eQuilter Blog

What a crazy week this has been!
After a week in Houston at Quilt Market and Quilt Festival, I flew home for a day, and now I am in Portland OR for the Color Marketing Group conference. I should buy stock in Hilton – ha!

While in Houston, Bonnie McCaffery and I shot several videos which will be coming to you in the next 2-3 weeks. Watch for the announcement in this newsletter! (…and check out previous show videos on our video page.)

I also took lots of photos of my favorite quilts, and I will post some of those later this week once I finish the color conference.

It is a typical wet gray day here in Portland, but as you may know, the moisture makes the colors of the foliage just gleam. Our fall color is done in Boulder, but there is still lots of red and yellow and emerald green in the hills of Portland.

Hey – if you are in the US – don't forget that Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend so you can sleep an extra hour on Sunday morning. Yeah!

For those of you in the San Jose area, I wanted to let you know I'll be attending an opening at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles on Sunday afternoon Nov 21. eQuilter is a corporate sponsor of this show, and I might bring Sophie along too. They are featuring the Marbaum Collection, and the work of my friend Yvonne Porcella.

Also, some of you have been asking me – when is my next big trip? I am going to see the Christmas Markets of Prague, Budapest and Vienna the 2nd week of December, and will spend the weekend of Dec 10-12 in Vienna. I am hoping to attend a special holiday concert in one of the historic music halls, and I'd like to visit a museum, (a textile museum?) so if any of you have information about concerts/events on that weekend, or suggestions for museums, please send me an email at eQuilter, or let me know on Facebook.

Yes we still have just a few spots left in the Bali trip and it IS the trip of a lifetime – with a focus on Art Design and Color. There is still time to sign up! I can't wait to see Princess Mirah's palace, and the batik factory.

I also want to say a big thank you to the NASA Johnson Space Center chapter of Engineers Without Borders – who gave me a VIP tour of the center, took me out to dinner, where I even got to visit with a REAL astronout who is returning to the International Space Station in March. They send their thanks to everyone who has contributed to their work at the orphanage in Rwanda through our eQuilter Charity program. Quilters, Rocket Scientists, and Africa…could you ever imagine how those 3 things would all end up in one sentence?!

When I travel, I always make time to visit a museum or art gallery. I enjoy not only looking at the art, but also watching the people who come to look at the art. We can learn a lot by watching the public's reaction to art.

One of my favorite people-watching museums is the Louvre in Paris. It has so many famous works of art, and the mob scenes in front of works like the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo are an event in themselves.

Ever wonder – what does it take to produce a timeless and iconic work of art that will inspire others for hundreds of years? Do you suppose that Leonardo pondered the possibility of the Mona Lisa being the most famous work of art on the planet, 500 years in the future? (the photo above captures part of the crowd, behind the velvet rope, viewing the Mona Lisa on the right.)

Great works of art are not just an expression of creativity. They are a joining of talent, passion, hard work, experience and the quality of the medium that is available to the artist. Great works of art are not just about being the first to conceive of a new artistic perspective, but they are the culmination of a long process of curiosity, failure, courage, obsession, despair and bliss.

Today creativity is available to the masses more than ever – not because the human race has become so much more talented – but because we are exposed to the idea of being creative and using it as a process of self discovery and self expression.

Sometimes we see the old argument on quilt lists – what is art? – and are quilts art? There is no magic dividing line between craft and art. The greatest works of art were created by master craftspeople like Michelangelo, who had a powerful combination of craft, skill, artistic talent and other-worldly vision. They didn't worry about whether or not to call it art. They just went into the studio or workroom and got to work.

When we go to a museum or gallery, and find ourselves staring with fascination at a particular work, why is it that we will break our gaze and move on to the next work so quickly? I believe that when we are drawn to a particular work – when it speaks to us – that there is something there for us on a very deep and personal level. Is it possible that somehow the artist can speak to us across the ages, and make a soul connection? Are we drawn to something about the moment in time that this work was created? Is there a subconscious message that whispers to us from the artwork's origins?

Next time a work of art captures your heart, don't break your gaze. Spend time with the piece and listen to its message. You might just bring a little piece of the artist back to your studio.

See my photo page for other images from the Louvre and France.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/sets/72157621525828557/

There is an old quilting urban legend told by sales reps –
it is the tale of the golden thread.

One day a sales rep for a thread company came into a quilt shop and told the owner that she should buy his wonderful thread because it was a great seller and would make her customers happy. He offered to sell her the whole display case with a several dozen colors, but she asked "What are the most popular colors?". He told her which ones sold the most, but then said "You have to carry the whole line in order to sell the best sellers!"

"Nonsense!" she retorted, and proceeded to order the 3 best-selling colors. The threads arrived, and she put them on a basket on her counter top. Months went by and nobody bought the "best sellers". Perplexed, she called the sales rep to complain. "You told me these were the best sellers!" she accused him.

