Daily Blog

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I just got into my hotel room and wanted to write while my thoughts are still fresh on my mind. I have traveled to wonderful places and seen wonderful things. I've met some of the greatest people on the planet and I have been welcomed with warmth and love all over the world. How lucky am I? How can anyone be blessed more than that?

However, in most of my travels I rarely get to do 'special' things. I'm on the road to work - to teach. The extent of my sight seeing is mostly limited to the hotel room and the classroom. I have had the occasion to have a quick treat, but it is more rare than usual.

Most of you know that music has always been my passion. I've had the great privilege of performing, producing, and conducting. The last concert I ever conducted before moving into a full-time traveling quilt teacher career was one of the most memorable moments of my life. I conducted a concert in St. Louis with an 85 voice community chorus and 30 members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. It was amazing. Choral music has been a big part of my musical life and I love hearing great choirs. Choral music stirs my soul in ways that other music cannot.

Today was set up and Schoolhouse day at market. However, tonight I was free - rare for sure. I guess the stars were aligned because tonight was also the open rehearsal for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - just around the corner from the convention center in Temple Square. I went!

The 360 voice choir was rehearsing with the orchestra for next week's performance of "Elijah," an Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn. I will mark it down along with my other "most inspiring musical experiences." Even though it was 'just a rehearsal,' It left me humble, reflective, and numb.

So why would I share this on our blog? Because it is this sort of experience that I wish for each of you to enjoy. I hope that you are able to find those opportunities that blow you away. That inspirational moment that is few and far between. The rehearsal reminded me that excellence is of the utmost importance and that, while the technical aspects of a discipline is important, doing it with passion rules above it all.

What experiences have you had that have moved you - sharpened your skills - paved your way to reach beyond the ordinary and strive for the sublime? Tonight, for me, was one of those times and I just wanted to share it with all of you. Thanks for letting me - Ricky

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Quilt Market - (both Spring and Fall) are trade shows for the industry. Shop oweners come to see all the new products that are coming out and usually come back home with all the latest buzz about the cool fabrics and unique products that will soon be sitting on the shelves in quilt shops everywehere. Only industry professionals are allowed to attend these events. It almost makes opening a quilt shop worth it just so you can attend market.

Yesterday afternoon set up began on TQS booth. It will be simple and basic with a TV, chairs, palm trees, and our colorful curtains. We'll post a photo for you once we complete set up.

JDW Publishing, Joen Wolfrom's patten company, has published the pattern for a new quilt design by Ricky called Reverie. While this particular quilt was made with Ricky's hand-dyed fabrics, the pattern can coordinate with some of Ricky's new fabrics coming out with Red Rooster. Reverie is about 70" square. Ask your LQS to order this pattern. No doubt once they release, Ricky will have some in his online store at www.rickytims.com

Today is also a day of School House lectures and presentations. Alex and Ricky both have presentations. Together they are doing two Schoolhouses for The Quilt Show. More about School House on tomorrow's blog.

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From the beginning TQS planned to limit Site Sponsors to five. We are happy to announce that P & B Textiles and Red Rooster Fabrics have joined forces to be our fifth Site Sponsor. P & B is the fabric company that does Alex's line of fabrics and Ricky's fabrics are produced by Red Rooster. This joint effort demonstrates to the entire quilting world that companies can work together for the greater good of the quilt industry. Alex and Ricky are very proud to be associated with these two companies and we urge you to let them know how much you apprecaite their support of this site.

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Quilt market which is a trade show, (not open to the general public) happens twice each year. Fall market is held each year in Houston, TX on the days prior to Quilt Festival. Spring Market is generally in May and is in a different location each year. This year Spring Market is in Salt Lake City, UT. Alex, myself, Justin and John (ARJJ) will be there making quilt shops aware of our new endeavor and urging them to help spread the word to their customers. Market is the place where NEW quilt products are announced. I've got a few new things coming out and will tell you about them in this four part series.

Red Rooster Fabric (see link on left) will be introducing my new line of fabric called Rhapsodie Coloree. The fabrics are lush and vibrant. Some feature large repeating Bursts of color created from my hand-dyed fabrics and are perfect for fussy cutting repetitive motifs as well as for my Harmonic Convergence method.

