Rayna and Ellen Anne fill their new books with innovative, creative spirit

Rayna Gillman's 'Scapes' quilt from her new book

People who love fabric seem to understand that we are all threads in this universal tapestry. We are all connected, some more tightly woven together than others. In the quilting community we are a tight-knit group with quilts as our common thread.

Learn to make beautiful flowers like
this one featured in Ellen Anne Eddy's quilt

It has been my pleasure for most of my life to be a part of such a community. In the past year, when it seemed like everything was 'too hard' or my energy was replaced by apathy or I just wanted to curl up into a ball and hide -- this community of quilters and artists pulled me through. Whether by blog, email, phone conversation, face-to-face, or Facebook, fellow fabric lovers have kept me afloat. Blogging, as you have noticed, has been set aside for far too long. But today, before the New Year enters, I want to offer up two books that you might want to take with you into this new year.

Both books are written by women quilters and artists who are among the most giving, generous, thoughtful, and caring friends a woman could ever want. I not only admire their character, but their skills and imagination. They take me to worlds I had never encountered. Their techniques and creations make me feel like I can do anything! Make me feel creative.

They are also strong women who have been my rock, whether they know it or not. They are Rayna Gillman and Ellen Anne Eddy.

I'm sure these are names you've heard before. Both have previously published books. Both have won awards. Both are teachers who bring joy and wonder and absolute fun to the process of learning and creating. And both have new books out, published by CT Publishing! What joy!



Rayna Gillman

 Rayna, author of Create Your Own Hand-printed Cloth, adds a second Create Your Own book. She takes her students and readers into a stress-free journey to original design that draws on her free spirit and sense of adventure and love of child's play: Create Your Own Free-form Quilts.

Rayna begins her free-form quilts with 'therapy strips.' She cut dozens of fabric strips from her stash of hand-dyed and commercial fabrics and sewed them together willy-nilly, just cutting and sewing, cutting and sewing. Her brain didn't have to worry about anything, it just rested as her hands and eyes took over. But the pile of strips was only the beginning. Add a rotary cutter, some more fabric pieces, and some more free sewing and you are beginning to get the idea of free form creative quilts. But she has a lot more unique approaches to quilt creation within the 94 pages of this book.

This is a process book, not a design or pattern book. It is a journey that allows you to play, experiment and throw the idea of 'mistakes' right out the window. It is liberating and is written with the Rayna enthusiasm that anyone who has taken one of her classes will recognize. See -- you can't think of your experiences with Rayna without smiling! I see that grin!

Another perk of this book: using up UFOs! Yes! A whole section on reinventing UFOs with strips and bits. That alone may be worth the $28!

One thing that this book reinforces for me is that there is no such thing as an ugly quilt. It really doesn't matter what fabrics you combine, how you stitch them, cut them, layer them -- the result turns out brilliant! It may be funky, it may be artsy, it may be surprising, but always, a quilt finds its own beauty. I needed reminded that what I create without pattern or design directions, but only with heart and fabric -- is a thing of beauty and a joy creating. The pages are filled with colorful, unique and imaginative quilts that will get your own imagination revved up.

But I said two books. Shift gears with me to thread painting and intuitive applique with Ellen Anne Eddy's Thread Magic Garden.

Ellen Anne encourages cutting shapes rather than using patterns in this book, which is focused on creating flowers. I must admit that if I could create a world as beautiful with my writings as Ellen Anne creates with her fabrics and thread, I would be a MOST delighted and happy woman. I fell in love with her 'other worlds' from the first glimpse of toad, moon, or ladybug. There is something truly magical about Ellen Anne's creations.

This book will help you move closer toward creating your own unique gardens filled with blossoms only you can imagine. She takes the process step by step, talks of flower shapes, construction, petals, stamens, and how to create them with perhaps a fabric center and thread petals, or free-cut petal shapes. She talks of perspective -- the angle with which you see a flower makes for a much different product.

Ellen Anne Eddy

If for no other reason to purchase this book -- it is filled with so many images of Ellen Anne's work. But there are other reasons. Her discussion of stitches, colors, various stitch techniques (couching, machine beading, etc. And perhaps some aspects of quilt making you hadn't considered such as 'creating a visual path' or 'progressive shading.' She also breaks down flowers into their individual shapes -- spiral, 'S' or 'C' shapes.... You will never look at a flower quite the same again.

It is an excellent introduction to thread painting or a book that will take you further into your own imagination. Spending less than $30 to spend time with Ellen Anne and Rayna adds another perk you'll get from these books. Their personalities shine through the encouraging words and their enthusiasm for their art.

Gift yourself this New Year! You won't regret the investment!

It turns out that I have a copy of Rayna's book to give away! To enter leave a comment on this blog entry telling us something fabric/quilt/thread/stitch related that you will do in the New Year. One winner will be drawn on Jan. 15th from those who leave comments.

My View: A Few Books To Pique Your Creativity and a Giveaway!

It is not even the Ides of January and I'm feeling the overload! How about you? Hopefully your overload is in creativity and inspiration. I'm afraid my good intentions evaporated before the mists of that first January morning dissipated. It seems that I am slogging through this new year watching British mysteries and period pieces and spouting words like 'slogging' and 'bloody hell.' I'm even sipping Earl Grey tea as I write this.

