Hi everyone….I haven’t  been a very faithful blogger laterly……I’m whining about no time. But I do have a photo treat for you to make up for it.  I just returned from a great trip to Scotland so you’ll find a photo journal below of some of the highlights. My friend Susan and I, who are both textile lovers of all kinds, took a group of six friends on this trip which was centered around places of interest for textile fans. We’ve shared a number of textile travel adventures….and it’s always a treat. What could be better….travel, textiles, and great company!

We saw lots of great textile treasures….including the town of Paisley where our favorite paisley shawls were originally manufactured.  I’m not a huge plaid fan….but seeing the tartans woven in the Locharron of Scotland factory was really a treat and made me even reconsider my prior prejudice against plaid! They were truly beautiful and are shipped from there all over the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And speaking of tartans, the Scottish men in their kilts could absolutely not be more handsome. I know it’s hard to believe that men in skirts could look good….but, believe me, they do. And the bagpipes add a certain charm too. We were lucky to come across a weekend bagpiping and Highland dancing competition……and that was really fun. Mostly men…but some women too….of all ages were performing in groups and really entertained us US visitors…and admirers!

Of course we took in all the history and charming country scenes that we could. It’s truly a delightful place to visit and the natives were friendly and helpful. I’m always on the lookout for color and design inspiration when I travel, and I certainly found lots of it there. In fact, we had such a great time and thought there was so many textiles treasures there….we’re planning another trip next year.

In closing…..enjoy a little more of beautiful Scotland….

Here they are……Grama’s Girls (well, actually only two of my three granddaughters) wearing their aprons I made them for Christmas. That’s right…..I actually made five aprons this Christmas. One for each of my granddaughters and one for my each of my too daughter. Now….that may not seem like such a big deal, especially for someone like me who has sewn all her life and works in the fabric world….but that’s just the point. It’s sometimes hard to squeeze in a little sewing just for fun.

I decided to make this “the-year-of-the-apron” and simply made the time….and was delighted with the results. I used my Piccadilly fabric that I designed for Clothworks and it was perfect for the aprons. I used the Little Retro Aprons for Kids pattern by Cindy Taylor Oates which gives several cute variations.

This is Brooklynn.  You’ve met her before, as well as her big sister Josie. I can’t believe she’s in the first grade this year…..where does the time go? Spoken like a true Grama, huh. She’s definitely a fashion fan and I wonder if she’ll grow up to be a designer. Now that would be fun. She loves working in the studio with me as do my other grandchildren as well. She’s kind of a pink girl so the pinks in Piccadilly were perfect for her.

This is her big sister Josie……and a great big sister she is. She loves green like Grama….so her apron, naturally, is green. Josie is very good artist……not that I’m partial or anything. I think creativity does run in families…..and all my grandchildren got a nice healthy dose of it. Their mothers are also creative….but then they’ve all grown up in homes where we just make stuff!  It’s part of our family culture. My mother was a wonderful artist, and I like to think that was a gift I got from her.

 Thanks for indulging me in my periodic Proud Grama Post.  I enjoy sharing when I have created something for them. I just wish it could be more often.

Now, the ironic part of this apron story……I don’t even own an apron myself. My husband has a barbecue apron I do borrow once in awhile, but basically I just ruin a lot of clothes instead of putting on an apron. Silly, huh. For years I thought aprons looked nothing but dorky so I wouldn’t DREAM of wearing one! Who would have known they’d become a fashion statement and I’d be right there on the band wagon!! I wish someone would make me an apron………

Here we are……the start of another new year. I’m always excited by the possibilities ahead and have this giant surge of organizational energy. It’s like a clean slate…….the year will be what we make it.  Hey, I’ve even cleaned my closet already and it’s only January 2!

I refuse to use the term “resolutions”…… I prefer to set goals rather than make promises that don’t last…..for me, anyway. Goals just seem more positive. Even if I don’t make all my goals (Ok, I usually don’t…) it gives me something to focus on.

Personally, one of  my goals is to make time to focus on garment sewing. Thre’s so many great fabrics out there for garments and I love doing it. It’s just making the time.  Exciting news…..I received the Bernina 830 this week and I’m really looking forward to learning all the tricks of this magic machine. I’ve never been really interested in learning machine embroidery in the past…..but at this point I’ve seen so many fabulous things done with it, I’ve been bitten by the bug! I’m actually signed up to take lessons on it….which is a pretty amazing for me. I’m pretty much a jump-in-and-learn-as-I-go kind of girl, but in this case, I’m going to take my time and learn all the fabulous goodies that go with the machine. I’ll keep you posted.

