Book Review Blog Tour….AND GIVE AWAY!!

Well it looks like this retired teacher is going ‘Back to School’… CORRECTION.. that’s ‘Back to Charm School’ by Mary Etherington and Connie Tesene of Country Threads!

Today is Day ONE of the ‘Back to Charm School’ Book Review Blog Tour…and lucky ME, I get to be a part of it!! 

Look what came in the mail last Monday…TWO AUTOGRAPHED copies of ‘Back to Charm School’…one for ME and maybe, just maybe…one for YOU!

Before we get to the GIVE AWAY, let me tell you a little bit about ‘Back To Charm School’.

As soon as I pulled this book out of the brown envelope I KNEW I was going to LOVE it…just LOOK at the cover quilt…SCRAPPY goodness!!  I slowly turned the pages and audibly ohhhhed and aahhhhed each project…yup all 20 of them!! …OUT LOUD! The projects range from lovely table toppers to scrappy runners, to wonderful quilts and tree skirts…even the cutest pillow ever! And so beautifully illustrated!!

When I got to this little table topper I KNEW I HAD to make it..RIGHT NOW!!  GORGEOUS!!

I pulled out my charm packs…I only had two choices so the decision was an easy one!!  I went with Primitive Gatherings new line of fabrics called “Seasonal Little Gatherings”.

Now I am going to be honest with you…this project called for making a template and it also called for hand piecing the little honeycomb pieces together…both of which I had NEVER done before.  Hey, if this is a good book, then the proof would be in the pudding…right? 

So I made my template…easy!  Cut out the shapes…easy!  Marked my shapes…easy!!  So far, so good!This is going to be a breeze!!  Machine stitched the rows…done!!

Now came the hand stitching…not so easy!!  BUT thanks to the box labeled ‘Country Know-How’, Mary and Connie talked me through it!!…EASY or should I say EASIER!!  I read it word for word… “Don’t be intimidated by hand sewing…”  Ok I can do THIS!! 

I followed Mary and Connie’s EXCELLENT instructions and this little quilt magically took shape!  Yup…everything matched…and stitch!

I used my applique iron to open the seams…

And before I knew it…these little honeycomb shapes became a little quilt top…

Now in REAL LIFE the green linen border is the same colour as the green  prints inside the quilt…and looks much better..just sayin’…:~)

Yesterday I set out to do the quilting…

…but life got in the way…and I didn’t quite get it finished…but ALMOST!  I still have the right seven honeycombs to quilt before the binding goes on! 

               

Yup…I’m loving my little Honeycombs…and thanks to Mary and Connie for talking me through it!!  I could have NEVER done it without their EXCELLENT instructions!!

           

The projects in ‘Back to Charm School’ are all geared to be made from Charm Packs (hence the title) but  what happens if you don’t have a Charm Pack?  Mary and Connie have thought of EVERYTHING! There is a special section called “Making Do” where they give you the yardage needed to complete each project.  Very clever of them!!  True quilters for sure!

If I had a blue fabric stash hiding under my couch in the 5th Wheel  I would definitely be whipping up this beauty!!  I LOVE this quilt!  But no…this quilt will have to wait until I get home…sigh…

But not to worry…I have lots of other projects to keep me busy until I get home…see my stickies marking future projects…think I’m going to have to get more Charm Packs!! heehee

Thanks SEW much, Mary and Connie for letting me review your book!!  It was totally my pleasure… If you should ever write another book, I hope you will think of me…I would LOVE to do it all over again!!

Now onto the the GIVE AWAY!  Mary and Connie (and Martingale) have generously donated a copy of “Back to Charm School” to be given away to some lucky recipient!!

Rules for the Give Away? Let’s keep it simple!!  Leave a comment!  If you are a follower of this blog, then leave ANOTHER comment saying that you follow and you will get a SECOND chance to win.  Mr. Random Generator will choose the lucky winner on the last day of the Blog Tour…which is Saturday, February 25th

Here is the a list of all the Blog Tour participants!  Hurry over to Maureen’s and see what she has to say about “Back to Charm School”…and enter to win her Give Away!  Just think.. you have ELEVEN chances to win this wonderful book!!

‘Back to Charm School’ Book Review Blog Tour   Participants~

Feb.20~ Maureen Baly                moequiltz.blogspot.com

Feb.20~Paulette Doyle                sweetp-paulette.blogspot.com

Feb. 21~Lori DeJarnatt                humblequilts.blogspot.com

Feb. 21~Jo Kramer                        joscountryjunction.com

Feb. 22~ Sherri McConell               aquiltinglife.blogspot.com

Feb. 22~ Karen Griska                    selvageblog.blogspot.com

Feb.23~ Julie Winkler                    juliekquilts.blogspot.com

Feb.24~ Sarah Craig    confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com

Feb.24~Suzanne Melkoski            coloradolady.blogspot.com

Feb.25~Michelle Marr               mychellem.blogspot.com

Feb.25~ Pat Wys        silverthimbletalk.blogspot.com

Thanks again, Mary and Connie!!  I love your new book…and I love my new Honeycomb quilt…Oh and thanks again for all your help!!  I couldn’t have done it without you!:)

Have a Magical Monday and Happy Quilting!~P