The QUILT SHOW with Jennifer & Alex Anderson

AIRING NOW! TheQuiltShow.com #2706

Wear Your Mask! Alex and I bossing each other around.

LIVE STARTING TODAY!! You're invited to check it out as Alex and I talk about my history as a fabric designer, important quilts, SKY Ombre fabrics, how they are designed, printed and used, which includes a free download of SKY STAR OMBRE PILLOW. Plus a peek in my studio. Special guests also include the fabulous  JULIE SILBER and JOE CUNNINGHAM.
First I'd like to share the behind scenes....There is a bumpy, circuitous story behind the planning and filming of my appearance on The Quilt Show #2706 which begins airing TODAY! Sept 6th 2020. A year ago I was getting ready to launch my new book, Ombre Quilts and SKY ombre fabrics was in Kaufman’s warehouse getting ready to ship to stores worldwide, Alex had let me know that my new stuff would be fun to share with her group. Normal stuff: Book highlights, Taping The Quilt Show in Colorado per usual, getting in touch with production team, figure out the project etc...

Behind the scenes: The Quilt Show with the wonderful Alex Anderson

Our story gets interesting a few months later at the creative Craft Napa event, Jan 2020 when Alex and I spontaneously whisked ourselves to the middle of downtown Napa, squeezed into a crowded sushi bar, and luckily found an open cocktail table, wedged in between chatty diners. Even luckier to score two odd chairs, just happy to plunk ourselves down and absorb the vibrant surroundings: We were famished and ready to Join in!  Like a couple of  chatty Kathys, we were off and running about lots of industry news, what we were excited about, classes we were teaching and taking.  Just happy to catch up....We have been friends for years- but you know how busy we all get and I have just come to accept it’s impossible to keep up with all, so an evening out, just the two of us, is a very special treat! I bet you didn’t know Alex had hosted a baby shower for me back in 1998 when my first born was an infant! That was a lifetime ago~ Look how young we were! Hahahahaha. 

My mom loves all Alex Anderson’s star patterns. She made quilt for baby Thomas. (He’s now 22!)

I’m with Alex. Quilt she made for Thomas 1997

The Quilt Show production usually happens in Colorado, was now moving and there were LOTS OF UNKNOWNS. The way they worked and crew she and Ricky had to rely on was changing and would I be willing to be the first filming ginuea pig so to speak. “Sure” I said, we are all in this together!  Let’s continue... End of January, we were at Quilt Con in Austin and we planned that my filming was scheduled to be in March with an audience or potentially a field piece in Texas, the new location! “I’ll roll with it. Whatever you guys want to do. Just let me know when and where to fly into!” Famous last words! ​

Julie Silber, quilt collector and Joe Cunningham quilter show Alex 1970's string quilt.

Then end of January arrived and my husband and I got really sick. For over a week with dry cough, fever and we felt like zombies. We hadn’t been this sick in years. Then we finally got better. Was it the flight? Was it the big show? The running narrative was that maybe we got COVID 19 while at Quilt Con??? We seriously didn’t think we had....but today I wonder.Our doctors don't recommend getting tested as it's completely unreliable. Anyway, filming was delayed and not just because we had been sick but the CDC information coming daily was serious and this pandemic was in the USA. Scientists and doctors giving us daily reports of the situation and NYC was a terrible mess. The Quilt Show could not film now and talk of May/June was on the table...Then it creeped into July...Stay tuned was the best we all could do. AND we did. 

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE TRAILER!. The Quilt Show is a subscription base with hosts Alex Anderson and Ricky TIms. They bring you the friendliest interactive online community for quilters worldwide. Join today, they’d love to have you learn, share, create and connect with them. The Quilt Show episodes feature the best talent in the business! They have a $19.99 special going on now! ​I get to share next week a free online link if you aren’t a member, so stay tuned for that too! 

PIVOT  was a the new popular word in business. So, since we were quarantining, in our home state of California, Alex, Ricky and team decided in order to get this done safely....they focused on all the local talent in California and decided to film at her house! WIth a 40 minute drive, I could be there! Covid Testing was available and the guests list was fabulous! During all these twists and turns, our community was making masks in the millions, quilts for people in hospitals, PPE for doctors, nurses, essential workers....The whole sewing world picked up their game and we all focused on how we could help. It’s been amazing to see such effort. ​​I love being a part of this huge group of people I call my tribe. 

So in the end, it went smoothly, and yes, Alex has hosted a SAFE HOUSE PARTY in which you all are invited. Plus I offer a free pattern through both mine and The Quilt Show’s website that makes a super easy sawtooth star pillow with just one half yard of my ombre fabric. SO I hope you get a chance to watch and tune in. If you are not a member, I'll have the link which I am posting on Sept 13 and it’s live for just one week for free watching for my mailing list peeps, compliments of Alex and Ricky.

SKY Ombre Star- Free Pattern on my website and The Quilt Show web store is selling kits for $19.99

So amidst this terrible pandemic, lots of moving parts were happening with the excellent people of The Quilt Show and I are so proud to be a part of this historic time when Alex and friends are doing their best to keep upbeat, creative and sharing with all of you. Freddie Moran and Sujata Shaw is a favorite show too, a must watch and showed the one before me. 

Sky Ombre Star: simple nine patch construction and just two fabrics! One ombre and white

Modern Madras Table Runner. 1st project in OMBRE QUILTS book

Detail of matchstick quilting which I love so much.

So if you like what you see, stop by my website and pick up a bundle of 6 fabrics to make the Modern Madras Table Runner I talk about, a signed book or any other treats we have. Hope you are all staying safe. California is still burning although many blazes are under control, one began last night called THE CREEK FIRE and it's already burned 40,000 acres and as I write this, we are at our cabin in Tahoe and the sky outside is an eerie brown. A colorway I definitely do not get inspired by. Keep your loved ones close. 
Keep on making!
​with love,