Art Quilt

Hand Sewing Q&A with Deborah Boschert

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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Vote on Our Supply Showdown

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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Quilting Arts Episode 1013: Colorful Illusions

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1012: Artfully Pieced

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1010: Art Meets Stitch

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1009: It's a Color Conundrum

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1005: Quilts at Play

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1004: Free-Motion Work

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1003: Make it Work!

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1002: Experimental Quilting & Surface Design

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 1001: Modern Day Quilting

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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How to Design Mini Quilts for Maximum Impact

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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Inspiring Dyeing Advice from Jane Dunnewold

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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How to Dye Fabric with Fungi

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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Color in Quilting Designs: Q&A with Cover Artist Carol Taylor

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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Customize Your Buttons with Surface Design

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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A Foiling Technique for Writing on Fabric

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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Hand Embroidery Tips for Contemporary Fabric Collage

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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Fabric Painting Advice From The Kemshalls

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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Introducing a New eMag: Surface Explorations!

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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Embellish on the Fly: Tips for Sewing Beads on the Go

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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Sharing Your Work With Others

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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Free Pattern for a Gadget Case

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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Fabric Painting on the Wild Side

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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Incredible Ideas for Shrinking Fiber Art

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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New Free eBook on Quilting for Beginners

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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Pass On Your Passion: Stitched and Quilted Bag Patterns

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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Use An Art Journal to Inspire Quilt Designs

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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"What's your Signature Color?" Reader Challenge

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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Quilting Arts April/May 2012

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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Quilting Arts TV recap

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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Not Just for Kids - Easy Fabric Painting and Resist Technique

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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Pass On Your Passion for Quilting (Giveaway)

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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How Hand and Machine Embroidery Affect Your Quilt Design

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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Modern Patchwork Quilts: How to Free-Piece the Blocks

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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Gelatin Monoprint Mash-Up (or How to Disguise Bad Fabric)

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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How to Applique a Quilt the Faux Way

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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A Quick Trick for Piecing Patchwork Quilts

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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How to Sort Fabric Art Scraps - Or Not

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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Hand Quilting: Do You Pass it On?

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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Trouble-shooting Tips for Machine Quilting and Embroidery

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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Fabric Painting Without A Brush

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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I'm New to Surface Design - Got Any Advice?

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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Get Our New free eBook with Easy Resist Fabric Dyeing Techniques

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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New Life for Your UFOs with Re-imagined Quilt Designs

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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Fabric Dyeing with a Side of Mashed

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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Best of Quilting Arts Book Giveaway!

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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Go from Flat to Fabulous with Hand Stitching

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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Fabric Painting Tip: Don't Go Near the Water

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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Quilting Arts February/March 2012

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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Announcing the New Editor for Quilting Arts!

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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Breaking Down the Quilt Block

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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Interview with QA Cover Artist Cynthia St. Charles

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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An Art Quilting Pattern of Success: Q&A with Helen Gregory

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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Jumpstart Quilting Designs with an Easy Sketchbook Exercise

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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Surface Design Delights: A Cornucopia of Love

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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All in the Details: Use Machine Quilting to Add Texture

Choosing the right machine quilting pattern for your piece is as important as the thread and fabric selections.
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Sewing Patterns Art Quilters will Love

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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There's a Science to Creating Colorful Fabric Art

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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7 Quilting Tips for Better Machine Stitching

'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 December 2011/January 2012

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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Stitch a Fall Centerpiece with Easy Quilting Techniques

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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The One Hand Embroidery Stitch I Can’t Live Without

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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How to Make a Quilt in Three Lessons

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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Our new eMag and the giveaway winner!

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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Our International Quilt Festival schedules for Make it University!(R)

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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Quilting Can Be a Challenge

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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The Creative Dance of Machine Quilting

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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International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene 2011/2012

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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Interview with QA Cover Artist Enid Gjelten Weichselbaum

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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Discovering The Path to Quilt Making

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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In Stitches Volume 4

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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In Stitches Volume 3

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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Quilt Shop Spotlight: Cool Cottons, Portland, Oregon

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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In Stitches Volume 2

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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Quilting Arts In Stitches

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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International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene 2009

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 2011/2012

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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Holiday 2009–2010

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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Holiday 2008–2009

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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Holiday 2007–2008

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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Quilting Arts TV Series 900 Recap (and other newsy bits)

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 Success: How to Mark and Stitch

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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Quilting Arts 10th Anniversary Postcards

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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How to Paint Fabric: Two Techniques to Try

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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Learn more about Alisa Burke's new book SEW WILD!!!

