Daily Blog

  2

fShare

Tweet

It is with heavy heart we announce the passing of Mary Ellen Hopkins. Mary Ellen was full of life and certainly marched to her own drummer when it came to quilting.

Mary Ellen opened the Crazy Ladies and Friends Quilt Shop in Santa Monica, California in 1977.  "The customers came in more for the fabric than for the sewing," remembers Mary Ellen. "Classes were more lectures than hands-on.  Students did the work at home.  From that point on, I began receiving invitations to do lectures. Getting up on a stage and talking without interruptions was great."  

After 20 years she sold the shop and devoted all her time to teaching and lectures.  She later started her own publishing company.  Her first book was one many of you probably have, "It's Okay If You Sit on My Quilt Book."

Mary Ellen is probably best known for creating the connector and perfect piecing triangles concepts and the PPM - Personal Private Measurement.

Thoughts and sympathy cards for Mary Ellen Hopkins can be sent to her son:

David Hopkins
946 woodgrove drive
Cardiff by the Sea, Ca 92007

  0

fShare

Tweet

 Take a closer look the August edition of The Quilt Life for Inspiration.

A special surfer inspired this quilter. Alex's son-in-law is quilting?? Lots more.  See what's going on in "Playtime".

When you get to the Zoom area, try clicking "Click Here to Enlarge".  It is a different and fun way to see the pictures.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Join us as we continue the tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio (as well as a few other notable buildings) in Oak Park, IL. Wright famously oversaw all aspects of his designs, including furniture, lighting, and the interior and exterior paint colors. His own home and studio served as a study for many of his often groundbreaking architectural ideas.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Quilting with Metallic Thread will give you bold and gorgeous results.  By using a quality thread, proper needle, and adjusting tension; you'll be able to successfully run Metallic Thread on your longarm or midarm machine, watch this great video from Superior Threads to learn more and visit Superior Threads for metallic thread and more.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Next at The ArtQuilt Gallery·NYC are works by Israeli art quilter, Maya Chaimovich. Her show, Travel Log, will be presented from June 25 through August 2. Fourteen pieces will be on exhibit.

From Maya:
Most of the materials I use are from recycled clothes in an assortment of colors. An important part of my design experience is the use of materials worn by people I don't know. I give them a life of their own while designing my own creations. A main theme and a group of colors which I choose, guide me in the creation of a new work. The creation itself develops through much conflict, but gradually evolves into its final form.

The ArtQuilt Gallery•NYC
133 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
212-807-9451
The ArtQuilt Gallery·NYC
Gallery Hours:
Tues-Saturday, 11 to 6 pm
Sunday & Monday by appointment

  0

fShare

Tweet

This week's puzzle is Landscape IV by Jean Wells from her Of the Earth series.  It was created in 2009 and measures 32" x 22."

Star Members can watch Jean in Episode 107: Portraits from Nature and Episode 1301: New Directions in Quilting: Embracing the Possibilities.

Visit Jean's website.

Landscape IV - 35 pieces non-rotating

Landscape IV - 96 pieces non-rotating

Landscape IV - 300 pieces non-rotating

Landscape IV - 96 pieces rotating

Landscape IV - 300 pieces rotating

  1

fShare

Tweet

A new exhibit is coming to the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, July 31-October 27, 2013. Collecting New York Beauty Quilts: Bill Volckening's Passion focuses on the evolution of a unique quilt pattern-New York Beauty-and shows its many variations and modifications throughout the nineteenth to twenty-first centuries. 

Comprised of approximately 35 objects (including quilts, ephemera, patterns, books, and a woven coverlet), the exhibition is centered on the New York Beauty pattern. Now over 150 years later, the New York Beauty still resonates with contemporary quilters and artists as they continue to use the challenging design paired with new fabrics to create updated versions. The graphic quality and visual appeal of these quilts will inspire visitors as will Volckening’s unique perspective and passion for collecting these amazing textiles.

Bill has shared his passion for New York Beauty quilts with TQS before. If you can't attend the exhibit in San Jose, here's a look at some of his wonderful collection. Thank you Bill for sharing with TQS and our international quilt community!

  0

fShare

Tweet

It's difficult to part with a trusted sewing machine.  We spend a lot of time with them and let's face it, they are one of the family. Would it be easier to part with if you knew they were going to a good cause, a cause that could very well make a change in people's lives? Bernina thinks it would.

Save 10% when you donate any sewing machine of any age.

• Donate a sewing machine and the Sewing Machine Project will put it in needy hands.
• Change lives and communities with your gift.
• Get 10% off, up to $500, on a new BERNINA.

  0

fShare

Tweet

Beauty, Happiness, Family, and Love was begun in an applique technique class, "Oriental Ladies," by Patricia McLauglin.  It took her some time to decide what to do with the ladies. The land landscape gave her the center design using the sunset as a backdrop.  She found characters from the internet for her corners.  Diane also took inspiration from Kumiko Sudo's book, Circles of the East.

The quilt uses cotton fabric, Quilter's Dream batting, YLI glazed hand quilting cotton thread, and is machine quilted with YLI silk.

It was displayed at IQF Houston 2012.

Take a closer look at Diane's needle-turn applique, piping, and hand and machine quilting. 

  1

fShare

Tweet

How cool is this Pinwheel Potholder from Lindsey Rhodes of LRstitched?  It is made up of 12 simple paper-pieced blocks.

Don't know how to paper piece? Watch Episode: 809 Paper-Pieced Perfection - where in a "start-to-finish lesson, Alex gives you the basics of paper piecing.

You will need:

• PinwheelPotholderTemplate
• 8×8 + 8×6 pieces of Insulbrite  (you could also use regular batting, but it will not be as heat-resistant)
• 10 prints measuring 6×6 each (if you are utilizing scraps you just need enough to cover 4  triangles per print, so you can easily use 4 different sized scraps)
• 1 solid measuring about 14×14
• double fold binding
• 8×8 piece for the inside of the potholder
• 8×8 piece for the backside of the potholder
• 8×6 piece for the backside of the patchwork piece