Umpqua Valley Quilters' Guild Talk & Workshop

Thursday, January 5, 2012, begins my season of talks and workshops at area Quilt Guilds. The first event is with the Umpqua Valley Quilters Guild in Roseburg, Oregon.

As an artist/fabric designer, I explain "How Artwork Becomes Fabric" from my own personal experience. Quilters are always interested in the process and come away with a better understanding and appreciation for fabric designs. When designing my own fabrics, I work to give the quilter a full palette of coordinates and blends with my artwork. The creativity and range of projects from the designs make the collections really fun.

A totebag workshop is scheduled on Friday, the day after the talk. It is a quick and easy project with lots of fabric and artwork choices. My fabric art panels are used for the pocket. Details for the workshop and talk are in the Events section of the Umpqua Valley Quilters Guild website.

Be sure to join us on Facebook.

Girlfriends At Sea Fabrics Available Now!

My new fabric collection, Girlfriends at Sea, is available to quilt shops nationally through the Northcott Fabrics Sales Team, and can be purchased at sisterhoodofquilters.com.

This collection, inspired by last year's Quilt Camp at Sea to Alaska, is perfect for memory quilt projects, totebags, and cabin wallhangings. Kits, patterns, and fabric art panels are all available for purchase NOW.

Celebrate the love of adventure and make something fun to cherish and share!

Quilt Camp at Sea Alaska 2011 cruise

The weather was great and the seas were calm on the Quilt Camp at Sea Alaska 2011 cruise that took place last week. The time spent in Glacier Bay is always the most inspirational for me. It is quiet and serene as the ship slowly enters the waters of the glaciers. It is awesome and grand. The first photo is of Margerie Glacier. The mix of colors from white-white to aqua is beautiful and the way the light between and around the ice pillars shades and highlights nature's artwork is just amazing.

This second picture is Patti Carey (right) and I on the back deck of the ship in Glacier Bay. Patti is Northcott Fabrics' Marketing Director. She has a great blog about her own designs, patterns, and events.

Patti and I have enjoyed taking our professional relationship to a girlfriend relationship of sharing our joy of family and quilt and fabric designs. I got points for helping her with a technical quilt design software issue, and she got points for guiding me back to our room, as I apparently lost my sense of direction on the ship! We had lots of fun and good giggles.

More to come.

Totebag Workshop at the Quilted Cottage in Toledo, Oregon

I had so much fun making totebags with Quilters: Shirley, Jan, and Joyce! From cutting the fabric to applying the rhinestones, we moved along completing the totes.

Quilted Cottage shop owner, Monica Lyons, gave us a special treat by serving High Tea. We giggled with "Pinkies Up" as we sipped our tea from fine china.

The highlight of the class for me was teaching the unique process of making my three-dimensional leaves. I love to use the leaves as embellishments on my totes and quilts.

I will be offering a packet of the leaf patterns and instructions very soon on the sisterhoodofquilters.com website.

Cell Phone Bags Are Here!

Mattie Rhoades of Quiltsmart® and I met as quilt show booth neighbors several years ago. I loved her printed interfacing and quickly saw how fun it was to make complex projects very easily.

I am proud and pleased to include Quiltsmart® products at www.sisterhoodofquilters.com and I have created several Cell Phone Bag kits that are available now. Pictured at right is my Earth Blessings Patchwork Cell Phone Bag. It's quick and fun to make. The Quiltsmart® Cell Phone Kit is included for supplies and instruction, along with Earth Blessings Patchwork fabric.

Be sure to check out my other designs. More will be coming soon!

*As of 2/13/11, Quiltsmart® products have sold out and will not be reordered.

Meet My Show Neighbor

I had a great time in Puyallup at SEWEXPO and getting to know my show neighbor Amy, sharing business ideas and sources. My booth was 10'x20' and hers was 10'x10'. Mine was a little too big and hers a little too small, so next year we are going to divide the space and each have a 10' x 15' booth space! Amy will be able to teach beading classes in her enlarged space and I will be just a little cozier -- a win/win for both of us.

Every time I exhibit at a show, I find a "gem" and this time it was Amy and her husband, Andrew, who brought us warm chocolate chip cookies from their RV oven!

