BTaylor Quilts Video

My video, created by Jeff Derose of One Match Films. I asked him to create a short film about my creative work, which includes quilting and painting. It was especially important to me at this time, because I had been preparing for an exhibit at the Springfield Museum of Fine Arts here in Massachusetts, and wanted to document that. At the same time, I had recently resigned from my job as Coordinator of Easthampton City Arts and was embarking on a new adventure...self employment, focusing soley on my painting and sewing.

It felt like the right time to make the video, with all these important events converging, and it became apparent that it was a good way to get the word out about what I am doing. Making the video has been such a great experience and I discovered things about myself and my work that I hadn't even expected. After recording several interviews, Jeff took all the raw footage, my voice, and stills that he had taken, and wove the narrative and images to create this story. I would have had no idea how to put this together, and I'm so happy with the results. This is why we hire the professionals!

Sewing Room Tip #1 - managing new fabrics

I've made a resolution to reorganize the shop so that I use the space better. Like most, I have a limited amount of space and like to have all of my fabrics within site, so that I can quickly see all the possibilities while I'm working. Normally, when I get new fabrics, I wash them, fold them up, and organize them by color on a series of bookshelves. Lately, I've been looking at the piles of fabrics and wondering how to condense them so that I have more space. The answer, scarily enough, is ironing all this fabric!!

Believe me, I was not really keen on ironing everything, so I did a test to see if all the effort would pay off. While cutting out turquoise fabrics for another ocean themed quilt, I ironed each piece of fabric as I went along and then carefully stored them back on the shelf. I buy a lot of fabrics two yards at a time, but I do have a lot of fabrics that I've purchased the whole bolt....this takes up LOTS of room. After going through the turquoises, what was once three shelves of fabric now took up only one and a half shelves! Yay! It really worked!

For example, here is a photo of my green fabrics, you can see how much space it takes up, and how messy it is.


Now, here is a photo of the turquoise...all ironed and beautiful! I'm hooked :)
And so the lesson here is: time saved by not ironing = loss of much needed space in the workroom. I haven't gotten through my entire fabric collection, but I'm working on it :)

For Black Friday - stay home and shop - buy handmade - buy local :)

A new queen size quilt in the shop :)

Friday Deal!

Today Only!

Start your Christmas shopping early! Get 15% off this set of nesting bowls by using "FRIDAY" in the coupon code box during checkout! (15% applies to bowls only). Thanks so much and Happy Friday :)

September Giveaway

September always feels like a time of transition to me. It must stem from years and years of getting ready to go to school, new classes, professors, schools, and clothes. Even now, beyond my school years, September feels more like the beginning of the new year to me than January ever has, you can even buy calendars that start in September, so I can't be the only one who feels this way.

Anyway, to mark this fresh, crisp and wonderful month, I'm having a btaylorquilts give away! I'll be mailing out this tote/project bag (see photos below) to the winner, who will be drawn at random from all entries. See "How to Enter" after these awesome photos!

How to Enter:

Two things: follow my blog, and leave a comment!! If you already follow my blog, great, just leave a comment and tell me you follow. OR, Like my Facebook page and leave a comment here (see the link on the right ---> )That's it!

Get extra entries if you make a purchase in the shop! Buy anything valued $18 and over and get 3 extra entries. If you buy a quilt your name goes in 10 times!

The drawing will be held on September 1, 2011!! Start entering now :) and tell your friends!

August 7

Late. New photos of this quilt.

For August Break, 2011

Christmas in July on Etsy

It's Christmas in July starting today through July 24, in my shop! Please use the coupon "JULYSALE" to enjoy 10% off anything in the shop. Don't forget that I donate 10% of all my profits from btaylorquilts to the American Cancer Society.

Jungle Wagon treasury

A treasury today.

Special orders don't upset us :)

The shop has been busy with special requests for weeks now. Just before Christmas, I received a request for a queen sized green gradation quilt with a due date in early Spring. I love it when I really have some time to work on quilts like this. It gives me time to peruse my favorite fabric stores close by and also my on-line resources for really nice additions to the project.

I'm also working on a custom oven mitt, and a cover for a KitchenAid stand mixer. So cool! I haven't made a mixer cover before, so this is a new project for me...it ought to be pretty fun. It's been fun so far working with the customer.

And now I'd like to share a whole bunch of photos of the quilt. These are mostly detail shots.

Meanwhile, I teeter on 499 sales!!

It's true, and I feel like I'm reaching a big milestone with the shop, and of course, want to have an excuse to get excited and celebrate...even if it's something small and only means a lot to me :) You guys get it! My next sale will mark my 500th sale in my quilt shop! Yay!

Meanwhile, my wonderful and most excellent friend, Jeff Derose, has taken some photos of some of my quilts in a gorgeous field in Amherst, MA. Nicole, at Lillyella had so kindly interviewed me for a featured spot on her blog, so I needed some really nice shots of the quilts, and an actual photograph of me to include. Thanks, Jeff :) Check out his websites. It's great to get someone else's perspective on your work, and hiring a professional photographer is pretty amazing. I highly recommend it, because they really see things that you just do not. Or, as in my case, I have a certain way that I photograph my items, for consistency in the shop and all that. Anyway, here are some of the photos from that shoot... enjoy!