2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop!
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2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop!

mspdesignsusa

Hi Fellow Quilters,

Sharon here.  We’re SO excited to be part of the “2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop”!   I’ve enjoyed “meeting” the other new bloggers in the group, and taking in the suggestions offered about how to make our new blog even better. 

As a new participant in the blog hop this year, I enjoyed visiting and critiquing several other blogs.  It was interesting to explore the way other bloggers set up their sites, and to be able to ask questions about how & why they do things that I haven’t yet explored.  I learned a lot, and I’m working on implementing my new learning as I continue blogging. 

We split into several smaller groups (hives) and did some activities within our hives.  I learned how to make a button, which was fun to do!  The button that is displayed on our sidebar today was created for our “Sunshine Quilters” hive by Cindy of Gray Barn Designs.  It has been fun, and I’ve learned a lot!  “Thank you!” to Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts, Tish @ Tish N Wonderland, and Jen @ Dizzy Quilter for taking the time to organize everything this year.  

After you’ve finished reading, please look for the landing page link at the end of this post, and then visit the rest of the blogs as well.  You can register to win some wonderful prizes when you follow a blog or leave a comment.  A great big “Thank You!” to our sponsors for the blog hop!  We appreciate your support!

My sister, Susan, and I have been designing quilt patterns for about three years now.  Each new pattern becomes our favorite, at least until we start working on the next one, and so it is very difficult to choose an all-time favorite!  But, if we had to choose, Sharon’s top two favorite designs, so far, are:

“Pirate Adventure!”  I love the detail that Susan included in the applique blocks for this quilt design, including weapons, costumes, and facial expressions for each pirate.  I think that she did an excellent job of  representing a pirate’s life.  I designed the paper pieced pirates’ ship, which includes fancy painted trim, a Jolly Roger on the sail, and a cannon on the poop deck.  We blogged about this design earlier this year, so you can read here if you’d like more information about this great little boys’ quilt pattern.

Sharon's Pirates Adventure Quilt pattern by Ms P Designs USA

“Ballerina Animals” is another favorite design.  I don’t normally make “girly” quilts, but this one has such brilliant colors that it wasn’t such a stretch for me.  I just loved imagining how a ballet class would look if the ballerinas were all animals.  I’m a huge fan of the cow and the monkey ballerinas, practicing their pirouettes as they prepare for the recital!

Sharon's Animal Ballerina quilt; pattern by Ms P Designs USA

 

 

And Susan’s top two favorite designs, so far, are:

“Zoo 2.0 “  Susan loves the combination of fresh, fun, and feminine fabrics that she chose for this quilt, along with the whimsical personalities of the animal appliques.  The “ferocious” tiger and eye-rolling chameleon are both featured in this pattern, and the looks on their faces are priceless!

Zoo 2.0 Quilt pattern by Ms P Designs USA

 

“Reef Buddies” quilt is Susan’s other favorite design.  The sparkly fabrics on the pieced wave blocks are the perfect complement to the sea creature appliques.  Susan says that she learned a lot about the ocean animals while she was choosing the critters to be featured in our pattern.

 Reef Buddies, quilt pattern by Ms P Designs USA

The name of our design company and our blog, Ms P Designs USA, comes from our maiden name (Passmore) and the fact that we are quilt designers.  We included a mouse in our logo (see the D!) to represent the little mice (and other critters) that Susan and I used to make and sell at craft shows, back in the ’90’s.  Good times, but that’s another story for a different post!

Ms P Designs USA logo

If you’d like to know more about the “birth” of Ms P Designs USA, or about Sharon or Susan, you may click here to read “Our Story”.  We started our pattern design business by opening a shop on Etsy in August, 2015, and then on Craftsy in November, 2015, selling digital downloads of the patterns that we create.   We decided that, rather than selling finished quilts, we would design patterns so that others could enjoy the creative process too.  If you’re interested in seeing more of what we have to offer, please visit our pattern shop.

We were introduced to the quilt blogging world last year when we participated in the Seams to Be Sew 2017 Row Along. (Thanks for the invitation, Marian!  And thank you to Carol at Just Let Me Quilt, for hosting our blog post!)  Read about our 2017 “Christmas Caroling” row here!  Here’s a picture of our 2017 row:

Here We Come A-Caroling Ms P Designs USA
Here We Come A-Caroling Ms P Designs USA

Susan and I decided to begin blogging in September, 2017, because we are having so much fun designing patterns, and we wanted to share our joy with other quilters.  Since then, we’ve participated in several other blog hops, and we have really enjoyed “meeting” other quilters and bloggers from all around the world!  There’s such a great camaraderie among quilters, and we appreciate the enthusiasm and variety that they share with us!  

We have lots of new designs in the works, at various stages of development, so check back from time to time to see what else we’ve been doing.  Our goal is to publish new pattern at least once per month, so there’s always something fun to see!

