Bonnie Leman of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine

Somewhere in the hubbub of the holiday season, I missed hearing the sad news that Bonnie Leman, founder of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine, passed away on September 4, 2010.

According to The Denver Post, Bonnie "found her calling in the publishing business, when, in 1969, she founded Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. Through her magazine she helped revive and foster an appreciation of quilts as a great American art form that continues to this day. Bonnie grew her magazine readership to more than 200,000 subscribers in over 100 countries, as well as writing and publishing numerous books and other publications on quiltmaking. She traveled much of the world in the course of her career, made hundreds of friends, and contributed to the growth of the quiltmaking art in many countries."

When Bonnie began publishing her magazine, it was the only magazine on the market devoted solely to quilting. Before very long at all, Quilter's Newsletter Magazine was the magazine you had to have if you were to consider yourself a "real" quilter. And, indeed, I have managed over the years to collect every single issue from that first one in 1969, until the present day. My favorites are the ones in the 100 series (the 1970s and early 1980s). There is so much good information packed into the pages of those issues that they are hard to put down once picked up. Here's a copy of what the very first magazine looked like:



Bonnie typed those first magazine issues at the kitchen table using a manual typewriter. And, on the day that very first issue was published, she was at the hospital giving birth to her seventh child. Her staff back then consisted of her children. There is no way she could have fathomed the tremendous impact she would have on quilters all over the world. From that tiny seed, she grew a giant oak of a publication. Forty-two years later, here is a copy of what the latest issue looks like:



Clearly, both the magazine and the quilting industry have come a very long way since Bonnie pounded out that first issue at her kitchen table. Quilt Historian Barbara Brackman has composed a lovely tribute to Bonnie, whom she credits as giving her a start as a published author. You can read it by visiting her blog, Material Culture. Bonnie was inducted into the Quilter's Hall of Fame in 1982. You can read their tribute to Bonnie on the Quilter's Hall of Fame blog.

The Hoffman Challenge

This year's Hoffman Challenge fabric and coordinating pieces has arrived! The challenge piece is a gorgeous turquoise and gold. The coordinates are equally as beautiful.

For the 2010, the Hoffman Challenge has a new curator, Julie Breidt. In addition, Hoffman Fabrics will be donating $1 for every entry received to breast cancer research. New curator Julie Breidt is matching that dollar, so breast cancer research will actually receive $2 for every entry received.

Every year a team from Hoffman Fabrics chooses an upcoming fabric design and then issues a challenge to quilt, clothing, doll and accessory makers to create an original item using the fabric. The challenge curator and a group of assistants jury the entries and then a select team of judges chooses the award winners and cash prizes are given.

The juried collections then travel to be exhibited by quilt and other fiber guilds, shops, museums and textile shows. The exhibits are displayed and enjoyed in several hundred locations across the United States and Canada.

Started in 1988, the Hoffman Challenge has grown to be a premiere traveling quilt, clothing and doll collection. The quality of entries and a growing number of exhibit requests have led Hoffman to establish additional traveling collections. Currently, twelve collections travel coast-to-coast within the United States and Canada.

In 2010, the Hoffman Challenge celebrates its 22nd anniversary. In 1987, the Challenge began with 94 enthusiastic quilters. Some years the number of entries have been more than 700. In addition to the three quilt categories (pieced, applique and mixed technique), new categories include clothing/wearable art, accessories and dolls. While the majority of the entries come from the United States, many international entries are also received.

Deadline for entries in this year's Hoffman Challenge is July 23, 2010. Click here for more information on how you can join the fun.

Quilt Club Joke

Stephen has posted another youtube video to our blog. This one was done last Friday, September 4th during one of the Quilt club meetings. It's a silly joke that I told to warm up the crowd. I hope you'll think its as funny as the class did!

Stephen Posts a Shop Tour Video

Stephen bought himself a new video camera so that he could take videos around our quilt shop. He's been having a lot of fun with it. The first thing he did was take himself on a little tour of the shop. Then he uploaded it to youtube so he could share it with everyone. It's so fun I thought you'd like to see it. Some of the scenes are shaky but it's really cute. You gotta love Georgeann. She's the one giggling in the background--something she does quite a lot! She's been working for us for 15 years.

Fall Momentum

Fall is finally here and things couldn't be busier at our shop! For example, the fourth series of our popular $5 Quilt Club has already begun, with only the second talk occurring this upcoming Friday and Saturday. Patchwork Party is still in full swing which means our mail-order department is always buzzing preparing kits or mailing out our exclusive block to all of the "party-goers." And since the Holiday Season is practically around the corner, we've also been stocking up on all of the gifts and projects you'll need for those special, heart-warming gifts. Somehow, I even managed to squeeze in a small trip to a local quilt show to give a talk on Isaac Singer and his famous Singer Sewing Machine.

But before I go into too much detail, can you tell what is so special about the Singer Sewing Machine pictured below? (I'll share the answer at the end of this post.)


