Whistlepig Creek: we do whimsical!

Kathy Booth's Garden Purse

2012-01-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

Remember the post about our bag being featured in Quilt Magazine? Click HERE to view it. Well, Kathy Booth has made one of those Garden Purses up!

It turned out adorable! Kathy used Calista fabric from Blank Quilting. It could not have turned out better! Super cute! Thanks for sharing this with us! We love seeing how they turn out with other fabrics and colors! "I can’t wait to show my friends!" -Kathy

Laure Schaerr's Flip Flap Bags

2012-01-27T09:31:00.001-07:00

This is Laure with her two girls and their Flip Flap Bags! The girls wanted something to carry their ballet slippers and other goodies to dance class! They picked out their fabrics and now they all have pretty pink purses!

We think they turned out great! Dance away girls! Thanks for sharing the photos with us! Your girls (and you!) are beautiful!

"They turned out well. The girls are happy with them so I’m happy!" - Laure Schaerr

Christine's Sweaters

2012-01-26T07:59:00.000-07:00

Before I even begin to dig into how amazing and generous Christine is, I have to say that these are the best first applique projects I have seen! Before these sweaters she hadn't even attempted it! We are impressed!

Christine is a happy Grandma of seven and was looking for a fun and unique project to do when she found our website. The first project she made was "Pitty the Kitty." One of her dear friends fell in love with it and Christine gave it to her! The next sweater she made was the "Pound Hounds." She ended up giving this one away to another close friend! She wanted to make "I Love My Gray Hares" for her daughter-in-law and made some creative changes! She resized the heads to make a "Daddy" in the middle, two boys with bow ties and two twin girls with pacifiers. The hares represent Christine's son and his kids. Too cute!

"I had never appliqued anything before. I had a lot of fun making the sweatshirts and experimenting with colors." -Christine

She is quite the busy bee! Christine has also made the sweatshirt from "The Bundles" for her eldest granddaughter and is planning to make sweatshirts for all the grand-kids for the next Christmas! She is also making the "Caterwauling" pattern for her niece! I hope she makes something for herself too! What a generous and talented woman! Thanks so much for sharing the photos Christine! We would love to see more of your future projects!

eCozy Palooza Tutorial

2012-01-25T10:19:00.001-07:00

Here is a little picture tutorial on how to make the E-Cozy Palooza Electronic Reader Cover. (This is not the pattern, just a helpful reference tool.) These photos are included in the PDF E-Cozy Palooza Pattern and are available under the Tutorials Tab.

Click on the photos for an enlarged version

eReader Cubby Tutorial

2012-01-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a helpful ticture tutorial on how to make the eReader Cubby Electronic Reader Cover. (This is not the actual pattern, just helpful photos and tips.) This tutorial is included in the PDF eReader Cubby Pattern and is available under the Tutorials Tab.

Click on the photos to Enlarge.

iCozy Palooza Tutorial

2012-01-25T09:25:00.001-07:00

Here is a little picture tutorial on how to make the I-Cozy Palooza iPad Cover. (it is not the pattern, just a helpful reference tool.) These photos are included in the PDF I-Cozy Palooza Pattern and are available under the Tutorials Tab.

Click the photos to enlarge them!

eReader Cubby

2012-01-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

We have a new electronic reader cover for those new fun smaller sizes! The contemporary e-Reader Cubby fits the Kindle, Kindle Touch, Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Readers and other similarly sized readers from 4 1/2" to 5" wide and 6 1/2" to 6 3/4" high. The pattern includes 4 different flap styles and reward-card pockets. The pattern is available in a downloadable PDF or a paper pattern HERE. The four flaps are: Curvy, Rectangular with a triangle flap, Bracket, and Rounded. (shown in order in the photo below)

If you make one, we would love to see it! Send us pictures!

Brenda Curtis

2012-01-23T08:58:00.002-07:00

Brenda Curtis tackled the Grandpa's Farm Quilt that was featured in Quiltmaker's "Quilting & Embroidery Summer 2009 Issue." Rows of whimsical farm animals parade across this playful quilt. She made a few changes, including adding one black sheep, which is too stinking cute! Brenda has entered the quilt in the Charleston Quilt Show in March this year under the name "Chicken Dance." She promised to let us know how she does! It turned out adorable so we are betting she will come home a winner! Thanks for sharing Brenda!

2012-01-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

We tried to avoid joining pinterest for awhile (We heard it is quite addicting!!) but we finally gave in! It is amazing! So, if you are a pinner, go check out our fun pinboard and send us a link to yours so we can follow you!

Click HERE to find us, or the link on the right side bar!

PDF Patterns

2012-01-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we see a pattern and we want it NOW! And thanks to technology, we can now have things the instant we want them! So.... drum roll please.... We are now offering PDF patterns through our website! All of our new patterns and some of our favorites are now available in PDF format through wpcreek.com.

These and many more available! Look Below for the Entire List!

Plus, there are some benefits to buying the PDF patterns! Some include pictures in addition to the diagrams to help with those spots that are a little difficult to picture! And don't forget, you get them almost IMMEDIATELY!

Calico Mermaid

2012-01-17T10:30:00.001-07:00

Pockets A Plenty

The Calico Mermaid

Look what we found! (Well, was shown to us!) Out in Porterville, California at the Calico Mermaid, Jenny is teaching a class on "Pockets A Plenty!" I hope they enjoy it! It sure is a fun bag, and it is one of the favorites among our friends! We are loving the pink and brown combo!

"Calico Mermaid is downtown Porterville's quality fabric shop, opened in April 2011 by Georgia & Richard Goode. You'll find lots of inspiration & temptation here in books, patterns, classes, & fabric by Moda, Benartex, In the Beginning, Robert Kaufman, Michael Miller, Hoffman of California, Timeless Treasures, & Clothworks." So if you are ever in the area, go check out this adorable, bright, friendly quilt shop! Thanks for sharing the bag!

Caterwauling Tales Projects

2012-01-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

Well the time has finally come! Caterwauling Tales has finally hit the shelves of your local quilt shops! Here are a few patterns designed specifically for this fun and silly cat fabric line!

The top left pattern is "What's New Pussycat" This pattern is a quick and easy bed runner made using the Caterwauling Tales Panel.

The top right pattern is "Cat-titude" This fun applique project to feature some larger cats! These can be individual accents or grouped together in a pack!

The bottom left pattern is "Fabulous Felines We Love" This is a large lap quilt using the Caterwauling Tales Panel. This quilt reflects the scrapbook style of the panel.

And last but not least, the bottom right pattern is the "Sawtooth Hue" This pattern uses all the complimentary fabrics to create a fun transition quilt. Quick, easy, stunning.

You can find all these patterns HERE!

If you cannot find this line of fabric at a local quilt store, here are some places you can purchase it online!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year Everyone! According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the year of the Dragon! Which is perfect for us because we have our Days of Yore line coming out this year! 2011 brought us a lot of joy and fun and we are looking forward to another amazing year filled with love, sewing and our amazingly talented customers! Happy 2012! Cheers!

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well it is officially that time of year! We are in the middle of Chanukah and days from Christmas & Kwanzaa! And boy do we have some holiday weather here! We had day off because of all the snow yesterday! And on Wednesday we had a fun baking day! We kind of needed yesterday off to come down from our sugar high! Here are a few of my favorite shots from Baking Day.

They kept giggling for this photo!

Then Bernie walked in and that made them giggle more!

Meghan looking through the cookies

Meghan's Rolo Turtles. Place Rolo onto pretzel, heat in oven for a few minutes, push pecan into Rolo! Voila!

More Cookies!

Getting Sassy in the kitchen.

Left: Meghan's Letter cookies and Right: Alayna

Bernie sure was excited to see all these cookies!

It sure is fun working here! Can't you tell! =] Well I am taking a little vacation after Christmas, so there won't be any blog posts until the New Year! I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season! Eat lots of yummies and enjoy the brisk weather! Talk to you in 2012!

