Grand opening

Things have been a little slow over here on the blog recently, mainly because I’ve been busy getting a full-fledged website together, which is now up at www.feeddog.net. I’ll still be posting here on the blog (and I’ll probably still be tinkering with the website for a while), but the website will keep you updated on my Feed Dog Designs patterns, both those in magazines and those available in the new web shop!

Quite some time ago, I promised felt sweets patterns “soon.” Well, later rather than sooner, I’ve finally got a few together. To celebrate the launch of my website, you can get my first Anglo-American Snack Pack pattern free [PDF]! What’s so Anglo-American about it? Because the pattern includes both a British version—a mini jam roll—and an American version, a Swiss cake roll. They use the same pattern pieces but slightly different techniques. Go check ’em out!

If you like the felt rolls, Anglo-American Snack Pack No. 2, with patterns for a Bakewell tart and a snack-cake-style chocolate cupcake, is also available now in my online shop for $3.50.

I’ve done my best to make accurate, complete patterns as well as a straightforward purchase process (using PayPal) on the website, but if anything goes wrong or you have any questions, do let me know at shop [at] feeddog [dot] net. And if you make anything with the patterns, please upload a photo to the Feed Dog Designs pool on Flickr! I’ve got more patterns in the works too, especially quilt patterns, so keep an eye out.

In other news, if you happen to live nearby, my Bird Crossing quilt is hanging up at In Between Stitches in Livermore, California—one of my favorite local quilt shops. Earlier this year they moved into a new space that’s big, bright, and beautiful. Go check them out!

January/Febrary Quilter's Home out

The latest issue of Quilter's Home has been spotted in the wild, so head to your local quilt shop if you'd like to check out my article on killing off lingering UFOs. I'm looking forward to reading about Quiltzillas, McQuilters, and other characters from quiltland....

Update: And thanks to Whip Up for featuring my Transport pillow in their recent What's Quilting post!

Publications

In the furor of sewing curtains, pillows, and other household stuff for the new apartment, I forgot to mention that I've got an article in the current issue of Quilter's Home magazine! It's about putting your fabric stash on a diet. Editor Mark Lipinski does a great job with this fun magazine, so check it out if you haven't already.

Also, Natalie at Craftzine.com just posted on my Card Catalog Quilt—take a look!

The Queen and a stand on spelling

My bathroom is home to a smattering of Queen Elizabeth II paraphernalia. And I've been pondering a quilt using library card catalog cards as blocks. Lo and behold, what did I find in the scrap pile at the library yesterday but cards about the Queen herself? I swiftly snagged the author and subject cards for Lilibet: An Intimate Portrait of Elizabeth II. Bibliographic details and QE2—two of my more peculiar interests merging beautifully.

I saw The Queen this weekend, too. The more I digest it, the better I think it was. And Helen Mirren as a clopping, little old lady of a queen was superb.

All this talk of Her Majesty leads me to something I've been mulling over for a while. I live in America, but I'm also Canadian and have spent much of my life in the UK. I (mostly) grew up using American spellings, but I often feel more at home in a British—or loosely, Commonwealth—style. In general, I adapt the style to the audience, but on the Internet, where are the lines drawn? Need I broadcast American language from my own little corner of the web? I daresay I needn't. So from here forwards, I shall spell things here however I like—and I will likely like British spellings. Perhaps it will look affected (much like the sentence 'I daresay I needn't'), but I think of it as a personal solace from being compelled to use American English the rest of the day. Expect cheques, programmes, colours, and group nouns conjugated as plurals in future. Cheers.

Welcome to my apartment!

There's a story behind everything in my apartment, so I have to warn anyone who comes in to shut me up before I carry on forever. Of course, everyone's too polite to stop me. But on this site, I shall blither to my heart's content about things I've made or bought (usually secondhand) for the apartment—I hope you enjoy it, but I'll try not to be offended if you move along to another part of this vast interweb.