It’s book release day! I just added all my new content to my resources and corrections pages, and was adding reviews and writing up my blog tour…

… when my friend Jen emailed me that Kay Gardiner of Mason-Dixon Knitting had posted an amazing update. Kay not only wrote a lovely review of the book…

Beginner quilters sometimes ask me to recommend a starter book, and this is the book I am going to recommend from now on. The basic quilting instructions at the beginning of the book are clear. Everything you need is covered, with great tips.

The designs are fresh and beautiful. The author’s taste is wonderful. This is the first album/scrapbook type quilt I’ve seen, that I would want to make. And of course, for me, this is a knitting book. I am in love with the “crosses” quilt on the cover; the construction of a knitted version sprang into my head immediately and won’t let me go.

…but she designed and knitted an exquisite Mitered Crosses blanket version of the Modern Crosses quilt, and posted the pattern on Ravelry to benefit Mercy Corps’ earthquake relief efforts in Japan! As of March 22, just a few days in, she’s donated $2,250 from the sale of the pattern! I am amazed and grateful at this wonderful fundraiser celebrating my favorite pieced quilt’s lovely knitted cousin. Thank you to Kay doesn’t even come close to covering it. I’m in tears.

You can snap up a copy of this lovely pattern over at Ravelry!