What I'm thankful for

 

 

The third week of November is set aside for a day of Thanksgiving, and to count your blessings.  Several of my facebook friends have been posting daily reasons to be grateful - which is a wonderful concept, and which can be started anytime of the year; it's equally applicable to either your family life or your business life. Given that this is a OQC post, I'd like to start off with a shout out to the ladies who have given me so much professional support throughout the years.

 

- Beth Helfter, the owner of EvaPaige Quilt Designs - did you enjoy her guest post blog last week, while I was recovering from A Quilter's Gathering and from the UnTangle Holiday Retreat? I've truly been amazed to watch her star rise, and am proud to be a card carrying member of her Quilting Hotties. The fact that I'm president of the Confetti Toss Fan Club only makes it sweeter.

 

 

- Sandy Steen Bartholomew - the original UnTangled girl herself, who has shown me that there is a little girl inside of me who loves to play with drawing...even if, sometimes, she has to pull me out of myself.  And she is stubborn!

 

- Kate Sussman, Sarah Glenfield and Marie Geary - my great friends and cheerleader squad who are responsible for the magic that it "A Quilter's Gathering".  The three of them are part cheerleaders and part taskmasters...it

s a winning combination.

 

I am blessed with more than I can count here, but I wanted to start the week of Thanksgiving with a shout out to you all.  You'll always have a seat at my table.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



If they ever develop the Oscars of Quilting, and if I ever win in the category of "Least Likely to Care if All My Points Match", my speech would leave out tons of people who have helped me as my quilt design career has gone from "Hey, this is a cute design. Maybe I should publish it." to the 24+ patterns and several lectures and workshops that currently comprise EvaPaige Quilt Designs. The saving grace would be that I would of course look amazing while leaving everyone out.

As the calendar barrels toward Thanksgiving, and Facebook is full of people giving thanks on a daily basis for the basics and the extras, I think I'll take some time today to thank some of the many people I might otherwise leave out on Quilting Oscar night. But first let me insert a photo of myself so you can picture me standing in front of you while I give my speech. I'm even wearing this same shirt today so it is almost like real time. Almost.

A-hem.
"First, a thank you to Linda Pearl. Had she not asked me to guest blog today on The Patchwork Pearl, I might never have crossed paths with some of you. Linda and I have known each other for about 13(!) years, having joined our guild on the same evening way back in 1999, and our friendship was able to continue into the new decade when the world did not explode with Y2K insanity as had been predicted. Linda was one of my testers for my very first pattern, "Feelin' Hot Hot Pink", and I will never forget the look on her face when I handed a very traditional, country colors-loving, homespun quilter the test packet. Another early pattern, "Confetti Toss", was definitely more her style, and to this day Linda remains CT's number one fan, surpassing even myself. Every time I sell one I think of her. I thank Linda for her support of my crazy ideas and even for sometimes asking my advice, which makes me feel for a few minutes like I have a clue what I am doing.

Second, a thank you to the ladies of New England Quilt Designers Cooperative.

Left to right Barbara Chojnacki, me, Kristi Parker, Judy Damon, Terri Sontra, and Cary Flanagan. Perhaps you've heard of us. We were featured in the April 2011 issue of The Quilter magazine, and we will ride that 15 minutes of fame like bunch of  "Bachelorette" rejects for as long as we can. Our group was formed in 2006 with the purpose of sharing ideas, splitting vendor fees at regional shows, and cross marketing our wares. I have become a better quilt designer because each of these ladies has taught me new things and inspired me to keep going. We get into spirited conversations via our private yahoo group almost weekly, and have great fun together whenever we have a show to do or a group lecture to give. Without them I would have even more UFOs, not to mention be paying a lot more for booths at shows. They are amazing.

Third, we have to thank the husband, whom on my Quilting Hottie Haven blog I often refer to as "Mr. Quilting Hottie". Without him, I would not have been given the name Quilting Hottie to begin with, and thus I would not spend at least five minutes a day kind of annoyed that I can't come up with a way to put that on a six character license plate like we have here in MA. Having started EPQD exactly three months before finding out we were having an oops baby (and while we are talking about him, we should probably blame him for her) and not being sure how I would continue what I had started with two preschoolers PLUS an infant, he committed to helping out on weekends as much as possible in those first few years, not only because he truly believed I had talent, but also because he knew I was going to go out of my mind if I couldn't do something other than clean and feed small people. The girls are older now, but he still does all he can to avoid our having to pay too much in childcare when I go out of town, and is always the first fan of any new design I come up with, even if he has to fake it a little. It also doesn't hurt that he doesn't ask too many questions about the purchases I make in the name of EPQD, and recently figured out how to get a 30" machine through a 26" doorway with only one major oil spilling incident. He's pretty cool.

