'Bluhming Bugs' book

New book available for pre-orders!

'Bluhming Bugs' has soft cover, 10 mil clear plastic cover protection, printed in color on 32 lb high quality laser printer paper, twin wire binding. It has over 130 pages, over 40 patterns including 24 bug motifs, 15 quilt design layouts, one step by step project, one project done on Statler Stitcher plus many other samples.
One CD with all PDF format patterns and design layouts in different sizes is included with the book. Most patterns come in few different sizes and all of them can also be resized to fit your needs.
One may think: a bug is a bug, is a bug, good to be used as embellishment, background design insert or a nice accent etc. This book will open your eyes to endless design possibilities using a BUG!
All digitized patterns from the "Bluhming Bugs' book will be available for purchase in all formats after the book's release.

'Bluhming Bugs' book is available for pre-orders before March 1st 2009!

http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-IBluhm/-strse-67/Bluhming-Bugs-dsh-available-for-pre-dsh-orders/Detail.bok

Nothing better than having a new book in print! I kept the Bugs close to my vest for almost 2 years. Now, it is time for them to be released! I did put a lot of passion in creating of this book. When you see it, you would understand why.

My Paducah 2009 quilt entry-done!

For better or for worse, I have tried very hard to create a major project for one of my upcoming books: Start with a Blank Slate. This "monster" quilt 104" X 107" took me over 4 months to make.

I have never worked on any project that long ever before! Destined to be a major step-by-step-project for my book about whole cloth design and execution, this quilt had no idea where it would end! One of the two: either in a closet, or in Paducah! I've had taken it off the frame once, and it was setting for many weeks, as I ran out of patience of working on the background filler after just a couple of days!

I was not sure about the fate of this quilt as I thought, it will take me forever to finish the background quilting! I can't make myself enjoying many weeks of doing the same thing! After my trip to Germany in November, I loaded the quilt back on a my frame and started plowing away! It took me more than two weeks to have the background quilting finished. I understand labor intensity, but I am too eager to move onto other projects!

I still was not sure about whether my major book project will be show entry worthy after it has been washed and steamed flat. That's the time when I make a decision about a show worthiness of all projects I have ever produced!

Once washed and steamed flat, I attached a temporary hanging sleeve using pins to have it displayed on my quilt stand ASAP, so I can view and make an appropriate assessment about the worthiness of adding color to the project.

Once on the quilt stand, I step back and view the entire quilt from the front and from the back from distance.

It looked OK to me! I was contemplating about adding color to the back, as I liked the snow white over the off white color of the top. For better or for worse, I decided to add color to the top ! It took me few weeks to have the color application finished, and again I was increasingly loosing my patience working on the star points!

Whenever I get involved in a project that takes longer than I would like, working on it becomes like pulling teeth!

I am not sure whether I would ever be able to work on one project for a 1 1/2 or more!

This quilt has 112 bugs, 464 feather plumes, 282 star points and over 60 daisies! I will be happy to add binding to it and finally call it done!

Teaching overseas, first workshop in Germany

Bluhming Background Designs workshop is my debut in teaching internationally. The workshop was conducted in German and English. The workshop took place at Quiltissimo located in Nordrhein Wesfalen, Witten, Germany. This business with 3 Gammill longarm quilting machines, owned and operated by Marie-Christine Chamas is a perfect place for teaching longarm quilting workshops.

Marie-Christine is an awesome host and we've had a very talented group of students.

We had 2 students from Germany, 2 students from Netherlands and 1 student from Switzerland. Teaching this workshop is so much easier with my extensive guide book on background designs available.

Bluhming Bugs-My next book project!

Next book in progress!-Bluhming Bugs. This book is going to be a pattern book with a collection of 30 Bluhming Bugs. Most of them will look unreal, whimsical, funky, unique, charming and cute! Not only will you have so many Bugs to choose from, but there will be many ideas about how to use them in quilt design.

Only a couple of friends have seen this collection, as I tried to keep my Bluhming Bugs close to the vest! Now, I am ready to share them with the quilting world! The collection is being digitized as we speak. The entire, digitized collection of 30 Bluhming Bugs will be available as soon, as my book is published.

I love my other books, but this one is going to be a very special one! My most favorite one!

Like most of my self published books, this book may grow to over 100 pages!

I won't be able to process orders placed between October 6th and November 2nd 2008!

Hello everyone,
I won't be able to process orders placed through my website between October 6th 2008 and November 2nd 2008.
I will be leaving for Des Moines, IA on October 7th. Two days after my return from Des Moines, IA I will be leaving for trip to Europe.

Thank you and I appreciate your patience and understanding.

Irena

Bluhming Background Designs 2-is shipping now!

Bluhming Background Designs 2 is a 152 page, soft cover, printed and offered in color or in black white using high quality 32 lb laser printer paper. Twin wire binding, 90 lb card stock for covers and 7 mil clear plastic sheet protectors make it a very slick looking book with a lot of content!

This book is packed with over 200 of photographs and many diagrams. It has a section with step by step stitching. This extensive guide to background filler designs will open your eyes to many design possibilities.

With this book on hand and with 50 background filler design ideas, hints and suggestions, you will be able to create your own stamp!

All 30 designs from Blooming Background Designs are incorporated. Now there are 50 background filler designs in this new book!

Most of them can be used for an overall meandering technique and all of them can be used for dense quilting!

Try to keep on the cutting edge when it comes to free motion quilting and say goodbye to the outdated stippling technique!

It's time to move on!

Take a look at this book cover at: http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-IBluhm/-strse-14/Bluhming-Background-Designs-2-dsh-full/Detail.bok

Whimsical and Funky Feathers-This book is shipping now!

Whimsical and Funky Feathers, Collection of 80; will be another self published book. I have the release date set for October 1st 2008, just few days before the AQS show in Des Moines, IA.

This book is packed with many images, diagrams, step-by-step stitching section, quilting patterns collection and many stitched samples of this unusual and unique looking feathers.

The best about these feathers is: almost all of them are easier to stitch than the "over the top" formal feathers!

Whimsical and Funky Feathers is a soft cover, 124 pages, printed in color on a high quality 32 lb laser printer paper, topped off with an elegant looking finish. Twin wire binding, card stock 90 lb covers with protective 7 mil clear plastic covers makes it a very slick looking book, packed with a lot of content! This book is available now! http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-IBluhm/-strse-12/Whimsical-and-Funky-Feathers/Detail.bok

After I return from Iowa, I have one day to repack my suitcases and leave for a trip to Europe for 3 weeks [visit with family and 4 days of workshops in Germany].

I will be back on November 2nd and will start processing orders placed any time between October 6th 2008 and November 2nd 2008, as soon as I possibly can.

You can view the front and and the back cover of this book at:

http://site.irenabluhmscreations.com/WWF-Front_and_back_cover.pdf


Irena Bluhm