The Fiber Nation

New Magazine - Fiber Bytes!

2012-01-30T06:51:00.000-06:00

Did you know there is a new digital quilting and fiber art magazine? It's called Fiber Bytes, and they just published their first issue in January! I'm happy to be a contributor to the articles for this magazine! Please stop by Fiber Bytes and check it out!

It's only $24.95 for 12 issues - and the next issue is coming soon in February. If you want to check it out, you can also get the first issue for $3.50.

I hope you will check it out - I'm excited about the future of this magazine and look forward to contributing!

Lockdown!

2012-01-11T15:03:00.000-06:00

The studio is pretty much done - I can't believe it. A huge, HUGE amount of thanks to Nancy Wicke for spending a week getting this done with me!

All that is left is refolding some fabric, and sorting my papers. I've spent a small fortune getting everything needed for a final organization. Hubby might be annoyed - but hopefully he will see how much more functional the studio is now. (Reading this hubby??? Stop by the studio and see my joy!) It will help that I am putting myself on lockdown in the studio. I have an exhibition to get ready for and I will be spending my days in my studio getting it done. This leaves no time for shopping anyways.

I won't be able to share much of what I'm working on over the next few weeks - you'll have to go to the exhibit at the MQX East and West shows to see them! Hopefully I can create some time in between projects to create a little something fun to share here!

Studio Redesign and Reorganize

2012-01-05T07:47:00.000-06:00

I've been quiet, I know! I've also been busy, busy, busy! I have traded cat sitting services for a friend, in return she has been helping me redesign my studio concept and organize everything in it! Here are some before shots (these are from a while back, it was actually messier and more cluttered when we started):

And during progress shots:


The top is how I used to store my fabrics; the bottom is how I store them now using comic book boards!

This is our to scale plan for the studio furniture, slight adjustments were made.

How I store my cones of thread now, thanks to Nancy and Tom hanging pegboard for me!

Ruler storage.

Today will be the third full day of working on the studio. It's looking pretty good already, but I expect it will look 100 times better by the end of today - possibly even nearly done! Notions sorting and storing takes a long time, as does sorting through a gazillion fat quarters and scraps.

This is going to be such a good thing for me. I can feel the urge to work on art in there already! I can't wait to get it done and finish up the pieces that I need done for an upcoming exhibition for MQX!

Clean Slate

2011-12-09T08:48:00.000-06:00

I'm just finishing up putting all of my art into storage containers. Originally I was just packing up pieces I need to bring to art sales in the next couple months. Then I had a realization. Generally, when I do not have my own pieces hanging down here in the studio and in the hallway leading to my stereo, I create more. I also create different things.

I am a person that is heavily influenced by my surroundings. I'm surrounded by nature in the views out my studio windows, and that is the most common subject in my work. The trouble is, if I have pieces hanging in the studio, I tend to be swayed by the colors or fabrics in them. Or I feel too "imprisoned" to create. Sometimes having all those pieces on the walls, just starts to feel like another layer of clutter.

This might be a sign of growing as an artist. My earlier works, I still do not have for sale. Mostly because I am attached to them, but also because their quality of workmanship can't compare to the pieces I am making now. (And obviously the museums will want them some day when they feature me as a famous artist, right? Right?)

I know that I should have the oldest pieces photographed as well, after all it is a record of the progress I have made. Even if I don't use them in a portfolio, somehow is seems like the "right thing to do" to have them documented at least. And then they will continue to be stored in their plastic clear tubs, and wait for day when someone might be interested in the first pieces I ever made.

I find myself wondering though, is it common to have previous pieces in the studio create almost a "block" from new pieces coming forth? Anyone else out there find you aren't as free to create when surrounded works you've already completed?

In My Room - Marianne Fons

2011-11-24T14:00:00.000-06:00

Because I had brothers only, I enjoyed a room of my own growing up. The one I remember best was in Houston, Texas, where I lived with my family from fifth grade through high school graduation.

A born project-lover, I painted by numbers there. I decoupaged. I sewed clothes for my Barbie doll. In my room, I read Women's Wear Daily, daily, dreamed of moving to New York City to become a famous fashion designer, and sewed not-ready-for-prime-time fashions on my mom's Singer Featherweight.

