2017 Retrospective-2nd Quarter

This is part two of my look back over a few of the things that happened during the second quarter of 2017.  It is my way of reflecting on the year, thinking about a few of the events (or non-events, really) that shaped my experience.

April

Truly, one of the greatest pleasures in making a fabric line is to see what others

create with it.  It was such fun to see images pop up on social media, this one by 'wild boho', of a 

quilt made with Urban Artifacts.

quilt design in-process

sprouting things for the kitchen garden...

drawing from observation

watching the garden transition from buds to blossoms...

allium with a bee

another design in-process

ruler-free improv quilt using "Hopscotch", Jamie Fingal's new line with RJR

the first strike-offs of Urban Garden arrive.

working on another piece.

------------

May

Beauty in the garden.

A film festival in Baltimore:  my middle daughter wrote and directed

a short film that was juried into the Maryland International Film Festival.

 

The Crystal Pier piece is finished and ready to be quilted.

Jamie debuts her new blender line at Spring Market in St. Louis.

Loads of cooking....always

Another quilt design using digital imagery

progress....

and the top is completed and ready for quilting.

I like to make notes about the quilting for the longarmxr, in this case it is 

Joanna Marsh of Kustom Kwuilts.  Sometimes I will take a photograph and denote 

quilting lines but I find the graph paper works well, plus I have room to make notes.

another set of digital imagery to play with

This is going to be called "Hedgehog Social".

Began construction on yet another quilt, this one doing ruler-free cutting.

Back out to LA to spend time with my friend Karen, do a bit of sightseeing, and

attend a music festival at the Hollywood Bowl (my first here).

Karen and I were mostly interested in seeing Keb Mo perform with Taj Mahal, but all the performers

were equally great.  Such a magical evening, though it was hot until the sun set!

We also went to the Grammy museum where they were having a couple of exhibits showcasing

stuff from the "Golden Summer of Love".  Hard to believe it has been 50 years.

Back home to Texas and I am scrambling to get quilts faced in preparation for 

two appearances on "Fresh Quilting", a PBS program for the Modern Quilt Guild.

I was honored to be invited and really enjoyed the experience.  

I have done work with KS Productions in the past and I really enjoy working with Kathy Stull.

Honest studio shot.  Yikes!

Could I load anything else next to my sewing machine?!

Facings, Facings, Facings!

But before I go to Cleveland to tape, I went to a SAMQG retreat in Kerrville!

I have the BEST guild.  We really enjoy being together and this retreat center is the best.

There is a quilt shop right across the parking lot!

We did a tour of our quilts brought to cover our beds and hear each member discuss the quilt.

Look what I found in Creations Quilt Shop! 

I am honored to occupy the same shelf with Marcia Derse!

And it is off to Cleveland two days later.

Getting "mic'd" for the first segment.  This one is about digital imagery in quilts.

Talking to the producer on-set.

posing before we get going.

This is sort of a weird shot but I decided I wanted my hair up for the second segment 

and I had trouble checking it in the mirror.

Setting up for the "improv" segment.

And I tried to get out the same evening to head home but my flight was cancelled.

I spent the night in an airport hotel.

Who should I bump into as I went through security at the airport?

My dear friend Michele!  It's a small world.

Too bad we weren't on the same flight but we had a few moments

and I almost-never get to see her!  It was the bonus for having the extra night in Cleveland.

2017 Retrospective-First Quarter

Ah!  A New Year!  First: A Look Back At A Few High Points from 2017!

I love to take a brief glance back at some of the events of the previous year.  In combing through my photos and journal (I actually kept a running journal using the "Day One" app almost every day last year, beginning on 1/31/16!) I am able to do a bit of reverse time-travel.

January

Teaching workshops at Craft Napa, Napa California

The weather was cook, rainy, and foggy.  It was great!

Students working in the "Intro To Improv" workshop

One of the beautiful fields of grapevines seen everywhere in the Napa-area.

---------------------

Each January for the past 16 years I've been part of a week-long

Independent Study. This year my friend Jeannie and I opted to 

explore natural dyeing (something I know nothing about BTW).

We made a swatch catalog for our experiments.

------------------------

I continued my design work for the newest line of fabric, "Urban Garden",

which launched last fall at Quilt Market in Houston.

This drops in stores in Market so be watching for it!  

Loads of immersion dyeing, in addition to printing and over-printing,

happened in the studio.

------------------

Work completed in my oldest daughter's bedroom,

which needed a bit of paint, etc..

----------------

February

the first week of February brought Libs Elliott to the San Antonio

Modern guild for a program and workshop.

I am inspired by my garden in every season.

....and more printing and shibori dyeing

 Then, to Savannah for Quiltcon!

"Boulder Field", created with Urban Artifacts fabric by Kathy York,

was juried into the show.

 .....and after Savannah I took a little road trip with two friends

to walk the beach and do some (more) dyeing

---------------------

March

I designed this block pattern with my first fabric line,

Urban Artifacts.

Guess who it looks like...

To California for a visit to RJR Fabrics

first look at the digital swatches for Urban Garden

a peek in the warehouse

a visit with my aunt..

 feeding Tank, my aunt's desert tortoise

my beautiful aunt, who certainly doesn't look 90, does she?

and up to visit my friend Karen and a concert

Ricki Lee Jones and Madelyn Peyroux

back home and a performance of Alvin Ailey Dance.

I first saw them perform in the 70's.

Pomegranate blossoms

Quilt construction in-progress

----------------

Quilt Market 2017: Introducing "Urban Garden"

I am very excited about my second line of fabrics with RJR called

"Urban Garden"

This is a very personal line for me.  I am highly influenced

by my garden(s), both current and those in my past.

My friend and sister guild-member Eileen created 3-dimensional "succulent plants"

using Urban Garden.  These were used in a vertical garden in my booth.

In addition, I made these slightly larger succulent plants as door prizes in my Schoolhouse presentation during Quilt Market.  Aren't they fun?

My friend Joanna made this gorgeous "Coalition" duffle bag,

pattern by Sew Sweetness.

The inside of this bag is lovely and the false bottom can be removed for a different shape.

I am standing in front of Garden Streamers Quilt made by

my friend Debra.  About to begin my "Schoolhouse" presentation.

Amy Barickman of Indygo Junction made these pretty pajamas from two prints of Urban Garden,

as well as a fun skirt and top.

Demi from RJR photographs some of the objects we brought to Schoolhouse.

I'm holding up one of these Crimson & Clover cases 

made by Joanna.  They are so fun inside and out!

On to the show floor and setting up my portion of the RJR booth.

I had fun mounting these half-sphere "bumps" stretched with each print of Urban Garden

and hanging a small "Girls" quilt made by my friend Jamie and all the cute little Beetles made by my friend Deborah!

Here is how the vertical garden looked after it was mounted to the wall and covered with moss.

The corner of my display was bursting with beautiful quilts on the rack and one on the wall.

A small storage vanity gave me a perch for bags, garments, and my business cards.

Urban Garden will be hitting shops in spring 2018.  Be looking for it, and please ask about it at your favorite local quilt shop!  Let's all support our local shops so we will always have them around!