After much cajoling and negotiating, she agreed to let him leave the whole line in the store for a month to see if the threads would sell. The display case with all the gorgeous colors of the rainbow was installed in the shop, and Voila! The threads began to sell like crazy! Yes, he was right about the best sellers, and she sold several other colors too, but she realized that she did indeed have to show a large variety to entice her customers to try the threads.

That is our goal at eQuilter – to share with you such a wonderful variety of fabrics and products that you can't help but find something that tickles your fancy! – and to help you make a choice by giving you a huge range of options, and any customer service support you might need.

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html

With over 1200 new products per month, and 22,000 in stock and ready to ship, no wonder so many quilters say "If you can't find it at eQuilter, you can't find it anywhere!"

It is our nature as humans to want to look over a variety in order to pick out the exact things we want. We want to have a choice when we go shopping… or is it hunting and gathering? This is the same reason a painter will squeeze out all the colors onto the palette, even if only some of the colors will be used in the painting. We have to look at it all, to know what we want or need.

We know that on Sunday morning sometimes it is just fun to look at and play with the 250-300 new fabrics that have arrived in the last week. And sometimes you might just find that irresistible golden spool of thread…

( Don't forget to play with our eQuilter Design Board while you are sampling our weekly delights!)

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_orderdesignboard.html

I guess I am lucky that one of my 3 children has developed an avid interest in quilting and fabrics. They say that quilting and sewing tends to skip a generation in families. Although I learned about sewing from my grandmothers, the love of making things with fabric is being passed on directly to our youngest child.

In my grandmothers' time, it was a necessity to learn how to sew. At that time many people sewed their own clothes and then later made quilts from the scraps, because fabric was scarce and buying these ready-made items was expensive. During the Depression and the war, there was even more reason to sew for one's self and children.

Being able to express one's own creativity through sewing was somewhat of a luxury during those times, but today we have such an incredible variety of colors and designs to choose from, and we are encouraged to make choices that fit our personalities.

When I first started this business in the basement of our home, I bought bright colors that I knew would show well over the internet. However I will never forget the day my friend Barb came over to look through our 300 bolts in the basement, and then she asked where I kept the neutrals. Duh! That's when I knew that we needed to grow and accommodate all kinds of tastes and needs – and as time went on we just kept adding more and more categories of products until we got to 22,000 products online and in stock. As most of you know, if you see it on our website, that means it is on the shelf in our warehouse and ready to ship to you.

Today we anticipate your fabric needs by researching trends and ordering cutting edge design so we have it in stock before you even know that you wanted those fabrics! Two weeks from now I'll be in Houston at Quilt Market and then at Quilt Festival, and the weekend afterwards I'll be in Portland, OR at the Color Marketing Group conference, working on color forecasting for the design industries with the CMG members.

In the meantime, every once in awhile I have Sophie come in when the fabric sales reps visit, and I have her watch while I preview lines and decide what to order. She has a definite eye for color and design, so perhaps some day you'll see her designing fabrics and quilts, or even writing this weekly newsletter…? She loves digging through my stash, just like I bet your kids or grandkids love looking at your fabric collection.

The best part is when she pulls out an especially beautiful piece of fabric and says – "Mom! We should make a quilt out of this!"

If you are planning to come to Festival in Houston, I'll be at the award ceremony Tuesday Nov 2 to present the World of Beauty cash award. Hope to see you there!

Here in Boulder, we are having our first Frost of the season tonight. Over the weekend we had snow up in the mountains, and this morning when I dropped off the kids at school, there were parents pulling into the parking lot with a thick layer of snow on their car. (Mountain residents)

Saturday we turned on the heater for the first time this year, and I baked bread tonight. The kids got out their winter PJ's and I am wearing socks to bed. That pretty much says it all.

All of us have our rituals that we perform during the changing of the seasons, and just like our traditions over the holidays, these rituals are comforting and help us to mark the passing of time.

Quilters have rituals when the weather gets colder…we have already drawn up our holiday list of quilts to be made, but now as the days get shorter in the Northern Hemisphere, we tend to hibernate in our sewing rooms, with mounds of UFO's and scraps. We usually have a cup of something hot to drink close by, and we are drawn to cooler and deeper colors as the nights grow longer.

Friday when our typical Colorado weather bounces back up to 80 degrees (yes!) I'll be a little peeved about my lovely fall sweater that must be shed. I am ready to wear shades of wine, berry, cocoa and charcoal…and I've already switched to my winter shades of lipstick. (love that new trend of RED lipstick!)

