eQuilter Blog

It has been a busy and inspiring week here in Colorado. On Wednesday I visited the new studio for Quilting Arts TV. We have been a sponsor (and sometimes guest) since 2008, supporting the growth of the art quilting movement. We hope that this popular PBS show will continue, but we have concerns about recent cuts to funding.

Friday I flew to Durango for the opening reception of the SAQA “Balance” exhibit, and it was delightful to see many of the artists in attendance. SAQA is another organization we have supported for many years, as the art quilt movement has matured into a brilliant fine art movement represented in museums and galleries around the world.

I am happy that my “Stardust Mothers” will be traveling in this exhibit for a couple years, so more of you can hopefully see it in person. As with all textile art, you have to see it in person to see all the details. It will be at the Durango Art Center through August 30.

I’ve had a lot of questions from visitors about the materials and techniques used in my recent art quilts. I’ve been painting Evolon for my background layer, and using a lightweight paper-backed fusible called Gentle Fuse for my fused batik applique. I use the 12″ wide Gentle Fuse in my Silhouette Cameo digital cutting machine, and strips of Misty Fuse to make my quilt ‘sandwich’. If you are coming to the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham in a couple weeks, you can see the Japanese-themed quilt “Kubota’s Dream” which uses all of these techniques.

The Hoffman Challenge fabrics are here, and it is one of my favorite challenge collections: PURPLE BATIKS! You must use 5 fabrics from the challenge collection, to qualify for entry. I am so excited about these beautiful batiks…I plan to make an entry for the first time this year.

Stay cool out there – and keep stitching.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 27 – Aug 6 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
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.

This weekend I am excited to share that I’ve been invited to come to the Taiwan Quilt Festival in Taipei. The event is November 21-23. I will be the featured artist and speaker, giving a lecture on International Quilt Trends on that Saturday night. More details will be forthcoming. You will see I have shared their announcement on my personal Facebook page.

In fact I spent quite a bit of time in Taiwan….in the late 1980s. Back then I was flying business class on Pan Am, from New York to Taipei. I think I spent a total of six months there over several years. Each trip was about a month long, working to develop a collection in a factory. Many of my friends from Hong Kong had moved there, and I especially enjoyed visiting the museums. I’ll have to brush up on my Mandarin between now and then!

In case you missed my Wednesday e-newsletter, the Hoffman Challenge fabrics came in this week, and it is one of my favorite challenge collections:
PURPLE BATIKS!

You can find yardage and fat quarter bundles here. You will be tempted to join the challenge this year. I like to work with batiks and hand-dyes in my own work, because of their dense weave and smooth hand.

Hoffman’s high quality batiks are always a pleasure to work with, and we have a new fat quarter packet with their ever-popular batik dots.

Stay cool out there – and keep stitching.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 18 – SAQA “Balance” opening reception in Durango, CO
July 27 – Aug 6 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
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.

We have just received the Hoffman Challenge fabrics, including a fat quarter bundle. It is already selling out fast, so if you miss out on this first shipment, contact customer service to let you know when it is back in stock. The challenge batiks this year are PURPLE!

Today I am sharing another beautiful quilt from Quilt Canada, in the category we sponsored.

“Finding Strength in the Lion’s Heart”
by Lise Belanger

Artist Statement:
“In times of uncertainty, we can all channel the courage of a lion. Their strength and unwavering spirit remind us that we possess the same resilience within. As we navigate these challenges, let us embrace our inner lions, standing strong and brave, ready to face whatever comes our way.”

Raw edge applique, trapunto, machine quilted.

I appreciate Lise’s reminder that we can find inspiration and strength, and even healing, in the spirit of wild animals. Indigenous people around the world understand this connection to Nature. Instead of fearing the lion, we can choose to embrace the fierce wild spirit.

As Mary Oliver wrote in her poem “The Summer Day”…..

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

Next week on Friday July 18, I will be at the opening reception for the SAQA “Balance” exhibit in Durango Colorado. It will be from 4-6 pm at the Durango Arts Center, 802 East 2nd Ave.

My “Stardust Mothers” is hanging in this show. If you missed at the DAR Museum in Wash DC last year, you can see it in this show which will travel to several venues.

Sharing our passion for fabric,
Luana

Subscribe to my artist website.
www.luanarubin.com

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 18 – SAQA “Balance” opening reception in Durango, CO
July 27 – Aug 6 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
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

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.

We have fond memories of 4th of July fireworks in Boulder over the years. The kids and I, and often my mother, had a favorite spot on a grassy little hill next to an ice cream shop. We would get there early, stake out our spot with lawn chairs and a picnic quilt, and then everybody had a double scoop while we waited for the sky to darken. Due to wildfire concerns, the fireworks were permanently cancelled in 2024. Mom, and the ice cream shop are gone….but the memory lives on in our hearts. Instead of fireworks at the CU stadium, this year Boulder had Phish concerts. I stayed home and watched the new season of “Gilded Age” with Paul.

Other communities had drone light shows, with complex patterns and images pulsating in the sky. I have heard there are now drone clubs who get together to practice these multiple-drone flying light displays. Drone shows are considered sustainable compared to fireworks because after the show they are packed up, batteries recharged, to be used again thousands of times. Instead of relying on explosives that can be loud, polluting, and pose safety risks, these shows utilize swarms of drones equipped with vibrant LED lights to create colorful aerial performances. If you have pets, you know it is distressing to our furry friends. It is also traumatic for wildlife (birds!) and humans with PTSD. So I have an open attitude towards making new traditions for the holiday.

This is a different kind of long holiday weekend, but I am using the time to work on some projects in the studio. I am working on finishing 3 quilts, and 3 other quilts are being shipped off this week. When it is sizzling outside, it’s a good time to stay inside and finish some projects!

Stay cool out there – and keep stitching.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Subscribe to my artist blog here.

Travel/Lecture Dates:
July 18 – SAQA “Balance” opening reception in Durango, CO
July 27 – Aug 6 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
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

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.