My favorite room currently is of course my sewing room. It sports a standing-height cutting table, a sit-down cabinet where my machine is recessed at table-top level, track lighting I can direct anywhere I want, and a big design wall. My fabrics are in a double-door closet in wire basket drawers. My room is heaven.

In my room just this week I completed my latest Quilt of Valor, pieced the backing for it and another QOV top made recently by my daughter Mary Fons, re-organized my collection of wools, and pulled a few now-out-of-favor fabrics from my stash to put in the Goodwill box.

As I worked, I listened contentedly to public radio, sipped cocoa, and watched the last few leaves float down from our study maple tree, thinking of the winter ahead and the two, no, three, no, four quilts coming up on my mental to-do list.

A big thank you to Marianne Fons for being a guest writer here at The Fiber Nation for the past year! Thank you so much Marianne!

Easy Peasy Marbling on Fabric!

2011-11-14T13:10:00.081-06:00

Need: Shaving cream, protected work surface, fabric, freezer paper, inks/acryllics, combs. Iron fabric to be printed to freezer paper.

Spread out shaving cream to about a quarter inch or so thick, as smooth as possible.

Drop/dribble dye/ink onto the shaving cream.

Use comb and drag through the inks until satisfied with the mixture.

Place the fabric, face down onto the top of the shaving cream/ink mixture

Pat lightly with fingers to ensure all areas of the fabric make contact with foam underneath.

Peel fabric from foam quickly.

Pat or scrape off any excessive foam. Remove freezer paper from fabric.

Iron to heat set.

Enjoy!

Etsy Photos

2011-11-04T12:34:00.003-05:00

Finally finished taking the photographs for the new scarves. I used a photo box and side lights, camera on tripod and snapped away! I think the photos turned out pretty nice!

A Perfect Fall Project: Hand Painted Scarves

2011-11-03T10:28:00.000-05:00

I spent the day yesterday hand painting scarves with Dye-Na-Flow! Wow, it's so much fun - not too mention so much quicker and easier than dyeing them! I have three sales coming up and thought it might be a good seller - especially with more variety.

I have a couple more scarves planned, but they are a bit more time intensive as they require some stitching. The plus side? I always try and make sure the scarves are something I would use, that way if they don't sell, I can cannibalize them into my own closet.

I'm very happy to have a sunny day here, yesterday was a bit gloomy. When I came into the studio this morning, the sunlight was lighting up my scarves wonderfully - what a cheery sight first thing in the morning.

Today's plans? Errands, some writing, and maybe some sketching...you?

Scheduling Studio Time?

2011-10-31T08:55:00.000-05:00

It's Monday morning, and it is also the start of a new practice. From now on, Monday mornings from 7:00 am until 11:00 am will be Fiber Nation mornings for me in the studio. It will be scheduled time to work on the blog; writing, videos, research, etc.

This is much different than I've always worked in the past. I'm not 100% good at it yet either; for example before opening Pages I cleaned up some paints laying around, moved some furniture and organized some fabrics. Fear of blank page, fear of being "scheduled".

One of the things I am discovering is that my lack of a true schedule is hurting my progress as an artist. I'm hoping Monday mornings will now be a good start to the remainder of the week. Of course, each day can't be scheduled like this; I now attend and host several meetings a month between SAQA and the Contemporary Quilters group I am in. (And I must be insane that I'm thinking about joining SDA!)

Perhaps part of my Monday mornings should be allocated to sitting down with my day planner book and scheduling in studio times dedicated to just being in here. Whether I spend that time cleaning or creating, just as long as I'm in here. Present.

Truth be told, I have gotten up a zillion times already to clean bit and pieces in the studio. (It's a mess, what's new?) I've also made tea. Oh, and started laundry. One benefit (drawback?) to the studio location, is that it is immediately next to the laundry room, making it very (in)convenient to do laundry.

How do you make time for the studio/sewing/creating? Do you schedule it into your week? Do you "get there if you get there"? Leave a comment and share how you deal with getting your creative time in.

Shop Sale - 15% Off!

2011-10-28T11:49:00.000-05:00

I'm having a fall sale at my Etsy store, use the coupon code FALL2011 and get 15% off your order!

How to Quilt It: Squiggle Puzzles

2011-10-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

This is an excellent filler for many areas of quilts - it will work well for backgrounds, but also for border large or small.

