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Flowers are one of the most popular motifs in art, and quilting designs are no different. From antique quilts to the most contemporary quilt design, the flower often takes center stage. Flowers by Barb Forrister. There are as many ways to make a flower quilt as there are flowers: piecing geometric quilt...
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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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I love fabric and quilting supplies, and I try to keep them contained. But sometimes I look around my studio and think, who let the hurricane in? Many of my quilting supplies are stored in this cupboard. That’s when I set aside time to restore order. Although on the messy days it may not seem like...
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This festive fused appliqué runner comes with a free sewing pattern. There was a time when the only sewing patterns that crossed the threshold of my studio were the vintage tissue paper kind I gathered to use in my mixed-media artwork or the books of Victorian sewing patterns and needlework I...
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My frog quilt design started as a digital photo. I've been using digital photos as a basis for my quilt designs for quite some time now. Digital technology has improved so much, too. It's easier than ever to turn a photo into a quilt design, from a basic cotton quilt with a geometric quilting...
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Mini Fabric Collage Journals by Jill Russell. What would we do without fusible web? It holds our quilt sandwiches together while we sew, makes appliqu é a breeze, and can even hem a skirt in an emergency. One of my favorite ways to use fusible web is to make a fabric collage. You can do this with...
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Card by Kelli Perkins, from Gifts 2009-10. A few weeks ago I gave you a little tutorial on how to make a handmade holiday gift card . It was so popular, I thought I'd share some more ideas on making holiday cards, inspired by techniques and designs featured in back issues of Quilting Arts Gifts ...
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A sampling of prints made with DIY mark-making tools. I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to give me an honest answer. When choosing among items at a grocery store, have you ever selected one over the other based solely on how you could use the packaging to create surface design ? You...
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The parallel lines of this beach boardwalk from a seaside trip last year would make an interesting screen print. As you know, I am a surface design junkie. As you also know, surface design is messy. So while I often take my beloved Bernina® on vacation with me, I'm not likely to lug my screens...
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At first glance, the worlds of traditional and modern quilting don't seem to have much in common, other than fabric and thread. But of course, modern quilting has its roots in the traditional methods. And, in fact, many contemporary quilters began as traditional or Victorian-style crazy quilters...
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When I'm with friends who aren't quilters and the discussion turns to expectant parents, it's often assumed that my go-to gift would be a baby quilt. I explain that while I have nothing against baby quilts, my style of quilting doesn't really apply: babies and beaded, screen-printed fabrics...
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Summer is coming and I'm getting ready for the three Bs: bikinis, beaches, and books. I read year-round, but I especially look forward to those summer beach books, even if most of the time I'm just catching a few sun-screened rays on my deck. And while I don't mind getting a little lotion...
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A warm welcome to Quilting Arts April/May 2011 cover artist Paula Chung! Paula’s raw-edge silk appliqué quilts predominately feature floral imagery and I was curious to learn more about the inspiration behind her work and how her home state of California influences her quilt making. I asked...
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Greetings and welcome to the last stop on the Quilting Arts everything-must-go blog giveaway! Change is in the air and things certainly are bustling at our Stow, MA offices as we pack, and pack, and pack, to get ready for our new location in Sudbury, MA. As the day winds to a close, we may be a little...
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You might have seen this picture from my wrap up of "QATV" Season 8. Yes, I am vertically challenged and need a little boost in order to reach the pedal on the set's sewing machine. The Quilting Arts crew thinks it's funny to capture these little behind-the-scenes TV moments. And frankly...