Blue Moon River

Two more teaching gigs

2012-01-26T18:21:00.001-05:00

I am pleased to announce that I’ll be teaching at two more exciting venues in 2013!

The first is North Carolina Quilt Symposium 2013 at Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC from May 23-26. I taught at the 2010 symposium, and it was fabulous. (My only complaint was that I couldn't take any classes from their fabulous lineup of teachers, because I was busy teaching, too!) The 2013 Symposium is hosted by the Tarheel Quilters Guild of Fayetteville.

NC Quilt Symposium generally brings in 20-25 nationally known teachers, and students come from across the country (sometimes from around the world). So far, they have lined up Valerie Bothell, Hollis Chatelain, Augusta Cole, Aby Dolinger, Nancy Eha, Kaye England, Sandy Fitzpatrick, Harrit Hargrave, Leni Levenson Wiener, Mary Lou McDonald, Judith Baker Montano, Sue Nickels, Annette Ornelas, Linda Pool, Sharon Schamber, Anita Grossman Solomon, Jane Townswick, Janice Vaine, Beth Wheeler & Lori Marquette, and Amy Stewart Winsor.

And then from June 3-6, 2013, I have been invited to teach for Quilting Adventures at the Deep Woods Retreat in Smithville, Texas, in the Texas Hill Country. Those classes will focus on wholecloth painting and thread sketching. Quilting Adventures, founded in 2007, is now run by the mother-daughter team of Debby Walters and Kim Buchanan, who took over in 2011.

Quilting Adventures offers all-inclusive events of organized and creative instruction, with “comfortable accommodations, delicious food, evening entertainment, the camaraderie of friends and a heavy dose of Hill County hospitality.”

Details about my classes will be available later this year.

Please make plans to join me in 2013!

Confession time

2012-01-24T16:42:00.001-05:00

NOTE: This is a recap of my post yesterday on The Sketchbook Challenge.

Okay, it’s confession time. Doodling does not come naturally to me. I have never done it. When I sit down at my sketchpad, I like to work in a pretty realistic way. Like the fish (a Blackbelly Rockfish, to be exact) above.

Or this Indian Scad:

Yes, I do have a bit of a fish obsession going right now. I’ll admit that, too. When this month’s theme was announced, I inwardly groaned. As a teenager in a boring class at school, I didn’t doodle. I focused on taking extremely detailed notes in beautiful printing, with perfect margins and bullet points. In different ink colors. Yes, I know … I am a freak.

I looked at the girls in my class who were drawing curlicues and hearts and (here’s another confession coming) I thought they were pretty silly.

And then I had an epiphany. I really am wound tight. Maybe, I thought, just maybe, I need to loosen up a bit. Maybe working with such tight control all the time is not healthy. Maybe trying something new would be good. Maybe I would even like it. Maybe.

While I was pondering all this, I drew another fish. A Narrow-Barred Spanish Mackerel, to be exact. I sketched first in pencil, erasing lines, refining lines, until I got things right. Then I inked my drawing.

And while I was working with such precision, I wondered if it would be a valuable exercise to work outside my normal style. Artists spend lots of time developing their “voice” or signature style or look. It is what allows us to identify a Picasso as a Picasso or a Monet as a Monet, even if we have never seen that particular piece of art before. We try to build “a body of work” that is consistent, that demonstrates our signature style. If you work hard to do this, and if you create a ton of art, it usually happens. Most artists work consistently during their lifetimes in this one style, rarely wandering off their path.

But is this a good thing? And since it is called The Sketchbook Challenge, didn’t I owe it to the group to accept the challenge, to take the dare? Maybe it would take me in a whole new wonderful direction! Yes, I decided. Yes! So I sat down to doodle (you guessed it) a fish. Here he is:

And I kind of like him.

“Purple Pansy” finished

2012-01-22T08:41:00.000-05:00

Purple Pansy (7-5/8" x 9-3/4") by Susan Brubaker Knapp

Yesterday, I finished “Purple Pansy.” It is a small wholecloth painted piece. I finished it by first doing a pillowcase turn with the batting inside, and then quilting it. I used only three thread colors, a pinkish-purple on the petals, a gray on top of the yellow area at the flower center, and a green on the leaves.

The advantages of finishing using a pillowcase turn are that it is very fast and easy, and that the piece looks more like art than like a quilt. The primary disadvantage is that it sometimes leaves slightly distorted edges that can’t be corrected the way you can do when you bind or face a piece. This distortion occurs when the quilting is heavier in some areas than others, causing the piece to draw up in some places. You can see that the finished piece is not completely squared up. On small pieces, I think this can be rather charming; I don’t obsess about it too much. But if you are more of a perfectionist, this technique is probably not for you!

If you are interested in learning how to finish a piece with a pillowcase turn, I have a free tutorial (a downloadable PDF) on my website here.

Here is a detail shot showing some of the quilting stitches:

Painted Purple Pansy

2012-01-20T15:14:00.004-05:00

Here is “Purple Pansy” with the painting done. It is ready for quilting, and I am getting excited. I love how the stitching makes the piece come alive, adding more color, detail and texture. I do not usually do thread sketching (stitching on the surface before I add the backing and batting) on small painted pieces like this. There is enough detail in the painting, and I try to use just enough thread to enhance, and not distract or cover what I have done with paint.

If you look at the original photo, you can see that I adapted the background somewhat. I did a blue sky at the top, because the stuff in the photo was too distracting. In the green leafy area at the bottom, I simplified the leaf shapes. I also used a little more lively green to set off the beautiful purples, blues and red-purples in the flower.

After I painted the leaves, the green color was too strong, so I used a wash of white paint mixed with “Base Extender.” The paints I am using a lot now, and loving, are PROfab Transparent Textile Paints by ProChemical & Dye.

If you are new to painting on fabric, I suggest purchasing an inexpensive kit that includes small bottles, such as the PROfab Textile Paint Kit (SKU SINK1). It includes one-ounce bottles of red, yellow, blue, green, white and black, and a two-ounce bottle of base extender for $10.95 plus shipping/handling.

I have been trying lots of different brands of brushes, and will try to post in the future about my findings. It is a bit tricky to find the right brushes for painting on fabric. I like ones that are very stiff, and allow me to push the paint into the weave of the fabric, rather than brushing or flowing it on.

Teaching in The Netherlands this spring

2012-01-20T08:44:00.002-05:00

I’ve been asked to post information for the workshops I’m teaching in The Netherlands, so here it is:

I will be there from March 22 through April 6, and have workshops scheduled for March 24, 25, 31 and April 1 at a quilt shop called Cordi-atelier in Groningen. These filled up quickly, and they added two more, but I don’t know the dates yet. On April 2 and 3, I’m teaching in Bunschoten.

If you live nearby and are interested in attending a workshop, please e-mail me at susan@bluemoonriver.com, and I can put you in touch with Lya, my fabulous Dutch host and organizer, who can answer more of your questions.

The classes I am teaching are Wholecloth Painting and Threadsketching: Dragonfly. Here are the class samples:

Purple Pansy in progress

2012-01-19T17:05:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I worked on a new, small (about 8x10") wholecloth painted piece – the pansy above. In late March through early April, I will be in The Netherlands to teach 8 workshops. I’m teaching my Wholecloth Painting class several times, and while my host and workshop organizer, Lya Geven, and I were talking, she suggested that I do one flower that was a little more familiar to European students. The ones I usually teach are these – croton leaf, hibiscus and sunflower:

Tulips immediately came to mind, but it was not tulip season. I considered buying a bouquet, but then realized that my local nursery was filled with pansies, and I’d have far more options there. I went there in the fall and shot about a hundred photos, and got one that I liked a lot:

Choosing just the right photo to work with is trickier than you might think. It needs to be well lit, with details well defined. It needs to have a strong focal point. I also try to keep the backgrounds simple and not distracting, but sometimes it is impossible to avoid. Too much stuff in the background can detract, but it can be eliminated when you paint.

When I teach, I have to make sure not to choose a subject that is too complex. Most students in my class take the entire six hours to complete the croton, hibiscus and sunflower (and this is just the painting, not the layering and quilting). These pieces are also about 8x10".

The photo below shows a printout of the photo (on the left), and the first bit of painting on the pansy (on the right).

I usually trace my lines onto the fabric; this time I just positioned the fabric (a tightly-woven PFD fabric) on top of my traced line drawing. Tracing the lines onto the fabric is important if you want to do one base color and then paint darker colors on top, because you will still be able to see the pencil lines this way (but you would not be able to see the lines on the printout through the fabric and the base color paint).

My students often have questions about how many colors to mix, and how many tints and shades to prepare. It is tricky to get the right number of colors, and the right values to create depth. You can see my palette in this shot, and get an idea of how many I mixed for this piece so far:

Here is a shot showing a bit more painting done. You can see that I changed the overall color scheme of the pansy somewhat. I find that as long as you keep track of the values, you can do this without a problem. As with traditional quilting, value is far more important than color in the overall effectiveness of the piece.

Here is another shot of how it looks now. I am going to add a few darker values to give the petals more dimension and depth. It’s good to think at this stage about what you are going to add when you free-motion quilt. The thread adds color and detail, too, so you may not need to paint everything. After that, I will move on to the background.

Start spreading the news!

2012-01-15T10:25:00.003-05:00

Please help us share the news about Foto/Fiber 2012, Virginia Spiegel’s fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, with family, friends and associates. The person you reach may be the one who helps us meet our goal of $7,000 to add to the $215,000 Virginia’s fundraising efforts have already donated through Fiberart For A Cause. I’m participating in this fundraiser, and I would love it if you would help spread the word, and/or make a contribution when the event starts.

It’s easy. Just go to Virginia’s blog here to get logos, sample blog posts, signature lines, and more. Then let Virginia know where you have shared the news about Foto/Fiber 2012 and you will be entered to win one of several great prizes. Go here for more details.

Wow.

2012-01-14T00:04:00.001-05:00

Wow. I just found out that my piece, “Hope is the Thing,” is on the cover of the February/March 2012 issue of Quilting Arts magazine.

I started this piece the morning I found out that my mother had died, and it has come to represent the space between us now that she is gone. It was juried into The Space Between, an exhibition curated by Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison for Dinner at Eight Artists, and has already gone to International Quilt Festival – Long Beach, and International Quilt Festival – Houston in 2011.

This issue of Quilting Arts also features the work of other amazing artists in The Space Between: Susan Fletcher King, Sherry Kleinman, Jayne Larson and Linda Teddle Minton.

In this past year, even as I have mourned my mother’s physical presence, I have felt her emotional presence very close to me in my darkest hours. This feels like another sign. Love you, Mom.

Felted pebble necklace

2012-01-07T13:56:00.002-05:00

Ever since I saw Jane LaFazio wearing a fabulous felted pebble necklace at International Quilt Festival this fall, I’ve had a yen for one. I kind of have a thing for rocks. I have some that I collected in my childhood, and I always pick them up on my travels, and bring them home to display in glass jars. The smooth river rocks with bands of white – like the ones in Jane’s necklace – are favorites.

I found the Etsy artist (Delica) whom Jane bought hers from, and have drooled over her lovely things. She has beautiful felted pebbles, chocolate truffles, hearts, acorns, soaps, garlands, brooches, bowls, necklaces… and they are all very simple and elegant. I think her prices are very reasonable for these items, which are pretty time-intensive to create.

