The Quilt Center

An Evening with Linda Bar-On

2012-01-25T16:02:00.002+02:00

About a month ago, my quilt group had the pleasure of spending an evening at the home of quilter, Linda Bar-On. She gave us the run of her house, served a wonderful spread, and treated us to a show-and-tell of her incredible quilts. Linda's home is a wealth of textiles: small, woven carpets cover chair seats and stools, hand-made curtains cover the windows; patchwork hangings even decorate the door frames.

In her quilts, Linda’s color choices are often inspired by her carpets and she uses many “ethnic” fabrics: Ikat cottons, textured hand-dyes, as well as used clothing. Linda works mostly by hand, layering her quilts with appliqué, hand-embroidery, and embellishments such as beads, buttons, shells, even coffee beans. Then she adds tons of hand-quilting.

Linda researches her subject matter, which is generally drawn from her list of “likes”. Included on that list are tigers, Biblical themes, and “women with attitude”. Her quilts often comment on important social issues such as the current political situation or feminism.

My group could have spent many more hours examining thefine details and small, embedded surprises, and hearing the stories behind Linda’squilts. Linda is currently at work on new series, for a solo exhibit that willcoincide with the annual summer meeting of the Israel Quilters’ Association. Plannedopening: 1 July, 2012, in Jerusalem’s“House of Quality”. Mark your calendars. Linda's quilts are definitelysomething to see.

Get Your Creative Juices Flowing!

2012-01-08T15:12:00.001+02:00

The internet truly provides endless entertainment. Todaywhen I was surfing around I found a really cool blog called “The SketchbookChallenge”. The purpose is to encourageand inspire people to sketch. Simple as that. The challenge is being hosted byfourteen artists working in various types of media. Among them are severalwell-known quilters. Each month has a theme and the participating artists will“open” their sketchbooks and show the blogging public how they responded to thetheme. January’s theme is “Doodling” and there is already a post by SusanBrubaker Knapp, a fiber and quilt artist. She created a doodle in fabric andfree-motion quilting for the challenge, and explains how she did it with plentyof photos. The challenge is free. Anyone can participate; just follow the blog.You don’t even need to sign up. Participants are invited to upload their own photosto a “flickr” site and there are even monthly give-aways. Click on the linkabove, or on the logo on the right side of this blog. Happy sketching!

This Week and Next At The Quilt Center

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Thursday, January 5: Join us at The Quilt Center for the class “Patchwork Basics According to Jane”; for beginners and those wishing to refresh their skills and knowledge. 19:00-21:00.

Barbi's choice of mystery quilt colors, and her first finished embroideries

Sunday, January 8: Joinus for Miri Cook’s clubs: Jane & More; 9:30-11:00. Miri is continuing withthe Jane Stickle quilt. In the Penny Squares/Redwork Club, 11:30-13:00, Miri iscontinuing with installments of the mystery quilt and the butterfly-themedembroideries.

New "Chinese Coin" class

2012-01-01T09:35:00.000+02:00

Rivka's quilt sandwich

Ranit masters machine-quilting

There is still room inthe “Chinese Coin” quilt class, beginning 5 January – this Friday, from 9:30-12:30. The class is only 2 sessions; the second meeting will be on Friday, 20 January. During the first meeting you learn how to make a Chinese Coin quilt - a versatile pattern you can make again and again, as a scrap quilt or as a more planned design. In the second meeting you will learn the secrets of free-motion machine-quilting. Don’t miss this class. Call or email us to sign up now.

Closed for Inventory

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The Quilt Center will be closed for inventory-counting until Monday, January 2, 2012. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Quilt Center is Coming to Hakfar Hayarok!

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to the IsraeliQuilters’ Association annual winter meeting

December 26, 2011,9:00-16:00

The public is invitedto come browse our wide selection

of cotton fabrics, threads,sewing notions and more!

Please pre-order:

quilt batting, rotarycutting equipment, fabric by the meter.

You may call us ororder from our website:

www.quiltcenter.co.il

Debby Sternberg:054-4722894

Barbi Bamberger:054-6510433

The Quilt Center,Moshav Bustan Hagalil

We will bring yourorder with us on the 26^th.

We are lookingforward to seeing you!

Open Studio, December 15

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Bring a new or current project to work under the direction of Barbi Bamberger in The Quilt Center; 18:30-21:00; 100 NIS.

We Have Results!

2011-12-09T14:35:00.001+02:00

Students arrived at the second meeting of the Chinese Coin class with quilt tops basted and ready to be machine quilted. After a little practice, everyone was free-motion quilting like a pro!

Rivka is off and running!

Clockwise from top left: Batia, Tamara, Ranit, Carmela
Below, from top left: Michal, Miriam, Rivka, Zehava

The Chinese Coin quilt pattern is quick and fun and surprisingly versatile.It's looks great either as a scrap quilt or with a planned color scheme, and itcan be made in any size. This class has been so popular we're opening anothersession. It will take place at The Quilt Center on two Fridays: January 6 and 20th,from 9:30-12:30. The cost is 360 NIS.Sign up soon to reserve your spot.

Group Exhibit in Shoham: Food and Creativity

2011-12-06T23:17:00.001+02:00

Painting,Photography, Sculpture and More…

"Foodfirst, then morality", said Berthold Brecht.

"Firstflowers on the table, then food", Danish proverb.

Food has been centralto mankind since the dawn of creation. Food is the basis of existence and survivalfor all life on Earth, crossing borders and cultures throughout human history.

Journalism andphotographic media are influenced by the food. Painting and photography,literature, cinema and song lyrics are full of descriptions and references to foodand drink. There are those who claim that they eat only to live. There areothers who claim that they only live to eat.

The PerformingArts Center – Shoham

Emek AyalonSt., Corner of Hoshen
Curator: RachelZiv
Forinformation: 03-9724700
Exhibit Dates: 5/12/2011 - 30/1/12

Club Reminder

2011-12-05T10:10:00.001+02:00

Sunday, 11 December. Jane & More: 9:30-11:00; PennySquares-Redwork: 11:30-13:00. Click over to teacher Miri Cook's blog to seewhat we're doing in the Penny Squares-Redwork Club! http://milkandhoneyquilts.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-embroidered-mystery-quilt.html

Colonial Embroideries in Boston, Massachusetts

2011-11-25T20:53:00.001+02:00

In October I made a short trip to the U.S.that included a very short stay in Boston. I found out that the Museum of Fine Arts, which happened to be within walking distance from my hotel, had an exhibit of embroideries from Boston's Colonial period (mid-18th century).

Miri Cook's Penny Squares-Redwork Club has given me a new appreciation for everything embroidered – and I decided to brave the freezing temperatures and walk over, even though I knew there wouldn't be any Redwork (which only became popular much later). The exhibit was small, one room with about 20 pieces; but the embroideries were large: mostly full-length bed curtains (used to provide both privacy and warmth) in wonderful condition.

