Daily Blog

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While California is celebrating 160 years of being a state, a quilting treasure from California's sesquicentennial, is going back on exhibit at the California Museum. The quilt created to honor the Golden State's 150 anniversary has been "resting" and will be featured in a new exhibit this September. Click on quilt to enjoy the video from KCRA.com.

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The Alliance for American Quilts has announced four more chances to see the "New from Old" quilts before they are auctioned on eBay beginning October 25. The Original Sewing and Quilt Expo will be showing this amazing collection at their fall shows in Chantilly, Virginia, Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia Quilt Show), Kansas City, Missouri and Minneapolis, Minnesota. For those of you who won't get a chance to see them in person, here are some more of these truly fabulous, 16" x 16" masterpieces.  You'll even recognize a few TQS friends, I think I spotted Patsy Thompson in there.

Show Dates:

September 30, October 1 & 2: Chantilly, Virginia 
October 14, 15 & 16, 2010: Georgia Quilt Show in Atlanta, Georgia 
October 21, 22 & 23, 2010: Kansas City, Missouri
November 11, 12 & 13, 2010: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ebay Auction Dates:

Auction #1: Monday, Oct. 25 - Monday, Nov. 1 2010
Auction #2: Monday, Nov. 8 - Monday, Nov. 15 2010
Auction #3: Monday, Nov. 15 - Monday, Nov. 22 2010
Auction #4: Monday, Nov. 29 - Monday, Dec. 6 2010

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Joan Strosin shares this story of Amy Sue Leasure and her use of quilts after 9/11.

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I am so excited that Accuquilt Go has a die for my beloved postage stamp basket. However, it has come to my attention that the handle of the basket has thrown a little attitude for some when constructing the block. For that reason, I searched into our TQS show archives and pulled out this segment to help those in that situation tackle that crazy little handle. Please note that the instruction for handle placement starts at 3:40. This video will permanently reside in my TQS classroom - so please pass the word! PS: Actually it finisheds at 4 1/2" and it is from episode 210.

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The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative hopes for several Home Runs in the World Series Quilt Challenge. Eight heavy hitters in the quilting world, including our own Ricky Tims, created 16" x 16" quilts to fight Alzheimer's. These quilts will be up for grabs in an online auction November 1-10, 2010 at www.AlzQuilts.org.

Click here to see the auction and read the stories behind the quilts. The team which raises the most money will be declared the Champions. The quilter whose quilt raises the most money will win the MVP award.

If you wish to see the quilts in person, they will be on exhibit at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, November 3-7, 2010.

The American Quilt League - Hollis Chatelain, John Flynn, Becky Goldsmith, and Sue Nickels.

The National Quilt League - Caryl Bryer Fallert, Judy Mathieson, Mary Sorensen, and Ricky Tims.

You may also ROOT for your favorite players for as little as $1.00.  By rooting for your favorite player, you can make a donation without bidding on their quilt. It's a way to make a donation to the AAQI and to cheer on your favorite players. The money collected from this WILL be counted as part of the total dollar amount raised by each player in their league.

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Here is a little quilt that I made last night. It measures 12.5" x 15.5". It is made from my hand-dyed fabrics. The applique is stitched with the double-blanket stitch (which I love) and the rest is "caveman" pieced - which means it is improvisational. The "fringe" around the petals is free-motion bobbin embroidery done with Razzle Dazzle thread.

This quilt is headed to Houston for the IQA mini-quilt silent auction. So, if you are going and are interested, this quilt could be yours!

Originally I was working on a different project, but this one just called my name. I guess that's my prerogative. Do you ever change your mind mid-stream?

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We all have favorite tools and some of them are not so conventional.  Toilet paper tubes for rolling your binding anyone? How about a hemostat to pull that loose dark thread out from under your white quilt top?

What is the strangest "quilting" tool that you use and where did you purchase it? Have you been to the hardware store, the pet shop, or the auto supply to find something that has become a necessity in your quilting toolbelt?

Submit a comment and let your TQS friends know what they are missing.

And, if your tool has something to do with organization, don't forget to add it to our Show & Tell for everyone to see.

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It happened on Tuesday. We almost had our first drive-by quilting from a quilt shop!

It was a shop from my old stomping grounds in Collinsville, Illinois. The shop, Cross Patches, owned by Mary Solomon, has been an icon for quilters in the St. Louis area for a long time - and she's a Bernina dealer too! Mary tried VERY hard to make a drive-by quilting. However, she was duped by an impostor. That's right, we were sabotaged! She saw someone in a vehicle similar to ours wave to her as they zoomed by and she thought it was us - but it wasn't! She left her post just seconds before we got there. We actually saw Mary and Sharon (her store employee) trotting back to the car, but not until it was too late to get an official Drive-by quilting photo!!! BUMMER!!! 

Nonetheless I asked Mary to show me the quilt she had taken. It was the quilt shown above called Tis the Season. If it strikes your fancy you might be happy to know that she has kits made up and ready for you. I think it looks easy and it is certainly a fun holiday quilt. If you are interested in the kit contact Mary's shop. If you are in that neck of the woods, Cross Patches is located one mile south on exit 15a off I-55-I70.

Hats off to Mary for her heroic attempt to make the drive-by quilting happen. Thumbs down to the impostor who spoiled it for us!

Mary said, "One old man tried to pick us up, but fortunately no Illinois State Troopers...it was definitly not in Sharon's job description!" Thanks Mary for helping make my day! It was still fun!

Hey everybody, Justin and I will be driving to Houston for Market and Festival. Those of you in Texas, be on the lookout - we're coming your way in mid-October!

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If you have ever had a chance to visit N.Y. City perhaps you had the opportunity to swing by the The City Quilter. It just so happens that when John and I were there we were staying across the street at the hotel - how kismet was that? Not only do they have a fabulous fabric selection that gets your creative juices going, but they had a pretty cool selection of N.Y. City fabrics. NOW, they have taken the bull by the horns and are creating their own line. imagine my delight when I opened the package and there it was....check out this cool fabric and if you are in N.Y. check out their cool store!