Quilting Daily : Quilting Supplies

Easy Fabric Postcards Inspired by Pets

Vivika_Blog — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:02:00 GMT

A few years ago I made a series of quilted fabric collage pet portraits on commission. I enjoyed making these quilts immensely, even though they were labor-intensive.

Fabric postcards inspired by pets, by Pauline Salzman.

It is always a challenge to create a pet portrait that captures both the animal's personality and the owner's memories. Photos never can fully show the wag of a tail or playful twinkle of an eye.

I brought my pet portraits to life through embellishments and the fanciful use of fabric scraps. But you can create pet-themed fiber art that portrays a pet's essence even with a simple line drawing.

In the new Quilting Arts Workshop^TM Fabric Postcard Pets: Three Easy Ways to Make Mini Pet Portraits, fiber artist Pauline Salzman shows you how to create pet-themed fiber postcards using simple line drawings plus easy fusible, coloring, and sewing techniques.

In one of her easiest tutorials, Pauline traces a line drawing onto fusible web. Then she fuses drawing onto fabric, cuts out the pieces, and fuses the positive and negative parts onto two different cards.

Pauline uses the positive and negative fused fabric
cutouts to make fabric postcards.

Pauline's best tip for cutting out the fused fabric pieces? Hold the fabric scissors steady and move the fabric, instead of the other way around.

These fiber postcards are so cute; with a little guidance they would be a great project to do with kids. (Can you tell I'm already thinking about summer vacation projects?)

Download Fabric Postcard Pets and start creating this quick and easy fiber collage projects today.

P.S. Do you make fabric postcards? What are your favorite tips or motifs? Leave a comment below.

Get Expert Quilting Instruction On Demand

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 16 May 2013 09:44:00 GMT

I've always found quilters to be a generous bunch, always ready to share a technique or some fabric from their stash.

Quilting instruction, surface design techniques, or even spinning
or mixed media: the choice is yours on Craft Daily.

But, I'd hesitate to call any but my best quilting buddies in the middle of the night if I had a sudden, sleepless urge to learn soy wax batik or needed instructions for a last-minute gift project.

Of course I have my Quilting Arts back issues and my Workshop^TM DVDs, but even my quilting library doesn't cover the complete gamut of techniques--not to mention craft techniques and projects outside the realm of fiber art and surface design.

But now I--and you--can have access to 100+ (and counting) full length craft video workshops from your Mac, PC, iOS & most Android devices like Kindle and Kindle Fire any time you like, as often as you like, with our new website, CraftDaily.com.

Craft Daily is simply the best source for art and craft video workshops and tutorials that you'll find.

With a subscription to the online Quilting library, you can access everything from full episodes of "Quilting Arts TV" to hour-long videos on fabric painting, machine stitching, digital design, and more. Plus, by subscribing to the full Craft Daily library, you can learn about beading, crochet, mixed media, spinning, knitting, and more, wherever and whenever you want.

A subscription to Craft Daily is like having open admission to your favorite artists' studios or having the best instructors in the world on call. Whatever art instruction you're craving, you can have it with Craft Daily.

P.S. What art or craft other than quilting would you most like to learn about?

Make a Quilt Supplies Wish List and You Could Win

Cate Prato — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:23:00 GMT

Treat your mom (yourself, or a friend) this Mother's Day!

What quilting supplies do you wish for?

Fill out her crafting WISH LIST with up to $50 worth of product from the Quilting Daily Shop. We'll pick one lucky winner to receive everything on their list! Winner selected May 7.

Choose from items like QATV DVDs, Workshop^TM videos, quilt and surface design books, and more.

Get the rules and all the other details now. And hurry: May 7 and Mother's Day are approaching fast!

Good luck!

Let Your Sewing Techniques Take Wing

Kristine Lundblad — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:46:00 GMT

While Vivika is on leave, guest bloggers are filling in, and we're also revisiting some of our readers' favorite posts. This one, Vivika's first as editor of Quilting Arts, looks at how she makes her bird quilts look so realistic through fabric choice and sewing techniques. ~Kristine Lundblad, Quilting Arts assistant editor

Detail of on of my robins captured in fabric and stitchery.

The more closely I watch birds, the more fascinated I have become with trying to capture their colors and textures using fabric and stitchery.

I have developed a design and sewing technique for "capturing the moment" in cloth and quilting stitches.

