♪ LAP QUILTING IS BACK.

CALL YOUR FRIENDS.

SEND UP SMOKE SIGNALS.

SPREAD THE WORD.

IT'S A BRAND-NEW SERIES FULL OF NEW FABRICS, NEW IDEAS, PEOPLE, AND TECHNIQUES.

FROM ALASKA TO HOUSTON--WHY, TO EVEN ENGLAND, QUILTS CONTINUE TO BE MADE.

NOW, QUILTERS THEMSELVES WEAR MANY DIFFERENT HATS.

JOIN US TODAY AND DISCOVER JUST HOW MANY.

"LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

WELCOME.

I'VE BEEN QUILTING AROUND THE CLOCK TO BRING YOU A BRAND-NEW SERIES, AND I'M SO GLAD TO BE BACK.

BUT I'M NOT ALONE.

THERE ARE MANY OUT THERE STITCHING AWAY, AND YOU'LL GET TO MEET THEM.

YES, THE HATS CHANGE...AS THE INTEREST IN QUILTMAKING CHANGES.

WE WILL MEET MODERN AND TRADITIONAL QUILTMAKERS, QUILT CURATORS, SHOP OWNERS, GUILD MEMBERS, COLLECTORS, AUTHORS, DESIGNERS, AND HISTORIANS.

IT GOES ON AND ON.

NOW, SPEAKING OF HATS, THAT REMINDS ME OF A MINNESOTA TRIP WHEN I VISITED THOSE LOONEY QUILTERS.

CONNIE AND WENDY PICKED ME UP AT THE AIRPORT, AND I HAD TO WEAR THIS THROUGH THE WHOLE AIRPORT.

PEOPLE WERE NICE, THOUGH.

THEY WAITED UNTIL THEY PASSED UNTIL THEY LAUGHED.

HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS WHILE WE TAKE A GANDER AT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE ON "LAP QUILTING 5."

WE'LL START OFF WITH A COLOR STUDY AND END WITH MODERN QUILTMAKERS FROM ENGLAND.

VESTS, THEN BACK TO BASICS WITH OUR VIRGINIA REEL PATTERN.

KUPAK FROM ALASKA--AND NO, IT'S NOT SEMINOLE.

IT'S DONE WITH BIAS TAPE.

CRUISING AND QUILTING.

AN ORIENTAL FLAVOR FOR ONE SHOW.

TWO QUILTS DEPICTING THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.

MINIATURES.

MEDALLION QUILTS AND COMPASS DESIGNS.

I AM LIVING PROOF THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS FROM YOUR LOCAL GUILD.

THIS BEAUTIFUL APPLIQUÉ QUILT WAS MADE BY THE LOS ANGELES QUILTERS GUILD, AND YOURS TRULY IS THE PROUD WINNER AND OWNER OF THIS QUILT.

YOU'LL GET TO SEE MORE OF IT ON OUR APPLIQUÉ SHOW.

ANOTHER FORM OF APPLIQUÉ DEALS WITH PAPER FOLDING, AND IT'S OUR STUDY TODAY.

TO THE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIQUÉ TAKES ON A WHOLE NEW TWIST WHEN PAPER FOLDING AND SILHOUETTE DESIGNS ARE COMBINED.

YOU MIGHT STUDY THE SILHOUETTE FIGURES THAT YOU HAVE AROUND THE HOUSE OR, AS I HAVE DONE, I HAVE COMBINED THE MOTIF OF THE "SILVER DOLLAR CITY" BROCHURE AND "THE LAP QUILTER."

WHY, I EVEN TOOK A PICTURE OF THAT COVER AND THEN PUT IT IN MY SLIDE PROJECTOR IN ORDER TO PROJECT IT ON THE SIZE THAT I WANTED TO WORK WITH.

I STARTED WITH A 24-INCH SQUARE OF PAPER, AND I FOLDED IT 3 TIMES INTO ONE TRIANGLE, A SECOND TRIANGLE, AND THEN A THIRD SO THAT THE RAW EDGES WERE ON THE BOTTOM.

THERE'S ONE FOLD ON THIS SIDE AND 3 ON THIS SIDE.

PLAY WITH A DESIGN THAT YOU WANT IN THIS AREA.

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT I'VE DONE SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL I WAS HAPPY WITH THE LAP QUILTER SITTING AND QUILTING ROUND THE CLOCK.

I THEN COPIED THAT ONTO MY 24-INCH SQUARE.

NOW, THIS IS FREEZER PAPER, BUT IT'S TAKEN ON A NEW DESIGN IMAGE OF GRAPH PAPER.

YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE DOING ALL OF OUR PATCHWORK PICTURE PIECING AND DRAWING VERTICAL LINES SO MANY INCHES APART, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT IF IT CAME WITH A GRID ON IT, IT WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR QUILTERS, SO THAT WE CAN USE IT AS A TEMPLATE AND ALSO A SEWING GUIDE FOR DOING ALL OF OUR INTRICATE PIECING.

SO IT NOW COMES ON A ROLL 18 INCHES WIDE.

IF YOU NEED TO ENLARGE THE SIZE OF THAT GRID GRIP, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS OVERLAP AS I HAVE DONE HERE, ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, OH, 1/2 INCH.

IF YOU'LL JUST OVERLAP THE EDGES AND THEN IRON IT TOGETHER, IT WILL ADHERE TO THE IRONING COVER BOARD, BUT REMEMBER YOU CAN REUSE THIS ABOUT 50 TIMES, AND IT'S ALL IN PLACE THEN TO USE AS A DESIGN.

ONCE I HAVE COPIED THAT ON MY 24-INCH SQUARE, I WOULD THEN IRON THAT IN PLACE ON THE BACK SIDE OF MY FABRIC.

I'VE CHOSEN TO USE BLACK AGAINST WHITE, WHEN THAT WAS IRONED IN PLACE.

THEN CUT OUT A QUARTER INCH AWAY FROM MY GRID GRIP DESIGN.

THEN WITH A CONTRASTING THREAD, AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOUR KNOTS ARE ON THE OUTSIDE, I WOULD TURN THOSE RAW EDGES ON TOP OF THAT FIRM EDGE OF THE FREEZER PAPER.

ONCE THAT HAS ALL BEEN COVERED, I WOULD TAKE IT BACK TO THE IRONING BOARD, AND THIS TIME, WITH SOME SPRAY STARCH, I WOULD IRON IN PLACE BOTH ON THIS SIDE--JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SPRAY--IRON THAT IN PLACE, AND THAT'S RIGHT ON THOSE EDGES, AND THEN ON THIS SIDE DO THE SAME THING.

AND WHAT I'M DOING IS PRESSING THAT SEAM ALLOWANCE IN PLACE.

WHEN THAT'S ALL DONE ON THE WHOLE MOTIF, I WOULD THEN COME AND REMOVE THE BASTING THREADS.

YOU COULD USE YOUR SEAM-RIPPER OR EVEN SOME LITTLE EMBROIDERY SCISSORS.

REMOVE ALL THOSE STITCHES, AND ONCE THOSE WERE REMOVED, YOU THEN WOULD FREE THE FREEZER PAPER, AND NOTICE HOW YOUR RAW EDGES HAVE JUST...IN PLACE, SO THAT THEN THEY CAN BE TURNED OVER AND POSITIONED IN PLACE, AND ONCE YOU'VE DONE THE WHOLE FIGURE, I WOULD CERTAINLY BASTE THIS DESIGN IN PLACE SO THAT YOU COULD DO YOUR APPLIQUÉ WORK.

NOW, A MORE MODERN APPROACH TO THIS SILHOUETTE DESIGN COULD BE DONE ON THE SEWING MACHINE.

IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NEGATIVE--I'M GONNA SHOW YOU AN EXAMPLE USING THE NEGATIVE SPACES THAT WERE CUT OUT.

FOR INSTANCE, THIS CAME FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR DESIGN, AND THE MOTIF THAT WAS ON THE TOP I HAVE SIMPLY IRONED THIS TIME ON THE TOP PART OF MY FABRIC--NOT ON THE BACK SIDE BUT ON THE TOP SIDE.

I WOULD THEN PUT A GRAY THREAD IN MY MACHINE, AND I HAVE FOLLOWED THE FREEZER PAPER ALL THE WAY AROUND SECURING THIS TO MY FOUNDATION.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE BACK SIDE WHERE I HAVE BEEN SEWING, AND THEN I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE SECRET OF DOING THE SATIN STITCH IN PLACE.

I WOULD THEN, ONCE IT'S BEEN SEWN, LIFT THIS UP, AND WITH OUR WONDERFUL APPLIQUÉ SCISSORS THAT ALLOW US TO GET IN SO CLOSE, COME IN AND THEN RIGHT UP TO THAT STITCHING LINE, CLIP THE FABRIC AWAY, RELEASING THAT.

ONCE THAT HAS BEEN DONE, I WOULD PUT SOME PAPER UNDERNEATH MY DESIGN.

