WINNERS!!!!

 I hope that you are all having a quiet and peaceful Memorial Day!  Gene and I spent the morning walking around Balboa Park (a wonderful park near the San Diego Zoo)....and when we got home decided we should take care of the drawing....I wrote everyone's name on a slip of paper (over 60 of you!)....You can see them above!

                             ....and then I had Gene cover his eyes......

                                    ......see what a good job he did!

 .......and he picked   MARY CALTON!    She was actually the first person to comment.  What are the chances of that!

 ......then he said ....but look at all these names....and he picked another one...."Lettielulu"

Thanks to everyone for your great comments and I am sorry that all of you couldn't win.  I will send the 2 books out as soon as I get addresses for both of you.  Send them to my email at jampatterns@cox.net 

           I had best run....Gene just called our sons and their families and invited them over for a spur of the moment bar-b-que......:)))   My best to you all.....Jo Ann

Quilt Market

 Everytime I go to market I promise myself that I will take photos of everything....and then I get there and I am so busy setting up that I totally forget to. .......but I did take these two right before the opening on the first day.  Above is Kathy Cardiff's booth.  We were right next to each other again....

.......and here is my booth.....Showing off the projects from my new book, Folk Branches.  I would like to share them with one of you too....So if you comment on this blog I will put your name in a drawing and choose someone to get a free copy of the book.  Be sure to comment by Sunday, May 27th.  

     The market was full of fun new fabrics and patterns.  When you have a booth you don't get to see much....but Kathy and Sharon visited all of the vendors and have ordered some great things for the Loft.  If you live in the area be sure to come to the Market Party at the store on June 1st from 4 to 7 and you will be among the first to be able to buy some of their new finds!

      Don't forget to leave your name on my blog for a chance to win a copy of Folk Branches!

Class Samples

 My bags are packed for Quilt Market and the last thing I had to do was finish my samples for the Summer Class Schedule at The Country Loft.....Here they are....Annie's Crow.......

Just Annie....a simple small Annie for the last of Summer Nights at the Loft .....

.......and Crow's Pumpkin....a stitchery I am teaching at the end of August....(with a little wool thrown in)......My first class is Fall Branch and I previewed it a few weeks ago. 

      It is such a good feeling to have them hanging in the classroom....and the patterns are done too!

      Kathy and I fly out tomorrow morning and then the fun begins at The Convention Center.  My furniture will be delivered on Thursday morning and the boxes full of books and props are all waiting for us at the hotel.....We are checking 5 bags full of samples and dolls to sell.....We don't exactly travel light....except for clothes....Kathy and I have stuffed everything in two carry-ons (my sister is so great to put up with this....:))))  Kansas City here we come!!!!

Book Signing at The Country Loft

Last Saturday, The Country Loft hosted a signing of my new book, Folk Branches.  It was a beautiful day and my mom was on hand for the festivities.....

Not only was she there, but my new granddaughter Lianna also came (here she is with her mom, Lydia)....so the oldest and youngest members of our family were there...and everyone was excited to see them....

 
 My sister Kathy set up the table in the back yard with all the projects from the book.  I had previewed some of them with my classes, but most were a surprise!

 My friend, Kathy Cardiff came by for a few minutes....she is so busy getting ready for market and a her son's wedding on May 26th that I am surprised she has any time to spare!

......and as a special treat, my sister Marlene was there from Washington.  She came to spend Mother's Day with Mom, but I was so glad the timing was right for her to be at the signing too!  Here is Mom with 3 of her 6 kids.....

  
She was having a great time soaking up the San Diego sun and just hanging out with Mom.

It was a great day with visits from lots of old friends and meeting some new ones.  Thanks to everyone who came.......Jo Ann

Granddaughters

This week I started thinking about making a quilt for our newest granddaughter Lianna Megan.....I am thinking that I will need something to stitch on the plane to Kansas City......and I am playing with an idea that uses flowers and butterflies......

.The other day her mom sent me this picture of her......I don't know if it goes with the name, but she sucks the same two fingers that her Aunt Megan did!

 John sent me this photo of Sophie the other night....It had been a warm day in Portland on Sunday and she really got into her ice cream.....:)....and just so you don't think she is always  all covered with chocolate....here she is all ready for ballet......all dressed up in her tutu....

 
......and here is Alana....my oldest granddaughter.  She  already is sewing...has her own 3/4 machine....and LOVES it.  She just couldn't wait to visit Lianna in the hospital. I think she is wondering if 9 is old enough to babysit....:)))

      I feel so lucky that 5 of my 7 grandchildren are in San Diego ......and a little spoiled too.

           Happy Mom's Day to all of you out there....Hugs....Jo Ann

 

Getting ready for Market

 On Friday four of my friends from classes at the Loft came over to help tie JAM tags on my market giveaway.....They made quick work of the 500 twig pencils I ordered....Patty, Beth, Karen and Susy were speed demons!

   
  In no time at all they had all of the pencils tagged, boxed and ready to go!  ...and we had a great time...thanks you guys.  You are the best!

 ......then today I went over to my sister Kathy's home and we tagged dolls...I will be selling JAM originals at Sample Spree.....they all have patterns to go with them too....but I just have so many dolls that I thought some stores out there could use them!  They are the ones I made when I designed the patterns.....Kathy had taken them home and made sure that they had not been too well loved when I taught them at the Loft!

 Thirty different ones have snuck into our suitcases...all different shapes and sizes.........

     
 They are priced to sell and will be waiting to go home with someone new.....After all they know all about this house already!

It is starting to feel like things are taking shape for Market....Now I need to make my class samples for the Loft's summer schedule.  It has been out for a few weeks and I have just come up with some ideas for the new dolls....and the stitchery is almost done!

    It was beautiful in San Diego this weekend.  The sun is shining...but it is not HOT!  Hope you had great weather wherever you are!     Jo Ann

Folk Branches

Last week I spent several hours with the printers making decisions about the photos in Folk Branches.....This is the cover!  Picking a color for the cover is like picking out a color for your home.....When you look at those paint chips it looks wonderful.....but then when you see the color spread all over you wonder what you were thinking!  This cover went through 3 different colors before I finally made a decision....it was like Goldilocks...one was too light....one too dark....and then I decided this one was just right.

   If you are in La Mesa on May 12th you can be one of the first ones to get Folk Branches.  There will be a book signing from 10 to 12.....If you can't come just let Kathy know you want one and I can sign it for you anyway.  It will be hot off the presses!

      Yesterday my mom and two of my sister in laws came over to fold patterns .....and today 4 of my friends who take classes at the Loft came to tie JAM signs on my give-aways for Quilt Market....Things are coming together.  The boxes have to be shipped by next week in order to get to Kansas City on time...It feels like we are keeping right on track.

     Hope you have a great weekend planned.....Jo Ann

Easter Vines

The other day Nancy Donahue came by with her version of my Easter Vines table runner.  

 I taught this as a class a few months ago.  I don't ofter work in pastels....but Easter just calls for them.  I thought you would like to see all the changes she made by decorating her eggs and stitching vines between them.....Isn't it great!  I love when people take something I have designed and add their own take on it!

Speaking of Easter....there are still bunnies up in my house and I think that they will going back in the attic to live until next spring.....We have a family of real bunnies that have taken up residence behind our hedge and we are really enjoying seeing them in the yard each morning....I am not a gardener, so they have no yummy vegetables or flowers to eat here!

       It is overcast today with a light mist...typical May weather in San Diego......and perfect to be in the attic.....so I best get busy before I talk myself out of redecorating........