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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 "Ali Bear-ba" by Lea McComas
Lea writes,
"Motivated by the loss of his twin sister, Ellie Bear-ba, at the age of four to a rare disease, our hero, Ali Bear-ba sits atop his magic carpet. He travels into the great unknown in search of cures for rare and confounding diseases. He takes his cue from the Ali Baba of folklore and uses the phrase “Open Sesame” to unlock the path for physicians, researchers, and families to find their way to the elusive therapeutic treatments that will bring relief to precious loved ones."
Artist Lea McComas has traveled the world exploring and collecting handmade textiles and researching techniques for surface design. Some of her greatest experiences occurred while living in Turkey. When asked to make a Rare Bear, she reached into her “very special” textile stash and found inspiration for Ali Bear-Ba in the pieces of antique kilim that were used to make his vest. His “Magic Carpet” is a hand woven mat acquired while living in the remote Turkish village of Karatepe, where Lea studied local weaving techniques.
Star Members can watch Lea in Show 1609: Transforming Quilts from Real Life.
Click here for links to see more Celebrity RARE Bears.
Lea has had a lifelong passion for textiles and fiber arts. She sewed her first garment at age 6, and became a quilter at age 16, learning skills from her great aunt. Her first quilt was hand-pieced and hand quilted. Her first original design in 1986 was chosen as the Missouri state winner of the Great American Quilt Festival. It traveled the world as part of a 3-year traveling exhibit of the Museum of American Folk Art and can be viewed in the book All Flags Flying: American Patriotic Quilts as Expressions of Liberty.
In her twenties, she was introduced to the world of spinning and weaving, and involved herself in everything from helping to sheer the sheep, to collecting plants for dying, to developing patterns for knitting. Lea designed and knitted sweaters from her own hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn.
She traveled overseas in her thirties as a teacher for the Department of Defense. Five years in Turkey provided new opportunities to explore textiles. There, her first summer vacation was spent living in a remote Turkish village learning to weave kilims. This assignment was followed by 4 years in Okinawa, where she acquired a love for Japanese textiles and an extensive collection of kimono fabrics.
Lea returned to the states in 2001, and resided in Boulder, CO. There she rekindled her interest in quilting and was exposed to the amazing world of art quilts. Simultaneously, she began a study of classic European art, and developed a keen interest in portrait and figurative art. Her current techniques and works are a synthesis of these passions as she uses thread and fabric to create realistic pictorial works.
Lea has written articles and her work has appeared in publications .She was a featured artist in the books Cutting Edge Art Quilts, and Art Quilt Portfolio: People & Portraits. Her first book, Thread-Painted Portraits: Turn Your Photos into Fiber Art, was released in 2014.
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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 "Sir Mandelbear the Perfectly Imperfect" by Katie Fowler
Sir Mandelbear the Perfectly Imperfect was born out of a fascination with fractal geometry. He is named for Benoit Mandelbrot, a famous mathematician. Mandy’s “coat” is made from pieces left over from the quilt in Episode 1807 of The Quilt Show. (Click here to see the original quilt before it was cut up.) Mandelbear’s maker, Katie, isn’t very interested in making things perfect. She is more interested in finding the joy in doing. Therefore, Mandy’s back and leg seams aren’t perfect and he’s a little overstuffed (just like his maker). That said, Katie thinks Sir Mandelbear is perfectly imperfect!
Star Members can watch Katie in Show 1807: Fearless Quilting.
Click here for links to see more Celebrity RARE Bears.
I am an art quilter. That's a dangerous thing to say in the art world. People often respond, "Oh, my great Aunt Whozee made quilts." My pieces are not bed coverings. They are personal and meaningful expressions of who I am and my interpretation of the world around me. My pieces go beyond the literal meaning of the materials. This makes them art.
Creative Life Coaching
www.katiefowler.net
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From our friends at the TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team:
"October is national Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month and some quilt industry professionals are partnering with the Petfinder Foundation to create awareness of Shelter Dogs (and Cats) that need “ furrever” homes. It is an unusual combination but one that is working beautifully to help our furry friends.
