Skinny Quilts II

Just released a new book by Eleanor Levie, 'Skinny Quilts and Table Runners II' published by That Patchwork Place. I was delighted to be asked to design a table runner for this book. I used a combination of wool and matka silk for the background and then appliqued with cottons, taffetta silk, hand dyed velvet and wool. It is embellished with rickrack and heishi beads.
We have just finished putting together kits for my 'Four o'clock' table runner. These are available on my website www.suespargo.com

I am in Houston on my way to Harlingen to teach. I will be posting more student work in a few days. It is sunny here in Texas so I will soak up a little sunshine before returning to the east on Tuesday. I have many small projects to stitch on for an upcoming book so I shall get to work. I don't know what I would do with out handwork and my laptop while spending all these hours through airports.

Creative Stitching

Sue

Peacocks and Plumage - Quilts Down Under

This new quilt was a collaboration with my good friend Sarah Fielke from Sydney, Australia. The pattern has been published in the current issue of the Australian magazine 'Quilts Down Under' issue #137.
www.downunderquilts.com.au/

I designed the center and Sarah designed the borders. We are delighted with the results! Wendy has now dyed all the hand dyed wool and velvet for this irresistible kit we have just put together. The kit includes all the wool, cotton, velvet, embellishments, backing , binding and label for this 56" x 60" quilt. If you are looking for a new winter project why not try this one!
http://www.suespargo.com/kits.html#quilts

Creative stitching
Sue

Stitchin'Post Sisters, Oregon

I just spent a fabulous 5 days in Sisters, Oregon. The weather was great and I always love the smell of the pine trees which radiates the outdoors. The hotel upgraded me to a suite, so I had a great spacious room with a comfy leather chair to sew. What more could a girl want!

I taught 2 two day classes with very enthusiastic students and also did a trunk show for their guild night out. The first class was 'Red Clover' a small wall hanging pattern. Most of the students worked on the star block as they were wanting to learn some embellishment stitches on the second day. We placed all there blocks together on the wall so we could all enjoy the different embellishments each person experimented with and decided it would make a wonderful quilt. Unfortunately for me they did not want to part with them.

We used ribbons for stems and stitched with Genziana wool thread. www.suespargo.com

Used seagrass which is one of my favorite embellishment threads right now.

I taught them how to make roving balls and bullion knots.

They also used beads and fine yarns to couch.

The second class was the 'Altered Texture'. Each making a unique piece of their own.

Some students fussy cut flowers and beaded them.

Many did all sorts of fabulous stems.

They also made unique trims for their vases.

Learnt many stitches.

Rushing hand dyed silk ribbon.

Appliqued with my hand dyed velvets.

Used a combination of different techniques in their flowers.

The last night I had dinner with Jean and spent a little time at her sewing machine stitching together strips using her technique from her new book 'Intuitive Color and Design'. What fun, I can now see a new quilt in my future!

Sisters is one of my favorite places to teach. It is so well organized and I want to thank Jean, Valori and Jackie for making me feel so welcome.

Creative Stitching

Sue

Sandy Jones - Flowerbed Class

Sandy Jones taught my 'Flowerbed' Quilt at Tiger Lily Quilt Co. in Utica, NY. They all did a fabulous job using a combination of wool and cottons and then embellished them with wonderful fibers and stitches.
Lisa Schultz
Marie Miglin
Theresa Gallagher

The group has been together for almost 15 years now. They meet once a month and have 13 members. Each year they try and pick some project to do together which most of them complete. They all enjoy their get togethers and have a fun evening.

Sandy told me that she thinks that Flowerbed was the one that the most people actually finished. Each month everyone drew a number and that number was the block that they did. It was fun to see how different each one came out and it was fun to get new thoughts on each block.

Sharon Nassamoss

Rose Degni

Lyn Doring

Pat Boak

Donna Sperling

Susan Schering was a long distance member. Sandy drew her block number each month and she sent pictures to her. Everyone had fun anticipating how Susan would do each one keeping with her Halloween theme. They were all hoping that she would send her finished piece up but she hasn't yet. Sandy said she was so grateful that many of her students send pictures of their finished projects. They are so creative and I love the way they make a one-of-a-kind piece using the Flowerbed design as the inspiration.

