Pastel Memories

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Luana

Living in a place with a full four seasons is wonderful, but about this time of year (late February) I am DONE with winter. I am supposed to fly to Atlanta for QuiltCon in the morning but we have a snowstorm bearing down on us overnight. So we’ll just have to see what happens tomorrow. As a Gold sponsor, I am planning to be at the award ceremony Wednesday night. Hopefully we’ll get off the ground before we get big snow accumulations. I’ll be flying from single digits here, to 75 degrees in Atlanta. I always say that travel is the best test of our character. Expect things to go wrong, and when they don’t…be happy! When travel plans blow up….keep your sense of humor.

So I am going to focus on SPRING and that means pastels, blossoms, and songbirds. We’ve been busy stocking up on pastel solids, blenders, batiks and hand-dyes for your early Spring season. We’ve also created several fat quarter packets in these dreamy pastel colors, just in case you are missing this important section of values in your stash.

The more you quilt, the more you will find yourself wanting a wide range of values in your fabric collection. Jewel tones are luscious and irresistible, and we tend to pick up dark rich values in the Fall, but Springtime is a great time to think about bringing in those lighter tones, to set off the jewel tones and darker values in your quilt designs. Plus…they are just such happy sweet colors….they make me smile!

What do you think of when you look at pastel colors? I think of ice cream, buttercreme icing on birthday cakes, cherry blossoms, little girls in Easter dresses, and golden retriever puppies. They also remind me of my grandmother’s flower garden, and the perfume my mother wore when I was a little girl. The inside of our house is painted a pastel ‘Tiffany Blue’ because…it makes me happy.

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
Mar 21-24 – Washington DC
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now to travel with Luana!

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

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

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Color | Comments Off on Pastel Memories

Free Quilt Pattern – Family of Retrievers

Posted on February 22, 2023 by Luana

Golden Retrievers are sweet, goofy, beautiful dogs….and we are guessing you know somebody who loves a Golden. This heartfelt portrait of 3 generations captures the moment of their curious gaze, with beautiful lighting on their attentive faces.

To make this canine portrait quilt, you will start with the 36″ x 44″ central panel. Fussy cut the allover dog print to set on point in the corner blocks, then use Stonehenge textures and Hoffman Hand-Dyes to piece the clever “dog bone” borders.

…from the ‘Beloved Dogs’ collection by Greg Alexander for David Textiles.

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).

Don’t miss the ‘Peacock Symphony‘ and ‘Lakeside Cabin‘ quilt patterns!

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Animals, Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Family of Retrievers

Your Free Quilt Pattern – Lakeside Cabin

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Luana

This atmospheric scene takes us to Moonrise over a quiet lake, with golden light streaming out of a cabin’s windows and reflecting on a mirrored water surface. You can almost hear the water lapping on the side of the boat, and owls hooting in the forest beyond.

To make this 53″ x 65″ quilt design, you will start with the detailed 24″ x 44″ scenic panel. Use 2 blue Hoffman Hand-Dyes and 2 Stonehenge textures to piece the borders. Whether this quilt hangs in your cabin or your city apartment, it brings the mood of a Summer at the lake, into your living space.

…from the ‘Lakeside’ collection by Darrell Bush for Timeless 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).

Don’t miss the ‘Peacock Symphony‘ and ‘Color Play‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Your Free Quilt Pattern – Lakeside Cabin

QuiltCon Gold

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Luana

This weekend our neighborhood was blessed with a rare visitation by a flock of migrating Bohemian Waxwings. Everyone saw it but me, apparently. I only saw one in our backyard and I thought I was hallucinating. No, it turns out all the birders in town gathered at the entrance of our neighborhood with their big cameras and tripods, but I missed the main attraction. However I did see some Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles this week – also migrating – so it has been a good week for bird watching here.

This week I will be in Atlanta for QuiltCon, taking photos and meeting with industry friends. I’ll be at the awards Wednesday night, and the SAQA gathering Friday night. eQuilter is a GOLD sponsor, and you will see our full page ad on the back cover of the QuiltCon Magazine which is selling like hotcakes by the way!

eQuilter is sponsoring “A Celebration of Color” contest and exhibit at the Long Beach and Houston Quilt Festivals again this year, and we especially urge our eQuilter customers to submit your colorful quilts for a chance at the cash prizes! The Call for Entry closes on March 30 so take a look at the Entry Rules here, and charge up your rainbow-powered thinking cap!

sharing your love for fabric, Luana and Paul

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.

