Quilts for Japan — the story so far

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Mary Kate Karr-Petras

As I type this, a group of volunteers and staff are sorting, stacking and packing the 4,000+ quilts people sent to QN for us to send on to Japan for survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. We are working to get them all packed up before the weekend so they are ready to be shipped next week.

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Packing up quilts for Japan in the Creative Crafts Group TV studio

When we first put out the call for quilts on behalf of Patchwork Tshushin, we didn’t know your generosity would overflow two empty offices and two empty cubicles! Our office building is just that — a one-story building made up of offices and cubicles. We have a lunchroom, a few storage rooms and a TV studio (which would be recognizable to any fans of Sew it All TV). But we don’t have a warehouse on-site, so finding space for the quilts as they arrived soon proved to be a challenge.

We started with an empty office at QN’s end of the building.

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Quilt pattern designer April Rosenthal and her mother delivered quilts from Utah.

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Janet Wermel (L) and Debby French (R) of the Piecing Partners Quilt Guild in Colorado Springs, CO, in front of some of their guild's quilts for Japan

We loved having the opportunity to meet the quilters who were able to drop off quilts in person. And of course we asked them to pose with some of their quilts!

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The empty office was empty no longer and was soon filled to the ceiling.

After that office was filled, we started storing boxes in an office at the other end of the building in addition to the two cubicles.

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The second office, packed to the rafters

Once all the quilts were received, we had to have them unpacked from the boxes they came in. Because of the limits on our space, not to mention the fact that our colleagues at McCall’s Quilting, Quiltmaker, Love of Knitting, Sew News and Creative Machine Embroidery didn’t need us disrupting their work environment, we worked with just one or two volunteers at a time to unpack and inspect each and every quilt. Enclosed with many were notes indicating who had made the quilts and expressing warm wishes for our neighbors in Japan, such as from the 8th graders at F.D.R. Middle School in Bristol, Pennsylvania; the St. Francis Quilters of Ellsworth, Wisconsin; the Prairie Pioneer Quilt Guild of Grand Island, Nebraska; the Milltown Quilters of Ellicott City, Maryland; From Caring Hearts of Space Coast, Florida; the Uncommon Threads Quilt Group of Memphis, Tennessee; the Stitchin’ Sistas Quilt Guild of Louisiana; the Friendship Quilters Guild of Merrick, New York; the MGH Comforters of Boston, Massachusetts; and many other groups, families and individuals.

Here’s just a sampling of the lovely quilts on their way to Japan.

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We’ll have more updates for you soon! Thank you all for your interest in this endeavor and your support for the people of Japan.

Posted in Mary Kate Karr-Petras | Tagged | 1 Comment

Packing up quilts for Japan

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Mary Kate Karr-Petras

For most people, this is a week to pack away holiday decorations. For QN, it is also a week to continue and finish packing up all of the quilts we received in preparation for their journey to Japan where they will be distributed to survivors of the earthquake and tsunami.

Even though we know that one should never underestimate the generosity of quilters, we are still amazed at how you all came through in sending your quilts to us to send on to Patchwork Tshushin. We’re so grateful to everyone who’s been a part of this tremendous undertaking.

We are looking forward to posting more updates this week to share the story of the quilts for Japan with you.

Posted in Mary Kate Karr-Petras | Tagged | 2 Comments

Top 10 People We Got to Know in 2011

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Mary Kate Karr-Petras

[Please note this giveaway has ended. Scroll down for the winner's name.]

We at Quilters Newsletter are spoiled in terms of having access to famous quilters and designers, a nice perk to the job to be sure. But we also love meeting and telling you about people you maybe haven’t heard about yet but whose work deserves your attention. We had a very difficult time picking only 10 people to include in this Top 10 list of folks we featured in QN this past year — trust us, it was almost a Top 37 list. Read our list (presented in alphabetical order), then scroll to the end to learn how you can enter to win a giveaway.

