The Wandering Collector

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Luana

My house is full of stories – objets d’art, books, textiles, and tchotchkes that I have collected traveling the world over 40+ years, in 40+ countries. Every time I travel I come home with one special item to remind me of the voyage. Generally there is a textile item like a tea towel, a piece of antique lace or vintage embroidery, a souvenir handkerchief, a tattered kimono fragment, or maybe a hand-embellished scarf from a local artisan. Over the years my collection has flourished and spread, just like my quilting fabric stash. When I am unsettled, I go to ‘organize’ my stash, or re-arrange my travel collection, to clear my head. As I remember the stories, I smile, or maybe shed a tear. The gifts I have received from Russian and Ukrainian quilters are the ones that are bringing tears these days.

However these gifts and travel mementos are also a great inspiration as I ponder my next few projects. The Babushka scarves from Russia, the Dala horses from Sweden, the postcards of Ukrainian wedding headdresses, the Celtic scarf from Ireland…they are a treasure trove of creative inspiration. You may or may not have started to travel again, but I bet you have a stash of what I call ‘wanderlust residue’ that you can spread out on the kitchen table and see what calls to you. Keep in mind these travel collections can be digital images in your camera or on your phone! When I travel I also make a point of capturing an image of anything that catches my eye – whether it be art, color or design – and I keep files of images for future reference. This is how quilters, embroiderers, textile designers, illustrators and other artistic folks keep their imagination filled with motifs and internal creative conversations.

This is why I do not suffer from Creative Block. I always have more ideas than there are hours in the day, or weeks in a year! Looking at photos and visiting my own tiny museum collection of travel collectibles is a never-ending resource of inspiration. Go dig around in your own wanderlust residue this weekend and see what happens!

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 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
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!

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Free Quilt Pattern – Sea Turtle Paradise

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Luana

Today we bring you this peaceful scene, featuring the underwater world of the Sea Turtle. These gentle creatures glide silently through the water, nibbling algae and occasionally bobbing to the surface for a breath of air.

This pattern features our ever-popular Sea Turtle panel with a distinctive ‘turtle-back’ quilt block.
To make the 56″ x 65″ quilt design, you will start with the central 35″ x 44″ scenic turtle digitally printed panel and piece the borders and blocks using underwater green, teal and blue tonals. This quilt will delight anyone who loves and protects these endangered creatures.

Turtles have been part of legends and spirituality around the world, and are associated with indigenous creation stories. In several religions, mythology and folklore, turtles symbolize wisdom, long life, and resolute tranquillity.

…from the ‘Sea Turtle’ collection by 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 ‘Be Mine Valentine‘ and ‘Hedgehog Hollow‘ 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

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When Life Gives You Lemons

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Luana

I didn’t know that I needed a vacation when I made plans, but after the stressful week we just had, Sophie and I are on a trip and we are totally fried. A few days ago her beloved violin professor succumbed to cancer, which we’ve known was coming since Christmas. This is part of what triggered a decision for her to leave CU Boulder, giving us about 48 hours to make the decision for her to transfer to MSU Denver, to finish her music education degree. In the midst of the madness of prepping for an audition, registering for a new school, withdrawing from the CU program…our beloved doggy had to have eyelid surgery on short notice. Somehow we managed to work everything out, and get on the plane yesterday. (She starts at the new school next Tuesday.)

For many years we traveled to Hawaii with the kids to visit Paul’s parents, and other relatives. Now they are gone, but we miss the Aloha culture of the islands. It is the place we go when we need to rest and heal. We love the mix of cultures, and Sophie feels very at home here. We also source our authentic Hawaiian/Island fabrics from Oahu. We have many longtime customers here. We visited one of them today, after taking a beautiful drive up the mountain and through the rainforest. When I entered her work space, it was like visiting the history of eQuilter’s Asian fabrics. She has been a customer since at least 2004, and has kept every receipt of every purchase in a big thick binder. She seems to have collected every Japanese print over the last 18 years!

This quilter makes handmade quilts from our beautiful Geisha panels and Asian prints, and sells them in her daughter’s gift shop here. People ask her where she gets her Asian fabrics, but she says it is one of her trade secrets. She is painfully aware that it has become much more difficult to source Japanese prints (she used to have to order from Japan) so she is especially grateful that we have continued to find and stock these beautiful fabrics. Every time we get a new Asian panel, she stocks up and buys several, because she knows once they sell out, that’s it. It is gone. I was delighted to see all her different quilts and unique contemporary Noren panels made with eQuilter fabrics. We chatted over Japanese green tea, and by the time we finished our long chat we found we had so many interests in common. But isn’t that the way it goes when you meet new quilters and spend time together?

