Last Call for Quilts!

June 1, 2010 is the submission deadline for

"Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope"
a traveling quilt exhibit sponsored by the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.
Maximum size for quilts is just 9 inches by 12 inches and they must have an Alzheimer's theme to be included in the exhibit.

Please include additional days for shipping and registration of your quilt.
The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) is a national charity that raises money to increase awareness and to fund research.
It is an all-volunteer effort.

Buttons

In modern clothing and fashion design, a button is small fastener, most commonly made of plastic, but also frequently of seashell, which secures two pieces of fabric together. In archaeology, a button can be a significant artifact. In the applied arts and in craft, a button can be an example of folk art, studio craft, or even a miniature work of art.


I sew buttons to quilts! It amazes me that this small item can have a big visual impact on a project.

Quick Quilts

This quick to make baby quilt uses some easy blocks.

Paris

Sometime I'll get to Paris in the spring. But still beautiful in November.

Labeling Quilts

I think my quilts are like my children, they all have names.

Road Trip

Went out with a friend the other day. We agreed that we can have a great time and basically do nothing. We ended up in a quilt shop of course. Bought fabric, of course! Went to Keepsake Cottage Fabrics in Bothell WA. The staff is committed to making your shopping experience successful. They are knowledgeable and ready to share!

Lorraine Torrence Presents

My guild, Evergreen Piecemakes, Kent WA, has some great programs! The speaker Lorraine Torrence presented the trunk show "Finding Your Voice Workshop: Collage Curves". Lots of food for thought with many examples of clothes and quilts. She concluded her presentation with a bed time story.

Start with a Photo

Sometimes it’s all about the fabric, or rather what’s printed on it. This Eye Candy Quilt is my memory of Paris. I printed my photograph on prepared-for-printing fabric. Since I had it in the back of my mind that Paris is known as “The City of Lights”, I wanted to use a variety of sparkly beads rather than some other trim to balance the very strong vertical line of the Eiffel Tower.From Eye Candy Quilts: Super-fast fun with beads, baubles and more.

Spring

Who wouldn't be moved to sew seeing the beautiful spring flowers?

Inspirations

Do you keep a file of ideas for future use? I do! I love to spent time just looking at the pictures to see what I thought was interesting. I see the same kinds of images more than once. I'm quilting and looking for ideas.

Fabric Collecting

Shopping is certainly my passion, or I should say collecting fabric. I look at my collection as just that, something I love to look at, fondle, and even use. But I must say using it isn't the high point. I find myself drawn to the red section of the quilt shop. Haven't any idea what I am going to do with it, time will tell.

A History lesson

When to the program at my local guild, Evergreen Piecemakers, the other night. Was delighted by Gene Barker's program on corsets. Believe me when I say that we should be more than a little grateful the we are here now! Just looking at the size of them, much less the boning was an odd feeling.

But, the workmanship nothing short of inspiring!
There were lots of corsets (my photo's just did not do them justice), other inner garments, but the boxes, besides being beautiful, told a story all by themselves. Just look at the different body shapes shown on there boxes from the 1880's and 1924.

Vermont Quilt Festival

New England’s largest and oldest annual quilt event.
June 24 – June 27, 2010 Champlain Valley Exposition.
Workshops:
The Decorative Thread Experience: Thread may have once been considered just a basic necessity of sewing, but happily it’s now available in so many luscious colors and types that it has become sheer pleasure to use. Steering your way through the sea of threads available can be a time consuming and somewhat daunting task. I will guide you through the learning process so your sewing will become fun and fancy.

Bead Candy Quilts Spend the day with me as you learn about Bead Candy quilts. These stunning mini-quilts are so much fun to make they should be illegal! They can be finished in practically no time and adding beads, buttons, ribbons, paint, feathers and a myriad of other commonly available materials is so fun and easy that ANY quilter will be dazzled.

Simple Surfaces Everyone is invited to spend the day with me while you learn all about paint sticks and foiling on fabric. Applying foil or paint sticks to silk or cotton is easy, fun and permanent. This informative hands-on workshop is for both traditional and non-traditional quilt and clothing makers.

