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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Free Quilt Pattern – Mysterious Fox

Posted on July 28, 2024 by Luana

Tonight’s Free Quilt Pattern features our exclusive Fox digital panel, intricately illustrated with jewel-tone colors and mystical, mandala shapes.

To make this 52″ x 70″ quilt design, you will start with the central 25″ x 44″ Mysterious Red Fox panel. You will use 3 Hoffman Hand-Dyes, offset by solid black, to create the coordinating four Fox Paw corner blocks.

This exclusive pattern displays a powerful, contemplative image, and would make a great gift for fox-loving friends!

…from the ‘Mystic Animals’ 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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A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Luana

The Olympics are always so inspiring to me, giving us 2 precious weeks to see people come together from around the world to compete peacefully. Did you watch the opening ceremonies last night? Some of my favorite moments included French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel performing “La Marseillaise” from the roof of the Grand Palais, Juliette Armanet singing John Lennon’s “Imagine”, and sparkling Celine Dion belting out “Hymne A L’Amour” from up on the Eiffel Tower. I hold that message of hope and unity in my heart.

Late last night I stumbled across the Tom Hanks biopic about Fred Rogers – “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” – which added another layer of bittersweet memories and recalibration of what is really important in life. My mother in her infinite wisdom limited our TV viewing, but there were no limits on afternoons with “Mister Rogers“. Watching this movie for the 2nd time was a revelation. I highly recommend watching it for the 2nd…or 1st time. It is balm for the soul. I am sure I will watch it a 3rd time when I need another recalibration.

This week we have our preview of 2025 Calendars, full of beautiful artwork by many of our favorite designers and artists. Take a preview peek!

Also this week, the Cherry Hill collection from Benartex is back in stock – luscious Cherries, Chocolate and Cherry Blossoms. Last call for this popular group!

If you are inspired by the Paris Olympics, and perhaps are contemplating a quilt to commemorate this event, I suggest you take a look at these 2 new collections:
3 Sisters Favorites Collages, & Globetrotter by Dan Morris.

I am flying to the UK Sunday night, and will be photographing the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham.

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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Free Quilt Pattern – Woman in Paris

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Luana

Are you dreaming of the Olympics in Paris? This atmospheric image captures a woman on a picturesque walk, with the summer sky and famous Parisian view in the background.

To make this 50″ x 64″ framed quilt design, you will start with the 29″ x 44″ scenic panel. We love the pop of red against the muted tones in the background scene, featuring the Eiffel Tower. We’ve added two Hoffman Hand Dyes, Kona Solid Black and a Red Hoffman Hand-Dye to create a dimensional frame around this romantic image.

Whether you have poignant memories of a past visit to the City of Light, or you dream of visiting the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees, this quilt captures the imagination and spins a beautiful daydream!

…from the ‘World Travel’ 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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Quilt Canada Viewer’s Choice

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Luana

Here’s a fabulous quilt that illustrates a trend we’ve been talking about for a few years:
Honeybees and the color Yellow

This delightfully detailed quilt by Kathy Strawson was awarded the Viewer’s Choice at Quilt Canada in Edmonton in June. The quilt was an exploration of the color Yellow. It was hand-pieced and machine appliqued by Kathy. The machine quilting finish was done by Kim Caskey. It was based on the Ethiopian Bee Project, from the Feb 2016 Quilters Newsletter. She used EPP hexagon patterns created by Katja Marek.

Do you remember when people were afraid of the color Yellow? Long ago when I started visiting quilt shops and attending quilt guild events (pre-eQuilter) I actually heard people say they would never use Yellow in their quilts, because they hated the color. When asked why, they would say “Because I look terrible in Yellow!” They were equating a color they thought they couldn’t wear, with a color they didn’t know how to use in their quilt.

These days quilters have given themselves permission to use ALL colors, and Yellow is recognized as an important accent or highlight color. However in this case Kathy is totally immersing herself in the golden glow of Sunshine and Sunflowers, and her quilt is beaming with Happiness!

Yellow and Gold have been an important trend in fashion and home dec the last several years, and I strongly believe the attention on honeybees (and the plight of pollinators) has contributed to a shift in perception. Yellow is the color of joy, positive energy, optimism and illumination. Golden honey hues are warm and comforting. Yellow is associated with free-flowing creative thinking and imagination. It is a confident cheerful color. Try some Yellow and see how it lifts your spirits!

You can see an allover photo and detail photo of this Bee Hexagon quilt, on my Quilt Canada photo page here. I have placed a border collage with 3 fabrics now in stock at eQuilter.com

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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Free Quilt Pattern – Quilt Room Kitties

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Luana

Everything is better with Kittens in the Sewing Room!

These adorable kitties pose proudly on their vibrant heirloom quilts.
Our eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern features the artwork of one of our longtime favorite artists – Dan Morris.

To make this 60″ x 67″ quilt design, you will start with the central 36″ x 44″ panel. Add blocks from two coordinating kitty block panels with kitty fur sashing, and then finish with the colorful paw prints for the outer border.

Your kitty-loving family and friends will adore this delightful celebration of cats and quilts!

…from the ‘Quilt Room Kitties’ 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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Unity in Community

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Luana

This was an exciting week with lots of quilty inspiration! On Tuesday I visited the Quilting Arts TV studio, and sat at a table of 10 quilters for dinner that evening. (We are a longtime sponsor of this PBS show.) I got a peek into some of the explosive creativity that will be featured in the upcoming series, and it was fascinating.

The next day I joined our local SAQA chapter to visit the New Legacies art quilt exhibit at the arts center in Fort Collins. This is a beautiful annual show that is always high quality and inspirational. If you are traveling through Colorado this summer, I urge you to stop and see this exhibit. You can see photos here.

On Monday Caryl Bryer Fallert’s exhibit opens at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, which we also sponsor. If you have not seen Caryl’s brilliant work in person, I urge you to visit RMQM before Oct 19 while this show is up. Caryl is also a textile designer, and we still have many colors of her “Gradations” ombre line in stock, for those of you who love working with gradient colors.

There are a few things featured in today’s eQuilter email that I want to point out to you.

Jason Yenter’s new collection “Oriental Gardens” is a welcome addition to our Asian categories. We still love Asian-themed designs but the industry is producing less of this category, so we grab it whenever we can. This is one of the loveliest interpretations we’ve seen recently. If you are a collector, we encourage you to snag it while you can!

Also we were able to restock the popular Benartex collection “Flower Festival” before it is discontinued. This large floral-and-blender group has something for everyone. These days I love seeing crisp florals mixed with abstract prints like these….how about you?

You may recall in May I visited Cas Holmes’ home and studio to make this interview. We are carrying her latest book “Embroidering the Everyday” and now we have the reprint of her previous book “Textile Landscape“. Both have yummy tactile fabric covers, and lots of eye candy inside. I hope to see her at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK in a couple weeks.

I am working on a magazine article about the worldwide art quilt movement, and in visiting with the editor today, I was reminded of how precious our community is during polarized times such as these. I want to remind you to get out with your quilty friends to quilt exhibits, festivals, and guild gatherings…to nourish the soul. Then take that creative juice and get back into your workspace with your own creative muse. Turn on the music and start stitching!

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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