Daily Blog

  1

fShare

Tweet

Want to own a work of art and support a great cause? The annual Quilt Alliance fundraiser begins Monday, November 14. Amy Milne, Executive Director of the Quilt Alliance, gives you a tour of just some of the amazing quilts up for auction.

View a gallery of all the quilts.

Visit www.QuiltAlliance.org on Monday, November 14, 2016, to bid on your "favorite" quilt.

The 2016 contest was for all quilters—they encouraged everyone who makes quilts to enter regardless of their style (traditional, modern, art) or technique (longarm, hand quilting, applique, pieced…)—all were welcomed and valued! This year’s theme was “Playing Favorites” and they encouraged entrants to work deep inside their comfort zone, their happy place, and the Quilt Alliance presented their resources to give everyone extra inspiration.

The rules were simple: make a 16” by 16” wall quilt showcasing the quilter's very favorite pattern or technique. Whether it’s double wedding ring or hexies, crazy quilting, textile art or modern, the quilter could make whatever they loved most about quilting right now. The Quilt Alliance was interested in documenting the state of quilting in 2016, including everyone's favorites.

  4

fShare

Tweet

Cyndi McChesney doesn't just make "panel quilts," she creates other fabulous quilts as well.

Click here to visit Cyndi's website, Cedar Ridge Quilting.

Star Members can watch Cyndi in Show 1910: Playing with Panels.

  4

fShare

Tweet

Nicole Stevenson at WeAllSew.com has a great tutorial for creating a mini ironing board cover. Just think, you could have it match the decor in your sewing room.

  8

fShare

Tweet

Congratulations to "Yosemite Bear" by Nancy Brown!

Yosemite Bear is the winner of the Celebrity RARE Bear contest here at TQS. The bears were created for the RARE Science Celebrity Bear Auction. RARE Science works directly with patient families and foundations to find more immediate therapeutic solutions for children with rare diseases.

This means that Nancy gets bragging rights and all TQS members get to watch Nancy's show for FREE. So pull up a chair and get ready to watch Show 701: Animal Magnetism beginning Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 13.

Nancy writes,

"One night when I was a child I met a bear as I was walking back from the bathroom in Camp Curry in Yosemite.  He was looking for food and fortunately I didn’t look very tasty so we both went on our way and I was left with an exciting story to tell.

This RARE Bear is a tribute to my Yosemite bear.  He is wearing a vest with scenes from Yosemite.  On the back he is walking in a meadow in front of Half Dome, and on the front he is in front of one of the waterfalls.  Also on the front is a Steller's jay - a very vocal bird found in Yosemite.

The bear is foundation pieced in a crazy quilt style.  The vest is hand appliqued and hand quilted."

Nancy started making quilts over 20 years ago after her mother took a quilting class and taught her what she had learned. Nancy has always loved animals, and found that by using applique she could create realistic animal portraits. She feels that animals are important parts of this world and should be celebrated and preserved. She has made many animal quilts, but with the wide variety of subjects available, she feels there are many more animal quilts waiting to be made.

Nancy has exhibited her quilts in a variety shows, museums, and galleries and has won many awards. They have been featured in several books and magazines and many are in private and corporate collections. She also teaches classes in hand applique and animal portraiture.

  4

fShare

Tweet

I don't know about you, but I can hardly fathom that we are already into November!!! You know what that means...the "C" word is just around the corner and I had better get some stitching done! This time of the year, the calendar can seem to have a life of its own with little flexibility to squeeze in some stitching time. But, here's the deal...you have got to make time! Not only to get those gifts done, but to decrease your stress level! For me there is no better way to accomplish both than going to a quilt group. Not only do you have time to stitch, but you are inspired by what everyone else is working on!

The Sit 'n Stitch at Sew Many Quilts, which is mentored by Linda, is a place where dreams are formed. Linda provides embroidery support, but the gals who attend regularly also quilt, stitch wool, and cross stitch! Seeing the cross stitch projects made me want to run home and dig mine out! Truly there are very few of us that are only quilters...we also embroider, cross stitch, needlepoint, cook, scrapbook, write...a creative brain just needs to be free, LOL!

Pat, who is a regular at the Sit 'n Stitch shared some beautiful cross stitch...yep, I am going to have to dig out my cross stitch projects and get stitching! I hope you are inspired by the Sit 'n Stitch group to start stitching or join a group!

Click here for Anna's YouTube channel.

Click here for Anna's blog.

  6

fShare

Tweet

On the last day of the Houston Quilt Festival they announce the Viewer's Choice Award. Here is this year's winner, "Lone Star Explores Space" by Peter Hayward of Javea, Spain. This isn't your typical quilt.

To watch a snippet of his Quilt Alliance "Go Tell It at the Quilt Show!" interview, click here.

Quilt Photo: John Anderson

Original Space Photo: NGC 1333 by Tom Carrico - Click here to visit Tom's site. Click here for full resolution photograph.

  4

fShare

Tweet

This exhibition at the Houston Quilt Festival was created by Kathy York. It is a collection of art quilts that she made using hand-dyed and batik fabrics. Kathy made them in her studio at home, where she explored shape, design, and storytelling.

Click here to visit Kathy's website.

  24

fShare

Tweet

HyacinthQuiltDesigns

Storage of quilts requires different guidelines to ensure that all of your hard work will be there for future generations to cherish. Whether your quilts are antique or newly completed, the way you store for long-term can, when being viewed again, mean the difference between a joyful reunion or a tragic disaster. This week our focus is on care and storage of your quilts. Next week, we will share products that ensure your long term storage is successful.

