Quilting Arts

Online Quilting

Admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Quilting Arts is your community for all your online quilting needs. Need expert tips and tricks? Looking for the perfect finish to your project? Trying to find a beautiful and artsy design for your next quilt? Have a question you need answered from a peer in the forum? It's all right here....and we're so glad you are too!

Quilting Designs

Admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Need tips prior to cutting your fabric? Design flaws need corrections? Looking for a fresh new design? Looking for guidance with regard to art, focal point, technique and not worrying, among other things,.. ...you've found the right place here in the Quilting Arts forum!

A Perfect Weekend for Sewing

Pippa E — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:19:00 GMT

After a few too many crazy weekends, I’m looking forward to two entirely plan-free days (well, almost) during which I plan on doing nothing but sew. You see, there’s no denying it any longer: it’s time to start on holiday gifts—and not just thinking about them, but actually executing. Fortunately, I hardly lack inspiration since I’m surrounded by sewing and quilting projects all day long, many of which are quick, easy, and ideally suited for gift giving.

Here’s my plan—and I'm sharing it with all of you so I’m even more motivated to get it done:

· A couple of Margarete Steinhauer’s “Jewelry Totes” from the latest Quilting Arts Gifts. I love these little bags. They’re exactly the sort of thing that I would hope to find waiting for me under the tree, and I certainly have friends and family who will agree.

· Susan Brubaker Knapp’s “Door Organizer” from International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene. Let's just say I have several compulsively organized friends who I’m sure would appreciate a beautiful way to keep their lives in order. Come to think of it, I could probably use one myself since I'm always misplacing my cell phone these days.

· Kathy Mack’s “12-Pocket Colored Pencil Roll” from the premiere issue of Studios, included in our latest free e-Book as well. I’m personally more inclined to use a needle and thread, but I have a sister who loves to draw and paint and I can’t think of a better gift for her.

This may be slightly ambitious since I couldn't resist agreeing to a night of dancing with my girlfriends, I should probably catch up on sleep, and my apartment is in desperate need of cleaning—still, I love the idea of holing up in my sewing room, digging through my fabric stash, and preparing for the holidays. Plus, when it comes to sewing and quilting, I usually manage to make the time. I suggest you find a few of your favorite Quilting Arts projects and do the same!

Check back on Monday to see how it goes—and let me know what you're up to this weekend!

The Inside Scoop On Flea Market Strategies

Quilting Daily — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:12:00 GMT

Aside from stitching and embellishing, is there anything more thrilling than finding a beautiful vintage textile or an unusual found object at a yard sale, thrift shop, or flea market? Especially at a great price? Such a piece can add just the right touch to make a contemporary art quilt or mixed-media piece unique.

Terrific flea markets exist everywhere, but in our neck of the woods, the granddaddy of them all is the Brimfield Antique Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts. "Brimfield," as it's known locally, runs three times a year, with more than 6,000 dealers and 130,000+ visitors during the course of the week.

If that sounds overwhelming, it can be. However, Jenn Mason--who explains how to use unique found objects for surfaces and embellishments in her Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop DVD, Mixed-Media Medley: Explore the Possibilities--has developed some strategies. She agreed to reveal her secrets so you can use her tips for finding wonderful old objects to use in your own artwork and apply them to your own local flea market or antique mall excursion.

QD: Jenn, in your video you talk about using options for surfaces and embellishments that you can't buy at an arts or crafts store. Have you always used these "found" objects in your work?
JM: In art school I almost never used any found objects in my art even though I was always inspired by my environment-which is made up of found objects. About 10 years ago, I became fascinated with the Brimfield Antique Show. It's absolutely huge and even though I go to the show about six days a year, I haven't ever seen the whole thing and I'm a pretty fast walker. At first I was using found items in my decorating around the house, but slowly I started to use them in my collages and assemblages.

QD: What do you look for when you're on the hunt?
JM: For me most of the fun is looking for a deal. This means that while everyone is looking at the goodies on the table, I'm on my hands and knees looking through the boxes of the leftover "junk" under the tables. If it doesn't make it onto a table, it usually means I'm going to get a good price for it. In general I'm looking for interesting surfaces and old books with interesting subjects. Children's readers are my favorite. I also love to find vendors who have a lot of mismatched, broken and rusted cabinet ware like handles and feet. I can use the broken pieces they can't sell so we both leave the deal happy.

QD: What is the weirdest thing you look for?
JM: I'm always on the lookout for ceramic or porcelain doll parts, but I get odd looks when I ask a vendor, "Do you have any spare body parts?"

QD: How do you decide what to buy and what to pass up?
JM: Oh, if I had the answer to that question I would be a happy woman. I like to leave some things to fate. If a piece is really cheap and I'm pretty sure I'll use it, I buy it up. If it's expensive, I might have to walk around for a bit and think about it. If it's not there when I get back then I wasn't meant to have it. Trust me though, I've passed up a few things that I wish I hadn't.

QD: Any great tips for our readers on preparing to go to a big antique show like this?
JM: Yes, I do!