These quilters are animal lovers and are helping shelter animals in ways that are new and unique. So join us in the October Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month and see how we are helping and how you can help. We invite you to “Piece for Shelter Pets”.”
The Quilt Pattern Magazine (TQPM) partnered with the Petfinder Foundation to form the TQPM Small Kennel Quilt Team after Hurricane Sandy. The two organizations help animal shelters affected by disasters by sending Kennel Quilts for the displaced animals. Sewing essentials are needed for Kennel Quilts, therefore Aurifil Threads, BERNINA USA, Island Batik Fabrics, Quilty Box and Benartex Fabrics have become partners.
Below, you will find the link to the Blog Hop Schedule to see what each company is doing to help. You can also read those you’ve missed. You’ll want to view the video of Petfinder's celebration and enter to win the Happy Hounds Petfinder Bundle – opportunities not to be missed!
Blog Hop Schedule:
10/5 – The Quilt Pattern Magazine/Nan Baker of Purrfect Spots
10/7 – Aurifil
10/12 – Island Batik
10/14 – Quilty Box (Instagram)
10/19 – Benartex
10/21 – Petfinder Foundation
There are so many shelter animals that want a home. This is a great time to check with your local shelter for your “furrever” friend or you can check out Petfinder.com. However, if you can’t adopt at this time, there are numerous other ways to help and that will be shared on all the blogs. Please join us in this effort and Remember to Adopt –don’t shop!
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It is likely that kennel quilts will be needed to help with the recovery of Hurricane Matthew. If you join the TQPM Kennel Quilt Team, You will be notified when help is needed. Click here to join the team.
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There has been a lot of talk in the quilting world that shops are closing...magazines have ceased publication and shows have canceled. There was a collective gasp when a well known shop closed it's store front in NYC! As quilters started an emotional panic across social media, you could hear the threads unraveling. Sure, I am going to miss those shops...(I still miss Miniature Quilting Magazine) but the world evolves, change is inevitable, people retire and nothing stays the same forever. So, instead of focusing on the negative side of change, I look for the silver thread. Online shopping is not going away...so, if you want to have a local quilt shop then you had better shop there. Subscribe to a favorite magazine. Freshen up your quilting book shelf with some new quilt books. Support your favorite designers. Embrace the change and look for the positives in our quilting world. Victoria Findlay Wolfe just opened a retail shop in NYC! Sally Frey and her business partner Jacque opened Stitch in Ferndale California! When one door closes, another one opens.
G and I traveled down to Ferndale to check our Sally and Jacque's new shop! Ferndale always makes those 10 best lists for places to visit with its Victorian architecture and small town feel where you could almost believe it was a different century. With a mixture of quilting talent, an eye for fabric, and a long history of teaching, they have created a wonderful shop in the heart of Ferndale.
The store front is inviting and they have a wonderful little classroom space. Offering a wide variety of classes, they also have a back up space for larger classes just a half a block away in a fabulous hotel where they hold quarterly retreats. Stitch is filled with fabrics for every taste...including wool! You can check out my interview with Sally on our Quilt Roadies YouTube Channel.
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| This picture slideshow made with Smilebox |
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Just so everyone knows - RICKY IS FINE!
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I’m just thankful to be alive. Here’s the synopsis from my past two days.
I’ve been on a solo teaching tour (driving alone that is). I first taught in Albuquerque and left for Phoenix on Friday morning. On that drive I began to experience kidney stone pain. I almost escalated to the point of pulling off into a ditch and calling 911. Thankfully, it stopped short of that and began to subside. I was able to do my gig in Phoenix on Friday evening and all day Saturday.
I left Phoenix right after the lectures to drive 4.5 hours to Gallup where I was to spend the night. From there, Sunday morning, I was to drive on to Canon City, Colorado for another event and lecture Sunday night and Monday. Canon City is about 1.5 hours north of La Veta, CO where I live. The drive Sunday was a fairly long drive - 8 hours or so.
