It's hard to write this because the feeling of loss grips my heart and tightens my throat. Last Tuesday evening, my friend, Freddy Moran, a person whom I've admired and loved since we met at The Cotton Patch years ago, passed away. I was backpacking in the California Sierras, off the grid, and when we came back, there was a barrage of  texts and voicemails about her death. The first calls we returned were to two of her sons, Matt and Andrew, expressing our deepest condolences. We learned that her soul left her frail, 94-year-old body while in her colorful, art filled home: exactly where she wanted to be in her final moments. 

We live in a tight-knit community here in Orinda, California, where everyone knew Freddy. She and her husband, Neil, raised five fine boys who are still local. Though great sadness is present, there's also a celebration of her. She created quilts, socialized with family and friends, and even got her hair and nails done on the very last day of her exceptional life. She was revered, loved and an inspiration to all. 
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When we met, Freddy was in her 60s and I was in my 30s. Her quick wit, a full spectrum of bangles stacked up to each elbow, and her unapologetic, "rules are to be broken" approach to quilting were the most refreshing qualities I had encountered in this industry. Freddy was truly one in a million. Her vibrant approach to life was evident, committed as she was to making art in her studio every day. You couldn't help but fall in love with her. Since becoming friends, I've never been able to think of the color RED without thinking of fREDdy.

Of course, we talked A LOT about design and pet so much fabric...that goes without saying. Her stash was the most fun ever! She loved to fabric shop so I just went to her stash to see the latest, coolest, most wild stuff currently on the market from Marimekko to Alexander Henry. Plus, I would plop my new fabrics I had created on her work table. She would gush about the brights, black and white graphics, and the crazy prints I had done. (I knew to leave my more subtle prints at home...too boring for her). She was a "more is more" kind of maker...I curated my palette by taking fabrics out....We enjoyed and respected our design differences. It made it fun. 
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Full of anecdotes and wisdom, I was often asking questions about her life. "Freddy, what does seasoned creativity look like to you? How do you balance all the things in life? When do you know to carry on or finish up? How the heck did you thrive so well raising five kids?" I depended on her frank answers. She was always full of support, understanding and gave me candid responses layered with kindness and empathy when she helped me reflect on my own life. 

Freddy made my life richer, more fun, and encouraged me to be fully me. Living within walking distance from my studio to hers was a gift, and I am so grateful for her friendship. Whether we talked on the phone or saw each other in person, she always ended our conversations in her most singsong voice: "LUUUV YOOU." 

I love you too, Freddy. I know your soul is currently swirling in the prisms of endless light, slumbering where the zinnia petal deepens from fuchsia to pomegranate, and going for joyrides, tucked in the bluebird's silky, iridescent wings....with Neil by your side. You will be missed and remembered for the rest of my days. 

PS: Please share any stories or memories in the comments you have about Freddy. We'd all like to read them. Thank you for taking the time, it helps keep her alive in our hearts and when we share in the loss of a beloved person, it makes it a little bit less painful. 

SKY makes us color mavens. Trust me when I say we all learn a lot about color when we just cut up a few SKY ombres, study them, play with them and sew them back together! It's that easy. Plus it's super rewarding and so much fun. March was a a big month for teaching. Today's post is about Empty Spools seminars, which takes place on the coast of California, a world away from Santa Fe and Georgia O'Keeffe of last month. .  

I will be back to teach at  Empty Spools at Asilomar next year on April 30-May 4th, 2025. Stay tuned for information coming out from Empty Spools and get on their mailing list if you want to partake in a class. There are many good teachers and sign up is by snail mail only. Get on it early as my class tends to sell out quickly. I would love to see you there! 

Cherry blossoms are blooming from coast to coast. My first born, Tommy lives in NYC and we talk about how different the seasons are between San Francisco and NYC. But his photos and my photos this week are in synch. He spent Easter weekend with friends enjoying the Great Lawn in Central Park and we passed the time under the blooming cherry trees in our back yard. Our photos we shared in our family chat show that spring has sprung across the country! 