I’m also doing less traveling and teaching and more editing this year. I love teaching, but dragging around 100 pounds of luggage as a traveling teacher is getting a little old. Maybe I should say, I”M getting a little old! I’ll still do some but am cutting down on my road time.

How about you?  Do you have any goals for the new year? There’s something in the January air…….it’s just the right time for thinking about it. And…..don’t forget to write them down. For me, that works sooooo much better. It’s not enough to just think about them. Putting them on paper is an actual committment! Go for it!

 

To all you…….my best wishes for a lovely Holiday and all the joys of the New Year to come. For me, it will be spending the day with my family which I’m very excited about. It’s not often I get them all in the same house for an entire day! What a treat.

In case you can’t decipher it…..the photo is a stylized shot from my tree. Front and center is a Paris ball that I purchased on our family vacation ther last summer. It’s always so fun to remember each ornament as it goes on the tree…..one of my favorite parts of the holidays.

There’s always a nostalgic part of Christmas for me…..remembering those Christmases past with parents who are no longer with us. I think of them often as I grew up in a large family were Christmas was more than a day….it was a total event! Lots of laughter, food, love, and joy. That’s the mood I try to recreate in my own home.

Enjoy the blessings of the seasons. It’s a day that will never come again. There I go, waxing philosophical again. Time to get busy cooking!  Thank you very much for all our support and interest for the past year……See you in the New Year!

 

 

No surprise…… I love bling for Christmas. The more sparkle, the more shine, and more glitz and glamour, the better! I mix gold and silver…..I’m a nondiscriminating bling lover!  I also gather these little glitzy goodies throughout the year….wherever I find them.

Above you see a shot of my living room mantle. I assemble a collection of golden goodies that have come from everywhere…..from the local Goodwill to far-away travels. There’s something  magical about the gold……it makes me feel like I’m living in a magical world….even if I’m just folding clothes on the couch!!  I believe in bringing the work to the decor whenever possible!

My tree is covered with vintage looking shiny ornaments  which I adore. Again, there’s a little sparkle and shine there. My grandchildren love looking at them time and time again. Even though there are hundreds, they know when I’ve added a new one and search each year for the favorites.  When I travel, I try to pick up an ornament wherever I go…..which I’m sure many of you do as well. I just love pulling those out of the box and reliving the trip memories. Even if they suffer a little in the storage (translation: break) I tuck the remaining pieces into the branches. I just can’t bear to throw them away! 

As long as we’re doing the Christmas tour….here’s my dining room table. Glass is another thing that I love using at Christmas time. It’s got that shine and reflection that shimmers when the candles are lit. I always use this red and white quilt on my table this time of year…..it’s one I made probably 15 years ago….but it’s still perfect for Christmas. That’s the great thing about quilts…..they really are timeless.

I collect Santas…. and I display them in the dining room along with the table you see above. I take all the dishes out of the corner cupboard (yuk….the worst part of the job) and replace them with my mix of Santas of all kinds. Once I get them up there…..they stay awhile. I probably put them up in late November and leave them well into January.  As long as they aren’t full time residents in the corner cupboard, I want to leave them there long enough to enjoy. I love stopping as I walk by and remembering where they’ve all come from. Again…I collect them when I travel and as you can see, I have many Jim Shore Santas . I particularly love the way he covers the surface with patterns of all types. My kind of look!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour……have fun with your own holiday decorating. It’s amazing how a few added precious treasures can bring  joy and fun to your home. A word of advice….take a few minutes each day to actually sit down and enjoy them. I’m trying very hard to do that!

Seasons best!

As you can see……my new Piccadilly fabric  line from Clothworks looks great as a top too. More and more of us are doing garment sewing and the big splashy prints, like this one, are great for that.

Wearing the fun and funky top is the darling and delightful Joyce Conkhite from Clothworks. This is a shot of her at Quilt Market in Houston last week…..and obviously she’s having a good time! I’m sure it’s the shirt, aren’t you, Joyce? Why else would she be enjoying herself so thoroughly. I’m not sure who the handsome guy is…..but he was lucky enough to be socializing with Joyce when the photo was taken.

Check out  your favorite quilt shop, and see if they have my Piccadilly line if you want to capture this same look (without the big smile, unfortunately) You can always call Clothworks Textiles and ask them where the closest shop is that has ordered the line. Their number is  1-800-874-0541. Don’t wait too long…..it’s going fast.

Great look, Joyce!

And I’m so pleased with the finished product.  I’m talking about my newest fabric line….Piccadilly. This quilt is made from the collection and I’ll have it available soon as a kit. Keep checking on the Shopping Around page of my website or email me to save you one….just in case.

