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Whenever I visit my local quilt shop, I delight in the displays of fresh new fabrics, all cut and folded in beautiful and unique ways. Jelly rolls? I have them at the ready for strip quilting and quick patchwork projects . Fat quarters? They are tucked into baskets in my studio. 'Nine Patch Rearranged'...
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This time of year, I am “nest obsessed.” The birds are chirping outside my office window, and the robins especially are actively searching for blades of grass and small twigs to use in their nests. These architectural wonders may seem like random assortments of sticks, but actually have a...
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I will be the first to admit that quilt binding is not my favorite part of the quilt-making process. I understand that binding a quilt frames it and, done correctly, enhances the design of the body of the fiber art piece. And of course, if you're going to use a quilt (rather than hang it on a wall...
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If you've wanted to learn how to quilt but didn't know where to begin or didn't want to take on a big project, our new free downloadable eBook, Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners , is for you! This eBook offers you basic quilting techniques...
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I'm so looking forward to meeting with the fiber art group I belong to, Sisters in Cloth, this coming weekend for our annual extravaganza. It is a sort of party where we get together on a Saturday, have a great lunch, do a lively show and tell, have a speaker or technique demonstration, and sew together...
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Sometimes an idea for surface design is so simple, you wonder why you never thought of it before. That's how I felt when I first saw Rose Hughes' tutorial on using crayons — the kind kids use, nothing fancy-as a resist method with fabric paint. Fabric painting with crayon resist by Rose...
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I love the new modern patchwork quilt designs with improvisational piecing and simple, clean lines. And I'm not alone: these graphic, contemporary quilts with off-kilter blocks and wide expanses of solid colors appeal to a wide range of quilt artists. Jacquie's 'Sea Glass' quilt uses...
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As I explore the possibilities of surface design, one of the things I've noticed is that you can use paint, foil, dye, and so on to make your fiber art look like it has appliqué quilt designs . "Ginkgo" quilt by Stephanie Forsyth. One of the easiest ways to apply this faux quilting...
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Echo quilting is a sewing technique that can add lush texture to art quilts. It is one of those quilting techniques that can take some practice and patience to learn, but it's well worth the effort. And a bit easier to do if you know a few tricks of the trade. Nancy G. Cook uses a dense echo quilting...
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Vivika's Blog
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Vivika_Blog
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22 Feb 2012
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Filed under: Embroidery, Quilt Patterns, Quilting Designs, Hand Sewing, Sewing Techniques, Machine Quilting, How to Quilt, Quilting Techniques, Art Quilts, Hand Stitches, Quilting Stitches
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Recently a coworker brought in a treasure she'd acquired while visiting a friend in the Midwest: six vintage handmade quilt squares. Each one had been carefully pieced using the tiniest of hand stitches. My inherited handmade quilts. Everyone in the office gathered around and oohed and ahhed at the...
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Last week, I asked for advice on exploring surface design techniques . A lot of you said I should just relax, have fun, and play with different materials and techniques for designing fabrics. I agree! Lisa Kerpoe's prayer flags designed with fabric paints and dyes. From "QATV" Series 800...
Posted to
Vivika's Blog
by
Vivika_Blog
on
1 Feb 2012
Filed under:
Filed under: Embroidery, Fabric Art, Surface Design, Hand Sewing, Sewing Techniques, Machine Quilting, How to Quilt, Embellishment Techniques, Quilting Techniques, Hand Stitches, Fabric Painting
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Batik is one of the oldest methods of dyeing fabrics for surface design. Using hot liquid wax as a resist for dye, batik yields beautiful patterns and rich colors. But traditional batik is time-consuming and labor intensive. But what if you could learn how to batik without the hassles? In this free eBook...
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Fabric designed with baby rice cereal, by Lisa Kerpoe. Now that I'm all moved in down here in Houston, I'm ready to get cooking on some fabric dyeing and other surface design techniques. Although the weather here is relatively warm and sunny, it's too cold for outdoor dyeing (for me, anyway...
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Spiderweb Quilt, 55" x 65" When I first became interested in quilting, I spent hours staring at traditional quilt squares trying to figure out how they were pieced. Some, like the log cabin pattern, are pretty obvious. But many block quilt designs present an optical illusion. What looks like...
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'Birdhouse' block quilt by Tina Givens. These days, in the quilting and sewing world it's hip to be square. The popularity of modern patchwork designs means that fiber artists are creating — and clamoring for — contemporary quilt block patterns for quilt designs and other patchwork...