Happy National Quilting Day!
Snow mountains and glaciers are receding here in Wisconsin and we are slowly but happily emerging from hibernation. It was 60 degrees yesterday and the muted sunshine felt wonderful. I haven’t been quilting over the winter so had no inspiration to write blog posts, and I realize not everyone wants to read about Oliver’s daily exploits, although gosh they are very cute.
I discovered a new display at a favorite store of tiny pet clothing, for small dogs or larger cats probably, and had to seriously resist a little shiny plaid raincoat and cap for Oliver. As if he would stoop to something so ridiculous.
This weekend I am organizing things for my upcoming trip to Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar Conference Center near Monterey, CA. I have a big class of 24, and hope everyone is excited about spending 5 days with me working on all sorts of free motion quilting, some easy, some challenging. I think you will learn as much from one another as from me, so it is definitely a productive week in a beautiful and peaceful setting.
The photo, above, features some lovely gifts I have received over the years from fellow quilters that I wanted to share with you. The intricate Bavarian egg was created by Carole Sturgis and is a collector’s piece in this particular art form. The lovely scissors from Sandra Leichner, tastefully blingy pin cushion by Cheryl Little, and Ming Hsu’s exquisite needle case are some of my favorites and seem to say “spring.”
And I am so happy to say that one of my past Asilomar students, Cindy Seitz-Krug, a fabulous quilter who has won many awards in quilt competition, has just received the Best of Show award at the AQS Lancaster, PA show! Her quilt, Simply Santa Fe, is beautiful and has exquisite original home sewing machine quilting and Cherrywood fabrics. Judy Robinson also won an award for her wonderful and colorful wall quilt, “Judy in the Sky With Stitches,” also done on her home sewing machine.
Congratulations also to Sherry Reynolds for the Machine Workmanship award with her "Christmas All Around" quilt, done on her home sewing machine too. Visit the AQS blog to see these quilts and find a link to all the winners.
The fragile egg, below, resides behind glass in a display case. Oliver was sleeping when I took the photo........
Enjoy the spring days, and hope to see some of you soon in California.
Diane
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12 comments:
That egg is just incredible!
Micki
I like everything you have pictured. You have a very interesting pincushion--the beads make it look really cute. I also like the quilted feather. Thank you for being so inspiring :) My husband has a cousin that paints eggs--they are beautiful. Your egg makes quilting look easy!
Personally, as an animal lover, I always enjoy Oliver exploits and photos.
Micki, It's an incredibly incredible egg!
Thanks Kay Lynne, glad you liked this. These items were made by others and given to me; I just am the one who oohs and ahs over them.
Sue, I am glad you enjoy the Oliver news. He is always doing amazing and cute things.
Oh wow the egg is beautiful! It's good to hear from you, and that Wisconsin is finally thawing ;-)
Great to see your pictures - What wonderful gifts ...Its lovely to see you back :)
So happy that you are getting Spring in Wisconsin at last! Have fun at Asilomar and I am already looking forward to joining you in October in Paducah. Hugs from Texas to you.
Thanks everyone!
quite honored that you mentioned my name Diane, thank you :)
hope you have a wonderful time in California
Hello Diane,
So glad to read a new post on your blog. Happy Spring to you! I am most intrigued by that egg. It looks absolutely delicate!
what beautiful gifts! oh that egg is just amazing.
I was at the show in Lancaster and the quilts you mentioned were beautiful. This was the best show in Lancaster I think in quite a few years. I loved seeing a wonderful variety of appliqued and pieced quilts , hand quilted quilts as well as machine quilted. I was quite impressed this year. Don't like the new place as much as the Host the vendors are too mixed in with the quilts. anyway the quilts were amazing and I am so happy that I was able to see them in person.
glad your coming out of hibernation...ah yes it has been a long winter here in NJ too!
Kathie
Diane,
I read your column in the latest American Quilter. I love your suggestion of adding personalization in the quilting. I even had a dream last night of quilting my name on a quilt that ended up looking horrible... at which point I woke up, hahah. :) Anyway I thought you might appreciate that little snippet. :)
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