July 2005 Jeri Taylor, Editor Volume 10 Issu

Pacific Piecemakers Quilt Guild
Bits & Pieces
July 2005 -- Volume 10, Issue 7
Jeri Taylor , Editor
www.pacificpiecemakers.org

JULY

July 15, 12:30 p.m.

Gualala Community Center

(NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE)

Make no mistake about it: Jane A. Sassaman is a world class, professional artist. Her many awards, honors, and publications attest to the wide-ranging appeal of her work, her strong artistic talent, and productivity. Sassaman’s worldwide engagements are evidence of her expertise as a teacher and designer. Sassaman’s fabric designs are already legendary. “Vibrant” is an understatement. Jane’s pure and vivid colors, stylized botanicals, and dots are boldly assertive, whimsical, and unmistakably Sassaman! No wonder her quilt, “Willow,” was chosen one of the top 100 American Quilts of the 20th Century, and adorned the cover of the March, 1997 issue of Quilter’s Newsletter magazine.

Jane Sassaman’s lectures and workshops, as well as her first book, The Quilted Garden, draw viewers and readers into her world of fantastic imagery and inspiration. Her online quilt gallery alone is enough to send me to my Sassaman-stash, to consider cutting and quilting those outrageous, wonderful fabrics at last! We’re most fortunate to have Jane Sassaman with us on July 15 for a slide lecture entitled “Under the Influence,” in which she shares her favorite visual ideas and images that have influenced her work. It promises to be a top-of-the-line experience. For great summer inspiration, don’t miss this one!

Paula Osborne

GUILD GLIMMERS

By Reva Basch

June meeting attendees were treated to a change of pace, as PPQG member Ann Anastasio and her sister-in-quilting Lani Longshore, known collectively as Broken Dishes Repertory Theater, demonstrated through song, banter, soft-shoe, and stacks of material evidence just how differently two quilters can approach their art. Ann is methodical, while Lani takes a more intuitive approach. Ann prefers quiet, low-contrast fabrics. Lani likes fabric that shouts, and adopts ugly patterns because she feels sorry for them. Lani calls herself the “queen of embellishments, while Ann spurns “flash and trash.” Clearly simpatico as friends, they’re at opposite poles as quilters. Periodically they ask each other, “Do You See What I See?” The answer, more often than not, is a resounding “No, I Don’t!”

Weaving autobiography and musical interludes with show-and-tell, the Dishes touched on quilting dilemmas and solutions we can all relate to, from beginners’ mistakes like the star quilt that doesn’t read as “stars” because the values weren’t right, to the wily ways in which savvy seamstresses bend the rules (Don’t like some of the assigned fabrics in a “use all six” challenge? Put them on the back, of course).

An ode to the joys of fabric shopping, sung to the tune of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and choreographed to the accompaniment of a waving credit card, was a high point in the program. Thanks to Lani and Ann for sharing their enthusiasm and their considerable accomplishments as quilters with our guild members and guests.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

As quilters we have been “Revealed!” What an interesting, talented, humorous, and beautiful group we are! This year’s PPQG show “challenged” us to say a little something about ourselves through the art of quilting. Forty plus entrants looked inward and created their contribution to the magnificent body of work now showing at Gualala Arts. Every year our “Challenge Show” gets better and better. Ladies, we have outdone ourselves and should be very proud! Kudos to Anita Kaplan and Jeri Taylor for putting together such a successful event, and many thanks to the Guild members who contributed yummy refreshments to the opening reception, and much appreciation to the docents who are volunteering their time to greet the public visiting our show. I am very honored to be part of such a wonderfully talented group of quilting artists!

Lynne Atkins

STAY TUNED!

You’ve all heard that Mary Austin, one of the teachers of the Fall Quilting Class, has broken her leg and will be laid up for some time. So our plans are a bit up in the air. We’re still hoping to do the classes beginning in September but really aren’t certain. If you are interested in the class, please let me know (785-3523 or jansears@mcn.org) and I’ll keep you posted as we firm up our plans.

Janet Sears

JANE SASSAMAN WORKSHOP

July 12-13, 9:30 a.m.—3:30 p.m.

Gualala Community Center

Entitled “Shape Shifting,” this workshop is designed to help students recognize and use in their quilts the motifs, symbols, and images they intuitively respond to. Jane strives to develop in each participant “the power to recognize her personal touchstones to imagination” and to manipulate and reinterpret them in fabric and thread. In this workshop students begin to develop an individual design language, unique visual symbols, and an interest in the history of decorative design. Informed inspiration is the key.

