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Bob Rothermel Bob Rothermel

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Bob Rothermel, following a short illness. Bob, husband of Judie Rothermel, shared her lifelong passion for quilts, history and the industry. Together, Judie and Bob Rothermel were a well-recognized industry team, at trade shows and consumer events alike. He was known for his knowledge of the quilting business and his wonderful wit and charm. He will be missed.

 

 

 

 
All of us at Marcus Fabrics congratulate Judie Rothermel on her 25th Anniversary as a quilt fabric designer! From her first Centennial fabric collection in 1987 until today, we've enjoyed a wonderful creative collaboration with Judie, the originator of 1930's and reproduction fabrics for quilters.
  • January 2012 - Jeanneke Lambriex-Liebregts, The Netherlands

Our February winner of a Judie Rothermel fabric pack is Cheryl Lussman of Muscatine, IA. She writes:

Cheryl Lussman
by Cheryl Lussman

"I really enjoyed the large print fabrics from the Aunt Grace Ties One On collection. I have fabric to make a quilt from that collection, but I also wanted to use the large Scottie as the center for stars in this quilt. I fussy cut a "Gracie" for each house doorway and each house has a different conversational print, fussy cut for the windows. This quilt has some earlier Aunt Grace prints like the red Humpty Dumpty print. The sashing print is from the Aunt Grace Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum collection.

I can remember laying out the pieces for this quilt on my living room floor. While I was working, my daughter, Stephanie, ran past and I called to her to help with something. She insisted she was busy and ran off to her bedroom. As I turned back to the quilt, I thought "Stephanie's home, but she can't walk the dog" and that is how we refer to this quilt."

Dear Cheryl,

Thank you for your submission, I absolutely love your fussy-cut details utilizing Gracie and Scottie. I see you've been a collector for some time! I also enjoyed reading your personal story as you were creating the quilt, which is sure to become a family heirloom -- for me, that's what quilting is all about...

Sincerely, Judie Rothermel

If you have a Judie Rothermel fabric project to show off, send us a photo and you might also be featured here. Judie can't wait to see your creations, and neither can we! This is your chance to share it with the world, and WIN FREE FABRIC in the process!

Each month, one lucky winner will receive a Judie Rothermel fabric pack and have their piece shown here, along with your name, city and state, along with a personal note from Judie herself! Just send us one (1) JPEG photo* of your handiwork and a brief description, along with your name, phone number and email address to allaboutjudie@marcusfabrics.com.

*Or send a print photo to All About Judie, Marcus Fabrics, 980 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10018.
Photos will NOT be returned.


New from Judie Rothermel: AUNT GRACE KEEPSAKES!

Judie Rothermel's newest Aunt Grace collection, KEEPSAKES, draws inspiration from her aunt's collection of charming novelty motifs. If you're looking for the perfect fabrics for a very special baby quilt, consider this collection's animal theme, a wonderful choice for blankets and related nursery items, sweet little dresses, baby accessories and more... here Judie discusses the inspiration for her new line:

When I went to visit my Aunt Grace and to get piecing and quilting tips from her, she told me she always kept pieces of her favorite fabrics over the years in her special bag. These were mostly novelty type prints, which she called "keepers", thus I created Aunt Grace Keepsakes. The last time I visited her before she was placed in a nursing home, she took me into her bedroom, opened her cedar chest and pulled out this bag. She said, "Here, this is for you, Judie. I know you will appreciate what you find in this bag." I never used the fabrics but have taken care of her bag. I now have a keeper bag of my own.


Judie is a true innovator in the quilting industry, as the first designer to develop reproduction fabrics for quilters worldwide. Judie marks her 25th year as a quilt fabric designer in 2012, and her following continues to grow! She is probably best known for introducing quilters to the beauty of 1930's reproduction fabrics through her well-loved Aunt Grace series, the original (and still the most popular) brand in the category today.

Long before she designed fabrics for Marcus, Judie's background as an antique quilt historian, collector, designer and shop owner had already given her a unique insight into the most traditional segments of the market. And she continues to educate and inspire quilters today, as the designer of our growing family of Civil War series, and our museum-inspired fabric collections, including collaborations with Old Sturbridge Village, the New England Quilt Museum, and the American Textile History Museum.

We at Marcus Fabrics are extremely proud of our long-standing design relationship with Judie, and we congratulate her for her 25 years as a fabric design icon.


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