Last night I decided to try my hand at making my own. I love how it turned out! And it is so lightweight, you barely know you have it around your neck.

New life for a stained textile

2012-01-06T09:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I stopped in an antique store that is closing in my hometown. Lots of things were 50% off, and I snatched up a wonderful crocheted lace tablecloth for $8. It was in pretty good shape except for a few places that were unraveling, and a fair number of stains. Even after bleaching, they were still somewhat visible. This morning, I cut it into panels and hung them as curtains in my laundry room.

I love the airy, delicate feel they give this space. My laundry room used to be a side porch on my 1916 home; it was closed in before we purchased the house 15 years ago. That’s why the ceiling is bead board (wainscoting). I painted the walls the same cornflower blue as the kitchen, as the room is visible from the kitchen.

There are certain times of the day – early morning and late afternoon – when the slant of light is just right, and it pours in through these windows. That’s when I think I’ll enjoy looking at this lace the most. And it makes me feel good to recycle something so beautiful, something that someone put a lot of work and time into making.

My first post for The Sketchbook Challenge

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I posted today for the first time as a “host artist” on the blog for The Sketchbook Challenge, an online project started last year by Sue Bleiweiss to encourage others to grow as artists by working in a sketchbook.

Other artists hosting this year are Jill K. Berry, Sue Bleiweiss, Pam Carriker, Laura Cater-Woods, Jane Davies, Jamie Fingal, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lyric Kinard, Jane LaFazio, Kelli Perkins, Carol Sloan and Susan Sorrell.

The theme this month is “Doodling.” Here’s my doodle:

and here’s how I interpreted it in fabric and thread:

You can read all the details on The Sketchbook Challenge blog. If you’ve ever wanted to work more consistently in your sketchbook – or if you’ve never worked in a sketchbook before – please consider joining us as we sketch our way through 2012!

I’m interviewed today on Virginia Spiegel’s blog

2012-01-03T09:44:00.000-05:00

Virginia Spiegel has an interview with me on her blog today. It is publicity for her next big fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Virginia’s “Fiberart For a Cause” has already raised more than $215,000 for them, and in February, she is hoping to raise $7,000 for the ACS in just ten hours over two days through “Foto/Fiber.” I’m donating two handmade pieces of usable art as bonuses. I hope you’ll mark your calendar for Feb. 15 and 16, 2012, and consider making a donation to this worthy cause.

Here is Virginia’s post about how this fundraiser works:

Foto/Fiber 2012
90 Photos AND 90 BONUS Fiber Surprises
Beauty and Mystery Unite to Fight Cancer

Gold Donor Day - February 15, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $100, choose a photo by Virginia A. Spiegel, and choose a BONUS Fiber Surprise by a specific artist from an amazing list of generous fiber artists.

Regular Foto/Fiber - February 16, 2012
Make a minimum donation of $50 and choose a photo by Virginia A. Spiegel. Your BONUS Fiber Surprise will be chosen at random for you from the list of generous fiber artists.

Artists donating BONUS fiber surprises include:
Natalya Aikens,
Frances Holliday Alford
Pamela Allen
Liz Berg
Sue Bleiweiss
Nancy G. Cook
Jane Davila
Vivika DeNegre
Diane Rusin Doran
Jane Dunnewold
Jamie Fingal
Leonie Hartley Hoover
Leslie Tucker Jenison
Lyric Kinard
Susan Brubaker Knapp
Lynn Krawzcyk
Jane LaFazio
Susan Lenz
Jeanelle McCall
Linda Teddlie Minton
Karen Musgrave
Gail Myrhorodsky
Karen Stiehl Osborn
BJ Parady
Cate Coulacos Prato
Yvonne Porcella
Wen Redmond
Sue Reno
Lesley Riley
Susan Schrott
Cynthia St. Charles
Lura Schwarz Smith
Sarah Ann Smith
Terri Stegmiller

Drawings for Fiber Art throughout the event.
All patrons of Foto/Fiber 2012 will also have multiple chances throughout Foto/Fiber to win amazing fiber art donated by:
Leonie Hartley Hoover
Lyric Kinard
Lynn Krawczyk
Yvonne Porcella
Mary Ann Van Soest

For updates on Foto/Fiber 2012, go here: http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/FotoFiberHowItWorks.html

Want to help? Need to know more? Contact Virginia(at)VirginiaSpiegel.com for more information. That’s Virginia@VirginiaSpiegel.com

An old teapot for a New Year

2011-12-30T23:36:00.002-05:00

Yes, it has been a while since I posted. You probably know why. Trees, cookies, relatives, hams, gifts, garlands, malls … chaos! Lately I have not had much time for blogging, or much time in the studio. I hope that things will get back to normal in the New Year.

I did find time – and a few rare moments of quiet – for a few sketches, and I am sharing one of them with you here. This is my favorite teapot. I use it nearly every day in the winter, as I am a big tea drinker (I picked up the habit during my junior year abroad at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland). It is by Furnivals, a china company in Staffordshire, England; the pattern is called “Denmark.” I bought china in this pattern for my first apartment. I can still remember that day. (Admittedly, I have a bit of an obsession with china, but that is another story for another day.)

A few years ago, I chipped the spout. (If you look closely at the drawing, you can see it.) And I cried. But I love this teapot, and I kept using it. Sure it has some crazing, a chip, and some tea stains I can’t seem to get out. But it is mine. It is part of me now. And perhaps I chose to sketch it now because it is kind of a metaphor for me, for my life. Fitting for one of the last few days of 2011.

“And now let us welcome

the new year full of things

that have never been.”

– Ranier Maria Rilke

The Anniversary Quilt

2011-12-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, a wonderful old family friend commissioned me to make a quilt for his wife that would commemorate their 50th wedding anniversary in June. I told him I couldn’t do it by June, but could have it ready by Christmas. Well, it is going in the mail today!

I’ve been so busy finishing this up that I haven’t done any give-aways recently, but there are more coming, I promise! And some good ones, including Lyric Kinard’s Bead it Like You Mean It DVD and Ana Buzzalino’s new DVD offering from Quilting Arts/Interweave! Stay tuned.

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #17: American Patchwork & Quilting tote

2011-12-09T21:20:00.002-05:00

Oooh, don’t you just love the beautiful orange and white fabric in this tote bag by American Patchwork & Quilting? It is today’s give-away. American Patchwork & Quilting magazine was one of the first quilting magazines I subscribed to when I started quilting, and I still love it. I think they do a great job of including projects for all levels and types of quilters. The directions are always clear and easy to follow. I also think it is very well designed. Visit allpeoplequilt.com to learn more about the magazine (psssssst! there are some great give-aways going on over there, too).

Make sure you check out the page on their 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge. Quilters all over the country are making pillowcases through this program; they are passed on to people who need to feel some love – such as foster children, cancer patients, and victims of domestic violence.

When I was in Houston for International Quilt Festival this fall, I visited the project’s booth, where they were very busy helping attendees whip up pillowcases. They were already up to 869 pillowcases; all were going to Houston Children’s Charity.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me where you live, and the things for which your town or area is known. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, and send you the tote bag. AND THE WINNER IS… Jennifer!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #16: IQF-Cincinnati Tote Bag

2011-12-08T12:23:00.001-05:00

This is the official tote bag of the 2011 International Quilt Festival – Cincinnati. It is made from recycled water bottles and other recycled plastics. You can use it until it wears out, and then recycle it again.

It is spacious and sturdy, and features a beautiful contemporary quilt called “Basket of Tulips” by Andi Perejda, Joan Bruce, Barbara Collins and Rene Jennings. This quilt was featured in the special exhibit “In the American Tradition 2010.” It is featured on the front and back, and there are baskets of flowers from the quilt on the sides.

One of the things I love about this tote is that is structured inside. It has a section inside that folds out with spaces to hold three large bottles. The bottom is also reinforced.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me if you have been to a big quilt show, and if so, which one and what you liked best about it. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 14, and send you the tote bag. AND THE WINNER IS: Salsy!

Aurifil’s Designer of the Month: Sharon Pederson

2011-12-07T21:19:00.003-05:00

Sharon Pederson’s free “Aurifil Christmas Tree” Pattern

Designer, author and teacher Sharon Pederson is Aurifil’s Designer of the Month for December. I met Sharon in person this fall at International Quilt Festival in Houston. (She was shooting video for The Quilt Show, and she interviewed me in front of one of my quilts.)

Sharon’s “Rose of Sharon” quilt (below) is absolutely spectacular, and represents a partnership between Electric Quilt, AccuQuilt, Alex and Ricky of The Quilt Show, Aurifil, Bernina, Island Batik, and designers of 850 blocks from quilters in 11 countries. The result was a quilt that has helped raise a lot of money for Alzheimer’s research through the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. You can read all about it on Sharon’s website.

Pat Sloan has interviewed Marianne on the Aurifil blog. (That’s where you go to download the pattern for her free Christmas tree project!)

Learn more about Sharon here:

Website: http://www.sharonpederson.com/

Blog: http://sharonpederson.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nine-Patch-Media

To learn more about Aurifil thread on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aurifil.quilt.thread

Each month this year, a different designer has been giving away a free pattern on the Aurifil blog (my month was January). Remember – if you make any project from the design team, load a photo to our Aurifil Flickr group; this puts you in the running to win a fabulous Aurifil thread prize!

There are fun things planned for next year, too, so please stay tuned!

GIVEAWAY!
Each month this year, I’ve given away a pack of Aurifil minispools (like the one shown above) when the new project is announced. Just leave a comment after this post telling me if you are making a quilt for the holidays – either for yourself, or as a gift. I'll pull a name at random on Saturday, January 7 at noon EST. The sampler pack includes great colors in different weights.

Interview: Debra Gabel of Zebra Designs

2011-12-06T09:09:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, I had a give-away of Debra Gabel’s new book, Quilt Blocks Across America. I always enjoy reading interviews with artists and designers, and I thought you might find a chat with Debra insightful.

Debra, I’d like to start by getting a little background information on you. Can you tell me about yourself? Born in New York, I started sewing as a child, and quilting as a teen. After several professional moves around the U.S. in adulthood, we finally settled in Maryland. Armed with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design, I worked for many years as an Art Director in the packaging industry. My independent graphic design business, Mixed Media, has operated since 1988. After rediscovering quilting in the late 1990's, I started teaching quilting locally in 2000.

I have steadily built up my own pattern line that includes 30+ beautiful florals, 24 birds, 12 butterflies, 12 Bible stories, 12+ Holiday Houses, over 70 signature stamps, several baby quilts, and many unique quilted projects and art quilts. I now teach and lecture nationally at guilds and quilt shops in the U.S. I enjoy and have had success entering and showing in national shows, and have had quilts published in calendars, quilt books and on web sites. My intentions are to continue lecturing and teaching, to evolve into an international quilter/speaker/author and to travel the world through quilting.

