tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55688838225083802042012-02-17T17:15:52.611-05:00This is a blog about my passion--quilting and textile art.Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.comBlogger3001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-92043276333246979752012-01-31T11:04:00.000-05:002012-01-31T11:04:43.386-05:00

I love the bright colors I've been working with this month. I had some great scraps that were too little to use for the free-form quilt pieces I've been working on for And Then We Set It On Fire. I don't know about you, but it is really hard for me to throw any fabric piece (no matter how small) away. Does that make me a "fabric hoarder?" Anyway, I decided I could put them to good use by making

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-56733410274995868102012-01-29T12:41:00.000-05:002012-01-29T12:41:12.420-05:00

I've had some time the last couple of days to work on getting a quilt top started using the piece I worked on for "And Then We Set It On Fire." Rayna Gillman is the guest blogger for this month on that site. I love her book, Create Your Own Free-form Quilts. The pieces for this month are being made using the techniques she outlines in her book.  This is on my design wall right now.The border

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-54198252831265329232012-01-27T11:06:00.000-05:002012-01-27T11:06:08.839-05:00

First, let me recommend that you go to "And Then We Set It On Fire" to see the free-form work of the artists on that site. You'll also want to check out the tutorials that Rayna Gillman (author of Create Your Own Free-form Quilts) has posted there. Follow along and make YOUR OWN free-form quilt! Let me know if you do; I'd love to link back to pictures of YOUR work. I finally had a chance to cut

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-6444717379994973342012-01-21T14:03:00.000-05:002012-01-21T14:03:11.072-05:00

I had the opportunity to view the "Form, Not Function Quilt Art at the Carnegie" fiber art exhibit in New Albany, Indiana, this past week. This juried exhibit, in its ninth year, is available through March 3, 2012. All entries must be quilted (defined as two or more layers held together with stitches); and this year, twenty-four quilts (out of 278 entries) make up the exhibit. I asked permission

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-61179852405052834132012-01-18T10:32:00.001-05:002012-01-18T10:34:33.048-05:00

In my last post, I had two free-form blocks made for a project on And Then We Set It On Fire. I had a chance to work on them this week, have made a few more blocks, and have put them up on my design wall.Making these blocks is a whole lot of fun and very addictive. I still have a portion of this quilt top to work with. The center nine blocks are still sewn together. I'm going to work on those as

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-34024024098788960342012-01-14T12:04:00.000-05:002012-01-14T12:04:21.616-05:00

I have just started a free-form quilt using the techniques Rayna Gillman presents in her new book "Create Your Own Free-form Quilts." I'm using a quilt top I made when I worked through Lyric Kinard's "Art + Quilt" book. You can see it on this post. Rayna Gillman is the guest blogger on And Then We Set It On Fire this month. Check out what we are doing there. Here is the beginning of my quilt--it

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-70097079359227630482012-01-13T11:30:00.000-05:002012-01-13T11:30:19.586-05:00

I couldn't resist posting this picture. I just came across it again, and it made me laugh out loud. I figure it is a good time for a "laugh out loud" kind of picture. Earlier in the year, this little guy was making himself at home on my landscaping rock. He looks REALLY comfortable, doesn't he? It was a hot day, and I guess the rocks must have been cool. After he realized I was taking his

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-43211135118438901552012-01-03T15:23:00.000-05:002012-01-03T15:23:53.891-05:00

Rayna Gillman is the guest blogger for the month of January on And Then We Set It On Fire. I have been a fan of hers for quite some time, so I'm very excited to be working with her and the other artists on the blog. I'm especially interested anxious to try her free-form quilt techniques, because I have several UFOs, orphan blocks, and other miscellaneous quilt pieces from which to choose a

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-58164186804549912972011-12-31T15:42:00.000-05:002011-12-31T15:42:57.564-05:00

I have been busy working on a series of quilts for my Advanced Independent Study group meeting with Jane Dunnewold. The three are supposed to be finished before the end of February when the group meets again. The one that is totally finished is called Flying Bikinis (named by my son). If you follow my blog, you have seen the finished top without the quilting and facing. I used bias strips

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-53323922301429348072011-12-29T19:52:00.000-05:002011-12-29T19:52:42.464-05:00

My kids got me great gifts for Christmas. Among them were three books I had wanted for quite some time. The first is Alisa Burke's "Sew Wild." I sat down and read this book in one sitting. It is a great book about creating with stitch and mixed media. If you are interested in creating your own personalized cloth, this book is for you. It covers stamping, painting, writing, spraying, stitching,

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-84935251707129776792011-12-27T15:27:00.002-05:002011-12-27T15:34:11.987-05:00

FACING METHOD II A little while back, I posted "FACING METHOD I" as it was taught to me by Marti Plager. I promised I'd post "FACING METHOD II." Well, it has taken me a bit longer to get it posted than I thought it would, but here it is. Marti Plager spent a day teaching me two different methods of facing quilts. You can find Method I by clicking on the link. You can check out Marti's quilts on

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-49703877439448721432011-12-23T18:00:00.000-05:002011-12-23T18:00:55.206-05:00

I want to take this time to wish those of you that celebrate Christmas a Merry Christmas. To those of you that celebrate other holidays...Happy Holidays. Enjoy the time you have with family and friends. I'm so very thankful for both. I also want to take this time to let you know how much I appreciate you reading my blog. I appreciate the comments and I especially appreciate my "Followers." Now

