Jean was teaching in Colorado week before last. Here is a link to pictures from the workshop, and a little background story written by Denise Starck (Graphic Designer at Quiltmaker Magazine) who attended the workshop. Its like being a fly on the wall...
Jean has a workshop, "Of The Earth," coming up May 7th-11th here at the Stitchin' Post. There are just four spaces left. Click here for more information.
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Fiber artists
contributing to the Quilt for Two Rivers are blogging about
their quilt panels for the single, 40-foot quilt which honors Sisters, Oregon’s Treasured
Landscape. Featured this week:
A METOLIUS MEANDER by Tonye Belinda Phillips
Section
#11 of the Quilt for Two Rivers
25”x30”
My heart and my soul belong to the Metolius basin.
There was never any question that my focus would be on this beautiful
and magical river valley. I fell in love
with Camp Sherman
and the Metolius River when I was a young girl. And since 1972 I have been a permanent
resident of Camp Sherman.
My piece, “A Metolius Meander,” showcases a rustic cabin nestled in among the towering ponderosa,
larch, fir and aspen trees that grow so majestically along the Metolius River.
The color of the dirt, pine needles, lichen and cinders come alive to
add even more interest and texture. This
piece has been “painted” using commercial fabrics. It also includes both
raw-edge and hand appliqué as well as machine and hand quilting.
- Tonye Belinda Phillips
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This is one of the coolest things I have seen in a while (...and I get to see some pretty cool quilted items around here!) Can you guess who made it?
Jean brought this awesome chair into the store Thursday morning! She started it just after Christmas and worked a little bit at a time between her other numerous projects. The chair will reside in the entry of her artfully decorated home.
Here are some photos of the work in progress:
Jean machine-pieced the covers for the chair, and then fashioned them into a slipcover (which can be removed if necessary for laundering.) Most of the construction of the slipcover was also done on a sewing machine. Only a small section needed to be hand-sewn to create the curved corners for the top of the chair.
Here is a detailed close-up of the intuitive-style gentle curve piecing for which Jean is so well known:
You can learn more about this type of quilting in Jean's book Intuitive Color and Design.
Jean doesn't have any plans to move into the upholstery business, but it is always fun to create new quilting challenges~especially when they turn out this great!
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This year during Customer Appreciation Days (April 19, 20 & 21) we have the privilege of inviting Laura Wasilowski of Artfabrik to be our featured instructor. Laura is a contemporary quilt maker who has developed a whimsical style featuring hand-dyed fabrics, fusing techniques and embroidery embellishment.
Laura has authored several books, including her newest Fanciful Stitches Colorful Quilts. She also writes a blog and has a fantastic website, where she gives great information about how to make improvisational art pieces, helpful tips on fusing and wonderful "how-to" information about decorative hand stitching. (Be sure to check out "Thread-u-cation" on her website; there you will find fabulous step-by-step photos & instructions for adding decorative stitch detailing!)
Click here to see Laura's impressive portfolio!
During her stay with us, Laura will be teaching two workshops: Stitch After Fusing (top photo shown above) and Tiny Homes (bottom photo shown above.) There are just a handful of spots left in each of these workshops. Do not hesitate a moment longer...get your registration in ASAP!
On Saturday, April 21st (11 am), Laura will be giving a lecture/trunk show called "So Many Chickens, So Little Time: Diary of a Serial Quilter." With Laura's sense of humor, this is sure to be a morning filled with laughter! The lecture is $10 and seating is limited. Register online, or call the store (541-549-6061.)
I can't wait to meet Laura...hope to see you in our classroom! ~Tamra
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Val's new line of fabric, Karavan, arrived today!
There are many new samples of quilts, bags, little wallets, and
stuffed animals made from the colorful, new line of fabric:
"Elsa" made with Karavan flannel and "Little Wallets" made from cotton.
New "Josie Bag" made with hand-embroidery embellished front panel.
New samples of "Nested Bag" made with Karavan fabric.
New samples of "Petal Pouches" and "Project Bags" made from Karavan fabrics.
It is always fun to take favorite tried-and-true patterns
and revive them with fun new fabrics!
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Valori just returned from International Quilt Market, where she was promoting her new line of fabric called "Karavan" (due to arrive at the Stitchin' Post any day!) While at market, Valori won Second Place for her booth! Here is one BIG reason why:
This is Jewels, a one-of-a-kind prop, created to by Val, to accompany her to Quilt Market. Of course everyone is asking...will there be a pattern? What do you say Val?
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Sue Spargo & Tonye Phillips
This past weekend, we had the pleasure of having Sue Spargo and Tonye Phillips teaching at "Contemporary Folk Art Retreat." The event was held at the Camp Sherman Community Hall, which was just the perfect setting.
Students created their own, unique designs which incorporated hand-appliqué techniques taught by Tonye and wonderful wool & embellishment techniques taught by Sue.
As I walked through the doors of the Community Hall, I took a step back in time, to days of Girl Scout Camp with afternoon arts & crafts in the "camp lodge." Only instead of working with acrylic yarn, macaroni and paste, these grown-up girls were working with beautifully hand-dyed wool, silk thread, beads and buttons. Mmmm....yummy (no, I'm not talking about the paste!)