Quilt Magazine

2011-12-21T08:12:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I showed a sneak peek of a project that would be appearing in Quilt Magazine. It is finally out! Yay! We are very excited about this bag! It is a quick but fabulous carry-all purse that looks complicated but goes together in a flash! It is called "My Garden Bag" and you can find the instructions on pages 38-40 of the February/March Issue. Plus they (being Quilt Mag) are doing kits for the fabrics shown in the magazine! (the line is Bird Song by Yuko Hasegawa for RJR) The buttons we used are from Hillcreek Designs, they add the perfect touch!

On the Left is the original Sneak Peek & on the Right is the Full View!

This is the bag that is featured in the magazine and will be kitted!

Giveaway Winners!

2011-12-20T08:28:00.001-07:00

We have chosen the Winners for our 'Holiday Hot Bowl Hot Pad Kit & Kaboodle' Giveaway!

Thank you to everyone who participated! It was great hearing what everyone does for the approaching holidays! Winners please send your mailing info to blog@wpcreek.com

WINNERS:

11. Anonymous said...

I like the red and white in the white bowl. Two tone quilt projects look nice, in red and white they will look festive. Thanks for the opportunity to win one!

16. Galena Bay Novelty Fabrics said...

The green bowl is perfect for my Christmas butternut Squash and Bacon Soup. We have an old set of Swedish Angel Candle Chimes that we always light on Christmas Day for dinner even though we now have to send to Holland to get the candles. My wife and our customers love your patterns! -Trevor

Flirty Skirty

2011-12-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

Flirty Skirty Pattern made by MaryEllen Laughary

This fun little skirt is getting us in the Holiday Spirit! This is the Flirty Skirty pattern made by MaryEllen Laughary for her granddaughter Leyvie! She is going to look like an adorable little candy cane, and we have been promised photos!

There will definitely be a follow up post about this one so we can see little Miss Leyvie in her fun Christmas Skirt! Wow... Christmas really snuck up on me this year! I can't believe it is this weekend!

Don't forget to enter the Holiday Hot Bowl Hot Pad Kit & Kaboodle Giveaway! (Wow that is a mouthful!!) Comment on the post below!!

Holiday Giveaway!

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Holidays are a time for giving, and what better way to give then hold a fun Giveaway! We are giving away 2 Hot Bowl Hot Pad Kits! Each kit includes:
-Cute Soup Bowl
-3 Coordinating Fat Quarters
-Matching Polka Dot Vinyl
-Warm Tater Batting (Microwave Safe)
-Hot Bowl Hot Pad Pattern
-Yummy Candy Cane

They have everything you will need to make a Hot Bowl Pad & Spatter Guard! So, save your fingers from a bowl-burn and ENTER!

Entering is easy! Just comment on this post saying which bowl you would prefer and a fun Holiday tradition you have! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE add your email to the comment so we can contact you if you win! (If you are afraid of getting spam email, you can write it like this: blog(at)wpcreek(dot)com ) We want to make sure we can get the winners their goods! The contest will be closing Tuesday December 20th at 8 AM and winners will be chosen shortly after by random.org! Go Comment Away!

All this red & white makes me want a Candy Cane... good thing we got extra! =]

Good Luck & Happy Holidays!

-the WPCreek Gang!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED! Thanks for participating!

Caterwauling Tales Freebies

2011-12-15T11:10:00.000-07:00

The fabric has been shipped and is starting to appear in quilt stores everywhere! That means it is time for some new FREE Projects! We have 3 fun new projects for the new Caterwauling Tales fabric line! They all use the panel and go together quickly! The First Project is a Wall Hanging!

This fun wall hanging coordinates with the Caterwauling Tales Quilt and has the fun same scrapbook look! Pick your favorite three panels to showcase! Wall Hanging finishes 17" x 42"

These Pillow Shams are in one free pattern! They are the perfect size to slip over a standard size pillow! The top black background pillow uses the extra decorative strips from the panel that are just cut away for all the other patterns! Put these fun strips to work in a pretty cascade of color on the Caterwauling Tales Pillow Sham. The bottom pink and blue pillow could be made in your favorite colors to add a pop of color to your bed! These pillow shams can be quilted to add a little extra loft and comfort! Each sham finishes 20" x 30" and fits standard and slightly larger pillows!

The Caterwauling Toss Pillow has a fun Flower Flange around it and fits a 16" pillow form. This pillow also is quilted and would be the perfect addition to any other Caterwauling Tales project! It also has adopted the same scrapbook style so pick your favorite panel and give it it's own personal pillow!

Well those are our freebies! You can click the photos to be taken to the PDF or head over to the Freebies Tab! We hope you like them! And like always, if you make one up, we would love to display it on here and facebook! Send pictures!

Sneak Peek!

2011-12-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

Another Magazine Project! This one is for Fons & Porter! They are bags and super cute! It is going to be tough not to show full photos of these ones! So, here is the little sneak peek! It will be months before we get to show the full thing, but trust me, they are worth the wait! These little guys go together so quickly we have made 5 already and 4 more in the works! They will be out just in time to make a little bag for summer! Oh summer, how I miss thee! =]

Gable Alfano

2011-12-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Gable is one of our loyal Facebook friends! She has posted many pictures of the bags she makes! And the Pockets a Plenty is her very favorite! We have seen four of these she has made and each one is adorable! We love to keep seeing what she comes up with and what fabric combinations she creates! Thanks Gable for sharing the bag with us!

Happy Holidays!

Sneak Peek!

2011-12-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

We have made another project for Quilt Magazine! This one will be coming out in Summer 2012 so keep your eyes peeled! It is made up in Hoffman's Watermelon Batiks and solid white! I can't tell you what it is yet, but feel free to guess away!

It's a bird.... It's a plane.... It's Superman! =]

It's really pretty whatever it is! Stay tuned to find out!

June Wrogg

2011-12-09T08:53:00.001-07:00

June Wrogg made the Scrap Bag Cuties up in some adorable Moda fabrics! She was a little hesitant because this was her first bag with elastic, but she did amazing and it looks fabulous! June took it as her travel purse on a trip to Florida and loved it!

Scrap Bag Cuties come with 3 different purse patterns and can be made from a jelly roll or scraps!

Thank you June for letting us feature your bag! It turned out great!

Charming Baby

2011-12-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

We also made the Charming Baby up in Daisy Cottage by Riley Blake for Clotilde. It is different for colors for us, but we like how it turned out!

Stars on Point

2011-12-06T13:19:00.001-07:00

Clotilde has asked us to make a few of our patterns to be kitted and put in their Spring Catalog! We were very excited and humbled by this opportunity and started as soon as the fabric arrived! The first one we worked on is the Stars on Point! They sent us some beautiful batiks from PT Batik Danar Hadi and we paired them with a solid white. The vibrant colors of the batiks stand out amazingly from the white! It is not bound yet but here is the quilt! I was too excited to show it off!

Amazing quilting done by Kristy Wolf from Wolf Creek Quilting!

And see all that snow on the ground! Yup, it is officially cold out! Brrrr!

Barbara Rorabaugh

2011-11-30T08:40:00.001-07:00

Look what Barbara came into the Quilt Store wearing! Barbara Rorabaugh came into the Quilt Store for the Bella Bella Show & Tell wearing a Zerba Bag! She made hers up in black and gold batiks and added a jumbo antique gold textured paisley button to the pocket. It looks gorgeous! The button is by Hillcreek Designs and they add a little pizzazz to every project! She was hesitant to take a photo but she is just darling! Thank you Barbara for letting us take your photo and share it with the world!

Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts

2011-11-28T08:46:00.001-07:00

We have been featured in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting's Winter 2011 Easy Quilts Issue! (WOW that was a mouthful!) We made a fun whimsical tree table topper! It is made in Sue's Caterwauling Tales line for RJR. In the issue they show it made up in some traditional green and read fabrics and it is just as cute! There are 19 quick, simple, fun and easy-to-make weekend projects in this issue! Check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T13:31:00.000-07:00

Since we will be spending time with our families for the rest of the week we decided to say Happy Thanksgiving to you all today!

What we are most thankful for here at Whistlepig is you! Our amazing customers! So, Thank YOU! We hope you all have a wonderful long weekend filled with delicious food, family, football, fabric and shopping! Happy Thanksgiving!

Claudia Mielinski

2011-11-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Claudia has been a customer of Whistlepig's for years, and boy does she have a story to tell! This amazing women has had some ups and downs with the quilting world but a love of fabric has kept bringing her back! The bag Claudia was wearing at Market is the E-Cozy Carrier! " It is the perfect size for a wallet, keys, cards and cell phone. We sell the pattern to ladies for bags to use on a cruise too! Even with all the essentials I still had plenty of room for my Nook, Claudia says."

Claudia has a shop, Accent on Quilting, that is about 14 months old and they have already moved into a larger location! They are located in Orange City, Florida just off of Interstate-4 between Daytona Beach and Orlando. If you are in the area you have to stop by! They are a full service quilt shop carrying 3000 bolts of fabric, notions, books, pattern and gift items, plus they have classes and long arm services!

"Accent On Quilting grew out of a love of fabric. I had a shop in Pass Christian, MS that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. My husband and I stuck it out in MS for about 6 months, then moved to Central Florida. It took me a while but I just could not stay away from the quilting business. Retirement is not for me! So, I started a website. In about a year I ran out of space in the house and starting looking for a warehouse space. I found a retail space that was wonderful (and cheaper). Ever get the feeling you are being pushed by 'the big guy upstairs?' Ya just can't say 'no.' So, the physical shop was opened and we have been doing great ever since." - Claudia Mielinski

Thanks Claudia for the wonderful photos ans story! If I ever find myself in Florida, I am stopping by!

Peggy Nehring

2011-11-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Peggy came walking into our booth wearing an animal print Flip Flap Bag! This wildly fun over-the-shoulder fat-quarter friendly bag has two hidden pockets which proved to be perfect for business cards and credit cards at market! Peggy was at Market representing Quilt N' Sew Connection, a large and lovely quilt shop in Prescott Valley, Arizona. They are "Prescott Valley's best resource for quilting, machine embroidery and sewing!" So next time you are in the area, stop by for some fun! They also have a very fun and active Facebook page, so go check it out and see what they have been up to! Thank you Peggy for the beautiful shot with your fun Flip Flap Bag!

Julie & Lenore

2011-11-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Julie and Lenore were sitting across from our booth at RJR, picking out fabric for their store Miles of Stitches! Kristy spotted the Sweet Retreat bags and pulled them into the for a photo after their meeting! We LOVE how they turned out! Julie's blue and orange (Go Broncos!) geckos are great! And Lenore's blue and brown scrappy bag make us smile! Miles of Stitches is Quilt Store in Mid-Michigan with everything a quilter could ever want! They have a large selection of batiks, backing fabrics, brights, children's, civil war and many more collections! Plus they have a long-arm quilting service, batting by the yard and package, notions, patterns and books! Stop in if you are ever near Hemlock, Michigan. Thanks girls for letting us take your picture! The bags turned out amazing!

Kathy Regan

2011-11-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

Kathy came strolling into our booth at Market sporting a Six Pack Stack bag. This pattern takes 6 fat quarters and turns them into a 14" x 18" reversible tote! On the outside Kathy used “Housework Whenever” fabric by Sharon Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics and some fun color coordinating polka dots. Kathy and her husband own The Cotton Cabin Quilt Shop in historical downtown Dubuque, Iowa. The shop has just about everything a quilter could ask for: Fabric, Wool, Kits, Stitcheries, Longarm Quilting, Retreats and More!

Sally De La Haye

2011-11-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

The BEST part of Market was seeing ladies walking around with Whistlepig Bags! Sally De La Haye was commandeered by Kristy during Sample Spree when she walked by wearing an adorable Zerba Bag! Kristy was very excited because she designed the Zerba and Sally was more than happy to show it off! She made it up in Lime and Black Batiks! It looks great! We then saw Sally again in our booth sporting a BYOB II! Monogrammed with an 'S' for Sally and made up in all gorgeous Fall themed Batiks, the bag stood out! We begged for another picture! Sally has been teaching at Calico Cats Sewing Center in Lake Jackson, Texas since 2006! She also has a degree in Art Education, this explains the beautiful color combinations in her bags! Thanks for wearing the Whistlepig Bags Sally! We hope to see you again in the near future! (Spring Market perhaps?)

Quilt Market 2011 - 4

2011-11-11T08:27:00.000-07:00

There are many awesome things about Quilt Market, but up there on the list is getting to make and hangout with great people! Everyone in the quilting world is so genuine and sweet, it is easy to make a potful of new friends with each Market! Below is a little collage of some friends, new and old! Not everyone is featured below because for some reason I didn't always have my camera (silly me!). But we still love you too!!

A. Moda Fabrics featured 3 of our patterns in their booth this Market, Sweet Retreat's Little Sister, Leyvie Bag and Hot Pad Hot Bowl. Thanks Moda!
B. Gayle Camarge from Shannon Fabrics is one of Sue's first Market friends! We are loving the Dr. Seuss Hat!
C. Tristate Printing is where we get our pattern covers printed and we love the team. Richard Pflug Jr. and Jane Melville are a delight to work with!
D. Lee Nakamoto from Accuquilt came to visit us in the booth. He can sew! Everyone at Accuquilt learns to sew when they start working there! We gave him a 'Color Me Mine' pattern to make for his 3 little girls!
E. Kay Whitt, the charm and talent behind Serendipity Studio has been a Market friend for a few years and we can't get enough of her!
F. Hoffman Fabrics featured 3 of our patterns in their booth this Market, Sweet Retreat's Little Sister, Leyvie Bag and Mosaic de Mer.
G. Brewer Distributors displayed 2 of our patterns in their booth this Market, the Foofala Poofala and the Pooch Organizer.
H. We have always been a fan of Buggy Barn! And now we have a direct link! Shayla's grandma, MaryEllen Laughary is working out there now!
I. Adam Goodson of Cheep Trims noticed his ric-rac on the aprons we were wearing and begged to wear one for the show!
J. RJR Fabrics has been distributing Sue's fabric for a long time! We love those guys! They were perfect neighbors to have for the show!

Not Pictured: Hillcreek Designs! I am not sure how I didn't get a single picture of these girls! We even went out to Pappasitos for dinner and margaritas one night! I must have been having too much fun to take pictures! These girls are the sweetest things and make adorable buttons!

Quilt Market 2011 - 3

2011-11-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I was so completely entranced by Market that I didn't even make it to the Quilt Show until the very last day! But I am sure glad I did! There was some amazing work being featured! Below is a little collage of some of my favorites! It was a real treat! There are a few being featured on the Market Website and the award winners were featured in 'International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene Magazine.'

To Enlarge the photo click HERE

Quilt Market 2011 - 2

2011-11-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

So this was my (Shayla, not Sue or Whistlepig) first time at Quilt Market. I have been told for years I would love it, and I sure did! It was a sensory overload. Colors and Creativity EVERYWHERE! When I would go out exploring I kept my camera locked and loaded in my hands! There was just an immense amount of stuff to see! Each time I would leave our booth I saw something new and fun! Below is a collage of some fun things I snapped pictures of while exploring.

to enlarge photo click HERE

Most of the booths I took photos of during Sample Spree ended up being the winners of Best Booth Awards! (I like to think I have good taste =P) Here are the booth winners:

Single Booth First Place: Jennifer Sampou

Single Booth Second Place: Valori Wells

Double Booth First Place: Lazy Daisy Cottage

Double Booth Second Place: Pat Bravo

Multiple Booth First Place: Alexander Henry

Multiple Booth Second Place: Anna Griffin

Best Merchandising Booth: Tina Givens

Best Creativity Booth: Jeanean Morrison

Best New Exhibitor Booth: Dear Stella

For pictures of all the winners and their booths check out the Quilt Market Facebook Page. They have a special album dedicated to this years winners.

