Fiber Indulgence

Calendar Test

I've been busy at Paper Source -- exciting things are happening! We're getting ready to open new stores shortly and I'm busy finalizing fall workshops. Here's a test to see if I can create a calendar for our Kansas City store. Scroll ahead to August to see preview info on new workshops. It should be live by the weekend.

Buying for the Boudoir!

There's been discussion recently on the QuiltArt list about Hancock's Fabric filing bankruptcy and closing over 100 stores. And some of these fabric fanatics have complained that part of the problem is that Hancock's has been selling non-fabric stuff at the expense of the fabric. As someone on the list asked, "Who goes to a fabric store to buy furniture?"

Well, me.....though technically, I didn't GO there to buy furniture, it just happened!

I have to admit that I bought my bed at a Hancock's (or was it Minnesota Fabrics)? I had just finished a quilting gig in another state, and on my way out of town (I had driven) stopped by the local chain fabric store. There, as I entered the store, was a bed I fell in love with. So I bought it, then yards and yards of gauzy fabric to drop up and around it, and then more yards and yards of more fabric to drape up and over my windows. Now the fabric for over the bed had the most gorgeous coral cabbage roses on it. I knew it didn't go with anything I had, but I just had to have it!

Now, the funniest part was as I got back to my packed to the gills van, and was rearranging stuff to fit an unplanned for bed into, I was opening suitcases and rearranging which quilts went where. And discovered that one of my favorite pineapple star quilts, Roses Amongst the Thorns, had almost the exact same cabbage roses appliqued all over it, and coral, no less!

Now, not only was this quilt an NQA prize winner, been juried into AQS Show in Paducah and shown at International Quilt Festivals in both Houston and Chicago, it was already queen size, and, most importantly, it was DONE!!!!!

Now if I had gone shopping to try to match the quilt, would I have found anything? Of course not! But as it was, I was able to go home and create a gorgeous boudoir style bedroom. Still love the bed, still love the quilt, still love the total effect!

Unique Invitations

I'm getting excited about a workshop I'll be teaching soon for Paper Source. It's called The Unique Invitation and in it, students will learn about various design strategies, printing options, and how to make the whole thing FUN! I really miss working with all our great customers that are designing invites for their special events and when our previous instructor relocated to California, I jumped at the chance to teach it at two of the Chicago areas stores this spring - Lincoln Park on Feb 28 and again on Apr 21 and Evanston on Mar 11.

One of the things I'll be teaching is how to adapt a classic Paper Source DIY #10 Open End Booklet design and make it your own. Here's 3 variations of our #10 design, all using the same base papers (luxe white and luxe blush) and the same #10 open end booklet backing. [For those of you who aren't paper groupies, a #10 is the size of a standard letter size envelope, so things that fit into it are called "#10".] The kraft paper behind each invitation is just so they'll show up on the screen.

The invite one on the far left uses lokta paper from Nepal as the top layer and (you know me and my sewing fetishes) pearl buttons. The middle one has a semi-sheer overlay where you have hints of the words peaking through the translucent floral pattern and a velvet violet laced through the holes at the top holding the layers together. The final sample, on the right, uses a luscious Japanese chiyogami paper and an organza ribbon.

Now, here's the funny part -- I've used my niece Sarah as my inspiration for these invitations. No, she's not getting married soon -- heck, I don't even know if she's dating anyone. She hangs out with a bunch of cool kids at Carleton, but I don't know if there's someone "special".

No matter -- I've created a name of a fiance and even have them having Faspa at the reception. I'll write more about faspa another time, but trust me I tell you it's yummy....

Could I have designed the invitations without words? Yes, but I think it will give the students a better feel for what an invitation can look like if it's not blank.  And designing something for Jane Doe and John Smith just isn't as much fun. So Sarah's getting married. (I'll likely be inspired by Betsy for something one of these days too -- so if you girls are reading this, don't worry -- I'll keep things balanced!)

Tell me which is YOUR favorite of the three designs. And why.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Wonderful Year....

This is the view out the window of my hotel room my last morning in Switzerland. It's of Lake Constance. The land you see in the distance is Germany. I had taken three pictures, and realized after I got home I could combine them into one panoramic shot (I think my camera could have done that automatically, but I didn't think of it at the time).

As we start this new year, there's something about this picture that speaks to me. Unlimited Potential. New Horizons. Simply Glorious.

And that's what I want for you (and for myself) in this New Year. So have a Glorious Year everyone!

I'm Sharon - Indulge Me!

Indulgences are treats we give ourselves. And if you're lucky, those indulgences are the threads, the fibers if you will, that hold your life together and help give it meaning.

Who am I?

I'm a quilt designer, author and public speaker. My most recent book is Pineapple Stars: Sparkling Quilts, Simply Pieced, published by C&T Publishing. I'm excited by and grateful for the response to the book -- it's now in it's second printing. (Email me if you're interested in an autographed copy for yourself or a friend.) So my first fiber indulgence is for fabric and thread.

I'm a paper addict who works for Paper Source as their National Workshops Coordinator. I find that the Paper Arts are a compatible art form to my Quilt Art. It's still line and color and texture. Paper, which we so often take for granted but which like fabric is also created from fiber, is a growing indulgence for me.

I'm a daughter, sister and aunt. Though I live in the wonderful windy city of Chicago, I still miss my parents in Missouri and my sister in South Carolina. My one niece is at Carleton College in Minnesota and my other niece is at a statewide math & science magnet school in South Carolina. They're both cool. I regularly need to indulge in family, for they are the fiber that grounds me.

I’m a cancer survivor and have been from the moment I was diagnosed with a non-hodgkins lymphoma in 2005. It doesn’t define me, but it does influence who I am. The fiber of friendship has been critical in my recovery and I indulge in these people -- yes, you -- as often as possible.

I’m Sharon. Thanks for indulging me.