REMEMBER THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR SATIN STITCHING.

AND WITH THAT BACK, AND ALSO, PUT YOUR APPLIQUÉ FOOT ON YOUR MACHINE, AND WITH THAT IN PLACE, I'M THEN READY TO COME AND, HOLDING THAT DOWN, I WOULD TRY TO DO MY SATIN STITCH SO THAT IT'S CENTERED.

THE LEFT SIDE SIMPLY COVERS THE STRAIGHT STITCHING THAT YOU DID, AND THEN THAT WOULD BE THE ZIG SIDE, AND THEN THE ZAG SIDE WOULD COVER THE RAW EDGE OF THE MATERIAL, SO YOU'RE REALLY COVERING BOTH OF IT, AND I THINK I REALLY LIKE THIS APPROACH TO DOING THE SILHOUETTE APPLIQUÉ.

AS YOU GO AROUND CORNERS, YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER YOUR NEEDLE IS GOING TO BE ON THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR DESIGN.

NOW, IF I LIKE THAT WAY OF DOING IT SO MUCH, I MIGHT WANT TO EVEN TRY A COMPLETELY NEW DESIGN.

LET'S LOOK AT ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THE SILHOUETTE DESIGN.

YOU ARE READY TO LAP IT UP AGAIN, I HOPE, WITH 3 IMAGES IN DIFFERENT SIZES OF KITTY CATS LAPPING IT UP AGAIN.

WHAT IF WE TRIED PAPER FOLDING AND THIS TIME DID JUST TWO REPEATS?

LOOK AT THE INTERESTING IMAGE WE GET.

OR HOW ABOUT 4 REPEATS?

EVERY TIME, WE'RE SIMPLY INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE PAPER THAT WE'RE FOLDING.

OR 6 REPEATS.

WE COULD EVEN DO OUR OLD- FASHIONED PAPER DOLL, AND THAT COULD BE A WHOLE BORDER FOR A QUILT.

DOESN'T THAT GIVE YOU ALL KIND OF IDEAS?

WHAT IF WE WENT BACK TO OUR TRADITIONAL 8-FOLDING, FOLDING IT LIKE THE PINWHEEL?

WE'D COME UP WITH THIS DESIGN... ALL READY TO APPLIQUÉ IN PLACE WHICHEVER WAY YOU DECIDED.

WHY, OUR PAPER FOLDING IS JUST ENDLESS.

IT CAN GO 16, 32, OR AS MANY TIMES AS 64, AND I WOULD CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE PAPER THE MORE FOLDS THAT WE PRESENTED.

ONE MORE LITTLE TIP WOULD BE TO IRON THE GRID GRIP RIGHT ON TOP OF YOUR FABRIC, THEN POSITION THAT ON YOUR FOUNDATION, AND THEN WITH THAT BASTED IN PLACE, SIMPLY CLIP UP TO THE DESIGN, LEAVING YOUR QUARTER-INCH SEAM ALLOWANCE.

CLIP IN IN ANY AREAS WHERE YOU WANT TO, THEN, WITH A POINT OF THAT NEEDLE, FOLD THAT OR TURN THAT SEAM ALLOWANCE BACK SO IT'S RIGHT EVEN WITH THE PAPER.

HOLDING THAT IN POSITION, THEN YOU CAN COME AND DO YOUR HAND APPLIQUÉ COMING RIGHT UP, AND YOU MIGHT GRAB A LITTLE BIT OF THE PAPER, BUT THAT'S GONNA WORK OUT ALL RIGHT BECAUSE IT'LL BE RIGHT UP TO THE VERY DESIGN.

TRY THAT AND SEE IF IT WORKS FOR YOU.

A REFUELING STATION AND FOCAL POINT FOR ALL QUILTMAKING IS THE HOUSTON QUILT MARKET AND FESTIVAL HELD EVERY FALL.

IT'S A TWO-PART EVENT WHERE MERCHANTS ARE ABLE TO INTRODUCE AND DISPLAY THE LATEST NOTIONS, TOYS, AND FABRICS TO SHOP OWNERS, WHICH BECOMES THE WHOLESALE MARKET.

THE QUILT MARKET IS THE NATION'S ONLY WHOLESALE TRADE SHOW FOR THE QUILTING INDUSTRY, AN INDUSTRY THAT REPRESENTS NEARLY $1 BILLION A YEAR TO THE AMERICAN ECONOMY.

THE RETAILERS WHO ATTEND QUILT MARKET ARE ALWAYS THE FIRST IN ANY TOWN TO HAVE THE NEWEST FABRICS, THE NEWEST PATTERNS OR BOOKS.

