New Website

We are very pleased that the new website has been launched. The location is the same, but it is very much improved. There is all kinds of new information and photos for you to enjoy.

Because of the changes our RSS feed has been changed to http://www.lunchboxquilts.com/news/rss/latest/ We will no longer be maintaining the blogspot location. Please change your links, so that you do not miss out on any of the Lunch Box Quilts News.

Keep Stitchin
Angie Steveson

New Spring Designs

Things are really gearing up around here as I get ready for Spring Market in Salt Lake City, UT. Yesterday, Ginger, at the local quilt shop asked me if I was working on the designs for Fall Market. I told her I was working on Spring Market designs. She was surprised and thought I was behind. I assured her I was actually ahead of schedule compared to the last few markets. I purchased my new fabric and headed home.


This week will I will be testing designs and auditioning fabrics. This is the part of the process that I like best. I love hearing the embroidery machine stitching the designs! It is so much fun seeing it all coming together. I hope to have something to show you soon.

As always I have a little helper. I came back from my office and found Beebster on the table with all the fabrics I was gathering. He has climbed up there to apparently give his opinion on the fabric. I have four birds, but this is the bird that likes to work with me from the beginning of digitizing to putting the binding on the quilt.  He is my little quilting buddy!

Keep your sewing machines stitching!
Angie

Magazine Articles

Hitting the newsstands this week is the latest issue of Quilting and Embroidery.  I feel very fortunate to be asked to design and have an article in the magazine again.  The Lady Bug appliqué is on the cover of the magazine!
I don’t know why, but I have always been fascinated with Lady Bugs. Even as a young child I remember holding Lady Bugs in my hand and watching them fly away. Maybe it is the beautiful and distinct red and black colors on such a tiny bug.

Speaking of color, the red and black fabrics used for this project are gorgeous. The fabric is from Red Rooster Fabrics, the new Carnival line. There are more pieces to the collection than shown in this project. The backing is not shown, but it’s black with red white and gray spots. Perfect! This fabric is due to start arriving in quilt shops next month. 

The Lady Bug appliqué and poem are a free download on the Lunch Box Quilts website. The instructions for the quilt are in the Spring 2011 issue of Quilting and Embroidery on sale through May 2, 2011. The magazine comes out twice a year and is newsstand only. It can be found at Barnes and Noble, Borders, Jo-Ann Stores or ordered directly from Quilting & Embroidery

Also on the internet is an article for Through the Needle Online #4. This article is called Angie’s Cut Work Eggs. It’s a cutwork project with the Bernina CutWorks tool. This fun project will have you stitching fabric eggs in time for Easter. The cutwork appliqué designs are also available as a free download at Through the Needle


I hope you have fun stitching these projects!
Angie

On the Road to California

It’s that time of year again when I take my annual trip to California. The Road to California Quilter’s Conference and Showcase is January 20 -23. Quilters come from all over the United States to take quilting classes, view the beautiful quilt show and of course shop the vender mall.
Years ago the trip started out as a vacation from the job of motherhood. My boys were a lot younger then and very involved in outside activities. I would leave my Husband pages of notes on the schedule for the week. What time the buses came, swim practices, music lessons, scout meetings, etc. It makes me laugh now and feel a little tired.
Now when I go to Road to California it is part vacation and part Lunch Box Quilts business. I still take classes, but not as many as I used to. Someone asked me the other day why I take classes and suggested that I know everything. I am the first to admit I don’t know everything. There are so many things to continually learn as the quilting industry grows every year. Also I like taking classes just for fun. Get twenty or more quilters in a class and there is sure to be fun.
For a few years now I have been the guest artist in vendor booths at Road to California. This year I will be in the Redlands Sewing Machine Center booth. I will be demonstrating embroidery machine appliqué. Come by and visit if you are at the show.
After Road to California I will be having workshops at Redlands Sewing and Machine Center in Redlands, CA on January 25, 2011. Then on to Thimble Towne in Visalia, CA. There I will have workshops on January 28th and 29th 2011. If you live in these areas I would love to meet you in a workshop. Contact the stores for class fees and times. Don’t forget you could win a pair of Havel’s scissors for attending a workshop.

