a new home for okan arts

Instead of quilting, for the last two weeks I’ve been learning how to use WordPress and making a website for Okan Arts. Please visit my new online home: okanarts.com where I will be writing all future posts.

empire quilters, nyc

We’re identical twins! (Just not with each other.) Me with Barbara Feinstein.

I visited the Empire Quilters guild meeting today and saw an inspirational presentation by contemporary art quilter Pat Pauly.

Using Maurine Noble’s name as a conversation starter, I had a fun time talking with Barbara Feinstein. Barbara and I are both identical twins and Japanophiles—so we had lots in common!

The guild boasts a whopping 375 members. The meeting room at the Fashion Institute of Technology was packed with 185 mesmerized quilters. Raffle tickets, show n’ tell, stash giveaways, and a member vendor made for a busy event.

little sister quilt

Doodle Baby, 2010, 35" x 45"
GIFTED TO NORA DUNHAM

For Liz Holland’s Baby Girl No. 1, I overly hand stitched her baby quilt for five months. For Baby Girl Number 2, I hand stitched this whole cloth quilt with hot pink and orange threads over a four-month period. Then I doodled, with SetaSkrib dye pens, on the black and white top fabric for almost six hours.

Both the top and backing fabric are vintage African fabrics that Maureen Noble picked up in South Africa 20 years ago.