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-69945831170033009002011-12-18T17:06:00.000-05:002011-12-18T17:06:52.112-05:00

I must admit, I'm such a tech junkie. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my iPad; I'm lusting after the newest smart phones; and I really like that sometimes I can even find an application that I can use for my art. Last week I purchased Inspire Pro ($7.99) for my iPad. Inspire Pro is a paint/draw/sketch application. It can simulate wet oil paint on canvas which allows blending effects with five real kinds of

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-7369064950750467192011-12-02T13:14:00.000-05:002011-12-02T13:14:21.730-05:00

At the end of September (2011), I attended my first meeting of a group (called an "Advanced Independent Study" group) with Jane Dunnewold and a group of really talented fiber artists. We met for three and a half days at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville, Kentucky. Each artist in the group has what we in education call an "individualized education plan." I can share my plan with

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-59267864095975678802011-11-29T13:20:00.001-05:002011-11-30T10:41:29.647-05:00

I have to apologize for not posting consistently. I have been very busy (as I'm sure you are). I will try to do better. I HAVE been working--I've worked on Christmas gifts (I couldn't post about), I've worked on my pieces for my Advanced Independent Study Class with Jane Dunnewold (nothing I could post there either), I've worked on hand stitching a Crab Apple Hill Halloween piece (not finished...

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-4276775882750368762011-11-03T20:04:00.002-04:002012-01-07T19:49:54.852-05:00

FACING METHOD I First, I want to thank Marti Plager for helping me with this tutorial. She spent a day teaching me two different methods of facing quilts. I have always admired the nice looking facings she has on her quilts, and I've wanted to learn her methods for quite some time. You can check out her quilts on her website at http://www.martiplager.com/. While you are there, take a close look

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-40254246618683556752011-10-19T17:30:00.002-04:002011-10-19T17:36:40.283-04:00

Last weekend I attended a quilting retreat (put on by Lora Nale) here in my hometown. About forty women descended upon the Days Inn for a three-day retreat. We had lots of food, fun, uninterrupted quilting time, and camaraderie. It was really nice to meet some new quilters and spend time with old friends. I had been busy working on projects for my Jane Dunnewold class and my post for the "And

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-46767149025740060182011-10-09T17:41:00.002-04:002011-10-09T18:00:17.687-04:00

A friend and I had the opportunity to visit several of the venues associated with Innovations--A Biennial Textile Event 2011 in St. Louis. The exhibitions in conjunction with Innovations investigate the state of contemporary textile arts. Nineteen nonprofit and private arts organizations join forces to present exhibitions related to fiber art. If you have the opportunity to visit any of these

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-44896852861536003932011-10-09T13:41:00.001-04:002011-10-09T13:43:58.719-04:00

The "Churn Dash--Magical Mystery Tour" shop hop is coming up on October 19-22, 2011, in central Indiana. Participating shops are--Shiisa Quilts in Bloomington, IN; Ady's in Morgantown, IN; Back Door Quilts in Greenwood, IN; and Fussy Cut in Beech Grove, IN. Passports cost $5 and are available at each shop. Each shop is offering a free fall fat quarter, a free holiday gift pattern, and a holiday

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-18820239174901905822011-10-02T18:10:00.000-04:002011-10-02T18:10:05.396-04:00

Head on over to my post on "And Then We Set It On Fire" to see my latest experiment into surface design--using "Fugitive Media." While you are there, check out the beautiful work the other members of the blog have done too. Join us this month when we "set things on fire" using heat to alter fabric and stitch.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-41092279224264972052011-09-29T19:35:00.000-04:002011-09-29T19:35:00.222-04:00

I realize my posts on Chihuly have nothing to do with fiber art, but... I have been so inspired by his work that I may have to incorporate some of the colors, shapes, shadows into my work. How about you? Everything about Chihuly's "Through the Looking Glass" exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Art was top notch--even the entrance. Outside, tall spikes of orange/yellow glass among the grass

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-53251518695004197762011-09-17T11:20:00.001-04:002011-09-17T11:25:08.477-04:00

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit a new quilt shop on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis called Crimson Tate. The owner, Heather Givans, is a young, enthusiastic "modern" quilter. I have asked her to answer a few questions about "modern quilting." I'll include the questions and answers at the bottom of this post. Heather sent me a bit of information about the shop via her blog.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-40759139513423694382011-09-14T13:05:00.000-04:002011-09-14T13:05:31.207-04:00

I have been frantically working to "finish" some pieces to take to the upcoming meeting of a critique group with Jane Dunnewold. One of the pieces I have been working to "complete" is this black and white "Zentangle" one. This is the fabric version using French knots, fusible applique, yo yos, embroidery, paper piecing, and beading. Take a closer look by clicking on the picture. I think you can

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-65394858863506044832011-08-30T22:11:00.001-04:002011-08-31T13:31:05.924-04:00

I worked in the studio all day today. Gosh, it seems like it takes me FOREVER to get anything done. I spent a little time sketching, and this is the result.It has the same colors and uses the same techniques I used for "Prayer at Sunset" (in the previous post). I have some other ideas I'd like to try using this same look. Do you think I can call this the beginning of a series?

