Saturday, April 01, 2017

The April Fool

The April Fool of weather is currently striking  northern new England today.  We are getting a dumping of very wet snow.  There's about a foot on the ground so far, and it is supposed to snow all day.  It's just not fair!  I need spring so badly.

The response for my books has blown me away.  Thanks to all of you that have ordered, and to those that have left me wonderful messages about how you love them.  My 2nd order of both books is due to arrive this coming Monday and Tuesday, and I will get those shipped as soon as is humanly possible (April 10th).  This unneeded spring snowstorm has unfortunately delayed one of the orders until Tuesday, which means I cannot get the 150 books I have current orders for until after MQX.

But, I will leave you with a little more hope...

This is the cover of the current AQ magazine.  I have a small article in it that AQS has done as a promotional for the upcoming release of that book.
The article shows my Zen Garden quilt and talks about some of the decisions that went into the quilting of the outer border.  This quilt and 2 others are fully patterned in the book.  Decisions made as well as quilting techniques are shown in the AQS book.  My editor at AQS just got the proof book this week.  I still don't know what the resolution on the proof is - good, bad, issues, ready to go, etc but just know that this process is almost over.  I think AQS is under the impression the book will be on the shelves at Paducah since they have requested a quilt from me to hang in in the author's area.  If you are there, you can see Zen Garden in the flesh.  Six years after making it, I still think it is a pretty quilt.
The AQS book has 160 pages and sells for $26.95.

This past week, under the influences of a cold, I puttered around, not really accomplishing too much. I have dragged these blocks out that were started a year ago, and began figuring out the background. That purple is hand-dyed silk.  It unfortunately does not have the sheen it should because of the dye process this gal uses.  Hopefully, that can be rectified, or I may have to learn to dye it myself!  There just are not enough stock colors in this stuff.  Not sure exactly where this is going in terms of that black border, but I will figure it out later this spring.
Tune back in a couple days and I will try to show photos from my newest show quilt Taking the Unmapped Road after I hear that judging at MQX is over!

1 comment:

Sewing Up A Storm said...

Love your new quilt. On fabric dyeing. I have done lots of dyeing and it is not that hard, more just a series of steps and careful measuring. I once tried to dye fabric for a special quilt and it took several times to get it just right. Dharma Trading Company is where I got all my supplies. There is trial and error if you want a color that you blend yourself but it is fun. I have only dyed cotton and have not tried silk yet but would like to try it. For me dyeing my own fabric gives me all the control of the finished project as well. You should at least give it a go and see if you like it. There is so much information online as well.