MEET KAREY BRESNAHAN, A MOVING FORCE BEHIND THE MARKET AND FESTIVAL.

WELCOME TO THE HOUSTON QUILT FESTIVAL AND A MEGA PRODUCTION PUT ON BY KAREY BRESNAHAN.

CONGRATULATIONS, KAREY.

I KNOW HOW EXCITED YOU MUST FEEL TODAY.

AS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL AND IN HOUSTON, HOW DID YOU GET STARTED, KAREY?

WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

WE STARTED IN A CHURCH GYMNASIUM WITH THE QUILTS HANGING EVERYWHERE AND, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING IN AND CLIMBING UP OVER ALL THE BASKETBALL THINGS AND ALL THE STUFF ON THE FLOOR AND SO FORTH.

BUT IT WAS YEARS AGO?

HOW LONG HAS HOUSTON BEEN GOING ON?

THE HOUSTON SHOW IS IN ITS 13th YEAR.

SO IT STARTED IN 19--OH, WHENEVER--75, I GUESS.

DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA IT WOULD TAKE OFF LIKE THIS AND BE THIS MUCH IN DEMAND AND PEOPLE TRAVELING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO COME HERE TODAY?

I NEVER KNEW THEY'D DO THAT.

I WAS IMPRESSED WHEN THEY CAME FROM ARKANSAS.

[LAUGHTER] HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR STAFF TO PUT THIS TOGETHER?

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR A LONG PERIOD.

IT IS, AND I HAVE REALLY NICE PEOPLE THAT WORK.

THEY LOVE QUILTS.

I HAVE ABOUT 6, 7.

ONLY 6 OR 7?

AND YOUR MOTHER INCLUDED.

MY MOTHER INCLUDED, YES.

QUILTING IS A FAMILY ENDEAVOR FOR YOU, RIGHT?

IN MY FAMILY, YES.

I'M A FIFTH-GENERATION TEXAS QUILTER, AND I GO BACK-- I LEARNED TO QUILT ON MY WEDDING QUILT THAT MY GREAT-GREAT- GRANDMOTHER HAD MADE.

AND I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT NO ONE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY FROM ME.

OH, I KNOW, I KNOW.

AND IT'S GROWN TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S NOT ONLY A CHANCE FOR QUILTERS TO COME AND GET INSPIRED, BUT WE LEARN HERE.

THERE ARE SOME CLASSES.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 CLASSES.

AS FOR THE TEACHERS, KAREY, WHAT IF SOMEONE OUT IN THE AUDIENCE WANTED TO TEACH HERE IN HOUSTON?

WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?

HOW WOULD YOU BECOME A TEACHER?

THE FIRST THING I WOULD ADVISE THEM TO DO IS TO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE AND TO BE TEACHING SOMETHING NEW BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WHO COME TO HOUSTON WANT TO LEARN.

THEY'RE HERE TO LEARN THE VERY NEWEST THINGS, THE MOST EXCITING THINGS.

THE PEOPLE WHO TEACH AT HOUSTON ARE THE CREAM OF THE CROP.

WE INTRODUCE NEW TEACHERS EVERY YEAR, BUT THEY ARE THE VERY BEST OF THE NEW TEACHERS, AND WE HAVE THE SUPERSTARS LIKE YOU THAT COME TO TEACH FOR US.

BUT WE MAKE A POINT OF INTRODUCING MORE PEOPLE.

AND THEY NEED TO SEND IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL RESUMÉ WITH PICTURES, AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO NEEDS TO BE VERY CLEARLY OUTLINED.

AND SET SOME GOOD, STIFF GOALS FOR YOURSELF.

GOOD STIFF GOALS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

RIGHT.

WELL, SOMETIMES I THINK YOU ALMOST FEEL INTIMIDATED WHEN YOU COME TO SHOWS LIKE THIS.

"DO YOU THINK MY WORK IS NOT UP TO PAR?"

AND YOU GET KIND OF A DEPRESSED FEELING SOMETIMES.

WHEN YOU SEE SO MUCH, IT'S SO AWESOME.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE LIKE THAT?

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE VERY OVERWHELMING, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY SHOULD EVER BE DEPRESSED, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.

EVERYBODY HAD TO START SOMEWHERE.

THEY HAD TO MAKE A FIRST QUILT.

WE HAVE MY MOTHER'S FIRST QUILT THAT SHE MADE WHEN SHE WAS 6 YEARS OLD.

