Note: Thank you to Kristin for giving me permission to publish her fabulous poem on the Quilting Gallery web site. Please do not copy it. You will need to contact Kristin directly for permission if you wish to use it.

By: Kim Lapacek

I am going to try to break down for everyone the steps I took in making my woven wonder quilt. Unfortunately, I did not take pictures during the process and I have no near plans to recreate this amazing quilt. This has also been an ongoing project for the past four years so my memory is a bit hazy at parts. The best thing to remember is that you can adjust lengths and amounts to fit the size quilt you want to do…just takes a little extra math!

The Story BEHIND the MAGIC

I HATE matching my corners when piecing a quilt. I absolutely HATE it. So, one day I had this brilliant idea (or so I thought at the time)…I would WEAVE a quilt…that way, I didn’t have to worry about my corners matching. I should add here that I had this brilliant idea in the beginning of 2005.

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Fiberart For A Cause, fundraising for the American Cancer Society, will wrap up with two big events in 2009.

First up will be The Invitational Reverse Auction of Fabulous Fiberarts on March 24 – 26. The invited artists who have donated fiber artwork are:

Natalya Aikens, Gerrie Congdon, Marjorie DeQuincy, Rayna Gillman, Carol Larson, Linda Teddlie Minton, Susie Monday, Judy Coates Perez, Leandra Spangler, Roxane Stoner

The Preview, with all the details about the artists, the artworks, and the minimum donations for each day opens March 19. More information about how the Reverse Auction works.

The big finale event for FFAC will be Collage Mania on May 5-7. Hundreds of fiber artworks, all finished or mounted to 8×10, donated by generous artists will be offered for a minimum $80 donation on the first day, with the minimum donation dropping to $40 on the next two days.

Our goal is to raise $20,000 in three days.

It’s not too late to participate as a donating artist. The deadline to submit jpegs is April 1st. The Call For Artists and more information.

100% of the proceeds from both these events is donated directly to the American Cancer Society through Fiberart For A Cause. Donors receive an immediate electronic receipt from the American Cancer Society.

Please contact Virginia(at)VirginiaSpiegel.com with any questions.

Fiberart For A Cause has donated over $165,000 to the American Cancer Society.

Please join me in welcoming a Guest Blogger to the Quilting Gallery. Find out how you can be a Guest Blogger.

I am honored to be considered for guest blogger on Michele’s blog which I have been following for some time… I somehow discovered Michele’s blog while browsing blogs one day (a favorite pasttime for which I have no time these days!) and discovered that she lives in my hometown of Ottawa! I now have my own blog and have posted over 200 times (which probably means I like to talk! Or something!)

My name is Lisa Filion and I am addicted to quilting, crafting, and blogging! In actuality, I am a wife and mother to three busy kids (15, 12, and almost 10 years old). I get up incredibly early (at least that is what most people tell me) to run or take a class at the gym, but it jump starts my day! The rest of my day is often a blur of household chores, homeschooling my middle child, undertaking the day-to-day landlording duties (we have one apartment building currently), chauffeuring the kids about town for art classes, snowboarding, bowling, figure skating….and when I have a spare moment, I quilt (or sew or applique or knit or draw)!

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Please join me in welcoming a Guest Blogger to the Quilting Gallery. Find out how you can be a Guest Blogger.

Thanks Michele for allowing me to share my love of quilts especially antique quilts and quilt history. If this sounds like a dry topic — think again.

Did you know that at one time it was illegal to export the red dye insect and fabric printing methods and illegal to import Indian chintz fabrics?

Who knew that Germany had to turn over secret fabric dyeing recipes as part of the resolution of World War I.

The history of fabric, dyes and quilting is full of life and death intrigue and what better way to learn than by looking at beautiful quilts?

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Below is one quilter’s appeal to helping the victims of the Bushfires in Australia. Also check out this web site for other efforts: Handmade Help.

Hello,

A few days ago, I sat down in my favourite chair, reached out and picked up my current patchwork project and began to sew. I suddenly realised that for many of the fire victims their “stash” has gone – along with their quilts, embroideries, cross stitches and tapestries, not to mention all of the other crafts and hobbies that they may have been interested in. If they are insured, their machine may be replaced, even the sewing table, but the cupboard will still be bare…. and it is hard to bring yourself to spend on a ‘luxury’ when you are still struggling for the basics.

For those who do not craft, I am trying to get together a ‘home sewing kit’ containing the basics that every home needs – including an assortment of buttons, threads, needles, tape measure, scissors etc. Quilting threads in basic colours – black, grey, white, navy and cream.

For quilters and needle crafters I am seeking decorative buttons that may be used as embellishments on a small quilt or wall hanging.

For quilters, I am trying to gather the basics of their craft, a fat quarter, some pencils, white, yellow, grey lead for marking, maybe even a spare quilter’s ruler, or your old rotary cutter, or even a blade, some wadding to back a wall hanging, a larger piece of fabric for a back. Do you know a small business owner who would donate needles, quilting threads, pins, buttons or a tape measure or thimble. Maybe even some extra craft magazines for inspiration. Anything that you think they may be able to use to begin to reravel the frayed threads.

My aim is to collect as much as possible and to ‘kit it up’ and then to liaise with the various area co-ordinators to come and distribute them to anyone who is, or wants to learn the skills of a hand needle crafter.

My aim is not to present a completed item, this is being done by the VQA, but to give the tools and fabrics of their craft back, so that they can begin to create a new series of memories and rebuild community groups, and friendships. We all know how lost we are if our craft is not at hand.

I hope you can help me. I can be contacted on the email below, or by phone on 0421 607 561. Thank you for your consideration of this most urgent need.

Pieces of Love
c/o Denise Evans
38 Carroll Road
South Oakleigh VIC 3167
Australia
Email: piecesoflove@cavads.com