Antique Singer Sewing Machine


Singer Sewing Machine Case

The $5 Quilt Club remains one of the more popular events at our shop. Recent topics we've covered in class have included the First Ladies of America, She Flies with Her Own Wings (about Oregon), and Lewis and Clark's historic journey west. This year's theme is extra special: "Well Behaved Women seldom Make History." We're exploring how famous women of the past listened to their hearts, found the courage and fortitude to speak up, and exerted themselves to try and change their corner of the world for the better. We started out with Frances E. Willard. This coming Friday, we'll be talking about Elizabeth Cady Stanton. If you're making plans for the weekend, be sure to stop by the shop and register for these talks. You'll have lots of fun and learn a lot!

In addition to the $5 Quilt Club, Patchwork Party is still going strong! If you haven't take the time to visit the official site and look at all of the wonderful blocks we're offering this season, you'll want to set aside a moment or two to do just that. There is still enough time to collect your blocks and finishing kits to make an unforgettable Holiday Gift! The weather is getting a bit colder out where I live, and frankly, I feel there's nothing better on those days than to spend a little time snug in my sewing room with the patterns, fabric and threads of a new quilt project spilling out onto my lap.

Okay, so have you figured out what is so special about that sewing machine? It's the hand crank on the side. With the introduction of electricity, many of these machines were converted to electric by the addition of a motor. The hand cranks almost disappeared. With a motor, you could do twice as much work thank cranking by hand--and it didn't bother your shoulder as much either! No wonder so many of these machines were converted to electricity. When you see a Singer like this one today, it will more than likely have a motor on it--not a hand crank. Next time you're antiquing, you'll notice what I'm talking about.

Summer Redwork Adventure

Where did the summer go? I can’t believe it’s already September 9th. Time just seems to have passed so quickly I didn’t realize it’s been so long since my last post. Here are the highlights of a recent adventure to Washington State.

On August 4th and 5th, Stephen and I went to the Pomeroy Living History Farm where I gave talks on the History of Redwork Embroidery.

The Pomeroy Farm is really beautiful. Near Yacolt, Washington, the farm is an interactive educational museum depicting domestic and farm life from the early 20th century. There is a log home built around 1920, a working blacksmith shop, a barn, various animals, herb and vegetable gardens, a pasture, and a woodlot. My trip was scheduled to coincide with the Pomeroy Farm Quilt Show showcasing beautiful quilts on the fences and in the barn. The weather that weekend was absolutely perfect for a quilt show--in the 70s with a nice light breeze to gently blow the quilts around in the sun. Vendors sold a variety of old quilts, fabrics, notions and other goodies, and the Redwork embroidery club from Anna Lena’s in Long Beach, Washington were on hand to demonstrate Redwork embroidery techniques. They also brought along a variety of quilts for the show.


Pomeroy Living History Farm


A Quilt Display

My talk centered around Redwork embroidery and how it got started here in the United States in about 1876. It was during that year a display of embroidery from the Kensington School in England was featured at the Philadelphia Exposition. The Kensington Stitch, as worked by these students, became known later as the outline stitch--the type of needlework used to create Redwork embroidery. Eventually, this work was simply called Redwork (or Bluework if you were working in blue). For illustration, I brought my collection of antique Redwork quilts, pillow shams, splashers and other items with me for show and tell.

Redwork Embroidery was extremely popular as a method of adorning everyday items through the 1920s-30s. It is currently enjoying popularity again. I enjoy doing Redwork myself. In the evenings, especially when I’ve had a busy day, I work on Redwork embroidery projects to relax and have fun.


Vendors at the Pomeroy Quilt Show

Noel Johnson of lewisriver.com was at one of my talks and took a selection of photos of me with my quilts and Redwork embroidery items. (Click here to take a look!) I wish you could have been there with me. The first guy in Mr. Johnson’s selection of photos is Farmer Bob, owner of the Pomeroy Farm. He introduced me before each session. The other guy in the Hawaiian shirt is my husband Stephen. He helped out during my sessions; he spent the rest of the time exploring the Farm and generally having fun.

If you are ever near the Pomeroy Living History Farm during their open farm weekends, you will want to see for yourself how fun and educational this place really is!

Coburg Quilt Show

Saturday, July 28 was the Coburg Quilt Show in Coburg, Oregon. Stephen and I drove down there just in time for High Tea. The weather could not have been more perfect for an outdoor quilt show--in the 70s with a soft breeze.

I spent most of the afternoon appraising quilts. Some of the attendees at the Show brought treasured quilts from home to be carefully evaluated and appreciated. Among them were several crazy quilts made from scraps of antique fabrics, a couple of double wedding rings, and two beautiful floral quilts made from kits in the 1960s or 70s.


Appraising a "Double Wedding Ring" Quilt

On display at the show was a Crazy Quilt from 1885. One of the crazy quilt blocks included a civil war ribbon with crossed swords that had belonged to the woman's ancestor. The quilt--a living and tangible piece of history--was just incredible to see.


1885 Crazy Quilt

Later in the afternoon, I gave a talk on the "Care and Feeding of Vintage Quilts" and brought a little show-and-tell of my own as a back drop. I also found a set of antique Redwork pillow shams at a local antique store and also purchased a vintage "Trip Around the World" quilt to display at the shop.


Quilt "Show and Tell"


Quilts in the Breeze

It is always pleasure to meet and talk to quilters about their tremendous love of quilting. And, of course, it's just as delightful to see how they've expressed their creativity in all their wonderful and diverse creations. Overall, it was a very fun day. Stephen and I loved the opportunity to be a part of this terrific show!