So just in case you're having a tough time thinking about those shivery dark quilting months ahead, I thought I'd share one of my favorite winter photos from Chautauqua Park in the foothills of Boulder, with the Flatirons in the background. That's Sam marching up the snow-covered trail, and he still talks about that frosty hike with a big grin. (this photo taken last December)

What's your favorite thing about the coming season? Baking bread and sipping hot tea? Collecting seasonal and holiday fabrics? Sewing snuggly flannel quilts? Staying up late making gifts on wintry nights?

Beauty for the Sake of … Beauty

One day last year, on one of my overseas trips, I came across this amazing ornamented building. I had just spent the day at a national art museum, and as I strolled down the street in the late day golden sun, I came across this astonishing sight.

Can you guess in which city I took this photo?
Try to imagine what purpose this building might have.

Cultures and communities that value art are a wonder, and even if the arts have flourished in that city centuries before, the creativity continues to affect its citizens, its economy, even its politics.

In the case of this Blushing Pink stucco building, with raised Ivory floral and faux architectural embellishments…it is a school in the heart of the city. Can you imagine being a child and attending a school in a building such as this?

Designers, artists and architects over the centuries have dreamed of finding patrons who could share their vision of Beauty. Sometimes, when the stars align and the brilliant creative geniuses live in the same time and place as visionary patrons, great works are created that continue to inspire us long after the players are gone.

Home-grown creative geniuses must be raised to believe that they are truly creative, and that they deserve to share their vision with the world. Prodigies don't spring forth fully-formed, but rather they are nurtured and supported…and often pushed by those who see their potential.

What always amazes me, is the raw emotional power I feel when I see a mammoth work of art that is so exquisite in its details, so vast in its scope, and so heartbreakingly beautiful that it takes your breath away…and brings tears to your eyes.

I have had many of those experiences, sometimes in the expected places (Michelangelo's David, and Sistine Chapel), sometimes when I didn't know what to expect (like the Baptistery Doors in Florence), and sometimes in the most modest and mundane circumstances. (a color plate in a 100 year old book, depicting the costumes and art of a culture that no longer exists)

Whether you go to your local art gallery, or travel halfway around the world to see a famous work of art, be sure to take the time to really "be" with the work. Over the years, there are works in museums that I have returned to again and again, because when I truly take the time to be present with the work, I have a profound experience of connecting with the artist.

These days we are often in such a hurry, being hustled through the "famous works" of a museum, or rushing through rooms of historic artwork, that we totally miss the heart and soul of the work.

Next time you encounter a work of art that moves you, I invite you to consider spending a lengthy period of time with the work, as one would spend time getting to know a new friend. Whether you are looking at an art quilt, an antique patchwork quilt, a painting or a sculpture…the Inner Truth of the work does not reveal itself immediately.

If you are fortunate, you can visit or even live in a community that is experiencing a flourishing of the arts in your lifetime. Even if that is not the case, you can visit communities that have a history of supporting artists (such as our host city in the photo – Barcelona, Spain) and then proceed to build your own creative community and support system in your own hometown.

Bring home the Creative Fire from a museum, an art gallery, or your quilt guild's Show and Tell… and then plant that Passion in your own work.

..sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana

Do you censor your Internal Artist?
Were you told as a child that you were not creative?
Were you raised to accept that creative time was a waste of time…worthy of guilt?

If so, you are not alone. I can't tell you how many truly creative people I have met, who can't give themselves to the playful process of making art.

These days, as art, music and PE are suffering cutbacks, and schools' art classes have to fit in a weekly smidgen of time, I worry about another generation of kids whose Inner Artist is being obliterated.

Happily, among young adults, being a "Creative" means that you are in demand. I hear at trend conferences that there are fewer interns who can pick up a pencil and draw out an idea, but for those who can, there is a great demand for those who can translate a concept to an image.

Art is Joyful.
Creativity is Healing.

Making things with your hands clears your head and heals your heart.

In a crazy world, we find our sanity, our Inner Peace, by expressing our heart and soul through art.

When making art, or being creative,
we need lots of empty time and space
for our internal process to unfold.

I spend a whole day in my studio, cleaning and organizing, listening to happy World Music, before I start a new project.

Somewhere inside *all* of us is the
Creative Child who knows how to PLAY.

Won't you join me?

National Good Neighbor Day
Do you remember when everyone left their doors unlocked, Brownies went door to door selling cookies without a chaperone, new neighbors were welcomed with a pie or cake, and there was no such thing as Road Rage? I have friends who grew up in Manhattan with these memories, so I know it is not just those who grew up small towns who experienced that era.

I miss that way of life – but it is clear my kids are not going to experience that lifestyle. Maybe there are a few pockets left in the world like that, but it is the exception, not the norm.

Quilters are one of the most generous groups of people I have ever met, and often the purpose of their art and craft is to give to others, to comfort and to heal others. Quilters have big hearts, and they consider "family" to be a larger circle than those who live with them under the same roof. When a neighbor or someone in their community suffers a loss or illness, quilters are right there bringing food, quilts, and companionship.