Prairie Point Stocking

What was your very first quilting pattern, and how did it come about? My first pattern was my Prairie Point Stocking pattern. I designed this pattern in 1999 for our new house. It was just for personal use. I could not find a nice affordable pre made stocking so I decided to make my own. I made 5 stockings for my family and brought them to my local quilt shop for show and tell. Well, that show and tell ended up providing my first teaching opportunity. The owner asked if I had a pattern and would teach a class. I had to make a "real" pattern with directions for my class. That was the beginning of Zebra Patterns even though I did not know it at the time. Being a graphic designer the layout, photography and pattern making was very natural and easy. However - writing out those directions was not on my “favorite things to do” list for sure. And guess what … It has NOT moved up on the charts in my life to this day! I love everything about patterning, except all the written copy! UGH!

Baltimore stamp design by Debra Gabel

How do you think your background as a graphic designer has influenced your style? Being a graphic designer is the reason so many of my patterns include type. I LOVE LOVE LOVE typography. I love bold graphic messaging. My signature stripes are included in most of my work. I tend to use bold jewel tones and design my patterns with “simplified reality” as my main intention. Being a graphic designer I pay close attention to line and composition. I design with an artist’s eye in a quilter’s world. I have been using computers and design software since 1984. I used the original Illustrator software. It was AMAZING to be able to draw perfect circles and lines without a radiograph back then!

Debra’s new book

What was your very first job? your worst/most unpleasant job? My first job was babysitting at 12 years old. Funny, but that is where I learned to do raw edge appliqué. I was and still am a high strung individual. I would always need something to do when the children were napping while babysitting. I worked for a lady who was a quilter. She found out that I was artistic and asked if I wanted to help her with her professional craft business. She made pillows and totes with Raw Edge Appliqué way back in 1974 and sold them on the ACC circuit! No fusible — just limited calico fabrics and pins. When the children were resting I would cut out appliqués from cotton. That is how far back I go with raw edge appliqué. I worked with her though out high school and college.

My most unpleasant job … hmmm … that is an interesting question. I usually find something fun and interesting in everything I do and have done. That said, I do recall an unpleasant experience that was a bit bizarre. I was around 16-17 years old and I worked in a sporting goods store part time. I sold sports equipment and restrung tennis rackets. I made good money doing the stringing but I was required to cover the floor if we got busy. One day a large woman walked in looking for a pair of tennis shoes. She told me she was size 8. She picked a pair of sneakers and I sat down to help her try on the shoes. I put on the first shoe and she said gruffly “I will do the other one!” I thought hmm that is strange because I do not think this woman can even reach her feet ~ Well she bent over and started twisting her knee. A few brisk turns and her leg came off below the knee! Oh MY! I was not expecting that! I just sat with my mouth open. I think the lady enjoyed my reaction as she looked at me and gave a half smile smirk. The good news is that she did buy the shoes and I did get my commission. That was not too much fun at the time - but is quite comical now!

You produce an amazing number of designs. You just put out Quilt Blocks Across America, and Quilt Blocks Around the World is coming out soon. How do you get so much done so fast? I used to be a designer of handled paper shopping bags, gift wrap and gift boxes. I worked as art director for a few large paper and packaging companies. I had the pleasure of designing several national lines of gift packaging. I got quite quick at designing on a computer as early as 1984. As mentioned earlier I designed art with Adobe Illustrator on a little Macintosh! I have been using computers since then to do design layout and production art. The computer make things go so much faster than hand drawing and if you know how to do it, you can design and be creating almost camera ready art at the same time.

I am also a self diagnosed ADD and OCD person. I just try to harness all the energy and obssession into design. I really think about designs all the time. That is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that I look at the world a bit more scrupulously that the average Joe. I get an idea, might write it down, but have that idea in my head. Once a clear direction is worked out in my head I go right to design. When I sit down to actually create a pattern I get it done quickly because the whole thing was already “baked” in my head. It becomes a simple task to translate the idea digitally. All of that saves a bunch of time.

So the answer is “with focused obsession and 25 years of experience it comes naturally to me.” I also work fast and confidently. I am a production junkie. If I am producing and creating I just get more and more fired up.

If you weren’t doing what you do now as a career, what would you like to do? Tell me five jobs that you might consider (setting aside things like your age, need for training, etc.) Hmm....I am doing exactly what I want to be doing and should be doing but to answer the hypothetical question here goes…
I could picture myself as:

a psychologist - love all that head shrinking analysis and I like to help people figure out problems.
a teacher of smart highly motivated students
quilt shop owner - I would love to make the most inspirational quilt shop in the world!
interior designer for really rich people (LOL)
a costume designer for Cirque du Soleil – and if talent does not count I would be one of those little bendy Asian girls in Cirque who puts her feet on her head like a pretzel.

What was the last movie you went to see? Book read?
The Help. Great movie!
Last book.... The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I read and re read that book often.

What would you most like to accomplish – on a professional or personal level – in the next 5 years? Professionally, I would like to continue to grow my business to be able to hire several employees. I have always wanted a business where people LOVED to come to work, a place where creativity, sharing and personal/professional growth are premier. I would like to get out my fabric lines and continue to author books and patterns. I would like to be traveling internationally lecturing and teaching.

Personally, I would like to continue to learn, grow, and create every possible minute.

“It’s a New Day” by Debra Gabel

Everyone, make sure you check out Debra’s gallery of art quilts on her website here. And if you want more information, visit:

website: www.zebrapatterns.com
blog: zebrapatterns.wordpress.com
email: debra@zebrapatterns.com
Facebook: Debra Ogden Gabel
Facebook Page: Zebra Patterns

NOTE: Debra is giving away a copy of my book, Point, Click, Quilt! on her blog here.

The Anniversary Quilt

2011-12-05T14:19:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, I was commissioned to make a small quilt commemorating the 50th anniversary of Ruth and Morris Williams, who are dear family friends. I have known them since I was born, and they have been friends with my parents for nearly 50 years.

I was very honored when Morris called to ask me to create a quilt that he could give to his wife. He requested that it be embroidered with the words “Ruth and Morris” and “50+ years,” and with the names of his two daughters and their husbands and children. He originally asked me to complete it by their anniversary date in the spring, but my schedule wouldn’t permit me enough time to complete the applique, so we settled on a Christmas delivery date.

I designed the quilt using colors – blue and gold – and images – pink tulips and yellow roses – that are symbolic to their family. I also included some Ohio Star blocks, since Ruth went to the College of Wooster in Ohio. I used solid color fabrics suggestive of the decorations for furniture, barns and quilts of the German settlers of eastern Pennsylvania, as the Williams have spent most of their lives living in Pennsylvania.

The center and corner blocks are hand needleturn applique, and the entire quilt measures about 46" square. I am getting ready to baste and quilt it, and I’ll post more photos as I do.

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #15: The 3-in-1 Color Tool

2011-12-05T10:32:00.003-05:00

Today’s give-away is Joen Wolfrom’s spiffy 3-in-1 Color Tool. This is a color-planning tool that helps you choose great combinations – based on the Ives color wheel for accuracy and perfect color matching. There are 24 color cards with hundreds of color swatches, plus two value finders (red and green) that help you determine value and contrast.

My friend Nancy G. Cook reviewed The 3-in-1 Color Tool on her blog if you want to know more about it.

Joen now has a new version of this tool called the Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool (Updated 3rd edition), so you get some idea of how wonderful – and popular – this tool is.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me your favorite thing to bake for the holidays. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Monday Dec. 12, and send you this tool. AND THE WINNER IS: Linda Moran!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #14: Random Arts’ Wholey Paper

2011-12-03T18:50:00.003-05:00

I spent much of today taking a class at Random Arts in Saluda, NC. Saluda is a great little town up in the mountains about 2 hours drive west of Charlotte; it has some wonderful shops in its historic downtown, and an amazing number of gourmet restaurants for its size.

Random Arts is a shop that offers “assorted goods for creative mindfulness,” mostly mixed media supplies, including tons of delicious antique/junky tidbits – ephemera, vintage papers, paper packets for altered books, collage art, mixed media, book arts & book binding, rubber stamps, hand made papers, stamp pads, art supplies, die cut packets, assorted vintage playing cards… you get the idea.

I was there to take a soldering class to make little pendants. First, we created small collages, put them between thin layers of glass, and taped the edges with copper tape. I used an image of one of my art quilts on one side:

And a little collage on the back:

After this, we soldered over the copper tape. My results were not too great. In fact, I think I was the worst student in the class… but it was really fun. I bought supplies and will “try, try again” until I get better results. I think I was supposed to be gliding the solder on, and I was pressing too hard, so that I actually melted the copper tape! Anyway, here’s how mine turned out:

This is the second workshop I’ve taken at Random Arts; I took a great class with Jane LaFazio there last summer. Since then, the shop has moved into its new digs, a craftsman style bungalow with a bright orange front door, and lots of space inside to spread out. It is such a welcoming and fun place... you can spend hours looking at everything, and absorbing the creative vibes, and getting great ideas.

Can’t get to Saluda? Some of the shop’s goods are offered on their website and their eBay store.

Lots of cool stuff!

Hello? Hello?

A birdcage holds rolled sheets of music

The spacious new classroom

Painted pendant banner with necklaces

Paper globes atop a bookcase

Tree branches decorated with paper leaves and other lovely things

Window treatment with mixed media flowers

Here’s Jane (below) with one of her new products: Wholey Paper. The package contains rare, vintage punch paper. She has no idea what its original use was; do you? It could be computer punch paper, but I'm not sure. It would be great for altered books, printing, texture, stencils, weaving, or plaster embellishment. When I told Jane about my give-away, she kindly offered up a pack for me to give away!

Owner Jane Powell with her “Wholey Paper”

A pack of Wholey Paper

Look at what you can do with Wholey Paper!

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me if you do any mixed media projects that need Wholey Paper. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Sunday Dec. 11, and send you the pack. AND THE WINNER IS: usagypsy!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #13: Quilting Arts and Stitch magazine

2011-12-02T22:16:00.001-05:00

Yep, it’s two more magazines! Both are published by Interweave. The first is the October/November 2011 issue of Quilting Arts, and the second is the Winter 2011 issue of Stitch.

If you read my blog because you love or make art quilts, there’s a pretty good chance that you also read Quilting Arts magazine, which is the best magazine out there dedicated to art quilting (in my humble opinion!). But you may not have checked out Stitch, which includes projects for modern sewers, such as garments, home decor items, and crafts. I simply love the Wool Petals Pillow on the cover! It is one of a bevy of projects in this issue made with wool felt.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me about your favorite quilting or sewing magazine. I’ll pull two names at random at 9 p.m. on Saturday Dec. 10, and send you each a magazine. AND THE WINNERS ARE: Claudia Becker (QA) and Kimberly (Stitch).

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #12: 101 Patchwork Projects & Quilts

2011-12-01T10:58:00.001-05:00

Today’s give-away is a copy of 101 Patchwork Projects + Quilts, a special publication by the publishers of Quilting Arts magazine. The hefty 196-page magazine retails for $19.99, and includes two projects I designed. The first is a dog bed (that’s my dog Sophie on it):

The second is a business card case:

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me about a tradition you keep during the holidays, and why it is important to you. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Friday Dec. 9, and send you the magazine. AND THE WINNER IS: QuiltingGranny!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #11: Six Fat Quarters

2011-11-30T18:45:00.001-05:00

This is my new kitten, Wicked, with a collection of six pretty fat quarters in shades of yellow, peach, pink and blue. They look to me like they are from a collection of 1930s fabrics, but I don’t have any more information about them! (If you know the designer or fabric company that makes them, please leave a comment and let me know, so I can share it.) They came in the goodie bag given to teachers at International Quilt Festival.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me a bit about your pet, if you have one. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Thursday Dec. 8, and send you the fabrics. (But not the kitten. She’s mine!) THE WINNER IS: Rhonda G!

