Silk Rods

These are byproducts of reeling silk from the cocoon; silk accumulates on these rods and remnants of it remain. The resulting rods can be dyed or separated into layers, and used in paper making, stitching and silk fusion.

 


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  • It's such a festive time of year. Decorations are going up. People are dressing in their finery. Gift planning is underway. No, I don't mean Christmas or Hanukkah. It's almost International Quilt Festival time in Houston! While you're
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  • I'd love to tell you that I am already working on my handmade holiday gifts, but honestly, it's not happening. I do like to give gifts with handmade elements like quilting and embroidery , but this year, I'll have to streamline those efforts if I'm going to get it all done.
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  • My studio time is precious. When I get a chance to play with my fabrics and thread, I want to get a lot accomplished with few interruptions.
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  • If you think quilt binding and finishing is the least creative part of your quilt making, think again. Our free ebook Quilt Binding and Finishing: Free Tutorials on How to Bind a Quilt Plus Tips on Finishing a Quilt has been updated, with 13 creative — yet easy — techniques for finishing
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  • We quilters are fortunate to have so many wonderful tools and materials available these days. I for one could not create my quilt projects without my 'holy trinity': rotary cutters, self-healing mats, and acrylic rulers. I can't imagine tracing
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  • What do you get when six fiber artists pass a piece of fabric around, adding surface design as they go? When In Stitches Editor Jane Dávila first proposed the idea of applying the collaborative concept of a round robin to surface design , I was worried the result might be a mess.
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  • I'm pleased to announce the two winners of our Moda Zen Chic fabric giveaway: lydianna and SusanW@8. Congratulations! Please contact me at klundblad@interweave.com. Thank you to the over 400 respondents for leaving your comments. Please check back
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  • Most days, working at Quilting Arts Magazine is like being a kid in a candy store--if that kid is a quilter and the candy fabric, notions, and accessories, that is. Fabric, quilts, magazines, and books are our stock-in-trade. We're giving away this
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  • Ever since 2009, artists Jamie Fingal and Leslie Tucker Jenison have curated an annual juried invitational exhibit for a group of artists they call Dinner at Eight. This year's exhibit, with the theme "Rituals," debuted at the 2012 International Quilt Festival in Long Beach, California
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  • Fabric painting is a fun way to create your own distinctive fabrics for quilting and mixed-media fiber art. In the 2011/12 issue of International Quilt Festival/Quilt Scene , Bonita Rose Kempenich showed this very easy technique for how to paint fabric.
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  • When I saw Lynn Krawczyk's Wishing Owl plushies in International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene magazine last fall, I knew I had to make some of my own. Encouraged by her suggestion to jazz them up in your own way, I gave mine patchwork bodies made from vintage feed sack fabrics.
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  • Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilts, Inc. are proud to bring you the fourth annual edition of International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene ! With this latest issue, you will capture the best of the contemporary quilt world in a super-sized 148-page special issue. Discover incredible features including: •
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  • We can't help noticing: the only thing that gets quilters going more than fabric and thread is a dose of their favorite morning beverage. Some can't function before pouring a mug of Joe. Others don't feel complete without breathing in the
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  • Like many, my mornings could not begin without a cup of coffee or two. OK, usually three. It is a routine, a ritual that I do automatically, always the same way. It starts my day with structure and familiarity. Atomic Coffee Break by bofogray Later, I
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  • Thank you to everyone who wrote about their gift-giving projects and plans on last week's blog post on the Quilt-in-a-day Patchwork Table Runner . Great ideas! And now, for the winner of the Lotta Jansdotter fabric squares: Annie-gram! Annie-gram
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  • Every Tuesday, the teams from Quilting Arts , Cloth Paper Scissors , and Stitch magazines gather in the common area of our office space for show and tell. Each week, we ooh and aah over projects big and small-from handmade quilts to encaustic experiments to toss pillow covers.
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  • I'm sure we all know someone who has been affected by breast cancer, whether it's among our own family and friends or in the greater art community. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and I'm pleased to let you know that over the next five days (through 11:59 PM MST on 10/5
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  • Small quilting projects like table linens, accessories, and home décor are perfect for the quilter who wants to create a handmade gift or refresh their décor or wardrobe — but has little time to spare.
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  • It seems to me that the one constant on which we can rely in this world of technology is change. Just when I feel comfortable with a new piece of software or the latest digital platform, something changes.
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  • I'm an empty-nester ... again. My 25-year-old daughter, who lived with me for the past year, just moved to the Pacific Northwest to start graduate school. Before she moved in, post-college, I had been alone for a couple of years. Of course I opened
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  • Maybe the most important lesson I've learned from Rayna is that rules and perfection are overrated — at least when it comes to surface design and art quilting. In fact, I think it's her laid-back attitude, coupled with a keen eye for color and design, that makes her such a brilliant artist
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  • Congratulations to the winners of our fabric giveaway: Sewpro13 and tjmiata! Please email your respective street addresses to mjibson@interweave.com so we can send your fabric to you. Didn't win? We'll have another fabric giveaway soon, so be
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  • In the June/July issue of Quilting Arts Magazine, our theme was staycation and the fun things you can do with your fabric and art supplies without traveling far from home. We challenged our readers to create a staycation postcard - because who doesn't like getting a postcard from a friend or family
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  • Put this in the category of "Why didn't I think of that?" A few weeks ago, Assistant Editor Kristine Lundblad came up with a terrific way to solve a problem we have at Quilting Arts .
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  • This summer was one of the more eventful ones of my life. I graduated with my master’s degree from Boston University, got married, became an official resident of Massachusetts, started a new job with Interweave, and mourned the loss of my maternal grandmother—a woman who lived with my family
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  • Digital imagery and products like digital ground make it easier than ever to print on fabric and create photo quilts . One artist who continually experiments with how to make a photo quilt is Wen Redmond.
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  • Join the do-it-yourself movement with ideas and techniques from the contributing artists of Quilting Arts Magazine. Learn a versatile surface design technique from Carolyn T. Abbott to personalized your own fabrics, ways to improve your quilt photography with Maria Elkins, how to dye your own cloth with
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  • Are you a hopeless romantic or a fool for poetry? Have you kept the love letters of your youth tucked in the corner of a lavender-scented shoe box? Has your idea of love and romance been shaped by a particularly juicy novel or a Hollywood heart-throb? The editorial team at Quilting Arts wants to know
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  • When needle-felting machines came out, I got one, and I love the effects I can create with scraps of fabric and fibers.
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  • I am a hopeless romantic. My knight in shining armor is one, too. Every day, we show each other what's in our hearts with notes, texts, photos, and other tokens of affection. ATC by Pat Hobbs Well, you can show us "What's in Your Heart"
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  • 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?
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  • You asked and we delivered! Starting today you can download Quilting Arts In Stitches volume 7 for your PC and Mac desktop computers, as well as for your iPad . We've arranged a fun tour of the blogs of some of the participating artists, so follow along and discover some fabulous art.
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  • One of the differences between art quilting and traditional quilting as that in art quilting, thread is almost always part of the design. The choice of thread in machine embroidery , in particular, can affect the look of the quilt.
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  • Cupcake the cat was flattered that so many humans took the time to craft a caption for her picture and vote on the clever entries. She wanted us to disqualify the people who referred to her, uh, size, and asked us to point out that the camera--and her
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  • I'm trying desperately not to say "Lights! Camera! Action!" but, oops, I just did, didn't I? Sorry to be so cliché but I've just come back from the taping of "Quilting Arts TV's" 11 th season and I'm still
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  • My living room sofa could use a few new pillows, which means I'm headed to the studio. I love making throw pillows, because they are easy sewing projects I can use to try out stitching designs and techniques.
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  • The time has come! Ellen Myerly, you are the winner of the Fall Fabric Giveaway from Moda. Please send us your street address and we will get your fabric to you before the leaves fly. Thanks, everyone, for all your wonderful comments. You are all a busy
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  • My wardrobe isn't fussy or frou-frou, but I do like to dress up and outfit with a unique — preferably handmade — accessories. For an evening out, especially around the holidays, I like to embellish with a little sparkle.
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  • Have you ever looked at a heavily stitched or textured textile and thought, "That would make a great pattern for printing?" Lace, embroidery, even free-motion stitching can all be inked up (or painted) for monoprinting and surface design .
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  • The past three months have to go down collectively as one of the busiest summers of my life. Leave a comment to win these fabrics. On the home front, we've had out-of-town guests, significant birthdays, a burgeoning garden, and the usual family gatherings
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  • The latest issue of Quilting Arts Gifts is packed with ideas for all of your gift-giving needs this holiday season and beyond. Find inspiration from more than 30 holiday-inspired projects, including more than 11 gifts that can be made in an afternoon.
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  • Hand sewing is the foundation of needlecraft, and quilting is no exception. But trust art quilters to take needlework and turn it on its head!
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  • The latest issue of Quilting Arts Gifts , Holiday 2012-2013, is now available! With over 30 festive projects, you will be inspired to make ornaments and gifts, home decor items and handmade journals, and much more. Eleven make-it-quick small quilting
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  • In this new downloadable eBook from Quilting Daily, 4 Free Patterns for Quilted Table Linens including Quilted Placemats, Napkins, and Quilted Table Runners , you'll find projects that will help you set an artful table.
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  • Being on set when we taped the most recent Quilting Arts Workshop TM videos was a real education. Not only did I learn how the videos are taped (very efficiently!), but I also picked up lots of tips for quilting and fabric art .
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  • I have a long history of finding, buying, hoarding, and using Japanese fabric. I can't bear to part with even the tiniest scrap. I am always looking to incorporate a piece in my patchwork projects.
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  • Quilting Daily invites you to submit captions for this feline fiber artist and vote for the best one on our Facebook page . The top five vote-getters will receive a bundle of magazines.
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  • I have made bed and lap quilts, holiday table runners, and other large-scale quilted gifts and décor. But more often I make small quilted gifts that come together quickly with the sewing machine and my abundance of fabric scraps.
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  • Today's the day! Thank you so much to everyone who "liked" our Quilting Daily Facebook page and participated in our Sew Steady Table giveaway contest. We hope you'll continute to join in on the discussons we have there and learn about
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  • Blues and greens are perennial favorites in fabrics and surface design . I love them, too. But, would you be surprised to find out that several people respond to our question with "orange"?
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  • If you have Olympics fever but your favorite sport is guiding fabric under the feed dogs of your sewing machine, perhaps you might like to know what kind of competitions, exhibits, and shows are available for you to enter your quilts. Luckily, we've
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  • Sometimes fiber art is for art's sake: the joy of creating with color and texture. Sometimes, though, we imbue our artwork with meaning: memory quilts to honor a loved one's passing, journal quilts that recall special-and ordinary-days, story quilts that tell the world how you feel about an issue
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  • As a woman with a job, teens and pre-teens living under my roof, a husband I like to spend time with, a large extended family, and a long commute, I don't have much opportunity to be spontaneous. Even my art quilting is often pre-determined, as I try to complete long-promised gifts or projects for
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  • In the June/July issue of Quilting Arts Magazine we offered to share our stash of hand-dyed fabric strips with you, our readers, as part of our reader challenge: creating a "Staycation" postcard. We have been delighted by the postcards we have
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  • Discovery and creativity abound in the newest issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. Focused on the art of the embellished quilt, this issue is overflowing with unique applications of beads, paint, ink, felting, and more. Explore profile artist Diane Savona's unique methods of burying embellishments under
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  • I may have mentioned that binding a quilt is my least favorite part of the quilt-making process. But I've realized that if I'm going to reduce the number of UFOs in my studio, I'm going to have to learn how to bind a quilt in a way that I enjoy.
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  • Congratulations to the winners of the Summer Fabric Giveaway! ChristyC@6 and MAH4 have each won a roll of Moda Fabric in summery themes. Please contact me at klundblad@interweave.com with your street address so we can send your fabric to you. Didn't
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  • When I started writing for publications like Quilting Arts® Magazine a few years back, other fiber artists asked me, "How did you get published?"
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  • When you're quilting — especially free-motion quilting — having a level surface around your machine makes stitching so much easier. Sew Steady Portable Table and Accessories. "Like" the Quilting Daily Facebook page or be an existing
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  • We are thrilled to announce that because of the passionate response from fans of our desktop eMags, we will be reversing our decision to publish our eMags exclusively on the iPad and will be releasing them once again for the desktop PC and MAC viewing experiences.
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  • What could be better than sea breezes and New England cottage gardens? Fabric with sea and floral motifs, of course! I have two rolls of Moda fabric, and I'm giving them away to two lucky commenters. Summers in New England are pretty idyllic. With
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  • The scene I see from my kitchen window is never the same from day to day. The changing view reminds me that nothing in life is permanent. It reminds me to slow down and appreciate beauty when I see it. And to apply it to my fabric art whenever possible.
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  • We all have them. They keep us up at night and disturb our days. They confound us, frustrate us, and challenge us. Oh, those darned Unfinished Objects (UFOs)! Do you have a quilt that needs help? Would you like to have Pokey Bolton discuss possible solutions
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  • Stitch Technical Editor Mary Walter has a long history with quilt art including running a quilt shop, teaching classes, and judging contests. Here, she shares one of her own projects that includes art quilting techniques that create dimension.
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  • I could easily while away a day — or a weekend — turning plain white fabric into a range of beautiful hues through fabric painting and dyeing.
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  • Every time I think I that I am too busy to make any art, I come across an artist who has found a way to fit fiber art into her day — even if it is just a bit of hand sewing .
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  • A few weeks ago I shared some of Margaret Applin's tips for creating a unique digital fabric design . Today I want to pass on her expertise for Thermofax screen printing .
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  • There are so many beautiful fabrics and fibers in the world, why limit yourself to making quilts with them? No reason at all! Especially when you have this free eBook, Textile Art Techniques for Quilters: 5 Free Fiber Art and Fabric Art Projects .
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  • Last week I was at a photo shoot with Quilting Arts Editor Vivika DeNegre and Art Director Larissa Davis at the studio of photographer Larry Stein. What a fabulous experience! Larry, right, sits at the computer while Dan and Larissa style a shot in the
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  • A note from Vivika: Today our topic is mixing fiber art with wet media (specifically watercolor) to use in surface design . So, I called in my mixed-media colleague Cate Prato, Editor of Cloth Paper Scissors Today , to serve as guest blogger. Take it away, Cate!
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  • First of all, I want to thank all of you for sharing your wonderful memories - it was truly a treat to read them! The randomly picked winner of the fabric bundle is Linda B@9 ! Linda, please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing address
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  • We are pleased to announce the finalists of our latest reader challenge, "What's Your Signature Color?" We had over 150 responses to this challenge and we were thrilled with the rainbow of entries that were submitted!
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  • Fiber artist Cynthia St. Charles, a former first-grade teacher, has this gift. Watching her demonstrate how to design your own quilt using hand-carved printing blocks, I was so impressed by her ability to explain the process clearly, artist to artist.
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  • We know our Quilting Daily readers are an intelligent lot, but just for fun, we thought we'd put you to the test. Art by Rose Hughes. Take a good look at this image of "Heartfelt Landscape" by Rose Hughes, then follow the link to answer
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  • First of all, the winner of last week’s giveaway is vlove1215 . Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com and I will get you your fabric! I had the pleasure of interviewing Lida Enche about her second fabric collection, Painted Summer, for In The
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  • Idle hands were frowned upon in my house when I was growing up. There was always something to do. If I wanted to watch TV (and I wanted to watch TV!), I had to be doing something productive at the same time. So I would sit down with either knitting or embroidery , and watch to my heart's content
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  • A note from Vivika: The is the third in a series of guest posts by fiber artist and fabric dyeing expert Candy Glendening. Be sure to check out her tutorials on how to dye baby clothes and free-motion machine quilting a motif for a baby t-shirt , too
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  • Now that you've dyed a spectacular piece(s) of multi-colored fabric , it's time to show it off. What better way than to make a one-of-a-kind Sketchbook? Featuring a piece of multicolor fabric with a thread-sketched abstract mum design on the cover, this cover holds a 7" x 10" coil-bound
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  • Today is a true Boston Summer scorcher - and I couldn't be happier. The only thing that is getting me down is the fact that I am inside for this 100 degree weather. I do know, however, that a lot of people out there think that this weather constitutes
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  • Although I consider myself a mixed-media fiber artist, my media are mostly dry: fabric, fibers, paper, and thread. I do dye fabric. But fabric painting ? That's an area of surface design I haven't explored much.
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  • What does "modern quilting" mean? There are a lot of opinions on what modern quilting is — and isn't. But one thing's for sure, modern patchwork quilting is hot right now.
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  • I've heard it said that artists see what others don't see. Fiber artist Margaret Applin has a way of taking a familiar surface design technique and turning it inside-out to create designs and textures with a different look.
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  • The editorial team at Quilting Arts Magazine ® is inviting fiber artists from around the world to make a fabric art ornament for our first Quilting Arts Gifts reader challenge. We'd love to see your interpretations of our theme: Winter Wonderland
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  • The June/July issue of Quilting Arts Magazine is here and it is my first complete issue--I joined the team in February as Assistant Editor. Putting an issue of Quilting Arts together is both complicated and exhilarating. There are proposals to review
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  • Over the weekend I decided to go outside and get some color for my upcoming wedding (Yes, I was wearing sun screen!). I searched around for a good quilt to take outdoors and realized that I didn’t really have any I was willing to use outside. Then
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  • The first time I laid eyes on Malka Dubrawsky's quilts a few years back, I sat up and took notice. Now, here was someone who was taking basic patchwork quilt blocks and giving them a fresh and contemporary spin using color and freehand cutting and piecing.
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  • I'm pretty sure that when most people think about how to make a quilt , "metal" isn't the first thing that pops into their mind. But there are so many ways you can incorporate metal into your quilts and wall hangings, adding texture, dimension, shine, and that element of surprise.
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  • I for one am always impressed by quilts that have been quilted by hand. There is nothing like the texture of a quilt that has been hand quilted. While I admire other people's hand quilting , I have always found it to be a rather d aunting task. But
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  • Lately I've become interested in adding paper to my quilt art . There are so many different ways to do this; I could make a paper quilt, make fabric paper to use in an art quilt, or even just stitch paper directly onto a fabric collage.
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  • This post will show you how to sketch free-motion machine quilting designs like a bird motif on a bright piece of fabric and embellish the shirt to create the cutest little outfit.
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  • Some things in life are worth celebrating, like the launch Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts . This new book is a huge milestone for quilt artists Jacquie Gering and Katie Pedersen, two pioneers in the modern quilting movement!
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  • OK, first off the winner of last weeks fabric giveaway is danby miller ! Please send your mailing address to me at lmurray@interweave.com so I can send the fabric to you! How to make Etsy work for you An interview with artist, author, and dedicated Etsy
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  • My head is still full of all the sights and textures of Quilt Market in Kansas City. I'm processing all the trends I saw there and considering how they translate to the kind of quilting and fiber art we do here in the Quilting Daily community.
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  • A note from Vivika: I'm happy to introduce you to Candy Glendening, who is going to be a guest blogger for the next four weeks, teaching you how to combine dyeing and stitch. Candy has been a guest on 'Quilting Arts TV,' has her own QA Workshop video, and has appeared in several Interweave
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  • A trip to Quilt Market is like time traveling to the future. And I'll tell you, the quilting future is filled with fabric. Specifically, the future is about how to quilt with your own fabric or fabric by a designer.
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  • In this free eBook, Free-Motion Machine Quilting Techniques: 81 Tips for Free-Motion Quilting, Thread Sketching and Quilting Motifs , three highly respected quilt artists, Frieda Anderson, Robbi Joy Eklow, and Susan Brubaker Knapp share their knowledge and expertise for successful free‑motion quilting
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  • Our “Staycation” issue is full of fresh and innovative techniques, including creating hand-dyed fabric, surface design, and machine quilting. Enjoy inspiring work from our talented readers, an exhibit from the QUILTART group, and much more!
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  • When at the Sudbury offices of Interweave it is always good to expect the unexpected. Our latest unexpected event was the fire alarm going off at about 10:00am on Monday morning. Let me tell you, our fire alarm is LOUD. It was actually painful it was
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  • Several friends and I got together this past weekend to enjoy a beautiful, warm spring day and eating, drinking, laugh ing— and dyeing fabric by hand! Our dyeing party started with these colors. Ranging in age from 13 to 70-something, our band of
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  • I often look at someone's art and wonder who inspired them to quilt, embroider, and stitch. Did they start by hand sewing or go straight to the machine?
