Since 1983, The Professional Quilter and now the International Association of Professional Quilters have recognized one teacher with its Teacher of the Year Award. This year’s award goes to Peggy Martin, a quilt teacher from San Diego, Calif., who specializes in foundation piecing. Here’s an excerpt from the Spring issue of The Professional Quilter that provides some insight into Peggy’s teaching philosophy.

What standards of workmanship do you require of your students?
What do you do if they don’t attain them?

Students work with different strengths and weaknesses and different levels of experience as well. Presenting techniques and tips to improve the end result is what I try to do; I can’t say I actually “require” any particular standard of workmanship in my classes. I am happy if they try their best, realizing that better results will come with practice. In that same vein, if someone is clearly struggling, I try to make positive suggestions, rather than providing a negative critique. Asking students if they’re happy with their work will often bring up any issues they have had, and suggestions can then be made for improving their work. Students take classes to learn new techniques and to have fun, so I try to create as comfortable and relaxed an environment as I possibly can, which includes an accepting attitude. We all aim for perfection, but making something perfect is not the goal. Learning and feeling appreciated and validated for their efforts are what I try to provide for my students.

How do you encourage creativity in your students?

Part of my teaching always includes showing alternative methods to achieve the same result. I also try to show variations in terms of color and style of fabrics with many different setting options. By showing students the steps I go through when coming up with new ideas, it gets their own wheels turning and they begin to realize how easy it is to explore their own creativity. I’m never happier than when students comes up with a totally different look for their quilts than I have shown them. Seeing that spark of excitement and watching them take the next step beyond is one of my greatest thrills as a teacher.

How do you encourage students’ further growth in quilting, beyond the formal class?

Making sure that students leave the class with the idea that there are myriad possibilities and options open to them and trying to encourage them to have the courage to explore new ideas is one of the things I try to accomplish. Many people lack confidence in their own creativity, and I hope to bolster their faith in themselves, so they leave class with the courage to trust themselves to try their own ideas and follow their own instincts.

You can read more about Peggy Martin in the Spring issue of The Professional Quilter. This journal is just one of the benefits of membership in the International Association of Professional Quilters. Learn about all the benefits of IAPQ membership and join here.

Beautiful Alphabet Appliqué
Zena Thorpe
American Quilter’s Society; $22.95

If you’ve seen any of Zena Thorpe’s quilts, you know what a master with the needle she is. Her quilts have won numerous top awards and she was inducted in the Master Quilters Guild, part of the National Quilting Association. Zena has long been fascinated with illuminated letters originally produced by monastic scribes and the letters began to find their way into her work. In 2008 she began showing “Illuminated Alphabet,” which features the 26 letters of the alphabet plus four corner appliqué blocks. You can recreate her quilt or use the letters to create individual wall hangings words of your choosing.

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

Attending the Friendship Star Quilters show over the weekend reminded me of the variety of reasons quilters have for entering shows. For many,  it’s a chance to share what they’ve accomplished with others.  It’s a chance to support your guild’s efforts, and for many guilds this is what pays for lectures and workshops.  For teachers, it’s a wonderful opportunity to share what their students have accomplished. If you are a professional, it’s a chance to get your work seen by a larger and potential buying audience or to increase your exposure in the quilt or art world at large. For some entering a local show is a stepping stone to a larger show.

Do you remember the first time you entered a quilt in a quilt show? I do.

I was a member of the Charlotte Quilters Guild in 1977, and several of us decided to enter our work in the annual NQA show, which was held at Georgetown Visitation Prep in Washington, D.C. Of course, it wasn’t enough to just enter, we had to go to the show. It was very exciting stepping into this larger venue. I remember that my grandmother met me at the show. I was thrilled she could see my work, and she was quite impressed with all the variety of quilts. (Of course, she did cast her viewer’s choice for one of my quilts!)

Of all the reasons to enter a show, though, I think the best is the opportunity to grow as a quilter and an artist. Why do you enter shows and how does this stretch you?

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 here.

Intuitive Color & Design
Jean Wells
C&T Publishing; $27.95

After quilting, teaching and running a shop for more than 33 years, Jean Wells decided she wanted to work more intuitively and create abstract designs. Her initial work with Nancy Crow started her on a wonderful path of exploration that she now shares with others. If you’ve not a class from Jean, this book is your chance to learn from her. To start with she suggests you really learn to see what’s around you and keep a journal. She includes a variety of exercises to help you develop your use of color, design and piecing with such assignments as intuitive angle piecing, proportion, and color and value. Doing the exercises will make you a better quilter, whether you stick with traditional quilts or make art quilts.

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

Recently I reread A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. It’s a good read about why right-brainers will rule the future. The future, really today, is the “conceptual age.” Pink discusses the “six senses” that one uses to build a whole new mind to thrive in this conceptual age: design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning. While I don’t necessarily subscribe to his premise in total – I believe we need to engage both parts of our brain – he offers lots of great exercises to get your right brain working. And even though many fiber artists are right-brained, you’ll find the exercises fun and expanding.

