Hear Comedian Katsy Chappell at The Gold Bug Quilt Guild

Want a good belly laugh? Take a moment to hear comedian and quilter Katsy Chappell. She shares a couple hilarious crafting projects using Capri Sun juice drinks.  Enjoy!

Kickstarter - One Quilter's Project Awaits Funding

Have you visited the fundraising website Kickstarter? At the moment, sistah quilter Marion Coleman is trying to raise funds to travel to Lithuania this fall as part of the Kaunas Textile Biennial '11 and to attend the European Textile Network conference. Have a look at her project today and view her video. If you decide to make a donation, you won't be charged unless the total amount she is seeking is pledged by a certain date. Marion's six part narrative quilt series will be on exhibit in Lithuania. Best wishes Marion! Enjoy!

Sue Rock Originals Everyone!

If you haven't heard of the fantastic work Sue Rock is doing, you should check out the 5 min video here! Sue Rock Originals Everyone is the only domestic violence non-profit committed to textile support to those suffering from domestic violence. The 501(c)3 non-profit engages volunteers to sew, knit, or crochet new garments for domestic violence survivors.

According to Ms. Rock, who received a Woman of Valor Award for Excellence in Service by New York State Senator John L. Sampson in May 2011, "for seven years we have had the encouragement of the Brooklyn District Attorney's office in supporting the lives of women."



You can donate directly to this charity or purchase garments at the Sue Rock Originals Everyone store in Crown Heights Brooklyn (1069 Bergen Street, NY, NY 11216). Visit Sue's blog http://suerockoriginals.blogspot.com/ or the Sue Rock Etsy store for vintage knitting and crochet patterns. Enjoy!

Marian Wright Edelman - 1966 Visit to Quilters

Marian Wright-Edelman (standing) is visiting quilters at the Mount Beulah Center, operated by the Delta Ministry of National Council of Churches in Mississippi, according to a June 1966 Ebony magazine article. The quilters would send the completed pieces to an African American owned cooperative in Jackson to be sold. Just consider - quilts as a revenue generator way back in 1966! Enjoy!

Ravin J. Hill - Jackson, Mississippi Quilter

I met Ravin J. Hill at the memorial service for quilter Gwen Magee. Gwen had been an artistic mentor to Ravin, a graduate of Tougaloo College (BA) and Florida State University (MS Art Ed). She's a bright, engaging, imaginative quilter. It was a delight to meet her - and especially as we spirited away to the parking lot to see two quilts she had in her car, including a pink and green memorial story quilt she made to honor a best friend.

In 2008, Ravin had a solo quilt exhibit at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center featuring 11 of her quilts. The show was titled "Grandma's Hands: Celebrating the Quiltcode of the Underground Railroad". In the photo here is an image of the 18-page full-color exhibit catalog and one of her quilts. The show was dedicated to her grandmother, Lueberta Hawkins (1907-1997), who taught her to quilt.

Earlier Ravin titled her senior thesis on "Quilt of Life." I hope she continues to exhibit and write about quilting. Ravin is today engaged in art therapy. Do wish Ravin continued success in her quilting! Enjoy!

January 1987 Alabama Tourism Ad - Quilters

The January 1987 issue of Ebony magazine featured this state of Alabama tourism ad - "Follow the Achievements of Black Alabamians." The ad features noted Freedom Quilting Bee members
Addie Nicholson and Estelle Witherspoon. Have you noticed other African American quilters in advertising? Enjoy?

"The Evolution of Diane Williams" - Mississippi Quilt Exhbit

For those within the Jackson, Mississippi area, do stop by and see the exhibit "The Evolution of Diane Williams: Walking the Path" at the Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center. This show includes 30 quilts by Williams and ends on May 14, 2011.

Diane Williams is an award-winning Mississippi storyteller. She incorporates her narratives into her art quilts. You can read about Diane at her website MississippiStoryteller.com or by viewing one of her videos on YouTube. Enjoy!

Tara Evans - Omaha Quilter

Wanted to introduce you to Tara Evans, a quilter in Nebraska! She shared with me how she started quilting:

Well, back in 2003, I bought an old sewing machine from a local pond shop. I had a friend of mine who made photo memory quilts and I couldn't afford to purchase one so I decided to try to make one myself. I became discouraged because an advanced seamstress saw how crooked my lines were and how my machine was not of the best quality and discouraged me.

Well, last year my Mom turned 80 and I wanted to give her a photo memory quilt with all her kids and grandkids on it....I spoke to my niece who quilts, Akita , who encouraged me greatly by saying, "Aunt Tara if you can sew a straight line then you can quilt." Out of the mouth of babes,...I tell you! I was so happy to hear such encouragement that I dug out all of my quilt supplies and books ...I spoke to my daughter who told me that if I wanted to learn how to do anything just go to You Tube! These kids know EVERYTHING! So, I watched a beginner's quilting video series over and over until I got the process down....the rest is history!

You can see Tara making a photo memory quilt for her great niece, Mikelle. I think its marvelous that Tara didn't let the negative words of others discourage her forever. Happy Sewing Tara! Enjoy!

Geraldine Zillions - Texas Quilter Overcoming Odds

The Fort Worth, Texas Star Tribune published a story about Geraldine Zillions in its November 23, 2010 issue titled "After Years of Abuse, Mom is Finding a Way to Shine Again." If you can, take a moment to read Sistah Quilter Zillions' story. The early parts are hard to bear, yet 52-year old Ms. Zillions is using her creative energy to make hand-stitched quilts, jewelry, and wearable art to bring joy - and a bit of revenue - to her life now. Blessings!