Today I encouraged Sophie to pick out a Hawaiian shirt, and she picked out a beautiful print with Pink Hibiscus and Pineapples on a black background…a Hawaiian print that we have carried in the past. She has such good taste! I wonder where she gets it from…?

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
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.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Easter Gnomes

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Luana

Shelly Comiskey’s ever popular Gnomes are looking forward to spring, dressed with bunny ears and collecting Easter Eggs! Celebrate with them in this week’s colorful Free Quilt Pattern.

To make this 55″ x 61″ quilt design, you will use 5 fabrics from this collection and a bright aqua hand dye. Start with the 24″ x 44″ central panel, then piece two allover gnome prints, make a border with the Gnome stripe, and bind with the coordinating plaid print.

Whether you make this as a lap quilt, a garden picnic quilt, or a wall hanging….this quilt is sure to encourage delightful giggles and dreams of magical little people.

…from the ‘Hoppy Easter Gnomies’ collection by Shelly Comiskey for Henry Glass & Co.

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 ‘Be Mine Valentine‘ and ‘Hedgehog Hollow‘ 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

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Free Quilt Pattern – Be Mine Valentine

Posted on January 8, 2023 by Luana

Vintage Valentines have a charming innocence, and a delightful simplicity that captures our heart and reminds us of our grandparents’ time. This exclusive Free Quilt Pattern is inspired by 1930s hand screen-printed valentine cards that were exchanged by shy sweethearts. Lacy embellished letters and antique postmarks add to the retro ambiance of this Thirties-inspired collection.

To make this 57″ x 65″ quilt design, you will start with the central “Stamp” block panel, then add Pennant panels for the top and bottom sections. Finish the border with Red and White Mini-Hearts and Kona Solid Black, and a Black and White striped binding.

Whether this is a Valentine gift, an Anniversary or Wedding quilt, the message of LOVE comes by Special Delivery with this quilt design!

…from the ‘Be Mine Valentine’ collection by J. Wecker Frisch for Riley Blake Designs.

Don’t miss the ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Hedgehog Hollow‘ 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

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A Feast for the Eyes

Posted on January 7, 2023 by Luana

In the 30+ years that I have been quilting (since I left the garment industry) I have seen a lot of trends come and go. Some are mega-trends, some are fads, but Blenders always remain. These tonal or analogous prints can range from bland backgrounds, to vibrant fusions, but they serve a very important purpose: to give a place for the eye to rest.

Before we started our business in 1999, I could not find any big bold cotton prints in quilt shops or fabric stores. Everything I saw on the retail level was small scale, mostly in shades of beige. Tea-dying was all the rage. Quilters would soak their bright fabrics in tea to turn them beige or light brown. Colors were dark, earthy, de-saturated. I would visit quilt shops and find only one or two colorful contemporary fabrics that tickled my fancy. But after visiting 40 quilt shops and fabric stores I began to see that these fabrics existed but nobody was carrying them in depth. Hence the idea for eQuilter was born!

Over time quilters have learned to love big bold bright prints, but there was a time when quilters would complain about large florals. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Slowly but surely, courageous quilters began to cut up those sassy designs, and the whole idea of quilt-making began to evolve.

Now just about every quilter knows what to do these blazing colors and dazzling fabrics. When digital prints began to explode onto the scene, with no limitations on color or size, we began to see a renaissance of creativity that was so exciting for a whole new generation of makers.

But one thing still remains: When we pick out those flashy multicolor uber-audacious fabrics, we still need a place for the eye to rest. Now we reach for contemporary blenders that our grandmothers never dreamt of…and these fabrics inspire us to prolific innovation that turns our sewing machines into pedal-powered rocket ships!

As we start the new year, we turn again to the visionary artists who feed our beloved quilt industry, and wait to see what gifts they will bestow upon us in the coming months. Every week we open new boxes of our carefully curated collections – a feast for the eyes – and we smile as we anticipate your delight.

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 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
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!

