eQuilter Blog

Our of all the beautiful creative quilts that I saw at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK, this group quilt is one that sticks in my mind. It is simple, charming, you might say it is an example of folk art, but the message is very powerful.

This is the “Climate and Nature Quilt” by the Somerset Crafty Quilters, designed by Kate Spooner, with 22 people who designed and made all the blocks.

The quilt states:
Together we can reduce climate change and restore nature.

In the bottom border:
Small changes make a difference.

Artist statement:
The climate and nature crisis can often feel overwhelming and something that only governments and big business can fix. We hope that this quilt will inspire individuals to do more, and recognize that together we can have a positive impact.

Every block has a different action that we can take to fight climate change, waste, and pollution. At the moment, the UK is ahead of the US on this topic. I didn’t encounter a single piece of single-use plastic while I was there, which just seemed miraculous….and inspirational.

Sharing our passion for fabric,
Luana & Paul

Subscribe to my artist website.
www.luanarubin.com

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Sept 12 – SAQA “Camouflage” reception – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – Tucson AZ
Oct 9-12 – Houston Quilt Festival – Soul Stories
Nov 2-6 – Art Quilt Tahoe – Independent Study
Nov 7-10 – Sacred Threads – Indianapolis – Art & Activism lecture
Nov 21-23 – Taiwan Quilt Festival – Taipei

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Returning from the UK, I had a bit of a rough landing. Our beloved 2 year old pup Rosie had emergency surgery the night before I flew home, I had to jump through hoops with my quilt at Heathrow security, and then our backup freezer failed in the 100 degree heat and I had to throw out all the contents. Sheesh!

However, I had such a beautiful trip (and gorgeous weather!), and spent time with so many wonderful people, and photographed so many amazing quilts…that warm glow is going to stay with me for a long time. I am working on editing photos and will have those to share with you soon. I hope all of you had the chance to attend a quilt event this summer, to inspire your autumn quilt-making.

Next week when I am back in the studio, I have 2 quilts I am finishing, and then I am starting 2 new quilts. I’ve decided to work on 2 or 3 quilts at a time, so I have continuity in my projects. I have one up on the design wall while I am stitching on another. Maybe another on my paint table at the same time. Do you like to work on one project at a time, or do you move back and forth between projects?

I want to give you a challenge for the Fall season. Find someone who has less experience than you, and offer to teach them a technique. We have a lot of new quilters who have discovered our world of stitching since the pandemic. Give them a hand up and share something you love. Your enthusiasm is a spark of inspiration that you can pass on to someone else!

Even though we’ve had some 100 degree days here, I know the students are coming back to the university here in a week, and maybe your kids or grandkids are headed back to school soon. Start planning for some ‘me’ time with your sewing machine in the next few weeks! Do you need new needles, thread, batting, books or magazines? We are stocked up and ready to serve your needs.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Sept 12 – SAQA “Camouflage” reception – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – Tuscon AZ
Oct 9-12 – Houston Quilt Festival – Soul Stories
Nov 2-6 – Art Quilt Tahoe – Independent Study
Nov 7-10 – Sacred Threads – Indianapolis – Art & Activism lecture
Nov 21-23 – Taiwan Quilt Festival – Taipei

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Artist Blog, Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Just a quick hello from the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK, where the quilt exhibit is wrapping up Sunday afternoon. I have photographed the show and will be sharing photos after I fly home on Wednesday.

I am returning full of creative juice, after viewing all different types of quilts, seeing so many kinds of textile techniques, and sharing coffee or meals with a variety of quilting geniuses. I especially like coming to this show because one sees quilts that are so different from what is happening in the US.

The star of the show was the huge textile mural “Cossack Mamay” by the Ukrainian Quilts Association. This huge piece is in several panels, and full of symbolic details. It expresses hope for a peaceful future. The topic of war weighs heavy on those attending the event, and wherever mothers and grandmothers gathered, a desire to end the wars and in particularly the suffering of children, was a constant topic of conversation.

There was a Pakistani wedding tonight in the ballroom of our hotel. We sat in the lobby bar and watched all the dazzling ladies come in, wearing layers of silk, beads, embroidery and sequins. The parade of lavish textiles was the perfect wrap-up of a week full of art, design, and beauty.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
Sept 12 – SAQA “Camouflage” reception – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – Tuscon AZ
Oct 9-12 – Houston Quilt Festival – Soul Stories
Nov 2-6 – Art Quilt Tahoe – Independent Study
Nov 7-10 – Sacred Threads – Indianapolis – Art & Activism lecture
Nov 21-23 – Taiwan Quilt Festival – Taipei

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

See Luana’s Artist Blog, Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, comment on our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Good morning –  I am writing to you from Birmingham in the UK, where the Festival of Quilts is opening tomorrow. I woke up very early and for some reason checked the BBC and saw the surreal news of the earthquake and possible tsunamis in the Pacific Basin. By the time you read this we will know what waves hit what countries and states, so I am just hoping all of our friends and customers in the potentially affected areas are staying safe.

It brings back memories of the tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011. In partnership with Mission of Love, we collected 3500 donated comfort quilts that were eventually delivered to a devastated coastal community in Japan.  In the US as the popularity and community of quilters has grown over the decades, we see local quilt groups stepping up to send comfort quilts to local/state disasters such as fires, hurricanes and flooding. These local and state quilt guilds often meet regularly to sew quilts that are destined to be distributed during emergencies. This is part of why we love being part of the quilting community who are so generous and compassionate.

Here in Birmingham, I arrived 2 days early to hand-deliver my quilt for the exhibit, and to take a class. I got to see the first day of setup when I dropped off my quilt, which is always fascinating. A crew of workers were constructing the walls, and another crew of quilt wranglers followed them, sorting and hanging the quilts. Today the exhibiters are setting up their galleries and booths…..here the vendors are in ‘stands’ full of threads, embellishments, patterns, etc. 

Starting Thursday I will be attending the awards ceremony, and then photographing the quilts over the next few days. I look forward to sharing those photos with you soon! There is an army of judges combing through the exhibit today. I had dinner with one of them last night and we always have an interesting conversation comparing quilt festivals on different continents.

I am showing my quilt “Kubota’s Dream” that was made for the Kyoto Quilt Festival. If you are coming to the show, I’ll be spending time with my quilt to meet several of you. It is in the Pictorial category, so look out for the quilt with Mount Fuji!