Hawks Aloft 2013 Raffle Quilt — All done now!

Our Hawks Aloft raffle quilt is complete now –  isn’t it a beauty?!?!  We pieced the top in a long, and very fun, weekend retreat at my cabin in the Jemez mountains of New Mexico, in January.   It was quilted by Kristin Vierra of Lincoln, NE.  Her lovely  quilting truly complements the quilt design.  Here is a closeup of the feathers:

Feather Detail

 And here’s another close-up image.

 It has the binding and backing on it and it debuted at the Albuquerque Xeriscape Expo.  Then it premiered at our annual event at the Monte Vista Crane Festival  in Monte Vista Colorado.

Actually, I guess the quilt is niot completely finished – it still needs a label!  Many thanks to all the volunteers who worked on making the quilt and the many more who will display it and sell tickets all year.  The winning ticket will be drawn at the Hawks Aloft Christmas party on Saturday December 7, 2013.  You may buy tickets from me anywhere that I am teaching this year or anywhere that Hawks Aloft is displaying it’s educational birds, the beneficiaries of the quilt ticket sales.  Or you may buy tickets on line at the Hawks Aloft Store.   Or at my Gail Garber on-line quilting store.  While you’re there, check out the other great products for sale.

Here, as promised, but a little late, are photos of class projects from my one week workshop at Quilting Adventures in the Hill Country of Texas at the T-Bar-M Resort and Conference Center.

“Women in Fabric” was designed and stitched by Peggy Fetterhoff who brought this great quilt for show and tell!

From my class, this design was created by Jana Drane! It looks to be a beauty when it’s done!

Here’s another image from my class at QA:  Betty Gilliam, from Stillwater, OK, wanted to interpret a photo that she took at Cabo San Lucas.  We figured out a “rock” filler that works for foundation piecing for the effects on the cliff!  Good job, Betty.  I can’t wait to see the finished quilt!

Another design from class at QA – this one by Susan Womack.

And, the final design photo from my class at QA:  This by Peggy Fetterhoff.  I can’t wait to see the photos when all these quilts are done!  It was a great class!

Done! Finally! Rainbow Crow tells the story of the most beautiful bird in the world with the most beautiful song. Once upon a time, the world went dark and the animals were frightened. The great gods in the sky had stolen the light from the world! The animals wondered what to do to return the light and save their world. Rainbow Crow, who was strong and brave, volunteered to fly to the gods and ask that the light be returned. — Pieced by Gail Garber and quilted by Kris Vierra.

Rainbow Crow flew and flew high into the sky. His muscles were weary but he kept on flying higher. Finally, when exhaustion threatened to overcome him, he arrived at the home of the Gods. With his beautiful song, he asked them to return the light. Perhaps because the Gods so enjoyed his enchanting song, they consented. They gave Crow a burning torch to carry the light back to Earth. Rainbow Crow departed for the long flight home. As he flew, the smoke singed his beautiful feathers and made his beautiful voice harsh and raspy!
Finally, he returned the light to the Earth. All the animals and they were happy. But Crow was very sad. He cried because his once beautiful feathers were now blackened and, instead of a rapturous song, he had only a croak for a voice.

And today, if you look closely at the feathers of a crow or raven in just the right light, you can see all the colors of the rainbow reflected in them. The rainbow still exists!

Indigo, the Hawks Aloft educational American Crow, basks in the afternoon sun.

Crows and ravens, members of the corvid family of birds, are the most intelligent birds in the world.  I just finished reading a wonderful book, Gifts of a Crow, by John Marzluff and Tony Angell.  If you admire these birds as I do, you will find this a fascinating  read.

A big hello from Kerrville Texas! I’m so excited to be spending the whole week teaching at Quilting Adventures in the Hill Country of Texas.  I really enjoy teaching for a whole week.  In a multi-day class, students are able to get so much done, and I can introduce new lessons in a leisurely way, when the time is right to learn the new-to-them technique.  The students are just amazing! Here’s a group photo from when I last taught here in 2009.

This Heart Quilt was designed and stitched by Janice Schindeler, of Houston, TX in my 2009 class. She made it for her husband, Harry, to whom she’s been married 40 years. A wonderful tribute to their marriage!

We are staying at the T-Bar-M Resort and Conference Center. It’s an absolutely wonderful faciility. Beautiful scenery and very comfortable with totally wonderful food!

