Red & White Exhibit Video

I just saw this new video - a stop/frame of the installation of the exhibit. Really cool to see how things are done behind the scenes. I think we all felt, after seeing the exhibit, "how the %^&* did they do that?" ;cD

Winning

This is my husband holding my "winnings" tee hee. . he's such a good model. . and such a good sport too! I <3 him to pieces. ;c)

‎"Tonga Treats" from Timeless Treasures - I am too tempted by this terrific troop of tantalizing

textiles.

Thank you SO MUCH to Susan from http://susanintexas.blogspot.com/ for your amazing giveaway! I'm so excited!

Quilts for Japan

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare.

C. S. Lewis

***Update April 16th, 2011*** The good people of Janome with the help of Quilts for Japan (Canada) have compiled an EXTREMELY useful list of DOs and DONTs for donation quilts to Japan. Things like what colors and themes are offensive to the Japanese people. Head on over to their WEBSITE to view the complete list =cD http://www.janome.ca/jpn/quilts_4_Japan.htm

They are taking up donation quilt to send to Japan now. If there was every a time to dig into your UFO or WIP stash, the time would be now! Donation quilts can be no larger than a full-sized bed quilt.

For more detailed information please see this site.

If you don't have a fancy vacuum sealer, which would be ideal for these type of packages that are being sent in bulk, another type of non-porous plastic bag would work. I have found that OVEN bags are wonderful! They're thick, clear, relatively CHEAP and quite LARGE. A throw-sized quilt would have room for leftovers. You'll have to tie it off somehow or seal it closed. Who knows where these will end up, and you don't want your donation quilt that you've worked SO HARD on to be wet, and smelly.

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If you are in the US please ship to one of these two addresses:

Dana Jones

Quilters Newsletter

741 Corporate Circle, Suite A

Golden, CO 80401

Ship to Mission of Love Foundation

2054 Hemlock Court

Youngstown, Ohio 44515

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If you are in France, -

Vous pouvez aussi l'expédier à cette adresse:

Solidarité Japon - Domaine des 12 communes - Route des Crêtes - 69480 Graves sur Anse - FR

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South Africa -

Send quilts to:

A. Coulson

Acacia Street 2(b)

Riverdal, 6670, South Africa.

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If you are in Canada - please see this website:

http://www.quiltsforjapan.ca

when you're ready to ship click "my donation is ready" for shipping information.

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If you are anywhere else, please ship your donation quilt (AFTER MAY 1st) to one of these addresses:

Naomi Ichikawa, Editor

Patchwork Tsushin Co., Ltd.,

2-21-2, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku

Tokyo, JAPAN 113-0034

Patchwork Tsushin Co. Ltd

Tohoku Kanto Earthquake Comfort Quilts

〒113-0033 Tokyo, Bunkyoku, Hongo 5-28-3

Telephone 03-3816-5538

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*****Updated April 1 2011*******

Lapel Stick has offered a free printable .pdf for you to use as a quilt label for your donation quilts. The labels include writing in English AND Japanese. I have been informed that there are many English translators in Japan and it might make your quilt a little more personal if you write the label in your OWN language. You COULD use the Japanese label and include a note with your quilt written in your own language. The decision is yours, but obviously it would be better to use this label rather than nothing at all.

Again here is the link: http://www.lapelstick.com/quilts-for-japan

***Update March 27th, 2011***

This was originally posted on the "Learning Fiber Arts" yahoo group.

Just a word of caution..... Do NOT write the word QUILT on your address or duty sheet or any where on your parcel. It seems they become targets of becoming 'lost' packages. Address it to a persons name only. Call the quilt a blanket, or fabric samples, never quilt. As these are truly gifts, label it as such. Also, value the parcel at under $100. to avoid duty charges at the other end.( for international parcels) Also, a large price attracts the 'sticky finger' = lost quilt! I have heard this advice from many people and groups over the years. Please pass it on!

** Read that you should include a note inside the package that includes what the quilt is for --*missions of love* or Quilts for Japan.

Please, if you are not a quilter and would like to support the efforts of comfort quilts for Japan, or "mission of love" you can donate with Paypal or a credit card on their site:

http://www.missionoflove.org/donate/donate.htm

There will obviously be a significant cost involved for this project. Your donation at Mission of Love will assist with this project and other Japan relief projects.

Right now I am working on a butterfly quilt, made from a panel (cheater print) fabric I had in my stash. I'm quilting it AWS and will be sending it off next week.

The Japanese people, landscape, and artists have been an invaluable inspiration to me over the years. About half the books in my quilting library are of Japanese quilts and techniques. It's this reason that I feel so close to the Japanese people, and it will be my honor and privilege to be a part of this project. I hope you all will join me - lets show the Japanese people an outpouring of love- in thanks for the endless inspiration and creativity they have provided us!

Other ways to help: MSNBC has compiled a list of links of additional resources that are aiding in Japan's earthquake relief. http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/11/6246445-japans-earthquake-how-to-help

Shoutout!

I would like to give a shout out to Susan from Susan's Texas Quilting Adventures blog. I was the 3rd place winner of her recent giveaway. I've never won anything quilt-y before and I was super excited to find out I was a winner!!!

Be sure to check out her blog - she has lots of fun goodies and eye candy for ya...

All for now. . ;c)

2011 GOLDEN QUILTING AWARDS

Please head on over to SEWCALGAL's blog and cast your votes!

