There’s an excellent guest post at The Quilting Gallery, Fabric Storage Thoughts by Benita Skinner of Victoriana Quilt Designs.  Benita gives many suggestions for storing your various types and sizes of fabric.

How have you arranged yours?  What works for you?

Post from: Blisstree

Tips for Organizing Your Fabric Storage

Kyra, of Black Threads, calls our attention to Mrs. Bobbins, the cartoon found on Pickledish, home of the Kansas City Star Quilts (a fascinating site in itself).

Enjoy!  All the links.

Post from: Blisstree

The Joy of Quilt Cartoons, Especially Mrs. Bobbins

The best way to find more information about quilters you’re interested in is to visit their web sites and blogs.  If they have a shop or gallery, and you know the name and town, see if you can find that web site.  It often will give you schedules, a phone number and e-mail.

Quilters’ teaching and workshop schedules often are posted on various web sites that list events.

Post from: Blisstree

The Whereabouts of Quilters

Miriam’s quilt isn’t finished, but she shows us some “in progress” photos.  Perhaps you’ll be inspired as I was when viewing the birches quilt. 

I also subscribe to Miriam’s blog so get to see many of the crafts she does.

Post from: Blisstree

Enjoy a Unique Birches Quilt

Nowadays, there still are quilting bees and groups that meet monthly or more frequently.  However, there are online groups, too.

Constance is looking for an online group.

i have been quilting for about 10 years . nothing fancy,but my family love my quilts. it would be nice to have someone to talk to that understands being addicted to quilting! There are no quilters near where I live, so it would be great to have someone to talk to.

Do you know of any you can recommend?  Sometimes these involve specific types of quilting.  Other times they consist of anyone interested in any type of quilting.

Post from: Blisstree

Do You Know of Quilters’ Online Groups or Chat Rooms?

Did you know there exists a quilt made by Harriet Tubman?

What about Rosa Parks’ sewing basket?

Fabric with African and African American images

Pearl Bailey’s needlepoint piece

A sewing machine used by Harriet Powers

These and many more Kyra mentions in her list of suggestions. 

After going through Kyra’s list, can you think of others to add?

Post from: Blisstree

Kyra’s Quilting Tips for the New National Museum of African American History

• *Obama followed Lincoln’s route as he came to Washington for the weekend of festivities. 
• He used  Mr. Lincoln’s Bible for his swearing in.

As we hear more about Abraham Lincoln, we may want to refresh our knowledge about the Civil War, his Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves, and his famous Gettysburg Address.  Our children may begin asking questions, and you find they might not have full knowledge from studies at school.

I’ve compiled a list of Resources About Abraham Lincoln at my blog, One Book Two Book that you may find helpful.

Quilting Resources:

Barbara Brackman Designs Obama Fabric You Can Print

Obama Quilts

(Welsh image at Amazon)

Post from: Blisstree

Obama Quilts, Fabric & Association with Abe Lincoln

In keeping with current events, author and quilt historian Barbara Brackman has originated an  Obama fabric design  you can print off onto fabric sheets of your own. 

Thanks to Kyra, of Black Threads, for providing the link for the fabric Pdf at her post Barbara Brackman Designs Obama Fabric – you can print it!  At that same post, you’ll find another fabric Pdf featuring Obama and Biden.

Post from: Blisstree

Barbara Brackman Designs Obama Fabric You Can Print

As I skimmed a news article recapping the events in a particular town for 2008, I saw a reference to “paper quilts.”  The fourth grade students made a paper “quilt” after learning about the history of American quilting.

This reminded me of a quilt that hung in the lobby of the Pease Public Library for about a month after the end of the summer reading program.  This was a paper quilt created by the youngsters who participated in a particular reading project.  This “quilt” was lovely and caught my attention each time I stopped by our town library.

Because the quilt was made by youngsters of different ages, some blocks were more precise than others.  But the whole effect was striking, particularly to someone interested in quiltmaking.

If you don’t have time to go into fabric quiltmaking when working with youngsters, why not try paper quilt projects?  These are fun and can teach youngsters about the history of this art.  The projects can consist of individual ones or a joint one, such as that at the Pease Public Library.

Here are some ideas:

• Paper patchwork placemats that can be laminated for actual use.
• Mini quilts to hang on the wall.
• A joint project with each participant contributing one block.
• Greeting cards or postcards.  These can be scanned and printed off in multiples.
• Picture frame

 These items also can include mixed media if you incorporate fabric pieces along with the paper.  Add embellishments, too.

What have you done in the paper quilt or patchwork area with youngsters?

Post from: Blisstree

Paper Quilts Teach the History of Quiltmaking

In this article, a tourism board ponders the idea of attracting visitors to their area with a “Quilt Trail.“  In this case, they’re looking at the quilt designs painted on barns throughout an area or in various states.  People interested in quilts and anything quilt related often come from miles around to view these works of art.

There’s now a web site detailing quilt trail art.

Other types of quilt trails might involve touring quilt shops in an area or quilt shows.  Perhaps there are quilt museums within a region that work together to produce shows and events.

Maybe you develop your own quilt trail as you go on a vacation or business trip. You’ll research anyting related to quilting in that area and visit.

Have you followed quilt trails around the country or within a state?

Post from: Blisstree

The Fascination of “Quilt Trails”