Here is the basic overview of how to sew a quilt that will "take wing.":

You will need:

A copyright-free pattern of a bird or a simple drawing (I like to use ones found in coloring books)
Tracing paper
Freezer paper
Fabric glue
A selection of fabrics to match your bird (and branches, flowers, etc., if desired)
Iron
Background fabrics or papers
Sewing machine and thread
Optional: Embellishments and hand-stitching supples

1. Trace the drawing onto tracing paper.

2. Trace each individual piece of the bird separately onto the dull side of freezer paper.

3. Roughly cut out your pattern pieces and iron them onto the right side of your chosen fabrics.

4. Cut out each pattern piece on the marked line.

5. Carefully peel the pattern pieces from the fabrics. Place each fabric piece onto the traced pattern.

My 'Robin and Apple Blossoms' quiltlet.

6. Glue the bird together, beginning with the body and wing. (Gluing is easier than sewing appliques. However, you could stitch them or iron the pieces onto fusible web and press them in place before stitching.)

7. While the bird is drying, make your background; cut, glue (or fuse), and stitch it in place.

8. Place the bird on the background exactly where you want it. Attach with a bit of glue and iron. Then machine stitch. Machine quilting stitches add depth and detail to your bird. You could also add details with hand embroidery. I sometimes use hand embroidery techniques to sketch in the bird's features and add texture to branches and feathers.

9. Embellish with beads, etc., as desired.

Fabric Selection Tips

There are many considerations in choosing fabrics for small compositions. Keep the following in mind:

Loosely-woven fabrics are more likely to fray and should be avoided.

Textures and geometric designs in fabrics often add interest and suggest movement when used appropriately.

Your composition will be examined closely--give the viewer something interesting and unexpected.

Scraps are your friends. Look at large- and small-scale fabric prints for transitions of color, shading, and feather pattern.

A new book I want to get my hands on is Mollie Makes Feathered Friends: Creating 18 Handmade Projects for the Home. In it, Mollie shows how to make bird-themed art and craft projects with sewing, quilting, applique, and crochet techniques. My creative imagination is already soaring.

P.S. Do you use bird motifs in your fiber art? What's your favorite avian subject? Leave a comment below.

Use Surface Design Technique to Explore the Emerald City

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 04:10:00 GMT

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.

The blues and golds of the batik fabric created by Ginny Eckley mingle to create different shades, including green.

This year, emerald is Pantone's Color of the Year. At first, my heart sank a little. Dark green? Not my favorite. When this color becomes ubiquitous, as tangerine did last year, how will I cope with the flood of emerald on everything from fabric to tableware?

But then I thought back to the advice Luana Rubin, co-founder and president of eQuilter.com and a member of the Color Marketing Group (CMG, an international color and trend forecasting group), gave last year in reference to Tangerine Tango.

"When Pantone announced the 2012 Color of the Year . . . they knew it would spawn a wide range of orange hues," Luana wrote on her Color Inspirations blog. "This happy and vivacious color has been reinterpreted in floral, fruit, and butterfly shades that are absolutely dripping with personality!"

Her point was that you can interpret a color many ways, with a variety of shades and tints. And you don't need to let it take over: a little can go a long way enhance the other colors with it, especially when you're talking about quilting and surface design.

Studying the color wheel can help you figure out what combinations you like best. But sometimes, you just have to practice and play. For example:

If you have some emerald in your stash, pull out the fabric and pair it with different colors. Try not to pre-judge: try emerald green with pink, spring green, taupe, or gold. Better yet, toss a few scraps on your floor or worktable and see let the combinations surprise you.

If you don't have emerald in your stash, use a paint chip sample. Hold it up to different fabrics to see how the hue works with colors and patterns.

Another way to try out a new color is through fabric painting. Start with a plain white piece of fabric and stamp or paint other colors along with the new color to explore different combinations.

Try fabric dyeing techniques like ice or snow dyeing using a dark green dye, complementary or analogous colors, and a fat quarter of plain white fabric. See what develops as the colors melt and combine.

Actually, "practice and play" is good advice for any aspect of fiber art: don't close your mind to a color (or an idea, pattern, or fabric) because you think you don't like it. Try it out in different ways, and you might find a new favorite. Surface design is an easy way to do that, because you can practice on a small amount of fabric.

In her Quilting Arts Workshop^TM Surface Design with Silk Screens Soy Wax Resist & Fabric Manipulation, fiber artist Ginny Eckley demonstrates surface design techniques including screen printing, dyeing, and shibori-style fabric manipulation that can help you explore the range of one hue as well as how colors can enhance each other in patterns. Watch a preview of Surface Design with Silk Screens Soy Wax Resist & Fabric Manipulation to see how easy and fun it can be.