Henry Holmes: Fabric of Love - Imaginations of Portrait &Traditional Quilts in Baltimore

I'm always amazed to learn about the works of other quilters! On exhibit August 12 - 28, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland is "Henry Holmes: Fabric of Love - Imaginations of Portrait and Traditional Quilts." If you are nearby, visit the Creative Alliance at the Patterson. There are 24 pieces in the show. According to the promo materials:

Henry Holmes’ quilts tell stories that are at once deeply personal and speak broadly to the African American experience. Dorothy Dandridge is self-possessed and flirtatious as she smiles at you over her bare shoulder. Elsewhere, a group of plantation workers appear not as broken figures from a distant past, as the embodiment of urban cool.

Henry Holmes lives in Baltimore, but is a native of Harlem. If you can not visit the exhibit, take a moment to visit his website at HenrysArts.weebly.com or click here to see a quick 30 second video of his quilts on YouTube. Enjoy!

Brother Quilter - Ken Ellis - have you seen his quilts!?

Thanks to Gwen for introducing me to quilts of Chicago artist Ken Ellis. Have you seen his quilts? Ellis has been quilting for more than 20 years. According to the ChicagoReader,

"Ellis learned to sew from his father, a maintenance engineer, while growing up on the Gold Coast, and he's always painted. He's also a big history buff. But it wasn't until after stints at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, the School of the Art Institute, and Columbia College that he combined the three interests. "I got fed up with school and went to work in a punk bar," he says. The bar was the famous La Mere Vipere, where he met his ex-wife, Marilyn. She turned him on to fabric dye, which she used to color T-shirts and pillows. The dye was brighter and more durable than oil paint, "which is on a layer of gesso and can crack and peel off," says Ellis. "My dye is part of the fabric and will be there as long as the fabric is there."

You can see more of Mr. Ellis' quilts at the Anatomically Correct website. Click here to see quilts from his "Sewing the Seeds" exhibit. So - what do you think of his quilt!? Enjoy!

Brown Girl Quilts completes African Village Quilt

For those who have been following the Brown Girl Quilts blog, she has completed her African Village Quilt! Enjoy!

Myrah Brown Green and her quilt - Wow!

Sistah and author Myrah Brown Green and one of her creations! WOW!

Art Quilts from Haiti

Patience to Raise the Sun: Art Quilts from Haiti and their Power to Change Women's Lives.

Here is a catalog of art quilts from Haiti based on the recent Bennington Museum exhibit. Curator of Collections Jamie Franklin provides the catalog's essay about Haitian quilts. Nora Nevin writes about the PeaceQuilts project, which features Haitian quilts. The catalog is $19.95 and includes 60 pages.

• Visit the Haitian Peace Quilt website
  
• Read article about the Haitian quilt exhibit
  
• Purchase quilts by Haitian quilters
  

Blessings to our Sistah Quilters in Haiti.

Sistah Quilter Dr. Michele David, Creole-Creations

For the start of this new year, do take a moment to visit Creole-Creations, the website of Sistah Quilter Dr. Michele David. Her quilts are colorful and vibrant! (Erzulie Dantor II quilt by Michele David) Enjoy!

Quilt for Louisville KY Police Chief Robert White

Reporter Rachel Platt of Channel 11 News in Louisville, KY recently interviewed Police Chief Robert White about his tenure as the city's top cop. I was more amazed to see the quilt his wife, Sistah Quilter Valerie White, stitched when her husband became the chief in Greensboro, North Carolina. Enjoy!

Lois Scharz - her first applique quilt - Pictorial Quilt replica

May I share a wonderful story with you? I received this photo in the mail from a Mr. Lamb, a history buff and collector of African American artifacts. His wife's aunt, Lois Scharz, stitched this replica of Harriet Powers' Pictorial Quilt. Mr. Lamb had learned about my new book, This I Accomplish: Harriet Powers' Bible Quilt and Other Pieces, and read it. The year before he asked Mrs. Scharz, a quilter, to sew the replica for him. I was so amazed at the photos that I called and spoke to Mr. Lamb, and, later that evening to Mrs. Scharz, who is a dear.

Believe it or not, this quilt is Mrs. Scharz's first appliqued quilt! You can see her in the photo. She started the quilt in November 2008 and finished it on August 8, 2009! She told me she would love to have met Harriet Powers. Mrs. Scharz lives on a Virginia farm and has invited this city girl to come visit! Enjoy!

Tina Williams Brewer Receives Lifetime Achievement Award!

Congratulations to Tina Williams Brewer for receiving the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the area's cultural richness! She was honored on June 12th, which the Pittsburgh City Council declared as Tina Williams Brewer Day! You Go Sistah Quilter!

There is also a book titled "Tina Williams Brewer: Guided by the Ancestors" available from PCA for $25 - contact Jen Carter, Shop Manager, 412-361-0873, shop@pittsburgharts.org for info on how to purchase the book. (Photo here from a Pittsburgh City Paper article.) Enjoy!

New Faith Ringgold Quilt - The Declaration of Freedom and Independence Quilt

Enjoy this 3:27 min. video featuring a new quilt by Faith Ringgold - The Declaration of Freedom and Independence Quilt... blocks illustrate key people and events, including President Obama's election. Enjoy!

Detroit Quilter Carole Harris - Urban Memories

Sistah Quilter Carole Harris' artwork was on display at the Ellen Kayrod Gallery in Detroit earlier this year. I just ran across this You Tube video (little long at 9 mins) by art professor Gilda Snowden. Visit Carole's website at charris-design.com. Enjoy!