Finally, I want to thank the people who make me feel like what I am doing is worthwhile, whether it is an email saying "Hey, I made your pattern - here's a photo!" or a quick note on my EPQD Facebook page, or a compliment after a lecture or workshop....I definitely don't want to sound like I mean I need constant back-patting and reverence, but without the interaction I get with quilters who are doing things with my patterns I wouldn't be quite as inspired to keep going, and you'll never know how much you can make my day with some of the simplest things you all share."

So there you go. My Quilting Oscar speech. I can already think of 6 people I should have included but time is short and the band is playing.

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Beth Helfter is the CEO and Chief of Everything at EvaPaige Quilt Designs, a pattern company dedicated to creating designs in her "fun over fuss" style to appeal to a wide range of quilters; machine applique, embellishment techniques, scrappy with a twist, and simple elegant designs are all represented in the pattern line. In addition, Beth gives lectures and workshops wherever modern transportation will take her and has unofficially crowned herself the "Jewel-it Queen".

You can find her on the web at her website, which she'll be honest she has a hard time updating, her Quilting Hottie Haven blog, which she updates a few times a week and is a better resource for everyone, and her EPQD Facebook page. 



 

What we can ALL do to help the victims of Sandy

I'll be back to my regular posting next week, but I wanted to get this post out this morning. All weekend at A Quilters Gathering, we ran into quilters who came up to the conference from the mid-Atlantic for a slice or normalcy in an otherwise chaotic situation. Truth to tell, I missed a lot of the news on this between working show set up and the actual show. What I've seen on the news this week (and have come to understand from conversations with some others who are working on other relief efforts) has shocked me. How can an event like this have had an effect on such a populated area?

For quilters who are looking for a way to help, I hope you've heard about the combined efforts of EQuilter and Timeless Treasures Fabrics...they have put together an effort to provide 5000 (that number still stuns me!) quilts to people who have lost everything in this tragedy.

eQuilter.com (please click on the link to learn more - they explain it so much better than I can) has mobilized quilters after disasters such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti and the tsunami in Japan, in addition to others. They have also partnered with Timeless Treasures fabrics (their web site appears to be down so I can't link you to it) to serve as a collection point for the effort. 

If you are interested in assisting in the efforts, or want more information about this, the best place to get updates and details for now appears to be the eQuilter.com page I linked to above; please take the time to read carefully through the details page. If you would like to help but don't feel you can commit to a quilt, you'll be happy to know that EQuilter.com has also pledged to donate a % of sales to assist in relief efforts.



Thanks to my friend, Cary Flanagan of Something Sew Fine Designs for posting this on her FB wall this week - that's how I found out about it.

 

 



A Quilter's Gathering finds new home

Good morning from New Hampshire. I've been working with the ladies of A Quilter's Gathering here at the Manchester Radisson all week to premiere the show here starting yesterday. I didn't get to post the video yesterday, but I'm going to be working more with camera today to bring you the sights and sounds of the Gathering. So maybe think of this brief blog post as 1 of x number. Not to mention experiment time - this is the first video I've tried to post through blogger.

I will tell you that the quilts are (as always) amazing, but it's the people who make the show the special event that it is. More coming...

I fell in love....the story behind the Downton Abbey Challenge

...with a TV show this past year, Downton Abbey. I don't know whether it was because of the storyline, the costumes, my long denied love of soap operas, or because I love Maggie Smith.

I first became aware of the show at an open sew for my quilt guild..it's rare these days that you hear such enthusiasm for a show as I heard, so I looked it up and watched an episode...love at first view.

Because I heard about it through quilters, and have asked several groups I've spoken with since then if they were fans - many are - The Patchwork Pearl  launched The Downton Abbey Quilt Challenge earlier this year with the idea of using the pieces as part of a fundraising auction to benefit NHPTV - which brings Masterpiece Theater to us.  The challenge prompt was for you to make a quilt which relates (somehow) to the story line.

