Lisa Ellis Quilts

Vienna QU Guild Show and Tell

2012-01-27T12:10:00.001-05:00

Vienna Chapter Members of Quilters Unlimited hold up their Alzheimer's Priority Quilts at their January 17th meeting.

I was very pleased to receive this photo of the quilter's showing off their wonderful pieces from the Priority Quilt workshop.

Heartbreak to Hope will be at Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival

2012-01-10T16:57:00.004-05:00

I am excited to learn today that the Azheimer's Art Quilt Initiative traveling exhibit called Heartbreak to Hope will be at the Mancuso show, Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival Feb 23-26.

The Founder, Ami Simms, will be there, near the quilts, to meet and greet. Look for her at the Preview night on Wednesday and on Sunday.

My piece, "Running Out of Time" is one of the small 9"x12" pieces in the exhibit.

If you are going to the show, please stop by and check out this very moving exhibit.

Priority Quilt Workshop for Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2012-01-07T17:29:00.002-05:00

Today I worked with the Vienna Quilter's Unlimited quilter's to create Priority Quilts to raise money for Alzheimer's research. These will be donated to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Houston Purchases

2011-11-08T17:47:00.001-05:00

I had a wonderful time at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX. Like many of the 60,000 visitors, I spent some money. My treasures on this trip, besides spending time with dear friends, was supporting some favorite charities and bringing home some little quilts.

Jamie Fingal - Zippy Floral

The first is by Jamie Fingal. It's called "Zippy Floral" and was donated to the IQA auction.

Fannie Narte - Love Heals

The second piece is by Fannie Narte. It's called "Love Heals" and raised money for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI). I volunteered in the AAQI booth and enjoyed time with Ami Simms and her team. Ami is holding up a Priority Quilt made by Betty Bassett of Poolesville, MD. Betty made this piece in my Priority Quilt workshop last May.

Terri Stegmiller - Fresh Cut 2

The third piece is by Terri Stegmiller and is called "Fresh Cut 2". Terri donated this piece to the Texas Quilt Museum.

Texas Quilt Museum

2011-09-20T13:21:00.000-04:00

Today I am mailing this little 12" x 12" quilt off to Karey Bresenhan to raise money for the brand new Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange, Texas.

I enjoy sending off my little pieces to raise money for good causes. I hope it finds a good home.

Vinescapes

2011-09-14T19:52:00.000-04:00

My Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends group is working on an exhibit called Vinescapes. My piece is done!

We will debut our exhibit at the Philip Carter Winery in November. Our opening is November 13th from 3 -5.

Village Piecemakers Priority Quilt NOW UP FOR BID

2011-09-02T09:25:00.000-04:00

My little priority quilt "Lazy Daisies" is up for bid in the September auction to raise money for Alzheimer's research. To check out the bidding, click here: Benefit Bidding for Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Village Piecemakers- Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Continued

2011-05-31T08:41:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Nancy McGrew and I were featured in Ami Simm's Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative update blog. Click here to read the article. The post is called "Quilters Give in Many Ways".

The piece pictured here is from the Priority Quilt Workshop. I taught the students how to make this background and thread paint these cute flowers.

Since the participants are each donating their workshop pieces, I thought it would be fitting for me to donate this class sample.

So today, Lazy Daisies will be shipped to Diane Petersmarck, the dedicated volunteer that handles the Priority Quilts.

It is number #7302 if you wish to watch for it come up for sale or auction. I am getting very close to my $1000 promise. Perhaps this is the piece that will reach my goal!

I have appreciated the opportunity to interact with many of Ami's volunteers. Fannie Narte, an accomplished quilter, worked on the blog article. A big thanks to Fannie.

SAQA Donation

2011-05-27T16:08:00.000-04:00

I have taken a break from working on the Sacred Threads exhibit to finish my 12" x 12" piece for SAQA. I used my lazy landscape technique for the background and then did the daisies with thread play.

Lisa's Menuet

2011-05-26T19:49:00.002-04:00

Years ago my father, William Brehm, wrote the melody heard here in this video clip. I would hear him working on it while I was visiting. It quickly became one of my favorites and I learned to play it by ear on my own piano. Later when my dad finished it, he named it for me. I am quite pleased that it is the background for this charming video about the wonderful Mott's Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan. The pianist is Lisa Emenheiser, a talented musician who brings my dad's music compositions to life. The videographer is Andy Sacks, a long time friend of my folks.

Village Piecemakers Priority Quilts Show and Tell

2011-05-11T18:42:00.000-04:00

As promised, here are photos of some of the resulting Priority Quilts from the workshop. Aren't they wonderful!

Judy McIntyre

Betty Bassett

Pam Klobukowski

Becky Carr

Dara Tokar

Nancy McGrew

Diane Beach

Village Piecemakers Workshop for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2011-05-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

Today I spent a wonderful day with the Village Piecemakers from Poolesville, MD. I did a workshop devoted to making Priority Quilts for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. After teaching my favorite stripped piece background, I demonstrated some of my techniques to make trees and flowers. In this photo you can see the works in progress. It was so much fun to see these little 9" x 12" quilts develop. I look forward to seeing the finished projects.

Worship and the Arts - Seminary Student Work

2011-03-23T09:38:00.001-04:00

Dawn L. Stewart with her piece "Sing to the Lord"

A couple of months ago I was contacted by seminary student, Dawn Stewart, studying worship and the arts. She had an assignment to write a paper based on an interview with a sacred artist. She found my name on the internet. We spent the day together. I showed her my studio, shared my faith/quilting journey and even took her to my church where several of my pieces are permanently installed. Also in the class she needed to make a piece of art. Our conversation led to her coming back to my home for private instruction on how to make a praise quilt. After two sessions, this is what she created. I am very proud of her accomplishment. She is not a quilter and yet she quickly learned how to rotary cut, sew 1/4" seams, fuse, applique, and did the words with thread painting. She was a very quick and fearless student.

Sunflowers - Alliance for American Quilts Auction Piece

2011-03-03T08:43:00.000-05:00

I have finished my auction piece for the Alliance for American Quilts. This year's theme is "Alliance". In 1987 I made a lasting alliance with Mike Ellis. I got married. So to honor the theme, Mike and I made this piece together. He is an artist too. He painted a canvas based on a photo I took last summer in California. Then I made a quilt sandwich and finished it with thread.

This collaboration was wonderful. We have more pieces planned for 2011.

Prayer Quilt

2011-01-21T14:05:00.000-05:00

I have long had a passion for healing quilts. I have mostly been involved in exhibits and projects that make health care facilities an easier place for patients and their families or using quilts to raise money for terrible diseases. But recently, I have had a different experience. I made a prayer quilt for a friend at church. I used a simple log cabin design with plenty of white space for people to write their thoughts and prayers. For two weeks the quilt was out in the gathering place for people to add their words.

I did not spend any time photographing this piece. So here is my really informal photo of the piece just before it was delivered to our precious sister.

Art and Soul Radio with Lesley Riley

2010-12-21T09:33:00.001-05:00

Christine Adams and I were interviewed by Lesley Riley of Art and Soul Radio on the topic of Sacred Threads. After a short advertisement, listen to our discussion with Lesley about the background, call for entries and the June 22 - July 4 show in the Washington D.C. area. For more information about Sacred Threads, go to www.sacredthreadsquilts.com.

Listen to internet radio with Art And Soul Radio on Blog Talk Radio

Proud Sponsor of Houston Special Exhibit

2010-11-03T16:49:00.003-04:00

I am very pleased to be the sponsor of this Alliance for American quilts exhibit at the Houston International Quilt Festival. If you are in Houston, please stop by. There are fourteen very special pieces included. And there are headphones set-up so you can hear the actual interviews with the quiltmakers. To learn more about this wonderful organization, visit allianceforamericanquilts.org.

