Karen's Oriental Beauty!

This beauty is an original! Karen used several different elements she has learned along the way to create this one-of-a-kind masterpiece! Bravo, Karen!!

FREE PATTERN!! VINDALOO....

Visit our website, www.bigforkbaycottonco.com to download this FREE pattern, Vindaloo!! This quilt hung in the Batik Textiles booth at International Quilt Market. All of these beautiful fabrics are theirs. You can see the fabric #'s on the pattern, or we will be offering a fabric kit!

I am also making up a version using beautiful Daiwabo fabrics from E.E. Schenck....I'll post it as soon as it is done!

SHOW AND TELL FROM KAREN....

Isn't this a great scrap quilt! I love it! And check out the cool back.......

MYSTERY QUILT CHALLENGE

Many of you know that we have been running a Mystery Quilt in the shop. Well, as of last Saturday, instructions for all of the pieced "parts" have been given. I issued a challenge to all the mystery quilters. Add some 3 1/2" focus fabric squares, and start moving the parts around. When you have a design you think works, send me photos! (You don't have to have the whole quilt laid out...but enough to see the design...perhaps 1/4 or so.) The first correct submission wins a $100 gift certificate to Bigfork Bay Cotton Company. Second place wins $50, third place, $25. The last step and the challenge were just issued on Saturday. When I came in on Monday, I already had the first submission from Bonita Richards!! Boy, she's FAST! Now, I'm not going to tell you if she's right or wrong.....there are three prizes up for grabs here....

PLEASE HELP NAME THE EAGLE!!

We are inviting EVERYONE to submit a name suggestion for Toni Whitney's new eagle pattern! The winner will receive a FREE pattern and fabric kit! You can post a comment here with a name suggestion, or email me at the shop, lynn@bigforkbaycottonco.com. Good Luck!

COOL RUNNINGS

Here is the finished quilt that I made the wedding label for. I based it on an Irish Chain. I wanted the two chains, blue and white, to be distinct, but interwoven, like the lives of two individuals joining together in matrimony. There are also smaller chains of the light green that represent their children, pets, and special people who help strengthen their chains.

I'm going to call this one "Cool Runnings". That has absolutely nothing to do with the wedding, but this quilt looks sort of Caribbean to me, hence the name. We will post it on our website as a free download....not sure when, though. (I have to write instructions, then pass it along to one of our graphic designers....)

It's a little hard to see from this picture, but Karri Schaper quilted this one for me and did an awesome job. My niece is an outdoorsy girl, and Karri quilted it with different leaves in the light blocks and border. Stephy is going to incorporate this quilt into the wedding ceremony, based on an American Indian tradition.

By the way, all of these beautiful fabrics are from my favorite Batik company, Batik Textiles!

QUILT LABELS

We all know we should label our quilts, don't we? I'm a great one for preaching it, but I don't always follow my own advice. However, I ALWAYS make a label for a quilt that is a gift. This is the label for a quilt I made for my niece, Stephy, who is getting married outdoors in a field of wild daisies in southwest Montana this weekend.

The frame around the words is from Kim Churbuck's book, Make Your Own Quilt Labels, Volume II. (Of course, the words are from the Bible....) Kim has several wonderful books that make creating quilt labels FUN. I hope your local quilt shop carries them, but if not, give us a call, we can send you one. Her books are inexpensive, and loaded with designs for any and all occasions....holiday, baby, outdoors, sports, you name it. Plus, I've traced her designs for embroidery, and punchneedle. (She also makes punchneedle patterns.)