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One of the hardest things for me at quilt shows is observing the no-touch rule. As much as I completely understand it, I often silently thank the quilt guardians for keeping me on my best behavior. It's so hard to resist all those touchable textiles! So, every time I return from doing a show like...
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"I wish I had more time to make art." I hear that all the time--from art quilters at shows, from my friends, the Quilting Arts staff...and out of my own mouth. Unless you're a full-time artist, you've probably said it yourself many times (and I'm willing to bet even full-time artists...
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I first became aware of Elin Waterston through the Quilting Arts reader challenges, particularly our annual calendar contests. Very quickly, our team came to recognize Elin's distinctive brand of well-thought-out, uncluttered design featuring a strong focal point. Since then, Elin has written articles...
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I love quilts that have been encrusted with lots of beads, baubles, buttons, found objects...you name it. The more outrageous the embellishment, the better! So I can't wait to share with you our latest ready-to-download eBook, Fine Embellishment Techniques from Quilting Arts : 5 Innovative Ways To...
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Imagine, if you will, me in my studio trying to use adhesive-backed water-soluble stabilizer. I carefully peel away the non-stick backing only to find that the sticky part doesn't stay put on my work surface. So now I am trying to hold down one edge of the stabilizer with one hand and peel away the...
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It's officially summer, and that means blueberry season. I'm lucky enough to live right next to my father-in-law's blueberry patch--more of a field, actually. While they last, I just have to walk out my back door and down the path to have access to fresh blueberries for breakfast, a snack...
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My entrée into the world of contemporary art quilting began with a timeless needlework technique: hand embroidery. From there my repertoire rapidly expanded to include modern machine embroidery, free-motion stitching, machine needle felting, and much more. But I often return to the simple joys...
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I started Cloth Paper Scissors magazine back in 2004 in part to give voice to forms of art that mixed fabric and stitch with paint, glue, and embellishment but were not strictly speaking art quilts. Forms like altered books, fabric and paint collages, shrines, assemblages, and paper quilts. One of my...
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I thought that headline might grab your attention. I recently took a brief three-day break to a beach before our publishing schedule vamps up this summer, and decided to turn my vacation a Stitch-cation. As summer approaches––and so do vacation plans––no road trip or spa break...
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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...
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Since falling in love with the art quilting world more than a decade ago, I've seen thousands upon thousands of quilts. Despite the fact that each one is unique, I've noticed some themes and motifs that attract quilt artists repeatedly: nature, the sea, faces and memories of loved ones, and geometric...
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One of the things I most enjoy about International Quilt Festival is seeing all the little stitchers-in-training who attend with their moms, grandmothers, or aunts. These kids come with their ATCs to trade (or, like young Lexus Estes, they submit their quilts to the show), they participate in workshops...
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We received so many fun and interesting Let Out Your Inner Animal Challenge quilts from readers that the Quilting Arts editors decided we had to play, too. You might recall my experiments in frog mutations (art quilt-style) on my editor's blog. I enjoyed reading all the feedback to my outlandish...
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There isn’t normally a great deal of crossover between acting and art quilting , but textile artist Lalla Ward has crossed this unusual divide. Well-known for her role as alien Romana in the BBC television series Dr. Who, Lalla now devotes the majority of her time to fiber rather than film. And...
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This new month also means a new issue of Quilting Arts hits the newsstands! If you don't already have your copy of the February/March 2010 Quilting Arts , don't waste too much more time. This issue features an array of art quilting techniques, ideas, events, and more. From machine stitching to...