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-508298643422025522011-08-29T21:15:00.000-04:002011-08-29T21:15:17.260-04:00

I have actually been working on some pieces to take when I go to my Jane Dunnewold independent study class in late September. I have to have something to take for critique. I really don't want to be the one student whose "dog ate her homework," so... Here are a couple of pieces I'm working on. They aren't nearly finished yet. This first piece is called "Prayer at Sunset." I saw a picture of

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-84615899249284095572011-08-21T16:56:00.001-04:002011-08-21T17:21:43.733-04:00

These pictures come from a recent exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts called "Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass." Chihuly is famous for his chandeliers. A chandelier is the first of his pieces I ever had the opportunity to see. I fell in love right then and there. You like? You know I have been blogging about using some of these Chihuly pictures for inspiration...well, Robbie (from "

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-55223427664663657262011-08-11T17:55:00.000-04:002011-08-11T17:55:39.389-04:00

Boston Museum of Art--Chihuly: Through the Looking Glass Exhibit... Inspiration for fabric art comes from many places. I was truly inspired by this work. I'm hoping to make some fiber art inspired by this beautiful exhibit. Maybe you will too. One room was filled entirely with spectacular pieces of glass. It was arranged sort of like a forest with lots of undergrowth and a huge orange and yellow

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-19986864183542282112011-08-07T16:26:00.001-04:002011-08-07T16:38:54.178-04:00

Wow, I can't describe how beautiful this exhibit of art glass was. I'm thinking I can find some inspiration in the gorgeous colors and shapes. Maybe you can too. (I'll be posting more pictures of the exhibit over the next few days.) These first pictures come from a room where the ceiling was made of clear glass and was filled with Chihuly's glass sculptures. The light coming through the pieces

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-65193791789909700412011-08-04T21:12:00.000-04:002011-08-04T21:12:55.469-04:00

This is my second installation about the Global Patterns: Dress and Textiles in Africa exhibit I got to view at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in July of 2011. The exhibit is available through January 8, 2012. Adire cloths are the work of women artists in towns such as Abeokuta and Ibadan. Women produce, merchandise, and ultimately wear the cloths. Adire translates as “resist,” a reference to

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-61584886169207478722011-08-02T16:05:00.000-04:002011-08-02T16:05:25.596-04:00

I recently went to Boston, where I had the opportunity to catch a couple of great exhibits. In this post, I will concentrate on the “Global Patterns: Dress and Textiles in Africa exhibit. “The exhibition highlights continuities, innovation, and the exchange of ideas from within and without that characterize dress and textile production in Africa. Part of the exhibit focuses on just a few

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-61347571814739830942011-07-26T16:14:00.014-04:002011-07-26T16:39:52.765-04:00

I had the opportunity to attend the Frugal and Fancy Quilt Exhibit at the Indiana State Museum recently. I wanted to share some of the quilts with you. Whig Rose is an appliquéd quilt made by Lavina Fudicil Rubottom from Franklin County (1845-1865). Lavina is said to have pieced quilts at night by lamp and candle light while waiting for her husband William to come home from work. I sure would

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-14579792554901367642011-07-07T14:52:00.003-04:002011-07-07T15:01:24.188-04:00

I have been working on several projects--monoprinting for the "And Then We Set It On Fire Blog" (check that out here--http://andthenwesetitonfire.blogspot.com/2011/07/monoprinting-results-quilter-beth.html), making pieces for my black and white quilt, and embroidering on "Come Dance with Me" pieces. These next two pieces are part of a black and white quilt I'm planning. I LOVE the spikes! I

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-63365078979395633362011-07-01T00:17:00.000-04:002011-07-01T00:17:45.609-04:00

This is where I was the last time I posted about "Come Dance with Me." Just so you can visualize the piece a little better...it is over five feet tall!Here is my latest picture showing my progress. These pieces are just pinned up on my design wall. There are still buttons to add, embroidery to do, stabilizer to tear off, and applique to complete--just on the central character. I'm going to be

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-38207809239671665282011-06-25T13:50:00.003-04:002011-06-25T14:37:58.317-04:00

I had a chance to go with some friends to this year's Southern Indiana Shop Hop last Thursday (June 23). It was an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS day. It doesn't get much better than spending a day with great friends doing what you love! I got a few pictures but got so excited at some places that I forgot to take any. I apologize to those shops. Also, I didn't get to go to two of the shops included in the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-80482761205751475332011-06-19T19:17:00.000-04:002011-06-19T19:17:14.712-04:00

I was having a hard time coming up with a name for the quilt I'm currently working on. I asked my blog readers to help me come up with a good name for the quilt. My friend, Sharon, asked me the story of the quilt. She suggested that the quilt story might help me come up with a name. This is the story... The character in this quilt was originally an 8 1/2" X 11" drawing (The character in my

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-83180568506980131662011-06-09T00:04:00.000-04:002011-06-09T00:04:05.607-04:00

I worked for at least ten hours today on my new project. I do have a name for it (thanks Sharon) that I'll be telling you about shortly. I'm waiting to see if I can get permission to include some information I think would be interesting for you to know about it. Anyway... This is what it looked like when I started today--I had the rough pieces cut out, but none of the applique done for the top.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-15966003912893384392011-06-02T17:24:00.000-04:002011-06-02T17:24:42.952-04:00

This is my progress so far. I  have all the pieces for the "skirt" finished. (Well, I think I'll be adding some beads and hand stitching yet.) I'm getting ready to machine applique them to a piece of tear away stabilizer. Those of you who are following the "And Then We Set It On Fire" blog might recognize the fabric for the "lips" (bottom, middle in the picture). It was made during my soy wax

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-4412948726529143862011-05-28T20:00:00.000-04:002011-05-28T20:00:39.997-04:00

