I’ve just finished up
a few days at the
quilt festival in Nantes France, enjoying my visits with quilters from all
over France, all over Europe, and all over the world! What a great joy it is to
share our passion for fabric, color and stitching. It is also so interesting to
see the local color palette preferences, alongside Dutch, and other European
color palettes represented among the vendors. We had fascinating discussions
about how local weather and landscapes affect the various local color
preferences.
Each year the Color Marketing Group (CMG) collaborates on updated color
palettes for North America, South America, Asia and Europe. I feel like N
America and Europe tend to be more conservative, and S American and Asia tend
to be more adventurous. It is always interesting to compare these global color
trends, to the color trends I see at quilt exhibits around the world. We
certainly see this at eQuilter – that our overseas customers tend to order a
different color palette than our US customers. Color trends can start on one
continent and then bounce across the ocean to another continent, influencing
design decisions not only in textiles, but also home dec, car finishes, graphic
design, house paint and flooring. (I’ll be attending the CMG conference again
in November.)
eQuilter sponsored the QuiltCon exhibit at this Pour l’Amour du Fil event, and
this Modern Quilt exhibit was packed with enthusiastic admirers every time I
walked by. My talk on International Quilt Trends was translated into French by
the show organizer Carol, and the video will be online soon.
My curator friend from the US Embassy in Rome flew in to spend the week with
me, and we had a fun dinner with Kathy Doughty one night. (The American
designer for Free Spirit who lives in Sydney Australia.) It was fun to get to
know her better. Kathy’s booth was mobbed every time I walked by. We have a
parallel history working in the design industry in NYC in the 80s. I got a
little sneak peek of the line she is putting together for Fall Quilt Market in
Houston, and we definitely agree on some specific color trends for 2020…a
certain shade of Green in particular!
I’ll be in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, visiting with Parisian quilters and
visiting Notre Dame. Watch for my Midweek Creative Nudge e-newsletter Weds
morning.
When you receive this newsletter, I will somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, on my way to the Pour l’Amour du Fil quilt festival in Nantes France. My power point lecture “International Quilt Trends” is Friday at noon, so I hope to meet many of our French quilter friends there! In a week I will be meeting with quilters in Paris, and visiting Notre Dame.
Last weekend we hosted our Charity Sewing Group, and we had a group of students from CU Boulder chapter of ‘Engineers Without Borders’ come to give a presentation about their work in Nepal. They will be making another trip this summer, and we will be sending another batch of colorful quilts to be distributed to those in need. The last few trips the quilts have been distributed to mothers with new infants in remote mountain villages, who lost their homes to the earthquake. By EWB building clean water sources in these remote villages, it allows girls to attend school instead of spending their days hauling water.
I am also in touch with Kathy Price from Mission of Love. We will be sending fabrics to the Pine Ridge Girls School (on the reservation in South Dakota) to support a new sewing program for these Native American girls. She is filling up a 53 foot trailer with humanitarian aid, school supplies, and donated comfort quilts for the girls. They are looking for an industrial sewing machine to make tipees. The trailer is being filled up in the Youngstown Ohio area, and then will be transported to Pine Ridge, which as you may know is one of the poorest counties in the USA.
If you would like to donate a quilt for one of these projects to help girls and mothers, you can drop off a quilt at eQuilter in person by May 10, or you can ship quilts directly to Mission of Love to arrive by May 15. (Be sure to get a tracking number for confirmation – they are too busy to send receipts when delivered.)
Mission of Love 2054 Hemlock Ct Youngstown OH 44515
I am sharing a photo of our Charity Sewing Group, showing off the quilts they have created for these projects. The floral frame is a collage with current flower prints at eQuilter. These are the kinds of floral fabrics that are much beloved for Mothers Day gifts…and loved by the mothers in Nepal and Pine Ridge too.
We thank our Sewing Group for their heartfelt generosity, and the beautiful comfort quilts they have made over the last 2 years!
sharing your Passion for Fabric… Luana and Paul
**************** Luana’s Travel Calendar: Apr 23-29 – Nantes France (lecture Fri 4/26) Apr 29-30 – Paris May 16-19 – Quilt Market May 24-25 – Dairy Barn – Quilt National Opening – Athens OH June 11-15 – Quilt Canada Ottawa – (lecture Fri 6/14)
eQuilter Classroom: June 27-30 – Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli – Altar Quilts & Embellished Garments Workshops July 11-14, 2019 – Cindy Lohbeck – Shibori, Ice-Dyeing and Ombre Dyeing Workshops Oct 8-10 – Jacqueline de Jonge – eQuilter Classroom
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Posted inCharity, Quilts, Travel|Comments Off on Creative Nudge – Flowers for Mothers
This 45″ x 64″ Free Quilt Pattern captures a dream world in the quiet of the night, illuminating dancing balls of energy, and dramatic tree silhouettes.
