Gail Garber Designs
gail@gailgarber.com
https://gailgarber.com/

Logo: Gail Garber Designs

Gail's Quilting Blog

Little House of Geese Design Elements

Little House of Geese by Lorna Shugren

Stone Cabin in the Woods by Lorna Shugren

Check out these cool variations on the “Little House” pattern.  Lorna took my class just six days before she sent this image of her completed quilt “Stone Cabin in the Woods”.

She says, “Thank you for a great class. I will absolutely use what I learned in future projects.’

Lorna Shugren
Carson valley Quilt Guild

The class was hosted by the Carson Valley Quilt Guild in Carson City, NV.  In this class, students work on design, in addition to stitching techniques.  I love her adaptations.  Below is an image of my original design.

Little House of Geese by Gail Garber (c) 2012

Little House of Geese by Gail Garber (c) 2012

This pattern is available on my website.  What changes might you make to this little pattern?  Please send photos of your completed project.

SaveSave

Add your comment!

Shades of the Southwest Exhibit – Part Three

What a thrill it was to have the American Quilter’s Society QuiltWeek show here in January 2015.  Curating the Shades of the Southwest Exhibit with Donna Barnitz made the show doubly special.  We look forward to their return in January 2017.  Donna and I are looking forward to curating another exhibit for that show.  Stay tuned for details to come.

Enchanted New Mexico, by Afton Warrick, 97" x 97"

Enchanted New Mexico, by Afton Warrick, 97″ x 97″

A local resident, Afton is active in our quilting community, where she is a past president of the New Mexico Quilter’s Association, and now also works for me as my assistant.  She says, “Enchanted New Mexico is a Baltimore Album-style tribute to New Mexico. The Castle Huning fountain, Alvarado Hotel, Sandia Peak tram, St. Francis Cathedral of Santa Fe, UNM’s Hodgin Hall and New Mexican flora are featured in this original design.”

Enchanted New Mexico Detail View

Enchanted New Mexico Detail View

This block from Enchanted New Mexico, tells the tale of the Roswell UFO and alien sighting that has put that city on the map!

Enchanted New Mexico Detail

Enchanted New Mexico Detail  View

New Mexico is home to two National Laboratories, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories.  The first atomic bomb was exploded at the Trinity Site, in a rural area of central New Mexico.

Beyond the Fence, by Emily Hostetler, 29" x 29"

Beyond the Fence, by Emily Hostetler, 29″ x 29″

Emily Hostetler, Saltillo, TX, says this about her quilt, “The colors of the sunset are so typical of the Southwest.  The shading from one color to the next in the sky and blending depict “shades” of the Southwest.”

The Painted Pony, by Kris Vierra, 48" x 38"

The Painted Pony, by Kris Vierra, 48″ x 38″

Kris Vierra, who hails from Lincoln NE, is renowned for her longarm machine quilting.  She is my partner on many of my recent quilts.  She has this to say about her quilt, “The Indian war horse was highly honored by the Native Americans.  The owners of these “painted ponies” honored and protected their horse by painting tribal symbols on the horse’s body. The circle around his nose and eye wished the horse ken vision and sense of smell.  The thunder stripes were to please the god of war and the handprint indicated he had knocked down an enemy.”

Raven Sunset, by Judith Roderick, 35" x 43"

Raven Sunset, by Judith Roderick, 35″ x 43″

Judith Roderick resides in Placitas, NM, where ravens are common creatures.  Judith is known for her incredible silk painting.  She says this about her quilt, “This quilt depicts seven ravens against a glorious New Mexico sunset.  The richness and variety of the sunset colors came from two separate waxing and dyeing processes of this whole cloth silk quilt.”

Check back for the formal announcement of the Exhibit for the 2017 American Quilter’s Society QuiltWeek Show!

 

Add your comment!