QNMP 110900 COVER 788x1024 Top 10 People We Got to Know in 20111. Kathy Arroyo The designer and maker of our August/September 2011 cover quilt, All Because I Bought a New Rug, uses whatever tools and methods she needs to create her quilts, whether by hand or machine. “Quilts will talk to you if you listen, and they always guide me — most of the time in the right direction.” (August/September 2011)

2. Hortense Beck The late Beck combined a love of history with a passion for applique to create stunning quilts, both replicas of well-known quilts and original designs. When she died in 2009, 54 of her quilts were donated to the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska. Because they can be displayed more often than their older counterparts and can be displayed outside the museum, they are now part of IQSC’s educational collection. (August/September 2011)

3. Michele David When David was forced to take a medical leave of absence from her work as a physician because of a debilitating illness, she turned to quilting for its therapeutic qualities. She looks to her Haitian background as a main source of inspiration for her art quilts. “Quilting heals because it’s soothing, meaningful and insightful. I found a joy in quilting that helped me regain my health.” (December/January 2012)

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4. Jeanetta Holder Known as the “Indy 500 Quilt Lady,” a love of fast cars and quilting are a winning combination for this veteran stitcher and die-hard race fan. Holder has made a quilt for every Indy 500 winner since 1976 and is well known among the racing community, including Al Unser, Mario Andretti, Roger Penske and Rick Mears. “I’ve had drivers walk up to me and say, ‘You got a blanket? Hope so ’cause I’m gonna win.” (April/May 2011)

5. Jimmy McBride Art school-trained McBride merges a love for science fiction with traditional piecing and quilting techniques to make his “space quilts” under the guise of his intergalactic trucker alter ego. “I thoroughly enjoy making the quilts and love every aspect of them, although I don’t see myself as solely a quilter. The quilts are part of a larger story that I’m trying to tell.” (August/September 2011)

6. Karla Overland Known for the exquisite collections of gradated fabric she produces as colorist for Cherrywood Fabrics, Overland blurs the line between personal art and professional career. “I love that I can still make wonderful garments and quilts for Cherrywood, but also develop my own artistic style through my personal work.” (February/March 2011)

7. Sue Patten Self-avowed doodling addict Patten has a passion for free-motion thread art. Her whole-cloth quilts feature vibrant, detailed thread painting. “I love to create art on fabric with a single piece of fabric and a multitude of threads.” (October/November 2011)

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8. J. Michelle Watts New Mexico quilter Watts describes the quilt that graces our February/March 2011 cover, Fiesta de Talavera, as her version of a Baltimore album inspired by hand-painted Mexican Talavera ceramic plates. She generously shared her design process with us. “I consider it my applique masterpiece.” (February/March 2011)

 

 

 

 

 

9. Barbara J. West Quilt artist West is inspired in equal parts by her love of textiles, a commitment to women’s creative expression and living in the Canadian Rockies. “Over the past couple of years, the sketchbook has become one of my most important tools.” (April/May 2011)

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10. Rachel Wetzler We liked Tropical Radiance so much — and thought you would, too — that we used it on our October/November 2011 cover as well as included the pattern in our December/January 2012 issue. Wetzler shared with us how she designed the quilt using a palm block and careful attention to color and value. “I feel a deep sense of satisfaction when a quilt top is completed. I could just sit and stare at it for days.” (October/November 2011)

 

 

 

So again, tell us what you think. What profiles did you particularly enjoy this past year? Who would you like to see featured in future issues? We want to know! Leave a comment below to be entered for a chance to win a fat-quarter bundle of the Little Gatherings collection by Primitive Gatherings for Moda, a lovely set of small-scale, neutral prints in cream, taupe, brown and black that would be a great addition to any quilter’s stash. Leave your comment before 11:59 MST on Wednesday, December 28. One comment per person, please. This giveaway is open to people who haven’t won anything from Quilters Newsletter in the past 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook.

UPDATE: We have a winner! The random number generator chose #15, Dorothy Holt. Congrats, Dorothy! Please contact us at submissions@qnm.com with a mailing address and we’ll ship your prize to you. Thanks to all who participated!

