The Inspiration

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for December is inspired by a the jewel Vincent Astor gave his lovely bride-to-be, Brooke Russell Kuser, in 1953. This 22.84-carat beauty from Brazil is flanked by eight baguette-cut diamonds.

Brooke Astor – “The Last Mrs. Astor” – became a fixture of New York society upon her marriage into one of the richest and most storied families in America. Vincent’s grandmother, Carolyn Schemmerhorn Astor, held court over New York society during the Gilded Age. Many newly wealthy families tried desparately to break into the exclusive circle of NY society only to be rebuffed by the haughty (and hypocritical) doyenne. She famously had calling cards printed with the title “The Mrs. Astor” after one of her daughters-in-law had the audacity to print her own calling cards with the name “Mrs. Astor”.  Brooke was the LAST Mrs. Astor…and the most beloved.

​Since we’ve encountered so many emeralds in this adventure, I was reluctant to create another. However Brooke’s story is the stuff of legend and I couldn’t resist. Also, I decided to really experiment with a very limited palette of greens to give this gem its understated beauty. Finally, there are 2 sets of curves in this gem. There is a curve inside the gem and around the edges of the background. Enjoy!

The Video

Enjoy the story of the LAST Mrs. Astor, a beloved New York icon.

The Pattern

The Colorway

The Inspiration

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for November is inspired by a really unusual amethyst. This 16-carat beauty from Brazil was cut by BD Drummond in his new “Fortune Teller” cut. A folded-paper children’s game inspired the new cut.

His journey into jewelry and gemstone cutting began in 2014 as he returned home from traveling to faraway places like Nepal and Peru. Those years of adventure and exploration ignited his creative path, reinvigorating his lifelong love for architecture, sacred geometry, and intricate patterns. 

​After he faceted his first gemstone in 2018, he uncovered a true passion for the lapidary arts. His unique background in machining has led to the use of unconventional tools for carving gems— an innovation that is evident in the distinct style and precision of his cuts. His life-long love of sacred geometry and architecture have now found a place at forefront of his carved gemstone designs. Enjoy!

The Video: BD’s Gems

Enjoy!

The Pattern

The Colorway

The Inspiration

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for October is inspired by a lovely 34.05-carat emerald-cut diamond once owned by billionaire philanthropist, Lily Safra.

Lily was born in Brazil and married four times. Her husbands were successful and wealthy, providing for her every need. Those needs included a love of jewels and so Lily received many gorgeous pieces.

When her collection went up for auction at Christies in 2012, the pieces went for far more than anticipated, bringing in an awesome $35.1 million. The proceeds were split between approximately 35 different charities.

This month’s pattern includes lots of long, straight facets. Their long edges should be placed on the straight of grain whenever possible. In addition, it includes two set-in seams. These aren’t difficult. I’ll walk  you through the process in the instructions.

Enjoy!

The Video: Lovely Lily

I hope you enjoy learning more about this lovely and generous woman. Enjoy!

The Colorway

The Inspiration

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for September is inspired by the national gemstone of Mexico, the Mexican Fire Opal. This stone was born in the ancient volcanic flows of Mexico. The Aztecs were among the first to discover it, calling it the Hummingbird stone (vitzitziltecpal) named for the iridescent color that resembled the plumage of a hummingbird.

Opals are called amorphous solid, because they do not have a crystalline structure organized in a definite pattern like diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Such solids include glass, plastic, and gel. The most significant fire opals are mined in Mexico’s largest site in Magdalena, Jalisco. Mexican fire opals are the only natural opal that can be faceted with precise calibration. Most opals are “cabbed”, polished into shiny cabachon domes. 

The ”drama queen” we’re going to meet this month is Frida Kahlo, one of the most significant artists of the early 20^th Century. Her life rivals legend, a perfect pairing with the Mexican Fire Opal. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy learning more about Frida’s life and legacy. She was a tiny little woman with a gigantic spirit. Her passion and pain infused her artwork so much so that she became one of the greatest Surrealist painters of the early 20th Century. Enjoy!

The Colorway

The Inspiration

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for August is inspired by an orangey-red tourmaline that I’d like to think was similar to one owned by Alice Roosevelt Longworth during her time in the Washington DC limelight. It’s a little topsy-turvy, sort of like Alice.

