Levonne signed up Angela for sewing classes and Angela thought they were “really fun.” In her classes, Angela has made a purse, pin cushion, neck pillows, and a skirt. Angela grew up watching her grandmother quilting. Since she was three, she would sit on Levonne’s lap and watch. Angela started quilting on her own 2 years ago. Her first quilt was queen size!! She has her own Brother machine and will inherit her grandmother’s Brother embroidery machine one day. Angela is currently interested in longarm quilting and has been practicing. Her dream is to own a Gammill machine one day. When Gammill, Road’s Platinum Sponsor, heard this, they invited Angela to spend some time with their machines in their booth. They promised to work with Levonne and Angela to have Angela’s dream come true!!
Rachel lives in Orange County, California. She brought her 9 year old granddaughter, Siri, who lives in Montana. Rachel’s grandmother was a quilter and when she passed away, Rachel “took up quilting in earnest.” That was 38 years ago. Rachel’s daughters all sew and now she hopes to pass on her love of quilting to Siri. As Rachel says, “Traditions are important.” Siri is just learning to sew from her mother. She has made pillowcases and has donated them to the Beach Cities Quilters Guild. Siri’s favorite quilt on display at the show featured a cat. 
Faith, age 8, is the great-granddaughter of Annie who has been quilting since 2005 when a co-worker invited her to take a quilting class with the Downey Adult School. Annie now takes classes every Friday at Pico Rivera’s Rio Hondo Park. Annie quilts “any pattern I can put together,” and particularly enjoys Quilt in a Day by Eleanor Burns. After watching her “Nanny” make a quilt, Faith asked her if she could make one. Annie cut out 5 inch squares and Faith sewed them together, making her first quilt for her baby sister. Faith hopes to make quilts and sell them because “quilting is fun.”
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Posts Tagged ‘Eleanor Burns’
Grandmothers, Granddaughters, and Quilting
Saturday, April 8th, 2017So You Want To Make A Winning Quilt – Road 2016 Outstanding Innovative Quilt
Thursday, June 9th, 2016 Really ‘Wild’ Flowers! Third Season was made and quilted by Sharon L Schlotzhauer of Monument, Colorado. She won $5,000 from sponsor, SewBatik.
Sharon began quilting in 2000 shortly after “inadvertently’ watching a portion of Eleanor Burns, Quilt-In-A-Day program one Saturday morning. (Truthfully, Sharon was actually waiting for a different program to come on and had tuned in a bit early) Sharon thought that Eleanor made quilting look so fun and had made such a beautiful block, that her interest was piqued. After that initial introduction, Sharon started tuning in each Saturday morning and eventually became hooked. Prior to that chance encounter, she had had no interest in either quilts or quilting!
The inspiration for Really ‘Wild’ Flowers! came from Sharon wanting to do something dimensional and unusual. Ever since she began making art/wall quilts in 2004, she has worked in dimension and embellishment in some way. This quilt is the newest in her ‘Wild’ Flowers! series which began in 2008 with a smaller Robert Kaufman challenge quilt. The three larger, “Really ‘Wild’ Flowers! ‘Seasons’ quilts began in 2009. All the ‘wild’ flower quilts are different but similar to each other and the flowers have evolved in different shapes and forms. The required commonality is the dimensional open-centered flowers, which to Sharon’s knowledge is uniquely her own. The idea for each quilt comes with a thought, a sketch, and what she imagines that she can do to make the next quilt a little more interesting.
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Really ‘Wild’ Flowers! Second Season – 62″ x 65″went missing in November 2011 in Houston, Texas.
There is a reward for its safe return[/caption] Sharon spent a little under 400 hours in 2015 working on this quilt. (Her second “Season” quilt took 700 hours!!) Every competition quilt Sharon makes is a learning process as she attempts to create a more interesting or more innovative element with each consecutive one. What did Sharon think when she found out she won Outstanding Innovative Quilt at Road 2016? “I was absolutely stunned for a few moments – and then filled with incredible excitement!! I had to read the email twice to be sure I didn’t misunderstand it! I never take any award of any size, at any show, for granted. I’m always grateful, and it’s a blessing for me when my work is given recognition by judges or viewers alike.” What does Sharon plan to do next with her quilting? She wants to continue to” follow my interest and my heart.” Sharon plans to keep on making show and competition quilts along with benefit and personal/gift quilts in between. There are two more pieces to her ‘Wild’ Flowers! series that are currently drafted and waiting to be made. Making miniatures is also an increasing interest for Sharon – usually hand-appliqued landscapes. Sharon says that she loves detail and enjoys working in small scale. To learn more about Sharon and her work, please visit her website. ]]>
Book Preview: Quilts From El's Attic
Friday, April 22nd, 2016 Quilt as Desired Special Exhibit, where longarm quilters took original antique quilt tops and added a modern flair to them. And Eleanor Burns was on hand to introduce her new book, Quilts from El’s Attic.
