IQA Chicago Show

Setting UP the booth.

All set up and ready for business. The Chicago show has once again been great fun. Laura and I are seeing lots of old friends and of course making new ones. The bad weather and airline troubles have not seemed to keep the people away and everyone is happy to be out and shopping. It's a good thing.
We are busy selling fabulous quilting color. My new motto is "Color has no calories, so you can have all you want!!"

Spring Greetings

Visit Spring Greetings, a winner at IQF in Chicago April 11-13 in Rosemont, IL

and then visit Laura and Frieda at the Art Fabrik booth #1315 for all our and-dyed fabrics - cotton and silk, threads, shirts, and art quilts first hand.

Or if you are up for a wonderful spring road trip visit us at booth #3111 at the American Quilter's Society Exhibit April 23 – 26 in Paducah , KY.

Or if you can't make either of the shows come visit the store at FrieStyle! and indulge yourself, you deserve it especially if you couldn't come to either of the shows.

Happy Spring!

Quilting Arts

I am in Quilting Arts magazine again this month. The second part to my "Free Motion Machine Quilting" article is in this issue. I hope you all get a chance to read it. It also features a quilt seldom seen.
"Georgie Porgy Puddin Pie, Pie for my Birthday" one of my favorite quilts.

That's Judy Perez's quilt on the cover and I believe a view of Laura Wasilowski's new studio is in the issue too. Well worth the read.
Enjoy.

Rising Sun IN

I have just had the most interesting trip of my teaching career. I drove down to a quaint little town on the Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky border called Rising Sun, IN. It sits right on the Ohio River and across the way is Rabbit Hatch, Ky. This little river town is making great efforts at becoming an artist community. They started this year a small quilt fest and invited myself and Terry White as teacher, lecturers. That is Terry with one of her thread painted quilts, her specialty. While hanging out and talking Terry and I realized we grew up in the same town, we went to the same high school, and even lived on the same street, at different ends. That we would both end up traveling and teaching quilting, seems like there must have been something in the water of our childhood community to affect us this way. Terry is a delightful person and very talented teacher. She has a unique way of thread painting and a fun personality. Needless to say we hit it off. We both also happen to have the same astrological sign!
The other strange coincidence to this trip is that in this small river town is a Grand Victoria Casino, Elgin where I live has the only other Grand Victoria Casino in the world. Too weird for me.

These two little "quilts" where made of used postage stamps. I have never seen this done before and thought it was such a clever idea. As a whole I think quilters are so resourceful. There were actually five compositions all framed together. But my other images were blurred.

Morning Workout

At Christmas I bought myself the Tony Little Glider. I couldn't help myself. One late evening after being stuffed with Christmas goodies I ordered it from the shopping channel. They know how vulnerable you are.
Well I have to tell you I am pleasantly surprised. I love this machine. It doesn't hurt my knees, I feel like I get a really good workout AND it doesn't require electricity or me leaving the house. It comes with three DVDs for different workouts and Tony is actually fun to work out with. Besides which while I am working out my mind wanders and I organize my day. Healthy mind and body all in one "little" package!

Decorative Blades

Last night I had a dinner party. My church has a social group called "Circle Supper". Each month a different set of four couples or singles meets at one members home and has a pot luck. This social gathering is a way for church members to mingle outside of church and get to know people they may not normally chat with after services. It is almost always a fun night and broadens the attachments of friendships at church.

I was getting ready and preparing my appetizer to put out when I wished that I had a dollie to put in the bottom of my tray, when it dawned on me that I could make one. I placed a paper towel in the bottom of my tray and with a marker marked around the circle shape on the bottom. I then ran downstairs to my studio and using one of the many decorative rotary cutters I have, cut around the circle. Wa-la, a dollie ready made to fit the exact bottom of my tray. It worked like a charm and I was very happy to place my cheese toast on top.

Morale of the story is that all our tools need not be used for sewing alone!! we are creative people.

Spring Snow

It snowed AGAIN yesterday. Just when I thought spring was here, we get 2" of snow!!!! I can smell spring when I am out walking with George. I just need to see spring soon.

The daffodils against my house are up and I can see the tulips in the garden are up, but it will be several

weeks before they begin to bloom.

There are buds on the magnolia bush at the front of my house and birds chirping in the trees, the robins are back and the cardinals are out signing their hearts out looking for mates I assume. I want to see the green tinge on all the trees and not have to bundle up when I walk the dog. This winter has seemed really long.

Maybe it is being in the basement all day, desperately dyeing fabric for the two shows that are upcoming, But I need SPRING!!