Free Label for Your Richmond Reds Quilt

Print this label onto fabric for a period look to your quilt

made of my Moda Richmond Reds fabrics.

How to Print

• Create a word file or a new empty JPG file that is 8-1/2" x 11".
• Click on the image above.
• Right click on it and save it to your file.
• Print that file out on a pretreated printable fabric sheet that is 8-1/2" x 11". The label should be 5" x 5".

Richmond Female Institute in 1856

The label depicts pre-Civil-War Virginia, the world of ladies' academies such as the Williamsburg

Academy in the picture on the label.

Lucy Cobb Institute, Georgia

Hagerstown Female Seminary, Maryland

Salem Female Academy, North Carolina

Ambrotype portrait of teacher and students,about 1860

Apparently there was a fashion for lace collars, stripes and plaids and center parts in the hair.

Tetrachromats: A Genetic Anomaly You Want to Inherit

Cartwheels by Liza Prior Lucy

Have you heard of the recent research into color vision and genetics that indicates some people see more color than others?

Haze Kilim by Liza Prior Lucy

I have always believed people could see a different range of color. I know women who can see fifty shades of green in a field of wheat. They have a sureness about color, an understanding, that goes way beyond mine.

Cosmic Star by Jane Sassaman

Most people have genes for three color receptors; tetrachromats have four. These tetrachromats are always female and they make up 12% of the population (both men and women? or just women?)

From Piece O'Cake's Quilts with a Spin

 (Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins)

Aunt Millie's Garden from Piece O'Cake 

(Becky Goldsmith & Linda Jenkins)

Leafing Large by Laura Wasilowsky

Chicken by Ruth McDowell

A figure bandied about is that tetrachromats see 100x the color of trichomats---the majority of the population with the usual three receptors.

Prickly Pear by Ruth McDowell

Marquee Diamonds by Kathy Doughty

In Vino Veritas by Beth Markel

 The receptors are the cones.

That's the extent of my genetics and physiology knowledge.

Rods and cones.

Rods see black and white; cones see color.

Maria Schell, Dance Party at Tamara's House

Not only am I surrounded by probable tetrachromats in my business

of quilt and fabric design...

Log Cabin by Sujata Shah

But many of my friends seem to have a skill that is way beyond what I see.

Sujata Shah, Spider Web

Without a genetic test it's not possible to determine just who's a 4 and who's a 3.

Bobbi Finley, Alfie Dreams

But I have my suspicions.

Log Cabin by Carol Gilham Jones

I would imagine many of you are tetrachromats, as are bumblebees and zebra finches.

Nancy Crow, Color Improvisations

I first read about this in an article in December's Vogue (always a reliable science source) but here are some other links:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140905-the-women-with-super-human-vision

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/tasting-the-universe/201310/dna-results-positive-tetrachromacy-0

Hand Quilting Demonstration in Paducah

The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky, often features a top on a frame in the lobby. 

Volunteers give hand quilting demonstrations to visitors.

Here's Virginia, a member of the Yo-Yo Club of Paducah, showing how to do it.

I recognize some of my Lately Arrived From London prints in this

photo.

Volunteers also donate tops to be quilted there. The finished

quilts then go to raise funds for the museum.

Bettina Havig has recently shipped off a top to be put in the frame.

 She's alternated two nine-patch blocks on point.

And framed it with a strip border that makes the blocks

seem to float above the border.

I recognize several prints from my Moda Morris Workshop line several years ago. 

She's contrasted the oranges and olives

with a plain white neutral.

The Morris Workshop is out of print.

Those past William Morris lines are hard to find. The

fabric goes fast, so I am taking this opportunity to tell you

to buy my latest Morris collection:

Best of Morris from Moda.

A subtle marketing suggestion!!!!

Pre-cuts are in shops now. Yardage is scheduled to

be shipped in mid-February.

Read more about the National Quilt Museum in Paducah here:

http://www.quiltmuseum.org/

Seasonal Upcycling

Seasonal Upcycling is a decorating theme once again this year.

I've noticed several trees made of cupcake liners.

A Spoonful of Sugar Designs

There's a lot of potential here, but to make

these trees truly environmentally friendly wouldn't you have

to use used cupcake liners?

Wait a minute, that's not the point. It's clever re-purposing....

ColleensCDMR

I've found lots of trees made from sewing room stuff.

BUTTONS

Button trees by Organized Clutter

Buttons and spools by Jill Dubien

Tiny trees by The Happy Button

SPOOLS

Glittery Spools by Jim Gatling

From Ronda pAlazzari

FABRIC

Weihnachtsbaum Upcycling

And scraps too small to save.

Anthropologie

Wrap rags or yarn around a tree limb

Stephanie Gerard for Anthropologie

or whatever you've got.

Saving neckties for a necktie quilt?

Me---I have spent days shopping for a vintage

aluminum tree for the new modern living room.

I finally found one.

This is as far as I've gotten.

I'm mesmerized by its shininess.