A quarterly newsletter from Karen Eckmeier

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Quilted Lizard Tales

SPRING 2021

PLAYFUL TECHNIQUES &

SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE DESIGNS

www.kareneckmeier.com

Spring is here!

Time to CELEBRATE! Flowers are blooming and
new ideas for quilts are popping up all over.

From fabric collage to topstitched curves, I have several new quilts to
spark your creativity.

Thank you for joining me on this quilting adventure!

To celebrate Spring I finished this “Layered Cake” runner teaching sample.

Directions for the table runner are in my Wiggles & Waves book. Change the colors/fabrics to match your celebrations this year!
(Think birthday themes, holidays, sports, hobbies, etc…)

NEW QUILTS

“Ripples & Rocks”

39” x 65” (2021)

Applique + Topstitched Curves

Layers of gently curved topstitched strips combined with appliquéd rocks and grasses. I added heat set Swarovski crystals to twinkle like the sun sparkling on the water.

This “calming” piece was a nice way to start the new year.

“Moonlight Village”

36” x 36” (2021)

Fabric Collage

(working title in the January/Winter newsletter was Moon Glow Village)

Some old jeans and blue batiks were the inspiration for this Happy Village in my ongoing series.

The fabric with the crescent moon became my starting point and the rest of the village revolved around it.

The first sighting of rooftops. More rooftops and windows and stairs to follow.

More rooftops and windows...

White stars on a navy background were scattered around the moon and town to add sparkle.

It was fun to be silly with this piece by creating a stairway to the moon. Then adding a little village on the moon complete with a Moon Lighthouse.

Happy Villages book

Quilters in the Spotlight

Introducing “My Picasso” 24 x 24 by Mary Cannizzaro. Mary started this piece in a 3 hour virtual Color Twists & Leaves workshop in February. I love her original arrangements of the blocks!

Mary is a very talented artist/quilter and author of the new book Beyond the Tee: Innovative T-Shirt Quilts written with her daughter Jen Cannizzaro.
Check out her website

Meet Joan S from Southern Maryland who attended my 3 hour virtual Accidental Landscapes: Mountain Views class in February and was inspired to continue making another landscape for a two-sided Alaskan Mountain Views bag.

To top the bag off she added an additional mountain range. Bravo Joan!

Mary and Joan, thank you again, for sharing your work to inspire others!

Large Log Quilts

Large Logs are log cabin blocks done in “my style,” which means curvy topstitched strips! No measuring and using a large image print in the center of the block. I kept these samples as unfinished tops so they would be lighter to pack in my suitcase when traveling. Now that I’m home in the studio teaching, it was high time I finished them, since the weight and extra bulk doesn’t matter anymore.

Alice in Logs

51” x 51” (quilted in 2021)

Many of you know that I love the story of Alice in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass. I really enjoyed combining my scraps with an Alice themed fabric line of fabrics to create this wall hanging/small lap quilt.

Lizard Logs

37” x 61” (quilted in 2021)

Lizards are lucky for me. I used fabric strips from my stash with a fun lizard fabric to create this whimsical lap quilt.

Directions for Large Logs are in my Wiggles & Waves book

Studio Makeover

LESS is More!

A small studio space requires efficient use of every inch. I thought I had been very smart with my space over the years, but in spending more time at home this past year and teaching virtual workshops in my studio, I realized I needed a lot more space!!

The only way I was going to get more space was to be brutally honest with myself and confront every piece of furniture and its placement. If it didn’t serve a quilting purpose AND if I did’t love it, it had to go! I became ruthless!

Here is what got eliminated to give me a “new spacious” studio.

OLD VIEW: A large dark brown wood corner desk. Major space waster, which made the area look dark and heavy.

Two extra side tables took up too much space, along with an old sewing machine table.

The thread spool rack was far from reach! I had to get up and walk around the tables for each spool of thread. Good exercise, but not very practical!