FYI--I'm still having some issues with getting signed into my blog on my laptop. I can get in to view my blog, but I can't sign in to post. That makes it much more difficult for me to get an entry posted since I'm on the run most of the time. Hmmmmm. I hope you got in on the big give-away at "And Then We Set It On Fire." Good luck to those of you who did. Also be sure to check out the technique

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-73349716640880989932011-05-28T19:04:00.000-04:002011-05-28T19:04:21.377-04:00

The mourning dove finally moved off the nest so I could get a picture of the eggs! We'll be expecting two babies before too long. I'll keep you updated. ...and before I could get this posted, the two babies grew up and flew away (and I accidentally deleted pictures of them :-( while I was on vacation)! On a sad note...my four robin's eggs never hatched. The mother robin left and never returned

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-18390913006238559752011-05-16T14:31:00.000-04:002011-05-16T14:31:58.310-04:00

Just thought I'd write a quick note to let you all know that I'm on vacation in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I did bring some hand sewing with me, but I haven't touched it. I have been busy reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo," along with spending time with my son and husband, and sightseeing. This is a beautiful place. We are staying in a condo overlooking a gorgeous lake. I'm hoping that I will

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-31502381492157537042011-05-02T23:24:00.003-04:002011-05-02T23:30:40.549-04:00

The AQS Quilt Show in Paducah, Kentucky, very nearly didn't take place this year due to the tremendous rains and the high water levels in the days leading up to the show...but the show DID go on. Without the convention center as a venue, last minute plans had to be made for vendors and quilt displays. All in all, everyone worked together to make for a successful show. I have a few pictures. I

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-40745345790815451402011-04-24T16:52:00.002-04:002011-04-24T16:56:31.085-04:00

I have had a recurring dream since I was a little girl. We lived in a small house (with silver aluminum siding) right across from a railroad track. In my dream, I was separated from my Mom by the track. I was always trying desperately to get to her but I couldn't. In 2009 my Mom became ill with Alzheimer's, and the dream started occurring more frequently. I figured the track represented

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-88071854783451177092011-04-22T15:34:00.000-04:002011-04-22T15:34:20.926-04:00

After my last robin update, there was one egg in the nest. I checked later and this is what I found. FOUR eggs! I am really looking forward to watching these hatch. I found this in my other bedroom window. I've never been able to take a picture of the eggs, because I have never been in the bedroom when she hasn't been on the nest. My husband says this is a dove of some sort. I feel very blessed

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-21315842555315718922011-04-15T12:53:00.000-04:002011-04-15T12:53:01.351-04:00

This is just one piece from my parfait dyeing session yesterday. If you are interested in seeing more and/or learning how to do it, check out And Then We Set It On Fire. You can either click on the link or click on the "And Then We Set It On Fire" logo to the right of this blog entry.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-36442795308361385212011-04-14T12:46:00.001-04:002011-04-14T18:42:49.731-04:00

It has started again! The robins have build nests around my house again this year. I was blessed last year with four nests right around my house. I got to see the nest building, beautiful blue eggs, baby robins, and young birds leaving the nest. I truly felt it was a blessing to get to see this "circle of life." Look what I found earlier this week (on the ledge of my bedroom window)... There

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-54971620728830908192011-04-11T20:19:00.000-04:002011-04-11T20:19:04.726-04:00

These pictures are of quilts from Part I of the Quilts--Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. The exhibit is available until April 24, 2011. I hope you enjoy this quick look at some of the quilts in the exhibit. (Remember, you can click the picture to get a better look.) LOG CABIN QUILTSLog Cabin quilt designs are among the most popular and easily recognized of all

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-23498148126901822212011-04-10T11:31:00.000-04:002011-04-10T11:31:40.069-04:00

Interweave Press has a great deal right now on Lyric Kinard's "Surface Design Sampler Platter" video download. The cost until (maybe through--not sure) Tuesday is 10 cents. You read that correctly 10 cents. This is just too good not to pass along! Hurry on over to Lyric's website to get the details.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-68998053662472807462011-04-09T19:20:00.001-04:002011-04-09T19:24:40.270-04:00

These pictures are of quilts from Part I of the Quilts--Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. The exhibit is available until April 24, 2011. I hope you enjoy this quick look at some of the quilts in the exhibit. (Remember, you can click the picture to get a better look.) SHOW QUILTSShow quilts were not meant to be functional bedcovers. These quilts were usually never

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-3164745017333325042011-04-06T13:06:00.001-04:002011-04-06T13:07:23.158-04:00

I recently had the opportunity to view exhibits for "The Year of the Quilt" at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. The museum has a twelve-month series of exhibitions, educational programs, and special events "to highlight the creative contributions of three centuries of talented women through spectacular textile masterworks." I got to see both the "Quilts--Masterworks from the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-59396957196246567882011-04-03T17:11:00.001-04:002011-04-03T17:13:59.090-04:00

I’m in quite a quandary, and I guess I’m trying to work my way through a period of self-doubt. I’m at a point in my “artistic” endeavors that I want to do something different—something more personally meaningful. After many, many years of making quilt tops and machine and hand quilting quilts, I can pretty much make any quilt I want to--from a pattern. (I have a WHOLE LOT more trouble coming up

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-74787924519308240772011-03-21T20:55:00.000-04:002011-03-21T20:55:12.311-04:00