As you probably know,  I love big bold prints that are stylized rather than primarily realistic. That’s the kind of look I focus on when I’m designing fabric….which I really love to do. I do the preliminary artwork myself…….right her in my home studio. The it’s sent off to Clothworks, the fabric company that I work with. It takes  up to a year from the time I do the artwork until it’s actually on the shelves of your favorite quilt shop.

Here’s a little closer look. I particularly love the combination of the funky green and brown. You can see all the collection in the fabric section of my website.  The fabric business…like many others……is changing or has changed in many cases. In case you haven’t noticed, fabric just isn’t around as long as it used to be. In other words, reordering that gorgeous print you love is often not an option for shops. Many fabric companies aren’t reprinting…even when it’s very popular. They’re moving on to the next new collection that’s coming along. So….the lesson here is that if you love it, you’d better buy it today because when it’s sold out at that shop, you’ll have to hunt around to find it still on the shelf at another shop.

I guess it’s all about adapting to the changes, in fabric like in everything else. Yikes….there I go getting philosophical about fabric. When I start doing that, I know it’s time to sign off for the night. It’s usually late at night before I manage to squeeze in blogging, which means I’m usually tired….and tend toward the philosophical. Even about fabric!!

Signing off for tonight. Check out Piccadilly at your favorite shop. It’s even better in real life!!

And I don’t mean the Wall Street market……although that’s vitally important, I’m talking about the REAL market for this time of year…..International Quilt Market in Houston. Well, I guess that’s only true if you’re involved in the world of quilting and textiles….but for those of us who are, it’s an important time of year.

First of all,  I have to admit I got to market without my camera so you’ll have to put up with words only. Sorry about that…..I always much prefer photos, but……I’ll try to chat a little about it without the visuals this time.

For those of you who might not be familiar (probably lots of you) quilt market is the twice-a-year show where designers and other wholesale vendors go to show their wares to shop owners….and hope to sell to them, of course. What the shop owners order there will eventually show up on the shelves of  their quilt shops but sometimes that takes a while. In the case of fabric, it can be another four months or longer …..but it is coming and it will be new!!

I design fabric for Clothworks Textiles…..and they were showing my new line which will be in the shops in February……Poppies…and, I have to tell you….I LOVE IT!  I’ll get some photos on my blog and website soon…but you can see the whole line on their website at www.clothworkstextiles.com. Now, I want to make this perfectly clear…..I don’t ALWAYS love my fabric collections when they get to this stage, but this one is fabulous. Actually, my fabric for Clothworks is always really great….it feels soft and elegant and their artists do a wonderful job of converting my artwork to fabric. That means a lot to me……if my name is going on the side of it, I want it looking and feeling good. Period. Clothworks never disappoints me with this. Soo….if you love bold and dramatic, check it out on their site.

I also have a new book coming out this month…..Blended Borders which made a grand appearance at market as well. I did a book signing at several booths…..and there were actually folks waiting in line. Of course….there’s something about the lure of a FREE book….but I prefer to think it’s all about the book and not the free part! Truly, I’m very proud of this book too. More to come on that as well.

As far as my overall analysis of it all……I’ve decided that really anything goes….as long as it’s done well. In fabric you can see everything from lovely vintage to hot and retro…and all seems to be popular. Maybe the days of strong trends are gone…..just like in fashion, there seems to be a trend toward variety and I think that’s a good thing. Always fun to see all the goodies, though.

I always enjoy seeing friends from around the country that I don’t get to see any other time. Kind of an old-home-week with lots of work involved! It’s not easy making all that stuff look beautiful. Especially when it’s been shipped from all over the country and smooshed up in boxes and crates.

Ok…I think I hear that my granddaughter has arrived, so I’ll sign off for now. More to come soon. Stay tuned.

OK….I know I’ve been a very bad blogger. Or rather, a very absent blogger. My apologies…..it’s just that I seem to have periods of time now and then when I just can’t get blogging into my schedule. I apologize…….it’s been a busy couple of months. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!

Let’s see what’s been happening……a great summer. Not enough time to enjoy the weather and the grandchildren, but I don’t think I’ll every have ENOUGH time!! One big news…..next month is the release of my latest book…..Blended Borders. The photo above is the cover quilt….how about that for dramatic, huh. I love it. It’s definitely on my short list of favorite pieced quilts I’ve every made. Of course, it’s all about finding the fabulous fabric like this one. For details on how to create a Blended Borders quilt, check out the book when it hits the quilt shops about the middle of October. I’ll have it on my website as well and I’ll be happy to sign if you like.