Winners!

2011-11-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

Here are the winners of the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Volume 4 Magazine Giveaway:

If your post is featured above, please email us your mailing information to blog@wpcreek.com and we will get these magazines in the mail as fast as possible!

Thank you to everyone who participated! Keep up on the Blog Hop! There is some amazing stuff out there!

Quilt Market 2011

2011-11-07T15:14:00.001-07:00

Well it took a little while, but I have officially gone through ALL the pictures from Market! There are going to be a total of 4 post about Market. They are mostly collages of pictures. This is the first one! It mainly focuses on Whistlepig's Market! We had a blast! There were ups and downs but the good heavily out-weighed the bad! We had a blast! (Click Here to Enlarge Photo)

Some of the challenges included:

Houston's awful traffic! Avoid being on the roads on week day between 4 and 8 PM! We were stuck in traffic for an hour and a half and on the way back it took 15 minutes!
Very little sleep. But this is expected! It is an exciting and hair pulling experience getting everything ready and where it should be! The little things keep you up at night.
A large mass of electrical cords that we found in our booth! But instead of freaking out, we put the tables over them! =] Quick fix.
BROCHURES!!! We ran out of brochures! On the first reprint, the print ran out of toner.... so we were 50ish short on the third page! On the second reprint we mixed up which ones we need double of, so we ended up with a lot of one page and very few of the other! But we gave away EVERY SINGLE ONE! We are hoping that is a good sign! That as our biggest struggle, and if that is as bad as it gets.... we are doing well!
Forgetting a few samples... oops.

Some of the highlights include:

Dinner at Pappasitos with the Hillcreek Designs Ladies! We were given a free pitcher of Margaritas by a birthday group!
Dinner at Maggianos with Jane & Richy from Tristate Printing and Heather & Elissa Willms from Hopscotch Quilts. Can't beat good food and good company!
Dinner (are you seeing a trend =]) at the Post Oak Grill. Best food in Houston! Plus Ruben, the waiter was amazing! We will be going back and bringing all our friends!
Meeting Adam Goodson from Cheep Trims who requested to wear one of our aprons! That was a hoot!
Having the booth come together perfectly! No planning and no missing goods (except a few samples)!
Meeting Lee Nakamoto from Accuquilt. Such a nice and interesting man! He played professional soccer for 7 years and can quilt!
Getting to see all of our old friends and make many many more!
And the BEST THING about market was seeing all the Whistlepig bags walking around! I will be doing features on each lady wearing a bag made from a WPC pattern later this week and into next week! It is a good feeling actually seeing what others have done with your patterns! Thanks to everyone!

All in all, We LOVED Fall Market! Stay tuned for more pictures and goodies!

100 Blocks Blog Tour

2011-11-07T00:03:00.001-07:00

We were very excited when the Quiltmaker girls contacted us to create a block for their 100 Blocks Issue! In addition to the great collecter's issue, the Quiltmaker girls also do a fun blog tour for the designers. Some of the designers, us included, will do a special blog about our block (its below!!) and a giveaway for your very own copy of the magazine (enter below)! Sue designed a very versatile block featuring her 'Pound Hounds' line she designed for RJR Fabrics. This block creates a fun scrapbook-inspired frame around a panel. Here is the featured block!

Here is an example of how the block would look put together. Alternating the accent colored dot could add some complexity to the quick and easy block!

Here are some mock-ups of additional color & character options! All of the example below feature lines of fabric designed y Sue Marsh for RJR Fabrics, but any panel or big print would look great!

Colorful 'Pound Hounds'

'Monsters In The Closet'

'Caterwauling Tales' Pink

'Caterwauling Tales' Purple

We are doing a giveaway for a chance to get your very own free copy of the magazine! We have 5 issues to giveaway! It is super easy to enter! All you have to do is comment on this post. Please include your email address is in your message and make sure to get your comment in today! The cut off is November 8th at 12:00 AM MST. ~~Comment away!!~~

Contest is Closed! Thanks for all the comments!

the 'Loot' !! You could win one!

Now go check out the other Blogs and fun blocks on this Hop! It is always fun to see the inspiration behind the designs... Plus there will be other giveaways including a big one by Quiltmaker on the 'Quilty Pleasures' Blog! Enjoy!

Sweet Retreat's Little Sister

2011-10-25T11:09:00.000-06:00

Sweet Retreat's Little Sister is the sequel to our Sweet Retreat Bag. It is a little smaller, has a double front pocket, side pockets and zipper top. The construction is as simple and as fun as the last one! Two day until we leave for Market! Can't wait! Here are some of my favorite shots of the bags!

This Pattern was designed by Kristy Wolf of Wolf Creek Quilting.

Days of Yore

2011-10-18T09:15:00.000-06:00

We received our Days of Yore CAD files a few days ago and do they look good or what! We just packaged them up with very few notes and they will be on there way back to RJR today! =] We love it when the colors and everything turn out right! This line will have a large panel, a story book panel, smaller accompanying panels, border fabrics and some really fun tonals! Here is a little preview of the future fabrics!

P.S. We did end up going to lunch yesterday! We drove up to Morrison again with the intention of going to Beso again but they are closed on Mondays! We drove down another block and wound up at Tony Rigatoni's Italian Kitchen. It was delicious! We carb-loaded then came back to work! It was a blast!

Color Me Mine Adult Size

2011-10-17T11:57:00.000-06:00

We made some "Mom" sized or adult sized aprons to accompany the little girls ones! We then to took Meghan out and had her pose for us! She looks adorable! We made one Halloween themed one in honor of the upcoming holiday! One side is green with spiders and the other is a scrappy orange. We thought the perfect setting would be a pumpkin patch! But of course, it is raining today, so we went down the street to Malara Gardens! The owner graciously let us do a little shoot there and even let his dog Zena pose with Meghan! We made two more aprons out of pink, black and white. We put Meghan in front of a book shelf full of cook books with props such as mixing bowls, recipe cards, spatulas, books, and of course a martini! Meghan was such a good sport! Here are the pictures:

In other news, we are shipping our first stuff down to Houston for Quilt Market today! Scary and Exciting! All in all it has been a fun and productive Monday morning! We may go reward ourselves with lunch out!

Wild Goose Chase

2011-10-14T09:32:00.001-06:00

Another revamped pattern! This is Wild Goose Chase! Sue designed this pattern before jelly rolls and bali pops existed. And now that they do, we had our good friend Kristy make us up one in the Zinfandel Bali Pop from Hoffman and re-shot it! Here is how it turned out! The colors make me want to pour a glass of wine and sew! Happy Friday everyone!

Mosaique de Mer

2011-10-12T14:48:00.001-06:00

We have chosen a winner! Anne Quinton's facebook entry "Mosiaque de Mer" took all the marbles! Thank you to everyone who participated! There were some great ideas! Check your mail for a free goodie!

Sassy & the Camera

2011-10-12T10:47:00.000-06:00

This was just too cute to not post! This is Sassy using Shayla's camera as a pillow.

Renovated Pattern

2011-10-12T10:21:00.003-06:00

We have a new look! All of our new patterns will have a an "L" shaped information box around the edge. The uniform look will allow you to spot a Whistlepig pattern across the store and find the pattern name and number quickly. Along the left side is our name (Whistlepig Creek Productions) and along the bottom is the pattern name and number (ex. #1234 Color Me Mine). We hope you like the new look! Here are some examples!