Just after dusk, on Hwy 260 east of Payson, AZ, about 5 miles before Heber, AZ, I passed a car with bright headlights. Instantly, as soon as that car went by, a deer was in my lights. I hit the deer at full speed before I could even react and hit the breaks. The air bags deployed and the car (Audi) breaked by itself. Of course it took a second for me to even register that what I was experiencing - which was like a dream. The airbag was in my face and the dust it creates made a fog. I DID hit the breaks but I think the car was doing its own thing and stopped on its own.
Of course, I was dazed, but within 15-20 seconds, Audi was calling my car (a feature I didn’t even know it had) and a human was asking if I was okay. I was. They called for assistance and they even knew where the accident was located. I managed to get out of the car and off the road to safety, but it was still very scary because the cars that were coming were not slowing down and my car was still in the right lane - dead - not even able to get it into neutral to push if off the road. It took a few minutes for other people to stop and assist - and get flashing lights going as a warning to keep everyone standing by helping and other drivers safe.
I won’t go into the rest of the story but suffice it to say, I’m very fortunate. The car will be in AZ for a while - assessing damage - repairs etc. Diane and her husband (Bernina dealers in Phoenix) drove 2.5 hours to collect me and take me back to Phoenix. We arrived about 2AM. I have a flight this morning out of Phoenix and will still make my lectures in Canon City, Colorado on Sunday evening and Monday.
Kidney stone, dead deer, destroyed new car (which was brand new early February) - what a memorable trip this is turning out to be! Feeling Thankful. It could have been so much worse.
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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 "Angel Heart" by Lyric Kinard
The cloth for Angel Heart is very subtly dyed, then screen-printed with an image of the handwritten notation of a fiddle tune collected by a folklorist in the Appalachian Mountains. This cloth was also used as the background for "Bach Suite I," my favorite quilt creation so far. It features a hand painted cello with the same wings as my bear… beautifully patterned but tattered and worn.
There is something soaring and soulful about the imagery of tattered wings. Perhaps they still fly, perhaps not. If you are a musician you know that the appearance or age of the instrument does not determine the beauty of the music it produces. It is the soul and the struggle of the hand that touches it, joined with the skill of the craftsman who created the instrument, that creates soaring beauty. It is the support of the teachers who taught the musician and the craftsman. It is all of these people coming together with their talent, their inordinate amounts of time and sacrifice, to share the music that uplifts us and soars. Even a battered old instrument can produce soaring melodies with the touch of a master.
The children who suffer from rare diseases have bodies who might feel broken and tattered like the wings of this bear, but their souls are touched by dedicated masters. Their parents, their doctors, the researchers and those who contribute funds so that research can take place - they are all masters that struggle and labor and sacrifice so that these souls, the precious souls, can have a chance to live and perhaps have the chance to share the song of their futures with a world that needs their beauty.
Star Members can watch Lyric in Show 1710: Conquering Abstract Fears.
Click here for links to see more Celebrity RARE Bears.
Lyric Montgomery Kinard is an award-winning artist with a passion for sparking the creativity that she knows each of her students posses. With playful support and gentle encouragement, she will take you through your first steps on a new path, seeing the world through the eyes of an artist. As an artist, author, and educator, she transforms cloth into art in her studio and timid spirits into confident creatives in the classroom.
Lyric was recognized for her talents as the 2011 International Association of Professional Quilters Teacher of the Year and is the author of the book Art + Quilt: Design Principles and Creativity Exercises. She has written extensively for Quilting Arts Magazine, appeared on Quilting Arts TV and The Quilt Show, and has two DVD Workshops, Surface Design Sampler Platter, and Bead It Like You Mean It.
She has studied with many well known textile artists around the country and continues to expand her skills in the area of surface design. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Utah and has also formally studied music and architecture. She currently lives in Cary, North Carolina with her husband and some of their five children.
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Wood, concrete, carpet, laminate, they all have a place when it comes to adding value and aesthetics to your studio, but it's not a one-size fits all type of decision. Depending on your personal preferences, budget and work habits, there is a wide variety of options available when it comes to determining what type of flooring will work best in your studio space. Before making a decision on flooring, consider your personal needs:
Now that you know what you desire/need, check out the pros and cons of each type of flooring product and how it works in a studio setting.
