Exciting Announcement

I'm excited to announce my first Kansas City based event, Composing with Line.  I'll be working with a small group of students to explore designing with line and I'm excited to share with participants a little bit of the city I love, my new home and our vibrant art community.  The details of the event are below, but know that my goal is to have fun, learn with you and help you leave inspired and with knowledge and skills that will support you in your own creative journey.  Register by July 15th to receive an early registration discount.  

For registration contact my friend Betsy at Betsy.Blodgett@gmail.com.  Betsy will help you get signed up and answer any questions you might have.  I look forward to seeing you in October in Kansas City.

Composing with Line Workshop

Weekend Itinerary Day 1 – Thursday, October 25 Explore the beauty, simplicity and complexity of line in this weekend design class. We’ll start with the basic principles of linear design and analyze quilts to see those principles in action. Jacquie will lead you through a series of exercises to ground you in the fundamental principles and as the weekend progresses you will apply those principles to create original designs. Students will work with Jacquie and each other in a fun, collaborative environment to explore linear design, piecing techniques and the elements and principles of design. Students will create one or more small pieces that may serve as seeds for further explorations and larger pieces. Composing with Line with Jacquie Gering October 25th - 28th 2018 Kansas City, Missouri $795.00* The weekend begins with a bus trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Here you will meet Jacquie for an evening of inspiration to kick off your weekend of creativity. She will guide you to her favorite works of art and you are encouraged to wander and find your own inspiration. Then, get to know the group at a fun and casual welcome dinner. Day 2 – Friday, October 26 Class with Jacquie begins on Friday morning, followed by lunch. In the afternoon, hop on the bus as we take a trip to nearby Lawrence, KS to visit the Spencer Museum of Art, home to a one-of-a-kind collection of Yoshiko Jinzenji quilts, followed by a visit to Sarah’s Fabrics. Friday evening, join Jacquie at her home for a private trunk show. Day 3 – Saturday, October 27 Spend a whole day exploring linear design with Jacquie. That evening, join Jacquie for an open studio tour. Visit and see the work of her fellow artist quilter Kim Eichler-Messmer. Day 4 – Sunday, October 28 Enjoy your last morning of classes with Jacquie, followed by a farewell lunch. Pricing & Inclusions Join us for the Quilting with Lines weekend workshop for $795.00. Included in the trip: Small Group for a fun, personalized weekend with Jacquie Gering 15 hours of dedicated classtime + opportunity to sew in the evenings Welcome dinner on Thursday, October 25 Lunch included Friday, Saturday and Sunday Transportation to and from the Nelson-Atkins and roundtrip to Lawrence, KS Deposits & Payments A non-refundable depost of $250 will secure your spot in this workshop, due immediately at signup. Balance due and non-refundable 60 days before the start of the workshop. Contact Betsy Blodgett at Betsy.Blodgett@gmail.com to register or for more information. *Register by 7/15/2018 and pay only $725.oo for the workshop!

Life is good in Sitges, Spain

Thank you for all your kind comments.  Life is what we make it and I plan to take more control over mine.  In addition to planning events in Kansas City which I hope you will attend sometime, I plan to use the blog to do some teaching as well.  It's been too long since I've had time to blog and share what I've been working on.

For now, I am in Spain to help with the Best of QuiltCon traveling exhibit and to teach classes at the Patchwork Festival in Sitges.  It is my first time teaching students who don't all speak English which should be an interesting experience.  I'll have a translator and I'm sure enthusiastic students.  I've already met some wonderful quilters from several countries.  With Google translate and my high school Spanish I'm getting by when I'm not with the lovely Amanda, the Member and Sponsor Manager for the MQG who speaks Spanish and has been so helpful and fun to hang out with! Check out our trek through the streets of Sitges with the quilts in tow!

In between setting up the exhibit, womaning the exhibit and prepping for teaching I've had time to explore the city, sample the food and drink and a do a bit of cultural exploration.  I never thought that quilting would provide experiences like this.  

The twin beds and the tiny room have been our biggest eye opener.  We feel a bit like Lucy and Ricky if know what I mean!

The journey continues...

Announcement

Be sure to sign up to receive my newsletter or check back on the blog as I'll make any important announcements there.

NOTICE TO ALL:
I am taking a sabbatical in 2019 and 2020.  I will not be taking any more teaching engagements until further notice.  My family situation has changed significantly and I will no longer be able to be away from home for so many days during the year.  I will honor my commitments to those groups in 2018 and 2019 as much as my responsibilities will allow me. 

I am working on developing events to be held in the Kansas City area so that if you're interested in learning from me and having an intimate, personal learning experience, be sure to watch the blog for announcements of those events.  I would love to share my city and my studio with you.

I have had a blast teaching and visiting shops, guilds, museums and art centers.  I appreciate all the hospitality I have been given and how much I have learned from all of you. 

I am looking forward to having time to create and to take care of my personal and family responsibilities and find balance in my life. 

For those who haven't seen it, this is my latest piece, Veer.

I will continue to share here and for the best updates on my new work follow jacquietps on Instagram.

See you on the flip side.  It's been real.

Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century

Happy Holidays to all of you! 
I am proud to be the next stop on the blog tour for the Modern Quilt Guild's new book:  Modern Quilts, Designs of the New Century. Congratulations to Riane, Heather and Alissa for putting together an amazing retrospective of modern quilting. 

I got my shipping notice yesterday and I can't wait to have this book in my hands.  I've seen sneak peeks and it's beautiful.  It's the quilting coffee table book that I have always wanted.  With gorgeous photos of more than 200 quilts curated by the Modern Quilt Guild, the book honors the modern quilting genre's past, present and future.  I am proud to have two quilts in the book, but I am overjoyed at the number of quilters represented and the variety of quilts showcased in the book.  I think you will be too.

Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century is more than a book for me. As many of you know I have been involved with the Modern Quilt Guild since the beginning and have worked with many of you to build and grow the organization.  This book is a tangible reminder of the challenges, the hard work and the accomplishments of the leadership and members of the Modern Quilt Guild.  Look what we did together!  I am overjoyed that this book is now a reality.  The lesson for me, dream big! 

Building Bridges and Bang You're Dead are my quilts that are featured in the book. They're two of my favorite pieces.  I hope you will get your copy of the book to see all the pieces in the book and support all the artists that are part of this project. Visit their sites and see the new work that they are making. 

The tour continues through the new year.  Check out the posts from all these designers to read their thoughts, see their work and then get a copy for yourself.  100% of the royalties earned from the book go to the Modern Quilt Guild, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Enjoy and have a wonderful 2018!

12/13/17      Amber Corcoran       Fancy Tiger Crafts
12/14/17      Heidi Parkes             Heidi Parkes Arts
12/15/17      Melissa Cory             Happy Quilting
12/16/17       Penny Gold              Studio Notes
12/18/17       Shruti Dandekar      13 Wood House Road
12/19/17       Amy Friend              During Quiet Time
12/20/17       Paige Alexander      Quilted Blooms
12/21/17       Angela Bowman      Angela Bowman Design
12/22/17       Lysa Flower             Lysa Flower
12/27/17       Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill  Whole Circle Studio
12/28/17       Jacquie Gering        Tall Grass Prairie Studio
12/29/17       Christa Watson       Christa Quilts
12/30/17       Heather Black         Quilt-achusetts
1/2/18           Kristin Shields         Kristin Shield Art
1/3/18           Krista Hennebury    Poppy Print Creates
1/4/18           Cinzia Allocca         Deux Petites Souris
1/5/18           Suzanne Paquette   Atelier Six Design
1/6/18           Yvonne Fuchs          Quilting Jetgirl
1/9/18           Ben Darby                Hunts Patch Quilts
1/10/18         Nicole Daksiewicz    Modern Handcraft
1/11/18         Kristi Schroeder       Initial K Studio
1/12/18         Kathy York               Art Quilts by Kathy York
1/13/18         Marla Varner            Penny Lane Quilts
1/15/18         Brigette Heitland     Zen Chic
1/16/18         Stacey Sharman      Hello Stitch Studio
1/17/18         Stacey O’Malley      SLO Studio
1/18/18         Kim Soper               Leland Ave Studios
1/19/18         Steph Skardal         Steph Skardal Quilts
1/20/18         Cheryl Brickey        Meadow Mist Designs
1/22/18         Shea Henderson     Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio
1/23/18         Katie Larson            Katie Larson Studio
1/24/18         Katie Pedersen        Sew Katie Did

Action Kivu Fundraiser

It's time again for the Action Kivu Fundraiser.  It's hard to believe that it's been eight years since I've been involved with this project.  It's a cause that is close to my heart first because it harnesses the power of sewing to change the lives of women and children and because it is a small organization that does targeted work to make a positive difference in the world.

This year the fundraiser will raise funds to purchase graduation sewing machine kits for 42 women who are victims of the conflict in the Congo. These kits will allow them to use the skills they have acquired through their participation in the program to support themselves and their families.

As part of the sewing community I ask each of you to give what you can to this cause.  Dig deep if you can.  There are wonderful prizes that have been donated by myself and my colleagues. 

I've waited until today to post hoping to see the thermometer rise more during the week.  It's not where we need it to be, so let's make this last push to get to the goal and fund this program.  The fundraiser ends Sunday so we have two days left to make it happen!

If you want to read more about the organization and its work check out the Action Kivu site.

To give, head here.  

Thank you in advance for your generosity and support of these women and their families.

I love this photo that Lauren Hunt took for WALK. It makes me happy.

I don't have a blog post in me today, but I want to point you to a great read.  Anna Graham wrote this great post. The phrase I took away was "creativity is not a contest."  Sometimes I get caught up in all the great work around me and feel like I've got nothing. Thanks Anna.

Winner

The winner of WALK is Rachel Singh.  Rachel, please contact me (jacquietps at gmail.com) by Saturday, July 29 to claim your book.  Congratulations!!

WALK

You know, I've been so bad at blogging this year that I was embarrassed when a couple of friends pointed out that I never blogged about the new book.  Yup, I wrote another book, this time about the quilting process.  Most of you know I love that walking foot and so I set about putting it through its paces and trying to get the most out of it and the result was WALK:  Master Machine Quitling With Your Walking Foot.

