Wanderlust

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Luana

I have been saving up my United miles all year so I could get a free ticket to Tokyo, and I am so tickled that I got a seat on a direct Dreamliner flight from Denver to Narita. I am leaving midday Sunday, and will arrive Monday night in Tokyo. I’ll be at the show Thursday and Friday, and will post photos over the following week.

If you would like to travel along with me over the next week, you might want to snap up a copy of QuiltMania’s “My Little Japan” which has gorgeous detailed photos of quilts from last year’s Tokyo Quilt Festival.

You can also look over my photos from previous trips to Japan, to get an idea of why I am always so excited to take this trip! If you’ve followed my travel to Tokyo in the past, you may also be aware that I hand carry several copies of the two show books, to share with collectors here. I return on Jan 23 so those will be available the following week.

My first few trips to Japan were in the early 80’s when I was living in Hong Kong and working as a fashion designer. In those days I traveled mostly to textile manufacturers in Osaka. Later, when I traveled to Japan as a quilter, I ran into a trio of National Geographic photographers while in Kyoto, and after fighting them for the same shots in Nara, I decided to join them in the back of the tour bus. We swapped travel stories and compared camera gear as we bounced from temple to temple, giddy with the joy of photographing beautiful Japan.

Watch for my photos later this week, so you can join in the Joys of Japan with me!

My Cuban Arts Tour is fast approaching, and I know many of you want to see Cuba before it opens up to the US and everything starts to change. This beautiful island nation has been frozen in time for 50 years, but NOW is the time to visit, so I hope you can come along to share the art, colors, music and food …to remember Cuba in its purest expression.

We are so lucky to stay in the famous historic Hotel Nacional which sits on a hill overlooking the seawall and the ocean…where one can walk in the footsteps of Frank Sinatra, Marlene Dietrich and Winston Churchill. Join me on the patio and we’ll have a mojito toast together!

Travel Calendar:
Jan 17-23 – Tokyo Quilt Festival
Feb 5 – Rocky Mtn Quilt Museum, Golden CO – “No Girls Allowed” Opening, 5-8 pm
Feb 18-19 – QuiltCon in Pasadena CA
March 5 – Lecture at BERNINA Presser Foot – Longmont CO
May 8-15 – Luana’s CUBA ARTS TOUR! – Join us!
Nov 15-20 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Details soon

See my Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, too!

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Free Pattern – Magic Carpet

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Luana

Untitled-1

This week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Pattern takes you on an opulent journey full of richly detailed Paisleys and Bohemian Florals.

Luxurious gold metallics highlight the Teal, Blue and Purple color story, with shimmering pearlescent accents. Built around a panel and engineered stripe, this quilt design is a 61″ x 61″ Magic Carpet Ride!

…featuring fabrics from the ‘Mystique’ collection by Chong-a Hwang for Timeless Treasures.

You may order the pattern as configured, (click through here to see the specifics!) or customize it to your liking with any of our over 20,000 fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

This pattern was designed in EQ7, 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 – Modern Gestures

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Luana

Nudge

As I am preparing to leave for Tokyo this coming weekend, I am thinking about how Japanese quilts have changed since I started going to the Tokyo Quilt Festival. I see the influence of Modern Quilting and Modern Design in some of the most interesting Japanese quilts, and here is a detail of one of those quilts, set in a collage of fabrics currently in stock at eQuilter.

When I look at this masterful quilt by Yoshiyuki Ishizaki (“Kan Oh Chi Rai” – Prediction By Studying the Past) I see an abstract design that reminds me of the broad gestures we might make when drawing on a very large piece of paper.

Her gestures became shapes, and she filled those spaces with pieced segments that create a movement of light and depth through the use of an ombre progression of piecing. The eye flies back and forth on this quilt, drawn by the swooping gestures of the design, and the ombre movement from light to bright colors.

The best way to train your eye to see these movements of gestural shapes, and value changes (light to dark) is of course to go look at art in as many galleries and museums as possible. Even in paintings and textiles hundreds of years old, you can see how the artist or designer used these visual tricks to draw the eye through the piece.

The great challenge is to look at your own work with this objective eye, and apply what you have learned. When you are feeling too attached to the work you have done, take an afternoon off to view other art, and then come back with a fresh eye.

Yoshiyuki’s worked captured a lot of attention when shown at the Houston Quilt Festival, because it was created with a fresh eye. You can see other Japanese quilts from the Houston show, in this video. Enjoy!

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Ready for 2016

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Luana

Yesterday was a poignant day. As you may have read, we lost our beloved 15 month old dog Alfie on Christmas morning. We all decided that we wanted to get another dog right away to heal our broken hearts, but also because our 2 year old female dog Ruby was just devastated. Things just fell into place and a local breeder our kids have known for a long time, just happened to have a male puppy available. (same breed as our female)

So yesterday, while we were driving back home in the snow, with an adorable golden puffball of sweetness, I got the call that Alfie’s ashes were ready to be picked up. If that call had come any sooner I would have been a mess. Instead, I blinked back some tears and smiled at the irony.

