Want to Help S. California Fire Victims?

Here is a list of suggested organizations in the community now. Please feel free to share. We can all donate something. This list will be updated. – Luana Rubin, eQuilter.com

MALAN Fire Storm Resources

https://docs.google.com/…/1KMk34XY5dsvVJjAo…/htmlview…

The Mutual Aid LA Network has created a Google spreadsheet filled with information about shelters, animal centers, and volunteer opportunities, as well as places to donate funding for those impacted by the fires. Details, which will continue to be updated, are organized by city and type of aid. You can either donate directly to the group or connect with other local hubs, as provided by the organization.

World Central Kitchen

https://donate.wck.org

World Central Kitchen’s Relief Team is in Southern California to support first responders and families impacted by wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Our teams and partners have mobilized across the region to provide nourishing meals to people in need.

California Community Foundation

https://www.cafirefoundation.org/what-we-do/for-communities/disaster-relief

For the LA County wildfires, we’ve activated our fund to complement immediate relief, addressing the long-term recovery needs of neighborhoods long after media attention has shifted away.

California Fire Foundation

https://www.cafirefoundation.org/…/for…/disaster-relief

The California Fire Foundation is working with local fire agencies and community-based organizations to provide direct financial support to impacted residents as details of the damage emerge.

Los Angeles Fire Department Fund

The Los Angeles Fire Department is on the front lines of containing the fires and is in need of donations. It has issued an emergency funding alert. Money donated to the LAFD will help equip fire fighters with necessary equipment and supplies, such as emergency fire shelters, hydration backpacks, and wild land brush tools needed to put out the fires.

Los Angeles Food Bank

The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is providing nutritious meals to those impacted by the fires at their two locations. Right now, the food banks are accepting money and food donations, and are actively looking for volunteers. Here’s a link to the Los Angeles Food Bank’s disaster relief fund, and how you can volunteer if you live in the area.

National Day Laborer Organizing Network

Immigrant day laborers, undocumented workers, and mixed-status families who have been impacted by the fires face the additional burden of fear and uncertainty when seeking shelter and emergency services. The Pasadena Community Job Center is currently serving as an emergency center for the day laborer community, providing temporary shelter, food, water, and emergency kits. Donate here to support immigrant workers impacted by the California fires.

Baby2Baby

Baby2Baby, a nonprofit dedicated to serving children in need, is providing essential items such as diapers, food, formula, and hygiene products for children and families in Los Angeles impacted by the wildfires. Here’s how you can donate directly to their disaster and emergency relief program.

Displaced Black Families GoFundMe Directory

Altadena, one of the neighborhoods devastated by the Eaton fire, has historically been a hub for Black families in Los Angeles County. This spreadsheet provides resources to donate money to over 50 Black families that have been impacted by the Eaton fire, which destroyed over 1,000 structures in Altadena.

California Teachers Association Disaster Relief Fund

Today, Blue Future is donating every dollar we can raise to the California Teachers Association’s Disaster Relief Fund to help teachers get back on their feet. Can you chip in today to support teachers affected by the wildfires?

Greater Good Charities

https://greatergood.org/disaster-relief/california-wildfires

Your support helps us deliver essential aid to the right places at the right time for vulnerable people, pets, and communities affected by this disaster. Please, Rush Aid Now!

Pasadena Humane

https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/…

Pasadena Humane has taken in over 400 animals from the Eaton Fire Emergency. We are desperately in need of monetary donations to help us purchase medical supplies and other resources as we start to see a significant increase in the number of burned and injured animals coming to our shelter.

BestFriends.org

https://bestfriends.org/emergency…/los-angeles-wildfires

Your gift brings emergency assistance to animals impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Donations to this fund are used exclusively to support lifesaving work in the Los Angeles area.

LA Fire Mutual Aid Hub

This interactive guide is designed to bring people the exact type of aid required at the location in which it’s needed. Those in search of help can find everything from animal boarding and workspaces to free meals or transportation, complete with hours of operation for certain businesses.

List of Local Evacuation Centers

LAist, an NPR-affiliated radio station located in Pasadena, has compiled a list of local evacuation centers for both humans and animals. The website also includes specific resources for those seeking mental health assistance, as well as food or childcare, specifically.