A sign explained that bed furnishings represented such a serious investment of both money and time, they were often considered to be a family's most valuable possessions. Quantities of cotton, linen or wool fiber had to be bought, spun and woven – by hand – into yards and yards of cloth. The embroidery thread was hand spun and dyed, and of course the embroidery was stitched completely by hand. Because of their value, these items were often passed down in a family, from generation to generation. Most of the pieces in this exhibit had been donated to the museum by direct descendents of the original families. The fabrics were mostly a cotton/linen blend; the embroidery threads were wool or silk. The embroideries were intricately detailed and still brightly colored; the designs were surprisingly contemporary.

My favorite piece was one of the smallest: an embroidered "stomacher". I'd never even heard the word before.

A stomacher is a piece of fabric designed to cover thefront opening of a woman's dress. Made of silk, this one had delicate floweringvines winding up the center. The woman who had worn it must have had a tinywaist. The museum allows photography, with no flash. I'm going to use my photosas inspiration for some future project.

Quilt Exhibit Opening

2011-11-21T22:50:00.001+02:00

Festive opening: Friday 25 November, 10:00 am. "For the Love of Quilts", works by Darlene Rabinovitch and students. At the O'Sheehan Gallery, 'For the Art of Patchwork Quilting'; on Moshav Bustan HaGalil, just north of Acco. The public is invited.

November Happenings at The Quilt Center

2011-11-15T14:32:00.001+02:00

Thisweek is a busy one at The Quilt Center. On Sunday we held our monthly Jane& More Club and the Penny Squares/Redwork Club. The Jane & More Clubcontinued to work through the varied blocks in the Jane Stickle quilt from1863. The Redwork Club is beginning a new mystery quilt. Teacher, Miri Cook,gave us several embroidery patterns and the instructions for the first sectionof patchwork for our quilt. This will be a scrap quilt, in many differentcolors, and I can't wait to start digging through my bags of small pieces tofind fabrics that will match the fat quarter pieces I've already chosen. Thistime around the embroidered blocks have a butterfly theme. On Thursday we willhave an Open Studio where participants can bring in works-in-progress foradvice or instruction, or begin a new project, all under my direction. Then onFriday, Miri Cook is teaching the first in a two-part course on making aChinese Coin quilt combined with free-motion quilting. This quilt is easy andfun and presents another great opportunity to use scraps combined with a bit ofcolor planning. This course has been very popular; we'll be opening anothersession in December.

From Shoshi Rimer: Israeli Participation in the EAQF VII Quilt Exhibit

2011-10-17T18:38:00.000+02:00

The European ArtQuilt Foundation was established to promote art quilting as a form of modernart. Their next juried exhibition will travel for approximately two yearsthroughout Europe, the United States and the Far East. This will be the 7^thsuch EAQF exhibit, with the opening scheduled to coincide with the"Festival of Quilts" in Birmingham, England, August 2012. For moreinformation, please visit their website http://www.europeanartquilt.com/.There you will find the "Rules of Participation" form in English inthe subject line "Downloads" on the home page. I have translated theEAQF VII "Rules of Participation" into Hebrew in the hopes of encouragingall Israeli art quilters to submit a quilt. Please contact me by email withquestions or comments or to request the translated form. A printed copy is alsoavailable at The Quilt Center.

All the best,

Shoshi Rimer

shoshi.rimer@gmail.com

Now Available: Cotton Gloves for Machine Quilting

2011-10-16T18:04:00.000+02:00

Quiltingby machine is a lot faster than quilting by hand – but it's not necessarilyeasier. Getting a good enough grip on the quilt to guide it through the machinetook all of my strength. I'd finish with sore shoulders and arm, wondering ifquilt-wrestling could be a new Olympic sport. Then I noticed that mostquilters on the internet use gloves. Now I use them all the time.Machine-quilting still requires some strength but the gloves make it a whole loteasier. The Quilt Center now sells cottontricot gloves with non-slip fingers and palms. The price? 5.00 NIS. You really can't beatthat.

Sukkot 2011 – Events & Hours

2011-10-09T16:23:00.000+02:00

Moshav Bustan HaGalil celebrates Sukkot with three different art exhibits. "Green" – painting, photography and sculpture by Bustan HaGalil Artists, in the New Hall. "At Home" – a quilt exhibit with works by the Bustan Quilt Group will hang in the Wizo Building and the O'Sheehan Quilt Gallery shows a solo exhibit of Julia Avrahami's expressive quilts – "With All My Heart". The Quilt Center and all of the exhibits are open Sukkot and Hol HaMo'ed, October 13-19, 10:30-13:30. On Monday, October 17, the exhibits will be open from 10:30-15:00 as the Bustan Quilt Group hosts quilters, quilt-lovers and the general public. Join us in the Wizo Building at 10:00 on the 17^th for a Show-and-Tell, an interview with artist Julia Avrahami, a tour of the exhibits with Maureen Nachmani, as well as coffee, cake and good company. Please bring a sandwich for lunch and a quilted item for the Show-and-Tell.

October Club Reminder

2011-10-02T07:54:00.001+02:00

2011-09-26T08:42:00.000+03:00

"With All My Heart"; Quilts by Julia Avrahami

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Opening at the O'Sheehan Gallery: "With All My Heart", a solo exhibit of quilts by Julia Avrahami. Julia's wonderfully colorful quilts exude happiness and love. The public is invited to attend the festive opening on Sept. 24, 11:00. Located next to The Quilt Center on Moshav Bustan HaGalil, the gallery is open every Saturday and all of Hol Ha-Moed Sukkot, 10:30-13:30, and during the week by appointment only. It is free of charge. The O'Sheehan Gallery is the only gallery in Israel dedicated to the art of patchwork quilting. Come for a visit - you won't be disappointed. For more information contact Maureen Nachmani, 054-4723176.

Fabric Dyeing is Easy and Fun!

2011-09-11T08:38:00.003+03:00

Sign up now for our 2-session course in easy fabric dyeing; Friday Sept. 16, 23, Time: 9:30-12:30; 500 NIS (All materials included in cost.)

Using Procion MX Fiber Reactive Dyes, you will dye a total of 5 meters of fabric in your choice of colors. The first session focuses on learning how to use the dyes. In the second session we review the dyeing process and then we let our creativity loose, experimenting with texture and other effects. This course is a lot of fun! Procion MX Dyes are permanent and extremely easy to use. No more boiling fabric; we dye in plastic bags and containers using room-temperature water. Weather permitting, we will work outside. Wear old clothing. Taught by Barbi Bamberger.

