Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 25, 2014 by Luana

Christmas

** from Boulder Colorado to our friends around the World ***

Wishing you a blessed holiday with your loved ones today.

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Creative Nudge – Snowy Retreat

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Luana

ColdBearCollage_550

***

Meanwhile, at the snowbound Winter Quilting Retreat….

Oh the weather outside is frightful
But the fire is so delightful
And since we've no place to go
Let Us Sew! Let Us Sew! Let Us Sew!

The fabrics were piled up by the chimney with care,
in hopes that the chocolate soon would be there.

The quilters were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of patchwork danced in their heads.

Deck the walls with quilts and patchwork
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Stitch and sew and do the handwork
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Sew we now our blocks and binding
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Singing while the bobbin's winding
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Keep your stitching neat
Next year all your quilting will be smooth and sweet.

Someday soon, we all will be together
At the next quilt show
Until then, we'll have to muddle through and sew
So have yourself a Christmas full of love and snow…

sharing your Passion for Fabric…
Luana and Paul

Check out our 137 videos from international quilt festivals, Quilting Arts TV and more, on our eQuilter Video Page.

********
Travel Calendar:
Jan 16 2015 – Presenter at Quilt Symposium in Manawatu, New Zealand
Feb 26 – Quilt Festival in Mexico City

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Gifts of the Season

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Luana

This weekend I am writing to you from the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston Texas. (Don't be jealous – it is cloudy, chilly and windy.)

BEWNR6BK

I am seeing our NASA/Engineers Without Borders friends tonight – rocket scientists and maybe an astronaut or two? (Sounds like a scene from I Dream of Jeannie, right?) We have partnered with them on an orphanage/school project in Rwanda for many years, and now a new African project is in development.

TTSPCDMN

I had enough hotel points to pay for a few free hotel nights at the end of the year, and I needed one more quick trip to clinch my Gold flier status, so here I am for 48 hours!

When I updated my Christmas card address list, I had to take off 7 names, including Paul's dad. I don't remember taking so many names off my list before, so I guess it is just another sign that we are all getting older, and it is the season to think about what is most important in life. My brother and his kids are visiting this week, and it will be fun to share our new puppy with them. Paul and our kids will travel to Hawaii for his dad's military funeral next week. (He was a WWII veteran.)

I am sitting in the lobby of a 100 year old hotel that has withstood many hurricanes, and I am watching a bridal party pass by. I watch as families with children tumble past, some tenderly holding snuggling babies, and a smiling Grandma slowly follows with her walker and red Christmas sweater.

EBRSE3IV

I am thinking about all the celebrations and circles of Life that have passed through this big old lobby, and I smile as the young father tosses his giggling daughter in the air. It is the season for love, for memories, for giving from the heart, and for graciously opening up to receive the gifts of the season.

May the beauty of the season bring many blessings of the heart to you and your loved ones.

 

AHNOELBK

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Creative Nudge – Princess Story

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Luana

UnicornCastle2_550

What is it about castles, princesses, unicorns and dragons?

We just can't get enough of them…. in movies, books, fairytales…and fabric!

The image above is a photo I took last year while visiting Glamis Castle in Scotland, where the Queen Mother grew up. I've included a collage of fantasy fabrics to go with the fairytale castle.

When I was a kid, the stories about princesses were about waiting for Prince Charming to come and save the day. These days little girls have better princess role models – brave girls who don't necessarily wait for a prince to complete the story or their happiness.

The archetype of a princess endures, but now she is more willing to "let it go" and be true to herself. She will catch and tame her own Unicorn or Dragon, thank you very much! I am thinking of the strong young women of Frozen, Brave, Harry Potter, and How to Train Your Dragon. Little girls can have such adventurous fairytale fantasies these days… compared to when I was a girl. Is there a little girl in your life who dreams of taming the elements, or being a Dragon-Whisperer?

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Test Run in the Studio, and Memorial

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Luana

If you haven't had time to check out our videos from Houston, be sure to have a look this week!

We now have 6 videos from the quilt festival and IQA exhibits, and the latest one features Portrait and Figurative art quilts… one of MY favorite categories!

Friday was Double Fun at eQuilter – our staff had Ugly Christmas Sweater Day (complete with prizes for funniest and ugliest sweater) – and the editors of Quilters Newsletter Magazine came to tour our warehouse, offices, and new studio. What fun! Thanks Lori and Bill!

Today I spoke to a group of licensed artists who meet monthly to network and share about their end of the industry. A few of them have products on our shelves… the rest would *like* to have their work on our shelves! I gave them a tour of our warehouse and my new studio, and we had a potluck lunch in our employee break room.

It was a test run for my future plans to have classes and events in my new studio space. I think everybody had a great time so I am going to start making plans for events here in 2015.

Paul has set up our video studio in my space also, and I'd like to put out an invitation to all the designers whose work we carry at eQuilter: if you are going to be in Boulder and would like to come and talk about your work in an eQuilter video, please contact us in advance!

The most important thing I have to share this week, is that Paul lost his dad this week. Fred Rubin was 89, and one of the last remaining World War II veterans. Paul's parents were married 67 years, raised 4 kids, and had a successful family business. It is a great loss to the family, but Fred lived a very long full life, and we are grateful that his passing was quick and without suffering.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Mardi Gras Magic

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Luana

FabraCadabra

Let the Good Times Roll!