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  • I just got back from Quilt Market in Kansas City. We had a blast, but my oh my were there a lot of new fabrics, notions, and surface design supplies to see. It was overwhelming...almost. I almost rode away with a bike basket full of supplies at Quilt
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  • Hi Everyone! We just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for being part of the community here and to let you know about some updates to our Community Rules and Guidelines . The social media landscape has changed a lot since we established our community here. You may have noticed the social sharing
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  • We often explore different ways to create unique surface effects with paints or dyes, and this episode’s designers share some very interesting ways to add and take away color. First up Jo Fitsell presents a fabric marbling technique using stencils
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  • Contemporary quilters are redefining just what modern means. First, Heather Jones presents a scrappy contemporary log cabin pillow with a modern quilt aesthetic. Then meet Deborah Boschert for illuminated letters—using text as a design element for
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  • One of the trademark characteristics of art and artists is uniqueness. Artists pride themselves on taking a personal approach to the artistic process. This results in work that reflects their personality and is one-of-a-kind. Jo Fitsell is our first artist
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  • This episode looks at thread and stitch and their impact on projects. Rebecca Kemp Brent starts us out with a small drawstring bag. All sorts of stitching is prominent, from the machine-embroidered redwork designs to the enhancements with needle felting
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  • Color has the ability to change the look and focus of a quilt, especially when it comes to fabric choices. Our guests on this episode change or modify their initial fabric choice for a brand new look. We begin with Rayna Gillman and a fabric makeover
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  • It’s hard to define the common elements of an art quilt, but at the most basic level all have stitching, quilting, and finishing plus the added element of a contemporary attitude. This episode begins with a segment taped on location with Valori
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  • One key element of quilt design is fabric. Learn to create your own fabrics with paints and dyes for truly one-of-a-kind patterns. First, Marcia Derse begins with techniques for painting fabrics with silk screening paints. Hand painting fabric creates
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  • Every once in a while we need to jump-start our creativity. Maybe it’s finding a new source of inspiration or a new supply, and sometimes it’s as simple as learning a new technique. This episode does all three. First it’s simple shibori
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  • Quilting is all about having fun—don’t take yourself or your quilting too seriously. We begin with Heather Jones as she stretches her improvisational piecing skills with an easy wall hanging. Then Deborah Boschert is back to create a sheer
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  • Free-motion stitching is a favorite topic for art quilters; unique thread patterns are an all-important layer in contemporary quilting. We begin with Ellen Anne Eddy and her free-motion techniques for making flower motifs. She’s making pattern-free
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  • How do you make your quilting work? What determines if all of the elements come together in a harmonious way? This episode looks at some of the ways to have a finished project where all of the “pieces” come together! First up Helen Gregory
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  • This episode introduces some experimental concepts using both thread and paint. Learning is a lifelong process in every endeavor and especially in something as creative as quilting. Ellen Anne Eddy starts out with a demonstration of free-motion bobbin
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  • Contemporary quilters are redefining just what modern means. First, Heather Jones presents a scrappy contemporary log cabin pillow with a modern quilt aesthetic. Then meet Deborah Boschert for illuminated letters—using text as a design element for
    Read More >>
  • It's never too early to start thinking of gift-giving season, and I've been busy plotting, planning, and designing things already. I know it's still spring but here at Quilting Arts Magazine we're already working on our annual holiday
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  • Small art quilts are fun to make and generally take less time than larger art quilting projects. I especially like working on small quilt wall hanging and fiber art pieces like prayer flags because they are usually portable.
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  • First of all, Congratulations to Quilnan for winning the fabric! Please send me an email with your mailing address so I can send the fabric out to you! This past weekend, my fiancé and I went to the Brimfield fair. I have been hearing about this
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  • I have to say that the most fun I've had at Quilting Arts so far--and I've had a lot of fun--is the parfait ice fabric dyeing party the QA team organized for everyone in our Sudbury office. Not only was it exciting to watch the ice-dyed fabrics blossom into spectacular, colorful surface design
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  • It's common knowledge that certain mushrooms are associated with dying. But did you know they can also be used for fabric dyeing ? And if you're thinking, "Sure, but who wants boring brown and gray dye?" think again.
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  • For me, this is the hardest time of the year to inspire myself to get into my studio. The weather is warming up, the days are longer, and I want to spend more time outside. That being said, I think that it is important to get crafting at least once a
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  • What do you do with a sick child? After the visit to the pediatrician, the diagnosis of strep throat, the journey home via the pharmacy and supermarket (Popsicles), and before plopping in front of the television ("Toy Story"), we made some fabric art .
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  • Go to our Blogs tab and click on Reader Challenges to find out if you are a finalist in the "What If?" reader challenge. Thank you to all who participated in this challenge and congratulations to the finalists! Kristine
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  • Carol Taylor is one of my very favorite quilt artists, and I was thrilled to be able to feature her work on the cover of the April/May issue of Quilting Arts . Carol uses color to stunning affect in her quilting designs , and I thought you would be interested in reading about her approach to color.
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  • We are pleased to announce the finalists of our latest reader challenge, "What If?" This challenge seemed to affect many of you deeply, and your stories were sometimes funny, sometimes heartrending, and always touching. We thank you all so much
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  • In reality, can you ever have enough buttons? To me, it seems that no matter how many I collect, there are times when my stash is lacking just the right button to complete a quilt's surface design .
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  • Over the weekend, my fiancé and I adopted our first pet – a 1 year old rescue cat we named Ringo Star. He is adorable, and both of us absolutely love him. Naturally, since I am trying to think of ideas for decorating all of the wall space
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  • Incorporating words into your artwork can literally help get your message across. There are many ways to put text on your textiles using surface design techniques like screen printing, fabric painting, digital image transfer, and simply writing on fabric.
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  • Fiber artist Deborah Boschert and I share a love of hand embroidery . Although hand embroidery stitches are often associated with antique and vintage textiles, Deborah uses classic embroidery stitches to add interest and texture to her contemporary quilts and fabric collages.
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  • Time is running out to submit to our "What If?" reader challenge! Use your quilting skills to t ell us about your "what if" moment. The entry deadline is Monday, April 30, by 5 p.m. EST. For more information, visit http://www.quiltingdaily
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  • What's better than a weekend away with the girls? Adding quilting, of course! I was lucky to get away with six friends recently, and we rented a house for the weekend in Rockport, Massachusetts.
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  • With summer fast approaching, many parents with kids are scrambling to figure out how to keep their kids entertained for the summer—without letting them indulge in hour upon hour of screen time. Enter this wonderful book by Heather Swain, a mother
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  • I'm past the stage where I am making baby quilts for my children. This picture shows the first baby quilt I ever made-for my baby Sam (now 13 years old). I love that this quilt is worn and stained. I love that it is well-used and cherished, and that it carries my special message to my baby boy written
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  • I might have mentioned a few weeks back that my fiancé and I were moving into our first house. We LOVE the house, are thrilled to be in it, and are slowly making it our own. I am trying to keep costs down by thrifting, using what we already have
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  • Note from Vivika: Today I've asked mixed-media fiber artist Jane Dávila, who is also editor of the eMags Quilting Arts In Stitches and the new Surface Explorations to share farbic painting tips she learned from Linda and Laura Kemshall. Take it away, Jane !
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  • I have some exciting news —drum roll please —our newest eMag called Quilting Arts Surface Explorations is now available! In this eMag we will be delving into the world of Surface Design and bringing you new techniques, projects, as well as
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  • I have just realized — like so many others with busy lives — that if I'm going to get any of my own artwork done, I'm going to have to squeeze it in on the fly, embroidering by hand here and sewing embellishments there.
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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.
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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
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  • One of our core values here at Interweave, the parent company of Quilting Arts Magazine , is “make it fun.” (I know what you’re thinking: How cool, right? Yes it is!) Parfait ice dyeing. Just layer PFD fabric, ice, and dye. Quilting
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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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  • When it comes to creating quilting designs , one of the most useful tools to have is a design wall. I know I'd be lost without mine (or at least, I would make good design decisions less consistently). There is something about taking your fabric pieces and other elements off the table, putting them
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  • Right now I have traveling on the brain. For Easter, my fiancé and I are going to Ireland to spend the holiday with his family. I am more than excited— not only am I meeting his family in person for the first time (unless Skype counts as
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  • I'm so inspired by fabrics and the endless combinations you can create. Maybe that's why I'm particularly drawn to patchwork sewing patterns . Once you start working with them, you can easily change out the fabrics and alter the arrangement.
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  • When I think of fabric painting , Mickey Lawler's Skydyes and the wholecloth quilts of Hollis Chatelain and Judy Coates Perez come to mind.
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  • We're pleased to announce our latest special issue, Modern Patchwork Magazine, is now available for pre-order. Click here to learn more and to order your own copy: http://www.quiltingdaily.com/blogs/specialissues/archive/2012/03/28/modern-patchwork
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  • Modern Patchwork is a special issue of Quilting Arts Magazine for today's quilters and sewists . Featuring quick and stylish items with a modern-day appeal, Modern Patchwork 2012 is packed with inspiration! The contemporary and fresh aesthetic of these projects pays tribute to the modern revival
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  • From the moment we start learning to work with fabric, we're taught that shrinking means disaster. But when it comes to fabric art , shrinking — before or after you stitch — can be a friend to your design.
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  • Coats & Clark is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year.
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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 projects, our new free downloadable eBook, Quilting for Beginners: 5 Easy Quilt Patterns Plus Lessons on How to Quilt for Beginners , is for you!
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  • We so enjioyed reading all your Pass On Your Passion stories. And now, here's you reward: the winners announced. Winner of The Best of Quilting Arts and QATV Series 900 DVD set (One gift for the winner, one to pass on to a friend): ErinF@3 who wrote
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  • We're nearing the end of our Pass On Your Passion celebration of National Craft Month and Giveaway Extravaganza , so I thought I'd sneak in a few more treats for you to enjoy and pass on to others. Today I'm sharing three easy quilted bag
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  • Over and over I've heard fiber artists talk about the power of keeping a sketchbook or art journal. Keeping a sketchbook can help you develop quilt designs and quilting motifs, record patterns and textures you see on your travels, and jumpstart your creativity when your muse is on vacation.
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  • We are pleased to announce the finalists of our latest reader challenge, From Sketch to Art Quilt. We received 114 entries, and the photos of your quilts and sketches truly impressed our editorial staff. This challenge seems to hit a chord with many of
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  • We are pleased to announce the finalists of our latest reader challenge, From Sketch to Art Quilt. We received 114 entries, and the photos of your quilts and sketches truly impressed our editorial staff. This challenge seems to have hit a chord with many
    Read More >>
  • Whether you love hot pink or cherry red, deep navy or aqua blue, you probably have a signature color. The folks at Pantone® have decided that 'Tangerine Tango' is the 2012 color of the year, but maybe your personal palette leans towards a
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  • Indulge your passion for color in the newest issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. Create colorful cloth with stencils, rubbing plates, crayons, dye, and paint. Stitch together bright and bold scraps to make a unique canvas for embellishment, learn the modern quilting technique of perfect quilted circles
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  • In the spirit of Interweave's Pass On Your Passion celebration during National Craft Month, I am announcing an additional prize package for our giveaway, plus a giveaway from Candy Glendening. I'm giving away two packages of Quilting Arts back
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  • This year, we'll be bringing completed nine-patch quilt blocks for the charity quilt. In honor of the day we're meeting, St. Patrick's Day, each quilt block with have a green square in the center.
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  • As I mentioned in my last post, I attended the Quilting Arts TV (season 10!) taping in Cleveland, OH last week. I had so much fun meeting with some of my favorite artists, watching the show being taped, and of course getting to see Pokey Bolton again
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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.
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  • Quilters are passionate about fabric, thread, embellishments, embroidery, surface design, and a whole lot more. But I think what we're most passionate about is sharing our artwork and techniques with others. To celebrate National Craft Month, Quilting
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  • We're just a week away from the deadline of our current reader challenge , "From Sketch to Art Quilt," and I can't wait to see the results from our talented readers. (You still have time to submit!)
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  • First off, congratulations to Cindy Hennes for winning the gloves from last MOnday's giveaway. Cindy, please email at lmurray@interweave.com, with your mailing address so I can ship them out to you. This week I am in Cleveland, OH at the Quilting
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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.
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  • Earlier this week I blogged about using stencils to create faux appliqué. Today I'm going to talk about another surface design technique: using gelatin monoprinting and stamping or screen printing to create your own fabric-or turn an ugly piece of fabric into a thing of beauty.
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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 .
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  • I am so excited to share the latest issue of Quilting Arts in Stitches with all of you. Volume 6 is jam-packed with great free-motion tips, unique ways to incorporate stitching into your work (think 3D birds!), and even a bit of history about stitching
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  • Echo quilting is a sewing technique that can add texture and lushness 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.
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  • The latest issue of Quilting Arts In Stitches (volume 6) features an abundance of stitching inspiration! Learn new techniques and exciting twists on existing techniques with interactive features such as colorful slideshows, pan-and-zoom photographs, informative videos and detailed illustrations. Get
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  • First off, congratulations to mrsracer , you won the fabric giveaway from last week! Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information so I can send the bundle to you. I often see a quilting book and KNOW that I am going to be sitting
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  • In this e-Book, 7 Small Quilting Projects: Free Designs for a Quilt in a Day, Small Quilts, and Other Quick Quilted Projects , some of our favorite fiber artists present artful and quick quilting projects and sewing patterns you can quilt in a day or weekend.
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  • One reason why many quilt artists prefer to fuse rather than piece their quilts is because piecing can be time-consuming.
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  • Happy Valentine’s Day! I am a huge fan of this holiday. Any excuse to celebrate love is good in my book. My wonderful Fiancé somehow slipped a bouquet of roses and a frog stuffed animal (I ADORE frogs) into my bedroom this morning. Talk about
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  • The other day someone asked me how I sorted all the scraps I use for my fabric collages. I laughed ruefully and said, "I sort them by color in drawers."
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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.
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  • Right now we are gearing up for the next season of Quilting Arts TV. Per usual we are planning on featuring a few UFOs of our readers. Your host, Pokey Bolton, will help you solve the conundrum of how to finish that project that has you scratching your
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  • Like any other technique, "painting" with machine embroidery takes practice to get the result you want. And there are many technical variables that come into play, such as tension, choice of feet, the warp and weft of the fabric, and type of machine quilting thread used.
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  • While looking through past issues of Quilting Arts Magazine and past episodes of "Quilting Arts TV" for ideas, one easy method of surface design caught my eye.
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  • First off - Congratulations to quiltnc , you won the Moda fabric bundle! Please send me an email at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information so I can send the fabric out to you! In my last post, I had very high hopes about how much I was going
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  • Hand stitching is one of my favorite ways to enjoy some unplugged studio time, and Japanese sashiko is one of my favorite hand sewing techniques.
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  • My fiancé, Fergal, is working on Saturday so I am going to “work” too. We are closing on our first house in a little less than 2 weeks (!!!!!) and there are a few things that I want to make before we move in. My mom was the recipient
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  • One of the things I'm looking most forward to as editor of Quilting Arts Magazine is learning more about surface design.
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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.
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  • THE CRAFTER’S GUIDE TO TAKING GREAT PHOTOS BLOG TOUR We’re kicking off a fun new blog tour today to celebrate the international launch of Heidi Adnum’s book, The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos , which is now available in
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  • Today’s leading quilt artists bring their tips and tricks right to your studio! Introducing the latest eMag from Quilting Arts...in Stitches 5! Explore all of the interactive features, like slide shows of images that you can zoom in close enough to see every stitch, and videos you can play, pause
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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.
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  • First off, congratulations to Cheryl Goyer and hollywolly for winning the Riley Blake fabric giveaway from last week! Ladies, please email me your mailing information at lmurray@interweave.com by February 1 st so that I can mail the fabric bundles out
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  • I love the idea of being able to repurpose some of my designs that I have painstakingly created in appliqué or collage, and printing them on fabric. It would be a wonderful way to quickly and easily make a whole coordinated line of fabrics that I could then use to make lovely fabric art gifts
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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?
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  • This is going to be a big year for me, and although I am not one to wish my life away, I cannot wait for the exciting stuff to get here! I am meeting my fiancés family (in Ireland) for the first time over Easter, buying a home with said (amazing
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  • I have a ton of vintage textiles that I like to incorporate in my artwork. I have been using many of my more fragile pieces in my Prayer Flag Project, stitched to sturdier pieces of muslin or linen.
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  • If you've ever listened to Frank Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year" and felt a little nostalgic for the good old days or perhaps have a favorite memory or moment in time that makes you smile whenever you think of it, then you know how
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  • It's a new year: have you made any fiber art-related resolutions? One of mine goals for 2012 is to complete — or repurpose — at least one UFO (unfinished object) in my stash, and I'll bet that might be on your list, too.
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  • I am so enjoying my new role as Quilting Arts Magazine editor and am excited to be joining the Quilting Daily team. There are so many tips, tricks, and techniques I'm looking forward to sharing with you, and I hope you'll share back on my blog.
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  • Happy New Year, everyone! May 2012 bring peace, joy, love, and lots of quilting! The winner of the giveaway for my signed copy of The Best of Quilting Arts is . . . CC in WI Congratulations!
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  • You know I'm passionate about my pets; I'm particularly taken at the moment with the newest addition to my menagerie, Clarence.
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  • 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.
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  • Guess what? Santa came a bit early to me this year, dropping a box of freshly printed copies of The Best of Quilting Arts: Your Ultimate Resource for Art Quilt Techniques and Inspiration on my doorstep.
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  • Sometimes I think I'm finished with a quilt. I've surface designed it, free-motion stitched it, maybe even appliquéd it. But it still looks a little flat. It needs a little . . . something.
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  • Has this ever happened to you? You're in the midst of a good surface design session, blissfully working with fabric paint, masks, screens, stamps, etc., to create your own textiles.
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  • Hello! First off, the winner of the Birch Fabric giveaway is NicoleNR . Nicole, please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information. I want to congratulate our "Affirmative Quilt Challenge" finalists. They did an amazing
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  • Celebrate art quilt collaboration in the newest issue of Quilting Arts . Learn about the award-winning Coastal Quilt Artists, a husband and wife quilting team, and the Twelve by Twelve challenge group. Create stitched fiber photographs, make a monoprinted art quilt, and construct an artful and embellished
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  • A couple of months ago I announced a few sizable changes at Quilting Arts (you can read more about those changes in this post ). Now I’d like to share the fantastic news that we have a new editor for Quilting Arts! Meet Vivika Hansen DeNegre, a
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  • 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.
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  • We often advise artists to practice, practice, practice if they want to improve their machine embroidery skills. But practice doesn't have to make perfect. In fact, I recently spent time with two artists who embrace imperfections in their machine embroidery designs.
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  • A warm welcome to the December 2011/January 2012 Quilting Arts cover artist Cynthia St. Charles. Not only is Cynthia an incredibly talented and prolific quilt artist, but she's also a repeat Quilting Arts cover artist and a frequent contributor to
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  • 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 projects.
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  • Last week, my colleague, friend, and co-conspirator Helen Gregory took over the reins as Editorial Director for Interweave's Quilt, Paper, and Sewing Group.
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  • Whoa! I just looked at the calendar. Between the October snowstorm back in Massachusetts and the move to Houston over Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas has snuck up on me, and I am way behind on my holiday checklist.
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  • I usually have a variety of quilting designs kicking around in my head at any given time. But often, when I finally get around to actually designing a quilt, I draw a blank. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by fabric and surface design choices. Other times, I just don't know where to start.
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  • As someone who has been looking at quilt art and photos of quilters' art for more than a decade, I can tell you that it's not that easy to get good pictures of fabric and fiber.
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  • On this Thanksgiving Day I am in transition. I'm settling into my new Houston digs in preparation for my fresh adventure with Quilts Inc. while still consulting for Quilting Arts and preparing for the next season of "Quilting Arts TV."
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  • Choosing the right machine quilting pattern for your piece is as important as the thread and fabric selections.
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  • A huge thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for a Quilting Arts 2012 calendar. I loved reading your stories about your art quilting memories from 2011! The randomly chosen winner of the calendar is kjheaverlo. If you could please email me at
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  • 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 collected for inspiration and amusement.
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  • I always love to discover new fabric. There is something wonderful about seeing a new line or pattern. My head starts to kick into high gear and I think about all the different ways that I could use this new found fabric. I have fallen in love with the
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  • 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.
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  • Why is fiber artist Candy Glendening holding up a dye chart that looks like the periodic table of elements? Her training as a research scientist made it seem like the most natural thing in the world to do.
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  • It has been so much fun looking at all the thoughtful and creative postcards Quilting Arts readers have sent to our offices to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Quilting Arts . A huge thank you to everyone who sent one in! Thinking back on all the postcards
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  • 'Dancing Trees' (detail) by Frieda Anderson. We choose to make art quilts (rather than traditional quilts) because we want to express our point of view with fabric and thread. With so many methods, tools, and techniques at our disposal, sometimes
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  • Quilting Arts has gone wild with our animal kingdom issue. Create stitched pet portraits, make a reptile raw-edge appliqué collage, and view a gallery of pet quilts from the Quilting Arts 2012 calendar contest. Don't miss articles on the latest art quilting techniques, including tips to create
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  • Do you like to follow a prepared pattern or design for your fiber art or start completely from scratch? Maybe your answer is "a little of both" or "it depends on the project."
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  • As the holiday season approaches and everyone gets so busy, I have to remind myself to keep it simple. Simple gifts, simple decorations, simple projects.
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  • Quilt fabric scraps: watch out! I have a new fast and easy way to turn you into an adorable fabric art project.
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  • All these new TV shows about fairy tale characters in the contemporary world casting spells and carrying out age-old vendettas has me thinking: If an evil fairy/stepmother/witch cursed me so that I was left with ability to create only one hand embroidery stitch, what would it be?
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  • If I had to create a basic lesson plan for how to make a quilt it would be broken down into these three basic steps:
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  • First off, thank you all for your great patchwork ideas...They were all wonderful and I had a blast reading them! Congratulations to yarnlady@6 for winning the fabric bundle! yarnlady@6 , Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information
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  • Want to make a festive fabric art table decoration and use up your fabric scraps in a hurry? Create these Fabric Forest Topiaries by Cynthia Ann Dubbers.
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  • We want YOU to submit to one of our publications! Have you ever checked out the submissions page on our website? We have calls for submissions for our publications – and are always thrilled when we get submissions from you. Right now we have a special
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  • I may have my favorite methods of doing things in my studio, but I'm always open to new ideas, techniques, and tools. I say, if it makes my art experience easier or better, it's worth trying.
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  • Hello! November is right around the corner and for us at Quilting Arts and Cloth Paper Scissors that means we are packing like crazy to get everything ready for The International Quilt Festival in Houston. We all love this show, it is so alive with energy
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  • From inspiration, to design, to finished piece, there are certainly times when working on an art quilt can be a challenge. Luckily the kind of challenge I'm referring to today is the fun kind: a Quilting Arts Reader Challenge. There have been quite
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  • I'm known for my high energy, but sometimes my life gets so busy, I feel like I'm running around in circles. That's when I have to schedule an hour or so in my studio for some artful R&R.
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  • We art quilters march to a different drummer and dance to our own tune. If we follow rules at all, we see them more as guidelines, jumping off points for improvisation.
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  • It's easy to get down these days, with all the tough times people are having. Especially if you're the one who's having the difficulties. But this is why I think it's so great to be an artist: you have a creative outlet for your woes.
