You can't go home again--or can you?

I don't know about you but every once in a while I get an order that is just so special, I have to say yes. In this case it was from a lovely couple that I had never met before. OK--why was it special?

You see years ago--like almost thirty years ago--maybe it was even 32 years ago--I am not sure, they had purchased a quilt of mine from a gallery and hung in their living room all this time. Seen children grow, friends come and go. Indeed the only image they had of the quilt was from a large party.

Alas though when they repainted, its time had come. They told me that they cried when it came down.

And that would be enough to make a story. But they wanted me to make a quilt to replace it to hang for the next 30 years. Of course it wasn't going to look just like the quilt they had had. Styles had changed. The quilts I make have changed. Their furnishings have changed. They brought images of the room. Together we looked at quilts I had made and they found a piece I had made 8 or so years ago that they loved.

prairie dawn--quilt--ann brauer

They loved the blue sky in this quilt and the red "sun." But after some thought--they preferred the bottom of this quilt.

rainbows of dawn--quilt--ann brauer

OK--this would be interesting. Now I had not thought about these quilts for years. How do I make them? What colors work? Can I even figure it out? Remember that old saying that you never forget how to ride a bicycle--would it also work for making a quilt?

I had to find out. I told myself to start with what I knew. Maybe that wonderful chartreuse green on the bottom. So I cut lots of fabric in those colors--the palette.

fabric palette--quilt--ann brauer

And started sewing. It is quilt as you go in blocks so I sew right sides together through the cotton batting onto the back.

sewing--quilt--ann brauer--2016

And press open.

sewing--quilt--ann brauer--2016

Check out the back to make sure it is working.

sewing--quilt--ann brauer--2016

Repeat and continue until I have a block.

sewing--quilt--ann brauer--2016

And start to pin it to my design board. This quilt is large enough it will occupy the design board until I get it done. I hope that will be incentive to work quickly.

sewing--quilt--ann brauer--2016

So the story begins. The sewing I know how to do. But will I be able to get the colors to fall into place. Will the top and bottom designs work together? And when can I begin to get this off my design board since I do make work for the American Craft Exposition in Glencoe at the end of September?  Then I have the Philadelphia Museum of Art Show in November and the One of a Kind Show in December--just to keep me off the streets. Yikes!!!

And just like a TV show that leaves you dangling, this will be continued.

What do you think?

the Quilts of Ann Brauer--BOO!!! Cider Days, ArtWalk and Philly

Dear all,

Wow, today is Halloween already. October just flew by didn't it? Some absolutely gorgeous days. The foliage here was wonderful. The views from my studio still are lovely.  I have been so very busy getting ready for the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show November 6-9. It is hard to believe that it is finally almost here. My studio is  so full of the new quilts I made for Philly, it will be hard to choose which ones to bring and which ones to hang in my booth.

"Night sky" is definitely going.

night sky--45x45"--quilt--Ann Brauer

I love "modern red".

modern red--92x108"--quilt--Ann Brauer

But doesn't "colors of summer" also deserve its day in the sunshine, so to speak?

colors of summer--40x55"--quilt--Ann Brauer

And of course my new table runners--or are they wall hangings?

long table runner--12x72"--quilt--Ann Brauer

Well I guess that is what they call, high class worries, isn't it?

But before I leave this week-end in West County is the 20th annual Cider Days. And tomorrow is an Art Walk in Shelburne Falls I will be open Saturday until at least 7 and Sunday until 5 so drop by and say hi. Wish me safe travels and tell me which quilts I should definitely bring to Philly.

Later in the month I will be working in the studio getting ready for Moonlight Magic, CraftBoston and the Artrider Morristown Holiday Show but more of those later. I do hope I will see some of you there. Meanwhile do enjoy the beauties of late autumn and the hauntingly rich colors of the oak leaves. For those who want more information on the Philly show www.pmacraftshow.org I am Booth 315.

Haste makes waste

I am sure that this has happened to everyone at some point in time. Admit it. You are working so hard, trying to get the quilt done. And you just assume that you don't have to stop and think it through. Or maybe, if you are like me--you do think it through but not well enough.

