Jane Sassaman quilt artist, fabric designer, author and teacher

There have been some delicious changes in northern Illinois in the last few weeks. As you can see from the top photo, the soybean fields have turned to gold and the wild prairies are sprinkled with purple and golden yellow. The purple asters are especially plentiful. Being “Miss Contrast” I love the purple petals with the orange/yellow centers which glow in the evening autumn light.

The sedum have their fresh colors on display, too, adding more pink to the overall color scheme

The native sunflowers are quite dramatic now as their yellow petals drop and the pregnant seedpod begins to look like our favorite felted beads blowing in the wind. 

Greg has been planting Moonflower vines by the front door for several summers now and this season they have been taking their sweet time to blossom. They have spectacular twisted buds which anticipate the magnificent blossoms to come. They actually open in the night time and are so high on the vine that we can see them better from our second story bedroom. The large flat flower and skinny throat look like  platters balanced on a stick or a delicate stemmed goblet. 

You can see why we look forward to these dramatic blossoms! And to have them are the “end” of the season makes them even more precious.

Even as the flowers still bloom, the damp fall forest decay is following the traditional seasonal schedule. The variety of funky fungus shapes are amazing, especially after such a wet year.

These growths look like they were deliberately placed as lovely trunk ornaments or broaches.

I am forever overwhelmed by Mother Nature’s imagination.

Here are a couple of critters that also appreciate the recent rain. This tiny turtle was hanging out by the garden faucet. If you look very closely, you will spy a tiny snail clinging to his back foot. He looks like a pine cone with legs.

These little frogs like to climb up windows, even very high ones. Many nights this summer we had one of these little guys on our bedroom window, stalking bugs that were attracted to our reading lights.

This long environmental report is due to the fact that my new line was delivered unexpectedly late on Sept. 10. Needless to say, I dived into it early the next day. Since then I have made four quilt tops and one back. Poor Greg only sees me when I get hungry and head up to the kitchen. But it is BEAUTIFUL and it is killing me to keep it a secret until Houston Market! 

There have been some delicious changes in northern Illinois in the last few weeks. As you can see from the top photo, the soybean fields have turned to gold and the wild prairies are sprinkled with purple and golden yellow. The purple asters are especially plentiful. Being “Miss Contrast” I love the purple petals with the orange/yellow centers which glow in the evening autumn light.

The sedum have their fresh colors on display, too, adding more pink to the overall color scheme

The native sunflowers are quite dramatic now as their yellow petals drop and the pregnant seedpod begins to look like our favorite felted beads blowing in the wind. 

Greg has been planting Moonflower vines by the front door for several summers now and this season they have been taking their sweet time to blossom. They have spectacular twisted buds which anticipate the magnificent blossoms to come. They actually open in the night time and are so high on the vine that we can see them better from our second story bedroom. The large flat flower and skinny throat look like  platters balanced on a stick or a delicate stemmed goblet. 

You can see why we look forward to these dramatic blossoms! And to have them are the “end” of the season makes them even more precious.

Even as the flowers still bloom, the damp fall forest decay is following the traditional seasonal schedule. The variety of funky fungus shapes are amazing, especially after such a wet year.

These growths look like they were deliberately placed as lovely trunk ornaments or broaches.

I am forever overwhelmed by Mother Nature’s imagination.

Here are a couple of critters that also appreciate the recent rain. This tiny turtle was hanging out by the garden faucet. If you look very closely, you will spy a tiny snail clinging to his back foot. He looks like a pine cone with legs.

These little frogs like to climb up windows, even very high ones. Many nights this summer we had one of these little guys on our bedroom window, stalking bugs that were attracted to our reading lights.

This long environmental report is due to the fact that my new line was delivered unexpectedly late on Sept. 10. Needless to say, I dived into it early the next day. Since then I have made four quilt tops and one back. Poor Greg only sees me when I get hungry and head up to the kitchen. But it is BEAUTIFUL and it is killing me to keep it a secret until Houston Market! 

Our Midwestern landscape has taken another step toward Autumn this week. Each day the corn and soybeans become more golden. Here is a peek at the field next to us… a sea of soybeans after last nights heavy rain. In a short while this will be dancing waves of yellow leaves.

I traditionally kept my August through October teaching schedule light because I usually get my new FreeSpirit fabrics in August. Once they hit my door step, they are my only focus in preparation for Houston Quilt Market at the end of October. But this year, even though I finished the designs ahead of schedule, there were more color corrections than usual and the strike-offs traveled between the factory and here four or five times. Now the fabrics may not arrive until the end of September! Yikes!

I have been hibernating in the studio and enjoying this luxury. Besides the mosquitoes make it impossible to stay outside! It has been a long time since I have worked on a quilt this big and wrestling so much fabric through the sewing machine. But it feels great to get back to some personal work.