Chinese Coin Baby Quilt Class Offered at The Quilt Center

2011-09-06T09:58:00.000+03:00

In November Miri Cook will give a two-part class on how to sew and machine-quilt the Chinese Coin baby quilt shown below. Chinese Coin quilts are fun and fast to make. Use your fabric scraps or design one with a more planned color combination. The pattern makes a beautiful quilt for a baby - and for adults too! You might not know that Miri is an expert machine-quilter. During this class you will also learn how to free-motion machine-quilt. The classes will take place Friday mornings, November 18 and December 2. Sign up early to save your space. Find the registration form on our website, along with a full list of classes being offered this fall/winter.

Our Clubs Are Back!

2011-09-05T11:45:00.003+03:00

Chinese Coin Quilt by Miri Cook

Come join us next Sunday, September 11, for the Jane & More Club 9:30-11:00 and the Penny Squares-Redwork Club 11:30-13:00. No registration is required for these two clubs. You can just drop by. The Penny Squares-Redwork Club will be repeated in the evening, 19:00-20:30 but pre-registration is required. The club will only take place with a minimum number of participants. Miri Cook is looking forward to starting fresh, after the summer break. New members are welcome, but some sewing experience is necessary. Besides the clubs, we are offering a range of new classes this fall and winter, for both experienced sewers and for beginners too. Please enter our website to find the full list. And don't hesitate to call with any questions or comments.

From Jerusalem to Rome

2011-08-12T08:50:00.000+03:00

July began with our trip to the Israeli Quilter’s Association meeting, held at the Bayit VeGan Guest House in Jerusalem. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with old and new friends, peek in on the various classes, and experience the excitement and inspiration that fills any room full of quilters. Packing up the store for the meeting, and getting it back into shape after we return home, is a lot of work – most of which fell on poor Debby – because right after the show I flew off to Italy with my daughter Sivan, my very best cousin (another Debbie) and her daughter, Rachel.

Our very first night in Rome we had tickets for the Vatican Museums. OMG! Beginning with the Pineapple Courtyard and ending with the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican is easily the most opulent space I’ve ever been in. Incredible collections of sculpture, paintings and tapestries fill every gallery. Frescoes and gold leaf illuminate the ceilings; intricate mosaics cover the walls. And the floors just might be the best part! What quilter can not be inspired?

I could have spent a whole week in the

Vatican

alone – and that still wouldn’t have been enough time to see everything there. It’s been an effort for me to return to normal life after my trip, but I’m trying. Watch our website and future blogs for news about fall classes and the return of the Jane & More and the Penny Squares-Redwork Clubs on September 11.

Quilt Exhibit: “100 Years of Kibbutz”

2011-07-02T20:21:00.001+03:00

Quilt by Maureen Nachmani

Quilt by Barbi Bamberger

I hope most of you had a chance to see the Israel Quilters’ Association’s (the IQA) most recent quilt exhibit this past May, “100 Years of Kibbutz”. Each quilt had to be a specific size but the ideas and inspirations sewn into each piece were wonderfully varied. Some quilts reflected the artist’s own personal experience with kibbutz, others spoke towards the physical setting of an agricultural community or the changes kibbutz ideology is currently undergoing. I lived on Kibbutz Adamit for many years, and I’ve certainly been to my share of meetings. In my quilt, “Is Anyone Listening?” (pictured above) I chose to show a general meeting, held every Saturday evening to discuss any and all issues affecting our small community. In this meeting everyone is involved with quilting (or dozing). The kibbutz secretary, holding a list of items to be voted on, can’t get anyone’s attention. My friend, Barry, “donated” some of his work-shirts for me to use in the border. (Actually his wife, Debby, snuck them out of his closet, but I think Barry doesn’t mind. It was done in the name of art…) Congratulations to the prize winners: Noga Cohen-Shreibman, Bella Kaplan, Maureen Nachmani, and Tamar Drucker and to those who won Honorable Mentions: myself, Rina Gallant, Yehudit Shenwald, and Yemima Lavan. The Quilt Center shared in the donation of the second-place prize. The ceremony will take place 8:00 pm on July 5, in the Bayit VeGan Guest House in Jerusalem, during the summer meeting of the IQA (more about that in an upcoming blog). Family and friends are welcome to attend. Also, the IQA has been invited to send quilts from this exhibit to the “Festival of Quilts”, to be held in Birmingham, England this August. My friend Carol pointed me to a video about “100 Years of Kibbutz”, filmed by Israel21c. Find it here on You Tube.

The Quilt Center is Coming to Jerusalem

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Bayit VeGan Guest House

HaPisga St. #8

July 4: 15:00-19:30

July 5: 10:00-19:30

July 6: 10:00-15:00

For the annual summer meeting of the Israel Quilter’s Association.

The public is welcome to come and browse our 100% cotton fabrics,
threads, sewing notions.

Please pre-order batting and rotary cutting equipment.

Please feel free to call with any questions.

Quilt Exhibit: “Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts”

2011-06-16T08:37:00.002+03:00

Photo by Gavin Ashworth

This past March, the Museum of American Folk Art held the largest quilt exhibit ever in New York City. Six-hundred and fifty one quilts from the private collection of Joanna S. Rose were on display. The exhibit was fittingly titled “Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts”. These quilts are not “redwork”, a term that refers to a type of embroidered quilt, but each quilt used only two colors: red and white. The variety is truly amazing. Click here to view a slideshow of this wonderful exhibit. Or click here to visit the Museum of American Folk Art online. This was the very first time all of the quilts were displayed together. Ms. Rose, who claims she's more of an "accumulator" than a "collector", said she had no idea she owned so many. Click here to read an article about Joanna S. Rose.

June 5: Penny Squares Redwork Club and Jane & More Club

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Chaya's Quilt in Spring-Greens

Evelyn's Quilt in Earth-Tones

Maureen's Un-Redwork Creations in Jewel Tones

Nira's Abundance of Pinks

Rachel's Sea and Sun Combination

Yehudit's Textured Tones

See what we've been up to in the Penny Squares Redwork Club! Our mystery quilts are in various stages of progress and they're coming out beautifully! The Clubs are open to everyone. Bring your button collections or jewelry pins on June 5. Miri Cook has a special project in mind. The Jane & More Club is continuing with Jane Stickle's quilt.

New Class at The Quilt Center: Free-Motion Machine Quilting

2011-05-25T14:20:00.001+03:00

Beyond Stippling – Free-Motion Quilting in the Modern Quilt Style

Stippling is oh, so yesterday. Come and see what you can do when you lower the feed dogs and step on the pedal! You must bring your own sewing machine to class. You will need a darning foot (the round or horseshoe-shaped foot). Practice pieces may be made into pillows or become quilt-as-you-go squares. 2 lessons, 2 hours each. Friday mornings 9:30-12:30: June 10, 17. Taught by Barbi Bamberger. Cost: 220.00 NIS. To register: Give us a call or download the registration form from our website.

