Category Archives: books

The Future of Quilting Books and Magazines

books 6 Comments
In the United States, we have seen the demise of the daily newspaper in many areas of our country.  With online and televised news, fewer people see the need to purchase a daily paper.  I know in our own home, we have dropped our local paper (The Flint Journal) and only subscribe to one newspaper (The Detroit Free Press).  But the Detroit Free Press is no longer a daily paper!  It provides subscriptions for home delivery on Thursday, Friday and Sunday, and offers a paid online subscription the other days.  How has this trend to reduce the printed word to an online or electronic version affected quilters?

I did a search on Google for “eBooks quilting” which took me to a Google list of over 10 pages of items.  At the top of the list is Amazon.com with Quilts & Quilting: Kindle eBooks. Many of these books are books by Jennifer Chiaverini (whom I adore) and her Elm Creek Quilts novels.  But there are also many books that are how-to books with patterns which makes me wonder…  would you buy a book for your Kindle or Nook (or iPad /tablet) that had patterns in it?

 

Do you find yourself purchasing as many new quilting books as you used to?  How about magazines (that you can hold in your hand)? Personally, I only subscribe to one quilt magazine now, whereas 20 years ago, I had four subscriptions. The large number of online sites, blogs, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. fulfills my need to look at quilts ‘til “the cows come home.”  I would rather spend my money on fabric than on paper products.

 

What are your thoughts on the subject?  Chime in and leave a comment below.  I’m anxious to learn what you are thinking!



Published by Caron Mosey at Michigan Quilts! 2013.
Visit Michigan Quilts on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/119294870401/

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

30 Things: Number 16

books, Contemporary Quilts, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post 1 Comment

 

16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

  1. Wedd-1076My son Sean (right)
  2. My son Loren (left)
  3. Book #1:  America’s Pictorial Quilts, published by American Quilter’s Society
  4. Book #2:  Comtemporary Quilts From Traditional Design, published by E.P. Dutton
  5. Specialist degree in Educational Leadership Ed.S.  from Eastern Michigan University

 

 

 

 

AmericasPictorialQuilts ContemporaryQuilts
Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Thank you, readers, with a GIVEAWAY!

books, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post 30 Comments

A big thank you to all my readers for reading and supporting this quilting blog.  I love writing and sharing about quilts, and appreciate you being there to follow what has been going on in my world.

As a special thank you, I’m hosting a giveaway of my second book “Contemporary Quilts From Traditional Designs. I don’t like blogs that make you jump through hoops to win something, so just leave a comment and say hello, and you’ll be included in the drawing on February 1st.  It doesn’t matter where you live, as long as you’re on our planet.  Passing the word along to your friends would be appreciated as well, but I’m not going to hire the blog police to make sure you do.

ContemporaryQuilts

Thanks, also, to Annemart for her great article on me.  I’m blushing…

So leave a comment, then go quilt something.  By hand, please.

Hands1

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Happy New Year from Michigan Quilts!

books, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, owls 4 Comments

HNY

 

The last time we partied on New Year’s Eve was when my son Sean and his wife were married.  It was the best party we ever had on that festive night, and we really enjoyed ourselves.  My parents were also married on New Year’s Eve, though I was not there.  My son Loren’s wife was born on December 31st, so for our family, we have many reasons to celebrate.

So in honor of the occasion, my husband and I were asleep in bed by 10 PM Michigan time. I figure the new year will get here whether I stay up late or not, so I opted for then not.  And the Woodworker can snore on the couch or bed, so he was good with it.  Happy New Year!

Santa was very good to me this year, as always.  Santa knew about my list, of course, which I posted on Celebrate Hand Quilting. He supplied me with my favorite fabrics from the Moda Etchings line…

 m406125m406316m406416m406726

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love my new iPhone and downloaded the Robert Kaufman quilting app.

Reasons-for-Quilts-CoverTSanta slipped me some mad money, and I bought the book Reasons for Quilts by Edyta Sitar.   Love, love love this book!