Order
the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our
thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your
Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the
pattern.
Some of you may remember that Paul’s family lived in Hawaii, and we traveled there to see them for 20 years. Now that they are gone we have not been back, but we still dream of ukulele music, fresh pineapple, tropical flowers and mild sea breezes. I miss seeing the Japanese brides in frothy dresses posing in Waikiki. I miss seeing the sinewy brown surfers with colorful boards tucked under their arms. We miss snorkeling with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Laura at Hanauma Bay at dawn. And of course, I miss seeing the beautiful Hawaiian quilt displays there.
What you may not know is that my name is Hawaiian. (Luana – rhymes with Iguana.) My dad was in the Navy in Hawaii in the 50s, and somehow that led to my name….which I’ve found out is common in Italy, Brazil and Africa. Then I married a guy who grew up in Detroit, but whose parents retired on Oahu. Funny how those things happen.
When I took my first Hawaiian quilt class in the 90s, the teacher got mad because I wanted to use batiks and hand-dyes instead of solids for the class project. She threatened to kick me out if I used anything but solids. I already had lots of experience with sewing and applique after working in the garment industry, so I was already thinking about designing a new kind of Hawaiian quilt back then. This was one of my first encounters with the Quilt Police. Back then they dominated the quilting world. Thank goodness today quilters are encouraged to explore, create, sew spontaneously, and be adventurous with color and fabric choices!
My goal 20 years ago when we started this business, was to support quilters in finding their own unique creative voice, and inspiring more adventurous use of color. The artists and workshops we are bringing into our eQuilter Classroom are an extension of that vision – to assist you in opening up your own extraordinary perception rather than just copying a pattern. We want to see what you make next!
This generous 68″ x 76″ quilt starts with a gorgeous digital panel, divided into windowpanes with 3 shades of Hoffman Hand-Dyes and a Kona Solid Black. Then create this 2-part clever border with the lusciously detailed stripe coordinate.
Order
the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our
thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your
Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the
pattern.
Often we don’t appreciate what we have until it is lost. Many of us felt this as we watched 850 year old Notre Dame burning yesterday. Today there are hundreds of millions of Euros/Dollars pledged for her rebuilding, but it is still painful to see the photos of the smoldering wreckage where the roof collapsed. So many of us here shed tears along with Parisians, as we watched those surreal images.
Next week I am traveling to Nantes in France, to speak at the quilt festival there. This trip takes on a new meaning after the fire in Paris. I’ve decided to tack on an extra two days to extend my layover in Paris, to go visit Notre Dame and give my support. For my quilt friends in Paris, please contact me so we can meet while I am there.
I visited Paris for the first time in 1987, and the first place we visited on the first morning was Notre Dame. It is hard to put into words how I felt when I entered that huge vault of history…it’s like traveling back in time and hearing the whispers of those who have gone before. We don’t have anything like it in the US, and I have to say the next few times I visited Paris and Notre Dame, it was more crowded and not quite the same. I thank my lucky stars that I’ve been able to see many of the great wonders of the world before they were engulfed by the waves of tourists that line up and roll through the most famous sites. When I was younger I would always climb the spire, the dome, the tower, the crown of the Statue of Liberty…many things my kids will not experience. So I take photos and write about my experience, so I can share with others.
Some of you may wish to collect fabrics with images and motifs about Paris and France. Having spent so much time there over the decades, I am also attracted to these fabrics. I keep them in stock because I know many of you love them also! There is something about waking up in the City of Light, having a *real* French Croissant and Cafe au Lait, and setting out on the cobblestones to take in the charm, the style, and the beauty of a morning in Paris, that one never forgets.
Sophie’s high school theater group just finished their run of Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo, who also wrote Hunchback of Notre Dame. His book literally saved Notre Dame when it was in ruins. So she will be rebuilt once again.