Bright Colors

2011-10-10T10:51:00.001-06:00

We are getting very excited about all of our new projects made up in the new Caterwauling Tales fabric line! Market is only 17 days away and we are in high gear! We don't feel behind yet... I am sure we will within the last few days of prep time. But for now we are happy and only-slightly-stressed campers!

Contest!!

2011-10-07T12:15:00.003-06:00

We are having a contest!! We are having trouble naming this pattern! So, we are enlisting your help! Just comment on this photo with your brilliant name! We will pick our favorite and the winner gets 1 copy of ALL our NEW PATTERNS (before anyone else!) Start brainstorming!

We will be picking Wednesday at lunch! Make sure you get ideas in before October 12, 2011 at noon MST.

What's New Pussycat?!

2011-10-07T08:42:00.002-06:00

Yesterday we packed up the car with our new (to us) vintage bed, pillows, pillow shams, blankets, bed runners and cameras! We drove Morrison Rd. into the mountains. Living in Colorado is amazing! 20 minutes on the road and you are in a completely different world! Just outside of Kittredge we found a little park named 'Little Park' and set up our shoot! Here are the results! This is our new pattern: 'What's New Pussycat?!' Bed-runner and Pillow-shams. We made one out of our new Caterwauling Tales fabric and one out of Hoffman's Bali-Pop and Batiks. The pattern is jelly-roll and fat-quarter friendly!

Shooting in the mountains was so much fun! Instead of it being a stressful event we went back to work refreshed and excited to upload pictures!

Bed Runners are all the new rage. With about a sixth of the work as a whole quilt, you can have a homemade touch to your bed! Throw in some quilted pillow shams to match and you have a completely custom bed! We all love our big duvets, especially since the weather is starting to cool off, so a bed runner is the perfect touch of color and style to bring your bedroom together!

the Leyvie Bag

2011-10-06T09:23:00.000-06:00

This is the newest pattern designed by Kristy Wolf. She named it after one of her adorable purse-loving nieces. Its is fun and perfect for an everyday bag! The Leyvie bag has lots of pockets for organizing and can be used as a clutch, over-the-shoulder or cross-body bag!

Tigger was my little helper for this shoot!

But when the snake snuck-up behind me Tigger just watched.... not very helpful. So I took a few quick shots of the snake, then ran away and called it a day.

On the Go!

2011-10-03T11:30:00.001-06:00

On the Go! - Travel Journal Cover

This is our new free pattern for Accuquilt! Watch for it on the Accuquilt website! We made it up in National Nonwovens' wool. It would be darling in some cotton prints too!

the Sawtooth Hue

2011-09-30T15:45:00.000-06:00

Here is another sneak peek of something we will be featuring at Market in Houston this October! This is the Sawtooth Hue! In the photo it is made up of all Caterwauling Tales fabrics and a solid black.

Color Me Mine

2011-09-29T15:51:00.002-06:00

We did a photo-shoot this morning with the Knodel sisters! They fit our little 'Color Me Mine' reversible aprons perfectly! Here are some of the shots from the shoot!

The future pattern cover!

Emily on the left and Sam on the right

Had to capture the Tongues!

Sisterly Love!

Well that's not a bad way to spend a morning! The girls were great! I miss having that much energy!

Gearing Up For Market

2011-09-23T11:08:00.000-06:00

Hello Everyone! Sorry it has been awhile since our last post. We have been busy bees here at Whistlepig! We are kicking it into high gear to get ready for Fall Market in Houston. This is one of the new patterns we are making for market! They are fun whimsical stockings! You could use brights like we did, or more traditional holiday colors! We will be posting more upcoming patterns, so stay tuned and get excited! Happy First Day of Fall!

Quilt Magazine

2011-09-13T10:20:00.000-06:00

Another Sneak Peek!! This is project concludes our magazine season! This is a peek of the bag we designed for Quilt Magazine! We think it is just darling! They turn out cute and go together quickly! They are a great size! I think I will make one and tote it around Quilt Market in Houston! (Maybe Halloween fabric to be festive!) So many ideas! Well keep your eyes peeled for us! We will be in an upcoming issue! So excited!! The bag that will be featured in the magazine is made up in the new line 'Bird Song' by RJR Fabrics. Check it out!

Pooch Pad

2011-09-12T08:02:00.000-06:00

How neat is this!! We are not only in the Quiltmaker's Small Quilts and Gifts Fall 2011 Issue, but Sue is named on the cover!! How fun! We love the girls over at Quiltmaker and we are so thankful they picked us for their magazine again! Go buy it!! There are so many cute projects in it! Ours is shown below! It is the Pooch Pad! Give your or your friend's dog a nice stylish new bed! There are 13 projects that are just to die for! You won't be disappointed! There is something about seeing your name in print that just makes all the work worth it! =]

Homespun is Digital!

2011-09-09T10:45:00.001-06:00

We just received a very, very exciting email from Homespun Magazine!!
"It is with great excitement that I announce that Australian Homespun magazine and all subsequent issues are now available as a digital subscription through www.zinio.com (the direct link is HERE). This is a fantastic opportunity to present Homespun, a publication at the forefront of the industry, to a new world of readers, locally and internationally. For those who wish to take out a digital subscription, all you need to do is simply download the Zinio application from iTunes to your iPad, or log on to the website above."
We will be featured in the February 2012 Issue! Look for us!

PDF Patterns!

2011-09-07T08:21:00.003-06:00

We now have PDF patterns up on Etsy! So, if you are like us, and want what we want right when we want it, this could be great! Head over to our page and check it out! If you don't see the one you want, let us know! We will make it for you! They are only $7.00 and we email it to you shortly after you order it! Simple as that! So you can get sewing on that project sooner! Enjoy!

Conquer Zipper Fear

2011-09-06T08:56:00.001-06:00

If you or someone you know suffers from anxiety due to zippers, you have come to the correct place! I too once was afraid of zippers and avoided projects that included them! Now I can't get enough [and I put them in some of my bags]! I have compiled a list of a few good zipper tutorials across the web to help you or your loved one conquer the fear! I hope these help!

Twelve 22 has a cute little zipper pouch Tutorial

Uhandbag has a add a zipper inside a bag Tutorial

TiramiSue has a great Tutorial on a dreaded zipper

Sew Mama Sew has a Tutorial on adding a center zipper in clothing

Etsy has a Tutorial on adding an invisible zipper

And last but not least, Otis Fashion Sophomore Studio has a series of Video Tutorials on zippers!

I hope these help!

If you know of any good ones please comment so others can see them!

Winners!!

2011-09-01T12:21:00.000-06:00

Drum Roll Please! And the winners are:

Number 16: Margaret said...

I would make a charm pack tote to carry my books to school. My students love to see my new bags. Msgrice@comcast.net

August 25, 2011 5:06 PM

Number 18: Cecilia said...

I think that I would make a tote bag for my daughter with this. The prints are so cheerful and bright. Thanks for the chance to win. :) ceciliayoung@gmx.com

August 25, 2011 5:47 PM

Number 27: Wendy P said...

I made a jelly roll quilt with this line. I would love to make some shams to match!

August 26, 2011 6:36 AM

Number17: Catskill Quilter said...

I think I would make my very first tote bag with these -- so cheery and bright!

August 25, 2011 5:09 PM

Number4: Anonymous said...

What would I make w/ this charming charm pack? Why one of your patterns of course! towens71(at)yahoo(dot)com

August 25, 2011 2:23 PM

Congratulations to all of our winners! You will be receiving an email shortly! Thank you to all the contestants! We will be doing more giveaways so stay tuned!! Thanks!

Don't Forget to Enter!

2011-08-31T12:01:00.000-06:00

Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!! We don't want you to miss out on free fabric! We upped the odds by adding two more charm packs! That means 5 winners!! We just love all the ideas you guys are coming up with so we are trying to make more opportunities! Enter now! Only 24 hours left! The contest closes at 12 MST tomorrow. Winners will be posted and contacted shortly after! Wouldn't winning free fabric be a great start to the long holiday weekend!?! =] Enter here.