Exhibit: 100 Years of Kibbutz

2011-05-09T16:21:00.000+03:00

Congratulations to those quilters whose works were accepted for the Israel Quilters’ Association’s newest exhibit, “A Century of Kibbutz”, showing May 1-28 in Beit Gavriel (on the Kinneret). A festive opening will be held May 13^th at 11:00am. Congratulations to our own Maureen Nachmani, whose quilt “#428” was awarded a prize. My quilt “Is Anyone Listening?” received an honorable mention. The exhibit is open to the public and free of charge. A visit is well worth it. Some of these quilts will be traveling to the “Festival of Quilts” held in August 2011, in Birmingham, England.

Club Date Reminder - May 8

2011-05-03T17:15:00.003+03:00

Join us Sunday, May 8 for the next Jane & More Club 9:30-11:00, and the Penny Squares - Redwork Club 11:30-13:00. Both Clubs are led by me, Barbi Bamberger. In the Jane & More Club we're continuing with the Jane Stickle Quilt. In the Redwork Club we'll learn to make a cool, folded Origami Bag - with embroidery, of course! New members are welcome.

Redwork Mystery: Solved!

2011-05-03T17:10:00.000+03:00

Voila! This is the first time I’ve done a mystery quilt and it was truly a lot of fun. Miri Cook, who presented the project in the Penny Squares-Redwork Club, swore the quilt would be beautiful. She gave advised us on how to choose our color combinations – but we each chose our own colors. None of us had any idea what the end result would be. For the patchwork blocks I chose three Kaffe Fassett floral prints and a solid pumpkin color. I used maroon colored thread on a light pink background for the redwork embroidery squares. I’m happy with my color scheme; it is deep and warm. I hope to post photos of more of the mystery quilts in upcoming blogs. Thank you, Miri. (I hope you’re having fun in Boston with the babies!)

Easy Demonstration: How to Make a Patchwork Quilt

2011-04-25T10:53:00.002+03:00

You’ll want to make your own patchwork quilt when you see this online photo-demonstration by Maureen Nachmani (of the O’Sheehan Gallery). Maureen was interviewed by Xnet and photographed in The Quilt Center (although we aren’t mentioned in the article). Maureen made a baby quilt, but the pattern is completely versatile; make it in any color, for any age. Just click here. The instructions are super clear and so easy!

Sending Love... In a Suitcase?

2011-03-23T17:13:00.003+02:00

Just as Tamara started the Sampler Quilt Course for beginners, at The Quilt Center, her parents began planning a trip to South America to visit Tamara’s brother and his family. She decided to make quilts for her niece and two nephews to send with her parents. Finishing three patchwork quilts in less than four months was a challenge, especially since Tamara was new to quilting, and she worked hard. She finished the last one only a few days before her parents flew. Tamara’s brother emailed her this photo. Apparently it is possible to send love in a suitcase.

A Class With Ita Ziv

2011-03-18T15:14:00.005+02:00

Ita explains the concepts.
Ita's design in paper.
Pesia is obviously enjoying herself.

A few weeks ago Ita Ziv presented a one-day workshop to our Wednesday quilt group on Bustan HaGalil. An internationally known quilter, Ita’s quilts have exhibited all over the world and have been included in art quilt anthologies. She has a unique and personal style; her designs are abstract and colorful and her pieces are densely quilted. She often works with non-traditional materials such as Tyvex and plastic bags. For us, Ita chose a project she calls “Musical Chairs”. She explained how to sketch a design, cut it out of a stack of fabrics and then re-sort the pieces. That is the “musical chairs” part of the exercise. Later at home, we will fuse them onto a background fabric. We brought fabric from home according to a list Ita provided ahead of time. We followed her from table to table as she examined our color choices. I felt like a medical student, going from one hospital bed to another, discussing the condition of each patient in turn. Some of the color combinations were pronounced healthy and ready to be released; others Ita returned to the E.R. Ita encouraged us to widen the way we choose color. Colors don’t need to match. They should bounce off each other – come alive when placed one next to the other. We ended up switching fabric between us, until each of us had a color group that worked. Some of us insisted on including fabric that Ita advised against, and even Ita later agreed that those were some of the most successful pieces. Rules are made to be broken – especially in the world of art quilts. One good tip from Ita: Cut a window out of the center of a piece of black paper. View your fabric choice through the black paper. The black makes the colors pop and isolates them from any other colors that might be lying on your worktable. Even the worktable itself. This allows you to judge how the colors react to one another without any distractions. For me, this workshop inspired and refreshed my stagnant ideas of how to choose color for my own quilts. And I found that even though I’ve been sewing and quilting for a very long time, there are always new things to learn. Quilting continues to challenge me and keep me excited about the process of creating.

Small Things

2011-03-08T13:38:00.003+02:00

A: Maureen Ose, of the Quilt Study Center, is happy that many of you linked into their website because of my previous post. She points out that they also have a Facebook site here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Quilt-Study-Center-Museum/132441810158909?sk=wall#!/pages/International-Quilt-Study-Center-Museum/132441810158909?sk=wall

B: Our next date for the Jane & More Club and Penny Squares Redwork Club is March 13. Same time, same place.

C: New classes are starting at The Quilt Center. The list of offerings and the registration form are on our website. Go to the website by clicking on the link to the right.

D: We just received a large shipment of new fabrics: cute juvenile prints, dots, solids, textures and more! To see only the new fabrics on our website click on “Catalog”, then “Fabric”, then “New”.

E: Who knew you could be so creative with old zippers? Heather has over 8,000, in every color you can think of. Go to her Etsy store “benjamin2008” to see her gorgeous zipper flowers!

Give Yourself a Gift Every Month - By Email!

2011-02-15T17:17:00.006+02:00

Every month when I open my "Quilt of the Month", I feel like I’m opening a present. The email, from the International Quilt Study Center and Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, highlights one quilt from their extensive collection, sometimes chosen according to a theme, event or holiday. In the United States, February is recognized as “Black History Month”; a month to remember and reflect on lessons learned from a harsh period in the country’s past. February’s quilt is by American quilt artist Yvonne Wells, and is titled “Yesterday: Civil Rights in the South”. Wells’s quilt tells the story of the struggle for equal rights for black Americans during the 1960s. Her childish stick figures and simplified shapes contrast sharply with the true, and horrific, events they portray: a church bombing in which 3 young black girls were killed, a lynching, a violent confrontation with white police. In the center of the quilt stands the figure of civil-rights leader, Martin Luther King, speaking at a podium. Not every Quilt of the Month elicits such strong emotion, but each one is incredible. To view the Quilt Study Center’s collection of more than 3500 quilts, dating from the 1700s to the present, from all over the world just click on the link below to reach their website and database. To register for the “Free Quilt of the Month”: http://www.quiltstudy.org/collections/quilt_of_the_month. You’ll be giving yourself a wonderful gift.
Pictured above: Yesterday: Civil Rights in the South by Yvonne Wells, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 1989, IQSC 2000.004.0142, Size: 64" w x 66.5" l, International Quilt Study Center & Museum, http://www.quiltstudy.org/

