Infinite Variety & QuiltAlbum Blog Hop

Oh my! So much time has passed since my last post but so much has been going on. Let's just start with yesterday. I was fortunate to be able to see "Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts" that is an amazing exhibit put on by the Folk Art Museum in New York City. It's over tomorrow but if you can, make your way there. It is AWESOME!!

I got up early and headed into the city via the Holland Tunnel. I parked at my usual spot and started downtown toward the Henry Glass offices. Along the way, I met these snazzy shoes. I love them.

There's something about beautiful leather men's shoes. I know I'm weird that way. I get inspired by everything around me.

Bryant Park and the Empire State Building in the morning.

I'm finally at the offices in the garment district. Well, can you guess who I was meeting here? Why, that's Carrie Nelson from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. all the way from Arizona. We both look like the Michelin Man because it is still pretty darned cold here in NYC.

After some brainstorming in the conference room, we headed out for lunch. By the way, her new line is gorgeous.

Carrie and I headed over to Brendan's for lunch with Larry, Karen and Lenny from Henry Glass.

Forgive for pulling out my camera at lunch but I love architecture and the ceiling at Brendan's is to die for. The food is amazing too! I had the pan-seared scallops with feta cheese salad. Yummy!

Afterward, Carrie and I took a cab up to the Park Avenue Armory to see the show.

The building itself is impressive! Again, beautiful architecture and detailing.

This is the entrance to the show. It is beautiful but it doesn't quite prepare you for what's inside.

This is only part of the exhibit but what a view. The quilts are hung all the way to the top of this 8 story structure.

We chatted with Jennifer Keltner and Elizabeth Tisinger of Better Homes & Gardens [American Patchwork & Quilting].

I didn't manage to beat the traffic so we decided to head down to Purl Soho and Kate's Paperie. 

It was a beautiful day and one that is hard to describe in pixels and text but I am inspired to the core.  I will show you some more photographs here, on Facebook or Flickr in the next few days.

Meanwhile, I can't forget the fun event that just started today. I've been invited to share QuiltAlbum with you. My day will be tomorrow. Please come back for a little bit of fun with this terrific program. Each day there will be one giveaway for a CD or download of the program! How exciting!

Here are the participants this week. Click on their names to get to their blogs for more information.

March 29

Rachel Griffin

Benita Skinner

March 30

Linda Lum DeBono

Vanessa Christenson

March 31

Geta Grama

Michele Foster

April 1

John Adams

Pat Sloan

See you tomorrow!

xo, L

The Quilt Fest of New Jersey VII

Imagining India by Pat Holly

Last weekend I went to the Quilt Fest of New Jersey VII. I had a great time, saw a lot of quilts, chatted with friends and met some new friends along the way. I thought you'd enjoy seeing some that made it to my camera.

Fish Eye View by Betty Busby

Lost In Illusion by Gloria Hansen

Anniversary Oak by Rosemary Cushman

Arabian Mystery by Judith Heyward

My Baltimore Album by Leona Unkle

A World of Santas by Susan Dicks and Jamie Wallen

Star of Bethlehem Quilt - Collection by Pepper Cory

Watering Can III by Laura Wasilowski

I ran into my friend, Lois Griffin. Don't tell her this but one day I'm going to have to figure a way to remove one of her handmade and totally awesome necklaces from around her neck. They are beautiful! Her husband is too cool. 

I met up with my friend from Henry Glass, Karen and her sister. Her sister Linda has an entourage of lovely ladies and they sure had fun. They're headed to Lancaster this week.

xo, L

Spring Is In The Air, Fun Is Everywhere

We have had a lot of snow days here in the northeast. I am anxiously awaiting spring but I can feel it in the air. Most of all, I see it in the colors around me and in the activities or events that I am able to sneak out to experience.

Last week, my son had Safari Day and I showed you their underwater experience. It was so fun to decorate and he had so much fun talking about his dolphin.

Later that night, my friend Joanne and I went to the Hunterdon Art Museum for their ladies night out event. It was fun being out with good friends eating good food and making fun jewelry like the bracelet that I made at the top. You can see how I still had blue and ocean on my mind!

I still had the color blue on my mind when I bought this kit bead kit at the quilt show this weekend. More on the show later this week. What a pretty bead.

I love to see bright and happy fabrics. My friend Sarah Fielke sent swatches of her new fabric, little things, for Lecien. The line is so happy and I love the dots especially. I used the yellow dot in a project for Mark Lipinski's Christmas 365. The issue should be available in the next week or so. Thanks Sarah!!

Oh, look at the adorable funky chickens!

Most of all, I love all of the spring quilt shows. I went to Quilt Fest in NJ this past weekend and I believe that the big Lancaster show is coming up in two weeks. I get to see beautiful quilts like this one made by Judith Heyward.

I will share some more from the quilt show this week.

xo, L

Market Moments

I bumped into Lazy Girl, Joan Hawley, and Claire, her new purse design and BFF in Pittsburgh. Isn't Claire adorable? You'll have to check out Joan's patterns on her website.

I ran into my friends from Quilty Pleasures in Ottawa. Great to see you ladies! I hope that you bought lots of goodies for your shop.

Stash was a new vendor in Pittsburgh. For those of you who only want to make blocks, this is an easy way to accomplish something. You make the block and then stitch it to the pillow cover or the quilt top. The quilt top is all quilted and you just slip your block into the front opening. Voila! Instant quilt.

I loved this line of fabric from Heather Ross displayed at the Seven Islands booth.  So whimsical and colorful.

xo, L

Quilt Market - Part One

To market, to market, ...

What fun! I drove there this past weekend and it didn't disappoint! First, the drive was beautiful. I'll be taking my family back there this summer because our friend, Emily, just moved there with her family this spring. [I loved visiting you guys! Thanks!] My boys love the tunnels in the mountains.

I've got lots of photos but I thought I'd show these little quilter's gadgets first because there are some of you who are anxious to take a peek.

ez Quilting is manufacturing the Bias Tape Machine and the Rotary Cutting Machine. Gadgets that will make your life easier. Check them out. You can make all the bias tape you want and the electric rotary cutting machine will make cutting so much easier for you. The bias tape maker even has a little hot plate built in so that it presses as you pull out the strips.

So cool. xo, L