I am using some of the decorative stitches for the quilting, too. You can see how they add interest, rhythm and texture… the last layer of icing on the cake.

Yes, thousands of threads to bury! But what a joy to have the time to enjoy the process. 

The bumblebee is developing some personality, as his real life brothers are busy, busy busy in the garden outside the door. Perhaps I should have included mosquitoes in the composition, too, for they certainly have been the theme here this summer! Consequently, there has not been much weeding done.

But in spite of it all, wearing his mosquito net hat, long sleeves and pants tucked into his socks, Greg has done a marvelous job with the flowers and the kitchen garden in ten minute spurts.

This has been a wonderful year for tomatoes. Don’t these look like jewels after the rain?

Personally, I don’t think you can have too many fresh tomatoes. The kitchen counter is covered with the bounty of summer and every visitor goes home with a sack of home grown goodies.

Oh well, we’ll work on the weeds next year. Another good excuse to head for the studio!

Our Midwestern landscape has taken another step toward Autumn this week. Each day the corn and soybeans become more golden. Here is a peek at the field next to us… a sea of soybeans after last nights heavy rain. In a short while this will be dancing waves of yellow leaves.

I traditionally kept my August through October teaching schedule light because I usually get my new FreeSpirit fabrics in August. Once they hit my door step, they are my only focus in preparation for Houston Quilt Market at the end of October. But this year, even though I finished the designs ahead of schedule, there were more color corrections than usual and the strike-offs traveled between the factory and here four or five times. Now the fabrics may not arrive until the end of September! Yikes!

I have been hibernating in the studio and enjoying this luxury. Besides the mosquitoes make it impossible to stay outside! It has been a long time since I have worked on a quilt this big and wrestling so much fabric through the sewing machine. But it feels great to get back to some personal work.

I am using some of the decorative stitches for the quilting, too. You can see how they add interest, rhythm and texture… the last layer of icing on the cake.

Yes, thousands of threads to bury! But what a joy to have the time to enjoy the process. 

The bumblebee is developing some personality, as his real life brothers are busy, busy busy in the garden outside the door. Perhaps I should have included mosquitoes in the composition, too, for they certainly have been the theme here this summer! Consequently, there has not been much weeding done.

But in spite of it all, wearing his mosquito net hat, long sleeves and pants tucked into his socks, Greg has done a marvelous job with the flowers and the kitchen garden in ten minute spurts.

This has been a wonderful year for tomatoes. Don’t these look like jewels after the rain?

Personally, I don’t think you can have too many fresh tomatoes. The kitchen counter is covered with the bounty of summer and every visitor goes home with a sack of home grown goodies.

Oh well, we’ll work on the weeds next year. Another good excuse to head for the studio!

I am still thinking about the wonderful sights I saw during my extraordinary Australian teaching adventure. No matter where I travel, I love to look at houses! I like to imagine the home’s inhabitants and wonder about their lives. This is a charming Australian style cottage which I noticed everywhere. Many are being rescued and lovingly renovated and many new homes are being modeled on these quaint ancestors. This architectural style personifies Australia’s respect for traditions and good manners.

Another convention that delighted me was morning and afternoon “Tea Time”which occurred with perfect punctuality every workshop day. And almost everyone in class brought their own tea mug from home! And each mug had a special carrying container, as well!

In Brisbane, many of the gals were using the same cute pattern for their Mug Bags. This one belongs to Bev Sellers and happens to be made with Sassaman fabric from the Sunshine & Shadow line. Needless to say, Bev got extra points from the teacher!

Some of these adorable satchels even sported little pockets to carry a favored tea packet. There were always little cakes or scones with whipped cream and jam to enjoy with your tea, too! Consequently, the art of baking cakes is alive and well respected in Australia, too.

The coffee break is a thing of the past in the American workplace, we just carry our paper coffee cups everywhere we go and Starbucks is on every corner. But in Australia Tea Time is a comforting custom that I think we should remember and revive on this side of the world! 

But here, on the home front, the growth is lush, the mosquitoes are ever present and the zucchinis are the size of baseball bats! This morning, on my walk through the park, I noticed the first turned red leaves of autumn and acorns spread over the ground. Summer has peeked, fall is in site and I have some stitching to do in the studio… life is good!

I am still thinking about the wonderful sights I saw during my extraordinary Australian teaching adventure. No matter where I travel, I love to look at houses! I like to imagine the home’s inhabitants and wonder about their lives. This is a charming Australian style cottage which I noticed everywhere. Many are being rescued and lovingly renovated and many new homes are being modeled on these quaint ancestors. This architectural style personifies Australia’s respect for traditions and good manners.

