For those of you who share our love and concern for the oceans of our beautiful planet, we offer this dynamic “Orca Majesty” Free Quilt Pattern, and we remind you to choose the Ocean Conservancy as your recipient of the 2% donation when you check out.
We are featuring the gorgeous artwork of Jody Bergsma, one the most talented wildlife artists in our industry. Her expressive painting celebrates wild and free Orcas (also known as Killer Whales) as they leap through the waves and frothing bubbles of the ocean currents.
To make this exclusive 54″ x 68″ quilt design, you will start with the central 28″ x 44″ quilt panel. Then piece the marble-like border with 4 collection coordinates, and an Amethyst Hoffman Hand-Dye. The rich jewel-tones and powerful drama in Jody’s artwork make this a real conversation piece!
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.
The more I travel to wild places over the years, the more I am compelled to read books about the history of humans intersecting with these wilderness habitats, and the flora and fauna that were there long before we ‘discovered’ these cradles of natural diversity. The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know. How glorious.
On this Winter Solstice, as a ‘Cyclone Bomb’ roars across the Northern US with some of the coldest temperatures of our lifetime, I am thinking of the creatures that are hibernating under the snow, or who have migrated to warmer climes. They have been flying overhead for the last couple months, stopping to rest and feed in our fields and ponds.
This year the arrival of Winter is actually accompanied by blizzard conditions for many of us, which may disrupt holiday travel, but I have heard from many quilters that they are simply staying home to sew in peace and quiet. They are hibernating with fabric and thread as the storm passes over.
This week, after much consideration, I have decided to go back to photograph the Alaskan Brown Bears in August 2023. There is nothing like going out in Nature to clear the head and calm the soul, and to do a total re-set of body and mind. Some people go kayaking, camping and hiking. I go to observe and photograph bears in the wild. I have a limited window of time to sign up fellow travelers to join me in late August 2023, and this time it is at a very remote location called “Bear Camp” that I know will completely remove me from the cares of the outside world for a few days. If you are curious, go to this link, and call Aly in the next week or two if you want to secure a seat with me at the Bear Camp. The highlight last time was hanging out for an afternoon on a small islet in a river, with a Mama Bear and her 3 cubs. We were so still and quiet that she laid down and took a nap while her cubs wrestled and played. What a day.
Well, we got through the 3rd year of the pandemic, and even though it is not over yet, we are starting to return to activities like attending quilt guild meetings, quilt festivals, and long lunches with our quilty friends. I am exhausted by the last 3 years, but I am energized and enriched by my time spent with many of you at quilt events the last few months. I imagine you are like me, just taking it one week at a time, and hoping to spend more time with my stash in the new year.
For all of you who have gone on this tumultuous pandemic journey with us the last few years, I thank you again for supporting our family business. Together we will reach the amazing goal of raising $2 million for non-profits and charities next year … around the time that I’ll be at Bear Camp. That accomplishment belongs just as much to all of you, and I thank you. I am truly dumbfounded by this approaching milestone.
I hope you can stay warm and safe, wherever you may be in this season of love and celebration. Be sure to take some time to appreciate all you have accomplished in 2022, and to contemplate your goals for 2023.
Sharing your love of fabric, Luana and Paul
* The top photo in this collage is a photo taken by Luana in Katmai National Park in Sept 2021. The other images are fabrics currently in stock at eQuilter.com
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
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Magical Unicorns are the delight of little girls and fantasy fans alike. Film nerds love the unicorns in Legend, Stardust, Chronicles of Narnia, My Little Pony and Toy Story 3. We love Magical Unicorns too! So this week we are bringing you this delightful Free Quilt Pattern that is a special treat for those of us who still believe in magic.
To make this 59″ x 67″ quilt design, you will start with a 36″ x 44″ block panel, then piece 3 collection coordinates, a Fairy Frost, and a Hoffman Hand-Dye, to create the crystalline border. The combination of rainbows, opal-like blenders, and shimmering Fairy Frost…give an ambrosial impression of equine enchantment.
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.
There is nothing like the thrill of seeing a beautiful wild animal or huge raptor in the wild, and today’s Free Quilt Pattern captures the moment when a Great Horned Owl turns to mesmerize with their direct gaze. Our gorgeous owl is depicted in a snowy backdrop, with incredible detail in the feathers and eyes.
To make this 64″ x 72″ quilt design, you will start with the 36″ x 44″ digital-printed owl portrait panel. Then piece the border with Snow and Stone texture blenders. For a snuggly coverlet or nap quilt, you might consider using a Wool batting, or a Flannel backing.
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.
One thing about the Quilting World that I love, is making strong friendships that last for life. Many of my mentors and friends from 20 years ago, have retired in the last several years, so it is always a treat to see them again. Today I had lunch with 2 of them. Donna Wilder was the original founder of Free Spirit Fabrics, and Beth Hayes was the longtime editor of McCalls Quilting Magazine. We had a 3 hour lunch and it was like no time had passed. I love those kinds of friendships!
Here’s a little sneak peek for a 2023 Bear Trip that I am officially announcing next week. I have a draft of the trip overview online now…just waiting for Aly my NatHab agent to proofread for me….so take a sneak peek or watch for more info in the Wednesday e-newsletter next week.
I am happy to announce that my 2 segments from the new season of Quilting Arts TV, are now released, and we have those video clips on our eQuilter video pages. The topics of these 2 segments are “Art & Activism”, and “Canadian Quilts”. Please have a look and enjoy over a hot cup of tea this weekend.
