I had the fabulous pleasure of meeting Cherri House at Market this spring. I got my hands on her new book, City Quilts, and fell in love. Absolutely beautiful!
I’m always intrigued as to how others go about the design process so it was quite fun to pick Cherri’s head!
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Do you design a quilt and then pick colors, or do you pick a palette and then design the quilt?
It can work in a multitude of ways – here a few:
1. pick the colors (solids), then design the quilt
2. design the quilt, find the best colors (solids)
3. pick the fabric (prints), design the quilt
4. If I’m working with a magazine, or manufacturer, it is a completely different process. They assign the fabric, and give general guidelines as to size, level of difficulty, and even # of fabrics to be used. They have very specific constraints for the needs of the quilt/pattern. While this can be a real challenge, it is also the best type of exercise for me as a designer.
Do you try to limit your palette or just use as many colors as you feel like using?
Again, it just depends on the quilt. Most of the quilts in City Quilts are kind of a ‘everybody in pool’ as long as the colors fall within the palette that I am using. The only truly constrained quilt would be City Harbor – but that was for a very specific effect, with a very controlled palette.
Do you sketch on paper or computer?
Most of the time it begins by scribbling on whatever I can find – depending on where I am when the inspiration hits. Dinner napkins, programs at church – anything will do. I officially have a Moleskine graph paper notebook that I carry all the time, but anything is fair game. Next, I’ll put into EQ6 and work out all details.
Does your personal taste in quilts match your professional taste in quilts?
That’s a very interesting question! Personally I make lots of scrap quilts, that are string pieced. I also have lots of ‘’soft” colored quilts, made with my favorite Moda 3 Sisters fabrics. Professionally, my quilts are generally very graphic, and very contemporary, made with all solid fabrics. I love them all, and they all speak to who I am as a person, and as a designer.

How to select color for a quilt?
Many quilters have a great deal of anxiety over selecting color for a quilt, what seems to trip people is have too many choices. You walk into a quilt store, and are overwhelmed by all of the options. My best tip would be to have an idea of the quilt you want to create before you ever begin shopping. Make some decisions, an internal flow chart of sorts. Will you be working with solids or prints, will the quilt piecing be complex or simple, will the fabric be busy or calm. Determine where you want the quilt to go, before you start going. Don’t just say ‘I want to make a quilt’, say ‘I want to make a blue/green quilt using solids, and near solids, that will work in a my blue living room, for use on the brown chair. By giving yourself a framework to stay within, so many issues are eliminated before they arise.
How do you match prints to solids for combining in a quilt?
If I were combining a print and a solid, I would choose a solid that was either slightly lighter, or slighter darker than the main color I was trying to match. Match it exactly and it will all fall flat. Colors darker or lighter in value will create a visual interest, and add depth to a quilt.
What’s next for you?
Lots more quilt patterns in the upcoming months, thoughts on a new book, I would love to license my patterns for use in rugs, and bedding…does anyone know anyone at Crate & Barrel??? Thoughts on fabric design – I think Lizzy may start giving me drawing lessons! Sharing my love of solid fabrics…do you know, lots of quilters have said they have been discouraged from using solids by quilt shop employees…what is that about?!?
Thanks Cherri for your wonderful insights!
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Super Fab Giveaways!
– City Quilts from C&T Publishing
– Fat quarter bundle of Kona Cotton Solids from Robert Kaufman Fabrics
And… Cherri picked her favorite Carolina Patchworks patterns that will go to four additional winners (one pattern each):
To enter: Comment here by Sunday, July 25th at midnight ET. Winners will be announced Monday, July 26th.
Check out Cherri at the other stops on the blog tour to learn more about Cherri, City Quilts and win more prizes!
July 12th – Cheryl Arkison: Naptime Quilter
July 13th – Amy Lobsiger: Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts
July 14th – Stefanie Roman: Little Lady Patchwork
July 15th – Pat Sloan
July 16th – Spool Sewing
July 17th – Allie: Robert Kaufman
July 18th – Emily Cier: Carolina Patchworks (hey, that’s me!)
