Back in McCloud...mmmmmm.....

I've been holding retreats at the McCloud River Mercantile in McCloud, California since 2009 and each time we meet there it's very special.  There is such an amazing energy here and everyone who attends feels it.  We had a "room with a view" on the drive up as Mt. Shasta was completely covered in snow and there was hardly a cloud in the sky.

As retreaters started arriving bags were piling up just waiting to be unloaded.

It didn't take long for everyone to get snugged in and the quilting started.  Of course there was ALL of the visiting to be done as many of us only get to see each other once a year at the retreat.

I have several "Linen Ladies" that attend and this is Bev Armstrong's piece.  A FABULOUS cutwork dresser scarf placed on top of a red silk underlayment and quilted absolutely to death.  She actually adopted this out of my "passing it forward" stash.

This piece was being done by Donna Smith on a drawn-threadwork piece placed on top of a green silk underlayment.  Beautiful!!!

This is a piece that I am currently working on for the Houston Exhibit.  It's a beautiful cutwork dresser scarf that I am quilting leaves/grapes and filling with micro-echoing and beadwork.  Very, very tedious and slow but I think it will be well worth the effort when it's done.

I have several more pieces that are in the works for Houston and I'll be posting on those shortly.

Hugs, Cindy :)

Handbooks and Stencils on Sale!!!

I have some exciting news about The Ultimate Stencils!  Clear transparencies have been added to the set to make it SO much easier to draft your designs.

In the past I have instructed everyone to predraft their designs on photocopied Master Grids.  This made it difficult as the photocopied grids were not the same size as The Ultimate Stencils and it also made it difficult to visualize exactly how the design would look on their quilt top.

A friend/student suggested that the master grids be copied full size to transparency film.  I was able to find the product and am happy to say it's fabulous and makes designing with the Ultimate Stencils a snap.  Please check out the YouTube video for a demo.

If you have previously purchased The Ultimate Stencils, the transparencies ONLY are available for sale for $10.  Click HERE to purchase the transparencies.

The Ultimate Stencil set now includes the two transparencies and the complete set is available for sale for $35.00.

My Ultimate Backgrounds is a 20-stencil set of six different background designs in three different sizes.  This is available for sale for $75.00.

Many of you are aware that I self-publish my own books and sell these as E-books off of my website. (No printed books are sent...these are e-books only).

My Complete Collection of Handbooks normally sells for $100 and includes:  Beginning Machine Quilting;  Needles and Threads; Heirloom Backgrounds; Heirloom Feathers; Learning to Design-Wholecloth & Pieced; Linen Wholecloth Quilts; Pin & Straight Basting; Thread Education by Dr. Bob and Handbook Supplements.  This set also includes my newly updated and written quilting designs book "New and Improved-The Ultimate Stencil" and "Oldies But Goodies".

"New and Improved" is now 153 pages and includes hundreds of designs already drafted on the Ultimate Stencil master grids.  I've included wholecloth design ideas using the drafted designs.

                                           STENCILS-HANDBOOKS SALE!!!

To celebrate the new transparencies, I've decided to run a sale for six days only.  If you purchase the Complete Collection of Stencils for $95, (includes The Ultimate Stencils/Transparencies as well as the Ultimate Backgrounds), I will include my Complete Collection of Handbooks for FREE!  This handbook set normally sells for $100 and includes the New and Improved and Oldies but Goodies designs books.  These books come with free yearly updates which are sent every February by email download.  Purchased separately these three sets would sell for $210.
Click HERE to purchase.

If you would like to purchase only the set of Ultimate Stencils for $35, (new transparencies are included), I will include the 2-book set of designs for $25 for a total cost of $60.00.  Purchased separately these two sets would sell for $85.
Click HERE to purchase this set.

Thank you VERY much and please let me know if you have any questions.

Hugs, Cindy :)

 

International Quilt Week!!!

Celebrate International Quilting Weekend by joining the party at The Quilt Show!  Prizes are waiting to be won and you can see over 200 shows for FREE at TheQuiltShow.com.    Everything is free this weekend and you can indulge in some fabulous shows. 