A Quilt Exhibit With a Taste of the International: "Klara"

2011-02-08T13:58:00.003+02:00

Klara Schefler Landsberg’s fascination with other peoples and cultures is clearly evident in her quilts. After studying art, as a young woman, Klara is lucky to have been able to travel the world, immersing herself in the local crafts and textile traditions of the places she visited. We quilters are extremely lucky she chose fabric and thread as her favorite means of artistic expression. A solo exhibit, entitled “Klara”, is showing in the O’Sheehan Gallery, “Dedicated to the Art of Patchwork Quilting”, curated by Maureen Nachmani. To give a taste of just a few of the quilts shown are a story quilt of Klara’s time with the Masai people of Africa, a wonderfully detailed portrait of the traditional scarring of a New Zealand Maori, a beaded wall-hanging influenced by the colors of Morocco, and a kimono-style triptych portraying Japanese birch trees. The O’Sheehan Gallery is located on Moshav Bustan HaGalil, next to The Quilt Center. It is open to the public, free of charge, every Saturday from 10:30-13:30 and during the week by appointment. Please contact The Quilt Center for more information.

Beyond Stippling – 365 Quilting Designs In One Year

2011-01-28T18:19:00.006+02:00

In the summer of 2009, while machine-quilting a large quilt, Leah Day realized her quilting design “vocabulary” was severely limited. To expand her knowledge, Leah challenged herself to create one new free-motion quilting design every day for a whole year. She documented the whole process in “The Free-Motion Quilting Project” – an amazing and informative blog. Click on this link where you can view each design, watch demonstration videos and read Leah’s blog entries:
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2009/08/can-i-create-new-free-motion-filler.html
This is my effort at day number 33's design: Fiery Comet. The thread I used: Leviathan Multi-cord, 100% mercerized cotton, 20 wt., "natural" color. I like the feel of the thread and the way it shows up so well on dark fabric. It would work well for sashiko hand-quilting. I used a Schmetz embroidery needle in my machine.

Beware! It's Addictive!

2011-01-20T15:28:00.008+02:00

Nira (left) and Miri with Nira's redwork embroidery wall-hanging

Apparently redwork embroidery is as addictive as patchwork. During the January Club meetings, both Nira Miller and Rachel Shoham brought in recent quilts inspired by Miri Cook’s Penny Squares Redwork Club. Nira’s wonderful wall-hanging has 3 pre-printed squares (available at The Quilt Center), embroidered in blue, surrounded by a colorful border of folded Flying Geese. It’s a real attention-grabber!

Rachel with her elegant, embroidered patchwork baby quilt
Rachel’s baby quilt, in delicate blues, pinks and white, combines finely-detailed, embroidered hearts with patchwork. Rachel doesn’t have any granddaughters – yet – but maybe this quilt will inspire one of her children... The Jane & More Club continues with Jane Stickle’s challenging quilt. It is a great way to learn new techniques and brush up on quilting basics. This time, Miri gave tips on curved piecing. Our next Club date is February 13.

Malka Ladin’s “Four Seasons of the Year” Quilt

2011-01-04T15:57:00.001+02:00

At The Quilt Center we get to see many projects before they’ve even been started, and we see some projects-in-progress, but we don’t always get to see the finished quilts. Malka Ladin came in last week, bringing with her the spectacular quilt she just finished. On a visit to Thailand, Malka studied the technique of Chinese painting. Recently, she had the idea of combining painting with patchwork – and the results are incredible. In this quilt, nine central, painted fabric squares create a 9-patch medallion, while the surrounding patchwork blocks are variations on the traditional 9-patch. Delicately detailed, painted flowers and wildly colorful patchwork work together to create an original and exciting quilt. Congratulations on a beautiful quilt, Malka. And thank you for letting us have a look.

December Club Meetings

2010-12-28T17:28:00.002+02:00

On December 19 the Jane and More Club and the Penny Squares Redwork Clubs met under the guidance of Miri Cook. The Jane and More Club is continuing with Jane Stickle’s variously exciting blocks. The Penny Squares group is excited about moving a little further along with our mystery quilt. We still have no idea what the finished project will look like, but at this point everyone has chosen her fabrics and we are all busy embroidering the little redwork squares. My work is shown above. I chose from our new Kaffe Fassett fabrics, combined with two solid colored fabrics. Our next Club date is January 9. Everyone is invited to join. You aren’t too late to catch up easily on either or both projects.

Quilting With Sulky Blendables

2010-11-23T18:36:00.003+02:00

Sulky Blendables in yummy, luscious, variegated colors!

Sulky Blendables #4013, Sun and Sea

Jordan's Quilt

I like hand quilting, but lately I do all of my quilting by machine because it goes so much faster. What takes me two weekends on the machine would take me three months – or more – by hand. Last summer my 11-year old nephew, Jordan, chose fabrics and we sewed a quilt together. I finally got around to machine quilting it a few weeks ago. I decided to use one of the Sulky Blendables thread after ordering a bunch for the store. Sulky Blendables come in so many color variations I found myself drooling over the color chart. In the end I decided to pick a few colors from each color family. The colors change every 2-5”, as opposed to 10” or more on other variegated threads. I used a machine embroidery needle and regular cotton sewing thread in the bobbin. The thread was a dream to sew! It pulled through the needle smoothly and I love the way the colors change. Jordan is also happy with the result. He lives near Jerusalem, where winter is already in the air, and he loves to snuggle under his quilt in the evenings while he watches TV.

Make a Biscornu Pincushion and a Huswif Needlecase

2010-11-02T13:43:00.004+02:00

Now that the holidays are over we’re running to catch up with everything else. The last Jane & More Club and Penny Squares Redwork Clubs were a lot of fun. Next Club date: November 14. (By popular demand, Clubs will not be moving to Wednesdays. They will continue once every month on the second Sunday – unless otherwise noted.) For the July Redwork Club, Miri Cook, our fearless Club leader, made a few “biscornu” pincushions. Each of these is made from 2 fabric squares, and is decorated with an embroidered heart. For a quick and easy “how-to” in English click over to Miri’s blog: http://milkandhoneyquilts.blogspot.com/2010/07/quick-and-easy-pincushions.html. For a “how-to” in Hebrew visit the Tapuz blog, “Needleeye” - or click here: http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/userblog.asp?pagenumber=3&passok=yes&FolderName=needleeye&blogId=67619&tagname=. Scroll down to the June 30 entry.

Miri also made a functional “huswif”, an embroidery needlecase, roomy enough to fit most of her embroidery supplies. Her redwork embroidery designs embellish the interior. Why shouldn’t the inside be beautiful too?