Onto ifs, ands & buts. In his discussion on meaning, one of Pink’s suggestions for creating more meaning in your life is to replace the word “but” with “and.” He says that “buts” can create roadblocks for creating more meaning in your life and suggests creating a list of what you are trying to accomplish and what’s in your way. Here are a few examples:

“I’d like to get these new patterns finalized, but I’ve got to pick the kids up after school.”

“I really need to create new classes, but I don’t have time to work on them.”

“I am happy with the design of my new quilt, but the color is off.”

Now replace each “but” in the sentence with “and:”

“I’d like to get these new patterns finalized, and I’ve got to pick the kids up after school.”

“I really need to create new classes, and I don’t have time to work on them.”

“I am happy with the design of my new quilt, and the color is off.”

Two things happen. First you haven’t negated the phrase before the “and.” When you use “but,” you devalued all that came before it. Second, you have, as Pink says, moved from “excuse-making mode and into “problem-solving mode.” This opens your mind to look for possibilities. It’s easy to see that when you read the sentence with the “and” your mind starts to think of how you could solve your dilemma.

In the first example, you might say, “I’d like to get these new patterns finalized and I’ve got to pick the kids up after school. So I need to make arrangements for someone else to pick them us so I can work.”

In the second example, “I really need to create new classes, and I don’t have time to work on them. So I need to look at what I can eliminate or delegate.”

In the third example, “I am happy with the design of my new quilt, and the color is off. So I need to pull some colors from the stash and see what I can change.”

I also think the same thing can happen when you use in the words “if only,” as in this example:

“I really need to create new classes, if only I had time to work on them.”

“If only” negates creating classes and leaves you in excuse-making mode. And, while you can’t make a direct swap with “and,” changing the last part will move you into problem-solving mode. Try it with “I really need to create new classes, and I need to find time to work on them.”

Next time you find yourself saying “but” or “if only,” give “and” a try. It’s made a difference for me. Let me know how it works for you.

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 here.

Blendable Curves
Peggy J. Barkle
C&T Publishing; $19.95

If you or your students are looking to take a step beyond the traditional quilt block, this is a fun technique. Peggy Barkle takes two identical traditional blocks done in two colorways. She then stacks the blocks, cuts a free-form curve from diagonal to diagonal, shuffles the blocks so the blocks no longer match, and pieces them into a new block. Voila! You have a cool curvy nine-patch or a curvy log cabin or any other block pattern. Peggy starts with a simple nine patch, so you can learn the technique and then build from there. The book includes 10 quilt projects and a gallery of quilts by others. I really liked the idea of using this to create a background for appliqué, and her designs can lead to endless possibilities.

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

Earlier this year, I attended a lecture and the quilt artist, in the course of showing her work, displayed the greeting card that inspired one particular piece. She had photocopied the card, enlarged it and then made a pattern for her work. I could see no discernible difference between the card and her work. Someone from the audience inquired as to whether or not that was a copyright violation. Rightly, the artist said that yes it was. She went on to explain that she had done this when she didn’t understand copyright. Today her work is inspired by her surroundings and she does her own original work, either from her own drawings or photographs. I’m glad someone asked her about copyright, but she missed a great opportunity to teach her audience the basics by bringing it up in the first place.

I want to share another situation. Years ago at a guild meeting, one member made a presentation on copyright and how it applied to quilters. It was thoughtful, and she covered the basics and more. She summed the presentation up by passing out copies of an article she had photocopied about copyright. Do you think she missed the point?

I always say that the basics of copyright are simple: if you don’t own the copyright, you don’t have the right to copy. Many people think copyright is about the loss of income to the artist. It’s really about who decides what happens to your work. You, as the copyright owner, are the only one who can decide if and how it can be copied, adapted and distributed. Of course, copyright is more involved than that, and I think when faced with any question about copyright, your first step is to ask who owns the copyright.

What if you don’t know who owns the copyright? If the copyright was registered before 1978, the Copyright Office staff can search its records for you for a minimum fee of $330. If you are in Washington, DC, you can do this search at the Copyright Office without a charge. If the copyright was registered from 1978 to present, you can search online at the Copyright Office Web site for the records.

How do you tell if a work is still subject to copyright? For the most part, if the work was created after Jan. 1, 1978, the copyright is in effect for the life of the creator plus 70 years. If the work was created prior to Jan. 1, 1978, copyright protection varies and the specifics are rather complex. You can read the details in various circulars from the Copyright Office Web site.  Here are just a few points. If the copyright was in effect before Jan. 1, 1964, it needed to be renewed during its 28th year of the first term of its copyright and then it maintained protection for a full 95-year term. If a work was not published or registered before Jan. 1, 1978, it entered the public domain on Jan. 1, 2003 (unless publication took place by Dec. 31, 2002). And, virtually all of the work published before 1923 is in the public domain. Here’s a link to a chart on the Cornell University Web site showing copyright terms and public domain.

To learn more about copyright, here’s a link to the US Copyright Office web site . If you have specific questions about copyright, be sure to consult an attorney for clarification. Also, IAPQ members have access to an intellectual property attorney for copyright concerns.
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 here.