OH.

AND IT'S TATTERED AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT PERFECTLY PIECED, AND IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT IT'S MY MOTHER'S FIRST QUILT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND WE EVEN CREATED A SPECIAL CATEGORY IN THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL QUILT ASSOCIATION'S JUDGED SHOW FOR FIRST QUILTS BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THAT WOULD GIVE THE NEW QUILTER THE INCENTIVE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, AND WHEN SHE WINS A RIBBON ON HER FIRST QUILT, THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING SPECIAL, SOMETHING TO REMEMBER.

THAT'S GOOD.

ARE YOU A QUILTER?

DO YOU HAVE TIME TO QUILT?

I DON'T HAVE AS MUCH TIME TO QUILT TODAY AS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, BECAUSE I FIND IT VERY ADDICTIVE.

I REALLY LOVE THE QUILTING PORTION OF IT.

BUT I DO QUILT, AND I DO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW AND TO LEARN, AND I WANT TO KNOW AND LEARN THOSE SAME THINGS.

WHEN PEOPLE ASK YOU, "IS QUILTING A CRAFT OR AN ART?"

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THAT ATTITUDE?

I BELIEVE THAT A PERSON WHO MAKES A QUILT IS EVERY MUCH AN ARTIST AS THE PERSON WHO TAKES A BRUSH AND PAINTS PAINT ON A CANVAS.

THE QUILTER IS SIMPLY WORKING WITH FABRIC AND NEEDLES RATHER THAN BRUSHES AND PAINT.

KAREY, IT'S NOT JUST IN AMERICA THAT WE'RE QUILTING.

IT'S ALL OVER, RIGHT?

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

PEOPLE THINK THAT QUILTING IS STRICTLY AN AMERICAN ART FORM, AND IT REALLY ISN'T AT ALL.

IT STARTED IN ANCIENT EGYPT IN THE TIMES OF THE PHARAOHS, AND IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE ARE PEOPLE NOW THAT ARE QUILTING IN INDIA, AND, OH, JAPAN IS JUST FULL OF QUILTERS.

ALL OVER EUROPE-- IN FACT, WE'RE DOING THE EUROPEAN SHOW BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INTEREST IN EUROPE IN QUILTING.

TELL ME ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION.

MY FAMILY ARE THE ONES WHO STARTED THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL QUILT ASSOCIATION, AND IT IS THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL QUILT ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD.

IT WAS STARTED TO BRING RECOGNITION TO QUILTING AS AN ART FORM AND TO BRING RECOGNITION TO QUILTERS BECAUSE AT THE TIME WE BEGAN, NO ONE WAS REALLY ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION.

WE GIVE GRANTS FOR PEOPLE WHO DO ORIGINAL RESEARCH IN QUILTING AND IN QUILT HISTORY, AND WE PUBLISH A MAGAZINE THAT IS REALLY QUITE HANDSOME-- A JOURNAL THAT IS FULL OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH.

SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT QUILTING NEVER AGAIN HAS A CHANCE TO DIE OUT.

PERPETUATE IT FOREVER.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

WE WANT TO KEEP THEM QUILTING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, KAREY, AND WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU, GEORGIA.

Georgia: IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE CROWDS AND THE NOISE AND EXCITEMENT, WE WENT DOWN TO THE MAIN EXHIBITION FLOOR FOR A SPECIAL INTERVIEW.

TODAY IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE THE FACE BEHIND THE MAGAZINE.

BONNIE LEMAN, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER OF "QUILTER'S NEWSLETTER" HAS JOINED US TODAY.

BONNIE IS FROM WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO.

IS IT IN THE MOUNTAINS?

IT'S NEAR THE FOOTHILLS.

IT'S A SUBURB OF DENVER.

WONDERFUL.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW EXCITED PEOPLE GET WHEN THEIR ISSUE OF "QUILTER'S NEWSLETTER" COMES EVERY MONTH?

WELL, I HOPE THEY DO.

I THINK THEY DO.

WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO IT, AND WE REALIZE THAT YOU PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THIS MAGAZINE.

HOW IN THE WORLD DID IT ALL GET STARTED?

WITH A COLLECTION OF PATTERNS THAT MY MOTHER HAD THAT I DISCOVERED, AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SEWER AND LOVED FABRIC, AND THE THING JUST KIND OF CLICKED.

AND YOU WERE MAKING, JUST PRODUCING, THESE PATTERNS AND GIVING THEM TO PEOPLE?

WELL, NO.

WE ADVERTISED.

