Wednesday's Wanderings #13 - Couching in Lancaster

After spending 4 days sitting at my sewing machine, demonstrating couching at The AQS Lancaster quilt show, I came up with a few ideas about how I could use this technique to fit quilting. (You can read more about that here.) Many people use couching to add decorative thread to fabric that can then be used to create clothing.  That's really not my style.  

I spent a lot of the time using one of my hand dyed fabrics with Wonderfil's Dazzle as the decorative thread. I couched it down with a green rayon thread.  I backed the fabric with batting so that it was quilted at the same time as I was couching.  (Alternatively, back the fabric with interfacing.)

 These green wavy lines stitched on this turquoise hand dyed fabric made me think  of  both the ocean with seaweed and a field filled with flowers.  I decided to go with the flower idea.

I created fusible appliques from silk dupioni and using a Wonderfil 12 weight cotton thread called Spagetti (Where do they get these names?) stitched it down using a blanket stitch by machine

and a primitive stitch by hand.

Wonderfil Specialty Threads at The Lancaster Quilt Show

I just spent 4 days at the AQS quilt show in Lancaster, PA.  Wonderfil Specialty Threads asked me to demonstrate how to use some of their gorgeous threads.  I was to focus on their decorative threads, Razzle, Dazzle and Sizzle.

 They are 8 weight rayon threads that are not meant to be threaded through a sewing machine needle.  You can use them for bobbin work, couching or the way I use them - for handstitching.

My job was to demo couching.  I learned how to couch a few days before the show.  I went to Steve's Sewing Vacuum and Quilting in King of Prussia to buy a couching foot for my sewing machine and learn how to couch.  A wonderful woman named Gail helped me.  We must have spent an hour playing with all the different feet that could be used for couching and in the process, I learned how to couch. The possibilities were endless.  Basically you stitch down a decorative thread or threads with a zig zag stitch.

Couching with a couching foot

Green Dazzle thread couched with a green rayon thread called Mirage

Close-up

Here I am with one of the owners, Fiona Fung.

Almost 2 years ago, I flew to Boulder, Colorado to be the featured quilter on an episode of The Quilt Show. It was a surreal experience for me to be talking quilts with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. They helped to promote my book, Quilt Fiesta, and invited me to be a part of their family.

So I am very excited to share big news! In honor of International Quilt Day (March 17, 2012), The Quilt Show (www.thequiltshow.com), the web TV show hosted by Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims, will "open" all of its shows from the first nine series--that is, from show 100 through show 913--for the entire weekend of March 16 –18. This means that—for three special days—everyone will have the chance to view these 117 shows, featuring some of the quilting world’s leading artists, for FREE.

As you may already know, I appeared as the featured artist on TQS in show 811. If you didn't have the opportunity to see this show first time around, now you'll have the chance to see it—and so many other terrific shows—at no cost in this unprecedented three-day offer.

I hope that you'll share this information with all of your quilting friends. It's a fantastic opportunity
to enjoy three days of learning and fun without leaving your home…all for free.

Enjoy the shows, and thanks for helping to spread the word!

Wednesday's Wanderings #12 - Brownstone Quilters Guild Mexican Tile Quilt

This week, I spent 2 delightful days with The Brownstone Quilters Guild in Paramus, NJ. 2 Lectures in one day and then a 6 hour workshop the next day would have been exhausting except for the energy and warmth of this wonderful group of women.
Paramus used to be my old stomping ground right after graduate school. But no matter where I drove, I felt so disoriented. So much has changed in 25 years, that I recognized very little. The one thing that brought back lots of memories was the confusion of the jug handles and Rtes 4 and 17.

My workshop, "Secondary Designs From Mexican Tiles", was taught solely as a design workshop. It was wonderful to see the blocks that evolved from everyone's creative place.

So to celebrate all my new friends, I decided to create a tiny Mexican tile quilt with an embellished twist.

My 3" block.



Finished block

Quilt's caption, digitally printed on fabric

As you are reading this I am working at the Wonderfil Thread booth at the Lancaster Quilt Show. I will be there from Wednesday until Saturday. My job is to demo couching. That is the thread couching type, not the butt on the couch type. Stop by and visit me if you make it to the show.

Wednesday's Wanderings #11 - Bitty Kinna's

It is hard to believe that this is the first Wednesday  in 2012 that I have been at home in Pennsylvania.  I have to say that it is so much easier to find a theme for my block of the week while I am on the road.  I still could do a bunch of blocks from visiting Israel, but my goal has been to "be in the moment".  The block should represent my week.

This week I headed out to Intercourse in Lancaster County.  I must have been a farmer in a former life.  I certainly wasn't Amish.  I love the farmland and seeing the Amish travelling the roads in their buggies and plowing their fields with their team of horses.  It is soothing and relaxing and mitigates some of life's stresses. 

A horse and buggy parked outside of Zooks - a great fabric store.

A shop with many beautiful hand made Amish quilts.

Farm country road

An Amish farm up ahead

A ram ready for a Spring haircut

I visited a few quilt shops and my favorite quilt shop owner.  Gina of Bitty Kinna's is one of the sweetest and generous women that I know. She greets many of her customers with a big hug.   I do have to say that I am quite biased.  She carries most of my Judaic patterns, OyVey! Quilt Designs.  She hangs the sample of each pattern and they sell like blockbusters.  It is always a wonderful excuse to replenish her stock for a trip to Lancaster.

So I chose to showcase her shop, Bitty Kinna's - Where Quilters Gather and an Amish buggy for my Wednesday's Wanderings.

(Addendum - Unfortunately, Bitty Kinna is no longer in business.  I hate to see a quilt shop close.)

Sonoma Rose - New Winner

When you enter a give-a-way, remember to make sure that your e-mail is available somewhere from your comment.  many, many people do not have an e-mail address associated with their blogger signature.  Most bloggers doing a give-a-way do give a warning as I did.  Next time I will remember not to include the no-reply commenters from the drawing.  So, the first person I chose to win "Sonoma Rose" by Jennifer Chiaverini was not reachable.  I gave her a couple of days to reach me, but she hasn't.  So I have chosen another winner.
ugolfiquilt is the new winner.  I will send an e-mail right now.  Thank you everyone for participating.

Photos For My Foodie Friends and a Book Winner

I am what I call a conservative eater.  This does not connote quantity, it is about the types of food that I will eat.  I knew I would not have to worry about starving in Israel (ha ha).  Most of the restaurants are Kosher and most strange foods are not Kosher.  Here are photos of some of my favorites.

Hummus, to be eaten with the most wonderful pita bread I have ever had.

Isn't this a beautiful tomato display?

Hamentashen.  Delightful and delicious cookies.

Chocolate croissants

I met with a group of quilters and look at all of the beautiful food they served. Yum.

Shwarma - my big adventuresome meal - but not really.  It's chicken.

This is what it looks like on pita.

The winner of Jennifer Chiaverini's newest boo, Sonoma Rose, is ldlombardo.  Congratulations!  The publisher will send you a copy of the book as soon as you e-mail me your address.  If I don't hear from you in 2 days, I will have to pick a new winner since you did not leave an e-mail address:(