1000th post giveaway -- things that make my heart go pitty-pat

To celebrate my 1000th post, which was actually this week's stash report, I'm giving away a stack of books that make my heart go pitty-pat. I'm not giving away my own favorite books because there are still things in them I need to make, but I've managed to find gently used copies to share with one lucky reader.





This one has got to be my favorite quilting book. I found my copy of Family Ties: Old Quilt Patterns from New Cloth (Needlework and Quilting) four years ago. Talula Gilbert Bottoms, the author's grandmother, made more than 200 quilts between 1870s and 1945. It's been quite a while since I read it cover to cover, but if I'm remembering right she pieced and quilted them by hand. The patterns here include Double Wedding Ring and Improved Nine Patch and Sunbonnet Sue and all of the traditional old patterns that come to mind when I think quilt. And many that I'd never seen before I got my hands on this book.

I want to be like Talula when I grow up. If I can use my sewing machine.





This one has the pattern for Shenandoah Log Cabin in it. If you don't know what that one is, there are plenty of pictures on Judy Martin's Website. Imagine a log cabin that swirls like a Snails Trail.





I really want to make a pineapple quilt. I really don't want to do paper piecing. This one uses strips and is, according to the introduction, similar to the Quilt in a Day Log Cabin pattern. If I could talk a friend through that one over the phone, I should be able to do this.





Although I don't actually do it as much as I'd like to, I love knitting socks. I knit three pairs (and a whole long list of other things) during the 22 days I was on hospital bed rest with my youngest. Solid colors and intricate textures...sigh I really should make more sock knitting time.



I wanted to include a cross stitch kit, or maybe one of the Diane Phalen patterns that helped lure me from cross stitching to quilting, but the stores that used to have aisles of kits and patterns have done away with them. I did find these patterns, which are exactly what would have had me bouncing with joy when I was in the deepest part of my obsession and my definition of the best cross stitch charts was "huge and completely covered with stitches."

Want to win this whole wonderful stack of books? Just be a follower of my blog and leave a comment on this post before 11:59pm 02/06/2012. I'd love to know what would be in your stack of books that make your heart go pitty-pat. (And please make sure you're not a no-reply blogger -- Sew Cal Gal has a great explanation of exactly what that means and how to make sure it's not keeping you from winning the contests you enter.)