(If you follow my personal page on Facebook or my personal Instagram, you may have seen puppy photos I’ve posted in the last 24 hours.)

The other big thing that just happened is that I guess I was a very good girl last year, and thanks to being part of the BERNINA Ambassador program, I got a new B790 machine for Christmas! I have been working on the biggest art quilt that I have ever made, which is destined for a very special exhibit in Switzerland this spring, so it is very appropriate that I could finish this art quilt on this amazing Swiss piece of precision machinery. (Have I mentioned lately how much I love BERNINA sewing machines?!?) Many thanks to the wonderful people at Bernina for giving me the opportunity to upgrade. A new puppy *and* a new B790 – I am ready to take on 2016!

A week from now I’ll be on my way to the Tokyo Quilt Festival again. While I am taking photos and networking with Japanese quilters, our warehouse staff will begin the process of rearranging our space to create a large classroom and event space. Yes it is really happening! I already have one wonderful teacher requesting 2 weeks in June, so we are going to work fast to prepare the space and start making plans for other events.

The brand new Hampton Inn one block away means that we now have the option to host workshops, creative retreats, and other events…and invite teachers and students from out of town…which is very exciting for *everyone* here!

My photo page has surpassed 10 million pageviews which has made me do a little happy dance this week, and so I invite you to have a look at my travel and quilt images before I go to the Tokyo Quilt Festival.

Take a look at the dates and events below – I hope to see YOU in person some time in 2016!

Travel Calendar:
Jan 17-23 – Tokyo Quilt Festival
Feb 5 – Rocky Mtn Quilt Museum, Golden CO –
“No Girls Allowed” Opening, 5-8 pm
Feb 18-19 – QuiltCon in Pasadena CA
March 5 – Lecture at BERNINA Presser Foot – Longmont CO
May 8-15 – Luana’s CUBA ARTS TOUR! – Join us!
Nov 15-20 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Details soon

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Free Pattern – Poppy Grove

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Luana

Poppy_Grove

This week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Pattern showcases the exquisitely detailed Red Poppies by artist Chong-A Hwang, on a dramatic solid black ground.

Three shades of Hoffman Hand-Dyes are used in the pieced sections, to create a 3-D ombre effect. An engineered Poppy Stripe is cleverly used to make the lush garland borders.

The best part is – it is available in Two sizes!

Poppy Grove Lap Quilt – 62″ x 62″

Poppy Grove Full Size – 83″ x 83″

…featuring fabrics from the ‘Poppy Grove’ collection by Chong-A Hwang for Timeless Treasures.

You may order the pattern as configured, (click through here to see the specifics!) or customize it to your liking with any of our over 20,000 fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

This pattern was designed in EQ7, 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 – Japanese Textiles

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Luana

Untitled-1

Two weeks from now I will be in Tokyo, headed to the quilt festival at the Tokyo Dome. Every year that I attend this show is a privilege, and greatly anticipated. A quarter million people come to this show (!) and it is an experience just being among the 35K-40K who attend each day. This year I saved up all my miles so I could get a free ticket on a direct flight from Denver. Yippee!

Here are some photos I took at a museum outside of Tokyo on a previous trip. The central panel is a detail of a vintage Boro quilt, and on the right are 3 Sashiko stitching sample details. Over the years we have expanded our Sashiko category, after I fell in love with vintage and contemporary exhibits in Japan. Whether you are stitching Sashiko by hand, or using a special machine embroidery stitch to mimic Sashiko, there is something about a plump white stitch on an indigo background that never fails to catch the eye. Here you also see blue Sashiko threads on a red or white background.

I’ve set these photos of stitch samples, among some indigo and red traditional designs, (fabrics currently in stock here at eQuilter.com) that might give you some inspiration for your next quilt project.

Did you know that the original idea for our business was to stock imported Asian prints and Bali batiks in the basement of our house? I thought I’d have a nice little part time business and stay home with the kids… ha! Obviously our business expanded beyond our original vision, but I always hold a special place in my heart for these beautiful Asian fabrics. This is because in my 20’s I lived in Hong Kong, and then moved to New York and traveled to 10 countries in Asia as an import garment designer. I spent every spare minute visiting museums, galleries, temples and historic buildings during those years, and that formed the foundation of my love for Asian art and de sign. Later that love brought us to adopt a little baby girl from China, but that is another story!

My Flickr page has reached a milestone – over 10 million views! If you have not checked out my quilt and travel albums yet, grab a cup of tea and enjoy the tour. (Or better yet, join me on one of my tours to Cuba or Churchill this year.)