We have a few copies of the “Women’s Voices” exhibit book, from the Clinton Presidential Center where I attended an artist reception and Women’s Rights summit in early December. We have signed copies in house now. Contact Customer Service if you would like me to add a personalized inscription for you or someone special who is passionate about this topic.
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
Celebrate the New Year with a glowing burst of color, in this eye-popping floral Free Quilt Pattern. The luminous hues explode from the black background like a fantastic fireworks show!
To make this 52″ x 68″ exclusive quilt design, you will start with the central 24″ x 44″ panel. Then use the coordinating Floral large stripe, plus the paint-drip mini-stripes and paint-drip spatter dots, to finish the dazzling border.
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.
Tonight we watched the first half of ‘The Fabelmans’, and Judd Hirsch’s “Uncle Boris” scene has left me gutted, giddy, my heart bursting out of my chest. I think all of us who identify as Artists (in the broadest terms, as in the movie) can relate because we had a mentor who gave us a speech like that when we were a kid, and it left an indelible mark on our psyche. I was very lucky. I had several mentors give me that speech, and it left me wanting to grow up and someday give that speech to other young people. When you have the soul of an artist, it is invisible to most people around you, but painfully obvious to other artists. Whether you are a musician, a dancer, a writer, a painter, a photographer, a baker, a quilter, a costumer or cosplayer, an actor or a filmmaker, you just have to create and there is no way to explain it to somebody who doesn’t get it.
But sadly most young artists have that flash of genius covered up by those who want to ‘help’ us to be more practical, more grounded, more responsible. They don’t understand that a creative heart has to keep opening up every day, because when it is covered up it simply becomes a festering wound. I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves, our friends and family, and our fellow artists, is permission to open up the sluice gates and let it flow. It is a Life Force, and it is our gift to the world. I encourage you to watch this movie and see how it speaks to you. Being a creative person doesn’t have to be all or nothing, black or white. We don’t have to choose between being an accountant or being a creative genius. There is a place in-between where we can live our life, pay our bills, raise a family, and still find a way to express that creative energy (as a form of love) on a regular basis.
And that’s what quilters do, right?
I’ve been fortunate to visit many masterpieces in great art museums of the world, and one of my habits is to take a photo of the signature of the artist in works that I admire. I have also visited many homes and studios of great masters, and it is a lifelong pilgrimage to commune with the vibes of these great creative forces of nature. If you have stood in the presence of a Master work, you know what I mean. We don’t casually saunter past these pieces (whether they are paintings, sculptures, or quilts) We pause to ponder, to soak in, to peel back the layers with our eyes and perhaps our intuition.
Then we carry it home in our hearts.
May you have a full heart and a creative outlet in this season of celebration.
Sharing your love of fabric, Luana and Paul
* The photo in the lower left corner is from the Monet 2020 exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. All other images are fabrics currently in stock.
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
Attention Star Wars Fans – Back in Stock by popular demand – We wanted to make sure you all had a chance to snag this panel and quilt pattern before it runs out again.
This week we are featuring the adorable and much beloved Baby Yoda….otherwise known as Grogu…in our exclusive Free Quilt Pattern. Some special nerdy person is going to be thrilled to receive this as a gift!
To make this 61″ x 54″ quilt design, you will start with the central Star Wars-themed panel. Notice that Grogu is hungrily eyeing an unsuspecting frog. You will use 3 Stonehenge texture prints to piece the border. This makes a great conversation piece on your wall, or at ComicCon.
Season 3 of The Mandalorian comes out in February 2023, at which point it will be impossible to keep this in stock. Stock up on this collectible panel NOW so you are not crying Yoda tears next year. *wink*
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.
Santa Claus is checking his list and loading a final Christmas Eve delivery in the cargo car of this magical train, headed from the North Pole to Points South.
To make this 61″ x 61″ holiday quilt design, you will start with the central 37″ x 44″ digital-printed panel. You will piece the top and bottom panel (echoing the triangle shapes of the snowy mountains and treetops) with a snowflake print and Kona Solid Black, then add Railroad Track Stripes for the border, and finish with an Ombre Snowflake print that gives a dimensional effect.
This colorful quilt has an old-fashioned ambiance, and is sure to become a Christmastime heirloom for holidays to come. Sew up this quick-and-easy design for now, and for future Yuletide celebrations! We will prioritize getting these Free Quilt Pattern orders out the door to you as fast as possible this week.
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.
The clock is winding down on 2022, and the Christmas holiday is only 2 weeks away. If you want to get an order on the way to be received for the holiday, we suggest you place your order this weekend so our elves have a couple days to pack it up and ship it out to you.
The Pantone Color of the Year and the Kaufman Kona Color of the Year were both announced this week, and they are both shades of RED. (One cool, one warm) We love these juicy colors and can’t wait to see how they show up in 2023 quilts.
We have just announced a new drawing for your Holiday-themed quilt projects on our eQuilter.com Facebook page. Share your photo of this year’s holiday quilt project and you just might be a lucky winner!
I am happy to announce that my 2 segments from the new season of Quilting Arts TV, are now released, and we have those video clips on our eQuilter video pages. The topics of these 2 segments are “Art & Activism”, and “Canadian Quilts”. Please have a look and enjoy over a hot cup of tea this weekend.
We also have a limited amount of copies of the “Women’s Voices” exhibit book, from the Clinton Presidential Center where I attended an artist reception and Women’s Rights summit last weekend. We have signed copies in house now. Contact Customer Service if you would like me to add a personalized inscription for you or someone special who is passionate about this topic.
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
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