a MEDALLION MYSTERY - STARTING NOW!

a MEDALLION MYSTERY

with A Modern Twist

do you love a good mystery?
do you like trying new quilting techniques?
are you ready to sew "just a little bit" every month?

we have created a

monthly mystery

we will be giving you a "project section" a month
a piece of the mystery

and by the time you have completed all six monthly pieces of the project

you will have the required pieces to construct

a

medallion quilt

approximate size
60" x 68"

we have designed this quilt using

Cotton + Steel

fabrics

the clues to the mystery will come monthly
for six months
September (free pattern) - October - November
January - February - March

here's the thing

I have always believed in the Sees Candy approach

"have a piece of our candy while you wait

see if you like it

then you can purchase it"

so.

- SEPTEMBER BLOCK -

THE CENTER MEDALLION

IS A FREE PATTERN

you'll find the first design here: www.sewmamasew.com

(to order September fabrics, go to the shop site)

while you won't be REQUIRED to purchase the book,

A Modern Twist

by Natalie Barnes with Angela Walters

this book will have a lot of hints and more detailed information

about the techniques used in

a MEDALLION MYSTERY

you will be sent a pattern and fabulous and different
Cotton + Steel
fabrics each month
each pattern will utilize a different quilting/color technique

if you choose the pattern only option, we will send you your pattern
via email

once you have gone to the shop site and signed up for the mystery,
we will bill you monthly
$29.00 + shipping
for the pattern and the fabrics
or
$10.00
for the digital pattern only

shipping US - $5.95
International - $21.95

come join in the fun!
have questions?  give me a call or email me
natalie@beyondthereefpatterns.com

be.do.create
natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

A Modern Twist by Natalie Barnes

A Modern Twist

by Natalie Barnes with Angela Walters

we are the sum of our parts

 

it's something I think about every day

every morning that I wake

and every evening before I retire for the evening

we are truly the sum of our parts

if you have purchased a copy of my very first book

A Modern Twist

the first thing you will notice is that

the by line is shared with Angela Walters

and if you read the first page of script, you will find

"...we are the sum of our parts. 

We truly stand shoulder to shoulder, and we are better for it."

if you have ever attended one of my trunk shows

the first thing I will tell you

is that it was Jill Marie Landis that encouraged me to create 
beyond the reef

 

 when I look at the photo above, it is rich in color to me

I see gifts from Steve and Jill

and knitting I have shared with Lisa

I have candlesticks given to me on the Ranch

and shells from my ex business partner

I see trivets and coasters from other friends

and of course a lovely artisan piece

that was my mothers

the lamp, from my Aunt Laura

there are twigs, and a feather, and butterfly wings

all with a story to tell

even the hutch

was hauled home in the back of a truck with the help of my friend Anne

even tho she's in Buffalo, the times we spent together in the past

are still a part of my life today

A Modern Twist

just wouldn't be the same without the help of 

Angela Walters

the same way that 
"..a quilt's not a quilt until it's quilted."

and you all know, in your own lives
quilting wouldn't be the same without the people you meet along the way
so the next time you pull out a piece of fabric
think about the person you were with 
when you purchased it

the next time you start to work on a swap mini quilt
think about the time you have shared with your swap partner

and the next time you are at a quilt show or a retreat
and you see someone sitting alone
do as my friend Leslie would
invite them to join you at your table
you never know
you might just make a friend for life

be.do.create
natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

ps - want an autographed copy of the book?  visit the website.
or purchase any of the bookblogtour authors' titles
using the links below!!

want to hear more?
tune in
Monday 20 April
to listen to Natalie with
Pat Sloan!!

 

A Simple Life....meets clover clip thingeys

(this is not a sponsored post)

A Simple Life....

here's the thing I want to admit to all of you out there

I sew and quilt and knit a simple life
I am not that 

gadget girl 

okay, it's not that I have anything against those people that love their gadgets
no, no....

 
but if you and I have ever chatted about quilting, you know my first statement is always,
"you can do it!!!"
and then I will tell you that all you really need is some fabric, some thread and a needle
I'll try to tell you that quilting is nothing more than a simple running stitch
and that applique is just a blind hem stitch in disguise

 

for this simple girl, pins are held in jars that remind me of great mornings on Kauai

and threads are few, small, and sorted in canning jars that came from a neighbor's garage sale

if a beginner asks me about a machine, I tell them not to worry too much

about saving thousands of dollars before they can begin to quilt

the family straight stitch machine is a great place to start

truly.  really.  honest.