Posted in Mary Kate Karr-Petras | Tagged , , | 71 Comments

Top 10 Quilt Books

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Mary Kate Karr-Petras

[Please note this giveaway has ended. Scroll down for the winner's name.]

With only one-and-a-half shopping days left before Christmas, we thought some people might still be looking for gift ideas for quilters in their lives*. Or perhaps you could use some inspiration for expanding your skills in the new year. Today we’re sharing a Top 10 list of our favorite books that Quilters Newsletter reviewed in Staff Picks in 2011. Read our picks, listed in no particular order, then scroll to the end to learn more about how you can win a quilting book for yourself (alas, we do not guarantee delivery in time for Christmas).

*A gift subscription to Quilters Newsletter is also a nice last-minute present. We’re just saying…

1. Block Party: The Modern Quilting Bee by Alissa Haight Carlton & Kristen Lijnieks (C&T Publishing, 2011) The Modern Quilt Movement goes from its online origins to print in this book from C&T’s Stash Books imprint. It’s equal parts how-to and a record of how the Block Party Bee did it. Each of the 12 chapters patterns one block — many improvisational or wonky — and a quilt constructed the bee members’ contributions. Block Party includes tips on adapting the time-honored collaborative approach to quilting to modern media, aesthetics and techniques.

2. That Perfect Stitch: The Secrets of Fine Hand Quilting (2nd Edition) by Dierdra A. McElroy (Breckling Press, 2011) Dierdra A. McElroy updates her mother, Roxanne McElroy’s, classic technique and reference book on hand quilting. You’ll learn how to achieve more stitches per inch and even quilting lines. Workshops at the end of the chapters will help you practice your skills. McElroy explains how to evaluate fabric, batting, needles, thread, thimbles, frames, hoops, markers, stitch guides and other quilting tools.

3. Masters: Art Quilts, Vol. 2: Major Works by Leading Artists curated by Martha Sielman (Lark Books, 2011) One word describes this book: Beautiful! You can add inspiring, comprehensive, worth every penny. Executive Director of Studio Art Quilt Associates Martha Sielman selected work by 40 art quilters; following a short biography of each artist are photographs of about a dozen of their quilts. This book has the “Wow!” power of its predecessor, Masters: Art Quilts (Lark Books, 2008).

4. Cut the Scraps! 7 Steps to Quilting Your Way through Your Stash by Joan Ford (The Taunton Press, Inc., 2011) This book from the founder of the ScrapTherapy program will help you get the most from your scraps. Joan Ford shows you how to cut scraps into three sizes, organize them, and use them in patterns for 20 quilts and small projects. Tips for accurate cutting, piecing and finishing are included.

5. Weekend Quilts by Judy Laquidara (American Quilter’s Society, 2010) Complete patterns for 16 quilts, all based on easy cutting and piecing techniques and all lap-sized or bigger, make this a great starter book for beginners. But any quilter who needs to make a quilt in a hurry without a lot of fuss would be glad to have these patterns on hand. According to Judy, the tops take between six and 18 hours to make, and she even provides a few recipes for quick, easy meals that will keep you out of the kitchen so you’ll have more time to sew.

6. A Year in the Life of Sunbonnet Sue by Christine Porter and Darra Williamson (Martingale & Company, 2011) Ever-popular Sunbonnet Sue is a fun-time girl in this book that features patterns for 12 wall hangings, each 22″ x 26″. She begins her year on the ski slopes,, and goes on to enjoy spring showers, a summertime quilt cruise, a trip to the beach, and holidays. Full-size pattern pieces and fast, fusible applique make this book a great block-of-the-month possibility.

7. More William Morris Applique: Spectacular Quilts and Accessories for the Home by Michele Hill (Country Bumpkin Publications, 2010) In her second book of William Morris-inspired applique, Michele Hill presents 10 projects based on 55 designs found in homes decorated by Morris. The book includes an extensive selection of embroidery stitches and embellishment techniques, full-size applique templates, and instructions for making quilts and decor items.

