In The Art of Thread Sketching: Free Thread Drawing and Thread Painting Techniques, five quilt artists show you how to turn machine stitching into drawings with thread. Depending on the style and density of the stitching, thread sketching and thread painting can stand on its own or be combined with other techniques to give your quilt motifs dimension and life.

Dimensional flowers lend beauty and texture to a piece of fiber art, but they are not easily accomplished. When I saw Barb Forrister's demonstration of how to make realistic looking flowers with a combination of machine embroidery and surface design techniques, however, I was intrigued and wanted to share the process with you.

Last year when Pantone announced its Color of the Year—Tangerine Tango—I was a fan. I like cheerful, sunny colors, and this one hit the spot for me. I could see using it in different modes, from fabric to embroidery, to surface design techniques.

Finishing a large quilting project is always satisfying. I feel such a sense of accomplishment. But I have to admit: finishing small quilting projects is almost as gratifying, and I can get that feeling of accomplishment so much faster!

About three years ago my friend Linda got me hooked on Pojagi. Ever since she told me about this beautiful Korean form of patchwork quilting, I've been experimenting with it

I enjoy raw-edge appliqué for many reasons. It's certainly a faster way of appliqué quilting than than hand appliqué and I like the extra texture it brings to my fiber art.

If you're looking for some ideas for handmade quilted gifts, I want to remind you of three of my favorites. Two are make-in-day projects. One is a little more involved, but worth the time, I think.