Monday, January 19, 2015

Threading the needle

Still at Kanuga leading a workshop with lots of enthusiastic quilters. One of quilters, Maralee Veazy, came all the way from London, England. She met up with a long time friend from New Orleans to spend a weekend sewing together. We supplied a loaner sewing machine and she was challenged as she learned to thread it.

How happy can you be when you can finally start sewing!

Friday, January 16, 2015

Kanuga Year 'Round

For the past 8 years my sister, Janet Houts, and I have been leading a workshop at Kanuga Conference Center www.kanuga.org in Hendersonville, NC. It is always Martin Luther King weekend. Check it out and plan to come next year!

Many of the quilters come year after year and have formed close friendships they maintain throughout the year. Yesterday everyone arrived to set up their work space and last night we had an impromptu show and tell with some of the quilters.

Several quilters decided amongst themselves to do round robin quilts to keep in touch. Here are some of the quilts that are currently in progress. Can't wait to see what they add for the next round of borders.
Jan is on the left, Charlotta is in the middle and Mary is on the right. 

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Kanuga Time

Every January for the Martin Luther King holiday weekend my sister, Janet Houts, and I travel to Hendersonville, NC to lead a 3 day workshop. We each present a project or participants can bring their own project and we will help them.

When I travel I have to board my dog. Here in DC I decided to use the service called, Dogvacay. I found a wonderful couple who have a dog that has become Chloe's new best friend. Last night I dropped Chloe off and here she is settling in for the night (and a few nights to come). Chloe is the light colored dog and her friend is the black dog. And, yes, that is an antique quilt from the 1930's that Chloe likes to sleep on. My dog sitter's mother is a quilter from Raleigh, NC. I said, "please don't tell your mom that my dog sleeps on an antique quilt," but I bet she told her.

My Hexagon Trim Tool was created because Anne from Mississippi came to Kanuga and brought an antique quilt with rows of strips around the center hexagon. She wanted a pattern to make one like it so Janet and I worked one out for her. Naturally, I was inspired to do the Hexagon Trim Tool and you know the results! The rulers are available on my website: jeanannquilts.com



Monday, January 12, 2015

There's No Place Like Home!

About 25 years ago I made this quilt. It was my first art quilt and my first strip pieced quilt. Then 20 years ago someone really wanted to buy the quilt. I didn't really want to sell it so I quoted what I thought was a hefty price - $400 - they would turn down. But they bought it! I had to say goodbye as my quilt moved to Chicago. I had even forgotten that I had named the quilt Midnight Musings.

Then 2 weeks ago my friend, Pepper Cory, sent me an email to tell me she saw a quilt on ebay for sale that had my name on it as maker. I followed the link and was surprised to see the quilt I had sold. Bidding followed and after several up bids I finally bought my quilt back for $58.00.

Today the quilt arrived, still in good condition so I could tell it had been well taken care of for all those years. Now it is home again. I could have called this posting "Coming Home" or "Home Again" but in the end I thought there is no place like home! Thanks Pepper for taking the time to let me know about the auction. I am very happy to have this quilt back in my own collection.