8. Flower Show Quilts: Stunning Applique on a Patchwork Canvas by Lynn Ann Majidimehr (Martingale & Company, 2010) In this colorful book, Lynn gives you 10 stunning projects ranging in size from table runner to wall hanging. It features instructions for foundation piecing and freezer-paper and machine applique. It also features color choices to help you achieve different looks from the same project. While the pieced backgrounds are beautiful on their own, the floral applique really makes them special.

9. Hari Walner’s Continous-Line Quilting by Hari Walner (C&T Publishing, 2010) Buy this book to add Hari’s latest collection of more than 80 continuous-line designs to your machine-quilting library, but refer to it often for her expert guidance. Learn what Hari has to say about selecting batting; marking (or not); enlarging and reducing quilting designs; choosing and stitching filler patterns; and much more. Plus, a full-color photo gallery shows every design stitched on fabric, so it’s easy to see which design is right for your quilt.

10. Threads: The Basics and Beyond by Debbie Bates and Liz Kettle (Landauer Corporation, 2010)  This installment in Landauer’s Basics and Beyond series encourages you to jump into the thread fray and explore. Whether expanding your knowledge of traditional techniques or experimenting with thread painting and molding thread structures, you’re sure to experience threads with new creativity and inspiration. Dozens of techniques, lists of necessary supplies, and more than a dozen projects are shown in step-by-step photos.

What do you think? What were your favorite quilt books of the past year? Let us know in the comments section to be entered for a chance to win a copy of Flowers All Around: Garden-Inspired Quilts by Cindy Lammon (Martingale & Company, 2010). The deadline to enter is 11:59 p.m. MST, Monday, December 26. One comment per person, please. This giveaway is open to people who haven’t won anything from Quilters Newsletter in the past 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook.

UPDATE: We have a winner! The random number generator chose #22, Terry Donati. Congrats, Terry! Please contact us at submissions@qnm.com with a mailing address and we’ll ship your prize to you. Thanks to all who participated!

Posted in Mary Kate Karr-Petras | Tagged , , , , , | 39 Comments

2011 Top 10 Quilt News Stories according to QN

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Mary Kate Karr-Petras

[Please note this giveaway has ended. Scroll down for the winner's name.]

It’s late December, which means we’re in the midst of two seasons: the season of giving and the season of year-end Top 10 lists. We feel like we’ve gotten pretty good at maintaining the spirit of giving year-round with our blog giveaways, but we want to have some Top 10 fun, too.

So here is our Top 10 list of the quilt news stories that we reported in 2011, presented in chronological order of when they appeared in Quilters Newsletter. Read our picks and then scroll down to learn more about the “season of giving” portion of this blog post. [Hint: it's a giveaway.]

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1. Bonnie Leman 1926-2010 Quilters Newsletter founder Bonnie Leman died in September 2010, and we paid tribute to her in our first issue of 2011. While pregnant with her seventh child, Bonnie began writing a newsletter to include with the patchwork patterns and plastic templates she and her husband, George, started selling via mail order in 1968. The first issue of Quilters Newsletter was published in September 1969, and the rest is, as we all know, quilt history. The entire QN staff, along with the staff of our sister publication Quiltmaker (founded by Bonnie in 1982), couldn’t be prouder than we are to work where we do. (February/March 2011)

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2. Broderie de Marseille exhibit at IQSC A collection of antique French quilts donated by Kathryn Berenson to the International Quilt Study Center and Museum (IQSC) in Lincoln, Nebraska, was the subject of an exhibition last spring. “Marseille: White Corded Quilting” displayed over 45 elaborately stuffed and corded white quilts and garments dating back as far as the 18th century. (April/May 2011)

3. Electric Quilt celebrates 20th anniversary The first version of Electric Quilt software debuted at International Quilt Market in spring 1991. The company founded by husband-and-wife team Penny McMorris and Dean Neumann released EQ7 in 2010.  (April/May 2011)