It is definitely spring in my yard, and it is so welcome after what I would call an excess of snow. Here’s the magnolia tree that is right outside my office window.

Last weekend was busy quiltwise for me. On Friday I stopped in at the new AQS show in Lancaster, PA. It is the new convention center, a nice facility filled with three floors of quilts and vendors, as well as a satellite location about a mile away. Shuttle buses ran between the buildings and parking areas. Practically the first vendor I ran into was IAPQ member Lisa Reber of Dippy Dyes. Lisa does wonderful hand-dyed fabrics and was thrilled that three of the quilts in the show featured her fabrics. They also worked wonderfully in Woodland Lei from Pacific Rim Quilt Company, which is shown in the back on the left. And, she was wearing her IAPQ pin!

For the first year of the show I heard lots of positive comments, and the quilts were wonderful. I know first hand that the bus situation needs some work – we waited too long for it to arrive – and I heard that Bonnie Browning was riding the buses to get ahead of any complaints. Way to go!

Following the stop at AQS I headed off to Bird-in-Hand where I was the guest speaker for the weekend at the Quilt Professionals Network. I had a wonderful time with this very talented group of quilt professionals. Saturday I taught my three-hour Quilting Passion to Profit class in the morning and then in the afternoon I shared my Open House: Quilt Studio Tour slide lecture. Don’t you just love to see how other quilters work? On Sunday I presented my Time Management (Mastery) for Quilters program. Along with educational opportunities, the weekend included plenty of networking time, and it was a joy to reconnect with quilters I’ve known over the years and also meet new professionals. Thanks QPN for inviting me!

And, during my three-hour class, we discussed selling benefits vs. features. One of my examples included buying if you think something will increase in value, and I shared the story of a gnome I have, only I couldn’t remember the artist. It’s Tom Clark and I purchased this because he created this gnome in honor of my cousin Gene McEver. He’s actually a first cousin, twice removed, and was an All-American football player at the University of Tennessee, in addition to being a coach at Davidson College, the home of Tom Clark. This collectible gnome is named McEver and is now retired. Here’s my gnome:

On my way back home, I fit in a stop at the Lancaster Arts Hotel to see an exhibit of Sue Reno’s quilts. Those of you have been to my booth at the old Quilters Heritage Celebration will remember that I always featured one of Sue’s quilts in my booth. This exhibit showcased quilts Sue made to celebrate the old Watt & Shand department store in Lancaster. This Beaux Arts building was transformed into the convention center. I’m a fan of Sue’s quilts and it was a real treat to see this collection. I did have a hard time picking a favorite! If you get a chance, make time to visit the exhibit.

A Bird in Hand: Folk Art Projects
Inspired by Our Feathered Friends
Renée Plains
Kansas City Star Quilts; $26.95

This book title caught my eye since I will be in Bird in Hand, Pa., teaching this weekend. Renée has put together a varied collection of folk art projects all featuring birds. You’ll find nine quilts varying from lap size to wall pieces; eight sewing “needfuls,” such as pinkeeps and roll-ups for small projects on the go; and four accent pieces, including a pillow, hooked rug and notebook cover. My favorite accent piece is the pair of jeans that became a tote accented by a bird on a vine with leaves and berries. The book is also filled with fun quotes, such as the following Chinese proverb: “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.”

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

Scott Murkin says that a good contract lets you focus on the job at hand, and that’s true whether you are judging or teaching. Here’s an excerpt from Scott’s On Judging column in the Winter issue of The Professional Quilter.

The quilting world is by and large a friendly place, where most of us know each other, at least by reputation. Traditionally, much business was conducted with a simple handshake agreement, and that still sometimes works to this day, even if the handshake is done over the Internet (an e-shake?).

As the quilting world has grown exponentially the last few years, a contract or letter of agreement laying out the terms that were discussed in that handshake agreement becomes more and more important to protect both parties. A contract can range from a formal document to a simple letter of agreement that lays out the terms that were discussed. At the very least, the contract should be reviewed, signed and dated by both parties. It is a good idea to have a boilerplate template ready on your computer to fill in the blanks and send out. [See Scott’s sample judging contract in PQ and feel free to adapt to your specific needs.]

The basic components of the contract are: the details of what, where and when; the responsibilities of the hiring organization; the responsibilities of the judge; contact information for all parties; and terms of cancellation. The contract begins with the defining of the parties and the basics of what is being agreed to between them. This should include the date, time and location of the judging, the judging system being used (for example elimination vs. point system), any other judges with whom you will be working, the approximate number of entries to be judged and any expectations for feedback or evaluation to the entrants. It also covers handling of fees and expenses. Once the terms are acceptable to all, identical copies of the contract should be signed and dated and kept on file by both parties. With the peace of mind provided by a written agreement, you will be better able to focus on the task at hand – judging the quilts.

You can read all of Scott’s column including his discussion of judging fees in the Winter issue of The Professional Quilter. This is a benefit of membership in the International Association of Professional Quilter. Read about all our benefits here and join today.

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 here.