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  • Are you ready to have your socks blown off (again?). I am really excited to announce that Quilting Arts In Stitches vol. 5 is now available! Not only can you download this eMag on your desktop by visiting this link, but you can also get this eMag on your
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  • Thanks everyone for commenting on my post! Fall truly is a great time of the year, and I loved hearing from you all! The lucky winner of my “Start Fall Right” giveaway is lindamid . Please email me your address at lmurray@interweave.com so
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  • This is the third annual special issue from Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilts, Inc., packed with 148 pages of feature articles, projects, and beautiful photography celebrating the best in contemporary quilting. Quilting Arts Magazine and Quilts, Inc. are proud to bring you the third annual edition of
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  • When the leaves start to turn and there's a nip in the air, my thoughts immediately turn to International Quilt Festival/Houston.
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  • The October/November issue of Quilting Arts magazine has the perfect autumn cover, featuring fall leaves that are both printed and stitched in a lively design. The artist behind this piece, Enid Gjelten Weichselbaum, shares her easy-to-make reusable silk
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  • I'm always intrigued to learn what started people on the path to quilt making . Did they stumble into it in mid-life or did they grow up among quilters, stitchers, and textile artists?
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  • See this picture? It's one of my favorite pictures taken this last year, and is of my favorite quilting gal pal, Helen Gregory and me right before we taped a segment with her for Quilting Arts TV. She's been our Managing Editor for the Quilt &
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  • Today’s leading quilt artists bring their tips and tricks right to your studio! Introducing the latest eMag from Quilting Arts...in Stitches 4! Explore all of the interactive features, like slide shows of images that you can zoom in close enough to see every stitch, and videos you can play, pause
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  • Baby quilting is a wonderful pastime. Baby quilts make great gifts to welcome a little one, and the smaller size makes them a perfect project for the beginning quilter. In our latest free downloadable eBook, Designs for Handmade Baby Quilts: 4 Free Baby Quilt Patterns from Quilting Arts , we offer you
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  • Have you ever wanted to bring an expert home with you? Well, here's your chance. The third edition of Quilting Arts in Stitches is now available!
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  • Our Quilt Shop Spotlight continues with a visit to Cool Cottons in Portland, Oregon. Owner Marie Ritten was kind enough to share the story of how her shop got its start, how Cool Cottons fits into Portland's DIY scene, and what unique fabrics and
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  • Introducing the second volume of Quilting Arts in Stitches! Our first dynamic digital eMag was a great success, so we couldn't wait to bring you volume 2!
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  • 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.
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  • Quilting Arts in Stitches is a dynamic digital product called an eMag that you can download onto your computer and enjoy on or offline. Quilting Arts in Stitches includes articles, videos, gallery slideshows of quilts, hyperlinks to inspiring and informative websites, and so much more. With just the
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  • Quilting Arts Magazine® and Quilts, Inc. , are proud to bring you the second annual edition of International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene! Quilt Scene celebrates everything we love about quilting today. It’s like an entire quilt show packed into a super-sized 148-page special issue.
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  • This special issue from Quilting Arts and International Quilt Festival captures the energy, beauty, and community of today's quilt scene. Packed with feature articles, projects, and beautiful photography, this 148-page issue debuted at the International Quilt Festival in Houston this fall.
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  • Quilting Arts Gifts is a special issue of Quilting Arts Magazine devoted to the art of gift-giving. Inside this whopping 144-page issue, you'll find dozens of festive gift projects, seasonal décor ideas, the newest and best tools and gadgets, and much more!
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  • Quilting Arts Gifts is a special issue of Quilting Arts Magazine devoted to the art of gift-giving. Inside this whopping 148-page issue, you'll find 20 festive gift projects, 14 seasonal décor ideas, dozens of recommendations from our editors on the newest and best tools and gadgets, and much
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  • Welcome to our holiday gift to you, our largest issue ever! In this special edition of Quilting Arts Gifts you'll find a number of inspiring articles relating to seasonal home décor and gift-making for friends and loved ones.
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  • Hi Everyone! Do you prefer fused or needle-turn applique? Do you do a little of both? In what circumstances? We're having a convo about it over on our Facebook page, and want you to join the discussion. So come on over and join us on the Quilting
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  • It is with great pride and joy we present to you our newest addition to the Quilting Arts Family, our very first special issue – Quilting Arts Gifts ™. In this unique edition of Quilting Arts Magazine ® you’ll find an abundance of gift-giving ideas (17 if you are counting) that
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  • I think I've amassed about 10,000 miles in my frequent flyer program within the last month. Or at least it feels like 10,000 miles. I have been away more than I've been home the past four weeks, and have hightailed it all over the continent. My
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  • Machine quilting that enhances the design of the quilt is a thing of beauty. But very few people can just put their quilt under the needle and produce perfect stitching. Even award-winning pros like Judy Coates Perez, whose machine quilting designs complement her quilts' composition and theme, have
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  • In New England there is a certain something in the air. The morning and nights are a little cooler, the leaves are starting to change color, a nd my need for quality quilting time is increasing. Every year the cool weather inspires me to start crafting
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  • Have you noticed that feathers are all the rage these days? Feathers in your hair, feathers inclothes and accessories, feathers in art, and the feather stitch in the October/November issue of Quilting Arts .
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  • We love to celebrate here at Quilting Arts. Whether we've just finished wrapping up an issue, found an exciting new product we want to share, or discovered a new artist we can't wait to work with, there are certainly a multitude of reasons to
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  • After a whirlwind couple of weeks that involved traveling to Chicago for the CREATE mixed-media retreat, Cleveland to tape Season 9 of "Quilting Arts TV" (and to visit my favorite museum), and a quick trip to California to help a friend celebrate a special milestone, I've finally been able
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  • I am excited. Ok, maybe I am a little more than excited. Alisa Burke has created another wonderful work of art – and this time it is in the form of a book ! As a huge admirer of her work, I am very excited to get my hands on this book and start
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  • Master your machine quilting with our stitch intensive issue. Explore new free-motion quilting motifs and learn how to use zippers to embellish your art quilts. Judy Coates Perez shares her guide to machine quilting success, Margaret Applin takes art quilts from flat to fabulous with digital monoprinting
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  • No matter what kind of quilts or fiber art you create, fiber and fabric scraps are a fact of life.
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  • Three years ago I gave my studio an extreme makeover. I not only redecorated in my favorite colors, I changed the layout for better function, and organized my tools and embellishments.
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  • 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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  • I just finished teaching my Printapalooza class at the CREATE mixed-media retreat in Chicago, where I was blown away by the creative energy of all the artists who taught and participated. People were stitching, painting, printing, playing with plaster, doodling, sketching — often all at the same
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  • First off, congratulations to thestylishhome , please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information so I can send you your Terrain by Kate Spain fabric! The Houston International Quilt Festival; November 3 – 6, 2011 It is hard
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  • Just as the summer is winding down (sniff!), so is the celebration of 10 years of Quilting Arts Magazine . It's not a sad ending, though, because it's been really gratifying to revisit all the talented artists we've worked with and all the gorgeous artwork that has come through our offices
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  • Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the giveaway by sharing tips, tricks, and words of wisdom on how to incorporate depth and perspective into art quilts. It was so much fun to learn more about how different quilters tackle design
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  • Quilt art can come in many forms. From wall hangings and landscape quilts to paper quilts and fiber art that fits in the palm of your hand, quilters' art options are unlimited.
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  • There's no doubt about it: quilting, the holidays, and great food go hand-in-hand! So, with our favorite culinary delights in mind, we asked the contributing artists from this year's issue of Quilting Arts Gifts to share a favorite family recipe along with their fiber art expertise.
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  • Ok, you Quilting Arts readers are pretty hilarious. We laughed ourselves silly at all of the entries, and we just couldn't winnow the lot down to our top favorites. Some of your pet peeves are hysterical (and hysterically depicted)! Some of them are
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  • There are a number of design considerations to think about when planning an art quilt---composition, color theory, texture, value. Working at Quilting Arts Magazine , I feel pretty lucky to have the opportunity to see on a daily basis how individual artists
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  • Have you ever made your own paper? It's easy, and a great way to create a unique piece of fiber that can be used as a component of your fabric art , or as a stand-alone piece. You probably have most, if not all, of the tools and supplies you need already...
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  • Hi everyone! I hope that all of your summers are going great! The first order of buisness is to announce the winner of the last fabric giveaway I did. The winner of the Lily Ashbury fabrics is Lyn Clinton. Lyn, please contact me at lmurray@interweave
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  • I thought, wouldn't it be funny to send postcards from my studio? You know, instead of showing me grinning in front of the Grand Canyon, the postcard would reveal what I'd been up to in my studio via a collage of surface designed fabrics or papers.
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  • I love hot weather. But this summer there have been some days so hot that even I felt it was too hot to move, let alone quilt.
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  • I love summer. But unlike at some places where the warm weather and beckoning beaches slow down the pace, at Quilting Arts summer is one of our busiest times of the year. Still, even with all the deadlines and projects we have going on around here, I make sure to spend as many of my off hours as possible
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  • We had a wild and wonderful time at International Quilt Festival/Long Beach last week! Now I'm catching up on emails and sleep. And with all the new ideas swirling around my head from the show, I'm also trying to catch a few minutes in the studio.
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  • I am just going to admit it: I am never going to be someone who finishes her Christmas shopping before Labor Day. But, put up my Christmas tree in July? That's another story.
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  • I seem to be celebrating a lot of zeros this year. First, there's the year-long celebration of Quilting Arts Magazine @10. Last weekend I helped my mom celebrate the big 6-0. I have a ( cough ) birthday coming up that ends with a zero.
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  • Oh, how I love being seated in front of my beloved Bernina®, moving my latest creation under the needle in a steady rhythm, free-motion quilting away until...the thread breaks; I notice the stitches are skipping; or a little tug tells me there is a problem underneath the fabric, like an unsightly
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  • Here at Quilting Arts , just one of the many reasons we enjoy receiving Letters to the Editor is that it gives us a chance to know exactly what you thought of the latest issue and what suggestions and feedback you have to make QA even better. In the upcoming
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  • Machine and hand embroidery are the hallmarks of art quilt design and construction. Depending on the stitch and the thread or fiber used, embroidery techniques can give your quilts a contemporary edge or vintage charm. In this free eBook, Essential Embroidery Stitches: Free Hand and Machine Embroidery
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  • What's your pet peeve? One of mine is when my cat, Dickens, sits on my fabric. Another is when Dickens hogs the bed. It's irritating, but I can't get too stressed about it: Dickens is, after all, a cat. And cats do what they want, where they want. It's just that . . . he's a very
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  • 813 Outlandish Quilts We thought outlandish quilts were the way to finish up this season. A touch of whimsy, personal causes, writing, and just over the top ideas characterize today’s show. We begin with Susan Shie – travel with us all over
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  • 812 Landscape Quilting The world around us is a perfect inspiration for design. On today’s show we explore landscape quilting from the perspective of 3 different artists – they all view the world just a little bit differently from each other
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  • 811 Quilts Gone Wild Our Quilts have gone wild today- we’ve got 3 examples of designers who think not only outside the box – but off the quilt as they incorporate some really interesting materials into their art quilts. First up, Mary Pal
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  • 810 Design Part of the premise of Quilting Arts it so give you the opportunity to meet some of the top quilt artists and get to know them a little better, and to get inspiration from their design ideas. On today’s show, it is 3 different perspectives
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  • 809 Mixed-Media Quilting Today’s art quilt movement has opened up a whole new world of materials for quilting. Mixed-media is a very hot topic where our fabric is joined by fibers, thread, paint and so much more to create a new fresh look. It opens
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  • 808 Plethora of Patchwork Today features the first of the segments we shot on location in Cincinnati – where so many of you stopped by to give us feedback on QA – thanks you so much for all of your comments and suggestions – we love
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  • 807 Gone to the Dogs QA has really gone to the dogs! Join us as our pets take over today’s show. For many of us, our dogs are more than just pets – they are part of the family. So what could be more fitting than making a portrait of your favorite
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  • 806 Do it Yourself Fabrics for Quilting For some people, one of the most interesting parts of art quilting is actually creating their own fabric. Today, Lisa Kerpoe raid the kitchen cabinets for items like oatmeal and mashed potatoes for some very unique
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  • [View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QMAvUixzsM ] 805 Quick Quilt Gifts and Decor Art quilting is such a personal experience, but we’ve decided to share our quilts – we’re making gifts and personalizing our own work space with examples
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  • [View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BnRXJ1EkS0 ] 804 Stitch Intensive Contemporary Quilting has so many faces and ideas. On today’s show we’ll spend some time again with Ana Buzzalino as she embodies the spirit of contemporary art quilting
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  • 803 Stitch Intensive On today’s show we’re delving into machine stitching with tips from some of our experts. Judith Trager starts us out with free-motion satin stitch made easy. This is a stitch you’ll want to keep in your stitching
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  • 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?
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  • Check out our surface design issue, full of fresh techniques to create your own fabrics. Stamp and stencil with unusual objects, learn to dye with ice, explore finger painting on cloth, and much more; plus art quilts meet mixed media, color theory for art quilters, tips on working in a series, and our
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  • It seems as if summer is just flying by and I can't believe we're already well into July. Here at the Quilting Arts offices we're hard at work on the August/September 2011 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine. And while I can't wait for this
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  • Someone recently asked me who inspires me, and it didn't take me long to answer: Kerr Grabowski. Why? Because she is so inventive with her surface design techniques and so open to the possibilities.
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  • Your trusty Quilting Arts team is getting ready for one of our very favorite shows that we look forward to all year long: International Quilt Festival/Long Beach . This year is no different and in fact we have a lot of fun activities planned at Make It
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  • 802 It might be a technique we can’t wait to try – or maybe a favorite motif or color and sometimes we’re inspired by new media. Today’s guests share some rather novel approached. We begin with Ana Buzzalino and her technique of
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  • 801 Animal Kingdom This episode features two unique approaches to embellishment. First, you’ll learn how to dye embellishments with Dianne Giancola, who shows how to color a range of materials to match your quilts, from buttons and bamboo sticks
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  • I am laughing so hard right now. Earlier in the day, Cate Prato, online editor of Cloth Paper Scissors Today , sent me an email: "When you have a minute, I have something funny to show you from my past."
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  • First off, thank you all for your great comments in my last post! The winner of the Cabbage & Roses fabric bundle is rubyhaze ! Please contact me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing info so I can send the bundle out to you! I am thrilled that
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  • What do you get when you challenge a bunch of mixed-media and fiber artists to create their own 9" x 9" fabric swatches to be swapped? You get nearly 200 pieces of amazingly creative fabric and a whole lot of very happy artists. That's just what happened when Quilting Arts' sister publication
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  • The Art Quilt Gallery NYC has generated quite the buzz since it opened in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City this past April. It's no wonder considering the lineup of incredible quilt artists they've already booked for shows including Noriko
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  • Thanks to everyone for helping me wish my mom a Happy 60 th Birthday! I spoke to her over the phone and all of the responses and good wishes really put a smile on her face. The following winners of the six goodie bags of fabric treats should please email
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  • I just love to design my own fabric. Sometimes, I love it so much, I get all mushy. That's when you'll find me whipping up resists in the kitchen using mashed potato flakes, oatmeal, or even rice cereal for babies.
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  • Thread sketching? Love it! Using free-motion stitching with your sewing machine to create what looks like pen-and-ink drawings lends a real "hand of the artist" look to a quilt. The technique is also an effective way to add stitched imagery to fabric collages.
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  • June 27, 1951, was a busy day in Burbank, CA, and not just because Walt Disney was making animated movies at Disney Studios, but across the street at the hospital, Kathleen Patricia Nichols, my good old mom, was born. Yes, today is my mom’s 60th
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  • First off – The winner of the fabric from my last blog post is spirit2sew congratulations! Send your mailing address to me at lmurray@interweave.com so I can send the bundle out to you. I just love Cabbage & Roses new fabric line, Northcote
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  • Quilt making doesn't have to be complex, with hours of cutting, piecing, and sewing tiny seams. In this free ebook, How to Quilt: 4 Free Projects to Learn How to Make a Quilt , you'll learn how to quilt using fabric scraps, craft-store flowers, a fish, and canvas and paint.
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  • It's no secret that quilters are willing to go the distance for their love of quilts and quilting. So when I learned that June/July 2011 Quilting Arts artist Lea McComas traveled to Switzerland earlier this year to attend an art quilt opening at the
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  • My Maine Coon cat, Dickens, likes to help me make art, especially when I'm dyeing outside. He has luxurious fur that is quite beautiful, but it is also has a magnet for the flora and fauna found outside my home. Burrs, sticks, and the occasional bug become enmeshed, and it's my job to get them
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  • Letters and words aren’t just used to communicate, tell stories, or relay our thoughts. They can also be used to make our mark, so to speak. Some of us scribble in haste, others embellish with large, flourishing sweeps of the pen. But no matter
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  • I’m just so sad. I feel like there was a huge earthquake in the universe, shifting the axis of the earth so suddenly and abruptly, I have to find my footing again (and I know I’m far from alone). Anyone who might read my blog or catch my editor
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  • In celebration of Father's Day, we turn to Dutch quilt artist Anneke de Jong whose work commemorates her father in stitch and fabric. Anneke was kind enough to talk about her work process, inspiration, and how her father influenced her as an artist
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  • Jamie Fingal is a fiber artist who just says no. No batting. No binding. No pins. No rules.
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  • Introducing our "Greatest Pet Peeve" Reader Challenge We have so much fun at the Quilting Arts offices when it's time to come up with a new reader challenge. The editorial team has a brainstorming session that I can only describe as fast
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  • With summer approaching and the school year ending, a lot of parents I know are looking for projects to keep their kids busy (and somewhat unplugged) in the coming weeks. This patchwork checkerboard designed by our assistant editor for special projects, Lindsey Murray, is perfect for teaching quilting
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  • Thank you to everyone who participated in the Quilting Arts Gallery " Comment-A-Thon ." It was so much fun to scroll through and read your thoughtful comments. I encourage you to keep posting your work, sharing your thoughts with other art quilters
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  • We moved the Quilting Arts offices earlier this spring, and the change has given me a whole new outlook — literally. Whereas my former office didn't have much of a view, this one has windows that look out onto the wooded buffer between the office complex and the street.
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  • 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, Thermofax machine, paints, dyes, and soy wax with me.
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  • Quilting Arts is kicking off our very first "Comment-A-Thon" in our forums . This week (Monday, June 6th -Friday, June 10th), we invite you to participate in the "Comment-A-Thon" by visiting the Quilting Arts Gallery and leaving positive
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  • The June/July 2011 cover of Quilting Arts Magazine has a wonderful summery feel to me-the cheerful dog about to go on a walk, the shadows cast by the warm sun, the comfortable sandals-it all seems to fit together just right. I can't help but wonder
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  • Reports from Fashion Week earlier this year (how many of us knew the term "fashion week" before "Project Runway" came on the scene?) showed that color, graphic design, spots, and fabric that seems to move would be hot this fall.
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  • I confess, if I didn't love Quilting Arts so much, I'd throw in the towel and spend all of my time painting and dyeing fabric . You see, some day when I finally grow up, I want to be Jane Dunnewold (or Kerr Grabowski). I save any kind of surface
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  • Now that the weather has finally turned and we have warmer, sunnier days ahead, I can't wait to bring out the portable tables and dye equipment to my driveway to screen and paint yards and yards of fabric.
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  • WEEKEND PLANS and a GIVE AWAY! Ready for the long weekend? I am excited for two main reasons: the sun is supposed to be out in Boston and I have set aside some much needed craft time. I can’t tell you how relaxing it is to just think about sitting
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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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  • A big thank you to everyone who entered the Quilting Arts 2012 Calendar giveaway . I loved reading all the comments about the animals in your life! The randomly chosen winner is mummszyv . If you could please email me your address, I will make sure you
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  • Hand stitching or machine stitching , which do you prefer? If you ask me, the answer would depend on the day or the project. Hand stitching is meditative, tactile, and personal. Machine stitching is fast, even, easier on the hands, and less likely to be interrupted by certain four-legged friends.
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  • When Pokey announced the finalists of the 2012 Quilting Arts "Feeling Pet-ty" calendar contest on her blog back in February, I couldn't wait for the artwork to start arriving at our offices. As we unwrapped each 12" x 12" quilt
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  • Update to this post! Fabric winner announced at the bottom of this entry. More giveaways coming Wednesday! Despite consistently dreary, rainy days with highs in the lower 50s here in Sudbury, MA, the calendar does indeed say it's May, and that means
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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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  • Last weekend I attended the International Quilt Market in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was my first Market experience, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was so great to meet face to face with people that I have communicated with solely through email
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  • I was pulling laundry out of the dryer the other day when I spied something among the folds that looked black, fuzzy, and about the size of a quarter. I dropped the laundry basket and jumped back, convinced I had just seen a giant spider.
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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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  • Don’t miss our portrait issue! Translate your photos into art quilts with Joan Sowada, explore detailed thread painting with Jennifer Day, and discover how to make a simple portrait quilt top in a weekend with Jen Eskridge. Stitch yourself silly with monoprinted art dolls by Tracy Stilwell and
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  • The Monday after Easter this year, I noticed Cloth Paper Scissors Today Editor Cate Prato brought dark red hard-boiled eggs in for lunch. Cate is Greek, and their tradition is to dye their Easter eggs a deep red.
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  • Finally, we've had a stretch of warm, sunny days and my spring flowers are starting to bloom. Local garden centers are awash with marigolds, pansies, geraniums, and herbs. All of which has made me think about gardening and dyeing. Sunny, windless days are perfect for dyeing. But while I usually use
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  • Have you ever been to an International Quilt Festival? More specifically have you ever visited th e Make it University ™ section of the show? If you haven’t then you have been missing out! if you have, then you know how much fun it is! MIU
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  • I don't get to see my mom often enough. So with Mother's Day around the corner, I have been reminiscing about her visit to the "Quilting Arts TV" taping last August. It was really fun to have my mom with me, if for no other reason than I could put her crafting skills to work and boss
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  • It's hard to believe how 2011 is flying by. Here at the Quilting Arts offices it's once again time for the editorial team to focus on the next issue of INTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL: QUILT SCENE . QUILT SCENE celebrates everything we love about
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  • An Interview with Barb Fricano It’s no secret that art quilters love quilt and fabric shops. Today our Quilt Shop Spotlight continues with a trip to Dearborn, Michigan. Barb Fricano, owner of The Material Girls quilt shop, was kind enough to share
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  • We always get feedback on the artwork in our publications, but some themes and projects resonate more than others. Animal themes always get a big response from our readers (and, you may have noticed, your humble Quilting Arts editors who love their dogs and frogs). Birds are particularly popular. We
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  • THANK YOU to everyone who commented on my post about fabric designer Josephine Kimberling ! I loved reading all of your responses; it is great to see how you all use bold patterns and colors together! The randomly picked winner of the Fabric bundle from
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  • Contemporary patchwork projects are everywhere these days. Even the artists contributing to our sister publication, Cloth Paper Scissors are getting into the act--but they're using paper!
