Are You a Bead-a-holic?

Ever want to learn the best way to add beads to your art work? You are in luck! Lyric Kinard has just come out with a new DVD called Bead it Like You Mean it. And I gotta tell you, she got me hooked!

Here's what you'll learn with Lyric's DVD.

Lyric takes you from basic beading to more elaborate ways of attaching beads to the surface of your work. Her instructions and video demonstrations are really easy to follow. I should know. After watching it I astounded myself by being able to bead!

If you'd like to win a copy of Lyric's new DVD, please leave a comment on the blog today and you may be the lucky winner of this great instructional video, Bead it Like You Mean it.

Sheldon Gallery Presents a Lurking Chair

Nude Blue Chair Reclining lurking about.

Here's a little video tour of the Sheldon Gallery exhibit of work by members of the  FAC (Fiber Artists Coalition). The Sheldon, a wonderful gallery in St. Louis, MO, is hosting our exhibit called Ties that Bind. If you look real fast at the beginning of the video you'll see my quilt Nude Blue Chair Reclining lurking in the background.

Nothing scarier than a lurking chair.

Fowl Play Bird Lovers Unite!

This class is so fun! I always enjoy teaching the Fowl Play: Birds With No Egrets workshop. Here you see Sara, a happy student at Penn National proudly showing us her bird. Isn't this a fun quilt!

The idea behind the class is to give you a set of patterns for your basic bird parts: body and wings. Then you are on your own! (I leave the room and go shopping at the vendor mall and return in 4 hours with 10 bags and a bad back.)

During the class you decide on what type of setting your fowl inhabits. Your bird may wade in the water, sit on a branch, or fly through the garden. You are the master of your own bird!

Here we see Keet. (What a great name for a bird artist!) Keet brought her own lovely sketch of a bird design to class. Isn't this sweet? Its a sweet tweet. Thanks Keet and Sara for sharing your work with us. We'll see more tomorrow!

Fowl Play Bird Lovers Fly!

Nice quilt Nancy!

Here we see an intrepid student from one of my previous classes, Nancy. She bravely took another workshop from me at Penn National called Fowl Play: Birds With No Egrets. The woman has no fear!

Student work.

My students always amaze me with their abilities to work on the fly. They started with some basic bird body and bird wing shapes and then develop their own designs with their pre-fused fabrics.

I think Lee made this.

This soon to be finished piece, made good use of the gradation of color in the fabric. They are simple shapes in a nicely executed design. Note the attractive legs!

Coralyn did some online research to design this piece. This may be a gift for a grand child. Or she just has too much time on her hands.

And here we have Regina, another repeat student working on her graduate degree in fusing.

You never know what people will come up with in a class like Fowl Play. That is the beauty of fusing. It gives you endless possibilities!

Our featured artist today is Diane. Here you see a detail of her beautiful quilt with some hand embroidery. Please visit her blog to see more and to learn how she went about making her quilt. Isn't she talented?!

Adventures in Quilting: Something Raises It's Ugly Head

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

In the continuing story of our young quilt teacher's journey to Penn National, we visit more student work from the Colorful Leaves class. Tragically she can't remember the names of those who made the beautiful pieces having a brain like a sieve.

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

 As she reviews the work she is reminded of that old saying: "I am green with envy!"

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

This is because several times in class she would stop, look at what the students were making, and think, "Now why didn't I think of that!"

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Or she would think, "I don't want to be the teacher. It's more fun being the student!"

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Soon jealously welled up inside her. She wanted to play with fabric too!

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

But nooooooooo! She had to be a good girl and behave and not grab the fabric out of the students hands and make her own art work!

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

And that is when the young quilt teacher realized that life is not fair. And if she ever got the chance, she would take a class from herself.

Adventures in Quilting: How to Make a Teacher Proud

Tools of the Trade class sample.

Having finally recovered from a teaching trip to Penn National, the young quilt teacher proudly presents what her students created in class. Sadly, the young teacher forgot to take photos of the Tools of the Trade class and, even more sadly, she can't remember anyone's name.

We'll never know why her mind works in such mysterious ways. So she is to be forgiven.

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

But in a flash of genius, she does take pictures of student work in the Colorful Leaves class. Here's the basic structure of the class:

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Students first discover the joys of fusing by adding fusible web to their kit fabrics. No one gets glue on the iron. It's a miracle!

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Students are given a pattern for a basic leaf shape. It's just an outline but what they do with it is amazing!

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Using that basic leaf shape, they subdivide the shape and design their own colorful leaf on paper. This drawing becomes their master pattern.

