Tuesday, November 30, 2010

It's a Book, Finally!

Last week I got my advance copy of The Civil War Sewing Circle! I've been talking about it for almost a year and even though all of you must be so tired of hearing about it, I can't tell you how exciting it is to see it in REAL book format, finally. Yay!  Available at quilt shops on or around January 10.


After working so hard on a quilt pattern book -  designing the patterns, making the quilts, sketching the illustrations, researching, writing the text, you begin to lose a sense of how it will all turn out in the end. I had the title and idea stuck in my head since 2008, after I finished Remembering Adelia, but didn't actually begin working on it until July 2009. When you turn in the manuscript for a book, you wait for what seems like an endless time to see the finished product. Will the quilts look nice in the photos? Will the design be pleasing? Will all the effort and research I put into it be appreciated? Most importantly, will anybody like it well enough to buy it? Essentially all out of my hands.


I tried to make every quilt in the book inspiring in some way and that wasn't easy. I wanted the quilts to be simple enough for beginners to make and yet also give experienced quilters patterns that are, if not exactly challenging, at least interesting. Some designs got cut and others filled in at the last minute. Some I wish I had had more time to plan.

It's a lot of work on the author's end that needs to be completed in a relatively short time so that the publisher can put it all together and get it on a publishing schedule. But, all in all, I think most of you will like most of the quilts, if not all of them.  Heck, I rarely like every quilt in my books myself and after I'm done often wish I'd changed my mind about the fabric or the setting but there's never time to switch and substitute another right in the middle. Sometimes decisions have to be made quickly and there's no going back.

If you haven't heard, The  Civil War Sewing Circle contains patterns for 8 doll quilts, a few larger quilts and a couple of sewing accessories. And lots of old photos to entice you even more. Here's a little preview.


The flat shots of quilts in most books don't really give you a true idea of what the quilts really look like, in my opinion. This quilt, for instance, looks much nicer up close than it does in the photo, where you can't really see the lovely (and lively!) border fabric.




This is the Friendship Album signature quilt that contains blocks made by my SmallQuiltTalk yahoo group. So special to have signatures of many in the group. I love how it turned out.

Pretty  little hexagons!

I sort of hated this quilt after I made it - too dark, I thought - but now it's growing on me . . . and I think it's actually good. Again, the photo in the book does not do it justice.


It's fun to see the pages with old photos and text, excerpts from letters written during the Civil War.



After my last blog post on gifts for friends, here's a shameless plug - I would like to say that this would make another really great Christmas present for a special friend, but unfortunately, it won't be available until January. Darn! Ask your friends if they mind getting their gifts late . . . my friends are used to it, LOL. You can always pre-order a signed copy here and hope for the best and I'll get it out to you as soon as my books come in from the publisher. Better late than never. And possibly, just possibly, a teeny bit early.


32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so excited to see and read your new book. This year's New Year's resolution is to make all of the Adelia quilts and this new book's quilt. Do you think that I can do it?
I love, love, love the pink and brown birthday quilt you made me. It received many rave compliments over the Thanksgiving holiday. You are such a talent and an incredible friend. XO

Anonymous said...

I meant to sign my name, sorry. Julia

Janet said...

Thanks for sneak peak!! I adore the brown and pink one at the top. :0)

Jill said...

I have seen a few pages and the book is beautiful! But, even before I saw the pages, I fell in love with the cover-your best yet. I can't wait for it to be available. You must be so proud. Congratulations you have created another amazing book for us to enjoy!

Miriam said...

Congratulations on your new book!
Thank you for sharing a few pages with us. Lots of tempting quilts there!

Kathleen Tracy said...

Thanks everyone, I'm very excited about it, can you tell??

Thank you, Julia! No, you are.

I wish I could take credit for the cover, but that goes to the wonderful Martingale design team.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Kathleen, I have your book on pre-order through your blog. It is so nice to read how excited you are about your new book! Well done!! All the very best, kind regards, Ann ~ Australia. PS: The cover is absolutely magnificent.

ann hermes said...

The book looks wonderful. I can't wait to get my copy!

Amy said...

Oh great, now I gotta have this one too....

Elyte said...

Thank you for the preview Kathy, can't wait to get my copy.

irishgirlsews said...

Oh MY Goodness....the quilts look so inviting, I would enjoy making them all. This book will definitely become a part of my growing quilt library. I'm working on another quilt right now from "Remembering Adelia" and truly enjoying the process..Thanks
Wendy

Cheryl said...

Ok, I am sold and need my own copy. I want to see the siggy quilt up close and love the doll quilt with black in it ;o) I'm really anxious to read the text!

