Tuesday, October 23, 2007

A Surprise Platter and More Story Quilts in the Works




I was with a group of friends who love to do Story Quilts and they were working on theirs and I was working on mine. I hope to do another book of stories and border tips and so I have begged friends to help fill the book. These are all quilts in progress.
The quilt below is by Lois who has done many wonderful story quilts. This quilt has the theme of a friend of hers and her cats. It will be wonderful once it is done and a legacy of who this woman is and what she loves. Do you have a quilt to be left about who or what you love? What will people know about you in 80 years from your artwork? Think about this.

Maris' quilt below is about she and her sons. She is embellishing this. The colors are wonderful as is the theme and design.

A pretty photo of Mari above.
Closeup of Mari's quilt below.

Close up of borders in Ginger's quilt below.

The quilt below is by Stasi Wilson who has become a master at Story quilts. We will know lots about her in 80 years as she is prolific and does great things.


The quilt below is by Ginger and is called "Festivus for the Rest of Us." I love her dog- this quilt is also in progress.


Wednesday, October 17, 2007

FLOWER POWER sample and fun things to look at!


This wonderful quilt is the cover of my Flower Power book. I got to take a few photos of it while I was at a retreat with 22 girlfriends sewing. Is there anything better than creating, sharing , laughing, eating, cutting ,sewing, drawing, taping, painting and about 30 other things all in one happy room? I got home a little while ago and I am tired but very happy at the fun I had.
Please ask your local quilt shop to carry "Flower Power" which I distribute. I also teach workshops Based on this great method and book. Such fun!
I tried to load the photo of the owner of this quilt who was ill when all of my Asilomar students made her a block from the book. Tonight, blogspot is having trouble and will not let me load this on.

The above arrangement was on Freddy Moran's table when I went to visit her after PIQF and go out for lunch. She has great stuff in her house that makes you smile.


The car above was parked outside a nice Quilt shop in Danville. I am a little concerned about the person in the trunk although she doesn't look like she was a nice person....does she look like a witch to you?


The above quilt was made by a "Rocket Scientist" named Cathy at our little retreat. I am not kidding...this was my first encounter with a Rocket Scientist-smart, sewed like the wind and fun too.


Tuesday, October 09, 2007

An Autumn Trip to the Pumpkin Patch-the JOY, the BEAUTY!



Cinderella pumpkins are my favorite kind- the colors are awesome

The beauty of nature and God's infinite variety- no two the same

My husband with many huge pumpkins of every kind that are orange-it was great to have a strong man to pull the hundreds of pounds of pumpkins

A happy face to greet us

On weekends this place is loaded with people-I am glad we came on a Tuesday

Mary Lou plays coy behind the pumpkin measureing sign

The color, the texture, the taste!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

An Adorable Quilt Story quilt with the RIGHT WORDS for FUN! Isn't this wonderful?

I received the photo of this wonderful quilt about 6 weeks ago and knew you would all want to see it!

Story Quilt Photos from My Workshops-Legacy Pieces of Women's Stories-ENJOY

Today I am feeling sentimental and wanted to start posting some Story quilts here for you to see what people do in my workshops. I will be posting more and more here as time goes on. I have a library on my computer of many great ones. My biggest problem is when people sent them, I got an email separately and so now since my memory isn't what it used to be, I have the photo and a memory of what the person looked like (I know them in my head, does that count?) but I need names. If you know any of these people who did these great quilts, will you please give me names. I hope to do another Story quilt book before I retire (based on Creativity) like Whimsies and Whynots. I have so many good quilts from friends to go into such a book.
Enjoy what is below. The following is a question from my workshops-
QUESTION- WHAT WILL PEOPLE KNOW 80 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THEY SEE YOUR QUILTS? THINK ABOUT THIS. LEAVE SOMETHING ABOUT WHO AND WHAT YOU LOVE FOR OTHERS TO SEE, SO THEY WILL KNOW THE ESSENCE OF "YOU."

I adore the quilt below. It was made in a Story Quilt Class in Toronto. A husband kept his boat in the backyard and the motor in a barrel of water and every so often he would get in the boat and start up the engine to make sure it went OK. He did this far more than going out to sea. So his wife (Marion) did them in the backyard in the boat (going Nowhere).





This quilt was done in a Chicago workshop and I think it turned out beautifully. The woman who did this made it of her daughter. Isn't it darling? What a nice thing to have that your Mother made for you and of you.



Can you hear the song "Sisters?" This darling quilt with hoochy borders is one of my favorites. I have people ask if you can use anything but brights with these blocks and stories and obvisouly here the answer is "yes!" I think this is a darling and sentimental quilt that will be treasured by family for a long time to come.
This quilt commemorates all of the things we love about quilting and computers. A thirieth birthday, a computer, a crown and look under the desk and on the screen- wonderful!



Celebrate Summer! A quilt photo sent to me that I think is just wonderful in every way


Forty and Fabulous. This was a quilt done in my Asilomar five day workshop.These girls are dancing on the bar counter top. Forty after all is the new 20. I think that's right. I am pushing 60 and feel 30...hope that's right too!


I love quilts that tell a story and this quilt was created at Asilomar in one of my five day workshops. The maker made this for her daughter and it is about painting their place before they moved in. FUN!


This great quilt was made by Annie from a Story quilt class in Hemet, Utah. It won a great award from Bernina. Isn't it darling?

A Hoochy Mama quilt made from a workshop in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.


A quilt made from the birthday cake in my "Quilted Memories" book. Note the cat's tale in the photo.

I have this listed as "Kevin's Quilt" in my files. The boy in the quilt is Kevin. I am sorry to say I do not have the name of the person who took my class. I am sure it is someone I know well. Note the hoochy borders. Isn't this wonderful? What boy wouldn't love this?



This is a quilt done by Asilomar "regular" Susan Typpi who is my good friend and is an airline flight attendant for Alaska. Her Grandson received this great quilt.

This wonderful quilt was done at my workshop at Santa Barbara quilt Retreat which I do once a year. I think the colors and fabric in this are spectacular. Not the great hair fabric (swirls).



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Sunday, September 16, 2007

Hoochy Samples from Arkansas Workshops

Visiting Arkansas for the first time was wonderful. Green and sunny and happy. Little Rock is a beautiful city with it's state capital building shining and standing out. People there are very Southern, polite and fun (have great senses of humor). I was only sorry I did not have a day to see the sites and look for folk art. I came home with no souvenier of the city itself. Hopefully I will make it back before I retire. The girls caught on to Hoochy Mama blocks fast and many students made fabulous neighborhood blocks of houses and trees and even pianos. :-) Great FUN for me and them too. The Retreat was great and people got into the Island themes.



These samples started out as Christmas Hoochy Mama blocks. Happy aren't they?

The beauty that only LIME green can bring to blocks. Isn't this pretty?

Playing with sizes of Hoochy Mama and in colors that are popular in home dec. today.

Pretty in pink. Thiese blocks are going to be in a darling and happy Baby Quilt.

A happy quilter with the beginning of her Hoochy Mama quilt. Isn't this fun? Note the Island theme.