Two of the pieces, most special to me are by Vikki Pignatelli, founder of Sacred Threads and Rosa Angula, one of the inmates from the Beyond the Barrier exhibit.

Alliance for American Quilts on exhibit

2010-10-01T07:45:00.004-04:00

Yesterday my friend Sandi Goldman and I attended the Original Sewing and Quilting Expo. We both had quilts in the Alliance for American Quilts "New from Old" contest which is currently traveling in preparation for the auction in November. While we were viewing the exhibit, Mark Ingraham interviewed me as one of the members.

Sandi's quilt "Linked to the Past" is the brown piece right under mine. She won a well deserved Honorable Mention by the members of the Alliance.

SAQA Purchases

2010-09-27T15:14:00.001-04:00

On the first phase of the SAQA Auction I purchased two pieces. The first one is called "Three Gentoos" and is by Pat Gould.

I also purchased a piece called "Balancing Act" by Patricia Kicklighter.

I am pretty jazzed about my two purchases.

And also pleased that my piece "It's a Little Fishy" sold as well.

A new phase opens today. There are many amazing pieces. Check it out!

Collaboration in Healing Quilts

2010-09-24T10:09:00.002-04:00

On September 23rd, I had the pleasure of delivering twelve new art quilts to the University of Michigan. The pieces are based on scientific images taken by researchers in the Center for Organogenesis.

The pieces in the collection were done by Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends.

My piece is called Stem Star and is based on a photo by Shannon Davis.

Stem Star by Lisa Ellis

This is my inspiration photo:

Stem Star by Shannon Davis

This is what Shannon says about Stem Star:
"This is a section of a mouse pituitary gland and nearby neural tube that has been artificially transformed into a star pattern. The neural tube forms the central star, while the pituitary is the bottle-cap shaped structure on the outside of the "stem star". The name, Stem Star, was given because both the neural tube and the pituitary contain stem cells that are responsible for the growth and maintenance of the two organs. The pituitary gland actually derives (in part) from the neural tube; the pituitary is a master gland that controls the activity of other glands that regulate growth, pregnancy, water balance, energy metabolism, blood pressure and the body's response to stress."

I was thrilled to be able to meet Shannon and share our artworks.

Shannon Davis and Lisa Ellis

Other scientists that came to see the unveiling were Sue O'Shea, Deb Gumucio, and Sally Camper. Here they are holding up the piece called "Branching" made by Paula Golden based on the photo by scientists Mara Steinkamp, Graduate Student, Human Genetics and Diane Robins, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Human Genetics.

Sue O'Shea, Deb Gumucio and Sally Camper holding Branching

This project would not be possible without the management and vision of Elaine Sims and Kathi Talley from the Gifts of Art.

Kathi Talley holding Van Gogh's Skin

Van Gogh's Skin was made by Carole Nicholas based on the photo by scientist Mark Hutchin, House Officer, Dermatology.

And here is Elaine Sims with our group quilt called Gastric Rainbow. This piece was made collectively by nine of the quilt artists based on the photo by Jochen Lennerz, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO and Jason Mills, M.D., Ph.D University of Washington at St. Louis.

Elaine Sims holding Gastric Rainbow

To see all photos of all the pieces in the collection and the scientific inspiration, check out our Fiber Artists at Loose Ends gallery page.

SAQA Auction starts September 20th

2010-09-14T08:03:00.001-04:00

Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) 12" x 12" auction starts in a week. The last two years I have participated by donating and buying some really awesome pieces. Here is a link to the auction page where you can see how it works: Auction Page.

My piece called "It's a Little Fishy" is on page 1b of the auction page. Here is detailed view of my piece.

It's a Little Fishy. My 2010 SAQA Donation. Bid!

You might wonder what to do with these small pieces. I used them to decorate. Here are some photos to show you. First up is one of the pieces I purchased last year. It was made by Janice Potter.

Clowing Around by Jan Potter

I took inspiration from Jan's piece and made a large quilt which I call Aquarium. Also, while I was making my donation for this year's auction, I made a second piece to complement Clowing Around. Each of these three pieces are stitched onto stretcher bars covered in a neutral textured decorator fabric. I mounted them over our fireplace in our summer home.

Fireplace in California home

Here is a close-up of the fireplace:

So please on September 20th, bid, bid, bid! It's for a great cause and can be just the thing you need for your home.

Getting Feedback

2010-09-08T11:47:00.002-04:00

I have a passion for healing quilt projects. Using my love of quilting to make hospitals better for patients and their families is a calling. This started with my art quilt teacher Judy House and her vision for art quilts at Walter Reed. HealingQuiltsinMedicine.org

I feel called to work on these projects. Feedback is not expected or necessary. And in fact, looking for feedback, can create ego issues and become a motivation which is distracting and gets us off track. I constantly remind myself of a favorite bible verse: "He who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Matt 23:12). So I work on my calling whether there is feedback or not.

Having said that, today I got feedback on our Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends "Art Under the Microscope" exhibit which is currently traveling to hospitals all over the U.S. It just finished up at NIH and is now headed to Vanderbilt.

Here are some of the comments:
“To whom it may concern:
I have been a “visitor” at the University of Chicago Hospital for the past four months, while my husband undergoes chemotherapy for the 2nd time in his life for the re-occurrence of testicular cancer. In order to get to the Bernard Mitchell Hospital where he is an inpatient, we must travel via the hallway that exhibits ART UNDER THE MICROSCOPE on display. I cannot tell you how much this exhibit means to myself and family. Not looking forward to the stay or treatments, this exhibit brings an inner peace and calmness, putting a smile on our face each time we pass by it. The attention to detail in the beauty that is portrayed is overwhelming. More hospitals should take the initiative and display artwork that is “one of a kind” and most appreciated. I believe this exhibit means more knowing the premise behind the beauty of the art is what they are being treated for the human body. Just as humans evolve, so does this unique art. A huge fan, many thanks for making an experience that is not so enjoyable, a remembrance.”

“Sublime, brilliant – how we all need the combination of science, art and the miraculous!
Thank you!”

“Incredible, beautiful, wonderful. One of the best shows I’ve seen in this gallery space. It spoke to my heart. Thank you!”

“I especially found the “Escher’s Needlepoint” beautiful – who knew the inside of a mouse’s small intestine could be duplicated into such beautiful artwork. The entire exhibit was amazing” (Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery)

“I think this is a phenomenal exhibit. I’ve visited many art museums and this has captured me in a way few others have. Each piece is excellently done – aesthetically pleasing and scientifically unique. Fantastic! Thanks for sharing.”

“This is the best part of my commute to work, walking past these gorgeously creative masterpieces! Great job. I don’t know now if I want to “grow up” to be an artist or a scientist!!”

“So relevant, original, creative and completely fascinating! It has a real “WOW” factor – I just loved it.”
-----
So... thank you to the hospital visitors that took the time to provide comments. Thank you to the curator who collected them and to Society for the Arts and Healthcare for sending them to us artists.

I will remain humbled but have confirmation that we are doing important work and making a difference.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2010-09-01T18:04:00.001-04:00

I have two pieces in the September auction to raise money for Alzheimer's research. There are many really cute pieces. So think about bidding and getting a head start on your holiday shopping!

http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html

I made the $1000 promise so I am hoping this will get me closer to my promise. Here is the status of all my pieces:

http://www.alzquilts.org/ellislisa.html

Honorable Mention for Shedding New Light on an Old Block

2010-07-06T09:19:00.002-04:00

I was very pleased to learn yesterday that my piece Shedding New Light on an Old Block was given an Honorable Mention by the members of Alliance for American Quilts. This is the first time I have ever won anything on a quilt so it means a lot to me.

