The current issue April/May of Quilting Arts magazine features my quilt Tilly as the cover! Wow! What a honor. I love what they did with it. Even I have to say it makes a really striking cover.

About a year ago, before I was asked to appear on Quilting Arts TV, I had sent in a proposal to the Quilting Arts magazine about writing an article describing Pet Portrait quilts. I knew my article was in this issue but the big surprise was when I saw the cover was Tilly, my sister-in-laws Burmese cat. I used this photo to show my process when I went to record the QATV segment so I had all the pieces ready for this article. But when it came to making the completed quilt I was done with the natural colors and so made this one using the purples and grey. You can see the 2 versions behind me. What is funny is how the editors reversed the direction of the photo in the cover art for better composition and I think it works perfectly.

Early this year I heard the QATV Series 2300 had been released and it was starting to be shown on PBS stations around the U.S. Unfortunately at my house I can’t receive it although one provider does show it in my town. I did receive my complimentary DVD set in the mail. It was funny as it sat next to the TV for about 2 weeks before I plucked up the courage to watch it! I enjoyed watching myself, not as bad as I feared, and my thoughts were I sounded “quite proper!” My family was quite entertained although I will say they haven’t all seen it yet, so we need to host a ‘watch party!’

So far this year I have taught in Yuma, Arizona, Woodland, Auburn and at the Craft Napa event in Napa,CA. I have continued to make t-shirt quilts for my Etsy store Quilts from Clothes. I have made 2 donation quilts for the art quilt organization SAQA and I am working on a hand stitched project for my local quilt show in a couple of weeks. I continue to keep my hands busy.

I saw this photo on Facebook and chose it because I just love the face. Otis recently had one of his front legs removed and has been working on his new life as a tripaw. Although this is just a 12’’ quilt I do plan on making a larger version of this quilt.

Craft Napa 2019 was a marvelous event, a fun time surrounded by like creative souls. I have attended the event for 4 years now but this was my first year as a teacher. I taught a Pet Portrait class, no surprise, and it was just about a full class. I also taught a Succulent class which was smaller. The pet portrait students worked on smaller quilts approx 8’’ x10’’ and some students finished them in that 6 hr class. I am always impressed how even when doing this for the first time students really capture the look and personality of the animal they are working on.

Craft Napa 2020 is already in the works and I sent in a couple of proposals so we shall see! The event will be held Jan 15-19th 2020 announcements and sign-ups will be at the end of April Craft Napa
I am happy to also announce I will teaching at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this Fall. I submitted six classes this year and will be teaching six! These will include four fabric collage projects using kits, a pet portrait pattern-making class and a class to make your own pet portrait from a photo.

I continue to work on Pet Portrait quilts. Mustang Sally was a commission for one of my Etsy customers. Their request was to have the dog wearing a bandana and when I came to trimming up the quilt I didn’t want to cut if off so there it now hangs off the quilt.

This year Artistic Alchemy will once again host their retreat at Zephyr Point, Lake Tahoe and this year my workshop is Pet Portrait quilts. So if you are interested in making your own quilt and learning my technique don’t hestitsate to look up the info here Artistic Alchemy

Here is another candidate for a quilt. We spotted this dog at our local brewery Knee Deep in Auburn, CA. Its he fantastic and his name was Cooper, a Komondor, a Hungarian Sheepdog. That reminds me Auburn has its annual quilt show put on by the Foothill Quilt guild on April 5-6th, its always a great show and I’ll have four of my quilts on show. Even that hand stitched and embroidered piece I am still working on. Enjoy the start of Spring its just around the corner.