SAQA Tribal Gathering

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Luana

I have just returned from the SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) conference in San Antonio Texas, and it was a great opportunity to chat with many of the quilt world’s most talented people in a small venue. It is great to go to Houston and other big shows to meet up with quilters and business associates, but there’s nothing like a relaxed smaller event to have more meaningful and intimate discussions with those from my quilting tribe.

Speaking of which, after the initial seduction of online classes, it seems that many are realizing the value of attending a quilting tribal gathering in person. For those who coordinate regional meetings and events, online meetings are a fantastic planning tool, but for sharing the techniques, creative passion, and camaraderie of our chosen art…there is nothing like gathering together in person. The tactile aspect of our art and craft includes not only touching and working with our fabrics…but also lots of hugs (and laughter) when we come together.

Last night I heard another life story about survival and the healing power of art, and it made me think about how many people I know who were drawn into quilting because it felt like they had found their tribe, when they discovered our little quilting world. I do think it is important that we always stay supportive and respectful of others’ work, in this time of stressful polarization. Quilting should always be a safe haven where we can come together to just be ourselves, and find creative acceptance. As people misbehave on social media, it is important to draw a line if we see some of that bullying behavior bleeding into the quilting world. It happens. But we can stand up for safe nurturing spaces…online and in person…and remind others that we are here to share in our creative passions.

International quilt celebrity & new SAQA President Lisa Walton will be here in ONE WEEK. We still have some space in the class so SIGN UP NOW! Sophie and I will be there all weekend also. Can’t wait!

The Registration Page for the Love Your Mother Contest and Exhibit is LIVE, but you have until the May 15 deadline to make a quilt and try for the top prize of a newly introduced model BERNINA 570 QE machine. The juried exhibit will premier in Houston!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

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Free Pattern – Snow Queens

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Luana

You will be transported to a dreamy fantasy world with this week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern, featuring our own digital printed fabrics with Ice Fairies and Snow Queens.

Enter a magical Winter Wonderland full of deliciously frosty shivers and sparkling beauty, with this 57″ x 67″ quilt. You’ll dream of snowy forests and shimmering icicles when you take a nap under this fantasy quilt, or hang it on a wall and create your own crystalline ambiance.

… from the ‘Fairy Land’ collection by the Rubin Design Studio, designed exclusively for eQuilter.

And don’t miss our popular ‘Moonlit Painted Pony‘ and ‘Tiger Eyes‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

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Creative Nudge – A Walk in the Garden

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Luana

Last week Sophie and I were in New York City for her Spring Break. We go to the Metropolitan Art Museum every time we are there, and now it is Sophie who insists that we add it to our itinerary. Funny…when I lived there it was a struggle to get to the museum due to my busy worklife, but now it is on the shortlist when spending a few days there.

Usually I go in May to see the Costume exhibit, but this year we saw the Met’s Parks and Gardens special exhibit, with the work of many famous Impressionist painters. We found ourselves seeking out paintings of flowers the rest of the day, and admiring the huge Forsythia arrangements in the main lobby. (See the center of the image above.)

These days many of us find ourselves Nature-Deprived, which is why things like Forest Bathing (long slow walks and meditating in the forest) have become so popular. Humans are realizing that we need to spend time with the beauty of the wild places to stay healthy… physically and mentally. Whether we go to the beach or the mountains, or cultivate prize blossoms in our own backyard, having that connection to the Earth is a basic Human need.

When we come inside to sew, often we choose to work with Floral fabrics as an extension of our Love of Nature. These days the exquisitely detailed Digital-Printed fabrics delight us with their huge variety of colors and large repeats. Sometimes when I see these new fabrics for the first time, I literally gasp out loud!

This week was our 15 year anniversary of Sophie’s Gotcha Day – the day she was first placed in my arms in China when she was 8 months old. Many of you followed our adoption story, so I appreciate that so many of you have watched our kids grow up along with our business.

This week on Thursday and Friday I will be in San Antonio at the SAQA Conference. Hope to see many of you there!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

Enjoy artist interviews, tutorials, and quilt festival tours, on our eQuilter Video Page.

