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 [...]

in the CQA Quilting News
from the Lansing City Pulse
MSU Museum Shows Off Quilt Scholar’s Collection through Sept. 5, 2010,
by Eric Gallippo
‘Unpacking Collections’
The Legacy of Cuesta Benberry, African- American Quilt Scholar
Visitors to Michigan State University Museum’s “Unpacking Collections” exhibit will get a peek into the vast research and materials accumulated by pioneering quilt scholar Cuesta [...]

Two Books to Consult if you’re thinking of Accelerating your Quilting Career

Insider’s Guide to Quilting Careers – This excellent guide produced by Linda Hahn and Merry May introduces the reader to the incredibly wide variety of careers available in today’s quilting world. The book offers practical advice and detailed instructions on how to start [...]

Color Palette + Design = Impact
These Creative Commons.org photos by Crystal Writer demonstrate that traditional quilt styles combined with stellar palette choices and ingenious layouts can result in stunning artistic art quilts. Enjoy Crystal’s computer created kaleidoscopes. More photos by Crystal Writer and her personal vision.
Why not try a new direction in the new year, [...]

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 [...]

In the CQA Quilting News
from the Idaho Statesman, 11/05/09, by BY DANA OLAND doland@idahostatesman.com
Artists from Gee’s Bend see life and history in every quilt they make
To Louisiana Pettway Bendolph, the beautiful quilts she makes are like her children.
“You have to love them first, and then you have to let them go,” she says softly, [...]

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 [...]

Mix the Color You Really Want – every time
Blue and yellow don’t make green? But we were taught that in school, and many times too!
If this is news to you, after reading this book by Michael Wilcox, you will discover why simply mixing blue and yellow usually doesn’t make the green you are looking for.  [...]

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 [...]

a review of Thai Silks and thaisilks.com
Thai Silks is the internationally famous storefront fabric shop in Los Altos, California. If you are fortunate to live near or be visiting the San Francisco area, be sure to allow 1-2 hours so you can drift around this amazing store.
The helpful and knowledgeable staff are all Thai, (when [...]

Transforming photographs into you name it – website review of  virtuoso magus Nicholas Schiller’s  blog/website
Nicholas Schiller’s website will appeal to anyone remotely interested in graphics arts, maps, stimulating photography, photo journalism, philosophy and not least, quilters.
Using a variety of techniques to manipulate his photographs, Nicholas makes stunning quilt-like collages and kaleidoscopes of large buidings, [...]

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, [...]

Insightful reading ranging from quilt and fiber arts to grieving for a lost pet to an amazing card trick video
Click on any state, and some Canadian provinces to get a quilt shop locator map
Part one of a hilarious You Tube Video called Quilting With Buck- sadly Buck died before making part 2
Extensive information about [...]

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 [...]

plus a story of an abused little boy with a new hockey quilt
Years ago I began building a stash of conversation prints to make some quilts for children. Then I did nothing with this humungous hoarde. Why my ideas got stalled I don’t know.
I finally found that inspiration again on a visit with my mother, [...]

Website Review of Quilting Assistant.com
Discovering this website was like scoring 100 on an exam, (excellent), the Oxford English Dictionary, (exhaustive), a Monopoly board, (sensible layout) and Niagara Falls, (refreshing).
Quilting Assistant.com devotes itself to helping the reader/quilter learn and make informed quilting related decisions. This is an outstanding website. In their words, “One reason quilting has [...]

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.”  [...]

in CQA Quilting News – July, 2009
Smoky Mountain News, July 1, 2009
Brick Paving Stones Inspire Winning Design
The plaza at the entrance to the new Waynesville Police Station is nearing completion. Workers are placing the final touches to the brick paver design that captures the heritage of the town of Waynesville, North Carolina.
Courtney Boessel, a rising [...]

Magic, Drama, Excitement
a book review of Katie Jane Widger’s guide to dyeing fabrics using fiber reactive dye
Right away I have to tell you that this book is hard to find. I’m writing this review because I feel The New Color Wheel Fabric Dyeing is among the three best dyeing books available for fiber artists who [...]

To Quilt or Not To Quilt
Sometimes a piece of hand dyed fabric is just too beautiful to cut up for an art quilt. Likewise, there are times when I know that visible quilting lines will not enhance, and in fact will detract from the effect I want for my finished art quilt.
To gain some insight [...]