Look what we just discovered in the Superior Threads Blog. They have a new line of thread called Sew Complete.
Here's what Superior says about their new thread:
We are excited to announce our newest thread line, Sew Complete! We have received countless requests from our customers and friends to create a strong, smooth, lightweight sewing thread for crafting, general sewing, and home decor. Sew Complete is a 50 wt. (standard sewing weight) poly-wrapped poly core thread available in 25 functional colors wound on 300 yd. spools. Sewing with Sew Complete will solve many frustrations that exist with other, low-quality all purpose threads. It provides smooth stitches with consistent tension and due to its strength, minimizes thread breaks.
We know what your next question is: What’s the difference between Sew Complete and So Fine! #50? Sew Complete is a great all-purpose sewing and crafting thread and because of its fiber composition, is slightly stronger than So Fine! #50. With 300 yds per spool, Sew Complete is more economically priced. Both are great threads and serve their own purpose. We invite you to sew with our newest thread line in the Superior family.
Have you ever heard about a Whisper Challenge? It is like playing "telephone"** with a photograph and translating it into a quilt. Loosely Bound (a group of creative women with strong bonds and loose bindings)took the Whisper Challenge. Take a look at their amazing quilts recently exhibited at the Giustina Gallery, LaSells Stewart Center, 875 S.W. 26th St., Corvallis, OR (through 5/26/2016). Watch the transition as each quilter shares their inspiration.
** Chinese whispers (or telephone in the United States) is a game played around the world, in which one person whispers a message to another, which is passed through a line of people until the last player announces the message to the entire group.
Quilt artists are increasingly including the use of paint, dye, and stencils in their work. With any specialized tools, they require their own specific handling and storage. Keeping these items close at hand and organized can be an issue when space is at a premium. Given the variety of shapes and sizes of brushes, stencils, and paint containers, storage can also be a challenge.
Check out these ideas for storage and a few tips on how to take care of your investments.
Paint Brushes:
Paint brushes can be expensive and with proper care, they will last much longer. Dick Blick recommends these basic tips to keep brushes in their best possible shape.
1. Always use seperate brushes for oil based or water based media.
2. Never leave brushes sitting in water or oil based solvent.
3. Don't scrubb your brushes harshly and make sure to clean thoroughly after each painting session.
4. Lay your bruches flat to dry. Once dry, they can then be stored vertically or horizontally.
Stencils:
Stencils are thin and can easily be damaged. For this reason, they should always be stored flat or hanging. Always wash your stencils after each project. StencilsandDecals.com has an easy way to clean your stencils:
Use a tall kitchen trash bag liner and place one stencil inside. Spritz the painted side of the stencil generously with Simple Green® cleaner. Repeat laying each stencil sheet on top of the next. Let them sit overnight and rinse each layer with warm water. Lay stencils flat inside a folded terry towel to dry. Store stencils flat or hanging, never rolled.
Whether you want your items out of view or on display is your preference. Below we share a number of options sure to inspire
Clean and Clutter Free Options
If you perfer a clean and clutter free space, consider these options for storing your paints and supplies.
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1. Stephanie uses a hallway storage cabinet which holds a wide variety of paint and other craft supplies while not taking up much space. (storage cabinet is the Ikea Tarva Dresser)
2. Each drawer holds specific types of items in their own section.
3. Mrs.Easton uses a sushi mat with elastic to hold her brushes. This way they stay separated and won't damage the brush bristles.
4. Belen of Art and Whimsy uses a plasic page protector system to hold mini stencils.
Visually Stimulating Options
Do you prefer a visually stimulating space, or are you lacking in large areas of vertical and horizontal storage? These tabletop ideas might just be the perfect solution.
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1. Angie at The Country Chic Cottage uses a letter holder she found at a Thrift Store. It keeps her paint brushes organized and within easy reach.
2. An old baby changing table works as a clever painting supply station (JunqMailContessa).
4. Jennifer McGuire stores her smaller stencils in a tabletop filing system.
5. Marjie Kemper uses a two-tiered clip and spin holder (can be found on Amazon.com).
6. In the video, Sonya shares a clever adhesive J-hook system for stencils that are difficult to store using other methods.
New to fabric painting? Learn how to easy and fun it is to create your own unique fabric using dyes and paints.
Check out these featured artists on our Shows whose work includes painted or dyed fabrics.
One of the best and easiest ways to add flavor to foods without any calories is to use spices. Adding a spice blend to skinless chicken or fish makes it extra special without any use of oil or flour. One of my favorite blends for chicken is Montreal Chicken Seasoning, and believe it or not, I love Mrs. Dash on my salmon.
Through all my blog reading, I kept hearing about this Indian spice blend, called garam masala. I wanted to try it, but could never find it. Finally, a good blog friend from New York, sent me the spice! At one sniff, I was in love. When I read the spices that were included in the blend, it was easy to see why I was smitten--cumin, coriander, chili, cinnamon, cloves, mustard, black pepper, nutmeg, and cardamom. Its just a warm and cozy blend of spices. Perfect for those mid-winter doldrums. This spice seems to work particularly well on a blend of vegetables and potatoes. I've used potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onions, mushrooms, carrots, and even zucchini cooked all together with the garam masala. Sometimes I add chicken, and sometimes I leave it as a vegetarian dish.
Just a sprinkle of cinnamon on apple or pear slices makes them a special treat. Use your imagination--gather all the vegetables you have on hand, choose a spice you enjoy, and make a stir fry for dinner. The good thing about a stir fry is that I usually get carried away with all the vegetables I have, and I end up with a huge pot. It tastes great leftover, so I don't have to cook for a couple of nights! More time to quilt :)
Here are more of Eleanor Burns vintage quilts as they were shown in Paducah. As we said before, it may be just 1% of her collection. These quilts have served as inspiration for many of her books and patterns. Look for more next year.
Thousands have fled from the Canadian city of Fort McMurray to escape the raging wildfires. Awebsite and Facebook page have been set up to help.
They are able to use any size of quilts you desire to donate, from baby sized on up. They prefer quilts that are done, but are able to accept tops, as there are some Longarm Quilting services available to them. They also need batting and backings to finish tops donated. Pet quilts are also welcome!
Add more fun and interest to your next quilt with three new fill motifs that are more interesting than stippling! See just how fast and easy these simple fill patterns are to machine quilt with Lori Kennedy of TheInboxJaunt! and WeAllSew.com.
Every quilt artist approaches a new piece in a method that best suits them personally. Some map out the entire design before ever cutting into fabric. Others have an idea, but just dive in letting the quilt speak to them as they go along. No matter what the technique, being able to follow along during the entire process as a spectator is a rare treat.
Watch the creation of this quilt whose idea began with a black and white photo of Alex Anderson at her grandmother's knee.
In Part I we begin with a beautiful piece of batik fabric that Gail Thomas saw as the perfect canvas for painting this sweet domestic scene. Using layer upon layer of Angel paint, Gail brings depth and life to the three individuals in the photograph.
Join us for Part 2 which will feature the stenciling of the entire quilt top.
Earlier we chronicled the early stages in the making of Gail Thomas' quilt, Grandmother's Legacy, which she has based on an old photograph that she saw in Houston, TX, last fall. In Part 2 of the story, Gail shows how--with the use of stencils, paint, and quilting--the quilt evolves into in both visual depth and deeper meaning. Click on the play button to view the slide show.
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