P.S. What do you think of emerald? Are you thrilled? Lukewarm? Or do you stick with the colors you love regardless of trends? Leave a comment below.

Customize Handmade Bags with Applique

Vivika_Blog — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 03:43:00 GMT

I'm a sucker for bag and purse patterns. If they feature appliqué hexagons or are made with a fun, contemporary fabric, so much the better.

My Pretty Little Tote Bag with
hexagon appliqués.

The Pretty Little Tote Bag I made for Modern Patchwork 2012 is simple enough, and you can jazz up the basic linen background with cheerful hexagon appliqués a narrow strip of the same or coordinating fabric on the outside pocket. I made this purse using fused applique and left the edges raw, but you could hand appliqué the motifs or use a machine appliqué stitch if you prefer.

1. Make template for your hexagons out of heavy paper or cardstock.

2. Trace the hexagon template onto the paper side of a sheet of fusible web 4 times and cut out just beyond the drawn lines.

3. Following the manufacturer's instructions, fuse to the wrong side of the print fabric. Cut out the fabric hexagons and fuse them to the front of your bag fabric in a pleasing pattern, being sure to stay clear of the seam allowances. Topstitch around the edges of the hexagons.

Appliqué is something former Stitch magazine editor Trisha Waddell advocates for adding a punch to purses. You can "add motifs from your favorite fabrics with appliqué or get fancy with reverse appliqué for a fun embellishment," she says.

Here are some of Trisha's other tips for customizing bag sewing patterns:

Combine old with new - Mix and match fabric from vintage linens, handles, and hardware from a classic handbag or appliqué cutout motifs from vintage clothes and home décor fabrics to add a unique accent to your new tote.

Focus on the fabric - Make a simple tote special by using an unusual fabric. Take that small amount of specialty fabric you picked up during your travels or at a remnant sale and make it into an outstanding bag. The fabric will be all the decoration you need.

Applique Linen Drawstring Handbag by
Carol Zentgraf, featured in
Best of Stitch: Bags to Sew.

Creative contrasts - Play with contrasts by using a different fabric for the lining, the handles (both sides), and pockets.

Playful piecing - Patchwork and fabric piecing are great ways to add a graphic element to your bag, plus you use up some of your stash as well!

Stitch it up - Machine and hand embroidery can add interesting texture and line on a simple bag in no time. Use contrasting thread for greater effect. And don't forget the handles!

You can try these tricks on your own handmade bag patterns, or order a copy of Best of Stitch: Bags to Sew, by Tricia Waddell.

P.S. Do you make handmade bags? What is your favorite style of bag or motif? Share with everyone in the comments section below.

Memory Quilts Made Easier with TAP

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:20:00 GMT

Recently, I was looking through pictures of bird art I've made over the years. After the winter we've had, just seeing this bird building its nest on the flowering apple branch makes me happy! Spring has arrived (by the calendar, at least), and that means that even if it snows again, the wintry remains will soon melt away.

My 'Robin with Apple Blossoms' quilt.

I made this little Robin with Apple Blossoms piece a couple of years ago. I scanned the image and printed it out onto Transfer Artist Paper ^TM or TAP for a client who was making a custom quilt for a new baby in the family. She wanted to use the image, but it had to be washable.

The transfer came out great. I'd not used the product before, but could tell that it is much easier than any other method I have used for transferring images. In the past, when you wanted to make a photo quilt or a memory quilt with images, you could use iron-on t-shirt transfers, but they made the fabric stiff and didn't always hold up to washing.

Another popular way to make transfers on fabric is with gel medium and an inkjet printout. But the success of the transfer often relied on serendipity and they were only suitable for art quilts—you couldn't wash them.

TAP is different. It's an iron-on transfer paper, but the inks combine with the polymer coating on the paper. When heated, the inks fuse into the fabric and become part of it, rendering the image permanent and washable.

'Easter Bonnet' by Lesley Riley. Lesley used TAP and paints to
create this charming vignette, perfect for a photo memory quilt.

TAP works on all types of fabric plus paper, leather, and more. And, you can draw and paint on TAP using inks and acrylics, markers, and pencil. In the April/May 2009 issue of Quilting Arts, TAP developer and fiber artist Lesley Riley explained how to use TAP with other supplies to enhance your custom quilts and other fiber art.

For example, in the "Easter Bonnet" sample shown here, she painted a sheet of TAP with Golden® fluid acrylic and used Portfolio Series® oil pastels to create the lawn area. On a separate sheet of TAP, she printed a photo and some bird ephemera. After trimming the excess white areas around the images, Lesley used a glue stick to tack the images in place over the painted background, flipped it over, and ironed the composition onto fabric.