July 20th – Sarah/Josh: Sewer Sewist
July 21st – Julie: Jaybird Quilts
July 22nd – Vickie Eapen: Spun Sugar Quilts
July 23rd – Jessica Levitt: Juicy Bits
July 24th – Kim Kight: True Up
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i love her solid fabric quilt designs!!!!
great interview
thanks for the chance to win!!
karina
karinamckenzie (at) hotmail (dot) com
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The last quilt in the post is BEAUTIFUL! Great interview and I know I must have the book!
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I love that last black and white quilt – it’s stunning. The more I read these interviews, the more I want the book!
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amazing artist! i love learning about different peoples creative process!
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Gosh I have been learning something new at every stop along the way that will help with my design process. As a very new quilter I was lucky to shop at a LQS that had the entire range of Kona solids but in general I thought Amish=solids. Now I’ve been figuring out they had some unexpected pop in most quilts and the City Quilts…wow!
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Keep hoping I’ll win a copy of City Quilts! It looks and sounds amazing. Thanks for the chance and good luck with selling your house!
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I like Cherri’s quilts more and more with each blog stop. Would love to win a copy of the book! Hope things get better for you, Emily, real soon!!
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I just saw her City Quilts book on Amazon and really had to do a double check on myself to not order it this month. It looks wonderful – hope I win!
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Hi, I’m stopping by on the blog tour…wow, you have a lot going on girl!
Thanks for taking the time for the book tour. The quilts look so cool!AND I’m looking forward to seeing your book, sounds very interesting!
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Thanks Emily. It’s nice to get to know your blog and designs and it’s wonderful to find out more about Cherri.
Quiltshops often discourage to use solids for quilts, probably because they simply prefer to sell their printed series that are sooner outdated.
Thanks for a fantabulous give-away and a chance to win something!
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still hoping to win that fab fabric bundle! thanks for the insight and the chance to win!
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thanks for the interview! love the book and fabric
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great interview! and thanks for the giveaway!
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I’d love to win the combination of book+ fabric. Oh, what I could do!! Kathie L in Allentown
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Each interview has more helpful information- thanks!
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Wow, the tension is building. I am so excited about these quilts!
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I love the ideas presented in the interviews.
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Great interview! Thanks!
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I am enjoying learning all the tips on color choices for planning quilts.
Love the giveaways, thanks. -
Love the tips on choosing fabrics, especially the one about choosing a lighter or darker solid rather than a matching one!
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I’ve ordered my copy and can’t wait for it to arrive. I would however love some solids to use on one of the projects.
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Thanks for another nice stop on the blog tour. Good review.
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I was searching high and low for an exact match for one of the colors in my main fabric for a quilt, to the point of being obsessed. Now I think I will try out the tip on going for one a little lighter or darker. Great tip and makes choosing so much easier! Thanks for the chance to win!
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I enjoyed the interview, especially the fact that Cherri’s personal quilts are so different from her professional quilts. I also appreciate the tip Cherri gave about the solid fabric being either lighter or darker than the print. Thanks for the giveaway.
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Visually Stunning Quilting!!
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Thank you for the wonderful interview! I am hoping to win so that I can try out working with solids for the first time. Thanks again!
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I love her quilts – thanks for the giveaway and interview!
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The color combo’s are giving me such inspiration to start yet another quilt
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Thanks for the chance to win.
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I think working with color — or doing a scrappy quilt — is the hardest. I’d love to learn more about it in City Quilts.
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Thanks for the interview with Cherri. Would love to win a copy of her book!
BTW, there are some awesome quilt shops in the Puget Sound area (all around Seattle). Welcome to the Pacific Northwest.
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Thanks for being a part of the tour. Some solid fabric would be a nice addition to my stash.