In the picture above, notice the quilts hanging on the walls...Tonye and Sue had quilts hanging all around the room for inspiration. Each quilt was more beautiful and detailed than the one before. There was so much color, everywhere you looked! I found myself practically drooling over one student's box of thread...THREAD!
This piece is from Sue Spargo. It is a sampler of perfectly round "buttons" of wool, showcasing beautifully ornate stitchery and beadwork.
Click here to see our Facebook Photo Album of the retreat.
If you wish you could have been at this retreat, you will definately want to sign up for next year! Contemporary Folk Art Retreat 2012, featuring Sue Spargo and Gwen Marston, will be held at Five Pine Lodge in Sisters (October 19, 20 & 21.) We are currently taking registrations, click here for details!
In addition to the three day retreat, Gwen and Sue will each be teaching one-day workshops at the Stitchin' Post. Gwen will be teaching "Contemporary Medallions in Solids." Sue will be teaching her "Leaf Sampler" workshop.
So guess who signed up for "Leaf Sampler"? That's right, yours truly...
I think Sue had me at hello! ~Tamra
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We had a fantastic Preview Party last weekend! Thanks to everyone who came by the store to register for fall classes (and to wish me a happy birthday...Love you all!)
One of the most talked about quilts of the day was Lawry's new "Hidden Stars" quilt.
This is Lawry's new Saturday Sampler BOM Club, which starts September 10th.
Club members will receive fabric for the star blocks and the alternate squares (the 6 big squares through the center of the quilt.) Club members personalize their quilts by providing fabric for the block backgrounds, fabric for the sashings (shown as blue stripes in the sample above), fabric for setting triangles and for borders.
Club members may choose from two different styles of fabric:
Contemporary or Batik
Meeting dates are on the 2nd Saturday of each month:
Sept 10, Oct 8, Nov 12, Dec 10, 2011
Jan 14, Feb 11, Mar 10, Apr14 and May 12, 2012
(8:30 to 9:15 am)
Other clubs starting in September include:
Folk Art Cat BOM Club with Jackie Erickson
2nd Mondays (1 to 3 pm)
Session 1- Sept 12, Oct 10, Nov 14
Session 2- Dec 12, Jan 9, Feb 13
Session 3- Mar 12, Apr 9, May 14
Heirloom Block of the Month Club with Jackie Erickson
2nd Mondays (4 to 6 pm)
Session 1- Sept 12, Oct 10, Nov 14
Session 2- Dec 12, Jan 9, Feb 13
Session 3- Mar 12, Apr 9, May 14
(picture is from pattern cover, different reproduction fabrics will be included in club packets)
Lucky Charms Club with Tamra Dumolt
3rd Tuesdays (9 am to Noon)
Session 1- Sept 20, Oct 18, Nov 15
Session 2-Dec 20, Jan 17, Feb 21
Session 3- Mar 20, Apr 17, May 15
The special excitement of Autumn in the air, as we get back into the classroom and share memories of Summer with our friends. We hope to see you soon! ~Tamra
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Last week I started a new (not charm pack!) project and decided to take you all on a Quilt Along Adventure, if you are are the adventure-seeking type.
Before she commits to joining me on this project, Jeanne S. has asked to see a picture of the finished quilt~ Honeycomb Hexagon.
Because I don't have a finished quilt yet, this picture is right out of the book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design & Inspiration by Malka Dubrawsky.
I had the pleasure of taking five days of R&R at the beach this week, so I took this new project with me to get started. Packing was easy: stack of fabric, plastic template, a fabric marking pen and cutting supplies (I prefer to use a rotary cutter, a small ruler and small cutting mat, but you could also use scissors.) This is what I have now:
128 colorful hexagons about the size of my hand, with stretched out fingers. These are not teeny, tiny, handsewn, English paper-piecing hexagons! This is a very do-able machine sewn quilt! I still need to cut out 22 cream-colored hexagons, but I just love happy feeling of these colors, without diluting the stack.
By the way, for my charm pack junkies, Jackie has made Stitchin' Post Custom Cut Charm Pack from this group of mixed fabrics. We're calling it "OJ for Breakfast."
I'll keep you posted on progress. Don't forget to subscribe to our Blog's Feed, so you don't miss out on any steps along the way. Happy Sewing!
~Tamra
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So Hillary was concerned that I might get bored working with charm packs from collections. I assured her that I have other projects that keep me sewing!
Here's a new project that may take a little time...
Most of these fabrics are from Joel Dewberry's new fabric line "Heirloom" which arrived last week (remember...I showed it to you!) I've also added in some Valori Wells, Kate Spain, Dena Designs, and a few solids.
The project~ "Honeycomb Hexagon"
From one of my favorite books~ Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design & Inspiration by Malka Dubrawsky
This project poses a challenge to me in the countless Y-seams used to connect the hexagons. I am willing to face that challenge! Anyone willing to Quilt Along? Tamra
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