Here you can see all the winners:
New From Old Gallery

My buddy Sandi Goldman also received an Honorable Mention and the grand prize winner, Jamie Fingal is a friend through SAQA.

The donated quilts will be auctioned off this fall on eBay to raise money for AAQ's programs.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative - $1000 Promise

2010-06-23T07:55:00.003-04:00

I have been actively participating in the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative for some time now. I have donated several 9" x 12" pieces called Priority Quilts for auction. I have also puchased books and DVDs, bid and won several Priority Quilts, and given lectures on Healing Quilts. I decided it was time to make the $1000 promise and donate more Priority Quilts to be auctioned and sold. You can view my progress and read my dedication on my individual promise web page on the AAQI website. This week I sent 3 new pieces. They should arrive in Ami Simms hands sometime today. I hope she is pleased. On Monday at one of my quilt groups, I offered to do a workshop in the Fall to make Priority Quilts. I am excited about getting more of my buddies involved.

Asian Morning

Tiger Lily

Autumn Ginkgo

Gift for My Pastor - Be Still

2010-06-04T07:58:00.003-04:00

I made this piece in 2006. Psalm 46:10 is one of my favorite verses. "Be Still and know that I am God". I left off the word "God" because during this time I was also studying Moses's encounter with God at the burning bush and is given God's name as "I Am". Then Jesus uses the phrase frequently: I am... the way, the truth and the life, the alpha and omega, the bread of life, the living water, etc. So when I made this piece I wanted my focus to be on knowing the great "I Am". The all encompassing God who has come down in human form.

My pastor was visiting my house recently and saw this piece and commented on how much he liked it. It reminded him of a ceiling in a place he had traveled that had inspired him. So I gave it to him.

It's always nice as an artist to have people appreciate your work and to see your work hanging in places you visit. I have enough pieces hanging in my own house. It was time for a new home for "Be Still".

Running Out of Time - Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2010-05-24T09:19:00.004-04:00

Healing Quilts is one of my passions. I have a lecture on how, as quilt artists, we can use our work to improve the lives of those dealing with disease.

One of my heroes is Ami Simms who is raising awareness and funds to battle Alzheimer's. I am sending this new piece to Ami today to support her efforts.

Here is my accompanying artist statement:
With this disease we are always racing against the clock.

“I hope Grandma will still recognize John when he graduates in two years.”

“I hope Amy gets married before Auntie is too confused to travel.”

“If only there would be a new treatment before Grandpa gets any worse”.

For Debbie, my friend, we are out of time. She needs to be moved now to Assisted Living. The cure did not come in time for her.

I chose the purple thread for Alzheimer’s awareness. The thread is fading as the time is running out. The grey fabrics symbolize the shadows of memories that are left.

Please check out Ami's website Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

And on behalf of Ami, I want to thank her volunteers who work behind the scenes. In the last week, I have connected with two: Peggy Mages and Kathy Kennedy Dennis. I know personally from my own healing quilt proejcts that even if you have a greatest vision, it takes a team to make it happen.

Galations 2:20

2010-05-18T07:51:00.001-04:00

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

I made this piece for a beloved pastor who is leaving our church. It is mounted on black linen stretched on stretcher bars.

New Work - "Shedding New Light on an Old Block"

2010-05-13T11:09:00.003-04:00

My newest work is called "Shedding New Light on an Old Block" This is a 16" x 16" piece made for the Alliance of American Quilts challenge fund raiser to be auctioned off in the Fall of 2010. The challenge this year is called "New from Old". I am a sponsor and member of AAQ. You can read more about the organization here.

I hunted for old blocks in the Jinny Beyer book titled The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns. The star block I chose is called the 'Godey Design' and dates back to 1858.
To make the design my own, I used modern techniques to focus rays of light on the blocks, and then I embellished the quilt with silk floss and crystals. The star blocks are machine pieced and then appliquéd to the background. The cotton fabrics are entirely designed by Jinny Beyer.

Sacred Threads 2011 Announcement

2010-04-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

I have not had much time for blogging, Facebook, etc. My life has become busier than usual with Sacred Threads and my software company, Giving Back Technology, providing our call for entries /registration system for SAQA, QSDS and Quilts, Inc. But today I want to share my big news. Sacred Threads will be in Northern Virginia June 22 - July 4, 2011. It took some time to find the right venue. It will be held at my own church, Church of the Epiphany in Herndon, VA. It's convenient to Dulles Airport and it is 30 minutes outside DC. The call for entries will be open January 9 - March 9, 2011. So please be thinking about what sacred peices you want to enter. And mark your calendars for a trip to DC. July 4th is a wonderful time to be in the area.

It's a Little Fishy

2010-03-17T07:51:00.001-04:00

My piece for SAQA now has a name. "It's a Little Fishy". I asked my artist husband Mike to draw on the label. Using fabric pens, he created this little scene. Isn't it cute!

SAQA has posted my piece to the auction page. Check out all the fabulous pieces that have come in so far:

SAQA Benefit Auction

SAQA Auction piece is done!

2010-03-13T20:40:00.000-05:00

This little 12" x 12" quilt is for the SAQA reverse auction which will take place next fall. I have been making fish quilts lately. Must be because I am thinking about my beach house in California. Mike drew the fish for me. It's handy having a husband that can draw! I haven't named it yet. Any ideas?

Signs of the Times - Part Three

2010-02-11T15:39:00.000-05:00

My Uncle Sam piece is finished! Signs of the Times will be making its debut at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival later this month.

Uncle Sam - Signs of the Times Progress - Part 2

2010-02-06T14:16:00.003-05:00

My Signs of the Times piece is coming along. Check out the drawing my husband did from my recent post. Next step is to add the text for all the difficulties.

I am making great progress due to the crazy snow storm that hit our area. Otherwise I would be at the church today for an all day meeting.

While 3 feet snow is a lot and a bit of a hassle, I am happy to be in my studio today.

I am proud to be a sponsor of an AAQ Fundraising event.

2010-01-21T16:22:00.006-05:00

Here is the press release from AAQ:

The nonprofit Alliance for American Quilts will host two fundraising events in Washington, DC on Thursday, March 4.

The "Connected by Threads" events will celebrate quilts, quiltmakers and quilt history through the lens of two speakers, Dr. Carolyn L. Mazloomi and Le Rowell, both board members of The Alliance for American Quilts (AAQ). Mazloomi will speak at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm including a tea reception, and Rowell will speak at a dinner and silent auction from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the DACOR Bacon House. The events will benefit the nonprofit AAQ, a national organization that documents, preserves and shares the rich history of quilts and quiltmakers (www.AllianceforAmericanQuilts.org). Both Mazloomi and Rowell will be sharing quilts from their own collections and studies. "Connected by Threads" is sponsored by Lisa Ellis of the Sacred Threads Exhibit and maker of Art Call, the on-line artist registration, jurying and exhibit administration system, http://www.ellisquilts.com/, and the Rowell Family Charities. An individual ticket including both events is $85 for AAQ members and $100 for nonmembers. Individual event tickets are also available.

Read the full press release: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs011/1101594196900/archive/1102956828989.html
Find complete information and online ticket sales: http://www.allianceforamericanquilts.org/support/events.php.

Signs of the Times. Work in Progress - Part 1

2010-01-12T07:01:00.001-05:00

I am really blessed that my husband can draw. I am working on a piece for an exhibit called "Signs of the Times". I asked Mike to draw me an Uncle Sam skate boarding on a graph representing the Dow or unemployment while using a smart phone. He came back to me with this:

This is my second piece featuring Uncle Sam. My first was made in 2007 for Vintage Revisted and is called Trying to Keep the Balls in the Air:

I'll post more pictures of my new piece as it comes along.