List of Animal Shelters

Secret Los Angeles, which curates best-of guides for the area, has a list of available animal shelters for refuge from the fires, in accordance with LA County Animal Care & Control. The lineup is separated between small and large animals, and indicates whether or not each facility has remaining space for pets in need.

Airbnb Temporary Housing

Airbnb has partnered with 211 LA to offer free temporary housing to those who have been displaced or forced to evacuate from the wildfires. Certain qualifications must be met to receive accommodation, including living in the current evacuation zone and having an Airbnb account. Those in need of a place to stay can request aid by filling out this intake form with 211 LA. If you’re able to offer shelter, visit Airbnb.org for more information on how to sign up to host, free of service fees and with damage protection insurance included at no extra cost. And nonlocal people looking to help can donate directly to the company.

GoFundMe Wildfire Relief Fund 2025 – GoFundMe is currently supporting relief and recovery efforts related to the wildfires burning in Los Angeles County by sending emergency relief grants of $1,000 each to individuals who have lost homes, loved ones and property due to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires. You can have an immediate and direct impact on people who have lost everything and nonprofits on the ground serving survivors.

Pasadena City College Community Relief Fund – Many members of the Pasadena City College community have lost their homes as a result of the Eaton Fire and other local fires. Your generosity can make a meaningful difference by providing critical support to those affected during this difficult time.

Pasadena Community Foundation Relief Fund – The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) has opened the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund providing an opportunity for those who want to support immediate and pressing needs in impacted communities like Altadena. PCF has seeded the fund with an initial $100,000.

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Free Quilt Pattern – White Tiger in the Jungle

Deep in the mists of a jungle lives a mystical White Tiger. This week’s exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern features this stunning portrait of a legendary Big Cat, set in the richness of the rain forest.

To make this 57″ x 66″ quilt design, you’ll start with our 34″ x 44″ digital panel, then piece the borders with two coordinating green Hoffman Hand Dyes plus a white tone-on-tone fabric. The blue Hoffman Hand Dye binding accents the White Tiger’s eyes.

Bring the majestic presence of this gorgeous Tiger into your home with this dynamic wildlife quilt!

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

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

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.

Sharing your passion for fabric and color,
Luana and Paul Rubin

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Free Quilt Pattern – Mystical Horse

Tonight we feature our stunning Mystical Horse panel as the centerpiece of our exclusive Free Quilt Pattern, full of ornamental details and colorful embellishments.

To make this 65″ wide x 53″ high quilt design, you will start with our exclusive 29″ x 44″ horse portrait panel. Piece the Southwest blocks and borders with our rich and vibrant forest leaves coordinate, set against a dramatic sold black background. Finish with a copper Hoffman Hand Dye binding.

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

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

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.

Sharing your passion for fabric and color,
Luana and Paul Rubin

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Ode to the Unknown Soldier

A simple appreciation tonight, for this quilt that was in the Cherrywood “Poppies” challenge exhibit in Houston this last Fall.

“Ode to the Unknown Soldier”
by Karen Coates of Highland California

Thinking of all of you affected by snow and frigid temps in the Midwest and East, and especially those of you near the fire in California. We empathize, having had a tragic fire fed by high winds here in Boulder, just 3 years ago. Stay safe!

We’ve had snow and black ice and several days of sub-freezing weather, but we are still getting those packages out to you! Good news also that Canada’s postal system has worked out its strike and packages are flowing again from the US to Canada.

Sharing our passion for fabric…..
Luana and Paul

Travel/Lecture Dates: www.luanarubin.com
Jan 9 – Fraser Valley Modern Guild – Art & Activism Zoom Lecture
Jan 21 – Visions Museum Zoom Lecture
Feb 25 – Mar 5 – Kyoto Quilt Festival
Apr 3-6 – SAQA Conference – St Pete, Florida
April 27- May 3 – Alegre Retreat

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.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Marvelous Masked Kitty

Our best-selling Masked Mysterious Kitty fabric is featured in tonight’s Free eQuilter pattern! Behold the all seeing eyes of this mystical kitty; her masked, mesmerizing portrait captures the intensity of this cosmic cat’s gaze, surrounded by opulent embellishments.