While I was in New York last week, I had the opportunity to go to a few museums--the Museum of Modern Art, The American Folk Art Museum (There are two of them; I visited both.), and the Museum of Art and Design. I will be posting pictures of fiber/textile art (and a bit of other "stuff" I found interesting) over the next week or so. Yet to come...stunning quilts from "The Year of the Quilt"

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-69737985647543215422011-03-18T20:05:00.003-04:002011-03-18T20:16:38.363-04:00

I am doing some "improvisational stitching" that I'm really enjoying. I'm not sure exactly where I will go with it, but I can "lose myself" when I stitch on it. I'm sure I will be adding this piece (probably along with some others) to a larger piece of fabric. I may even audition some of my discharge shibori pieces--not sure yet. Suggestions? The background fabric comes from Home Depot. There

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-45931842230200581972011-03-08T21:36:00.002-05:002011-03-08T21:41:30.236-05:00

My guild's 2011 retreat was held at the end of February. We got to spend time at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, IN. I spend most of the time working on this table runner. I quilted on it for over a day, sewed the binding on, and hand stitched it to finish it up. It went on my dining room table as soon as I got home. I'm really happy with how it looks on my table. I did A LOT of quilting on

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-28506875668246661732011-03-05T21:26:00.002-05:002011-03-05T21:28:16.661-05:00

I just got back from my latest quilt guild (Patoka Valley Quilt Guild) retreat. It was held at the inn at Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell, IN. We had a wonderful time. It is always fun to work on projects while getting to visit with friends. I didn't get pictures of nearly everything that was done at the retreat, but I have several pictures. People worked on a wide variety of things (as you

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-53686459534088045162011-02-27T16:51:00.000-05:002011-02-27T16:51:09.640-05:00

Our guild (Patoka Valley Quilt Guild) has a service project which supplies quilts for kids in traumatic situations. The local police and the county domestic violence outreach program are supplied with quilts to hand out to traumatized children they encounter. We needed 80+ quilts for this year. I worked on some of these quilts while I was snowed in last month. I got two quilts totally finished

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-75733463797079947672011-02-23T00:14:00.002-05:002011-02-23T00:16:40.874-05:00

I was working on some of my soy wax batik fabrics for the "And Then We Set It On Fire" (http://www.andthenwesetitonfire.blogspot.com/) technique for the month of February. I decided that while I had my paints out, I would color one of my previously monoprinted and stenciled fabrics. I really love this blue. I mixed a turquoise with a "Caribbean blue" and added it to paint extender. I'm not sure

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-47829954056208276572011-02-18T08:21:00.000-05:002011-02-18T08:21:52.461-05:00

When I recently took the Improvisational Screen Printing class with Jane, she took us up to the Hite Gallery to give us a private gallery talk about her work in the "Etudes" exhibit. Wow, what an opportunity. She told us all about the pieces--what she was thinking, how some were named, how she got the look she was going for, what some of the symbolism meant, etc. It was very enlightening. I

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-15952360558241323002011-02-09T18:50:00.000-05:002011-02-09T18:50:32.795-05:00

This year's LAFTA (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists) Exhibition at the Jewish Community Center in Louisville is full of a variety of techniques and fibers. There are art quilts, baskets, felt vessels, hats and scarves, mixed media projects, and more. This is just a small sample of what you might see... Remember, you can click in the picture to get a close up shot. I even think that if

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-71351697473698641962011-02-06T10:27:00.001-05:002011-02-06T10:30:01.407-05:00

I have some photos from the "Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the Carnegie" Exhibit at the Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany. It will be available for viewing until March 5, 2011. Please take the time to view this exhibit. There is SO much more that I wasn't able to show you, and the pictures DO NOT do the pieces justice.  "Red Bioluminescence" was made by Barbara Watler of

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-11952639338336705802011-02-02T16:45:00.004-05:002011-02-02T21:43:54.123-05:00

This is a continuation of the last blog post I made about my three-day Improvisational Screen Printing class with Jane Dunnewold. Again, I am humbled to have had the opportunity to study under her. The following pictures are from the class. Here, class samples of multi-color screen prints are drying on the line. I just love colorful pieces. We had "Show & Tell" at the end of the class. Here you

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-15236161562944988822011-01-30T15:32:00.001-05:002011-01-30T17:23:21.433-05:00

I just returned from a three-day class with Jane Dunnewold. I feel very fortunate to have been able to take this class. Not only is Jane an EXTREMELY talented fiber artist but she is truly one of the best teachers I have even encountered. (I taught high school for 28 years, so I know a good teacher when I see one!) She had a way of making every student in her class feel special. I can't begin to

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-68077143348512567712011-01-23T17:11:00.000-05:002011-01-23T17:11:51.727-05:00

I decided to do a little more snow dyeing this week when I was snowed in. I have found that it is a lot of trouble, but I love the results. For the piece above, I loosely twisted the fabric when I put it in the bottom of my plastic tub. This one got a loose accordian fold. This is a closeup of the accordian folded piece. The piece above was just wadded and bunched up. Closeup of the wadded/

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-8339091348714056532011-01-20T13:00:00.000-05:002011-01-20T13:00:52.957-05:00

I'm hoping you all can help me with this next project. I'm trying to decide what border/background to put on my painted, beaded, and thread painted moth project. I'd appreciate your input and suggestions for a border/background that works with this piece. For each of these pictures, I have tacked my moth project onto a different piece of fabric on my design wall. In Picture 1 the background is a

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-87086628653843518752011-01-15T19:07:00.001-05:002011-01-15T19:11:58.816-05:00

