So even though I’ve listed seven facts at Home Biz Notes, I’ll see what information I can provide here that may be somewhat different, yet randomly related to quilting.

1. I began sewing at an early age, first doll clothes by hand with my grandmother (Nanny) and then an apron on a treadle sewing machine under the guidance of my 4-H teacher (Aunt Mary).

2. My quiltmaking began at age 8, when I sat beside my grandmother in her kitchen and stitched quilt squares together for quilts she made for my two brothers, my sister and me.  I still have my quilt even though it’s rather worn.

3. During the U.S. Bicentennial years, of 1975-76, I became involved in quiltmaking again which evolved into a home based business.   Initially my mother asked me to make quilts for her country general store.  The one lady supplying her couldn’t keep up with the demand.

4. I began writing for quilting magazines about this time.  This included articles about quilts and quilters.  For 8 years I also write a column, “The Business of Patchwork” and for 2 years “Work Patch.”

5. For several years, I made and sold children’s vests throughout the country.  These were specialty items with appliqued designs.

6.  I wrote “The Magic of Patchwork,” a book for young quilters and beginning adults.  It does go into the role of young quilters in our quilting history.

7. My daughter Beth now designs and makes quilts and fabric art, for which she’s received recognition.  Her blog is Meandering Threads.  I’m very proud of her and her achievements and receive inspiration from her these days.

Misc. Fact:  I no longer have a quilting business, but do work on many projects for fun.  I’d always said if I had to choose between operating my quilting business and writing, I’d have to go with the writing.  But I can’t let quilting go…the fascination of this art has me under it’s spell.  So I’m delighted I can write Quilting and Patchwork, meet quilters and fabric artists, see their work, learn about new projects and techniques…and write about them.

I also have some more book ideas in my mind.   Ask me about the Trails End Quilters!

I won’t tag anyone else for this meme since I think it’s been making its rounds for some time.  However, if anyone would like to list 7 Random Facts on their blog, I’d love to read them.  I hope you’ve found it interesting to learn a little more about my quilting background.

 (Although I’ve never made a Lone Star, the Missouri Star quilt was one of my most challenging, yet memorable quilting projects.)

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting & Patchwork Tagged for 7 Facts Meme

She asked me to make her samples as she sought markets.  Then I began sewing for the orders she received.  So actually here, I discuss two types of quilting businesses.

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Check Out Post About Quiltmaking Business at Home Biz Notes

William Lehman, at Artist Hideout, did a great job of hosting and even came up with this photo.  Check out his blog to see what it’s all about.

My green related post revolved around the Irish Chain quilt pattern.

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting & Patchwork Participates in Channel Theme Day

                                       It’s a good time to delve into my quilting projects. 

Since I didn’t have time for anything too complex or lengthy, I got out my fabric postcards.  These are ideal projects to work on when I don’t have much time.  I also can take them with me when my husband and I travel.

I’m doing the “easy” version of fabric postcards…using fabric with scenes or patchwork printed on it.  I then embellish with stitching, fancy threads, and items such as beads and buttons.

One I particularly like (that I’ve completed) has an Oriental motif.  Then I used golden “frog” closures and decorative buttons as well as hand stitching.  This is the one my husband made into a traditional postcard, scanning it into the computer and printing it on card stock.

Another I’m currently working on consists of kitty designs on the fabric.  There’s a kitten playing in a bird bath.  I’ve sewn a round button on its paw so you think the kitten has caught it (or is tossing it).  Another cat is walking through tall grass.  There’s a butterfly flitting above the kitten with the ball.

I’m practicing French knots so they emphasize the flowers midst the grass and around the birdbath.  I hadn’t done French knots in years, so it was like starting from scratch again.

If time is a factor, instead of creating your postcards by stitching pieces of fabric together, start in with printed fabric and embellish it.  Then as you progress, you can work on more complex projects.

(Just realize…if you’re planning to submit your postcards in a showing or competition, they often won’t accept the ones made from whole cloth.  But they’re fun to work on…and ideal when you’re teaching children fabric postcard art.)

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting on a Snowy Day

I’ve found quiltmaking has changed so much over the years, from the “traditional” patterns and styles I made with my grandmother in the 1940s and then during our country’s Bicentennial Years of 1975-76.  Quiltmakering has grown from a utilitarian craft into an art form.  Quilts have become wall hangings of various sizes, even postcards and calling cards. 

Then quilters began experimenting with many types of fabric and fibers to become fabric and fiber artists.  My daughter who started out has a traditional quilter, learning the craft as she grew up around my sewing maching, has evolved into a fiber artist enjoying the freedom to experiment.

Most recently she has begun to do a great deal with mixed media, using fabric, fiber and paper to create wall hangings, book covers, and post cards.  From her I acquire the desire to try new directions in my quilting world and enjoyed creating a fabric postcard. 