Travel/Quilt Calendar:

Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta

March 21-14 – Washington DC

April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France

June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia

August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Last 2 openings!

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Animals, Color, Quilts, Travel | Comments Off on QuiltCon Gold

QuiltCon Gold

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Luana

This weekend our neighborhood was blessed with a rare visitation by a flock of migrating Bohemian Waxwings. Everyone saw it but me, apparently. I only saw one in our backyard and I thought I was hallucinating. No, it turns out all the birders in town gathered at the entrance of our neighborhood with their big cameras and tripods, but I missed the main attraction. However I did see some Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles this week – also migrating – so it has been a good week for bird watching here.

This week I will be in Atlanta for QuiltCon, taking photos and meeting with industry friends. I’ll be at the awards Wednesday night, and the SAQA gathering Friday night. eQuilter is a GOLD sponsor, and you will see our full page ad on the back cover of the QuiltCon Magazine which is selling like hotcakes by the way!

eQuilter is sponsoring “A Celebration of Color” contest and exhibit at the Long Beach and Houston Quilt Festivals again this year, and we especially urge our eQuilter customers to submit your colorful quilts for a chance at the cash prizes! The Call for Entry closes on March 30 so follow this link to our blog, and follow the link to the Entry Rules. Charge up your rainbow-powered thinking cap!

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

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.

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
March 21-14 – Washington DC
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Last 2 openings!

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Animals, Travel | Comments Off on QuiltCon Gold

Free Quilt Pattern – Needle Stars

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Luana

This lush Free Quilt Pattern is an eQuilter exclusive, using Paula Nadelstern‘s new kaleidoscope stars set on point and nestled in opulent marbled frames, like precious jewels in an embellished patchwork jewel box.

To make this 83″ x 83″ bed quilt, you will cut up 2 of her star panels and set individual stars on point in Kona Solid Black, with marbled sashing and a dotted coordinate. Finish with her shimmering Window print on the border.

We rushed to get all of the best coordinates in stock to make this eye-popping quilt design, so if it strikes your fancy be sure to snap it up while all the fabrics are in stock. We love the rich jeweltones of Amethyst and Turquoise set off by deep Onyx, giving the impression of precious stones scattered on a black velvety background.

…from the ‘Needle Stars’ collection by Paula Nadelstern for Benartex.

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).

Don’t miss the ‘Mystic Tree‘ and ‘Baby Safari‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Needle Stars

Quilters Just Wanna Have Fun

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Luana

Many of you, I am sure, have a copy of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Hers was one of the first widely read how-to books on developing Creativity. Julia has encouraged us to plan a weekly creative play date – or an Artist Date – such as visiting a gallery or museum. It could also be a visit to a garden, a bookstore, or attending a live performance. These are all things that bring us into the moment, and stimulate new creative pathways in our brain. She suggests going solo, but I like to do this with fellow curious artists because they may see something that I would otherwise miss.

Children learn by playing, but why do we forget that adults learn by playing also? Whether you are playing with fabrics (auditioning color and design combinations) or playing with a new stitching technique (giving yourself permission to make ‘mistakes’ and experiment without expectation) – our adult playtime is where the magic happens.

I just brought in a new category of products to play with:
Bags of wool felt balls in groupings of analogous colors. Ooh, I just look at these and I am itching to play! Do these stimulate the reptilian creator in your brain? (i.e. what is the first instinctive or intuitive idea you have when you look at something like this?)

We also wanted to share this new exclusive digital panel that arrived here this week – of a Steampunk Mona Lisa. She is so playful…and look there is even a balloon in the background to remind you to laugh about all the crazy things in the news these days!

I was so fortunate to have essentially a private viewing of the Mona Lisa in the late 1980s, on a late Tuesday afternoon. She used to be in a smaller room at the Louvre, so you could walk right up to her and hang out with the enigmatic smile as long as you wished. I was there with a friend, and that’s what we did. We stood there (mostly) alone with Mona until the guard kicked us out at closing time. The last time I saw her, they let in 500 people at a time and you basically took a picture of her across a crowded room with hundreds of other people’s phones taking the same photo, between you and the painting. Ugh.

So cherish the intimate artistic moments that you have out there in the world. You never know what experience will become a priceless cherished memory. When you recognize you are having a Peak Artist Moment, take a deep breath and immerse yourself completely in the moment, so you will carry the memory with you….always.

Bring the inspiration back home with you. Take notes while you are still flush with the delight of the moment. You may call this ‘Morning Pages’ (ala Julia Cameron) or sketchbook notes, but they will always be waiting there for you when the muse strikes.

