Thursday, June 30, 2016

Progress Updates on New Construction


A month or so ago, 
Kaja shared the beginnings of her
new (first ever) free pieced work.

Look where that project is now!

You can read about the process 
in her recent posts by clicking
 HERE and HERE and HERE





This week's SSOBB blog hop continues
with a second post by Kathy French.

CLICK HERE to read about
two of her latest barn building projects
and to add a comment to be included
in this week's giveaway for
an autographed copy of BUILD A BARN.





Monday, June 27, 2016

Kathy French's Blog Hop Week



This week on the

SSOBB Blog Hop

our featured blogger is

Kathy French

from Maine.



(You may remember her amazing
 free pieced wedding quilt 

Kathy shared her SSOBB participation 
on her for the first time HERE.

* * *

Kathy has two posts planned
for her week on the blog hop.

The first post is HERE.

The second post is HERE.


* * *

Enjoy your visit to Kathy's blog
and thank you for sharing your comments with her.

You can also visit Kathy's SSOBB Gallery Page
here on the BUILD A BARN blog
by clicking her name tab 
just below the blog header above.


Friday, June 24, 2016

Barns, Inspiration, and Sharing

Barn along Hwy 64 near Lakeland, Tennessee

As you drive down the road,
keep an eye out for barns . . . 

They're everywhere
and they are so full of possibilities.


In the photo above
notice the blue roofline,
the scalloped edging between the stories,
and the fancy haymow door designs.

Lots of design ideas to work with.


Barn seen near Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Photo will supersize if double-clicked

My husband took photos of this barn on a recent business trip.

Two colors ala upstairs/downstairs,
contrast-trimmed doors,
symmetrical gable roof,
a weathervane,
and just look at all those flags in the park next door.


Photo will supersize if double-clicked


SSOBB Charter Member Lynne Tyler snapped this photo
as she travelled through Maryland.

Notice the deep blue sky and the curving tree line, 
the classic red of the barn's walls,
the colors in the fields, 
and the shadows in the foreground.

Again, so many design possibilities.


Photo will supersize if double-clicked


This elegant white barn near Corinth, Mississippi
even has grazing cows in the fenced enclosure.

Wouldn't it be interesting to design a quilt block
with the trees in the foreground and background?!?


Barn spotted near Birmingham, Alabama
Photo will supersize if double-clicked


This photo is a classic "drive-by" from the highway image.

Loot at all the design ideas it offers --

long curving fence lines, 
a rounded gable roof with a cupola,
early morning sun-streaked sky,
specimen trees plus trees/shrubs in the foreground,
and the barn is sitting on a hill.

* * *

If you have spotted a barn that you'd like to share,
either post about it on your own blog or FB page
and send me the link so I can share it here
OR
email me the image with location details
and I'll share your image(s) here. 

(email is in my blogger profile)

And if you have a favorite barn story,
I'd be happy to share that here, too.



Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Look What Cathy Has Built Now

Image from Cathy's Blog
Double-click to supersize


Look what Cathy is sharing in her second blog hop post!

CLICK HERE to read about this very special free pieced creation.

I can't tell you how happy her post makes me -
for ever so many reasons.

Monday, June 20, 2016

This is Cathy's SSOBB Blog Hop Week

Photo will supersize if double-clicked


This is Cathy's barn.

The one that inspired her SSOBB Gallery Quilt.

When we were finally able to tell everyone
about the Secret Society of Barn Builders,
Cathy shared her news HERE.




This photo shows part of Cathy's SSOBB Gallery Quilt.

She'll be sharing stories about making it
and more
on her blog this week.

Her first blog hop post is HERE

She's also planning to post again later in the week.

CLICK HERE to read her second post -
you don't want to miss this one
because she shares a brand new free pieced project.


Thanks for visiting her blog 
and sharing your comments with her.

(she'll be offering another chance to win 
an autographed copy of BUILD A BARN, too)

* * *

Reminder:

All of the SSOBB Gallery Quilts will be on display 

as a Special Exhibit during

AQS Quiltweek Chattanooga (September 2016)

and

AQS Quiltweek Des Moines (October 2016).


The quilts will also be on display during the annual
Davies Manor Quilt and Fiber Arts Show
in Memphis, Tennessee.
(early November 2016)





Friday, June 17, 2016

Have You Seen Kathy's Latest Barn?