Shades of the Southwest Exhibit – Continued

Shades of the Soutwest was a real treat to curate. I got to work with Donna Barnitz, my co-curator, who is full of energy, enthusiasm, and in general a huge pleasure to work with.  Here is the second installment of quilts from this exhibit.

New Mexico's turquoise Trail, by Vicki Conley

New Mexico’s turquoise Trail, by Vicki Conley, 51″ x 51″

Vicki Conley, a Ruidoso Downs resident, created this intriguing quilt that embodies the feeling of our state, the Land of Enchantment.  She says,”A photograph that I took in Northern New Mexico inspired this quilt.  Many traditional adobe houses and buildings throughout New Mexico have window and door frames painted turquoise.  New Mexico is known for brilliant turquoise blue skies.  Originally the “Turquoise Trail” referred to the many mines in New Mexico famous for their beautiful turquoise stones.  Today the Turquoise Trail is a scenic byway that goes from Albuquerque to Santa Fe.”

Chamisa Alegre, by Katie Pasquini, 42" x 47"

Chamisa Alegre, by Katie Pasquini, 42″ x 47″

Katie PM, as she is known to her friends, students, and fans, has captured the magic that is New Mexico and the Southwest during the many years she has lived near Santa Fe.  She says, “This quilt was a direct copy of a painting that I created while at Gateway Canyons Resort in Colorado.”  Katie hosts the annual Alegre Retreat at Gateway Canyons Resort in April each year.

 

Taking a Break, by Lynn B. Welsch, 37" x 25"

Taking a Break II, by Lynn B. Welsch, 37″ x 25″

Lynn B. Welsch calls the community of Mimbres, in southern New Mexico home.  She has this to say about her quilt, “These migrating birds stopped on our driveway in Mimbres to take a rest and I snapped a photo of the group with the Black Range Mountains in the background.  I had fun whimsically interpreting the photo in a quilt to show this beautiful area of New Mexico.”

Nogal Canyon Truck, by Donna Barnitz, 41" x 39"

Nogal Canyon Truck, by Donna Barnitz, 41″ x 39″

My pal, and co-curator, exhibited one of her ‘old truck’ quilts in the exhibit.  She says, “Driving through Nogal Canyon in southern New Mexico, a friend and I were taking the road less traveled when we spied this old truck out in a pasture.  I wondered how many years it had been sitting there with the driver’s door ajar.  I rust dyed and then over-dyed the fabrics for the hood and fenders for a long neglected look.”

Kokopelli's Playground in the Sun, by Mary Chappelle, 40" x 36"

Kokopelli’s Playground in the Sun, by Mary Chappelle, 40″ x 36″

Mary Chappelle, a Corrales resident, created this design and stitched it using freezer paper foundation piecing.  She says, “The sun is an important part of the Southwest.   It creates the shades and shadows on our beautiful mesas.”

Stay tuned for Part Three of this Exhibit.  It promises to be worth the wait.

Add your comment!

Shades of the Southwest – Curated by Donna Barnitz and Gail Garber

One of the most exciting and fun things I got to do this past year was to work with my BFF, Donna Barnitz, to curate an exhibit for the American Quilter’s Society Albuquerque QuiltWeek.  Our theme was “Shades of the Southwest”, which left a lot open to interprentation.  We were so excited to select 31 amazing quilts for the show.  Due to camera issues, I was unable to photograph each and every one, but here is the first installment.

Yucca and the Moth by Shannon Conley Yucca and the Moth, 52" x 59".

Yucca and the Moth by Shannon Conley, 52″ x 59″.

Shannon, who hails from Moore, OK, writes this about her quilt, “This quilt was designed to capture the symbiotic relationship between the yuccas of the high desert, sparkling in the crisp New Mexico sunshine, and the tiny yucca moths that pollinate them.”

Green River Sunset, by Pat Gould

Green River Sunset, by Pat Gould, 51″ x 36″

Pat Gould, an Albuquerque resident, writes this about her quilt, “I designed this piece based on photos I took at Dinosaur National Monument in Utah.  The site is famous for the large dinosaur fossils embedded in the rocks.  The colorful rock cliffs along the river and the amazing sky inspired me.”