A Visitor from the United States

2010-06-16T16:10:00.002+03:00

A few months ago I received an email from Noreen Kasman in the United States. She was planning for an up-coming trip and wanted to find out about quilt exhibits in Israel. Of course I wrote to her about the O’Sheehan Gallery, here on Moshav Bustan HaGalil. I also sent a list of other exhibits around the country, from the updates I receive from the Israel Quilters’ Association. In the end, The Quilt Center and O’Sheehan Gallery were the only quilt venues Noreen had time for. She was kind enough to write thanking us for the wonderful time she had here, and to send photos of the quilt she made with fabrics she bought at The Quilt Center. Here they are. The quilt is entitled “Israel” – of course! Thank you, Noreen. We hope you come back to Israel soon!

Nurit's Quilts

2010-04-30T21:02:00.001+03:00

The O’Sheehan Quilt Gallery on Moshav Bustan HaGalil is hosting an exhibit of the quilts of Nurit Malach, who died one year ago. Nurit was one of the most active people I’ve ever met. She and her sister, Varda (both members of our Wednesday quilt group on Bustan HaGalil) got together every Sunday morning to quilt. By the time Nurit arrived at Varda’s, always at 7:00am sharp, she had already walked 5 miles, done 50 laps at the pool, prepared dinner for 16 people and taken the dog out three times. I’m exaggerating, but not by much. Maureen Nachmani, Debby and I often joined them around 10:00 (though I think we were actually expected at 7:00.) Nurit was usually working away at her sewing machine, set up on Varda’s kitchen table. Every week, it seemed, she was working on a new project. Nurit was never one to brag, and she was probably the last one to think of herself as an artist, but she left behind an impressive body of work and her beautiful quilts are treasured by her friends and family. The public is invited to the exhibit opening on Saturday, May 8, at 11:00am. Music and refreshments will be provided by Nurit’s family. The exhibit will close on May 22.

April at The Quilt Center

2010-04-22T18:49:00.000+03:00

Our first meetings of the Jane Quilt Club and Penny Squares Redwork Club were a success. Miri is already making plans for the next meeting on May 9th. Remember, these clubs are open to everyone. Even if you missed the first one, you’re welcome to come to the next.

Two months ago I started appliquéing a wall-hanging for my grandsons bedroom wall. I’ve finished sewing the children and I decided to add a wide border with appliquéd sashes and flowers. I still have to add embroidery details to the children, the kite and the bird. I’m really enjoying this project even though it feels like it’s taking forever.

Textile Tales, the Wall Hangings of Noa Eshkol

2010-04-16T12:29:00.005+03:00

Entrance to the exhibit
Birds in the Negev, 1990s, sewn by Margalit

Samson's Flower, 1980s, sewn by Margalit

Samson's Flower close-up

I had never heard of Noa Eshkol before I visited the exhibit of 35 of her wall hangings at The Open Museum in Tefen (near Ma’alot). As soon as I stepped through the door, I was hit with the dramatic impact of her work. Although they're not labeled “patchwork”, and they lack a middle layer of batting so they aren't really “quilts”, Eshkol’s work easily fits into the category of hand-appliquéd crazy quilting. She used every imaginable type of fabric – as long as it was headed for the trash: ugly synthetic “lace” curtains, old clothing, upholstery material and more – as if to prove there is no such thing as unusable fabric. Eshkol (1924-2007) is better known as a dancer and inventor (together with Avraham Wachman) of the Eshkol Wachman Movement Notation (EWMN) – a written language for recording and studying movement. At night, she used the open floor space of her dance studio, housed in the upper storey of her Holon home, to lay out the pieces of fabric. Eshkol’s dancers “rescued” much of the fabric and did all of the sewing, using embroidery stitches to attach the patches to backings made of old blankets. Dispersed around the beautifully lighted exhibit hall are long, translucent banners printed with photos of Noa Eshkol dancing. It almost seems as if she is there with us. Textile Tales closes at the end of July. The Open Museum’s website is http://www.omuseums.org.il/
Industrialist, Stef Wertheimer, purchased 50 or so of the 1,500 hangings Noa designed. For further reading click here to an article on ynet (in Hebrew): http://www.iparks.co.il/data/images/1999230,7340,L-3864643,00[1].html

Quilts 1700-2010, Victoria and Albert Museum, London

2010-04-01T17:52:00.004+03:00

The Victoria and Albert Museum’s very first exhibition of British quilts is showing from now until July 4. Almost 70 quilts, both antique and modern, were chosen for “Quilts 1700-2010”. “This is very much an exhibition about the investment in the bedroom and the bed which has basically been the site of so many life cycle events, birth, love, death...” Sue Prichard, curator. For those of us who can’t get to London, there is always the internet. This first link is a BBC introduction with the curator, Sue Prichard. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/arts_and_culture/8578091.stm

Dina Prentice, Billowing Maenads
This link will lead you to the V&A Museum’s website where you will find a few short videos where contemporary quilt artists, who have pieces in the exhibit, talk about their quilts. http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/textiles/quilts-1700-2010/videos/index.html Just click on the links and enjoy!

An Interview with Teacher and Quilter, Miri Cook

2010-03-24T20:22:00.003+02:00

Miri's Disappearing 9-Patch Quilt-in-Progress

As well as being an experienced quilter and a wonderful teacher, Miri Cook also happens to be a history buff. She loves learning about and sharing the histories of the quilt styles or techniques she teaches. Miri will be leading two clubs at The Quilt Center, starting in April, and I thought it would be nice to get to know her.

Barbi: Please tell us a little about yourself.
Miri: I have a BA in Art History from the U of Minn. and later studied Ceramic Design at Parson's School of Design but when I began quilting in 1989 – hard to believe it’s already 21 years – I knew right away that this was for me. (Kind of like my husband – I told my sister 3 days after we met that I was going to marry him and that was 34 years ago!). I began teaching 2 years later and always enjoy seeing the same excitement in my students that I feel about quilting. For years I worked as an archaeological restorer so maybe moving little pieces around to make something whole speaks to me.

Barbi: Do you own any antique quilts?
Miri: I own several antique and vintage quilts, quilt tops and some bits and pieces that I call my "study collection." My oldest quilt is an 1880 Lone Star and my favorite is a 1930s Dancing Daffodils appliqué quilt – a classic pattern from Mountain Mist Company. I also have a collection of vintage sewing and embroidery what-knots, including a 19th century needle holder, a turn of the century thread caddy and pin cushion and lots of iron-on embroidery patterns from the 1930s.

Barbi: Do you prefer working by hand or machine?
Miri: I generally machine piece, hand appliqué and both hand and machine quilt. I don't think there needs to be a rigid line between techniques – whatever works and whatever you enjoy is the way to go. My first two quilts were hand pieced. My third was machine pieced but each piece was hand marked with a pencil and cut out with scissors. It wasn't until my fourth quilt (1990) that I used a rotary cutter and I was so excited. I usually embroider by hand but lately I’ve experimented with outline embroidery using my sewing machine. It’s fun to try something outside of the box!

