Preserving Traditions & Culture

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Luana

Here is another quilt that I admired from the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK. This portrait is based on a historic archival photo of the IS PAN, from a rural area of Poland. A young woman is mending a garment, while wearing an ornately embroidered traditional folk costume. Vintage photos of women sewing seem to capture our imagination and take us time-traveling. This piece invites us to step into this intimate scene with atmospheric natural light, in another place and time.

Artist: Magdalena Gasowska
“Forgotten Stories- Women from Urzecze”

Technique: Raw-edge applique, freemotion embroidery, acrylic & alcohol markers for fabric.

“Urzecze is a suburban micro-region neara Warsaw, whose material culture has almost completely disappeared. My family has lived here for generations. I decided to immortalize on a quilt, a girl in traditional folk costume from this region. I hope this will help preserve the heritage of my ancestors.”

I have uploaded this quilt image, and more quilts from the Birmingham show, on my photo pages. Enjoy!

(Floral border is from the ‘Regalia’ collection by Aaron Martin)

Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

Follow Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for quilt & travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Subscribe to Luana’s Artist Website blog for more creative inspiration.

Travel/Quilt Dates:
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Sept 15-25 – Painting Retreat
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Italy Tour. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Every Child Matters

Posted on August 18, 2024 by Luana

In light of the traumatic events that have unfolded at former Residential Schools across Canada and the US, we have designed this quilt ‘Every Child Matters’ out of reverence to those grieving. This painting depicts two siblings who were finally set free after being grimly discovered at a Residential School. The children who are shown holding hands were torn apart from each other, but now reunited as they make their way back home. Canadian artist Karen Erickson included beautiful imagery such as a moon and feathers to represent the First Nations, Inuit, and indigenous people joining together to guide the two siblings home.

Northcott donates 100% of the net proceeds from the sales to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and the Orange Shirt Society.

In this exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern, we have combined the central panel with 4 Hoffman Hand-Dyes – and a digital starry sky, pulling out the colors of Teal, Green and Marigold from the main panel.

…from the ‘Southwest’ collection by Karen Erickson for Northcott Fabrics. Karen is a Metis, Cree artist, currently living in Prince George, Canada.

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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Another Page Turns…In the Story of Quilting

Posted on August 17, 2024 by Luana

This week we lost 2 important matriarchs in the quilting world. Freddy Moran was 94 when she went to the big rainbow in the sky. She was an early advocate of bright colors and whimsical art quilt design, when others were stuck on ditsy dark calico fabrics. Freddy considered Red a Neutral!

Thanks to Mel Beach for this Freddy quote: “Quilting is my passion. I feel everyone needs a passion in their life. I think having a passion keeps us active, alive, and interesting, and interested in other people and places. Quilting has led me to meet a fabulous group of people and to travel to wonderful parts of the world. Quilting keeps our minds creative.”

It was shocking to lose Laurie Harsh, the founder of Fabshopnet. Laurie was a mentor and advisor when I was preparing to open our business in 1998 and 1999. She was a pioneer in our industry, and has advised countless quilt shop owners in their retail adventures. We shared a passion for quilting and fabric, and had a mutual appreciation. Everyone in the industry knew her, and her influence will continue to ripple out to the community.

So what does this mean? Appreciate and absorb inspiration from your precious elder mentors, and pass it on to those younger makers who are discovering our beloved quilting art and craft! We all have something to share with a younger maker. Teach someone to sew. Share your passion for quilting by volunteering in a classroom. Donate the lonely parts of your stash to those who are learning to make blocks, and learning to hand-stitch.

There is nothing more joyful than sharing one’s passion with a young person who is drawn to the Light of Creativity. When life is a roller coaster, we find our balance with a needle and thread.

I have added more photos from the Festival of Quilts on my photo pages – please enjoy and share!

