Join nine C&T Authors this evening (March 2, 2011) on the C&T Wednesday Night Live online digital lounge!  Click the photo to go to the C&T blogsite and learn more!

We will be discussing our upcoming workshops in the world-famous Empty Spools Seminars, held annually at Asilomar Conference Grounds in beautiful Pacific Grove, California.

If you are new to the online digital format, it is a live, interactive online chat room –when you log in, you will set a name for yourself, and you will see the presenters talking on their web cameras (one at a time). You may enter comments throughout the evening, and at the end, post your own web site or blog address for others to see and write down.

See you tonight online at 6pm Pacific Standard time! (link: World Clock Time zone converter to locate your local time)  Following the event, you may also watch the recorded event; I will post the link when I know it!

From Ellen Nadeau in Maine:  

“Friends and Needles Quilters Guild from Houlton, Maine, is holding its 25th annual quilt show this weekend (Aug. 21-23). As part of the special anniversary events, The Fabric Garden from Madison, Maine, donated 25 fabric kits containing 1/2 yd of a focus fabric and 1/4 yd each of 4 coordinating fabrics.

Participants could eliminate one fabric and/or add up to 3 of their own fabrics (I added the pale teal/white background for the rocket blocks and the pale lilac background for the compass corners and lone star diamonds). I worked on this 31-1/2 inch square wallhanging from July 2-August 19 every minute I could find outside of my paying job, even taking my sewing machine on vacation with me so I could finish on time!

The quilt show is called “Stitching Through Time: 25 Years of Quilting in ‘The County'” so I named my wallhanging “Stitching Through Time & Beyond”.
 
I’m sure there will be photos of the show very soon if you would like to check out all of the “challenge” quilts or this special silver anniversary show. The website is www.friendsandneedles.org. Also, the website for The Fabric Garden is www.fabricgarden.com.
 
Again, thanks so much for coming to Maine. You have inspired me twice so far! And I still want to make a spiral lone star…”    Ellen Nadeau

I love hearing success stories from former students!

Lauren’s Star by Deb Lockwood

Jan, here it is! This is my first ribbon for a quilt (I’ve won 2 for blocks)…I was so excited! I was also very pleased with how it turned out since in class I liked most everyone’s colors better than my own! Thanks for a great class!   Deb Lockwood

Safari Salsa Star by Marlys Cordes

Hi Jan, I am very excited to show you a picture of the top finished of the Lone Star Quilt I started in Boca Raton with you. I had e-mailed you about how to put it together, and I want to thank you for getting back to me.  I found the information I needed and finished it, but decided that it needed a border. 

It was difficult working with the octagonal shape, but I finally got it.  The border made all the difference.  I’m enclosing a picture for you to see.  I’m going to have Linda Wilson who was at the workshop and is a long arm quilter quilt it as I really don’t know what to do with the quilting part. Thanks a million.  I’ve committed to my daughter that I’ll make her a star quilt also.  I’m hooked!   Blessings, and thanks again,  Marlys Hasey Cordes

April 20-23 was a lovely time in Boca Raton. The weather was unseasonably dry and pleasant. I arrived on Monday, late in the afternoon. It was great fun to meet members of the Gold Coast Quilt Guild who were enthusiastic hostesses and participants in the Summer Salsa two-day workshop. Here are a few pictures from the workshop.