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  • Have you experienced fiber art creep? You know, when you learn one fiber genre, let's say quilting, leads to dyeing your own fabric, which may lead to screen printing or felting...which may lead to spinning...or paper making...and so on?
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  • Josephine Kimberling’s fabric lines are anything but boring. Excelling in combining bold patterns and bright colors, Kimberling creates fabric lines for those who love to make a statement. Read on to find out more about Josephine Kimberling and
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  • One of the perks of living in Colorado is having ready access to the amazing number of highly talented fiber artists that live and create in the Front Range area. In Boulder alone, there are so many textile and mixed-media fiber artists that when I attended the annual open studios tour last fall, I couldn't
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  • Everyone knows the saying "April showers bring May flowers." Well, it's most certainly raining here in Massachusetts and I'm ready for the flowers! Yesterday I saw a few courageous daffodils in my yard. I was overjoyed by the burst of
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  • Wow! There were so many incredible answers. I loved hearing about everyone's Friday quilt adventures. The randomly-selected winners of the Quilting Arts First Friday Giveaway are... Kathy Mueller Zimmly Nancy Young Kay Mousner Gumbeau gooneybird Samantha
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  • Barbara Brack man has come out with a line of fabric called “Civil War Reunion”. Read on to see the inspiration behind this line, and learn a little about Civil War quilts in the process! You have recen tly put out a new line of Fabrics with
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  • I can still remember the thrill of first learning to read. When I realized those marks on the page meant something and I could figure it out all by myself, I devoured every book I could get my little hands on.
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  • This year Quilting Arts Magazine® celebrates its 10 th birthday. When we asked our readers to send us birthday post cards we didn’t know how many we could expect. As the cards have continued to come in, nearly every day, we become more and more
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  • People the world over have used hand sewing and needlework for centuries not just to stitch two pieces of fabric together, but to add color, pattern, and interest to their clothing and home décor.
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  • It’s our first Friday in the new Quilting Arts offices in beautiful Sudbury, Massachusetts. We've had a busy and fun week unpacking, organizing, and of course, working diligently on the next i ssue of Qu iltin g Arts Magazine. Since we are so
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  • I don’t know about you, but when I sit down at my sewing machine, my mind is completely focused on the project at hand—the colors, the textures, fitting everything together just right. I hardly give a thought to how I’m sitting in my
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  • If there was just one tip I could give a designer of wall art looking to improve her compositions, it would be: use a design wall. Experienced art quilters wouldn't live without one.
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  • One of the most enjoyable times here at Quilting Arts is when we've announced a new reader challenge. I get excited by the opportunity to see original artwork from Quilting Arts readers and I eagerly look forward to the numerous ways readers surprise
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  • Life is unpredictable. For example, who would have thought that I'd wake up to an April morning filled with snow? And yet, as I write this, the ground is covered with a good four inches of the cold, white stuff. I've just decided to look at it as another good day to head to my studio and play
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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
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  • I have worked with many, many talented art quilters in my day. Some I admire most for their artistry, some for their ingenuity, some for their ability to teach, and some because they are just a blast to be around.
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  • Thank you for all of your wonderful answers! The randomly selected winners are: jenzeff, vivik, jude61 . Please email me your mailing address at eseeburger@interweave.com between tonight and tomorrow morning so I can mail out your prizes! Didn’t
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  • Thanks for all of your wonderful answers! The randomly selected winners are: Judi73 , Endorph , Lisa Kline . Please email me your mailing address at lmurray@interweave.com between this afternoon and tomorrow morning so I can mail out your prizes! Didn’t
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  • So have a look at my office as we get ready to move out Friday. I'm making progress! Congratulations to the following three people to win some loot for our giveaways today: Veronica Martin Sewcrastinate Crafty -Artist Please email Ellen Seeburger
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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,
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  • Hello! I am stop number two for our Quilting Arts whirlwind blog giveaway! Here in Stow, MA we are running around like crazy because we are moving our offices this week! It has t ruly been an exciting week, with us unearthing a ton of cool products that
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  • We are moving offices this Friday, and that means we are all in our packing clothes (code for jeans and t-shirts), and boxing everything up. (Although Managing Editor Helen is still trying to get a little work done amidst the chaos...) We have a lot of
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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
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  • When I start a project, I like to walk into my studio and see all my supplies neatly organized. And while having an organized fabric stash is important to starting any project, I’m going to argue that having an organized embellishment stash is equally
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  • When I post pictures on Facebook of the team wearing sparkling leprechaun bowlers or upload a YouTube video of us getting our jingle on, you probably think it's just all fun and games here at Quilting Arts .
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  • Hello! First, to take care of some prize buisness. I know I am a few days late posting this, but Penelope14 you are the winner of the Moda fabric from my St. Paddy's day post! Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information
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  • Free-motion machine stitching is a hallmark of contemporary quilting. But, my friends, it does not always come easily. Practice and experience are key, and if you're like me, you also get by with some help from your expert friends.
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  • Question: What do quilting editors do when they just sent their newest and biggest issue ever ( 101 Patchwork Projects ) off to press, it's St. Patrick's Day weekend, and they live near Boston? They go see the Dropkick Murphys at the House of
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  • Celebrate spring with our nature issue! Get creative with Zen doodle quilts by Laura Wasilowski. Make a sweet little series of free-motion stitched wildflower quilts by Jeanelle McCall. Join Margaret Applin as she uses digital imagery in quilted collages. Check out our new materials column, Out of the
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  • Happy St. Patrick’s Day! As promised I am pulling the name of the winner of a goody bag from my last post with guest blogger Faith Cleary. Congratulations to janicen7 , you are the winner! Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing
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  • I was first exposed to spunbonded "fabrics" like Lutradur and Tyvek several years ago and was captivated by their seemingly infinite possibilties for textures, surface design, construction, and more in your fabric art. You can paint them, heat-distress them, stamp on them, print on them, foil
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  • Do you have an inspiring studio space? Here’s your chance to share it and win some amazing prizes! Fiberarts Magazine is currently accepting entries for the 2011 Fiberarts Reader's Choice Studio Contest . Since I’m a huge fan of Fiberarts
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  • When someone asks me what's the difference between contemporary art quilts and traditional quilts, one of the first things I think of is embellishment, especially beads and encrustation.
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  • Meet the very talented Ana who not only has been a Quilting Arts calendar artist, but has been a Quilting Arts cover girl--twice!
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  • I gave you a behind-the-scenes look at taping 'QATV' Season 8 on my Editor's blog last week. But it's only fair that I give the guest quilt artists a chance to tell you what it's really like. So I asked three, two newbies and a veteran, to give you their own take on what it's
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  • Hello everyone! Thanks for stopping by the LAST stop of the Quilting Arts In Stitches blog tour! I hope that you have enjoyed all the stops along the way. For the last post, I have asked artist Faith Cleary to tell us a little about her experience with
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  • The art of appliqué quilting has long been a way for quilters to add designs to their fabric, in addition to piecing. But while traditional quilters used the hand appliqué stitch to place their fabric motifs, contemporary quilters are more apt to fuse or machine appliqué, opening
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  • I love funny ads, and I've been cracking up lately at the one where the husband comes home with his buddies ready to hang out in his man cave only to find his wife has turned it into a hot-pink "mom cave."
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  • First things first: The winner of the Quilting Arts TV DVD set from my last post goes to Von8. Congratulations! Please email Lindsey Murray (lmurray@interweave.com) with your address and she'll send the DVD set out to you. Now onto some pictures and
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  • One of the best parts about traveling is the opportunity to sample the local culture and experience all the things that make a place unique. After I've booked a trip, I immediately start researching local quilt, fabric, and yarn shops in the area
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  • I have collected a ton of fibers in my career as a quilt artist. Everything from novelty yarns, to silk carrier rods and cocoons, to felt balls, ribbons and metallic threads, wool and silk roving. Not to mention the scraps of thousands of quilting fabrics, sheers, gauzes, saris, and the like. And don't
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  • We are so excited to announce the launch of our second edition of our eMag, Quilting Arts in Stitches, that we’re going on tour this week. In our second edition of In Stitches you’ll find a slew of information and inspiration for hand and
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  • When I asked the Quilting Arts community to share their favorite Quilting Arts issue, I was thrilled to read the thoughtful, personal responses. Thank you so much for sharing! And though I'd love for everyone who commented to win some fabric, I had
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  • Aren't we all craving signs of spring right about now? I know I am. Heck, I'd be happy to go right to summer! Back at Quilting Arts headquarters in Massachusetts, spring is slow to arrive. In fact, we can have snow as late as May.
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  • 101 Patchwork Projects + Quilts is a groundbreaking, super-sized publication packed with ideas for today’s quilter/sewer/crafter looking to create quick and stylish items with the latest fabrics and a modern-day appeal. From the publishers of Quilting Arts Magazine , this 196-page special issue
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  • Last week I had the fortune of attending the Quilting Arts TV taping for series 800 (which will be aired in June of this year). This trip was rather exciting for me, because I was FINALLY seeing how the tapings were done. Before I started working full
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  • I love the sparkle and shine metallic thread gives to my fabric art, but the hassles--shredding, the curling, the broken threads-give me such a headache. I always approach metallic threads with trepidation, and I could swear the spool can smell my fear.
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  • Every time I come back to our editorial offices back east I'm greeting with more Quilting Arts @10 anniversary postcards. I love it! We'll be featuring some in the next issue of the magazine, so watch for them.
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  • I just completed a huge move so I can be closer to the QUILTING ARTS office. One of the best parts about moving is undoubtedly when all the hard work is done and it’s finally time to unpack the boxes, set everything up, and begin a new craft project
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  • I almost fell off my chair laughing when I saw this fiber art postcard from U.K. artist Priscilla O'Rourke. It seems no sooner had she received her copy of the February/March issue of Quilting Arts Magazine than she turned a photo of the staff she found on the Editor's note page into quilted
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  • Let's face it. Some of us are just a tad obsessed with our pets. I'm not naming names or anything... Above: Sophie our Golden mut getting some love from Dickens, our huge Maine Coon cat. This year’s theme, Getting Pet-ty inspired hundreds
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  • I know that I am a few days late in announcing the winner of the Series 700 QATV DVD set, but we have been super busy getting ready to go to the Quilting Arts Series 800 taping next week! Be sure to stay tuned to see some behind the scenes footage and
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  • By a huge margin, the most frequent question that comes through my email inbox has to do with how to get a subscription to Stitch . We love working on Stitch , and it makes us really happy that so many people love to read it! Unfortunately, Stitch has
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  • I would say that unless you work full time in a dedicated studio, finding time to create is one of hardest things about being an artist. For most people, especially women, art has to get made in between "real jobs," kids, pets, and other responsibilities.
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  • I am a lover of the printed page. Always have been, always will be. I love the feel of the paper. I love to place a bookmark (handmade, of course) between the leaves to mark where I will resume reading when I pick it up again.
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  • You may recall a post on my Editor's blog when I mentioned meeting TV makeover show host and designer Ty Pennington, who has a new line of fabrics with Westminster Fibers. I also hinted that we had something planned for him, and you'd find out more later. Guess what? It's later!
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  • One thing that always surprises me is that when we require the finalists of any challenge to attach a quilt sleeve for hanging, we get numerous emails asking, "How do you make a quilt sleeve?" Or, "Exactly what kind of quilt sleeve do you want?"
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  • Good Morning! What better way to start off the week than announcing a contest winner? Congratulations to KimsCraftyApple! Kim, if you would please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing address I will send out your fabric as soon as possible
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  • Hi guys! I am excite d to announce that the Quilting Arts TV site has a new home, and a makeover! Within the next few days (if you haven’t already gotten it) you should be getting an email explaining your log in information and any password changes
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  • To anyone who loves fabric and thread, making a handmade quilt is often the ultimate creative experience. The contemplative act of hand quilting-needle moving rhythmically over and under fabric-is a pleasure even for those who primarily rely on machine quilting enjoy.
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  • First, thanks to everyone for posting your recipes on my chicken soup blog post ! They sound yummy, and I'll test a few of them and share my favorites. Congratulations to B Smiling, as you are the latest 10th anniversary of Quilting Arts giveaway
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  • 113 Flower Power Nature is a great source of inspiration for our quilting projects. First, we go from a floral photo to a funky wholecloth flower quiltlet that blossoms with color. Then featured guest Robbie Joy Eklow displays a small quilt in her graphic
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  • 112 Tools of the Trade Needle and thread will always be essential to quilting, but today, an art quilter’s tool box also includes heat guns, stabilizers, and a myriad of other products and devices designed to achieve unusual effects and to make
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  • 111 Text Messaging Writing on your quilts not only adds texture and interest, but can literally help get the message across. This show presents simple ways to add text to your quilts using the computer; hand-stitching, gel pens, markers, and lots more
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  • 110 Quilted Collage—Getting Scrappy This program shows how to turn scraps into wonderful quilted collaged quilts using rubber stamps, sticky-backed fabric, and other bits and pieces of materials. First up explore fabric rubberstamping – what
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  • 109 Home Décor Home Décor is using the techniques you’ve learned for quilts and applying them to decorating projects. First, show off quilting skills on easy yet artful coasters. Then join Carol Ingram for felted bowls sure to find
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  • 108 Photo Fabric Collage Manipulating photos on the computer is a growing area of quilt design. New software and scanners are making it easier than ever to change the size, color, and tone of your photos and then transfer them to fabric. First Lesley
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  • 106 Pictorial Quilts Learn to make faces—creative self-portraits and quilts with figures, done with fabric, stitch, and embellishment. It’s hard to keep from smiling when you create your own self-portrait. Then it’s guest Pam RuBert
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  • 107 Quilting Every Day Experienced artists in every discipline know that creating a little art every day is a great way to hone skills and find inspiration. We start out with baseball card-sized artist trading cards; they are little and quick and great
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  • 105 Free-motion Quilting and Machine Needle-felting Free-motion quilting allows you to draw with your needle while machine needle-felting transforms everyday bits of fibers into beautiful, textural designs. First up is machine needle felting. Then, featured
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  • 104 Landscape Quilts Learn the tricks quilt artists use to create impressive landscape quilts. First Laura Cater-Woods helps make a whimsical landscape quilt. Then she returns with accordion-style landscapes. Next, Shelly Stokes creates the illusion of
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  • 103 Embellishments and Encrustations Embellishments such as beads, sequins, yarn, and even metal add dimension and sparkle. Create shimmering fabrics out of fibers that actually fuse together when heated. The first feature is fabric foiling or adhering
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  • 213 Basics Whether you’re a beginner quilter or a seasoned pro; it’s always a good lesson to start with the basics. First, we’re creating and organizing a recipe box to keep your favorite methods at hand, plus we’ll review the
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  • 212 KIS KIS has become one of those popular catch phrases – keep it simple! There’s a time and place for intricate designs but it’s also important to keep it simple so that quilting will be something you can do every day. With the number
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  • 211 Paints and dyes Perhaps one of the most exciting additions to the quilting market has been paints and dyes. We’ve opened the door to dyeing our own fabrics; creating one of a kind hand painted looks and added a whole new dimension of surface
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  • 210 Graphic Elements Just about any design can be considered a graphic element. In particular the collage trend has its roots in graphic design where words are used for both their meaning and their appearance. First up, Laura and Linda Kemshall are back
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  • 209 Photo Images On today’s show we’ve harnessed the energy of technology and applied it to our quilts. First we learn to take, alter and print one-of-a-kind images to create a fabric book. Then special guest Wen Redmond shows how to use a
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  • 208 Green Quilting’s origin, in the use of scraps from clothing is the “original” green concept. In quilting today, this trend also manifests itself in different ways from recycling, to green products like bamboo batting, and even quilts
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  • 207 Trends Learn what’s new in quilting on today’s show. First, learn how to combine needle felting with quilting for unique results. Next Rayna Gillman shows us how to turn outdated, or “ugly” fabric into an original design by
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  • 206 Fabric and Design The use of fabric and design is at the heart of your quilting projects. First, Claire Fenton uses images to create a unique background or as she says: “one mans rust is another’s dyeing material.” Then Andrea Bishop
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  • 205 Thread is the Focus The hallmark of contemporary quilting is the use of thread in a new way. Instead of being content to only use thread as a way to quilt pieces of fabric or stitch on an applique, today's quilter uses thread as its own feature
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  • 204 Embellishment Contemporary quilts often include some form of surface embellishment such as charms or fiber, or maybe the addition of paint or another surface design. First is a lesson on using puff paints to create dimension on your quilts. Then Ruth
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  • 203 Texture This program explores different ways of achieving textural interest on our quilts. First, paint fusible web to create lustrous, one-of a-kind fabrics. Then the Kemshalls show how quilted fabrics provide surface textures that can be enhanced
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  • 202 Color Color is the spirit within our designs; it evokes emotion, creates movement and reinforces our design and pattern. First, fabric designer, Tina Givens demonstrates a simple but striking appliqué technique using free motion stitching.
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  • 201 Every picture tells a story . Every quilt project has a little bit of you stitched into it and we all have a story to tell. First up is Katie Pasquini-Masopust and a lesson on how to take your design from a picture to a quilt. Then Laura and Linda
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  • Little by little, I'm establishing a style for our Colorado home, accessorizing with pieces of artwork here and some new furniture there. With one eye on the budget and another on the time I have available for decorating (almost none!) I have been looking for some quick, easy, and budget-friendly
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  • Right now one of my biggest goals is to increase my fabric stash. I recently set up a new studio and finally have the space to store large quantities of fabric. This weekend I was in Portsmouth, NH getting fitted for a bridesmaid dress for my brother’s
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  • Congratulations to cronelv for winning the last giveaway for the complete QATV Series 700! Please email Lindsey Murray ( lmurray@interweave.com ) with your address and she’ll mail you the DVD set. This next giveaway has to do with quilting and food
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  • 313 Stitch This: free motion quilting and threads and surfaces. Melissa Averinos is our first guest with a simple argyle stitch pattern that can be applied to all different items. Then it’s a thread tutorial; learn which thread to use with what
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  • 312 Inks & Dyes: roll up your sleeves with paints and dyes. First is Debbie Crane and her great fabric books featuring paint. Then it’s Shelly Stokes for a lesson on adding patina to sewing notions. Next Dianne Giancola joins us for a tutorial
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  • 311 Color Our World : color as a key part of design. First up is Laura Wasilowski and a whimsical birdhouse quilt designed right on the spot with prefused fabric scraps. Then visit the True Colors exhibit for an inspiring look at color. Last up is Kathy
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  • 310 On the Surface: creative ideas for surface embellishment. Our first segment was filmed on location with Julaine Lofquist Burch and a unique way of marbling fabric using shaving cream. Then join author Laura Murray and unmounted stamps as rubbing plates
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  • 309 Challenges and Personal Style: problems and questions. The first challenge is incorporating topical events into quilting. We take a look at the go green exhibit for inspiration. Then Joel Dewberry explores another challenge: how do you add your personal
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  • 308 Retro Designs: a fresh twist on vintage designs . First join Marinda Stewart for placements with a vintage look featuring vinyl. Then it’s Darlene Zimmerman and a fresh look at crazy patch. Revive this technique for a modern purse. Last up modern
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  • 306 Home Dec: turning your art quilts into functional home décor. The first design is a table runner by Frieda Anderson. Then it’s on location with Kelli Perkins and creating stitchable transfers. Last up, we create pin woven portraits with
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  • 307 Digital Designs and More : the latest digital tools for contemporary quilting. Melanie Testa is our first guest with a demonstration of a “machine drawn line” to add additional layers to your machine quilted surface. Then Jeanie Sumrall
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  • 305 Worldly Inspirations : art quilters are using their talents and skills to raise awareness on the environment. Hollis Chatelaine is the first guest with her amazing traveling exhibit entitled Imagine – Hope. Then, it’s time to make your
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  • 304 Stitching with Alternate fabrics : quilting with a variety of fabrics and textures. First is using batting as an exciting surface for stitching. Then meet Melanie Testa for a purse using organza and freezer paper screen printing. Next Jane LaFazio
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  • 303 Fruits, Veggies and Flowers : the art quilt garden First designer, Lyric Kinard returns to create fabric with paint and veggies and a lesson on color theory. Then it’s off to a quilt show with Laura Wasilowski and bias fusing techniques for
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  • 302 Lifestyle Sewing : bringing artful sewing to your everyday life. First learn how to integrate color and pattern on every day quilted items with Anna Maria Horner. Next we explore journal quilting with Karey Bresnahan on location in Chicago. Journal
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  • 301 Fabric Collage : mix and match textures and techniques. Learn to mount a small collage onto a painted, gallery wrapped canvas with Lyric Kinard. Then meet designer Jane LaFazio; working with paper, canvas, and surface design techniques, she creates
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  • Let’s face it: pet owners love our pets. My next door neighbor loves his labs so much, the only décor he has in his house relates to black labs--from every piece of wall art to the toilet paper dispensers! So it was no surprise to me that
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  • It's January—2011 has arrived. Are you hard at work on your New Year's resolutions yet? If you're like me, at least one of your resolutions probably involves sewing—mine was to sew more, and to take on a couple more advanced projects
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  • It wasn't until I packed away all the Christmas decorations, swept up the crumbs from the goodies we'd been nibbling, and tidied the house for my mom's visit last weekend, that I realized: something was missing.