Barbi: Do you consider your quilting style traditional or modern or a combination of both?
Miri: I guess I'd have to say that my quilts are traditional. I like the play of color across a quilt and using a repeating block gives a good foundation to showcase fabrics. I love traditional appliqué quilts, especially those from the early 20th century. I do like a lot of the new “Modern” quilts – I like the simplicity of the blocks –and I'm totally taken with the Disappearing 9-Patch (see photo above); it’s just so much fun to play around with!

Barbi: What are you working on now?
Miri: I'm just finishing up a queen size commission quilt and then I'll get back to 2 projects that I put aside. They're both full bed size (I do love quilts on a bed!). One is a big-block Drunkard's Path in white and yellow that just needs the border (and I know what I want to do) and then it will be machine quilted. The second is a half-square string quilt for my son! I totally love the look of this red and black scrappy quilt.

Miri: You are welcome to visit me on my blog: http://www.milkandhoneyquilts.blogspot.com/. I often show photos of my current projects and I frequently show vintage items from my collection, though they're not all sewing related. And I hope to see you at one or both of my clubs at The Quilt Center on April 11!

New! “Penny Squares” Redwork Club

2010-03-13T15:59:00.001+02:00

The Quilt Center is starting two new clubs. One is the “Jane Quilt Club” (see the previous blog). The second is a “Penny Squares” Redwork Club. Both are led by experienced quilter and teacher, Miri Cook. Redwork is a popular form of “art needlework” that began in the late 19th century. The designs (usually of images connected with home and nature: children, flowers, animals), were marked on light cloth and embroidered with red cotton thread. They were available as paper patterns or you could buy them already printed on fabric squares – which cost a penny (one cent). Our Penny Squares Club will meet on the second Sunday morning of every month, for 1 ½ hours. The cost is 35 NIS per meeting, plus 10 NIS (first meeting only) for the starting kit, which includes needle, thread and a pre-printed fabric square. As the club progresses, Miri will provide additional designs, discuss methods of transferring designs from paper to cloth, incorporating the squares into quilts and more. The Club is open to everyone at every level. Please RSVP to The Quilt Center by the Friday before. The first “Penny Squares” Club meeting will take place on April 11, 11:30-13:00. The Jane Quilt Club will be on the same day from 9:30-11:00. Feel free to participate in either one or both. Please contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you!

New! Jane Quilt Club

2010-03-09T20:06:00.001+02:00

Learn new techniques in a small group, as you sew your own Jane Quilt (based on the quilt known as “Dear Jane”), under the guidance of experienced teacher and quilter, Miri Cook. Jane Stickle (1817-1896), a Vermont farmer, made several quilts during her lifetime, but in 1863 she created the quilt that has become famous around the world. Each block in Jane’s quilt is different. At each meeting Miri will hand out a pattern, give instructions and tips for sewing, discuss fabric and color choices, and more. Participants may choose between two sizes: the original block size of 4.5” (11cm) square or a 6” (15cm) square. The Jane Quilt Club will meet at The Quilt Center on the second Sunday morning of every month, for 1 ½ hours, and is open to everyone at any level, at a cost of 35 NIS per meeting. The first meeting is April 11, 9:30-11:00. Please RSVP to The Quilt Center by the Friday before so that we have enough patterns ready. Bring sewing supplies, freezer paper and fabric. You may also purchase fabric and supplies at The Quilt Center during the meeting. Please contact us with any questions or comments.

My New Wall-Hanging Project

2010-03-04T17:38:00.004+02:00

I drew a group of kids running with a kite and a bird flying overhead, in full size.

Here, I sewed the grass background to the sky and appliqued the first figure and the bird (except for the beak). This kind of project is a lot of fun for me. I will only decide what the border will be once I finish the middle section.

Natan's Quilt

2010-02-24T12:46:00.004+02:00

Well, he’s only 4 months old and I finally finished his quilt! I was inspired by the cowboy/cowgirl fabric we have at The Quilt Center. I enlarged one of the cowboys from the red fabric, added a horse from the green fabric, and continued from there. The quilt is hand-appliquéd, machine-pieced and machine-quilted. I even quilted his name and birth date into the beige area above the horse. I hope Natan likes it!

During Sukkot

2009-10-17T08:21:00.005+02:00

When you sell fabric you always get to see the choices people make but you rarely get to see the end product. During the week of Sukkot a few customers brought in their recently finished quilts. Nira Miller brought in a gorgeous quilt she made for her grandson using a variety of fabrics by the designer Laurel Birch. When she needed to add fabrics, Nira chose carefully, adding fabrics from The Quilt Center that complemented Laurel Birch’s signature style. The result is a quilt rich in color; we are positive her grandson will cherish it forever.

Naomi Avraham brought in a quilt she made for her son, Uri, an avid guitar-player. She explained that the guitar she appliqued is a realistic interpretation of his actual guitar. Naomi cut and discarded many pieces of fabric until she came up with the wonderful color combination and quilt design. The quilt is personal and original; a real work of art.

Thank you Nira and Naomi, for sharing your work with us. And thank you to all of our customers who came by during the Sukkot holiday. It was good to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. We appreciate your support and constructive comments very much.

Cowboy Quilt

2009-06-21T11:18:00.001+03:00

I chose a cowboy from some wonderful ‘kiddie’ fabric we have here at The Quilt Center, drew him out larger and then appliquéd him onto a light background. At first I thought I would make a wall quilt for my grandchild, but I decided to make it into a quilt. It’s not finished, of course. I’ll definitely post a photo of the finished quilt on the blog, when it’s done. This is an easy way to design a unique quilt or wall-hanging.

Fabric as Inspiration

2009-06-08T13:56:00.003+03:00

The idea of appliquéing a larger version of one of the images printed on a piece of fabric, is a wonderful and simple way to design a quilt. Many of the fabrics we keep in stock at The Quilt Center easily lend themselves to this method of creating a unique wall-hanging or blanket. The same fabric that inspired the central motif, can be repeated in the patchwork border or frame.

Yuval's Helicopter Quilt

2009-05-28T12:07:00.006+03:00

Kids-in-space fabric Yuval's Helicopter Quilt

Close-up of helicopter quilt patchwork border

Not a lot of Technion students use their time between classes to quilt. If you happen to be on campus and see someone sitting on the grass sewing, go over and say hi. It is probably Rachel, who is making a quilt for her nephew. She chose one of our “kiddie” fabrics, printed with children flying helicopters, airplanes and space ships. She decided to use one of the images as her quilt center. She drew it out, much bigger, and used the drawing as her pattern. For the border Rachel fussy-cut the same blue fabric so that a helicopter or airplane is centered in each patchwork square. Now Rachel is hand-quilting the quilt. She showed it to Yuval on his 2nd birthday. He loved it and even forgave her for having to take it back so she can finish the quilting. Believe it or not, this is Rachel’s first quilt!