When you want to turn treasured photos and drawings into memory quilts, or just want to transfer an image onto fabric to use as a focal point or tell a story, I definitely recommend TAP.

In upcoming issues of Quilting Arts, we have articles on how to transfer your paintings onto fabric with fusible web and gallery quilts using photo transfers. You won't want to miss anything, so be sure your subscription is up to date!

P.S. How do you prefer to make photo transfers? Leave your tips below.

Easy Silkscreen Steps for Unique Fabric Art

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 05:02:00 GMT

I've been playing with screen printing for fiber art a lot lately, in preparation for a surprise the Quilting Arts team has in store for you. (Trust me, you will love it.)

Fabric art using silkscreen and soy wax batik techniques,
by Ginny Eckley.

What I've learned is, the more you do screen printing, the easier it is to transition from one type to another. One might actually become obsessed with combining screen printing and textile art.

So, I've been eyeing silkscreens. Fiber art and surface design expert Ginny Eckley has an easy process for silkscreen printing that I like, and I thought I'd share it with you today.

Most of the materials you probably have on hand: paper towels, foam brushes, a squeegee or old credit card, small paintbrush for touch-up, plastic containers for paints, thick paints or silkscreen inks, low-tack tape, a container of soapy water, and a sponge for rinsing your screens. Plus you will need silkscreens and fabric or paper to print on.

Note: Ginny uses PhotoEZ^TM silkscreens made of nylon fabric with an emulsion.The emulsion side is the shiny, soft, smooth side. The other side is duller. When you use it, the shiny side goes down. Apply paint to the dull side

Directions:

1. Cover a smooth, clean surface with plastic. Lay Pellon® Thermolam® Plus or another brand of washable fleece on your table, for cushioning and absorbing excess paints.

2. Use the low-tack (painter's) tape to position the silkscreen. Tape it on one side, making sure you don't cover any of the design. Be sure the shiny side is facing the paper or fabric, dull side is up.

3. Using either a brush or squeegee, firmly stroke over the silkscreen. Always move in one direction to prevent smearing. Don't paint outside the screen!

4. Before removing the tape, lift up a corner of the screen to see if you painted all the design. Place it carefully back down in the same place if you need to touch up part of the image.

Fiber artist Ginny Eckley

Ginny's tips for success:

Use a separate brush for each color, leave that brush with the paint cup, so paints and brushes don't get mixed up.
Keep your hands clean! Otherwise, you pass the paint from your hands onto your art.
Check the back of the screen for stray paint before using it to print a second tim

You can print several times before cleaning, but never let the screen sit with paint on it as the paint can dry in the screen. When you are done with a screen but want to keep printing with another screen, just lay it flat in you container of water and clean all the screens at the end.

That's all there is to it. Ginny creates complex, layered fabric art design by combining silkscreening with soy wax resist (another process that could could easily become an obsession). In her new Quilting Arts Workshop video, Surface Design with Silk Screens, Soy Wax Resist, & Fabric Manipulation, Ginny teaches you surface design techniques you can use to create beautiful textile art, from fabric postcards to mixed-media fiber art quilts.

P.S. What's your latest fabric art obsession? Tell me about it in the space below.

Havel's Scissors, Fingal DVD, and Quilting Arts Giveaway

Vivika_Blog — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 05:41:00 GMT

If you like to cut and fuse fabric, this giveaway is for you!

Art by Jamie Fingal. Scissors by Havel's.

If you're a regular reader of Quilting Arts, and of course I hope you are, you may recall Jamie Fingal's "Out of the Toolbox" article in the October/November 2012 issue. In it, Jamie tested a pair of 7" serrated scissors from Havel's Sewing by cutting intricate and simple shapes and then appliqueing the shapes to silk squares with fusible web. Jamie gave two thumbs up for these scissors, and that gave me an idea for a giveaway.

With the help of Havel's Sewing, I am pleased to offer giveaway prizes to three lucky commenters on this blog post. Each of the three giveaway packages will include a pair of the Havel's scissors Jamie tested, a copy of the Quilting Arts issue with Jamie's review and cutting tips, and a copy of Jamie's Quilting Arts Workshop DVD, Rebel Quilting: Thinking Outside the Block.

All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what project you would make first with a pair of these scissors.

I'll choose THREE winners next Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

Good luck!

9 Expert Fusing Tips for Quilt and Fabric Art

Vivika_Blog — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:12:00 GMT

A lot of contemporary art quilters swear by fusing their fabric art. But if you've had a bad experience with fusing, maybe you just swear.