New Work: Go Green Challenge

2009-12-04T10:01:00.001-05:00

I haven't had much time in my studio lately. I have been focused on my software company's clients SAQA and my newest one Quilts, Inc. The on-line registration software is going very well.

But I did get this piece made. It's 30" x 30". I am participating in a challenge with quilters from the west coast and the UK. This is a traveling exhibit called "Go Green". I call this piece "View from Space". I imagined what the earth might look like if it was going green and spewing excess green color into the universe.

I had fun playing with trapunto.It's machine appliqued and quilted.

A new piece for my church

2009-11-08T14:25:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrated our clergy at church in recognition of Clergy Appreciation month. I created this piece called 'Filled' which depicts the scene in Acts 2:4 when the Holy Spirit descends and fills the discples. This event is referred to as Pentecost and is celebrated 40 days after Easter. This piece was inspired by a painting by Vanessa Williams and was used with her permission.

"Art Under the Microscope" Exhibit Is Hanging

2009-10-30T08:58:00.007-04:00

On Monday night, I was thrilled to attend a reception for the scientists that created the Bio Artography images. This is a shot of me with my folks, Bill and Dee Brehm. My piece is called Escher's Needlepoint and is based on a photo by scientist Kaelyn Male.

Here, scientist Linda Samuelson, is describing what is happening in Guts and Glory. The quilt is by Carole Nicholas. The scientific image is by Lymari Lopez-Diaz.

Maria Morrell is showing me her image called Green Feather. The quilt is by Annabel Ebersole.

Check out all the quilts by visiting our Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends gallery page.

Knitting: No, No, No

2009-10-26T07:23:00.003-04:00

For years now, I have sat in meetings with fellow quilt artists and watched them knit. I would say to myself, "I do NOT want to learn to knit. The last thing I need is another activity to fill my brain and more stuff to put in my studio."

So while I was in Houston, I visited a booth called Gita Marie. She makes beautiful enamel pieces of jewelry and shawl pins. The booth folks were sporting beautiful shawls as examples of their kits which include one of the stunning pins. They assured me that it was a beginner's project and very easy to do. Friend Kathy Lincoln told me she would show me how to knit while in Houston. So.... I bought the kit and a pair of knitting needles. And sure enough, ten minutes before we were to leave the hotel for the airport, Kathy showed me how to cast-on, knit and decrease.

Two days later, I was at my Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends meeting and am knitting on a sample ball of yarn I purchased to practice. Friend Sandi Goldman then showed me how to purl and Barb Hollinger showed me how to hold the needles differently so that I could wrap the yarn more efficiently with my left hand. So between Kathy, Sandi and Barb, I felt ready to tackle my shawl project.

So here it is... my first knitting project.

And sure enough, what I tried to avoid has happened. I dragged my husband out to visit a cool yarn shop about 45 minutes from our home, to purchase some nice yarn to make more scarves. NO!!! I have no room in my studio or time. But it's so much fun!

Art For Healing Causes

2009-10-20T08:00:00.006-04:00

Healing quilts is one of my passions. There are so many ways to use our artwork to make a difference in the lives of patients.

My FiberArtists at Loose Ends group creates exhibits that hang in hospitals and other healing centers. I donate my own artwork to raise money and awareness. And I purchase pieces to raise money to search for cures.

Art Now for Autism recently had a reverse auction. I purchased this piece called "Peaceful Presence" by Beth Wheeler. I love it and it helps support this terrible disease. Thank you to Beth for donating this piece and to Claudine Intner for her leadership in developing this initiative.

Back from Houston

2009-10-19T07:24:00.004-04:00

I have returned from a fabulous four days at the International Quilt Festival. It was truly a thrill to have two pieces in the juried show this year. The first was my pirate quilt called "'Twas Me First Day With Me Hook". It is based on the favorite joke about a pirate walking into a bar and the bartender asking him how he lost his eye.

The second piece is called "Canna from Ellis Hollow" and is based on a photo by Craig Cramer of the Ellis Hollow blog and is used with his permission.

Thank you to Kathy Lincoln for taking these pictures of me with my quilts.

Quilts are Delivered to Michigan

2009-10-10T13:59:00.008-04:00

I felt like Santa Claus making the delivery of the Bioartography pieces. It was like Christmas morning unwrapping the quilts and seeing the joy on their faces as each piece was revealed. Here are some of my favorite shots.

This is Kathi Talley unveiling Judy Busby's piece called Fibroblast.

Here is my piece called Escher's Needlepoint pictured with me, Kathi and my mom, Dee Brehm.

Here is Guts and Glory by Carole Nicholas:

Sunburst by Bunnie Jordan:

The exhibit goes up on October 19th. To see images of all the pieces, check out our BioArtography Gallery page.

How Do You Carry Twenty Quilts?

2009-10-07T15:02:00.009-04:00

Tomorrow I am going to Ann Arbor, Michigan to visit the Gifts of Art folks and deliver the Art Under the Microscope exhibit. My art group, Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends has created this exhibit based on scientific images by U of M researchers. Check out the gallery of our pieces by clicking here. (This is really worth clicking on. The quilts are spectacular).

I asked my husband Mike to help me figure out how to carry them. Here is what we did.

Step 1. We stacked the quilts and placed acid free tissue paper between each quilt and folded up over the sides. We used bubble wrap on the bottom and top.

Step 2. We folded bubble wrap around the entire package.

Step 3. We bought stretcher bars from the local craft store and constructed two square frames. The frames were screwed to pieces of heavy duty foam core. Then Mike drilled holes in the frames to accommodate string. Then he wrapped the string to hold it all together.

Step 4. Mike made handles so I can carry it. Here I am giving it a try.

It's not too heavy! And the quilts are well protected.

Saint Francis Quilt Show

2009-10-06T16:11:00.004-04:00

On Saturday I attended the St. Francis County Fair which includes a quilt show of local artists. This event has been going on for 28 years. This was my first visit and what a treat. I have never seen quilts hung this way. It was fabulous. I had two pieces in the show, Miriam's Dance and Follow Me. Both of these pieces were in the Sacred Threads 2007 show. I was honored to be asked to submit these works. I will definitely catch this event every year.

New Work - Fun with Stencils - Autumn Ginkgo

2009-09-30T14:01:00.006-04:00

I just completed this little piece I call "Autumn Ginkgo". I used a stencil from Laura Murray Designs and Stewart Gill paint to make the ginkgo leaves. I had made the background and the pleated border quite some time ago. (The border is a technique I learned from friend Vikki Pignatelli.) So when my good friend Cyndi Souder said she was teaching a stencil class in Houston and would love to borrow any samples I might have, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to use my new stencil and create one for her. Another UFO done.

SAQA Auction - Fourth Purchase

2009-09-29T08:44:00.005-04:00

This delightful piece is by Shelley Brucar. I have been on a fish kick lately so this piece goes nicely with Clowning Around by Jan Potter and the series I made over the summer. My beach house in California is going to get some great artwork.

SAQA Auction - Third Purchase

2009-09-28T16:39:00.006-04:00

This piece is by Vivien Zepf. It's called Together II. I was drawn to the imagery of helping hands. I was recently designing a logo for my new company called Giving Back Technology and came up with a very similar image. The message portrayed by these two hands transcends our personal beliefs in religion or politics. It shows caring about another and making the world a better place.

SAQA Auction - Second Purchase

2009-09-19T11:53:00.006-04:00

This is the second piece I purchased in round one of the SAQA auction. It's called Rita Experiences Her First Hot Flash. The artist is Patricia Charity. So you can probably guess why this piece was meaningful to me. Hint: I celebrated my 50th birthday recently. The thread work is stunning. Click on the picture to see it close-up.

Thank you Patricia for donating this piece.

