More "Marblehead" fabrics!

I have received another shipment of the beautiful "Marblehead" fabrics (designed by Ro Gregg for fabri-Quilt) - a much appreciated gift with which to make my next pattern - "Here Comes the Sun". Three fabrics are still to come but at least I can get started on the new quilt design. A smaller version (wall hanging) will be made from my stash- I have already picked out the fabrics. I hope to get the lap quilt done in time to send off to spring Market in Cincinnatti Ohio in May and, hopefully, my own quilt guild bi-annual quilt show in March.

Cant wait to show you both versions (Lap and Wall Hanging) in full, after the pattern is published.

News Flash - Zentangles Erase Creative Block!

I discovered Zentangles a few months ago and was immediately intrigued by the possibilities. So for Christmas I asked for (and received) several "how to" books so I could learn the techniques and explore some "tangled" ideas. Above are a couple of my early attempts. I am definitely hooked!

My original thought was to figure out a way to utilize these intriguing designs in my quilting work. But I have since learned an additional, unexpected benefit of this wonderful "doodling" technique.

For several weeks before and after the holidays I felt like I had lost my creative spark. Nothing came to me and I had little or no energy to come up with new ideas. In fact I was feeling a bit burnt out, perhaps because I had been pushing so hard to meet various deadlines before that.

In any case, I started, quite tentatively at first, to try drawing some Zentangles, and to my astonishment, before long I was over run with ideas for new quilt designs and patterns! There is something about the process of stilling one's mind and focusing on drawing the intricate designs that make up a single Zentangle. I don't understand what happened but it was like a dam burst that had been blocking my creative juices from flowing freely. So many ideas kept popping into my conscious thought that I had to start writing them down or sketching them out so as not to lose them!

I will remember, now - whenever I start feeling creatively blocked - I will get quiet and start "tangling"!

Thanks Mark and Maria! Go to their website and blog to learn more. You can also sign up for their monthly newsletter which is a fun and interesting read.

A Belated Update

Gosh - here it is the beginning of February and I have not posted anything about 'what happened next"!

I have had only sketchy information about where my quilts have been and where they are going next. However, I did hear that one of the employees of the quilt shop that displayed my quilts at the Road to California quilt show stated the show was a great success.

Best of all, next in line on my quilts' journey is a trip to Fons and Porter (!!) to be used with other quilts as backdrop in an episode of the 'Quilt It' show! This show will be aired LIVE, Tuesday, April 10, Episode #301, Season 3. I am pretty psyched about that! I will keep you posted as I learn more about the show.

Then on to another quilt shop somewhere for a trunk show, then off to spring Market in Cincinnati, Ohio in April (not yet confirmed).

I am feeling a bit frustrated to have so little control or information about what is happening to my quilts but I guess that is the way it works when you work with a large fabric company. However, it is exciting that my quilts are on this journey and will hopefully benefit both Ro Gregg and me by helping to promote sales of her fabrics and my patterns.

I am just "going with the flow" and enjoying the ride.

Almost There!

At long last, the finish line is in sight! My "Games We Play" quilt in the Calypso fabric by Ro Gregg is complete - just needs a label on the back which will go on later today!

My "Wreath For All Seasons" quilt, made from Ro's gorgeous "Marblehead" fabrics, will be quilted and bound on Wednesday and the label sewn on.

Thursday both quilts will be on their way to CA. They have to be there by the 10th, so it will be close. Wish me luck! They will be shown at the Road To California quilt show in southern CA and in trunk shows featuring Ro's new fabric lines at a couple of quilt shops in the area. It will be a few months before they return home.

Above are a couple of close-up photos of the quilting on the Calypso quilt. My good friend and professional Long Arm Quilter, Nancy Tatro (Finely Done Quilting, Candia, NH), did the fantastic quilting. I specifically chose the dragonfly pattern because it is a playful design and also because the Calypso fabrics are full of dragonflies! SO cute!

Let me know what you think.

"A Wreath For All Seasons" pattern is currently available from www.quiltwoman.com and "Games We Play" will be available in a few weeks.