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eQuilter Classroom & Event Calendar:
April 14-15 – Lisa Walton workshop @ eQuilter Classroom – REGISTER NOW!
May 5 – eQuilter Charity Sewing Day! (Please RSVP)
May 10 – Deadline for dropping off Nepal Quilts
May 11 – eQuilter Chromazone – Color Marketing Group @ eQuilter
March 1 – May 15 – Registration for ‘Love Your Mother‘ Quilt Challenge

Luana’s Travel Calendar:
April 5-7 – SAQA Conference San Antonio TX
April 26 – Quilting Arts TV
April 27 – Dairy Barn Opening Reception
May 18-20 – Quilt Market – Portland OR
June 27 – July 11 – Sweden
Nov 13-19, 2018 – POLAR BEAR Tour

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Free Pattern – Dream Sunroom

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Luana

As the Sunlight returns to the Northern Hemisphere and Spring’s warmth coaxes buds and blooms from our gardens, this week’s Free Quilt Pattern celebrates the colors and fragrances of the season.

Your starting point is a gorgeous painterly floral panel by artist Chong-A Hwang, pieced into a windowpane and set in the collection’s sun-drenched coordinates. The thick brushstrokes are so juicy, you can almost slurp them with a spoon…Yummy!

This fun 49″ x 61″ quilt makes a happy lap quilt, or a brilliant wall hanging that will fill any room with sunshine and smiles.

… from the ‘Dream’ collection by Chong-A Hwang for Timeless Treasures.

And don’t miss our popular ‘Tiger Eyes‘ and ‘Moonlit Painted Pony‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

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Happy Easter….Happy Spring!

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Luana

This week I’ve been in New York City with Sophie during her Spring Break. We visited some of our suppliers, bought some embroidered trims for eQuilter, enjoyed the Parks and Gardens exhibit at the Met Art Museum, visited the Macys Flower Show, and went on the fabulous backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera. (including the costume shop!)

The highlight of the week was seeing My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center. I was in the pit orchestra when my high school put on our own production of this musical, so I know every word…every note. Sophie recently read Pygmalion in her Advanced Lang Arts class, but she had never seen the movie or musical play, so it was a joy to share with her. The two ladies next to us were very emotional …they were sniffing and wiping their eyes every other song. In fact we heard people quietly weeping throughout the play, overcome with emotion. This version had Henry Higgins and Eliza as the same age and more as equals….a post #metoo version according to the director interview we read. The Ascot scene is my favorite, because of the fab costumes and hats!

International quilt celebrity and artist Lisa Walton will be here in 2 weeks. We still have space in the class so come join us!

The Registration Page for the Love Your Mother Contest and Exhibit is LIVE, but you have until the May 15 deadline to make a quilt and try for the top prize of a newly introduced model BERNINA 570 QE machine. The juried exhibit will premier in Houston!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

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Free Pattern – Big Cat Families

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Luana

Leopard, Cheetah, Lion and Tiger parents watch over their precious cubs in
this week’s Exclusive Free Quilt Pattern.

These majestic Big Cat Families are surrounded by realistic portraits of Tigers, Cheetahs, Panthers, Mountain Lions, Bobcats, African Leopards and Snow Leopards, all bordered by textured Stonehenge Gradations from Northcott.

This exquisite 55″ x 62″ quilt makes a perfect wall hanging for your family’s wildlife enthusiasts.

…from the ‘Wildlife Sanctuary’ collection by the Rubin Design Studio, designed exclusively for eQuilter.

And don’t miss our popular ‘Tiger Eyes‘ and ‘Moonlit Painted Pony‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

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Creative Nudge – Big City Girls

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Luana

This week Sophie and I are spending Spring Break in New York City. (Where I lived and worked in the fashion industry.) Sophie has been working as a sound technician in theater at her high school, so we are taking in a backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera, and we’ll make our usual visit to the Metropolitan Art Museum. I visited one of my favorite trim shops in the garment district, and ordered some Frida-Kahlo-worthy floral embroidery appliques which I’ll have online next week. We’ve seen lots of ladies on the street with big applique and embroidery embellishments all over their coats and pants, which we want to duplicate when we get home.

If you read the NY Times, you might have seen an article about the 1950s Coney Island version of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte at the Met Opera. Last night we were at the opera, and they were filming this HD performance. It was so fascinating to see all the cameras around the opera house. It looks like it will be broadcast in theaters this Sat March 31. The costumes and sets are so creative and colorful…and there was a Burmese Python on stage for awhile!