Chocolate Ginger Crinkles

2011-11-30T18:27:00.000-05:00

Let the holiday baking begin! These are one of my favorite cookies; they are highly spiced, and require at least one big glass of milk as an accompaniment. They are slightly chewy, not crisp – as long as you don’t cook them too long – and are best served warm. (You can heat the cooled cookies up in the microwave by heating them for just a few seconds.)

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #10: Festival Tote Bag

2011-11-29T21:53:00.002-05:00

This is the official tote bag of the 2011 International Quilt Festival – Houston! It is made from recycled water bottles and other recycled plastics. You can use it until it wears out, and then recycle it again. It is spacious and sturdy, and features a beautiful contemporary quilt called “Starry Night” by Shirley Fowlkes-Stevenson, from the exhibit Texas Quilts Today: Selections from the Book Lone Stars III: A Legacy of Texas Quilts 1986-2011. This quilt is featured on the front and back, and there are beautiful stars from the quilt on the sides.

One of the things I love about this tote is that is structured inside. It has a section inside that folds out with spaces to hold three large bottles. The bottom is also reinforced.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me what you’d be toting in your tote bag if you win it. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 7, and send you the tote bag. AND THE WINNER IS: Judy Cooper Textile Images!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #9: Quilting Arts Gifts

2011-11-28T19:54:00.009-05:00

Here is a give-away for an item you need NOW if you want to whip up some hand-made Christmas gifts in a jiffy! It’s the 2011 issue of Quilting Arts Gifts – 148 pages of fabulous ideas, including two projects by moi! It retails for $14.99.

There’s an iPad sleeve, smartphone covers, tree skirt and fireplace screen ensemble, garlands, stockings, pillows, ornaments, floral brooches, table runners, coasters, journal covers, bags for wine bottles, laptop bag, journal covers, and tons more. Whew!

Plus, you get the recipe for my Tiropetes Greek appetizer, and my kids’ favorite, Chocolate Dream Pie. And lots more recipes by contributing artists.

Here are my projects – Nametag Pouches:

And Fire and Ice Candle Wraps:

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me if you plan to make a hand-made gift for someone this year, and if so, what you are making. I’ll pull a name at random at 9 p.m. on Tuesday Dec. 6, and send you Quilting Arts Gifts 2011. And the winner is: Linecat!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #8: EazyPeazy Patterns

2011-11-28T19:26:00.001-05:00

I met Margaret Travis of EazyPeazy Quilts at Fall Quilt Market in Houston last year. This year she was back with some wonderful new designs, and she gave me some to share with you! (She is a wonderfully kind woman!)

EazyPeazy’s slogan is “Sew So Easy,” and Margaret aims to create patterns that are simple to make. Many would make great gift items, and hey – you could probably whip them up in time for the holidays.

This Twistin’ Diamonds Tote uses ByAnnie’s Soft and Stable as a stabilizer, and the Double Diamond Ruler by Bright Quilting Notions to create the very cool (and easy) diamond pattern on the front of the tote. (Please note that these notions are not included in the pattern giveaway; sorry!)

Margaret’s MeeWow Bag would be great for a cat lover! Margaret recommends Soft and Stable for this bag, too:

And here is another stylish, yet easy to make tote bag: the Twist ’n Shop Tote. It has cute twisted handles, and uses Soft and Stable and the Sweet ’n Sassy Rombus Template by Creative Grids.

Make sure you check out Margaret’s Eazier Livin’ line. It includes products – such as a walker saddlebag and a wheelchair backpack – to make everyday life easier for people who use walkers or wheelchairs.

Here’s your chance to win! Take a look at the EazyPeazy website, and then leave a comment after this post and tell me which of Margaret’s designs you like best. (It can be any of the patterns on the website, not just the ones here.) I’ll pull three names at random at 9 p.m. on Monday Dec. 5, and send you each a pattern. THE WINNERS: Marcia W., Woolen Sails, and Deb.

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #7: “Celebrate Great Quilts!”

2011-11-22T21:46:00.001-05:00

Here’s a give-away for those of you out there who love traditional historic quilts. Celebrate Great Quilts! Circa 1825-1940 (C&T Publishing, 2004) is a book by cousins Karey Patterson Bresenhan and Nancy O’Bryant Puentes, who founded the International Quilt Association (with their mothers). The quilts featured in this book are from their International Quilt Festival Collection.

In the introduction, they tell how they collected these quilts, over many years, when one caught their eye or captured their heart. “We believe that a quilt must make your heart sing and your eyes dance. If it doesn’t, then it’s not meant for you.” If you love old quilts, you know exactly what they mean. (Unfortunately, I have found a number of old quilts that make my eyes dance and my heart sing, but have not had enough money to purchase them!) This is collection to make one drool.

The quilts are shown by period (1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, and 1925-1940). The book features beautiful photos of each quilt, with what is known about it (materials, techniques, quilting stitches per inch, etc.), as well as general information about the styles, techniques and patterns typical of each era.

This book is fabulous eye candy and a research volume all wrapped into one. If you love old quilts, you’ll love it.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me if you have purchased an old quilt, and if so, what it is like and why you love it. I’ll pull one name at random at 9 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 29, and send you the book. WINNER: Laura T.

Susan’s So Thankful Giveaway #6: Artistcellar stencils

2011-11-21T15:52:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, Lisa Cousineau of artistcellar sent me some new stencils to try out. Artistcellar sells several brands of stencils, but this is their own, newly designed and produced line, marketed under their name.

I’ve used stencils a good amount in the past few years, both in my own projects and when teaching my Surface Design Madness class. Here’s what I look for when choosing stencils: First, they have to be cool, or funky, or just downright beautiful. They have to provide striking designs, or patterns that act as subtle background texture. But almost as important is that they are sturdy, because they have to be able to take what ever I throw at them – acrylic paint, oil paint sticks, dyes, inks, markers – and then withstand a good cleaning. Artistcellar stencils deliver on both counts, and are very affordable, too.

All of artistcellar’s stencils are 6" square, and are laser cut from tough 10mil polyester material. They are very sturdy! All are made in the USA, and retail for $4.40, or sell in sets of four (all of the series) for $15.99.

I’m planning to use these stencils on fabric (wouldn’t it be beautiful to make a notepad cover or some other useable or wearable item out of hand-stenciled fabrics?) and on paper (they’d make great background textures in a sketchbook).

Here are the four series:

Cathedral Series– This series was inspired by windows in French gothic cathedrals. Here is “Amiens,” stenciled four times to form a circular design. I used blue metallic acrylic textile paint on a strongly patterned pink batik.

Traditional Japanese Series– Inspired by classic Japanese motifs, all stencils in this series can be used alone or as a repeating pattern. I love the dragonfly; I think I’ll be ordering that one!

Japanese Geometric Series. These repeatable patterns are inspired by traditional Japanese textiles. I tested the “Seven Jewels” stencil here using watered-down metallic textile paint, to get a bit of a bleed:

For a crisper design, I used the paint straight, without watering it down, and stenciled several times for a layered look:

And here it is on paper, using watercolors:

Steampunk Series– This line is inspired by gears and mechanical assemblies, and has an urban grunge feel. I love how “Industria” looks stenciled in silver textile paint on fabric:

This one was stenciled first, then brushed with watercolor. While it was still wet, I “stitched” using black paint, and let it bleed and drip.

I also love artistcellar’s “Art is NOT optional” tote bag (left). If you order $50 in products from them (excluding taxes and shipping), you can get one for free!

I have to say that I really love all the stencils she sent me, and I want to keep them all for myself! But I’m trying very hard not to be greedy, and my give-away is about sharing the love – and the goodies! I think I can part with a few, so…

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me how you use stencils in your work (or if you never have, tell me what you’d like to try). I’ll pull two names at random at 9 p.m. on Monday Nov. 28, and send you each a stencil to try. WINNERS: Ruth and Tesuque both won a stencil.

Susan’s So Thankful Giveaway #5: Patterns

2011-11-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

Today’s give-away is a bunch of great patterns by different designers. First up is a groovy garment pattern, the BoHo Frock by Cheryl Kuczek of Paradiso Designs. Cheryl has some very arty designs for bags, skirts, jackets, dresses and vests on her website, so make sure to check them out.

I have three patterns by Aunties Two, who offer lots of creative bag designs, plus baskets, bowls, boxes, and rugs. Here is their Saturday Shopper pattern, which features four pockets inside, and outside easy-access slash pockets on the outside, plus two side pockets that work well for water bottles. The handles are very sturdy, so you can pack a bunch of stuff inside.

Their Dufflette pattern is great for organizing and storing small items, such as toiletries, or stuff for sports, school or quilting. And they are so darn cute!

These sweet little Finger Pouches can be carried either on a finger (there's a loop on the back), or hung around your wrist:

If you are a penguin lover, this one is for you! Castilleja Cotton has a bunch of different penguin designs, including this one called Catching Hearts for a small wallhanging:

Indygo Junction’s Koozie Kouture pattern by Amy Barickman has multiple designs that would make fast, fun gifts. Use up some of your special fabric scraps making designs for all types of drinks you need to keep hot or cold – soda or beer cans, coffee cups, water bottles or wine glasses.

Okay, here’s the deal: Leave a comment after this post and tell me which pattern you’d most like to win, and why. I’ll pull six names at random at 9 p.m. on Sunday Nov. 27, and try to match you up with the pattern you want. WINNERS: Jan in AZ wins the Koozie pattern; Louise wins Catching Hearts; Doreen K wins Finger Pouches; Linda Dalton wins Dufflettes; Julia in NZ wins Saturday Shopper; and EverythingQuilts wins BoHo Frock!

Win my new DVD on wholecloth painting

2011-11-18T09:27:00.001-05:00

Here’s a chance to win my new DVD! SewCalGal has posted a review, and is giving away a copy of my DVD. Check it out, and leave a comment on her blog post for a chance to win.

In 2012, I will be participating in SewCalGal’s Free-Motion Quilting Challenge designed to help you improve your free-motion quilting skills (and win fun stuff along the way). If you want to stay on top of the fun, make sure you sign up to follow her blog.

Here are some of the experts who have already signed on to provide free monthly tutorials:

I’ll have more information on this soon!

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #4: Quilting Arts TV Series 700 DVD

2011-11-15T11:54:00.001-05:00

Today, I’m giving away the Quilting Arts TV Series 700 DVD! This is a four-DVD set that includes all the episodes for an entire season of Quilting Arts TV with host Pokey Bolton. (I’m in three of the episodes in the 700 series, which started airing on public television stations in the U.S. last fall.) It retails for $39.

Guests on these shows include Deidre Adams, Shelley Brenner Baird, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, Mary Jane Butler, Malka Dubrawsky, Jamie Fingal, Victoria Gertenbach, Dianne Giancola, Candy Glendening, Kerr Grabowski, Mary Hettmansperger, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Susan Brubaker Knapp, Jeannie Palmer Moore, Judy Coates Perez, Beryl Taylor, Jean Wells, Valori Wells, and others.