A sampling of fused quilts by Laura Wasilowski
and Frieda Anderson.

Although fusing is a fairly straightforward method of applying fabric shapes and appliques to quilts and other fiber art, there are tricks to using it.

If you really want expert advice on how to fuse fabrics, you can do no better than to seek out members of The Chicago School of Fusing, a group of art quilters dedicated to spreading the message of the wonders of fused quilts. Two of the members, Laura Wasilowski and Frieda Anderson, have teamed up to for a Quilting Arts Workshop^TM video, Improvisational Fused Quilt Art, and they spend a whole segment of the workshop on fusing basics.

Laura and Frieda are friends and both are known for their vibrant and often whimsical art quilts that feature fused fabric collage techniques. It's so much fun to watch them: they practically finish each other's sentences and their joy in creating is infectious.

Here are some of their tips and tricks for using fusible web:

1. If you're using a paper-backed fusible, the rough side is the side with the glue. Lay the rough side onto the back of your fabric.

Laura Wasilowski (left) and Frieda Anderson, members of The Chicago School of Fusing.

2. Use a hot, dry iron (the cotton setting) and cover the fusible with a piece of the release paper that comes with your fusible, or, use a piece of baking parchment. This will protect your iron from the glue.

3. Don't over-fuse; the excessive heat will cause the glue to harden and make the fabric stiff.

4. After the fusible has cooled, use a rotary cutter to trim off any excess fabric that hasn't been covered with fusible. This way, you won't end up with any partially fused piece of fabric.

5. To separate the backing sheet from the fused fabric, use what Laura calls the squirrel and swipe method. With your hand flat, burrow your fingertips forward between the (the squirrel part). Go a little way in, then swipe your hand side to side once each way quickly to release the outer edges of the paper. Squirrel in a little more, then swipe again. This will help release the paper whole, so you can use it again for protecting your iron, transferring motif shapes, etc.

Detail of fused art quilt by Frieda Anderson.

6. Laura and Frieda prefer to use hand-dyed fabrics as well as batiks, silks, and other fabrics where the color goes all the way through to the back. If you fuse using printed fabrics, the white color from the back of the fabric can often be seen on the cut edge.

7. Wash commercial fabrics before fusing to remove the sizing and starch. If you don't, the fusible won't adhere as well to the fabric.

8. Especially on light-colored fabrics, it can be hard to tell which side has the fused glue. To check, place your cut piece of fused fabric between a folded piece of release paper or parchment and tack lightly in one spot with a hot iron. The side the parchment sticks to has the glue.

9. Practice random acts of fusing. Save your fused fabric scraps and leftover cutouts and used them to create a fabric collage on a fabric postcard, in fabric crafts, or on the back of a quilt. This is a great way to practice your design skills and use up your scraps.

Whether you've never fused fiber art before or you are an experienced fuser, I can think of no better teachers to take you to the next level of fused textile art than Laura and Frieda. Improvisational Fused Quilt Art: Create Beautiful Art Quilts the Easy Way is now available for fusing and fabric art fun.

P.S. Do you fuse? What is your best tip? If you don't fuse, why not? Leave your comment below.

Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 05:16:00 GMT

Our foremothers knew how to make a quilt using only what they had, from scraps of fabric to natural dyes. But, quilt making the frugal and eco-friendly way was easier for them: they didn't have much of a choice. Pioneer women didn't have fabric stores, and even our own mothers didn't have the Internet offering fabrics, thread, and surface design supplies available at the click of a button.

In this piece, Lisa Kerpoe shows how to
make a quilt from dyed fabrics using a rice
cereal resist. LIsa wrote a series of articles
on kitchen resists for Quilting Arts in 2011.

That's not to say that contemporary art quilters don't save scraps and found objects to use in future quilt projects. We're geniuses at inventive quilt making!

But if you're looking to downsize your stash, help save the planet, or just be more creative about using what you have, here are some frugal and eco-friendly sewing, surface design, and quilting tips:

Save small scraps of fabric, fibers, and thread for needle felting. You can even use them to stuff small projects.
Turn larger scraps into quilts or small quilting projects
Make quilts the old fashioned way . . . out of worn-out clothing.
Re-use parts of abandoned projects to make a new design or quilt sandwich.
Save thread trash from your washing machine to use in surface design.
Save the release paper from fusible web to use as a protective sheet when ironing the fusible to fabric. You can use it several times.
Make beads out of recycled paper.
Wrap found objects with craft wire or fibers and use as embellishments.
Make "fabric" out of junk mail, wrapping paper, or plastic bags.
Save shiny candy wrappers to use as foil for surface design and embellishment.
Use more eco-friendly dyeing techniques, like kitchen resists, soy wax batik, and rust-dyeing (using water, vinegar and humidity), and natural plant dyes like indigo.
When dyeing, keep a "clean-up cloth" handy to sop up any extra dye. Those cloths are often the most beautifully dyed pieces in your stash!
Hand sew or quilt by hand, and you'll save on electricity.