All Done! Woohoo!

2011-08-31T08:33:00.000-06:00

All finished! Right down to the swatch page! Now the print outs are off to RJR just in time for Labor Day Weekend! Sue and Bernie are headed up to North Dakota for Bernie's Mom's Birthday, while Megan and I will stick around and keep the cats company! Sue has been slaving over this line for the last few weeks so we are all very excited it is done! Now it is the waiting game! Hmm maybe we shall design some patterns for the fabric while we wait! I think we shall!

Meet Thor

2011-08-30T10:45:00.002-06:00

Let us introduce you to Thor! He is star dragon in our upcoming line of fabric for RJR: Days of Yore! This is just a little teaser because we won't get the fabric until Spring 2012 but we just couldn't wait to show him off! Accompanying Thor will be many other dragons, a soft book panel, a large panel and lots of fun coordinating fabrics! We hope you love him as much as we do!

Zerba Bag Help

2011-08-30T08:08:00.003-06:00

As we know, some of the best things in life are difficult. =] Well, definitely not simple. We love the Zerba Bag, and get lots of compliments on them around town! The steps aren't hard, there are just a lot of them! Add in a little bit unusual construction and we have a few confused purse makers! Here are some photos of the steps U through Z to help! Good Luck!

Step U Step V

Step W Step X

Step Z

I hope these help! If you still need help do not hesitate to email us!

Wool iCozy Cover

2011-08-29T08:18:00.001-06:00

Fun Times with Wool and the Go! cutter!

I had a blast using the accuquilt cutter with wool! I cut out lots of flowers and then layered them on top of one another to create some three-dimensional flowers on my iCozy Cover! I added some to the pocket in the middle too! The whole thing is made out of wool. I recommend trying it, but if you do, don't add the lightweight interfacing. You don't need it!

Charming Baby Quilts

2011-08-26T11:14:00.002-06:00

Aren't Babies Charming? Here is a quick and easy baby quilt pattern that will put to use your charm packs! (perhaps the one below that you may win!!) We made these up in kind of baby girl and baby boy colors! The Baby Girl quilt is made up of "Sweet" by Urban Chiks for Moda and the Baby Boy is made up of "Pure" by Sweetwater for Moda with some others thrown in there! You can buy the Charming Baby Pattern here. I am about to finish the bag that goes along with it!

What do you guys think??

Giveaway!!!

2011-08-25T13:11:00.007-06:00

Our very first giveaway!

We will be giving away a charm pack of 'Fresh' by Deb Strain for Moda to three randomly chosen winners! All you have to do is comment on this post! Tell us what you would make with the charm pack and include your email address!

~~Comment away!! We will have not one, not two, but THREE winners!~~

Don't forget your email address! Just add it to the end of the note! We will want to know where to mail the goods!
~~If you do not have a Google account, use the anonymous or name/url option!~~

~~You have until 12:00pm MST on September 1, 2011 to post! Then we will draw winners! Good Luck!~~

Bowling, Pizza & Cupcakes

2011-08-25T08:34:00.001-06:00

We work hard here at Whistlepig! =] And because we work so hard, we have occasional fun days! On Alayna's last day of work we went bowling, got pizza and ice cream for lunch, then made cupcakes! It was a tough day, let me tell you!

First up: Bowling!

This was so much fun! We were assigned Nicknames that seemed to fit our Bowling Styles:

Meghan = 'Second Ball Magic'
Sue = "I got Robbed!"
Bernie = 'The Closer'
Alayna = 'The Dainty Bowler'
Shayla = 'The Pickup Queen'
Meghan was notorious for getting a gutter ball then coming back and getting all the pins with the second roll! The pins we conspiring against Sue the whole time, she would get a perfect bowl and 1 or 2 stubborn balls wouldn't fall. Bernie started out slow but then came back and got a turkey in his last frame! Alayna was the most dainty and smooth bowler this side of the Mississippi, she was one with the floor! And Shayla didn't always do so great on the first ball, but usually picked them up on the second roll.

Second up: Pizza and Ice Cream!

We ate at Marco's and it sure was delicious! We had everything on the table from cheesy bread and meat lovers to veggie delight! After that we walked across the street for some ice cream (bowling counted as exercise)! Smoothies and gelato were served up while Meghan had a not-so-secret admirer!

And last but not least: Cupcakes!

Meghan sadly had to leave us for a dentist appointment, so we will definitely have a baking day again in the future! We made carrot cake and chocolate cupcakes! Some big, some small, some perfect, some not! And then we decorated them! so many treats and different frostings to top them off with! We each had out own style so it was fun to see what each other came up with! We will most definitely be having another day like this one!

Pantone's Fall Colors

2011-08-24T08:07:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, Summer is almost over. Yes, it is sad, but who doesn't love Fall? I know I do! The colors, the leaves, the pumpkins, the perfect jeans and light jacket weather! Fall is my most creative time of year! Not too cold, not too hot, it is just right! Perfect for finishing gifts for the holidays! Theresa from FabShop says, "Every season, Pantone releases a new color report, an offering of the hues we’ll be seeing in fashion, textiles, and home furnishings for the upcoming season. With Fall 2011, the colors have transitioned from the brights of summer to more subdued shades–darker and warmer. Pantone’s color of the year, Honeysuckle, remains popular and integrates well with the more typical autumn colors. Already these shades are showing up in upcoming fabric collections. Moda Fabrics has a new collection, Indian Summer by Laundry Basket Quilts, which uses the coffee liqueur, nougat, honeysuckle and emberglow colors." Check out the rest of their article to see a quilt in the Moda Fabrics!

And for more details about the individual colors and why they were chosen and paired together head over to the Pantone Website!

Mary Ellen's Bubba & Baxter

2011-08-23T08:25:00.000-06:00

Bubba & Baxter Wall Hanging!

This one goes back to our original characters! Mary Ellen Laughary has been sewing and quilting for as long as I can remember! (she is my Grandma =]) She worked at Pacific Crescent Quilting in Spokane, WA until it closed and is now working at the Buggy Barn in Reardan, WA. It is a cute little quilt shop out in the country! Mary Ellen is a mother to 6 and a Grandmother to 9 so far! She is currently working on a quilt for her youngest son's wedding present!

Rocky Mountain Quilt Fest

2011-08-22T14:51:00.000-06:00

The Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival was held in Loveland, CO this year! We went down this weekend to peek around! It was delightful! The Hoffman Challenge was on display and it is just fun to see what different people do with the same fabric! Here are a few highlights!

(all taken with the phone so please forgive some blurriness =])

Cindy Saxon's Pockets-A-Plenty

2011-08-19T08:10:00.001-06:00

Cindy's Pockets-A-Plenty
Look what we found perusing 'The Quilt Store,' a local shop. While Kristy Wolf was teaching her Bella Bella class, Cindy came in to do some shopping and say hello to a friend with her Pockets-A-Plenty bag! Of course my mother (oh... ya, Kristy is my mom! =]) would harass her for a photo! But we sure are glad she did! Black and White is always an excellent choice, but throw in some martini glasses and we are swooning! Thanks for sharing with us!

Capitol Quilt Show

2011-08-18T09:30:00.000-06:00

Every other year, the Colorado Quilt Council hosts a quilt show in the Capitol Building in downtown Denver. It is a fun show to go see because the quilts mixed the architecture makes for some very interesting and fun combos! Kristy Wolf and I (Shayla) decided to take a mother-daughter field trip for her birthday! They hang the quilts three stories high! And each story is over 20 feet! So, your neck may be sore the next day from looking up the whole time, but we had a blast anyways!

I love the ceiling and all the detailing in the architectural elements! Combine that with quilts and I am in heaven!

New personal goal: Have a quilt in the show next year!!