Eleanor Burns is a You Tube quilting star, creator of Quilt in a Day, and the perkiest 70 years young woman you will ever meet. During a $5.00 Lecture class, Eleanor shared that Quilts from El’s Attic features 10 antique quilt patterns made in to newer, modern quilt designs. Eleanor’s love of antique quilts is her passion and she set out to simplify those beautiful vintage patterns from the past. In addition to the patterns, Eleanor also includes vintage quilts from her own collection, offering fabric selection advice, lovely sample quilts, history, and yardage and cutting charts. The book went on sale in April.
In her class, Eleanor discussed the history behind some of the famous antique designs along with her modern renditions.
Did you know that in 1860, the Ladies Art Company was the first company to publish quilt patterns? There were no instructions, just pieces of cardboard with a little picture. The Crow’s Nest quilt (circa 1890) was an example of these early patterns.
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
El’s version of the Crow’s Nest in her new book uses Civil War reproduction fabrics to create a more modern positive-negative space. Eleanor and her sister created the floral fabrics when Eleanor was recovering from her heart surgery last year.
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
Did you know that in 1930 the Kansas City Star published a new quilt pattern every week? Women would make that block the day the pattern came out and put the blocks into samplers
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
Here is Eleanor’s new version of a block sampler:
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Red is Eleanor’s favorite color! Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
Did you know that in 1941, a McCalls pattern sold for 35 cents? The traditional Dresden Plate pattern was quilted by hand. Eleanor took the original design and added an ice cream cone border.
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
Eleanor has made an ice cream cone template available on her website to make it simpler to create this modern table runner which is machine quilted.
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
Did you know that the Baptist fan was created for convenience? Church ladies would sit together to quilt. Because there was limited space, they added a curve to their design and used large stitches.
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Photo by Brian Roberts Photography[/caption]
As always, you can count on Eleanor Burns to give an entertaining look at quilting.
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Community Outreach for Road 2016
Friday, November 6th, 2015Road to California believes in giving back to the community.
Carolyn Reese, Matt Reese, and the entire Road to California has a long tradition of helping those in need.
Road supports charities like Pomona Valley Hospital’s Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center Endowment Fund
and Quilted in Honor, a charity benefiting veterans and their families.
Road also supports quilting friends with their charities, helping to raise money for John Flynn’s bike rides to benefit MS
or the granddaughter of our friend, Kathleen of Starr Design Fabrics, who is suffering from Cystinosis.
For Road 2016, this giving spirit is being extended to allow youth and older citizens the chance to personally experience this outstanding quilt show.
Carolyn has enlisted the help of her friends and fellow quilters, Bonnie Rangel and Rene Hicks, to organize free docent tours of Road to California 2016 for youth groups and senior citizen retirement homes. These tours will include seeing and learning about the winning quilts up close, meeting with award winning quilters, and learning about quilting tools from established vendors. Rene said that she is happy to be a part of arranging this community outreach because she “enjoys seeing the joy on the guest’s faces when they experience for the first time quilts coming to life for them at Road to California.” Last year, Innovative Horizons Charter School, accepted the invitation to attend one of these tours. They met with Eleanor Burns (whom they already knew about and were big fans of her) and the Egyptian Quilters as well as have special access to exhibits and using quilt tools.
What is the motivation for Road to extend this community outreach? Sharing Inspiration. Carolyn Reese remarked, “It’s important to let the younger experience the different aspects of quilting and learn that it’s much more than making blankets.” And for the retirement home residents, “It gives our respected, older generation a chance to leave their regular routine and see how the quilting industry has evolved from what they might have been familiar with.”
To extend the opportunity for this community outreach, we need your help. If you know of youth groups (schools, 4H, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Campfire, etc.) or retirement homes that are local to Ontario, California and that you feel would benefit from participating , please contact Bonnie Rangel at bonnie.rangel@yahoo.com to arrange for a tour.
Sharing the love of quilting is a wonderful way to outreach to the community, don’t you agree?
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Quilt Ink
Friday, April 10th, 2015One trend that we noticed at Road 2015 was the popularity of quilt tattoos.
Husband and wife Steve and Pam Dransfeldt own a longarm quilting business in Camarillo, California. They have attended Road for several years and appreciate the familiarity of Road. Says Steve, “I like seeing all the stuff at Road. The quilts are incredible. I work in a paper mill and I try to tell the guys how great quilting is but they have no idea.” 
Both Pam and Steve sport several quilt inspired tattoos. Steve even has a tattoo design on the back of his leg that came from a Karen McTavish quilt. “Her quilt work is natural for tattoos,” says Steve.
