Chattanooga area quilt shops and quilters welcome Ben Taphouse from Lewis and Irene fabrics: part 2

During the two-day whirlwind visit with Ben Taphouse, Director of Sales for Lewis and Irene fabrics, we visited four quilt shops in Tennessee and Georgia. After a presentation for the Choo Choo Quilters on Monday evening (see this blog post), we had a full day on Tuesday meeting with shop owners of Chattanooga Quilts, Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More, Sew 'n So Quilt Shop and Lana's Quilts and Sew Much More.

Here is Kim Thomas (center), owner of Chattanooga Quilts in Ooltewah, TN,
with Ben (right) and me.

Our first stop Tuesday morning was at Chattanooga Quilts in Ooltewah. Here we are with Kim Thomas, the owner. The Lewis and Irene fabrics were well received at Chattanooga Quilts, so be looking for several collections arriving in the upcoming months. You won't lack for project ideas and inspiration at Chattanooga Quilts because Kim has curated fabrics for several projects and kits will be available at her shop. The Lewis and Irene website also has loads of free patterns for downloading. Contact Kim to see what's coming in.

Traveling from Chattanooga Quilts in Ooltewah, Ben and I dropped by Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More. Because of our tight schedule and the flurry of activity that was happening at this store (it was hopping!), I didn't get a photo. But I can say that shop owners, Kyra Rhyne and Josh Flinn were smitten with the collections and have childrenswear and garment sewing projects planned for them. Be watching their class calendar and stop in the shop in the next months.

From Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More, we made a quick stop at 4 Corners Cafe near Collegedale, TN, for paninis. True to the typical antics of a traveling sales rep, Ben took to eating our lunch on-the-fly in the car. [Ben--next time we'll have to make time to enjoy the home made gelato at 4 Corners!]

Ben outside Sew 'n So Quilt Shop in Rocky Face, GA.

On to Sew 'n So Quilt Shop in Rocky Face, GA, where we were greeted by shop owner, Anna Quarles, and a group of her customers.

Ben shows customers at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop a photo of
the glow-in-the-dark inks in the Fairy Lights collection.

Ooohs and ahhhhs filled the shop during Ben's presentation of the upcoming Lewis and Irene fabric collections. Anna took copious notes based on the "Oooh/Aaah Barometer" and reactions to the lines from the attendees. As of the writing of this blog post, the full collection of Lewis and Irene's "Bee Kind" is at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop along with pre-cuts from the Spring/Summer Bumbleberries collection.

Meet and Greet with Ben Taphouse at Sew 'n So Quilt Shop.

Lucky winners of the door prizes were thrilled to be going home with Lewis and Irene fabric goodies.

Anna Quarles, owner of Sew 'n So Quilt Shop and Ben Taphouse.

The final appointment of the day was an evening Meet and Greet at Lana's Quilts and Sew Much More in Cleveland, TN, hosted by shop owner, Lana Masengill.

The Bumbleberries fashion blender was used
in this sample.

 While Ben presented the collections, attendees got to examine the fabric strike-offs ...

Examining the strike-offs.

 and pass around the samples.

There were lots of projects and samples on hand for people to see at the Meet and Greet.

The Lewis and Irene door prizes were very much appreciated. (Think she's having a good time?)

A lucky winner of Lewis and Irene charm squares.

Lana already had several bolts of the "So Darling" line in her shop and it was no surprise that these and the Bumbleberries  fashion blender, were leaving with customers in one and two-yard cuts. Fear not! Lana has more Bumbleberries and other upcoming Lewis and Irene collections on order!

Ben Taphouse with shop owner,Lana Masengill, at Lana's Quilts and Sew Much More.

The wrap-up
After hearing the stories behind the company and its fabric designs, I hope the Tennessee and north Georgia quilters and sewers won't be strangers to Lewis and Irene fabric collections that will be making their way to the area's quilt shops. Thank you so much to all the shop owners that allowed us to visit.

So, after:
    2 days,
    4 quilt shops,
    2 Meet and Greets,
    1 guild meeting, and
    168 miles...