Before you go, picture what you're looking for--like glass or rusty things or books, etc. Then, when you walk down the aisles of vendors, look for THOSE things primarily. If you wander without purpose you'll never make it down one aisle, you'll spend all your money on things you didn't come for and you will become overwhelmed rather quickly.
If you find a vendor you particularly like, ask if they have a card with their contact information. You may want to visit their shop or website between shows, and many will have a flier with their booth location on it so you can find them easily next year.
Go early on the first day of a show if you want the best selection of hard-to-find or very popular items. I rarely do that as I am usually looking for a bargain. For the best prices, go on the last day of a show, or the end of the day.
Go on a rainy day. As long as you're dressed for it, you will enjoy getting great deals from the vendors who want to make sales on a slow day. Note: Textile vendors understandably don't put a lot of their wares out on a rainy day, because that makes for a lot of laundry! So if you're looking for textiles, don't be afraid to ask. Vendors will usually be happy to open up their bins and show you what they have.
Bring cleaning supplies. You'll be touching lots and lots of old, dirty and dusty items. I like to bring wet wipes or even just a wet washcloth in a plastic bag-there isn't enough hand sanitizer in the world to scrape off the dirt.

Thanks for the tips, Jenn!

If you're wondering about ways to incorporate all your fabulous finds into your art, don't forget to check out Jenn's Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop DVD, Mixed-Media Medley: Explore the Possibilities today.

We were tired of living in a house.

MellyMells — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:24:00 GMT

So we packed our bags and moved into a city apartment.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

The title of this post refers to a favorite childhood book by the same name.

Last night I went to the Society of Illustrators Sketch and Jazz event. Event? It is a twice weekly gathering of people who draw figure models for 3 hours. There is a bar and a live jazz group, bass, sax and piano. The Society has been around for 105 years, it's filled with artwork from the Big'uns and is a great setting.

I went alone and had much flutterings and hesitation beforehand. Afterward, pure skipping and la-de-da happiness.

I came home to a little bulge of an envelope that I am thankful wasn't lost in the sending. The envelope was ripped and pudgy and exciting looking. It contained a lil LaFazio felted wool square among some samples of her fav threads (which I had asked for). It immediately got hung on my sewing room wall. The square doesn't have a name and I am lovingly calling it lil LaFazio.

My snapshots stink and do not do the lil wonder justice.

And have you seen my latest article in Cloth, Paper, Scissors?

CPS is hosting a Mother Earth Doll Challenge and used my doll image to promote it in their newsletter, are you going to participate?

The zone.

MellyMells — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:33:00 GMT

A famine, then a feast. That seems to be the way of life, I think.

Just before Houston, I decided it was time to make a larger piece, based on the recent painting of a Wester Tanager in my journal and I set out. I printed in a flurry, with no true thought in how to get the thing printed and made rules up as I went. I then needed to put the piece aside in order to prepare for my lecture and forums. When I came back, I made the retreat and then caught cold. But still I worked on the piece throughout.

Above is a photo of a ripping. I didn't like the placement of the machine drawn daisy, so out came the seam ripper. We are looking at the piece from the back. I decided to back this piece in flour sacks collected while still living in Flagstaff, AZ. Blue Bird Flour by Cortez Millling Co. Cloth flour sacks are not a rare occurence in the middle of our huge country. I have seen calico ones too. These sacks have been well used and have stains of authenticity on them. They even have crunchy bits of flour that are falling away with my dense machine quilting.

And here is a detail again. Can you tell I have been having fun?

Handmade Holidays Fabric Winner

Pokey — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:18:00 GMT

I randomly chose the winner for this latest MODA fabric giveaway and congrats go to... LemonTreeTami!

Tami, please email me your address by noon EST Tuesday, November 17, so that I can get these fabrics to you. Enjoy!

Thanks so much to everyone for your responses. I am amazed at the ambitious and heartfelt handmade plans all of you have for the holidays. There are going to be some very lucky recipients!

By the way, this is the second bag I made using Kathy Mack's Market Tote instructions from International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene:

I will be holding another fabric giveaway by the end of this month, so stay tuned. In the meantime, I hope everyone has a beautiful, artful weekend. Me? I am gathering all of my screenprinting supplies and on Sunday I have nothing on the agenda but to spend the day in my studio doing some deconstructed screen printing. I can't imagine a better way to spend my day.

Have a great weekend,

Pokey

Cloth Paper Scissors "Homework"

Barbara Delaney — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:07:00 GMT

Well, we knew that people were enjoying the Homework section in Cloth Paper Scissors, but little did we know how seriously some people take their "assignments"! Loretta Vizzutti of Missoula, Montana, completed the homework from Linda and Opie O'Brien (Take a look at the September/October issue) to make her own Dada figure and she even sent us a photo. She said she had a lot of fun with it ( See below). We love hearing from our readers and really enjoy it when they send us images of the art they are inspired to make after reading an issue. Thanks for sharing Loretta. I hope we get to see more of your art...and art from other inspired readers, too.

Have a great weekend.

Barb

Fabric Cookie Winners Round Two

Pippa E — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:34:00 GMT

Well, since only TWO of you have emailed me to receive your free fabric cookies, I'm announcing four new winners:

jojo

pinkgypsy

Quilnan

Lynne Weinberger

Congratulations! Please email me your name and address at peccles@interweave.com to receive your free cookie pin!

Useful & Beautiful Quilting Projects

Quilting Daily — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:25:00 GMT

Downsizing and de-stashing are popular buzzwords today. We all just have so much stuff. So I think those of us who like to make gifts for others want to create something that's useful as well as beautiful. If it helps use up scraps from our stash, so much the better.