Things you need to try and focus on while quilting:

Keep your shoulders down, it's very common for quilters to draw their shoulders up to their ears. This will result on back and neck strain - you don't want that, or you'll need recovery time before you can quilt again!
Your needle speed versus your speed moving the quilt around. You need to find a happy balance of how fast your machine is going, versus how fast you are. If your stitches are very long, you are moving too fast or your machine is not stitching fast enough. If you're stitches are tiny and close together, nearly perforating your fabric, it's likely that you are sewing faster than you are moving your quilt around under the needle. Of course you may see a combination of both issues, some long, some short - it's really a matter of slowing yourself down and practicing the feeling of moving the quilt around.

Here is a video showing the technique:

Creative Exhaustion

2011-10-20T23:21:00.002-05:00

There are days like today, when I am reminded of why I create art.

A couple of friends came to the studio to start working through the book Surface Treatment Workshop: Explore 45 Mixed-Media Techniques by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson. I utilized my new Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate.

I did print after print, explored, tried new things, tried old things and had the opportunity to bond a little more with a couple of friends.

I am now exhausted. But it's that good exhaustion, the one where you know you have used up all your creative energy for the day. I feel fulfilled and satisfied! It's an amazing feeling, and I anticipate sleeping REALLY well tonight!

Here are some snapshots of what I did today, the first is aluminum foil (I know, right??) the last three are on watercolor paper:

Today, my gratitude is for being called to be an artist!

Sunshine and Shadow by Marianne Fons

2011-10-19T08:01:00.001-05:00

In quilting terminology, Sunshine and Shadow is a setting for Log Cabin blocks. Layouts for this classic patchwork unit with its light and dark diagonal halves are numerous, each evoking nostalgic images of 19th century rural America.

Straight Furrow positions blocks in bands of contrasting value plowing at a slant through the quilt, making it a farm field with parallel, spaced rows of earth turned by team or tractor.

Barn Raising builds out from a center group of four units, as if a roof beam has been pulled into place by neighbors driving mules.

Streak of Lightening, with blocks boldly zig-zagging from top to bottom, makes the quilt into a prairie horizon during a dramatic storm.

Sunshine and Shadow places groups of four blocks, darks-in/lights-out, row by row, forming seemingly-shaded areas alternating with sun-soaked ones.

I recently enjoyed a glorious day of sunshine and shadow, not out in the country, but in my home town of Winterset, Iowa, on our backyard deck, where I sat reading in a comfy chair for hours. The perfect Indian summer day included an almost cloudless sky, a surprisingly warm temperature of 65 degrees, and a light, variable breeze. If I became too warm in the sunshine, I simply scooted my chair under the shadow of the eave. Once cooled off, out into the sunshine I returned.

By late afternoon, I'd made it through most of a recent issue of The New Yorker, chuckling at the cartoons and appreciating in particular an editorial that suggested a few bright spots on our country's currently dark economic horizon.

Those nineteenth-century quilt makers sure knew how to name quilt blocks!

Thank you again to Marianne Fons for contributing to The Fiber Nation.

Great White

2011-10-12T22:36:00.001-05:00

I dove into some more thread painting today. It's already matted and framed!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Inspirational Photos

2011-09-30T13:07:00.001-05:00

2011-09-29T12:48:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! The Fiber Nation studio is getting cleaned out! Check out the Etsy site for some good deals on fabric packages! Thanks!

Eden Prairie Art Crawl

2011-09-23T14:45:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again, the Eden Prairie Art Crawl. I have spent the last few months completing my new series. I then spent the last week getting the studio ready for the crawl. As of today, all pieces are hung and displayed, and I have just a couple areas to straighten up before the crawl opens tomorrow! (Hence my absence as of late!)

Please check out this page for details of the art crawl if you'd like to do the tour: http://www.edenprairie.org/vcurrent/live/article.asp?r=8291

And The Winner Is...

2011-09-09T19:11:00.001-05:00

The winner of the Masters: Art Quilts Vol 2 is...

KittyKwilter!!!

Congratulations KittyKwilter, please email thefibernation@gmail.com right away with your mailing address so you can get your signed copy of Masters: Art Quilts Vol 2 as soon as possible!

Thanks again to Lark Crafts for this great giveaway! And thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a comment!

