Gramado Brazil Quilt Festival

Gettin' off the crazy train!  At least long enough to spill about what I've been up to the past few months...  Been to Brazil to teach and exhibit at a quilt Festival, to Argentina to teach classes, and to the Houston Quilt Market to promote my patterns.  Whew!

So I'll start with Brazil....

Back at the end of September, I was invited to be a guest speaker, teacher, and exhibitor at the 15th Quilt Festival of Gramado, Brazil.





The festival itself was gorgeous- so many accomplished quilters in Brazil!

 I stayed with my BFF Cecilia Koppmann, the uber creative and accomplished quilt artist and teacher from Buenos Aires.

 We met there and had a wonderful time.  The other instructors there were soooooo welcoming and warm.  I feel like I made many lifelong friends there in such a short time!! Mwah!! Mwah!! to all of you!!  I cried my eyes out when it was time to leave!!

Here is Doris Teixeira, giving Cecilia and I a 'trunk show' in her room.  A true artist!!

Even the sidewalks were patchwork-y!

 There was even a lovely parade in downtown Gramado!

I was surprised the the marching band in the parade.  They were great- the Brazilians got rhythm!

Here is beautiful Cecilia wearing her quilt. (I love this picture of her!) She made it to mark the days of her radiation treatment for (breast) cancer.  See the story here.   Even if you don't speak Spanish, it's something to see.  (BTW, she's doing great!)

The Argentine brigade...

Patchwork fashion!

Check out this proud guy carrying his wife's quilt...

The parade ended up in the festival building with a patchwork covered Volkswagon Bug!!

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible!

Next up- classes in Argentina...

A block for a friend

Had to make a heart block, any heart block, for a group quilt.  A friend suggested this tutorial, and this is the block I made.

Whenever I make anything for a specific person, I dedicate the time I use to make the gift to think about the recipient.  In this case, I hope this small gift brings her a little bit of comfort...

Sock Monkey Baby Sling

Do you like to make sock monkeys?  I do!  I never get tire of making them.  There are lots of tutorials on the web like this one, if you'd like to make your own.


I love to give them as baby gifts and embroider the name of the recipient on the hiney.  Today I made one for a friend's new granddaughter.  She has a big brother, 4 yrs old, who has his own monkey.  


So for a little bonus for big brother, I made him a baby monkey (from baby socks) and a little baby sling.


Want to make your own baby doll sling?  It's cinchy.  Just use a piece of t-shirt fabric!


First measure from the shoulder of the bigger doll to the hip, around the back, and back up to the shoulder (like in the photo.)   Add about 2 inches for tying.  That's the length of your sling.
Now measure the width of the baby doll.  Double that measurement.


Cut yourself a rectangle using the measurements you took. Make the long edge of the rectangle go against the grain of the fabric so it's stretchy. Taper the short ends of the rectangle into points.  Stretch your fabric till the edges curl under. (No sewing! Yay!) Now tie the points together.


That's it!  Put the sling on the mommy (or daddy, or big brother or sister) doll, resting the knot on one of her shoulders.  Now put the baby in there! 


That should make the baby doll very happy and secure! Don't be surprised if the baby doll goes right to sleep! ;)

Hi everyone!


Back from Spring Market, and (almost) fully recovered!  This market was especially fabulous- was situated right across from my new pals at Clothworks.  Did a lecture (Schoolhouse)  about 3-D sewing.  That was fun- glad we did it! 

I was working' most of the time and went by myself- my excuse for not taking more pics... But here are some highlights-

Moi and Mary Fons of 'Quilty'.  You may not be able to tell from the photo how bad I was geeing out to meet Mary.  She is so talented, hilarious, and best of all, a homie from Chicago!

With Luana Rubens of eQuilter.  What an accomplished business woman, mom, and she has the best hair evah!!  And, check out her awesome leopard glasses!

With Jane from Petersen-Arne.  She graciously wore my flowers all market long!

Carolyn from Checker Distributors.  Check out her cool blouse- lots of fabric manipulation going on there.  I wanted to steal it!

Lila Tueller (right) with pal.  Talent, beauty, and grace wrapped up into one!

