A Good Time Was Had By All

Posted on February 13, 2017 by Luana

As this newsletter goes out, we are just concluding our first BERNINA workshop – a 3-Day “Sewapalooza” with 51 participants – in our new Classroom/Event space. What a blast!

Based on the enthusiastic response, there is no doubt that we are going to have more classes, workshops, and creative retreats in the near future. We are also renting out our 2000 sq ft event space to groups…apparently it is hard to find a space of this size.

So thanks to everyone from Blakeman Sewing who worked so hard to set up the 34 machines for this event. I had no idea we could fit so many people and machines into this space…wow!

Our teacher and some of our students stayed at the new Hampton Inn one block away, which is an award-winning property and oh-so-convenient. Students were treated to a studio tour and trunk show, and I got to talk about the quilt that is under the needle on my B790 at the moment.

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana

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Free Pattern – Pet Selfies

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Luana

“OMG… so CUTE!”

You just can’t help but smile when you look at this adorable quilt with illustrator Howard Robinson’s ‘Pet Selfies’ collection.

This week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Pattern features dogs and kitties with cute expressions and fuzzy smiles, posing for Selfie photos.

This 66″ x 66″ square quilt is great for a crib, a playmat, or a happy wallhanging for your favorite grownup Animal Lover! (Maybe YOU?!?)

… from the ‘Pet Selfies’ collection by Howard Robinson for Elizabeth’s Studio.

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.

EQ7 is the leading quilt design software, which is available here at eQuilter.

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 – Taupe – An Appreciation

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Luana

During my recent trip to the Tokyo Quilt Festival, I noticed 2 big trends:
1. More Bright Colors (less Taupe & Indigo)
2. More Machine Quilting (less hand-stitching)

These trends are just comparing to what I’ve seen over the last 8 years, since I started going to this show. So what it means is…the traditional hallmarks of the Japanese quilters are now transforming into something new!

With all the bright colors, the Taupe quilts seemed to stand out more this year. The quilt I am featuring here is Taupe, but it was also in the Original Design Category. Generally the Taupe quilts are somewhat symmetrical, with lots of cute flower and house applique details.

This is a detail of the quilt (with some complimentary eQuilter fabrics framing the top and bottom) with the delicate hydrangea blossom applique. Go to my photo page to see the whole quilt, with its innovative piecing that gives the illusion of glowing lights.

Please note that the name of the quilter is in the right lower corner of the quilt image. I only have the Kanji characters of her name, not the Romaji spelling. She has done such a lovely job with the delicate and subtle details in this quilt.

There are still a few spots open on the Tanzania New Years ‘Great Migration’ Safari one year from now, but it is filling up…please call to make your reservation TODAY!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

Check out our several NEW videos from the Houston Quilt Festival, on our eQuilter Video Page.

********

2017 Travel Calendar:
Feb 9-11 – Bernina Sewapalooza By Blakeman Sewing at eQuilter Classroom!
Feb 17-20 – Venice Photo Conference
Feb 24 – eQuilter Sponsored Cocktail Party at QuiltCon
Dec 29 2017 – Jan 5 2018 – Tanzania Great Migration – New Years in Africa – Taking Reservations NOW!

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Free Pattern – Duck Lake Trail

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Luana

Migrating ducks and reflective waters have inspired this week’s Free Quilt Pattern,
based on a 6-block panel with exquisitely detailed illustrations.

This 50″ x 62 quilt makes a great lap quilt or wallhanging, for a bird-lover
or wildlife enthusiast.

The Duck vignettes alternate with pieced blocks, using coordinate fabrics from the Hautman collection. Put a Flannel Backing on this quilt for a super-snuggly project!

… from the ‘Duck Lake’ collection by Hautman Brothers for Quilting Treasures.

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.

EQ7 is the leading quilt design software, which is available here at eQuilter.

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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Launching Our New Event Space

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Luana

No matter what is happening in our lives, in our homes, with family and friends, and in the world… we have our quilting and sewing to make a space for peace and quiet contemplation.

Being creative is a way to tap into something deeper, and whether you call that ‘spiritual’ or ‘primal’, it allows us to tap into that part of ourselves that allows us to rediscover Joy, strengthen our soul, and heal our bodies.

