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    "Harvest 1" by CarolinNanaimo 

It's October, the time for pumpkins, changing leaves, and cooler nights. CarolinNanNaimo's quilt is a dazzling celebration of this time of the year.  The quilt hangs in the stairwell of her home in Canada.  Who wouldn't get excited about fall seeing this quilt every time they walked by?  Do you have a quilt that reminds you of a favorite time of the year?  Is it displayed all year or does it only make an appearance on special occasions?

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Mickey Depre, award winning art quilter featured in Episode 109 will be our special guest in chat room "Featured Guest", Tuesday October 2 at 5:00pm Pacific/8:00pm Eastern.  Mickey's humorous and lively quilts are sure to make you smile when you see them.  Find out where she gets her inspiration and ideas.  It promises to be an hour of fun and laughs.

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      Wedding Gift-"Lighthouse @ Peggy's Cove" by NikiB

Quilters all over the world share their talents with family and friends by giving quilts.  They are made for new babies, graduations, weddings and other such occasions.  A great deal of thought and effort goes into the creation of this special gift.  Ideas used for the pattern and design are as varied as the quilts themselves (hobbies, articles of clothing, special times spent together, vacations, etc.).  With each quilt the creator is giving a part of themselves along with a wonderful memory. 

Keep that memory from fading by makin a label for the quilt.  A label preserves the name of the maker, the occasion, and when it was made.  It can be simple or elaborate.  The choice is up to you.  For more ideas on making your own quilt labels you might want to read The Ultimate Book of Quilt Labels by Margo J. Clabo.  

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     "Out of Africa Baby" by ardyt

Sometimes it takes a special project for a friend to get you out of your comfort zone.  "Out of Africa Baby" was made as a baby quilt.  Mom has a Masters in African Art History so African fabrics were the obvious choice.  Ardy did not think she would like the fabrics, but soon found herself loving the bright colors and patterns. The pattern is original but inspired by the work of Sandy Cummings. 

The next time you decide to make a quilt why not go out on a limb and work in colors and patterns that are out of your usual arena.  Who knows, you just might find you like a whole new range of fabrics to add to your collection.

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If you are web savy, no doubt you have http://www.quiltersbuzz.com/ ear marked in your favorites. We LOVE Gina for her enthusiasm, insight and so much more. Today, take a moment to check out the latest post - it is from Photo Man's observations of Quilting in the Garden 07!

(Photo by Gregory Case)

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    "Accrington Brick" by drlodown

If you have spent any time walking around a quilt store lately you probably saw these beautiful bundles of fabrics called "Jellyrolls"on display.  They are 2 1/2" x 44" strips of one entire fabric line wrapped up like a cinnamon bun and tied with a ribbon.  Very yummy, but what exactly can you make with it?  It certainly is not enough to make a lap or bed quilt. 

TQS member drlodown designed this very sweet baby quilt with a jellyroll pack.  She actually has some fabric left over.  You could also make a wallhanging or table runner.  Think of all of the  holiday gifts for family and friends you could whip up in a short time.

The next time you need to come up with a small quick project think of a jellyroll.  For more pattern ideas check out Strip Happy by Donna Kinsey.  They are very delicious without all of the calories.

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Terese Agnew was walking through a department store one day and noticed the signs of all of the designers posted amongst the garments for sale.  Having recently met a couple of garment workers, she realized that their identity and was rarely thought of and deliberately hidden.  She became inspired to create a work of art utilizing the tags from the garments themselves.  Her work is based on a photograph taken by Charles Kernaghan of a labor worker in Bangladesh.

There was a massive campaign to aquire the labels, with thousands of people painstakingly cutting the labels from garments.  She used the labels in numerous ways to create shading, background and a border.  "I have always been fascinated with how the work of art becomes an artwork", she says.  "Twenty years ago I started out as a public sculptor.  My early work included large-scale installations that involved hundreds of people in the art making process.  Their involvement demonstrated the potential for people's labor to become a form of public communication".  In 1991 she started making art quilts in addition to sculpture. 

You can learn more about Terese's work by clicking here.

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Episode 110 with Pam Holland is now showing!

Australian quilt artist, photographer and fashion designer Pam Holland will be our special guest in chat room "Featured Guest" Thursday September 27, 2007 at 6:00pm Pacific/9:00pm Eastern. Pam will share insights into the creation of her "1776" quilt. Her journaling and quilt odyssey led to the publication of the book The 1776 Quilt: Heartache, Heritage and Happiness by Breckling Press.

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photos by Annie Smith 

Annie Smith, future TQS guest, has a wonderful website with loads of audio podcasts. She recently interviewed both Alex and Ricky. To hear these interviews, go to Annie's website, simplearts.com, and listen to Program 99 (Ricky) and 100 (Alex). This is a great site to bookmark and visit on a regular basis.

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"There's No Place Like Home" by Denise

Are many of you overwhelmed by the thought of working on an entire quilt when you see a great pattern in a magazine or shop? Like most of us you are probably juggling work, kids, laundry, meetings, etc. and find the prospect of having enough time to devote to this new project difficult. Where will you find the time to spend all of the hours sewing?

Well, have you ever thought of a Block of the Month quilt? Just as the name implies, you only need to make one block each month. That length of time allows you to work whenever you get a chance and not feel pressured to "produce". There are many options to choose from regarding the type of Block of the Month you can participate in. Do you want to try your hand at paper piecing? Or maybe you have been admiring those wool applique quilts at recent quilt shows? The choice is yours.

How you receive your monthly packet is also up to you. Many quilt stores run a Block of the Month (BOM) with fabric kits and directions for that block. Each month they have the new block on display along with everything you need to make it. Or, you might choose an internet shop that will send you everything through the mail.

Denise made this BOM and discovered that she loves applique. Either way, it is a fun way to make a quilt without too much anxiety. Why not give it a try?