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  • 413 Catherine Nicholls is our first guest artist with a perfect free motion paper quilt collage inspired by photos she took of graffiti during some of her travels. Pokey shows how to make a colorful, whole cloth doggie jacket that will give the other
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  • 412 Today’s show is all about tips for great quilting. Our artists have agreed to share a few of their favorite tricks with us. Our first guest is artist, Lyric Kinard. Learn a few carving tips and tricks to create a stamp from an eraser and then
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  • 411 Today’s show focuses on perfecting your sewing skills. First up, Jeanne Delpit will demonstrate stitching techniques for mixed media quilting especially with metal. We’ll discuss needle tension and thread strength. Then, meet designer
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  • 410 Today’s show features apparel. You can apply your quilting skills to wearables with great results. It’s a beautiful way to show off your art. We begin with Artist Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. She is using her quilt scraps to create amazing scarves
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  • 409 Get ready to be inspired by innovative designers with the latest in contemporary quilting. We begin our show today with designer Terry White. She’s going to demonstrate thread painting techniques with her stitch samplers. Next, it’s mixed
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  • 408 Today’s show focuses on real world solutions to quilting issues. The show opens with Jay McCarroll; he’s back to demonstrate fusing techniques. First, is a cute grommeted tote bag, then a revival of a knit shirt with fusing and last, fused
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  • 407 Today’s guests share some of the new ways they’re interpreting traditional concepts into their quilt designs. Using basic quilting techniques, Frieda Anderson starts off with a new twist to free form quilting and framing your quilted pieces
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  • 406 Let your inner artist shine with Quilting Arts. Pokey starts at her sewing machine to give tips and trips for practicing free motion sketching. Then, meet artist Maria Elkins for an easy fabric portrait – you don’t even need to know how
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  • 405 Fabric is our focus on today’s Quilting Arts. We have ideas on both creating and using fabric in a unique way. Malka Dubrowsky is first with techniques for over dyeing commercial fabric. She also shares information on discharging. Then, meet
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  • 404 Quilting arts is all about trends. First up, is Melanie Testa. Her trend is artists’ trading cards and she uses them to demonstrate alternate finishing and binding techniques for quilts. Then, meet designer Sue Kelly with the latest in surface
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  • 403 Today’s show is about technique. To get started on a new project sometimes we begin with a design, or maybe a pattern or even a new medium - but how about using a technique as your starting point? Carol Ingram is our first designer with techniques
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  • 402 First, is Jay McCarroll of project runway fame. He’s going to share with us a little bit about his inspiration, how he entered the quilt world, and some of the challenges of designing his first line of fabrics. Then, meet designer Alisa Burke
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  • 401 First up, today is Laura Wasilowski. She demonstrates how to transform the surface of a small art quilt with threads and hand sewing plus an interesting fusing technique. Then, meet artist Yvonne Porcella as she creates an embellished frame around
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  • 512 Liz Debellis starts us out with how to make a collagraph printing plate, from which you can create your own printed fabric. Then, meet Michele Muska for ruching and a challenge to try out new tools and trims. Next, it’s time to raid the medicine
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  • 513 Susan Brubaker Knapp returns as our first guest. Her inspiration was a plant from her garden. She starts out with a photo of a coleus leaf and creates a small art quilt using white fabric, textile paint, and thread. Then Jeanne Delpit is inspired
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  • 511 First are some of the quilts from Quilt National—one of the most prestigious international showcases for contemporary quilts. Next, we’ll meet Paula Prass for a still-life framed art quilt. Then it’s time for Bonnie McCaffery and
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  • 509 Get ready to raid your recycling bags. We prove that quilting can incorporate much more than just fabric. Natalya Aikens challenges us with eco-friendly quilting and new materials to incorporate into your designs. Then, meet Eric Drexler for a luxurious
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  • 510 First we’ll meet Judy Rush; she describes her technique as simply stitching, then building, then cutting—basic concepts, but with a fascinating result. Then, it’s time to dress up your studio with a quilted table skirt that can be
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  • 508 Angles and lines play a strong role in today’s show. Carol Taylor is first featuring her couching technique from her—Arc – i- Texture collection. Then, meet Alma de la Melena Cox for an amazing process called telamadera fusion, using
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  • 507 Sue Cavanaugh starts us out with a demonstration of the special stitches that she uses to pattern her art quilts. Then, we have two on-location segments back-to-back. First, meet Kristal Wick and learn a brand new way to use fabric to create beads
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  • 506 Today’s episode introduces us to some new materials to incorporate into our art quilting. Mary Hettmansperger leads off with metal embellishments on a quilted wall panel. Her experiences as a mixed-media artist, weaver, and jewelry designer
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  • 505 All of our guests have started out with a traditional technique or pattern, but they’ve interpreted it in a whole new way. First up is Sarah Vedeler – you’ll be amazed at her technique for using machine embroidery to create quilt
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  • 504 Our first projects are no-sew fabric fortune cookies for a great personalized gift idea. Then, it’s a lesson on specialty shibori dyeing with Dianne Giancola. Next, we’re off to International Quilt Festival and a collage door book with
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  • 503 Make sure you have your machine threaded and ready. As we feature machine quilting. Our first guest is Teri Lucas. She’ll demonstrate her innovative free-motion designs and give us tips and hints for machine quilting. Up next is Carol Ingram
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  • 502 Our feature designers are going to introduce you to some original ways to design with fabric . First up is Carol Taylor. Learn her unique approach to piecing narrow strips of fabric to create amazing designs. Then, meet Jennifer O’Brien a she
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  • 501 The first show begins with Susan Brubaker Knapp. She creates art from her photos using fused appliqué and thread painting. Today’s inspiration is a lighthouse in North Carolina. Next, Pokey shares a stitched and stenciled book with photos
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  • 102 Mixed-Media New technologies and products—plus a willingness to think outside the sewing box—make it possible to pair fabric with just about anything you can find to create textured and very unique artistic expressions. First make lustrous
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  • 101 Surface Design There is a rich array of commercially printed fabric to choose from ––but you can also make your own with paints, oils sticks, and stencils. First we go to our host’s personal studio and combine simple household tools
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  • Did you know social networking was a thing of the past? It's true! Social networking goes back hundreds, even thousands of years, and fiber artists of all stripes have been in the thick of it, from quilting bees to sewing circles to knitting patterns and traditions that are passed from one family
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  • Check out our new machine quilting column, “Stitch This! Free-motion Motifs to Try” by Heather Thomas. Enjoy Lisa Kerpoe’s second installment of “Resists from the Kitchen” with a look at mashed potato flakes. Don’t miss Lyric Kinard’s suggestions for quilting
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  • I had every intention of posting the latest winner this past Wednesday but then you may have seen in the news that Boston got hit with a pretty huge snow storm. I worked from home that day, but not without spending a good amount of time trying to dig
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  • 713 Unique Quilt Embellishments This episode features two unique approaches to embellishment. First, you’ll learn how to dye embellishments with Dianne Giancola, who shows how to color a range of materials to match your quilts, from buttons and
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  • 712 Gone to the Dogs This episode features unique pet projects that will enable you to dress your pooch in style! First, Pokey demonstrates a reversible doggy jacket, complete with fusible appliqué and machine stitching. Then, Susan Brubaker Knapp
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  • 711 Quick Quilt Gifts and Décor Quilting Arts celebrates the way artists are taking a contemporary approach to quilting by blending their passion for various textile arts. Valori Wells opens this episode with a mixed-media shadow box, combining
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  • 710 Colorful Mixed-Media Quilting This episode focuses on how to create a series of quilts. First, Beryl Taylor demonstrates her series Never Ending Circles, vibrant and whimsical pieces of fiber art which are constructed with reverse machine appliqué
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  • 709 Quilts Gone 3D Visit any movie theater and the latest trend is 3D films. Quilters are not to be left behind in the movement, which is why this episode features textiles with dimension. First, Candy Glendening creates mod house ornaments, small structures
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  • 708 New Styles for Quilt Designs Art quilting can take on so many forms, from an emphasis on mixed-media to embellishments or unusual piecing. This episode explores two different styles for making contemporary quilts. First up are piecing techniques from
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  • 707 Stitch Intensive Use your sewing machine in creative ways! In this episode, two top designers share their unique stitched projects. First, Jamie Fingal teaches new ways to use free-motion zigzag stitching and zippers to create one-of-a-kind art quilts
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  • 706 Patchwork Party Contemporary patchwork is in, and today’s episode opens with a discussion of fabric choices between Pokey and Pippa Eccles, who also show how to create a table runner for all seasons. Next, learn a unique method for piecing from
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  • 705 DIY Fabrics for Quilting Let your personality show by making your quilt unique. What better way to accomplish this than learning how to easily design your own signature fabrics? First, Kerr Grabowski gives a lesson on surface design, demonstrating
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  • 704 The Quilted Home Quilters love to decorate both their home and their apparel with textile art. The first décor stop in this episode is the kitchen as Pearl Krush creates a sweet and sassy kitchen collection with an apron, placemats, and baked
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  • 703 Totes and Bags Time to tout your totes! First up on this episode is Candy Glendening, who shows how to create a messenger bag filled with pockets that will keep you organized, and a flap that is a beautiful piece of fabric art. Then Valori Wells demonstrates
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  • 702 Upcycling The motto of this show is “don’t throw it away!” This episode teaches how to upcycle scraps into stitched treasures. First, learn about the inspiration and techniques behind Victoria Gertenbach’s Work Quilt series
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  • 701 Quilt Design This show features some of the most innovative fiber artists of today as they share their ideas for making one-of-a-kind quilts. Jean Wells is first and demonstrates how to create an elegant portrait finish for art quilts. Then Jeannie
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  • Free project: Feel Good Love Pillow, designed by Malka Dubrawsky. Free project: Improv Scarf, designed by Alissa Haight Carlton . The winter/spring issue of Stitch should be showing up in stores as I write this. While you are waiting to get the latest
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  • A friend of mine has been bitten by the quilting bug and is rapidly moving from novice to intermediate quilter. I'm quite proud of her. But because she's been working on more traditional-style quilts in a larger format than I usually work, I don't always have the technical answers she's
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  • Cheryl Johnson decided to change up the way that she displayed and created Artist Trading Cards. For some inspiration on how to spice up your own ATC collection read on. What was your inspiration when you decided to change up the shape of ATC’s
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  • There's an old joke, from well before my time, that is still around because it's a classic. An elderly gentleman is walking down the street in New York City. A younger man steps up to him and asks, "Excuse me, sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?
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  • In celebration of 10 years of Quilting Arts, I offer my 2nd (of 10) giveaways this month. This time I am giving away a stash of my own hand-dyed, screen-printed fabrics, some of which look something like this: My question to you: What is on your art quilting
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  • I have randomly selected a winner and want to extend my congratulations to... PJMOCKIT! PJ, please email lmurray@interweave.com to claim your Quilting Arts TV DVD set! I find it funny what PJ wrote: My quilting memory is of several ladies gathered around
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  • Where do you stand on art dolls? Some people love 'em. Some hate 'em. I've seen doll art flourish as angels, goddesses, and other feminine totems, then fall out of favor as an art form (been there, done that), and then be reinterpreted by a new generation of fiber artists who call them "stuffies"
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  • It’s official; Quilting Arts has hit the double digits! In January 2001, Quilting Arts was born, and if I do the math (and I’m horrible at math, so never ask me to figure out the tip), that means Quilting Arts is 10 years old. To celebrate
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  • As I write this, the snow is coming down, I'm wearing extra warm socks and a scarf, and I'm wondering if I remembered to put the ice scraper in my trunk. The very thought of a being outside in a silk slip dress makes me shiver.
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  • Designers, it's time to get creative to kick off the new year in style by sending us your amazing design ideas! The Call for Project Submissions for the Fall 2011 issue of Stitch is now available online . We are always looking for new designers and
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  • One thing I've learned, and that I love, about contemporary art quilting is that you can't really make a mistake. Everything that happens is grist for the creative mill and happy accidents often serve as "aha!" moments. On the other hand,
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  • What does your studio look like right about now? If it's like mine, there are scraps of fused fabric here, wrapping and collage papers there, plus bits of ribbon, piles of magazines and catalogs, and, yes, I'll admit it, even some crumpled candy wrappers (Santa remembered my sweet tooth).
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  • Chipmunk Hot Pad from The Art of Applique section. Kimono Wrap Top from the Knit Wit section. Spaghetti Strap Necklace from the Sew Small, Sew Stylish section. The new issue of Stitch hits newsstands January 18, and it's the exciting start of our
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  • Congratulations to suzanne.david , the randomly selected winner of a charm pack of Basic Grey fabric! Suzanne, please email your mailing address to me at lmurray@interweave.com so I can send out your charm pack! This was the last giveaway that I have
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  • I'm a fabric printing nut. I started with stamping, then added Thermofax® screen printing, and lately I've been churning out gelatin prints by the score. I couldn't tell you what I like best about printing-the graphic nature of the design, the thrill of pulling the paint through the screen
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  • You know what they say... Editors that play together, stay together! Last night we hosted our annual Quilting Arts & Cloth Paper Scissors Holiday Party and although the weather outside was a little frightful, the company inside was oh so delightful
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  • Although they are called Basic Grey, their fabrics are anything but basic. This company, which works with Moda fabrics, puts out modern and fun prints. I was able to chat with Jen Williamson, a member of the Basic Grey team, to find out more about how
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  • I've been enjoying the stories over on the QA community discussion board where members are sharing how they learned to sew. Everyone has their own unique story (some funny, some bittersweet) but most people seem to have learned to sew from: their mothers, their 8 th -grade home ec class, or from
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  • Thank you to everyone who shared a handmade gift story , I thoroughly enjoyed hearing from you! Congratulations to redlum for winning the Riley Blake Fabric bundle! Please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing address before Thursday December
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  • This year I decided to be very ambitious and make lap quilts for everyone on my Christmas List. I began my quilts in the summer (working on the QA Gifts issue in July really helps to get me into the holiday spirit), thinking that I would have plenty of
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  • Our new assistant editor for special projects, Lindsey Murray, has committed to giving several quilts as Christmas gifts this year. She started her projects in September, so when I was back in Massachusetts last week I asked her if she was finished. She just laughed.
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  • Last week while back in Massachusetts I picked up a few essential Christmas mementos to send to our new Colorado home. As I was packing them up at Quilting Arts headquarters, people gathered around to comment.
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  • As many of us know, quilting can be so much more than just making pieces of art. In some cases a quilt can have a special meaning, purpose, or intent. This is the case with the quilt created by the joint efforts of Ithaca based groups, Quilting Divas
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  • We apologize for an error on the pattern insert of our Fall 2010 issue. If you've been having trouble with the Plaid Curves Table Runner, it's likely due to an error with the shapes on the pattern insert. You can downloaded updated templates for
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  • See this handsome guy here? That's my godson, Johnny. He's such a cutie! I love giving him presents, but, unlike some of my nieces who share my love of fiber art, when it comes to gifts for Johnny I usually have to resort to the typical electronic toys like remote control cars and video games
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  • First of all, I am sorry that I am a day late on posting this. We have been super busy here at Quilting Arts working on some new projects that we hope you all will enjoy! Thank you all for responding to the blog post featuring Kathy Davis ! The randmonly
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  • Join author and quilt artist Malka Dubrawsky as she hits the Internet highway and goes on a blog tour this month to promote her new book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration .See gorgeous photos from inside the book, learn more about
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  • I wanted to make sure you knew about this cool thing we recently launched, called Sew Daily . It's a free email newsletter you can receive every Friday that gives you contemporary sewing projects, techniques, designer interviews, and inspiration.
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  • If I could sum up the way the world looks to me during the holiday season in one word, it would be "sparkle." Sparkle is are everywhere, from the moonlit snow that twinkles like diamond dust to the strings of Christmas lights up on the rooftops, to the flickering candles lit for Hanukkah and
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  • In many years of sewing, I've learned that sewists have incredibly generous hearts, and that's even more true during the holiday season. The spirit of giving is more important than ever this year, with so many people all over the world in need
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  • I confess, I have made some unfortunate fabric choices in my time. Patterns that looked "vintage" in the store but "granny" when I got them home. Colors that caught my eye on the bolt but practically blinded me in the studio. Designs intended to take me outside my comfort zone. And
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  • For this month's Q&A we chat with Erin Gilday. Erin is proprietress of Patchwork Underground and a frequent Stitch designer. Let's get to know her! Stefanie: How and when did you learn to sew? Erin: I get asked this all the time and the truth
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  • Stitch 's Editor in Chief Tricia Waddell was recently interviewed by the folks at BurdaStyle . Find out what's on the horizon for Stitch, and a bunch of other fun stuff!
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  • Most people I know are scurrying around trying to find the perfect gift, whether it's for Christmas, Hanukkah, or a December birthday (seems to be a lot of those).
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  • There are certain fundamental laws of physics that can’t be disputed. You’ve got your theory of relativity, your theory of gravity, equations like E=MC 2 …which I can’t quite remember off the top of my head what that means but
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  • Kathy Davis’ fabric lines are not just stand alone fabric lines. Instead they are just a small part of a collection that Davis puts together. She is an artist who uses greeting cards, watercolors, writing, fabric, and more to tell a story. Her work
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  • The world of art quilting is partially defined by traditions that have existed since its inception and stood the test of time. One of these notable events is the exhibition “Quilts=Art=Quilts,” a juried show held annually at the Schweinfurth
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  • On this Cyber Monday, I am very happy to present our Quilting Arts Holiday Video! We hope you enjoy it, and want to wish everyone a very happy, stress-free, and fun-filled holiday season! Tomorrow I will post some outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage
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  • I'll bet that if you're been a fiber or mixed-media artist for a while, then you've accumulated a rather large array of tools, gadgets, how-to books and the like. And I'm also willing to bet that, like me, you use only a handful of those items over and over again.
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  • We have an early release day here this Wednesday afternoon at Quilting Arts in order to get ready for tomorrow's festivities, and I don't know about you, but Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. No pressure for gift-giving or receiving
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  • Congratulations to Barb Forrister on being this week’s Facebook blogger of the week! When Pippa and I were going through all of the blogs that were entered this past week we were amazed by how awesome they all were – it was a tough to choose
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  • Free download: Patchy Jeans from Amy Butler! Thanksgiving is coming, and for many people, that means a break from work and school. I don't know about you, but I have some fairly lofty sewing plans. I probably won't get to even a quarter of the
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  • Hello! It's time to pick the winner of Kate Spain's Fandango Fabric roll from my interview with Kate Spain. The randomly selected winner is Barbara Triscari , Barbara if you could please email me at lmurray@interweave.com with your mailing information
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  • I may have mentioned a few weeks back that I found the perfect studio worktable. I scored a good price for it online and it looks great in our Colorado home. It's just the right height and width for spreading out and slicing up fabric. Just one problem: it's our dining table.
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  • We are gearing up for our next Quilting Arts TV taping and I want to know if you’d like to be a guest! Don’t you want to come to sunny Cleveland? In February? We tape the week of February 14. Just think: we could all spend Valentine’s
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  • Kathy York’s quilt, "Fifty and Female and Fearless", graced the cover of Quilting Arts for the October/ November 2010 issue. At Quilt Festival a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting Kathy, and I learned that she is not only a talented
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  • Celebrate Quilting Arts 10th Anniversary with 10 innovative techniques! From adding LED lights to your art quilts to screen printing with natural items and creating machine stitched reverse applique pieces, you're sure to find a unique art quilting process that catches your fancy. Learn strategies
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  • Naturally, we quilters love a good fabric store. But a wonderful spot for procuring fabric can be so much more than a place to shop; truly special stores become a home away from home, a place of comfort and creative inspiration. So I’m pleased to
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  • A few years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to take a workshop with Cat (Catherine) Chow , a contemporary artist who uses unexpected materials to create amazing art-to-wear pieces. Imagine an evening gown made out 1,000 interwoven one-dollar bills
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  • If you opened up your GPS or Google maps and did a search for the intersection of traditional and modern quilting, I bet the pin would drop right on top of Malka Dubrawsky. Malka has an amazing eye for taking basic patchwork quilt blocks and giving them a fresh and contemporary spin using color and freehand
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  • I have to say, a number of your responses to my last blog post about PPQSDS (Post-Partum Quilt Show Disorder) cracked me up, and I love many of your creative strategies for coping with winter! Many mentioned they bake cookies, some talked about snow dyeing
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  • I was lucky enough to catch up with fabric designer Kate Spain to ask her a few questions about her fabric lines. She currently has three (soon to be four!) lines out and it is fascinating to see where all her inspiration comes from. Notice that the pictures
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  • The amazing Hideaway fat qurter bundle from the interview with fabric desingers Lauren and Jessi Jung was never claimed! The new winner is TinaEliza ! Tina, if you could please email me at lmurray@interweave.com within the week (by Nov. 23rd) and give
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  • Contemporary art quilters and mixed-media stitchers may take vastly different approaches to their art, but one thing we all have in common is our love of stitchery and sewing techniques. I, for one, can never get enough sewing ideas, whether its machine quilting stitches or hand stitching techniques
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  • Having studied French for many years, I’ve read The Little Prince , by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, dozens of times. So Heather Reid’s entry for our “How Entertaining!” Reader Challenge, based on this charming story, naturally
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  • It’s that time of year again. Winter is coming, and although I’m in a new locale where all my neighbors promise me winter in Boulder really isn’t that bad, I still worry I’ll go down the rabbit hole so to speak. After all, I was
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  • Last week we asked our Facebook fans to share with us one of their blog entries in hopes of becoming the first Quilting Arts Facebook blogger of the week. There were so many great blogs that were posted it was nearly impossible to choose one! in the end
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  • A couple weeks ago, I asked you all to send in your quick and easy, contemporary patchwork project submissions for our new publication, 101 Patchwork Projects. Let's just say, we were more than a little impressed by the wonderful ideas that we received
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  • Do you have a favorite fabric type? You know, the one you are always drawn to first when you walk in a fabric store? For me, its douppioni silk. I simply can't get enough of it. I love its raw texture, rich shimmery colors, versatility, and sturdy
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  • Got home from Houston a couple of days ago, and the first thing I did was don my Boulderware (that’s code for jeans, a t-shirt, and a pair of flip flops), dug out my cloth grocery bags, and hightailed it to my local organic food market. Now that
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  • I'm just going to come right out and say it: these stitched holiday cards are so easy to make, it's ridiculous. Plus, by giving, you also get: UFOs (UnFinished Objects) are used to make the design. How great is that? I've whipped up many of these cards since first creating them for the 2010
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  • If you had your choice between a brand new BMW sedan and a state-of-the-art Bernina sewing machine, what would you choose? Car vs. sewing machine: which would you choose? Hmmmmm, not an easy decision, right? Well it was for David Hyatt of Dallas, Texas
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  • I just got back from attending my first Houston Quilt Festival. I had a blast from start to finish and the show seemed to fly by. I just wanted to share some of my show highlights with all of you! One of my favorite things was the graffiti wall in the
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  • Thank you all for your great comments about the interview with Lauren and Jessi Jung about their new fabric line "Hideaway". The randomly selected winner is buttonpearl ! Buttonpearl, please send me an email at lmurray@interweave.com with your
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  • Last week's International Quilt Festival in Houston was a flood of inspiration, as usual. Enough to make me forget about my tired feet--at least for a while. In the few moments when I'm not presenting, greeting old and new friends, or gaping in awe at the amazing display of quilt artistry all
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  • Last week, I asked you all what you love about patchwork in exchange for some fat quarters of my favorite Kona cottons. Thank you for all the wonderful responses ! Clearly, the patchwork fever is upon as all. The randomly selected winner is Karen Irvine
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  • This your trusty Quilting Arts editor giving you a brief report from the International Quilt Show floor and letting you know what we’re up to! We’re psyching ourselves up for the doors to open Preview Night… We’re inviting Workshop
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  • Now that I'm dashing between two studios 2,000 miles apart, I realize I have to get organized if I'm going to complete all my handmade quilted gifts in time to actually enjoy the holidays. So I asked Studios Editor Cate Prato to offer some advice for getting my handmade holiday act together.
