MOUNTAIN ART QUILTERS - EXHIBIT ANNOUNCEMENT

 Our Mountain Art Quilters will be hosting two contemporary textile exhibits open to the public on March 29, 2019, in Asheville, NC.  Details are below.  

If you are in the area do come.......you won't want to miss this opportunity to view these innovative and inspiring quilts.  I'll see you there!

FLORAL FABRIC SALE

This quality fabric is still available with free shipping to US mainland.....need to destash!!!

Fabric Freedom Florals - London, England  - 8 - 1 yard cuts plus a 1/2 yd. piece (lilac/green/white -center botton of photo.)  New, never washed or frankly, barely unfolded, smoke free house.  $54.00 -  ship within 24 hrs. of payment....via  USPS.  email me direct:  mary.stori@gmail.com  Will bill via PayPal or can accept check but shipping will be delayed until check clears.  

FELTING ONLINE WORKSHOP REGISTRATION

The very informative and active Felting and Fiber Studio has just announced a new online workshop in October.  Galina Titova will lead a Felted Fantasy Fish class.  Click here to get the details and see more photos of her fabulous work.

This looks like great fun with the opportunity to learn new techniques!!

LEARN FROM AN EXPERT

The Felting and Fiber Studio has just announced a new online workshop that is sure to be lots of fun and wonderfully educational.  It will focus on how to print, stencil and play with Thickened Dyes on Felt.  They reall know their stuff so it's a great opportunity!!

Click here to learn the details.

THE COLORS OF NATURE QUILT EXHIBIT

The quilts are made, the paperwork is done, the hanging supplies have been purchased, and the staging to pack the car is all set.  

After the success of our first 3 person show in 2014, Judy Simmons, Kate Weston, and I are are thrilled to be again given the entire upper floor display area for our new exhibit "The Colors of Nature", at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville.  It will run from April 21 - July 5th.  

We hope you will enjoy the show if you are in the area.

My quilt 'Trio' is featured in the Arboretum's website. To see it and learn more details click here.

FIBER PROJECT FOR OUR VETERANS

A friend alerted me to this super worthy cause for our veterans. With the disturbing news reports about the inexcusable financial abuse in some of the programs designed to assist them....it seems so important to highlight a potentially excellent one which appeals to us fiber lovers.

Trish Browne is trying to launch a veteran based art project called Breaking Rag.  Her Kickstarter has gotten national coverage here. This crowd funding project is now 40% sponsored but it's an all or nothing thing.  If she doesn't receive full funding by April 14th, the dream will be over.  Please visit her website to learn more.

"Breaking Rag" is a term in paper making referring to the physical process of breaking fibers into pulp from which paper is made.

This post is being linked to:  Nina-Marie's Off The Wall Friday, Sarah's Whoop, Whoop Friday, and Crazy Mom Quilts.

Won't you consider helping?

BLANCHE YOUNG

Just seeing this photo of the kind, talented and wonderful Blanche Young brought a flood of memories back.  Blanche was a true pioneer in the quilt world.....and unselfishly became Doreen Speckmann's mentor, who in turn became my mentor, and hoping to return the kindness, I've enjoyed mentoring Nancy Prince early on in her career.

Blanche was a frequent guest instructor on Doreen's quilting cruises, and I was as well......so we got to hang out together a lot. Though many of you readers may not have quilted way back then.....Blanche blazed the trail for us with her easy piecing methods.  It's another loss to the quilt world, as was Doreen's passing back in 1999, she will always remain in my heart.

Everyone at C&T Publishing was saddened to learn of the passing of one of our longest-standing authors,  Blanche Young on January 2nd, 2016. We began our working relationship with Blanche and her daughter Helen back in 1987 when C&T took over the distribution, marketing and sales of several Young Publications titles, including:

• The Lone Star Quilt Handbook
• Trip Around the World Quilts
• Flying Geese Quilts
• Boston Commons Quilts
• Radiant Nine Patch Quilts
• Irish Chain Quilts

For C&T this partnership helped build out our catalog of titles and brought a powerhouse team on board who would go on to sell tens of thousands of copies of their publications.

Blanche had a wonderful sense of humor. There were so many occasions whereupon I would get off the phone with her and still be chuckling over something she'd said. To celebrate my marriage, Blanche made a stunning Lone Star Quilt for Jennifer and I which we still cherish to this day. Blanche had a keen eye for color and design. Her quilts sparkled and so did she. 

Blanche was an inspiring teacher. She took many traditional quilt patterns and figured out faster and more efficient methods for construction which became the basis for the many quilt books she co-wrote with her daughters.

In the Fall of 1988 C&T released The New Lone Star Handbook by Blanche Young and Helen Young Frost. That title went on to sell almost 30,000 copies. Another best-seller came in 1996 and 10 years later is still in print today. Tradition with a Twist by Blanche and her daughter Dalene Young Stone became an instant best-seller and has sold well over 85,000 copies.

