Jittery Turkey gets the most votes!!!!

September 29th, 2009

First off – I apologize to those that may of had a hard time in finding me or couldn’t find me for a few days. I am in the process of having my website professionally designed and I switched newyorkquitler.com to anothe hosting company so I could use it for my new webiste/blog combo………but in the mean time newyorkquilter.com takes you no where!!!! UGH!!!!! Anyway, the direct address to my blog (for the next few days) is: http://maryanneciccotelli.blogspot.com/

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion on naming my Turkey Quilt.

Ann-Christin suggested Jittery Turkey (which received 9 of the 12 votes).

Rose-Marie in Sweden is the winner from those that voted.

Please send me your snail mail address and I will mail you the pattern in November when it is finalized. If you didn’t win, the pattern will be available on my website to purchase.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

What should my name be????

September 22nd, 2009
Thanks to everyone that took the time to share an idea for a name and also embellishing ideas. (Winner info at the end of this post.) Now I need to make a bunch more turkeys to use all the fun ideas. (This is a sample that I made last week. The turkey is just laying on the feathers. I am going to make a different turkey because the body is to close in color to the brown feathers.)Here are the names that were suggested for the Turkey Quilt:
1. Gobble, Gobble
2. Turkey Trot
3. Too Cute to Eat Turkey Quilt
4. Hot & Spicy Tom
5. Jittery Turkey!
6. Pardon Me
7. Mr. SnoodleStill want a chance to win a copy of this pattern?
Leave a comment of which name you like the best! I will choose a winner from the comments left and also the person who suggested the name who gets the most votes will win a free pattern for the turkey also. This contest will run until Monday, Sept. 28 at 6:00 am.As I was marking the applique pieces I wasn’t sure what the red thing hanging off the beak was (even though I was a daughter of a turkey farmer) so I did alittle reasearch. So, here is a little turkey trivia:
The snood hangs off the turkey’s beak and the wattle hangs off the neck / throat area. Both are usually red.

And wanting to give credit for my trivia – here is where I found the answer:
wiki.answers.com
The workshop was GREAT on Saturday with the ladies from Rebecca Reel’s Quilters. I am so sad that my camera’a battery died (shame on me for leaving home without the back-up battery, but sometimes I am lucky to leave home with my head on straight). This group were very creative and I have a whole years worth of 3-D projects to work on. FYI – I also have designed a much easier way to sew the large feathers together.

Now for what you all have been waiting for:

The winner of last week’s contest is: Natierae.

Please send me your address and I will launch this turkey pattern on its flight to you. Estimated deparature date will be at the beginning of November.

Thanks again for all the fun ideas shared last week.

Mary Anne

Posted in Give--a-way, Quilt: Turkey quilt | 11 Comments »

The Creative Juices and Give-a-way!

September 15th, 2009

(The Give-a-way details are at the end of this post. )

This Saturday I am teaching a workshop on making this Turkey quilt. So, I have been spending some time getting ready. Below is one of the samples I experimented with last week. I was alittle off in my drafting and I had to add an additional section to make the circle meet.

(The turkey is actually just a copy of the original quilt.)

The extra sections worked for me but I don’t think that it is a good idea to make a workshop based on a pattern that is incorrect. Over the weekend I had a BRAINSTORM on how to draft the pattern pieces – I am using Word and just rotate one of the lines the amount that I want. This technique is right. Pretty exciting, especially because the pattern is already in my computer and ready to be mass produced.

Now for the turkey – there is one problem, he is bigger than a legal sized piece of paper – how do I handle this?

Well, I scanned my rough drawing in sections

and then used Word to convert it to a line drawing. Sounds pretty simple, but it took most of yesterday to do all of this.


I decided to go the extra mile and also offer a pre-printed kit for the fusible pieces.
(I just need to label the pices t0 make it easier to layout the turkey.)

I am wondering if this would be simple to do in EQ – do you know?

This is great for me since I need to make up a few turkeys in different stages. It is great not to have to trace the pieces each time.

Now for the samples that I have been working on.

I am thinking about some different kinds of embellishments. Any suggestions on what you might use?

There are three rows of Fun Fur (I am telling you because two the of rows hardly show up. This is a great lesson is what the lack of contrast does (or does not do)).