Fiber Art Now Magazine - Thank Goodness!

2011-08-31T23:05:00.000-05:00

Over the summer, the fiber arts community suffered a loss. That loss was the ending of Fiber Arts magazine. Most of us were shocked when we received our "last issue" with a note from the editor that it was to be the last issue.

I was sad, and I have to admit a little worried. It's no comfort when an industry magazine goes under, and you're part of that industry! I was a bit concerned about the future of fiber arts, when our one dedicated periodical failed. Did it mean something for our medium? Had we lost our opportunity to really get fiber arts out there and into the fine art world?

Then the word got out. A new fiber art magazine! Fiber Art Now.

Fiber Art Now is headed up by editor-in-chief Marcia Young. Marcia has been running the online magazine Valley Fiber Life since 2009 and has taken the next step, by creating and publishing Fiber Art Now.

I am very excited to see the first issue due out in October. The magazine will be quarterly and you can get your subscription from their website.

NOTE: The Anilee Treasure Hunt starts tonight - be sure and check out the image/link for Anilee Treasure Hunt!

Controversial Fiber Installation

2011-08-31T11:01:00.000-05:00

I'm watching "The Gates" documentary on Netflix streaming right now. It is a stark example of the adversity that artists can face. Christo and Jeanne-Claude had a dream for Central Park that would span twenty six years of bureaucracy before finally becoming a reality.

Christo and Jean-Claude envisioned bringing art and color to 23 miles of walking paths in New York. Their medium? Saffron-colored vinyl, cocooned above 7,503 gates spanned across Central Park.

The documentary shows both sides of the story, those that were excited about the project, and those that were vehemently opposed. Ironically, the main thing people complained about was the cost, $25 million dollars. Ironic because it cost the people of New York nothing, Christo and Jean-Claude financed the whole project personally. They accepted no sponsorships or donations. This was THEIR money to spend.

Many others were angry, saying the park was about nature and that it was beautiful on it's own. (Ignoring the fact that the installation was during the bleak months of winter when all that could be seen was dead grass, mud and dirty snow.) Also, the park was not harmed by the installation - not a single hole was dug into the ground!

This was back in 2005. If only they were doing the installation now! They paid all of their workers, and also provided them with breakfast and a hot meal each day. They also created more jobs during the duration, by hiring security teams to patrol the park after dark.

It amazes me that people in a city full of skyscrapers, concrete, steel, parking garages, and a 150 foot metal woman with a torch, could be so opposed to an art installation! Would they have been as opposed if an artist wanted to display 7,503 paintings in the park?

I guess it's human nature to reject anything you personally don't find "appealing" or "attractive", but at the same time always expect acceptance for something YOU want or like! Food for thought!

Call For Back Up

2011-08-30T15:54:00.000-05:00

I adore my Bernina 1260. Adore probably isn't a strong enough word to express my feelings, but it will have to do. Before purchasing "her" used at a machine store, I used VERY cheap machines. I also hated quilting. No matter how hard I tried my quilting would be awful. I honestly thought I would never be a quilter. A piecer, yes. A surface designer, yes. But quilter?

Then I followed my heart and intuition and picked up my 1260 at an incredibly reasonable price, and I've been doing the quilting on my pieces since that day. I love quilting on that machine so much, that I often will start with a whole cloth hand dyed piece just to get to the quilting faster.

This being said, you can grasp how I felt on Saturday, when I was quilting away, then went to change to a stitch I've never used, only to have my machine stop working. That's right, I would hit the pedal, see the thread take up move up and down, hear the motor wind, but the needle would not move up and down. My heart broke. Oh, and I panicked.

I have an art crawl coming up quickly, and I do not have a back up machine. I had my previous machine still, but when I sat down again and tried (after much more quilting experience) to get it quilting and free motioning, I could not get it to do it. It was awful. I felt sick. I felt lost. I learned a very valuable lesson. I need a real back up machine.

Once I started to think about (and I had time all afternoon and evening Saturday, as well as all day Sunday), I realized that other artists have back ups. Painters don't have just one paint brush after all!
Monday morning I drove my poor baby to the "Dr's" (i.e. local quilt shop), she was diagnosed with what was likely wrong - and that it might take awhile! Tracy at Make It Sew was incredibly kind enough to offer me a personal machine of hers as a loaner - which I thanked her for but decided against (Can you imagine if you were using someone else's machine when it broke?) It was a white Bernette.

