More About Pippa Moore

My friend, Pippa Moore, has arrived safely in Africa. Make sure you look at her Blog to see the pictures of the wonderful fabric shop she visited. I want some of everything from that shop!

Pippa Moore and Kitambaa Designs

My friend, Pippa Moore, from Vancouver Island is leaving for Africa this weekend. While there she will be teaching women how to sew and make small items that they will be able to sell in order to generate a small income for their families.

Pippa has just started a new Blog and she will be writing about her African adventures over the next 6 weeks. Be sure and read her story - she is doing amazing work! The link to Pippa's Blog is in my "Favourite Blogs" section on the right-hand side of my Blog.

This wonderful wall quilt by Pippa is now hanging in my home. It was a Christmas gift from my husband last year.

Road to California Quilt Show

My friend, Patty Latourell, has just found out that she won the Judge's Choice Award at the Road to California Quilt Show for her antique linen whole-cloth quilt. Here is Patty's Artist Statement:

I was inspired by last year's Featured Artist Cindy Needham and her display of antique linens. My mother had done cutwork on linen and her pieces were handed down to me in 1970. I'm not sure she worked the flowers on this small luncheon cloth, but I enjoyed working on this piece in her memory.

Click here to see all the winners from this prestigious show.

If you are interested in working with antique linens, click here to visit Cindy Needham's Blog. Cindy has some great close-up views of Patty's quilt.

Congratulations, Patty!

More South African Embroideries

Here are 3 more of the small embroideries, 2.75" x 3.75" made by the Venda women in South Africa. There is more information about this group of women in yesterday's post.

The Dancing Elephant was made by Ema. You can read more about her in yesterday's post.

Tshimbeloni was made by Eni. She is the supervisor of her embroidery group. She hands out yarn and checks quality. In the mornings the women arrive at her house and then they sit together and chat and embroider.

The Lions and the Zebras was also made by Eni.

South African Embroideries

This week I received this parcel from South Africa containing some wonderful embroideries by the Venda women who live in the north part of South Africa. The embroideries are sold through a company called Tambani Textiles and Gifts. I wrote about this organization and its founder, Ina le Roux, in some previous posts.

Each embroidery tells a story that is traditionally told by the story tellers in the area and is signed by the embroiderer. The women use the money to buy much needed supplies for their families. Each embroidery comes with a picture of the embroiderer and a little bit of information about her, along with the story of the embroidery.

The embroideries are fully washable, have been pre-shrunk and come in 2 sizes. I will be selling these embroideries at some shows I will be doing later in the Spring. Please e-mail me if you have any questions about them.

The Rejected Wife: 7" x 8" with a .75" black fabric border all around.

This piece was made by Salphina. She says "I built my house with my own hands. My husband does not come home anymore. But I know the Lord is my Shepherd.

The Dancing Elephant: 7" x 8" with a .75" black fabric border all around.
This piece was made by Ema. Ema has 5 children to feed. With the money from her first embroideries she bought some mugs and plates. She also built her own house by hand and decorated the outside.

A Hippo Swallowed a Girl: 7" x 8" with a .75" black fabric border all around.

This piece was made by Sani. She says that when her husband passed away in 2005, life became very difficult. She joined the embroidery group and now gets paid for her work. She says that as the only wage earner in her family, she places all her hope on her embroidery.

The Rejected Wife: 2.75" x 3.75" with a .75" black fabric border all around.

This piece was made by Violet. She and her husband have 6 children and because work is very scarce, the money from embroidery helps her to buy essentials for her family.

Click here to read more about Tambani Textiles and Gifts

This Is Way Too Cold!

Our weather forecast for the next few days is for high temperatures of minus 20 degrees. For my friends in Tasmania and South Africa who think our winters are so beautiful - that's only if you are inside a warm house and looking out!

Our outside thermometer. Minus 20 degrees.

This is the view from my sun room. I am standing inside and the windows are covered with frost.

Another view from inside. Even the birds don't come to the feeder because it is so cold.

The Superior School of Threadology

In February I will be attending the "Superior School of Threadology" seminar in St. George, Utah. This 3-day intensive training seminar, focusing on threads of all kinds, is sponsored by the Superior Thread company. There will be participants from Canada, England and 12 U.S. states.

We will be receiving "thread therapy" from Dr. Bob (Purcell), president and owner of Superior Threads. We will also see Mother Superior's Trunk Show and there will be an open Thread Bar. Then we will have the opportunity to tour the Superior Threads warehouse.

You can learn about Superior Threads and their great products by clicking here. Watch my Blog in February for more details about this event along with lots of pictures!

St. George, Utah

Thanks For The Memories: Australia

I recently finished this quilt incorporating pictures of my trip to Australia in 2005. I used my pattern #330, Thanks For the Memories and fabric that I purchased in Australia. Working on the quilt brought back some wonderful memories of that trip. As I look out at my snow-covered yard, I think how great it would be to be back on those beautiful beaches, enjoying the heat and sunshine!

The first time I made this quilt, I used pictures of my trip to South Africa in 2007. The quilt was given to one of my travelling companions as part of our Fibre Friends' annual quilt exchange. You can read more about this quilt exchange from my posts on December 13, 14 and 15, 2008 and February 21, 2008.

Christmas Surprise

For Christmas I received two wonderful quilted wall hangings that are now hanging in my family room. Both quilt artists are friends of mine so this gift was very special.

Bearded Iris by Janet Rice Bredin from Sudbury, Ontario. Be sure to visit Janet's web site to see more of her work.

Joy (an art deco inspired work) is by Pippa Moore from Comox, BC. You can see more of Pippa's work on her web site.


Pippa will be travelling to Africa soon to help teach the women to sew as a means of making an income. One of her quilts was recently purchased by the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a Canadian-based foundation that provides support to African women who are ill and struggling to survive; assists orphans and other AIDS-affected children; reaches heroic grandmothers who almost single-handedly care for their orphan grandchildren; and sustains associations of people living with HIV and AIDS. You can learn more about the Stephen Lewis Foundation here.