Many of you probably know I have five furry, four-legged "children." But did you know I feel a similar motherly instinct toward Quilting Arts Magazine? Asking me to choose a favorite issue is like asking me to choose a favorite child. I love them all equally!
Having said that, an issue I revisit again and again is our April/May 2007 edition. I love the sea horse by Kathy York that graces the cover. It's a close-up of a collaborative quilt Kathy made with some of the most talented quilt artists in the country, and the full quilt and story behind it are featured in this issue.
Some of the most respected artists in the world have articles in this issue, including Jane Dunnewold, Linda and Laura Kemshall, Melanie Testa, Lyric Kinard, and Wen Redmond, to name just a few. They cover everything from fabric collage and dimensional embellishment to silk painting and contour drawing with your sewing machine. I hope I don't sound boastful when I say it's a fantastic edition!
Since I can only bring myself to name one issue I'm partial to ever-so-slightly more than the others, I asked the other Quilting Arts editors what issues stand out most in their minds.
Managing Editor Helen Gregory
Oh my gosh, how could I ever possibly choose? I love them all, seriously. But if I have to pick, I would say one of my favorites is June/July 2009.
Like all issues of Quilting Arts, this one is packed with gems, and several articles particularly spoke to me. I was especially taken with Jackie Cardy's "Retro-inspired Stitch Samplers." I find her designs and use of color very appealing, and the unexpected combination of fibers with machine stitching is delightful. Jill A. Kennedy's "Florabundance" is also appealing due to the colors, unusual surface preparation and materials, and abundance of machine stitching.
Sue Kelly's pieces from "Quilt then Paint" are just wonderful; I was so fortunate to be able to see these pieces in person. It's worth experimenting with the technique she presents just to see the sparkle and dimension that one can create with this method--it is impossible to fully convey the effect on the printed page.
And finally, Linda Colsh's article, "Deconstructed Rubbings" was quite timely. When we were working on this issue I was taking a printmaking class, so I was especially inspired by all of the textures Linda incorporated into her low-relief rubbing plates; I worked up some great collagraphs with inspiration from this article.
Assistant Editor Pippa Eccles
I'd have to say the December 2008/January 2009 issue is my favorite. It has a lot of colorful, fun artwork in there and a wide variety.
I love Malka Dubrawsky's quilt on the cover and her dyeing technique in the article "Optical Illusion: Combining itajime with commercial fabrics." I also love Judy Coates Perez's article, "Who Knew? Another Option for Dyeing," because I secretly like RIT dyes, too.
Then there's Jeannie Palmer Moore's article, "All Tied Up: A New Twist on Using Men's Ties in Quilts," which is fun, and Jude Hill's "Quilting a Story"-I love her hand stitching.
OK, readers, we revealed our favorite issues. How about you? What's your favorite issue of Quilting Arts, and why? Leave a comment below.