Fabric Dyeing Class

2009-05-22T15:28:00.003+03:00

We held the first of two dye classes last week, using Procion MX Fiber Reactive Dyes. These dyes work with natural fibers (like cotton) and are incredibly easy to use. They work in room-temperature water – no boiling fabric! During our first meeting the students learned the complete dyeing process and did 2 projects using 2.5 meters of fabric. The first project was a color blend using 2 colors and 5 pieces of fabric, done in plastic bags. The second project was a color mix using 3 colors and 3 pieces of fabric, done in tall plastic containers. Everyone took their fabrics home to allow them to soak in the dye overnight, and wash them out the next day. I told them that taking the fabrics out of the final wash is like opening a present! Next Friday they will bring their pieces in so that we can all see what they got. In the second class we will review the dye process, and concentrate on making different textures by folding and tying the fabric. Pictured in the photo: Tal Ron with her fabric.

Quilt Tip: No Surprises

2009-05-17T08:24:00.001+03:00

For a quilt with a repeating pattern, always make a single block first, before you cut a lot of fabric. This allows you to check that the templates are the correct size, and to make sure you like the block, before you commit yourself to the project.

Thread Sense

2009-05-11T08:22:00.001+03:00

Don’t throw out old, brittle thread. It's great for basting!

Log Cabin Baby Quilt, Drawn in Excel

2009-05-04T15:33:00.002+03:00

One of our customers is making an adorable log cabin quilt for a new baby. She “fussy cut” the center squares from one of our “kiddie” animal fabrics. She then decided to use the same white-dotted fabric, in blue and in red, for the shadowed side of the blocks. Two different beige fabrics make up the light “logs”. After choosing her fabric, she drew the block layout in Excel on her computer! The color scheme is perfect for either a boy or girl. All of the sewing is being done by hand. Although the last quilt she made was about 20 years ago, our customer says she’s enjoying the whole process. We’ll be sure to post photos of the finished quilt.

A New Quilt Magazine in Hebrew

2009-04-26T14:16:00.007+03:00

We’re excited to announce the publication of a new quilt magazine in Hebrew! It’s called “Bad VeOd” (Fabric and More) and is crammed full of articles, pattern and projects. The magazine is the brainchild of editor, Bella Alon. Bella has created a beautifully printed resource of ideas and inspiration. We hope quilters will use, enjoy and support her endeavor. The magazine is available for purchase at The Quilt Center.

Weekly Quilt Tip - Color Decisions

2009-04-19T08:51:00.001+03:00

Can’t decide on the color scheme for your next quilt? Inspiration is all around you: magazine pictures, clothing, the color of the sky, even the cat hairs embedded in your sofa cushions!

Choosing the Right Rotary Cutter

2009-03-16T13:53:00.002+02:00

I had always used scissors for quilting, until my friend, Debby, saw how I was working and told me I was crazy. She made me buy a rotary cutter and mat. It’s one of the best things she’s ever done for me!

Because each quilter has their own personal preferences when it comes to tools and equipment and over time, we have a variety of Olfa brand rotary cutters for sale in The Quilt Center.

Although there are different models of rotary cutters, the blade sizes are standard. In general, the larger the blade, the more layers of fabric you can easily slice at one time. All of the models we carry have a blade cover that slides open and closed except for the ergonomic model, in which the blade opens when you squeeze the cutter’s handle.

We carry rotary cutters in the following sizes:
60mm – This heavy-duty cutter has a sliding blade cover, and cuts six layers of fabric easily.
45mm – In both the regular and ergonomic models.
45mm – with a scalloped blade that cuts fabric to prevent fraying – much like a pinking shear.
28mm – with sliding blade cover, easily cuts around curves.
18mm – great for cutting intricate designs or paper.
Chenille cutter – a fun tool to make popular chenille-style quilts.

All Olfa rotary cutters are designed accommodate right or left-handed users. To ensure the life of your blade, be sure to cut on an Olfa self-healing cutting mat. Only use rulers specifically designed for use with rotary cutters.

The Quilt Center carries rotary blades in single and multiple packaging.

Beware: blades, when new, are extremely sharp. Remember to close the blade cover between cuts. Put your cutter away if children are around.

Picking the Best Size Cutting Mat

2009-03-08T14:34:00.004+02:00

With all of the choices out there, it can be hard to decide which cutting mat to buy.

At The Quilt Center, we carry Olfa brand self-healing cutting mats in 3 sizes:
36” x 24” (90 x 60 cm)
24” x 18” (60 x 45 cm)
18” x 12” (45 x 30 cm).

The mats are double-sided (with a grid of inches on one side, and a grid of centimeters on the other), or single-sided, with an inch grid only.

In general, we tell people that they should buy the largest size mat that will fit on their table surface.

The 36” x 24” (90 x 60 cm) size is large enough to handle a folded half or open fat-quarter meter. You can even use one mat to cut two projects simultaneously.

The 24” x 18” (60 x 45 cm) size is large enough to handle normal cuts of fabric, and small enough to store easily.

The 18” x 12” (45 x 30 cm) is the most portable of the three sizes – you can easily take it to workshops and move it between different rooms, and tables, in your house.

Remember: cutting mats don’t like hot drinks or direct sunlight, and if you take your mat out of your house, don’t leave it sitting in a hot car. Never roll your mat; always store it in a place where it can lie, or stand, flat. Always use a sharp rotary blade on your mat.

A cutting mat is an investment you should only need to make once. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without one.

Fabric and Folk Music

2008-12-09T23:20:00.000+02:00

Last weekend Debby and I sold fabrics and notions at the Jacob’s Ladder Folk Music Festival, a wonderful “happening” that takes place at the Hotel Ginosar, on the shores of the Kinneret (the Sea of Galillee), twice a year. The music is a mix of Irish, folk and bluegrass/country, and this winter the honored guest was the renown Ben Sands, from Ireland, who made the trip to Israel with his wife, Barbara (who bought fabric to take home with her!).

Debby and I arrived early and set up our tables, with the other vendors, outside the hotel’s main lobby under a handy overhang, which shaded us from the warm December sun. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We attracted not only enthusiastic adults, but also teenagers, who, though new to sewing, seemed compelled to buy fabric. I did my best to answer questions and give helpful pointers while bagging their purchases. They reminded me of me as a child, when my favorite thing, next to going to the library, was going to the fabric store with my mom. Actually, I think those are still two of my favorite activities! I was lucky that my mom had the knowledge and patience to teach me how to sew. I hope these girls have adults in their lives who will give them encouragement and help them grow into the next generation of quilters.