I am so excited to tell you all about this wonderful new book by Monique Dillard of Open Gate, which has just been published by C & T Publishing. Monique, Thelma, Lisa, and I are participating in a four week long book tour, which will get you to know Monique better and to introduce you to four variations on quilts in her new book, Fat Quarter Winners. If you would like to buy a copy of the book, it is available through Monique's website Open Gate.
Fat Quarter Winners contains eleven gorgeous new patterns, all designed specifically to use fat quarters. Monique is a huge fan of scrappy quilts, and thinks that the use of fat quarters is a terrific way to achieve that scrappy look so many of us also adore. All the quilts in the book are rotary cut and make nearly complete use of each fat quarter required. An additional bonus in the book, which every one will appreciate, is that there are instructions for making alternate sizes of each quilt by adding in additional fat quarters.
The book got its name, Fat Quarter Winners, from the card games Monique grew up playing. She even got to know her husband over a game of Rummy! All the quilts in the book are named after card games, some of which may be old favorites of yours as well. And they truly are all winners!
To make the book tour even more enjoyable for all you, Monique, Lisa, Thelma and I will each be taking a different pattern from the eleven in the book, and making a new variation of it. I will be making Rummy, Monique will be making Spades, Thelma is making Crazy Eights, and Lisa will be making Pinochle. I hope you will check in with us on our posting days and follow along with our progress making these four different quilts from the book. Our big reveals of our finished quilts will be on the last day of each of our posting schedules. Oh, and just for that added element of fun, each of us will be doing tutorials and giveaways on our blogs! The four of us will each have our own posting schedule, as shown below:
Nicole--Mondays (April 4, 11, 18, & 25)
Monique-- Tuesdays (April 5, 12, 19, & 26)
Thelma-- Wednesdays (April 6, 13, 20, & 27)
Lisa-- Thursdays (April 7, 14, 21, and 28)
So, here is a picture of the quilt I will be making:
I fell in love with the old fashioned look of this beautiful quilt. I have decided to do mine in shades of burgundy, with a touch of pink tossed in for that sort of faded look Monique achieved in her blue version. I have gotten a start on my blocks and have a few of them up on the design wall. I am thrilled with the way this is going!
Please check out Monique's post on what she is doing with Spades tomorrow!
I love this quilt! Scrappy quilts are my favorites and those with diagonal designs really appeal to me. This one is stellar and I imagine it would be beautiful in any combination of colors and shades of colors.
What fun this book tour will be!
Hugs!
Posted by: Barbara Anne | April 04, 2011 at 05:18 AM
I can tell right now, I need to get this book ASAP. Love the cover quilt! Love your version in the red, burgundy and pinks! Looking forward to the book tour!
Posted by: Linda | April 04, 2011 at 05:27 AM
OMG I love it...I'm heading over there to order it today!
Posted by: Carol | April 04, 2011 at 05:32 AM
Love scrappy quilts, very beautiful colour's version.
Posted by: Beatrice | April 04, 2011 at 05:41 AM
Wow what a spectacular first peek into the book. You're right it's going to be amazing. Crossing my fingers for a win
Posted by: Lee | April 04, 2011 at 05:42 AM
Oh wow Nicole, I love this pattern. Love the burgundy and pink combination! It looks like a fabulous book.
Posted by: Jocelyn | April 04, 2011 at 06:10 AM
Wow! Nicole you burgundy quilt is going to be stunning!! Love it!
Paulette
Posted by: paulettte Doyle | April 04, 2011 at 06:39 AM
When on earth did you find time to do all that? You must have a magic want Nicole (can I borrow it?)!! The burgundy is gorgeous and this certainly looks like a book that I need to add to my collection!
Posted by: Helen in Switzerland | April 04, 2011 at 07:10 AM
Oh, this will be fun to watch the progress from each of you! What a great start.
Posted by: sillysally | April 04, 2011 at 07:53 AM
I like your colors a lot better than the ones used in the one from the book.
Posted by: Susan Ramey Cleveland | April 04, 2011 at 07:58 AM
Love the way your colors are looking all together.
Posted by: Chris | April 04, 2011 at 08:10 AM
Lovely idea - it will be interesting to see each quilt as it progresses. Looks like a good book - I'll put it on my wish list for now as I just finished buying (very expensive)fabric for a class I'll be taking at our Guild's retreat at the end of May.
I'm with Helen - how in the world do you manage to produce your masterpieces with such speed?
Posted by: CarlaHR | April 04, 2011 at 08:32 AM
This pattern is so you, Nicole! I love it! And I can't wait to see what the rest of you do. Monique's new book is one for me for sure!
Cheers!
Posted by: Candace | April 04, 2011 at 09:09 AM
Scrappy is best! Love both the original blue version as well as your reds - they are stunning.
Posted by: Pat C in Washington | April 04, 2011 at 09:39 AM
Scrappy is definitely best in my book! Great ideas for fat quarters are always appreciated. I'll be following along :)
Posted by: AnnieO | April 04, 2011 at 10:10 AM
Oh how fun! I love scrappy! Following your progress is going to be such a treat! Have a happy week!
Posted by: Sandie ~call me crazy | April 04, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Wow - you got a ton of your blocks done already! They look great. Keep 'em coming!
Posted by: Lisa D. | April 04, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Beautiful and looks like it's a quilt that I would love to make. Need to buy the book!
Posted by: Deb A | April 04, 2011 at 11:45 AM
This is going to be so fun! I love your quilt!
Posted by: Jean | April 04, 2011 at 02:53 PM
Love your colours. It look complex!
Posted by: Laura | April 04, 2011 at 03:22 PM
Wow! Just Wow! After seeing photos of Red and White quilts on several blogs, I want to make a Red and White quilt. Rummy has potential:) Thanks for participating in this blog hop!!
Posted by: Becky in Georgia | April 04, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Wonderful start to another
great quilt!
Sandy
Posted by: Sandy E | April 04, 2011 at 06:51 PM
The four of you make a great team. This is going to be fun! And I ordered a bundle of fat quarters yesterday. Now that you're doing this, I can justify buying them.
Posted by: MollieAgnes | April 04, 2011 at 10:39 PM
I like both the blue and burgandy versions. Love seeing both versions.
Posted by: Sharrieboberry | April 04, 2011 at 11:31 PM
I love the pattern on the book cover. I, too, love scrappy quilts and choosing from my stash to create my own color scheme. This is how our pioneers quilted using what they had and putting it into a wonderful, warm quilt for their families. This tour sounds like fun and looking forward to it. Good luck with your book too.
Posted by: Ann Seronello | April 05, 2011 at 10:11 AM