A few spaces remain at time of printing, so call Janet Windsor to register: 785-9324.

SEWING TIPS

A few hints to help make your life easier:

1. If you’re tired of the clutter in your sewing room, hang an over-the-door shoe organizer over the door. It’s great for scissors, rotary cutters, rulers, small fabric pieces, etc. Voila! Instant organization!

2. Do you sit on the couch to do hand work and watch TV? Push a straight pin with a big head into the arm of the couch at an angle. Then hang your small scissors on the pin to keep them close by.

3. When binding or quilting a large quilt that is hot and heavy, drop your ironing board down over your lap. It will support the quilt and take the pressure off your legs!

THE LIBRARY CORNER

By Ann Graf

This month we will be shelving two newly purchased books that will appeal to the “art quilters” among us. Look for them at the beginning of our shelves (ID# 746).

JOURNEY OF AN ART QUILTER by Barbara Olson. This book is ideal for quilters looking for inspiration and hoping to develop new ideas, as well as those of us who have great ideas but need guidance in manifesting those visions.

FIBERARTS DESIGN BOOK 7 edited by Susan M. Kieffer. This beautiful book showcases more than 550 dazzling works by textile artists from 24 countries. Spark your imagination and be inspired by the rich complexity of these original creations.

DONATIONS

EAST QUILTS WEST II and OMIYAGE—HANDMADE GIFTS FROM FABRIC IN THE JAPANESE TRADITION, both by Kumiko Sudo.

SENSATIONAL SCRAP QUILTS by Darra Duffy Williamson. Here are more ideas for turning your stash into comfort quilts.

MARINTER’S COMPASS QUILTS FROM AN OLD FAVORITE , edited by Victoria Faoro. This book is the result of an AQS “challenge.” The featured award wining quilts are a fascinating array of interpretations of this traditional pattern.

There were some great buys at our June book auction. Look for more next month!

OLD BAGS MAKING NEW BAGS

That was someone’s comment during Judith Jones’ terrific one-day bag class. More accurately, it was great old bags making absolutely gorgeous new bags and having the best time doing it! Arriving students were greeted with a characteristically “Judith” touch in the form of lavishly artful hand-stamped folders full of instructions and resources and a mountain of decorator fabric samples and embellishments. A brief intro and we were off, learning Judith’s unique design and construction methods for making carry-alls that rival those of name designers. To everyone’s delight, it turns out that those methods are straightforward and logical, using basic hand and/or machine techniques. In a few hours, each student had a nearly completed beauty of a bag. We don’t often have the opportunity to learn a skill set in a day that yields such a rich reward for such a small investment of time and money, and which can be modified endlessly to suit either practical dictates or just the desire for a fresh creative adventure!

Annie Beckett

RETREAT UPDATE

There is still space available at the PPQG 2006 Retreat. The dates are January 23-26, 2006. The deposit is $100. The cost includes three nights and all meals at the beautiful Vichy Springs Spa in Ukiah. There are a few single rooms and one one-bedroom cottage for two people available. Relax and sew your heart out and party with thirty friends! For information and reservations call or email Anita, 785-3671, ak@netget.com.

MYSTERY QUILTERS ON A ROLL!

The Pacific Piecemakers Mystery Quilters have advanced to Part Two of the progressive quilt project. In April they purchased fabric and cut out all the required pieces. In May they mastered the fine art of the “half-square triangle.” In June they will explore strip piecing. If you have not started yours, it’s not too late! All the directions are posted on the Guild web site each month and also available at The Loft in Gualala. Remember, it only takes an hour each month to have a fabulous quilt by this fall! Questions? Call Donna Blum at 785-3625 or Diane Cunningham at 884-4342.

CHALLENGE WINDING DOWN

Talk about rising to a challenge! The show is absolutely magnificent, a testament to all of you who “dug deep” inside and revealed yourselves to us. And five quilts have been sold! Congratulations!

The show will come down July 5 and you must pick up your quilts between 10:00 a.m. and noon. If you can’t be there, ask a friend — Gualala Arts charges a daily fee for items not picked up!

Sue Lease	3
Naida Mauthe	3
Joan Jordan	5
Jane Frederick	8
Sharon Malachowski	9
Anna Hines	13
Lynne Atkins	20
Renata Lopez	22
Laurie Mueller	24