There is also a dynamic stripe that I created from a photograph of a Canna leaf, and a Breeze-like design that I created by using a photograph of an oil spill on rainy asphalt. Yes, I do find inspiration in many places. The quilt shown here utilizes a lot of the fabric line. The Bursts can be seen in the fussy cut applique blocks and the Breeze can be seen in the red triangles and their mates - nose to nose triangles. All of these designs were submitted in early December so it is nothing short of a miracle that Red Rooster could get these out in only FIVE months! Way to go RR.

Ask your shop to bring in the enitre line. Heads up - there's more fabric on the way for Fall too!

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Just before leaving for Paducah and the AQS show, I received a package in the mail from Australia. It contained this WONDERFUL quilt from two of the quilters who had helped to make my trip there two year ago such a success. Kim and Helen both worked on this quilt. It is based on my Harmonic Convergence method, but the borders are all original. It uses fabrics with Aboriginal designs and the border is classically Australian. The details are amazing. As you can see in the detail photos, the map of Australia and the quilting.

I look forward to returning to Australia someday. It was one of my most memorable trips. My main profile photo (in white hat) was taken on the beach at the Gold Coast.

Thanks Kim/Helen, for such a thoughtful gift. I'll be hanging it in my office. The colors are perfect! - Ricky

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The AQS show in Paducah was just great. We are now en route home with one day there before heading to Spring Market in Salt Lake City, UT. A couple of days ago, this wonderful group of Japanese quilters stopped by to say hi. One of them (Kayoko, back center) had made this quilted 'kite', based on a traditional design. Isn't it just great?!

The World Quilt Community here at TQS continues to grow - making the real quilting world smaller and better connected. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth in Paducah. It's a new day!

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November 11, 2007 - January 15, 2008 Quilt Visions members are invited to submit two entries of high quality art work in any fiber medium for a juried exhibition at the Visions Art Quilt Gallery.  Only one work from each artist is eligible for exhibit.  Pedestals will be available for  3- dimensional displays.  Entries must have been completed no earlier than January 1,2004.  Art works for sale are strongly encouraged and preferred, but NFS entries will be accepted.  The Gallery's commission is 50% of the retail price. 

Entry fee:  $15 for one entry, $20 for two.

Deadline for entries: Entries should be mailed to arrive at the Gallery no later than Saturday, July 14, 2007.

Notification by email or phone will be sent to artists by Saturday, September 1, 2007.

For more information, visit www.quiltvisions.org 

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Lee's Summit, MO - May 4-6, 2007  Lee's Summit Quilters' Guild is hosting their annual show.  For more information, please contact Edwina Smith at lsquilters@lsquilters.com or visit www.lsquilters.com

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Ami Simms, right

An online quilt group, the Fariy Goddess Mothers, presented Ami Simms with almost 200 quilts for the Alzheimer's Priority Quilt auction project today at the American Quilter's Society show in Paducah, KY. During the presentation Ami was visibliy touched by the gesture as she stood surrounded by a wall of quilts that will no doubt bring many dollars for research.

On display at the show is an special exhibition of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, the traveling exhibition creates awarness for Alzheimers and to help raise funding for research. "It's a very difficult exhibition to view", said one quilter. "I can only look at three or four at a time before getting choked up." This reponse is typical.

The Quilt Show has a special segment on this project. You can view it in Segment One of Show 103.

The auction is held the first 10 days of every month at www.alzquilts.org

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As a Virginia Tech alumna, I was, with the whole country, horrified by last week's events on that
beautiful campus. In my effort to ease some of my ownfeelings of sorrow and helplessness, I have started an effort to make Hokie Hope quilts for each of thefamilies who lost a loved one.

Here's what I'm asking people to contribute:

• 12 1/2" blocks, any pattern, in the VT school colors of maroon and orange, plus white/cream and brown/black as accent and background colors.
• Squares of cotton batting at least 16" square (I can assemble these in a "quilt-as-you-go" technique)
• Backing fabric in coordinating colors at least 16" square.
• Prepared binding in coordinating colors.

To make 33 quilts, we need a total of 396 blocks. I know we can do this! I have never known ANYTHING as remarkable as the passion in this community. Quilters from around the world have already offered to help. I received the first block in yesterday's mail - I posted a photo in my profile.

I have no deadline for this project. Sooner is better, but I don't want anybody to feel so rushed that they can't help "in time." However long it takes, we can do our tiny part in helping these families remember that there is goodness and hope in our world.

Please feel free to email me at a_kendra@yahoo.com if you have any questions. Thank you so very much.

Peace,
Angelina Kendra
New Britain, CT