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption] [caption id="attachment_3046" align="alignright" width="426"]
Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
Pam always asks permission from the quilters before they use their artwork for a tattoo
Linda M. Posle also asks permission before she uses a design from a book for a tattoo. She writes the author and has never been turned down.
Abbie Van Buskirk, teacher and advisor of the Quilt Club at Innovative Horizons Charter School, has an Eleanor Burns inspired Block of the Month design on her leg. Abbie showed Eleanor her tattoo when Eleanor helped out with the quilt tours for the elementary school students. Eleanor was speechless; that was a first for her!!
What do you think about quilt inspired tattoos?
]]>A Field Trip Of Dreams
Tuesday, April 7th, 2015Do you remember your elementary school field trips?
You probably went to a museum or to an art exhibit; the zoo or the fire station. Maybe you even went to a theatrical performance. For 5th and 6th grade students in the Quilt Club at Innovative Horizons Charter School, their field trip was to attend Road to California!!
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
A low, socio-economic school located in the low, socio-economic Perris Elementary School District, Innovative Horizons Charter School’s Quilt Club is in its second year under the direction of teacher (and quilter) Abbie Van Buskirk. The original intent of the club said Ms. Buskirk was to enable students to “learn to sew something for themselves and to sew something for them to give away.”
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
This year, there are 25 fifth grade and ten sixth grade students participating in the after school club. “I joined the Quilt Club to make quilts for people who need warmth in the cold,” said 5th grader Jesus Ayala. Added Cain Gonzales, another 5th grade student, “I wanted to make quilts for preemies.”
The club meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for 1-1/2 hours. It has access to 8 Brother sewing machines which were donated to the school along with cutting boards and cutting tools. Students cut out their own projects using fabric donated by Ms. Van Buskirk and other faculty at the school. Christine Tober, a mom of one of the club members and a volunteer with the Quilt Club, said of the program, “My son has been in the Quilt Club for 2 years and has become an advanced quilter. I love the opportunity the club gives the kids not only to learn how to quilt, but for them to socialize, use their math skills, and participate in something.”
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Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
Ms. Buskirk approached her school district and Road to California to attend the show. The district provided the buses from its art funding. After a one hour bus ride, the students were greeted at the show by Road’s owner, Carolyn Reese, and well known quilter Eleanor Burns. Many of the students were familiar with Eleanor’s Quilt in a Day and so they treated her like a celebrity!!
And Eleanor was just as excited to see them. “I started sewing when I was young so I know firsthand the benefits of how sewing will keep you healthy and give you something to look forward to each day. I hope these children will keep sewing the rest of their life.”
The students were divided in to three groups and given a three hour tour of the show. Each group took turns learning about long arm quilting machines and cutting tools; visited the Celebrating 150 Years of California State Parks special exhibit and met with the Egyptian quilters at their special exhibit. They were thrilled with the special treatment they received and were inspired but what they saw.
Carolyn Reese enjoyed hosting the students. “It’s important to let the younger generation experience the different aspects of quilting and learn that it’s much more than making blankets.”
[caption id="attachment_3038" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Photo by Gregory Case Photography[/caption]
For the Quilt Club of Innovative Horizons Charter School, going to Road to California was the field trip of their dreams!!
]]>Week 7 Giveaway: Home Sweet Home
Friday, December 26th, 2014 A cookbook, a quilt book that is also a cookbook, and some fun holiday decoration patterns make up the Week 7 Giveaway:
Quilts From El’s Kitchen by Eleanor Burns; From Halibut to Jalepenos by Annie Unrein; and Four Patterns (Stocking Delight, Boo to You, Wool Felt Ornaments, Paper Pieced Pot Holders) by Connie Spurloock
End 2014 with a bang by entering to win up to three ways:
1) Write a comment on this blog post and tell us why you want to win
2) Write a comment on Road to California’s Facebook Page post featuring Week 7’s giveaway and let us know why you want to win.
3) Tweet out Week 7’s giveaway on Twitter using the hashtags #road2ca2015 #giveaway and @Road2CA
Entries for Week 7’s Giveaway begin Friday, December 26th and close Wednesday, December 31st – New Years Eve. As always, a winner will be chosen using Random Number Generator. Because of the New Year holiday, we will announce Week 7’s winner on Friday, January 1st on Road’s Facebook Page. Being a winner would be a great way to start the new year!! Any questions? Contact Caryn at carynpayzant@roadtocalifornia.com
Good luck to all who enter!!
]]>Week 5 Giveaway: Vintage Quilting and Stitching
Friday, December 12th, 2014 Two classic favorites are being offered this week: one from Eleanor Burns and the other from Claudia Dinnell:
Claudia’s Creations features classic red on white embroidery patterns that can be used alone or in quilt designs. Quilt in a Day’s book, Egg Money Quilts, is not only a collection of twelve vintage quilt block patterns with two layouts, but also a treasury of extra projects created from the blocks.