February has always been the hardest month for me, because it seems like winter will never end. Of course, that means March, and Spring are just around the corner…but it doesn’t always feel that way! So I try to grab some sunshine dog walks when I can, but it is also my quiet time when I come up with some of my best ideas for the coming year.

How about you?

This coming week we are busy getting ready for our first event – and it is going to be a blast! Our BERNINA Sewapalooza with Blakeman Sewing has filled the 50 seats, and we are going to have 3 days of sewing on those gorgeous machines. We will also have lots of coffee, tea and snacks. You know, caffeine and chocolate are a quilter’s best friend sometimes.

Then the next day on Sunday afternoon we are having a fundraiser concert for Rocky Ridge Music Camp, which is the rustic music retreat on Longs Peak that Sophie, Sam and I have all attended. My cello teacher was one of the founders of ongoing summer events there. Sam and his teacher are playing some Cuban sax tunes, and we’ll have fiddle and clarinet folk music as well.

This is an invite-only event to raise money for the music camp. If any of you locals are interested in attending, please contact me in the next few days. Not sure if our rescued baby grand piano will get used in this event, but it looks great in our 2000 sq ft classroom/event space!

I hope you are enjoying our new collection of exclusive eQuilter Digital Prints – they are selling fast and we are tickled pink! You will see 2 designs with the colorful old cars from Cuba – photos from my trips to Havana. Enjoy!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana

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Free Pattern – Across the Universe

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Luana

Got a Science Nerd or Space Geek at home?

This week’s exclusive Free eQuilter Pattern features a 42″ x 80″ panel with a life sized 5′ 6″ Astronaut Space Suit!… How awesome is THAT?!?

For that young girl or boy who wants to grow up to be an astronaut, or just hang it on the wall and you’ll never be lonely again. *smile*

With the Planet and Star coordinate border, this 65″ x 95″ quilt also makes a great bed cover for your Astronaut-In-Training, and the fantastic detail in this Digital Print will send you…to the Moon!

‘Across the Universe’ is an exceptional Digital printed fabric,
from the ‘Across the Universe’ collection by Deborah Edwards for Northcott Fabrics.

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.

EQ7 is the leading quilt design software, which is available here at eQuilter.

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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A Space Story

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Luana

Happy February!

Last week I was honored to have 1 of 4 quilts in the “Space for Art” exhibit at the Houston Space Center at NASA in Houston.

Our quilts, from the Fly Me To the Moon exhibit, hung in the visitor center with lots of other artwork….by astronauts and rocket scientists!

I have visited the Johnson Space Center several times when in Houston for Quilt Festival, because eQuilter supports the NASA/JSC chapter of Engineers Without Borders/EWB. I have been honored to be on 3 VIP tours, and the last time I was invited to Mission Control for the International Space Station, and met the Flight Director. Oh, the places that quilting can take us!

So last week I flew down for the private opening reception, joined by friends from EWB. The thrill of the evening was that I met 3 women astronauts, as I mentioned in Saturday’s e-newsletter.

Due to popular request, I am including the image of my quilt in this email, along with some of my favorite eQuilter Space & Astronaut fabrics.

The story of this quilt was from my EWB friend Dr Jack Bacon. His hero is astronaut Tom Stafford (now General Stafford)and the story is about his cosmonaut friend Alexei Leonov. Their friendship was the foundation of the US – Russian space program. In this image, they pasted Vodka labels on 2 tubes of Spacefood, and were toasting in space. The image is a Photoshop collage of 2 photos. These 2 men are still friends, by the way. This quilt will go to a museum after the exhibit is finished traveling.

eQuilter supports the work of the NASA chapter’s project for children in Maua Kenya, and the CU Boulder EWB chapter for their project in Nepal. We thank you for your business because 2% of sales goes to fund EWB and other organizations in the eQuilter Charity Program. Thank you!!!

It looks like we’ve filled the 50 seats for our first classroom event – the BERNINA Sewapalooza with Blakeman Sewing. This is our first event, and we plan to have many more of these 3-day creative retreats. Looking forward to meeting more of you in person here this year!

A reminder that we have Very Limited openings for the Tanzania New Years ‘Great Migration’ Safari one year from now, and Feb 1 (tomorrow!) is the deadline to *guarantee* your spot with me…please call to make your reservation TODAY!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

Check out our several NEW videos from the Houston Quilt Festival, on our eQuilter Video Page.