SAQA Auction - My First Purchase

2009-09-18T14:33:00.004-04:00

In the first round of the auction, I purchased three pieces. Two have arrived. I am very excited. The artwork is so much better than I realized from the photos on the SAQA website. So here is my first one, called Clowning Around by Jan Potter. Jan had a similar piece in Sacred Threads. I immediately recognized her SAQA donation since I am intimately familiar with all the Sacred Threads pieces. So this feels like a souvenir of the Sacred Threads show.

Thank you Jan for donating this piece.

New Work. University of Michigan Bioartography

2009-09-12T14:25:00.010-04:00

I have finished a new piece called Escher's Needlepoint. It is based on a scientific photo by Kaelyn Male, a scientist at the University of Michigan. My Fiber Artists and Loose Ends group is doing a collaborative exhibit called "Art Under the Microscope"with University of Michigan scientists from the Center for Organogenesis, the Gifts of Art program and the Society for the Arts in Healthcare. The exhibit opens October 19th. To learn more, visit the exhibit announcement on the Gifts of Art website.

SAQA Auction Started Today

2009-09-10T14:20:00.006-04:00

At 2:00 (ET) the SAQA 12" x 12" reverse auction began. Last year I purchased three beautiful pieces and now have them mounted and hung in my home.

This year, I donated a piece called Icelandic Poppies. I am thrilled that it has sold on the first day (within the first few minutes). Here is a screen capture showing the sale. Thank you to Ann Sielman, our Executive Director, Martha Sielman's mother.

I hope everyone will check out the auction. It's a great way to contribute to this wonderful organization and to acquire some unique pieces of art. Here is the link:
http://www.saqa.com/newsebulletins/Squares09_1.aspx

I Admit it. I'm a Cat Person.

2009-09-05T09:23:00.008-04:00

I have three rescued cats. At one time we also had two dogs and a lizard. I asked the vet how many pets a family could have before they were considered eccentric. She said that when the number of pets is greater than the number of people in the home, well it's something to think about.

This morning I was winding a bobbin. I like to multi-task. So after it started to wind, I got up to check my email. When I came back, Kahlua was playing with the moving thread. This can't be good. But it is amusing. I managed to grab the camera and catch her in the act.

She also decided that the machine is tasty. If you look closely you will see her pink tongue licking the top of my machine.

It's time to take my machine in to be serviced. Fred will probably ask me about all the cat hair. Hopefully he won't notice the cat spit.

New Work - What I Did During My Summer Vacation

2009-08-28T18:07:00.014-04:00

I spent five glorious weeks at our summer home in California. The weather actually was not very nice. It was overcast and chilly. So rather than spending a considerable time down at the beach, I spent more time in my studio.

While I brought UFOs to work on, I ended up creating these four new pieces. The pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.

It all started with a cool fish stencil I bought while at the Long Beach IQF show. It's by Laura Murray. The stencil also has some feathery plants which look like seaweed or kelp. I haven't done a lot of beading so this was good practice to use beads for the fish eyes.

After this piece, I knew I was going to visit my friend Claudia Sammis so I wanted to make something for her. I also wanted to experiment with Angelina fibers and couching on decorative threads. This little 12" x 12" is the result. I call it "Fish for Claudia".

After the fun of couching on decorative threads, I decided I wanted to try more of that so I made this next piece. The background fabric was one of my purchases from Long Beach. Friend Cathie Hoover saw it and said it looked like me. So of course, I bought it. The pleated border at the bottom I learned from quilt teacher and friend Vikki Pignatelli.

Finally, I made this last piece. More couching and a focus on beads this time. At the bottom you can see shells from our beach that have been drilled to make buttons. The large orange fish is from the stencil but enlarged and done with thread work instead of paint.

Here's a close-up of the shell buttons from our beach.

All in all, it was a great summer in my studio. I stretched myself to do more embellishing with paint, beads and fibers.

Hoffman Challenge Picture from Suzanne

2009-08-25T15:46:00.002-04:00

I received this picture from quilting friend Suzanne Kistler. She attended the Rocky Mountain Quilt Festival and got to see all the Hoffman Challenge 2009 pieces. My piece Woodland Spring is traveling in trunk QC-F. Thanks Suzanne!

California Beach House and Milestone Birthdays

2009-08-12T12:56:00.004-04:00

I have been off-line for quite awhile now. I am in California at my summer house. During the weeks we are here, we are unplugged. We have no Internet, no TV and limited cell phone coverage. I spend my days in my studio and sitting at the beach. This pile of stones is a reminder to bask in God's beautiful creation. Tomorrow I celebrate a milestone birthday. I have lived half a century. This is the perfect place to think about all my blessings and dream of the next half century.

Beyond the Barrier - Sacred Threads Special Exhibit

2009-07-07T10:01:00.006-04:00

From the Sacred Threads Website:

"In the fall of 2008, prison Chaplain Jami Burns formed a new activity group at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, OH which provided the participating inmates with an opportunity to express their life’s journey through quilting. Many of these women have never quilted before but their works give voice to powerful emotions and deep faith."

This piece called "Here I Am..." is by Ronda Carmella Edwards. Here is her artist statement:

"I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the Seraphim: each one had six wings with twain he covered his feet and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, holy, holy, holy is Sabaoth the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. And the house was filled with smoke. Then said I “woe is me!” for I am undone; because I am a wo-man of unclean lips and dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth and said, lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I; send me. Isaiah 6;1-8He changed me, molded me, clothed me, and allowed me away out of hell fires, by washing me. He sent a sinner back to the sinners so they can see Christ inside of me. God kept the fight in me he just changed the purpose of it. He took my pain and hurt and turned it into love, joy, peace and gave me a job to renew the minds, and the brokenhearted.

To visit the entire exhibit. Please visit: http://www.beyondthebarrier.org/

University of Michigan - Cancer Quilts Gallery

2009-06-27T10:04:00.006-04:00

My Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends group made art quilts for the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Michigan. They are currently on display until August 17th in the waiting area gallery. The theme of each piece is a plant or animal being used in chemotherapy.

Click here to learn more and get directions to the exhibit. Pictures provided courtesy of Anne Cooper from the University of Michigan. After August 17, 2009, the pieces will be moved to their permanent home in the Bone Marrow Transplant area of the Cancer Center. I recently received an email from a women who was very touched by the exhibit. She was there waiting for her sister who is being treated for Breast Cancer.

To see close-up pictures of the individual cancer quilts on the Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends website , click here.

Sacred Threads 2009

2009-06-23T07:26:00.004-04:00

I have returned from Columbus Ohio. It was a short trip to see several quilt exhibits including NQA, Quilt National and Sacred Threads. Here are my Sacred Threads pieces: Fire Dance and Praise.

The Sacred Threads show was even better than I anticipated. I was very familiar with all the quilts from working on the Show CD and the jurying system. But, seeing the work in person is incredible.

More People To Love My Kids

2009-05-26T17:59:00.007-04:00

You read about "blended families" and that kids having more adults to love them can be a wonderful blessing. Well, my kids have that, sort of. They have Honorary Grandparents. Don and Peggy have been close friends of my parents since before I was born. We celebrated Thanksgiving together for as long as I can remember. And as an adult, they loved to tell me what they thought of my various boyfriends that I would bring home for visits. One of my sweetest memories is when Don took me to lunch on the day I was to be married, after a painful broken engagement. He reached out to me on a tough day. Now when that anniversary comes around, I remember his kind gesture and our time together.

So when I was pregnant with our first child, Mike and I asked Don and Peggy to be Honorary Grandparents. Mike's parents are both deceased so this gave our kids two sets of grandparents and increased our extended family circle.

Don and Peggy are true grandparents. They celebrate all our major events and love and dote on the kids. It wasn't until the kids were older, that they realized that Gran and Gramps weren't actually blood relatives. When my youngest was in elementary school she wrote a little paper on how she had inherited her love and skill for painting from her grandfather. (His website is http://www.donaldfredericksen.com/).