This design is available on my website in the 'Flowerbed' book and is also available as a complete kit. www.suespargo.com As you can see makes a wonderful Block of the Month program. The blocks are 6" each so it is a doable project. If you have not worked in wool this is an ideal project to start with.

Keep stitching
Sue

Teaching at Rabbits Lair and Yellowbird

During September and early October I was fortunate to teach at Rabbits Lair in Rogers, AR and at Yellowbird Art in Lansing, Iowa. I taught the Altered Texture class at both stores and was very happy to see all the embellishment techniques the students tried out.

Rabbits Lair is also teaching my Flowerbed Quilt as a block of a month. I love the sample above which they had stitched to promote the class.

We learned rushing and many different ways to make stems as well as using hand dyed velvet for the leaves.
Here is a wonderful flower using a striped ribbon and crocheted flower center.

These students at Yellowbird had two full days to create. What wonderful ideas they came up with.



I love teaching this class as every flower is interpenetrated differently.

Well done to all and thanks for making me feel so welcome.
Creative stitching
Sue

Teaching at Smith Owen in MI

It is always fun when students of mine share their samples of my patterns. The 'Peony Bloom' and 'Good Wives Pineapple' pin keepers are fun to make.

For the second year I taught two full day classes at Smith Owen. I designed a new pincushion and needle keeper 'Ollie Owl' for the class and we also did the 'Altered Texture' class. Each students flower pot was great and I can't wait to see the end results.

Don't you love these 'Victoria' totes. Great job girls!

Sue

Kids on the move

I am not home much these days but when I am there it is a little quiet. I have decided I don't really like it much! Having been involved in the lives of four children for so long it is weird that three of them are not living here at home.

August and September were whirl wind months as Aimee left for college the day after we return from South Africa and I visited Jason in Washington to get him situated at school. Then I drove to New York City with all Andrews belongings to deliver them to his apartment in the city.

Aimee and Jason are now settling down in their dorm rooms and finding campus a more familiar place. I think they both are quiet home sick but I hope to have everyone home for the holidays.

Andrew apartment is very cozy as you can see there is not much room to swing a cat! It is in the city so him and his two room mates are happy to be close to the action. All he needs now is a job!!!

Even though I am sad they are out of the house for now I am so thankful that they are getting on with their lives and figuring out what they are passionate about.

Sue

Sue at Houston Quilt Market

It was a whirlwind few days in Houston but I do have a few pictures to share with you of the event. First of all was the set up of Sue's booth and once again we managed to carry it all in our suitcases. Big suitcases but suitcases none the less. Everyone always loves the burst of color!

From left to right is the new pattern for the Jack Sprat pillow, the Greta Needle Roll, Sue's pattern books and her new bag pattern The Emily Tote.

Here is the Ollie Owl pincushion.

A close up of the bird and cat on the Jack Sprat pillow.

Hanging over the table was this table runner called Four O Clock Folk Art which is featured in an upcoming book, watch the website towards the end of the month for more info about it.

Here is Sues Folk Art Dreams CD, the new Song Bird and the Miss Hoot pillow.

The ever popular Peony Bloom.

Magnolia hanging in the background alongside some more pillow patterns.

The whole line of Genziana 12wt wool thread in Sues colors which she distributes. They look fabulous together and once you pick them up very hard to resist. The color chart is available for download here www.suespargo.com/genziana_thread.pdf

More to follow about what and who we saw coming soon.

Keep creating

Wendy

Hand-dyed Velvets

I have just returned form the Houston Quilt Market with Sue and will be posting photos of her booth and a few other lovelies soon. Before I left I managed to get these done, these are all the velvet colors we presently make with a few extra greens thrown in. I thought you might like to see them all together.

Wendy

Martha Stewart Living Radio

I am spreading the word about my creative passion Contemporary Folk-art. Tomorrow at 3.30pm eastern time I am going to be a guest on Martha Stewart Living Radio on Sirius Satellite for the Living Today show talking about Quilting on the American Artisans Series. My host is Mario Bosquez

To join me you can sign up for a FREE 3 day subscription at http://www.sirius.com/freetrial/register, and record the interview while it’s LIVE onto your computer.

Looking forward to sharing with you

Take care

Sue