I started to look around the shop, and saw several Bernette models on one side of the store. I asked Tracy if any of them would free motion quilt. Turns out they can indeed! I tried a couple but ultimately decided on the Bernette 46 - it quilted beautifully for me and was a front loading bobbin (this is very important to me!) These machines are pretty affordable, and seem solidly built. She makes a lovely purr as she free motions! As you can see, there are not a ton of stitches, but honestly I'm happy about that! I don't use too many, and it leaves less to go wrong!

I am so happy to have a good back up now, and happy to say that since yesterday morning when I brought her home, I have already quilted three and a half of my pieces!

If you're a full time fiber/quilt artist who uses a machine I really suggest trying to have a solid and reliable back up machine. Being without a tool necessary to your craft is not a good feeling!

Ironically it reminds me of a kitchen set I saw while dishwasher shopping this past weekend as well!

Masters: Art Quilts Vol. 2 Giveaway

2011-08-23T07:52:00.001-05:00

Good morning! The Fiber Nation has a signed copy of Masters: Art Quilts Vol. 2 signed by Martha Sielman to give away!

All you need to do is leave a comment on this post telling me who your favorite quilt artist is? A mentor, someone whose work you admire, someone who you think pushes the limits of art quilting! "Anonymous" comments will not be considered - as I need a way of identifying you to let you know if you win. One entry per person.

You can leave a comment anytime from now until September 9th!

Ready?
Set.
Go!

There are many blogs participating in this even, you will find the schedule below. Please don't forget to "follow" us here, and check us out on Facebook!

The Schedule:
8/16 Larkcrafts.com kickoff!
8/17 Terry Grant: www.andsewitgoes.blogspot.com
8/18: Linda Teddlie Minton: fiberreflections.blogspot.com
8/19: Cheryl Sleboda: blog.muppin.com
8/22: Terri Stegmiller: http://stegart.blogspot.com
8/23: Stephanie Forsyth: thefibernation.blogspot.com
8/24: Janice Paine Dawes: http://thedistoriatedquilter.com/
8/25 Karen Stiehl Osborn: http://stiehlosborn.blogspot.com
8/26: Kathy Loomis: artwithaneedle.blogspot.com
8/29: Diane Lochala http://dianedoodles.blogspot.com
8/30: Sue Bleiweiss: http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog
8/31: Gerrie Congdon: gericondesigns.com/weblog
9/1: Marilyn Wall: http://www.marilynhwall.blogspot.com
9/2: Laura Wasilowski: http://artfabrik.blogspot.com
9/6: Sherryl Buchler: http://skb2000.blogspot.com
9/7: Cheryl Lynch: http://www.CherylLynchQuilts.blogspot.com
9/8 Deborah Boschert: http://DeborahsJournal.blogspot.com
9/9: Brenda Gael Smith: http://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/

Letting Go

2011-08-19T10:47:00.000-05:00

One of the pitfalls of being a fiber artist seems to be trying a wide variety surface design techniques. While this is a good thing for growth, it is not necessarily good for the serenity of the studio. It tends to produce a good deal of clutter.

The realization of the need to start getting rid of things from my studio, is a good indicator as my growth as an artist. I am starting to see my preferences in my medium. One of those is that I prefer to work almost exclusively with batiks and/or hand dyed fabrics. This means an uncomfortable choice to pare down my commercial prints fabrics a great deal.

I have been in our "new home" for a year and a half now. I have learned I am much more productive when my studio is in our home. I have spent a lot of hours in the studio, and that has always helped me start realizing changes I need to make in my organization,

There are things I put on prime shelf space, that I rarely use, like my upholstery sample pieces. While I do use them, and do not wish to get ride of them, I now know that I need to tub them and put them above the shelves, and utilize the shelve space for things I use often.

There are things that I have "collected" in too great of numbers that I will reduce as well. Things like markers, crayons, and pens.

It's a hard process, but I am finding it completely necessary right now. My personality has grown and changed over the past few years, and this new personality does not feel as creative in the midst of clutter!