4. AAQI donations top $500,000 The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative is so active that it frequently earns a mention in our regular “What’s New” section. AAQI announced that by January 31, 2011, it had raised more than $500,000 since it was founded by Ami Simms in 2006. Funds collected by AAQI through the auctions of donated art quilts go to Alzheimer’s research and education efforts. (June/July 2011)

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5. Modern Quilt Movement The modern quilt movement, which had been gaining momentum quickly on the internet over the past couple of years, seemed to hit critical mass in 2010 and 2011. The effects of the modern quilting aesthetic and approach were everywhere in the mainstream quilt world, from books to fabric design to periodicals (both print and digital), and the movement is credited with attracting a whole new generation to quilting. (August/September 2011)

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6. Red and White Quilt exhibit in NYC The exhibit “Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts” at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City set the quilting world abuzz in March. The display of 651 quilts from the private collection of Joanna S. Rose drew almost 25,000 visitors over the course of six days, attracting the attention of the art world and quilt bloggers alike. (August/September 2011)

7. Texas Quilt Museum opens Founded by quilting leaders, collectors and cousins Karey Bresenhan and Nancy O’Bryant Puentes, the Texas Quilt Museum opened in La Grange, Texas, in November. The museum is dedicated to presenting exhibitions from across the U.S. and is home to the Pearce Memorial Library and Material Cultural Center — we’re flattered to know that the library includes a complete set of QN magazines. (October/November 2011)

8. Pony Express 150th anniversary celebrated by quilter The Pony Express operated for just 18 months, from April 1860 to October 1861, but its legacy endures. Quilter and designer Jodi Barrows commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Pony Express with a 31-piece fabric collection and her Pony Express Sampler quilt pattern. (October/November 2011)

9. Yvonne Wells exhibit at IQSC Renowned quilt artist Yvonne Wells is the subject of an exhibit at IQSC in Lincoln, Nebraska through February 26, 2012. The exhibit focuses on the highly personal, narrative pictorial quilts she started making in 1985. “I started quilting because there was an inner burning that came to me that caused me to create,” Wells said in her QN interview. Regarding her IQSC solo show, she said, “When I think of how I started quilting, I would never have through of anything of mine being exhibited in such a prestigious venue.” (December/January 2012)

QNMP 120100 JeanRayLaury 1024x682 2011 Top 10 Quilt News Stories according to QN

10. Jean Ray Laury 1928-2011 Longtime QN contributor Jean Ray Laury was a leader in the quilt world who left a legacy of inspiration in her quilts and writing when she died in March 2011. Beginning in the 1950s with a quilt she made for her son, much of Laury’s career as a quiltmaker, writer and lecturer was about sharing her life choices to be artist and mother, author and wife, teacher and homemaker, and encouraging other women to do the same. She was inducted into the Quilters Hall of Fame in 1982 and received the Silver Star Award from the International Quilt Festival in 1997. Click here to read words of wisdom from Laury taken from the many columns she wrote for QN over the years. (December/January 2012)

So what do you think? What were the top news stories of interest to the quilting world in 2011? Let us know in the comments section below to enter for a chance to win a bundle of half-yard cuts of the Crimson Christmas collection by Laurie Godin for Northcott and a copy of Quilts of the Winter Solstice by Jason Yenter.

For your chance to win, leave a comment below by 11:59 p.m. Mountain time Wednesday, December 21 (yes, this is a one-day contest!). One comment per person. We will draw a comment at random and the winner will receive the fabric bundle and book. This giveaway is open to people who haven’t won something from Quilters Newsletter in the last 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook.

UPDATE: Congrats to #24 Sharon P., whose number was drawn by the random number generator as the winner of this giveaway!

Posted in Mary Kate Karr-Petras | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 117 Comments

Book Giveaway!

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Bill Gardner
QNMP 120100 QuiltingDesigns 300x223 Book Giveaway!

