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Wednesday, Jul. 01, 2009

Design Notebook: See quilts by acclaimed textile artist at The Cotton Ball in Morro Bay

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When he was 7, Rob Appell walked into his mother’s sewing room and pleaded for new clothes for his G. I. Joe doll. Sensing an opportunity, his mom, Judi, handed him a needle, thread and a scrap bag of fabric, then talked him through his first stitches.

As it turns out, that initial sewing lesson paid off. Today, Rob is now a highly acclaimed textile artist who lectures at quilt shows nationwide and has appeared on the HGTV and DIY television networks.

When he’s not at his sewing machine or traveling to shows, Rob helps Judi manage her Morro Bay fabric store, The Cotton Ball. The shop, which opened in 1969 and has been owned by Judi since 1996, sells sewing machines, fabrics and supplies for quilting, fashion and home décor.

As Rob’s acclaim as a textile artist has grown, the store has shifted its focus away from traditional quilting and toward art quilts. Unlike traditional quilts that usually consist of geometric shapes stitched or pieced together in a pattern, art quilts are more like painting a picture with fabric. Some are stitched, but many are put together with an adhesive such as fusible web that bonds under the heat of an iron. Like paintings, they can be abstract or they can depict a landscape, still life or portrait.

Rob, who is also passionate about surfing, is best known for his vibrant depictions of ocean scenes and marine life.

Recently, trips to Costa Rica inspired Rob to create a series of quilts depicting rare and endangered animals. You can see them on display at The Cotton Ball — or even try your hand at one. Patterns for these raw-edge appliqué quilts are for sale; $3 from each sale goes to the World Wildlife Fund to protect endangered species.

Rob’s splash on the quilting scene demonstrates how much the craft has evolved since the days of our grandmothers’ quilting bees. Rob’s work is youthful and innovative. Take, for instance, his line of embroidery designs. You won’t find butterflies or roses, but rather skulls and edgy motifs based on popular tattoos.

“A good deal of the quilting that happens in the United States does have a very country feel, but I also believe that there is a huge movement in the direction of art quilts, pieces like mine and beyond,” said Rob. “I feel that quilting, sewing and other forms of textile art need a lot of different styles to keep it all fresh and fun.”

The store has taken a similar path, offering fabrics with a contemporary edge.

“We’re hearing from quilters that our fabric is bright, fresh and exciting,” said Judi. “We may not have the largest inventory, but because the fabric moves so quickly, we can keep up with what’s new and current.”

That not only goes for quilting fabrics but for home décor textiles as well, which is Judi’s forte. The shop sells fabrics for window coverings, bedding and upholstery.

The Cotton Ball offers classes for traditional projects such as pieced quilts and patchwork pillows. If you purchase a sewing machine from the store, you can attend beginner classes for free.

But if you want learn art quilting from Rob, you’ll have to attend a retreat.

“We’ve found that people don’t have the time to add a class to their busy lives, but they absolutely have time to go away for three to four days,” said Judi. “It’s the complete experience, where we feed you, you sleep there and you can totally focus then come away with a fabulous quilt.”

The two art quilting retreats scheduled for November 2009 are at Cambria’s Camp Ocean Pines—and they’re sold out. Judi and Rob are hoping to add more retreats, so visit www.thecottonball.com for updates to the class schedule.

The Cotton Ball is at 1199 Main St. in Morro Bay, phone 772-2646.