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Dates:
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Sept 15-25 – Painting Retreat
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Tour – Italy. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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 – Sunny Day

Posted on August 15, 2024 by Luana

Bursting with Sunshine, our re-stocked exclusive eQuilter Free Pattern features a dazzling 60″ x 60″ Sunflower panel that will fill your bedroom with cheerful sunshine.

This radiant 83″ x 83″ quilt design makes an enchanting sunny bed quilt, bringing calming dreams to the lucky floral lover who sleeps beneath its cover.

The vivid floral panel is bordered with delicate Hoffman Hand Dye stripes that are pieced at the corners to give a woven basket impression.

…from the ‘Sunny Day’ collection by Oasis Fabrics.

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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This One’s for Jane

Posted on August 14, 2024 by Luana

Today I am sharing another gorgeous quilt from the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK. (You can see a detail photo of this quilt, plus others from the FOQ on my photo pages.)

This stunning vertical banner quilt is absolutely electric with its complementary colors and modern construction. It was made by Aitch Bee and Helen Howes – named “Blue Moon” with a Bee theme. It was pieced and appliqued – a true collaboration between two makers.

I have set it against a yellow Sunflower and Honeycomb backdrop. This email is a tribute to my friend Jane S. who I have known for many years through the Color Marketing Group. She lived in Hong Kong working in the design business, as I did. Her specialty over time became silk flowers, and she always looked forward to the Chelsea Flower Show each Spring in London. She has been bugging me to come spend time at her home in Sydney Australia, but I learned a few days ago that we lost her to a sudden illness. Jane loved Bees and Flowers, and she was a champion for the bees and other pollinators in the garden. We shared a love of quilts and beautiful fabrics, flowers and bees.

This one’s for Jane.

Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

Follow Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for quilt & travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Subscribe to Luana’s Artist Website blog for more creative inspiration.

Travel/Quilt Dates:
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Sept 15-25 – Painting Retreat
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Italy Tour. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Mysterious Rainbow Owl

Posted on August 11, 2024 by Luana

Gaze deep into the eyes of the all-knowing Cosmic Owl, with this week’s Free Quilt Pattern. The powerful image captures the magic and wisdom of this nocturnal raptor, in vivid kaleidoscopic colors.

To make this 70″ wide x 55″ high quilt design, you will start with our exclusive 28″ x 44″ digital-printed panel. Highlight with a harvest gold Kaufman Kona solid; then add our complementary Vibrant Feathers Stripe for the striking borders.

As a wall hanging, this is a real conversation piece for Owl lovers. Or use this as a Nap quilt or small bed coverlet for soaring raptor dreams.

…from the ‘Mysterious Animal’ 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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Back to School ‘Round the Corner

Posted on August 10, 2024 by Luana

Harvest season has started, and here in Colorado that means roadside stands with juicy Palisade Peaches. I just picked my first fat sweet tomato from my garden today. Nothing like a real sun-ripened tomato, still warm from the sun.

Be sure to click through to see the full panel image of the Mystical Unicorn – this gorgeous artwork is so dreamy and lusciously colorful – it makes me giddy.

I am starting to post images from the Birmingham Festival of Quilts on my photo pages. Check back next week for more!

For those of you with school age children, it is a busy time getting ready for school to start….but sewing time is just around the corner again. Start planning those Fall projects now, and stocking up on basic supplies like a fresh pack of needles, a few new colors of thread, and maybe a new pair of specialty scissors. We’ve got you covered for the latest notions, high quality batting, and don’t forget Kaffe’s BRAND NEW BOOK!

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Dates:
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Sept 15-25 – Painting Retreat
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Tour – Italy. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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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Olympic Embroidery & Applique

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Luana

While I catch up on my jetlag and edit my photos from the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK, I want to share this quilt made to commemorate the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It was made by the Sturminster Newton Quilting Group, and designed by Liz Wray.
It is called “Running Stitch” and features hand-embroidered runners and other athletes around the border. In the center panel, Paris landmarks like Notre Dame and Arc de Triomphe are featured. The phrase “Paris 2024” is appliqued at the bottom, with the letters in an Art Nouveau style. The background is little paper-pieced hexagons. Applique Olympic Rings hang in the sky against the hexagon backdrop. Notice the Olympic Flame in the top border, and the Medals hanging in the bottom border. There is a wonderful mix of different techniques in this group quilt project!