Also….quilt market is coming up next week so I’ve been busy getting ready for that. It’s a busy time for those of us who work in the business of quilting, but always a great experience. It’s exciting to see what’s coming up in the next year….and I always enjoy seeing the friends I’ve made over the years whom I rarely get to see except at market. I promise to fill you in on any trends I spot or great products when I return.

And…I recently finished up work on a new book coming out next summer. Remember my Bali trip? My friend Susan Nelsen, who was also on the trip, and I are coauthoring a book that combines a fun technique we call Superstrata with the beauty of Bali which was our inspiration for the look of the quilts. Not only did we have a great time on the trip….but working on the book was fun too. Really. I’ve coauthored several books, and have always had a good experience sharing the role of author. Of course, I’ve coauthored with some of my favorite friends so that makes it a pleasure.

Teaching is always part of my routine, and I just got back from a week on the road. I was the featured quilt artist at a great show in Walla Walla, Washington…..and I went from there to a teaching gig in Coupeville, WA. Also a great group….the challenge for me going to that part of the country is dealing with the ferries. For those of you who don’t know the area (probably most of you) Coupeville is on Whidbey Island of the coast of Washington. Very charming…..

And, as always this time of year, we spend lots of time at soccer and fall baseball games watching our grandchildren. All are involved in sports and it’s absolutely one of my very favorite things in the world to do to watch them. A little stressful at times……our grandson is a pitcher (no pressure there for parents and grandparents) but still a joy. All the granddaughters are great soccer players….do I sound like a proud grama? I am.

SOOOO… that kind of wraps up my news….It’s amazing how fast fall arrived, isn’t it. I love the autumn season…but I’m sad that another summer has ended. It’s such a distinct marking of time going by. Ok….I’d better say good night. I’m starting to get philosophical so I know it’s time to call it a night.

I’ll be back soon. Promise.

 

 

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!!!  I’m very excited to announce the release of  the new book I coauthored with my friend Sharyn Craig……Challenge Quilts. It should be arriving at your favorite quilt shop any time now…or, you can order it from my website.

The book is all about breaking out of your  creativity comfort zone and taking a challenge to create your own unique quilt. There are no precise recipes….just great ideas for getting started on making an original quilt.  The idea all began when  I was visiting Sharyn in San Diego and  took her a set of blocks to see what she could come up with. I call her “The Queen of Sets” because there’s nothing she likes better than starting with the blocks and creating a setting to bring them to life.

To make a long story short…. we had such a good time creating a quilt together with the blocks, we decided we HAD to make it a book. We’d toyed around with coauthoring a book before this, but decided we just didn’t have time, didn’t want the commitment etc. etc. etc. Well, that all went out the window when we got exicted about the challenge idea.

Basically,  in the book we’ve given you a specific block and a color scheme or  color idea for the block for eight different challenges….the rest is up to you! it’s your chance to “think out of the box” …..with a little help getting those creative juices flowing. We both felt it was a good jump start to our own creativity so we’re hoping you agree. I’m sure you will! We also invited other quilters to take the challenge…..and there are lots of their quilt photos as well. I think there are 55 quilt photos in the book ……plenty of inspiration.

Here’s a look at two of my quilts and two of Sharyn’s. We started with the same block and used a combination of hand-dyed or batik fabric with vintage-looking fabric in this challenge.. Now that might sound like an odd combination…..but we loved working with it. I discovered a whole new world of vintage looking fabrics out there that I had basically been ignoring for years!  Like I said, the challenge idea really got us thinking differently.

Here’s my quilt Raspberry Salsa….. probably on my own personal list of favorite quilts I’ve pieced over the years.

This is my other quilt for this challenge……Cinnamon Spice. I’m pretty crazy about this one too!

This one, Tequilla Sunrise, is Sharyn’s….all  four of them from the same basic block and designated fabric selections. Quite a difference, huh. That’s the fun of the challenge!

When Sharyn  finished this quilt for the same challenge….I totally fell in love with it. I loved the blended, same-tone look of it…which as you know…..is my favorite look. Sharyn, being the good friend that she is, named it for me  …This One’s for Pam….AND she gave it to me. It has a proud place in my living room and looks fabulous. I think of her each time I walk by it. What a nice bonus.

Isn’t it amazing how some of our quilts look very contemporary and the others have a very vintage look. It all depended on whether the batiks and hand-dyes or the vintage looking fabrics dominated. The possibilities are endless.

That was just a little taste to entice you…..believe me, there are many more great quilts in the book and I’ll show you more in posts to come. Right now….I’d better get on to the next task on my list. Don’t forget now….check out Challenge Quilts….”what if” ideas for color and design   by Sharyn Craig and Pamela Mostek.