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Working from their master pattern, they learn how to translate the drawn shapes into fused fabric shapes. It's the miracle of pattern transfer!

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

The students make miraculous work and fill their teacher's eyes with tears of joy. Or is it stubbing her toe on a chair leg that causes the tears?

Student work from Penn National. Sorry I can't remember who made it.

Please stay tuned for more student work tomorrow where we answer the question "Will miracles ever cease?" and "Who put that chair leg in my way?"

Will Technological Wonders Never Cease?

Click here to view this photo book larger

I know it is very vain of me, but it's so much fun to make a book with my art quilts in it. This one is from Shutterfly.  Isn't it amazing that we can produce books so easily? 

Next I shall publish an encyclopedia of stitching terms including the word "Ouch!"  It is defined as a term shouted by stitchers in pain as in, "Ouch! I stabbed by finger with a *!#*! needle!"

How to Relax at Home with a Twist

Every once in a while I like to sit down and twist a little thread. It's a hobby like stamp collecting, gardening or juggling. A well twisted thread is so very satisfying. And let's face it, I've really dropped the ball on that juggling hobby.

Once I twist the thread, I like to place it artfully on a table next to some dahlias from the garden. This is the Southwest Rainbow colorway you see artfully placed here. Does it look like the green chair is creeping up on the thread? Or is it just me being paranoid?

Who Are These People and What Have They Done!

You never know who will turn up in your booth when your vending. Here we see our friends from Wisconsin Public TV, Kerman and Laurie, at the recent Quilt Expo in Madison. They (and a few other people) are the reason that the film, The Art of Quilting, is so very popular.

Warning! If you go to this link for The Art of Quilting you will see a very bad picture of me. Don't go there!

Chicago School of Fusing members, Frieda, Emily, Melody, and myself appeared in a segment of the Art of Quilting in 2007. To this day, people still mention this film and how much  they loved it. That's all thanks to Kerman and Laurie and the great folks at Wisconsin Public TV. Have you seen the Art of Quilting?

Is Technique Lust Contagious?

Here's your opportunity to win a copy of this great DVD by Lyric Kinard, Bead it Like You Mean it.  For years I've avoided adding beads to the surface of my work. I'm afraid if I start, I may succumb to the dreaded disease called technique lust.

Technique lust is learning a new technique and having it take over your life. And now that I've watched Lyric's DVD, I'm afraid to say... I may be hooked! Help!

If you are feeling lustful, just visit any of the blogs below and leave a comment on the day it is offered. You may win a copy of her DVD! Meanwhile check out this wonderful tutorial Lyric gives you on her blog. She is such a temptress!

Sept 19 Kelli Nina Perkins http://ephemeralalchemy.blogspot.com/
Sept 21  Sharon Chapman http://wildflowerhouse.blogspot.com/
Sept 23 Leslie Jennison http://leslietuckerjenison.blogspot.com/
Sept 26 Carla Sonheim http://carlasonheim.wordpress.com/
Sept 28 Gloria Hansen http://www.gloriahansen.com/weblog/
Sept 30 Laura Wasilowski http://artfabrik.blogspot.com/
Oct 3  Carol Sloane http://carolbsloan.blogspot.com/
Oct 5 Sue Bleiweiss http://www.suebleiweiss.com/blog/
Oct 7  Jill Berry http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/
Oct 10 Jane LaFazio http://janeville.blogspot.com/
Oct 12 Tracie Lynn Huskamp http://thereddoor-studio.blogspot.com/

Celebrating Art at the Sheldon Gallery

Color Chips at the Sheldon Art Gallery

If you are in the St. Louis, MO, area be sure to stop in at the Sheldon Art Galleries to see Ties that Bind: Art Quilts by Members of the Fiber Artists Coalition, September 30 – December 3, 2011 in the Bellwether Gallery of Saint Louis Artists. As a member of the FAC, I'm happy to have this quilt called Color Chips in the exhibit.

The all-gallery opening is on Friday, September 16 from 5 – 7 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesdays, Noon – 8 p.m.; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, Noon – 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Admission is free. For more information on the exhibition visit the galleries’ website at www.thesheldon.org/galleries.asp.

Ties that Bind is being held in conjunction with the biennial Innovations in Textiles citywide celebration, now in its 9th year. The exhibition includes 27 colorful works by FAC members.

Included in the exhibition are Pat Bishop (WI), Kathie Briggs (MI), Shelley Brucar (IL), Jennifer Conrad (MN), Clairan Ferrono (IL), Linda Witte Henke (IN), Kasia (WI), Peg Keeney (MI), Pat Kroth (WI), Edna Patterson-Petty (IL), Casey Puetz (WI), Gwyned Trefethen (WI), Laura Wasilowski (IL), Maggie Weiss (IL) and Trish Williams (IL).