To make this 54″ wide x 57″ high quilt design, you will start with our exclusive 28″ x 44″ digital-printed panel. Then piece the borders with our coordinating Jungle Floral, together with solid black to accentuate the kitty’s bright colors.

As a wall hanging, this is a real conversation piece for the kitty enthusiast. Or use this as a Nap quilt or small bed coverlet for fantastical feline dreams.

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

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.

Sharing your passion for fabric and color,
Luana and Paul Rubin

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New Year – New Projects

How are you spending your first weekend of 2025? For those of you being hit by the Polar Vortex, this is a great time to stay indoors and work on your quilting and sewing projects…as long as your power stays on! Hope you are keeping warm and keeping busy.

I’ve had several New Year phone calls this week, and when I am asked ‘how are you?’ my answer is …up to my eyeballs and hair-on-fire-busy!…Getting ready for my solo gallery in Kyoto March 1st. In addition to finishing 2 quilts before I leave Feb 25, I’ve been gathering quilts for this exhibit, including borrowing some back from other traveling exhibits.

In addition, I am planning to have a Studio Open House the weekend after my return home, for friends and fellow artists who would like to see the Kyoto exhibit in my studio. Right now I am planning on Sunday afternoon March 9, which coincides with our 26th eQuilter anniversary. If you are in the Boulder/Front Range area, save the date! I can also schedule a group or guild visit that Friday or Saturday afternoon, Mar 7-8. (I return home March 5) On Monday March 10 I have to start shipping several quilts back to their current exhibit venues. More details as the date approaches.

For those of you who have been asking about another Polar Bear trip to Churchill, well I should never say never. I am negotiating with NatHab now for the dates of a trip this Fall to bring another group of you wildlife-lovers up to the edge of the Arctic Circle to see these charismatic mega-fauna in their dwindling habitat.

For those of you who are also exploring the use of digital cutters such as the Silhouette Cameo, I want to point out that we carry specialty products like Gentle-Fuse and Terial Magic for this fusible applique / digital cutting method that is growing in popularity thanks to artists like Betty Busby and Kestrel Michaud.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Lecture Dates: www.luanarubin.com
Jan 9 – Fraser Valley Modern Guild – Art & Activism Zoom Lecture
Jan 21 – Visions Museum Zoom Lecture
Feb 25 – Mar 5 – Kyoto Quilt Festival
Apr 3-6 – SAQA Conference – St Pete, Florida
April 27- May 3 – Alegre Retreat

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.

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Prayers for So Cal

Our hearts and prayers are with Southern California now. Although there have been some early queries about donating comfort quilts to fire victims, please understand that what they need now are the basics of existence. We are donating to World Central Kitchen, who are bringing meals to those displaced. I always give to trusted/known non-profits, and local relief organizations on the ground and on-site. This will be a long recovery for those who have lost homes, but right now we can support them by donating to trusted organizations that are preferably locally or community-based.

I am sure California quilt guilds are already gearing up to help in the aftermath, but the priority now is to put out the fires, get people to safety, get them fed and safely housed. Having seen our community go through a similar fire 3 years ago, we know what comes next. (Marshall Fire, 12-30-21)

It has been a rough start to 2025 so far, but I am finding my sanity and focus with needle and thread. I am actually in the studio daily now, prepping for my show in Kyoto, but also as a meditation to clear my head and process the news. I hope that you also find solace and clarity in Mindful Making, Slow Stitch, or whatever creative activity is speaking to you now. Every stitch is a prayer….for comfort, healing, and peace.

