Along with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims, Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home Magazine is both honoring the past and creating a new future. His magazine has now reached the stage where you can now subscribe and stop searching various bookstores that carry his magazine (when it is not already sold out!). Congratulations to Mark and his magazine team. 

Recently, Elena Morera and I were having dinner with Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston when Freddy showed me Mark’s Nov/Dec 2007 issue. Mark asked numerous quilters what was in their refrigerator and then photographed the contents! He called Freddy and said that he wanted to meet her at her home but would not divulge the reason until he was at the door. It’s a delightful article to read (and yes, he does list all the items in the frig). TQS co-host Alex Anderson is also a featured “frig” guest. 

Several issues ago, he collected and published high school graduation pictures and featured TQS co-hosts, Ricky and Alex. That’s the sort of fun he has with his magazine. And yes, he does have more serious and quilt-related articles as well. While Mark was at Freddy’s house, he said he was a big fan of Gwen’s and her book, Collaborative Quilting. He told Freddy that he planned to review their book and has in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue. He concludes the book review: "You need this book because it is first-rate from start to finish. No kidding." (And Amazon Book readers give their book 4.5 stars!)

I was blessed to have taken over 90% of the photos (and all of the over 80 quilts featured) for the book. It was my first ever quilt book and what a dream team to photograph. The book has sold far beyond the publisher’s expectations as it is already in its fourth printing! 

And speaking of Gwen Marston, while I can’t reveal anymore at this time, she and I are at work on a project that is new, fun, and could be a portent of things to come. Gwen had this great idea and approached me with it. I jumped at the chance to work with her again. For those who don’t know, Gwen quilts by hand and uses an old Singer sewing machine. She has published over 20 books including an award winning book: Mary Schafer, American Quilt Maker by Michigan State University Press. As this “under quilt-cover” project progresses further, I’ll give you more details. 

Freddy and Gwen will be co-teaching at Empty Spools Seminar this March 2008.

So, how many of you are subscriber’s to Mark Lipinski’s Quilter’s Home Magazine? I know I’m one. And what are your (not so) secret projects that you can share with us?