Pinching Myself

I'd like to start this post by thanking all of my followers.  I've been blogging here for six months now, and I still practically squeal with delight when I check Blogger and find that I have a new follower.  I appreciate every one of you!  There are so many talented people in blog land, you could keep yourself busy all day reading blogs, so I appreciate the time you take to peek at mine sometimes.  I still remember how it felt when I got my first follower that wasn't related to me or a close friend.  That was awesome.  I'm currently at 44.  Thanks so much to all of you!

Why am I talking about this now?  I've been thinking for a while that I wanted to thank all of you, but I also guess I'm just trying to point out the fact that not very many people know who I am. And why should they?

So how did I get so lucky to get my hands on this?

 Aren't they pretty? (Sorry for the washed-out, direct-sun photos.  I'm not a good photographer.)

Yep, this fabric doesn't even come out until late November.  Better detailed pictures of the fabrics will be coming in the next few days.  As you can tell, this is Joel Dewberry's new line, Notting Hill.  This colorway is called Ladbroke, I believe, or Poppy, depending on the site you're looking at.  Pretty reds, aquas, and golds with a touch of grey.  Do you see that bias plaid in there?!  The one just to the left of that one is my favorite, I think.  It's a really large-scale print called kaleidoscope.  Just lovely.

I found out a few months ago that the mother of one of my good friends from high school teaches Joel Dewberry's kids piano lessons.  Really?  Yes.  They live about half an hour away from me too.  I had kind of  been thinking, "The next time Joel Dewberry comes out with new fabric, I should offer to help them get ready for Quilt Market."  This thought had crossed my mind several times over the last few weeks.  Well, about a week ago I was up late looking online at fabric, trying in vain to find something my mother would like for a quilt for her bed, and stumbled across this line.  I guess I was just tired enough that I wasn't scared to actually type out an email, offering my help, and then to hit send.  Joel's wife Laurie called me the next day saying that they really did need someone to make a quilt, and asked if I could do it for them.  I pretty much couldn't believe it.  I picked up the fabric and pattern yesterday, and started cutting into it today.  This is so exciting for me!  It really is pretty awesome that I get to make something that will be seen by so many people, and maybe even photographed by people infinitely more well-known than myself.  

I'd better not mess this one up.

By the way, Joel and Laurie are so kind.  I'm excited to get to do this for them, not just because this is totally awesome, but also because they are such great people.  I'm really quite honored.

Now I've got to get this totally done by the 24th.  The pattern is fairly simple, but it is all bias edges so I'll need to be really careful.  No speed sewing on this one!  I'm really glad that I'm pretty much caught up on my current/pressing quilting projects, so I can work on this for the next couple of weeks.

So how did I get so lucky?  I think it mostly comes to being in the right place at the right time, and being just brave enough to put myself out there.  I really hope they are happy with my work.