Dragon Threads and Ben Franklin

When I found out the latest Dragon Threads publication, FibreArt Montage, by Judith Montano, had been nominated for the Independent Book Publishers Association's prestigious Ben FranklinTM award I felt as though I'd been struck by lightening. (OK, a bad Ben Franklin joke.)

Well, the book won, and I just couldn't be more thrilled. Judith Montano, the internationally known quilt artist, wrote an inspiring book. Her pictures are just jaw-droppingly wonderful. We knew this had to be a full-color, spiral bound book to do her photos and technique justice. The Dragon Threads team set to work producing a one-of-a-kind masterpiece that really demonstrates Judith's skills, vision, and mixed-media techniques in a way that lets readers produce their own one-of-a-kind masterpiece!

We worked really hard on this book, and I couldn't be more proud of it. Sales have been terrific, and the feedback we've received has been tremendous. Then, out of the blue, I heard the book had been nominated for the IBPA's award, the book equivalent of an Academy Award.

Over 4000 publishers submitted books for review. Books are judged by editorial and design merit by top practitioners in each field. All three finalists this year in the crafts categories were strong contenders. It was a nail-biting moment for me at the dinner in NYC at the Roosevelt Hotel on May 24th, but we won! Such an honor for Judith Montano and the Dragon Threads team.

A nod to my competition:

Color Mastery: 10 Principles for Creating Stunning Quilts, by Maria Peagler and
Quilts, Unfinished Stories with New Endings, by Gyleen Fitzgerald

I couldn't wait to get my hands on their books, for good reason. Both books are full of innovative, vibrant techniques and were written by accomplished, talented artists.