Ancient Flight by Barbara Striegel

Ancient Flight by Barbara Striegel, 58″ x 62″

Barbara Striegel hails from Rio Rancho and is very active in the local quilt community, participating in the Thimbleweeds Quilters and serving as treasurer of the Fiber Arts Fiesta, which will take place over Memorial Day weekend in Albuquerque.  We need more folks like Barbara!  Here’s what she has to say, “The 16 ancient designs depicted represent both Pueblo and pottery designs.  The Zia Dragonfly soars over a river observing the many animals found living in the Pueblo lands of the ancient Southwest.”

Seeing the show with my friends - what a treat!  L-R:  Sami Sanborn, Pat Folsom, Cynthia Figueroa-McInteer, Lizzie Roberts

L-R: Sami Sanborn, Pat Folsom, Cynthia Figueroa-McInteer, Lizzie Roberts, and Mary Chappelle.  (and no, those are not horns growing out of Cynthia’s head!)

Seeing the show with my friends – what a treat!

Southwest Sampler by Floyd and Wilma Moss

Southwest Sampler by Floyd and Wilma Moss, 67″ x 78″

Nothing says New Mexico, like a Southwestern Sampler!  This one was created by Floyd and Wilma Moss of Suphur Springs, TX.  They say this about their quilt,  “Ah, the Southwest! Shades of ochre, copper and russet define canyon walls, plateaus, and minerals. Shadows of charcoal gray emphasize the depths of the canyons and give distinction to native flora which is seen in relief against the brilliance of the setting sun. Turquoise skies and ecru clouds reflect in streams and lakes and find substance in the gems which hide in the earth. The shapes and designs in the quilt recall the art, pottery and textiles of the peoples of the southwest.”

I Went to Albuquerque, by Sylvie Poulin, 36" x 43"

I Went to Albuquerque, by Sylvie Poulin, 36″ x 43″

Sylvie Poulin, who hails from Val-Dor, Quebec, Ontario, traveled the greatest distance to see her quilt hanging in the show.  She says this about her quilt, “Mythical Kokopelli travels to another village in his eternal wanderings through the Southwest desert.  The rays of sun and their swirls remind us of the summer heat, while the rainbow colors bring back the sky at sunrise and sunset.  But is it the sun or are we seeing the top of a hot air balloon rising above the festival?”

New Mexico Hillside and the Roadrunner, by Jeanne Hurt, 17" x 34"

New Mexico Hillside and the Roadrunner, by Jeanne Hurt, 17″ x 34″

Jeanne Hurt, a local resident, created this three dimensional quilt with a myriad of things New Mexico.  She says this about her quilt, “The wildlife, the fauna and the colors of the state of New Mexico helped me to make this landscape a beautiful place to enjoy every day in my home. I see the Turquoise Trail, the Rio Grande, and the rocks and grasses come to life. The roadrunner hunts his favorite food, the lizard, along the path and life goes on in New Mexico.”

I’m sure you will agree that there is so much variety in this exhibit.  Stay tuned for more in a couple of days!

 

Add your comment!

AQS Quiltweek Albuquerque – Large Competition Quilts, part 3

There were so many wonderful quilts in the AQS Quiltweek Albuquerque show! It’s a pleasure to share a few more with you. Here are three more of the large competition quilts that caught my eye.

This is My Last, Last Price by Anne Armour, Jackson, TN, is a masterful depiction of an exotic (to us) market scene. The faces and hands tell us so much much about these people that subtitles would probably not add a thing. The design was inspired by Rudolph Swoboda‘s The Carpet Seller, which was included in Masterpieces of Orientalist Art: The Shafik Gabr Collection by M. Shafik Gabr.