As long as I’m mentioning quilt books, to go along with the Occupy movements and the BUY AMERICAN philosophy (for those of you reading this who are from U.S.A.), please, whenever possible, purchase quilt books directly from the author.  Quilt writers put SO much time and effort into their books, and their royalty payments really don’t compensate for their hard work (writing, designing, making patterns, creating directions, etc.).  When you buy directly from the author, you’re compensating them more for their work which will keep them writing more.  It’s like the philosophy behind supporting your local quilt shop (LQS).  So if you want Edyta’s book (which I think you will), please go here to get it:  http://www.laundrybasketquilts.com/Shop/shopindex.htm .owlmug

 

Santa remembered how much I love owls and brought me this adorable coffee mug that I just love!  If you click on the mug it will take you to a place where you can get one for yourself from the artist Jennifer Falter.

 

 

Loren and Margaret also remembered that I love owls and gave me these shakers:

owlshakers

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is my last day off work with The Woodworker.  We have nothing planned… it’s a “relax and do what you want” kind of day.  I think I’ll try a little sewing.  I have a mug rug to make!

Happy New Year!

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Still Spoolin’ Around

books, spools / klosjes 2 Comments
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I’m on the home stretch!  The tan border will have one row of spools all around it, followed by a more narrow matching tan border.  Then it will be done!  Only about 40 more individual spools to sew…

Once the borders are in place, the FUN part begins!  I’d like to applique words on the inner tan border in a turquoise fabric.  Not sure about that yet… I need to see how the quilt looks first.

FieldsofGoldAre you a reader?  I’ve been voraciously reading since I got my Kindle in early February.  I find I’m being drawn to good writing and the use of words that have been selected by the author.  I find myself sitting and chewing on phrases that are crafted with such perfection… the mark of a great writer.  I just finished reading “Fields of Gold” by Marie Bostwick.   What a great book!

Other books by Marie Bostwick (ones I have read are in bold print):

  • A Thread So Thin

  • A Thread of Truth

  • A Single Thread

  • On Wings of the Morning

  • Comfort and Joy

  • River’s Edge

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Staying Occupied and Loving It!

books, spools / klosjes 1 Comment
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KindleI haven’t kept you very up to date on the goings-on lately, but I’ve been busy.  One thing that has kept me VERY engaged is my treadmill and Kindle.  Yes, I finally got a Kindle, and I LOVE IT!  It’s perfect for reading while walking on my treadmill.  I’m up to an hour of walking now, and time flies so much faster when I read.  I ‘ve been reading the Elm Creek series by Jennifer Chiaverini, just finishing “The Lost Quilter”, which was wonderful. It made me wish I had had better history classes when I was in school (or paid better attention).  Now I’m reading a book by Nicholas Sparks called “Safe Haven.”LostQuilter

Another thing that has kept me occupied in the evenings is working on my Spool or Klosjes quilt. I’m doing all the piecing by hand, which I love doing.  It gives me something to do with my hands while I watch/listen to the TV. 

This is going to be a wall hanging, and I think I’m going to add one more row to the bottom and side, then a solid border and one more row of blocks all around.  I think.   The quilt is made up entirely of scraps I have on hand from all my years of quilting.  If you don’t recognize some of the fabrics, you’re probably too young.  Many of them are from the 1930’s.  and no, I’m not that old!   Shame on you for thinking that!  They are from my Aunt Jean’s stash. 

I’m toying with the idea of putting words on the solid border, but don’t know yet how that will look.  Time will tell. Not sure how I’ll quilt it, either. 

Do you have any ideas?

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Copyright and Blogging

blogging, books 3 Comments

I’ve noticed a trend on quilt blogs lately that has me wiggling in my seat thinking, “NO, please don’t do that!” I should explain.

Acceptable

We all love to share when we find a quilt book that we love. We might blog about it and tell others why we like it and how fantastic it is. We might even show a picture of the cover of the book so people know what to look for. All of the above is perfectly acceptable blogging.

Posting the book cover is acceptable and not a violation of copyright.

The problem comes when you open the book and start showing pictures of the inside, particularly photos of quilts various people have made, without giving them credit.

