Thread-u-cation Thursday: Colonial Knot

Put on your powdered wig and grab your knickerbockers! We are about to learn the Colonial Knot! (OK, the knickerbocker reference may not be historically correct but grab something!) I like stitching Colonial Knots because they are faster to make than French Knots and you can easily toss them in as a background filler with the Scattered Seed stitch (see above). Also, it gives me an excuse to wear knickerbockers.

Here's how I make my Colonial Knots: With the thread on the top of the quilt at A, form a backwards letter C with the thread. Then place the needle to the right of point A. Slip the needle under the thread so it is going across the tip of the needle and under the shaft of the needle.

Now shift the needle in front of point A and wrap the thread across the needle and slip it under the tip of the needle. It should look like a figure 8 around the needle.

Scoot the needle tip across the fabric to insert it back into the fabric close to point A. Draw the needle and thread through the fabric and invite the neighbors over for Thanksgiving. Congratulations! You are now an official Colonial Knot Maker! You may now remover your knickerbockers.

Name that Bird Class Contest

Here's a contest you are sure to want to enter so you can win valuable prizes. What should I call my new class where we make birds doing bird like things in a colorful way?  If you can name that #*!@ class, I'll send you a set of 4 bird patterns! There are 2 rules. The class can not be named "Bird is the Word" or "Fusing Fowl". And the birds in the title can not be doing anything disgusting. Following is the class description.

Like a bird in flight, this class will lift your spirits and make you sing! You'll create fun little birds dancing, nesting, and wading knee deep in personality. Our colorful fowl (indigenous only to the campus of the Chicago School of Fusing) are created with fused fabrics and hand embroidery. Your kit includes all the hand dyed fabrics and threads you'll need for your little bird quilt top.

Iron Maidens!

Meet the latest graduating class from the Chicago School of Fusing. These lovely ladies joined me in Paducah, KY for 3 days of creativity and fun in my Fusing Fun Class. I had a great time!

Our first lesson? When transferring fusible web to fabric make sure to iron the paper "to the edge and beyond!" Here we are practicing going to the edge and beyond. It's a move used by Tai Chi fusers world wide.

Our lovely hostess for the class is a new member of the National Quilt Museum staff, Becky, who also improvised a fused art quilt while providing us with energy boosting brownies and coffee.

Class member, Teresa, shows off her colorful creations.

 Sheila poses with her beautiful flower quilt that she is adding hand embroidery to.

We helped Debra celebrate her birthday weekend and she made a fun party quilt to commemorate the occasion. Happy Birthday Debra!

Elizabeth made these sweet dream home quilts and added a delightful striped binding to her flower quilt.

Michele created beautifully cut shapes for her garden and sewing tools quilts.

Anne invented new planetary systems and a landscape full of texture and beauty.

Judith's whimsical landscape reflects her sense of fun and good humor.

We all loved Margaret's cheerful quilts and knowledge of all things Paducah.

And here is Beverly who was inspired by the annual Barbeque by the River contest taking place right outside our back door. She made this Pigs in Disguise quilt on the left designed with the help of a pig shaped cookie. You never know where you'll get your inspiration!
Thanks to my students and the staff of the National Quilt Museum!

Thread-u-cation Thursday: Whipped Running Stitch

The Whipped Running Stitch provides a decorative line on fabric and has a rope-like twisted pattern. It may look complicated but this twisted stitch is very, very easy. Made with 2 threads (I've used a Sunflowers Size 8 and a True Blues Size 12 for the whipping above), the change in scale of the threads still gives it a solid linear look.

Here's how I make my Whipped Running Stitches: Stitch a Running Stitch with the heavier thread (Size 8) to create a line on the fabric. When you've made it the length you want, bring the needle and thread to the back of the quilt, knot it, and snip. Now take the second thread (Size 12) and bring the needle up at point A which is the same spot as where the Size 8 thread began. Slip the needle under the right side of the first Running Stitch, making sure to NOT pick up any fabric, and draw the needle and thread under the stitch.

Next, slip the needle under the right side of the second Running Stitch at point B and draw the thread under that stitch to wrap or whip around the Size 8 thread. Continue to carry the thread under and around each Running Stitch across the fabric whipping them into place.

When you come to the end of the Running Stitches, insert the needle into the end of the last Running Stitch at point C. Pull the thread through to the back and knot it. The Whipped Running Stitch may be twisted, but its perfect for drawing a decorative line on the fabric.

Empty Spools Retreat in Asilomar

Please join me early next April at the beautiful Asilomar seaside resort for the Empty Spools retreat. I'm teaching a week long class called Translating Ideas into Fabric. I so look forward to being in this peaceful setting, getting to know the students in my class, and seeing their art work blossom. Here's a brief description of the workshop:

Like a journal or photo album, quilts illustrate the stories of our lives. Capture the essence of your story and transform it into a fused art quilt. Learn to convert a sketch, photo, image, motif, or even a vague idea into the fabric shapes that create your composition. Begin by making a custom pattern using a digital camera, computer, and projector provided by Laura. Next create a quick thumbnail version of the design to explore color, contrast, and compositional options. Then enlarge the pattern and make a full sized version of your concept. Our fast construction methods for creating this personal art work is fusing and a quick pattern transfer method that lets you freely create your ideas in cloth.


