Tag: Gail Galloway Nicholson

Turkey Tracks: Happy Birthday Miss Reynolds Georgia

Turkey Tracks:  March 15, 2016

Happy Birthday Miss Reynolds Georgia

Fourteen years ago, I brought home Miss Reynolds Georgia, aka “The Beauty Queen.”

(She’s always “the queen” with regard to usurper No No Penny, who steals her beds, her place at my side, and tries to steal her food from time to time.”)

She’s a rat terrier, but one who is the product of being bred back to Chihuahuas to make them smaller.  It has also made them “trickier” in terms of health and temperament.

Rey Rey was so so tiny.  She could fit into my two palms.

She came home in my lap, under a towel, on the long ride from the Virginia countryside to Falls Church.

For the past fourteen years, she has followed my every step, my every move from room to room, my sleeping and waking, my car trips.  (She rides shot gun on the front seat and loves to drive.)

She grieves when I leave her and settles down to wait out the separation.

It’s hard to get a picture of her as she does not like the camera and looks away.

But, here she is today.

She has a huge place in my heart.

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She looks great for fourteen, doesn’t she?

(That quilt was made by Gail Galloway Nicholson and quilted by Joan Herrick and gets used every night while we watch television.)

Turkey Tracks: Deborah’s Braided Rug

Turkey Tracks:  January 28, 2015

Deborah’s Braided Rug

Friend Deborah Oliver has been trying out different methods to make rugs.

She thought of knitting one–and mixing fabric with heavy cotton yarn.  And then, friend Gail Nicholson said, “you know, I have this loom you might want to try.”

Gail was referring to the Appalachian type loom that I’ve shown here several times.  It’s a simple arrangement of four pieces of wood and nails that hold the background fiber.

So, here’s the rug Deborah made.

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She has to tie off her ends in the middle yet.  But isn’t the aqua a perfect match with her walls?

And, now, she’s hooked on making rugs…

Turkey Tracks: Dianne Hire: Master Quilter

Turkey Tracks:  January 12, 2014

Dianne Hire:  Master Quilter

 

Yesterday was a miserable, rainy, icy, threatening day.

BUT, the Coastal Quilters met, and many members managed to make it to the meeting–where we were treated to a history of Dianne Hire’s gorgeous quilts and books, and the story of her latest book, “APP is for Appliqué.”

Really, we all felt as if in the middle of this challenging day we were basking in so much warmth.  Dianne’s gracious humor, her own color-drenched and amazing quilts, the quilts of so many local quilters made from Dianne’s new patterns and brought in to share up close and personal, and our being all together made for a wonderful morning.  And by the time we left, the weather had warmed considerably and grass was appearing in the snow paths.

For this new book, her fourth, Dianne drew fourteen complex, amazing patterns, and quilters she knew, many of them local, some of them met while she taught around the country, each took a signature pattern for their personal quilt–which would be included in the planned and approved book.  The quilters could also use the other patterns in their quilts.   And if you know quilting and quilters at all, you can begin to imagine the diversity these quilts represent.  No two are even remotely alike, and all are astonishing!

Here is a quote from Stevie Kumble, Coastal Quilter’s press person, describing the new book in our press release:

The book itself has received acclaim from the quilting world and beyond. According to one reviewer, “The result is a nicely disguised technical manual as a feast for the eyes and an exciting project book. Fourteen stylized floral pattern designs provide the reader with the right place to embark on a unique journey of creativity. Tips and techniques from each contributing quilter will advance the reader’s sewing expertise in multiple ways. This book will either set appliqué design on its ear, advance it for the ages, or both.”

Dianne is famous for her use of color, and she helped pioneer the use of curves, innovative piecing, and so on.  Dianne was on the cusp of taking quilts out of the traditional and into the contemporary.  

Here is a web site with a lot of her quilts pictured–just scroll down and enjoy:  http://dhquiltsandclasses.blogspot.com.

As you perhaps know, I can applique, but I am very drawn to and happy with my ongoing scrappy piecing project and using up my stash.  But Dianne swears that these complex designs are not hard to make.  The results, I can tell you, are well worth the effort.

The quilts of Coastal Quilter’s members Gail Galloway Nicholson and Roxanne Wells appear in Dianne’s new book.

And, this program was arranged by Gail Galloway Nicholson.  Thanks, Gail!

And Dianne’s information is as follows:

Dianne S. Hire

One Hundred Bayside Road, Northport, Maine 04849

207-338-4789

email:  alternatives2@bluestreakme.com