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Have you been following Ann Myhre's West Coast journey in her Airstream trailer? (Click here for Part 1: Lil Airstream.)  Each week of her journey she'll be sharing a small project and now for Part 2 from Ann:

"Here is a little bit of my journey this week where I melted wax, recorded the frogs, went winery hopping and boon docking on their vineyards. The latter part of the video I show how to make these colorpods out of old cardboard yarn holders and toilet paper rolls. I Don't throw anything away! hehe. Thanks for coming along on my journey. On to Mendocino today as per Alex Anderson who says it is non-negotiable!"

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This is one of those quilts that stops you in your tracks. Promised Season by Sachiko Chiba of Japan won First Place, Merit Quilting, Hand, at the Houston International Quilt Festival 2019, but it's not just the millions of hand stitches that make this quilt, take a look at the hand appliquéd flowers and leaves. Then, take a breath...

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Cherry of Cherry Blossoms and WeAllSew.com is sharing a sweet mini quilt tutorial for Valentine’s day. This little quilt is easy and fun, you just need a few scraps in shades of pink and red, one or two white backgrounds, and your favorite sewing machine! So gather your supplies and make something pretty for the 14th!  Finished size: 19″ x 24″

Click here to go to tutorial.

Supplies to Make a Hugs and Kisses Mini Quilt:
  • 9 pink and red Fat Eighths
  • 1 low-volume white Fat Eighth 
  • 1/2 yd white on white
  • 1/4 yd pink binding
  • Piecing threads to match fabrics
  • Water soluble pen or chalk marker
  • Cutting mat, ruler, rotary cutter
  • Fabric scissors
  • Sewing machine (She used a BERNINA 880 Plus).
  • Reverse pattern foot with clear sole #34, #34C or #34D
  • Patchwork foot #57 or #57D
  • Backing and batting: 23″ x 28″

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Lilo recently visited the European Patchwork Meeting in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France and discovered a wonderful exhibit they were featuring there. Swiss quilt group patCHquilt was celebrating their thirtieth anniversary by putting on a showcase of 100 challenge quilts for the occasion. The challenge was open to all members of the group of every skill level and each quilt had to adhere to the following criteria:

  • Works must be original, not from a kit and must include a red border.
  • They must be 30 cm wide, 120 cm long, and displayed portrait style.
  • The quilt must include at least 1/2 of the Edelweiss fabric (that each person received), and feature a piece of that same fabric that is 10 cm x 10 cm in size.

To join in the celebration with patCHquilt, we will be featuring four of the challenge quilts each week that were displayed as part of the exhibition at the European Patchwork Meeting.

Please enjoy the next four quilts from Nicole Favre, Paola Zanda, Sibylle Habegger, and Sonya Graf.

Title of Quilt: Highlands

Quilter's Name: Nicole Favre

Title of Quilt: Helvetia

Quilter's Name: Paola Zanda

Title of Quilt: Edelweiss in the Red Dawn

Quilter's Name: Sibylle Habegger

Title of Quilt: My two Loves

Quilter's Name: Sonya Graf

 

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I had an extraordinary time at The Road to California! The quilts were spectacular and the vendor mall was rock on...but, truly it was the people I met both Quiltroadie friends, and the designers that keep on rolling out patterns for us to fall in love with! So many quilters came the week before the show to learn from these wonderfully creative teachers.

I know Jen Kingwell and Jenny Bowker's student were inspired to push their quilting envelope. That is one of the reasons for taking an opportunity to plan an adventure at one of the major shows and festivals. Many quilt shows provide a chance to view amazing quilts but maybe to learn something outside your comfort box...or a technique you have always wanted to try!
 

It was exciting to meet Edyta Sitar and get some hints about the Stitch-A-Long I am doing with Tannebaum! Now to get on to the next row of that beautiful quilt.
 

 
Oh and what a sweet surprise to see Rita from Reets Rags to Stitches!  Unique patterns that are good for the soul is the truth because they are designed by a lovely woman! And, I came away with a longer "must make" list when I left her booth!
 