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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Quilting Arts October/November 2011

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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Seven Ways to Make Quick Work of Fabric Scraps

No matter what kind of quilts or fiber art you create, fiber and fabric scraps are a fact of life.
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Wild Ideas for Free-motion Stitching

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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10 Years, 10 Art Quilting Lessons

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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Get 5 Free Articles to Make Creative Quilt Art

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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Fabric Art with a Side of Pie

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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Print Tissue Paper for Postcards

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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Embellish Your Quilts with Dyed Sticks

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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5 Quilt Art Studio Tips I Never Knew

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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Let's Celebrate Art Quilting with a Trivia Quiz

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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Enjoy Free Hand and Machine Embroidery Designs and Techniques

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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Of Pets, Peeves, and Portrait Quilts

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 810

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 809

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 806

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 804

[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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Quitling Arts TV Episode 803

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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'Just Right' Surface Design Tips with Everyday Objects

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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Quilting Arts August/September 2011

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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My Surface Design Idol

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 802

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 801

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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Spotlight: The Art Quilt Gallery NYC

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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Make Your Own Fabric with Easy Resist Dyeing

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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Unravel the Secrets of Thread Sketching

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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Learn How to Quilt with Four Free Projects

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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Quilting for Peace: An Interview with Art Quilter Lea McComas

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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How to Dye Fabric with Insects (Not Cats)

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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Confessions of a Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons-loving Quilt Magazine Editor

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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A Father's Day Art Quilt

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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Comment-A-Thon Giveaway Winners

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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Bring Your Landscape Quilt to Life

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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Surface Design On the Go

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 Comment-A-Thon

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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Photo to Art Quilt: An Interview with Cover Artist Joan Sowada

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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Enjoy a Surface Design Explosion this Fall

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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My Fabric Painting & Printapalooza Weekend

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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My Must-Read Quilt & Surface Design Books

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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Memorial Day give away, CREATE recap, and Make it University - Long Beach!

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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How to Combine Hand and Machine Stitching

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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Quilting Arts 2012 Calendar Sneak Peek + Giveaway

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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Recap of Spring International Quilt Market/ Salt Lake City & Free Fabric!

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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Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

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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Quilting Arts June/July 2011

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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An Easy Way to Dye Embellishments

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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Imagine a Fabric Dyeing Garden

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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Quilt Shop Spotlight: The Material Girls, Dearborn, Michigan

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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Put Your Patchwork Quilt on Paper

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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What's Weaving Got to Do with Quilt Art?

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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How to Make A Landscape Quilt, Simplified

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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Floral Art Quilts From Our Readers

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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Enrich Your Surface Design Mark-Making Vocabulary

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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Easy Patchwork Design Wall Project

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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Predictions for a Year of Fabric Art Fun

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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Cover Artist Paula Chung Shares Her Tips on Buying Quilt Supplies and Finding Inspiration

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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Meet Three Favorite Quilt Artists

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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5 Helpful Quilting Supplies I Love

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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Surrounded by Patchwork Projects: That's Our Ellen

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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5 Free-motion Stitching Tips that Might Surprise You

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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Quilting Arts April/May 2011

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! Celebrate with a FREE eBook! (and announcing the winner of a goody bag from Faith's Post)

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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How to Make Amazing Fabric Art with New Fibers - Q&A

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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Quilt Artists Talk - What It's Really Like on 'QATV'

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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Please welcome guest blogger Faith Cleary!

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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Behind the Scenes at QA TV Series 800

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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Do Something Different with Your Fiber and Fabric Scraps

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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Announcing Our Quilting Arts in Stitches eMag Vol. 2 Blog Tour and a Giveaway!

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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Spring Trends in Quilting and Quilting Supplies

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

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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6 Keys to Metallic Thread Success in Your Fabric Art

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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My 10 Favorite Quilting Arts Tips

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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Which Issue of QA Got You Started?

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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How to Turn Pictures into Photo Quilts

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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Meet Ty, the Surface Design Guy

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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5 Ways to Create Your Own Handmade Quilts

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 112

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 111

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 106

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 107

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 104

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 103

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 213

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 207

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 205

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 204

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 312

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 311

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 307

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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Quilting Arts Tv Episode 305

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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Quilting Arts Tv Episode 304

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 303

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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Quilting Arts Tv Episode 302

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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Quilting Arts Tv Episode 301

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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Announcing Our 2012 Quilting Arts Getting Pet-ty Calendar Finalists!