Alice Roosevelt was the oldest child of President Teddy Roosevelt. She was 16 when she moved to the White House in 1901. She was a handful even when she was being well-behaved….which wasn’t often. She smoked, wore trousers, drove fast cars, and carried in her handbag both a tiny pistol and garter snake named Emily Spinach, which she’d sometimes release at the dinner table.

Alice used to bug her father in the Oval Office, too. The exhausted president once commented to his friend, author Owen Wister, after she interrupted their conversation for the third time, “I can either run the country or I can attend to Alice, but I cannot possibly do both” and he threatened to throw her out the window.

Alice lived a large – if not very happy – life. Her only daughter, who died as a young woman, was the result of an affair with Idaho Senator Borah. Always wickedly sly, Alice considered naming her daughter “Deborah” as in “de Borah”. She settled on “Pauline”, but many referred to Pauline thereafter as “Aurora Borah Alice.” (Aurora Borealis!)

I hope you enjoy learning about Alice Roosevelt Longworth, a real Drama Queen!

Colorway Document

I’ve created 2 colorways representing several aspects of Alice’s wild life. Of course, you can also use any of the other colorways provided in previous months OR create your own!

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for July is inspired by a remarkable gem that is part of the Smithsonian’s National Gem Collection. The Whitney Alexandrite is a spectacular 17.03-carat, cushion-cut Alexandrite. This gem is a variety of chrysoberyl known for its dramatic color change. Trace impurities of chromium cause Alexandrite to transmit red and green light equally well.

Dr. Coralyn Wright Whitney gifted this gem to the Smithsonian in 2009. Dr. Whitney was a research professor in biostatistics. After retiring from academia, she earned her graduate gemologist and accredited jewelry degrees from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Dr. Whitney has been a significant contributor to educational and research gems in addition to donating two of the most beautiful gems in the collection. She also donated the Whitney Flame Topaz in 2018.

Enjoy my interview with Dr. Whitney!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Coralyn Wright Whitney, donor of the Whitney Alexandrite in 2020 for the Tiny Treasures Club. Enjoy!

Colorway Document

I’ve created 2 colorways representing the amazing color changes of the Alexandrite gemstone. Of course, you can also use any of the other colorways provided in previous months OR create your own!

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for June is inspired by an Asscher cut gemstone, a square emerald-cut invented and branded by the Asscher brothers in Holland in 1902. It became wildly popular in the 1920s, about the time our Drama Queen, Suzann Belperron, started her spectacular jewelry design career.

Suzann Belperron was one of only a handful of women who were major designers in the early 20^th Century. Her designs were worn by & sought after by some of our favorite Drama Queens like Mona von Bismarck and Wallis Simpson.

Suzann spent her entire life designing jewelry, yet also played an important role in resisting the Nazi’s when they invaded France. Her employer, Bernard Hertz, sold the company to her prior to being detained and eventually killed in Auschwitz during WWII. Suzann joined the French Resistance and avidly fought the occupation. When Herz’s son was released from prison camp, she turned the firm over to him and continued to work by his side.

I hope you enjoy learning about this amazing woman as much as I have!

One more thing….As promised, I created this month’s pattern to be a pretty simple little design. You can always add more facets to it! Remember to give them unique identifier codes and add your hashmarks. Feel free to use the image to the right to inspire you on ways to scatter color throughout the additional facets. And be sure to make a copy of your customized pattern, too, so you’ll have a key to help you put it back together. Have fun!

Enjoy the June video all about Suzanne Belperron’s amazing career.

Colorway Document

I used 7 colors in this pattern, one less than the 8 that I typically use. In addition, I’ve only provided 1 colorway, since I know that you know how to put colors together in gorgeous ways! You can always use the fabric selections from any of the previous month’s to inspire you.

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for May is inspired by a lovely amethyst cut in a modified triangular shape. I loved the inner triangles that are tumbling through its center.

I’d like to introduce you this month to someone who may not have been a Drama Queen himself, but certainly created gorgeous jewelry for them. His name is Jean Schlumberger. (“Jean” is French for “John”. It’s not pronounced “Jeen”, like it looks to us Americans. Instead it’s pronounced kind of like this:  “Szhaw”. The “n” is silent.)

Jean created fabulous jewels for Tiffany & Co. for many years. His fanciful designs were inspired by nature, especially sea creatures. Clientele included Babe Paley, the Countess Mona von Bismarck, the Duchess of Windsor (nee Wallis Simpson), Gloria Guiness, and others.

