We are SO proud....

of our "Sister" Vivika! (pictured here with guest demonstrator Betty Warner)

Vivika DeNegre is the new Editor of Quilting Arts Magazine!

(where you can also see her very first blog post as Editor)

Pokey Bolton made the official announcement on December

16th and interviewed Vivika for the “Quilting Daily” blog. 

Read the full article here:

http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/pokey/archive/2011/12/16/announcing-the-new-editor-for-quilting-arts.aspx.

According to Kate Themal, CT SAQA co-rep, who interviewed

her for SAQA/CT's blog:

Vivika is taking it all in.  Although she may have less time to

work on her fiber art and beautiful bird portraits, DeNegre

is excited to begin a new adventure:

“I am thrilled, of course, and also overwhelmed in many ways with the challenges - learning Photoshop, excel and outlook, understanding the publishing world from the inside, working once again after an 11 year retirement - all of these are new experiences.”

New Editor DeNegre is already working on the April/May 2012

issue of Quilting Arts magazine.

We, Sisters in Cloth, who have known, worked, cried and laughed

with Vivika for about 9 years now, are very proud of her, and happy

that she has landed her "dream" job.  She is a rare individual:

Great mom of four, talented artist, good friend and confidant...

and...rarer still, she has more than 24 hours in her day!  That's the

only way she can do all that she does.  Seriously.

Congratulations Vivika!

Boy, Do We Have News!

Note to the wise:  The really big news is always last ;^)

Our group hosted an Open Meeting on our regular Friday time.  We invited friends to join us at the Guilford Free Library to celebrate our exhibit and to share Show and Tell.  As we all know, Show and Tell is the highlight of meeting.

The top photo is Toni Torres showing us her piece that had toured in South Carolina.  It returned a bit worse for the wear.  Now beautifully restored, it offers a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of traveling exhibits.

Member Barb Adams brought and wore one of her much admired garments, onlooking is Aurelle Locke.

Carol Ludington

Claire deLambeart enjoys Linda Zimmerman's incredibly precise work.

Patty Porto brought her bargello to share.

We all had such fun that we decided we would have to repeat the event annually.

One of our Sisters was missing and it wasn't until we returned home to our computers that we discovered the reason for her recent absences:  Our very own Vivika Hansen Denegre is the new editor of our favorite art quilt magazine, Quilting Arts!!!!  We are so proud of her...and we know that Quilting Arts will be even better than ever with her on staff.

New Exhibits

We have installed two (!) collections at the Guilford Free Library:  It's a Rumor along with Gray.  Fortunately the room is large.  

Hanging day:  Yvette Howard tidies Diane Wright's Winter Leaves Slowly above and below she is helping Carol Ludington (L) and Robin Wolek hang one of Robin's contribution to Gray.

It's a Rumor is a collection created with word of mouth descriptions, a bit like the children's game of Telephone or Gossip.  The idea was to create a piece very quickly (the way rumors usually spread) based on a member's artist statement and then passed on to another member or two solely from that person's artist statement.  More photos and descriptions are on Diane Wright's blog.

If you are in the area next Friday, Dec. 16, please, join us for an Open Meeting.  Bring Show and Tell too.  RSVP for a head count, times and directions to Diane Wright.

What's Going On Here?

Road Trip!  Diane couldn't help herself - after a few hours basking in the luxury of a well stocked quilt store (Sew Inspired), Diane and Carol were So Inspired upon seeing the man hole cover that they ran back into the shop, bought a package of paint sticks, and rubbed some images from the ground.  Now that is a sure sign of a good day.

Lots of fabric came home with the group, of course, as did a slew of new books, ideas for a day of bleaching and discharging fabrics.  Most of us ended up with lighter wallets, but healthier stashes.

Lastly, a pizza and salad at the neighboring restaurant made us all feel ready for the hour long drive home.

We are so lucky to have Sisters!

Carol Ludington's Grandmother Quilt

We thought it was important to get this quilt to Carol, even though the label is not yet made, before the twins could crawl!  Carol's been through a lot this year, not to mention that her daughter gave birth to twins about a month ago.  Our group loves to make a "grandmother quilt" for the first grandchild to enjoy with his or her grandmother.

We wish Carol many happy hours of grandmother time...

Opening Reception: Double Take at the Guilford Free Library

Rosemary with a cyclomen and iris 

We are so fortunate to have been asked to hang our recent collaboration, "Double Take:  Photo and Fiber" at the Guilford Free Library in Guilford, CT.  Rosemary DeLuco Alpert's photographs are coupled with Sisters in Cloth's fiber interpretations for another glorious show.

Yvette and Debbie flank a friend, along with Debbie's sunflowers

The reception was held on Thursday, with many local-and-beyond clientele attending.  Thank you, Rosemary, for sharing your show with us, and thanks to all who helped hang and maintain this wonderful venue.  Please stop in and see these lovely pieces if you are in the Guilford area!

Ruth Anne with a lilly and hydrangia

Martha Wolfe visits the Sisters

Former "Sisters in Cloth" member Martha Wolfe returned to town to share with us some of the techniques she's using now in her own fabulous work. Entitled "Sheer Bliss" her class certainly lived up to it's title.

About half of the group was able to meet with her at the Guilford Art Center, our go-to place for workshops. Pictured in the first photo is Carol, Yvette working one of the ironing stations and Vivika and Martha talking about sheers and fusibles in the background.

Photo 2 and 3, Janine, Robin and Ruth Anne are also at ironing stations. Okay, it was a technique class....which means we all went home inspired and charged up with new ideas....but no finished products. Yet. Stay tuned.