Photo will supersize if double-clicked

has built another marvelous barn --

to visit Kathy's blog 
to read about her process
and to see more photos of
her inspiration and her results.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

The Value of "Meh" - a MUST READ






This is SEE ROCK CITY during the 2013
Davies Manor Quilt and Fiber Arts Show.

(the quilt was just recently home from
its first AQS QuiltWeek at Grand Rapids)




This is Lynne's TOO MUCH CHICKEN quilt.

(it has been at AQS Paducah and will be at
AQS Syracuse and AQS Grand Rapids later this year)


There's a good reason why I'm sharing these two quilts with you today --

to read Lynne's updated version of this VERY worthwhile post.

Monday, June 13, 2016

This Week's Blog Hop Features Valerie Levy



This week the SSOBB Blog Hop 
visits Nova Scotia, Canada
with our featured SSOBB Charter Member
Valerie Levy.

Valerie has at least two posts planned
over on her blog at

The first post is HERE

A link to Valerie's second post
will be added later in the week.

* * *

Valerie's SSOBB Gallery Page
is here on the BUILD A BARN blog.

Just look for her name tab in the header.

Comments on the Gallery pages
are welcomed and encouraged.








Friday, June 10, 2016

Check Out Lynne's New Barn



Lynne is building a free pieced barn
inspired by a real one in New Hampshire.

She has posted about it a couple of times now.

CLICK HERE for her second post
and be sure to check on the posts before and after.


Thursday, June 9, 2016

How to Build a Pole Barn - by Cherie



We are now mid-way through
Cherie Moore's SSOBB blog hop week --
Her SSOBB Gallery page is HERE
if you haven't read the story of The Brave Chicken

Cherie lives in Illinois
where pole barns like these are common.


Hint:  she shares how to build a pole barn
using shirting fabrics.

VERY cool!

And don't forget to follow the link in her post
to leave a funny comment --
she'll be drawing one person's name
as the winner of this week's
autographed copy of BUILD A BARN.





Wednesday, June 8, 2016

A Sense of Scale

Photo taken by Cherie Moore - Paducah 2016

After sharing photos of BUILD A BARN's Seasonal Sampler
from the Paducah Quilt Week Author's Showcase,
I was reminded (once again) of the differences
between looking at a quilt in real life
and seeing in in photographs online or in a book.


Teresa Raleigh with The Seasonal Sampler - Paducah 2016
Teresa blogs at A Quilt and A Prayer


The Seasonal Sampler measures 68" wide x 55" long

For the sake of comparison,
the top surface of a standard/full mattress
measures 75" long x 54" wide.



Photo taken by Cherie Moore - Paducah 2016


I remember being very surprised the first time
I saw one of Lynne's free pieced quilts in person.

I always thought her letters were tiny
based on the photos she shared on her blog
and that I could never make mine that small.

In real life those letters were NOT tiny.

I was SO relieved!

* * *

The free pieced barn blocks are the same way.

They are NOT tiny.

They are comfortably large 
and sometimes they can become very large.

I think that takes a LOT of the stress away.




So the next time you catch yourself thinking
"Oh my gosh, that's small"
go get a tape measure and some painter's/masking tape.

Mark out the dimensions on your floor
and you may be quite surprised!







Monday, June 6, 2016

Cherie's Blog Hop Week




This week's featured SSOBB Charter Member is

CHERIE MOORE

who blogs at The Quilted Jonquil.



Cherie's first blog hop post is HERE.

UPDATE:  There is a second post HERE.
(with insight into making fabric choices)

She's also planning a second post for Thursday.

THIS LINK takes you to her third post.

There IS a giveaway involved
and 
maybe even a brand new free pieced barn!


Thanks for taking time to visit Cherie's blog
and for sharing your comments there 
AND 
on her Gallery page here.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Belinda's New Barn Project

Photo will supersize if double clicked

Look at Belinda's new project!

CLICK HERE to read about it.

REMINDER -
Today is the last day to enter her SSOBB Blog Hop giveaway
for an autographed copy of BUILD A BARN.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Elephants and Giraffes and Monkeys, Oh My!

Block designed and created by Carol E.
who blogs at  Giraffe Dreams



to read Carol E.'s post 

about her first barn blocks

and to explore 

her VERY fun quilt top. 


SO much to discover!


* * *


P.S.

Don't forget to visit 
Belinda's blog
(Brown Dirt Cottage)
and a chance to win
an autographed copy of
BUILD A BARN.


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Check Out Bonnie's Review of BUILD A BARN




to read Bonnie Hunter's post

about two new barn-related books

along with a chance to win a copy of both!