This design has LOTS of facets. As a result the pieces are small and the Unique Identifier codes are small, too. So for those of you who typically make the 6” version, please take a deep breath and be patient with yourself….OR try a larger size.  Enjoy!

Enjoy the May video all about legendary jeweler, Jean Schlumberger.

Colorway Document

As usual, I’ve provided fabric translations in 3 different fabric lines: KONA Cotton Solids, Moda Bella Solids, and Painter’s Palette Solids (by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics). Please keep in mind that only KONA has the closest color match since they have the most robust line of solids. I’ve tried to select colors from Moda Bella Solids and Painter’s Palette that come close, but sometimes it was a bit of a stretch.

Shine on!

Our Diamonds & Drama Queens pattern for April is inspired by a pinkish-red diamond that I’d like to think was similar to one owned by Daisy Fellowes, heiress to the Singer sewing machine fortune. Daisy was allegedly wearing a fabulous pink diamond brooch when she met with her friend, the Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. The striking color inspired Elsa to invent the color “shocking pink” and use it to launch her 1937 perfume collection

Enjoy the April video all about Daisy Fellowes and her amazing life.

Colorway Document

I’ve provided several different colorways for this month’s gem pattern:

Shocking Pink (new this month)
Emerald
Golden Topaz (new this month)
Tanzanite (new this month)
White Diamond

As usual, I’ve provided fabric translations in 3 different fabric lines: KONA Cotton Solids, Moda Bella Solids, and Painter’s Palette Solids (by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics). Please keep in mind that only KONA has the closest color match since they have the most robust line of solids. I’ve tried to select colors from Moda Bella Solids and Painter’s Palette that come close, but sometimes it was a bit of a stretch.

In this pattern, I attempted to make the center part of the gemstone darker than the surrounding facets (except in the case of the White Diamond, where the center is lighter because I flipped the color code progression). Since this sometimes resulted in the center becoming TOO dark, I switched out some of the colors which resulted in the code progression to not be a true progression from lights to darks.

For example, in some cases, you’ll see that the code “F” is lighter in value than the previous codes. Also please note that I used 2 codes for Black facets in the White Diamond colorway. When you look at it, you might think it’s a typo; it is not.

As I always say, there are no wrong answers to color! I designed my block and then played with the colors until my heart said, “Yes! This is it.” That resulted in some changes to the value progression.

I hope you are beginning to feel comfortable, too, playing with your color options to satisfy your heart’s desire, rather than sticking with the instructions. I want your gemstones to sparkle in a way that brings you maximum JOY.

Shine on!

March Mid-Month Meet-Up

This video is a recording of March’s Mid-Month Meet-Up. Since this is the last month for those who joined in 2021 and have decided not to renew, I wanted to provide this trunk show for them as a “thank you” for joining me on the adventure. Thanks for making beautiful gems with me!

Video: Babe’s Marquise

Enjoy this month’s presentation all about Babe Paley and her fabulous jewelry.

This month’s gem is inspired by a stunning amethyst, diamond, ruby and gold ring created by the house of Verdura. Verdura was the favored jeweler of high society, including Babe Paley, who was nicknamed “The Queen of New York.”

Colorway Document

I’ve provided several different colorways for this month’s gem pattern. I’m introducing a collection of purplish-pinks and periwinkle fabrics for this month’s new color: amethyst.

In addition, I’ve provided all 5 of the previous colorways, too: Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Diamond & Citrine.

All the colorways are offered with a white and black background. Depending on the color you choose, some of the backgrounds work better than others. But, as always, this is all about personal preference. Select the background that makes your heart happy.

Mid-Month Meet-Up
(AM Edition)

Hi there! Here is a recording of our Mid-Month Meet-Up Zoom time together last Wednesday morning (Feb 23, 2022). It was great to catch up with all of you who could make the meetings! In this recording, there’s some fun catch-up chat at first. Then at about the 6:30-minute mark, we start sharing our Taylor Emeralds and other projects.

Then I thought you might be interested in knowing why and how I add gallery facings to my quilts rather than traditional bindings. That short presentation starts at about the 49-minute mark.

If you’d like to review the PDF document of the presentation, you can click the button below to download the document. I just ask that, as always, you use this for personal use. Thank you!

Be well and shine on!

Video Presentation

Hi, everyone! Here’s the edited version of our Wednesday morning pattern release Zoom meeting (February 9th). I had such a great time meeting all of you that day. For those who couldn’t join us, I hope you enjoy the presentation.

