What’s New With Kellyquilter...

Isn’t it interesting how our preferences morph over time?  When I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I’d happily set my alarm for the wee hours of Friday-after-Thanksgiving to stand in line for some coveted item offered for a “nearly-too-good-to-be-true” price!  Open at 4:00 am?  No problem!  I’m there!  Freezing rain and 40-mile-an-hour winds?  No biggie!  Masses of humanity shoving, pushing, trampling???  Bring it on!!  I am woman!  I am invincible!!! Then, in my 40’s (and beyond), I decided:  no way!  I’d much rather be snuggled up in my warm bed – at least until 6:00 am –  than brave Read More

  I am very excited about the debut of my Craftsy class;  Piece Any Project:  Conquering Challenging Seams!!  You can see the trailer for my class here (copy and paste to your browser): www.craftsy.com/ext/KellyAshton_6831_H When you sign up for my class using this link, you will get my class for half-price!!  Such a deal!!  

After what feels like a really long time (in actuality, it’s been only a few months) I can talk a little more about something that I’m very excited about:  I filmed (taped? recorded? – what is the right term these days??) a class for Craftsy, and my class will launch very soon!!!  My class, Piece Any Project:  Conquer Challenging Seams, was SO much fun to do!!!  Everyone I worked with at Craftsy was – and is – absolutely amazing!!!  True professionals who are also a LOT of fun to be around!!  This has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of Read More

I have a confession to make:  I am polyamorous in my relationships with……………….. my sewing machines.  Yes, “s”.  One is simply not enough!  I LOVE my BERNINAs!!  I love each and every one for the unique individual that it is! First, there’s my 1130.  “Old faithful”.  It’s been around the block many times.  It had a prior home before it came to my house.  It has stories to tell.  It came “seasoned”.  It doesn’t have as many tricks up its sleeve as some of my newer BERNINAs, but what it does, it does to perfection!  I turn to my 1130 when Read More

If you love blocks-of-the-month, and if you love FREE STUFF, then this is the deal for you!!  You can download Kellyquilter Designs FREE Mystery Block every month for free!  The program began July 1, 2015.  Every month, there is a FREE downloadable block pattern.  When the month is over, the completed month’s block moves into the store (it’ll then cost you $5.00 for the “old” pattern) and the new month’s block will be FREE and downloadable.  These are BIG blocks, folks!  Pieced hexagons with 8″ finished side lengths!  That means, when this BOM is finished, you will have a decent-sized quilt top:  Read More

Why hexagon quilt patterns? Even before I began making quilts, I was fascinated with hexagons.  My grandmother made a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt long before I was born, hoping she would have a granddaughter to pass it to.  I was shown the quilt when I was a little girl, knowing that it would someday be mine.  I’ve loved hexagons ever since! When I began making quilts, my intrigue surrounding hexagons and related shapes grew. It was a personal goal of mine to master the art of the hexagon.  And, mastery didn’t take long!!  Adding hexagons (and other 60-degree shapes) and hexagon quilt patterns to your Read More

Interesting realization: different persons can have the same name! OK, I knew that intellectually. I hadn’t given it much thought, though, personally. Until now. One morning many years ago, I was dropping off my younger son at grade school. Another mother approached me, touting a huge grin. “Guess what?”, queried she. “What?”, I replied. “I just heard a radio interview with someone named Kelly Ashton……………………….and she’s a porn star!” (Insert here: roaring laughter from the informant.) First, I don’t know whether or not this other Kelly Ashton is really an adult film diva. I do know, at the very least, Read More

Quite often, I hear quilt makers discussing the issue of whether or not to pre-wash their fabrics.  Actually,occasionally I hear discussions.  Often, I hear fiercely impassioned debates on this issue!  🙂  Far be it from me to judge another quilter’s decision on this touchy subject.  I think every quilt maker must do her / his due diligence on the matter, and arrive at their own conclusions.  However, I will share with you my journey and the approach that I have adopted. Once upon a time (no need to divulge just how long ago it was!), I was a student in Read More

As you most certainly surmised from the early portion of my last post, my book proposal did, indeed, get accepted!  “Thrilled” doesn’t even begin to describe the emotion I felt when I received the notification!  Ecstatic, excited, elated, delighted, overjoyed,  euphoric, exhilarated, and blissful were some of the emotions that I was feeling.  I was going to write a book!  Wow, I was going to write a book!!!!!!  I was going to WRITE a BOOK!!!!!  Holy cow!!!  Now, I really HAD to WRITE A BOOK!!!!  Elation quickly turned to terror (picture me hyperventilating). All of the aforementioned positive emotions continued Read More

Sometimes, life gets in the way of all the things we wish to do.  Even when the “life” part is really, really good, there are still only 24 hours in a day, and part of those 24 hours must be devoted to sleep.  The older I get, the more of the “s” word I require.  A simple fact of my life! I’m delighted to get back to my blog!  I look forward to this being a very regular part of my routine (as though I have a routine!).  Actually, I’m looking forward to developing a routine, and blogging will most certainly Read More