Linoleum
Linoleum has come a long way from the days of yore. It is considered the 'green' flooring, because unlike other petroleum-based products, linoleum is typically made from 100% natural materials like linseed oil, cork, limestone, tree rosin and natural minerals. With a wide range of patterns, colors and choice of wide sheets or press in place tiles, this easy-to-clean flooring might just be the answer for you. Laminate flooring is designed to float over almost any type of existing subfloor including wood, vinyl or ceramic tile and concrete. If you love DIY projects, installing a laminate floor yourself can be done with just a few tools.
Vinyl
Vinyl tile consists of 4 primary layers: A urethane wear layer to resist scratches and scuffs, a protective clear film layer to protect against rips, tears, and gouging, a printed design layer that carries the realistic colors and patterns, and a structural vinyl backing layer that adds strength and durability. There are a wide range of colors and patterns, that even include the look of wood, stone and ceramic. There is something for everyone.
Vinyl floor tiles. Long wearing, easy to clean, and come in a range of colors. TrafficMaster
Want something a little more retro? How about adding a little touch of France to your studio. NotontheHighStreet
Rubber
If the flooring in your workspace is not ideal, or you live in a rental, think about using rubber garage floor mats.
Whether cut to size or in building tiles, they come in a range of colors, surface patterns and can add a big punch of color to a space. 
Greatmats
Carpet
The carpet you select for your home might not be the same as what you desire/need for your studio. While Berber, shag and other plush carpet feels lovely underfoot in a bedroom or living space, it's not so fabulous in a studio work space. If your space already comes with carpeting and you are happy with it, consider adding a plastic mat to make the surface area more roller friendly for a chair. Mats are readily available through most office supply, big box and even some hardware stores. We even know of a quilter who cut pieces of inexpensive wood paneling to place under her work station. The wood doesn't crack or develop depressions.
When looking at carpet for your studio, look for something that is going to be low pile and take wear and tear pretty well. Two words come to mind...industrial carpeting. Just because it’s manufactured as industrial carpeting, doesn't mean you should rule it out for your studio. This long lasting, long wearing, hard to stain carpet offers lots of options for a studio. If it works in large corporate offices and schools, why not your studio? We aren't talking about that dull gray and multi patterned stuff you've probably seen in most big offices. A number of carpet companies are now offering a huge range of colors, textures and patterns, which means that you can add a bit of pop…or not, to your creative space.
Let everyone know you are a quilter by choosing the color combination and pattern. How cool is that??? Flor
Tile
Tile comes in a huge range of colors, pattern and prices. It's durable and relatively low maintenance, but can be hard on your joints if you stand for long periods of time. If you live in a hot climate, the floor will stay cool throughout the day. But, the reverse is true if you live in a cold climate.
Create an all-over calm and subtle pattern with cement tile. Add a border to create a rug. SabineHill
Wood
Hardwood can be expensive, but the advantages can outweigh the initial up front cost:
Wood flooring brings a warm feel to this sunny sewing space. Ialwaypickthethimble
Whitewashed wood floors add to the open and airy feel of this attic sewing room. Heartandhandmade
Concrete
Concrete might be the perfect fit for your studio if your work involves water, paint, dye or other liquids that could pose problems with other flooring options. Concrete wears like iron, is easy to clean and is resistant to damp. While it is hard on your feet, you can always place throw rugs in areas where the 'messy stuff' isn't taking place.
Jamie Fingal finds that concrete is the way to go when you work with a variety of mediums.
And every studio needs a red polka dot couch! TwistedSister
Jane Dunnewold's wet studio includes large commercial grade sinks.
Just because it's concrete doesn't mean you can't add a bit of color to the mix. ApartmentTherapy
Stenciled Floors
Stenciled floors can add a bit of fun and flair to your work space. They can be used on concrete, decks, hardwood and even painted plywood. Each flooring type requires it's own special techniques, but if you are willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work, the results can be spectacular.
How about stenciling your existing floor? RoyalDesignStudio
Stenciled concrete floors can result in some spectacular results.Concretenetwork
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