101 Anne Armour This is my Last Last Price

 

Marilyn Badger and Claudia Clark Myers, St. George, UT, were awarded Third Place in the longarm machine quilted division. Claudia likes to use traditional blocks in a nontraditional way. Here we see mariner’s compasses morphing into feathers.

201 Marilyn Badger and Claudia Clark Myers Red Feathers

 

Do you know how we can tell this is a Christmas quilt? No L!  No L was created by Janet Stone, Overland Park, KS, who was inspired by traditional New York Beauty quilts. This quilt was awarded Honorable Mention. What pleasing symmetry and balance of colors and motifs!

116 Janet Stone No L

 

This Day of the Dead themed quilt was right at home here in New Mexico.  Ann Horton, Redwood Valley, CA, was awarded First Place for Life Everlasting. She employs Latino sugar skulls and dancing skeletons to assure us that after death can be blessed.

108 Ann Horton Life Everlasting

 

Here’s a closeup that shows the jubilant details of the sugar skulls.

108 Detail

 

 

Add your comment!

AQS Quiltweek Albuquerque – Large Competition Quilts, part 2

Here is another set of the large competition quilts from AQS Quiltweek Albuquerque.

Carnival is a bright and festive original design by Margaret Noah, Montrose CO. She used the 10º wedge ruler and big, bold printed fabrics to achieve this dashing entry. It was quilted by Gale Smith.

 

232 Margaret Noah Carnival

 

Linda McGibbon, Beaverton, MI, designed Sun and Sand using EQ7. Her goal was to design a Mariner’s Compass quilt using Square in a Square and Flying Geese Blocks, and as you can see, succeeded very well indeed!

 

229 Linda McGibbon Sun and Sand

 

Carol Jaynes, Savannah, GA, created this Judy Niemeyer design as one of the five patterns Judy asks her certified instructors to undertake. The quilt is called The Feathered Goose and was paper-pieced.

 

224 Carol Jaynes The Feathered Goose

 

Just look at the beautiful interesting quilting on the geese as well as in the background.

 

224 Detail

Add your comment!

AQS Quiltweek Albuquerque – Large Competition Quilts, part 1

Today, I get to start showing some of the fabulous quilts that were entered into the AQS show in Albuquerque in January. There is such variety and creativity exhibited! It’s really stimulating!

This first quilt is a stunning example of what can be accomplished with only three colors – black, white, and red – and emphasizing shapes and design. Georgia Spalding Pierce, Seattle, WA, received an Honorable mention for this stirring quilt. The black sashing represents the formal lines essential to the art form. This quilt is hand-appliquéd, embroidered, and machine quilted.   The motifs are inspired by Pacific Coast Indian art as documented by Jim Gilbert and Karin Clark.

234 Georgia Spalding Pierce Spirit

Spirit, by Georgia Spalding Pierce, Seattle, WA

234 Detail 2

 You know how I love birds!

234 Detail

Isn’t this a great anthropomorphism of a whale? And just look at that quilting!

236 Julie Sefton See Rock City - Tennessee Favorite of my friends“See Rock City” instantly grabbed the attention of my friends, some of whom hailed from Tennessee and knew exactly the story behind this quilt.  They were absolutely enthralled by the story represented by seeming barn sampler.  It is an enchanting quilt.  Julie Sefton, Bartlett, TN, free pieced twelve barns, four Mid-South season, farm animals, tractors, silos, signs, and a windmill. Chris Ballard quilted it.

243 Laura Trenbeath tinks Choice

Laura Trenbeath, Waynesboro, VA, won First Place for Tink’s Choice. Laura treaded dangerous ground by asking family members for their opinions as to the choice of pattern! The only one willing to weigh in was her sister-in-law, Teresa Herring, aka Tink. Good advice, Tink! This quilt is pieced and long-arm quilted.  The design source is Audrey III pattern by Deb Karasik.