Don’t forget, there are up to three ways you can enter to win:
1) Write a comment on this blog post and tell us why you want to win
2) Write a comment on Road to California’s Facebook Page post featuring Week 3’s giveaway and let us know why you want to win.
3) Tweet out Week 3’s giveaway on Twitter using the hashtags #road2ca2015 #giveaway and @Road2CA
Entries for Week 5’s Giveaway begin Friday, December 12th and close Wednesday, December 17th. The winner will be chosen using Random Number Generator and will be announced on Thursday, December 18th on Road’s Facebook Page. Any questions? Contact Caryn at carynpayzant@roadtocalifornia.com
Good luck to all who enter!!
]]>So You Want To Make A Winning Quilt? 2014 Best Modern Quilt
Tuesday, August 26th, 2014Claire Victor won $2,000 for her Modern Quilt Entry, Lost in Space, from sponsor, Modern Quilt’s Unlimited
About 15 years ago, Claire Victor decided she wanted to sew her own clothing. Inspired by her mother who was a great home seamstress, she started taking lessons at her local sewing store, Hartsdale Fabrics in Hartsdale, NY. Downstairs in the store, they had a quilt shop; something she had never seen before. What she saw there was so much more interesting than any preconceived notion she had had of what quilting was, and they had classes! Because of her work schedule, she was unable to take a class at that time but she sent ahead and bought the Eleanor Burns – Log Cabin Quilt-in-a-Day book, picked out some fabrics and off she went. She figured it all out on her own, laughed a lot along the way, had fun throughout the entire process and never looked back.
What inspired Claire’s winning design, Lost in Space? “I am interested in geometric patterns, especially ones with illusion. The tumbling block is my “block of choice.” I do them every which way I can think of. Recently, I had the chance to join a hand sewing group at Monica’s Quilt and Bead in Palm Desert, CA and I started to learn appliqué. All the ladies were doing more traditional patterns which did not interest me so I designed my own, an elongated tumbling block. The group came up with the name “Lost in Space”. My favorite reference books are from Sara Nephew and Marci Baker. I had also been studying an old Katie Pasquini-Masopust book.
How long did it take to make your winning quilt? What did you learn along the way? “I decided long ago to never pay attention to how long it takes to make a quilt; I just do it until it’s finished. But if I had to guess, I would say three or four months. It was a great journey; since this was my first appliqué quilt. I was (and still am) having trouble with the technique but it was very interesting to figure out the design and combine machine piecing, English paper piecing, hand sewing and then machine quilting.
What was your reaction when you won? “My first reaction was complete disbelief, and then I cried (a little). You might wish and dream about these moments but believe me they come when you least expect them. Needless to say, once I recovered, I was extremely honored.”
Did you do anything special with your prize money? “Almost immediately I ordered a custom made Sew Steady Table and the rest just went into my general sewing fund.”
Where do you go from here with your quilting? “I just continue…open to future possibilities. After saying I would ‘NEVER do appliqué’ it has turned out to be so interesting and challenging. I can achieve things with appliqué that I could not with regular piecing. I am now working on my fourth appliqué quilt.
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Celebrating National Cherry Month With El's Kitchen
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014 Did you know that February is National Cherry Month? Maybe it’s because George Washington’s Birthday is February 22nd (“I didn’t cut down the cherry tree”). Or maybe it’s because one of the quilts featured in Eleanor Burns’ 2012 Block Party, Quilts From El’s Kitchen, highlighted a Cherry Basket Quilt.
Eleanor Burns returned to Road to California again this year, bringing her spunky spirit and cute costumes, to entertain and delight her over-flowing classes. And of course, Eleanor had some surprises up her sleeve.
What was different about this year’s presentation? Attendees got inspiration for sewing and cooking. Not only did Eleanor talk about the quilts based on the blocks from Quilts From El’s Kitchen, she also shared delicious recipes that went along with them. 
With the cherry basket block, Eleanor showed how it could be repeated on its own in a beautiful quilt, as well as the center of the quilt made from the all the blocks in this latest book.
The recipe Eleanor gave for the cherry basket block is perfect to make to celebrate National Cherry Month:
Cherry Cobbler in a Crockpot
2 cans cherry pie filling 1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick melted butter 2 teaspoons vanilla
Dump pie filling in a crock pot. Combine cake mix, butter, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Break up and cover pie filling with the crumbles. You can add some chopped nuts on top if you want. Bake on high for two hours or on low for two-four hours. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
To see more recipes and learn about the other tasty quilt squares in Quilts From El’s Kitchen, visit Eleanor Burn’s web site.
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