Here’s the view from my classroom.

My fellow teachers are a great bunch! Here’s Paula Nadelstern whose kaleidoscope quilts are just awesome.

And here’s Katie Pasquini-Masopust, whose art quilts just get more amazing all the time. I took her class, Painted and Stitched Quilts, a couple of year ago and loved the technique.  Katie is now offering an online class — check it out!

And here are Katie and Paula goofing around beneath a Paula N. designed umbrella.  If you ever have a chance to take a class from either of theise wonderful ladies, I highly recommend it.

When the week is over I’ll post more photos to show you what amazing quilts my students have been creating this week.

There we were at the end of January – off to our 20th Annual Quilt Retreat weekend to stitch up the 2013 raffle quilt, our main fundraiser for Hawks Aloft, the other passion in my life.  Fourteen worker types with various degrees of sewing prowess, 24 hours, my cabin in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, and with unparalleled  beautiful scenery outside the windows to distract.  Think we can get it done? Every year it’s our challenge.

The sweatshop, 2013 style.

The Hawks Aloft quilt raffle is an annual tradition.  Each year, yours truly creates an original design for the Hawks Aloft quilt. Once the design is completed, it is cut and stitched by an all volunteer team at our annual winter retreat. The quilt is unveiled each year at the Monte Vista Crane Festival in March. The Hawks Aloft community works together and produces both an heirloom quality quilt and a successful fundraiser. The proceeds from the raffle benefit the Hawks Aloft educational birds by helping to defray food costs. The winning raffle quilt ticket will be drawn at the annual Hawks Aloft Holiday Party on December 13, 2013.

Ed Chappelle is our Master Cutter!

Chellye Porter removes paper foundations from the outer border.

Laney was the champion lounging dog!

Debbie Prescott Caffrey works on the quilt center.

Laurie Marnell was a first timer at the retreat. We were thrilled to have her expert help.

Carolyn Sanborn, a.k.a. Sami, works on the quilt center.

Quilt middle almost done.

Sharing a laugh or two over afternoon snacks! — with Sami Sanborn, Mary Chappelle, Cynthia Figueroa-McInteer, Anita Marsh McSorley, Steve Elkins, Laurie Marnell, and Chellye Porter at the cabin in the Jemez Mountains.

Rhianna and Olivia were the youngest participants. Sami works hard in the background.

Ed and Steve, the champion paper rippers!

Gabby held down the furniture while we worked.

Did I say that we finished at 7 p.m. on Saturday!  Here’s the proof! — with Sami Sanborn, Chellye Porter, Anita Marsh McSorley, Cynthia Figueroa-McInteer, Mary Chappelle and Lauri Marnell.  I’m pretty sure the clock in the background tells accurate time . . .

And, here’s the official photo of the top, taken by Steve Elkins! Thanks to all who participated in the 2013 Quilt Retreat. It’s our 20th raffle quilt! I was hoping to show the beautiful quilting by Kris Vierra,  of Lincoln, NE, but it is TOO windy out there today to take a photo!  Dang!  Stay tuned for the final photo and information on how to buy tickets!!

Many thanks to all who helped before, during and after the retreat:  Donna Barnitz for pre-sewing and testing the pattern pieces, and Michele Hymel for binding the quilt and attaching the sleeve, Kris Vierra for machine quilting, and Ann Silva’s Bernina Sewing Center for loaning sewing machines for the retreat.   Retreat Participants were Ruth Burstrom, Debbie Caffrey, Ed Chappelle, Mary Chappelle, Steve Elkins, Laurie Marnell, Cynthia Figueroa-McInteer, Anita McSorley, Liz Roberts, Chellye Porter, Rhianna Roberts, Sam Sanborn,and Olivia Velasquez,

Well! I caught a bit of flack from some of my fellow New Mexico quilters for my last post. In it I mentioned how I wanted to go to the Space Camp in Huntsville Alabama and that a trip to space would really top off my year of exotic travel. Well, they reminded me that southern New Mexico is home to the Spaceport America, from which Virgin Galactic actually will fly people into space! A number of Hollywood celebrities have already booked reservations.

Their beautiful facility is in southern New Mexico near the White Sands Missile Range, which played a big role in the US space program and not far from Roswell, home of the only documented alien visit. Currently bus trips of the Spaceport facility are offered, until operations ramp up to the first flights. So, a little friendly tourist rivalry between New Mexico and Alabama. A trip to space? Or a trip to Space Camp?

