Tomorrow we’re off to France! Yeah! Believe it or not, I’m not taking my computer (that means it’s a real vacation) so I probably won’t be blogging until I get home but I promise to have lots of photos and tales to share.
 Of course, there’s always the chance I’ll stumble into an internet cafe and I’ll be compelled to blog……we’ll see!
 Like I said earlier, I’ll be watching for antique textiles. I’ll share photos of my finds.
 Until after May 14……Au revoir!
Here’s a little color information I just couldn’t resist sharing…..especially since I know many of you are color lovers like me.
 There are no words in the dictionary that rhyme with….orange, purple, and silver.
How’s that for totally useless color trivia. Try tossing that out at the next less-than-exciting party you’re at……great to fill in the lulls in conversation.
Sorry….IÂ couldn’t resist.
It’s always fun to see news about the quilting world in the mainstream press or on television news.
The big show in Paducah is going on this week so it’s good timing to see a blurb about the town and show in the NY Times. You can check it out at
Scroll on down and you’ll find the article. By the way…if you haven’t been to the show at Paducah, it’s really worth putting on your short list of places you have to visit.
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Isn’t that a charming alley way? Charming….but not a typical alley view here in the US. That’s because it’s a French alley photo from my last trip to France. And…..the great news is I’M GOING AGAIN!
 Do you get the idea that I love everything French? Actually, I love traveling to any new environment and seeing things that are not what I see back home. I always come home with great photos, found goodies….and most off all, a huge shot of inspiration
As a designer I feel it’s vital to get out and see stuff…nature, architecture, people, food, antiques….basically, everything. You can’t come up with great ideas very often just staying in your own close environment. Of course, it helps if you also have the “wander lust gene”….which I very thankfully inherited from my beloved parents who, before their death, thrived on travel.
This time I’m going almost, but not quite totally, just for fun. My husband and I are renting a house in the south of France with four other couples….and we’re looking forward to relaxing and soaking up the culture.
As usual, I will be on the hunt for vintage textiles…whether it’s in shops, street markets or wherever. Even though that’s work related, looking for them is a passion of mine so it’s not really work!
We’ll be visiting street markets whenever we have the chance. No matter what you’re after from figs to fabrics, you can usually find it! The photo below is from a typical street market. Looks like fun, huh!
 
A collection of my art quilts are currently on exhibit at The Artist’s Tree in Spokane, WA……for those of you who may be in the vicinity. They will be there until April 26.
I’ve included a number of smaller pieces that I’ve mounted on painted, stretched canvas……which works well for that size. I love handstitching on these small ones. It’s fun to create a variety of patterns and sizes of stitches….which is something you can’t do as well with a machine.
The address of the gallery is 828 W. Sprague Avenue in Spokane. If you’re in the neighborhood, I hope you’ll stop by. Of course, if you’re on the other side of the country and feel like a quick flight to check it out…..that’s OK too!
Here’s another example of the small, mounted pieces. I really like the light, subtle shades in this one. Most of the hand dyed fabrics in both of these pieces are done by Anna Turner of Spokane…..a really awesome dyer!
I’m very excited about the opportunity to teach this summer at Quilting by the Lake in Morrisville, New York. I will be a member of the faculty during the second week, July 28-August 1.
For those of you who may not be familiar with QBL, it’s a two-week long nationally and internationally recognized quilting event….with classes, lectures, a quilt show, vendors and other programs that make a show like this such a fabulous opportunity for quilters of all levels and interests to be a part of.
I’ll be teaching two classes….one will be a three-day class, Compose, Collage, and Stitch…..which will focus on creating your own individual style of collage quilt and adding a final layer of stitching to enhance the designs.
Students may work representationally as you can see from this example.
Or….students may prefer to work abstractly…it’s all up to them. We’ll talk about developing your own personal style….while at the same time stretching ourselves a little and getting out of our easy, comfort zones.
I’ll also be teach a two-day class focusing on color and color blending…..Painting with Pieces. Just as a painter uses a brush and paint, we’ll use fabric to soften and blend colors to create the look we’re after. It’s a great class for developing and honing our skills in working with colors.
Here’s a look at the quilt we’ll be making….or your own variation of it.
 Those of you out there who may be considering it…..it promises to be a fabulous experience, and I’d love to have you in class! For more information on Quilting by the Lake, you can check out their website at
If I can  answer any questions about my classes, just email me on my website.
Let me introduce you to Edi Dobbins. For the past seven years, since I’ve been designing, writing, and teaching in the quilting world, Edi has been my absolutely indispensable right-hand girl. We call her my seamstress….but she’s much more than that. She’s really my assistant.
 The quilt behind her in the photo is one of soooo many she’s pieced for me….and quite expertly too. Believe me, my points don’t look nearly that good!
Primarily her job is to do much of the sewing for the commercial quilts that I design for books, magazines, patterns etc. She does that…and she does it brilliantly. Over the years she has learned to decipher my notes ( I get worse and worse about giving her good instructions as she gets better and better about figuring out what I mean!) and stitch up the projects….but it’s more than that. She’s learned what I like…and what I don’t like. What I’m particular about…and what I’m not. It’s not unusual for her to give me a call when she’s working on a project I’ve designed, and tell me I’d better get over to her house…where she sews…Â and take a look…..she doesn’t think I’m going to like it. And you know what, she’s almost always right. We’ll sit down in front of her design wall and decide what’s wrong….and what’s right. Then she makes the changes.
But that’s just part of what she does for me….she’s helped man my booth at shows including being a super-salesperson at quilt market, cut kits, taught my designs, and been an enthusiastic supporter and advocate.
 She’s listened to me talk to groups so many time, I tell her she might as well get up and do it herself. She has been known to give me a few gentle reminders from the back of the room when she hears I’m forgetting something important. Thank goodness….I’ve always been grateful for her taking care of me….I need that, and she does it so well and with such good humor!
Typical Edi would be to go into a quilt shop while she’s traveling and ask if they have books, fabric, or patterns by Pam Mostek. If they don’t, she acts so surprised and says they really should carry them. After all, her work is wonderful, she might add. And I’m sure she does that with a straight face…..Of course, she doesn’t mention that she’s my friend and helper!
Most importantly I love the fact that I can always count on her for enthusiasm, positive input and plain ol’ dependability. IÂ know that when I turn it over to her, it will be done well and on time. She’ll problem-solve it until it works…..and that means plenty of late night sewing!
One of my favorite Edi stories is about the time I thought I had lost four embellished quilts after doing a quilt show. I won’t spend time telling you how totally distressed I was (No, not me….!) because I needed those quilts to lecture from and they would have to be replaced. After searching everywhere….I called her to tell her my miserable tale and see if she could get started piecing some of the replacements. I forgot she was in Arizona visiting her son….but I remember her response.
“We’ll just do what we have to do. I’ll get started as soon as I get home.”…..Whew! What a relief that was to hear her calm sense of reason. Oh, by the way…I found the quilts. Crisis averted!
Besides her help with my business, she has also become a very special friend. We’ve hashed and rehashed all the pitfalls of life…including children, grandchildren, husbands, quilting, gardening…..you name it, and we’ve undoubtedly kicked it around in her sewing room!
Right now my friend Edi is very sick. She’s in the fight of her life, and she’s handling it with her usual determination and grace. My thoughts and prayers are always with her……
 Here are a few of my favorite quilts she’s pieced for me……but there are many, many more to say the least. Enjoy them!
You know how I love receiving photos of finished projects from my students. It’s one of my favorite rewards of teaching….finally getting to see the finished product. Here are several more great examples……there’s a problem with the first one, however……I’ve managed to delete the name of the maker!
Help! If this is your quilt…or if you know whose it is, I’d love including the name along with the photo. My apologies….don’t ask me how I managed to save the photo but not the name….but somehow I did. A computer wizard I am not….in fact just doing my blog is a great accomplishment!
Sensation Sunflowers
This is the mystery quilt…or rather who is the mystery maker? It’s a great quilt….and an example of my Painting with Pieces technique.She did a very nice job of blending colors to create the blended effect.
Charlotte Freeman …..Ridgecrest, CA
This bold and exciting quilt is a great example of my Blended Border technique. I love her choice of fabric……Koi that are stitched on the border to create the blended effect. Very nice job!
 