Now for the Give-a-way. I am looking for a name for this pattern. I have been referring to it as Turkey Quilt or Tom the Turkey, but I am sure that someone out there has a much better name for this fun project. Help me with my quest to name my cute turkey pattern and you will be entered into the contest for a free pattern of this turkey. The pattern should be out at the beginning of November.

What more chances to win, here are the ways to increase your odds:

1. Leave a comment for one chance to win .
2. Suggesting a name for the pattern will get you another chance to win.
3. Offer a suggestion(s) on an embellishment will give you another chance.
4. Posting about this Give-a-way on your blog and including a link to your post here in the comment section will give you an additional chance.
The contest will end at midnight Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009.
Due to a requests I am extending the deadline to enter this Give-a-way until Monday morning (9-28-09) 6:00 am (no I am not going to be up at that time to read the last few entries) my time in New York.
Let your creative juices flow and share your ideas here. Thanks in advance!
Next week will be the contest to vote for your favorite name. The person that suggested the name that gets the most votes will also receive a free turkey pattern.
Gobble! Gobble!

Posted in Quilt: Turkey quilt | 13 Comments »

9-11 Remembered

September 11th, 2009

Today is cloudy and rainy, not at all like the beautiful clear blue sky that we were experiencing here in New York eight years ago today. As I reflect on the events of that day I am reminded of my love for my family and the great pride I feel to be a part of such a great country. I wonder what has happened to those families that lost someone because of that day. I hope and pray that time has healed them in some way and they have been able to find happiness. I especially wonder about those 10 families in Pelham that inspired me to spear head an effort to make a quilt for each of them and many others in the Westchester New York area.
If you are new to my blog you can read about this project on my post from last year.
I just watch a video – Finding Hope – that Mormon church posted it on You Tube. I just finished watching it and was very touched. Enjoy.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Past Projects

September 10th, 2009

I have been spending ALOT of time gathering, cropping and adjusting photos to prepare them for the galleries on my new website. When I did my website in 2006 my daughters were looking forward to me having a very inclusive gallery. Well – that never happened. It was something that I was always going to do, but it never got done. So, now I am getting the photos ready so it will get done. Needless to say, I don’t have anyting new to show you so I thought I would go back and share a couple of projects that I have not shared before.

This first quilt was made for Pres. & Sis. Jackson after their move to Utah. He purchased the border fabric when he was a 19 year old missionary serving in a foreign country. While Pres. Jackson and his wife were packing to move he decided that he had been hauling around this fabric for too many years and it was time to give it to someone that would actually use the fabric. Thus – the fabric came to my home. I decided to use it to make a quilt for he and his wife as a thank you from our stake for all they had done for the church in the Westchester/Bronx New York area.

Here we are all set-up ready for Stake members to sign the quilt.
(Of course, the Queen of PROJECTS (this is the title my daughters gave me at the QQQ Birthday party) is still working on the binding.)

Stake members signing the quilt down at the Kingsbridge building.

Thank heavens for labels because now I can remember which year I made this quilt.

Pres. & Sis. Jackson in front of their quilt.

I had a bunch of pieces leftover and I didn’t want them left hanging around (which I still have a few pieces doing that in my studio) so here is the FUN BACK that used alot of those scraps.

The next quilt is “We Love Kristin”
Kristin was a member of our Relief Society at church and she was going through a very difficult time so we (the Relief Society) decided to make her a wallhanging.
I had just discoverd folded hexagons so I used them for the flowers on this wallhanging.
Above is the front of the quilt.

Many of the sister signed squares that I incorporated on the back of the wallhaning. I did a hidden rod pocket so that the wallhaning could be hung on either side.
Again, another very fun back.
(Can you see a lecture developing here? Fun Backs – Going the Extra Mile.)

I used one of the squares for the label.

Hope your enjoyed a little stroll with me down memory lane.

Posted in Quilts | No Comments »

This post is for my Grandkids!!!!!!

September 7th, 2009

Tom and I had a GREAT time at Disney World. We went for a long weekend (not nearly enough time). This was MY FIRST visit there. I hope that none of my grandchildren (or kids) have to wait until they are over 50 years old for their 1st visit. Since this post is mainly for my Grandkids and none of them know how to read – we will go with “A picture is worth a 1,000 words”. Enjoy!!!!

