The best kind of email

You know all those patterns you buy at the quilt shop, quilt shows, out of the trunk of a designer's car at a retreat or lecture, etc? You know the quilts that you make from magazine patterns? You know the quilts you started in a workshop with the designer of the pattern or inventor of the technique?

Eventually, if the gods are on your side and the moon is aligned with Saturn and Mercury all at once, you might finish the projects. It might be six months after you discovered the pattern, it might be a decade. The best thing about quilt patterns is there is no expiration date. The fabrics, well, that can be another story, and is a post for another day. But the patterns themselves are timeless.

Where am I going with this weird line of thinking? I am here today to encourage, cajole, tease, and practically beg you to PLEASE for the love of all that is holy in quilting, when your quilt is done and you love it, send a quick photo to the designer to show them what you did with their design. Because there is nothing (other than chocolate, wine, and the first day of school after a long break) we designers love more than seeing that our students, fans, and random quilters who just happened to pick up our pattern in a shop finished one of our designs and checking out what you did with it.

Like this adorable KS baby quilt I found posted on my FB page this morning, made by Marcia Wilkins, fellow guild member and Hottie, that just made my morning complete. I love that she did it using only four pink fabrics total rather than making each "ball" its own scrappy wonderment, which just proves again that we designers expect you to make the pattern the way YOU see fit. Clearly SOMETHING about it appealed to you, and you bought it from us. After that, you are welcome to Burger King it (make it your way) as you see fit.

I was also thrilled to see another version of KS in person last night, made my another guild member and fellow Hottie Barbara Forslind, who pulled me away from the sticky job of preparing bowls of ice cream for our social so I could see it and be wowed. While anything would be better than being covered in caramel sauce from head to toe, it truly was the highlight of my night.

I did once take a class from a fairly well known designer who did happen to mention she really didn't care to see the finished products - she had too much to do to open all those emails. Her diamond shoes must have been too tight too. But I honestly believe she may be the only one. So please please please send us your photos! I for one promise to fawn all over them.