Let me explain. Now as everyone knows by now, I am getting ready for the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show November 6-9. This is a BIG deal. I haven't been in this show for years and I want to take advantage of it. So I am trying to get lots and lots of work ready. So much that it is hard sometimes to figure out what to do next. What will sell?

As an aside. Recently I had a wonderful woman in my studio. She had pre-researched and wanted a quilt of mine for a specific location. Got to love that. She thought she wanted one of my more "traditional" quilts. "Lone tree" perhaps.

lone tree--32x48"--quilt--Ann Brauer

"Night sky" was too big. Though of course I could make it smaller.

night sky--45x45 "--quilt--Ann Brauer

We went through the rack hunting for what might work. Some of the rivers quilts were the right size.

teal river--38x38"--quilt--Ann Brauer

Then she saw it. When I pulled it out and hung it up, she gasped. Audibly. "Colors of the sky" had found its home.

colors of the sky--38x38"--quilt--Ann Brauer

A quilt I hadn't looked at for a few months and yet I loved it's simplicity against the wall. Modern but still a quilt. What a great color study. And the size was perfect for its location.  I got to thinking, yes it would be great if I could have another quilt similar to this one. Not the same colors but what would the next one look like? 

I grabbed the colors. Quickly started to piece and quilt without studying images of the quilt that had just sold. I should know how to do this. The blue and the green came together so nicely. Happy colors. Peaceful colors. I thought I knew what would work for the central neutrals against the greens. Wouldn't it be fun to add just a bit of warmth? Just a hint of green? I struggled over these fabrics. After all, this was the key to the quilt wasn't it? I did lay them out and think about it before I sewed.

And even as I sewed. Then I pinned it to the design wall.  Have you ever had that moment of despair? When despite your hard work, there is something not right. Just look at it.

Sure it looks like a spring morning but that blue really looks out of place doesn't it? How could I be so stupid? Would it improve when I finished it. Would the black binding tie it together? I considered it. Just for a moment. NO!! I have my standards. Each quilt must work--or at least I must firmly believe that each quilt works when I finish it.

 I decided I had to learn from my mistake. What had I done wrong? Could I fix it? Time to sleep on that one. Then I decided to play. What if the problem was too much color in the central panel? What if I made that simpler? I pinned up a table runner I had made in light grey with dark green lines.

spring morning--38x38"--quilt--Ann Brauer

What a difference that made, didn't it?  So much calmer. Yes, that would work. I made the new central panel. Checked it out. Much better isn't it? These quilts are meant to have a simplicity about them.

spring morning--quilt--Ann Brauer

Now there are few things I hate more than taking out stitches. What a waste of time. I won't bore you with the details. Let's just say that I took out the stitches, sewed it back together again this time using a black binding.

spring morning--quilt--Ann Brauer

And now I still have to square it off and put on the binding. And yes, I got even further behind. Or was I getting ahead again since I did have a quilt that I liked--that I can't wait to finish and show to you.

Does this ever happen to you? What are your solutions? And again I do hope to see at least some of you at the Philadelphia Show www.pmacraftshow.org Or maybe at my studio.

lone tree

I love this time of year. The light is so clear and golden as the sun sets. It makes the trees glow with color. Sure there is a bit of sorrow as the seasons progress into winter. Or maybe it is not sorrow but a lingering fear of the dark that we must go through until spring. But for now, it is time to seize the moment and enjoy the splendor.

Well, that is a bit of an over-written paragraph. I guess I really have been working hard. New studios do always take more energy than anticipated. Even though my new studio is absolutely fabulous. And I did book more craft shows than usual. After all, I got into the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show for the first time in years.  Let me shout that one loud and clear.

I must take full advantage of this opportunity because it may be years before I get in again. What can I make? What do I need? What will sell? I must not over think it. That would be a waste of precious time and energy.  I must not get nervous. Just make what I want with just a bit of an eye toward selling the quilt.