And it was a great one! I taught a collage workshop this weekend in Moscow, Idaho…..and my students really did a fabulous job…. and by the end of the two-day class they were all well on their way to creating a collage quilt that is uniquely their own.
I always enjoy teaching this class as it is often times something new for my students, and it’s so fun for me to see their progress….and to watch them discover that “this is fun!”
It is a different approach to making a quilt. They actually experiment with creating an art quilt, and, that is often a new experience. No piecing…..(kind of scarey stepping out of that familiar territory!) ….just cutting pieces with a scissors and positioning them on our design wall of batting.
Everyone starts with boxes, sacks, and stacks of fabrics…although they can be small pieces. After all…you can never have enough choices when it comes to finding just the right piece of fabric. And it doesn’t have to be cotton….anything shiny, slick, or mysterious will work and is often the perfect touch. I particularly love seeing all the exotic fabrics that students haul into class! Pure heaven for a fabriholic like me!! And…we never worry about the chaos of fabric until we’re done…..being creative and tidy at the same time is a total contradiction for many of us (like me!)
Two great pieces in progress!
 When the cutting, designing, and pinning are complete….at last we get to the sewing machine. Keep checking….when the students send a photo of their finished collage quilt, I’ll put them in the gallery on my blog.
 
And I can’t wait to see it! My newest fabric collection, French Flowers from RJR Fabrics, should arrive in the quilt shops in March 2008.
 You can see the entire collection on the RJR website…..it will be up on my site soon.
http://www.rjrfabrics.com/fabrics/coming_soon_detail.cfm?coming_soonID=50
The collection was inspired by my trip to France on a wonderful textile tour where we saw so many gorgeous vintage textiles…..and…contrary to many of our preconceived images….those designers from yesterday were not afraid of color! Instread of subdued and middle-toned colors, we saw vibrant purples, oranges, acid yellows, and, so many fabulous reds.
Those beautiful colors were the inspiration for the colors in this line. I was especially taken by the red-on-red prints….where there were red motifs (often flowers, leaves, and vines…but stylized) on a different shade of red background. Kind of unusual by our fabric standards today.
 I knew I wanted to recreate that overall red look….and you’ll see it in the line. Along with a background of black with red flowers and a gorgeous burgandy background with rich, royal purples. Absolute delicious.
I’ll have several kits on my website using the fabric….as soon as it arrives on my doorstep we can make the kits available.