Customer Pat English of Quilters Alley and her Dinner Plate Dahlia sample. She and her granddaughter were literally walking ads for my flower patterns! Thanks Pat!

Awww!  This is Pat Roberts from Heartfelt Quilting and Sewing shop here in Florida.  She brought her Berry Bunch Brooch all the way to Market!!  Thanks Pat!!

Shaving Cream Bunnies

I'm going to let the pictures do most of the talking for this post.
But just for a little background...


Yesterday, my son Liam woke up and declared that he had a great idea- he wanted to cover himself in shaving cream (left over from the shaving cream fight on his birthday) and turn himself into an Easter Bunny.  Predicting a great photo op for posterity, of course I said, "Of course!"


Wanting to share the fun, Liam invited his buddy James over this afternoon. I overheard him propose the idea to James.  James agreed without raising an eyebrow.  Because he knows- this is just how we roll...

Happy Easter!

'Grimm Style' Diorama Easter Egg!

As a kid, I used to absolutely love those Easter sugar eggs with the little scenes in them.  I'd image a little story with each one of them- But this one beats all!

See the chicks attacking the bunny!  Notice one chick has had it's head bitten off by the giant bunny.  Try to find the severed head in the moss!  Don't miss the floating mushrooms on the inside walls of the egg!

This scene could have only been conceived by a 13 year old boy- and that it was!

This was one of the projects my friend Shade and I did this afternoon.  Shade is the son of some good friends of ours that had a massive brain stem injury about 8 months ago.  You can read his story here.

I've been doing 'art therapy' with Shade since last September.  Shade keeps me inspired to think up projects that will not only challenge his brain and motor skills, but will  be cool for a 13 year old boy! 

I'll tell you right now that Shade is making an amazing recovery.  He went from a coma and not even being able to breathe on his own to eating, talking, and even getting around by himself!  His dad, Vince, has chronicled everything here on his blog. I credit Shade's recovery to his amazing loving, devoted family, and his sense of humor, which has remained 100% intact!

Anyways, Shade's dad encouraged me to share this project.  I'll be featuring other projects as well in the future.  Vince thought they may be able to help someone else, too.  That would be awesome!  But anyone could make these babies. They are seriously fun!

Grimm Style Diorama Easter Eggs

Materials:

• balloons
• Rigid Wrap plaster infused gauze (Michaels)
• box cutter
• liquid acrylic paints (we used Martha Stewart's)
• foam dot brush
• aerosol clear varnish
• hot glue
• glitter
• moss
• easter wind up toys or figurines (Dollar Tree)
• baby chicks (Michaels)
• fake mushrooms, flowers, etc
• plain jar lid

Instructions:

• Blow up a balloon to desired egg size.  Tie off as tightly as possible.  Trim off balloon end close to knot. (otherwise you'll end up with an egg with a bump!)
• Cut Rigid Wrap into 2" by 2" squares.  Dip into warm water and apply to balloon, smoothing as you go.  Apply at least 3 layers.
• Let dry for a day.  Pop balloon! Yay!
• Mark an oval on front of egg and cut out with a box cutter.
• Hot glue oval cut out to inside bottom of egg to form a base for your scene.
• Spray with varnish to seal.  Don't skip this step- it will keep the egg from getting soggy when you paint it.

Shade painting interior of his egg neon green

Shade with pals Liam (left) and James (right) who wanted in on the fun

• Paint inside and outside of egg with acrylic paints, using a different color for each.
• Use foam circle painter to paint polka dots on outside of egg if desired.
• Hot glue scene on inside of egg as desired.

Shade expertly applying glue

• Brush a thick layer of glue on cut edge of opening.  

The more glitter the better!

• Shake on lots of glitter.  Shake off excess. 
• Let dry.  Set on plain jar lid to hold egg upright for display.
• Make up a story to go along with your egg like Shade did!

Voila! Creepy and festive rolled into one!

William B. Morris wears a Kafflower....

OMG. That's the Kafflower pattern featured on the one and only Barbara Brackman's blog!!!! See the Kafflower adorning the Willam Morris portrait, then scroll down to see close-up of a Kafflower made up in Barbara's delicious William Morris fabrics!! A total honor...