Category Archives: quilting

Frayed Edges: A Quilting Cozy by Carol Dean Jones

In this twelfth installment of a Quilting Cozy series, excitement grows as the Tuesday Night Quilters plan an antique quilt show. But things go terribly wrong. Sarah and Sophie again throw themselves into the middle of the investigation, but this time Sarah finds herself in real danger. As always, Sarah and her retirement village cohorts offer fun, mystery, and lots of quilting.

This is the final book in the Quilting Cozy series by Carol Dean Jones. It has been a fun series to write, and I’ve been told it is fun to read. As a cozy, it offers a light mystery but with no visible violence or objectionable language. The focus is on the relationships among the characters who are residents of an active retirement community. The characters are in their seventies and eighties, a real treat for those of us who sometimes feel left out of the fictional character world.

For the quilters, this series includes the pattern for the quilt on the cover of each book. In most books, the characters are also making the quilt as part of the storyline.

This past spring, I attended a local quilt retreat and was surprised to see that the quilter at the next table was piecing something very familiar. It turned out she was making the cover quilt from Frayed Edges! I regret that I didn’t take pictures of all the pieces as she cut and organized them, but I did receive a picture of the finished quilt (below).

This quilt looks very complicated, but once you catch on to the pattern, it’s primarily a matter of correctly arranging two blocks: a four-patch and a solid block with two snowball corners. The challenge is in the placement!

The quilter sent me a picture of her finished quilt top, which is awaiting quilting, and I wanted to share it with you.

My quilting friend did a beautiful job of making this quilt. I love her choice of fabrics, color arrangement, and her attention to detail. This will be a family heirloom one day! It also gives me great pleasure to see my quilt being made by one of my readers.

One of my quilting friends made the Rescue Quilt wall hanging and displays the Rescue Quilt book on a table by the wallhanging. She gets many comments!

I wonder how many others have followed the patterns in the back of each book in the series? I would love to hear from you (QuiltingCozy@gmail.com) and send pictures if possible. I’ll do a blog featuring all of them!

Here are a few examples of cover quilts, and each includes the patterns at the end of the book.

And to encourage others to consider making this quilt, I am offering a free signed copy of Frayed Edges, a Quilting Cozy, to five followers of the blog who leave a comment below. Names will be randomly chosen using the Random Number Generator, and the drawing will be in two weeks: Friday, September 23rd. If you received this blog automatically, you are already a follower, but if you saw it on Facebook or other social media, be sure to sign up as a follower, as only followers are eligible for the drawing.

My very best wishes to all my readers and followers. I hope you had a terrific (and healthy) summer.

Carol

FREE BOOKS – Books #1-2 of A Quilting Cozy by Carol Dean Jones

FREE TO THREE WINNERS

Books #1 (Tie Died) and #2 (Running Stitches) of the 12-book Quilting Cozy series will be signed by the author and sent to the three winners. The drawing will be held on May 18, 2022 using a random number generator.

To enter the drawing, you must be a follower of the blog and leave a comment below. (If you are not already a follower of this blog, be sure you sign up.) Your comment need only state that you want to be included in the drawing, but I love to hear from you and what you’ve been doing.

I want to welcome all our new followers. If you are new to A Quilting Cozy series, this is a 12-book series that takes place in an active retirement community in the mid-West. Sarah and her retired cohorts enjoy quilting, friendship, and the occasional murder!

Amazon is now offering the first 11 books in the series on Kindle Unlimited where they are free to members but they are also offered by Amazon for purchase in ebook or print formats. These books are published by C&T Publishing.

Please don’t forget there is a 12th book, Frayed Edges, released last summer. (You will find places on Amazon where this is referred to as an 11-book series and that is not correct. Hopefully, they will correct that mistake soon.)

For those of you who have read the series, you might like to enter the drawing anyway. These signed books make great gifts for your friends.

I hope everyone is doing well. I’m leaving for a quilt retreat tomorrow, so am making this brief.

My very best to everyone. I look forward to reading your comments.

Carol

A Quilting Cozy Series – Now Available on Kindle Unlimited

The first eleven books of this series are now available on Kindle Unlimited which means if you sign up for Kindle Unlimited on Amazon, you will get the ebooks at no cost beyond the membership fee! This has not yet been extended to the last book in the series (Frayed Edges, A Quilting Cozy, Book 12) but the publisher is working on that.

