So many unexpected things have happened in my fabric life, I couldn't imagine there could be more.
For a few months I have been chatting by email with Dorothee, an editor of Patchwork Professional. She wanted to write an article about me for this German art quilt magazine and asked me lots of questions about my work, my motivations, inspirations and techniques. It was all very pleasant and at one time she sent me the multi-page article for approval. It was done and it would come out in August 2026.
On July 31th, I discovered in an announcement on social media that my quilt Rooted in Color was selected for the cover of this leading European magazine. So now I am a fabric cover girl!! Who would ever think this? The quilt is on the cover together with my fellow Dutch quilt teacher/friend Hilde Hoogwaerts and some other quilters. A copy for me is on its way to the US and I worked on an opportunity for all of us to get a copy, if interested. You can order on my website a copy until the end of the month of August. On september 1st I will know how many copies are needed and I can get a special
shipment from the publisher. The magazine is in German and otherwise not available in the US.
I haven't seen the inside yet myself, but will share pictures once I have the magazine.
Thank you Dorothee for this article and the unannounced surprise!
A second surprise came a few days later. I was going to Bethesda, MD to pick up my quilts Vortex and Bouquet. Both quilts were juried in the SAQA "Connecting with nature" exhibit, a very successful exhibit at the Mansion of Strathmore. I shared at that time a picture of my granddaughter Nora and myself. Nora (6) had discovered that people take photos with their quilts an she felt we had to do this as well. It was a fun moment because Nora felt like my big helper and thought the "team" should be on the photo.. Little did I know that that would be a last photo of us with Vortex, because on the day of picking up, I was informed that Vortex had sold! (Bouquet was not for sale, but it did create a lot of interest according to the Mansion's staff).
By now I know that every quilt I sell is a mixed bag of emotions. My quilts take a long time and I can make only a few per year. I am emotionally invested in each of them, because it is always a life experience that was so strong, it found a way into a quilt. On the other hand, it is also a wonderful and a big honor that someone is willing to pay serious money for what came out of my hands. I felt that already years ago when I was selling boxes, but quilts are works at another level.... I am thrilled the quilt will have a forever home and make another place better. Thank you, buyer! I hope the magic of Vortex will continue in your place.
I can't save all my quilts in my studio. Next year, in June, there will be a solo exhibition in Leesburg and I do want to hang a good representation of my work. I know Bouquet will have to be there as that quilt has a lot of fans and was also inspired by the vineyards in my Northern Virginia area.
So far, Vortex is the first quilt I made in what I call "painting with fabrics". I use fabrics like a painter uses paint. It is not freestyle color collage because I do have a design-concept in mind. It is not an abstract quilt, but also not a realistic quilt as I didn't use a photo or so for reference. I painted Vortex from memory. It is semi-abstract. When I think of our fantastic week in Sedona AZ this is what I "see", including a turquoise sky!
Another surprise: 2 of my 3 classes in Houston sold out within not even 48 hours! My Freestyle Color Collage and Rooted in Color classes sold out super quick. Yes, those Rooted in Color students will be the first who get the cover quilt class! I practised this class in two Open Studios (special thanks to those students for their feedback) and now I think I have a system to teach the quilt to a bigger group. Teaching a quilt is not the same as making a quilt and I know that I grow with every class I teach.
The Agamy Stripes class in Houston has a few spots left. This is such a fun quilt to make (and teach)! For some reason the quilt seems hard to people, but it really isn't as long as you can cut .5" strips (the mini Creative Grids Stripology ruler is great!). It will be the first time I teach that class after Agam passed away. So grateful for his work!
I can share with you that two students from two years ago liked that class so much, they are now signed up for emptyspools. We are having a good time with fabrics, but I do realize that my quilts are a little "outside the box" for some. They are all forms of collage, but not what most people are used to.
Talking Empty Spools. This fantastic event in April has inspired two quilts and it happened during one of the evenings, when there was no class but some students and I were working anyway.
Loudoun Hunger Relief, the foodbank in my area, has an event called Empty Bowls where they raise money for the foodbank. I donated "Seeds", my foodbank quilt in the corporate colors of LHR to LHR. The quilt has all kind of food items more or less hidden in it.
When in town I volunteer 2x per week at this fantastic organisation, but Sababa and Elizabeth know that I am often not available because of travel and quilt commitments. Instead of complaining about my inconsistent presence, they always want to see and hear about the quilts and that has resulted now in Seeds. Making a quilt for LHR is my alternative way of volunteering hours. Follow the link and read about the wonderful work LHR does for the local community! Our clients are appreciative of the services and my collegue-volunteers are the best of the best people. Everyone is willing to give back and I can't tell you how quicky one can fall of the edge and need some assistance in food. I have heard so many stories of hardship! As mentioned in the previous blog: empty has a special meaning in my heart that points more to full than to empty.
The second quilt coming out of the Empty Spools week, "Asilomar dreaming", is almost ready to come off the design board. It is a "painted" quilt (like Vortex) as I try to express with fabric the wonderfil memories and vibe of Asilomar. It is almost like a postcard from what I saw and felt in April, in and outside the classroom. The quilt started with a piece out of the Camouflage Fat Quarter bundle by Kathy Doughty that I purchased at the pop-up shop (I very often buy fabric in places that I want to remember). Initially, I wanted to combine the colors of LHR with this piece of fabric and create one "Empty" quilt, but later I thought it would be best to make two quilts. I took a photo of that night and you can see both of them in one. The earliest beginning of Seeds is recognizable. Kathy's piece is still in the Asilomar Dreaming quilt. I love these little memories tucked into a quilt!
More to follow a next time. It is the biggest quilt I have ever made and it will take some serious time to finish.