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  • Hard to believe Quilt Market has come and gone already and the eve of International Quilt Festival is upon us! As I’m running around like a crazy woman getting everything ready for Festival and Make It University!, I’ll keep this brief. I
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  • There are some artists whose work always puts a smile on your face. For me, this is the case with Malka Dubrawsky, whose vibrant and candy-colored fabrics and quilts are always cheerful, bright, and wonderfully whimsical. I'll take any excuse to chat
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  • I was lucky enough to catch up with Jessi and Lauren Jung, a mother – daughter fabric designing team. Their second line of fabric, Hideaway, is brand new and a must have collection from Moda Fabrics. Throughout the interview it is clear that Lauren
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  • We always want to capture what's new on the scene and of interest to you at the moment. But while machine stitching, hand stitching, surface design, embellishment and the other big topics of contemporary art quilting are always covered, the trends in those areas change.
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  • As many of you may know by now, the editors of Quilting Arts are thrilled to introduce the newest magazine to join our family: 101 Patchwork Projects. This super-sized issue is going to be packed with quick, easy, and contemporary patchwork projects,
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  • Pokey and guest Helen Gregory appear in the last installment of Save My UFO. Then, with special guest Sophie Rubin, Pokey explores quilting from the eyes of a 7-year-old girl. The show closes with a return visit from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer, who creates
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  • Paints, inks, and crayons—they’re an integral part of the art quilter’s studio. Episode 612 makes use of them all. The first segment features Pokey demonstrating gelatin monoprinting. Then, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer shows how to use creative
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  • If you are a Project Runway fan like me, then you have probably watched the designers on the show with envy as they browse the endless aisles at Mood Fabrics every week to get fabric for the next challenge. So for my trip to NYC last month this fabric
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  • The topic of episode 611 is the world around us. Liz Berg is the first guest. She shares techniques for making abstract quilts inspired by photographs. Then, Terry White demonstrates beautiful thread painting. Finally, Andrea Bishop shows how to make
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  • Episode 610 is all about details. Terry Grant opens the show with soft-sculpture fabric birds. Then, Jennifer O’Brien demonstrates fusing techniques for creating collages. Finally, Andrea Bishop, using the computer, plans a memory quilt in which
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  • Pokey and guest Helen Gregory open episode 609 with a lesson on creating easy fabric-collaged animal portraits. Carol Ingram appears next, demonstrating how to make a quick and versatile mini-satchel. Last, Terry Grant is back with nifty finishing techniques
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  • Pokey opens episode 608 with a segment on creating fabric designs with thickened dyes. Next, Jeanne Cook-Delpit shows how to create an organizer for quilt rulers. Then, it’s the second installment of Save My UFO, which stands for the UnFinished
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  • Fabric takes center stage on episode 607, challenging viewers to look at fabric a little differently. Opening the show is Diane Nunez, who creates 3-D floral appliqués that can be used as quilt embellishments or as brooches. Then, Mary Hettmansperger
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  • In episode 606 Pokey introduces a new segment for the show: Save my UFO. UFO stands for UnFinished Objects—quilts that have never been finished and end up stashed in the back of a drawer. Pokey, with the aid of some guest artists, offers suggestions
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  • The first project in episode 605 combines drawing and stitching. Karen Fricke demonstrates thread sketching on stabilizer, starting with pen and ink and then moving to thread and fabric. Next, Sharon Morton—from one of the largest guilds in the
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  • In Episode 604 it’s time for a fashion update—to your stitching and your wardrobe. Liz Kettle appears first with a lesson on free-form machine embroidery. Then, Lindsay Mason demonstrates how to make the perfect year-round fashion accessory
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  • Episode 603 focuses on surface design. Jane Dunnewold returns as the first guest. She demonstrates stenciling and stamping hot soy wax and adding color with fabric paints. Then, Susie Monday shows how to make colorful screen-printed fabrics using water
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  • The first guest on episode 602 is artist and designer Jane Dunnewold, who presents a lesson on using flour paste as a resist; it’s non-toxic, inexpensive, and effective. Then, Mary Hettmansperger demonstrates unique stenciling techniques for different
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  • I have been repeatedly told throughout my internship, and now more recently with my new position as an assistant editor, that I am one lucky girl to be working at Quilting Arts Magazine. And don’t I know it! I can’t think of a better place
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  • Episode 601 features “personal baggage”— those totes we carry everywhere and can’t survive without. First, designer Kathy Mack discusses fabric selection and guides viewers through the construction of her Winslow Market Tote. Then
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  • Designer Kaffe Fassett has said he finds much of his inspiration for his palettes and patterns from books on ethnic textiles and his own worldwide travels. "I follow women in the marketplace to get a look at the pattern on the edge of their skirts or the way they put a flower in their hair,"
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  • This weekend, I took a little break from my usual quilt making to sew Halloween costumes. My fiancé and I decided to dress up as gummy bears (well, I decided and he has somewhat reluctantly obliged), so I stitched up some very basic hats and bought
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  • A while back we mentioned how much we like the Stitch Magazine Creations group on Flickr. It's full of photos from Flickr users of projects that they've made from Stitch magazine. We really like that our projects inspire you, and we love to see
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  • I'm packing for Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival/Houston, running through my mental checklist of everything I have to bring: Materials for my Quilted Mixed-media ATCs class? Check! Giveaways for the Cloth Paper Scissors ® Mixed-media Raffle? Check! Fruit headdress for "Surviving
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  • If my math is correct, I’ve spent more than 100 nights in Houston over the past 10 years, yet I’ve never claimed residency there. That’s more than a season! I’ve stayed all over the city: At the Holiday Inn in the Medical Center
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  • Many of you enjoyed learning about The Sewing Machine Project from Linzee Kull McCray's profile in our current issue of Stitch (page 9). Inspired to help tsunami victims in Thailand in 2005, founder Margaret Jankowski began to solicit donated sewing
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  • When I look at Kathy York's body of work, it's hard to believe she has only been making art quilts since 2003. Her award-winning quilts are easily recognizable for their bold and graphic styles, bright colors, and whimsical or humorous topics. I'm an especially big fan of her three-dimensional
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  • Museums often save their best shows for the fall and winter, as people move to indoor activities and travel for the holidays. Fashion and fabric-related shows are popular, and this year there are some terrific choices. These are just a few highlights
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  • I couldn't wait to turn the calendar to October, and not just because it's my birthday month! I was just so excited to enjoy one of the best examples of free-motion thread painting I've seen, Susan Brubaker Knapp's "Autumn's Bounty," the October quilt in the 2010 Quilting
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  • We’re all familiar with mixed-media art quilting, but rarely does one see this medium interpreted in wood. Nonetheless, mandolin maker Rolfe Gerhardt was inspired by his wife’s quilting (her piece "Fall Splendor" is shown here),
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  • Last week I literally got back in the saddle, taking a horseback riding lesson for the first time in 20 years. It was an exhilarating but odd experience: familiar, and yet different from my encounters with horseback riding back in my younger days. It occurs to me that this very-familiar-yet-strangely
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  • The Faux Fur Bolero from Stitch 's Fall 2010 issue. Faux fur is big fashion trend this season, but sewing this chunky, furry stuff may seem like quite a task. However, if you take the time to do a little prep and follow a few guidelines it will make
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  • You may recall from a previous Quilting Daily blog post that the first day I taped an episode of "Quilting Arts TV" I was having a very bad hair day. This stemmed from the fact that I had forgotten my shampoo and had to wash my hair with a bar of hotel soap. This left the show hairstylist little
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  • There's no doubt about it: patchwork is everywhere these days--from high-end fashion design to everyday home decor. Which is why we are so thrilled to announce the newest magazine to join the Quilting Arts family: 101 Patchwork Projects . This publication
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  • Judith Trager's Maine Coon, Pumpkin, sleeping on the job on top of Judith's art quilts. I had a sublime 10/10/10 weekend. Just perfect, and much of it had to do with Boulder's city-wide Open Studios program that take place four weekends a
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  • Ten years ago Quilting Arts was a little magazine that I lovingly sent out on its first flight into the big world. As it happens, this week also marks the one-year anniversary of launching Quilting Daily, as well as, drum roll...my birthday!
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  • I am always moved by art that eloquently brings together conceptual and visual qualities. This is no doubt what immediately struck me about the work of Gabriella D’Italia, whose textile pieces are a brilliant convergence of traditional techniques
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  • Designers, it's time to rev your sewing machine and show us your awesome design ideas! The Call for Project Submissions for the Spring/Summer 2011 issue of Stitch is now available online: visit the link here . We are always looking for new designers
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  • Quilting Arts TV would not be possible without the support of our underwriters. We thank them for supporting us, and Public Television. If you are interested in being an underwriter for Quilting Arts TV, please contact Julie MacDonald. Interweave 201
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  • Now that's I'm working out of our Colorado offices more frequently, I'm getting to work more closely with my sisters in stitch at our other publications. You probably won't be surprised to hear that weavers, spinners, knitters, and crocheters are just as fanatical about their fiber habits
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  • As many of you may now, our next issue marks the 10 year anniversary of Quilting Arts Magazine! And I don't know about all of you, but in my family, birthdays were always a very big deal. The birthday girl or boy would have their meal and cake of
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  • If you love fashion as much as I love fashion, then you can understand why attending New York Fashion Week for the first time was a dream come true. Typically the only people that are able to attend Fashion Week are store buyers, editors and journalists
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  • A quick glance at my calendar for the next few months shows me that if I am going get fabric art gifts made for all the events coming up this season, I better grab my quilting fabric stash and get going. From weddings to fall parties (think hostess gifts) to Christmas, I need a reliable cache of textile
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  • The work of fellow artists is one of the richest sources of inspiration. So by showcasing the artwork of talented fiber artists in Quilting Arts Magazine, we hope to spread this inspiration to all of you! This is why it was such a delight to come across
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  • Two weeks ago I was given the amazing opportunity to participate in Fashion's Night Out and attend a couple of shows at New York Fashion Week for the spring/summer 2011 collections. If like me you grew up reading Vogue magazine and daydreaming about
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  • I’ve just returned from a three-day jaunt to Cancun and my recent holiday was exactly what I wanted: hours of poolside reading, swimming in the ocean, quiet evenings, and an added bonus: creaturely companions...beginning with this iguana that didn’t
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  • I've been cruising Etsy and art blogs looking for interesting pieces to decorate my new Colorado home with, but I've gotten side-tracked with all the ideas I'm getting for holiday decorations. Maybe it's because I have a new home, but I'm particularly excited about decoration for
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  • As much as possible, I like to avoid making plans on Sunday afternoon. This is my time to huddle up inside and sew to my heart’s content. After my favorite morning yoga class and maybe brunch at a nearby café, I’m quite content to spend
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  • This month's Q&A is with Jil Cappuccio, frequent Stitch designer and creator of One of a Kinds, Limited Lines. You can find out more about Jil on her website, www.jilcappuccio.com . Jil's Zip Dot Hoodie, from Stitch 's Fall 2009 issue
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  • I'm not one of those people who dress their pets in cute costumes for Halloween or carry them in a special handbag-although my Min-Pin, Louie, would probably love it if I did. He's such a ham and he loves to be held. Still, when you have a sewing machine, a big stash of fabrics, and adorable
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  • You've heard the expression, "Don't judge a book by its cover," right? Well, at the recent taping of "Quilting Arts TV" Season 7, I learned you shouldn't judge an art quilt by its original fabric.
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  • Greetings again, my two-legged friends! I must say, guest blogging was a total blast and I’m tempted to do it again. If anything, you have stroked my ego, and as a canine you must know I love to be petted… Picking a winner for this was much
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  • GUEST BLOGGER: Louie Bolton, Min Pin, soon to be 10 years old Hello there! My name is Louie Bolton. When I’m not chasing squirrels, begging for cookies, or wheezing from eating too fast, I do a little modeling on the side. I love to walk the catwalk…especially
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  • Fresh surface design techniques and much more! Screen printing with shredded paper; oatmeal resist; digital imagery; thread sketching; tie-transfer dyeing; wire embellishment; sell your art; and the list goes on! Learn strategies for selling your artwork at fairs and festivals from Jane Dávila’s
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  • The Fall 2010 issue of Stitch is officially on the newsstand! If you haven't seen it yet, ask about it at your fabric store or wherever you buy Interweave magazines (or order it here) . On page 12 of the issue, you'll find a terrific guide to
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  • Are you up for some fun? Then let's do some exercises today, beginning with free-association. I'll say a word, and you respond with the first thing that comes into your head. Ready? Here we go.
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  • For many, this is the time of year when nature beckons. The scorching summer heat has passed but the sun is still shining, and the great outdoors has so much appeal. I think this is one of many reasons that SharonV. Rotz’s colorful art quilts recently
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  • When the leaves start to turn and the mornings turn chilly, some people go shopping for new fall fashions. My first thought is, "Hey, I wonder if they've started making apple cider donuts at U-pick orchard down the street from the Quilting Arts offices?"
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  • I love fall. Perhaps it’s the New Englander in me—I love running in the cool crisp weather, watching the changing leaves, and even returning to a sense of routine after the hectic summer months. There are so many little details that herald
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  • Well I have no good excuse for my very belated announcement of the winner of this lovely roll of Moda Fabrics: Let's just say it's been a crazy couple of weeks at the Quilting Arts offices but Friday seemed like a good excuse to select a lucky
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  • Today's post is a tutorial on matching plaids by Katrina Loving, project editor of Stitch . Okay, so have you ever found a beautiful, gorgeous, perfect plaid fabric, but then shied away from using it because you'll have to match the pattern? I
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  • It's no secret I'm a surface design junkie. Over the years, I have amassed an overflowing stash of fabrics that have been dyed, printed, screened, stamped, and stenciled. Not only do I despair of ever using these fabrics up in art quilts, I have to admit that some of them aren't quite art
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  • I came home this weekend from our QA TV taping with every intention of blogging right away, but then Mother Nature struck... On Labor Day, John and I decided to take a long morning hike. It was a beautiful late-summer day: cool, blue, crisp. When we got
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  • Stitch editor-in-chief Tricia Waddell will be doing a live chat tonight on PatternReview.com . This is your chance to meet Tricia, give her your thoughts on the magazine, and ask her anything! Here are the details: The chat begins on Wednesday, September
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  • While we celebrate sewing every month here at Stitch magazine (especially now that we're creating four issues a year), we're proud to participate in the official National Sewing Month , co-sponsored by the American Sewing Guild and the Sewing
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  • Teaching workshops at last month's Cloth Paper Scissors CREATE art retreat just proved to me once again how much I love to share techniques. There's something so satisfying about watching someone create something, like a screen print, for the first time. Their whole body seems to light up with
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  • The holiday weekend is over, but hopefully this free sewing pattern will ease your transition back into the work week! I must confess, I never fully recovered from my childhood fondness for stuffed animals, and I returned from the Quilting Arts TV taping
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  • It’s that time of year again when we are taping our next season of Quilting Arts TV, and we have had a number of brand new faces and special guests visit with us this season, including...drum roll...my mom. Meet Kathy! She’s the one standing
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  • I'm excited to decorate our new home in Colorado, but lately I've had to do it on the fly--literally--ordering furniture online as I hop from airport to airport to attend the Cloth Paper Scissors CREATE art retreat and the taping of "QATV" Season
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  • Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Well, I’m about midway through my first Quilting Arts TV taping experience, and it’s just as fun as it is busy. Let’s just say that many amazing artists are putting
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  • Our post today is from Stitch editor-in-chief Tricia Waddell. Can you believe that Stitch is two years old? Whether you have been with us since issue one back in 2008, or you've just joined us, it continues to be incredibly exciting to celebrate our
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  • When we first started Quilting Arts , one of the ways we spread the word about our fledgling magazine was by passing out lapel pins with funny, quilt art-related sayings on them at quilt shows. "Give me all your buttons and nobody gets hurt" was one. "I don't exaggerate, I embellish
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  • Along with two versions of our Fabric Stash Book that you can download , print, and assemble, we've just uploaded two free patterns for you from the pages of the brand-new Fall 2010 issue of Stitch . Both projects were designed by our talented projects
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  • When India Flint's book Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles landed on my desk, it seemed like fate. I don't think I've ever seen such a comprehensive guide to natural dyeing that also shows such amazingly beautiful and sophisticated results.
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  • I'm so excited for the Fall 2010 issue of Stitch to hit the newsstands any day now. Tricia and Team Stitch have done a fantastic job of assembling cute, fun, cool sewing projects from wonderful designers that will have you racing to get to your machine
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  • Two of my most favorite pastimes are reading and needlework. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to do them simultaneously! Happily, my two loves can still be enjoyed together by working on fiber art that has a literary theme or reading books where needlework is a prominent character. PieceWork Editor
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  • There’s nothing like a local arts and crafts show to get the creative juices flowing. For the most part, this weekend was one of those practical, errands-filled weekends for me, with trips to the grocery store, the bank, the dry cleaner—not
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  • For me, one of the most exciting times in our magazine cycle is the photo shoot. With great lighting, props, and models, the projects really come alive! Join me on a behind the scenes tour of the photo shoot for our Fall 2010 issue . Kathy fixes an errant
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  • Isn’t it amazing how the summer whizzes by? I know, I know, it’s not over yet! But it’s starting to feel like the end is approaching. Cooler evenings and later sunrises signal the onset of fall, and I’m looking forward to the crisp
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  • Quilts have long been associated with special moments and memories--even the nontraditional, custom quilts made by art quilters. At Quilting Arts , we're known for our innovative approach to quilting, so of course we wanted to think of how we could enliven the concept of a memory quilt and let you
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  • This month's Q&A is with Ayumi Takahashi, frequent Stitch designer and owner of the blog Pink Penguin. Ayumi combines a zakka-inspired aesthetic with fun, quirky projects that keep us on our toes. From bags to coasters to plastic bag dispensers
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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!
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  • Designers, get ready! The Call for Submissions for the Winter 2010 issue of Stitch is now available online: visit the link here . We're always looking for fresh new designs and designers, so take a look at the feature stories and color palettes we've
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  • Our packed Fall 2010 issue of Stitch , available in early September, celebrates our passionate love of fabric. Get ready for fabulous projects and articles celebrating the wide world of textiles that inspire our sewing fantasies and fill our overflowing
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  • ON THE COVER: Patchwork Cube Slipcover features quilting the modern way Alissa Haight Carlton Contemporary quilting goes graphic + bold fabric visionary Marlene Blessing Christina Kim of global inspired design house Dosa projects off the couch Transform
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  • Like you, I love fabric. Like you, I collect fabric. And, probably like you, I'm always itching to change the fabric I have. Why? When there are so many beautiful fabrics out there, why do we art quilters feel the need to alter them?
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  • My head is spinning. This summer has been a traveling whirlwind for me since I've been traipsing about the country for Quilting Arts and adjusting to a Massachusetts/Colorado living situation. There have been a few mornings over the past several weeks
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  • I confess: sometimes I get so caught up in the "art" I forget about the "quilting." Let me explain. An idea for an art quilt forms in my mind based on, say, a favorite TV show such as (still--and forever) Tony Soprano. Or, a new line of gorgeous fabrics hits my desk and I have to
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  • Whenever I visit a new city, one of my favorite things to do is just walk. There’s no better way to soak in your surroundings and I find that wandering without purpose often turns up the most unexpectedly delightful finds. Of course, walking often
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  • It's a plaid, plaid world at Stitch --we have a terrific feature on plaid projects in the upcoming issue, available in September, and we've noticed plaid all over the fashion runways for fall, often in menswear-inspired styles. In Scotland, plaid
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  • Has this ever happened to you? You find something you really love--like the perfect shade of pink lipstick that doesn't make your skin look dull and is appropriate for day or evening--and the next time you go to buy it, you find out it's been discontinued. Gone. Gone forever.