I decided to keep the conversation we had before and after the actual presentation because there was so many good suggestions. Also, I hope this shows just how amazing all our members are. My presentation starts at the 31:43 minute mark.

Be well and shine on!

This was just one of many emeralds owned by Liz. Richard Burton gave her many of them, purchased from world-renowned jeweler Bulgari. As Burton put it, “I introduced her to beer. She introduced me to Bulgari.”

This month’s design is very straightforward – all straight lines and simplified piecing. The hardest part of this month’s block will be deciding which colorway to use.

Enjoy!

Colorway Document

I’ve provided several different colorways for this month’s gem pattern. The gorgeous emerald ring that inspired the design flashes several shades of a mysterious bluish-green. I tried to replicate that in my fabric recommendations.

However, I also thought it would be fun to turn it into a canary diamond, a sapphire, a ruby, and a white diamond, as well. And of course, YOU can create this gem in any colorway you wish. Remember: gems come in an infinite number of colors. There is no WRONG answer when it comes to colored gemstones!

I’ve also offered the design with a white and black background. Depending on the color you choose, some of the backgrounds work better than others. But, as always, this is all about personal preference. Select the background that makes your heart happy.

Pattern Release Video

Hi, everyone! Here’s the edited version of our Wednesday morning pattern release Zoom meeting (January 12th). I had such a great time meeting all of you that day. For those who couldn’t join us, I hope you enjoy the presentation. Be well and shine on!

It passed through the hands of multiple owners until landing with Pierre Cartier, the head of the New York house of Cartier. Pierre, being a much better marketer than salesman, he concocted a story of a “curse” in an attempt to attract attention to a stone that no one seemed interested in. His favorite customer (and one of my favorite Drama Queens of all time), Evelyn Walsh McLean, bought it and decided it would bring her good fortune.

I’ll admit that this month’s pattern may be challenging. There are a good number of pieces and curves to manage. If you are new to this style of piecing, don’t worry! I’ll walk you through it, but I’d encourage all our new members to consider making one of the larger sized blocks.  Enjoy!

I tried very hard to keep the pattern as true to the shape and spirit of the Hope Diamond as possible.

This is a great example of how asymmetrical gems can be, especially ancient gems. And that’s what I love about the most interesting gems. They invite your eye to travel around and through their color and light.

This pattern is also an example of using highly saturated colors surrounded by grayish colors to create glow. The Hope has a lovely bright blue twinkle to it and I tried to capture that in the colorway. I also used that same idea in the other 3 colorways as well.

This month’s pattern has nearly 100 pieces in it. While I did create a 6″ pattern for those of you who like to try the itty-bitty pretties, I strongly suggest that those of you who are new to this process work with the 18″ pattern.

Colorway Document

While I’ve provided a colorway for the beautiful blue color of the actual Hope Diamond, I thought it would be fun to turn it into a canary diamond, an emerald and a ruby, as well. However, YOU can create this gem in any colorway you wish. Remember: gems come in an infinite number of colors. There is no WRONG answer when it comes to colored gemstones!

Click the DOWNLOAD Button below the image to download the document.

Demo Video: Cutting Curves with the “Rock & Roll” Method

Here’s a quick video I created during another class showing how I like to cut curves. Check it out!

— Pre-cut sheets of freezer paper (8 1/2″ x 11″): Check with your local independent quilt shop to find out if they carry pre-cut sheets of freezer paper such as C&T Publishing’s “Quilter’s Freezer Paper Sheets”.

If your quilt shop doesn’t carry it, you can order from eQuilter.com. (Note: eQuilter.com ships internationally.) EQuilter offers 2 brands: C&T Publishing’s Quilters Freezer Paper in 30-sheet packs. They also offer a product by C. Jenkins in 50-sheet packs.

And if you live in the United States, you can order 50-count packs from my online shop. I’ve also found freezer paper packs on Amazon, so you might try checking there to see if a vendor in your country has some available to ship to you.

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— Make your own freezer paper sheets! I’ve made my own freezer paper sheets by using Reynolds Freezer Paper for years. It’s getting harder to find in grocery stores these days, but it’s still out there. (Note: I heard recently from one of my students that Canada has recently banned freezer paper for food usage, but others say it’s still available on some shelves.) If you aren’t able to find it in your local grocery store, you can also search for it online on sites such as Amazon.

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