Archive for August, 2009

New INNOVATIONS Pattern

Monday, August 31st, 2009

I’ve been busily packaging the new Bluebird pattern and it’s ready to go! Third in the series of Picture Piecing patterns, these have proven to be very popular! Straight seam piecing with color and numerical sewing order listed makes it easy for anyone to create a lovely wall hanging.

bluebirdpattern

I first offered “Bluebird” for sale in Oklahoma and it went well – I’m so glad people are finding them fun to do! Check out the Pattern section of the website to see all of the patterns available!

Traveling To Oklahoma

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

I returned home yesterday from a quick trip to Oklahoma to do a guild program. The skies were overcast most of the time except for when I needed to get out of the car to check into my hotel and again when I needed to meet my hostess for dinner at which time it really dumped!. After waiting for the rain to abate for about 15 minutes I finally braved the elements for a quick dash into the restaurant where I arrived quite soaked in spite of my umbrella. Thankfully it cleared before we had to leave and unload the quilts!

On the way I stopped at a rest stop to eat my lunch, parked in front of this sign which was not exactly the best lunchtime reading!

bendersign

And you thought it was hard to find a good place to stop while traveling?

kansasprairie

This shot of the Kansas prairie is probably not all that different from what those1871 travelers saw. it’s unusually green for late August due to all of the rain we’ve had this year. Great skies!

Want To Go To A Quilt Show?

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Check out Del’s comment from yesterday for a link to photos from the Asheville show that were posted on Susan Brubaker Knapp’s Blue Moon River blog. Mine are there along with quite a few more. Thanks Del!

And Rose – you absolutely CAN make Coneflowers in commercial prints! Click on Coneflowers in the tags and it will show you all of the examples so far. My yellow one with the black and white background is commercial – and there is that recent one from a workshop that is all spots and dots and wonderful.

In yesterday’s mail I got a nice card from Janet Bates with a photo of her finished top from the Wichita workshop – looks GREAT!! Janet if you are reading this- send me a jpg and I’ll post it. Not only did she finish it, she finished it that very evening after the workshop! WOW! I am impressed.

New Coneflower

Monday, August 24th, 2009

This is the piece that I started in Wichita as a demo. I will continue to work on it as demos in GA next month.

newstart

The flower and stem are batiks and one of the backgrounds is a handmade sun-print but the rest are commercial prints. That print in the background was really wierd but cut up like that it actually has a “foliagey” look. I like how it has areas of light where it looks like sun sparkles, and I used one of those light areas to highlight the edge of the stem. Sometimes those stems disappear if you aren’t careful! So far I have made Coneflowers in oranges, yellows and darker pinks. We have a patch of wild ones near here that are this very pale pink. I LOVE how the batik has those built in shadows and highlights!

Surfing the Blogs

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009

It’s very easy to spend a LOT of time on line as one web site or blog leads to another, and before you know it the morning is gone!

I love Lisa B’s blog and this morning she featured ME!! Well, my quilts that were at the Aullwood show actually. I admire her ability to really focus on the works and I can almost feel like I saw the show thorough her eyes.

More Wichita Coneflowers Workshop

Friday, August 21st, 2009

wichita_7
Lovely soft shades with dark to accent the petals. Love the center!

wichita_8
Similar flowers but different visions, I love when that happens.

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So soft and pretty!

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Can’t go wrong with complimentary colors! The red and green make your eyes dance.

Loved the concept of using assorted spots and dots for a truly one of a kind contemporary look.

wichita_11
Using fabrics inspired by the pieced block, this one is lovely and sophisticated.

I just LOVE seeing the pieces begin in the workshops, with all of the differing visions that the individuals have, it’s always exciting to see what develops.

I always hope to get pictures when they are finished.

They WILL be finished, right?

Wichita Coneflowers Workshop

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

Finally! Photos from Wichita. The focus could be better, sorry about that, but the work still shines! We had lots of fun and these ladies really produced!

Wichita_1 Hard at work.

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Beautiful rich color.

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Too much fun!

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It’s always fun to see the Coneflowers in other colors.

wichita_5Yummy!

wichita_6 Bits of light in the background just sparkle!

I’ll try to get the rest up tomorrow.

I’m Baaaack!

Friday, August 14th, 2009

Wichita was great! Rushed, but great. Two different lectures and a workshop plus travel in two days is a lot, but it was fun because the Prairie Quilt Guild was so nice and friendly! Yesterday I got the quilts put away, the finances dealt with and the inventory started. The before and after chores add at least three days to a trip! I hope to have some pictures to show from the workshop but I have not checked the camera yet. Some wonderful works were started.

Just before I left, I got word that “Baltimore Oriole” exhibited at the Aullwood Audubon Center’s show was sold to the Executive Director! How cool is that! A sale is always good but even better when it goes to an expert like that.

BaltimoreOriole

What’s Been Happening?

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

What’s been happening? Well, on the quilting front, I finished the pattern for “BLUEBIRD”, sent the cover copy off to Ohio to the printer and took the pattern to the local printer. I hope to have that ready to sell soon.

Two quilts have returned home, “Just Dandy” with a nice First Place check from AQS and “Nasturtiums” from IQA where it has toured for the past year with “In Full Bloom”. It was nice to see it again – it’s bigger than I remembered!

The acceptance letters for “Packrat Palace” to go to the PA National Mancuso Show, and for “Watermelon Wine” and “A Promise Of Springtime” to go to the SAQA Tactile Fluency exhibit in St Louis this fall have arrived.

The Topeka Art Guild Gallery’s new show includes two of my pieces. “Lady Godiva” and “Myth In The Mist”. I spent all day Thursday there fulfilling my obligation to give them 6 hours a month manning the Gallery. During the non busy times I worked on my book keeping and then finished up at home so I would be caught up before my upcoming trips. So much to do, so little time!

I’m in the process of sorting and packing for my trip later this week to Wichita for two lectures and a “Coneflowers” workshop. Pulling fabrics to demonstrate yet one more Coneflowers piece is always fun. There are SO many options!

Time Saver

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

When I went to town last, I did check at Lowes for the Coconut Lime Coneflower and they did have some, but they were not very happy looking so I passed.

Since I was there I decided to check on edgers. I had just read a review that said the Black and Decker Edge Hawg was the best so I checked it out. I’ve been spending a lot of time lately trimming edges and pulling weeds by hand and I thought this could be a real time saver. So I bought one.

My husband who is really into machines, and would never dream of helping with the hand work, (though he does pick up and dispose of the weeds I pull) jumped right in to assemble it. And test it. He seems to be having too much fun!

Yup, I think this is going to be a REAL time saver!!