... Ben and I did a brain dump and recap of the visits and conversations with shop owners and all the quilters. Believe it or not, Ben recommended Smokey Bones for a great late-evening dish of mac and cheese and deep-fried Oreo cookies (and he claims he does not have a sweet tooth!). One minute it was 9 pm, and the next it was midnight! Time flies when you're talking "fabric."

Thanks for a wonderful visit and hope you enjoyed your trip to Chattanooga, Ben! 

Lewis & Irene VIP is visiting Chattanooga!

Have you heard about Lewis & Irene, a fresh, new face in the quilting fabric arena? If not, let's make an acquaintance...

"Enchanted Forest" from Lewis & Irene fabrics.

Lewis & Irene is a family-run business that offers quality 100% cotton fabrics. Their unique designs have quickly become "fan favorites" with quilters and sewers in the UK and across Europe. In October 2017, the way was paved to bring these collections to US quilt shops and independent sewing centers so all of us American quiltmakers can get our hands on these lovelies.

Are you intrigued?
I hope so, because in about a week, Ben Taphouse, the Director of Sales in the UK for Lewis & Irene, is making a trip to the USA and will be traveling with me in Chattanooga for 2 days. 

Up and coming to USA quilt shops: Lewis and Irene fabrics

A few Chattanooga area quilt shop owners have graciously made time to meet with Ben and me. And happily, his visit coincides with my quilt guild's monthly meeting, so Ben will be our guest presenter at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Quilters guild meeting.

Interested in hearing the Lewis & Irene story?
If you are interested in hearing the story of the Lewis & Irene fabric company, and what inspires the designs of their fabric collections come to the guild meeting or a Meet and Greet. Here's our travel agenda:

Monday, March 19: Choo Choo Quilters guild meeting, Hixson, TN, 6:30 pm

Tuesday, March 20:
Visiting Chattanooga Quilts and Chattanooga Sewing Machines and More early in the day.
3:00 pm: Meet and Greet at Sew N So Quilt Shop, Rocky Face, GA.
6:30 pm: Meet and Greet at Lana's Quilts and Sew Much More, Cleveland, TN

If you live in the Chattanooga area, be on the lookout for Lewis & Irene fabric collections. Please support your local quilt shop and ask them to carry these fabrics. You can also email me or let me know if your local quilt shop is interested in this fabric line—I'm happy to contact them.

Oh, yeah... and there might be some fabric goodies available for event attendees.

Countdown Day 5: Additional quilt exhibits are on tap in Chattanooga during QuiltWeek

5 days until Chattanooga AQS QuiltWeek®. Rapid-fire post #3.

In addition to the AQS quilt show at the Chattanooga Convention Center, here are two other quilt exhibits for your viewing pleasure. My friend and fellow ATC artist, Karen Downer, curated the exhibit that is now hanging at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. Twelve quilts, representing a variety of quilt styles and techniques, were made by Chattanooga area quilters. "Marketplace," one of my improv quilts, is among the twelve.

"Marketplace"

Chattanooga WorkSpace is also hosting a "Quilts of Chattanooga" Trunk Show September 15 - 18, from 3pm to 8pm. This exhibit, sponsored by one of our wonderful local quilt shops, Chattanooga Quilts, is a delightful collection of quilts made by patrons of the shop.

Chattanooga Quilts Trunk Show, September 15 - 18 from 3pm to 8pm.

WorkSpace is located downtown, across from the downtown YMCA. At last year's trunk show, there was artwork by local artists, hand-crafted ceramic mugs and fabric bundles available for purchase. Need a unique holiday gift? Might wanna check this out!

There is also going to be a display of small format quilts based on the Game of Thrones TV series at Spool Quilt Shop, on Friday evening, September 18. All the quilts use a specified selection of Peppered Cottons designed by Pepper Cory. Tickets for the exhibit, called "Game of Quilts," are on sale at the shop.