WE INVESTED--$5.00 WAS OUR START-UP CAPITAL IN AN AD TO SELL PATTERNS, AND ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS SUGGESTED A MAGAZINE AT THAT TIME.

IN 1969, THERE WERE NO QUILT MAGAZINES.

IT SEEMED LIKE A GREAT IDEA, AND IT TOOK OFF FROM THERE.

WELL, IT JUST MULTIPLIED.

IT REALLY HAS.

I REMEMBER IN ONE OF THE EARLIER ISSUES, YOU WENT AROUND THE COUNTRY IN A VAN OR A BUS OF SOME SORT.

IT WAS CALLED THE QUILTMOBILE.

THAT WAS DURING THE BICENTENNIAL.

AND THAT MUST HAVE MOTIVATED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND KIND OF GOTTEN IT OFF THE GROUND.

IT WAS MY HUSBAND'S IDEA.

HE THOUGHT WE SHOULD TRAVEL AROUND AND GET TO KNOW QUILTERS BETTER AND THEY COULD GET TO KNOW US, AND IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO CELEBRATE FOR QUILTERS THAT YEAR.

BONNIE, DO PEOPLE WRITE YOU QUESTIONS, OR HOW DO YOU RELATE TO YOUR PUBLIC?

WELL, THEY WRITE ME A LOT, AND I'M VERY GLAD ABOUT THAT.

I THINK THEY'RE MY FRIENDS, AND WE'RE ON A FIRST-NAME BASIS, BUT MOSTLY THEY MAKE COMMENTS, I THINK, RATHER THAN ASK QUESTIONS.

YOU'VE BECOME A SOUNDING BOARD.

THEY WANT TO GET IT OFF THEIR CHEST.

A LITTLE BIT.

AND I THINK IT'S THAT ONE LETTER THAT YOU HAVE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, BECAUSE YOU LET US KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND KEEP IN TOUCH THAT WAY.

WELL, I REALLY DO FEEL A BOND WITH THE READERS, AND I THINK THEY SENSE THAT.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

IS THERE A FAVORITE PATTERN?

OVER THE YEARS, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT REOCCURS?

AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE TOOK A SURVEY ONE YEAR, AND NO QUESTION.

I THINK THE LOG CABIN IS PROBABLY THE ALL-TIME FAVORITE PATTERN AND THEN, OF COURSE, ANY SCRAP QUILT.

OH.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

THE COLLECTIONS THAT YOU HAVE HERE, THAT YOU BROUGHT FROM COLORADO-- TELL US ABOUT THOSE.

NOW, THERE IS A STAR COLLECTION.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THOSE ARE QUILTS FROM OUR LATEST BOOK.

MOON OVER THE MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING COMPANY IS OUR BOOK PUBLISHING ARM, IF YOU WILL, AND JUDY MARTIN HAS WRITTEN A BOOK WITH LONE STAR VARIATIONS, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT EXHIBIT IS ABOUT.

I SEE.

AND THEN THERE'S AN INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THAT'S A GREAT DISPLAY OF QUILTS FROM MANY COUNTRIES.

WE INVITED READERS TO SEND SLIDES, AMD KAREY BRESNAHAN AND I SELECTED SOME FOR THIS SPECIAL SHOW.

THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBIT.

AND THEN WE'RE WORKING UP TO A BIG ISSUE FOR "QUILTER'S NEWSLETTER"-- THAT'S RIGHT.

THE 200th ISSUE.

ANOTHER CELEBRATION.

YOU'RE ALWAYS THINKING AHEAD, AREN'T YOU?

YOU MUST LIVE IN THE FUTURE.

OH, I LIKE THAT PHRASE.

YES, WE DO, FROM 3 MONTHS TO 9 MONTHS AHEAD ALL THE TIME FOR DEADLINES.

THE 200th ISSUE WE THOUGHT WAS WORTHY OF CELEBRATING, SO WE INVITED READERS TO SEND IN SNAPSHOTS.

WE SELECTED 42 QUILTS.

THEY SENT US THE QUILTS, WE JUDGED THEM, AND SOME OF THOSE SEMIFINALISTS ARE HERE.

I WONDER IF WE EVER ADDED THE NUMBER OF HOURS PUT IN THE STITCHES IN A SHOW LIKE THIS.

THE NUMBER WOULD BE ASTRONOMICAL, WOULDN'T IT?

IT WOULD BE A LIFETIME OF STITCHES, I THINK.

IT REALLY WOULD.

WELL, THE CONTRIBUTION THAT YOU HAVE MADE-- I NEED TO ASK YOU ONE QUESTION.