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Another interesting interview. Loved the info on matching solids to prints!
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Thanks for sharing! Love this blog tour and the interview.
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Thanks for spotlighting this book today – it looks fabulous. Congrats on your upcoming move and best wishes for everything to go smoothly. We just went through a cross-country move ourselves and it stinks getting settled, but like you said, worth it in the end.
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I LOVE the book and think the opportunity to win a ‘bundle’ is really fantastic. I looked at YOUR patterns and OOOOOOhhh what nice WORK you do! I’ll wait ’til the drawing but then I’m coming back!!!
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I’m stalking this blog hop in hopes to win this totally awesome book!!! Great interview
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Oops, I posted on the wrong day so I am back to say thanks and I enjoyed visiting your blog on the tour, I’ll be back.
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The blues make me want to quilt clouds!
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maybe here I will be lucky, I absolutly want this book
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So happy to read about how Cheri creates, it was a bit surprise that she likes Moda’s 3 sisters fabrics for it’s not the style I always get to see in her quilts. I’d love to see the pastel color version of Cheri’s quilt! I am a big fan of her and her daughter (talented designer Lizzy). Thanks for this interview and giveaway!
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The patterns look just amazing, I would love to get my hands on that book and fabric!
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What an inspiration for working with solids. Thanks!
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This is so much fun! I am enjoying the interview and getting a ton of inspiration.
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I would absolutely adore a chance to win this book! It looks SO amazing!
Thank you so much for the inspiration and giveaway!
(and have fun in Seattle! That is where hubby and I are hoping to end up in a few years!) -
Thanks so much for a chance at the giveaway! And good luck in Seattle!
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Thanks for this. I love solids and it always makes me sad that they cannot be found in stores around here.
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An awesome giveaway for sure!
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Would love to have Cherri’s book, love the Kona solids and thank for adding the chance at some of your patterns! Hope the house sells soon
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Thanks for this day interview
Looking forward to Cherri´s new projects
God luck with your new home in Seattle -
Great interview and “stop” on the tour. Love the discontinuity pattern!
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Great interview and fantastic giveaway, thanks for an opportunity!
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What fun! Most interesting to see Cherri’s picks from someone else’s patterns too!
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Love the solid-color quilts, and I cant’ wait to get my hands on a copy of that book. Thanks for the chance to win!
Katherine
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Thanks for participating! Fabulous blog for a fabulous book!
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the patterns in the book look fun and modern, want to make some *_* thanks for the interview and giveaway.
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Another great interview! I really like the patterns too.
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I was really interested in Cherri’s ideas about having plan for the use of your quilt before choosing the fabric. I usually work differently, I’ll see some fabric I like, later come across of think of a pattern and then try to find the two (fabric and idea) that match.
Thanks for the giveaway. I’d love to read more about Cherri’s ideas!
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Loving these interviews!
Lindsay.forgette(at)gmail(dot)com
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Thanks for the chance to win. I love Cherri’s quilts.
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All of these quilts are amazing! such a great giveaway.
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What great prizes you have! Thanks for posting the interview and for the giveaway.
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I love the commment by Cherri about how to use prints and solids together! Another great interview!
Thanks for the great giveaways! -
I love the way you make solids sing like that. And I’m loving learning more about you. I can soooooooo see your style translating into rugs and home dec! Good luck with that!
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Ooh, I like your patterns! Thanks for the opportunity to win.
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I’m loving this blog tour! What fun! It just makes me want this book more and more…
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Another amazing interview. Thank you for sharing.
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Great interview! This is such a fun blog tour. I’m finding a bunch of new sites to follow.
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Good questions – esp about personal vs. professional quilts.
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I love your graphic quilts.
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Thanks for the great interview. Love the pattern Discontinuity.
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I liked your question about Cherri’s personal vs. professional taste in quilts. Great giveaway!
