Quilt!

I received the most exciting email this afternoon
from a friend at
Luella's Quilt Basket

It's true.
I wanted to 'leak the news' to all of you
before it happened.
But.
Well.
Here it is!

RJR Fabrics "Asante"

Thank you.

Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting

easy quilts

Thank you.

I'm so proud.

natalie.
beyond the reef

Fabric Giveaway

Do you love fabric?

I do.

I think I mentioned that I have had the chance to work with RJR Fabrics.

I was given the fabulous opportunity to design a quilt for a new fabric line

ASANTE

And I was given the fabulous opportunity to make that quilt in a second line

WOODLAND

by Lori Mason

Which means

You all have the fabulous opportunity to win a set of fabrics from the same line!

Not ALL of the fabrics in the line, mind you, but 15 fat thirds and two one third pieces!

On Lori's site, she says,

"My passion for quilting is about people—the evocative stories told by quilts and the personal relationships pieced through the fabric.  I cherish these connections as well as the beauty that emerges through the patterns; they both soften and become richer over time."

Please leave a comment about a quilt you have made

and the person - the relationship - the connection

that you have made

through that quilt.

And for a little more inspiration, here is Lori herself:

1.  Lori - your new line Woodland, for RJR Fabrics, really has some unusual colors in the line.  They are a delight to work with!  What was your inspiration?

Well, it is a Fall/Winter line, and the subject matter was inspired by some of my findings on walks during the Fall months.  I knew I wanted at least one color combination to have that deep, rich maroon color.  The blue color combo was inspired by the dawn sky in crisp winter.  I live in the Pacific Northwest, land of the evergreens, so the third combination had to start there - deep forest green with the rusty-orange pop of deciduous trees turning color. 

2.  Woodland.  I just have to ask...are you a hiker, rock climber, gardener, naturalist?

Hiking and mountaineering were a big part of my experience growing up in the Northwest.  My dad started us off at a young age going on hikes on the weekends, and as I grew older I never lost the habit.  The beauty found in nature has always been an inspiration to me.

3.  Everyone wants to know about two things - how you work, and of course, where you work.

When I ask how you work, I have to ask specifically do you work in silence or with music?

And when I ask where you work, what I mean is - do you sketch wherever you are, or do you sit down with all of your resources and then get to work?

My studio is located above a packaging company in northwest Portland, Oregon along with a handful of other artist's studios.  I usually carry a small camera with me in case there is something that catches my eye wherever I may be at the time - it could be something as simple as a fence, a leaf, or the side of a building.  I'm fascinated by patterns, especially those found in the natural world.  I also collect natural forms that I can scan or draw when I get to the studio.  When I feel like I've collected enough, then I sit down and sort through what I've got.  If I'm doing any sort of "figuring" or organizing of ideas, I usually need silence, but I love to sew to music. 

4.  The holidays are approaching, you have a new line of fabric being released to stores - - will you take holiday guests to the quilt shops like a 'proud mom'?

Of course, who wouldn't!

5.  Speaking of the holidays, what are some of the secret family ingredients in your cranberry sauce?

Horseradish.

6.  Are you a morning person or a late nite person?

I would have to say somewhere in the middle, but my sweet spot for working is 9-noon when I've had my cup of tea and feel fresh.

7.  If you could travel anywhere in the world, and quilt with any one person for a weekend, not a class or anything, but just 'quilt weekend', where would you go and who would you want to quilt with?

If I could travel anywhere, I would travel back in time and spend a weekend quilting with my Granny Eva who died 12 years ago.  She was a true inspiration to me even though she didn't quilt. She was a sculptor, originally from Vienna, and she spent her entire life making art.  There were many unfinished works in her home studio when she died at age 80.  She never got to see my fabrics, but I know she would have loved to see them.

8.  Okay, I have to ask - speaking of travel...what is your favorite mode of travel?  Road trip in the Car?  A train excursion?  A quick jet to get there and get going? 

I'd have to say a quick jet trip - I don't like to be stuck inside sitting down for too long - although I much prefer riding in a train than a plane.  Perhaps a high-speed train in Europe? 

9.  Are you going to make any holiday gifts with your new fabric line?  Or are you on to the next line already?  Can you give us a hint?

Right now I'm making some beautiful place mats and napkin sets along with some tablecloths - they're really fun.  I've actually already designed Spring 2011 - production takes a while so we have to work ahead.  I think you'll all be happily surprised at the direction I took, but that's all I'm going to say - you'll have to stay tuned!

10.  It's hard to come to the last question, you know, that one last thing that you think people might want to know about their favorite fabric designer....let's see...okay.  I have one.

Cake or Pie?  Ice Cream or Chocolate?  Tea or Coffee?

I reject the premise that I have to make a choice!  Pear-Ginger Crisp hot out of the oven with vanilla ice cream and a cup of homemade chai

Thank you, Lori, for sharing so much with us!

We're inspired now.

Leave a comment to be entered to win the fabric by 

NOVEMBER 15.

Hurry.

Tell your friends.

Oh, and we'd love to have you become a 'follower'...

BeginAgain

natalie

looking for tropical or bright fabric?

look no further...go to:

beyondthereef

I LOVE my job....

I love my job...

Here's the thing.

For years now, quilt shop owners, businesses related to the quilting industry,

and all of those quilterly folk

have been sacrificing their Halloween

every year

to shop and attend business classes at

Quilt Market.

It always falls on the last weekend of the month, it seems.

Halloween.

Fabric companies all across the globe

come to show their newest fabric release lines

to those quilt shop owners, buyers, teachers

lecturers

all of the people that make quilting so much fun...

so if you head off to your local shop this weekend, and find the owner or a few workers away, you'll know where they've gone...shopping for you!!

Quilt patterns quilt samples quilt designs

are made to showcase those new quilterly things

fabrics

Well, this year, it just so happens, I am working on a few quilts

(not necessarily for Market)

whose fabric lines will be released this week

at

"Market"

RJR Fabrics designed by Lori Mason

This line is

Woodland

Thank you Lori Mason

for a great set of designs and colors and prints and solids

What kind of job is this that I have?

Oh, it's a little bit of everything business requires.

Deadlines, designs, diligence.

Thank you RJR Fabrics for believing I can be all three and still be creative.

And thank you Lori Mason for the great work on your end...

deadlines, designs and diligence.

Ask either one of us and we'll say the same,

"I LOVE my job."

And now, it's up to all of you

to find these fabrics in your local quilt shop, and apply your own creative eye, and a little

deadline, design and diligence.

BeginAgain

2010

natalie.

(later this week, ASANTE by RJR Fabrics)