DO YOU QUILT?

WELL, I START QUILTS.

I TRY TO FINISH SOME, BUT I DON'T QUILT VERY MUCH ANYMORE.

I'M JUST TOO BUSY.

WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US, AND YOU KEEP US ALL MOTIVATED.

THANK YOU, BONNIE LEMAN.

Georgia: IF YOU TAKE ONE PART FABRIC AND ONE PART HUMOR, YOU HAVE MARY ELLEN HOPKINS FROM SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, OWNER OF THE CRAZY LADIES QUILT SHOP.

WE FOUND HER IN ANOTHER BOOTH, AND I ASKED HER TO TELL US ABOUT HER APPROACH AND ATTITUDE TOWARD QUILTING.

THANK YOU, GEORGIA.

I REMEMBER A VERY HOT DAY IN MINNESOTA WHERE YOU CAPTIVATED A WHOLE AUDIENCE.

IT WAS 105 DEGREES.

TELL US YOUR APPROACH AND YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT QUILTING TODAY.

WELL, I'LL TELL YOU.

I THINK WE ALL JUST HAVE TO DO IT, AND WE JUST LOVE-- WE JUST LOVE MAKING STUFF SO MUCH, BUT SOME OF THEM, QUILTING HAS GOTTEN SO SOPHISTICATED, IT'S FRIGHTENED SOME WOMEN.

I THINK THEY THINK THEY'RE NOT UP TO THE CALIBER.

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF QUILTS TO MAKE.

YOU GOT TO KEEP THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE WARM.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND IT'S NOT THE LITTLE HOMEMAKER DOING THE QUILTS, EITHER.

I HAVE A SHOP IN SANTA MONICA, AND ALL MY CLASSES ARE AT NIGHT.

I HAVE ALL WORKING WOMEN, YOUNG.

I HAD ONE CLASS, THERE WERE--I SAID, "WELL, WHO ARE YOU?

I DON'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF YOU."

TURNED OUT THERE WERE TWO LAWYERS, A DENTIST, THE FILM EDITOR FOR "ST.

ELSEWHERE," AND A SHOP OWNER IN BEVERLY HILLS.

NOW, NONE OF THEM HAD EVER SEWN BEFORE, BUT THE DENTIST WAS MAKING THEM.

HER SPECIALTY WAS PUTTING PEOPLE TO SLEEP, SO SHE WAS GONNA MAKE THEM TO COVER THEM UP, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST A PLAIN BLANKET.

WELL, AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, SHE CAME BACK TO THE SHOP, AND SHE WAS SHOWING ALL OF HER QUILTS.

SHE HAD THE BEST STORY TO TELL.

SHE SAID, "IT'S INTERESTING."

EVERY SINGLE MALE PATIENT SHE'D HAD, THE SECOND TIME HE'D COME BACK, SHE'D GET IN THE CHAIR, PUT THE THING DOWN, AND PUT IT ON, AND HE'D SAY, "OH.

THIS ISN'T MY QUILT."

THEY WANTED THE ORIGINAL QUILT.

SHE'D HAVE TO GO IN ANOTHER ROOM, CHANGE THE BLANKETS, THE QUILT, AND PUT IT BACK.

NOT ONE WOMAN PATIENT HAD EVER SAID THAT.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

GOOD APPROACH.

GOOD APPROACH.

I LIKE THE IDEA THAT THEY WORK ALL DAY, BUT YET HAVE THE STAMINA TO GO ON AT NIGHT.

THEY DO, AND THEY WEREN'T SEWERS.

THEY HAD TO BORROW MACHINES, AND THEIR ATTITUDE WAS, "HOW HARD CAN IT BE?

JUST SHOW ME WHERE."

BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SEWING STRAIGHT AHEAD.

YOU'RE JUST USING A MACHINE INSTEAD OF GLUE.

WE'RE NOT DOING NOTCHED COLLARS HERE.

RIGHT.

WELL, WE AS QUILTERS TODAY-- WE'RE JUGGLERS.

I SEE YOUR SUITCASE BACK THERE.

I KNOW YOU'RE JUGGLING THE SUITCASE WITH THAT CRAZY LADIES SHOP.

OH.

DO YOU LIKE THE TRAVELING PART OF IT?

OH, YES.

OH, GEORGIA, WE REALLY DO, DON'T WE?

WE COVER THE TERRITORY, DON'T WE?

IT'S A LOT OF FUN, AND IT'S A PARTY EVERYWHERE WE GO.