Also, Amazon is erroneously listing the first eleven books as part of an “11-book series” and this is not correct. There are 12 books in the series and Book #12, Frayed Edges, is on Amazon just not included in the count. I have heard from many readers saying they have just read Book 11 and they hope I’m writing more so I’m hoping to reach those people so they will know there is a Book 12, Frayed Edges.

Okay, with that out of the way – It’s finally springtime at least here in the United States. I’m in West Virginia and the leaves are beginning to come out and my Red Bud is in full bloom. The blossoms took a beating in a surprise snowstorm a couple of days ago. Red Buds are very common in West Virginia and can be seen in the early spring along every winding country road. Story goes that early settlers used the presence of Red Buds as an indication that the area had excellent soil.

And it’s time to begin spring cleanup in the yard and the house. I’m planning to do Spring House Cleaning next week. Yes, I know that’s out of date, but I’m in my 80s and we older (and more traditional) folks still do things like that. I believe, at least in my family, it was necessary during the thirties and forties because of the coal-burning furnaces. Spring was spent clearing away the soot that had accumulated in hidden corners and particular on the wallpaper (yes, wallpaper! remember, I’m old). My grandmother and I would clean the walls with this rubbery stuff which was like silly putty. I was responsible for the bottom two feet! (I was young then!).

I have been making baby quilts for an outreach program in our county. It’s called YoungLives and is directed toward pregnant teenagers and young mothers. One focus is for trained mentors to encourage and help them stay in school and also to provide training in parenting skills and help these ‘children’ transition into parenthood. So far, I’ve made a couple dozen baby quilts and will include more pictures in my next blog.

I want to welcome all our new followers! Pat Sloan has very kindly shared my books with her followers and I have heard from many of you that they are enjoying the series. Thank you, Pat! And welcome newcomers.

I also want to encourage my new followers (and everyone else) to continue leaving a message under ‘Comments’ below or writing to me at QuiltingCozy@gmail.com. I’d love to see pictures of your quilts or other crafts, or simply hear what you’ve been doing. I hope the addition of my series to Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited makes it possible for more people to read the books.

My very best wishes to everyone,

Carol Dean

Deana’s Comfy Quilts

Since I was staying home during the pandemic and since I had all the quilts I could use in my house or give away to my kids, I decided to make baby quilts to pass the time. I did a blog somewhere along the way and shared some of those quilts with you and asked if you had any suggestions as to what I could do with this rapidly growing pile of quilts.

You gave me some great idea. I have given some to friends as gifts, donated some to groups serving children, and passed some to organizations such as the local Volunteer Fire Department to be used as fund raisers. Then I began looking into outlets for selling some of them (considering I’m still making them and the pile is still growing).

I tried having a table at several craft shows, but I found at my age (83) it was difficult physically. I will continue to attend a few local ones, but I needed a different venue.

I looked into putting them on Etsy but there were already hundreds of baby quilts listed. A friend who sells concrete animal statues (ItsConcrete) told me about Bonanza. Bonanza is similar in concept to Etsy but is newer and certainly not as well known. But their concept is simple: Just open a shop and don’t pay anything until you sell and then you pay them a percentage. I decided to give it a try.

So here I am: Deana’s Comfy Quilts.

Please take a look. Now, I know that many of my readers and followers are quilters themselves but I’m asking you to please help me spread the word. If you know any one planning to attend a baby shower or who is about to become a grandmother or just needs a little quilt please send them this link.

https://www.bonanza.com/booths/Deana2424

I have broadened the category from just baby quilts because I discovered that these little quilts (approx. 38″x48″) are great as lap robes as well. I use one on my recliner watching television and a friend’s husband is using one over his knees in his wheelchair. Once I realized this broader use, I have added patterns and fabrics more appropriate for adults.

When I was selling at a craft fair last year, a shopper bought one to be used as a wall hanging and I added that category as well.

I only have eight of my quilts posted on Bonanza at this time, but I have more to add within the next few weeks. Thank you for taking a look and please let me know if you have any suggestions.

I would love to know what folks have been working on and if you’ve had a chance to read #12 (Frayed Edges) of the Quilting Cozy series, I’d love to hear from you. I’ve had lots of requests that I continue the series. You aren’t getting tired of them? Maybe I should start a new series instead? Let me know what you think. Leave a message below or drop me an email at QuiltingCozy@gmail.com. I love hearing from you.

Don’t forget to stop by my shop on Bonanza: Deana’s Comfy Quilts

Thank you for spending time with me today.

Carol Dean (And “Deana” was the nickname my grandfather gave me 80-some years ago).