So, this past weekend, Don celebrated his 80th birthday. I made this little quilt to celebrate. The photo was taken at my son's Eagle Court of Honor.

You just can't have too many people that love your kids.

Hoffman Challenge 2009

2009-05-20T08:39:00.008-04:00

My Hoffman Challenge piece called Woodland Spring is done and on its way to Fort Collins, CO.

It took me awhile to be inspired by this year's Hoffman Challenge fabric. But finally, the idea for Woodland Spring surfaced. New leaves and blossoms are just appearing in the forest.
I used my Lazy Landscape for the background and my Graceful Trees design. Hot fix pearls made the sweet little blossoms.

Quilt Camp - Finally, Time for New Work

2009-05-01T08:48:00.002-04:00

Just before Easter, I had the great fun of having 5 friends join me at my beach house in California for a week of sewing. We set up the family room, overlooking the ocean, with sewing tables, ironing boards and a cutting area.
We had a blast. It was one of my best vacations ever. I concentrated on UFOs and made this new piece here called Icelandic Poppies. I was inspired by all the California poppies that were in bloom.

Special Occasion Quilt

2009-04-29T09:14:00.005-04:00

In late March we celebrated my Dad's 80th birthday. So naturally, I wanted to make a special gift to commemorate the occasion.

This simple piece features a photo of my folks, my brother and me, our spouses and the 6 grandkids. I had each of my kids write a sentence about why they love Papa. I free-motion quilted their words in the blue border.

I learned a lesson in making this small piece. I added the narrow black flange to the blue border before I attached it to the half-square triangle inner border. Duh, the flange covers up my near perfect points.

The Alliance for American Quilts: Quilters' S.O.S.

2009-03-24T08:57:00.003-04:00

I was interviewed for the Alliance of American Quilts - Quilters' S.O.S. - Save our Stories as an artist in the Sacred Threads Quilt Exhibit. You can read my interview, by clicking here.

This picture is of my quilt, Miriam's Dance which exhibited at Sacred Threads in 2007.

New Work: Compassion

2009-03-19T15:08:00.005-04:00

A dear friend of mine from church, Babette, went on a mission trip last summer to Rwanda. Knowing my love for quilting, she brought back this beautiful batik which I used here as the central panel. I added the black and half square triangle borders and then quilted it. I call this piece Compassion since she was on a trip with the Christian humanitarian organization called Compassion International.

Laptop Pattern For Sale

2009-03-17T19:35:00.005-04:00

I am pleased to report that my first pattern is for sale! This pattern is based on the pre-cut 2-1/2" strips of Hoffman Bali Pops or any jelly roll collection. It is easy to make and adjusts to any size laptop.

You can purchase this pattern on-line directly from me, by going to my home page.

Carly Mul at Webfabrics.net also carries the pattern and you can buy the wonderful Bali-Pops directly from her website. Click here to see the pattern at Webfabrics.net.

For local Washington DC Quilters, Leslie Pfeifer at the Quilt Patch also carries the pattern in the store.

New Work called Punch Line: “‘Twas Me First Day With Me Hook”

2009-02-03T09:29:00.006-05:00

My Fiber Artists @ Loose Ends group is exhibiting "Punch Line" at Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA, February 26-March 1, 2009. My piece is called “‘Twas Me First Day With Me Hook”

This inspiration drawing, shown above, was by my husband, Michael Ellis. My piece illustrates the last line of a famous joke about a pirate talking to a bartender about how he lost his eye.
---
A pirate walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I haven't seen you lately. Last time you had both eyes.""Arrgh," says the pirate, "I was swabbing me deck, when gulls were flying over. I looked up, and one of them pooped in me eye.""So?" replied the bartender, "You couldn't have lost an eye just from that!"
"Well," says the pirate, "’Twas was me first day with me hook.”

Road to California - Hoffman Challenge

2009-01-21T07:07:00.005-05:00

Mary Kerr sent me these pictures from the Road to California show. This is my 2008 Hoffman Challenge piece called Global Balance. Thank you Mary. It's exciting to see it among the other entries.

New Work Called Nothing on Earth

2009-01-05T10:18:00.002-05:00

I made this quilt for my friend Dianne and presented it to her for Christmas. She redecorated a bedroom and asked that I make her a piece that would go with the new decor. The room is her son's bedroom when he is visiting from college. He is into music so I wanted to make something that fit his interests. The score is a piece written by my father called Nothing On Earth. It is based on Romans 8:28-39.

"Lord, you have called us, according to your purpose, and nothing on earth, or in all of creation, not fear or temptation, not want or tribulation can ever separate us, from the grace of your love."

SAQA Auction Part 3

2008-12-08T15:54:00.003-05:00

"Midsummer Moon Dance" by Mary Vinovskis is my most recent purchase in the SAQA on-line auction of 12" x 12" pieces.

Here is what Mary shares about her piece: "I'm just starting to make art quilts. In this little piece I wanted to use unusual (for me anyway) fabrics to create my imaginary garden scene. I pictured an adobe wall with some sky above it, strong shadows on it and plants in front of it. At the same time I was focusing on the composition: trying to balance color placement, value, etc. The butterflies were the only way I could see to get some blue into the center of the design. The small scale was also a challenge, especially in deciding how to finish the edge -- my usual 1/4 inch binding cut off too much of the picture so I tried my first couched yarn finish."

I am thrilled with my newest piece.

SAQA Auction Part 2

2008-11-28T15:18:00.005-05:00

This wonderful piece is the newest in my growing collection of small works. I puchased it from the SAQA on-line auction. Part 3 started today. Check out the auction at www.saqa.com.

This piece is called Beautiful Garden by Terri Stegmiller. She has many delightful pieces for sale. Check out Terri's website by clicking here. Be sure to visit her gallery, blog and see what is for sale.

This picture is posted with her permission.

Studio Art Quilt Associates Auction Success

2008-11-17T16:37:00.010-05:00

Memoirs of a Geisha, made by one of my heroes Louisa L. Smith, now belongs to me. I purchased this beautiful piece in the on-line auction to raise money to support the mission of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA).

And here's an update on the November Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative on-line auction. My piece Blessed Are the Caregivers, shown in my previous post, was sold to SusieQ. SusieQ has informed me that she will donate my piece to the Alzheimer's center where her step dad is currently living and receiving care. I can't think of a better place for it to be displayed. I huge thanks to SusieQ for bidding on my piece.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative November Auction

2008-11-05T12:22:00.003-05:00

Today begins the November Auction for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Priority Quilts. This month is a special auction for pieces that relate to Alzheimer's.

My piece, Blessed Are the Caregivers, is #2391.

Please help make a difference in fighting this devasting disease and get involved by bidding on one of these pieces.

Click HERE to go to the auction page to see all the quilts.

Braving the Elements

2008-10-28T11:21:00.008-04:00

I belong to an on-line quilt group called Quilt Art. It's an amazing resource for quilt artists. Thanks to the efforts of Linda Teddlie Minton and G. Armour Van Horn we have an exhibit of the Journal Quilts that were not selected for the Houston IQF show. This on-line exhibit is called Braving the Elements.

My Journal Quilt called Fire Dance is included.

It is worth the time to see this breathtaking virtual exhibit. Enjoy!

Healing Quilts For Unversity of Michigan

2008-09-25T15:52:00.010-04:00

Last week I traveled to Ann Arbor to deliver seventeen art quilts to the University of Michigan. Twelve in the collection are for the cancer wing and will be hung for patients and their families to enjoy. The subjects are plants and animals used in chemotherapies. To see all the quilts, check out our website at http://www.fiberartists-looseends.com/.