Please check out Amy's website: www.i-bead.com. Her designs are unique and very popular.

SAVE THE DATE: March 3 - 6, 2011 for next years show!

Earth Blessings Fabrics Have Arrived!

The NEW Earth Blessings fabrics by the yard and complete pattern kits are available now for purchase at sisterhoodofquilters.com!

Earth Blessings was inspired by Faith, Hope, and Charity's desire to be Earth-Friendly. Ladybugs, leaves, clouds, and a fun new patchwork design enhance this bright and colorful Art Panel and Fabric Collection.

You'll find quilt designs like Deborah's Capistrano Lily (shown here) by Quilting Sister Deborah from www.inthedoghousedesigns.com. So fun and bold! The complete Kit includes the fabric, and bonus Earth Blessing Pattern Book rather than an individual pattern. Backing not included.

Come see what's new!

QUILT QUEST MMX

I know Mother's Day seems to be far off, but I wanted to give you plenty of time to register for High Tea at QUILT QUEST MMX in Toledo, Oregon on Saturday, May 8, 2010.

The city of Toledo is located 5 miles east of Newport on US 20 and is a wonderful gateway at the Oregon Coast. More than 100 quilts will be on display in the city's historic Main Street district from 10 AM - 4 PM. The event includes vendors offering patterns, designs, long-arm quilters and more.

I'll be there as a special guest signing my new pattern and gift book, "Earth Blessings."

For more information or High Tea reservations contact: Monica Lyons at 541-336-2877 or oregonquilterscottage@gmail.com.

I'll be at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo this weekend

If you're in the Puyallup, Washington area this coming weekend, Feb. 25-28, stop by the Sewing & Stichery Expo and say hello!

SEWEXPO is the largest, most comprehensive consumer education and trade event for the sewing industry in the United States. It's the perfect place for both experienced and beginning sewers and quilters (and everyone else!) to indulge their creative passions or explore new ones.

I will be introducing my NEW Floral Art Panel collection. These patterns that include Specialty Art panels and kits will be available for the FIRST time! I'm including an image here of a detail of my inspirational Hydrangea Quilt design as quilted by Linda Perry from Dallas, Oregon.

Linda is extremely talented as she intreprets her long arm quilting skills with the design of the quilt. I highly recommend Linda's talented designs.

Hope to see you this weekend!

Earth Blessings

I am thrilled to announce my newest art panel and fabric collection, Earth Blessings. My idea for Earth Blessings came to me while reflecting on the feelings and attitudes of people today due to the current economic situation, coupled with the awareness to be "Earth-Friendly."

My wise women: FAITH, HOPE, and CHARITY are featured in this collection as the visual representatives of all who honor nature and are striving to be good stewards of the earth's resources.

Ladybugs, leaves, clouds, and a fun new patchwork all enhance this bright and colorful Art Panel and Fabric Collection. Fabric will be available for purchase in March.

I hope you enjoy my newest collection and visit www.sisterhoodofquilters.com often.

Quilting at Sea!

I am excited to be the special guest on the Alaska "Sisterhood of Quilters" cruise with Quilt Camp at Sea. Their mission "is to create friendships at sea, one quilter at a time, by providing those who share a love of quilting with the opportunity to experience...locations where the scenery is breathtaking..."

The Alaska cruise is in July and registration is closed, but I hope you will visit their website and consider a quilting cruise in the future. Mattie Rhoades of Quiltsmart and quilting instructors Joyce Becker, Janet Bottroff, Patti Carey, and Jo Anne Gordon will also be onboard. View some of the class project photos from these great instructors.

Girlfriends Collection

I'm happy to announce that my Girlfriend collection is available at sisterhoodofquilters.com.

The collection is all about honoring the special relationships we have with our Girlfriends. The fabric designs include images of teacups and pink flowers. And my character, Hope, has a special panel in support of all our girlfriends who have been challenged by breast cancer.

This collection is inspirational, whimsical and uplifting. I've even created a 56-page full color pattern and gift book to go with the collection. The book includes fabric requirements, instructions, hot tips for embellishments and quilting, full size applique patterns, and scrapbooking ideas and artwork.

I'm excited to share it with you.

I wish you Joy in your day!