I have filmed two different shows for Alex and Ricky.  My first was episode #202.  I am ever-so-thankful for this particular show as it showed the world for the very first time my  baby steps at creating the linen wholecloth quilts.  My life was forever changed.  Ricky made the remark at the end of the show to "pack my suitcases" and boy was he ever right...they've been packed ever since.  My second episode was #1606 and shows how far my quilts have come since that first episode was filmed.

I will have a featured exhibit in Houston this year on the linen wholecloth quilts and I am VERY PROUD to say that The Quilt Show is my co-sponsor for this exhibit.  How cool is that???!!!

Hugs, Cindy :)

Handbook Updates!

If you have purchased updates to my e-books, I wanted to let you know that those updates were just sent out a bit ago.  Please check your email in-box for the newsletter which contains the links to your handbooks.

I post this notice on my blog and on Facebook as a back up in case your email has changed and you never received them.  Please email me with any questions.  Thank you!  Hugs, Cindy :)

Email:  linenqltr@comcast.net

Victorian Charm by Ramona Resurreccion

Ramona Resurreccion is one of my "featured quilters" at our upcoming Special Exhibit in Houston this year on linen wholecloth quilts.  She is from Australia and does the MOST amazing quilting on linens.  I have featured her before but this is her latest piece called Victorian Charm.  All I can say is WOW...there's a reason she's in Houston this year!  Her story is below.   Thank you Ramona and congratulations on a spectacular piece!  Hugs, Cindy

"I named this quilt "Victorian Charm".  I have finally finished it.  One side is a bit faded as I accidentally left it unfinished on the table close to the window where the afternoon sun was so harsh before I left for Japan last year.  It is noticeable when you have a closer look.

I embroidered some free standing lace and applied beads on the background fillers.  I also attached lace arounod the borders.  "

Cheers, Ramona

Tips for Working with Cutwork

Yesterday I received a request from one of my Facebook followers asking how I worked with cutwork.  I just happen to be updating my E-Book, Linen Wholecloth Quilts, and was adding more pictures to that chapter.  Perfect timing to send those instructions your way!

Cutwork linens have "open" areas that were created by the original maker.  She embroidered pre-stamped designs, carefully cut away the fabric around her stitching, and then added bridgework to hold the areas together.  This photo is showing the backside of a piece of cutwork linen.

Because of the open areas you need to have an additional layer of fabric that goes "underneath" the linen.  This keeps the batting from poofing thru the open holes.  I call this an underlayment.

This photo shows how I laid the cutwork linen down over the top of the underlayment.  I stitched around all of the embroidery on both sides to nail it down.  The shot above is "before". 

This shot is after the ditchwork has been done showing how it is nailed down.  

Can you see the poofy areas of fabric underneath the bridgework?  This is personal preference only...I don't particularly care for the poofy areas and chose to go in and scribble in the holes.  Yep....every hole!  I am careful about selecting an underlayment that complements and blends with the bridgework.  This allows me to travel from hole to hole along the embroidered edge and keep it continuous line.   This is a "before" shot...

These shots are "after" the scribbling is done.  See how I also went in and added some pretty details inside the area surrounding the cutwork???

Thank you Debbie J. for such a good question... Hope this helps!

Hugs, Cindy

PS:  These samples will be at the Houston exhibit  for teaching purposes. :)

Tips for Working with Lace

I just got home late yesterday from a whirlwind trip to Texas...four guilds back-to-back in four days...whew!   I had a great time, got to visit old friends and had a wonderful time sharing my quilts with each guild.

I am already busy working on new pieces for the upcoming exhibit in Houston and wanted to share a tip you may be interested in.  One quilt I'm currently doing a lot of hand work on has large corners of lace and an icky raw edge.

I always tell my students NOT to quilt lace...you just mash it down and it really isn't attractive anymore.  By quilting it you make it flat and it loses its beautiful texture.  I recommend that you quilt "underneath" it first and then lay the lace down over the top of it.

In this instance I quilted a half-inch grid and a feather wreath  in my 3-layer quilt sandwich.

Then I folded the lace corner over the top of the previously quilted sandwich.  Notice the icky raw edge of the lace...

Because the lace is so large I very lightly hand quilted the lace edgings down.   I am going back in and adding small freshwater pearls in the little dots that are in the lace to provide detail and help tack it down a little bit more.