********
Travel Calendar:
Jan 18-23 – Tokyo Quilt Festival
May 8-15 – Luana’s CUBAN ARTS TOUR! – Registration Open NOW
Nov 15-20 – Luana’s Polar Bear Tour – Churchill

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Free Pattern – Painted Ponies

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Luana

Painted_Ponies

We can’t help but smile when we see these magical painted ponies, dancing on air, full of flowers and sassy style! Leaping and galloping horses are embellished with blossoms and other hand-drawn designs.

This 50″ x 62″ Free Quilt Pattern uses the Painted Ponies collection by children’s book illustrator Roberta Morales, who lives here in Boulder and has also worked at eQuilter over many years. Because of this, she knows that horse fabrics are always a favorite with eQuilter customers, so you could say that she designed this collection just special for YOU!

…featuring fabrics from the ‘Painted Ponies’ collection by Roberta Morales for Quilting Treasures.

You may order the pattern as configured, (click through here to see the specifics!) or customize it to your liking with any of our over 20,000 fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

This pattern was designed in EQ7, 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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New Year, New Goals

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Luana

With the new year comes a desire to sweep out the old and make room for the new. That’s what we are doing this week at eQuilter…clearing out our scrap bundles, re-configuring our warehouse, making room for new fabrics and new projects.

We have TWO tours coming up this year –
our Cuba Arts Tour May 8-15 with hand-picked music, art and cultural experiences in a custom-built trip for eQuilter customers. Join me for a Designer’s Eye View of the Colors and upcoming Design Trends in this fascinating island nation.

Includes round-trip chartered airfare from Miami to Havana/Cienfuegos to Miami, five nights at the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba in Havana, 2 nights accommodations in Cienfuegos/Trinidad, (both hotels overlooking the ocean) Cuban visas, all ground transportation within Cuba, guided tours, seminars, lectures, visits to Cuba’s preeminent museums, private concerts, dance performances, most of your meals, and many other arts-related activities and events.

Register online NOW to save your spot before it fills!

Watch for details of another Polar Bear tour in November, to be announced soon in our newsletter.

I’ll be in Tokyo the week of Nov 18, to cover the Tokyo Quilt Festival which opens Nov 21. I have a couple surprises to share with you from this trip – stay tuned!

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Free Pattern – Van Gogh Irises

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Luana

Van-Gogh-Irises

There is nothing more satisfying, after a busy holiday season, than whipping out a quick but absolutely gorgeous quilt project!

This Free Wallhanging Pattern features one of our most popular panels – now back in stock!

Make it your own with Hand-Dyed Oliver Twist or shimmering Metallic threads, paints or embellishments. Then hang up your masterpiece to celebrate the New Year!

…featuring fabrics from the ‘Vincent van Gogh’ collection by the Van Gogh Museum and the Vincent van Gogh Foundation for Robert Kaufman Fabrics.

You may order the pattern as configured, (click through here to see the specifics!) or customize it to your liking with any of our over 20,000 fabrics. Just place your desired fabrics in your Wish List, and these fabrics will appear in the Fabric Selector below the pattern.

This pattern was designed in EQ7, 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 – Cuban Arts

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Luana

Cuba

Dear Friends,
To close out the year, I wanted to share another collage of photos from my recent trip to Cuba. I am still being inspired by the colors, art and music of this island nation…a little sad knowing that things will change quickly as relations between Cuba and US are normalized…but excited that I get to go back in the spring, to capture more of these photos! (Perhaps you can join me!)

Over the years, we’ve had occasional Cuban Jazz bands come to perform here in Boulder, and they inevitably explode into a swirl of salsa dancing in the aisles of the concert hall. I’ve been playing the music of Tito Puente and the Buena Vista Social Club while working in my studio, and I always seem to have a pot of beans soaking overnight in my ongoing quest for the perfect batch of Cuban Black Beans. (I think I converted the kids with the last batch.)

For many of us, the arts are a celebration of Life. Music, Visual Arts, Dance, Cuisine…these are all ways to express Joy, Passion, Curiosity, Ambition, Hope, and so many other aspects of being Human. What a gift, that we can give these things to ourselves and others! In the photo collage above, you see musicians, and also some of the artwork at the Crafts Center in Old Havana. The paintings are bold and bright, like the salsa and rhumba music heard everywhere in the streets of Havana.

Thank you for all the very kind letters that we have received this year. Providing this service to you is a great joy for us, and it is an honor to make a living by choosing, cutting and shipping all the beautiful fabrics that flow through our warehouse.

It is also a great joy to be able to share these creative inspirations with you each week, and I hope that these images and ideas have helped to stretch your creative repertoire. We look forward to serving your needs in 2016, and we hope you can dream those big crazy dreams and create with wild abandon and an open heart.

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