Daily Blog

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Photo by Gregory Case Photography

Series 8 gets off to a free-wheeling start as fabric artist, designer, author, and teacher Susan Carlson visits the set with the lowdown on how she creates her “serendipitous” collage-like quilts.

Get inside her design process, pick up some tips on using your fabric scraps as “paint,” explore the potential of interpreting the same design in three different colorways, and learn a cool technique for applying binding.

All this, plus Ricky shows you how to splice (and spice) your fabric by inserting a “lifeline sliver". Click here to watch this outstanding show!

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Susan shows you how to get your project finished with shortcuts on the binding that you will love.

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This large hand pieced, appliqued, and embroidered quilt created by Mildred Jacob Chappell in 1931-2, depicts the settling of the west.  It has an embroidered salute to the pioneers who settled the countryside calling them "indomitable and unafraid."  Everyone from Lewis and Clark to Geronimo are depicted in this imaginative quilt, Settling the West.  Mildred's love for the Old West earned her many accolades including success at the Century of Progress national competition in 1933.

Mildred added an inscription to the back of the quilt which reads,

I, Mildred Jacob Chappell, made this quilt as a labor of love.  Love for the 'Old West' as I have known it in history and books.  Love of the "New West' as I have known it in travel.  My only regret is that I could not have lived one hundred years earlier to experience those stirring times, instead of only having made this quilt to commemorate them.

West1 - 100 pieces - non-rotating

West2 - 72 pieces - rotating

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As promised, we thought we'd bring a little bit of springtime to the darkness of winter. Here are more quilts from the In Full Bloom 2010 exhibit at the Houston International Quilt Festival.

This enchanting exhibit was created in memory of Helen Pearce O'Bryant, the late mother of Quilts, Inc. Executive Vice President, Nancy O'Bryant. In Full Bloom celebrates the flowers which have motivated artists and gardeners for hundreds of years. Can't you just smell the fragrance?

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You will love the camera work and the featured quilts as Pam Holland takes you to Houston Festival 2010.  

Click the picture or visit our Articles section.

Be sure to use Full Screen mode by clicking the arrows in the bottom right corner.

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I can remember 4 years ago at one minute past the strike of midnight I received a call from Mr. Tims asking if I would like to combine forces in a joint venture.....TQS to be exact. Not exactly knowing what we were unleashing - the idea sounded like a GREAT PLAN. The next morning - Jan 1st to be exact, I was first up and attending to my morning chores which included building the fire. All day, I tended that fire and was delighted when the flame was just perfect. As the day went on I discovered an odd item embedded in a log - a horseshoe.

I pulled it from the burning log (very carefully) and kind of took it as an interesting omen. I knew that there would be ups and downs with this journey - but the horseshoe would stand as a reminder that all would be well. So here we are- celebrating our baby on her 4th birthday - with YOU. We know, and I say this boldly, that the heartbeat of TQS is YOU and for that we say thank you and look forward to our continued journey together!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TQS MEMBERS  and MANY MORE!!!!

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Ruffled Roses January block

Join us on our new 12-month journey as we present another stunning quilt, Ruffled Roses, designed especially for TQS by Sue Garman. We begin our lesson this month with the appliqued center block.  Have you always been intimidated by applique?  No worries, Sue is providing clear and concise directions to teach her method of needle turn applique. 

Are you still not sure about applique, Sue suggests substituting a 15" block of your choice.  Remember, this is your quilt and you can always modify the instructions to suit your personal taste and skill level. 

Come and join in the year-long learning the fun with us. For the Introduction and January pattern click here.

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Photo by Gregory Case Photography

Meet Sue Garman, the creator of our fabulous 2011 TQS Block of the Month quilt Ruffled Roses.  Sue grew up in the aerospace industry, was trained as a CPA, and started her career by negotiating multi-million dollar contracts for NASA.  She married a NASA engineer that she met in Houston's Mission Control Center during a simulation of the first trip to the Moon.  While she loved working for an agency focused on exploration and discovery, she retired three years ago as Associate Director for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, having also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for NASA in Washington, DC. She is dedicated to supporting her community and serves on the board of directors of several local foundations.

Sue's years with NASA and its contractors never separated her from quilting, though.  She always regarded quilting as her daily "therapy".  As soon as she could thread a needle, her grandmother taught her to make crazy quilts; she literally does not remember a time before quilts.  Her quilting career started long before she left NASA - a local quilt shop had seen several of her quilts back in the 70's, and invited her to make patterns and teach.  That's where it all began - and where she continues today.  Her favorite venue is applique, but she also loves making complex, intricately pieced quilts.  You will rarely see her without a needle in hand - which explains how she finished over 20 quilts a year ago.  She simply has a passion for the art of quilting!

We have been absolutely amazed at the amount of work and detail she had put into each and every project for our TQS members.  Hats off to a great quilt artist!!

To learn more about Sue Garman click here.

Check out the new 2011 BOM Sue has designed here.  The January pattern will be available January 1, 2011.