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  • Heading Out To Newport

    I haven’t kept up with this like I promised myself, but better late than never. I’m headed off next week to Newport Oregon where I will present a program and teach a workshop for the Oregon Coastal Quilters Guild.

    My program, which is scheduled for Thursday May 14, starts at 1 PM. The topic is on Japanese and Asian textiles, of which I am a passionate collector (at least as much as my budget will allow). The talk will cover methods of dyeing and printing fabrics such as Shibori, Kasuri, Katazome… as well as some of the decorative practical applications like Sashiko and Sakiori. The presentation will include lots of samples to fondle, books to peruse and a trunk show of my own work influenced by Japanese ethos.

    Shibori Medallion
    Sashiko Sampler
    Sashiko - Plum Komon
    Asian Circles
    Indigo Medallion
    Komon Sampler
    Clothed in Crimson
    Dragon Kite
    Flutterbys

    The class, offered on Friday May 15, is Animal Totems. These iconic wall hangings combine Seminole or Strip Piecing with reverse applique in the style of a simplified Mola. Many cultures embrace the concept of totems, symbols of a clan or tribe and sometimes an individual will seek out their own personal spirit guide based on the qualities and character aspects that they wish to receive from the animal. The mythology of animals varies from culture to culture but can often follow startling parallels. Dragons are perceived as evil in many Western cultures but are revered as protectors in Eastern lore while foxes, dingos and coyotes are often deemed clever and wily the world over.

    Jaguar Totem
    Salmon Totem #2
    Lizard Totem

    By The way, check out the ‘Schedule’ tab; I am FINALLY getting my class schedule posted there. I have only just started but it will be an ongoing process that I will do my best to keep up with.

     

     


  • What’s New!

    I’ve been a busy girl; finishing up some UFOs and working on new classes, samples and patterns. Among other things, I’m working on a new ‘cat’ series. All you Garden Patch Cat fans need not panic – there are still quite a few more fruity and veggie cats to come (Hint: the next one will be ‘Purrsnip’), but it was time to start thinking of what will come next.

    About ten years ago, I designed a block of the month program quilt for Story Quilts named ‘Temple Guardians’, a series of elegant stylized Siamese cat blocks. The program did very well but from day one, I kept getting requests from quilters who were not interested in making the whole quilt but would I “please offer the blocks individually”. At that time, Story Quilts did not wish to do that as they felt it would undermine the shops choosing to run it as a Block of the Month. Now, finally, after activity on the full sized Block of the Month quilt has tapered off, Story Quilts has finally given me the go-ahead to rework the patterns into individual wall hangings.

    I am excited! This comes at a time when I was already becoming interested in the whole ‘Modern Quilt’ movement but I have no desire to jump into making a bed-sized modern quilt. This simplified design concept creates an excellent backdrop for these very Art Deco style cats. It is my plan to produce individual patterns from all the original Temple Guardian cats, each in a setting with that ‘modern’ twist and each bearing a name that exemplifies a trait that makes a cat – a CAT.

    This first in the series is ‘Dignity’ (what is a cat if not dignified) and it measures about 21″ x 35″ depending on quilting. The more intricate quilting you add, the more shrinkage you get in the finished quilt. Of the two samples pictured below, the cover sample belongs to Story Quilts and the second sample with the black and turquoise border blocks is mine. YES, I will be offering Posh Cats as a class for those who want help in assembling the quilt. The cats being simple and streamlined are a great subject for those wanting to learn hand applique – most of the pieces are fairly large and have very few tricky areas like points and valleys. The cats can also be fused of course, for those to whom hand applique is the ‘A’ word; or HA (more appropriately). I, for one, love to laugh – HA, HA, HA.

    in my new cat series - Posh Cats. Each will be named after a ' catly' personality trait, this one is 'Dignity'. This is the pattern cover sample.[/caption]
    Dignity pattern cover photo
    Dignity pattern cover photo
    #1 in my new cat series - Posh Cats. Each will be named after a ' catly' personality trait, this one is 'Dignity'. This is a second sample with a black and turquoise border and more intricate background quilting.

    On another topic, one more ‘new’ addition to the website is a list of the lectures I offer for guild or event programs. You will find it under the ‘classes’ tab in a link directly after another link with class descriptions of all the classes I offer. Many of the lectures are old favorites like The Principles of Landscape Quilt Design, Color Theory and The Art & Craft of Quilting, but there are some new additions including a brand new trunk show and talk about ethnic influences in my work that I call ‘Global Dances’. The talk and trunk show include my ‘ethnic themed’ work such as Molas, Sashiko, my Animal Totem series and other quilts with ethnic motifs or symbolism.