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  • Now that I can see the purple mountain's majesty from my back door most days, I have been giving a lot more thought to landscape quilting. The simple shapes and shades of the mountains against the expanse of sky seem to lend themselves to the muted patterns of the many (many, many ) batiks and hand
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  • Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 It’s hard to believe that August is already here, and this new month brings a new issue of Quilting Arts. Those of you who have already picked up or received your copy of
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  • Last week we looked at a few fall fashion trends, and it got me thinking about where sewists look for inspiration and ideas. Inspiration is all around us! It's on the street, in magazines, on style blogs, on the runway, and in the media, especially
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  • What's the oddest thing you ever used to create a piece of fiber art? You know, something you just happened to have around that you were suddenly inspired to create with. One artist who constantly amazes me with her ability to create original pieces with commonplace materials and techniques is U
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  • If you've spent the summer just trying to beat the heat with your breeziest skirts and tank tops, you might be wondering, as we are--what's in style for fall? We took a quick tour of fashion websites to see which trends stand out for fall and
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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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  • Few things exciting me more than stumbling upon a glorious fabric store--so when I realized I was staying less than a block away from Britex Fabrics on my recent trip to San Francisco, I could hardly contain my joy. This four-story fabric haven is filled
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  • Don’t miss the first of our newest series: Mary Hettmansperger presents “Metal as a Surface Embellishment” and dives right in with copper foil. Explore more thread sketching strategies with Susan Brubaker Knapp, with a look at dimension. Be inspired to start your own small art group
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  • My mom is so cute. She's coming to the next taping of "Quilting Arts TV" (Season 7) to hang out back stage, and she's all excited. I know it's because she's proud of me, but I also think she is expecting that it will be glamorous. As if I had a decked-out trailer and someone
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  • Today it's my pleasure to introduce Kerry, a brand-new sewist and a talented member of the Interweave design team. A few weeks ago, Kerry started showing up in the office with the most wonderful sewn projects, each one more impressive than the last
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  • You'd think after 10 years and 45 issues of Quilting Arts Magazine , we would have written about every kind of process, technique, design, or supply that exists. But that's the beauty of contemporary art quilting: someone is always putting a new twist on an old technique, combining materials
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  • Taking classes is one of the most rewarding and eye-opening aspects of the artistic process, exposing you to new processes, materials, and fellow artists. While tracking down a single class every now and then is easy to do, it isn’t often that one
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  • Your local fabric store is probably beginning to stock wool plaid and wool crepe in rich autumn colors right about now, along with fall patterns for tailored jackets and long skirts. Here in our part of the world, though, we've got 100-degree temperatures
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  • Isn’t it funny how the summer can be the busiest time of year? Of course, there are always those lazy afternoons spent at the beach, leisurely outdoor dinners, and nice long bike rides. But, at least in my case, there have also been many weekend
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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.
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  • I bought this fabulous color-wheel umbrella (at left) from the Museum of Modern Art's online store last week, and it has me thinking about color palettes. When you love every color, as I do, it's easy to respond impulsively to color and end up
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  • I'm a California girl who has lived for several years in New England and I am now spending more and more time in Colorado. Each region has its own distinct visual appeal and the artistic possibilities of life in the Rockies definitely intrigue me. The mountains, aspen trees, wildflowers, cacti, and
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  • Today's post comes from Tricia Waddell, the editor of Stitch . Enjoy and be inspired! As part of my ongoing commitment for 2010 to buy no new clothes, and instead sew new clothes or refashion things from my closet, I went hunting through my closet
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  • I haven't written much on my own personal blog lately. Why is that, you ask? On top of an industrious work schedule, I have been camping out of a suitcase this summer. (I have it figured out that the only clothes one really needs in the sweltering
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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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  • When we're looking for cute and charming projects for kids, there's one person we know we can rely on. Hailing from mid-coastal Maine, Heidi Boyd is the author of twelve craft books and got her start in professional crafting as a contributor to
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  • Some friends and I decided to meet up in Washington D.C. to celebrate this past holiday weekend—after all, it seemed like an appropriate place to spend the 4 th of July. While I got some hand stitching done on the plane ride there and back, I spent
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  • I love the ethereal effects you can achieve with water-soluble stabilizer, fibers, and free-motion machine embroidery. The combination can create a stunning focal point for an art quilt or wall-hanging, or even be used to create a garment. But working with the stabilizer can be tricky-unless you know
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  • Our recent move to a new apartment required some room rearranging. Somewhere along the way, the cage for our pet bunny, Shuffle, ended up in my studio. It's actually a delightful development since I now have a furry companion by my side as I sew.
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  • Sometimes when I'm in a rut--in my studio or in my life--all I need is a change of scene to get me going again. In the past month, I've had the opportunity to experience a lot of new scenery: a family reunion by the ocean, a speaking engagement in New York City, a planning session in Houston
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  • Striking the perfect balance between artistic freedom and adherence to another’s requests can be tricky, as Jane Dávila discusses in her most recent Minding Your Business column, “Artist for Hire: Private Art Commissions,” in
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  • With Independence Day coming right up, it's a good time to celebrate some of the great stitching legacies of the United States. Along with denim and blue jeans and Betsy Ross's' flags, patchwork quilts are probably the most iconic American
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  • While the fireworks are going off and the burgers and vegetables are grilling this weekend, are you searching for a little time to sew up a lovely linen pillow or a cool cotton skirt? Make this the week to celebrate your sewing independence. Here at Stitch
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  • It was hard to keep our mission a secret for so long, but now we can shout it from the rooftops: We were visiting artists like Melanie Testa and Beryl Taylor to shoot video for In Stitches , our new, interactive eMag which is available to you now. And let me tell you, this revolutionary digital magazine
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  • I want to thank everyone who either entered a piece or voted for participating in our Stitch This! Bernina and Quilting Arts Challenge, the first of it’s kind on quiltingdaily.com. This has certainly been an exciting couple of months! With nearly
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  • There’s nothing like spending a lazy summer afternoon with a good book. I’ll never forget reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula on a hot and hazy day, but still getting goosebumps on my arms. Or becoming so engrossed in Sara Gruen’s Water
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  • Last week I mentioned that while I have not yet been bitten by the knitting bug, I could be persuaded to try by the all the new and adorable knitting patterns for dogs. No sooner did I reveal that tidbit than I found out Interweave Knits editor Eunny Jang recently finished her first quilt. It just goes
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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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  • We’ve been having balmy, 80-degree weather for the past few days, but that didn’t stop us from decking the halls for Christmas—or at least for the annual Quilting Arts Gifts photo shoot at Pokey’s house last Wednesday. And Lindsey
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  • In theory, you don't even need electricity to make things with fabric and thread--in fact, humans did it for thousands of years! But today, there are so many fun ways to blend technology and creativity. We have sewing machines that remember our buttonhole
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  • Since I never heard from the last winner of this cute stack of fabric squares, it’s time to select a new one. And to catch your attention, look what I had my mother track down. Remember the story from my earlier post about the pet snails my sister
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  • I love to read-fiction, non-fiction, romance, instruction--you name it. And I love it when other hardcore readers suggest books they love and think I would enjoy, too. So today, I thought I'd give you a list of some of my favorite books of the art and craft variety, the ones I have on my studio shelf
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  • I’ve been thinking quite a bit about The Goddess of the Last Minute column from our latest issue, in which Robbi Joy Eklow discusses the difficulties of setting up a new studio space. You see, I spent this past weekend moving into a new apartment
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  • At about this time last year, I was setting out for a month-long trip to New Zealand and Australia. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with this region, full of friendly people, beautiful sites, and delicious kangaroo meat. But I was also impressed
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  • We live in a time of high-speed connectivity, with hundreds of thousands of books, magazines, and newspapers online and in print, with texting, Twitter, Facebook, and patterns available for instant download. It's hard to imagine a world without them. But long before instant communication, before
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  • Somehow, amidst my hectic Friday schedule, I forgot to announce the winner of this adorable packet of fabrics from the line "Love U," by Deb Strain for Moda Fabrics. I then spent the rest of my weekend moving into a new apartment where I still
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  • June is a month for celebrations and for honoring happy milestones--graduations and weddings, for example. Both of these transitions often mean that loved ones are furnishing and decorating a new home or apartment without a lot of money, or traveling
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  • Last weekend the Bolton clan convened for its annual family reunion. Although it rained a bit, we had plenty of sunshine, beautiful views, and great times. Of course, I brought a slew of art-making supplies, the better to bring people together through art. Plus, who wouldn't be inspired to create
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  • We are thrilled to have an extra set of helping hands (and editorial eyes) at the Quilting Arts office this summer. Please welcome our fabulous intern, Lindsey!
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  • Note: Today's post is a terrific tutorial from Stitch designer and project editor Katrina Loving , who makes the most challenging sewing and design projects look easy. Here are her steps for joining two pieces with opposing curves. Joining Two Opposing
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  • You know how I feel about frogs , right? So when Karen Fricke submitted her thread-sketched frog quilt, "Coqui Up Close" to Quilting Arts Magazine back in 2007, I was captivated. And not just by the frog motif, but by her technique for turning a photo into a thread-sketched design on stabilizer
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  • Quilting Arts June/July 2010 issue has been on the newsstands for a few days now, so hopefully most of you have seen its fabulous cover quilt by Diane Nunez. The instant we saw this fun and funky art quilt with unusual embellishment techniques at the
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  • Summertime means travel, right? I love being on the road under the summer sun, whether it's in a car trip on the highways of the West (yes, you can still get your kicks on Route 66), a weekend at the beach, or a transcontinental adventure. Travel
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  • One of my favorite summertime memories is spending the weekends in Maine with my family. We would rent a little house by the water and spend most of the day swimming or traipsing through the nearby woods. One evening, my sisters and I found two little
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  • Is there such a thing as too much texture? I don't think so! Texture is what we art quilters are all about. Texture is what excites the quilt artist and it's what entices the art quilt viewer to come up and take a closer look. Plus, adding more texture to our quilts gives us a great excuse to
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  • Welcome to the first StitchBlog Q&A! We hope to make this a monthly blog feature, with interviews from interesting people from around the sewing world. When we were thinking about whom we should feature in our first Q&A, one designer immediately
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  • Every time I'm planning one of my crazy "Surviving the Runway" retro themes for Make It University! TM and we start scrounging up '80s prom dresses and Halloween costumes, the members of the staff who were teens in the '70s start going on about adding fringe trims to their bell
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  • Gorgeous fabrics from faraway places -- that was the theme of Stitch Fall 2009 . It's also a favorite theme of mine; I think of myself as a global textile explorer, and I love the incredible diversity and beauty of textile traditions from around the
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  • I just got the opening graphic for the new "Save My U.F.O!" segment for our next series of Quilting Arts TV, and every time I see it, I crack up... Does your art quilt in progress need a little help? We are actively seeking more U.F.O.s for
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  • Of the many types of shows you might expect to see in Las Vegas, an art quilt show isn’t the first that comes to mind. But if you happen to be in Sin City before June 12 th , stop by the Reed Whipple Cultural Center to view the exhibit, “Double
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  • Digital technology has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for designing art quilts. Whether you want to apply image transfer techniques to make a photo memory quilt, use digital imagery to make abstract designs, or a combination, we'll show you how to make a quilt with photos when you download
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  • Today's blog comes from Stitch editor-in-chief Tricia Waddell. I'm so excited to have a post from Tricia, because I'm always inspired by her ideas and her style, and amazed at how much she gets done! -- E.L. As the editor of Stitch , I have
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  • I just returned from Spring Quilt Market in the Twin Cities and had a really fabulous time! Outfitted with my new, spiffy Nikon DSLR camera, a journal, and comfortable sandals to traverse the show floor, I took note of several quilting trends this season…
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  • Since I never heard from the previous winner of this lovely bundle from Clothworks, I've selected a new one. Congratulations to Samantha Conklin ! Please send me an email at peccles@interweave.com with your full address so I can send you your prize
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  • Many people are afraid of screen printing. They're intimidated by the equipment and the process. Or they think it's expensive. Or difficult to get appealing results. Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: Screen printing is easy, uses very little special equipment, and many methods
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  • For those of you who aren't currently in Minneapolis, I thought I would share a few of the highlights from my Market experience so far. This is my first time attending a big quilt show, and it is certainly living up to my expectations. I'm amazed
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  • There are so many ways for creative sewers to be inspired by designs, patterns, and notions from decades past, when elegant details and fine construction methods were a part of every seamstress's knowledge base. Fortunately, Marlene Blessing, Interweave's
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  • I’ve been full of anticipation for the past few days since I am finally attending my first quilt show: Quilt Market in Minneapolis. At the moment, I have just returned from an initial visit to the convention space which is enormous and enthralling—I
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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.
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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
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  • We're on Flickr ! We were thrilled to learn this week that an intrepid sewist named Layla has launched the Stitch Magazine Creations group on Flickr.com, a popular free photo-sharing site. Anyone can join and upload photos, as long as they're
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  • Inspiration and techniques! Thread sketching; needle felting; hand stitching; recycled sweaters; 3-D embellishments; batik with soy wax; Dunnewold on design; circular quilts; “Inner Animal”; and more! Continue thread sketching with Susan Brubaker Knapp, with a focus on texture. Learn Jane
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  • While I'm gearing up for Quilt Market, I asked Studios Editor Cate Prato to update us on what's going on in the latest issue of Studios. Cate spent a day last week hunting for fabulous studio finds at the Brimfield flea market last week, so I know she's ready to show you some clever ways
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  • Here in Colorado, spring has been late in coming, but it's not stopping us from thinking about spring and summer sewing. Although the Stitch editors are looking ahead to fall (designers, check out our submissions guidelines for the fall issue ), we're
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  • Isn't it funny how sometimes the simplest of art processes can be so satisfying? I mean, you know I love my Thermofax screen printing and I am a sucker for hand embroidery. Thread sketching fascinates me and I never get tired of dyeing. But when it comes to hands-down fun, I have to go with stamping
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  • Thanks to all of you who shared your favorite fabric stores . It's always fun to hear about the many creative, fun, and friendly shops that other quilters enjoy. The randomly chosen winner of this bundle of Bird Talk by Ellen Crimi-Trent for Clothworks™
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  • I love it when there is a simple solution to a problem, especially when that solution is readily available and inexpensive.
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  • Sewing often seems full of rules--some of them made for breaking, and some of them really useful. I thought I'd share a few of my personal rules for successful sewing. If you're just learning to sew, these suggestions may be helpful. If you're
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  • There's a whole lot happenin' here at Quilting Arts these days. We have a lot of art quilts here for various publications (including a top secret project that we can't wait to tell you about soon), and let's not forget the Quilting Arts
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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!
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  • Thanks to everyone for participating in our "How Entertaining" art quilt challenge! As usual, you delighted us with your entertaining, witty, and amusing entries. One of my personal favorite submissions was a very funny depiction of James Gandolfini
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  • Sometimes you just need a weekend getaway. So, when my boyfriend proposed a week ago, we decided we would use this as an excuse to go on a short, one-night trip. We called it an “engagemoon,” but really it was just an excuse to visit one of
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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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  • ON THE COVER: Tuesday Pillow about this issue 22 inspiring sewing projects for Spring! view online patterns features Print Me Susan Beal Customize your sewing with DIY screen-printed fabrics The Whir and the Power of Making Linzee Kull McCray Sewing with
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  • ON THE COVER: Asymmetrical Folds skirt about this issue A special issue devoted to the creative possibilities of sewing wearables, home decor, accessories, and gifts. Get a fresh perspective on sewing! Quilting Arts Stitch speaks to a new generation of
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  • Welcome to the brand-new blog for Stitch magazine! We're so excited to bring you more Stitch , more often. The heart of Stitch is helping you to express yourself through sewing by taking patterns and making them your own, and by helping you to improve
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  • I’ve gotten a few emails over the past couple of weeks from readers wondering what they should do for their “How Entertaining” reader challenge entry, (which has a fast approaching deadline of May 3rd)! Since the challenge looks at how
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  • 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
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  • ON THE COVER: Odekakke Tote from Zakka Style about this issue This 148-page super special issue has 37 fantastic sewing projects for Spring! The theme is Sew Original and inside you'll find exclusive patterns, projects for kids, current trends, and
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  • Spring has sprung at Stitch magazine and it is an issue not to be missed! This 148-page super special issue has 37 fantastic sewing projects for Spring! Read all about it!
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  • ON THE COVER: Odekakke Tote from Zakka Style about this issue This special issue 148 page issue is loaded with fun and fabulous sewing projects! This issue's theme is Sew Global and includes 30 sewing projects for the fall and holiday season. view
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  • Something about the spring weather has me out and about more than usual these days. During the cold winter months, I like hunkering down in my sewing room all night long, but lately I can’t resist venturing out into the sunshine whenever possible
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  • Download the PDF and save the file where you will find it easily. Once the pattern has downloaded, open the file and check that it has downloaded fully. The first page of the PDF is a layout drawing of the assembled tiles; use this as a guide while putting
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  • Fall 2008 Well-Suited Messenger Bag (project instructions page 66) Flap Front (leather) and Flap Front (wool) pieces should both be labeled as 16" wide, not 15" as they are labeled. Corrections to Asymmetrical Fold Skirt (page 73) Step 6 contains
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  • Tricia Waddell is the editor of Quilting Arts Stitch , and the editorial director of the Fiber Group for Interweave.
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  • Stitch offers a creative and fresh perspective to sewing for the home, wardrobe, gifts, and accessories. With beautiful photography and a contemporary design aesthetic, stitch speaks to a new generation of sewing enthusiasts and kick-starts the creativity
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  • Recently I found myself home with responsibilities taken care of and some free time, and I was momentarily at a loss for what to do. I decided to have a glass of wine while I wound some bobbins, the latter a "housekeeping" chore that was relaxing and satisfying. Taking a few minutes to wind
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  • So you want to be featured in Stitch? We’d love to hear from you! Stitch is a special issue sewing magazine all about creating with fabric and thread. Yes, it’s sewing but oh so much more. It’s loaded with clever projects and modern
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  • Are you suffering from the Monday morning blues? Maybe this post will help. Sophie our rescue dog comes to Quilting Arts every day, but Maggie (our Italian Greyhound) and Louie (our yapping Min Pin) aren’t so lucky. Every once in a while, though
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  • I'm suffering from a quilt show hangover, and no, it has nothing to do with alcohol, but rather everything to do with waking up in your own bed at home after being at a show for a few days. Attending quilt shows is a natural high: you gaze at amazing
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  • Many communicate with their loved ones overseas through letters or care packages, but when Pat Hamlin’s son was serving with the Montana National Guard in Bagdad, she kept in touch with him through a quilt. Each week that he was away (52 altogether
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  • When it comes to celebrating Earth Day, art quilters and mixed-media fiber artists are lucky: for us, it's easy being green. Not that we don't love a bin full of crisp, new fat quarters, but finding creative ways to use reuse and recycle textiles and fibers--thus reducing what goes into the trash
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  • Is your studio harboring a heap of unfinished art quilts, just begging to be completed so they can be released and appreciated by the greater world? Not to worry, How to Bind a Quilt: 12 NEW Quilt Binding and Finishing Methods for Your Art Quilts has come to the rescue! Inside this free, downloadable
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  • It has long been recognized that the creation of quilts can have numerous personal and communal benefits; Fine Cell Work is a social enterprise founded on the belief that prison rehabilitation is one of them. This program teaches stitching to inmates
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  • 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.
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  • As you can tell from Pippa's latest entry , we've been doing a little road tripping lately... I'm thrilled to say the next stop is the International Quilt Festival/ Chicago ! Are you making your art to trade with others at the new Trading
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  • This past Wednesday and Thursday, the Quilting Arts editorial team (Pokey, Helen, and myself) decided to take a little road trip. As of right now, the purpose of our excursion can’t be divulged, so I’ll share some non-work-related tidbits
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  • Contemporary artists who work in mixed media and fiber know that including a texture background in their art projects makes for more interesting, cohesive pieces of art. Layering mixed-media techniques gives the final piece depth and polish. To help you
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  • Our staff is in the home stretch of our preparations for Make It University! TM with Cloth Paper Scissors ® at International Quilt Festival/Chicago , and boy are we getting excited. There is definitely a buzz in the air, and it's not just the bees that have come out of hibernation during the
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  • It’s been a few days since Quilting Arts April/May 2010 issue hit the newsstands, and many of you may have noticed that this is our animal-themed issue, containing 21 creaturely quilts, Pokey Bolton’s article on “Pet-ty Journal Portraits
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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.
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  • Today’s the day we’re announcing the finalists for our 2011 “Flavor of the Month” calendar contest, so it only seems appropriate that I’m experiencing a chocolate hangover this post-Easter Monday morning. I don’t normally
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  • I wonder if my love of dyeing came from coloring Easter eggs as a child. Setting out the little glass cups full of hot water and vinegar, mixing in the dye powder, and slowly lowering the hard-boiled eggs in one at a time, it seemed magical to me when they emerged all decked out in pretty pastels.
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  • Quilts can range from the functional to the memorial to the artistic—with most combining several of these qualities—and all types can be seen at “Quilts: 1700-2010,” at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from March 20 th
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  • Although I live in what most would probably call a suburb, our home is surrounded by woodlands and plant life. In addition to the flora and vegetation we and our family members have put in (blueberry bushes, trees, and so on), there is a ton of stuff growing wild. If you doubt me, you should see the
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  • ON THE COVER: Odekakke Tote from Zakka Style features Vintage Modern Marlene Blessing Discover endless sewing inspiration in fashions from the past Sewing Playground Anne Merrow Meet children's wear designer Liesl Gibson of Oliver + S projects Modern
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  • Here's a fun way to kick off the work week... Are you interested in winning a brand new BERNINA® aurora sewing machine? Have we got an opportunity for you! Quilting Arts & BERNINA present “ Stitch This! ” Here’s how to participate
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  • I recently returned from my beautiful homeland of San Francisco early last week where I attended the SAQA/SDA “Reinvention” conference. What a terrific time! I was also fortunate to host SAQA’s annual board meeting in my family’s
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  • As a devotee of "Project Runway," one of the things I love most about the show-after the hilarious Tim Gunn quips-is watching how the designers translate their inspirations into line, pattern, and form. Take last week's episode, where Anthony and Maya were inspired by New York's Chinatown
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  • Who would have thought that Barbie could serve as the inspiration for an art quilt? Well, Suzy Liss did when she created this mixed-media piece, “Mom’s Little Secret” (51" x 28"), which is embellished with the doll’s
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  • 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
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  • In the April/May 2010 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine , treat yourself to: more thread sketching with Susan Brubaker Knapp, focusing on line; silk-screen printing onto disposable facial washcloths with Leslie Tucker Jenison; Pokey’s journal quilt-sized and fabric collaged pet portraits; Susan Carlson’s
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  • Well the long-awaited spring weather has officially arrived. Here in Stow, MA, the sun is finally shining and it’s actually warm enough to wear capris. I always catch spring fever pretty strongly, and this year is no exception. There are so many
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  • Join me and Cloth Paper Scissors Editor Jenn Mason for CREATE with Cloth Paper Scissors Mixed Media Retreat, August 25-29, 2010, in Rosemont, Illinois--just outside of bustling Chicago.