Many people who worked at C&T recall working with Blanche fondly. Ruthmary Shauer, C&T Customer Service & Sales Rep credits Blanche with being a true inspiration for developing her passion for quilting. Publisher Amy Marson shares a humorous interaction she had with Blanche at Quilt Market: 

When we were at spring market in Portland several years ago, we were waiting outside for a taxi and they kept passing us by–I think you were trying to hail one. Blanche said she could get a taxi right away, she stepped out by herself, laughingly made a joke about how they will always stop for a little old lady, and the first taxi that came by stopped for her. Then we all walked out and got into the cab. She was so pleased with herself that she could *pretend* to be a little old lady when it suited her because in reality she was always young at heart. 

Blanche always kept you guessing! She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. Everyone at C&T would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Boberg and Young families.

ATTENTION BLOG FOLLOWERS

The following was posted on Buzz Feed.......frankly, I'm getting mentally beaten down with the constant changes in the programs I use.  Okay.....it's progress.....NOT!!  Of course much of the reason for my dismay is I'm falling farther and farther behind in my understanding of each "new" change! To me, it seems all these companies are doing their best to push us into exclusively connecting with them.  More and more programs I used to use no longer work seamlessly with my operating system....unless I download and use THEIR app.  

So....basically, if you are one of those non-Google member followers who have been dropped from my blog......and are perhaps checking back in to see if I posted......the following is for you.  And I hope you understand it better than I did!

An update on Google Friend Connect

3 weeks ago by A Googler

In 2011, we announced the retirement of Google Friend Connect for all non-Blogger sites. We made an exception for Blogger to give readers an easy way to follow blogs using a variety of accounts. Yet over time, we’ve seen that most people sign into Friend Connect with a Google Account. So, in an effort to streamline, in the next few weeks we’ll be making some changes that will eventually require readers to have a Google Account to sign into Friend Connect and follow blogs.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Google Account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they’ll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, but we believe this change will improve the experience for both you and your readers.

Posted by Michael Goddard, Software Engineer

QUILT LEGEND GEORGIA BONESTEEL

Georgia Bonesteel, and her PBS TV show, Lap Quilting, can surely be credited for getting a huge majority of quilters hooked on quilting.

I'm pleased to know her first as a colleague, traveling the quilting circuit and now as a member of our local 14 person PTA group (Professional Textile Artists - a photo of us can be seen about midway through the show....it's the first one when Georgia talks about her groups.) I feel honored to call her a good friend!

'The Quilt Show' visited Georgia at her home and her stomping grounds in Flat Rock, NC......the episode is being aired for free now until Jan. 3rd.  Click here to enjoy her important journey!

NOW I'VE DONE IT!!!

 Now that I've been officially retired for about a month......I find myself in a restless and an unfocused state of mind.  So...'note to self'.....get on with the rest of your life!!

Okay....I'm moving in that direction.....(with some questioning...grinning.) It's good to reflect and even better to realize that moving from my mini career of cookbook author to the wide, wide world of quilting was nothing short of a miracle.  I had no expectations; my interest started as a hobby.....so obviously there would be no disappointments.  My needle became a magic carpet....taking me places I would never have dreamed of....making new friends whose paths I would never have crossed if I'd have stayed in the kitchen.  

A short look back.......

 My first published book.....what??  Yes a children's cookbook.

The first of my 6 first published quilt books.

The payoffs were spectacular!!!  'Have suitcase....will travel' became my motto for 25+ years.  Yup...that's me in my suitcase in a hotel room in Paris in 2001. 

I truly wish I had blogged earlier......then I'd have had a record of this event. In 2002 I was asked to model this traveling tu-tu....and of course I felt the need to twirl.  A member of the guild I was visiting made a tu-tu (why?? If there was a reason I don't recall)....apparently she took it to various places and asked people to wear it while she snapped a picture.

Some of the most rewarding teaching trips were cruises...first as a guest teacher for Doreen Speckmann, then after her passing in 1999, as the host.  How I ever taught beading with paper or a white board, drawing with various colors of markers, is a tribute to the quality of eager students!

And learn they did!!!

The whole way I taught changed completely with the aid of a digital projector and the ability to stream a live feed. There's no turning back on my decision to retire.....my equipment is now owned by someone else....a step I needed to take otherwise I know in two months I'd probably be back on the quilting highway.

My last book.

Yesterday I closed down my website and will now maintain only this blog and my blog gallery shop. (A special thank you to Nanette Zeller, webmaster supreme who is also an excellent art quilter.)  

With the exception of this book and my DVD, all the others are out of print but can be found in the resale market online (link on side bar), as ebooks, or print on demand from the publishers.  My goal is to continue to create.....with a fervent hope that I will be able to sell enough to allow me to keep creating!!!