Another convention that delighted me was morning and afternoon “Tea Time”which occurred with perfect punctuality every workshop day. And almost everyone in class brought their own tea mug from home! And each mug had a special carrying container, as well!

In Brisbane, many of the gals were using the same cute pattern for their Mug Bags. This one belongs to Bev Sellers and happens to be made with Sassaman fabric from the Sunshine & Shadow line. Needless to say, Bev got extra points from the teacher!

Some of these adorable satchels even sported little pockets to carry a favored tea packet. There were always little cakes or scones with whipped cream and jam to enjoy with your tea, too! Consequently, the art of baking cakes is alive and well respected in Australia, too.

The coffee break is a thing of the past in the American workplace, we just carry our paper coffee cups everywhere we go and Starbucks is on every corner. But in Australia Tea Time is a comforting custom that I think we should remember and revive on this side of the world! 

But here, on the home front, the growth is lush, the mosquitoes are ever present and the zucchinis are the size of baseball bats! This morning, on my walk through the park, I noticed the first turned red leaves of autumn and acorns spread over the ground. Summer has peeked, fall is in site and I have some stitching to do in the studio… life is good!

A week ago I returned from a fabulous teaching tour in Australia. I was forewarned that it would be winter when I arrived on the other side of the world. But to my delight it was not the same winter we have at home. I laughed every time someone complained about the “cold”. As you can see from these photos it was very moderate and pleasant; flowers still bloomed and the birds were enthusiastic.

Every afternoon reminded me of our early autumn… the temperature, the slant of the light, the long shadows and the hint of crispness in the air. It was lovely!

Above is a photo of my first teaching location, at Be Creative by the Sea Symposium in Coffs Harbour on the Tasman Sea in New South Wales. So most mornings began with a walk on the beach or exploring the residential neighborhoods near the resort. Below are two wonderful signs on the hotel property at the beginning of their little nature walk.

The wild life was quite exotic to this Midwestern girl. All the birds were twice as big and twice as loud as the ones at home. On my first evening I spied a huge bat flying right outside the window and hanging in a palm tree! This was not a puny little bat from Illinois, but a BIG bat just like the vampire movies! It was thrilling. My host, who lives in Coffs Harbour all year, says that in the summer there would be hundreds of them in the air!!

On my days off I was always treated to a local tour and gardens were always on my list of places to visit. The flora of Australia is unbelievable and just as amazing as the critters. Most of my classes were about translating and abstracting designs from nature, so the class projects often portrayed native Australian plants. This was a nice way for me to learn more about the flowers, too.

Just scroll through the photos and you will see a small sampling of the natural wonders that I enjoyed during my visit. I had plans to post my pictures while I was there, but the Internet, especially WiFi is often expensive and difficult to find. But it was kind of nice to be excused from everyday tasks and to take advantage of this incredible sensory experience.

These spiky trees were one of my favorite discoveries! It is called a Floss Silk Tree and is a native of South America. The thorns are the size of a Hershey’s Kiss or larger!! Delightfully dangerous!

I see a quilt or new textile design in every photo and I am anxious to get into my studio and let the Australian inspiration take over. I will also be thinking about the many wonderful men and women who are new friends on the other side of the earth. Who could dream that quilting would led to such an extraordinary journey! 

A week ago I returned from a fabulous teaching tour in Australia. I was forewarned that it would be winter when I arrived on the other side of the world. But to my delight it was not the same winter we have at home. I laughed every time someone complained about the “cold”. As you can see from these photos it was very moderate and pleasant; flowers still bloomed and the birds were enthusiastic.

Every afternoon reminded me of our early autumn… the temperature, the slant of the light, the long shadows and the hint of crispness in the air. It was lovely!

Above is a photo of my first teaching location, at Be Creative by the Sea Symposium in Coffs Harbour on the Tasman Sea in New South Wales. So most mornings began with a walk on the beach or exploring the residential neighborhoods near the resort. Below are two wonderful signs on the hotel property at the beginning of their little nature walk.

The wild life was quite exotic to this Midwestern girl. All the birds were twice as big and twice as loud as the ones at home. On my first evening I spied a huge bat flying right outside the window and hanging in a palm tree! This was not a puny little bat from Illinois, but a BIG bat just like the vampire movies! It was thrilling. My host, who lives in Coffs Harbour all year, says that in the summer there would be hundreds of them in the air!!

On my days off I was always treated to a local tour and gardens were always on my list of places to visit. The flora of Australia is unbelievable and just as amazing as the critters. Most of my classes were about translating and abstracting designs from nature, so the class projects often portrayed native Australian plants. This was a nice way for me to learn more about the flowers, too.

Just scroll through the photos and you will see a small sampling of the natural wonders that I enjoyed during my visit. I had plans to post my pictures while I was there, but the Internet, especially WiFi is often expensive and difficult to find. But it was kind of nice to be excused from everyday tasks and to take advantage of this incredible sensory experience.