Frayed Edges: A Quilting Cozy (Book 12)

The 12th book in the Quilting Cozy series will be released in a couple of weeks (June 25th) and is available for pre-order on C&T-Publishing’s-website, and on Amazon in print and eBook format. It will also be available at books stores and quilt shops around the country.

Because it is being released this month, C&T asked me to provide a narrative for their June blog. I thought, as followers of my blog, you might like to read it. It will tell you about the new book and, if you are new to the series, it will give you an overview of my Quilting Cozy mystery series. (See link below.)

Stay tuned for information about the 2-book give-away (with 5 winners!) which will appear in my blog the same day the new book is released: June 25, 2021.

My very best wishes to all my followers.

Carol

Click here to read the blog I wrote for C&T’s June newsletter

QUILTS FOR BABY & TODDLER

It’s been almost a year since we bought that first supply of toilet paper and disinfectant while hoping we bought enough to last a few months. Who would have thought we’d be using that disinfectant and wearing masks a year later.

We’ve learned a great deal since that day nearly a year ago and our lives are changed in many ways. Regretfully, some have lost loved ones and we pray for them and their families. Some struggle to pay the mortgage having lost jobs and businesses. Many are unable to visit their relatives, particularly the elderly ones, while others find themselves spending more time at home with their family. Board games have been pulled out of the closet, families rediscover the joy of eating meals together, and we’ve learned how pleasant a simple walk can be. Our lives are forever changed.

I knew I’d be homebound for the duration and would need a way to spend my time and I thought about baby quilts. They are small projects and offer opportunity to try out patterns and new skills. For example, just last night I hemmed my first quilt successfully by machine (after numerous unsuccessful attempts). When you look at the pictures you will see some with lovely intricate quilting patterns and I’ll have to admit that all of those went out to my friend and long-arm quilter. I just can’t seem to get free-motion quilting no matter how many YouTubes I watch!

I thought one of the advantages of this project would be making a dent in my stash. But as it turned out, I ended up ADDING to my stash instead of reducing it. I explored all of my favorite online fabric stores for child-friendly fabrics and found dozens that I couldn’t resist. So I will stop rambling now and show you some of the results of my past year in the quilt room:

This is one of my early straight line quilting. I got better with time — still waiting for the learning curve to kick in.

The next three are flannel, front and back. Incredibly soft.

Then I started thinking about the slightly older child who was watching all these gifts coming in for the new baby and it occurred to me that I should offer something for that child. Thus the ‘I Spy’ collection (which has turned out to be the most fun of all!) Friends jumped right in to help me by giving me piles of scraps with pictures for my I Spy blocks.

I’m using this fabric on the back of all the I Spy quilts just for a little added interest. Of course, being a repeating design, Washington state appears just SOUTH of Arizona, but that will be a teacher’s problem to resolve some day.

I still don’t know what I’m going to do with these quilts. I have about twenty-five at this point. I was going to open an Etsy shop but quilts lose so much of their charm in photos. Quilts need to be touched and fondled. Some of the ones above are flannel and are so-o-o soft. I think I would like to try having a table at a craft show once it’s safe to be out in the world.

If anyone knows how I can accept credit cards at a craft table, please drop me a line at QuiltingCozy@gmail.com and let me know. I see lots of ads but don’t have any idea how to decide what would be best for the few and intermittent sales I would be making. Your personal experience would be appreciated.

These may well end up being donations. As long as they end up wrapped around a baby, I’ll be happy.

Take care, my dear friends. Be safe and keep quilting (or reading). If you haven’t signed up for the full set drawing, please go back to the previous blog and sign up. Comments on this blog don’t get counted for the drawing but I hope you’ll leave comments here too. As you know, I love hearing from each and every one of you! Best wishes to all. Carol

SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR

SPECIAL NOTICE: Bernie of Needle & Foot is offering Quilting Cozy books (signed by the author, Carol Dean Jones) at the Black Friday Sale Price of $11.89 with Free Shipping. Hurry over to her website to take advantage of this excellent price.

The Needle & Foot website is currently carrying signed copies of the books from the Quilting Cozy series. You can purchase them from Needle & Foot not only at a lower price than most other outlets, but they are signed by the author!

I also encourage you to scroll around the Needle & Foot website. In addition to the books, she carries a wide selection of high quality fabric, fun notions, handmade wooden magnetic pin bowls, and unique quilt patterns. This is a five-star Etsy shop which values quality and customer service. I was delighted when asked to provide signed books for their customers.

Take care everyone and please visit Needle & Foot even if you aren’t looking for my books. You’ll be amazed!

Best wishes, Carol