March 2016

it’s baaaack… Mendocino

I’m a regular InstaGrammer. (find me there at anniesmithqs)

This morning, one of my favorite quilt shops in L.A., Sew Modern posted this lovely picture:

Heather Ross‘s Mendocino fabric line.

One of the coolest collections of fabric ever — and it sold out like crazy. It’s very rare for a collection to ever be reprinted, but it is becoming a wonderful thing. Each of the manufacturers is trotting out an old collection — slowly, very slowly — to reprint. Five years ago, three years ago, this never would have happened. But, I think the manufacturers have gotten the idea that it’s a good idea. A great idea even.

So — seven years ago, I was in Maryland teaching (if you remember) and got the news that we were going to be gifted with our first grandchild. A little girl. Her mommy did not want anything pink. I found the Mendocino collection on my trip and made this quilt for the little girl who would be Cambria:

here’s a closeup:

I love the mermaids and the seahorses, and everything about this gorgeous fabric. I’m so glad that it’s back in print. Maybe I’ll make a quilt for myself out of it…

Heather has a class on CreativeBug. Check out her website by clicking on her name, just below the pic of the Mendocino collection. I really love the colors of the collection. I would have gone for the deep pink and chocolate, but since Karen didn’t want any pink, I demurred to her request. I went with the orange — and I think that started to trend — no, obsession — that I have with orange.

P. S. Cambria’s favorite color is Pink ; )

Happy Quilting!

Podcast 230 — Demystifying Quilting Terms

Podcast 230 — Demystifying Quilting Terms

(Right-Click or Ctrl-Click on the icon below and select “save link as…” to download the podcast to your computer) Running time: 00:55:32 Size: 26.7 MB

Pinch me!

Filming for iquilt was pretty surreal. ; )

At the White Chocolate Grill in Denver with Terri Thayer and Mary Kay Davis.

1. What is a Basic Sewing Kit? If you’ve seen this on a supply list for class you are taking, here is the straight story of what you should have in your kit.

I found my bag at a Beauty Supply store.

Roly-poly bag

Open bag measures 18 1/2″ x 11″. Each of the compartments is 4″ wide.

Marking tools

Hand sewing tools

3rd compartment, along with shears and magnetic pin bed. I prefer the Grabbit over the Zirkel, but I’m trying to get used to it.

All of the things I need for a sewing machine, including presser feet and bobbins for different sewing machines. If you need information about threads, listen to podcast 227.

My granddad’s shoe polishing kit. It’s so cool — it still smells like shoe polish, after all these years.

Rollie Pollie Sewing Organizer

2. “Quilt as Desired”. Every quilt is different. I explain why the pattern designer doesn’t tell you how to quilt the quilt you’re making. For some really great machine quilting classes, check out the teachers and classes offered at iquilt.com. If you buy a class by 3/17/16, you can use the coupon code IQ1995 and get classes for $19.95.

3. Focus Fabric. What it is and what it’s not.

A beautiful print that has the colors in it that you want to use as your color palette for your quilt. Like this:

or like this:

It is not this:

this is a solid fabric.

nor this:

This is a monochromatic (one color) print, which is a supporting fabric.

4. 1/4″ seam allowance — exact or consistent?

What Quilting Terms would you like to have demystified? Let me know by commenting below.

If you send me an email, and it bounces back to you, asking you to click on the phrase below — please do it, or I won’t get your email!

Will you be at Paducah in April or in Syracuse in July for the American Quilter’s Society shows? Let me know! I’ll be doing demos in the AQS booth at both shows. I’d love to meet you!

Happy Quilting!

Podcast 229 – Thoughts On Quilt Con, Modern Quilting, and “The Bedspread Set”

Podcast 229 — Thoughts On Quilt Con, Modern Quilting, and “The Bedspread Set”
(Right-Click or Ctrl-Click on the icon below and select “save link as…” to download the podcast to your computer) Running time: 00:41:41 Size: 20.0 MB

Hi Quilters —

Yes — there is an all new podcast! I’m still traveling and my silly ipad won’t let me post pictures. So, when I get home, I will add all of the pictures and links that I referred to in the ‘cast.
In the meantime, enjoy the podcast.

Here’s what I promised you:

The link to Cheryl Arkison’s Blog post on her QuiltCon judging experience.

The quilts that I liked the best at QuiltCon. If the photo doesn’t have a ribbon in it, they didn’t get a ribbon — which the majority of these quilts I’m showing you, did not. I think they’re amazing, and inspiring. I wish I had the maker’s names and the quilt’s title, but I didn’t catch those.

My badges collected. Score!

My dear friend, Lizzy House, who will be married in June. Congrats, Lizzy!

Love the bees.

This is probably my favorite quilt of the whole show. Look at the picture below and you’ll find out why.

Each of the dots was painted, dividing the dots – and then hand-stitched with chunky thread to separate them further. This is so expressive, so arty. I just love it!

I love grayscale quilts — so profoundly stating VALUE.

Okay — this is the ultimate “modern” Modern quilt. The designs remind me so much of the 60’s Beatnik era, and I.G.Y. (the International Geophysical Year). I love this one too.

I also love the design of this quilt. Clean, sharp, simple.

And this one — so similar to the one above.

I love the translucence of this quilt – the barely there design of the circle that flows out from the center circle. So cool.

And finally, Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s “Mr. Swirly Bones”, which won a Judge’s choice award, and the Viewer’s Choice award. Victoria won the Best of Show at the very first QuiltCon.