Psssst! Notice those cute little houses on the cover of the DVD set? They are the work of Candy Glendening, whom I featured in yesterday’s giveaway. There’s a chance to win her DVD in that post.

Here’s your chance to win! Leave a comment after this post and tell me why you like Quilting Arts magazine or Quilting Arts TV, or about a technique you’ve learned from them. (And if you haven't looked at either, what the heck are you waiting for?) I’ll pull one name at random at 9 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 22, and send you the DVD set. We have a winner! Cornwoman has won the set of DVDs.

International Quilt Convention – Africa!

2011-11-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

Big news flash!

I will be teaching at the first ever International Quilt Convention–Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa next year! The event will take place July 27-29, 2012 at the luxurious Emperors Palace resort. I am so excited to be taking part in this convention; it will be wonderful to meet African quilters, and to see a bit of their beautiful country.

The convention will feature exciting quilting and fiber art workshops by popular South African teachers, as well as these international teachers:

Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobsen of Me and My Sister
Cynthia England
Pat Sloan
Jodi Barrows of Square in a Square
Dena Crain
Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River (me!)

The organizers have already lined up a impressive group of sponsors, and there will be a large vendor hall and exhibitions from selected international and local quilters. I’ll be teaching three classes:

Thread Sketching: Snowflakes

Thread Sketching: Dragonfly

Start With a Photo: Round Red Barn

Here’s a little video clip I made for the organizers of the show to use in their promotion of the event:

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #3: Dyeing to Stitch DVD

2011-11-14T08:18:00.002-05:00

I met Candy Glendening of Candied Fabrics last summer when I was shooting my second DVD for Quilting Arts, and some episodes for Quilting Arts TV. This year, I was there to cheer her on while she shot her first DVD for Quilting Arts, “Dyeing to Stitch: A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Colorful Fabric Art.”

I just finished watching the DVD, and it is wonderful! I’ve done some dyeing before, and Candy does a great job of covering the basics in a very approachable way. If you’ve never dyed fabric before, you will know everything you need to know to get started after you finish watching.

Candy describes herself as “obsessed with color” and it certainly shows in this DVD, where she talks passionately about her love of chartreuse, and her obsession with capturing the exact color of a moss she discovered while camping. Her excitement about low-water immersion dyeing with fiber-reactive dyes comes through loud and clear, and you’ll find yourself getting excited, too.

Candy presents the material in an organized, straight-forward fashion that will make it very easy for beginner fabric dyers to select the tools, dyes, chemicals and fabrics they need to get started. She is, after all, a teacher and research scientist by profession, and she clearly explains and demonstrates each concept in detail.

Check out her “Candiotic Table of Elemental Color” below!

The DVD includes recipes for six jewel-tone hues (gold, red, plum, peacock, navy and chartreuse), and Candy explains how to dye a very specific color, and consistently match that color each time you dye. I was particularly interested in the section of the DVD where Candy demonstrated different ways of scrunching and pleating the fabric to get different effects.

Lots of people are afraid to cut into their beautiful hand-dyed fabrics. This DVD will entice them to dive in. After all the dyeing information, Candy shows how she uses her hand-dyed fabrics like the one above to make beautiful stitched items, and demonstrates free-motion machine stitching techniques.

Don’t forget: Today’s give-away is part of a blog tour! If you really, really, really must have this DVD, check in on these blogs on the dates below for more chances to win:

Friday, 11/11 – Victoria Gertenbach of The Silly BooDilly
Monday, 11/14 – Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River
Wednesday, 11/16 – Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio
Friday, 11/18 – Melody Johnson of Fibermania
Monday, 11/21 – Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side
Wednesday, 11/23 – Diane Doran of Ooh! Pretty Colors
Friday, 11/25 – Vicki Welsh of Field Trips in Fiber
Monday, 11/28/11 – Brenda Gael Smith of Serendipity and the Art of the Quilt
Wednesday, 11/30 – Amy Webb of Amy Lou Who Sews
Friday, 12/2 – Robin Ferrier of Simply Robin
Tuesday, 12/6 – Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt
Thursday, 12/8 – Beth and the gang from Sew Mama Sew

Here’s your chance to win. First, take a look at Candy’s blog here: http://www.candiedfabrics.com/journal/ Which of Candy's products do you like best? Her little houses? Messenger bags? iPad covers? Scarves? I’ll pull one name at random at 9 p.m. on Monday Nov. 21, and send you Candy’s DVD. WE HAVE A WINNER: Jodi has won this DVD.

Foto/Fiber 2012

2011-11-13T21:40:00.000-05:00

Virginia Spiegel is at it again! This woman is simply unstoppable. Her “Fiberart For a Cause” has already raised more than $215,000 for the American Cancer Society (ACS). In February, Virginia is hoping to raise $7,000 for the ACS in just ten hours over two days through “Foto/Fiber.” I’m donating some of my artwork. I hope you’ll mark your calendar for Feb. 15 and 16, 2012, and consider making a donation to this worthy cause.

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #2: Quilt Blocks Across America

2011-11-13T11:56:00.002-05:00

Today, I’m pleased to offer you a wonderful book called Quilt Blocks Around America by Debra Gabel of Zebra Designs. This book features applique patterns (which can be done by hand or with fusible adhesive) for 50 states and Washington, D.C. It comes with a CD so that you can print the patterns in any size you choose, and each design is shown in color on a separate page in the book.

The first part of the book explains exactly how to use the CD to enlarge the designs and print out one you want. It also shows how you can mix and match Debra’s design elements to create a custom block. (You can take a barn from Wisconsin and put it on Illinois. A bird from Ohio and put it on Virginia.)

Debra also explains her technique of raw-edge sewing the pieces in place to minimize fraying. She recommends using Lite Steam-a-Seam 2, which is also the fusible adhesive that I find works best for my process. (It offers a very firm hold, but with less glue than regular Steam-a-Seam or other fusible adhesives, so you don’t gunk up your sewing machine needle when you are stitching through multiple layers of fabric and adhesive.)

Finally, the Gallery section shows how you can use Debra’s state designs in other projects, including banners, purses, tote bags, and other small quilts.

Debra at Quilt Market several years ago

I met Debra several years ago at Quilt Market; at that point, she had just started designing quilt designs honoring different states and cities that were framed to look like stamps. Debra’s training as a graphic designer really comes through on her designs. (I have also worked as a graphic designer, so maybe that is part of what attracted me.) I also ran into Debra while shooting episodes of Quilting Arts TV this summer. Look for Debra in the 900 Series of Quilting Arts TV, which starts airing on many U.S. public television stations this fall.

In the years since then, Debra’s been mighty busy! She’s designed and released tons of new designs, written two books, and created some of her designs in fabric panels.

Debra’s follow-up to her first book is coming soon. It is Quilt Blocks Around the World (C&T Publishing, $21.95). This sequel – available in January 2012 – features new patterns for 50 locales such as Tokyo, Puerto Vallarta, Venice and Sydney.

Here’s your chance to win. First, take a look at Debra’s blog here: blog http://zebrapatterns.wordpress.com/. Then leave a comment after this post and tell me which of her recent designs you like best. A bird? A flower? Or maybe that hilarious Quilt Police Doll panel? I’ll pull one name at random at 9 p.m. on Sunday Nov. 20, and send you the book! WE HAVE A WINNER: Mom2four has won the book.

Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away #1: La Todera Patterns

2011-11-12T10:42:00.004-05:00

Julie Creus in La Todera’s booth at Fall Internatonal Quilt Market in Houston

Let’s get this party started! This is the first of many patterns and goodies in my Ever Sew Thankful Give-Away, and I’m starting with a bang!

Julie Creus of La Todera Sewing and Craft Patterns has donated four patterns, and they are sooooooooo cute! I met Julie at last year’s International Quilt Market, and just loved her designs. Julie’s patterns made a big splash there, and she was back this year with fresh, new designs to make and wear or decorate your house.

You can make the flower on the bottom using Julie’s Camelia Gigantus Brooch pattern for her “big mama of flower brooches” – 6" across. Now that would make a statement on a lapel or hat! The white-and-pink flower on the top is Julie’s Kanzashi Flower Fascinator pattern. (Note that items made from these patterns are for personal use only; they are not to make and sell.)

These beauties are made from the Dinner Plate Dahlia pattern (the big purple flower), and Julie’s Cymbidium Orchid Brooch pattern (the green and pink orchid below).

Here are the patterns I’m giving away:

Here’s your chance to win. First, take a look at the La Todera website. Then leave a comment after this post and tell me which of her designs you like best (it doesn’t have to be one of the ones I’m giving away.) I’ll pull four names at random at 9 p.m. on Saturday Nov. 19, and send you one of the four patterns. WE HAVE WINNERS! upstateLisa, cat in tassie, Vickiquilternp and Debra have each won a pattern.

Coming soon! Susan’s So Thankful Give-Away!

2011-11-11T13:33:00.003-05:00

My mother died in January and this has been a tough year. I have made it through because of my wonderful family and friends, my work and my art, and you, my faithful blog readers, many of whom have written me sweet notes of encouragement and support. I am very grateful. Thank you!

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to post give-aways every few days until everything I brought back from International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival in Houston to give away is shipped off! It’s my way of showing you how thankful I am. I hope to introduce you to some new products and designers that you might not know about. So stay tuned!

Quilt Market, Part 6

2011-11-09T21:36:00.002-05:00

Carolyn Friedlander is a new designer, and I absolutely loved the quilts she had in her booth. Her stuff is fresh, arty and contemporary. Her website isn’t quite up yet, but it will be soon!

This is one of Carolyn’s wonderful designs. I predict you’ll be seeing lots more of her stuff!

This is Corinne Jacobson of Jacobson Creative, Inc. They manufacture and market these cool little ClingOn magnetic holders for pins, scissors and small tools. They are made of resin with extremely strong magnets embedded in them.

One side goes on the back of your shirt or pocket, and the other side, embossed with a pretty design, goes on the front. I think I need one of these for when I sew, and another for when I’m doing handy-woman things around the house; they would be great to hold nails and screws, too!

SusanClaire Mayfield of New Zealand calls herself The Gourmet Quilter “because quilting is delicious!” Here she is with her pattern called “That Japanese Doll Quilt.” It is darling!

The last day of Quilt Market fell on Halloween, so a lot of the vendors were dressed up. Check out this guy in the Primitive Gatherings booth, dressed as Elvis!

Primitive Gatherings Quilt Shop has wonderful quilt patterns, kits and punch needle embroidery with an old-fashioned style. They make their own hand-dyed wool, and also have historical fabrics in their online shop.

Here I am with Jan Patek in my witchy attire. I have long admired Jan’s work. Her style is so different from mine, but I love it! She has an amazing line of books, patterns and fabrics. We are posed near her pattern called “The Witch is In.”

Robin of Nestlings by Robin has been designing and selling quilt patterns for six years, and this was her first Quilt Market! You can read more about her experience vending on her blog.

Robin had some cute little quilts in her booth featuring hand embroidery. (This is a big trend this year!)

Mary and Barb of Me and My Sister Designs create quilt and purse patterns, write books, and design fabric for Moda!

