY BAG  pattern.

Ok, winners, email us at abbeylanequilts@yahoo.com with your addresses.

Finished the quilt tops for our newest pattern "MA BELLE".  Janice will quilt them this week, then cut that border with a beautiful scallop.  It is 60" square and very french inspired.

This is the original quilt made with a brand new fabric collection from RJR called Provence.

Second version.  Beautiful purples and greens.

Here is a close-up view.  Just can't wait to see it quilted.

Here is the lifestyle shot for "MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR."  We just LOVE this pattern.

Thanks again everyone.  We are so lucky to be quilters.  Have a great week.  Janice and Marcea

GIVE AWAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL QUILT DAY

What a great Saturday.  Can't get better than playing with beautiful fabrics on NATIONAL QUILT DAY.  Well, wait, yes it can, when we are GIVING AWAY GREAT STUFF, six winners in all.  I know, you are just jumping out of your seat with excitement.  So here goes.

THE PRIZES  - First Place - ONE WINNER will get an ORIGINAL ABBEY BAG made by yours truly.

I spent yesterday whipping up five new abbey bags.  Yes, there are that easy and that fun.  All those fabrics to choose from.  I chose Moda fabrics, one of my favorites.  And as Janice says, "ONE IS NEVER ENOUGH."  If you don't know what an Abbey Bag is, it is a pin cushion and a scrap bag or thread catcher.  Who knew practical could be so cute.

Here are the five to choose from.

NUMBER ONE

NUMBER TWO

NUMBER THREE

NUMBER FOUR

NUMBER FIVE

Remember, choose your favorite one.  It may just be going home with you.

Second Place - We will have TWO WINNERS who will get to choose their THREE FAVORITE PATTERNS from Abbey Lane Quilts.  Find them all on our website, http://www.abbeylanequilts.com/.  Here is a sample.

Third Place -  THREE WINNERS will each get ONE PATTERN from Abbey Lane Quilts.

THE RULES:

1.  Leave a comment at the end of this post and let us know WHICH ABBEY BAG, 1 thru 5, IS YOUR FAVORITE. Be sure to leave a way for us to contact you if you win.


2. Go to our website, http://www.abbeylanequilts.com/ , check out all the pattern, then LIST YOUR THREE FAVORITE in order in your comment.

Get even MORE chances to win by:

2. Mention our giveaway on your blog. Leave the link to your blog so we can visit you too. (TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS)

3. Become a follower by adding yourself to the follower group on the sidebar. We would love to have you as a blog friend and reader! If you are already a follower, just remind us.

4. More big news. ABBEY LANE QUILTS now has a FACEBOOK PAGE. If you are on FACEBOOK, take a look at our page, WE NEED FRIENDS. Just search Abbey Lane Quilts.  ADD US as one of your friends.
That's it.  GOOD LUCK.  We will randomly pick the winners a week from next Monday.  Oh yeah, Janice went to everyone's blogs during the last giveaway.  It is so fun to see what y'all are doing.

That's it.  Hope you all are as excited as we are.  Can't wait to see all your comments.

Janice and Marcea

FINALLY OVER......THE RESULTS

Look what came in my backyard.

Last week we had seven.  Cute babies too lazy to make their way up the mountain.

When we last had our tour update, I had one MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR quilt done.  Now there are two.  The first quilt was the "organized one.

Quilt number two was the "disorganized" quilt. 

 I used 30 different fabrics for this one, the first one used 20 fat quarters. They are all being made from one line of fabric, Hunky Dory, from Moda.  The fabric will be in stores this month.   I promise you will love the whole collection.   So, now that the two are done, we are now having a debate over which one we like the best.  Janice likes quilt one, I waver back and forth, Nellie and Blake like number 2.  What do y'all think?

QUILT ONE

QUILT TWO

Janice came to Utah last week and we have hit quite a few quilt stores.  A special SHOUT OUT (who says shout out?) to Gracie Lou's in Salem.  There were Abbey Lane Quilts samples everywhere.  It was so fun to see them.  Check out their blog, http://www.gracielousquilts.blogspot.com/ .  They have fun tutorials.  Tell them we sent you.  Janice and I are off to more fabric stores today, so much fabric, so little time.  Last note, we have planned our big giveaway to celebrate National Quilt Day on Saturday, March 20.  Check back then to see how to win.
Have a great week, Janice and Marcea

THE TOUR CONTINUES

We take a moment to interupt this tour to bring you a very important announcement.  MARCH 20 is NATIONAL QUILT DAY!  Woo Hoo.  In honor of this special occasion, we are cooking up a great give away.  Check Back.

Now, we continue with our MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR.
Here it is.  My stack of blocks.

80 to be exact.  They are trimmed and pressed and ready to put together.

There are lots of choices with each block.  For the first quilt, I am putting four of the same block together.  That sounds easy, but there are still choices.

Which way to go, only the tour guide knows for sure.

Now, setting up the rows.  Making sure that everything works together.  This is one of my favorite and yet most frustrating parts of making a quilt.  I lay it all out, and then start changing, over and over until I get it just the way I like it.

That's the mystery part of this quilt, there are so many combinations, no two will look alike.
Now, for the magical.  Those little half inch spacers.

Just place them on the sides of the blocks and sew them together.  NO SEAM MATCHING, YEAH.

That's it, 4 big blocks down, 16 to go.  Check back next week to see the end of our tour.  Finished quilts.  Have a great week.

Janice and Marcea