I just got back from my third annual five day retreat called High Desert Hues, O'Keeffe style in Santa Fe, New Mexico where Georgia O'Keeffe spent the later part of her life painting the landscape. Santa Fe has a gorgeous museum that our class visits with a private tour. We also take a trip to the famed Ghost Ranch that further helped develop her modern style. As students of the Madeline Island School of the Arts, we are privy to getting the inside scoop to all things Georgia. 

Quilt makers embark on learning about O'Keeffe, studying her art and how we can approach our own quilt making regarding color, value and sewing curved seams, using SKY ombres to capture blended textures so evident in Georgia's work. 

2024 was a sold out class with 21 students and it was enriching for all. We shared stories, techniques, ideas and good humor. Learning more about what a determined, gifted and modern woman O'Keeffe was gave us all more confidence and inspiration to follow our own path and to live the life we want. 

O'Keeffe is most famous for her florals, one simliar to this sold for over 40 million dollars. 

Our docent entertained us with stories about Georgia and "the men" in her life like Alfred Stieglitz, her mother's dedication to her excellent art education and ultimately how O'Keeffe crafted her legacy to be one of international acclaim and the most influential American female artist of the 20th century. It was an amazing week to say the least. 

Private docent tour at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum in Santa Fe had us feeling very special indeed! 

Students learn to sketch their ideas on large newsprint, sew curves, and raw edge applique to capture different textures and style. Each piece made is unique and special. We talk about quilting ideas on the last day so each person goes home with a plan! 

Chimney Rock in Ghost Ranch is a great hike for the folks who want to break a sweat after our tour, Walk in Georgia's Footsteps! 

Mary has been going to Ghost Ranch for 35 years and was so excited to create an art quilt with Mt. Pedernal in it. She reminded us that Georgia said if she painted Pedernal mountain enough, God would give it to her. O'Keeffe's ashes are spread over this very mountain, so we think she got her wish. 

Leaving Ghost Ranch....Adios! Pedernal in the background. 

Michele Wyman and Jollyne Toste, veteran GOK students worked on some pretty spicey hot projects. It's not their first rodeo! Both inspired by different works of GOK. 

We talk color, value and how to trouble shoot our work, especially come hump day. Wednesday can be a head scratcher but we work to make good decisions and continue to sew and create. 

The Marys, Sue, Carol, Donna and Jamie display their work with pride! 

A particularly special addition to the class was my sister! She loves to work with upcycled cashmere and made some big juicy flowers. I thought should put it on a hat. She isn't so sure...haha. What do you think? 

I am energized and full of gratitude for the week we had at MISA High Desert Hues. Special thanks to Charles and Annie from MISA for creating a platform for us to plan these events together. I am looking forward to next year, April 26- May 2, 2025. For 2026 I am teaching back to back weeks. The first week is for new students and the second week is for alumni only! The dates are May so stay tuned for details! Because you know, time flies. 

Now Go Create!
xx
​Jennifer

If you are on Facebook or Instagram you may have seen my posts about The Hills Quilt Along. I am so excited to be presenting my very first QAL and honored to be doing it in tandem with quilty friend, Latifah Saafir! My Hills quilt is based on Latifah's pattern, Molehills. 

I love the big arching fans and the ability to show off my SKY ombrés accompanied by my Chalk and Charcoal prints. I had started this quilt during an online class Latifah offered during the pandemic and when the quilt was finished, I was so smitten with the results that I had to share it with you as a quilt kit. And what better to expand upon the enthusiasm than to offer a QAL (Quilt Along) to all our followers, with tutorials, encouragement and group support in making this awesome quilt. ​

The Quilt Along begins next Monday, January 22nd and lasts six weeks ending on February 26th. There will be videos, pdfs and written instructions for you to get all the extra helpful tips and tricks. To join in on the fun, sign up for the QAL and receive a weekly email from me and Latifah. Latifah teaches us how to make these fans with ease and accuracy, so don't be deterred by the curve!  

