I love the soft shimmer of metal embellishment on a quilted surface. Just a touch of metal can act as an elegant focal point. An all-over quilting pattern of metallic thread, couched wire, or foil can add texture and make the quilt seem to glow from within....

I'm not sure there's such a thing as too much fabric. Art quilters, especially, have a need--yes, need --to keep even small scraps because you never know when your quilt or fabric collage is going to require a specific color, pattern, or texture. Sometimes, though, the scraps of fabric can start to take over. That's when I go looking for projects and techniques that will use up a pile of scraps in a hurry. Fortunately, with the breadth of fiber-related publications under the Interweave...

It’s officially spring, and not a moment too soon for me. I already traded my boots for open-toed shoes a few weeks ago--and I'm not going back! Now it’s time to open the windows, do some spring cleaning, and let some fresh air into my studio in the hopes that fresh ideas will float in on gentle breezes....

In the Winter 2009/2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Studios , cover artist Mary Fisher discusses her new dream studio in Arizona, where everything is organized and there are separate areas for dry and wet areas, including quilting, embroidery, beading, and paper arts....

Heading out for a party on New Year's Eve and want to carry a stylish bag? Resolved to carry an eco-friendly tote bag rather than choose paper or plastic in 2010? Still looking for a last-minute homemade gift to whip together before Christmas? Maybe you just can't get enough quilted handbags?...

Of all the elements of design--line, color, texture, shape, form, value, and size--I think the most difficult one to grasp is value. Not only understanding what it is, but how to use it when you're in the process of designing a fiber art piece. How can you use value to your advantage? How do you gauge value when some of your fabrics have nap, or are shiny or sheer?...

When something goes awry in the creative process—the ink splatters, the dye color is murky, the stitches have minds of their own—you have two choices. You can toss it and start over, or you can, as my favorite fashion designer advisor Tim Gunn would say, make it work....

Each time we gear up for another International Quilt Festival Make It University! TM with Cloth Paper Scissors® event, we try to balance keeping popular components with adding new features. As our staff brainstormed ideas for IQF/Chicago April 16-18, one thing we made sure to include was an art trade-but with a twist....