I just thought of another one: going digital. Digital magazines, books, and videos don't clutter your home, have little or no packaging, and save on shipping. Have you seen all our digital products in the Quilting Daily Shop? Be sure to check them out.

P.S. I'm sure you can think of some other eco-friendly and/or frugal quilting ideas that also save you money. Please share them with everyone, below.

Enhance Small Quilting Projects with Surface Design

Vivika_Blog — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 04:56:00 GMT

Judging by the comments on the Quilting Daily Facebook page, a lot of you received fabric and new quilting gadgets for Christmas—perhaps even a new sewing machine? If you're like me, you're now itching to use those new goodies in quilting projects. Maybe scrap quilts with all the leftovers from your quilted projects you gave as gifts or small quilting projects to test out your new rotary cutting blades and specialized feet.

Use screen-printed fabric pieces to make small
quilting projects like this block pillow
by Margaret Applin.

I like to create quilt-in-a-day projects like pillows and table runners, myself. Quick quilt patterns like these let me experiment with mixed-media and surface-design techniques without a lot of commitment of time and materials.

For example, I've resolved to learn more about how to use Photoshop® in the New Year, going beyond resizing photos to creating digital collages I can print out and use as imagery in small quilting projects.

I'm also eager to learn more about screen-printing. I'm not sure I'm ready to dedicate myself to an entire quilt or large wall hanging full of screen-printed fabric. But I'd like to screen-print a few fat quarters and then use the successful prints in a blocked pillow or patchwork table runner.

To create a pillow cover similar Margaret Applin's, shown at left, follow these directions:

1. Gather your screen-printed fabrics and cut them in squares or rectangles, with 2 squares that are the equal dimensions, and 2 rectangles that add up to the total width of both squares plus 1".

2. Cut 2 strips of contrasting fabric 1-1/2" wide, one the same length as the squares and the other the width of the squares plus one inch.

3. Using 1/4" seams, stitch 1 of the squares to the short strip (right sides together) and other square to the other edge of the short strip (right sides together).

4. Sew the 2 rectangles together (as pictured) right sides together. Then stitch that piece to the long strip (right sides together) and the first stitched block (with the squares) to the other edge of the long strip (right sides together).

Notebook covers, like these by Diane Doran, also
make quick quilting projects.

5. Trim to square up the completed block, if necessary.

6. Measure and cut a backing for the pillow. Place one fabric square on top of a second square, right sides together. Sew around 3 sides using a 1/4" seam allowance. Clip the sewn corners.

7. Turn the pillow cover right side out. Gently push out the sewn corners. Fold in the raw edges of the opening by 1/4" and press lightly.

8. Push a pillow form or polyester stuffing into the cover. Close the opening by whip stitching by hand or carefully machine stitching close to the folded edge.

Sewing and quilting projects don't come much quicker than that!

With new quilting supplies and a new year, I'm eager to learn new things. How about you?

Whatever your creative goals-from making quick quilts or creating and elaborately stitched and surfaced-designed series of wall hangings-we have the tools to help you achieve them. You can start with our Digital Fiber Arts Premium Collection: four video workshops focused on helping you learn how to use surface design and digital design in you quilt art.

Here's to a New Year and New Ventures!

P.S. What new creative ventures are you going to tackle this year? Leave your answer below.

Quilting Instructions for Cute Mini Stockings

Vivika_Blog — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 05:32:00 GMT

Right now, I'm looking for quick quilting projects to make. Running through the file of quilting ideas I keep in my head, I remembered these sweet little free-motion stitched stockings by Diane Rusin Doran from Quilting Arts Gifts 2011. Each is just big enough to hold a small treat, and they're quick and easy enough to make dozens. You can use them for gift decorations and ornaments, or even string them together to create an advent calendar.

Diane Rusin Doran explains how to quilt
these adorable stocking.

Here are Diane's instructions for how to quilt up a bunch of these little gems.

Note: To make just one mini stocking, Diane uses 5" x 6" pieces (one from the stocking front fabric and two from the craft felt fabric). If you want to make many stockings at one time, Diane suggests you start with larger pieces of fabric and felt.