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 412

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 409

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 408

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 404

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 402

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 512

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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quilting Arts TV Episode 513

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 509

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 510

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 501

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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Quilting Arts TV Episode 101

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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Quilting Arts February/March 2011

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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Quilting Arts Episode 713

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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Quilting Arts Episode 712

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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Quilting Arts Episode 710

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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Quilting Arts Episode 709

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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Quilting Arts Episode 707

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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Quilting Arts Episode 705

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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Quilting Arts Episode 703

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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Quilting Arts Episode 702

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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New ways to Create and Display your Artist Trading Cards

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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Improve Your Quilting Through Repetition

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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My Latest Quilting Arts @ 10 Giveaway--Free Fabric!

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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Time-wasting Mistakes You Can Avoid in 2011

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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Fabric Painting Advice from an Expert

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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Every Year One Stands Out

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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Join Malka Dubrawsky on her Blog Tour!

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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Too Yummy: A Sparkling Chocolate Fiber Art Project

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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Quilt Artists’ Gifts Gone Wrong

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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Behind the Scenes at an Iconic Quilt Exhibition

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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My Most-valued Quilt Art Supplies

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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A Thanksgiving, Quilt-y Treat For You...

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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Want to join me on Valentine's Day in Cleveland? QA TV Taping!

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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Interview with Kathy York

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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Quilting Arts December 2010/January 2011

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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How to Make a Quilt Modern - Q&A with Malka Dubrawsky

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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How to Expand Your Stitchery and Sewing Machine Techniques

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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Quilting a Story: A Quilting Arts Reader Challenge inspires a series

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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Strategies for Coping with Post- International Quilt Festival Show Blues & Free Fabric

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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Announcing the First Facebook Blogger of the Week: Susan Ettl!

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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Recap of International Quilt Festival

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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Pokey's Take: International Quilt Market

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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A Top Art Quilter Talks Fabric, Fresh Quilting, and Festival!

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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Create Your Own Art Quilt Reference Library

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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Episode 612

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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Episode 611

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

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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Episode 604

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

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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In My Travels: Art Quilt Inspiration

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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An Expert Art Quilter Shares Her Halloween Costume Advice

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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Quick & Easy Selvage Project & Quilt Show Tips

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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Our Cover Artist's Top Stitch Tip

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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Can You See The Difference Between Quilts?

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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Instrumental Quilt Making: a musical interpretation of fabric and thread

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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10 Ways to Love Improvisational Piecing

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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A Perfect 10: Quilt Studio Bliss

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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Who Can Resist a New Fiber Obsession and Contest?

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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5 Free Fabric Art Projects You Can Start Now

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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Getting Inspired by Fellow Art Quilters

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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Don’t Judge An Art Quilt By Its Fabric

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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Quilting Arts October/November 2010

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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Don’t Fall for the Same Old Line

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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Celebrate Fabric in Fresh, New Ways -- a Q&A

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’m Sharing a Cool Fabric Scrap Project

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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Design Advice to Improve Your Art

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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Behind the Scenes at QA TV

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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What's So Funny About Fiber Art?

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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Download 5 Innovative Techniques for Making Memory Quilts -- Free!

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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Quick & Easy Ways to Create Interesting Fabric

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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Where in the world is Pokey?

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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Improve Your Free-Motion Filler Technique

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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The Trick Every Art Quilter Should Know

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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How to Make a Landscape Quilt the Easy Way

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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Meet Our Latest Cover Artist, Ana Buzzalino

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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How Fast Can You Make Art?

"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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Quilting Arts August/September 2010

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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Unglamorous Moments in 'Quilting Arts TV' History

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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Create a Series of Original Art Quilts with Needle Felting

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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CREATing with Natalya Aikens

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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Summer: Time to Stitch on the Go

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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Make Your Focal Point Pop with Thread Painting

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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Afraid to Dye? Jane Dunnewold Makes it Fun & Easy

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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Making fabric books at my family reunion

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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Five Free Embellishment Techniques Ready To Download

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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New Freeform Machine Embroidery Tips & Project

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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Reap the Value of Creative Collaboration

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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Celebrate Your Sewing Independence

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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The Secret's Out! Our New eMag Has Arrived

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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My Tasty Recipe for Art Quilt Success

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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Art Books I Can't Live Without

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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Art Quilts Down Under

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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Easy Inspiration From Natural Beauty

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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Texture Tips To Improve Your Art Quilts - Free Download

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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Revive Your Wardrobe with Art Quilt Techniques

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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Download Now: 6 Image Transfer Techniques for your Art Quilts

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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Never fear! Screen printing myths busted

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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Create Something New with Quilting & Mixed Media

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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What Do Bikinis and Quilting Have in Common?

