Quilting Arts

it’s your turn

Dear Quilting Arts,

Jaci Lawson’s article ‘the last word’ in the February/March issue really

spoke to me. It made me question so many things about my quilting

priorities. Why do I quilt? What do I like/love about it? Am I on the UFO

treadmill? Am I quilting for others or myself? Can I do both? I think it’s

fi nally time to start experimenting with my own style—I can hazily see it

on the quilting road ahead of me. Wouldn’t my gifts for dear friends and

family then refl ect a truly personal vision of myself—and maybe of them

too. Th ank you for this thought provoking ‘last word!’

Sincerely,

Claudia McCarter • Portland, Oregon

Dear QA Staff ,

I read Libby Williamson’s article about mixed-media tea bag collage

in the August/September 2018 issue and dog-eared it with interest. In

August, I attended a class at Peters Valley School of Craft with Deborah

Fell on art quilt collage and saw an exhibit at the Phillips Gallery in

Washington, D.C., called “Marking the Infi nite: Contemporary Women

Artists from Aboriginal Australia.” Th e three experiences converged in

December when I made a series of tea bag collages incorporating fabric,

antique yo-yos, paper, ink, acrylic paint, and my own brand of mark

making. It was very satisfying, so my thanks to Quilting Arts.

Kathy Shollenberger • Mount Rainier, Maryland

Dear Quilting Arts,

As I read Jaci Lawson’s ‘the last word,’ I felt like she was speaking from my

heart, rather than hers! She put into words what I’ve been feeling for a

few years. I retire in June and am looking forward to only working on my

own list of new goals.

Th ank you for your inspiring magazine.

Frances L.A. Dack • Rancho Cordova, California

Correspondence we receive is considered property of F+W Media

and letters may be edited as necessary for length and clarity.

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What are you working on now? How has

Quilting Arts inspired or educated you? What

new techniques or infl uences are you exploring?

We love to hear from you,

our readers.

Make Your Mark

Ana Buzzalino has created a simple yet beautiful

‘chop’ to sign her work on the front. Working with

her initials and the year of completion, she uses

free-motion machine stitching. The result is an

artistic signature and dating technique.

Think about how you could create something in

your own style to sign and date your work.

To see more of Ana’s work and read her article on

monoprinting, see page 60.

—Th e Editorial Team

A Note from Jamie Fingal, founder of Th e House Quilt
and Heart of the Home Projects:
Dear Quilting Arts Readers,
Since founding Th e House Quilt Project in 2010, I have never seen a
response like what Quilting Arts Magazine received for this Heart of the
Home Reader Challenge. 350+ quilts! My heart is overfl owing with gratitude
for the generosity shown by the quilters who made and donated house
quilts. Th ese recipient families love that their dwellings have been totally
furnished from top to bottom (by the Furnishing Hope organization),
however when they see a handmade ‘Welcome Home’ house quilt on the
wall, it becomes very personal. Th ey reach out and touch it. I loved this
line from the original Quilting Arts article: ‘make a diff erence, one stitch
at a time.’ Truer words were never spoken. Everyone who took part in this
challenge has made a diff erence!
Please turn to page 74 to see a selection of the quilts that were created
and donated for The Heart of the Home Project by our talented and
generous readers.