Quilt Raising!

It's been a wonderful weekend at Quilting in the Garden! Everyone's quilts look magnificent hanging from the huge oak trees. I was able to meet and talk with local quilt makers and enjoy the beauty of Alden Lane Nursery all at the same time.

 Here's my crew after using clothes pins to secure the quilts to the lines. Volunteer members from local guilds were there bright and early, 7:00 a.m.! Thank you!

And here's an overview of the Alden Lane Nursery layout. It's like visiting a park with fountains, garden vignettes, and lots of color. And the people working there are really wonderful.

Alden Lane Nursery is Fantastic!
As you enter, you are greeted with tables of color and texture laid out in a circular plan. Cyndee and Jacque have decorated the walkways with cute displays like window boxes, benches, and a kid's tree house hidden in the bend of the old oak trees that shade the grounds.

My class of 20 students made their own gardens in the Garden of Eden workshop on Thursday. They created beautiful displays of flowers and leaves in fabric, no doubt influenced by the beautiful garden setting surrounding them.

Early Saturday morning, my quilts will be suspended from the wonderful oaks that protect this joyful place. What a delight to be a Guest Artist in Quilting in the Garden!

Quilting in the Garden with Old Friends

In selecting the artwork for Quilting in the Garden, I was able to re-visit some old friends. The 35 quilts on display range in age from 2 months to 15 years old. It's like reviewing different stages of my art. I was surprised to find how many pieces relate to the theme of gardening and growing. It must be those farmer's daughter genes.

If you can't visit me at the exhibit, you can see me on The Quilt Show. They are kindly offering the episode I filmed for them for free. Click here for #303. I've also prepared a CD of the Quilting in the Garden exhibit available on my web site. It shows all the images of those quilts soon to be hanging from trees!

Quilting in the Garden
Seven boxes are in route to the Quilting in the Garden exhibit at the Alden Lane Nursery. That's 35 of my large art quilts to be displayed outdoors in sunny (we hope) Livermore, CA.
Along with quilts like Prairie Breeze (above), you'll find art work by Joanna Figuaroa, the Pixeladies, Alex Anderson, and Jeff Krause. I'm hoping to see an exhibit of work by local quilt makers too.
After visiting the exhibits, check out a trunk show of my hand-dyed fabrics, threads, books, and smaller pieces of art work I'll have on hand. Or join a mini-tour, lecture, or class at Alden Lane. Bring your sunny disposition too, we may need it!

Thank You Alex Anderson!
Over a year ago I filmed an episode of The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims in LeVeta, CO. It was great fun! I sang some songs, answered questions from the audience, and showed them a quick little strawberry basket project.
Soon after, Alex invited me to be the guest artist in an outdoor exhibit at the Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore, CA called Quilting in the Garden. What a wonderful opportunity!
Please visit me and the art work hanging from the trees September 25 -27. Well... I'm not hanging from the trees but my art work (like Red Wheelbarrow above) is. Thank you Alex Anderson!

Judy Coates Perez, Frieda Anderson, Trish Williams,
Anne Lullie, Emily Parson, and Laura W

CSOF Meeting and Lunch-a-thon
I had to be restrained at a recent meeting of the Chicago School of Fusing. Here's Emily keeping me in line during the annual photo shoot in my back yard. We had a great time even though Frieda was the only one to have had any wine. You can tell by her sassy pose.

Leaves in a Whirl (detail, hand stitched with size 8)

Back to School
It's fall and that means I'm on the road teaching and lecturing about the fine art of fusing. The lovely members of Wichita's Prairie Quilt Guild hosted me last week. Next week, I'm off to see the equally lovely Creative Quilters in Dayton, OH.
You too can take a class with me! Check out my Leaves in a Whirl pattern and DVD. Just pop the DVD into the computer or DVD player and you'll learn to make this quilt from start to finish. I've included a lot of fusing tips and variations on the pattern too.
The best part? I don't have to pack my bags and get on an airplane and you don't have to get out of your PJ's!

Bristol Cathedral, UK
Imagine laying all this tile and having all the points meet!
Many a quilt maker must be inspired by this beautiful tile work in Bristol Cathedral. I love all the pattern and progression of pattern into pattern. It's enthralling, mesmerizing, hypnotic.
My hostess, Chris Porter, has written quilt books about it and I'm sure there are others of you out there using tile designs as inspiration. Any one?

Soaking It Up in Bath
Having a free day in the UK, Christine Porter took me on a tour of Bath. Here I am frolicking with large statuary in front of the Roman Baths.
It was a delightful time shopping with Chris and visiting a lovely quilt shop called Country Quilter right in the heart of the city. We toured the Abbey, had tea at Sally Lunn's, and did a walk around the Circus before driving back to Bristol and gearing up for the next days teaching.