Here’s a good example of a company exhibiting at Quilt Market that makes a product that crosses over into quilting. Imaginisce makes products and papers for the scrapbooking and paper crafts industry. Their i-Top tool (below) transforms a brad into a custom embellishment (like the ones on the necklace in the photo above in a few easy steps.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned! More photos, info and giveaways are coming (eventually!)

“Magical Mistletoe” pattern now available as a download

2011-11-09T17:40:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, Tami Pfeil, the owner of Handbehg Felts, contacted me to ask if my Magical Mistletoe project (shown above) was available as a pattern. I told her that Magical Mistletoe was a project I created for the 2010 Quilting Arts Gifts, and that they now owned the pattern. When Tami e-mailed Helen at Quilting Arts, and told her about the demand for the pattern, Interweave decided to set it up for them as a downloadable pattern. You can now get it for $4 on Interweave’s website. Just in time for Christmas!

And if you do, you’re going to need some cute little felted wool balls from Handbehg’s Etsy shop! (Shipping is free right now, for a limited time.) Better get busy so you can smootch with your sweetie under the mistletoe next month!

I’m in Sue Bleiweiss’ book about The Sketchbook Challenge

2011-11-09T12:59:00.000-05:00

In January, I decided to participate in The Sketchbook Challenge. The project was developed by Sue Bleiweiss, and a team of fabulous artists, including fiber artists, art quilters, and mixed media artists. The idea was to inspire artists to work in their sketchbooks, and to share their work with others through an online photo site. It took off in a big way, and major retailers of art supplies kicked in some amazing prizes for those who participated.

Each month, the group announced a new theme, and provided tutorials or insights to inspire readers. In the middle of the year, Sue wrote to ask if I’d like to have my work featured in a book she was working on that detailed the Challenge, and showed examples of how artists worked on themes to create sketches that they then made into artwork. I was really honored, and of course, I said, “Yes!”

The book will be out this summer, but you can already pre-order it on Amazon.com.

Next year, I’ll be one of the artist hosts for The Sketchbook Challenge. I encourage you to join us!

Quilt Market, Part 5

2011-11-09T08:35:00.000-05:00

Several days into the 2011 Fall Quilt Market, I realized that I had so much stuff that I couldn’t post it all … at least if I wanted to get enough sleep ;-) So I’m going to keep posting it here in chunks. And I’ll have some give-aways as soon as my giant boxes of stuff that I shipped home arrive.

Kaleidoscope Kreator is software you can use to make fabulous kaleidoscope designs. The samples in this booth always pull me in for a closer look at the intricate patterns created by fracturing and stitching.

This booth offered beautiful hand-crafted items from Africa. Akonye Kena helps artisans in Africa find venues to sell their goods and earn sustainable incomes. The name of the company means “I will help myself” in Acholi, a tribal language of northern Uganda. It was founded in 2009 by Richard Kennair, who has lived and volunteered in Africa for many years.

There were colorful fabric beads made from local fabrics:

And lots of luscious hand-dyed silk scarves:

Lynn Koolish showed me some of the new products available from C&T Publishing. Joen Wolfrom’s Magic Design-Ratio Tool helps quilters understand and use ratios to make their compositions stronger. It retails for $9.95.

The third edition of Joen’s Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool is out. It features larger color swatches and expanded guidelines for use than earlier versions, and retails for $16.95.

The Any Way You Slice It Eco Tote bag benefits the NAMTA Foundation, a non-profit that supports art education and encourages participation in fine arts by providing scholarships and grants. Six artists from C&T created this art quilt in slices; it is based on Van Gogh’s painting Bedroom in Arles. It is made from 100% recycled polypropylene from plastic water bottles, and retails for $8.95.

Joan Wolfrom’s Studio Color Wheel is a 28" square double-sided poster that helps you find the right combination of colors for a quilt – or any art project. It retails for $9.95.

C&T’s PatternSpot.com is a website with thousands of patterns for quilters, sewers and crafters. It has grown tremendously in the past year.

Jenean Morrison designs fabric for Free Spirit; her new line is called Power Pop. Jenean’s booth won the Creativity Award at Quilt Market. It featured hundreds – maybe thousands! – of three-dimensional flowers made from her fabrics that were affixed to canvas on stretched frames.

The lampshade and vase in her booth also featured the flowers, and she had also made a cool floorcloth and pillows with her fabrics.

Embellishment Village is always on my must-see list at Market and Festival. They have wonderful stencils, paints, books, fibers, foils, glitters, you name it – a myriad of supplies for the art quilter or mixed media artist. Didn’t make it to Market? They have a great online shop.

Gina Reddin of Splinters & Threads has a new tool called Wavy Squares (by EZ Quilting) that lets you cut these cool shapes, which can showcase embroidery designs, create a frame, or stand on their own. The nested template can be used to cut fabrics, paper, metal – anything you can cut with a rotary cutter or scissors. They retail for $29.99, and are available to wholesalers at Brewer and Checkers.

Fran Ortmeyer, communications director for Clover Needlecraft, Inc., was demonstrating a new way to use the Clover Yo-Yo tool to make really cute flowers. You can layer the flowers and then add a button in the center to make a pin like the one she's wearing, or a bigger flower.

That’s it for now. I will have one more post about the goings-on at Quilt Market, and then it is on to the quilts at International Quilt Festival!

Class with Noriko Endo

2011-11-07T21:43:00.000-05:00

I taught three classes at International Quilt Festival last week, and I took two classes, too! On Tuesday, I took Noriko Endo’s “Confetti Naturescapes” class. (I blogged earlier this year about Noriko’s new book with Dragon Threads; you can read about it here.)

I really loved Noriko’s teaching style, and this class, even though her technique and process are so totally different from the techniques I usually use in my work. But that was the point: I always try to take classes that will teach me something, and something I don’t normally do. I always learn something new, and often it ends up helping me in my own work.

Noriko had us dicing up tiny pieces of fabric like this before sprinkling it on batting to create the background of our pieces:

When she showed us her rotary cutter technique, I was stunned. She moves almost at the speed of light with that dangerous blade!

We were all working from our own photographs. Here is the one I chose; it is of the ancient sugar maple in our front yard, taken several years ago. We will probably have to have this tree taken down soon, as it is now half dead, and if it goes over, it could hit our house. This makes me so sad, as I have loved this amazing tree, and watched it changing through the seasons for 15 years.

As luck would have it, a woman I had met last year was in my class – Julie Creus, a talented pattern designer who owns La Todera. I adore her stuff. (And she gave me a few of her patterns that I’ll be giving away soon in a blog post, so stay tuned!)

Me with Julie Creus

Julie came with her friend, Cecelia Koppmann (from Argentina), whom I had met the day before.

Cecelia and Noriko

It is always fun to take a class when you are sitting next to friendly and interesting people, and we had a blast getting to know each other better while we sliced, diced and sprinkled. Here is Noriko demonstrating her cutting technique to Cecelia:

Julie created a fabulous piece with red-and-white toadstools, the symbol of her company:

Here is Noriko conferering with Julie about her piece:

Julie and Noriko

Here you can see more of Noriko’s work pinned up in the front of the classroom. It is breath-taking!

Here is how my piece looked at the end of class. I still have a lot more thread work to do; I’m going to do some of the smaller branches with thread, and add some more detail. But I’m pretty happy with it!

On Monday, I took Nancy Eha’s “Crazy Beading” class. She taught us how to create beaded patterns that replicate the elaborate embroidery stitches on crazy quilts. Nancy is a great teacher, and I learned a lot and had so much fun. I forgot to take my camera to class, so I don’t have anything to show you from it, but once my 60 pounds of stuff I shipped back home from Market and Festival arrives, I will post to show you what I did.

Yes, 60 pounds!!!

Aurifil Designer of the Month for November – and a giveaway!

2011-11-07T20:48:00.001-05:00

“For Ella‘s Sister” by Jacquelynne Steves

Aurifil’s Designer of the Month is Jacquelynne Steves from The Noble Wife. Her free project, “For Ella’s Sister,” is shown above. Pat Sloan has interviewed Marianne on the Aurifil blog. (That’s where you go to download the pattern for her free project!)

Jacquelynne with Alex Veronelli of Aurifil

GIVEAWAY!
Each month this year, I’m going to be giving away a pack of Aurifil minispools (like the one shown above) when the new project is announced. Just leave a comment after this post telling me if you have ever tried Aurifil thread. I'll pull a name at random on Saturday, December 10 at noon EST. The sampler pack includes great colors in different weights. AND THE WINNER IS… Made by Herbie Hands

Quiltapalooza!

2011-11-03T23:32:00.000-04:00

Tonight I attended Quiltapalooza, a dinner and entertainment event at International Quilt Festival. The “Fashion Stops Below the Knees” shoe challenge was a hoot! Competition entrants strutted their stuff on the runway, showing off handmade and/or hand decorated shoes.

There were also some fun games, and lots of laughs. I was frankly amazed at the amount of loot given away at this event by sponsors. There were also awesome raffle prizes. If you have not attended this event before, you should really make plans to come next year if you are at Festival.

Please note: I am taking lots of photos at Festival — including lots and lots of quilts! — and I will share them with you in batches once I get home. I wanted to post each night, but I am teaching, and starting my duties as Vice President of Public Service for International Quilt Association, so any extra time I have during Festival (ha!) is spent sleeping.

“Max” wins at IQF-Houston

2011-11-03T23:08:00.002-04:00

I am honored to announce that “Maximum Cat Nap” won third place in the Art Quilt-Miniature category at International Quilt Festival. Woo-hoo!

For a complete list of all the winners, please go to the International Quilt Association website.

Quilt Market, Day 4

2011-11-01T00:12:00.000-04:00

This was the last day of Fall Quilt Market 2011. At 4 p.m., everyone started packing up and getting ready to transition into International Quilt Festival, or going home.

I had a nice time chatting with quilting legend Eleanor Burns of Quilt in a Day; we are both natives of western Pennsylvania, and went to colleges very near each other.

Laura Wasilowski’s booth gets my vote for most colorful! I had not realized how many patterns Laura has out right now. All feature her whimsical flowers, houses and everyday objects. Laura's company is called ArtFabrik.

Sarah Fielke is author of the books Material Obsession and Material Obsession Two. Her quilt designs were stunning.

Sarah's new book is called Quilting from Little Things.

Valori Wells’ spicy new fabric line is called Karavan, and features elephants and a color scheme in shades of robin's egg blue, paprika, and gray. New this year is a knit fabric (Valori’s dress is made from it).

Kaffe Fassett was in his booth signing books.

Sarah Vedeler’s breathtaking digital embroidery designs were displayed in the Brewer booth (Brewer is a major distributor of everything for quilters and sewers).

Companies from many countries meet at Market. This is Yara African Fabrics, which makes traditional African fabrics in Mali, West Africa. I met people from every continent except Antarctica here this year!

Eco-Fi makes polyester fiber from 100% post-consumer recycled bottles, including great felts, embossed felts, and knits. Their fibers are also used by other manufacturers who produce soft knits like this babyknit:

Sweetwater, a mother-and-daughters team that designs for Moda, always have a fresh, appealing look that manages to look retro and modern at the same time. This is Lisa Burnett of Sweetwater, in their booth:

Sweetwater decorated the top of their booth with a simple clothesline tied with strips of their new fabric line.

