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Want to make your own black cat quilt? Try out this FREE pattern, Stairway to Cat Heaven, From the October 1997 Issue of "McCall's Quilting."
The pattern includes appliqué templates, assembly instructions, and diagrams.
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In lesson 9, Sharon shows you how to put a label in your binding. This is a great tip, particularly for reversible quilts where you can't have a conventional label.
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Traveling in an RV allows one to visit a variety of quilt shops while the DH and dog can relax. No more rushing because you know they are out there WAITING for you, lol. They have a bathroom, kitchen and bed if you decide to stay and take a class!!! The stop in Sedona was breath taking and is definitely a bucket list item especially for quilters. The natural beauty alone is inspiring. I have been working away on my big stitch hand quilting project and I am pretty happy with the results. I keep hearing Gwen Marston say that she embraces the pucker and that is now my chant!!!
And then, there is The Quilter's Store. A nice variety and if you are looking for that project that inspires memories of the Southwest...this is your place! They also are a big supporter of the Quilts of Valor program and carry a wide variety of fabrics for those projects.
Enjoy the slide show and if you see something you cannot live without check www.quiltersstoresedona.com.
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Our current road trip has been a real adventure, which you can follow on our You Tube Channel, The Quilt Roadies.
Don't forget to visit our blog, www.wooliemammoth.blogspot.com.
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Erras told The Creators Project. "There I found some beautiful mosaic floors and while walking through the monument I started taking some pictures of these mosaic floors and included my feet as a reference that it is actually a floor. I work a lot in Paris, where I shoot Interiors, and when I came back to Paris I started noticing all these different colourful tiles and mosaic floors in hallways, restaurants, galleries and cafes.”
People loved the pictures of the floors, but then he noticed attention was also being drawn to his shoes. So, he began carrying extra pairs of shoes in his backpack, "just in case."
As Quilters you will love the floor designs, and as artists, you will love the shoes tool
(Photo: Sebastian Erras)
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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.
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Learn how to free motion quilt pebbles with Cindy Seitz-Krug. Perfect your stitches with her great tips and move on to variations of pebble stitches.
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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.
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** 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.
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(Photo by Gregory Case Photography)
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).
3. Beth of UnskinnyBoppy uses Ikea Flintorp Series buckets to hold her paints.
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.
Patt Blair (Show 510) Draw and paint a tiger's eye
Velda Newman (Show 903) Creating realistic imagery
Katie Pasquini Masopust (Show 906) Creating painted fabric
Cindy Walter (Show 1111) The pleasures of fabric painting
Mickey Lawler (Show 1305) Creating your own skydye fabric
Joanna Sharpe (Show 1610) Using dyes and paints to enhance your fabric
Andrea Brokenshire (Show 1706) Painting on silk charmeuse
Susan Brubaker Knapp (Show 1709) From photo to fabric painted image
Judy Simmons (Show 1711) Using Shiva Paint Stiks to add depth and shading to your designs
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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 :)
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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.
Eleanor was our TQS Legend in 2011. All Members can watch her show for FREE. Click here to watch the show.
Part 2
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Part 1
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