Sharing my "Story" - and a giveaway!

Hello there and Welcome to my stop in the Story blog hop. If you are new to my blog welcome! I am Tia Curtis, a pattern designer and long arm quilter. I met Carrie Bloomston 4 years ago when quilt market was in Kansas City. In the hustle and bustle of quilt market her booth was a nice place to stop and breathe. She just has the most soothing vibe. I felt like I had know her all my life. I just dig Carrie! This is also the third year I have sewn for her out of her fabulous fabric. You can see the post about Collage HERE and the one about Paint HERE. She sent me her Story collection and said to do whatever I wanted. With just a peek I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

As you can see a lot of great makers created fantastic quilts with this saturated collection. I just love the depth of the colors.

This first project I want to talk about and share my story is the "Phase of the Moon Hipster". This bag was really designed for my 13 year old daughter (and your tween daughter). It has a "secret" pocket so she can hide her pads when it is that time of the month. This would totally humiliate her - forgive me please Emma! The adorable little girl above is not my daughter, just so you know. She looks too young to me to be menstruating...but I started when I was 9 so who am I to judge?

This little bag has a main zipper compartment, and outside slip pocket and the hidden zipper pocket that isn't really hidden at all. I made a little reverse applique moon for the front. If you want to really get into the spirit you can make one for each phase of the moon.

I grew up with 2 sisters, my mom and my dad. We were all very close and for one week of the month my father complained loudly that we were all almost impossible to live with. If we would have any grumpiness or complaint at all he would make this big deal about stepping outside to check the phase of the moon and letting us know that we were all about to start sloughing. It kinda ticks me off a bit even now, but it really enraged all four of us females at the time. I swear if he would have known about the Red Tent he would have erected one in the yard and made us all go outside. For a man who is pretty much perfect in my eyes that was his one flaw. He mocked our periods.

So without further ado or hopefully TMI - I give you the Phase of the Moon Hipster. I have written the pattern for this bag, I am just waiting to see how I want to release it. All young ladies need a bag to hide their pads.

Here is a process shot of me working on the moon. Reverse applique is really delightful. Here is a tip...If you match your thread to your shape or background your stitches will look better and people with think you are really smart. Which I am sure you are.

Next up is "Dad's Tulips" - I am embarrassed to admit that I can't recall what I named it when I sent it off to Carrie, so if you see it named something different sorry. It is the same quilt...just with an alias.

I am a sucker for large scale applique. I find the process so soothing to work on. I went to the Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, Nebraska and there was a stunning display up featuring 4 block applique quilts. I have been a fanatic ever since. This is the second I have designed for Carrie's fabric. Upon reflection I do wish I would have selected a different print for the leaves, but I forgot to ask for a green and the ones that I had just didn't want to work.

So, another story about my dad. We grew up in Germany. Dad was in the Army. My father has always loved working in the garden. He had the Yard of the Month all the time - Especially in the spring when all his tulips would burst from the earth in their riot of laughing colors. His favorites were the Black Tulips that he went all the way to Holland to select the bulbs from an old Dutch master Gardener. He also loved Grape Hyacinths. So this quilt is my dads favorite flowers. Black tulips and grape hyacinths.

I am not wild about how I quilted it, but oh well, it is done now.

These were so fun to work on. I insisted on doing the applique as needle turn because I like it better. But this pattern will be easy to do as fusible too.

Last but not least is "Night Flight". In my mind these were flamingos flying at night, but everyone else thinks they look like Rockets. I love the contrast of the hot pink with that deep, rich blue. And wonky stars are one of my very favorite quilt blocks EVER. Period.

This quilt was absurdly fun to make. I fussy cut strips of Carrie's Half Square Triangle print to do the inner border

The Flamingos are made like you would make a flying goose block, but they are taller...and they have funny legs. I quilted feathers in them too. BUT...If you want them to be rockets that is fine too. The legs are the exhaust as the rockets are blasting off.

I had a blast quilting it of course. I used some new to me batting Quilters Dream Cotton in Supreme loft. It is soon heavy and very dense. It quilted like a dream.

Here is Sam (he is named after my dad) and he grabbed this quilt up as soon as I came in from taking pictures of it. He insists they are rockets.

This is an in process shot of making this "Night Flight" quilt.

OK, folks. Those are my Stories to go along with what I made for Carrie's Story fabric. I could go on for hours, but I don't know if anyone would read my words and I have quilting to do.

The glorious Carrie Bloodstone is giving away to 3 lucky readers a fat quarter bundle of Story and a copy of her super inspirational book The Little Spark. You MUST go over to HER BLOG to comment to win. I would love to hear a comment here too, don't be shy.

April 13th Tia Curtis, Brooke Sellman, Jill McNamara

April 14th Shea Henderson, Giuseppe Ribaudo, Jenny Kelly, John Q. Adams

April 15th Verena Ehrhardt, Karen LePage, Rachel Gander, Sally Keller, Cristy Fincher

April 16th Jules Goldin, Amie Petronis Plumley, Bonnie Bobman,

April 17th Daniar Listyasari, Kerry Green, Ramona Burke, Kerry Goulder

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram and here on the blog. Ask your local quilt shop to carry Story. It ships to stores in September. In fact, email them this post so they can order it from their Windham rep today. Share the love! Tweet it, Pin it, Instagram it and Facebook it! Share pictures of Story! Tag Carrie (@suchdesigns on Instagram) and always use the hashtags #sewyourstory, #storycollection and #carriebloomston.

I was with my friend Rocky when she ordered the Story Collection for our quilt shop in town (Meadows Quilting and Sewing) I was super excited to see it all laid out in the back room as samples along with the little look book with my projects featured. So cool.

OK, folks. Go forth and comment and spread the love!

Have a happy week,
Tia Curtis