I still have lots of photos and info to share from Quilt Market but there is way too little time to post it all — at least if I want to sleep a little — so I'm going to keep doing it in chunks until I'm done.

Today was the first day of classes for International Quilt Festival. I took a great beading class from Nancy Eha today; she is a great teacher. I'll post more about it later, too.

A message from the birthday girl…

2011-10-31T01:00:00.001-04:00

Quilt Market, Day 3

2011-10-30T23:35:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, watching all the people at Quilt Market is as much fun as looking at what is in all the booths! This group of ladies from Texas come to Market each year together, and they always dress up. They told me that they live nearby, so they change their attire and wear different outfits each day. Fun!

Here’s more of what I saw today:

Amy Butler in her booth, showing off her new collection called "Lark."

I love Seuss, so I just had to have my photograph taken with The Cat in the Hat! Shannon Fabrics makes super-soft plush fabrics, and they will have a new line of Seuss fabrics out by Spring Market in Kansas City.

Check out these neat buttons. They are made by gluing fabric or paper on top of wood forms by AdornIt, and retail for about $3 per pack. I bought some to try out.

Arrow Sewing Cabinets caught my eye, because they make some cabinets for sewing machines that are actually pretty. (Imagine that!) Several models on the floor look like antiques adapted for sewing, but have modern features, and are painted cool colors, like green, pink and white.

They have a lower price-point than most cabinets, too!

I broke down and bought a super-comfortable chair with excellent lumbar support, and with wonderful fabric.

The C&T Publishing booth; customers can look at new releases and new products, get more information, and place orders. That's "Papillon," the quilt on the cover of my book, displayed on the far right at the top.

Simplicity introduced a new machine earlier this year that creates bias and makes piping (by heating a fusible adhesive that wraps around the cording and fuses to the fabric).

This morning, in a class I took with Ruth Chandler and Liz Kettle from Textile Evolution, we used Simplicity's needle felting machine. It worked great, and is very lightweight, and affordable for a 12-needle machine.

Carrie Bloomston of Such Designs had some cute, cute, cute stuff! These darling creatures are from her pattern that features the Three Little Pigs and the big bad You-Know-Who fingerpuppets. I'll post more about her after I get home, and will share a pattern giveaway with you. I’m bringing a bunch of stuff home to give away. Say a prayer that I can fit it all in my suitcases!

Quilt Market, Day 2

2011-10-30T00:44:00.001-04:00

It was the first day that people attending Quilt Market could get out on the floor of the Convention Center and shop! This is what met my eye when I stepped through the door. Yes, there is often a lot of clowning around going on, even more so with Halloween right around the corner. This is Brandon Mably, who designs amazing fabric for Westminster Fibers.

Here are Barb Adams and Alma Allen of Blackbird Designs. I have loved their patterns and their fabrics for a long, long time! They have a new book that will be out soon called "Weekend" that features their new collection of spectacular blue, white and gray fabrics. I was drooling bigtime.

Here’s a designer who was new to me; Kim Gaddy is the designer at Buttons & Bees, and her patterns were so cute! Love the owls. She is opening a new quilt shop in Manor, Texas, within the next month or so.

The enormous fabric flowers twined around the poles at Daisy & Dell’s booth were amazing! And their patterns were darned cute, too. Wouldn't these look darling in a little girl's room? The pattern is called "Daisy's Garden: The Daisies." I think that I must make some.

These darling pooch products were made by my friend Faith Cleary of Dolce Amico. She has a brand new line of appliqued pet portraits for stockings and more. Faith did a DVD with Quilting Arts demonstrating how she makes her thread-sketched pet portraits earlier this month.

This is Faith's first Quilt Market; it was great to see her take this step. It takes a lot of hard work, determination, money and grit to have a booth at Market!

Mary Lou Weidman is one of the most optimistic, upbeat people I've ever met. And it shows in her funny, whimsical quilt designs. She was at Market promoting a new book.

Cloud 9 Fabrics’ peacock fabric caught my eye. They produce lovely organic cotton fabrics, and the designs are fabulous. This is Michelle Engel Bencsko, their design and marketing director.

Alexander Henry Fabrics' booth was decorated for Day of the Dead, and it looked so bright and cheerful. Well, as cheerful as it could be with lots of these skeletons and sugar skulls hanging around!

I ran into friend and fellow C&T author Rayna Gillman walking the aisles. She gave me a sneak peek of her new book, which shows you how to use your coolest fabrics — those ones you made that you feel are too wonderful to cut up? — in quilts. I'm going to grab a copy as soon as it is out! (I tried to grab her super cool scarf from around her neck, too, but I didn't get away with it.)

Sisters Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson of Minick & Simpson design fabulous fabric lines for Moda, as well as patterns for quilts and hooked rugs year after year, often in their signature red, white/cream, and blue.

If you want to buy Moda fabric, take a seat!

Tomorrow at 11 a.m., I'm signing and giving away autographed copies of my new book in the Moda booth. Thanks, Moda! If you want a book, come early and get a ticket!

Here is artist Julie Komenda in front of a large painted and stitched piece she made. Julie was demonstrating how she paints on Roc-lon, a multi-purpose cloth. I bought some to try out. It is really neat. Julie is artist in residence at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida, where you can see mermaids… or maybe even be one. Don't believe me? Check it out!

Now this is pretty neat! This screen shows the Twitter feed regarding activity at Quilt Market. Attendees who post on twitter and add #QuiltMarket to the end of their tweets show up here.

The special exhibits at Quilt Festival are always interesting. This are photographs from the Texas’ Anniversary Photo Exhibit by Wilma Hart, VP for Corporate Projects at Quilts, Inc.:

She took photos of landmark Texas buildings and PhotoShopped quilts into them.

This is Wilma (above) with some of her photos; aren't they fun?

I heard a lot of buzz about these cool clips (above) at Clover. They are used to hold the binding in place; you can either hand stitch the back of the binding, or machine stitch. Little marks on the clips help you make sure that you catch the edge of the binding on the back of the quilt if you are machine quilting it down through the front. And isn't that doll great?

Lisa Walton of Dyed and Gone to Heaven has a special exhibition at International Quilt Festival this year, and I can't wait to see it! I had dinner with Linda, Bonnie McCaffery and Sarah Vedeler tonight at the Four Seasons. Here is the chef preparing Lisa's spectacular dessert!

Goodnight, everyone. More tomorrow!

Quilt Market, Day 1, Part 2

2011-10-29T23:18:00.000-04:00

I didn't have time to post some of yesterday's happenings at Quilt Market, so this is a catch-up post! In the photo above, Jane Sassaman is introducing her new fabric line, "Feather Your Nest," which I really love. Her apron, and the dress behind her, are made from this collection.

Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics unveiled some of their new lines with an interesting Schoolhouse session about color trends in the fabric world.

Michael Miller displayed some of their new fabric lines on huge foamcore boards at the front of the room.

Meanwhile, on the floor of the Convention Center, everyone was unpacking and preparing their booths. Here's the Quilting Arts/Interweave booth. Boxes get tossed out in the aisles for pickup later.

That's my "Trouble in the Pumpkin Patch" in the upper left. It's in the 2012 Quilting Arts Calendar, and they have all the winning quilts displayed in their booth.

Studioe Fabrics' booth features work by art quilters that uses two of their fabric lines. Three of the pieces in this photo were made by friends of mine: Linda Stegall, DeLane Rosenau, and P.J. Howard, who are all members of Fiber Art Options. Here is my "Psychedelic Peacock" hanging in their booth:

Quilt Market, Day 1

2011-10-28T23:50:00.001-04:00

Greetings from Houston! I’m here for the Fall 2011 International Quilt Market. It takes place in the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown, which occupies about six square blocks. The photo above shows it from my room in the Hilton Hotel that is connected to the Convention Center.

Today, the main focus was Schoolhouse, a series of short sessions put on by industry people – book publishers, fabric companies, notions manufacturers, fabric designers, etc. There are 30-minute and 15-minute sessions all day. In the morning, you pick up the official program for Market, and decide what sessions you want to attend:

Groups of quilt shop owners huddle in the lobby areas of the Convention Center to confer. If quilt shops come with more than one person, they often split up to cover more ground.

I attended a session where Alex Anderson showed off her new fabric line, which will ship in January. It is beautiful!

Here is the quilt Alex designed to show off the line:

Some of the sessions were absolutely packed. Sessions where there are good door prizes or giveaways are always popular. Here are just some of the people in the crowd waiting for Lonni Rossi to talk about her new fabric lines for Andover:

Here’s Lonni:

An assistant carries one of Lonni's quilts through the spectators:

Here’s Lonni:

Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts was completely charming, and shared many personal stories while introducing her new book.

This is just one of Edyta’s gorgeous quilts:

Susan Knapp (of The Quilt Branch) and I always try to meet up and have our photo taken together!

Not enough time to show you everything from today; I'll post more tomorrow!

Another chance to win my book

2011-10-27T11:17:00.000-04:00

Sarah Ann Smith and friend

Sarah Ann Smith, a friend and fellow art quilter whose work is featured in the gallery section of my new book, Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art, has reviewed my book on her blog. Check it out – there’s a chance to win a copy!

You can see more of Sarah's beautiful work in the galleries on her website.

Charlotte Guild offering great workshops open to non-members

2011-10-26T18:32:00.000-04:00

If you live in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, here are some great quilting and fiber arts workshops you should know about! These workshops are offered by the Charlotte Quilters’ Guild, and are open to non-members of the guild. Here is information about each workshop. Prices listed are for non-members.

To register or get more information, e-mail Phyllis Tarrant at workshops@charlottequiltersguild.org, or call her at 704-545-4481.

Mary Kerr

A Vintage Challenge – $55
plus a $20 kit fee that includes everything except batting and backing

Thurs., Nov. 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sharon Towers, 5100 Sharon Rd.

Sandra Smith

Story Quilts – $55

Thurs., Feb. 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sharon Towers, 5100 Sharon Rd.

Valerie Goodwin

Favorite Places – $110

Thurs. March 8 and Fri. March 9 , 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day

Location in Charlotte to be announced later

Judy Simmons

Dimensional and off the Edge Appliqué – $55

Thurs., April 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sharon Towers, 5100 Sharon Rd.

and

Wonderful Texture – $30

Thursday, April 5, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. (evening class)

Linda Cantrell

Self Portrait – $55

Thurs., May 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

and

Fantasy Flowers – $30

6:30 to 9:30 p.m. (evening class)

My friend and fellow guild member Debby Harwell will be teaching a surface design workshop in January 2012; details will be available soon. It will be a day class, and the price will be $35 (plus a small kit fee) for non-members.

Don’t miss this opportunity to take a class with a fabulous teacher … Come and join us!

Headed to Houston!

2011-10-26T14:39:00.000-04:00

I’m packing my bags and getting ready to head to Houston for International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival tomorrow! Quilt Market is the trade show that comes before Festival, and it is only open to quilt shop owners and professionals in the quilting industry. It’s where everyone in the quilting industry goes to show off their new fabrics, notions, tools, sewing machines, and any product sold to quilters. I’m going to market my new book and DVD.

My plan is to blog each night to tell you about what I’ve seen and heard. If you can’t be at Market, please come along with me on my journey! I always bring home some loot, too, and will be doing some give-aways … so you won’t want to miss it!