Darlene said...

I've been lurking quietly watching your progress with your new book. I'm looking forward to it's release. Congratulations on another HIT.

Linda said...

It is in my Amazon shopping cart! Can't wait!

Heartsdesire said...

I don't think I could ever get tired of hearing you talk about the new book. From the preview, it looks like yet another winner. I can hardly wait for January. And so I don't miss out, I'm going to pre-order it.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

What a joy this must be....I think I pre-ordered this a while ago from Amazon.com, and I look forward to seeing it when it is released. I wish you lots of success! I love the sort of small quilts you make, scrappy and interesting fabrics....Now that I have two little granddaughters I am making doll quilts for them, and some larger ones for them to play with since their Mom told me they try to cover themselves with the little quilts! (Yes, one of them also tried to walk up a tiny staircase on a wooden doll house once! Didn't get very far with that and she was only two years old, but we enjoy the memory!)

Anonymous said...

Your new book looks just wonderful, I can hardly wait to get it in the mail. And the quilt you thought was 'ugly', I love it, it has such character. Thankyou for the preview, it is very enticing. I hope you are continuing to do well, healthwise....Merilyn

antique quilter said...

the book looks great!
can't wait to get my copy!
Kathie

Page 8 said...

I pre-ordered a copy from you, so glad I did! Can't wait.

Anonymous said...

I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on a copy! Looks like a Bestseller to me!! Love, Love, Love all those mini quilts!!

Anonymous said...

Yippie!!!! Kathy,I have preordered my book and my hexagons are waiting. I can't wait to get my hands on it. It looks yummy!!!
Karen in IL.

Jeanneke said...

Hi Kathy,

thank you for your lovely pictures of all quilts. I already saw a preview at Amazon, but in these pictures you show us the quilts really come alive.
Can't wait for the book to come out, maybe I will start a wintersleep until the 10th of January?
Oh, I can't do that, I'm too addicted to make some more small quilts...

Jeanneke

Truffle queen said...

Wow - I can't wait to get this book!! It'll be the perfect time - after all the Christmas gifts are done!!

Daniƫlle said...

Eagerly awaiting my copy hihi!! It looks great and it must be a big thrill for you to hold it, look into it, after all you have been through! Thanks for you being you!! XXXD

Darlene B said...

The new book looks great! I love your work (and your blog). Since the book comes out on Jan. 10 (which is my husband's birthday), do you think I should buy it for me in his honor? :0)

Kathleen Tracy said...

Definitely. Tell him I said it was okay and recommended you do that. Maybe he'll even get a quilt out of it??

Bonnie said...

Oh Kathy -- the book looks wonderful. It must be so gratifying to see it emerge from your brain, sewing machine and computer. I'm so excited about it too!

Anonymous said...

It looks wonderful and you and your family must be so proud. Congratulations. I have your other 3 books and so it was just a given that I will purchase this one too.

Happy Holidays,
Charlotte

marian said...

oh what a thrill, congratulations Kathy, i'm, so excited for you! i really appreciate all the hard work that's gone into producing this little gem and i can only imagine how stressful the whole process has been for you, the highs & the lows. The pictures and the darling little quilts look absolutely wonderful! i can't wait for my copy to arrive so that i can add it to my growing collection of KT doll quilt books. cheers, Marian x

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the sneak peek preview of the book that I've ordered (from you)
Interesting to see the Civil War Soldier's cot quilt - so many of the states are using the block pattern for their Home of the Brave quilts(that go to families who've lost a military family member in Iraq or Afghanistan) I'm Ohio's coordinator, but we use a ninepatch on-point strippy quilt design.
I'm so GLAD I pre-ordered. The wait is killing me, though....
Bev Macbeth in Ohio

The Civil War Quilter said...

I recently discovered your blog and Love it! I'm not waiting for someone to "gift" me your new book...I preordered it as a gift to me myself! Can't wait to get it.

Quilt Enthusiast said...

Kathy,
I have enjoyed you blog for some time. It has a professional quality
and always enjoyable. I ordered you book from Amazon when it became
available to pre-order. It arrived today and it is a beautiful book with
history for my civil war history loving husband. He read through it too.
As for me it will be a go to book that I will choose as a gift for many of
my non-quilting and quilter friends because of the significance of the
womens' history included. I have always gravitated to small quilts, so
the small quilts in the book make me want to dive in immediately.
Thank you so much for such a well written book with the beautiful
photograpy and as always your instructions and illustrations add to
the enjoyment of quilt making.
With much appreciation for you wonderful work.
LuAnn