I recently made this eyeglass case based on a pattern designed by Karen Fricke, featured in Quilting Arts Gifts. It was a cinch to make, and so practical. Karen's pattern can be adapted to hold one, two, or three sets of eyeglasses in one case-very handy for people who wear multiple pairs. I was able to use some pretty scraps and practice a variety of free-motion quilting motifs, too.

I'm eager to try the other useful/beautiful projects in Gifts that will (I hope) make a small dent in my stash. The Needle-felted Camera Case (basically a clutch construction with a Velcro® closure) by Edwina Sutherland is so easy and fun to make.

Melanie Testa's quilted Nametag Purses with credit card holder (shown at right) is a must-have for anyone who attends quilt shows.

And Lyric Kinard's Glam-to-Go iPod carrier can be made simply with commercial fabrics or screen-printed and stamped to the nth degree before beading and embellishing.

The wonderful thing about projects like these is that you can personalize them for yourself or the recipient, drawing on all the wonderful materials you've collected and techniques you've learned. Use subtle prints and subdued fabrics for a friend who dresses conservatively or go add beading and hand-stamped surface design for someone who likes to stand out from the crowd.

If you like fast and fun projects to make and give, I recommend you check out the variety of patterns and instructions for beautiful--and useful--handmade gifts in Quilting Arts Gifts.

And, be sure to get our latest free eBook, 5 Small Quilting Projects from Quilting Arts. In this eBook, some of Quilting Arts Magazine's favorite fiber artists present five quick and easy quilting projects together in one convenient download.

anybody home?

MellyMells — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:33:00 GMT

...and then I have been quilting up a storm and not only that but, oh wait.

Hi. How you are? Long time no see. Sorry about that. Yeah. I was away for a lil bit there and for no good reason. Or maybe there were many reasons.

I will slow down.

I did get a flu a couple of weeks ago, and it hung on, clawing, scratching and biting. I am still coughing. But it is getting better-thank goodness.

The above is a detail of the piece I am working on right now and it looks totally different now. In that photo, the organza layer is covering over the Western Tanager's face. The organza has since been cut away and the bird shows itself strikingly, proudly, vibrant even.
But it is not finished. I have not yet read the rules for a certain upcoming quilt show deadline, so a detail is all I will show right now.

With all this Recycled Journal watercolor stuff floating around in my mental space, I have been researching and looking into drawing, paint, and journaling web sites. Almost to the point where I need to tell myself to step away from the computer and focus on the three (!!!) teaching proposals I need to crank out.

But, when you have a cold, what better than to surf the web and find sites like this, or this.

Now I have been wanting a new paint palette ever since I saw Jane LaFazio working with M. Grahams watercolor paintlast spring.

But a girl needs to draw the line somewhere! I have several lines competing for my attention, I would like a smaller paint box than I now carry and I want to start using better quality paint, which I have been finding out is M. Graham among others.

Where are these ideas coming from? Beside Jane that is? Roz.

Roz is putting all sorts of not-so-crazy ideas in my head. Her blog is super organized, categorized, she is humorous, she can draw and paint like nobodies bidnss and she is my new blog crush. Except that she also introduced me to Andrea Joseph's Sketchblog. And is laughing is your thing then perhaps you should fall in love with Oswald over at the Mistress of Longears' Flickr site (Jane turned me on to her).

So. I am on the mend, quilting a piece that is bigger than 12" square(!), researching paint selections and color choices, and wondering how you are too. Thanks for sticking with me folks. I loves yous like I loves Bird Toes. (everything is better with an S at the end of it!)

And Whoa! Hey, wait!

Here is a free project I made for The Sewing Republic . Just released and spankin' new! I couldn't talk about it while I created the pattern, but I can now! Go download your pattern today.

Cloth Paper Scissors "Mother Earth" Art Doll Reader Challenge

Barbara Delaney — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:32:00 GMT

The deadline for our "Mother Earth'"Art Doll Reader Challenge is coming up. Don't be left out. Show us your art and help us celebrate Earth Day when we publish some of our favorites in the March/April Issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.

Here are the rules

1. Create one mixed-media art doll representing your interpretation of "Mother Earth. "Your art doll may be made out of any materials, but she can be no larger than 12″ tall and 8″ wide, with a depth no more than 2″.

2. Your entry must be free of any text or images that are protected by copyright, unless you have the expressed written permission from the person or institution that holds the copyright and you provide that written permission with your submission.

3. You may use any pattern you like—or none—provided the doll fits the dimensions listed above. If you want guidance, there is a pattern and directions for an art doll by Nola Hart in the November/December 2009 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors as well as another art doll interpretation by Melanie Testa. There are also directions for a basic art doll by Debbi Crane in the September/October 2009 issue.

4. To be considered for the challenge, send two low-res (each less than 1MB) images of your entry (one of the entire piece and one detail) via email by December 18th, 2009, to challenges@interweave.com, with the words “Mother Earth” in the subject line. Please include your name, physical address, email address, phone number, and a brief explanation of the piece.

Note: Please do not “zip” your files and be sure to send jpegs.

5. We will announce the finalists on my blog on quiltingarts.com on Tuesday, December 22, 2009.

6. If accepted, your artwork must be in our offices no later than January 8, 2010, and at that time a flat shipping and handling fee of $15 (U.S. and Canada) and $25 (all other international) will be due.