Please review my book on Amazon.com

2011-10-26T10:18:00.000-04:00

Hey, if you have read my new book, Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art, would you consider writing a review on Amazon.com? I’d be mighty grateful! Here’s a link to the page with my book: http://www.amazon.com/Point-Click-Photos-Fabulous-Fabric/dp/1607052261

I’d love to know what you think!

I’m joining the artist hosts of The Sketchbook Challenge!

2011-10-23T09:01:00.000-04:00

I am so happy to announce that I am joining a group of artists I much admire: the women of The Sketchbook Challenge! I will be one of the host artists for 2012.

In January of 2011, Sue Bleiweiss and a group of other artists came together and started The Sketchbook Challenge as a way to encourage others to start working in a sketchbook, or revitalize their sketching, with the belief that keeping sketchbooks is extremely valuable to artists.

Some of us are fiber artists, and some of us are mixed media artists; we all love to write about what we do!

Each month on The Sketchbook Challenge blog, we will announce a new theme and then post images from our sketchbooks related to that theme throughout the month. The idea is that by providing a look inside our sketchbooks, you’ll be inspired to keep a sketchbook of your own. You can work in any medium you want, and create as many pages as you wish.

The other component of this project is that participants are encouraged to post photos or scans of their sketchbook pages, and share them in a flickr group. If you do, you put your name in the running for some fabulous prizes by the group’s sponsors.

If you have not participated in 2011, I hope you’ll decide to turn over a new leaf in 2012 and join me on this journey! Participating host artists for 2012 are:

Jill Berry : blog / sketchbook profile

Sue Bleiweiss : blog / sketchbook profile
Pam Carriker : blog / sketchbook profile

Jane Davies : blog / sketchbook profile

Jamie Fingal : blog / sketchbook profile

Leslie Tucker Jenison : blog / sketchbook profile
Lyric Kinard : blog / sketchbook profile

Susan Brubaker Knapp : blog / sketchbook profile

Jane LaFazio : blog / sketchbook profile

Kelli Nina Perkins : blog /    sketchbook profile
Carol Sloan : blog   / sketchbook profile
Susan Sorrell : blog /    sketchbook profile

Diana Trout : blog / sketchbook profile

Laura Cater Woods : blog / sketchbook profile

Gift of October: Persimmons

2011-10-22T16:13:00.001-04:00

This is a sketch I completed today. Yesterday, I went out to take photos, because I really need a nice landscape photo for a class I’m taking with Japanese fiber artist Noriko Endo at International Quilt Festival in Houston in about a week. I am really excited about this class… partly because it is so totally different from what I do, and how I do it. Noriko is a master at portraying woodland scenes, and I was hoping to get a shot of trees showing their autumn colors.

So I headed out to a local state park on a lake near me. It was a gorgeous, clear day. I hiked a bit, took some photos and was almost back to my car when I spotted the most amazing persimmon tree, branches bare, with its golden orange orbs hanging like polka dots against the cornflower blue sky. I must have stood there for a half hour, shooting up. Here are some of the best shots:

When you take photographs, how often do you look straight up? Try it!

I love how the depth of field on these photos draws attention (and focus) to the branches in the foreground.

They were up so high that I couldn’t pick any, and only the rotten fruit had fallen to the ground. According to Wikipedia, the American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is native to the eastern U.S. and is higher in vitamin C and calcium than the Japanese persimmon. In the midwest, it is the key ingredient in a steamed pudding, and sometimes its lumber is used as a substitute for ebony in musical instruments.

I am not crazy about the typeface I used in my sketch. It’s a bit blocky and heavy for this subject, I think. I enjoy using type in my sketches; I want to work on better integrating it into the sketches as I do more with The Sketchbook Challenge in the next year. I also need to work on ways to handle the depth of field issue. The branches in the background are too heavy, and too well defined; they don’t recede as much as they should.

I also think I'll try doing something more graphic with the same photo… perhaps in a more limited palate of solid black, blue and orange. The wheels are also turning while I consider ways to use this photo – and my drawing of it – in something fabric related.

Back in the saddle

2011-10-20T22:37:00.001-04:00

I am trying hard to get back in the habit of sketching in my sketchbook. I joined The Sketchbook Challenge at the start of the year, and was doing great until my mother died in late January. But it is something I really want to do, so I will begin again! Here is a sketch I did today. One of my goals for next year is to do more pieces of fiber art based on my sketches, rather than my photographs. This one might be really fun to do!

I sketched this in pencil, then drew the black lines with a Micron pen, then watercolored it. October is my favorite month! Here is a poem about it that I love:

October’s Bright Blue Weather

O Suns and skies and clouds of June,
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather;

When loud the bumble-bee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And Golden-Rod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When Gentians roll their fringes tight
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burrs
Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;

When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields, still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks,
In idle golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunts,
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers, hour by hour,
October's bright blue weather.

O suns and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.

– Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)

Hudson River Valley Art Workshops

2011-10-20T18:53:00.000-04:00

I’m really excited to announce that in December 2012, I’ll be teaching five days at the Hudson River Valley Art Workshops, a unique art center in New York’s inspiring Hudson River Valley in the Catskill Mountains. Since 1982, fiber artist Kim LaPolla and her husband Mark (Chef de Cuisine and Chocolatier) have been holding art workshops in the gorgeous 1889 inn, The Greenville Arms. USA Today named their program “one of the ten best learning vacations.”

My workshop will take place Dec. 9-15, 2012. Treat yourself to an early holiday gift and join me! This five-day format will give me the opportunity to work with students on pieces based on their own photos, something there is simply not time for in a one-day class. I’ll cover fusible applique, wholecloth painting, thread sketching and free-motion quilting. Beyond the six hours of class time each day, I am sure we will be spending time in the studio in our pajamas, with lots of laughter and fun.

The lineup of teachers for 2012 is impressive: Pat Pauly, Gloria Loughman, Katie Pasquini Masopust, Sue Nickels, Melinda Bula, Paula Nadelstern, Carol Taylor, Laura Wasilowski, Esterita Austin, Susan Shie, Hollis Chatelain, Jane Sassaman, Kathyanne White, Valerie Goodwin, Charlotte Warr Anderson, Rosalie Dace, Jane Davila, Larkin Van Horn, and Sue Benner. You can see when and what they are teaching here. Information about my workshop is here.

Getting ready for International Quilt Market and Festival in Houston

2011-10-18T23:00:00.002-04:00

What does this have to do with Market and Festival, you ask? Read on!

This past week, I have been busy packing up my class supplies and organizing to speak and teach at International Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival in Houston. Today, my life took a little detour because of the cutie in the photo above. (If you are interested in Quilt Market and Quilt Festival more than you are interested in kittens, kindly skip to the bottom of this post now.)

I was on my way in to have my hair cut at my local salon, and when I got out of my car, I heard a tremendous meowing noise. My first thought was that someone had their cat in their car, so I started looking around. I saw a black-and-white kitten streak across the parking lot, and poke around a dumpster in the parking lot, so I followed.

The kitten continued to meow incessantly – and extremely loudly! — like a little kitty banshee, and when I was able to lure it close enough, I grabbed it, went into my hair stylist, and asked her if I could come back after I had taken the kitten to my vet. She graciously agreed, I took the kitten to the vet and had her checked out, and she is now living the good life in the front room of our house. (While she was cleared for feline leukemia, she did turn up having hookworm, a common ailment of feral cats, so she has to be quarantined from our other animals for several weeks.)

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may know that our beloved cat Max was hit by a car and killed last summer. (You can read all about the amazing Max here in my husband’s tribute, but I’m warning you now: get your hankie ready.) Since then, we’ve been offered other kittens, but did not feel ready to adopt a new one quite yet. And our house felt very full with two busy children, a dog (Sophie) and another cat (Trouble). Today, fate decided it was time.

So now, while this new kitten – whom I have named “Wicked,” which my children both think is a horrid name — eats her weight in cat chow putting some flesh on her bony body, I will resume preparations for Market and Festival. If you are going to be there, I would love to meet you! Here is where I’ll be appearing:

Friday, Oct. 28:

12:10 p.m. – Schoolhouse session for C&T Publishing to promote my new book

1:55 p.m. – Schoolhouse session for Studioe Fabrics on attracting art quilters

Saturday, Oct. 29:
10-11 a.m., and possibly on and off throughout that day – working in Dolce Amico Pet Portraits booth with my friend Faith Cleary

Sunday, Oct. 30:
11 a.m. to noon – book signing in Moda/United Notions’ booth

Monday, Oct. 31:
All day — “Crazy Beading” class with Nancy Eha (!!!)

Tuesday, Nov. 1:
All day – “Confetti Naturescapes” class with Noriko Endo (!!!)
6-8 p.m. – IQA Winners’ Circle Celebration

Wednesday, Nov. 2
8:30 to noon – IQA Board Meeting
noon to 2 p.m. – Winners’ Circle Luncheon
2 to 4 p.m. – IQA Board Meeting
5:15 to 6:15 p.m. – IQA General Meeting
6:30 to 8:30 – Quiltapalooza

Thursday, Nov. 3:
All day – teaching “Wholecloth Painting” class (class is full!)

Friday, Nov. 4:
All day – teaching “Start With a Photo” class (class is full!)

Saturday, Nov. 5:
All day – teaching “Thread Sketching–Dragonfly” (class is full!)
7 to 9:30 p.m. – Gala on the Green

Sunday, Nov. 6:
11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Open Studios (near Make It University)

I have four pieces at Quilt Market and Quilt Festival:


“Maximum Cat Nap” is in the Art Quilt – Miniature division

“Hope is the Thing” is in The Space Between exhibition

“Freckles” is in the Art – Painted Surfaces division

“Psychedelic Peacock” will be in Studioe Fabrics/Fabric Editions’ booth at Market

Win a “Modern Blocks” book!

2011-10-15T21:07:00.004-04:00

Exuberant (page 62) by Susan Brubaker Knapp

Modern Blocks, a new book of blocks compiled by Susanne Woods of Stash Books (an imprint of C&T Publishing), will be out soon! This book features 99 quilt blocks from well-known designers — including me! That’s my Exuberant block above. Want to win a copy? Check out the blocks below, and read my note at the bottom of the post!

This book is chock full of some darling, sophisticated, cute, and modern blocks! All finish to 12" square. Here are some of my favorites:


April Showers (page 16) by Kirsti Underwood

Birdsong (page 24) by Rachel Roxburgh

Russell the Robot (page 156) by Sonja Callaghan

Missing Your Kiss (page 114) by Penny Michelle Layman

Binary (page 22) by Angela Pingela

Garden Lattice (page 80) by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr

All or Nothing (page 12) by Angela Pingel

Feathered Friends (page 64) by Melissa Crow

Windmill (page 198) by Lynne Goldsworthy

Leave me a comment after this post, telling me which block you like best, and why (and don’t try to butter me up by saying you like mine best!). I’ll pick one name at random at noon EST on November 9, and send you the book. Please note: If your comment doesn't show up right away, don't worry… it will! I now have to “moderate the comments” (read and say if they can post) because I had some very unpleasant pornography links showing up in my comments before I started moderating them!! WE HAVE A WINNER! Tonya won the book! Thanks, everyone!