Confetti Naturescapes
Noriko Endo
Dragon Threads; $29.95

Award-winning Japanese quilter Noriko Endo’s quilts are often recognized for their impressionistic landscape style. Starting with a photograph as her inspiration, she creates the quilts using her unique confetti technique, layering bits and shreds of fabric on batting, topping it with tulle and then machine quilting the piece. Noriko offers step-by-step instructions for choosing your subject and then designing, quilting and finishing your quilt. The book includes Noriko’s personal story, a discussion of where she finds inspiration as well as an extensive gallery with abundant closeup shots. If you’re a fan of her quilts, you’ll enjoy the closeup into her work. And, if you want to create your own quilts based on her confetti technique, you’ll have the tools to do so.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Each year I’m always amazed at the numbers of new fabrics, notions, tools, etc., that are introduced at Quilt Market. Here is some of what I saw.

1. Gammill Quilting Systems introduced a new tracking system. The Breeze Track System features 16 stainless steel wheels on a vertical track. Customers found the Breeze Track System offered less vibration and was quicker moving than the horizontal 8-track rubber wheel system. You can have your machine retrofitted for $1,000.

2. I saw more laminates and oil cloth. Several designers, including Tula Pink with Westminster Lifestyle Fabrics, did a line that featured some of her designs in both fabrics. Also from Westminster’s FreeSpirit division is the new Designers Basics Program featuring solids, dapples, houndstooth, twine, instincts, pinwheels, beads and frescos that combine with the prints from Westminster.

3. Hoffman Fabrics has terrific new Bali batiks that feature seahorses and shells. The lines have been popular with buyers along the coastal areas.

4.  Also in the batik area, I saw a wonderful 1/2 inch batik stripe in the Elementals line from Lunn Studios and Robert Kaufman Fabrics. Also from Kaufman is the bright, fun and cheery Daisies & Dots by Piece O’ Cake Designs.

5. Shelly Stokes with Cedar Canyon Textiles introduced her new book Design Magic for Paintstiks on fabric as well as new DesignMagic(TM) stencils and new Sorbet Paintstik colors.

6. Joan Hawley with Lazy Girl Designs was in the Checker booth showing off her newest patterns, including the “Suzi Purse Insert and More” designed to be used as an organizer for your purse or a desk caddy. The pattern includes two sizes and is perfect fit for any of bags made from Joan’s patterns or bags you already own.

Stay tuned for more next week.

The Rose of Sharon Block Book
Sharon Pederson
Martingale & Co.; $24.99

Since I wrote about charitable donations earlier, a review of this book seemed perfect. In the Spring of 2008, Sharon Pederson’s business partner, Elizabeth Phillips, suggested a number of ways that Sharon could promote her newest book, Machine Applique for the Terrified Quilter. Before Sharon knew what hit her, she had a bright orange template for her Rose of Sharon quilt that led to the block challenge. Along the way she and Elizabeth worked with Electric Quilt to make the block shapes available on its website, designed a die for the AccuQuilt machine, worked with Island Batik to provide fabric for the blocks and worked with Oklahoma Embroidery Supply and Design (OESD) to have the blocks digitized. The bonus was supporting a charity in the process, and they choose Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. Sharon’s challenge drew 850-plus blocks which were narrowed down to 12. The final 12, plus a block from Sharon and Elizabeth, were made into a finished quilt. This book includes not only this quilt and its 13 blocks with instructions, it also showcases an additional 70 blocks. If you don’t want to make a large quilt, you can use any of the blocks to make the three-block wallhanging or pillow patterned in the book.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Picture This!
By Marcia Stein
C&T Publishing; $27.95

I have been a fan of Marcia Stein’s quilts for a long time. We even put one of her quilts on the cover of Issue 100 of The Professional Quilter. It’s the same quilt that graces the cover of her first book. Subtitled Appliqué Pictorial Quilts – From Photo to Fabric, this book starts with how to take better photos, how to choose the right photo for a quilt and then how to use your computer to look at the photos to determine value among other things. From here you’ll learn how to transfer your photo to a master drawing that you’ll use to select your fabric and create your quilt. Marcia covers three different methods of appliqué: turn-under, fused or raw-edge. In addition to a gallery of photos, you’ll find three projects with detailed instructions to develop and build your skills. If you are looking to learn the technique behind creating realistic pictorial applique quilts, this is an excellent resource.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

