SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!!

A Snowball Fight just got started over at the Quilt & Needle! Come join in the fun here! The rules are easy, just make a few Snowballs from Winter-theme fabrics with bright white fabrics for your corners and you are ready for action! You can find everything you need to know to arm your fort here. I've started my pile of snowballs:

Until next time, friends, remember: When all else fails, just fondle the fabric!

Cindy, a/k/a MisisipiMenace, a/k/a Ms. Tassels

Patterns and their fabric

Well the mystery weekend is over with. I hope that you all enjoyed the pattern and the pictures of progress from those making the quilt. If you missed out, you can still see our progress here:

http://www.thequiltandneedle.com/forums/forums/forum-view.asp?fid=40

It wasn't until Jess started a store and made a forum to go with it, that I got interested in mystery quilts. The hardest part is choosing the fabrics. As you don't know what the quilt is going to look like, you might wonder if the fabrics you picked are going to look good. I usually go with my gut instinct on this one. Jess is great at letting you know if fabric A has to contrast well with another fabric, or if B should be a big print or a solid, light or dark. That really helps a lot. It's amazing how fabrics will slightly change the way a pattern looks. You sometimes can see a pattern within a pattern, using various lights and darks.

Many patterns are made up of two or three different block patterns, that gives the quilt a nice zing to it. And is usually where you'll find the pattern within the pattern. For instance, our March mystery this year used pinwheels and snails trails block patterns, the quilt turned out beautiful! Great design.

So get those creative juices flowing and try something a little different. Mix your colors up a bit, choose a few block patterns that will flow together and see what you come up with. And if you need some help, just come on over www.thequiltandneedle.com for inspiration, friendship and laughter... and Jess always has some great patterns for sale if you just need a bit of guidance.

Have a great day,

Dorian

News from the Homefront

Hello fellow quilters!

Happy (belated) Father's Day to all our readers' fathers and husbands - and let's not forget our male quilters either! I celebrated the day by making my husband, Billy, his requested feast of Chicken Rotel Spaghetti and having friends over to share the evening with us! Both of our daughters called their Daddy on his special day! I spent a few moments reminiscing over the years spent with my father and then said a prayer in honor of his memory.

Our granddaughter Wren has been visiting with Gramma & Grandaddy this week. We went to Monkey Joe's Playland last week and I thought I would share a couple of photos from the fun afternoon!

Cherie from New Jersey, one of the forum members at the Quilt and Needle, shared a photo of a quilt top she just completed! It is the pattern "Best Friends in Spite Of" which is featured in the Benni Harper's Quilt Album book. It is so bright and crisp in the orange and white fabric combo! Love it, Cherie, thanks for sharing!

So until next time, remember: When all else fails, just fondle the fabric!

Cindy, aka MisisipiMenace, aka Miss Tassels