design – Blue Bear Quilts

Posted on March 31, 2020March 31, 2020 by Reed — Leave a comment

Blue Bear Quilts is doing Virtual Quilt Trunk Show on Facebook Live April 5th 4 pm EST.

There is going to be a Quilter’s Eye Candy Trunk Show Event on Facebook from April 1st through April 10th. Since you can’t come to the designers, they are going to come to you. Many quilt pattern designers will be holding a trunk show on their Facebook page. These will be Facebook Live presentations that will be 15 minutes long and will occur throughout the day, on the hour, from 12-8 pm. EST. Blue Bear Quilts will be doing our trunk show on April 5th at 4 p.m.EST. We hope you will join us and also check out many of the other fabulous designers that will also being doing Facebook Live trunk shows. If you would like to become familiar with the different designers before their trunk shows, click on the links to go to their Facebook page. This should be a lot of fun! The schedule is listed below. #quilterseyecandytrunkshow #fblivetrunkshow #quilterscandytrunkshow

April 1

12 pm EST Andi Stanfield facebook.com/Anditruebluequilts
1 pm EST Nancy Scott facebook.com/MasterpieceQ
2 pm EST becky jorgensen https://www.facebook.com/patchworkposse/
3 pm EST carolina moore facebook.com/alwaysexpectmoore
4 pm EST Jackie Kunkel https://www.facebook.com/cantonvillagequiltworks/
5 pm EST Connie Jonson Sayler https://www.facebook.com/PacificRimQuiltCompany/
6 pm EST Laura Piland/Slice of Pi Quilts https://www.facebook.com/sliceofpiquilts/
7 pm EST Sandra Starley https://www.facebook.com/TextileTimeTravels

8 pm EST Swan Sheridan www.facebook.com/swanamitystudios

April 2

12 pm EST Lisa Ruble https://www.facebook.com/LoveToColorMyWorld/
1 pm EST Beth Helfter EvaPaige Quilt Designs
2 pm EST Diane Bohn/From Blank Pages https://facebook.com/fromblankpages
3 pm EST Deb Eggers/the cottage rose https://www.facebook.com/cottagerosequilt/
4 pm EST Heidi Pridemore/The Whimsical Workshop https:/www.facebook.com/thewhimsicalworkshop
5 pm EST Kate Colleran https://www.facebook.com/SeamsLikeaDreamQuilts/

6 pm EST Tammy Silvers/Tamarinis https://www.facebook.com/tamarinis/

April 3

12 pm EST Darcy Hunter www.facebook.com/darcydoodlequilts
1 pm EST Teresa Weaver www.facebook.com/yoursewingfriend
2 pm EST Annette Ornelas https://www.facebook.com/southwind.designs/
3 pm EST Jo Westfoot – The Crafty Nomad www.facebook.com/thecraftynomad
4 pm EST Lynn Kane https://facebook.com/puppygirllynn
5 pm EST Geeky Bobbin https://facebook.com/geekybobbinApril 3 6pm EST
7 pm EST Laura Strickland https://m.facebook.com/orangeblossomquilt/
8 pm EST Jen Frost https://www.facebook.com/FaithAndFabric/

April 4

12 pm EST Sherry Shish – Powered By Quilting facebook.com/poweredbyquilting
1 pm EST Bill Locke – Bill Locke Designs https://www.facebook.com/bill.locke.96
2 pm EST Toni Smith/Quiltoni https://www.facebook.com/Quiltoni/
3 pm EST Tammy Silvers/Tamarinis https://www.facebook.com/tamarinis/
4 pm EST Jennifer Fulton https://www.facebook.com/inquiringquilter/
5 pm EST Jessica Caldwell/ Desert Bloom Quilting https://www.facebook.com/desertbloomquilting/
6 pm EST Monique Kleinhans / Ladybug’s Cabin https://www.facebook.com/ladybugscabin/
7 pm EST Heather Long / Coffee and Quilts https://m.facebook.com/Coffee-and-Quilts-197254351073271/?__tn__=C-R

8 pm EST Marija Vujcic, Mara Quilt Designs https://www.facebook.com/MaraQuiltDesigns/

April 5

12 pm EST Ebony Love https://www.facebook.com/LoveBugStudios/
1 pm EST Bill Locke https://www.facebook.com/bill.locke.96
2 pm EST Marlene Oddie https://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts/
3 pm EST Sandy Fitzpatrick https://www.facebook.com/HissyfitzDesigns

*4 pm EST Reed Johnson https://www.facebook.com/BlueBearQuilts/
5 pm EST Diane Harris https://www.facebook.com/stashbandit/
7 pm EST Kathryn LeBlanc/Dragonfly’s Quilting Design Studio https://www.facebook.com/dragonflysquiltingdesignstudioApril 5 8pm EST