NOT acceptable

Now, I can do this on my blog because this is my book and this is my quilt in the picture. But suppose it WASN’T? Suppose it was someone else’s quilt? If it were, I would have just shared an entire page of a copyrighted book with the whole world, free of charge. I would have violated the author’s copyright.

Posting the open book is not acceptable and could be a violation of copyright.

And what about the quiltmaker? Suppose s/he has a copyright on that quilt and gave written permission for the quilt to be in that author’s book? That’s another story.

Yes, I know there are people out there who are going to want to argue with me and split hairs about what is and what is not acceptable. I don’t profess to being the expert on copyright, but I do know that as bloggers and quilters, we need to think just a little more before we put something that is copyrighted on our blog.
How do you get around it? What if you want to share a book that someone has written with your blog readers? It’s usually pretty easy. You could do one of two things. 1) Contact the author of the book and get permission to include the book on your blog. When the book appears on your blog, tell readers that you have received the author’s permission to include a photo of page ___ of their book on your blog. 2) Put a photo of the cover of the book on your blog. Tell what you like about the book, give your own review-of-sorts, and then put a link to the author’s or publisher’s own website where your readers can go to see the book opened up and purchase it.
We all want to share with other quilters. That is our nature. Let’s just remember to do it the right way. Happy Quilting, Happy (and safe) Sharing!

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

Ebb and Flow

books 3 Comments

I have the best of intentions. Really I do. I have all these projects in my head; I can see them clearly. I know what they look like, what fabrics are included, how big they are, how they will be quilted, and what I will do with them when they are finished. But in my mind, they will all be finished by the end of the month. Ok, maybe not THIS month. But some month. Soon.

My push to complete projects seems to ebb and flow. I go gang-busters for weeks, then come to a crashing halt. It’s like I can only work so hard for so long, then my brain and creative juices need time to heal. I’m in one of those “healing phases” now. My hands feel like stitching, my mind wants to relax and read.

I started reading the book “Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski this past weekend, and It has sucked me in like a vaccuum. The book is on Oprah’s list; but that’s not why I am reading it. My father gave it to me after picking it up in a sale at the Flushing Senior Center in town. It wasn’t his cup of tea… he’s more of a history buff.

Have you read the book? Did you like it?

I will be quilting more… hang tight. Right now, I’m reading. Shhhhhhh.

Divider

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.

What is Your Favorite Quilt Book?

books 5 Comments

I have more quilting books than any one person should own. I admit it. I haven’t bought myself a new book in a long time. Well, I take that back. I bought Ricky Tim’s Convergence Qult book last winter. But before that, years had gone by without me buying a quilt book. YEARS! That is unreal. Most of my books were purchased in the 70’s and 80’s. OK, I’m old but not THAT old.

In thinking about all of my books, I asked myself,
“If you had to leave all your quilting books behind for whatever reason, and could only take ONE with you, which one would that be?”

Here is my answer. Please share yours in the comments below. You can write about it there, OR you can post a link to your blog and share it on your blog. If you link to your blog, could you please mention my blog question and link to it? (A little SEO there, for those of you techies.)


This book, “The Collector’s Dictionary of QUILT NAMES AND PATTERNS” by Yvonne M. Khin is my “quilting bible.” It has 2,400 quilt block patterns. That’s what the cover claims. Actually, they are drawings of blocks, not actual patterns that you can follow to make your own. If you want to make a block, you have to use your own skills to draft it yourself based upon what you see. Some of you might cringe when you think about that, but it is a skill that a good quilter should learn.

You can see that I use my book a lot. See the page markers? See the worn bottom right corner of the cover?

If you click on the photo of the open book, you can get a closer look.

Ms. Khin copyrighted her book in 1980, so when I got it, it was a brand new thing. I loved it! She was born in 1916. The last I knew, she was living in Maryland. She would be 93.
Thanks for a super great book!!!

If you leave a comment or question that requires an answer, please include your email address for a reply. I can’t send an answer if your blogger ID is set to either “anonymous” or “no reply”. Thanks!!

Unless posted otherwise, all photos and writing copyright Caron Mosey,
http://blog.caronmosey.com. If you would like to use a photo or article seen here,
please contact me at caron mosey at gmail dot com.