With Mothers Day coming up, perhaps there is a quilt idea for you, mixed with the flowers of France. From the Roses of Paris, to the Sunflowers of Provence, France has been a great inspiration to my sewing and quiltmaking.
sharing your Passion for Fabric… Luana and Paul
****************
eQuilter Classroom & Travel Calendar: April 20 – Charity Sewing Group – EWB Nepal Presentation – RSVP Apr 23-29 – Nantes France (lecture Fri 4/26) May 16-19 – Quilt Market May 24-25 – Dairy Barn – Quilt National Opening – Athens OH June 11-15 – Quilt Canada Ottawa – (lecture Fri 6/14) June 27-30 – Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli – Altar Quilts & Embellished Garments Workshops July 11-14, 2019 – Cindy Lohbeck – Shibori, Ice-Dyeing and Ombre Dyeing Workshops Oct 8-10 – Jacqueline de Jonge – eQuilter Classroom Oct 17-22 – Polar Bear Tour – REGISTER NOW!
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Posted inArt, Museum, Travel|Comments Off on Creative Nudge – Our Lady – Notre Dame
This adorable 56″ x 56″ quilt features Bunnies, Kitties and Baby Farm Animals in a generous size that could be a Playmat, a Nap Quilt, and eventually a coverlet for a Youth Bed. The soft colors are soothing, to gently encourage a sleepyhead to nestle in with all the charming baby critters.
Order
the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our
thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your
Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the
pattern.
Oh boy, we are just having too much fun in our eQuilter classroom this weekend, with Jean Wells teaching a 3-day workshop for FRCQ. The class is FULL so there are a lot of sewing machines whirring, rotary cutters spinning, and gasps of general textile gaiety. By the end of the 2nd day here, we’re having spontaneous giggles and playful experimentation. Sophie is here as a personal shopping assistant for those brave enough to go out into the fabric warehouse. Every time we host an event, I feel re-committed to the Healing Power of Creativity, as Mama Bear and Fairy Fabric Godmother. We are all in the Zone together.
This week I wrote a Blog Post about Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli, who is coming here for 2 workshops in June. I included lots of photos so you can see more of her work. Jane is in Australia right now, teaching at the quiltfest in Melbourne. She is having a special Solo Exhibit at Houston this year, so come and join us this summer before she gets too famous and is booked up for years in advance…if you love Frida Kahlo’s artwork, Guadalupe and Day of the Dead traditions, you’ll love Jane’s style!
I also suggest that if you want to get into Cindy Lohbeck‘s amazing Ice-Dyeing, Ombre and Shibori classes in July, you snag your space soon! I met Cindy on Quilting Arts TV, and was just blown away by her Ice-Dyeing and Tie-Dyeing techniques, which is why Sophie and I will both be in her FOUR one-day workshops too.
Don’t forget that we have a corporate discount at the hotel just down the road. There is a link at the bottom of each workshop detail page. Boulder is a hot spot for tourists in the summer, so you might want to tack on a day or two up at the Rocky Mountain National Park above Estes Park. The longer I live here, the more blessed I feel, to live in such a beautiful place. But if you want to stay at this convenient hotel, you will need to book soon, because they book up in advance over the summer months.
My next trip is to the quilt festival in Nantes France! I am giving my “International Quilt Trends” power point lecture on Friday April 26, and I hope to see some of you there. I will also be giving this presentation at the Quilt Canada event in Ottawa in June. I keep my finger on the pulse of the big and small quilt trends, by going to quilt exhibits around the world and taking photos. If you can’t make it to my lectures, you can review my quilt photos on my photo pages here.
sharing your Passion for Fabric… Luana and Paul
********
eQuilter
Classroom & Travel Calendar:
Apr 20 – Charity Sewing Day – EWB Nepal Presentation – Please RSVP
Apr 23-29 – Nantes France (lecture Fri 4/26)
May 16-19 – Quilt Market
May 24-25 – Dairy Barn – Quilt National Opening – Athens OH
June 11-15 – Quilt Canada Ottawa – (lecture Fri 6/14)
June 28-30 – Jane
Tenorio-Coscarelli workshop – Embellished Garments & Alter Quilts –
eQuilter Classroom
July 11-14, 2019 – Cindy
Lohbeck – Shibori,
Ice-Dyeing and Ombre Dyeing Workshops @ eQuilter
4 Classes $50 each – $80-$100 Materials Fee
Oct 8-10 – Jacqueline de Jonge – eQuilter Classroom
Oct 17-22 – Polar
Bear Tour – REGISTER NOW for $1000 eQuilter Discount
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Posted inClasses, Travel|Comments Off on Fabriholic Festivities
This exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern features one of our most beloved digital panels – with a lovely green dragon inviting you to go for a ride – in a gorgeous flower-filled meadow. Butterflies and Fairies are fluttering among the blossoms, and this detailed panel is set in a pieced border with 4 Hoffman Hand-Dyes.