Two of the quilts are based on images from U of M scientists who share their interesting work through an innovative art form called Bio-Artography. Artists Annabel Ebersole and Judy Busby made these two pieces.

Bio-artography Image by Rebecca Bernados

Bio-artography Image by Maria Morell

I want to thank all the Fiber Artists who helped created this wonderful collection of healing quilts. It was an honor and privilege to deliver them to the University of Michigan Health Care Gifts of Art program.

World's Alzheimer's Day

2008-09-14T15:09:00.003-04:00

September 21st is World's Alzheimer's Day.

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative is sponsoring the Purple Patch to honor and remember those that have this devastating disease. Learn more about how you can help by visiting http://www.alzquilts.org/.

My purple patch is in honor of my sister-in-law Susan's step father. Susan travels frequently from her home in Colorado to help her mom in Florida.

Vintage Revisited - Block Six: Mary's Heroes

2008-09-11T13:18:00.004-04:00

I completed my last of the Vintage Revisited block challenges. This one was based on a grandmother's flower garden block. I used all the left over pieces to make the border trim. Mary Kerr is the creator, visionary and curator of this amazing project. I wanted to thank her in some way for inviting me to participate so I made this last piece for her. These photos are some of her favorite people. You can check out this inspiring project by visiting the Vintage Revisited page on Mary's website.

Journal Quilt Project II: Elements

2008-09-06T13:50:00.009-04:00

I submitted this piece called Fire Dance to the Quilt Art Journal Project II: Elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire) exhibit. It was not selected to travel with the exhibit. This piece is special to me because I made it while visiting Vikki Pignatelli for 4 wonderful days last July. I was learning and experimenting with her techniques for improvisational design and curved piecing. The border/binding is pleated and has little contrasting flaps sewn in. It has a lot of texture and is 3-D.

My intepretation of the Elements theme: Fire Dance shows the spirit of God in waves of energy, moving over the earth during creation. In the earth’s initial stages, God’s spirit, represented by fire (coral), the waters and air (teal), and the earth (black) are all inter-mingled while the spirit creates their form and they become distinct entities.

Teaching in California

2008-08-25T09:29:00.009-04:00

While I was in California I had the opportunity to teach a Praise Quilt Workshop. Fourteen women from different churches in the Morro Bay area attended. I taught an abbreviated version of my Lazy Landscape class and demonstrated how I do Thread Paint Lettering and raw-edge applique. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with women whom all share a calling to make banners for their churches. Here are two pieces.

The first piece is by Donna Ross and was made for Pentecost.

This next piece is by Judie Kirkhart and is a gift for a family member.

Thank you to Loisann Cass for thinking of this workshop and organizing it. And thank you to the Calvary Luthern Church for hosting the event.

Hoffman Challenge 2008

2008-08-19T12:28:00.006-04:00

I learned from my friend Suzanne Kistler that my Hoffman Challenge quilt "Global Balance" was selected for the traveling show in collection QC-A. I am thrilled that it was selected. It's my first time entry.

I am also happy to be back home in Virginia. We enjoyed six wonderful weeks at our summer house in California. However, the only contact to the outside world is through a dial-up connection. While it is nice to have no TV, no cell phone, etc., I do miss my computer and high speed Internet. Mostly, it's wonderful to be so remote. The evenings are spent playing games and talking. My favorite evening was when the guys had a BBQ cook-off and the kids put on a talent show called "International Idol".

Brehm Coalition Quilt

2008-05-21T08:43:00.014-04:00

I have completed this new quilt called Connecting the Dots of Type I Diabetes Research. It will be donated to the University of Michigan Brehm Center for Type I Diabetes Research and Analysis. The piece shows funky dotted portraits of ten top scientists from around the country that are a part of the Brehm Coalition and are committed to collaboration on finding a cure for the devastating disease. Also shown in this quilt are Bill and Dee Brehm who created the vision for this initiative. And a guest appearance in the quilt is Paul Lichter who heads the Kellogg Eye Center and co-houses the Brehm Center at the University of Michigan. Can you figure out who is who?

Canna Flower

2008-05-03T19:23:00.015-04:00

This is my newest quilt called Canna. I tried a new technique using Photoshop to manipulate the photo and then printed it on fabric.
The inspiration photo was taken by Craig Cramer and was used with his permission. You can check out his blog at www.remarc.com/craig/. During the course of our discussion, he posted a blog about my work. You can read his entry by clicking here.

This quilt will be donated to the University of Michigan Hospital cancer wing. For you alert readers you will notice that I abandoned my project from Asilomar. I was not happy with the applique.

April Trip to California

2008-04-14T13:12:00.004-04:00

I am home from a wonderful trip to California. I visited our lovely summer home and was amazed by all the wild flowers in bloom on our property. Here you can see the poppies in the background. Also in bloom was the ice plant.

While in California I attended the Empty Spools Seminar at Asilomar. I took a class with Jan Krentz and worked on my canna flower quilt for the University of Michigan Hospital cancer wing.

Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival

2008-02-29T09:48:00.004-05:00

I have returned from my trip to Hampton to attend the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival. I had two quilts: San Diego and Follow Me in the juried show. It was quite a thrill and I was happy they were hung side-by-side. Also Mary Kerr's Vintage Revisted challenge debuted. It was very well received by the public. I had four pieces in this exhibit. Visit Mary's website to learn more about Vintage Revisited and to see pictures of the show.

Identity Crisis

2008-02-13T07:14:00.015-05:00

My Fiber Artists group has created an exhibit called Identity Crisis which will debut at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton, VA, Feb 21-24, 2008. Each quilt measures 18" x 60" and has an accompanying artist statement that explains the crisis.

My quilt is called Googlegänger (Portrait of Lisa Ellis of LisaEllisMusic.com)

My Artist Statement: I am a computer geek and I spend lots of time on the Internet. I obsess over tweaking my website and those websites that I manage. My goal is to get my sites to the top of Google results without paying for keywords. And like most Internet junkies I Google my own name. It’s sometimes called ‘ego surfing’. Well, I like to think it’s more like business research rather than vanity. So anyway, I have a fairly common name. Lisa Ellis. When it’s Googled, Lisa Ellis generates 1,810,000 hits. A Googlegänger is someone that shares your name that you find in Google. So what’s my identity crisis? I want my website to be at the top!

Who is at the top of Google results? The Lisa Ellis from lisaellismusic.com. So this quilt is of her. (She gave me permission to use her portrait for this project). It was fun talking to her. She is quite the rocker and totally different from me. She’s cool; I am not. And, she has the number one spot on Google.

Praise Wall Update

2008-02-07T07:36:00.000-05:00

Since the installation of the Praise Wall at my church in October 2007, dozens of heartful praises have been offered. Here is an updated picture of how the Praise Wall reminds us to enter His gates with Thanksgiving as we prepare our hearts for worship in the sanctuary.

Epiphany's Mission

2008-01-08T08:40:00.001-05:00

I belong to a wonderful church called Church of the Epiphany in Herndon, VA. We live by our mission statement which is:

"To stand for Jesus Christ, grow together as God's family and make Him known through the power of the Holy Spirit."

I made this new quilt to hang somewhere in our building. My hope is that it will help us to remember and inscribe on our hearts and minds what we are called to do within the body of our church.

Auction Has Ended at AmiSimms.com

2007-12-10T09:37:00.000-05:00

I am very pleased that my two little quilts made over $200 for Alzheimer's research. Thank you to "Swede" and "VQQuilter" for bidding on my two pieces.

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

2007-11-30T16:05:00.000-05:00

My two pieces, Wild Fires and Garden, are now up for auction on the Ami Simms site to raise money for Alzheimer's. Please consider supporting this fund raiser by bidding on any of the wonderful quilts for sale. Check out all the quilts by visiting the Alzheimer's Priority Quilts. This auction runs until December 7th.

