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Archive for the ‘Be Happy!’ Category

The ocean goes to Sapphire Celebration!

Thursday, April 25th, 2019

I’m delighted to report that my ocean quilt, She persisted in her quest to reach the shore and sing the anthem of the sea, will be a part of the Sapphire Celebration at International Quilt Festival Houston 2019 and any additional venues! WOOOHOOO!

2019 is the 45th anniversary for International Quilt Festival. Five years ago, they had the Ruby Jubilee celebration for their 40th anniversary, and shortly thereafter decided to have a similar celebration for their 45th. This time, the traditional gem for the 45th anniversary is the sapphire, so what is better than an exhibit full of glorious blue and white quilts? The call for entry wanted traditional, modern and art, and from the announcements I’m seeing and messages I’m receiving from friends, it is going to be a glorious exhibit. So delighted to have made the cut and be a part of it!

If you’d like to learn more about the quilt, visit its gallery page, here.


Sarah on The Quilt Show!

Friday, January 4th, 2019

Yep, 2019 is shaping up to be a great year because I’ll be able to tick off a Bucket List item: in early April I’ll tape an episode of The Quilt Show with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson! Here’s a preview I taped with Ricky while I was teaching at International Quilt Festival 2018 in Houston last November. I’m so psyched–gosh they made my work look SO GOOD!

Interview with Ricky Tims about my upcoming visit to TheQuiltShow.com . I’ll tape the episode in April and it will air later in 2019, I’m guessing towards late summer or fall (August to November for those not in the northern hemisphere). If you’d like to get my monthly newsletter, sign up on my home page, here.

 We haven’t finalized the topics yet so can’t share what it will be, but it’s bound to be something along the lines of art quilts, painting, fusing and/or quilting. I know I can’t fit in everything, but I hope to inspire you and maybe even generate some teaching jobs. If your group or show is interested, please contact me using the contact page on my website. And if you’d like to follow this blog, please click on one of the options to subscribe in the sidebar to the left.

And OMG: SEE YOU ON THE QUILT SHOW! Yep, I’m shouting in delight!  Thank you Ricky, Alex, Justin and John–can’t wait, and some quilty friends will be there for taping too…SQUEEEE!

The Common Ground Fair

Saturday, September 22nd, 2018

You know the seasons have begun the swing to winter when it is time for the Common Ground Fair in Unity / Thorndike, Maine.  Put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and Garderners Association, it is the best of a country fair.  Because this is just a lot of pictures, I’ll just add captions and let you enjoy the day vicariously!

Some new buddies — two sheep and a goat in a lovely blended family!

The only daunting part is the long, sssslllooowwww wait to get in and park!

A fair isn’t complete without little kids getting to pet the animals

The handspinners have been to this fair for 31 years, what a beautiful spinning wheel!

And the other side of the same wheel

 

I was lucky to see some of the dog agility/herding demonstrations

Good Karma Farm is near me, up in Belfast, Maine. They had a booth and I am SO IN LOVE with this yarn, and blend of Alpaca and sheep’s wool.  Find them at GoodKarmaFarm.com

I’m at a point in life where cardigans (on, off, on, off) are a must, but I found a pattern on Ravelry while there. I forcibly restrained myself from buying the bundles for these sweaters, but know I will knit one up as a cardigan before too long. AND I can go visit their farm! Yes, they have a website, yes they are on Ravelry, yes, they have a pattern for these sweaters (but it’s not on Ravelry…just write them)

Applies equally to quilts

An EXQUISITE hand made canoe

inside the spinner’s tent

Random too-cute-for-words kid

More new friends…was trying to sketch but rain was incompatible with paper!

Cashmere goats

a REAL Gyro, meat on spit, heavenly!

Love these earrings, have several pair. Now have the reindeer. Love the pussy willows, too….my colors…maybe next time! You can find her work here at papermoonjewelry.com.

Stunning tiles…made by Jon White of ODD INQ, www.oddinq.com, and kinginq on instagram (ends in a Q)

Immense horses for pulling large wagons

Even more immense Oxen. I mean HUGE… the hips were well above my head!

Perhaps my favorite photo of the day!  The other end of the IMMENSE Oxen…the size of a small elephant!

It appears some cows like to get scritched as much as cats. This lady was petting the one nearest her, and the other one wanted equal time LOL!

I had a thoroughly wonderful day, walked my feet off.  Combined with dog walkies about 14,000 steps today!   Perhaps tomorrow I’ll sketch from photos!

 

Tamara Kate of Kayajoy Designs, Janome Education Summit 2018, Post #4

Friday, July 6th, 2018

An enticing bit of Tamara Kate’s beautiful quilts and style.  These are made with her fabrics, and the “h” and “L” are her embroidery and printed fabric designs.   I absolutely love her color palette!