245 Kris Vierra I Dream of Wild Horses

Kris Vierra, Lincoln, NE, won Second Place for this dream catcher motif, I Dream of Wild Horses. This quilt represents the perfect good dream, as well as Kris’ passion for all things wild. The design was inspired by a drawing by Jody Bergsma, Bergsma Gallery.

245 Detail 1

We see the wonderful quilting in this detail shot. This is truly a quilt that is lovely at a distance, and lovely close up.

 245 Detail 2

Here’s a shot from the back, showing the beautiful quilting. Look at all that delicious detail!

Stay tuned for more!

 

 

Add your comment!

The Big Winners from the 2015 AQS Albuquerque Quiltweek

I am so excited that the American Quilter’s Society brought their QuiltWeek to Albuquerque!  It was an honor and a privilege to be one of the judges, but it also was very challenging because the competition was exceptional.   Of course, everyone who entered is a winner: you got to share your beautiful work, and we got to see it! Thanks to all who participated!   I did a search for the websites of all of the winners; if they have one, I have linked to it.

Best of Show at American Quilter’s Society Quilt Week in Albuquerque went to “Stars on Mars” by Gail Stepanik and Jan Hutchinson, Minong, IL. Wow! This is one gorgeous quilt!

Stars on Mars, by Gail Stepanik and Jan Hutchinson, Minong, IL

Stars on Mars, by Gail Stepanik and Jan Hutchinson, Minong, IL

The Best Original Design Award went to Ann Horton, Redwood Valley, for “The Birds’ Perspective – Life at the Water’s Edge.” This delightful nature scene has a lot going on.  The longer one looks at it, the more that one sees.

The Birds' Perspective - Life at the Water's Edge, by Ann Horton, Redwood Valley, CA

The Birds’ Perspective – Life at the Water’s Edge, by Ann Horton, Redwood Valley, CA

Lorilynn King from Longmont, CO, created this lovely. sparkling study in blue. She received the Best Wall Quilt Award for “A Pocket Full of Paisleys.”

Pocket Full of Paisleys, by Lorilynn King, Longmont, CO

Pocket Full of Paisleys, by Lorilynn King, Longmont, CO

The Best Hand Quilted Award went to Antonia Hering, Hoorn, Noord-Hooland, Netherlands, for “Dreamtime.” If you didn’t get to see it in person, just let me tell you this: each one of those little circles is hand-appliquéd!

Dreamtime, by Antonia Hering, Hoorn, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Dreamtime, by Antonia Hering, Hoorn, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Here is “Byrnes Spiral” by Beth Nufer and Clem Buszick, Borrokings, OR. The Best Use of Color Award went to this stirring creation. I love the squares within circles in the corners, and of course, the geese!

Byrne's Spiral, by Beth Nufer and Clem Buzick, Brookings, OR

Byrne’s Spiral, by Beth Nufer and Clem Buzick, Brookings, OR

“Majestic Mosaic” by Karen Kay Buckley and Renae Haddadin, Carlisle, PA, earned the Best Longarm Workmanship Award. This lovely quilt has great balance of colors, shapes, and quilting, not to mention all of the incredible applique.

Majestic Mosaic, by Karen Kay Buckley and Renae Haddadin, Carlisle, PA

Majestic Mosaic, by Karen Kay Buckley and Renae Haddadin, Carlisle, PA

Just look at the lace on this beauty! Susan Stewart, Pittsburg, KS, took home the Best Home Machine Quilted Award for her “Snow Flowers.”  Amazingly, she custom made the lace in this quilt using embroidery motifs.

Snow Flowers, by Susan Stewart, Pittsburg, KS

Snow Flowers, by Susan Stewart, Pittsburg, KS

 

The Viewer’s Choice Award went to Kathy McNeil, Tulalip, WA, for “Jingle Bells,” a winter scene with two jingle bell-festooned horses.  You can take a look at it here.

Stay tuned for more from this show in the weeks to come. . .

 

Add your comment!