The past two months or so have been frustrating, as I’ve been hard at work, but can’t share what I’ve been doing for the most part! I’ve sent off to a magazine two articles, and once they are accepted, I hope I can tell you a little bit more–currently they are scheduled for publication in late summer /early fall. And, like Deborah (click here for her blog), I’ve been working on two projects for Lark Books. As well, I’ve designed and done some of the work on a quilt for my local quilt guild chapter–keep reading and see the first two blocks!

For those of you not fortunate to live in Maine, we have a state-wide guild, the Pine Tree Quilt Guild. It has MANY chapters, including Coastal Quilters based in the Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville area, though we have members also from Belfast, Rockland, South Thomaston, and other towns in the Camden Hills region. At a chapter board meeting last year, Gail Galloway Nicholson suggested we should, like so many other chapters, have a “Chapter Banner.” And she looked in my direction when she asked if anyone would like to design and organize one. Always eager to do my favorite part–the designing–I jumped at the chance! I designed the overall quilt and many of the blocks and components, and will quilt the whole shebang, but will note when someone has designed their own blocks.

To see the whole thing, I’m going to make you wait (yes, I know, I ‘m wicked!). But today I’ll share the first two blocks (going in rough alphabetical order): the celebrated Belted Galloways (a rare breed of cattle which are also found on San Juan Island, where I used to live! and known as the “oreo cookie” cows for obvious reasons) of Aldemere Farms in Rockport. This fine soul was made by Gail (who, as a Galloway, put in her “dibs” on the belties, and as an artist made her own pattern…yeah!):

And the Bear’s Paw block made by Nancy Connon. Maine has its Black Bears (and Gifford’s ice cream makes a wicked Black Bear ice cream that is a vanilla base with blackberries and chocolate), and one day about 2 winters ago, when I visited the now-closed Quilters’ Cottage Shop here in Camden, there were Bear’s Paws tracks in the snow in the front yard! We figured the bear awoke in winter and went foraging at the dump, which is just a stone’s throw up the road.

I am THRILLED with the contributions. Everyone has clearly put forth their best effort, from the most beginning of beginners to the expert. I’m so proud of everyone! I can’t wait to assemble the quilt and quilt it. It will, I think, debut at the Maine Quilts show this July in Augusta…hooray!

And one note: if you are interested in making rugs, check Kathy Daniels’ blog, a Studio in the Woods. She has a kit with pattern and all the wool just for the asking, and a photo when it is done. I believe it is punched and sheared…there are more details if you click on the link in the first sentence or in the sidebar at right. Thanks!

Feeling a bit under the weather today, but will share this… hopefully more by the weekend…

On the Dyers’ List (link below), an e-list about dyeing (wool, cotton, silk, cloth, fibers, etc) that stays rigorously on topic thanks to listmom Pat, one of the regulars–Ann–shared a comment Caryl Bryer Fallert made in a class she took with her some years ago: “Her [Caryl’s] statement was, there is nothing special in anything that I do, you can learn any of it — it all comes down to you, YOU provide the Magic.”

…what a gem of a comment! For years I have been telling folks that ANYONE can do what I do, which I amended to Anyone can do what I do if they are willing to devote the time and effort to get there. But I really, REALLY like the idea that the individual provides the magic…..

I still believe that ANYONE *can* provide the magic because I guess I believe that the magic is creativity, which can be encouraged by practice…. it’s learning to recognize the opportunity or the idea when it presents itself…..

For more on the Dyers’ List, click on this link https://list.emich.edu/mailman/listinfo/dyerslist
to subscribe.

Cheers, Sarah

One of the cool things on my Mac laptop is the “Photobooth” feature. It uses the built-in camera (!!!) to take pictures of you like in an old fashioned photo booth. Since I never have pictures of me with the kids (since I’m always the one behind the lens), I eagerly agreed when Joshua asked me to open up Photobooth (the school-issued laptops here in Maine don’t have this software … expect the kids would play endlessly with it instead of doing schoolwork).

So, we took these photos, and used the special effects (obviously!):

In a fit of extravegance earlier this year, I ordered a whole bunch of things to equip my studio in preparation for writing my book and making the sample quilts. While I was on this spending spree, I bought books….rather a lot of them…ahem! So I thought I’d share my reviews here!

The Surface Designer’s Handbook by Holly Brackmann is a must-have reference for anyone interested in (as the subtitle says) dyeing, printing, painting and creating resists on fabric. Click on the title to visit the amazon.com page for this book.

This book is SO comprehensive, that I think anyone interested in even one or two of the techniques covered would find it a useful reference. Lately, I’ve been seriously bitten by the bug to do screenprinting, and the chapter on that alone is worth the cover price of the book for me.

This is not a book to sit down and browse, although there is plenty of eye-candy in the form of projects ranging from garments to art cloth to art quilts. It is intended to be a how-to manual, and it is. It belongs on the shelf next to Ann Johnston’s and Elin Noble’s books (click on their names to go to the Amazon links). The chapters in Holly’s book are:

Intro
Studio Practices and Safety
Dyes, fibers and fabrics
Color
Fiber-reactive dyes
Acid Dyes
Vat Dyes
Disperse Dyes
Discharging
Screen Printing
Monoprinting
Stamping
Stenciling
Resists
Devore
Textile Paints
Embellishments

These are followed by valuable appendices:
*Dye Worksheet
*Preparing Fabric for dyeing
*Rinsing, Washing and Drying Fabric
*Calculating Stock Solutions, Dye Quantities and Color Mixing
*Thickeners and Printing
*Steaming
*Weights, Measures and Water Temperatures

Which are followed by
Glossary
Bibliography
Resources and
Index.

The only thing I can think of that isn’t in this book is printing photos onto fabric, which is related but kinda different.

Oh…and a technical note: the book is hard cover with an enclosed spiral binding, so it helpfully lays flat while you are working! Just cover with plastic so as not to glop paint and dye on those useful pages!

Today is April 5. Yesterday afternoon it began snowing. In APRIL. A lot. At 6 a.m., we checked and school was cancelled…a snow day (so much for spring…the Easter Bunny will need a sled….)! So I rolled over (had taken the laptop upstairs anticipating this) and went back to sleep. By 9 a.m., breakfast was over, so I trotted upstairs grabbed my 24 inch quilting ruler and camera, and took one step and a long reach outside the garage, and took this photo.

Yes, that is THIRTEEN INCHES OF SNOW in less than 24 hours. Now why didn’t that happen back in December when we wanted snow? We had maybe five inches prior to Feb. 14…since then about every two weeks, it is a big snow. This was the single largest snowfall since we moved here in July 2004.

Needless to say, we caved in and called the plow guy to come dig us out! Here’s Eli, 4’6″ tall, in front of the plow ridge at the end of the driveway!

It is absolutely gorgeous out,

so of course I had to enjoy the day and quilt (and make bean and noodle and meatball soup from scratch, and choc chip cookies, and cornbread….I need to work out!). In the interest of keeping my loyal readers reading, here is some actual quilt related content:

This is what I’ve been working on…lotsa stuff. Alas, I can’t share too much detail as it is for publication in three different places…woohoo! Now, if all the deadlines (two real, one self-imposed) weren’t May and June (the latter) I’d be fine! Actually, I’m doing fairly well….have two articles drafted and revised and almost done, one project drafted and made, and another project ready to start. Phew! And I may play some serious hooky from what I’m supposed to be doing and make a quilt to enter in Houston…I want to SO much, and it is just screaming to get out of my head. Anyway, hope you like what’s on the wall!