April 6

12 pm EST Becca Fenstermaker https://www.facebook.com/prettypiney/
1 pm EST Cherry Guidry https://www.facebook.com/CherryBlossomsQuiltingStudio
2 pm EST Cheryl Lynch www.facebook.com/CherylLynchFiberArts
3 pm EST Annie Smith https://www.facebook.com/anniesmithqs5pm EST Reeze Hanson https://www.facebook.com/Morningglorydesigns/
6 pm EST
7 pm EST Melissa Marginet https://www.facebook.com/melissa.marginet.quilter/

April 7

12 pm EST Margaret Willingham/ Eye of the Beholder Quilt Design https://www.facebook.com/EyeoftheBeholderQuilt/
1 pm EST Kate Colleran/Seams Like A Dream Design https://www.facebook.com/SeamsLikeaDreamQuilts/
2 pm EST Barbara Cline https://www.facebook.com/barbara.cline.520
3 pm EST Barbara Persing https://www.facebook.com/bpquilts/
4 pm EST Ms P Designs USA/ Sharon Andersen https://www.facebook.com/MsPDesignsUSA/

7 pm EST Diane Harris https://www.facebook.com/stashbandit/
8 pm EST Christa Watson https://www.facebook.com/groups/christaquilts/

April 8

12pm EST Tina Dillard/Quilting Affection Designs https://www.facebook.com/quiltingaffectiondesigns/
1pm EST Raija Salomaa/Quilters’ Treasure Chest https://www.facebook.com/quilterstreasurechest/
2pm EST Robin Koehler//NESTLINGS by Robin https://www.facebook.com/NestlingsbyRobin/
3pm EST Terri Vanden Bosch https://www.facebook.com/lizardcreekquilting/
4pm EST Jackie Kunkel https://www.facebook.com/cantonvillagequiltworks/

5pm EST Leanne Parsons https://www.facebook.com/devotedquilterdesigns
6pm EST Laura Piland/Slice of Pi Quilts https://www.facebook.com/sliceofpiquilts/
7pm EST Ebony Love https://www.facebook.com/LoveBugStudios/
8pm EST Tammy Silvers/Tamarinis https://www.facebook.com/tamarinis/

April 9

1 pm EST Nancy Scott facebook.com/MasterpieceQApril 9 2pm EST Jayme Crow/Bella Nonna Design Studio
4 pm EST Jen Frost https://www.facebook.com/FaithAndFabric/
5 pm EST Annie Smith https://www.facebook.com/anniesmithqs/

6 pm EST Karen L. Miller / Redbird Quilt Co. https://www.facebook.com/RedbirdQuiltCo/
7 pm EST Kathryn LeBlanc/Dragonfly’s Quilting Design Studio https://www.facebook.com/dragonflysquiltingdesignstudio
8 pm EST Monique Kleinhans / Ladybug’s Cabin https://www.facebook.com/ladybugscabin/

April 10

12pm Sarah Maxwell https://www.facebook.com/DesignsSarahJMaxwell
1 pm Teresa Weaver www.facebook.com/yoursewingfriend
2 pm Karen Overton https://www.facebook.com/TheQuiltRambler

3 pm Alison Stothard https://www.facebook.com/hexadoodlequilts

5 pm Pat Sloan https://www.facebook.com/groups/QuiltWithPatSloan/

6 pm Cherry Guidry https://www.facebook.com/CherryBlossomsQuiltingStudio

7 pm Toni Smith/Quiltoni https://www.facebook.com/Quiltoni/

8 pm Marija Vujcic, Mara Quilt Designs https://www.facebook.com/MaraQuiltDesigns/

Posted on August 30, 2018 by Reed — Leave a comment

Busy Summer

It has been a very busy summer, designing new quilt patterns, teaching classes, attending a Niece’s wedding, designing quilt patterns for magazine submissions and entering a contest.

We entered the Accuquilt Block Design contest again this year. They should be announcing the winners very soon. Here are a few of the blocks that I entered this year. Thank you to everyone that voted for my blocks. I appreciate it very much!

Before attending a wedding, we went to a family farm, in Northern Minnesota, and I was able to walk across the Mississippi River, in Itasca State Park. This is where the great river originates and it is very narrow and shallow, enabling you to walk across. I would not try that in New Orleans where it is deep and wide. I also saw amazing sunflower fields and llamas.

My Niece got married this August in Stillwater, Minnesota. It was beautiful wedding at a flower farm and the rehearsal dinner was on a riverboat. I also went to the Como Park Conservatory, which has amazing floral displays.

I taught a Quilt-in-a-Day class on Kylee’s Kite at Bear Patch Quilting Company in White Bear Lake Minnesota. Everyone had a great time. Several students brought in their completed tops from this year and last year.

