Quilting...for the Rest of Us

In this episode, I review the "Carol Doak Teaches You to Paper Piece" DVD--that and listener comments are the highlights of the episode! Some good tips from listeners, entertaining comments, and a sweet story of families reunited.

Make yourself some popcorn and get ready to watch some movies with me! Well, OK, the movies are quilt instructional videos and you may not want greasy-popcorn-hands near your fabric, but we'll still have a good time! In this episode I review five quilt instructional videos, and share a tip that I learned from each one. I also review the Stash Mystery Challenge and New Year Resolution Give-Away, do some listener comments, and complain a lot about thread. "Dian McClun & Laura Nownes Teach You Beginning Quiltmaking", from C&T Publishing--At Home with the Experts Series #8 http://www.ctpub.com/client/client_pages/AHWTE.cfm "Precision Piecing" with Joann Middleton, from Patchwork Schoolhouse (www.patchworkschoolhouse.com). "Fluff and Stuff: Machine Quilting with Paula Reid," from Paula Reid/Batts in the Attic,  http://www.battsintheattic.com/ Fons & Porter MasterClass: "Perfect Binding" (Liz Porter) and "Log Cabin ABC's" (Marti Michell), from Fons & Porter, https://www.shopfonsandporter.com/category/Master-Classes

Make yourself some popcorn and get ready to watch some movies with me! Well, OK, the movies are quilt instructional videos and you may not want greasy-popcorn-hands near your fabric, but we'll still have a good time! In this episode I review five quilt instructional videos, and share a tip that I learned from each one. I also review the Stash Mystery Challenge and New Year Resolution Give-Away, do some listener comments, and complain a lot about thread. "Dian McClun & Laura Nownes Teach You Beginning Quiltmaking", from C&T Publishing--At Home with the Experts Series #8 http://www.ctpub.com/client/client_pages/AHWTE.cfm "Precision Piecing" with Joann Middleton, from Patchwork Schoolhouse (www.patchworkschoolhouse.com). "Fluff and Stuff: Machine Quilting with Paula Reid," from Paula Reid/Batts in the Attic,  http://www.battsintheattic.com/ Fons & Porter MasterClass: "Perfect Binding" (Liz Porter) and "Log Cabin ABC's" (Marti Michell), from Fons & Porter, https://www.shopfonsandporter.com/category/Master-Classes

It's that time of year! Whether or not you like making New Year's Resolutions, setting goals for ourselves at any time can help motivate and focus us on growing as quilters. In this episode, I give some tips for making goals (or resolutions) that are useful and may actually be able to be kept! If you want to check out the website I got some background material from, visit www.topachievement.com. Congratulations to Carolyn A--the winner of the holiday challenge drawing! Woop Woop! I put the call out for about five volunteers who are experienced in applique--any method, machine or hand. Let me know if you're willing to be part of a panel discussion for an upcoming episode. I've also launched TWO new challenges! Check out the Challenge tab at the top of this page for the stash mystery challenge, and check out the Resolution tab for the resolution challenge (that's not really a challenge, rather, another motivational-type thing).

It's that time of year! Whether or not you like making New Year's Resolutions, setting goals for ourselves at any time can help motivate and focus us on growing as quilters. In this episode, I give some tips for making goals (or resolutions) that are useful and may actually be able to be kept! If you want to check out the website I got some background material from, visit www.topachievement.com. Congratulations to Carolyn A--the winner of the holiday challenge drawing! Woop Woop! I put the call out for about five volunteers who are experienced in applique--any method, machine or hand. Let me know if you're willing to be part of a panel discussion for an upcoming episode. I've also launched TWO new challenges! Check out the Challenge tab at the top of this page for the stash mystery challenge, and check out the Resolution tab for the resolution challenge (that's not really a challenge, rather, another motivational-type thing).

In this episode, I talk about some software and electronic gadgets that I find extraordinarily helpful in my quilt life. For Quilt Album software: http://www.quiltalbum.com/ Quilter's FabriCalc Electric Quilt Digital scrapbooking sites I mention: http://www.designerdigitals.com/ http://www.scrapgirls.com Directions for Potholders - Coasters - ornaments (from Barbara via Carolyn--editorial notes are Carolyn's) 1.  Cut 5 squares 1/2 inch larger than you want the finished item to be.  (in my case, I went by the size of the scraps available)  i.e. 7 1/2 for a 7" potholder (cut 1 of batting, if using) 2.  Fold 4 squares in half. 3.  Lay out in this order: 1.  batting 2.  whole square right side up 3.  Folded squares with fold toward the center 4.  Weave folded squares and pin in place. 5.  Sew around the outside of the item 6.  Trim corners diagonally 7.  Turn to right side.

In this episode, I talk about some software and electronic gadgets that I find extraordinarily helpful in my quilt life. For Quilt Album software: http://www.quiltalbum.com/ Quilter's FabriCalc Electric Quilt Digital scrapbooking sites I mention: http://www.designerdigitals.com/ http://www.scrapgirls.com Directions for Potholders - Coasters - ornaments (from Barbara via Carolyn--editorial notes are Carolyn's) 1.  Cut 5 squares 1/2 inch larger than you want the finished item to be.  (in my case, I went by the size of the scraps available)  i.e. 7 1/2 for a 7" potholder (cut 1 of batting, if using) 2.  Fold 4 squares in half. 3.  Lay out in this order: 1.  batting 2.  whole square right side up 3.  Folded squares with fold toward the center 4.  Weave folded squares and pin in place. 5.  Sew around the outside of the item 6.  Trim corners diagonally 7.  Turn to right side.