This eye-popping eQuilter Free Pattern features the gorgeous Fabracadabra collection by quilt artist Paula Nadelstern.

Paula's bold Mardi Gras color story takes you to the street party in New Orleans, and you'll be hearing Samba rhythms as you sew together this kaleidoscope of jazzy hues.

Snap up 1 3/4 yards (1.75 yds) of this special purchase batting to go with this quilt project, and you'll be ready by Fat Tuesday!

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.

Many thanks to Toby Lischko for this spectacular star quilt 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 – Kitties and Cookies

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Luana

GiftCertCatDog_550


Holiday shopping sure has changed!

I can go through almost my entire list, sitting in my jammies and slippers with the kitty on my lap and a cup of tea next to the keyboard.

This leaves more time for baking cookies and sewing last minute holiday projects. Who wants to be running all over town and standing in lines, when you could be sewing flannel pillowcases for the last batch of Very Special People on your short list?

It is also a lot easier to drop hints now. Sending links, images, and especially wish lists, means you will never have to re-gift a white elephant again!

If you are dropping hints via the eQuilter Wish List, don't forget that you can put one of our Gift Certificates on your Wish List!

This concludes our Holiday Public Service message. You may now return to your kitty, tea, cookies, and sewing machine. *smile*

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The Gift of Inspiration

Posted on December 6, 2014 by Luana

I have just returned from 3 days in Aurora Illinois, at the BERNINA Ambassadors Reunion.

First of all let me just say again that I am so honored and appreciative to be a part of this group. It brings together such a stellar gathering of talent in our industry, giving us a chance to network and share our enthusiasm for our art and craft. In addition, we are wined and dined and *intensely* educated on several of the top-of-the-line BERNINA machines…and we all go home filled with ideas and renewed passion.

My association with Bernina goes back to 2003, when my first of three Bernina Fashion Show entries was on the cover of the show book. I took a copy to the head of BERNINA USA and said "I want to be a Bernina Artisan!" and the rest is history. (The trip to Switzerland was the best part!)

You can see a video clip of my 2008 wearable art ensemble here, and you can see photos of my 2004 ensemble here. These were made on my 200 Artista, which by the way I will be selling soon, so I can update to one of the newer BERNINA machines.

All through design school and my fashion design career, my mentors and favorite teachers all sewed on Berninas. When I finally got my first Bernina it was an exhilarating moment. As I said in my recent BERNINA interview, once you sew on a Bernina, you are spoiled forever! My machines are bulletproof and have sewn through anything I can throw at them. The only thing that stopped them was when my studio was hit by a lightening bolt and their brains…er…their circuit boards were fried! This was on the eve of a fashion show deadline, but I got the part replaced and kept sewing…

Sophie has continued the family tradition starting on Quilting Arts TV, (here's her first of several appearances) and now she is hosting her own videos!

Check out our 137 videos from international quilt festivals, Quilting Arts TV and Quilters Newsletter TV on our eQuilter Video Page.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Poppies All Around

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Luana

PoppiesQuilt

Festive Red Poppies twirl on a dramatic Midnight Black background,
in this week's eQuilter Free Pattern.

This clever quilt design with 3 poppy prints by Chong-A Hwang, combines 6" (Large) and 11" (Huge!) floral prints, and a large scale Poppy Garland Stripe for the borders.

Best of all, this is a quick and easy pattern, so you can whip this out in time for an upcoming holiday or family event!

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.

Many thanks to Jude Spero for this Poppy themed quilt 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 – Japanese Quilts

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Luana

MasakoSakagami_550

from the Dec 3 eQuilter newsletter:

Tonight I am writing from Aurora Illinois, near Chicago. I am attending the Bernina Ambassador Reunion, networking with Bernina national teachers, authors and designers, having fun learning and playing on Bernina top-of-the-line machines. Lucky me!

Since I am out of town, Sophie and Paul have been finishing up my videos from Houston. This latest one has Sophie dressed up in the very special kimono that I bought at Bonnie Leman's estate sale this last summer. The video features beautiful Japanese quilts from the Houston Quilt Festival. Of course it includes the amazing quilt by Kyoko Yamauchi, the winner of the eQuilter-sponsored "World of Beauty" cash award.

The collage above is centered on Masako Sakagami's quilt "Fuji and Sakura", plus several of our current favorite Asian fabric designs. (This quilt is also in the latest video)

As you probably know, one of my favorite travel inspirations is to attend the Tokyo Quilt Festival every January. This year instead I will be going to the quilt festival in New Zealand. (Speaking there on Jan 16) I just love seeing what those Kiwi quilters are doing when the New Zealand Magazines arrives every few months….now I'll see it in person!

Are you inspired by the quilts, the art, the culture, the colors, the food or music of another country? I find that I am most delighted when I see quilts from another country, that communicate the national heart and soul of that society. It is like taking a mini-vacation and seeing the world through a different pair of eyes. By sharing our humanity and our vision through our quilts, perhaps we can contribute just a little step toward more peace on this planet.

Bernina Ambassadors Reunion photo:

BerninaAmbassadors

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