Crawl Space Revamped

2011-08-18T08:17:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the New and Improved Whistlepig Crawl Space!

Patterns - Manikins - Fabric - Decorations - Light - Wool - Batting - Storage Bins - Fat Quarters - Jelly Rolls - Bolts - More Fabric - Dishes - Buttons - Ribbons - Ornaments - Minky - Wrapping Paper - Paper - Boxes - Cats - More Fabric

We all at least have one room like this in our houses! The place where all things go when there is no more room. This room for WPCreek just happens to be the same room that all the fabric is in! You all saw the pictures of Alayna working on the crawl space/ fabric storage area, so we know it was not a simple task! But she did it! And it is PERFECT! We can walk down there and put our hands on anything we need, when we need it! Here are some photos of Alayna touring us through the newly organized areas!

Welcome to the bin room! We still sell everything we have ever designed. This means that we have A LOT of inventory! All of those classic Whistlepig patterns are now organized and in easy-access bins!

Here Alayna is showing us the nicely folded cottons on the left and the wool on the right! (looks like we need to do some more wool projects! =] )

Vanna White, I mean Alayna, is showing us how the cottons are organized here: Novelties, Batiks, Black & Whites, and Lines are all kept together! This makes out lives so much easier! On the right, Alayna is showing off one of many fat-quarter bundle stands that display the fabric so we can see it!

All of Alayna's hardwork paid off! We can walk around and pick fabrics now! Woohoo!

Happy Birthday Kristy

2011-08-17T08:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Day of Birth to one of our dear friends Kristy Wolf! Kristy has been designing patterns for Whistlepig Creek for a few years now. Patterns such as the Sweet Retreat, the Zerba Bag and the Curvy bag are all results of her creative mind! She owns a longarm and has a quilting business out of her home: Wolf Creek Quilting! Happy Birthday Kristy! We hope you have a wonderful birthday and many more amazing and creative years! Cheers!

Other Awesome People who were born on this day:

Davy Crockett in 1786

Robert De Niro in 1943

Sean Penn in 1960

Susan Mulvihill's Vive La Tote

2011-08-16T08:12:00.002-06:00

Susan's Vive La Tote

Susan Mulvihill calls herself a fairly new quilter, but you would never guess that by her work! Susan is a member of the Washington State Quilters and a garden columnist for the Sunday issues of the local newspapers of Spokane, Washington. She is a master gardener and I believe it is only a matter of time until she is a master quilter! The bag shown in the photo is the Vive La Tote. “I really liked the design of this tote and it went together fairly quickly. It will be perfect for going to quilting meetings, classes, sewing days with my friends, shop hops and quilt shows. I was attracted to the batik fabrics shown on the pattern photo but decided I wanted to use some richly-colored cottons from my stash. I'm hoping to make some of the small shoulder bags for gifts.” Thank you so much for sharing the tote with us, Susan! It turned out great!

Embroidery Characters

2011-08-15T08:53:00.002-06:00

We have gotten a few comments and questions about where to find our embroidery characters! We create ours through Lickity Stitch who is on Stitchnet.org. On this website you can find our Dogs, Cats, Dinosaurs, Monsters and many more! Check them out and let us know what you would like to see next!

A Good Cause

2011-08-12T08:31:00.001-06:00

Today at lunch Meghan was telling us about an organization that her family has started donating to. It is called The Redistribution Center Inc. and it is based here in Colorado. The Redistribution Canter gathers and distributed millions of dollars worth of food, clothing, building supplies, toys, furniture, household goods, and other items. These donations serve a wide variety of groups including members of the armed forces and their families, battered women, disadvantaged individuals and families, Native Americans, victims of disasters, terminally ill patients, the aged, homeless and anyone else in genuine need. The Center, which is run entirely by volunteers, picks up donations, warehouses donations until appropriate recipients are identified and distributes the items. They are doing a great service and if you are feeling generous, these guys are a good option!

Stars On Point

2011-08-11T08:31:00.002-06:00

Morning Photo Shoot!

For the first day in what seems like forever, it was nice and cool yesterday morning. There was the perfect overcast for pictures so we pounced on the opportunity! We shot the 'Stars On Point' and had a few giggles while we were at it! This quilt is one of our older ones that we remade in more updated fabrics and revamped the pattern cover. Kristy from Wolf Creek Quilting made and quilted the quilt. This pattern is perfect for jelly rolls and bali pops or even scraps of strips you have in your stash.

Bernie's Real Retirement

2011-08-10T13:01:00.000-06:00

The Real Retirement!

We didn't even give him a week before we put him to work! Today he and Alayna are in the office moving and organizing shelves so Sue and I can set up a photography studio! We need a place to shoot when it is cold! Those two (Bugsy & Bernie) are a great match! But we have to keep a close eye on them so they don't get rid of anything we want or need! But they are working hard and we deeply appreciate it!

Old Patterns, New Covers

2011-08-10T09:52:00.000-06:00

Renovation

Every once in awhile we come across one of our older patterns that could be renovated and make a splash again! Here are two of our patterns that we just revamped the covers of! Let us know what you think!

We have the Stars On Point and the BYOB patterns! Both are for sale on the website! Check them out!

Kathy Sims' i-Cozy Palooza

2011-08-09T08:17:00.000-06:00

If you would like to be featured on our blog please send an email to blog@wpcreek.com!

Bernie is Retired

2011-08-08T09:03:00.000-06:00

"I'm Retired, You're Not. Nah Nah Nah"
The Newest/oldest member of the Whistlepig Creek team is Sue's other half! Bernie just retired from his corporate job and gets a few days of freedom before he starts working for us! We are very excited to have him!
Congratulations Bernie!

Fons & Porter Magazine

2011-08-05T08:40:00.000-06:00

The Magazine Mania is still kicking! Here is a Sneak Peek of our project for Fons and Porter's December Issue! This project is made up of our new line from RJR Fabrics, "Caterwauling Tales." Kits will be available!

Without giving too much away: this is a super fun and easy holiday pattern that will brighten a room and bring smiles to faces! Look for it in the December Issue of Fons & Porter!

Caterwauling Tales

2011-08-04T09:39:00.001-06:00

THE FABRIC ARRIVED!!!

We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new line of fabric: "Caterwauling Tales" from RJR. So, when the box came, we couldn't control our excitement! Now that we have started to use it and a day has gone by, we are loving it! Watch for new projects coming soon.

Coming up next: a Sneak Peek of the project for Fons & Porter made up in these fabrics!

Linda Lake's Frame-It-Up

2011-08-01T09:04:00.000-06:00

Featured Customer of the Day: Linda Lake!

She has made up the Frame-It-Up Satchel in an adorable polka dotted fabric with a fun bright stripe accent! The stacked buttons match the dots on the fabric and give the purse a little flare!

Click the photo for a larger view!

If you too would like to be featured on our blog, just shoot us an email at blog@wpcreek.com!

BYOB-2 Kits

2011-07-29T09:02:00.001-06:00

We have found all sorts of treasures while down in the crawl space. Amongst those things and piles of fabric, were kits for BYOB the Second. I love both of the color ways! Both are super summery and fun!

First we have "Oh-Cherry-Oh" by Me and My Sister Designs for Moda:

And we also have "Sweet" by Urban Chiks for Moda:

Kits include all the fabric, a charm-pack, the pattern and all the letters! (batting, thread and machine not included) This pattern goes together really quickly, and the charm squares make it look much more complicated than it actually is! Go Check them out at Etsy!!

Kits, Kits, Kits!!

Healthy Lunch

2011-07-28T12:46:00.000-06:00

Here at Whistlepig Creek we don't take too many things seriously (we draw cartoons!). But one thing we do take very seriously is snacks! So how lucky are we to have our very own popcorn machine, just like the ones at theme parks and city fairs! Its a good sound to hear the popping of kernels!

Be jealous! ... Or come snack with us!

