“Freedom Gone” Blends Quilt Blocks with Scenic Embroidery

Lolita Newman's  Book  CoverCongratulations to Lolita Newman on the recent publication of her new book, Freedom Gone: Embroidered Quilts of Slave Life in the Civil War.   Her personal search to find her family connection with slavery moved her to create heirlooms linking her past to the present. This led her to start Stitchin’ by the River Studio, a nod to her Louisiana roots.  Lolita’s Freedom Gone quilts are rich in color and history, with beautifully embroidered depictions of the lives of slaves in the Civil War era. The seven quilts and six projects bring past stories to life, showing common chores, family life and slave quarters — and the quest for freedom.

No doubt you’ll notice many Marcus fabrics throughout its pages – we’re pleased for Lolita and happy to be a part of her wonderful work!

The JUST JUDIE Entries are HERE!

Today the office is buzzing with “oohs” and “aahhs” as we open up all of the JUST JUDIE contest entries! Stacks of envelopes and email entries are piled on my desk! We can’t show them off just yet, but we CAN tell you that competition will be stiff for those 25 prize packs, made possible by our generous prize sponsors… Stay tuned for the unveiling of finalists in mid-August!  –  lisa

Martingale Loves 1930’s Prints!

Aunt Grace fabrics by Judie Rothermel for Marcus FabricsOur friends at Martingale/ That Patchwork Place discuss their love for 1930s fabrics & quilts in today’s blogpost.  We’re proud to have Martingale as one of our generous prize sponsors of our JUST JUDIE Quilt Competition! Of course, Judie Rothermel’s AUNT GRACE collections are always near and dear to us, and even more so as we continue to receive contest entries!     As we come toward the deadline for the contest on July 31, we’d like to know:  What are some of your favorite Aunt Grace colors?

Where Are the Repro Fabrics Going??

“Are reproduction fabrics going away?”

“I’ve heard that I should start hoarding my repro prints because less are being produced…is that true?”

In the past week or so, we’ve been hearing the whispers, and had these very questions from consumers.  Rest assured, and allow us to explain:  For some time, there had been many new players in the reproduction area, secondary sources who were offering the look in addition to the more established reproduction fabric manufacturers like Marcus.  We believe that what you’re seeing is a retreat from reproductions by these secondary  sources, as their attention now turns to more contemporary looks in the wake of the “modern” category.  So, while it does seem as though fewer of these prints are available, you can be assured that for those of us in the industry whose strength has always been the reproduction & historical fabrics, you’ll continue to see our finest efforts in your local quilt shops.

Speaking of fine quality repro fabrics, remember that our Just Judie quilt competition is in full swing, and entries are due by July 31, 2013…

P.S.  And yes, we do believe you should continue to collect the fabrics you love, from Judie Rothermel to Paula Barnes and more!

A New Look for Judie’s Website!

Judie Rothermel fans, be sure to check out her new look online, and note that Schoolhouse Quilts will be at the Broward Quilt Expo this weekend as well as the Cincinnati Quilt Festival next month!  In addition to visiting your local quilt shops, these are two great opportunities to pick up what you need for your Just Judie competition entry...enjoy!

Meet Judie Rothermel’s Design Assistant…

Ever wonder how Judie continues to bring us so many beautiful fabric collections season after season? Meet Judie’s design assistant, Abbey Road…

Judie says, “She is a Lilac color point British shorthair cat. She is two years old and follows me where ever I go.”

She’s even looking forward to reviewing the entries for the upcoming “JUST JUDIE” quilt competition, running from January through July 2013.  Check out Judie’s 25 Anniversary Collection, the basis for the competition, add fabrics from your Judie stash, and plan your entry now!

Civil War Quilt Fever Continues!

Check out this great blog post from FatQuarterShop.com!  This gorgeous quilt, fourth in a series by Marcus Fabrics, was designed and created by Homesead Hearth as a BOM quilt project. It begins in January, so plan to take part!

Coming Soon: The JUST JUDIE Quilt Competition!

It’s Judie Rothermel’s 25th Anniversary as a leading designer of quilting fabrics, and we’re thrilled to announce that we’re celebrating it with her latest collection, aptly named JUDIE’S 25th ANNIVERSARY, and with it, the launch of our “Just Judie” quilt competition for 2013!  We’re proud of Judie’s many innovations in the quilt world, including her 1930’s AUNT GRACE collections, Civil War lines and other reproduction favorites!  Watch for details fo the contest, and look for the collection at your favorite independent quilt shop.  The contest runs from January through July 2013.