Note: Our offices will be closed December 24, 2009 through January 3, 2010, so please plan to mail your entry to arrive before December 24 or after January 3.

7. The entire piece (or pieces) and all of its packaging must weigh less than 5 lbs. and fit into a standard shipping/mailing box (no larger than 12" x 4" x 14") or padded envelope.

*** If you have questions about the “Mother Earth ” Reader Challenge, contact me at 978-897-7750, ext. 207, or bdelaney@interweave.com.

I look forward to seeing some wonderful art. Have fun!

~ Barbara

Create Easy Fabric Leaf Decorations

Quilting Daily — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:27:00 GMT

As the holiday season approaches and everyone gets so busy, I have to remind myself to keep it simple. Simple gifts, simple decorations, simple projects.

For example, instead of doing all the baking and cooking for Thanksgiving plus making all the decorations and crafting personalized napkin rings and place cards, how about sending out to the bakery for pies, tying the napkins with a pretty ribbon, and spending your extra time on a simple but stunning centerpiece of fabric leaves?

Natalya Aikens recently whipped up some easy stitched leaves that she decorates with Pigma pens to add visual texture. You can dress them up with golden thread or just keep it simple and let the kids decorate them with "thankful" sayings or guests' names.

Natalya has a lot of simple but effective mixed-media techniques up her sleeve, and she demonstrates them in her new Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop^TM DVD, "Texture Transformation." You'll find it and our entire series of Workshop^TM DVDs at the Interweave Store.

Stitched Pigma Pen Leaves
By Natalya Aikens

Autumn is upon us; the colors of the leaves here in the Northeast always inspire me. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it was a good time to turn that inspiration into making fabric leaves that can be used as a decoration or place cards on the festive table.

These doodled, quilted leaves by Natalya Aikens are simple to make. She uses a technique from her Cloth Paper Scissors Workshop DVD, "Texture Transformation," to add visual textures with Pigma pens and water.

Materials

Leaves for inspiration
Muslin (large scraps are fine)
Decorative fabric (for backing)
Batting
Pigma® pens or other permanent markers
Pins
Sewing machine and decorative thread
Good-quality flat paintbrush and water
Iron
Scissors
Acrylic paint or gel medium
Optional: Hand-stitching needle and threads

Directions

1. Gather autumn leaves from nature's bounty to use as stencils and for color inspiration. Choose any shape or size you like.

2. Place the muslin down and lay your leaves over the fabric. Trace the outlines with a pencil or Pigma pen. You can trace several leaves on one piece, but be sure to leave enough space around each one for stitching.

3. Make a quilt sandwich with the muslin on top and the decorative fabric for the back. I used a gold colored silk for extra sheen.

4. Free-motion stitch the outline of your leaf in a thread your heart desires. If you wish, stitch inside the leaf to emphasize the veins. Then use a tight zigzag or buttonhole stitch to outline the outside of your leaf again. (You could also hand stitch the leaves, backstitching the veins and using a blanket or whip stitch for the edges.)

5. Now, add visual texture by doodling with the Pigma pens! Use the colors and patterns in the real leaves as inspiration or just doodle fanciful shapes or patterns. Press gently with your pens, sometimes going over a line twice, and fill in the entire leaf in one or more colors.

6. Dip your paintbrush in clean water and gently brush over your doodles. Your pen marks will become vibrant with color and bleed slightly to cover the blank areas around your doodles. Some colors will bleed more than others, so experiment first on a scrap if you wish.

7. Let your fabric leaves dry and then heat set them with an iron.

8. Write names or wishes on your leaves, if you like. Heat set again.

9. Cut the leaves out with sharp scissors, being careful not to cut into your stitching.

10. Gently brush the edges of the leaves with acrylic paint or gel medium to prevent fraying and also to secure any thread you might have clipped. I used a bronze acrylic paint for added glitz.

Scatter on the table to enhance your festive occasion, or put one on each place setting.

Fabric Giveaway for Handmade Holidays!

Pokey — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Who's making gifts this holiday season? I am making most of mine, but exceptions include:

* My nieces and nephews (who would value cash or a gift certificate over anything Auntie Pokey made).

* My husband who wants a vacation over the holidays, and hey...since we're hitched, I agree! (Pass me my mojito, Dear.)

For gifts, I am making a few totes based on Kathy Mack's pattern in Quilt Scene.

I've been a huge fan of Kathy's for a while, and have made three of these totes so far. I can only show you this one below as I'm hogging it for myself:

It's a combination of Moda Fabrics (Sweetwater line) which I LOVE and over-dyed fabrics created by my good friend Wendy Richardson of Quilt Tapestry Studio.

In celebration of designating this winter as a Handmade Holiday Season, I'm giving away a FAT stack of fabrics courtesy of MODA Fabrics. Aren't they great?

If you want to be in the running to receive this fat stash to help you with your gifts this holiday season, let me know in the comments area what you hope to make for others (or for yourself). I'll draw a name this Friday (November 13) at noon EST. Good luck!

The Fabric Cookie Winners!