Quilts at Chattanooga WorkSpace, Southern Belle Riverboat, and Kaffe's quilts at the Houston Museum

A selection of quilts by Kaffe Fassett
will be on display at the Houston Museum.

This will probably be my last post prior to a full-swing, 110% immersed, AQS QuiltWeek Chattanooga envelopment that begins Monday. Several guild friends and I kicked off the celebration yesterday on the Gallery Hop and a visit to the "Needle and Thread" exhibit at Association for the Visual Arts (AVA) that I mentioned here.

Two quilt exhibits you don't want to miss during QuiltWeek Chattanooga is the 80+ quilt "Quilts of Chattanooga" Trunk Show at Chattanooga WorkSpace and an exhibit of traditional, historical-flavored quilts at the gift shop of the majestic Southern Belle Riverboat at the Tennessee River.

Kim, the owner of Chattanooga Quilts quilt shop, is coordinating and sponsoring these two exhibits that are comprised of over 90 quilts made by local quilt makers. The quilts will display the talent and craftsmanship of these quilters and feature all aspects of quiltmaking—hand and machine techniques, appliqué, patchwork, paper piecing and hand and machine quilting.

"Dream Garden"

I have loaned Kim two of my quilts, "Dream Garden" and "Strips and Flips," for the "Quilts of Chattanooga" Trunk Show. These quilts employ patchwork and lots of free-motion machine quilting.

Machine quilting detail: "Strips and Flips" 

While at the Chattanooga WorkSpace Trunk Show exhibit, be sure to wander the 4 floors of artist studios. Quilt- and thread-themed art will be for sale as well as other pieces made by the resident artists. A Chattanooga Quilts pop-up store will have pre-cuts, kits and fabric bundles available, and visitors can also enjoy munchies while experiencing the quilts and artwork in the evening hours. The "Quilts of Chattanooga" and the Southern Belle Riverboat displays have free admittance.

"Strips and Flips" by Veronica Hofman-Ortega

An extra special treat showing at the Houston Museum of Decorative Arts will be several quilts by acclaimed quilter and fabric designer, Kaffe Fassett. For a dose of color extraordinaire, be sure to visit this venue!

Quilt by Kaffe Fassett

For a recap of QuiltWeek Chattanooga area events, see this article by Times Free Press reporter, Lisa Denton. 12,000 attendees are anticipated for the QuiltWeek events with an estimated economic impact of $3 million in revenue. Quilters have purchasing power!

My talented friends, Forkner and Clabo

I had the opportunity to catch the opening reception of Alternate Realities, an art exhibit sponsored by the Knoxville Arts and Culture Alliance at the Emporium Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. My friend Geri Forkner, a talented mixed media weaving and felting artist, had several of her pieces on display in the show beside work by artists Elizabeth Porter and Carl Gombert.

Daily Weaving is a free-hanging woven structure comprised of small, daily weavings
made from found and discarded materials. This piece reflects 2 years of weavings.
Electronic components are incorporated throughout the piece.
See other photos (photographed in the daytime) here.

For the past few years, Geri has been studying and experimenting with electronic components and how to incorporate this technology into her weavings, wearables and felting art. The large installation above, Daily Weaving, incorporates battery powered lights within the free-hanging woven pieces. Below, Geri  is wearing a woven vest made from recycled papers and salvaged packaging materials. Her felted floral broach incorporates conductive thread and fiber optics. She is standing beside a weaving created from recycled coffee bags. The coffee packaging material offers a subtle reflectance that gives richness to the browns and copper tones.

Mixed media weaving artist, Geri Forkner.

I was also inspired by the Radiant Geometries exhibit of Carl Gombert's pen and ink and hand-stamped ink work. I found some potential fodder for my free-motion quilting experiments in his pen and ink drawings. Both exhibits go through January 25, 2013. Check them out, if you are in the Knoxville area. The Emporium is a great space with large upper and lower galleries.

The Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN

Another very talented friend of mine is machine quilter extraordinaire, Margo Clabo. I saw this quilt during a recent visit to Chattanooga Quilts quilt shop. It is a sample piece promoting a Borders class that was team taught by shop owner, Kim Thomas, and quilting instructors Mellissa, Karen and my friend Margo. 

Medallion quilt at Chattanooga Quilts, Ooltewah, TN.

This beautiful medallion quilt employs a lovely red/green color scheme (who doesn't like this classic color combo?). It's spinkled with whites that add a freshness and sparkle and is complemented with a buttery yellow outside border. But what stopped me in my tracks... was the quilting. In true Margo style, the attention to detail was exemplary. I knew immediately (almost without having to ask) it was Margo's work.

Close up of the machine quilting.

What I love about Margo's quilting is that she steps beyond the pieced block and superimposes another layer of pattern and design with the quilting. She changes a sawtooth border into a chain of squares on point. Large squares are transformed into 4-patches, and two parallel half round channels (almost trapunto-esque conduits), travel around the center medallion to emphasize the geometry of this symmetrical layout.

Corner detail of the machine quilting.

The pseudo-Baptist Fan swashes on the wide outside border creates movement and dimension. Upon closer inspection, you can see featherlike flourishes superimposed over half-square triangle patchwork. Margo performs her magic using a long arm quilting machine, but her quilting design sense is inspiring to anyone—whether you use a sit-down, domestic or long-arm machine.

It's a honor to have friends with such talent. Gee, if they continue to let me hang around them, maybe some of their artistic flair will rub off. Ya think?

My Fabric Rep Trek: Chattanooga Quilts

October is a great time for quilting—the weather is cooler, the gardens have dyed down, daylight is waning and the holidays are approaching. And... several of the quilt shops I have visited on my Fabric Rep Trek are celebrating anniversaries, having grand opening events and participating in shop hops. Chattanooga Quilts, located in Ooltewah, Tennessee, is one of them.

Kim Thomas, the owner of Chattanooga Quilts, opened her shop just about a year ago. Nestled in an historic-like brick building—complete with high ceilings, wooden floors and chandelier light fixtures—this quilt shop exudes charm, tranquility and a classic beauty that just speaks "quilting" when you walk in the door.

Experience the classic charm of Chattanooga Quilts.

This shop carries many traditional and reproduction fabrics as well as a selection of batiks, cute bright prints, soft florals and 30s. The extensive assortment of neutrals, creams, beiges and tans will serve any quilting or appliqué project as a background, blender or companion to a focal fabric. Or, why not try an all-neutral quilt (a la Alex Anderson)?

Traditionals, reproductions, neutrals and blenders.

Inspiration is everywhere in the shop in the way of beautiful quilts—large, small and sizes in between. There seemed to be every technique displayed in one sample or another, from various methods of appliqué, to patchwork, paper piecing and wool appliqué and embroidery.

A colorful pieced "spool" quilt with an appliqué border (left) contrasts with
a star sampler made with flying geese and half square triangles.

The displays in this shop also bring out the old world charm and warmth of the open floor plan and bare brick walls. You'll find the fabrics, patterns, books and notions amidst tablecloth-covered tables, table lamps with vintage style shades, a small wooden bureau and an antique sewing machine cabinet.

New York Beauty quilt and a monthly quilt-y calendar.

The displays are small vignettes all to themselves.

Here is a collection of hand-dyed wool charm squares, books on penny rugs and primitive quilts, ...

Wool bits and books on wool appliqué.

(I picked up a charm pack to go with my other hand-dyed bits from Mt. Creek Quilts)

My package of hand-dyed wool charm squares.

... and wool flannel in warm browns, plaids and blues.

A selection of wool flannel fabrics.

Classes are offered at the shop on a variety of projects and topics. The cozy classroom area is set up toward the back of the main room.

Classroom area at Chattanooga Quilts.

Stop in for a leisurely visit at Chattanooga Quilts and wish them "Congratulations" on their first anniversary... and many more happy "quilt-y" years ahead.

Chattanooga Quilts, Ooltewah, Tennessee.