I have added a border stripe from our current ‘Radiant Reflections‘ collection as side borders. You can find photos of this quilt with details, in this photo album.

Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

Follow Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for quilt & travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Subscribe to Luana’s Artist Website blog for more creative inspiration.

Travel/Quilt Dates:
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Italy Tour. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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Quilt Trends from Birmingham

Posted on August 3, 2024 by Luana

This week I have been in Birmingham UK at the Festival of Quilts, photographing this year’s crop of quilts and catching up with fellow quilt artists. The SAQA ‘Stitchpunk‘ gallery was a big hit, which you can see in the exhibit catalog. One of the trends that showed up all over the show floor, was quilts made with sheer layers (like our recently restocked silk organza) painted, stitched and printed. There were plenty of quilts celebrating the long reign of Queen Elizabeth. Another prominent trend is the use of contrasting colors of thread, instead of matching the thread colors. The quilt mostly obscured by a crowd of admirers, had white and blue threads finely stitched into a detailed mandala on a black background.

I finish up at the show Sunday, and fly home Monday. I’ve had a fantastic time photographing the quilts, and will be sharing the edited photos with you in the next week or two. It is truly an international event, with quilters and teachers from Canada, South America, Australia, Japan, Taiwan and Africa. (And probably more!) We come together through our love of fabric and sewing. There are many hugs, and much laughter.

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Dates:
July 29 – Aug 5 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Tour – Italy. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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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My Week in the U.K.

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Luana

This week I went to a concert and multimedia presentation with Brian Cox as the guest speaker. He is an English physicist, professor, and has been described as the natural successor for the BBC’s scientific programming by David Attenborough. The huge backdrop screen at London’s Royal Opera House was filled with animated images of exploding stars, zooming nebula, and fields of stars. Cox blew our minds with incomprehensible numbers about the Universe, Time, and our short existence as humans, in this context of infinity. At the end of the 2 hr 40 min event, he challenged us to justify our existence on this one precious planet. I think it is safe to say that everyone in the audience got the message. We are meant to be stewards of the Earth, and we are not doing a very good job.

After spending a couple days in London, this evening I have just arrived by train in Birmingham for the Festival of Quilts. If you follow my emails and my photo pages, you know this is a show I have enjoyed attending for many years. I love to come here to photograph the quilts from all over the UK and Europe. There are so many styles celebrating so many cultures, and the attendees are passionate about our beloved art and craft. Tomorrow is the award ceremony, and I will be there to cheer on the winners.

My flight from Denver to London was relatively empty. We all had a row to ourselves, and many were able to lay down and sleep. That is so unusual for the high tourist season, so we had to assume it’s because so many travelers are in Paris at the Olympics! I hope you have been able to take in some of the televised events. There is something so inspiring about the world coming together to compete peacefully.

You may recall that I was helping to gather signatures for a ballot initiative to ban Trophy Hunting of Big Cats in our state. We just got word that our petitions had more than the required number of signatures, and it will be on the ballot this Fall. I am proud to have been a part of this conservation effort. Every one of us can make a difference.

I’ll be sharing photos from the Festival of Quilts in the next couple weeks, so keep an eye out for that link!

Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul

Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.

Follow Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for quilt & travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Subscribe to Luana’s Artist Website blog for more creative inspiration.

Travel/Quilt Dates:
July 29 – Aug 5 – Festival of Quilts, Birmingham UK
Sept 4-8 – AQSG Seminar, Tarrytown NY
Oct 31 – Nov 3 – Houston Quilt Festival
December 5-13 – Textile & Costume Italy Tour. Alpine Xmas Market Extension Dec 13-15.

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