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  • I saw the most beautiful thing when I came home from "Quilting Arts TV" taping last week. Not only had all of the snow melted while I was away, but a small patch of bright green moss shimmered among the dull brown weeds on the hill behind my home. This spot of emerald was the first sign of
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  • Here at Quilting Arts, we’ve been thinking quite a bit about stitching, a natural component of nearly all art quilters’ work. Whether you’re a machine quilter, hand stitcher, or both, you've probably stumbled upon a few needle-and
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  • International Quilt Festival/Chicago commences April 16 in Rosemont, IL, and Yours Truly is counting down the days. If you haven't heard of Make It University!(TM), it's a hands-on area that takes place right on the show floor in the vendor area
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  • I have a confession: I was one of very few individuals to survive their four years as a college undergraduate without having a Facebook account. There’s really no good reason for this other than the fact that I simply never got around to making
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  • I'm pretty sure that when most people think about how to make a quilt, "metal" isn't the first thing that pops into their mind. But there are so many ways you can incorporate metal into your quilts and wall hangings, adding texture, dimension, shine, and that element of surprise. Here
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  • Knowing how popular patchwork is, we're offering you this FREE downloadable eBook, How to Make a Quilt: 6 FREE Patchwork Quilt Projects for Contemporary Quilts , that gives you six ways to use patchwork patterns.
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  • Above: Diane Nunez's dimensional fabric flowers Five days, 39 segments, and 13 episodes later, Season Six of Quilting Arts TV is born. A number of very talented guests joined me this season: Jane Dunnewold was back to dazzle us with two surface design
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  • There is no doubt that Nancy Crow is one of the most influential individuals in the history of art quilting. From her intricate geometric pieced to quilts to her well-known teaching workshops and her co-founding of Quilt National in the 1970s, Nancy has
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  • 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
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  • Want to add interest and dimension to a quilted piece in no time? Try felting. Whether you felt by hand (with water or needles) or by machine, it's an easy, fun, and fast way to make a piece pop. Plus, felting is a great way to use up little bits of fluff, fibers, and sparkly things you have on hand
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  • I'm packing my suitcase again, getting ready to fly to Cleveland to tape the sixth season of "Quilting Arts TV." As hectic as the shooting pace is, I always look forward to taping, because I get to learn new tricks and techniques in person
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  • I’ve always been intrigued by the link between contemporary and historical quilting, and the ways in which this traditional craft lives on in the work of modern day artists. Therefore, I was thrilled to have the chance to ask artist Kari Souders
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  • The Spring 2010 issue of Studios debuts on newsstands today, so I asked Studios Editor Cate Coulacos Prato to be the guest editor for today's Quilting Daily blog post. Take it away, Cate! Whenever I travel, I'm always taking pictures of interesting doors, doorways, gates, and arches. I'm
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  • I knew I had a difficult task ahead of me when my undergraduate thesis advisor informed me that my research on the history of the art quilting movement should focus on only a few innovative quilt artists. There were so many to choose from and narrowing
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  • I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, and when that happens, I can’t sleep. So last night I took a Tylenol PM and had a dream that was rather Tim Burton-ish. In my dream, I volunteered at a major quilt show to help hang quilts. (And this was not
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  • Last week the staff in our Stow offices got together for some after-hours creative play-time, making gelatin monoprints on fabric and paper. I'd been cranking out monoprints for a segment I'll be shooting for the sixth season of "Quilting Arts TV" and everyone else wanted in on the
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  • Thanks to everyone who took the leap and posted a picture of an uncompleted art quilt in our Save My UFO gallery ! For this brand new segment for Quilting Arts TV, we thought to bring about 10 quilts, and cover the gamut in terms of art & design challenges
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  • Quilters tend to be savers. We save fabrics (no scrap is too tiny), embellishments, threads, tool, and even ideas. This is a good thing—we find inspiration all around us and build a collection of resources that allows us to act on it whenever our
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  • In winter I crave creating with color-- during the darker, bleaker months, my studio is completely taken over by paints and dyes (think periwinkles and lime greens, cerulean blues and bubble gum pinks). Imagine my glee when I got the latest book offerings from surface design experts and Committed to
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  • A couple of weeks ago, I posted a fabric quiz based on Lyric Kinard's article on page 28 of the February/March 2010 Issue of Quilting Arts , "From Disappointment to Diva." The quiz tested your ability to recognize Lyric's clever techniques
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  • I was supposed to spend this past weekend at a friend’s wedding in Baltimore, but thanks to some bad weather forecasts, my flights were canceled and I found myself with an unexpectedly free Saturday afternoon. Naturally, I decided there was no better
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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.
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  • 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.
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  • Since the February/March 2010 issue of Quilting Arts has now been on the newsstand for a couple of weeks, I’ll be announcing the winners of Lyric Kinard’s fabric quiz this Friday (February 12 th ) at 12 pm EST. So if you still haven’t
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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
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  • Want your quilt-in-progress featured on Quilting Arts TV? Do you have an unfinished art quilt (otherwise known as a UFO for UnFinished Object) that’s got you stumped on how to complete? Have you stuffed it in the back of a dresser drawer in the
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  • Art quilters tend to stitch outside the box. Traditional squares and patches are not for them. But that doesn't mean that repetition and a sense of order isn't important. In fact, repetition is a key element in design. The concept of using a grid as a design element is classic--that's one
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  • Kathy York’s work is like that of all the contributors to Quilting Arts Magazine – it never ceases to amaze and inspire me. I’ve been wanting to learn more about Kathy and her work, and with her quilt on the cover of the current issue
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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
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  • I like to think I'm always open to trying new things, especially when it comes to surface design methods. But there was one technique I shied away from: batik. I loved the effects, but doing it myself always seemed so complicated and time consuming.
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  • We’re kicking off the new month with a new online feature: the Quilting Arts Community Spotlight. These spotlights will give us the opportunity to focus in on the work of some of our talented QA Community members, to share the stories behind their
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  • In September 2006, I got a little personal on my blog and shared that my father had just lost his battle against lung cancer in my Bye Dad post. In rereading that entry, Virginia Spiegel at that time had raised $53,000 for the American Cancer Society
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  • We're introducing a new feature to the Quilting Arts Community... Every month I will be cruising the site, noting what people are posting in the galleries and forums, and essentially looking to see how you--our cherished members--are utilizing our
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  • My Monday mornings recently became a bit less painful. You see, my three favorite TV shows held their season finales at the end of last year, which means I no longer stay up late on Sunday nights absorbed in the antics of: a serial killer, a womanizer
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  • It seems that by the time we actually put up our new calendars in January, they're already filled with quilt show dates, deadlines, goals, and to-do lists. In fact, it's not unusual for each person on our staff to have three Quilting Arts calendars open on the wall at a time, each turned to successive
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  • At some point, many artists must confront the successes and struggles that come with balancing between the creative and practical aspects of their process. By now, most of you are probably familiar with Jane D á vila's regular Quilting Arts
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  • Our latest Reader Challenge "Let Out Your Inner Animal" left our editorial team, quite frankly, a little curious about our Quilting Arts audience. Seems many of you feel rather repressed by your status as homo sapiens, and if it were up to you
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  • Hello Good Reader! I have been blogging on the Quilting Arts web site since it's inception in late April, almost nine months! This has been a great way to celebrate the release of my book, to connect with you, to create videos that show off my favorite
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  • I have an uncanny (some on my staff would say freaky) ability to remember exactly what artist's article appeared in which issue of Quilting Arts , going back to the very first issue nearly 10 years ago. And up until recently, I've been able to put my hand on the printed page more quickly than
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  • One of my resolutions is to take (and post) more photos from our interactions around the office. Because we're most often busily working at our computers, the photo ops aren't plentiful, but I am keeping my camera close at hand for when the opportunities
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  • In the spirit of the New Year, I think it’s time for all of us to engage in a cathartic, quilt-related confessional. For the most part, we all start our quilts with the best of intentions. No one wants to waste materials, time, or precious quilting
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  • When I think of hearts, I immediately think of Beryl Taylor. And not just because she's such a sweet, warm-hearted person! After the fleur-de-lis, the heart is the motif I most associate with Beryl's mixed-media art. She punches them, paints them, stitches and beads them, and makes puffy heart
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  • I'm sure that many of you will be inspired by Lyric Kinard's clever methods for turning fabric dyeing disasters into works of art in "Disappointments to Diva," on page 28 of the February/March 2010 issue of Quilting Arts . See if you've
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  • I’ve gotten email from a number of people asking if I know of a reputable organization that is coordinating quilt distribution to Haiti, and to be honest, at this time, I do not. As quilters, by nature, we want to use our skills to help, but at
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  • I do not make resolutions in a yearly manner. I don't feel compelled to make a particular change on a particular day, but this year I have been thinking about words for creative exploration. After some thought I have come up with: mend, random, intuit
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  • Makers of custom quilts and people who want to learn how to make a quilt, here is an invaluable resource on free-motion stitching: Free-Motion Machine Quilting - How to Make a Quilt: 67 Machine Stitching Tips and Motifs .
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  • The deadline for Our Inner Animal Reader Challenge is coming up fast (January 22), and I thought it would be fun for me to play along, too, perhaps put my entry on my letter from the editor page and in our community. My inner animal is the cutest amphibian
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  • Creating Figures in Fabric; Leftover Dye Pillows; Turning fabric dyeing mistakes into masterpieces; Experimentations in resist dyeing; Embellish your quilts with simple machine stitching; Lession 1: Focus on color; A conversation with art quilter Barbara Walter; Major works by leading artists; Creating
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  • What's not to love about Virginia Spiegel? She's an exceptional fiber artist, has raised nearly $200,000 for the American Cancer Society with Fiber Arts for a Cause (FFAC), and heck...we share the same birthday (October 2nd in case you wanted
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  • Thread sketching is not a new technique, but it seems as though more people are willing to give it a try and are looking for tips on how to do it. If you're one of them, then look no further, as Quilting Arts has plenty of thread sketching tricks and techniques for you to try.
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  • When I think of 3-D movies, I think of the old sci-fi horror flicks my parents used to tell me about where people would wear those funny 3-D glasses. Back then, apparently, they didn’t really work that well and it seemed the glasses were more entertaining than the 3-D effects.
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  • This January, I’m all about soup. You see, I ate a little too much of this kind of thing while on vacation in Mexico: (the best chicken and mole I’ve ever had in my life) I received a glorious Le Creuset ® French oven for Christmas (basically
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  • Have the frigid temps, icy roads, and price hikes in produce got you down? Let's see if we can cheer you up with a sneak peek at the February/ March 2010 cover of Quilting Arts... This cover features a detailed shot of Kathy York's "Falling
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  • Are you feeling like a winner this Monday morning? Well, if you go by the handle "Sewingcyclist" congratulations! You, lucky person, not only won some fabrics hand-dyed and screened by Yours Truly, but a big ole' fat stack of Moda Fats!
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  • I have been making cloth and enjoying every minute of it! In a moment of, 'What if?' I created a freezer paper resist that reminds me of doilies and lace. I printed it on a green ground, where if you look closely you'll see rodeo arches, doors
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  • Happy New Year to you all! I know I'm a little late, but I only just returned from an indulgent week-long trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where I spent all day every day swimming in the ocean, lying in the sun, and drinking mojitos. However, I did
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  • Want to make a unique imprint on your handmade quilts? Learn how to create your own fabric with our latest FREE eBook, Fabric Painting: 5 Surface Design, Paint, and Monoprint Techniques from Quilting Arts . You'll learn how to paint fabric with textile paints, fabric paints, and oil sticks. Plus
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  • Happy new year from all of us here at Quilting Arts! We hope you managed to squeeze in some creative time during the holidays, along with special time with family, friends, and great food. In fact, if you created any unique gifts or projects, we want
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  • I hope everyone was able to enjoy some time to themselves over the holidays! Since I was at our Interweave headquarters just before the break, I went skiing in Colorado for a couple of days. (This was to make The Husband happy.) Then when we came home
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  • Once the Christmas tree goes out the door and the needles get swept up, I'm eager to put away the red and green decorations and return to a more subtle version of home décor. Something lighter, yet still festive. Natalya Aikens' fused snowflake centerpiece is just the thing. The snowflakes
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  • 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
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  • This week Brooklyn received about a foot of snow. David had the day off and we watched movies, drank hot cocoa and waited for the snow to really hit. It was night time when the snow settled in for the long haul. So we bundled up and and went outside to
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  • Congratulations!! What a wonderful selection of art doll entries we received. It is always fun to see the different interpretations and techniques... and the many locations that the entries arrive from. We would like the following artists to send their
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  • 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
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  • Being creative and fostering growth within that realm is a process of engaging with the world around you as well as that of other artists. Taking what you learn from these places and making it your own is the imperative of each of us as artists. A few
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  • One of the most exciting ways to change the look of fabric is through resist dyeing techniques. Resist-dyeing is one of the oldest ways to transform cloth, used the world over. These methods are exciting, because they are unpredictable-perfect if you're a person who likes to play, because each time
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  • Last week I taught a class locally and really enjoyed it. I hit all the points I had hoped to make, I didn't plan too much (which is normal for me), and I didn't plan too little. It was just right, and I believe my class thought so too. They were
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  • As we put forth more publications, videos and other fun offerings, it’s become more important than ever to invite talented and creative people to join our crew. It’s with great pleasure to announce that Jenn Mason is joining our Cloth Paper
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  • I love the variety of novelty yarns and fibers available today: thick, thin, sparkly, variegated, fuzzy, sumptuous-and they come in every color you can imagine. They are a feast for the eyes and whenever I see a ball, skein, or even snippets of these yarns, I want to plunge my hands into them and get
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  • I’m sure many of you did a double take when you saw the cover of the December 2009/January 2010 issue of Quilting Arts . The quilt, “My Buddy and Me,” by Barbara McKie (featured in the exhibit “SAQA@20: Art and Excellence”
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  • Until July 2008, Meg McElwee was a Montessori teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Mexico. McElwee launched her sewing line, Sew Liberated, while living in Mexico and she now lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her husband and son, Finn. She writes
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  • Hey Everyone, Do you like to sew? How about read blogs? Then check out this blog tour and hop on board for a chance to win a copy of one of these new books. Hurry--it starts today! The Sew Liberated and I Love Patchwork Double-the-Fun Blog Tour: 2 Fabulous
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  • Around the Quilting Arts Community, people with "tension problems" don't need relaxation techniques--they need a stitching specialist. Fortunately, we know several, and Susan Brubaker Knapp is one of the best.
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  • So, you're hosting a holiday party and you want to personalize your dining room table-and quick! Look no further. In our latest Free e-Book, Handmade Quilts with Quilting Arts: 6 Free Sewing Patterns for Beautiful Handmade Gifts , we offer you six festive quilting and sewing projects to personalize
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  • I am preparing for a class I will teach later this week. In this instance I was asked to do my Small Works, Big Impact class with a leaning toward painted imagery (rather than dye) and hand sewing. I love dye for its vibrancy, but paint is pretty awesome
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  • I’ve always loved the past—I studied art history in college, after all—and therefore have a deep fascination with antique quilts. I’ve collected only a few so far, and this one (my first, actually) is my hands-down favorite: The
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  • My college motto, which got me through many tough exam seasons, was ‘work hard, party hard.’ And apparently these words of wisdom still apply. You see, even though we’ve been rather busy at the Quilting Arts office, we managed to find
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  • Most of the time when I'm not at work, you'll find me in my studio, conveniently located in my home (which is five minutes from the office--see how it all works together?). I made over my studio in the spring of 2008, with the results shown in the premiere issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Studios
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  • Looking for an easy, no-stitch holiday decorating idea? Why not make fabric fortune cookies? They're a great way to use up those precious scraps of hand-dyed or commercial fabrics you can't bear to throw out, and you can slip artful wishes for the New Year inside them.
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  • Over the Thanksgiving Day holiday, I knew I needed to do something with my bin of fabric runts. You know what I'm referring to: those fabrics you made that didn't dye or screen successfully, but you just can't bear to throw them out. I decided
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  • I love color and color mixing. I just bought a new palette of gouache and have been recreating the tools and methods with which I have been working. Pencil cases for figure drawing sessions, a smaller pencil case for everyday use, a new palette of paint
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  • No, the title of this post is not spelled improperly. It is always a good thing when I delve deeply into working my journals. It means that I will have fodder for working in cloth and that I am staying actively engaged in my creative process. Nothing
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  • Naturally, I’m feeling very grateful today. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful excuse to just pause and appreciate not only the big things—family, friends, good health—but the seemingly smaller ones as well. Today, I’m thankful for
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  • Though International Quilt Festival/Houston is certainly one of the most highly-anticipated and enjoyed events of the year for many quilters, the Quilt Scene is never ending; all year long, quilters are busily at work brainstorming, creating, and, of
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  • Just when I think I have everyone on my gift list covered, it hits me: What about the dog sitter? And I have nothing for Friday's dinner party hostess. And my niece really helped me out this year--she deserves a little something extra. That's when I'm grateful to have a cache of small quilting
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  • Well, it may have been at the expense of far more practical chores—cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.—but I managed to accomplish my somewhat excessive sewing goals this weekend! Yes, all three projects are complete—and each one was so
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  • With my focus on journaling and drawing, I decided to make a pencil case for all that I will need to carry back and forth to figure drawing sessions. I had the machine quilting samples for the International Quilt Fest: Quilt Scene article I wrote and
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  • Achieving multicolored silkscreen prints; Taking stitch-resist shibori beyond the norm with Mokume and Ori-nui shibori stitches; Artist Profile: Marianne R. Williamson; Pushing the boundaries of geometrical art quilting; SAQA@20: Art & Excellence - A sampling from an art quilt exhibit; Create unique
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  • After a few too many crazy weekends, I’m looking forward to two entirely plan-free days (well, almost) during which I plan on doing nothing but sew. You see, there’s no denying it any longer: it’s time to start on holiday gifts—and
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  • Aside from stitching and embellishing, is there anything more thrilling than finding a beautiful vintage textile or an unusual found object at a yard sale, thrift shop, or flea market? Especially at a great price? Such a piece can add just the right touch to make a contemporary art quilt or mixed-media
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  • So we packed our bags and moved into a city apartment. The title of this post refers to a favorite childhood book by the same name. Last night I went to the Society of Illustrators Sketch and Jazz event. Event? It is a twice weekly gathering of people
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  • 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.
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  • A famine, then a feast. That seems to be the way of life, I think. Just before Houston, I decided it was time to make a larger piece, based on the recent painting of a Wester Tanager in my journal and I set out. I printed in a flurry, with no true thought
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  • I randomly chose the winner for this latest MODA fabric giveaway and congrats go to... LemonTreeTami ! Tami, please email me your address by noon EST Tuesday, November 17, so that I can get these fabrics to you. Enjoy! Thanks so much to everyone for your
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  • Well, we knew that people were enjoying the Homework section in Cloth Paper Scissors, but little did we know how seriously some people take their "assignments"! Loretta Vizzutti of Missoula, Montana, completed the homework from Linda and Opie
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  • Well, since only TWO of you have emailed me to receive your free fabric cookies, I'm announcing four new winners: jojo pinkgypsy Quilnan Lynne Weinberger Congratulations! Please email me your name and address at peccles@interweave.com to receive your
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  • Downsizing and de-stashing are popular buzzwords today. We all just have so much stuff. So I think those of us who like to make gifts for others want to create something that's useful as well as beautiful. If it helps use up scraps from our stash, so much the better .
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  • ...and then I have been quilting up a storm and not only that but, oh wait. Hi. How you are? Long time no see. Sorry about that. Yeah. I was away for a lil bit there and for no good reason. Or maybe there were many reasons. I will slow down. I did get
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  • The deadline for our "Mother Earth'"Art Doll Reader Challenge is coming up. Don't be left out. Show us your art and help us celebrate Earth Day when we publish some of our favorites in the March/April Issue of Cloth Paper Scissors. H
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  • Natalya Aikens recently whipped up some easy stitched leaves that she decorates with Pigma pens to add visual texture. You can dress them up with golden thread or just keep it simple and let the kids decorate them with "thankful" sayings or guests' names.
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  • Who's making gifts this holiday season? I am making most of mine, but exceptions include: * My nieces and nephews (who would value cash or a gift certificate over anything Auntie Pokey made). * My husband who wants a vacation over the holidays, and
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  • Thanks to everyone who shared their inspiring stories of mistakes gone right! Clearly, the best art comes from a little bit of experimentation, and things not necessarily going as planned. The following six people have each won one of Kelli Perkin’s
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  • If you ever get the chance to take a class with Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn (a.k.a. Double Trouble Enterprises), jump at it. They are two of the most innovative people I know when it comes to creative embroidery and textile art. Plus, they are just a hoot to be with!
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  • I had all my fingers and toes crossed on the plane to Houston for International Quilt Festival last month, but it wasn't because I'm afraid of flying. No, we were debuting International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene in a few days, and like a new quilter presenting her first piece for judging, I
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  • No one knows more about pushing your artistic boundaries than Kelli Perkins, author of Stitch Alchemy: Combining Fabric & Paper for Mixed Media Art . Not only does her book contain a wide variety of projects, from bookmarks to beads and paper quilts
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  • There are many things I should blog about, like the ten yards of fabric that came to my door on winning the Nature's Best contest, THANKS to you! Or the fabulous review of my book in Machine Quilting Unlimited , or the fantastic blog I found this
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  • One thing our editorial team loves to do is devise reader challenges, and usually during the brainstorming sessions, there is a lot of laughter around the conference table. This next reader challenge is no exception. I confess this one is of a personal
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  • As the year begins to wind down (yes, it's happening already!), the editors at Quilting Arts are busy planning for next year's issues. And we want to make sure we know what our readers most want to get o