Summer Workshops

I'm excited to announce that I'll be offering workshops in our barn this summer. We're located about an hour north of NYC in Fairfield County, Connecticut. I have a list of local hotels, including a couple of charming B&Bs on or near our completely authentic New England Main Street, if you're coming from a distance and need to stay overnight (and one hotel to warn you away from, lol).

Each two-day workshop is offered on a Friday and Saturday, in June, July and August. We'll be working on a variety of printmaking techniques, both by hand and with printing equipment (hello, etching press!) You'll create a lot of fabric that you can incorporate into future art quilts and you'll have a fantastic time doing it! We'll even feed you lunch and snacks each day. I hope you can join me!

This summer's sessions are: June 19 & 20, July 17 & 18 or Aug 14 & 15. If you need more info, please email me.

PS: The June session is filling fast -- just so's ya knows.

Pittsburgh and back again

Life has been a little busy lately! I've been madly dashing from one event/signing/class/show/something to the next since the store closed on March 31. Last week was International Quilt Market in Pittsburgh. I was there at the behest of C&T Publishing for the release of Art Quilts at Play. My co-author, Elin Waterston, and I signed books (at the Checker Distributors and United Notions booths), spoke to scads of people about it, taught a workshop on one of the techniques, demonstrated a few more in the C&T booth, taped a demo and an interview plus I had a booth as the Country Quilter. My mom and I had four new patterns between us and were busy connecting with old and new customers.


at the C&T booth


at the United Notions booth

Of all of the convention centers I've been to (quite a few), my favorite architecturally is the David L Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. The food there was really awful, the hotel was terrible (Sheraton Station Square), but the convention center was gorgeous.






Country Quilter booth

I met a lot of internet friends - from different lists and from Facebook - isn't that the best? It was a wonderful week, although it's really good to be home! No more traveling or running for a while, time to catch up to myself.

Fern magic

The ferns are coming up in the woods and garden, unfurling and uncurling. Can't you just imagine magical little creatures living under them?



I've done several series of quilts based on ferns and feel another one coming on. I'm waiting for some of the chaos to subside and my head to be quieter and then I'll hit the studio. The forced inaction is frustrating, but I'm looking forward to a hyper-productive period this summer. June, she chants, June.

April flowers

Spring has sprung, the bulbs I planted last fall are up and most are blooming. There's a whole patch of "surprise" bulbs (I forgot what I planted, gotta write it down next time, oof).

Even in the midst of nutso packing for Quilt Festival in Chicago, I did a little decorating for Easter dinner. A couple of bouquets of flowers, a pretty floral fabric...



... and small sparkly chicks!

Upcoming...

Coming up - lots of events and traveling and teaching!

Next week I'll be in Chicago for International Quilt Festival. I'll be vending in the mixed-media section as Flourish-Country Quilter. I'll be teaching a Make It University workshop on Friday afternoon (1:30 - 2:30) on collage pendant necklaces and then demonstrating in the Open Studios section both Friday and Saturday from 2:45 to 4:45. Please stop by and say hi!



Saturday, April 25th from 12 - 3 pm will find both me and Elin at Elm Street Books in New Canaan CT for a book signing and talk about art quilts. We'll be signing both Art Quilt Workbook and Art Quilts at Play. Elm Street Books is a gem of a bookstore, one of the last great independent booksellers in our area. They bring in lots of authors for signings and host lots of interesting events. I'd love to have a really big turnout for our signing - we aren't as mainstream as Calvin Trillin (a recent author there), but I like to think that our readers are just as dedicated.



Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3 is the quilt show in Somers, put on by the Northern Star Quilter's Guild. I'll be vending all weekend and demoing on Saturday afternoon. This is a fantastic show with something for everyone. It's on the train line from Manhattan and an easy drive from anywhere in the tri-state area (NY-NJ-CT).



And Saturday, May 23, I'll be at the City Quilter in NYC teaching a workshop on self-expression quilts. You'll learn a variety of direct and indirect photo-transfer techniques and lots about composition and design as you make a small art quilt that expresses you.

A busy, busy spring!

Sew Fetching

So I'm going to be a proud mama for a minute and tell you about my daughter, Samantha. She just posted photos to her etsy store and has been working her tail off on adorable products for your furry friends. She makes gorgeous pet collars, toys and bedding for dogs, cats and ferrets. She's started stocking her store and has much more to come. She makes the cutest things -- fun, colorful and happy!

I love that she loves to sew and make and create. It's fun hanging out in the studio with her, each working on our own things with a convivial, creative hum and banter. Sometimes while we're making stuff we watch dvds and try to get caught up with "our" shows (Lost marathon, anyone?), other times we watch chick flicks, but mostly we tease and talk and chat and giggle and laugh. The best of times!

She's been sewing on a machine since she was five, knew how to use Wonder Under at four, and designed her own stuffed critters from age six on. She jumps in to everything with enthusiasm and verve, confident that she can realize her vision.

We applied for a really cool indie craft show in June and just found out that we didn't get in (boo), so now we'll look around for somewhere else to hawk our wares this summer. Can't pass up the idea of showing and selling together.

Simple Arts Podcast

When I was teaching in Asilomar at the Empty Spools seminar a couple of weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of meeting Annie Smith, podcaster extraordinaire. She interviewed me one evening and we really hit it off. You can head to her website to listen to the podcast and hear us chatting about art and quilting and life and everything. Please leave a comment for me here - I'll be giving away a copy of my new book, Art Quilts at Play, on Wednesday, April 1st (no fooling!)



So you can follow along, in the podcast I talk about the books I've written with Elin Waterston, the shop that my mom and I opened in 1990 (that will continue as an internet store) and my husband's artwork.

UPDATE: The winner of the free book is "sewjoe"! Please contact me with your mailing address and I'll get an autographed copy of Art Quilts at Play right out to you. Thank you everyone for your very kind comments! And thank you Annie for the opportunity to talk to your listeners!