I wish I could make this photo such that you could see more detail. However, you can, at least, get the idea of this incredible quilt. This beauty comes to us from the collection of the National Museum of American Art. I find this quilt absolutely stunning. Constructed of silk, circa 1840-1860. Maker unknown. AWESOME!!! Enjoy!
With limited holiday shopping days left and reports of icky weather over many parts of the US, (not to mention unbelievable crowds at the malls and other favorite shopping places) I’d love to help you with your holiday shopping! Many of you know that I’m a Craftsy Instructor. If you aren’t familiar with Craftsy, it is a fabulous online learning site for all kinds of DIY categories: Quilting, Sewing, Embroidery, Knitting, Crocheting, Cooking, Baking, Cake Decorating, Woodworking, Jewelry making, Photography, and MORE!! Once you purchase a class, it’s yours forever, so you can go back and review all or portions of the Read More
Remember this sample that I showed on “Day 1”, posting that sometime this month I’d be sharing some news? Well, today’s the day! I’m very excited to share that I’ll be teaching from this sample on Sunday, January 27, 2017, from noon to 6 pm at Gotham Quilts in New York City! I can hardly wait!!! So, if you’re going to be in NYC in late January and you’d like to join the fun, or if you want more information, click here. Hope to see you in the Big Apple!!!
I am no technology whiz. Not even close. Anyone who knows me even fairly well knows that I’m terrified of technology. Generally speaking, I know enough to get by, and I regularly attempt to stretch my technophobic muscles in spite of the discomfort! I’m trainable, and I’m not fast. So, I posted my blog Tuesday past while on the road. Then, I allowed security updates from my security provider to my computer, as I’ve done many times. From that point forward, I was no longer able to access the internet. Period. Nada. Nothing. Not Wednesday. Not Thursday. Not Friday. Not Saturday. Not Read More
Yes, I missed posting yesterday. I had a pretty good reason. Really. I was getting ready for a road trip! Perhaps you’ve seen me post here on the blog, or on Facebook or Instagram, about how much I LOVE my BERNINA sewing / embroidery machines. Well, I do. I’ve sewn on BERNINAs for years and years! About a year-and-a-half ago, I became a BERNINA Ambassador, which means I became an “official” BERNINA-lover! So, I sew on BERNINAs and I tell everyone how much I LOVE BERNINAs, just like I’ve done for decades, but now I get to have an Read More
There is no place that I can begin “Spectacular Antique Quilt Sunday” except with one of my Mamo’s quilts. Mamo (Edna Bertha Steven Ashton) was my paternal grandmother. Born in 1886 in rural Nebraska, Mamo learned all the “ordinary” and essential homemaking skills of the day, including quilt-making. However, my Mamo was anything but ordinary. Fiercely independent (Hmmm. An inheritable trait, perhaps???), she loved to push the limits of convention. She attended and graduated from the University of Nebraska circa 1907. In 1910, she and her sister, Leanna, boarded a ship for Europe. Among other adventures, they attended the Passion Play held in Oberammergau, Read More
CREATIVITY: the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. We are all creative. I believe that with every fiber of my being. All too often, in my opinion, our confidence in our creativity gets trained out of us somewhere along the way. Some are fortunate to regain that confidence early; some regain it later. For some, (sadly…. heartbreakingly) that confidence in their creativity is never rediscovered. Jeff (my DH) and I love B&Bs. We B&B-hopped for our honeymoon nearly 28 years ago. And, we’ve dreamed of having a B&B “someday”. As my quilting Read More
BRRRR!!! It’s a chilly one in the Kansas City area today! I must admit that with each passing year, I tolerate the cold a little less than the I did the year before. The good news is that the cold weather encourages me to hunker down in my studio and sew – as though any encouragement is necessary! Haha! I tried a new technique, and I’m really glad that I did! Yesterday, I applied my first faced quilt binding. I love how clean and crisp the finished edge of the quilt is! This project is a wall Read More
I am about to leap out of my comfort zone! I am accepting the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge offered by Cheryl Sleboda (muppin.com). Will I really blog for 31 days straight? Well, that remains to be seen. However, I am prepared to give it my best shot!! Currently, I’m in the midst of creating several new samples for classes and workshops to be held in a variety of places. I have a minimal amount of travel over the next 7 weeks, and I’m excited about having this concentrated creative time in my studio! I look forward to being able Read More
The drawings to win a copy of my book (Hexagons, Diamonds, Triangles, and More) have produced the following two winners: Diane and Brenda! Both have been contacted via email, and the books are on the way to their new homes! I hope you all enjoyed the Ruby’s Treasures Blog Hop!! Are you planning to make the blocks? Have any of you made any blog hop blocks yet? If there’s one thing I like about the change to cold weather (and there may be only one thing!! – LOL), it’s hunkering down in my studio with a hot cup of tea to play with fabric!! Read More