Win this book!

[Please note: this giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Jeanne, winner of this fabulous book!]

Enter a comment below this post on the blog and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Quilting Designs From Nature by Lone J. Minkkinen (American Quilter’s Society, 2011). This book was featured in “Staff Picks” in the December/January 2012 issue of Quilters Newsletter, which is on sale at newsstands, quilt shops, bookstores, craft stores and online.

current cover 130w3 Book Giveaway!

December/January 2012

The book features the Danish artist author’s continuous-line quilting designs that can populate individual blocks or stretch along borders. They can also be enlarged or reduced to create pantographs or intricate fill patterns. The designs were created for machine quilting but hand quilters can adapt them.

For your chance to win, leave a comment below by 11:59 p.m. Mountain time Sunday, December 25. One comment per person. Tell us why you love this book. We will pick a winning comment at random and that person will receive a copy of the featured book. This giveaway is open to people who haven’t won something from Quilters Newsletter in the last 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook.

Posted in Bill Gardner | Tagged , | 283 Comments

HO HO HO, I LOVE TO SEW

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Susan E. Geddes
IMG 6556 280x300 HO HO HO, I LOVE TO SEW

Left, the finished project

[Please note: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Leslie F, winner of the Spirit Velvets selection]

Quilters Newsletter art director Susan Geddes recently started a sewing project she thought would be quick and simple. Oh how wrong she was! Following is her story. Be sure to read to the end. There’s a great giveaway!

A few weeks ago, my niece asked me for a favor. Of course, I said, “Sure, whatever you need.”

What she needed was a Christmas stocking for her youngest son, Dean, age 1. She had a stocking for her older son, Grant, age 4, and she wanted the stockings to match as closely as possible. But Grant’s stocking was made three years ago. You might guess where this is going.

I spent Friday going to three stores trying to match materials. Nothing matched. I bought dark blue velvet instead of green because the available green was too olive. I thought the white cuff fabric would be the easiest to find. Not so. Then, if I found the right size dangle, I couldn’t find matching cording. I did discover you can buy embroidered letters that iron on to fabric. That’s a real lifesaver because I do not do machine embroidery. Then I discovered the font that matched best was only available in black and on Grant’s stocking the lettering is in red.

Anyway, five trips to three stores later, I had assembled all my supplies. Making the stocking took less time than shopping for it and by Saturday evening I had a finished stocking and a glass of wine to celebrate it.

Judging by the crowds in the stores, it seems everyone is making something these days. I had a lot of time to visit with these creative souls waiting in line. Tulle seemed to be everywhere with a lot of ballerina and princess skirts in the making. And fleece was flying out the doors.

Have you had any interesting sewing or quilting or related shopping experiences lately?

IMG 65601 259x300 HO HO HO, I LOVE TO SEW

Spirit Velvets from Windham Fabrics

Share your story or comments with us and enter to win this gorgeous bundle of Spirit Velvets from Windham Fabrics. They’ll make great Christmas projects. We show a crazy quilt block made with these fabrics in the December-January 2012 issue of Quilters Newsletter, page 48.

Leave your comment below by 11:59 p.m. Mountain time, Sunday, December 18, and you’ll be entered to win. One comment per person. We will pick the winning comment at random. This giveaway is open to people who have not won something from Quilters Newsletter in the last 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Posted in Susan E. Geddes | Tagged , , , , | 184 Comments

Quilts for Japan Update

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Dana Jones

For those of you who have been following the story about the quilt initiative for the people who endured the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011, we have more information to share.

As you may know, soon following the catastrophe, Naomi Ichikawa, editor-in-chief of Patchwork Tshushin, a leading Japanese quilt magazine, put out a call for comfort quilts. Quilters Newsletter was among groups that responded, collecting more than 4,000 quilts from quiltmakers across the United States and Canada. QN readers were more than generous!