Pippa E — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:13:00 GMT

Thanks to everyone who shared their inspiring stories of mistakes gone right! Clearly, the best art comes from a little bit of experimentation, and things not necessarily going as planned. The following six people have each won one of Kelli Perkin’s lovely holiday cookie pins:

quiltcrazygaljennalouise

Please email your name and address to me at peccles@interweave.com so I can send you your pin. If I haven’t heard from you by noon on Thursday, November 12^th, I will select another winner.

For those of you who didn’t win—don’t despair! The holiday season is only just beginning, and you have plenty of time to make some fabric cookies of your own, or to stitch up any of the other festive projects in this year’s Quilting Arts Gifts. I spent this past weekend writing up my gift list for family and friends and let’s just say there’s lots of sewing in store for me during the next couple of months...

Happy quilting!

Boost Your Creative Vision Through Sketchbooks

Quilting Daily — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:21:00 GMT

If you ever get the chance to take a class with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn (a.k.a. Double Trouble Enterprises), jump at it. They are two of the most innovative people I know when it comes to creative embroidery and textile art. Plus, they are just a hoot to be with!

Jan and Jean are fearless when it comes to artistic experimentation and firmly believe in the practice of sketchbook keeping to inspire ideas for textile work. However, we all know that the blank page can be very daunting.

A couple years ago in our sister publication Cloth Paper Scissors, Jean Littlejohn shared a trick to dress up the blank page and give it some texture and depth on which to add your photos, drawings, and ideas. Although Jean works in different types of sketchbooks, she finds using old recycled books an effective vehicle for developing themes.

Altering recycled books into sketchbooks

By Jean Littlejohn

Materials

Recycled hardbound book (Look for some unwanted books: children's annuals, cookery books, and road atlases, etc. that are no longer special or have outlived their usefulness to me, a book of 40 to 60 pages is ideal; too many pages will prove unwieldy.)
PVA glue
White gesso or white acrylic paint
Plastic container
2 Foam brushes
Waxed paper or parchment paper
Old maps, magazine images, bits of text, and other printed ephemera
Sharp paper scissors or craft knife, ruler, and craft mat

A finished spread from Jean's “Falling Roses” sketchbook. These pages contain splattered paint, text, quotations, and layers of collage and paint.

Directions

1. Mix 1 part water to 1 part PVA glue in a plastic container. With a foam brush, glue the pages together in groups of 3 or 4. You are gluing sets of pages together to make a base that is strong enough to handle layers of paint and collage. Make sure to paint each page thoroughly with the glue mixture and press firmly so no air bubbles appear.

Step 1. Once the sets of glued pages are dry, a collage of ripped papers is glued down to add texture.

2. Place waxed or parchment paper between each set of glued pages to prevent the sets from sticking together while drying.

Step 2. A gesso wash is applied to create a drawing surface.

3. When you are finished gluing the sets of pages together, allow the book to dry standing upright on a plastic sheet with the pages fanned out.

Step 3. Here, a light acrylic wash was painted on top, creating a colored background for the drawing surface. Now your journal is ready for some featured imagery and text.

4. Now the pages are ready for further texture to make a complex background for your sketching. Some pages already contain print and photographs. Further elements can be added with the application of collaged old maps, tissue papers, color magazines, etc.

note: If the edges become ragged with these added layers of collaged paper they can easily be trimmed when dry with a sharp knife or scissors.

5. Once dry, paint the pages with gesso or white acrylic paint to make a good surface for drawing. If a thin wash is used, some of the print or imagery shows through and can add an exciting serendipity to the drawings. Paint and ink react differently on the uneven surfaces and add an unexpected dynamic to drawings, as well.

Jan and Jean offer more inspiration in Constructions: Buildings & Structures and their other new release, Fragile Fabrics, which offers a variety of techniques to give everyday fabrics and fibers the appearance of fragility. Check out Double Trouble's entire line of books at the Interweave Store. They will open up a new way of seeing everything that surrounds you.

Who Else Wants to Be Part of the Quilt Scene?

Quilting Daily — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:17:00 GMT

I had all my fingers and toes crossed on the plane to Houston for International Quilt Festival last month, but it wasn't because I'm afraid of flying.

No, we were debuting International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene in a few days, and like a new quilter presenting her first piece for judging, I was nervous. Everyone connected with this special publication had worked so hard, but in the creative extravaganza that is IQF/Houston, would anyone even notice Quilt Scene? Moreover, would they like it?

Turns out, I needn't have worried. We sold out of the copies at our booth. Festival participants loved having the opportunity to purchase a keepsake of the 35^th anniversary of International Quilt Festival, especially since Quilt Scene not only reviews the history of the event but also contains full-page, color images of the top prize winners from International Quilt Association's "Quilts: A World of Beauty" judged show. They also went crazy for the sewing projects, quilt patterns, tips, and mini profiles.

I received this comment from 'Brenda' on my Editor's blog post:

While at Festival I picked up a copy of the magazine. It was a joy to share it with my best friend who became severely ill and was not able to attend Festival with me for the first time this year. She enjoyed seeing the winners [in the magazine], plus the pictures I took of some of the quilts. The magazine is a sure winner and so well developed.
-- Brenda

But don't think you missed out on Quilt Scene if you weren't in Houston. It's now available in our online store and also on newsstands.

If you want a behind-the-scenes look at shooting the photographs for Quilt Scene, visit my Editor's Blog. There you can watch a video of how tricky-and funny-it was to set up the photograph of the fabric birds shown on our cover. Even though the birds "stood still," the alpacas in the background needed an acting coach!