You’ll bring an aura of magic and mystery to any room where this 60″ x 53″ hangs on the wall, or perhaps you’d like to make a Nap Quilt that will take you flying on dreams of legend and myth?
Order
the pattern as configured, or customize it to your liking with any of our
thousands of fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your
Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the
pattern.
She was wearing the most amazing embellished coat, and
floral headpiece, and I just had to know more about what she was wearing!
So I followed her, found out she made and embellished the
coat, and that she teaches classes on Embellished Garments. Cool!
Then I followed her back to her booth and saw her Altar
Quilts. Wow! This was an idea I had been thinking about, but here she already
had a series of Altar Quilts and was also teaching classes on the construction
of such a quilt.
Over coffee later that day, we discovered that we have many
mutual friends associated with the quilt festival in Mexico. Jane’s work
reminds me of Frida Kahlo’s style, with Guadalupe and Day of the Dead motifs.
Her bright Latino colors will be familiar if you’ve seen the movie “Coco”. When
I look at her work, I can hear the Mariachis playing….
I have been making Altars since I was a kid. I would gather
together candles, crystals, photos, semi-precious stone carvings, sentimental
trinkets, lace handkerchiefs and mementos from my grandmothers, and arrange
into an artful Altar on top of my dresser, a mantle, or on a shelf in my living
room. Over the years I added my kids’ first baby shoes, travel souvenirs, and
gifts from friends who had passed on. As more years passed, I found that I had
many things in the Altar that reminded me of family and friends who are gone
but not forgotten…. poignant memories that make me smile. Now it is a
compendium of life’s memories, and a focal point for prayer and meditation. So
it became obvious – why not make a quilt full of these kinds of memories? Meeting Jane was an answer to this question.
Jane is being honored with a Solo Exhibit in Houston this year….featuring her Altar Quilts.
After November you won’t be able to get into her classes! Would you like to join me, and spend time with Jane in the eQuilter classroom in June, to make your own Altar Quilt? – Luana
Bio: Jane Tenorio-Coscarelli is a renowned author, artist and quilter whose talents have been featured in the Steven Spielberg movie ‘How to Make an American Quilt’. As a freelance artist Jane combined her artistic talent and love of quilting to create ¼ Inch Publishing and has, for the past 20 years successfully designed and produced books, patterns, fabrics and notions, many reflecting the richness of her Mexican roots. Jane has worked with a visionary creative team of studio designers to create fabric lines that represent her Latin heritage. With her vibrant choice of colours, patterns and texture designs, Jane’s natural influence inspires the flamboyant quilter in us all.
Jane lives in Lake Elsinore, California. That is where they
are having a Super-Bloom now. The massive hills of colorful wildflowers can be
seen from space!
Come and enjoy a celebration of life, by building a memory
quilt to honor loved ones. Can be a family member, a person we admire, a whole family
or a beloved pet. We will have a short power point detailing the traditions of
altar building, and the symbolic motifs you can use to embellish and build your
altar quilt. We will be using piecing and fusible appliqué to build our altar,
then adding personal motifs and photos to honor our loved ones. Quilt will be
approximately 47” x 58” finished.
Bring that coat or jacket you’ve been dying to embellish. We
will take it one step further and add some bling to your garment. With fusible
appliqué, buttonhole stitch and more. You can bring that shabby coat to shabby
chic. Birds, swirls and flower motifs will be part of the class design. Bring
any other motif you would like to use. Buttons, beads, crystals, lace or trim.
We will be layering anything possible. You will need a wool, cotton or denim
coat with detached lining layers. No Polyester. From plain to priceless, we
will cover it all. This will be a one day six hour workshop.
Click through (above) to register for these classes. All 3 days will be held in the brand new eQuilter classroom in beautiful Boulder Colorado. You will see a link to a discounted hotel rate at the beautiful Hampton Inn which is just a couple blocks away. When you register, we will send you the material list.
I hope you can join us for all 3 days! Jane is so much
fun, I will be there too, so sign up
today to guarantee your spot. We provide the coffee, tea, cookies/chocolate,
and FUN.
In July we have Cindy Lohbeck coming to do FOUR one-day workshops on Tie-Dyeing, Ice-Dyeing, and Shibori!
