Linda M Poole: 1/6/13

2012 was a year of tests and challenges for me.

I had a wonderful goal to achieve and I did. It had been a while since I wrote another book and it was time to write a new one. Writing a book doesn't happen overnight. There's hard work to be done. 25 quilts were made along with all the patterns and the beginning chapters. Lots of research and testing!

Sprinkled throughout the year were storms and hurricanes that led to weeks upon weeks of power outages, helping neighbors who lost trees and cleaning up our own property.

In between these storms, the most important people in my life ended up in the hospital. My dad who is 83 had a shoulder replacement, my best friend had brain surgery and my husband in the hospital for a week with diverticulitis. In between those surgeries, my dear Uncle Volker, an amazing artists passed away.

Thankfully, I maintained my energy to get through it and continued to make quilts and write the book every moment available to me.

My whole life I have painted and sewed. I am passionate about both to the point that I knew it was time to combine both loves into a new book.

My book concept was to marry painting and applique together. A beautiful union using both fabrics and painted applique. Here is an example of a new class I will be offering called "Color Me Beautiful". (It's not in the book) But wait! There's more to it. I decided for every pattern in the book, I would make 2 quilts offering the instructions for traditional applique with fabrics and then another instruction on painted applique. But wait!!! I also intermingle fabrics and painted parts. It's a book loaded with lots of options. By learning to paint, you also are on your way to learning whole cloth painted quilts if that is something you are interested in too.

Another new class for 2013, is learning to paint small whole cloth quilts. This one is named, "Out on a Limb". It's fun, easy and releases your muse to let you play by blending colors together to make magnificent "happiness" on fabric.

Click on the images to make them larger for you to see more detail.

A few years back, I made this particular painted trees with appliqued hearts with friends name in each heart for a friend. I wanted to make another with words that inspired me printed inside each heart. I just can't stop painting and appliqueing....it is such a happy feeling.

Back to the new book, which doesn't have a name yet but has a working title of Painted and Traditional Applique. It should be released around late summer this year. I teach you about all the different paints, mediums, fabric markers, inks, pencils, dry pigments as well as beautiful photographic tutorials on how to achieve painting and machine applique. There are step by step photos of Machine Applique, making circle and ovals to showcase your beauties and how to use trims.

Dry Pigments add shimmer, sparkle and excitement

And by adding a special elixir, the dry pigments transforms to this.

There is a wealth of knowledge in the book.

Using trims around circles and ovals

Textile Markers to jazz up your painted appliques

The painted applique version

(I can't wait for you to see the whole quilt, I know you'll love it!)

The fabric applique version

There is something for everyone in this book....from whimsical to florals to beautiful flourishes and swirls.

So, what happens when you have a year of life challenges that don't care about a looming book deadline? You work 18 hour days, yes 18! You have dear friends, my mom Gloria, Helen Umstead and Laura Heine that come to your rescue to help you bind quilts. You have cheerleaders in your corner,Charlotte Angotti, Laura Orben, Mom, my Manor House quilting friends, Lynda Hahn and Mickey Depre, Joan Shay and Bonnie Browning calling to make sure I was eating, alive and telling me "You Can Do It" by the deadline!

I obviously could not quilt 25 quilts by myself and still write the book. To the rescue....my longarmers, Lisa Sipes, Karen McTavish and Pamela Joy Dransfeldt.....the most amazing quilting artists I know.

And a call out of the blue, from my dear friend Debbie Caffery who said she would pre-edit the text to make sure everything flowed perfectly for you to read.

Debbie Caffrey pre-editing for me

(Psssst...Debbie is a fine tuned editor and I want to put the buzz in your ear that if you are an aspiring pattern writer or writing a book, she is your go-to girl for pre-editing or editing,

I am really serious about this!)

Debbie would send me to-lists. Not only did she edit, but kept me organized and on task. Poor girl even had to put up with my ADD-ish thought patterns. When I needed a break, or wasn't into writing a particular something at the time it was needed because my brain decided I needed to draw something, she understood.I did lots of drawing and doodles on her to-lists for me.

After all the work she did for me, she told me she can now applique and paint!

Keep tuned in to my blog as I will be showing you some more tidbits and little peaks into what in store for you with the new book and upcoming classes.

I want you to flourish, to enjoy, love and be passionate about what makes you happy.

I want colors to fill up your life, for you to try new things, to get excited about the possibilities that await you.

And some wonderful things that happened to me last year that kept me balanced and humble....