8

fShare

Tweet

RARE Science works directly with patient families and foundations to find more immediate therapeutic solutions for children with rare diseases. 

This year RARE Science is partnering with TQS (and a number of other great organizations) to bring you... the FIRST Ever Celebrity RARE Bear Auction!  This is your opportunity to own a signed bear made by the quilt world's most talented artists while helping a great cause.

Meet "Gertie" the Green Bear by Sue Nickels

Sue writes,

"Gertie is made from hand dyed wool and polyester fill. She has a pretty vest that is machine appliquéd with a sweet design from my first machine applique book, which is now out of print. The pattern is reduced 50%. I used 100% cotton fabric and threads. The vest has three scallops to add a bit of interest and is an edge treatment that I have used on my quilts and teach in classes. She has a “Bear Collar” that is free motion machine quilted with an original feather design. To complete her ensemble, she has a small floral head piece. She represents the quilts I make and the techniques I teach.

I hope my sweet little green bear “Gertie” finds a good home. She is proud to be part of this project to raise money and awareness for finding a cure for rare childhood diseases."

Star Members can watch Sue in Show 1808: A Quilting Family from Vintage to Modern.

Click here for links to see more Celebrity RARE Bears.

Sue has been quilting for 36 years, starting by hand and gradually focusing on machine work. Sue has been teaching machine techniques for the past 26 years. Sue has taught and lectured nationally for shops, guilds and major conferences, including AQS, IQA and the Mancuso Quiltfests. She has also taught internationally in England, Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Spain.

Sue’s major awards include 1998 AQS Best of Show for “The Beatles Quilt” made by Sue and her sister, Pat Holly. Their quilt, “The Space Quilt” won the 2003 IQA Master of Machine Artistry Award and the 2004 AQS Machine Workmanship Award. Sue and Pat’s quilt “Tea at Tenby” won 2009 Best of Show at the Birmingham Festival of Quilts in England. Sue’s current books are “Machine Quilting: A Primer of Techniques”, “Stitched Raw Edge Appliqué” co-authored with Pat and "Faboulous Feathers and Fillers: Design and Machine Quilting Techniques". Sue has also been a judge for many quilt shows.

Sue enjoys teaching on cruises for "Quilt Seminars at Sea" once a year. Sue and Pat held their 1st Annual Hollygirls Quilt Retreats at White Birch Lodge in Elk Rapids Michigan in 2014 and plan to continue this yearly event for many years, following in the tradition of their good friend Gwen Marston's Beaver Island Quilt Retreats! Sue’s priority in the workshops she teaches is to provide a relaxed environment for students to learn machine techniques that are timesaving. Sue emphasizes the best quality workmanship, never compromising quality for speed!