New York Lady by Marianne Fons

2011-08-16T20:48:00.000-05:00

My dream as a high school student in Houston, Texas, was to attend Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and become a famous fashion designer. I applied and was accepted, but then let well-meaning people dissuade me. I'd never been to New York, and F.I.T.'s neighborhood was rough in the late 60s. Instead, I attended University of Houston, majored in English, relocated to Iowa, my birth state, and completed my education at Drake University.

I finally visited the Big Apple in 1986. My Lady Liberty Medallion was Iowa winner in the Great American Quilt Contest. Sponsored by 3M and the American Folk Art Museum, the contest celebrated the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday. Finalists were chosen by state, and each state winner received a travel stipend to attend the Great American Quilt Festival at the New York City Exhibition Pier.

After that first trip, I made many others over the years–to style fabrics for Benartex and, later, to call on many quilt industry fabric companies when I was in charge of advertising sales for Love of Quilting magazine.

My oldest daughter Hannah, after graduating from University of Iowa in the early 1990s, moved to New York and has never lived elsewhere. I visited her first in Brooklyn, then in Hell's Kitchen, and now the East Village.

Just earlier this month, I traveled to New York as a presenter for the Alliance for American Quilts event. It was sweet to stand at a podium in the conference center of Fashion Institute of Technology, delivering my lecture "Why We Quilt" to an audience of several hundred. My middle daughter Mary Fons, TV co-host now on "Love of Quilting" and creator and host of her own online how-to program Quilty, presented as well. Hannah, who's taken numerous classes herself at F.I.T., was in the audience.

I'm a more sophisticated traveler now than when I visited Manhattan for the first time. I've walked miles up and down the Avenues, traipsed numbered streets from east side to west, shopped in many neighborhoods, and own a membership at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Still, the sight of Lady Liberty standing in New York Harbor moves me to tears at the same speed she did when our eyes met the first time almost 25 years ago.

Thank you again to Marianne Fons for contributing to The Fiber Nation.

Lark Crafts Book Giveaway!

2011-08-14T15:34:00.000-05:00

Lark Crafts is organizing a book giveaway for the new Masters Art Quilts Volume 2, and it starts this Tuesday August 16th! They are setting it up like a blog hop of sorts, and The Fiber Nation giveaway starts on August 23rd! Each blog/stop will be giving away a copy of Masters Art Quilts Volume 2, signed by Martha Sielman!

On the 23rd, all you need to do here is stop by and leave a comment on the special post to be put into the drawing for the free signed copy of Masters Art Quilts Volume 2. You will have until September 7th to leave a comment on the give away post. We will then randomly pick a winner - only one entry (comment) per person! And if you want to be in the running you MUST NOT leave an anonymous comment - you must have an account so we can find you! (Your address will be passed along to the coordinator at Lark Crafts, who will mail your book to you directly!)

No need to wait until the 23rd! The excitement starts this Tuesday at Lark Crafts! Make sure you make the rounds as the days go by! Each blog is allowed to choose their method of contest - so you'll have to swing by each one for the skinny!

The Schedule:
8/16 Larkcrafts.com kickoff!
8/17 Terry Grant: www.andsewitgoes.blogspot.com
8/18: Linda Teddlie Minton: fiberreflections.blogspot.com
8/19: Cheryl Sleboda: blog.muppin.com
8/22: Terri Stegmiller: http://stegart.blogspot.com
8/23: Stephanie Forsyth: thefibernation.blogspot.com
8/24: Janice Paine Dawes: http://thedistoriatedquilter.com/
8/25 Karen Stiehl Osborn: http://stiehlosborn.blogspot.com
8/26: Kathy Loomis: artwithaneedle.blogspot.com
8/29: Diane Lochala http://dianedoodles.blogspot.com
8/30: Sue Bleiweiss: http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog
8/31: Gerrie Congdon: gericondesigns.com/weblog
9/1: Marilyn Wall: http://www.marilynhwall.blogspot.com
9/2: Laura Wasilowski: http://artfabrik.blogspot.com
9/6: Sherryl Buchler: http://skb2000.blogspot.com
9/7: Cheryl Lynch: http://www.CherylLynchQuilts.blogspot.com
9/8 Deborah Boschert: http://DeborahsJournal.blogspot.com
9/9: Brenda Gael Smith: http://serendipitypatchwork.com.au/