(my sewing machine quiver doesn't include a machine post-1980!)

while out and about promoting
my very first book

A Modern Twist

I had the pleasure of spending the weekend at EE Schenck in Portland

In. The. Warehouse.

full of fabrics and patterns and books and.....

notions!!!!!

my travel companions convinced me that these would really come in handy

with all of the binding I sew down for Quilt Market and the likes

I don't even know how to use these....so I thought I would ask all of you
is it red on the stitch side?  red on the back side?
is the clip pushed all the way to the edge of the binding?
how far apart do you clip?
do you clip the mitered corners?
when do you remove the clips?
and more importantly

where do you put your hands while you are stitching?

if these gadget thingeys can save me some time - any time - I'd be happy to try them

but this simple life girl

needs your help!!

 

on another note....

this week and next week are filled with boxes and bubble wrap and sorting and lifting

I have been helping a friend pack up her family home

and while I will miss her and her hubby

I know she will always be my

"sister"

no matter her location

the gifts from her - from her home - are being re purposed into 

a simple life

and the wooden bowl that lived atop her refrigerator

 will greet me every morning 

when I tackle the day's early morning knitting project

please leave me a comment with some direction about these clip thingeys

and I hope you will take a look at

A Modern Twist

(I'm so proud.....)

add it to your library, or if you have a copy, please leave a review on Amazon

or Barnes and Noble

or Martingale!

HappySpring

from

A Simple Life....

be.do.create

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

...with Angela Walters

there is one more post!

(because you have to go back to yesterday's post!)

...with Angela Walters

head back to Angela's post and leave a comment

for a chance to have your own copy of

A Modern Twist

random number generator drawing will take place March 15 

for a signed copy of the book A Modern Twist (US) or ebook (International)

 

...with Angela Walters

I think of Angela as a revolutionary quilter

that really changed how we look at finishing a quilt

 

it's important that we all know about quilting our finished tops

turning them in to quilts

and not just leaving them as tops

and it's important to quilt our tops in a manner that enhances the quilt

it's important to think about

color + contrast + composition

in quilting

thank you, Angela, for adding that concept to

A Modern Twist

 

if you can't attend a conference and take one of Angela's classes in person

there are a lot of ways that she makes her ideas available to us

 on a more personal note

I have enjoyed Angela's work - quilting, fabrics, books, lectures

for quite some time now

(how many of you remember this quilt on the cover of Quilters Newsletter Magazine?)

 so it would be an understatement to say that

A Modern Twist

was a joy to create with Angela's contributions to the book

not only the beautiful quilting

but the beautiful spirit 

that is Angela.

mother, wife, quilter, teacher

thank you so very much....

....with Angela

means the world to me!

 be.do.create.

natalie

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

remember - you have until March 15 to leave a comment on any or ALL

of these posts!!

02 March - Victoria Findlay Wolfe + CONTRAST
Victoria Findlay Wolfe
www.bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com

03 March - Teri Lucas + COLOR
Generation Q Magazine
www.generationqmagazine.com

04 March - Julie Herman + COMPOSITION
Jaybird Quilts
www.jaybirdquilts.com

05 March - Jenny Wilding Cardon + COLOR
Martingale
www.blog.shopmartingale.com
 
   06 March - Rose Hughes + COLOR
Rose Hughes
www.rosehughes.blogspot.com

07 March - Amy Smart  + CONTRAST
Amy Smart
www.diaryofaquilter.com

08 March - Carolyn Friedlander + COLOR
Carolyn Friedlander
www.carolynfriedlander.com/blog/

09 March - Latifah Saafir + COMPOSITION
Latifah Saafir Studios
www.latifahsaafirstudios.com/blog/

10 March - Amy Ellis  + CONTRAST
Amy's Creative Side
www.amyscreativeside.com/blog/

11 March - Angela Walters + COMPOSITION
Angela Walters/Quilting is my Therapy
www.quiltingismytherapy.com

Amy Ellis is here! Amy Ellis is here!

Amy Ellis is here!

thank you, Amy, for being a part of the Book Blog Tour

yes, Amy Ellis is here.

 Amy seems to be a constant in my quilting life

she wrote the very first book I ever reviewed for Martingale/That Patchwork Place

long before we ever met

she participated in some of the compilation books of which I was lucky enough to contribute

and then one day she was the big sister I was calling on

for quilting advice

 

regardless of how much Amy has going on at any given time in her OWN life

she always seems to be able to graciously still have time for friends

 Amy Ellis is here!

 and

Amy Ellis is here!

 and....

okay, you get my point

 how many of you subscribe to the podcast?

but, before I go, I have to tell you a story about the last place I saw Amy

it was at

QuiltCon

I was in the beyond the reef booth, helping someone with a fabric bundle explanation, 

and ringing up another someone, and writing up an order for even yet another someone else

and all of a sudden

I felt a presence

a presence.

and there was Amy Ellis.

peacefully, quietly, standing shoulder to shoulder with me.

she was just

t h e r e.

and that, my friends, is Amy Ellis.