Materials

Mini Stocking pattern (see below)
Freezer paper
Fabric for the stocking front (Diane used red dupioni silk for some of her stockings and red hand-dyed cotton for others.)
Craft felt for the stocking foundation-front and back, 2 pieces (Select a color that matches the stocking front fabric.)
Trim or ribbon for stocking cuff, 3" length per stocking
White pencil or chalk
Fusible web
Craft glue

1. Trace the stocking pattern onto the dull side of the freezer paper. Cut out the freezer paper stocking.

Tip: If you are making multiple stockings, you can stack up to 6 pieces of freezer paper, tap the paper side with an iron to temporarily bond them together, and cut out all 6 stocking patterns at once.

2. Apply fusible web to the back of your stocking front fabric.

Different stitching patterns give each
stocking personality.

3. Using caution, and with your iron set at the lowest setting for fusing, fuse the fabric to a piece of craft felt. Be aware that craft felt melts at high temperatures.

4. Iron the freezer paper stocking pattern onto the stocking front fabric, again using a relatively low iron temperature.

5. Using a thread color that matches the stocking fabric, mark the stocking shape by sewing around the freezer-paper pattern; do not stitch across the top edge of the stocking. Mark the top edge of the stocking using a white pencil or chalk. Remove the freezer paper. Repeat this step if you are making multiple stockings; leave about ¼" between stockings

6. Change your thread to a contrasting color, if you wish. Quilt each stocking as desired within the area you've marked. Remember that the trim at the top of the stocking will cover up the topmost quilting. Diane uses a high-contrast thread color to highlight the quilting, but you can try variegated thread, or use thread that matches the stocking for a more subtle look.

7. Stack your quilted stocking(s) onto another piece of equal-sized craft felt.

8. Using matching thread, stitch once more over the original stitching that marked the outline of each stocking, again leaving the top of the stocking open. Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching.

Mini stocking quilt project pattern.

9. Trim around the stocking, about 1⁄8" from the stitching line and flush with the top of the stocking.

10. Glue trim to the top of each stocking, and cut any excess off the ends.

11. Attach your mini stockings to gifts or use them as ornaments. For an extra flourish, fill the stockings with a small treat, or hang them together on ribbon to create a swag.

Diane is a multitalented contemporary quilter whose quilt making ranges from small quilt projects like this to large, heavily stitched quilts designed with digital imagery. She has appeared on "Quilting Arts TV" and also offers design and quilting tips on her Quilting Arts Workshop^TM DVD, Digital Collage for Quilt Design from Start to Finish. Whether your quilt project is large or small, quick or more involved, Diane's quilting lessons can help you create beautiful fiber art and become a better quilter.

P.S. What would you put in these cute little stockings? Leave your comment below.

Patchwork Owls: One Way to Show You Give a Hoot

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 04:41:00 GMT

When I saw Lynn Krawczyk's Fabric Owl plushies in International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene magazine last fall, I knew I had to make some of my own. Although I usually focus on more realistic looking birds in my fiber art, these little guys just charmed me. Lynn created owls using fabric scraps. Encouraged by her suggestion to jazz them up in your own way, I gave mine patchwork bodies made from vintage feed sack fabrics.

My handmade patchwork versions of Lynn's Fabric Owls.

"The idea to make a plushie came about because I kept collecting fat quarters of commercial prints that I couldn't live without. Since most of the fabrics were on the whimsical side and that's not something I use in my artwork, I decided it was time to make my own plushie. I love owls, and that's pretty much how they came to be!" Lynn told Pokey Bolton last year.

One of the whimsical touches in this plushie is the wishing pocket Lynn included.

"I think as kids we get all the cool stuff, one of which is the gift of getting to believe in things like the Tooth Fairy and Santa and all things magical," says Lynn. "I liked the idea of adding some of that magic back into my life and thought it would be neat to play off the idea of making a wish. I use my little owls almost like wishing wells; I add little secrets to their pockets that I wouldn't tell anyone else and keep my fingers crossed that they come true," Lynn said.

The owls come together simply. You can download the pattern from our website or make your own. Here are the abbreviated instructions.

1. Trace the pattern on the the wrong sides of 2 pieces of fabric. Pin Piece A (the front) to Piece B, right sides together and stitch the entire seam closed. (Note: if you don't want to add a label to the back, leave a 1½" opening along the seam for turning.

2. Trim away the excess fabric, leaving ¼" of fabric around the body outline. Clip small snips along the curved areas of the seams. Also clip small snips on the inside corners of your owl's feet.