My mom was born in So Cal, I lived there as a child, and returned to get my degree in downtown LA while I lived in West Hollywood. Now I have a brother and so many quilter and industry friends who live in So Cal. When I look at the maps of burnt neighborhoods, I know those streets, so I empathize with the incomprehensible loss. Sending love and hugs to all of you affected. We are thinking of you.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Lecture Dates: www.luanarubin.com
Jan 21 – Visions Museum Zoom Lecture
Feb 25 – Mar 5 – Kyoto Quilt Festival
Apr 3-6 – SAQA Conference – St Pete, Florida
April 27- May 3 – Alegre Retreat

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.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Mystical Elephant

Our Mystical Elephant panel is the feature of this week’s Free Quilt Pattern. This mesmerizing portrait captures the wisdom, loyalty & intensity of the elephant’s gaze, emerging from a wild, mysterious forest.

To make this 47″ x 47″ quilt design, you will start with our exclusive, magical 29″ x 44″ elephant panel. Piece the borders with our rich and vibrant canopy curls coordinate, then finish with solid black, which makes the quilt colors really pop. A deep jade hand dye provides a spirited accent binding.

As a wall hanging, this is a real conversation piece for the true wildlife lover. Or use this as a Nap quilt for powerful and prosperous dreams.

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

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.

Sharing your passion for fabric and color,
Luana and Paul Rubin

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Soaring into the New Year

Happy New Year from all of us at eQuilter.com!

Every new beginning gives us the opportunity to review the past and make new goals for the future. This is something I have done every New Year since I was a little girl. I make a list of the things I must do in the coming year, the things I want to do, and the things I hope to do. Within those 3 levels of priority, I make sure I accomplish at least one thing from each category. Do you have a system of goal setting also?

This coming year I want to be more mindful about doing things with intention. I don’t want to spend time just distracting myself from other things. I want to spend time focused with my attention on the process. This includes my time in the studio but also my time on the computer, on my phone, with my friends and family, and my time doing research for future projects. (I still need to go see the Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Denver Art Museum!)

So I give you this idea to chew on, for New Years Day:

Am I distracting myself during my creative time, procrastinating or avoiding other foundational tasks?
I think of the Zen Buddhist concept of “Chop Wood Carry Water” or maybe even the parable of the Little Red Hen. When it is time to clean our sewing machine, re-organize our stash, and tidy up our work space…we can be focused on the task and make it a layer of mental and creative prep time…it is like sweeping the mind free of clutter.

Notice how the guts of your machine work while you clean and oil between sewing sessions. Give your machine a new needle for a new project so you have one less thing to worry about if your thread is breaking. Audition gutsy new color combos while you review your stash. (Don’t worry – that scary hue can just be an accent color!) Contemplate different techniques and using new media in unique ways, while you clean your working area. I often find when I do these basic tasks, I move things around to accommodate and discover new efficiencies in my workflow. Right now I am re-learning to use my Silhouette Cameo digital cutting machine, and I plan to set up a Marbling station in the Spring. It is good to have something to look forward to!

No matter what your 5th grade art teacher told you, EVERYONE is creative and everyone has the heart of an artist. We all had it as children it is always waiting for us to open the door again. Being creative and crafty is good for our mental and physical health. Making things with our hands helps us to be present in the moment…and it heals our hearts.

May your New Year be filled with courageous creativity and audacious experiments that lead to joy and wonder.

Sharing our passion for fabric…..
Luana and Paul

Travel/Lecture Dates: www.luanarubin.com
Jan 9 – Fraser Valley Modern Guild – Art & Activism Zoom Lecture
Jan 21 – Visions Museum Zoom Lecture
Feb 25 – Mar 5 – Kyoto Quilt Festival
Apr 3-6 – SAQA Conference – St Pete, Florida
April 27- May 3 – Alegre Retreat

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.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Enchanted Castle

Delicate fairies watch over their fairy-tale castle … in this enchanting Free Quilt Pattern.

The cheerful and brightly hued castle panel makes this 57″ x 71″ quilt design a charming project for that special someone who delights in flower fairies. Magical fairy frames make up the coordinating borders, while the raspberry Hoffman hand dye provides a peaceful & calming outer border. It’s pure loveliness!

…from the ‘Enchanted’ collection by Dan Morris for Quilting Treasures.

PLUS – you’ll receive Free USA / 50% off INTL shipping
when you order the fabrics for this exquisite quilt pattern
(orders $100 and over, no coupon needed).

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.

Sharing your passion for fabric and color,
Luana and Paul Rubin

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