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Can’t wait to try a new pattern, a new adventure in my quilting odessy.
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So much fun to read all these interviews. and see the really wonderful fabrics.
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These blog tours could become addictive … and there’s just SO many new blogs to follow now! I can’t believe I missed them over the weekend!
Thank you for the opportunity.
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I love Cherri’s quilts and am really enjoying this interview/tour! Great giveaway!
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I think the coolest thing about following this book tour is the eye-opening experiences of checking out all the different blogs. I am new in the world of quilting, and there is so much inspiration! I am so excited to try some of these designs I have seen. Emily, I can’t wait to see what inspires you in Seattle. Great interview with Cherri. Thanks!
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Really enjoying the interviews with Cherri House and can’t wait to get a copy of this book…wouldn’t mind having the Kona FQs either. Many thanks.
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Thanks for the great giveaway and interview.
I have been enjoying the City Quilt tour. -
great questions, thanks for the tour
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Wow you have a lot of comments for this one.
Thanks for sharing your conversation and experience from the Market. P.s. I have been wanting to ask, what did you ever do with the Dear Jane? -
Thanks for the chance to win! Would love to make a solid quilt. These are gorgeous!
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Cherri’s quilts are perfect for where I am right now (literally and figuratively!) Thanks for the chance.
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Great interview and great patterns.
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These patterns would make some stunning area rugs!
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Thank you for hosting this stop on the tour! I learned something new from your interview with Cherri — about choosing a value of lighter or darker solids than the matching prints… I appreciate your doing this with so much on your plate for a move. Would love to win something from these awesome prizes!
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Thank you so much for hosting the tour. I am anxious to try my hand at a quilt with solids. The book and patterns look fantastic.
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I love the modern quilts that you both create!! P.S. Good luck relocating. My husband is in the army and in the past two years we have moved twice times. From NC to Hawaii. And Hawaii to Louisiana. He is in Iraq right now so really three times for him.
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Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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Great post!
Best wishes with the pending move. How exciting, it will be worth it in the long run… short run, well… -
Good questions, great interview. And good luck with the house sale. I’ve gone through that business of staying to sell the house, with 3 kids under 6, while my husband left to start a new job. But he wasn’t half the country away! Stay strong! We’re pulling for you!
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Love the bundle and that her name is like mine or mine is like hers… how ever it works…
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I’ve got my book and bought fabric for City Harbor.
Now all I need is a day or two of free time!
I’m really looking forward to playing with solids for the first time. -
What a great combination of solids and great patterns to make them into. Thank you for a wonderful blog hop. brown.k@centurytel.net
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I am totally in love with this book. And I love the idea of acompanying it with some solids. If everyone is like me there are really bright printed fabrics in the stash but no solids
I might have to go shopping
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Patterns too! How nice. Great interview.
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Very well thought out questions! I am really enjoying this little tour. =)
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I’d love to check out the book. Thanks for the chance!
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This is such a great book, it’s so inspiring. Thank you for the chance to win!!
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i simply cannot get enough for this woman! love her humor and her quilts!
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I can’t wait to see this book for myself, I’m so excited about it! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
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Love the book, love the colors, love the fabric. I hope I win!!
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Thanks for the great interview! Lots of useful advice! I’ve been itching to make a new quitl for a while… but have had the experience of being ‘overwhelmed’ when walking into fabric stores, and not knowing what I want to make, I can’t choose anything!!
I guess I just need to dream the quilt up and then find what I need, not wait for inspirational fabric to hit me!
thanks again! -
The quilts are beautiful! Would love to win this giveaway!!
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This blog tour is giving us some great tips! Fabulous giveaway and thanks for including some of your wonderful patterns too
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Absolutely love this book! I’m actually having trouble trying to decide which one to make first. And that fabric! Thanks for the chance to win!
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I love this book. I’m so excited about it. Thanks for the chance to win!