Grandma Emma (1907-2007)

2007-11-21T08:31:00.000-05:00

My Grandma Emma Soderquist turned 100 on October 18, 2007.
Our family gathered together to celebrate. The picture above shows four generations with my daughters, my mom, Emma and me.

Then Emma slipped away from us and on November 14th, she joined my Grandpa in paradise.

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43

2007 Journal Quilt of Sue Pel-Or of Israel

2007-11-12T16:05:00.000-05:00

A fellow quilt artist from Israel created this beautiful piece. I had captured a picture at the show in Houston and read on the QuiltArt List about her desire for a picture. I contacted her and we agreed that I should post it here for all to enjoy. Contact Sue.

A Page from My Book: Journal Quilts 2007
Journal Quilt Project

Susan Pel-Or
Netanya
Israel

Spare That Tree

Creative Quilting techniques used
Scanned, photocopied and printed (p.16); Using my own digital photos printed on cotton heavily freemotion embroidered (p.23); Use of overwhelming black background to bring forward smaller picture (p.130)

I was devastated by the topping of the tree outside my workroom which was authorized by someone in our building in spite of the fact that the owners had voted against it. This tree provided shade, beauty and privacy.

I had to find trees in bloom to photograph but in fact I never found a tree that was as beautiful as ours had been. I had to print a photograph which I then reversed and printed again (on Extravorganza) so that it would be lighter than the stump which I photographed and printed on cotton. I scanned an actual flower and printed it in several sizes. I printed the branch section again on cotton and cut out individual branches to scatter around the base. I then fused my composition onto black cotton and used a variety of threads to freemotion on the different areas.

Because my sewing machine decided to go on strike, I used hand stitching far more than I had originally planned, but I feel it was a fortunate accident.

The journal quilts have enabled me to work more freely and have “given me permission” to incorporate any technique that works.

Journal Quilt 2007

2007-11-06T14:09:00.000-05:00

A Page from My Book:
Journal Quilts 2007 – Journal Quilt Project

The TO-BE List (the anti-TO DO list).

Creative Quilting techniques used: “bubble-quilted” background (p. 14); raw-edge mounted (p. 101); portrait line drawing (p. 194)

April. My first ideas for my journal quilt focus on techniques I want to try. I am camping with my son’s Boy Scout crew in the beautiful mountains of West Virginia, sitting by a peaceful pond and reading the Creative Quilting Book. The portrait line drawing technique sparks my imagination and gives me an idea for my theme. Hmmm. I decide I’ll do a portrait of myself and then add embellishments that describe who I am.

May. I want to make that cool bubble-quilted background and just play. I need a break from my projects with close deadlines. Just sewing circles will be fun

June. I have started collecting images of things that represent my life. So far I have a computer (I’m a geek), a sewing machine (quilter), fleur-de-lis (Boy Scout leader), and a cross (faith). I need to find a way to represent my family.

September. Yikes! I am totally overwhelmed! I have been gone all summer and now I have all the kids’ school paperwork, Boy Scout meetings to plan, seven weeks of emails to answer, and five websites to be updated. I am drowning in my TO-DO list! I realize I need to regroup. It’s time for the TO-BE list!

I am not defined by what I do or what I get done. What’s most important everyday is to be the person I was created to be.

Now I know what I want to do with my journal quilt. I do not want this quilt to communicate what I DO, but who I want to BE. And I will start with “Be Still and Know that I Am.” (Psalm 46:10).

Here is a picture of me at the Houston, International Quilt Festival standing next to my Journal Quilt. Notice I am standing in the same position as my portrait. The lines on the face and my bangs are in the same position. That was unplanned and kind of amusing! Click on this link to view other Journal Quilts.

San Diego Fires

2007-10-29T07:46:00.000-04:00

Like all of us, I have been deeply touched by the horrendous wild fires of last week in Southern California. My thoughts and prayers have been with all of those who have lost their homes, their pets, precious memories and, worst of all loved ones. I made this quilt over the weekend to mark the time lest we forget this tragedy.

Praise Wall

2007-10-14T17:39:00.000-04:00

Today was the inauguration of the Praise Wall at my church. This quilt "We Lift Our Praises" forms the centerpiece for the wall.

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you.
Psalm 63:2-4 (The Message)

Over the next several weeks, our church members, staff, friends and visitors will fill out praise cards and they will be pinned to the long banners that hang on either side of the quilt. Below is a picture of the Praise Wall with just 3 praises posted so far.

Studio Experiments

2007-09-28T13:20:00.000-04:00

With the kids back in school and some time in the studio, I decided to just play with fabric for a few days. I needed a break from quilt projects with deadlines! The show Simply Quilts is back on the air. While I have seen most of them, I enjoy the peaceful time in the morning to gather my thoughts and be inspired by Alex Anderson's guests. Recently, I caught an episode with Kim Deneault. She has developed a technique called Raggedy Reverse Applique which she uses for working with kids. Check out her website and book. I decided to try it to make some abstract art quilts. Here are three different ones I made, each within just a couple of hours. It is alot of fun! I layered three fat quarters of fabric, right side up and then sewed long curvy lines. I then cut through either one or two of the layers leaving 1/4" next to the sewing line. Then using Kim's technique, I clipped the edges about 1/8" apart. Once all the edges are clipped, I washed and dried it the machine. I added a back and then quilted. I added some fibers to the beige and blue one. Phew, got that out of my system. So now it's back to a quilt project that is due in two days.

The Story of "Praise Him" Continues

2007-09-10T10:57:00.000-04:00

Last October I made this quilt called Praise Him for my pastor. The full story about its creation is on my website. It was an amazing experience of obedience and joy.

Well, yesterday I received the most incredible email. Ronald Cason was googling images of Praise and came across the picture of the quilt. He wanted to download it to be used for a background for his Yahoo 360 page. Well the Holy Spirit moved him to contact me first. Please read Ronald's own version of how the Holy Spirit moves among his people and touches our lives. Go to Ronald Cason's 360 site. His blog for September 9 is titled "I Like the Way You Move." I couldn't agree more!

Boy Scout High Adventure Trip to Switzerland

2007-09-09T08:55:00.001-04:00

I am back from my Boy Scout trip to Switzerland. My co-leader, Bill Branner, and I took a group of four Venturers to the International Scout Centre in Kandersteg. Here is a picture of my son climbing on a glacier. This picture was taken by Bill's son Matthew who was lower in the crevasse.

My Newest Quilt is Called "Rays."

2007-08-18T22:27:00.000-04:00

While I was in California, I made a class sample for the workshop I will teach at the Quilt Patch in Fairfax, VA this fall. The class is about using value to bring light and transparancies into quilt design. I pieced this entirely with fusible. The only sewing was the machine quilting and the facing for finishing. The pieces are finished as separate quilts and then are attached together using small tabs.

“His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden." (Habakkuk 3:4)

I'm back from California

2007-08-17T08:29:00.000-04:00

I have just returned from an amazing 5 weeks at our summer home on the central coast of California. Here is a picture of our home taken by my nephew from the air. I could spend hours everyday down on the rocks over looking the water watching for otter, seals, star fish, crabs, dolphins and even whales.

Rajua has a new home

2007-07-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

On June 22nd, UNIFEM held its fund raiser and my african themed quilt named Rajua was purchased in a silent auction. Rajua means "to give hope" in Swahili - a fitting name for the UNIFEM cause. Rajua was purchased by Neale Godfrey. Neale is the Chairman of the Children's Financial Network and wrote the well known book Money Doesn't Grow on Trees. This was my first quilt to get into a juried show (Mid-Atlantic and AQS) so it was a little hard to see it go.