Our Artists have told us about their favorite new tools. We have some in our shop and now you can get them cheaper than anywhere else. Just use the codes below at checkout. Hurry, quantities limited.
Looking to reduce the size of your scrap stash? Why not use it to make some colorful twine? Once you have mastered that, the sky's the limit with what you can make! How about a new rug for your quilting room? We found very cool ideas at My Poppet Makes.
Join Lea McComas (Episode 1609) in her newest class, Contemporary Batik. This four-part class is a fun and easy way to sample a Batik technique without all of the mess and burned fingers. It just might be the perfect project to do together with a young artist in your life. Don't forget to post your WIP, which will make you eligible to win a set of Dyna-Flow-Dyes. So download the pattern and supply list and let's all get Batiking!
To post your WIP, click on the button below. It will take you to the Lea McComas Contemporary Batiks group in the TQS Quilter Community. To the right in the cover photo, you'll see a Join Group (in blue) button, click that to join the group. From there you'll be able to post your progress and share your photos.
Lilo talks with artist Elisabeth Strub Madzar while visiting Istanbul.
Internationally recognized artist Elisabeth Strub Madzar came to Istanbul in 1965 from Paris. She began her quilting journey by studying with Sevin Hanif in 1987. Over the course of two years, Sevin taught Elisabeth the techniques needed for all areas of hand piecing and hand quilting. At the time, her father-in-law had a company that required him to travel and visit villages around Turkey. Elisabeth often joined him on these trips. As a woman and an artist, she was able to get to know many of the women in the villages they visited. She was enchanted by the beautifully handmade and hand-embroidered textiles that were kept in hope chests as part of each woman's trousseau. Many pieces had been handed down by the women in the family from generation to generation, especially items of great value, such as hand-woven linen/silk embroidered with silver or gold threads.
Elisabeth's work includes fragments of fragile and otherwise unusable textiles, as a way to give honor to their original creators. She says that by preserving and including these antique pieces, they in turn are reborn to live again. Whether the pieces find their way into a quilt or a paper maché object, it is about respecting the past.
Next week we will tour Elisabeth's studio and share some of her work.
For more information about Elisabeth's week-long study course (which includes, room & board, class instruction and inspirational tours) send an emailhere.
Purchase Elisabeth's book Turkish Patchwork by QUILTMANIA.
As Mother's Day (in the US and Canada) is just around the corner, we thought that you might want to show your mom how much you care by making something she can use on a daily basis. The Little Wallet pattern is by Valori Wells. Both items use a minimal amount of fabric, leaving you some "change" to insert a gift card for another "little treat."
(Note: you can no longer win one of the projects.)
Spring is in the air! My heart sings, because I know my best friend is waiting for our arrival at the front gate. Butch, the black dog, with his wonky ears and a little heart tag, is so pleased to see us. Mr. Bird is sitting on Butch’s back, hoping that Mrs. Bird will notice him.
TQS caught up with Maura Ambrose of FolkFibers.com at QuiltCon 2015. She spent a few minutes with us talking about her traditional roots and their modern interpretation, a collaboration with the singer, John Mayer, and riding on the artisan train.
Maura was educated in Textile Design + Fiber Arts, at Savannah College of Art & Design. She worked for a few years in preschools, on a couple organic farms, and then spent some time traveling America. Her goal is to share the craft and folklore that prevails around natural dyes and quilting. She uses natural dyes (which she grows organically) in the making of her quilts and uses both vintage and new materials. Maura uses 100% natural fibers and favors solid colors for their timeless appeal. She also hand quilts all her quilts. Maura says it takes more time, but she feels the results are greater and more valuable than a manufactured quilt.
The folks at Superior Threads love their product...maybe a little bit too much...
Does your Mom love Superior too? Why not give her a Superior gift certificate for Mother's Day?
And they are having a Facebook contest, but you can use e-mail as well.
Fun contest: Take a picture of the most unique way you can drop the hint that you'd like Superior Threads for Mother's Day and post it to their Facebook Page (or email it to info@superiorthreads.com and they will post it). The photos posted by Wednesday, May 6th will be considered for one of three $50 gift certificate prizes. Multiple entries accepted.
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.jpg "2019 Sponsor - BERNINA Q 24")