WELL, WITH THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO QUILT?

IT REALLY IS, AND THE COLORS-- THEY'RE SO EXCITING.

YOU JUST GOT BACK FROM NEW MEXICO, I UNDERSTAND.

OH, YES, AND THE COLORS-- WHY, THAT'S THE MOST-- I DON'T THINK PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH COLOR IS IN THE DESERT, AND THAT SHOW HAD MORE BRILLIANT COLORS IN IT THAN MOST QUILT SHOWS I'VE BEEN TO.

I THINK IT'S WHERE THEY'RE FROM.

WELL, NOW, I THINK TURQUOISE--WHAT WERE THE COLORS DOWN THERE?

OH, BRILLIANT TURQUOISES AND FUCHSIAS AND MAGENTAS AND JADES.

IT WAS JUST-- IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

DID YOU SEE ANY HOT-AIR BALLOONS?

YES, WE WERE THERE, AND THEY JUST ALL ASCENDED.

YEAH.

IT WAS GREAT.

I LOVE THE NOISE THEY MAKE.

YEAH!

IT REALLY IS NEAT.

IT'S NEAT.

NOW, HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN QUILTING?

WHAT WAS THE VERY BEGINNING FOR YOU?

I HAD TO DO SOME KIND OF A BUSINESS, AND I WANTED TO OPEN A RESTAURANT.

OH, GEORGIA, THANK HEAVEN I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.

[LAUGHTER] THE SHOP.

I LOVE THE SHOP.

WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE NOT COOKING, THAT YOU'RE SEWING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

FABRIC AND COLOR SELECTION FOR QUILTMAKING SEEMS TO BOGGLE THE MIND.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

I THINK THE BEST WAY IS TO ORGANIZE YOUR FABRIC STASH.

START SEPARATING THE COLORS.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOURSELF SOME NICE LAUNDRY HAMPERS OR EVEN PAPER SACKS.

PUT THEM OUT IN YOUR SEWING ROOM AND THEN PULL ALL THE FABRIC OUT, FIND THOSE ONCE REJECT PIECES OF FABRIC THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE NOW.

DOES YOUR FABRIC STASH LOOK LIKE THIS, OR DOES-- OH, MY.

WELL, IT'S TIME TO ORGANIZE IT.

PUT ALL YOUR REDS IN ONE, ALL YOUR BLUES IN ANOTHER, AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, THEN TAKE TIME TO EVEN SEPARATE THE TINTS AND THE SHADES WHEN YOU STACK IT ALL UP.

FOR INSTANCE, HERE ARE MY GREENS.

HERE'S A NICE TRUE VALUE OF GREEN.

THE TINTS ARE GOING TO BE THE LIGHTER VALUES OF THAT GREEN, WHEREAS THE SHADES ARE GONNA BE THE DARK ONE.

THAT'S GONNA HELP YOU A LOT WHEN YOU'RE CHOOSING FABRICS FOR YOUR NEXT QUILT.

ANOTHER THING YOU MIGHT CONSIDER IS WHEN YOU BUY YOUR FABRIC, HAVE YOUR FABRIC SHOP PUT IT IN A BROWN PAPER BAG.

THEN YOU CAN PUT YOUR GROCERIES RIGHT ON TOP, AND WHEN YOU MARCH RIGHT IN THE HOUSE, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS MOSTLY FABRIC, YOU CAN SNEAK THAT INTO THE KITCHEN.

OUR TIP OF THE DAY COMES FROM RUBY BENNETT OF ROCKY HILL, CONNECTICUT.

SHE CLAIMS SHE THREADS A WHOLE PACK OF QUILTING NEEDLES ON HER QUILTING THREAD.

THEN EVERY TIME SHE NEEDS A NEW QUILTING NEEDLE AND THREAD, SHE'S READY TO GO AND IT SAVES HER TIME.

NEXT TIME WE'LL SEE YOU WITH MORE FROM HOUSTON.

"LAP QUILTING WITH GEORGIA BONESTEEL" WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INCORPORATED, MAKERS OF SCISSORS AND SHEARS FOR THE HOME, CLASSROOM, AND INDUSTRY.

AND COATS & CLARK, SERVING AMERICA'S SEWING NEEDS FOR OVER 125 YEARS, FEATURING J&P COATS DUAL DUTY PLUS THREAD.

GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS THE AUTHOR OF "LAP QUILTING," "MORE LAP QUILTING," AND "NEW IDEAS FOR LAP QUILTING," PUBLISHED BY OXMOOR HOUSE AND AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.