I decided to do a bit more discharge shibori before I put all my supplies away. First, is my favorite piece. I loosely rolled my black fabric onto a piece of nylon string (on the diagonal). Then I scrunched it up as tight as I could and tied the string together to keep its shape. (I ended up having to do this twice; the first time, only half of the fabric had discharged.) I think it looks like

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-64282376973992615812011-01-13T12:05:00.000-05:002011-01-13T12:05:13.247-05:00

Okay, you are all probably sick of hearing people "talk" about snow dyeing, but... I've never done any before. I thought I'd give it a shot; I'm glad I did. Here are the two pieces I did yesterday. I took hold of the middle of this fabric and twisted it--making a spiral--before I put the snow on top. I just rumpled and scrunched this fabric a bit before I put the snow on it. I put both of these

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-54266109729325905762011-01-11T18:41:00.003-05:002011-01-11T19:17:56.728-05:00

Yesterday was a "play day" for me and a friend. We wrapped fabric around poles then dyed it, twisted fabric upon itself and dyed it, rolled and scrunched fabric and dyed it, and I painted fabric with dye. A picture of my day's work is at the bottom of this post. In this next picture I started with one of the flour-paste resist pieces I did awhile back (See http://quilterbeth.blogspot.com/2010/08

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-73079694113501409392011-01-05T21:05:00.000-05:002011-01-05T21:05:03.099-05:00

Be sure to click on the "And Then We Set It On Fire" icon to the right to see pictures of my shibori. I'm really pleased with the results (and excited that I finally got a post on the blog)! While I was working on my shibori pieces, I also did some pieces using bleach in a spray bottle. If you would want to do this, I suggest you do it outside (which I did--even though the temperature was in the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-61632016195996476062011-01-04T13:04:00.000-05:002011-01-04T13:04:21.354-05:00

I'm SO excited...January is the beginning of my art quilt/surface design adventure! This is sort of like a New Year's Resolution...but one that I'm really anxious to do...not like my usual "I'm going to lose weight" resolution! I got in on an opportunity to work with eight quilt artists to try a new surface design technique each month for nine months. Each month the chosen technique, web/video/

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-22320908088308918382010-12-29T17:50:00.000-05:002010-12-29T17:50:45.191-05:00

Now that Christmas is over and presents have been given, I can show you the table topper I made for my sister. I did use a pattern from Kim Diehl called "Old Fashioned Hospitality," which is in her book called "Simple Comforts." I made it for my sister to use as a table topper. Since the finished size of the original quilt was too large for my sister's table, I omitted the outside borders (which

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-57280802557752657092010-12-18T23:24:00.002-05:002010-12-19T20:21:07.870-05:00

I actually have gotten a few things done in the past week or so. Here's proof... I made a sweet little cupcake pin cushion from Pieceful Designs (www.piecefuldesigns.com) called "With a Cherry on Top." I used embroidery and beads to decorate it. I also made eight little picture holders called "Wee Memories" from the "Quilting Arts Gifts Holiday 2010" issue. I followed directions in an article by

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-49772742102155498632010-12-14T11:05:00.000-05:002010-12-14T11:05:43.202-05:00

I'm sorry it has been so long since I last posted a new blog entry. I am going to try to be better about it. I'm still dealing with some personal issues...among other things, I just lost a friend to brain cancer. However, I am going to be concentrating on the wonderful things in my life. (There are many.)  First, you may have noticed the "fire" logo to the right. That is a link to another blog

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-44657838777881619642010-11-30T15:46:00.001-05:002010-11-30T16:09:40.326-05:00

It always gets my creative juices flowing when I look at interesting pictures. I use them as inspiration (or a starting point) for some of my pieces. Thanksgiving brought to mind all the things I have for which to be thankful. One is the beauty I see every day. Here are some pictures I took for "inspiration." Maybe some of them will inspire you too. At the end, I also have some pictures of my 

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-14091190714463553382010-11-18T20:08:00.001-05:002010-11-18T20:09:48.760-05:00

Okay, okay, I haven't gotten much done for a while now. It has been hard to get back into "creating" since my Grandma and Mom passed (11 months apart). I'm having a bit of trouble working through the grief. (I guess I just think it is taking me too long to feel better.) It IS getting better, though, as time goes on. I would like to repost a picture of my Mom and the quilt I made her when she

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-14776779427832568912010-11-14T10:59:00.000-05:002010-11-14T10:59:19.032-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I read a blog post on the Quilt or Dye blog about dyeing with natural materials. I thought the work was interesting, thought it sounded fairly easy, and thought that I'd give it a try. Check out Judith's post here http://quiltordye.blogspot.com/2010/10/playing-with-flowers.html. Judith mentioned that she thought her piece with the leaves was "a lot of work for little color

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-35824104117866911912010-11-05T11:39:00.000-04:002010-11-05T11:39:34.242-04:00

Recently, the Quilters Newsletter blog asked for quilters to submit their favorite quilt shop and explain why they liked them. Of course, there was a prize for the winning nomination. Well, my nomination for Shiisa Quilts in Bloomington, IN, won! I found this box outside my door this morning. When I opened it, I was TOTALLY shocked to find this... If you'd like to see what I had to say (and

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-89663923704225668792010-11-04T08:00:00.005-04:002010-11-07T15:59:08.001-05:00

The Patoka Valley Quilt Guild held their annual fall retreat at the Drury Inn in Evansville, Indiana, the last weekend in October. It is always fun to see what people will bring to work on each year. I did capture just a few of the items on camera. Enjoy... Robin got this pattern called New Wave from a blog called "Oh, Fransson!" Check it out at  http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2010/03/