Because the outer edge of the lace was unattractive and frazzled I needed to cover it.  I have some tatting yardage shown above and placed this over the top of the raw edge of the lace and then added pretty beads in the middle of the holes to dress it up a bit more.

I LOVE how this edge turned out and especially love the old buttons I decided to add around the border.

From now until the exhibit in Houston, I will be able to share tidbits and pieces of the quilts that will be featured and not photos of the entire quilts.  If you are unable to come to Houston this year I promise I will do a fabulous blog post after the show with full pictures of EVERYTHING!

Hugs, Cindy :)

"For the Love of Linens"...Special Exhibit at Houston!!!!

I am very excited to share that I will be the curator of a special exhibit in Houston this year entitled "For the Love of Linens".  This will be the first time EVER that an exhibit like this has been there! 

There will be seven featured quilters with their beautiful work showcased.  These fabulous quilters were chosen through past blog post features and include Karen Azevedo, Susan Stewart,  Ramona Resurreccion, Marilyn Hawkins, Monique Figlietti and Rhonda Dort. 

I am also equally thrilled that The Quilt Show will be the co-sponsor for this exhibit!!! WooHooo!!! Many years ago I was a featured guest (Show 202) when they were still new and filming in LaVeta, Colorado.  It was because of that show that the concept of linen wholecloth quilting was shared with the world and my life was changed forever.  It is my honor and privilege to have them as a very special part of this exhibit.  You may also recall that I filmed another episode (1606) where more of my linen quilts were showcased. 

My head is full and buzzing with all the work that needs to be done between now and November but this is a bucket list opportunity and the long hours will be well worth it.  I will be doing  blog posts with tidbits, photos and stories of some of the "behind-the-scenes" work going on.  Please mark your calendar for Houston this year...I hope I get to see you there!!! 

Hugs, Cindy :)

"All Dressed Up"

Last April, 2015, I received an unexpected package from RaNae Merrill ,(a fabulous quilter and instructor), which contained some of the most exquisite and beautiful crocheted lace doilies I have ever seen.  They took my breath away.  I put them in a special basket and took them out occasionally to fondle them.  It finally dawned on me what I could do with them!

I had some beautiful fancy silk fabrics that I purchased from a quilt show a few years back and randomly pieced them together and attached them to a backing of  heavily textured woven fabric that I snagged from Kent's grandmother's collection.

I took my favorite doilies and carefully arranged them on top of the silks.  Believe it or not I'm NOT quilting this!  I want the texture and beauty of the silks and the doilies to speak for themselves.  If you quilt lace you destroy it's texture and beauty. 

I have quite a collection of vintage buttons and all sorts of beads and pearls.  I have the pleasure of attaching each beautiful lace doily to the silk fabric foundation with beads and buttons. 

I always "doo-dee" up the backs of my quilts and decided this would be a fabulous way to create a hanging sleeve for this piece.  I took a piece of taupe-green linen fabric and arranged four more lace doilies on top of it.  I didn't cut them at the top edge..I merely folded them over the sleeve and then stitched my binding down over the top of them.

This was another lace doily in the collection.  At first I had it on the front of the piece but I figured out something better for it.  It was the only square piece in what RaNae sent so I thought it would be the perfect "keeper" for the beautiful letter she sent.  This has been hand sewn down on the back on three sides (the top is open).  I will fold up RaNae's letter and tuck it inside to preserve the history. 


I have to share RaNae's letter with all of you.  It still gives me bumps...

"Going through these today was like falling in love again.  I think you will probably understand when you pick up each one and admire it.  When I contemplate the sheer number of hours of women's patient, painstaking work I am in awe of what this box contains.  And not just the hours--the care, the attention, the friendships, and yes, certainly, the prayer (I was told they were made by nuns).  What a treasure is contained in this box.

They all came from Buenos Aires, where I purchased them on a trip in the early 2000's.  I remember my first trip was in 2001 (I returned just one week before the 9/11 attacks on the World  Trade Center).  I think I went again in 2003 and it might have been on that trip when I found these. 

I think creating more beauty with these would be the best way to honor our sisters who made them".

Yours in quilting~ RaNae Merrill

Updated Ultimate Stencil Handbook

I am in the midst of creating new classroom easel demos and class instructions on using The Ultimate Stencils.  I wanted to let you know that I just revised the free handbook that is available on my website in case you're interested.