We’re often asked about what inspires and excites us about designing quilt patterns.  We’ve each taken some time to ponder this question, so here goes:

For me, excitement comes from the challenge of creating something that doesn’t (yet) exist.  That’s why I decided to start drawing paper pieced vehicles!  I was inspired in this direction because of my two boys, who loved the big vehicles (garbage truck, fire engine, etc.) when they were small.  I’m always on the lookout for inspiration, and have been known to whip out my little sketch book when traffic is held up by construction, just to draw a piece of unusual equipment that isn’t already on my list.  Don’t worry though; I always wait to sketch until the traffic stops, since I’ve already drawn patterns for a wrecker and an ambulance!  (I don’t really wish to see either one up close!)

Susan says that she gets inspired by visiting the local quilt shops to see the new fabric lines and share with other quilters.  Susan gets excited by working with beautiful fabrics, and that keeps her going until the project is finished.  The key for her is to always use fabrics that she loves and can hardly wait to see in the finished product!  Susan also says that she has images of little critters in her head, clamoring for her to draw them.  Don’t worry though; Susan is still able to function exceptionally well in the real world, even with those cute little critters in her brain!

So, now that you’ve heard from us, what inspires you about quilting?  What gets you excited to start a new project?  And what keeps you going, all the way through until the last stitch is sewn and the quilt is ready to be loved?  We’d love to hear from you!  We promise to read each and every sweet comment, but it may take a little while for us to respond to you since we’re at our day jobs all day long.  

Thank you so much for visiting us today!

Happy quilting,

Sharon & Susan

Links for Today’s Bloggers, April 23

 Velda @ http://freckledfoxquiltery.wordpress.com

Carrie @ http://carriebeecreates.blogspot.com

Sharon & Susan @ http://mspdesignsusa.com (You Are Here!)

Ann @ http://laughinggasquilts.wordpress.com

Nicole @ http://handwroughtquilts.wordpress.com

Becca @ http://prettypiney.com

Sherry @ http://poweredbyquilting.com

Stephanie @ http://lowcountryquiltsandembroidery.com

Visit the 2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop Event Host Page to see the full list of participating bloggers and to register for amazing prizes from our sponsors!  

 

Published by mspdesignsusa

Ms P Designs USA: Creators of whimsical quilt patterns

133 thoughts on “2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop!”

  4. Absolutely adorable critters . . . bet you pick up a bunch of customers from this hop! What keeps me going to finish a project? I only allow ‘x’ # of projects going at a time, so I ‘have’ to finish at least one before I allow myself to start a new one. Unfortunately, I am ALways at my max, so I rarely get to start one of the new ones I see on blogs . . .

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  5. Your quilts are too cute! I love the color & fabric combinations involved in quilting & how sometimes the fabric pattern makes all the difference!

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  6. Nice to meet the two of you! Your quilt designs are so fun. I love putting fabrics together for a quilt but usually can’t stop there and go and put together at least 2 more fabric pulls for the same quilt. I am inspired by new fabric lines. They just keep coming and are getting better and better and my stash is getting bigger and bigger. What keeps me going to the last stitch? That is the problem. I am so distracted by new fabrics and new patterns so I drop everything to make something else and then have to force myself to finish up a project.

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    1. Thank you for visiting our blog! Since we started designing patterns, I have had to learn to control how many times I rethink my fabric choices and use whatever we have decided will work best for the design. I attempt to stay away from my favorite local quilt shop until I have finished my current project so I am not tempted by the “new” stuff! There is always the next quilt! Thanks for your comments and Happy Quilting! Susan

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  7. I just love everything about quilting. It keeps me from going crazy and brings me new friends.

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    1. Hi Margaret! Quilting friends are the best! They never judge when you “need” six yards of a fabric that you have no idea what you will do with it and understand that fabric is our addiction! Thanks for your comment and Happy Quilting! Susan

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  9. Reading through blogs like this with lots of beautiful quilts gets me motivated and when I start to see how cool a project turns out keeps me going til the last stitch! Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Every time I look at a new pattern, You Tube video, blog or quilt someone has made I think, “I want to do that!” Thanks for all the interesting background about you and your sister.

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  12. I really enjoyed reading your blog post. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day!! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

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  13. Thanks for sharing your quilts! I especially love the priates pattern as I have twin grandsons who are really into priates!

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  14. I am inspired by blogs, pinterest & instagram ideas. I make a list of quilts to make and check them off when finished which help keeps me inspired.

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    1. Hi Rosalind! Sounds like a great way to stay on track! I’ll bet you don’t have as many UFO’s that way! Thank you for your comment on our blog and Happy Quilting! Susan

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  15. I love being able to make things that are bright and cheerful to give as gifts or to use in my own home. I’ve been quilting many years now and still find it fresh and exciting to make new things and see the things that others make.

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  16. So nice to meet you, Ms P Designs! I get inspired by challenges that give me just a small starting point like a shape, or color, or theme. It allows me to take off with my imagination!

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  18. Lovely to meet you Susan and Sharon. How lovely to be able to work with your sister. I would love that too, but we are kilo meters apart. I love your creative process, and you have some cute designs there.

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  19. Thanks so much for being a part of the hop! 🙂 I’m so impressed with your applique! My goodness!

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  20. Pingback: 2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop, week the second, and my day! | Handwrought Quilts

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