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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Quilting Arts June/July 2010

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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Make Your Quilt Studio Unique

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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Spring into Sewing

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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Create Unique Impressions With These New Stamps

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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The Secret To Superior Ink Painting Results

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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2011 "Flavor of the Month" Calendar Girls

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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Our Favorite Quilting Arts Issues Revealed

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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Infuse Your Art Quilts with Mexican Flavor

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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Stitch Spring 2009

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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Turn Scrap Fabric into Unique Textiles with Weaving

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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IQF/Chicago recap & quilt show hangover

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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Communicating Through a Quilt

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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Top 10 Ways To Create A Greener Art Quilt

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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Get 12 Free Quilt Binding and Finishing Methods

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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Master Foiling Techniques Easily

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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Road Trip + Gelatin Monoprinting = Fun Times Ahead in Chicago

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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Fiber & Mixed Media Meet in Chicago

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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Quilting Cats and Dogs

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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Foolproof Recipes for Mixing Dye Colors

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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SAQA, San Francisco, & Spring

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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Follow the Line to an Interesting Quilt Design

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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Boost Your Creativity with These Tips

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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Quilting Arts April/May 2010

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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You’re Invited To A New Retreat for Artistic Expression

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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Spring Into a Fresh Batik Technique

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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Send us your Stitching Questions

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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Make It University/Chicago Countdown

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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Become our Fan on Facebook!

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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How To Make A Quilt Shine With Metal

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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6 FREE Patchwork Quilt Projects for Contemporary Quilts

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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It's a wrap! Just returned from QA TV Series 6 TV taping

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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Nancy Crow: Three Decades of Art Quilting

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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Our ‘Trade’ Secret Revealed

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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Create Unique Embellishments with Felting

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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A Sneak Peek at the Next 'QATV' Series

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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A Peek Behind the Studio Door

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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Art Quilting Over the Years: An interview with M. Joan Lintault

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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A Quilt Editor's Nightmare!

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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Create Unique Prints with this Easy Technique

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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The New and Improved QA Index!

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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Commit to a Weekly Art Routine

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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The Winner of Lyric's Fabric Quiz

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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How to Turn A 'Mistake' Into Art

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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Last Chance to Enter the Fabric Quiz Giveaway!

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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Introducing "Save My UFO!" to QA TV

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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A Unique Twist on a Patchwork Quilt

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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Interview with Kathy York: our most prolific QA cover artist!

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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Send Me Your Letters

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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Batik Made Easy: Hot Tips from Kathy York

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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Introducing the Quilting Arts Community Spotlight: Janice Paine-Dawes

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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My Tote for ToteTuesday (Fiberart for a Cause)

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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Editor's QA picks for January!

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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Introducing the Minding Your Business Forum: An interview with Jane Dávila

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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Especially for You: Six Issues of Quilting Arts on CD

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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Fabric Quiz and Giveaway

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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Improve Your Machine Stitching Skills Now with Free Tips

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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Quilting Arts February/March 2010

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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Meet Virginia Spiegel, the Extraordinary Artist Behind ToteTuesday and FFAC!

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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Easy Steps to Thread Sketching Success

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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Coming Soon to Your TV: Making Quilts in 3-D

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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Good Food and Fiber Art: Enter our 2011 Quilting Arts Magazine Calendar Contest!

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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A Magazine Cover to Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder!

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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Starting off a Monday right! Winner announced...

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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Enjoy 5 FREE Fabric Painting Techniques On Us

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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Giveaway: Ringing in 2010 with Some Color & Texture

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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Create An Easy Snowflake Centerpiece

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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Our Gift to You – Free Quilted Bag Patterns

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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You Can't Resist These Resist Techniques

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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6 Secrets of Successful Machine Couching

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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Creating Lifelike Quilts: An interview with Barbara McKie

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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10 Tips for Resolving Tension Issues

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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Get 6 Free Festive Patterns for Homemade Gifts & Décor

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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Easy, No-stitch Holiday Decorating Idea

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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An Interview with Caryl Bryer Fallert!

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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Small Quilting Projects Make Great Last-minute Gifts

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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Four Easy Quilted Gifts in One Weekend

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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Quilting Arts December 2009/January 2010

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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A Perfect Weekend for Sewing

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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