Fortunately I think the weekly dump of Nor’Easter storms and snow is finished, so we’ll just be dealing with rain this week. I love being in NYC when it rains, because all the colorful lights and neon signs reflect on the wet streets at night and it makes for great photos.

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

* The photo collage above features NYC photos from Luana plus New York themed fabrics now in stock at eQuilter.com

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eQuilter Classroom & Event Calendar:
April 14-15 – Lisa Walton workshop @ eQuilter Classroom – REGISTER NOW!
May 5 – eQuilter Charity Sewing Day! (Please RSVP)
May 10 – Deadline for dropping off Nepal Quilts
May 11 – eQuilter Chromazone – Color Marketing Group @ eQuilter
March 1 – May 15 – Registration for ‘Love Your Mother‘ Quilt Challenge

Luana’s Travel Calendar:
March 26-31 – New York
April 5-7 – SAQA Conference San Antonio TX
April 25-27 – Quilting Arts TV
May 18-20 – Quilt Market – Portland OR
June 27 – July 11 – Sweden
Nov 13-19, 2018 – POLAR BEAR Tour

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Free Pattern – Klimt Woman in Gold

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Luana

Klimt-inspired fabrics have been some of our most popular products over the years,
and this week’s Free Quilt Pattern features the ‘Portrait of Adele’ panel (as seen in the film ‘Woman in Gold’).

Adele is surrounded by Klimt coordinates, including Geometrics and Venetian Glass, richly ornamented with gold accents and gold spatter. These iconic design elements will forever say ‘Klimt’ to art lovers.

The Gustav Klimt collection portrays an opulent look that rivals the gold-leaf laden paintings of the Viennese painter.

… from the ‘Gustav Klimt’ collection by Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

And don’t miss our popular ‘Jungle Giraffes‘ and ‘Hummingbird Bouquet‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

 

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My Purple Friend

Posted on March 26, 2018 by Luana

This week my childhood best friend is in town…for her little brother’s memorial. We’ve been friends since 6th grade. Our mothers were born a week apart. (Pisces) I always thought of her as the over-achiever. She got a full ride scholarship to Stanford and got her PhD, then she got her law degree from Berkeley. She is a tenured professor in law and bioethics. We both have busy lives, but when we get together it is like no time has passed, and we can stay up all night talking. Do you have a friend like that?

When we were kids growing up in a small town, aching to escape to a bigger life, it was not cool to wear purple. However purple was my friend’s favorite color and she wore it with delight. She wore purple because it made her happy, and she didn’t care what anyone else thought. Then she shared her happiness and passion for life with those around her. When I was timid and unsure of myself, she made me laugh, and gave me permission to embrace any color…which was just embracing my true self.

When we don’t censor our creative selves, when we set free the colors of our soul, we never know who will be inspired by our joyful expression. I was lucky to have such a friend as a young person. Now I hope my work gives others permission to follow their wildest creative dreams.

International quilt celebrity and artist Lisa Walton will be here soon, and we’ll be laughing and playing with our own joyful expression in her workshop. Come meet Lisa April 14-15 and find out why she was picked to be the first international president of SAQA! (Studio Art Quilt Associates)

The Registration Page for the Love Your Mother Contest and Exhibit is LIVE, but you have until the May 15 deadline to make a quilt and try for the top prize of a newly introduced model BERNINA 570 QE machine. The juried exhibit will premier in Houston!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

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Free Pattern – Ombre Lone Star

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Luana

This week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern is a clever engineering of just two ombre fabrics! …creating a shimmering giant star, finished with glowing borders of gradient hues.

You will enjoy making this Modern version of a Lonestar Quilt – a 61″ x 61″ square that can be used as a Lap Quilt, or an eye-catching Wall Hanging.

… from the ‘Dream Ombre’ collection by the Rubin Design Studio, designed exclusively for eQuilter.

And don’t miss our popular ‘Arabesque‘ and ‘Hummingbird Bouquet‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Click Here for a Video Tutorial of the Free Pattern Designer.
Download Instructions for the pattern at the bottom of the pattern designer page.

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