Follow these links to see what others have been up to this week:  Nina-Marie's Off The Wall Friday,  Crazy Mom Quilts, Whoop, Whoop Friday, and Richard and Tanya Quilts.

ANGEL GOWN GARMENT PROJECT

During my most recent teaching trip Shelley Dawson Hendershot made an announcement to her guild members. She introduced the Angel Gown Garment Project.

The organization is called NICU Helping Hands.  It is based in Fort Worth, Texas and lead by Lisa Grubbs. It was founded in 2010 to create "Family Support for Fragile Beginnings."  The Angel Gown Garments are only a tiny portion of the services they offer families.  The dresses began in 2013 because they recognized the overwhelming need to support families who lost a baby while in the hospital.  Volunteers all over the US turn bridal gowns into Angel Gown Garments. They make both boy and girl gowns in three tiny sizes.  We use bridal gowns because "There's something hopeful about that start of life, about a wedding, and to me, it's that full circle. This child who is so loved by their parents, being wrapped in love by a bride." ~Lisa Grubbs, Founder.

Here are some important links.....I encourage you to take a look and help if you can.  Their website and Facebook page will provide more details.

About Angel Gowns -   
 Sign up as a seamstress

EXHIBIT PREPARATION

I'll be participating in an exhibit at the NC Arboretum in Asheville and have been working diligently matching quilts with hanging rods, preparing descriptions, pricing and all the other details that are involved.

"Fiber Art & Nature -  Three Perspectives" is in conjunction with two of my buddies....Kate Weston, and Judy Simmons.  It will run July 10, 2014 - Sept. 28, 2014.  If you are in the area.....do stop by the upper gallery in the Education Building.

Here are two pieces (both felted wool) included in the show.

Nature's Serenity

Through The Leaves

ZENERGY WOOL FELT COLLECTION

My last two posts featured a project created in its entirety using National Nonwovens WoolFelt.  Zenergy is their new collection for spring/summer 2014.  

I for one can't wait to begin creating with these luscious colors!!!  If you can't find this product locally, visit their online shop here.

CULVER'S IS COMING, CULVER'S IS COMING!!!!!!!!

This will mean positively nothing to 99.8% of you.......but if you are a long time follower of my blog, you know I'm over the moon about this.  Culver's,our favorite Wisconsin source of ice cream....which in this case is actually custard, is coming to Asheville on Airport Road.  I don't know the opening date but you can bet I'll be there.

Chocolate Concrete Malt (Chocolate flavored, malted milk, vanilla custard)

tall(19.8 oz)

23

177

60

32.5

1,354

This Wisconsin based fast food chain is also known for their 'butter burgers'....I can't comment because I go strictly for the Chocolate Concrete Malt......and either have to walk twice that day or skip a meal as half my total daily calories are used up in one delicious sitting.

SENIOR MOMENT....BEEN MEANING TO SHARE THIS LINK

I've been a guest blogger this week over at 'And Then We Set It on Fire'......  My posts have leaned toward technical aspects.....helpful hints, etc. ....rather than any sort of long attempt to explain why I love hand work.  None of them have been repeated on my blog, so you may wish to check them out.

March's focus, hosted by Beata Keller-Kerchner, is hand stitching.  Beata invited 5 guest bloggers, along with her wonderful insights and work to provide an inspiring month of posts. Do take a few minutes and visit both links.

Here's a piece made by Beata, one of my personal favorites!

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm leaving today to lecture/teach at the Fairfield Glade Quilt Guild.  "The Husband" and Sooty, our rescue black lab who now thinks she's human, will hold down the fort at home.  I'll be back before you know it or miss me!!

GUEST BLOGGER

Beata Keller-Kerchner is hosting at And Then We Set It On Fire. for the month of March.

Her subject will hand stitching, something that is near and dear to my heart!  I will be a guest blogger on March 17, 19, 20, to be exact.  Do visit this inspiring and education blog.....everyone there works so hard to provide great content!!

Here's a sneak peek at a small resist dyed-felted wool piece I'm currently working on......

LIVING UNDER A ROCK!!

Seriously, I just learned about this today.....another indication of our swift moving quilt world and technology! Sometimes I do feel like I'm living under a rock.  Despite having written scores and scores of times for many quilt magazines....I no long subscribe to any.  The Internet with it's blogs, websites, YouTube options usually keeps my mind whirling enough!!

This is one Internet site you may wish to check out.  Quilter's Newsletter now offers their own short TV episodes.  Click here for an index of what's available.  As far as I can tell, currently you don't need to be a subscriber to the magazine to enjoy their online TV.

Consider this a public service announcement....grinning & happy viewing.