Quilt Show - Road Trip

Went to the Quilters Anonymous Quilt Show in Monroe WA today. Show is over Sunday March, 21. It's worth the drive to see the great quilts of the featured artist Linda Tellesbo. Had a great time looking at all the quilts

A little shopping in booths like The Sewing Basket & Quilted Country Inn is always in order.

Quilt Show

Sometimes I just got to make quilts! This one is the largest I have ever made ... 107" square!

Heading for the North Carolina Quilt Symposium

Simple Surfaces is a one day workshop good for all skill levels. You will learn all about paint sticks and foiling on fabric. Applying foil or paint sticks to silk or cotton is easy, fun and permanent. This informative hands-on workshop is for both traditional and non-traditional quilt and clothing makers. Check out my book; Quilt Toppings; Fun and Fancy Embellishment Techniques.

Eye Candy Quilts is a half day workshop, all skill levels are welcome! Eye Candy quilts are stunning mini-quilts that are so much fun to make they should be illegal! They can be finished in practically no time and adding beads, buttons, ribbons, paint, feathers and a myriad of other commonly available materials is so fun and easy that ANY quilter will be dazzled. Straight from my new book; Eye Candy Quilts; Adding Sparkle and Fun, published by Breckling Press.


Paint Stick Magic is a half day workshop welcoming all skill levels. Make elegant fabric with the look of airbrushing! Paint sticks applied to silk or cotton are simple, fun and permanent. This revealing hands-on workshop is for both quilt and clothing makers. Quilt Toppings; Fun and Fancy Embellishment Techniques.


To register, click here.

Spring

I think spring has arrived in full force here in Seattle! (Sorry if you live in one of those snowy places). There are cherry blossoms, and the fields are full of my favorites - daffodils.

Road Trip

Today was the Crust's day for museums. A quick trip to the Asian Seattle Art Museum, and while we were there I just had to cruise through the Conservatory at Volunteer Park.

Joe the Quilter aka Joe Cunningham

Went to see a great program Joe the Quilter: A Musical Quilt Show presented by Joe Cunninghan last night at Block Party Quilt Guild. Had a great time! Unique, fun and full of quilts, this show is unlike anything you have ever seen.

Festival Winners!

The Journal of the International Quilt Association is now available on line. It lists the winning quilts at the 2009 Fall Festival. Mine is:
The Wait-a-Minute
Dimensions: 54”w X 70”hThis quilt is painted, hand beaded, machine pieced and quilted.

Houston's Samplers and such

Come and say hello at the Meet the Teachers stage where I'll be talking about:
A Few of My Favorite Things

Thursday, Mixed-Media Sampler
Painting Like A Pro!Friday Sampler
Eye Candy Quilts










Saturday Sampler
Paint Like Monet

Houston - All Painted up!

More Classes:

Paint Stick Magic

Make elegant fabric with the look of airbrushing! Paint sticks applied to cotton or silk are simple, fun and permanent. This revealing hands-on workshop is for quilt, doll and clothing makers.

(My all time favorite technique!!!)

Fantastic Fabric Foiling

Bring your projects to life with instant glitz and shine. Foiling on fabric is easy, fun and permanent. This informative hands-on workshop is for both traditional and non-traditional quilt and clothing makers.

(I do love all things shinny!!)

More next time!

Houston - I'll be there with some great workshops!

Super Fast Binding and Piping!

(Taught Monday night after Market, perfect class for finishing UFO's!)

Is binding the quilt your least favorite part? Bindings and piping are a snap with this no-fail completely machine-stitched method. Come and learn a piping and binding technique to make your quilts stand out in a crowd. In class you will be making a sample to take home and use on your own quilts. Binding will never be the same again!


For the Love of Color
What you always wanted to know about color but were afraid to ask! Using a wide range of fabrics, you will be introduced to a variety of color concepts. Learn all those scary terms: value, tint, and tone, with simple easy to understand exercises. (I'm all about color!)
A Fine Line: Creating the Quilting Design
The ‘what, why & how’ of quilting design. Traditional and non-traditional quilters will explore how to maximize any project’s ‘wow’ factor with the creative use of the quilted line. (The quilting! Need I say more!)





More next time!