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On March 22, 2013, World Water Day, Quilt around the World GmbH will start a new global patchwork project: the 2nd International Block Swap. This time, the motto is "water." They would like to TQS members to join in.

The United Nations declared 2013 as the "Year of International Water Cooperation." Quilt around the World GmbH uses this appeal as an opportunity to dedicate their 2nd International Block Swap to the theme "water - our elixir of life and most valuable resource on our planet."

The deadline for the finished blocks is December 31, 2013. Quilt enthusiasts from around the world, who are interested in working together in a multinational and cross-cultural patchwork project about "water", are invited to take part.

As a small contribution for the preservation of the drinking water reservoirs of the earth, all monies left over from the participation fees will be donated to the environmental initiative Living Lakes, an international network under the patronage of the Global Nature Fund. Living Lakes currently consists of 102 members on five continents, who work towards the sustainable conservation and protection of all lakes, wetlands and freshwater bodies of the world as healthy ecosystems.

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May 19, 2013 – September 22, 2013

The Denver Art Museum takes a wide-ranging look at textiles from pre-Columbian weavings to modern fiber art, Navajo blankets to an examination of clothing in art and photography in the campus-wide exhibition Spun: Adventures in Textiles.

The museum’s newly opened and renovated textile art galleries—debuting in May 2013—and its inaugural show Cover Story are at the heart of this campus-wide event. 

Cover Story will feature approximately 60 objects from the museum's textile art collection that that explore the myriad ways that textiles envelop, embellish, and enrich human lives across centuries, continents, and cultures.

“Cover Story introduces the public to the scope of our textile art collection by exploring the multitude of ways textiles permeate our lives: from bedcovers, furnishing fabrics and robes of prestige to ceremonial, ritual and talismanic textiles,” said Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art Alice Zrebiec.

Spun will draw from collections throughout the museum as well as loans and interactive on-site creations—for example, an ever-growing crochet coral reef —and will feature multiple exhibitions throughout the Hamilton and North buildings with a full slate of programming to complement the exhibitions.

There also will be extensive programming encouraging visitors to join in the exploration of this vibrant medium, including a drop-in Quilt Studio, collaborative projects with artists and creative groups, new in-gallery opportunities supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef project, a dye garden and an artist-in-residency with Marie Watt.

Spun: Adventures in Textiles is organized by the Denver Art Museum. Exhibition support is provided by the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign and the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD).

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If the straight stitch is the "salt" of your sewing machine, this stitch is the "pepper."  Libby gives you more tips on how to get the most out of your sewing machine's stitches.  

(To answer a question we know will come up.....She is using Superior's Rainbow Thread.)

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Most of us, at one time or another, have been on some sort of diet to try to lose weight. And most of us (95%, if the stats are accurate,) have experienced the disappointment of regaining that same weight. I recently joined up with four of my "maintainer-blogger friends" to try to share our collective experience in weight loss maintenance. Collectively, we have lost a total of 528 pounds, and have been maintaining for 24.5 years. Our name is AIM--"Adventures In Maintenance." We plan to choose one subject and each write about it from our perspective and personal experience on the first Monday of each month.

This month the question we tackled was "What's Different This Time?" I'll give you the Reader's Digest Version of what I wrote. I knew this time that whatever I did, it had to be for the rest of my life. I actually knew that 20 years ago, before I started this last journey down the scale (eight years ago.) I knew it and I didn't think it was something I COULD do, so I refused to try dieting for a LONG time. And when I did finally start, the motto that was always on my mind was, "What you're doing now isn't working. You must do something differently." The third thing that I think helped was that I actually admitted that I needed help. I couldn't do it on my own.

If you'd like to read more about the possibility of long term weight loss maintenance, click on over to my blog, Debby Weighs In. I'll share more about what I've learned this time around, and I'll have links to my four friends who have shared their "secrets of success" in maintaining their weight losses. 

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Today's Zoom Quilt is from a TQS favorite, Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero.  Jeanie's quilt, Flights of Fancy, won 1st place minature at Road to California 2013.  The quilt measures only 13" x 13" and was created with Kaleidoscope Kreator Software.

Artist statement: This quilt began as a way to teach myself digitizing. Little did I realize that one of the most challenging aspects of the digitizing process for me is selecting thread colors. My initial inclination to choose colors that matched the fabric being stitched on created a predictably boring result. It wasn’t until I chose thread colors that seemed to clash with the fabric beneath that the designs came to life with shimmering texture.

Jeanie is the creative force behind the Kaleidoscope Kreator software and also has a class here at TQS on another topic: Printing On Fabric.

Photo: Courtesy of Road to California

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Ami has a great product that you can use for making your stencils and it's on sale right now on her website.  It's called "Sticky Plastic."

Peel back the release paper to reveal the sticky side of this clear, rigid template material. Stick your original paper pattern onto the sticky plastic. Replace the release pattern and cut out the template with a regular pair of scissors. You're looking at the original as you cut, so you know it's accurate. Sold in 8.5" x 11" sheets.

By using your original pattern, you'll have a more accurate template.

Click here to go to Ami's website and order.

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Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times

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This week's puzzle is a lovely pictorial quilt by Sue Rasmussen. The quilt is titled, Woodland Doe. It measures 52" x 68" and is currently in a private collection. To learn more about Sue's technique for simple piecing of pictorial quilts, watch Episode 1205: Picture This: Simplified Pictorial Piecing.

Woodland Doe - 35 pieces non-rotating

Woodland Doe - 99 pieces non-rotating

Woodland Doe - 300 pieces non-rotating

Woodland Doe - 99 pieces rotating

Woodland Doe - 300 pieces rotating

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You asked for it, you got it.  Here's an instructional video from Heirloom Creations that describes how to use three different Bernina Bias Binders, including how to attach, by machine, a binding to a mitered (square, not rounded) corner.  The Bernina Bias Binders used are the #85 Simple Bias Binder, and #87 and #88 Binder Attachments.

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Cutting little bitty fabric pieces precisely in a matter of seconds is no problem for the AccuQuilt GO! Baby Fabric Cutter. Lee Nakamoto from AccuQuilt demonstrates how to use this cute little machine.

To see other AccuQuilt demonstrations, click on  on the left of your screen.