'nuff said.

head on over to Amy's site - there is a whole lot going on!!

be.do.create

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

It is Martingale's turn!!

you might think it is too late in the day to post

about today's

BookBlog Tour

but I say, no.

this is the type of subject that requires the quiet of the day

as I have been visiting different quilt shows

and lecturing

and teaching

and telling people proudly,

"I wrote a BOOK!!!!!"

I have been also telling everyone

"no one writes a book by themself"

(could that even be correct grammar?)

this may seem counter intuitive

but I truly believe it to be the case

and I am sticking with it.

(there may not be very many pictures in this post, by the way...) 

look at the credits

publisher

editorial director

acquisitions editor

technical editor

copy editor

design director

photographer

production manager

illustrator

elke and don who allowed their home to be used for the photo shoot

then there's the marketing person

the social media person

the person that coordinates and sells to all of the quilt shops

the person that wrote today's blog

(thank you Jenny, who, by the way, is ALSO a book author)

all of these people are

"my publisher"

 

it has a wonderful ring to it

my.

publisher.

 

"who published your book?"

 

Martingale/That Patchwork Place 

 I proudly reply.

that's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

no one writes a book alone.

nope.

 

be.do.create

natalie.

 

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

 

 

 

  

A Modern Twist - BOOK BLOG TOUR

it would be an understatement

to say how really proud I am

to have such a great team to participate in the BookBlog Tour

for

 nevertheless

without further ado

let me introduce you to the lineup

01 March - Natalie Barnes + WELCOME

beyond the reef
www.beyondthereefpatterns.com

WE HAVE AN UPDATE!

02 March - Victoria Findlay Wolfe + CONTRAST
Victoria Findlay Wolfe
www.bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com

03 March - Teri Lucas + COLOR
Generation Q Magazine
www.generationqmagazine.com

04 March - Julie Herman + COMPOSITION
Jaybird Quilts
www.jaybirdquilts.com

05 March - Jenny Wilding Cardon + COLOR
Martingale
www.blog.shopmartingale.com
 
   06 March - Rose Hughes + COLOR
Rose Hughes
www.rosehughes.blogspot.com

07 March - Amy Smart  + CONTRAST
Amy Smart
www.diaryofaquilter.com

08 March - Carolyn Friedlander + COLOR
Carolyn Friedlander
www.carolynfriedlander.com/blog/

09 March - Latifah Saafir + COMPOSITION
Latifah Saafir Studios
www.latifahsaafirstudios.com/blog/

10 March - Amy Ellis  + CONTRAST
Amy's Creative Side
www.amyscreativeside.com/blog/

11 March - Angela Walters + COMPOSITION
Angela Walters/Quilting is my Therapy
www.quiltingismytherapy.com

each day, a friend will give a shout out to the book

A Modern Twist

and will speak a little, from their perspective, on one of the three main topics in the book

COLOR + CONTRAST + COMPOSITION 

each day I will post my own introduction to the "quilter of the day"

each friend will ask you to leave a comment on their blog

the random number generator will select a comment on March 15

and I will send that person a copy of the book

signed by both myself and Angela Walters

who not only quilted the quilts in the book

but contributed a chapter

about

COLOR + CONTRAST + COMPOSITION in quilting!

let me just say one last thing

 I firmly believe that we all stand together

in this community

called

quilting

I value what it is that each and every one

of these folks is doing in their own quilting life!!
 

while I am over the moon about having my very own book

I am equally delighted

to have this community of 

open, sharing, positive, quilters 

come together

here...

now.

it is, after all, THEIR blog....and I am honored 

to be included! 

so, I hope you will enjoy the next ten days

for now, please leave me a comment about the 
most giving moment 
you have experienced in your quilting life
 for a chance to have a signed copy
of
A Modern Twist



it's Monday, and time to start your week off with
Victoria Findlay Wolfe

head on over to her post

for some of her own notes on Contrast

be.do.create

natalie.

www.beyondthereefpatterns.com 

 

Winner Winner!

the random number generator selected comment number seven

JODI

congratulations...

remember...the BookBlog Tour will start March 1

the next post will announce the Tour participants

I think you're going to enjoy this!

 

be.do.create.

natalie

 

ps - what are you doing this weekend?

Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations

in

Palm Desert, California

is hosting a trunk show lecture

this Friday from 4-7pm

 

if you'd like to get your own signed copy of

A Modern Twist

come by, visit, and I would be thrilled to sign your purchased book

 

AND

 

on this Saturday from 10-3

I will be teaching

at

Monica's Quilt and Bead Creations

 

most of you know Monica, don't you?

 it should be fun

we're making a weekend of it!!

won't you come join us?

 

the Desert is beautiful this time of year

I hear it's going to be 79 degrees...