Hi everyone…thought I’d rap up my posts on the Janome Education Summit in late May before they are ancient history.   One the first day, I noticed what this woman was doing across the aisle from me with Kimberly Einmo’s flying geese units and fabric, and was smitten instantly.  Turns out it is Tamara Kate Serrao of Kayajoy Designs.  Her quilts, embroidery and fabrics are so inspiring…if she had had yardage there I would have gone home with a whole bunch!  You can find her on FB as well as her website.

Here is Tamara Kate showing one of her embroidery designs (that was on a tote we got in our swag!)

Tamara Kate has a fascinating background, being from both Nova Scotia and Trinidad.  She is the Janome Canada spokesperson, and designed a phenomenal Maple Leaf Quilt as well as a special (gosh I wish I’d known about it) Janome machine for Canada’s 150th anniversary a couple years ago.

Tamara Kate showing an advert with the machine she designed, complete with maple leaf.

And here is that QUILT….her work is very much in the Modern Quilt aesthetic, but it also is infused with this like watercolor-y feel, palette and fresh vibe that still pays homage to our quilting history.

Tamara Kate Serrao’s phenomenal and inspiring Maple leaf quilt.  Pattern available here.

You can see this quilt on her website and find the first of several blogposts at JanomeLife.com with instructions on making this quilt here: https://janomelife.wordpress.com/2016/09/07/tamara-kate-quilt-along-part-1/  Have I mentioned recently how much I love her colors?

More wonderfulness from Tamara Kate; check her Quilt Tutorials page for info on the quilt above and the one below:  https://www.kayajoydesigns.com/tutorials/quilts/

I WISH I had seen the fabric and whatnot when it was available… i love the joyfulness of this quilt.

One more chance to enjoy her quilts…..Makes me want to not do the things I am supposed to be doing and just cut fabric and sew something joyful!

A fresh approach to half square triangles

Be still my beating heart…THIS is flying geese quilt!

And Tamara Kate showing a few more of her quilts

And the last pic…Janome had brought in their top of the line 15000 machines and iPads and stylus for us all to try sketching our own designs.  Due to slow wifi, we did a test-quilt (in a hoop using the embroidery module) using a pre-loaded design.  But of course I had to do a quick (and wobbly) sketch of the Flying Pug!

It was really quite easy to create a design…this was done in a rush. I’m thinking with even a little practice one could get quite fun results easily. I had a loaner 15000 machine. I’m not an embroidery person, but the machine was easy to use without special instruction and the table runner I made using it is one of my favorites.

Yep, I think I have to confess to being a total fan-girl!   More fun stuff from the Education Summit in the coming days.

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Where to find me at Quilt Festival Houston 2017

Thursday, November 2nd, 2017

At the entrance to the Rising Stars exhibit. My work isn’t on the left, Karolyn Blue Lorenz is on the right. Come visit!

The fun has begun with Preview night yesterday.  I will be Doing gallery tours and more.  When I’m not doing what is on this schedule, I will be at the exhibit most of the time but seeing the show some of the time.  Swing by and say hi, take a look at my book of the exhibit ( on sale, link on my website Store page, ships direct from Blurb).  I will also do a Facebook live event at 8:30 or so Houston time, which is 9:30 a.m. East Coast US time!

At RISING STARS

Gallery tours:

10:30 Thursday and Sunday
1:00 Thursday, Friday, Saturday
6:00 Thursday, Friday, Saturday

 

SCHEDULE

Thursday:

9:30 Save Our Stories Quilt Alliance interview

10:30 Gallery Talk

1 Gallery Talk

4 pm ? Bernina booth Q20 meet up

6 Gallery Talk

Friday:

9 Lecture-Katrina Walker, Cotton Chic! (garments in Q cotton)
10-12 Open Studios–Machine Quilting: Work Smarter, Not Harder
1 Gallery Talk
3 Lecture-Deborah Boschert Art Quilt
4 Gilbert Muniz, Wearable Art
6: Gallery Talk

7:30 dinner@8

Saturday:

9 Lecture-Martha Sielman, top 10 trends in art quilting
11:30-Noon Meet the Teacher
1 and Gallery Talk
2 pm ? Bernina booth Q20 meet up
2 Lecture-Deirdre McElroy, the Tifaifai Way
6 Gallery Talk

Sunday:

10:30 Gallery talk

4 Pack up quilts

First visitors Wednesday evening Preview night

On the right, She persisted in her quest to reac h the shore and sing the anthem of the sea, in the judged show