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
Mar 21-24 – Washington DC
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska – Sign up Now to travel with Luana!

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

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

Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Art, Creativity | Comments Off on Quilters Just Wanna Have Fun

Free Quilt Pattern – Spirit of Love

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Luana

We cherish fabric collections such as this one, because it is literally a prayer for PEACE. A dove flies with an olive branch in its beak, with a ray of illuminating sunlight shining across a soothing background of cool colors and stained glass textures.

To make this 52″ x 68″ eQuilter exclusive quilt design, you will start with the central 28″ x 44″ stained glass panel. Then you will piece the corner Cross Blocks, and construct the borders, using the coordinating stained glass textures in 4 colors.

This uplifting image will bring solace to those dealing with loss or challenge, it brings hope to those forging a new path, and illuminates a sacred space for meditation or prayer.

…from the ‘Spirit of Love’ collection by Deborah Edwards for Northcott 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).

Don’t miss the ‘Mystic Tree‘ and ‘Baby Safari‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Free Quilt Pattern – Spirit of Love

Your Free Quilt Pattern – Ancient Dragons

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Luana

Tonight we offer you a dramatic Free Quilt Pattern, in which you can write your own story line about legendary Dragons, a courageous Hero, and ancient stone castles.

This magical 64″ x 70″ quilt design is for those of you who love movies and books about mythical creatures and fantasy quests. (You know who you are!)

To make our exclusive eQuilter Free Quilt Pattern, you will start with the breathtaking 36″ x 44″ digital printed scenic panel. Then you will cut up a Block Panel to make the Dragon Portrait corners, and piece the matching Dragon stripe, Solid Kona Black and 2 collection coordinates to finish the border.

…from the ‘Dragons Ancients’ collection, curated by Jason Yenter for In The Beginning 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).

Don’t miss the ‘Mystic Tree‘ and ‘Baby Safari‘ quilt patterns!

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.

Luana and Paul Rubin

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Free Quilt Patterns | Comments Off on Your Free Quilt Pattern – Ancient Dragons

Good for Your Health

Posted on February 11, 2023 by Luana

This week I was thinking about all the places I’ve traveled where the local gourmet delicacies or drinks were touted as ‘good for your health’. This includes Guinness in Ireland, Whiskey in Scotland, Red Wine like Pinot Noir, Balsamic Vinegar in Italy, Green Tea in Japan, Coffee in Scandinavia, Chili Peppers in Sri Lanka, Garlic (Kimchi) in Korea, Swiss Chocolate, and even Camembert Cheese in Normandy. ( I was told that Camembert Cheese can cure cancer, on a tour in France.) I have to admit I turned down the snake soup in Hong Kong, which was supposed to keep me ‘warm’ in the winter. Nope.

Compared to the long list of things that are supposedly not good for you (which changes over the decades) there is one thing that researchers have studied and have agreed is good for us: Creative Crafting, including quilting, sewing, knitting and crocheting. It is right there next to petting your dog or cat, for lowering blood pressure and stress levels. Well who knew? Of course, we ALL knew that already, but good for those researchers who went out and proved it to be true. *snort!*

Community ties and friendship have also been studied and proven to be good for our health. Research has found that having a variety of social relationships may help reduce stress and heart-related risks. As if we didn’t know that already. One of the best things about the quilting tribe is…the community….or you might say the fellowship. Right now I am feeling very happy just anticipating my trip to QuiltCon, which is right around the corner. (See our full page ad on the back cover of the QuiltCon Magazine!)

Even if we don’t live forever, sipping red wine, eating chocolate, and making quilts…we know there is a good chance our quilts will be around long after we move on to the great quilting hoop in the sky. That’s why it is so important to put a label on the back of your quilts, with your name, location, and date.

Anybody who has found a label on an antique quilt, or a quilt made by a great grandmother, knows the thrill of discovering the provenance of a precious quilt. A quilt with a story from the past captures our imagination and whispers to us across the decades or centuries, especially if we can run our fingertips across hand-stitched or hand-appliqued details made long ago. When my dear friend Mark Lipinski came up with the idea for the Slow Stitching movement, as he was dealing with a serious health challenge, we responded because we recognized the healing benefits of a mindful stitching practice.

So do something good for your health this week!

sharing your love for fabric,
Luana and Paul

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.

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Zoom lecture “Intl Quilt Trends” – Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
March 21-14 – Washington DC
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska

Share Post:
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Posted in Creativity, Food and Drink, Travel | Comments Off on Good for Your Health