Daily Blog

  0

fShare

Tweet

Textile artist Carol Ann Waugh shares five tips on how to solve thread tension issues via WeAllSew.com. You might want to print out the article and put it into your travel machine’s case, so the next time you go to a workshop, you can refer to the steps and solve your own tension problems FAST!

  1

fShare

Tweet

You might remember a while back that Alex coached Olympic wrestler, Dan Gable, as he created a Quilt of Valor.  Here, Dan, presents his quilt to a deserving veteran, Spc. Dustin Morrison.

Dan awarded the quilt to Dustin in a locker room at Iowa State University, before a wrestling meet Dan was covering for Iowa Public Television. Dustin, a soldier who was injured during a roadside attack in Afghanistan, was a wrestler in high school, and Dan wanted to award his quilt to a wrestler who had served his country.

To learn more about Quilts of Valor, scroll down after the video.

"Quilts of Valor," is a 73-minute documentary starring national quilters Eleanor Burns, Alex Anderson, and Mark Lipinski and hosted by Marianne Fons.

Three novice quilters were matched with three professionals to help them make quilts for the Quilts of Valor program which has awarded 61,458 quilts to veterans since it began in 2003.  The novices were Dan Gable, wrestling legend, Mary Lou Metzger of Lawrence Welk fame, and Heather Stephenson, whose husband is a member of the Iowa National Guard.

For help in finding your local station, go to http://www.pbs.org. Contact your station via email, phone message or personal note to let them know you want to watch "Quilts of Valor."

To learn more about the Quilts of Valor program, click here.

  5

fShare

Tweet

Does the thought of sewing with laminated cotton terrify you?  This is not the stuff of your grandmother's generation.  These new and updated laminated cottons are fun, flexible, and offer the sewer many creative options.

Check out this adorable apron pattern, designed by TQS Instructor and guest Laura Nownes (Episode 710), which even includes a clever hanger for a coordinating dish towel. 

  3

fShare

Tweet

We love how this block has infinite possibilities when combined with other blocks. Do you know what it's called? Play the game and find out.

  0

fShare

Tweet

In time for Miami Beach Funkshion Fashion Week, a 20-piece capsule collection of dresses was created by students at the Miami International University of Art, using McDonald's product packaging.  Like any true fashion show, there was one wedding dress designed with more than 900 white wrappers.

Click here to see more fine food fashions, including the wedding dress.

Just think, if you made a quilt out of McDonald's packaging, it might give a whole new meaning to a fat quarter!

(photo credit: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for McDonald's)

  119

fShare

Tweet

In this quilt tutorial, Margo Clabo shows you exactly how to get a wonderful faux piped binding for your quilt.

To get the pdf go here     

  2

fShare

Tweet

Here is Part 2 of Fashion Flashback, a retrospective of items from past BERNINA and Fairfield fashion shows.  Whenever you think creating a quilt might be difficult, think about the difficulty of creating a quilt that has to fit your body.  The structure and fit that goes into these designs is amazing.

Click here to see Part 1.

  67

fShare

Tweet

Please share this story with your friends on Facebook and email.

Libby Lehman is on the road to recovery and is back in her studio for the first time in 2 1/2 years. Ricky guides her as she embarks on a new quilt journey and teaches us about courage and kindness. Libby suffered a brain aneurysm on April 30, 2013, then suffered a massive stroke recovering from her surgery.  She remained in an induced coma for months.  Doctors said that she would never be able to speak or understand speech again.  Libby proved them wrong!

  4

fShare

Tweet

Artist Lyric Kinard shows Alex and Ricky how to move seamlessly and fearlessly from a recognizable form to a more abstract design, which she then turns into a fusible art piece.  She helps them to direct their focus on line and shape, rather than an actual object.  She shares her transition from the use of bold colors to a preference for soft neutrals, emphasizing composition and texture.  She then demonstrates transfer printing techniques, and the use of foil to add zing to a project. 

In a completely different printing technique, Artist Deborah Langsam demos her photo mosaic method of printing 1/2”-square photos onto fabric, then sewing them together to create entirely new images.  She discusses how to choose good images, and how to match images when sewing them together.

Show 1710: Conquering Abstract Fears debuts on Monday, November 9, 2015.

  15

fShare

Tweet

"Fancy Goldfish" is Susan's piece for the Quilt Alliance "Animals We Love" Contest.  It is a 16" square painted wholecloth piece, based on Susan's sketches of goldfish.

To learn more about it, click here to go to Susan's blog.

Star Members can watch Susan, along with Jane Hall, in Show 1709: From Pineapples to Photorealism.

FancyGoldfishbySusanBrubakerKnapp - 36 Pieces Non-Rotating

FancyGoldfishbySusanBrubakerKnapp - 100 Pieces Non-Rotating

FancyGoldfishbySusanBrubakerKnapp - 300 Pieces Non-Rotating

FancyGoldfishbySusanBrubakerKnapp - 100 Pieces Rotating

FancyGoldfishbySusanBrubakerKnapp - 300 Pieces Rotating