These spiky trees were one of my favorite discoveries! It is called a Floss Silk Tree and is a native of South America. The thorns are the size of a Hershey’s Kiss or larger!! Delightfully dangerous!

I see a quilt or new textile design in every photo and I am anxious to get into my studio and let the Australian inspiration take over. I will also be thinking about the many wonderful men and women who are new friends on the other side of the earth. Who could dream that quilting would led to such an extraordinary journey! 

Summer classes have begun in earnest now. My journeys began in California with a three guild visit: San Francisco Quilt Guild, the Santa Rosa guild and the Moonlight Quilter’s Guild. Thanks to the organization of all the workshop chairwomen the travel between locations was smooth and easy.

And best of all, I was able to see some wonderful sights along the way.

I stayed in a modest but delightfully located inn right on the ocean and in Golden Gate Park. The Legion of Honor was just up the hill and the hiking path began almost outside my door. The trees above were on the path of my morning walk along the coast. As a Hitchcock fan, I was reminded of his movie, Vertigo, since so much of the movie takes place in this very location. Consequently, I had Bernard Herrmann music running through my mind during the entire trip. 

I was lucky to be able to spend two nights at a cozy home in Sabastopol. The California hills were just turning golden and the roads were faced by wineries and apple orchards all along the way. Here is a field of fragrant lavender in the midday sun located on the grounds of a handsome winery.

One night we drove over to Bodaga Bay on the coast. The landscape of steep rolling hills and occasional wind swept trees were stunning in the magic light of sunset. This is, of course, the setting for another Hitchcock film, The Birds. So there was a delightfully ominous theme to this trip! That evening the ocean was rip roaring and the wind was fierce, but that just added to the atmosphere of the location.

In Santa Rosa, I got to visit the home of the famous horticulturist, Luther Burbank. The grounds were filled with design inspiration. Above is an opulent branch of plump plums against the clear blue sky.

And below is a gathering of Love-in-a-Mist… one of my all time favorite plants. They will show up in a quilt one day, I’m sure. Here I also discovered a memorable quote from Mr. Burbank:

“Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water-bugs, tadpoles, frogs and mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, water-lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education.” 

Upon my return home, a huge storm was brewing. We got in the door just as the sky broke open with lightning, thunder and driving rain. We sat on the screened porch to enjoy the show. Now that’s a welcome home! Our garden is very happy as I prepare for my next journey which begins tomorrow as I fly to Australia for a month of new quilting adventures. So Greg will be on garden duty and much will change in the weeks to come. But perhaps I’ll come back to some ripe home grown tomatoes!

Summer classes have begun in earnest now. My journeys began in California with a three guild visit: San Francisco Quilt Guild, the Santa Rosa guild and the Moonlight Quilter’s Guild. Thanks to the organization of all the workshop chairwomen the travel between locations was smooth and easy.

And best of all, I was able to see some wonderful sights along the way.

I stayed in a modest but delightfully located inn right on the ocean and in Golden Gate Park. The Legion of Honor was just up the hill and the hiking path began almost outside my door. The trees above were on the path of my morning walk along the coast. As a Hitchcock fan, I was reminded of his movie, Vertigo, since so much of the movie takes place in this very location. Consequently, I had Bernard Herrmann music running through my mind during the entire trip. 

I was lucky to be able to spend two nights at a cozy home in Sabastopol. The California hills were just turning golden and the roads were faced by wineries and apple orchards all along the way. Here is a field of fragrant lavender in the midday sun located on the grounds of a handsome winery.

One night we drove over to Bodaga Bay on the coast. The landscape of steep rolling hills and occasional wind swept trees were stunning in the magic light of sunset. This is, of course, the setting for another Hitchcock film, The Birds. So there was a delightfully ominous theme to this trip! That evening the ocean was rip roaring and the wind was fierce, but that just added to the atmosphere of the location.

In Santa Rosa, I got to visit the home of the famous horticulturist, Luther Burbank. The grounds were filled with design inspiration. Above is an opulent branch of plump plums against the clear blue sky.

And below is a gathering of Love-in-a-Mist… one of my all time favorite plants. They will show up in a quilt one day, I’m sure. Here I also discovered a memorable quote from Mr. Burbank:

“Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water-bugs, tadpoles, frogs and mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, water-lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education.” 

Upon my return home, a huge storm was brewing. We got in the door just as the sky broke open with lightning, thunder and driving rain. We sat on the screened porch to enjoy the show. Now that’s a welcome home! Our garden is very happy as I prepare for my next journey which begins tomorrow as I fly to Australia for a month of new quilting adventures. So Greg will be on garden duty and much will change in the weeks to come. But perhaps I’ll come back to some ripe home grown tomatoes!