If you've already read Quilt Scene, please take this survey and let us know what you think!

A Convo with Kelli Perkins and Fabric Cookie Giveaway

Pippa E — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:21:00 GMT

No one knows more about pushing your artistic boundaries than Kelli Perkins, author of Stitch Alchemy: Combining Fabric & Paper for Mixed Media Art.

Not only does her book contain a wide variety of projects, from bookmarks to beads and paper quilts, but it’s full of inspiration for embarking on your own mixed-media projects. Fortunately, Kelli recently had the time to answer a few of my questions about her art, and her responses are loaded with even more words of encouragement (scroll down to see for yourself).

You can also find instructions for one of Kelli’s projects, “Frosted Holiday Treats,” on page 24 of the latest issue of Quilting Arts Gifts. These no-bake cookie pins, made from fabric, batting, cardstock, and plenty of embellishment, are an ideal little stocking stuffer to whip up this holiday season.

Lucky for you, we’re giving some of these delightful little treats away! All you have to do is answer the following question, in honor of Kelli’s adventurous approach to art: What was your most fortunate artistic ‘mistake’? Ever made a project that simply didn’t turn out the way you expected—and found yourself even more pleased with the results? Tell me about your experience and on Monday, November 9^th, I’ll select six winners, each of whom will receive one of these adorable little cookie pins.

Until then, check out Kelli’s insights and be prepared to embrace the unruly in your future artistic endeavors.

I love your serendipitous approach to creating. And I definitely agree that the most rewarding art often comes from working without a plan, but that can also be challenging since you have to have the confidence to let go of the rules. Have you always taken such a free-wheeling approach to your work or did it take some time to get to that point?

If you knew me, you'd understand how humorous that question is! I am a serious control freak. I've spent most of my adult life trying to work around my natural inclinations toward order, so learning to embrace serendipity has been a journey for me. I wouldn't say it's over yet. Some days, serendipity is a dirty word, but I've learned to walk away from my work when I feel that way. When I return to it, there is a new perspective and I find that I see new avenues for creativity. I figure that the more "mistakes" I make, the sooner I'll get to a good place where I'm happy with my work. So I just barrel through the bad parts on my way to the other side. It's kind of like closing your eyes during a scary movie.

A lot of your work combines fabric and paper, as well as other materials. This isn’t always easy to do. What’s your number one bit of advice for beginners who are interested in entering the mixed-media realm?

The only rule is: there are no rules. Art rules are for sissies. Take whatever media you have (paint, ink, thread, crayons, etc.) and apply it to whatever substrate you have (paper, canvas, fabric, etc.). There is no point in spending time thinking about it. Just do it. Do it over and over and over, and then you'll have something!

I woke up Saturday and decided I needed to take a bunch of book pages and saturate them with colorful ink, so I did. They're sitting here at this moment and they look spectacular. At the time, I was worried because they were soggy and the colors were bleeding and then they curled up as they dried, and I thought to myself "what hast thou wrought?" (Yes, I speak to myself in Old English when I am frustrated--it's an English major thing). But then later I ironed them and set them aside. Now they are beseeching me to do something wild.

You have to try, experiment, fail, succeed and keep making art. You don't even have to know what it's going to be when you're done. A dyed book page is not a project, but it's inspiring me. I think it wants to get together with something else and turn into art. If I hadn't acted on my impulse to apply ink to paper, I wouldn't be feeling as limitless as I do right now.

Do you have a favorite material to work with—or is that an unfair question!

Yes. My favorite material is the one someone else is using. I'm always sure that it's better than what I have on hand! Beyond that, I need touchy-feely, so it doesn't matter to me what I'm using as long as I can hold the end result in my hand and "feel" it. That's why I love to add stitching to paper. I just finished a small series of acrylic paintings on watercolor paper and now I'm going to try stitching them because they just look so static and flat. It may not work, so I'll start with the one I love the least. But if it does work out, I'll be off and running. I'll be painting and stitching for weeks until I get it out of my system. Then I'll see what material someone else is working with and I'll use that!

Your create such a wide variety of projects, from dolls to bookmarks, beads, and even soap. How do you usually garner inspiration for your work, and what do you do if/when you’re feeling uninspired?

Uninspired? I'm not sure that's ever happened. I have so many ideas that most days I'm afraid my head will explode— thus the little pieces of paper with cryptic messages floating about my studio. I try to write ideas down when I have them so that when I find time to create, I have a myriad of ideas before me.

If ideas are not popping for you, I'd recommend noodling about on Etsy or your favorite art/quilt/stitch website. I try to visit many of the artist and vendor sites in Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors. They lead me down rabbit trails that are always so interesting! When you see something that fascinates you, jot it down. When you have time to make art, try some of the ideas that resonated with you.

What project(s) are you currently working on, and how’s it going?

Let's not count the projects in my head because that would be astronomical. Let's not count the projects on my desk because, well, let's just not. My active projects include the acrylic paintings I mentioned and a bunch of stitchpaper (fabric-paper) I'm creating for a Yahoo book study group working through my book Stitch Alchemy.