Since we were there for such a short time we only went to the Magic Kingdom, which means that there are alot more adventures awaiting me on my next visit!

I can’t WAIT to go to Disney World with my grandkids! I think that will make it even FUNNER! (I don’t think this is a word, but I that’s okay – you know what I mean.)

Posted in Vacation | 3 Comments »

More vacation pictures

September 7th, 2009

Tom took a ride in this helium balloon.

Here is Tom at 400′ looking around Disney World.

There was a really cool Lego store and lots of different things made from Legos (someone is as (or maybe even more) obsessed with Legos as I am with folded Hexagons).

Posted in Vacation | 1 Comment »

Why Flordia????

September 7th, 2009
A couple of years ago we purchased these vacations from this marketing group (who were selling vacations to timeshare locations) – and time was running out before we lost one of the vacations. Since I had never been to Disney World we decided that this would be a great place to go (and it WAS). We had upgraded our package so we actually stayed at the resort (and take the 1 1/2 hour tour).
There were some amazing birds around. Fun to see.

This shot is from our bedroom window.

Also from our bedroom window – we had a great location.
The one of the best things about the location was – that the Space Shuttle was launched while we were in Florida.

That trail of light was created by the space shuttle (and Tom’s photography).

(This was also taken from our bedroom window – prime viewing location.)

Posted in Vacation | 2 Comments »

And the Winner is………

September 5th, 2009

Debbie said…
It’s so nice that you had so much fun with your students this summer, Mary Ann. I love statistics, LOL! Those critters are so cute. Please count me in. Thanks.

Please send me your address and your Critters will be on their way.

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to stop by and visit. Keep watching my blog for more give-a-ways. There will be a very special one in a month or so when I introduce my newly designed website. Take care and I hope to get back to quilting soon. I have been doing alot of behind the screen work for my newly designed site.

Posted in Give--a-way | 2 Comments »

Summer Camp Wrap Up and FREE Giveaway

August 27th, 2009
Bean Bag Critters


I thought it would be interesting to put some statistics together of what my students have accomplished this summer during the sewing camps.
9 weeks of camp = 36 days of camp
750 Total hours of sewing
Approx. 300 ice pops consumed during popcicle break
243 Total projects completed!!!!!

Summary of project:

Clothing items:
2 Belts
5 Blouses
2 Fleece Ponchos
2 Headbands
1 Peasant Nightgown
7 PJ Pants
11 Skirts
1 Pair of Slippers
1 T-shirt
1 Vest

Quilts:
19 Chenille Quilts
3 Oversized quilts
2 Pieced blankets

Pillows & decorator items:
10 Appliqued pillows
9 Balls
5 Big Foot Pillows
1 Hexapillow
11 My First Quilts
6 Oversized pillows
12 Pillowcases
29 Pillows

Purses/Bags:
17 Drawstring Bag
3 Notions bag
1 Designer purse
1 Oversized Hexabag
2 Purses
9 Wheelchair Bags

Craft projects:
6 American Girl Doll Outfits
4Bean Bag Critter – Bug
3 Bean Bag Critter – Crab
2 Bean Bag Critter – Fish
5 Bean Bag Critter – Octopuses

5 Bean Bag Critter – Turtle
6 Build a Bear Outfits
2 Butterfly or Bee
2 Cats
4 Doll Bankets
5 Fleece Bears
1 Frog
3 Misc. projects
2 Oversized postcards
5 Penguins
4 Postcard
3 Rabbit
3 Scrunchies
3 Snakes
1 Stuffed animal
1 Wallet
WOW – no wonder I am ready for a break. Tom and I are off to Disney World for a long week-end.
This contest is over – visit often for more contest in the near future.
Thanks to all those that participated!!!!!!
Now for the Free Give-a-way
Remember the Bean Bag Critters pictured at the beginning of this post?

By leaving a comment your name will be entered into the drawing for a set of the Bean Bag Critter kits. You have until Midnight on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009. The winner will be choosen on Saturday, September 5.
Good luck and thanks for playing along!

Posted in Students (Children) | 12 Comments »

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