Things were humming along and then...snap!

Isn't it ironic that my free-motion presser foot breaks at strength?! LOL

Well as frustrating as that is I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, this machine is over 20 years old and it is my favorite so it gets a lot of use. Luckily I found a replacement online pretty quick and have ordered a new foot.

I've been stitching the cups first, adding strong black lines to echo the illustration style of the vintage anatomical heart engraving and using monofilament across the rest of the cup to secure the fabric but not add as much visual texture.

Happy New Year!!!

I am definitely ready for a new one, things have got to start getting better!

Pre order Quilting Arts TV Series 900

Earlier this fall, I taped three segments for Quilting Arts TV series 900:

For the first one I demonstrate a variety of techniques for discharging fabric using two less toxic products; Color Remover by RIT and DeCorourant. I show a couple shibori type methods with the RIT product and use freezer paper stencils, stamping and printing with thermofax screens with DeColourant. The two articles I have in the most recent Quilting Arts magazine and the Feb 2012 issue cover these products and techniques.

On the second segment I demonstrate machine quilting the Christmas tree skirt I designed for last years Quilting Arts Gifts issue and this coincides with some of the information I covered in the article on machine quilting in the October issue of Quilting Arts.

And in the last segment I paint with acrylic inks on cotton fabric (April QA issue), demonstrating layering color, stamping, creating a watercolor look and drawing with acrylic ink in quill pens.

Quilting Arts TV Series 900 - Pre Order now

Featured artists include: Charlotte Angotti, Margaret Applin, Ana Buzzalino, Diane Rusin Doran, Jamie Fingal, Debra Gabel, Candy Glendening, Helen Gregory, Laura Heine, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Heather Jones, Susan Brubaker Knapp, Barbara Olsen, Judy Coates Perez, Pat Sloan, Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero, Sarah Vedeler, Elin Waterston, and Terry White.

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Merry Christmas!

May your holiday be blessed with good food on the table and loved ones around you. I raise a toast to you good friend, that your life be filled with peace, love and happiness. I am so grateful for all the wonderful friends I have met teaching and online from around the world, my life is richer from the experience. Namaste!

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Swedish Magazine Interview

Last September 11th, I met with the editor of the Swedish Quilting magazine Rikstacket for an interview. The streets of downtown Chicago were unusually quiet on that somber 10 year anniversary, but the sun was shining and it was a lovely warm day. We met at the Art Institute for lunch and chatted about my work process, the differences between teaching in the US and Europe, exhibiting work and life.

It was fun to receive a copy of the magazine this week, not being able to read a word of it, lol, but enjoying the wonderful quality of the photos and printing and getting a taste of the European quilt world.

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The Best of Quilting Arts

 I just received my copy of the Best of Quilting Arts and was thrilled to see my art on the back cover!

This book is really a nice compilation of articles from the first 10 years of Quilting Arts magazine. I am so happy my article about using teabags and other paper ephemera with fabric to make small wall hangings was included in this wonderful book that is filled great techniques and big beautiful photos of lots of gorgeous artwork.

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Are you going to International Quilt Festival Cincinnati?

This will be my first time teaching at IQA's newest location. I've never been to Cincinnati and am looking forward to spending a long weekend there this spring. Hopefully I'll still be in Chicago then and can make a road trip out of it instead of fly (so I can bring more stuff, lol).

If you'd like to take a class with me at festival I'll be teaching:

Tea & Ephemera  Thursday, April 12th

Color Theory,  Friday, April 13th

Heavy Metal Play Day,  Saturday, April 14th

Each of these classes are process based with lots of time to experiment and try out new techniques and media with minimal supply lists. Check out the catalog and sign up now!

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Interested in a cool new online class option?

STITCHED is a collection of 20 online video workshops by 20 talented fabric artists. Students have access to all 20 workshops and can choose to view and work on the projects any time of the day, any day of the week. Registration opened Dec 1 and the workshops kick off on Jan 1 and run through June 1. Registration is only $89. 

My friend Deborah Boschert is teaching a workshop titled, "Branches, Buds and Blossoms: A Botanical Fabric Collage." She includes videos on selecting fabrics, adding surface design, composing and improvisational hand embroidery. Click on her name for more info about her workshop.

My friend Kelli Nina Perkins is also teaching a workshop on her fabulous Rolling Pin Sampler. 

This looks like a great opportunity to try out a lot of different techniques for one great flat fee. Check it out!

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New color removing article in Quilting Arts magazine

I wanted to let you know I have a new article in the December/January issue of Quilting Arts magazine about discharging fabric with an inexpensive and easy use product from Rit. I began experimenting with it and found a new method of using the product with shibori and had great results with hand dyes and commercial fabrics.

It's the first of a two part series of articles on removing color from fabric. The next article using DeColourant will be in the February/March issue.

These articles coincide with the segment I taped for Quilting Arts TV series 900, that should be airing soon.

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Painting Canvas

This week I had a need to paint so I pulled out a big piece of canvas, threw a layer of gesso on it and  drew a big octopus. Indigo's always telling me I should paint on canvas more.

I painted the octopus body with acrylic inks.

and painted the water and seaweed with regular acrylic paints. The water is actually more of a teal blue but the camera seems to have a hard time getting that color.

I love the golden orange and teal blue colors together, opposites on the color wheel, they really make the image pop.

I knew it needed more patterning of some kind, so Indigo suggested I make it a blue ring octopus. Which seemed perfect, because I needed some more dark values to balance the dark the eyes.

Now I need to get back to less fun and creative work, filling out class proposals, contracts, etc., but as things move along I'll post more photos.

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