For week one, you need just three things:
1. Purchase the Molehills Pattern from Latifah
2. If you like using acrylic templates over paper ones, purchase from Latifah. 
3. Gather your fabric from your stash or order a The Hills quilt kit from my shop. This is the personal part of a QAL and what makes it so exciting. I believe all fabrics will look smashing in this quilt once the concept of color and variation is considered. We are on round two of kit shipments which are expected in March, so videos will be available for months to come. We've got over 500 signups so far,  Woohooo!

Whether you have the desire to join in or watch from the sidelines, be sure to follow along on our social media posts to get updates on work in progress, participant's fabric decisions, Q&A, interesting tips, etc... We know many of you are going to blow us away with your talented making, creativity and color selections. Below are the follow along links:
#TheHillsQAL
#MolehillsQuilt
Jennifer's Facebook Group, The Pou-Crew
Latifah's Facebook Group, Sewing with Latifah

Thanks for stopping by my blog today! And we'll share photos on the HILLS QAL here as well. Cheers! 
​xx Jennifer 

SKY ombrés work magically with your stash. True statement, I promise. You may shake your head and say "That's crazy- She has never seen my stash....how the heck does she know?"  Go ahead, watch the video below My Ombre Color Teacher and see for yourself. Just a 1/2 yard of one SKY fabric blends with over 80 pieces in my own stash. My stash is wide and deep: Modern, vintage, antique, traditional and quirky as it represents 40 years of collecting...so this was eye opening and a bunch of fun.

If you love color and octagons, plus the idea of taking a quilt-cation, please check out my retreat at Tanque Verde next month. I would love to have you. It's going to be amazing and a once in a lifetime creative jaunt filled with desert skies, horses, spa, pool, amazing food, cowboys and yes, quilting too :)

It's been a busy fall and I look forward to being in the quiet yet expansive beauty of Tucson at the ranch. If you are home in your studio, keep the iron hot and the sewing maching humming :)
xo

It's Friday and I am boppin' over here. Over a thousand colors at your fingertips SKY ombrés make you feel like a color pro. Just found out this morning....New colors are shipping NOW! 

We've waited since October 2021...And the time has come! Add these luscious 16 new, painterly fabrics to the original 30 and you've got 46 Ombrés that cover all your bases. They are amazing on their own or coordinated with your favorite fabrics. 
Here are the differences between the NEW and ORIGINAL: You'll use them all.
1. New SKY REFLECTIONS are based on how colors of the earth reflect into the sky, once you read the color names, you'll catch my drift. 
2. Speaking of color names: I am thrilled to inform y'all that each name is listed on the selvage every 20'" so you won't have to sharpie the name on the side! WOOT WOOT :)
3. You can easily tell the difference between the OG and NEW based on selvage color: White & Black. 
4. Every color is it's own unique pattern. I made 16 pieces of art using pastels. The ORIGINAL is one design colored 30 different ways. 

We created a 34 page glossy SKY OMBRE lookbook which you get for FREE if you order $150 or more from my shop. You can also get the downloadable PDF version for free here or purchase a hard copy to plan your next projects. It was a total labor of love and the work of many makers. If you are a shop and want to purchase wholesale, write Colette .

Every Wednesday starting May 11th I will be doing a LIVE INSTAGRAM Makers Chat with all the talented women who made things for the lookbook. They are pattern designers, friends and students. Please follow along to be inspired and get an inside peek at what goes on in makers' minds and how we get a lookbook into production. The cover of the book features SKY LOG CABIN which is updated with ombré, thin strips and a secondary star pattern. It's a new pattern of mine and I am teaching it at the wonderful art school,  MISA Madeline Island Sept 19th-23rd. 

That is a wrap for today. I am headed downtown Orinda to set up for our first Makers Popup that a bunch of creative women are setting up for today. These people understand the importance of spreading beauty and inviting community to come together to inspire one another, help eachother through difficult times and splash color into our scope of vision. I am hanging a bunch of SKY banners in a small alley to create a canopy of color. Have a wonderful Mother's Day to all. I wish I was closer to my mom to give her a hug this weekend. Coffee date and Facetime will have to suffice until our summer trip to the Cape. But I will be with my boys and soaking it all up. Peace to you and yours.