The other day, she was painting paper towels. 

 ”Whatever for?” I asked her.  This is something I’d imagine doing with kindergarteners when I substitute teach in schools.

“I’m making something to use in my fabric art,” she explained.  She still had me puzzled.

Yesterday, Beth showed me the paper towel that was transformed into a work of mixed media art.  After it dried, she put on a backing, then added fabric, decorative stitching and other embellishments. 

This has become the “something new” I want to try in my quilting world.

(To see Beth’s converted paper towel, before it was completely finished, visit her Meandering Threads blog and scroll to the bottom of the Postcards and Playtime post.) 

Post from: Blisstree

“All Things New” in My Quilting World

I find this web site, Womenfolk, which contains much information about America’s Quilting History, a very interesting one in general with many topics covered concerning our quilting heritage.

You also can sign up for America’s Quilting History Newsletter which gives you information and updates.

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The History of Quilting and the Bible

Others use the blog as a more personal contact with their clients than their web site where they might operate an online store, either as an entity in itself, or as an extension of a physical shop.  Some store owners conduct online tours, whereby you visit the various blogs or web sites with shopping prizes and discounts as rewards.

Quilters, especially those who are authors, too, might like to take some hints from author/editor/publisher Dorothy Thompson who recently conducted a virtual book or blog tour.  Throughout November Dorothy visited various blogs, and I had the enjoyable opportunity of hosting her on my author blog, Mary Emma’s Potpourri of Writing at http://maryemmallen.blogspot.com .

Dorothy said her blog tour has been the most effective way of promotion…of generating book sales and traffic to her web site that she’s ever experienced, particularly for her new eBook, A Complete Guide to Promoting & Selling Your Self-Published Book. (www.thewriterslife.net )

“I have never seen anything like it and only with I had done this before,” mentioned Dorothy.

You might find some of Dorothy’s tips, as voiced in her interview, a way to generate ideas for a blog tour of your own, either as a quilter or quilter/author.

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Promoting Your Quilting Through a Blog Tour

Although my children’s stories have been published mainly in magazines and I’m a writer more than illustrator, I did sketch the illustrations for an anthology, Tales of Adventure and Discovery, which consists of several of my stories.

“Would your students like one of my illustrations?” I inquired.

“Definitely,” their teacher e-mailed me.  Then one of the students sent me a piece of fabric, cut to the desired size.  I was simply to illustrate with pen and permanent ink.

I selected a drawing of The Cookie Lady, from the poem of that name.  What fun later to see her in a photo of the finished quilt.

This has given me the idea of using some of the other illustrations, as well as the Cookie Lady, for a quilt of my own creation.  This could be wall hanging size or bed size.

You also could do this project with your children.  Have them illustrate blocks with fabric pens or liquid embroidery.  Then sew the blocks together for pillows, wall hangings, or quilts.  This would make a delightful family project.

(Authors…make sure you’ve retained the rights to any illustrations you use in a quilt or have permission from your publisher.)

More information about Tales of Adventure & Discovery, and the companion coloring book, at http://homepage.fcgnetworks.net/jetent/mea/ .

Post from: Blisstree

Artists & Authors – Design Quilts from Your Illustrations

With so many quilters, what makes those stand out who are getting name recognition and orders for their work?  This is not to say there isn’t a market for any quilting, but finding something that is your specialty may help you develop your place in the quilting world.

As I evolved along the quiltmaking trail, I discovered quilted and appliqued vests for children.  (I made them for adults only on special order because I didn’t find themarkets for them in stores.) 

Actually I sort of inherited this business from Jan, another quilter.  i wrote a story about her vest business for the local newspaper and then a quilting magazine.  However, Jan decided she wanted to go back to teaching now that her children were in school.  She said she’d refer me to her markets if I was interested.  Jan had seen my work and was confident I’d produce quality products.

So Jan let me “pick her brains” and I began my venture.  I also found additional markets for these vests and developed my own designs.  I continued with this business until I had to decide whether to grow it larger (investing in more expensive equipment and possibly hiring others to help me) or stay small, but being consumed by the work.  At that time, I had the opportunity for a full time writing position and decided that was the way I wanted to go…writing about quilting and continuing to work on small projects as I had time.

But the niche I found in the quilting world for several years was very enjoyable.

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Quilt Business Tips – Finding Your Niche

So, I’ve begun another collection in my life…that of collecting pictures that remind me of quilts I’ve known or that stimulate memories.

For instance, when I see pictures of quilts made from flour or feed sacks, I recall my aunt “oohing” and “ahing” over bags she brought into the kitchen that once contained food for the chickens.  She washed them well, then gave me two for the first skirt I stitched in 4-H.  Many were used for her sewing, and the scraps found their way into the quilts I made with Grandmother. 

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Collecting Quilt Photos