When the stitchpaper is done, I'll move on to projects from the book. I plan to make some more dolls, pillows, purses, bookmarks etc. It's addictive. This week, however, I took time out to learn to crochet with my daughter. We made an amigurumi ghost for her best friend's birthday. I hope she likes it because it just about killed us!

Is there any medium, technique, etc. that you haven’t yet tried but are hoping to in the near future?

Well, everything I've not tried before, plus a hearty dose of practicing the things I've tried. I love encaustic painting and want to find more time for that. I've never wet-felted (shhhhh, don't tell anyone). I've never made a large quilt--that's gotta happen. My sewing skills need updating. Metalwork? Everything in the latest issue of QA and CPS. Why am I talking with you? I have to get busy!

So many shoulds, time enough to follow through.

MellyMells — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:51:00 GMT

There are many things I should blog about, like the ten yards of fabric that came to my door on winning the Nature's Best contest, THANKS to you! Or the fabulous review of my book in Machine Quilting Unlimited, or the fantastic blog I found this week.

But instead I want to talk about the Recycled Journals I am now in love with. Have I talked about this too much already? I used some original pages from the book, Dreams their Meaning and Significance and layered them into signatures of 140 pound cold press Fabriano watercolor paper. See the texture? I could bite my tongue.

I already, sort of, messed the book up. I have to learn about end paper. I think they need to be stiffer than the paper I chose. And because I chose a paper that was floppy, I tried to substantiate it by painting the wrong side with white, panicked, glued something on top, panicked and well, you get the gist of it. Now the end paper in the front of the book is glued to the first page. Covered that one right up. It isn't that bad, a little odd, but. So am I (I was giggling through the writing of that last paragraph- it is good not to take self too srsly).

Have I said how much I love 140 pound watercolor paper? I learned to love it in school, Fabriano in particular. The brushes, the paint, the way the water lays atop the page ready to be reworked until it isn't anymore? Totally different than painting on cloth, but still such satisfaction.

And we all know how much I love to draw and wish that every person who had an inkling of even wanting to draw would start now. Right now. It is so graceful, paper and pencil, that it all you need. Painting is just an extension of drawing. And every artist, even if they don't use every tool in the box should have an understanding of the basics. It is so meditative.

I wish my first journals were available to me now, (they are in storage). I would show you. I sucked. We all suck when we start out, that is the way it is. I still have a ways to go, I want to learn to have ease with hands and feet, for instance. But when you are new, just tell yourself to turn the page and don't look back. Not right away, anyway. Now I can look back as some of my early journals and see the raw beauty and the gems among the mundane. See where I was stretching to see myself further, trying. For the most part, I love the progress I have made. But I do see it as a journey, not a destination.

Arrow, beautiful, white and black Arrow. Head tucked, smiling. He knew I was looking at him and kept murping and coming to attention and asking me to pet him.

Attention Wild Things! Latest QA Reader Challenge Announced!

Pokey — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:02:00 GMT

One thing our editorial team loves to do is devise reader challenges, and usually during the brainstorming sessions, there is a lot of laughter around the conference table. This next reader challenge is no exception.

I confess this one is of a personal nature. You see, I have had a lifelong obsession, a kinship shall we say with something...

It started with this green little guy who so soulfully sang--what still is--one of my favorite songs:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

How can you not adore a spindly-legged little amphibian who is in love with a strong, opinionated, feisty female (...who could crush him)?

Source: Bizarrerecords.com

Throughout my early adulthood, frogs continued to dominate my thoughts. Here I am posing with one in Northern California. (I am lamenting the fact that she is more endowed than me.)

And in my 20s I discovered Frog's Leap Cabernet. (My favorite wine.)

And I confess, at my very own rehearsal dinner I got up and told... you guessed it...the Wide Mouth Frog joke.

So...want to know what our reader challenge is?

Have you ever related to or dreamed of becoming a particular animal (or insect)? Or has someone ever walked up to you on the street and said, “Hey! Did you know you resemble a ______?” Let your inner animal out of its cage by participating in our latest reader challenge! We will show some of our favorite entries in future issues of Quilting Arts Magazine and even exhibit some at upcoming national quilt shows in 2010.

Here’s how to enter

Make an 81⁄2" x 11" art quilt of vertical orientation that celebrates your inner animal. (Only one entry per person.)
The entire quilt, including binding, must measure 81⁄2" x 11" and must weigh no more than 1 lb.
Your quilt may be made of alternative substrates (such as paper), but it must consist of three layers and it must be quilted, either by hand or machine or both.
The edges of the quilt must be bound or zigzag stitched closed and there must be a sleeve on the back.
Any embellishments must not protrude more than 1⁄2" from the quilt.
Your entry must be free of any text or images that are protected by copyright, unless you have the expressed written permission from the person or institution that holds the copyright and you provide that written permission with your submission. It’s a good idea to steer clear of commercial imagery.
To be considered for the challenge, send two low-res images (each less than 1 MB) of your entry (one of the entire piece and one of a detail) via email by Friday, January 22, to challenges@interweave.com, with the words “Quilting Arts Animal Challenge” in the subject line. Please include your name, email address, phone number, and a brief explanation of your piece in your email.
note: Please do not “zip” your files and be sure to send jpegs. Do not mail your piece to us at this time; we are only requesting two images sent via email.
On Tuesday, January 26, Pokey will post the finalists on her blog at quiltingarts.com and they will also be notified via email.
If accepted as a finalist, your artwork must then be in our offices no later than Tuesday, February 9, along with a flat shipping and handling fee of $15 (U.S. and Canada) or $25 (all other international). This fee, which must be paid in U.S. dollars, covers the shipping costs, packing materials, and handling for the return of your entry.
The entire piece and all of its packaging must weigh less than 5 lbs. and fit into a standard shipping/mailing box (no larger than 12" x 4" x 14") or padded envelope.