********

2017 Travel Calendar:
Feb 9-11 – Bernina Sewapalooza By Blakeman Sewing at eQuilter Classroom!
Feb 17-20 – Venice Photo Conference
Feb 24 – eQuilter Sponsored Cocktail Party at QuiltCon
Dec 29 2017 – Jan 5 2018 – Tanzania Great Migration – New Years in Africa – Taking Reservations NOW!

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Free Pattern – The Migration

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Luana

Travel with us to the Great Migration in Africa, for this week’s Free Quilt Pattern. Julia’s wild animal and tribal illustrations are beloved by eQuilter customers over many years, and we just know this gentle whimsical quilt will bring a smile to the lucky owner.

This 59″ x 71″ quilt starts with a panel of wildlife blocks (the sleeping Lion is our favorite) and pieces Julia’s collection coordinates and some perfectly-matching blenders into this delightful pieced quilt, perfect for a lap or twin quilt, or to bring an African Savannah ambiance to a sunny room.

… from ‘The Migration’ collection by Julia Cairns for Quilting Treasures.

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.

EQ7 is the leading quilt design software, which is available here at eQuilter.

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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Kung Hei Fat Choi – Year of the Rooster

Posted on January 28, 2017 by Luana

Happy Chinese New Year!
(Kung Hei Fat Choi!)
It is the Lunar Year of the Fire Rooster – the last time we had a Fire Rooster was 1957.

I got into celebrating Chinese New Year when I lived in Hong Kong, and actually it is celebrated as Lunar New Year all over Asia, with fireworks, lion & dragon dances, family reunions, and giving red envelopes (with cash) to younger relatives. There are many traditions such as eating ridiculously long noodles (for long life), cleaning and sweeping out your house before the New Year, hanging red lanterns, and …wearing red underwear! Maybe sewing a red quilt with Sophie will be my version of CNY activities.

Thursday night I was very honored to have my quilt in the Space for Art exhibit at the Houston Space Center at NASA. It was an exciting evening, with my friends from the JSC/NASA chapter of Engineers Without Borders. (who receive donations from eQuilter for their work in Africa) I visit NASA and EWB every year when I go to Houston for Quilt Festival, but this was an extra special trip.

There were several astronauts there, and I was thrilled to meet 3 women astronauts! Nicole Stott, who is also an artist and the organizer of the event, Ellen Ochoa who played Peter Frampton’s flute in space, and Karen Nyberg who famously quilted in space! This was as a result of the Fly Me To The Moon exhibit organized by Susanne Miller Jones, who was also at the event. Thanks Susanne! (See the article in Friday’s edition of the Houston Chronicle)

If you are thinking of joining me in Tanzania AFRICA for New Years on the Serengeti, please call THIS WEEK to save your place in this once-in-a-lifetime trip – spaces are very limited. Feb 1 is the final day to register and guarantee a spot with our group. This is with the same eco-conscious travel company that arranges my polar bear trips. We are going to have an amazing experience together.

Now that I am home, I will be working on my photos from Tokyo this weekend (check my photo page tomorrow) and then getting ready for our Sewapalooza Feb 9-11. Hope to see many of you there!

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

2017 Calendar:
Feb 9-11 – Bernina Sewapalooza By Blakeman Sewing at eQuilter Classroom!
Feb 17-20 – Venice Photo Conference
Feb 24 – eQuilter Sponsored Cocktail Party at QuiltCon – Savannah GA
Dec 29 2017 – Jan 5 2018 – Tanzania Africa Wildlife Migration Tour – LIMITED SPACES!

(Photo: David Luck)

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Free Pattern – Honeybee Heaven

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Luana

Your Free Exclusive pattern this week features exuberant summer blossoms in all their showy splendor, surrounded by our essential pollinating friends, Honeybees!

This generous 59″ x 72″ quilt celebrates abundance with bejeweled floral hexagons, bordered by sweet, nectar-colored honeycombs, set against a white tonal ground.

Don’t miss out; order your Honeybee Heaven quilt today and enjoy the color and warmth of these garden blossoms and their special visitors.

… from the ‘Bees and Flowers’ collection by Elizabeth’s Studio,
and from the ‘Mystic Meadow’ collection by Hoffman Fabrics.

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.

EQ7 is the leading quilt design software, which is available here at eQuilter.

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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