Havel's Scissor Giveaway

If you have ever taken a Lunch Box Quilts workshop you will know that I am a HUGE fan of the Havel’s Snip-Eze scissors. They work beautifully for trimming the fabric for appliqué. The 3 ½ double curved scissors and the new 5 ½ Curved tip scissor work equally as well.

Don’t know which one you will like? Come to a Lunch Box Quilts workshop. I will have all three scissors plus more for you to try. It’s a test drive/cut. Find your personal favorite, but I think you will fall in love with all the Havel’s Scissors.

As an added bonus there will be one lucky winner at every Lunch Box Quilts workshop. The winner will receive a pair of the new 5 ½” curved tip sewing scissors. The scissors are fabulous. I have had mine since Fall Market and LOVE them.

You must be registered and attend the workshop to be eligible. Contact your local store for workshop fees and times. The Lunch Box Quilts calendar has been updated with workshops through March.

I look forward to seeing you soon at a Lunch Box Quilts workshop!

Keep Stitching!

Angie

Happy Holiday from Lunch Box Quilts!

Hope this find everyone ready for the Holiday Season! As I write this blog, I am not ready. I never am ready until December 24th. Somehow it will all get finished!

Thank you to everyone for purchasing Lunch Box Quilts patterns! It was a busy year. Spring market in Minneapolis and Fall market in Houston. In between trips to Orlando with Bernina, Minneapolis again with Viking and Pfaff and Las Vegas for the VDTA show.

Lunch Box Quilts released three new quilts patterns this year, About Trout, Boots and Bandanas, and Scoop it Up! Also to the product line two embroidery recipe collections were added. The embroidery machines were working overtime this past year.

The Classic Series was introduced for those without an embroidery machine. The three most requested patterns, Merry Christmas, Halloween Fun, Everything Baby and the newest Scoop it Up!, were released with rewritten instructions. You can choose your favorite way to appliqué these patterns and they don’t require an embroidery machine.

Check your calendar for next year and take a workshop! I will be at the following stores at the beginning of the year. Contact the stores for workshop times and fees.

Redlands Sewing Center, Redlands California on January 24th and 25th

Thimble Towne in Visalia, California on January 28th and 29th

Hi Fashion fabrics in Grand Junction, Colorado February 11th and 12th

Quilting Delights in Clackamas, Oregon March 21st thru the 27th

Bernina Connection in Phoenix, Arizona March 30th

Thank you again for a wonderful year. I look forward to seeing everyone next year at a workshop or wholesale trade show. I promise to have something new and exciting for everyone.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season with your family and friends!

Angie

A New Year

It’s 2010 and this is the first blog of the New Year, YIKES. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is having a great new year. Thank you to everyone who made 2009 a successful year for Lunch Box Quilts!

January was my annual trip to the Road to California Quilt show and Convention. I was very excited to have Autumn Wind juried into the show. The trip has now become half business and half vacation. I was one of the guest artists in the Fabric Patch booth for two days and took classes for two days.

The classes were all great. The most interesting class was an all day photography class. I learned so many new skills on photographing quilts. I can’t wait to try them out. I also attended a mystery class and saw my Road to California buddy’s Pat and Tracy. Every year we are in at least one class together just by chance. See you next year girls.

February was a very cold trip to Chicago. A snow storm had canceled many flights there the day before I left. I didn’t have boots! I quickly ran to the mall to buy some boots. Scottsdale does not have a big winter boot selection. After several hours and stores I finally found boots. I was so excited to wear them when I arrived in Chicago. I had to go outside and walk around in the fresh snow to break them in! No time to make a snowman, the trip was all business. Good things are coming!

It’s time to get the creativity going and get a new quilt or two ready for Spring Market in May. I have a few ideas and I will post a picture as soon as there is something to share.

Oh!..one more thing, dont forget to sign up to become a fan on Lunch Box Quilts on Facebook
Until next time, keep your sewing machines stitching!

Angie