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I have loved the interviews and the city tour! Love also the solid fabrics
Thanks -
What fun reading all these interviews! And now solid quilts are on my mind!
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That is so weird that shop owners aren’t supporting solids in quilting – hello? Amish quilts? You are so right Cherri – totally timeless. I wish more shops would carry the line. I finally bought my own Kona color card after several online shopping fails (good thing the solids are so reasonably priced, and lets face it, any Kona solid is great for your stash!).
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I tend to scribble too but didn’t know what EQ6 was until now….hmm mystery solved and I’ll definitely have to check it out. Thx for the interview Qs, I ‘m inspired by Cherri’s personal story. Well done and thx for the opportunity to be a part of the giveaway.
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Love the book, and the stories. The interviews have been great. And oh, these Kona solids…I so want them. I don’t have many (any) solids in my stash. Would love to make a solids quilt.
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I love her work! The solids are beautiful.
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Thanks for a great giveaway. I enjoyed reading your interview.
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It’s such a fab book, I really want to win one!
So generous of you to include your patterns as another giveaway too – thanks.
Fingers crossed.
Cheers,
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Lovely interview. I adore that shades of blue quilt. It would be awesome to win a copy of the book. Thanks for the giveaway!
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Would love to win one of these great prizes….and you threw in patterns also….yippee!!
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I love that barcode quilt! Thanks for the chance to win!
figure8angel[AT]gmail[DOT]com
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Great interview! Her work is amazing!
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Thanks so much for the chance to win! City Quilts looks like a fantastic book to get my hands on!:)
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I sooo want one of these books! ))) I think its great and i just finished my first quilt, and i cant wait to make more!
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Really a neat interview!
Thanks for sharing,love,Linda -
Thnaks for hosting the blog tour. It is great and I am also enjoying my stop at Carolina Patchworks.
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Thank you for your roving reporter questions! They were great! An added thanks for adding the patterns to the giveaway! Remember recaulking showers builds character!
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Thanks for the opportunity to win some of your patterns too.
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love that black/white/gray/blue quilt! Put my name in the hat!
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I love that blue palette. Thanks for the chance to win and the great insights into design and patterns.
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She inspires me to want to use more solids. Love her quilts. The designs are so crisp and bold. Thanks for the great giveaway!
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Cheri provides such great inspiration! Please enter me in the giveaway!
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Thanks so much for this giveaway! I’d love to win!
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Love the book. Thanks for the great giveaway.
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I love this book! I have been drooling over it at the store since it came out! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
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Please enter me in this giveaway. A great book.
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Ooo, love the quilts and fabrics!
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I love her use of shape and colour, can’t wait to get started on one of these projects!
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I love the modern quilt designs and the colors. Simply beautiful!
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Interesting to learn about her process. Beautiful quilts! Thanks.
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A very nice interview. Enjoying what I’ve been learning about her processes and inspirations. Thank you.
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I’ve been eyeing this book for some time. I’ve been on a tiny quilting “break” after surgery… would love to have another great quilt book to read during my recoup. Love the “My Blue Heaven” FQ stack too! Thanks for the opportunity.
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Great tip on picking fabrics. I tend to get overwhelmed when I shop. So many choices. Having a color palette in mind will help me focus. Thanks!
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It’s been so much fun getting to know Cherri House through these interviews. Would love her book and the fabrics (no kidding,here!).
b/
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Hi I have really enjoyed all of the interviews,everyone is different and we learn something new. I love her quilts they are so bold.
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Would love to win this giveaway. The quilts in this book are wonderful.
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ah. so crazy about this book. It is right up my alley.
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Interesting Q&A and great prize pack!
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Another great interview! I am learning so much about using color and solids and also about Cherri’s design process, inspiration, etc. Thanks for such good questions.
I’d love to win one of these great prizes. Thanks so much. -
Great interview. Thank you!
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Wonderful book and interview!
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Great interview! Thanks for the chance!
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278 comments