A Mermaid's Playground

This past weekend, the Arts Council that I am involved with hosted a mini show to celebrate the one year mark for our Adopt an Artist program. I wanted to have a new piece to show vs. the 7 in the catalog that the businesses can choose from....she exceeded my vision.

We invited the already existing business representatives along with new businesses that we would like to sign up for the program. The program has been a wonderful experience for me by allowing my art to be shown to audiences that wouldn't normally see it. This cycle I was adopted by the Leon Mann Senior Center in Morehead City. They chose all 7 pieces that will hang through December.

Lorelai, the mermaid, was a lot of fun for me and I am very pleased with how my threadwork turned out for the coral.

Of course, when I start a project around here it somehow becomes a family event with recommendations and ideas flying from every angle. Some I accept and some I don't. Usually the creativity of this family adds hours more work but is worth it in the end.

I knew I wanted beading on her tail but the idea just wasn't coming together quickly enough until my daughter suggested her idea....

I machine quilted a clamshell design and then placed a bead at each point of the stitching, by hand. The beading was a lot of work but the results were just more than I imagined.
So now the mini show is over and she is mine to submit to shows. I am very excited about where she may end up.

Houston Market

I just came back from an extremely exhilarating experience...how's that for alliteration?
Last Wednesday I flew from North Carolina to St. Louis, MO. On Thursday at 2am, I got up and headed to Houston with my friend Susan Marth of Suzn Quilts.
I had volunteered to work her booth with her. She thinks I did her a favor but she really did the favor for me. This trip was to help me decide whether to go to Pittsburgh in the spring. The bonus was I stood in a booth for a few days surrounded by beautiful quilts of her design.

New Seasonal Banners that can be assembled separately or
combined into one wall hang.

A pinwheel and churndash quilt made using charm packs plus yardage.

A tribute quilt to Abe Lincoln to celebrate his 200th birthday next February.

In addition to helping Susan, I had the pleasure of meeting Celine Perkins of Perkins Dry Goods and her helper, Jenni.

From the Quilt Art list I met Terry White when I went to purchase her book, Thread Painting made easy, and Annie Smith. Annie, can't wait to hear your new podcasts:)

There was so much to see and do. One absolute pleasure was walking the quilt exhibit before the crowds of people. Being in there when it was so quiet felt like I was playing hooky or getting away with something.

The whole experience was nothing short of amazing and I look forward to more amazing experiences along with meeting many more new faces in PITTSBURGH Spring 2009.

Tidewater Quilters' Guild Quilt Show

What a weekend! Patti and I had a great time meeting people while showing off our newest patterns. The guild was amazing and took wonderful care of us--big SHOUT OUT to Jackie, the Quilt Ninja:) Lunch was provided by the guild and it was extremely tasty. The committee members were never far off to ask if we needed anything or to offer a bottle of water. They were excited to hit a record number of attendees at 1,309 in 3 days; and it isn't surprising with all the talent the guild holds claim to.
All of you know how fun a show can be whatever side you are on. The opportunity to talk to others in your industry, see all the wonderful talent, and the joy in connecting with the customers directly is what keeps us all going another day, week, month, year. The whole experience feeds your soul. If you have never vended a show, I highly recommend it. Start with a local guild show. It is a lot of work but extremely rewarding.

Next week I am off to Houston to attend fall market for the first time. I will be working the Suzn Quilts booth and can't wait to meet new people and see all the sights!!

"Coastal Christmas" unveiled

This weekend, October 10, 11,12, at the Tidewater Quilter's Guild Quilt Show, (Church of the Ascension Community Center, 4853 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA.) I will unveil my new pattern, "Coastal Christmas".

I will be working the Quilted Butterfly booth and hope that if you are at the show, you will stop by and say "HI".

I love poinsettias and Patti from the Quilted Butterfly threw out some ideas that became this wonderfully versatile design. The directions are for fusible applique but anyone skilled in hand applique will be able to enjoy this bold floral layout.

For added fun, try it in summer colors as well.

October AAQI Auction

October 1st will start the monthly AAQI auction to raise research money for Alzheimers. There are 26 lovely small pieces of art to bid on.

Here is my Playful Posie (#2868) in honor of my Great Aunt Barbara. Aunt Barbara recently passed from Alzheimer's and was the 3rd of my Grandmother's sisters to have her life ravaged by this disease. I hadn't seen her in probably 4 years but always remember she had a twinkle in her eye and a playful spirit. We will miss you.

When I was small we would visit her home for big family events and I have great memories of playing with my cousins there. The boys were just enough older that it was fun for them to tell my brother and I those awful scary stories to freak us out. That playful spirit lives on in them and in all the memories we will carry with us.

New Gallery Showing

This past week I was approached by a local wood studio

to hang a few of my pieces in their gallery. Nice Figures', world renown, artwork is breathtaking, to say the least; and so I was extremely honored that they approached me. The organic nature of both mediums is a wonderful pairing.