Vote by commenting on the blog post. You can't vote for the same person for multiple categories. i.e, I had to only choose Bonnie Hunter ONCE ; ) but I think Bonnie, by far wins for best teacher. There is noone who goes to such great lengths to teach, and to ensure we understand. Her books are amazing, but with her free mysteries she goes above and beyond the call of duty there. Each mystery tries to teach a new skill, and even though it's FREE, she listens, and answers questions. It just never fails to amaze me. This is not to say that she is the only good teacher on the list. All of them are amazing, and I know this will be a close race.
For Best Designer I chose Erin Russek. . just because I am a big fan of applique and have made some gorgeous stuff from her designs. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Carol Doak and if there were a separate category for piecing, applique, and paper-piecing (i think there should be) she would of course, win for paper piecing. She is definitely the queen bee in that department. As for designers. . . where is Sindy Rodenmayer From FATCATPATTERNS.COM??? I definitely think she should have been nominated.

For best longarm quilter. . . my hero Jessica Jones is on the list. Seriously have you seen her work?! Before you make your decision and cast your vote, PLEASE take a look at her Custom Quilting GALLERY.

GO VOTE NOW! =cD

Susan's Givewaway

Totally AWESOME give-away at Susan's Texas quilting Adventures. CHECK IT OUTTTTT
http://susanintexas.blogspot.com/2011/03/blogoversary-giveaway.html
She gives you up to 10 chances to win I believe! ; )

Gayle Thomas Tribute Video

This video is tons of fun to watch! Turn it up! and try to shout out the names of the blocks as you go along like I did. ; )

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, what an AWEsome God You are! Thank You for hearing my prayer today and everyday. Lord I thank You for all my many blessings. Thank You for my warm home and my warm bed. Thank You for my loving family and for keeping them healthy. Thank You for my husband and my dog Louie that keep me safe and bring so much joy to my life.
Thank You oh Lord for this amazing format known as the internet. With this tool we are able to keep in touch with friends and loved ones that are thousands of miles away. During these difficult times I am SO THANKFUL to have such resources. God, my blessings are too many to speak and I thank You so much!
Lord I ask that You continute to lead and guide me in a direction that will be pleasing to You. I am so humbled by what is going on across the world right now and again I thank you for hearing my prayer. Lord it is times like these that can test ones faith and I ask that You keep everyone strong. If it be in Your will Lord please let the suffering be brief for those who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and everywhere else. God please give strength to those who have lost loved ones, give strength to those who have to rebuild their homes and lives. Please guide our hands to help where it is needed most and guide our hearts to give to those in need.
Holy God I ask these things in Jesus name, Amen

Photos of Floribunda

"BALTIMORE BACKYARD"

I washed all my finished quilts today.. one of them being the Floribunda BOM. Here's a few photos of the finished project.

Busy Bee!!

Well I have been a busy little bee ~ Craft-i-ly speaking that is. ; )
Yesterday I spent the whole day dyeing. . it looks like a rainbow threw up on my apartment, AND ME! No matter how hard I try, and how many gloves I wear, I still get dye all over me. But it's alllll worth it! This dyeing session I'm concentrating on 4 step gradations. I've done 6 and even 8 steps and I always feel like there's too much "mud" in the middle... or rather too many steps that look similar. I want a clear difference between each gradation ya know?
I used a technique from dyeing101's blog. I started out with my dye concentrates, and then I measured in to 4 plastic bags...
A=4T dye concentrate
B=2T dye concentrate
C=2t dye concentrate
D= 3T dye concentrate + 1/4t black dye concentrate
I used jacquard dyes in Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Olive, and Raspberry, and Brown. The black I used was "jet black" and it did amazing things when added to my base colors. I think next time I'll take this step a bit further by adding extra black therefore deepening the colors as opposed to lightening them. Some colors, like RED/Fuschia only go so deep! I like my colors DEEP and dark. . earthy ya know? So we'll see how this turns out, I'll be rinsing them out as the week progresses. I only do a couple batches per night, because it really wears out your wrists and arms, leaning over the sink or the bathtub.

Another fun thing - I recently opened my etsy shop back up! YAY! Momma needs some cash, and I had a pile of quilt-y stuff back on my "clean sheet" bed ready to do something with. I re-opened up my shop with these items and I'm selling them for CHEAP! I also plan on listing a custom tee-shirt and memory quilt.

About a week ago I finished a baby quilt for my friend Maggie who is expecting her baby girl VERY soon... I used Aunt Jane fabrics and white .. and quilted it to death and also added some Trapunto'd hearts in the center of the log-cabin blocks. This quilt also features Prairie points. This was the first time I have ever done Trapunto OR Prairie points. I think it turned out SOOO cute! I can just see a baby chewing on those. . sooo adorable! Here's a photo of it:



Next I'm starting on a tote for my friend Jaime McCumbers, who's etsy shop is on the side bar --> You can view her etsy shop by clicking mine and DH's photo wearing her crocheted hats. She wants a tote in Navy and Kelly Green (Marshall University Green) with a big Daisy on it. I have all the fabric picked out and will probably start that later today.
Another project I'm getting started on is a spring dress for my friend Heather P. Her birthday is coming up and she wants a cute spring dress. We went to Joann's together Friday, and she picked out a fabulous grey jersey knit with white skulls on it. I'm going to line it with a pink satin-y fabric. I'm puting on two outside pockets and and attaching some cute pink ceramic buttons. She's just now getting into roller derby and I think she'll be ADORABLe in this little number. . . IF, and ONLY IF, I can pull it off. I've only made a couple things with store-bought patterns and have the worst trouble with them. I'll be counting on all of you to help me out if I have any questions. =cD

Hints? Tips? PLEASE Contact me now! haha.
Well I'll check back in later. .