But, back to the wonderful quilts from the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville, Alabama:

My favorite part of every guild meeting is Show and Tell. This original design by Beverly Penaranda, guild president, was certainly eye-catching!

Also from Show and Tell at the Huntsville Heritage Quilters, this fascinating quilt by Elaine Poplin!

I love the Wonky Houses by Fran Stinson.

Some members brought more than one quilt. Here’s a traditional design by Judy Ballance.

And here’s Judy Ballance’s original and way fun Halloween Design! What a wonderful, creative group this is. I had a blast with the Heritage Quilters of Huntsville. Thanks for showing me a good time!

Greetings from Huntsville Alabama where I taught for the Heritage Quilters Of Huntsville. What a delightful group of ladies to teach and hang out with!

From Friday’s class, Judy Ballance, finished one wedge of her star right after lunch!

And by the end of class, Judy Ballance had finished all of the wedges of her star! Good Job, Judy!

Shelia Calvert showed up in class Saturday with her nearly finished quilt from my Cartwheel Constellation that was published in American Quilter Magazine. Shelia is hand quilting her masterpiece! Good job! I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Also on Saturday, Elaine Wick Poplin dropped in at class to show off her “Rhapsody in Blue”, 2005. She began the quilt with a medallion she designed from my Stellar Journeys book. Elaine drafted the flying geese while on bedrest with her soon-to-be baby in 2004. She hand-quilted the medallion and geese on the background and then free-motion quilted with metallic threads on her domestic machine. It hangs upside down from the original plan because she likes it better that way. She uses the quilt in her high school trigonometry class to teach the subject. Very cool!

Huntsville is a delightful town in northern Alabama, nearly in Tennessee, only a few miles from the state line. Technology, space, and defense industries have a major presence in Huntsville, including the Army’s Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and Cummings Research Park. Most important of all – it’s the home of Space Camp – the ultimate camp experience. I always wanted to go to Space Camp, or send my children there, but it never worked out. Did you know that you are NEVER too old for Space Camp! I just found out that they have adult and family and corporate team building camps. Since this is my year for exotic travel, maybe I’ll include space in the itinerary!

MISA Workshop

Exciting News!

I will be teaching at the Madeline Island School of the Arts on Lake Superior in Wisconsin May 20-24. 2013!!

I will be teaching a 5-day workshop of Flying Colors. I love the opportunity to teach at this unique and beautiful venue. I also appreciate the opportunity to teach a week-long class! It’s so inspiring to see what students can accomplish in a week, compared to shorter classes. Plus, we will have so much fun in this pastoral setting! I also plan to give some evening bird programs and maybe even some morning walks on the island. Here is a link to my class information.

Madeline Island School of the Arts is a premier art and craft school located on a uniquely restored Wisconsin dairy farm surrounded by Lake Superior and the other twenty-one Apostle Islands. The Island has an art and craft tradition that dates back more than three hundred years. It is easy to reach; just fly into the Duluth, MN airport and take MISA’s round trip shuttle service. Or rent a car and take the Madeline Island Ferry Line.

Plus they have Bernina sewing machines to rent if you don’t want to bring your own!

MISA’s on-sight lodging is designed to mirror the “Mission Cottage” style which characterized summer homes on Madeline Island in the late 1800s. Nestled on the edge of the forest, with views of the meadow, the rooms are a short stroll away from the workshop and dining areas. Each cottage has four rooms with their own private entry and bath, furnished with two twin beds, mini-fridge, coffee pot, and microwave. All rooms are climate controlled with paintings by local artists and Wi-Fi throughout.

Breakfast and lunch are served every day–a wonderful buffet every morning with waffles, fresh fruit, bagels, oatmeal, coffee, tea, and cider from Bayfield’s orchards. For lunch, they cater a wonderful selection from Island restaurants. Choose from a variety of salads, soups, gourmet sandwiches and wraps. There are vegetarian and gluten free options and they can cater to special dietary needs. As for dinner, what better way to get more acquainted with the Island and each other! Choose one of the five different restaurants each night, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Madeline Island. The restaurants are only a few minutes from the school.

Posted: Quilts by Gail

1 comment - Add your comment!