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April 8, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. It’s getting more spring like every morning. Daffodils are up in the garden about 4″. Still no sign of life in the hellebores though, and they’re usually the first ones. Crazy winter this year. Bonnie Hunter (our seminar teacher this fall) is on the road again. Here’s a link to her post with a slide show of a Boxy Stars class she taught over the weekend. She’ll be teaching that class for us too. It’s always fun to see the same project in all the different color choices in a class. Maybe you’ll get an idea for that fabric bundle that’s been sitting in your stash for so long. click here. Do you enjoy sewing bags and purses? Are you a fan of Nancy Zieman? If you answered yes to both, then you may want to take part in her upcoming live webcast. Info here. […]
April 4, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. I know we have quite a few Kim Diehl fans in our bunch. This slideshow came in my e-mail today from The Quilt Show (the Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims adventure). Even with my lowly free membership I still get good things to watch and try out. Here’s a link (click here) to a slideshow of Kim Diehl’s quilts staged in her own home. Wow, I’m jealous of such lovely surroundings! Kim is doing some workshops and an evening trunk show for the shop Material Rewards in Dansville, NY. It’s not far from here, certainly close enough for a road trip if you love Kim’s work. Our seminar brochure is at the printers and will be ready for members to pick up when you visit our guild’s quilt show next weekend (April 11-13,2014). I’ve also sent the information to our webmaster, so it will be […]
March 31, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. A while back I posted a link to a paper pieced star that got a few comments. It seems star blocks are pretty popular. I love them, and you probably know I love dresden blocks too. I think this star has a dresden feel to it, so of course it was a hit with me. It is another paper pieced one, which sadly doesn’t appeal to all quilters. In my book though, it’s a great technique for getting those points perfect. Here’s the link: click here. Got your things all set for the quilt show, ladies? Drop off days are just around the corner (this weekend). I finally finished putting the embellishments on the quilt I’m entering. That pesky hand sewing you know–not my favorite thing, but sometimes there is no way around it. What heaven must look like! click here.
March 28, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Gray and windy today, but spring is coming. Didn’t need a hat today while walking the dog! To me that’s great progress toward warmer weather. I am intrigued with the work of Tula Pink. She is a fairly new designer on the quilting scene. I first learned of her on a Sewing with Nancy episode and loved her take on some vintage type patterns with very modern looking fabrics and color choices. She designs fabric which makes up into gorgeous quilts (IMHO). I’ve been looking around for a shop carrying her lines without success so far. Does anyone know where I can find a good choice of her fabrics? If you’re on shop hops this spring, keep an eye out for me if you would, please. Here are a couple of links to help you get to know more of Tula’s work: Up close views […]
March 24, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the Pantone Color of the Year. This color choice actually brought out a few comments from you. Not everyone cared for the Radiant Orchid. Have you noticed its influence in the new items–fashions, housewares, garden departments–that are beginning to appear? I recently read about the Pantone Spring Fashion palette and went to have a look. I will say, strictly from a quilter’s perspective, that those colors in the fashion palette are showing up in many of the new fabric collections. Have you noticed the influence of grey everywhere? The light green tones? The palette of back up colors (neutrals some call them) is not strictly white and cream anymore. Have a look at the palette, and perhaps you’ll enjoy the 5 minute video explaining the choices. So amusing to me, listening to the artist/fashion designer’s choice […]
March 23, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. I think we have made a very good choice for this fall’s seminar teacher. I have probably received 25 or so inquiries from non-members who are interested in taking a class from Bonnie this fall. They are finding the contact information in Bonnie’s calendar at quiltville.com. A couple of them are planning road trips with friends from distances away (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Canada). I hope you’ll be joining us too. Bonnie just finished up a teaching segment in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee at A Mountain Quiltfest. Here’s a link to a slide show she posted from her Boxy Stars class. (click here) The students look like they are having fun, and their blocks are great looking. Bonnie will be teaching the Boxy Stars class for us on Wednesday of seminar. Marija has just finished up rounding up our cadre of local teachers for the fall, and […]
March 15, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. It’s International Quilt Weekend. Got anything special planned as a way to celebrate? Over at “The Quilt Show” Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims are making all of their shows (all 169 of them) free for viewing just for this weekend. I gave up my paid subscription after the first year, so I’m going over sometime this weekend to explore and see what I can find. I know our upcoming seminar teacher, Bonnie Hunter, has taped some shows with them. So also have many of our past instructors. I’m sure you’ll find shows featuring some of your favorites. It’s only free for this weekend, so make some time for yourself to view and relax. Click here.
March 12, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Do you think that all the weather forecasters just love these storm forecasts? Last night Don Paul was actually scolding the school superintendents who had not yet closed their districts for today. So far it’s not bad outside–we’ll see what develops. Today is trash day in my neighborhood; I’m hoping I’ll be able to bring the totes back up from the curb before it gets too deep. I stopped in the grocery store yesterday and as often happens with these forecasts, the “joint was jumpin”. Milk, bread, eggs, tp …you native Buffalonians know what to do. I’m planning to do a lot of sewing! Got out some UFO’s. First my Lucy Goosey blocks. Remember those? (Look in the sidebar categories for a memory refresher.) I want to make 2 more blocks for the setting I have in mind. Found this great (if you like paper […]
March 4, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Not all quilters enjoy scrap quilting. There is something way too random for the taste of many quilters when you start making a tossed salad of all sorts of fabrics. I’ve made a few scrappy quilts that push the envelope a bit too much even for me. (The dog loves them though; he’s lying on one of them in that photo.) Thus comes the concept of “planned scrappy”. By adding just a bit of structure to the scrappy theme, more quilters can become comfortable with some scrappiness in their quilts. After all, if you are a lover of Kim Diehl fabrics, for example, you probably have quite a few scraps from her lines. They all go together, don’t they? Or perhaps you have blue in every quilt you make. A 2 color quilt with a variety of blue scraps paired with a variety of creams […]
March 1, 2014
Hello all, Mary Ellen here. Bonnie Hunter, our upcoming fall seminar national teacher, has just begun a quilt challenge at her blog. Bonnie is a scrap quilter. She doesn’t just collect scraps; she actually makes things with them. (a novel concept to me!). I’m going to try joining in this challenge so I’ll use up some of my scraps too. I might have to tweak the math a bit because I have so many 2.5″ strips that I’d like to use up–hers is going to use 3.5″ strips. Wouldn’t it be great (hint, hint, hint!) if a few of us joined in so we could show her our progress when she comes to seminar in September? I’m going to set aside a sewing day soon to get a bunch of pieces ready so I can use them as “leaders and enders” while working on projects for my classes. Here’s a […]