Have You Seen Stitched, the Movie?

I am stunned an amazed to be standing with Pat Holly and Caryl Fallert.

There's a new documentary about quilting out called Stitched. Have you seen it? It is enthralling! And I'm not even in it. One of the featured artists is my friend, Caryl Fallert, a pioneer in the art quilt world.

Not that Caryl can be found traveling to Montana by wagon train. What I mean is that Caryl has been in this profession for a long time and is very generous with her knowledge. Like Lewis and Clark in heels, she forged a trail for the rest of us.

If you'd like to see Stitched, stop in at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 West 19th St. in Chicago this Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2 pm. It is well worth your time.

Adventures in Quilting Episode 4: Are You a Character?

In today's episode of Adventures in Quilting our young quilt teacher settles into her frigid hotel room and discovers a surprise in her carry on luggage. It appears a bag of orange slices (packed for snacking from a previous trip) have turned into a squishy, smelly pulp.

A hotel room in the land of Philly.

Hurriedly disposing of the mushy orange, she greets her roommate, also a young quilt teacher, called Pepper. They catch up on recent news, discuss what they are teaching in Philly, and soon settle into that routine practiced by travelers around the world: checking email.

Hotels in outer Philly.

As the young quilt teacher relaxes in her hotel she realizes her job is fraught with challenges like air travel, shuttle buses, and bad food. But she loves her job. And she is so happy to be part of the quilt world.

Where else would you find such friendly people? People who love color and fabric and art and who could care less if you oranges are mushy? It's good to be a quilter. It lends you character.

Adventures in Quilting Episode 3: Regret on the Road

In our previous episode of Adventures in Quilting, our young quilt instructor survives a short flight to Philly and spends hours getting from the airport to her hotel. Who knew that a drive from the airport could resemble traveling across Montana in a wagon train?

Healthy food. Try to remember this.

After a lengthy tour of Pennsylvania, she arrives safely at the hotel and delves into a hot dog smothered in chili and cheese.

Regret, thy name is chili and cheese.

Life on the road for our young quilt maker offers many challenges. And as we leave her she resolves to eat healthier food and then zeros in on a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.

Adventures in Quilting Episode 2: Always Carry a Tissue

City of Chicago from the air.

In our last episode of Adventures in Quilting we found our young quilt teacher boarding a plane at O'Hare. She is on a mission of joy and enlightenment to spread the word that you too can be a fuser.

The great American mid-west.

After a short, but irritating flight, the young quilter vows to never sit next to an incessant sniffer without carrying a tissue to share. And next time that incessant sniffer also hogs the arm rest, watch out!

The young quilter carries embroidery needles and knows how to use them!

Earth from above. Sniff.

Despite the sniffer and a lack of fresh air, our quilt maker gazes from the plane window and admires the scenery below. It truly is a magnificent earth we live on. And for a moment, just a moment, the earth resembles a patchwork quilt.

Adventures in Quilting!

In today's episode of Adventures in Quilting we find our intrepid young quilt instructor on the road. It's a chilly day when she navigates the halls of Chicago International Airport (ORD) tripping over suitcases and stopping at every McDonald's for refreshment.

A half-hour and 5 cups of coffee later she arrives at her gate. Just in time to be told her departure is now at the last gate in another terminal. Will her legs carry her that far? Why are her bags suddenly heavier? And why did she drink so much coffee?

Arriving just in time for departure, the young quilt teacher sighs and hopes for sunny weather at her final destination. Cause she forgot to pack her jacket!

Stay tuned for more Adventures in Quilting where we answer the question, will the young quilt teacher freeze her..........off.

Is It Wrong to Play Favorites?

This week I am teaching 3 of my favorite classes at the Pennsylvania National Quilt Expo. What makes them favorites? They involve design themes that are near and dear to my heart: leaves, birds, and sewing tools. Add chocolate and my life is complete!

Unless you have been in a workshop where everyone makes their own version of a bird, you have not lived. The Fowl Play class I teach always yields the wackiest birds doing the strangest things. Students have a great time! Here you see the Kentucky Bourbon Warbler singing to the sun.

For those of you who are more sedate and refined, perhaps the Tools of the Trade class is for you.  And for those who fall somewhere in between (a little flamboyant but able to control yourself) the Colorful Leaves class is ideal.

So join me at Penn National. Wacky or subdued, I'd love to see you!