Finalists should mail their entries to:

Quilting Arts Magazine
Attn: Animal Reader Challenge
P.O. Box 685
23 Gleasondale Rd.
Stow, MA 01775

note: By submitting your reader challenge entry, you are authorizing Interweave Press LLC to publish your project in upcoming publications and promotional materials, on our website, and in other Interweave e-media, as well as to possibly display it at shows. Interweave Press LLC will not be held responsible for loss or damage due to circumstances beyond our control.

We reserve the right to keep and display your “Let Out Your Inner Animal!” art quilt until the week of November 15, 2010.

If you have questions about the “Let Out Your Inner Animal!” Reader Challenge, contact Pippa Eccles at peccles@interweave.com.

We hope you’ll unleash your creativity and join our challenge!

Take the Quilting Arts Reader Survey!

Pippa E — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:21:00 GMT

As the year begins to wind down (yes, it's happening already!), the editors at Quilting Arts are busy planning for next year's issues. And we want to make sure we know what our readers most want to get out of Quilting Arts. Are you a beginning art quilter or a seasoned pro? What kinds of techniques and articles do you want to see more of? Which ones do you not want to see at all? Do you have a great idea for a Readers Challenge, or any other suggestions?

Let us know all this and more by taking this quick survey.

Your feedback will help ensure that future Quilting Arts issues will contain even more of what you love to see!

She Created an Art Quilt for Spirited Souls

Quilting Daily — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:07:00 GMT

One of my favorite holidays is Halloween, and because International Quilt Festival/Houston was early this year, I'm excited to report that I will be at home and giving out candy to costumed witches, vampires, and assorted Jedi this Saturday.

This weekend also marks the beginning of El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday whose motifs of Milagros, sugar skulls, flowers, and vivid colors are popular among artists. Day of the Dead motifs can even be found in commercial fabrics. Many quilt and mixed-media artists also pay tribute to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, famous for her many self-portraits, at this time, and year round.

Mixed-media fiber artist R. Paulette Lancaster chose Frida as the centerpiece of a collage of page-sized quilts made for a El Dia de los Muertos art exhibit. We thought this would be the perfect time to share the story of how she created this piece.

Day of the Dead Art Quilts

By R. Paulette Lancaster

I am always looking for new materials, inspirations, and venues. Two years ago a new venue opened up to me when the Indianapolis Art Center put out a call for artists to participate in their celebration of the traditional Mexican holiday, El Dia de los Muertos. In the spirit of this holiday I chose to honor three important 20^th Century female artists--Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Lee Krasner--in a group of page-size quilts that would create a timeline and highlight certain paintings of each artist. My method was similar for each one, so I will focus on the Frida quilts here.

My basic guidelines were to choose three to five coordinating fabrics in a color range that represented each artist. For Frida's quilt, I used fabrics in the bright primary colors of Mexico.

To produce the small paintings, I ironed fusible to the backs of papers and then drew or photocopied images onto the papers. Then I used acrylic paints or colored pencils to complete the paintings and embellished them further with fabric and lace, buttons and trims, and beads-some of which were in the shape of skulls and bones. To reproduce the photographs, I printed them on colorfast inkjet printer fabric. After I had arranged and attached the painting in a pleasing composition I added embroidery for texture and interest.

One of the traditional elements for Day of the Dead altars is the use of fresh flowers, known as xempasuchitl, the flower of the dead. I attached various shades of orange silk flowers with rhinestone- and white-topped brads to my quilts to represent these flowers.

When each quilt top was finished I added batting and backing and bound the mini quilts with a unifying single color. I tied them together by punching eyelets in the corners and threading colorful ribbons through the holes.

The completed art quilts--along with the shrine I created--made a bright and colorful display. I truly enjoyed the experience of mixing some Latin American spice into my fiber art.

Thanks, Paulette, for sharing your art quilt story with us.

If you're looking for more inspiration, check out the variety of mixed-media books at the Interweave Store. My current recommendation, Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques by Cate Prato, features a brief history of self-portrait artists, like Frida Kahlo, and then offers exercises and a variety of mixed-media projects for making your own creative self-portraits.

Lutradur

Pippa E — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:37:00 GMT

This is a polyester fabric-like material that has a wide variety of applications. It can be drawn or painted on to create a colored surface that still filters light. It is quite sturdy and can be cut into without fraying, and heat set up to 400 degrees F. It is strong enough to carry embellishments, but sufficiently lightweight to be sewn.

Batting

Pippa E — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:10:00 GMT

Also referred to as filling or wadding, batting is a layer of material (usually cotton, polyester, and/or wool) that is used as insulation between the top and bottom layers of a quilt. It comes in a variety of weights, from low loft to high loft, and sizes. Most batting is natural (undyed) but it is aslo available in black. The batting is secured to the top and bottom using quilting stitches that go through all three layers of the quilt sandwich. The type of batting used depends on the nature of the project.