Hope you can join me!

Silk Sisters!

Please meet Spanish silk painter, Mercè. During my recent trip to the UK I met up with Mercè and her sister at the Quilt Festival in Birmingham, England. Here I am with Mercè and her beautiful quilt that is part of the European Art Quilt Foundation traveling exhibit called European Art Quilts VI.

Mercè and her sister, Cecilia, form the company Desedamas, makers of wonderful hand painted silk designs. They are delightful people! You must check out their Inspiration Panels. (I own one!).  And I know you'll love their work as much as I do.

Thread-u-cation Thursdays: A Palette of Threads

When I begin a new stitch project, I lay out my threads on the quilt and think of the color palette of threads I need. My first color choices are always colors complimentary to the fabric shapes. Stitches will show up better if the thread colors are in complimentary colors and I'm all about being complimentary!

Since I dye all the threads I use, I usually go to my inventory and select colors to fill up my Ring-o-Thread as seen above. This palette of thread is usually in size 8 or 12 pearl cotton thread. But if you look closely at the skeins in the left of the image, you'll see I also have access to size 5 and 3 if I need them. It's good to be a dyer.

Once I pick out the thread colors and sizes, I open the skein of thread and snip through the entire loop of thread right at the label. Then I take the center of the thread strands and loop it over a metal ring. I can easy draw out a single thread from the skein by pulling it out just at the center of the loop around the metal ring. The thread is the right length and I have my entire palette ready. This is how I store my color palette for stitching. What do you do?

Quilting with Wine

Two sisters, Lisa and Nancy, recently got together and finished my pattern kits they picked up in Payzon, AZ during the Quilters' Roundup symposium last Fall. They soon discovered that the kits were missing 1 ingredient...wine. My apologies. In the future I shall try to include wine with each kit purchased.

But I should point out that Kathy, who was in my Stitch after Fusing class in Minnesota this June, was able to complete her quilt stone cold sober. She does admit that instead of doing hand embroidery, she used several colors of narrow fusible ribbon to outline the shapes and added Swarovski crystals. What a great idea Kathy! This is what a clear head can achieve.

Thread-u-cation Thursdays: Ottoman Trousers

One of the highlights of my recent trip to the UK was a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Frieda and I spent hours visiting the wonderful collections of decorative arts. But, by far, the textile collection  in the Textile Study Room was my favorite. Viewing the embroideries was overwhelming!

Here you see a detail from one of the embroidered textiles on display. This is cotton embroidered with silk in a tent stitch and decorated with pulled thread strips. The fabric is part of a woman's trouser panel from around the mid 19th century, Ottoman. The V&A collection is huge! What a wonderful resource for expanding my knowledge and love of embroidery.

Silicone Release Paper

I'm happy to announce a new product from C&T Publishing to make your fusing life so very much easier, Silicone Release Paper. Here's why I like to use release paper for all my fusing projects.

• I can trace and transfer a pattern to fused fabrics using release paper and a black sharpie marker. There is no problem with reverse imaging. It's a miracle! All the patterns on my web site use this technique.  This free project for Sunny Flowers (above) comes in the package with the paper.
• I can use it to make fused collages or units of fused element and store them until I need them.
• I can use it to protect my iron and ironing board for fusible web.
• I can use it when I make collages with white glue or fabric mediums. After the collage dries, it just peels off the paper.

Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

New Use for Hand Dyed Thread!

Meet my friend Sarah. Sarah is a new quilter and very talented. She also has a unique use for my hand dyed threads. Here you see how she knotted it around her beautiful hair. I'm thinking maybe I should try this!
Thank you Sarah for sharing with us. And happy quilting!

Thread-u-cation Thursdays: Stitch Placement

Since January, I've tried to present weekly information and directions regarding basic embroidery stitches for fused art quilts. But in the process of showing you how to make the stitches, I forget how difficult it is to choose the stitches. Some stitch choices are easy, they help define shapes like adding Pistil Stitches to a flower (above).

 Other stitch choices are for a purely decorative end. These stitches add another motif and pattern to a fabric shape this silk piece I'm working on (above). These Cross Stitches, Buttonhole Stitches, French Knots, Straight Stitches, and Outline Stitches are there to enhance the fabric shapes, to decorate them.

And there are times when stitching actually makes the shape, like this mound of Seed Stitches and French Knots that make up the ground for the flowers. Having the skill to make the stitch is one thing. But making stitch placement decisions is another skill. This is something I struggle with every time I pick up the needle. So before I stitch I think of what I want to accomplish. Do I want to define a fabric shape by adding stitches that tell the viewer what the shape is? Do I want to decorate the fabric shape by adding stitches that add motif and energy to the piece? Or do I want to build a shape from stitching alone.
There is one other option: I just want to have fun!