Daily Blog

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Artist Statement about Grifology #1: "Languages have always fascinated me. Inspired by my 2018 100 Day Project (improv appliqué postcards in black and white) and comments that those pieces looked like hieroglyphics or a secret language, I continued my exploration and made 20 improv bias appliqué blocks. Extending the language idea, I positioned the blocks in a letter format in the order in which they were made. The name, Grifology, is a play on graphology, the study of handwriting and symbols, and my own last name." - Debbie Grifka

Black and white.

60″ x 60″

2018

Watch Debbie in Show 2604.

Original Photo: Mary Kay Davis

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Today we continue our selection of quilts recently displayed at the Spring Paducah 2019 show featured as part of The 14th Quilt Nihon Exhibition. The exhibit is described as:

"Organized by the Japan Handicraft Instructors' Association, the Quilt Nihon Exhibition is one of the most prestigious international quilt contests in Japan. The exhibit features 42 quilts from the "Innovative Traditional" category, which will later be exhibited at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art."

Please enjoy the thirty-seveneth quilt from the exhibition by Kumiko Funaki.

Title of Quilt: Romanesque

Quilter's Name: Kumiko Funaki

Dimensions: 80" x 80"

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Two animals meet on a country road by chance. Is it a Brewing Friendship? Kestrel Michaud created a lovely rural scene through the use of appliqué, digitized embroidery, and machine quilting. It's so sweet when animals meet.

Here's a note from the artist Kestrel Michaud:

Thank you for all the love! You guys are the best! 

Just to clarify, the digitized embroidery is only for my signature in the bottom right, which is not shown on any of these photographs. This quilt is 99.99% raw edge appliqué.

If you are interested in learning a bit more about it, I have the story behind this quilt as well as some videos of the process of me making it on my website: kestrelmichaud.com/.../...

Love you all! 

Brewing Friendship by Kestrel Michaud won First Place, Animal Kingdom, sponsored by eQuilter.com, at the Houston International Quilt Festival 2019.

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Use these convenient pre-wound bobbins in your sewing machine or for hand appliqué. You get 10 bobbins in each of 4 different neutral shades for a total of 40 bobbins packaged in a handy clamshell bobbin-saver that keeps them from unwinding. Each pre-wound class 15 bobbin contains 135 yards of Quilters Select Para-CottonPoly 80 weight thread for a total of 2700 yards of thread. That is over 12 spools worth of thread! Made of polyester that has been thermally treated to remove undesired stretchiness and shrinkage, this thread looks, feels, and stitches like mercerized cotton. The fineness of this thread makes it perfect for your bobbin, machine quilting, and appliqué. Click here to order Neutral Bobbin Rings.

Use these convenient pre-wound bobbins for piecing, appliqué, to add color to the back of small quilt projects, or anything else you dream up! 40 different shades arrive packaged in a handy clamshell bobbin-saver that keeps them from unwinding.

This set contains 40 Class 15 bobbins pre-wound with 135 yards of Quilters Select Para-CottonPoly 80 weight thread for a total of 2700 yards of thread. That is over 12 spools worth of thread.

Made of polyester that has been thermally treated to remove undesired stretchiness and shrinkage, this thread looks, feels, and stitches like mercerized cotton. The fineness of this thread makes it perfect for your bobbin, machine quilting, and appliqué.

Click to view the Quilters Select Para-Cotton Poly Thread Color Chart.

Click here to order Blended Colors Bobbin Rings.

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This is the first of BERNINA's five-part series of blogs about longarm quilting machines for the beginner. This first blog will give you some things to think about if you decide to purchase a longarm on a frame. The next blog will go into loading the frame and the options for doing that. The later blogs will touch on basic techniques, feature highlights of the BERNINA Q Series and BERNINA Q-matic Longarm Quilting Automation System.

Click here for Part 1.

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A few years ago, Capt'n John made a photo album for Alex for Valentine's Day. He even wrote a poem to go with it. Here he shares it with TQS. (He says - "Be Kind! It's the thought that countsI") 

Here is the poem:

Dear Alex,

We met in college across a crowded ballroom.

You were not impressed, but I saw stars & moons.

We married too young, or so it seemed.

Yes, life alone can work, but it's better as a team.

Now we were dancing the steps of life together,

as we planned for tomorrow & prayed for forever.

Life changed abruptly when, without drugs, you had Joe.

The dance steps now faster, before we mastered the slow.

It took some begging to get a girl so fair.

Soon with drug list in hand, we were joined by Adair.

Schools were a blur with lessons failed and lessons learned.

We pointed directions, and sometimes paths turned.

We got them through college and finally sober.

Their futures assured, while our finances smoldered.

Now the rooms are clean, dishes washed, tables dusted.

Our advice is sought & occasionally trusted.

I'm thankful for our love and your every wrinkle.

I'm sorry your Johnny Depp is a man who can't tinkle.

Life is so uncertain and our years may now be few.

Each morning I thank God for another day with you.

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Celebrating the Modern home, Clerestory by Debbie Grifka is a testament to a minimal design that makes a striking impact.

Watch Debbie in Show 2604.

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 36 Pieces Non-Rotating

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 100 Pieces Non-Rotating

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 300 Pieces Non-Rotating

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 36 Pieces Rotating

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 100 Pieces Rotating

ClerestorybyDebbieGrifka - 300 Pieces Rotating

Original Photo: Mary Kay Davis

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Celebrating the Modern home, Clerestory by Debbie Grifka is a testament to a minimal design that makes a striking impact.

Watch Debbie in Show 2604.

Original Photo: Mary Kay Davis

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Ann is halfway through her journey out West! In this video, she shares mushroom hunting, poetry, recipes, smoked fish on the campfire, a tour of the inside of her happy tiny home, a cribbage tournament, and something she's been trying to figure out for a while - how best to keep the closet from exploding between destinations. With a few left over scraps of batting, fabric and yarn, she'lll show how to make pads for plastic hangers to keep clothes on and pointy shoulders out! I'll also share a little crochet band to hold several hangers together to minimize the "fallout".

Want to see what else Ann has been doing on her West Coast journey in her Airstream trailer?

Click here for Part 1: Lil Airstream

Click here for Part 2: Colorpods

Click here for Part 3: States in Stitches

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A photo of Maasai women, with distinctly different lives than theirs, inspired Ann Brakob, Elsie Dentes, Neani Mee, Joan Watkins, and Carol Yonetz to create a group quilt reflecting the individuality and beauty of each lady in the tribe. Note the beautiful details of the jewelry, colors, and fabric selection.

Maasai Women Of Kenya by Ann Brakob with Elsie Dentes, Neani Mee, Joan Watkins, and Carol Yonetz won First Place, Group, sponsored by Hobbs Binded Fibers, at the Houston International Quilt Festival 2019.