Happy Mother’s Day
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My QuiltCon Recap
QuiltCon is over. I am back home and back in my routine. I learned so much that my head is still spinning. Seeing friends was priceless. I loved my workshop with Rachel Hobson, was inspired by Amy Butler, David Butler, Heather Ross, Yoshiko Jinzenji, Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle, Angela Walters, Kat McTee, Denyse Schmidt, and was thrilled by the exhibition quilts. I also got to participate in the APQ 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge.
I did manage to buy a little fabric and the registration bag was filled with all kinds of great things too. My suitcase definately weighed more coming home.
Beautiful inspiring quilts:
(Quilts 1,2,3 Denyse Schimdt, 4 Yoshiko Jinzenji, 5 Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild, 6 Jacquie Gering , 7 Janet McWorkman, 8 Nicole Neblett, 9 Nancy Scott)
wonderful inspiring people:
(Amy Butler, Yoshiko Jinzenji, David Butler, Rachel Hobson, Angela Walters, Denyse Schmidt, Heather Ross)
All photos by Amy Dietrich for Coventry Drive
QuiltCon here I come!
Yes, I am really going today! This week will be the first ever QuiltCon presented by the Modern Quilt Guild. Modern quilters will converge upon Austin for lectures, workshops, information, fun, and friendship. The talent at this event is overwhelming.
I am looking forward to reuniting with friends, attending some amazing lectures, a workshop, and learning tons!
Let me tell you who I can’t wait to see and hear:
Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle (Modern Quilt Workshop and Craft Nectar), Yoshiko Jinzenji (uber inspiring), Denyse Schmidt, Amy Butler, Rachel Hobson (I’m taking her Redwork workshop), Heather Ross, and so many more!!!
The Modern Quilt Guild thought it might be a good idea to get to know each other a little before hand. They are having a link party. They want to know 5 things about everyone. So, here goes…
1. I have my degree in Biology, but was a fashion designer in NYC for many years. (No, it wasn’t the most direct path.)
2. I am a proud adoptive mom of 2 almighty kids who systematically blast my To Do List to bits each and every day.
3. Two of my biggest dream have already come true: traveling to Paris as a fashion designer and becoming a Mom. So anything else is pure delicious icing.
4. I traded my NYC fashion life for a life in Michigan (the land of my birth) with my two kids. I live in my very first house. What? no super to come fix things? I have to shovel snow? Buy a lawn mower? I love it! I can just walk out my back door and cut flowers for my mantel! And nobody pounds on the ceiling if we are too noisy.
5. I like strong coffee, shopping, country music, Pinterest, running, make up, quilts, Bertoia side chairs, Dries Van Noten, and making stuff.
See you in Austin!!!
patchwork bracelets
I bought the book, “Quilt Love: Simple Quilts to Stitch and Treasure,” by Cassandra Ellis a little while ago. I love the book. It gave me a nice boost of fresh inspiration.
Cassandra’s quilts are cheerful and meaningful. There is a really nice assortment of projects in this book.
There are instructions for making a friendship bracelet by hand in the book with these pretty photos below:
I needed to make SOMETHING—and fast! I decided to give the hand sewn bracelets a try. I used my Mom’s stash of fabrics that she uses for making church banners. Making the bracelets was easy and fun. ( I always think better when I’m doing some hand sewing or knitting. Do you?)
I’ve worn these nonstop since making them. Unfortunately, the fabric doesn’t hold up well and the metallic thread is unpredictable. So I took another approach.
I did a variation on Cassandra Ellis‘s idea and made longer bracelets that I can wrap around and around my wrist. And of course, there’s always room for more bracelets on MY arm!
First I made a green bracelet with solids and one print. Then I made another bracelet using 3 different blue Liberty print scraps. Of course, these bracelets work well with other bracelets too!
And then…. I HAD to make bracelets from left over scraps from a strip I had done for the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild which is being assembled into a quilt. We used some gorgeous modern Spoonflower prints. You can check out my strip here. These are the bracelets from those scraps below.
Check out http://www.cassandraellis.co.uk/ as well for more about Cassandra Ellis along with some gorgeous photos of her work.
Thank you Cassandra Ellis, for your inspiration!
Photos 1,2, 3 are from the book, ” Quilt Love: Simple Quilts to Stitch and Treasure” by Cassandra Ellis
Photos 4,5,6, & 7 are by Amy Dietrich for coventrydrive.
inspired dressing: quilts
I am inspired by quilts. I especially love Amish quilts. I love the clean design work and the stunning use of color. And everything can inspire the way I dress. Here’s how a beautiful quilt can inspire a modern girl to get dressed.
I found this stunning quilt on quiltstudy.org. That’s the comprehensive site of the International Quilt Study Center. It’s a fantastic place to learn and to ooh and ahh over beautiful quilts.
This quilt was done by the Miller sisters in Ohio in 1991. The color, movement, and sheer modern design inspired this outfit.
So I started with the draped t shirt by Alexander Wang (via Moda Operandi) paired with some denim by G-Star and added the all important accessories: an armload of bracelets by Reminiscence, Givenchy Cat Eye Glasses (via Net-A-Porter) , and metallic flats by Jeffrey Campbell (via Need Supply Co.). I’m good to go.
Alber Elbaz and make up!
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Alber Elbaz. There is so much to love about his work. Start with the fact that he assisted the genius Geoffrey Beene and then marvel over his ever-stunning work for Lanvin season after season.
This video was recently released along with the news that Alber Elbaz will be doing a makeup line for Lancome! This video is illustrated by Alber, himself, and is charming and lovely. I just can’t help but smile. I hope you will too.
The need for green
Every year at this time, I crave some color. This year it’s green. Oh, I just love green anyway. It’s one of those colors that just makes me happy. But this year, Pantone deemed Emerald Green as the color of 2013.
I don’t need an excuse to like green, but I love seeing more shades of green everywhere. And maybe…… it’s an excuse for me to justify some the things I want that happen to be green.
Usually, I want a cardigan sweater in some fabulous color to help me get through the gray January/February weather. This year I really want this shirt from J. Crew. And while it’s not emerald, it’s a pretty green! I see it with skinny jeans or skinny black pants and loads and loads of jewelry (of course). And then, not needing any more reinforcement of wanting this shirt, I saw an episode of Million Dollar Decorators (I love that show!) where Mary McDonald was wearing a green shirt with a massive necklace. Thank you very much.
Another green object that I love is the Le Creuset French Oven. My dishes are all white and my glassware is clear. A beautiful piece of green cookware is exactly what I need want.
There is always always room for a green accessory. How about the color of the year for my iPhone 5? How convenient that Pantone offers one in Emerald Green!!
Now, I need to start dreaming about the perfect pair of green shoes or.. an actual emerald.
Photos: Washingtonpost.com, J.Crew, Le Creuset, Pantone.