NEW VIEW: Replaced with a white stand-up adjustable desk (you can see the edge of the desk on the far left of the photo). It takes less than half the space of my original desk!

Three of the fabric storage units were re-arranged to serve as the table top extension to my sewing machine and a fourth is a perfect side table extension. Getting rid of the sewing machine table, the two extra side tables and moving the fabric storage units gave me a LOT more room AND my thread spool rack is in easy reach when I am sitting at the sewing machine!

My dear old sewing machine table for my BERNINA 1031* was also another “space hog.” Although I used it on occasion with my old machine, it basically only acted as an extension table when I quilted.

*if you live within driving distance of Kent, Connecticut, this table is FREE for the taking. You just have to come and get it. Measurements: 48”W x 24”D 28”H (with 12” hinged extension flap to extend top to 36”). Has a side cabinet and drawer. Two table top inserts, one flat and one cut for a BERNINA 1031.

OLD VIEW: Very cluttered and tight. Underneath the cutting table in the back right corner was a large area where I tended to throw odds and ends like, paper backed fusibles, stabilizer, bolts of fabric for painting, etc…out of sight, out of mind. What a mess! Plus there was an ugly large white plastic bin full of yarns.

NEW VIEW: All of the under table clutter got re-organized and transported to my painting workshop area. Now the space underneath the cutting table only stores my rulers/squares, cutting mats and 3 bolts of fabric.

I took my collection of pictures off the wall for a cleaner look. I don't miss them (so far...).

NEW VIEW: A fresh coat of paint (thanks to my hubby) and a thorough cleaning (thanks to me) really did wonders to make my studio sparkle. It feels and looks so much bigger. In this photo you can see my adjustable stand up desk in the background.

The energy in this room has always been great, but now it’s AMAZING! It has wonderful feng shui!

* NOTE: My fabric storage units are ClosetMaid brand purchased at Home Depot back in the 1990s . They are no longer available, however, Elfa brand at
The Container Store has a similar system with mesh drawers.

YES for Zoom Workshops!

It’s possible that virtual workshops may be here to stay, even after the threat of the virus is gone. Let’s look at some of the wonderful positive aspects that virtual lectures and workshops have to offer quilt guilds, students and teachers.

Higher attendance for workshops. The physically demanding effort of hauling a sewing machine and bins of fabric to a workshop is eliminated. Plus you can attend in your pajamas!
Workshop date flexibility. Instead of holding a workshop on the same day of the guild meeting or next day, a workshop can be held on a weekend or even a month later. This also increases workshop attendance!
More efficient use of time for both student and teacher. Students are in their own sewing space and have everything at their fingertips. Also, no distractions from other students.
Last minute bookings are possible. No need to wait for 2 years to book me to come to your guild. I can visit several states and countries in one week!
Much more economical for guilds!$ No traveling expenses, such as airfare, mileage, hotels and meals. Also, no need to rent a workshop facility.

Would you like me to visit your quilt guild for a virtual workshop and/or lecture? Email me for fees and available dates.
karen@quilted-lizard.com

Teaching Calendar

If you are interested in attending a virtual lecture or workshop, let me know and I will supply the name of my guild contact for you to get
more information on their guest policy.

2021 Calendar

*new/updated/re-scheduled/or changed to Zoom format since WINTER 2021 newsletter

Southford Falls Quilt Guild, Middlebury, CT Feb. 5& 6 (ZOOM 2/5 lecture: oops! My Edges are Showingeve 2/5 lecture, 2/6 AM Color Twists & Leaves workshop)

Pax River Quilters, Lexington Park, MD Feb. 8 (ZOOM evening Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture )

Pieced Together Quilters, Bridgewater, NJ February 24 (ZOOM oops! My Edges are Showing! eve. lecture)

*Pax River Quilters, Lexington Park, MD Feb. 26 (ZOOM Accidental Landscapes: Mountain Views workshop)

Q.U.I.L.T.S. Schenectady, NY March 4 & 6 (ZOOM 3/4 Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture, 3/6 Accidental Landscape -Mountain Viewsworkshop)