I put my wish pocket on the back of the
owls and added some decorative embroidery.

3. Cut a 2½"-long slit in Piece B (skip this step if you left an opening in the seam in step 1). Turn your owl right-side out. Push the ears and feet out with your fingers, then gently push with a blunt object like closed scissors or a knitting needle to completely turn.

4. Stuff your owl. Hand stitch the stuffing hole shut with sewing thread if you left an opening in the seam or embroidery thread if the opening is in the back.

5. Cut eyes, nose, and pocket pieces from felt. Sew the letter beads and buttons onto the felt pieces.

6. Pin the pieces to the owl front to check placement. Then sew all the pieces onto the owl with embroidery thread. Don't forget to leave the top of the pocket open.

7. Create a 3" x 2½" label for the back of your owl and stitch it in place to cover the turning/stuffing hole.

I loved the idea of the owls bearing wishes, and that got me thinking about using them in a charitable way.

One of Lynn Krawczyk's
original Fabric Owls.

For the past several years, the Shoreline Arts Trail Open Studio group, of which I'm a member, supports a local charity, partnering with them to increase awareness for their cause and raise money to support their organization. Last year, we supported Community Dining Room, an organization committed to serving the community by feeding the hungry and helping with other basic human needs. As a thank you to my patrons at my Open Studio last November, anyone who made a suggested donation of $10 or more to the Community Dining Room received one of these sweet little owls (while supplies lasted!).

I love being able to make something with my own hands that can benefit someone else, and I know I'm not alone. Fiber artists in general, I think, are particularly generous with their art, donating everything from fiber postcards and artist trading cards to contemporary wall hangings and patchwork quilts to benefit a good cause. And then there are all the artists and fiber art lovers who support the cause by purchasing the artwork.

As you may know, one of the causes near to my heart is breast cancer awareness. So I'm pleased to tell you that, to recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness month, this week (through 11:59 PM MST on 10/5/12), 30% of all Quilting Daily Shop proceeds go to benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation. That's as good a reason to shop as I've ever heard!

P.S. Have you donated any of your fiber art to a cause? What moved you to participate? Tell me about it in the comments section below.

Q&A with Modern Patchwork Artist Ashley Newcomb

Vivika_Blog — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 04:50:00 GMT

I always love to hear how people began quilting. Did they make their first patchwork quilt at their grandmother's knee? Did they get bored and take a class that led to a passion? Did a friend drag them to a quilt show, and they were hooked?

Ashley Newcomb

For Ashley Newcomb, blogger at filminthefridge.com, creating modern patchwork-style quilts began when her fabric collection got so big she realized she had to do something with them. Does that sound like anyone you know?

Ashley and several other self-styled modern quilters shared their thoughts on modern quilting and how they got started in Modern Patchwork magazine. Today I thought I'd share Ashley's Q&A, which is part of an article by Alissa Haight Carlton on the modern quilting movement.

Q: How long have you been quilting and how did you start?

Ashley: I learned to sew at the end of 2007, when I discovered designer fabrics and started collecting them. I realized that I had better figure out some way to use these fabrics! I spent time browsing Flickr.com and started seeing gorgeous quilts that were unlike any I had seen—bright, colorful modern quilts. I made my first quilt top without a pattern. It's colorful and fun.

Q: How has your blog affected your quilting?

Samples of Ashley's modern patchwork quilts (detail).

Ashley: Having a blog is such a great way to connect with so many people that I'd never have a chance to meet otherwise. When I began quilting, there were many blogs that opened my eyes to a whole new world of quilting. Without these blogs, I'm not sure I'd have realized this passion of mine. Now it makes me happy to think that my blog can help inspire new quilters.

Q: What do you love most about modern quilting?

Ashley: I love that the sky's the limit in terms of what I could dream up and turn into a quilt. There's freedom in not relying on a pattern and letting the quilt evolve as I make up the various blocks.

Q: What makes you a modern quilter?

Ashley: I describe my quilting style as modern because it's an easy way to distinguish my style from traditional quilting. I like to make quilts that mix and match great fabrics, use a lot of white (or some other solid color), are improvisationally pieced, include some quirky aspects, some wonkiness or small pieced details, and don't necessarily follow any set pattern.

Whether you consider yourself a modern quilter, a contemporary quilter, or a traditionalist with a twist, you'll find 37 patchwork projects in Modern Patchwork to make using your own favorite fabrics and personal style.

P.S. How did you learn to quilt? Tell me your story below!