A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. Through beautiful imagery and spoken word, I attempt to express those “a-ha” and “what if” moments…the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of everyday inspiration along your own creative path.
The members of our Creative Troupe are, well, in a word, CREATIVE. And that’s what we love about them! Let’s have a look around a few of their blogs to see what all they’re up to.
Nanette was a technical editor for Susan Brubaker-Knapp’s new book, Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art. The book inspired her to create a thread-painted portrait of her dog, which landed a coveted spot in the 2012 Quilting Arts calendar. Bow-WOW, Mr. September!
Front and back
Heidi incorporates her beautiful butterfly photos into her work, like with this mixed media art doll, made using TAP® Transfer Artist Paper and Lutradur® Mixed Media Sheets.
Amanda is ready to dance in her new pair of tap shoes! She used TAP® Transfer Artist Paper to add some sweet little monsters to her sneakers. Continue Reading…
"German Chocolate" by Anelie Belden
Last night, C&T author Anelie Belden shared tips and techniques from her book, Thoroughly Modern Dresden. She showed us how to get a dresden plate quilt block started, how to keep it nice and flat, and how to use the fast2cut® Dresden Plate Template.
Click here for the replay on our YouTube channel.
Congrats to viewer Beverly, who won an autographed copy of Anelie’s book plus a template!
Join us next week to learn more about dyeing fabric from Frieda Anderson.
Click here for the complete schedule of upcoming episodes. See you next week!
I wanted to make a gift for a friend of mine that likes to do needlework. While she usually has several projects going at once and some are quite large, she often has “take-a-long” items she keeps in a plastic bag in her purse. I thought if I made her something decorative and useful, she just might be able to stop using the plastic bags.
I started with a project I’d made as a promo piece for my book, Make Spectacular Books.
It’s intended to use as a swatch book for either sewing projects or home dec re-do. It can be filled with lists, swatches, garment fabric quantities, measurement charts, etc., so when you find that “to die for fabric” you know just what you need.
I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art for months.
I studied photography in college and was excited to combine my passion for photography with my love of quilting.
In Susan’s introduction, she talks about the act of slowing down and taking the time to see, really see, what is in front of you—that this will make you even more creative.
So I tried it. I take walks every day and one day I took some pictures of things that I normally pass by…and I was delighted with the results. These shots definitely give me some great ideas.
Next, since I have been obsessed with the eye of the peacock feather for well over a year now, I thought it was time to make the leap and create a quilt using Susan’s technique.
Here you can see the photo that I started with. I drew my outline, created my positioning overlay, selected my fabrics and got to work cutting and stitching. I am pleased with the results and found the technique fun and easy to follow.
So next time you are out and about, slow down, really take the time to look. and pull out your camera to Point, Click, Quilt!
One lucky person will win their very own copy of Point, Click, Quilt! Turn Your Photos into Fabulous Fabric Art!
To enter, leave a comment at the end of this post telling us where you last snapped some interesting photos.
Comments will be closed at 6:00pm PT on Sunday, July 31, 2011—the winner will be contacted via email and their name will be posted here on the blog next Monday.
Increase your chances to win! Enter an extra comment for each of the actions you take (or have already taken) below. Tell us what you did and thanks in advance for spreading the word – good luck!
Congrats to last week‘s winner – Priscilla Read won a copy of Quilt a New Christmas with Piece o’Cake Designs!
A creative life is filled with challenges and rewards, puzzles and curiosities. Through beautiful imagery and spoken word, I attempt to express those “a-ha” and “what if” moments…the deep ponderings and casual observations of an inquiring mind trying to make sense of reality. May it serve, for you, as a bit of everyday inspiration along your own creative path.
You’re invited to to join several stars of the quilting blog community on the Quilts Made Modern Blog Tour!
The tour kicks off Monday, July 25th and continues through Sunday, July 31st. Follow along every day for an in-depth look at this “go-to” book for modern quiltmaking.
Popular author/designer team of Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr present their design and construction methods with 10 projects, then show you how to transform their ideas into quilts that truly express who you are.
Tips, Q&A, projects, reviews, plus each blog has a giveaway – that’s 7 chances to win the book!
Ready for the tour dates?
The finished size is around 60" x 70"
In celebration of my high school graduation, my mom started assembling a keepsake quilt for me. Over the years she had gathered a rich collection of my favorite clothes as a child and teen, as well as scraps of clothing from almost everyone in my family, and she decided a quilt would be the best way to bring them all together.
In honor of my name, she designed the center panel after a victorian-era seed packet of zinnias, bordered by alternating 9-patch squares and appliquéd heart squares. The corner squares are hand appliquéd with the most memorable outfits from my childhood.
As a very busy mom, she assembled the quilt a little at a time, staying up late after my little sisters went to bed, or bringing patches with her to hand piece on-the-go. Some of my favorite 9-patch squares are those she hand pieced together while watching over my Grandmama before she passed away in the hospital.
The variety of fabrics and colors in the quilt are astounding! She included my first pair of blue jeans, a shirt from my aunt’s softball team, various pieces of jumpers and dresses she sewed for me, one of my dad’s favorite dress shirts, her old diesel-stained work jeans, remnants from my little sister’s dresses, a piece of my dad’s shorts, part of one of my halloween costumes, curtain fabric from our old VW bus, a swatch of her wedding dress fabric, and even the little pocket of my favorite painting smock.
The most amazing piece of all is a sweet little baby shirt I wore home from the hospital the day I was born. The quilt just glows with all the love and work my mom put into it, and just holding it makes me smile. I’ll treasure it forever.
Okay… yes, it’s the middle of summer. But Christmas will be here in just five months and if you start now, you’ll have a new appliquéd Christmas quilt ready to cuddle under in front of the fire.
But that doesn’t mean that Santa and his reindeer have to hit you over the head with red and green holly. The great gals at Piece O‘ Cake Designs have a new, more colorful, take on the holiday season with Quilt a New Christmas with Piece O’ Cake Designs.
You will love to work on these quilts—and live with them—year ’round!
"Circular Momentum," made & quilted by Becky Goldsmith
Here’s what Linda Jenkins says about the inspiration for this book:
I saw a picture of a room decorated for Christmas. It was not decorated in the usual traditional Christmas colors. The room had Christmas trees in lime green, hot pink, and blue. The tree skirt was orange tissue paper. Wow! What fun it would be to make a tree and village quilt using those colors, I thought. The colors and designs in this book were inspired by that one picture.
Linda and her co-author Becky Goldsmith go on to say that almost any color combination will work as long as it “can feel like Christmas.” Here’s one of my favorites:
"Caribbean Christmas," made & quilted by Linda Jenkins
We are saddened by the recent passing of author and accomplished quilter, Mimi Ayars, on July 8th.
Mimi lead a remarkable life, including being commissioned in the Navy as “an officer and a gentleman,” and serving her country in WWII. She also touched many lives as a teacher, teaching at nine universities in six states during her career.
Click here to read more about Mimi Ayars and sign the guestbook.