Berry Basket Quilters, Medford, NJ March 10 & 13 (ZOOM 3/10Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture, 3/13 Happy Villages workshop)

Naragansett Bay Quilters, RI March 18-19 (ZOOM Wiggles & Waves lecture and AM Color Twists & Leaves workshop)

Carquinez Strait Stitchers, CA March 20 (ZOOM 3 hour workshop: Accidental Landscape -Mountain Views)

*Ranches Ladies Quilters Circle, Dubai, United Arab Emirates April 6 & 7 (ZOOM Happy Villages in two 3 hour classes)

*Heartland Quilt Guild, North Platte, Nebraska April 8 (ZOOM oops! My Edges are Showing! eve. lecture)
!!!!!NOTE: A few days ago I gave my first virtual lecture to a LIVE audience. In Nebraska groups can gather safely for meetings, so the guild members were able to socialize and then watch my presentation projected on a wall. An easy way for me to visit Nebraska from Connecticut!!!

*Quinobequin Quilters, Needham, MA April 10 (ZOOM Accidental Landscape -Mountain Views 3 hour workshop)

Birmingham Quilters Guild, AL April 12-14 (ZOOM 4/12 AM Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture, 4/13 Half day PMAccidental Landscape Mountain Views workshop, 4/14 Half Day PM Color Twists & Leaves workshop)

*Island Quilters Guild, Galveston, TX April 15 & 16 (ZOOM 4/15Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture, 4/16 Accidental Landscapes: Beaches workshop)

*Pax River Quilters, Lexington Park, MD April 23 (Happy Villages workshop)

*Cannizzaro Creations, MA April 24 (ZOOM 3 hour Color Twists & Leaves workshop)

*Tompkins County Quilt Guild, Ithaca, NY May 11, 15 &16 (ZOOM, 5/11 oops! My Edges are Showing lecture and 5/15 Color Twists & Leaves workshop, 5/16 Happy Villages)

Faithful Circle Quilters, Downers Grove, IL May 26&27 (ZOOM 5/26 Happy Villages & Accidental Landscapes lecture, 5/27Accidental Landscape Mountain Views workshop)

*Greenville Modern Quilt Guild, SC June 5 (ZOOM AM Color Twists & Leaves workshop, PM Wiggles & Waves lecture)

*Ninigret Quilters, Westerly, RI June 8&9 (ZOOM oops! My Edges are Showing lecture and Large Logs workshop in AM)

Calico Cutters, West Chester, PA July 13&14 (ZOOM 7/14 oops! My Edges are Showing lecture, 7/13 Happy Villages workshop)

Annapolis Quilt Guild, MD September 13 (ZOOM Wiggles & Waves lecture and Large Logs workshop)

*Calvert County Quilt Guild, Prince Frederick, MD Sept. 14 & 15 (ZOOM Accidental Landscapes & Happy Villages lecture and Happy Villages workshop)

*Newtown Quilters Guild, Newtown, PA Sept. 21 & 25 (9/21 ZOOM oops! My Edges are Showing lecture and 9/25 Happy Villages workshop)

Thank you for reading my newsletter. Happy Quilting!

Karen

www.kareneckmeier.com

karen@quilted-lizard.com

Accidental Landscapes™: Surprisingly Simple Quilted Scenes

Wiggles & Waves: Free-Form Curves

Happy Villages™: Step into a Fabric Collage Adventure!

Wearable Waves: Delightful Designs for Quilted Jackets and Vests

2021 PATTERN SPECIAL

Any 4 patterns for $20 and FREE SHIPPING (in USA only)

Choose from any of these pattern series:

Accidental Landscapes, Lucky Lizards and Circle of Friends

It’s OK to mix your choice of patterns from the different series. For example, you could order 1 Lucky Lizard pattern, 2 Accidental Landscapes,1 Circle of Friends. Any combination works.

Scroll to be the middle of the page to find the
Pattern Special details.