The Challenge has been an interesting exercise to run, and  this past Tuesday I mailed the completed pieces to Durham NH to be featured in their online Winter Auction, which will run from Nov 9-23.  To see the auction items, please visit www.nhptv.org/auction, click on ‘Browse by Category’, then click on ‘Downton Abbey’.

I know several pieces which are in process, but which did not get completed in time - but I would like to share with you the pieces which were donated.

This first quilt was made by my sister in law, Nancy Cote of Manchester, and her inspiration was the hats often seen on the sisters in the series. Nancy's a very enthusiastic quilter, and this was the first entry I received.

 

 



I knew right away what I was going to do - my entry was based on a star tat was part of the detail from the grand salon of the Titanic. 

Either of these items is available to bid as part of the auction - I hope that my small contribution will be successful. 

I'm looking forward to Downton's return on January 6th here in the US - and I'll have a big announcement on that date!

So truth be told....are you a fan of Downton Abbey? 

What happens at the retreat...

First of, I'd be remiss if i didn't mention my sincere thanks to Sue West for being my very first Guest Blogger. I always appreciate Sue's point of view.   You will see them pop up from time to time - some from the world of quilting, some from outside.

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Anyone who has been on a quilting weekend knows the rest of the saying - it stays at the retreat. I had the chance to attend my guild's fall retreat this past weekend - and I didn't know until I got there how badly I needed a getaway weekend.  Our guild has recently adopted a new retreat home up in Waterville Valley NH - our previous location closed due to financial issues, and we were fortunate to find this haven. I think that they know they're never getting rid of us.  They met us at the door - and the rest is history.

The best gadget found at the retreat!

I'd forgotten how nice it was to just sit and work on a project - or two! Me, being me, grossly overpacked for this 3 night event.  The good news is that there are projects never touched - and ready to go on the next adventure.  I agonized (here) over how many projects to pack - and which ones. Being me, I went with a list of projects - and due dates - ready to be tackled. I know that's counter intuitive with the concept of a retreat, but it's how things for 2012 have been working out.  I actually took 2 out because I knew I wasn't staying a month - but took 7.

And amazingly, 3 and a half got worked on! Not finished (that was exactly one) but the others were moved along the line enough for me to feel satisfied. Monday's One Quilting Circle blogpost will have the details of the one project I HAD to finish - and pretty much did.

I also packed a lot lighter than I usually do for weekends, and I think I'll continue that practice. I can survive without my own chair, iron, board and extension table. Gee, maybe I could have bought a smaller car.

There was wine, chocolate, demos, fabric swapping, laughter, experimenting (some worked, some did not)...I played with 3 new tools and 2 new shapes that I'd never done before.  And the best thing was the friendship and comraderie that I get to experience with my own dear Squanicookies.

Technology Is our Friend (Repeat 100X)

       I have been trying to post 2 times a week - once under the One Quilting Circle tag, where I address items relevent to SOHO creative arts professionals, and other posts which are more genereal in nature on Thursdays. So it's Wednesday afternoon -  where's she going with this?

       Well, this blog post has been burning a hole in my brain for a couple of weeks now, but I couldn't post earlier because of Technology issues. There are times, especially when you are fulfilling all the jobs on your org chart, when you have to bite the bullet and make technology work for you (even as you don't want to fall into the trap of buying every new 'toy' in town.
    


Another instance of do as I say, not as I do!





Truthfully, I held off on getting a new phone for a lot longer than I should have...I know that this one has capabilities (like my email and GPS) that the old one didn't. My laptop had to go into the shop for repairs (that's why this is posting now, instead of on Monday)  - but I was able to access email reservations for an upcoming retreat on the phone.  And I've got some interesting plans afoot (which involves video and YouTube) in the short term - it's amazing what you can do.

One thing I'm going to be trying (and I want to hear how you like this) is that periodically, I'm going to be having guest bloggers post here - and on Monday, Oct 22 you'll see a post from my friend Sue West, an organizational expert who owns Space4U Organizing. I've learned a lot from Sue, and I've never met a quilter who wasn't on a quest for tips and tricks...

I'll be back online on Thursday the 24th...I'm off for some R&R this weekend with my guild. Nope, I'm not running it - so we'll see how many projects make it out of the bag.