 Look for our SPECTACULAR July Special Edition, featuring four National Quilt Shows - MQX, HMQS, Denver International and MQS. There are quilts galore, including the fabulous Too Hot Tulips by Cathy Franks on the cover.
Inside you will find our feature story about Cathy, Don Linn shares design combining methods, and Kimmy Brunner answers more questions in ASK KIMMY!Barb Hollinger shares tips on how to organize and create a studio on a
budget, Angela Huffman gives us step-by-step
instructions for designing borders with the IntelliQuilter and Patty Hawkins joins us in The Art Studio. Executive Editor Vicki Anderson compares what makes a good teacher, AND a good student, and there are even MORE quilts in Noteworthy. And last, but certainly not least, feast your eyes on Lisa Calle's Hula Hibiscus, our July JawDropper quilt! |
Favorite Website
Diane Rusin Doran
Diane Doran's passion for art and fabric is evident in this inspiring website. Visit her gallery
page
to see examples of traditional, innovative, and art quilts.
www.dianedoran.com
|
Featured Business
CHRISTIAN LANE QUILTERS
Wilma and Jim Cogliantry own Christian Lane Quilters, home of the FatBacks®! Visit their website to see an array of fabrics, quilt tops and vintage panels!
|
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!
CONTACT US
On the Web
www.mqumag.com
Subscriptions:
1.800.910.1925 EXT 4
Questions:
info@meanderpublishing.com
By Mail:
MQU Magazine
PO Box 918
Fort Lupton, CO 80621
***********************
Our E-News Sponsors********************************** **********************************
online merchants of fine batik and hand-dyed fabrics...
**********************************
|
|
|
We are very excited about the July issue, our annual SPECIAL ISSUE devoted to the Spring machine quilting shows and many of the amazing award-winning quilts. We both feel so inspired! And the products! WoW...everything from fabulous scissors to incredible (and economical) trims and glitz. We dubbed the trim booth at HMQS the "Ohh-Ahh" booth. Hope you were able to attend a show and absorb some of the talent radiating from the quilts! Vicki Anderson Kit Robinson
Executive Editor Managing Editor
|
QUILT OF THE MONTH
Portrayal
@2010
Sandy Jung
Berthoud,
CO
40.5 x 32 inches
This is my 'portrayal', in fabric,
of a beautiful watercolor painting by an artist named Kathleen Parr-McKenna.
When I first saw Kathleen's image on a greeting card at a shop in Estes Park,
CO, two years ago, I knew I wanted to use her image in a quilt - not my usual
style, since I like to design my own quilts. My challenge was to not only
respect Kathleen's original vision, but also to infuse my own.
The image is copyrighted, but Kathleen graciously granted
permission to use her image for a David Taylor workshop I was enrolled in that
summer. The fabrics used for the pink flowers, the hummingbird and some of the
background are hand painted, and I added detail using fabric paint pens, oil
pastels and thread. Early this year I finally finished quilting Portrayal
using a variety of Sulky, Mettler and Madeira cotton and rayon threads and used
Superior's mono-poly thread in the bobbin on my Pfaff 1475 home machine.
|
Spotlight On Teachers
GINA PERKES
Gina has found time in her schedule to pursue another
passion, traveling across the country to
teach her techniques. A positive and upbeat teacher whose
goal
is to motivate and help others gain
confidence in their quilting, Gina imparts her vast design knowledge to her lucky students.
Visit her website!
|
Tip of the Month
Shed Some
Light on It!
© 2010 Vicki
Anderson (reprinted from the May 2008 Unlimited Possibilities Magazine)
Proper
lighting ergonomics should be considered as you design your quilting space. Eye
fatigue, dry-eye, itchiness and inability to see your marked lines or seams as
you guide your quilt under the needle are but just a few results of improper
lighting. Proper lighting, however, makes a huge difference. The correct
lighting allows you to see fine details, intricate stitching, and truer colors.
By providing the best lighting ergonomics, you can reduce or eliminate
eyestrain all together. We all wish we were lucky enough to have a studio awash
in natural light, and if you do, I am envious. Reality says that most of us are
in a lower level space, or a spare room with but one window. We have to rely
upon artificial light sources while we work.
As you
investigate lighting options for your studio, look at both overhead lighting
and task lighting. First, overhead lights. A four-bulb fluorescent fixture is
an excellent source of overhead light for machine quilting, especially when you
install any of the bulbs that approximate natural light. Common household
lighting contains more yellow light than natural outdoor lighting. The excess
of yellow distorts the appearance of color and detail, leading to eye fatigue.
The 'natural light' bulbs will enable you to see colors and textures as you
would in sunlight, not washed out or color-changed by artificial lights. Note:
Many people suffer from a condition known a 'S.A.D.-syndrome' (Seasonal
Affective Disorder) as a result not having the benefit of enough hours of true
sunlight. Full-spectrum daylight bulbs are also thought to improve your sense
of well-being and can be especially helpful during the winter, when days are
shorter.
No matter
what type of ceiling fixture you use, whether the typical four-bulb or a
single-bulb non-florescent type, be sure that you use non-glare lights and that
you have sufficient wattage to do the job. A 50-watt bulb five feet above your
head isn't going to provide adequate lighting. However, a 200 watt bulb only a
foot over your head also may be too strong. Test the light reflection in your
area and adjust it so that your eyes can comfortably work. Indirect lighting
that reflects the light off the ceiling can produce shadow-free results. Some
longarm manufacturers offer an optional lighting system attached to your
longarm table. Investigate to see if this would work for your set-up. The cost
is far outweighed by the benefits of good lighting.
Now let's
talk about task lighting. Task lights are extremely helpful when you are
machine quilting. You can encounter shadows on your work that general lighting
cannot overcome. Most longarms have a task light built into the front of the
machine to help alleviate shadows. But these lights cannot be too high in
wattage because of the heat generated. Occasionally you will need more light
directed on or around the needle area as you stitch.
There are several
solutions to adding a light source. One popular method is to use a small,
bendable light (also known as a 'snake light') attached to your machine for
directing light to a specific area. Again, you want non-glare, full-spectrum
light that is easy on the eyes and allows you to see the true color hues of
fabrics and threads. Natural light is the best, of course, and if you have a
window in your studio, position your machine table so that you receive good
side lighting. Another light source can be positioned at the
end of your machine, such as a photographer's lamp on a stand, with the light
aimed sideways across your work. In any case, please be careful of the type of
light bulb you use. Halogen lights, in particular, get very, very hot and
should never be left on when you leave the area. I have heard of these lights actually
burning a hole into quilts.
|
See Us at the Shows!
QUILT
COLORADO Estes Park
Kit, Vicki & Liz will be
shopping like mad June 17-18
MILWAUKEE
MACHINE QUILTING SHOW
Aug 4-7 both Kit and Vicki will be
available!
Look for our Special Quilt Exhibit,
Pass It On
ROCKY
MOUNTAIN QUILT FESTIVAL
Loveland CO
The whole gang
will be there August 20-21. It's in our own back yard!
QUILTING
WITH MACHINES
Huron Ohio
Vicki will attend Sept 23-24
AUSTRALIA MACHINE QUILTING
FESTIVAL - Adelaide, South Australia
Dick and Vicki
will be there Oct 1-4! We can't wait.
|
|