These days we develop neighborly relationships with people all over the world. I guess in that way it is an improvement over that small-town way of living, because we learn about and we care for people who live several miles or even several continents away from us.

Sunday Sept 26 is Good Neighbor Day, and I am taking that as an opportunity to think about how I can be a good neighbor, both locally and globally.

http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/goodneighbor.htm

I have to say that I have great neighbors! When we started our business in the basement of our home 11 1/2 years ago, and the business grew very big, very fast…our neighbors put up with the UPS trucks and the employees coming and going until we could secure our first warehouse and move out of the neighborhood. Whew! What a crazy time!

As our business grew that first year, and it became clear that we would have an international customer base, I thought about being a good neighbor on a global basis. That may sound strange, but with the advent of the internet and the world getting smaller every day, I felt more like a citizen of the world, not just a citizen of a country, state or town. After traveling to China to adopt our daughter Sophie,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/sets/72157624403833275/

… and visiting orphanages full of abandoned children

http://www.flickr.com/photos/luanarubin/sets/72157606768214652/

….healthy babies and disabled kids…I just knew that our quilter friends would want to support our efforts to be good neighbors through our charity program.

So today I invite you to review your own Good Neighbor status, and reconnect with your neighbors near and far, quilters and non-quilters. That is really the best part of this life – the love we can share with family, neighbors, and strangers in need.

To quote the late great Mr Rogers –
Won't you be my neighbor? *smile*

There are still a few spots left in our amazing trip to Bali in April.

http://www.equilter.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/travel.html

Love the book 'Eat Pray Love'? Come along with me to Bali and discover the peace, spiritual beauty and stunning visual and textile arts of this island paradise.

http://sewmanyplaces.com/tours/bali_0411.html

Contact Sew Many Places to make a deposit and set up a payment plan.

http://sewmanyplaces.com/contact.html

Deborah Lancaster is going to India and needs donations to help a group of untouchable women learn to quilt to help support their families.

Please take a look at her blog page and donate even a few dollars via Paypal if you can:

http://deborahlancaster.com/

*************************

I am going to India in 2 weeks to teach quilting to 'untouchable' ladies
(really, they are quite the same as you and I; it's the Hindu caste system
that teaches this); my intent is to help them learn a skill so that they can
better support their families, and you can find out a bit more info on my
web site, deborahlancaster.com.

There are 6 ladies who make the core group – this will be the third time I
have taught them – and we share great love between us, in spite of having no
language in common, really; other ladies are brought in from the villages to
learn with us for a week.

Deborah Lancaster

The total market value of illicit human trafficking is estimated to be in
excess of $32 billion (U.N.)
Each year, more than 2 million children are exploited in the global
commercial sex trade (UNICEF)
27 million men, women and children are held as slaves. (Kevin Bales,
Disposable People)
1 in 5 women is a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. (U. N.
Development Fund for Women)
More than 1 million children live in detention, the vast majority awaiting
trial for minor offenses. (UNICEF)
~~~http://www.ijm.org/

It was just last Monday that I gave the keynote trend report at the Intl Textile Expo in Las Vegas, but it seems like a couple weeks ago! Going to Vegas twice in a month was a bit surreal, I must admit.

On the flight home, I made sure to get a window seat on the right side. The only thing I could have done better was book a flight for early morning or late afternoon, as I flew over the Grand Canyon. (Better shadows with the sun lower in the sky) Wearing a solid black shirt would have helped too I suppose.

I was snapping photos pretty much the whole flight – delightedly so – but the midday sun and the reflection of my lavender shirt made it difficult to capture all the detail of what I saw down below. Well there's always the NEXT trip to Vegas! Live and learn.

During my trend report for Spring 2011, I ended up talking a lot about Black and White. Solid Black and Solid White are huge trends in Fashion now and going forward into 2011, but also there are a lot of Black and White prints and yarn-dyes.

If you've ever studied or considered the mass psychology aspect of color forecasting, it might be obvious why we as a society (and the designers as our group-psyche prognosticators) are craving the simplicity and purity of Black and White. Life is just so complex these days, that it is refreshing for the eye to light on solid Black or solid White. We are also looking to escape from reality, so designers seem to be taking us back to the Seventies for our latest form of Retro-Escapism.

… and the product of all this?

Solid White-on-White pantsuits, ala 1970's, and loads of Little Black Dresses.

It's all very Audrey Hepburn…and Goldie Hawn. Not necessarily in that order!

I don't have any trouble resisting those sky high platform shoes, but reworked Seventies prints in many shades of purple are looking pretty tasty.

Fashion trends affect Home Dec trends, which are parallel to color and design trends in the quilting industry. It will be interesting to see what our industry's design studios do with this latest influence of "Modern Classics" and the Retro Seventies.