An Expert Machine Quilter’ Blog
Seems recently I keep running across beautiful blogs of machine quilting experts who specialize in feathers.  Feathers appear simple and elegant. Most things that look simple to do are in fact challenging. Making complicated things appear easy is what the pros do.
Sally Bramald’s blog has a beautiful header which immediately draws [...]

Jewel tones

Crisp edges
Bold Contrast
Geometrical Shapes
Surprise

These are the qualities that describe most of my art quilts. These are the design elements I frequently post about on “Your Inspiration Zone” blog. You can see how I make them on my website, Quilts4u.com.
I find visual inspiration everywhere. I don’t feel the need to make Statement Quilts, and expressing [...]

New AQS Show in Lancaster, PA

The American Quilter’s Society has added the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster PA as the location for a fourth show and contest in 2010, (others being in Des Moines, IA, Knoxville, TN and Paducah KY). Approximately 200 quilts will be judged  in various categories with more than [...]

Signature Style in Art Quilts – Part 1

Now here I go out on a limb…
For commercial reasons, I am changing to a new signature look in the art quilts I make for sale. There are 3 reasons, and the first is that the art quilts in my “new” series are SELLING!! [...]

The National Quilt Museum announces 18 winning quilts from the 2010 An Old Favorite Contest.
on exhibit Mar. 19 – June 15, 2010 and traveling through Dec. 2011.

The Paducah Sun, Jan. 1, 2010
The National Quilt Museum has announced the 18 winning quilts of the 2010 Sunflower-themed New Quilts from an Old Favorite contest.
These quilts represent [...]

in the CQA Quilting News -Unique Quilt Shows in 2010, in the United States – Ohio, South Dakota, California, and Paducah Kentucky

Journey of Hope in America: Quilts Inspired by President Barack Obama- Dec 15, 2009 -Dec 15, 2010 at the Afro American Museum and Cultural Center, Wilberforce, Ohio

“Imagine Hope,” Hollis Chatelain’s first art exhibit, [...]

Do these odd baubles appeal to your geometric instincts? I see quilts all over the place.
Round things, pointy things, the energy in these ornaments can animate your ideas and your art work. Why not bookmark this page for after the holiday season.

in the CQA Quilting News
Artist evolving as quiltmaker
Nancy Crow’s latest work, the ‘Markings’ series, shows she’s kicked it up a notch
article by Dorothy Shinn Ohio Beacon Journal art and architecture critic, 11/08/2009
In the past, I’ve had difficulty writing about the work of Nancy Crow.
It’s not her fault. She’s seen as a leader in her field.
In [...]

2009 Hoffman Challenge Winners Announced and

2010 Collection Announced

Fabrics for the 2010 Hoffman Challenge have been announced. The theme fabric is shown below.
Hoffman Challenge is the place to go for all the information you need to consider if you plan to enter next year’s contest. Apparently up to 1000 entries are received annually.
The Hoffman [...]

International Street Markets
These photos of markets from around the world should inspire your quilter’s eye. Not only the autumn colors, but the repetition of shapes, variety of arrangements and mysterious produce add a local flavor that would energize a delicious art quilt. All photos were taken from Flickr’s The Creative Commons.
After preparing this post and [...]

2009 Houston Show Winners, some of my favorites-

Website Review – The Spirit of Mother Earth
For the most exquisite machine quilting, design layout, choice of color and entire quilt integrity you must visit this link to view Sharon Schamber’s award winning quilt. Sharon lives in Payson, AZ. She was awarded a $10,000 first prize at the 2008 International show, taking Best of Show.
Sharon’s [...]

Getting the Look You Want
Figurative and landscape quilts can be challenging to create from the standpoint of selecting the color palette from our fabric stash. Buying fresh fabric isn’t necessarily the answer.
Do we select a palette based on what we see out there, or one that reflects what we feel about the subject. Maybe we [...]

Stark, haunting and barren – let an American icon, the Ghost Town, inspire your art quilts
These photographs speak for themselves. The people who lived, worked, loved and died in these lost towns are silent.
Through the lens of talented photographers, the emotive, elegiac beauty is captured. Let youself be moved, then stirred to action by these [...]

Teddy Tracks Santa’s voyage using Google Earth Technology
Do you have some exquisite hand dyed cotton in your stash that seem just too beautiful to slash into?
A friend of mine, Terrilyn Green is an amazing person to stand beside when we we share a dyeing day. She is so liberal with the liquid fiber reactive dyes, [...]

in the CQA Quilting News – August 2009
Pupils at St Mary’s Primary School in Henley win competition with giant quilt.
Henley Standard, UK
The 10-year-olds spent two months under the supervision of art teacher Kate Findlay making the 2mx2m work, which depicts town landmarks such as the town hall and Tudor House antiques shop.
They entered the prestigious [...]

in the CQA Quilting News, August, 2009
Karen Braucher Tobin – Portland Writing Examiner
“What Remains”, Katsura Press, Portland, 2009
Margaret Chula, an internationally known haiku and tanka poet based in Portland, Oregon, teamed up with master quilter Cathy Erickson in 2002 through a project linking poets with quilters so that they could collaborate for one year. Chula’s [...]

in the CQA Quilting News, August 2009

July 14, 7:15 AM, by Jeanne Williamson
Massachusetts Quilts: Our Common Wealth is on exhibit at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA from July 17 through September 20, 2009. Gallery Talks are August 6-9, at 2pm.
“Since its establishment in 1994, the Massachusetts Quilt Documentation Project (MassQuilts) has [...]

Interpret  modern architecture artquiltwise
My challenge – Let these photos of modern architecture inspire you – the planes, angles, shadows, reflections, colors, curves, repetitions, contrasts are plenty enough examples to start a new project, maybe even a series. All photos were taken from the Creative Commons, a Flickr royalty free website. Photographer’s names/aliases and photograph titles [...]

a passion for the health benefits of creativity

Kathy McNeil’s background as a registered nurse for 35 years has shaped her approach and goals when teaching quilting classes. “I feel it is my job as a teacher to provide a playground for students
to learn, be inspired and nurtured while trying on new skills and having fun.”  [...]