 
But, hands down I was joyfully surprised to see sweet Le Secrets de Marie. Her sweet designs have made her a regular in the quilting publication world and a must see at all the major quilt shows! Her booth always features French artisans and products. Our paths have crossed over the years from major quilt shows to cruising with Buttermilk Basin and Primitive Gatherings! I hope someday she come to Sisters, Oregon!
 
 
I encourage you to dream big and plan a trip to a major quilt show...you will be inspired and reinvigorated in your quilting life. With that said, I know everyone can't necessarily travel which makes a subscription to The Quilt Show even more exciting!  Because this platform can bring so much to your home every week!
 
Stay tuned and travel along with us on Quilt Roadies.

Click here for Anna's blog.

 

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It took over 10 years and many, many tiny stitches, but they were all worthwhile. Elsie's beautiful quilt, Summertime, won Best Hand Quilting at Road to California 2020. She even hand appliquéd the binding. Summertime also won First Place, Handmade at the Houston International Quilt Festival 2019.

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Anaya with Oranges by Bisa Butler, 2017
Cotton, organza, chiffon, lace and netting 36 x 20 inches Courtesy of the Dimmitt Davies Collection.

Mark your calendar for an exciting and breathtaking exhibition. The Katonah Museum of Art (Ketonah, New York, USA) spring exhibition, Bisa Butler: Portraits, March 15 – June 14, 2020, will be the first solo museum exhibition of the Ghanaian-American artist’s work and will feature approximately 25 of her vivid and larger-than-life quilts. These works capture African American identity and culture.

 

 

Butler, a formally trained African American artist of Ghanaian heritage, broaches the dividing line between creating with paints on canvas and creating with fiber by fashioning magnificent quilts and elevating a medium hitherto designated as craft into one that is clearly high art.

While quilts have historically been isolated in the history of art as the products of working women, Butler’s work not only acknowledges this tradition, but also reinvents it. Continuing with an aesthetic set in motion by artists such as Romare Bearden and Faith Ringgold, Butler forges an individual and expressive signature style that draws upon her own cultural background and experiences. 

 

 

Broom Jumpers by Bisa Butler, 2019,
Cotton, silk, wool and velvet
98 x 58 inches
Mt. Holyoke College Art Museum

 

These vibrant portraits of African American life and the tales the quilts tell are largely based on photographs from which Butler takes inspiration. She creates a story around each image, and, in her choice of fabrics, she uses texture, color and the cultural origin of the cloth as part of a personal iconography that makes statements about society and identity.

African painted cotton and mud cloth tells the story of her ancestral homeland, vintage lace and aged satin might demonstrate the delicacy and refinement of times past while multi-colored organza and layered netting can convey a story of someone colorful and multifaceted.

The constructed nature of the work with its reliance on piecing and stitching acknowledges the traditions of needlework normally associated with women and domesticity. Butler subverts this notion through her choice of motifs, embellishments, patterning and scale, all drawn from African textiles. What results are stunning works that transform family memories and cultural practices into works of social statement.


Dear Mama by Bisa Butler, 2019, Quilted and appliqued cotton, wool and chiffon 73 x 53 inches, Scott and Cissy Wolfe, Rancho Santa Fe, CA.

 

Along with the exhibition, The Katonah Museum (which is less than 50 miles from Manhattan in NYC) has a number of exciting programs planned that will broaden your understanding of her work and the importance of story telling through the medium of fabric.

Following the KMA, the show will travel to the Art Institue of Chicago from September 5, 2020- January 24, 2021.

 

 

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Here's a beauty from Jinny Beyer. Do you know its name? Play the game and find out.

 
 
 

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You still have time before Valentine's Day to work on these cute heart placemats and coasters from the Table Glitz Series by Jen at Shabby Fabrics
 
 

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Lise Belanger saw this elephant in a dream. Passionate about color, she appeared to use them all in her quilt, Colourful Dream. We are also enchanted by the almost stained glass-like effect she achieved in her design.

Colourful Dream won First Place, Fantasy / Whimsy, sponsored by WonderFil Specialty Threads, at the Houston International Quilt Festival 2019.