They have the most unique and high quality wood I have ever seen. All the artwork is created on site and so the smell of the gallery evokes so many memories for me of my grandpa's workshop. I loved going in amongst the machines and sawdust....miss you grandpa.

The gallery chose Autumn Shores and Frozen Days from my website

A third piece, Marriage, will hang exclusively in their gallery through the holidays.

Pick one color

Under my 'Creative Living' post (7/31) there is a black, white, and blue piece. Both that piece and the piece seen here resulted from the work-for-trade (7/21) piece that I made. Once I got going, I really enjoyed working in a series and seeing what else I could do with a limited color palette.

The original piece is named "Pine Knoll Blues" after the beach where the photo was taken. The second piece is named "Which Way to the Beach" since it is an abstract of a traditional quilt block named flying geese. The piece directly below is named "Blue Peacock" because it reminds me of a back view of a peacock tail. There are quilted feathers as well.


I started the original project timidly because I worried that a limited color palette would stifle my thought process. The opposite actually happened and now I am looking at my fabrics for the next color to play with.

Starting to have fun:0

Today I learned how to customize my header. I might actually be starting to have some fun.



The postcard below has been named. Some wonderful names came in--Lunar Lights, Lunar Sunset, Moonbeams and Dancing, and Hazy Daze; but my daughter and I both really liked Noir Breeze. So Noir Breeze was mailed off to complete the trade and anyone in Columbia, SC next winter will be able to see it in person. Thank you for all the wonderful names.

Help me name this.

A few months ago I started the process of a fiber postcard trade with a fiber artist in South Carolina, Susan Lenz. You can read more about her vision at http://cyberfyberexhibitionpostcards.blogspot.com/ I have completed my postcard to send back to her, and

I would really like to have a name for it since it will be part of a gallery exhibit, but I keep drawing a blank since abstract is not my strength. The colors and the translucency make me think of wispy sunset clouds when the moon is still visible.


Any fabulous ideas?

Creative Living

I try very hard to be creative every day of my life. Since I am a quilt pattern designer and fiber artist...creativity comes with the job description.

Recently I met and interviewed with a creativity coach who is awesome and aims for the stars in all that she does. During the interview I was asked some questions that really made me think about what I do, strengths and weaknesses, and could I live without my creativity. There were questions about being emotionally empowered by our art, the fear of putting ourselves 'out there', and who encourages our art. It was a lot to think about and, of course, after the fact I had better answers:)

Mel Edwards is always looking for creative women, wanting to know what makes us tick and how and why we do what we do. Today at http://www.votrevray.blogspot.com/2008/07/go-to-work-every-day.html you can read an excerpt from my interview along with many other talented artists. You can also sign up to be a part of the "Kiss My Art" crowd and her One Woman Show.

I hope you will take a minute or twenty to visit her site. You go Mel.

Work for Trade

Recently I was given an opportunity to do a piece as a 'work for trade'. I personally find this situation awkward since I don't want either party to feel short changed (especially me) and creating a piece without direction, hoping they will feel it's value in the end, is exhausting. Fortunately, the receiver of my work loved it.
I had been working in a series using the same photo (above) lately and thought it could be interesting to use it in this situation. The only direction I was given was to use the logo colors of black/white/sky blue.
Blue isn't really a color I quickly associate with the sun but as you will see, it really looks cool (pun intended) :)

In this 'work for trade' all worked out well but I don't know how quickly I would do it again without some sort of contract in place.
On to my next project....

Don't Go....

Have you ever been in a situation where you are making something for a challenge, swap, etc. and you realize that you absolutely love it and don't really want to send it? That is what happened with the piece you see below. It is a postcard made from a piece of tapestry with some beading...not very intricate but I love it.
It started out as part of a bigger piece that was trimmed down and so it became a leftover. I pulled it out a couple of weeks ago to enter it into a new life and fell in love with it's simplicity, color, and movement. Making this was good practice for the new piece I will eventually submit. I'm not usually worried about keeping something I love because I know another idea and /or design will come to me. This one took it's perfect place above my favorite wrought iron candelabra.

Welcome Quilting World

Robin at her Nestlings booth

If you were able to attend the Crystal Coast Quilter’s Guild show in Morehead City, NC the weekend of May 16th and 17th, then odds are I was able to meet you. The show was very well presented and attended with many beautiful quilts receiving ribbons. I was among the ribbon winners with my miniature “Fall Feathers” receiving 1st place in that category and “Batik Blooms” receiving an Honorable Mention in the Wall Hang category. Receiving these honors was icing on the cake to a successful show.

If you weren’t able to visit me at this show, I hope to see you in October at the Tidewater Quilt Show in Virginia Beach, VA. I will be vending alongside Patti Brown of the Quilted Butterfly. Stop in and say HI.

Of course, you can always visit me at http://www.nestlingsbyrobin.com .