Big huge, happy sigh!

My class schedule for September - December is finally, finally finished.  Many many thanks to go friends who helped with the translation.

Apologies to those of you who can't read Nederlands - but this is such an achievement I had to share it. My new goal is to start NOW on the January - June schedule and include color pics of the projects ... but first I'm off to play with my dog, do some laundry and maybe a cartwheel or two.

xox Jovita

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Announcing GOT DOTS and a Give-Away!

So we're ready to begin ... I've had so much fun getting this all ready to share with you!
First I'm going to blame Barb for getting me all worked up about dots, cherries and berries again ... I've always loved them and have so many quilts I would like to make that include these lovely polky dots.
Barb's quilts reminded me of the dot quilt that has been lingering in the back of my brain ... one I had seen with my "sista," Dana, in an exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum.  It has such charm.  The maker was obviously using up every little scrap she had.  Well I have scraps too.  Boxes, buckets and bins of them!  So I'm all jazzed to use up a bunch of them and I'm hoping you'll join me in the fun as we venture into the great Got Dots Quilt-Along.

How does it work?  Easy, download and print out a little explanation and a few templates here.  Then dig out your scraps, start sorting and snipping.  Before you know it you'll be ready to make a bunch of these fun dotty blocks.
What do you need?  Background fabric(s) - each block is 6" finished but to allow for applique shrinkage I cut my backgrounds into 7" squares.  Each dotty block requires twenty-one 1-1/4" scraps of fabric.  That's it.  Oh yeh, you'll need needles and thread and a bit of spray starch is recommended - see Barb and Crispy's tutorials below.
Want to join us?  Please leave a comment on the blog and/or in the Flickr group - we would love to know who is going dotty with us.
Share your blocks on Flickr too!  I've already opened up a group and added pics of my blocks and some of the original quilt.  I look forward to see these dots multiply.
Want to win some dots to get you started?  
We've got lots of ways for you to enter a give-away for some great dots to get you going ... dotty ... hehe.

1. Leave a comment here on this blog and tell us what colors you are already dreaming about.
2. Become a follower of my blog Jovita's Patchwork Atelier
3. Become a follower of our blog Under the Willow Tree.  By the way - there's a give-a-way going on there too ... i really really looking forward to reading your ideas :)
   
   
4. Add a Got Dots button and link to your blog - and be sure to tell me about it.
5. Tell us what you think of the pics we've already uploaded to the Flickr group.
   

Wow - that's a lotta ways to win - good luck!

Want to share it with your friends?  No problem - point them to my blog, print out the info for them, whatever you like.  (But please remember - my "pattern" is for private use only - in all fairness, please don't sell it.  You are welcome to share it (hand it out for FREE) in your shop, guild or amongst friends but please make sure to leave my info on the copies.)  The "patterns" will be released as part one, part two ... not sure how many yet.  But it's all free, you'll just want to stay tuned to get all the parts.

Tutorials

• Barb's method - I do mine exactly like Barb but I have a TIP ... let the spray starch soak into the dot before you put the iron to it.  Otherwise you end up with a lot of burnt starch on your iron - trust me, I've done it too many times.
  
• Crispy's method - I am very intrigued and think I might have to try this for my next project or for my own dots that I don't swap.  
  
• FYI - for the great Dot Swap I think it's better if we all stick to the same method - ie. basted over cardstock.
  

Feel free to give a shout out on your blog!  If you have a blog, please then grab a button below - yes I had fun making these too - there should be one to coordinate with the colors of everyone's blog - but if not, give me a holler and I'll custom make one - just because I can :)

Linky info ...

• Cut and paste the following HTML code into your blog or website.

<a href="http://www.jovitaspatchwork.eu/gotdots.html/"><img src="http://www.jovitaspatchwork.eu/gotdots/gotdots_YOURCOLORCHOICE.png" alt="Jovita's Patchwork Atelier - the great Got Dot quilt-along"/></a>

• Choose  your favorite Got Dots button.
• Then where you see YOURCOLORCHOICE in the HTML code - change that to the button color you would like.  Change only those words, everything else should stay the same.
  
• If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Button choices 

fresh2

berry2

choc2

figtree2

green2

melon2

redteal2

rwb2

teal2

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Going Dotty

It's been quite the busy week ...

In Belgium you can tell summer is winding down and everyone is keen to get back to quilting. A total of 12 ladies joined us for a fantastic quilting be on Tuesday - half the group used our new table in the classroom, the other half gathered in our kitchen.  It was lovely ... but after a 5-week break speaking hardly any Nederlands I was exhausted.  Darn, I forgot to take pictures.  But I *promise* I will next month.

The shop also re-opened after our summer break so I've been busy getting the class schedule figured out and translated. It's quite a job but I think it's nearly finished.  As soon as I can I'll provide a link where you can download it.

I'm also working on a really fun quilt-a-long idea involving dots - lots of dots!  More soon, but in the meantime let this inspire you.

Unfortunately the biggest down-side to me being so busy is that Whisper is acting up ... you know I only ignore her and never play with her ... Yesterday I took her to the field behind our house .. it was gorgeous, the sun was shining, the cats were playing (going to the field is an all-family outing) and Whisper was in heaven.  The nice thing is I have this video to make me smile all the times she's driving me up a tree.

Here are a few more pictures from our "outing."  And there are a few more in my Flickr gallery.

Today was our monthly Crazy Bee ... here are just two of the four "bugs" we embroidered.  There others were a ladybug and a snail but didn't photograph well so I'll show those on another day when the sun is out.

The weather has taken a cooler turn and I'm loving it ... sweaters! Plus I can wear my wool vest with felted wool rose corsage - someday I'll write up a tutorial. They're a breeze to make and are lovely gifts.

The bad thing is that I'm feeling a bit yucky, that obligatory fall cold - but Axel's gone to get chinese for dinner - yummm, they make the best Chicken Soup.

The shop is open tomorrow so no sleeping in and Axel has to work all weekend (12 days straight - thanks UEFA).  Hopefully I can hole up and stitch and just jump up when customers come in ... so I can finish a few Got Dots blocks to show you next week!

xox Jovita Pin It Now!