In this episode, Hollis Chatelaine describes her initiative, Imagine Hope, a special exhibition featuring her art quilts and the work of photographers on global issues such as poverty, war, refugees, environmental justice, and much more. The exhibit is extremely moving, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with Hollis a little bit about her process, her quilts, and Imagine Hope's role in bringing people to awareness and action. (Following the interview, my usual announcements, listener comments, and Sandy update.) Hollis Chatelaine (right) and Leslie Genszler, vice president of the Imagine Hope team. (Also a wonderful person to talk to--I just didn't get it recorded!) For more information about Imagine Hope, visitwww.imaginehopeworldwide.org and on Facebook. For Hollis Chatelaine's textile arts, visit www.hollisart.com, and on Facebook. See the "Do Good" page on this blog for information about the Imagine Hope shop--a great place for gifts (for others or for yourself!) that support this project.

In this episode, Hollis Chatelaine describes her initiative, Imagine Hope, a special exhibition featuring her art quilts and the work of photographers on global issues such as poverty, war, refugees, environmental justice, and much more. The exhibit is extremely moving, and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk with Hollis a little bit about her process, her quilts, and Imagine Hope's role in bringing people to awareness and action. (Following the interview, my usual announcements, listener comments, and Sandy update.) Hollis Chatelaine (right) and Leslie Genszler, vice president of the Imagine Hope team. (Also a wonderful person to talk to--I just didn't get it recorded!) For more information about Imagine Hope, visit www.imaginehopeworldwide.org and on Facebook. For Hollis Chatelaine's textile arts, visit www.hollisart.com, and on Facebook. See the "Do Good" page on this blog for information about the Imagine Hope shop--a great place for gifts (for others or for yourself!) that support this project.

I was so happy to have the chance to meet and talk with Amy Milne, executive director of The Alliance for American Quilts, about the AAQ's "Quilter' S.O.S.--Save Our Stories" project. This is a great oral history documentation project capturing thousands of quilters stories; sort of my "quilters like the rest of us" interviews on steroids! I loved having this conversation and I'm sure you'll love meeting and listening to Amy as well. For more information about The Alliance for American Quilts, visit www.allianceforamericanquilts.org.

I was so happy to have the chance to meet and talk with Amy Milne, executive director of The Alliance for American Quilts, about the AAQ's "Quilter' S.O.S.--Save Our Stories" project. This is a great oral history documentation project capturing thousands of quilters stories; sort of my "quilters like the rest of us" interviews on steroids! I loved having this conversation and I'm sure you'll love meeting and listening to Amy as well. For more information about The Alliance for American Quilts, visit www.allianceforamericanquilts.org.

"Our mission is to create inspiring cultural works that provide sustainable income and well-deserved development opportunities for African women & girls." (Mission statement of BabaBlankets) I was introduced to BabaBlankets at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this month where they had a vendor booth. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce them to you as well! E. Aminata Brown, founder and designer of BabaBlankets, was able to take a few minutes out of her busy day to talk with me about the work of BabaBlankets in Ghana. Below: Aminata Brown (left) of BabaBlankets with me in front of her booth at Houston. Photo courtesy Broderick Webb. For more information, shopping, and their bricks-n-mortar store in New Orleans, visit www.babablanket.com. To listen to Allison's "Within a Quarter Inch" podcast interview with listener Tami about printing photos on fabric:  http://withinaquarterinch.blip.tv/file/2765570/

"Our mission is to create inspiring cultural works that provide sustainable income and well-deserved development opportunities for African women & girls." (Mission statement of BabaBlankets) I was introduced to BabaBlankets at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this month where they had a vendor booth. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce them to you as well! E. Aminata Brown, founder and designer of BabaBlankets, was able to take a few minutes out of her busy day to talk with me about the work of BabaBlankets in Ghana. Below: Aminata Brown (left) of BabaBlankets with me in front of her booth at Houston. Photo courtesy Broderick Webb. For more information, shopping, and their bricks-n-mortar store in New Orleans, visit www.babablanket.com. To listen to Allison's "Within a Quarter Inch" podcast interview with listener Tami about printing photos on fabric:  http://withinaquarterinch.blip.tv/file/2765570/

In part two, I describe the lectures that I attended at the International Quilt Festival in Houston: Kaffe Fassett, Hollis Chatelaine, Marti Michell, Hanne Wellendorf, Mary Sorenson, and Elly Sienkeiwicz. Kaffe Fassett's Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts, and his website Hollis Chatelain's website Marti Michell's website Hanne Wellendorf's website (If this link doesn't take you directly to the English version, click on "English" in the bottom left hand corner.) Mary Sorenson's website Elly Sienkeiwicz's website

In part two, I describe the lectures that I attended at the International Quilt Festival in Houston: Kaffe Fassett, Hollis Chatelaine, Marti Michell, Hanne Wellendorf, Mary Sorenson, and Elly Sienkeiwicz. Kaffe Fassett's Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts, and his website Hollis Chatelain's website Marti Michell's website Hanne Wellendorf's website (If this link doesn't take you directly to the English version, click on "English" in the bottom left hand corner.) Mary Sorenson's website Elly Sienkeiwicz's website