Even in this land of Florida sunshine, there has been a shortage of old Sol. A couple sun rays arrived in the mail yesterday from American Quilter's Society.

I must admit that when I first saw the words 'Sunbonnet Sue' on the front cover of the first book, I groaned. I am not a fan. They are cute, vintage 1930s which doesn't seem to be my favorite era. And the cutie is so not what I want hanging in my house or covering my beds. I've seen them clad in pastels and dressed up as cowgirl or cowboy and wasn't impressed.

Dutifully, I looked again and am sooooo glad I did! Debra Kimball has put together a creative and fun group of Sues. The book is International Sun Bonnet Sue.

The book blurb describes well what you'll find inside "49 enchanting Sunbonnet designs capture the essence of places from around the globe. Each Sue is dressed in her country's traditional costume and holds a symbolic souvenir."

It was the Kimono Sue quilt, inspiration for this book, which drew me in. These little Japanese Sue figures are adorable. The fabrics and details the author chose definitely make these figures inviting. The symbolic souvenirs that they hold really give the figures character.

What a great project for using up scraps, or a great reason to delve into your assorted collection of fabrics. Bright colors, muted, whatever worked from batiks to flower prints. This book is light on technique. It is applique in whatever form you wish to use. What it features are the patterns for each of the 49 Sues along with photos of the author's fabric choices. There's even a little Sherlock Holmes clad Sue. If you enjoy applique -- whether needle turn or the fused or raw edge techniques -- you'll find these are patterns that will make you smile. Each turn of the page lightened my attitude and made my fingers itch to get started.

There is but one finished quilt and that is simply squares set together with sashing and each square has a figure appliqued to the middle of it. Not terribly exciting, but I'm sure once you begin making these little girls, you will find a host of ways to display them. A children's room seems the most reasonable place to display these Sues. I can see them adorning wall hangings, maybe arranged in a circle or on a table runner or even potholders or placemats. A bell pull perhaps? I know once you begin making these sweeties, you will find excellent ways to display them. Maybe even a birthday banner?

The second book may resonate with many who are determined to try new techniques this year and MASTER them! New York Beauty Simplified by Linda J. Hahn may be just what you need to ease into points, paper piecing, and curved piecing. Linda, in her introduction reassures us Subversive Stitchers that "The technique you are about to learn is very untraditional; we are going to break some rules. I have a very relaxed style and I do not like to stress or agonize. It is my opinion that quilting should be FUN and not stressful."

Circles, half circles, quarter circles, serpentine arrangements, and more fill this book. She also offers a variety of photos of many quilts to show off fabric choices. Perhaps it is simply my mood, my need for inspiration, but I found this book upbeat and easy to follow and most of all, calling to my creative urges to give it a try.

Going along with curved piecing, AQS previously sent me a book "Vivacious Curvy Quilts" by Dianne S. Hire. Seeing Linda Hahn's book, brought the curvy quilts to mind and I pulled the book out for a second look. I don't know why I filed it away without sharing it with you -- maybe the holidays intruded. But it is worth examining.

The art quilter may find Hire's intuitive approach and nontraditional quilts more inviting that a traditional quilter who gets high on perfect points, symmetry and matched seams. Yet, if you're venturing into a free style of quilt making -- this book's for you. Hire writes, "One of the most important things to have on hand when creating in an intuitive way is an open mind."

Evidently circles and curves are in my future and a bit of Sunbonnet Sue whimsy.

One more book! Recently in a Subversive Stitchers facebook discussion, someone mentioned that they enjoyed making Temari balls. My first response was "Huh?" "What?"

But of course I Googled and discovered that these Japanese Thread Balls look like a fun project. If you are looking for something to do when not quilting or sewing. Or you are looking for a way to use up some yarns and threads and do something exquisitely beautiful -- check out "TEMARI: How to make Japanese Thread Balls" by Diana Vandervoort. It is published by Japan Publications Trading Company, 1992. It isn't a new book, but definitely a fine book on the subject. There are also some Temari sites online that may help you get started, but Diana's step by step directions, tips, and suggestions take the guesswork out of this project.

I just can't stop! One more book. I mentioned it when discussing my 'Confetti Cats' project on Facebook last year, but it is worth revisiting. It is Noriko Endo's "Confetti Naturescapes" Published by Dragon Threads, this book combines the beauty of an impressionist's painting with the frugal use of snippets of fabric in a 'confetti' landscape. This book is a 'must own' for anyone who has gasped in admiration at Noriko's work. It is filled with photos of her quilts. And accompanying those photos are descriptions and explanations of techniques and what she achieved with various techniques and approaches. For example on her Mother Nature quilt she tells about "Using the technique of free-motion embroidery on the machine has allowed me to introduce texture on the tree trunks."

Noriko has created an art book that is also a learning tool for all who delve inside it. Linda Teufel mentioned that she is interested in offering a copy of Confetti Naturescapes as a giveaway to a lucky winner. If you're interested in trying your luck, please leave a comment and we'll draw a winner on February 1.

Just talking about these books has brightened my day, maybe that's what brought the sun out! I do hope you are all having a blessed and creative 2011! I'm writing this line at 1:11 on 1-11-11. A once in a lifetime moment -- but isn't every moment once in a lifetime?

Books are available through AQS, Amazon, or Dragon Threads.