I just sent two quilts off for a trial placement. Oh I do miss them already. Who knows if they will find their new homes. I don't want to make work just like them. I need something new and fresh. Something that makes me want to complete the quilts to see what they will look like.

early summer--45x45"--quilt--Ann Brauer--photo by John Polak.

late summer--45x45"--quilt--Ann Brauer--photo by John Polak

Then it dawns on me. A golden tree against the sky. Just one tree. Will it shine in the light? Tell a simple story? In colors so lush and rich I have to finish it. Rich blues and teals. Of course I start.

lone tree--quilt--Ann Brauer

Yes, that is undeniably lovely. I must continue.

lone tree--quilt--Ann Brauer

Will the teal on the bottom carry the blues? Should it be darker? I must continue sketching it out.

lone tree--quilt--Ann Brauer

Amazing how many blues I need. How few blues I have. Note to self-- I must make it to the fabric store sometime soon. For now I rummage through my fabric drawers finding snippets here. Little wedges there. This takes longer than anticipated.

lone tree--quilt--Ann Brauer

But still the gradual fading of the colors does make the teal stand out more, doesn't it? I must add the splash of yellow. How will that look? A couple more rows of blue. So much to do. How light will it get at the top? Then the sewing it together. So much slower than I think it should be as the quilt gradually discloses itself. That is for tomorrow. And tomorrow. You know that saying.

At least I have a start. And you--do you have a favorite tree in autumn? How do you start a quilt? Will I see some of you at the Philly Museum Show--November 6-9--at the Convention Center?  For more information: pmacraftshow.org/

The end and the means

OK world--did you hear me? I thought I explicitly promised myself that I would NOT do technical work again. No more traditional patterns. After all I make art quilts, right? And I am tired of sewing straight lines. Or rather since I have been sewing a lot of straight lines recently I am tired of following patterns where the work has to be exact.

Been there. Done that. Isn't it more fun to choose each fabric as I sew. Get into that groove. Isn't that what it is all about?

But what happens when I see in my mind's eye something new I just have to make? I try it--of course. And I like it. There is something with the regularity and the precision that I just have to go for even if it is the log cabin pattern and even if I do all the work free hand so it really is not that precise.

I mean look at that pattern. Simple. But such dimension. There is a space there. A story in its regularity.

black white and red runner--12x40 inches--Ann Brauer

Or here--such a feeling light and depth. The window promises something. Isn't that all I can ask for?

plum runner--12x40 inches--Ann Brauer

Or here.

visions of light--38x38 inches--Ann Brauer

I play some more on the design board. Pin it up. It doesn't have to be perfect. I just want to see it.

design board--Ann Brauer

Do I really want to go there? Isn't it going to drive me crazy? But wouldn't it be perfect as a table runner in a modern home? What about a headboard over the bed?

No time like the present. After all if you are super busy--why waste time wondering if you are going to make the quilt. Just do it.

I cut the fabric for the yellow centers. I think I prefer the brighter yellow. More like sunshine isn't it?

I plan the colors of the outside. The colors of autumn.

And start to sew.

Will it work? Is this a waste of time? Will it drive me crazy?  I haven't made enough to know for sure.

Making two does take almost twice as long. Like duh?

But I keep going. And going and going. Now at least it takes some of the form I want.

Finally I can play.  Interesting but too expected. This was not what I intended in the first place but I wanted to see it.

OK--more like it.

And now to sew on the binding, A quilt maker's work is never done, is it?

Not bad though. I think I can get it done before Paradise City this week-end. Was it worth it? Can I make more? Is it more or less technical than the flowing river runner next to it? But that is another story. Argh!!! For another day and another blog. Meanwhile I hope I will see some of you at Paradise City at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Northampton October 11-13. For more info www.paradisecityarts.com or maybe the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show November 6-9 at the Philadelphia Convention Center. www.pmacraftshow.org

the quilts of Ann Brauer--YIKES it's October

Dear all,

Suddenly the days are getting shorter. The trees are starting to turn those wonderful shades of gold and yellow, rust and red. How much time do I spend gazing out the windows of my new studio. Yes, they are even more magnificent than ever. Looking at the colors move up the mountain. Gorgeous. Looking upriver at the promise of the river. Such lovely reflections of the Bridges on the water. Oh it is more glorious than I even remembered and so hard to capture in a snapshot.