The walking foot is awesome for straight lines as we know, and I'll never disparage simple linear quilting, but that's only the start of the creative quilting options that are possible with the walking foot.  Just check out the back cover of the book to see what I mean.

WALK has been selling like hotcakes since its publication in December and has been one of the top selling quilting books on Amazon.  It popped back up to number one once it got back in stock and I thought we should celebrate with a giveaway.  Just comment here and let me know what you love about walking foot quilting to win a copy of the book.  Leave a comment by Monday 9 a.m. CST.  

After I wrote the book I've continued to push myself to find more walking foot friendly quilt designs and I'll be sharing some how to's for those soon.  In the mean time, if you haven't got the book, check with your local quilt shop, library or get it in your hands the Amazon way.  Walk on!!

The Challenge of Simple

In my artist statement I state that I love simple, but I tend to overcomplicate.  I've been studying minimalism in the hope of creating minimalist work that has the simplicity and graphic impact that I crave, but at the same time is interesting and unique.  It's been a challenge for me for sure. Simple is hard!

I spent my evenings this week cutting and pasting with my favorite material...craft foam.  I think I might have the start of a series I'll be happy with.  I love black and white. I want to stay with that for now and add a bit of color when necessary.  It might be fun to work in a series too.  I think working on these will be a blast.  I'd like to control myself and work small, but knowing me that's not going to happen.  Stay tuned.

Fed Up

I know it's not about quilting, but in some ways it is.  In our community I've experienced and witnessed personal attacks and verbal violence targeted at folks who are different or who have different opinions or positions as well as folks who make accusations with no basis in fact in order to damage another person's reputation. I've watched folks jump to conclusions and attack and ridicule with no thought of asking questions or finding or sharing information to solve problems. I've been demoralized by those who attack without thought and who react without thoughtfulness.

It's time for me, for all of us to speak up.  I am starting at the top.  I believe that our current president has contributed to the atmosphere of violence and polarization that exists today in our country.  This week of twitter tirades is just one example, but it pushed me over the edge. I ask each of you to write your own letter, contact your elected representatives or work in your own way in your own community.  

I wrote this letter to the President and I have followed up with a letter to each of my senators and representatives.   At least it is a place to start.

President Donald J. Trump

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Sir,

Over the last week I have been increasingly disappointed in the messages you have sent from your twitter account.  I know after watching you over the first months of your presidency that you don't seem to desire or react well to feedback, but I hope you can receive this in the constructive, positive way in which it is intended.  While I understand that constant criticism must be difficult to receive, it is a part of the job of the President to listen to all sides whether they support you or not.  It is not the role of the press or the citizenry not to criticize. In fact, it is their responsibility.

I have heard all the criticism of your twitter messages, for example, that they are beneath the dignity of the office, immature and a distraction from the challenges that the country is facing, and while I agree, that is not my primary concern.  I was especially disappointed to see how you shared the WWF video with the inserted CNN logo and implied that beating up those with whom you disagree is an effective way to deal with a dissenting opinion.

 I'm not interested in debating whether CNN or Morning Joe is fake news.  I am a literate, well-read citizen who can make that determination for myself.  What is important to me is the message you are sending to Americans, both adults and most importantly children:  through your tweets you are advocating violence and name-calling as effective ways to solve problems.  I can't find the words to say how much your example cuts to the core of what I know is wrong.  Name calling from the President of the United States?  A video showing the President pummeling someone with whom he disagrees?  It's both disgusting and dangerous.  Our country as you know is already polarized and violence, both physical and verbal is pervasive in our daily lives. How can you in good conscience put out these messages to millions of people who look to you for leadership? 

Many Americans jump to violence as a solution to their problems and now you, the leader of this great country, are setting that same example and providing justification for those who choose to do the same.  You state that you want the violence in our cities to cease; yet you show a video showing the citizens of the United States that you choose to solve your problems with violence.  Is this the America you want to create?  Is this the way you want Americans to behave?  I hear you invoke God in your speeches.  Is this what your religion teaches you? Were you taught to insult, to strike back, and to use violence to hurt others?  Or, is religion only a ruse to develop a following?  I see a person's religious beliefs in their actions, not their words.  Your actions speak volumes.

I was heartened by the First Lady's commitment to the cause of anti-bullying and I fully support her work.  It is a passion of mine as well.  It is hard to understand how she can do this good work in the shadow of your behavior. 

I ask you to consider that multiple viewpoints are what make America great.  Listening is a skill that will bring you the information and perspectives that can create solutions to the problems we face.  Utilizing the language of argument, spirited debate, artful compromise and respect for those who disagree are the hallmarks of a great leader.  As you have learned, leading is a difficult task, but effective leaders can make a world of difference in the lives of many people.  It is time to turn your focus to others rather than yourself.  We face many challenges in America and we can't afford to waste time with the nonsense I am seeing from you. Listen, debate, compromise and most importantly, lead.  Set an example for us all.

Sincerely,

Jacquelyn D Gering

Kansas City, Missouri

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