Fall seems to be ripe with opportunities for you to donate your work, whether that’s your original artwork or your product, such as a pattern or book. We all receive letters from charitable organizations, including guilds, asking for donations. While it’s wonderful to support so many worthwhile organizations, you cannot support them all. You may not have enough stock nor time to create more. And, if you respond to all the requests, your business could take a serious financial hit. On the plus side, you may get some media coverage and gain a collector of your work. When considering such requests, here are some suggestions/guidelines:

1. Choose a few charities that you care about and give to them. I’m partial to the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. Many quilters have given to Fiberart for a Cause. Kathy Thompson with Quilters Dream Batting has started a project for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). The Quilts of Valor is another popular project. It will be easy to find a charity that touches your heart.

2. If you are an artist who is asked for a donation, consider asking the organization to share in the proceeds if your piece is auctioned. Ask that a reserve (or minimum) price be set for your work. This is particularly true if you are donating a one-of-a-kind piece of a great value. The organization still receives a fair return, and you should be able to recoup the costs of your materials. If you donate a great deal of artwork that sells for lower prices, this could “devalue” your artwork to your regular audience.

3. Remember that you are only permitted to write off on your taxes the costs of your materials. You are not permitted to write off the value of your art and your time. Perhaps you’ll find a better option is to make a monetary donation that you can deduct fully.

4. Consider offering prints or giclees of your work in lieu of the original artwork. Check our blog for the post on giclees or refer to Issue 112 of The Professional Quilter for the full article.

5. Consider who receives your donation. I regularly receive requests from guilds across the country to donate something for their annual show or shop hop. Since our audience is limited to professionals, I have no way of knowing if a professional will win the prize. If I choose to make a donation, I do it as a gift certificate and include information about IAPQ. Hopefully a professional will take me up on the gift.

6. Sending a gift certificate, as I do, is an option for many, particularly with the requests for guild shows. Pattern designers can send a pattern – either new or one that is no longer being produced – or a gift certificate with a catalog. Longarm quilters, already so generous with their time, can offer to quilt a top for someone who is making a charitable donation.

What are you guidelines or suggestions for donations?

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership and join here.

Sew The Perfect Bag
Sew News
Martingale & Co.; $22.99

Who hasn’t sewn a bag? I have a theory about why women have so many bags, as well as shoes. They always fit! And if you are looking for another bag to add to your collection, Sew The Perfect Bag has some great patterns, 25 to be exact. The patterns, which originally appeared in the pages of Sew News, include a lovely sashimi stitched silk duping clutch, a messenger bag that’s full of pockets and an insulated wine or beverage carrier. You’ll also find a diaper bag with an attached vinyl changing pad and side pockets big enough for two full-size bottles. And if you’ve ever accidentally washed a wool sweater, you’ll find instructions for creating a felted tote. This is a versatile collection and you’re sure to find something that fits your needs.

Here’s a link, if you’d like to add it to your library.

When I was on vacation in Florida last month, I took a water aerobics class. One morning the instructor noted that we only had four months left in the year to accomplish our goals. While she was referring to our health goals, we now have three months to accomplish our other personal or business goals. How close to your goals are you? I know I still have some work to do on mine. One tool I use could be called “The Power of Five.” I’ve probably always used some form of this concept, and Jack Canfield coined it the “Rule of 5” in his book The Success Principles

Simply take five steps towards your goal each day. They don’t have to be big steps; they can be baby steps. For example, if one of your goals is to promote your new pattern, sending a sample with a letter to five different distributors counts as five steps. The steps don’t have to big ones, just ones that move you towards your goal. And, I think that often the small steps get you there faster; they make the goal seem less overwhelming. Of course, to do this you have to break down the goal into specific steps, often referred to as “chunking.”

I use the concept several ways. I have a running list of things that need to be done for a project, and I can decide the night before what I will accomplish the next day. Then I use my calendar to note the five things I did accomplish. That lets me see that I am progressing towards my goal. And some days I don’t get five. That doesn’t really matter as long as I’m taking some action towards my goal. It’s about persistence with one step followed by another step.

The International Association of Professional Quilters offers resources and networking opportunities for you to create a success from your quilting business. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership and join here.