Critters Page

2011-07-28T10:03:00.000-06:00

Before I run off to sew, or take pictures, or get lost in the crawl space, I wanted to direct your eyes up to the right hand of the page! There is a new 'Critters' tab and I highly recommend checking it out. And yes, I may be bias because I made it, but I assure you that the kitties will be worth it! They are just so adorable and are really the critters behind the characters designed here! Ciao!

BYOB Update

2011-07-28T09:41:00.000-06:00

Much like many sewers and quilters I know, I have the right to change my mind about which fabrics are going into a project! The BYOB was no exception! As I was helping Alayna in the crawl space, I came across a lime, black and white print that I loved. So I started building off of it!

I pulled some black and white prints and a similar green, and got to work! Every time I added something to it, I fell in love a little more and more. I decided to spruce it up and added ric-rac to the handles, some buttons around the letter "S" and yo-yos made of green scraps.

And then I dug Alayna out of the basement and make her model for me! =]

Sometimes it is fun to take a slightly older pattern and spruce it up! When I finish the next one I will post more photos! I am really loving this one too! Off to sew!

Quiltmaker Magazine

2011-07-27T08:32:00.001-06:00

Well, I have shown you Sneak Peeks of our projects for 'Australian Homespun' and 'Simple Quilts,' so it is only fair that I show you a Sneak Peek of our project for 'Quiltmaker.' These ladies are in the same area as us, so when we drop off projects we get together and have lunch! This time it was at the Macaroni Grill. Yum. Anywho, we had a blast and are starting to brainstorm our next project with them! (the ideas are coming out of our ears!)

This project is simple and fun! We hope you find it in your next Quiltmaker Magazine! The Editors have an adorable blog that I highly recommend checking out! Plus, keep your eyes peeled for their next 100 Blocks special issue! It is an inspiration! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Homespun Magazine

2011-07-26T09:36:00.001-06:00

Magazine Mania!

It is that time of year, between markets when we have a little time to catch up and breathe… so instead, we do projects for magazines. We have just submitted projects to Quiltmaker, Simple Quilts and Australian Homespun, and are working on projects for Simple Quilts (again =]) and Fons & Porter. These are a lot of fun to do, and help get our name out there! So keep your eyes peeled for our name and projects in all your favorite magazines! Here is a Sneak Peek of our project for ‘Australian Homespun’ Magazine.

We are very excited to be featured in a magazine outside the US, and what better place than 'Down-Under?'

Dee Bratcher's Flip Flap

2011-07-25T09:36:00.000-06:00

Featured Customer: Dee Bratcher

Sewing and Embroidery Connoisseur!

Click to enlarge! It is easier to read that way =]

BYOB- New Cover

2011-07-22T10:50:00.002-06:00

BYOB is back!

No, not 'bring-your-own-beer.' But one of our favorite bags. BYOB or Bring-Your-Own-Bag is one of our slightly older patterns that is and (we think) will always be a favorite. Therefore one of my jobs is to renovate the cover for the pattern. I am going to show 2 bags, that I am currently pulling fabric for, and give it a slightly updated and fresh look. I am very excited to start on this endeavor. One bag will be a big contemporary floral print and the other will be a charm-pack one. I have found the charm-pack I want to use, it is 'Fresh Squeezed' by Moda.

Sandy Gervais designed these fun summery prints. They are bright and fun, which is just what we need. I'll let you know how it turns out. I am kind of itching to do it, so.... Adios!!!

Day to Day: Alayna

2011-07-22T08:51:00.002-06:00

We have a new girl that has come to work for us for a few weeks before she runs back off to school in Idaho. Alayna, my little sister, has put her mind to organizing us at WPCreek, starting with the crawl space/ fabric storage area. This may sound like a fairly simple task, and for a pro organizer like Bugsy (AKA Alayna) it shouldn't be too tough, right? Wrong. This is a fairly large crawl space, filled with bolts and bolts, and yards and yards, and tons of fat quarters of fabric. And not only does it contain fabric, but Christmas decorations, lights, manikins, dinner party dishes, platters, Halloween decorations, ribbon and almost anything else you can think of. Poor little thing was stuck in the crawl space and gets food, water and bathrooms breaks. =] We will take pictures as she progresses and keep you updated.

I feel a little bad.... I went down and took pictures of her working. Sounds a little wrong huh? Eh oh well =] Enjoy the heat, or hide in the A/C like us!

Junior Classic

2011-07-20T14:17:00.000-06:00

The New Bag on the Block is the Junior Classic.

It has quickly became our personal favorite. It has side pockets with a little pleat flare, inside pockets, magnetic snaps on the flap and is the perfect size to tote everything you ever may need around.

Big contemporary prints are fun to show off a pattern.

Black, white and red are a classic combo that never fails.

Or make it up in your favorite colors.

Add a button or two, and Voila, you have an adorable everyday bag.

Simple Quilts Magazine

2011-07-18T08:41:00.002-06:00

Here is a Sneak Peek of out project for 'Simple Quilts' Magazine.

We were very excited about making this project. (hint: they feature sleeping bags) It was one of those projects that seems super simple, and is, once the zippers are figured out. And luckily for everyone, we figured them out =]

Pick up the magazine when it comes out for further details. Enjoy

Gable Alfano's Totes

2011-07-13T09:29:00.001-06:00

Show & Tell: Gable Alfano has shared her totes with us!

Classic for Moms

2011-06-28T11:51:00.002-06:00

Click to enlarge

Pattern available here

Caterwauling Tales Panel

2011-06-17T09:09:00.000-06:00

Caterwauling Tales

This is the panel from our new line (also comes with a white background).

Capturing moments and personalities is what scrapbooking is all about, and that was the inspiration behind this line. Using her own cats as models, Sue created these characters and told their story in the form of scrapbook pages. Each cat has a charming and unique personality that shines through on each page! We hope you love them as much as we do!

Whistlepig Creek: we do whimsical!

Kathy Booth's Garden Purse

Laure Schaerr's Flip Flap Bags

Christine's Sweaters

eCozy Palooza Tutorial

eReader Cubby Tutorial

iCozy Palooza Tutorial

eReader Cubby

Brenda Curtis

Pinterest

PDF Patterns

Calico Mermaid

Caterwauling Tales Projects

Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

Quilt Magazine

Giveaway Winners!

Flirty Skirty

Holiday Giveaway!

Caterwauling Tales Freebies

Sneak Peek!

Gable Alfano

Sneak Peek!

June Wrogg

Charming Baby

Stars on Point

Barbara Rorabaugh

Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts

Happy Thanksgiving!

Claudia Mielinski

Peggy Nehring

Julie & Lenore

Kathy Regan

Sally De La Haye

Quilt Market 2011 - 4

Quilt Market 2011 - 3

Quilt Market 2011 - 2

Winners!

Quilt Market 2011

100 Blocks Blog Tour

Sweet Retreat's Little Sister

Days of Yore

Color Me Mine Adult Size

Wild Goose Chase

Mosaique de Mer

Sassy & the Camera

Renovated Pattern

Bright Colors

Contest!!

What's New Pussycat?!

the Leyvie Bag

On the Go!

the Sawtooth Hue

Color Me Mine

Gearing Up For Market

Quilt Magazine

Pooch Pad

Homespun is Digital!

PDF Patterns!

Conquer Zipper Fear

Winners!!

Don't Forget to Enter!

All Done! Woohoo!

Meet Thor

Zerba Bag Help

Wool iCozy Cover

Charming Baby Quilts

Giveaway!!!

Bowling, Pizza & Cupcakes

Pantone's Fall Colors

Mary Ellen's Bubba & Baxter

Rocky Mountain Quilt Fest

Cindy Saxon's Pockets-A-Plenty

Capitol Quilt Show

Crawl Space Revamped

Happy Birthday Kristy

Susan Mulvihill's Vive La Tote

Embroidery Characters

A Good Cause

Stars On Point