What an amazing few days at the Kansas City Regional Quilt Festival last weekend! I’m still smiling from all the beautiful conversations, inspiring stories, and creative connections that unfolded while sharing my newest book, Love You to Pieces: A Gift of Friendship.
One of the most moving moments of the show came early on—when a lovely quilter named Linda brought me to tears sharing how deeply she connected with the book. She carries a special bear with her to events (you can even follow her adventures on Instagram @katekat109), and I had the honor of holding him during our chat. It was a reminder of why I wrote this book in the first place: to celebrate the magic of friendship and the companions who walk beside us, stitch by stitch.
My son Jack popped by the show (you might have spotted him with Jingle Jack peeking out of his pocket!). Jingle Jack the Yo-Yo Clown was a crowd favorite and … psst! … a very similar clown will be part of the online bonus patterns available with Love You to Pieces!
I also had the joy of hearing so many wonderful “pal stories”—memories of cherished dolls, animals, and handmade friends from years gone by. I’m collecting these, and they’ve already started shaping how I think about future projects tied to this book.
It was such a joy to visit with my dear friend Nancy Ornce, who brought along a truly unforgettable doll made by her wonderfully eccentric Aunt Gladys—complete with what we lovingly call the “stink eye.” I’m so grateful to Nancy for sharing this one-of-a-kind treasure and for allowing me to feature it in Love You to Pieces. Above is the spread where her doll is featured with the caption “We may have different views”. We think this doll held clothes pins or laundry. Follow my Instagram, Facebook Page and YouTube channel for stories and history lessons on the dolls and bears in the book.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by, said hello, and shared a memory. Your stories mean the world to me—and they’re what bring this book to life.
If you’d like to be part of the Love You to Pieces journey, I’d love to have you join our prelaunch festivities! You’ll be the first to receive updates, sneak peeks, and more!
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