ANOTHER LOSS IN THE QUILT WORLD

The quilt world has had a flurry of sad news lately......another instructor colleague has passed away.  Perhaps many of you own her books or experienced her witty lectures.  She had quite an impact on our industry.  The following will or has appeared in Quilter's Newsletter......

Mary Ellen Hopkins

Quilting teacher, author and fabric designer Mary Ellen Hopkins died July 9 in California. Hopkins was born in Peoria, Illinois, lived in a number of Midwestern cities while growing up, and attended Drury College and Missouri University. She and her husband, Bill, and their four children moved to Santa Monica, California, in 1963. Hopkins worked from home for a few years making men’s shirts before opening the Crazy Ladies and Friends Quilt Shop in Santa Monica in 1977.

In 1989 she self-published her first book, The It’s Okay If You Sit on My Quilt Book,which she called an “attitude adjustment quilt book” and Quilters Newsletter described as, “Great for beginners – takes quilts out of the realm of preciousness and encourages just jumping in and doing it.” Hopkins went on to publish more instruction books including her “Connector” series. After 20 years of quilt shop ownership, Hopkins sold her shop to teach and lecture around the U.S. and internationally. Her topics included quilting seminars for teachers and shop owners and neighborhood-shop seminars for consumers, all delivered with her trademark high-energy, humorous style.

A LITTLE HELP FOR A FRIEND - LIBBY LEHMAN FUND

On April 30, 2013, well known quilt personality, Libby Lehman had a ruptured aneurysm in her doctor's office was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. Her husband had taken her to the doctor's office because she had suffered severe headaches for a few days, starting in Paducah, Kentucky at a quilting conference.   The following day she had a 7 hour surgery to clip the aneurysm.  Several days later she suffered a stroke and vascular spasms and required additional surgery.  

Libby's Block - she always kidded me about my favorite design image....cows, so I thought this might be an appropriate choice for my donation block.

Teachers on the quilt circuit are a tight knit group, generally devoid of the negative stereotype traits of back stabbing, gossip, etc. that women often fall into.  Instead, it's a supportive group, most of us have been bonding with each other for years and years.  

We've all mourned the shocking loss of Doreen Speckmann and the recent passing of Pat Campbell.  Sadly, we realize there were others that are not among us now and certainly many more to come.  Currently, there are several instructors who are preparing for the imminent loss of their spouses as well.

We do try to rally around and help where we can.  Naturally, the first thought is to 'make a quilt'.  The Lehman family has specifically asked the quilting community to hold off on that as there is no way Libby could enjoy them now, nor could the family handle what would surely be a flood of quilts from well wishers.

Like many of us who are self-employed, health insurance is an issue, and long term care coverage a rarity.  Libby has a very, very long road ahead of her and her treatment will be costly.  

It's now clear that the family could use your help.  After a LOT of discussion we teachers are now actually making a quilt for Libby which will be given to the family for them to auction off as a fund raiser.  (Or we will auction it ourselves with proceeds going to Libby's medical fun, TBD.)  Imagine such a spectacular quilt made by the who's who in the quilt world....using Libby's favorite color scheme....greens and rusts...black will be our unifying color.  My block is pictured above.

If you would like to make a contribution to the "Libby Lehman Medical Fund", you may use PayPal - libby.medfund@gmail.com or send a check to her sister, Cathy Arnold at 2220 Stanmore, Houston, TX 77019 for deposit into a special account at JPMorgan Chase Bank.

Updates on Libby's progress are in the  "Journal" section at Caring Bridge.  Please drop a note to her here:  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/libbylehman

I'm sure many of you readers are already aware of Libby's situation.....but on the off chance you weren't.....I thought as we head into our 4th of July holiday festivities with family and friends, that we give some thought to helping Libby.  Greeting cards and fabric postcards are also most welcome and appreciated.

DO YOU USE GOOGLE RSS FEED??

Sometimes I think I live in a cave.....I had no clue that Google was going to discontinue its RSS feed on July 1st.  But I do now, thanks to a post by Kit Lang (check out her great work here.)

So what does this mean?  If you are receiving my blog, or any others via RSS Google.....you will need to switch to a new provider.  Everyone online seems to agree that Feedly.com is a good replacement. However I spent 2 hrs. yesterday trying to get it set up on my devices and with the exception of my ipad, I can't figure it out.  Perhaps my laptop and desk top's software is too old to be compatible.....  Geesh.....  I'm running on empty in the patience department for all the constant changes new technology is requiring!!

SO......here's another simple way for you keep my posts coming to you.  Go to my blog, look on the right side bar, about half way down...right below the gallery slide show.  Add your email address in the box, click and you will receive an email of every new post I write.  Or if you understand this RSS stuff .....you can subscribe that way, just not with Google RSS anymore.

Do it now.......I wouldn't want to lose contact with you!!!