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Free Quilt Pattern – Hedgehog Hollow

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Luana

Whether you live in the country, the surburbs, or even the city….often we are surrounded by wildlife like bunnies, birds, and foxes. Hedgehogs and toadstools live alongside squirrels and sparrows. Tonight’s Free Quilt Pattern celebrates the woodland animals who bring Nature into our lives on a daily basis, if we have eyes to see.

To make this delightful 64″ x 64″ quilt design, you will start with the block panel which features these charming little creatures. Cut and piece Hoffman Hand-Dyes with the individual blocks to create the central section. Then use the coordinating wildlife stripe to create the border, and finish with another Hand-Dye for the binding.

We love this artist’s detailed sensitive portrayals of these adorable little animals who live in the fields, thickets and hedgerows all around us.

…from the ‘Hedgehog Hollow’ collection by In The Beginning Studio 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 ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Child of the Force‘ 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

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Not Afraid of Color

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Luana

Today I say once again, step into my rainbow salon, where we are not afraid of color, and not afraid to take creative risks….which is the foundation of all creative genius. You my friends are the tribe of creative savants, and our business has grown and thrived upon your healthy thirst for vibrant hues and visionary design. As we start a new year full of hope and innovative productivity, I dare you to take a deep dive into the fertile waters of Unexpected Color, and see where it leads you!

Have you charted a course for your own creative path in 2023?

I have found that writing down my creative goals once a year, helps to manifest those goals 12 months later. You can do it at the New Year, you can do it on your birthday, but please do take the time to write down the things you dream of accomplishing with your art and craft in the coming months. Then make it an annual ritual to review those goals one year later, mark your targets obtained, and re-focus for the next year. You will be amazed at how much you will accomplish on this list!

I have a dear friend (a lifelong artist) who used to get flustered with me because I had too many goals on that page. “You’ll never achieve them all!” she would complain. Then I pointed out this fact: If I make 3 goals, I accomplish 2 of them. If I make 10 goals, I accomplish 5 or 6 of them. That’s what works for me. I spend the whole year re-prioritizing, depending on the little roadblocks that life throws in my way, like….you know…a pandemic.

But that’s just me. You will have your own architecture for how to build a plan for 2023. I just urge you to do it now. Do it this week. Tack it up on the wall in your workspace, and see what happens.

It is always an honor and privilege to be part of your creative explorations each year.
Now let’s toast the New Year, put on our goggles, and get back to flying our sewing machines!

Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul

Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Feb 15 – Virtual lecture for Victoria BC Quilt Guild
Feb 22-25 – QuiltCon – GOLD SPONSOR – Atlanta
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.

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Free Quilt Pattern – Morning Blossom

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Luana

We start the New Year with hope, optimism and COLOR….in this week’s special Free Quilt Pattern featuring large scale florals and bold summertime hues. Peach, Tangerine, Lemon, Raspberry and Coral-Red make up the color palette for this delicious botanic-themed collection.

To make this 62″ x 62″ patchwork quilt design, you will fussy-cut the full-blown blossom-and-butterfly print with both the red and white backgrounds. Piece with a Hoffman Hand-Dye and set on point. Finish the border with a white-on-white and a coral floral blender with the coordinating stripe.

This glorious quilt design will bring the joy of a summer garden into your home, no matter what season. Hooray for large-scale floral prints, and fabulous bold COLOR!

…from the ‘Morning Blossom’ collection by Michel Design Works 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 ‘Steampunk Stitchery‘ and ‘Child of the Force‘ 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

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Free Quilt Pattern – Steampunk Stitchery

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Luana

Happy New Year from all of us at eQuilter.com!

We aim to start the year with a SMILE, and this whimsical Steampunk sewing-themed quilt is a great way to add a visual giggle to your sewing space.

To make this 61″ x 61″ Free Quilt Pattern, you will start with the central 24″ x 44″ Birdcage Panel. Silly Steampunk Birds are perched with buttons, threads and other colorful notions. You will use a 2nd block panel to add the two side sections. Then add the coordinating stripe, blenders and Kona Solid Black to finish the border.

These sassy birds will give you a goofy grin wherever you hang them, and it is also a great quilt for a kids’ sewing class, or your local sewing group. Have fun!

…from the ‘Steampunk Stitchery’ collection by Desiree’s Designs 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).

Don’t miss the ‘Untamed Beauty‘ and ‘Kyoto Garden‘ 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

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