And speaking of rivers, did you see my half page spread in Art New England this month? What an honor that was. Yes, this quilt is called "green river" one of the series of new pieces I did once I knew for sure I was moving back toy the new studio.

Meanwhile I am getting ready for some truly wonderful craft shows. This month I am doing the Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton October 11-13 at the Tri County Fairgrounds. What a fun show this is. The food is absolutely wonderful--Thai and Indian, Chinese and Italian. There is live music. And of course there is the art--fine art and craft and items that are just for fun. I could spend hours exploring this entire show. I am Booth 914 in the Main Building. If you check out their web site, there are even discount tickets available. www.paradisecityarts.com

Then on to the Philadelphia Museum of Art Show at the Philly Convention Center November 6-9. This is THE craft show and I can't tell you how excited I am to be doing this show this year after a hiatus of many years. So I am busy sewing as many new quilts as I possibly can and of course the more I sew the more I get inspired. Oh I wish there were more hours in the day. For more info www.pmacraftshow.org

Meanwhile I hope to see some of you at the shows in the next couple of months. Of course I would love to show off my new studio if you get up to Shelburne Falls--although call first just to make sure I am there. And I do hope you get to enjoy some of the glories of this season.

I am curious--red

OK, let's face it. As my DH says, I always have a quilt to finish. Well, sometimes it is an eyeglass case or a placemat. Sometimes a potholder or a table runner. But always I have something to do. And I always have far more designs and colors that I want to play with than I possibly ever will have time to make.

So the question is how do I choose what to do next? After all, for every quilt I make there will be so many others that never get made. And if I commit to a large quilt, then I know how tired--physically and mentally--I will be each day when I come home from work. How will I find the energy to make the next one?

But if I just keep making the smaller items, then I won't have that big quilt I know I need for all the craft shows I have coming up this year. Paradise City and Philadelphia, CraftBoston and the ArtRider Morristown Show in December. Yikes. So I keep making the small items and think--do I want the blue quilt that will look like the sky? Or the green and purple quilt that will have such wonderful colors of autumn? I sketch them out. Even calculate the size of the rows.

Then one day I start. Almost without thinking. A geometric quilt in greys and blacks with just one red accent. Could the power of the quilt be derived just from the repetition of the design? So simple that it becomes complex.  A quilt about quilts. Where the sheer size of the quilt is part of its power.  I can visualize it--but only barely. That makes it interesting doesn't it?

I arrange all sorts of reds to create the central color.

red--quilt--Ann Brauer

And I sew. How wide--I am not sure. How much color change--I am not sure. There is that phrase from my days as a lawyer--don't ask questions you don't know the answer to.  I just keep going. And pin it up to the design wall.

red--quilt--Ann Brauer

I test a few different color ways just to make sure. The teal is just too bright. This was not what I had in mind but I wanted to double check it since I know that teal sells. Yes, there is a bit of method in my madness. I do have a new building to pay for after all. But it is wrong. Grey is what I want.

grey--quilt--Ann Brauer

Again I arrange the colors and sew. Hmmm. What do I think?

quilt--Ann Brauer 2014

Is it working? Is it too stark?  I add another row. As I tell a friend, I just have to keep going. If I stop it will be hard to get it done.

quilt--Ann Brauer 2014

But then I decide to play with the other side. After all, I don't want the red so far to the side of the quilt.

quilt--Ann Brauer--2014

Yes, that is adding to the power of the quilt. Not sure I want just those rows on that side but it does give me some place to go.

quilt--Ann Brauer--2014

I can think about it later. As I finish the last row of grey. Interesting. I won't even think about sewing this quilt together. How long that will take.  How I will have to break it up. Make some smaller items as I do the finish work. Instead I need to keep the momentum going. And of course there are so many more quilts I want to make. That will come to me as I ponder this piece.

And you--how do you decide which quilt to make? Do you ever just plunge in because you are curious? And will I see some of you at my new studio? Or maybe at one of the craft shows that I will be doing? Paradise City is October 11-13 in Northampton. www.paradisecityarts.com  The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is November 6-9. www.pmacraftshow.org