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-12924044900227870322010-11-02T14:24:00.000-04:002010-11-02T14:24:46.304-04:00

In October, the Saint Meinrad Archabbey Library Gallery featured wall hangings made by textile artist Joanne Weis of Louisville, KY. Her work features hand dyed fabric and intricate surface design and has been exhibited in invitational and juried shows in Louisville and across the region. This series of work is called "Holy Ground." It explores man-made spaces and activities that heighten

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-20747636016370695582010-10-28T13:25:00.000-04:002010-10-28T13:25:12.246-04:00

DAY 3We started Sunday morning at breakfast (8:00 a.m.). That was followed by Show and Tell. Gosh, I don't know how those gals had time to finish anything...most of them attended three to six classes during the retreat! Not everyone who took the class got up to show their work. Remember you can click on the picture to enlarge it. If you click again, you can enlarge it even further. These are

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-12303146526772309582010-10-26T20:28:00.000-04:002010-10-26T20:28:04.414-04:00

I recently attended a quilt retreat put on by Pickin' Up the Pieces Quilt Guild from Memphis. This is my third entry about the retreat so far. There is one more after this one. Lots of raffles, contests, and drawings were available. Retreat participants were able to purchase tickets for a variety of raffles. A Bernina sewing machine and a Thimbleberries gift basket valued at $250 were two of the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-76873525694841913562010-10-24T20:08:00.000-04:002010-10-24T20:08:48.557-04:00

DAY 2--EVENING LECTURE/TRUNK SHOWAfter dinner, the pajama party, and the Mannequin Dress Up game, Sharon Schamber showed us some of her gorgeous quilts. She talked about the quilts, answered any questions we had, and let us actually touch any piece we wanted to. She had many, many quilts to show us; I didn't get pictures of too many of them. Frankly, I was so engrossed in the display that I

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-30383882195849776732010-10-21T12:53:00.000-04:002010-10-21T12:53:09.613-04:00

DAY 2Day 2 started off at 8:00 a.m. with a wonderful breakfast in the dining room. Coffee and other drinks were readily available throughout the day. Snacks were also provided after dinner (like we really needed them)! Sharon Schamber visited with one of the PUP Quilt Guild members during a meal.Joyce and Nancy enjoying the retreat.Vendors had many items available for purchase at the retreat...

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-37000518892018869012010-10-19T13:27:00.003-04:002010-10-20T12:46:03.985-04:00

I'm finally home to write up a few blog entries about the wonderful retreat in Tennessee I was fortunate enough to attend on October 1, 2, and 3rd. I can't say enough good things about this event. The retreat was run like a "well-oiled machine" by the sponsoring quilt guild--Pickin' Up the Pieces Quilt Guild from Memphis. First...the location...St. Columbia Episcopal Center in Memphis, TN...

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-62976929944781107492010-10-10T18:50:00.000-04:002010-10-10T18:50:43.128-04:00

I just wanted to let you all know that I have lots of great pictures from my quilting retreat in Memphis. I also have A LOT to tell you about; however, "life" has intervened. My Dad and step-mom were on vacation in Branson, MO, when my Dad had a brain bleed. He was taken from Branson to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, MO, by helicopter. I drove here so I could be with them. I'm in Missouri at

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-23346022219068469202010-10-04T00:50:00.000-04:002010-10-04T00:50:14.853-04:00

Did you know this is "The Year of the Quilt?" Well, the American Folk Art Museum in New York City is celebrating "The Year of the Quilt" with a series of exhibits and special events. The first exhibit is called, "QUILTS: Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum." It runs from October 5, 2010 to October 16, 2011. There will be a display change in late February. The show is curated by

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-46387630820616637622010-09-27T11:45:00.001-04:002010-09-27T11:46:25.626-04:00

Everyone was busy working on projects this week at Stitch & Bitch. Sandra was the only one that had something to show. She finished this sweater. Don't you just love the buttons! I also wanted to let you know about a swap I thought you might be interested in. Registration is now open for "Quilting Gallery's" Candle Mat Swap by Sandi Andersen. You can find it at http://go.madmimi.com/redirects/

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-17073344877974110282010-09-25T11:31:00.000-04:002010-09-25T11:31:45.045-04:00

I’m getting ready to head to three quilt retreats in October. I’m really looking forward to these retreats, but packing for them can be daunting. I wrote up a “To Take to Retreat” list to help me. I thought it might help you too. When you get ready to go to a retreat, you could just copy it and print it out…checking things off as you get them together. Here’s what I need to take.  RETREAT

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-80157940182799628292010-09-21T11:27:00.000-04:002010-09-21T11:27:05.342-04:00

I had the opportunity to attend another class offered to and taught by LAFTA members. This class was taught by Joanne Weis. She stressed that the class was designed as a "technique" class and that we were not making "masterpieces." The goal was to learn the techniques. I can tell this is something I definitely want to do a lot more of. I took several pictures during the class. Check them out.