Student's Kylee's Kite — Student’s Kylee’s Kite

Student's Bear in My Watermelon Patch — Student’s Bear in My Watermelon Patch

I can’t reveal the quilt designs for the magazines yet, or several new patterns I developed with QT Fabrics. However, I can show you the Northwoods Holiday Medley Placemats that were designed for Accuquilt and the pattern is available as a free download on their website https://www.accuquilt.com/go-northwoods-medley-holiday-placemats.html

I can also show you our latest pattern, Kaleidoscope, that was designed with QT Fabrics. This pattern is available on our website, Craftsy, and coming to a quilt shop near you soon.

It is going to be a busy fall writing patterns and making a sample quilt for QT Fabrics that will be displayed at quilt market this November, utilizing a new line of fabrics for them.

Also, Blue Bear will be teaching on a cruise in 2020. We are very excited about this and hope to be able to provide you with details soon. When it is this far out, it will give you lots of time to plan and save for a quilting cruise. We are so excited to have the opportunity to quilt and cruise with you! Stay tuned.

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Reed — Leave a comment

Learn Electric Quilt 8

Today, I participated in Electric Quilt’s Design and Discover Strip Quilt Lesson, which can be found at http://www.doyoueq.com, and designed two quilts using a vertical strip layout. The quilts were easy to design, but I would not want to rotary cut them, so I think they would be best as paper pieced blocks. The first one is called Royal Court and the second is Tumbling Hearts. What do you think of them?

During the third quarter of 2018, from May through August, at Keep Me in Stitches, I will be teaching at an event, where on the first day students will learn the basic operation of Electric Quilt 8 (EQ8) and to design a basic quilt. Then on the second day, we will use the Accuquilt Go Big Electric cutter to cut out the shapes for the quilt we designed, and then sew it together. Students will be provided a free two week trial of the EQ8 software and will be able to use the Accuquilt die and cutter, without having to purchase them first. This will be a great opportunity for students to test out EQ8 and an Accuquilt cutter. I will update this blog when the dates of the event have been determined.

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Reed — Leave a comment

Drumroll Please! Announcing the Grand Champion Prize Winner of the Accuquilt Block Design Contest.

I entered several blocks in the 2017 Accuquilt Block Design Contest. By popular vote, these two entries were the most popular.

Here were my other entries:

But the Grand Champion was my Purple Rose. It will be unveiled on the billboard outside the Accuquilt headquarters in Interstate 80 for an entire year. I am in the process of designing a quilt and a pattern for this block, which will be available in our shop.

I also entered this contest in 2016 and here were my entries from that year.

But the one that won Fan Favorite was Not Your Grandmother’s Flower Garden a.k.a. What Happens When Grandpa Tells Grandma No More Trips to the Fabric Store.It was designed with the Accuquilt Dresden Plate Die and Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

As a result of winning Fan Favorite, I was honored with a trip to Julien California to spend a week with Eleanor Burns, from Quilt in a Day, at her Fall quilt retreat at Camp Cedar Glen in the mountains. It was a wonderful time for which I am forever grateful.

Here are some photos from that trip.

Posted on April 28, 2016August 23, 2016 by Reed — Leave a comment

When Doves Fly- Tribute to Prince Blue Bear’s latest quilt pattern.

Blue Bear was busy creating blocks for a contest, when he created this purple one that looks like birds flying. With Prince’s passing, he thought it would be a nice tribute to Prince, so he named it, “When Doves Fly.” It has 6 alternative layouts in the pattern; some are more organized and some are disorganized. This would be a great wall hanging for a modern loft or apartment. It would also look great in a student’s dorm room. The link to purchase this pattern is at the bottom of this post.

One of Many Possible Layouts
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/when-doves-fly/203859

Posted on April 12, 2016August 23, 2016 by Reed — Leave a comment

Blue Bear’s Accuquilt Contest Block

Grandma's Nectie Garden — Grandma’s Nectie Garden

The bear has entered a quilt block design contest and would love to win for the exposure that it would give him as a new quilt designer. He would love it is you would help him by clicking on the link below and voting for his block. He tells me that you can vote every 24 hours until 4/22. Silly bear. Even though, he does seem to be a pretty good designer.

http://www.accuquilt.com/shop/contest?confirmed=vote&entry_id=92192705

You need to confirm your email once, but you will not be put on their email list unless you check the box to opt into their emails. He wants me to ask you to ask your friends to help as well. Pesky bear, but it is a pretty quilt block and we would like for him to design some more.

Blue Bear and his friends thank you so much for your assistance!

Update: Blue Bear won the Fan’s Choice Award. Thank you everyone for all your help and your votes!