The response to Patchwork Tshushin magazine’s request from other parts of the world and other U.S. and Canadian outlets has been equally generous. The magazine has received more than 5,000 quilts from around the world without counting those collected by QN. With such an overwhelming response, shipping of quilts from QN to Japan was moved from summer to the end of 2011* to help even the flow of quilts to Patchwork Tshushin. Doing so helps with distribution and better enables their amazing efforts.

While some shipping has already begun, assisting our combined efforts is the Rotarian Fellowship of Quilters and Fiber Artists and several district and local units of Rotary International.

Many of the quilts received by QN came from individual quiltmakers with one or two quilts in per box. There were also boxes of 25 and more quilts from guilds, designers and quilt shops. Quilt pattern designer April Rosenthal of Utah was host to quilt-ins then drove from near Salt Lake City to Golden, Colorado, to drop off more than 100 quilts.

Jack Cotton of Wisconsin also made an overnight road trip to bring, yet, more quilts to the QN office. He and his wife, Betty Cotton, known for her Cotton Theory Quilting, asked customers of their shop, The Quilting Yard, in Osseo, Wisconsin, to make donations. As quilts poured into their shop, Jack Cotton called QN to ask if he could personally deliver them; it was just too expensive to ship the some 500 quilts from their customers. He showed up at QN headquarters in his truck pulling a packed trailer.

Some of the quilts for Japan were made by children as young as preschoolers and several groups of high-school students organized to make quilts. One quiltmaker sent a quilt she made from patches she cut from shirts a friend from Japan had given her.

Unpacking all these quilts was a quite a job. QN staff was assisted by volunteers recruited through the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, who unpacked, sorted and measured the quilts to prepare them for shipping. Joy O’Hara of Denver was unofficially named volunteer extraordinaire for the many days she put in unpacking boxes.

This has been a lengthy and enormous undertaking for everyone involved. We will continue to share events and stories as these quilts made with love and care make their journey to Japan. Thanks to everyone who has supported this effort!

[* Edited to report the correct date as 2011, not 2012.]

Posted in Dana Jones | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Best Fat Quarter Quilts Giveaway, Week 8

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Bill Gardner
SnowQueenNorthcott 022 294x300 Best Fat Quarter Quilts Giveaway, Week 8

Snow Queen by Ro Gregg for Northcott

Note: This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Joyce C., winner of the Snow Queen fabrics by Ro Gregg for Northcott.

Christmas 2011 is just around the corner, so while you’re in the holiday spirit, why not start planning your Christmas 2012 quilting projects? This selection of fabrics from the Snow Queen collection by Ro Gregg for Northcott features a delightful array of snowflakes, Christmas trees and stars.

If you’d like a chance to win this bundle, leave a comment below before 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time Sunday, December11, 2011, telling us why you love this fabric. One comment per person. We will pick a comment at random and the winner will receive the featured fabric bundle and a copy of Best Fat Quarter Quilts, on sale at newsstands, quilt shops, bookstores, craft stores and online. At only $9.99 for 26 projects and patterns, it’s a fantastic value. Come back and check this blog post Monday to see if you’re the winner.

Comments are normally approved no later than the next business day after they’re left. This giveaway is open to people who haven’t won something from Quilters Newsletter in the last 90 days.

Good luck! And remember, the best way to learn about giveaways and contests is to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Posted in Bill Gardner | Tagged , , , | 508 Comments

Special Subscription Offers

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Bill Gardner

qln blogimage2011 300x140 Special Subscription OffersIf you’d like to have Quilters Newsletter regular issues delivered directly to your mailbox, there are two special offers available now that we’d like to share with you.  You can take advantage of only one, so choose your favorite.

  1. Send a FREE gift subscription to someone special: For the holidays, subscribe or renew your subscription to Quilters Newsletter magazine at our special low rate and give a one-year gift subscription to someone special—absolutely FREE! That’s 2 subscriptions for the price of 1! (Offer valid in the U.S. only for a limited time.) 2-for-1 offer: New Subscriptions or Renewals.
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Posted in Bill Gardner | 1 Comment