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-63505712892350563602010-09-18T10:00:00.008-04:002010-09-19T22:14:34.616-04:00

I recently visited my friend in Connecticut (September 4-9, 2010). We took a trip to New York City while I was there. Here are a few pictures. It will surprise nobody that knows me that my first picture is of food! I just loved this display of breads--it is something I don't see around here. This is a bakery in Grand Central Station in NYC. We took the train from Bridgeport, CT, into NYC's Grand

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-74703891883263299832010-09-17T10:00:00.002-04:002010-09-17T13:56:54.247-04:00

My friends at my Dirty Monday meeting had a couple of things for Show & Tell this week-- Mary Lou was working on a charity quilt (unless her grandson loves it) for guild. Good thing my grandson won't see it; he LOVES monkeys. Closeup of monkey quilt.A member of our quilt guild (Patoka Valley Quilt Guild), Becky Fuller, sent this quilt along as a donation for the Tri-County YMCA silent auction

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-33359333519358910422010-09-16T12:59:00.000-04:002010-09-16T12:59:23.515-04:00

I know that some of you would really enjoy participating in a round robin. If you are like me, though, you might not really want to send your work off to someone else. On the "Friday Favorites" blog entry from one of my favorite blogs (Quilt or Dye), I found a round robin that I think many if you might like. In this particular round robin, you add each round yourself. You don't send it off to

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-50994183349489144862010-09-13T16:31:00.000-04:002010-09-13T16:31:07.044-04:00

I'm always interested in what different people think an "art quilt" is. I was curious about what I would find if I did a little research on the subject. I found this to be fairly interesting and thought you might too. Check out this site--http://www.artquilt.com/Quilt_art/encyclopedia.htm. You will find Wikipedia's definition of "art quilting" along with the following: CONTENTSEarly US and

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-34629604309298544462010-09-11T18:36:00.000-04:002010-09-11T18:36:00.487-04:00

If you are looking for free patterns, here are some websites you should check out. Of course, looking at the quilts on these sites may be used simply for inspiration and/or a jumping-off point for you to "do your own thing." The first website I'd like to share is the P & B Textiles site. (http://www.pbtex.com/html/free_patterns.html)   It has several free quilt patterns along with patterns for

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-29510149978551164332010-08-30T20:46:00.000-04:002010-08-30T20:46:15.656-04:00

I have been gone a lot the last week or so. I went to Chicago to see "The Million Dollar Quartet," and from there I went to visit my son in Arkansas. I didn't get any stitching done while I was gone, but before I left I started working on a charity quilt. The guild to which I belong provides quilts for kids in traumatic situations. We donate quilts to our local police departments to give to

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-36817721809304134682010-08-22T18:01:00.003-04:002010-08-22T18:10:16.340-04:00

Okay, I know you could just use a bowl or a recycled butter tub, but this is SO much cuter! This is a thread catcher. It comes from "The Stitching Room" blog. She has great pictures showing how to make this cutie. Check it out at http://thestitchingroom.blogspot.com/2007/10/thread-holder-pattern.html It also makes a nice crown for your puppy (if you have one). ;-)I thought this little flower pin

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-57193125237186695722010-08-17T20:44:00.001-04:002010-08-17T21:05:25.081-04:00

I went to an “art/studio” yard sale and got the most amazing things. I’m absolutely thrilled with my purchases. I’m fairly new to the art-quilt/art-fiber arena and don’t have all the supplies I’d like to have, but I got lots of those (and more). I even took pictures of my “booty.” I got fabric and thread/quilting supplies… a bolt of 60” wide black 100% cotton fabric (I’m thinking I’ll try

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-88741697741900364362010-08-14T15:58:00.001-04:002010-08-14T15:59:59.128-04:00

I had to the opportunity this past weekend to visit The Sanctuary, a gallery (in Zionsville, IN) that contains the work of the artist N. A. Noel. Also, there are approximately 100 quilts on display in the gallery through the month of August. The exhibit of both quilts and paintings is fabulous. RUN DON’T WALK TO THIS EXHIBIT! The quilts are mostly antique traditional quilts, and many of the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-63610832276171572622010-08-11T20:48:00.000-04:002010-08-11T20:48:41.620-04:00

I promised to put a few of the pictures up from my recent two "play days." In this post, I'll show you a few of the monoprinted pieces This is a piece I did the other day when I was playing. I have started hand quilting it (thus the white basting stitches you see in the picture). If you click on it and then click again, you can get a really close up shot of the layers and quilting. I'm thinking

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-90688154549870390492010-08-05T20:31:00.000-04:002010-08-05T20:31:24.633-04:00

These pictures are my very first effort at flour-paste resist. I watched a demonstration by Jane Dunnewold on Quilting Arts TV and loosely followed her directions. She suggested using a ratio of half flour to half water for the flour mixture. I thought hers looked really thick. I read a blog post by Terry Jarrard-Dimond where she mixed hers to be a little more runny. So...I decided to go with the

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-49182121131917853302010-08-04T23:25:00.000-04:002010-08-04T23:25:47.528-04:00

Since I last wrote, I have been doing some playing in my studio. I spent an evening (and most of a night) doing some more monoprinting. I have a couple of pieces I really like. Others still have more layers to go, and some are just really bad. I figure I'll just try some other technique on those. I have one piece that I have started hand quilting. I really like the peacefulness I feel while doing

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5568883822508380204.post-34115533396960625962010-07-30T11:53:00.000-04:002010-07-30T11:53:36.605-04:00

This past weekend I got to take a class about monoprinting with quilt artist Valerie White. I took a few pictures of some of the students and their works in progress. Comments about this student's work included people saying that it resembled a landscape.This student's current art endeavors include oil painting. Today, she "painted" a picture and monoprinted it onto fabric. She came in after

Quilter Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12692414632379402401noreply@blogger.com1