Caring for Quilts Before Storing:

• Inspect each quilt for food bits, stains, tears and holes. Food can attract unwanted bugs, while stains can set, making them harder to remove later on.

• Clean your quilt before storing by removing dust and gently vaccuming (use a piece of screening with taped over edges).

• Keep a record of the quilt by making a fabric label with information as to the maker, date, pattern name, and any other pertinent information. The label can be made of fabric, and hand sewn to the back of the quilt, or typed on a piece of acid free paper that is pinned to the quilt.

• Are most of your quilts going in storage handmade? PioneerThinking shares valuable tips on things you should never do to a handmade quilt.

• Does your quilt need washing? The curators of the Michigan Quilt Project at the Michigan State University Museum recommend the following:

There are two accepted ways of cleaning your quilt, but generally speaking only one should be used: vacuuming. Lay the quilt out on a large, clean surface. (If the quilt is very delicate first place a fiberglass or nylon screen over it.) Then gently pass a low-suction, handheld vacuum with small brush attachment over the quilt.

Washing (the wet-cleaning method) a quilt can be done but only with great caution. It is not recommended unless done by a qualified textile conservator. DON'T WASH YOUR QUILT if it contains any of the following: inked signatures, a dye that appears unstable, fabrics that are seriously deteriorated, the use of glazed or silk fabrics, the use of woolen yarns with questionable dyes or if it has never been washed. Remember that textile fibers are much more fragile when wet.

If however, you have determined that it is desirable to attempt washing your quilt, first test wash a small section to make sure that the dyes are stable and won't run. Once you have decided that it is safe to wash your quilt, keep in mind the following suggestions:

- Use a very mild detergent such as Ivory Liquid or Orvus (sold at quilt shops as Quilt Soap) in a solution of 1/2 ounce of detergent to 1 gallon of distilled, filtered or softened water.
- Use a container large enough to accommodate the entire quilt at one time (some people recommend using the bathtub).
- Do not agitate the quilt in the water.
- Rinse by pressing down on the quilt with the palm of your hand or with a cellulose sponge.
- Remove excess water by pressing gently with clean white toweling or mattress padding.
- Lift quilt with a towel sling or with both arms so that the weight is evenly distributed. DO NOT lift by one edge or corner.
- Lay flat to dry on a clean non-porous surface.

NOTE: Historic textiles should NEVER BE PRESSED with a hot iron.
Dry cleaning is NOT RECOMMENDED because the dry cleaning method involves rough agitation of the quilt inside the dry cleaning machine and the dry cleaning solvents may harm some fabrics.

Things to Avoid When Storing Quilts:

• Never store quilts in plastic for long periods of time. Fabric needs to breathe and the gasses produced by plastic can discolor and deteriorate fabric. Plastics to avoid include dry cleaning bags, heavy duty garbage bags, garment bags and Styrofoam.
• Moisture can ruin a quilt, so just to be sure, we recommend using a desiccant to absorb any moisture in the air.
• Keep quilts in a dark place to avoid fading from sunlight, but do not place them in an attic or basement. These areas are prone to extreme temperature swings which is damaging to fibers.
• Attics and garages are also ideal hiding places for rodents. Don't let Grandma's precious quilt become the perfect nesting material for Mrs. Mouse's next batch of babies.
• Cardboard boxes attract insects, making them not a good option either. Use archival boxes instead.
• If you plan to store quilts in a wooden trunk or cabinet, be sure to first lay down sheets of acid-free paper to avoid the quilts coming into direct contact with the wood's surface. Wood contains acid which can leach into a quilt and cause damage.
• If you want to roll your quilts on a large cardboard tube, be sure to first wrap the tube with acid-free paper. Ordinary tissue paper contains acid, so it is best to avoid using it as a substitute.
• Storing folded quilts for long periods of time causes them to develop permanent fold lines, so if possible, re-fold in a different manner occasionally. Or, insert scrunched bundles of acid-free paper in between the layers of the quilt. This helps to lift and reduce fold lines.

Ways to Store Your Quilts:

• Laying quilts on a guest bed is a great way to avoid fold lines, while still allowing the quilts to breathe. But don't stack too many, as that will flatten the one's near the bottom after a period of time. Shuffle the order of the quilts on a regular basis.
• Place a white cotton sheet between each quilt to avoid the possibility of crocking (color or dye transfer between fabrics). This is especially true if you do not wash your fabrics or the quilts feature paint, dye or other embellishment methods that might transfer to another quilt over a period of time. Add a final white sheet over the top quilt to keep out dust and fading.
• If your quilts include heavy trapunto or embellishment, it is recommended that you fold the quilt. Fold the quilt with as few folds as possible while avoiding major seam lines as they can become flat over time.

• Folded quilts need to be re-folded more often to avoid permanent fold lines. When re-folding, try to avoid previous fold lines. Cover the quilt in a white cotton sheet or muslin.

• Use wooden dowels, wrapped in acid-free paper, to roll and hang your quilts in a closet. Cover each quilt with muslin or another sheet.
• Make a cotton cover for each quilt (with a label for easy reference) that fits around a rolled quilt.
• Store quilts in archival boxes lined with acid-free paper.
• Do a yearly inspection of all of your quilts.  Check for moisture, damage and bugs.

  3

fShare

Tweet

Want to learn how to use fabric panels? Star Members can watch Stacy, along with Cyndi McChesney, in Show 1910: Playing with Panels.