  • Time Flies…

    I once heard someone say – “Time flies whether you are having fun or not, so you may as well be having fun. This past fall was fun but it was also a brutal schedule. I would be gone on a teaching engagement and return home with just enough time to get a little caught up on other work and prepare for the next trip before I was out the door again. My husband was not a happy camper.

    To make things worse, right before my last trip in November, I discovered my camera missing. I looked everywhere I normally keep it in the house and then in odd nonsensical places (in case the cat batted it under the furniture) and still no luck. Though I was distressed over the loss of the camera, the biggest loss in my mind were the pictures I had been too busy to download to my computer – they were irreplaceable.

    I finally bit the bullet and bought a new camera about a month ago, one ‘smarter’ that I am and I’m still trying to figure out how to download the software to make it able to transfer pictures wirelessly. Then, of all thing, I found my old camera a few days ago and in a place I swear I’d checked several times. It had slipped into a ziploc bag of embroidery supplies in a canvas project bag. I had removed the various ziploc project bags repeatedly to search the main bag for the camera and never noticed that one was a bit heavier than it ought to be. Oh well, I was thinking of upgrading the camera anyway and at least I got my lost photos back.

    So this is what I’ve been up to over the last couple of months: I started in early October with a trip to Pennsylvania to teach at a retreat sponsored by The Quilt Patch Etc. in Mt Pleasant, I taught my Garden Patch Cats & Bloomin’ Dogs class, Thread Painting and Mini Landscapes and have some wonderful photos of student work below.

    Following that, I taught at the Ocean Waves Quilt Camp at Rockaway Beach in Oregon sponsored by Jane’s Fabric Patch in Tillamook OR. I taught my regular standby – Machine Quilting and also my new class on Animal Totems.

    After that, I headed home for a few days then right back to Tillamook, this time to teach at the Latimer Textile Center where I offered a class on Hand Embroidered Folk Ornaments and then a class on Hand Appliqued Molas. While there, I stayed with my good friend and Starbucks Hot Chocolate Buddy, mystery writer, Arlene Sachitano. It was after this trip that I misplaced my camera so I did not get pictures of my next trip to teach for the West Sound Quilters in Port Orchard WA.

    After that, the holidays set in and between preparations for Thanksgiving and Christmas coupled with playing catch-up with patterns and local teaching venues, I haven’t been at all good about keeping up with my blog. Perhaps I should make that my New Year’s resolution.

    Pennsylvania Fall Color! I was a bit early for the real show but I did get a glimpse of the the first hints of color.
    Garden Cat Quilt #1
    When I arrived at the retreat, they had a surprise for me. A member of the retreat group had brought two gorgeous full sized quilts she made from my Garden Patch Cat patterns; this was the first.
    Garden Cat Quilt #2
    This is the second full sized quilt.
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #1
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #1
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #2
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #2
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #3
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Mini Landscape #3
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Thread Painted Butterfly
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Thread Painted Butterfly
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Bloomin' Dog (customized by student to better resemble her dog)
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Bloomin' Dog (customized by student to better resemble her dog)
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Garden Patch Cat: Podcats
    Quilt Patch Retreat - Garden Patch Cat: Podcats
    Retreat Center
    This is the retreat center we had the classes at. The top story shown here was basically one large meeting hall with a kitchen; the lower level was lodging for the teachers with private rooms, shared baths and a great room with kitchenette, fireplace, pool table and even a HOT TUB (which none of us used)
    Nature Trail
    There was a nature trail just down the road from the retreat center where I went for a walk.
    Full moon
    The last night I was there, rain was predicted but let up after dark long enough to let me take some stunning photos. I couldn't help but think of a Loreena McKennitt song with the words "...The moon was a ghostly galleon, tossed upon the cloudy seas..."
    OWQC Totem Class
    On to Rockaway Beach for the Ocean Waves Quilt Camp. These are the students from my Animal Totems class proudly displaying their projects
    Rabbit Totem
    Rabbit Totem
    Horse Totem
    Horse Totem
    Thunderbird Totem
    Thunderbird Totem
    Salmon Totem
    Salmon Totem
    Rabbit Totem (too)
    Rabbit Totem (too)
    Salmon Totem (too)
    Salmon Totem (too)
    Salmon Totem (three)
    Salmon Totem (three)
    Salmon Totem #4 (my, the Salmon is a popular one)
    Salmon Totem #4 (my, the Salmon is a popular one)
    More Salmon!
    More Salmon!
    My instructional Seminole display
    My instructional Seminole display
    Tillamook Sea Stacks
    The coast north of Tillamook feature exquisite sea stacks reminiscent of a Chinese landscape.