I simplified it a LOT making it much easier to understand...I hope.  By focusing on one design, a simple Lemoyne Star, and then showing you how to add to it, I believe has made it easier to understand.

I have been encouraging everyone to draft their designs on the paper Master Grids first and then transfer the designs to their quilt top using the Ultimate Stencils as their guide.  For me it's hard to visualize how a design will look on a quilt when you only see it on the paper. 

I've been using some clear vinyl sheets with the Ultimate Stencil guides marked with a Sharpie marker and they are SO much better.  I lay these vinyl sheets on top of my quilt top and instead of marking my design on the paper Master Grids, I am marking my design with a dry erase marker directly on the vinyl Master Grids.  I can easily see what the design will look like on the quilt. 

These vinyl sheets are time intensive to create and I may have come up with a solution.  I will be testing out a thin plastic sheet that can have the Ultimate Stencil guides permanently printed on them.  You should be able to use the dry erase markers on them too.  Keeping my fingers crossed it will work.  If so, I plan on creating a whole bunch of these and will offer them for sale.  I'm trying to do this in the most economical way possible to keep it affordable for all of us.

I'm looking forward to the New Year and all the cool new things that come with a fresh start.  My first engagement will find me in St. George, Utah for Quilt St. George and then a week later I'll be at one of my favorite quilt shows of all, Road to California.

Big Hugs, Cindy :)

2017 Retreats!

Hi Everyone!

I am using this blog post as a back up to the newsletter I just sent out.  I wanted to let those that want to attend the 2017 retreats in McCloud and Auburn know that registrations will be taken starting January 1, 2016 and will be taken by email only.  Email address is:  linenqltr@comcast.net. 

If you are coming with a group please have only one person from your group email me with all of those that wish to attend.  That will greatly cut down on my time and ensure that your group will stay together.

If you would like more information about the retreats as well as the dates being offered, please CLICK HERE to be taken to the retreat section of my website.  Please email me if you have any questions at all.

Thank you to everyone who continues to love attending these retreats as much as I do!

Hugs, Cindy :)

Creating Feather Wreaths With The Ultimate Stencils

I am buried over my head rewriting the Heirloom Feathers and Heirloom Backgrounds handbooks and quilting up all new class samples for next year's workshops.  It's exhausting, exhilarating and exciting...lots of "e" words!


I just finished up some new instructions on how to draft feather wreaths using the Ultimate Stencils and thought this would make a great blog post for anyone who was interested.

A classic round feather wreath can sometimes be hard to draft and have things perfectly centered and round.  The circular Ultimate Stencil makes that easy.

Lay your Ultimate Stencil on your quilt top and decide how big you want your feather wreath to be.  The red dotted lines are showing how far OUT the feathers will go and how far IN they will go.  Mark these lines.  Now mark the spine (blue dotted line)

 This is what the marked lines will look like on your quilt.

Draw/quilt your center feathers.  Notice how wide the bases of the feathers are...this helps the feathers make that tight turn.

Now fill in the outside turn.  Perfect feather wreath! 

If you want to make a squared feather wreath you will need BOTH the square and the circle Ultimate Stencils.  Start with the square stencil first and mark your outside square...where you want your feather to extend to (shown in red).  Now mark the horizontal and vertical center lines (shown in green). 

Take your Circle Ultimate Stencil and line it up with the marked horizontal/vertical center lines.  Mark where you want the feathers to go in (inside of feather wreath).  Mark your center spine.

Mark/quilt your inside feathers.

Mark/quilt your outside feathers.  Be sure to fill your feathers all the way into the corners to square this up!

Wha La!  Two very easy ways to create feather wreaths in ANY size you need.  :)


I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for being one of my students, one of my retreaters, one of my blog stalkers or a new Facebook friend.  I am ever grateful for all the inspiration each of you provides in my life.  I never take for granted that I have been blessed with the unique opportunity to teach and quilt and touch your lives as well.

Have a blessed Christmas...enjoy your family...and take the time to tell those you love how much you appreciate them.

Love, Cindy :)

PS:  If you want to follow me on Facebook, I MUST be able to see something "quilting" related in a photo, employment, etc. or I will not friend you.  I am limiting my Facebook page to quilters only.  Thank you for understanding.